PMS 2.0 - 1506 Live From Arizona at The World Baseball Classic, Adam Schefter, Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw, David Ross, Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh, Scott Boras

Summary

The Pat McAfee Show 2.0 – Episode 1506: Live From Arizona at the World Baseball Classic

Date: March 2, 2026
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona (San Francisco Giants Training Facility at Papago)

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Overview of the Episode

This special live episode of The Pat McAfee Show is set against the backdrop of Team USA’s spring training for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Pat McAfee, his crew, and a parade of baseball legends and insiders dive into the electric anticipation surrounding America’s quest to reclaim baseball dominance after losing to Japan in the previous tournament. The show’s baseball-centric focus is a high-energy celebration of American sports swagger, competitive spirit, and the unique camaraderie inside the Team USA clubhouse. Big-name guests from the MLB and NFL join the set for an open conversation filled with insider perspective, locker room banter, and timely sports news.

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Main Themes

• Team USA’s redemption mission at the World Baseball Classic, especially after Japan’s rise
• An exploration of what “America’s pastime” means in the current baseball landscape
• Exclusive player and coach access: Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw, Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh, Scott Boras, and others
• The NFL Combine and football franchise news, including Adam Schefter with breaking NFL updates
• Cultural moments: American athletic pride, international rivalries, and the infectious baseball offseason vibe

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

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1. Setting the Scene: World Baseball Classic Preview

(Starts ~00:00)

• Pat McAfee opens from sunny Scottsdale, excited over Team USA’s shot at redemption:
  • "We're live now. Sports are happening all around us, and obviously we are a football outfit, but how could we not celebrate the next opportunity for the United States of America to dominate the world in sport?” (00:02)
• Historical context:
  • WBC was born out of MLB's desire for international play after baseball’s Olympic removal
  • “Team USA woke up…we’re not letting that happen again. So now who do we got? Oh, I don’t know, Aaron Judge…Bryce Harper…” (01:20)
• America’s sporting rivalries:
  • Canada in hockey, Japan and Dominican Republic in baseball ("Don't let the Dominican Republic get hot." - 02:45)
• The vibe: American unity and ‘revenge tour’ against Japan and other baseball powers

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2. The NFL Combine and Football News with Adam Schefter

(09:00 – 22:00)

• Combine Recap & Insights:
  • Fastest-ever position groups
  • Players like Jeremiah Love, Mike Washington Jr., Kenyon Siddiq, Brendan Thompson—speed is the big story
  • “If you participated in the combine this year, you won the combine this year.” (10:32, Tone Digs)
• Insider take on players who skipped combine drills
  • Scouts concerned if a player skips fast-track opportunities (11:58)
  • Agents’ growing influence during combine events
• NFL News with Adam Schefter (from ~14:52):
  • David Montgomery's trade to the Texans
  • Questions surrounding Daniel Jones’ Colts future; franchise tag drama
  • Minnesota Vikings chasing any veteran QB who can “layer a football”
  • “I think what's going to happen here is either they get a deal done for Daniel Jones or he winds up…with the transition tag.” (19:17, Adam Schefter)
  • Lighthearted banter as Aaron Judge arrives off-camera (“Sorry, Mr. Judge. We will not leave you waiting, Captain America.” – Pat, 20:30)

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3. Baseball Culture, Locker Room Camaraderie & Team USA Star Guests

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Aaron Judge “Captain America” Interview

(23:00 – 40:38)

• On the loss to Japan in the last WBC:
  • “We kind of all were texting like, man, we got three more years. We're gonna rewrite the ship here…Boys are fired up.” (25:15, Judge)
• The pride of wearing USA & the mindset shift among players:
  • “It’s America’s pastime, man. Come on, we gotta see what this game is.”
• Notable Quote:
  • “Own the moment. Don’t let the moment own you.” (shared wisdom from Bryce Harper to Judge, 27:09)
• On group dynamics:
  • Cards, team dinners, “dive into each other, ask questions, get to know each other…when it hits the fan, we're gonna be ready.” (30:34, Judge)
• Emotional weight of wearing Team USA:
  • “Looking at the flag just really reminded me of all the men and women out there that have fought for this country…that was my first thought.” (32:06)
• On international rivals:
  • “We gotta have a killer mindset. Doesn't matter who you're playing because teams are gonna come after us, they're gonna give us our best…We gotta do the same thing.” (33:57)
• Lighter moments: “I can barely make contact against Kershaw…” (34:43, Judge to Pat)

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Bryce Harper Interview

(41:22 – 65:44)

• His pride and gratitude to represent the USA:
  • “Growing up, being able to represent my country as a junior, there was nothing like it... I’m so proud to be here.”
• The culture of the clubhouse:
  • “Doesn't matter where you came from…you put USA on your chest, and we're all family in here.”
• On dealing with pressure and expectation:
  • “Go out there, do your job, have fun. Same game we've been playing since we were kids, just at a higher level…” (44:31, Harper)
• Team text group & watching men’s/women’s hockey win:
  • “Seeing the women’s hockey, men’s hockey take gold in a football country…we’re making hockey ours right now, for the next four years at least it’s ours.” (48:03)
• Swagger and Cultural Energy:
  • “The cool thing about baseball and the WBC…you see the culture of everything…you’re going to see that from the US, from the Dominican, Venezuela, Japan.” (48:51)
• Bat flips & internal competition:
  • Lighthearted promises of bat flips, swagger moments if they face Canada or Japan (“This is for Pat. Thank you.” – 50:06)
• Camaraderie and leadership:
  • “I looked at the roster…who’s going to be the glue guy? Schwarbs, yeah, for sure.” (53:07)
• On Team USA’s Motivation after Japan’s win:
  • “Hopefully we get the chance to play them again…that’s a great, fundamentally sound team in Japan. So hopefully we get the chance to play them again.” (57:06)

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Coaches & Clubhouse Culture: David Ross (Grandpa Rossy)

(67:41 – 71:51)

• How coaches help recruit stars for Team USA:
  • “We had a 45 minute call earlier today about how to get that guy [Logan Webb] to join Team USA…”
• “Putting this across your chest is such an honor…It’s a special, special, special [thing].”

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Paul Skenes (Ace) & Cal Raleigh (The Big Dumper) Interview

(72:56 – 88:32)

• Skenes on ramping up:
  • “The training…was just a little earlier, but it’s not too much different.”
• On pitcher-catcher communication, learning from each another:
  • “There’s so much data now anyway…Really just gotta get on the same page with them.” (81:47, Raleigh)
• “We’re here to win the whole thing, …so, like, whatever I gotta do to get on the same page with these guys, like we’re gonna do.” (79:36, Raleigh)
• Locker room games and camaraderie:
  • “Cards, dice, dominoes…that’s where guys get most of their bonding in.” (84:16, Raleigh)
• Competition:
  • “We would love to kick Japan’s ass in the championship in this.” (85:19, Skenes)

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Clayton Kershaw Interview (Retired Legend, Team USA Pitcher)

(89:18 – 108:18)

• Returns to competition for meaning:
  • “I told D. Ro. I told Andy Pettit…'I’ll throw zero, I’ll throw every game. It doesn’t matter. I’m done after this.'” (90:49)
• On his pride for Team USA:
  • “It’s so cool…a bucket list thing for me… the nation support…We love that, to do that in a baseball uniform.” (104:12)
• Wisdom for Pat’s at-bat:
  • “I think I have enough for you. I think I can get you out.” (91:14, Kershaw to Pat)
• Shohei Ohtani praise:
  • “I don’t know how he does it. Special, right? This is like alien type stuff.” (100:09)
• Retirement perspective:
  • “You asked me in September if my body’s okay. I don’t think it would be…So between winning last year and, like you said, if you’re on the Dodgers, you probably have a chance to win every year.” (96:45)

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Super Agent Scott Boras: The Business of Baseball

(131:38 – End (~164:31))

• On WBC and player safety:
  • “One of the real problems we have is…players are at their [best] when they’re ready to perform…there’s less risk with it, rather than potentially doing it at points where they’re not built up yet.” (133:08)
• Parity, spending, and baseball’s CBA debates:
  • “Parity is something that is more foremost in a non cap system than in a cap system. Baseball offers [elite 8/70% of teams], NFL [56%], NBA [63%]." (139:31)
• Advocates for incentivizing good ownership and penalizing non-competitive teams:
  • “We need to reward them with greater draft picks… less luxury tax…And if you’re not competitive after a period of years, then…that impacts your franchise value…” (150:24)
• On not pursuing ownership himself:
  • “I would never cross that line because I made a commitment to care for them from the beginnings of their career. And if you transferred ownership for me, that would be a deviation from that commitment.” (158:57)
• Final message:
  • “Greatness is a part of you as long as you seek it.” (164:38, Scott Boras)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Own the moment. Don’t let the moment own you."
  – Bryce Harper (27:09, shared to Aaron Judge)

• On American pride in baseball:

  • “It’s America’s pastime, man. Come on, we gotta see what this game is.” (27:06, Aaron Judge)

• On representing the USA:

  • “Looking at the flag just really reminded me of all the men and women out there that have fought for this country…that was my first thought.” (32:06, Judge)

• Pat to Harper (on bat flips and swagger):

  • “If we run into Canada in this thing…and you hit a bingo…What do you want me to do? I’ll do it. What do you want me to do?” (49:28-50:05, Harper)

• Kershaw on Shohei Ohtani (Japanese teammates):

  • “He literally does have like a country watching him every second… I don’t know how he does it.” (100:03)

• Scott Boras on baseball’s secrets:

  • “The game plays so many games, and we have double the content of the NBA.” (141:32)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – 06:00: McAfee sets WBC stakes; Team USA’s redemption arc
• 09:00 – 22:00: NFL Combine, Adam Schefter on trades and QB carousel
• 23:00 – 40:38: Aaron Judge “Captain America” interview
• 41:22 – 65:44: Bryce Harper on clubhouse, pride, and WBC rivalries
• 67:41 – 71:51: David Ross & clubhouse culture
• 72:56 – 88:32: Paul Skenes & Cal Raleigh: Pitching, team strategy, and banter
• 89:18 – 108:18: Clayton Kershaw: retirement, pride, Shohei stories, and Pat’s at-bat
• 131:38 – End: Scott Boras: Business of baseball, WBC player safety, CBA, and the future

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Episode Tone & Energy

High-octane, celebratory, and patriotic with a blend of locker-room sarcasm and keen sports business insights. The show thrives on candid dialogue and back-and-forth quips, delivered with authentic American swagger, occasional profanity, and a reverent awareness of the significance of this WBC moment for Team USA and all of baseball.

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Summary Takeaway

This flagship World Baseball Classic episode captures the energy, challenges, and hope of American baseball at a pivotal moment. With the biggest names in the sport gathered on one team, the hope is not just to win, but to inspire a renewed love for the game. The episode features revealing player insights, lighthearted bravado, and serious takes on the business and politics of both baseball and football, making it a must-listen for fans eager for behind-the-scenes access to the people, strategy, and passion that define Team USA baseball.

Transcript

[Pat McAfee]

Beautiful people, and welcome to gorgeous Scottsdale, Arizona, the home of the San Francisco Giants baseball training facility. We're live now. Sports are happening all around us, and obviously we are a football outfit, but how could we not celebrate the next opportunity for the United States of America to dominate the world in sport? That's right. The World Baseball Classic throws its first pitch for the United States team on Friday as Team USA will take on Brazil, then Great Britain, then Mexico, then Italy, and a bunch of games down in Houston. And that's our pool. Japan's over in Japan. There's some in San Juan. And when all the boys gather, what we're looking to do is showcase that this is still America's pastime. For those that don't know, the World Baseball Classic came to be in 2006. MLB kind of pieced it together. You know, we saw the NHL do the Four nations, and everybody loved it. Well, in 2006, MLB said we need some sort of international event because baseball was no longer a part of the Olympics. Was not a part of the Olympics. What has happened since then? Well, it's been a nice battle, a joust of different countries, and with Japan becoming this powerhouse that they are in beating us. Just two years ago, whenever Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trot in the ninth inning to secure a dub for Japan, Team USA woke up. Team USA was much better because all of a sudden, the actual American baseball players, the players that are at top of what we have said, you know what? We're not letting that happen again. So now who do we got? Oh, I don't know. Aaron Judge. Captain America is here. Paul Skeens is the ace. Then you got Bryce Harper playing, and it's Cal Rawley, Tarek Skubal, you name it. All of our guys signed up and said, we're not losing anymore. This is America's pastime. And I believe that here in just a few weeks as this Japan team with Shohei and so much superstardom and a country behind him and a love of baseball, that has certainly helped our sport and certainly helped mlb. I've talked about this numerous times. I did not grow up playing baseball. I can't even really hold bat. Throwing a baseball is a little bit difficult for me. I could throw a football. Baseball is vastly different. Every once in a while, I kind of hang on. It goes a different way. But whenever Team USA is taking on the world, everybody gets excited. And that's what we think is about to happen. March 17th will be the finals for this. But over the next few weeks. I think the excitement for this will grow. I think as Team USA and these boys take this diamond, I think our entire country will rally behind them just like they did with the hockey team. And who's the foe? Well, in hockey, it's Canada. We beat their ass, we win women and men. In baseball, it's Japan. All eyes are on Shohei and the boys. But don't let the Dominican Republic get high.

[Boston Connor]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't let Cuba start doing their thing. Venezuela's got a team that's ready to roll and we are excited and lucky that they invited us out here and that we're going to be chit chatting with a lot of the boys from Team USA as they have their first day of training camp basically here out in gorgeous Cactus League home Arizona. Now, 15 teams use this area as their spring training. We are at the San Francisco Giants baseball training facility. All of their stuff is handled here year round. It's called Papago. And as you kind of spin and see the beautiful views of the desert out here in Arizona, which once again I'd like to say I love this place. That right there is the Papago Buttes, those rocks that you see. And although they might look fake, like something you put in your yard to kind of COVID an electrical outlet or something, they are very real. And what else is going to be very real? The competition of the boys. Team USA wants to win bad and so does everybody else. It's a beautiful thing and we thank them for it. We'll be talking to Aaron Judge today. Bryce Harper, Paul Skeens, Clayton Kershaw, Scott Borris. Oh, yeah. Adam Schefter will join in about 10 minutes because there's a lot of news coming out of the combine and there's a lot of situations happening around the NFL as franchise tag deadline is tomorrow at 4 o' clock and there's trades taking place for people to move salary cap and rebuild their entire team for next year. It's a wonderful time to be alive. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this for a living. I got a little air conditioning down here because it's like 95 degrees out here. It was a welcomed addition to our life. We enjoyed this place yesterday pretty good. Certainly we're rolling around with AQ Shipley, who's a member of the Illuminati out here called Thunderbirds. I guess Thunderbirds are a group of young professionals who own everything in this town. And we went and saw all their places yesterday. We did. When I left the hotel, about 10:30am Just trying to go get some brunch. I'm gonna go pound the pavement a little bit, just see what we got going on. One thing leads to another. It's 10:30pm all of a sudden, and I'm like, wait a minute, we're two behind. That's 12:30. I got a show tomorrow. I gotta get home. AQ Shipley and the Thunderbirds go, we got one more place to go. I'm like, I do not. Get me the hell out of here. One more spot. End up a guy's basement.

[Scott Boras]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

That's kind of like a thing that happens after wrestling and fighting. Like fighting. There was just a lot of energy being presented to me in one different. Because I was so tired. They say, hey, you need a little energy. Bang. I go, you might get the notion that I'm into this snow, but I'm floating. But it's a little bit different around here. But it was spectacular and we're lucky to be here. It's not just me, obviously. The toxic table is here in full force at Boston Conner and at Ty Schmidt. Ty, baseball is epic. Obviously you were an all Star this last year. You had the full kit and caboodle. We got a chance to intro the guys at the Home Run Derby and meet everybody. Feels like baseball does appreciate us because our program's on whatever clubhouse. Clubhouse, the outhouse, the clubhouse. And it's a great group of lads in this World Baseball Classic. I don't know if anybody really recognizes outside of the baseball road, this is going to be the talk of the town over the next couple of weeks.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, definitely. And like you mentioned it, I think it just helps with everything that just happened with both the women's and men's hockey team. Like, American Pride right now for some people is at an all time high. So. And like, you got invested in this a couple of years ago when we kind of got down to the final rounds and it was like, hey, we're trying to win a title here against a different country. But at the time, you know, it really wasn't the now. We certainly had a lot of good players, but the team we have fielded this year, we got 30 guys, 65 total all star appearances. Like this is the first time in the history of this tournament that I think all of the best players in the world that are from the US said, hey, okay, we're not losing again. Let's come in and let's win. And like you said, yeah, I mean, I think this is a great event.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, and great event is just Connor's face right now. So you're a lefty, obviously. You're not taking a fastball to the face. That's what just happened there. Bingo.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. I'm lefty. I'm always ready. I mean, that's the thing about usa.

[Pat McAfee]

We all want to represent it.

[Boston Connor]

That's why this thing means so much. I'm ready. You know, we played a couple, you know, throws a long toss.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know about my long toss

[Boston Connor]

per se, but I'm going to give him my all. And if I need to get in the batter's box and take one off the chin, I will. If they want me to take this off, just to take one to the grill. Adam Sandler, Happy Gilmore, I will. You know, I am ready for this. This is a very exciting thing, especially in the offseason. Anytime we're wearing jerseys that say USA on it just brings more juice, heat, energy. Pumped to be here.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we're pumped to have you. You had a great day yesterday. He just wrapped. He decided to do a fast when he flew out here Saturday. Saturday rolled into Sunday.

[Boston Connor]

I was ready to eat on the plane. Plane doesn't have any food for me. I'm like, all right, I guess we're going to keep this thing going until this morning. It was a good time, though. I feel great.

[Pat McAfee]

You are supposed to do this. Connor just did a 70 hour fast coming into Arizona. Phenomenal work. Honestly, I was very proud of your discipline. Nine year NFL vet, host of everything. Db Good D. Bad D. Dereus J. Butler's back. Good to see you.

[Boston Connor]

Be back.

[Pat McAfee]

I love watching you with your family. Like seeing you guys catch up here in the equestrian family. Now you obviously got some golfing family. Talking family we love. We miss you, obviously. We had a great time at the combine. We'll dive into that here in a matter of moments. Anytime we get a chance to do something like, though it does feel special. We're just walking around here. San Francisco Giants training, baseball training facility. All their dudes are out here. Bryce Harper bumps into us while we're walking out here. It just feels bigger, feels special. And I'm happy I get a chance to kind of see what it is. Boots on the ground.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. I'm kind of like, you didn't grow up a huge baseball guy. I really got into baseball probably in college when I started playing mlb, the show. That was my favorite game. This is the one reason I kept the PlayStation, actually. And now they got on other systems. But it's great. Anytime you can get the best of the best in your country. Going against another country, that's awesome. We haven't been able to do that, obviously with American football, you know, it hasn't grown around the globe like that yet. So when you have a field like this where there's three legit teams, I think, you know, I'm a casual. But obviously you got us, you got doctor and you got Japan, who can legit win this thing. The moment that we had with Trout and Shohei, for it to come down to that and then for us to have all of our best guys, like, all right, I'm in. Like you said, on the heels of what happened with hockey, I mean, I'm all in on this and this facility. I mean, this is awesome. The weather. I can't wait to see these boys get out of here today.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, the boys getting after it are going to be spectacular. You know, Coach, Skipper, D Row, Skip Skip D. Rossi and Dino. We just chatted to a lot of ex players are the coaches of this baseball team. So it really is for the lads, it feels like. And the boys would like to win. Let's talk about winning. The combine in Indianapolis took place last week. It was obviously a phenomenal hanging. I mean, we got a chance to do a lot of things we don't normally get to do. Actually stayed downtown. D Bud. Did the meetings, did the handshakes, did the drinks with everybody. It was nice to catch up. It was nice to see. Got a chance to hang out in the Buffalo Bill suite while the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers were working out on Saturday. That was awesome. I mean, getting a chance to kind of hear Bean, the way he kind of looks at it, hear their scouts, hear the way other people are operating next to us. The next sweet over was the Jets. Hearing their conversations and knowing that that's right where Aaron Glenn was sitting just a few days ago whenever he was snoozing and he's looking at his phone. Yeah, I don't think so. But I could see how he'd fall asleep there. If you have not been there, you would never truly understand how there's dead air, dead time and nothing else going on. Especially from a coach's perspective where you could kind of see the film from everywhere. But it was fascinating. Like them watching somebody run a time and them going, ooh, that's big for him. He could check a box. Everybody was seemingly checking the speed box this past week. Let's go to one half of the Hammer Down Cowboys ap Tone, Tone. Know you're a baseball guy, certainly dive into that. But the combine seeming was spectacular this year, more so than ever before.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, it's awesome to be here. It's beautiful. Anytime you come out and do a show for your country to build up, you know, some morale before this world

[Pat McAfee]

baseball, you're taking, you're saying you're doing this for your country. Yeah, I appreciate you doing that.

[Boston Connor]

Anytime I can put some valor on there, I will. But no, a lot of people are saying if you participated in the combine this year, you won the combine this year. So if you look at it, if you go by position group, running back, fastest ever. Wide receiver, fastest ever. Tight end, fastest ever. O line, fastest ever D line, fastest ever linebacker, fastest ever. Safety, fast as ever. Quarterback, second fastest ever. But if you ran, you ran fast. I don't know what that that coconut hus was doing out there. It was unbelievable. Some of the guys that we're looking at here that we wanted to highlight, starting with, you know, one of the biggest running back names in the class. The biggest running running back name in the class, Jeremiah Love, who just went out there, he did the 40, he flew 437, 436 and then he went out and he did every single drill, dominated, did wide receiver drills, dominated those. He was awesome. Mike Washington Jr. Was your fastest running back. He was at 220 plus pounds. Ran a 4, 3, 3. He was overcome with emotion after that. That was really, really cool to see. He jumped up. He's now a lot of, a lot of guys. Number two running back, number three running back in this draft. He was awesome there. Brendan Thompson, the wide receiver out of Mississippi State, set the fastest of the combine with the 4.26 in this one. That was absolutely flying. I love this man because he went under the 4, 2, 6, 5 winning that bet. He had a great combine. When you look at some other guys in there, Kenyon Siddiq, we knew coming in, he was going to be absurd. He jumps 40 plus, he's in the four threes at 240 plus pounds. At six three. Like, geez, that man is absurd.

