High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Daryl Morey is Cool, Now Bring Us Erik Neander

Episode Date: October 29, 2020

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz continue to pitch John Middleton on the need to bring Erik Neander to Philadelphia. The guys also talk about the World Series, the Kevin Cash-Blake Snell decision, Rob Manfred's disastrous year, and much more. 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

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fan duel casino where winning is undefeated 19 plus and physically located in ontario gambling problem call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connectsontario.ca please play responsibly this is the high hopes podcast Or visit connectsontario.ca. Please play responsibly. This is the High Hopes Podcast. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies. On radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo! It is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. Let me start off the jump here before we actually talk baseball or whatever.

Apologizing for the science fiasco from the last podcast. As I expected, Jack, as I thought in the moment and should have followed through on, you were missing a key piece of information in describing the law of gravity. As soon as we were done, I go upstairs to Emily and I'm like, so this is what Jack said. It's definitely not right. Right. And she's like, well, in a vacuum it is, but not in like real when there's real conditions outside or anything. And I was like, I knew he was missing something. I knew it wasn't right. Jack, was like, I knew he was missing something.

I knew it wasn't right. Jack, you made us look like fools. Explain yourself. I would just like to say that I feel like this has more to do with me not paying attention in class growing up. I think so too. I was more like a big SparkNotes guy. I could see that, yeah. Yeah, the way that I approached school was just get by, right?

Like just be there, be present, always there. No one was more dependable on being in class than me. But don't expect much once everything started. I was the classic guy in the group projects as a kid where I was like, all right, give it to the nerd and then like let him at the end just say we all chipped in and did work like wasn't my thing uh school so um well it shows pal it shows yeah listen i was i was there for one reason and one reason only to play sports but um i did pick up offhandedly about 9.8 meters per second.

And I would just like everyone out there to know that we're just kind of having some fun. We are. Definitely was not serious. We are very pro-science. Very pro-science. I just thought it was a fun little observation that I had that I never thought made any sense to me. And I figured, you know, if I could share it with one audience, it would be this audience. Like, James, I swear I would be sitting there in class. I was like, dude, that doesn't make any sense.

Like, that doesn't make any sense. So 10 years later, I figured I knew I'd be hosting a Phillies podcast and I would have to bring up the law of gravity being bs so um i don't know i feel like the people listening to this podcast can choose who they want to believe my eye tester albert einstein einstein it wasn't einstein who was it newton man oh sir isaac newton he was a sir he was a sir you are correct so is didi. So is Didi Gregorius. So who's to say which is more impressive? The apple on the head. You know, the story. I don't know.

We should probably move off science again before we go down to bed. All right. We'll get to the Phillies in a sec, but World Series. We haven't really talked much about it last time. Obviously, it was just getting started. But World Series, we haven't really talked much about it last time. Obviously, it was just getting started. But, you know, I think in what was clearly a sham of a season,

a clear asterisk attached to everything that happened, pretty fun World Series. So I was actually expecting to be with you on the asterisk things, but I actually feel like the Dodgers won the World Series. Oh, I don't. I don't. I don't feel like it is a World Series. I feel like it wasgers won the world series oh i don't i don't but i don't feel like it is a world series i feel like it was the 2020 baseball championship but here's the thing is that and it it felt it felt just as real as the other times because they they they threw in that best of three series that that doesn't always have to be thrown in and also it was the it was the

rays versus the dodgers who if you predicted that before the season it to be thrown in and also it was the it was the Rays versus the Dodgers who if you predicted that before the season it'd be like oh that makes sense so like the like the heat Lakers never felt real to me because it was like dude the heat wouldn't really be here if this was a legitimate season but I genuinely felt like Dodgers and the Rays could have been there had they uh had they played 162 i think they might have i think they probably would have those were definitely the two best teams that doesn't mean that it doesn't have an asterisk an asterisk is this season look an asterisk doesn't have to be inherently bad it's not like oh that's not an achievement it's clearly an achievement it just is signifying the fact this was a weird

ridiculous season where they only played 60 games and all kinds of weird, shammy type stuff happened. And that has to be acknowledged when you say Los Angeles Dodgers 2020 World Series champions, quote unquote, like you just have to acknowledge it has to be different. Like again, you can view it whatever, through whatever prism you want. You can say it's exactly the same. It's a totally valid championship and someone else can say eh it was a sham of a season regardless the asterisk has to be there to show that it was not a normal baseball season listen you can say whatever you want all i know is that this is just more of your anti-clayton kershaw propaganda that you are spreading?

Because you like – here's what's so messed up about you. I was happy for Kershaw. No, there's no one that truly – To kind of win a championship is cool. No one likes seeing other people fail quite like you. Oh, yeah, that's my MO. That's me. That's what they call me.

I mean, this is just – if this was this was the raise that one you'd be like oh kevin cash goat oh charlie morton charlie morton better than roy halliday uh like this would this would be your your take but since you just loathe clayton kershaw yes i was rooting for the dodgers but yes i like it yeah no i and it is a shame um i really, dude, I don't know about you, but I was watching the game last night, and I was like, just give me Kershaw. But at the same time, I also couldn't say that without thinking of Grady Little and Pedro Martinez and say,

maybe Kershaw should not come into this game here. Yeah, but, I mean, just so many narratives could have been erased or fueled. Oh, yeah. Look, look, obviously you, the takes man, anyone who enjoys drama in sports wanted Kershaw to be in in that game. But from I mean, like just he could have thrown Urias for another three innings. It felt like like that dude was not getting hit last night, just like most of the yours is nasty he made the right call but i agree with you dave roberts out managing kevin cash how about that who had that on their bingo card i for one did not see that happening all right let's quickly let's talk about because we're i understand where you're coming from the

asterisk thing but i think i look we i i feel i feel regardless i think the bigger story to come out of that the last game was the the obviously the blake snell decision and and and the rebirth of analytics are killing the game jack oh how can we watch it with all these analytics i can't't even see the screen. There's just so many numbers. All right, so what do you think about the decision and then the fallout from the decision? You know what? For such a dead sport, I'm just so surprised so many people are talking about one decision.

