Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Best of The Herd" Episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Release Date: July 15, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

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Introduction

In the "Best of The Herd" episode, Colin Cowherd teams up with co-host Jason McIntyre to dissect the latest happenings across major sports leagues. From NBA trade rumors and MLB All-Star Game insights to NFL quarterback rankings and innovative changes in baseball, the duo offers comprehensive analysis and engaging discussions for sports enthusiasts.

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NBA Spotlight: LeBron James Trade Rumors

Key Discussion Points:

• Skepticism About Trade Rumors: McIntyre expresses doubt over the persistent trade rumors surrounding LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
• LeBron’s Value: Emphasis on LeBron’s high productivity and prime status, making him invaluable to the Lakers.

Notable Quotes:

• Jason McIntyre: “I do not buy the LeBron trade rumors.” [04:50]
• Colin Cowherd: “I think he starts the season with the Lakers. Now, if for some reason it goes terrible, would they try to move him at the deadline? Maybe…” [06:54]

Analysis: McIntyre argues that trading LeBron would undermine the Lakers' championship aspirations, especially given LeBron's significant contributions, such as being sixth in MVP voting and earning an NBA second-team honor last season. Colin Cowherd concurs, suggesting that the Lakers are likely to maintain stability unless faced with an unforeseen downturn.

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MLB All-Star Game: Innovations and Player Highlights

Key Discussion Points:

• All-Star Game Features: Highlights include Cal Raleigh from the Mariners and Jacob Mizorowski (Miz) from the Brewers making their All-Star debuts.
• Introduction of ABS System: MLB's experimental Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system aims to enhance game efficiency and accuracy.

Notable Quotes:

• Jason McIntyre: “He's a phenom... six-seven, throws heat. I'm for it.” [09:32]
• Colin Cowherd: “Rob Manfred’s like, no, let's have fun. It's baseball.” [34:30]

Analysis: McIntyre champions Miz’s selection, emphasizing his impressive pitching speed and potential to electrify the game. The introduction of the ABS system, despite initial resistance from purists, is lauded by both hosts for its potential to modernize the sport by speeding up gameplay and increasing umpire accuracy from 83% to 97%.

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NFL Quarterback Rankings: Top 10 Insight

Key Discussion Points:

• Top Quarterbacks: McIntyre ranks NFL quarterbacks based on insights from executives, coaches, and scouts, listing Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow at the top.
• Jalen Hurts Evaluation: Despite leadership and physical prowess, Hurts is placed outside the elite tier due to perceived limitations in passing ability.

Notable Quotes:

• Jason McIntyre: “...I don't think any GM sees him as an elite passer.” [16:00]
• Colin Cowherd: “I think he should be at number six... he doesn’t flinch.” [21:27]

Analysis: McIntyre's rankings highlight the blend of talent and potential in the current quarterback landscape, while Cowherd supports Hurts' placement by acknowledging his strengths in leadership and physicality, albeit questioning his elite passing skills.

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Los Angeles Dodgers: Analyzing the Modern Dynasty

Key Discussion Points:

• Dodgers' Strategy: Examination of the Dodgers' resource-heavy approach, emphasizing their robust pitching roster and strategic planning for postseason success.
• Season Performance: Despite a rocky start, the Dodgers leverage their extensive resources to remain contenders.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd: “The Dodgers are such an anomaly and they're such a unicorn. They're really the best-run franchise in the sport today.” [33:00]

Analysis: The hosts commend the Dodgers for their exceptional management and depth, comparing them to tech giants in terms of resource allocation. This strategic advantage allows them to mitigate early-season struggles and position themselves strongly for the playoffs.

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Rafi Devers’ Transition: From Red Sox to San Francisco

Key Discussion Points:

• Performance Slump: Devers experiences a downturn after moving from the Boston Red Sox to San Francisco, raising questions about his adaptability.
• Mental and Environmental Factors: Discussion on how transitioning between leagues and teams impacts player performance.

