High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - EMERGENCY DAVE DOMBROWSKI IS THE PHILLIES NEW PRESIDENT PODCAST

Episode Date: December 11, 2020

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the news that Dave Dombrowski has been hired to be the new Phillies President of Baseball Operations. The guys discuss how much they hate the hire, what it means for the franchise's future, and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo! It is the very first edition of High Hopes, a Tampa Bay Rays podcast. We are so excited to have everyone here today. We're going to talk about Eric Neander, what he has in store for this offseason,

about getting back to the World Series and this time winning it. And most importantly, Jack, we're just going to revel in the fact that we have a very, very, very smart person running our organization. What a beautiful day. How are you? Yeah, we traded Nate Lowe today. Nate Lowe to the Rangers. I think we need to get into Nick Bitsko. He tore his shoulder up.

And I actually, to be fair, I'm not a huge fan of the Nate Lowe trade. I thought there was some upside with Nate Lowe. Yeah, me too. Here's the thing. We've learned that we can trust Neander. So I'm not going to question it too much. I can go to bed at night knowing that I am a Tampa Bay Rays fan and not a Philadelphia Phillies fan.

All right, let's do it. Do we have to? Do we have to? Inside baseball. So earlier, I'm at the studio. Jack's at the studio. The news comes out. Jack's like, we have to inside baseball so earlier uh i'm at the studio jack's at the studio the news comes out jack's like we have to record i said i don't want to i don't i don't want to do it but then he but then he thought about the people then i it's honestly yes i thought about the people the listeners that we love that we care about and i was like all right we're gonna do this

i also told jack that i was a 100% breaking our no cursing policy. I'm pulling back on it, Jack. I'm going to try my hardest not to break that policy. Let's put the disclaimer out. Let's put the disclaimer out. We tried. We tried. We're trying here.

I'm just so bleeping upset, Jack. Like, honestly, I'm not kidding. I've had a pit in my stomach since it happened. Like, my wife is like like why are you in such a bad mood i'm like you don't get it i'm like you don't get it like i've i am i'm gutted right now uh where you at are you where i'm at so um it are you probably talked yourself into it already we're working let's go we're working on that we're working on that um so honestly so i'm sitting there doing my radio show absolutely dominating

per usual um not letting the whole station go off the air like you and and um and jack keffer our assistant program director um who you i think you want to now be the co-host of this podcast if i remember correctly any jack's better than this Jack. Yeah, correct. We decided. Yeah, so he comes in and he's like, you know, actually, you know, Dombrowski would be fine or whatever. I'm like, well, what are you talking about? And he's like, you better check Twitter. And I go to my tweet deck.

And it is a freaking meltdown in my mentions. I look over. I got Jason Stark saying the Phillies are hiring Dave Dombrowski and, like, I died. I don't remember what happened the last, like, honestly, for about 40 minutes, I don't remember anything that was going on the show. I don't remember one thing John said. I don't remember one thing Ike said.

I don't remember calling Sheil. I had to call Sheil today and talk to him. I just bitched to him about Dave Dombrowski for the whole time. He's like, oh, we're going to talk about the Eagles? Dude, I don't care about the Eagles anymore. Shut up, Sheil. Not this time, buddy. No one cares. Right. And my baseball

team's ruined. I don't want to talk to anyone. And I went on the air, and John was asking what I thought. And I had a mini meltdown. Our good buddy Turtle texted me, and he said, I feel bad for thought. And I had a mini meltdown. Our good buddy Turtle texted me. And he said, I feel bad for you. And I guess his wife was sitting next to him. And she said, why is that guy so upset?

And he's like, he's been through a lot. I feel like we've been through a lot. This was the freaking lock of the century. And they still did it. They still did it. The one guy that me and you were like it's gonna happen but we're gonna be furious if it happens is dave freaking dombrowski and john middleton did not listen to the high hopes podcast they hired a goddamn dinosaur

to run a freaking baseball team to try to win it to for god knows what reason why is why is dave dombrowski here? Apparently he doesn't have money to spend. He has no prospects to trade. And if he touches Mick Abel, he can just be gone. Say goodbye. I mean, seriously. Mick Abel's gone.

Yeah, I'm already preparing for the Mick Abel tour. It is such wrong time. I can just imagine our owner sitting in there and listening to Dave Dombrowski. Oh, he thinks he crushed it. He thinks that they're back. He's like, two World Series. A recent one. This guy is a winner.

