High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - GARRETT STUBBS WALKOFF EMERGENCY POD

Episode Date: June 15, 2022

James and Jack react to the thrilling Garrett Stubbs walkoff homer against the Marlins. The guys talk about the Phillies two walkoffs in three days, Rhys' heater, 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. Yo! It is another edition of the high hopes podcast a two walk-offs in three days edition of my podcast and garrett stubs not just the best catcher in baseball maybe the best catcher in philly's history edition we were dead set on not recording a podcast today it seems like garrett

stubs is the only person who cares about the high hopes podcast because that dude made us recording jack let me do this here can i give you a little presented by light for phil's wins buddy let's go a little sip here how you doing pal let me drink my mother like you talk well first off i'm jealous you know i'm stuck i'm stuck here at the office um so i can't do miller lights for phil's wins but when i get home never a doubt i will do miller lights for phil's wins but james i am uh i'm good obviously and how about it you know like oh buddy against the marlins i I know. And honestly, like that is having those kinds of wins. You can trick athletes into believing they'll never lose again.

Right? Like you can, you can trick these guys into saying we're never dead. We're never out of it. And look at the guys that have stepped up. Like it's stubs. It's Scott Hoskins is a good player. One of the,

one of the core pieces of this team. So that's what you expect from him. But you know, it's his first walk off. Well, did you see the jason stark tweet i think it was something like the first time since 1903 that a team's uh last to walk off here it is okay so the phillies have two walk-off home runs this year both by their number nine hitters last time a number nine hitter hit a walk-off home run before this was June 16, 1903. Last starting number niner.

So the Phillies have done it twice, and it hadn't happened. I know the pitcher and stuff, but still, American League, whatever, hasn't happened since 1903. Well, and if you want to get real technical with it, I mean, Matt Veerling was in the number nine hole when he hit the home run off of Josh Hader. Wasn't a walk-off, but still, but it's just like

these minor players minus Reese and Stott, hopefully is a major piece going forward, but these kind of guys are stepping up and you just have that belief and what makes good teams great and what has frustrated me in years past and honestly the thing that has probably let the phillies down the most

in years past is like yeah their stars are good bryce is great wheeler's great jt usually is okay um you know like like you like your nola has been mostly fine hoskins mostly fine but what makes good teams great is the stubs stepping up. It's the stoddy. It's the veerling. It's the boom at the bottom of the lineup. And those are the kind of things that... Because your stars aren't going to be stars all the time. Baseball is a really hard sport.

And they're going to go through funks where they're not the same player. But having those guys step up and contribute and never believe that they're out of a baseball game, these are what good teams get out of the bottom of their lineup. And frankly, James, this is what the 07, 08 teams, before they really figured out how to win, but that's what they did. That's what they did.

It wasn't always Utley. It wasn't always Rollins. It wasn't always Howard. Sometimes the minor players had to step up and win games. I mean, the 08 Phils led baseball and come back wins. And that's something that you need to do if you're going to go on a run because you're going to be down for most games in baseball. It's going to happen.

You're going to come out today and stink for eight innings and still find a way to win a game. That's massive. Massive, massive, massive still find a way to win a game that's massive massive massive massive what a day what a time shout out to garrett stubs you never doubt him you never doubt him which is good to see i i i had a similar feeling buddy it's like i just it's got something about stubsy that i'm in on i do that's jack so i'll be perfectly honest the last like four innings of the baseball game i thought there was no chance the phillies were winning i was i i was like this is one of those days things just aren't going our way it's the freaking marlins we're facing like

miguel rojas homard again of course he did jack of course he did why wouldn't Miguel Rojas be an all-star against the Phillies that's just what he does he's the the Kurt Suzuki of the the Marlins but I honestly at no point over the last four innings of the game did I think they had a chance until Stubbs he stepped in the box I I know that sounds crazy but there's something about the dude he's just like a baseball player it just felt like he's gonna do something there that's what topper said after the game is that he did he really did he call that's hilarious he said stub he said stubby's just a baseball guy he's a baseball player like just feels like a baseball rat like you know i i'm that was super fun for him dude i mean what a moment you know i mean for any player to get to hit a walk-off home run

in a major league baseball game must be the most thrilling thing you can individually do outside of, you know, playoff heroics in a baseball game. But for him, you know, a backup catcher doesn't play all the time to get that moment. And obviously his reaction, the best reaction to a home run we've seen in a long time here man i mean that was awesome with the helmet spike and the bat spike and the freaking out at the dugout like it was uh it was a special moment and to your point i mean to have that one and the one a couple nights ago where they you know came back and beat al contra in that one where that one felt like it was it was slipping away and then reese comes through with the win and and obviously i still think the hater won the most shocking but also the one prior to that the stop one i mean we have four legitimately

