High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Are the Phils Just Good Now?

Episode Date: June 20, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies taking 4 of 5 in D.C. The guys talk JT, Eflin, Run Fritz Run, and more. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the High Hopes podcast. High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo! It is another edition of the High Hopes podcast. Jack Fritz, it's, by the way, the High Hopes podcast presented by miller

light there we go got to make i get used to that i gotta make that part of the thing i know we talk non-stop about miller light because we love it in fact i'm drinking one right now i i opened it before but this is me hitting the miller light on the table so you all know what i'm drinking here um but um it's it's funny because jack, you know, I'm doing the yo and I'm thinking like, you know, a week ago and you know, the nine game win streak and, and it's almost like winning four or five in Washington. Now it's like, you know, duh. Like, of course I don't even need to get that revved up because the Phillies are just a

good baseball team that handles business. Jack Fritz, how you doing pal? They are. And it's so refreshing going through what we've been through the last couple years where it's like, yeah, they're in first place, but is it real? You know what I mean? That's honestly what the last – and it'd be like we try to get ourselves fired up. Like, oh, they're in first place.

We should be more excited. But in the back of our head, it was always just like, something's off here. Nothing really feels totally off about this baseball team. I think that how good they can be, that's still to be determined. They might have dug themselves too big of a hole. And there is a lot of good teams in the NL. It's pretty much, what, five teams for three spots for the wild card? Yes.

I was going to say eight for six spots. But yes, you're five for three in the wild card. Yes, yeah. I was going to say eight for six spots, but yes, you're five for three in the wild card, correct? Right, so we'll see what happens with the division if the Mets can hold on. I mean, I generally think that they have the two best pitchers in the sport coming back in a few weeks. They're kind of having one of those years, which is fine.

They're having one of those years where it's a Mets year and they might win the division. Braves are playing good baseball, although the opponents they played has been an absolute joke. But like, it's just so refreshing that I think they're actually a good baseball team, James. And it's been damn near a decade since we could say that. Yeah, it's it's pretty wild, Jack. And I think a lot of people are still gun shy. I know that like they're a good baseball team and I'm confident in them. And I even, for the most part,

don't expect them to kick me in the junk while I'm watching a game, which is a very new sensation. But I get it. Like when I hear people say they're not ready to jump on board, when I, in the back of my mind, like I could still feel it, you know, when I'm watching a game and they're winning two to one in the ninth or whatever, like, and look, we had a couple of, you know, they came back to win them, but we had a couple of those in Washington too, where they had the game one and they blew it in the ninth and we had to go to extra. So like, it's not totally gone and they won those games, but I can't seem to like, I need to like change my chemistry, Jack, I need to change my chemistry, Jack, because my body is conditioned to feel like they're going to screw me.

And they haven't been. But I'm still, as much as I believe in them, I think they're a good team. I'm excited about what's coming. I still have not conditioned that out of me, Jack. I still fear when I watch close games late. It is what it is. I can't help it. I can't get it out of me, buddy. Yeah, it's funny. I don't even remember the last time that, well,

I did tweet on the second Friday, the second game on Friday. I think I tweeted, like, I just can't see the Phillies winning this game, which is different than feels like a loss. I haven't tweeted really the sentence feels like a loss since Girardi's been fired. So, I mean, that's just, that's showing some faith in your baseball team there, pal.

So, it is. Because they genuinely don't, James. They don't feel like losses anymore. And it's not all topper, whatever. Topper. Yeah. A lot of it, I think, has to do with him. But there's a different level of confidence in,

in this team post Girardi that we just didn't have before that. Like they found, they used to find ways to lose. Now, if they're finding ways to win, I mean, realistically, James,

they could have lost three games down in Washington. Oh yeah. I mean, two went to extras that they had one in blue, you know? I mean, well, and, and if the umpire... And the 5-3 game absolutely could have gone the other way, too.

Right. If the umpire didn't completely blow a ball three call to Bryce Harper, who knows how that game turns out. Ball four, yeah. Ball four, yeah. It was absolutely ball four, and we got lucky. I mean, yeah. No, you're absolutely right. But I'm saying, like, those are games that they just haven't won for a decade. I'm saying like those are games that they just haven't won for a decade. And the thing that I love about it is that we talked about this last podcast, but it's a different guy each night it seems like. It's not just Bryce is on a hot streak. No wonder they've won 15 of 18. It's not just Reese is doing this.

Schwarber's doing that. It's like Matt Veerling with big home runs. Jairo Munoz is having big hits. It's Garrett Stubbs walk off. It's pitchers picking up at their teammates. This is what a winning culture looks like, James. And I

don't know where it came from. I think Schwarber is very important. I think Thompson's leadership has been important. I think Bryce is getting more comfortable being a leader. But this is what it was supposed to look like. uh it took a while it took what's uh 50 some games for them to finally look like a real baseball team but yeah they continue to pile up series wins and they were never going to win you know win out or whatever but as long as you pile up

series wins that's all we can ask for yeah and again like i still i still need to see them do this over a couple months i still need to see this continue there's a tough stretch coming up i mean we got the padres we got the braves coming up the cardinals are on the schedule like seven games with the cardinals before the all-star break the blue jays after the all-star break the schedule gets noticeably easier but they still got some tough sketch like some tough series coming up. You know, this week isn't particularly easy. I mean, the Rangers stink, but they did sweep us here,

and they're going to San Diego for four. That was Girardi. I mean, what? Swept by the Rangers. Whoa, but that was the old Philz. That was the old Philz. No, I'm not going to sit here and let you start bringing up the old Philz under Joe Girardi during the Rob Thompson era, Seltzer.

