It’s that time again. Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and on PodClips, anything and everything in sports with Art, at 128 years of age, Attorney Laura, Mark, a new advertising agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Not really, but yeah, He would take that job in a heartbeat.

I love you guys.

We will discuss this, that, and anything in sports. You can email us, [email protected]. Hey, let’s open with this: Skubal, Tarik Skubal of Detroit. OK. A lot of people think he would make a great starter in any rotation, and he would. A couple times Cy Young in a row. Of course, he’d make a great thing. But the problem is, his contract is up at the end of this season. The second problem is, Detroit – he’s playing a little bit better near the end of the last couple of weeks after the All-Star Game. So my point is, Art, would you give up a lot for Tarik Skubal if you couldn’t sign him to a long-term contract?

Well, you know, there’s two ways to look at it. If you’re gonna go out and get him, you ought to think about signing him because he is one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. Secondly, I would, I think the guy has great stuff. He’s a winner on and off the field. I’ll tell you what’s really amazing is Major League Baseball, with what’s happening now, with the pennant races. You know, with the Boston Red Sox winning 15 games in a row, going back to Ted Williams in the ’40s. They, all of a sudden, you know, they’re gonna probably keep their closer, Aroldis Chapman. They had him on the market for a minute or two. There’s a lot of things going on in Major League Baseball that that indicate to me that Terry, Tarik, Tarik Skubal is one of those guys that can make a difference for a team that may not be Milwaukee, may not be the Dodgers, may not be the Padres. But whoever gets him to go in there, their lineup. I was thinking the Atlanta Braves might be interested in somebody like that. The Phillies seem to be coming on strong. But I like to hear your guys’ opinion. Where do you think he’s gonna wind up going?

Laura? You’re a Dodger fan. Would you give up, let’s say, Sheehan and like, three hot, hot prospects in the Dodger chain for a guy who you might have for eight or nine starts?

I think I would. Yeah, I mean, I think I agree with Artie’s one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. The Dodgers, you know, have, have all the parts that they need to make a deal. I mean, they do have the prospects to trade, they have some young pitchers. You know, it’s, it’s gonna, I think where he goes, if he goes, it’ll depend on the, whether the teams that want him can afford it. Because I think it’s gonna be a big pay, a big paycheck. But yeah, I’d certainly, I certainly support the Dodgers going after him. I think they will, too. If he’s on the market,

I don’t think the Dodgers have trouble paying him.

Mark, would you rather have Mason Miller or Tarik Skubal?

Tarik Skubal. And this might shock some of you. He kind of reminds me of the tight right now with the arm problem, and I, you know, I haven’t seen too much of them. But reminds me of when the Dodgers went after Dave Goltz and Don Stanhouse, and we know how that turned out. But.

Wow.

But I would rather have Mason, I would rather have Mason Miller. The Pirates have blown like 19 games after the seventh inning, so they need to solidify that closing thing. The interesting thing is, the Brewers are after Skubal, and they’re after Mason Miller. And I’ll tell you one thing. You know, with the Dodgers and Brewers and Phillies or Braves, that are all sitting on top of this thing. If one of these bottom teams that are fighting to get into the playoffs land one of these marquee guys, like a Machado or something, watch out, because that could be the Washington Nationals 2019 all over again.

All right. Let me throw a name out here. Reid Detmers of the Angels. First start ever for the Angels; he threw a no-hitter. He’s a good pitcher. He’s not a number one. He’s probably a number four or five on top nine for rotations. But you wouldn’t have to give up as much for a Reid Detmers. Art, what about that?

I like that call. I, you know, I think there’s something to be said for, for getting a guy that gives you great. Maybe five, six, seven innings every time out. He may not be a superstar, bu,t but he performs every time you hand him the ball. And, you know, the Angels need to build their farm system. So that would be an ideal situation for, for the new general manager, who came over from St. Louis,

He’s good.

Replacing,

Mozeliak.

And I just think. Yeah, Mozeliak, Johnny. I think that’d be a great move. It really would be because, at this point in time, you know, and I’d also like to see the Angels, possibly the Phillies, have a great farm system, too. I’d like to see them give Mike Trout a chance in his last four years, or three or four years. Send him to the Phillies, let him play at home in front of his crowd. He’s been a great Angel for many, many years, and they certainly haven’t surrounded him, other than Shohei Ohtani, with the kind of talent he deserved to have a chance. I mean, I think he took them to the playoffs one time, and they got swept three games to none or something like that. You know, it’s a real sad thing. So I’d like to see them maybe, maybe get some great players for both those kind of guys.

