High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - All Arraez!

Episode Date: August 7, 2026

Jack Fritz and Tucker Bagley react to Luis Arraez's first week as a member of the Phillies and discuss their feelings for the team after taking 3 of 4 from the Nationals. Later, they preview Chase Utley's Wall of Fame induction and the Phillies who should be headed to Cooperstown soon. Presented by Miller Lite.To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com

Miller Light, the official beer partner of your Philadelphia Phillies, is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of WIP's High Hopes Pod. So whether you're listening to the game, catching off on the latest High Hopes pod or at the ballpark. Remember, it tastes like Miller time, Phillies fans. Celebrate responsibly. This is the High Hopes podcast. High Hope! On the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94, WIP.

The crowd is singing, High Hope. I feel a little less alone. Welcome on. It is another edition of the High Host Podcast. You're expecting the yo. It's a Friday. So you know what that means. No Seltzer on the podcast. As Tucker Bagley joins me.

Tucker, how you doing, pal? I'm doing great. I miss Seltzer. I'm sad that we can't kick our weekend off without them. But, you know, it happens. Hey, it was good to see you at the old ball game last night. It was good to see you at the ball yard last night. Disgustingly hot game.

Dude, I tell you what, I can handle the heat. Sitting there pretty much in my own sweat was not. the most enjoyable experience. I think middle of the first inning I was already plotting when I'm going to leave because I was not enjoying myself. Dude, it sounds bad. I've gotten so used to just leaving early and listening to the rest of the game on the way home. I, but 17 year old Jack looks at me now and says, what have you turned into? Jolly too. You know, he's never left a game, game early. I know. It's a very old school way to looking at things. Never know what happens. You never know what can happen at the old ball yard. That's why they had to put a Duran in a four-run

game last night. Tucker, I thought it was a bull. strategy last night you were walking around with a sleeveless shirt on I was yeah I didn't start off that way okay I was one I had I had a jersey on over top of it due to the heat I took it off and you know what it's gonna happen and guess what if you see me at the game tonight probably not just gonna have sleeves on tonight either probably not just gonna start off that way probably not I tell you what I don't think anyone be afraid of you no the guns showing no not I mean and you shouldn't be right like I come and Pete We're very peaceful people.

The human olive branch I've been called. Yes. It is a big night down at the ballpark. Cannot wait to get into it. We will get into it as the podcast move along. I kind of feel like I'm doing a radio show, Tucker, because we're talking at the RV down at the Eagles practice. You know, and talk about camp?

It feels like I'm doing a radio show, but I know this is high hopes. Yes. So for those of you that don't know, we are recording this while looking at the Eagles practice, which is about as high hopes as it gets. says I am definitely not in my comfort zone. Not in your element. No, no, no.

I do think spring training does clear training camp pretty easily. Oh, it 100% does. I mean, the way Elliott talks about training camp, it's like, but imagine if you were scouting spring training. They actually play a lot of games. And also, like, it's early March. The weather is so much better than this hot, soupy mess we have today. You can actually watch most of practice.

They don't, like, kick you out after one week. Yeah, I know. And look, BLG's in line for Rita's, the tallest, person to ever, he's the tallest beatwriter ever in recorded history, I believe. To ever beat right. All right. So, Phil's take two of, or start, take three of four from the nationals. Obviously, Monday, we reacted

to that a little bit on Tuesday as the trade deadline came down. Tucker, I think my biggest takeaway before we get into everything else with the series is, boy, that Nats team is back to being the Nats that we know and love. They are horrendous now. They're a dormant. Like, you could kind of,

to just tell they have no juice left. Like the team that maybe gave you a scare earlier in the season, they just aren't there. Yeah, I mean, their bullpen is a disaster. I think you kind of feel by the time the seventh inning comes, if they don't have a huge lead, they're not going to win. No. And, you know, offensively, like CJ Abrams having a great ear, James Wood having a great ear. Put on the IL to help the Phil's this week. Yeah, that really helped that you don't have one legitimate batter in the top of their order. And, you know, the Phillies took advantage of it, which they need to, because their schedule gets pretty tough from here on now. Well, so I think they are in a stretch right now where they are...

They do have Toronto this weekend who isn't anything worth right in home about. But I think they play 24 now. I think it's 24 straight games against non-playoff teams. Like maybe something changed after the last... Like it was 31 before the series on Friday night, I believe. So it's actually probably less than 24 by now. But they are... And this is a time where you got to like...

You got to stack as you try to chase down the brace. We'll see if they can chase down the brace. I have no idea if they can. It's more about solidifying themselves as one of these wildcard teams. And it does seem like the Cubs went through their early season. They were so hot right around the time that Rob Thompson was fired. And then they unbelievably cooled off. They were out of the playoff picture there for a minute.

And now they're probably going to be the four seed in the NL. So it feels like they have solidified there. And then it's just a three-team race there with the Phillies, Padres, and Diamondbacks. So when you're playing the Nationals, you're playing the Blue Jays this weekend. I mean, they face, what, Beber and Scherzer? Tonight's Jose Soriano, which would be a little bit tougher.

But when you face, like, 36-year-old Jane Bieber, who is throwing batting practice now. Because I was heading into the trade deadline. I was kind of looking at Beaver. I was like, well, he's on the first. final year of a deal. I'll just see what he looks like. I mean, he is throwing Slop up there. And then you're facing Scherzer on Sunday, I believe.

And he's got a, it's got a worse ERA than Knowles. I think he's got a seven and a half ERA. It was sad watching him pitch when the Phillies were in Toronto. I know. Whatever that was. A month ago, two months ago, it kind of felt like they should maybe just let him go. Yeah. It might be time.