Notable Quotes:

• Jason McIntyre: “He's going from the AL East to the NL West... lot of adjustments you get used to.” [30:27]
• Colin Cowherd: “Sometimes when you clear what's perceived as a stressful situation... Now is on us.” [31:49]

Analysis: The conversation delves into the psychological and environmental challenges Devers faces, including adapting to different team dynamics and ballpark conditions. The hosts suggest that his initial struggles are part of the adjustment process, with hopes for improvement as he settles in.

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MLB Innovations: Rob Manfred’s Impact

Key Discussion Points:

• Commissioner Rob Manfred’s Reforms: Focused on modernizing baseball to attract new fans and improve game quality.
• Technological Advancements: Implementation of technology to enhance accuracy and accountability in the game.

Notable Quotes:

• Colin Cowherd: “Anytime you make players and umpires more accountable, it's a great thing.” [34:30]
• Jason McIntyre: “Rob Manfred deserves credit... saving our game.” [33:28]

Analysis: Both hosts praise Manfred for his forward-thinking initiatives, which include technological integrations like ABS and efforts to streamline game operations. These changes are seen as crucial for baseball’s evolution and maintaining its relevance in a rapidly changing sports landscape.

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Cultural Differences in Sports: MLB vs. NBA

Key Discussion Points:

• Player-Owner Relationships: Contrast between the historically tense MLB player-owner dynamics and the harmonious relations in the NBA.
• Impact on League Culture: How these relationships influence league operations and player experiences.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Rodriguez: “In MLB, the enemy has been the owners... Where in the NBA, owners love, love the players.” [36:50]
• Jason McIntyre: “The cultures are totally different... more fun, more interesting, captivating.” [36:50]

Analysis: Through a conversation with Alex Rodriguez, the episode explores how MLB’s fraught relationships between players and owners differ markedly from the NBA’s more cooperative environment. This discrepancy affects everything from league policies to player satisfaction and overall culture.

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Conclusion

The "Best of The Herd" episode offers a multifaceted exploration of current sports trends, challenges, and innovations. Colin Cowherd and Jason McIntyre provide insightful commentary on significant issues like LeBron James’ trade rumors, MLB’s modernization efforts, and the nuanced dynamics within major sports leagues. Their discussions not only inform but also provoke thoughtful consideration of the evolving landscape of professional sports.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Jason McIntyre: “I do not buy the LeBron trade rumors.” [04:50]
• Jason McIntyre: “He's a phenom... six-seven, throws heat. I'm for it.” [09:32]
• Colin Cowherd: “Rob Manfred’s like, no, let's have fun. It's baseball.” [34:30]
• Alex Rodriguez: “In MLB, the enemy has been the owners… Where in the NBA, owners love, love the players.” [36:50]

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This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for listeners seeking to stay updated on the intricate developments within the sports world, offering both depth and clarity on pressing topics.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jason McIntyre]

