John Smoltz says MLB now uses 38 pitchers per season, careers are being cut in thirds, and nobody who runs baseball has ever actually played the game.
Pardon My Take
John Smoltz says MLB now uses 38 pitchers per season, careers are being cut in thirds, and nobody who runs baseball has ever actually played the game.
TL;DR
LeBron James opts out of his Lakers contract and enters free agency, with Golden State and Cleveland emerging as the top destinations — though the hosts argue Cleveland is the only ending that makes sense [1] — Big Cat "LeBron going to Golden State would be worse than KD's move — and the hosts think even die-hard Bron fans would struggle to follow him there…" 03:10 . The USMNT faces a must-win against Bosnia at the 2026 World Cup, hosted in the US, with the team heavily favored at -700 [2] — John Smoltz "MLB uses 38 pitchers per season: John Smoltz argued that MLB teams now use approximately 38 pitchers per season, which he called 'insane' a…" 1:26:23 . Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz joins to sound the alarm on pitcher overuse, Tommy John surgery myths, and the death of the elite starting pitcher [3] — John Smoltz "Want to fix pitcher overuse? Tie the starting pitcher to the DH slot — if your starter comes out early, you lose pinch hit options. That on…" 1:31:20 . The episode closes with the crew's annual Dingers Only fantasy baseball draft, the dumbest — and most entertaining — league in sports media.
LeBron James opts out of his Lakers deal and hits free agency; USMNT faces Bosnia in a must-win World Cup knockout game; Hot Seat/Cool Throne covers Caitlin Clark, Josh Naylor, and Malik Beasley; Hall of Famer John Smoltz joins to discuss baseball's pitcher crisis, the 90s Braves, and the American Century Championship; the crew holds their annual Dingers Only fantasy baseball draft.
Big Cat kicks off the segment by announcing that LeBron James has informed the Lakers he is not coming back, with PFT immediately jumping in to note that LeBron timed the opt-out perfectly — waiting one day after Bronny James's contract was guaranteed, effectively stranding the rookie with the Lakers. The Golden State chatter begins almost immediately, with PFT calling the idea 'pathetic' and drawing direct comparisons to Kevin Durant's controversial move a decade earlier. [1] — Big Cat "LeBron going to Golden State would be worse than KD's move — and the hosts think even die-hard Bron fans would struggle to follow him there…" 03:10 The hosts debate LeBron's full menu of options: Golden State (the reported frontrunner, supported by Draymond's opt-in signal), Cleveland (universally seen as the poetic ending, bolstered by landscaping crews at LeBron's Akron home), Miami, the Clippers, and even a hypothetical wheel spin. Big Cat's assistant Dom provides Cavs-fan intelligence in real time. The segment takes a comic detour into Max's karaoke setlist at St. Martin — 'My Way' and 'Piano Man' — before PFT raises the possibility that LeBron might just skip it all and play golf full-time. The section closes with discussion of Ja Morant's trade to Portland, Kawhi Leonard returning to Toronto, and various slow-moving NBA free agency moves.
Big Cat introduces the FreddyLA7 story — a German fan named Freddie who came to the US for the World Cup and went massively viral tweeting about American culture: Chili's, Tennessee gas stations, penthouse hotel rooms, backstage concert access, meeting J.J. Watt, and even going to space. The tone quickly shifts from celebration to frustration as Big Cat explains that internet users, predictably, turned on Freddie. Accusations flew: CIA plant, fake, corporate shill. Eventually Freddie logged off. [1] — Big Cat "FreddyLA7 did nothing wrong — but the internet can't allow a genuine good-time story to exist for too long. The moment he started getting c…" 37:40 PFT somewhat understands the pivot — once every PR company in America started using Freddie as an ad vehicle, the magic of the organic story evaporated. But the hosts agree it went sour before that, simply because the internet cannot tolerate someone having too good a time. PFT made a Langley joke when Germany got knocked out, but insists he doesn't actually think Freddie was a spy. Big Cat closes with a broader lament: the internet used to be fun, citing the Oakley message boards as an example of pure, irony-free community. He acknowledges that PMT falls into cynicism traps too, but argues everyone should try to dial it back.
