Keegan Matheson

Protection is a good one to focus on there because the – let's focus, guys, on the spots in the lineup that are different every single time, right?

It's the number two and the number four spots.

It's either side of Vladdy over and over again.

And they're always going to pitch around Vladdy no matter what.

You want to be careful.

You don't want to get turned into a highlight reel.

But when you don't have the protection, when you don't have that consistent threat around him, and when you don't have runners on, then you can be really careful.

Then you can really make sure you don't end up on SportsCenter that night as the pitcher who just got taken 500 feet by Vladdy.

There's just no threat.

There's no pressure around Vladdy right now.

And I don't want to give him an excuse because great hitters need to find ways to hit no matter what.

Barry Bonds wasn't getting a pitch in the strike zone, and he still did what he did, okay?

You need to find a way to do what this team needs.

But right now, there's just no added pressure.

Pitchers are allowed to work around Vladdy if they walk him, whatever.

That's probably a best-case scenario sometimes when you're facing him.

But there's just not enough happening on either side, number two or number four.

It's been a while since I heard that name.

Exactly.

Guys, listen, I don't want to wish away the six weeks I get to spend on Clearwater Beach every spring, but what am I doing down there?