Laura, being a Dodger fan, you might get a kick out of this. Eric Lauer, who they picked up, his ERA is almost five, but they’re undefeated every time he’s pitched.

Yeah.

So, Laura, have any comments about that? He’s a good luck charm, or what?

Yeah, I don’t know. It’s funny. It’s a great; it’s wacky how it works. But, you know, the Dodgers are just coasting to October; they, they’re not trying to win every game. They’re not trying to push their players. They’re giving players days off. They’re keeping Otani off the mound, which is gonna thwart his dreams of winning the Cy Young Award this year. But, you know that, I think they’re up like 14 games over the Padres now, or 11, something around there. Yeah, I mean, I think if, you know, they’re, they’re giving these young pitchers a chance, you know, to see how they perform, and, and they’re, if they’re, the Dodgers are playing the long game here. So if they put, you know, Lauer, for example, they just want to see what he could do. And, you know, it’s, it’s interesting because we were talking about, you know, AI earlier in the show, with, or later in the show we’ll talk to Jeff,

Fellenzer.

Fellenzer. And the thing that AI can’t capture is chemistry and morale, and all of these intangible things that, like, for example, happened with the Phillies when they brought in Don Mattingly, and and, and, and I remember my, when I interviewed for a job that I ended up taking with a law firm where I was with for 20 years, I hit with every person I talked to, it didn’t matter what we said, you know, it was like, every to every office I went into, it was like instant chemistry, you know? One guy I ended up talking to had a picture, picture of the, that famous picture of the Holocaust.

Yeah,

With the, and, we ended up talking about that, you know, didn’t have anything to do with the job or why I wanted to work there, what I thought I could bring to the firm. You know, it was just, you know, this intangible. AI cannot replicate that.

All right. Let’s take a break and come back with a whole lot more on Fred and the Fantastics with Art, Laura, Mark, and you. You can email us, [email protected]. We’re taping this a little bit after one o’clock Friday afternoon. Love to have your input. Email us, [email protected]. Back with more right after this.

Hey, we’re back on Fred and the Fantastics, on BLEAV and on PodClips with Art, Laura, Mark, and yours truly, Fred. You can email us, [email protected]. Yesterday, I received SI for this month. Jalen Brunson is on the cover. All right. We’re almost in August, and right now, barring some major changes, I think Jalen Brunson is going to win Sportsman of the Year. Laura. You have any other thoughts besides Jalen Brunson, who led the Knicks to their first title since? 1973?

Yeah, I like Jalen Brunson. I think that’d be a good choice. I mean, I thought the Knicks were really, you know, inspiring. Last year, they only lost one game in the playoffs. I mean, they were, you know, phenomenal, and, and it was, you know. Yeah, why not?

Art. Jalen Brunson. Or can you come up with another guy or gal?

How about a guy by the name of Shohei Ohtani?

Could be.

I had to throw it out there. The guy is, is pretty amazing, as a, as a baseball player, and, you know, I guess if I was gonna throw anybody else out there, I gotta say that Sammy Darnold wouldn’t be a bad choice either. I mean, from what he accomplished last year, you know, I wonder if Minnesota has second thoughts about letting him go to Seattle.

But I think at this point, Brunson overwhelms Darnold in this case. Let me throw a name out,

You mean big market syndrome, the big market syndrome of New York? Yeah.

I gotta think. Let me throw this name out there, you ready? Caitlin Clark, The Fever win the WNBA. She scores 25 points a game, and she doesn’t get another technical. Art. Does she have a shot if they win it?

You know, I just, I’m wondering if, if all this mishegoss going on in the WNBA is starting to turn people off just a little bit. I mean, I, I mean, the article with Nancy Armour that we talked about on Sports Overnight America. I mean, there’s a lot of things going on right now that, that would probably preclude me from including her. But if she did what you said she did, I would have to throw her in there as one of the candidates. Can I ask you this? Did Brunson win the ESPY award for the best player?

You know, I didn’t watch it, so I don’t know.

I think Steph Curry won it.

Does anybody know about that?

I think, I think, I don’t know, but,

I’m pretty sure he did.

I thought Steph Curry did.

Because it usually follows, it usually follows whatever the ESPYs says, Sports Illustrated,

All I know is,

Is there even a Sports Illustrated still around, Fred?

Used to be once a week, then it went to once every two weeks. Now, it’s once a month.

All I know is, I saw the publication of the football. I looked at the price, and I said to myself, Wow, that’s more than a sandwich. It was like, 18 bucks.

Lindy’s, yeah, they want 19, $18.99 for the Street & Smith.

