High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Did What We Talk About Seem A Little Over The Top?

Episode Date: August 24, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies taking two of three from the Giants, Shohei Ohtani's injury, JT Realmuto's struggles and more. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is.

Another fact, so jump aboard the B.I.B. Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP.

Odyssey and Sports Radio 94. WIP. Yo. It is another edition of the IELTS Podcast. Nice to see you just like a normal yo. Yeah, I was worried where you were going with that. Yeah, like I didn't want to go two. Like they won two or three.

Biggest series, biggest season to date. They went two or three. I'm happy with it. You know, yesterday, disappointing. Because, you know, after Harper-Homer, I was like, wow, we're going to I'm happy with it. You know, yesterday, disappointing. Cause you know, I was like, wow, we're going to,

we're going to sweet. This is great. I mean, yesterday was incredible. I mean like incredible until. Yeah. Well, yeah. Let's say until JT Romito batted in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Or Austin Slater existed. Yeah. What a cat dude. I mean, you tweeted it. You're dead on. Like, I don't,

I don't know. And then, you know, obviously smaller stakes, but I don't know. Anyone didn't think of Chaz McCormick when that ball got caught. Like I,, I mean, you tweeted it. You're dead on. Like, I don't know. And then, you know, obviously smaller stakes, but I don't know why anyone didn't think of Chaz McCormick when that ball got caught. It was the very first thing that popped in my mind. Isn't that sickening?

It's disgusting. Well, for the rest of our lives, every time we see a catch in that spot, we're going to think of one moment. I know. Which is like, you know, it's kind of like a humbling experience. Yeah, very humbling. Yeah, the moment we lost the World Series.

Yes, that was great. I mean, that's nice for Chaz, though. You know, lifelong Phillies fan. He gets to come back and be like, that's my spot, bitches. Yeah, well, he's a Washington fan anyway. Oh, really? He tries to pretend he's an Eagles fan. Oh, this is a great, great day.

He grew up as a Washington fan. Let's take shots at Chaz. I like this. You know what? He deserves it. He ruined our freaking a Washington fan. Let's take shots at Chaz. I like this. You know what? He deserves it. He ruined our freaking World Series. If he dropped that catch. I think they win the World Series.

Well, if he dropped that catch, I wouldn't have brought that up. Oh, yeah. Exactly. Yeah, that never would have happened. That never would have happened. Exactly. If he tried to catch, we wouldn't have mentioned his name today. Exactly.

We'd be like, oh, remember when Chaz didn't catch it in the World Series and we won the World Series? Yeah. Known Philly guy, Chaz McCormick, yes. Had that happened. Philly's own. Our guy. I would listen. He would have been a deserving candidate for the Wall of Fame. Had he just

dropped that ball. Totally. Oh my god. He's not deserving of a lock to be on it. But instead, he's a me guy. And an enemy of the state. That's what it is. Joe Carter, Jazz McCormick, Rondé Barber. The list is the list, buddy. Kawhi it is. Joe Carter. Yeah. Chaz McCormick. Yeah, they. Rondé Barber. The list is the list, buddy, all right? Yeah.

Kawhi Leonard. Joe Jurevicius. We got them all. Yeah. Chaz McCormick. Chaz McCormick. But yeah, it was. Jordan Alvarez.

I think he probably deserved to make the list. Yeah, you know what? Again. Because it was already over by then, you're right. Well, no, I just, again, I've completely blacked it out from my memory. Like, people will bring it up to me, or like those, like, I just, I have no recollection. I really don't. I've only seen it out from my memory. People will bring it up to me. I have no recollection of it. I really don't.

I've only seen it twice in my life. And one was by accident, and that was a Phillies yearbook. Yeah, which we've talked about on the pod. You didn't have to put it in there. You didn't have to. We all would have known what had happened. You didn't need to actually show the hang shot that it was. Yeah, and live. But again, even live, I was like, no. But again, I just, even live,

I was like, I mean, the moment you hit it, we all knew. No, no, we didn't all know because there was a part of me

that was like, off the end of the bat? No way, dude. That was like, it's like a 460 foot home run or whatever. Yeah. Part of me was like,

that's a pop up. I'm serious. Again, it's sickening. I would have been the pitcher on the mound pointing. He's got it. Oh, oh, oh, oh, you mean it's out of the stadium. Again, it's sickening. I would have been the pitcher on the mound pointing to the plate. Oh, you mean it's out of the stadium. Hey, Rojas might have gotten there.

You're not wrong. Rojas might have gotten there. Climbed the wall, ran up there. Not a crazy thought. Thank you. I'm glad we're reliving the Jordan Alvarez home run. What are we doing? Again, I don't...

How did we get here? I don't remember. We won two or three against the Giants. What are we doing? Because, again, there was a freaking play in the game. Like, again, game five was way more painful to me than the Jordan Alvarez home run. Like, I will always remember the Schwarber ball down the line, Chaz McCormick and Brandon Marsh at bat.

And Hoskins striking out. And the defensive play for Hoskins. He had two moments in that. But striking out, letting Berlander off the hook. Yeah. I mean, that Marsh strikeout, that was all time. That was the worst at bat in the World Series. 2-1-5.

We were like, yeah. And the last time we hit the JT strikeout. Similar stakes. Of course, you know, I guess, you know, I guess if you look at it, it's like it took a guy

on his third team in three weeks to actually beat the Phillies. I mean, it was the most... How long have you talked about the Phillies, we don't curse in this pod, but we talk crap about Paul DeYoung. You've always been, even that one year where you had like 30 homers or whatever, you're like, this guy sucks.

He stinks. He stinks. It was sickening. I mean, he had more hits yesterday than he had his entire Blue Jays career. Yeah. And then there was the, what was the little outfielder's name that had a couple hits. He had five hits in his career heading into the game.

Oh, Meckler, you're talking about? Yeah, Meckler. Yeah, Meckler. Scores the winning run. Yeah. Not the winning run, the last run, excuse me. It was a frustrating loss. And what stinks about it is obviously that's like a win at your sales.

