High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Emergency Phils Trade Deadline Reaction Pod

Episode Date: August 2, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies trade deadline trades and more. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies. On Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP. So it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast presented by Miller Lite. Hashtag Phillies trades for Miller Lite maybe. Phil's trades for Miller Lite maybe. Trade reaction pod.

Look, it was a roller coaster of a day, Fritzy. I melted down at one point. I did a little research. I'm feeling a little bit better. Obviously, the headline of it all, pour one out for our guy. I know. Our favorite, favorite guy. Shout out to Mick.

We are rooting for you in Los Angeles. A true Philadelphia guy in Los Angeles, finally, which is nice to see the Angels have lacked that kind of Philadelphia flavor. Yep. Someone who's a real Philadelphia, a true Philadelphian like like Mickey Moniac. Yes. But we'll miss you, buddy. But look, here's what I'll say. And we're going to dive into all of it.

But, you know, after the roller coaster, the oh, my God, Oh, Hoppy, just to hop. Wait, what's happening? All this stuff. The Phillies today Are a definitively Better baseball team than they were Yesterday And they might have given up too much They might not, we'll get into it

But oh by the way We also don't have to watch Oduble Herrera and Juris Familia Play for the Phillies anymore So funny enough Who to think the two DFA's would be Not even the cherry on top would be the not even the cherry on top really the Sunday with the trades being the cherry on top Fritzie the floor is yours

what was your reaction we'll get into like the specific trades the players but but take me through the the roller coaster of emotions that you went on well I had kind of heard the Ohapi thing earlier in the day and Oh, look at you. Look at this guy over here. So I was like already, I was emotionally kind of ready for it. So I'm not going to, I can't lie. I mean, my first reaction was like, really? You know, trading that, I think I was always good with trading Logan Ohapi.

You know, It made sense. You drafted him in the 23rd round. You turned him into a top 100 prospect. He was raking at Redding, which we know has the ability to jack up some numbers. But I was just surprised they couldn't have done better in a Logano Hoppy deal. but then when you do look at it and i i know it's gonna sound spin zoney and it's gonna sound like you're talking yourself into it it's like this is the exact kind of trade we've kind of been begging for oh buddy and it's one of the and it's one of those trades that you know if we're gonna be the the whole, I trust Ani and we trust Dave and Foldy.

Ani. Foldy. Foldy. But this is the kind of trade we've been asking for. Brandon Marsh is 24 years old. They have him under control for the next five years. He is a former top 50 prospect and the former number one overall prospect in the Angels farm system. I know the Angels farm

system reeks, but he's only like a year, year, year and a half removed from being that guy. So, you know, I trust the infrastructure here when it comes to Kevin Long. We've seen what he's gotten out of Alec Boehm recently. Matt Vierlings had a good year. Kyle Schwarber, we know what detail of the work

he's done with him. Like, Kevin Long's been a good addition for this team. And this is a bet on Kevin Long to be able to get the player that I think a lot of people saw coming up through the Angel system as their best overall prospect. So he's been worth two wins this year without really hitting. He can play center field, left field, right field. I know some people will say, well, if he's that good of a defensive center fielder, then why are they not putting Mike Trout in left or right?

I don't really care. But regardless, I think he makes the Phillies a better team. And giving up Logan Ohapi was surprising. And I think, honestly, James, if they didn't come out with a report, what, like four days ago, and say Logan Ohapi was untouchable, I don't think anyone has that massive, harsh reaction to it. But the idea of going from untouchable to a 227 hitter or whatever it's just a lot for people to to kind of grasp um but overall like i'm genuinely excited

to to see what he can do here uh i think that anaheim i think players go there to kind of die you know i think it's one of those places that you know it just nothing seems to work out for them i know a lot of things haven't worked out here, but I think that times are changing a little bit from that standpoint. So it seems like one of those buy low and a former top 50 prospect that was a number one overall prospect in the organization. I'll take that for a double A catcher that, frankly, didn't have a spot here with JT under contract for the next three years.

