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Cody Bellinger Roasts Rob Manfred, Astros Over Cheating Scandal

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Cody Bellinger got extremely candid about what he thought about the Astros cheating scandal, and what he thought about Rob Manfred’s punishment.

This is what the entire league was waiting for. An extremely relevant Dodgers player giving his real thoughts in front of the media about the disgraced Houston Astros. Guys like Alex Wood and Trevor Bauer, who has thoughts on other topics as well, have been very active on Twitter lately talking about the Astros. But, we needed a guy like Bellinger to come out and speak his mind to confirm what we are all thinking. He played against the Astros in that tainted 2017 World Series. They robbed him and Los Angeles of their first title in 29 years. He deserves to be pissed about this, and Dodger fans finally have someone speaking on their behalf from inside the clubhouse publicly.

However, as bad as the Astros have looked throughout this whole debacle, Rob Manfred and the league office are looking like complete clowns too for how they handled this situation. We all thought the punishment was extremely weak, and yet, only a couple managers have lost their jobs over it. Especially after showing absolutely no remorse through this whole fiasco, players most certainly should be punished.

The only thing I will commend the Astros for is that they are officially the only athletes ever that I have actually hated. And more than just sports hate. Actual hate…something I don’t take lightly. They are terrible people. Yeah they do charity work or whatever, but who knows how much of that stuff is fabricated as well. They managed to keep the biggest secret in sports for years and stole a championship from team(s) more deserving, so I will dedicate the rest of my life to h-a-t-i-n-g them.

By now we’ve all heard that former MLB pitcher Mike Bolsinger is suing the Astros by alleging that they cost him a chance at a longer career. As far-fetched as that might seem, it’s still a worthy point to be made. You never know if you’ll get another shot in the big leagues, and in an outing against the Astros back in 2017,Bolsinger got lit up. He faced eight batters and permitted four hits and three walks in what would be his final outing as a Major League Baseball player. There were also twelve trash can bangs recorded from the Astros dugout during Bolsinger’s outing – the system they used to relay signs to hitters.

The Bellinger video released today, along with the Bolsinger story just adds to the outrage from current and former MLB players. We are nowhere near the end of this drama, and I think the Astros are in for the roughest season any professional sports team has ever endured. The scrutiny will be unmatched (fittingly) and I absolutely can’t wait to see how they handle the relentless heckling.

Devil’s Advocate: This helps with ratings and attendance. I nowwant to go to an Astros game when they come to Anaheim because I want to boo the living hell out of those guys. We’ll have to see how strongly their own fans stick behind them, but I’m sure opposing fans are thinking just like me when the Asterisks roll into town.

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MLB Executives Are Taking Steps in the Right Direction to Grow the Game, but New Postseason Format Ain’t It

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Major League Baseball is considering a shake-up of the postseason format, as reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Here’s how the new format would work:

The team with the best record in both the American and National League would receive a first-round bye, automatically advancing to the Division Series. The other two division winners would host all three games in a best-of-three Wild Card round, as would the Wild Card team with the next-best record.

Three other Wild Card teams would also advance to the best-of-three round, though none would host a game.

The division winner with the second-best record in the league would then get to decide which of the bottom three Wild Card teams it wants to play in the opening round — a decision that would be aired on live television on the final Sunday night of the season, just hours after the regular season concludes.

The best-of-three format in the Wild Card round would set up the potential for as many as 18 first-round games, 12 of which could be elimination games. Every Game 2 would be an elimination game, while a Game 3 would then serve as a win-or-go-home series finale.

As part of the change, MLB would also eliminate any Game 163 tiebreakers, using the season series between clubs to break any ties.

In a league where teams already play a 162-game regular season, executives are considering making the road to the championship even more grueling. I actually started writing this in defense of the league, but the more I wrote, the more I fell out of love with the idea. For starters, I have never been the biggest fan of a first-round bye for the highest-seeded teams. I understand that it’s a reward for having such an outstanding regular season, but isn’t playing the lowest-seeded team (current MLB playoff format) enough of a reward?

I’ve always loved that unlike the NBA and NFL, only the best teams in MLB make the playoffs. Twelve teams make the NFL playoffs (first round bye for highest seeded teams in each league) and sixteen, that’s right, SIXTEEN teams make the NBA playoffs. In its current format, only ten teams make the MLB playoffs, which is just one-third of the teams in Major League Baseball. In reality, it’s more like eight teams, since the bottom two teams only compete in a single game playoff, and not a series.