PFT leads off his Hot Seat with Serena Williams, who lost in three sets at Wimbledon in what appeared to be the definitive end of her comeback attempt. He also flags the Jaylen Brown situation — trade offers apparently nowhere near what the Celtics expected, and Brown liked an Instagram comment from @orlandovibedealer suggesting he deserves to go somewhere that respects him. The discussion shifts to Memes raising Emmanuel Acho's incendiary claim that the WNBA would be better without Caitlin Clark, which lands without PFT available due to a brief connection drop. [1] — PFT Commenter "If we got mad at Kevin Durant for going to Golden State, this would be pathetic. Pathetic." 04:34 Big Cat's Cool Throne goes to Ben Simmons, who is hyping yet another comeback while fishing on a boat in Miami — which PFT suggests might actually be his true calling. The segment's most jaw-dropping moment arrives when Big Cat reads Stone Garrett's Instagram comment alleging Josh Naylor hid in his minor-league apartment closet with a butcher knife, jumped out, sliced Garrett's thumb requiring nerve surgery, and received a one-game suspension while the team kept it quiet. [2] — Big Cat "Former teammate Stone Garrett alleged Josh Naylor hid in his closet with a butcher knife, jumped out, sliced Garrett's thumb open, required…" 54:23 Zach's Cool Throne goes to Nick Saban writing a character testimony letter for former Alabama player Terrion Arnold, who is facing kidnapping allegations. PFT suggests Saban should have led the letter by declaring himself anti-kidnapping.
Big Cat welcomes John Smoltz, who has been attending the American Century Championship for 16-17 years and calls it a marquee week on his calendar — he even warned his six kids not to schedule weddings during it. Smoltz explains the tournament's unique modified Stableford scoring: birdie = 3 points, par = 1, bogey = 0, double bogey = -2. His confession that he once made 29 consecutive pars, scoring no better than 1 point per hole while competitors made birdies and bogeys and flew past him, becomes the defining absurdity. [1] — John Smoltz "Smoltz: 29 consecutive pars at Tahoe: John Smoltz disclosed he once made 29 consecutive pars in a single American Century Championship tour…" 1:16:36 PFT trolls him about having no clutch gene. On the baseball front, Smoltz surveys the NL: the Braves hold a lead in the East but are injury-depleted, the Dodgers remain the prohibitive favorites despite their own injury concerns (no Blake Snell, bullpen gaps), and the Phillies and Brewers are making charges. He identifies the Mets as the most interesting trade deadline watch — a bloated roster that needs to decide whether it's a buyer or seller.
The Dingers Only draft is Pardon My Take at its most chaotic and joyful. The rules: nine teams, nine players, one stat — home runs. No stats from before July 1st count. The draft order is set by a Sporkle quiz, which Memes wins decisively after selecting a Sporkle category about The Boys — a show he apparently insisted on including. [1] — Big Cat "The dumbest fantasy league in the world is back — nine teams, nine players, one stat: home runs. The only drama is the Sporkle draft order,…" 2:00:20 The draft itself is a rolling cascade of good picks, duplicate checks, injury discoveries, and position-eligibility debates. PFT selects Mike Trout with the announcement that he's 'healthy for the first time in a long time' — only to be immediately informed Trout went on the IL three days prior. The crew leaves a voicemail for Gunnar Henderson and gets a live callback from Matt Olson, who is enthusiastic and immediately welcomed to the squad. Notable picks include Memes taking Kyle Schwarber first overall, Big Cat's outfield of Juan Soto, PCA, and Aaron Judge, and PFT timing the Fernando Tatis Jr. market. The session ends with a pot of $2,000 (with PFT and Big Cat putting in $500 each and Brandon $500) plus 1% of Jersey Jerry's future stake in his business called Bush.
