High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Does Joe Girardi Want to Be Here?

Episode Date: May 2, 2022

James and Jack react to a mostly disappointing series against the Mets. The guys rail about Joe Girardi, discuss Schwarber finally doing Schwarber things, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Yo! It is another edition of the iOS podcast. I don't even know what to do with the Yo's anymore. What do you do? You get no hit on Friday, Jack. No hit. They got no hit on Friday. Then they bounce back Saturday, and it's like, what a win.

After you get no hit the other day, you come out slow, there's no offense, and you find a way to win a baseball game and then sunday happens how you doing pal let me just address the no hitter it's fine everything's fine no there's nothing to worry about let the fills get hot no no no no no my statement on the no hitter is that that was not a no hitter. Like that was the way that they acted and celebrated. That was not an accomplishment. I didn't like, I am.

I respect pitching. You know that I will respect anything, uh, pitching related that I value as, as true greatness. There was no true greatness to what the Mets did on, on Friday night. And like,

well, no, but to see, to see like, why is McGill's parents in tears? He pitched six innings. I think he pitched five, didn't he? Whatever. Like, what are you – he didn't throw a no-hitter.

He did not throw a no-hitter. Like, the Mets, dude, congrats. No, but the Mets did. Congrats on your little combined no-hitter. You walked six people. There was nothing – they threw 159 pitches. Like, spare me the no-hitter talk. You walked six people. There was nothing impressive. They threw 159 pitches. Spare me the no-hitter talk.

Honestly, I don't care they got no hit or whatever. Quote, unquote, I don't care they got quote, unquote, no hit. Sure. I don't care that much either. To your point, Zach Wheeler's one-hit game on Royay Day is a thousand times a better start than or outing so to speak than what the Mets did the other night so I get your point but at the same time like they got no hit I know like I'm sorry like I'm I'm bummed I don't know what to do with the yo by the way I feel like I'm all like what do I do I mean how do I respond to this i feel like i'm i'm deep into the the yo having to mimic where we're at and this is just because i'm not freaking out like it's just a series against

mets it's it's it's may 2nd like far from concern time far from freak out time but you know after our four game sweep after we're feeling good it's just like you know a little bit of a letdown jack yeah it is and it's frustrating too from the standpoint of like the mets look like a good baseball team i mean there's there's no doubt about it legit yeah yeah they definitely do and sure could the mets still mets this thing thing up we know they can um and i guess the thing that's frustrating for me like i still feel good about the team like i think they're both top personally i think they're both top 10 in offense and pitching so like i i think that they'll be okay as the season goes along here i guess the thing that's frustrating a little bit for me is that they just don't look like a tough team like they don't look like a team that's gonna that's gonna grit and grind their way through a game if they're not hitting the ball at ballpark

like you know i see i just feel like other teams are much better at, you know, capitalizing and they're not, you know, when everything's going great, they're very front-running, this baseball team. And when they get behind, I feel like they kind of fold. And, you know, it was good to see Schwarber on Saturday have the big homer to give him the lead. And it's like, all right, like, that's what we need. We need more guys see Schwarber on Saturday, have the big Homer to give him the lead. And it's like, all right,

like that's what, that's what we need. Like we need more guys like Schwarber who, I mean, he tried it on Sunday too. He did everything he could. I mean, it wasn't his fault that second over you.

We texted each other. Like the Homer from his knee is one of the all time. How the hell did that guy hit that ball out of the park? Their type of home runs. It was like, I thought it was a pop out yeah the way it looked and it just goes like the strength that man well especially in the dead ball era which we are currently in that's like home run baker out yeah um so yeah it's just like

i don't see a tough baseball team i don't like when things are going wrong like you can kind of see it on their faces and what what's annoying about that is that things go wrong in a baseball season. There's so many things that go wrong. You have to have some resiliency. Over a long stretch of time. It's a really long freaking season. Resiliency is everything, Jack. Yeah, so I'm not freaking out about where the team's at.

They're one game under.500. The Mets are good. They lost a series in New York. Like, that's going to happen. It's just, I don't see a very tough baseball team. You know, and maybe it's just a trickle-down effect from their manager. Oh, you think? Which it definitely could be.

And, you know, I don't think what happened in the ninth inning was on purpose. I think Schwarber, they definitely threw at him. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to jump in on you, but, like, this team is a Joe Girardi baseball team. You know, that's what we've seen the last three years. This guy's the worst.

Like, I don't even know if his heart beats. Does he have a pulse, Jack? Like, seriously, I keep thinking of, like, moments, like a movie. guy's the worst like i don't even know if his heart beats does he have a pulse jack like seriously i keep thinking of like uh moments with like a movie like if you're in the in the in the diner and pulp fiction it's any tim roth gets on the table's like any up you bleeping pricks and like shot to joe gerardi sitting there looking at his binder like not paying attention no idea what's going on it's like a war could be breaking out around him and it's like he has's going on. It's like a war could be breaking out around him. And it's like he has nothing going on. He's just sitting there looking at his dumb binder with zero life. They hit Boehm in that spot. First of all, how is it not thrown out of the game? The ump issued warnings. Like,

I don't know what the hell that was, but the fact that after the Schwarber thing and that they issue warnings and there's feistiness and all that that bone gets hit in the back slams his bat on the ground and joe drory doesn't come out of the dugout he doesn't even look like he even knows what's happening jack like i wanted to fire him on the spot and i know we've said fire drardy we're out on dry like if i would have fired him on the on the bleeping spot i almost cursed there like that was as close as i come on the ios pod when i and someone actually cursed me to leave it out well except for the last podcast where I live it. I,

yeah, I forgot. Yeah. Well, listen, I'll let you get back to your rant, but can you please tell everyone that's listening right now that I've never cursed in my entire life.