Yeah. Winner. We went from Andy McPhail to this guy. Winners all around. Oh, dude. I'm already furious at the Zoom call when he's talking about how much of a winner he is. I don't know if you know this, but Dave Dombrowski

won a World Series two years ago. I'm already furious. I'm already losing my mind. Hey, John, did you also know he got fired 11 months after winning a World Series? Think about how hard that is. Think about how hard that is to be a GM president of a baseball team and get fired 11 months after winning a World Series.

You don't even make it a full season after you win a World Series. Think about that. Think about that. No, it's insane. And honestly, now you're starting to see from people who don't pay attention and don't know anything about the sport being like, this is actually a great iron. Look at the last time he won. Do some freaking research.

That's all I ask. Just dive in a little bit and then come back to me and tell me Dave Dombrowski is a great hire. Yeah, but you want to know why Mookie Betts isn't in Boston anymore? Right, right. There you go. That's why. They just made a generational start because of Dave Dombrowski and what he did to that franchise. You want to know why Prince Fielder was the highest paid player in baseball last year? Dave Dombrowski and what he did to that franchise. You want to know why Prince Fielder was the highest paid player in

baseball last year? Dave Dombrowski. You want to know why Miguel Cabrera is still being paid? You want to know why the Tigers had like three straight 100 lost seasons? You want to know why David Price is still getting paid out the wazoo? Like all this stuff leads back to one guy and

then it's Dave Dombrowski and he's here and he's gonna freaking do what he does everywhere. He's going to do what he does everywhere. We already know how this is going to play out, James. Yeah, he's going to trade McGable. He's going to trade Brayson Scott. He's going to trade anyone else who values the franchise. He's going to trade Spencer Howard.

I mean, Spencer Howard's not going to be here. Yeah, whoever. Anyone he can who he can get more value in present-day terms for, he's going to trade. He's going to make a run. And the sad thing is this team's not going to be good enough. Look, there bounces the baseball. You never know, maybe. Our best-case scenario is we need to win a World Series the next three years.

That's it. That's it. We just open the window with a team that's not even close. window with a team that's not even close and i mean it's just like a it's a guy who comes through town you know just spends everything you got uses up all your resources like see you later and this means everywhere like every time like even this group in nashville like he's supposed to be helping nashville get a baseball team and he's like i'm not leaving nashville oh no never mind i'm out see you nashville peace like it, it's, it's the most uninspired hire. And we talked about it. Like we even said, we're like of all the names out there, like just

not this one, just not this guy. And you're so right. Like it's such a Middleton hire. Middleton sitting there saying, look at this resume. He's a dinosaur. He's 64 years old. He is from a different era of baseball. And to your point, Jack, here's the thing. What I can't, and I can because John Middleton is a horrendous, horrible owner who literally, I believe, has zero idea what he's doing. I think he has no idea what he's doing when it comes to running a baseball team. None. Zero. But outside of that, how can an owner come out at this end of season disaster press conference and say, OK, I get it. Draft and develop. The reason the Phillies are the worst team in the history of professional sports in America is because for 100 years we have not drafted and developed.

We have not built a program, a system that works for years and years and years and years. Like, awesome. And we even said it. We're like, after that press conference, the one good thing John Middleton said was that. Like, the rest was trash. A dumpster fire of a press conference. But at least he cares about drafting and developing.

And then you go hire the polar opposite. You hire the guy who comes in and trades everyone away and doesn't give a crap about the future or building or developing it just it makes zero i'm not surprised but it makes zero sense jack right i mean right yes it's like dave dombrowski has never developed a prospect in his life like i mean credit to him like he didn, credit to him. Like, he didn't trade Rafael Devers. He didn't trade Andrew Benintendi. So he has shown some restraint there. But, like, he probably just didn't get the offers he wanted.

And also because those guys were helping the team win in the moment. Right. If Rafael Devers had been in the minors, he would have traded. Right. And, like, I will say there's been a lot of people talking about, you know, oh, he's going to trade Boehm. He's not. I don't think he's going to trade Boehm.

No, because again, Boehm is a major league player now. The fact that we even have to have that thought cross our mind is where we're at with Dave Dombrowski. And it's like, here's the thing that hurts and what sucks and what I hate is that he doesn't care about the Phillies. Like, Dave Dombrowski does not care about the Phillies. He's not going to come in here and care about growing a farm system and doing this right way.

