High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Did Field Of Dreams Save The Season?

Episode Date: August 17, 2026

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to a magical weekend of Phillies baseball. The guys discuss Thursday's Field of Dreams Game and the weekend sweep of the Twins before breaking down some of the key players who have fueled the recent winning streak. Presented by Miller Lite.

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

The crowd is singing high hope. I feel a little less alone. Yo. Edition of the high hopes podcast, sponsored by Miller Light, official partner of the Philadelphia affiliates. Tastes like Miller Time Philadelphia. Celebrate responsibly Fritzy.

First three games sweep of a series since June. They did it, buddy. We're back. The Field of Dreams game saved this season. Of course, there are leaks about our manager, and there's all kinds of stuff like that. But we'll get to it.

How are you doing, pal? They're making me want to celebrate unresponsibly. I'm just kidding. But we are the three games sweep over the twins. The ball that bounced off, the right fielders glove out, the field of dreams game. I think very clearly was the moment that when we're all having the parade down broadshy, we're going to look back and say, hey, when did the tide turn for this team? And it's going to be like, well, it was that time going through a tough period,

lost six of eight series. And then we went to Iowa. And we were in a movie. felt like we were in a movie and everything just sort of clicked after that. So yes, it is just when you're like, they're probably done. They go out and they do this whole thing, which is about as Phillies as it gets.

So I can't believe the twins bought. I don't know why. They absolutely stink. But regardless, who let the Phil's get hot? It was nice to 10 and 5 in August. Yeah. Alex, Bome 13 for his last 23 and his last six games on fire. How about it?

Look, it's nice to him hit. I think Schwerber, the power coming back, has been one of the biggest things. You know, that drought was so concerning. And it just shows as soon as he starts hitting, the offense goes. You know, it's so important. And to the field of dreams point, obviously shout out to the Scala's Fire. We had such a great time with everyone who came out to that event. Another victory on a high hopes night, no big deal for us.

but it really was special. It was one of those things where it's like, oh, it's fun that we're in the field of dreams game. It was way cooler and way like more special feeling than I expect to be like watching them walk out of the corn and like the whole thing, that first homer going into the corn like it really did feel for lack of a better term. And I know it's a little romantic, but it felt like kind of magical watching that game.

It did. It was a combination of magic and eerie in a way. Sure. Yeah, it's a good point. Yeah. Kind of ear. In the middle of nowhere. It was like a baseball game in the middle of nowhere.

It's strange. Middle and nowhere right next to the field where they actually filmed the movie. I actually didn't. I guess I thought that everything is kind of filmed in California no matter. I was surprised that they actually. Oh, yeah. No, they filmed it in Iowa. So it's, yeah, because they actually left the field there and like you can go see it and like, you know, go to check it out and stuff.

like that. Yeah. Yeah. So it was it was definitely cool stuff and you know for a team that was kind of going through a bit of a malaise and kind of felt like they they needed some kind of spark. Maybe just getting away and taking part in something that was very different and allowing them to kind of come together in a way. I don't think it's crazy to suggest that that is something that legitimately could spark them and get them right back into or snap out of whatever funk they were in. and get them back to playing good baseball because, like, they had, they had been on a pretty damn good run,

and they had really solidified a spot, and, you know, there are lulls through a baseball season. We know that, but you can't let the lulls just keep happening. I mean, that's what happened in 24.

It felt like we were turning towards a 24 second half, where they might make the playoffs, but you certainly don't feel very confident heading into the playoffs, and they need. needed to write the ship and they certainly have and offensively you know that's the biggest takeaway of what's going on right now is you know there's a couple things you know their numbers since a rise has has shown up and i don't know if one player changes everything but just interesting that you know they had the worst obp in the sport when he uh when he got here and now they have the best the second

best o bp the best walk rate and they are 29th in strikeouts so i don't think that's that's the that's all Luis arrives. I think certainly what Bryce and Stott has done has helped that. Obviously, Bryce is walking at a prime Barry Bonds rate right now as his OBP since the arise trade is 506, I believe. It almost feels like he's like, yes,

see, you get someone behind me. You know, it's almost like, yeah. Told you. I'm like, don't you can do it. Jeez. But you guys figured out. Look, one guy with a pulse behind me. And, and I can still walk, ooh, I can still walk.

Yeah. So and then, dude, I hope that there is, I am praying, actually, that there is more nuance than Alec Bohm saying, yeah, Don just said we should probably have a plan up there. And we listened and said that's a good idea, Don. Yeah, sure. I just, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was never brought up. Yeah, sure wouldn't, buddy. We've watched them on offense for four years, and we keep saying, it doesn't feel like they ever go up there with an idea of what they want to do. Did it really take? Like, I hope that was like a Freudian slip.