And that was the first time I didn't even notice that you did. Are you sure it wasn't cursed? Like I didn't, I didn't even notice it. I think it might've just been taken out of context. What you did was ruin my golden reputation to the listeners of this podcast. Hey, at least you have

a golden reputation. Joe Girardi had a golden reputation coming here and it's the most BS. I mean, Jack, do you know how much it pains me? Do you know how painful it is to watch Buck Showalter on one side and Joe Girardi on the other and sit there and go,

man, I wish Buck Showalter were our manager. Do you know how much that hurts to say that? Like three years ago, both guys were available. I would have, if they had hired Showalter over Girardi, I would, I would have lost my mind. We would have done a podcast where we're apoplectic about it. Like Buck Showalter is a thousand times better than Girardi. I would take him a thousand times. At least the dude has some freaking life. I'm like, Girardi is the biggest problem with this team, Jack. I honestly believe that.

I think the in-game stuff, we've killed him for a lot, but I think that, that him as the front man of this team, him as the guy that they go to, the guy who's their, you know, their skip, I think he infuses zero life into this team him is the guy that they go to the guy who's their you know their skip i think he infuses zero life into this team and i think he even goes so far as to infuse a feeling of like whatever yeah well and that's the and that's the annoying part is like how do you think i i just don't know how and i genuinely i genuinely don't have the answer but Fire Joe Girardi I think is the answer but like if you're a player

and you see what happens in the 9th you're Alec Boehm this morning are you saying man you know Girardi's got my back it doesn't matter like he said after the game yeah I didn't think he threw it on purpose like who cares it doesn't matter when a batter or two before was intentionally being thrown at like Schwarber

was being thrown at so I don't know I don't care if you don't think that bone was hit on purpose he was hit on purpose he was hit with a baseball after your your your guy that hit two home runs earlier in the game um was just intentionally thrown at. Like, go out there and at least stand up for your team. I mean, this is the second time this happened. Last Sunday with the hater thing, barely even gets out there to put up a fight against Kyle Schwaber. Like, honestly, James, I want Kyle Schwaber to be the manager of this team. At least, like, I see him in the dugout.

He looks pissed. He looks into it. He's hitting dingers now, so we're back. And it's just like, that's a guy that into it. He's hitting dingers now, so we're back. And it's just like that's a guy that gets it. And every time I see Girardi, it's just like, dude, if you don't want to be here, then go home. We've been through too much crap here. We've been through too much this last 11 years. We have a $200 million, $230 million payroll right now.

If you don't want to be here, then go home. I'm sick of it, man. And listen, I think the Mets are embarrassing themselves with this whole everyone's throwing at us thing, but you know what that is, James? That is Buck Showalter saying it's us against the world. That's exactly what it is, Jack. He's creating

that culture there where those guys fight for each other. It's bringing that team closer together. We sit here oftentimes after disappointing Phillies stretches, and we keep saying, well, why don't they look like they care? Why don't they look like they're into games? Why do when they lose, they look so depressed when they do it, and it's just in the worst way possible,

and we keep trying to figure out different ways. There seems to be one common denominator, and that is Joe Girardi. So, again, I don't want to be a blame-the-manager guy, but when it comes down to this and it comes down to baseball and it comes down to fighting for your guys, it's just to sit there and say, well, I don't think he did it on purpose. That's why I didn't really raise anything about it. It's like, dude, that's not the point.

The point is you want those guys fighting for you, that you're their guy. You're their manager. You think Charlie Manuel wouldn't have gone out there and put up a fight for Alec Baum? That's what Charlie did. That's why those guys love them. I've never heard anyone say they like playing for Joe Girardi. And what happened the 9th last night, it is a big deal.

I'm just telling you it's a big deal. And this is not this, well, you guys are just being manager. It's not that. That matters that he didn't go out there last night and stick up for Alec Baum and stick up for the rest of his team and set the freaking tone for a team that's coming in here in two days. The Mets are coming to town in two days. And I just, I don't, this team has consistently not looked ready

for big moments, and that falls on 25. 100%. Like, I'm not a blame the manager guy either we've come on this podcast many times and said i don't think managers make that big a difference but to your point and what i'm trying to convey it's not look if it were just the bad bullpen decisions and just the not having a great feel for when to pull his starters or you know who the best hitter is to put up at a spot or whatever. Like that stuff alone is annoying and frustrating. But, you know, if, if, if that were there, but he were buck show Walter on the getting his guys fired upside on the getting his guys to fight for each other side and the letting

his guys know that you have your, you have their back in any situation side. Fine. I'd be able to deal with that stuff but it's both this again like i honestly feel like he doesn't have a pulse jack like i that game last night like what happened in the ninth inning to me was way more important than losing the game it was just a loss like not that big a deal gerardi sitting on his ass as bone gets hit in the back and throws his bat down and is clearly angry and frustrated. And to your point, to what we talked about a week ago,

when the exact same thing happens with Schwarber and Schwarber is apoplectic, like losing his mind, got thrown out the second he started talking because he was so irate. And Girardi comes out and looks like he's having like a Sunday morning. You see the guy at church conference. Hey, Angel, how you been? How