[Pat McAfee]

Fast track too. So as everybody's running on these and yes, the way athletes are looking now and running now, it's unbelievable. I thought there was a chance they were going to get slower because guys were getting bigger. Instead we got old football with bigger bodies with new football with the same speed. It was fascinating sitting in that suite, listening to people talk that kind of are in the know or in the judgment. And I'm not Saying Bean said this because he did not. Others in the suite and in the suites around us were saying it. The guys that were choosing not to run at the combine, crazy. And saying, we'll run it to pro day. A lot of the scouts were a little bit worried because if you're looking out there and you're seeing everybody's running a personal best, why wouldn't you want to get on that track? Is kind of how everybody thinks now. Not everybody was prepared. Some people are coming out of injuries, but if you were healthy and you were looking what was going on and you didn't want to go run, you heard like, the natural, like, is he scared to compete? Like, why would you not want to run on this fast track that's kind of taking place right now. Another thing that's happening. I don't know if we knew this during a combine, guys run, then they go and they sit down, then they call their agent and shy around again. I hate it. But I guess that is just kind of what it is. And I asked a couple of the NFL. I'm like, that guy's on his phone right there. What's he on his phone? He's like, he's calling his agent right now, probably just to see what the next move is.

[Boston Connor]

Crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm like, okay, I don't mind that. Try to get a good heads up. Try to get a little intel, maybe celebrate a little bit on the phone. You know, maybe it's a celebration moment with the family. I don't think that should be happening personally, but they said, don't have it, then nobody will do anything. Okay. So we need to kind of take this how it is. A lot of fans came into the combine, which I was very grateful for. I think they got to make the Insight Stadium experience a little bit better. I think that was kind of asked, but we got a lot of fans there just watching people do stuff. I think the Kanban is up and to the right and only going to do that. But if guys are getting bigger, stronger and faster still, there has to be a limit to what the human can do. Right? And then you got the Styles family. That's just outrageous from top to bottom. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, Sonny stole day one. He. He was the. The. The first person who, like Sonny Styles,

[Pat McAfee]

linebacker from Ohio State.

[Boston Connor]

Thank you. That's on me. He's first player, I think, who's over. Over 6, 5, 2, 35 plus who jumped 40 plus and ran under a 4, 5. He was absurd. I mean, he probably is now a certified top five. Pick in this upcoming draft. I mean, the jets could take him at 2. That would not be shocking there. And then his brother comes out and runs a four two seven. The Styles family. He's a safety out of Ohio State. Not as big as Sonny, but just. Just as athletic. Running that time there was absurd. The Styles family did incredible. Look at their man.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Boston Connor]

Did he play?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, everything. Yeah, he did, and he don't play. There's a lot of those. There was one of the best tweets I've seen in some time. Banger and D. But I'm gonna need your assistance here. Would I have been allowed to retweet that? I honestly.

[Boston Connor]

I think you'd say for the. Like, just like it.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what I was about. It was one of the greatest tweets I've ever seen. I laughed, big laugh. And then, like, as soon as I was going to retweet it, I was

[Boston Connor]

like, wait a minute.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know if I'm even allowed to do that. I genuinely don't know what the rules are on this entire thing. So then I was gonna, quote, tweet it. I was gonna ask, hey, I would like to show respect to this particular tweet. I think it's phenomenal. It is not my tweet, though. I would just like to kind of see where we're at. Phenomenal. Work out of the Styles family and the Internet and shout to the NFL. Never stopping. Shout out to people making a lot of money for themselves. And joining us now is a man who's gonna tell us the stories about what he heard around town at the combine and the storylines coming out. Plus a couple massive trades taking place here just one day before franchise tag deadline day. Ladies and gentlemen, Senior NFL Insider for espn. Adam Schefte. Shafty. You look cool out and about, gentlemen. Looks nice there. Where you in Arizona right now? Yeah, we're in Scottsdale right now out here, you know, taking in team USA Baseball's first day of training as we take on Brazil on Friday. San Francisco Giants baseball training facility out here in Scottsdale. Shefty. It is beautiful out here, brother. Beautiful. This. Your last two shows have been very USA oriented with Jack Hughes and the women's hockey team on Friday. And that was a great job by you, bringing Jack Hughes to Indy. And I will say, standing next to your set and watching all the people in the dome come at him wave after wave after wave, he could not have been more gracious and accommodating with his time and the way he handled all that attention. It was very impressive to watch. Kudos to Jack Hughes for that. Yeah, Jack was outstanding for America and for hockey and for our show. So I thanked him about a thousand times. Sent him a video yesterday while we were boozed up, thanking him again for it all. A true mensch, Schefter. I believe a true mensch is how they would mention that. And Megyn Keller, also spectacular. Today we'll have a couple Americans that are going to be representing usa. Hopefully they go on to win the gold as well. Like we were all expecting, let's talk a little football here. A couple huge trades. Casario is working this morning, huh? Did you expect this? Do we expect more? How are your thoughts on what's going down in Houston right now? Well, you knew that they were reshuffling their line and you know, Cleveland's resetting its line. So Titus Howard goes there. But obviously the headline there would be David Montgomery winding up in Houston. The Texans struggle to run the football in the red zone. They struggle to run the football in general. They have Woody Marks, the rookie running back from last year, who was impressive. But now you match Woody Marks and David Montgomery there together. David Montgomery was incredibly popular in Detroit. They get back some draft picks. Juice Scruggs in return for David Montgomery, and he obviously will bring a big boost. The one thing the Texans had to do, they had to get more weapons and they had to get a running game going for CJ Stroud. There's been some questions and criticism for CJ Stroud. They really, whether it's fair or not, I don't know. But it's hard for CJ Stroud to be the best quarterback he can be without a run game. So David Montgomery gives them the chance to have that. Now the Lions going in a different direction. Obviously they'll add another running back at some point here. Free agency in the draft while they go out and sign Jameer Gibbs to what we would think would be a massive new extension. Obviously one of the most explosive players in the league. They're not going to let him go from Detroit. And I would think at some point here this offseason, that deal gets done for him. All right, right tackle for Texans moves up to Cleveland for a fifth round pick. As Texans working right now, franchise tag tomorrow, there's going to be massive conversations. Let's start with the Indianapolis Colts. Alec Pierce allegedly going to get franchise tagged. And then I've been asking this question. Okay, you're saying I don't know because it might follow up to this one, I've been asking his question, but everybody's just been acting like Daniel Jones is the Colts quarterback next year. I'm like, well, isn't there a contract that has to happen? And did he not just play his best football that he is ever played now he had one broken leg and an Achilles on the other side. So what? You know, how can he do what he can do? But everybody was just assuming that the Colts were going to have Daniel Jones back, like it was going to be no big deal. And then reports come out that they're not close in contract discussion. So where are the Colts kind of sitting at that case and with Alec Pierce and with Danny Dimes being a huge topic of conversation on the offensive side, you see them using the franchise tag to maybe make some plays before tomorrow at 4.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm told it's 50, 50 that they'll be able to get a deal done with Daniel Jones by the deadline tomorrow. 50, 50. Either way.

[Boston Connor]

Okay, 50, 50. That's not bad.

[Pat McAfee]

Taylor talking like it was a hundred percent, wasn't it?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Social media, team posting photos. Yeah. Look at our core back. We don't even have them. We don't even have this guy. And then I'm talking to insiders like you, baby, I don't know. I don't know how much you kind of perpetuated this narrative as well to me and being like, well, Daniel Jones would be back there with the glass. Everybody was just acting like that was going to happen. Shafty, didn't he? Hold on, Pat. I think what's going to happen here is either they get a deal done for Daniel Jones or he winds up, I think in my mind, with the transition tag. I think that's in play here. That's certainly an option. And if he gets the transition tag, then I think I know he'd be allowed to go out and get offers from other teams. And you just wonder about a team like Minnesota. Although they've got cap issues, it's hard to structure a contract if you're the Vikings. Holy shit. Transition tag to make it work. Like I'm not telling you it can't happen. There's always ways to make things happen. What are you looking around there for, Pat? What's going on there? Fucking Aaron Judge just showed. This guy is gigantic. I mean, you gotta be kidding. Sorry, sorry, Mr. Judge. Hold on. Sorry, Mr. Judge. We're getting some last minute baseball news here, Mr. Judge. Holy hell. What a thing.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Captain America. Thank you, Captain America.

[Boston Connor]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you, Captain America. See about a minute and a half cap. We will not leave you waiting, Captain America. Okay, so you talk about Daniel Jones and transition tag, maybe somebody compete. Then he mentioned Minnesota Vikings. Felt like from all the conversations I had around the combine, and obviously you're having some similar, not just with Vikings people, but like people around the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings are looking for any quarterback that can layer a football, right? That is basically anybody that can go ahead and get the ball up and down on the other side of a linebacker in play, Kyler in play, Kirk in play, basically anybody that they think TUA can be. Geno Smith in play, Aaron Rodgers, anybody that can layer up. Josh McCown, who's our quarterback coach, might be in play. Is that what you're hearing as well? They just would like to find somebody probably a veteran that they already know if they can't do it or not, that could put one over the linebacker in front of the safety. That is basically all they're looking for right now. Is that what you're hearing as well? I think they're looking at a veteran. The guys that I'm looking for, Kyler would be one option. Geno Smith, if, if. If the Raiders decide to release him would be another option. Daniel Jones, very pricey. I don't know if they can get it done, but in a perfect world, that would be a great option for the Vikings. You could bring up all the court, but I don't know that. I don't know the list is all that long, but clearly they're going to be adding to that quarterback room here in the next week or two. All right, last thing before we get Captain America up here is we're sitting on his grass making him wait right now. Anything that we missed in there that you think is a notable conversation that's taking place out of combine week right before franchise tag here that we need to know about? I think A.J. brown and Max Crosby are in a similar situation. Both teams not wanting to deal their guys, both teams open to listening, and both teams have to have an offer that they can't say no to to move guys that they want to hold on to. Those are the two notable names. Feel free to dump me anytime. And how about that? Jack Hughes Friday, Aaron Judge today. Who's tomorrow?

[Boston Connor]

I mean, you got.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, this is unbelievable. This is quite a rumble. Thank you, Chef. Dude. Yeah. I read an article that was like, these guys got the big guest game. It must be nice or whatever. It's like you don't know what it feels like. About 30 minutes before the show. We got nothing. You a lot of anxiety that comes with all this. Go ahead. You flew Jack Hughes to Indianapolis, right? Yeah. Yeah. How come you not fly me straight? You're nor Alaska. We got to go like commercial and we just got to get out. See, that's Che. Looks like Che sucks. We had him on the show.

[Boston Connor]

Jack Hughes and also offered Megan Keller to fly in. Yes, we did.

[Pat McAfee]

Please. We got to remember that. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a guy that might have to fly his own plane. I assume he'd be able to fly it perfectly. Without a doubt, this man is currently the back to back MVP of the damn league. Some call him the greatest hitter maybe of all time. He appears to be 6 foot 12. Ladies and gentlemen, Captain America. The captain of Team USA baseball, Aaron Judge. I'll help you up, dude. God. Good to see you, dude. Thank you so much for joining us. God, man, Sky.

[Boston Connor]

Always an honor.

[Pat McAfee]

This guy.

[Boston Connor]

Cap.

[Pat McAfee]

Cap.

[Boston Connor]

Shoes per usual.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. That's a mess, Gordon. Last time or no. Yeah. Oh, hell yeah. Oh, yes. Thank you. Thank you again, sir.

[Pat McAfee]

Here you go, sir.

[Boston Connor]

Ready, Cap.

[Pat McAfee]

You see my J's? Thank you for sending them to me.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, that's incredible. It's incredible. You ready to go?

[Pat McAfee]

That was you and your people.

[Boston Connor]

You're ready to go?

[Pat McAfee]

I will say my pinky toes right now. Kinda, you know, give it a.

[Boston Connor]

Give it a sec.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I gotta break them in.

[Boston Connor]

Break them in a little.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, do a little bit of that.

[Boston Connor]

Just like the clubs.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Can you tell us about break? Yeah. On that note, I was playing some long toss out here. How. Okay, this is not you being in brag braggadocious. How far are you throwing from this line here? Like whenever you're doing long toss. This is my first time doing. It was earlier today. I just need to know where you're at versus where I'm at. Who are you throwing the ball to? Like that fence over there. Are you making it all the way to the fence?

[Boston Connor]

We're getting closer the fence. We're getting close. It depends on the day. Not every day, but little long toss a couple times a week. Gets arm feeling good.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So you guys play so many games. I just played catch and I got these tingles in my hand and I got this thing.

[Boston Connor]

Give it a week.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. And I think I'm pitching against Kershaw potentially later today. So I mean I gotta. I gotta really get. I don't know what juice they were using back in the day, but I need to find it quickly out here. Can you tell me about this Team USA journey that we're about to go on here. Because me as non baseball person, listen, I got so invested in the World Baseball Classic two years ago whenever Japan wins. I have been told that a lot of you watched that just like I did and decided that this one was going to go different. Is that an accurate depiction of how this Team USA team came together and how you ultimately became Captain America for SNS wbc?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, definitely. Definitely. We. I was sitting at home watching it. I was just. I was a free agent at the time, wondering where I was going to play, and signed it back with the Yankees. Best decision ever. And. And yeah, Team USA in the championship, they lose to Japan. And, you know, we kind of all were texting like, man, we got a three more years. We're gonna rewrite the ship here. And boys are fired up. I got a call from D. Ro. Hey, would you be the captain? Want you to bring the boys in.

[Pat McAfee]

Awesome.

[Boston Connor]

And it's just been. It's an incredible journey kind of talking with D Row, talking with the boys, just seeing how many people just right away we're just, hey, I'm in. Oh, we're doing this. Like, I'm in. I'm in. So looking forward to it, man. It's getting real, you know, putting the uniform on, seeing you guys all day. That's. It's getting real.

[Pat McAfee]

I can't wait. Yeah. Us, of course. Yeah. We make you feel like it's real. Yeah, I understand. Hey, don't feel the pressure too much of us being here. Whenever you talk about putting it on and like, representing for our country. Basketball was starting to deal with European invasion. Okay. Basketball was starting to get all the MVPs in a row or all European invasion. Now we all have eyes. We see it. Shohei. Japan really becoming, I think, good for the sport of baseball because how much they love it and how much their sport, their countries kind of got involved, but this is America's pasta. Is there something about that in this locker room or I don't know what you guys call it in this clubhouse, in this dog. What? The clubhouse.

[Boston Connor]

Clubhouse.

[Pat McAfee]

He had it in a clubhouse. Is there something about that? Because the NBA guys, I think we're starting to talk about it, like, hey, this is not how they're supposed to go. Is there a natural conversation about what's happening whenever it comes to, like, these types of international events for your sport, our sport, America's pastime?

[Boston Connor]

You know, first off, I think it's beautiful how much the game has grown. I Think it's wonderful seeing kids all across the world getting a chance to see the best of the best play and, like, grow the game. You're seeing kids who've never played baseball, never heard of baseball, getting a chance, like, hey, let's check this thing out. So I love that aspect, but it's America's fast time, man. Come on, we gotta see what this game is.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, we do. T Bone has a question for you, Aaron.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I got a question for you. You. It's. I'm going to compare it to golf, because I got a lot of internal dialogue when I'm standing over that ball. Maybe too much, maybe too many swing thoughts. What's it like when you enter that batter's box is there? Or before you're entering that with that matchup in between pitches, maybe. What's that internal dialogue like for you? Wow. For me, it starts on deck. When I'm on deck, you know, there's a certain breathing technique. I'm kind of visualizing the picture. I'm kind of thinking about how that bat's going to go, what the situation is going to be. But I think one of the coolest things, I was talking to Harper before the postseason this last year, and he texted me, probably the coolest thing. He was like, hey, one thing I tell myself every. Every post season, every big game, it's like, own the moment. Don't let the moment own you. You know, there's so much unknown, you don't know what's going to happen. Like, own the moment, big spot, nobody's on, who cares? Go out there and own it. And like, it gave me chills. I was sitting there and like, before I walked into the steps in Yankee Stadium, we're about to play the Red Sox. And. And before I went out there, I was like, hey, own the moment.

[Pat McAfee]

And then, welcome to my show. That is real. So as a punter, you know, which is obviously, you guys get so many more at bats and everything means much more. But as a punter, I'm walking out on the field all by myself. Back there, all eyes are on me. You're gonna find out whether or not. Cause you guys fail so much. Like, strikeouts are just like, yup, take it. Everybody's laughing in your face. Walk of shame back there. And then next one, you got to go back out there. Once I clicked in my. And this is not me trying to compare it to you, your fucking Captain America, or Bryce Harper. But I did have to change the thing. Like, I'm going to put on a show Right now, like these welcome to my show as opposed to like trying to do my job. It's like I'm walking out here trying to steal the show almost and try to bomb some balls. It's a different mentality whenever you're trying to just go ahead and dominate as opposed to get by you. You have brother back to back MVPs. I ride along your seasons with this man. And Ty had a long one yesterday. I want to let you know, for his country, he tied one on yesterday alongside us out here in Scottsdale, which, wow, beautiful. What a place out here, especially with the access Team USA is getting. Ty has a question for you, Aaron.

[Boston Connor]

Obviously there are a bunch of all stars on the Yankees, but being the captain of the Yankees, like, how, how does your duty differ here when you have, you know, there's 30 guys on the team, 65 all star selections, a bunch of MVPs, like, is the approach a little bit different when obviously there are a bunch of dudes on the Yankees, but like, everyone here is like, this is the best of the best. Like how different is that day to day? And obviously this is a lot more truncated than a full season with the Yankees. But how does that approach change? For me, it's going to stay the same. You know, I got a chance to play for the best franchise in all sports with the Yankees. You know, the guys that come in and out of those doors are some of the best of the best MVPs, Cy Young winners, everything. And you know, same with this room. Cy Young winners, World Series champs, MVPs. My job's the same. I got to get the best out of everybody in that room. You know how I can help you elevate your game? Anything I can do, if it's a talk, if it's us hitting the cage, us talking on the field, whatever I got to do to elevate your game to help us win, that's, that's what I'm going to do. So it doesn't matter if you're from, you know, Cincinnati, the Dodgers, Miami, whatever I got to do to help you be your best for the next two or three weeks, like, I'm going to do it.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you guys do? Play cards. You have cards group. Because you guys are around. Baseball is a long season. Is it normally a Cards type situation? What would the camaraderie building be for Team USA in this quick amount of time?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, that's a tough thing. We played cards on the flight, you know, 3, 5, 7, Boray kind of, kind of mess around Baseball contours,

[Pat McAfee]

quick. Yeah, yeah, I could imagine.

[Boston Connor]

But team dinners. We have a couple of team dinners. Get the guys together. I think Logan Webb's going to have some people over. We're going to have some fun. Just. I think that's the biggest thing is, like, hey, just. Just dive into it, you know, dive into each other, ask questions, get to know each other. Like, it's. You got the best of the best all in one clubhouse. Like, let's. Let's soak it up. I think that's the coolest thing, is I get to know each other because when it hits the fan out there on the field, like, we're gonna be ready. I'm gonna have your back. I know you dived into me. I dived into you. Like, we're gonna have each other's back.

[Pat McAfee]

I love that you guys are taking, like, an emotional standpoint for representing United States of America. And with what just happened with the hockey team, how does that kind of change. Did you. You and the boys are obviously on a group text. I assume you're watching both. Both the women and the men. Just pond Canada. It's our sport now. Now, granted, Japan was saying the same thing to us a couple years ago about this particular sport, so we didn't love that. We had to get pretty quiet quickly. But whenever that happens. What is the group text amongst you and the rest of the boys for Team USA here?

[Boston Connor]

Oh, boys were fired up. Hughes. Man, we sent so many pictures of Hughes in the group.

[Pat McAfee]

It was a beer gift from Quinn. Yeah. I assume you guys.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, it was great. It's just. It's kind of cool. Like, it's just gonna snowball into this. Like, just the excitement we had with when I was with the Yankees. And then in the group text, just the boys were pumped up. And also now it's like WBC get a chance to throw on the red, white and blue and, like, copy what they did. Man, that was a special run. That was fun to watch on both sides, men and women. It was. That was a blast.

[Pat McAfee]

And we're gonna watch you guys do the same damn thing. Go ahead, comment.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Speaking of emotions, Aaron, when you first put on that uniform, what were your emotions? Were you thinking of your family? I mean, granted, you play for the Yankees. You mentioned it every time you put on that uniform, the pinstripes, that comes with something. But when you put on the USA uniform, was it a different feeling? Was it. Was there something specific you thought of or was it just kind of overwhelming? Hey, let's go do this thing kind of, kind of all the above. When I put on the uniform, honestly, looking at the flag just really reminded me of all the men and women out there that have fought for this country or fighting for this country. You know, I get a chance, my family's safe at home. I get a chance to go play a kids game every single day. You know, I get to see my daughter at home, I get to see my wife, see my family. So it's just that was my first thought. I was like, man, there's people overseas everywhere around the country. People in the past that have lost their lives. Didn't get those moments that I get to spend when I go home and see my daughter. So I was kind of the first thing kind of going through my head was thinking about them and then it was like, oh, it's go time.

[Pat McAfee]

Absolutely. Because there's a lot of people that aren't baseball people just because they see USA playing against somebody like Brazil. Okay. There's going to be people that are going to see Team USA play in Brazil and we're expecting 30, 40, nothing, at least five home runs. Like what is real? What should we be thinking about some of these teams? Like I think Brazil, I don't know their entire roster, I don't think I know anybody on their roster. But some of these countries, I don't think anybody in America, non baseball people or baseball people are going to have respect for them. What is your guys mindset like every game? Obviously you can't slip. Like, I think that is that baseball in a nutshell as you view this tournament? Because like. And do you know all these guys you're playing against in this tournament? Great Brazil, Great Britain, Netherlands.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Italy, I think as a team. Do you know these teams? Are you studying these teams and what should our expectations be of your squad?

[Boston Connor]

Oh, we're, we gotta have a killer mindset. That's, that's the thing. It doesn't matter who you're playing because teams are gonna come after us, they're gonna give us our best, they're gonna do anything they can to beat us. So we gotta do the same thing. We gotta treat every opponent. Doesn't matter if you know them, don't know them. It's like, hey, we got a job to do. You know, we gotta get in, get out, take care of business and move on to the next. So.

