Chris “Mad Dog” Russo expressed his unmistakable opinion that the World Series is already gone during his High Heat show on MLB Network. The Los Angeles Dodgers will win the world championship after the New York Yankees gave it all away in Game 1.
“As a spectator who doesn’t support either team, I believe the Yankees are done regardless of the outcome. Gerrit Cole threw two games that the Yankees had to win. He only needed to win the games, not necessarily the match. In any case, the Dodgers are superior to the Yankees. With home-field advantage and a slightly deeper lineup, the Dodgers are a small favorite.
"I think the Yankees are finished as far as the #WorldSeries is concerned… they had to win the two games that Gerrit Cole pitched."@MadDogUnleashed reacts to last night's Game 1.#HighHeat pic.twitter.com/UUXGEra2dS
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 26, 2024
The video is attached above if you want to hear Russo’s entire ideas, as he continues to ramble for six minutes. He says, “I don’t care who wins,” which, to be fair, sums everything up. Although that may be pulling his statements out of context, it captures the essence of his mindset.
The Dodgers would probably win this series more frequently than not if it were simulated. However, baseball’s diversity is what makes it so beautiful. It’s amazing that, in a sport that has been around for around 200 years, we witnessed a walk-off grand slam in the World Series for the first time ever.
The Yankees are not out, but they are down.
Professional athletes have short memories. Aaron Judge of the Yankees made the perfect statement following his team’s defeat in Game 1.
Judge declared, “A loss is a loss.” “I believe you all watched our most recent series against Cleveland. Good games of back and forth. You must take what you can from it, move on, and prepare for tomorrow’s game.
It’s simple to place blame. However, it is nitpicking to criticize Yankees manager Aaron Boone for utilizing Nestor Cortes rather than Tim Hill in a game that has hundreds of small choices. When asked via SNY after the game, he gave an explanation for his decision.
I simply enjoyed the matchup. In actuality, he has been preparing for this by throwing the ball exceptionally well over the past few weeks, Boone stated. “I knew that if Tim Hill got Shohei (Ohtani) on the ground, it would be difficult to double up with one out there.” It’s a difficult matchup there, especially with Mookie (Betts) on his side. I therefore shared Nestor’s conviction in that moment.
The series will return to New York for Games 3, 4, and 5, if needed, following Saturday night’s Game 2 in Los Angeles.
The Yankees are the “LeBron James landing.
The star of the New York Yankees, Juan Soto, may not be the only generational talent available in Major League Baseball this winter. If the Chiba Lotte Marines post Japanese sensational pitcher Roki Sasaki, he might be available for purchase.
Because of his low price, Sasaki would immediately become one of the most popular names on the market, if not the most popular, if he were posted. The Yankees have “committed significant resources to scout him,” according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, who also named them as one potential destination for his talents.
“With the Chiba Lotte Marines eliminated from the NPB playoffs, we should know shortly whether Roki Sasaki’s Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, would permit him to leave for Major League Baseball this offseason. The Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks all spent a lot of money scouting him this month, including sending top executives to see him pitch, so if he shows up, he will be the most sought-after international free agent, Bowden reported on October 24.
Given that Sasaki missed two months of action due to arm issues, which limited him to 18 games and 111 innings, his medical reports may determine how much teams are ready to offer him. Sasaki would only be able to sign a minor-league contract, like Ohtani did with the Angels in 2017, if he gets posted after this season due to international bonus pool limits because he is under 25.
Due to international signing regulations that forbid players under 25 from signing free agency contracts, Bowden projected that Sasaki would sign a minor league contract.
The Sasaki In contrast with LeBron James
In Japan, Sasaki was one of the most prestigious people. Some have referred to him as the world’s top pitching prospect, while FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen likened him to LeBron James, the star of the Los Angeles Lakers and possibly the greatest NBA player of all time.
“Sasaki, a well-known generational high school talent who has gone on to meet and possibly surpass expectations at the highest level of Japanese baseball, has been the LeBron James of Japanese baseball since his junior year.” Sasaki’s strength achievements are already legendary, and he turns 23 in November.
“He threw nearly 500 pitches in eight days, including a 12-inning, 194-pitch complete game where he also hit the game-winning two-run homer,” Longenhagen wrote on August 6. “He reached 101 mph in high school.” “In his 2021 rookie season, he posted a sub-2.00 ERA, was the first overall pick by the Chiba Lotte Marines in the 2019 NPB Draft, and in 2022, he made headlines by throwing 17 consecutive perfect innings in April.”
It’s clear how talented a player must be when compared to someone like James, and the New York Yankees, who have thoroughly scouted him, likely share that sentiment.
The Outstanding Professional Career of Sasaki
Numerous Japanese athletes have achieved success in Major League Baseball. Sasaki is anticipated to follow.
That opinion is undoubtedly supported by his early professional career statistics, which show a 2.41 ERA in 414 2/3 innings pitched.
Sasaki’s stellar ERA and 524 strikeouts make it obvious that he could have a bright future in Major League Baseball. Given that his contract has no bearing on Soto’s, the New York Yankees may be in a strong position to sign him if they are interested.