the kids, everything? Okay, cool, cool, cool. I'll talk to you soon. Like, that's what it looked like. Like, where is the fire? Where's the passion? This guy is lifeless. It honestly feels like he's not even invested in these games. That's how I feel watching him as a manager. Like, I know that's crazy, but that's how I feel. I feel like he is not even paying attention to the baseball game that he's managing. And, and this stuff has to seep through, like it has to matter. It has to be something where your players take your cues, your players take your lead. Like you're in charge, you're running the fricking show. You're the field manager, a day-to-day basis. You're the guy guy who makes the calls you're the guy who the team is supposed to to pull their their belief their energy all that stuff from and this guy's a statue

out there like i i honestly i am i'm as low on joe gerardi as i've been the entire time he's been here which is crazy because there have been some really low moments and some really disappointing moments some september collapses with with Joe Girardi baseball teams. Like, I think he has to get fired. Like, I would fire him right now, Jack. I know they're only a game under 500. Like, this team plays with no life. And then you talk about the road stuff.

Another road series they lose. Something we've talked about, what, for years now, right? Like, this team can't seem to find a way to create their own energy on the road like and their manager gives them nothing jack like i'm done man i would fire him right now i'd fire him today and i won't and i guess and i guess my thing is like you know for the people that say well don't move on from whatever like what do you think's gonna change like there it's been 225 plus games of joe gerardi here and they've looked basically the same.

Like, there has to be – either you want to – here's where it boils down to. Either you want to blame the players or you want to blame the guy or you want to blame Joe Girardi. Is it the players that are creating this culture where they don't know how to win or is it the manager? And the reality is is these players aren't going anywhere. I mean, these guys are locked in. They've spent a lot of money. Or is it the manager? The reality is these players aren't going anywhere. These guys are locked in.

They've spent a lot of money. The only guy at the end of this year they can move on from really is Segura. Segura's contract's up. I think Segura's a good player. And Didi. Well, Didi, whatever. I know. They could theoretically trade Hoskins if they want to put Boehm at first base. Maybe that that's it to shake the team up but until until that's not the root of this problem I don't think I don't think

so I mean we don't know um but I don't think so so I if you're not going to move on from the players it's got to start with Girardi and I just don't he he is not there's there's not been one stretch here where it's been like yeah he's doing a really good job like he'll have one good game like Saturday night was a good game and honestly it was more luck than anything Alvarado getting out of the base loaded jam luck the same thing happened the next night and it went the way we all thought it would yes he got lucky is what happened yeah so you know I would love to push back James and say oh you can't fire him yet you can't fire him yet I You can't fire him yet. And I know it's very early,

but I just don't see anything changing here. And there seems to be a common denominator here where they come up small in big road series all the time. They don't seem like a mentally tough team. They don't seem like a team that can overcome adversity. And it's got to start with someone, and it's got to be Joe Girardi and it's got to be it's got to be joe gerardi at this point yeah it has to and again we know they're not going to do it unless

they struggle more and all that but as we said many times too like to think that they won't do it period is is silly i mean dave dembrowski had the opportunity to give this guy a new contract he didn't dave dembrowski did not hire him. Like, there are a lot of reasons to believe that the Phillies would move on for Girardi. But right now, I just don't think they're going to do it when they're game under. But the point being that it's not just that they're a game under. It's, to Jack's point, it's the sum of the 230 games or whatever that he's managed here in Philadelphia. To the point you just made

like at no point in his entire how many jack how many times we had this exact conversation right about and we don't say it this way anymore because obviously we've learned that this is what joe gerardi is but how many times do we have the conversation of like when they hired joe gerardi we thought we were getting this culture changer this guy was going to come in and it was going to be a joe gerardi baseball team like this is how we do things this is changer. This guy was going to come in and it was going to be a Joe Girardi baseball team. Like, this is how we do things. This is how blah, blah, blah. And we, like, it's been zero.

It's been, to your point, there's been zero instances of that in two plus years at no point has this looked like a competent, functional, energetic, night in, night out baseball. Well, and they don't even-out baseball. Zero points. They don't even play smart baseball. It's not like he's had them better fundamentally at anything. So, yeah, it's just – and the thing is that he is a lame duck manager.

Like, Dave Dombrowski has not picked up that option, so it's clear that that's something that they're at least thinking about. I mean, if they really believed in Joe Girardi, he would be under contract right now. But, I guess, last thing here, it's just, what I keep coming back to is he doesn't look like he wants to be here. And for a team that is

trying to end an 11-year playoff drought, the history of baseball in this town, the $230 million payroll, as a Phillies fan, you, the history of baseball in this town, the $230 million payroll, as a Phillies fan, you, I, everyone that listens to this podcast, if you don't want to be here, then leave. And I feel like he does not want to be here.

As a fan, as someone that loves this team, watches every game, you feel the same way. Like, if you don't want to be here, then leave.'s as simple as that that's where my frustration lies he doesn't look like he wants to be here like i don't care about the time he puts into like splits on on making the the route of making the lineup up every day like i don't care about that stuff i care about in the ninth inning when you've had a disappointing series in New York, they just got done throwing at a guy that hit two home runs earlier in the game because they think that it created this

stupid idea that teams are targeting them even though they have two more hit by pitches than the Pirates. Are the Pirates creating this whole fuss? No, they're not. They're being a real baseball team. But they're creating something that is uniting a baseball team. But they're creating something that is uniting a baseball team. And in

two and a half years, there has been no sign that Joe Girardi has any of that. That he has these players' backs. Alec Baum gets hit. He is on a hot streak. Slams his bat down. Sits there. Doesn't even raise his eyebrow to go out there. That's an embarrassment.

