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Big Cat
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Big Cat
On today's part in my take, the Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champs. We recap Game seven Tyrese Halberton's torn Achilles, which sucked really, really big. Bummer for the Pacers, but a deserving champ in the Thunder. We throw some flowers on them. We also have Big Dumper in studio future MVP Cal Raleigh who hit four home runs since we recorded this on Thursday. So we'll update his on pace before we get to his interview. We're talk Kevin Durant getting traded. Henry is back. Yeah, he's back. We're going to end the show with Hank giving us some gifts from pebble beach because we gifted him a trip to Pebble Beach.
Hank
Whirlwind vacation.
Big Cat
A whirlwind vacation. Great to have him back. We also have who's Back of the Week. We're going to recap everything and it's all brought to you by our friends at DraftKings. Nothing says summer like long days, clutch plays and firing off a few bets on the game. All with DraftKings sportsbook. As the season heats up, so do The Bats and DraftKings sportsbook has you covered with live betting, home run props, odds, boosts and more. Whether you're chasing dingers or jumping in mid game, there's always action to be had. Never been on baseball before. It's easy. Pick a guy to go yard, you hammer some live odds mid game or just ride with your squad and hope for the best. No spreadsheets, just vibes and dingers. Here's something special for first timers. New DraftKings customers bet $5. Get $150 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Use code TAKE. That's code TAKE for new customers to get $150 in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings gambling problem, call 1-800- gambler in New York. Call 8778-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut help problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill Casino.
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Big Cat
The crown is yours. Okay, let's go.
PFT
Yeah.
Big Cat
Yeah. Part of my take. Presented by DraftKings. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Use code TAKE. That's code TAKE. For new customers. Get 150 in bonus bets instantly when you bet just five bucks. Only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Monday, June 23rd, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are world champions. Congrats to the Thunder. Congrats to Thunder.
Hank
Thunder.
Big Cat
Our guy, Alex Caruso.
Hank
Thunder Princess.
Big Cat
Thunder Princess. Game seven. Let's. All right, so game seven was a little bit of a bummer because of Tyrese Halberton's Achilles. Let's. Let's save the talk about the Pacers in that and we'll throw some flowers on the Thunder. Much deserving flowers. Even though it was a bummer when Tyrese Halberton towards Achilles. Yeah.
Hank
I mean, shout out also to Isaiah Hartenstein's son.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
I don't know if he's woken up yet, but that was adorable. Just passed out during the. The trophy presentation. Listen, when you sleep, he says, wake me up for the second one.
Big Cat
Yeah, when you sleep, you sleep. Which, I mean, should we start? We. We were credit to us.
Hank
This is the worst Oklahoma City Thunder team that will win a championship during this dynasty.
Big Cat
They had to go to seven against the Nuggets. They had to go to seven against the Pacers. I don't expect that to happen ever again for them.
Hank
We could also do the thing where we say just right off the bat, you know, I, I think whoever won that Thunder Nugget series, that was going to be the champion no matter what.
Big Cat
Yeah. But yeah, the Thunder, incredible season. Second most wins all time for a title team. The 95, 96 Bulls had 87 wins. The Oklahoma City Thunder this year had 84 wins. 96, 97 Bulls also had 84 wins. Pretty crazy. 68 regular season wins. Obviously need the 16 playoff wins to complete it. Pretty, pretty awesome season. They had the mvp. SGA goes down with an all time season all star scoring title. Unanimous first team all NBA mvp. Most wins, Western Conference Finals MVP title, Finals mvp.
Hank
That's just about the perfect season.
Big Cat
It really is. If you were to draw the whole.
Hank
Thing at the start of the year, if you were to say, what. What would I possibly want out of the season? I think he checked off every single box.
Big Cat
Yeah. If he. If he did his little, you know, dream board. He had a. He had a. He had an Etsy dream board. He was like, man, I want to wish on these things. Maybe put a little. Little something under his pillow saying, hopefully this year I'm going to become this, you know, like the first day of school. Like first grade. Like when I. When I. When I graduate first grade, I want to be able to read.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
When I graduate this season, by the way, did you see. I think Lou Dort said it. He's like, game seven is like the last day of school. Like, you just got energy. You got to leave it all out there. It's like, I don't. That's not what school was like.
Hank
School on the last day was just hectic.
Big Cat
It was just like, I'm not doing. You can't tell me.
Hank
The last day of school, it was like. It was like jail. It was like. Yeah. Trying to escape from prison. Yeah. No, that's the. The. Maybe one of the greatest seasons. Definitely one of the greatest seasons of all time that he had. If you were sga, which one of those accomplishments would you be most likely to get tattooed on your body?
Big Cat
Wait, did he win? He didn't win All Star mvp.
Hank
That's the one. That's the one that alluded to. That would have been not the perfect season.
Big Cat
That would have been it.
Hank
This will. There will always be an asterisk on the season for sga.
Big Cat
Yeah, he didn't win the All Star mvp, but incredible season. Wire to wire. The Thunder were the best team wire to wire for the entire season. And it felt like, you know, it wasn't a pretty game game Sevens usually aren't, but they had their future. Basically all show up for game seven in Chet, J Dub and sg.
Hank
Chet was great. Yeah, Chet was great. What do you have, five blocks tonight?
Big Cat
Yeah, he was all over the place.
Hank
The defense that got them there showed up big time in game seven. Insane mothering, Anaconda chokehold defense.
Big Cat
They. They were first in net rating, first in defensive rating, third in offensive rating, and they're the second youngest championship team in NBA history. So the future is very bright. And that's a hell of a. Hell of a team. Also, they have a million picks, so we should say Sam Presti. I actually am very happy for Sam Preston. I'm most happy for Alex Crusoe, our friend. But I'm very happy for Sam Presti. Sam Presti's been with the Thunder organization since they were the Sonics. He was hired in 2007. Where? Or. Yeah, I think it was 2007. Went on obviously an insane draft run with KD, with Russ, with Harden, with A Baca. That team was the second youngest finals team ever in 2012. Ownership cheaps out, they have to trade Harden. That falls apart. Reconfigures them with Russell Westbrook and Par. And Paul George. That doesn't work. Paul George traded for SGA. This guy is one of the best GMs in any sport. And it's cool that he finally like 18 years, I think it's. He's been there and he just won with the second youngest team his way and a pocket full of picks going forward. And he's doing it in a small market team where it feels like the NBA out of all the sports was like the gap between the big markets and small markets had become profound. So pretty cool for him.
Hank
Yeah, very cool for him. Also, great trade. Picking up Alex Caruso.
Big Cat
Well, that was.
Hank
Yeah, that was a difference maker.
Big Cat
He went on, you know, obviously he had the run of draft picks where he hit on, you know, the, the, the Harden, Durant, Russ in Abaca. And then he did it again when he got Chet and J Dub and Giddy who became Caruso. You know, I mean, that like the way he's been able to ship Shaf. Ship.
Hank
Shape shift.
Big Cat
Shape shift. Thank you. Shape shift. The Thunder organization, like time and time again and we were talking about it, they didn't tank. They had two bad years. They didn't tank.
Hank
They rebuilt.
Big Cat
They didn't do a process.
Hank
They didn't rebuild. They reloaded.
Big Cat
Yeah. So he's an all time executive, all time gm, building this team and yeah, they're going to be good for a really long time.
Hank
Yeah. So if we go going guy for guy, this is the best team in the NBA this year. Right. We can say that definitively.
Big Cat
I would say that's definitively the case. Right.
Zach
Yeah.
Hank
I think you can't make an argument against that.
Zach
No, you can't at all. Right.
Hank
And they did have to battle back tonight. They were down at halftime.
Big Cat
People forget that they were down by a point.
Hank
People are forgetting left and right that the Pacers were up at halftime tonight. TJ McConnell was like their entire offense in the third quarter for the Pacers, like literally though.
Big Cat
Yeah. Their entire office, like, they haven't in the last six minutes of game time. TJ McConnell's the only one who scored.
Hank
And that means also the good and the bad, because he also. I think he had seven turnovers tonight. Yeah, but everybody on the Pacers had at least one turnover, except for the guys that got in for the very last minute of the game. Yes, it was. It was just a clinic, a defensive clinic by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The second half, they just got ahead and just choked him out.
Big Cat
Choked him out. Chokehold. Anaconda chokehold.
Hank
That's what it was.
Big Cat
Do you want to hear a crazy stat? This is maybe a wow. I don't know if this is a wow. I have two wows for you, actually. The first one is. Ooh, nice, Hank. Adam Silver has just crowned his ninth different champion in his 12 post seasons as NBA commissioner. In David Stern's 30 post seasons, how many champions did he crown?
Zach
12.
Big Cat
10.
Hank
Yeah, that's a. Whoa.
Big Cat
So this is the seventh different champion in seven years, which is crazy. Parody is. Is very much here for the NBA, but isn't that nuts? 30 years for David Stern. He crowned eight. Eight unique champions. 12 years for Adam Silver. This is his ninth different champion.
Hank
That does make you think the warriors.
Zach
And then all new ones.
Big Cat
It's the Warriors, Cavs, and then. Yeah, I mean, the last seven years been Raptors, Lakers, Bucks, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics, Thunder.
Hank
It does make you think what a. What a great job David Stern did of building up the Dynasty franchises, Right?
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah, he did, but did it.
Hank
But I like this. I like new, fun, entertaining styles of basketball getting to meet up in the postseason. Teams that you don't normally see, like the Pacers. Yeah, they didn't get it done in Game 7, but they play such a fun style of basketball, and it was a joy to have them in the. In the postseason as long as we did. Yeah. Enjoyed watching Pacers basketball.
Big Cat
Yeah. All right, so you looked it up, Zach. So, yeah, so the spurs were the first title. He crowned seven unique ones in the last seven years. And then you throw in the Cavs, Right? That would be nine Spurs. Cavs.
Hank
I count all the Browns as the same.
Big Cat
It's pretty nuts.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Seven and seven years. Do you want to hear the really crazy woe that I saw on Friday that I was hoping would come true for the Pacers? If Rick Carlisle had won this game, he would have been the oldest NBA coach to win an NBA title.
Hank
That is crazy.
Big Cat
He also was the oldest coach to coach an NBA Finals game.
Hank
How old is he?
Big Cat
65 years old.
Hank
He does not look 65 older than Pop.
Big Cat
Everyone was thrown out. I saw the replies. It was like, pop, Larry Brown. Larry Brown was 64. Pop was, you know, whatever 12 years ago. So he was 64. Riccarlo's not 65.
PFT
No.
Hank
It also goes to show you that if you look at any coach from like the 90s or the 80s or God forbid, the 70s, if you're a 45 year old head coach, you look like you're 70.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Back then, like Jim Leland, the baseball manager looked like he was 90 years old when he was 40.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. That's the oldest coach in NBA history. Not the oldest coach to coach a finals game, Zach. So that would be the finals game part. Yeah. Pretty crazy. But yeah, the Thunder, I. Awesome, awesome season. And they're not going anywhere. They have so many picks.
Zach
Impossible amount of picks.
Big Cat
I mean the fact that they were a lottery ball away from being the third pick this year or. No, they wouldn't have gotten the third. They would have. Would have. What was it? If they had kept a 6 or 6 pick? Would have been. Would have been where they keep it, Max. Is that right?
PFT
Seventh.
Big Cat
We had top six protected. That's right. That's right. But I mean, it's insane how many picks they have. And they have a super young team and like I said, the, the J Dub chat sga threesome looks like it's going to be here for a long time. J Dub was great in these Finals too.
Hank
He was. Yeah. Speaking of the Sixers next year, I threw this out there to Max. Is next year the Sixers year. I feel like this is their year now, the east being wide open as it is.
Big Cat
Yeah. So for the Pacers, that's. I think that's got to be one of the all time gut punch, like end of seasons, considering the fact it was a magical ride. They've never won a title as a franchise. Tyrese Halberton gets hurt there and he's going to be out for a year. I don't like, I don't really know. I don't. And also thinking about even how this series went, they were a quarter away from being up 3:1. I feel so bad for Pacers fans. Magical, magical run. And that's just as bad as bad.
Hank
Guess it sucks. The moral of the story, if you have, if you have any sort of a calf injury, just don't play basketball.
Big Cat
Well. That's, that's. I mean, Tyrese Halliburton, it's the same thing that happened to Kevin Durant in the finals when he came back and Snapped his Achilles. The. If he doesn't play, he's going to be, you know, dubbed his soft and didn't want it for his guys. And then if he does play, this is exactly what could happen with a strained calf. And it sucks. He's put in an impossible situation, and I feel really, really bad for him. After an incredible run where he just. How many. I mean, how many clutch shots did he hit?
Hank
Like, you have a million if you're. If you're Halliburton, you have to play. But it should. It should now make players think. Yeah, we've seen this a couple times where the Achilles injury wasn't something that happened as frequently as it does now.
Big Cat
There's going to be a big conversation about the length of the NBA season and are these guys too big, strong, fast? Because we had how many we had. Dame, Tatum, Halberton.
Hank
All wear the number zero.
Big Cat
Yeah, all wear the number zero. All tore their Achilles in these playoffs. Season maybe goes too long. That's definitely going to come. That's coming.
Hank
I'm going to take it back even further. I'm going to say all the way back to youth basketball and aau. Have these guys played too much basketball?
Big Cat
Yeah, maybe too much basketball. And shout out Paul George for getting the Thunder. All of these. Everything. Yeah, he gave him everything.
Hank
It was still.
Big Cat
It actually should be a Paul George ring. He should get a ring.
Hank
It was a great postseason for the Pacers. It sucks that this is like the biggest damper that you could ever put on it because you also now kind of have to punt on next year.
Big Cat
It's brutal. It's absolutely brutal. I feel awful for Pacers fans. I. I even said it while we were watching it. Like, it was. I think it was when it was pretty much a tie game, I was like, would you. If you're a Pacers fan, would you have. Would you right now, if you go back in time, lose game six so you have a chance to. To have Halberton for next year and build on a Finals run. That was incredible. It just sucks.
Hank
I think.
Big Cat
I know. But. But the moment. It's no sliding doors of, like, if they lose game six, Halberton does not. He's there for next year. He gets his calf rested. He's. He's back and ready to go, and it just sucks that you. It's. It's. It's like a double loss. It's not just a loss. It's. You lose. You. You were half away from an NBA title.
Zach
What, Hank, I'm saying that yeah. You go from do you think you're going to win the title? To.
Big Cat
Yeah. But they were in the finals.
Zach
Yeah.
Big Cat
Yeah. When this happened.
Hank
You know how they feel, though, is what you're saying.
Big Cat
You know exactly how they feel.
Zach
I was talking about how. Yes, I was relating to Indiana Pacers fans.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Zach
Not with anything personal, but just in general. Yeah.
Big Cat
Also. Yeah. I don't really know what's positive. I mean, Pascal Siakam's awesome. He was incredible. Like, I know this. This game wasn't his best game, but, like, the entire playoff run, he's an absolute. And people were ready. How much merch would have been sold with the nickname the Thunder Taker, with his eyes, the picture of him before game six?
Hank
So, yeah, about that. I don't know who he was talking to, which spirit he was. He was summoning. There's a chance that he was like, I will do anything to win this game six. And then the. The finger on the monkey paw curled and it was like, okay, you got it, but you have to pay with your Achilles.
Big Cat
It's brutal.
Hank
Yep. I don't think that there's no chance that a Pacers fan in the moment would have said, yeah, I wish that we had lost game six. Now they do.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Now I.
Big Cat
More saying it knowing that, like, it's going to be a tall task to win this game without Tyrese Halberton, because it. Look, the Thunder are deserving champions. You can't put an asterisk on them. If you're a Pacers fan, you are will forever say what if? Especially how Tyrese Halliburton was playing in that first quarter. He finished the game the leader in three pointers made.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
And he played for what, seven minutes? So he. You could tell he was kind of feeling it. And this, you know, we know that he is in the. When the lights get really bright, Tyrese Halberton comes through. He had that kind of feeling to him in this game, how it started. So you will forever say, what if. What happens if he. If he doesn't tear his Achilles? Do we win this game? I think maybe that's a fair what if. If you're a Pacers fan.
PFT
Yeah.
Hank
I think this offseason you might just build around TJ McConnell. Damn free agents are gonna be beaten down the door to play with T.
Big Cat
They didn't need to show TJ McConnell crying after the game.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
You see that?
Hank
They didn't need to show that, but they had to.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
And we also. We didn't need to see Tyrese Halliburton's ankle snapping like two dozen times. I think they're going to play that. It's going to be, there's going to be a brand new ESPN channel. Espn. Ouch. And it's just going to be Halliburton's ankle just like disintegrating.
