The Inside Pitch w/Josh Towers

Former MLB Pitcher Josh Towers and Scott Seidenberg preview the World Series

Key Points

• ⚾ World Series Set: The Yankees and Dodgers face off for the first time since 1981.
• 🧑‍⚖️ Pitching Concerns: The Dodgers will rely heavily on their bullpen due to a lack of starters, while the Yankees have a stronger bullpen and rotation depth.
• 💥 Reliever Fatigue: Both hosts stress that relievers’ effectiveness diminishes when faced multiple times, potentially benefiting the Yankees against the Dodgers.
• 🏆 MVP Prediction: Seidenberg backs Gleyber Torres for World Series MVP, citing his excellent postseason form, while Towers picks Freddie Freeman.
• 📉 Dodgers’ Relievers: Seidenberg highlights the Dodgers' bullpen performance stats, noting Blake Trinen as a standout.
• 🥇 Offensive Leaders: Juan Soto and Aaron Judge are expected to be pivotal for their teams, both coming off strong postseasons.
• 🔢 Team Stats: The Dodgers finished the regular season with a better record, giving them home-field advantage.
• 🔄 Yankees’ Playoff Strategy: The Yankees’ bullpen strategy is seen as a potential game-changer, with relievers like Luke Weaver performing well under pressure.
• 🎲 Historical Context: The series marks a historic matchup between league home run leaders, reminiscent of legendary contests like Mantle vs. Snyder (1956).
• 💰 Financial Insight: Both hosts speculate on player earnings and postseason bonuses, discussing the potential for record-breaking figures in this World Series.

Summary

1. Introduction: Seidenberg and Towers introduce the World Series matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers, reflecting on the long history between these two teams and how both were expected to reach the finals.
2. Pitching Discussions: Early in the conversation, Towers criticizes the strategy of using relievers like Edwin Diaz and Emmanuel Clase too early in games, emphasizing that relievers’ routines and performance can suffer when used outside their comfort zone.
3. Yankees' Strategy: The Yankees are seen as benefitting from their relievers facing opponents repeatedly, which could give them an edge. Seidenberg provides statistics showing that batters hit significantly better against relievers when faced multiple times in a series.
4. Dodgers’ Bullpen: Despite praising Dodgers’ relievers, including Blake Trinen, Towers mentions the challenge of having to rely on the bullpen more heavily in the absence of a deep starting rotation. This dynamic could tilt the series in favor of the Yankees, who have a more balanced pitching staff.
5. Game Predictions: Both hosts predict a competitive series but agree that the Yankees might win due to their ability to exploit the Dodgers’ bullpen. They also note the challenges the Yankees face, especially in game one, where Garrett Cole will start against a tough Dodgers lineup.
6. Player Analysis: Several players, including Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Freddie Freeman, and Juan Soto, are highlighted for their postseason performances. Judge’s consistency and Soto’s power make them key players, while Towers predicts a resurgence from Freeman.
7. Historical Matchup: The episode discusses the rarity of having each league's home run leader facing off in the World Series, drawing comparisons to historic matchups like Mantle vs. Snyder.
8. MVP Picks: Seidenberg and Towers both speculate on World Series MVP candidates. Seidenberg favors Gleyber Torres due to his postseason success, while Towers opts for Freddie Freeman, predicting a strong performance.
9. Team Dynamics: The Yankees’ base running struggles and the Dodgers’ defensive consistency are discussed. The Yankees’ ability to adapt their bullpen usage could be a critical factor in the series outcome.
10. Final Thoughts: The episode concludes with predictions, including Seidenberg’s belief that the Yankees will win the World Series in five games, citing their bullpen depth and ability to adapt to the Dodgers’ pitching.

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