high level impressive comeback down to your last strike wins in the rob thompson era already and i mean that to your point like i'm not ready to say the Phillies are a legit, legit good team yet. I'm certainly trending in that direction. But this is what good teams do. Good teams believe they're going to win these games. Good teams believe that until that last strike is thrown, that they're going to win. And even if the fan base, including me today, didn't feel like they were actually going to win this game, the Phillies clearly did until the last out,

until the last strike, and they battled. And I agree with you, man. I think if you were to put together a list of what are the hallmarks of great baseball teams, of a team you watch night in, night out, and say that's a damn good baseball team. One of the things I would put on the list is comeback wins. I would,

because I do think it shows that, that they believe in themselves, that they're never out of it and they have the confidence that they can win in a game. And I think it's crucial. Yeah. So I got two things for you here. Number one,

you talk wistfully about the, the Luke Williams walkout,s walkout uh walk off and i thought it was such a beautiful moment i know and you still you still tear up today thinking about it the family in the stands jack fritz i mean come on man it's like a sports movie did you tear up today as stubsy was was around the bases i didn't i didn't the family wasn't in the stands wasn't the first game and all that but i definitely i was definitely feeling it i don't i love it you're so sappy listen listen listen we don't lie to the house listeners here's what happened so uh i was watching the game with zoe emily was out emily gets home like right after ends like pretty close to after

ends and she's like comes down i'm telling her what happened the highlight comes on and they show the highlight of it and i did get a little well welled up when i saw it there it is just a little bit when i saw the emotion on stubsy's face when he's looking in the dugout he's you know ah yeah a little bit a little bit jack a little bit i love it you're getting a little you get a little emotional that's important good to hear it i know that's sports man that's sports but uh my second thing was that last night was a brutal loss and oh buddy it was buddy and and for the first like eight innings, it felt like they really wore it hard. Like, it felt like it was basically a big hangover from what happened last night. And it was very old Phillies-ish.

And I think that that home run in that moment is just like, I don't think we're going to, I thought they were on the verge, and I know the Nationals are terrible, but it felt like they could have been on the verge of losing, I don't know, 7 out of 10 or whatever. And going in a real hard downward spiral because that's what they've traditionally done when they've lost a game like they lost on Tuesday night. They would let that affect them so much. And I felt like for a lot of today it did. And again, by him doing doing that it really does trick them to saying no we don't we don't need to get down like we just come back tomorrow and win

to do it against the Marlins a team that has just been such a pest uh it seems like for five years now or when I've been actually trying to compete um you know like I thought last night like the old Phillies would have lost today's game. There was a lot of old Phillies vibes for most of it, but I think this kind of win, hopefully they can get like, they can't let that snowball. And I hope that that's something that they learned from the day. Like they're still learning how to win baseball games. They, they've done a better job of it recently.

They're not all going to be offense scores. 10 starting pitcher does his job bullpen uh you know it's done um so they're still figuring out how to win baseball games and by by by being able to bounce back after last night get it from another unsung hero that is what this team needs as they figure out their identity when it comes to winning baseball games yeah i i had say like in my head, I didn't type it out. But but the tweet I was going to send out when they lost was same old Phillies, you know, because that's exactly what it felt like.

It felt like after yesterday's loss, which was a total same old Phillies loss. And we'll get into some of the issues from that one and all that. But it really did feel like they slept well i didn't even slept well i did to your point felt like they really were were hurting from last night and they felt it especially after the run and bouncing back after you know the first loss after the night game winning streak to to kind of lose that one yesterday i think it sucked a lot of the wind out of their sails and it was pretty much out for eight innings today uh other than on the pitching side of things shout out to give me we'll get to that too um but uh yeah i think that that was a really really important home run for

this team and now the goal is to ride it get above yeah yeah like stay above 500 right you know you know actually you know get games be five six seven games above 500 like the braves just did now they you know never losing again apparently but you know get let's let's keep this rolling here let's start to win some series with some consistency and this is a big one let's get into some of the specific stuff let's start with the good and then we'll get to the bad as you know you've always told me that's that's what you want to do buddy um I think the the biggest good outside you know just the moment for stubs um what a what series for reese i mean oh my geez louise uh we you know we always talk about the you know hot and cold of him and

to the point where you know either last pot or two pods ago we talked about you know what do you do with him do you consider you know moving him this that like there are so many discussions that have been had and then all of a sudden really over the the last week, week and a half, he has been the hottest hitter in baseball. And this series, obviously, just, honestly, it's as great a series as I've ever seen Reece Hoskins have. And he's had some monster ones, but he was just, put the Phillies on his back. You know, I felt the worst for him yesterday,

losing that game. I felt bad for the team in general. You know, for him to go four for five with two homers and six rbi and lose a baseball game is a pretty tough draw um what do you think about the reese hot streak you know obviously it's it's so funny because it's like you know you can't even really analyze it it's it's just like riding while it's hot and you know it's gonna go away and it's gonna suck and then you know you hope you get one one or two more before the end of the season. Where are you at with Reese?