And when JT's hitting, we mentioned that's good. WeT under contract for the next three years. And when JT's hitting, we mentioned that's good. We got JT for the next three years. When he's not hitting, it's a disaster. So overall, I was surprised. I was shocked. I probably would have just gotten Thor along with him. Well, that was what I was going to bring up next. And the only thing it makes me think is they didn't really want thor you know what i mean so like they they didn't that's the funny thing is

they didn't really give up that i mean we love mick but in terms of you know a package based on what like the starting pitcher market was and all that like it doesn't really feel like they gave up as much for thor as it seemed like teams you would have thought it would take to get Thor and that just shows that the league valued Thor where we thought he was, like, so his fastballs really, you know, dipped and, you know, that's a guy who lives and dies off that thing and, you know

when he was the, one of the, and he and, you know, Thor I think always a little maybe historically overrated, he was good, but you know, I think people remember him as being one of the best pitchers in baseball and he never really put together a full season where he was a top, top, top guy. Um, but obviously the stuff was, was there and you know, the, the highest average blast, that's fastball velocity and all played off that. And if that's not there, you know, he's, he's a different pitcher and the whip is scary and the, you know, strikeout to walk and

strikeout printings is all scary. But I just I'm with you. I think it's strange that they didn't combine the two. I'm with you on the Marsh thing, though. Like, that's the thing I think. And I think them putting it out there is untouchable, which was, you know, strange. You thought was posturing. We thought was posturing. We talked about it. But, you know, still, I didn't feel like it wasn't as much as they could have gotten for him. But like you said, that was when I did a little research. And I'm like, all right, I'm looking at Brandon Mars' Major League numbers. Let me look at the guy.

And yes, like it's, you know, a former, as you said, a top 100 prospect in baseball. Like Go Hoppy, a top prospect in the Angels system. Someone who is, you know, considered at worst someone who is a, you know, high level defensive center fielder at worst, you know, it seems like his floor and he's flash hitting stuff and he is young. He's been young for every step of the minors that he's been through and all that. So, or at least relatively young for those spots. So, you know, I think it's, and again, the control for the next five years after this season, I think it's through 2028. Right. So, I mean, that's, uh, or maybe he's up for, you know, if he was up for it, it'd be after this season, I think. So, um, yeah, I think that

I get it. I think to your point, people, I think people just expected them to be able to get more for Ohapi. But when you look at it logically, happy you had nowhere to go on the team and this guy is theoretically or they're betting on him becoming your center fielder for the next five years yeah i think honestly if you just say okay they traded mick oh happy and jdl sanchez for thor and brandon marsh what a good point, Jack. Like, it's fine. It's fine. You know, I wasn't a Thor guy. I just, he's... He's better than Bailey Falter, right? Yes, 100%.

He is, we will trust him to start games more than we trust Bailey Falter. And if nothing else, even with Falter here, like, that's the thing that you have to account for. I mean, Eflin, you know, put on the 60-day DIL. We can assume, like, highly unlikely we see that guy again this season. So it's not just the one open spot you have in the rotation, but it's also the potential that another guy could go down,

and then you're really screwed with nowhere to go. So, I mean, getting a guy like Syndergaard makes sense on multiple levels. Yeah. So, yeah. And listen, if we we're gonna do the whole like last podcast of ranger being back you know you have the the top three of those guys and you just you can hope that maybe senator guard can can show you some flashes i do wonder you know uh cinder guard was pitching on like six days rest out in out in la so i wonder if falter is

still kind of in the rotation to give them an extra day between Cinderguard starts or maybe he can just do it. And there also is the possibility of, you know, Wheeler and him being back together, him getting to face the Mets. Oh, buddy. There's a little bit of... Love it.

A little bit of, you know, some... Oh, maybe DeGrom comes here in the offseason, put him back together, let's go. Listen, I don't need an opener. you know, some. Maybe DeGrom comes here in the offseason, put him back together. Let's go. Listen, I don't need I don't need an opener. You know, I want. Yeah, I want that money's already allocated for Trey Turner. Sorry, Jacob.

Yeah, no interest. I need a guy that can go more than six innings, you know. But plus, real quick to add on your Cinderguard thing. I mean, what, you know, great stars from other places don't come to Philly and, you know, refine their careers and become stars again if they weren't or stay stars. We always have luck with that. Yeah, it's something we're always great with and getting guys like, you know, three years, four years past their prime. So, yeah, I mean, listen, I'm not a Syndergaard guy. I think his stuff is declining.

