Our 2025 Second Base Tier List (with Jolly Olive)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dan Patrick Show – "Our 2025 Second Base Tier List (with Jolly Olive)"

Introduction

In the March 5, 2025 episode of The Dan Patrick Show, hosted by iHeartPodcasts and the Dan Patrick Podcast Network, Dan Patrick teams up with guest Jolly Olive and co-host Eric Andre to delve deep into Major League Baseball's second base position. The discussion centers around creating a comprehensive tier list for second basemen in the 2025 season, evaluating players based on performance metrics, potential, and overall impact on their teams.

Top Tier: Cattel Marte and the Arizona Dimebacks

The conversation kicks off with a strong focus on Cattel Marte of the Arizona Dimebacks, positioning him firmly in the top tier.

• Cattel Marte’s Performance
  • Eric Andre highlights Marte's impressive statistics: “Cato Marte had a 155 OPS plus, .932 OPS, 36 home runs” ([05:12]).
  • Jolly Olive adds, “He brings all dimensions to the plate, man. He hits for power, hits for contact. Has a spectacular glove out there” ([05:14]).

Marte is lauded for his well-rounded skill set, combining offensive prowess with defensive excellence. His contract extension, earning $16 million per year with a team option, is seen as a testament to his value in baseball.

Middle Tiers: Emerging Talent and Consistent Performers

The middle tiers discuss players who show potential or provide consistent performance without yet reaching top-tier status.

• Nolan Gorman and Tyro Estrada

  • Eric Andre critiques Gorman’s performance: “2023 OPS of .805, two WAR. It looked like it was building in the right direction” ([08:21]).
  • Jolly Olive debates Gorman's placement but acknowledges his potential resurgence ([08:52]).

• Tyro Estrada is recognized as a promising player with solid defensive skills and potential for growth: “Tyro’s middle of the lineup in the Rockies...might be a fantasy guy” ([09:25]).

Bottom Tier: Struggles and Inconsistencies

The bottom tier, humorously dubbed "Goat Ease," includes players who have faced significant challenges or inconsistencies in their performance.

• Nolan Gorman and Josh Rojas
  • Jolly Olive discusses Gorman’s struggles and placement in the bottom tier: “Gorman's bottom tier for me. I don't know about you” ([09:17]).
  • Eric Andre mentions Rojas’ inconsistent performance: “He can play every position and hit league average” ([10:03]).

Players in this tier are viewed as replacement-level, lacking the standout qualities needed to elevate them beyond the bottom tier.

Wild Cards: High Potential with Uncertainties

Wild cards are players who possess significant upside but come with uncertainties such as past injuries or inconsistent performances.

• Matt McClain and Brandon Lowe

  • Eric Andre praises McClain’s leadership and potential: “Matt McClain is stupid good...four WAR in 90 games in his rookie year” ([38:32]).
  • Jolly Olive expresses cautious optimism about Lowe’s power-hitting abilities despite injury concerns ([43:50]).

• Luis Garcia Jr. and Dylan Moore

  • Jolly Olive highlights Garcia’s dynamic offensive skills: “18 homers, 22 stolen bases, a .796 OPS plus” ([49:36]).
  • Eric Andre admires Moore’s versatility and defensive prowess: “He plays nine positions every year. It’s hard to be a good ball player when you never know where you’re gonna play” ([54:06]).

These players are seen as potential game-changers who could significantly impact their teams if they overcome their current hurdles.

Dirty Jerseys: Defensive Stalwarts

The "Dirty Jerseys" tier emphasizes players renowned for their defensive capabilities and hustle on the field, often getting "covered in dirt" from aggressive plays.

• Andres Jimenez, Nico Horner, and Bryce Tarang
  • Eric Andre commends Jimenez’s defensive skills: “He’s the best defensive second baseman in the game right now” ([22:19]).
  • Jolly Olive discusses Horner’s consistent performance and defensive reliability ([23:35]).

These players are valued for their defensive contributions, making them invaluable assets despite varying offensive output.

Raise Up: Emerging Prospects Poised for Breakthroughs

The "Raise Up" tier spotlights young talents expected to make significant strides in their performance.

• Brandon Lowe and Matt McClain
  • Eric Andre envisions Lowe as a potential offensive powerhouse: “You’re gonna have one of the best offensive seasons from a second baseman” ([45:34]).
  • Jolly Olive anticipates McClain’s return from injury: “I am very very excited for Matt McClain this year” ([39:34]).

These prospects are closely watched for their potential to elevate into higher tiers as the season progresses.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a comprehensive tier list that categorizes MLB second basemen into distinct tiers based on their current performance, potential, and overall value to their teams. Dan Patrick, alongside Jolly Olive and Eric Andre, provides insightful analysis, blending statistical evaluation with nuanced discussions on player dynamics and team strategies. The tier list serves as a valuable guide for fans and analysts alike, offering a detailed perspective on the landscape of second basemen entering the 2025 season.

Notable Quotes

• Eric Andre ([05:14]): “He brings all dimensions to the plate, man. He hits for power, hits for contact. Has a spectacular glove out there.”
• Jolly Olive ([22:19]): “He’s the best defensive infielder in the game right now.”
• Eric Andre ([45:34]): “You’re gonna have one of the best offensive seasons from a second baseman.”
• Jolly Olive ([39:34]): “I am very very excited for Matt McClain this year.”

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Dan Patrick Show offers a thorough and engaging exploration of MLB's second base position, blending statistical insights with lively discussion. Whether you're a die-hard baseball fan or a casual observer, the tier list provides a clear and informative overview of the key players shaping the future of second base in Major League Baseball.

Transcript

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[Eric Andre]

Hey, what's up y'all?

This is Eric Andre.

Well, I made a podcast called Bombing about absolutely tanking on stage. I tell gnarly stories and I talk to friends about their worst moments of bombing in all sorts of ways. Bombing on stage, bombing in public, bombing in life. I want to know what's the worst way they've ever bombed? Or have they ever performed way too drunk or high? Or was there ever a time where they thought they were going to crush and they stunk it up? Listen to Bombing with Eric Andre on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jolly Olive]

Bombing Bombing with Eric Andre.

[Julie Swearbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Eric Andre]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swearbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Eric Andre]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swearbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Eric Andre]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swearbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Gabe Leonard]

What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th?

[Eric Andre]

It actually rotated around our house looking.

[Jolly Olive]

If it was peering in each window of our home.

[Gabe Leonard]

I'm Gabe Leonard from Imagine I Heart Podcasts and Leonard's Entertainment. Listen to Obscura Invasion of the Drones wherever you get your favorite podcast.

[Jolly Olive]

Hello and welcome to Wake and Jake. Tearless season rolls on. We are with Jolly Olive. BBD is here and we are are going to second base honking some boobs. That'll be deleted. It probably won't though. Subscribe thanks to all the teenage boys watching this Second base. Always an interesting position. There's a lot of defensive guys that. That's what they do. The top of the list. I think we might have our, our first true S tier of the year and we might be doing this one a little differently. We might be going a little bottoms up because it gets, it gets funky in the top, top, middle area. Speaking of funky in the top, middle area. Second base. Jolly Olive, how are you?

[Eric Andre]

Second base was my position in Little League.

[Jolly Olive]

You, Jack Doyle and bbd.

[Eric Andre]

I threw the ball like this.

[Jolly Olive]

I don't like.

[Eric Andre]

It's not how you're supposed to throw it. Jake. So glad you asked me how I'm doing. I'm doing great. Not actually though. I had a. I had a really weird lunch and it just totally threw off my day. Just an absolute mess of a Chipotle bowl. And it's really making me want to talk about the mess that is the second base position in MLB right now. Because it's like one guy at the top and then two through 20 could be anybody.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah, there's. There's a couple guys that can actually compete for the top and there's like a lot of categories. There's the young guys that we've heard promise and hope for that.

[Eric Andre]

We'll.

[Jolly Olive]

We'll find out a lot this year. But second base, I would also love to see the evolution over the past decade or so because remember when shifts were happening and it's like we've signed Mike Mustakis to play second base and everyone's like, timeout, that's illegal.

[Eric Andre]

Are you allowed? Is that in the same.

[Jolly Olive]

You can't do that.

[Eric Andre]

Can you do that?

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. I feel like second base briefly. Looking over this list, it's getting back to second base a little bit. Make some, make some plays, have a contact bat. There's a chunk of the middle that's that jolly, why don't you tee up the top of the tier list. Look at that.

[Eric Andre]

The top of the tier list. And you listening at home. You're smart, you're handsome. You know who this is?

[Jolly Olive]

Or pretty.

[Eric Andre]

It's Cattel Marte.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

We're talking about a guy that probably could have like had a shot to win NL MVP had he not missed time on the injured list last year. He did miss 25 games. But in 136 games, Cato Marte had a 155 OPS plus, 932 OPS, 36 home runs. As your switch hitting second baseman for the Arizona Dimebags, easily the best position player on their team. In a team stacked full of great position players last year. Christian Walker's on that team. Corbin Carroll could tell Marte led the way. I really did think that we saw the peak of Marte in that 2019 season where he hit 30 homers. Everyone was kind of having a nice year that year. Who knows why.

