And the Brewers, I think to their credit, they did a nice job setting the tone in that first inning, being able to get up two to zero and then never relinquishing that lead.

I took away a couple of things, Greg.

And this is first and foremost, this is exactly the series that we think it's going to be.

A lot of pitching changes, a lot of pinch hits, a lot of chess matches, a lot of Gary Sanchez coming in just so that the Rays are forced to burn another reliever.

It's a lot of that.

And that's a lot of fun because these two teams are really two sides of the same coin.

And I think a lot of people will say that.

So I'm right there with you, and when it comes to the series as well, because we've talked so much about the pitching, what have you, how do you take a look at these two lineups? Because I thought that it was very striking to me, the fact that we only had five runs on the board, but we had 15 hits, we had a bunch of activity on the base pass, and for the Brewers, they could have won this game on multiple runs, but the Rays prevented that by the fact that they had that nice relay to throw out the man at third.

And they came back in all four games and just completely dismantled them.

I'll say it.

I was surprised.

I mean, I'm somebody, Greg, I've been on your show.

I've been on other shows.

I've been on my show on game day garage saying that I didn't think the Brewers had it in them to make a true postseason run or to get to and win a world, possibly win a world series.

Because I just didn't see the star power.

Rays for me.

All respect in the world to the Tampa Bay Rays, and we'll get to them in a second, but this really does feel like the best two teams in baseball going at it right now.

You know, Greg, if you had asked me this a week ago even, and far be it, say, a month or two or three weeks ago, I would've agreed with you, but I was very impressed by the Rays in the division series.

I thought they showed me a lot, um, especially in the ways that they won.

They could've easily let one or even two of those games against the Yankees slip through their fingers, and they didn't.

And they came back, and they hung on, and they won, and they swept, and it, it was a really powerful performance, to me, I, I can be wrong, by the Rays.

I think that this Rays team, whether it's the Dodgers or the Brewers, I think this Rays team can hang with everybody, and I know there's probably people punching air right now.

Everybody in Cleveland, Ohio right now is screaming at their screen.

And with Cleveland throwing out their Foster Griffin, I sort of take a look at this as Foster Griffin and Joey Cantillo as sort of like a piggyback approach.

And, uh, what does this do to the Mariners', uh, prospects going forward? Because there's been no bigger underachieving team in all of Major League Baseball this year than the Mariners.

Yeah, uh, first part about Kade Anderson, who's making his debut after being one of the most highly touted prospects in baseball for the, the last few months, if not the last year.

Uh, I mean, he's electric.

This is everything that we wanted.

This is...

He's living up to expectations.

Granted, we're only a few innings in [laughs] here, but he's been great.

Yeah

Do you have any thoughts on that matchup and the Red Sox in general in the second half?

Yeah, I, I do.

I'll start with the overall thoughts on the Red Sox.

They're the hot team.

Everybody wants to talk about them right now, right? Winners of nine straight.

They're a half game back of the final wild card spot and, like you said, an opportunity to put some heat on the Rays for the division here because here you go, straight out four games against the division leader.

So it's kind of put up or shut up time for the Boston Red Sox, and we're about to find out what they're really made of.

You looking at the White Sox here?

Right

... bye, he was really good after the Titans bye in week 10.

10 touchdowns to one interception over those last few weeks.

I thought y- there's actually kind of a lot to like here.

They actually added, you know, receivers after a tight end was their leading receiver last year with, I think, what, 600 yards or something.

So i- they add actual receivers, they add actual weapons.

I actually feel like that maybe this is the year we start looking at maybe Titans division, maybe Titans playoff, especially because-

Um, maybe it takes a little bit, but if, as, if the chemistry's there with Ward and it continues to develop, um, I, I like both these guys, where they're going in drafts.

But I think there is a lot to like here.

Yeah, I mean, there definitely is, especially if you're buying into the Cam Ward second-year jump of it all, like we were kind of talking about, especially now that he has real receivers with Carnell Tate, who you invest the fourth overall pick into, and then you bring in Wando Robinson, who had a career year, topped 1,000 yards for the first time in his career last season, too.

So I feel like the Titans' offense, at the very least, should be pretty fun.

And I think we know that Bob Sala is the defense guy.

He's going to be the guy that puts this whole defense together, brings over a lot of former Jets, obviously.

But I think that the defense was always his thing, and he was pretty good with.

So I actually think that the defense could sneaky be – average.

But I think if we remove Jackson Dart...

Why can't Troy at 35 to one be the team that wins the college world series?

And here's the thing, and Dustin brought it up.

Is there really a sneaky team with the last eight? I mean, the odds will tell you yes on Troy, of course.

But I just think that, Femi, you brought it up, the Super Regional, they're hosting Little Rock, who they just absolutely trounced.

Little Rock might as well have not even gotten off the plane for that series.

Like, it seemed like they didn't.

And then coming out of the Gainesville Regional, which I thought, like, listen, I had had some big Florida tickets from before the year.

Games get going Friday, Saturday here, Jake, anything jump out to you with the opening matchups that we have?

Uh, that being said, anything you would look at today, side, total, or otherwise?

Yeah, so I'm gonna be on a couple of big dogs, which what could go wrong? Can't wait.

Uh, one of them is gonna be Washington State, who goes in a rematch against Oregon State today and later on this afternoon.

I just don't think Oregon State can score.

Speaking of totals, like Oregon State is one of the few teams in this tournament where pitching was their entire identity.

And then Dex Whitney, their Friday night starter, his elbow basically fell off his body a month ago, so he's not pitching in this tournament at all.

Everybody moves up a day now.

Let's go, buddy boy.

With a slew of day games on the schedule here tomorrow, which is one that you've already put in your pocket or you put in your betting account for Major League Baseball tomorrow?

I can't believe we're still lining the Chicago Cubs as favorites at all, let alone as road favorites against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Has anybody watched this team lately, Scott? Including today, the Chicago Cubs have been swept twice.

They've lost eight in a row.

Most of these games they've held leads and then completely blew them, or they've gotten just absolutely blanked by guys like Jakob Mizerowski, aces.

And I'm not here to say that Cameron Molsowski is some ace or the next coming of Paul Skeens, but for as tightly bunched as the NL Central is, and for what we've seen the Pittsburgh Pirates to be, which is a scrappy team that can win games, I can't believe we're making Ben Brown and the Chicago Cubs a minus 120 favorite on the road.

I just...

Right.

Yeah

... they're cooking with gas.

The only thing that you worry about is do they take their foot off the pedal because they know they have the series win in the bag, and they're starting to get ready for whoever they see in the Western Conference Finals.

I...

Same thing that I was just saying about the emotions that everybody's, everyone in #gamblingTwitter is gonna be saying, "Oh, we gotta take the LeBron overs." Except in this case, I think it's probably right.

You're probably gonna get the LeBron hero effort, but I think it's gonna fall short because everybody else on that team has rocks for brains, especially one Deandre Ayton has rocks for brains.

So I, I think this is the Thunder.

Yeah.

What is the great separator that has made the Cubs, that's put the Cubs at the top of the division, and will the Cubs stay there?

I think the Cubs right now are just hot at the right time.

Their lineup is all hitting well collectively as a team.

I'm not a Cubs believer.

I don't think they have the pitching to stick around.

I don't think Shota Managa is going to keep this up, especially as we get into the summer and fly balls start to leave the park more.

I just am not a believer in anyone in that rotation on that staff outside of Edward Cabrera.

What is the great separator that has made the Cubs, that's put the Cubs at the top of the division, and will the Cubs stay there?