You come in today, meltdown city, like this team's back, and all that. Dude, the city's melting down. It's like World Series title, it's coming. Well, and you know what made me more mad is that that should have been a walk-off home run by Bryce because of that stupid blooper that fell in the inning before. I know. To make it 5-2 rather than 4-2.

I know, I know. That should have been a walk-off. Totally true. And honestly, the game, we can't get too upset because they won 2-3, but it was a very frustrating game. There true. And honestly, the game, and we can't get too upset because they won 2-3, but it was a very frustrating game. There were moments throughout. First of all, many missed opportunities.

I'm sorry. Maybe it doesn't get overturned. You have to challenge that, Jack Peterson. You have to. It looked like it hit the ground. If Boehm gets on, they score runs that inning. It's a different complexion of the game. They've got to hit the next hit.

Who knows where that inning goes? That was incredibly frustrating in the moment. Like, they got to hit the next hit. Like, who knows where that inning goes? Like, that was incredibly frustrating in the moment. Obviously, the, let me, Bryce Harper, we love you. And very rarely does Bryce Harper say something where I have to, like, stop and be like, Bryce. Normally, I'm like, yeah, keep talking forever. Mostly about my city. Bryce Harper and, I guess, a lot of the fan base not understanding

why that run counted. Like, how long have we been playing baseball, folks? Like, did you hear Bryce Harper after the game? He said he didn't know. He's like, I didn't. but he's not understanding why that run counted. How long have we been playing baseball, folks? Did you hear Bryce Harper after the game? He said he didn't know. He's like, why did that run count? It's a double play. It shouldn't have counted.

Bryce, really? Do you not understand force outs and the way that baseball works and if the run scores? He didn't know. He said he didn't know after the game. Is this the new Donovan timeout? It's not that different. I mean, it is. It's very different.

But still, Bryce didn't know the rule. Yeah, but... Come on! I mean, I know. Who cares? Anyway, for those who don't know. It's not like Johan Rojas didn't try to make the play happen because he's like, No, no, no.

They got the out. That's why it's not like Donovan didn't affect anything or whatever. But, you know, Bryce, you're a baseball guy. Like, you know. Yeah. He's all right. It's fine. He did have a big home run. That was an amazing catch by Rojas, too.

A catch and throw, and almost had the other, I mean, Rojas really, dude's amazing. Well, I was shocked he didn't come up with the Jock Peterson one the night before. Well, that's, yeah, the one before, the night before, and that was a big, I mean, they won the game, but that was the difference up until that point. Yeah, well, that was, again,

if Angela wasn't there, we don was the difference up until that point. Well, that was, again, if Angelo wasn't there, we all know how to catch that ball. I mean, it's, it was like almost comical that Angelo gets the good ball. Everything starts falling apart. it was like on brand.

And then Cassianos just went to the wall and he's like, there it is. Come on. Come on. Come on. Yeah,

it was, yesterday was a game they should have won. Yep. But you could also say the game before is when they could have slash and lost that's baseball that's why you're here

just wise I'm trying to protect our superstar from the attacks by you again just attacking our superstar it's classic WIP by you. Again, just attacking our superstar. No, it's classic WIP by you. Just trying to run our stars out of town.

It's just sickening. Whatever. It's okay. Yesterday, again, it was also I would love to know their record the day after a walk-off win. I would love to know their record.

They might not have won a game. I've never seen them. I've never seen them carried over. How many times have we talked about this on the pod through the years? Oh, this is the moment. And as they're going down, they're down 4-0, I just kept saying to myself, Jack, remember the next time that they win a thrilling comeback that they never win the day after.

But it's impossible in the moment. It's impossible to do that. Because we're like, I would be ready to run through a wall the next day. We're like, get me to 640. Get me to 405. How could they not dominate and be jacked up after that? Now, no runs through seven. It's like a lot.

A little back-to-back. Yeah. A little Schwartz. A little Trey. Oh, who's that? Trey Tur- I mean, like, the Trey thing. I mean, it's, like, at no point in your wildest dreams did you think that the ovations would

happen and the guy would bat 360 more like with a walk-off you hoped it would help with a walk-off with home runs all over the place i just wanted him to be okay yeah i told him to not suck at baseball like this guy doesn't suck i promise like it is and he said it he i mean they've talked a lot about what like he literally said after that walk-off in the post-game interview, quote-unquote, the ovations turned my season around for me personally. We had Rob Thompson on the morning show yesterday. He said it turned the season around for the whole team.

It's shocking. What is going on right now? It's shocking. It's very shocking. But, again, I'm not totally surprised. That's how I felt heading into it. I felt like he needed it. And I thought the players would respond well to it as well.

Clearly. They loved it. Dude, Brandon Marsh said the other day, and I was like, why have they never done this before? Brandon Marsh said the other day before the game, he's like, we've got a 10-game homestand. It's time to protect Citizens Bank Park. Yeah.

And it's like, that's what I'm talking about. Yeah, we say that about football. Teams always say that about football. Even after the Kenny Gamewell, after the fight at the practice, wherever, he's like, yeah, you ain't going to come in here. We're going to protect our home team, our home field, whatever. Oh, the NovaCare, our home turf. I know, it's so funny.

But you're having football all the time. Like, great point. Like, that should be used for Citizens Bank Park. Like, that protects CBP because we dominate. And that's a rallying cry for the team. And did you hear what Rob Thompson also said in that answer talking about how to turn the season around? He also said that he spoke to a coach on one of the teams

that came in last year. Well, he said that like eight times so far. But still, like, again, it's just like four hours of hell coming in. It's not just that we can energize the team. There's an impact on the game, Jack. No. Yes. So here's my thing.

Don't you dare. Here's my thing. Don't you dare, Jack. Well, I agree with Rob. The four hours of hell and how much we can impact it. And Deval clearly, I would love to see Duvall here in a playoff game it would just be

comical and obviously Gabe here during a playoff game would just be the greatest thing of all time Joe Giglio texted me that during the game last night he was like

he's like the first round series has to be the Giants here he's like it's the only series that has juice he's like imagine Gabe

walking for a pitching change in the playoffs like yes yeah I need it I need it yeah he would be crushed I need it everyone gets so worked. Yeah, he would be crushed.