He's not striking out guys anymore. cinder guard guy uh i think his stuff is declining he's not striking out guys anymore um you know i think he's definitely more of a in name guy uh more than anything like even elliot knows who he is so i think that's a big a big sign that yeah elliot wanted us to drop in a point uh that he thinks that cinder guard is going to benefit from being back in the division because the fans will care and they'll be excited wow good another salient point from baseball expert uh helly triparks um so yeah so cinder guard you know there is a chance you can kind of go i just you know i i wanted a guy that can strike guys out i probably would have rather traded if i was in that tray i probably would have rather done it for avaldi um so but maybe avaldi really people are worried about the the injury and stuff like

that or maybe it wasn't really available. I mean, there were so many weird deadlines. Like, the Red Sox bought and sold. Like, they traded Jay Groom for Eric Hosmer for no reason. The Cubs, like, half sold. And, like, why are the Cubs holding on to Ian Happ and Wilson Contreras? Yeah, and Wilson Contreras. It makes no sense.

Bad news, though, James. I got a break to you. The Braves trade for rossie aliglasius at the last second so did they really yeah it's just it's just so after getting i mean look i'm not the biggest odor easy guy but you know he's the kind of guy who's gonna go to atlanta and like pitch well because of course and then just you know god they're so annoying and then you know we haven't talked since it but you, you know, your guy, I mean, Austin Riley, 10 years, 21 million a year. Like, really?

Like, why do these guys go to Atlanta and say, eh, I don't want more money down the road. I want to sign for a way below market contract so that I can, you know, I want to get safe. I mean, look, I get signing out years of arbitration, but like, and look, Austin Riley's not Tatis, but Acuna is. And look what Tatis got. I know. Like, what are we doing here? Dude, Juan Soto just turned down 440 million, dude. Do you think Alex Anthopoulos is actually a hypnotist or like something

like that where he just gets these guys and their agents in a room? It's insane. I mean, Acuna fired his agent after it. I know. I know. It's ridiculous. I don't know. I mean't know who's the worst contract in baseball that's the most team and then albies too we mentioned albies those three guys and even olsen's olsen's was a little more but still like a solid contract for the team but the other three guys are like like three of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball considering their skills it's like it's it's insane yeah yeah uh the braves are clearly cheating and they need to be investigated by major league baseball but whatever bryce hit a grand slam off of iglesia so and a homer off

jansen so you know whatever cute little bullpen additions we still got bryce coming back um but yeah they didn't add a 40 year old David Robertson or whatever he is dude don't rip Dave man I'm glad he's back I'm look I like that he's like excited to redeem himself here and yeah I I dig it it's fine again though Ben Brown you know dude's got 34% strikeout rate like I don't know you know what what did you think of that one that's it we'll get back to the the overall but that's what we haven't talked about like what do you think of and look i did again again with the theme of the day with everything they gave up and again like no big deal like it's not a small deal i mean cutting the dead weight of oduble and familiar and those guys

not hurting this team anymore but what did you make of giving up ben brown for for um for robertson yeah i was surprised um especially again because they labeled him as freaking untouchable like you didn't have to label him as untouchable like i know you're just trying to create value but like why couldn't you trade eric miller for for two months of of david robertson um just seemed like a lot right yeah it does i guess I'll say this, that I feel a little prospect huggy here. But at the same time, I do think this is what smart teams do.

And if I'm going to be as in on the Phillies pitching player development staff, you should be able to create these guys seemingly every year. The Yankees do this all the time, where it's like, oh, we'll just have this guy out of nowhere that's going to be good somewhere else and we'll flip him for this player that'll help

right now like they turned a 33 or a 33rd round draft pick into a closer i'm not that um thompson wasn't sure how they're going to use him yet you know um i would assume they want to use him as a closer and they can go uh put sir anthony back to where he was i guess before that's what i assumed too jack i was texting with some buddies and they were asking i said i would bet they just make him the closer i mean especially with thompson's history with robertson he knows him well obviously from from the days of new york and all that yeah i would like you like you said i mean look even now like sir anthony is like the the closer in like quotes like but you know hand still gotten some save ops like Brogdon's gotten one like it definitely and I think that actually might have been extra

my bad but still it definitely is it it feels like Thompson to your point would really like to not have to have Sir Anthony as his closer and and use him wherever he can yeah 100 um but you turn that into a guy who has a two uh an era under two five um you know for for you know ben brown who they developed and turn into a a decent looking um you know he's still a single a prospect so you don't know how he's going to end up but uh you know i think it's one of those trades that smart teams have to make and again i believe in the direction they're taking when it comes to player development stuff so you know i like that they're able to make and again i believe in the direction they're taking when it comes to player development stuff so you know i like that they're able to kind of do this trade and i don't think it's going to come back to like totally bite them and and david robertson's been