Another problem teams will face is that their pitching staffs won’t be able to carry the workload of an additional best-of-three series. Teams are already carrying less position players to make room on the roster for more relief pitchers, but this will only exacerbate the issue. With the potential of teams having to play twenty-two games in the postseason under this new format, pitching staffs will be running on fumes by the end of the World Series.

Another change proposed by MLB is to the regular season format. And this one I can get behind.

Via Tom Verducci of si.com: 

MLB realizes that with more teams competing for playoff spots the regular season must be addressed. Such thinking likely pushes it to a more balanced regular season. The current thinking is that every team will play all 29 other teams every year, as in an NBA model. And if and when that concept is embraced, it’s more likely that all teams would be playing by the same rules–including a DH adopted for NL teams.

Interleague play is something I think everyone can get behind. I mostly just want the Astros to have to play in Los Angeles so they can get the living shit heckled out of them, but it would also be interesting to see matchups that wouldn’t normally happen. This is the best way to grow the game of baseball. Get Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Cody Bellinger to play in every city and expose every fan base to the game’s greats. And it’s great for ticket sales too. Do you realize how much ticket prices skyrocket when a star comes to town?

Well would you look at that. I’m no scientist, but there has to be some correlation between the starpower on the Kings vs. the Lakers, and ticket prices. So MLB, if this needs to serve as a reminder…it will benefit the league monetarily to re-format the regular season schedule to bring teams to cities in both leagues.

While the new postseason format isn’t expected to become implemented until 2022, the more inclusive regular season should happen as soon as possible (in my opinion). However, it’s clear that the league is taking steps in the right direction to make themselves more appealing to a larger audience. But since it’s still the second-most profitable professional sports league in the world, I don’t think they need to make such a drastic change to an already thrilling postseason.

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Dodgers/Angels Trade Involving Joc Pederson & Ross Stripling Falls Through. Sources Still Not Completely Sure Why.

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Well, it now seems that the Joc Pederson/ Ross Stripling deal for Luis Rengifo has fallen through. After multiple reports from Ken Rosenthal and John Heyman, it is clear that either the Angels or the Dodgers lost interest in this deal after the Dodgers completed their three-way trade with the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins. 

As John Heyman speculated, he believes after the Mookie Betts deal was completed that the Dodgers backed out cause they didn’t think it was necessary to go through with the Pederson deal. I could see this as a possibility but also think it could have a lot to do with Angels owner Arte Moreno pulling the deal because he grew impatient, as Ken Rosenthal stated in a Tweet as well. 

Whatever the case may be, the Angels definitely missed out on this deal particularly with Ross Stripling in my opinion. This would have boosted the strength of the Angels’ starting rotation and it is a bummer for Angel fans everywhere that this fell through. 

However, I would not be surprised if they continue trying to move Luis Rengifo since they have a surplus of infielders. Let’s hope they can figure out another way to get a quality arm!

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Strong Offseason Should Make for Best Angels Season in Recent Years

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The Los Angeles Angels have missed several opportunities this offseason to strengthen their pitching staff. They have added starters Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran, but who knows how that will play out. Not a big fan of those signings pitching wise and it seems as if Billy Eppler and the Angels have taken more of an offensive approach after the Anthony Rendon signing for 7-years/ $245 million. 

This week it has been much of the same after completing a deal with the Dodgers. The Dodgers are sending outfielder Joc Pederson to the Angels and in return will receive infielder Luis Rengifo.  However, along with Pederson the Angels will also receive Ross Stripling. I like the Ross Stripling aspect of the trade as long as Stripling can stay healthy throughout the year. This has created a surplus of outfielders for the Angels, as they now have Mike Trout, Justin Upton, Joc Pederson, and the promising prospect Jo Adell. Personally, I’d love to see the Angels make a trade for Mike Clevinger and send Justin Upton and another pitcher to Cleveland, but we will have to see. 

Via AngelsWin.com

As far as relief pitching goes, the Angels still have Ty Buttrey and Hansel Robles in the bullpen. However, also look for contributions from Kenyan Middleton, who’s coming off Tommy John surgery, and Cam Bedrosian. If these guys stay healthy, they show great promise as well. 