Well, Max might also need to realize, hey, eh, you got your strikeouts. It was a great moment early in this. season, much appreciated. You've had a great career, but it's time, pal. It's time to, it's time to maybe go home. But also, we need you this weekend, because we got to start stacking these Ws as we try to really, really hammer home the point of this team being a playoff team. All right. The other big news of the series is the arrival. And I wasn't aware of this nickname yet, Tucker, but it's a pretty great nickname, the sprinkler, Luis Sir Ross. Oh, I love that. Yeah, Harper last night.

post game, they call him the sprinkler. I mean, if this, if this catches on, everyone's just doing the sprinkler in the outfield. Come on, man. That sounds like a whole playoff. It's, I think, it's the, it's the Orioles that spray water on their fans? Yes. Yeah, they have like the splash zone behind the dugout, yeah. Yeah, we should do that, but there's just a sprinkler in left field. What's funny watching him play and, you know, being at the stadium last night, is he makes solid contact so often, but his exit deal out just isn't there, right? No, it's kind of like Stubbsy. And but it's funny because I don't think the crowd has gotten used to him not necessarily hating the ball out of the ballpark. Every time he hits a fly ball to the outfield, the crowd stands up.

Like, oh my God, another one. And it's a flyout to the warning track because he just doesn't have that much power. Yeah, yeah. But I tell you what, he knows that I put the bat on the baseball. Knows that I put the bat on the baseball. He is, uh, as we are three games, four games into the into the Luis de Rye's experience. First off, I am ready to give him a contract extension. He's not allowed to leave. At three years, $45 million after the year, he gets a little bit of a pay bump,

goes from 12 and a half to 15. You pencil them in at second base. You trade a left field, Stott's your shortstop, and hopefully Adam Miller can play third base. Because you know what? I'm not ready for number 28 to come back. Still early in the season.

Yeah, yeah. Well, 28, man. I can't do it anymore. We can't do it. 643 anymore. But I guess I was aware of how arises is in the box.

But now that he's ours and experiencing it on a night and night out basis, it's so fun. It's so fun. And I think it's such a change for this group of guys. And I think that his energy, I guess the, I knew about the bat to ball. I knew that his defense had improved this year. The two things that have surprised me in a very pleasant way is how he handles himself in the box, fowling off pitches, being a tough out, being a pest, which is what I want.

And just the infectious energy that it seems like he brings. I mean, I think Gilbert, a great story about him and Duran, and Duran loves him. And he's like, I want you here. He's like, I'm a San Francisco Giant, but I would love to be here too. And the teammates really seem to revolve around this guy. And as he gets more comfortable, I mean, it seems like he's comfortable already. But I think that his energy and what he can bring this club, is just going to be massive for them.

Yeah, and you know, you saw it right from the jump, right? He gets the RBI single in his first set bat, and he's pounding his chest and screaming at the dugout. And I tweeted, I think, on Monday or Tuesday, he reminds me a little bit of Shane Victorino, just in the energy he brings to the team. And I think at times this year, you would say the energy on the team has looked kind of slow. They've looked dead at times in the dugout, especially when things aren't going well.

and just his ability to bring the energy in every at bat when he's in the field, when he's on the basis. I mean, him abandoning home play last night, I think it was the funniest moment of the year. Now, I will say he did get infected with the bad base running juice that they give all of the fillies when they get here. You know, I've been saying for a little while that the new third base coach is a little too conservative, maybe died a little too far the other way last night between sending a rise and getting Crawford thrown out at home too. Now, in AC's defense, Crawford might be the slowest fast guy I've ever seen. I don't know how he get thrown out of the plate there.

You're super fast. He was like midway to third. I'm like, oh, he's scoring easy. There's no way there's even a play at the plate. I wasn't even thinking about it. I was like, oh, he's scoring first base. This is no doubt about it. And then, now I will say,

I guess being reminded of versus watching on TV, it is so sick how quick these guys' hands are. The ball hits CJ Abrams' glove. you wouldn't even have been able to tell. It was almost like he caught it barehanded. That's how quick that he got it out and fired at home. But yes, it was an adventure on the base pass last night. Had they lost last night, God forbid,

it would have been Meltdown City. It would not have been good. But, I mean, what a rise is brought to this team in the four hole, besides giving Bowman a guy on first base so you can ground into more double plays like he likes to do. It's just the energy he brings, the way he approaches at pants. I mean, I don't want to say that, you know, what he's doing is now infected everybody else and they're all now working at bats because that hasn't really happened. But, I mean, you saw it last night.

They had eight doubles last night by seven different guys. I mean, that doesn't make you well up, talk. I mean, that's baseball, right? I mean, they're just sitting there peppering the right field corner. Mary, my wife was at the game. And she asked, like, is the sun in his eye? Like, why do they keep hitting it over there? Because no one's over there.

Like, why doesn't the right field or move over to the corner because they keep hitting it right there? Who is this team? Yeah. And that's right. Like, this is a team that. They haven't hit a lot of home runs, but they've relied on the home run for the majority of their offense. So the fact they're able to put up the numbers they did last night without a home run, I think it's a huge, huge boost for them moving forward.

Yeah, so there's a couple other things. One, I think the arise edition has definitely helped Harper ease. Like, calm down. You are, when he takes his walks, he is at his best. You know, two for three last night with a double and a single, hit another ball hard late, I think that got caught. I think by the first baseman. But, you know, he's taking his walks.

I think he has five walks in three games or four walks in three games. Something along those lines where... He has five walks in the last three games. Okay, so five walks and three games. When you have a rise hitting behind you and finally trusting the guy hitting behind you, I think it has allowed him to kind of ease in. I also think that a rise's edition is going to be huge for a guy like Justin Crawford. I love seeing that clip in the dugout two nights ago of a rise and Crawford almost sprinted at the end of the dugout, just trying to get more information.