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I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's Handmade Vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmicks. Smooth, clean tasting, made the right way. Tito's made in Austin, Texas. Real attention to detail. I like to keep it simple. Tito's Soda one lime, lot of ice, Refreshing, easy summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. The perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly. Wasabi Technologies is purpose built to free businesses from skyrocketing storage costs and unpredictable egress fees from those old and top heavy legacy providers. You know the big guys. Wasabi is the go to provider for professional and collegiate sports teams around the world. From Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage, Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cyber criminals, Wasabi is driving innovation in data storage. All for up to 80% less than the other guys. Try them for [e-mail] Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage Proud partner of the Voluum Podcast Network. Thanks for listening to the Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio at noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Here we go. It is a Tuesday. It is great to be here again. A little siesta, a little sabbatical. J. Mac, filling in more than capably and appreciate that we are ready to go. The All Star game is tonight. We have Cal, Raleigh. I grew up a Mariners fan. I wanted to be the voice of the Mariners at some point. The organization did not agree, so I ended up doing this. A Rod joins us as well tonight. So it's all Star game night, home run derby, NBA stuff. NFL camps are getting quick to open very soon around the corner. J. Mac, good to be back. Good to see you. Yeah, great to have you back, big fella. We're excited. All right, so here's a story that's been simmering and sort of hovering like those, like Those UPAs, those UFOs over New Jersey were, remember that, for about a three week trial. Kind of hovering over. What are they? That's what I feel the LeBron trade rumors are like. Nobody's quite sure what they are, what they mean. They're out there. I think maybe it's a plane. I don't buy them. I do not buy the LeBron trade rumors. Here's why. The best contract you can have in professional basketball is a superstar in his prime. Sga, Jokic, Luka. Those are the guys that win in May and June. Rookie contracts are nice. Best contract superstar in his prime. SGA wins a title. Jokic wins a title. The second best contract to me is a highly productive player with a lot of seasoning who is still good, probably out of his prime. And he has an expiring contract. And that's LeBron. This is it. They can play with it. Leverage to the Lakers. They can move him at the trade deadline. They could move him now. I wouldn't. So why would you get rid of that? I mean, he was 24, 8 and 8 last year. He was all NBA second team. He was sixth in MVP voting. That's the highest in years. He's highly productive and he's capable of helping you in a playoff series. I'm not trading that away. And by the way, his agent, Rich Paul has acknowledged publicly, yeah, LeBron knows it's Lucas team. So there's no real angst with LeBron James. He knows it's Lucas team. They're gonna take care of him first. He'll get a new deal. So I don't buy the trade talks. Also, you know, this is the time of the year it's hey, how do I fill my 3 hour show? How Do I fill my column? I don't buy it now. I do believe they will transition out of this potentially if things go south. But why now and why today? Remember, the Lakers got better. There's a lot of reasons to be hopeful. I do not believe they are going to be as good as Houston. I don't think they're Oklahoma City, I don't think they're as good as Dallas. But J.J. redicks in year two, he'll be better. Bronnie's had a good summer league. He may contribute. Luka's going to be in great shape and they're better at center. I don't love deandre Ayton. He's allergic to defense, always sees himself as a one. He's more of a three to a four in a championship level team, it'll probably be a three or a four for the Lakers, we'll see. But that team is not a very good defensive team. And to win a championship, Oklahoma City just proved you can do it with defense. So the Lakers are going to be very interesting this upcoming season and they're going to be very good. They're not going to win a title, they're not going to hoist a trophy, they're not going to be great. LeBron's past his prime. Austin Reeves can be picked on defensively. Deandre Ayton's moody, never happy and doesn't defend. And Luka, he'll be in good shape, but. But you know, you're not getting much defense there either. But in Kobe's last year, they were uninteresting and won 17 games. They were awful. So this is not a bad place to be. Very good and very interesting. So I don't buy the trade rumors. So hosts have to fill space. I think at the trade deadline, as Chris Broussard said yesterday, things could be interesting if it goes south.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think he starts the season with the Lakers. Now, if for some reason it goes terrible, would they try to move him at the deadline? Maybe get him to a team with a chance to do something in the playoffs? Yeah, something like that. But I don't see it going terrible. They were playing good basketball and that was on the fly, right? That was with a roster not built around Luka. It was on the fly. LeBron had to all of a sudden adjust to being the second guy offensively and they still played good basketball. So you would expect them to be better.

[Jason McIntyre]