[Jolly Olive]

Juicy balls.

[Eric Andre]

He signed that extension.

[Jolly Olive]

Second base.

[Eric Andre]

True. Had a kind of a tough next year and then has fully remounted and made that contract look maybe like one of the best in all of baseball right now. 16 mil a year for Catal Marte, which I think is more than fair. And he just. He brings all dimensions to the plate, man. He hits for power, hits for contact. Has a spectacular glove out there. Has the plate discipline.372 on base last year. He is easily the most well rounded second baseman we have here entering his age 31 season. I still think we're gonna get a few more really elite seasons out of Cato Marte. And there's no one on his level right now.

[Jolly Olive]

You mentioned it. Third in the MVP last year to Shohei who went. Just a reminder. 54, 59. Snore put him at second base. I don't know. Come on, Dodgers left field. He can throw.

[Eric Andre]

It's true.

[Jolly Olive]

Flinder Francisco Linder. I have to google who that is. But he finished second. But he played 152 games and they had basically the same war that Marte went nuts. He's a reason the dimebags had like the best offense last year. Pretty wild. And yeah, I mean the Dimebacks moved him around for years. Shortstop, second center. That now it's. I think it's just, hey, you play second base, you hit a lot. And we like that. One of the best contracts in baseball, I think. I wish there was like a video you could watch on that.

[Eric Andre]

Something to write down on my sticky note maybe.

[Nathan King]

God.

[Jolly Olive]

16 mil, 16 mil, 14 mil. Team option. The next year it goes down and.

[Eric Andre]

It'S a team option. Like that's really good.

[Jolly Olive]

That's how the D backs do business. Was also amazing in the playoffs.

[Eric Andre]

Yes.

[Jolly Olive]

Half matters, half doesn't matter.

[Eric Andre]

Matters matters.

[Jolly Olive]

Never mind. A thousand percent take that out more than anything. I just think that that 9.32ops now that Jose Altuve has moved to left field and gotten a little older, there's not a lot of guys on the list that can dream on that never mind have done it.

[Eric Andre]

93Rd percentile. Nots above average as well. If you're into that thing. Really fun Baseball savant page. It's all red. All of it's Red, nasty nuts. So that was easy. Good for us.

[Jolly Olive]

That's easy. It's a one man party. It's a Marty party.

[Eric Andre]

Oh, it's a Marty party. I'm rerunning the two. Let's Mar Parte.

[Jolly Olive]

We're going to do something a little different. We're going to go to the bottom.

[Eric Andre]

Oh, God.

[Jolly Olive]

And chew through some of the fat. I labeled it Goat Ease because all these guys had facial hair that most of them were goatees. There was one beard that kind of broke the mold.

[Eric Andre]

There's a soul patch.

[Jolly Olive]

Nolan Gorman, you were saying mean things about.

[Eric Andre]

I wasn't saying mean things, but he had a tough year. I had. I had pretty high expectations for Nolan Gorman to kind of become like the best position player on the Cardinals last year.

[Jolly Olive]

I've got him on the bounce back.

[Eric Andre]

List in 23,805 OPS, two war. And it looked like it was building in the right direction also. Kind of just like. I don't know, has the build of a corner infielder. Not really a middle infielder.

[Jolly Olive]

Wow. You're gonna build them like that.

[Eric Andre]

I don't know. Seems like a strong dude. Last year wasn't good though. Little body shame, tons of strikeouts, not a lot of on base. Point three war. Got demoted in the middle of the. Yeah, that's a four point first round pick. Like there's decent expectations for him and Jordan Walker and some other guys over at the Cardinals unit. Yvonne Herrera.

[Jolly Olive]

I know it's been discussed a lot, but some of the guys they've held and let go.

[Eric Andre]

I know.

[Jolly Olive]

Very interesting.

[Eric Andre]

John Mosaliak last year.

[Jolly Olive]

Also Dylan Carlson. Just a major league contract with the Orioles this year.

[Eric Andre]

Major league, yes. It's interesting, right? That's one of the guys that. Yeah. Because they traded Bader and kept Carl. So we're getting sidetracked. Gorman's bottom tier for me. I don't know about you.

[Jolly Olive]

Who are the other. Tyro Estrada.

[Eric Andre]

I know you love them.

[Jolly Olive]

I love him. The Young Prince. He's in Colorado. Don't sleep on it. Might be a fantasy guy.

[Eric Andre]

I was going to say maybe just.

[Jolly Olive]

Like he's kind of a dog.

[Eric Andre]

2020, out of nowhere. He could be the funniest 2020 season of 2025.

[Jolly Olive]

He's kind of a dog. Brenton Doyle did that last year. I hope the Young Prince is a nice trade deadline ad for a team.

[Eric Andre]

I'd like to.

[Jolly Olive]

Who else was on our. Our. Oh, Brendan Rogers threw this off a little bit. But he does deserve to be there, right?

[Eric Andre]

He deserves to be there. Because if you get cut from the Rockies, it's kind of like, well, you have to go in the bottom. Will say, I'm envisioning him in an Astros uniform, and I'm liking it.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. And I mean, I think he's going to be a lefty specialist to start, probably.

[Eric Andre]

This is a delicate bottom tier. It's not bad.

[Jolly Olive]

No.

[Eric Andre]

You take any of these guys honestly?

[Jolly Olive]

No. I mean, I.

[Nathan King]

For the most part, they are, like, worth the gamble.

[Eric Andre]

None of these guys were negative WAR either. Like, they're all a replacement level.

[Jolly Olive]

Was Josh Rojas also at the bottom?

[Eric Andre]

He has a White Sox uniform on, so I feel like he kind of has to.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah, it's tough. Yeah. I think it's fair. He. He had some moments for the Mariners, and then that ended kind of quickly.

[Eric Andre]

2022. Josh Rojas was kind of nice.

[Jolly Olive]

There was a while where you could butter knife his stats, that he was basically a league average hitter, which was.

[Eric Andre]

Just like, okay, and he's got the glove. I know that I can do.

[Jolly Olive]

I can do that. He can play every position and hit league average. Things fell off a little bit there. I think that's the end of the goatee list for now. And.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

Per usual. Oh.

[Nathan King]

Only note I have on Brendan Rogers is his defensive profile is so weird. It's one year of, like, the best Drs number ever, and the rest is, like, straight up bad old glove.

[Eric Andre]

Right?

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

He win one? Yeah.

[Nathan King]

He had, like. I. I think, like, legitimately, he had, like, 22 drs. It's an insane number.

[Eric Andre]

That's the thing with this bottom tier. All of them are kind of good at something.

[Jolly Olive]

Like, no, if these guys are your nine hitter, you have a good team.

[Eric Andre]

I'm perfectly fine with that.

[Jolly Olive]

If these guys are your two hitter, which Rojas? I think Tyro and Gorman.

[Eric Andre]

Tyro's middle of the lineup in the Rockies, I think, which is funny.

[Jolly Olive]

But watch out. Tyro's probably a fantasy guy. Haven't dove into fantasy. I accidentally ripped. Didn't rip them. But earlier this week, I was in an article that had a lot of fan. It ended with fantasy notes, and I was just like, whoa, the bat.

[Eric Andre]

Protecting Chris Bryant this year on the Rockies is Tyro Shraddo. I'm ready. Bring it on.

[Jolly Olive]

Chris Bryant get hit with, like, his first pitch in batting practice this year.

[Eric Andre]

His bat speed's up.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay.

[Eric Andre]

It's been going steadily up. Hang on. Buy some stock.

[Jolly Olive]

Kelsey Wingert. Let's go to the toddler tier because there are some babies there's. Some babies and I think is the baby of all babies on this list. Jackson Holliday.

[Eric Andre]

Jackson Holiday's in toddler tier, which hopefully.

[Jolly Olive]

We'Re talking about him flying up this list.

[Eric Andre]

This should be the biggest riser.

[Jolly Olive]

Holy smokes. He was bad.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

I remember Foolish Bailey gave me a pretty. Do you know him? Online videos, Baseball.

[Eric Andre]

His first name is Foolish. Didn't respond to my comment on his most recent video. So we got beef.

[Jolly Olive]

Oh, it's real. 565 ops.

[Eric Andre]

Oh, no.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. And there was. He. He had some stats. There was like. There's guys struggle. This was significant.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

For me, struggle is. Struggle is struggle at a certain point. Like. And he was 20.

[Eric Andre]

He was 20. Which is why I'm not, I'm not putting too much in that.

[Jolly Olive]

When are you going on 13?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

His cheeks were rosy.

[Eric Andre]

They still are.

[Jolly Olive]

What was that?

