High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Do You Factor In Where You'll Watch the Phillies When Buying a Home?

Episode Date: January 10, 2020

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back as the offseason is dragging on so they talk Arenado, Bryant and factoring in the Phillies when buying a home. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Philadelphia Phillies on Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. Obviously, I feel like, Jack jack that people can can understand the basement yo because you know when we're not in the same room together and i'm home and i gotta just go a little bit less with it because you know i got a baby sleeping upstairs yeah a toddler i

should say she's a toddler now jack i gotta get got to get that right. They grow up so quick, James. It's wild, my friend. Wild. Soon she's going to be going to high school and then going to college. We are not there yet, my friend. You'll be in your 70s. Oh, my God. She's just going to be reaching middle school at that point.

Why am I doing this? Why am I staying up at night recording in my basement for a moment to talk to you i'm just gonna get ridiculed for well yeah it honestly though i feel like every time the high hopes listeners like hear that you know we're not in the same studio they automatically get sad and you know what i also get sad you too. Recording in the studio is just way more fun. Yeah, we like it way more. But we still, you know, I think it still works. Yeah, I mean, anytime you can talk some fills, it's always worth it.

Yeah. I mean, you know, I wouldn't tell people, like, not to listen or anything like that. You know, don't tune out now. That would be a mistake, I think. No, listen, there's definitely definitely reasons to tune into this podcast not totally sure what they are but as we go along here me and james are going to figure it out okay yeah that's enough for reason to tune in yeah kind of like there's not really a lot of philly stuff to talk about but we're going to figure out a way to talk about it so uh why don't we start

with like the one kind of big thing that isn't really directly philly's right now related but tangentially related with the it seems like nolan arenado is going to get traded jack like one way or another it looks like yeah i mean rosenball came out today and said that uh this one is starting to look inevitable if not by opening day, then by the trade deadline. And it is just so crazy that they signed him to that mega contract extension last year. He talks about how he wants to spend his whole career there. And then a year after signing Nolan Arenado to that contract, the Rockies ownership was like, you know what? We're not that good enough.

We're not good enough. And we're going to have to just rebuild. This feels like a rebuild. And if you're Nolan Arenado, and you care as much about winning as you do, apparently, did I go back and watch his press conference from last year this week? You are.

That is like peak level. The highlights are one thing. That's something I can kind of understand. You went back and watched his press conference. What is wrong with you i just wanted to see if i if i believed it you know i feel like i like i'm like i'm like here's how i am with baseball players i'm like i'm like that old guy that goes to the horse track jaggy eye test yes yeah yeah i look the horror i look the horse in his eyes and i can just tell

if he means it and aaron otto man i walked away from that press conference a year ago this week, and I felt like he was serious about wanting to win. And now they are basically prepared, it seems like, to move on from this generation Schmidt. to move on from this generation Schmidt. Like I was, I was looking at the stats and if you combine the gold glove excellence, you combine, uh, his offensive prowess,

like Nolan Aranato is legit. This generation is Mike Schmidt. And they're just like, nah, whatever. We'll, we'll trade you and we'll do whatever. And it's like,

his contract's not even insane. Like his contract is very fair for how good of a player Nolan Arenado is. So did I get very nervous today with the Matthew Liberatore trade to the St. Louis Cardinals? Just from things I've seen, it seems that the Cardinals are going to be involved in Nolan Arenado. it seems like the Cardinals are going to be involved in Nolan Arenado. And now if you have Matthew Liberatore and you have Nolan Gorman, like they have the pieces to make a Nolan Arenado trade. Now the Cardinals are a team that generally is, you know, they don't spend crazy amount of money.