Because a rise is what Justin Crawford should be. I mean, Crawford is hitting over 300 since June 1st. I feel like it's kind of gone under-talked about because people have just decided he's not going to be some superstar young player, which if you had proper expectations, I think, on Justin Crawford, you would be taking his season. The defense, I think, has gotten slowly better, although I don't know if he's ever going to be a, gold glover out there, I probably think he's a corner guy, and then we can get into like, how valuable is it having a slap hitting corner outfielder? But that's a conversation for down the road. He has at least been a quality big leaguer now since June 1st.

I think that's been under-talked about. But I think with what a rise can do, I think that it can really, really help him and a guy like Bryson-Stott who has similar bat-to-ball skills. And, like, he's also been phenomenal since June. as well. I think even May if you want to go back, but specifically right now, I mean, Stott's up to 260, but the 750 OPS, which if you told yourself in that in April and May, I think you would have said that's crazy. And it feels like Stott's still lumped in with the bone of the world, you know, but he is, he is, he's lapped them.

Yeah, now he's close to Marsh and his 760 OPS, so. Is he down to 760? 768. He had a hit last night. He had a double last night. That was good. That was good. Good to see him hit the ball. I think he's slowly climbing out of this thing, but the fact that he's down that far after where he was, And what's his average at? 275? 280.

Still 2.80. Still 2.80. We're holding. We're holding. So, yes, the arise experience has just been, it's been a delight. And I think that, you know, one of the questions, I guess, people had, or the initial freakout was, oh, my God, he's batting forth. And I think through three games, you have a good feel as to why he's hitting for. Yeah, I think it really is the perfect spot for him.

Because it felt like in the games leading up to the trade line, they had a lot of games where, you know, Turner might get on with a single, Shorber might move them over, Harper gets a double, it's 1-0, and that's it. Or two of the guys get on, they don't score, and they don't score at all. And the fact that you've now lengthened your line, to add another difference making bat behind them. You know, if two guys, if you have two on, one out or, you know, one on two outs, he's going to put the ball in play.

He's going to give you a shot to score or run and get up early. I just think he fits in so well into that spot, whereas before, you didn't necessarily have a guy who you really trusted to come through in a big situation like that. Instacart knows that some people go bananas about getting the perfect, well, banana. Some want them green. Some want them ripe. Some want them ready right when they hit their doorstep. But with Instacart's preference picker, available at most retailers, you can choose to get your groceries just the way you like. That means perfectly ripe bananas.

Deli meat sliced just the way you want and avocados that aren't still hard as a puck in the third period. So don't cross your fingers and hope for the best. Download the app and get groceries just how you like with Instacart. Now it's probably higher because he did have a hit last night with the runners the scoring position. But I mean, after Tuesday's game, I believe, he's hitting 400, over 400 now, with one strikeout with runners of scoring position.

I think, was it you that tweeted it last night? It might have been you. But maybe we just have miscast Luis Arise this entire time in thinking that he's a leadoff hitter and that thus hurting his value. Him being a four hitter could really, really help his value. And the Phillies might be the team that decided, hey, this is actually where you should. should be in the lineup. And it might, you know, make him more value as valuable as an offensive piece going forward. Yeah, my favorite overreaction on Tuesday when the lineup came out and he was hitting fourth was, oh my God, what are they doing? And then after the first thing, it was like, ah, just kidding. They might be on to something here. And you're right. I mean, he has 94 plate

appearances this year with runners in scoring position. He's 29 for 73 with 38 RBIs. Nice. Hitting 397 with a 903 OPS. I mean, a little under 400. A little under 400. But, I mean... Is it still one strikeout? Yeah, eight walks, one strikeout. That's insane. The stuff that he's able to do where he just puts the ball in play.

And, you know, I was a little word. I think you brought it up earlier in the week that may be getting away from San Francisco in a smaller outfield, those little, you know, humpback liners that just dumps in front of the outfielers might not necessarily fall in as much here because it is a smaller outfield than Oracle Park.

But, I mean, just his ability to put the bat on the ball and hit them where they ain't, it really is a lost art. And I feel like a, you know, six-year-old man saying, why doesn't everybody do that? I know. Like, this is how baseball is supposed to be played.

But I think he has a really special skill set, a really unique skill set. And, you know, for a team that has a lot of unique pieces, like Kyle Schorber isn't necessarily your everyday lead-off man, Man, Tray Turner, and Bryce Harper. Like, the way this team has been built from the ground up, has been pretty unique and pretty different than what you would expect. So adding a guy like a romewerellery.

in at the cleanup spot, I think fits them better than most other teams. Yeah, and I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I am excited to see what this could change for this team in the postseason. Like, the one thing I agreed a lot with what

Dave Nbrowski said was that we haven't had a guy that can really do this. I mean, Seagora is probably the best one, and even Seagora in 22, he was hitting eighth for that team, seventh for that team, and I mean, he was down to what at that point he had to be a 260 280 type hitter he was not the jean segorra that

was hitting over 300 now he was a bat to ball guy and a bad ball hitter and you trusted him you know with ron just scoring position or he was the he was the castie before castie with the walkoffs where they always walked guys to get to jean sigora and he he made them pay but they haven't had a guy like that really since since he left and i'm very very very excited and interested if this could be something that changes their October October fortune. I mean, Schwab, they have to get going. It was good to see him hit a couple balls hard last night. It looked like he was making a conscious effort to get on top of the baseball because maybe his swing was getting a little loopy. The one concern I

had, obviously, we've all had the concern, is the back. And I thought that he was a little jumpy in trying to cheat to get the fastballs a little bit rather than just trusting his hands. He had a strike out last night or two nights ago where they just threw him three breaking pitches and he was way out in front of all of them. You could tell that he was clearly just trying to cheat for a fastball. And the, the batten extras the other night was crazy. I mean, he had five hangers that he had, he did nothing with. But you hope that last night he started to get his way out of it. I did make a huge trade in my fantasy league to acquire Kyle Schwerber in a, in a, in a by-low for a playoff run. So I'm going to need him to figure it out. I haven't

won since the first year of the league. So I've been in championship game four times, Tucker. one ring four or five times and one ring it's horrible they're calling me the early 2000s eagles i was thinking you were the 90s bill it's crazy it's crazy but but if schwarber gets going and i think he will we trust him to get going turner and we just got to the point where we're trusting him that he's at least back to being a good version of trey turner and not a black

hole at the top of the lineup yeah i don't think he's back to being MVP candidate like it was last year but he's put in the ball and playing he's getting on base. I mean, and at this point, what more can you ask for me? It almost looks like there was a conversation with Trey of, hey, just get back to what you did last year. You get back to spend the baseball every once in a while.

