Ian Happ’s 2024 Spring Training Thoughts!

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On this week’s episode of the Compound Podcast with Ian Happ, the guys discuss their arrivals at Spring Training, Zack’s new number, Dakota’s new home, the Super Bowl and so much more.

Don’t forget to follow The Compound on social media, on Twitter @thecompoundpod, on Instagram @thecompoundpod_ and on TikTok @TheCompoundPod.

Hosted by: Zack Short, Ian Happ and Dakota Mekkes
Edited by: Tom Prizemn

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Welcome back to the compound podcast this is episode 195 195 of the compound podcast presented by connect roers connect roers coffee company out of bourbon a Illinois just south of Chicago is offering two different discounts for our compound listeners they have a subscription that sends coffee to your

Door every month code compound club for 20 25% off your first month of subscription or if you just want to try the coffee on connect.com code compound 15 for 15% off sitewide yes Dakota three things they just all popped in my head boom boom boom okay first of all that’s

The first time I think in like three four weeks that and the people don’t know this but that you’ve gotten through the intro the first try so nice job proud of you uh second your hair looks amazing today wow thanks then third led

Me to Zach got a fresh cut so I got I got few days ago last week maybe up he said I’m ready for spring W Zach you got cleaned up before spring training um yeah I did you know had to let the shine the sun shine down on the

Uh the old school haven’t gotten around to the neck yet or brother why don’t you why don’t you mix in a barber shop trip I’m just that was I had to bring you back down I build you up to tear you back down let’s let’s give the people a little rundown I’m out

Near Arizona I made it Zach just got to Florida first day of camp tomorrow no not Camp just I mean but you’re going in yeah I’m going in yep Zs 74 good upate that’s good update Z huh yeah I got nothing for you I mean Dakota’s Dakota’s giving my number out

He’s building me up bringing me down um I was G I was gonna update the number oh I was like is it a secret no but Dakota’s doing it I didn’t know if you’d say it why wouldn’t I I don’t know um yeah going in tomorrow excited to hit on

A field get outside meet meet a lot of people which is going to be interesting I haven’t done that in a few years that’s always an experience but looking forward to it the one thing we were going to talk about as we’ve been texting about it this week is the new Nike

Uniforms so here’s what I’ve heard I’ve heard that the pants are fitting pretty well weren’t the pants Nike in the past or no no it’s always been Majestic they just SLA the so now Nike’s doing the pants so I heard the fit pretty well yeah oh okay I didn’t know

If that was like an Insider secret that you just gave out to people I was like are you allowed to say that I don’t think so I heard the pants fit pretty well the jerseys we’ve been texting back and forth the back looks a little names are

Smaller numbers are just a tiny bit smaller names are half siiz the photos I’ve seen don’t look great but I haven’t seen my Cub shes yet so I can’t comment what why I was gonna say Zach can you tell us how the group chat really went because

You two were in Z espe was an yeah so like I everyone’s seen that picture of jav’s Jersey in the uh I think either MLB store wherever it was the last year’s model and this year’s model next to each other and I mean they’re they’re significantly different even just looking at them the

Naked eye you’re just like oh that’s that looks like a knockof um I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that but looks a little different a lot different well Ian said it I think the biggest noticeable CH is like the name like there’s no like outline it just kind of

Looks looks weird it’s like it’s like this it’s like this like it’s just everything scrunched together and then I was like oh you know that must be just like a model or whatever like that’s not the real Jersey no no way and then Ian texted like hey have you are you down

There yet like have you seen the jerseys and I was like no like what are you talking about he goes oh no I think he said something like I I heard they were different and then I just start I started seeing more and more jerseys and

I was like yeah I think they’re gonna be different and Ian I’m glad that you said that about the pants because I’ve heard from somebody from sources that the pants aren’t great well yeah and you have to get your pants fit right and like our pants have been by the same

Company for years so we all had our sizes and you could do plus an inch in the calf or minus an inch in the thigh or whatever and now with this new system you don’t get as much customization or I don’t know but if you don’t get it right

Then you have to try again try again try again until you get it right so I’m sure you can still get them tailored right like you can still get them tailored right like once you get to Camp like can’t you like put them on and then like

Won’t they send them out to like a Taylor still or no some teams are doing that some teams are having a Taylor um some are just not doing that so I don’t really know I know I know of some players that get their pants tailored by

An outside tailor but it’s like so much easier for pitchers because you’re only going to wear that set of pants for position players if you blow out and a blowout is like you slide and you rip your pants like I’ll blow out once a week maybe maybe more so you can’t like

Get every pair of pants custom tailored because then you slide you rip them and then it’s over mhm yes Tom so previously under the under who was it previously that was making the jerseys not I was Majestic and then fanatic spot Majestic and then Nike took so under Majestic you guys

Have the ability to customize your uniform significantly more now that’s gone away it’s just different so the pants build is different I think you can I think you can still do some customization on length and fit but it just it’s a different fit so like the customization that you had

Previously might not be the same as what you need with this new fit and it it sounds needy like it just sounds kind of like oh it won’t fit perfectly but like it is kind of crazy the difference like a comfortable pair of pants and a comfortable Jersey is versus like in the