Chapter 1 · 00:00
Big Cat kicks off the segment by announcing that LeBron James has informed the Lakers he is not coming back, with PFT immediately jumping in to note that LeBron timed the opt-out perfectly — waiting one day after Bronny James's contract was guaranteed, effectively stranding the rookie with the Lakers. The Golden State chatter begins almost immediately, with PFT calling the idea 'pathetic' and drawing direct comparisons to Kevin Durant's controversial move a decade earlier. [1] — Big Cat "LeBron going to Golden State would be worse than KD's move — and the hosts think even die-hard Bron fans would struggle to follow him there…" 03:10 The hosts debate LeBron's full menu of options: Golden State (the reported frontrunner, supported by Draymond's opt-in signal), Cleveland (universally seen as the poetic ending, bolstered by landscaping crews at LeBron's Akron home), Miami, the Clippers, and even a hypothetical wheel spin. Big Cat's assistant Dom provides Cavs-fan intelligence in real time. The segment takes a comic detour into Max's karaoke setlist at St. Martin — 'My Way' and 'Piano Man' — before PFT raises the possibility that LeBron might just skip it all and play golf full-time. The section closes with discussion of Ja Morant's trade to Portland, Kawhi Leonard returning to Toronto, and various slow-moving NBA free agency moves.
LeBron going to Golden State would be worse than KD's move — and the hosts think even die-hard Bron fans would struggle to follow him there. Cleveland is the one destination that makes sense for his legacy, and the mulch delivery at his Akron house might be the tell.
LeBron James informed the Lakers he would not return, opting out to become a free agent, with Golden State and Cleveland as top rumored destinations.
Chapter 2 · 26:20
Big Cat introduces the FreddyLA7 story — a German fan named Freddie who came to the US for the World Cup and went massively viral tweeting about American culture: Chili's, Tennessee gas stations, penthouse hotel rooms, backstage concert access, meeting J.J. Watt, and even going to space. The tone quickly shifts from celebration to frustration as Big Cat explains that internet users, predictably, turned on Freddie. Accusations flew: CIA plant, fake, corporate shill. Eventually Freddie logged off. [1] — Big Cat "FreddyLA7 did nothing wrong — but the internet can't allow a genuine good-time story to exist for too long. The moment he started getting c…" 37:40 PFT somewhat understands the pivot — once every PR company in America started using Freddie as an ad vehicle, the magic of the organic story evaporated. But the hosts agree it went sour before that, simply because the internet cannot tolerate someone having too good a time. PFT made a Langley joke when Germany got knocked out, but insists he doesn't actually think Freddie was a spy. Big Cat closes with a broader lament: the internet used to be fun, citing the Oakley message boards as an example of pure, irony-free community. He acknowledges that PMT falls into cynicism traps too, but argues everyone should try to dial it back.
The US is -700 favorites to beat Bosnia — but PFT warns that's exactly when upsets happen in soccer. Lose this game and the entire World Cup co-host narrative collapses before it even starts.
For what PFT believes is the first time ever, the US Men's National Team entered a World Cup knockout round as heavy favorites, listed at -700 to advance against Bosnia.
PFT stated the US Men's National Team holds an all-time record of approximately 1 win and 17 losses against European nations at the World Cup, with the lone win coming against Portugal in 2002.
Penalty kicks reduce the world's most complex sport to one man, one ball, and the weight of an entire nation — and that's exactly why they're incredible. The Paraguay-Germany shootout was a masterclass in high-stakes human failure.
FreddyLA7 did nothing wrong — but the internet can't allow a genuine good-time story to exist for too long. The moment he started getting corporate attention, the pile-on began, and now he's gone offline.
FreddyLA7, a German fan who went viral for documenting his American experience during the 2026 World Cup, was bullied off Twitter by internet users who accused him of being a CIA plant or a PR shill.