Stop trying to kill it. Just hit the ball the opposite way. Get on base for all these guys. Let's ride here a little bit. Bryce, I think, is climbing his way out of it. You know, he had, he's got hits in 8 of 9 or 9 of 10. And he is taking his walks. Power, you know,

two home runs in August. I expected him to hit one 700 feet off of Michaelis last night, but that didn't happen. So if you have those guys kind of settling in and going and then arise behind them, I can't help but dream on what this is going to look like in October, because it does change the dynamic. And to your point, it totally lengthens the lineup. Does Arise his lack of success in October worry? So we were talking about this last night, me and Seltzer, of his playoff, you know.

Career 2-24 hitter in the playoffs Which is wild I guess my thing would be I don't really care Like he's he seems pretty slump proof In a way And maybe in those lineups he was hitting higher up Maybe being more down the lineup

Will calm him down or whatever But I think that maybe there's more pressure on him With like those Marlins teams where they didn't have all kinds of offensive talent Like he had to be one of those guys With the Padres, obviously they have some dudes out there, so it's not like it was all on Luisarize. But I certainly think here there's not going to be this you got to carry us kind of mantra. And I think he's going to be okay. I think that would make sense.

If you look, his first time in the postseason in Minnesota in 2019, he went five for 11 with four doubles. Okay. That's pretty good. We take that. And then he went one for eight, no extra base hits. Seven for 31, no extra base hits. And last year, he went two for 11, no extra base hits. No extra base sets.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, like we said with Cassie, who was also a horrible post-season player overall, all the matters is when you hit him. That's all you need to do. That's all you got to do. That's what happened in 22. Like Hoskins and Schwerberty, look at their overall numbers.

Might not be the best, but they had some of the biggest hits you've ever seen. Well, Schwerber also just took off the first two series. Yeah, like he doesn't show up until the NLCS. No. Although, where does he? So he's a third or fourth most postseason home runs of all time? I think he's third. And does he have the most NLCS home?

Or him and, yeah, he does. C.S. He is most NLCS home runs. I think him and Harper are tied for most Phillies postseason home runs. Yeah, yeah, I agree. I think that. And I think Harper is one of the best NLDS players of all time. I think he is the highest OPS in the NLDS.

Yeah, but he's a choker and he's a loser. But we haven't been able to win a postseason series in three years. Oh, no, no, no. Oh, this year, baby, getting back to the wildcard, hopefully. And we get it. That's when we do our best. I will say, having to go to Chicago is a little daunting. Yeah, I'd be worried about that.

It's not necessarily playing an 83 win Marlins team at home. It's not. Or geriatric St. Louis Cardinals team. No, it's not. Although, I mean, Goldie and Aeronado are still good that year, but it was a bunch of gas-offs. This Cubs seems pretty good. Now, what makes you feel a little bit better is they did have to,

you know, basically trade for their starting rotation at the deadline. So, you know, like, when you have, those three at the top of your rotation, you feel pretty good about the chances. Speaking of that, man, Sanchez just fight himself. He's got to, you trust him to get on a roll again. Even when he's shaky, quote unquote, he's still really, really good. He just hasn't been Sanchi for a little while now. And it's a smidge concerning heading down the stretch run.

And that's where if they went out and got another starter, you could phantom him for for two weeks and give him like two starts off and and if he is dealing with some fatigue and whatnot. But I mean, Sanchez has not not been Sanchez for a little stretch here. Yeah, I mean, really since the scoring streak ended, since his scoreless streak ended, he's eight and two. The Phillies are nine and two in his start. So he's got an era at 4.26. Wow.

Since whatever that was, beginning of June. So not only that, but he also hasn't really gone deep. Like he's gone seven, three times, but it's a lot more. more five innings, two runs allowed, six innings, three runs allowed. Last night, he went five allowed two, struck out six, but he wasn't necessarily sharp. Like, he just didn't really look like himself. And his IRA has now climbed from the end of that score of streak was one, four, six, six, six six, five, which is still fifth best in the national league, six best in the national league. But he just, it looks like the guy who had to get taken out in the

six inning of game one of the NLDS last year, not the guy who you consider. And, and, he'll still get votes, but he doesn't look like a Cy Young contender. Which makes me wonder, I mean, if they started a playoff series tomorrow, he's still probably your game one starter? Mm-mm. But I would rather Wheeler.