[Eric Andre]

He can't grow a beard.

[Jolly Olive]

He. I saw, I saw the vid at camp. He looked more like a holiday boy. He. He'd beefed.

[Eric Andre]

I mean, he's just. With all these guys that kind of don't spend enough time at aaa, I kind of always take it with a grain of salt because like I. You need that seasoning. Even if you are the number one prospect in baseball, it is so rare to just come up and be great because if you don't. Here's my thing. Philosophical. Jolly for a second. If you don't face adversity in the minor leagues and then you face adversity at the major leagues, then you probably don't know how to deal with it because you haven't faced adversity as a baseball player. So I think he needed, he needed that. He needed like the little like wake up call. And I think he's going to come back and be great.

[Jolly Olive]

I like that.

[Eric Andre]

Thanks.

[Jolly Olive]

I like that. He starts off the toddler tier. Who joins him?

[Eric Andre]

I got Juan Brito here. Juan Brido. Let me know. I think it's Brito. This guy Guardians. I am high on Juan Brito. He was acquired in the Nolan Jones trade. I made a video last year about did Cleveland mess up when they traded away all their players? They didn't because Cleveland's a machine. And one of the guys they got back was this kid from the Colorado Rockies who can play all infield positions pretty well. He's a contact bat. He's got some pop and they're pretty excited about him. They kind of have like a little pipeline of a lot of infielders. But he's, I think the Most promising one. And I think he's gonna turn some meds this year.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. Borderline top 100 prospect. AAA. Sure. We're playing. Yeah. I mean, let's find out. I have no. I have no clue. On your book, could he join the. Ahmed, Rosario, Jimenez, Lindor, Jose Ramirez. Does he count there? There's been quite a lineage. Kipnis of guys. Whoa. Now we're going back. Yeah. Let's find out.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

I think Cleveland was pretty happy to get off Andre Cement as his money.

[Eric Andre]

I think so too. And I think that it wasn't a bad acquisition by the Blue Jays, who need to improve their infield defense.

[Jolly Olive]

And he might be on this list later on. Coming up, getting the third base off the field. No, that's. Come on, everyone.

[Eric Andre]

Thumbs down.

[Jolly Olive]

Baseball, sports. Just like what we like. That's where we. That's where we drive our testosterone towards sports.

[Eric Andre]

Better read an ad.

[Jolly Olive]

Anyone who. Who else are kids? Who are the babies? Who's this Marlin?

[Eric Andre]

Who is this? Marlon? Otto Lopez. Is that who I'm looking at?

[Jolly Olive]

Has some good numbers.

[Eric Andre]

I know that's half these guys.

[Jolly Olive]

It's like he has some good numbers.

[Eric Andre]

Two and a half war last year.

[Jolly Olive]

I want a dream on Otto Lopez. 20 swipes, 87 ops plus.

[Eric Andre]

He's gonna be 26. He's not exactly a toddler.

[Jolly Olive]

Not a baby. That's a toddler. It's not toddlers.

[Eric Andre]

So I'm a toddler.

[Jolly Olive]

And Tiara's. Yes, you are. Comment down below you got talked about. I'm talking baseball today. High song.

[Eric Andre]

High song.

[Jolly Olive]

He's like, he might start in aaa.

[Eric Andre]

If he's good, I'm gonna get pissed.

[Jolly Olive]

He's good, by the way, because like I.

[Eric Andre]

They signed him and I was like, oh, super util.

[Jolly Olive]

Right?

[Eric Andre]

And they're like, no starting second baseman for the best team in baseball.

[Jolly Olive]

Right.

[Eric Andre]

That's fucked up.

[Jolly Olive]

Traded away Gavin Lux. Don't need to set off an alarm for me. But he's 25. He's coming over from overseas. Wasn't a top prospect. If he got signed by the White Sox, we'd probably be mean to this dude. Right?

[Eric Andre]

He would get the Josh Rob.

[Jolly Olive]

That's just honest. It's just honest.

[Eric Andre]

Unfortunately is. And White Sox fans did want him. By the way, nice numbers in the KBO. Steady. 840 OPS last two years. Hit 335 in 137 games in 2023. Not an easy thing to do. I know some people will probably raise an eyebrow at KBO versus npb because I do think the. The skill level is a little bit different between those leagues. But stolen base potential is crazy with this guy. He has stolen 20 plus bases every single season of his professional career. 30 plus and half of those seasons. And you just know that the Dodgers are going to throw him in the lab and get the absolute best out of him at age 26. So yeah, I guess he does fit in toddler tier. But I, I do think his ceiling like Holiday is pretty high. Honestly. We might have to split this up. Okay, I'm thinking about splitting this up.

[Jolly Olive]

Hold on.

[Eric Andre]

Sorry. Who would you want up like and hear me out. I think Holiday, Kim and Brito feel like a tier above the other guys down here.

[Jolly Olive]

Holiday, Kim and Brito. So who are you keeping out like Lee?

[Eric Andre]

Brooks Lee I think is in this terror, right?

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. Brooks Lee Twins. Let's see what they do at second base because there were some Race Lewis rumors for a while.

[Eric Andre]

I don't know how he fits in exactly.

[Jolly Olive]

Brooks Lee was a top pick. I don't know.

[Eric Andre]

Here's their top prospect for a while, Zach Giloff.

[Jolly Olive]

Who? I know your post type. Not into your post Hate.

[Eric Andre]

I'm not. I don't hate anybody, Jake. Except for people who don't like the video.

[Jolly Olive]

If I told you this ball marker.

[Eric Andre]

Was double sided, is that the coin you keep dropping over there?

[Jolly Olive]

Maybe.

[Eric Andre]

G off. Strikeout numbers were tough last year.

[Jolly Olive]

Good. Strikeouts are in dude.

[Eric Andre]

Total 180. They're not one of the rougher savant pages. You'll see. First percentile, strikeout rate, second percentile, whiff rate, second percentile. Expected batting average. Like everything under the hood is not great for Mr. Galoff. But he was so good his rookie year.

[Jolly Olive]

Almost 2020 last year.

[Eric Andre]

Maybe it was just like an intense sophomore slump. I don't know. But what I do know is that the Athletics aren't really banking on him this year. They're banking on other guys.

[Jolly Olive]

Hey, Sacramento, hot ball flies.

[Eric Andre]

Summer games that are gonna be.

[Jolly Olive]

God, how many, how many of these second Basemans could. Second Basemans could sneak into? 20, 20. Get off.

[Eric Andre]

We already said Tyro Simon.

[Jolly Olive]

Tyson got Jackson, Holiday, Tyro. Okay, so maybe that's not as big as I thought. Anyways. Any other babies you like?

[Eric Andre]

How old is Nick Gonzalez?

[Jolly Olive]

Nick the Stick.

[Eric Andre]

Nick the Stick. Pirates fans like him.

[Jolly Olive]

I like them and I like that.

[Eric Andre]

Pirates fans like them. I bought in another former first round pick. A lot of first round talent high.

[Jolly Olive]

First round pick.

[Eric Andre]

Yes. Seventh overall in the 2020 draft. And we're Starting to see those guys come up now. You know, your Heston Kirstads, you know.

[Jolly Olive]

It'S kind of dumb. Why Nick? Why I like Nick Gonzalez.

[Eric Andre]

Why?

[Jolly Olive]

He played baseball at New Mexico, New Mexico State, New Mexico State.

[Eric Andre]

Okay.

[Jolly Olive]

And when you look at the top of that draft, it's all like the baseball powerhouses. Torkelson, Arizona State, Arkansas, Minnesota, A M, Vanderbilt, Georgia, New Mexico State, Mexico State. That means you can hit kind of.

[Eric Andre]

Close to him for him.

[Jolly Olive]

And I think he hit like 399 in college. Why do you know that? Jake? But sometimes you forget your mom's middle name back after this.

[Eric Andre]

You know your mom's middle name. Oh, mine's Elizabeth, actually. Never mind. I didn't know that.

[Jolly Olive]

Karen, which. Oh, that's kind of out.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, Karen's out.

[Jolly Olive]

Sorry.

[Eric Andre]

Karen and Chad are out.

[Jolly Olive]

Middle name.

[Eric Andre]

No. New babies are getting named those names.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay. Brooks Lee, gel off. We can put Nick Gonzalez there. I feel like he might come up.

[Eric Andre]

And Otto maybe. I mean, Otto's there.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah, Otto's there. I don't. Auto's got to be somewhere. Nick Gonzalez. Yeah. His numbers don't. I like him scream off the page, but I currently don't have a better landing spot.

[Eric Andre]

I mean, he's kind of another example of like if Nick Gonzalez was your nine hitter. That's great.