Like they usually buy low and bank on their development staff to get the most out of players. Like Goldschmidtmidt they just signed last year to 100 plus million dollar deal are they ready to take on a contract like nolan arenado's nolan arenado i'm not sure but james i was like so jealous of the matthew liberatore trade like they gave up jose martinez yeah who to be fair will rake as a dh yeah i mean he's gonna be he's gonna be amazing love him as an al player but yeah it's an asset that they basically had to trade for him to have the real value that he could have so yeah i mean that i couldn't believe it

when i saw it i mean liberator is a legit legit prospect dude i wanted Dude, I was ready to take him if they didn't take Boehm or Madrigal at number three last year or two years ago. Like, I love Matthew Liberto. I don't love him as much as I love Mackenzie Gore, but he's, like, the next tier below Mackenzie Gore for me. And, I mean, he's, like, right in the Spencer Howard kind of range. But just the fact that, like, Jose Martinez Jose Martinez, he was almost worthless to the Cardinals because of how bad he was in the field. And to be able to flip that for Matthew Liberatore, I'm not kidding. I was so jealous.

Yeah, I could so see you being. That's the exact kind of thing you would be jealous about. That's what I've been begging for. I've been begging to flip and try to buy buy prospects during the whole you know rebuild but whatever it's okay so yeah the nolan arenado thing it seems like it's heating up um i i think they would get more for him now like i would if i was them i would trade him this offseason because i don't i don't like having to trade major assets at the deadline. I just feel like there's more prepping in the offseason.

You can kind of dig into it more rather than the trade deadline where it feels like they kind of come together a little bit faster. If you're trading Nolan Arenado, I would try to make sure you have kind of gone through all the lengths of exploring all the options with him. Also, the trade deadline, you don't know who's going to be in it, who's going to be out of it. It's going to be a buyer's market, seller's market. That's a risk you're taking.

Maybe it all pans out, but there are a lot of factors that go into that, and obviously the team getting him for 162 games instead of 70-whatever it is. Right. For example, it's perfect because the phillies like they could there's a there's a chance obviously that they're not in and at the trade deadline which would be hugely disappointing but they would give way more obviously now this offseason than uh they would at the trade deadline if they happen to be out of it so So, man, I've already started daydreaming about Nolan Arenado and Chris Bryant.

Or Nolan Arenado and Chris Bryant. Or, right, let's not go overboard here. I would love both, but let's be real here. Right, and I've just gotten to a point where I think that one of them is going to be a fill-in. Jackie Optimus is here. You knew it was coming. You knew it was coming. I hope so.

I hope so. I woke up yesterday morning, and I was like, oh, listen, one of those guys is going to be a Philly. There's only so many teams that need a third baseman. This is what I keep coming back to, and this is what I kept coming back to with Bryce, and it's that there's only so many teams that need a third baseman. This is what I keep coming back to, and this is what I kept coming back to with Bryce, and it's that there's only so many teams that need a third baseman. There's only so many teams that have the impact prospect or prospects

if they do trade both Spencer Howard and Alec Boehm, which I don't think they will. I think they would trade Boehm. But they have the impact prospect the money and the motivation to be able to get one of these deals done and i just there's not many teams out there that can do that like the phillies can they're one of like four teams and and that's what i keep coming back to and until they give me a reason to really not think that they're going to be in on one of these guys i just think they're going to be really, really in.

I think they want to. I know we've said this before, but I don't think they signed Bryce Harper not to pair him with another guy. And I don't think they gave him the contract they gave him, which was 13 years. They gave him the more years to lessen the AAV to not add another star to this team. And, man, if you get Nolan Arenado, you are pairing perfect fits together. JT Real Amido, Bryce Harper, and Nolan Arenado is like the dream core. I agree with that. Chris Bryant is obviously amazing and whatnot,

but Arenado brings that extra intensity that I don't think Chris Bryant has. He brings the extra pop, and the defense is just so legit. For as great an offensive threat as I think Chris Bryant is, his defense was horrible last year. I think, obviously, he can play third base, but if you're telling me it's nolan arenado and chris or chris bryant i'm gonna go get nolan arenado and do what it takes to secure the best third baseman in baseball like i am i'm genuinely excited i i i can tell i've tried i've

tried to keep it in i i i'm surprised you kept it in this long. I'm surprised that you haven't predicted this to happen sooner. Look, I think there's no question you want Arenado over Bryant, even if it costs a little bit more or whatever. That's a no-brainer in my mind. Arenado is, like you said, he's a better player, a much better defender. I think the intensity thing matters and the competitiveness matters. He did re-sign with Colorado because he said he wanted to win and they had to do something to win.