really good this year now there's also the other you know side of my brain which is every freaking reliever we trade for the deadline all of a sudden just turns into a homer happy for no reason and then they leave especially a guy who's already had you know come here and granted through no fault of his own completely disappointed yeah i know and and that was that was like of course you know the guy that's never been hurt in his career who's always been mr reliable comes here and needs tommy john surgery and it just falls apart so that stinks but if you're just looking at it in a non-Phillies way of looking at it, it's a good trade. And it's one of those things that will really help this team.

And, man, you look at this bullpen on paper. I mean, is, like, Brad Hand the guy you trust the least? And even he's having a good year. Like, the bullpen on paper is ridiculous. Yeah, I mean, it's really good, and it's strange. I mean, I don't know. I think I still, if we're just talking who gives me the most nerves when I see them walk into a big spot,

I still think it's Alvarado with how good he's pitched. I know we were like, we're in on him, and then some rough outings, and then he's back. But I still don't fully trust him, but I don't fully trust him. But yeah, I mean, it's funny that we're not even mentioning Bilotti in our first two. Dude, hold on. I wouldn't. Let me just run this down for you real quick.

Yeah. Robertson, Sir Anthony, Bilotti, Knabel, Coonrod, Brogdon, Hand, Alvarado. Yeah. It's legit. I guess Coonrod is probably the one you trust the least. Yeah, but even he, I mean, you know. Yeah, I like him. I like him.

There's no guy I don't like in that. But we have finally turned the corner here, Jack, where there's no one in the pen that I dread. There's no one in the pen where, again, with Familia gone now, there's no one where when they enter the game, I at least don't have some hope or in some cases more hope or significant hope that they're going to do a good job yeah and i that's the best bullpen since 08 i mean it's oh my god it's literally been

almost 15 years uh 14 years well but yeah but legitimately almost 15 years which is insane again not that hard to build a good bullpen, but congratulations. We've finally gotten here. But you are putting together the, that's the best bullpen since 08. And that's a high level quality bullpen. I mean, like I didn't even mention Nick Nelson, who I think has been really good for this team. We know he's starting tonight.

So that's, that gives me a lot of excitement. And you, like, it's excitement. You look at the team. They got a left-handed hitting center fielder who had former top prospect pedigree. You don't displace Vierling because Vierling is still going to play. I guess Thompson did announce. I mean, you do a little bit. I mean, Vierling will play, but he's not going to play every day. Well, I mostly agree.

I mostly agree. But, you know, they were doing that thing out in Pittsburgh where Schwarber was the D-H and they put Verling in left. So, until Bryce is back, I kind of see that working. Oh, instead of Derek. I could see that a little bit here and there. Like, yeah. I mean, look. Verling will play.

Verling will play. I think it'll be at least a little bit of a knock to his time. It will. It will. I agree. But mostly, I think Villing is still going to find his way into a lineup. I think he's playing too well, so I think that's a good thing. They get a 3-4 type

in Noah Syndergaard, and they get a legitimate back-end in the bullpen option. I mean, if they don't make the playoffs at this point, it's a massive disappointment, but everything you look at from the deadline, it's like they filled every kind of hole we needed them to fill and we didn't bring up edmundo sosa uh you know it was a good like they finally are valuing defense which is which is good to see so funny it's like all of a sudden it's like let's get defensive guys yeah smash the bell to uh michael

taylor like if you want to get me a center fielder who can make up for some of that right and left field issues, I get it. I'm cool with that. Yeah. So, yeah, overall, getting the prospect's name out of it, they didn't have to give up Abel, Painter, Griff, any of those guys. So it keeps them available this offseason if they want to go try to get a Devers, whatever. They didn't give up Brohas.

If he still has good value heading into the offseason if they want to go try to get a Devers whatever they didn't give a Brohas um if he still has you know good value heading into the into the offseason like it's kind of what we were hoping for and some of the prospect shock is is definitely there but on paper you know I think I gave him a solid B you know I could go up to a B plus but on paper this is a team that that is on should end the 11-season playoff drought. I mean, it just simply should. Well, I agree. The one hiccup with that is, and look, the Cardinals didn't get much better. They got Quintana.