[Jolly Olive]

Holidays there. Yeah. Might be hitting in the meat of the Pirates lineup.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

Let's do dirty jerseys, which I think they might get shuffled around a lot because the original idea around dirty jerseys was these are the defensive stalwart. Catchers, catchers, second baseman. That if they have. If they have a good game, they're covered in dirt. They made a diving play, they scored on us. Two out, single base, running speed and defense. Kind of the OG second base profile. And I think. And again, this is where things might get thrown off. Originally I started with Andres Jimenez. He's.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

A platinum glove contender every. Every year, unfortunately, the stick has been an 80 ops plus guy, which that's. It's starting to push the limits. But he can still do that and get like six war, which is nuts.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. I don't know if we're going to see 2022 again, but I mean, his 2022 season was incredible. Like, it makes sense why he got that money. 141 ops plus, seven and a half war, sixth and MVP voting. Like that is the player that this guy was two years ago. And I don't think it's as bad as it was last year. Like, I think Andres Menace can still Be like a league average bat.

[Jolly Olive]

Right.

[Eric Andre]

But what we do know about him is that he's the best defensive second baseman in the game right now. Maybe the best defensive infielder in the game right now. I think you can make that argument pretty compelling too. So, yeah, with him, like if you get a league average bat great. Because that means you're probably getting like a four or five WAR season. But he doesn't even need to do that.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

Because he's already worth 4 war when he was 20% worse than league average. You'd like to put him higher because you know how talented he is. But the bat's got to come through.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah, I mean, I think 20, 20, 23 would probably be the aim for him. It was a 96 OPS plus and.

[Eric Andre]

A 5.3 war, 100th percentile outs above average.

[Jolly Olive]

Him with Bobaette is going to be interesting.

[Eric Andre]

I think a lot of people were too hard on that move because I think that's a, an intriguing move for the Blue Jays.

[Jolly Olive]

I liked what they did.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

Jimenez, you play de play world class defense. Santander hit the ball very far.

[Eric Andre]

What do we say about the Brewers? Every year it's like, oh, they're going to prevent runs and they're just going to win games that way. Okay. When teams copy that formula, you should be into it. I mean, Santander, well, that's a little different.

[Jolly Olive]

It's a little different. Oh, anyways, get better. Ernie Clement, health wise.

[Eric Andre]

We knew what you meant.

[Jolly Olive]

Health wise. That, yeah, he was the first inspiration. I, I think Nico Horner, I feel like you might fight for him to be higher. I might fight for both these guys to be higher because I think is as second baseman go, Bryce Turang is very interesting.

[Eric Andre]

It might be like moving the tier up higher.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah, I think I might be into that.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, I think I'd be into that too because like, these guys are good. I think Horner is a lesser glove by a smidge than Jimenez, but a much better bat.

[Nathan King]

He's been above league average for four.

[Eric Andre]

Years in a row. That's what I'm saying. Like, not by a lot. The thing is, we know who he is at this point. Like we know exactly the kind of player he is. I don't think we're going to see much change in that age 28 season. Still incredibly valuable. Like when the Cubs were talking about trading him, I was like, why in the world, right. Would you trade Nico Horner right now? Like in this one year win now window. Also another former first round pick, second Baseman always on the board. Look at that crazy.

[Nathan King]

Two years left. So they can trade him at the deadline and get good value. If this year doesn't go to plan, just keep them.

[Eric Andre]

Because he's really.

[Nathan King]

You can just keep. But if it goes wrong and then there's a time later where he won't, he won't have lost value.

[Eric Andre]

Yes. So yeah, I'm down to move this tier up above wild cards just because like there is no wild card about these guys. You know, they're great defensive, second baseman, rack up war. And if they're league average offensively, that's awesome.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah, man. I mean these guys, when you do the side by side on baseball reference, I mean it is, it is back and forth.

[Eric Andre]

It's close.

[Jolly Olive]

They are, they are of a similar ilk and it's kind of whatever you're looking for. I mean, shouldn't Bryce Tarang be with those guys? I know it's one year, but the defense and speed is wild.

[Eric Andre]

I mean he's got the speed tool better than anybody here. 50 swipes. Only 6 caught stealing last year. Like that's kind of the new echelon of like, oh, you're like a real base, right? Like kind of everyone you run, run. Everyone's getting their 20 now, which is still good, but like it's become more commonplace.

[Jolly Olive]

There's a couple twenties you look at and you're.

[Eric Andre]

But you see a number like 50, you're like, oh yeah, that's special. And Tarang for the first half of last year was a well above league average hitter. If I remember correctly. He was. Let's see here. I was above league average.731 OPS.341 on base. Like that plays. Just had a tough second half. So his overall season stats weren't great. But I think the brewers love him. You know, Pat Murphy loves Bryce Tori, first guy out on the field to stretch every day. Joey Ortiz second. Everyone else third.

[Jolly Olive]

I think they come out as a unit.

[Eric Andre]

They all link arms like this.

[Jolly Olive]

I think they actually take down the.

[Eric Andre]

Dugout barrier, kick it down, price train, dirty jersey.

[Jolly Olive]

I only see one guy that I think deserves to be joined with these fellas and they might not. It would be Bryson Stott.

[Eric Andre]

Bryson Stott's interesting.

[Jolly Olive]

Had a weird1 last year.

[Eric Andre]

4 War player in 2023 when he was a league average. Bat right, mind you. Andres Menace. Four war player when he was 20. Below league average. There's levels, but Bryson Stott might, and this might be crazy by the end of the season this year, Bryce's thought may be the Philly shortstop because I could see Trey moving. I know there's already some questions there and Stott's easily their best infielder but by comparison 53rd percentile outs above average last year 0 was his value league average. So I don't know. I don't know what they want to do with him. This is kind of a big year for him. Age 27 Phillies window. Feels like it's tightening up a little bit.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. And you know what it is? I feel like looking at those guys that were mentioned joining him with Jimenez, Horner, Turang. I feel like I know what I'm getting from those guys Dot I thought I knew what I was getting and last year kind of threw it off.

[Eric Andre]

He might be a wild card that.

[Jolly Olive]

I know he's been thrown off that. Yeah I don't think he deserves to be with those guys currently. So maybe he's a wild card for now. I do want to jump back up.

[Eric Andre]

Okay.

[Jolly Olive]

We chewed off a lot of the bottom there. You know they always say today they always say good good sports shows hit him with the Brendan rogers Rojas Tyro first and then you hook them back with our second category is labeled 5 tool light which is always something I love. Who was my first five to a light?

[Nathan King]

Eddie Escobar.

[Jolly Olive]

Eddie Escobar.

[Eric Andre]

Oh yeah he was oh prime. Eddie was special.

[Jolly Olive]

He was someone signed what couldn't he do?

[Eric Andre]

Minor league deal.

[Jolly Olive]

Does he still want to play?

[Eric Andre]

I'm sure if someone offered him a minor league deal he'd say yes.

[Nathan King]

I'm sure if they pay he plays.

[Eric Andre]

Ultimate vibes guy ultimate loved him as.

[Jolly Olive]

A couple seasons 5 tool light I like this because there's a couple couple really good ball players. Yeah I'll throw out Aussie Albies first little monster. He's dealt with some injuries but when Ozzy's out there and healthy he goes toe to do last season 99 games the offensive numbers weren't there the season before that 849 ops out of a second baseman a guy whose career ops is around 800. I I believe in Ozzy. I think you could the two years he's or the three years he played full since 2019 our big boy second base seasons.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

Top of the lineup 30 homers like where the two injury seasons and two of the last three years the numbers aren't there but he was also hurt so I don't I still very much believe in 28 year old Ozzy Albie.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah the way I'm trying To view this tier is like These guys are 1 all 5 tool lane like the tier says. But two, they all have a tool that kind of goes toe to toe with Cato. Like with. I was like, his power is toe to toe with Katel. 33 homers. You don't see that from second basement a lot with someone like, I don't know your guy Jazz Chisholm. The speed is very clearly better than Cattel and he also brings everything else to the play. Contacted her. You know, he's got pop. So like there's a lot to like in someone like Jazz Chisholm Jr. Who. Yeah, like maybe we have not seen the best of jazz yet. We've been kind of waiting for that like big, big boys season and we've seen a lot of good slash great seasons from him. I don't know how do you feel.

[Jolly Olive]

Jazz or Ozzy Jazz? I think Jazz Sneaky. Had a breakout season last year. He had 24 home runs, 40 stolen bases.

[Eric Andre]

It was his best year.

[Jolly Olive]

While on the Yankees, he played third base for the first time in his life.

[Eric Andre]

Do we know that he's the second baseman?

[Jolly Olive]

Yes, they've named it.

[Eric Andre]

Okay.

[Jolly Olive]

They've said it.

[Nathan King]

He talked about it. I'm. I'm sure there's a world where if somehow a guy we might. If the Rays decide, you know what, we are trading Brandon Lao right now, I think they'd be fine with moving Jazz to third in that instance, he.

[Jolly Olive]

Is the Yankee second baseman for now. No funny business.

[Eric Andre]

I'll take it.

[Jolly Olive]

If there's funny business, we'll see.

