High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Happy Opening Day Eve and Baby Fritz is Here

Episode Date: March 29, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz talk Phillies Opening Day, Walker Fritz, the Miller Lite Opening Day Watch Party, and much 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 Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Oh, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. And yes, the yo was for opening day. And yes, it was for us hanging out tomorrow. We'll tell you about that in a second. You can come hang out with us.

But let's be honest. We all know what the yo is for today. Father Fritz. He's here. Yes. Walker, Walker, the high hopes family has grown. I'm so happy for you, buddy. I like we'll get into the Phillies. We'll get into Tavola. We'll get in all the good stuff. But like our guy had a baby. You had a baby, man. Yeah. And how am I holding up? Do I look all right? Am I all right?

You're together. Yes. The hat is a little weird, but I like it. Well, the hair's long. Yeah. We're just surviving things on your mind. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, you know, I've taken the mantra of surviving advance. It's a good time of year for that. That's's that's that's what i'm trying to do that's right and um yeah man it is it is awesome uh first off and i did i was texting you at 3 30 this morning let you know let you know that he said i'm with you buddy i'm with you, buddy. I'm with you. But yeah, man, it is both the most terrifying thing in the world and the best thing in the world. Like, you know, every like every little breath. Like, well, is he still there? Dude, Jack, that was like the first six months of Zoe's life.

I literally I would go into her bedroom and I like just like put my hand on her belly to make sure she was breathing. Like, it's right there with you, buddy. It doesn't go away anytime soon it will i promise you it goes away it takes a while it takes a while um it takes a while and already a top five feeling is is getting the baby to like stop crying like there's this there's just no more relieving feeling in the entire world than like oh my god and then then when you see the face start puckering up again, it's like, well, stop. Maybe just don't. Maybe

don't do it this time. But yeah, every time he starts acting up, I start singing Danny's song, knowing it's all worth it. And yeah, so his first opening day tomorrow, first time opener next week.

And, yeah, it's just been amazing. It's been incredible. And Jill's a superstar. I mean, we were in and out in like six hours. Not in and out, obviously, but like done in six hours. Which is unbelievable. I mean, we were there for like, I mean, Zoe, I think, came out like 20-something hours after, quote-unquote, labor started and all that.

Like, you were fast, man. Joe was fast. Yeah, yeah. It was like, wow, okay, we're here? Okay. I did not anticipate going to bed Friday, waking up Saturday, being like, you know what? I think I'm having a kid. I know.

My favorite text of all time is, it's Walker Day. It was the text I got. It was amazing. So, yeah, it's been amazing. It's Walker Day. It was the day I got. It was amazing. So, yeah, it's been amazing.

No, he's not named after Taiwan Walker, but it's going to be funny watching 99 with Walker on it for an entire. I mean, early Jersey by right there, you know? I mean, that's an easy one. Yeah. So, yeah, it's been great. And I can't wait to, you know, have him added into our content here. He's already been a content machine. He helped me with my fantasy draft the other night.

I mean, everything's gone. He's winning his first bet. He did win his first bet, yes. He won his first bet handily, betting on you. And his father, before he was born, took Texas minus three and a half, and that lost him in parlay. So that's not on Walker.

I want that out there. Yeah, it's not his fault. It's not his fault. I think everyone in the world, that was as crushing a defeat as I remember. I lost. I bet on him to win the tournament, to start the tournament, five to win 120 or something.

It's like, ah, those ones are tough. Yeah. So, you know, I'm excited to, you know, talk about the Phils. I love this. And talk about Walker. Yeah, he's here. He's here. And he is a very cute kid yeah yeah i love it

he's adorable you've been sending me pictures i've been loving the uh the jack picture thing because now i feel like i can send pictures of zoe which works out really nicely too yeah um but yes uh you're you're there's so much fun stuff coming i'm very excited about the content uh speaking of content uh jack and can i told Jack about this when I showed Zoe the picture of Walker. When Jack sent me the picture of the baby, I was like, you want to see a picture of babies? Of course I do. And she goes, what's its name? And I said, his name is Walker.

And she looks at me and goes, why? He doesn't walk. I was like, that's a really good point, Zoe. You're dead on about that. It's a fair counterpoint. It's a fair counterpoint. Well, Zoe doesn't Zoe. No, she doesn't walk. I was like, that's really good points. Oh, you're dead on about that. It's a fair counterpoint. It's a fair counterpoint. Well, Zoe doesn't Zoe.

So no, she doesn't. She did get a trophy yesterday, though. For those who can see, she walked away from the Jameer Nelson. So Zoe's first trophy is actually Jameer Nelson's trophy. Pretty good. I'll take that. Not too bad. It's 0-4 all over again. It is 0-4 all over again.

No, I'm so excited. This is my favorite thing that's happened in a long time. Basically, since my kid was born, your kid being born, my next favorite thing, my little nephew. Very excited to meet him. He's got a lot of uncles. Like, I got a lot of, you know, like, I got Uncle Elliot. I got Uncle Hugh.

Yeah. You know, there's some, like, I mean, I guess Uncle Julio, you know, like Uncle Ike, Uncle Marks. Look at you. Wow. There's so many people. But, like, what's the cutoff? You know what I mean?ke, Uncle Marks. Look at you. Wow. There's so many people. But like, what's the cutoff? You know what I mean?

It's a great question. It's a great question. What goes from like, this is dad's friend to this is uncle? You know what I mean? It's a really important question. I mean, this is not something to be taken lightly. I thought about it. I was like, what's my uncle cutoff?

Because I want to have everyone be an uncle. You know what I mean? I think it'll happen naturally. I think it'll be one of those things where you know who's around who cares about their job as the funcle or the uncle or whatever and who shows up it's about who shows up really you know what i mean because like you can't have that exactly you can't have like in five years be like oh this is your uncle james it's like oh nice to meet you no it's like oh this guy's been around forever that makes sense that's my uncle that's the way you play right right so i'm currently working on my uncle list but uh on top of that on top of that

we got phil's baseball tomorrow we got phil's baseball tomorrow if it were up to me i would talk walker the whole pod uh but let's dive in starting with uh the first not walker don't get me wrong i think it's a little early to be bringing a kid to a bar you never know never know but the first public appearance of father fritz papa fritz will be out in public tomorrow come and shake in hands kissing other babies if they bring it i don't know that's probably not gonna work yeah i've't watch many babies there. If you want more Walker content, because obviously, you know, Jack's right. The Phillies opening day is tomorrow.

So we're going to talk Phillies from here on out. But if you want Walker content, ask Jack questions. What's it like? All that. Come hang out with us tomorrow. We're going to be at Tavola at the Springfield Country Club watching the opening day game. It's going to be awesome Tavola, the Springfield Country Club, watching the opening day game. It's going to be awesome. Fritz will be there.

He's leaving his post as, you know, on duty at all times, guy. And that was a contention point. I'm sure it was. Believe it. Last Friday, I was like, there's no way we're having this game before March 30th. So, and now at least it's given us a couple days where it's not like oh hey see you jill um i gotta go do this thing so yeah there's this was a a bit of a walker miracle that i'm gonna be there um but listen i can't let down the people i can't let

down middle of the light i thought there was no chance you were gonna be there so i'm ecstatic i'm excited and shout out to jill because let let me tell you, and my wife is the most level-headed. You've met her. I mean, Emily is level-headed like together and all that. Like the week and a half to two weeks after she had Zoe, she was a maniac. Like that, the hormones and all, like all that stuff is real. Like, so the fact that Jill let you go just shows how level headed Jill is because I'm surprised it wasn't a bigger thing, buddy. Like there,

there is definitely a period after having the baby where they are just not back to normal yet. Yeah. Well, as I, as I told Jill, like I wouldn't do anything if I didn't think it was important. So,

uh, you know, it's, uh, that's, that's why she's the greatest. So, um,

yeah, so I'll be there. It's going to be fun. Uh, if, if, if I, if my eyes look dead inside, it's because I probably are. It's because you haven't slept. Yes, yes. Not because you're unhappy to see people. No, I can't wait.

I can't wait to see people. And I think it's going to be a great time. Like, it's not only just me and you. It's me, you, it's Tommy Green. It's Phil's opening day. It's at a great, everything I've heard about the place. It's a great spot. Dude, I've had like 10 different people be like, oh, I love that place.

That's going to be awesome. Well, and the only and if I really want to push my luck, I would say, hey, can I get 18 in before? Before. Don't do that. I think I'm just going to stick with at least going going for the game. So, yeah, it's it. Listen, Bill's going to go want to know. We get to Jacob.