They made a couple of other small deals. They got Jordan Montgomery. Yeah, Jordan Montgomery, who's fine. You know, he's okay. But the Padres getting Soto and Hayter. I mean, so I agree with you, they should. But I also think they're, I think they will. Like, I think the Phillies will make the playoffs as of right now.

I believe it. But, you know, I think there's a chance that them and the Cardinals have a real battle down the stretch. The Cardinals have just as easy a schedule as the Phillies. And, you know, if we just, we just you know and look weird things happen soto could go there and for some reason they could struggle or what you never know right but but if we assume the padres with their moves probably lock up that that wild card spot they're in right now well if they don't i mean it's i mean it's an all-time disaster i mean and tatis is that we're talking about two teams for one spot and like i agree i think the phillies are are the favorite between those two but i don't think we could just

say oh they're gonna make playoffs you know i mean yeah i mean we can't kick our feet up you can't kick your feet up um close not with this team no no but you know at least they got i think they got more better today than the cardinals did yeah i mean cantana and thor are about the same level i like jordan montgomery uh but i think him and suarez are very similar um and i mean like wayne writes whatever i would take i would take our first two over there first two um and then their offense is just a bit weird but um yeah you know again they i they, I don't view this as a if we don't, we don't deadline. You know, they clearly went in, they gave up some legitimate prospects to make this team better. They're going for it.

They didn't give up their top guys. They didn't push all the chips. They didn't go get Carlos Rodon. I get it, you know. I understand not getting him. But I think like, if you walk out of this deadline with Robertson, Rodon and Brandon Marsh,

you're like, okay, that's a, that's a team that, that will make the playoffs. So yeah, I mean, that's a little disappointing.

If it would have cost McGarry, I don't think it would have cost Abel or Painter. I understand them saying no. And, and then pivoting to Thor in a way, again, that's what the one thing with the Thor deal, it's like you clearly didn't really want him.

You went back to him when you couldn't get other options. I don't like that it wasn't their number one priority heading into the deadline. But overall, yeah, again, a good solid B, and they should have enough to end this playoff drought, regardless of the Cardinals, because they're losers. and they should have enough to end this playoff drought, regardless of the Cardinals, because they're losers. And they owe us for 2011.

Look, watch the Brewers lose five in a row and fall out of it. Well, they traded Hayter. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. As I'm sitting here, I'm like, let's not just concede the division to the Brewers there. And look, to your point, if they had not put the Ben Brown thing out there, I think there's a real possibility that, you know, obviously not the disease fans like us, but I think there's a real possibility that for the majority of, you know, Phillies fans out there who follow the team but not, you know, the minor leagues and all that stuff, who Ohopi is the only name they know, other than Mick, obviously, you know, Mick for different reasons.

But Ohopi, the only name they care about of the guys who got traded today. And if you're a, if you're that Phillies fan right now, you're saying, all right, so they traded one guy who I've heard of as a prospect essentially until they did the Ben Brown thing last week. You're saying one guy I've heard of who is at a position that he couldn't come up for years. Like what a day, this is phenomenal. I got, I got all three come up for years. Like, what a day. This is phenomenal. I got all three of my needs filled. Like, to your point, Jack, it is a good point that we talked so long about biggest need,

and it was starting pitcher and center fielder and relief pitcher, which is the biggest need. All three were needs. Like, that's why we had the discussion. And, you know, it did kind kind of as it got closer and closer really you become stratified and clear that they need a starting pitcher most then they need an outfielder then they need a relief pitcher but they went out and got all three and while none of them were the names we particularly most wanted in those spots especially cinder guard um and marsh we just never even really considered as an option um But, you know, we got guys who make the team better, like absolutely make the team better.

And again, to the Marsh point, I like the future part of it. That's why I'm good with it on the whole. And obviously, again, we don't know what Ohabi's going to turn into. Actually, I like Ohabi. I think he's got a real chance. But again, we don't know what player he's going to be. But ultimately, I think that for right now even, to the point we made before, I mean, you know, having a great defensive center fielder out there actually is something that could really like we might be underrating the impact that could have on this team. I mean, you think about how many balls have just been lost to the, to the, you know, gaps in the outfield or, you know, like to, I mean, obviously to the, the corners,

Cassianos and Schwarber are going to do what they do unless they have Verlaine in the lineup. But I don't, I don't want to underrate how much of a potential, especially if Marsh is as good as it, as you know, the, good as the metrics and obviously the things you read about him say, as obviously I haven't seen a ton of the Angels. Not a team I search out when I'm watching late night baseball. I've not seen a ton of Angels baseball. But if he's that good, I mean, it could really, really make a difference for this team, Jai. Yeah.