[Eric Andre]

40 swipes.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah, man. I mean, that's.

[Eric Andre]

That's real.

[Jolly Olive]

That's real. Came over, had a little more juice with the Yanks. I won't sell anyone on that.

[Eric Andre]

I think. No, but I think that's real. Like it's the. I. I know the Marlins made it in 23, but this was the first time it was like October Jazz, like part of something bigger kind of thing. Like you're in a franchise that has a direction that I think has to affect a player lineup and the way they apply themselves and all that stuff. The lineup is another important point to make. So yeah, I mean, if we don't see a better year from Jazz this year, then I'm starting to question who he's going to be as a big leaguer because we're age 27 season. It's time to go and become the best version of yourself.

[Jolly Olive]

Also had some injury troubles in the past and I. If anyone's trying to not Yankee. This not a phrase baseball reference projections, which is a computer. I think it's the last three years and they weighed them. Whatever Jazz chisholm projected for 23 homers, 31 seals 7.7 73 OPS.

[Eric Andre]

So I like that.

[Jolly Olive]

Could be more, could be less.

[Eric Andre]

He might get more than 31.

[Jolly Olive]

I. I think so too. But those are conservative and Jazz might have that in the tank.

[Eric Andre]

We like Jazz.

[Jolly Olive]

A name that ends up on this. We like Jazz. A name that ends up on this list a bit surprisingly as of now, and it's only fair is Alex Bregman.

[Eric Andre]

It's funky, it's right. It doesn't feel right. It feels weird that this is not Jose Altuve. This is Alex Bregman.

[Jolly Olive]

And it's not a second base. He just won the Gold Glove. At third Defers.

[Eric Andre]

We'll do a Bregman discussion. I am still very much of the opinion that the Red Sox are going to put their foot down and Bregman's gonna play third endeavors is gonna DH or play first because that is. That's the best version of that team. Still, the Bregman story, middle infield has my eyebrows fully raised. I'm intrigued, I'm curious. I don't love it, but I do love Alex Brackman. We know exactly who he is. I think last year I think he's better than that offensively. He was still four war players, still hit 26 home runs. The OPS took a dip. But I think that with Fenway's left.

[Jolly Olive]

Field, a guy who the stadium matters, I mean.

[Eric Andre]

And also like a breath of fresh air after nine years in one place. That's got to do something for you too. I like the fit a lot. I like the signing. When it happened, it made a ton of sense in my brain. The Red Sox needed to make an impact move like that to get serious again. And all the stuff under the hood that you should really care about with guys that are getting a little bit older, like plate discipline. He was 94th percentile. And strikeout rate 98th and whiff rate 82nd chase rate. Like that stuff is all still great. It'll translate. I'm excited for Alex Bregman.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. He felt like a missing piece and they got him. Yeah. The only thing you know, I. I get it pregnant. Third Devers, dh. It does. Masaka Yoshida was okay last year in his second year. And I think there's more in there. I don't know if he goes to. If Devers goes to DH and Bregman goes to third, you're then starting Hamilton or Romeo Gonzalez at second, which isn't like.

[Eric Andre]

It's not terrible.

[Jolly Olive]

It's not terrible, but it's also. I think Yoshida.

[Eric Andre]

Yoshida feels like an odd man out to me.

[Jolly Olive]

And he could still get traded. Like I know more can happen. But like I. I think the Red Sox, I guess their best case lineup. If Bregman can play second, well which we're assuming.

[Eric Andre]

I mean he was 91st percentile at third, third base.

[Jolly Olive]

If Des is okay at third, which he's had times of okay, I think I'd like Yoshida DH again, at least against righties.

[Eric Andre]

But we're gonna find out. We're gonna see it in April for sure.

[Jolly Olive]

We'll see.

[Eric Andre]

That's a promise. But I think we might see some mid season adjustments. But I'm happy to have him here.

[Jolly Olive]

And I think he deserves to be on that second tier and could for one year could he outplay Katel Marte? Maybe happened before.

[Eric Andre]

Absolutely. And that's the other thing about this year. Any one of these guys could outplay Katel Marte this year, in my opinion.

[Jolly Olive]

I don't know.

[Eric Andre]

If you don't know them, they. They might not belong up here.

[Jolly Olive]

They belong. But could tell. Good. Does anyone else deserve to be in five tool light?

[Eric Andre]

I think just out of respect, Marcus.

[Jolly Olive]

Semyon, I'm open to that.

[Eric Andre]

I think I know last year wasn't awesome. In fact, last year was tough. Like we can be World Series hangover. Pretty frank about it. He went from 2021 to now seven or five and a half four. Seven and a half four four. Still an exceptional player. Still an all star. Still 23 home runs. Only missed three games, which is what Marcus does. He gets on the field every seven.

[Jolly Olive]

And a half WAR the year before is incredible.

[Eric Andre]

Enough of an argument like that's what Cattell did last year. Cattell was a 7 1/2 4 player if he played the full season. So if one year removed from that, I'm not just gonna forget that. Gotta get that slug up though. 2 MVP 3s slug under 400 is kind of scary.

[Jolly Olive]

That whole Texas team had.

[Nathan King]

They were just all hungover.

[Eric Andre]

They're all getting the benefit of the doubt.

[Jolly Olive]

For me, the ick. Are you in on that?

[Eric Andre]

The ick? Marcusemeon does not give me the ick.

[Jolly Olive]

No, he was nice.

[Eric Andre]

I liked him. Nice guy.

[Nathan King]

Nice guy.

[Jolly Olive]

I think he should be extra. An extra in movies.

[Eric Andre]

He cracked wise. But he was also all business like.

[Jolly Olive]

Did you say he cracked wise?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

How old are you?

[Eric Andre]

Save that I do the crossroad on.

[Jolly Olive]

The train that's when you're mad at the Mets in 40 years that's not.

[Eric Andre]

A now Wiley vet man I I.

[Nathan King]

Really want to petition the name of this tier to be respect with a two because the other three guys besides Alex wear or have worn number two.

[Jolly Olive]

Oh I like that where I'm but I'll be Albies doesn't but in the.

[Nathan King]

Case of all of them we are.

[Jolly Olive]

Like respecting their should wear number two I agree you know feels like it.

[Eric Andre]

If you asked me what number always wore I would say number two I.

[Jolly Olive]

Believe he's number one two wearing two.

[Eric Andre]

Okay that's like basically the same thing as two.

[Jolly Olive]

We'Ll see mess around with it jolly this next one is probably going to get split up or I don't know because at first we were thinking of the Tampa Bay Rays I put Ray raise up is up there and I don't know if these are guys that can raise up I think I think a couple of the names have raised connections and could have a special season dude where does El Tuve is not in Listen never mind I just saw his picture I forgot he's just left over he's just a star left fielder now now that threw me off for a second well hold on hold the phone there's one guy that you're higher on than I higher on than I thought who's a five tool like guy maybe I think definitely I was surprised you were pushing for this because I this team has ruined me.

[Eric Andre]

Mark my words. Jake Storieli when we are back here next year for 2026 tier lists the man who will be in our highest tier is Matt McClain. I think Matt McClain is stupid good and I think we got robbed of what he's truly capable of last year when he got that freak injury in spring training playing a little too hard like we all do sometimes four war in 90 games in his rookie year. I know that's really damn good dude you said it all the time he was better than Ellie was when everyone was talking about Ellie he still finished fifth in rookie of the year voting. He only played half the season. I really like Matt McLean also the vibe I got in the Reds clubhouse that dude is like a leader there they already look to him heard that that way and that that does something for me I'm not gonna lie to you. I am very very excited for Matt McLean this year. Another former first round pick by the way we can contest it but he.

[Jolly Olive]

Is in my second If I can dream on youth.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. That's worse than correct wise, I think dream on youth.

[Jolly Olive]

And it's not even what I want to say at all.

[Eric Andre]

It's a crime in some states.

[Jolly Olive]

If I wanted to dream on Simeon getting respect.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

What Matt Mcclain did when he played baseball was very good. High level good. Feels. Feels weird putting them with some of these cats, man. I. Alex Bregman just got 40 mil a year.

[Eric Andre]

Here's my thing.

[Jolly Olive]

If Matt Mcclain is league average this year, you're stunned. Can I ask, coming off a big.

[Eric Andre]

Injury, I have an important question. Take away all the emotions, take away the swag, whatever.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay.

[Eric Andre]

Who'd rather have the Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm or Matt McLean for this year?

[Jolly Olive]

This year only. Jazz. That's a real injury. Yeah, that's a real injury. At a year off, you're taking a chance on McLean.

[Eric Andre]

I'm liking my chances and that's fine.

[Nathan King]

Yeah, I like McLean a lot. I feel like if he had come back even for like the last month and was pretty good just to show it, and I'm a gambling line of real good numbers, I would be like, yeah, whatever. Throw them up there. Everything I've seen is good.