Well, I mean, where I'm at with Reese is obviously I'm never trading hot Reese. I mean, when Reese is this hot, I mean, this is the best player in baseball. Yeah, you know, we know Reese. Honestly, you know how I feel about Reese James is that I just feel happy for him. Like his reactions after he hit home runs, you know, that's important because when you think about it, you know, we've talked about other teams bringing mercenaries and they still figure out ways to win. But it does still start with the homegrown guy being a vocal leader of that team.

Alonzo, Judge. Like it still matters that the homegrown guy is a vocal leader of that team alonzo judge um like it still matters that the homegrown guy is is a vocal part of it and i do think it's hard to bring in all outside guys to kind of lead a locker room but reese's reese is important from that standpoint because like you know it was the eighth inning on tuesday uh monday night again today feels like thursday anyway it totally does it was the eighth inning on Monday night. He draws the walk off Alcantara. No, seventh inning on Monday night.

Draws the walk off of Alcantara. And then is... I think it was the eighth inning, actually. Was it the eighth? When he scored the run? Yeah, it was the eighth inning. Either way. But he draws the walk, and then he starts hopping down the first baseline,

pointing in the dugout, like, let's go. It's our time. And they need that kind of stuff. And, you know, him being rewarded for the work that he's put in, I have it in my notes for take back, but I'll just do it here. Like, his swing looks really short right now. It looks like that's been an adjustment for them. Like, they've just kind of tightened up his swing a little bit so it becomes more consistent which is uh seems like a a good move um but you know i just i feel happy for him as a homegrown guy that's been here through the rebuild that was our saving grace in 2017 that was that that they brought in bryce they

brought in jt they brought in these big stars and maybe he feels a little overshadowed and and for him to have this kind of run and the reactions and how much he seems like he cares. Um, I appreciate that. Like as, as you and I, and everyone listens to this podcast,

we live and die with this baseball team. And it's refreshing to see a guy like Reese who has been through it with us as well, uh, react the way he does. And, and, and seems like he's all into it and wanting to end the playoff drought

and wants to create new memories. It's all we care about. I love 07 to 11, but I've talked about it a million times. I need new highlights. I need new stuff that I can look at and get wistful and start thinking about good times with Phillies baseball. And it seems like Reese is all in on that. So the home run last night

to make it four four the big home run late it sucks that they lost the game because that's like you you're telling your grandkids about the reese hoskins game on june uh on june 14th 2022 um but yeah good for reese and i just i we're not expecting this i don't think for the rest of the year you know i don't think we're gonna get this, for the rest of the year. You know, I don't think we're going to get this reach for the rest of the year. No, but I'll take what I can get. And I'll take this reach a couple times, maybe. And not have the super downturns in Reese. Yeah, that's all I want.

I just want him to not, you know, mix in being the worst hitter in baseball with being the best hitter. Like, maybe he could have the streaks where he's the best hitter and then be like, you know, the 50th worst hitter. Yeah. Yeah. The swings are what kill, kill a lot of people when it comes to Reese. So,

um, and I get it. The two is credit. I mean, last year I felt it was the most consistent Reese has been, and it was around this time when he started to get the consistency down. So much like Schwartz you just need to wait till June for for Reese to kind of figure it out but overall just feel good for him and and today people are gonna rip him for not having an inside the park home run like listen man that was Reese Hoskins are you kidding me

he's Reese Hoskins I I didn't even know if he definitely get a triple on it like stop come on he's like the slowest player we've seen here in years what are you talking about oh not Reese Hoskins. I didn't even know if he definitely get a triple on it. Like stop. Come on. It's like the slowest player we've seen here in years. What are we talking about? Oh, not fleet of foot at all. I mean, it seems like a bad idea to put him in left field for an entire season.

Who would do that? What idiot baseball team would put Reese Hoskins in left field? That team was in first place in August. the pitching, you know, outside of the bullpen, which we will get to, you know, good than bad and the bad's coming. But, um, the starting rotation, you know, obviously Eflin had the rough first inning, but then really settled in people killing topper for taking him out. We find out he has the injury after, but it looks like it shouldn't be too serious. Um, obviously i thought nola was brilliant

yet again in that first game of the series kind of battling out contraining printing and and then today i mean you know probably the best start of kyle gibson's philly's career uh as he was was brilliant and doesn't end up getting a win from it but kept him in the game just long enough for stubsy to to win it um What are your thoughts on the starts we saw from these guys in this series? And look, just in general, we talked a lot about Ranger, but how far this rotation can carry them? Because right now this team is a game above 500 and trending up, and we feel good about them. And the rotation's been the best thing on the team this year.

