MLB Opening Week with Mat Germain, plus a special RaysUp review

BaseballBiz On Deck

• 2 teams undefeated in MLB – Twins & Rays
  the Twins rotation is strong
• Royals beat the Jays – what happened to Berrios
• AL East
  • Don’t write off the Red Sox - Rafael Devers
  • Toronto has traded off much of their lineup
  • Baltimore will their pitching hold up
• NL East
  • Mets are experiencing what it’s like a 40 year old Cy Young award winner
  • Braves & Mets leading NL East
  • Marlins acquisition of Luis Arraez will strengthen their team. They need more offense
• NL Central
  • Mat called it when he saw Brice Turang in AAA is a spark plug Brewers lineup
  • Chicago Cubs disappointing start
  • Over all Parity between the teams in NL East will be a dogfight
  • Highlights – Brian Reynolds w/ Pirates, Reds pitching looking solid
  • Brett Taylor Bleacher Nation and Dansby Swanson great debut with the Cubs
• NL West
  • Dodgers young players stepping up
  • Diamondbacks – will MadBum be able to be back to himself
  • Rockies – Kris Bryant showing promise
  • Diamondbacks, Evan Longoria – Longo can still hit it Long
• Mat Germain – fWAR tweet
  • Hitters who've already reach 0.5 fWAR:
  • 1 Adam Duvall 0.7 #RedSox 2 Wander Franco 0.6 #Rays 3 James Outman 0.5 - fWAR definition - https://bit.ly/3m9GkxO
• More on NL West
  • Mark asks Oakland A’s really?
    Mat, A’s will be pesky – expect them to be better than Nationals
  • Nationals team is only of AAA quality
  • Seattle Mariners expectations to be a powerhouse – NASA rocket or backyard homemade missile?
  • Will Seattle be better when Robbie Ray returns?
• Angels will continue to be a challenge with Trout & Ohtani
• Balancing of the new 2023 schedule on Division games in first month of the season
• Will Twins hold 1.000 winning percentage
• Anthony Rendon – MLB & MLBPA agree on penalty for player behavior. Is this a good sign for a better relationship with union & MLB?
• Teams can no longer complain about the toughness of their division

Tampa Bay Rays

• Durham Bulls, Rays AAA minor league teams being broadcast on MLBtv & other MiLB games, great way to see the future of the Rays
• Rays Minor league – players moving up and down from A to AAA teams
• Durham had a tough series with Norfolk
• Curtis Mead & Kyle Manzardo they are looking hungry to move upTaj Bradley & Grayson Rodriguez playing in difficult weather
• Pitching Arms - Tyler Glasnow how much of him will we see him, Zach Eflin, Jeffrey Springs, Shane McClanahan are looking good. We won’t see Shane Baz until next year
• Closer, Pete Fairbanks - No hits on his past 23 innings – a man possessed
• Fairbanks & Jason Adam 2 strong arms to depend on in the bullpen
• Randy Arozarena came out strong hustling against the Nationals

Mat Germain on Twitter @Mat_Germain_
BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify

Kapitler

1. RaysUp, Durham Bulls, Rays Pitching (00:34:41)