Not going to let that happen today, pal. Okay. That's good. I like it. But, yeah, look, I need to see it continue, but it feels good. We're getting to some issues, and there are a few things I want to talk about. But, again, it is funny because I come to this pod, you know, not having a ton new to say from like, I'm excited. This team's good. I believe in them.

I still have the back of the, the, you know, my mind fear there that will take time for, for that to get beaten out of us. But you you know they're doing everything we could ask for they swept a nine inning double header for the first time since 2012 jack 2012 since they swept the nine the letter um all right let's get into some specific stuff first and foremost um two most important things and then we'll talk about the phillies uh you still have a chance to win gift cards. Shout out to all the four bars that we've spoken about. The Yards Pub in Westchester, Pike in Havertown, Oscars Tavern in Sansom Street, Milk Boy in Center City,

and Appetites on Main and X. And you still have a chance to win the gift card for those places. Just go to 94wip.com and go to the contest page to register for that the accounts of the week shout out to miller light in the bar of the week we love miller light ever since miller light came on board the phillies have been awesome just saying okay to the phillies in a sec but let's get to the important stuff jack yes okay um funny enough because you referenced a couple of things

but let's start with with a number one on our list if we're talking about the phillies on june 20th right now you gotta address it i i mean this is the forum the floor is yours you bailed on run for its run they won the game anyway but you bailed you bailed you quit on it during a day you said oh my knee hurts but funny enough the old guy on the pod is doing just fine over here. The young guy on the pod has knee issues. I want you to address it because this, you said, you're going to keep doing this. You've been doing it. It's an important, I think an important part of this whole run, or at least it feels like it is until you just kind of sloughed it off and they won anyway. And it's like, Oh, well then does this even matter um so if this is going to continue you know address it because the whole idea of like oh my knee hurts i'm not going to do this today i don't think that flies buddy wow first off just just this is the biggest this is

the biggest curveball i've seen in the history i didn't i frankly frankly didn't see this curveball coming um good that's i'm always trying to keep you on your toes yeah well you i didn't i frankly frankly didn't see this curveball coming um good that's i'm always trying to keep you on your toes yeah well you usually don't i usually see where you're going um this is blasphemy i gotta be honest like you know and i listen you back me into a corner i'm gonna start you know throwing out haymakers what exactly have you done for this baseball team pal i don't see you I don't see you putting anything on the line other than your face with Miller Lite and maybe Zoe

drinking at the age of three. I put my daughter out there for the world for this baseball team, okay? I got hate tweets from people, all right? For this baseball team. That's not just putting me out there. It's putting my daughter out there, all right? I was willing For this baseball team. Good people. That's not just putting me out there.

It's putting my daughter out there, all right? I was willing to put my three-and-a-half-year-old out in the world for this, Jack. Listen, man. Running. First off, I did run the five yesterday. Chogging around the block a couple times. Big deal.

No crap your knee doesn't hurt. You don't even move. Like, I ran five miles yesterday. I took off Saturday because I'm not tearing my knee apart. Well, I did say I would die for this baseball team, so I guess a knee is a different... You did. I guess it's not as important as dying. He kind of takes that

statement and really takes the shoes out of it. Are you saying you don't think it was a factual statement that I would die for this baseball team? I'm not saying anything. Are you using the F word? You said you would die for this baseball team? I'm not saying anything. You said you would die for this team and then your knee hurt a little bit and you quit. I don't know. A little bit. I was struggling to

walk down the stairs. I'm just trying to take the evidence that's presented to me and come to a fair and equitable decision. I was icing three times a day. I was struggling to go downstairs. I wanted to grid it out for the five miles, which I did do, by the way. I did show it for one four-mile run, which I can now do in my sleep.

All right? Listen, I got back out there for five. I ran four this morning. Seems like the knee is starting to get accustomed to it. I bought new shoes. That's called being invested to the bit. So run for try isn't going anywhere as long as I don't have to run 10 miles i really don't want to do that but listen whatever it takes that's always been my mentality whatever almost almost almost whatever it takes besides me maybe needing a knee replacement but

other than that i'll be out there i don't think it makes me a fraud i think it makes me maybe a little fraudulent, but my knee really hurt. I would have shut it down after one mile, so don't worry about it. Yeah, so listen, I'm sorry that I let you down, and apparently all Philly's nation, High Hopes Podcast nation, that's on me, Donovan Chesspat, but it seems like the knee is bouncing back. It definitely was not ready to run that nine miles. You know, that's on me. Donovan Chesspat, but it seems like the knee is bouncing back. It definitely was not ready to run that nine miles. You know, that's a fact.