Pretty flat out. Yeah. Now, the problem is I just don't know what you're getting 3, 4, and 5. You know, I thought Gibson was great today, and thank God, too, because the bullpen was dead. They're saving the pen. They've got five games in four days coming up. Yeah, and they have a Falter-Ranger back-to-back on Friday, so you never know how much.

Although Falter went seven in his last Lehigh Valley start. And they're facing the Nationals. Yeah, well, honestly, Wheels pretty much has to throw. I need a complete game out of Wheels tomorrow. But, you know, I like the rotation. They've been better on paper. It just seems like you're starting to get more of the good start, bad start, good start, bad start from Ethel and Ranger and Gibson.

So that's just something where I would be way more comfortable if they go out and get another – they're not going to trade for an ace, but another good starting pitching option. So, you know, i feel good about it nola like i just i think people are just like almost waiting for him to kind of fall apart i i just don't think it's happening this year i really don't like i've i've been hard on nola um because it's just been so disappointing the last couple years like whenever we needed him um it always felt like he let us down but i just think we're we're waiting for something that I don't think is going to happen.

Like his fastball control is really, really back. He is mixing in that cutter more and more. I used to hate it, but it's starting to move better, which is good to see. Curveball has been really good all year. It's like that stuff all gets played up when the fastball location is as good as it has been. So, you know, I think people are looking for something that's not going to happen. So I feel good about Wheeler and Nola. And then again, with those other guys, like, I just, I don't know, totally know what I'm getting.

I mean, good on Eflin for battling through yesterday. You know, I guess he was super tired. Went out for the fifth or went out for the sixth and battled through it, got this team six innings. They should have won that game yesterday. That's good. Retired 13 in a row. Yep. With a six inning.

Yep. And then Gibson today. It's like, yeah, Gibson can do this out of nowhere, and then he'll have a shaky start. So it's a little bit too up-down, up-down, up-down for me, but at least they do have the ups, and it's not all downs. Well, what a perfect segue, Jack. That's why you're the best in the biz.

There are quite a few ups for the starting rotation, other than Sir Anthony Dominguez. Very few ups for the bullpen. Look, Connor Brogdon's looked really good, and clearly Rob Thompson, that's a guy that he trusts a lot more than George Brogdon did. And how about how fast it went to trusting him? I mean, it was like, it was like, it was like, he knew it coming in.

He was like, Whoa, hold on. 97 with a white box change up. Yeah. You can probably, he could probably be a backend of the bullpen option. Look, sir, Anthony, obviously. And, and look today before the game, they said, and obviously didn't encounter a situation, but Corey can able out of the ninth inning for now closer by committee uh for now um you know we've talked a lot about needing to trade for someone they clearly do but where you at with the pen right now i think you know sir anthony we

both have talked a lot about you know obviously gave up the home run the other night but chisholm just seems to have the ability to you know that that stat i think from like i think it was last year whatever where there were two pitches hit off 100-mile-per-hour fastballs or more, and they were both by Jazz Chisholm. He's just got kind of a feel for hitting those high-end pitchers. But regardless, Sir Anthony, we're totally confident. Brogdon is gaining confidence. Hand has been better more often than not.

He's still allowed a lot of runners, inherited runners, scores. The numbers, the ERA looks better than often than not. You know, he's still allowed a lot of runners, inherited runner scores, the numbers, the ERA looks better than he's been. But, you know, outside of that, it's really, really hard to trust these guys. And obviously we saw it fall apart in the, you know, the second game of the series, the Tuesday game, Familia, a disaster, Kniebel, a disaster. Where are you at with the pen in general?

Yeah, I mean, most of the time, James, you just got to gotta pray like these like i mean these guys have to throw you know it's not like we can just close our eyes and and just put in sir anthony every night or or brogdon every night so these guys are gonna have to pitch and and until i mean they basically just have to tread water here for a month that's pretty much what they have to do. They got to tread water. And trade. Is that the idea? And trade for a legit back-end option. So, you know, you hope that Coonrod comes back and shows that he has some of the stuff from last year.

Maybe that can be a good reinforcement. JoJo, we'll see. But it seems like he's kind of on the track. Morales went down AAA and, I mean, just is walking the ballpark right now. So, I guess he's not an option. Marc Appel. Come on, James. You're all.

That's the number one overall pick. So, you know. Why not, Jack? He's pitched great in the minors. Let's go. Well, here's my thing. Is that Neftali also pitched well in the minors last year and then came up and was like the worst pitcher in baseball.

No, I know. Trust me, I know. But at this point, why not take a shot? Yeah, I mean, he's 97 with a really good slider from the video I've seen. So I'm definitely in on it. It's just this is like nerdy and doesn't totally matter, but they would have to clear a 40-man roster spot

to bring him up. Oh, brother. Who would move him up to 40-man? It's a good question. I mean, Kingery, they had to put him back on to bring him up. Is he still on there? Oh, a designated first assignment. You think another team is going to be lining up to sign Scott Kingery?

I would do that in a second if it were up to me. Yeah, so there could be some decent bullpen options coming. I feel obviously great about Sir Anthony. Jazz, he can catch up to a fastball man, it's crazy, even today he fouled off a pitch, I was like how the hell did he catch up to that but I trust Sir Anthony in the 9th, I know there's this

whole idea of oh well you don't know things can change when you get to the 9th, it's like yeah they can, but I want to see 98 with 2C movement, cutter movement right down the middle and sink movement and see if that doesn't work on the 9th rather than I'm worried about someone not being able to handle the last three outs of a baseball game brogdon is gaining trust in me um it's good to see him back up to 97 98 which is

where he should be it was pretty freaky that he was 94 to begin the season so uh he looks great he just it seems like if he has positive momentum, like he can ride it for, for a month and then we'll just have one of those games. And then, and then he just kinda, he doesn't have my full trust. I would say 85, 80% of me trust Connor Brogdon.

I, I don't care what Brad hands numbers are. I'm sorry. Like I, I just can't trust him. I don't, I, the,

the, the end results of the end results, but I'm not there with him but you know I'm not totally giving up on Knable I know it sounds ridiculous given what he's done but I mean Hector did

move out of the closer role last year and turn into a valuable reliever for this team I'm hoping the same kind of thing happens with Knable here because I do believe in his stuff like he was throwing 97 the other night, which was good. Curveball has been atrocious, but maybe he just can't handle the ninth. I think he's a guy that can't

handle the ninth here. Hopefully, moving him down for the 6th, 7th, 8th inning, you get him back to striking out guys. You get him back to getting in a little momentum. Hey, if he pitches great, awesome. You can put him back in the closer role and hope that everything is fine, but I'm not totally giving up on Knievel as a bullpen option for this team.

And they're going to need them, you know, cause it's, it's pretty much those four. And then you got the familias who like, I don't know what Rob's thinking, but cannot be in a game that they are leading and can't be in a game where they're within one late or they, they, he is strictly mop up duty. He is just brutal. Alvarado, same thing. Don't care. Nick Nelson, same thing. Don't care. Michael Kelly. Yeah. You know, Michael Kelly or what? Aye, aye, aye, buddy. Aye, aye, aye. No, but those four are going to have to be your guys

until hopefully a month from now they can go and get a real weapon at the back of the bullpen and really shore this thing up. And James, like, it's time. It's time to go get a real nasty wipeout reliever because if you get that right, the rest of the team's pretty good and you would have a chance here. So invest real prospects, do what it takes,

get a difference maker in here. I have no interest in an Ian Kennedy kind of signing or anything like that. I want a real guy, a guy with control for the next three or four years, whatever it takes, don't care. That's where I'm at with the bullpen. Yeah, whatever it takes is a little scary but i generally agree that not yeah well within as long as the untouchables are the untouchables but

there's only a couple of them in the entire system so good but i generally agree with you uh with everything you said i mean familiar cannot see a a game where they have the lead in in you know again for the next month until they prove it. And, again, look, we've given Dombrowski a lot of credit for the behind-the-scenes stuff he's done. You know, Ani hiring, the press, Madeline hiring, the structure of the organization, the Phillies way type stuff, and a lot of the roster moves too.

But, you know, he has had some big misses that have really hurt this team and spending whatever it was six seven million on juror sommelier it's a big miss for a team that you know does cash strap when it comes to the bullpen you know it's a big miss it's a big miss and you know we've seen others you know like chase anderson and matt moore seven million of those guys last year those are misses and you're not going to hit on all that stuff but the way this team's constructed they really need these guys in the pen. They needed a guy like Familia to hit, and he hasn't.

And it's an issue. Same with Knievel. I mean, those were the two big money signings this offseason. Knievel, Familia, both have been horrible. And I'm not out on Knievel either. I think he's a good pitcher. I think there's something wrong with him because, I mean, that curveball's never been this bad.

I mean, it just doesn't – he doesn't look like the same pitcher. So you hope that getting out of the ninth inning, maybe getting a little rest, whatever it is to get him back. Right. But regardless. All right. Last thing I have before we get to the take bag and the top five. It's getting tough to watch JT Romero play baseball, Jack. And when I think about the twenty three and a half million dollars that he's making this year, and I think about the twenty three and a half million next year and the year after that and the year after that it's tough man it's tough i mean the the two bases loaded i know he drove in the run kind of

you know technically for the one with the ground out but you know just missed opportunity after missed opportunity at the plate and then you know when he didn't catch that that foul out you know last night in you because i mean it's they you know that's two outs bloody god the guy next the next guy out when he faced him um you know it you go to the bottom of the ninth tied you know that that that's what could happen there you know or you know so i don't know i it just felt like a really big miss from him and and with jt if you're not getting the offensive production, the least you count on is that best catcher in baseball defense. And we haven't seen that from him,

neither with the throws nor the defense, Shaq. Yeah, and I have no interest in hearing about his F-war for catchers or whatever. Could not care less. Like literally could not care less. It like literally could not care it's like yeah i get it but he's supposed to be so good at the at the money that you're paying and that we should have to worry about is is war and more can't count factor in calling games and whatever i just the the the whole oh he's still the best catcher in baseball according to this stuff it's

like i that's fine but you're paying him 25 million dollars to be he's still the best catcher in baseball, according to this stuff. It's like, that's fine, but you're paying him $25 million to be so far away the best catcher in baseball. So it's like, you know, I just can't stop thinking about, like, imagine the pieces we could have put around this team for the $25 million paying him. He just has not been a difference maker. And that's as simple as I can put it. Garrett Stubbs has been way better, regardless of today's home run.

And I know it's a small sample size, but Garrett Stubbs has been way more productive. I know, but he's been way more productive. Yeah. I mean, they have the same amount of home runs? Or does Stubbs have one more? I think he has one less, but regardless. You sure? No, I'm not, actually.

They either both have three or stubs he's up to four now so no that that was stubsy's third today but i thought jt had four either way not amazing what a what a what a either way embarrassing yeah not great um so yeah it's just it's frustrating he's a 30 year old catcher this is traditionally what happens to them. I thought he would be different because I thought he was so athletic and he would be able to stay spry for a long time. And didn't have the wear

and tear because he didn't play catchers all his life, too. Right. So, you know, I just have no idea what to do with JT except hope he turns it around because he's not going anywhere. So, you know, any talk of trading around because he's not going anywhere so you know any talk of trading him it's not going to happen I mean he Bryce is his best friend he's making a ton of money uh teams aren't like signing up to do that unless you want to uh pair a prospect with

him to get rid of him but it's just it's just so annoying right now it's just it feels like every time there's runners on first and second and bases loaded, it just doesn't come through. I think he's barreled up like seven balls this entire year, which is just not great to see. So I can't give up on him. I think he still has value, obviously. He's definitely a good catcher. It's just you're paying him to be a difference maker,

and he's not bad right now. Yeah, the joke's on us. Sign JT. Sign JT. Whoops. Big time whoops. All right. That's all I got.

I got a couple things at the end, but that's all I got. What do you have to take back? Man, I have no idea what's going on with Castellanos. He is just far. I've seen, we've seen him be a great hitter. And it's the weirdest part about Castellanos right now, James, to me, is it looks like it's half swings. He doesn't know when to commit, doesn't know when to drive the ball.

It feels like a pitcher will throw him a slider first pitch. He's swinging over top. I haven't seen him whiff like this in forever. So I definitely think he's going to figure it out. But there's also a part of me that's like, well, what if he doesn't? What if this is the cast? And to be fair, he should have hit a home run today. I mean, that ball I thought was definitely out.

But, man, this Castellanos thing is just getting, especially because he's batting four, and eventually these teams are just going to start pitching around Bryce and Castellanos is going to have to beat him. So, you know, for as good as Reese, Schwarber, and Harper have been at the top

of the lineup, the Castellanos, Real Amito 4-5, just has been kind of killing them a little bit uh now i fully expect him to figure it out and get it going because he's been too good of a hitter for too long of a time there's back of the baseball card stuff there that you you trust i know it's 2020 was really down but that was a weird year um it's just it's just frustrating right now because again today some big spots where just didn't come through um so it's just frustrating right now because, again, today, some big spots where it just didn't come through. So it's definitely something to monitor here,

definitely something to be a little bit worried about. If this is going to be the Casianos, we're going to get the entire season. Yeah, I don't want to talk about it. What's next? Listen, man, I was getting flack for Schwarz at the beginning of the year. Look at my guy. I don't want to talk about it. Walks machine.

James, I have an official announcement, and I just want to get this out of the way. Oh, can't wait. And I don't want this to turn into a whole thing. Oh, buddy, you never want anything to turn into a whole thing. Run for its run. Go ahead. It's not me. I don't like to make things about me. Oh, buddy, you never want anything to turn into a whole thing. Run for its run. Go ahead. It's not me.

I don't like to make things about me. Oh, yeah. Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep. I'm giving in, and I'm going to call him Topper. I've just, I've fought it. Yes! I've fought it for too long. Oh, I'm so happy, dude.

This is, honestly, this makes me really happy. Like, to my core, buddy. Thank you. Yeah, so. It sounded ridiculous it was like well it didn't sound ridiculous topper sounds ridiculous it was pretty sad you know when everyone would be having a conversation it's topper topper topper yeah topper like you sounded ridiculous it was sad honestly no it wasn't no it wasn't i'm happy no

see i hit no i i should have brought it up because this one I don't like you. This is easily my least favorite seltzer. Where you're like, let's take the L. No, stop. Grow up. There you go. Grow up. It's back, baby. You're not bullying me out of using grow up. Oh, man. What you got next?

I enjoyed that. Hey. Official statement on Mickey Moniak being sent down. I thought we had to get to it. I was hoping to just ignore it and not mention it. Official statement. Minor step back for a major comeback.

I love it. Honestly, you know what take I had all fired up, ready to go if they lost today? What's that? Lost because they sent Mickey down? Oh, and2 without Mick. You can't send down the good vibes guy. He's too important to the vibes. How about Matty Veerling

being this team's utility player? Who saw this coming, buddy? Actually looks good at third base. His hands are pretty quick. So I'm in on Veerling as the utility guy for this team. I didn't think that he was going to be a second baseman, third baseman, center field, right-handed bat off the bench,

stealing big bags on Monday night. But they might have, you know. Matty V is proving to be a good utility piece for this team. Another guy that is stepping up for this Phil State. How about it? Unbelievable. Who saw this coming? Nobody.

Topper. That's it. It's called having a vision. What, how much longer would Joe Girardi have stuck with Corey Knable? Would it have been like mid-July, you think? And he'd be talking about how he's going to figure it out? At least, buddy. At least.

Probably would have just rode out the season. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's pretty much all I got. I love it. Here, I got a couple other things to throw at you. I do have a top five for you, too. Oh, of course.

I didn't get to do one on the air, so I saved it for this. All right, quickly. Schwarber toast. Love it. Can't get enough of it. Oh, dude, hold on. Yeah, I actually want to talk about that i'm at the yes miller lights i'm assuming he's toasting with that's all that matters sure sure sure he is um no but i think that's actually i think that's actually cool you know i think i do too like i think it's really it's it's organic

and it's not just he's he's toasting the stars. I love that in the piece they're talking about. Nick Nelson had it one night. It just makes those little guys on the team kind of feel special. And I don't think that's not important when you're talking about what Garrett Stubbs did tonight. And I thought it was interesting. Stubbsy was on with – by the way, I'm sticking with Stubbsy. I'm not in on Stubby. I'm going to go Stubbsy.

No, no, no, no, no, no. It's definitely Stubbsy. We are aligned. But tom but topper calls them stubby so sometimes even topper can be wrong yeah yeah like putting familial in an 8-4 game but yeah yeah that was but it was it was cool like like stubsy's talking after the game he's all excited he got interviewed by t-mac and the guys and then he got interviewed by franski and at the end he's like i gotta go schwarber's yelling at me to get in the in the clubhouse yeah because you know he's about to get the toast how cool is that right so you know it's it's little things love it i love it

little things like my kind of stuff right here you know that yeah it's a wheelhouse for you but i'm such a sucker for this kind of stuff as soon as i saw the toast thing i was like this is this is my team now. They're my team. Yeah. So good to see. And I think that's important when you're talking about camaraderie on a team. Like, you know, the little guys getting the toast, all that. So good on Schwartz.

Good on this team. You know, kind of figuring out a little thing. Love it. All right. Mentioned it last pod, but check out Milk Boy again. 11th and Chestnut, an awesome venue for music. You can go there for drinks. They have three dollar Miller lights for all Phillies games aside from Phillies games again music and impressive lamp of local and national recognized musicians and again there's a $50 gift card on the contest

page at WIP 94 WIP.com check out the contest page and check that out. Miller Lite. It's Miller time. Official partner of the Philadelphia Phillies. We love Miller Lite. The team has been, I mean, the turnaround since Miller Lite came on board is, it's, I mean, I want to say it's miraculous, but we knew it would happen. But it's still pretty miraculous. Yeah. And I'm just waiting for the Phillies or anyone related down there

to start tweeting out hashtag Miller Lights for Phil. I know. I mean, we're doing it. I mean, I'm taking pictures of myself, Jack. Which is surprising. How committed am I, buddy? I mean, I'm doing it. All right.

You know me. That is not my thing on Twitter. But you know what? For this, for this crew, this family, i'm willing to do it yeah i mean i usually do doubt your commitment so this has been a good thing for for my psyche yeah all right let's get to the top five the top five other jobs i could see garrett stubbs having i love this this is great big fan of this number five is a summer lifeguard that definitely has a suntan lotion on his nose. Love it.

Absolutely could see that without question. Strong. Number four is a caddy at a local club. Yeah, kind of the mouthy caddy, I think, right? Kind of like lipping off. Ah, you should have. Yeah, that guy. Little guy carrying the big bag.

A little Noonan-ish. You know what I mean? Right. Number three, I don't know if this counts as a job, but I just envision him skateboarding in Malibu all the time, you know, as the sunset. Definitively not a job. Not a job?

Okay. Well, there's some professional skateboarders. I guess he's really good at it. Yeah. He seems like a guy that wore wheelies as a kid. I don't know if you were around for the wheelies era, but. I remember the wheelies era. It was not my era, but I remember the wheelies era.

The wheelies era was a tough era. I got to be honest. It was tough. Kids just wheeling around Blockbuster and stuff. It's like, what are we doing here? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Bad luck. But if I had to guess, Garrett Stubbs owned a pair of wheelies. Like, no doubt about it. Like, no doubt about it. Number two is Eagles backup quarterback, obviously. Dude, he looked like Minshew punching his dad after they beat the Jets. A little bit, a little bit.

I think that's a fair count. Not a bad call by you and the number one job i could see garrett stubbs having is a snowboard instructor like like just the big snowboard he loves to say shred and pow you know talking about shredding powder uh he takes up all the the good snow that the skiers like the g. Gnarly Hill, man. Oh, Gnar's bra. Gnar's bra. Yeah, he is a... The number one job is he's 100% a snowboard instructor.

Gnar's bra! Should we name... Honestly, that's why I said that. I was thinking how hilarious it would be to name the pod Gnar's bra. No, we gotta go with Garrett Stubbs. For the SEO, we gotta go Garrett Strett stubbs for the for the seo we gotta go garrett stubbs walk off home run emergency podcast sometimes sometimes we cater to the man when in reality we should you know stick to our roots like you know titling a pod i had a dream

about matt more last night or whatever bs we've done in the past. No, no. We'll go with DSCO this time. Do you stay up late thinking about Matt Moore's carpool? Thank you. And it was something along those lines. I am a big fan of people seeing the title and going, well, that's weird. Can't wait to see how that happened. But I agree.

I think today it's probably, it's probably sad. All right. Uh, you got any final thoughts, final thoughts is they go down to Washington. That team is bad. Uh, I think if had they lost today,

they'd be going to going down there with bad vibes and I'd be worried about them. But by having the wind today, I'm not that worried about them showing up. And I think that that's what that home run did. So it almost saved them from a possible disaster series against the Washington Nationals. Five game series, no less. And here's my biggest fear is that Soto's had a down year.

The Phillies will get Soto. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. A hundred percent. A hundred percent. Over-under in five games. Over-under two and a half Bryce Harper home run. Hmm.

Over. And I'll set the over under for Soto at three and a half. And I'll take the over there as well. I think that's fair. My final thought. And I talked about this with someone at High Hopes Night. And I can't remember who it was. And I apologize.

But but he did it again. What the hell's with Oduble sliding like halfway down the baseline on double play balls like what's he doing i it's so weird like i don't like i don't think he's trying to get out of the way i i guess but if you notice this he will literally if he's running from first and it's like a a solidly a double play ball to short and the balls turn a second like as soon as the second baseman has the ball and is like turning, he literally just like drops. It is so strange, man.

And it's like going a little harder. Like you're not going to get a, it's not going to get, you know, it's not legal as long as you don't like put your spikes up and go at their face or whatever. Like it's so weird. Pay attention. Look out for it. All right.

I was more, I was more annoyed that he tried to bunt today with one out and a runner on second. It's like, well, there's no point to it. One other thing we got to bring up because we didn't get a chance on the last spot, and I should go because it's bedtime for Zoe. But did you see the Joe Madden thing? Because I think that might be the funniest.

It's all time. So for those who didn't see it, joe madden got a mohawk to surprise the players to bring the losing string but the players never saw it because he got fired that day i mean that is i mean it's one of the funniest things i think that's happened in baseball in a long time and i just want to give joe madden credit i want to give the angels credit for firing him when he had the mohawk even if they didn't know about it credit just a beautiful thing and i loved it do you think he still has it i hope so I want to give the Angels credit for firing him when he had the Mohawk, even if they didn't know about it. Credit. Just a beautiful thing.

And I loved it. Do you think he still has it? I hope so, man. I hope so. And we can only hope. You think he's back in Hazleton with a Mohawk? Probably. I mean, he always just wanted to get back to Hazleton and settle down

and, you know, live his life that way, I think. Yeah. And the way that Kirchen told the story was even funnier because he just i just laugh whenever tim kirchen talks honestly oh he's the best he's the best um by the way to the comment i made before i i mean hazelton you know that would be tough for joe madden if he just goes back to hazelton it's all done yeah i don't think it'd be tough he's gonna be the phil's manager and oh god how annoying is that oh joe gordon all right you got anything else i don't go let zoe go to bed thanks buddy let's all right ready four or five all right three of five and we

won't riot four or five okay official high hopes position