No, it's wheels. There has to be Wheeler, right? 100% Wheeler. My biggest question is he given the ball of Lazardo or Sanchez game, too? I mean, would you rather have, I don't know, man. Like, the way Lazzardo is pitching,

the way that his his highs are really, really high, man you trust both of them but it is becoming a question if you want to go Lazardo or Sanchez game too which is funny Sanchez started the all-star game

and now third best third best pitcher in the rotation good be good be some are saying some are saying and Losardo is down to what 3.3 I believe yeah 336 I think after his last start come on we're getting closer and closer to my take

being right from beginning of the year Lazardo higher and Syung voting than Sanchi Sanchi, we'll see. But Lazzardo again shoved against the nationals and the shame that Marlon start happened. Because as a 6-0-0-0 game, you're in control, he was in control

and it kind of just blew up in his face. And obviously, you know, the Seth Johnson situation. By the way, Seth Johnson yesterday, first game with the A's, bombed the J.J. Bluaday. No. Yes. Yes, it was beautiful. Doesn't sound like him. Doesn't sound like. Madiingly,

actually, they went down and broke the news to him of the J.J. Bluade home run before the game and A single tear went down his, went down his face. Poor Sethi. My boy. Poor Sethy. Poor Sethy.

Maybe he could go manage the A's next year with Seth Johnson. Man, I feel so bad picking on Seth, but my goodness, he just drove me crazy. Another guy that is driving me crazy, talk to her. Jalen hurts? Orion Kirkland. No, Jalen's fine. You were like staring at him as you were saying that. I didn't know.

No, I was looking at, uh, I'd never seen Cole Payton throw the football before. so I was looking at him real quick. But Orion Kirkering, again last night, just, he's either an eight-pitch inning or it's excruciating. There's just no... There's a lot of guys like that in the bullpen. It's crazy. Thankfully, they went, well, now, the first outing with Killian was like, oh, okay, they got another back-end guy. The second outing was pretty horrendous.

He might not be a back-to-back guy. I think he might be, like, transitioning from starting pitching to a bullpen rule, so it might take a little while. But Killian was, he went from 98, 99 in his first appearance to 96 like that. So maybe the premature, this is another back end Bowlin type situation. I might need to calm down on or I might need to calm down on. But we're still here with Kirkcring where no one trusts him at all. And he's rapidly approaching Bowen territory. Well, it's funny, he had a decent outing on Wednesday night, right?

In the sixth inning. He got the first out last night in the sixth inning. And I was getting ready to tweet like, Ryan Kirkering, six-inning Kirkering, might be a huge win for this team. Might be the answer. And then it kind of fell apart after that. Per usual.

It's just, it's crazy. Like, between him, Alvarado, I don't really want to put Killian in there. He's only pitched twice. But like, they have guys who can look dominant and can look like they've never thrown a major league inning before. I know.

And I don't know. I think when you get into the postseason, and if you have a guy like Sanchez who can't get through more than six, it's going to really come down to whether or not they look like their dominant selves or not, because you don't really have that deep of a pool pen. I mean, that 11 inning the other night, where Akelyan was in there, like, that was one of those innings that, like, you kind of stop paying attention to, and then you're shocked that it's still going on.

I know. Like, I look up for my computer, I'm like, oh, my, there's still only one out, and there's still going. That's insane. And, yeah, I mean, Alvarado looked great last night, had 11 pitch, one, two, three inning. Like, quick and easy. He's been pretty good.

I mean, he allowed a home run in the Yankee series to Dominguez. Yeah, and he hit a batter and walked a couple in the 10th inning the other night. That was atrocious. It was one of those Elverado addicts where he threw, I don't know, nine straight balls. Yeah, you can just tell early with him. Well, I was sitting there watching him. I was like, you're in the major leagues. You know, I got real old man yelling at the cloud.

Yeah. I was like, you're in the major leagues. Throw strike. Like, just put it down the middle and let, your stuff work. It was like nine straight balls. I was having a meltdown. Just throw a freaking strike.

Yeah, I don't, I've never thrown 98. You've gotten closer than I have to throw 98. Everyone talks about it. I just tell you if I did, I could maybe at, at some point, throw like 95, just to get it over. Just get it over. Just get it over. Being of the game last night, and I usually never really sit in the stands. You know, most of them just walking around her in standing room, but sitting in the stands.

I forgot how infuriated. baseball discourses. So everyone around me, every time a guy throws a ball, it's like, ah, throw strikes. I'm like, oh, my God, geez. What do you think he's trying to do out there? Do you think he's trying to throw balls? And then, you know, this one guy in front of me,

Schwerver strikes out, who, by the way, has 33 home runs, and it's clearly slumpling. Like, maybe we can take it easy. Just starts yelling about how we're paying you millions hit the ball. And I'm like, oh, my God, get me out of here. I feel like that's the one guy you can. you can be okay with striking out. Just take it easy.

Another guy around me was talking about, ah, I shouldn't let Ranger walk. It's like, I didn't want to turn around. I'd be like, well, listen, for that money, you had to kind of let him walk. You need painter in the rotation.

He's a young arm. You need cost-controllable arms. It's one of the situations where you kind of just got to let him go, right? But I didn't feel like turning it. I almost caused a scene too. Sorry to make this about, you know, my week in Philly's discourse.

I almost cause a scene in my local grocery store because these guys who worked there were talking. And it was a performance. the trade deadline so it was like Sunday or Monday and they're like got to trade Harper and and I had Walker with me and I was like we're not going to cause a scene here kiddo you know we're we are portraying calmness and as a leader of a household but in my head I was like this is the problem rise above it this is the problem why why you think first off there's not going to be like you're not going to be like you're not going to three top of

100 prospects for him. He's making $25 million a year. At some point, don't you want to see him hit 500 home runs in the Phillies uniform? I don't know. That sounds pretty sick. Like, I just, I, again, was about to be turned to well actually.

I will say, at the game last night, there was a kid sitting behind me. I don't know, probably 7, 8. And third inning, right? Harper doubles. He didn't tag up on a rises fly out, which is infuriating to me.

And this kid starts screaming, Harper, why didn't you tag up? And I was like, that's good baseball. That's good parenting. Whoever taught this kid baseball really knows what they're doing. And then Bome flies out. Harper should have scored on that. I ended up scoring on Marsha's double anyway.

