High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 1: Replacing Aaron Nola With Blake Snell Is A Terrible Idea

Episode Date: November 9, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz debate the idea of letting Aaron Nola leave in favor of signing Blake Snell. 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. Okay, so like lots of Philly stuff. Duncan, where should we start? Bryce Harper? Castellanos?

Nola? Snell? Where should we start? I'll let you decide. All right. So I want to start with... That's a good question. Hold on, I have something.

No, I'm just kidding. I want to start, because I really want to start with the Snell thing, but I also really- I'm risking my life, bro. I really- That's all I can think about. Just, you know, every time I hear Blake Snell's name, all I can think about is, I'm risking my life, bro. I thought about Ian Snell, but-

You were sick. I'm just kidding. Not kidding. It's a deep cut, Ian Snell. All right, let's get the Blake Snell thing out of the way I

I just think that losing Nolan replacing with Blake Snell is such a horrible idea like it is just tell us how you feel

such a horrible idea and I know that this is also the same guy full disclosure let's put our cards right on the table

I was the same guy that said imagine giving five years, a hundred million to Zach Wheeler. What team is going to get, what dumb team is going to give that contract to Zach Wheeler? So didn't age well. No, no.

But I mean, honestly, if we don't talk about it enough, maybe you're worth a take. I mean, in a series of podcasts of bad takes, that's right at the top. I just, he goes five innings.

He only pitched 180 innings twice in his career and this year happened to be a contract year. Yeah. So his last what was it? I think his last nine starts he won six innings or more and that was pretty much like to try to get to the 180 innings thresholds to win them. I guess so.

While you say this though like he might win his second Cy Young this year. Yeah. I'm just saying While you say this, though, like, he might win his second Cy Young this year. Yeah. I'm just saying. It's Mickey, though. He could be a... It is Mickey.

Get the 200 innings. It is Mickey, but, like, again, the list of two-time Cy Young winners, like, ain't that big. Yeah, but it's, like, also, he just fluctuates so much, too,

where it's, like, he's a Cy Young winner. He's... He's out in three innings. He he's he's out in three innings he walked everyone on the team in three and he's almost a four ERA it's like but it's not even start to start it seems like year to year it's like either he's the best pitcher in the in the league or he's a average yeah um so you don't know what you're getting I don't love that he's having another Cy Young year heading into a contract year I don't love that he doesn't pitch deep into the games.

And I don't like that he walks the ballpark. I mean, he walks guys all the time. I mean, he's nasty. So that's the thing. His high end is definitely higher than my low end. For example, if I was banking on the next five years, I think Snell gets five. Is that fair?

Do you think he gets seven? No, no, no. No way. I would be floored. Okay. So I Snell gets five. Is that fair? Do you think he gets seven? No, no, no. No way. I would be floored. So I think he gets five. If you were asking me who would I rather pay for the next five years, Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, I'd rather pay Jordan Montgomery.

Wow! So I like Jordan Montgomery too, a lot. Next Lester. That's a great take, actually. That's a good take. I mean, World Series winner, he's already got one. That's a good take. I mean, World Series winner. He's already got one. That's bold, though. I mean, because Snell's high end is really high.

I mean, the guy's probably going to win this young this year. But the high end, it's either high end or eh. I know. I'd almost rather take a higher floor guy. That's Nola. I mean, that's Nola. Yeah, but he'll just get, that's Enola. Yeah. He'll just get more money in more years.

Yeah. So, like, I think Snell's enticing. And I think Snell... I understand the appeal of him. I just... To go from a guy who pitches 220 a year, not always the best. Did have a four-plus ERA this year. It's so funny.

