High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 1: Trea Turner Is Back Thanks To The Standing Ovations

Episode Date: August 7, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies wins over the weekend and Trea Turner's resurgence. 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. The whole discourse this weekend honestly bummed me out like it did. It turned into something that it didn't need to turn into. I totally agree with you. I think if we just boil it down to its simplest form,

is that Trey Turner is our shortstop. He is, yes, we understand he's making $300 million. He was not, we were not giving a standing ovation, like, out of, like, because he deserved it. Great job, buddy. No. What happened this weekend was people acted like human beings. Like, that's what it was. And that's why I was so emotional.

And that's why, like, dude, it was impossible not to well up at the reaction on Friday. No doubt. And him getting a standing ovation. And then him getting a hit. Like, it was cool. It was fine. Yeah, the single was nice. RBI hit.

Cool. Saturday. Cool. And then the post-game comments. Yeah. Where he talks about, like. We don't curse on this, Bob, but that was bleeping awesome or whatever. It was really bleeping cool.

Yeah, really bleeping cool. And then the mom quote. And the mom quote is obviously one that hits home for a lot of people out there. All of it. We all have moms, man. And that was cool. I didn't anticipate. I really didn't anticipate the next night. Dude, no way.

I thought maybe you'd get like a couple hits, a couple singles or whatever. And it's not just that Trey Turner had a home run in that spot. It was the most important hit of the weekend. They were down 6-5 late in the game. It was trending towards disaster. It wasn't like, oh, we're up 7-0 home run or we're down 7-0. That was a massive hit in the season, in the scope of the season, much less Trey in that moment.

And, like, just his emotion rounding the bases and the, like, aggressive hugs he was giving out. And, obviously, like, the curtain call, man. And the extra, like, fist pump at the end. Like, he let us, like, he, you could tell he really appreciated it. He let us... He... You could tell he really appreciated it. He took a billboard out, dude! Immediately! There was a billboard

this morning. This just happened. There's a billboard out saying, thank you, Philadelphia. I think he hit on something else that was important, and we heard it with Bryce's comments. We heard it with Bryson Stott's comments. We could see it when Nick Castellanos was standing on the top of the dugout, waving the towel, is that this meant a lot to T Trey Turner and I think it could have really helped him get out of his head and move forward but this one left that team every single player on that team was like

yo like this is our city these are our fans these guys love us they have our backs I mean Bryce talked about it and I thought a really little part in that quote was he's going on about how cool it was and he talks about the chills and the, you know, the, the, the, I wish I had started my career. That'll made around.

But he also, at the end of it, he goes, he goes, just throws in like, yeah, me and the guys have been talking about it. And then just keeps going on.

It's like, they're talking about this. What's a possible not right. But the clubhouse is talking about us, us. We always talk about them. That's what we do. That's our pod here,

right? That's what we all do. They're talking about us this weekend. They're saying how cool was that? That they did that for him and for us. And that's, like, unique, man. That is unique. And, you know, like, stop wearing the Trey shirt on Friday. It's like everyone knew that was going to happen.

And I like that. So, first off, I'm surprised it was that loud on Friday. So, I thought it was going to be like a... I thought it maybe could crescendo into that. So that's what I expected. I expected people to get up. I expected it to start enough people to get up where people are like, oh, I should get up right now.

And then it would just turn into something. So I expected it to get there. To your point, from the jump, it was... I mean, more people got up, but from the jump, it was loud. Well, and it seemed like that they were anticipating it, too, because the way that TMAC set it up, it was like back in the day with the Utley would come back or Rollins would come back or Harper or whatever. It was set up to the point where they thought something was going to happen.

Thompson talked about it pregame. And they all kind of were like, we think something. We're not really sure. And everyone met the moment. And the fans were just... It was... That's a special... That's something I think we're going to talk about for a while. We'll never forget it.

That was a special moment. Obviously, it'll help if Trey goes off and turns this whole thing around. I think the biggest way you could tell that he was way more relieved was, frankly, what he did in the field. Yeah. And even the at-bats, too. He wasn't flailing at first pitches every at-bat. He seemed more composed.

