[Music] the following is a presentation of the bip Sports media Network here's what's cooking on today's sports stove podcast we're talking fantasy tight end rankings NASCAR playoff standings and Major League Baseball some intriguing races there as well that's what's cooking on today's sports stove podcast from Belly Up Sports and the Belly Up podcast Network you're listening to the sports stove podast podcast with your host Vince Stover about cooking [Music] something welcome in to an all new edition of the sports stove podcast presented by righteous felon jerky join the flavor Revolution righteous felon docomomo code stove1 15 that's going to get you 15% off your purchase well it's another Wednesday night so it's another Sports Talk Show I'm Vin Stover joined as I am every week by my dad Dale Stover Dad how you doing doing good doing good we just got 12 days till training camp starts so it's exciting the NFL but there's a lot going on with baseball of course we've got the um allstar game coming up here pretty quick and um like I said baseball the races are getting interesting it looked like you know was kind of going to be cut and dry but I don't think you know that will be the case there and um I know we talked NASCAR some there have been some fun NASCAR races watching lately so that's that's been good too and I've really enjoyed uh being involved in the fantasy league with NASCAR I definitely encourage people next year uh it really helps you get involved a lot more yeah it has been fun uh I got my oldest son into it this year too um so yeah it's been fun fun doing that uh getting back into that of course as well uh shout out to everyone going through the storms down in Texas right now I know we got some members of the Belly Up Network that have been relocated at least temporarily because of that so stay safe out there uh I work for a roofing company so I'll be calling the Houston Texans to see if they need me to come out and and uh and and give me lots of money to fix the roof uh but I guess that probably won't happen uh that being said um you know we we'll talk NFL first um I saw an interesting piece on the Jacksonville Jaguars Edge rusher Josh Allen uh who's changing his last name uh and he'll have a new last name on his jersey the hyphenated last name uh now to Josh Hines Allen a fun little story I think it was on I want to say CBS uh I could be wrong on that it could be NFL Network I don't remember where it was uh but go check that out fun fun story there from him uh just talking about his um lineage and things like that as well so I thought that was intriging he had a great year last year and uh and will continue I'm sure to have good years uh to come as well but we've been talking fantasy football each week we've covered quarterbacks running backs and wide receivers today we're going to cover the tight ends uh then next week we're going to start our NFL preview where we're going to start going division by division and we'll have lots of good stuff for you there as well uh so next week we'll get into that but today we are going to rank tight ends this is a segment we call the fantasy Focus all right so we're into tight ends now uh it's an interesting position in fantasy football to me Dan I feel like there's less uncertainty this year at tight end than there has been and and I say that in a good sense meaning there is potential for some guys to be really really good we just don't know if they are going to be really really good and I felt like in the past you have two or three guys that you're just kind of lock in on those guys and then everybody else is just kind of you know Hit or Miss whatever I think we have potential to have six or seven just really good fantasy tight ends this year and I'm intrigued to see kind of how you rank them of course I'll share how I rank them too um so far you've pretty much been wrong in all your rankings but uh we'll give you a chance with tight end still to see if you can you can come out of the deep end here so uh let's start at tight ends we've been doing these by tiers uh so Dad tier number one what does your tier one look like I've got three guys in tier one um there and um they're not going to be the same as yours I can guarantee but um we will see anyhow I have Andrews from Baltimore have Kelsey from Kansas City and then I have KD from from San Francisco um I know there'll be some question there I've had him on fantasy league as you know I have always liked tight ends I've always had tight ends on my team and I've always made it a priority and KD I think based on health um it's just you know long as he's healthy uh he's consistent he's always going to give you um you know what you need there and so that's the three I've got in tier one yeah I don't have KD in tier one for a couple of reasons I've got him in Tier Two For What It's Worth um so not horribly far down from you um I think that the weapons in San Francisco take away from George KD um having Debo Samuel having Christian mcaffrey having Brandon iuk um you know it's just they've got so many weapons that I think it diminishes KD he's he ends up being the third or fourth option in that offense with mcaffrey being the first um and I'm very Pro Christian m Jeffrey uh but uh yeah I've got KD as as a tier two I think he'll be better this year than he was last year um health is a big issue for sure um on that as well so I I couldn't justify him putting him in tier number one um but it wouldn't surprise me if he ends the year as a top three tight end I see him more as probably a top six tied in fantasy-wise uh at the very least when it's all said and done uh I have Kelsey and Andrews as well I you know Mark Andrews is another guy dad with Isaiah likely having a good year last year with Andrews injured I I was hesitant to put Andrews back in tier one just because I think they're going to do more with Isaiah likely this year than they've done in the past when they're both healthy that being said I did put Andrews in tier one because he is a phenomenal tight