He's definitely not going to care about player development and getting the right guys down there and adding to player development, adding to our analytics department, adding to all this stuff because he doesn't care. He doesn't care about analytics. They were

pretty much put in a closet when he was up there in Boston. Like, literally, what Harry Roseman did for two years is what the Boston analytics department did when Dave Dombrowski was there. And it's fine. Like, they won a World Series. He spent a lot of money.

He made a lot of, like, the Chris Sale trade. Like, holy dude. The Chris Sale trade. Like, they gave up a boatload for Chris Sale. And they won a World Series, and I get it, and that's great, but he's hurt, and he's never going to be the pitcher that he was before. That's just what he does here.

He comes in, and he burns it all to the ground and leaves, and you better pray to God that you're winning because you're not competing for the next decade after he's gone. You're just not. This is going to be – honestly, their be that honestly their best case scenario is being the 90s phillies in the 2000s is it not you make a world series and then you're dog crap after that i mean that's 100 that's what i'm saying is like it's a it's a two to three year window now like and that's what i don't get too is like all right like okay you hired dave nombrowski like all right

john you realize that means, like, pull out your checkbook, bro? Like, get ready? Because that's what this guy does? Like, it's so hard to rationalize. Again, just talking about the draft developing that Middleton, you know, crowed about, which was obviously total about to curse. BS, I'll say. I'm doing it, Jack.

I'm doing it. Like, total BS. But then on top of that, like, you also I'm doing it, Jack. I'm doing it. Like, total BS. But then on top of that, like, you also hired a guy who spends money. Like, whose number one quality is I'm going to pay people. Like, that's what I do. I come and I throw money around. And there's a team that wouldn't go over the luxury tax to not have the worst bullpen in the history of baseball, Jack. I mean, like, I don't understand.

Like, only thing I can think is either Dave Dombrowski lied to John Middleton, and Dombrowski just wanted a job. Dombrowski wants a paycheck, wants a job, whatever it is. Which I don't know. I mean, I guess his thought process in that scenario is, listen, I'm 64, I'm probably never going to get a chance to run a team again because the league's trending away from me.

This might be my last chance. Do it one more time. Let's take one last shot. Right. Right. I mean, maybe that's the case but he did seem pretty committed to to running that national team that's what's surprising it almost feels like this is a middleton thing where middleton's like gotta get dembrowski go get dembrowski oh we got yeah he's our gerardi whatever it takes whatever it takes i i mean this in the nicest way possible i already can't wait until the the dembrowski era is over like i already dude i again i i'll take it a step further i can't

wait till the john middleton era is over like you might have to wait a bit yeah well i don't take over whatever i mean he took over his managing partner someone else should take over from him like whatever or forced to sell the team because of such horror horrific losing that the whole town turns i'm i don't know whatever i like, I don't know how you could feel any – like, look, down the road he could stumble into hiring the right guy. That's always a possibility. I just feel like this guy is so well-equipped to be an owner. Like, he is a disastrous owner.

Dude, I think he just – He's made Josh Harris look like a superstar owner. Oh, Josh Harris, yeah. What are you doing? I think – Don't you just feel like he's, like, he just looks on Google and, like, sees his available and is like, oh, this looks like a pretty good hiring. You know what I mean?

This guy, he won two World Series. I mean, I know I have Andy McPhail, but this guy won one recently. That's pretty cool. Yeah, when they say, when was the last time he won? I can point to 2018 rather than 1991. Yep. Yep. What a, what a, what a hire.

He definitely thinks he crushed it, right? Like. Oh, that, that's my number one takeaway from this is, John, again, to your point, and I am just praying that he doesn't speak at the press conference, that they just let Dombrowski talk or whatever. But we know that won't be true because Middleton has to get in there and do his thing. This is his show. I am cringing. Literally, Jack, right now as I talk to you, I'm cringing as I say what I am saying because I know it's going to happen. John Middleton sitting up there talking on that Zoom, didn't curse again, call and saying, and saying, Dave Dombrowski, two world series.

Did you guys know he's won two world series? Did you guys know that? He won just a couple years ago. This guy took the Tigers to world series. He built the Expos. This is a Hall of Famer. There's a Hall of Famer sitting next to me. That's what he's going to say, and it's going to be such BS.