I need it. Everyone gets so worked up about Gabe. Everything he does, people get mad about. He's a good manager, guys. Like, he's good. So he's got it. Like, you look at those two rosters. Like, the Phillies should be 15 games in front of that Giants team. Like, that is a mediocre roster.

Yeah. So there's two things I think about Gabe now. One, definitely a good manager. Like, you have to give him credit for what he gets out of that team. Yeah. But at the same time, just excruciating. It's the worst to watch. Like, it is excruciating.

Dude, every game's going to be an hour longer than it's supposed to be. Like, he is the most annoying manager to watch, but he has to do that to get this team to where they are. Yeah, although, I mean, their bullpen and starter era in august yeah it's just been exploding yeah and i think that's because he's he's had to use all those guys yeah and uses them a lot and he's aggressive with it um but it did make me think about and i know our listeners were around for it and i know that you watched it i know that i watched it because i had to produce those games back when i was producing philly's games. September, Gabe,

with the 40-man roster, it was the worst. I love baseball. It should have been illegal. They changed the rules. They changed it because of Gabe. They went from 40-man rosters in September, which is always an insane thing. So dumb, yeah. It's like, why all of a sudden

for one month can you just be like, hey, let's bring the whole minor league team up. It's like, let's change the way we do this sport all season long for the stretch mode, the month when the teams decide who makes the playoffs. Let's make that one to change the game. Insanity. It is. It's insanity. It really is.

But Gabe during that time was just so annoying. I mean, there's a game I remember he pulled Kingery after his first at bat for a platoon advantage. I remember that. You remember the meltdown the next day? Like, he was just the wrong guy. I mean, I'll tell you that it is rare that you see an opener who gets pulled in the first inning. Usually you put an opener in, you're like, alright, this guy's got an inning

or two, right? Like, that's what they do. And then we bring in, like, a piggyback to face the back of the lineup or whoever it is. Like, he let him go three batters. Like, he was right Bryce up time to move it and I don't and I get it I get it but like he literally put that guy in to pitch to three three like they never see that like just it's just wild I I know they work sort of I just hate I hate oh it's horrible oh I hate it I hate watching it I it. It is not a good product. We've seen the explosion of people being interested in baseball again.

The attendance of Phillies alone are up 10% or 9.5% or whatever it is. It's like 10,000 people are gaining more or something crazy. There's all these numbers around baseball. It's because the game's moving faster. It's the anti-Gabe. It's bad for the sport, but he does a good job getting the most out of his roster. Gabe Kapler, bad for the sport. I kind of like that.

2-1-5. I will say one of the funniest things. I know people have talked about this before, but when you're playing the Giants, you really see it. The fact that all their coaches kind of look like him, that it's all these muscle guys. When the pitching coach and the translator guy come out, and they're both these big jack dudes, I'm like, what are you guys doing over here? What is happening with this team see my problem is is that i see andrew bailey and i say that could have been me oh because like yes we wore the hat the same way when i was well

yes he had a very successful major league career you know compared to your average person former philly former philly might be a good grid, yeah. He's got some teams in there. No, but I remember I was growing up and I was at a camp and a guy was like, you look just like Andrew Bailey. And now I watch Andrew Bailey. Oh, and so it's always been like, I could be him. I could have been him. Your ability to get yourself into the I could have been him mentality, it's pretty special.

Yeah. I was elite. Yeah, well, I think I have thought about it if I was on the modern stuff with like driveline and all that. Like, have thrown 90 like i topped out i topped out at 86 and that was without really working that hard so had i gone back and gone through driving 90 might be selling yourself short buddy could i have touched 90 you could have gone 95 nice you could be a major league pitcher jack thank you this is you know this is but i'm here very glad to be here are you it doesn't sound like it after that could have been me is there a tear rolling down my eye

is there a lone just a single tear just slowly making it down your cheek yep freaking yeah found beer in college lost the cutter and here i am today the rest is most people go to college and they gain velocity because they're working out all the time. I went to college and lost three miles an hour. Yes, yes. Still have no idea. You gain that other thing that people usually gain when they go to college, weight. Yes.

Experience. Sure, that's it too. Wisdom. Let's bring it back around there. Yep. College credits. That's good. Yep.

That's good. I like it. All right, let's get into some of the stuff from this series. Let's start with Nola because I think going in, you know, I think you're probably the most surprising thing that's happened in this year is Aaron Nola pitching seven two-run innings. Our guy. Look, I think we all, the Aaron Nola we were expecting came in the first

inning, and we're like, oh, here we go. You know, the homer, bases loaded, they get out of it. Second inning, you know, or was it third inning, another homer, a ball off get out of it second inning uh you know or was it third inning another homer a ball off the wall like you're like oh oh god and then the dude settled in and and gave him seven strong like was that just a night or does it give you any hope that there could be a turner a corner turned by a turner. A Trey Turner around? A Trey Turner turned around, yeah. A Trey Turner around? Where are we at?

Where are we at? Oh. Like, I don't know. There you go. It was like a yell right there. Oh. Well, I just, because I did genuinely feel like they found maybe something new with him. It seemed like just from watching him, and the percentages were not what I thought they

were going to be, because I thought he threw more curveballs on Monday night and then I went back to his Blue Jays start and he threw the same amount of curveballs. I was like, ah, man. Darn. Thought I had something there. But just in watching it, it did feel like he used his curveball to set up his fastball more

rather than his fastball to set up his curveball. So maybe they're just pitching a little bit more backwards with him. But when it comes down to that, then he does have the ability to obviously hang one, and then it's into the stands. It seems like every pitch he's hanged this year has been hit into the stands. Yeah. So the one thing that it did feel differently is that it felt like he threw a lot more curveballs instead of fastballs, more than fastballs instead of curveballs.

So I thought that maybe they found a new little plan there for him, and that can kind of get him going. I was just glad that it was nice and refreshing that when he did allow runs early, he didn't avalanche. Yeah. Because that's been one of the problems in this year. We all expected it. We're watching and expecting the avalanche.