Now. I know. And the second at-bat on Friday. I think he was trying to hit the ball. He was out of the ballpark. But as the game went on, it looked like he was in solid at-bats, too. Yeah, but the defense. I mean, the defense, he's sliding, he's throwing,

and he makes the final out on Saturday, which I thought was fitting. Of course. So, you know, I just felt good for him. in, he's throwing, and he makes the final out on Saturday, which I thought was fitting. Of course. I felt good for him. Overall, whether you're anti-ovation or whatever, I think that people all came around. Some. Most. But it was just

a nice human moment. It was nice to be able to take the salary out of it and we know he's going to be able to feed his family. And they don't ever have to worry about money. And I understand you struggle. And you have to pay for tickets. And you're hard-earned money.

But it was just a good, honest, human, support one another moment. And that's why I love this place. I think it's the coolest when we do stuff like that and yeah you mentioned the teammates I think how they played yesterday and how the stars specifically played

Castie Baum, Harper, so close that one on the wall and then the big double two of them, the double down the right Schwarber, the big bomb in that spot I think it also relieved all those guys. And I think that it almost, we already have a love affair with this team because of the World Series run, but I think it's just going to bring us even closer.

And there was a lot of talk pre-World Series run. Like, I don't feel like our guys, you know, they're all mercenaries. The World Series run and this weekend, I think, just brings us that much closer. The Eagles, everyone loves. We're very close. But there's just something about this Phillies team and the fan base that they kind of feed off one another. Hey, fantasy football owners.

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Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Dude, I'm so with you, and I think it intensified this weekend. Look, I said it after the run, during the run, and I'll say it forever until something beats it. I've never been a part of a communal thing like the playoffs, and particularly the Harper-Homer game. Well, what about the Fish concert? Well, that's the next closest thing. The Fish is the only thing I compare it to.

The only thing I've ever felt like. You're right there but seriously i've never been a part of something that felt like this communal group joy and experience like that where it was so magical and so loud and so special and it did matter like the players talked about how it mattered and all that and i i'm so with you jack i think it brought us and these guys together and this this weekend was like another step forward in that in this relationship between team and and fans and you don't think about like again to the point I made before like we talk about these guys all the time right you know

we talk about Bryce Harper we say his name a million times all this stuff like but there is a both ways with it it's communal like they talk about us they think about us being there we can impact situations we can impact games. We can impact games. And we can have real moments like we did this weekend. And to your point at the beginning about, like, I don't like, look, I get the, you know, we're a tough town and all that. Like, I'm all for that. You know

me. I hate Dallas. Dallas sucks. All that kind of crap. Whatever. I'm all in on it. Like, I am, I love the Philly thing. I love booing if someone deserves to be booed, I'll do it. But, like, I just don't understand how anyone could have been against this this weekend. Like, Trey Turner's going to be here for the next 10 plus years. Like, they signed him. Like, I just, what's the, what are we doing here?

Do we want to be the fan base that we always joke about? Like, oh, national media are going to blame Philly for everything. Do we want that? Like, is that what we want to be viewed as? Like, we had a chance this weekend to show like, hey, this is who we are and this is what we can do. And it was beautiful. It was a beautiful thing.

That's why I think people miss the point of it all. I think there's a lot of people that couldn't understand. They're like, oh, participation trophy and I thought we were a tough fan base and this guy's been a disappointment. And what I kept going back to is I don't know how you watched that interview,

that post-game interview on Wednesday after the Marlins loss, and just didn't feel for the guy. And then when you hear he was at the batting cage till midnight and the whole thing. Exactly. It was really the time to do it. It wasn't – if that interview – It was that Saturday game against the Marlins It wasn't, like, if that interview. It was that Saturday game against the Martins that made it all happen. You're absolutely right.