So sorry to the body. And I hope that one day, James, hmm, well, you'll probably be dead. But I hope that one day when I'm at this rate, you're out aging me. Like in 10 years, you're going to be 55 and i'm gonna be 45 i didn't know what's gonna happen that's what's gonna happen all i'm saying is that one day i hope that we're looking back and i hope that you are willing to pay for my knee replacement after all the work that i did in my in my late 20s so man you know what jack i'm yeah this is me in in 40 years yeah jack i just gotta say man you I'm going to pay for this knee replacement

because you running them to those 83, 84 win seasons, man, that was special stuff for us. Thank you. Wow. It's pretty incredible that you're doubting the Phils and Rob Thompson. All right. Next thing on the list. You don't believe in the Phillies is basically what that last statement would suggest. It was more of a, I just don't want to shout at you but let's go with that um next one it's funny because you brought

it up and i do appreciate it i like you so kind of reminds me of like woe john draft night you know when they wouldn't let him tweet out the pics and you'd be like you know uh the kings are smitten with marcus morris or whatever you know mean? Like you would find different ways to say it. I feel like that's you with the feels like a lost bit now, like trying to find my screenshot in one. You took screenshots? Oh, yeah. Of course.

I prepare for this podcast, Jack Fritz. Yeah. You think I just come in and just, you know, mess around and don't say, okay. No, that's what people suggested to me though. Yeah, but it's pretty good. I like it. Here, where's the one?

Oh, I have a very hard time seeing the Phillies winning this game. Like, I just love it. I love it. I love that you're expanding. I love that you're woe-drafying. I love everything about this whole thing. Yeah, yeah. It's really been a lot of work.

Because I felt like people were it's effort well here's the thing is that i am i think you know this about me right where i am a guy where if people really don't like i i'll i'll i'll adjust quickly if people don't like something or if i'm doing something wrong because like you know i i i like to to be one that pleases the audience or or is it it's a good friend with people and there's a lot of people that truly love feels like a loss but there was a lot of people because it was a you know a downer of a year so far until rob thompson took over they were like yeah it's just a little old and the last thing i want to do james is be old you know i don't want to be yeah well i don't want to be uh not fresh last thing I want to do, James, is be old. You know, I don't want to be... Well, I

don't want to be not fresh. I want to keep people on their toes. But I also still have to tell people, because sometimes I do feel like losses. And I really did think they had a hard time winning that game on Friday night. And thankfully, they came back and won. So,

I think it feels like a loss is just going through a bit of a transition period right now. We're trying to figure out which way we want to go uh my team is currently working on it so um uh we'll figure it out but yeah i'm finding new and creative ways to still keep the bit a little bit alive but also keeping it fresh enough to where hopefully it's keeping people on their toes i appreciate it i really do i just appreciate that you've noticed, you know? Yeah. Oh, I noticed. I took screenshots.

All right. Now from, you know, compliment, I guess. I got to rip you. I'm sorry to do it. What is going on in this podcast? If the shoe were on the other foot, I think everyone listening to this pod knows that you would come down like a hammer on me.

If this were me, I was listening to you do leading off. I just got to say it. You called Jaro Munoz or Jairo Munoz, if you're going to listen to Scott Gransky, which I like to do. You called him Yadiel Munoz on leading off. I heard it on WIP. You called him Yadiel Munoz on leading off. I heard it on WIP. You called him Yadiel Munoz. And I can't let it slide. I got to call you out.

You did that the same. I know. My good pal Jake Diaz is going to be very disappointed in me. But here's the thing. Now, I need you to go in my head for a little bit because you're the only one well you're the only one on this podcast who also does what i do which is sometimes host on wip you are the only person on this podcast you're the only person on this podcast and just stop there and that would have been true as well um but what happened was is that i came back from break and I was like, oh bleep, I have like four minutes to the speed through this.

So like, I like kind of went through the Nationals lineup at a slower pace. Which was a weird, which was a weird decision to begin with, because you might be the only person who reads the opposing lineup on leading off too. So it's good work by you. Well, Julio does. Julio mostly does. So maybe I took it from him. I'd never do.

Well, and I like, I like doing it because that way I can kind of talk crap about other players real quick. You know? And how bad they are. So yeah. So I read their lineup. Obviously Yadiel Hernandez was in the Nationals lineup. And then like I'm going through the Phillies lineup

in like legitimately a minute before I have to hit a hard out. And a hard out means that I can't talk any longer because we're going to be late to Phillies coverage. So I was speeding through it, and I got to Jairo Munoz. And I knew when I was like, I didn't have time to go back and correct it. So I was speeding through, looking at the clock, also looking at the lineup, and I slipped out Jairo Munoz.

But now after have to reset two homers i'm all aboard the muñoz train so uh i'm glad i'm glad that you picked up on it and i'm glad i was able to address the allegations on this podcast yeah i mean we got to keep each other accountable right i mean that that's really kind of been the theme of this whole thing um all right um anything else i got the you got anything else now that i got the important stuff out of the way aka the fritz stuff in my notes no not really no a couple couple philly's things and we'll get to your take back and all that um honestly it is funny because i don't have a ton different to say from the last time we talked like they really went to washington

just handle business like we asked them to like we expect them to and. And they took four or five, which is what we wanted. So I don't really have a ton different from the last time we spoke. But a couple things I want to throw at you. We joked. Joked is a strong word. We kind of joked, but also there was a tinge of truth to it as well. But I am at this point point are you at this point i am officially playing garrett stubbs more if i'm the philadelphia philly it's like i'm sorry like especially because

he's played jt way more than gerardi did it's like jt every freaking day like i'm i'm forcing stubs in the lineup a couple days a week i'm giving jt some time off like this dude is lost jack i can't watch this guy play every day like it's true i trade him for a bag of balls right is the carrie leitenberg package still around because i would do it that's where i'm at with jt yeah and like by by playing styles more obviously if garrett stiles played every day he would probably get exposed i mean he would get exposed which is which is perfectly fine um and that's what backup catchers traditionally do i guess guess my thing with JT is like, you got to get him off his feet. He's played the most innings of any catcher in baseball.