Big Cat
Do you know what, do you know why? I think they, they, they kept on showing it pfd. I think because we now have seen enough of these Achilles injuries in high level moments in the NBA that we all sitting and watching can point to it and be like, yep, that's an Achilles. And feel like doctors diagnosing me that, that the broadcast is like, we're going to show this 17 times.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Because we know definitively, you know, usually a guy gets injured, like, we don't know. We have no idea. We don't know what it's going to be. This one. You can see the pop. And everyone feels so smart being like, I know that. Listen, I, I went to medical school. I fucking know that. It's an Achilles.
Hank
That did give me a great idea. They should actually do espn. Ouch. And it's just injuries non stop.
Big Cat
I'd watch it.
Hank
Just brutal injuries. No commercials serving sports fans anytime, anywhere.
Big Cat
I'm a sicko for that. The Achilles though, does make me squirm a little.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
I'm not gonna lie. I would rather a leg break or even like a knee bend versus an Achilles. I don't know. Something about an Achilles when you see the pop.
Hank
Zach has just been playing it this whole time.
Big Cat
Yeah. No, he's just, he's.
Hank
The pop is bad.
Big Cat
We're clockwork orange right now. We got our eyes open watching this over and over. Any other thoughts on the end of the NBA season? It was kind of a perfect NBA day where Kevin Durant getting traded again, like kind of took all the headlines when you had a game seven for the first time in almost a decade in the NBA. Yeah, I mean that, that sums up the NBA.
Hank
My big takeaway right now from the NBA season being over is it's football season.
Big Cat
It is. It does feel like whenever that happens, like, all right. And it's Mount Rushmore Wednesday. We're back Wednesday, Mount Rushmore. It's coming.
Hank
But yeah, that was crazy how Kevin Durant found out that he was traded on stage at the Fanatics Fest. H, H, interesting. So he's going to the Rockets.
Big Cat
Good fit.
Zach
Lot of HS at the Fanatics Fest.
Hank
Very big H, Tom Brady winning a million bucks.
Zach
H, trophies getting broken.
Big Cat
Great fit. Rockets Are going to be very good. Great fit. They needed, they needed a go to score. Kevin Durant is still a go to scorer. You also like, I don't really. It's not like the Sun's got a huge haul. I think the Sun's actually like reading this trade. They got Dylan Brooks, Jalen Green and five second round picks. And this year's first, which was their first.
Hank
They got it back.
Big Cat
They got it back. I think Ishba was like, hey, I need, I need people who just read Twitter and have like the attention span of a goldfish who just keeps scrolling. I need them to think that I did well in this trade. Make it five second round picks because I don't know if you guys had the same feeling, but when I scrolled by it, I was like, damn, five picks.
Hank
When I saw it, I was, then.
Big Cat
I read it again, I was like, oh, second round pick.
Hank
I was like, that's a lot of assets. Yeah, you just call them assets. You don't, you don't describe where they are, who they're from. Then you can just spin them. It's valuable. It's something of value.
Big Cat
It's not a terrible strategy by Mattish. Be it. If I were an owner, I'd be like, hey, give, you know, I'll trade you my superstar. How about you give me 27 second round picks?
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Just so, just so I could see the Shams tweet and be like, look at that, guys.
Hank
I trade my silverado for, for 20 broken down cars that don't work.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, I, I, the, the Suns are, are trying to build the whole plane out of shooting guards.
Hank
Yeah. So they have, I think they've got their entire salary cap space.
Big Cat
Yeah. It's, it's basically all wings. It's all wings. Their whole team is wings. Like $180 million to wings. I think they'll probably trade. Well, they can't. The problem is they can't trade Bradley Beal, which is the one they want to trade.
Hank
Bradley Beal. His full name is now Bradley Beals. No trade clause.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yes. Because he's never getting traded. I don't, I assume the Suns are going to do something. Otherwise it would be funny if they're like, hey, what if we just. Wings are very important in the NBA today. Let's, let's just bring out a bunch of these guys.
Hank
Yeah. I have no idea what they're doing. Bring the ball up and it was like a year and a half ago that Matt Hps said like, we're not far Away. We're very close. Yeah, this stuff isn't hard.
Big Cat
Since Kevin Durant left Golden State, he's been traded three times. One was a signing trade, and he has two playoff series wins. What does this mean for Kevin Durant's legacy?
Hank
Are you saying if he goes to the Rockets and wins?
Big Cat
No, I'm just saying, what does the trade mean? I just like to end when Kevin Durant is in the news. I like to end every sentence like, hey, what do you want for breakfast? And what does this mean for Kevin Durant's legacy?
Hank
I think this means that Kevin Durant is perpetually unhappy and is made more unhappy in his quest to find happiness.
Big Cat
Okay, that feels good. Hank, what does this mean for Kevin Durant's legacy?
Zach
He's got to win now or else he's just going to go down as an all time. I mean, he'll go down his all time gun no matter what.
Big Cat
But I got a problem with this meme, by the way.
Zach
He's got to win.
Big Cat
Zach just pulled it up. Kevin Durant has officially completed the NBA Rainbow challenge. I don't count this because as you can see, he's got a blue Suns and a purple Suns. They. They basically did this because Shaq was the originator of this. Shaq did complete the rainbow challenge, naturally. I think Chris Paul did as well. And the rainbow challenge, obviously we're talking about wearing all the colors of the rainbow and all the jerseys and teams you played for. Look, Shaq did it in a natty way. He. He actually did it. He had. He had the Heat, the Suns, the Lakers, the Celtics, the Magic, the Cavs, and the Lakers. Oh, I guess there's two Lakers in there, but I feel like he had another one and thrown in there. I don't count it if you have to use the weird alternate Suns jersey.
Hank
I also think that him as a Cleveland Cavalier, that. I don't know if that's indigo.
Big Cat
Yeah, true.
Hank
The eye for indigo we could find some football players have done that for sure.
Big Cat
Yeah, the rainbow challenge. But yeah, Kevin Durant's legacy, I'm excited to talk about it. And that was Kevin Durant's legacy.
Hank
I think it's worse for his legacy. If he wins with the Rockets.
Big Cat
I think it's good.
Hank
If he gets a ring, I think.
Big Cat
That'S a team he can go to. And if he. Because. Because it's a young enough team that he can be like, yeah, they needed Kevin Durant because it's almost a perfect setup for him. They were good this year. They were the 2 seed. They got bounced in the first round of the playoffs. Now Kevin Durant shows up, shows the young bucks how to. How to play basketball, how to play winning basketball. All credit to Kevin Durant.
Hank
Let's see, who else do the Rockets have going into next year? Shingoon. That's a good piece.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, they're a good team. They're. Thompson, you know, Fred Van Vliet still, he's going.
Hank
He's going running back home to the comforting arms of Stephen Adams.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, they are a good team. And with Kevin Durant, they could be a great team. So I think it's a good.
Hank
They did not have that guy in the playoffs that would step up, but.
Big Cat
If the Rockets had gone to, let's say, the Western Conference final, I think it would have been bad for Kevin Durant's legacy. The fact that they got bounced in the first round by an aging warriors team. Good for Kevin Durant's legacy. One of my favorite topics, Kevin Durant's legacy.
Hank
I can't wait. I hope they run into the warriors again.
Big Cat
That'd be great.
Hank
That'd be great. Great theater.
Big Cat
Incredible. Okay. Hank, do you want to talk a little golf?
Zach
Yeah, great golf.
Hank
The fifth major.
Big Cat
I'm very. I'm very interested to see what you have in that bag of yours. We'll do that after Cal Raleigh. But how is. Well, no, we'll talk about the trip after. You want to talk about the fifth major?
Zach
Yeah. Drafts.
Big Cat
What'd you see?
Zach
Great tournament.
Big Cat
Specifically, whole 13, 14, and 15.
Zach
It was more like 15. I was. I was. I wouldn't even say asleep, but I was. I was watching all day. I didn't. I didn't leave my couch. It was so hot out. Like, too hot to even want to go outside. So I was locked in. But, yeah, it was. I was listening. I was actively listening to, like, holes. 16, 17.
Hank
What do you mean, actively listening?
Zach
Like, I was listening. I wasn't necessarily watching. I wasn't asleep. I don't know that I was 100 conscious, but, yeah, 15, 16. But I was back for 17. 18.
Hank
You're browning out.
Zach
Tommy Fleetwood. It was. I love the Travelers. I went. I mean, we went in 2015 with Barcelona, with Keegan was the people's golfer. We followed him around for a couple days.
Big Cat
I was Jim ritter.
Zach
That was 2014. Oh, 2015. Jim Renner was no longer on the PGA Tour. Keegan was People's Golfer 2.0. So we followed him around. Travelers. But it's like, you know, only event they have in New England. It's great that Keegan, like, what, for whatever reason, he won a couple years ago, set the scoring record there, turns it up for the home crowd. But it was a great, Like, Tommy Fleetwood, great dude, great golfer, super fun to watch, has never won on the PGA Tour, even though he's really good. And always, you know, he's. I think he had, like, what, 10 or 13 top 10 finishes without winning.
Hank
One, 42 top 10 finishes.
Big Cat
Never won a PGA Tour event.
Zach
Never won a PGA Tour event.
Big Cat
So it was like, it's insane that he's never won a PGA Tour event.
Zach
It was a great, like, whoever wins this, this is going to be good. I honestly felt as. As, you know, cool as it was for Keegan, I felt really bad for Tommy.
Hank
Yeah, I, I don't really feel bad for Tommy Fleetwood.
Zach
He choked.
Hank
I was.
Zach
That's a, That's a joke that I.
Hank
Was rooting for Keegan Bradley. I don't want to feel ashamed about rooting for Key. I was yelling usa. At my tv.
Zach
Yeah, that's fair.
Hank
You know, like, I. Okay, I'm sorry Tommy Fleetwood didn't win. I, I hope he does at some point, but I, I'm not going to go as far as to be like, oh, man, I feel so bad. This kind of takes away from the moment. No, fuck that. I wanted Keegan Bradley to win, and when he hit that approach to, what, like four feet, and then Tommy Fleetwood hit his. A mile away and then putted and then left himself beyond Keegan Bradley's ball to give him a read, a perfect read at the putt. I was pumped about all that. That was good. Listen, everything that happens from this point on in golf is a setup for the Ryder cup, right?
Zach
And now there's a lot. There's a lot of talks with the Ryder Cup.
Big Cat
He's the captain. Keegan Bradley, he's the captain.
Zach
Right now, he was. He would be a playing captain. People are saying they might bring in Tiger to be the captain.
Big Cat
Captain.
Zach
The captain. Captain. Because playing captain might get complicated, but he's. Keegan's playing so well that those conversations are happening, which is awesome.
Big Cat
Yeah. I, I, I, I.
Zach
Do you think a playing captain is an issue?
Big Cat
No. Why not? Why? I mean, every other sport has playing captains.
Zach
Yeah, but not necessarily that are like deciding.
Big Cat
Is there a problem that Derek Jeter played.
Zach
That's a different. I'm just saying the lineup.
Big Cat
I'm just saying is that there's a manager, right?
Zach
Different. Different.
Hank
They're called captain. If he, if he is a playing captain. That means that he can't ride around at a golf court with like a little headset in and a walkie talkie and talk about God knows what for four hours.
Big Cat
No, he can do that still when his round's over.
Hank
Yeah. So what's the issue here?
Zach
I don't have an issue with it either. I'm just saying.
Big Cat
That sounds like you have an issue.
Zach
People know, people in the golf media world, there are saying it might be an issue.
Hank
I say put the C on his chest and put him out there.
Zach
I do, too.
Hank
You look at hockey, all the captains play.
Big Cat
Well, the golf media world is also pretty soft at times. For sure. There was. I saw some people being like, tommy Fleetwood deserved to win. No, he didn't. He choked. Yeah, I wanted him to win. I was hoping that he would get the monkey off his bat back, but he choked. And Keegan Bradley was electric going down the stretch. And Tommy Fleetwood, he did have a good. On Saturday. They asked him about it. He. And they're like, you're the top player to not win a PGA Tour event in the last 40 years. Because again, he's had 42 top 10 finishes, 28 top five finishes, five third places, six runner ups. He's made 135 out of 159 cuts. He's basically in every single tournament. He was like, well, at least I'm number one in something. So good for him.
Hank
If you want to blame somebody for all this, you can blame Rory McElroy. They see what Rory said.
Big Cat
Yes, yes.
Hank
So they interviewed Rory after his round was over, and it looked like Tommy Fleetwood was going to win the tournament. And they asked him, your thoughts on Tommy Fleetwood. It's been a long time coming for him on the PGA Tour. He said, yeah, Tommy's been a great player for a long time and he's more than due. Or he was more than due. So, yeah, he's got so much talent and so much ability, and obviously it's great to see him get over the line before the tournament's over.
Big Cat
Yeah, bad guy. Not great.
Hank
This is why he doesn't talk to the media.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah.
Hank
I was trying me hardest. I just tried.
Big Cat
Call me that.
Hank
I just tried me hardest out there. It's a very difficult fold.
Big Cat
I had a question for you guys. Do you guys think it's a little weird that the Panthers are, like, mocking the Oilers to such a crazy extent?
Hank
I say go for it. I say, you got him twice. You beat him twice.
Big Cat
I'm just asking if it's yeah, but that's the thing. They beat him twice. Like they. It does feel like they're going a little extra hard. I don't. Maybe there was more bad blood. What?
Zach
I think when you, you, you. You've won a cup before. I kind of just you just you. Everything's a blur. I'm not saying week and a half.
Big Cat
I'm not saying bad or wrong. I'm saying weird. I'm asking is it weird? Like I, It. It feels like maybe something happened that we don't know about.
Hank
I think they don't like each other. The. The Panthers don't like any team that they play, but.
Big Cat
Right.
Hank
I'll agree with you on this one, big cat, that when you win a Stanley cup, at least in my personal experience winning a Stanley Cup, I felt more animosity and more like double bird, fuck you to all the other teams in my conference.
Big Cat
Right.
Hank
Like the natural rivals that you go through and then you win the Stanley cup and it's like you're not that fixated on the team that you just be.
Big Cat
It's great. And they beat him twice. Like it would be one thing if it was like the Oilers had beaten him twice. Then the Panthers beat him again. Don't. I don't care. I think it's fun to start rivalries and all that stuff. I was just saying more weird that like, why are they so obsessed with the oil? Did I miss something? I was almost like curious. Did I miss some. Some story about talking or like one of the Oilers players said something that's unforgivable to the Panthers?
Hank
So when you think about like having more that animosity and the you energy towards the guys in your conference. They did start a rivalry with Edmonton over the last two. Since they played them twice, they've got that history. So now they're like, beat him twice. I know, but that, that's what I'm saying. They've got that history with them. So now they're more focused on being like, hey, you, Edmonton.
Big Cat
It's not rivalry though.
Hank
It's not. And they're letting them know.
Big Cat
Beat them. Yeah, beat him twice. I just, I saw. Did you guys see goalie Bob Had a great quote. I. I like that he's the humble king. He said when asked about how he celebrates. It's definitely a fun time, but I don't know. I'm a little different. I celebrate a little different. I'm not over excited about the things. As I said, I feel humble and appreciative for the opportunity.
Hank
Yeah, that's such a classic. Great quote.
Big Cat
Yeah, it's great.
Hank
Rank, rank. All the champions from this year, okay. All the major. So the Dodgers, the Eagles, the Panthers, Duke, the Thunder, Duke basketball. Duke did not win.
Big Cat
They did it.
Hank
It was Florida that won.
Big Cat
Duke didn't win.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Oh. What? Max, look, Zach is Googling.
PFT
Zach is Googling and he just like look up Bob.
Big Cat
Bob Brodsky. First name, Brodsky. Last name. And it's just an 87 year old pushing a sled. Bob.
Hank
Bob Brosky.
Big Cat
Okay.
PFT
Yeah, sorry, sorry. I thought. I just wanted you guys to see that.
Hank
Sounds like my neighbor's name.
Big Cat
Are we doing 20, 25 or are.
Hank
We doing just this, this calendar year?
Big Cat
So let's do this officially because we.
Hank
Want to do Dodgers.
Big Cat
Put it on a card to get people pissed.
Hank
Dodgers, Eagles, Panthers, Thunder, Florida basketball, Ohio State football.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
Rory McElroy.
Big Cat
Okay, I'm going to go Dodgers number one. I'm going to go.
Hank
I'm going to go. I might go Panthers number one.
Big Cat
Okay, so let's go Dodgers are okay. Dodgers you go. Then Panthers too.
Hank
Yeah, Panthers, Panthers too.
Big Cat
So Dodgers one, Panthers two. Let's see. Florida basketball is pretty awesome.
Hank
I might put Florida basketball. I might put Florida basketball two. No, you know what? I think the Eagles should be number two.
Big Cat
No, I was, I was hoping they would be lower than that. I mean, they, they beat like a hurt Chiefs team. Jones didn't play half the fucking Super Bowl. All right, I would go Dodgers, Panthers, Florida basketball, Ohio State Football, Thunder.