Miners when you’re wearing like it doesn’t fit right and you’re like this is horrible but it’s like this is what we got sorry like you just feel uncomfortable like I remember because obviously I have long legs and just a tall person but like I’d have pants that

Were flood pants and I’m like these look horrible I feel like an idiot but it’s all we got and you just you don’t feel good like you don’t feel near as good I what who so who bought who you said something about Fanatics they bought they bought Majestic and then Majestic

Was doing the Unis and then Nike got the whole deal so then Nike is now doing the uniforms I I know like how we said that they just SLA the Nike symbol on it like I know obviously that’s not substain like sustainable where they’re just going to keep doing that

But like why not copy like they tried our jerseys in 19 in the fall league with Nike and that was what five years ago and I know obviously Co I’m sure threw a wrench and things but like why not literally just copy everything that Majestic did bro like I don’t I don’t

Remember to a less expensive cheaper it’s just like then why buy it what like I get it but like I don’t know like I think I think the hard thing for players is that it’s the highest level and you want like once you have that customization once you have that thing

That fits perfect and looks good like you don’t that was dude I had tap Pants last year for the first time and I was like dude this is great like gonna say hey Dan like I blew out he’s like all right new ones are coming tomorrow great

Same size like no issues whatsoever bro I was gonna say this is really gonna bother Zach I could tell not like really but it’s it’s just like why like why are we Reinventing the wheel you I I don’t think you’ve ever heard players or anybody complain about how this Jersey

Felt before right like and I understand like things change things could change for the better we could all be completely wrong maybe we’re complaining again like we did about the shot clock and everything else but the the visual that that’s a tough look well the other thing the reason why

Some of the jerseys look worse on some teams than others is because every team had to go to the same font so every team had to go to the same numbers in the same font so it used to be that different teams had different styles of number different styles of of font and

Now it’s all the same font it’s all the same style so like some team that would have had a different looking number different looking font now that it’s all standardized it’ll look a little weird are the hats is that a whole different company New Era New Era I

Thought your spring training hats look sick the Cubs one yeah spring training hats are cool the baby they did baby blue on like three or four teams baby blue is Big Color right now big color blue look at me you guys like the Yankees one really went out of the box

KB started that that was Tom I was going to say that there were some that literally just look like their standard hats and then like the Cubs look cool there’s like a couple that are like a little different I’m like those look sick like spring training hats you wear

Them six weeks like why not make them cool 29 teams got cool new hats and the Yankees got the same [ __ ] hat we always get because God forbid we let we ever do anything differently if the Yankees put a non-traditional Yankee cap on during spring training we’re going to

Burst into flames Yankees will never do that they’ll never do the city connect uniform well is isn’t this this is their year supposedly right they’re all 30 teams are supposed to do it they’re on the list of teams that haven’t done it yet I don’t think the Yankees are going to do

It that’s like in some ways it’s good because the inevitable guys calling WFA and going I don’t like it I don’t like it I like the Pinstripes is good that we don’t have to deal with that for every everyone’s Uncle getting mad for 10 days

Is good we don’t have to deal with it but it’d be nice to see the Yankees try to do something see but like the the Royals and angels and like blue jay like a lot of teams still have like their same hat so like a couple teams didn’t

Really change like the Tigers did the tiger I think that one looks kind of cool I think they had orange hats didn’t they yeah they’re orange with like the tiger as the logo and I’m like that I don’t know it’s I mean like I said it’s

For six weeks like I’m with Tom like why not everyone do just something a little cool like it’s not for the whole season like the the Diamondbacks one as sick with the rattlesnake with the ball in his mouth that one looks cool to me Dakota can give us an update when

You’re heading out I was supposed to leave later this week it’s still TBD um surprisingly moving across the country isn’t very easy um figuring out a living situation especially in a city like Seattle so yep really took me by surprise there either later this week or

Next week I’ll be driving out there once I lock in where I’ll be living because uh I don’t really want to drive out there start work and live in a hotel and lose money so lot of uh positive feedback on the Twitter people were excited for you yeah I do appreciate

That I had a lot of tweets saying congrats so thank you to everyone that tweeted and reached out yeah I got a lot of texts too so nice I’m looking forward to did they get text from listening to the Pod is that why I think so because I

Didn’t like but I didn’t just like tell people other than like my close friends so I was like the other way people found out was like through the podcast right love that our bad we’re cool we do have the start of spring pitchers and catchers for the Cubbies are Wednesday

But star left fielder Ian Hap’s already down there whoops why doesn’t everybody start on the same day well I know that Dodgers are starting early because they’re going to Korea to start the season right um but I think everybody’s within like a two-day window everybody’s like 18th or 19th for position

Players right I guess are you asking more why are pitchers and catchers before them Zach no no no no I’m saying why isn’t standard start yeah like hey pitchers and catchers start 15th position players start a week after like everybody I think outside of like Ian said that they’re playing in Korea this

Year and then like have there’s been other times where people like uh start like a week early with like a special event but I feel like other than that it’s pretty within like a day yeah it’s nice to be out here I went to the field

Today hit in the cage ran ran fast I was running fast today I was feeling fast but uh it was nice nice to be at the facility nice to be back it’s such a nice facility too the best I obviously haven’t been inside any other ones but

