High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 1: Could The Phillies Still Sign Blake Snell?

Episode Date: December 14, 2023

Jack Fritz and James Seltzer discuss the possibility that Blake Snell could still become a Phillie as he remains on the free agent market. 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

All-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball Isn't Boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is.

Another fact, so jump aboard the B.I.B. Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. I just don't trust Dave Dombrowski when he says, like, eh, I'm good. Yeah, well, that's true. When has he been good? Never in his career.

When has he been like, eh, we're fine? Never in his career. And I just, you see what the Dodgers do. You see what the other NL teams are doing. And it's like, yeah, I think the Phillies are a 90 to 95 win baseball team right now. And if you go out and trade for a high-end reliever, probably adds a win or two. Yeah, they're already a good baseball team. But what would annoy me is that I'm seeing great teams being built, like on paper.

And it's like, look, it's an arms race. I mean, this is what we talk about. This is an arms race. And the Phillies are in the middle of that. They've been in the NLCS the last few years. They were in the World Series. So, like, they have to participate in it. I think just sitting that out.

And that's why I think maybe the Yamamoto stuff is still out there. And what's interesting about the Yamamoto thing is that it really seems like, and both hayman kind of mentioned it and rosenthal said it the other day that it's not really about money for him like he'll obviously he's gonna get 250 to 300 million and so obviously it's there but he's not making a monetary decision it's not like go pay yamamoto 400 million he's gonna be a philly right he's be sold on it and i don't know if the phillies have well yeah the fact he did say he wanted to play with other Japanese players so that's not the best start to that

the Dodgers and the Mets a bit of a heads up on us but you know look I'm with you from a philosophical standpoint you can't and again I think Middleton has spent his money and no issues with John Middleton has spent his money and and no no issues

with john middleton he's done a great job it's trades but like just from a philosophical standpoint like you need to be in on stuff like that goes back to that quote about what are the 1927 yankees spam what did this what did that like you gotta be involved you have to be invested in in making this team better even if you already have spent a lot of money like sorry like you're in a window you have to win the world series there is look you have to we want you to win multiple worlds here but the point is is if you don't win a world series the next three four years whatever it is with this core of guys in their primes or slightly post primes or whatever then it's a massive failure like that this era of baseball philly's baseball is a failure if they can't win a championship.

I mean, I know it's high stakes, but you would agree with that, right? Yeah, just the way you said it. I know, I know. You can't do it. You can't do it. I kind of wanted to stop recording and leave, frankly. It made you sad, huh?

So sad. I know, but it's true. Of course it's true. I know. Of course it's true. I know. They have the highest payroll in Team History. They're into the luxury tax.

They have stars. They have Bryce Harper. And they went to the World Series, and they went to the NLCS already. Yeah. They went to the World Series, and then they had a trade. Like, it's just, yeah. It's massive. It's absolutely massive.

And that's why I just don't believe them when they say, eh, we're pretty content with their roster. And maybe that's because they're not able to make a trade right now and whatnot. But I think they're not content with the starting rotation. I think that's been put out there a little prematurely.

I do not think that they are content with the starting rotation. I think that comes to Tylan Walker. Well, and the fact that they're even being rumored with Yamamoto moves shows that they are still looking at the starting rotation. Well, and the way that they're still being rumored with Yamamoto moves shows that they are still looking to upgrade the starting rotation. The way that they're still whispered as they're looking for starters.

And why would a – if you're a fifth, sixth starter type that's a free agent, they're not signing that guy. They're only interested in an upgrade. And I think the Phillies are a – I think they like Nola, but I think they would like one more stud there. Well, and the funny thing is, they have arguably one of the two or three best rotations in baseball right now today.

If they don't do anything else and everything stays as it is, obviously if the Dodgers add Yamamoto with Ohtani, and Ohtani's not pitching next year, but you know what I mean. 70 million for a DH? We'll get to that. I definitely would regret it. definitely would you rather have reese or otani i mean considering reese is gonna make what like 60 million less this year 55 million well i guess not technically we'll get into that i hope the giants sign them reese reese i could see that like they just signed that k guy. He looks good.

He took your boy Yamamoto. Grandson of the Wind. Did you know that? The who? His dad is considered the most famous player in the history of Korean baseball. His name was the Son of the Wind they called him.

That's a heck of a nickname. What a great nickname. This kid is the Grandson of wind i'm like that's wrong that's pretty awesome they made me like him more i was in on him more after that yeah we'll see yeah uh yeah him on the giants he gets to go home it just it makes sense it makes sense yeah patient approach bad defense yeah yeah sounds like a giant sounds like a giant yeah sounds like a giant um i was gonna say this for the take back by mine as well since we're talking about the starting rotation just so you know just from a pod perspective i love when you do uh i was gonna save this for a take back but well you know it

adds like a level of of importance to it i feel like like that you just couldn't wait you gotta get it out big qualifiers and we're so dumb you know yes we are like we are very that's the end of the statement right it's just we're so dumb we're so dumb because like whenever we have events like ah we should probably talk about this first and then we're 85 minutes into the podcast like hey we had an event coming up yeah obviously stupid and i feel like i always bury like headlines and i was just about to real quick i got terrified there i'm like do we have an event coming up that i don't know about that's where it's all like it to go. Free agent watch party. Sit and stare at the wall.