It is. So, if you don't want to be here, then go home. Go back to the MLB network. I don't care anymore. There's nothing that he can do that makes me think, okay, he can come back next year. It's over. It's over. And I hope they go on a run. I hope they win.

And I think they're still going to win 85 plus games, whatever. I think they're going to turn this around. I feel good about the baseball team. I don't feel good about the manager. And as a fan, I sit here feeling like he doesn't want to be here. And that frustrates me. Yeah, I think it's a great way to, again, like it does feel like he doesn't have a pulse in these moment in these

games. It doesn't feel like he's locked in the same way we are. And certainly not the same way the players are. So, all right, let's move on to something else. That's enough Girardi talk. Look, not a thrilling three days. Why don't we do the pitching real quick, and then we'll get to the bats because, you know, I think there's some good Schwarber to talk about.

We'll get there. We'll get there quickly. Just since we last talked, we've seen three starts. We saw Gibby kind of run into a little trouble, but not horrible. We saw Nola, not his worst outing, but a very similar Nola-esque type outing. And then we saw Eflin look just disastrous. Every time they gave him an opportunity, he would fritter it away. What was your thoughts on the starting pitching since last time we've been here?

Well, James, I'm here to say it didn't take much, but I believe in Aaron Nola again. I am in on old Noles. I like where he's at. I don't think he pitched bad on Friday at all. Again, I'll take that start from Nola any day of the week. And I'm not saying I'm backing on Nola as a 1B or maybe a low end, too. I'll say I'm backing on Nola as a low end, too. But I think there's more reasons for optimism with Aaron Nola than reasons for pessimism.

I mean, he's really only been bad in one start this year. I mean, everything else has just been like, yeah, it's a little frustrating. Some bad moments. It's like the Alonzo Homer the other night. Like, that's the Homer that usually gets them killed that's annoying. Or like the opener where he pitches well enough and then runs into the problem

and gives up four in that inning or whatever. It's like, but, you know, the only really horrible start he had was that time against Scherzer last night. Yeah, but the new plan they have, and it kind of continued on Friday, it's this fastball up and then the curveball off that, and it's just a way better design. It's a way better plan of attack.

It's way better from a tunneling perspective. I think the days of Aaron Nola living at the bottom of the strike zone are pretty much over. And it's taken him a while to get here, James. I think he's been trying to do this for a while. But I think he's now figured it out. And that's good for this baseball team. I mean, do we still have to see a start?

Like, for me, it comes down to, I just need to see him go down to Atlanta and pitch well. That's my next baseline for believing in being back in on Aaron Nola. Go down to Atlanta and pitch well. But in the time being, I think there's way more reasons for optimism rather than pessimism. And I think it's okay to buy back in on Aaron Nola being a good starting pitcher for this team. I mean, even when you say that, it sounds like a potential for like.

Dude, I know. Yeah. This gets cut and then. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. You walk through a door and then we get punched in the face. Yes.

But look, I thought it looked really good. And the swing and miss stuff has been there for the most part. He's been good. It's funny. It feels like the Phillies have really not, other than that first game in the Colorado one, they really have not scored any runs for him in his starts, too, until later, you know, the Scherzer game.

They were down, like, 9-1, and then they scored runs. That didn't count. But, yeah, that's huge news. I mean, that could be a game-changing type of thing, especially with Wheeler finally looking good in that last start. And, you know, massive. Anything else stand out to you? I mean, Gibby was Gibby. Not much to say there.

Gibby was Gibby, baby. I love that sentence. It's great. Gibby's Gibby. But Eflin, because we had a really encouraging start that last one with Eflin. You know, was it six-plus shutout or whatever? And then just a rough one. Yeah, but that's what he is, though.

I feel like one out of every five Eflin starts is what we got last night. Because I'm not raising a red flag here on what we saw last night from Eflin. I just think he just didn't pitch well um and the thing that's interesting he has like an arbitration case coming up in the middle of the season that he's pitching in how weird is that what yeah what are you talking about no like his arbitration you know it's usually in the off season i've never that's my point like what do you i've never heard of this that happens it's in may it's coming up this month what yeah he came in at he came in at six six and a half real thing yeah so he like but also can they not use literally never heard of this like it's very rare that something related to baseball i've literally never knew was a thing they do in season arbitration but the only reason they're

doing is because the lockout oh that makes okay i feel so much better i was like if i'm missing this my whole life in my total it that makes so much okay very that's fascinating dude like that adds a whole nother layer to it like you're pitching in the moment for money but but that's my thing like are they allowed to use the current results ah it's a great question are they only going off of what happened last i would guess they have to go off what happened last year right i feel like it would not be fair yeah It would not be fair. Yeah, it would not be fair because it's not his fault. Yeah, I think it would happen.

But that is pretty wild. Just that that's happening is wild. Yeah, but it is a contract year for Eflin, so that's something I think to buy in. I just don't think he pitched well last night. Stuff didn't look like he was moving well. We've watched enough Zach Eflin starts. You can see it dude right this way there was nothing swing and miss last night it looked like it looked like his heavy body started in Atlanta there was no nastiness there was no bite there was you know

the the it wasn't dropping at all like there was just it was clearly something missed yeah so i mean i'm not worried i just think that we're gonna an Eflin stinker every once in a while. But I really do. Like, it's weird. Gibson walked five guys. And I swear he pitched well. Like, I just. Gibson is pitching like a very, very good number five.