Zach
LSU Baseball.
Big Cat
LSU Baseball, Eagles.
Hank
Rory McElroy.
Big Cat
Roy. Rory. All right, make that unquote and let.
Hank
People, people get pissed about best champions.
Big Cat
Best champions of the year. That feels.
Hank
I think if the Dodgers played any of those teams, they. Dodgers in five.
Big Cat
Oh, ahead of the Eagles. You also have. Have Alcaraz.
Hank
Yep.
Big Cat
He was awesome.
PFT
Great list.
Big Cat
That's a great list. Yeah, that's a great list. Hey, wait, you never answered. Is it, is it the Sixers here? I don't know.
Hank
I mean, think about it.
Zach
East is why.
Hank
Yeah, wide open. Maybe Celtics.
PFT
Maybe is healthy.
Hank
Celtics don't have Tatum. Pacers don't have Halliburton. Knicks don't have a head coach. You guys are good.
PFT
We. I don't know if Embiid is walking.
Hank
What does that mean?
PFT
No, I haven't seen a picture of him.
Big Cat
Are you recording something? We don't know.
PFT
I. I don't know.
Zach
That's what I'm saying.
PFT
I don't know.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
Joel, Embiid has not been cleared to walk.
Big Cat
It's like a. It's like a two year old. Joan. Beat is taking his first step.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
We need an AI of baby Joel. And Beat taking his first step. He's ready to play.
PFT
Zach Spelling back here is just being. Is just incredible. He just spelled embiid I, M, B.
Big Cat
E, E D. Hell yeah.
Zach
Hell yeah.
Big Cat
Oh, man. Zach. This football season, shout out to lsu. Baseball though. Champions crazy. Last game.
Hank
Great job by the umpire.
Big Cat
Coastal. Coastal's manager gets kicked out and then their bench coach gets kicked out in.
Hank
The first inning arguing balls and strikes.
Big Cat
Yeah, the ump. The ump falls.
Hank
He flopped.
Big Cat
He flopped. But he should have. He was embarrassed. If you get embarrassed like that as an up, it should be like retroactive. Everyone gets to stay in the game. Cause that was a loser move by.
Hank
Him, I gotta say. Great job. Next ump up. Cause that, that ump came in and he was trying to like stand in between the manager and the home plate umpire. That's always like somebody's job is to like intercept the argument. He immediately falls over. And then the next guy was in great position to back him up and stepped in to handle that duty and keep him away from the home plate umpire. So great job by the umps. That's what we came to see today.
Big Cat
We absolutely wanted to make sure that.
Hank
We saw them was the ump show. But yeah, LSU did feel like they were team of destiny.
Big Cat
Also crazy. They played this game in the middle of the afternoon. Yeah.
Hank
Yeah, that was wild.
Big Cat
I know. There was game seven. There was Sunday night baseball, but you got to have a championship game. Can't be played in the middle of the afternoon. I agree.
Hank
I was hoping that Coastal was going to win this one so we could get a meaningful game tomorrow. Just meaningful sports.
Big Cat
It would have been nice to have one game. Yeah, one game. By the way, we should update real quick because we're going to get to our Cal Raleigh interview. He had a pretty big weekend at Wrigley. Also, Sammy Sosa was back for the first time in a long time on Friday, which, I don't know. The Cubs did it like secretively. And then it. Word got out, which was kind of weird. But he's getting inducted into the Cubs hall of Fame later this year.
Hank
That's good.
Big Cat
But this was like a ti.
Hank
A trial run of have him come back sprinting in.
Big Cat
No, they, they. They had him just walk in and made sure that there was a video of Ricketts giving him a hug, getting out of the suv. So nice moment. But yeah. Cal Raleigh hit four home Runs this weekend.
Hank
Crazy.
Big Cat
So when we get to our interview with him, which was great, I think we did all of our on pace stuff for his 27 home home runs as of Thursday, he had four more. So he's got 31 home runs. He is now on pace for 67 home runs, which is pretty fucking insane.
Hank
That's pretty good.
Big Cat
Pretty insane.
Hank
Yep. We think Ohtani, face of major league baseball, Cal Rally. Cal Rally's the ass. Yeah, he's the ass of the mlb.
Big Cat
Listen, I went to the game today. His dumper is like seeing it in baseball pants.
Hank
It's a dumper I was showing to my buddy over the weekend. I was like, yeah, we interviewed this guy, Kyle Raleigh.
PFT
He's.
Hank
They call him big Dumper because he's got a giant butt. My friend was like, his ass isn't that big. I was like, dude, dude, let me put you on his ass real quick.
Big Cat
Yeah, no, when he's. When he's got his baseball pants on, he's got a fucking dump. An absolute dump. Okay, should we do who's back the week? Game time, by the way. Game time. Hank, why don't you pull up a baseball game? There's nothing like getting to a baseball game, especially last minute. Lucky for me, I always use game Time, the official ticketing partner barstool sports. Game time makes getting tickets faster and easier. Price on the app actually go down the closer it gets to showtime. They even get exclusive zone deals. You let them choose your seats with a given set of zones and you get huge savings in return. You can put those savings back in your pocket and spend them at the ballpark on a hot dog, new hat, or some good old fashioned cracker jack. If you're in Chicago, you can get 10% off zone deals for the Cubs at home on Sunday, July 6 versus the Cardinals. Just look for the zones 29 through 32 on the GameTime app. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code PMT for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account redeem code PMT for 20 doll. Download the GameTime app today. What time is it? Game time. We who's back of the week is brought to you by our friends at Truly Truly Unruly Lemonade combines the high alk fun of truly unruly with everyone's favorite lemonade. It's the official hard seltzer. Pardon my take. Lemonade Let Loose 8% ABV, 100% delicious. Four supercharged lemonade flavors bumping Blue Razz OG Original Lemonade Punched Up Pineapple Wild Pink. Level up your lemonade with truly unruly. Find Truly Unruly lemonade at a store near you or Visit truly hard seltzer.com I am a wild pink guy. Hank likes the OG OG. OG.
Zach
OG.
Big Cat
PFT is a bumping blue razz guy. So level up your lemonade with truly unruly. Find Truly unruly lemonade at a store near you. Visit truly hard seltzer.com Hank, who's back of the week?
Zach
Yeah, we went over a lot of them. USA is back. Keegan Bradley. America, Sammy Sosa back. Back in the Friendly Confines Mount Rushmore season.
Big Cat
Yes.
Zach
Back on Wednesday.
Big Cat
Very excited.
Zach
Very excited.
Big Cat
So we have the teams.
Hank
Should we announce them?
Big Cat
Yeah. All right. Let's do it.
Zach
Let's do it.
Big Cat
So it's going to be the booth boys, Max and Memes, John Wilkes, Hank and pft.
Hank
My good friend Hank.
Big Cat
Yep. PFT Enterprises, and me and Zach. And so it's going to be three. Three teams, which we feel like that's a good. Because when we do. Like, if we did five solos, it would. It would be tough to pick Mount Rushmore.
Hank
You know what? Lesser men than me and Hank would complain about being teamed up with the other one because we did finish last and second to last last season. But this is just a great, great comeback story for. What a great opportunity we have. Hank.
Zach
Yeah. And PFT and I were in lockstep.
Big Cat
We're.
Zach
We're kind of all eyes focused on. On the Internet Invitational. So this is just another way for us to get closer.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Zach
Work together.
Big Cat
No bickering.
Zach
No, no bickering. Yeah. This is gonna. This is gonna bring us closer than anything.
Hank
Like, the thing about me and Hank is that when people say that we get into fights, it's all a bit. And we're never actually in fights with each other.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
You guys just don't get it.
Zach
Yeah. So we don't even have to, like, debate. We'll just know. It's kind of like, let's read each.
Hank
Other'S minds, you know, we should debate a little bit.
Big Cat
It's gonna be awesome. So we're gonna do it. Please debate.
Hank
Why not?
Big Cat
Absolutely. Debate. Please submit.
Hank
Hank's already beat a piece of shit about this.
Big Cat
More ideas. Mount Rushmore ideas. What you want to hear? We've done a lot of them. It's our ninth Mount Rushmore season. Covered them. A lot of them. But I can't wait for my water. Water.
PFT
I can't I can't wait for a color.
Hank
Mount Rushmore of yellow things. I can't wait for a color.
Big Cat
I think we're gonna have to lead with the color.
PFT
Color ones are the best.
Big Cat
Colors are great. Zach, are you ready for this? Zach, on Friday, we had him do. Were you here for his pistachio ice cream?
Zach
No.
Big Cat
Yeah, we asked him to like on the spot. Mount Rushmore of ice creams. And he. Oh, I heard that.
Zach
I listened.
Big Cat
The fourth was pistachio. That's a problem.
Hank
You listen to the whole show?
Zach
Yeah, the. The boys driving back from Pebble. We listened.
Big Cat
Oh.
Hank
Oh.
Zach
Because I heard I also might have fallen asleep during that.
Hank
I heard a rumor, Hank, that. That you were wondering when we're going to be interviewing Cal Raleigh.
Zach
Well, that was. That was the. That was the pmt.
Hank
You thought that maybe Day that we were going to be.
Big Cat
The text was the.
Hank
But the episode.
Big Cat
Memes. Memes.
Zach
Memes is on my. Memes is on the Pip.
Big Cat
What? This is crazy. Memes. Texting. The group text. What are we running? Who are we running tomorrow? I said Cal Raleigh. And then you text him on the side saying, when are we interviewing Cal Raleigh? I memes tweeted about Kyle Raleigh like a hundred times.
Zach
What's the game plan for interviews today? Just Kyle Raleigh for Monday's show.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Zach
So interviews today. I thought that. And you said Kyle Raleigh for Monday. Yeah, I thought that meant you're interviewing Kyle Raleigh today for Monday again.
Hank
We interviewed him last Thursday.
Big Cat
He was here, we there.
Zach
You guys blessed him.
Big Cat
True, true, true. True. True. True, true, true, true.
Zach
And maybe he came in and then he was going to do the interview. Like the way that was worded. What's the game plan for interviews today?
Big Cat
Yeah.
Zach
And you answered Kyle Raleigh.
Big Cat
So is that your only. Who's back is just a show announcement?
Zach
Sammy Sosa. Tegan Bradley. Karen Reed's back.
Hank
Karen? Yes. What happened with Karen Reed?
Zach
She. She's innocent. She got. She got ruled innocent.
Hank
She got off free.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Good for her.
Big Cat
Good for her.
Zach
Good for her.
Hank
A lot of women never get off. Yeah.
Big Cat
I can't wait to watch another Netflix documentary about it. I do think there will be another one. And I'm excited to watch it.
Hank
So was it a hung jury or was it.
Zach
It was a hung jury the first time.
Hank
This time not.
Big Cat
So it was innocent. Yeah.
Hank
Not guilty.
Zach
She got charged for.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Zach
Operating a vehicle, but not charged for murder. So now Brad Marshawn. I mean, Brad watching Brad Marshawn.
Hank
Are the cops gonna get charged?
Zach
I don't think so.
Hank
So who's gonna be. No one else is going to be charged with this guy's death.
Zach
Yeah. Find the dog.
Big Cat
Back.
Zach
Brad Marshall.
Big Cat
The dog. Find the dog.
Zach
Find the dog. Find the dog.
Big Cat
Yeah. The dog leads you to everything.
Zach
Yeah.
Big Cat
That just makes no sense. They just gave away the dog.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
No.
Hank
Zero Instantly.
Zach
And that they can't find it. Yeah.
Big Cat
Wait, they've looked for the dog?
PFT
Yes.
Big Cat
Oh, I didn't know they looked for the dog. Yes. So they killed the dog. Yes. Okay, that's up.
Zach
I know.
Big Cat
Just.
Zach
Brad Marshawn is just putting on a clinic, celebrating the cup.
Big Cat
He celebrates. Well.
Zach
Celebrates so well. Trolling. Like, he's like, you know, not a big social media guy. Then he wins a cup, and he's just like, trolling Instagram stories, parties.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Zach
He was doing those random people at the bar. It's just like.
Big Cat
And doing the. Around the. He went around the table and just said, thanks. Like, he would just post a picture of, like, you know, a player, be like, thanks, Sabers. Here's set Jones. Thanks, Blackhawks. Just going around. Yeah. And I. I do not think he posts very often. If. If at all.
Zach
No. Yeah, No. I followed him on Instagram. I even realized he. I did. And then all of a sudden, he's just been the most active.
Big Cat
Oh, man. Yeah. Crowd surfing with the Stanley cup at 11. If you've been to 11, it is quite something that might be the number one place to celebrate a championship. It's. I don't even understand how eleven exists. It's a. It's a club that's also a strip club, but not a strip club. But if you're sitting in 11 for more than five minutes, like, a super hot stripper will come up and be like, hey, you want to lap dance? But also, it's still not a strip club. Is that a good way to explain it?
Hank
2C everywhere.
Zach
But it is a strip club.
Big Cat
But it is.
Zach
Yeah.
Big Cat
No, I know, I know, I know. When you think of strip club, you think of, like, all right, you go there and all that's happening is strippers. Eleven is a club.
Zach
Yeah.
Big Cat
But it just happens that strippers do come up to you every five minutes, being like, do you want a lap dance?
Hank
Because it's Miami. Yeah, it's, like, kind of classy because it's Miami.
Big Cat
And it also doesn't really. Like, I think I went to 11 once at, like. I think I was calling to try to get a table, and I was like, we're gonna roll in at like, 1am and the guy like, laughed at me. He's like, oh, okay. Like, we're barely open at one. Like, we're just starting.
Hank
It's like Europe.
Big Cat
Like, then you leave it like 5am and it's around the block.
PFT
Hank and I went to 11 together one time.
Big Cat
Hell yeah.
Zach
Hell yeah.
Big Cat
Yeah. Open 24 hours a day. It's. It's quite something, I would say. Probably number one place to celebrate Stanley cup. Yeah.
Zach
I mean, pft. Got to celebrate in Vegas. I feel like that's. That's probably too. But yeah, 11 is. Is definitely up there.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah.
Hank
Hakasan was cool. No strippers. That's the one thing I'll say again.
Big Cat
Might not even be strippers at 11. They might just like you so much that they want to give you a lap dance.
Hank
It could have been over the top if there were boobs.
Big Cat
It basically is. Yeah, it's. It's basically a strip club, but you don't feel like it's a strip club. So then you think like, oh, man, these really hot chicks like, like me. The.
PFT
The one time I went to 11, I got so drunk that I left with my girlfriend and I told her that I can't leave with her because.
Hank
I have a girlfriend.
Big Cat
That's awesome.
Hank
That's such a good guy move.
Big Cat
Oh, man.
Hank
I'm not supposed to be doing this.
Big Cat
Okay, good. Who's back?
Zach
Thank you.
Hank
Great. Who's back?
Zach
Thank you.
Hank
My. Who's back of the week is the usa.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Because we vanquished our foes. Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti are big rivals in soccer.
Big Cat
Nice.
Hank
So all three, these were teams that don't like each other very much. No. Love lost. Beat Saudi Arabia Arabia on Thursday, one nil, and then beat Haiti two to one. So now we advance to the gold cup. I don't know, whatever the. The next round is maybe against Mexico.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
So big stuff for U.S. soccer.
Big Cat
That's huge.
Hank
I really don't give a. But I do care. When the US does play Mexico, then I will care.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Because I just. That's the one time I tap into u. S. Soccer and really give a about it. I just want to see the team playing good because it's the last tournament that we have before the whole world cup tune ups and the world cup next year.
Big Cat
Got it.
Hank
So, yeah, suck it, Haiti. Suck it.
Big Cat
Saudi Arabia never had a chance.
Hank
Never had a chance. If you listen, beating a heated rival like Saudi Arabia 1 nil in a tournament, that means everything. Like we're on the right foot.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Poke's got the Boys rolling.
Big Cat
Absolutely. Poke in.
Hank
Poke in. Yeah. I think we're poke in right now. But if he loses to Costa Rica or Mexico, I don't know. I think it's pochettino poke. Poach pochettino poke. It doesn't rhyme with coach Poacher.
Big Cat
I don't know. I listen, I'm not. I watched. I watched the World Cup. I'm not. I'm not tuned into the CONCACAF Gold cup unless we lose. And then I'll be like, haha.
Hank
I also like that we played against Saudi Arabia in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Makes a lot our neighbors.
Big Cat
Yeah. Okay.
Hank
It's the biggest tournament in the world.
Big Cat
Federative. I don't know.
Hank
I mean, for. It's. It's the most prestigious soccer organization in FIFA with teams such as Haiti, Saudi Arabia and Trinidad and Tobago. We beat two teams, five nil when we beat Trinidad and Tobago, Confederation of.