I don't know. I just, I cannot in my heart of hearts, sit here and believe legitimately that they decided on April 12th, that, hey, you know, be a good idea. Let's go up there with a plan. Let's go up there with a plan. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.

But like, if it's true, maybe we have something here. They're at least playing like it might be true. I have no idea. There's a lot of ducks in the pond, which is great. You got to have ducks in the pond. You got to have traffic on the base paths. But Don said we should have a plan. And we're going to have.

What a great idea. What a thought. thought good idea what wait what what what's a plan and can you explain this to us maybe we should do that yeah what i thought yeah in my head in my head you know maddenly and in and old klong we're talking and and maddenly it was like hey keff do you do you give them like a plan when they go up there and kevin's like oh what what's a plan what and then don's like we don't you don't tell them that they should have a plan when they go up there. Huh?

That's how dumb it sounds. That's how dumb this whole thing sounds. What do you mean? What do you mean that you just decided to start having a plan? It sounds crazy. It sounds crazy. Well, it especially sounds crazy in the context of the last five years. You know, it's one thing if it's a new manager and a team competing for the first time.

Like, this has been the issue. We've talked about the plan. the approach, the playoff thing, like this has been a constant topic with this group of guys. So it's almost like, has Alec Bohm not paid attention to the, to the discourse for the last five? I mean, it's, whoa, how just amazing idea that he had. And we were all like, wow, and the light bulb went on. It's so, so strange. And look, maybe, and Bome did say, and I think this is a little overblown the whole, you know, like hitting is contagious.

I do believe that. but, you know, the idea that Arise would come here and because of the way he approaches hitting that others might follow suit, I mean, Bome did say after the game that, you know, Arise has helped him in the sense of like he's trying to mimic what the guy does and all that type of stuff. So, like, good for Bome, if that's true. If Bome can have a guy like that around. And I said when Arise got traitor, Crawford should fall him around like a puppy. That's the type of hitter he needs to be with speed. Like, great. like that'd be awesome if they're taking advantage of actually having someone here knows how to do this stuff and like saying hey wow like when we hear about like you know pictures learning from each like we holiday teaching coal and all these things like that stuff matters it's important it just feels like that's not something this team has ever done so like yes that be great i don't you know we we know we know that they can go cold again and they've they've quote unquote hit with approach for a little bit and then it just you know swing away and so but it is it is it is encouraging

especially the Bowman's side of it all to your point like you know Harper and Schwerber we expected them to you know continue to be good or get hot again and and Marsh has been you know at a lull but has been a little better but the and a rise is arise but the Stott and Boem you know Stott since June 1st you know was one of the best F4 players in baseball and yeah how about it batting over I think 305 or something in June 1st and then boom obviously since July 1st you know look we know these guys we've seen them revert quickly in the past, but that is the most encouraging thing that's come out of the last couple weeks, I think. So, so let me put it this way. All right. Let me put this way. Stop doing

well. Mean something. Yeah, I feel the same way. Boom doing well. This is a Mickey hot streak. I feel the exact same right. It's a Mickey Mouse. Exactly. Because you forget, people forget, many people forget, everyone forgets. That's, uh, after he came back from injury last year's final 28 games boom hit 315 heading into the playoffs and looked very similar we do forget that you're very correct yes everyone everyone seems to forget that and stott's of course had his streaks but you know there's long been the conversation of uh man it's just the next uhly uh i don't know i don't know i don't know i do i do legitimately believe that stott is having a moment and arriving a little bit turning a corner

so to speak as a player. Well, it's not even, it's not even like he's turning a quarter into a star. He's just finally realizing his potential, like you don't have to do a crazy amount of offense to be a very, very valuable player. And like,

dude, I am so happy that it feels like Bryce and Stad is finally settling in. And being as good as we thought he could be. Like, that's what makes me so happy with what he's doing right now. 28 will deal with. But, but five,

but five, like that play he made yesterday, the fact that he, the fact that that was after, he's been playing third base for two weeks. And the rise doesn't make that play. Like, no chance. And I do hope a rise is okay.

I thought it was an odd time to take him out on the base pass. So that was something has to be wrong. I mean, that was so, especially in a tie game at the time or whatever. Like, you're down. Oh, they were still down a run at that point. It was still the one run. So like at that point, like, you don't know if this game keeps going longer. It was a really, if he's not, if there's no injury or whatever, it makes zero sense.

