High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: Bryce Harper, 1st Baseman?

Episode Date: April 13, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz discuss the news that Bryce Harper is now working out at first base in an attempt to play there later this season. They also bring up Bryson Stott's hot start. 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 right, let's get to the first base thing. Did you see that one coming? No, not at all. But again, I'm not that shocked in the sense that it is less strain on the arm. If he's going to try and play a position this year, it would make sense that first is a less taxing thing for his arm to do with the new surgically repaired elbow and all that stuff. And look, I mean, Harper was a catcher.

He started his career, he's moved to the outfield. I'm not that shocked that he would be willing to do it. surgically repaired elbow and all that stuff. And look, I mean, Harper was a catcher, you know, to start his career, his move to the outfield. I'm not that shocked that he would be willing to do it. The guy loves baseball. The guy's obsessed with whatever. And I do think, look, it makes a lot of sense for this team. It gives you a lot more freedom. Because, again, I don't think that the arm,

and Dabrowski even said it when we met with him down in Clearwater, he's like, Harper's not going to play right field this year. You know, we're not concerned about him playing right field this year. Is it realistic to you, the first-base thing? Because, again, I get it. He's not going to have to throw 100 feet on a rope, and that is more taxing on the arm, but there's still throws you have to make.

If you're getting a long cutoff down the right field line, you've got to throw home. It's still a hard throw, so I'm still a little dubious. Now, it's pretty easy to control.'s easier i think to control like now obviously if it's a big game it's a postseason game uh like he's gonna have to make that throw but i think in the regular season they can be like have the second baseman do it like kind of change your cutoff routine so to speak you're right now he's gonna have to throw to second base on double play balls stuff like that throw across the diamond every once in a while, that kind of stuff.

Yeah, even though, like, it's a shame. The first and third throw is pretty much out. It doesn't feel like it. You know, it never happens. You're right. That's a good point. You really never see it. You're right.

It is a shame. It never happens. So, but the one part that no one's really brought up is, you know, first off, like, Reese got hurt last year, or hurt a couple years ago, on a guy running into his elbow on a bad throw that opened up his elbow. Yeah, his arm was extended. So that's right on the elbow. So that's concerning for me. No doubt.

Might be more than the throwing, but at the same time, not a throwing elbow. Yeah, so it'd be on the glove hand, but still it's a dangerous spot to be in. Right. The tagging should be fine. That won't be a concern. The interesting part about this is that the Yankees were thinking about signing him to play first base. Remember during that whole offseason? They wanted him to be a first baseman.

Right, because I think they had Scrub, Aaron Hicks, and Centerfield. Oh, yeah. And then they had Stanton and Judge and Gardy. Oh, yeah, you're right about this now. I remember. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They had Gardy and they had Stanton. They and Gardy. Oh, yeah, you're right about this now. I remember. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They had Gardy and they had Stan. They had Judge.

They had Aaron Hicks. And they were like, we'll still sign him to possibly play first base. So the Nationals tried it a couple years ago, too. Yeah, he's played like one inning of first base in his career. Listen, that's my first baseman. One inning. That's my first baseman. Look, it really would help the team.

I mean, opening up the DH and letting it move around and having Harper play the field would help this team this year, without a doubt. Yeah, and honestly, it helps them going forward because if they're going to let Reese go and Bryce can play first. Oh, my God. It opens up from a team-building perspective. And you can go sign an outfielder.

You've drafted outfielders. They can play there. I mean, Justin Crawford down the road. Yeah. All that stuff. We'll see. Not a fan. Not in.

Not in. We'll see. See you right in when the pick happens. Yeah, we'll see. No, it just crushes. Not to make this into a draft thing, but, like, Spencer Jones has gotten off to an unbelievable start. Has he? It's just like, he's right there.

You know, like, these guys are right there. We do it. Anyway. Barber. Trust Brian Bar it. Anyway. Barber. Trust Brian Barber. Trust Brian Barber. Anyway. For pitchers.

So, yeah, definitely. But Harbaugh at first base, like, you know, it makes. It makes a lot of sense. Well, it makes a lot of sense. And it does help him length his career. Like, rather than having to play right field at 38 or whatever. Or DH. Or DH or whatever.

Right, but if he plays first base, obviously it's not easy, but it's much less taxing on your body than running around the outfield. So I think that's massive. And he's a solid right fielder. He's not like a great right fielder. It's not like he's an elite one. He's good. He's got that.

He's good. He's good. Let's say he's good. I wouldn't say he's great. Is that fair? Yeah, I think that's fair. He doesn't have as many outfield assists as kathy but who does no one um but with with harper at first base you know being a catcher does help not no it does i agree the funniest part is like i don't know if

he's a good catcher like i know he played catcher i don't think he was yeah he was the second base let's put it off let's put this way they moved him and i know it's for career reason but they moved him off catcher real quick. But I will say it's a similar pick. When you're talking about picking... Oh, that's a good point. Sure. So it's not like a massive change. Let's put it this way. It's not

like they're teaching an outfielder how to play first base. He has similar hand movements when you look at the pitch in the dirt versus picking that. That's a really interesting thought. I would not have thought of that. He's an athletic guy. He would have the ability to do it.

He's obsessed with baseball. I think he'll be smart enough, and I think it's smart. And I didn't see it coming. I didn't think about it. But now that it's here, it's like, I see it. Yeah, I do too. I'm all for it. I fully, fully support it.