Everyone that ever came over to the Cubs is like this is by far the best spring training facility great location’s amazing I’m excited I’m excited to get going saw n the sneak today saw a couple of the boys how long’s Nico been down there he went down end of J January I

Was going to say he’s always a pretty early arrival yeah he’s been here for a little bit and when did you get down today or yesterday get down Saturday night Saturday night Saturday I went in yesterday for a little bit and then went in today got to play nine holes today with

Scott Stallings Scott Stallings came off the waste management and did he what he say about that friend of the podan Gomes so uh we we went over to TPC Champions and played nine holes for the PJ tour was doing a little filming not a big deal big deal I played pretty well what

You shooting nine holes it was even oh okay I was gonna say anything over 40 I would have laughed at you so no I was I was golfing my ball I hit I hit like four putts that came up six inches from the center of

The cup it was really great but I uh was I was striping it Zach would you say your biggest fear or biggest task is finding people to golf with on your new organization within your new organization um that’s a big that’s a big thing like you got to find the guys

That can golf and that because for you too Zach like that’s how you ingrain yourself because it’s like wait a minute this guy’s a stick well I know Jeff mcneel is really good he’s like top top in baseball um but I’m not sure I mean I don’t know him maybe I can

I’m not going to go up to hey you want to golf um I mean you need to get the word out how good you are and then he’ll get then it’ll become a thing of like Hey we’re here and this Shorty guy can beat dude I haven’t the last time I’ve

Played I was ready to walk off the course so I’m kind of scared I would like to go to the range for a little bit but your your golf when you say you’re ready to walk off the course is like oh I shot an 80 no it was bad um I need you

To walk into camp and I need you to go right up to Jeff mcneel tomorrow I need you to walk right up to him and say 18 holes you and me no what you got to do is have one of your cards that you signed that when you were played really

Well and then drop in room like oops did I drop my 72 well can I get that back thanks um I dude it’s tough because this is like kind of the only you have what two weeks really where you can play as I mean for me for a number 74 yeah like

You’re gonna be going to every game um for the most part so it’s like pitchers and guys who have been around have the luxury of um I mean you you’re not going to play every day so you can go play um so yeah like again I mean also it’s

[ __ ] hard to do once Camp gets going like you’re in the routine of waking up at whatever time every morning and you’re like I don’t want the f a golf in my head anymore and out here Ian it’s hot bro hot weren’t you 70 were you 74 with the

Cubs in like our first spring no 70 I went 91 76 59 back up to 74 okay backwards new org you got to work your way back to the under 60 Mark you don’t like yeah you don’t like it played better uh did you guys see the video of

Otani hitting lasers today I think it was like 20 swings 11 homers or something is that good I’d probably give that guy 700 mil i’ think about it but i’ defer it though I wouldn’t pay it to him up front oh yeah you know what he

Can do if he wants to hit a few more homers Bruce bolt put on a pair of Bruce bolt batting gloves that’s what he could do Bruce bolt batting gloves that I wear baby blue white with baby blue Bruce bolt. us to go check out the best

Batting gloves in the game they last forever they’re awesome go check them out and they also have baseball pants they got three different styles they got pants that are down to the ankle they got the short pants that fit uh just below the knee and they got baseball

Shorts that are designed to fit above the knee like 100 Pence used to wear so go check out Bruce bolt. us for all your baseball needs headed into the season quick did Mr stalling say anything about this past weekend in Arizona did he say it was just ludicrous

Or what I mean he said it was pretty crazy said uh I think I think Saturday is the day that they had to stop like yeah because I know a few guys that went here and they had to stop serving alcohol because they basically stopped checking tickets so they were supposed

To have like 300,000 people there they end up having like 600,000 people there and they like somebody from our team went and said they ran out of ambulances yeah it was like overcrowded they’re like this isn’t safe like we can’t dude like I’m all for especially

That place like once a year going crazy have fun but like I guess what people were complaining about is like you know it used to be 16 was crazy 18 was loud like that whole Loop right there but then they were saying it was happening on like every single hole guys like

Yelling in your back swing and it’s like that I I don’t know like this year especially seemed a little like over not just Saturday like it seemed like a little too much it just feels like you you you give an inch and you take a mile

And it’s just like what just relax yeah I think it’s it’s also when it’s 16 17 18 and there’s those massive Grand stands I’m sure it’s loud but like we play in loud environments and it’s kind of like white noise it’s kind of like everything’s so loud that it’s just like

Kind of a buzz and like some sometimes you’ll hear you know if you’re out in the Outfield or in the on Deck Circle you’ll hear like a random person kind of shout through the noise something that’s maybe not very nice but on the golf course on the other sides of the course

On the front line like those people that are up against the ropes like yelling at you in your back swing like that’s it’s different because there’s not enough people to make that white noise there’s just enough people to like say some stuff right when you’re trying to the

Ball I saw the video of maybe Billy hell yelling at somebody because the dude was at top of his swing and guy was like screaming at him that was sick it was the guy was a Monday qualifier and it was actually I’m pretty sure it’s Jared Young’s good friend it