I mean, again, you know, what was it? You know, two weeks before the playoffs started, three weeks before the playoffs started. It's like every single person in Philadelphia is like, bye-bye. Don't let Thor hit you on the way out, Aaron. And now it's like you can't lose him. Well, that's the funniest part is that,

and I knew it was going to happen, and that's why this podcast is here, to, once again, guide the fan base. That's right. Thought leaders. but it's like i don't want to pay aaron nola and then it's like here are the placements okay well maybe i'll pay her like you know what i mean it's like the replacements also aren't like the greatest in the world but it's bad it's a honestly it's a bad free agent class across the board like a really

really doubt which is why i think oskins might get some money. We like Aaron Nola. The fact that he is no doubt about a top three free agent in a class is absurd. He's probably top two. It's probably showier than him. So I just... Listen, I think Blake Snell is intriguing. I think he has high upside. I get all that stuff. I just...

There's so many red flags with him that I just... I don't love it. I don't love that he had a career not career year. His career year is a 1-8 year. His career year is Cy Young. Yeah. His first Cy Young. I don't love that being a contract year. And I don't love the five innings thing. And I don't like the walks.

And now we know about he was really good in the Kevin Cash start. So that's what I was about to say. He has some big time moments that were pretty great, including the Friggin' World series. So as I finally have been able to talk my way through this, I could definitely be in on Blake. Definitely could be. I was about to play devil's advocate and try and throw the other side, and I didn't even need to do it. You just did it to yourself.

So I definitely would talk myself into Blake's now. I just want to. He's pretty nasty. It took me, what, three minutes? Yeah, about that. About three? Yeah. When I came in, it was a horrible idea.

Yeah. I still would rather pay Jordan Montgomery. I would rather do that. It's enticing, but there is serious risk to it that I'm not a huge fan of. So, again, I will play Devil's Advocate. Again, now that you're on board, I guess it's less enticing that way. Not on board. Not out on board.

You could be on board. Will be the leader of the Blake Snell fan base if they sign him. Big games. He's had some really big moments in big games. Again, what does he throw? Five and two-thirds no-hit ball in the World Series or whatever it was. I mean, wow. Yeah, but no one's in the crowd.

Pretty good. True. You know, true. No,. Yeah. True. You know, true. No, you're not wrong. You ain't wrong. Um,

but look, he's had some big moments again. He's possibly probably going to win a second Cy Young. And I do think that, you know, theoretically, if the Phillies are committed to potentially doing a six man thing, which we have talked about before,

or at least mixing it in throughout the season, you know, maybe you don't need a guy who's going to give you 200-plus innings. You know, maybe it's less important to have someone like that if you're going to bring in a guy like Snell and try and manage those innings. Here's what I'll say. I think that, look, you have to get to the playoffs, obviously, to win the playoffs, but I do think there's an argument to be made that I'd rather have Aaron Nola for 162,

I'd rather have Blake Snell for October, because his high end, and when he's on, and when he goes out, he's better than Aaron Nola. Hey, fantasy football owners, the road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. I'm Matt Harmon from Reception Perception. Join me and James Coe as we take a deep dive into the position that's going to

make or break your fantasy roster. Wide receivers. We analyze route running, target share, and all the metrics that matter, giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers. As you prep for your draft, let us give you the coverage you need. Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Blake Snell,

I feel, did he start game two of the NLCS last year? Did he start game two of the NLCS? He had to have. He must have. Yeah, because you did one. Not me.

Hold on. Did I miss something? Yeah, it must have been him. So, you got beat up a little bit then. We allowed four, right? Yeah, because we were up 4-0. Yeah, and then what happened? I don't remember. Josh Bell took over.

As he always does. Dude, it's sickening. He's the only guy in the Marlins series. He was roping balls. Should they sign him? Sure. I would take Dave in a second. Yeah, so he started game

two. Five innings. So yeah, he settled in. Four earned. Yeah, he gave up the four in the first, and then he settled in and pitched well after that, which, you know, it's good to see. Yeah, but alright, so his first start was against the Mets. He went three and a third, allowed two earned. That's not great. Six walks, by the way.