Again, because I need him to just be a little bit tired rather than what I fear in the back of my head is that this guy's not a good player anymore. Like, I know he can still do some things behind the plate, still has good pop times. I don't love the way he calls games. I don't love the way that he receives back there. Like his receiving, he's, he's stabbing at the baseball. Like what are we doing? Um, and then the plate, it's just, I, I know the stats not accurate, but I'm pretty sure he's grounded into a hundred double plays this year.

And they, Oh, I think it's more than that. I think it's like 132, if I'm not mistaken, it's more than that i think it's like 132 if i'm not mistaken it's somewhere in that range and they always seem like they're in big spots like he always comes up loaded every time it's like how does this keep happening so by playing stubs more the idea would be that that jt can just get off his feet and you just you hope that that gets him going a little bit and he was just a bit tired because the worst case scenario is that this guy's done and you have to pay three more years after this of a JT contract.

I mean, he can't drive the baseball right now. Every pop-up's like a week pop-up. I think he's barreled seven baseballs in the entire year this year. Like seven. Seven times he's squared the ball up. So it's frustrating. It's frustrating that it seems like he's always coming up in big spots. The thing that I keep trying to remind myself is like, because I keep seeing him in like the five, six hole, whatever,

like if Bryce is out, whatever, is that you've got to just put him there with the hope that he can eventually get it going. But I just don't know how much longer they can do it, especially because Stubbs is doing a good job. He's working good at bats. I like the way he calls the game a lot. Seems to bring a good energy.

And right now, he just can't keep coming up with these bases loaded situations and coming up small. It is dreadful. So I hope that i'm with you i'm i'm playing garrett stubbs more i mean if there's six games in a week stubbs should start at least two at this point um and and you just hope that getting jt off his feet gets a little bit of that power back and you can start seeing the player that we saw the last couple years like i i just because i i can't live in the reality that he might be done but that i i can't lie to you and say that thought

hasn't crept into my head yeah and and like i said i'm fully there man i mean stubs gives him a spark jt looks lackadaisical at times to your point you know the the the lack of offense has been has been super concerning considering the contract but to to what you were just talking about like the stabbing at balls like the defensive stuff i mean if nothing else forgetting how he calls a baseball game which you know is a discussion we've had on this pod many times over the jt years here but outside of that like we always felt great about all the other stuff right like blocking the ball the ball, the throw, like, you know, his ability to get it out quick, like all that type of stuff. It was like, oh, this guy's great at this stuff. And he has looked average to below average this year, Jack. Like he looks like he's not even

paying attention sometimes when the ball's going by him. Like, and he's doing the one leg thing. And like, he's not quick enough to get to the balls. Like he's stabbing at him. He's not getting his body behind them. Like that, that is what worries me the most about the jt thing like the bat is an issue and i'm very concerned about it but if he's not even going to be a good defensive catcher for you then like then it's a a real disaster well it's not even about whether or not he's a top three catcher in baseball like that's fine but that fine, but that's not an accomplishment. There's not many great catchers in baseball. You paid him to be a super difference maker.

Yeah, he should be won by a mile. He should be the best catcher in baseball easily. Right, and that's why it's so annoying when we hear stuff about his catcher war or whatever. It's like, that's fine. I understand he's like two or three, but you're paying him to be more than that. You're paying him to be a different maker. And you also paid him with the thought that DH

is coming to the NL and that he can play first base in a couple years, which like I would like a first baseman not to have, what does he have, three home runs right now? He's a disaster at first base. Like you cannot be a first baseman.

He can't be a first okay but that's fine like you're gonna have a first baseman with a 700 ops what right or a dh like either or either or i mean he's a he's a he's a middle infielder with his bat yeah or or or a three million dollar a year catcher like moving back to shortstop can he still play shortstop maybe he could be valuable again his best trade right now is base running yes how how i almost heard how bleeped up is that jack how bleeped up is that yeah well 23 million dollars a year for this guy yeah he's a good base runner yeah yeah so we'll see i mean again well i just i i can't i can't live in the reality that he's completely done like i just can't i i

he's too he's being paid too much money to to for me to start thinking about the next three years um or thinking about trading with the deadline. So I don't know. It's just a really tough spot to be in, but they need Gareth Subbs to play more at this time, for sure. Yeah, without a doubt. All right. What's it out to you?

