Hour 3: Mike Tomlin to the Jets: A Realistic Solution for Woody Johnson?

Craig Carton (0:00)

358, Carton Show, Big Mac. Great to have you here on a beautiful Monday afternoon in New York City.

Jets, of course, embarrassed themselves, and our season came to a disgusting end yesterday against the Chicago Bears. The New York Giants, though, take care of business, albeit late on a first and goal, second and goal, third and goal, fourth and goal, all three incomplete passes and an interception for the New York Giants to get their third win of the season. Johnny Harbaugh getting the job done. And of course in Arizona, they're wondering, like you were wondering, why do we draft Jeremiah Love if we're not going to run him? Plus, of course, you got the Yankees, Game 2 tonight, Kam Schlittler on the mound for the Yankees trying to really salvage the season now. Because if you go down 0-2, can you win? Yes. Would you be expected to win?

No.

Chris McMonigle (0:50)

Yeah, I mean, I hear a lot of must win and it might have even come out of my mouth as well during the podcast and in an emotional moment, but it's not a must win. But because a must win is quite literally win and you go home. Losing, you go home. That's not the case, but it's very unlikely that they would find a way to win three games. But that would start with winning at home and winning with Max Fried. But tonight, and not only just what losing would mean, it's also the idea what Kam Schlittler means to this team.

He is in the postseason and just like off of this year, he's their Superman. He's the difference in this series. Here's why you feel confident going into a game five on the road against the Rays because he is the best pitcher in the American League and in the postseason even takes it up a notch. If they can't win this game, it's one thing to lose against the pitcher who dominates you in Rasmussen versus Cole. It's another to go on the road and lose with Kam Schlittler on the mound against Peralta.

Like, not only is it put you in a difficult spot where you're O2 and you need to win three straight games to win, it also takes a little bit off of who you are as a team. Like, you win the Kam Schlittler games, bottom line. Like it's starting pitching, he's your guy. He's that guy on the mound. He's that ace. He's your guy. You win Kam Schlittler's thoughts. They lose tonight, it's going to be a hit to who they are and it's going to obviously put them in a hole down 2-0. So a very important game tonight, very important.

Craig Carton (2:17)

Yeah, and the problem with what happened on Saturday is that we've had that feeling before where the offense brings nothing to the table. Most contact was kind of weak contact and Rasmussen just breezed right through the lineup like it was Swiss cheese, which he's done to everybody.

Chris McMonigle (2:34)

No, I mean, listen, and he does specifically to the Yankees. But again, that doesn't, like we just came, too many people were like off the nine runs. And again, they just scored 18 runs against the Boston Red Sox. And I know they did it mostly off the bullpen. It was the best bullpen in the American League. Let's not act like the Yankees just took down the White Sox or a lousy team with a lousy pitching staff. They scored 18 runs in two games against arguably the best pitching staff in the American League. Does that mean anything? No, but it means off of those two games, we shouldn't have been overconfident that they were gonna do the same to the Rays. But it also should mean off of one bad performance against the pitcher who owns them, doesn't mean this offense is doomed for failure.

Craig Carton (3:17)

Correct.

Chris McMonigle (3:18)

Like, they just performed against the Red Sox, they're gonna have to do it against the Rays.

SPEAKER_3 (3:22)

Right.

Chris McMonigle (3:23)

And they're capable of it, and they showed it to us over two games against the Boston Red Sox.

Craig Carton (3:28)

Now, the Yagis have been much better against the Rays at home this year than down in Tampa, but you've got the best pitcher in baseball right now.

SPEAKER_3 (3:35)

That's it.

Craig Carton (3:36)

Going up against a guy who we saw in New York for the majority of the season, he's kind of reinvented himself down in Tampa. I know he's pitched very well in the last couple of outings.

Chris McMonigle (3:46)

He's thrown more change-ups, and it's helped him.