Wow. you know part of the course it's possible it's possible you know part for the course for old donnie you know old donnie but i didn't see him stretching out his back so i do wonder if there was something there regardless you know stop makes that play he's transitioned to third base very very well i also think what he's doing at the plate he hit the home run which is nice i don't need him to be a power hiter obviously i want him to hit 15 to 20 i think that's that's really really good so he's just taking where the pitch is at and he's hitting it where it's where it's pitched more than i've ever seen him do balls in the outside corner shoot it through the through the the the uh the four five six gap

or uh the five six gap you know you you hit it that way you you you pull one past the first basement like i just yeah three four gap you hit it up this you hit it in the center field like i just think you've seen him spray the ball more like listen one member of this podcast was peddling the polar percentage at one point you know yeah you were buddy and you were it's been important What? No. No, no. I think he tried it. I think he tried it. But still, I think the point being that I think trying it was important in terms of his progression as a hitter is my point. And I think he's, but I also think he's gotten back to doing stock things, which is, you know, foul. And maybe that's something that the arise edition has done is maybe there's an internal battle of stopping. Like, I could fell off way more pictures than you. They watch me do this. And, and he's legitimately playing his way into a, into contract. extension discussions. I mean, he is. Boom could be as well, but I don't think we're...

Nope, don't do it. We're not doing it. We're not doing it. But Stott legitimately, he has what, the second highest F-Wor since the all-star break. And that's only behind... And I think the fifth highest since June 1st. And I think it's only behind PCA, who is on quite the run.

To be the run, just for the numbers. And I know what, not everyone knows what F-4 is and all that, but you could tell the difference. I think Stott's F-4 since, CLS Air Break is the second best is like 2.7 PCAs is 5.2. I know. Like he has been insane. It is crazy that he was a Met. I feel like that. It makes me so happy every time. When I hear Met fans just whine about it, it soothes the soul. For half season of hobby bias. Half a season of hobby bias. Yeah, PCA. PCA was a big

draft miss for me. I was not a big fan hitting. I didn't think he could hit. I like It seems like the kind of player who you let you know, the skill set and stuff is it's all toolsy and stuff, but it's not like I could see that the whole you could see a hole in the swing early, all that kind of stuff. I can see that. And man, he is about as hot and cold as they come. Like when he is. He was he was. I mean, the first two months of this season, he was horrendous. Yeah. And then he, yeah, totally. And then he just became, you know, Barry bonds out of nowhere. And how he plays defense is just intoxicating. It is a is, he is a beautiful defensive center builder. He's unbelievable. Anyway.

But anyway, but Stott is, you're starting to, you know how we talk about players and you can just see their values are to jump off the screen? Like his value is starting to jump off the screen, you know, and he is someone on this team who does provide something. And listen, if, I mean, eventually maybe he could continue to work his way up towards the top of the lineup. I'm fine with him batting where he is and being like a pest in the middle of the lineup. But I just think his development is is so key. and really just the offense as a whole. If they can actually commit to this, if they can actually commit to the,

you know, pass the baton, which they've tried to do for a couple of years now, but maybe now that Bryce is fully bought in it, it feels like and just being like, okay, pass it on to the next guy. Maybe this could be a recipe for something that we haven't seen in October, which is an offense that is a little bit more consistent.

Yeah, and look, Tray, important for that, too, with the pass-a-badan thing. obviously fouled the ball off himself this weekend, missed the game. But that's going to be really important to have Trey be able to at least contribute a little bit from what he did last year. I mean, it's the kind of thing with stat hitting with bone hitting, you know, where it really can change the complexion of the offense, especially again with those, you know, I mean, when you're, you have five best hitters right now are left-handed, you know, other than boom like the last week, you know, it is, it's a weird construction thing. Drink up, baby. Fantasy Football Happy Hour is here to get you wins and have some laughs. Matthew Berry here and my podcast, Fantasy Football Happy Hour, has the sleepers bus and starts-it advice you need to win your league. We're diving into the tape, we're crunching the numbers to bring you sleepers, bus weekly starts-sid advice.

Whether you're defending a title or desperately avoiding last place, I've got you covered every single weekday. The bar is open. It's Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Barry, wherever you get your podcasts. All right. I want to get to the pitching and then I want to get to the core thing and then the bag and all that. But look, first series sweep since June and they did it without Wheeler or Sanchez. I think that's probably the most shocking part of this sweep with the fact that, you know, we know all the numbers. We know how long they went without winning a fifth starter game and all that.