Big Cat
North Central America and Caribbean Association Football.
Hank
Like Saudi Arabia. Don't worry about it. Saudi Arabia was just like, hey, can we get in?
Big Cat
Yeah, no problem. All right. My. Who's back of the week is World War iii. We did it again, boys. I think this is the fifth World War III that's happened in the last four years.
Hank
Getting the gang back together.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. The strategy of just not saying anything online is really worked out for all the previous World War iii because when everyone freaks out and says, oh, World War III is happening, and then in two weeks there's not a World War iii and then. And you look like an idiot. Jinx.
Zach
Anything here.
Big Cat
I'm not.
Zach
This is covered all over again.
Big Cat
No, it's not. As it is.
Hank
We've all.
Big Cat
This ain't gonna be world. World War iii, buddy.
Hank
We've all thought the same thing, which is World War III has been. It started like six different times. I just don't want to say that. That it's not starting now.
Big Cat
World War Threes have been overrated. There's been like a hunt. We're on World War 9 now. 10. We're on World War 10.
Zach
What did you say if they canceled the NCAA tournament?
Big Cat
I inject myself in covet. I did end up getting Covid like five different times. So. That was a mistake. That was a big mistake.
Hank
It's not World War Three yet. It's just. I just.
Big Cat
I'm so sick of everyone saying World War 3 just started.
Hank
It's just running back the Middle east war that we do every 11 years.
Big Cat
Yeah, dude. World War Three. Oh, it's gonna be World War Three. What are we gonna do what should we do on Monday? Should we go to work? Yeah.
Hank
I gotta say, I've been doing a lot of reading about the operation with B2 bombers.
Big Cat
Dude, those guys flying there and back without stopping is badass.
Hank
Yeah. We had the refueling planes up in the air.
Big Cat
And the guy tweeting about it before in Missouri being like, yo, I just saw some B2 bombers outside my house. Yeah, he. He. He had the. He. He broke World War III before anyone.
Hank
Else shout out to B2 bomber. Because we've had that for forever and it's still untouchable. They didn't see it on radar and then they didn't even see the other. By the way, this is what. What we did was quite literally the plot of Top Gun 2.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Which goes to show you that we didn't need F18s and Top Gun too. Like, I love that movie. But if most people are watching that, you're like, why the. Are they using 4th generation fighters instead of a 5th generation F35 versus B2 bombers?
Zach
Isn't that what they had in the very beginning?
Hank
What do you mean?
Zach
Like the first scene in the movie?
Hank
No, that was a. That was a experimental plane that hasn't been cleared yet.
Zach
Got it.
Hank
Yeah. Where he went like Mach 11 and then ejected and walked into a bar. He's like, can I get some milk?
Big Cat
Yeah, those, those. Those. Those planes are sick.
Hank
They are all right.
Big Cat
But yeah, that. I just. I just always know World War 3 is happening when I tweet something about sports and. And in my replies, people would be like, dude, how could you do this? World War III is about to happen.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
And then also my. Who's back is Jonathan Tate. He's back. He signed with the Winnipeg jets, his hometown team.
Hank
What's been going on with him?
Big Cat
So kind of a mystery. People thought it was Long Covid. And then it was kind of an. Like a. Some type of autoimmune, like always being tired.
Hank
I think I have that.
Big Cat
Something he couldn't figure out. But I'm happy he's able to now play again. Hopefully end his career the right way, because it really sucked that he was. You know, it didn't. It just sucked the way it ended in Chicago after so many good years. So, yeah, he's back and I'm. I'm rooting for him.
Zach
Same.
Big Cat
It'd be awesome.
Zach
He's the man.
Big Cat
Yeah, he is the man. You played golf with him.
Zach
I didn't play golf with him. He was in the group behind us.
Big Cat
Golf at the same time.
Zach
Hole in One. And then he came out with us after.
Big Cat
Oh, that's playing golf, man. Yeah, yeah. No, he is the man. He's the absolute man. So I'm hoping he. He does well and stays healthy. Okay, Zach, you got a who's back? I do have who's back of the week for you.
PFT
Okay, real quick, my who's back of.
Big Cat
The week would have to be out.
Hank
There in Houston, Texas, over the weekend. I don't know if you guys are familiar with Morgan Wallen, the country singer? I'm familiar with him. So Morgan Wallen started. He's got this I'm the problem tour.
Big Cat
Going on right now.
Hank
He does these tunnel walks before every show. You know, different celebrities, different guests travel with him into the stadium, into the. Onto the stage in Houston. He went with this Roger Clemens Drake.
Big Cat
And.
PFT
It just.
Hank
I just feel like that was a fantastic star studded way to start your weekend tour.
PFT
Sold out.
Big Cat
It's at the arena where the Texans play.
Hank
I think he's so back. You know, he's had some controversies, you.
Big Cat
Know, throwing a chair over the ledge.
Hank
They're taking back to God's country with snl.
Big Cat
And I just was curious what other ones? I just got those ones. No, other. I think.
Hank
I think those are. Oh, we went out to a bar during COVID Yeah, yeah, that one.
Big Cat
There's a C word one. Yeah, the cobra one was bad.
Hank
There was a C word.
Big Cat
I didn't know if we could say that one.
Hank
Yeah, yeah, you can say the C word.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
And do you guys.
Hank
Do you guys have, like, a two man you'd like to enter a stadium with? Do you have, like, a 2A1, a 1B you'd like to travel into a stage with?
Big Cat
Yeah, Hank. Damn it.
Hank
So he had Roger Clemens and Drake with him.
PFT
He did.
Big Cat
I think Stone Cold and Dog the Bounty Hunter.
Zach
I'd go Tom Brady and Lil Wayne.
Hank
I think I go Paul Bissonette and Bonnie Blue.
Big Cat
That'd be nice. Max, you got. You got a pair.
Zach
Shane Victorino.
Hank
Yeah, he doesn't even like Shane Victorino that much.
PFT
I saw Shane Victorino on the airport last week.
Hank
That's awesome.
Big Cat
Oh, that's so sick.
PFT
I didn't say hi to him. I was too scared.
Hank
Oh, that's a good story, though.
Big Cat
Yeah, well.
PFT
Maybe Jason Kelsey and Brian Dawkins. Brian Dawkins, for sure.
Big Cat
That'd be sick.
Hank
Yeah, hype the people up.
Big Cat
That'd be real sick. All right, good. Who's back? Morgan Mullen's back. Did you guys see, by the way.
Hank
Is that Drake's first public appearance since the beef?
Zach
No.
Hank
I feel like I haven't seen him anywhere.
Big Cat
He's been. He's been around. He's been. He's been, like, kind of active. Like. I mean, he does his weird gambling stuff. I feel like I've seen those clips.
Zach
Yeah, just some streams.
Big Cat
Yeah, he's been streaming.
Hank
He does gambling streams?
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
What a loser.
Big Cat
No, but they're. I don't even know what.
Zach
What is offshore?
Big Cat
Yeah, it's like an offshore.
PFT
Like.
Big Cat
Yeah, but he's around offshore, like.
Hank
Like little St. James Island.
Big Cat
Not that offshore.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
Closer inland.
Hank
Got it.
Big Cat
Also, is Shohei back or. No, is he. He's pitching one inning.
Hank
He's opening.
Big Cat
I don't like this.
Hank
He's opening. And James Wood took him yard vertically today.
Big Cat
Vertically? Yeah.
Hank
He had the highest pop fly I've ever seen in my entire life.
Big Cat
That's sick.
Hank
It was so high. Mookie Bets lost. It went into the sun.
PFT
PFT was telling us about this, and.
Big Cat
He was like, you gotta find this.
PFT
You got.
Big Cat
You gotta see this.
PFT
This pop fly.
Hank
The highest infield fly I've ever seen in my life.
PFT
Shockingly, there was no replay of this.
Big Cat
Highlight anywhere on the Internet.
Hank
You remember Jaden Daniel's handoff in Week two?
Big Cat
Yes. This is exactly.
Hank
This is James woods version of the handoff.
PFT
Yeah.
Zach
But.
Hank
Yeah, no show. He looked pretty good. He was throwing some good pitches out there.
Big Cat
I want to see him play, pitch more than one inning.
Hank
Yeah, I would, too.
Big Cat
Cal Raleigh, AL mvp. Sure. He's probably gonna win the NL mvp, right? Cal Raleigh. Let's see. What is the we're gonna get to? Well, I want Schwarber to win because I bet on it, but I don't. And that's also nl.
Hank
Also, how about. How about Shohei breaking up a fight that he was in that his teammates, like, got into defend him?
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
So that was a pretty cool guy. I like having the Padres and the Dodgers hate each other because I'm just looking forward to the postseason with those two. But, yeah, they. They plunked Shohei. And then Shohei tried to be the one that broke up the entire fight that got started on his behalf.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Good guy.
Big Cat
Plus 550 still. So for Cal Raleigh, big dumper. We're gonna be talking about it. He's gonna hit 67 home runs as a catcher. It's crazy.
Hank
Yeah, I put that bet in the second he left the studio when I. When I. I love to watch him leave. And I was like, that ass is going to be. That's an MVP ass.
Big Cat
That's an MVP ass. All right, let's get to the interview with Cal Raleigh in studio. Before we get to Cal Raleigh, pardon my take is sponsored by Better Help. Men today face immense pressure to perform, to provide and keep it all together. So it's no wonder that 6 million men in the US suffer from depression every year. And it's often undiagnosed it's okay to struggle. Real strength comes from opening up about what you're carrying and doing something about it so you can be at your best for yourself and everyone in your life. If you're a man and you're feeling the weight of the world, talk to someone. A friend, a loved one, a therapist. Pft and I both have seen therapists been very helpful. Even if you don't think you have something right now that's bothering you, top of mind. Just talking through with someone day to day stuff is really, really helpful. So. With over 35,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. As the largest online therapy provider in the world, BetterHelp can provide access to mental health professionals with a diverse variety of expertise. Talk it out with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.compmt that's betterhelphelp.compmt we're also brought to you by our friends at Fruit of the Loom. For some reason, guys hold onto their underwear way too long. Why? Who knows? But when a fresh, comfortable, well designed pair of Fruit of the Loom costs less than your morning coffee, there's really no excuse. Listen, guys, underwear is very important, especially summertime. You need the right stuff and Fruit of the Loom's got it. Refresh your underwear drawer today with well made, well priced Fruit of the Loom. I know that I'm about to do a full underwear overhaul. I like to get all the same underwear, all the same socks. I'm going to do it with Fruit of the Loom. So Fruit of the Loom delivers legendary comfort and iconic style you can trust with nearly 175 years of expertise. We craft essentials that feel like designer but at a fraction of the price. Throw out those old underwears. Come on, let's get, let's get feeling good with Fruit of the Loom. Let's do it. Okay. Let's feel good. Let's, let's, let's make sure we take care of ourselves with Fruit of the Loom. It's time to refresh your underwear drawer with well made, well priced Fruit of the Loom. The most comfortable stuff out there. So go get it now. Fruit of the Loom. Okay, here he is, Cal Raleigh. Okay. We now welcome on a very, very, very, very, very special guest. He is the best catcher in baseball. Also should be AL MVP this year is Cal Raleigh from the Seattle Mariners, California. Oh, I mean, Big Dumper. Is that, do. Do people just yell big? I would imagine it's gotten a little out of hand where people are just yelling big dumper at you all the time.
PFT
Yeah, it's. I mean, it's more big dumper, dumper dumpy, you know, than it is anything else. So it's cow's kind of, you know.
Big Cat
Thing of the past, I would imagine. Like to the, in the, the nickname Big Dumper, it's one of those things like you get it given to you. There's really nothing you can do about it. But I'll say this like, it's a little bit of a weird nickname, but it's hard in sports to have like a unique new nickname. And that one's as unique as it gets.
PFT
Yeah, I mean, it's not the one, you know, you draw up the one you think, you think you would ever get. But it's kind of like you said, you know, not a lot of people get actual real nicknames like that. So, you know, you take what you can get.
Big Cat
Yeah. And then we get the, the Big Dumper goes poo poo whenever you hit. Hit a home run, which I love.
PFT
Yeah, that tweet.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah. As soon as that guy, that Mariners fan sent me that tweet, I sent it to you. And I was just like, every time he hits a home run, I'm just going to think about this in my head. Big Dumper goes poo poo.
PFT
I saw that one. And then there was another one. Somebody said it's like when he hits two home runs, it's a. Taking a deucer. Yeah. Double dump, reduce or something.
Hank
You can upper deck them too. Hit a moonshot.
PFT
There you go.
Hank
Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's probably not the nickname you would have liked. Did you have another nickname before that one got forced upon you?
PFT
Not, not one like that. I mean, you know, people always kind of, you know, they've always said, talked about, you know, how big my butt is and everything. Yeah, it was never really anything like that, so. And the funny thing was, the guy who. Jared Kelnick, he's the one who came up with it. He had never even called me that or said that to me before. I mean, he always made fun of me, but like, he said that in a tweet or something and then just. It blew up, kind of took off.
Big Cat
When did you, when in your career were you like, oh, I do have a fat ass?
PFT
Oh, I've known for. It's, it's been a long, like, ever since, like high school. It's just been something that's like, it's like an eyesore, just completely sticks out.
Big Cat
No, it's good, though.
Hank
It generates a lot of power.
PFT
Whatever works, right?
Hank
It's an asset.
PFT
It's.
Hank
It's really good for you. Yeah. When they, when they unveiled the new see through pants last year, we're like, oh, oh, geez.
Big Cat
Trouble.
PFT
That was a disaster.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
So we were talking about this the other day on the show, but the baseballs are apparently different this year. The seams are a little bit higher.
PFT
The drag they've been talking about.
Hank
Yeah, there's a lot of drag on the ball. Did you notice that as a catcher?
PFT
I mean, it's such a small difference if there is one. So obviously as a hitter, you want a little less. You'd rather see balls going a little further. So. Yeah, I haven't noticed anything quite yet.
Big Cat
But, I mean, you have 27 home runs, right?
PFT
Whatever. Whatever they're doing with them right now is fine.
Big Cat
Yeah. It's working for you, is it? I mean, it is crazy. 27 home runs leads major league base. We're taping this on Thursday, on June 19th. So we don't know what's gonna happen in the weekend because we're gonna run this next week. But like, catchers don't hit that many home runs. You, you're just an anomaly. Where is it? Is it. Most of the time, catchers are just because of the toll of catching, they just don't have the power or like, how are you able to do it?
PFT
Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of factors, right? I mean, obviously catching, your first priorities, taking care of the pitcher, defense. It's always usually glove first and then the bat second. You don't get to play as often because you, you know, a lot of guys, you know, you need that, that extra day off or, you know, maybe your bat's not getting the lineup as often. So it's just a very taxing position too, on the body and the mind. So getting in every day is. Is tough. And a lot of guys, you know, like I said, it's. It's a glove first Position, kind of anything up the middle. You know, those guys usually have to focus a little more on defense. So it's, it's, it can be tough sometimes.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah.
Hank
How much extra prep do you have to put in as a catcher that, that you look at, you see your teammates like a first baseman, right fielder, they, you know, they show up, they know what their job is. They do, you know, some advanced scouting know where they need to play in position, but their job is show up, do pretty much the same thing that they normally do. Step up to plate and mash. And then you, you have to put in, I would imagine a lot more time than them where you're going over, you know, any sort of scouting for, for all the batters, all that stuff. Like how much more time do you spend as a catcher than an average player?
PFT
Yeah, I mean, you know, at least half my time's, you know, you know, put in to, you know, worrying about, you know, game calling, worry about the pitchers, things like that, meetings. So a lot of things that, that don't, you know, directly involve me. So. But that's just kind of how it is and you know, you've learned, you learn to kind of deal with it and kind of set your routine that way. So. Yeah, the, usually the first day of series, they're a lot longer just because we got, you know, meetings, we got, you know, scouting report, stuff like that we got to go over. So it's, it can be a little time consuming at times.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Can I bring up a store subject?
PFT
Yeah.
Hank
All right. So the, the playoff lost to the Houston Astros a few years ago, the 18 inning game. How bad did that suck as a catcher?
PFT
A marathon. Yeah, I know. I think that was one of the first years they did the guy in second rule.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
With guys starting second in extra innings. But in the playoffs they don't do that. So. And that was pre pitch clock too. So it was, that was such a long game. Yeah, it was, was two games in one. It was a marathon, you know, started at like one and then it went all the way to eight or something. It was like six and six and some change. So it was, it was a really long game, but with the adrenaline how high it was, you really at the time weren't. We didn't have any, you know, afterwards I felt it. But yeah, with all the adrenaline being a playoff game and everything, didn't really feel it at the time. So.
Hank
Yeah, I would imagine the next to the morning after you wake up just legs killing.
PFT
It was, it was a long day yeah.