Imagine this happening in another sport. Seriously, no one's breaking down whether or not Eric Spolstra made the right lineup change in the finals. Or, like, Frank Vogel, no one even credits him with being able to really win a championship. Like, no one's breaking down what they're doing. Meanwhile, we're having full discourses online about Kevin Cash doing what he's done all year, which is pull guys early and not let stars go deep in games and whatnot. Now, dude, I love a good analytics debate. done all year which is pull guys early and not let stars go deep in games and what not now oh dude i love a good analytics debate and it's like i am generally of the premise that analytics are a

regular season thing to get to the postseason but in the postseason you have to trust what you see a little bit more like you can't do what got you there. Like I just, I don't buy into that when it comes to the postseason because the postseason is just a different animal and him pulling Blake Snell with how well Blake Snell is pitching for Nick Anderson is just absurd. Like Nick Anderson was awful in the postseason and Nick Anderson for the last, like ever since the Rays have acquired him has been the best relief pitcher in the sport.

Like he's been unbelievable. And I get why you would say, all right, Water always finds his level. But, like, let's use a little bit of reasoning here. I mean, he's been dreadful. He's at 73 pitches. Mookie, Springer, and Turner were combined 0 for 6 with 6 Ks. Like, it was a perfect position to just be like, all right, I'm going to trust my guy and let

him ride and i don't care that like his ab like i guess the averages is when he gets over 75 pitches like 300 300 390 1200 ops all that stuff like legit bad numbers but that's not because you don't let him do it ever like blake's as a blake snell fantasy baseball owner i was incredibly frustrated because it was like dude he would he would strike out like nine in four innings and Kevin Cash would be like, all right, no, this is too much. Get him out of there. And it's just so funny that this happened the day before like Cliff Lee's – the Cliff Lee game was on this date in 2009.

And it's like, would Kevin Cash have pulled Cliff Lee? Yes. Yeah. He definitely would have pulled Cliff Lee? Yes. Yeah. He definitely would have. He definitely would have. So it was – and honestly, it's frustrating because – like, listen, I'm a big adapter to iGuy when it comes to analytics and stuff. But there's also that starting pitching guy in me that's like,

man, I just want to see if a starter can do it. And I know it might not work numbers wise and all that stuff, but seeing a starter go like eight innings in a winner, go home game six of the world series, just putting his team on his back. Like that's what aces do. That's what horses do. That's what, that's what top of the rotation talents do. And Blake's nose on pace to do that. And the fact what top of the rotation talents do and blake snow was on pace to do that and the fact that they got ripped from him hurts like it legitimately hurts that's that's baseball like that last night was freaking baseball and i understand everything that went into the decision i just hated it i just flat out hated it and And I don't know. It's the second straight, well,

second ish straight world series where great starting pitching that you rely on and great players have carried you. And it's just, it's just another testament to that. Great starting pitching still matters. And the Dodgers had more of it than the Rays this series. And it's just frustrating. But I get why he did it and whatever. Kevin Cash is still great. I agree Kevin Cash is still great, but I don't excuse this decision. I know there are a million people out there saying,

well, this was their process all season and blah, blah. I get it. But, like, again, to exactly what Jack said you have there these are human beings playing this game you know that's like one of my things but like you have to adapt to the situation you have to be willing to say all right Blake Snell is a Cy Young winning pitcher who is clearly clearly locked the hell in right now. I mean, he was dealing. He was dominant. Like, he looked unhittable, you know, for all intents and purposes.

And you just have to have a feel in some moments. Like, sometimes, sometimes you have to be willing to step away from the numbers and step away from the process and say, it's game six of the freaking World Series. Our season is on the line. It's a one-nothing game, and there is now a runner on first. Do I want my ace, my ace, who is only at 73 pitches, who is as locked in as any pitcher can be on an individual night,

do I want to pull that guy for someone cold out of the bullpen, who hasn't even been good in the playoffs, but someone cold out of the bullpen in this spot, or do I want to let this dude battle this out? It just was such a no-brainer to me. And look, sometimes there can be the situation where a vast majority of people think something's the right thing and it might be the wrong thing. In this case, literally everyone on the planet, everyone who's ever watched baseball before everyone on Twitter. Like everyone knew it was a mistake.

Like we all were like, well, that's a bad decision. Like I texted you in the moment. I texted you the moment it happened. I was like, well, pulling Snell's a decision. Like, and like, and I knew were like, it's what they've done all year. And you were like, but I hate it too. Like, but it's like, we knew it. Everybody knew it.

Everybody knew it in the moment. And yet might not have backfired. You have process over results, all that. But like sometimes, to your point, in big situations, particularly in the playoffs, you need to be willing to trust your eyes, trust your guys, trust the moment. And I think Kevin Cash really deserves to be crushed for it. And it's the whole organization. I think the whole organization deserves it because it's not just a Kevin Cash decision obviously that is a a formula they use

but ultimately in the moment Kevin Cash is a a manager of the year world series manager he has to make that call in the moment and I think he blew it I really do I know what their process is sometimes you gotta make the call and I think you made the wrong call and Jack to your point I agree with the analytics I sent you this quote too but it's uh like I can't read the wrong call. And Jack, to your point, I agree with the analytics. I sent you this quote too, but it's like, I can't read the actual phrasing of the quote on here because it's pretty expletive laden. But Billy Bean, basically the famous quote is one of my brother's favorite quotes.

He loves to send it to me when this kind of stuff happens is basically like, look, my job is to get my team to the playoffs. That's what analytics do. After that, it's luck. Like, and it's much more expletive laden than that but he's not wrong jack no he's not i mean and that's kind of that's kind of where that's kind of how i feel about um a lot of regular season baseball like sure over 162 going for the home run going for the beginning all that stuff is going to work out and

and you know not having your starter stretched out and using your bullpen and all that stuff like that that wins regular season games but what separates great teams from from good teams is the ability in the postseason to find the right matchups and uh trust your guys and trust what you're seeing and all that stuff so um i tell you what there's nothing that I love more than like just second guessing managerial decisions. Like it was the one last night, obviously, with with Kevin Cash the year before his hinge. I mean, Hinch not bringing in Garrett, not bringing Garrett Cole. Oh, my God. It's just so and I think that's what makes baseball so awesome is like it has these moments, these moments. Yeah. And it's one of those things

where you can see it coming it's like is he gonna go to him is he not gonna go to him or like what are you doing you gotta go to him and it's like a it's like an avalanche almost where it's just like you you see it coming he makes a decision everyone's second guessing it you know and it's it's like i feel like there's more people at home that are watching that understand the processes of baseball more than almost any other sport like football no one really knows anything about football like we act like we know football like no one really knows anything about football it's a stick y2 route jack oh gotta fill the a-gap it's like what the hell is an A-gap?

Like, shut up. I know what an A-gap is, but yes, I wouldn't. I know what an A-gap is, too, but it's just like, shut up. Yes, I know. Everyone watching football is just watching the quarterback. Like, that's all watching football is. It's just, is the quarterback playing well? Cool. Very with you, Jack.

