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Chapter 1: What insights does Adnan Virk share about the current MLB season?
It's time to chat with Adnan. It's Adnan Berkey's on the show. We're gonna talk some baseball and take a trip to the silver screen. That's right, it's time for Adnan. Yes, Adnan Berkey joins us now. We'll head out to the ball game and talk about all the films he's seen.
703 on a Thursday. Happy Thursday, everybody. Halford Brough, Sportsnet 650. Halford and Brough in the morning is brought to you by Sands & Associates. Are you drowning in tax debt? If you are, Sands & Associates can often reduce your debt by up to 80% with no upfront fees. Visit them today at sands-trustee.com. We are now in Hour 2 of the program.
Adnan Virk from MLB Network is going to join us in just a moment here to kick off Hour 2.
Chapter 2: How have injuries affected the Toronto Blue Jays' performance?
Hour 2 is brought to you by Jason Hominuk at jason.mortgage. If you love giving the banks more of your money, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit him online at jason.mortgage.
We are coming to you live from the Kintec studio. Step strong with orthotics and footwear from Kintec. Guests on Sportsnet 650 call in on the Able Auctions hotline. Email sales at ableauctions.ca to get your business assets sold and your building cleared.
I'll tell you what, let's go now to the Able Auctions hotline. Our next guest is a presentation of Angry Otter Liquor. Adnan Virk from MLB Network joins us now on the Halford & Breff show on Sportsnet 650. Morning, Adnan. How are you?
Mike, Jason, I could use a virtual hug. We all know this as dads, we're all the dads listening. Nothing more painful than when you're coaching your kid's team and they lose.
Chapter 3: What makes Shohei Ohtani a unique player in baseball history?
We had our rec league playoff game last night. I knew we were the underdog. We were up 1-0 in the top of the first and led the entire game until they walked it off against us in the bottom of the fifth. We lose 4-3. And my wife after asked me, so were the kids crying? I said no, but I was on the verge of doing so. Couldn't sleep until 1 in the morning. Tossing and turning.
Should I put this guy in right field? Maybe I should have moved the lineup around. There's nothing better and also nothing worse.
Yeah, let's dive deep into this because we were just criticizing Marty St. Louis for not having in-game adjustments yesterday as the Habs couldn't muster any offense. What changes could you have made, Adnan, that kept you up until 1 o'clock in the morning?
Well, the key, Mike and Jay, as you guys know, they call it rec league baseball estates.
Chapter 4: What historical records are being challenged by Christopher Sanchez?
I think back home we call it house league, right? Meaning it's for fun. You're supposed to rotate guys through. So the rule is at least one inning, a kid, exactly. At least one inning, a kid plays in the infield. And of course everyone bats. And I noticed on their team, Ozzie Smith was playing shortstop because they did not rotate any of their players.
So I should have appealed and said, Hey man, you can't play your best players all the time in the infield. You're supposed to rotate. But, I put my worst player in right field. And, of course, as you guys know, the ball will find you. That is where the ball went. And I emphasize, Mike, I told these kids in the outfield, just keep the ball in front of you. It's okay if they get a hit.
Chapter 5: What are the implications of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft for the Vancouver Canucks?
But, of course, the ball bounded past him. Then he slipped. His throw was a wet noodle. And they inside the park run to beat it. It's absolutely.
So, this is funny. This is amazing. In the Little League, I don't coach Little League anymore. But when I coached, one of the technical directors or whatever came up with this idea that every week you were going to have what he called a developmental game.
And that was flip your batting order so the kids that are normally at the bottom go to the top and make sure that the kids that don't pitch get to pitch. I do that. Yeah. So, of course, there's the one coach who decided to take issue with the notion of development. He's like, well, I am developing my best players, and that's why they're all pitching against you tonight. I'm like, come on, man.
Chapter 6: Who are the top prospects that the Canucks should consider drafting?
The kid up there, I don't even know if he's right or left-handed. That's how poorly he throws.
