you know, I think we do a lot of
homework overall and, and this
is a process really over the
last year, kind of waiting for
Sanders free agency from our
proscribing group.
We had two players, Allen craig
and Ian Kinsler that that work
in our front office now that
that played with Xander when you
get those first hand experiences
and first hand accounts of, you
know what he brings to the table
, both as a player and a person
that went a long way for myself
for josh and our evaluation
process.
We set up a meeting uh, to talk
to Xander about a week later or
so and uh, in in Newport and it
was pretty clear like everything
that, that we had seen and heard
from scott from, from our
players, from our homework and
definitely seen with our own
eyes and across the field that
came came across loud and clear
honestly, a couple of minutes
into the conversation, I think
Xander himself and then one of
the, he turned himself, he said
that he's baseball struck and uh
, you know, we got to see
somebody that loves the game has
tremendous uh, tremendous
intelligence and aptitude for
the game of baseball.
It's a great competitor and you
know, it's coming from a world
championship organization
himself and this has two rings
and I think all of those factors
for us made a made a big
difference and a big reason why
we made the initial common call
and then a big reason why we
pursued him in free agency, the
roster is, I mean, I think it
speaks for itself, you know,
it's pretty stacked top to
bottom of the pitching.
I watched a lot of games in the
playoffs, obviously with that
trade that got hater at the
deadline.
I know he struggled a little bit
in the beginning of the season,
but he finished the season
extremely strong.
So I saw another guy Suarez, I
didn't even know if that guy,
but obviously he's one of the
best relievers in the game.
He showed that in the playoff
also.
So I mean from top to bottom
roster wise, I mean it was it
was unbelievable the amount of
talent that they have here and
seeing the families, how how
amped up they were, especially
when you guys beat the Dodgers
in the playoffs.
I mean it was something pretty
fun to watch on tv and I'm
looking forward for that
experience for sure.
I think I'm feeling great.
That was a tough question.
But yeah, I think I'm feeling
great.
The more the the more position
players you have of high caliber
high talent.
I mean the more problems it
creates is just a better, you
know, uh just us as as players,
just putting our egos, checking
our egos at the door and and and
just competing for for one goal
, you know, just trying to get a
championship, all of us pulling
on the same strings, uh, pulling
for the same goal.
So I think in the end they work
out really well.
Uh, as I said, we have a lot of
talented guys on this team.
I've played with a lot of
talented guys in the past, so it
should be fun.