Yeah, and if he can just – listen, he's going to allow home runs. Yeah. If he can give me solo shots. me give me three solo shots whatever it just what what's been killing him is just these innings where runners get on base then he slows down and then he's thinking about the pitch on homer or something and then it's like so if he can just be solo shot guy and oh you're right honestly you're leading major league baseball home runs allowed whatever the other interesting part about nola now is obviously the Shohei injury stinks. But now, if he can't pitch next year, I know Snell's in the market,

but Nola's going to, his price is just, even with the annoying bad year that he's had, his price is still going to be really freaking high because he takes down innings and mostly does a good job. He strikes out guys and doesn't walk people. So, like, he continues down innings and mostly does a good job. He strikes out guys and doesn't walk people. So like, he's just, he continues to kind of win.

I agree with you. He will get paid. I don't think it'll be as much as like the high end that people talked about. But like, he'll get somewhere in the mid hundred millions,

whether it's 130, whether it's 150, whether it's 120, like 120 at the lowest, I think ultimately. I think you're right about that, especially with the market. It's,

if, you know, it's show a, not as a pitcher on the market and who knows, you think, ultimately. I think you're right about that, especially with the market. If Shohei not is a pitcher on the market, who knows? Does he need Tommy John or not is obviously part of this, or if they can rehab it or whatever. But Blake Snell has certainly, I think, passed Nola. But Snell's history, I don't think. He's certainly not as durable as Aaron Nola. And this kid from Japan is supposed to be pretty awesome. Yeah.

Won the triple crown there and all that stuff. But yeah, that's it. And that's the thing. It's those three and like no one even in like, it's like you jump tiers down. Like there's empty tiers. And the other thing too, outside of the bat, Joey, like there are no bats on the market. Like a big time bat.

Like it's not just Aaron Nola is like one of the two or three best pitchers on the market. It's that he's one of the two or three best free agents on the market, like a big-time bat. It's not just that Aaron Nola is one of the two or three best pitchers on the market. He's one of the two or three best free agents on the market by a wide margin. So yeah, that's the thing is every year no matter what, there are going to be teams that have money to spend, that are looking to spend and a guy like Aaron Nola is going to be

attractive to a lot of teams. Yeah, I'm just bummed out because I thought we were getting Otani to pitch here next week. I know. I'm going to the game. I know, I know. I know. I know. But that stinks. Let's take it a step further because it stinks that we weren't going to see him pitch against the Phillies. It stinks for baseball.

Oh, yeah. And, like, we're talking about how this has been a, you know, if you've listened to this podcast at all, they're, like, outside of the Phillies winning in just perpetuity in any situation, like, the single thing that Jack and I want most in the world is for people to love baseball. Like we just want people to love our sport the way we do. We want people to recognize that it is the best sport is the most fun sports, the most dramatic sports, the best playoffs. Like, like we just want people where we are like desperately.

And this year has been so exciting to see people coming back to the game and the people in the stands and you know, the just like general excitement about the sport and Joey's been a big part of that man like he matters nationally as a baseball person yeah and the other thing I couldn't help but think about is like dude everything the Angels

try just anyway they're like we're going all in they made more moves than anybody and they've been horrible since they traded like three of their top five prospects. I know. For a faulty idea that they could make the third wild card. I know.

We knew it in the time. They should have traded Joey. And now, obviously, it's proven true. But it was just insane. You weren't close enough to the playoffs. You look at the AL East. There were three teams, four teams, better records. It was one of the most insane decisions ever.

Shocking, the Angels. Shocking. But yeah, I thought NOLA, like there's a little glimmer of hope for me that they found something. But again, it's just waiting for the next start and see what happens. But I do think they did change some things up

that were interesting. Hey, fantasy football owners, the road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. I'm Matt Harmon from Reception Perception. Join me and James Coe. As we take a deep dive into the position that's going to make or break your fantasy roster wide receivers.

We analyze route running target share and all the metrics that matter, giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers. As you prep for your draft, let us give you the coverage you need follow and listen to reception perception on the free odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. We'll get to the positives offensively in a sec because there's a lot. And we'll get to the take back earlier.

I know you've got a lot to get to. And you've got a big day. Check out Jack. He'll be hosting again today, hosting again tomorrow. You'll be hosting tomorrow? I know, but you've got a long day. I'm going home. I'm picking up Emily and Zoe, and we're driving to the shore

and doing the show tomorrow. So I'm fine. You've got like you're working till like midnight tonight or whatever uh more like one like one more like one exactly like straight through and i know you got a show coming up so we don't have a ton of time so uh we'll get to a couple pause of the offense but but the jt thing we talked about the strikeout we've kind of been waiting you know for the toronto series last year like when is he gonna kind of turn it are you getting the point where you're kind of like this is kind of JT.

Well, I guess my thing with JT is that, I mean, they're batting him so low. He's like 7th. It's like he's just not killing it. Obviously, the strikeout yesterday was bad. But it's like if he can just be okay. Like, he's been okay. He's what 95% of baseball teams have in their catcher.

Yes, but also you're paying him $25 million. Oh, I know. I'm just talking. Yeah, but also you're paying them $25 million. Oh, I know. I'm just talking. Yeah, that's the issue. That's the issue. You know, I just, it was probably bound to happen. I just, I'm not totally just freaking out about it because I do, I like the positive step forwards I've seen from almost everyone else.

You know, like, I think the offense can survive with this JT, where it's Schwarber's kind of heating back up in the home run department. By the way, since June's second. Did you see that? So they got Gelbstadt. What a great stat. Yeah. Do what you say. Well, it's only him and Shoah have 20 plus home runs

and 50 plus walks. And all of baseball. Shoah is batting for 300. Shoah's got 44 home runs and the whole thing. Regardless, whatever. The only fact's going to be a good story.

Yeah. But yeah, so like Schwarber, Turner, Harper. The Harper. We're going to talk about Harper in a second.

Harper and like, you know, Stott. Boomer, I'm never too worried about. Like he'll go through a stretch where he's like grounding a double plays.

But he's always going to put the bat on the ball. Look, last night he should have had the game winning hit. Totally. So I'm never like, I'm never too worried about, like, he'll go through a stretch where he's, like, grounding a double plays. But he's always going to put the bat on the ball. Look, last night he should have had the game-winning hit. Totally. So I'm never, like, I'm never too, like, worried about Alec Baldwin. I agree with you. I'm never that way. Same with Stott.