Obviously, Painter, the first inning really struggling. It has struggled in first innings and then settled in and gave him a chance when the game. Lazzardo is their best pitcher at this exact moment, obviously, over the course of the first inning. season you could debate but he's been awesome and then nola again you know he doesn't go deep but but in a in a small play you know i think we all a lot of people thought the balls would be flying out only the one um what do you make at those three and you know really how important they are to to to the point of the bullpen with the question marks we have like these these five guys are going to be important for this team well yeah i think the optimism surrounding the starting rotation is there's just no way that this

is going to continue to happen for sanchise and wheeler you know and sanchise was good his last time out. So maybe he's turning a corner. Wheeler is a little bit more concerning just because of the velocity dip. I hope it's a dead arm period. I hope this is not a fatigue setting in kind of thing for Zach. So yeah, the optimism with the rotation is Lazzardo is truly emerging as an ace. I mean, if you if you took out that Marlin start that a lot of those runs were, they were earned, but they were at the hands of one Seth Johnson, who is fitting in nicely with the A's out in Sacramento. But he would have a 1.6 ERA, you know, like he's, he's just, he's down to a 3.23.

He's been aces outside of like a blow-up start every once in a while. I mean, the Marlin start wasn't even a blow-up star. It's just kind of the bullpen faltered him a little bit. He couldn't make pitches at the end, which was disappointing. I mean, really since. the beginning of the season, he had the Rocky start and the White Sox start. And that's kind of been it. Every other time, he is either six or seven innings and like one run or less, it seems, or two runs. Yeah, yeah. He's been consistent with that, you know, he's been pretty six innings, two runs,

five innings, one run, like that kind of vibe. Yeah, and he's just been efficient. He's been much more efficient and still getting his strikeouts, but also being in the strike zone. And that change up, I think it's just been a real big, like everyone talks about the sweeper, and I agree, I think the sweeper has leveled up a little bit. It's a new pitch for him. Another coffin success there, but I think the confidence in which that he throws his change up really has helped level him up a little bit. And then Knowles, you know, I think the fastball is coming out with a little bit of hump right now, which is good.

It's not like just dying when it gets to the plate. I think there's been a, there has to have been some kind of adjustment there because he's actually able to kind of spot it up in the zone now, without it getting blasted. So, yeah, I, Nola just is perfectly fine for, if he can just do that, you know,

five innings, one run, five innings, two runs. We say five innings, three runs, but, you know,

and then Nick's in a six, six inning every once in a while. Yeah, just as long as he doesn't look DFA worthy or Taiwan out there. Totally. Totally. I mean,

think about where he was the first month of the season. I mean, we were talking about the next five years of this, or whatever it is, and being like, this is an absolute train wreck. Like, if he's,

can just write the shipjack to the point where, you know, he's their fourth starter, you know, that like level that that's huge considering it's not what you want ideally, but considering what we were thinking, where we were thinking we were with him in this contract. Like it is a real important development if he could be serviceable, you know? Yes. And then Painter, I'm buying Painter after yesterday. I know the first ending was was bad. I think that he got off to a slow start and then found the, found his release.

point and looked like the Andrew Painter that we had seen the last couple of outings. I know the first inning sucked. I don't know why they went back to back curveball after Brooks Lee hit one foul 700 feet as well and they went right back to the well. But I don't know, that's that's JT's call, I guess. But there is some legit like legit encouraging signs with Andrew Painter. You know his average RPM in his fastball yesterday? It was 2550. So for most of the season, it was 2200. That's getting close to where it was. And they've clearly changed the fastball. Do you remember when he sent down, when they sent him down?

I threw out the idea that they should turn him into Corbyn Burns. Yeah, yeah. I remember that exact thing that you said, yes. Well, they're doing it. I mean, his fastball had 18 inches of vertical movement the other day or yesterday. It had more RPMs. He's cutting it just a little. It's not Burns where it's just, it's real.

cut. It's just cutting a little bit. There's not that rise to it that that he was keep trying to get to get was the rise. He's just being more of a superinator now and and cutting it. And he started to get actual results on. I mean, there was, he had a 27%

whip rate yesterday on his basketball. That's wild. Which was the, which is the best of, had to be the best of the season. There's no way that he's had. I can't imagine. Maybe that first start. I don't remember, but I know he was really, remember that first story. But even that I doubt it. And he actually had confidence in throwing it. It was his most used pitch yesterday.

I think he threw 33%. Wow. Jack, that alone is a real step forward. Yeah. So the first inning stunk, but everything after that was, was fine.

And hopefully that he remembers that and can come out and be where his release point has been. But yeah, I was actually encouraged going back and watching Andrew Painter and him kind of work his way through it. And you got to give him some credit for hanging in there. I mean, early in the season, I think that he folds there and he has to get out of there

and two innings. But he, he buckled up a little bit and, and gave them five innings. It sucks. He allowed five runs. But under the hood, well. Oh, yeah. You get another fifth. I'm sorry.