No, you can't. What would we do? Again, if any company wants to sponsor this, LAS, I'd like to hear that. Fully in. We will come to your, probably your restaurant. It'll be sponsored by Miller Lite. Yes, I'm sure.

I don't think anyone else is jumping in and us for some reason. We're here. Sponsored by Miller Lite. If you are a local restaurant, us, we will have a High Hopes event at your restaurant where we will go into your kitchen and watch you turn on the stove. And that's it. We'll watch that. I love that. We'll watch the stove.

That's way more entertaining than anything else going on. And see if anything happens. What a good idea, man. Thank you're saying he's the idea guy you know if miller light wants to sponsor that we will come to your place of business the high hopes hot stove watch party watch party where we literally just turn on the stove i like it's my favorite idea ever i'm not kidding and and at the end someone has to touch it. Yeah. Touch the soap. Okay. Here's what I'll say.

If that actually happens, it will be the greatest sales job in the history of sales. If someone's able to sell that, you win. You are a true hero. We're going to come? At first, I don't even know if legally. I know. There's a ton of people in the kitchen. It feels like there's some dangerous ground.

I'll touch you at the last point, but then someone has to touch it. Yeah, I know. This business has to sign off on burn marks. That's right. But you want to do business is business. That's right. I mean, think about how many people will show up at your restaurant to watch the stove. To get burned by the hot stove.

Yeah, yeah. Yes. Look, watch us get burned. I mean, I'm sure someone would show up. We can bring Elliot. Elliot can burn his hand. I think people would show up for that. People would push him

I think they'd push him on the stove it has to also be one of the flame little stoves too I don't want an electric stove no no no I agree

and we have one I have an electric one too I wish I I like the traditional I'm with you like I I like the there are obviously

reasons for it that I like but in terms of like when you're cooking stuff it doesn't have that same zhuzh what's your uh what do you what do you cook nothing nothing nothing i'm not so you're like oh and i when i'm whipping up something on the stove i can make some scrambled eggs like a like a

mfr man i'm a beast of scrambled eggs i can make pasta very good at boiling pasta okay heating up sauce you a grill man? I can grill yeah but we just don't grill that often in our house but yeah I can grill it's not that hard to flip them over and whatnot

I don't even consider myself like a I'm not like look if I'm at a big house party I'm not gonna be on the grill someone else will be on the grill you know why?

because I got other things to do and I'm just gonna stand there and grill I'm gonna talk to people I'm gonna be a life of the party it's what I do and uh but the grill can be a conversation it can be but i don't hold court at the grill i get it i'm like you jack i don't need a conversation starter i could just start any conversation with anything like i don't need a i don't need a a

reason for people to talk to me you know what i do is i have it all planned out in my head i very stock questions but you do yeah and then we'll see what the conversation goes yeah that's why we need to be together then we play off each other and when i when i get four stock questions in yeah and then i run out my problem with grilling is that i always convince myself i gave myself food poisoning you gave yourself what food poisoning oh by not cooking enough so i always burn everything over my yeah i'm i i'm with you especially with burgers like when it comes to burgers i grew up in the time of e coli and all that i'm mad cow and all

that which i know is ridiculous but i definitely have a like no i gotta cook that more guys we got to sorry i can see that and then it ruins it yeah for most people for most people not for me yeah well i'm fine it's all about living. That's right. Living how you want to live. Avoid sickness at all costs. Yeah, this feels like the conversation we should be having about the Phillies right now. Speaking of hot stuff. Hey, fantasy football owners. The road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now.

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or wherever you get your podcasts. So I was going to say this for the take back, but I might as well get it out now. I think they're going to sign Blake Snell. Wow. I think it just feels like it. It feels like there's been no market.

There's been no market. It feels like his, it feels so Castellanos-ish where it's like, which is a guy they were connected to early. Everyone's like, Oh, Blake Snell instead of Nola, this or that, whatever.

And as we've said many times along here, you would have talked yourself into Snell regardless. But if you want to sign Nola then Snell, that's a whole different outlook on Snell for us. Hey, you want to go full spin zone here? Love it. Let me take you into – Deep into the spin zone. How's this sound?