Obviously, there haven't been a ton of games since we last talked, but from a pitching perspective, not much to say about Nolan Wheeler. We talked last time about Nolan. He's just back. Dude's back. September looms. We get it. he needs to be good in september but nola's back wheeler's awesome um efflin you know the injury combined with the bad outing the ranger falter game you know we could be seeing more of falter if rain if efflin has to miss some time where you at with those guys in that situation well it's hard not to be concerned about efflin

um and this this has been the thing the last those guys in that situation? Well, it's hard not to be concerned about Eflin. And this has been the thing in the last couple years of them, where it's like, yeah, put together these good starts. You're like, finally, the Zach Eflin year will happen. And then something happens with the knee, and it's like, well, then it's all derailed. So the fact that the plan yesterday was for him to only go three innings was very concerning. You know, the all-star break is obviously coming up soon. That's good good it's just you know well what happens post all-star break you know he keeps

saying he can make these starts and and good because we need him to make starts but like for a guy when when he starts talking about knees and there he has to miss starts because of knees that's where it gets concerning because it's been what four straight years of this where where he he's missing time due to a knee injury the heavy body thing um and it just it's it comes back to the point of of reliability and that's always kind of been the thing with eflin so you know you hope that it's not too bad you hope that he can can kind of bounce back and make starts but I just don't know how long that's going to take. Is he going to have to miss time with us? Is he going to have to miss starts?

Is he going to have to, you know, go on the IL? I don't know. But the fact that the plan yesterday was him to only go three innings, that's really, really concerning. So,

and he didn't even pitch well in those three innings. So yeah, that's, that's a concern. I would, I'm interested to see more falter i mean i know he hasn't been great but i still believe in him to to an extent but you know between between efflin and ranger i'm just like i'm at the point now where i think they

need to trade for a starter more than a reliever at the deadline uh like i think i think it's i think it's that important um because i just i kind of feel like it's teetering on on possible meltdown city soon because after falter i'm not sure who starts games you know i think i think sanchez could pitch uh you know could start but that's still only like four innings um so i think that's going to be the big question we're going to have for the next month leading into the trade deadline is do you want to start start do you want to relieve her and i for a while i was i mean honestly if you can get both in a trade like they did last year yeah exactly gibson and kennedy like may intrigue trevino has been a disaster this year but um like a like a frankie

montas and age reliever uh trade like that makes some sense like obviously knocking out two birds with one stone it would be great but if you can go get another i would say at least a number three starter i just think that that would be a a bigger deal for this team right now than another bullpen option even though i think they need both yeah look i think there's a big argument that you can make for that um and again you know look i think especially with how this team is set up right now where you know if you are talking about a playoff series and obviously they have to get there but you know assuming nola doesn't you know forget how to pitch in september which is concerned until it doesn't happen you know wheeler nola are you can put those against any two in the national league legitimately you know you really can you, they might not be better than any two in the National League,

but they're certainly competitive with any two. They can win you a three-game series. That's my point. That's my point. And if, you know, if you have a third guy who's like a, you know, Frankie Montaz type guy, you know, that type of example you just used, someone who's that good, I mean, you're talking about being able to convene any series, you know,

with three guys who can take the hill and win a, win a playoff game as a starter, you know, whereas right now Eflin, you know, has really nice outings and there's upside and we like it, but nowhere close to consistency, nowhere close to somebody who would feel great starting game three. And then obviously give me a Ranger. You don't feel great starting game three. So yeah, I definitely feel that. Yeah.

And traditionally this has been Dombrowski's MO. I mean, he has struggled to build bullpens in the past. It's always been. I mean, even his most recent example in 2018. I mean, Chris Sale was pitching out of the bullpen. Evaldi was pitching out of the bullpen. They had to use almost all their starters to come out of the bullpen. But what they had was really good top-end starters.

I mean, we know the 2014 tigers rotation had five cy young winners on it like he seems like he's always in the market of going out and getting more starting pitching and and the more this season goes on you know i think i think brogdon is is definitely more on his way being back than not so that gives you a good back end of the bullpen option sir anthony is disgusting. I mean, just, you know, it's ridiculous at this point. But then, you know, you're getting Coonrod back. Hopefully he can get back to the form last

year. We'll see what Jojo Romero has this year. But at least they have more options, I think, at the back end of the pen than really the starters. Because after Falter, I'm not really sure who it is. And by saying that, it means that they don't really have any. I think it's Christopher Sanchez.

I'm with you. And that's a problem. It's openers. It's openers. It's Christopher Sanchez and openers. Yeah, and that's just... For teams like the Rays, I think they can make it work. I don't think this Phillies team is ready for that kind of move yet.

No, no, no, no. I mean, we basically just saw it in the Eflin game. Like, that's what this bullpen, what an opener game looks like. Yeah, yeah. Not good enough. Not great. All right. Obviously, the bullpen, there's a lot to talk about there.

Just general, I mean, I don't know really what there is to say since the last time we spoke, but your thoughts on the pen pen i think the biggest thing in the bullpen right now is seems like topper is is is gonna go with hand as the closer for the time being and it's just like like why like the the the set like saturday night was the perfect example you know like hand pitches the ninth lets up a run whatever sir anthony has to come in in a 10th with with with a runner on second and no outs because of the the extra inning rule and just gets the job done like i listen i i know the value that strengthening brains in the sixth seventh eighth and and being able to shut down important parts of the lineup actually agreed with Tomper on Friday in game one

when it was Sir Anthony in the eighth and hand in the ninth because Sir Anthony was going through the only part of the lineup that was going to kill you. It was Cruz, Bell, and whoever. Do you think any of it had to do with Soto leading off the inning? You know, lefty-lefty thing. Yeah, I mean, I'm sure that. Because, I mean, Bell's a switch hitter, Cruz, so you're basically saying rather the lefty

versus Soto than the righty versus Cruz, essentially. Well, I think Cruz let off the eighth. I think Cruz let off the eighth with Sir Anthony, and then all Hayden had to do was take care of 7-8-9 in Game 1 on Friday. So, like... Oh, I'm talking about the Saturday game. Oh, no, no.