Is yeah and and that that was cool for Billy to say something like that like guys come on like listen do it over there all good but not not now not on or even yeah even like 16 is basically no rules like 16 is its own thing but every

Other hole it’s like once they hit it say whatever you want but it’s like let’s let’s let them at least hit their shot yeah um real quick I had a question going back to Bruce bolt are you guys superstitious in that if you’re like 0 for two do you switch batting gloves

Like your third at bat or not really I don’t because it’s hard to get that same grip like if you just pull out a new pair of batting gloves it’s takes a little bit to break them in that’s fair I didn’t know if you had like two Gamers

I don’t blame the gloves but if things are going bad and the gloves are getting to the end of their rope yeah if I have an over four day just take the gloves off and give them to a kid say these need to go to a better place because they’re not doing

It for me right now but in the other way if you’re hot with those gloves you’ll ride them out you will ride them out oh yeah see I was gonna say I can’t even say I don’t blame the glove but I was someone like two three

Bad outings in a row it’s like all right we’re using a new glove the next time out it can’t be me it’s got to be my equipment I’ve seen you do that seen you oh yeah many of times it’s happened I just want to Pivot back to golf quickly Tiger Wood’s coming back

This week at the Genesis and he’s announcing he’s announcing his new apparel company right SDR was that today when’s he doing that I don’t know that’s what I was ask I was going to ask Dakota if it uh does it mean anything I haven’t even seen that

To be honest I didn’t know I knew he was coming back but I didn’t know the new company come on dude I was just I’m busy touching grass man I’m not not what well the rumors are the rumors are that it’s going to be oh it it means Sunday red SRD the rumors

Are it’s going to be tailor made and it’s going to be Sunday red because Taylor Made lifestyle Ventures filed for some some trademarks so that’s the rumor that’s that’s his it’s his tournament right yeah that’s he’s hosting yeah that’s what I was gonna say like he hosts the

Genesis but like how cool would it be like just one more time to have him at the waste management like the place would go nuts when he moved the rock have you heard that that story I forgot the actual details of it my dad talks about it all

The time when he move the when all the fans came and move the rock for move the rock yeah I didn’t know I forgot the um the whole story and how it transpired but yeah yeah I think he’s announcing it tomorrow it’s also hilarious that the Waste Management Open like even like

Justin Thomas who most people love like they’ll even hit it on the green but not close enough and the whole crowd will just boo them like if you’re not within like 12 feet you’re getting booed it’s kind of crazy too look like was [ __ ] freezing it was a nice

Finish yesterday you didn’t watch cuz you’re watching no dude I had it I actually had it on my phone during the Super Bowl like just there um that was sick some big time shots do you want to talk about the Super Bowl kind of have

To Mahomes is the goat you want to talk about it you know what I want to talk about I want to talk about if you’re trying to get tickets for an event like the Super Bowl you would go to SeatGeek over 28 million downloads seek is the number one rated ticketing app

There are more than 70,000 events every single day on SeatGeek including sports like the Super Bowl concerts festivals and more they’re always want to make sure that you get a good deal so when you’re on the app look for the green dots green means good red means bad

Green are good deals and we’ll even help you out use code compound for $20 off your first purchase at SeatGeek that’s $20 off your first purchase at SeatGeek with promo code compound it was a good game it it t it turned into a good game it stunk for the

First half oh man did it stink I just want to give credit to bucker the kicker for Kansas City yeah 50 NFL record it’s so amazing to watch those guys kick field goals well the funny part is Jake Moody set the record with the first field goal

Of the game and then like two drives later 30 seconds later it’s like yeah it’s like thanks man hope you enjoyed your moment and he and even though he said even though the kicker for San Francisco H the record that getting that one extra point blocked he’s probably sitting at

Home right now so sad they they cut to him last night when the confetti is falling that’s got to be the toughest feeling in sports right because like every other sport at least I mean obviously it’s difficult to get to the championship in any sport but I feel

Like football is the highest like you’re literally putting your like life in the line line in some ways to get to the Super Bowl and I mean maybe not for the kicker but for you know for everyone and then watching having that confetti fall that super bowl shaped of the other

Team’s color just fall on your head and knowing that like if you’re the kicker like if you make that I mean obviously everything’s very different because they don’t kick the field goal they go for the T they obviously go for a touchdown instead who knows what happens but I’m

Sure in that moment he felt like he was responsible and I can’t I think I think it’s a little bit better that it was blocked like said it was his fault like phy put it right on the kicker no I I get it he didn’t it but get yeah I felt

Bad you know Michigan man Jake Moody I felt terrible shoot dang it um I always root for those Michigan guys you know dang dude like it’s funny we always just think that it’s just like an anytime they line up for a field goal you’re like oh this is automatic it’s what they

Do and like if they miss it’s just like the worst thing in the obviously as a fan but like he he hadn’t missed an extra point all year yeah can we talk about can we talk about Kelsey bumping Andy Reid like I want you to imagine that’s

Crazy like I don’t care how big of a super that’s crazy like could you imagine Ian bro you get pulled late in the game for whatever not even pulled but like whatever you come back in the Dugout and you just like chess bump Council like in what world would you