So I'm with you on that whole front. I just find it so hard to believe that they're going to trade for Nolan Arenado. I want it to happen. It's just I going to trade for Nolan Arenado. Like, I mean, I want it to happen. It's just, I haven't heard their name around it as much. And you never know, maybe they're lurking and all that.

It just feels like the Bryant thing. If one of these things is going to happen, make so much more sense. And I mean, look, the luxury tax thing. Like I agree with you. I think that,

that if they went over, it would be for a star like that but we still have to see them go over the luxury tax for you know us to believe they're going to go over it but i'm much more skeptical that it's going to happen than you and i understand the reasoning i think your logic is is sound that they are one of the few teams who have the need and also potentially a package that if teams are not, you know, vastly overrating what they can get, or, you know, maybe there are teams that would be willing to give up more, but, um, a package that could theoretically, you know,

get the job done. I just, man, again, I, I need to see it happen, Jack. Like I can't, I can't expect them to go out and make this big, bold move until they go out and make this big, bold move. Because right now there's just so many holes on this team. This off season has felt like so without a plan. It was almost like, hey, all right, we're going to sign a picture. We're going to put a lot of money into a starter, one starter. And then we're going to bring in a really nice player who joe

gerardi said is awesome like let's go with joe's guy and then it's like we're done like that's it and i and we'll get to there's obviously like a lot of bargain basement type of guys out there and stuff like that but i mean it just and and that's why you may be counter wise you could argue well that's why you feel like another move had to be a part of this. But it just doesn't feel like they're together enough to make something like this happen. Man, why are you so down? Why shouldn't I be? Oh, come on, man.

Like, I don't know. No, look, I want it to happen. I would I will lose my hope. Where's the hope where's the belief where where's that coming from where i you know because they haven't really been pessimistic they haven't really been linked to it and and we've heard a lot of rumors about you know trades of big stars this offseason and nothing has really trades of big stars this offseason, and nothing has really happened on any of the fronts. So I don't know.

I just need to see them in it here. And again, they don't have, as of right now, an owner or general manager I trust particularly much. So why should I be here saying they're going to go out and make this big, bold, outstanding move? Well, you don't have to say it. But I'll do the heavy lifting for you. Do the heavy lifting. I need it.

I need you, Jack. You're helping me. You're helping me here. Just like last year when I had to get Bryce Harper. Yeah, right. By myself. Yeah, I think people should go back and listen to the Bryce Harper is not coming pod and which one of us was a little more sure he was coming than the other one i'm i'm an emotion on my sleeve guy and it was going through it was going through a dark period at that point

oh well all right so we'll move on here but i i think that i hope i hope you're right i'm gonna roll you they're gonna do it well well i don't want to give you one second before we move on. So I believe I texted you two days ago, and I said, you know what the dumbest thing the Phillies are doing right now? And it was a collection of many dumb things that the Phillies are doing right now. But what I said to you at the time was I thought it was dumb that I think they're going to be involved in one of these these two trades uh for either chris bryan or for nolan arenado but not like not adding to the guys around them and and and fixing the edges of this roster

is is a dumb thing to do like just oh hopefully we'll trade for one of those guys and it'll kind of save our offseason i thought that was dumb to do but oh yeah like i said you know sign two guys and then say oh you know we're good with the rest of the pitching and and you know we'll be fine right but i had this thought today was that it so right now if they traded for Nolan Arenado, it would put them pretty close to $239 million, which would be the next luxury tax threshold. And for as much as I am all about them going over this luxury tax. I see what you're doing here. So I'm thinking that maybe they don't want to go over the second luxury tax. What was that?

That's Zoe crying. Zoe's crying? She does not like this. Can you go tell her? No, she's back in. She'll be fine. She does this every once in a while. She'll go back to bed.

Can you tell her that the fillets are going to get either Nolan Arenado or Chris Bryant? Yeah, I'm sure that will put her right back down, Jack. It would put me to sleep, honestly. I would sleep. You dream about it. She's asleep again. She's sleeping like Gene Belcher for anyone who watches Bob's Burgers. Who watches Bob's Burgers?