They will be better. They won't be great, but they'll be good and interesting. Why move off that now? All Right. Tonight's the All Star Game. Home Run Derby champ from the Mariners, Cal Raleigh will be joining us one hour from now. A rod, bottom of the hour. So baseball made a decision, which I totally agree with, actually two they're going to have. He's only had five appearances. He's 4 and 1. He's 6, 7. The kid throws absolute heat from the Milwaukee Brewers, Jacob Mizorowski, they call him Miz. And they decided only five appearances. Hey, we're getting him into the All Star Game. And the purists have grumbled, but they always take themselves way too seriously. Baseball's also going to use the ABS system in the All Star Game tonight. They used it in spring training. It's being used in the minor leagues. And they're going to experiment with it. It's very quick. When I initially heard about it, I didn't like it, but it actually is fast, succinct. Not a huge replay fan, I know, I understand in football with only 17 games, you got to get it right. But they're going to do both. Baseball, strange. So when I was a kid growing up, it had all sorts of personality. Al Raboski, Mark Fidrich, Pete Rose, Mickey Rivers. It was all sorts of personality. Then it went through this weird 20 year span where it took itself way too seriously, way too rigid, way too beholden. The writers, broadcasters, everybody took it so seriously. And the sport got really dull. And you heard about unwritten rules. And there was a way to play the game, those two unwritten rules. Rob Manfred is unwriting the unwritten rules. He's getting rid of them. He's going to experiment with a kid tonight, the ABS system. And I'm sure purists don't like it, but he's called a phenom. You know what gets me to a television? A phenom. Not statistically superior player for the Phillies. Phenom gets me to a television set. I don't care if it's a phenom. Golfer Caitlin Clark came into the league. Phenom gets me to a TV set. I don't care if it's a musical artist. The kid is 6 7, averages 99 miles an hour on his fastball. He's probably going to go in middle innings and I can't wait. Those unwritten rules never made any sense. Like there are certain unwritten rules in society we all understand. Like when you go to the bathroom, wash your hands before you come out. Or if you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth, but you can't bunt to break Up a no hitter. Why not? My job is not put you in the record books. My job is to not elevate your legacy. It's a two nothing game, three nothing game. You lead, guy in front of me walks, steal second. I'm bunning to get him on eighth inning. I don't care. That's a you problem. Remember the other one? In baseball, you can't steal a base leading big. I mean, I guess if it's 14 nothing or you can't stare at a home run. Why not? You couldn't get me out. Throw harder, be more wicked. Get the splitty over. Whatevs. Rob Manfred's like, no, let's have fun. It's baseball. This is called an All Star Game. And this kid's a star. He's a phenom. He gets us to a television. Baseball got into real trouble when it got really precious and really beholden to history. Guys, we used to memorize baseball cards. That's what we did at 17. Kids don't collect them. They don't collect them. They don't run to the drugstore in your local town to get that piece of gum. And you know, that baseball card, it's all over. I mean, even the. Even the industry of trading baseball cards, with few exceptions, nobody cares anymore. So I love what they're doing. Rob Manfred said, speed the game up. Every swing he's taken has worked everyone. You don't have to love him. All Star Game. Not all stats, not all. Superior production for a guy that's not getting us to a tv. I love it. I think it's great. And here's Dave Roberts. The All Star Game should be the best. The game's best players. It's about the fans and what the fans want to see. So for this young kid to be named All Star, I couldn't be more excited for him.

[Colin Cowherd]

He is thrilled to be here.

[Jason McIntyre]

I'm going to get him in there. Probably the fifth of the sixth inning, something like that. The seventh, and it's going to be electric.

[Colin Cowherd]

So the fans, the media, you're going to love it.

[Jason McIntyre]

Tonight is a celebration. It's not determining home field advantage. Don't be precious. Don't be pious. Baseball did that for about 20 years. They got really weird. And by the way, the Savannah Bananas, right, Like that thing is on fire, Right? Why it's selling out. The fans are telling you. Yeah. We go to the ballpark to have a beer with friends and have fun. This kid is not in this All Star Game tonight. If they don't put Miz in. What's getting me there? It matters. Six, seven throws heat I want to watch. All right, J. Mac Nick Saban rumored to be headed back. Another rumor I don't buy to college football. We'll address that. The NFL execs came out with a quarterback list yesterday that I absolutely love. That probably drove you crazy. Of course you love it. Of course. No Brock Purdy in the top 10. Of course you love it. I gotta look at 11 through 15. I didn't see him there either, but whatever. I don't want to rub it in this morning. Oh boy. Oh, he's lobbing grenades early. Okay, be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app hey, it's me, Rob Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for 22 minutes of piping hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names and newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe in analytics or the eye test, we've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, so do yourself a favor and listen to Inside the Parker with Rob Parker on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Alex Rodriguez]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

All right.