He definitely thinks this is Gillick. Like Gillick when they fired Ed Wade and they brought in Pat Gillick. Gillick is, I'm trying to get the number right, somewhere between 100,000 and 5 million times better than Dave Dabrowski. I'm not sure what the exact multiplier is, but it's somewhere in that range. What a time. What a time. What a time.

What a time. Again, I didn't want to do this podcast. So we were doing the inside baseball thing before. We were talking about the moments. So I text Jack the Jason Stark tweet. And shout out to Jason Stark for getting the scoop. Because Jason Stark is, as I've said on this pod, and Jack, my all-time favorite baseball writer,

but he isn't like a big scoop guy, but clearly connected the Phillies. He's been all over this one. All over the Phillies stuff, you know, and he's connected to the Phillies, but I love Jason Stark, but he tweets out that, you know, the Phillies are in deep talks with Dave Dombrowski,

and I texted Jack the tweet, and I wrote, well, no more high hopes. That's how I felt at the moment. I wrote, well, no more high hopes. That's how I felt the moment. I was like, screw this. Like, I don't even want to do this podcast anymore. And obviously I've had time to think about what's important. And what's important is Jack and the people who listen to this and our connection and the family we built.

Because it feels like a family to us and that's why it matters. And we've got to go through it together. Yes. we built because it feels like a family and that's why it matters and we got to go through it together like to yes like you said last time i jack your words for the first time yeah rang out my head if we can't go through this together why go through it at all and guess what we all got to go through it like as much as i like to joke i want to be a fan of another team i want to be a raised podcast like that's not the way it works sadly like i'm a phillies fan it's what it is it's i'm i'm sucked you know i'm stuck it is what it is for the rest of my life. It's who I love. It's who I care about, but it is, you know, I'm here for high hopes. That's what I'm here for. But I'm so frustrated with this team. I'm so frustrated with this owner. Like I can't stand this owner. It's a real bummer yeah and it's just like you know the way the sport is trending to make this kind of move

like you're not you're not a couple pieces away from being a world series contender like if the phillies if the phillies were a 90 win baseball team with some legitimate talent and they just needed a guy to get him over the hump totally i could see them hiring Dave Dombrowski, but they're not. They're just not. I mean, this should, if I was a betting man, I mean, this should mean that JT's back. I mean, he's going to pay him, what, like $200 million to come back here and they're going to bid against themselves? Whatever it takes, Jeff.

Whatever it takes. And honestly, I think the one positive that I definitely feel about this, and I know me and you are out, but you know me. I mean, I do try to find positives when it comes to stuff. Oh, you! I know. But this should show that Middleton will pay, right? I mean, like, maybe he just went—

Yeah, I'm with you. That was kind of my first thought was, like, when I was trying to think of positives was, like, all right, well, Dave Dombrowski doesn't take this job unless he has a commitment from john middleton he's gonna pay for stuff but at the same time on the flip side we also said bryce harper doesn't come here unless you know so yeah yeah but uh yeah but he also had a cushy job with the with whatever the national thing is so um yeah i mean hopefully hopefully it is a sign that you know i guess my hope is that middleton trusts a guy like Dombrowski who can get you to World Series and stuff and whatnot,

and he'll trust him with his money over a guy like Matt Klintak who burned through, what, like almost a billion dollars of his money? So, yeah, I mean, from that sense, it should be a sign that Middleton is willing to pay and willing to do what it takes to get that bleeping trophy back, baby. I mean, do you think he breaks out of the press conference? Do you think he breaks out like, hey, I said I was going to do what it takes to get that bleeping trophy back. And guess what? Dave Dombrowski is that guy.

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Call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connectsontario.ca. Please play responsibly. I hope he doesn't, Jack. I hope he does. I really hope he does. As someone who works in radio, I kind of hope he does. I really hope he does. That would be tremendous.