But there are some informed baseball fans out there. Just apparently not at your grocery store. Almost caused the scene. Almost caused the scene. All right. A couple of other things here before we start talking about the big night tonight down at the ballpark. Bummer to see Painter, you know, only four innings,

and the hammy tightens up on them. even before that it wasn't as crisp as the the orio start but I will say that change-up is turning into an equalizer for him he threw there was one lefty batter it had to be five straight five straight change-ups so he's clearly it's it is hard for me to believe that he can just get through and become a quality to high-ish quality major league starter without being able to to rely or have a reliable fastball. Like, I don't need my 6-7, 23-year-old, 98-mile-an-hour throwing, top former-pritching prospect, effectively being a junkballer.

You don't need him to be a Ranger Suarez. Like, that's the, and it's not like he has pinpoint control. Nope. He doesn't have that. But I still think that there are signs of life with Painter. There was a couple good fastballs in the game. Maybe the hamstring, who knows how much that was affecting him. He said it happened in the second inning, right?

Yeah, and I think that's when he fell off the mound. Yeah, and he felt it tightened up. Yeah, and it was kind of awkward. So you'd give him a little bit of the doubt, but he's going to make his next start, according to Don Mattingly, and good, because obviously a pitching injury, given that they didn't trade for a starter, would be pretty detrimental,

even though a guy like, if you want to go sign Zach Let'sel, to just take down the ball every fifth day and be the 26th version of Aaron Herang, Like you could do that if need be break glass of case of emergency, but seems like Painter's going to be okay. Yeah, and I don't know, just by eye test. His stuff seems to have a little bit more movement. He seems a little bit more crisp.

He seems a little bit more confident, too. He seems more confident. He, like, he worked himself into trouble against the Nationals and got out of it. He really needs to work on just getting the first two batters out of the game because he struggled with that in Baltimore with the double and home run and then gave up hits to the first two batters against Washington. But yeah, I mean, it's baby steps, but I feel more confident with him going to the mound and doesn't feel like as much of an automatic loss as it did when he was back up in May. Yeah, for sure. Now, they still haven't won a game since the 18th with their fifth starter in there.

I thought we're going to break it because they were up in that game. I was like, ah, finally. But nevertheless, they may never win a game. This team loves their bits, Tucker. They just, they find a way to have a bit every season. Do you think they have meetings every week? Like, hey, let's make sure we do this. It's actually when they hired Maddinely they were going to have meetings every three weeks.

organizational meetings. It's just like, hey, how can we keep this bit going up? Maybe we'll allow seven in the nine in extra innings and lose the game 11-4. That sounds fun. Where if Derrick Hill rammed to the wall, Harper misplay a ball in right field. Also, how does Derek Hill only have a shoulder contusion? When he smacked his face against that padding. How does he not have a concussion? Also, I bet there's a smidge of aura farming, thinking like he's gonna make another city field catch. He could have just caught the ball. I feel like he could have, it also didn't go out. Like, it was a little, it was a little bit of, it was.

landed on the warning track like you could have just taken another step to your left and maybe caught it dude he was thinking he's thinking i'm going to do it again i'm going to do it again but good to see he is he's okay harper is an adventure in right field but you just have to hope that most balls aren't hit his way i mean is there a breaking point for you where you just have to give up on the experiment and move him back to first i know for you personally it probably is already past that point because you you don't want the third but like at some point in the postseason like the ball that that's split the gap between him and Crawford and neither one of them kind of went for it last night. I get there's going to be rest. I get there's going to be an adjustment period.

But if it's October and he's still making the, like you can't have him out there. Well, and the ball that Hill slammed into, how was Marsh the one getting the ball? Yeah. Well, it is funny. Like, Mr. Hustle tries to steal a base in the top half of the inning with two outs and gets thrown out. And they can't be bothered to back up the center fielder on a ball of the wall like that. And two games that Maddenly has pulled him defensively. And had they blown that game last night, he was set the lead off, which is, I didn't think he would do it in a situation like that. But, yeah, it's one of monster. And if, listen, if Bome keeps struggling, I mean, and Brian Dela Cruz keeps doing his thing, there is a world where you just moving back to first base, put Bome on the bench.

And, you know, if you want to do the lefty-righty thing with Stott at third base, I wouldn't. but there is a world where Brian Dale Cruz is just the right fielder. And you kind of figure it out from there. I mean, fam's kind of heating up down there in AAA. So is it? They have like eight outfielders in AAA right now. Dude, they're awesome. I mean, there's Colby Thomas who had a big hit yesterday.

We love monitoring that situation. They have, they have so many, so many old names. I haven't even count Dylan Carlson, who they got. They've had so many random old top prospects slash major leaguers. It still have Carter Kai boomed down there? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. At one point, I tweeted.

he's an option if you want to. I used to get him and Khybert Ruiz mixed up. Yeah. Yeah. Keeper Ruiz still there. He's still there. All right. So tonight, before we get to the Tucker's bag, our guy's going in.

Chase Otley into the Phillies Wall of Fame. Will you be down there a little? I will. Yeah, yeah. I'll come to Chickies. I'll pick up my stuff and I'll go over to seed the ceremony. Nice. I'm going to go over to.

Looking forward to it. Now, I won't stay very long because Jill's family's in town. I've got a big beach week next week. But it's going to be, I don't know why, man, when I see Otley, start getting a little emotional, start thinking about the younger years, remembering, you know, Chase and everything he meant to this organization. It's going to be, it's going to be special tonight. I mean, J-roll goes in last year, probably means Howard's going in next year. I mean, get all three of these guys.