[Jason McIntyre]

Welcome back. Alex Rodriguez joining us in about 10 minutes. All Star Game tonight on Fox. So you know, I I'll, I'll be honest. I golfed a lot. I hung out, biked, walked, hung out with the dogs. Did not read a lot or watch a lot of sports. Some but one of the things that jumped out to me over the last 10 to 11 days was that NFL executives, coaches and scouts, many of them through the years, have been very helpful to me in learning this game and sourcing this game. Release their top 10 quarterbacks. So this is the people that draft them, the people that coach them, the people that select them, the people that scout them. And it went in this order. Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Lamar Jaden, Daniels, Matt Stafford, Justin Herbert, Goff, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield. And I almost reached out to J. Mac, but I didn't want to get them all riled up. That's about as close to my list as you can get now, believe it or not, you're probably saying, well, what about Baker Mayfield? Well, after a second good year in Tampa, he's closer to 10 than 15. I probably go C.J. stroud at 10 because his size and accuracy, but he didn't have a great year. A lot of that was his receivers all got hurt. His left tackle didn't play well. But none of this bothers me now. The reaction on Jalen Hurts, who, you know, wins the super bowl being nine, was predictable by his coach, Nick Ceriani. That said, you know, this is a bunch of nonsense. I can't believe it. And that's what a coach should do. But here are three undeniable truths. Take a deep breath. According to PFF, the Eagles offense was top 10 in everything. Pass, blocking, run blocking, rushing, receiving. Yet they were 21st and actually passing. Jalen Hurts is responsible for that. Oh, by the way, 11 of his 32 total touchdowns came on rushes of one or fewer yards. Take out the tush push. He had the same number of touchdowns as Bryce Young. And number three, after a week five buy and a philosophical reset by the oc, they passed the ball less than any team in the NFL at 24 times a game. So, you know, if your company, you know, goes to one of those off site weekend retreats and has a philosophical reset and they come back and they decide, listen, employee, we're going to use you less and they're more successful, that seems to be a pretty striking correlation. So bottom line, the organization literally had a philosophical Brady and Tampa and Bruce Arians had this, remember, like late in the season, they never lost. After that they had a reset and Tom was going to take more control of the offense than Bruce Arians. They didn't lose again. They beat Atlanta a couple times, they won all their playoff games and Tom hoisted another trophy. So the Eagles, basically, they had one of Those, you know, philosophical resets and what they decided was, this offense is great as long as we pass the ball fewer times. That's a correlation. Now, I don't have a problem putting in Jalen Hurts to my top 10. I think he has great moments, great character, great leadership, great power. I think pound for pound, he's the strongest player in the NFL, certainly strongest quarterback. I like him a lot, but I don't think any GM sees him as an elite passer. I don't think any GM saw Lamar Jackson initially is an elite passer, but he has really developed. I still think Jalen hurts on third and seven from the pocket. I don't have great vibes all the time. I really don't. But I do think he has great moments, character and leadership and toughness and durability. Here's Matt Hasselbeck on the show yesterday saying he's undervalued by the league.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think he's definitely in that 6 to 10, but you could make the argument that he should be at number six. And I think why I say that, you know, people don't give him enough credit for the quarterback sneak. Like, they just don't. Like, they think like, oh, it's just a quarterback sneak. It doesn't count. It's just like a free play. We should make it illegal. That is a real weapon that he uses. And like, so, like, sometimes it's maybe easy to gloss over some of the. Some of the other stuff because he's not, you know, he's staying in the pocket. He's not bolting. A lot of young quarterbacks just bolt outside the pocket. He stays in the pocket, pocket.

[Jason McIntyre]

He.

[Colin Cowherd]

He doesn't flinch.

[Jason McIntyre]

You're. You're not going to get a ton of credit for a quarterback sneak. Like, he's the best at it, but it's like giving a baseball hitter a lot of credit because he's the league's best bunter. That's not getting you into the hof. You got to do more than that. Ichiro could do that, but he had a great arm, hit for power and was uniquely gifted. He could also bunt if you wanted him to. That's not really the point. And so my thing with Jalen Hurts is he is viewed fairly. And in my career doing this, I have found that athletes after they've been in a professional sport for five years, are all fairly judged by the time you've been in it. 10 years and hurts isn't there yet. Everybody knows your brand. Very early in Aaron Rodgers career, super talented a little aloof can be prickly. Great talent. Is he a great leader? I think that's fair. It's not a criticism, it's what he is. Even at a golf tournament. Little prickly Aaron into Aaron, that's okay. But the idea that after all these years in Philly, you know, people just don't understand what he is. I think we all know what he is. Great kid, great leader, great talent. Strong as strong gets for that position. But he's not a top five guy. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Alex Rodriguez]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Colin. And hello. I was so overwhelmed that when I saw Cal Ripken for the first time, my childhood hero, you know, he was like. He was like a statue. He was tall. He had, like, little gray hair. He had these blue eyes. And that was like, oh, my God, that's my hero and I'm his teammate. And that was the neatest part. It was at the old Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, and it was. It was quite fun.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. All Star Games are interesting. You're facing the best of the best. A lot of it is, where are the shadows? Who do you face? Your second at bat, Your mindset there is. There's not a ton. You're almost like on Broadway. You're kind of performing like it's a really different environment. Go, go to your at bats. Is the all like. Like you. You face some, like, peer pressure, but you don't face outcome pressure. Did you like All Star Games?