And it's interesting. Heading into the Eflin star last night. I mean, they had a 279 starters ERA since April 18th. That's a pretty good stretch of games there. And if your starters ERA is in the 2.8 to 3.2 range, that's going to keep you in ballgames, especially hopefully as the offense continues to find its footing here and doesn't get no hit by the Mets but a 2.80 array

since April 18th is a pretty good baseline for one of the parts of the team that people felt like was going to hold them back on a potential playoff run. The numbers would suggest that they're not pitching that bad. Alright,

25, 27, 28 minutes into this whatever it is um go ahead buddy sure dude i mean is it is it crazy isn't it crazy that he has the third highest slugging percentage in history against the mets like that is yeah that's actually insane it's ridiculous insane. It's ridiculous. So it's just so funny, you know, growing up it was Burrell's the Mets killer, and it was so funny every time, like, he would hit a homer off of Wagner, and Mets fans must have hated him. And then Utley comes along, literally they open up a new stadium, and everyone refers

to the right field line as Utley's Corner, like the right field foul pole in the Mets stadium. And it looks like Schwarber is ready to assume the next generation of Met killers, which is just hilarious. Like, Mets fans last night on Twitter were, like, begging for them to stop pitching to him. It was ridiculous. We're talking about Kyle Schwimmer who was hitting 160 heading into the game.

Mets fans were begging them not to pitch to him. That's called real estate. It's a different level of real estate. It's crazy. His OPS is already back to 840. He's like third in the league in homers. Second most

home runs in the NL. Real quick, not to go past it. Did you see the actual home run numbers against the Mets? No. In 36 career games, he has hit 16 home runs against the Mets. What is that?

That's insane. Just for reference sakes, most home runs in their first career, 36 games against the Mets. 16 for Kyle Schwarber is the most in history. Two other people have 15. You ready for this? Willie Mays. Yeah, you saw this.

Willie McCovey. Yeah. Pretty good. Pretty good. So those two guys get to be on the list with Schwarber. That's elite company for them. Yeah, I'm sure they're honored. pretty good uh so those two guys get to be on the list with shorebread's elite company for them i yeah i'm sure they're honored um i and i would love i i need to see it against someone else

though before i'm like fully declaring him back like you can't just be can't just be the mets killer we gotta although i mean we got four games set heading into this weekend so i could use it you can be the mets go over this week yeah so yeah, I mean, I actually looked it up today. Also, since April 18th. I mean, he's batting.280 with a.400 OBP and an.1100 OPS. So, which is good. I'm sorry, that's not true. His last 13 games.

So, last 13 games,.280,.400,.1100 OPS. So, he's currently on pace for 49 home runs. And it's the funniest part about Schwarber James is I loathe Joey Gallo as a baseball player. And it turns out that my favorite Philly now is basically just NL Joey Gallo. But screw it. Dingers, baby. Dingers. No, it's good. It's good. Iters, baby. Dingers. No, it's good.

It's good. He'll hit over 200. Bold prediction. Kyle Schroeder will hit over 200. But in all seriousness, why is he not back at the leadoff spot? Dude, because Joe Girardi is a horrible man. I mean, five games in, they gave up on the leadoff spot thing. He's finally, I mean, I guess.

He only paid him $80 million. He's only brought in to be the leadoff hitter. You know? $80 million. Whatever. Whatever. It's clear. I hate Joe Girardi.

Which is clear that Girardi. I actually actively dislike him. Like, Jack, you know, you'll let it. I don't know if everyone out there. Like, this is crazy. I actually think I, and it's probably just because i no offense to the sixers care more about the phillies than i care about the sixers but i think i hate him more than i hate back rivers now that's how far it's gone with joe ferrari i think i like

doc more wow well at least docs won a playoff series here oh boy yeah back-to-back years of winning playoff series now he's not as insulting to the fan base but other than that other than that well at least he shows up at least doc rivers is he might make the wrong decisions but he's paying attention to what's happening well at least if i asked doc rivers after the game hey what happened in the game you just coached i think he could tell me i don't know if joe could tell me well you know what else i don't get about the Schwarber leadoff thing is that, like, so if you weren't going to make him the leadoff hitter, then why did you sign him? You know, like, it was Joe Girardi not on board with him being a leadoff hitter. So then why would you sign him?

So just go down there and override the manager. I mean, other teams do it all the time. That's what I don't get. Jack, honestly, and my guess is that it's because it's Joe Girardi. You know, he's like a baseball man, and Dabrowski is a respectful baseball guy or whatever, but I honestly am shocked.

I am shocked that the front office did not say, yo, bro, no way! It's been five games. We just gave you a million dollars to be our lead offender. Enough, all right? I'm shocked. A lot of organizations would have done that. It shows how much power gerardi does have i mean honestly it shows how much power i also just think it's some brow like i think to browse

he's more of an old school guy like that i trust his manager let his manager go out make decisions type of guy all that type of stuff um and again that's just conjecture but that's my guess because you know i mean the rays the dodgers all those type of teams like that that decision is made from the top that's not the manager's decision well and also like dave dembrowski did watch alex cora win a world series for him he knows he shouldn't know what great managers do and i you know if alex cora was comfortable putting schwarber at the leadoff spot last year for the Red Sox. The high and bloom was that, hey, Joe, maybe we should put him at the leadoff spot. And you know our guy, Andy Colomby, wants him in the leadoff spot.