You all doubted me. You all doubted me. Guess who's back, baby. I can definitely see him taking a victory lap oh yeah he signs autographs again after this whole like you know like he goes on the laughingstock of baseball and he knew like whether or not he knows this is a hard wire like he doesn't clearly but he knew they were laughing so he knew that like big time baseball people were talking about what a joke their search was all the stuff is a joke he knew. And I think here he's going to puff out his chest

and be like, I got Dave Dombrowski. How about that? Another positive that I can think of, James, is I'm wrong about everything. I have a bad track record. I hate Dave Dombrowski. I hate the idea of him being here. So, if so facto,

they'll probably win a World Series in three years. How's that sound? I mean, it sounds amazing. Like at this point, I'm a one world series win and 10 years of failure. I would sign up for that. Like, cause that's, that's the con we just went, we just went through that. I know. I mean, yeah, I didn't enjoy it. Even then that was five years of at least being a world.

I'm talking about one magical run and like, maybe you get lucky and make the playoffs another year. Like it's bad. Like there's not again, like you look at the Dodgers, you look at all these other teams, the race, whoever it is,

like the Phillies are way behind. Like the Phillies couldn't even win a game out of their last, that win two out of their last eight to make the playoffs. Yeah. Yeah. It's definitely bad. I know. No, I know two of eight. I know. No, I know.

I know. I know. And it's like, I just felt like they were finally trending in the right direction slowly. I mean, just from the player development stuff and, you know, like the Caleb Cotham hiring I loved. And it just feels like John looked at it and said, cool, but here's a guy that won a World Series two years ago, and he can do the same thing here, even though he probably can't do the same thing here. They're not in the same position as that Red Sox team was.

And, you know, my hope is that he kind of keeps his hands out of, you know, drafting, and he lets Brian Barber just... Agree. Oh, my God, agree. That is the only hope. The only hope. Let Brian Barber do his thing. Let Josh Bonifay hopefully stay down there and keep hiring good player development guys. You know, I mean, they have the makings

of a good player development staff down there. You know, we're a big O-chart, Travis Erger, those kind of guys. Hopefully they keep those guys around. And hopefully, like, hopefully Dombrowski, like, cares, right? Like, cares about player development and doesn't just view this as, I'm going to do whatever it takes to win as fast as I can and then get out of here and go run a national organization.

Like that's what I need him to care. I need him to care about the future of the Phillies a little bit and bringing talent in the organization and getting the most out of the drafts. I just can't have him just burn everything to the ground, leave, and then we just suck for 10 years, which is my fear right now. Well, I agree, but that's my worry, man. I know, that's his track record.

It's his track record, and also to the point of letting the development guys do what they do. Look, I don't know Dave Dombrowski, obviously, but from everything I've read, and I've read a lot about dave dombrowski prior to this and now you know obviously reading warren's of it seems like he's a very very hands-on guy i mean he's the first person like he when he was the the when he was the my favorite anecdote about this when he was the the hired to be the president of baseball

ops for the tigers he fired the gm six days into the season and then just took over that role too and did oh they're like the phillies are not hiring a gm no he's gonna do both that's this guy is this guy is hands-on he is particular about what he wants and how he wants it and that is nerve-wracking when it comes to the point you just made about brian barber and jason o'chartan all the people who the few people in this organization who i'm excited about the few people i i i trust and care about and and want to put my faith into for the future like those guys are are critical to me and i'm very nervous about dave dobrowski's in like him bleeping it up i'm so close i've been so close to her jack i, I deserve an award.

I almost said it. I say you deserve an award every podcast you do here. It's true. Yes. Yes. Well said. Well said. Dave Dombrowski is actually our president.

I can't believe it. Was it not the lock of the century? It still was. I can't believe was it not the lock of the century it so was like if you could go back and listen to some of the hypes we've done like like some of the cuts of what we have said about Dombrowski are probably pretty hilarious right now like I'm pretty sure I'm not a hundred percent sure but I'm almost positive

we said we would not do this podcast anymore if they hired Dombrowski I feel pretty confident that was said so yeah and it does hurt that John doesn't listen to us. I think this officially proves it. Oh, this is a lock. John is not a high hopes guy.

Maybe we did drive him off with all the fraud talk and all that, so I get it. I understand, but I think we were leading you down the correct path. And for you to divert from the plan, it does hurt a little bit, John. It really does.

And you better get a freaking trophy in the next three years or else your franchise is screwed for the next decade. And, John, if I could just say one thing to you. Don't let him burn them to the ground, okay? Because real baseball teams don't just put all their chips in the middle and go for it for one year. Did you see the Andy Martino

cut from when he was on MLB Network about how World Series aren't the ultimate goals or whatnot? No, no. What is this? Last week, Andy Martino went on MLB Network, and he basically said something to the accord of winning a World Series is not the objective. Having a well-run team is the objective and whatnot.