Ever do that Alo The 65-year-old Man Too a young guy like I If you what if Ian went up to like Craig counil and like hit him with a bad I mean like he was like almost knocked him over it was crazy I saw that I’m like that can’t

Happen like that can never happen in baseball if a pitcher gets taken out and they like roll their eyes or they get taken out and like do something like walk off like get pissed like walk off the mound it’s like a big it’s like oh my God can’t believe that can you

Imagine if like somebody came out to the mound to take out a starting pitcher and he just like chest bumps coach that’s right like oh my God like you can talk back like I get it like if Kelsey’s pissed he’s like why am I off the field

Like whatever like you get in shouting matches it’s the Heat of the Moment but like bumping him like that’s crazy like you said Ian like if a pitcher like they come take out sherzer and he just like chest bumps the manager like it would never happen I H my parents would come

On the field and rip me out of that Dugout by my [ __ ] ear bro to this to this day they would dude oh my closest the closest MLB is when Bower took the right it was Fran cona came and took him out and he took the ball and threw it over the center

Field fence I mean that that was a massive more like you had the one with the Giants I forget the pitcher’s name but kapler took him out and he like motherfucked kapler or whatever and kler comes in The Dugout and just goes let’s go down here and like he goes down

In lights him up that Bower one is hysterical because if you watch it there’s like three people that like I think Lindor is playing short and like as he’s turning around to throw it he like takes takes cover and then whoever was playing center field watches the

Ball go over the wall and he’s just like turns around he’s like what the [ __ ] just happened well my favorite part is Bower’s reaction because then he goes like he immediately like my bad and there’s like there’s no my bad that’s gonna Fix You rocketing the ball over the center field

Fence like that’s such a action didn’t they trade him right after that too yeah yeah but that’s what I’m saying like those things are crazy but that doesn’t compare to me to actually like making physical contact with your head coach like that’s insane no and they won the

Game so it’s not like as big of a story but if they lose like that’s still just that’s what I was I was kind of like hoping not the hoping they lost but I was like I want to I want to see the press conference here like oh yeah but

You know it was just going to be yeah it was to competitors we’re trying to get the best out of each other well I I it’s a little it’s a little over the top God man I couldn’t imagine oh my God I watch a lot of football you do and you’re the

Known football guy the chiefs were on National broadcast quite a bit this year they didn’t look great last few weeks of the season they didn’t look very good the run that they made and how they turned it on is so impressive I props to Andy Reid Andy

Reid’s pretty impressive dude well I was gonna say like they didn’t look great but you can just it’s like Tom Brady like it doesn’t matter like you have Patrick Mahomes bro it literally is Tom Brady it’s great elite elite quarterback Elite tight end and like role players great defense and then a

Great head coach their defense turned it on which helped them late in the year but huge stands but no it turned into a good game it started out as a stinker I I Jim Nance with two minutes left to go the two-minute warning said like this game’s

Delivered on the pregame hype and I I disagree I mean I think there’s difference between a competitive game and a and a good game that was a really bad game for about three and a half quarters that became competitive and then had like an all-time finish but if

If you tell me you’re G to go back and watch that Super Bowl You’ just be like go start the fourth quarter like don’t watch the first three quarters nothing good I think he means more like at least it did always stay I think it was within

One score like the whole game wasn’t it like that’s the only good part is it was always like right there neck and neck but yeah like it was in the second quarter I was like I please something like give me a pick six give me give me

Something it was dude I mean it came you can never get mad at an overtime gamee overtime Super Bowl that was basically five full quarters of football yeah true Usher great halftime performance too dude lot of bangers from Usher H just got a lot of bangers dude that era is just

Can’t beat it bro you simply can’t sorry to all the new the new heads the old heads out there you can’t beat mid 2000’s music you can’t do it that’s your error Zach God what a wild take that that’s the best error of music ever don’t care you can play it

Wherever prove him wrong do it well let’s let’s get back to baseball just for a little bit for a little bit so Tom doesn’t cut the episode completely there’s still guys out there on the market Not A lot’s happened the last week it’s been pretty quiet there’s

Still guys out there and I would say there’s got to be like a push in the next 10 we start games in 10 days that’s gota kind of be though right we say it we say it every week every week it’s like something’s got to happen it’s like here we are

Spring starts this week and Blake SN is still sitting at home Bellinger still at home like B Snell’s a top three pitcher in the league and he’s sitting at home Bellinger’s a former MVP just hit 330 you think the owners and some of these players are just sitting across

The zoom from each other just like like which one of us is gonna you blink first I dare you go ahead well and I don’t know Snell’s not with Boris is he yeah all four guys they Montgomery that checks out then all right the math checks out on that then

I understand now which give him credit like if I was a mega Superstar like that like he’s gonna get you your money like one way or another he’s like I’m gonna get you the best deal I I feel like Bellinger is gonna get a like threeyear

Deal like a Korea type deal where it’s like prove it again do it you can have three opt outs or two opt outs whatever it is play well this year opt out get a long-term deal but my guess is is that’s what the offers are on the table and

They’re like no like he just had his Pro it year give him his right right but I still I still I don’t know I don’t see a world where the Cubs don’t eventually get it done I still think the Cubs will get it done for Bellinger I really do I