[Pat McAfee]

So if somebody's throwing the floater out there, you got like a 60 mile an hour coming out.

[Boston Connor]

Floater EFIs.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. How would that go? For instance? Like I might be pitching against Clayton Kershaw later today. He's pitching against me for sure. We'll see if I can get out there. He might have. When was the last time he saw 67 miles an hour coming over?

[Boston Connor]

He's gonna. Happy Gilmore. You, I think. Oh, no, no, It's.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you think I make contact one full inning, I get three outs.

[Boston Connor]

I can barely make contact against this. You might have better odds than me. We'll see.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, okay. Of course. No, but there is, like, levels to this shit. What are you expecting pitching wise? Like, we have the best pitchers right in the world. Some of these other places might have one guy, two guys. Like, what should we expect competition level

[Scott Boras]

from some of these countries?

[Boston Connor]

We're gonna see. I've never been in it, man. If I played a couple years ago, I'd have a better. Better.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, so you really are just kind of international play is not a normal thing for, like, a baseball thing. Like, when you're kids, you're not doing, like, international games.

[Boston Connor]

The. The good ones are. I wasn't invited to those ones. So. Crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, it's all good, but it's. Yeah, I'm just excited. It doesn't matter, man. It doesn't. It doesn't matter what we're about to see.

[Pat McAfee]

Bomb ball. Tone has a question for you, Aaron.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. You were talking about how what you learned before the postseason, last postseason with Bryce Harper, and now you have Skeens and Scubal and Kershaw and Bednar on your roster. Like, during these next couple weeks, are you going to try to pick their brains as well to kind of get into the. Do you think they'll even divulge information to you to help you the next few weeks, since you guys are teammates? I think a little bit they won't give all the secrets, but I think, man, there's greatness all in that room. We're surrounded by greatness. You got to just. I think what I'm going to try to do is just appreciate it and see, like, how these guys tick. How's their. What's their preparation? What's their weight room routine? What are they doing? The bullpen? What do they do in the box? Like, what do you like? Especially the hitters, what do you think in certain situations to prepare for this situation? So I don't know. I think, yeah, everyone's going to kind of keep all certain secrets kind of tied to home, but. No, you're going to. Yeah, we got to dive in. That's one thing I'm going To tell the boys here in a little bit is just dive into each other, learn what you can. Like, be there for each other, man. That's what's going to help us ultimately win the gold.

[Pat McAfee]

How old are you?

[Boston Connor]

33.

[Pat McAfee]

God, we're a perfect human, Ty.

[Boston Connor]

I agree.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, my captain, Ty is less.

[Boston Connor]

Our captain.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, our captain. Our captain, sir. Yeah, our captain, sir.

[Boston Connor]

How a. How's the elbow feeling? I know that was, like, a big thing last year, and then in terms of like. Like this. I saw spring training. You're down in Tampa. You hit a couple homers. Right away, it's like, all right, judge, he's ready to go. You know, he doesn't really need spring training. But, like, in terms of preparation, do you have to kind of accelerate everything? Because this is full go, and it's not like a spring training game where you might get in a bat or play three innings and then you're done for the day. Like, how. How in terms of, like, the big picture, how much did you have to excel, accelerate everything to get ready for this? Yeah, for the elbows, throwing, the elbow, I didn't take any time off. I probably took two weeks off after our last game. No throw, no baseball stuff. And then I was right back to throwing just to kind of get the juices flowing a little bit. I'm getting older, so I can't.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, got it. But then there's always the question about how many reps can your old body handle? You know, because you can't take much time off because old body will. Obviously not. You're old. You're 33, but you get it. But then if you do too many reps, is the old body able to keep up? Have you always been a lot of reps guy and just get back on the horse?

[Boston Connor]

No, usually I take a lot of time off and try to recover, but it's just like when you got that old 72 sitting in the garage. Man, you gotta keep that thing. You gotta keep that thing running, you know, so. Nah. So I started right after the season, start throwing, doing my stuff, and you just. You got the same schedule. Just move it up a little bit, you know, if I know I got to be ready March 6th to kick some, you know, just move it up a couple weeks so I'm ready. Just move it up. So the preparation was all the same, and, yeah, we're. We're fired up, man.

[Pat McAfee]

You mentioned Logan Webb. I was actually there. There was a photo that I posted in November. Ernest had a show at the Ryman Auditorium. Down there in Nashville. And whenever I got down there, I went to his bus beforehand and grandpa Rossi was sitting in there and I'm like, holy hell, I'm such a big fan. And we're hanging and Ernest is in there with his guitar, just singing, singing, singing. And then all of a sudden, they start a music conversation and me and grandpa Ross are kind of stuck on his side. I'm potentially at a much different elevation, altitude than he is. We start talking about Team usa and then all of a sudden, Logan Webb walks onto the bus. And Logan Webb walks by us. I introduce myself. How you doing? Has a couple friends, are awesome. Walks by and grandpa Ross, he's like, we had a 45 minute call earlier today about how to get that guy to join Team usa. And I'm like, what do you mean? He goes, well, Team usa, we're trying to get everybody. Like, we're actually trying to get everybody. The coaches are trying to sell D Row and Ross, I guess they're trying to sell. And I was like, well, let's go. I'd like to be a part of this. What are we doing? So I walked over to him immediately and I was like, man, I love what you do with the Giants. That world baseball classic is really the thing that the whole world gets. And then Ross, he comes in, he goes, hey, all the boys are just getting a little bit earlier ready so that they're not injured. Like, we did a full work and on that bus at the Ryman at the Ernest concert, he said, all right, I'll do it. And we took a selfie, I put a little Easter egg up there. And then I think he announced that he was going to do it like a month or two later or whatever. But getting a chance to hear how Ross was talking about then how Logan talked about how, I guess some people are scared of this because maybe they weren't fully ready. And then there's an injury that takes place and then all of a sudden, not only does that suck for the player, the fans, the team, everything. Has that been true? Because I only heard it with Logan, like, hey, just need the boys to be ready for earlier. What does this mean back end wise? Like, I know you haven't done it, but the way you've projected how this is going to go for the rest of the season, you just got ready earlier. Is that kind of what these guys have all done?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, you're just getting ready earlier. But I see, you know, I've seen a couple of guys get hurt throwing throughout, you know, the world Baseball classic. But you know, the guys we have on this team, man, they're professionals. There are a lot of veteran players. They've been there, they've done it. They know what they need to do to get ready. So I think for me, man, if I can hit the ground running through this and beginning of opening day like, I think we're going to be in a great spot, man.

[Pat McAfee]

You got 400 games and then maybe you end the World Series. We can't thank you enough for representing America. We can't thank you enough for taking time. We can't wait to watch you guys work out here. And if you have any tips for me against Kershaw,

[Boston Connor]

you got a guy right back over there. I think Harper might have a couple good ones for you.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm a righty though, I think. Or lefty, I don't know. I'm throwing my hands at that thing.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, throw the hands and you see those mountains out there? Yeah. That's where you're aiming.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. That's Aaron Judge Baseball, baby. Ladies and gentlemen, Captain America Aaron Judge. Thank you. Thank you, Aaron. You're the man, dude. That was awesome. You're the best.

[Boston Connor]

What a specimen. Yeah. Kidding me.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he's a house. Got a lot of professionals on his team. All right, listen, if these guys are out of shape, that's on them. Thank you. Thank you. For the Jays too. I look so cool. Yeah, I look so cool with these, dude.

[Boston Connor]

You do? Hell yeah. Those are sick.

[Pat McAfee]

Can't time though because the pinky toes really getting squashed down.

[Boston Connor]

That's a good thing.

[Pat McAfee]

You know the game got jorts in a jersey. Who knows how That'll bode for Clayton Kershaw later

[Boston Connor]

hollering,

[Pat McAfee]

there's boys in the. Hey, come on now. Turn down that by number. Yeah, we love it. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is an eight time all star, a two time NL mvp, the NLCS mvp. A man who is once the man known for the greatest hair in all the of sports. The incredibly handsome Lefty Bomber. Ladies and gentlemen, for Team usa. Bryce Harper. You look so cool.

[Boston Connor]

Perfect on Peptides like you, I'd look bad thing. It's not a bad thing. I'm all about it. So they need to bring those back.

[Pat McAfee]

Unbelievable. This guy.

[Boston Connor]

How are you?

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, if I was on a bunch of drugs, I'd look good like you. I'll tell you, the baseball uniform is an interesting thing.

[Boston Connor]

It's awesome, it's sweet. You look great.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know if this is my.

[Boston Connor]

It's longer than I thought, yeah, it's

[Pat McAfee]

longer, and we need that.

[Boston Connor]

We gotta talk it in tucked in, you know.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, I'm supposed to talk this.

[Boston Connor]

No, no. I mean, I can't believe your shirt's not off yet.

[Pat McAfee]

It is. I've seen it. I'm waiting for, like, skins to get out here.

[Boston Connor]

I already know it.

[Pat McAfee]

You put the headset on first time. Good to see you.

[Boston Connor]

How you doing, brother?

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you so much for representing Team usa.

[Boston Connor]

No, this is great, man. There's nothing better than this, honestly.

[Pat McAfee]

Tell us about it a little bit, because Aaron was just talking about, hey, we need everybody to kind of dive into each other. I think Logan Webb's hosting a little event. Are you good?

[Boston Connor]

Geez. All right, go ahead. I'm just excited.

[Pat McAfee]

I see that.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I can see that.

[Pat McAfee]

When he took the hat off, too. We got to see the flow, which is still very, very strong in there. I appreciate that.

[Boston Connor]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

But Aaron talks about, hey, we got a couple weeks here to dive into each other, get the best players in the world around each other. How does it feel playing in this thing, the World Baseball Classic for Team USA with the best players, and also coming off of Japan winning it? Like, is there a conversation about that happening amongst it? And what does it feel like to be a member of Team usa?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. No. I think growing up, being able to represent my country as a junior, you know, there was nothing like it. I mean, going into different countries and wearing USA and wearing the colors, and there's nothing like, you know, representing your country. I'm so proud to be an American. I'm so proud to be here and, you know, represent our country in a great light. And we don't care where you're from, what you do, walks of life, all that kind of stuff. You know, you're. You put USA on your chest, and we're all family in here, and, you know, we're excited to get going.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, sports are the greatest.

[Boston Connor]

It's the best. It's the best. There's nothing like it legitimate.

[Pat McAfee]

Anybody in there that you didn't know or have, you know. Do you know everybody in this clubhouse Pretty good.

[Boston Connor]

I know everybody pretty good. You know, obviously, we play against each other, you know, throughout the year and stuff, and it's a lot different when you get together, but there's nothing like coming into a clubhouse knowing that everybody is here to represent their country. Everybody is so excited to be here, and, you know, hopefully we can take this one home.

[Pat McAfee]

You're not going up to anybody and saying, get out of my Clubhouse.

[Boston Connor]

Come on, man.

[Pat McAfee]

I've heard, I've heard.

[Boston Connor]

Just try to be happy, man.

[Pat McAfee]

Historic story right there. Just want to let you know that'll be forever. We need more of you around. That's what I know. I'm happy you're on Team usa. Go ahead, Debo.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Just ask Aaron about kind of own. Well, not owning the moment, his eternal dialogue when he's up in that batter's box, what he's going through. And he said he got something from you about owning the moment. When did that start for you? Because even like a casual baseball fan like me, I knew who you were when you were still in high school. So when did that start for you and how tough up was it with kind of that microscope always been on you from a young age? Yeah. I think my dad did a great job of giving me so much confidence every single day. Obviously, he hammered me down, hammered me down, but he loved me as well. Like, there's something about getting out there. My dad was able to build so much confidence in me. And no matter the moment, no matter what's happening, how you're feeling, what's going on, it doesn't matter, you know, from. From pitch to pitch or at bat to at bat, anything can change in a moment. So just try to enjoy each moment you're out there. Find gratitude in those moments. Obviously you're not going to come through in every single moment, but if you can find gratitude and really understand what you need to do in the batter's box each day or at first base or wherever you're at. Yeah, I texted Judgy when he was in the off season. And you own the moment. Don't let the moment own you. You know, go out there, do your job, have fun. Same game we've been playing since we were kids, just at a higher level, but, you know, it's okay, you know, just go out there and enjoy it.

[Pat McAfee]

That's American swagger right there. You know, that's kind of the hockey. Hockey role there that's going on. I actually think you say you're not going to be able to do it every single time. My. I just closed my eyes and I had a. I don't know who it was. Maybe a baseball God just came in here.

[Boston Connor]

Makes sense.

[Pat McAfee]

You're gonna have a perfect world baseball class.

[Boston Connor]

Wow. Wow. Perfect

[Pat McAfee]

Batting a thousand.

[Boston Connor]

I need that helmet then.

[Pat McAfee]

No doubt. Maybe not.

[Boston Connor]

I'll wear that helmet tomorrow during the game.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes.

[Scott Boras]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Sign it. Connor, Sign it. Let's go. Now, hold on though. Connor, with what the Baseball gods just delivered to my brain there. If he has a perfect day tomorrow with that hat. Oh, that thing's going.

[Boston Connor]

The crazy part is a left handed helmet. Oh, yeah, exactly. I'm a lefty. Perfect. Yeah. Me and you were kind of. How about some potty? Cool. Good hair,

[Pat McAfee]

handsome, strong, strapping young lads representing usa.

[Boston Connor]

Very, very American.

[Pat McAfee]

That's right, Jack.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. That's who you are.

[Pat McAfee]

And that's what we need for the next few weeks.

[Boston Connor]

Absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

We talked to him a little bit about watching a men's hockey team and a women's hockey team win and the Olympics as a whole. I think it's great for baseball that that happened. And this comes right afterwards because I think you followed our show a little bit. You know that I'm not like the biggest baseball person.

[Boston Connor]

That's okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Shout out. Pittsburgh making that for me. Although I heard we're up over 100 million.

[Boston Connor]

First time. They might be back.

[Pat McAfee]

Shout out. We're playing. I think that's just your salary. But we got a whole team. We got a whole team doing that. It's the first time we've done that in a long time. So, like, getting to learn about the sport has been like, spectacular. I would say it is spectacular. What are the lads like? We got group techs. Who's the driver in there? Are you a driver in the group text? There's always some chirpy ones in the group tech, some others that are just like double tapping thumbs up. And Harding, like, how active has the group text been with the American lads? And what did the Olympics you think did to kind of either motivate you guys as I think baseball's about to get a huge bump from this world baseball class.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, the Olympics, what an incredible thing. I'm missing the Olympics so much. There's nothing like turning it on in the morning and watching all the events. But, you know, seeing the women's hockey, men's hockey take gold in a, in a football country. Right. Like, we're making, you know, hockey ours right now, you know, for the next four years at least it's ours.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, it is.

[Boston Connor]

But no, I mean, what an incredible experience to be able to watch them play and do their thing and represent our country. And the Hughes brothers, just unbelievable. I mean, so much fun to watch them. I'm such a hockey fan. I love the game of hockey. Just the culture, the way they go about it. I mean, popping a tooth, like still in the game, like, who cares? You know, we're doing this and just amazing. So kind of take that and then come into, you know, what we're doing now, just the swagger we need to have. And the cool thing about baseball and the World Baseball Classic or the Olympics or anything, you see the culture of everything of baseball. I mean, from the Dominican Republic to Japan to us to everybody. So it's such a fun time for fans to be able to see it. Even people that don't watch it as much. You're going to see something that, you know, the culture and everything that baseball brings and the players and the swagger and everything else, because baseball's kind of, you know, are they. Can they have the swagger? Can they do this? Can they do these things? Yeah, but you're going to see that from the US from the Dominican, Venezuela, Japan, everybody. So it's. It's going to be a lot of fun.

[Pat McAfee]

Hello. Do you script your bat flips? Like, do you practice a bat flip?

[Boston Connor]

I don't, I don't really flip my bat that.

[Pat McAfee]

No, that's what I'm saying.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. I just, I like to set it down. It's kind of just like. Sorry, can I grab this? It's kind of just like a little set down respect here before, you know, kind of like.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm saying, if we run into Canada in this thing, which I don't know is possible down the road, and you hit a big.

[Boston Connor]

You want me to do that?

[Pat McAfee]

You hit a bingo.

[Boston Connor]

What do you want me to do? I'll do it. What do you want me to do?

[Pat McAfee]

If it's. Who's it against?

[Boston Connor]

Whatever you want, Canada or Japan. Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Because I think in sports, especially your sport, and in hockey, we're just fresh out. Yeah, I need.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, that was in 19. I was. That was just. That was my first series back with the nationals. It was like a chopper, you know, just.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but I'm thinking, I'm thinking two hands on the back of that thing and you're walking under it.

[Boston Connor]

Wow. So you're trying. I'm trying to throw it as high as I can.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And then you're jogging underneath of that thing. All right, so it's a dinger tunnel.

[Boston Connor]

The Internet would enjoy it. The Internet would. I'm just gonna put it out there right now. This is for Pat.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you.

[Boston Connor]

That's it.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't do it against Brazil because we don't. We don't know. We don't need it. Don't be doing American. Okay. We need American swagger. You know, you'll find it. You'll feel at the right time.

[Boston Connor]

I Got it.

[Pat McAfee]

But I am very pumped to watch it.

[Boston Connor]

This is for the boys, so I'll do it for the boys.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes.

[Boston Connor]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

But please don't force it, though. It's not for us. I'll, quote, tweet it. I'll say that was not for us. Ty has a question for you, bro.

[Boston Connor]

I know this is the first day that you guys are kind of all here, and maybe this will come later, but will there be internal discussions, like, when the order comes out, like, the lineup to, you know, maybe like a certain guy's like, hey, listen, I'm not baton ace. Maybe.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that you? No, not at all.

[Boston Connor]

Or will it all just be, hey, whatever D Row puts out there, you guys will kind of just. Yeah, whatever D Row wants. I mean, we're. It's about us. And I think at a young age, we. Or I learned when we put us on our hats, about us. That's. That's why it's only us and not usa because it's about us. And so for. For our team, it's about everybody that's in that clubhouse. No, like I said, no matter where you came from, who you played for, what you got, we don't care. Because every single day we come out here, it's for, you know, the greater good of America, what we're doing for the people who we're representing. And, you know, like I said, I'm proud to be American. I'm so happy to be in this clubhouse with all these guys, and there's no greater feeling than going out there listening to your national anthem blare over the speakers, you know, knowing what you represent. Who else were on those junior teams with you? Because Judgy told us he wasn't good

[Pat McAfee]

enough to give the insight.

[Boston Connor]

Who else is on that squad? So it's funny. So the captain of Dominican was my third baseman, Manny Machado. And so, you know, he. I love Manny, man. Grew up playing with him. Great dude. Nick Castellanos was with me as well. You know, I think our pitching staff was insane at that point. We had Robbie, Ray, Jameson, Tyone, and Jameson out of high school. He was like 100. He was, like, the first one to, like, do Iris game away. Yeah, he punched out 16 Cuba in the gold medal game for us. And so, I mean, I'll remember I caught him. So just being able to sit back there and catch that, like, there was nothing like it. Tony Walters, who was a really good amateur player at second base. Nikki Delmonico.

[Pat McAfee]

None of these guys, though, on this.

[Boston Connor]

No, none of these guys, Matt Boyd, I played with him in the trial, but he ended up not making the team. But yeah, none of these guys. Our 2009 team, there's a story out there already, but it's a billion dollar team. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. So it's pretty cool. Like, that's. That's the team that I kind of. Everybody looks at, that 09 team. One of probably the greatest amateur team ever assembled, playing in, you know, playing in the Jos.

[Pat McAfee]

Would this be considered an amateur team, this Team usa?

[Boston Connor]

We're all pretty young.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Why not?

[Pat McAfee]

How much do you get paid for this team? Do you get paid play for us?

[Boston Connor]

I don't care. I have no idea. I don't know how that works.

[Pat McAfee]

I love that.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I love everything about that. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I really. I have no idea. We probably do.

[Pat McAfee]

There is an insurance policy.

[Boston Connor]

We got those. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Bryce, obviously, we just had Aaron on and you look at him, you're like, all right, Aaron's captain.

[Pat McAfee]

He look.

[Boston Connor]

He looks like it or whatever. But you. Not that you're not perfect, your hair and beard perfect, but like, who. Who do you think is going to be the glue guy in the clubhouse? I. I looked at the roster, I was thinking maybe you or Schwarbo, one of those guys. But who do you think is going to be the glue in the clubhouse? Schwarbs. Yeah, for sure. I mean, he's just. He has that demeanor, I think Judgy, too, man. Like, just the way he kind of approaches it. Obviously, he plays in such a big market in New York and he's got to be that guy. Like, that's. That's what it is. So there's nobody else I'd rather be, you know, wearing the captain C on his chest than Judgy. So I'm excited to play with him. I've been excited to play with him the whole time. We got such a great group of guys. I mean, you look at that list right there, man, it's pretty incredible. You know, it's going to be a lot of fun. We got a lot of really good young guys. Pretty good flavor in there as well. Hey. What? Bednar's got a lot of good grit, too. I know that for sure. Okay. Pittsburgh boy. Man, watch out. You know, like, it's awesome. There's nothing better. I'm serious. Even from the opposing side, you hear that song. He coming out of the bullpen like, gosh, man. Like, are we a Steelers game?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Are we? Or what are we doing? I mean, it's it's so much, it's so much fun. And then obviously Paul Skeens, Air Force boy and a Pittsburgh Pirate. Yeah, yeah. Hell yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

America actually not going to get into it because I would like the Pirates to be good, but I would like Paul to also see some big moments, I think for the good of big. That's why I think like this World Baseball Classic, like I thought the Olympics for hockey, for the good of hockey. Like that's why when the NFL was telling players or the NHL was telling their players that they couldn't play in international play because if they get hurt, blah, blah, blah, the whole thing, I thought it was really short sighted because I think a majority of people are only going to watch your sport because Team USA is playing. And I think they're going to see that bump in hockey. I think they're going to see it in baseball too. With you guys in this entire thing, I cannot wait for the big moment and for.