end um obviously has the confidence in his his quarterback has confidence in him and I just think he's still going to be that top tier guy the third guy that I have though is Sam leaport in Detroit um you know I love the Green Bay Packers tight ends but I desperately wanted them to draft Sam leaport they did not and Sam leapa had a phenomenal year last year and you know you look at those wide receivers Aman Ross Brown of course is very good outside of him they have talent but I think that Sam lorta is is is pass catcher number two in that offense and I think leaport is going to have another massive year so I've got leaport as a top tier guy so I've got Kelsey leaport and Andrews you've got Kelsey uh KD and Andrews I just think KD's overrated um I I just don't see how we can put him in tier one just the years that he's had leading up to this year um all right so let's go to tier number two then I'm curious to see I got some names here that I think will probably be different than yours but let's try it out what do you got for tier two okay I've got six guys in tier two and some of this has to do with again when you look at tight ends in fantasy you have to look at does that team and does that quarterback use the tight end or is he a quarterback that you know needs to use the tight end there um I do have leaport in tier two um there I I I considered him almost every ranking I saw had him as a number one guy U with a tight end the reason I didn't is I think Detroit um I think think they'll be a very good team again but I think last year they surprised people um and I think leaport as a rookie surprised people this year I think he'll be someone the defenses would definitely plan on a little bit more and so we'll see he may have a better year than he had last year but I think he could take a step down a little bit just because of the surprise Factor but he you know he's very good no doubt about it so I have leaport I have Pitts from Atlanta um his talent is just too much you know he he did they didn't have a great year last year but they didn't have a quarterback last year either so um you know we'll see from there uh King Cade was really good coming into the draft and so for Buffalo he's got a lot of big play ability and more and a pass catcher for Buffalo I have him there um McBride at Arizona um people listed him high so I I looked at that a little bit and again I think with the quarterback situation using a tight end there makes a lot of sense um TJ hackinson he's just a great tight end and I he was ranked a little lower in a lot of people than and I was surprised about that but I think he's G to be you know you got Jefferson um but just like you talked about with Detroit I mean you got Jefferson but then hackinson is a great weapon of course you don't know what the quarterback situation is going to be but like you've always said within experienced quarterbacks a tight end can get used quite a bit and um the other guy put up in tier two maybe could have kept him in tier three um but again I think far as quarterback usage is Jacksonville is Ingram Ingram has always scored well and again I think um Trevor Lawrence will use him a lot so that's the six guys I've got there leaport pittz King Kade McBride haw and Ingram okay so I was wrong we've got pretty much the same guys um I did not have Dalton conc in tier two uh I I almost put him there I did not though um Kyle pittz listen Atlanta is gonna be if Drake London and Kyle Pitts don't have good years this year then then they're busts it's time to move on from them um so I think they will whether it's whether it's Kirt cousins is healthy or or whether they go with the rookie at some point it doesn't matter matter I think Kyle pittz should have a good year and I know if you've drafted Kyle pittz high in the past you are hesitant to do it again but um I got Kyle Pitts in tier two I've got Evan Ingram in tier two um as well from Jacksonville again you just look at his numbers it just it's where he belongs uh I got George KD here Trey McBride from Arizona I'm with you um as well he had a very good year last year you know we just always assumed that Z was going to be the guy in Arizona and really it ended up being Trey McBride and uh so again you add Marvin Harrison Jr to that offense that's going to take some Defenders away from McBride even though he's very good I think Trey McBride's gonna have a really good year as well and TJ Hawkinson you know I mean the worse the quarterback the better the tight end uh Sam darnold is is you know at best a top 28 quarterback in the NFL um he's going to need his tight end and Justin Jefferson will be covered Jordan Addison is good enough to draw some attention where hawis will have the opportunity um you know I I really like TJ hackinson this year I think his value is g to be really solid like you said some people have him lower um and I think that's crazy and so I think talent-wise T.J Hawkinson is probably a top five tight end fantasy wise he's definitely in my opinion at top 10 I've got him as a top eight tight end um this year as well I would trust hackinson more than I would trust Evan Ingram honestly um Evan Ingram is a guy that gives you the numbers and he gives you the stats he's a good tight end I just I don't know there's something about Jacksonville that scares me a lot when I'm doing fantasy drafts I'm probably going to avoid Evan Ingram unless he's just out of Great Value um but I think he deserves to be in tier number two so like you I've got Pitts Ingram McBride hackinson um the only difference is I had leaport in tier one and I've got George KD in tier two and then Dalton concade for me is in tier number three dad and it's one of my smallest tiers that I have um outside of tier one my tier three guys are Dallas Goddard in Philadelphia Brock Bowers in Vegas Dalton cancade in uh Buffalo and Dalton Schultz down in Houston um these are four guys that I would be more than happy to have on my team I can wait and pass on on Kelce pass on leaport pass on Andrews if I