My bad. You're right. Five. I'm an idiot. But, uh, but under the hood, I think there was actually some encouraging stuff from Andrew Painter. So yeah. I'm excited for his next time out.

I'm with you. And like it is sometimes you see this. Cole had it for a bit. Tom Glavin, I remember, was a pitcher who you wanted to get on early, like the first inning struggles and then they would settle in. The numbers are pretty, pretty wild. Painter, worst in Major League Baseball among starters of minimum of 15 starts in the opening frame.

He has a 956 ERA in the first inning. But, Jack, since returning from AAA, the 16 innings he's pitched that were not the first innings of his starts, 169 ERA, 0.88. 1 30 batting average against. I mean, like, it's a little, you know, it's a small sample size in this specific case and a little like of a fluky thing. But it does feel like there's something to this first inning thing with him

where if he can kind of figure this out, like he really could improve. Oh, it sucks because you felt like he got bailed out yesterday with the Buxon double play. Yeah. You're like, okay, you know, you allow a base runner or whatever. So yeah, we'll see. But I don't leave yesterday being like, oh, no, there's the Andrew Painter disaster. that I was, because I missed the first ending and I was like, oh, this sucks.

And then I got, I watched the rest of the, rest of his outing. And I went back and watched it. And it was like, no, there's, there's still some good under the hood. Yeah. Yeah, no, I agree. It's, it's, uh, it's exciting. It's a, it's an important thing for the team for the future end now. All right.

I want to get to the Alex Corrthing first. Shout out to Maggie's Waterfront Cafe. Today show is sponsored by Miller Light and Maggie. I love Maggie's, Maggie's Waterfront Cafe on Delaware Avenue. Check out Maggie's Waterfront Cafe for every Philly's, game and enjoy $3 Miller-like drafts. That's a great deal. Watch the Phil's on the outdoor decks with the best views in the Northeast.

Miller-Light for Phil's Win, Celebrity Responsibly. All right, Fritz, I think, you know, a great weekend from a winning perspective, 10 and 5 in August. Things are starting to write the ship a bit, but also a very strange development yesterday in the Alex Cora news. Obviously, we know when Cora, you know, when they fired Tapper, they went to Cora. You didn't take the job, but there was all this reporting about, you know, Corr is the man for next year and all this.

stuff. And then it quiets down because Mattingly, you know, they go on this run, second team of baseball from the time comes in until the All-Star break, all that stuff. Struggles obviously after, but have righted the ship again, 10 and 5 in August. And yesterday, in the midst of, you know, this three-game sweep to it heading in and all that this report comes out from Bob Nightingale that, hey, Alex score is going to be the Phillies manager next year unless Mattingly gets to or wins or potentially even wins the World Series. And the core piece of it is not new news.

What is strange about it is the idea that this is coming out in season period when they are still competing. Like if it all fell apart, fine. But in season when they are competing, they are in a playoff chase, a fight right now with 30 something games left. And they're, you know, in a playoffs, as of today, they've been playing better baseball somewhat over the last, you know, we can have two weeks compared to prior. it is such a strange time for this Alex Coral leak to come out. I have a theory that I brought up in the morning, I want to give that to you in a sec, but what do you make of the Quora news leaking?

Again, this is like basically making Don Mangley, like a lame duck manager almost in a sense, in the middle of a pennant chase, and we don't know that Maddie Lee wants a past X year, and there are all these factors to it, but it's just, it feels like incredibly strange timing on August 16th or whatever for like no reason, really.

for this to come out. What did you make of the league? What do you make of the whole thing? Yeah. So I guess I just think that this is Nightingale talking to people around baseball more than anything. But the one thing I do kind of wonder and think is I don't know if it's from Middleton or it's from Dombrovsky. But I wonder if it could be Middleton trying to channel his inner Rulie Carlin. carpenter from 1980 who came down and said we're going to blow this team up if you guys don't if you guys don't win so you know it could be that it could also be it could also be a combined effort of nebrowski and middleton of just keeping the fire on these guys and just saying hey if you want maddenly you better go on a run they kind of started leaking out that this is going to be the last year of trade shortstop unless he figures it out and they'll start talking about left field after this year not doing it in the middle of season and then obviously

going back to the elite. Browski thing, yeah. So maybe this is just a combined effort of Middleton and Nebraska to put a little bit of extra pressure on this team to let them know that the urgency is here. The urgency is now. And if you don't win, there's going to be changes. That could be a case.