And what he was trying to say, I think, is like a World Series is great. It means a lot, whatnot. But being in the hunt and having a good process and a good franchise and being a sustainable winner is more important than going for it for one World Series. And what Dave Dombrowski has shown is he goes for it for one World Series. So, John, like, I'm just begging you to don't let that happen. Like, don't let what happened in the 90s happen here. Because you're going gonna lose everyone like you're just gonna it's gonna because you don't you can't go for eight years of just peril because that's that's what he has done

and luckily the red socks bounce back and they got a guy like high and bloom in there and he is he i think he's gonna get them on the right track uh the tigers are just bouncing back now when was the last time the tiger and even then they're not like let's be real the tigers are still a mess organization like they are they are not out of that hole. And they have three straight 100 loss seasons. I mean, they are still in a hole. It's not like the Tigers are a good team. Do you look at next year?

The Tigers are, at best, the fourth best team in their division. It's them and the Royals fighting for the bottom. Right. But they have the right kind of guy. They have Mize. They have Riley Green. Yeah, they got some young guys who could be good down the road. But it's taken them a long time.

Mize was the first pick in the draft. Like, you had to be horrible to get him. Exactly. Exactly. It's going to take a while. Like, I just don't want that to happen here. And I want John to have some restraint over his franchise. And I want him to focus on the important things.

Like, how the... Sorry. How do you... I didn't say it. I didn't say it. But how do you how do you i didn't say it i didn't say it but how do you freaking say in the press conference well what we haven't done in 100 years is draft and develop well and then draft and then hire this guy that's what i mean that honestly was my first like one of my first thoughts outside of of just pain and sadness all that just like deep depression dude i haven't like

and this is maybe just me. I don't know. It's probably you too. But, you know, a lot of people when they get in this business and they're in it for a little bit, they don't become fans. They're not fans of the team anymore. Totally. Right?

And the Phillies are the one that I just, I'm still a fan. Like, I think I'm a pretty well-educated fan. I'm like a maniac about it.'m very with you right and i was dude i was sitting in the studio and i was sulking i was straight up my stomach dude like my wife is like what's wrong with you well hold on now weren't you recording go birds while it broke yes did you bring up the dave dembrowski thing no what was it because how about this oh what in elliot no no here's why ready because elliot did because he's like has your because he noticed that my mood completely changed and i say he's like he's like do you sound so different right now because you just saw the phillies news

and i was like yes and then i just went on a rant about how i'd rather have howie roseman running the phillies than the dave dombrowski which you know how much I'm out on Howie Roseman. Well, yeah, but. So, yes, he could. That was the point. We were recording a pod and I couldn't even be a professional enough about it to not let that news impact my performance on the pod. Right.

I did the same thing. I was late to drops. I'm never late to drops. I mean, it's it was it was bad. It was bad. It was straight up bad from from about 240 to 340, I was bad at my job. And that's solely because of this Phillies baseball game. Oh, man.

So what's the best case scenario for the Dombrowski thing? Like World Series? Yeah, that's it. Again, it's like a three year window, right? I mean that like the best case scenario, they re-signed JT and they've already missed, like,

it's such a bummer. I love what they've, they had this just again, the S show that was this whole search, as we all know with the upper, the pandemic and the whole search. And then the whole like, wait,

like missing the first part of the off season, missing out on the Charlie Mortons and those type of deals, the Robbie Ray for $8 million, like all these deals that are just steals. Like, what are we doing here? And then just have no plan, no action. You miss the winter meetings. You can't even do the winter meetings.

You don't have anyone in charge of your front office. Sounds bad. So to have that much of an S show about it and then to go through all that and then to end up with Dombrowski like the best case scenario is he goes he signs Romulo and trades Mick Abel and you know one year of Lindor and you know you hope you win the World Series this year I mean like honestly like that that type of thing maybe next year whatever like but that's it and again like this is all dependent upon john middleton willing to not be cheap like not willing to go over the luxury tax like the the team as it is currently constructed right now no

matter what dombrowski wants to do cannot win the world series unless they go over the luxury tax no doubt correct so are you willing to to pay what it takes and take a two three year run and you know we'll deal with with five years of of losing after that and hope that eventually you hire a smart forward thinker who's going to come in and rebuild this franchise the way we wanted to but yeah i think the best case for dembrowski is is you know we we go all in right now and i don't think that's smart and i don't think it's going to work but i don't i don't know what else there is. Unless Dombrowski, at the age of 64, after four stops with all these other teams, has somehow completely changed the way he goes about his business. Big analytics guy now.