Don’t know why but that’s just like my feeling and with Snell I don’t know you could tell me anywhere I can you would end up you wouldn’t even surprise me if I see a tweet right now that says Dodgers find a way to sign Blakes now would it really surprise

Anyone I think uh the same friends gotta sign one of them but I said it last week and it sounds mean but I’m like I don’t think they’re that close we did have one small signing break while we’ve been recording actually to the Giants air Garrett on a

Minor league contract to the to the Giants so big news making moves Tom what you saying that uh Mob Network had some other good headlines going on this week yeah it was uh tough one of the Articles right now I was went to mlb.com just trying to see if there was a baseball

Story we were missing if there was something we were forgetting uh the this article says most memorable 93 putouts in MLB history that’s one of the top articles right now on mlb.com so uh definitely at the point of spring where we’re we’ve Beyond scraping the barrel we’ve like gone

Through the barrel were underneath the barrel of the dirt I don’t know about you but I rushed over to mlb.com to read that article after you told me that uh Jessy Winker signed a minor league deal with the Nationals just now per talking baseball the I guess the other story

That was on MLB that we were talking about was female umpire Jen how p a w l um she’s going to be in spring training Big League spring training uh as an Umpire which means she might have a chance to make the call up crew for the Empire so she might have a

Chance to get caught up and call a bigly game this year she is not the first female to call Spring training game but she would be the first to call a bigly game correct yes yes it’s cool really cool and she’s been in Triple A Zach you

Said you had her right yeah we had her a few times in the last uh I don’t know if I’ve had her I know I had her last year um I think she came up with some of the guys who came up from double the year

Before and they all knew who she was I think we I want to say we had her twice last year I know we had her once in Columbus in like April but um that was it but yeah she’s been around she’s been doing it for a little bit now really

Cool story we’ve talked about it before too but like all referees and umpiring jobs are hard but I still feel like baseball is maybe the most impossible position to be in like a home played ump like impossible so anyone that gets to that level it is very impressive because

I could I could never do it what do you think if you put like a general like if you gave someone 10 minutes of training and put them behind a major league plate what percent of calls they getting right 50 like random like random baseball fan

Or like play out of the stands like let’s just say we’re picking like the ire falls down we’re picking some guy out of the stands just randomly anyone what percent of calls are they getting right I think 50’s I think 50 is like the peak like

That’d be pretty good if they got half of them just because it moves so fast back there what if you and and PE pictures are so gross like you can’t tell that fast I couldn’t tell no way no there there would be there would be a lot of

Ball hang on that happened way too quick let me think of be like hey catch what do you think what you got back there that would be that would be hilarious that would be a hilarious video to have a random person go and try to call balls and Strikes like one of those

Where like they’ve been like yelling at the UMP all night and they’re like hey you come out here and do it see see how it is here and give it a go it’s not easy they should make a virtual there I think the umpires have a virtual system

To train on but they should make a virtual system where you can stand behind the screen the ball comes in you go yeah right well it’s pretty dry on content boys tell you what well at least we got starting so there’ll be there’ll be some it’s going

To pick up this week like pitchers and catchers obviously the Dodgers are in Camp so there’s been Dodgers content but I think pitches and C report you’ll start to get those videos of bullpens then games start but these next 10 days if uh if those guys don’t sign

They’re going to be searching for things to talk about well steel I don’t know if you saw him yet and uh steel watched sod do Bullpen yes I was trying to think of his name um yeah and he said he was gross I don’t know if you got a

Chance to see him yet or not I know you’ve only been there like one day haven’t seen any of the pitches throwing yet but uh I heard it was a really good first Bullpen and he’s pretty nasty so is that kind of fun in Spring like when

You start with live BPS obviously for those at home that don’t know what that is like that’s like you face your own hitters on your own team like just building up getting ready for spring games like is that kind of cool to see like a new guy you guys sign and then

You go face him and you’re like what the like glad I don’t face this guy I will say when you’re watching a pitcher throw in the pen compared to on the field it looks like it’s 90,000 miles an hour bro and it looks like it’s four feet away I don’t know if

To feel the same but like which or or in a live VP no like if you’re just watching him throw a pen and like from the side and you’ll just be like oh how old was that 96 and you’re like no it’s a change up 83 and you’re just like wait

Time out time out I have that experience every spring you go in for your first live abs and you’re facing guys that you know and I know this guy throws 92 and the first one comes in there like you’re like all right so Sky’s throwing 100 this year or what it’s like nope

That was 90 it’s like perfect it’s dud it’s such a hopess it’s literally like a hopeless feeling dude I got no chance of hitting like I’m never going I’m never going to be able to do it a couple years ago I really changed my Approach To Live

VPS and I was like I’m just going to take like for the first couple days like I’m just gonna take and I’m GNA be perfectly okay with that and I’m not swinging and like if I feel really good about like that he’s going to throw a

Fast ball maybe I’ll try to put it in play but like last thing I want to do is go into live BPS and swing and miss a bunch of times and like walk out first day being like I can’t hit the ball can’t do do you tell the pitcher