I think it was similar with those guys this year, at least. And Stott, before the series, I think was batting.250 in August. But it never really feels that way with him. So I just, I think they can just survive without JT being the guy that he was last year. And then if you can get anything out of him, great. But he he's just not I haven't felt it like I felt Trey this year at the beginning and how I felt about Cassiano's last year because they're batting higher up in bigger spots no it's a really fair point and I agree with it and look like JT did have a great playoffs last year I mean he had big had big hits. He had clutch hits in the World Series. I mean, that game won.

JT was the most important player on the team in that game. So, I definitely think it's still in him, and I'm not going to say that he's a disaster for the rest of the year. But, you know, he'd like to see more of JT. Yeah, obviously. And is the answer playing Stubbs more?

I don't know. We've been down that road, right? Is Stubbs going to come on there and bunt? I don't know. And it works. It works. But it just doesn't, I mean. Yeah. The threat of a big hit is greatly diminished

when Garrett Stubbs is covered. So I'm definitely more in the hope camp. It hasn't felt as detrimental as the other guys. Yeah. I think that absolutely drops. Like it has not felt close to what Cassianos felt like last as the other guys. Yeah. I think that absolutely jives. It has not felt close to what Cassianos felt like last year or Turner earlier this year. All right, Harper.

It feels like, I mean, it feels like for the first time since last October, that dude's here again. We are watching the player we saw go on the greatest playoff run we've seen in this city, one of them. He's back. He looks like that guy. Even the outs. Dude, he hit four balls He looks like that guy. Even the outs.

He hit four balls 110 miles an hour. That first out, up the middle, that was like a... I would have been scared to catch that ball. That was a scorcher, man. The one to left field almost like Harper is. He's as locked in as he's been since last year.

The only time I've seen a baseball, like that kind of puff, you know, like we hit the home run, like you saw that poof? Oh, yeah. Only time I've seen that on a baseball field was when Randy Johnson blew up the bird.

You know what I mean? Like that ball, it literally exploded the baseball. It was 112 miles an hour off the bat or something. Like it's just, he is, I mean, he's just he is i mean he's just the best like he's just absolutely the freaking best dude and he is it's fair to say that when he gets going it just kind of the team is is more into it more locked in because he's like

oh bleep we got bryce harper back he back. He's just ascended himself to another level here. He has. No, he really has to the point of like especially the clutch stuff and with the playoffs last year. Dude, it's every clutch. That's what I mean. I just. Great players don't usually come through all the time like this.

Like this is rare for someone to be his level of baseball player, historically speaking, like a chance to be an inner circle Hall of Famer, like the guy going to the Hall of Fame, like it's rare for those guys to come through this often in those moments. Like that, it's rare, dude. It's 100% rare. And while Jeter did it, it was all these little, you know, little single, it's that, yeah.

Yeah, this guy's hitting dingers. He's hitting like big dongs. Cut that audio. He's just, so I said this yesterday on the air and it's genuinely how i feel i never thought i would i would feel the way about a baseball player that i felt about utley rollins howard and hamels because i was a kid and like those are my guys growing up 100 i have a childlike excitement about Bryce Harper as a Philly. Such a good way to put it, man. Like, he... Like, I... Because you get older, it's like, ah, sports

are kind of trivial, right? Like, you know, they're just kind of there. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Like, not... Not with that dude, man. I just... And I also said this yesterday. Like, he's on the Philly's Mount Rushmore already. Like, he is on the Mount Rushmore

of Phillies and for an outsider for a guy who was a guy that we hated for a long time for me to be on my Mount Rushmore already that's pretty insane and I just

I've thought a lot about the last couple days he's 2 away from 300 now? 3? it's either 2 or 3 I think it's 3 I've thought a lot about the last couple days. Like he's two away from 300 now? Three. Three. Three away from 300. It's either two or three. I think it's three. He's three away from 300.

He's going to hit that as a Philly. He's going to hit 400 as a Philly. And I just, I can't wait to see him hit his 500. Like I hope he does it. He probably. He says to stay healthy. If he stays healthy, he will get there. But like, you know, with his swing, as he ages,

who knows? He's already got back things. He's already a thumping John. The point being that he is on track to do that. He's going to die trying to hit 500. His arm will fall off. He knows the history of the sport. He knows the history of what the 500 home run

club means. I've just already started having visions of like harper's chase for 500 and then it's like probably what five seven years from now yeah something seven years we're still doing the podcast and like we're on we're on road trips we're if he's not doing it here we're on the road like taking the and we're chasing bryce's 500 i just he he has just turned into such a freaking legend here. He's going to have a statue outside of Citizens Bank Park. It's probably going to be Bedlam at the bank.

He's going to go into the Hall of Fame as a Philly. He's going to be in the conversation for second best Philly ever behind Mike Schmidt when it's all said and done. You're right. I agree with you on all of this. It's the big moments, and it's clutch moments, and it's the hustle, and it's annoying sometimes, obviously, when he gets thrown out at bases.

He's a dumb base runner. We can say it. We love him. Dumb base runner. But it's all for the good of who he is, which is a guy that just plays as hard as he can every single night. That home run yesterday, it's like we have that guy, and we never have that guy.

It's like Jalen. It's like we don't usually have those two kind of guys. And they're different in many ways, but similar in that aspect. And the biggest difference between Jalen and Bryce is that the Eagles were already an established franchise. They were good before Jalen. They're bad the first year, but that wasn't his fault. They just won a Superbowl.

Right. Like the Eagles were already an established brand. Like Bryce Harper has turned the Phillies around into like, people want to come here. Totally. After, after a decade of losing, you know,

he came here and not just players, not just people, players, like he's played a role in, in, uh, like solic just players, not just people, players. He's played a role in soliciting players to come here and making this a place to be. And then on top of it, we joke around, pandering, all that, but all this guy does is every time he has a microphone in front of him and he has a chance to speak to the world,

tells everyone how amazing we are and how amazing Philadelphia is. That's all he does. It's his whole thing. It's his whole, and it's because it's genuine because he feels it. But, like, Philly versus everybody. You can't get in front of a microphone without saying Philly versus everybody now because, like, that's his ethos now. But that's us, too.