Very with you. It's a good take. Right. Right. So, like, no one knows anything about football. Basketball, no. No one knows anything about basketball. I mean, you can kind of understand and watch what's going on but no one like understands the nuances and hockey like dude no one knows anything about

hockey it's like is the puck in the net cool i'm happy you know like seriously no one knows that no one knows there's i can't honestly there's no strategy in hockey i'm convinced there's no strategy in hockey it's like it's it's a sport. I mean, that's why it's always so frustrating to, to watch, but I love that phrase. I've never heard that. It's a gym class sport. Is it really, that's a great way to describe it. I love that. Um, but baseball is like the one sport where I feel like anyone at their home can be sitting there and watch it and pretty much understand what's going on. You know, it's not that hard hard to it's not a hard game to really break down catch it throw it hit it like it's ultimately that's what it is and i feel like everyone no matter how little how much you played was watching kevin cash last night

and like just wondering what he was doing and what his thought process was and how to how to take on it you know i mean it felt just like Britain back in, what was that, 2012, 2013, when Showalter freaking just let Britain sit in the bullpen and brought in Ubaldo. For sure. That was the year Britain hadn't won a save that year. I think that was that year, right? And it's just like that's what makes the sport so great. Breaking down managerial decisions, like getting mad at managers,

and like it's just it's just such a such a perfect sport is it is truly great and that's what's so frustrating it's like now you know maybe maybe people wouldn't view baseball as such a dead sport if the people that covered baseball and talked about baseball primarily didn't just crap on it all the time like if you look at the ratings obviously they're down from years past and and in most cases and it's every sport is down uh except for football because football is a machine but the pandemic is skilled has killed you know sports viewing but it's still it's still odd drew the nba finals and all that like it's still a really popular sport and it's a popular sport in individual cities whereas like people care more about their local baseball team than you know the local basketball or hockey team in most cases

and it just bothers me that you know you have a decision like last night like whether or not you agree with analytics or not it's like you gotta just destroy the whole thing because because it's not played the exact way that you grew up watching it and playing it like what about the generations under under you right like i grew up watching the sport now like i know i know what's going on and i don't actively root against it you know so i don't know i don't think it would be viewed as like such a dead dying sport if the old people that are paid big money to talk about it and tweet about it and write about it didn't just constantly complain about, oh, it's so unwatchable now. It's like just because the game has changed doesn't mean that it's unwatchable. Every sport has changed. Like it's just a sport.

It's just a sport. Like calm down. But that's my mini rant. Yeah, it's just a sport like calm down but that's my mini rant yeah it's a great rant i mean look the one of the two guys calling the world series doesn't sound like he likes the sport like that much when he's watching it and he played it like john smoltz is like a a bummer to watch as he's ripping shifts and this and that like he's just not a lot of fun to watch it doesn't sound like he really loves baseball when he's talking about it. I'm with you on that point across the board. And again, look, don't blame analytics. Like,

blame the people implementing analytics. Blame the people who, you know, and look, we've talked about this before. This is not new for us that, you know, look, we understand, and I think agree that the home run walk strike out of it all is certainly not good for baseball from a fun watching the game perspective. We are both proponents of it all is, is certainly not good for baseball from a fun watching the game perspective. We are both proponents of, you know, seeing more playoff baseball all year round, that type of baseball. But I mean, to, to just whenever one of these types of things happens, it's always like, Oh, analytics is ruining the sport. Well, actually last night analytics was the reason that game was so compelling. How about that? Like the reason that that game was so compelling was because analytics

led to a decision that was so wildly reviled and disagreed with and ultimately blew up in their face that it gave us this thing to talk about and this thing to argue about and this thing to discuss and allow people to defend the analytics of it and all that. Like, I don't understand what, why people hate it so much. Again, if you want to make the argument that it's the home run strikeout, like as we've talked about, like that's a different argument. But in terms of like what we saw last night,

like analytics actually made that game more fun. It did make it more fun and it made people furious, which is why I love it so much. I just... Well, one thing too that I've noticed that I love that you do, and you did it in a very passionate rant there, but you did it earlier in the podcast, and I wrote down a note to bring it back up,

and then you just did it again, and then you did it in a very subtle way before too, is that you are like the baseball's champion. Like you find ways to bring up the ratings and who it's beating. You always take a big affront when people say it's dying. You know, if there's a dying sport. And then you come back here with this rant about, you know, I just, I think, I don't think you get enough credit, Jack, as baseball's champion.

Like the true fighter for baseball because all i get told all the time is how like oh who even cares about the world series it's like dude a lot of people care about the world series joe to camera um just because you don't care about the world series doesn't mean that everyone doesn't care about the world series but like it just it just bothers me how it's talked about and the general discourse about baseball it's like there's everyone's just so miserable all the time and like instead of being miserable how about you figure out why they're doing it and the thought process behind it it's like yeah i i am very pro human and and believe me i like watching starters go deep in games and all that stuff but like how about instead of it always having to be like a analytics bad dude like why can't it just be like

oh okay i see his thought process i think it's stupid but whatever like also it's all discourse on analytics like the dodgers won a game yesterday where they had an opener like i know i know the rays are ruining baseball with analytics. Dodgers get an opener. What are we talking about here? It's absolutely ludicrous. Listen, if I need to be the guy that's going to be positive on baseball, I will be that guy very gladly.

But I just, yeah. The way people talk about it, it's like they kick their puppy, you know? Like it's baseball. Like it's a sport. It's something we enjoy, and it's changed, and I understand it's not the way that it used to be played, but let's do a little bit more critical thinking and less knuckle dragging a uh i feel like a fitting end to the year for rob manfred too with how it all started

with the you know bleep show of uh you know lead up to the season with uh you know his handling of labor negotiations and all that and then for him to basically sound drunk, I don't know if he was or wasn't, whatever was going on while getting booed at the end there. And then obviously the whole Justin Turner situation, which, you know, we don't have to dive into, but I think it was obviously personally outrageous that that guy was out on the field.

I understand celebrating with your teammates and all that and whatever, but like, you know, some things are more important. You're in, we're in the middle of a pandemic. There are so many people who've had to suffer real hardships during this pandemic. And you wanting to celebrate is not a real hardship comparative to the things that people have had to deal with,

like not being with their parents when they died, their parents dying in the first place, all this type of stuff. So whatever, we don't need to get into the whole, that, that whole thing. Cause that's not really what we do too much here. But that's where I stand. I think Justin Turner is an asshat. And I think the whole organization are asshats for it. And I think Major League Baseball are asshats for it. But ultimately, Rob Manfred, I think about as bad a year as a commissioner can have from start to finish.