The ground is going to be like, like what? Three innings? Three, four innings? Maybe. Open the game up to the Rangers. Yeah, he'll open it up. Yeah. It's been so funny, James.

In my head, my whole last 48, 72 hours has just been like, Walker, Walker, Walker, Walker. I've almost completely shut everything out. And then I woke up today, i was like holy crap i mean the phillies are the phillies are back tomorrow and this is like the most anticipated season in in 10 years i mean longer 2012 prices bryce's first year is anticipated obviously we want to see if bryce harper was last year was definitely anticipated you see schwarber cassianos there's a lot of uh high vibes but like i feel like the people that were were excited about the last couple years were the diehards that have been through the dreck um but now it's like everyone's ready you know like everyone's

ready for for this whole thing to get started so um it's just it it's here it came like really fast i feel like um actually for you i think it for you, it's like, Oh wow. All right. I had other stuff on my mind. Look, look, look what's happening here, which is about as, as, as unfritzy in a thing is, you know, I mean, this is like, this is your time of year. I mean like the month leading up with the drafts and the, you know, the expectations and the excitement, who's going to make the team and all that. Like that is like your hat that and, and, and June with the draft with the draft those are happy places that's that's like you at your best and for you to be i mean as you

should be i remember having a kid too i would be too but it does say something about what you've been what you've been in that they're like oh yeah baseball that's great yeah now i was able to watch a little bit in the hospital like some of the spring training games while he was sleeping and all that. But it's just like, you know, I've just been, the attention has been diverted. So starting tomorrow, we are where I was starting today because we're on the podcast, but locked in just, just totally locked in. And I got to start doing post game show.

Unless you hear crying and crying in the background, maybe they'll lock in. Just out for a sec and then back in. Yeah, well, yeah. He knows. I mean, I think he's going to power through this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like, hold on. Phil's a boy?

I'm just excited. So he's been mostly in our room, you know, like next to the bed or whatever. Sure. I need to start getting them downstairs into the the big living room oh look at you hey you see this this is welcome to the rest of your life pal like i need to be a psycho like your dad yeah yeah so um good parenting i don't care it's happening don't have a choice i'm sorry uh hey welcome to philadelphia buddy um so so yeah so tomorrow the ground cute little opener uh we get six like no one's about to start his sixth straight

crazy opening day it's crazy maybe it's last jack maybe his last yeah and i i want to wait to get to it but like whatever well hold on real quick before you get to it, but whatever. Well, hold on. Real quick before you get to it, let me just finish out the last thing. Come hang out with us tomorrow for this game because the other thing that we didn't mention, we're going to have 20 pairs of tickets to the home opening. Oh, yeah, that's probably the most important part. Yes, I thought – I just want to make sure I got it in, you know.

Yeah, I thought I would check that. Yeah, 20 pairs of tickets. 20 pairs to the home opener, so we'll do a raffle. So you have a chance to win one of 20 pairs, so the odds are pretty good um coming out uh all brought to us by miller light celebrate responsibly miller light for phil's wins all right so let's put it this way let's put it this way tomorrow at tavola not only is it opening day yeah not only will you hang out with james and i tommy green will also be there yes and you can win uh a pair of tickets to open yeah and drink miller lights this is like a perfect day perfect day I just want to I don't think there's a more top tier day yeah what else

you gonna do sit at home watch by yourself I mean yeah get win Philly's tickets at home just say loser um just kidding yeah it's I prefer watching games alone anyway so I know you do that's when you said that I was thinking in my head I'm like pot kettle oh yeah uh so i love aaron no let me get that out of the way first uh but the the reports of like him possibly commanding 200 million dollars like that's fine good luck buddy godspeed pal go get that money though he might no i mean like it's not unrealistic like when you look at the free agent pitchers, other than Shohei, who's obviously just his own, in his own class, his own thing,

like, there's no one. I mean, there's some older guys, like Scherzer is a free agent and stuff, but, like, there is no one even in Nola's hemisphere when it comes to age and accomplishment in terms of a long-term contract coming. Like, he is going to. I mean, if I were him,

I would not sign a contract now either. I it's incorrect like go to the market i'm not surprised by no and and i i think he might get like he might he durability good um great durability great durability great but you know good to great you worry about the wear and tear and all that for sure yeah um i'm just saying that i got no interest in paying that money well that thing too though to that point though you're right like especially with the way that you know i think baseball teams value aaron nolan more than baseball fans do like we love him and all that but baseball teams look at what this guy does year after year after year of year and the metrics and the advanced metrics all that and i think he's viewed in baseball's like teams view him as one of

the better pitchers in the sport he's gonna get paid like it yeah i actually think uh you know what i obviously have been very like the bros he's been a godsend but i think waiting this long has been a mistake you know if you wanted you should have got it done as one of your free agents you know i mean like before darvish signs um you know get an old thing done because now you're now you're kind of screwed i mean i mean you really should have been looking to it last so i know there was a lot going on and and all that but like last off season was the time you should have gotten this contract done because now it's like now it's like okay well he's definitely there's no there's no unless you're paying him what he wants like there's no reason for him to to to to sign right now so um you know

we'll see but if if the rumors of 200 million dollars like i just here's my thing and it's not it's not anti-aaron nola i understand the value of aaron nola he's a good pitcher but in a year they're gonna have to pay wheeler and i'd personally rather pay wheeler um i know he's getting a little bit older but i just think his his stuff, I think his stuff is going to age really well. And I know, I know Noel, you would think age is better because it's 92 and not 99, but like I've seen Max Scherzer age incredibly well. I've seen Justin Berlander. Well, and also remember Wheeler too,

like didn't have the wear and tear through his late twenties, his early twenties that other pitchers did because he was hurt so often. Like he has not pitched close to the same number of consistent innings year after year that a guy like no last right and and he's more effortless i mean wheeler is an effortless 97 99 um so i i i want to pay him and he's probably he like i would pay him 200 million dollars plus. I'd be fine with that. But at the same time, we have Painter, we have Ranger, we have Tyler Walker under contract for the next couple years,

you have Griff, you have Mick, and we'll see what they turn into. But when you have that kind of stuff coming through the system, at some point, you've got to trust what you have and not having to keep paying for the things that prior performance in a way. This could be Aaron Nola's last opening day start.

Now, if he comes back for... I would pay him $160,000 to $180,000. I think I would do that. You would do the Rodon contract, essentially. Rodon got, what, $6,162,000? I think that's a very fair contract. But I'm not... The $200 million, I can't. I'm not like the the the 200 million i just i

can't i'm not crazy um crazy so uh this could be his last opening day start hopefully they know he goes out uh you know and and dominates and and has a great like last season here just wild that we're kind of at the point now where we could be seeing nola's last year i mean i might have already seen reese's last games yeah now that's crazy to think about i actually think that you know now now with the nola 200 million possibly going to free agency contract talk breaking down i just continue to believe that this is only increasing the the chance that reese comes back because i think they had made a choice in their head of like we're gonna pay nola not pay reese um but now it's like i think nola's gonna walk so maybe we can bring back a Reese on

some kind of deal, but we'll see. We'll see. But either way, like I just, I saw the 200 million. I'm like, that's, I can't, I can't do it. Yeah. And again, it doesn't like, if you had asked me to predict what I think he'll get, it'd be like one 82. You know, I think that's the right number based on what the market's going to look like. he has another you know Aaron Nola type season he's going to get paid and I'm with you man like I I can't go there and even then like I would give him the 6-1-60 but I'd still be nervous about it you know in the way that to the point we just made I mean he has been incredibly durable and put a lot of innings on those arms and you feel like yeah maybe he's just one of those dudes who's going to pitch to 38 and never really have any issues. But at some point, you have to assume that those miles,

those innings are going to catch up. How many pitches does he have in that arm? So I would love to have Nola back. If I were, it's the day before opening day right now, if I had to bet one way or the other, I would bet he's gone. And I just think that's by far the most likely outcome, and it's a shame. But I also think it's, depending on what the contract's going to be, it's a smart move by the Phillies.

So we'll see how it plays out. But I definitely feel like this is likely to be his last year as a Philly. Yep. But let's not let that get in the way. How about he goes out with a World Series title, Jack? How about that? Everyone goes out like Berlin 08, man. Everyone goes out like Berlin 08.

