Well that was royally mid. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Our anti-monarchists briefly reference the very blah Royals series, sing the praises of Hayden Birdsong (KAKAW!), feign shock at Justin Verlander's move to the IL, and lament streaky offense. Then, they do the unthinkable and call out Jung Hoo Lee. (Someone has to!) Also, they discuss how the Giants can get better but they don't say the "T" word.

Our new cocktail podcast, The Perfect Sip, is on hiatus but new episodes are in production. (Yeah, it's taking a long time ... life, you know?) If you haven't listened yet, you can catch up here: https://the-perfect-sip.captivate.fm/listen

Speaking of cocktails, today Matthew is drinking a Blackberry Bramble while Ben is drinking a Ginger Margarita Recipes below.

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
• 5 Fresh Blackberries
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1 Dash Black Walnut Bitters (optional)
• Muddle the berries and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker until berries are completely smashed, releasing the juices. Add the remaining ingredients with ice and shake until well-chilled. Double-strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with black berry and/or mint sprig.

• 2 oz Tequila
• 1/2 oz Ginger liqueur
• 3/4 oz Lime juice
• 2 dashes Ginger-Pear Bitters
• Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and candied ginger.

#doitforginny