Well, that wasn't his good year. If he had made the playoffs this year, he'd be in the playoffs this year. If it only happened to be a contract know, if he had made the playoffs this year, if he had made the playoffs this year. If it only happened to be a contract year. If he had made the playoffs this year, he'd probably be great in the playoffs. Dodgers, Dodgers in game three, he went five and a third,

struck out six, only a walk two. That's pretty good. Eh, against 110 win Dodgers. In game seven, I mean, in game seven,

right? Was it game seven or six? The next one. It was seven, right? He didn't pitch again. He didn't pitch again? No. Dude, they beat the Dodgers in like five. It was seven, right? He didn't pitch again. He didn't pitch again? No.

Dude, they beat the Dodgers in like five. Oh, yeah, they did. The Dodgers beat them in five. Yeah. The Padres beat the Dodgers in five. Padres beat. I was thinking, I'm talking about the World Series. Oh, yeah.

That was seven, right? No, it was game six. Game six. Yeah, Kevin Cash, the famous story. Yeah, I didn't know if it was six or seven was what I was trying to remember. Who remembers this one with 2020 World Series? That's what I mean, the most Mickey Mouse. That's the only way the Dodgers could actually win the World Series.

It's the only way Kershaw gets a ring. I know. It's so Bobo, too. It's really, it's sad. It's a shame. It's a shame. The shame about Kershaw is that, like, he was so freaking good, man. Dude, he's one of the three best pitchers of a generation.

A generation. We always talk about, like, Pedro and Clemens and Randy Johnson. Everyone would say, like, Maddox. Like, he's that for a generation. A generation. We always talk about Pedro and Clemens and Randy Johnson. Everyone would say Maddox. He's that for this generation. He's that great. He's no doubt about it. Surefire Hall of Famer. Just could not. Just a disaster. You know what's even better? You know what's even better

than that? Is having the closer version of him. I know. Isn't that so fun? Isn't it so fun to have the closer version of Clayton Kirsch on your team? At least we don't have any more. Thompson, actually, I was listening to him on with... I thought...

Did you listen to the cut from the Charmin and Heyman pod? We played a bunch of them. I only caught that because I... Actually, it was funny. I finished listening to it on my drive in, turned on the show, and I was like, hold on. Wait a second. What are we doing here? I really appreciate how introspective and retrospective he is.

He is openly admitting I made mistakes. Yes. And I really appreciate that. Yeah. And it makes me feel good, I guess, about going forward. Of course. Like next year. That he won't do the same thing again.

Well, I think the one thing he definitely won't do again, I don't think he's going to be set into a lineup. That's my point. I don't think he's going to, like, overly trust guys. Not trust is the wrong word. I don't think he's going to be averse to change if he feels like change is necessary. And I do think that, but I do think bullpen-wise,

he's still probably going to go with trust. That's why he go get a freaking closer. Don't let him make the decision. Be like, oh, it's Bednar time. Boom. We're good. David Bednar's coming. Whoever. Alex Lang time. Bring him in. Just don't let him make the decision anymore. Is that fair?

Yeah. Well, listen. It's so funny how much I've evolved as a baseball fan because when I first started doing this, I was like, oh, you need to have the fire band come in. I know. I remember anyone can close out a ball game. Sir.

Anthony, we had to remember that was like a big thing with him. And now it's like, I really like, I just want to do, I just want to lock down closer. Shut it down. Lock down.

Yeah. Take me back to the nineties. I don't care. Like give me a dude and go on. I mean, look at the team. It's a matter of two years in a row. Like, sorry. You know, it has. Um, and really just having the option of having him yeah would be

important so it's gonna be interesting because like haters obviously there if they want to just pay hater well he's a free agent right yeah he's a free agent he's still josh freaking hater yeah um he did quit on his team this year which is not great but he also i mean to his him and blake snell what a tandem awesome bring over from San Diego. Hey, you know what you should do? Bring in two of the players of the most

disappointing team in baseball this year. Yeah, who both seem like... And trade for Juan Soto. ...kind of like assets. So, being honest, you know?

Let's bring in Juan Soto too. I'm risking my life, bro! Mm-hmm.