Overall, I do like this Angels team a lot more than the last couple years. I see a lot of promise in this team especially with Joe Maddon at the helm. Maddon will get the most production out of this offense and the results will be clear especially when you compare it to the last two seasons. If the Angels starting pitching and relievers can stay healthy, I see them making a run this year and finding their way into the postseason for the first time since 2014.

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The Dodgers Have Pulled off the Biggest Trade in Franchise History

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We had been hearing rumors about a Red Sox/Dodgers trade for a while now, but it has finally happened. It seemed like the Dodgers were the frontrunners all along, since it was inevitable that the Red Sox were going to make a trade, but I can’t believe it actually happened. The Dodgers (with the exception of Manny Machado) never make big moves like this in the offseason. They don’t generally sign big free agents and they don’t make big trades. They develop talent through their farm system and build from within (Kershaw, Buehler, Bellinger).

But this move tells me that they are doing whatever they can to win a World Series title next year, and I fucking love it. This fan base has suffered far too long and come too close in recent years of a title, and I’m so glad the front office is making moves. This definitely softened the blow of missing out on Gerrit Cole earlier this offseason, when he chose to sign with the Yankees.

Of course, the Dodgers were forced to part ways with several fan favorites, as Alex Verdugo, Kenta Maeda, and Joc Pederson were all traded. Verdugo is a young outfielder who will no doubt continue excel as he gets more playing time. There will probably be some backlash from Dodger fans about Verdugo because he was beloved by the Hispanic fanbase…most notably for his signature walkout song “Volver Volver”.

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Kenta Maeda over the past few seasons, but I was really starting to like him more recently in a relief role. And last but not least, Joc Pederson, who is just heading about 45 minutes south to Anaheim, will surely be missed. Yeah he struck out a lot and was frustrating to watch at times, but he’d show flashes of greatness that made you think he could really be a “guy”. He is also one of the most charismatic guys in the league, and he’ll be missed as a clubhouse presence for sure.

However, despite how much these former Dodgers will be missed, they just traded for MOOKIE FUCKING BETTS and DAVID PRICE. Betts is inarguably a top three player MLB right now, and David Price, despite an injury-riddled 2019, is still effective. The Dodgers still have Chris Taylor, Enrique Hernandez, and A.J. Pollock to fill in the outfield, alongside Betts and Bellinger, so offloading Verdugo and Pederson is great from a consistency aspect for the other players. And with losing Ryu and now Maeda, adding Price will solidify the missing arm in the rotation.

However, the biggest win for the Dodgers in this trade is that they didn’t give up any prospects. You can consider Verdugo a prospect if you want, but in my mind he is now an everyday MLB player, and no longer a prospect. They were able to hang on to Gavin Lux and Dustin May, which were thought to have been trade pieces initially. I don’t think there’s a baseball analyst out there who could say Andrew Friedman was anything short of amazing in putting this deal together. The holes the Dodgers had were filled, and gained far more than they lost. It’s safe to say the Dodgers are CLEAR frontrunners to win the 2020 title…mostly because Betts and Price really know how to win a title in LA (2018).

 

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Derek Jeter and Larry Walker Elected to Hall of Fame; What Keeps Baseball Writers From Voting Unanimously in Favor of All Time Greats?

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Derek Jeter and Larry Walker were elected to the baseball Hall of Fame today. Jeter was elected in his first year of eligibility, and Walker in his last (took ten years). Needing 75% of the votes to get in the Hall, Walker narrowly managed to get in with 304/397 (76.5%) ballots in favor, while Jeter was just one vote shy of of unanimity. The only player in baseball history to receive 100% of the vote is Mariano River, the greatest closer in MLB history, who was inducted just last year.

Seeing that Jeter impressively received 396 out of 397 votes to be inducted, it made me wonder: “who’s the one asshole that doesn’t think Derek Jeter is a first-ballot hall of famer?” I have often wondered what goes through the minds of those who are lucky enough to cast their ballot for baseball’s highest honor. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) votes on everything from the league MVP’s, to the Cy Young Award winners, to the Hall of Fame. Founded in 1908, being a member of the BBWAA is the highest possible honor for a baseball journalist, and implies they are the foremost authority on anything baseball. Having said that, it’s a wonder to me that since the first Hall of Fame class in 1936, only one player has been voted in unanimously.