can get one of these four guys I'd be pretty happy with my fantasy team and I think Brock Bowers as a rookie is gonna is gonna have a pretty solid year because again Vegas doesn't really have a quarterback and so they're gonna need their tight end they've got Devonte Adams they're gonna need their tight end and I think Brock Bowers is going to be that for them even though they do have uh Michael Mayor who will come up later in my tiers um I really like what Brock Bowers can do here so I've got him in tier three gotcha in tier three I had um Godard and Schultz also I think Schultz could have a big year I really liked him at Dallas and um you know I think he can do well there um along with them I've got several I've got um in joku from Cleveland um they use the tight end uh even though they have you know a lot of weapons there but um you know they're a team that's always used the tight end Dallas loves to use the tight end so I have Ferguson there I'm not sure he should probably be that high but again based on how they use the tight end um you know again Chicago you hear a lot about Cole KT and he is a good tight end um and I think he's he'd be a solid tight end in fantasy even though he probably will not be on my team and um but anyhow I have him there and then I have from the Packers Luke Musgrave uh um again I think he's going to be a major part of of the offense um again they're going to spread the ball around a lot but musk grave is a big play guy he's a he's a tight end that can get down the field um from there get a lot of yardage and again you know he's he's one of your tall tight ends as far as in close and I I think he could really break out and have a great year so I have gard and Schultz and along with them I have en joku Ferguson and Musgrave so you don't think that Brock Bowers is going to have a better fantasy year Than Jake Ferguson or Cole kit um I don't know and that's because of the team and the quarterback I I thought about that Bowers could really you know he could be one of those tight ends as a rookie that just you know makes a name no doubt about that but not knowing where you're at on quarterback not knowing exactly where that team is going to be I I really contemplated at least putting him in tier three um but I I I I dropped him into tier four just wasn't sure about that he's probably a safe pick like you said if you don't have a tight end yet and it goes down a ways um you're good he would be a excellent second tight end to get no doubt about it for Flex okay yeah I just for me Ferguson uh and kit are both tier four guys I don't um I don't have a lot of confidence in those guys like I think Co Ked is good I just I think that you're going to see uh Caleb Williams really focus in on the wide receivers I think Roma dunesday is gonna have a really good season for Chicago um I think KT will do fine I just for me he was below the GD K cage Schultz Bowers category I just didn't think he fit in that category Jake Ferguson is I liked him in college I I like his situ ation in Dallas um but I'm not going to lie to you I mean Dak Prescott usually has big numbers the Dallas receiving core has big numbers we've seen Dalton Schultz do well there I I admit I'm a little worried about Jake Ferguson and Dallas um I think the tight ends in Dallas will do fine but I'm not sure I couldn't put them up there with Godard and K Kade and Schultz and that grouping either um en joku I've got en joku lower than you but I don't I I don't I wouldn't argue that whole lot um either at the same time so my my tier four dad has you know Ferguson Cole KT in joku in there as well and then I added Pat Fruth from Pittsburgh Hunter Henry at New England who by the way he could be he he could be a steal of the draft um in New England honestly you got a new offense you've got new quarterbacks there um Hunter Henry is probably my guy to watch um and and a guy guy that you can get a really good value on unless you're in a league with Patriot fans um which they all went to Tampa when Tom Brady did so you probably don't have any New England fans in your league um so I think Hunter Henry's a good one to watch for and I've also got Isaiah likeley in number four um the other Baltimore tight end first of all I think that you could see Andrews get injured so likely will play more and I really think they're going to incorporate him in the offense more normally anyhow he had a really good year last year um with Andrews being injured so I've got en joku Ferguson kit Henry leley and Fri MTH in tier number four most of those guys you had in your tier three did you have the other guys in your tier four um I had Henry in tier four and again he's a guy that you know you're right could be really good I've always liked him he hasn't quite produced um you know sometimes like you would hope but I think he could be there I have Bowers in tier four had Fri in tier four um and then I had the second tight end from um let's see is it Buffalo Knox I had him there I had Johnson from New Orleans there and auton from Tampa Bay again just based on you know their starting tight ends and these are teams that are going to use them so I had all them in tier four where did you have Musgrave uh tier five oh okay yeah Dawson or Knox isn't an interesting one I don't like him unless cancade gets hurt um I didn't even rank him uh if if con gets hurt then I do like Knox but I I cannot draft him um I cannot draft him for sure he's to me he's undraftable um unless k k gets hurt before the season starts um you know outside of that uh you know I think everything else is fine I I don't uh you know New Orleans is another one Kate otton I think that's a good one New Orleans is one that I I really gotta see kind of a little bit more from this team to figure out who they are and what they're going to do um you know Jawan Johnson tied in I don't know I I didn't put him in my rankings either um uh so yeah I kind of stayed away stayed away from those guys as a whole um do you have a tier five I do I do again um you know if