Big Cat
Do you just always feel like you just did your first squat, like, you know, exercise for, like, the first time in a month? Because, like, I would. Like, are your legs just always sore?
PFT
I mean, it's just one of those things. It's like, you know, when you build up all that tolerance, it's just, you know, after a while, it just becomes normal.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
You definitely notice, though, like, after some day games, they can be a little. A little more tired just because you're not getting as much rest. And sometimes you got the heat and the sun and things like that. Playing in certain places, you can feel a little more just because, you know, emotionally, you know, it'll take a. Take a toll on you a little bit mentally as well. Like those games, I always say, like, games in Houston, Boston, New York, playing in the places like that, where, where you feel like the team's, you know, the pressure is constantly on and the fans are on top of you and it's hot. Those take a little more out of you.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
More so than some other places.
Big Cat
How does it work with pitchers? Are you. Is it just like pitcher to pitcher? There's some pitchers that, you know that they're going to want to pitch their way and you're not really going to call the game much. And then there's some that, like, hey, he's giving me the keys here. Like, I'm calling it for him.
PFT
Yeah. I mean, everybody's different. You know, there's some guys that they. They're really involved in, you know, what they want to call and how they want attack hitters and they're playing. And there's some guys that are just like, I don't care. I'm throwing whatever you put down. Like, you. You got it, Take it. And, you know, it is funny how. How different guys are. So, yeah, you know, like I said, a lot of the guys do, you know, put a lot of trust in me, which, you know, I. So I try to take. Take a lot of pride in calling a game and doing the scouting. So we also have a lot of young guys, too, so kind of help them along and, you know, learn the ropes. And some guys have done a really good job and kind of take ownership in that.
Big Cat
So what about an efis? Are you gonna call an efis?
PFT
George Kirby threw a knuckleball.
Big Cat
Okay.
PFT
A couple years ago.
Big Cat
Is that hard? Was it just impossible to catch or.
PFT
It was disgusting? He. Well, it was Tim Wakefield. I just passed away that morning or the night before, and it was the last game of the Season, and we had just gotten, you know, eliminated from contention the day before. So he's like, I'm going to throw a knuckleball. Try to find a way to mix it in today. And he threw it. Corey Seager. And it was, I mean, if you find the video, it's disgusting. It's unlike pitching Ninja, all that stuff. Like, it was.
Big Cat
Why does he throw it more?
PFT
I don't know. I mean, he was on the shelf earlier this year. I mean, it might be a real pitch, you know?
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
I don't know.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
I mean, he got a whiff out of it. He swung a miss.
Big Cat
Huge.
PFT
I almost, I almost missed it myself. So. Yeah, it's just, I never.
Hank
Is it, like, way harder to catch for a knuckleballer?
PFT
I don't, I don't even know if I, that's the only, only real one I think I've ever caught in a game.
Big Cat
So you're one for one. You're perfect.
PFT
One for one. Yeah, maybe There's. We had a guy in the Meyer leagues, he maybe threw a couple. He was a big dude, like six, eight, like three. Three bills.
Big Cat
Like, that's a funny.
Hank
Let's get that guy in major league.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
J.T. salter was his name.
Big Cat
Okay. So let's get him called up.
Hank
I remember the, the Red Sox, when they had Wakefield pitching, they used to have Doug Mirabelli as his, like, specific catcher. And one time didn't they sign him, he was like a, he maybe retired or something, but they signed him and then he had a police escort from Logan Airport to the game to get him there for first pitch. In time. It's like a different. I, I, maybe you can tell me, like, what's different about catching a knuckleball.
PFT
I mean, you just don't know what the ball is going to do. Right. I mean, it's kind of the same way with like a forkball, you know, there's no consistent spin, there's no rhyme or reason of what the ball is going to do. So you just have no idea. So, you know, at least on, you know, curveballs, sliders, you know what the ball's generally going to do in that direction. But with that, the pitcher doesn't even really know what's going to do. It could take off, right, left, down. Like you're really just playing goalie.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
You know, you're not really even like, like Logan Gilbert, one of our pitchers, he does a splitter. It's more fork ball type, but he calls a splitter. And I Just. You just don't know. I can't. I'm more just, like I said, trying to keep it in front than I am trying to catch it.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Have you ever forgotten what pitch a pitcher's about to throw as he's delivering it?
Big Cat
Oh, good question.
PFT
No, sometimes in. In warm ups, I'm not paying attention because. And they'll, like, give their little sign, like, you know, with their glove, a little action.
Hank
Yeah.
PFT
And sometimes I get a little. Little nervous, and I'll kind of, like, bail out of the way. But that's. It's been pretty rare, so that would.
Hank
Happen to me all the time. I think this is a slider.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
It's a little easier now with the pitch column because they got. You know, they're yelling in your ear, so. Yeah, you can at least hear it.
Big Cat
So I got a couple dumb questions. One of them is about pitchcom. Do you still paint your nails?
PFT
No, I don't do that.
Big Cat
Do you miss that?
PFT
I mean, I don't miss the painting of them because it would make a mess everywhere. But they did start making some, like, stickies. Stickers.
Big Cat
Okay.
PFT
So that was a little easier on the nails rather than having to do white out on your.
Big Cat
Yeah. Do you miss, though, like, calling the game with the. With the fingers and stuff kind of badass.
PFT
Yeah.
Big Cat
I mean, when you throw the one down for a fastball and just like, here it comes.
PFT
It was a lot simpler. I. I don't miss the. Because you obviously have to change up signs with runner in second because guys are stealing signs. It's part of the game. I don't miss doing that because it got really complicated. And, yeah, guys, now with all the cameras in the league, guys. I mean, guys would. All their scouts would have everybody sign so they would know, all right, this guy comes in, he does second sign. Shake the first, or this guy does, you know, last sign. First sign. So guys would already know. So you'd be constantly having to change them, and it would be taking too long between the games. So I don't miss that part. With pitchcom, but with nobody on base, you don't really need the pitch column.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Nobody's out there. So it's honestly quicker to do it with the fingers.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
I think the pitch come.
Big Cat
All right, another dumb question. Are there any umps that get, like, a little too close where you're like, oh, I got this guy tonight. He's gonna be, like, literally riding my back some?
PFT
I mean, yeah, they want to get as close as they can. You know, it's Kind of like catchers, they want to get close so they can try to steal strikes. Same thing for umpires. They want to try to get as close as they can see every pitch. And some guys, you know, a lot of the older guys, you know, they'll give you that kind of like pushback. So, like, you know, especially if a ball, they like, like it's coming their way. I'm set up a little bit this way and they're kind of exposed. They'll give me that, like, push in the back. You gotta. You gotta remind him, like, hey, you're pushing me. Like, oh, you're not trying to do on purpose, but.
Big Cat
Right.
PFT
They get flinchy back there.
Big Cat
Right.
PFT
And then a little nervous.
Big Cat
And then. Last question about umps. You ever fart on an up?
PFT
I mean, yeah, I've logged too many innings.
Big Cat
Has an up ever noticed to let one be like, dude, what was that?
PFT
Nobody's ever said anything. But I know.
Big Cat
I mean, you know that, you know when they're thinking it.
PFT
Yeah. You know, it's like when you walk in a room and.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah.
PFT
It's the same thing. I mean, I try not to make it a habit.
Hank
Yeah, but you're in that position all. You're compressing your body a lot sometimes some just squeaks out.
PFT
Yeah, yeah. I mean, you're. You're squatted down for that long.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Bad, bad pregame mill, you know.
Big Cat
Yeah. And you were telling me that you have a soft serve machine in the clubhouse in Seattle and the nutritionist tried to take it away a couple years ago and you guys had like a mutiny.
PFT
Yes. This was. I think this is in 21, so it was my rookie year, so obviously, like, I come up and think it's the coolest thing ever. Soft serve machine. Just the whole room in general's got all the snacks you can think of. And yeah, they. It was right after it was post all star break. They tried to like sneak it out during the break. That way people wouldn't know. And like I said, you would have thought the world was ending.
Big Cat
Wait, so everyone showed up and it just wasn't there.
PFT
It wasn't there and people were pissed.
Big Cat
Oh, man.
PFT
And they made it a point. And like, it didn't even take. I think it took three days to get it back. I love House and. And that's the one thing. They'll never be taken out of there.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah.
Hank
I think that's what happened with the Braves back when you remember when the Mets had that late, late season collapse and the Braves Kind of gradually overtook them in September.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
I think they put the ice cream machine back in before that whole thing started. It's just good vibes. Have an ice cream machine. Right. Everyone's happier at work.
PFT
Nobody, you know, nobody wants a fruit bar around. They want the.
Big Cat
Yeah, right.
PFT
With the ice cream machine. They don't want.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
I mean, keep people happy, you know?
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
I have things.
Hank
I have a personal request on behalf of this podcast. Are you gonna be in the Home Run Derby?
PFT
If they asked me, I. I think they'd be pretty fun.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
I think you should be in the home run.
Big Cat
We got a guy you got to take down.
PFT
Who is it?
Hank
Christian.
PFT
So you're gonna be in it.
Big Cat
He's flirting with him.
Hank
We cannot let him go poo poo.
Big Cat
Yeah, he's.
Hank
That's a no go for us.
PFT
No.
Big Cat
If he wins the Home Run Derby, we have to eat each other's ass.
PFT
That's. That was the rule.
Big Cat
Yeah, it's like a. It's like a seven year bet now. Yeah, it was a long time.
PFT
Has he been.
Big Cat
No, he's never been in it. He got. There was the one year where he was, like, geared up to do it and he hurt his back. So if you. If. Listen, we're simple. We could do the easy way. You could just beat him in the Home Run Derby, or we do the hard way, and you could just beat him with a baseball bat before the Home Run Derby. Whichever one you want to do.
PFT
I think. I think it'd be more fun to at least make you guys a little nervous.
Big Cat
Okay.
PFT
I'll beat him in the derby.
Hank
Yeah, I mean, you will.
Big Cat
You're.
Hank
You're a much better home run header than Christian Yellich is, so.
Big Cat
Yeah. Don't give him bolts and board material.
Hank
I'm just saying. I'm trying to gas my man up.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, you are.
PFT
He's a good player, though.
Hank
Yeah, he's okay. He's all right.
Big Cat
He's fine.
Hank
He's kind of skinny, though.
Big Cat
He's fine. Are you okay with us saying that you should be the mvp? Because he's obviously going up against judge, but I think the catching part of it is insane. Like, you. You're. You're catching so much. I mean, I know you DH a little, but it's nuts. Your glove and your. What are you top. Are you top two in. In throwing guys out? Maybe.
PFT
Let me look it up.
Big Cat
I. I think you are. I think you're pretty elite at that.
Hank
You're like the Shohei Otani of baseball.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
It's crazy.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Wow. You all know about that?
Big Cat
Yeah. Oh, yeah. No leads. Catchers in, in stealing eights or. Yeah. So you've only given up eight stolen bases.
PFT
There might be more than that.
Hank
Really?
PFT
Feels like more.
Big Cat
Okay.
PFT
My pitchers would, Would probably argue with.
Big Cat
Me, but does that. When you give up a stolen base, is that demoralizing you? Like.
PFT
No, no. I mean, a lot of that's, you.
Big Cat
Know, that's a pitcher's fault.
PFT
Yeah. They don't, you know, they're not quick to the plate.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
And that seems, it seems to be a tale as old as time. You know, pitchers not, you know, remembering that somebody else is on the base and they just let them take off.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
You can't, you can't really do much about it back there, so. Yeah, we try, we try to limit them, but, you know, some guys take their time.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
How many stolen bases do you have this season?
PFT
I got eight.
Hank
That's pretty good.
PFT
I know.
Hank
I think as long as you can steal more bases than guys steal on you, that's. That's a plus season.
Big Cat
Right.
PFT
I just, I took. Our manager had the record for a catcher in the season for the Mariners.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
And I just, I just broke it the other day.
Big Cat
Oh, hell yeah.
Hank
So we're on.
PFT
I told him I was going to take the bag and hold up like Rick.
Big Cat
Yeah. Ricky Anderson. Wait, do you have, do you have the green light.
PFT
Sometimes?
Big Cat
So that's not. You do not have the green light.
PFT
It's probably a yellow light. It's like.
Big Cat
Yeah. How many times you've been caught?
PFT
Two.
Big Cat
Okay.
PFT
Eight for ten. Right.
Big Cat
And that's got to be that. That's a bummer when you come back to the dugout.
PFT
Yeah. Because it's like, you know. Yeah. You shouldn't have been stealing there.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Slow guy. If it's like, you know, somebody fast like Julio or something, it's like, ah, you know. Yeah, that happens.
Big Cat
Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. Me.
PFT
It's like you might need to shut it down for a while.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
You know, I'd like, I'd like to see you run more. Do you pay attention to the on pace stats?
PFT
I don't think so.
Hank
Like, if, if you had. Obviously you're at 27 right now. Do you ever look that up online? Be like, what am I on pace for this season?
PFT
Oh, I, I would be interested in my, in my, my stolen basis for sure.
Hank
Let's see, that'd probably be, I would imagine, right. Right around like 15, right?
Big Cat
Yeah. 16.
Hank
Those are good numbers.
Big Cat
That's really good.
PFT
We're halfway through. Yeah.
Big Cat
And we're close to halfway through. I don't know if we're all the way halfway through, but. Yeah.
Hank
Do you look at your home run stats and you're like, you know, after. If you homer on opening day, you're like, man, I'm on pace for 162.
Big Cat
160. Yeah. We're a little less than halfway. So you are on pace for 50 home runs. That'd be pretty sick.
PFT
What's better? That or the soul base?
Big Cat
I'd say the home run. How. How sweet. Do you. How sweet is it to hit a home run? It's gotta be the best feeling ever.
PFT
It feels good.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
There's. I mean, rounding the bases, you know, there's probably nothing better in sports.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
I mean, for like, an actual, like, you know, individual thing, you know, football, you know, you throw a touchdown, you know, there's two people on the end of the play. Great catch. I guess that's fun, but, you know, not a lot of people get to circle bases like that. Especially in a big moment, too.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Walk off homers, you know, things like that.
Big Cat
Is that. What's your favorite home run you ever hit?
PFT
I mean, the one. The 1 in 22 when I walked.
Big Cat
It off against the A's.
PFT
Yeah. Sent us to the postseason. Yeah, that one was pretty.
Big Cat
That one's badass.
PFT
Yeah, I mean, that one was. That's the one you dream about.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Like in the backyard. You're playing with the wiffle ball bat. Yeah, that's the one.
Big Cat
Yeah. The. By the way, the. The record for catcher home runs is Javi Lopez, so. And you're. You're ahead of pace on that, so let's do it. Let's get it. He had 42 in 2003.
PFT
See what we can do.
Big Cat
Or. Actually, no, wait.
Hank
Oh, no.
Big Cat
Salvador Perez had 48 in 20, 21. But he didn't play. I don't think he played as many. I don't think he caught as many games. You're gonna end up catching.
PFT
Yeah, He. He. He dh' a lot.
Big Cat
Yeah, whatever. The stats go out. We're gonna make sure that you have number one.
Hank
We'll.
Big Cat
We'll. We'll fine tune it. We can. We can really kind of massage the stats for you.
PFT
Finagle.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. We got.
Hank
We do a fantasy league every year. It's called dingers only, so only home runs count in our fantasy league. I think that you might go in the top 10.
Big Cat
I had two years ago. Yeah, kind of before you were like a big name and it was, it saved my season.
PFT
Do you. By position?
Big Cat
It's by. Yeah. It's the simplest fantasy league you could ever create. It's just everyone has nine players and it's just the only stat is home runs.
PFT
It's pretty easy.
Big Cat
Yeah. And we also started halfway through the season, which. That doesn't really make sense.
PFT
What, so you haven't even started?
Big Cat
No, no, we haven't drafted yet. So actually, are you okay with whoever drafts you, Like, I'll call you and like, we'll do it like an NFL draft being like, hey, you ready to join my Dingers only team?
PFT
Yeah, we'll get a look at Jersey or something.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah, like, I'm ready to go, coach. Yeah, I'm ready to hit some home.
Hank
I mean, about value wise, you might be number one. Yeah, right. Because like, if you're in that many home runs as a catcher, that's huge positional value.
Big Cat
You might be number one in Dingers only.
PFT
Yeah. Catcher. Yeah, it's not, it's not a home run position, so.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Yeah. I, I have a question about the art of catching and framing pitches.
PFT
Okay.
Hank
Is. Is there like a limit to how far out of the strike zone a pitch will be that you'll try to frame, or will you try to frame everything?
PFT
There's a limit, right? I mean, something ridiculous, you know, you can't. But I mean, I don't know, you're. You're trying to, trying to steal strikes. So like, you know, borderline, you know, pitches that look somewhat good to your eye, like, yeah, you're going to frame it. And then, I mean, there are some, you know, where it's just like, all right, you know, no need for that.