Although I think if he goes out and they win the World Series, I'm pretty sure they're just going to pay whatever. Yeah, well, then it's a whole different story. Yeah, they're just going to pay whatever it takes. So, yeah, it all starts tomorrow and you know it's gonna be so weird saying to grom in a in a ranger's uniform oh my god how about bruce bocce on the bench like that whole game is gonna be weird yeah and there's like you know uh simian second years like the rangers are are well decent simian and seager is about as good an offensive double play combos

there is in the sport without a doubt actually yeah i mean they got some dudes there and they did go out and beef up the pitching and adolis garcia and they got some like texas i still think they end up like an 80 win team or something like that but there is upside on that team and look at least they want to win and they're spending money you know credit to that owner you know we certainly see enough teams i don't know one in our own state who just is like yeah we're not gonna spend any money you know so that's what it is so you have you have i mean i mean rangers rangers uh yankees it's not like the easiest kind of not at all now you get a little bit of a break with rodone out to start the season severino out to start the

season those guys will be back in a month month month and a half, whatever it is. So you'd rather get to, you get Nestor. I agree. Trust me, you know, as our boy in our, in our fantasy baseball league. Yeah. And let me, let me just address this. Can I just, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not doing it again. Like I just, it's, it's every, every, every week before James's draft, I get the text message.

Hey, Hey, I got my fancy draft coming up on Sunday. Can you send me your list of Fritz guys? The Fritz guys, this is a key thing. And the, and the hit rate, you know, especially when we're talking about pitchers,

like at Jack, really it's only, it's become a pitchers. But when we're talking about like the under the radar pitcher guys, the guys who are going in the 14th round, but end up being a top 10 pitcher, like jack is freaking elite at this like jack is so good at this year after year so i asked for the fritz

guys list because it's a damn good list and i want to win in fantasy baseball but this year but we had draft on monday in our wip league and like four of my guys went right ahead of me it's like are you guys are you serious like first like you could have you could have some of them right you can have whoever the fact that you have the stones to take Jesus Lizardo is like is is god it's the most disreason it's the it's the meanest thing you've ever done it's like the single jag put it's the only one in all caps on his friends guys he's got all the guys and at the very top of the list is in all caps. Hey, dude, he pitched to a one eight in the second half last year. I got him in my other league.

I got him 10,000. I think I got him. I put 10 to win a grand on him to win. Wow. Like, I just I think he's going to be unbelievable. I mean, the whole Marlins staff is just stupid. I'm glad we don't face them as much. I love every Cabrera. That dude's nasty, too. Oh, my God. I mean, the whole Marlins staff is just stupid. I'm glad we don't have to face them as much. Love Enrique Cabrera.

That dude's nasty, too. Oh, my God. I love him. And they have Uri Perez. He's coming next year. Like, I mean, obviously, Sandy is still Sandy. And sadly, Nick Maton is not here to destroy him. Amazing when I'm mentioning the name Sixto Sanchez, which is a shame.

Yeah, which stinks. Hey, bring him back. Come on back, buddy. I'll take a shot on him. Yeah, so Seltzer took like eight of my pictures that I had circled. It's your own fault. Sorry. But obviously, Nester Cortez, I freaking, I love, like,

he is the Yankees version of Ranger, where it just, like, stuff's not overwhelming, but, like, just gets out and competes. Like, there is nothing I love more than just gets out and competes like i there is nothing i love more than a get out to compete guy that's nester cortez and that's rangers for us so um but anyway that's that's next week so we open we go we go knolls to ground wheeler uh nasty mate another one i i i got i'm excited about opening day but wheeler avaldi is personally that's right yeah yeah yeah i've believed dude i have believed in nathan avaldi since he was a marlin I'm excited about opening day, but Wheeler Evaldi is personally for me. That's Fritz. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. I believe. Dude, I have believed in Nathan Evaldi since he was a Marlin. Me and him go so far back. I drafted him every year when he's a Yankee. Red Sox kind of broke out. Shocking. The guy who annually has the highest average fastball velocity is someone who Fritz is in on.

I'm shocked by this. I'm shocked. And if he didn't have a qualifying offer, I would been begging the phillies to sign him so um we'll see and then uh i was how about falter it's our game three starter i know how why do do they want walker against the yankees like it doesn't make sense to me why would they not line it up to have walker in that spot do you think it's because they wanted to get the lefty in between the righties like give uh texas a different look maybe we're talking we're talking about week one why like why would you put falter i think they wanted to give i think with walker being in the wbc i think they wanted to give them an extra okay well that makes sense

i was just looking for a logical reason you know billy falter is the four starter right now not the three we all know that so and then we got big game that strong let's let's get in and i want to get into a bunch of stuff here with the lineup and all that again opening day tomorrow um but the the strong thing so they signed strong and we're all excited because you know the dude was a bad starter but they turned him into reliever and oh my goodness look at this the guy's an elite left-handed reliever this is great injuries now matt strom starting games for us and look i like the versatility of signing the guy knowing that that's an option with him and again it was not long ago that he was a starter was it 2020 2019 like it's not like he's been you know that far removed from it but i mean he failed at it he signed the guy to be a reliever and now he's starting game five

for you what your thoughts yeah but well you're not factoring in james and this is very gotham involved no is that he's a philly now so everything works out um i don't know how you could say that's our new mantra everything works out yes what did this i don't i don't know how you can possibly say he hasn't been a starter for years when he made one start in 2021. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. He started 16 games in 2019 to a tune of a 4-7-1 ERA.

Okay. Not great. Not great. But here's the thing about Matt Strom. All he has to do is give us four innings. Yeah. You know what I mean? Just get through the line twice.

Yeah, just give him four innings. Not even once and a half and we're good. Yeah. And, like, his stuff plays well enough to where, you know, he doesn't have to, yeah, go out there and think, I got to get through six, seven innings. Like, his stuff should be able to play. It's basically, it's essentially just an opener.

You know, it's essentially like. Well, that's the whole concept of the opener, right? Don't let the guys see him more than once or at max twice through an order you know that's the whole idea and the biggest thing that's changed with matt strom is that um like they trade for gregory soto who i think they believe is more of a back-end lefty option where they don't need matt like matt strom i don't totally know what his role is going to be no it's a really good point like i think it's going to be i think it's going to be like a four through six guy, you know? And then like, we'll see what they have.

Like maybe turns, but they paid him good money. And I just think that, you know, they got Soto, they got Alvarado. I think those are their, their end of game lefties. So maybe he's like the, but he's, he's too good. He should be too good to be a long man. So yeah. And also he's too, like, I mean, like he's too good against left-handed hitters too. Like you feel like that you get that guy to get big outs in those spots against left

hitters you know yeah so he's gonna be a bit of a rotating door here you know i think some games some games you'll see him seven eight um and then he's gonna have to pitch in the the fourth fifth six you know maybe like you know against the padres or whatever when soda's coming up like you gotta get him out in the fourth or fifth and then you know leave him leave him for the bigger options later so um I'm curious are valuable for what it's worth like if you can get someone who can be versatile like that and you know give you two or three here or start opening game for you like those that is a valuable guy having a roster even if it's not a sexy type of guy yeah um i guess my only my only concern with strom and and with doing this and it's not it's out of the philly's control now like it's not it's not

there's injuries um but i think we talked about this a podcast ago but it puts way more pressure on wheeler nola rain uh taiwan walker like to to give down to take down some innings because if they don't then if you're only anticipating four innings from match drum on like a good day then it's like okay well now we're taxing our bullpen so early into a season um so they're gonna have to be like they're gonna be careful here because obviously you don't want to start you don't want to come out and bang six seven innings from wheeler nola obviously in the perfect world that's fine but like you don't want to run their arms in the ground in april like we need those guys good to go and in in july august

september so um it's gonna be it's gonna be really really tricky i'm right october and and possibly new mentality jack new mentality yeah um so the good part is is that they have like a ton of arms in in in triple a that i think they can bring up and give them good quality innings. So it's where it's not like a total disaster where it's like a couple years ago where it's like we have to rely on whoever, like Blake Parker opening games. Blake Parker.

And this. Blake Parker was like a go-to opener. Oh my goodness. Oh my God, yeah, He's great at it. Um, but it's definitely gonna, it's, it's probably my biggest concern the first month of the year until Ranger

gets back is, is, is the, the trickle down effect of strong starting games. And if he can't go deep and what it puts on the other starters and also what it puts on the rest of the bullpen, like they're going to have to navigate this. The good,

the good part is, is that I think this is like Rob Thompsonovan's specialty you know for as good as i believe his his relationships are with players i think like navigating 27 outs is is probably his his best strength yeah well when we had um dombrowski on he was talking about topper and and how like this guy's really just done everything you can do as a as a baseball coach essentially you know he's managed at every level the min you can do as a baseball coach, essentially. He's managed at every level of the minors. He's been a bench coach.