Beforehand that you’re taking or just the catcher I’ll tell the catcher cuz I I just remember there were times where I’d face guys like that they’re like oh they’re just tracking I’m like I don’t want to know that I was it’s almost worse like I’d rather like just be like

All right I gotta get this guy out obviously at the end of the Abad and you threw six pitches and they didn’t swing it a single one you’re like either he’s got an Eagle Eye or that guy wasn’t swinging like which is it the best is

When like they take a nasty pitch and someone be like how the [ __ ] are you taking yeah I’m like wait a minute I thought that was pretty good saw it out of the end I do think it’s hilarious when you get like when you’re not

Swinging and you get to a 3-2 count and the guy like throws you like a like a back door breaking ball for a strike and you just take it and he’s feeling really good about himself and you’re like I was never the hold bat I wasn’t swinging you

Could have thrown three balls right down the middle I would not the one but I think it is better not to know because like if I know you’re not then I’m like 32 I’m like I’m gonna try to throw a fast ball right down the middle like why

Wouldn’t I he’s not swinging like I don’t want to walk him in a live BP and look like an idiot yeah the uh the nice part about live VPS is you get to talk to the catcher because that’s you know guy you’re playing with your Budd and so

You know they throw a pitch and you’re trying to figure out trying to get all of your perception and everything right and so they throw a pitch and you’re like is that a change up they’re like nope that’s a that’s a two scam bro it’s it’s the worst feeling dude it’s the

Worst when in Spring cutter like cool okay well gotta figure that out again when in Spring would you guys say you start feeling comfortable again in the box like more like all right I picked that up like I saw that out of the hand like when do you start feeling

That I’ve had it as early as like first second game and I’ve had it where for the first week of spring training games I’m like yo I can’t this is good yeah and at that at Sloan too it’s really bright so like that ball is just white you like that’s something that

Stuck out to me there was like you’re not seeing many dots yeah that’s interesting and it’s it’s so different on a back field like I don’t know what it is about bullpens like there’s been years too where it’s been raining out here and we’ve had to

Have the first like live BPS but they’re really you’re just tracking like in the cage that is the worst the worst I watched uh Dylan Maples who Cubs remember Dylan Maples had a disgusting slider I watched Dylan Maples throw a 89 M hour slider right off right off

Somebody’s back foot and like basically break his toe in the cage and it was like I’m not getting in there like you couldn’t pay me money to stand in that box right now see but it sucks pitching wise too because I remember that spring because I was up in bigley Camp that

Year and I was supposed to have a bullpen that day and there’s only so many mountains in there and like obviously they got the big boys going so like I remember how he came over me he’s like hey like we’re going to push your pen and tomorrow I was like no problem I

Would much rather not throw it in here that is okay with me because I think like Lester was throwing that one that one that day I’m like what do you mean Lester’s throwing one and I’m not like that’s crazy yeah this is ridiculous yeah this is what this is [ __ ] you

Should have yeah put my foot down that probably would have went wellert your dominance yeah what w I got 89 on my back [ __ ] it I got seven 4 almost every almost every spring I’ve like gone to take my first live BP swing and then

Like 20 count like this is the one he gonna throw me hereat and I’m gonna I’m gonna hit it and like I’ll take a full swing and feel like that’s a right center Gap shot and it’s like right down the Third Base Line like whoa I always

Do that I would always go and watch like the first couple lives because usually like Hendricks would be throwing or something like the starting pitchers that are like going to be in the rotation for the big league team are out there like getting ready because they

Got to start their buildup so I’d always go and watch and I swear I remember Ian maybe it was you like I think it was the first time you were swinging you like popped one up and like everyone was like cheering because you’re like I made

Contact like I I did it the first time this year I hit the ball I Hit It Forward yeah like you just want that first one you’re like there we go I can still make contact dude my first my first Camp my first live BP was against Jake

O and he’s coming off 2016 coming off winning I don’t know if sa young that he won song in 15 really good year in 16 but didn’t when so young and like dude had been dominant right and you I’m having my bat against him he’s throwing 95 monor sinkers that are and then

Cutters and everything he throws me a two strike change up I hit it off the end of the bat break my bat and like squib it down down the third Baseline and I’m like okay okay I make contact all right nice that’s a fun that like you’re taking every bat like

So serious then like I’m gonna get a hit off Jake gett I’m gonna do it now I’m like if I if I just Advance It Forward I’m like I’m good money that is the crazy part like the difference of like your first bigly Camp of like you said

You’re like early on you’re like I want to get a hit like I need a base knock here like it’s going to look so sick like I’m going to make the team it’s my first big league spring I’m making team and now you’re just like pop up on the

Infield ball went forward I didn’t swing and Miss we take there are so there are so many games dude that like I wish they almost put more of an emphasis on that that like hey guys live BP here this doesn’t matter this is this is just for

Fun this is getting everybody’s feet wet but but at the same time like you could say that but in the back of your head aren’t you like if I go out there in these if I go out there and go six for eight with four homers like they’re

Going to see me and be like this guy do it I totally agree but like the main thing that always sticks out is like hey guys we’re not making a team today but it’s so hard to get that in your head no matter what you do you’re gonna try to