Chapter 3 · 49:27
PFT leads off his Hot Seat with Serena Williams, who lost in three sets at Wimbledon in what appeared to be the definitive end of her comeback attempt. He also flags the Jaylen Brown situation — trade offers apparently nowhere near what the Celtics expected, and Brown liked an Instagram comment from @orlandovibedealer suggesting he deserves to go somewhere that respects him. The discussion shifts to Memes raising Emmanuel Acho's incendiary claim that the WNBA would be better without Caitlin Clark, which lands without PFT available due to a brief connection drop. [1] — PFT Commenter "If we got mad at Kevin Durant for going to Golden State, this would be pathetic. Pathetic." 04:34 Big Cat's Cool Throne goes to Ben Simmons, who is hyping yet another comeback while fishing on a boat in Miami — which PFT suggests might actually be his true calling. The segment's most jaw-dropping moment arrives when Big Cat reads Stone Garrett's Instagram comment alleging Josh Naylor hid in his minor-league apartment closet with a butcher knife, jumped out, sliced Garrett's thumb requiring nerve surgery, and received a one-game suspension while the team kept it quiet. [2] — Big Cat "Former teammate Stone Garrett alleged Josh Naylor hid in his closet with a butcher knife, jumped out, sliced Garrett's thumb open, required…" 54:23 Zach's Cool Throne goes to Nick Saban writing a character testimony letter for former Alabama player Terrion Arnold, who is facing kidnapping allegations. PFT suggests Saban should have led the letter by declaring himself anti-kidnapping.
Emmanuel Acho claimed the WNBA would be better without Caitlin Clark. Malik Beasley is going to prison for sports betting. And Josh Naylor may have once hidden in a teammate's closet with a butcher knife — allegedly.
Former teammate Stone Garrett alleged Josh Naylor hid in his closet with a butcher knife, jumped out, sliced Garrett's thumb open, required surgery, and received only a one-game suspension while the team kept it quiet. The front office apparently wanted it hush-hush.
Stone Garrett alleged in a public Instagram comment that Josh Naylor hid in his closet with a butcher knife, jumped out and sliced Garrett's thumb open, requiring surgery, and Naylor received only a one-game suspension.
Chris Johnson announced he has ALS on Good Morning America. Two players from the same Titans team — Johnson and Tim Shaw — are both now living with ALS. The hosts urge listeners to donate to ALS research if they can.
Chapter 4 · 1:11:45
Big Cat welcomes John Smoltz, who has been attending the American Century Championship for 16-17 years and calls it a marquee week on his calendar — he even warned his six kids not to schedule weddings during it. Smoltz explains the tournament's unique modified Stableford scoring: birdie = 3 points, par = 1, bogey = 0, double bogey = -2. His confession that he once made 29 consecutive pars, scoring no better than 1 point per hole while competitors made birdies and bogeys and flew past him, becomes the defining absurdity. [1] — John Smoltz "Smoltz: 29 consecutive pars at Tahoe: John Smoltz disclosed he once made 29 consecutive pars in a single American Century Championship tour…" 1:16:36 PFT trolls him about having no clutch gene. On the baseball front, Smoltz surveys the NL: the Braves hold a lead in the East but are injury-depleted, the Dodgers remain the prohibitive favorites despite their own injury concerns (no Blake Snell, bullpen gaps), and the Phillies and Brewers are making charges. He identifies the Mets as the most interesting trade deadline watch — a bloated roster that needs to decide whether it's a buyer or seller.
John Smoltz disclosed he once made 29 consecutive pars in a single American Century Championship tournament, which cost him the lead due to the birdie-heavy scoring format.
Teams now burn through 38 pitchers a season to get through the year — a number Smoltz calls insane. Nobody running baseball has ever played, so nobody cares that careers are being cut to thirds and eighths of what they should be.
John Smoltz argued that MLB teams now use approximately 38 pitchers per season, which he called 'insane' and a symptom of the broken pitching development system.
Want to fix pitcher overuse? Tie the starting pitcher to the DH slot — if your starter comes out early, you lose pinch hit options. That one rule change would kill the opener strategy and force teams to develop pitchers who go deep into games.
John Smoltz argued that analytics and overuse have so diluted the starting pitcher's role that he cannot identify 10 pitchers in today's MLB he would buy a ticket specifically to watch.
Maddux gave deliberately terrible interviews to keep the spotlight off himself and on his teammates. While Smoltz and Glavine were doing press about Maddux, Maddux was living quietly and building every possible competitive advantage — including staying anonymous enough to walk down the street unrecognized.
They never said it out loud, but the competition between Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz drove all three to be better. During the regular season Maddux and Glavine drove the car — come postseason, Smoltz jumped in the front seat.