He's done this. He's done that. So he just has a lot of experience, a lot of reps with all these types of situations. So I'm intrigued to see Topper get a full year with kind of a spring train to go into the season and a full feel for the roster and really see what he can do, you know, because obviously outside of one massive decision in the world series, you know, we were, we were really happy with,

with what Topper brought this year. Um, I mean like, like for as bad as, for as bad as game six was like, again, his game one should be put his game. Put it in the Louvre,

man. Put it in the Louvre. Send it to Cooperstown. I mean, it was, it was insane. It's even better. It's a, it's a, it should be in a museum line of cards. Put it in the Louvre, man. Put it in the Louvre. Send it to Cooperstown. I mean, it was insane. That's even better. It should be in a museum. I guess it is Cooperstown. Yes.

Yeah. So this is the... And like, I think Cotham and I think... Caleb. Kaplan. I think Kaplan and Cotham. This is also something they're very good at. It's like mapping it out. And so I'm just going to put trust in those guys. I don'tplan and Gotham. This is also something they're very good at, mapping it out.

I'm just going to put trust in those guys. I don't really have a choice, obviously. It's not like I can go down there and influence decisions, sort of. I thought you were going to say it's not like I can go down there and start pitching. What? Hold on. I got dad strength now. Isn't that part of parenthood? Absolutely. That is a key

part of it. Listen, my left arm is going to be jacked by the end of this thing. Yeah, dude, you do get stronger. Well, I'm a left-handed baby holder. Oh, okay. Hold on. Let me think. I'm a right-handed. Oh, wow. That's very interesting. Are you a right-handed?

No, no, no, no, no. Okay, so see, I'm confusing child, toddler with baby. So when I hold Zoe, i definitely hold her my right arm but you're right when i held a baby you're right i did the the the yeah oh no you know what no really you put the head the head on the the no i did i put the head on the left okay it's been a long time here i'm trying to think of what i did i did that on the left yes yeah so it might have gone both ways i think it was a little ambidextrous with it. Yeah, I can't. Like, I'm not. Not at all.

Not at all. Like, I'm a lefty when it came to, like, pitching, glove hand, whatever. Yes, you're a righty. So, yes, that's right. Yes. What's a man? I was a lefty with a glove hand. That's the way people say it, right?

They say, like, my glove hand was the left hand. Yes. Good. Listen, man. I'm trying over here. You're doing great. I actually, like, have noticed that I've, like, just forgotten things. Yes.

Dude, you are tired. It's all good. We don't curse. I almost said an S word there. All the crap that you've given me all the years. Like, yeah, you are a little dumber when you're tired. You're a little less on the ball so now i'm an idiot so now i'm done so now i'm done you're always an idiot you're just now i'm

not making good points so now i'm gonna get kicked off my own podcast interesting i would never i would rather interesting i hope elliot has good baseball oh can you yeah can you imagine this pod would die before that before someone else it's it's just up anything if either of us are gone there's no pop. It's just dumb. Can we make one Elliot take, Babalik? Please. Oh, I thought you were going to say, can I give an Elliot take?

No, I need one Elliot take. I need this in the stratosphere. Sure. Why not? He believes there should be nine feelers and nine Ds. Oh, yeah. I think he might have tweeted this, actually. It's the dumbest take in the history

he like keeps bringing it up to us like when reese got hurt he's like oh see if they had nine defensive players this wouldn't happen and every time we're like stop like stop texting us this like we actually hate it like we're actually getting mad at you when you keep it and he pushes for it he thinks it's a great idea he thinks they should have nine hitters and not there's a really good point but this one like as this one is is so preposterous and yet thinks it's a great it's just like it's just like what are we changing baseball for and not everything has to be football like it should be five defensive players in basketball exactly it's exactly right dude it's exactly right yes it is such a horrendous take i'm happy you brought it up he He should be embarrassed.

Feel free to tweet at him about his horrible take if you feel like it. I think that's appropriate. I think it's very appropriate. Yes. I hope he's confused, too. I hope he's like, why are people? I didn't know that. Yeah.

So if you want to make Elliot very confused and like wondering if he said this publicly or not. Yes. I think his idea about 90 H's and nine and nine fielders is a terrible idea horrible idea yes yes and i'm sure he'll appreciate it yeah i i i love the idea of him being like wait what that's phenomenal all right great work by you here all right i want to fire off some uh quick enter type stuff uh heading into the season stuff we've talked about along the way but with spring training behind and kind of where you're at

let's start with I was driving home today and I heard Hugh and Joe by the way great show check out the new midday show on WIP you really should they're really fun but I heard them talking about a Cassidy bounce back season the topic of the show today bounce back season or not you and I've been very bullish throughout the first

you know portion of spring training training started before he started sucking again and looking like old Nick Castellanos. Where are you at? After, you know, a rough spring, kind of picked it up at the end a little bit. I texted you. I was like, the day Walker was being born, Casti raked one into Frenchies. And I was like, oh, look at that.

Pulling a home run. Look at that. It's a sign. But, you know, obviously I think, and I'm still bullish, but, you know, spring training is certainly but you know obviously i think and i'm still bullish but you know spring training is certainly you know it brought back the concerns my it's like oh are you still doing that or that like oh i thought he was gonna stop that where you at with cassie in the bounce back well uh so i was very excited to uh once you know walker was there to go look at the castellanos video and and see the home. Do you know who he hit the home run off of?

I don't. I was so excited. So when he hit it, I got so... Because we were in the middle of the Walker thing. It was like the Walker Day text had been coming. Me and Elliot are basically being like, what's going on? Give us updates. And then I'm sitting here as this is happening.

I see Cassie Raquin. I'm like, it's a freaking sign. So I just texted you immediately and stuff. I didn't pay much attention past that. Was it off like a position player or something no but but close to it basically no no it wasn't i i i believed in this guy but he was terrible uh 2022 philly james norwood oh no no no no not great not great i think you were the only one who believed in james nor no i did i'd bring him back bring him back um stuff i mean they're great stuff yeah what do you want me to do um so uh yeah here's where i'm at i i'm not sure about the power i and i think that i think he's gonna i think he

started to come out of it towards the end of spring training but it was still a lot of like singles and a lot of like yeah he hit it the shortstop's head in a short left field but softer contact like it doesn't feel like he's like you know hitting it hard you know we're not getting exit velocities on these spring broadcasts for the most part but like it feels like it's a lot of you know like 80 miles per hour over the shortstop's head type stuff you know yeah there's a lot of that uh i i do think his eyes look better like i'm not seeing as many chase as much chase um and his on base percentage has been pretty good like it was you know he's we walked two times on sunday and then he um he had a single so like it he seems like he's walking way more

which is fine give me walks whatever i feel like he's the kid in little league where you're like hey walks as good as a hit. Don't worry about swinging the bat up there because you know they're not going to get hit anyway. So it's like, just get on base. Now, quick question. Is that Little Leaguer making $25 million a year? No, he's not. Okay. I just want to make sure. So, like,

I'm definitely, I'm worried about the power. I don't like that you just compared him to a Little Leaguer saying, hey, walks as good as they hit. I don't like it either, buddy. I don't like it either. What are to a little leaguer saying hey walk walks i don't like it either buddy like it either what are we gonna do next stick him in right field um so uh yeah definitely a little bit not even that by the way it looks like a lot dh from nick ass yeah at least we're gonna at least we're gonna make him the dh that's a good idea 13 home runs and 260 average um so i think he's gonna be a better contact hitter this year i don't think we're gonna see as many strikeouts uh i just think the power is gonna take a little bit to come back

and hopefully hopefully the beginning of the season doesn't get off to a terrible start so um yeah that's right with cassianos i'm not i'm definitely not as bullish as I was on like all-star 25 home runs, 280 plus. Like I'm more in the 270, 50. Oh my God. Well, that would not constitute as a bad magazine. 330 on base percentage, which is not a good spot to be in, especially with Reese going down and knowing that a lot of this pressure now falls on the shoulders of nick castellanos to pick up the uh the offensive you know slack lacking

thereof yeah i'm just gonna keep piecing words together here you're struggling it's not great i yeah you're gonna pull this together i almost uh in your last tweet because you've been very good at this in your last tweet you messed up the me and I, and I was going to text you that. Yes, I still don't understand. I tried to get it. It's very simple. So basically all you have to do.