I was talking about Friday. No, I was talking about Friday, where oh no no yeah i was talking about you're talking about no i was talking about friday where i agreed with him in game one of of using strength okay but i'm talking about for the saturday game the reason he used hand instead of sir anthony could have been that it was so deleting off the inning yeah it was so so no cruise bell to lead off that inning as well yeah definitely could have been i i see that it's just like i just feel like we're wasting our time you know i just feel like we're wasting our time. You know, I just feel like we're wasting our time.

Yeah. And whether it's a month, you know, the trade deadline is about a month away. Just give it to Sir Anthony for the next month. Let me just make sure the nine's locked down

and you hope that the innings before that, they can get the ball to him. But I just, I can't keep having to sweat through ninth innings with guys who I don't think are capable of getting the job done. And then listen, a month from now, maybe

it's a different story. Maybe Scott Barlow is a Philly. And maybe we have more back-end options to where we don't have to use Saranthi as a closer. But for right now, you just gotta do it. I know the value he brings in fireman roles and whatever. But we just gotta knock this out.

I need it to be knocked out. Yeah. I couldn't agree more. All right. What else? Yeah. Take back. Uh,

did it, did it not feel like the old days, James of, of CVP South, uh, you know, a Thursday with the Wheeler game, 10,

one, just, just crush the knack. It's two homers. Like it really did cesar hernandez michael franco out there playing i mean come on yeah shout out to cesar and ending two games roger dorton style yeah and it was the last uh the last out of two games so did not come back and kill the phillies shout out to cesar a true phil at heart so it really did feel like the old days and it felt like they were

going down there and they were going to crush the Nats and we don't have to worry about them anymore. Saturday was different because it was Ryan Zimmerman day, but whatever. It was a nice old feeling of having CBP South back for a little bit there. Yeah, it really was. And for what

it's worth, the Phillies have played well there last year. We started to get those vibes back, but I'm so with you. And for what it's worth, the Phillies have played well there last year. We started to get those vibes back. But I'm so with you. And Harper, I will never get tired of Harper having big moments in Washington. It just makes me happy every time. And I'm glad he's added the Steph Curry night-night to the rotation of his celebrations. And what a big spot. Again, we talk about baseball players and how it's,

they don't really have an, uh, uh, impact on, on every single game. And the like baseball players is the one sport where it's like the best player in baseball. Like Mike Trout can be on a losing team.

That guy has had more big hits to kind of disprove that theory in the last two years than I can ever remember. So, um, just another massive moment on, on, on Friday night. And hopefully this whole blister issue gets cleared up and we can get the last two years than i can ever remember so um just another massive moment on on on friday night and hopefully this whole blister issue gets cleared up and we can get him back in the lineup

because it's just it's not the same when he's not out there sounds yeah dude you can it just you could feel it and it's i mean he's about like 323 or whatever yeah get back out there with you need it but but but but i will say when he was out of the lineup before we heard it was the blister i was definitely way more nervous i was like god bless what's happened yeah they happen all the time in baseball so you know he's definitely got it by being in the cage too much you know take a chill pill bryce take a chill pill yeah buddy um did you have any idea that the the the fills are third in baseball on runs. No, I didn't. I would have assumed they were higher than people would think,

but I probably would not have gone as high as three. Yeah, third in baseball on runs. And it seems like the offense has been pretty consistent the last little bit here. I think they struggled a little bit Saturday and Sunday. And I think a lot of that also, you're missing the best hitter in the sport. So I kind of get it.

But yeah, I saw that today. Cause the Mets are number one in runs, which is kind of shocking given that there's, they're hitting in a more old school way, but the fact that the Phil's are third in baseball runs, I think they're going to be on track. It should be on track to, to get over 800 runs for the first time since the heyday.

So third in baseball runs for our baseball team. How about it, buddy? Do you might not know this jack the point of the game score runs so and in order in order to win games you have to score more runs than the other team right then yeah so you want to score runs and you want to stop the other team from scoring when it's the whole game when it's it when was the last time you saw the Phillies having designed outfits before getting on the plane?

Oh, buddy, never. Like literally. I mean, go on. A decade, maybe? I mean, it was such a like this team is starting to get it. They're like a team? Like a team? Like they actually, I don't know, enjoy each

other and do things together. Yeah, Jack. It took a while, but good to see. Shout out to Rob Thompson for being made fun of by wearing that top hat. I'm sure the players thought it was almost like a fedora.

It's great. I'm sure the players made fun of him and they all got a good laugh, and that just lightens the mood. So I think that stuff's important. Like, in all seriousness, I think that stuff's important. Is it something that they hadn't done in years past? I don't think. I don't remember.