Well, dude, I mean, we just completely forget about the freaking Astros thing. Like, the Astros thing was- Yes, great point. That was great. That was before the labor negotiations. It's like, gone. Great point. No one talks about the Astros.

No one talks about the Astros. Do we remember how much he botched the Astros thing? Wow. Like, he was so bad. Like, he called the World Series trophy a punk of metal. He, like, he just, like, what an awful year. It's a great point. You're right.

Honestly, Jack, what a great point. I didn't even include that in my awful year for him because there was so much awful stuff that happened after. And then he caps it off with that performance yesterday. Oh, man. I mean, what? Honestly, I hope he's healthy. Me too. me too me too all jokes is i agree with you because it seemed like let's do this way he was either wasted or there could be something wrong with him so if there's something wrong with him i don't i'm not making fun of the how he acted but it definitely seemed like he was like drunk

if i had to guess well well they they did come out and say like this was he had a problem with his feedback i guess so like i guess it was like in his ear at the same time as he was trying to talk and whatnot but then just to take your earbuds out you know so they did they said it was nothing health related so i mean i hope not because my first thought was like oh he's having a stroke or something yeah yeah yeah for sure sure. So I hope it's not that. But, like, dude, he sounded hammered. Like, it was unbelievable. So, I mean, just to, I mean, what an awful year.

I mean, he can't, I'm sure he can't wait. I'm sure he's just so glad that it's over. I think, well, I also think that, like, he got booed heartily by the whatever amount of people were there. It was like 11,000 people. It sounded like a full house. It sounded like a full house. And I think that struck him too. Cause like,

I think a lot of times those people who are, who are that high level or whatever are somewhat insulated from the critiques of the normies like you and us, the normal people or whatever. But like Goodell has to go to the NFL draft and get booed by people, and then he realizes. He's like, oh, these people don't like me very much. Oh, that's good to know. Or whatever.

I think it kind of, like, I don't think Manfred thought people loved him, but I think the booze he got shook him a little bit too. I mean, clearly he didn't know how to react. I know. Because the MLB draft is all just like owners, or not owners, but front office people. And them booing him would be a weird scene. So, yeah, there's that.

And it's not like he gets out in public. Every time he goes out in public, he's doing a press conference with a bunch of reporters. And if they boo him again, that'd be a weird scene. And he lives in New York, which is a place where no one says anything to famous people. Like it's like a code. It's like L.A. It's like that type of thing, you know.

Oh, sweet. That's why I knew that code, too, when I was in Philly. And I saw Jason Siegel walking around. I didn't say anything because it's code, you know. Not because you froze up. Right, right. And it's the same thing when I saw Rich Doobie. When you're at Cooperstown,

when you're at Cooperstown, you don't break the code of Cooperstown and talk to heroes like Rich Doobie. You would have made Rich Doobie's month, is my guess. Listen, next time I see good old Dick Doobie, I will make sure I say hi so i'm not acting like a nerd um but yes rob manfred just a just a tough year a disastrous year from every tough year and now there's an 8.3 billion dollar uh debt this year oh yeah he's talking about how much you're losing he's giving

interviews to evan drelick being like oh, let me tell you how much money we're losing. Very eager to share. And this has to be happening in all sports, right? I mean, I would say football probably the least because of TV contracts. But, like, I don't know. It seems like why is baseball always it? But I think because they're dramatizing it it again, as I've said from the beginning throughout the whole labor negotiations, the whole thing, all of it.

Like, if you want us to believe you that you are losing all this money, open up your books and show us. Because if you don't, why would I believe you? Why should I believe you? Why should I believe these people? Why? Give me one good reason to believe these billionaires who have lied over and over and over again, who to the point we were just talking about all the fan stuff somehow found a way to put 11,000 people in an enclosed stadium

in a quote unquote playoff bubble, which might be the biggest hypocrisy of the whole thing. The players go to Texas for a bubble, and then they let fans in? Like, what is that? Like, that's crazy town. Like, what are we doing here? Like, it's just, they are liars. They are all liars. That's how I feel.

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Gambling problem? Call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connectsontario.ca. Please play responsibly. But not Johnny, boy. I mean, John's going to have a big offseason. John better, because you know what? As much as I'm not saying he's a good owner or whatever, he's still horrible or whatever,

but Josh Harris just brought Daryl Morey here. Your move, John, because there's a Daryl Morey in baseball out there waiting. Yeah. May have just been in the World Series. Blank. Check. Blank. That's the always official position. The shame of it all is

there's so many good scouts and that stuff that have been let go from teams because they can't afford them. Why don't you zig when others are zagging? Totally. It's a buying opportunity, Jack. Totally.

I know. It really is. It's a golden opportunity to go scoop up some of the best and the brightest in the sport. It's something I fear that Cohen's's gonna do up in there in new york if if if he ever is approved as the owner which i feel like he's been approved three times um but i guess he's gonna be officially approved uh approved on friday

but it's just like such a golden opportunity um to go get some of the best and the brightest but you did bring up daryl morey and boy boy, did my first thought automatically become Neander. It's the exact same thing. It's the exact same freaking thing. Like, John, it's right there. Like, it is legitimately right there in front of you. The Sixers laid the groundwork. I mean, they got Daryl freaking Morey.

I know. I still can't believe it. I still can't believe it. Like, one of the smartest guys in the league running the sixers like yeah yeah and that's all we want that's all we've ever said yeah exactly like it's all we've ever said come on john like josh harris is a is an awful a truly awful owner and and he was able to get daryl mori here and you wonder why because he spent he just spent was able to get Daryl Morey here. And you want to know why? Because he spent. He just spent money on getting Daryl Morey here.

Like, that's what it's going to take. He spent, I don't know, he's paying Doc Rivers $10 million a year, I'm pretty sure. Like, hey, buddy, do you want to win or do you want to not win? Like, that's what we're talking about here. And, like, look at what Eric Neander did. Like, look what he did there. For as much as we talked about Higham Bloom last year, Neander was his boss. Like, Neander still is pretty much making all those moves.