And I was going to say this before, but, like, in my many years on this planet, Jack, you want to talk about age and wisdom, right? Yes, yes. That's what we're saying. Age and wisdom. I've never in my talk about age and wisdom, right? Yes, yes. That's what we're saying. Age and wisdom. I've never in my life, I've never, I've never seen something like this Phillies team and this fan base right now

where the team is giving so much love to the fans, where the team is so consistently saying, like, you make a difference. You energize us. You make it hard for other teams to play here. We couldn't be anything without you. Like, it is, like, I'm like getting like verklempt talking about it because it, but it's, it's, it's unique, man.

Like it's one sided. We root for these guys. Oh, go. Like maybe you'll hear like, oh, our fans travel or whatever. You'll hear that kind of stuff. Like not this like love affair that is happening right now. It is unique, man. And Bryce is the heart of it.

He's at the center of it. That goes on his Philadelphia legend legacy thing, too. And it all comes together where this guy is the athlete of a generation for us. And yet we might have another in Jalen. It is crazy. It's crazy. And now Harper has his new, he clearly has his new celebration

when he passes home plate. Like his little shrug thing. The shrug? The MJ? I'm in. I'm in. Are you kidding me? I'm so in.

I'm in. He is so present in every moment. And the Bedlam at the Bank thing was a perfect example. First thing he does is turn the dugout and do Phillies crosses. He didn't freak. Hoskins was like, this is the greatest thing ever. He spiked his bat. Harper like.

Hoskins lost his mind. Harper was like, I was born for this. I was born for this. That's what it was in that moment. That's the difference. That's the difference. And that's what great players have. I know it's a regular season game

I'm getting so excited I'm getting all worked up because hopefully obviously all things go well but we're going to have another

we're going to have hopefully a home playoff series and we're going to see Bryce and this fan base do it all over again and that's the thing to the point where

you're talking like a statue and all this stuff like I think to your point Bryce's legacy in Philly when he's all done will be only positive and only great. And Mount Rushmore and all, and the statue and all that. But obviously we know what it does for the legacy if he can win.

But even just past that, obviously I want to see the Phillies win a World Series, but I want to see this guy win a World Series. Seriously, though. I mean, I don Phillies win a World Series, but I want to see this guy win a World Series. Like, seriously, though. Like, I mean, I don't ever remember a baseball player in this town where I felt like they needed to win it more. Like, he knows. Like, you just talked about how much he cares about 500. He cares about his legacy. He cares about being the greatest.

He cares about baseball as a sport. And, like, winning the World Series for this guy would mean everything. Everything. And, like, I want it for me. I know this sounds crazy. I almost want the Phillies to win the World Series more for Bryce than for me. Because you've seen. Yes, exactly.

I've won a World Series and this guy. Well, you've won two. I was not born yet, you jerk. I know that sounds crazy, but I honestly truly think I want him to win it for him more than for me. I agree. I don't think I've ever said win it for him more than for me. I agree. I don't think I've ever said that about any athlete ever in my life.

I agree. I agree. And that's why, it's hard to explain. Last year, when they were going through it, I was like, this almost feels too fast.

I know. You know what I mean? Luke's like, hold on, are we about to win the World Series? What's happening? I barely even know this team.

You know what I mean? Yes. But now, especially compared to our one experience win the World Series? What's happening? I barely even know this team. You know what I mean? Yes. But now. Especially compared to our one experience winning the World Series. It was like steps and gradual. And it was growth with the same guys. And then 07 happened. You're like, oh.

It felt like it was a progression. This felt like, whoa. Whoa. Whoa. I don't do it with my hands. Yeah. Yes. Yes.

Josh Harris. Yeah. But now it's like. Now we had the taste. And now it's like now we had the taste and now we're having like the regular season moments now we're having the fans there now we're having like the city behind the team again we had the ovations and it's like now now go win it now it's like last year obviously i would have taken a world series last year but now it's like these are our our guys well i think to that point and when you think about the love we have for them and all that, and then the ovations and the moments we had, like,

if, and they have to win the World Series, but if they win the World Series, like, I have no doubt saying this will be the most special sports season of my life for any team ever, period, end of story. Like, because of this thing. Because, like, I feel like I was a part of it. Now, alright, so, let me just think about this. What if the 93 Phil's won?

Sure. Yeah. Well, then that would have been it. I don't know if that could have ever been topped because I was 12 years old and I had never seen my team win anything. I don't know. It didn't happen, but I doubt that could have ever been topped. A 12-year-old boy whose team was horrible his whole life, whose baseball's his whole life. Like, yeah, that would have been

that would have been topped. I'm just curious. Oh, four Eagles. No, not close. Okay. 17 Eagles will be the only one you can compare because it's the first time when you assume that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And 08.

08's there too. What about the 2010 Flyers? Yeah. Oh, good call. Yeah, sure. You're right. Maybe 87 with J.J. Dania. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

With Leon Stickle. But seriously, it goes back to what I was saying before. Like, I don't remember this in my lifetime. I don't ever remember feeling more connected to a group of team like to a group of guys on a team

like I don't ever remember that now did you feel connected in April and May maybe less but we had connection because of last year

that's the point I know I know I'm just messing with you but I do think the ovations kind of changed everything for all of us I think the ovations

brought a fan base and a team closer together than any team that we've ever had. Yes, that's exactly right, man. And I think that's an unbelievably unique and special thing. So, you know me. I'm a fan. No, you're a C.

I want everyone to love each other. Like, it's a, you know, this is pretty fun. You want it to be one big Phish concert. Yes, exactly. Yes. Thank you. You want Philadelphia to be one big Phish concert. Yeah, and I'll tell you, it felt like it last playoffs. All right. Take back. Do you think this is, now, real quick. Yes. Thank you. You want Philadelphia to be one big fish concert. And I'll tell you, it felt like it last playoffs.

All right. Take back. Do you think this is, now real quick. Yeah. I just want to self-reflect. I love it. Yeah. You and I on this podcast.