Yeah, unless something changed. His Excel spreadsheet and all that stuff. In the two years since he was in Boston, I don't know. I wonder how long his contract is. Yeah, it's a great question. I would guess three or four years, right? And the worst case scenario is they're an 82-win baseball team, and he trades everyone, and they all get hurt, and they suck,

and they are just in peril, and he gets fired in like three years, and then they have to restart this whole thing all over again, and we're back to nothing. Yes. Yes. Correct. Let's just hope that maybe Eric he gets fired in like three years, and then they have to restart this whole thing all over again, and we're back to nothing. Yes. Yes. Correct. Let's just hope that maybe Eric Neander will be free by then. Well, they won't.

Yeah, yeah. I'm sure he'll be lining up to fix our bleep show here. And I would love the idea of signing like a forward-thinking GM or whatever, but he's not going to let that happen. He's the general manager. This is both. Again, we just point out like everywhere this guy goes, like he takes over everything.

He wants to be in charge of everything. So, yeah, even if he hires a GM, it's a figurehead. It's not someone who's going to have any power. What does he trade for Madison Baumgartner this offseason? Oh, Jack, don't do that. How much does he sign John Lester for? How much does he sign John Lester for? Answer the question.

Whatever it is, it's too much, Jack. Whatever it takes. Whatever it is, it's too much. Honestly, Dave Dombrowski's best move was that Steve Pierce trade in 2018. Yeah, his best move was trading for Cabrera. The contract after, but trading for Cabrera originally with the Tigers was a great trade. I mean, Cameron Maben was the centerpiece of that trade.

That was a great trade. And trading for Scherzer. And trading for Scherzer was great. Look. Uh-oh. Dombrowski. Uh-oh. Dombrowski.

Uh-oh big d dave baby uh-oh stoddy pack your bags not every move dave dombrowski has ever made has been a disaster no he doesn't you don't we don't win the world series he's won without it like he's made some good he traded for doll he traded for dutch some nice things and went to marlins you know yes the team they won the world series with was a a bought and sold team but he made some nice moves after that like the the guts of that 2003 team that won the world series was was due due to Dombrowski. Like he did some good things in the past.

He's 65, 64 years old. Like, it's just, it's over. Like it's a different world with baseball. It's such a different sport when the, you know,

it's just, yeah. So Jim Hendry for GM. And it's just such a, yeah, probably. It's such a bad mix of, of owner and owner and president.

Like, it's just such a bad mix of what Middleton wants or what we thought he wanted. He wants to be cheap and he wants to draft and build that way so he doesn't have to spend money. And then you bring this guy in. It just, it makes no sense. Like, it doesn't make any sense. No, it's just the wrong mix.

I can't believe we're sitting here talking like jack i almost feel like i'm in some sort of like surreal hellscape like a nightmarish thing that i'm stuck in right now like because because we joked about this and we were like oh you know nobody went to broski and like at times we were like actually if it was gonna be like i thought we i thought we had had passed it you know i thought I thought we had dodged the bullet. Yeah, me too. We're Neo in the Matrix, and we dodged those bullets, and then we're like, good.

We got it. We get to control the Matrix. I get it now. And then it's like right around the back door. There's Dave. Dave. There's Dave. Who's he giving?

Oh, he's going to give $200 million to JT. Yeah, sorry. Well, at least he's already spent, at least the Bryce contract's out of the way, so he can do that. Like the $330 million

that they're paying until he's like 40. So he doesn't have to worry about that aspect of the Don Boski thing. Great, great, great. Yeah. What a good time, Jack.

Oh, it's just like, listen, he better win man he and and the thing is is i don't know if they're good enough to win but that's what's gonna happen evidence says they're not like you build the bullpen and then you know we'll see what happens what are the chances like what do you think of uh middleton sold him on sitting out 2021, not spending money, and then letting him oversee everything, and then 2022 going after it. I mean, I don't think that probably happened. Look, I don't think Middleton's spending what people want him to this year, but they have money coming off the books. but they have money coming off the books. I think Middleton is happy to spend as long as he stays under the luxury tax for some absurd reason. That extra payment really crushes his soul.