That means that players like Babe Ruth (95%), Ted Williams (93%), Hank Aaron (97%), Nolan Ryan (98%), and Willie Mays (94%) had at least a couple supposed “baseball experts” who thought they were not worthy of a first-ballot induction.

It’s unbelievable that the players I listed above did not receive 100% of the vote. I wouldn’t think there’d be a sane person in the game of baseball could honestly say with a straight face that Hank Aaron (yes the same Hank Aaron that hit 755 HOMERS and was a TWENTY-FIVE TIME ALL STAR), was unworthy of a first-ballot Hall of Fame vote. That absolutely blows my mind.

I’m assuming that their reasoning for not voting in players unanimously (until Rivera) is that it protects the sanctity of the game because no one has a perfect career. A 100% vote (in their minds) tells people that they couldn’t have had a better career, and that no one if worthy of such an honor. Plus, if some of the all-time greats like Joe DiMaggio (88%) and Tom Seaver (98%) weren’t worthy of 100%, how could you legitimately make a case that anyone else is? Well, let me try.

It’s not about protecting the sanctity of the game or comparing player’s HOF percentages against one another, it’s about voting based on the player that was presented on the diamond. Mariano Rivera is currently the greatest relief pitcher the game has ever seen, and I’m not discounting any of his success at all, but how was he the first player to be voted in the HOF unanimously? There were just as deserving candidates that came before him, but the writers get so caught up in preserving the 100% mark that we’ve really got guys leaving The Captain…Mr. November…Derek fucking Jeter off their ballot. What a joke. No one has a perfect career, but all in all, it’s pretty clear what a Hall of Fame career looks like. And I realize I’m making a big fuss over a guy who still received over 99% of the vote, but it’s just amazing to me that there are still professional journalists in the game of baseball who fail to recognize and reward greatness. 

Oh, and for the record I think Larry Walker should have been voted in years ago. There’s no way he should’ve barely sneaked in by such a thin margin. Like Jeter, Larry Walker was a staple of the game when he played, but his career got overshadowed by the cloud of the steroid era, which was reflected in his lackluster HOF campaign up to this point. But, it’s about time he got in. Welcome to Cooperstown fellas.

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MLB Hits Houston Astros Hard With Fines/Suspensions, but Were They Harsh Enough?

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Well it finally happened. The MLB Commissioner’s office officially released the Astros’ punishment for cheating during the 2017 and 2018 season. Mike Axisa of CBS Sports reported:

Monday afternoon, Major League Baseball and commissioner Rob Manfred announced their punishment for the Houston Astros stemming from the team’s sign-stealing scandal. The Astros were alleged to have illegally used electronics to steal signs during their 2017 World Series Championship run and MLB‘s investigation verified media reports.

Here is a recap of the discipline:

  • Astros fined $5 million, the maximum allowed under MLB’s constitution.
  • GM Jeff Luhnow suspended for one year. Luhnow was then fired by the Astros.
  • Manager A.J. Hinch suspended for one year. Hinch was then fired by the Astros.
  • Former assistant GM Brandon Taubman suspended one year.
  • Astros forfeit their first and second round draft picks the next two years.

Manfred issued a nine-page report detailing MLB’s investigation and explaining how he arrived at the discipline. The scandal and the level of discipline are unprecedented, and yet the punishment also feels a little light.

Specifically, the $5 million fine is probably not enough to deter similar behavior in the future. Hinch and Luhnow getting suspended and then fired will undoubtedly resonate throughout baseball circles, but, at the ownership level, the $5 million fine is a pittance relative to the financial windfall associated with winning the 2017 World Series.

Astros players took home a then-record $30,420,155.57 postseason pool in 2017, and, given how that is calculated and the fact the Astros played seven games in the ALCS and World Series, it means the club itself took home something well north of that following the 2017 postseason run. The $5 million fine amounts to only a small piece of that pie.

Manfred’s discipline was harsh like it should have been, but it was also not as harsh as it could have been and maybe should have been. The single best way to drive home a point and invite change is to take away money, and MLB did not take away enough from the Astros. That 2017 World Series win more than paid for itself.