[Boston Connor]

I think the big thing about hockey, what's going to happen is it's the amateur world in hockey. Kids are going to want to grow up playing hockey. You know, like, I mean it's, it's such a, such a great game. I mean being able to have the players that we do on America right now, it's so much fun to watch. I mean, obviously Canada is Canada, right? Like, I get that 100%. Like they're unbelievable at their sport. They, you know, live and die by Canadian hockey. I understand that. But for this to happen for America, just for the, for the youth of America, knowing that they're going to want to play, you know, hockey growing up a little bit because of the, you know, Auston Matthews and the Hughes and all the boys out there like Eichel's and everybody else, like it's, it's going to be so much fun to be able to see that. And my kid loves hockey, so, you know, I hope I'm a hockey dad one day, dude. Just going out there, hanging out the rink and seeing him.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, you and Big Walt could Chuck up here. Come on.

[Boston Connor]

Hey, I'll let him train my kid any day. The Chuck brothers crack me up, man. Just the way they go about it, it's so funny. Like the bridesmaid thing, like just buried them. I love dry saddle, dude.

[Pat McAfee]

No doubt. Yeah. We're not changing jerseys afterwards.

[Boston Connor]

No chance.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, they don't really have.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, no chance.

[Pat McAfee]

Last question. We have about a minute before I heard out. Go ahead.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, it's on you. No, I'm good. Let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

Good of answers. If you would give Shorter. Shorter. Shittier.

[Boston Connor]

Give me, like, five more minutes, man. I'm just chilling. We ain't got nothing till 2 o'. Clock.

[Scott Boras]

Can we.

[Pat McAfee]

We can, though. Okay, we can do that.

[Boston Connor]

It's your show, right? Yeah, but isn't your name. Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

We're pushing break. Yeah. So that's why I just did there. Yeah. Yeah, we just pushed the Bryce break.

[Boston Connor]

Let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we'll call this the Bryce break. Okay. We'll push it back. Connor has a question as we push the Bryce break back.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Speaking of kids growing up, you know, playing a specific sport, it feels like that's what's been going on in Japan. You know, they are all baseball all the time. What was the feeling, you know, watching from home when they end up winning the last time? And how much of a motivator was that for you? Does it feel as though, you know, you got to get baseball back here

[Pat McAfee]

and we'll see you tomorrow? They did not push the brake. We are still live, though, on YouTube and everything like that?

[Boston Connor]

No, I think as we were all watching that, in that moment, I think everybody wanted the Mike Trout at bet, right? All of us wanted that at bat, and we all wanted Trout to come through and all those things, obviously, especially facing Shohei and them being teammates and all that. We have so much respect for all those guys and what they do. And, I mean, that's their. That's their national game. I mean, baseball is their game. And so being able to kind of hopefully take it back a little bit, you know, going in there, understanding what we need to do as a team, that's a. That's a great, fundamentally sound team in Japan. So hopefully we get the chance to play them again and, you know, we'll see what happens.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm hitting Kershaw today. Sorry, I'm standing in a box while Kershaw pitches.

[Boston Connor]

Okay, you're hitting Kershaw.

[Pat McAfee]

Own the moment.

[Boston Connor]

Own the moment. Come on, let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

You said earlier, youth of America, and I immediately thought of, we are.

[Boston Connor]

We are.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, I had a strike, like, jacked up over here. But trying to own a moment against Kershaw. What is the thought against these pitchers? Forget Kershaw, because I. He's grace pitcher. I mean, I'm gonna fall in that box from what I'm saying. But what do you do? Are you guessing pitches? Do you have a hint on what a pitch is gonna be? Are you seeing the pitches? Like, are you actually reading the laces? Cause for instance, when I played in the Frontier League, that was my first time ever in a batter's box. Never did BP nothing. My first time was against this guy that got drafted, the Brewers. I think he was playing for The Washington. Wild things. 92 mile an hour fastball. And they said, hey, his first pitch is gonna be a fastball right down the middle. Cause if this guy doesn't think his fastball can beat you, he's already been beat, so he's gonna do that. So they said, first pitch is gonna be the best pitch. When I'm standing in there, that thing gets on me quick. I make contact, but I don't have any power. Just roll it right back to him. Then I get thrown out while running, blowing a hamstring, go to first. So that was my entire athletic.

[Boston Connor]

Hey, you making contact, though, in the first one, that's pretty impressive, I'm not gonna lie.

[Pat McAfee]

But I think it was right down the middle. It didn't move. I think it was 92. But then I thought, though, by the. My third at bat, I had three at bats, got on base once. You tell me if that's good. I don't know. It was an overthrow.

[Boston Connor]

One out of three in the hall of Fame.

[Pat McAfee]

There's something to think about. But I did think that I started seeing a little bit now. Can I tell you why I'm a holder for field goals?

[Boston Connor]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so that's coming back 1.25 seconds. So, like, I'm naturally looking for laces whenever I'm doing that. Do we think that'll carry over into this? And how much should I be looking for? Anything while I'm staring down Clayton Kershaw.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, if he throws you a curveball, you're in trouble.

[Pat McAfee]

Which we think he's going.

[Boston Connor]

I told him. Yeah, I mean, it's, it's, it's an impression. No, but I mean, I think you got to simplify in the game today especially. I mean, there's so many good, good pitchers out there, from Paul Skeens to, you know, Zach Wheeler to, you know, Tyrek Skubel. I mean, there's. There's no, there's nobody better in the game right now or ever in the game right now than the guys that we have in the game now, like from back then or now or whatever. Like, the pitchers that are throwing, they're so athletic. They're so good. Two seam, four seam, curveball, splits, changeups. Everyone's throwing 100 backdoor sinkers. 102, 93. Like. Yeah. Why?

[Pat McAfee]

What about 68. That's what I'm throwing, a Kershaw 68.

[Boston Connor]

He can swing it a little bit. He takes BB and stuff. Like, he loves it. He's all about it.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, okay.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Like, hey, don't. Don't let him fool you. He's not just a pitcher. Like, he's out there taking BP all the time. Like, he loves it. I mean, he probably hasn't since he retired, but.

[Pat McAfee]

No, I think he has because I've been FaceTime through this entire process. Okay. You know, because I pitched the idea to can I. Can I have an at bat against somebody? And I guess, you know, because he's retired, he doesn't have a contract track next year. So it's like he is actually the perfect.

[Boston Connor]

He can blow it out. Yeah. He can do what he wants, whatever he wants.

[Pat McAfee]

They're like, if you have any of these other pitchers, I'm like, us and Paul Skiing's pretty close. Would like to ride the lightning a little bit. Yeah. And they're like, just. I would just like to see. Because I see the pitching ninja.

[Boston Connor]

Is that crazy? Like, same slot, same rotation.

[Pat McAfee]

So what do you do there? So you're guessing?

[Boston Connor]

No, I mean, there's times where I'll guess against guys depending on count or situation, but it's so hard to guess on guys nowadays, man. You just try to look for one pitch, one zone, and try to do the best you can. Guys like Skeens, man, it's. It's so impressive. Just because he does throw from the same slot. Everything's the same. And then it gets up there and it moves this way. It moves this way. Or you realize it's a slider change up or whatever. But, like, repertoire wise, like, I mean, Zach Wheeler is one of the best in baseball. I mean, his fastball is the best I've ever seen. Like, just a high heater fastball. 98, just. Here you go. And then like Christopher Sanchez, he's one of my teammates too. Yeah. And he's with Dominican. And so he just, just. I mean, the two seamer in the change up is. It's elite. Like, not even. Not you have an advantage if you face him. No. Against in the Dominican. No, absolutely not. My only thing that I. I can advantage wise is I don't think he's going to want to hit me. You know what I'm saying? So I think that's the biggest maybe crowd is playing a little bit because, like, if he hits me and he like breaks my hand, then Philadelphia is gonna. They're gonna Be like, what the heck? Yeah. You know, like, what are we doing?

[Pat McAfee]

That is the big problem, I guess, in all this international plays if somebody gets injured.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. I mean, you can't think about it. I mean, there's no. There's no reason. I mean, we could. We could be in spring training facing some guy from the backfill, and he absolutely just, like, lets one go and get drilled, you know, just. It happens. So I don't think. I don't think anybody's gonna think about that.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, well, don't, because all I'm thinking about is us regaining the title of America's pastime.

[Boston Connor]

Owning the moment. Owning the moment. There you go. Gotta do it. You got him to live after if it. Get it done or.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, 11. And by the way, you guys are paying for it. It.

[Boston Connor]

All right.

[Pat McAfee]

I know your guys, those contracts. The hockey boys are signing, like 10 years, $14 million deals. Okay. You baseball guys, we know where you're at. We would like to be invited, though, whenever you guys celebrate and win this whole thing.

[Boston Connor]

Let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

Good luck on the journey. Representing the United States of America. We appreciate you.

[Boston Connor]

I appreciate y'. All. America, America, America. What's all about.

[Pat McAfee]

You're the best.

[Boston Connor]

Hey, appreciate you. Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, legend Bryce Hart. Hey, what are some good chirps that those guys are saying over there? You think they're saying, like.

[Boston Connor]

They probably are thinking, man, he could have been here with the Giants, but he's not.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, was that a thought?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, it was.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so Phillies are Giants. Yeah. Anybody else in play?

[Boston Connor]

It was like San Diego and a couple other teams, but it came down to Phillies, Giants.

[Pat McAfee]

Giants are like, a very respected organization.

[Boston Connor]

No doubt. Arson Judge had a heart attack. Parks. The judge. Yeah, it was. It was close. The thing that killed me was Bochi was retiring.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

So, I mean, he was. He's the greatest. Massive head.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

The biggest. Yeah. Unbelievable. Eight and five. Eight or something. Like Elko.

[Pat McAfee]

I think there was something about Barry's head that was the. Well, yeah, I think he's got a bigger head.

[Boston Connor]

Elko or him?

[Pat McAfee]

Ah, Elko. Elko's got the biggest head.

[Boston Connor]

Big head. Big bowling ball.

[Pat McAfee]

You don't have that large of a head. Just very good hair.

[Boston Connor]

I don't. Yeah, I don't. You got good hair.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm on so many.

[Boston Connor]

You.

[Pat McAfee]

You mentioned it.

[Boston Connor]

I'm telling you, man, I wish baseball would let us be on Peptides. Yeah, we all. They're so good for you. Like, it's not even, like, don't Give me the growth hormone ones. Like, I don't care about that.

[Pat McAfee]

But those are the best ones.

[Boston Connor]

But like, pep, size wise, like, there's so many good ones out there that, like, you don't need the growth hormone. Unless, obviously. I mean, you look great.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. Yeah. Vascularity. Actually.

[Boston Connor]

Bpc.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Good for you.

[Pat McAfee]

I got kind of everything going on right now, but I'm hoping Kershaw gets a little glimpse at it and gets.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, that's right. Where you go? Which, which field you're on?

[Pat McAfee]

I think we're down here. Where are you guys?

[Boston Connor]

I have no idea.

[Pat McAfee]

You.

[Boston Connor]

You're here, I think two o' clock somewhere.

[Pat McAfee]

I like that. You guys. Just living a life where somebody will put me somewhere.

[Boston Connor]

It's the show.

[Pat McAfee]

You doing a real workout. Will you be working out out here?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah. It's the movies, man. Let us know.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you going to hit?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I'll hit.

[Pat McAfee]

So we'll be able to hear the crack of the bat from Bryce Harper today.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Yes, definitely.

[Pat McAfee]

How do we feel? We. We're feel good.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Worked with Judgy yesterday and Bregman, so we all feel good. That's the best part about this whole thing. I mean, I know we're going on break, but that's the best part about this whole thing. We can always lean on each other and like, we're not going on a break. We're back. Oh, we're back.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we've been back. Yeah, you've been on.

[Boston Connor]

No, I think that's the coolest thing though is like we can all kind of.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no, you know, you've been on what?

[Boston Connor]

Okay, that's cool. No, I think that's the biggest thing though, like being able to like, what, are we done?

[Pat McAfee]

No, we're still live though. Just. I just want you to know that we missed the break completely. Would you want to hang out for the next 55 minutes?

[Boston Connor]

I can leave.

[Pat McAfee]

No, I'm saying is we want you to know that this is all still happening for as long as you wanted to. But do you feel like you're mid season form? Because what it feels like, baseball, everything is always like. The goal is to like ramp up, ramp up. But this tournament's going to be seen by a lot and it's on the line. So do you feel like you're like.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, you better figure it out. You know, obviously, I don't think. I mean, you better figure it out. I mean, obviously we're not where we want to be. If this was like middle of the Summer then definitely a little bit different. But yeah, I mean, it's a little bit different right now. I mean, I think I've had seven at bats, eight at bats, which is like crazy, but gotta figure it out. Do you want us to get any info out of Skiings when he comes up here?

[Pat McAfee]

Like what type of pictures and stuff?

[Boston Connor]

How to know? I mean, he's just, he could, he could tell me what's coming.

[Pat McAfee]

I still.

[Boston Connor]

All right, have a good day.

[Pat McAfee]

Dude.

[Boston Connor]

Wish you were in the Air Force, man.

[Pat McAfee]

You're the man. Ladies and gentlemen, Bryce Harper. Appreciate you, Bryce. If you're ready for an oil change, trust the professional parts People at O'Reilly Auto Parts to recommend the best products for your vehicle. Right now, get five quarts of Valvoline, full synthetic motor oil and a Wix filter for 35, 99 and receive a $15 O'Reilly gift card. After rebate, upgrade to a WIX XP oil filter for just $2. More limits apply.

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[Pat McAfee]

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[Boston Connor]

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[Pat McAfee]

all right, we shall continue here live in Scottsdale at the San Francisco Giants baseball training facility. It's called Papago. Behind us are Popco Buttes as Bryce Harper daps up the boys on his way out here. Great vibe by the baseball guy. Oh, yeah, it does feel like you guys have. You guys got like a little hockey culture. Baseball's got a good culture.

[Boston Connor]

No doubt.

[Pat McAfee]

No doubt. You guys, you have your own words and stuff. Like Jack Hughes taught us a squid and nail gun and wedding Crashers taught us tummy sticks. But it feels like hockey's kind of using a bit of a runaway. You guys have a bunch of your own words and stuff as well.

[Boston Connor]

643. Hey, what are you saying?

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, the legend, Grandpa Rossi. Hey, hold on. Handheld, will you turn on this handheld? Whoever's in the back there. Chicago media, Chicago. Just real quick, just real quick. Don't listen. D Ro's gonna Be pissier doing this.

[Boston Connor]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Speak for D. Row. He's just my. You're locked in. You got the.

[Boston Connor]

The.

[Pat McAfee]

The jorts and the spikes on. You're already locked in. Yeah, I got the jorts. I thought you guys were maybe giving me some pants, but I got these on. These are the most uncomfortable things I've ever seen. We could probably get you some pants. These look sweet.

[Boston Connor]

You look.

[Pat McAfee]

You guys look good.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I appreciate it.

[Pat McAfee]

Very nice to meet you guys. I'm here before you leave, okay? Because I know you don't want to piss anybody off. He's. I don't need to be on my phone. I'm going to say hey. I'm going to say hey. Yeah, well, you're a good guy. We showed the photo from Ernest Bus down there at the rhyme of Logan Webb, and I mentioned about how much you and D Row and the crew were talking about how to sell what we need. It wasn't that hard of a sell, but letting guys know, need you to get her ready earlier. And we're trying to win this thing. Damn thing. Can you talk about that a little bit? And the moment with Logan Webb that I was a part of on that bus. Yeah. Well, he walked on. I said, listen, we. We've gotta. We had already been hanging out for a little bit.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And I whisper in Maxi Mac, if he's ear. I said, hey, bro, we gotta get this guy on the team. He's like, I'm on it. I'm on it. And immediately Beeline. The scary part was he's like, hey, I've got a bet with Skeens that I'm gonna get in the box and. And hit with him. And. And, you know, we'd had a couple pops and feeling good, and he starts taking hitting advice from me.

[Boston Connor]

And.

[Pat McAfee]

And I was feeling good. I was showing him all the stuff. I. I got home, sobered up a little bit, and I was like, text him. I was like, hey, man, just so you know, his career 220 hit or something. Don't take advice from me. I don't take advice from me. He's like, you're a legend. You're like. I was like, yeah, yeah. I've got plenty of guys you can call, but it's not me. So, you know, it's gonna be. I'm happy you're here. It's gonna be Kershaw. It's not gonna be skiings, actually. So, you know, we've kind of breaking ball.

[Boston Connor]

Good luck.

[Pat McAfee]

That too.

[Boston Connor]

It's.

[Pat McAfee]

It's pretty Nasty. It's pretty nasty. But I saw some highlights where you took guys deep. Was that softball you're in? See?

[Boston Connor]

Tanks.

[Pat McAfee]

Now we're talking. It's a good swing. Good swing. And you're jacked.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

I am so jacked. We're talking about Peptides right now. The boys can't do it. We're very excited.

[Boston Connor]

I'm pissed.

[Pat McAfee]

There's sleeves on here, but I know that you've got American flag. Can't cut that off.

[Boston Connor]

True.

[Pat McAfee]

You're right.

[Boston Connor]

Good point.

[Pat McAfee]

Right, Right. Can't cut that off. I was actually thinking about taking scissors, this thing, and now that you just mentioned that. Cannot do that. Tell me about D Row. Tell me about the coaching staff. Feels like it's a lot of X, but certainly all for the lads here. The coach dash is like some of your favorite. We were at dinner last night. I woke up this morning, my face hurt from laughing and telling stories all night. It's one of those. Those guys. We're going to have a really good time. We're focused. This is. Putting this across your chest is such an honor. And I got to do it when I was a young player in junior Olympic teams. And so no Paul, who's been running Major league or USA Baseball for a really long time. It's a special, special, special.

[Boston Connor]

It's a good group.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And it's a little old. I had to knock the dust off of it. It's been a while. It's been a while. But I'm sure these guys will break it in if they're like 90. Back when I was coming in was like 91. Sink, slider.

[Boston Connor]

Now catching skins in the bullpen or what?

[Pat McAfee]

No, I'm not a dummy. You know what I mean? Like, you know, things have slowed down a little bit.

[Boston Connor]

Put some knee savers on maybe.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, exactly. Old school knee savers. I think I can get down there and catch. I just don't know if I can get back up. Mine's a little different, you know, I'm pumped, though. I told Webby. I was like, I'll catch a flat ground. Love to catch some sinkers. I don't want to break my thumb or anything. Gotta, gotta, gotta enjoy the ride. But I'm pumped to be here. We've got a great coach to have. D Row is absolutely a dude. The dude, he's done this before. Been there. Brian McCann, Mikey Young, Matt. I mean, like, the list goes on and on. Meeting the third base coach, Dino Ebol, who's with the Dodgers for a really long Time won an eight ball championship together in San Bernardino, California. So we go way back. He was with the Dodgers minor league system until he got to the big league, so. So it's a fun group. We've got great people, and that's what it's all about. And obviously, the talent is insane. Thanks for everything you did for Chicago and for Team USA that we're about to watch. You're the man, brother. I'm glad you guys are here. Very nice meeting you, gentlemen. Big fans. Big fans. So you should take that. You're the man. Oh, this? Yeah, you can take that too if you want to, brother. Anytime you want to be a mic, come say hey. Okay. Great to see you. Thank you for everything. I can't wait to be in that. Maybe I'll catch while you're back there.

[Boston Connor]

I'll talk.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, there we go.

[Boston Connor]

We're talking about.

[Pat McAfee]

That's all you got, Pat. All right, all right. Maybe you don't. Maybe you don't.

[Boston Connor]

You know, the best part is all

[Pat McAfee]

the baseball dudes are dudes.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

And they're around each other.

[Boston Connor]

The coaches wearing the uniform is one of the best parts.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Because everybody mocks Jim Harbaugh for having a cleats area.

[Boston Connor]

That's right. But.

[Pat McAfee]

But out here, they're like, you never know when you're gonna have to go.

[Boston Connor]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

You never know when you have to get out there. Welcome back to the Pat McAfee show here live at the San Francisco Giants baseball training facility. We did not take a break. I know. We're now on E2 because there's spring training baseball on ESPN. I believe the Tigers are taking on the Braves now. We will continue to have massive names in baseball. Who? Oh, Paul Skeens will be joining us here in a little bit. Clayton Kershaw will be joining us. And then Scott Boris will join us for the third hour. His name is going to be brought up a lot during these new negotiations on what's going to happen with these contracts. Mostly because he just negotiates a billion dollars every single off season bid. Basically.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Yeah. Five of the last seven years, he's had at least a billion dollars negotiated. I think the biggest being 1.8 billion, ladies and gentlemen.

[Pat McAfee]

I see a huge ass and a huge arm. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us live, the ace for Team America, Paul Skeens. And the big dumper, Team USA's Cal Rawling. Yeah, boys, Cal, don't feel up Gay. Stop by. Paul, good to see you. Let me get the hell out of your way here. Right back Here.

[Boston Connor]

Nice cleats.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. I just. I got him sent to me. It was very nice. I know you're in a rookie contract. Dump. How you doing? Big dumps. It's great to see you, buddy. There's another headset.

[Boston Connor]

I'll come to you. Don't hurt yourself. Good to see you, buddy. I was just.

[Pat McAfee]

I keep. Grab that headset up there for dumps. Here you go. Paul.

[Boston Connor]

Paul, settle up over here. Yeah, man. You look great.

[Pat McAfee]

Cal.

[Boston Connor]

Good to see you.

[Pat McAfee]

Cal, you want to saddle up over there? Dude jumps.

[Boston Connor]

I was just supposed to walk in here.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, but we're gonna join you. We got the fattest ass.

[Boston Connor]

Sorry, you have no choice.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, definitely gonna do that. The headset. Can you grab that headset for him down there?

[Boston Connor]

Professional.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us right now

[Boston Connor]

is Inc. You have a mic on your headset, Paul. This looks cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. No, that was strictly for Grandpa Ross because we knew he was gonna show up and he did. He grabbed the mic. It was great to chat with him. Paul, thank you for joining us. Cal, thank you for joining us. Obviously, Air Force and love America. Not that anybody doesn't, but it feels like this is going to be a pretty special feeling for you. I don't want to put words into your mouth, but honestly, representing the United States of America, fresh off of what the Olympics just were. Can you put into words how you feel right now and how has the training had to go to get ready for this World Baseball Classic?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, the training, I don't think was too different. There was some stuff you ramped up a little bit earlier, but it's not too much different, I don't think. Yeah, putting on the jersey, I mean, walking into the clubhouse today and seeing everybody in there is pretty special. And then getting to put on the jersey, it's. It's. It's a feeling that you can't really put into words.