Yeah, I know, wow.

What was 18 bucks?

And you know what was really funny, guys? You’re gonna love this. I got my magazines, right? I got all my football magazines, NFL College, and my wife was cleaning up the back room, right?

And she threw them out.

I hadn’t even had a chance to look at them. I said, Where are all my magazines?

In the trash.

Oh, I thought they were old. I said, I paid $45 for three magazines.

Well, next week we’ve got the editor of Lindy’s Pro Football, so we can talk,

Oh, fantastic.

Fred, I’ve got the perfect,

So we can talk,

Lindy Davis.

Jalen Brunson. Jalen Brunson did win Player of the Year,

Did he?

On the, for the ESPYs.

Yeah,

With the way everything’s starting to go up, I got the perfect thing, when I’m gonna stand on a street corner, I’m not working for food no more. I’m gonna work for a rich woman so I can afford to keep up with the magazines.

It’s a little late in the game, Mark. It’s a little late in the game for that, right?

All right, Laura, any final thoughts as we get into another very warm weekend?

Oh, yeah, it’s kinda hot over here, too. I think I just want to, again, and give a shout-out to my city, because really, LA was an incredible host for the World Cup. There were free events everywhere. The beach had a huge, big watch party, and they had booth with food, and for kids, I mean, it was – and everywhere you went, there were watch parties in parking lots. And so I just want, I just want to say LA, it was a great little warm-up for the Olympics, and, and LA did a great job with the World Cup.

Let me ask you guys a question. I gotta ask you a question.

Art, hang on one second. Laura, I have one question for you. You ready? How many parties for your Raiders in Venice, California?

How many parties for the Raiders?

How many have you gone to recently for the Raiders? I’m kidding; that was a joke, that was an attempt at humor. All right, Art.

I don’t know. I go to the tailgate parties when they play the Chargers.

My question, my question is this, you guys: because of the excitement of the World Cup, yeah, we talked about the prices and the exorbitant money they charged. Is America ready to embrace the game of futbol or soccer? Is it gonna make a difference?

It’s better than sleeping pills.

I don’t, you know, it was funny,

I actually got it this time. I mean, I, I actually thought the last game was, was really exciting. And you know, it’s the rules are so cockamamie. It’s kind of hard to figure out what’s going on.

Have you ever seen a defense play like that, Laura?

Fred, but,

I don’t think it’s gonna, I don’t think it’ll ever spread,

The Spanish defense was incredible.

Fred,

But yeah, I really thought it was exciting.

Fred, you used to do Kings pre the, the Kings shows?

Right.

And, and we never thought hockey would really blow up out here till Wayne Gretzky came. It’s gonna take somebody prominent to come here and instill that, to make this thing go across the waves. Like, who is the next Wayne Gretzky?

We need superstars, is what you’re saying.

Yup, yup, you’re gonna need; it’s not David Beckham,

I don’t know, the youngsters who played for Spain were pretty exciting. You know, that 19-year-old, I forget his name. I mean, he was young, really exciting. Yeah, I thought the Spanish team was really exciting.

I never saw a lockdown defense like that in my life in soccer, and I grew up in Europe watching a lot of soccer. But the Spanish defense, to hold Argentina to basically two shots in a hundred and something minutes?

Yeah, that was incredible.

That was incredible.

And also, all those shots that Spain took and none of them went in. I mean, that goalie for Argentina was incredible.

There were like 19 shots on goal.

Did anybody see the 30 for 30 on the ’85 Bears and Refrigerator? That was amazing.

I saw the end of it. I’ve seen it before.

That was amazing.

I’ve seen it before. Jim McMahon and company.

I still say that might be the best defense ever.

Greatest defense I’ve ever seen.

Art. You’ve got 30 seconds to wind it up.

Well, you know, we’ve got a lot of golf action this week, you guys. We’ve got the, one of the great guys of all time, a Kiwi by the name of Fox. He won the, the British Open. We’ve got the seniors playing at Gleneagles. The women are playing the Scottish Open. So it’s a good time to be in Europe, and I’m a little concerned right now, because it seems like France is on fire and they’ve had unbelievable heat. You guys are talking about the heat in Southern California. It seems like there’s a lot of really bad things happening in terms of summer heat. And I guess they’re massive flood of massive fires in Southern France. I’m gonna really say some prayers for them and hope they get things together.

And Spain.

But, yeah, exactly.

Yeah, folks, if you enjoyed the show, thanks to Prevagen. All right, for Art, for Laura, for Mark, for Mario, a whole lot more down the road on Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and PodClips. Bye everybody.