And I feel like we undersell defense on this pod sometimes. Well, we do. And then we watch the games and you're like, damn it. Like, why can't they catch anything? It's going to be wild, man. It's going to be wild having a center fielder that can, like, just normally track a baseball. Talk about something else we haven't had in a decade.

Dude, I mean, he's going to be the best defensive center fielder since victorino and victorino like and shane we completely took for granted like again because we had rowan before you know we had glanville we had a bunch of yeah exactly yeah we had a gold glover bobby brave and right field you You know, it is what it is. But yeah, it's so, again, the more, the further and further we get away from like the 07 to 11 Phillies, like the more it's like, wow, I really did take that for granted. Like we had obviously Howard, we had Rollins who like made every play. Utley was Utley. But then you had like Phillies made every play at third base. Chooch was unbelievable on the plate.

Victorino is a gold Glover in center field. Like Burrell is basically Reese Hoskins and no one liked them off the field. People like them, but like on the field, he was frustrating. And then they, you know, and then they had like Jason worth,

you know what I mean? So it's just, it's, it's funny looking back and then remembering what this, the last 11 years have been like of Phillies baseball. And more and more, I am thankful for that run. James, I have a comp for Brandon Marsh. Are you ready for it?

When don't you have a comp? Looking at his swing, looking at what he is right now, and looking at what he could potentially be i think brandon marsh can be the centerfield virgin version version virgin version high hopes after dark baby um centerfield version of brandon crawford oh wow That's a high-level comp right there. Similar swing. Wasn't a great hitter for a while. And then figured it out. But was a ridiculous defensive player.

I don't know if Marsh is going to be ridiculous, but I think he's going to be a good player out there in center field. So, yeah, that's my comp. Center field version of Brandon Crawford. I mean, what a win that would be. I mean, Crawford has been a top 10 MVP guy, which is crazy. Also, a lot of future fan club potential turns out to be good. You know, the beard and everything.

Oh, yeah. And, you know, the name Marsh. There's a lot you could do with that. Although, every time I keep wanting to say Brandon Marshall. I do, too. I don't think I've said his first name because I just keep saying Marsh because I know that I'll say Brandon Marshall. I had to pause there because I was like, wait, which one am I saying? Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if one city could screw up his name, I'm pretty sure it's this city. Oh, my God. Jeez, Louise. There is no city that's going to butcher this more. All right. I want to quickly get your thoughts on the Soto deal,

but I have one last question. Obviously, if you have anything else Phillies-related with the trade deadline, I'm sure you'll bring it up at the end with the take bag. By the way, real quick, I think this is the first ever High Hopes back-to-back pods with no game in between maybe. I think we've probably had to do maybe back-to-back trade wins. I'm talking during the season. This might be the first one we've ever done with no game in between,

which is a little High Hopes magic right there, buddy. And a reminder again, obviously, thank you to Miller Lite for being a part of the pod and really turning the season around. Let's be honest. People think it was firing Girardi. Miller light for being a part of the pod and, uh, you know, really turning the season around. Let's be honest. I mean, you know, people think it was firing Girardi. You know, there's a lot of different theories as to why the season turned around.

I mean, I'm just going to say that Miller light came on board around then. So, you know, you know, put Miller lights for Phil's wins was, you know, kind of around then.

So I'm just saying, just throwing that out there. So, um, shout out to Miller, like go get some lights. And again, we want to thank Time Out Sports Bar one more time for having us out the other day last week

for one of the last two Phillies appearances ever by Jero Samilia and his probably most iconic one that we'll all remember. So shout out to Time Out for having us out. We had a blast with that. And again, as always, Miller Lite the best.