That's why. Wednesday. Or Wednesday, excuse me, the Wednesday game against the game where he had the error that he said, I'm the reason we lost. That was the low moment. And I don't think that, like, it's hard to recreate having that and then turn into, like, it's just, it was a special time for that because of seeing a guy openly look like he's struggling to keep it together because he cares. And we always ask for it as you care.

Yeah, just try. Give us everything you got, man. Right. And it was a really, really special weekend. I don't think it was coddling. Being a tough fan base is a point of pride for me. And not just that. it's our default. Like that is what we do that no matter what.

But I think that being able to also have the side of being there for someone who is clearly going through something, which Trey was. That's why I think it happened. I think that's why the movement happened. I think that that's why people jumped on board with it. And, you know, I'd say 75% of the city liked it, and 25% vocally did not like it. But I don't know how, after what happened Saturday and seeing his reaction, I think it got up to maybe 90%, and there's still people holding out like,

oh, it's stupid, whatever, yada, yada, yada, it's the Royals. You know, I think if you're a true Phillies fan, you're a true Philadelphian, this weekend was one of those moments we're going to talk about for a while. I'm so with you. And look, I think I've probably said this to you before, and coaches say this, and I love it when coaches talk this way and stuff, but the idea of not everyone responds to the same things. You and I are similar.

If you yell at me, and I think you're the same way, if you yell at me, you're not getting the best out of me. I'm sorry. I'm going to turtle up more. I'm gonna turtle up more like I'm gonna be annoyed I'm gonna be upset if you tell me I'm great and you appreciate what I'm doing I'm gonna work that much harder for you like I'm an attaboy guy like I think you're more of an attaboy guy than a get yelled at guy too there are some people who need to get yelled at right there's some people who do need tough love like every person's different every person responds when they are going through problems or adversity, whatever, in different ways.

And like this whole like, oh, just boo them thing. And again, we pay our hard earned money. I am a supporter of the boo. I have booed. I will not rip people for booing if they think it's warranted. But like the ultimate goal is we're doing it to get them to play better. Right? Like we want Trey Turner to be better.

And if this isn't working, like, why not try something different? Why not try something that ultimately, the end goal, whether it's because you're booing or you're cheering in those situations, is to ultimately help the player move forward and be better, right? It's productive. And that's why I think the mom quote struck

me probably the most of the weekend was because obviously he's talking, he's frustrated. Yeah, no doubt. He's like down in the dumps about it and he's never jack he's never struggled like this in his life think about it he's talked about that a lot this week because it's true the thing about i mean he's never struggled the majors he obviously to get to the majors was the best on every team he ever played on his life like he's never gone through anything like this before and and and knowing how he cares, you know, I think that's why

it was such a, his family, I think, liked it as much as they did. But Special Weekend, and you mentioned it earlier, watching the development of Nick Cassianos into like,

like, yeah, like, our guy Cassie. Our guy guy. Dude, my favorite, again, the curtain call was the moment of the season, but my second favorite individual moment of the whole weekend was Cassie with the towel. If I just pick an image, it's that. And he's turning into like...

I feel like Cassianos is the pick you up when you're down guy. You know what I mean? I'm sure they all are, but it feels like he's very in on... He's like a put your arm around you guy. He's very in on like, I'm going to get you through this because I went through it last year. And I don't think

Castellanos needed what happened this weekend last year. I think Castellanos was... I think he's built differently, man. He's different. Every human being is different. And I don't think Castellanos needed that last year. But I just really, really enjoyed Castellanos and being at the think like they don't think cassianos needed that last year i agree you know um but i just i i've

really really enjoyed cassianos and you know being at the top step and like i just i liked i liked how into it they were and like for his if you thought it was corny if you thought it was phony the guys didn't make exactly right yeah they clearly loved it ultimately that's all that matters a great point is if the players liked it. And the players clearly did. I mean, they talked about it all weekend. They were on top step. I mean, they're all into it.

When he goes out for the curtain call, first off, Thompson's a little like, I like Rob Thompson. Me too. But Stotts right next to him slamming the top of the thing. They were in it for him. They were in it for the whole moment. And listen, that's what makes sports sports.