I really just think that this is Nightingale is talking to people around baseball. And it's not a purposeful leak related to the Phillies and more so just, hey, everyone's talking about it kind of thing. It's Bob Nightingale. I largely just believe that he talks to other people around baseball. But I don't know, maybe it's a coordinated league. Well, so I think it's fascinating.

And that's a great point by you. It could be the, I do think that is possible that they're, you know, using it as a technique to try and motivate. Here is my, this is my tinfoil hat theory. And again, this is pure conjecture. I have heard nothing. I know nothing. It's just strictly a trying to like, because you're right,

that is a potential outcome. And I said, if I had to bet, I agree with you. I think the most likely thing is Bob Nightingale heard it from people and it's been something that's been out there and whatever. It just feels weird that it's now. Here's my potential temporal that theory. Again, I don't think this is what happened, but I just want to put it out there because it's a thought. Who has Maddingly kind of had friction with the most here so far, certainly recently this season? Harper, right?

Like him and Harper has not been the most, you know, they've kind of gone out of each other in the media a little bit. The whole trade deadline thing. and Matali firing back and the first base comments. There's been some just a bit of seat. Like, we don't know. Again, we're not there, but it does seem like that we've heard some things, you know, said by each other about the other.

We know who Bryce Harper's agent is, Scott Boris, of course. Alex Gore does not have an agent as a manager, but he did have one as his player for his 14-year career. It was Scott Boris. Scott Boris was Alex Corr's agent his entire playing career. Is there any possibility, even not, I'm not saying Bryce told him to do it, but some sort of like Boris is annoyed with the way

Mattingly has kind of called out his client. It's Star Guy, the whole thing. And Boris is kind of putting it out there to kind of like let people know, hey, Mattingley's out of here. Do you think there's any, any possibility of that? Again,

I don't think it's likely, but it's interesting that he was Corr's agent too. Yeah, but this has kind of been the feeling all throughout, not just the last week. It's not like that's a surprise. that of course probably would be the manager. Of course not,

but it is weird that it comes out right now that Nightingale decides now to, that Nightingale is hearing it more now or whatever. You know what I mean? Like it is. And he is a Boris guy. And Nightingale's a Boris guy. Exactly.

Nightingale and Heyman are the two guys I associate most with the Boris Leaks. So I don't know. It felt like, you know, a potential Timboil hat theory that there was some potential. Well, listen, Bryce has been a little on one this year.

So, you know, yeah. You know what I mean? Start trying to flex his muscles around and let him know that I'm that I'm still Bryce Harper. And I can still walk at a 506 clip. He's turning into a bray you, dude. He's just going to walk and play right field and not run into the wall. It's unbelievable.

Yeah. It's good. Don't run in the wall. I'm okay with that. Yeah. Yeah. Perfectly fine. All right.

So, you know, look, I think the core thing, I think we're all, at least on this pod, we'll be happy to have Alex Corey here. You know,

obviously I'd rather they win the World Series of Mattingly's days. That'd be awesome. but if it is Alex Corr, I think he's a great manager. I just think like, chill with it now. Like, let's try and win now and then we can worry about it. Yeah. Yeah. Although it's a little interesting that the Red Sox went on an unbelievable run.

It is. Now he had been fired for a while. You know, it's not like they were playing bad baseball after that too. I think they were around 500 and then they just ripped it off. So, you know, if Core was there maybe. But also, um, but also, yeah, maybe this is. maybe he just needed a fresh start and needed somewhere new and he'll come here and and he will uh i would be excited about alks cora i would be excited about alex cora i am mostly over the madingly

experience although although if the meeting heard around the world really did work and they talked about having a plan and that and finally having a plan wins this team of world series he can have a lifetime contract for all i care yeah for sure for sure there's nothing i want to see more i'm rooting for Don Mattingly. I just, you know, we'll see how it plays out. All right.

Let's get to the tape bag in one sec. But Jack, and everyone listening, did you know that one and three people regularly suffer from nausea? And my wife,

Emily is one of those people, and it's been such a problem in our lives. I mean, driving in the car has been an exercise in pain tolerance. We can't go anywhere

without Emily's head between her legs and, you know, silence in the car as I sit there praying that she is not going to throw up or just be

totally knocked out by it. It's been such a tough thing. I mean, boats, trains, like those aren't even an option. A boat has never been considered for our family because Emily just gets too sick. It is a real impediment to living life. And it's really been a frustration.

That is until relief ban came into our lives, I can't tell you the difference in Emily. As soon as she put that band on her wrist, we talk on rides. She's in a great mood. She says she feels perfect, no issues at all. We're considering a cruise now in the future because that's something we can do now because relief band has been an absolute miracle for us.