Again, I just, and for long term, I think it's an absolute no-brainer it should be the plan for the team like do it done this year I'm just dubious and I guess look who knows I mean Bryce Harper seems like he's you know you know we joked about it with the Jalen Hurts thing where like Sirianni was like oh he's he's different he just heals different and And he didn't, right? It still took like six weeks or whatever it was. Bryce Harper might be. Like it seems like Bryce Harper might actually be built differently than us. Came back super quick last year from the broken hand, like quicker than people expected.

This, I mean, if he comes back when people are talking, I mean, this is like an all time, like they're going to tell this in like textbooks. Like, oh, this is how you can get back from an ACL reconstruction. Like this. I mean, not ACL. Tommy John. UCL. And, and, talking about being, you know, different than everyone.

I mean, he took 95 off the face. I know. Great point. It was back like a week later. Didn't break anything. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. He's built different.

Built different. RIP your grandma. I'm built different. I don't know what that's from. Isn't that the big meme? Never seen that? You're the Twitter guy. I said that because I thought you would know it. Yeah, big old swing and a miss.

Someone knows. 100%. If you know it. If I know it. If you know it, someone else knows it. RIP your grandma, but I'm built different. Okay. Let us know if you know that. I want to see how few people know it mean when i'm shouting at me is it's probably not a good thing anyway yeah it's probably old yeah it's probably

facebook memes i don't do facebook but yeah same idea you're right yeah yeah you face you're excited to face nick lodolo again no dude no i never i never wanted he was good against us last year yes yeah like lodolo Just owns the fills Yeah Something about that dude I don't know what Well Yeah he's nasty

He is He's part of it But I like how you Segwayed there to the Reds Are you excited to preview The Reds series I just I don't like having to

Face the Reds again Like can we spread out My Reds series Dude we just said that On the air today It's like what are we doing here We just played them Like this is it right

We're not playing them again. It's like all the Reds games now. Yeah. Done. Yeah, so it's fine. It's just like, it's weird to play. In the balanced schedule era. Yeah, it's like you're thinking, you know, take some time.

Yeah, spread out the Red series, you know? I want to see Graham Ashcraft later in the season when he's really figuring it out. Well, he's still pretty good. I know, I was joking. I know, it's not very fun. But they avoid Hunter Green. Hunter Green struck out like 10 and 5 last night against the Braves. Good.

Good. They avoid Hunter Green, thank God. Okay. They're facing two scrubs and two good ones. Yeah. Okay. I mean, the Reds avoid Zach Wheeler, so I guess it all kind of evens out. Okay.

Well, I don't care about the Reds. How about that? That's good. Thank you. Yeah. So I I don't care about the Bryce. How about that? That's good. Thank you. Yeah, so I'm with you on the Harper thing. I just need to see him be able to throw

to make sure this can work out. How about this? I just want to see him play baseball again. Yeah, me too. Like, I don't really, first base, whatever, DH, whatever.

Just go on hit. I honestly desperately need to see him right now. This is where I'm at. I desperately need to see Bryce Harper play baseball. Again, I don't know if this is a big take. You can determine that. Oh, good.

I know it's a big take. Yeah. I miss him. It's a big take. I really miss him. I could use Bryce Harper being back. Because I laid it out on Final Out the other night, but the lineup is just stupid at that point.

If you stick with the Stott at leadoff thing, which you should, but you go Stott, Turner, Harper, Boehm, I think. I mean, no, but they should be. It would be, but no, it'll be Castellanos. Boehm or Gorr. Bounce back, Castey. It'll be Castey, JT.

No. Some lefty, Boehm in seven. Thatounce back, Cassidy. It'll be Cassidy, JT. No. Some lefty, Boehm in seven. That's what he's going to do because he's like a zealot about this righty-lefty thing. Well, he did move Stoddart to the leadoff in a week and a half into the season. Yeah, with Trey Turner batting second and Schwarber batting third. Let's let Tomper cook a little bit. And then JT, then a lefty. Or Marsh in the sixth hole because he's a lefty.

And then, you know, Boehm in seven. Well, what are you going to say when this all turns around? I hope so. You're right. He did put Sott in the uphole, and that was a big. I was shocked. Me too. Legitimately, I was like, wow.

And I was shocked he was in the 8-hole the next night. As was I. Yeah. I need to see him. Where he says, like, real quick, can we just take a second? I know we joked about it before, but, like, Bryson Sott is a way better hitter than i expected him to be at this point in his career like we we have always been

a very pro bryson stott podcast like we've always liked him we were excited about him we're really excited about him last year when he got on that run after june and really started to you know we've always just loved the bats the the how he steps in the box and he's like a tough out every time he's in there like He's going to battle. He gets an 0-2 count, and it's 3-2 before you know it. And he fouled three balls off in the moment. He's just a— From last year, this year, I was joking a little bit before,

but he looks like the type of hitter who could win a batting title someday. Hold on. Why would you joke about that? I'm not. I'm not joking. How is he this good? How is he this good? How is he this good a hitter right now?

Well, going the two strike approach for an entire at bat is smart, I think. But obviously, it comes down to

freakish hand-eye coordination. An amazing eye. What's so funny, there's multiple times when he's facing 95 plus. It'll be in the strike zone and he just fouls it off.

It's almost like he can foul off whatever he wants when he needs to. Well, and I believe this was two nights ago. I think I saw this stat. But he had swung and missed at one pitch in the strike zone. Yeah, but with zero, he was one of seven dudes who like, I think it was like three or four days ago, he was one of seven dudes who had yet to swing and miss at a pitch in the strike zone.