Oh, I'm getting dangerous. No, no, no. I'm not. But did we, was this last 20 minutes a little over the top? For an August. So hold up. No, no. Because we put qualifiers in there.

I said they have to win the World Series. No, no, no. I loved it. I loved it. I'm just saying. But I do think it's like, I really mean it. Like, again, I'm a 41-year-old man, only 41, Jack, who's, you know, seen a lot of Philadelphia sports teams in my life,

and I've never seen this. I've never seen this thing before, so it's pretty neat. All right, take back coming up in a sec. Shout out to Miller Lite. We love Miller Lite. Honestly, like, so, Jack jag you might not know this but um i've stopped drinking anything at home but miller light i'm talking like drinks period like like i've i've been only drinking miller light all the time and i may be chugging a few i'm just telling you i'm getting i'm just generally preparing if anything comes up.

So I'm exclusively chugging Miller Lights these days because Miller Lights is the best. But, you know, if you don't want to chug it at a bar, that's okay. You can go drink them at a bar. And here's one of our favorites, McSorley's Ale House. Today's Miller Light Bar of the Week is McSorley's Ale House in Havertown where you can watch all Phillies games with a $14 Miller Light bucket special. Go to the McSorley's Alehouse.com.

Nice. Shout out to Miller Lite. Been chugging them lately. That's what I'm doing. Yeah, but I haven't seen any Miller Lites or Phil's wins. Honestly, it's mostly because of the inconsistency of my tweeting. I feel bad if I'm not going to say, but you know what? You're right. I need to change this now. I just haven't seen one. Miller's Lites.

I struggle during the week because I got to do final out out usually but when they win this week i'm good okay good but i haven't i haven't done a final out which i'm sorry but i've been hosting the afternoon yeah no big deal yeah okay it's okay take back uh so i think it's starting to build we're starting to get here um but i. But I've definitely envisioned Citizens Bank Park. And it's a big playoff game. Obviously now we have to do the red rally towels rather than the white rally towels. But, you know,

it's a big moment. And with a tight game, maybe Stott ropes the double down into the corner. Someone's brought home from third base. Stott's on second. He's freaking out, like, let's go, Phillies across the chest, whatever.

And he pans to the crowd. And in unison, the whole crowd's doing the big ball celebration. The marbles? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, that's what I need in the postseason. Oh, God.

Jack, this is so great. And the whole crowd's just doing it back. Yeah. It's the greatest thing I've ever heard. You're very good at these. Now, need in the postseason. Oh, God. Jack, this is so great. And the whole crowd just doing it back. Yeah. It's the greatest thing I've ever heard. You're very good at these. Now, here's the funny thing. Fan movement guy. You are, clearly.

I mean, the fan movement guy, you might say. But you're very good at envisioning these things and trying to create them. My big takeaway from it, though, knowing you, is it is just a clear example of how much time you spend thinking about these potential situations. You're walking around thinking about Citizens Bank Park in October at all times. All times. I know. I know. I'm dead serious.

The moment I started thinking about it was they showed the kid the other day that started doing it. Oh, it was great. He was doing it back. So if the kids are doing it, then everyone needs to do it. It's acceptable. Of course. It's October baseball. But just envisioning the whole crowd

giving it back to Stoddy. Or whoever. Harper. I just keep thinking about Stoddy. I think it's because of the double-off strider last year. That's why I was envisioning Stoddy. It was the biggest of the series.

It was incredible. It's just like, yeah. I think that's going to be what's going to be happening in October. I think that is elite stuff. Last year was Dancing on Her Own. This year is a celebration. Well, we also have another song, apparently. Believe.

You can see it's catching on. Do you believe in life after love? Can't you see all the boys in the clubhouse after? All the boys and their overalls. Oh, I'm so in on the rally overalls. I am too. I love the rally overalls. Like, Garrett Stubbs could come up with any gimmick or shtick for them,

and I'm in. Like, you could be like, all right, guys, like, we're wearing buckets on our head. Great idea, Garrett. Go with it. Like, it doesn't matter. Like, the dude just, he's got a feel for camaraderie. Yes. Garrett Stubbs could never hit a home run

again, and he's simply never allowed to leave. Lifetime contract. Lifetime contract. I'm dead serious. Lifetime contract. Yes. Speaking of other good camaraderie stuff, the Alvarado necklaces, which is just even... He's such a creative fellow. Oh my gosh.

He really is, right? Those animals, those creative work by him like in a million years i could not have done that yeah uh so there's just there's just so many little things that it this is what this is what teams are made of you know what i mean it's also like i think it's we get it particularly giddy about it because like these are all the things that we wanted i know all these years We had to watch the Red Sox with a shopping cart. I know. We were like, why can't we get that?

Yeah, we had the bamboo. We had the stupid freaking hats. It was so forced. Come on, man. That was lame. That's genuine and real. Even this year, it was the thumbs up and that wasn't working. They went to the marbles. It all feels natural and organic

and not stupid and forced. And Stubbs-y. Well, that's why. The heart of it all. Is Garrett Stubbs the MVP of the Phillies, 2-1-5, 5-9-2? Or is Kyle Schwarber? Yeah, it's one or the other.

This Schwarber season is so funny, dude. It's one of the most unique seasons we've ever seen here in Philadelphia. So I think he's going to end up with all this. 40 homers, 100 runs, 100 RBIs, 100 walks, more homers than singles. He might not catch the singles, but

he could be close. Yeah. And more strikeouts than his batting average. Yeah. It is an unbelievable year. It's remarkable. It's remarkable. And again, if you don't talk about the horrific defense, which we will all acknowledge,

he is a disaster out there. He's just bad. Offensively, that is a valuable player. Sorry to tell everyone. Every single team in Major League Baseball would take that guy. I mean, again, would I rather him have

22 home runs and be batting 230? No. No. No. Are you kidding me? Like, yeah. Would I rather him 280 and 35 home runs? Sure.

Yeah. Yeah. That's fine. If he's one of the best, yeah, one of the best players in the sport. Yeah. He's just a, he's just a, a piece of the lineup. Yeah. Like, just relax.

Anyway. And again, by the way, for those who missed it, we asked Rob Thompson yesterday in the morning. It was pretty, we had not heard him be this definitive.