[Pat McAfee]

They're saying the same thing when you walk in, brother. You need to know that now you know your young little dumb ass is now the guy. America's ace. Congratulations. California, Raleigh Dumper. How you doing, pal? How was the season for you? Getting ready lefty and righty. You just had to stay in shape all off season. Have you got back into it a little bit early? How do you feel as we enter the World Baseball Classic here? Dump.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I think the ramp up is just a little. Usually, typically, you start at three innings and you work your way up every other day, but this year it was kind of starting at five innings. From the get Go. So just trying to work my way up to a full game and. Yeah, but kind of like you said, you know, it's not too much of a, of a different build up or workload or anything. Just starting a little earlier and just the dates.

[Pat McAfee]

Paul, riddle me this. I saw a pitching ninja thing on you. It was four pitches and it appeared as if. How far is it from man to plate?

[Boston Connor]

60ft.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So it appeared as if it was about 40ft of the same pitch. And then they, they want a completely different direction. When you see that, you're like, that's the goal. Like that is literally what you're working for. That is what the perfection of what your pitches are trying to be.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, that's what, that's what we're trying to do. I mean, that's called, you know, tunneling. And I think, you know, 40ft, 30ft, whatever it is.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know, it was 30ft, I guess is where the brakes start.

[Boston Connor]

Something like that. But yeah, it looks cool. Cool. I like that.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what you're aiming for though, right? Yeah, Kyle just shook his head. No, no, it's like, honestly, that because wide receivers are trying to make every route look the same, so they're running the exact same way. This is literally what you are trying to do with every pitch is the exact same.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah, that's pretty much it.

[Pat McAfee]

And Cal, whenever this happens, you think to yourself, this is the rudest human of all time. On the. How many pitchers have this type of thing? Is this what the difference is between elite and guys that are in the mlb? If that makes sense, Cal?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I mean, that's kind of what, you know, tunneling. You're trying to make everything look the same kind of like you said, and ends up four different ways. And it's kind of a nightmare for a hitter. You know, you typically know what a guy has and usually some, you know, normal guys, their stuff will break a little earlier than that. And his stuff is so late. It just makes it hard. It makes it hard to commit to something, to look for a pitch in a certain area because, you know, like you said, you don't know which way it's going to go. And when you can locate and throw 100 and do all that at the same time, it makes it really hard on the hitter.

[Pat McAfee]

Just fucking murder people. D butt has a question.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I know it's a lot of probably shit talking that goes on in the clubhouse and obviously you have teammates playing on other teams. How much shit talking or has there been Any. I know we're the favorites going into it, but has there been any shit talking with any of you guys? Not a ton. I mean, some of you know, if I, if I see you, you know, I'll give you a heater. I won't give you a heater or something like that, but that doesn't mean anything anyway. I'm gonna of throw whatever they, you know, put down a little bit. We have a few guys on the Pirates that are playing for other countries, so I'm hoping that, you know, we'll get to see them. But are you giving anything away to anybody?

[Pat McAfee]

Because I know we're trying to learn about each other. We're trying to become as much of a team as possible as quickly as possible, but obviously you're going to run into some of these guys. Are you. How much are you giving up, honestly? Because like, I think the hockey boys, when they get together, they show share game. I think football guys, when they get together in the off season, they share game. But old school mentality of football was like, don't give too much away. I assume pitchers, because you guys are psychos. There's a lot of like not don't want to give anything away. Or is this like an open book for you to learn and for others to learn from you?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, probably a little bit of both, you know, because we're here for, you know, two and a half weeks with the best players in the world. And so I'm gonna, you know, do everything I can to learn as much as I can. I mean, I've been up there for two hours, I think, and I've learned a ton already. So it's gonna be a fun couple

[Pat McAfee]

weeks where you ask Aaron Judge, like, hey, if my pitch was to go like this and then that, that is like, you know, everybody kind of knows because I think Harper told us that you or Clayton or one of these guys could tell him what's coming. And it's like, we're still gonna.

[Boston Connor]

Good luck.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it's still like hell. Is there like a piece of information that you would not want to give up? Like is there a delivery or a mentality or a, a strategy maybe? Like what would it be? What would be the something that you would not want to give as somebody that doesn't know baseball, what would be the thing that you would not want Cal or any hitter that you're going to potentially see in MLB to not know? Is there anything?

[Boston Connor]

Yep, there's. There probably is. It's not going to tell you. Yeah, I think we're on national TV right now.

[Pat McAfee]

So can you like, can you give me like a heads up, like. So, yeah, what would you want to know? That's a good question, actually. D. But what is something that you would want to know from a picture that you can't tell? Is it like traits, trends, what they fall back on? But doesn't film kind of tell you that? What would be something that you would learn from a pitcher?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, well, I think it's kind of like a combo. We're here to win the whole thing, you know, I want to. So, like, whatever I gotta do to get on the same page with these guys, like we're gonna do. But yeah, I mean, there's so much. So much data now anyway. You kind of understand, you know who these guys are kind of before you're getting back there and catching them. And then it's really just kind of finding out the why.

[Pat McAfee]

Why do they do this? Why do they do that?

[Boston Connor]

Is this something specific to them or is it specific to the type of arm you're seeing? So it's more. I'd say it's more like that.

[Pat McAfee]

So the thing that you would not want them to know is, like, in the first inning, we have a first 15 plays for football where we're trying to see what the defense is reacting to our different packages. Okay. So we're putting plays out there in the first 15. We're not necessarily thinking they're going to be a home run. We're just trying to see what the other team's doing. There's something maybe for you that you seeing in the first couple innings that's like, okay, and this is what I'm going to roll with going forward. Is that inaccurate?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, probably. And that's probably the stuff that I wouldn't want to give away.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Ty has a question. Okay, good. Thank you. I'm a dumb baseball coach.

[Boston Connor]

In terms of getting on the same page. Like, I know a lot of pitchers will, hey, I'm only throwing to this guy. Like, I want him to catch me every single time. Well, you guys spend more time together. Like, for you, you know, you're not catching really any of these. These guys ever, except for an event like this. Do you have to spend more time with them to, like, kind of get on the same page? Because obviously, you know, you don't want to be getting crossed up when we have games that matter here, you know, in like a week or so. Like, will you guys spend a lot more time together going over that kind of stuff or is it just kind of like, hey, you know, I'll be able to catch it. It'll be fine. Yeah, I don't think that catching it will be the hard part. It's going to be more about learning kind of, you know, how they want to attack guys, what's their. What are their cues, like, where do they like me to set up things like that. So we're gonna have time to get on the same page. You know, we have a few days here and we're probably gonna have some meetings and some stuff like that to go over hitters, scouting reports, things like that. And you know, I'm only speaking from, you know, where I come from with the Mariners. Like, I'm sure that they do pregame meetings as well. Like typically, most, most organizations do that with their pitchers and catchers and try to get on the same page and kind of like what he said, you're starting off with a, you know, a first time through the order type thing and then. And from there, like you kind of reading swings and it's a combination, I'd say a combination.

[Pat McAfee]

How much are you pitching? So I know not in the tournament. I know you're doing two games or something and then. Yeah, right. You're Paul Skeens if we need to.

[Boston Connor]

That might need you.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I mean, that is. We'll let you all figure that out. Didn't love that. Whoever leaked the news about Scuba, leaked the news about Scuba. Kind of made Scuba look like the bad guy, which he's in the middle of something. I think everybody in baseball is like, we're on your side in this entire thing. I think they should have said D row will decide when Scuba's going in as opposed to publicly saying that. I think it's got out like Paul Skeins projected to throw too. But are you getting throwing sessions in with them? Like, how often will you pitch for this and is this just like off season pitching routine? How often do you pitch during the week?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

How many sessions or balls are you throwing?

[Boston Connor]

It's, it's a normal rotation for me here. I'll be on a five or six day, you know, what we're in, what I'll do during the season. That's what I'm doing here. And so I'll have one bullpen time, you know, session between, between my starts. And if they want to catch it, they can catch it. If not, we have bullpen catchers. But we'll, we'll sit down and, you know, talk as long as we need to, to, to get on the same page so we can win the tournament.

[Pat McAfee]

When you put that back back. That. That's your thing, is it? Does anybody else do that or I only see it with you?

[Boston Connor]

I'm sure there are other people that do it. Yeah, there are. Do you bring a football? Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

We need to see. You need to start selling these things, you know what I mean? Because I'm seeing what's going on with Scuba is arbitration. I don't know if that's just going to work out. I assumed he was going to get a billion dollars. That is not your same way. We need you to stay in Pittsburgh, by the way.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Excited for you to stay in Pittsburgh on that note. Go ahead, Tone.

[Boston Connor]

Speaking of Paul, obviously last year the pitching staff was great. Runs were kind of hard to come by. Signed a few bats in the offseason. How do we feel? It feels like we're going to be able to score some more runs this year. And I say we because we are. We. We. Yeah, we are. Pittsburgh. Yeah. I love it. But, yeah, we made. We made. We signed some good guys. We made some good trades. I love that. The only. The only hat that you have of a team other than USA is Pittsburgh, so thank you for that. Yeah, it's. I mean, it's a different vibe in camp right now, and I'm as excited as I am to be here right now, I'm a little upset that I'm not in camp. You know, kind of missing out there. So. It's going to be fun. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You guys play cards? I heard Boo Ray happens in mlb. I didn't know that baseball contracts were allowed to play Boo. Are you a card player?

[Boston Connor]

Three, two, one, drop. I'm in.

[Pat McAfee]

I couldn't even imagine with how much travel baseball has, let alone the amount of money that you guys potentially have going in there. A Boo Ray game that's a part of baseball cards. More a part of baseball culture than anything else.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I'd say. I mean, cards, dice, that's dominoes. Especially like a lot of Latin guys like to play dominoes. So there's usually a couple card table on the flights, and that's usually where guys are getting most their. I guess most their bonding in most of their downtime.

[Pat McAfee]

3, 2, 1. You selling? Are you doing a little. Ty's got another question in terms of

[Boston Connor]

this tournament as a whole. Like, we. We've talked a lot about how. And you guys are both young and I don't know if you would have even been like, in position to play on the last team, but has there been much talk about how, you know from the outside, it's like, hey, Japan is like, baseball is their thing now, where, you know, it's our pastime. Okay. We. When we want to put the best team out there, we will put the best team out there, and we've done that. But, like, is there anything internally about you guys saying, like, man, we would. We would love to kick Japan's ass in the championship in this. I've. I've talked to some guys individually. There hasn't been a ton for me. I don't know about you, but. Well, I'm sure we'll get that in the next. Next few days. Before we get into a pool play,

[Pat McAfee]

what's Zero saying to you guys? Has he spoke yet?

[Boston Connor]

We haven't. Yeah, we haven't had a meeting yet, so. But it's not. I can't imagine it's going to take a lot to fire.

[Pat McAfee]

Fire something.

[Boston Connor]

This already feels like I'm floating on cloud nine, so it's. It's gonna be fun.

[Pat McAfee]

All right. I can't wait to watch you boys. I'm gonna be taking on Kershaw today. Did you hear about this? Actually, yeah, For a full inning.

[Boston Connor]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

Trying to get me out. Three after.

[Boston Connor]

Are you going to stand in.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you want. What's that, yours?

[Boston Connor]

You're going to stand in trying to hit?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, sick. Yeah. Things going to make contact? Let's go. No.

[Pat McAfee]

What am I looking for, though? Maybe I need to go from both sides of the play. Maybe I get an inning on the right side.

[Boston Connor]

I don't know if you want to go left against Kershaw. Yeah. Stay right. Are you a switch hitter? He doesn't. He doesn't know.

[Pat McAfee]

I did not know I didn't play baseball at all. I think I have more power on this side just naturally because of golf and stuff and maybe a little hockey. Dangle hit for average from the left side, but, boy, I always. Ken Griffey Jr. You know, growing up, just like. That's like a much prettier swing, it seems like, but I don't think I can get any power on that.

[Boston Connor]

Cal, are you always opposite of the pitcher? Yeah, always.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so I'll bet, right? I guess.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. It's a good idea.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Shut up. Okay. I don't know. You sound like a little negative there. What is it, though, Cal? He'll have a big breaking ball and you're just waiting on him? Is that what you're doing? What should I be doing here?

[Boston Connor]

I mean, he's got fat. I mean, the bread and butter is the fastball slider, and he's got a big.

[Pat McAfee]

What's that mean? So what's that going to do? What's the fastball slider going to do to me if I'm on the right side, like you would do against him? What is that thing going to do to me? It's going to go away.

[Boston Connor]

It's going to go straight down. It's a kind of a gyro type, which means it's. It's not like a big one. It's not move a lot. It's going to be tight, and at the very end, it's going to drop

[Pat McAfee]

down, and I'm going to. I'm. I'm going to go me. I'm going to see that. And then Bowman's going to drop underneath my bat.

[Boston Connor]

If I were you, I would just start swinging as you're releasing.

[Pat McAfee]

So just guessing where it'll be. Strike. Somewhere.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Swing. Swing hard in case you hit it.

[Pat McAfee]

I like that. Yeah, I will. Yeah. It's kind of my life in a general. I'm swing hard just in case we hit this thing. And then if we do, guess what we're doing. Those are the Papago beats right there. Okay. Clayton Kershaw, I know he's retired. There's a chance I hit one off that rock right there.

[Boston Connor]

Okay. Just know that it's only like 800-900-ft, probably.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, exactly. And with what he's gonna be bringing, if I just close these things, shut these eyeballs, boom. And, Jason, that's what you were saying I need to do. All right, that's sweet. If you were pitching against me, a person that's never played baseball before, you're throwing fastball, right?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. There's no point to throw anything else.

[Pat McAfee]

Just fastball, fastball, fastball every time.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And is that going. So fastball, you can direct where that's going to go right in the strike zone where Clayton would want to go close. You would to want. Want to go close to me to scare the out of me, or would you want to go far as knowing that I wouldn't reach it?

[Boston Connor]

I think. I think Ker should throw a ball behind you.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think we should do that John Cook style. I don't think we should do any of that. Kershaw professional. We don't need any of that.

[Scott Boras]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't need poop in my pants here while I'm doing this entire thing. Will he try to get that thing

[Boston Connor]

close to Me to scare me, probably, I would guess.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, good. All right, now, see, these are things you're giving away.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. You're thinking the game. I love it.

[Pat McAfee]

See that? I'm starting to do it. And I cannot wait to watch you guys represent our country. Country. I cannot wait for our country to rally around you guys, you know, beating the rest of the world. Thank you so much for taking time. Good luck the rest of the way, and let's go win this whole damn thing.

[Boston Connor]

Why not? They're right.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, Paul Skeens and Cow Rawling. Thank you.

[Boston Connor]

Here we go. Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you, thank you. You're a good man. You're a good man. You're a good man. Con man. Welcome back, brother. Great to see you, Duke.

[Boston Connor]

Yes, sir. Thank you, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

What's that?

[Boston Connor]

Is that a new haircut? Yeah. Usually keep it like this. Looks good.

[Pat McAfee]

Ah, it's good. It's back. Oh, you're back. Yep.

[Boston Connor]

Good seeing you again. Good luck, boys.

[Pat McAfee]

What a year you had. Lester. Thanks for letting us to your party. Oh, wow.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, he doesn't wear a ute.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, wow.

[Boston Connor]

He looks nervous. He does.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think he looks nervous.

[Boston Connor]

Kind of does what he wants.

[Pat McAfee]

I like it.

[Boston Connor]

That was my picture on the show.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a monster. Did we know he was just. Ladies and gentlemen, Big yes. We're ready for you anytime you need it. Ladies and gentlemen, 11 time All Star, three time World Series champ, three time Cy Young winner, ladies and gentlemen, a man who's gonna be maybe up to his toughest task later today. Stud Stallion High school friends with Matthew Stafford. Icon. First ballot, hall of Famer, Clayton Kershaw. Clayton, we got some Hembo stats sent over to us. You can put that on if you can. And I don't know if you'll be able to see the screen or not with how bright it is. Look. Look at these stats here that Hembo sent over to us from ESPN Live. Ball era since 1920. Okay, that's a long time. 1920. Lowest era. Clayton Kershaw. Lois Whip. Which I know what that means. Clayton Kershaw. Lowest op. Opa. Clayton Kershaw. Minimum 250 starts. So whenever you talk about greatness personified, it is actually this man. And not only that, I think everybody that's ever met you loves you. Thank you for what you've done for sport.

[Boston Connor]

Hell, yeah. Thanks for having me. This will be fun.

[Pat McAfee]

Genuinely thank you for doing what you've done for sport. Now, let's talk about this. Team usa. You are retired mlb.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

But D Row and everybody wanted you on the roster because how much you mean to everybody, you mean to baseball. Where do you currently sit with, like, what. What's potentially the WBC schedule for you? And how do you feel about life right now?

[Boston Connor]

I feel great, man. I'm so excited to be here and be. Be with this group like you. You saw the guys coming out here, and, yeah, I got. I Amazon all my gear.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you know, I'm.

[Boston Connor]

I'm ready, dude. I've been ready for a long time, so I'm just so fired up to be on this team. And I told D. Ro. I told Andy Pettit, our pitching guy, I was like, look, whatever you guys want, I'll throw zero. I'll throw every game. It doesn't matter. I'm done after this. So I'll do. I'll do whatever you want. I'm gonna face you in a little bit, and I'm ready. Look out.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you. I know you. You've been. You've been pitching against high schoolers. I don't want to give too much away, but how have. How has those sessions gone?

[Boston Connor]

The results have been mixed. I'm not gonna lie. Yeah. You know, I think the Velo might be not what it should be, but the arm feels great, and I think I have enough for you. I think I can get you out.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Now, me, certainly no problem, but is there a chance that today, again, against me as you just make me look like I'm trying to hit a homer again? That's what those are called. Okay. That's what I'm aiming for, but everybody that knows baseball has seemingly been telling me, like, hey, you need to not get your hopes up here on contact or anything like that. Is there a chance you come out here and just straight nine, pitch me. Okay. Through an inning, and then all of a sudden, D row and Kershaw, like, okay, Kershaw, let's go ahead and have a wbc. Are you looking for anything in these moments for wbc, or do you already know what you could potentially do if you had to do it?

[Boston Connor]

No, I mean, you're getting me ready. I need this.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I need this. You're helping America. Let's go. Yeah, this is. He's helping America. Exactly. This is. We need you right here. I need good at bats. I need to know what I'm facing. And, yeah, I'm getting ready.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Skeen said that if he was pitching against me, throw him behind. Find me.

[Boston Connor]

Okay. I've had a lot of. A lot of votes to get you in the ribs. A lot of.

[Pat McAfee]

I would like to let you know, that'd be on base. Look at the money donation now.

[Boston Connor]

What are we doing here?

[Pat McAfee]

Normally, whenever we do these types of things, the people are doing it with. Very rarely say, I would. I would actually like to donate. Kershaw was like, I would actually like to donate alongside you in this thing. Right. I don't want to speak out of pocket.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I got you.

[Pat McAfee]

He said, I'll donate. I'll be a part of this. So here's the money we came up for. If I had a bingo, dinger, dongshot, you name it. 25 grand, extra base hit. 15,000. And my ghost runner's quick, by the way. Don't you ever forget that. If you walk me, which. That would be a rib shot, right? Would that not be.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. How much is that worth?

[Pat McAfee]

$10,500 donation strikeout. 10,000. A hit is just 10,000. Ball contact. $5,000 donation hit by pitch, that's an extra 5,000. Boom. So it's actually 15,000, so it's so worth it.

[Boston Connor]

But.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, strike is 1,000, obviously. And then every ball will be a donation by the pitcher as well. You know, for a thousand, if I throw a ball. Thousand bucks.

[Boston Connor]

Okay. These are new. Okay, good. Coming after you, man. All strikes. Let's go.

[Pat McAfee]

What's that?

[Boston Connor]

Who's up in this thing?

[Pat McAfee]

I think D Row is going to be the small box. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

All right.

[Pat McAfee]

I think he needs to make you, like, a. Yeah, it does need to be a small box.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. That's a tiny strikeout zone. What's it called now? What's the robot called now? Is there a name? Abs.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Abs. All right.

[Pat McAfee]

And am I pitching against you?

[Boston Connor]

If you want.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody's telling me that you rake. That's what they say. They say you practice.

[Boston Connor]

No, no, I don't rake. But I can. I can swing a bat. I'll make some contact.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so we'll do all those donation things for you pitching me an inning and then for me pitching you at any.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, I get to try to go deep against you every time.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. We'll cap it, though, because I might never get you out. Like, I do not know if I can even throw a strike tonight at bat.

[Boston Connor]

That's cap.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Full order is an app, because if I can't get an out, and I do fear, although this is going to be at the end of training today, that some of the other boys might see me up on the bump after you do your Thing and they go, hey, throw a couple more in here. I'm just getting shelled out here. So I am excited for it. I'm thankful for it all. Thank you for agreeing to do that. It's going to be awesome.

[Boston Connor]

I'll be a blast.

[Pat McAfee]

It's going to be spectacular. Now let's talk about Team USA a little bit. And you said you're just happy to be here. I'll do whatever you need from me. What do you think the proper vibes are for the best baseball team? Because it feels like you guys are always upbeat. It feels like there's like a yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But then in the biggest moments, locked in as well. How do you balance, like what the proper tone of a team should be in your eyes, especially as a multiple time winner?

[Boston Connor]

Well, I mean, I think that's the way baseball is. You know, I think you play every day, so you can't just be, you know, locked in for the whole day. So I think guys do a really good job being pretty relaxed. And then from everything I've heard about this tournament, the adrenaline, the atmosphere itself, you know, will get you locked in. And it's just so much different than a spring training game. So a lot of guys like Will Smith and some of these guys that were on the Dodgers that told me about it said it's like a playoff game, playoff atmosphere. And so that atmosphere alone will do enough to lock in the guys. But, you know, as far as just hanging out, you just want to get to know the guys. And it's kind of like an all Star game with those guys in there. You know, you just want to hang out, get to know them. All my boys are sending me baseball cards, all my kids saying, hey, I need, I need Aaron Judge. You know, I need. I was like, all right, guys, I'll go get it done.