But there's just, Utley was, Utley was the man. And he, every single local dad would be like, go watch Chase Utley play. Like, that's how you got to model your game after. And it's wild that there's a whole generation now, because we're getting older, Tucker, that doesn't remember or has vague memories or just experienced cooked knees oddly. I mean, Prime Otley was crazy. I mean, he was arguably the best player in baseball for like a four-year-stretch. And you could say, well, you know, Albert Polos had his.

his run and he won a couple MVP. So I mean, Utley from 05 to 09 before his knees really gave out, I mean, I just, I don't know. There was a better player in baseball, the way he played almost every day, except when he, you know, broke his thumb or whatever. Yeah, I mean, you said it. He was the guy that every dad would say that that's the guy you want to play like. And I don't know about you, but when I was growing up,

my first favorite player was Scott Rowland. Yeah. And then when I was seven, I found out Scott Rowland's actually. the devil. You aren't allowed to cheer for him anymore. Exactly right. And then I fell in love with Chase Utley. And, you know, the fact that he was, you know, the hard-nosed throwback player, he ran

over catchers when you were still allowed to do that. I mean, back when men were men. He was, he was the leader of that team. As much as Jimmy Rollins was, you know, maybe the face of that team and the leader in the clubhouse. The fact that he was out there every day, he played as hard as he did, he hustled as hard as he did. I mean,

I think it's going to be really special seeing him tonight. It's going to be really special seeing him next summer in Cooperstown. Yes. And as we make our mecca to Cooperstown and go see him. I already have an Airbnb booked for next summer in Cooperstown. It's good stuff. And I want Ike there. I need Ike there. Mr. He's he's anti-Uppley. Yeah, all the Rollins people. It's funny. I tweeted like maybe a week ago, like,

can't wait to see Utley in Cooperstown next year. People were like, it should be Rollins instead. I'm like, it can be both. It can be. It's not one or the other. It's not like Utley gets in and Rollins can never get in. Like, let's get one at a time in here. I am so glad I grew up without having to like have takes on. guys. Like, I could just, I could love the whole team rather be like, well, actually, you know, Rollins is better, Outley's better. Ryan Howard, you could just appreciate, appreciate all of them. And it makes me happy that Chase kind of has opened up throughout the years. Obviously, he has the stoic, you know, personality and, you know, as, I guess maybe as his, he's turned more into

his Silver Fox. He is, he is loose enough. He's been around a lot more than he was when he first retired. It's like I know he's still, he's an analyst for the Dodgers now. Is he? I think he's in the Dodgers organization, strictly because he lives in L.A., but, I mean, he was here for the All-Star game. Him and Jimmy did the introduction on the field before the game. Like, he's been around a lot more than he has, which is nice to see.

Yeah. Yeah. So I am figuring out my top five today. He's obviously going to be Utley related. Top five Utley moments. Yeah, my favorite ones. It's hard to, it's actually, you can go to 10 if you wanted. I mean, his first home run was over Gabe Kapler's head.

there was a welcome to the show mr. Utley welcome to the show Mr. Utley uh jace Utley you are the man the one of the most underrated ones is the uh the introduction at the all-star game boo me oh at Yankee Stadium

yeah yeah like he was he was hilarious and it is a bummer that Lannon broke his hand in 07 and then he really cold off in 08 because I mean he ended the year in 07 had 332 332

and he plays that out plays that entire year. He's running away with the MVP. Was he second in MVP voting in 08? He was 14th in MVP voting in 08. Not nailed it. That's good. Howard was second.

It was crazy. He had a nine worse season in 08. Yeah. And was 14th in MVP vote. Like, he's another guy who, I do wonder had he played now, 10 years later with advanced analytics,

if he would be more appreciated as he's an underrated ball player who might be top 10, which always felt like that was kind of how people viewed him. was he's really good, but you don't know how good he is. He's like a secret for baseball aficionados. I feel like if you played now, there would be like an overwhelming endorsement. Like, he's a top three player in the sport. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It would be, look how valuable he is. That's what I feel about Worth. I think, like, when I look back at Worth, the value he brought to the team, the walks he had, the right field defense, the power. It's just insane how deep that lineup was. Like in 08, when like your worst hitters, Pedro Feliz. Dude, I was thinking about that. yesterday because all, I listened to the, uh, the, the six 11 podcast with all four of them.

Yeah. And for the, the, the first thought I have was, dude, I need this team to win a world series. Like they, the team that we currently have, it's the third best run in franchise history. And we'll look back as such a missed opportunity they don't. And I just, I need to feel it again. I mean, it brings back all the emotions when those guys start talking. It's just, you have chills listening to them speak about, you know, game five and all the parades. Like, I want this team to have it. And I forget I was gone with it with the second point, but that's okay.

Yeah. I mean, I do worry, because I think you tweeted it the other day. Like you retweeted the Phillies tweet after game three of the World Series. Yeah. But two more Topper? Yes, yes, yes. I do worry. Heartbreaking.

That, you know, we're getting to a point where 22 isn't necessarily as fresh in people's minds as people think. No, I was going to make the point that that 08, team was just sick. And like in the in the moment, it's like, these guys are really good. And now that you've watched baseball and like the game has changed, not to sound like a boomer, but like the game has changed, they had the modern day offensive output, which is like crazy coupled with elite defenders at almost every spot besides first base and left field.

Well, the defense, I think, is incredibly underrated when we talk about that team. Yes. Because of how amazing the offense was. But you watch it and it was like, oh, they had arguably the best defensive shortstop. They had a gold glover and center field. They had a great defensive catcher in Ruiz. And Utley is one of the all-time underrated defensive players at second base. Worth had a lot of great moments in right field.

Howard could pick it. I don't think he didn't have a lot of move in. No. He couldn't throw the ball. No, I can't throw the ball. When they would pick off to first and the guy would run to second, automatic stolen base every time. I don't know why teams just didn't do that. Just take an extra step off your lead and run to second because he's going to throw it in the left field.

