Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is the Dan Levitar Show with the Stugatz Podcast. This episode of the Dan Levitar Show with Stugatz is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings, the crown is yours. Yo, Dan, you know about cruises?
I like cruises. My brother was somebody who was always traveling the world on cruises. He had one of the greatest gigs there can be in that he was always working and traveling the world that way.
Cruises are great. The Zaslow family, we cruise. We go at least once a year. You know about Royal Caribbean?
uh yes why are you asking me questions this way as if i'm somebody want to make sure that i'm not you know talking about a story you're like well what are all these things never heard of them all right so you know the the basics all right that's good you'll keep up so there are casinos on a lot of these cruises and sometimes you could lose money in the casino you don't always win in the casino sometimes you could lose money well there was a gentleman uh called jay gonzalez diaz which
which turns out is not even his real name. But that's what he was registered as on the cruise ship. Well, apparently he racked up over $16,000 in casino debt on this Royal Caribbean cruise ship. And in order to get out of paying it, would you like to guess what happened? How do you get out of paying a $16,000? Glad you asked. You say, please forgive me. Or you jump off the Rhapsody of the Seas.
You jump off. You bail. He jumped off into the seas near Puerto Rico because he didn't want to pay the rest of his debt. The boat was docked. They were disembarking. And he just, you know what? I'm out of here.
Okay, but the way you guys described it made me think that that man jumped into an open ocean that wasn't docked.
Okay, it gets better because now you may be saying, well, all right, what's he going to do? I hope it gets better. Right now I fear for the person. Well, what he's going to do is there was a jet ski apparently waiting for him. Oh, that's a getaway jet ski? Inside job, wow. Boss move. Getaway jet ski, which was also pulling someone on an inflatable boat.
And he jumped on the jet ski and away they go.
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Chapter 2: How did a man escape $16,000 in casino debt on a cruise?
Do you know how little money that is compared to the rest of what we do? That you would suggest that I wouldn't want gambling because of our little seven blackjack tables or whatever it is that we have, a couple of slot machines. Like, do you realize how ignorant you sounded saying that I would want that block because I wouldn't want gambling in town? So I know what a cruise ship is.
What do you think the game was that he was playing? You think it was like the claw machine that you go and you pick up all the bills? Can I tell you something? You know what's the underrated machine now in these cruise casinos? I like playing the game where you've got to line up the key. It has to fit in the hole. The slot. Yeah, I've seen that. You get great prizes.
They have an iPad in there sometimes. Yes. It would be like a stack of $1,000 cash. I want that stack. Have you seen the game that it's just a hole cut into plexiglass and you stick your hand and you have to take out a gold bar? Yes! Yes! Very heavy, those gold bars. Have not figured out how to win that one yet, though. Be strong.
How did it go with Mickey when you hung up and you're like, 17 years from now, I'm going to take it incredibly easy on you in an interview that'll leave no one, especially our audience, satisfied?
Yeah.
Jane Levy is with us now. She's the award-winning former sports writer and feature writer for the Washington Post. She's the best-selling author of multiple books. She's got a new one here, Make Me Commissioner. I know what's wrong with baseball and how to fix it. She's been following baseball all of her life.
And I thought baseball got some things fixed here recently after many people objected to them making any kind of changes at all. So I'm looking forward... to talking to her about what changes she would make. I know Bob Costas and others, Jane, thank you for joining us. Appreciate the time. Absolutely.
I know that Bob Costas and others were very reluctant to change, for example, the wild card, which has been a big hit because there are so many purists that didn't want baseball to change. But I feel like over the objection of others, baseball has gotten a whole lot fixed. So you are in disagreement?
Oh, no, they fixed a lot of stuff. It took them a long time to get to it. I mean, the pitch clock was inevitable. And, you know, they used to have a pitch clock and it was called the sun. And when the sun went down, that's when games ended and umpires would hurry you along. But when the lights came in, they forgot that they had to hasten things along.
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Chapter 3: What does Jane Leavy suggest to improve Major League Baseball?