Hank
We can't, we can't make this one.
PFT
Yeah, you got to, you got to respect the game.
Hank
Is there, is there a frame job that you're most proud of?
PFT
I don't know. One off the top of my head. I don't think so. I mean, it's gotten a lot smaller. I mean, even if you guys read that article that came out about the buffer zone with the umpires, you know, they basically, basically there was a 2 inch buffer zone that shrunk down to like 0.7, oh, 5 inches of a buffer zone. So umpires this year have been calling a lot more balls just because they're going to get docked, basically because they're getting, you know, just like we are, as players are getting graded out and see how well they do on their performance. And so they've been a lot more tighter this year with. With that being introduced. So that's kind of been. Been the thing this year.
Hank
How do we feel about the robot umps?
PFT
I'm out. Yeah, I'm out on robot.
Big Cat
We agree.
PFT
Yeah.
Big Cat
I mean, podcast.
PFT
I mean, don't, like, don't you want to keep a little bit of the baseball in it, you know? Yeah, like, a little bit of, like, you want to see managers and, you know, guys getting ejected, like it's part of the game. So, yeah, they've taken away with replay. There's no more, you know, it's not a lot of arguing going on besides at home plate. And if you take that away, it's like, there's not, you know, you need a little bit excitement in the game. You want to see guys throwing. Throwing rosin bags and.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah.
Hank
The slow little trot that the manager does when he goes out, you know, like the short little steps, but he's moving his arms like he's running, right? And then he's, like, collecting his thoughts and gets to home plate, just explodes on the up. That's. That's part of the beauty of the. The game of baseball.
Big Cat
And it also, like, we. We've our. Our take is simple, that if you took away all refs and umps from all sports, you're basically eliminating, like, 50 of conversations guys can have with each other. Like, yeah, like, if your team loses, you have to be able to blame a human being, you know?
PFT
Yeah, you want to. You want to, you know.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Be like, oh, that robot get pissed, that umpire. You want to at least blame somebody.
Big Cat
Yeah, right.
PFT
You know, so, I mean, there's a human element of it. So, I mean, you know, it's not a bunch of robots out there playing, you know, you don't want a bunch of robots umpiring.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
You know, I don't even know where the. Where the system's at yet. I mean, you know, if it's off by a little bit, if it's not, if it's perfect, you know, and like, two is like, you're gonna get everybody's size, right? Like, is this. I'm gonna change. Aaron Judge versus Jose Altuve. Like, it's a lot.
Big Cat
Get the robots out.
Hank
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Big Cat
Have you, have you ever had to stop a guy from charging the mound?
PFT
No, I mean, I've had a step in between.
Big Cat
Do you have a move? Are you like in your head? Like, kind of like, I think like, oh, man, if someone's gonna hijack this plane, I'm gonna be such a badass. Do you have that going through your head? Like, man, if this guy steps towards my pitcher, I'm going to be such a badass here.
PFT
I've always said that I'm going to try to tackle him from behind. Yeah, Chase, because like, obviously he's going to be going, but I don't know if I'll be able to make it in time.
Big Cat
Dude, honestly, what you should do, and I don't know why catchers don't do this. Like, just let them like kind of run and just trip them. That would be so, like, how embarrassing is that? If you get. Yeah. If you just throw your foot and like the guy can't get. He can't you can't get up from a trip and still be as mad because you're now just embarrassed about falling on your face.
PFT
Yeah. I don't know what his next move would be. Would he continue to go, do I trip again?
Big Cat
Have your pitcher ready to trip him back.
PFT
Do I just tackle him? Just sit on him?
Big Cat
Yeah, sit on him.
PFT
Yeah. I don't know. I. I've always imagined my head. I would just try to attack him before he gets there.
Big Cat
But think about the trip.
PFT
What you do is.
Hank
Yeah. You wait for him to run, and then when the. You know, the back leg goes out, you just kick that leg outside. And then it hits their other leg.
Big Cat
That's as embarrassing as embarrassing.
Hank
Guess they might even just laugh. They might even realize how silly this whole thing is and be like, that was pretty funny.
PFT
I don't know if they'd be laughing.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Do you get double embarrassed?
Big Cat
Yeah. Do you talk to the guys in the batter's box?
PFT
Yeah, some guys. Some guys are real chatty in there.
Big Cat
Really pitch to pitch or just. Just when they.
PFT
Oh, really push the pitch. Yeah.
Big Cat
What are they talking about?
PFT
Depending on the day. You know, some guys, like I said, real chirpy, real, you know, real funny in the box, like to, you know, either make fun of themselves or, you know, talk about something, what pitch they think's coming next or. And some guys, you know, it's. It's once they say, hey, they don't. They don't say anything else. Again. It's focused.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Kind of locked in, you know Nathaniel Lowe for the Nationals? He's one. He loves. Loves the chirp, loves the chat. And every single time it comes up, he's like, all right. You know where I like it? I say, all right, here it comes. Right on the metal.
Big Cat
Yeah. Are you allowed to talk when they're about to swing?
PFT
Oh, yeah, it's. Yeah. I mean, some people, like. Some people will be talking as the guy's coming in his wind up and everything, and I'm just like, all right, if you want to chat, we'll chat. Do you have in your head.
Hank
Is it like, game, respect, game when another. Another catcher steps up? You guys had, like, share professional courtesy.
PFT
Yeah. I mean, I think it's pretty much across the league now. You know, everybody. It's just known you. You say hey to both the ump and the catcher now.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
So I think some younger guys don't. Just because they don't know. When they come up rookies, they're just, like, quiet, and they keep their head down and they don't want to, which is a good thing.
Big Cat
But.
PFT
Yeah. Yeah, it's. It's pretty much common courtesy now. A lot of. A lot of guys will, like, tap the.
Big Cat
Yeah. Give you a little love. Yeah.
PFT
Brandon Phillips did that.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
And they got in the fight.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
So. Yeah, some guys. It just depends on the guy.
Big Cat
So you're growing up. Your dad was a coach. Did he coach you throughout, like, all your little. Because he was a real coach. Like, he coached college.
PFT
Yeah, he's a college coach.
Big Cat
So did he coach you any of your teams or. No.
PFT
No, he didn't. He was always coaching college. Yeah, he was not my coach. There's like. There's one or two years in high school when he finished up, he. He did some stuff, but. Yeah, no, he was. I was always with him. At the field.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
At the.
Big Cat
Yeah, that's the perfect coach's son. Because you don't. You. He's not coaching your actual team, so people can't be like, this guy's just getting preferential treatment. But he also is coaching you all the other times.
PFT
Not the. Not the shortstop hitting third.
Big Cat
Yeah, right. Exactly. Yeah. Like, is this guy good or is he just the coach's son? So you had. You had it made.
PFT
There's a lot of those.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Especially nowadays. There's like five. There's like five coaches on the team and.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
They're. All Their kids are hitting first five in the order. It's like, come on now. All playing Enfield.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
So you won the Platinum Glove Award. That's pretty cool.
PFT
Yeah.
Hank
And that's when you got your gold. Did you get the Gold Glove first or the Platinum Glove?
PFT
Gold. Platinum and then platinum.
Hank
Did you think that there was a chance you could get platinum last year?
PFT
I mean. No, no.
Big Cat
I mean, you.
PFT
I was just happy to win the gold. Right. And then, you know, they announced that at the. At the award. At the banquet. So I didn't think I was going to win that and wasn't in my mind. And it was kind of a cool little thing I didn't. Didn't know I could do.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Do you keep them in the same place in your house?
PFT
They are in my locker right now. Oh, yeah. They were presented to me this year, so they presented to me at, like, one of the first games a year. So right now they're in the top of my locker. I gotta. Gotta find out where.
Big Cat
It's kind of a flex.
Hank
I kind of like that.
Big Cat
Yeah. So when the reporters come in, they see it.
PFT
Well, it is on Top. It's not.
Big Cat
Oh, you got to get it visible. Just let them know, like, this is who you're talking.
Hank
I think it's even. It's a little bit cooler that you have them where nobody can see them. It's like.
PFT
Yeah, they're just in a box up there.
Hank
Yeah, they're in. Wait, so they're not even displayed?
PFT
They're just not even displayed.
Hank
They're in a box.
PFT
There's sitting in a box right now.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
I would put the platinum in my foyer to my house. Like, the first thing that somebody sees when they walk in.
PFT
And like the plastic case.
Hank
Yeah. That's the platinum glove. I'm the best in the world.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Where'd you put the gold?
Hank
Probably in the bathroom, right?
PFT
Yeah.
Hank
Like, if you got the platinum. No, you don't want anybody to see the gold because it's a major downgrade. It's like, disappointing.
PFT
You can't live up to it anymore.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
When you played at Florida State, you guys went to Omaha. Did Jameis Winston ever give you guys a pop up speech? No.
PFT
I wish.
Big Cat
Yeah. How awesome Omaha is. Like, every year the College World Series is like, I. It kind of sneaks up on me, and then I, I get, I tune into the games like, this is the best. And like, was it, was it just an awesome experience being in Omaha?
PFT
Yeah, it was awesome.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Yeah, it was. I mean, for college baseball, you know, and the, you know, the kids, like, that's, that's all they want to do is to go to Omaha. So it's like, it's the thing.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
And getting to go, you know, it's kind of like a bucket list thing. It's like, check that box. Like, that's one of the cooler things. Yeah, I'd say. You know, and then obviously getting to the bigger is pretty cool too, but, you know, that's kind of like the peak for, for when you're in college. It's like the one thing you want to do.
Big Cat
Was it hard going from metal to wood? Like, was there an adjustment?
PFT
Not really.
Big Cat
Really?
PFT
No. I mean, I actually kind of liked it better because when you got pro ball, you get to pick. Yeah. There were so many different things you could do to your bat. You could, could modify it. You could pick top heavy, like, versus, like college. You know, it's basically like, here's the metal bat that you get. There's no, there's no changing it. You get what you get. So that's kind of cool.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
What's your bat like now?
PFT
I'm Actually a. I'm a torpedo guy.
Hank
Oh, you are.
Big Cat
Oh, you are.
PFT
I'm a torpedo. So.
Hank
So what's the difference?
Big Cat
You've been cheating. Yeah.
Hank
What's the difference? Like, the first time you swung it, could you immediately tell, like, yeah, this is. This is gonna be my baby?
PFT
No, I. It was. I mean, really for anybody, any baseball guy, it's. They pick it up one time, they use it and it works, and they're like, oh, this is what I'm going to use. So Rawling sent me a couple torpedoes and I picked it up. One game against the Rangers, like, third at bat, I think I struck out or something. The first two at bats, picked it up, hit a home run, never went back. So the. It just looks funky. You know, you see the end, how it tapers off and. But no, I mean, it feels. It feels kind of normal. You don't really feel the difference, but just looking at it, you're like, that's. It's kind of weird.
Big Cat
Yeah. Is there a certain player as a catcher where they're like, ball on bat just sounds totally different than everyone else?
PFT
Yeah, there's some guys that. With the best speed. I mean, Otani, you could just.
Big Cat
You. It just sounds like. Just a completely different.
PFT
Yeah, it's like when he swings, it sounds like. Like an airplane's taking off.
Big Cat
Jesus.
PFT
Yeah, with the bat speed, there's a few guys. Jorge Solaire.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
He hit that big home run a couple years ago with the Braves.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
In the World Series. Yeah. He swings the back extremely hard. You're actually a little nervous back there with how hard he's swinging.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Because it's just like. I mean, if he connects, it's. There's no. No getting the ball back.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
You know? Yeah, it's. It's scary. You know, I'd say Bryce Harper had that as well. That kind of different sound, different swing judge is just so big and so strong that he can mishit it and still.
Big Cat
Yeah, it's crazy.
PFT
Still goes out. Yeah, he's. He's just a. He's a different animal.
Big Cat
It actually is like. It's actually cheating how tall he is. He should not be eligible for mvp.
PFT
He's a beast.
Big Cat
Yeah. But you. I mean, you. You're the mvp.
PFT
He's. I mean, he's different.
Big Cat
And just so we're clear, if Aaron Judge ever comes on this show, we will tell him he's the MVP. And Cal Raleigh is actually cheating because he's DHing.
Hank
No, I'm not.
PFT
Torpedo bats.
Hank
Yeah. I'm gonna say that Aaron, by being on the Yankees, they use torpedo bats, so he's technically a cheater. He gets better pitches to hit. We're Cal rally guys.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
That was nice when the torpedo bat story broke because everybody was like, the Yankees are all cheating.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Just like, oh, I hope nobody mentions me.
Big Cat
And then everyone forgot about it. Yeah. Yeah.
PFT
No, nobody. Nobody cares about Seattle. They're. You know, it is far away.
Hank
It's a good sports town though, right?
PFT
I love it.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
It's awesome.
Hank
The only thing I would say is, like, it would be nice if you played in a. More of a hitters ballpark.
PFT
Yeah. Yeah. Not. Not a great hitters ballpark. Yeah. That and the east coast, you know, you just don't get as much love out in Seattle. So it's. It's nice when. When people notice, you know, the. The west coast and the stadium is awesome.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Oh, it's great. That's. I mean, the fans are awesome. It's a great sports city. Like you. Like we were talking about, you know, all the teams, they show up really well, like I said, pretty much. You know, when they're there, it's packed house. So.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
It's fun. Fun. Fun to play in.
Hank
This might be a dumb question, but one thing that I love about Seattle and the ballpark, especially great food in the ballpark out there. As a player, do you ever get to eat the ballpark food?
PFT
No, not really. I mean, you get. I guess you can have people bring you stuff like clubbies and stuff if you really want to try something. Yeah, like they had a. They had a calzone a couple years ago, like. Yeah. Play on plan. So they brought me a few. I tried them.
Big Cat
Oh, hell yeah.
PFT
They got a bunch of different food though. I mean, they got crickets out there too.
Big Cat
Yeah, they do.
PFT
Yeah, crickets. And they got. They're always introducing. They got. Was it the little. Little dumpers? Little dumplings. Little dumplings. This year or something.
Hank
They should make a big dumper Sunday.
Big Cat
Sunday.
Hank
Just a giant chocolate sundae.
PFT
Okay. I could get behind that.
Big Cat
Yeah. The Big Dumper is such a great nickname.
Hank
It is awesome.
PFT
It is.
Hank
I mean, I read that your parents don't exactly love it.
PFT
I mean, you know.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
I don't think your mom would.
Big Cat
Would like blame her.
PFT
Dumper.
Big Cat
It's your jeans. You gave me the big dumper.
PFT
I know. You know, so I don't think. Like I said, I don't think that's what. That's what comes to mind when mom's thinking of Our little boy, Cal, he's the big dumper. My little. My little bab. Hey, big dumper.
Hank
He poo pooed all over that poo poo twice tonight.
PFT
He's 28 years old. Called the big dumper.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
You pay a lot of attention to, like, you were talking about bat speed earlier. As a catcher, do you pay a lot of attention to, like, all the metrics from all the players or you just like, I can't. I. I can't analyze things that much.
PFT
No, I. Yeah, you don't want. You don't want to get too deep in the weeds. You know, it's like, you know, you can. You can really get in depth now with all the analytics and all the, you know, stats and everything that's out there, but at the end of the day, you're still playing baseball and, you know, you gotta keep it simple like that sometimes.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
What about as a hitter, do you pay attention to, like, how far in front of the ball you're hitting? Angle, bat speed, all that stuff?
PFT
Not really. Not unless something is really glaring and, like, you know, something has changed just because it's such a long season. You know, your body can change your stance, you know, like, oh, hey, like. Like this is, you know, you were this far open earlier in the year. Now you've closed yourself off or vice versa, like, things like that. Like. And usually that'll be a gradual thing over time. And so, like, some people will. It's more of, like, a coach's job to bring that to you. Be like, hey, like, this is where you're at.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah.
PFT
You've fallen off a little bit. Let's get you back to this. It's what you were doing.
Big Cat
So how fast can you throw? Because catchers don't get enough credit for being able to throw really fast.
Hank
Fast.
PFT
I was. I. I don't think. I don't think my arm's ever been my. My calling card.
Big Cat
I mean, you're throwing guys out. Is that your. Is that. That's just your pop?
PFT
Yeah. I'd say my transfers are decently quick. I got pretty good footwork, so it kind of makes up for my arm. I was always. I was a submarine guy. I was like a. Oh, really? Yeah, in high school, I was throwing sidearm.
Big Cat
How fast are you throwing?
PFT
Oh, like 70. Poo. Yeah, I was just throwing strikes in there. Just so. Yeah, I was, like, just doing that and then catching came calling, so.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Have you ever called a really embarrassing pitch out and the guy's not stealing at all?