The funniest story they told on there to me on the 6-11 podcast was just again in how much the game has changed. Doobie went out to the mound before the Hinsky at bat and he goes, Hey, you ever face this guy before? It's like today they would have a whole, you know, binder in the dugout of timespace, weak spots. hot zones and what he struggles with pitch-wise. Duby goes out there and, you know, they tell a story that early in the season, Hinsky, like, hit a ball over center field against Lidge. Yeah.

So that's why Rollins thought they were going to lose the game. And, you know, Dube comes out like, you know, face this guy before? You know what he's about? And Lidge goes, yeah, he waffled me. Do you think we have too much information? Probably. Like, I do think when I watch older games like that, which isn't that old, but like, I miss managers managing with their.

God. I missed a gut decision. I missed, you know, this guy's a little hot. We're going to put him out there and see what he's doing. Yeah. Or we're like, oh, I'm going to let this pitcher struck out the last two batters. We're going to let him face the left, even though he struggles against him. Well, it's crazy that, again, a whole generation is going to go by without realizing that. That's what the, the, um, the, um, the, the, Michael is at bat was so shocking the other night. It's like, this used to be every day in the National League. A pitcher coming in and trying to get a bun down and trying to hit. It's crazy. I do miss pinch hitters. I miss double switches. But. not as much as I don't miss it so much that I wish you to go back. I appreciate

the... Especially as if you took away the DH, the Phillies would be horrendous. Absolutely, screw. Like, they're the one team in the National League was benefited tremendously from the DH for the last five years? Well, yeah, they wouldn't have gone to the World Series. Bryce was, you know, Bryce's arm was recovering from the Tommy John surgery. All right. Tucker,

before we get out of here, what do you got in your bag? Christopher Sanchez, when his 15th game last night? Dude, I'm glad you brought that up. I had I had no idea that Halliday was their last 20-game winner. I assumed Wheeler might have gotten there. I assumed one of these Sanchez years or Cliff or Cole after that. They're going to have a 20-game winner this year.

So Halliday at 21 in 2010, Carlton won 23-24, 23-2027. And his last one was 82, I believe. Right. So Halliday won his 15th game in 2010 on August 14th. Yeah. So we're 10 days ahead of schedule here. Yeah. Carl in his last year, I think, was like August 4th.

So he's right around the same thing. But you're just thinking about Halliday. You know, he was 10 and 8 at one point that year. And then he got a decision in his last 13 starts and went 12 and 2. Yeah. I guess in viewing that through the modern lens, it sounds crazy. But back then, like you'd pitch in the 8th even if losing. I think that season he had one star where he didn't make it through 6.

Really? That's awesome. He had 28 starts where he went at least 7. at least seven. He had four other starts. He went at least six. He had a start. He went five and two-thirds. Yeah, that's crazy. I was surprised that Schilling never got one in the 90s, even that those got me. He had 300 strikeout seasons. Now, obviously, the team stunk. Right. Mostly after 93. So it's harder to win games, but I thought maybe he could have gotten there. It's wild. We're probably going to have a 20-game winner. It's going to be

unbelievable. Like, if it happens, and going back to our conversation 30 minutes ago, you could have a 20-game winner who just a top five in Syong, and eh, I don't know if I want to give you the ball in game one. With a 50 and two-thirds. scoreless streak that is a franchise record and we're like that's our game three starter it's crazy uh last night they scored seven runs without a home runs the most runs they've scored without a home run since april last year good for that when they scored 11 against the marlins they won 11 10 thanks to jordan romano yes remember the game he gave up six in the ninth it was 11 4 he gave up six they'd bring it strong to get the last

last down another jordan romano note you know he leads two teams in same right now? He does. He's the Angels and Rockies saves leader. And he had four for the angels and... Yeah, I think someone tied him on the Angels this week. Because I checked last night to make sure it was still true. So he's tied with the Angels at four and he leads the Rockies with five. The Romano game, Romano game reminded me of, I think it was against the Marlins, too. When they're trying Penn Vetta and he allowed like seven. Is he done? I saw he walked off the mound on like the second inning the other day. So I think he just thought there was three outs and then got too embarrassed because he like stormed off the mound and then he started checking the umpire

and he just kept going and because he pitched 30 pitches after that in the bullpen oh okay yeah so i think he just forgot the outs and tried to play it off like he was hurt so that was my take but pivette allowed like seven runs in the in the ninth as like because he's horrible in 2020 and i tweeted out that hey technically he did his job in holding the lead and people didn't like that one people didn't like that one at all it was meltdown city all right what else that's all I got that's all I got that's all I got all I got all I cool last thing before we get out of here I love the thresher's man they are so fun they have all of our guys in the lineup now they got Boganpool he got Braden Bakes hit a homer on the other night Bougainpool hit a homer on the other night

but it's early we are monitoring the Will Gasparino situation with the Phil's Willie G. Just the tool shed this guy has, Tucker. 6-6 rips the baseball. If he can cut down on the strikeouts, he's Jason Worth. Oh. If he can cut down on the strikeouts, he plays elite center field defense. He hits the ball hard.

He is super fast. He is a tool shed. And if he can just not strike out and fix that hole in his game, I mean, in the 90s, he's the first round pick. He had 20 plus home runs for UCLA and had 1100 OPS. That's pretty good. That's the first round pick. So they got him in the fifth.

There's some really fun players. I can't wait to see Spangler play for the Threshers. He's probably like two weeks out. We're getting close to the Spangler season. But we are monitoring the Willie G. That's some success drafting guys from UCLA. I know. One of them goes in tonight.

Looking forward to it. All right, Tucker. thanks for hanging out. This has been another edition of the Iowa's podcast presented by Miller Light. We'll be back Monday with a full pod with Seltzer there, of course. So thanks to everyone who hung out with us and we'll talk to you soon here on the Hyoves podcast.