[Colin Cowherd]

I. I love them. And, and look, this is a celebration of all your hard work, dedication. One thing is make it to the major leagues. But to be one of 60 or 65 guys that are the best players in the world, in the best league in the world, it was a treat and it was an honor. I remember Colin, in 2000, we were playing right here in Atlanta for the All Star Game. I had hurt my knee and I didn't make it. And Derek went in my to replace me, and he won the mvp. But I remember sitting at home so bummed and sad that I couldn't be at the All Star Game. If you look, if you don't play in the World Series, that's the most exposure you're going to get. And you're showing off for the national fans, for the global fans, and also for the community of baseball, but especially your colleagues and the other 749 players.

[Jason McIntyre]

So there's a lot of interesting stories about this season. One of the ones that's fascinating. I've always said it's hard to go into prolonged slumps with hockey and basketball. The game, the game moves too quickly. You don't have time to overthink. A missed shot, you get another shot in 14 seconds. But in baseball and golf, you got a lot of downtime to think about that 7 iron that went sideways or, you know that. That at bat where you got fooled. And so Rafi Devers goes from the Red Sox, they suddenly, they're on fire. He goes to San Francisco. He is punching out like he is struggling. And I think a lot of it is when, when you, when you're called like, oh, he's the savior. He is. What? I think it's in his head. Take me to that. Because you had one slump in your career. I remember in the playoffs. Not many, but some. I think this kid in San Francisco, I think it's. I think it's upstairs with him. What do you see?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, first address Boston. Sometimes when you clear what's perceived as a stressful situation and you clear the big brother, then it puts the onus and responsibilities on the other 25 guys in that locker room and everyone says, all right, there's a sigh of relief. We've cleared the deck. Now is on us. Big brother's gone. So, I mean, I remember when Griffey left, we went on the next year to the playoffs when we brought in Mike Cameron and Freddie Garcia in Seattle. You remember those years. And then I left and they got even better. Right. So it's not normal, but you have a rod and Griffey leaving back to back years and the team keeps getting better and better. So there's something that's happening with the Red Sox on the Devers. Remember, he started the year really slow. In his first 25 at bats, he had like 20 punch outs and it takes him a little bit to go. He's also a streaky hitter, but he's a guy that's been his whole career, basically from Dominican Republic to Fort Myers to Boston. Now he goes all the way west. So he's going from east to West. Adjustment number one, he's going from American League east that he spent his whole career in to National League west. And instead of being hot in Boston in the summer, is a little bit cooler in San Francisco. So there's a lot of adjustments you get used to. The ballpark is going to take him a minute. I think he's going to hit, but hopefully this could be a win win for both of them. But right now, Colin, you're right. It's more mental than anything else when you think about an adjustment.

[Jason McIntyre]