Don't ever say. Don't ever do like, it's very simple, you dumbass. I was not meaning to be, you're right, it was. It was not meant to be condescending. It was more just like, let me give you a simple trick to figure it out each time just take that like if it was me just take me out and say the sentence with just you so be like uh you can come hang out with me or i like forget the j like coming out with jim seltzer and would you say you come out with me or would you come out with i me obviously so it's that just

take out the other person's name and write the sentence with just you and that's how it's supposed to be does that help at all no this is my least favorite like this is my least my the most demoralizing thing that's happened to me in the entire like this has been a long podcast for me like I've like it's been bad like I'm just you know what's funny is this is like nothing i feel like 40 minutes like i could go all day right now this is great no no it's not it's not like it's not like that i'm just like you're taking some hits i just feel like an idiot right like i just feel like i just i don't really have any other things besides i feel like a freaking idiot dude this is just get used to this honestly i would say the first month of Zoe's life, like, I felt like the dumbest person on the planet. That's when, like, we have freaking audio on the morning show now,

but the midday show, like, classic audio, when I messed up this thing with the North Pole and the South Pole, and they make fun of me to this day. We play the audio to this day, and every time I'm like, I had a baby a week before this. Like, I was an idiot. I'm with you. I said dumb things.

So at least you're not, you know, saying I'm on the radio that can be brought back forever. Yeah. I guess. Yeah. Yeah. Um,

hold on. What was I going to say? Oh yeah. I also misspelled. I also misspelled to Vola by accident. So don't have a jazz bet. So, uh,

yeah. So listen, we're thriving. We're doing great. I'm going to power through. We're doing great. She's going to power through. And I always do. I'm not a compli- I don't, I don't, I, doing great. I'm going to power through. We're doing great. I'm just going to power through. And I always do.

I'm not a complier. I loathe complaining. That's true. And I just want everyone to just do their job. Take accountability. Do your job. And when you screw up, say it was on you. Now, I'm going to do my job.

I'm just saying, might not be the higher standard. At a lower level. Yes, I get it. That makes sense. All right. Speaking of power or lack thereof. Dude, how do people play sports after having i dude i'm telling you that's what the whole freaking harper thing when everyone's killing the guy when he first started

here and i was like my athletes are humans thing i was like he just had a kid i was like honestly he just had his first kid and some people just say all right screw it i don't care whatever i'll go and do my thing some people are like locked in on that kid and like Jack is and it does take it out of you it you are are absolutely firing at less of a like a high level than you are before like it's just a fact well so can I can I make it in a can I make an abbreviation man you are really struggling today with the word I'm making a can I make a I don't make an adjustment? Addendum? Is that what it's called? Addendum, yes.

Addendum, you got there. Let's make an addendum. Can I make an addendum to your athletes or humans? You sure can. Yeah, absolutely. Podcasters are humans too. That's true. Yes, that's true. Podcasters are humans too. Give us a break.

Fire on all cylinders baseball's back tomorrow everything's yes um back to casdy um awesome this is going well i do think i do think your point i do think your point about the power is an important one like he's never been a massive home run guy like the 34 homers that year was the most he's had. I haven't checked, but I would guess 28, 29 was probably the most he had before that, 27. He's normally mid to late 20s type of home run guy, not a 30s guy. I'm with you. If Cassidy comes out and is ripping doubles, feel good.

That's what we should be looking for with Cassidy is, to your point, a better and an extra base hits because when he's locked in he's ripping doubles he's ripping extra base hits so I would be all right with less power as long as he's you know like you said driving guys in and hitting the baseball with some sort of authority what a thought for 20 million dollars or 25 or whatever it's 20 I think right see five years yeah it's 20 yeah you threw me off before all over the place um you're doing great by the way i think you're doing great on your first pod with the dad right you're doing okay you're doing okay you're doing okay you'll get there tomorrow's gonna be great coming out with jack you can do this see this in person listen that'll be great listen how stupid i am in person yeah that's part

of that's part of the intrigue to opening day is like oh how can i trick him on some math yeah i'm sure you can i've always been bad at math now factor in that i'm sleeping two hour intervals every night yeah those are tough too the shifts the shifts are tough but listen i'm just saying it's all great great it's all great it's great it's the best this is awesome literally the best thing in the world without a doubt all right let me uh fire something else off at you and see how yeah are you ready i mean i don't even know what to do with this one this is great uh all right offensively we talked a little bit about it last time with the reese injury and all that losing reese we talked about how they're gonna fill it in in terms of hall and all that but but stepping back you've had a few days to think about how how big a hit offensively do you think there's going to be?

Like Trey Turner coming in, you think should make up for some offensive deficiencies that, you know, his replacement. But like how how serious a loss is Hoskins offensively now that you've had a few days to kind of let it percolate? Well, speaking of Trey Turner, I thought like, you know we had our fancy draft on monday and i'm not i'm i never do redraft leagues like i'm in keepers same same same i never get to do them um it was shocking seeing him be the number one fantasy player it was like wow you know we we've always like dreamt of having that kind of guy yeah and he should be i mean other than show a he was like you know different um and contributes on two sides of the ball if you get unless you're unless you unless your league allows you to draft him as both you know you can do that can't you i mean

you just have to it's just it's just you designate him for a day so the day he's pitching he can't hit but you can use him as a hitter every other day well on yahoo i think you have to draft you have to draft and you have to draft them now no so in espn what we're playing in like you show a what is the most valuable player because you can use him as a hitter six days a week and then have him pitch today's pitching so but regardless trey turner should be the next pick like if i had had the second pick in that draft i would have taken trey turner he's gonna steal 60 bases and hit like 25 30 home runs like this dude's gonna be a monster from a fantasy. And now apparently hits home runs all the time.

So who knew dude is over under and home runs. Like I know he's only get over 24, I think once in his career, but I think it's 23 and a half. Like that seems so low right now with this team and this, the ballpark and all that. Between that being feeling low, I think bones is 14 and a half. Wow.

That is shockingly low. That is like shocking. Vegas grow up a little bit. I mean, you know, you know, Vegas always losing money. They don't know what they're doing out there.

It's what everyone says. Although, I mean, man, they, they, they completely missed the, the, completely missed the Eagles thing last year, but whatever.

But to be fair, when that happened, like, everyone, it was like bet on the Eagles, bet on the Eagles, bet on the Eagles over under went up like a whole win or whatever. Of course it did. I know. They blew it, but at least the market caught it up. Yeah. So it's definitely going to be a big deal, obviously. But maybe I need to see it play out first, and maybe I need to see these guys play. It hasn't sunk in how I feel about the team.

I've never been a huge Derek Hall guy But I think he's going to be pretty good at it And I just I like his Like the power's always been there for him but I like how he's Hitting this this this spring training like I Like that he's taking you know singles Out the middle you know I like that he's had some hits Off of lefties it's not I'm not seeing As much swing and miss as I'd seen

In in the last couple of years So um you know I just I think he can do at least a Competent job and i just i continue to believe that that boom's having this big kind of breakout he's arrived kind of year so um you know i i just i don't it hasn't really just it hasn't affected me that much you know like i just it stinks for reese i feel bad for reese but i think they're gonna be fine and and i think that i think some people are going to

step up. I mean, they did last year. They went 32-20 without Bryce. And then hopefully Reese can pull the Schwarber and be ready to go for the NLCS and World Series and bring it home for Reese would be great. But it just hasn't changed anything. And I think

first base defense is going to... I think it calls a better defense at first base, so I think that'll help um i know people freak out about like i just the idea of cassianos playing first base just keeps me up at night it's a terrible idea um but i think kyle swerber did you hear swerbers yeah it's so funny he's like they're like oh yeah you played 41 games there in boston do you have any interest like no like before they can finish the question he's like no Like we've got other dudes I'm not playing for his base. What I think is put was like,

you don't want to see that. You don't want to see that. He's like, we've got enough guys where you shouldn't have to see that is what he said. Yeah. So, and you know, I think, I think Bum can do it.

You know, if it needs to come down to it where Derek Hall can't play, whatever. Like I think Bum could do it. And I know people have, have concerns defensively, but like I,

I watched him all spring and i don't even i don't even get that worried about boehm's defense like it's not it's not something where it's gonna i think hamper them like it's he's never gonna be arenado but he's just he's made so many more like simple routine plays that like i just think he's gonna be okay at first yeah to that point that just the amount that he improved last year at third base from the, the, I hate this place. We've been placed moment to the playoffs and how we felt about him. Like that, like he's going to put in the work.

