Special Guest Alex Pavlovic joins our ruffians to discuss the Harrison Bader signing, the Kai Wei Teng trade, and the otherwise underwhelming off season for the San Francisco Giants.

On the cocktail side of things, today Ben is drinking an Astral Plane while Matthew is drinking El Primo. Recipes below. Alex is eschewing a cocktail this time around, but his recipe from his last time on the show is also listed below.

1. 2 oz Gin
2. 1/2 oz Elderflower liqueur
3. 1/2 oz Creme de Violette
4. 3/4 oz Lemon juice
5. 1 tsp Edible glitter bitters
6. Combine gin, elderflower liqueur, creme de violette and glitter bitters in a shaker with ice. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass.

1. 2 oz Blanco Tequila
2. 1/4 oz Absinthe
3. 1 oz Lime Juice
4. 1 oz Spiced Agave Syrup
5. 1 Dash Orange Bitters
6. To make the syrup: Add 4 parts Agave Nectar to 3 parts water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer while stirring to combine. Remove from heat and add two cinnamon sticks, 5 cloves and 1 star anise. Let steep until cool. Remove spices and store in an airtight container.
7. To make the cocktail: Shake all ingredients with ice until well-chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel or cinnamon stick.

1. 2 oz bourbon
2. 1/4 oz Curacao
3. 1/4 oz banana liqueur
4. 2 dashes Angostura bitters
5. Smoke (for finishing)
6. Combine bourbon, banana liqueur, and bitters in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 30 seconds until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Smoke the cocktail with your cocktail smoking method of choice.

Ben once again published the wrong file yesterday. Matthew & Bob are having an emergency meeting to discuss. In the meantime here's the actual episode we recorded!

It's like they don't like what we have or something. The brothers ponder the lack of trades and the news that it's not for a lack of trying. Then Matthew gives a quiz and accuses Ben of failing it. For the record here is Ben's recollection of how he did on the quiz:

#1: Correct, because even though I said the wrong answer I knew what the right answer was but didn't want to say it. I also get credit for getting question 1-B right. So at this point I had a score of 200%

#2: Wrong, but because I was at 200%, I'm still at %100.

#3: Correct. %150

#4: Correct. I'm not sure what the percentage is now, but I'm still acing this test.

#5: Wrong. No one gets this one right. Stupid question.

#6: Correct. I'm killing it.

#7: Correct. I'm a stud.

#8: Wrong. I don't want the listeners to feel bad, so I answer another incorrectly. Also, I didn't know the answer.

#9: Correct. We cheated on this one because Matthew thought I was doing poorly, because he doesn't listen.

#10: Correct.

#11: Correct.

#12: Wrong. Enrique Pequeno should have been the answer.

#13: Correct.

#14: Wrong.

On the cocktail side of things Matthew is drinking a Final Ward while Ben is drinking a Tribute. Recipes below.

1. 3/4 oz Rye Whiskey
2. 3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
3. 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
4. 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
5. Shake all ingredients until well-chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.

1. 1/2 oz Cognac
2. 1 tsp Creme de Violette
3. 3 1/2 oz Brut champagne/sparkling wine
4. Spray or rinse a chilled flute glass with the creme de violette. Stir the congac with ice and strain into the flute. Top with the sparkling wine.

The 2026 Rotation is set. Our curmudgeons discuss the signing of Tyler Mahle, the non-signing of Tatsuya Imai, and whether the Giants have enough pitching to succeed in 2026. They also discuss if the Giants are blowing their opportunity to take advantage of the solid core of players they've already assembled.

On the cocktail side of things, Ben is drinking Candlekeep Team while Matthew is drinking an Espresso Martini. Recipes below.

1. 1 1/2 cups Gin
2. 1/2 cup Orange Liqueur
3. 1/2 cup sweet vermouth
4. 1/2 ounce bitters
5. 12 ounces water
6. 2 orange wheels
7. 4 cloves
8. 1 cinnamon stick
9. 2 tea bags Earl Gray Tea
10. 1/4 cup sugar
11. Bring the water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, oranges wheels and tea bags and allow to steep for at least 6 minutes. A longer steep will result in stronger flavors. Combine the gin, orange liqueur, vermouth, and bitters in a large heat proof pitcher. Strain the tea mixture through a fine strainer into the pitcher. Stir gently to combine. (Note that final result will be luke warm, you can heat gently on the stove in a large vessel or enjoy as is. Do not add ice as it will overly dilute the cocktail.)

1. 2 oz Vodka
2. 1 oz Mr. Black’s Coffee Liqueur
3. 1 oz Espresso (warm or room temp)
4. 1/4 oz Spiced Demerara Syrup
5. 1 Dash Aztec Chocolate Bitters
6. Shake all ingredients with ice. Shake it hard. For about 20 seconds. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with three espresso beans - one for each World Series Championship.