Richie asked him, like, because we had talked to him about a month before and said, like, you know, you started the season with Turner in the leadoff hole. Like, you know, and he gave an answer

kind of like, well, ideally Trey makes sense there. I'm not sure everything works, but like, you know, Trey trey you know it could be that type of thing so richie's like what is trey turner you know he's hitting now we have to get back the lead off thing and rob thompson was like shore has to get hurt i was like so busy he's like yeah he's like shore is our lead up yeah boom it's over thank god can we stop i know uh of JT, 195 with a 586 OPS at home. Dude, did you have the road numbers? Yeah, he's like over 300.

305 or something. He's got like a 931 OPS on the road. It's one of the weirder. Like we talk about the ovations and all that matter for the team. For everyone except JT, apparently. Yeah. It's really strange, though. Those are like some of the, like those, you know what those remind me of?

Those remind me of being like a Rocky in the 1990s or like those you know what those remind me of those remind me of being like a rocky in the 1990s or something you know what i mean seriously before the human rocky the movie oh no also what are you talking about camera right but like you know i mean like but especially before the humidor and they're still like skewed but like before the humidor and before they really tamped it down like like guys used to have like a thousand ops in colorado and like 600 on the road like Like there were real discrepancies. Like that's that type of thing. That's a really weird,

really weird. Especially cause CBP's a hitter's park. Maybe that's why it hasn't felt as like detrimental because he has been so good on the road. Cause he's been good on the road. I'm sure that's what it is. Yeah. Yeah.

But it is weird. Right? Like, like particularly weird. Very weird. And the last one is like, can we just... Enough with the going down early every single game thing. Enough.

Enough. You do this every pot. Do you have to make Jack come on every pot and part of the take back is like, can we stop this? And it's like, no, apparently not. Give me that stat that you just gave, we were just talking about before. What would the comeback win stat? Well, they have 35 comeback wins.

That's half their wins. Well, it's a little bit less than half their wins. Yeah, it's like almost half their wins. Almost half their wins are... No, it's half, aren't they? What are they at? Yeah, they have 69 wins. Oh, so it's more than half.

Yeah. It's a little more than half of their wins. Half of their wins are comebacks. Like, no. It's every game. It's every game, dude. It's like, again, I haven't really been betting much anymore, but, like, just bet on the opposing team to score first.

Yes. You'll win money. Yeah, and it's even getting to the point where it feels like it's just, like, the first inning. Yeah, it's built in. It's built in the first inning. It's like, we're not even going to, like, it's not like we're just going to let them score first.

We're going to let one of the first two or three batters of this game in a home run. I mean, it's like, dude, that's the way it's going to work. Yeah. Other than that, Tyron Walker, I thought all the starters kind of just seem okay. Like, Lorenzen, I don't know. I mean, I think he'll be fine. He's just kind of.

He's not that great. He's fine. He's like a four. This is what kind of Michael Lorenzen was supposed to be. Yeah, he doesn't have an out pitch. Like, sorry. Like, he's fine. He's like a four. This is what kind of Michael Lorenzen was supposed to be before he threw in O'Hare. Yeah, he doesn't have an out pitch. Like, sorry. Like, he's fine. Yeah. Now, does the fact that he threw 124 pitches two starts ago matter?

I would be surprised. Look, I can't say it doesn't play a role. Certainly with these starts. Like, I think he'll be fine. But I think there's a chance he's a little more tired. I always thought the off days kind of threw him off more than the pitch. The nine days off thing, yeah. Which, look, he was way worse after the nine days off than he was last night, I guess, if that's anything

that you can really want to. Not too worried about Kimbrell. It was back-to-back days. Just didn't have his stuff. Every time I get worried about him, he bounces back. I agree. He's mostly fine. Alvarado, stuff looked a little bit flatter.

Yeah, the speed was there, which was nice. See, the velocity was up there, but... Just a little flat. He didn't look dominant. But, look, he just needs to get there when it matters. Yes, 100%. So, I mean, again, we've said it a million times, but it comes down to what the starters do. Yeah. I think the offense is the most home runs in baseball since August 1st.

Yeah. And then we talk about the Braves. Well, the Phillies offense has been right there with them. Yeah. Comes down to the starting staff. And we trust the bats in the playoffs, you know especially when i mean we're talking about bryce harper like i'll never see him in a big spot not expect to get the hit you know that we need so um yeah you're right especially especially two down the stretch here with like you know we've

talked about all year but like some of these dudes have pitched a lot more than they should like matt strom to your point with the extra things, he's pitched too much. Jeff Hoffman has pitched too much. These are guys who we're talking about. You want these guys to pitch in big games in September and October. They've got to find ways to get these guys a little bit more rest in games that they need to win. So you know what's the best way to do that?

I don't know. If you're starting with seven, it would help. Yeah. We'll see. But Cardinals this weekend we're playing a little bit better. A little bit better. Yeah. I mean, not the dumpster fire they had been.

But, you know, look, if you get a little payback for the Cardinals too, it's scary. We might have ended the Cardinals run. Yeah. So, I guess they could have a payback. It's true. They should be mad. If I were them, I'd be mad. Just take two or three. Two or three. No, seriously. Boom.

Take two or three. Two or three. All right. We'll be back Sunday. It's a normal one. Nothing football, right? We good for Sunday? I think we're good for Sunday.

Yeah. I'm at the beach, but I think we're on our own. I'll just bring my mic to the beach. Worst case Monday. We'll be back for you either way. Don't worry. The Hive Spot will not disappear. I had vacation last week.

No more vacation. We're not going anywhere. We're here with you through the end and it'll be interesting. It's going to be fun for everyone. You want to talk about hearing me complain about being tired? Once we get to playoff games and I'm... I will not sleep for you.

Don't worry. If the playoff game happens, we will be recording after it. Don't worry. I'm not going to do any of this. I've got to go to bed early. I'm going to be tired it's going to be fun yeah yeah alright if you listen to this quickly check out Jack on the afternoon show today and tomorrow and I'll be hosting mornings tomorrow as well so check us out

until then he's for some seltzer We'll see you next time.