Bobby Dickerson is phenomenal at this job at teaching these guys how to do this stuff. Like, I don't think like it's, I know he's played his whole life. So that's part of it. It's harder to play third base and first base. Like, I think that ultimately if given a chance and given time he'll be able to figure this out i agree with you but i don't think he could just step over there right now with so little reps in it and not have issues yeah work but it's covering knowing where to be all it's

it's good there will be moments is the point but i know but he has played there before it's like people act like he's never he's never played first base he's he's never played it with any sort of consistent you know but i know your point he has honest to god played first base in games my bigger concern with bone playing for my bigger concern with bone playing first base is actually the power like if you if i'm ranking the things that i'm worried the most about it's a good point i. I need 25 plus home runs for my first baseman if I'm going to feel comfortable with it, unless you want to be like a 300 hitting level first baseman. Yeah, unless you're a 300 hitter

who's one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball. Correct. Then you can do that, sure. Correct. And we know he's not going to do that. So for him to play first base for me long term potentially, the power has to develop. The other aspect here is JT

you know and what that would require is more Garrett Stubbs who I love dearly don't think he needs to play three times a week I mean look when it comes down to it you'd rather have Munoz in the land than Garrett Stubbs is the point if you're taking a one for one in those situations you just

rather have Munoz in the land and you know andbs is the point. If you're taking a one for one in those situations, you'd just rather have Edmundo Sosa in the lineup. And, you know, and again, with Edmundo, you would have a goal club caliber first base. Exactly. You're upping the third base defense in a big way. Exactly. And look, as much as I like Stubbs, you are degrading the catcher defense as well

when you go from Romito to Stubbs as well. But the other part about Edmundo is that if he plays first base, you're getting goal club or first base if you want to But the other part about Mundo is that he plays first base. You're getting gold, gold, clobber first base. If you want to keep, that's why I suggested that last time,

or that's certainly an option for me, you know? So, so yeah, it's, it's something that it stinks, but they, they'll have to overcome it.

Like I just, I can't sit here and be totally freaking out because Reese got hurt. When I saw the Braves in the world series with the Cooney out and the Cooney is a top five player in the game. So it stinks. I feel bad. We got to move on. Yeah.

Well, especially like to your point, like in terms of just approximate. And again, there's a lot more that goes into, you know, a team and all that type of stuff. But if we're just talking and a lot of people will just break baseball

down to the component stats to like wins or Bob replacement, this, that, whatever it is like, like essentially if we're just talking and a lot of people will just break baseball down to the component stats to like wins above replacement this that whatever it is like like essentially if we're talking about getting a a passable to bad first baseman replacement which is what reason if we're talking about just replacing reese we're talking about 30 homers and uh you know 340 i mean hopefully better but last year 330 340, 43, 50 OBP. Like, yeah, you could absolutely do that with a combination of Derek calling off. Boom. Like pretty easily, I think. So, you know, easily, but it's certainly doable. So I think just from a stats perspective, I'm with you.

I do think, you know, the leadership, the, you know, they called him captain, all that. I do think that that was more of my concern when it happened. I do love and shout out to Alex Coffey. We've talked about many times in the pod i think you know doing a phenomenal job on the beat and always finding interesting kind of offbeat type stuff but um she had this quote from uh in her story uh where derrick called right after it happened you know the day after whatever saw hoskins at his locker and went up and gave him a hug and he said i'm sorry man this is really rough and hoskins replied with actually i'm happy for you and it was this whole thing about he's happy for hall to get the chance i'm

like that's where i i get calmed down again and i worry about the the losing hoskins from that perspective i'm like a to your point he's still there and then on top of that like man there's vibes still here like i do think that if i have to say is this going to be something that that hurts the team from vibes perspective or brings them together and motivates them, I would absolutely bet on bringing them together and motivates them. And I think that that part of this is where I'm getting hope from.

Yeah, and I think that's a massive part of this. Like, I don't... So when Schwarber tore his ACL, he did not go on road trips with them, but he was at every home game, you know? And I kind of anticipate Reese doing the same thing. First off, he loves being there. He loves being around the guys.

He lives in Philly. It's not like it would be a big deal for him. I think that, yeah, I think he'll be there. I think he'll be around. And I think that if they see him working and trying his damnedest to get back, I think there's going to be a little bit of a win it for Reese and bring it home and try

to get him back for the NLCS, get him back for the World Series, hopefully, and stuff like that. We talk about these things, rallying teams together. I think Reese is the right-ish kind of way to happen to, where it's like

he's going to be there, he's going to be invested, and he's going to put everything he can going to be invested um and he's going to he's going to put everything he can you know to almost being like a coach you know he's almost going to be like a coach for these guys um and i i just think his presence around the team is going to is going to really really help so yeah i'm totally with you and love it we'll see okay um last thing and then take bag and i want to make predictions at the end and all that but your guy man you and your Marte on the team how excited were you when that comes down and you see up my dude I said he was gonna make it I've been on this corner I've been stumping for him all like spring training long you and your Marte on the very excited very excited and i just you know they've been so

good at finding these like under the radar kind of guys that can like that's that's the thing that that sunk clint ackerman fails like yep they couldn't find anyone that was like it was like it was like oh for a million it was unbelievable like it was like how could you not even just get on a guy by mistake mike Mike Morin. I mean, Blake Parker you mentioned before. I mean, so many of these. I mean, Ramon Rosso and all these younger guys that just couldn't come up and help and couldn't, you know, it is

night and day with that stuff. Well, and they're taking from the right teams, too. Like, Junior Marte is a Giants product. Well, it actually started with the Royals, but he got developed by the Giants. Why are you getting Angels guys? Why are you getting Tigers guys? Like, go get smart teams, is a Giants product. Well, it actually started with the Royals, but he got developed by the Giants. He always used to talk, why are you getting Angels guys?

Why are you getting Tigers guys? Like, go get smart teams. Yes. Go after... I mean, them and the Giants, like, they just make waiver claims off each other's rosters. Like, it's the funniest thing ever.

I mean, we have Plassmeyer, Andrew Vasquez, Luis Ortiz, Junior Marte. Like, there's like four that can just rattle off the top of my head. But I just... I think he's gross, man. Like, I just, every time I watch him, I'm like,

how the hell are you supposed to hit this guy? I mean, obviously the control is going to have to come, and it's going to have to be like part of the factor here. But on the surface, it's 99 with Sink. And like, wipe that slider. Like, I just, I think that there is, like his set of, I don't know. Like, there's back end of the I don't know. There's back end of the bullpen potential. They might not even need him there.

That's what's so fun about this bullpen now, where we don't have to dread their existence like we did for the last five years, is that he can come in in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and it's like, oh, wow, there's a possible back end option being brought into the middle of a game. I freaking...

I'm not going to use a Marte jersey. He of the game. Like I freaking, I, I might get a union of Marte Jersey. I, I've just, I, he's like the greatest. I love him, you know? Um,

and it's just, there's so much stuff there. There's so much stuff there that, that, that they can play with. And you know, if any of the closing options or back end options go down, I think he's just going to continue to pitch his way into the,

the back end if need be. Um, but at this point, the luxury at this point, it's like, bang, that's six, seven, knock it out. Like he, I mean, in like 18, 19, it would have been like their second best pitcher on the bullpen. And now he's like their seventh. The last guy on the roster, one of the last two on the roster. Yeah.

And he's stupid and he's stupid. So shout out to Ani, shout out to Sandfold and Dombrowski. Like, they just have – it's been the – for as good as they have been with getting stars and understanding that camaraderie is important and understanding that, you know, you need a good clubhouse to win, being able to find these under-the-radar guys that – I mean, the JoJo for Mundo Sosa is a perfect example.

Perfect example. And I know Ohapi's going to be a good player, but shoring up center field defense with Brandon Marsh, there's just these little moves that have just paid massive, massive dividends over the last couple years. I mean, look, the very first move he made when he got here, Clevenger for Alvarado,

that type of move, going and saying, all right, this guy's a Ray, no space, space for him, but he's super talented. He's got some issues. Let's figure it out. Like they've been doing that. Like the Browski has been, and it's what you talked about when, when he came in, you're like, give me those Dombrowski trades. Like we've really seen an, and to your point, Ani and the guys under him really helping

with the, the, the, um, you know, scouting and all this stuff and picking the guys and stuff. But man, I mean, Baladi, another example. It's just over and over and over again this front office, as opposed to the last one, has hit on dudes and it matters. Yep. It's the biggest sign of a

healthy organization is what they've done in those kind of markets. Very excited about you in here. I'm for everyone you know it's not about me yes that's right excited for everyone to experience you in your market very magnanimous of you that's good yes um all right quickly before i take back it might have been tomorrow though well i guess i guess it wouldn't be the worst thing to see him tomorrow i mean it depends on how the game plays out right

yeah you know if they're up eight nothing give me some junior you know if there's it's a three two game late um all right quickly before they You know, if they're up 8-0, give me some junior, you know, if it's a 3-2 game late. All right, quickly before the take back, and I know we're going long today, but, you know, opening day tomorrow, assuming Walker doesn't get up and start yelling. But we didn't mention the one other kind of bit of news

since the last time we spoke. The Scotty Jetpack's, you know, comeback tour has been put on hold. Were you surprised at all? Because, you know, I did not expect him to make the on hold. Were you surprised at all? Cause I, you know, I would, I did not expect him to make the roster after the Reese injury.