There's a whole story by Gelb in The Athletic today about how he's basically been influential on their shifts. The shift actually burned them a good amount of times last night. It did, yeah. It wasn't great. Today's probably not the day to bring and the shift actually burned them a good amount of times last night it did yeah it wasn't great let's not tonight today's probably not the day to bring up the show i know but i do like that i like that they're experimenting with boom over on the uh second base side it's been it's been interesting i feel like i'm i feel like i might be on teetering i'm watching a smart baseball team yeah i mean i don't know i don't know why you would ever move boom from from anywhere near the third base area is such a shut down defender at third i mean I don't know. I don't know why you would ever move Boehm from anywhere near the third base area. He's such a shutdown defender at third.

I mean, why would you even imagine anything? Which is more surprising? Which is more surprising? Ranger pitching to a 1-5 as a starter last year, or Alec Boehm not making an error at third base since the, I believe he hated this place. He's not making an error, but base since the, I believe he hated this place. And not just not making an error, but like he's making the routine plays, but he's making some of the tougher ones too.

Like he's charging on balls and throwing and like making plays, beating some fast guys here and there. I've been, it's astounding. It's probably Ranger being like one of the five best pitchers in baseball last year. I mean, that's asinine. Yeah, he's the best. And he hasn't even begun to heat up yet for this baseball team. Pitching is going to, as we all said,

pitching is going to carry this team where they need to go, Jack. Yep, just like 08. All right, let's get into the take back. I'm sure you've got a lot coming in there. I actually really don't have. Wow! Well, because I wanted to do the whole thing on the Mets crime, but I brought that up earlier. Like, it's I want to do a whole thing on the Mets crime, but I brought that up earlier.

Like, it's just, dude, no one cares about the Mets. Like, this team's been put together in the last couple years, and there's a long history of them being, like, villains in Major League Baseball. Like, just stop. I mean, the whole, oh, everyone's throwing at us. No, they're not. I mean, I'm so sick of that.

Like, they did not hit Francisco Lindor on purpose last night. So, by the way, are you a fan of players being mic'd up during the games? Yes. So, like, on a basic level, yes. I think that I, whether or not, I think it's super entertaining to watch. So, just as a pure fan, I think it's fun to watch. I understand the player in me is like it's pretty annoying if i were a player and lindor is is unique but if i were a player i probably wouldn't

love doing it like all game it seems like a lot um but i think you know where i come down overall as a whole is that i might have a few issues with how it's orchestrated in the moment at times but on the whole like like get the stars out there. Get people to know the stars. People with good personalities, put them out there. So on the whole, I'm very pro it because I do think the sport needs to do more stuff like that. I agree.

And I think the belly aching about, oh, this is like... Enough already. Come on. First off, it's good for everyone involved. It shows a player's personality and gives you inside the game. Like, Francisco Lindor turned a double play last night. It was really cool. While he was mic'd up.

It was really cool to watch. As you're watching it, especially how casual he was about it, too. It was very cool. Yeah, so I like it. I mean, the questions are weird. Like, Ravage talking about, hey, you struck out again. How did that make you feel? And again, it's a lot.

Like, it's really like, they really keep them going the whole time. It's like, all right, man. Like, can you get an ending off? Well, especially when Ravage was like, Hey, you're going to stay with us while you go on the field. He's like, nah, I got to get out there. Like, I love that. Uh, Bryce, Bryce didn't have an excuse because he was the agent.

Yeah, you could tell in a certain way. I think Bryce was being very nice, but I think in a certain way he was like, all right, guys, can we take it easy here? Give me a half inning, a half inning. Yeah, just a little break. Lindor is, it is a shame that after a disaster year last year, Francisco Lindor is back to being francisco lindor that is incredibly disappointing yeah well i love lindor so me too yeah you know he was like

one of my three favorite players in the sport until he got traded the maths yeah well shame is what it is uh my two favorite guys were always lindor and bragman and then the last two years they both got ruined for me so yeah well bragman's a a big cheater so yeah I know that's what I just said they got ruined for me all right um you know I've you know how I've been like cautious about you know wanting to be all in on on Brad Hand dude I don't know man honestly honestly yeah I do because it's literally the only time you've ever been cautious about being all in on a Philly. Well, because, like, I definitely thought he was cooked last year. And then they signed his offseason. I was like, no, definitely a bad idea.

And then I was pretty like, all right, this is going to not work out well. But him last night, like, his slider hasn't moved that much since the heyday of Brad Hand. So tentatively, I'm all in on Brad Hand. But I'm keeping one foot out the door in case I need to jump off the Brad Hand hype train. So that gives the Phillies, on most nights, again, it's bullpen, it's all that stuff. I get it. But on most nights, Knable, Sir Anthony, Familia, and Hand are going to get the job done. And it's been a while since we've had that kind of back of the bullpen.

Familia has been shaky recently, but that's kind of what he is. And if you're getting this version of Brad Hand, it just ups the level up. And then you add in a James Norwood to that and then Nick Nelson. It's a pretty good six. It's ups the level up. And then you add in like a James Norwood to that and then Nick Nelson. It's a pretty good six. It's a pretty good six. Alvarado gives me a heart attack every time he's out there. I hate watching it. It's not fun. We're all

excited. We're like, oh, Hunter Miles, this is so fun. And like you said, Pitching Ninja, really with those like, you know, like the four-seamer. The ball like comes in and just disappears. Like, the catcher even loses it because it's so fast. Oh, and last night they're getting mixed up on pitch calm. Yeah, all that stuff.