So good for them. You know, like, this is what it takes to win in baseball, given how much of a grind it is, how long of a season it is. That kind of stuff matters. I believe that to my core. So I was actually really happy to see them dress up a little bit, take a photo, look like a family. Good to see.

Yeah, dude. You know that this is wheelhouse stuff. I love that stuff. I know. How about Dusty Wathen? Knowing the rules so well. Baseball genius, Dusty Wathen? Knowing the rules so well. Baseball genius, Dusty Wathen? Is that what we're talking about?

I will say, it seems like a lot to fit into a millisecond decision. Like, apparently he said, like, keep going. I know you're going to be out, but keep going. That seems like, you know, it seems like a lot. He knew he was going to be out, but the run would count. He knew it the whole time. That's why I sent him. It's like, ah, did he? Yeah. Maybe he thought, oh, maybe we can get an

obstruction call here. I'm going to take a risk. Maybe. Either way. Dusty Watson. Shout out to Dusty. For knowing the rules. Let him have a shine, right? Let him have a shine. Agreed. Everyone's favorite center fielder, Oduble, back to batting 205 this month. So, you know, he was

a classic Oduble hot streak for a little bit. Everyone's all, look, center fielder, yada, yada, yada. Has this ever happened before or no? It's almost like it's happened every year besides the All-Star year. So, center field back to being a bit of a question mark.

No Machado this week is a big break for the Phils in the Padres series. Twisted his ankle yesterday, so they'll be out Tatis and Machado here for a little bit. The Padres have played good baseball this year, but no Machado should give them a bit of a good chance heading into that series. He's been like a MVP-ish type player this year. He's been awesome. but no Machado should give them a bit of a, you know, a good chance heading into that series. Uh, he's been like a MVP ish type play. He's been awesome. Him and Goldschmidt are the only two in baseball ahead of Bryce for average, I think.

So if Bryce wants the triple crown, maybe it's a time for time to go for it. James, do you know what we did to Josh Bell for, for him to, for him to just, I don't get it. Like, what did we do to josh bell for him to for him to just like i just i don't get it like what did we do to josh bell i think what happened was kurt suzuki before the game walked in the locker room and handed him the imaginary mystical phillies killer outfit and said here sir i'm passing this

on to you this is yours now and then josh bell just went out and did his thing i mean it was ridiculous every time i turned around it's's like, oh, Josh Bell. He's the only guy. I think their first five runs of the series were all him. Yeah, and shout out to the Phils. This usually never happens, but they waited until Sunday to let Juan Soto heat up. I mean, there's been series this year

where Freddie Freeman looked human, Mike Trout looked human, and Juan Soto looked human against the Phillies, which is a wild turn of events. It's a great point. It really has been shocking. We can't figure out Josh Bell. That seems like a problem.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you trust this Didi thing at the plate? I mean, he looks really at the plate? No, like a 3 or something. I trust it a little bit you know but like the thing that it look i like seeing it it's nice but i mean he's not he's not like it's like he's a different hitter than he used to be it's like all of a sudden he's like an average

guy there's zero power so i don't really know what to trust you know it's it's not it's not a type of hitter he's been before jack yeah i will say it seems like more hard contact i like that he's thinking the other way it is so weird he hasn't had a homer but like being a dead being a dead pull hitter is not good for for for most baseball no no no it's not it's not especially if the power isn't there to get it out like if he you know if power has been sapped maybe because of the TJ surgery, if he doesn't have that same power, it's very smart of him to adjust as a hitter. I just have never seen Didi hit like

this for an extended period of time. Let's put it this way. When Didi comes to the plate, I'm not super confident. I'm more confident than I was to start the season, but I don't have confidence when he steps up. I would like to go on the record,

and I don't know what he's going to be, but I am very intrigued by the Michael Kelly slider. I mean, that pitch is disgusting. I did not see this coming. It's a nasty pitch. I think it's over 3,000 RPMs on a spin rate, so I think that's... over 3,000 RPMs on a spin rate, so I think that's... Oh!

Over 3,000 RPMs! That's right! That's right! I don't think he knows where it's going, but if he can get it over the plate, it might be a little something. Might be getting a little Michael Kelly run here. Yeah, well, I will say, you know me, Jack,

Mr. Luke Williams guy and all that. What a story. I mean, it's will say you know me jack mr luke williams guy and all that what a story i mean it's just you know it's why we watch sports oh it's awesome this guy toiled man he toiled jack fritz he toiled for a decade almost a decade of el paso and sugar land and out west and back east into the south and this and that. Then he finally gets a shot in the majors with his family in the stands. He pitches a clean inning. Come on, man. Wow.

You have to have a heart not to love that. You have to not have a heart not to love that stuff. Are you starting to tear up? A little bit. Yeah, I can feel it. I can feel the tears coming. I would have thought this is the kind of stuff that you as a guy, like I was much younger than you when I realized, oh, I'm not going to play a major league baseball. That was a fun dream while I had it.