I still didn't expect it, but I thought obviously it opened up for him a bit. Dalton Guthrie making the roster instead. Your thoughts. Yeah. I couldn't, I couldn't take the Scott King or anything anymore. It's like,

what are we doing? You know? And I'm all about like with you getting pumped about prospects and stuff, but like, I think he hit one home run, and people were like, oh, he's back. And he put decent contact on the ball. But I watched him, and I was like, yeah, he's essentially still the same player.

The swing looks a little bit better. He's making better contact. He's getting more hits. But he's essentially the same player. So I think Dalton Guthrie's a good player. I like him, too. He's getting more hits, but it's essentially the same player. So I think Dalton Guthrie is a good player. I just I think Dalton Guthrie. I like him too. He's a gamer.

Everyone that you talk to in Lehigh Valley, you know, the ones that don't the ones that don't leave us for the Mets and turn their back on organization. They they love Guthrie and they think he plays hard. He plays tough. He's got a little bit of pop. He can put the bat on the baseball. He can play center field. He can play whatever they need him to do. Unfortunately, the Phillies have cornered the market on these guys

when we needed them to be bench guys instead of real pieces like Maiton. But now all he has to do is be a good bench piece, and I just think he's going to provide value there. So I was happy. First off, they'd have to put Kingery on the 40-man roster. Well, that was the thing I kept saying. I kept saying to people, Kingery's going to make the roster. I'm like, do you understand?

They would have to take someone off the 40-man to do this. He has to be amazing. Jake Cave's out there having the best spring training in the history of baseball. No one cares. They're like, look at Scottie. It's like, relax. I know. out there having like the best spring training in the history of baseball no one cares like look at scotty it's like relax i know so uh i i go listen go prove in triple a if you're still if you're still you know hitting well in a month we'll see but like look there's always opportunities throughout the season they're gonna be injuries they're gonna get guys who nicked up they're

gonna be 10 days since there's gonna be months stints like if if he goes to the minors and hits they'll figure it out he He'll get a chance. But I just don't expect him to keep it up. Sad. So. By the way, Dalton Guthrie. Go ahead. I couldn't take much more.

Couldn't do it. What are we doing? Like, he's not a good player. I don't know. I know we have this. I know, like, people loved Kingery. And, like, I did, too. And, look, the Phillies played a role in that by giving him that contract. player i don't know i know we have this i know like people loved kangaroo and like i did too like i love the phillies played a role in that by giving him that contract seriously you know

and his agent like he should send his agent a thank you card every day of the freaking year for the rest of his life but i think the phillies by giving out that historic contract and it was so much money like singleton did the thing and he got like eight million or whatever it was six they gave him like 24 million dollars kangaroo It was six. They gave him like $24 million, Kangaroo. Like, I think because of that, it just made this like inflated him where it's like everyone's like, oh, this guy's definitely going to be a star. They already paid him, you know? Well, and everyone's like, oh, my God, he's Utley. It's like, relax.

Definitively not. Yeah. Well, I put a lot of blame on Buster Lonely as well for the Dustin McGroy with more talent. And you know, like, oh, gritty, tough little player. No, stop. Easy. Stop. Guthrie's the better option for this game. Well, the thing I didn't understand, like the Kingery thing, he had one

great year in the minors. Like, one. Like, he was fine in the minors otherwise, but he had that one year where he was like transcendent and then it's like, oh, he's great. He's just a great player now. Like, it was like, what? It was one year. Dude was like transcendent. And then it's like, Oh, he's great. It's just a great player. Now. Like it was like, what was one year? Dude,

dude. Klintzak thought the worst case scenario for Scott Kingery. This is, he thought the worst case scenario was he's the most valuable. He's the most valuable Swiss army knife in baseball. Yeah. Yeah. It's like,

Holy. No, the worst case scenario is paying him $24 million to play in the minor leagues. That's the worst case scenario. We just saw it. You didn't think that one through, did you, Matty? Did not. By the way, two things about Dalton Guthrie people might not know.

One, do you know who his dad is? Mm-mm. Mark Guthrie, like 15-year veteran. Mark Guthrie played in the majors for like 15 years. So his dad, I did not know that either. But more importantly, now now in addition to the great garrett stubs we have two jews on the phillies so shout out to dalton got three he is jewish welcome aboard buddy you know you got a fan in me i love you dalton i love you garrett i will

always support you guys just putting that out there all right take back so my take back today is the five things that I believe about 2023. I love when you turn the take back into a top five, especially because I, it's makes sense. You're probably going to withdraw, right? Yeah.

That's what I was going to say. Like, you're probably like freaking out about these top fives. You know, I need them. Been a couple of days. Here are the five things I believe about this Philly season. Number five is that a Mundo Sosa plays well enough to become an everyday

player in 2024. Wow. It's a big one. That's what I believe. It's certainly look, it's certainly possible. He is. I think he's shown enough with the bat.

You look at a couple of those minor league seasons. He's had some moments and he's an elite, elite fielder. So if he can get the bat to where he's a, you know, a, you know, whatever, a seven 750 to 800 i mean

800 probably shooting high but like a 750 ops guy like 750 ops guy is like a and he could a 700 to 750 ops guy with that glove he's a starting baseball player you know um and you know i guess when they made the trade farm last year there's a lot of teams that immediately called the phillies like hey can we have them um which is great which is kind of like a fantasy draft where it's like it's like you you all could have gotten him right yeah yeah you all could have gotten him right we're all the only one who had jojo romero to trade or no you didn't have your own jojo romero really yeah so uh i think it plays well enough to become an everyday player in 2024 uh my fourth thing i believe about the this phillies team is I believe that Boehm's

going to make the all-star team. I'm all in on Alec Boehm. I think he's going to be unbelievable. I think 285, 25 home runs is what we're going to see from this year. I think he's going to break out into wow, that's the guy we drafted number three

overall. This is like the the highest possible like he just he looks so healthy not like he's always been healthy but he looks like so confident which i think is the biggest thing that's changed like when he struck out the last couple years even spring training it used to be like he starts sulking you know i mean we saw very public sulking it's where i mean there's more public sulking than i believe in eight this place i mean come on but like them going on that Ron hit, like, you know, just downing beers and, you know, joking about, I believe we hate this place.

Like, I just think he's in such a good spot. And the muscle's obviously coming. We've been over it a lot. But, yeah, I think he's going to have an unbelievable year. The third thing I believe about this Philly season, and I really hope this comes true is that i believe that ranger suarez is going to throw a no-hitter whoa i think he's throwing a no-hitter i love that this is an off the wall i by the way before you do number one can i guess it

but go ahead i know what your number one is going to be. But that is like a really, really, really, really bold call, my friend. Really bold. He gives off such no-hitter-ish vibes. It's a lot like, remember when like Moyer once a year would randomly like flirt with a no-hitter? Sure, yeah. And it's like he's like 80 and he's like, oh, Jamie Moyer is through seven no-hitter.

You know, I think Ranger, one of these days, in mid-July, when the Pirates are in town or whatever, and it's like, bang, he's through seven. No hitter is obviously a bold call. He's flirting with a no hitter this year. It's a bold call, buddy. He is flirting with a no hitter. I love that you did it because it really,

if it happens, it will be you know all time all time stuff so come on buddy chestnut checkers um that's good it's gonna work by you the second uh thing that i believe about this philly season and i think this is what you thought was gonna be number one oh yeah obviously trey turner is yes so it's not number one. Wow. Okay, this is my guess. Trey Turner is hitting for the cycle in everyone's long national nightmare that everyone agrees is the worst thing that could ever happen to the Phillies.

The David Bell era officially closes. So Trey Turner will hit for the cycle this year. And when he does, I have a champagne bottle from 2004 that I will pop and it will officially end the cycle this year. And when he does, I have a champagne bottle from 2004 that I will pop and it'll officially end the David Bell era.

It'll be the first time ever we do an emergency pot after like an 11-6 Phillies loss. It's like emergency pot time! Like that will happen. For sure. It's over. But the number one thing I fully fully believe about this Phillies season is they're going back.

Yes! They're going back. We've talked about it. I've tried to fight it. I've tried to fight the whole idea that they're not going back. How hard it is to go back and this and that. And the Royals are the last team to do it. And this and that.

Well, the Astros were when they did it this year and beat us. Oh, yeah, they did. Stupid Astros. I blocked that out. You might not know I blocked that out. Yeah. Someone pointed that out to me like, you know, the Astros just did it. And I was like, well, that doesn't count.