Like, Higham, I think, is going to be good. But, like, Neander is definitively good. Is already good, yeah. Definitely good at his job. And, like, when you see that dodgers team you know obviously they have the high-end talent i mean kershaw dustin may mookie betts um uh seager um jock peterson i guess will harris um just all these like top-end talent guys and then you supplement with the max monsies the the chris taylors the kike Kike Hernandez's the like that's what we could

freaking be like that's what we could be we could be Dodgers East and and just whatever it takes seriously even if he's like no I'm I'm content here in Tampa and offer him more like if you're not going to spend money on players and you're not going to spend money on scouts and you're not going to spend money on certain things, spend money on this. If you want to be a semi-quasi, like, small market team, then go get Eric Neander. Like, it's just, it's so obvious

and they are in such a golden opportunity to do this. And don't give me the freaking, oh, Andy McPhail might stand in the way. Then fire him. You're the owner. You are the owner of the baseball team. You could fire Andy if you want. You can say, hey, Andy, step aside. This whole notion that Andy McPhail is going to step in the way of a potential presidential hire is ridiculous. Like it's, it's not going to happen. If you want him to move, then fire him or make him move. Like it's not that big of a deal, but, um, it's a, it's an opportunity to get a legit big wig in the sport in here. wig in the sport in here and i just want them to go after the best one it is right there he he just lost the world series he could be thinking hey i've done all i can accomplish here i got into

game six of the world series with against a 200 million dollar payroll let me see what i can do be that team john just be that team and you are that team just act like it please yeah i mean honestly to your point there about you know if you're not gonna spend money here if you're not gonna spend like i don't care if you don't spend money anywhere else if you spend money here like this is the most important spot to spend money eric neander just proved it by taking the race the world series with the budget that they have. Like, that's the point. Like, this guy just showed, and obviously you would hope that Middleton would spend more than the Rays would, even if he's not going to spend as much as we want him to, which, you know, obviously he will a year to year. I

mean, like, so like, that's it. Like, this is the most important thing to spend the money on. Like, Neander literally just proved it like that's the guy that's the thing that's the thing that matters i like so with you jack this is and again it's actually like the the mori thing is such a perfect parallel in a couple ways obviously just the idea of bringing like the smartest most um creative original guy available or quasi available, whatever in and taking that job to take over a franchise that, you know, has real problems in terms of building for the future at the moment. But also the idea that like Josh Harris prior to Doc Rivers and Daryl Morey was enemy number one in Philadelphia. Like people were talking about him as maybe the worst owner in the history of the city I mean he was reviled and don't get me wrong like I'm not saying

that people love Josh Harris now I certainly don't but like I gotta give the dude some credit like he certainly has turned the narrative around and like John Middleton has that opportunity here like again let's not forget like a month ago or whatever it was, three weeks ago, whatever it was when, when Klintak stepped down and we see that disastrous press conference and discuss that disastrous press conference. Like we didn't forget that, John, we didn't forget not making the playoffs for nine years. We haven't forgotten any of this stuff. This is a chance with one move, one decision, one payment, and obviously a potentially lofty one, but one payment to completely turn that narrative around with one move.

It just seems like such a no-brainer for John Middleton, who seems like he wants to win, if nothing else, like he has no idea how to do it, but it seems like he at least wants to win in a holistic sense. And also seems like he does want to be viewed as a winner, you know? So like do this, John,

and you'll go a hell of a lot closer, a hell of a lot longer way to being viewed that way. Listen, and if you, if he, if it comes down to paying neander or paying jt like it's a good question neander it's a good question if it comes down to being neander or any player on the roster it's neander any the roster in the whole like again i would take i would take a raised level of money roster for a few years if that's what it takes to get Neanderthal to start rebuilding this whole thing,

and then we can move forward, like whatever. And obviously that would never happen. I'm just using an extreme example. The point is that Neanderthal is more important than anyone on the roster. It's not even close. Yeah, and wouldn't it be nice? I mean, they've had to give away legit talent, too, to save money. I mean, they had to trade away Jake Cronenworth

and Tommy Pham because they weren't going to pay Tommy Pham. It's like, they had freaking Jake Cronenworth. Like, yeah. The guy who's battling bone for Rookie of the Year. Wouldn't that be nice? Yeah. And it's like, huh. I mean, it would just be so beyond huge. And it's it's like you know they're in the world series

they have a loaded roster they have everyone coming on the bullpen with like the funny the cool part about the the the raised bullpen it's like they just get they just get pitch design guys and pitch shaping guys and it's not it's not just a hundred mile an hour fireballers like they have guys who can just like spin a baseball on the slider and and whatnot like it's it's a they they have someone for every hitter in the lineup it's just they're such a cool team to to kind of study and they just went to game six of the world series with it like 180 million dollar payroll and they still have the number one farm system in the sport like like that's what's so crazy. It's like usually when teams go to the World Series and, you know,

they're competitive for a couple years, the farm system kind of falls by the wayside because it's like, oh, we're going to make win-now moves and we're going to go for it. Like, the Rays are already amazing, and they still have a loaded farm system behind them. Like, that's what I want here. Like, that's what i want here like that's what i want here and i just i i think he realizes it and i think he wants to go get him and i think he wants to

you know uh go get a guy in here that has a track record and is is pro as a progressive president and someone that knows how to legitimately scout and develop guys it's all he talked about if you're if you just kind of if you gotta take away the bad parts of the press conference and focus on the good parts of the press conference he was he was he was right about you know scouting and developing and on all that stuff like if you just take him at his word of that then neander's the guy man and john I know you listen to the podcast because a lot of your actions have suggested that. If you think we were excited about Bryce Harper, we will tell the fan base that they should be more excited about Neander than that of Bryce Harper. I know Bryce

Harper is the player and I know he sells tickets, but let me tell you something. We would get this fan base to the point where it's like, Neander's that big of a deal. So don't worry about that. We got that side covered. You can let JT walk, whatever. Just bring us Eric. Blank check, whatever it takes.

Absolutely need it. I love that idea. Yes. John, we got you. Yeah. That's what we're trying to say. Listen. We got you.

We'll be your pr guys yes we will we will die i will i will stay up for 48 straight hours convincing people that i'll i'll john i'll tweet i'll tweet man okay look at that wow think about that john think about that john think about what i'm saying here i will tweet for you i will tweet about how great eric neander is how lucky we are to have him i'll do all that john so we got you i like tweet about how great our neander is how lucky we are to have i'll do all that john so we got you i like this i think that's more i think that's more uh incentive than the i mean it is pretty magnanimous of us if we're gonna be real i mean we're not getting paid for this or anything like that we're not getting royalties or whatever they we're doing this, John, because it's the right thing to do.

It's the right thing to do. This is all we care about. You know, James puts on a facade that he's an Eagles fan. Well, you know what's funny? Honestly, we never lied to the IELTS listeners, and I love the Sixers. I'm a 4-for-4. I love all my teams and stuff like that.