Like, I was so excited. And it's horrible. Like, I hate watching it. Oh, it's just. It is. He is my least favorite pitcher in our game. Yeah. I hate it.

I hate it. It's not a fun experience. I mean, he'll throw, like, the one 92-mile-an-hour slider that's like, okay, that's good. Yeah. And then everything else is just like. Yeah, again, you know what he is, Jack? We should have realized he's a perfect pitching ninja guy.

That one sick, ridiculous pitch, those two ridiculous pitches, can be encapsulated in GIF form on Pitching Ninja, and we don't have to watch the rest of the disaster start that breaks our heart. Yes. That is the official position of the Ohio Hopes hopes podcast by the way brad hand was on my perfect doll season i'm just saying yeah i probably said he was cooked then you did yeah you did i've i'm looking i just pulled it up just to make sure that i'm not uh uh i had uh one two three four five six relievers on my list that have picked any of these guys.

Corey Kinane won't brought in. They're both here. Yeah. Well, you were right. You are a genius when it comes to baseball, and I am just a big old idiot. Big old frigging idiot. That's what I was fishing for, so thank you. Two more things before I got a top five for you.

Before the top five, yeah. Why do you say it like that? Do you not like the segment, Donnie? I love it. No, but you said that like, oh, you stupid. It was just funny. I think it's funny that you're so obsessed with top fives. Yeah, well, I came up with it while doing this podcast.

So that's called being talented, Val. Yeah. Oh, that's called being talented. Yeah. Andrew Painter has now struck out 48 of 66 outs as a minor leaguer. And I will say, I know people are going to say, oh, you can't be in on Andrew Painter because after last year at the draft, you said, you know, that's not the guy he would have drafted. The, the category that I put Andrew Painter in was would not be excited about,

but would definitely talk myself into. So that's a pretty fair assessment of where I'm at with Andrew Painter now. And now I'm, I'm pretty much ready to get them into the show. So I am now a officially an Andrew Pain painter guy um i think he is going to be remarkable and mick abel griff mcgary and andrew painter are are by far the best pitching prospects this team is like ever had i the the the baby aces it's like this this is this dwarfs the baby aces of 2011 or whatever like trevor may and pet a bone and and cosart i mean these guys have actual talent like

real real talent so um it's exciting that we actually have blue chippers in the system now james like i know it's been a while but uh shout out to brian barber and his staff um patron saint of the high ups podcast brian barbara i mean how much by the way we haven't yeah he's the best we haven't talked enough though about how when you go through those three names i mean we're talking about three top tier not even home run like grand slam name test guys. I mean, Griff McGarry, obviously. Mick Abel, obviously. Andrew Painter for a pitcher?

I mean, wow. Top tier stuff. I agree. It's really, really exciting. So, good place to be at. And my final thing before getting the top five here. Before your other final thing. Yeah, before my other final thing and my final thought after that um is like i still feel good about the baseball team like i i know this weekend was frustrating and i know gerardi we sent the whole

first 20 minutes saying like he's not the guy and it's frustrating and and we would move on from him and he's if you don't want to be here then then just leave but i still feel good about the team if you look at all the numbers everything that bears out i know watching it can be a different story but it just it feels it feels like a run's coming james i do believe that and i think there should be like a two-week stretch where it's like all right there they are um you know and the thing I've learned the most so far this season is like you can bring in all the hitters that you want, but the idea that they're all going to hit at the same time

is just a tad far-fetched, and they're not. I mean, that's the nature of the beast that is Major League Baseball. So I genuinely do feel good about where the team is at. I know they're one game under.500, and I know Girardi can be frustrating, but I just keep coming back to that there's too much talent here. The fact that Boehm is in the 7-hole hitting how he is.

You have a guy like Johan Camargo who can fill in at shortstop and hit a ball like.450 in the 9th last night. They have enough pieces here that's not just the first 6 in the lineup. It's frustrating that the leadoff spot this year is batting like 132. I'd say it's around the 130s, which is insane.

It's something they can't seem to get right. But I genuinely believe a run is coming. I haven't given up on this baseball team. on this baseball team, and I just, you know, I can't let Joe Girardi overshadow my genuine feel that they're going to go on a run here and everything's going to be okay. Yeah, they fired Girardi. They'll go on a run. I think you're right.

It's well said by you. Hey, Jim Leland, 77. Hey, I'll take him. I would. I would take a 70. Look, Buck Showalter, prove me wrong. Way to go, Buck. Go out and get him, buddy.

Yeah, although we could use a nice Mets collapse here soon enough. Yeah, honestly, when you were talking there, I was literally thinking with you, like, totally agree, totally agree. I'm in on this baseball team. They're going to be fine. They're going to figure it out. They need time to gel together. All these guys get to know each other to learn to win.

All that stuff. Hopefully fire Girardi. Honestly, I'm not as concerned at all about the Phillies as I am concerned the Mets are actually pretty good like that's my bigger takeaway is not oh I'm worried about the Phillies it's the Mets are real and they're still the Mets and they can Mets it up at any moment but Mets are good baseballs that they are uh the top five top five. Top five worst things I've watched as a Phillies fan off of Friday night watching them get fake no-hit. You can fit it in five?