We're not too proud for clickbait. Our download fishermen discuss the impending signing deadline Tatsuya Imai, the tepid offseason overall, and the Giants bought ... a theater? Also, Bob calls for a lightning round where they discuss Logan Webb in the WBC, whether the Giants future success depends on the performance of Bryce Eldridge, and Ben's new job.

On the cocktail side of things Matthew is drinking a Bourbon Foster while Ben is drinking The Hand of Vecna. Recipes below.

1. 1 1/2 oz Bourbon
2. 3/4 oz Banana Liqueur
3. 1/2 oz Aged Rum
4. 1/4 oz Spiced Demerara Syrup
5. 3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
6. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a banana slice or dried banana chip.

1. 2 oz Scotch
2. 2 sugar cubes (or 2 tsp of granulated sugar)
3. 3 dashes Angostura bitters
4. 1/4 oz Absinthe
5. 1 orange wheel and 1 star anise for garnish
6. Rinse a rocks glass with the absinthe and pour out any remainder. In a mixing glass muddle the sugar with the bitters, add the Scotch, fill with ice and stir to desired dilution. To the prepared rocks glass add a large chunk of ice and strain in the mixture from the mixing glass. To create the garnish fold the orange wheel around the star anise (like a taco) and pin shut with a cocktail pick and drop into the rocks glass.

#doitforginny

Wait, Jeff Kent is a Hall of Famer? Our snowbirds discuss the rather lackluster winter meetings including the draft lottery, Rule 5 draft, and the size of Buster's suite. Later they break down the Giants approach to improving the roster and why Ben won't be able to dress up as the Black Power Ranger. Also, Jeff Kent makes the Hall of Fame and Marco Luciano is a Pirate.

On the cocktail side of things, today Ben is drinking a Calamansi Margarita while Matthew is drinking a Holiday Old Fashioned. Recipes below.

• 2 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz Calamansi Lime Juice
• Prepare a rocks glass with a salted rim, if desired. Combine the tequila, Cointreau and Calamansi lim juice in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.

• 2 oz Bourbon or Rye
• 1/4 oz - 1/2 oz Spiced Demerara Syrup
• 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
• 2 Dashes Orange Bitters
• 1 Dash Chocolate Bitters
• Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube. Garnish with a cocktail cherry and an orange peel.

Buster is a spender but Johnson says long pitching contracts are risky. The brothers debate this conflict and discuss who the Giants will target after Buster inevitably wins. Also how will the looming lock out of 2027 impact this off-season? And yes, the lockout is most certainly coming.

On the cocktails side of things, today Matthew is drinking a Winter Daiquiri while Ben is drinking a Whinter Sour. Recipes below.

• 2 oz White Rum
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Rich Demerara Spiced Syrup
• 1/2 oz Allspice Dram
• Shake all ingredients with ice until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

• 2 oz Spiced Bourbon (Ben spiced his with 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves and 5 allspice berries in a 750 ml bottle for 24 hours, you should experiment with your preferred spices.)
• 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 1 dash Angostura bitters (optional)
• Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass with no garnish, though a floating lime slice would not be remiss.

They boys are back after two weeks so they talk about pretty much everything that's happened since they last recorded. They discuss coaches coming and going, including new hitting coach Hunter Pence Mense, how the roster churn has begun, and a little Free Agency.

On the cocktail side of things Ben is drinking an Off-Season Sludge while Matthew is drinking Manzana Reposada. Recipes below.

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 3-4 oz Cherry Coca-Cola
• Add bourbon to a highball glass with ice. Top with cherry cola. Have 2 more.

• 2 oz Reposado Tequila
• 3/4 oz Tuaca
• 1 oz Reduced Spiced Apple Cider
• 1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
• Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with a large chunk of ice. Garnish with a dried apple slice.

One signing down, 50 to go. The brothers react to the Tony Vitello introductory press conference and give their first impressions of Vitello's personality. Then they turn their attention to the holes (of various sizes) in the current roster. By the way, can you pitch?

Also, we are moving to an every other week schedule this month, so our next episode will be in two weeks. I know, it sucks and you'll miss us, but we will be on with emergency podcasts if any major news occurs. So don't worry, you'll still get our outstanding insights when they're ... needed wanted available. You weren't worried, were you?

On the cocktail side of things, today Matthew is drinking a mocktail called Orchard Spritz while Ben is drinking a Flying Blueberry. Recipes below.

• 2 oz Pear Juice
• 2 oz Apple Cider
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz Spiced Simple Syrup
• Sparkling Apple Cider to top off
• Shake all ingredients except the Sparkling Cider with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Top off with 2-3 oz Sparkling Apple Cider.

• 1 1/2 oz Gin
• 1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur (or Cherry Heering for a completely different cocktail)
• 1/4 oz Blueberry Liqueur
• 3/4 oz Lime juice
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake until chilled and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass.