High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Fooled Again

Episode Date: August 19, 2019

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to another disappointing weekend from the Phillies who once again, fooled us into believing a run was coming. The guys also talk about the awesomeness that was High Hopes Night and a whole lot more. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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And you're listening to the High Hopes podcast with James Seltzer and Jack Fritz. This is the High Hopes podcast. James Seltzer and Jack Fritz. This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Philadelphia Phillies on Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. Jack, that was not as exciting a yo for obvious reasons. The only reason there was any excitement to that yo

was because of how freaking amazing High Hopes Night was. But otherwise, disappointed yo coming there, Jack. I'm really excited to talk about this Phil's baseball team. Can we just spend the whole time talking about High Hopes Night? Because that was awesome. Minus what the team did on the field, and I will say, Nick Pavetta getting the loss on High Hopes Night is just the most on-brand thing that has ever happened.

And him getting cheered relentlessly on the way in. It's the most he's ever gotten cheered. Our entire section went nuts, and let's just start there because that's way more fun. We'll get into the disappointment that is our philadelphia phillies they're back as jack likes to say um we'll get into that but first uh shout out to everyone who came out to high hopes night we had people coming from north carolina from virginia there were so many people there um i jack i don't know about you, but everyone was so awesome. There were so many great people who were just big Phillies fans and, and super excited to be there.

And I was humbled. I was, um, it was really, it was one of the best nights I've had. And, uh, it was just, I can't, we always say the high hopes listeners are the best listeners, but now we have factual evidence, real proof. Cause we've hung out with them. high hopes listeners are the best listeners but now we have factual evidence real proof because we've hung out with them high hopes listeners are the best listeners in the world so what james is saying is that high hopes night was a was a bigger success than his daughter being born uh was it he had he had more he had more fun um at high hopes night than at than when his daughter got bored. High Hopes Night was incredible. And I think the correct culture that I hope that we have instilled in our people is smart baseball people that love the sport

and just want a good baseball team to follow. Unfortunately, the Phillies have not been helping us in that regard. But High Hopes Night was incredible. Everyone was so nice. And I walked away from last night thinking, like, this is just the start. So even if you didn't come this time, which is fine. I mean, obviously, people are from all over the country or whatnot. You don't have to be from the country slash world.

Of course, the whole entire world. It will not be the last High Hopes Night, High Hopes event, but the people that came, I mean, thanks for making the first one so special. And unfortunately, the team did not come through for us.

No. But again, if they weren't going to come through, at least Nick Pavetta got a big loss on the night. That just felt like the right thing for the night. But I think you nailed it. And look, we are

definitely doing that again and it's going to be bigger and better next time and for thank you to cindy webster obviously who made the night so much better scott franski coming and hanging out he was like what the hell did you guys get me into as we had like 30 people walk over to see him in the bottom of the uh top of the fifth inning. He was super cool. Just an awesome experience. We got to sing High Hopes on the fan-o-vision. It was a really unique and awesome experience.

And the thing that you led to there, the thing that made it the best of all was just how awesome everybody was. I mean, I had so many great conversations with so many great people and, um, it was just a blast. So thank you everyone. Like Jack said, for coming to that first one and making it special.

But if you couldn't come, there will definitely be more and they will be bigger and better. And, uh, we're going to have a lot of fun with it. All right, Jack, uh,

let's dive into, with that being said, let's talk about this baseball team let's let's let's with that being said do we have to do we have to let's just talk about how the fanatic came by our section let's just talk about now all right let's talk about the team uh they won on friday that was cool yeah and it was like one of those games like usually when a team has a game like thursday they have an emotional high and they'll go into the next night, and they'll kind of just be a little bit out of it.

You know, they'll kind of come out flat a little bit coming off the emotional high of the game before. And for them to come out and just play a really solid baseball game, it was just a really good game. And to lay it down again, like, I thought, honestly, once they won Friday night, I was like, okay, go time. Like, it is go time. Yeah. And then Saturday happened, and I was like, well, this is fine.

You can lose one. Just win on Sunday. Just win on Sunday, and everything's fine. And then for them to come out today and just lay a dud, and Bryce has to leave with exhaustion or dehydration. He gave us everything he had, Jack. Yeah, right. I didn't watch the postgame, but I assume that's what he said.

I mean, I didn't have to watch the postgame because I knew that's what his answer was going to be. It's just like this freaking team, man. They can't just go on a run. They're allergic to it. They hate them. They hate runs, Jack. They'll win four. They'll lose one, two in a row.

And then they'll win like three. And then they can never just string together runs. They can never just build momentum. They can never just take advantage of an opportunity in front of them. And today was one of those games where I was just upset the whole – like, from seventh inning on. Because it was like, you have a golden opportunity. The Padres had lost 19 of 30 games coming out of the All-Star game.

Like, they are not a good team. Fernando Tatis Jr. is probably done for the year. Like, that's what we're talking about. And I just – it was so disheartening and it was just i just i i can't believe that they just will not go on a run like they're they're in a stretch right now where they're primed for a run they got two against the red socks and then they go marlins pirates like this was the time to kind of start gaining some ground all you had to do was beat the Padres. And they didn't beat the Padres because this team is just maddening.

And they do this all the time. They just are allergic to going on a run. They didn't know they were allowed to win five games in a row, which we saw on Saturday night. And then they come out today and just lay an absolute dud. I just... The Phillies are back.

The minor Charlie Magic was a lot of fun but this team this team is who they are and they are who we thought they were as the the late dennis green would say yeah no i mean look what it's one of those things where and and to your point about the run it's it's mets uh reds after that i mean it's it was really set up and it's still look theoretically it still could be if they can find a way to go on a run i'm not saying it's impossible they just they hate them so i'm not exciting it but when you look at the overwhelming evidence that's my point that's literally what i was about to say i was gonna say there are 38 games left in this season why should we ever believe they're going on a run

this year like it's silly to it's folly and if believe they're going on a run this year? Like it's silly to, it's folly. And if they couldn't go on a run, if they couldn't take that, that Harper grand slam game, that moment, Charlie's return, all that coalescing,

like we, as fans knew it, we said it, we said, now's the time. Um, they got, they got you to go all in even before the Harper grand slam.

Then I'm all in after the Harper Grand Slam. Everyone's all in again. And then they just do what they do. This is what they do all season long. They will play like a team that looks like a talented, capable Major League team for a game or two or three or at the most four. And then they show up with these duds again where they can't hit and they can't play and all of a sudden it's like like it's just it's infuriating it honestly i don't know if it's it's more fun than watching a team that just stinks you know because it's wow

i mean you know what i mean though because it's just so it's so like because, you know what I mean, though, because it's just so, it's so, like, because you never know what you're going to get, and you expect, you expect, and they keep, dare I say, raising your hopes to make them high, and then just keep crushing them back down, at least with a bad team, you know. You root for youngsters and say, all right, what do I have for the future? And I really, look, I'm not saying I wish the Phillies were worse, because I don't, but they are a maddening team and we've talked about a lot this year and we talked about it prior to that Harper home run and then we were like maybe this is the time where they stop being that maddening team that team that like you said Jack I joked about it in the last pod we did that

the when are people going to get on board with this team is it going to be a week from the playoffs and they're a game out and and everyone's saying, fire Kapler and all that stuff. And we thought, we said, all right, the Harper home run, all that. And it felt like everyone was on board and it was like, let's effing go. And then we got that this weekend. So it's just, that's who they are. That is who they are. Yeah, I mean, i'm done getting my

hopes up i'm never gonna believe in this team until they until they actually well that's not true i will eventually talk myself and then you do a harper a harper walk off on tuesday and you're back in stop i know well they can't walk off on tuesday because it's in boston but you know what i mean in my head in my head i will not believe in this team until they actually show show it. Because it's just not worth getting heartbroken again. They are the most heartbreaking team I've followed in a while. It's like they have the talent. They win a game. They look great.

They have the big moment. Most baseball teams capitalize on the heartbroken hand slam. And most baseball teams ride that wave and get themselves into a playoff run this team big moment win a game after that and then just goes back into the tank it's it's absolutely crazy and the the most frustrating part was like if they were losing these games over the weekend um like eight five or they're getting above four runs and they're still not doing it, then I'd be more frustrated because I would

say, look, the front office let this team down. The front office did nothing at the deadline and the offense has started rounding the form and them being asked to carry a pitching staff with Drew Smiley, Jason Vargas, Vince Velasquez, the corpse of Zach Eflin.

It's like it would have been unfair. But what happened this weekend was that the offense is back to being inconsistent and overall just maddening. I mean, the offense, like I was looking at the first six in their lineup. It's a really tough first six when you lay it out on paper. Like Hoskins, Real Muto, Harper, Segura, Dickerson, Kingery that's a good six and for them to put out three runs on Saturday and what like two runs today it was just it's that's that should not be possible with the talent that they have in this

lineup and especially with how hot JT Real M is, how hot Gene Zagora is. It's one that, obviously, you have the guy at the top of the lineup who has just been – A disaster. Like, horrible. A disaster. I mean, he's the worst hitter on the team, like, easily right now. Well, did you see my tweet about his second half stats? No.

How bad are they? In the second half, he's bad. I think he's at 174. I think I saw that somewhere. Is that right? Yeah, he's batting 174 with a 324 OBP. A 348 slugging percentage, which is crazy. 672 OPS in four homers.

Oh, my God. The sub 400 slugging is something it's disgusting and i thought that i thought i thought if there's one guy that that charlie manuel could really influence it would be reese hoskins because i just think that he's the kind of guy that charlie would love to work with because he has all the raw power um and i think i think the thing that sucks for reese right now is is that john maylee almost neutered him and turned him into a dead pull hitter. Like I was watching, I forget who he was facing in like the seventh or the sixth. And it was like 95 mile an hour fastball to the outside corner.

And even though he was fouling them off to the right and whatnot, like his approach was to try to pull those balls. So he's leaning towards trying to pull an outside fastball it's a 95 mile an hour plus and he's just not like if his approach was thinking right center field gap he is driving that ball into the seats so his like they've almost effectively cut off half the plate with reese hoskins like if you're a pitcher facing reese right now all you have to do is throw the ball in the outside corner to a fastball he's trying to pull it so hard that you're going to generate soft contact. I can't remember the last time Reese Hoskins legitimately drove a baseball. Even in that Dodgers series where he had the big-time hit late in the game,

it was a dribbler down the first baseline. Yeah, it was off the end of the bat. And if they didn't have the shift on, it probably wouldn't have gotten through normally. He should be a guy that you should never be able to get away with a fastball up and away because he's hitting it to the right center field gap. And he's hitting line drives for days. And I just think that the Phillies coaching staff has done such a disservice to Reese Hoskins

trying to turn him into a dead pull 35 to 40 home run. There's trying to be a launch guy because I think he is such a better hitter than a 250-400 OBP guy. I think he could be a 280-300 hitter if he just went back to trying to be a line drive right center field gap guy. I just think that what the Phillies have done with him this season has been such a disservice to the talent that Reese Hoskins has. Yeah. And again, it's certainly bearing out on the field. He's been just, again, the worst hitter on the team, really. I mean, if you gun your head and say, would you rather have up in a big spot right now, Reese Hoskins or Logan Morrison, I think you'd have to say Logan

Morrison, obviously, depending on the handedness of the pitcher and whatnot. But I mean, right. I don't know. In this specific moment, you know, you need to see more from reason. I do to your point about Charlie. I am willing to give Charlie a little more time with that because I totally agree with you. I think that Reese is the exact type of thing that Charlie could could fix because Reese is we know Reese is a much better hair than this. We've seen him do it. He has just mired in the worst slump of his professional career, certainly of his major league careers. We've seen him go cold, and we know that that's the type of guy Hoskins is where he'll go hot and cold, and the hot make the colds worth it.

But he's never been this cold for this long. I mean, it's really unreal to watch, and it's a shame. But I'm going to look off day tomorrow. Another off day on Thursday. Charlie theoretically should have a lot of time to work with Reese. A lot of opportunity, at least. Who knows? I'm going to, I'm going to still hope beyond hope that, because the other thing with Reese we've seen in the past is he is someone who can make an adjustment on, on a dime almost.

And it can change everything. make an adjustment on a dime almost, and it can change everything. So I'm still somewhat – it's not crazy, I think, to be somewhat bullish that there's at least the possibility that this is not how his season will just play out. I mean, you could make the case that Reese Hoskins getting on a hot streak is the difference between this team making the playoffs or not making the playoffs. Yeah, that's a great point.

I mean, Reese Hoskins could be – like imagine this lineup right now if Reese is firing all – not firing all cylinders, but not being the worst player in baseball. It's sad because it's true. So if you can get Hoskins going with Real Muto, who I just feel like every time he swings, it's a barreled up baseball. And by the way, like this is – like we said last podcast but this is the jt real muta real muta the philly's traded for oh he's been awesome he's been he's been unbelievable

like if he did this if he did this for like a two-month stretch he'd be in the mvp consideration he's he's like he's fifth in the nl in war like jt real muto is having a really, really good season. And JT is one of those guys that I just love watching play baseball. Like the play today where he backpicked the second base when he's a little too far off. Like that's just good heads-up baseball. And if you can get him going with Harper, who's obviously been good for a little while now, toe-tap Harper, if you can get Hoskins to go with those two, that is an offense that is tough to get out. That is a full lineup of guys that are just tough to get out,

can drive the baseball out of the ballpark, work pitches, work counts. And when Hoskins is in this kind of slump, it just makes everything look way worse than it is. Yeah, I'm very with you. It is the exact type of thing that can change the course of the season, especially because we know how hot he can get. When he's locked in, we know that he's the kind of guy who can carry your team for a week and all that type of stuff.

And again, just to your original point that kind of led to this discussion, just the fact that against that Padres team, and don't get me wrong, that Munoz to Yates eighth to ninth inning combo is... Disgusting. It's really good. It's really good. But they have to be able to score more runs against this Padres team when you're coming off the four-game win streak that you've had

with Charlie here, with the spark, with the excitement, with the lineup you have, with the stakes, with what's at stake, with the importance. And especially in today's game, in the Sunday game, when Jason Vargas does what he's pretty much done as a Philly, you know, two innings, close to six innings, like he's been very solid. But then you get, I mean, you're getting big outs from Mike Morin and Blake Parker and guys like that.

Again, as we've talked about the fact that Jared Hughes, who gave up the home run today, but you know, also got a big out and whatnot, but Hughes, you're getting Hughes and Mike Morin and Blake Parker are high leverage guys for this team. They weren't wanted. They were literally on the scrappy, picked up off waivers. And these guys are pitching in the seventh and eighth inning of tie games. I mean, that is astounding to think about, that a team that is competing for a playoff spot has guys pitching in the seventh and eighth inning of tie games, of one-run leads, of whatever, that they just picked up off the wire.

That's astounding. So when you actually get good outings from those guys or you get enough from those guys and they're piecing it together, I mean, you can't miss those opportunities, you know, because those guys aren't going to always go out and give you good innings. They're going to get hit up. So it's just if this as it feels like a broken record because we keep saying it. But the only chance this has this team has is for this lineup to carry them. And, you know, we just haven't seen any sort of consistent play

from this lineup all season long. I just find the bullpen thing to be so funny. You have the Padres, who I'm pretty sure everyone that comes in is like 95-mile-an-hour plus. Easy. And then the Phillies, it's like they're relying on 71 miles an hour from Mike Morin's changeup. They're starting Jason Vargas, whose curveball comes in at 69.

His fastball is like 81 to 82. I just can't believe that in 2019, the Phillies are relying upon soft tossers, both in their bullpen and in their starting rotation, to try to get to a playoff, to try to get to a one-game playoff. It's unreal. It is crazy. I mean, Munoz is pumping it 100 miles an hour every time he throws it. It's like, what are we doing here?

Right. The Phillies can't find that if they tried. More and more as the season goes on, it just shows how far behind they are just as an organization. They haven't been able to develop a relief pitcher. They brought J.D. Hammer, and J.D. Hammer wasn't even good. And everyone's like, oh, well, what could J.D. Hammer? He's interesting.

Regis Suarez is a guy that they're turning into a bullpen piece. He throws like 91, 92. They're just such bad players. They're just not good players. Vinny Velasquez throws 93 miles an hour like what are we like he's supposed to be vinnie velo hey there's 93 like that's that's what i don't get it's a great like like what kind of modern baseball team what kind of modern baseball team is employing soft tossers in both the bullpen and the starting rotation.

It's because those are the guys that are available, and they're the guys that can physically take the ball every day. They'll take the ball, but it doesn't mean like... The fact that this bullpen is pieced together by a bunch of guys from teams who just don't want

these guys anymore is so damning on Matt Clemsak. That's my point. That's what I'm saying. And it's not even all like, yeah, Mike Morin was a twin, but the bullpen is by far the worst part of the twins. The Reds didn't want Jared Hughes. The freaking Angels and Twins both didn't want Blake Parker. I mean, this is not like we're talking about, oh,

he couldn't make it on the Yankees or something or some team that has a really high level bullpen. I mean, these are scrap heap guys and they're pitching crucial innings. They're the go to guys for this team right now. It's it's unbelievable. Yeah, and I think Jared Hughes, he kind of he's kind of fallen victim to the launch angle movement because he's a guy that relies on that sinker down and in. Totally. And what everyone does now and why you see so much more velocity up

is because you can't lift those balls. So with Hughes now, with everyone going towards the launch angle approach, he's trying to live down in that down and in corner, and guys are just golfing the ball out of the ballpark which is what we saw us and edges do that's exactly what he did today just went out got it and golfed it out right and just watching hughes today is like oh that's why he's been available because because teams just have a game plan now where they can lift the ball off the off them um and the only time he got out was when he kind of raised that sinker a little bit

but when you raise the sinker it kind of loses its movement in a way so that's not great but i at least at least hughes has done it before and is decent like mike moran i i can't believe he doesn't get squared up like that is a that is a t-ball pitch the the change up. It's just crazy. It's crazy the team that they've tried to assemble. And they have to do such a better job institutionally on building a, like, you need starters, obviously. But you can also develop bullpen pieces. And they have just done such a terrible, terrible job at doing this. It should not take you four years to find some decent bullpen.

No, and also, again, it comes back to, like you said, the institutional thing that, again, we always talk about it, but we do it for a reason. But look at the Dodgers. They have guys like Julio Urias and Stripling and all that type of guys. They can just, like, who could be starters or relievers and be effective in both roles for them. They just have so much depth and talent.

Dustin May is going there now. He's going to the bullpen. Of course he is. And I guarantee you, Dustin May is going to pitch big playoff innings for them and he's going to be a difference maker. He's awesome. Dustin May would be our two starter.

In a second, in a heartbeat. It's not even a take. It's just a heartbeat. It's not even a take. It's just a fact. It's a fact. Yes. Yes. So, all right. So, not much else to say, really.

I mean, is there anything else that sticks out from the weekend other than just the massive disappointment that they got us all back on board and then lost two straight and put up five runs? It was, yeah i i got i got nothing yeah it goes back yeah it literally goes back to me thinking about thinking about the future and thinking about this team being smart and just being frustrated at the overall lack of um uh of any kind of development of bullpen pieces. It's just when they lose games like this,

it automatically just brings out depressed Jack and thinking about how they've messed this whole thing up. It was nice to get away from that for a little bit with the Bryce Harper Grand Slam, but it was almost taking our eyes off of the main prize, which was how frustrating and just damning the Matt Klintzak era has been. Good times. At least he signed an extension, Jack.

Had to do that as soon as possible. Let me fire. What were you going to say? They're not going to sit on their hands at the deadline. They're going to do everything they can to get a team to the playoffs. They believe. at the deadline. They're going to do everything they can to get a team to the playoffs.

They believe. Let me fire a couple things at you before we look ahead to what's coming up here. By the way, have we mentioned that High Hopes Night was amazing? Because that was great. I still got my voice. It's still gone in case you can't tell.

All right. A couple things I want to fire at you. One, it's going to shock you, though. So you're sitting down while you're recording? Yeah. I just want to make sure you're okay. I want to make sure you're ready for this because this is the kind of, you might be silent for a bit.

I don't know how you're going to process this because it is the most shocking thing that's ever happened. Oh, here we go. Just get it out of the way. What do you got to say? Roman Quinn's hurt. Oh, okay. And it's a shame.

And I'm bummed about it because for the first time in this kid's entire career, I was actually excited to have him on the Major League roster. I was actually enjoying the Roman Quinn experience and, all right, like this guy can give you something. And then, of course, Mr. Glass. What do you think Roman's reaction was? I guess to a point where he's got to be like are you like are you freaking kidding me he's gotta be like really he's gonna be like really really

seriously is this is this actually happening that would be the response like no this is not real i don't believe it he's too fast for his own body he's like he's like mr glass he's samuel jackson from unbreakable and and the new movie they made that's who he is. He just breaks at any point. It's unbelievable. I mean, the fact that he even made it to the walk-off celebration was surprising. It's a real shame, though, because he can

be such a weapon if they use him in the right roles. He can be such a guy. He can throw in the eighth inning, throw in the ninth inning, steal you a base and kind of change the game from that standpoint. Lay down a really nice bunt. It wasn't even the bunting or that kind of stuff. He was legitimately hitting well in August, and I thought he could have legitimately helped this team down the stretch run.

If you wanted to play Quinn in center and Kingery at third and Haseley or whatever to figure that out, I didn't hate that plan. And now, unfortunately, he's hurt again. But I really thought he was kind of developing into a nice little weapon for this team, and unfortunately, I mean, fate is fate. This is what he – much like the Phillies, this is what this team does. This is what Roman Quinn does. Back to being Roman Quinn.

I'm with you, and it's a shame. He was really playing good baseball, even flashing some pop. I mean, and just starting to steal bases. And he is a weapon. He does give you certain things that other people don't. And, again, for the first time in his career, you and I have both been on the— there are a lot of people who have been heavy on the Roman Quinn bandwagon for a long time, and you and I have not really been on that bandwagon.

But I was digging him. I've been digging him for the last month, whatever it is. And it's a shame. All right. One more thing I want to fire you just because we know the city that we live in. We know people who talk in this city. This is a thing that's going to be a thing. So I figure we should just get out in front of it and I want to get your take on it right

away. Yeah. Brian Snicker sits Ronald Acuna. Acuna doesn't run a ball out to first. People are already making the Kapler comps on Twitter and all that. Where do you come down on this situation? On what Snicker did and on the fact that you know that it's going to be talked about here. This may surprise you, but I absolutely loved it.

Me too. It's a part of managing. It's a part of managing. It is a part of managing. And here's my main takeaway from it was this, was that baseball players know. Baseball players are not stupid, okay? And I think that Gabe has tried to make them stupid in a way. Like even the postgame stuff, I don't really care about that.

Oh, he's proud of him he's proud of him that today jack he's proud of the way they fought the reese hoskins oh for four he was proud man they fought they grinded in that ninth when they did nothing when they they struck out three times but they grinded well i mean i'll give them a little bit of a little bit of benefit i mean like they did they get, what, nine-pitch at bat and ten-pitch at back. Gene Segura grinded, sure. Listen, I'm with Gabe there. Okay.

Team Gabe. Team Gabe. No, but that's a part of managing, and you can't be afraid to do that to your players because it builds accountability and it makes your players respect you. And that's been my main problem with Gabe is that I just don't think these players respect him.

I think they'll like playing for him, but they, there's, there's no, there's no, I don't want to say fear cause it shouldn't be fear, but there's no like ramifications for any of their actions. Um,

and accountability, you need accountability. Well, and if you bench a star player, then it kind of sets a message to everyone else. I mean, of course it does. It sets a tone and ultimately it's gonna make that guy better that's the most frustrating thing for

me is that is going to make that guy better he's gonna know that i can't do that scenario or else i'm gonna be out of the game and i i just think that i think gabe is too caught up in like well you know we're gonna take out our best player here in a game that we absolutely need. That's not the smartest tactical decision to make, but it's not about that game. It's about setting the tone. It's about setting the culture. It's about all that stuff. And for him to – he just refuses to do it.

And it's not how you build a winning culture. It's not how you build a winner. And unfortunately, I just wish he would get it. I just don't think he's ever going to get that. I agree. I love what Snicker did. You know that I have been far heavier on the Snickers, a good manager, than you have. But I think he's done a really nice job down there,

and I thought this was just another example of having control of your baseball team, like we've talked about, and setting accountability. I mean, Kunya is the best player on that team. And he sat his ass down. And I respected it. I thought that, you know, and look, I get it. Not everyone responds to that. Everyone responds.

Every human is different. People respond to different things differently. Some people need to be yelled at for it to work. Some people need to be treated with respect for it to work. Like, everyone is different, but on a macro level, you have 25 guys in that locker room that you have to be able to command their respect. If nothing else, they need to respect you, and they need to listen to you when it really matters.

And I think that there are enough guys in that clubhouse who if you don't do that type of stuff, even if that player isn't the guy who's going to maybe best respond from it, maybe we know Gene Segura is just a guy who's maybe never going to care if he gets benched or whatever, but it's for everyone else in that locker room that you have to do that. You have to set that tone. You have to set that level of accountability and you have to say, listen, you guys have to listen to me. I'm in charge. Whether or not sitting you this particular day is going to change it for you, it's going to show everyone else in this locker room that you just can't do whatever you want when you want to do it. You can't just loaf it to first base. That doesn't cut it. We're trying to play winning baseball here. And there has to be a tone that's set. So I really, I thought it was a really good move by Snicker. And I think it's like you said, I think it's going to make Acuna better. And I think it's going to make that team better. better and it's going to make them respect their manager and they're all going to feel like they're in it together and i think it does all those things and i agree i don't know if we'll ever see capler do

it um fritzy what else is in the note bag before we uh look ahead to what's coming up this week and get final thoughts and all that good stuff well unless it's franco like he'll he'll he'll make an example out of franco i know right i of. The one guy who they end up setting in the minors who clearly just knows he's not good and doesn't care. Yeah. Yeah, I guess I'll just... I'll save it for final thoughts. My one note bag thought that I think is interesting.

All right, quickly then, just to kind of get it exact like we talked about before, again, they're not going on a run is the official position of the house pod because why should we ever logically believe it? Jack will talk himself into it when they win game one against Boston and Nola repeats his Fenway performance. Nola and Fenway is good.

Nola and Fenway is like I'm rushing home. Very ready for that. Very ready for that. So two in Boston Tuesdayuesday wednesday another off day two off day week this late in the season you don't see that often but off monday and and thursday then in miami for three obviously those are must-win games uh home versus pittsburgh for three home versus the mets for three then four in cincinnati three in new york that takes you through september 8th and then it gets hard.

Then they have Atlanta and Boston and Atlanta and Cleveland and Washington. Then they finish out with the Marlins. So it's a really tough September schedule. If they're going to do anything, it has to happen over the next three weeks. It has to. Well, I'm very glad that we're going into that stretch run with Smiley, Vargas, Velasquez. I feel great. And Mike Morin and Jared Hughes and Blake Parker.

Let's go. But Charlie's back and everything's fixed. Oh, buddy. They need to start winning is the point. I would say that it's very nice to have two off days in a week and get you guys rested for the stretch run, but that would be me believing in this team in a stretch run right so um and also say to the point before for what it's worth if you're gonna let's inject a the tiniest bit of of optimism in here this

will be the first off day since charlie's been here and the first two off days since charlie's been here so you know it may be more of a chance for Charlie to work with the guys and maybe implement some things that they have an off day to think about or have some time to kind of get right so you know is he gonna work with Velasquez and is that a part of the plan or yeah just gonna stick with that and also like when you honestly when you said uh when you said the Nationals, a shiver went down my spine because I saw they scored 30 runs in two games. Oh, yeah, they did. Oh, yeah, they did.

They've been putting in some work. Also, Mike Mustaka's up to 30 home runs in the season, but he's the same player. Same guy. Same guy. All right, Fritzy, what's your notebag final thought here? All right, my final thought is that the plan versus Bryce is super interesting right now. And it's getting, like, why I think Bryce has kind of taken off in a way

and why I think he was struggling so much early was, obviously, it came down to fastballs, and he could not hit fastballs. So guys were able to overpower him. And what I noticed a lot this weekend against the Padres was they would, they would throw him a lot of early off speed pitches. And I think that is just showing a level of respect to Bryce as saying like, if you throw me a fastball, I'm probably going to tee off on it.

Like the home run he hit the first two pitches and that at that it was, it was change up change up and i was sitting here and i was like if he gets a fastball like he's just he's not gonna miss it and for bryce to get back to the point to where that he can he is finally teeing off on fastballs i think is absolutely huge i don't have the numbers in front of me but um it it feels like it feels like oo is automatically a curveball or off-speed because he's been so aggressive in those counts, which is fine because if they throw him a fastball, he's just not going to miss it.

So it's been nice to see pitchers actually afraid to throw to Bryce. I would say for the last week, I've seen pitchers not feel comfortable throwing a fastball to Bryce Harper. And for Bryce Harper to get back to that ability, I think is just massive for the rest of the season and hopefully into the offseason. And we talked about this a good amount, that when you don't have a spring training

and you can't see fastballs, you can't see live pitching, it takes you a while to readjust to that. And I was worried that at 26 maybe his... Actually, I wasn't really worried, but there was people that were worried that at 26 maybe his actually i wasn't really worried but there was people that were worried that at 26 that his skills were diminishing um and he wasn't he wasn't able to catch up to fastballs anymore i'm glad those fears have been qualmed a little bit um and i just think that now he's getting he's gotten to the point to where he is now out thinking pitchers and he knows that if they go fastball, I'm not going to miss it.

So good to see this continuing for Bryce, and I think it's only going to lead to more. You heard it here first, 2020 National League MVP Bryce Harper. That's what Jack was trying to say there. Yes, yes. All right, my final thought first, rate and review the podcast. It makes Jack so happy, so please do it for him. And I'm just going to do it again.

Thank you to everyone who came out to high hopes night I I humbled is the word I can't think of a better word to tell you just how humbled Jack and I are that a anyone listens to us b anyone actually comes to a game to hang out with us and then see that everyone was actually awesome people and like really fun to hang out with. And just, um, it was, it was just an awesome night and we are so grateful to, to this community that's developed here and to all the awesome listeners of this pod, because like Jack said, it's a bunch of smart baseball fans who love baseball and who are just good people. And I think that's personally the kind of community I want to be a part of. So to see it in action and to get to meet so many people

just made me so excited to be a part of it and to be able to help foster it and all that. And it made me excited for the next High Hopes Night and the next and all the awesome stuff we're going to do. So with that in mind, hopefully the Phillies can be close to as fun as high hopes night was for the rest of the season. So, Oh, and I, one more thing I wanted to add.

Yes. I think I'd talk a little minor leagues real quick. Oh yeah, buddy. My son's surprised it took this long. My sons up in Williamsport are just absolutely taking off. There's a, uh,

Scott Simmons crew. Oh, my God. I never lied to the High Hopes listeners. You know that. It's what I rest my laurels on. So I started thinking about Bryson Stott at shortstop, Kendall Simmons at third base, Baum in left field. If Baum can't stick at third baseeman Kendall over there Kendall Simmons he Homer today

but before today entering into today's game last 15 games 373 batting average 460 OVP 882 slugging 1300 OPS it coincides with Jason O'Chart being up there

I mean it's he he was up there 15 games ago. Thinking Manapogy. Look what it's turned into. So shout out to O'Chart for just fixing everyone. And the Kendall Simmons, Bryson Stott, future left side of the infield, Bowman left field, Kingery at second base. It's all coming together beautifully.

There it is. On brand. We needed that. We needed that we needed that high hopes night combined with the future that's what we needed all right uh again thank you everyone who came out thinking to everyone who listens and uh i look forward to the next one which is going to be awesome and we'll meet even more people in a blast all right uh we'll be back on thursday until then he's fr I'm Seltzer. We'll talk to you guys later.

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

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