But no joke, and this is really sad, and I'm really sad to admit this, but the very first emotion when I heard that the Sixers got Daryl Morey, even before my excitement that the Sixers had Daryl Morey, who's going to be in the city, how fun that was, my first emotion was jealousy as a Philly fan. Oh, same. Yeah, same. I'm not even kidding. That was the first thing I thought of was film yeah same i'm not even kidding that was the first thing

i thought of was like i want the smart guy i want the smart guy on my team and this is my team so yes jack yes imagine just like imagine getting the notification that they they had in neander i don't i don't want i don't want to let you dream about it too much but like i mean james james james james are you listening i'm listening yes full disclosure i mean that we have we we again never lied to the high hopes listeners you saw me sprint down the hallway today for jack yo jack jack did like a actually somewhat impressive athletic sprint stop, rip the door open, yell, we got Maury. It was impressive.

Listen, Perez is overweight. Explosion. That was the word I would say. Yeah. Quick feet. Listen, I had the fastest feet in the PSAC. Everyone knows it. I picked off a lot of people in high school.

If I was given the opportunity in college, I would have picked off a lot of guys that didn't get the opportunity i got quick feet i got a lot of weight on top of those feet but i moved pretty well less than before buddy runner guy yeah runner quick twitch and a runner guy this is you're gonna be unstoppable all right yes uh thing, and next week, we should get into some of the free agents and kind of talk. We're going to do our dream. When should we do our perfect offseason?

You think that's next week or the week after? Because we should do it soon because the offseason is starting. I think it should be the following week because I'm pretty sure we're going to have a friend of the podcast on next week. Ooh. I don't even know what you're talking about,

but I love it. From down in Instructional's Philly's. Oh next week. Ooh. I don't even know what you're talking about, but I love it. From down in Instructional, Philly's official camp. Oh, buddy. Yes. Yeah. I think it's time. I think it's time to bring the big dog back to the podcast. It's been way too long.

Way too long. All right. So big dog next week. We'll do our perfect dog season after that. We'll get in a little free agent talk. But the last two things from me, and then we'll get to your take back. But back to Manfred for a second luckily not him specifically but the game itself um i think kind of the two other big news from

baseball to kind of come out or the other big news two parts um was that manfred is looking obviously the players union has to agree but to keep expanded playoffs and to keep the runner on second base rule for 2021. I know you were very bullish on the runner on second base rule. What do you think about both moving forward and, you know, the potential of them to be a part of the game? Well,

I, I, I like the runner on second rule. Like forever. You're in on it. I'm fine. Listen for the regular season season i'm fine with it you know i agree with that can't be in the playoffs you have to stop no no no playoffs

playoffs would be a total sham but again the my main reason for liking the runner on second rule is i genuinely felt like i was finally watching baseball again you know a runner on second move them over get them in you know i i love that kind of baseball and i know that makes it sound like a freaking like dinosaur let's take it let's take it back to the 50s and you know and you call me the old guy i know listen no one has older sports opinions than me i i would say that i have the most old sports opinions in of all 26 year olds in the philadelphia area so um i just like because I feel like I was watching baseball again and I think for the regular season it makes sense you know

for every Mitchie Poo and Wilson Valdez and all that there's like a 20,000 oh let me just try to hit a home run and end the game for four innings you know where like position players have to get in like for every magical postseason or extra innings game there's like 200 terrible ones so i think at least for the extra inning rule it kind of moves the game along and it's fun and um it adds intrigue and and it feels like you're actually watching baseball now don't even think about expanding the playoffs like i hate the expanding playoffs i did not i didn I didn't watch, like, the first round. Like, I just didn't care. I don't care that these dog crap teams are in.

And, like, again, why are you watering down the regular season? Like, why, this is my main problem with all of sports, is that everything's just, it's just geared so much towards get to the postseason, get to the postseason, get to the postseason. Like, baseball was the one sport where I was like, let enjoy the 162 let me enjoy the journey let me see if my team can make a run in september and yeah sure we might fall out of it but like but like for the love of the sport like do we really need that many playoff teams we just don't you don't need that many playoff teams and and ultimately like i don't want 81 81 81-81 win teams trying to make the playoffs

or, like, 79 win teams making the playoffs or even, like, 84 win teams making the playoffs. Like, I just want sports to be earned. And I don't want these, like, 81 win baseball teams being awarded with making the playoffs. I don't want mediocrity being rewarded i don't want to turn into freaking hockey where like eight seeds can upset one seeds like i don't like that i like seeing great teams be honored with being great teams and winning and i just

hate that everything is gearing towards like tv contracts and we gotta fill this and everyone really cares about playoff baseball or playoffs, playoffs in all sports. So we've got to expand the playoffs, get more teams in to add more intrigue into September. And it's like, how about we just reward the teams that deserve to be there? How about we,

how about we just stick to that? So I hate it. I couldn't hate expanded playoffs more. Just leave it where it was. Let the truly great teams get in and listen, you'll still see magic. I mean, the Nationals last year were magical. Like, that's something that can happen. But I don't need that with just crap teams making the playoffs.

I hate it. I really do. I agree with you. I would be fine. Like, again, I'm fine if they keep it at 10, which it was before, obviously. I would be fine with 12. Anything more than that, I have a problem. I think 12 is okay.

I can accept it. You're still talking about 12-30. That's not that bad. Obviously, the 16 this year, and I was okay with it for the sham of a season. And even then, I hated it. I ended up hating it more than I thought I would. It sucked. The fact that the Philadelphia Phillies went 1-7 in their last day

and could have gone 2-6 and made the playoffs is a joke. I mean, we all watched this team all year. They were not a playoff team. It's just stupid. As you said, it waters it down. It makes it feel inconsequential. It makes it feel like something's not earned. So I'm 100% with you.

I would rather it stay at 10 than go past 12. 12, I will accept. I'm not saying I'm advocating for it, but I'm fine with it. But anything past that and I'm just out. I am 100% with you. I think it's a disaster. I don't know how 12 works.