[Pat McAfee]

And this is a retired life now. I get to do a lot more of that. Go ahead, D. Bud.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. As a kid, you know, you. You dream about certain moments, and we were in the same draft as your buddy Stafford. I definitely dreamt about, you know, playing against or picking off Payton, man, and having that moment. Are there like two or three moments for you? Whether it's strikeout against a legend, first Cy win, first World Series, like, all right, what are the top two or three moments that stand out for you in your amazing career? I mean, I would say one of the World Series, you know, I got to do it three times and that was not a big deal. Yeah, I mean, that was. That was it. You Know, I think when you play a team sport, you want to win the last game of the season, you know? And so I think for me, being able to do that, especially this last year, my last game ever, get to win the World Series, like, couldn't script it any better than that. And I just. It was just such an amazing moment for me. And then winning the first one, you know, we had a lot of times we got to the postseason and we didn't win. And so for me to win that first one and finally get that monkey off my back and get to do it was. Was amazing.

[Pat McAfee]

Going out on top is what everybody dreams of, brother.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. And I agree. Felt pretty good.

[Pat McAfee]

And then today, it can all change. Go ahead, Ty. Go ahead.

[Boston Connor]

In terms of going out on top, was there. What led you to officially being like, you know what?

[Pat McAfee]

I'm done.

[Boston Connor]

I want to retire, Obviously, I know you got kids at home, but you see the team you guys have in LA right now, and I assume that, you know, like, you're still confident in what you can do. It's probably hard not to be. Like, you know what? Yeah, maybe I run this back, like, a year or two, because I might be able to add two more World Series. I'm not that confident anymore. I'm not. You know, I think you look up at the gun and you're throwing 87, 88. I think we might be. It might be time to hang it up, you know, and just physically, too, I think I have enough in the tank for these three weeks. But, you know, you asked me in September if my body's okay. I don't think it would be. So between winning last year and, like you said, if you're on the Dodgers, you probably have a chance to win the World Series every year. So at some point, you got to walk away, because every year is going to be a chance to win another one. So we won, and it just. It was just the right time. Felt good.

[Pat McAfee]

So your body told you, is what you're saying.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, a number of things.

[Pat McAfee]

When did it start going, and was it quick? Because for kickers. Can I tell you about kickers? So kickers will kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, and then they lose their height. Like, it's almost like they say overnight. Like, it'll. It'll become a thing where it just becomes obvious. Like Vinatieri. He would have kicked until he was 70 years old if he could.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

But then he just couldn't get the ball up quick enough. Like, that would. That's the determiners. Can I get it up quick enough and then it like happens. It just kind of comes out of there. Was it the same for you or was it a gradual process? Because I guess you can kind of game whenever you're losing speed a little bit more.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, my velo kind of stopped going up, you know, about six or seven years ago, and then slowly the deterioration happened. So I don't think it was like a one year thing. I think it was just over time. And then, you know, I started having surgeries and that's no fun to have to rehab and all that stuff. But, you know, every off season when you go and throw bullpens in the off season, you're throwing, you know, 82, 83, and you're like, man, I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it get to 90 this year. And then, you know, just keep going with that route every offseason. And then finally this, this past offseason, I was like, you know what this feels like it's the right time. This is just getting harder and harder to gear up and go. And like you said, I love playing. I love playing baseball. I love baseball so much. I love those guys and I love the Dodgers so much. I would have played as long as my arm would have let me, but I think this is my arm told me it was time.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you for your contribution to sport. Connor has a question for you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, speaking of the Dodgers, you know, two of Japan's biggest stars, Ohtani and Yamamoto, they are obviously kind of the

[Pat McAfee]

headliners of that Japanese team.

[Boston Connor]

Are you going to basically tell everyone their secrets? Tell everyone how to hit Yamamoto, Tell them the, you know, how to get Ohtani out, how to hit Ohtani, and also, what do you just think about Japan baseball culture as a whole? Because it feels like Ohtani, I mean, he's tipping his cap every time he's stepping in the batter's box to the other manager. Like, Japanese baseball also feels like such a huge part of their culture. How difficult is it to, you know, kind of beat a team like that? Yeah, I mean, Shohei and Yama are so good, and they both go about it very differently. So, you know, I think when you think about Japanese culture, like, you think of, like, you know, all the, you know, Mr. Miyagi, all these things, and Yama is a lot like that. Yama, like, is in the weight room every day doing these same things. But with Shohei, he's got a pitch and he's got a hit, and he's a monster in the Weight room and he's so fast, all these things. So it's amazing what Shohei does. And as far as secrets, I don't know how he does it. I have no idea. I've watched him for a few years, still have no idea how he does it. So it'll be fun if we get to face them for sure and it'll be a tough matchup. But that's a pretty good group of guys in there and I'm excited to watch that.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. You said you watched Shohei. You don't know how he does it?

[Boston Connor]

Don't know how he does it. Really don't.

[Pat McAfee]

Special, right? This is like alien type stuff.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, it's just God given talent. I mean, he. He works really hard. You got to give him a lot of credit for how he takes care of himself to be able to pitch and hit and stay healthy. But I don't. I don't know how he does it.

[Pat McAfee]

How's he amongst the boys?

[Boston Connor]

He's great. He's great. He's funny. He speaks a lot of English, which I don't know if he lets on to the music too much. But you know, Shohei's great and he's been a great addition to the clubhouse and yeah, everybody loves him.

[Pat McAfee]

He's great whenever. I mean, because what has happened with MLB and Japan's relationship with Shohei and then what your team does with him being there. You guys feel what's happening for baseball, right, with Shoi, why you're riding kind of that light. Not that it's just Shohei on your team because you guys got studs everywhere, which people are pissed by. Yeah, yeah, everybody's pissed about that people are not happy about. But as you're riding that wave of obvious global popularity alongside Shohei, is there something that you try to like, I don't want to be like a mentor for him or like, hey, like, like it's all good. Like he has to feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. And I don't know how like how the teammate stuff works, especially with such different cultures between Japan and America.

[Boston Connor]

He does a great job. You know, I think that with the media circus that follows him everywhere and all the Japanese reporters that are in LA as a team, we don't see that he does such a good job of like handling all that and still being a good teammate and still playing really well. So like I said, it all bakes into the formula of like, I don't know how he does everything that he does because he literally does have Like a country watching him every second of the day. And you know, we went to Tokyo last year. We opened up an opening day in Tokyo last year and that was wild. I think it was probably like what the Beatles were. It's kind of like that's what I would experience just being around Shohei and being on the Dodgers. That was once in a lifetime to see him in Tokyo last year.

[Pat McAfee]

And then there's always, there's drama. Now obviously he's mega star. You talk about a whole country country following him. So anything that happens is going to be amplified. And in between years is seemingly everything. He'll have so much happening out here and he still somehow hits a baseball. That's his big. Like he had like a three home run night. Like the night after, like some devastating thing happened to him. Like, hey, yeah, you were robbed or something like this. And then now everybody on earth is expecting you to show up. And then he hits three dingers. It's like this guy, I don't. He's special in between years, I don't know how, let alone his whole body. This feels like a special spe. But I don't give a shit. Yeah, exactly.

[Boston Connor]

At all.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't give a shit in this baseball classic. Okay? Not at all. Go ahead, Tone.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Clayton. We were talking to Skeens and obviously everyone on Team usa, this is a team everyone wants to succeed. But he said like, hey, I'm not going to give away to guys in here. Why I'm throwing a certain pitch in their first at bat. What I'm setting them up for in the second and third at bat. Now that you're retired, are you going to give away all the secret to all the hitters in here and has anyone started your pick and your brain?

[Pat McAfee]

You.

[Boston Connor]

I had, I had no secrets. I think I threw the same three pitches my whole career.

[Pat McAfee]

What are they? What are they?

[Boston Connor]

Basketball, slider, curveball. I tried to throw a change up for 18 years, never really figured it out. But as the fastball went, the slider usage went up and I started throwing the slider basically every pitch. And yeah, there's no secrets. I just tried to throw it in a good spot and hope for the best. That's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so what? So I've been told.

[Boston Connor]

Okay, what do you got?

[Pat McAfee]

You should have faith in your fastball

[Boston Connor]

against me right down the middle.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, every single time fastball balls cost money.

[Boston Connor]

You gotta throw them a hook. Have to. I'm gonna try to throw some strikes based on that formula, I'm gonna Go from there.

[Pat McAfee]

No, you can work it a little bit, but honestly, facing me.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know that I have no clue.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

What I'm doing. Yeah, yeah. So you can really work with that. Right. Like, I need to know that you are definitely with me whenever whatever's happening in there is.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, when you think about it, it's a pretty lose, lose situation for me. Right. If I'm facing, facing a kicker and he gets a hit off me, but if I strike him out, it's exactly what I'm supposed to do.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. This sucks for you. That's why I called you multiple times saying, hey,

[Boston Connor]

I'm rethinking it now. But no, it's good.

[Pat McAfee]

I appreciate you. Go ahead, Con man.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, the other thing about, you know, the entire United States team is the importance of putting on the jersey. You know, you, you put on an LA Dodgers jersey every day and that means a lot.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, you mentioned that you were

[Boston Connor]

in it for the World Series every year, but I mean, first of all, the outfit you have on is fantastic. But when you put on, you know, the USA jersey itself, you know, you see the flag on the hat. How important is that to you? Just representing your country and kind of being able to do that on such a, you know, worldwide platform, it's so cool. It's so cool. I think it's a bucket list thing for me. I've tried to be on this team a few different times and it hadn't worked out for numerous reasons. But now that I finally get to do it and represent, you know, USA and get to play baseball, it's an amazing thing. You know, we were all watching the Winter Olympics. To see the hockey teams win and just to kind of see the nation support them and be behind them, it was, it was amazing, you know, and we love that. And so I think to get to do that in a baseball uniform for Team USA is, it's a bucket list thing for me. I'm so grateful. Get to be on the team and it's going to be a blast.

[Pat McAfee]

Have you, you've watched World Baseball Classics in the past?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You saying stop being able to work out whether it was injury or free agency, it feels like baseball does try to look out for its players. Like Scuba, what's currently happening right now, where we want to load our team, definitely. But he also has generational wealth potentially on the other side. So everybody tries to balance it. It feels like because MLB's involved in this as well, and all the baseball players, I think they, they kind of get It. What do you think the fans at home should look forward to with wbc? Like you might, I mean, literally, you might throw two innings, fourth and fifth inning against some team that we're playing against. That could be anybody. Now they're saying Paul is only going to throw two games. But it's like we get into a playoff game trying to win. There's a chance that a guy who's an ace comes out and does it.

[Boston Connor]

Like, don't tell the Pirates that. They don't want to hear that. They don't care. Don't worry.

[Pat McAfee]

They don't care about baseball. The Pirates spent $100 million on their entire roster for the first time ever this year.

[Boston Connor]

I think doesn't Even know though, WBC's happening.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we don't. We're not 100 sure if he does yet. We don't. He probably found out today. Show was on. Why is MacPhee in Arizona? I hate that guy. Why isn't Paul at our place? That's potentially real over there with the Pirates. But what do you think people should look forward to for this wbc?

[Boston Connor]

I mean, just the matchups. I mean the way we see the way it ended last year, having Shohei face Mike Trout teammates at the time and that swing and miss to end the game like that and to see how meaningful it was for Team Japan to win that and that's all I've heard is just like how much people want to win this thing for their country. And so I'm excited to get into it. I'm excited to see it. And then you're going to see matchups that you don't ever see. Like the Dominican Republic is loaded, right? Team Japan is loaded. Venezuela is always good. There's good players on every team. So just the different types of matchups, the different, different pressure situations for guys, it's going to be awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm excited to see if he can handle the pressure.

[Boston Connor]

I'm excited too. A little nervous.

[Pat McAfee]

What'd you do yesterday? What'd you do yesterday?

[Boston Connor]

I didn't do anything. I played golf. Family came in town. I did no baseball activity. Didn't do any baseball activity yesterday. The day before that either.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. All right. So it might be a little cold.

[Boston Connor]

I need to warm up. I need an hour. Give me a warm up and I'll be good.

[Pat McAfee]

Yesterday was a lot of water for you though.

[Boston Connor]

I'm hydrated. I'm very hydrated.

[Pat McAfee]

So for me it was the complete opposite. Yesterday we had one here in Scottsdale.

[Boston Connor]

You had a good Time had to.

[Pat McAfee]

We were introduced to the Illuminati of Scottsdale called Thunderbirds. Our friend AQ Shipley's in this group. They. They got belts and they're a whole custom shoes. They're a little fraternity thing. They own everything out here. We had. We had one. And there was multiple times we mentioned you where I was. Chairs to. We're doing a cheers or whatever. Taking them. I don't know what Kershaw's doing right now. See if it. So I want to say lose, lose, lose situation. So, like, sounds like.

[Boston Connor]

Like excuses after excuses.

[Pat McAfee]

Just telling you the reality of the biz. Okay. A lot of dry mouth yesterday. Excited to see and step in there. And thank you for allowing me the honor of being able to. Honestly, you. This is normal for you. For me, as somebody that didn't play baseball ever, the fact that I'm allowed to step in that Bears box and face you is very cool. I understand that and I'm very, very grateful. Very, very grateful.

[Boston Connor]

Well, thanks for being here, bringing your show out here. It means a lot to the guys and it's good for baseball to have you guys here, so appreciate it.

[Pat McAfee]

You're good for baseball. So is this, ladies and gentlemen, the man who's going to try to strike me out, not hit me in the ribs?

[Boston Connor]

No, definitely not. Maybe. No. Maybe. Thank you, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Sir, thank you so much. Appreciate you, man. All right, See you in a bit.

[Boston Connor]

All right.

[Pat McAfee]

See, dude, you don't have a chance.

[Boston Connor]

Palace.

[Scott Boras]

Yeah, bud.

[Pat McAfee]

See you later. That's what I thought.

[Boston Connor]

I won so many championships to that

[Pat McAfee]

dude just on the show. Oh, yeah.

[Boston Connor]

He's so big.

[Pat McAfee]

Just.

[Boston Connor]

He's huge.

[Pat McAfee]

Now, I will say on that handshake on the way out, I did try

[Boston Connor]

to try and get him.

[Pat McAfee]

Just wanted.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Because I think that's.

[Boston Connor]

You're gonna need that. It's a big. Mind games are gonna be a big part of it. This is awesome. And now, you know, strikes.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I should have shook his left hand and just try to crack that.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, he's not letting that happen.

[Pat McAfee]

So what? Fastball, ball, slider, curveball.

[Boston Connor]

He said, yep, that's it.

[Pat McAfee]

Slider is going off the table. It's going right there.

[Boston Connor]

He saw the balls, though, being a donation from his side, and he said, okay, looks like I'm just going to have to kind of throw some strikes. Only we have some tape, right.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's do some Hembo stats here as we continue the best pitches during the tracking era. This is since 2008. Oh, number one, Kershaw's slider plus 229. Number two, Clayton Kershaw's four seamer plus 225. And number three, Justin Verlander, who's back with the Tigers. Four seamer plus 207. So basically every stat that I've seen, I know there's a lot of stats for baseball because there's a lot of games, a lot of things to remember. Clayton Kershaw, generational tie.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Probably the best pitcher of his generation. He will be a first ballot hall of Famer. That's what's crazy is because, I mean, this curveball, that's a big hook. This just. I mean, you want to talk.

[Pat McAfee]

So what am I doing? I'm sitting and waiting for golfing that thing.

[Boston Connor]

You're not hitting his curveball. So don't worry about that one. That's not the one we want. Okay. I don't know if we hit the slide or. We want the fastball. We want the fastball dead red. That's the one we want to be sitting on and trying to drive.

[Pat McAfee]

And I'm just gonna say me.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

As I'm swinging.

[Boston Connor]

You say that for every pitch he throws.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, me, yeah, yeah. All right. Yeah. Because Ty was. Ty was trying to teach me good baseball chirping yesterday. Like when I'm in the batter's box, things that I could say here, like, oh, like meats. Like that's a meatball beach ball. Here we go. You should definitely ask for time in here a couple times. Definitely tap head. We want a review of the pitch in there. All these things that come could potentially take place. I'm worried once I get in there, it's all going to go black. There's a chance and I'm just going to see Kershaw out there and I'm going to go, yeah. What? I sign up for this and then he's going to. And I'm like, that's 15 grand.

[Boston Connor]

Uniform on or is he pitching in?

[Pat McAfee]

If he's going in that with that, I'm. That's probably.

[Boston Connor]

This weather is also really, really good for him.

[Pat McAfee]

For me it is.

[Boston Connor]

No, for him.

[Pat McAfee]

For me. Because the ball will fly.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. For everybody.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Forgot about that. Yeah. He got hit it. He might get a couple. A couple more miles an hour on his V load.

[Pat McAfee]

Alright, let's talk about some stuff happening in the football world as we continue. Kirk Cousins will be released by the Atlanta Falcons. That whole thing ends after he gets paid $180 million to be their quarterback. Then they draft Michael Pennix Jr. At the number eight overall pick a month and a half later. Now we see a time where Kirk Cousins could potentially go back to the Minnesota Vikings or maybe to the New York jets or to any of these other teams that could potentially need a veteran. We've seen veterans who get their second, third opportunity in places, Kirk Cousins included, have massive success. Look for him to get out there. Derek Carr allegedly was coming out of retirement, told the Saints that, told the world that there was no movement. Maybe Derek Carr gets another gig. Tua Tsongavaloa is going to be moved on from the Miami world. Geno Smith is being looked at potentially for the Minnesota Vikings. Kyler Murray's days in Arizona are over. Remember, they draft the kid from ucla, Josh Ross.

[Boston Connor]

Rosen.

[Pat McAfee]

Josh Rosen. It does not go well. He's the Rosen one. They say he does not do really well at all at football. One year later, new staff knew everything. They draft Kyler Murray. Kyler Murray becomes first player ever athlete ever to be drafted top 10 in football and in baseball. He then goes on to have an interesting career with Arizona where during his contract negotiations, something comes out where it's basically like, this guy's playing video games. He's not actually watching film. They say, no, that's not true. You're still talking about one of the greatest athletes to ever exist in Kyler Murray. He'll have a fresh start somewhere. Will that be in Minnesota? Feels like all these veteran quarterbacks, all eyes are on Minnesota. They win 14 games, okay, with Sam Darnold playing for the number one overall seed in the NFC. Then they go into what they are. Injuries take place, they're holding back JJ McCarthy from an injuries perspective, not getting as many reps, but they're clearly in the veteran quarterback market. It feels like from everything we've heard, and I also heard some people around the combine say that, you know, they've talked to people at the Minnesota. This is not Minnesota Vikings people saying this. But talk to people at Minnesota Vikings after the season goes, and they're almost like, it was almost disrespectful to Ball to just move on from a quarterback that wins 14 games. Just almost disrespectful to the NFL. So this guy wins 14 games in the NFL and you say, ah, we can kind of move on. There was like a narrative that, like that decision in of itself for Minnesota was one that maybe karma was going to work against them just because of. It's hard to win 14 games. And I think their fan base saw them win 14 games. So now they're in a sense of urgency to get right back there as soon as possible. Debuff.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, a lot of people felt like that when they made the decision to move on. But as a coach, as a front office, as an ownership group, you got to make that decision, whether it's firing a coach who's a Schottenheimer or Chargers, like 14 games. And then they let him go because they just felt like it was time for a change. You drafted a guy in the first round, you obviously believed in him, so you turned that page. But a lot of us felt that way. And then there were other people on the other side who were like, hey, if they get J.J. mcCarthy, he does this, they'll be right back in that situation. But we know better. Yeah, we. Exactly. So we. But we know how fleeting success in this league can be. You know, whether it's going to deep playoff run or getting to a Super bowl or winning to a Super Bowl. Winning a Super bowl, that staff, that team, everything is different year in and year out. So it was a tough decision, and it's why they get paid the big bucks.

[Pat McAfee]

Aaron Jones will be released from the Vikings. Same with a defensive tackle, Javon Hargraves. So they'll be freeing up some money. Aaron Jones on the market's good news for a lot of people. Speaking of running backs on the market, David Montgomery is now a member of the Houston Texans. He was once a part of the Sonic and Knuckles or ass in cheeks, depending upon how they played backfield up there in Detroit. He will now head down to Houston to be alongside Woody Marks in that backfield with C.J. stroud and a revamped offensive line. Because a part of everything happening this morning for Houston is they're getting rid of offensive linemen. So I'll be excited to see what they end up putting together. Let's go back to the truck. Detroit Lions superfan Evan Foxy. Demo out of town. This is what you guys wanted, right? We only want Gibbs.

[Boston Connor]

No, no, no, no, no, no.

[Pat McAfee]

This is a bummer. Montgomery has been a pillar for this team. Once the MCDC era started and once that brand new Lions era started, Monte has been the guy. He actually would always start the games and then Gibbs would come in after that. I actually remember a game against the Rams two seasons ago. We go to overtime. They gave Monty the ball nine or 10 times in a row. He ran down the field. Touchdown. Game was over. He's an absolute dog. We're definitely going to miss him in Detroit. Yeah. Why did you say that people were calling him Cheeks, though? Well, you know, at the beginning of

[Boston Connor]

this season, they didn't have a great

[Pat McAfee]

game against the packers, first game of the year. And people said, yeah, I thought their nickname was Sonic and Knuckles, not Ass in Cheeks. So that's how they got that nickname for this season. They didn't deserve that. I would never say that about them. And now Gibbs is going to be the highest paid running back in the league. It sounds like I did see that. You know, some people were saying at the end of the season, they stopped giving the ball to Demo. We no longer have a dual backfield, and we stopped winning games. So I thought Jameer Gibbs was spectacular. And anytime you give a ball to somebody that isn't him, you're certainly taking away from runs. But maybe they needed Deemo to do what Demo does. Does. He'll go to Houston with a bunch of dogs down there. What's that offensive line look like? It is multiple times now. Where Casario will move on, it feels like, from big names trying to find it. I hope they're able to do it. I trust Caserio. Good luck down there. Congrats to the Texans getting active. Congrats to also Brandon Aubrey, kicker for the Dallas Cowboys. It was reported that, you know, he's looking for 10 million a year, which would be the highest. That was all a lie, I guess. Okay, I guess that wasn't really. His wife confirmed it. Also his agent, everybody confirmed it. I think that report was coming from a place of somebody saying, I mean, pay him 10 million. We were like. And it just kind of comes into play, he will be the highest paid kicker coming into next year. But I guess him, he wanted to let people know, I'm not commanding $10 million. This is just agents saying, hey, this guy needs 15, 20 million if you wanted to.