Tommy John doesn't make you throw harder — it returns you to where you were before. And if you have it at 12 or 14 years old, you're not advancing; you're just setting yourself up for a second surgery.
John Smoltz debunked the myth that Tommy John surgery makes pitchers throw harder, saying pitchers typically return only to their pre-surgery level, and that earlier surgeries increase the risk of needing a second one.
John Smoltz revealed he pitched an additional 7 years after Tommy John surgery, returning to his pre-surgery performance level, but cautioned the surgery is not a guaranteed upgrade.
Bobby Cox kept Smoltz in the rotation when he was 2-11 in the first half of 1991. No manager does that today. Smoltz went 12-2 the rest of the year. Cox's ability to give a player confidence during failure was, Smoltz says, a lost art.
John Smoltz said Bobby Cox traded for him as GM and then managed him for 20 years, calling Cox the single biggest reason his career turned out the way it did.
John Smoltz recounted that Bobby Cox kept him in the starting rotation despite a 2-11 first-half record in 1991, after which Smoltz went 12-2 the rest of the season.
Going from starting to closing wasn't just a role change — it was a complete lifestyle overhaul. Smoltz had to be ready every single day, and despite throwing less than a third of the innings, he was more physically exhausted than in any starting season.
John Smoltz revealed that in his first year as a closer he recorded 55 saves and made 81 appearances, saying it was more exhausting than his 256-inning starting seasons.
Chapter 5 · 1:59:00
The Dingers Only draft is Pardon My Take at its most chaotic and joyful. The rules: nine teams, nine players, one stat — home runs. No stats from before July 1st count. The draft order is set by a Sporkle quiz, which Memes wins decisively after selecting a Sporkle category about The Boys — a show he apparently insisted on including. [1] — Big Cat "The dumbest fantasy league in the world is back — nine teams, nine players, one stat: home runs. The only drama is the Sporkle draft order,…" 2:00:20 The draft itself is a rolling cascade of good picks, duplicate checks, injury discoveries, and position-eligibility debates. PFT selects Mike Trout with the announcement that he's 'healthy for the first time in a long time' — only to be immediately informed Trout went on the IL three days prior. The crew leaves a voicemail for Gunnar Henderson and gets a live callback from Matt Olson, who is enthusiastic and immediately welcomed to the squad. Notable picks include Memes taking Kyle Schwarber first overall, Big Cat's outfield of Juan Soto, PCA, and Aaron Judge, and PFT timing the Fernando Tatis Jr. market. The session ends with a pot of $2,000 (with PFT and Big Cat putting in $500 each and Brandon $500) plus 1% of Jersey Jerry's future stake in his business called Bush.
The dumbest fantasy league in the world is back — nine teams, nine players, one stat: home runs. The only drama is the Sporkle draft order, Mike Trout immediately getting injured two minutes after being picked, and Matt Olson calling back to confirm his roster spot.
Morgan Morgan, sponsor of the episode, advertised as having recovered over $30 billion for over 500,000 clients as America's largest injury law firm.
Smoltz isn't anti-analytics — he's anti-analytics-as-the-only-lens. He keeps notebooks on every round of golf he plays. The Rays and Brewers are the teams getting it right because they use data and then adjust when the data proves wrong.
No indexed bits in this chapter.
Teams now burn through 38 pitchers a season to get through the year — a number Smoltz calls insane. Nobody running baseball has ever played, so nobody cares that careers are being cut to thirds and eighths of what they should be.
Former teammate Stone Garrett alleged Josh Naylor hid in his closet with a butcher knife, jumped out, sliced Garrett's thumb open, required surgery, and received only a one-game suspension while the team kept it quiet. The front office apparently wanted it hush-hush.
Tommy John doesn't make you throw harder — it returns you to where you were before. And if you have it at 12 or 14 years old, you're not advancing; you're just setting yourself up for a second surgery.
This episode
Factual claims made this episode, and whether a source was named.
The USMNT is approximately 1 win and 17 losses all-time against European nations in World Cup competition, with the only win coming against Portugal in the 2002 group stage.