Bob's great. Great show. Great show. If they trade for Nolan Arenado or Chris Bryant, I don't think I'd be able to sleep until spring training. You would be camped out waiting for them to get here.

Zoe did not like that you made fun of Bob's Burgers. She did not like that. I'll stop picking on Bob's Burgers. Keep that to yourself, buddy. Keep your bad Bob's takes to yourself. I just didn't think anyone watched bobs burgers but i guess there's one um but like i do wonder if they're concerned about the second luxury tax because that one's where you start losing draft picks or you keep you start dropping

down and draft pick stuff and losing international slot money so i understand not going over that one especially because this team's not you not finished competing at this or finished building at this point. So I don't know. I just, I know I'm pretty optimistic, I would say, but there's just a lot of connecting the dots here. It's how I felt with Bryce. Obviously, I think there's a way better chance to get Chris Bryant, but I also didn't think Nolan Arnotto was actually getting traded. Me too. That's fair. I can agree with that. So I think the Phillies and most of Major League Baseball walked into this offseason thinking, okay, Chris Bryant's going to be available.

And the Nolan Aranato stuff, I just think it's kind of surprised a lot of teams. So hopefully that's the Phillies. And as we've said many times, they, for the most part, move in silence. And we don't really know how involved they are and stuff. Like last year, Real Muto was just like, oh, the Phillies are really close to acquiring JT Real Muto. That was from Tim Brown.

And I could see kind of a similar kind of thing. I just have received no indication that Phillies are not going to be involved in either one of these guys. I think Bryant, you know, I think there's some behind the scenes stuff going on with him and Bryce. And I just, I have a good feeling that they're going to come out of this offseason with one of the two. If I had to put money on it, I still think Chris Bryant's the guy. And listen, if they get Chris Bryant to pair with Bryce Harper, we're still going to be ecstatic. It's just the possibility of being able to watch Nolan Arenado for 162 is something I can't shake.

Yeah. Look, you're getting me excited. You're making me feel better about it. If nothing else, you're infusing some positivity here. You're starting to make me believe, Jack. All right, moving on real quick. The Morosi tweet today, kind of a weird tweet talking about adam hazley as the center fielder and they want to pair him with a right-handed bat

how did you interpret this i know you tweeted out a couple names kevin pr uh cameron may have been a couple of them what what do you think about this tweet and and if it how you interpret this tweet well nothing says panit race quite like i mean geez how about how about juan lagares he's out there uh see here's the thing that it has felt 213 last year but man can he field dude i'm pretty sure i can get juan lagares out right now but man that guy can feel yeah i would i'm i i would you know center fielder can feel that's nice it's fun it is nice um it's weird so it didn't really make any sense and it didn't really make any sense for me from this standpoint if they'd keep boom and they keep kingery and they don't make any trades

theoretically alec boom could be here in may or even break camp with the team like and they keep Kingery and they don't make any trades. Theoretically, Alec Boehm could be here in May or even break camp with the team. He seems like he's pretty motivated to break camp with the team. He's already down at Clearwater. He's been there for like a month already. Guy's just an absolute animal. And so you have him at third base either on opening day or in May if you don't move him.

And then if that happens, Kingery is going to be your center fielder. So then that kind of takes away the whole, hey, let's have a right-handed platoon bat to play center field. Did you say platoon? Platoon? Yeah, I know. Yeah, I don't know why. I know to say platoon, but sometimes I say platoon, and it sounds weird. That's why I had to stop you.

Platoon. You ever see Platoon with Charlie Sheen? Exactly. I've actually never seen it. No, I'm not surprised you haven't. You're like 15 years old. I'm more of a hitch guy. I like hitch.