you get down to the end and another guy Noah Fant has always sometimes produced I had him there I have um gaseki there um and then um the other Packer tight end Tucker craft you don't know how they're going to use both of them again I wouldn't you know I would probably have him almost as a third guy if you were gonna have him or a guy to watch for but he may end up being real productive so we will see and then I had one sleeper because you just can't leave this guy out um because of his name if nothing else so it's Houston's second tight end Cade Stover if you got a Stover in the NFL um don't let him slip by you there keep an eye on him yeah that's a great Point uh for many reasons but Kade Stover is a phenomenal tight end had a great college career um landed in a great spot in Houston with a quarterback that he's familiar with and see J stad yeah um with the starting tight end Dalton Schultz being good but not being a superstar um I love that sleeper pick Dad I think Kade has an opportunity cousin Cade um has has an opportunity to get playing time this year and be relevant in the fantasy world as well I do like that my tier five was Luke Musgrave from Green Bay Tyler Conklin from the Jets Noah Fant who you mention uh Mike gaseki again another great value there's potential he's had some drop issues in his career but there's potential being in Cincinnati now that he could be really really solid um how about choam okono from the Titans uh again Young quarterback uh okono was seen last year so uh potential there as well and I put in the Vegas tight end Michael Mayer the second the second cour tight end who had a really good rookie season last year um and I assume that we're going to see a whole lot of Michael Mayor and Brock Bowers on the field at the same time um and both of them it'll be interesting to see how that offense shakes out um you know with the quarterback situation the way it is Aiden oconnell Gardner muu however that shakes out but I I like Michael Mayor as a as a sleeper as well because I think his value is going to drop drastically with Brock Bowers being there and you might be able to get him very late in the draft and end up being uh a guy that you play in your lineup fairly regularly depending on how everything breaks down uh from there but Dad I impressed I like the Cade Stover pick um he is a guy that will be on my list for you know last pick in the draft uh depending on how many tight ends I've already drafted maybe uh grabbing some Cade Stover stock uh when it's all said and done as well so we'll see and uh and I need to uh apologize to Buccaneers fans uh for for uh embarrassing you about the New England fans uh Caleb mzn appreciate you man he's on living on a high right now with the Alex Bowman win this weekend um he still is a Patriots fan even though Tom Brady left uh so there you go uh they're still at least one out there uh in the world course Dad we we were around Patriot fans for a time that were Patriots fans and Saints fans then Buccaneers fans and all over the place who knows uh so so I apologize for that uh that miscategorization of patriot fans um all right Dad anything else with tight ends in fantasy football no I I think it's like you said at first I think there is a lot of tight ends you know there are several um good ones but as far as needing a tight end because sometimes you know in a fantasy draft you've got to let something slide and in some years if you let the tight end slide too much you know you didn't have anything and with the most with our league and most leagues having a flex position now of course you can use it but you can use two tight ends you know that can be a real help sometimes and it looks like here I think you know in a 10 Team league um you know there probably is probably too deep you know not not being not looking too bad yeah uh let's talk about a few things then uh New York Giants uh Darren Waller retires leaves them kind of high and dry Daniel Bellinger is currently listed as the starter for the Giants they drafted a fourth round tight end Theo Johnson as well um he wears number 47 so he can't be that good um do you again Daniel Jones Drew lock I go man tight end is a position you want to get with those quarterbacks but I looked at it and I said I I just can't do Daniel Bellinger maybe as a as a shot in the dark late in the draft or something like that but I can't depend on him to get things started um how do you feel about the Giants tight end situation yeah no I I would agree with you on that I think the Giants is a whole um probably not a team you're going to look at a whole lot with a lot of fantasy stuff um um down the line but definitely the tight end like I said the quarterback you're right when you're not sure about quarterback they do need a tight end but you know when you're really unsure about your quarterback situation that's kind of dangerous all the way down the line and um I just think there'd be too many guys to take above him um even some of the teams when you're talking about the second second tight end you know likely or KNX you know you got to look would that not be a better deal than the starter for the Giants just don't know yeah and then the other team I want talk about is Carolina um Young quarterback and Bryce young did not have a good year last year but they bring in a a new coach who has had success with young quarterbacks um I love t ends who have young quarterbacks the rookies second-year guys there's it's a it's a philosophy of mine your tight ends are typically GNA do well um but Carolina you got Tommy Trimble who was a third round draft pick back in 2021 last year he had three touchdowns uh uh I think maybe 50 or 60 catches they drafted a guy in the fourth round this year Javon Sanders um as well I don't know much about about these guys uh you know Sanders is a Texas guy uh he's I think 6 foot 252 he's got okay size um but I'll tell you as much as I would love to draft a a tight end that that plays with Bryce young those are guys that if I'm doing it it is