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Reliefband.com. promo code James. All right, Fritzy, let's bag it. I do want to give a special shout out to our good friend Mike Kay, who is a reporter for the Panthers. Now he's working for... Like Kay, fan of the pod. Working for ESPN covering the Panthers.

How about that? I didn't even see that. Congrats to Mike. That's awesome, dude. I'm proud of you, buddy. He's been grinding for a really long time. It was in Jacksonville covering the... Jagged prior to that, a BGN original.

So shout out to Mike. Great guy. We're going to see that goofy mug all over TV. That's the only problem with it. I apologize to everyone to have to see that. And if you see him on TV and ask him why he's smiling so much, it's only because Alec Bone has heated up, as he is the biggest Alec Bone fan in the world.

So I don't know if he's going to change the complexion of the bullpen, but I just can't believe that they hid Alex McFarland. from us for unbelievable jack for so long it's great like he he pops man he freaking pops 100% pops 100% pops and i understand that he's gonna have some concern with throwing strikes and command but like that's part of being a reliever i just i want who doesn't right when they throw that pass you know i just want guys of stuff and by the stuff plus models he grades out as the best or the second best seemingly every night he takes the mound. And I just,

he could be someone that could legitimately swing this bullpen. I mean, Bolin is clearly the eighth inning guy. He's settled into that, which is a really, really positive development, very good to see. And that's like McFarland Kirkering.

I mean, there could be a battle there for this last month and a half of those two and who could possibly get the ball in a postseason series. Site unseen. I'll take McFarland.

Of course. Battle's over for me. So, you know, Raleigh and Alvarado, I hope they switch. I hope that Raleigh becomes the more leverage left to. He has to. And then McFarland, if he can just throw enough strikes, I think is a really solid, solid weapon. And he threw a 102 the other night. Yeah, dude.

This guy was in Redding until mid-July. We're just begging him to get brought up to Lehigh Valley just to see what he has. And then maybe, but to just have him sitting there for so long was crazy. with the idea of trading and when he could possibly help this team. Man, incredibly frustrating. Incredibly frustrating. But he's here and maybe there's enough time for him to kind of get on a run. Yeah.

He is a potential difference maker for this team. It's the biggest area of need for them, obviously. And the deadlines pass. They're not bringing in new guys who are going to matter. I mean, Painter potentially in the playoffs in the bullpen, who knows, like McFarlane really could matter. Yeah. And if they wanted to get really, really cocky with Gage, they could.

But I don't think that's going to happen. I think that they're just going to let him ride out of the string at Redding. And then we'll see where he starts next year. So listen, they got Sanchez, they got Wheeler. They got Nola in this series against Miami. Miami is, what, three games behind the Phillies? So you would really have a... Oh, yes.

She'd really have a good chance to bury them. Obviously, very important to see how Wheeler throws. You know, need to see that the velocity start ticking. back up and looking more like the Zach Wheeler. So that is, that's correct. Three games. Cool. All right.

So, quick little minor league minute as I was down the beach on Friday. You know, I drove back down. So we had a call up. Someone heading to AA we're excited about. Oh, Cody Balker. Yes. He strikes. He's striking out everyone.

So it's good to see. I still think he's a reliever long term. But regardless, he's, he's showing really good strikeout numbers. So very excited for Cody Balker. I think he's being brought up because Braden Tucker is going on the IL. And the Reading team there is in a playoff push. Norrie also started his rehab assignment. I'm assuming he'll be in Jersey Shore and then end the week in Reading.

And he'll be back up. He's missed like so much time, which sucks because I was excited about this year of Dante Norey. But it's been robbed. The WBC. It was so much hype coming in, you know. Yeah. Yeah, but I'd get a hit in his first game back. So yes, Balker to Balker to Double A, which is a excellent.

exciting but Friday night sitting down and you know boys go down and it's kind of just me sitting on the back deck it's like yeah you know I could sit inside maybe watch a movie but yeah you look at the thresher's lineup they he got you got reese moroni in it oh I got to bogeys in it gasperino I tell you what man I might be more of a thresher's that than the Phil said I The thresher's, the thresher's are perfect. You want to know why the thresherers are perfect? Because the start of the season, they have all the draft picks from last year,

and you get excited about those guys. You get some DSL call-ups. And then once those guys start moving up, the draft happens, and then, boom, there's replenishing of all the thresher's. An exciting thing. It's the best. It's the best.