I'm a fan of hitch. Hitch is good. But no, the Kingery thing. So Kingery would be your center fielder to pair with Haseley, and then Bone becomes your third baseman. So if it's not adding a Kevin Pillar or a Cameron Mabin, maybe they're planning for some kind of trade. And that kind of didn't make any sense to me at that point

because then you're trading most likely for a third baseman, and then Kingery moves to center field. some kind of trade and but then that kind of didn't make any sense to me at that point because then you're trading most likely for a third baseman and then kingery moves the center field so none of it really made sense unless they're thinking about trading kingery and boom and then they would need that but i don't think that's a realistic opportunity the whole report really didn't make sense to me because it seems like there's an easy fix no matter really what they do unless they trade kangaroo you know it would be a nice report to get hey the phillies are interested in this picture that they're actually gonna sign and add to their staff i don't even care if he's a starter or reliever can we just get somebody in here jack why are we why

are we talking about right-handed hitting center fielders like Cameron freaking Maven? I like Cameron Maven as a 24th guy or whatever, but, I mean, man, what are we doing? What are we doing, Jack? It seems like a poor allocation of the last $6 million. What are we doing here, man? All right, let me throw some of the free agent starting pitchers at you here

and see if you get excited about these guys. Clay Buchholz, doing it for you? Andrew Kashner, no? No, hate him. Julis Chassin, a fan? No, no. I mean, Ross Detweiler. Marco Estrada, I've owned that guy in fantasies a few times

yeah i own him in 2014 i mean matt harvey i mean no we can we can be the uh the 16th team edwin jackson has played for that would actually would that add to his major league record i think so no the only the literally the only i don't think he's ever been here right so no the only the only two free agent major league are free agent starters i'm interested in is alex wood or taywan walker that's the only two i'm interested in you can run through this whole list i'm not gonna be interested in anyone unless it's taywan walker or or alex wood that's just spencer howard can't be up soon enough like he can't like bring him up right now let him start the season before the season even starts like let

him just be up here pitching on the mounted citizens bank park every fifth day just to see what it feels like no one understands like he's got to be here like It is what it is. I know, the service time and all that. But it's just like, man. All right, there are some. And the relievers, it's not as bad. It's not great. But there are still some guys out there. No one's super exciting.

I mean, Austin Bryce got designated by the Marlins. Hey. If you want to talk about excitement. You and AJ Ramos guy, how about that? I mean, Austin Bryce got designated by the Marlins. Hey. If you want to talk about excitement. You and AJ Ramos guy. How about that? Anthony Swarczak. No.

No. None of these guys do it for you. Fernando Rodgers. Brandon Kintzler. Yeah, he's fine. Jeremy Jeffress. Yeah, actually an interesting bounce back. Yeah. Tyler Clibbert. He's a little old now.

Dude, I just... Tony Singrani? No. The point is, I think you could maybe piece some relievers together more so than that starting. So I was actually looking at... It's all awful. It's all awful, Jack. It's all awful, but...

I was looking at some starters today, and I came across the name Danny Salazar. I loved, loved, loved Danny Salazar. Loved him. So did I. I mean, he was nasty. I mean, literally has never stayed healthy, ever. I was looking up his baseball savant, whatnot, and his four-seam fastball and the only start he made this year,

which he only lost in four innings before getting hurt again. The story of Danny Salazar's career. He was topping out at 87 miles an hour. Oh, man. I would say not great on the Danny Salazar market. However, yes, I would take a shot on Danny Salazar. But he could find it. Oh, buddy.

Everything's fine with this bitching stuff. I just can't believe we're really going to do... We're going to completely trust Zach Eflin As our number three I mean Eflin's like He's like really trust him Then we got guys who like We don't trust even more than Zach Eflin

How sad is that Zach Eflin's like way more in the circle of trust Than other guys who will be in the Rotation Jack The guy Zach Eflin who was Put in the bullpen in the rotation jack the guy zach efflin who was put in the bullpen in the middle of summer because he was so bad is now coming back as a sinker baller while sinker ballers are being phased out of baseball as a number three when he doesn't even have good what are we doing? And again, they have not signed a single reliever this offseason.

Just that's it. They signed Robert. They claimed Robert Stock off waivers. Jack. He was up to 98 miles an hour. They have not signed a free agent reliever this offseason. Is that better? They had the fourth lowest second half goal in the array in baseball last year. You keep on just forgetting that.