That's against us. Yeah. You know what? Let's forget who it was against and say, you know what? It just happened. Why can't it happen again? It happens all the time. It just happened. Yep. Twice in the last? It happens all the time. It just happened.

Yep. Twice in the last decade, now we can say. So there you go. So I'm not going to put out there that I think they win it. Like, I think that's just like, it's a little lofty. But I think they're going back. And I think that they'll rally around Reese. I think that Bryce comes back and, and like that gives them a lift um and i and i just you know the phillies put out a um like a like a postseason

video like just of all the great moments and it's just like i just i just trust them like i just trust them in all these spots and i and i think shorter being there is like the the most important thing i think that you know yeah obviously one-two of Wheeler, Ranger, I think proved to be big gamey last year. Plus, he's been calling off a no-hitter. And we'll see what Painter has. But the bullpen's way better. And I know that better teams with the Phillies have lost.

The 10-11 Phillies are probably better than the 0-8 Phillies. And this team is more talented than last year's team but they have the right components where it's like i just think they're going back i don't think they're gonna win the division but i think they're going back yeah so i'm in the exact same spot when we were on uh shills pod i said i thought they were gonna win the world series so uh reese got hurt like that day. So I'm not going to say that. Well, that's all Shields' fault. Yeah, it's all Shields' fault. But I'm just going to say, I'm right there with you, man.

Like, I feel just as confident now as I did when we did that pod about this Phillies team. And it's what you talked about, man. It said, I just, I believe in this group. And it's such a strange thing to be talking about on this podcast, to be talking about on this podcast to be talking about our our confidence in their ability to just know how to win is that like really a conversation that is happening on the high hopes podcast oh we trust this philly's team because they're winners what what is happening what world am i living in honestly it's crazier that we're

having this conversation than the fact that you just had a kid like that's less crazy than us sitting on the ops pod being like we just trust this team and trust the organization because it's really winners like they are though i i just trust this group and the vibes and i love the the coming in and two more games like it's like the moment they hit spring training it's like two more wins like they had a they had a rallying cry like they had an ethos the day they walked in. They're like, all right, got to win two more. Like, I just, I love it. I love the way this team like feels about each other, the vibes there, the chemistry, the excitement, the addition of Turner, like the way they're built. Like I just, I think they're built for October. I think they're built to have success in October. I just, man, I'm right there with you. I'm, I'm fully, fully in on, on another

run this year on us being out the ballpark for playoff games and I was doing practically daily pods and all that on the way it's happening. Like it is happening. Like Walker is going to see a playoff run in his first year on this planet. That's freaking awesome, man. It took me 12 years on this planet to see a playoff run. Like, Walker's going to get it in year one. That's pretty awesome. I agree. And I guess my final thing I want to make sure. Real quick, official prediction.

Like, how many wins? Because we said we would do that when we were on show spot. 92 wins. I'm going 94. So I'm going slightly above you. 94 wins this year for the would do that. And we're on chills, but 92 wins. I'm going 94. So I'm going slightly above you. 94. Yeah. Philadelphia Phillies.

And I agree with you. I think they're second. I think it goes Braves like 97, 98 Phillies Mets around 90 or something. Nice. Nice. Um, yeah,

so I'll go 92. Obviously Turner's their best player. Um, and, uh, bone breakout, all that good stuff. But what was the thing you wanted to get to? Oh, dude. So, uh, Turner's their best player. And Bo and Brick got all that good stuff.

So what was the thing you wanted to get to? Oh, dude. So I know this made people so mad, but JT, first off, he did that on purpose. I'm letting you know. Oh, I feel, I am right there with you. I think that was on purpose. I totally agree with you. I'm just telling you, that's the

inner workings of baseball, which is why, like, it made me love baseball. Like, I love baseball, but it was like that moment was like, I love baseball. That was a very Fritz moment right there. Oh, my God. Because it's a throwback. I could see you just sitting there going, that's why we should never have robot umps.

That's baseball. I love this. That's what you're thinking right now. Well, and it's a nice throwback to when, like, if an umpire missed a call, a catcher would, like, just move out of the way and let the ball hit the umpire. Like, I think that's...

Dude, that was my favorite thing growing up. Like, I used to love it. It was such an awesome little thing. Like, you're right. That used to be part of the game. Like, a little sidestep off the chin. Like, oh, it was great. Yeah, so, like, can everyone just...

Can everyone... Like, I just want everyone to, like, just stop with the robot arms. Like's awful it is it i have been so pro every move so far but like can we why does everything have to be right you know i'm with the human element of baseball still exist and jt doing that after he was late with craig kimbrough like kimbrough like was in his wind-up umpire calls time, and immediately dropping his glove with a little attitude back to the umpire,

that is, that is, that's baseball. That is, that is baseball. And no other sport can have that, you know? So enough with, like, I don't care if it turns into an ump show in a way. Like, whatever, it's spring training, whatever. That's baseball. Like, I just, I can't do it. Enough with the robot ump show in a way like whatever it's spring training whatever that's based like i just i can't do it enough with the robot umpires why would anyone want it it doesn't

make any sense to me i understand oh we gotta get balls and strikes right no yeah arguing with people it's when it's because we we are prisoners of the moment and there'll be a game where there's a cost strikeout call and it's just a disaster i mean there was the one yeah like that i mean that kind of stuff like and that's where people like well the only way to solve this is robot umps uh i don't know hire better umpires how long have i said you and i know people like joke about this or whatever but like like maybe don't have old guys who have bad eyesight or whatever like there's so many different angles just like you become an umpire it's like all right you're an umpire for the next 40 years why why wouldn't we we get the best athletes to play the game right why not have the

best people to um people are in shape people have good eyesight people and again like it's hard we talk about this like it's freaking hard you see a ball coming at someone's face and then it cuts over the plate it's like did it get over the plate was it off the corner of the plate when it's going across like it's hard i get it but and i, and I, look, I do like the, I get very frustrated when these umps are horrible, and I have, like, wavered back and forth somewhat. But ultimately, on a basic level, I agree with you. I think the game is more fun because there is not robots.

Correct. So that's the final take of the day. Look at that. The final take. What a love it. All right, you got to get back to Walker. You got anything else? No. Come out to the ball tomorrow. Look at that. The final take. What a love it. All right, you got to get back to Walker. You got anything else? No.

Come out to the ball tomorrow. Yes. Win some opening day tickets, all that good stuff. Literally, you can win. We have 20 pairs. Think about how many people will be at the bar. I mean, it's an awesome place. I mean, like, let's say there's 100 people there,

and that's shooting hot. You know, 100 people. You have a one in five chance if everyone signs up for it. Like, just think about that. Like, you have a real chance to to win home opener tickets to jack's point for the most exciting anticipated home opener in over a decade you get to be in the building when trey turner steps up to the plate at citizens bank park as affiliate for the first time in his career like this is it's going to be awesome and again

you hang out with us you hang out with tommy Green and get to watch the Phillies beat the best opener in the history of baseball. Yeah. And you get to see just how stupid I am right now. And I'm assuming this is okay. I've not cleared this, but you'll show everyone a picture to a walker if they ask. If you want to see a picture of a walker, Jack will bust it out for you. Is that fair? Plenty of fun.

Well, I wonder if I can get him in his Billy's onesie tomorrow. I gotta get him in his Billy's onesie. It's a key. Even though it's like way too big for him. Simply don't care. Don't care. Yeah, well, it's a good luck that way. All right. Tomorrow, coming out with this, it's going to be awesome. We're gonna have a lot of fun. We'll be there

four o'clock. First pitch will be there, you know, a little before that, hanging out. And until the end of the game, we'll watch the game together. We'll hang out. Any final thoughts for it's here? Was that kind of the final thought? I think that was kind of the final thought. Yeah. Final thought is Jack's a dad. This guy right here is a dad. I'm so happy. I'm so excited.

We're going to have so much fun with this. We're going to talk a lot of Walker. The funniest part for Walker, and I always think about this with Zoe. I'm sure I've said this before, but the idea that this kid that has no idea what's happening is like so many people have heard their name and like know their stories be like oh you did this it's like what like someday it's definitely gonna be a weird moment when they understand it yeah but you know that's on them that that's that's future uh james and jack's problem present james and jack are enjoying it all right um tomorrow coming out of this

davola jack's gonna go do dad stuff um We'll get this up quick if you're watching on YouTube. Thank you. Come hang out. Usually, final thoughts, I'm like, I'm just rambling. There's baseball tomorrow, Jack. I can't wait. He can't wait. We'll talk to you guys soon. We'll be back soon with the pod. Of course, coming out tomorrow, we'll have a blast. He's friends with himself. you