the last pick in the draft or it's you know getting them late to hold on to them and see if they do anything I don't have confidence in the Carolina tight ends I do like by the way the Carol in receivers this year uh but not the tight ends do you have any opinion on Carolina's tight ends yeah I would agree you know I don't know much about them and that would be a great place for them to have a really good tight end but don't know what they do Carolina is one of those teams fantasy-wise I think that I don't know your people are going to draft a lot of their players but it'll be a team you watch for the first or second week and then see who does who is the go-to guys um because again Bryce young I think will be better and again um you know hopefully things will turn around there but it's going to be hard I think before the season starts to know kind of where they're headed offensively and Carolina will be one of those teams there won't be a lot of people drafted so you'll just have to keep your eye and um you know take a chance and say hey let's see if this continues uh what about Miami they go out and sign John new Smith he had some good years in Tennessee played at Atlanta last year and disappeared um comes to Miami they've you know they've not been a great tight end place under Tu a Tong of aloa haven't been horrible um any confidence in giving the veteran jnu Smith a flyer uh when it comes to tight ends in fantasy football um again I've never been as big on jnu Smith um you know as some people have again I think that's something you'll have to watch again um Miami be a great place for a good tight end but um you know they've got so many weapons on the outside there um you know that's probably a team that doesn't look as much because you've got wide receivers that can do a lot of different things um you know being in the slot being you know running deep routes bring your jet sweeps um may not be as big a deal with the tight end so um I I don't know but I definitely wouldn't pick him real high yeah uh so Caleb speaks up again again he's a New England fan he said John who's tenure tenure of New England was so bad we didn't even mention it and they did pay him a lot of money he came in hit him and Hunter Henry and neither one of them had a good year uh in that combination uh yeah no John who had his his best years in Tennessee no doubt about that and then H Kevin Wilson chimes in as well young ryce young better be better or Carolina is in real trouble uh yeah they're going to be drafting a quarterback again if Bryce young better this year um as well uh last thing I'll give you on the tight end situation is my sleeper pick uh at tight end I've told you some good values Michael Mayor um Hunter Henry uh but galani Woods in uh Indianapolis is a guy that I like I like really like indianapolis's offense for fantasy football especially Anthony Richardson at quarterback as long as he's healthy if Richardson goes down by the way I'm out I'm out on Indianapolis Joe flacko does not get it done for me um Jonathan Taylor is the only player that will hold his value if if uh Anthony Richards goes down uh but galani Woods as long as Richardson is active I like him as well you get him at a really good value and uh and I think he's gonna give some decent uh fantasy value this year as well so even though you've got Michael Pitman Adan I Mitchell Josh DS I like having uh I like having galani Woods on my fantasy roster this year year as well all right well that's it for our Fantasy Football Talk for today we again next week we go into our NFL preview we're going to go division by division and uh and work through all that and dad what division are we doing next week we're doing the east east yes so the NFC and AFC East next week we will preview um we've got some fun stuff to do with that as well so looking forward um to that uh all right let's uh let's switch gears a little bit and head over to Major League baseball um Dad I I man Brewers were embarrassing last night uh getting smoked by the Pirates they are beating them currently uh as we as we do this show but the Cardinals are now within four and a half games of Milwaukee and I'll tell you what we're starting to look like Milwaukee um is playing like they like Craig council's still their manager uh at the moment losing games they should not lose and uh and they got to find it before the allstar break KS uh how concerned would you be if you were me looking at the Cardinals and the Brewers situation well again um I would be a little concerned because the Cardinals are making a move in the right direction um and you know if you hit the allstar break and you're within a couple games then it's going to be a battle the rest of the way um but again the Cardinals haven't been you know super consistent all the way down the line um the you know the Brewers have been the question is if the Brewers been overachievers um if that's the case then this may this may catch up with them um there but the Cardinals you know um I still think it's the Brewers division right now but um you know they they don't need to lose games that they they definitely should win and you know that's been a little bit of a deal there but again I don't I Haven looked at their schedule and know exactly you know where everybody they're they're going to need for the Brewers to control the division they're going to need to dominate The Division teams when they play them and of course they've done that with the Cubs um but you know when you got the Pirates the Reds and um the Cardinals they're they're going to have to you know take two out of three then all those serieses uh to keep the cushion they have now I think the trade deadline will play into Cardinals Brewers um one of them is going to get better and uh hopefully it's the Brewers I have seen Max scherer's name connected with the Brewers more in the last two days and it just surprises me I I don't think they do that um but I think they they make some moves still right now it's kind of been their Bullpen that's