PFT
Yeah. But he. I wouldn't say it's too embarrassing. It's not one of those things. There's definitely a lot more embarrassing things that can happen.
Hank
What's the most embarrassing thing that could happen?
PFT
One time I. I threw. Well, I guess there was one time the guy didn't still steal and I still threw it a second I thought he took off. It was like a fake steel and I was kind of blocked by the lefty and I threw it and nobody was there. So I just went into the outfield. Nobody didn't advance, luckily, but. And then another time in college, I threw down, kind of slipped a little bit my front foot and then hit the pitcher right in the, in the ass.
Big Cat
Oh, yeah, like.
PFT
And he was squatted down too, so it wasn't even close. Yeah, it was like. I didn't hit him in the head. You saw the other day.
Hank
Yeah, it's crazy.
PFT
Hit him in the head. But yeah, hit this guy right. Right in the butt. So that was, that was kind of embarrassing.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
What about if you're throwing a third base? It's a right handed batter. You ever come close to hitting a guy? Yeah, sometimes it looks like it gets pretty close.
PFT
Yeah, I've hit the bat. No, I actually have hit the. I've hit the helmet of somebody and the guy scored one time.
Big Cat
Oh, yeah.
PFT
Yeah, he's. It ricocheted and it hit him in the helmet and it went all the way to the dugout and the guy scored from second. So that was, that was embarrassing. I was in college, though. Yeah, a lot of embarrassing things in college, actually. So.
Big Cat
Yeah, I mean, you guys were good, though.
PFT
You gotta learn.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Learn somewhere.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. All right, I got one last question. It's been awesome. Cal, you are our mvp. We're gonna, we're gonna keep pumping up your numbers all year.
Hank
Appreciate it.
Big Cat
The robot question. Rho b a-k.com promo code take 20 off your first purchase. Q zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code take. I'll finish with another dumb question because, like, I think you might be the first catcher we've had on. We had Johnny Bench on like nine years ago.
Hank
Did we?
Big Cat
I don't know if we've had a catcher since, so. There's a lot of dumb catcher questions. Apologize for that. But dumb catcher question. I know that, like, if you are, if you're in the dugout and you're putting on your gear and then you have to take it off, it means that obviously there's been Some hits that you didn't expect. But is there a small part of you like this is I gotta take it all off again?
PFT
Yeah. I mean, you. You kind of like, learn, like, when to take it off, when to put it on.
Big Cat
Yeah. Do you have someone who puts it on for you?
PFT
No.
Big Cat
Oh, you should get someone to do the.
PFT
Just do the legs at least like a nascar like. Yeah, the crew pit.
Big Cat
Yeah. But I would imagine it would suck if you took. Put it all on, take it all off, and then end the ending in the. In the on deck circle. Yeah, well, sometimes you keep on the legs in the on deck circle.
PFT
No, so that's not a. That's not a pro ball thing. I learned that real quick. Oh, it's one of those, like, things that nobody tells you before, and then you go do it and then they yell at you or they're like, you look stupid out there with your shin guards on. And then it's just one of those things that you do it all through your whole life.
Big Cat
Right, right.
PFT
Catchers, you're like, on deck and then you take them off, and then you get the pro ball and you do that and everybody's like, you look like an idiot. Take those off. No, you got to get ready to hit. So. Yeah. Sometimes I'll look stupid and dug out, though. Like, I'll put. Well, I'll take one off, be like, I'm like halfway in, halfway out, just in case. Because you don't want to take it all off or.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Just being lazy.
Big Cat
Yeah. You. But you can never, like, you can never just relax in the dugout, huh?
PFT
Yeah. You're constantly doing something.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Talking the pitcher, pigeon coach, getting ready to hit. Especially now, the pitch. The pitch clock has made everything so fast.
Big Cat
Yeah. Is that. Do you like it? As a catcher?
PFT
It's nice for the in game stuff because, like, things are going and like, you know, those four or five hour games are not happening.
Big Cat
Yeah. They don't exist.
PFT
Yeah, people are. You know, it was getting really long with all the pitching changes and now with all the, you know, advanced stuff with that people have. So it was getting a little long, but there's not a lot of time in the dugout. It's like, I don't got time to, you know, go grab water, just dilly around. It's like, you got. You got to get ready.
Big Cat
Right, Right.
PFT
So it's almost too quick sometimes, especially if you're leading off. I gotta take it off, get ready, put everything on. Yeah. You gotta have all the.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Evo shields now, oh, dude, this one.
Big Cat
Just popped in my head too. Do you. When. When the manager comes out to pull a pitcher, do you ever play like, good cop, being like, ah, we shouldn't, knowing that he's gonna get pulled anyway. Just trying to have your pitchers back?
PFT
Sometimes I. I shake. I shake my head, you know?
Big Cat
Yeah. Just let him know, like, hey, it's not me that's doing this.
PFT
Hey, man, I'm there for you.
Hank
Yeah, right. You would have gotten this guy out.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
You kept you in.
PFT
I could do backup. Backup, though.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah.
PFT
Could go out there and get into him too.
Big Cat
Yeah. Just be like, dude, you suck. Get out.
PFT
No. Sometimes, you know, you got to give them that little affirmation. Hey, man, I wouldn't have done that.
Big Cat
Yeah. That all the time.
Hank
I do like the idea, though, you having a NASCAR team. Not just one guy, but like four guys that just roll up behind you, put all your on in like five seconds.
PFT
It should be the starters that aren't so. Yeah. Yeah. Five starters in rotation, so it should be the other four.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
Yeah. Strap me up, boys.
PFT
Yeah.
Hank
Let's go.
Big Cat
How awesome is DHing, though, when you have a day where you can just chill and just hit it?
PFT
It's almost. It's almost too. Too chill sometimes. Really? Yeah, it's like. Well, as a catcher, you're in every single play you're doing. You're doing the most, you know.
Big Cat
Yeah. The ball. Yeah. You're touching the ball every single play.
PFT
You're always involved, your mind's always going. You're. And then you get to DH and you're like, I don't know what to do with myself.
Big Cat
Right.
PFT
And like, you're talking to guys that you normally wouldn't talk to in the dugout, like during the game or you're doing. You're eating snacks, you know, you don't want to really do yourself, so you're just sitting there and kind of just twilting your thumb sometimes. So almost. Almost in a reverse way. It could, could be. Some guys have trouble dhing because.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
They don't know what to do themselves.
Big Cat
They get bored.
PFT
Yeah. I mean, some guys, it's been a thing in the past, like, I need to play the field. But being a catcher, you have to. You have to have a few dhs.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
So I got, I got one last maybe dumb question. I know that catchers don't always catch the first pitches that get thrown out, but I imagine that you've caught a lot of them. Is there one guy that has the best first pitch.
PFT
I mean, Ichiro, right? He threw like. I think he hit like 91 a couple years ago.
Hank
That's awesome.
PFT
Right down the middle. I mean, his. His first pitch is elite. I mean, that's a good one.
Big Cat
So. Yeah.
Hank
Did he tell you, like, hey, I'm gonna throw this one?
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
No, I think he kind of keeps it. Plays it close to the chest.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah.
PFT
He doesn't, you know, he's pretty. He likes, you know, staying a little quiet, you know?
Big Cat
Would you be down for our dumb baseball rule where the first pitch should count?
Hank
Count.
PFT
You want to get a batter in there?
Big Cat
Yeah. Oh, yeah. So it's like, all right, you want to bring out 50 cent to throw. First pitch, it's going to count.
PFT
What about. You're gonna need an L screen out there for somebody, though.
Big Cat
No, no, no. First pitch, you can get hit right back to you.
PFT
Oh, boy.
Big Cat
It sounds like you're not ready for that. It would be sick. Like, imagine if. If, like, in the playoffs are like, yeah, we're bringing out this guy for a first pitch, like a legend, and he. He can still throw it.
PFT
Nolan Ryan.
Big Cat
Yeah. Right, right.
PFT
That'd be kind of cool.
Big Cat
Yeah. Right.
PFT
Just suit him up, right? Yeah. He threw out a really good one a couple years ago.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Hank
50 Cent would actually be. Not the worst option.
Big Cat
No.
Hank
Because he's going to throw a ball.
Big Cat
Right.
Hank
And who cares?
PFT
You wouldn't want somebody throwing a meatball.
Hank
Yeah, yeah.
Big Cat
Think about it. Pretty fun.
Hank
Randy Johnson, who?
PFT
The Mets have. Grimace.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
Grimace out there.
Big Cat
Yeah, Grimace throwing the first pitch.
Hank
Oh, I just thought. One more question about catching. Is there a baseball field that is actually a. Like a ballpark, that is the easiest and then the hardest to catch in based on what's beyond the pitcher, what's out in center field?
PFT
Yeah, there's some tough ones with shadows, let's say.
Big Cat
Oh, and also the foul. I mean, the A's, obviously, when they were still in Oakland, the foul ball territory was insane.
PFT
Yeah. Sneaky, though. I think people miss that stadium, though.
Big Cat
Really?
PFT
I love playing there. I mean, obviously you had no fans, but you almost felt like you were, you know, back in high school or playing travel ball again. Like. Yeah, it was kind of a cool experience. Like, nobody's there. Dugouts are wide open. I was like, I love this. This is a lot of fun back right now. Yeah, I know, right? But. But the Sacramento was tough to see and, yeah, that. Because it's new. And Tampa Bay, obviously, they're not there. They had the Hurricane, but they had a White roof. So, like, any pop flies that go up, I'm like.
Big Cat
Who.
PFT
Who designed this?
Big Cat
Why?
PFT
Why would this ever be a thing? Yeah, so I never. I never really understood that. But, yeah, any place with, like, shadows, when you get those, like, four o' clock games. And now all the stadiums, you know, they're really tall and they got shadows that go through. Guys. Guys hate 4 o' clock games.
Big Cat
Yeah.
PFT
And like, with TV, sometimes, you know, TV takes precedent and it kind of runs everything. So you get those. They're going to be tough days to hit and tough days to see as a catcher.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, Cal, thank you, Big Dumper. Appreciate you stopping by, man. This was a lot of fun, and we're rooting for you rest of the year.
PFT
Thanks, guys. Appreciate it.
Hank
Mvp. The Big Dumper was brought to you by Experian. We're going to take a moment to talk about BFFs. Big Cat, who's your BFF on this pod?
Big Cat
That would be Hank. He's back.
Hank
Hank, who's your BFF on this pod?
Zach
I'm gonna have to go with Philly the kid memes.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
Love that memes. Who's your bff?
PFT
I'm gonna go.
Hank
Zach. That's nice. Zach, who's your bff?
Big Cat
We go with pft.
Hank
Thanks, Zach. Appreciate that. Max, who's your BFF on the pod?
PFT
I was gonna go with PFT today as well.
Hank
Wow, that's huge. I'm gonna go with Big Cat because nobody else picked Big Cat yet.
Big Cat
Thank you.
Hank
And that's sad.
PFT
No one picked me, either, so whatever.
Hank
That's true. I forgot about that.
PFT
Yeah, it's okay.
Hank
So we're all BFFs here on this pod for the most part, except for Max. But there's one BFF who always looks out for you. Introducing your big financial friend, Experience. Experian has a bunch of legit ways to help you save. And get this. The Experian app lets you check your FICO score and a bunch more totally BFF kind of things to help you manage your finances. But your other BFFs can't do all that, huh? Experience Here to support you in making smart financial decisions and maximize your financial potential. Get started by downloading the Experian app today at no cost. And let your big financial friend help you take control of your financial future. Get started by downloading the Experian app today. Big Dumper was also brought to you by our great friends at nascar. That's right. NASCAR is taking over Chicago. Guys, nothing like seeing NASCAR roar through the streets of downtown Chicago. A race experience unlike any other. Check the stars of NASCAR as they take a one of a kind street course surrounded by skyscrapers and lakefront views. 40 drivers including Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin. Our buddy, Denny Hamlin battling it out on the most unique track of the season. The energy is electric. Race day adrenaline meets festival vibes in the heart of the city. Don't miss Zach Brown band live from the start slash finish line. Saturday night, part of the Bush light summer music series. This is more than a race. It's Chicago's ultimate summer weekend. Get your tickets now before they're gone. NASCAR takes over Chicago street racing, skyline views, music and more. Get your tickets now@nascar.com for the ultimate summer weekend. This is the year. It's not going to rain this year, right? We're going to get a beautiful race for the NASCAR summer weekend. Check it out. The most unique course of the year. Street racing, baby. NASCAR takes over Chicago. Get your tickets now@nascar.com okay, we're wrapping up the show.
Big Cat
Hank. Yeah, we missed the out of you.
Zach
I miss you guys too.
Big Cat
For people who, who didn't see PFT and I, we didn't really want to announce this, but we ended up having to announce it because everyone's gonna be like, where's Hank? We paid for him, his dad, his bro, his brother in law, all expense trip to pebble beach and Spyglass. Spyglass played what, three rounds, two rounds, two rounds.
Zach
Pebble beach and Spy Glass.
Big Cat
But a whole weekend in Carmel. Told him tip 60% on the tabs. We got it. How was.
Zach
Was even better than going into it. I had. My expectations were through the roof. It really was a magical experience. We stayed at the Inn at Spanish Bay. Beautiful, beautiful hotel resort, you know, spa. Right on the Spanish Bay golf course.
Big Cat
Why'd you tell us where you stayed when we booked it?
Zach
Phenomenal restaurant. So I'm telling the viewers.
Big Cat
Okay.
Zach
Yeah. Spanish Bay. Unbelievable golf course hit two birds in a row. I don't think I've ever done that in my life. Yep. Shot a 42 on the front that I was gonna break. My PR completely imploded on the back. You guys would have enjoyed it.
Hank
Yeah, not me.
Zach
Still broke 90, which was. Which is, you know, huge.
Big Cat
Huge.
Zach
And then pebble beach was, you know, obviously no. 6, 7, 18. But the course, it truly was like the entire time, you're just looking around like this is not a real place. Like, I cannot believe that we're playing golf in this setting.
Hank
You mentioned the Spa. Did you go to the spa?
Zach
Yeah, there's, like a little gym, like, we went in. You know, it was. It's part of the hotel.
Big Cat
Yeah, yeah.
Zach
Just went in the gym, one in the steam room, hot tub, pool. But yeah, pebble beach was. Was. It was. And obviously getting to spend the time with my dad, brother, brother in law was. It was.
Big Cat
It was incredible.
Zach
Probably two of the best days of my life.
Big Cat
Really?
Zach
Yeah.
Big Cat
And how many times when you were out there, were you like, God damn it. Thanks so much. Pf.
Zach
I mean, the craziest part, like, shout out. Tarp Awl works at pebble beach, and he met us on the first tee and he told us. Because I'm guessing that's who you're communicating with.
Big Cat
Timeout. Did someone fart in there?
Hank
Who farted?
Big Cat
They just. Max, why do you.
Hank
It was Zach.
Big Cat
He gas masked you and like, absolutely.
PFT
Horrendous fart back in the middle of.
Big Cat
His pebble beach talk me. It's so bad. So bad.
PFT
Yes.
Big Cat
Oh, Zach looks like he's gonna. I mean, and this. This booth is just like a dungeon of.
Hank
I'm gonna smell Hank by time.
Zach
All right, so it was. It was. It was. I. I got off. I started the. The first round at Spanish Bay. Double bogey, second hole, triple bogey, third hole. And. And my tee shot in the second hole was just a complete double.
Big Cat
It went away.
Zach
It wasn't even close. Third hole, stepped up, hit a par. And then the fourth hole, I had a nice mini driver, 54 degree wedge, hit an eight footer, and then on a par three, I hit like a 34.
Hank
Can we go back to Max?
Zach
Phenomenal. All right. I bought some time.
Big Cat
All right. Okay. So. So what were you saying about Tarp?
Zach
Tarp? Yeah. So he's Awl. He works at Pebble.
Hank
Yeah, it's your guy.
Zach
That's your guy.
Big Cat
We asked him to hook you up.
Zach
And he came out and he was like, yeah, bigad and pft. Like, they. They, you know, enjoy doing this so much. Like, it's going to be an annual trip. And I. I almost cried. I was. I was ready to cry. Said that Tarp said that, that, that.
Hank
I think.
Zach
I think Tarp is so much. And like, I think tar is paid on this all the time. Is. Is. It's. It's an unbelievable annual tradition that you guys have started. And I just. I cannot thank you enough.
Hank
I think. I think Tarp is trying to make some money. Get.
Big Cat
I. I just.
Zach
I'm just. I was just reporting what he said.
Big Cat
To US Annual trip.
Zach
That's what he said on us. That's what he said.
Hank
I actually said, I can't argue with you. So I'm reading my DMs.
Big Cat
We did do that. We're awesome like that, guys.
Zach
That.
Hank
I'm reading my DMs with tarp right now, where I did say, we would like to make this an annual trip. If Hank can break 90, and I did it Spanish. Would you shoot at Pebble Beach?