It would have to be like 6-6 and then you can't have three play each other. I know it's funky. So for that reason alone, stay at 10 as far as i'm concerned but the 16 was a travesty and i really think like of all the things that happened this year like the expanding playoffs to that level is the number one thing that could threaten the long-term integrity of baseball yeah i mean i'd rather have the dh like i'd rather close jack

come on that's not even close it's not even close. It's not even close. It's not even close. Like, it's not even a... Like, I thought DH was good, but obviously I like it coming in. So let's be honest, Jack. Let's be honest here. You would be different than most, but how many times watching games this year

did you say, oh, you know what I miss? I miss the pitcher hitting. Or, I don't know, at a certain point, even notice that the pitcher didn't hit anymore. Like, come on. Yeah, I mean, listen. I never lie to the High Ops listeners, and I plead the fifth. I'm not... certain point even notice that the pitcher didn't hit anymore like come on yeah i mean listen i i

never lie to high hopes listeners and i plead the fifth i'm not i'm not i'm not it's a really good line i i'm surprised you've never used that it was very good i'm not answering that was good all right what do you got your take back um all right so i just don't know if you're ever going to apologize to Clayton Kershaw for rooting against him. But this is the – tonight is the anniversary of the Cliff Lee game in 2009, the behind the back. And honestly, like probably the coolest pitching performance ever. I mean, just an absolute like bleep you start from Cliff Lee.

And I tell you what, man, for that one half a year, there was no one cooler. There was no one cooler than Cliff Lee. I will argue there is only one other cooler pitching performance, but I agree with this point. He had a swag to him, like almost a carelessness to it, like where it felt like, I don't even care. I'm just going to go out and dominate.

But the one cooler performance, and I think gotta give it to him is the doc ellis no hitter on lsd i mean that that's pretty freaking cool man definitely impressive david wells perfect game you know hung over it's all right you know they're a few yeah yeah but like cliff lee man and i actually don't think he cared i mean as as it turned out he probably didn't care that he probably did not give two f's yep yep and he then the history will not forget the four nothing blown lead um or at least i won't forget it because just like i haven't forgotten cole hamels but um yeah just, just an unbelievable game. And I just remember watching him like, this is like the coolest thing ever.

Where were you for Cliff Lee game one? Where was I for Cliff Lee game one? I remember, hold on. I could see the image of, I was definitely at a bar. Nah, classic. I just can't remember which bar. I can't remember which bar, but I remember which bar but i was at a bar is it the cliff lee game or the utley two homer game it's the cliff lee game for me at least but

i mean it's crazy to say that because i mean not that many people have hit two home runs in a world series game and beating cc again i still even even after they won game one i was like i still don't think they're winning the series okay I think I was never that heartbroken about series because I just didn't think they were going to win anyway. And I guess we were coming off the World Series. We're coming off winning the World Series, yeah. Makes it a little easier. It wasn't exactly killer, but just awesome.

Also, the year before, I mean, tomorrow is the anniversary of game five in 2008, obviously. Wow, buddy. Yeah, we're actually at the anniversary of the day off right now, I believe, right? Yeah, of course. I mean, what else? I know. It was brutal.

It was brutal. In the moment, it was like, I can't believe they're not playing this game today. We got to wait another day. Oh, my God. Yeah, brutal. Although it would have been hilarious if like that the the world series went to a game seven and like they had to delay it two days because of the covid with justin turner and like the rays were involved in it again and that actually jack oh my god

that would have been wild man you're right that would have been crazy and could have like theoretically could happen also if you if you like a deep dive into jack and james's thoughts on on game five we did a we did a podcast i think right at the beginning of of the lockdown or not the lockdown but of quarantine pandemic yeah of quarantining where we went back and we re-watched game five and like really did like a really deep dive into game five like maybe more in depth than any podcast we've done i mean we had notes you know we had like serious notes serious notes we had to record it twice yeah how could i ever forget jack your computer yeah my very trustworthy computer so we recorded it one day and then your computer died

and we were like a good 50 plus minutes into it. Like it was not like, oh, we're 20 minutes in. Like we recorded like pretty much all the podcast and Jackson Peter just died, I guess. So like he lost it all. Like there was no. So we had my audio. So I have all my audio of this whole podcast. But yeah, and not yours yours and we couldn't do it

then we did it like two days later we didn't even have the heart to do it again for two days because we were so bummed well it's just like the world series um yeah oh yeah how did we not put that together good job i don't know i don't know so um happy 12 year. Gosh, that's terrifying. Look who you're talking to, buddy. I know, because you're so old. I know. So Howard, a friend of the podcast, Howard Eskin, had an interesting report on Saturday.

So on the air, he said that Andy McPhail is leaning on matt klintak to help him pick the next gm which seems like a bad idea no no no no no no no it seems like it seems like a bad idea now i will say i will say if he's like, if he's helping them dissect who the best analytic possible GMs were, I can see the value in it, right? Yeah, and you don't think they're talking. All right, so we've got it down to Ned, Dave, and Jim. Which one do you think is the best? Which one's the guy? You're saying you don't trust Klintak to help them out?

I don't trust either of them. Why are they here, Jack? Why are we still talking about McPhail and Klintak? Why? Why, dude? Why? Why? I can't believe Andy McPhail is still here.

Andy McPhail being here is just dreadful. Just to, I mean, seriously, he hasn't been good since the nineties. Yeah. It's a disaster. Like it's embarrassing that he's here.

It's an embarrassment. Oh, there could be one good thing to Andy McPhail still being here is that Dave Dombrowski won't come. I mean, that could be a good thing for Andy. Sure. Yeah. Sure. Yeah.

Sure. Look, yeah. Whatever it takes to keep Dave Dombrowski away from this franchise. True. Fair. Fair. Oh, we didn't mention earlier, but Salisbury wrote today that JT would like to stay here.

And he does not really want to play in New York. He's not keen on playing in New York. So, you know, much like Cliff Lee. But he did have the qualifier. If they give him a record amount of money, he'll go there, is what he said, just to keep it real. Don't care about that part. I don't care about that part where he's not keen on playing in New York um the final thing here oh and also uh I think I think high hops will be in cans by next week so I think uh we're gonna have high hops and cans I am having a I'm drinking a Fritz beer

right now so it's our Marzen from Four Fingers so if you're into Marzen into Oktoberfest kind of beers yeah go out to Four Fingers and pick some up for yourselves but we should be in cans starting next week and as always go

in and try to talk feelings with my dad he will have no idea what you're talking about so um my final thing is here so what would you say james is like the most pressure you've like like have you ever felt pressure in your life have i ever felt pressure in my life yeah like what would you say is like your most pressure filled moment like just just i mean because you didn't really play sports growing up. So I know you don't really know anything about pressure. What are you talking about? I was captain of my varsity football team, and I played varsity baseball. So I don't know what you're talking about, big dog. I just seemed like college sports, which you barely did.

Hey, nine warnings and you. So what would you say is a pressure situation? What was your most pressure situation? I mean, you know, I like having a kid in that moment when you're, you know. Having a kid is daily pressure. A lot of pressure in that one. I mean, like our job, as you know, can have some pressure pack situations and stuff like that. You know, I've been up with the bases loaded once or twice.

