What does Kyle Snyder make and why hasn't somebody come and thrown a bucket of money at that guy to get him away from the race?

You know what? The first part of the question, to be 100% honest with you, I'm not sure.

But to your point, it's not enough.

It's not enough.

And what Kyle does, it's really a lot deeper than just the pitching mechanics or let's throw this ball more or that ball more.

A lot of people don't probably realize this.

I remember talking to Ryan Pepeo about it at the beginning of the season.

I mean, I know they're really good at pitching, but even for them, isn't this an amazing overhaul that they did from an 85 loss team, the pitching staff that led them to 85 losses last year to being one win away from the World Series this year?

What did you like of his game?

You know, I like a lot about Jalen Daniels, except for the fact that, A, he's made me look really bad because I told every Bucs fan that would listen, hey, listen, like, they're going to want a veteran quarterback.

They're going to want somebody who's been there and done that, like you just referenced with Jake Browning, right? Like, this guy started NFL games, and they're not just going to go to an undrafted rookie free agent.

On top of that, my producer is actually a Kansas Jayhawks alum.

He went to school there.

And by the way, while Jalen was playing there, so he won't shut up either.

But the kid just, he looks like someone who might have a higher ceiling than you'd ever expect from an undrafted rookie free agent.

and lastly i want to ask you about baker mayfield's contract situation how do you see tampa playing this out are they going to let it rest until the end of the season or they need to get this done pretty soon

This feels like a top five offensive line in football to me.

And, and you know what? The end of 2024 they were, right? They were playing an elite brand of football in the offensive line towards the end of that season.

I think if they weren't the best offensive line at the end of 2024, they were right there.

They were in the conversation.

And if that offensive line is playing that brand of football, that offense is going to be very difficult to stop.

I agree with you.

I think most of it was on the injuries.

Do you think that it was more so just an injury we didn't know about, or just some continuity with the team kind of crashing with injuries with, at the end of the year? Do you think that he was more affected by the exit of Liam Cohen? What do you think that that was like for Baker last year?

The Rays, I assume, feel like they know what it was that was the problem, and he'll be back to looking like he did when he wrapped up with the Brewers?

I don't know that they know what the problem is or that there is necessarily a problem, but Kyle Snyder and company, they've done such a great job here with sometimes trading for guys who we've never even heard of, and all of a sudden, the next thing you know, there's Zach Littell, who was very good for the Rays, or Drew Rasmussen, who they brought over and then pulled out of the bullpen, and all of a sudden, he's their ace of their staff.

They just seem to have a way to... tinker just enough with the guy's stuff or maybe his mindset of where and when to throw pitches.

You know, this year, the entire staff throwing a lot more change ball change ups than they have in years past.

And that's really worked out.

So they just seem to have this knack.

And Kyle Snyder, one of the best pitching coaches in baseball.

Yeah, how much is this a hot seat for Todd Bowles? I mean, is it win the division or you're out? Or is there some other path, a wild card? Would that be enough to get to the playoffs? Do it, because it seems like there is a feeling that maybe they've underachieved under Todd Bowles.

Pat, what is his ceiling? Can he be maybe the league's best power bat in a couple of years, or is he already sneaking up to be that guy by season's end?

I think he is.

I think his ceiling is perennial MVP candidate.

That's the kind of player I think Junior Caminero can be.

And I think it's more than just what you see on the field and the amazing bat speed and the power surge like you just mentioned that we've seen recently.

It's his dedication.

And sometimes it doesn't show.

But in your eyes, what would be seen as a disappointment for this year? Would it simply just be missing the postseason? Would it be anything short of the NFC Championship game? Where are you at on that?

Does Baker Mayfield take another step? Does he have another step in him to join the elite quarterbacks in the NFL?

NFL?You know, it's, it's such a great question.

And, you know, you talked about how this is an interesting year, and I think it's an interesting year in so many ways, and one of them is, is Todd Bowles, and is he the guy? He's, I think, still trying to prove that here.

And to an extent, I think Baker is as well.

Here's the thing about Baker Mayfield, is they love him here, right? Tampa Bay loves Baker Mayfield.

He's the guy...

He's the kind of guy that you want to be your quarterback.

[laughs]

mean do you think the future of todd bowles rests on the outcome of the saints falcons game

i don't think it should Right? I don't think it should.

I think that the decision needs to have been made.

And listen, there's a lot of reporting that because they just signed Todd Bowles along with Jason Light to an extension before this season that the Glazers are not going to make a move.

But if they don't, If Todd Bowles survives despite this collapse, which is frankly one of the worst in the franchise's history, then other heads are going to have to roll.

There's going to have to be changes on the staff, I think both offensively and defensively.

After a year where Liam Cohen did just a fantastic job calling plays.

mean is it coaching is it losing liam cohen you think it's that simple i think it's just the offensive line and liam cohen