Do it 120% but it’s like and I never believe that because like I said like there’s always times where it’s like okay you’re not making the team but you can still impress someone like you could go up there if you go up there like eight pitch it B and then hit when in

The Four Hole they’re like wow wouldn’t they be by shorty today huh I totally agree it is it’s also hilarious when you get to camp and like the first live BP like somebody hits like a backside Homer and then you know go whoever it is coaching s for people be like oh dude

You guy hit a backside Homer for livep like he’s pretty thed in then you get the games and like the same dude’s like over for his first 15 and you’re like well maybe it’s not gonna work out that was sick backside Homer but it is it’s

Got to be nice like I don’t know if Zach you want to touch on it but like for Ian like we were saying and we’ve said this before like you have the comfortability of like you’re going to be in the opening day lineup like you’re there you

Got your spot versus like the guys that are like hey like I’m trying to earn my spot on this team like every day matters not that every day doesn’t matter for you Ian but it’s more like like you said you can go up there and just kind of get

Into the flow of things like having it B where you kind of just grow yeah I have six week I have six weeks to get ready for the first game of the year yeah it’s very different right and that’s where I like Dakota you said I’m trying to impress

Somebody every time I put on a cleat you know like yeah especially a new team yeah exact 100% there would it would be stupid to not think like that yeah for sure also Ian I don’t know if the people know this but when you guys go to

Seattle like the second week of the year guess who’s going to be in Seattle the big guy and I’m come by the hotel you gonna hang out oh yeah it’s gonna be so fun watch you hit some homers it’s gonna be great I hope you are Ballpark I actually haven’t

Been to that one that’s oh you’re gonna [ __ ] love it Seattle and Texas are two to cross off the list this year and Fenway never been to Fenway never been to Fenway wow that’s a big one and Texas brand new those are three really cool stadiums I feel like I haven’t been to

Any of them but but those are three cool ones I was at the old I I went to the old Rangers wallpark I think that’ll be pretty close to Crossing it off the list for me I’m trying to think if there’s any others that I haven’t been to have you been to

The angels been to the angels Tampa been to Tampa 2017 was last year your first time at Yankee Stadium last year is my first time at Yankee Stadium no two years ago I feel like the NL was was probably crossed off pretty easily it’s more the AL team the AL yeah that was

Across the we played the central because of we played the central for all those years like Co year then the year after we played the central so we were supposed to go to the east in 20 that got waxed so we end up playing the Central and then 21 we played the

Central again so I had two years there where I lost out and then in 19 when I was in the bushes hanging out with my friends uh they went to the West Coast so I missed uh I miss some of those West Coast Parks so yeah Seattle Texas and

Boston are the last three from I’ll cross them all off this year you’ve been to Houston I went to Houston last year yep oh that’s right that last year did Houston LA and Oakland last year uh and then Toronto Yankee Stadium uh and Baltimore were’re in 22

In March in March 2020 I did the biggest purchase of my life on buying the best Yankee tickets I’d ever bought for the Yankees Cub Saturday night of my birthday week of uh with my buddy Mike was coming in from Chicago bought him March 7th 2020 which

Was a real good day to buy Yankees Cubs tickets for 2020 I was like ah we’re going to be fine we’re g to be you know this isn’t anything about 10 days later I was like what’s the refund policy on those how’s that looking you had to get

Refunded right did you get refunded you did get I did get refunded okay I was like that’d be criminal if they’re like ah sorry thanks thanks I say it wasn’t with seek though and they did keep like some service I lost like 40 or something yeah so but that’s still yeah yeah and

We get people their slow screen times can we tell the people a little bit about SL you know what’s nice about being back wow in Arizona is getting to getting to use Sloan flushers all the time then going to get to play at Sloan Park nothing better slone’s the world’s

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Slo.com I think the code has got a high time today I got a bad one it’s really bad 7:34 what were you doing 73 I have an hour and a I have an hour and a half on Tik Tok today love that out of you I

Don’t know what I don’t know why I just I I don’t even think I I don’t even remember being on it that much but I also had like an hour last night because after the Super Bowl you know I was just up till I was up late I had

457 travel day that’s fine travel day it was actually pretty proud of myself I was gonna say sub five on a travel day is pretty good yeah I had a pretty long I had a pretty big day today boys 127 that’s just you’re three hours behind us no

Yes you are two two you’re three oh they don’t do daylight savings that’s right no I’m what time is it there right now don’t lie to me what what time is it there right now :7 he used he used saying what to buy him some time yeah he

Added an hour he’s like wait four plus one the oldest trick in the book thought I thought I might had Tom I’m proud of you thought I had a win until I Ian went sub 90 minutes 3 minutes five 35 is so good Tom I know I was like 35

Is just rude that’s just a rude one a we’re 27 next week next week we’re going to have a lot to talk about everybody’s being in Camp we’re going to have everybody’s going to have signed call it right now no I’m not going to say that that would be that’s probably

Not going to happen that’s tampering everyone’s going to be in Camp we’re going to have Camp content we’re going have all kinds of things episode 195 presented by connect roers I love coffee I love connect go to connect.com get yourself connect code compound Club 25% off your first home on

Club shipment code compound 15 15% off storewide connect.com we’ll see you next Week