You have to give me a break here. And I'm like, just don't embrace the spirit of developmental. Like you should not be throwing your ace against us. Anyway, we'll park the little league baseball stuff. We'll go to the majors now. I do want to start with the Jays because don't look now. The Jays have won six of their last eight.
not wildly impressive but still six and eight is is what it is but i think it's impressive in the context of they are doing this with a rash of injuries that is across the pitching staff starting rotation bullpen lineup whatever they are really banged up right now and somehow the jays are still managing to hang around this thing how much have you noticed what the jays have done over this last little stretch adnan
Well, one of the things that, to me, is so amusing, and it's indicative of just how awful the American League is, the Blue Jays, as presently constituted, are in a three-way tie for the third wildcard spot. Just let that sink in. This is a team that is below .500. I've often said, by the way, If I was the commissioner of all pro sports, if you're sub-500, you're not allowed to make the playoffs.
Chapter 7: How can the Canucks improve their draft strategy moving forward?
And I get particularly offended if you win a division. Like, you know, back in the day, the Chargers were 7-9. They'd win the West. That's just a joke. You can't do that. So right now, look at the American League West. The Mariners are right now in first place. If they've overtaken your A's, Mike... And I said, no, if you're a sub-500, you shouldn't be in the playoffs.
You can't win the news or whatever. But point being, the Jays right now, despite what has been an injury-marred first couple months of the season, generally underachieving from their stars like Vladimir Guerrero and George Springer, they're still a wildcard team now. So imagine if they win a couple more games June 1st. They're like, yeah, they feel like a wildcard team.
It's a little laughable to me, but it's also undeniable that they are playing better baseball and better. To me, the strength of this team is their starting pitching.
Chapter 8: What are the potential impacts of the CBA negotiations on the future of baseball?
I was so concerned when Dylan sees from the aisle. I said, oh, my God. The one thing about this guy is he never gets hurt. He is durable, and he's a horse. So the fact that it's not a serious injury, it's just a hamstring discomfort, that's good news. Your Savage is obviously a stud. You know what you're getting with Gossman. And the offense is coming in a little bit. They still need to hit more.
The fact that Vlad has three home runs is insane to me. But they're playing better baseball. And as I said, they're very much in the wild card, Maurice.
Is Otani real? Like, what he's doing right now is ridiculous.
Yeah, Bruff, we have to go back and revisit the conversation I said to you guys, which is that, you know, when will he be deemed the greatest ever? Because, again, last night's game, you cannot take this for granted. He hit a home run. and then shoved for six innings. That just doesn't happen. If you told me he pitched two innings in relief and gave up two runs, that's still remarkable.
That is remarkable to do that. Instead, this guy hits a home run, sets the tone, and there's six innings. He's virtually unhittable. No hits. It's remarkable what he's doing. This is what I'm saying. How does that happen? I was like... You know, my son said to this former watcher, well, he's not going to win the MVP this year. What are you talking about? He goes, well, the offense isn't as good.
I said, well, he should have won the Cy Young. If he wins the Cy Young, then he should win the MVP because he's doing both. He's still going to have an 800 OPS. He's still an above average hitter. He's not going to hit 50 home runs. He could hit 35 home runs and be the best pitcher in the league. To me, that is another MVP. That would be his fifth MVP ever.
And I said to you guys before, if he wins the Cy Young, then he's the greatest ever. And games like that further burnish that legacy, which is still going as we watch him.
As a pitcher, what is his best stuff? Like we all know as a hitter, he's like, well, you know what? His best stuff is when he hits home runs, right? Like he's really good at that. Yeah. But I sometimes feel like, and I'm probably just speaking for me, I'm just like, and he's a pitcher, but I don't know enough about what he is as a pitcher because oftentimes I'm so focused on his hitting.
No, it's a great point because with certain pitchers, you know what their pitch is. Like with Tarek Skrubel, you know he throws a great changeup. With Kevin Gossman, you know he throws a great slider. Like certain of the best pitchers have that signature pitch. For Verlander, it was always his foreseeing fastball. Kershaw, that great slider, and of course that curveball.
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