All right, so some things are the past. By the way, DSL, renteria, those numbers, just keep, ah, man. He's like the best hitter in the DSL. He was 12 for 18. week. Dude, I'm, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I'm excited about the future and the players, like, you are Mr. Mark, like, Renteria, like, he is my

baby. Like, I love him so much. I am so freaking excited about that guy. I did tweet that, that it's, uh, you'd be hard pressed to find 15 more important people in my life. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Then, Dan Francisco rentoria. I believe that. Yeah.

He's gonna, he's, he's, he has to carry us through the 2030s through the 2030s through the 2030s. Yeah, I really, I'm all in on that guy. The Spangler, Aden, by the way, is doing everything, apparently. Oh, please. Come on. Come on. And rents areia. Very, very special. Very, very special.

Also, I think we're getting close to seeing Spangler and some Clearwater games, which is even more. Like you were just talking about, the guys come in, the excitement. As if you could be more excited about Clearwater. Spangsy. Spangsy. Anyway. So, Caden Bougampo. set a Thresher's record for hardest hit baseball.

Hardest hit baseballs on Friday. He hit a home run 117 miles an hour. Holy, wow, dude. And he hit another, he didn't hit a home run, but he hit a base hit at 116 miles an hour. Both were the hardest hits in Thresher's history. Dude, that is, that's hard, man. I mean, that's like, yeah,

that's like the best hitters in baseball. And the majors hit it that hard when they hit it their hardest. And I mean, that's like close to as hard as baseball's getting. hit you know i think schwarberoff dervish was 120 yeah that's what i mean you know i mean that yeah exactly so yeah so yeah boganpool and he's hit in 366 which is good so he's he's he's got to get the ball off the ground when he gets the ball off the ground he's a really if he gets the ball off the ground my updated compensate is adam done yeah i think which it would be unreal that'd be awesome you take adam done in this day and age imagine adam done in this day and age oh this is zara if you have been around

you kidding me strike out home runs baby yeah so both Logan pulls off their really good start. Reese Moroni, playing the flag as a, he's not going to be a star. He's not going to, I don't think he'll be a starter, but he's a guy that's going to help this team win ball games.

The guy can just hit. The guy can just hit. He's sitting over 500 since, since he's first week down there. And he is, he is looking apart of just a winning baseball player. And then the guy who I'm really planting my flag on, because I,

I think that he's, I think he's just a, a sleepwalk to being a three, one player in the big leagues is Will Gasparino. I don't get why he was there in the fifth. There's some swing and miss concerns. I'm sure I got concerns, but he is elite in center field.

He took a route to a baseball that I haven't seen to Philly's outfit or take in, in a hundred years, it feels like. He got fully, he like almost went backwards and then got right underneath it and started ascending as he was catching it to try to throw the guy out at third base. I mean, the defense, the speed, the, when he hits the ball,

it just jumps. off the bat. I've said, he's a tool shed. He's an absolute toolshed. I keep seeing Jason Worth. I love Will Gasparino. Love this. Love Will Gasparino. And then it's good to see Kate had a good start yesterday for Jersey Shore. I think he's still a reliever, but he needed a good outing. He had back-to-back bad outing. So Kate over Mueller, good stuff there. We mentioned Francisco. He was, again, 12 or 18 this week with an OPS over 2,200. I love him. I love him. And then the other guy there, and this, this DSL team's a problem.

Juan Parra has obviously been one of the guys we talked about, but also we mentioned Edwin Ramirez, who had another big week as he's still hitting over 400 and they have two games left. Wow, that's unbelievable. Already clinched a playoff spot. So, yes, the DSL team, like from smart Phillies people.

Yeah. They've followed for a while. This has been, this is one of their actually good DSL teams. Well, and it's exciting because that is historically something we've been terrible at. And I mean, we have just compared to other teams. So, like,

that alone, if they can turn this into a real pipeline potentially for them moving forward, I mean, that could be a real franchise changing type of thing. I know that sounds big, but it's true. You know, it really could. So, it could. So that's the minor league minute. Love it. What a good one.

That was a fun one today. All right. So Marlins, two or three. Me, two or three. Wheeler and Sanchez. Come on. Have to. Have to win to it, especially if you're getting swept down there last.

time at the 12th frame and the sweat they need tiebreakers too i mean i know that like you have to start thinking about that i mean with the podj's i mean that series uh uh uh the end of august beginning of september in arizona is gonna be gigantic they got some big series coming up and you know the tiebreaker things could matter you know so it's something we didn't use to think about as much with the one game playoffs like matters so it's a big series coming up being some months who to thunk it and uh in late august how about it two or three two or two with her two or three all right we'll be back on thursday to react to it all until that these fruits themselves sir