I'm better than these kids. I'm not that good. So that's never going to happen. Like for you, it went, some would say, way, way, way too long. So like you would think that you would be the one sitting here looking at michael kelly and saying man how cool is that but instead i'm the one doing it and you're the one just jealous of michael kelly that it's not you that's what happened isn't it well always uh i will say though i do have an email from a cub scout saying that he wanted to talk to me so

listen oh my god come on could have been on what are we doing what are we doing here listen you know michael kelly what is you know as well as i do that teams are lining up for 82 on the black you know 82 miles an hour outside corner they're beating the door down beating it down yeah they need that guy need need that guy. Yeah, and honestly, when you're talking about Michael Kelly, the thing I kept coming back to is, could he be this version of Chris Coast? Oh, buddy. Oh, Phils.

They know how to find the old guys with the great stories. The 33-year-old rookie, maybe this version of michael kelly james are you still there yeah where would i have gone are you ready for something i guess so are you ready all right james i would just like to say red sox pitchers in the last 50 years with 60 plus. Oh, brother. 60 plus innings pitched, 60 plus strikeouts, and a 177 ERA or less in a nine start span are Pedro Martinez, Nick Pavetta, Roger Clemens, Chris Sale, John Lester,

and Nick Pavetta. Nick Pavetta. Is there anything you'd like to say to me? Yeah, you gave up on him. All right yeah you gave up on him all right you gave up there is no proof of that there is you were out you were happy he was traded none of this history that's all i'm saying it feels good being dead right about nick Pavetta. Yet again, Schwarber, heating up, your guy Castellanos, not Pavetta. Pavetta.

That was curtsy right there. I came really close to that. You could almost hear me say the first word. It was very close. Pavetta, back. Are we done? Are we done yet? Is this the end of it? Is this the end of your funny little take back? Nick Pavetta.

No, but like really, just say it. Just say it. Just say I was right. Say I was right. I hate you so much. I really do. James, last thing before I let you go. Just say it.

Just say I was right. Last thing before getting out of here and you tell me how right I was about Nick Pavetta, which I will be waiting for. Are you ready for draft season? We got a month. We got a month and things are heating up over here. I can't wait. I really can't.

I need it to happen tomorrow. The problem is, is like much like how right I was about Pavetta and Schwarber and how wrong you were about Cassianos is that is that all the guys that I had locked in for 17, they were going to be there simply are playing too good a baseball. And now we're going to go before a number 17.

So I got, I know I got to redo my big, big board a little bit. Got to, got to re you know, reconfigure it and come up with more names that I really want at 17. But it really hurts that Cam Collier had to be so good that he's probably going top 12 when he should have been there at 17. It's okay. They're going to get a good player. It's a loaded college bat draft.

There's some interesting prep arms. I don't think they'll go prep arms three years in a row, but whatever. I can't wait. Give me all the power relievers. Give me Ben Joyce, the volunteer fireman from tennessee um i don't know it's gonna be a great time and i can't wait for it we know buddy we know we know all i'll say is if brian brian barber is making the picks i'm good with whatever you're gonna do about that you like that there we go um what else i had something else i was gonna say and then

your your whole draft thing just just totally threw it off i got nothing else good well you do have you do have one thing you need to say um i do oh the yeah such a jerk presented by miller light go by miller light it's awesome i'm drinking one right now it says in the can can, a fine Pilsner beer, which indeed it is. Miller Lite, celebrate responsibly, official partner of the Philadelphia Phillies. Again, check out the contest page at 94wip.com

to try and win those gift cards from the Bars of the Week. We'll have more information on more places coming up and more events coming up. That's all I got, buddy. I had something else and it's it's totally gone you bringing up the draft out of nowhere just totally shook me oh i thought i thought you're very used to bringing up the job honestly it's i i've it feels late normally the draft's like early june

right it's pushed back yeah it's july are you like kind of like shaky because you're you know you're like now you would know you like feel like you should know who the phillies guy is and you don't no i got i got my guy i'm just waiting i'm waiting for uh i gotta just look through the board one more time to make sure i want to lock him in if he's gonna be there so right yes yeah here's the question when you will you run for that like do you have like a set okay i'll give i'll give i'll give four miles to try and get this guy but i'll do i would do five miles for this guy. Have you thought about trying to bribe Brian Barber with running,

if that's a thing? I could probably do it with beer. I'll have five beers if you draft Eric Brown at 17. That sounds a lot less entertaining for everybody else. What if I had five beers and then did a podcast after? Oh, okay. Probably a bad idea. Probably a bad idea.

Better idea is a bad idea. Okay. Oh, it's going to be exciting seeing the Phils play in Texas for the first time in the new stadium. I always like seeing... Yeah, that will be cool. I like seeing the Phils play in new stadiums.

Yeah, sure. I do too. I'm a fan of that. And then always fun to see them in Petco. They've always had, for the most part, pretty good success in Petco historically. That's a big series. Starting in July, we're starting to get to that point where it's like, oh, we're halfway through the season.

How'd that happen? So we're there. This to that point where it's like oh we're halfway through the season how'd that happen you know so we're there this is real buddy a month away from the draft ish and a month away from trade deadline time are you getting final thoughts again it just feels so good being right about Nick

Pavetta say it yeah okay I'll say it alright ready I'll say it alright say it yeah uh okay i'll say it all right ready i'll say i'll say all right all right say it it's gyro muniz not yadiel muniz i just want to make sure that you had that because you know just correcting yep i just want to make sure we get it right yep anything else um if the bed is not bad about that is that all right that's fine he'll be back down to earth soon i'm sure we'll see you later