I don't know. Because of the pandemic and all that, I definitely think Middleton's going to be cheaper. Look, he already has been. This whole situation has proven it. But I don't think Dave Dombrowski comes in here. Maybe it could be, and he's just like, hey, Dave, take a year to get the lay of the land and figure it out. Yeah, you know what?

As I talk this out, Jack, it sounds less ridiculous. Yeah, it's possible. It's possible. It's possible. But again, I guess everyone under contract who matters would still be here the year after. Add to them. Give Mick Abel a year to develop his value i mean i

don't know look whatever it is he's gonna trade those guys soon enough they're gonna and middleton's gonna have to spend money if he wants his nebrowski thing to work like that's what it comes down to yeah yeah i mean listen he you're not hiring him unless you're saying we're you'll we'll spend whatever it takes yeah but he said that before he said i know bryce was a lie i know well i mean i think this is a little less high stakes than than bryce was i guess for my money it's more important but sure right i mean definitely more important uh yeah well i. But also, I think he might have been... I wonder if this was in the plans or he panicked. I think he panicked. You think so?

Yeah. And said, I'll give you whatever it takes to come around my baseball team. Yeah, yeah. Everyone's striking out. I think he saw that we... You know, the Phillies were the joke of baseball. Let's be real about it. Like, they were the joke of baseball.

They were the punchline this off season with their whole search, the uproot in the pandemic, the like all of it from start to finish. I mean, again, like big time baseball people like Buster Olney are, are, and,

and Ken Rosenthal are citing all kinds of sources around baseball being like, I have no idea what they're doing. This is puzzling. This is weird. What's the plan? Like all this stuff. Like,

I think he was like, I'm a joke right now. We're a joke. And he's like, I want to go get someone who has a resume, has a pop. And it's like, people know Dave Dombrowski is that gives us credibility and he's wrong. And it's a horrendous process for hiring the guy. And he's a horrible owner. But I think that was his thought process. If I had to put myself in his horrible head, that's what I would say.

Well, he's here, so we can only pray that things go well. What a message for the Phillies nation right there. Let's pray, guys. I don't know what else we're supposed to do. It is what it is, guys. I can't know what else we're supposed to do. It is what it is, guys. I can't change anything anymore. We tried this. We tried blank check for Neander.

We tried. And it led us to Dave Dombrowski. It could not have gone worse. I don't know what else. The exact opposite of Harper Lynn. I don't know what else to say or do other than I'm praying it works out well. Please don't gut my baseball team. Please don't think just about you and trying

to win a World Series as fast as possible. I want you to care a little bit about growing, you know, at least having some competent pieces down on the farm. And I don't want to leave my team behind in shambles. I just don't want that. And I'm just praying none of that happens.

I think it's going to be an eventful time for us, James. I mean, he's a mover. You know, he makes moves. So there's going to be a lot of emergency podcasts. Hopefully they don't involve Nick Abel. Jack, let me, I mean, just start to prepare yourself, buddy. I'm not doing it. Start to separate yourself from Nick.

Start to watch some tape. Look for some some flaws look for some itch nope not happening it's not happening it's not happening so well i'll be there for you when he gets traded because i'm ready i'm i've mentally prepared myself yep and uh we will be back for what the madison bob garter is a Philly emergency pod? Can't wait, buddy. It's going to be good. Seriously, though, we're here because of you, High Ops listeners. You mean everything to us, and that's why we will not become

a Rays podcast. We'll continue to be a Phillies podcast. I guess. We'll be here, and we'll see what Daveave's got in store jack uh i'm trying just double date can we call him double day let's go double i'm just dreading the first whatever the first move is i'm already whatever double d has in store terrified big d i'm terrified of what big d has up his sleeve there There's my watch. Big double D. Alright, we'll be back

at some point. I already told you, the Madison Baumgartner's Affiliate Emergency Podcast. The point is, we're not gone forever. No, we're still here. Probably should be. Doesn't listen to us. Devastating in and of itself.

Alright, well, double D. Get it done. He spreads himself into the air. All right. Well, double date. Get it done. He's printing something. We'll see you later. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen. We have a question. What's the best podcast of all time?

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