Zach
I shot at 95.
PFT
Oh.
Hank
So he said that to you.
Zach
Before you teed off? I also scold my. My teot over seventh green.
Big Cat
Cool. Let me hear more about your golf round. Are you brought back gifts? I did bring gifts. We gave you the gift.
Zach
I know, but I.
Hank
That was part of the budget. It gave him money.
Zach
You know, I felt. And that's kind of like. It's a fun new tradition on the podcast. Shane. Max. So big cat. I know. You know.
Big Cat
Wait, whoa, whoa. Did you give me a pope?
Zach
I feel. Felt bad about the pope. And Max got you the aloha. They did not have a pope, but they did have this little pebble beach golf cart figurine.
Hank
That's so cool.
Zach
Right on the shelf.
Big Cat
Exactly what I wanted. Right next to my broken pulp. Where's my Pope? Where the did my pope go? Every time I get a gift, I forget I don't have my pope anymore.
Hank
I took it out. I found it. I thought I put it back on this.
PFT
Shane stole it. It's on his desk.
Hank
Oh, Shane, get the pope back.
PFT
Go get the pope.
Big Cat
Get the. Go get the phone. I got a little figurine. People are gonna be like, holy. If you traveled everywhere, you'd be like.
Hank
Yeah, Is that the Pokemon?
Big Cat
Shane went to Italy. We paid for Shane's Italy trip, too, and Max's Hawaii trip.
Zach
Pft. Again, this is. We're boys now. We're. We're in lockstep. And. I know. I think that was the last time or a couple times ago when we were golfing. I was giving you a lot of. For. For your belt.
Big Cat
Yeah.
Zach
You're wearing, like, a formal belt on the golf course.
Hank
Yeah, I didn't have a golf belt. And so Hank was like, dude, what is this guy doing going into the course? Oh, yeah. And they cost, like, $70.
Big Cat
I'm not buying. I'm not wearing a golf belt.
Hank
Oh, a golf belt.
Zach
I got. Pft. A Pebble beach golf belt, maybe.
Hank
That might be what's been holding me back, though. Wait, but is not having a golf belt but pft's.
Big Cat
Never been to Pebble Beach. But you did send someone.
Hank
I did send.
Big Cat
You can tell. You can tell everyone.
Hank
Yeah. It's not stolen valor. I'm like, yeah, it wasn't for me. It's kind of like, you know, when you, when you pay for. Pay for somebody else, you get to take some honor in that. Let's see, Hank. This feels like it might be a little bit big. Let me see.
Zach
I kind of had to guess. I, I. I tried it on myself, and it. It was going to fit me, so I figured it would fit you.
Big Cat
Look at this. Oh, the clubs come out. Wow.
Zach
Of the golf cart.
Big Cat
Yeah. You can kind of pick them up a little. All right, so it's going right next to my Hawaiian chick and my broken poke like this.
Hank
That's a pretty good fit, Hank. So this is for tying all my clubs together, right?
Zach
Yeah, I can use that.
Hank
All right.
Big Cat
Look at all the places I've been, guys.
Zach
Oh, I just broke the Hawaii girl memes for memes. Oh, did you get him a boob mug, coffee guy? No boo mug, but I got him a nice spy glass hill coffee mug.
Big Cat
Love it.
Hank
Added to the collection.
Big Cat
Nice.
Zach
Pug is not here, but he's presidential. He's always, you know, congrats to Pug.
Big Cat
Got married.
Zach
Signing things, documents. I got him a nice pebble beach pen. Ballpoint pen.
Big Cat
Wow.
Hank
Out. Very smooth.
Zach
Shane. I know. Shane's always here, hooping, playing games, doing stuff with balls. I got him this pebble beach inflatable golf ball thing.
Big Cat
It's not inflated.
Zach
I couldn't find a pump here. There's a pump in this office somewhere. Shane will find it.
PFT
He loves playing with balls, too.
Hank
That's like those the tennis balls that they have at the majors. Yeah, except I like that. I like anytime you can get a giant novelty ball. Paul, I'm in.
Zach
Jack. I don't know if he's in there. No, he's. He's a wild card. We don't. We don't know what's coming next with him, so I got him a nice pebble beach deck of cards.
Hank
That's good.
Big Cat
Nice.
Zach
Max.
Hank
Wait, where's Max?
Zach
Max, I know sometimes, you know, you struggle with your breath, so I got you some nice pebble beach breath.
PFT
I didn't struggle with my breath.
Big Cat
I struggle with your breath.
Hank
I thought you meant, like, catching it.
Zach
Oh, wow.
Big Cat
Okay. Thank you. You got my pebble beach inhaler.
Hank
Don't worry. I'm not calling you fat. I'm just saying your breath smells.
PFT
Yeah, thank you.
Zach
And then, Zach, cream team, you know, you're dealing with. With ice cream cold. So I went ahead. I got you a nice pebble beach winter jacket.
Big Cat
Seriously? Yeah. Let's see it.
Hank
That's nice.
Big Cat
Holy shit. That's a nice. That's really nice.
PFT
I got fucking mints.
Big Cat
Zach, come put this jacket on. That's awesome, man. Thank you so much for the gift tank.
Hank
Yeah. Let's see.
PFT
There was a clear hierarchy of these gifts here.
Zach
No.
Hank
What are you talking about?
Big Cat
What do you mean?
Zach
I just went for what felt like it. Ranged personality from winter coat.
Big Cat
Did you see my little 75 belt? No. Did you see my golf cart?
Hank
Cart is probably more than my golf cart.
Big Cat
It's sick, dude.
Zach
I got mints.
Big Cat
I got a golf cart. A little figurine golf cart.
Zach
You know what? You know what? You're right, Max, I got you also this Zippo lighter with no better fluid in it.
PFT
Oh, that's. Honestly.
Big Cat
Wait, that's nice.
PFT
You wanted to keep that.
Hank
That was for yourself.
Big Cat
Is that so he could do flamethrowers with his breath? Yeah. Wow, that looks great.
PFT
It looks really good.
Hank
What a great handshake from Zach right there.
Big Cat
There.
Hank
Thank you very much. I know Hank didn't take his hat off. Bad golf etiquette.
PFT
I love my mints, honestly.
Big Cat
Do you? Yeah, I'm.
Zach
I'm.
PFT
I. I was meaning. I was meaning to go get myself a nice pair of mints. Yeah.
Hank
Covering all. All the controversial topics. Morgan Wallen mint.
Big Cat
Well, that was a good way to bring up his breath, because we've been meaning to do that, and we needed to do that at some point. I felt that was perfect.
Zach
I was looking around, you know, I. I was looking for the knickknacks, and.
Big Cat
I was like, oh, no taxes.
Hank
That was good. My favorite part about it is that Hank put a lot of thought into all these gifts. Like, he really tailored them. This is person that he's getting, which is really nice. It shows that he's a thoughtful gift.
Big Cat
Giver, if I had to guess. So Hank bought a coat for Zach, bought a belt for pft. And then when checking out, got all of the other.
PFT
It's like right next to the register.
Big Cat
Were all registered gifts.
Zach
They had a great knickknack, though.
Big Cat
Yeah. Yeah. Zach, you look official in that coat. I feel official. Yeah.
Hank
I think. I think we all.
Zach
I was just like, I'm going to get Zach the most expensive.
Hank
I think we all got to get Zach jackets from every vacation we go.
Big Cat
Yeah. We can set up like a.
Hank
We could Share this one. We could set like Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Big Cat
You know, like, I'd like to wear it tomorrow. Yeah. If. If anyone's got like a golf thing going on. We just.
Zach
Also, if anyone wants a Spanish bay.
Big Cat
Keychain, Head cover keychain, that's you.
Zach
I didn't play there, though.
Big Cat
Yeah, but you need to let everyone know that you like golf because God forbid someone doesn't want to talk about the skull that you had on seven or.
Zach
Yeah.
Big Cat
The birdie you had on six.
Hank
Back to back birdies.
Big Cat
The mini driver. You hit.
Zach
Mini driver. 54 degree wedge.
Big Cat
Wow.
Zach
Eight footer up there.
Big Cat
Incredible.
Hank
Isn't that the name of the chick that was in Goodwill hunting Mini driver.
Big Cat
Mini Cooper. Mini.
Hank
I think her name was Minnie.
Big Cat
Mini driver. Yeah.
Hank
Yeah.
Big Cat
Smoke. Hank. Did you win?
Zach
Yeah.
Big Cat
You were better than your brother. Brother in law and dad.
Zach
Yeah, I mean, we weren't really like playing all that competitive. We were having a good time. I scored the best.
Big Cat
You did.
Hank
That would be a win every single time.
PFT
Yeah.
Big Cat
Wow.
Zach
They all have my. My dad. My dad's only. My dad doesn't really golf. He's like. I've played Pebble beach like 10 times in the last 10 years. That's the most. These are against my home course.
Big Cat
What a flex.
Zach
And my brother and brother in law both have young kids, so they don't get to golf as much.
Big Cat
Yeah, but you.
Zach
But me, I'm. I'm. You're presenting.
Big Cat
Yeah. What a trip.
Zach
Truly, I truly cannot thank you guys enough.
Big Cat
You're welcome.
Zach
And yeah, I mean, I can't wait for next year.
Hank
Yeah, well, he shot 94.
Zach
I just was going off with. Tarp told me.
Big Cat
Yeah, I mean, that's our boy. We got it all together with tariff. Okay. Good show, boys. Mount Rushmore season starts on Wednesday. I think we're gonna do some draft stuff with Priscilla. Got some good interviews coming. And we are. I. I've seen some people ask. We will be having Ryan Whitney on in person, hopefully for Friday, because I.
Hank
I was gonna go to Edmonton.
Big Cat
Yeah. And we'd like to talk to him about everything because he's a broken man. Okay.
Hank
Okay.
Big Cat
Number 99. Oh, who got three first?
Hank
I think I did.
Zach
50. Got it.
Big Cat
Okay.
Hank
You know what, Hank, you can have it.
Zach
No, you take it.
Hank
No, you take it.
Big Cat
You still doing the 99 thing? Memes.
Hank
Okay, I'll take it.
Big Cat
Six. You got it? Yeah. 99 memes.
Zach
I'll take five. Birdie on five.
Big Cat
Oh, yeah. Yeah. Who could forget.
PFT
When Pug comes back.
Zach
Are.
PFT
Are you still going to try and take 99?
Hank
Yeah, it'll be a wedding gift for.
PFT
Him for me to have it.
Hank
There'll be riots if we do that.
Big Cat
What did you take, Max?
PFT
Six.
Big Cat
I'll take. I just got to get a win. 75.
Hank
Zach, what are you.
Big Cat
I'll go 27.
Hank
Wait, do we have a first lady of the pod now that the president got married?
Big Cat
21.
Hank
It's crazy. Come on, three. Come on, 27.
PFT
13.
Hank
Oh, I didn't see the one.
Big Cat
13.
Hank
I thought that was a three. So bad. I thought it was three, too.
Big Cat
Oh, 13.
Hank
That would have been awesome if it was three. 379 days still, I catch Hank.
Big Cat
That's crazy. That's. That is crazy, guys. Love you guys.
Pardon My Take - Episode Summary: "The Thunder Win The NBA Title, Mariners Catcher Cal Raleigh AKA Big Dumper In Studio, Hank Is Back From Vacation And Kevin Durant Is Traded Again"
Release Date: June 23, 2025
1. Oklahoma City Thunder Clinch the NBA Championship
The episode kicks off with exhilarating news as Big Cat announces, “[03:02] Big Cat: ...the Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champs. Congrats to the Thunder.” The hosts delve deep into the Thunder's remarkable season, highlighting their resilience in Game 7 against the Pacers despite the unfortunate injury to Tyrese Halberton.
Hank emphasizes the team's exceptional performance: “[05:10] Hank: That's just about the perfect season.” The Thunder's strategy, led by General Manager Sam Presti, is lauded as a masterclass in building a championship-caliber team in a small market. Big Cat adds, “[06:42] Big Cat: ...the second youngest championship team in NBA history.”
Notable Quote:
“[06:22] Big Cat: ...they had to go to seven against the Nuggets. They had to go to seven against the Pacers. I don't expect that to happen ever again for them.” – Big Cat
2. Tyrese Halberton’s Achilles Injury: A Heartbreak for Pacers Fans
A significant portion of the discussion centers around the devastating Achilles injury sustained by Tyrese Halberton during Game 7. PFT reflects on the emotional toll: “[14:00] PFT: ...he's put in an impossible situation, and I feel really, really bad for him.”
The hosts debate the implications of such injuries on player health and the NBA season's grueling nature, questioning whether the current schedule is sustainable given the rising number of Achilles tears in crucial playoff moments.
Notable Quote:
“[14:41] Big Cat: ...what a great job David Stern did of building up the Dynasty franchises, Right?” – Hank
3. Kevin Durant’s Trade to the Houston Rockets
In a major league shake-up, Big Cat announces Kevin Durant’s trade to the Houston Rockets: “[20:14] Hank: ...Kevin Durant finding out that he was traded on stage at the Fanatics Fest.”
The trade is dissected with opinions leaning towards Durant finding a synergistic environment in Houston. Zach comments, “[22:35] Zach: ...Kevin Durant is still a go-to scorer,” highlighting Durant's enduring offensive prowess and potential impact on the Rockets' lineup.
Notable Quote:
“[23:00] Hank: I think this means that Kevin Durant is perpetually unhappy and is made more unhappy in his quest to find happiness.” – Hank
4. Exclusive Interview with Cal Raleigh, the Mariners' "Big Dumper"
The highlight of the episode is an in-depth interview with Cal Raleigh, affectionately nicknamed "Big Dumper." Raleigh discusses his phenomenal performance, having hit four home runs in a single weekend, putting him on pace for an astonishing 67 home runs this season.
Cal Raleigh shares insights into his training regimen and the mental fortitude required to excel both as a catcher and a power hitter. He reflects on his nickname with humor: “[62:50] Cal Raleigh: ...he's got a giant butt. My friend was like, his ass isn't that big.”
Notable Quote:
“[63:36] Cal Raleigh: ...catchers, you're constantly doing something. You're talking to the pitcher, pigeon coach, getting ready to hit.” – Cal Raleigh
5. Hank’s Return from Vacation: A Relaxing Getaway to Pebble Beach
After a much-deserved break, Hank rejoins the show, sharing anecdotes from his trip to Pebble Beach. The hosts recount gifting Hank a luxury getaway, leading to humorous exchanges about their adventures and the unforgettable experience Cal Raleigh had at the golf course.
Zach recounts, “[109:37] Zach: ...we stayed at the Inn at Spanish Bay. Beautiful, beautiful hotel resort, you know, spa.”
Notable Quote:
“[113:44] Zach: ...it truly was like the entire time, you're just looking around like this is not a real place.” – Zach
6. Additional Sports Discussions
Beyond the main topics, the episode features lively discussions on various other sports:
Golf: The hosts share their latest golfing experiences, including memorable shots and the challenges of transitioning between different types of swings and equipment.
Soccer: Hank updates on the U.S. Soccer team's advancements in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, expressing anticipation for future matches against rivals like Mexico.
Baseball: Cal Raleigh discusses the nuances of catching, handling knuckleballs, and his approach to framing pitches, providing listeners with a rare glimpse into the technical aspects of his position.
Notable Quote:
“[88:54] Cal Raleigh: ...there's a lot of those. Especially nowadays. There’s like five coaches on the team and they’re all. All Their kids are hitting first five in the order.” – Cal Raleigh
7. Who’s Back of the Week
The segment "Who’s Back of the Week" honors returning sports figures:
8. Closing Remarks and Future Episodes
The hosts wrap up by previewing upcoming segments, including Mount Rushmore-related topics and anticipation for the next episode's interviews. They also humorously discuss their ongoing traditions and inside jokes, fostering a sense of camaraderie and ongoing engagement with their audience.
Key Takeaways:
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Championship Win: A historic achievement marked by resilience and exceptional team-building strategies.
Injury Concerns in Playoffs: The impact of Tyrese Halberton’s injury raises questions about player health and season scheduling.
Kevin Durant’s Trade: Durant’s move to the Rockets is analyzed for its potential to reshape team dynamics and his legacy.
Cal Raleigh’s Stardom: Raleigh’s breakthrough performance and unique nickname offer an engaging narrative of individual excellence in baseball.
Hank’s Vacation Stories: Personal anecdotes from Pebble Beach add a relatable and entertaining dimension to the episode.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps:
This episode of "Pardon My Take" delivers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of major sports events, enriched with personal insights and memorable moments from both the hosts and guest Cal Raleigh. Whether you're a die-hard sports fan or a casual listener, this episode offers valuable takeaways and entertaining discussions that highlight the dynamic world of sports.