Also, speaking of that, and I love Sir Anthony Dominguez, but do we remember what Sir Anthony Dominguez was like? Do we also remember this guy is rehabbing a ucl and like he do we why do i have zero faith that sir anthony dominguez is gonna give me anything zero i have nothing like i don't expect a single thing from nothing well he'll give you he'll give you a month but and then he's gonna get tommy john surgery and then we'll see him in two years from there and it's like this is great uh we'll see him in two years from there. And it's like, this is great. Oh, we'll always have 2018.

He wasn't good at the beginning of 2019. Like he wasn't good. Him and him. Because he had UCL issues that we, we found out about later. Developing UCL. No, but it could have been, you know, I don't think that that doesn't play a role. No, it definitely could have. It definitely could have. Here's the

two insane scenarios that for as much as I think they're going to finish with a second wild card and make the playoffs, they are really, really banking on really banking on Zac Eflin being a competent

number three, I guess. And Serenity Dominguez getting back to 2018 Serenity Dominguez pitching with a UCL problem. Oh, man. World Series, baby. That's literally – that is for – That's a bad plan, Jack. That is a bad plan.

The 2020 Phillies are going to sink or swim on Eflin being competent and also one of Velasquez or Pavetta being okay. And Sir Anthony, Sir Anthony being 2018 Sir Anthony. I think we can pretty much bank on Reese Hoskins being better than second half Reese Hoskins. He'll be fine. McCutcheon, once he Hoskins. He'll be fine. McCutcheon, once he comes back, he'll be fine as well.

Haseley should only theoretically get better. I think Bryce is going to be better. JT. Segura, I think, at second base is going to be better. The offense is going to be fine. I don't think we're going to see the inconsistencies that we saw last season. I think Joe Dillon was a massive upgrade. But you keep coming back to Eflin needs to be good and Sir Anthony needs to be 2018 Sir Anthony.

And those are two things that I am definitely not sure of. And I know it's – Not sure of. That's – yeah. I know it's January, but that's definitely where it's going to – the whole entire season hinges on that. Oh, great. So we're screwed.

Screwed. No, we'll be all right. Joe Girardi cures all. That he does. That he does. People do forget that. All right. What else have you got?

That's all I got. That's all you had? That's all I had, Jack. Like I said, there's not a lot of Philly stuff to talk about. Let me go through the notes. I've had a tweet about the Eagles. I don't even like tweeting about the Eagles. So why'd you do it?

Because I had nothing else to tweet about. What am I supposed to do, not tweet? Well, that's my point. Sometimes there's just not a lot to talk about. I know, but... Yeah, I guess there's really. Oh, I mean, Daniel Hudson signing with the Nationals is annoying. Of course. Just like all these guys signing with all these teams that are not the Phillies,

especially this division. Just like both the Braves and Nationals have completely stocked up their bullpens and the Mets at least out of Patances and the Phillies have literally done nothing. Like, I mean, who, like, Neris, Alvarez, name another guy you can maybe count on next season. And Sir Anthony is absolutely not an acceptable answer. I trust Adam Morgan, but that's me.

Yeah, I mean, I like Adam Morgan at times too, but he hasn't done it in a full season. He's never consistent. Like, man, come on. That's not a winning bullpen. That is just not a winning bullpen. It's not. I will say this, that you better not ask me about Robert Stock

and Trustworthy in March because I'm pretty sure I'm on the verge of talking myself. I'm surprised you didn't just say him there that oh you gotta trust robert sock and you know robert sock man the bullpen sure is depressing isn't it it is it's a real bummer yeah yeah but if they yeah i think i'll get arenado or b, then who cares? Who needs pitching? We'll be fine. I will say that I think there are legit guys that are going to be up here pretty quickly

from the minor league system that are bullpen guys. I think big league camp invites are coming out tomorrow. That'll be interesting to see who gets the big league invites. Just kind of start working on the pen. Like if Garrett Clevenger, I would love to see what he brings in camp. But I don't know. I think they are banking on a lot of talent in their minor league system. I know there's not great talent minor league system

but i think they have pretty good bullpen pieces that can come up and help them so if they're banking on that i get it i just hope that because obviously i haven't seen all of them like clevenger just kind of started digging into his his k for nine which is disgusting but um they're banking on guys coming up and and helping them that way so if they want to go that route and if they want to stay cheap in the bullpen and invest elsewhere, I guess that's not the worst thing in the world. I just hope that the guys they bring up have stuff they can get major league hitters out. I'm sure they will. Why wouldn't they?