If I take away all his MVP seasons, Give me the stat of the day music so that somebody who's a real expert on baseball can give me her favorite stat of all the stats.
Start of the day, start of the day, it is the start of the day. Start of the day, start of the day, it is the start of the day.
You don't like the new music, Mike? You don't like the new music? We've been thinking about it. Me and Mike, every time we hear it, we're like, do you like it?
Do you like it now? Chris keeps telling me to keep my opinion to myself, which I feel like that's not in any good discourse.
It doesn't sound right. James, you didn't seem like you were too pressurized by this. You shrugged your shoulders at me. This wasn't even a challenge for you.
You know why? You stole my answer.
Second best stat, you dick.
I thought you were asking what's my favorite metric. You know, all those fun names, UZR, DZR, all that stuff. I actually was going to answer FIT, which was created by Tom Tango, the senior architect of data for MLB. It's fielding independent data. pitching and it's a perfect example of how brilliant these guys are and how screwed the game is because of it.
It was his favorite stat, because what does it do? It takes away from a pitcher all the things that they're not in control of, like a bad bounce, like a pebble on the infield dirt, like a left fielder who's a moron. All sorts of stuff is gone, and it distills just what the pitcher did and is responsible for. Great thing for agents and free agency.
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Chapter 4: What are the current challenges facing baseball today?
Wow. Shocking take by Jane right there.
The home run. Say it, Jane.
Chapter 5: Why is the pitch clock significant for baseball games?
Schwarber's a bum.
Put it on the call. Is Schwarber a bum? She's not going to say Schwarber's a bum.
Well, come on, guys. I mean, that you can hit four home runs in a real game? Great. The fact that people went nuts over doing it off batting practice slop at the home run derby made me nuts. I mean, really? Is that what it's come to? I understand why they do it. It's one of their most valuable properties. People love it. That's great. But... Come on.
You know, it's like two thirds of the game are missing. Whatever happened to the alleys? Ah, the alleys.
What happened to the alleys? Billy was in one of those on the phone when the police pulled him over the other day.
Jane, just say it. That Otani 50-50 game. Overrated, right? That 50-50 game. Ridiculous. End of the game, I mean, geez louise. 50-50 game would be impressive. No, the game that he got the 50-50 in where he had the 10 RBI, he had the four home runs. I mean, the last couple pitches were ridiculous.
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Chapter 6: What changes have been made to baseball recently?
Let me ask you a question, okay? Ask away. So I saw him pitch for... Probably 25 pitches. I saw him at the last... did the 3.2 innings in Baltimore the other night. Here was a guy who basically said the old fashioned thing, send me in coach, put the ball in my shoe, which Dave Roberts did not actually do. But he stepped forward and he said, he's old fashioned in that way, which I love about him.
And I was sitting right, you know, in the press box, which is no longer going to be the press box in Baltimore because they're making a party space, which tells you what the priorities are. But I watched him throw eleven one hundred mile an hour pitches in three point two innings and they look effortless for him. Right. I mean, it's it's it's a thing to behold.
But I actually asked Dave Roberts, you know, should anybody want to pitch for the Dodgers right now? Look at what their rate of attrition has been in pitching this year. It's not just them, mind you, but they've had... The Yankees have had more money sitting on the IL for pitchers. The Dodgers have had more people sitting on the IL who are pitchers.
It is, you know, you're taking your life in your hands. And if I were Ohtani, I would say, You know what? I've done it. I've shown I can do it. He's had two Tommy John surgeries already. Tommy John, excuse me, in an internal brace. I understand Dave said he wants to be the guy that shows that he can throw a World Series game and hit in a World Series game. Yes, that is legendary.
But wouldn't it be OK to say one side of that is enough after doing that? I'd rather have him around to see for the next God knows how many years, you know, running the bases and hitting the way he does than have him do both.
Jane, we appreciate your time. Appreciate the book. Make me commissioner. I know what's wrong with baseball and how to fix it. Clearly knows a ton about baseball.
Please join us more. Yeah.
Can we love you, Jeremy? But it's also a bit of a I'm game.
I'm here. By the way.
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