[Boston Connor]

Well, and it's smart because if Jerry gets wind of the this and he thinks he actually is, you know, demanding 10 million. We've seen what's happened with Cowboys players in the past who kind of wronged Jerry in that way.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he's on the first thing smoking in Indianapolis. D. But speaking of Indianapolis, Daniel Jones and the Colts allegedly not close on a deal. She said 50, 50 on that thing getting done before the franchise. Tag your thoughts on where the Colts are at right now.

[Boston Connor]

That's very concerning. Obviously, we saw what Daniel Jones can do with the offensive line and in Shane Stichen's offense, and it was MVP level. So hopefully we can get him back. But number one, you Know he's got to get healthy and recover from this major injury as well, but I hope we get him back. 50. 50 is literally a toss up. So we shall see. According to Shefty.

[Pat McAfee]

Unbelievable shot right here. That might be the coolest you have ever. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And from us to all of you on E2, we'll continue digitally on YouTube, TikTok, ESPN plus and Disney. Live from Scottsdale, Arizona, the home of Team USA training camp, as they get ready for the World Baseball Classic first game on Friday against Brazil. Then Great Britain, then Mexico and Italy. Then we move on to take on the world's greats. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. Might change your life. We'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye. Feel like we really hit it.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah, that's a good omen.

[Pat McAfee]

I said the game's great, so if we lose to anybody, that'd be a real. You know, that'd be tough. It'd be like he's expecting to get by all these guys. Guys, we can't be losing to Brazil.

[Boston Connor]

No, no, we're not going. Or Italy or anywhere they swing. Spaghetti. Sorry, what?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but those spaghettis uncooked.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah, you're right.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, it's got.

[Boston Connor]

I suppose we're going to beat the out of every team in pool play. Like, beat the out of every team. So Brazil is last in the odds. When you. When they have the odds to win the world base, they're like, plus 400,000.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Plus 40,000. Great Britain right there next to him. We got them as well. Plus 25,000. Feels like now.

[Boston Connor]

Which, hey, you never know. That's why we got to play the games.

[Pat McAfee]

That is why we got to play.

[Boston Connor]

That's baseball.

[Pat McAfee]

Why don't we take.

[Boston Connor]

Not a bad team.

[Pat McAfee]

Why don't we take a break? That two will be leaving from this pool, so we assume it'll be us in Mexico. Maybe Italy will get in there with the. God who knows? Maybe Brazil starts seeing it even though the books say they got no shot. We're gonna take a break. When we come back, we got a man who runs a baseball. I don't.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah. I think you could say that.

[Pat McAfee]

That.

[Boston Connor]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Most powerful agent in sports.

[Boston Connor]

Without a doubt. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Certainly the most wealthy.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

The NFL has 3% cap at what agents can make. I don't think baseball has one, but I think it's like a 3 to 5% is normally the era. If you were to do that particular math on the amount of money that this guy has negotiated. Scott bors he's negotiated 15 billion, million.

[Boston Connor]

That's pretty good.

[Pat McAfee]

He'll be joining us. I'm sure he's gonna have some to say about everything going on.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I think he will.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll be excited to see who's happy he's on the show and who's not happy. Yeah, that's kind of this thing about this baseball world. I. I don't know it, and I have a lot of people telling me that on the Internet that I don't know baseball. And I've said I don't know baseball while we're here. No. Yeah. We're trying our best. Yeah. Trying to learn the game. I'm. I'm stepping in batter's boxer. To take on a generational is great. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

One of the goats.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I'm trying to learn as much as possible. But also, I don't know when we step in it, when we don't. That does kind of happen to us.

[Boston Connor]

We don't.

[Pat McAfee]

We get into a place where we don't necessarily know all the ins and outs, and all of a sudden we throw ourselves into a war with somebody that I never expected. Scott Boris coming on. The only people are gonna be mad about that are all the people that have had to pay him over the years, I assume.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I guess.

[Pat McAfee]

But the fact that he.

[Boston Connor]

They kind of just let him in here, Here, you know, if there was actual heat, I'm guessing it's harder for him to get. I think everyone knows what Scott Boris

[Pat McAfee]

represents because we are big fans of the way MLB has been nice to us.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

We are very, very thankful to mlb. And it is very hard not to say the mlb.

[Boston Connor]

It is. You've been good with it, though. Yeah. Yeah. You've been crushed. It. That was last year's.

[Pat McAfee]

You.

[Boston Connor]

You've grown. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I think I did it three times today. I heard me do it.

[Boston Connor]

That was all star. You.

[Pat McAfee]

This is World baseball Classic. Us.

[Boston Connor]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

We're lucky to be here. All right. I'm gonna go to the bathroom. You should do the same game. When we get back, we got some great baseball talk, and we'll wrap up all the news around the sports world. College basketball doing it. College basketball is bringing it. You're about to get shocked by Audi. Crooks. Just put up 41. Okay.

[Boston Connor]

What month is it?

[Pat McAfee]

March.

[Boston Connor]

That's right. Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You don't want to be a monster in January. You want to be a monster in March. And it feels like college basketball has been a monster as a whole. But the men's and the women's have been must watch. Watch. People are saying college hoops better than NBA hoops this year.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I'd sign off on that. Yeah, Hard not to argue it, especially.

[Pat McAfee]

I saw Wemby go from the elbow the other night. He might be. He's an alien. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

And Tatum's back this week.

[Pat McAfee]

What? Yeah, there.

[Boston Connor]

Yesterday was the first day he was listed as an actual doubtful versus just being out. And they're saying Friday would be a date to look forward to with Dallas and Cooper. Flag.

[Pat McAfee]

That's unbelievable. All right. Sports are the greatest. Baseball's on fire. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life.

[Boston Connor]

As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise

[Pat McAfee]

to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count

[Boston Connor]

on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by.

[Pat McAfee]

Get in the game with the college branded Venmo debit card.

[Boston Connor]

Wreck your team with every tap and earn up to 5% cash back with

[Pat McAfee]

Venmo Stash, a new rewards program from Venmo.

[Boston Connor]

No monthly fee, no minimum balance. Just school pride and spending power. Get in the game and sign up for the Venmo debit [e-mail] collegecard the

[Pat McAfee]

Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank NA Select Schools available Venmo Stash terms and exclusions apply at venmo.me stash terms max $100 cash back per month. And welcome back to beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona, the helm of Team USA baseball training Camp Battle 3 begins now. Sports are the greatest. And we're so incredibly lucky that we are sports program because moments only happen every once in a while where an entire country comes together and say, yeah, let's beat the hell out of them.

[Boston Connor]

Uh huh.

[Pat McAfee]

We fell into the Olympics. It started with quad God. A lot of us started watching the quad God late at night on ice do things that the world had never seen any lost. And we all said, wait a minute, is American greatness suffering? Are we not going to be able to climb to the top of the mountain? Whenever it comes to competition in sports, whenever the United States of America is competing with the rest of the world and then all of a Sudden, Michaela Shiffrin says, we got it. Then Ferrara on the half pipe says, I got your back. Then the bobsled story says, yeah, this land that was made for you and me does create the greatest athletes on earth. And obviously the women's in the men's hockey team take down our biggest rival in Canada in overtime in the gold medal matches, and all of a sudden the United States of America isn't this little suffering, little boo hoo country. No, all of a sudden, we are the American swagger sports country that we are.

[Boston Connor]

Hell yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And that leads right into what's about to happen with this Team USA baseball. They're in the World Baseball Classic. And it might not be something that people hold in such regard as the Olympics or as the World cup, but at one point they will, because this is the Olympics for baseball, baseball, America's pastime, obviously. But currently, Japan, reigning champs of the World Baseball Classic. That's right. Shohei Ohtani and the boys have come in and really taken over this baseball like a wildfire, like a firestorm. And the boys from the United States of America who grew up throwing a rock and hitting a rock on this great land said, don't, nope, we are signing up Captain America. Aaron Judge watched World Baseball Classic a few years ago when Shohei struck out trout and said, nah, it ain't gonna be like that. Bryce Harper watched and said, I don't think we're gonna let this happen anymore. Paul Skeens, young legend and icon, youngest, most talented guy since insert beginning of baseball, said, america's competing. I would like to play for them.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Kyle Raleigh, you name it. It's a who's who of baseball players that signed up to say, we ain't letting Team USA lose in this thing. And I'll tell you, the Dominican Republic is stacked. Oh, yeah, Japan is stacked. And I think what you're about to witness from now until March 17th is a bunch of people coming together around a sport that maybe not all of us watch, but we do love, strictly because our country is about to do its thing. Odds on favorite is us. There's certainly a lot of pressure. The hockey teams just won. A lot of pressure. But these boys are built for it. These boys are ready for it. And all of it starts today out here at the San Francisco Giants baseball training facility. Papago is the name. And I'll tell you what, we love that we go here. The talks and tables here at Boston. Connor and Ty Schmidt, con man. How's your patriotism boner feeling?

[Boston Connor]

Pretty amazing.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, you mentioned in Japan, that's

[Boston Connor]

a good baseball team, but we got the best baseball team, okay? There's a big, big, big difference.

[Pat McAfee]

That is a good baseball team. That's a good baseball team, and that is unarguable.

[Boston Connor]

But you see what Kershaw showed up in. I mean, are you freaking kidding me? There aren't vibes like that pouring out of Japan. I know that for a fact. From the bandana to the, you know, basketball, lacrosse, Penny, whatever the hell it was. He looked phenomenal. I couldn't imagine what the vibes are inside that locker room, looking around like, oh, Aaron Judge is here.

[Pat McAfee]

Here. Oh, Kyle Schwarbo is here.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, oh, Bryce Harper's here.

[Pat McAfee]

Paul Skein. Oh, my God. Look at that ass. I know that ass. That's Kyle Raleigh's dumper.

[Boston Connor]

That's a big dumper. Oh, wait, no, that's the biggest dumper. Okay, so we know Japan doesn't have those tools, and I just can't wait to actually watch him play. I think it's going to be really fun to watch them just beat the piss out of Brazil. I didn't know Brazil played baseball. Beat the piss out of Italy, beat the piss out of Mexico, and then let's go to the quarterfinals.

[Pat McAfee]

Nah, we got to play Great Britain, too. You already skipped them.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I didn't even. I don't even think when it. When I think of usa, I don't even think Great Britain. They're not even on the radar when it comes to sports. When it comes to.

[Pat McAfee]

Or anything happened.

[Boston Connor]

Their TE's still in the bottom of the Boston harbor, baby. Yeah, they are completely out of my mind. Out of sight, out of mind. But, yeah, it's going to be very cool to watch all these studs play on the same team.

[Pat McAfee]

Ty Schmidt, baseball guy, obviously our baseball guy passing, not here.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. What's that about?

[Pat McAfee]

Congrats to him. He just signed a new deal. That's a good decision. That's a good decision to sign, pass into a new deal. We're very appreciative of him. He has a fantasy baseball draft that happens with the boys 15, 20 years. On this particular day, we wish he would be out here. We assume in the future he'll be here, but congrats to him on the new deal. But for baseball, not only are we getting back. I know pitchers and catchers report, and there's like a slow rollout. World Baseball Classic is boom. Baseball is back right at the beginning of the season. It's like Daytona 500, starting out first for NASCAR.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. And I think, you know, I could understand why people in. In years past maybe aren't a thousand percent on board with watching these games, because it is. It's just a weird time for baseball to be on. Usually there's not meaningful baseball on at this time. So if you're not, like a baseball purist and you love it, you know, you kind of be like, all right, whatever. Like, if we make the championship, I'll consider it. But look at the guys we've had on the set today. Like, and the way they've talked about it, like, it does mean more this year. Not that it didn't mean, you know, a lot in the past, but they're ready. Like, they're, hey, this is not Japan's game. This is our game. So, yeah, like, household names who. If you don't watch baseball, you know, a lot of the guys on this team and you're. You're, you know, instantly, you're just more willing to be like, you know what? Yeah, I'll watch a lineup that has Judge and Schwaber and Cal, Raleigh and all these guys back to back to back, like, outside of the All Star Game. And even that, that's kind of something where people don't really care about. Like, you know, this means something. So. So I'm. I'm so excited. And that's the best part, too, is we don't have to wait. Like, it starts this week. So, I mean, we're ready to go. And, yeah, there's. There is no situation in my mind where we are not beating the shit out of every team in pool play and then ultimately winning this whole thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Tone, how can I profit off this if I wanted to gamble on it? Obviously, USA's odds on favorites, so feels like that's always an easy bet. Minus 110. You can still get some good money. Not as much as Brazil gets some hot bats. They'll obviously hit. Is there other things that we need to be look at as we gamble on this? World Baseball class?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. So as I went through it, it's really. You can bet on it. You'll be able to bet on it game by game. So those odds aren't out yet, but as they go on, you will be able to. And then obviously, each pool, there's four different pools. You can bet on who's going to win that pool. The favorites in those pools are usa, Japan, Dominican. I can't remember who the fourth favorite is, but you can bet on the pool. You bet on single games. I haven't seen anything like who home run leaders for the tournament or anything like that.

[Pat McAfee]

Puerto Rico.

[Boston Connor]

Yes, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico. Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, no problem.

[Boston Connor]

But yeah you could go pool play right now single games and then overall -110 for the America is probably, you

[Pat McAfee]

know the best bet. Nine year NFL vet Darius J. Butler is here. D Bunch what was the number the draftkings said today is live betting. Like 50 some percent of their money is like live betting. This does feel like a sport we can watch first couple see how the boys are buzzing. I think there's going to be pressure. I know we're playing Brazil. Baseball is such like a little there could be pressure early or the boys could come out and just demolish D

[Boston Connor]

Buzz yeah based on what Ty's telling me I don't think we'll see any pressure. I think it'll be some tune up games early and that'll be that'll bode well for later in the games getting these matchups, the big matchups, the household names that we know from the other countries as well. So I can't wait for those games and I am a huge live better and all sports.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you got to get a look at what's going on. Yeah, it's kind of hard to see who's going to show up especially if you can see who's going to show up and then gamble on that 54% of 2025 sports betting handle came from live bets per their investor presentation in which I think they gave out a lot of stats and a lot of numbers about how their business operates. Shout out to dk. Shout out to us Wanting to see it first. Yeah, we want to see it smart. It's probably a good thing too. We can't name a single player on Brazil and we look at the names on Brazil and we go they're from Brazil.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

What the hell is that? I didn't know that was Brazil's team but they might have a squad.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, they might.

[Pat McAfee]

And it might be a little bit of a dog fight. We'll find out. There's a person that can tell us the value of every single player and every single game that's going to be taking place in a world baseball classic. There's a man that has been running baseball behind the scenes for a long time and I believe he actually was a former football punter and also a little bit of a baseball player.

[Boston Connor]

Oh good.

[Pat McAfee]

So anytime ex athletes go ahead and take over a business, I love that. Ladies and gentlemen, the man who owns the Boris Corporation super agent Scott Boris, Sir. How you doing? That's good. Handshake. Billion dollar handshake. Yeah. Not as good as you, dude. Not as good as you, I'll tell you that. This man's a pleasure. Hey. I'll tell you that. Scott, you look phenomenal, dude. You look really cool. You don't put that on you. I'll put it on you. Want to put it on your. Scott Boris.

[Boston Connor]

I'll do that.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, you tell me. How's that?

[Scott Boras]

Oh, I'm privileged. A lot of stars wore this today, didn't they?

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, you probably got them all paid. Can you tell me exactly how much money has had that headset on? No, with yours on there. With you here. We are very, very appreciative. Obviously, you represent baseball business. Anytime there's a big contract coming, your name is looming around it. Can we talk a little bit about Skubal? Okay. Because he's the big one. Next. Skubal, obviously, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. One of the greatest of all time. It came out that he'll be pitching in one of these games during World Baseball Classic. I thought that was a bad idea. Might have been you that leaked that. I think that makes Scuba look bad. I think we should just have D. Rowe say, hey, he's in the middle of something. Whatever the case, but with how much money's on the line with every single pitch, how do you view World Baseball Classic for your clients? Because I think. I think for baseball, this is good. I think this is all inevitably good. For baseball. Business wise, how do you view World Baseball Classic?

[Scott Boras]

Well, the first thing is players receive the call because they're invited. And so the idea of what they do after they're invited is then the issue. And you've got loyalty to your fan base in the city. You play for your management, your coaches, your owners who pay. And so one of the real problems we have is that unlike hockey, which turned out to be a. It was that tremendous. It was like. And, you know, you get to wear a gold medal, and it's a. A true representation of what Olympics and diversity and collectiveness and understanding of nations is all about. And I think we need to consider and look at that, because that's something that baseball is really international because we have Asia, we have Korea, Japan, Taiwan. We have a lot of South American countries, Dominican, Puerto Rico, that are playing this sport, and they have done it for generations. So the game is part of them. And so we have hockey, which you really look at is really a European and Canadian and American sport. But look what it generated. So we have the opportunity, I think, in the Olympic theater to really address the idea that players are at their. They're ready to perform where they know that they're not going to be. It's not going to be injurious to the team, to the owners, and there's less risk with it, rather than potentially doing it at points where they're not built up yet. And that's the issue.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, So I was part of a pitch to Logan Webb with Ross, and the one thing he told me to tell it because we're on bus and he wanted me to go pitch Logan Webb because I think there's some business happening with Logan Webb as well. I'm not 100% sure, but I think there is. And the entire thing he wanted to tell me is we're telling all these guys that they just got to move up their training. Like we're telling these guys move much easier, say, than actually do because of routine. But he said the big fear is that you get hurt in World Baseball Classic. But what they learned from injuries of the past is that guys that didn't really shift their training would go into World Baseball classes and then their juices would get them into a moment that their arm or their body wasn't ready for. From your understanding, from your clients that are playing in this, everything, everybody feels like they're ready for World Baseball Classic for best baseball, right. Trying to put themselves in the most safe situation, at least so we can compete at the highest level.

[Scott Boras]

I think the thing you must do is you athletes, professional athletes, and anybody who's played pro sports, you know, we're about routine, and it's about that routine that works for you. It's an individual routine. So you have managers, team trainers, you have all the people off the field that are close to the player, all those things unified. To say we received notice now months in advance. How do we prepare for this and what can we do and what are the. Through studies? When do you reach your optimum? When do you really become who you are? That makes you great. And for a lot of the pitchers, their command, what they do, their buildup is much different in June, July and August and September than it is in the early evening in the initial parts of the major league season. So our sport kind of. And we have all the studies from prior WBCs where we've seen performance gradients, deficits, we've seen injuries with pitching, we've seen all these things from early ramp ups that interrupt the routine. So we have to consider all of that in the calculation of the best interest for our country, the best interest for the teams they play for the owners, they play for their teammates, their managers, and of course, the player and his family.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, let's find that insurance. Go ahead, Ty.

[Boston Connor]

I'm just curious. Going away from the World Baseball Classic, I don't think there's anyone better to ask about, you know, everything we're hearing with a potential lockout and everything that's happening with the mlb, with the Dodgers. In your opinion, how real do you think that whole situation is? And what would you say to people who, you know, like fans who are very, very worried that, hey, we're probably, we're going to have a baseball season this year, but then there is a very good chance that we might not have one or we might have a shortened one, you know, a year from now.

[Scott Boras]

You know, I've been through about 11, you know, CBA negotiations. And you worried about the 75 Reds, 76 Reds. We worried about the 96, 98, you know, 2,000 Yankees. And there are purposes and reasons that talent runs professional sports. It's talent driven. And when you have Posada and you have Bernie Williams and you have Jeter and you have Rivera, you have players of five, players of great distinction show up in 96, all of a sudden you realize, I can go sign veteran free agent pitching. I don't have to pay the young players. And all of a sudden I've got unit that's going to allow me to supersede the talent level of the league for maybe seven to eight years. Now, let's fast forward that. Do we change the system or do we understand that it's talent, intellect and acquisition or good fortune? Because a lot of those players were lower run draft picks? And so we go to the Dodgers and we look at the fact that, look, they went in and said, I got Ohtani. Ohtani is an elite talent, maybe one of the greatest talents we've ever seen. Plus, he brings 250 to $300 million in revenue to my franchise. Every team in baseball had an opportunity to sign this player, every team. And they had an opportunity to go out and say, this is what we get to do. Now, the Dodgers signed him and, you know, remember that 13 years before that, the Dodgers are in bankruptcy in a major market in la, they got a TV subsidy. Things were so bad for them. And so now is it the same system or. No, because that same system was in operation when the Dodgers were in bankruptcy. That as it is today, okay, so

[Pat McAfee]

so you obviously, 15 billion I think is the number in contracts. Thank you for what you've done. You are potentially one of the biggest drivers of like we got something good here that every other league wishes they had. It is kind of how every other player looks at like the baseball deals are kind of what we need to be looking at as a whole. And you say anybody could assign Shohei Ohtani. In theory that's accurate, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are never going to sign Shohei Ohtani. So Pittsburgh Pirates fans amongst others are like, isn't there some sort of something we need to do to maybe bridge the gap, to force our team to try, if that makes sense. How do you kind of, what are your kind of thoughts on that and who's fighting against your thoughts on what you're saying here? Who is openly battling against you?

[Scott Boras]

The common bridge that is used in every CBA is there's a lack of parity. But the truth of the matter is when you take the elite 8 of performers over the last five years, who makes the elite 8? Well, baseball offers that to almost over 70% of the teams. In the NFL it's 56%. In the NBA, it's 63%. So parity is something that is more foremost in a non cap system than in a cap system. And we can demonstrate that over time. So the next step of it is that when we come through and do this, is that what salary caps do in my mind is it makes bad owners a reason to stay in the league. And the reality, because their franchises are artificially appreciating, because the entrance is something that is coveted for reasons that I only have to pay LeBron James 1/3. I just did One Soda's contract tomorrow. Tom Brady and LeBron James combined in their career earnings are less than Ron Soto's contract. Now what does that do for a major market? A major market can go out and sign star level players in these cap leagues and keep them because the fact is their cost is fixed. It's not real, it's not market. So consequently, when it's not market, it allows them to do more and to do more in major markets than it does in small markets.