been depressing and that's that was their strength at one point so we'll see how that shakes down uh the Braves are not really catching up to the Phillies but they did have a really good week this week four straight wins for them uh the Dodgers still in control in the west although the Padres are starting to look uh like a playoff team at the very least uh right now whereas the Diamondbacks and the Giants um they're still under 500 not looking great uh in the AL dad the Orioles are three games up on the Yankees the Yankees I mean they have just plummeted here as of late and it's been the pitching that's the problem and and uh you know what if you don't have good pitching you ain't going to win and the Yankees struggling will the Yankees figure it out or do you think the or Orioles start to break away um well I think the orios will break away because the orios have stumbled orios stumbled a little bit here as of late what they've lost one one or two to the Cubs or whatever uh there but um I think I think you know I think the Oriols are are a good team and I think they should stay ahead the interesting thing as that division is the Red Sox they have stayed right there and um are they going to continue you know I think there's a great chance they'll make you know the playoffs is there any any chance they're gonna you know get in the hunt there yeah not for the division um but yeah again the way they're playing changes what they're going to do at the trade deadline and so you're going to start seeing the Red Sox come up as buyers here uh in the next week or two and you're going to start to see some interesting names floated into Boston and I'm intrigued to see what they do if they stand Pat I think it's a mistake I do think they need to go out and now Tristan casus is he'll be back in maybe a month um you know he's he's starting rehab stuff so um he'll be back at some point which may help uh but I think I think they have to make some sort of move or a couple smaller moves moves here to help them out you know you talked about the Orioles tripping over the Cubs well the Yankees got swept by the Reds um so it didn't hurt it really didn't hurt Baltimore quite as much as it could have um but really to me Guardians by the way five and a half up on the twins eight and a half up on the Royals The Royals are starting to fall off a bit um the most intriguing division to me is still the American League West Mariners lead the division by two games the Astros they've won seven of their last 10 they've really been on a run as of late um and then the Rangers are all of a sudden being talked about as a cell team here at the deadline I mean the Rangers were were a the best team in the West for most of last year and now they're being talked about as a team that's gonna have to ship off all their good players or at least their pitchers um and and just live for next year what's going to happen out west with Mariners and the Astros and maybe you can put in the Rangers they've won five straight um so maybe they're figuring it out too well I I think the Astros you know um you know you and Kevin have talked about that I think they're the team uh that can make a move but again the the and but they it looks to me like they've stayed at two games out there for quite a while and the Mariners are not playing that great right now so you know will will they rebound and like you talk about the trade deadline will the Mariner make any big moves at the trade deadline you know that that would help them there um but you know Houston is definitely doing better so we'll see I don't know what the Mariners can do um their their rotation is fine uh their offense I mean they got a guy in Julio Rodriguez who just disappeared this year you're not going to get rid of them what can you add that's going to help you I mean Seattle's the one team that I think has the roster they just got to figure out how to play successfully um and and start to do better I mean again they're first in the division so it feels weird to kind of knock on them but at the end of the day um Seattle is just they should be better than they are Houston same thing Houston should be better than they are um and I think they will be I think they'll continue to to um go the right direction at the very least as well so uh interested to see there what all happens you know that that race is intriguing though you look at the wild card situation right now in the National League you've got the Phillies Dodgers and Brewers leading the divisions with the Braves Cardinals and Padres as your wildcard teams and then you've got the Mets that's another surprise team kind of like Boston uh the Mets the Diamondbacks the Giants the Pirates the reds are all within three and a half games um you know you look at that list dad and it's like Ian the Mets you don't expect that the Giants not we weren't expecting that this year I wasn't Pirates definitely not Reds definitely not now Diamondbacks a team that was a World Series team last year they've been horrible um so that's an interesting race to see though the Wild Card race out there in the American League you got the Guardians the Orioles and the Mariners leading the divisions Yankees Twins and Red Sox are currently your wildc card teams with the Royals a game and a half back the a Astros three and a half back and then your rays Rangers Tigers I mean you don't trust any of these teams so basically I think the Astros take a spot or the Mariners however that plays out um and so then you got Yankees Twins Red Sox one of those teams has to go out and I think right now I would still say Red Sox but the way they've been playing has been impressive and I wouldn't be shocked if the twins fall off um and out of that race as well so it's an intriguing I mean we're almost to the all-star break and uh it's intriguing to see kind of where it's going to shake out at how it's going to shake down and we'll continue to watch this race throughout the year of course we'll talk about it Sunday nights during the sports stove