The only thing I really cared about was whether or not the Astros cheated in the 2017 postseason, in which they went on to defeat the Dodgers in the World Series. Since it turns out they did, there’s one thing missing from their punishment handed down from Rob Manfred: They should’ve had their World Series championship stripped, and you can’t change my mind about that.

In all honesty, I wouldn’t have cared if not a single player or coach got suspended as long as they lost their World Series (USC style). Fine, they did it in the regular season. But cheating in the postseason after the commissioner’s office issued a warning to the Red Sox and Yankees on Sep.15, 2017 about cheating is basically a giant “fuck you” to Manfred. Every win from then on out should have been vacated, including the World Series, no doubt about it.

However, maybe the commissioner’s office determined that there was no way they could vacate their World Series championship. Fine. But how did not a single player get suspended for the 2020 season? Not even a fine? That’s what I don’t understand about their ruling. The Astros are a team comprised of Carlos Correa, Justin Verlander, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and George Springer, among others. They’re going to be alright. Do you think firing their GM and manager, and taking away a few draft picks is going to severely impact their production next season? Probably not. I think you could get Kate Upton to fill out the lineup card every game and they still win 90+ next year because they’re that stacked.

I forgot to mention the $5 million fine the Astros must pay as well. I get it…that’s the max amount they can be fined under the MLB Constitution, but really that’s just a slap on the wrist. For reference, Jacoby Ellsbury made $21 million last year and hasn’t played a game in the MLB since 2017.

All this is not to say I think the Dodgers should be awarded the 2017 World Series title, even though odds are they win if the Astros don’t cheat…I just want the Astros to be dethroned.  Even after the 2004 USC Trojans were forced to vacate their title, it’s not like another school was given their championship. That’s how I feel about the Astros’ situation. However, unless you’re an Astros fan, no one thinks that championship is legitimate any longer anyway. Hope it was worth it, Houston. Enjoy getting viciously booed at every ballpark next season!

Stay tuned for MLB’s punishment for Alex Cora and the Red Sox!

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The Dodgers Sign Treinen in an Otherwise Disappointing Hot Stove Season

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Well, its official…The Los Angeles Dodgers have officially signed right-handed pitcher Blake Treinen to a one-year contract worth $10 million dollars. After a disappointing 2019 season where Treinen pitched to the tune of a 4.91 ERA over 58 2/3 innings, the Dodgers are hoping he can get back to his 2018 ways. He had an absolutely ridiculous 2018 season – just look at these stats:

  • 9-2 W/L Record
  • 0.78 ERA
  • 80 1/3 IP
  • 0.834 WHIP
  • AL All Star
  • 6th in AL Cy Young Voting
  • AL MVP votes as a RELIEVER

A sub-1 ERA in 80 innings is a ridiculous stat, especially in the American League with the designated hitter in play. And although he was disproportionately bad in 2019, his 2018 season showed that he has the ability to be very good. Especially with Kenley Jansen coming off the worst season of his career, the Dodgers need help at the back-end of their bullpen. 

Sadly, the Treinen news was basically the only thing that salvaged the hot stove season for the Dodgers, as they failed to make any other moves. As I said in a previous post, the Dodgers needed to prioritize starting pitching this offseason, which they have failed to do thus far.

Just a quick rundown – the best starting pitcher free agents have signed to other teams, even though the Dodgers have been in on most of them; meaning they’ve been unable to recruit free agents to Los Angeles of all places. Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Zack Wheeler, and just today, Madison Bumgarner are no all off of the board.

I don’t know what’s wrong with the Dodgers’ front office, but they seem to be content with JUST making the playoffs. They have been so close to getting all the pieces for a championship team, but fold when it comes to signing players. They are notorious for not making serious runs at top of the line free agents, but with the talent that was available this year, I really thought they would get somebody. A.J. Pollock is their biggest signing in recent years that wasn’t just a contract extension to a current Dodgers player (Kershaw, Turner, Jansen).

While it would have been an embarrassment of riches if the Dodgers signed Gerrit Cole, they needed to make a move for another starting pitcher. However, with a guy like Dallas Keuchel still available, I haven’t lost all hope, but there hasn’t been any rumblings that they’re even targeting him, which is ridiculous.