[Eric Andre]

90Th percentile sprint speed. 80th percent tile outs above.

[Nathan King]

Is that fast?

[Eric Andre]

Yes.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay.

[Eric Andre]

It's a five tool light.

[Jolly Olive]

Here's what I'll tell you. You mentioned he finished fifth in rookie of the year. Well, hey, pretty good. Who are the guys ahead of him?

[Eric Andre]

I don't know. Let's find out.

[Jolly Olive]

Corbin Carroll.

[Eric Andre]

Pretty good.

[Jolly Olive]

How was his follow up here?

[Eric Andre]

Get a sophomore slump? Sure. Also finished the year a pretty solid number and it's strong, but had a.

[Jolly Olive]

Hurt shoulder, took a step back. Hurt shoulder. James Outman.

[Eric Andre]

Oh, yeah, wow. Remember James Outman?

[Jolly Olive]

Nolan Jones hurt. Kodai Sanga hurt.

[Eric Andre]

All these guys got hurt. That's kind of wild.

[Jolly Olive]

Six play. Spencer Steer. I don't think he should be with them yet. I want him to be okay. I want him to be.

[Eric Andre]

And we know you paid off bbd, so you're getting his vote.

[Jolly Olive]

Gotta show me it's gotta show me he's gonna 20, 23.

[Eric Andre]

You're gonna be.

[Jolly Olive]

You're gonna look foolish when you don't play baseball for a little while. It's tough to play baseball.

[Eric Andre]

Can I say something, Pattis? If you'll let me say something.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

Jazz looks a little weird in that group of four now.

[Jolly Olive]

Not gonna lie because you're racist.

[Eric Andre]

Okay.

[Nathan King]

Okay.

[Jolly Olive]

I mean, three of the four.

[Eric Andre]

Look a little Closely.

[Jolly Olive]

I understand what you're saying.

[Eric Andre]

Sure.

[Jolly Olive]

Do you? For full seasons, what Simeon has done, what Bregman has done, Jazz has never.

[Eric Andre]

Had a three worst I could bring.

[Jolly Olive]

Jazz with Matt McLean, I think they.

[Eric Andre]

Kind of have to go.

[Jolly Olive]

I have no qualms with that.

[Nathan King]

But Charlie, what you're not getting is he was just nice to us.

[Eric Andre]

So. Yeah, I mean, that's kind of also why.

[Jolly Olive]

No, I'm. I'm actually. I'm okay with that. Yeah, that's a. That's a fair.

[Eric Andre]

It's exactly what you said. Like, just track record.

[Nathan King]

Because we're ready for both of them to raise up.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

On that raise up line, as we've now leaked into it, I love Brandon LA.

[Eric Andre]

40 Homer. Brandon LA.

[Jolly Olive]

Watch out for him at a minor league ballpark this year that happens to have a short porch.

[Eric Andre]

Jeez.

[Jolly Olive]

Like, when Brandon LA is healthy, that man hits.

[Eric Andre]

Are you on his page or no?

[Jolly Olive]

I'm not.

[Eric Andre]

Career, career OPS plus guess on Brandon Lau. In seven years and 600 games, 125. Good job.

[Jolly Olive]

On the nose.

[Eric Andre]

On the nose.

[Jolly Olive]

No.

[Eric Andre]

Yep. 812 career, 125 OPS plus. Don't say that.

[Jolly Olive]

Sorry. Yes.

[Eric Andre]

Though wild. He's really fucking good.

[Jolly Olive]

Like, this is what I was, you know, hunting for lefty bats this off season. Yeah. And it's like, wait, so he makes 10mil this year? Team Mil for 11 and a half next year. The man has an injury history. He's not like five tool. The speed's never been in the bag. The defense has never been flashy. It's just 109 games in 20, 23. 21 home runs. 107 games last year, 21 home runs.

[Eric Andre]

And like, the Rays need that so bad because they just didn't hit last year. Like, he is their best hitter.

[Jolly Olive]

The one year he played over 110 games, he had 39 homers.

[Eric Andre]

Like, don't get me wrong, I think in maybe three years, Brandon Lau isn't a second baseman anymore, but he is right now. And like, you know, he's going to be defensive.

[Jolly Olive]

He could have a weird vagabond. He's going to have a weird vagabond.

[Eric Andre]

I think he's going to be like part of his career Peterson type path. Or like, he's like not an outfielder anymore. And maybe he only plays against righties.

[Jolly Olive]

I have a fun fact I'm not sure if I can share, but I'm gonna share it. Lawrence, the band. Yeah, Clyde.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, they were here once.

[Jolly Olive]

They were here. Oh, yeah. His now girlfriend Maybe fiance dated Brandon Lau.

[Eric Andre]

What you think?

[Jolly Olive]

What was that?

[Eric Andre]

What'd she think?

[Jolly Olive]

What do I think?

[Eric Andre]

What did she think?

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

Okay.

[Jolly Olive]

And it was kind of funny when I found that out. I was kind of rooting for Brandon LA to come to the Yankees, which, you know, I don't know. I don't know where the.

[Eric Andre]

That's just how your brain works.

[Jolly Olive]

I don't know who's. Anyways, 31 Homer pace the last two.

[Nathan King]

Years when he's played.

[Eric Andre]

You really guessed 125 on the nose.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah. He's really good that. I didn't think that number was right, but I thought it was in the area. Yeah. But yeah. Brandon Lowe gives you a buck 45, you're gonna have one of the best, maybe the best offensive season from a second base.

[Eric Andre]

Oh, man.

[Jolly Olive]

And he's a Ray. That was kind of part of it.

[Eric Andre]

So these are locked. I feel really good about where our tier list is at.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay.

[Eric Andre]

And I looked at the remaining roster for wild cards and wherever else and I got nauseous.

[Jolly Olive]

Let me see. I just want to see who jumps out as good. So in raise up jazz, Lau, McLean. Kind of like that.

[Eric Andre]

They feel like they deserve each other.

[Jolly Olive]

Kind of about that. When I look at the available players left on the board, who do I think is the best player?

[Eric Andre]

That's a good question.

[Jolly Olive]

And I'll. I'll just go through the names quick so you can play this game at home while we. While we think on it. I am seeing Glabor Torres. I'm seeing Michael Massey. I'm seeing ren Heofo, Jeff McNeil, Jake Cronenworth, Tyler Fitzgerald and Dylan Moore from your Seattle Mariners. And Stodder.

[Eric Andre]

Right.

[Jolly Olive]

And what'd you just say?

[Eric Andre]

Bryson, Stop.

[Jolly Olive]

I had Stott on the board in wild card. I don't know why. And I'm here. He's on dirty jersey, so we kind.

[Eric Andre]

Of called him a wild card.

[Jolly Olive]

So.

[Nathan King]

But we also sort of said it to your behind. Let's let him down.

[Eric Andre]

So we got eight guys. Very interesting.

[Jolly Olive]

I feel like Bryce. It's not. Does get a dirty jersey a lot. But that's for another time.

[Nathan King]

Vibes wise. I feel like he does fit this fit them jersey.

[Eric Andre]

Do we want to say.

[Jolly Olive]

We said he's not good enough. And I kind of agree.

[Eric Andre]

Do we want to say who we think the best of the eight is on three.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay. So if you got. And this is for next season.

[Eric Andre]

This is for. Yeah, this season.

[Jolly Olive]

If you got one second baseman and.

[Eric Andre]

You could pick from any of these Eight, who would it be? Or nine. Whatever the numbers, I think I have mine.

[Jolly Olive]

Jesus.

[Eric Andre]

I think I have mine. And I kind of hate it.

[Jolly Olive]

I'm between two that I don't like.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, like I kind of hate it.

[Jolly Olive]

I think I have my leader.

[Eric Andre]

Okay, you ready?

[Jolly Olive]

In three, two, one.

[Eric Andre]

Tyler Fitzgerald. That was my other one. Were you between him and Fitzgerald or.

[Jolly Olive]

No, Tyler Fitzgerald. I just.

[Eric Andre]

That dude raked.

[Jolly Olive]

I know, but it's 96 games like Matt Mcclain. I know.

[Eric Andre]

I get fooled. All right.

[Jolly Olive]

Sue me.

[Eric Andre]

I'm a believer.

[Jolly Olive]

I like that you believe.

[Eric Andre]

Thank you.

[Jolly Olive]

Feels like it should be your team's model.

[Eric Andre]

Three months is a long time, Jake. You're so annoying.

[Jolly Olive]

Good motto. They're good.

[Eric Andre]

You know what I'm gonna say.

[Jolly Olive]

It's good, right?

[Eric Andre]

Oh, he's not a former first round pick. Damn. Some stuff under the hood isn't great on Tyler Fitzgerald. Chase rate, strikeout rate, even outs above average. He didn't grade out very well. A hundredth percentile. Sprint speed.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay. With some pop go off king.

[Eric Andre]

So he's kind of all over the place.