Not in any super high profile games. But, you know, you're in there. Where are you going with this jack ritz uh because i would just like to say to everyone out there there is no higher pressure high leverage you know like gabe used to say situation and attempting the parallel park when there's someone behind you. Jack, I would say that there are a few things on this planet that I am truly great at. Like, I'm very good at a lot of things. But, like, certain things, like drinking car bombs, you know?

You put the shot of the Bailey's and the Jamison in the Guinness. Like I'm just really effing fast at it. Like I never lose. I will beat anyone. I don't care who you are. I am amazing at like, there are just certain things that I'm truly great at. Parallel parking is one of those things, Jack. I am an all time, all time, all time, great parallel Parker. so in this specific situation i feel no pressure in fact jack i would go so far as to say i like an audience wow i prefer it because then i like to do the one move a little like and i'm in so fast and i just look back i'm like yeah you're impressed i know you're impressed it's

cool you don't gotta say anything that is a different level of cockiness now i would like to point out i would like to point out to the listeners because once again we never lie you're driving a mini cooper i mean now i am yes it's the best that's why i got the mini cooper because we had a mini cooper about 10 12 years ago in the city it's the best city car in the history of anything ever you can fit in any spot is unbelievable but like i've also i mean i could parallel park with any car like again i had a hyundai sonata before that i parallel parked the crap out of that a volvo before that beast mode i've lived in the city for like 13 years like you get very good at it yeah i was just like i mean the mini cooper is like i mean

it's steroids like yes it is it is i will not argue that it is the steroids of you are it is performance enhancing parallel parking it is it's totally true but when you see something like the spot i'm in tonight actually this is funny that you're bringing something i got tonight so my favorite thing with the mini is when you'll pull by a spot and you'll go i can't fit in there you know what i'm gonna try and then you fit in and you got a foot on each side and you're like this this car man this car yeah i never feel that i i i never when if i see a spot even being marginally too close like i'm driving around the block like i hate it i hate having someone behind me because like i get all frazzled like i'm just like all right i'm driving around the block like i hate it i hate having someone behind me because

like i get all frazzled like i'm just like all right i'm just gonna go parking an hour away and walk like that's how small i feel right now like there's like i i've dealt with pressure i mean i'm two and on the high school playoffs for a reason i mean i i live for pressure um golf not so much because golf's you know it messes with your head and uh obviously our jobs are pretty pressure filled but i just it's like it's like a game seven every single time you parallel park i mean it's that level of pressure and then they're behind you and they're like you know they're thinking like can we hurry it up here like they're not thinking like oh take your time so you gotta think about the people behind you you gotta think about parking i think about not hitting the cars around you

by the way since living in the city i've noticed way too many people that are just like very fine just hitting the cars behind them. It's like that's not how this works. It's called the Philly bump, Jack. You can't just hit the car behind you. Like you can't just do that. Like that's not happening. You're not allowed to just hit the car behind you

because you're like it's inconveniencing you. So, you know, I would just like like everyone out there if you are stuck behind someone trying to parallel park like there's a human in there all right and that human is probably is probably really stressed and uh just calm down you know we all know i like to judge them i like to look and be like oh they got no chance oh they're going in way too hot or oh that is a terrible angle or i'll be like oh this girl's good look at that that's a good move right there so yeah i judge them when i'm mine but like in in james and james seltzer's voice these are human beings you know so like they're there are human beings in that car that

are that way hey hey that's jack yeah that human being also wants to get in the spot. Okay? So, you know, everyone in that situation, everyone wants the same end goal. Let me get in the spot without the fiddly bump and let everyone go on their way. So, you know, I don't need you bearing down. I will get in and out at some time. Give me a little bit of a break. Oh, buddy. Oh, buddy. Oh, buddy.

I could see that. I could see that if you're not a super comfortable parallel parker, people behind you, you're kind of feeling it. That's a tough spot. It's a tough spot. It's a damn near impossible spot. I would like to see Madison Baumgartner try to parallel park, and he was the clutchest pitcher I've seen in the postseason ever. I'll parallel park war against Madison Bumgarner any day.

Well, what if it's funny? Do you need me to give you lessons or something? I could teach you. No, I'm fine. I'm fine if there's no one around. You need a lesson, buddy? I'll give you a free lesson. As soon as that car is behind me, it's like, oh, here we go.

You just melt. You panic. Oh, I just want to crawl up into a ball and just i just want to get in that freaking spot it's so funny i'm the opposite i'm like looking at them like you better slow down like relax like when they're like coming up too hot i'm like i've honked at people like back up so i can get into a spot if they don't see my planker on like i'm pretty aggressive on the roads jack yeah i yeah, you don't exactly exude calmness. So I will, I will, I will say this.

I am, I am the king of hypocrisy in the sense that like someone will, and I will totally admit it. And it's a horrible quality, but like someone will do something like super annoying that I know I would like, not super annoying, but like kind of like maybe come out like an, and not speed up quick. And not even that it's a bad example. Cause I would like, not super annoying, but like kind of like maybe come out like an, and not speed up quick. And not even that it's a bad example. Cause I would always do that. But like, anyway, the point is like someone will like go, you know what, like a good example is like, like kind of gun it coming. Like if you're going straight and it's a, there's no left-hand turn

signal, they'll kind of go like right before it turns green to kind of gun it across and go like, I'll be like, I'll get annoyed when people do that to me when I'm going straight but i totally do that all the time so i'm very hypocritical as a driver but that's because i'm good at it jack so yeah well when i get behind people i when i get behind people in their parallel parking like come on let's figure it out i know i know i totally get it but that's that's that's what i got i love it somehow uh we go for over an hour. I didn't even think we talked much, Phyllis. It was good. I know. All right.

We'll be back next week, probably like Wednesday or Thursday, I would think, obviously. Some, you know, stuff happening next week. Vote. It is your patriotic duty. You're right. Definitely get out and vote if you haven't already. Final thought. I meant to mention this. get out and vote if you haven't already. Final thought.

I meant to mention this. I don't know if you saw this. Johnny Heller tweet this. Alec Boehm, zero infield pop-ups this season. Did you see that? So he's the next Votto? He's the next Votto, Jack. I'll take that.

I've already convinced myself he's the next Freddie Freeman so even better I'm at the Freddie Freeman point I am in with that and uh soon enough hopefully we'll be watching when rookie of the year all right until next week he's for it's himself so we'll see you guys later All-Star Closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game

it's my podcast it's my passion it's a cause I started more than two years ago and it's now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is

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