Would you rather just sign Yoshi Yamamoto or Blake Snell and Aaron Nola oh see if you had said that before the offseason

I would have said I would have said Nolan Snell obviously I mean who wouldn't in a heartbeat yeah no problem Blake Snell

well I mean look let's see how let's see how low the Blake Snell market goes maybe you get the two of them for the total price that Yamamoto goes for

like let's say Yamamoto gets 300 which is possible I guess which is possible so then yeah if you get Snell market goes, maybe you get the two of them for the total price that Yano Moto goes for. Like, let's say Yano Moto gets $300, right? Which is possible, I guess. Which is possible. So then, yeah, if you get Snell for $115, it's the same. Well, I think. No, I don't think you would, but I'm saying if it were $125, right? It was $175, $128. If you get Snell for $128, then that's $300 between the two.

Yeah. Five years, $150 for Blake Snell. It's pretty good. Could I get him for four years? Could i get him for four years can i get him for four years no i know i don't uh is he better than like is he better he's better than rodone right i thought you're gonna say chris sanchez and i was like yes he's right i'm kidding uh yes he's better let me he's he's better he's he's better than rodone in the sense that i feel more confident blake's now will pitch for me for sense that I feel more confident Blake's now

will pitch for me for the next five years. More often than not. I really am a Rodon sucker. Oh, I think I like, I Rodon's like Pete, I guess not. You can't say Rodon ceiling.

Cause Blake's now ceiling is Cy Young twice. No, no. So I think, I think sounds better. Yeah. I think, yeah,

I think it's better. Cause we're doing got one 60, one 60, five years. One six did not work out. Well, the first, no, he went six, one 60, six, one 60. Okay. Five years 160? Did not work out well the first. No, he went 616.

616. Okay. Didn't work out the first year of it. We'll say that. Well, at least he got Juan Soto. That's true. Yeah. So, yeah.

That's since we've talked. Yeah. So, but I. The thing with Snell is that I feel like the market's not. He should be a Yankee. If he's not going to be here. Who? Juan Soto should be a Yankee.

It's fine. Sure. Yeah. It's good. Like, if he's not going to be here, Juan Soto should be a Yankee. It's fine. If he's not going to be a Philly, that's fine. Because someone who was going to compete was going to trade for Juan Soto, let it be the Yankees. At least he's not in the National League.

It makes sense. I'm fine with it. It's good for baseball. Is that fair? That made me sick to my stomach. That's because you grew up in New York. I hate the Yankees. It's because you grew up in New York. I hate the Yankees. I hate them. It's because you grew up there.

I hate them. But with Snell, okay, so I think the market's going to maybe not be there. Maybe after Yamamoto signs, we start to get more in the Blake Snell market. But it just feels a little Cassie Youngish where it's like, okay, he's hanging around in February or March. And Dave DeMrazowski kind of goes, dude, we can get a two-time Cy Young winner to add to this rotation for a discount compared to what he was asking for.

It feels like such a Phillies move. Like such a Phillies move. If their whole message is we're going to be opportunistic when the time comes, like, again, five years for 150 for Blake Snell at this point to go with Nola and Wheeler and just extending the rotation to where Rangers are four and you have Chris Sanchez at five. That's a lot of lefties. And then it's also, I mean, in that case, you'd have to find a way to get rid of Tyrone Walker.

I mean, because then we're talking about having, so let's assume next year, Zacher uh a nola ish contract right is a couple years older so maybe like a little less years but like five for 200 i mean what do you or five for one 175 like less years same amount of money like what do you do like wheeler's got to get more per year than nola right i mean i think like what is what is 300 workout math wise that is that's like 33.3 or whatever. That was pretty easy math right there. Yeah, I guess you're right. I guess you're right.

I guess you're right. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. You think Wheeler, why would Wheeler sign a three-year deal? Well, he's 34. I thought he was 32. He's 34?

Yeah. He's entering his age 34 season. Wow. I thought he was entering his 33. I was a year ahead. Yeah. Okay. Wow.

Okay. So, he's in through age 37. So, you're thinking like Scherzer type deals. Okay. I mean, I would do anywhere in his 33. I was a year ahead. Yeah. Okay. Wow. So, he's in through age 37. So, you're thinking like Scherzer type deals. Okay. I mean, I would do that in a second. But that,

all right, let's say it's, maybe four. I mean, let's say four for one, four for 125. Okay. Is that enough money for him?

I don't know. Say four for, four for 140. Whatever. All right. Regardless, what's that like? All right.

Regardless, let's, the point I'm trying to, don't trying don't bring out your point i'm trying to make is then if you sign snell too we're talking about having something somewhere in the world like 500 million dollars committed to four starting pitchers for the next five years wherever like it's cool but it's like you're also betting on guys staying healthy you're're betting on guys going. It's like a lot of money. Hold on, Mr. Window. No, I'm with the window. I'm talking more about just like investing that much in the pitching staff. Yeah, I mean, listen, maybe they are done. I love it.

I'm not. I'm just playing devil's advocate. I would do it.