[Jolly Olive]

And he did, he did those defensive metrics. I think a lot of that is shortstop.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. So like I like him ticking up there. Hey, he's a wild card.

[Jolly Olive]

He's a wild card.

[Eric Andre]

Not your wild card.

[Jolly Olive]

He's a wild card. Yeah, that's fine. Like I would probably. There's no offense to Giants fans or Tyler Fitzgerald. Like I'm looking at Stotton Fitzgerald. I would, I would take stock.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

I think for next season I would. And that could be super wrong. Like I hope Tyler Fitzgerald's a stud. I hope him and Matt Mcclain top of the list. But I don't know.

[Eric Andre]

No, you can't put them up.

[Jolly Olive]

It doesn't pass the sniff test.

[Eric Andre]

No.

[Jolly Olive]

And I just hope it's horribly wrong. And we're talking about how good the Giants infield this is.

[Eric Andre]

But Luis Garcia, you did mention Luis Garcia.

[Jolly Olive]

He raised up.

[Eric Andre]

He did. Stepped up.

[Jolly Olive]

He's crazy. Like, okay, I guess that's. You know where this. God damn it. To Luis Garcias.

[Nathan King]

He's Luis Garcia Jr. Baseball Reference.

[Jolly Olive]

Last year as a 24 year old, 2.2 WAR season, 18 homers, 22 stolen bases, a 115 OPS plus like that. He's played a decent amount of ball at this point because the Nationals are out of their mind.

[Eric Andre]

Called him up as a 20 year old.

[Jolly Olive]

Called him up at age 20. That if you take out the early, early years, you know, the past three years from ages 22 to 24. This is, you know, Tyler Fitzgerald had not been a major leaguer yet. Luis Garcia was getting pro at bats. He's not an on base guy. 34 and 34 homers and stolen bases. How about that?

[Eric Andre]

Like that.

[Jolly Olive]

That at age 25 with a better nationals team around him, like could we not look down and see 22, 25, 20, 22, 30, something like that. And then what are we talking about as a switch hitting second baseman or left handed hitting second. Basics.

[Eric Andre]

He is very fun to watch. I will say. He doesn't get his walks and he's kind of shown that that's, that's not his.

[Jolly Olive]

It's a dangerous game.

[Eric Andre]

It's a dangerous game to play but when it, when it goes right it makes for a very fun ball player to watch. So I like Luis Garcia Jr. Only going to be 25 years old. Like we could still see better versions of him. Especially with, with what you said in a. A much better national signup than we had, you know, even two years ago. But yeah, he's, he's a wild card.

[Jolly Olive]

And I've got an upsell that I think people could use against it if they wanted to platoon. But he's on the good side of the platoon. Luis Garcia against righties last year. 288. 326A. 796 OPS against lefties a 641 OPS.

[Eric Andre]

Who do you platoon with? I should know this.

[Jolly Olive]

I think he played and that's part of the problem which again maybe he gets a little better verse lefties after seeing them or maybe he doesn't. But dude, you give me an 800 OPS hitter against right handed pitching at second base. Like what are we raise up?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, I think his platoon mate was like il Demaro Vargas or something. So get me a lefty masher.

[Jolly Olive]

Bleep that out. Let's get the trade for Tyro. Trade for Brendan Rogers.

[Eric Andre]

Tyro would have been a good fit.

[Nathan King]

89Th% Ty like that wild card know it's really weird.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

He hit left handed starting pitchers. He must have got mauled by relievers.

[Nathan King]

Is that, is that that baseball reference like left lefty starter split. I believe that's games a left handed pitcher started but that includes the righty relievers that they got to face.

[Jolly Olive]

Interesting.

[Eric Andre]

You guys have really.

[Nathan King]

It's crazy that that's the way they split it but I remember there was a talk in Yanks where you think.

[Jolly Olive]

He could raise up?

[Eric Andre]

Do I think he could raise up? Oh, who would you rather have?

[Jolly Olive]

I don't think he deserves to be with Matt McLean. You can say it.

[Eric Andre]

Who would you rather have? Nico Horner. Luis Garcia Jr. Nico Horner. Yeah. I don't think I can put him.

[Jolly Olive]

Above Shut my ass.

[Eric Andre]

Sorry, boss. I mean, yeah, that you can ask that question with any of these guys. Like who would you rather have a. The known platinum glove caliber second baseman or the wild card?

[Jolly Olive]

They are a real deportation line.

[Eric Andre]

Can you say that?

[Jolly Olive]

I don't know. I feel like that was a phrase and it felt wrong.

[Eric Andre]

I think like, dividing line is. Yeah.

[Jolly Olive]

Line. Isn't there a line of demarcation or something? Okay, that's what I meant.

[Eric Andre]

There you go. That's a shirt.

[Jolly Olive]

Just trying to get into the YouTube.

[Eric Andre]

Algorithm for a different.

[Jolly Olive]

You got to say the right words. I think that line of dirty jersey of Jimenez, Horner, Durang is very interesting because it's like, yeah, I'd rather have Matt McLean. I think. Yeah, I'd rather have Brandon Lau in the chance to hit 40 homers. But yeah, for Fitzgerald Stott, I. I'll take the. The guys I can rely upon.

[Eric Andre]

You know who I really want to be in dirty jersey?

[Jolly Olive]

Who's that?

[Eric Andre]

I want Dylan Moore up there.

[Jolly Olive]

Is Dylan Moore good?

[Eric Andre]

I think Dylan Moore's good. And I just never think about him. That the Mariners need to power numbers are crazy. They need to let him play position. Look at the position column on his baseball reference. It's nauseating. He plays nine positions every year. It's hard to be a. A good ball player when you never know where you're gonna play.

[Jolly Olive]

Won the Gold Glove last year.

[Eric Andre]

Won the Gold Club last year. Like, huh. That's impressive stuff, man. Hit 10 homer. Still 32 bases. He said three. 20 stolen base seasons in the past four years he's been above league average.

[Jolly Olive]

Wild card. He's a wild card.

[Eric Andre]

He's got the stick, though. Complete wild 110 ops plus in the last three years. Come on.

[Jolly Olive]

Hey, everything I've learned to believe about Seattle. Play Dylan Moore at second base for a year. He's a wild card, though, dude. Like, he. He just is, I guess.

[Eric Andre]

All right, here's. Here's a good question.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

Who would you rather have as your second baseman next year? Your choice of a dirty jersey guy? Doesn't matter to me who. Or Jake Cronenworth.

[Jolly Olive]

I'd rather have the dairy jersey guy see this one? I know, I know. Padres have messed with Crone a lot. I mean, he's a guy that should never have played first base in his career.

[Eric Andre]

That's wild.

[Jolly Olive]

But I'm not nervous about numbers, especially the past three years. I know he's a guy who's been nice to us. He's got a great name.

[Eric Andre]

This last two years are tough, you.

[Jolly Olive]

Know, like last year was a nice bounce back, but that was to get back to average.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, no, I see what you're saying. I want to believe in all these guys, but. Yeah, they're kind of just. They're all kind of missing something, whether it's like track record or like they're coming off a down year or their good year was only half a season, stuff like that.

[Jolly Olive]

I think if you're going by stats and there could be another column made up, maybe like the rest of the wild cards. I think I would take over Cronenworth.

[Eric Andre]

That's interesting. Like, including like McNeil and Glaber.

[Jolly Olive]

No, no, no. The guy's currently on the board. Stop Garcia, Fitzgerald, Dylan Moore. I think I would take all of them over Cronenworth.

[Eric Andre]

I think you're probably right.

[Jolly Olive]

And I guess if it gets in a team, you know who's a wild card, I'm taking Crone worth off because I think we need a new category. I think Michael Massey's a goddamn wild. Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

He's third best hitter on a playoff team last year. Right.

[Jolly Olive]

I think he's got more in there.

[Eric Andre]

I think he does too. He was kind of a pest.

[Jolly Olive]

Pretty swing.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. Like you said that during one talking baseball last year. And I was like, he says that about everybody. And then I watched it and I was like, that's a pretty swing.

[Jolly Olive]

He says that about.

[Eric Andre]

You say that about a lot of people.

[Jolly Olive]

That's crazy. Calling me in a question. Louise. Friend. He throws a wild card in.

[Eric Andre]

In terms of his health. Yes. If he's on the field, you know exactly what you're gonna get.

[Jolly Olive]

Do you?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, two or three years in a row. 15 homers. Ish.

[Jolly Olive]

Those are with injuries and stuff.

[Eric Andre]

Right.

[Nathan King]

The stick broke out, but he kind.

[Jolly Olive]

Of can't defend career high in games.

[Eric Andre]

127. It's been in the league for six years. Kind of don't know.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay. I think we need to make a new tier.

[Eric Andre]

I think. I think there is a Cronenworth. Ren, Hefo McNeil, Gleybert here.

[Jolly Olive]

Yes.