All right, I have one more Philly's question for you. And then I want your thoughts on Soda Trade and then anything else you got. And it's a rough one because we haven't really addressed it. We just kind of talked about it, but we got to get to our dude. And I'm putting it in the form of this question, and then you can elaborate. And I don't know, I'm assuming you've written some sort of soliloquy

saying goodbye to Mick. I don't know. I'll see what you got in store. But I've been thinking about it and I'm going to frame it in the form of a question. But my answer is clearly. Is Mickey Moniak getting hit on the hand in spring training the most impactful injury in the history of the Phillies yeah because we all know how how different it could have been you say yes right well absolutely when you think about it like the the Howard Achilles um you think about Utley getting hit on the hand and uh by John

Lennon you think about Blake Snell hitting Bryce Harper on the hand. Like, that's all well and good. But what Ryan Yarbrough did to Mickey Moniak and thus tanking his career here is just, it's heinous. And, you know, it changed the outcome of the entire Philly season so far, you know, and it's very disappointing. But I will say, at least Anaheim got a real winner in center field now with

Mickey joining them and honestly bit of a sad day here on the High Oaks podcast but genuinely I'm excited for the kid I want to go see him go play out in LA.A.

and have a good little career out there. Why not Mick? Love it. Yeah, we are obviously rooting for Mick. Very mature. How is that for growth? Very mature? I was really mature, buddy.

I think you did a really great job. I will say I fully agree Ryan Yarbrough now ahead of John Lennon in terms of enemies of this podcast. And Blake Snell. You know, just generally left-handed people I don't like. Blake Snell, of course. All lefties. I don't know what that means, but Zoe's a lefty. Well, bad people. Yeah, bad people.

I've always been really proud of it. Zoe being a lefty is one of my favorite things. I may have to do what they did in the old days and force her to become a right-hander. I don't know. Yeah. This is troubling. Well, I wonder which future Philly Zoe is going to break the hand of with a 96-mile-an-hour fastball. Wonderful question that I will be giving a lot of thought to now. All right, Fritzy. Mick, we love you.

We miss you, buddy. Maybe we'll try and get Mick on in the offseason or something. That would be really fun. See how he's doing? Yeah. Say goodbye to Philly officially and all that. But Fritzie, what else you got? Any other thoughts on the deadline or take bag type stuff?

I know not as much take bag as normal, I'm assuming, because, again, no games. Yeah. Not much has happened but the trade deadline since we last talked. But you never know what's going on in that mind of yours and what pops in and what makes its way into the bag so go ahead pal uh i really don't have much you know i kind of got off the air and came right in here i guess like so you know whatever um but i will say i am uh i'm glad the phil's in and sit on their hands you know they very easily could have said uh throw in the towel like we're not winning the World Series this year regardless. I like that they gave this team a shot after the Pittsburgh series.

I don't know if that was totally a game changer, but the fact they went out to Pittsburgh, swept them, went four straight, won five straight, heading into the deadline. I think the clubhouse would have been really down if they didn't do anything. I think it could have legitimately affected the rest of the season and you know honestly would have you know they talked uh wednesday after the braves win and uh like a lot of people in the clubhouse were were apparently saying you know we trust dave like that's our guy like he's got us and i think it would have he

would have lost a lot of credibility with that locker room had he not gone and kind of given them a shot. And yes, losing Logan Ohapi stinks and Ben Brown and really, you know, Jadiel Sanchez, I think had a chance to be okay. But, you know, I think that Dave needed to make that trade for credibility in that locker room and not losing them. We all remember the, the famous Justin Verlander trade deadline fiasco a couple years ago at the the astros and then they luckily had the freaking waiver wire thing

so they could still make the trade after the trade deadline which was always like the most ridiculous rule but whatever um but i think it legitimately would have affected the clubhouse they didn't do it so uh i'm glad this didn't on their hands. I'm glad they gave this team a shot. James, I just need this to end the playoff drought. I really do. I need it to be over. I'm glad they didn't give up any of the big three prospects for

what they did today. I've got to be honest, I've already talked myself into Brandon Marsh being a steal. I've done it. I didn't need to keep beating around the bush here. Completely all in on Brandon Marsh as being an absolute steal for this baseball team. Kevin Long, it's showtime, pal. Earn that check, even though you've already saved Alec Boehm and everyone else.

But now it's time to fix Brandon Marsh. Yeah, I think you said it really well. And I think the point about the clubhouse is super important. It's one of the points we were both making heading into the deadline that, you know, look, that this group of guys that, you know, you've invested in financially as a core. I mean, they have five guys making 20 million or more. Right. I mean, that's that's a lot of dudes all in the prime of their career. They've obviously got a bunch of other guys they're invested in. It's a core that is built together to win right now together.