Really? I know. Well, believe me, I left off some haymakers, but these are the first five that came to mind. Number five, Hector in L.A. Oh, the three. Yeah. Was it back-to-back-to-back? Back-to-back-to-back. I remember where I was. So do I. la when he when he oh the three yeah yeah yeah that was a back to back to back back to back

to back oh i i remember where i was so do i when i saw that yeah i think we were together i don't but i don't think we were doing the podcast yet no we weren't yeah it was just horrible i think that was around the eagles draft maybe i know but i know no a little more summary i think it was a little more into the summer it was the same night nolan patrick got drafted so i know that yeah so like june i think uh number four is the day before i am scheduled to fly out to chicago for my bachelor party jason hayward hit a walk-off grand slam oh adam morgan yes the first time in in jason hayward's scrub career he was caught up to 96 on the hands was off of adam morgan and that was a because earlier in the game dylan cousins hit a home run i was like oh maybe there's something here gave the phillies

the lead late and then the hayward grand slam happened and it all went to ruins. It's pretty sad that Jason Hayward and Adam Morgan, and we're like, yeah, we remember that. We remember exactly where we were. Our lives have been really sad in the last few years. I produced that game. I remember that very vividly. Speaking of another game I produced, how about the Mets 20-4 win?

Oh, God. The first game of a doubleheader. On a Sunday, Kingery came in and pitched. And it was during an Eagles game because I had to produce the game on PHT. And having to sit there through a doubleheader in which the first game, they lost 20-4 or something like that. And Kingery is pitching the last inning. Just the worst.

I mean, just absolutely the worst. It's horrifying. It's horrifying. The second worst game I've watched as a Phillies fan is having to watch an absolutely cooked Josh Beckett throw a real no-hitter against this team. Oh, yeah. Remember the Beckett no-hitter? I remember leaving. It was probably 2014, 2015.

Yeah. Something around there. And I was like, what am I doing? What is the point of even continuing to follow this baseball team? Josh Beckett can't pitch anymore and him throwing a no-hitter against this team was was just awful awful awful yeah i'm very with you and the worst the worst game i've watched as a phillies fan i will still remember exactly where i was i don't want to blame gl Mack now, but I was at the,

I was at the contract and brewing company. Um, 19 to 11. Phil's Phil's Marlins. They're up early. The last Friday night, right? It was only a Friday night.

I think awful. Just straight up awful. Um, I hate that. I hate that game with like every fiber of my brain. There's so many though. Like I, I know I left off. I could have left my being. There's so many, though. I know I left off a million. I could have left 15 games you could have mentioned.

I could have put Colorado in 2018 on there. Oh, for sure. The Wilmer Defoe game. Remember that one? David Hale to Trevor Story. Dave. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, really that whole Rocky series in 2018.

All three of those games could go on there like in a sec with the 14 to 2 the one game or whatever getting getting swept out by the nationals uh who were the one of the worst teams in baseball in like 2019 to take them out of 2020 to take them out of the postseason run like all they had to do was win one game the rest of the year i think they lost five five straight in washington to a team that had given up at that point. Oh, yeah, buddy. Yeah. There's so many. There's so many.

What a sad, sad. Hector in. Yeah, just Hector. Like, how many? Ten Hectors. I get to get ten Hectors. Oh, well, the freaking, the ball last year that JT called a slider for instead of a splitter. How about the Padres game?

The Jake Cronenworth-Homer? Was that last year? I mean, that's like 53rd on the list, and that was like soul-crushing in the moment. Felt nothing. I felt absolutely nothing. I was like, what? Nothing? Are you kidding me? I can watch that game a thousand times. No, that's what I'm saying, man.

Watching them on Friday night, people were melting down on text messages and Twitter, and I was saying to myself, I've seen this a million times. Relax. This is nothing. Yeah, I think it's just the embarrassment of it. And especially the Mets. Ooh, Buck Showalter suspended.

See ya. How about this? Ready? Buck Showalter, hold on, Jim Nance warnings and everything. News. Mets manager Buck Showalter has been suspended for tonight's game as a result of what the MLB deemed Yohan Lopez intentionally throwing at Kyle Schwarber. Lopez has also been suspended three games.

So let's just end the pod with that to wrap it around everywhere. So baseball, Major League Baseball, thought it was so clear that the Mets were targeting Kyle Schwarber that they suspended Buck Showalter. And Alec Boehm got hit in the back after that happened, and Joe Girardi sat on his ass. Oh, my God. All right.

I can't believe it. Give me Buck Showalter. I would kill for Buck Showalter right now. Wow. What a place to be at as a fan. I can't. Five years ago, I would have said I'd rather die than be in that place, Jack. Who knew?

Yes. It's if you think do you think Joe Girardi is appealing buck shoulder suspension? Yes. Oh, that was are we going to end?

That was the best line any of us have by far. All right. You got any final thoughts or anything? But I am tweeting that you should do tweet that right now. That is pure gold before anyone hears it.

We'll be back. High Ops Analytics. Just follow the analytics. You'll know when we're back. My final thought is fire Joe. I might shake my final thought every pod moving forward. It's just fun. We're officially back.

We want either the manager or the GM fired. Used to be Klintzak and McPhail. Now we're at Girardi. He's the last remnants of that era. He is. Get rid of him. Clean slate. How about that?

We'll talk to you guys soon. He's fritzing salads for us. 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 BIB 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.