For the first time in US soccer history, the USMNT entered a World Cup knockout round as favorites, listed at -700 to advance against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
MLB teams now use approximately 38 pitchers per season to get through a full year, compared to far fewer in previous eras.
Tommy John surgery does not make pitchers throw harder; it typically returns them only to their pre-surgery performance level.
The earlier a pitcher undergoes Tommy John surgery, the more susceptible they are to needing a second Tommy John surgery.
John Smoltz pitched 256 innings in a single regular season as a starter, and made 81 appearances in his first season as a closer, which he said was more physically exhausting.
John Smoltz saved 55 games in his first year as a closer.
Bobby Cox kept John Smoltz in the starting rotation despite Smoltz having a 2-11 record in the first half of the 1991 season.
Stone Garrett alleged that Josh Naylor hid in his apartment closet with a butcher knife, jumped out and cut Garrett's thumb, requiring surgery, and Naylor received only a one-game suspension.
Portland, Oregon has the highest per capita number of strip clubs of any city in America, with over 50 strip clubs.
Singing 'My Way' in certain Asian countries is culturally treated so seriously that performing it poorly can result in violence or death.
John Smoltz is the first pitcher selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame who had undergone Tommy John surgery.
Morgan Morgan has recovered over $30 billion for over 500,000 clients and has over 1,000 lawyers and 100 offices nationwide.
The Netherlands is the tallest country in the world by average population height, and their tallest citizens play soccer rather than basketball due to no basketball culture.
Tarik Skubal had already experienced a precursor arm injury earlier in his career, which Smoltz described as a 'sneak preview' of potential future problems.
This episode
Central subject of the NBA free agency segment; opted out of his Lakers contract and is weighing Golden State, Cleveland, and other options.
Baseball Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst who joined the show to discuss pitcher overuse, Tommy John surgery myths, the 1990s Braves, and the upcoming American Century Championship golf tournament.
German World Cup fan who went viral for documenting American culture, then was bullied off Twitter by users who accused him of being a CIA plant or PR shill.
Hall of Fame pitcher and Smoltz's former Braves teammate, discussed as a brilliant strategist who gave deliberately bad interviews and pulled elaborate pranks.
Annual celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe discussed as the reason for Smoltz's appearance; Smoltz has been participating for 16-17 years.
Seattle Mariners player placed on the Hot Seat after former minor league teammate Stone Garrett alleged Naylor hid in his closet with a butcher knife and sliced his thumb.
Hall of Fame pitcher discussed as a member of the legendary 1990s Braves rotation alongside Smoltz and Maddux, who taught Smoltz how to mask his emotions on the mound.
Recently deceased Braves manager discussed by Smoltz as the single most important person in his career, credited with keeping him in the rotation during a 2-11 first half in 1991.
WNBA star discussed after Emmanuel Acho claimed the WNBA would be better without her, and after Alyssa Thomas claimed she received death threats following a foul on Clark.
Discussed as returning to the Toronto Raptors in free agency after his unproductive Clippers era.
Discussed as being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers after the Grizzlies moved on from him.
Former NFL running back who revealed an ALS diagnosis on Good Morning America; the hosts urged listeners to donate to ALS research.
PFT Commenter called Mbappé the best player in the world and noted France's unstoppable attack led by him and Dembélé.
US Men's National Soccer Team discussed in the context of their must-win 2026 World Cup knockout round game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Discussed as the frontrunner destination for LeBron James's free agency, with Draymond Green already opting back in for less money.
Discussed in the context of their current NL East standings, plus extensive coverage of the 1990s dynasty featuring Smoltz, Maddux, and Glavine.
Hosts argue Cleveland is the ideal and most narratively satisfying destination for LeBron to end his career.
Discussed as the prohibitive NL favorites and as the team most likely to pursue Tarik Skubal in a trade deadline deal given their prospects and financial flexibility.
Discussed as the destination for Ja Morant in a trade, with the hosts noting the team's owner is laying groundwork for a potential relocation.
Discussed as Kawhi Leonard's free agency destination, where he previously won an NBA championship.
Discussed as the dominant and prohibitive favorite in the 2026 World Cup, with Mbappé described as the best player in the tournament.
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