I mean, if they're Matt Klintak draft picks, I'm sure they're going to be awesome. Listen, Matt Klintak drafted three guys in this draft that had some stuff that should rise quickly. So, I don't know. I'm going to be talking myself back into Matty Klint. No, stop it. All right, what else you got? What's in the note bag?

Oscar Colas. I am very excited to talk about Oscar Colas. I can't tell. It's C-O-L-A-S, and it's like Colas, like Coca-Cola. i can't tell it's it's it's c-o-l-a-s and it's like colas like like uh like coca-cola so it gets his quote colas yeah it's colas oscar colas um so it's so he is 21 and he is originally from cuba but he played over in Japan and he's already been labeled as the Cuban Otani and I like for a team that is doesn't have much young talent coming through the system there's obviously some guys but impact talent Oscar Colas just kind of would help them immensely now the the problem with him

is that he's a first baseman slash outfielder, which they definitely don't need a first baseman. An outfielder they do need, but it's like they need an outfielder in two years. I think he's – I think with these type of guys, if you have an opportunity to get someone who's super talented like that, I think you just – you you just disregard the rest. Yeah, I guess I don't really want

them to worry about McCutcheon. McCutcheon's going to be here for another year after this and you have to build the rest of your core. And I was thinking if you can add him, he can be in left field. And honestly, I was watching a little bit of his tape. I was watching a little bit of his swing.

And boy, does he remind me of bit of his tape. I was watching a little bit of his swing. And boy, does he remind me of Jordan Alvarez. Oh, buddy. I don't think he has the pop of Jordan Alvarez, but I think he's got that kind of a bat. I think his bat is really, really, really legit. He's a strong 21. So I would love to see them get involved. He's already 95 from the left side of the mound.

His stuff's not great. He can throw a spinning breaking ball and get it over and whatnot. But 95 from the left side is something you can work with. I don't know if you can expect a lot off the mound, but I think the bat definitely plays. I just want to see them invest in the international market. Get one of these guys like for once, like, what are we doing? Like, yeah, like spend the money.

Yeah. Just go get one of these guys. Like, I mean, how many of these guys have the Yankees gotten in this? And that like, it's like, just go get one of these guys. Well, right. And like Jason Dominguez is already their number two prospect. I know. Yeah.

Where they call him the Latin Ruth or something like that They've always got a name They've always got a name for everybody He's like Mike Trout I'm sure But yeah So I guess in March They're going to sign who else

Garcia the guy they're supposed to sign last July The July 2nd International slot they're going to sign last July, the July 2nd international slot. They're going to use their bonus, pull money on him. But I guess he had to get suspended for the year to sign in March. So they should theoretically have more money in July. So hopefully they can do something here. He seems like he's going to be a really, really impact bat.

He's already been playing professionally since he's 18. He batted over 300 last year in Japan. professionally since he's 18 he batted over 300 last year in japan so um i would i would love to see them make a move and and just kind of really invest in the in in that market it would be it'd be a welcome surprise i'm not gonna get my hopes up i already told myself i'm not gonna get my hopes up because so you'll think it's gonna happen in a couple days you'll be totally there all i need is one all i need is rumor, and I will be back in. But at the moment, no. I'm not talking myself into it, but I would like to be pleasantly surprised.

I'll put it that way. I like that. All right. What else you got? I had two dreams this week, James. Oh, man. Oh, man. As many listeners of this podcast know,

I probably dream about the Phillies multiple times a week. You are something else, buddy. And my first dream that occurred this week was I was at an Eagles tailgate with my trout, totally normal, and I was wearing my Bryce Harper baby blue jersey. And he was like, oh, Bryce Harper baby blue jersey. I'm going to his birthday party tonight. I think you should come with. And so I wore my Bryce Harper baby blue Harper jersey to Bryce Harper's

birthday party that I attended with Mike Trout and found Chris Bryant there and linked those two up and got them to come play in Philadelphia. So when they signed, so weird, when they, when they trade for Chris Bryant, you can thank me.