All these guys in their late 20s, early 30s are of the core other than Boehm and a couple guys. So you had to – and they have – they're eight games above 500. I mean, they have the best record above 500. They've had all season long. They just made a push winning six or seven in the deadline. Like, how do you go into that clubhouse and look them in the eye and be like, you know, so I couldn't agree more.

I think he had to do something. And I think by addressing three needs and also look, you know, a guy like Syndergaard might not make you or me that excited, but you know, those guys in the locker room, he's a look, you know, a guy like Syndergaard might not make you or me that excited, but you know, those guys in the locker room, he's, he's a dude, you know, Noah Syndergaard is a guy that, that people in the locker room have seen had real success in major league baseball. And I think that, you know, having him walk back in the locker room matters more to those guys, maybe than it does to you and me. Um, and look, Robertson, obviously a vet who's been around all this, you know, I just think think that it I think from that perspective Dave did enough to show the team that you know we believe in you guys obviously you

know they all understand the business of baseball and that you know asking prices can be high the Phillies are not going to always give up their top prospects I think on the whole they did enough in that perspective and and from a fan perspective like we said I'm more of like a B a B minus as opposed to a BB plus. But I would probably settle a B. I was like at a C earlier today. But then I, you know, research was was was helpful. It was the though Hoppy thing really threw me for a loop, as it seems it did everybody.

In the end, I'm pretty happy with what they did. At least I'm happy enough with what they did. I'm not ready to say it was a banner day like no i definitely think that you know logan ohapi could come back to bite them and ben brown could come back to bite them and david robertson i think david robson be fine but like brandon marsh might never develop as a hitter um you know uh we don't know cinder guard might stink you know for the half a season you have. So, but I think on the whole coming out of today, you know, these are moves, like I said, that I think will make this team definitively better than they were like, not just better, but definitively better.

And that's what they had to come out of today doing. So I'm happy. Hard not to be hard, not to be a pretty good day for the Phillies. Yeah. I think a really at you. A pretty good day for the Phillies. Yeah, I think a really solid day for the Phillies. Yeah, a solid day for the Phillies. Again, I think you also have to reset your expectations sometimes, too. We do our perfect deadline. I'm like, get Montas.

And then I'm like, all right, well, at least get Mailey. And then you get Syndergaard. And I think that's also part of the biggest why, you know, I think they needed to get the starter and we were stressing and hoping they would get Rodon and they end up with cinder garden it just you know it was a little less exciting but but obviously as you pointed out you know i i understand if they want to give up one of the three big dudes to go get um to go get rodone for half a season because he's definitely gonna opt out so um all right is that it for it's you got anything else uh yeah i want to give a quick

shout out to Jason, uh, lore, who is one of our big listeners out in, in Pittsburgh. He's the guy that always sends us photos of going on walks with his dog. Uh, listening to, listening to high hopes,

like the second it comes out, which I always appreciate. Uh, he snuck some, he snuck some high ops into, into a PNC park over the weekend. So wanting to give it wrong word, wanting to give a quick shot to him.

So, uh, I appreciate that. And overall, really excited to get home and see Spencer Strider versus the Phil's bullpen game. Sounds like a lot of fun. Oh, it should be great. Last time Nick Nelson was in a big game in Atlanta, it went great. Yeah, but that was Girardi.

I know. It'll be fine. The team's all juiced up knowing that Brandon Marsh is going to walk through that door on Thursday. Well, honestly, the whole bullpen pitchers come here and all of a sudden just start letting home runs fly out of the ballpark. I will say, gotta trust Tomper. That was the Girardi era. I like this. Yeah, now it's the Tomper era. Yeah, Tomper.

Tomper. All right. era when i like this yeah now it's the topper era yeah topper topper um all right um i had something else to say i just forgot it was jack wow you really are getting old and i'm getting old man i'm getting old i'm excited i'm happy um we'll be back i uh jack do you know i'm going to see Fish again this weekend? Why? So we'll be back at some point. It might be Monday. I mean, seriously. Because that will be a weird weekend. But we'll be back.

Just admit. On Monday. Just admit. They're a really good cover band. You're going to see 150 cover bands. Like, congratulations. I hate you. Go, Phils.

He's written some songs. I'll talk to you later.