So, you know, the Dodgers have done this over the last several years. They have like a June or July. They. I don't know if it's distracted. They often. It feels like they're setting up their pitching for August and September and they've had a ton of injuries, in fact, part of their payroll. The advantage is they've gone out and acquired guy guys on the mound with some pitching injuries that they don't need the volume in the regular season they're looking for, you know, in the postseason. So some of what they're going through, I think is fairly predictable. Two and seven in their last nine go to the most talented team you ever played for. Did you ever have a 2 and 7 streak? What are the players talking about? Because you have all Stars everywhere.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I mean, the Dodgers are such an anomaly and they're such a unicorn. They're really the best run franchise in the sport today. 2009, we won the title with the New York Yankees when we beat the Phillies. We got off to a horrific start that year in April, we were actually in last place. And then somewhere around I came back from my hip surgery somewhere in early May and Collins, we probably paid 700 baseball, not 750. We were almost unbeatable, but we were really bad in April. The Dodgers play a different game, right? They have more resources than everybody. They have more talent. They're Amazon, they're Google their apple. They're top of their game and they're signing as many people as possible, leaning on the resources. And they're making a bet whether that's Ohtani getting ready as they ramp him up or they're hoping that of the 25 pitchers they have that eight or nine good pitchers are healthy October 1st. And that's really the only thing they're playing for.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know, I think Rob Manfred deserves credit. I said this earlier when I was a kid. Growing up, baseball had wild personalities. Pete Rose and Mark Fidrich and Al Raboski and Mickey Rivers. I mean, there was just. It was wild. There was just all sorts of personalities. And then they went through a period. Some of it you dealt with where there's a way to play the game. It got a little precious, a little beholden to history. It's like, guys, the reason we all love Ken Griffey. It was fun. The hats on backwards. It's fun. And I think baseball is doing that again. One of the. I've been very pro, Rob Manfred. I didn't initially like the idea of the ABS system. I'm like, okay, I can barely tolerate NFL replay. I just like keep the game moving. But then I've watched it and it. It's pretty quick. So I'm kind of like begrudgingly moving toward, okay, let's do it. How do you land on it if you talk to players about it?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I agree with you. I'm a big Rob man for fan and I think it deserves a lot of credit. Little single handedly. I mean, with the changes he's made the last two or three years to really save our game, he probably belongs in Cooperstown but the reason why I like this, Colin, technology's made the game better. Anytime you make players and umpires more accountable, it's a great thing. Going back 10 years, that strike you see right there on the screen 83% of the time, the umpires were getting it right 10 years ago. Today that numbers balloon to 97%. So it's a much better quality, much better game, much better accuracy. All those things are good. Now the application of it, we have to go see how it works. I know it's been doing they've been doing in the minor leagues. I am really looking forward to tonight to see how that plays out because I'm a little bit on the fence, but I'm more pro because I think Rob Manford deserves some credit. He's built some equity here over the last three or four years with his changes. And I think the game has the gift and the curse of being so married to their history. I think some of the other leagues have really pushed the envelope. And look, I'll give you one example because this one bothers me. I love the kid from Milwaukee being there. As you as we started this conversation, he's only had five stars signed. But if this is a game of stars and entertainment and you have partners like Fox, Juan Soto needs to be in Atlanta because there's no one I'd rather have on the set. And you can't tell me there's 60 players or 60 stories more compelling than Juan Soto who's had a phenomenal June. He was a player of the month back in the day. I watched Larry Bird and Magic. I could care less if they had a bad first half or an average. I want to see Burden Magic in the All Star Game every year. A year. And then you're out.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, you and I agree finally having been in Major league Baseball, a former number one pick, Texas. It's the Yankees. It's a broadcaster. It's the Mariners. Now you're a co owner of an NBA team. The cultures are totally different. Whereas the NFL is all about the shield, baseball is all about the 10 year contract. The NBA is kind of all about the superstar. Just tell me, having watched the NBA, now a co owner, is there anything that surprised you about it? Is there anything as somebody that knows sports about as well as anybody I know as a former player that is the cultures different, more fun, more interesting, captivating. Where are you with that?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, the history is much different. Colin, what's been I've been part of Major league Baseball now for over 30 years and I've had some highs and I've had some lows, but I've learned a lot of lessons along the way. What's interesting about the biggest difference is that, you know, we had Marvin Miller as a player's union, then we had Don Fear as the head, then we had Michael Weiner, now we have Tony Clark. You know, from the minute you come into the big leagues, the enemy has been owners. Players and owners have really had a really long, tough relationship. Where in the NBA, owners love, love the players. The players have a really good relationship with the owners. And that's been the biggest difference that I've seen firsthand.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah. Alex Rodriguez, Fox Major League Baseball analyst. Tonight, the All Star Game in Atlanta. Great seeing you as always. Appreciate you giving us some time.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got it. Thank you.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.