I love it. Love it. What's your second dream? And my second dream was now I thought this was going to be a great dream, one that was going to be exciting to start the day after this dream, but it was like a crisp 80-degree day at the bank in the middle of summer, and Pavetta's on the mound. And he starts off the game with like 298 mile an hour

fastball it's just right past the guy and then just breaks off a wicked hammer curveball and it was like okay here we go bang Pavetta I was already like favoring tweets and getting ready to fire him off at people and then and, of course, in classic Pavetta fashion, he just allowed three runs out of nowhere. Like, just like that. Well, at least his dream was a lot more realistic than the last one. That's the thing. Like, dreams are supposed to be not realistic.

This was scary realistic. I feel like I'd seen this dream before. To your worst nightmare. Your worst true nightmare. It's not like Pibetta has ever done that before. Oh, my God. You are so weird. I love you.

Whatever. That's me. My final, I don't know, thought here in my stream of consciousness is that, so Jill and I are starting to look at homes. Yeah, buddy. Well, homes slash new places to live. And I think the key part to my home buying slash renting experience is, and I don't know if I'm the only one,

but I really factor in how and where I'm going to watch the Phillies. And if I can see myself watching the Phillies in this house. You are hilarious. So, like, last week we went to see this house and it had like a porch or whatnot, but it was like closed in. And I already started envisioning, oh, I could put Franski and L.A. slash Franson over here. I could have the game up here. So everywhere I go now in my home slash renting experience, I am trying to picture myself watching the Phillies. I love that.

I found a couple apartments in Philly that have rooftops. If you're telling me I can watch the Phillies on a rooftop with some beers, you want to talk about heaven? There's not much more heaven than that. Look at this.

Look at this, at this now now now i'm gonna need a rooftop so yeah buddy may or may not be be coming to philadelphia finally like living dude if we if i live in philly we could do like live podcasts we could do we could do all kinds of stuff Move to Philly Might have to move into Philly Yeah obviously But I've been moving right in the middle of a panoram And Anchored by

Sir Anthony Dominguez And his sturdy UCL Yup So I'm all in I'm all in I would just like to know I'm the in I'm all in I would just like to know if I'm the only one that factors in how and where

and when I'm going to be listening slash watching the Phillies considering to buying a home at least among the two of us yes you're the only one. I honestly kind of wish I was lying.

I wish you were too. I'm definitely not lying. Don't tell Jill that. I don't know if she wants to make your house decision based on that. Well, she's listening right now. Boom, Jill. We're getting it all out there i mean i told her i was like i was like listen we could put we could have the radio right

here so i could listen and then we could put the tv right here and listen it's just how it goes it's it's how it's how my very normal brain operates you are a normal guy jack as normal as they come uh rate and review the podcast for normal jack and uh it would really make him very happy so uh that all you got normal guy i think that's all i have um but man do i wish that they were able to get in on the matthew liberatore trade still you're still what were you gonna be bugging you for weeks oh it's gonna dude i i watch this was really before we got into this podcast but i watched like matthew liberatore's like all his high school interviews and like him talking and is like wherever he went to high school and i was like oh man like this is the guy and now he's gone and i just feel like

the billy's gonna have him how's it like poor poor sullen jack now we went from a happy optimistic jack to sullen sad jack i mean listen reese hoskins could have been jose martinez look at this rate and review the podcast for sad jack to make him happy again how about that reese hoskins could have been jose martinez by the way but that would have been uh i'm sure philadelphia like jack would have been the only person in philadelphia like cheering that trade is as the city burned down around the Phillies. That'd be fun. That's okay. All right. We'll be back next week to find a way to talk about probably nothing to talk about.

He spreads himself. Listen, I'll make up some aeronautic thing. You will. Of course, you'll be a Philly man then. All right. We'll see you later. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question.

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