[Pat McAfee]

Now on that note, didn't make the playoffs, right? That team, yeah, it didn't make the playoffs. Which would be a good counter argument to everybody saying that the Dodgers, because of how much money they spend is why they're good. It's like, well, I think the Mets are spending a lot of money and they're not in there as well. Feels like this is all going to get very loud. And you, you have seemingly bunch in the chamber to go ahead and discuss on why we don't think it should change. What do you think inevitably becomes the reality of baseball?

[Scott Boras]

I think people forget the Dodgers didn't win their division last year. And by the way, in game seven, did we really know who the champion

[Pat McAfee]

was going to be? No.

[Scott Boras]

So my answer to you is that all this idea that we have dominance, if it was dominance that led to this, the fact is the game plays so many games and we have double the content of the NBA.

[Pat McAfee]

The game plays so many games. What a bar.

[Scott Boras]

And so we have a varietal association with the game where players are taxed due to the fact that there's frequency of play and that's harder on an athlete. From a media standpoint, we are at a precipice of value in our game. We have the highest media ratings we've ever had. We've had record attendance five years in a row. We've had record revenues five years in a row. And we're talking about altering a system that provides that.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's fighting you? Who is fighting you?

[Scott Boras]

I work for players. And then.

[Pat McAfee]

So who is it? Other players is not players.

[Scott Boras]

I, I can't address, I can only address the customary arguments that are often portrayed about parody.

[Pat McAfee]

But who are they? Who are the people that want this to change? Owners, the league?

[Scott Boras]

I would imagine that anyone would covet an ability to where they can go out and take the true stars, the true, you know, minds. I, I want a system that attracts greatness and I want owner geniuses to come to our game. If owner geniuses aren't coming to our game, if they're playing checkers, if they're playing chess and they can figure out a way and have the intellectual El belly to take and grab a sport and provide through all kinds of different avenues of technology or thought or psychology or preparation, physiology, all of those things create an interest level to the geniuses that can come into our game and provide us with a growth and a measurement of the game that goes so far beyond what it is today.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, and zoology too, because there's just animals out there, you know, just so many animals out there. I, I'm excited to see how it all plays out. Cannot have another lockout. No, no. Cannot have another lockout. Especially with what you're talking about with ratings in game. They get rid of the pitch clock or lower the pitch clock, the games are faster, you got more ratings, you got higher ticketing and all that stuff. And then if you go away, I mean, that's like a death blow, potentially. Go ahead, D, bud.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Talk about genius and dominance. You've been dominating the. The agent space, and obviously that's great for the players. What. What led you to this? When did you know you were going to be an agent? And what was kind of the origin story of Scott Boris?

[Scott Boras]

You know, when you are a young athlete, as we all can remember, the coaches come pick you up. You're always playing with the older players, and then you go and you do well at every level. And in baseball, you show up to spring training and you see that. Wait a minute. What I thought those five tools were. Maybe you got one or two,

[Pat McAfee]

and

[Scott Boras]

then it starts to go, and then you do well and things are going well, and then boom. Knee operation. Another one and another one. You're sitting in a hospital bed, and you remember what your organic chemistry professor said to you. I promise you that you will do more with what goes on above your shoulders than what goes on below. And I never forgot that. And went back to law school and was going to go into the. I have a medical background in pharmacology, and I was going to go into legal medicine and decided. And then my teammates called and I had the great fortune of representing Keith Hernandez and Bill Cottle and all these greats of that era and won a few arbitration cases and realized that I get to live the life that I love, which has always been this game.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You're punter. Ex punter as well.

[Scott Boras]

Punter, kicker in high school, you know. You know, that kind of thing. Defensive back.

[Boston Connor]

Hell, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, we got a bigger backpedal. You got a good back. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Scott Boras]

Three interceptions in one game.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Not a bad athlete. As soon as I walked out, there he goes. Pat, good to see you. Because I got a chance to meet you at the All Star Game. All Star game in the back. It was awesome to see you. Hey, I just want to let you know, as a career.290 hitter and ex punter, that back. I'm a lefty, so you would have to do the opposite. You need to get that knee inside of that foot. So you're already kind of cocked with the hips. That's literally as soon as I saw him, that was immediately what he went into. I think that's actually a good advice.

[Scott Boras]

Remember, I've watched Clayton pitch. I have the privilege of it for sitting in the front row of Dodger Stadium for years. So I figured he's going to put that slider Right on your back foot. So you better have those hips.

[Pat McAfee]

There's a potential rib shot coming to. I mean, I don't know how that's going to help, but anytime we see ex athletes go on to do great shit, we love it. So good luck in there. You talked about arbitration. I, once again, not in the baseball world, haven't been in the baseball world. That's fascinating. I don't think I fully understand what arbitration is. I know it's a massive piece of your world. Scubal. Obviously, arbitration was a big conversation. And from my understanding of Scubal, who he is and what baseball is, I just assumed he was going to walk in there and a reasonable person was going to understand that whatever his next deal is, it's about to be absurd. Can you tell me a little bit about where we sit with Scubal, what the arbitration thing is and what the future looks like for him?

[Scott Boras]

Well, in fairness to everyone involved is that it's a collective bargaining agreement. Issue was at hand about how the language was utilized. And there was a theorem on their part that it would connect them to a $19 million value, and there was a theorem on our part that would connect them to a $32 million value. And that's the largest gap in arbitration history. I think the largest was 3 million. This was 13. So it was a pretty big theater. We had about 50 lawyers in the room on each side.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, nice. So all of a sudden at 13

[Scott Boras]

million, you have three judges that are there and are very versed. And these are labor law lawyers that are quite efficient. They're members of the National Arbitration association, and they're brilliant men and women that are the service of the judges. And so all of these things are there, and you kind of submit your case for an hour, then the team does, and then you kind of have the rebuttal for each side, which kind of unfolds a lot of the.

[Pat McAfee]

Is. Is Scuba in there?

[Scott Boras]

Oh, he's there.

[Pat McAfee]

So he has to hear the team. That he is way better than say, nah, I think it's 19. This guy, we won't give him a dollar more than a chance. He has to listen and set up for.

[Scott Boras]

No. It's great because on our side, they have their. It's like a tee. And they have their table on our table. And as they're saying things about Scoob, I see the table rising. So it was.

[Boston Connor]

It was.

[Scott Boras]

I knew I had the right guy

[Pat McAfee]

on our side, so. Absolutely. Scubal. Okay. In our profession, new quarterbacks up. That's been pretty good we got new for you. I assume every deal is a new ba ba ba. Skubal is going to set the mark. Now like that is just how it goes. Every guy's looking to set the mark. And tell me about these deferred payments that the Dodgers are doing that is kind of changing the game. Has this always been available and why is this the way it is now?

[Scott Boras]

Well, I think that the Dodgers have a financial plan that fits their element. And what you have to do is the net present value, the NPV as we call it. And you sit down and look at it because a lot of people talk about deferrals, but there's also pay a lot of money up front too. So when you go to look at the NPV and how you do things, it just depends from organization to organization. Some don't like that, some do. And my point is that you should look at your ownership, look at what fits for you. And the idea of it is you're going to create value in a dynamic that has a calculation, a meeting of the minds point that allows you to do a deal because each side has the appropriate barometer to say what's the value? And so however teams do it. But the truth of a player who's an elite player is that when you step into the market, that demand becomes something where I can't get a player like this for what period of years? And it might be as many as four or five. And even if I do, there's only one other player that can fulfill that performance level that allows me to optimize my championship goals. And we know that with number one starters that we know that they place you in a position where he creates not only his performance, but he also creates the shade for the development of young players. He also creates for recruiting of other players. It creates a centric to it that allows for championship behavior. And there's a lot of proof on that. And that's why the demand for elite, elite players like a Scuba or like a Soto are so great, because they know the formulation allows to achievement of their goals.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, here's the jersey sales. Okay, here's what primetime games pull in. But also what about the shade of lifting up all the other boys too? What about the recruiting process? You see, these are the things that are considered priceless. And on that Note, I need $765 million. I love everything about it. Go ahead, Tone.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Scott, I had a question about obviously the salary cap. I'm not sure that's ever going to happen. But don't you think or do you think it would ever happen, it'd be good for baseball that there would be a salary floor. So we don't have teams who are spending $30 million a year, $50 million.

[Pat McAfee]

The Pirates just got to 1/7 of Soto's deal for a yearly thing. I'm from. We're from Pittsburgh.

[Boston Connor]

So, yeah, we're here, Scott. We're frustrated, Scott, but do you ever think that they would go for a salary floor or that would work?

[Scott Boras]

You know, when I hear about salary force, it relates to golf, which I love and not very good at. But the fact of the matter is, when you're on the tee box and you have the guy that hits it down the middle, and then you have the guy that hits it off the fairway, the guy that hits it off the fairway is going to get penalized for that. So when you step off the fairway, you know, the game rules are that you're not going to get the reward that the person who does it for appropriately right down the middle. And the thing is that the device of what and how we govern the game, I think we need to reward teams that hit it in the fairway. We need to reward them with greater draft picks. We need to reward them with less luxury tax. We need to do all of these things. And we also need to understand that if you're not competitive after a period of years, then the penalties, I should say, the lack of rewards don't come to your. And then all of a sudden, financially, that impacts your franchise value. And in facts, what you do so that there's some internal governance of ownership performance. Players are graded every day. We all are graded every day, are we not?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Scott Boras]

I mean, look at you guys. Look where you've been. I mean, you know, I mean, you

[Pat McAfee]

know, it's something I don't know.

[Scott Boras]

This is the Walter Crock kite of hard news coming in 15 years. And so the idea of all that is that you're talking about how we as a game make sure we attract the genius owners. How do we do it? We've done it in our country throughout, whether it be medicine, science, and what impact has had in our country, bringing in all the people that are of various talents to this great country. And the same thing has to be true of owners so that the operation of the game is something that we're seeking elite. And we're also really monitoring and have a barometer for those who have proven not to be league worthy. And until we get that in place, until everyone has guarantees without Evaluation of performance and competitiveness. Until then, I think the league suffers.

[Boston Connor]

Well said.

[Pat McAfee]

You talk about to be good enough for the league standard. Who's the owner of the Pirates?

[Boston Connor]

Nutting.

[Pat McAfee]

Have you ever negotiated with him, Ned?

[Boston Connor]

Never.

[Scott Boras]

I've talked to Bob a couple times. Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

But he's never negotiated with you?

[Scott Boras]

No, no.

[Pat McAfee]

This guy's got 15 billion in contracts. He never even talked to one of the owners. Yeah. Which is kind of what we're talking about here. You're saved in his phone as we will not do business with.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Do not afford business with this guy. Which does. Can you think about the city of Pittsburgh, though? I want you to think about me whenever you have this all going on. I think I would have been a very good baseball player. I have a strong arm, fat ass, pretty good hand, eye coordination in there. I think I would have been good for baseball culture. But because I was in Pittsburgh where the ownership did not care about baseball, it just didn't even crack into my world about being something I cared about. I think that's not good for baseball. Like, and obviously we go on to have this and this entire thing, but, like, I'm not the only one. Like, I'm not the only one in a lot of these cities where it's like. Like baseball isn't even really a thing. Because that's why I think World Baseball Classic matters, like, a lot. I think it matters a lot. But whenever you're in there doing your shit, I would like you to think about little young me back there in Pittsburgh or in Cincinnati or in Detroit or. Well, I guess Detroit's kind of doing its thing and you are thinking about one of them now. But like in those cities as well, and if it is like, get these owners out of the league, we would back it completely. We would be very much behind that.

[Scott Boras]

I think, you know, I operate under the guidance of players and they do have geographical likes. It's not always just about the most money. They have family, they have measurements, they have winning desires. They have a lot of things on their plate that can attract them to a franchise. And we also know that in sport, how many times have we seen a franchise that was not very good and because of talent, it became very good and then players wanted to go there. That's the recruitment part. And so the point of it is, I think when you're looking at this, you have to say this is like restaurants. You know, the Yankees in the 90s were the place to be. The Dodgers weren't. The Yankees had the chefs, they had the elite menu. They had everything they wanted.

[Pat McAfee]

Such good half price.

[Scott Boras]

And then, you know, the Dodgers were a pub at the. Back then.

[Pat McAfee]

They were the local pub with no live music. Yeah, they didn't. They just didn't have it. Yeah.

[Scott Boras]

And so now, now they have the elite chefs, they have the menu, they have an international course that everybody attracts to. So all of a sudden you say, how do you create that? And how, how you create that is with investment ideas and bringing together the genius that can take a market of 4 or 5 million people and optimize it.

[Pat McAfee]

Execution, too. Go ahead, con man.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Scott, you've been a fan of the

[Pat McAfee]

game for so long.

[Boston Connor]

How do you feel the state of baseball is right now? A lot of new things coming in. You know, challenging balls and strikes, the

[Pat McAfee]

ABS system, the pitch clock.

[Boston Connor]

Are you kind of, hey, that new stuff sucks. Or how do you feel about kind of the transition into that era?

[Scott Boras]

Well, the most important thing for me is that, you know, I have our own training staff. We have our own training facilities. We have a medical review staff. We have to review doctors in the same way we review players to discern who's optimal so that our clients can get not the best doctor in 50 miles, but the best doctor in the world. So you have to have medical care understood because the white coats are out here. They're always around these ballparks. They sit over here, they're hunting for protection. Professional athletes and anybody who's played you, you all know, all of us have body gurus. That's it. And so the next phase of it, I think, has to be clearly that if we love this game, you know, we have to grow it to its potential. And, and how we do that is that, remember, we have hockey in Nashville, we have hockey in Florida. Go back 15 years.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's these back to back to back to back.

[Scott Boras]

So now there are 14 team is going to be in Japan, there's going to be two in Korea. We're going to attract, you know, one in Taiwan. We're going to have a whole Pacific division someday as soon as we figure out jet travel. So when we link all these things, we're going to have 200 million people that have been playing baseball for generations, and they're going to want to link to the MLB at the highest level. So all these markets are available for us. And remember, the greatest thing about baseball for media, right, Is that we have doubled the content of the NBA and the NHL. And by that is that all these entities that want to market their product and have an association. They have the ability to take live contact where the mystery is unknown. The wonderful thing about baseball is that bad can beat good on any day. There is no over. It's not like the NBA where you got two great players. You're probably not going to win much if you don't have those two great players. But. But in baseball, that one pitcher on a. On a team that's not very good can go out and beat you. So you never know the outcome. I think that's going to be great for gaming. It's going to be great for people that look at this because the diagnostics of our game are so difficult to determine victory. And I only say that I sat in Dodger Stadium in game five and everybody thought the Dodgers were going to dominate the Blue Jays. And then you're in Toronto in Game 7, and I got to tell you, that seventh inning, I had no idea. Right. And I've been in this game a long time. I had no idea.

[Boston Connor]

You know.

[Scott Boras]

You really did. I mean, I think they're going to make that catch. I think the ball's going to stick in the wall. I think all these irregularities are going to happen. Our game offers so much variability that it creates really a moment of, I think, attraction that people who've invested in it as a fan, they've watched it and they've looked at it, that we just have so much content. We should be widely more successful in our media rights. And if our reading rights are correctly compensated, then all the ills of this bargaining they're talking about are just completely different.

[Pat McAfee]

It's going to take a lot. It's a lot of contracts, obviously, because your local rights are a big deal. And those are all kind of getting swallowed up right now as they speak. So how much do they roll into the future? All the different streaming platforms? I know you guys had an Apple deal. I assume everybody else is going to want to get involved. You said a good thing about your game. Not only you have more content, which is 700 games or whatever the case is. We're going to run forever in the games shorter than they were. Games are shorter than they were with the pitch. And you say anybody can win on any night. Brazil can't beat us, right?

[Boston Connor]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

Great Britain can't beat us. No way. Mexico can't beat us. Italy can't beat us. Dominican can't beat us. Cuba can't beat us. Puerto Rico can't beat us. Canada can't beat us. Japan can't beat us. Is that how we're Thinking, looking at the world baseball class, I say the

[Scott Boras]

probabilities are damn in our favor.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Good probability. Go ahead, D. Bud, I got a question.

[Boston Connor]

First of all, this has been a great conversation. I know, for me, as far as baseball goes, but do you have any aspirations for ownership? Do you want to own it in the mlb?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Getting close. We try to do the percentages.

[Scott Boras]

No, you. You sit down with parents, and when you're a parent and you sit down and everything that that young man is telling you from 18 on is, as a lawyer, it's in your heart, it's in your mind. And being a fiduciary from day one, I would never cross that line because I made a commitment to care for them from the beginnings of their career. And if you transferred ownership for me, that would be a deviation from that commitment. And I, as an attorney, I would never want to breach my fiduciary relationship with the players that have allowed me to be in an environment where you're sitting here and. And, you know, I mean, this is the best I've ever looked on a baseball field. I'm sitting here.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, have you seen this? Have you seen this? So that's Scott right there. Scott is running that gym. He's Cajun, man. He's from down there. I don't know if you've seen the zooms. He's got. He got the. You got the Papago buttes behind you. You got this long. You got a jacket on with a long sleeve out. You're the coolest customer I've seen. Because it is hot, scorching hot out here. I mean, it's scorching hot out here. You just play it cool all the time, huh?

[Scott Boras]

But I think the attitude is that when you get to stay in the game, you get to be around the game. For reasons I don't represent any of the players in any other sport, because I want families to know that we're 24 7. Studying what your son does, how to make him get better, what to do, because it helps the owners. We invest millions of dollars in the idea of their training, monitor them, and that means psychology as well. We've done all these things that are unique to optimizing the talent so the game can get better. And. And for me, it's just a. It's just a wonderful world. Really blessed by it because of that commitment to those. To those boys.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And you've blessed a lot of people, too. Now NFL has a cap at 3% for the agents. What is it for you guys Just so I start doing math every time I see a.

[Scott Boras]

Well, like I say, I think when. The minute you talk caps, you're talking, that genius runs south.

[Boston Connor]

So well done. The odds.

[Scott Boras]

I think you want the best people in the game and you want people there for reasons. And everybody should make their own judgments about what's right for them and what value they have and what they do, what the quality is. Because a lot of this business in the agency world is about personality. We try to make it about quality and qualifications, and that's what you have to show in what you do and how you do it. And if we. We become great friends because we're trusted, because you have quality and you have qualification and you have commitment to who they are, what they do, and then the relationships become really, really remarkable and. And long lasting, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Well, you've done a fantastic job, obviously. Good luck on all of it. We can't have a lockout. Okay. So we're putting that on your ass. Okay. We're putting that on you. Good luck with everything.

[Scott Boras]

I'll relay that to Rob for you.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you. I'm sure you will. Yeah, make sure you do. And we appreciate you so much for taking the time. And the scuba situation, fascinating to see how that all rolls out because there's a guy back in the truck. Foxy's from Detroit. Boy. He loves school, boy. And when it went to arbitration, whenever I think we heard the numbers 19 and 32, I think everybody in Detroit was like, give them 30. Yeah, give him 50. Give him whatever we need there. So that's an interesting dynamic. So. So Foxy would like to get you to get that to figure out, I think. Right, Foxy? Yeah, spot on. Let's just keep him in Detroit, whatever it takes. Give him a percentage of the Tigers if we have to do that. We need school in Detroit. Scott, I want to let you know the picture we used for your graphic down there on the left is nowhere near how cool you look right now. Oh, yeah, you need to steal a photo from today or whatever you got going on and run with that forever with the Boris Corp. And thank you so much for taking time out of your life to join us. We appreciate it.

[Scott Boras]

Appreciate you and thank you all. And I hope this entity stays in sport and is around baseball fields a lot more often because I know hard news and late nights coming. So please, guys, try to stay.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what he told me right after he told me about the. Activate the knee a little bit so we can have a little hip claw and then he said, and news is going to become calling for you. And same with late night. He said, we need you in sports, buddy. And I'm like, I ain't fucking looking at any of that. Don't you worry about that. Late night, they're just trying to do YouTube and news. I don't know if I need to do that. But what we do know is that people like you looking out for athletes is a beautiful thing. We appreciate the hell out of you. Ladies and gentlemen, super agent Scott Boer. Thank you. And on that note, Scott, we're gonna get out of here. We're gonna enjoy the hell out of the training. Don't leave yet, Scott. You're gonna be with us here for this. I'm actually gonna ask you to speak here in a second. We're gonna get out of here and go watch the boys train. This is their only training. I do believe before this entire thing starts, starts. Coach D. Rowe, Skipper D. Rowe, whatever the hell the words is in baseball. He's giving him a speech. Get him rallied. We're gonna get a chance to watch Bryce Harper, same with Aaron Judge a couple of the boys pitch. It's a dream come true. We can't thank MLB enough for allowing us to be out here. Shout out to the San Francisco Giants for making room for everything taking place. And Arizona, once again, you continue to be the greatest place on earth every time we come out here. Thank you so much. Let's watch these boys win. Let's continue the USA American swagger in sports. And let's remind everybody that this land creates the greatest athletes that have ever been created. We're so incredibly lucky we get to do this. We'll be back tomorrow live from Indianapolis. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. We're in a sing together team on me. Scott, anything to say to the group? You. Scott, anything to say to the group?

[Scott Boras]

I do do is that greatness is a part of you as long as you do what seek it.

[Boston Connor]

That's all. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah. Team on me. Team on three. We'll see you tomorrow. One, two, three. Goodbye, Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster Zero Ultra. That's the OG it kicked off this whole Zero sugar energy drink thing, but Ultra is a whole lineup now. Now you've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch. So if you've been living in the white can branch out. Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe, and every Single one is zero sugar tap. The banner to learn more.

[Boston Connor]

It's a season two playoff race with TGL. Presented by SoFi. Sunday at 9:00pm Eastern, Jupiter Links versus Boston Common Golf Monday at 7:00pm Eastern Los Angeles Golf Club versus New York Golf Club Tuesday at 9:00pm Eastern, the Bay Golf Club versus Jupiter Links. Keep up it's Golf Watch on ESPN, ESPN2 and the ESPN app.