Fantasy Baseball show as well anything else baseball related we need to talk about um no like I said it' be interesting with the allstar game coming up I always enjoy the fantasy baseball show that you guys have on Sundays and I'm interested in listening to it this time because there are are there's been some rookies called up um that have really kind of started tearing it up and sometimes that happens you know the first few games or whatever but um I I hadn't kept up much on rookies and I saw some of these guys coming up and have paid a little bit of attention and been able to pick up a couple of them and have been surprised so I'm anxious to to see or you know are any of these guys going to hold on and and you know have a real good rookie camp campaign here or is it just kind of a flashing the pan and they're going to be um you know up and down yeah yeah I think it's gonna be more up and down personally uh we do have a question dad that you need to answer um because uh it involves your San Francisco Giants Robbie Ray when he returns what's he gonna look like yeah that I that'll be the key for the Giants I think the Giants still have a chance to get away wild card spot but Ray will be a you know that will be the difference they have taken a lot of time bringing him back um he's been thrown a lot of minor league games so we will see um if he could come back and be a major Force I think that would put them back in the hunt there be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline too I don't know if they'll go out and pick up a lot of people I wouldn't think they would sell off a lot of people but um you know we'll see yeah I I don't think you're going to see a whole lot of movement in San Francisco either way um I agree with you on that um I yeah I just don't think you're going to see much happening out there they don't have a lot to give away and uh at the same time nothing they add is going to really change their Destiny for this year either um so if Robbie Ray comes back and pitches well obviously that'll be a good thing but um yeah we'll see we'll see I he's older and that would that would scare me scare me a lot for sure uh all right let's talk NASCAR Dad let's get into this uh a segment we like to call the Sports St final [Music] lap so NASCAR went to Chicago this week uh a road race the rain of course struck again and caused some issues for sure throughout that race but really the biggest thing that comes out of the race at at Chicago is how lucky Alex B man was uh just the luck into that win uh this week at Chicago I mean he's obviously a horrible driver that just kind of just floats across the Finish Line in a lucky way I'm kidding of course congrats to Alex Bowman and his victory we thought he would get a win at least one this season and uh and he's finally made it into Victory Lane sealing his spot in the playoffs even though I don't I don't really feel like he was ever in a whole lot of Doubt to make playoffs um dad Chicago how much of it did you watch um did you enjoy it uh how were your thoughts on that I did I I I did enjoy it again you know with the rain and everything that extended it on so I was able to see uh the end of it after I got back in the evening and um uh you know enjoyed that again from a fantasy standpoint as well as um the race itself um of course there were some fireworks and a little bit of excitement um there you know the thing watching now about the races is the playoffs and if you can get somebody in there for a little bit I thought you were gonna have a guy who you just I didn't even know who he was that you know had a he was in second place there for a while I think he ended up being third or whatever but um I thought wow this will be wild if you know Bowman wins Bowman was at the at the bottom I think in order to be able to get in but that wasn't you know he had a chance so that wasn't too much of a shock for him to get a spot but if that other guy I don't even remember which the name right now um I thought wow this will be somebody out of the out of the blue and if they have many more of those that's going to make it very interesting for the playoffs um from there the general thought is there'll be at least one more winner of a guy who was outside of the race completely um as far as the points race goes um and so if that happens it continues to shorten that um that leash for those guys that are trying to get in on points um like I said I felt like Bowman was gonna get in I wasn't really worried about that I thought he was going to point his way in if he didn't get a win uh that being said he does get the win so so he doesn't have to worry about it um this week they're heading to Pocono and uh you know two and a half mile track uh it's a unique track too and I think it'll be a fun race at the very least but we're getting down to fantasy NASCAR right now getting really close to the playoffs which resets some things in fantasy so I'm I'm going all in on my fantasy NASCAR drivers uh this week as I will do for these next until until we hit to the playoff reset um I'm going but I'm not going any Fort the Fords have been really solid this year um in the shorter tracks the one miles the short tracks different places like that I think you'll still see some Fords run well I considered uh Chase Brisco but uh I'm going Larson I'm going Larson Byron and Bowman three of the four Hendrick guys I'm Gonna Save Elliott for next week um I've got Hamlin and Truex and reic as my garage guy so I'm going Allin this week uh with the top tier guys Hamlin has won several times in Pocono um and and I think we're just going to see him continue to be you know one of the better options in our fantasy plays Tyler reck has been playing so racing so well as of late as well I really like what we can do there um and then like I said Fords their strength has been the shorter tracks and so I'm going to go ahead and hold off on putting in the good Fords uh until you know a different RAC track when I think they you're going to fit a little better