Bottom line is the Dodgers are one of the wealthiest teams in professional sports, but they need to start acting like it. After another disappointing postseason appearance, a big free-agent signing is exactly what this fan base needed to spark some excitement. Figure it out, Andrew Friedman.

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How a Scout Killed Jose Fernandez

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As most sports fans know, stud pitcher Jose Fernandez tragically died in 2016 in a boating accident at the age of 24. Clearly drugs and alcohol are to blame for the crash, but I can prove there was another cause. The 2011 MLB Draft.

The 2011 draft class was STACKED.

2011 is one of the best draft classes in recent history, and this is only the first 14 picks of round 1!

Back to my theory… If you ever watched Fernandez pitch, it was clear that he was a generational type talent. At the age of just 24 he already had 4 seasons under his belt, all of which he had under a 2.92 or lower ERA, 2 All-Star selections, CY Young votes and his 2013 NL Rookie of the year. So how did 13 teams pass up on this guy?

Well, not all 13 got it wrong. Gerrit Cole, Trever Bauer, Anthony Rendon, Frankie Lindor, Javier Baez, and George Springer all panned out. Multiple rings, WS MVPs, Billions in contracts, silver sluggers, you name it, these 6 guys have it. You can even argue Archie Bradley as a competent pick, FINE. But the other 6 on the other hand, yikes.

WHO THE FUCK ARE THESE GUYS!?!? Danny Hultzan?!?? Bubba Starling?? BEFORE JOSE FERNANDEZ?? Those scouts should never be able to work in talent evaluation again.

The six teams that missed were:

  1. Seattle Mariners
  2. Baltimore Orioles
  3. Kansas City Royals
  4. San Diego Padres
  5. Milwaukee Brewers
  6. New York Mets (Nimmo stinks stfu)

If any of these teams pick Hernandez, he is still in this league today playing the game he loves, smiling, and dominating hitters? Why? Here’s why

  • Seattle: not driving a boat in September.
  • Baltimore: not driving a boat in September.
  • Kansas City: not driving a boat in September.
  • San Diego: maybe, but less jetty’s.
  • Milwaukee: not driving a boat in September.
  • New York: not driving a boat in September.

Listen, obviously there’s a million things that could have happened between the day he was born and the day he died that would have changed the outcome. But it’s hard not to say that the scouts who passed up for such a superstar talent for such duds is not a huge impact.

It’s an absolute shame that professional talent evaluators missed so badly here. In any other city, in any other situation, we are sitting here at the edge of our seats waiting to see if Fernandez will sign for more than Cole & Strasburg. If Fernandez was not in Miami that night, he may have developed into one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

Crazy how things work out. Stay woke.

Pecks

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The Dodgers Should Prioritize Starting Pitching Over Anthony Rendon in Free Agency Market

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The Dodgers are considered one of the frontrunners for free-agent slugger Anthony Rendon, along with the Texas Rangers. While I’ll admit it would be a great addition to the Dodgers’ lineup that already includes MVP Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner, is his addition necessary? This free agent market is stacked with starting pitching, which I think the Dodgers should prioritize.

Don’t get me wrong…Rendon is a very good player, and before the 2019 season, was probably the most underrated player in MLB. However, the Dodgers still had the best offense in the National League, and the fifth-best in MLB. My feelings would be much different if Rendon wasn’t so expensive. He placed third in MVP voting last season, and is no doubt looking for a long-term home, which means more $$$. In a perfect world, I would welcome him with open arms, putting Rendon at third and sliding JT over to first base. But, signing Rendon means the Dodgers are probably out on other players that I believe they need more.

With Kershaw not looking as great as he has in the past, Rich Hill hurt every other start it seems like, and Hyun-jin Ryu’s future with the team uncertain, the Dodgers should be prioritizing pitching right now. I’ll admit, it may be tough to believe that since they were the #1 staff in the league last season, it’s a new year. We may not get Ryu back, Kershaw could blow out his back again, and Hill could get another blister. We all know Gerrit Cole is still on the market, and Stephen Strasburg just signed an extension with the Nationals today, so he’s off the table. Of course Cole will be expensive, but as I look at the Dodgers starting rotation for next year, I will be a little disappointed if their only addition is Jake Odorizzi or some shit, given who was available.

 

 

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