[Eric Andre]

I have like vets, like best years behind us kind of thing.

[Jolly Olive]

Are these all former Yankees?

[Eric Andre]

No, former and future.

[Jolly Olive]

What do you mean?

[Nathan King]

All former future Yankees.

[Jolly Olive]

I've talked about all four of these guys being a Yankee. Well, actually not McNeil.

[Nathan King]

People have done him.

[Eric Andre]

You could see any of these guys on either New York team. I could say that I thought Saber might have been a med this off season. I thought they were going to do some funky stuff there.

[Jolly Olive]

These are all just future Yankees. Future New Yorkers.

[Eric Andre]

I think future New Yorkers or past and present New Yorkers maybe ghost. What are you about to say.

[Jolly Olive]

Is ghosts of New York past like Cronenworth. We did episodes on Cronenworth.

[Nathan King]

Is there something about it being like a fun daydream like dead? Because like all four of these guys like oh, you got. You get them.

[Jolly Olive]

You.

[Nathan King]

You talk yourself into the year they're gonna have.

[Eric Andre]

Is Cronenworth true for their ability to fall.

[Nathan King]

You know follow through in a moment.

[Eric Andre]

Because like all these guys could get traded. Coronavirus not tradable.

[Jolly Olive]

Yeah.

[Nathan King]

How much is he's probably got six more years.

[Jolly Olive]

Yankees were Yankee fans were hoping to get Cronenworth back in a Stanton dump.

[Nathan King]

Or to me or to as the sweet as and Soto as the sweetener two years ago like for taking that on.

[Eric Andre]

I mean are these. Can you consider these guys vets? They're all like in their late twenties. No. How old is Glaber? 28.

[Jolly Olive]

Right. It's good when it goes wrong. It's so you haven't said a word about.

[Nathan King]

We'll. We'll have a good month.

[Eric Andre]

Is he just dead to you?

[Jolly Olive]

The defense is so bad and like.

[Nathan King]

Too many routine plays that don't happen.

[Jolly Olive]

And like with not a lot. You know you can't even like Shaq free throw it and be like when the moment matters. Like no, when the moment matters it gets worse.

[Eric Andre]

We saw that. Like.

[Jolly Olive]

I think he's going to hit this year. I think he's going to hit a ton.

[Eric Andre]

America's tough.

[Jolly Olive]

It is but he's hit there and.

[Nathan King]

Like he's more of a doubles guy anyway. Like it's just like true profile.

[Jolly Olive]

Like he led off and was so good in front of Soto and judge for three months including the postseason. McNeil's done the every other thing.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. Your guy great second half last year. 9:15 ops in the second half. Then he hurt his wrist.

[Jolly Olive]

Okay. Like these guys can bring it but it's just like enigmas or enemas or.

[Nathan King]

Will something with all these guys are like they will hit a walk off this year. I'm trying to find something nice to say.

[Eric Andre]

McNeil had one last year. I'm assuming Glabor did Glybir.

[Nathan King]

It happens like Cronenworth. I feel like like Gets timely hits. I don't know if that's literally true.

[Eric Andre]

There's something with like their fan base loves them more than everyone else. I think like everyone else sees them for what they are, but their fan bases love them.

[Jolly Olive]

Wow. Beer goggles.

[Eric Andre]

I think beer goggles is pretty accurate because like, you know, Tigers fans want to believe in 2019 Glaber coming back.

[Jolly Olive]

In a way they should.

[Eric Andre]

Mets fans want to believe. Well, Mets fans want to believe in batting title, McNeil coming back. Padres fans obviously want early stages Cronenworth back. And then Angels fans just want Ren he to stay healthy. But he never has.

[Jolly Olive]

And again like the nine, well, the nine hole hitter, I mean labor and McNeil have led off Ren, he's been in the middle of the lineup a lot. Like okay, so with our current list, I'll go down the board. You tell me if you need to change one thing. One man parte. It's a Marte party. Five tool light, Ozzy Albies, Alex Bregman and Marcus Simeon. Kind of funk. Some legends, some jolly Olive videos. Raise up Brandon Lau, Matt McLean and Jazz Chisholm. Potential, a lot of potential there. The dirty jerseys, the line of demarcation.

[Eric Andre]

Nice. Stuck the landing.

[Jolly Olive]

Andres Jimenez, Nico Horner and Bryce Tarang. The wild cards, Bryson Stott. What do you got? Tyler Fitzgerald, Luis Garcia, Dylan Moore and Michael Massey.

[Eric Andre]

That feels like a solid tier.

[Jolly Olive]

It's, it is and it isn't like.

[Nathan King]

Like when I'm looking like that, I, I, my gut does say Stott belongs more 30 jerseys than that group.

[Jolly Olive]

But he his last year.

[Nathan King]

Last year. I know the numbers are bad.

[Jolly Olive]

I think it's funny that the beer goggles are kind of guys. If you look at them through beer goggles, you want more than the wild card.

[Eric Andre]

Their ceilings are higher.

[Jolly Olive]

You have a couple happy hours and you're like, I want glabe at the top.

[Eric Andre]

Well, like, you know what I mean.

[Jolly Olive]

He foes gonna one dot against this.

[Eric Andre]

If you put them on a graph, the wild cards, I feel like they're like more of a straight line and then everyone below them is like high highs and low lows. Like to the point where it could like really hurt your team.

[Jolly Olive]

Yes, you are. The beer goggles can hurt your teeth. Yeah, the toddler in tierra's tier.

[Eric Andre]

Hang on. That was an audible. Is that happening?

[Jolly Olive]

Good. Why not tiers, by the way. Holiday burrito. This marlin is gonna kill me. Otto Lopez High song. Kim who could fly up this list in a moment. He feels like his jersey could get Dirty quick galoff. Brooks Lee who knows Nick Gonzalez. Sorry Pirates fans. I like him.

[Eric Andre]

I have a proposal for this year not so you got elongate the episode. I would. I'm proposing toddler tier and then a tier above it. Toddlers with tiaras. And I think we move up like holiday High. Sung Kim, maybe even Nick Gonzalez because I feel like I believe in some of these guys in this year a lot more than others.

[Jolly Olive]

That's just us being rude to like the Marlins. Like if we had watched Otto Lopez Vado Lopez was a Yankee would we say he's not in a Tierra. They're Todd's bro.

[Nathan King]

Brooks Lee's a first round pick.

[Eric Andre]

I like one.

[Jolly Olive]

They're tots.

[Eric Andre]

I like Juan Burrito. Let this be known.

[Jolly Olive]

The Goatees Gorman, Tyro, Rogers, Rojas. Altuve again is on ours because he just moved.

[Eric Andre]

Rogers might hit 20 home runs.

[Jolly Olive]

The whole bottom. Yeah, this. This list was messy. This was a beautiful mess. I like where we landed though.

[Eric Andre]

Second base.

[Jolly Olive]

I think these are true tiers.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, these are good.

[Jolly Olive]

These are true tears I guess. Let us know why we're dumb. What'd you like? Would you hate. Please comment below. Simeon's old jazz Matt McClain. Let us know. Thank you to Jolly Olive. Thank you to bbd. We will be back next week. Coming up on baseball, Jacobs production of.

[Nathan King]

Dad Patch Productions, John Boy Media and.

[Jolly Olive]

Workhouse Media Tokyo games.

[Eric Andre]

Hey, what's up, y'all?

This is Eric Andre.

Well, I made a podcast called Bombing about absolutely tanking on stage. Tell gnarly stories and I talk to friends about their worst moments of bombing in all sorts of ways. Bombing on stage, bombing in public, bombing in life. I want to know what's the worst way they've ever bombed or have they ever performed way too drunk or high? Or was there ever a time where they thought they were going to crush and they stunk it up? Listen to Bombing with Eric Andre on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jolly Olive]

Bombing with Eric Andre.

[Julie Swearbinks]

What's up, everyone? Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Eric Andre]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Swearbinks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Eric Andre]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Swearbinks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Eric Andre]

Julia's pretty well connected. She has textbook that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Swearbinks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and JSB on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Gabe Leonard]

What would you do if mysterious drones appeared over your hometown? I started asking questions. What do you remember happening on that night of December 16th?

[Jolly Olive]

It actually rotated around our house, looking as if it was peering in each window of our home.

[Gabe Leonard]

I'm Gabe Lenners from Imagine I Heart Podcasts and Leonard's Entertainment. Listen to Obscurum Invasion of the Drones wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

[Eric Andre]

I'm Mark Seale.

[Jolly Olive]

And I'm Nathan King.

[Eric Andre]

This is Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli.

[Jolly Olive]

The five families did not want us.

[Nathan King]

To shoot that picture.

[Jolly Olive]

This podcast is based on my co host Mark Seals best selling book of the same title. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli features new and archival interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Evans, James Caan, Talia Shire, and many others.

[Eric Andre]

Yes, that was a real horse's head.

[Jolly Olive]

Listen and subscribe to Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.