um I think you could you're safe going with blay I think keslowski has been decent um as well uh but I'm going to avoid Fords this week as a hole um I like Ty Gibbs in this spot too Christopher Bell um you know I think any of those kind of guys is what you're looking at this week yeah I I haven't set my lineup yet for this week again I'm I don't have quite as many drivers with as many races left as you do um but I've got a lot with four some with five so I kind of need to play around for one or two more weeks and then you know hopefully go into the last three races with you know been able to have a lot of big guys there so I'll just have to look at it and see again I think there are some other guys who can score like you said you know the four drivers have been doing better that may not be the place you know to use them here Toyota's been strong all year so you always have to look and see you know what you've got there um so yeah it'll be fun the next few races definitely what we got six races left before the playoffs so um you know it it it'll be interesting and again you've got guys who are not the guys you mentioned who are scrambling to get a win to get in so you know there there's a chance for some of that and just got to pick the right guy yeah yeah I agree with you completely on that um we look at the playoff picture dad you know we're talking through these guys you got your winners Larson Hamlin H Byron Bell Elliot reck blay kazlowski and Bone man um Suarez and syri have both won as well then you're looking at Joey Lano um let's see here Martin Truex Jr both of them are pretty well set Ty Gibbs pretty well set as well Chastain and busher at the bottom two right now with Bubba Wallace on the outside looking in um they need at this point let's say an Noah gragson wins who's had a really solid season uh this year um you know if he gets a win well then that's going to push busher out if uh if we get another surprise win it's going to push then Chastain out then you're getting to the you're just getting down to it um really at that point um that being said uh you know look at um well Caleb comments on here too thanks for listening by the way Caleb uh he says Harrison Burton will get the Wood Brothers their illustrious 100th win uh at Daytona at the end of the year just to be be replaced by Josh Barry I mean if Harrison Burton gets a win um that'll just that'll blow everything up if a Ricky Stenhouse gets a win it blows everything up if oryan priest all of a sudden shows up it's a problem so we'll see we'll see how these guys go I know nascar.com says to watch out for Eric Jones this week that would be crazy um at the end of the day though you're I again TR X and Gibbs they're going to be in um Chastain and busher are the guys uh that you're looking at right now as in danger with Bubba Wallace trying to get in Chase Brisco at 88 points back I don't think he's GNA make it on points Kyle Bush is 98 points back I mean I think right now your Chast Dame busher and Wallace are fighting for those final spots in the playoffs uh and we'll see if somebody does get a win uh to make things happen too so there are plenty of guys outside of that line that have had good runs at some point this season um and so you know you got to watch out Josh Barry's had a few especially on short stacks had a few nice runs McDow had the chance to win a couple and screwed it up um we talked about that last time we talked NASCAR you know he could maybe surprise you and get a win Carson josar another rookie the rookies have been good they've had their moments this year um and have been really good as well so we'll see it'll be a fun fun shake out to see how it goes Pocono like I said should be a really good race this week um as well a fun track uh and excited to see kind of how that one will shake down um as well then uh let's see here did I oh and loano I I said Lano didn't win he did win he won in Nashville I forgot about that um so yeah so Pocono but again I think NASCAR is screwing up Pocono is on USA Network not on NBC uh they will have the Brickyard on NBC at the end of July we have the little Olympic break and then come back to it in August uh with two more USA races I just hate I don't understand why they're hiding uh their product away from from viewers eyes I don't think it's a smart idea but I will say that listening to it on the radio is phenomenal and MRN does a great job the NASCAR app is the best sports League app that there is um they do a great job on the app so if you don't have the NASCAR app go ahead and download that and use it you can listen to the radio call you can watch some of the driver's views you can listen to some of the driver radios it's it's a really really good app so check that out if you don't already all right Dad anything random you wanted to talk about or we do we have to listen to hockey talk at all right now no no we're okay on that um like said with NASCAR I agree with what Caleb said there about hakar he's a guy that I have kept an eye on and I think has some you know potential here too to you know and there there are several guys like that so um you know we'll just see how that ends up but uh yeah know nothing else random and like I said be exciting to start into our NFL breakdown uh we're going to do like said do it do it in a very interesting way and I think people will enjoy that yeah Olympics uh I'm sure we'll talk some about that as well and uh and be excited to see how that one shakes down also all right well that's it for tonight follow us on social media Sports stove Sports stove righteous felon dcom is your jerky Style use the code stove 15 and you'll get 15% off your purchase tune in let's see here what is tonight Wednesday so tune in Sunday night for the sports stove Fantasy Baseball show Monday night for the sports stove local hour and right back here Wednesday night uh to talk more sports with us as well thank you for tuning in to this edition of the sports stove podcast until next time we'll see you around the sports stove