High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: Jack Fritz's Perfect Phillies Offseason

Episode Date: November 16, 2023

Jack Fritz unveils his perfect offseason for the Phillies. 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

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I'm sure Tucker can put that in. Yeah, we're going to get Tucker to do extra work. Yeah, exactly. Oh, wow. Tucker's leaving the studio. He's furious. You're not the friar for nothing, okay? All right.

So I'm just letting you know. I don't have... You might actually have more moves than me, which is disappointing for a lot of people. Wow. I know. It's going to be shocking. It is going to be shocking. All right.

My first move is I'm trading Justin Crawford, Mick Abel, William Bergola, and Tywon Walker to the Angels for Mike Trout and Carlos Estevez. I love the Estevez ad on there. Thank you. That is a really... Estevez is a good pitcher. Yeah. And he can close.

And he can close. So I get my closer. I get Mike Trout. So wait. Say that. So Abel, Crawford, and who? Bergola. And Tywon Walker. So I get off to Tywon Walker. Tywon's. So Abel, Crawford, and who? Bergola. And Tywin Walker.

So I get off to Tywin Walker. Tywin's a big key. With the salary. It's three tops. So you're not paying any of Trout down, but you're just giving the salary back and in a way paying off the 50, whatever, 60 million that he has left.

54 for Tywin. He's 54. Oh yeah, because he was 72. Oh wow. So yeah, he was a little higher in the first year. He's got 18 million a year left on his deal. I thought it was 14 million a year. Did I do bad math?

72, 4. I looked on Spotify. That's my fault. Wow, he makes 18 million a year. That's crazy. Isn't that awesome? Isn't that great? That's crazy.

Doesn't that make you excited? For something in my head, I had 14 million. Yeah. No, it's 18. No, it's 18. It's awesome. Yes, get rid of that. Please.

So, yeah. So, Justin Crawford, who I think is going to be pretty good. I do, too. But we'll see. They already have a lot of center fielders or a lot of outfielders. And we don't know if he's going to develop power. Like, he either is going to be a nice ball player or a great player, and it's going to depend on if he can develop some power or not.

Mick Abel, I still think he has a chance to be a stud, but, like, there's just major control issues with him. So, I mean, I think another year of kind of development would do wonders for him i don't think he's ready for next year oh yeah they're gonna they're gonna develop them so well it's almost like you can try what you give a whatever prospect that i'd be like they're not gonna be able to develop this career didn't work out that sucks besides a hobby hobby worked out yeah but a hobby just hits yes i don't think they and and to be fair i think a hobby was like ready for the majors when we traded him more or less too, so they didn't really have to develop him.

Yeah, so I'm getting Mike Trout. The more and more I think about it, I want a right-handed patient bat. I love how in you are. When you first started, you were like, you made the trout fishing joke on that pod, and you're like, going trout fishing. It was like kind of

in jest, but kind of serious, and now you're like fully in on trout fishing. Well, because I think they're getting one of the best players at a discount in the history of baseball. And the injury stuff, I'm not acknowledging the injury stuff, but even a semi-injured Mike Trout is still a really good baseball player, as long as he's healthy in October and whatever. And I think they have a better chance to manage him here.

Which is the key. And I think that I do, like, at some point, he has to leave Los Angeles if he wants to have any semblance of, like, a legacy kind of first career. So it feels like the right time for it. The Angels, when they lose Otani, I mean, is he going to be looking around like, what the hell do I have here? Why am I staying here because i because i don't want to you know be in the bright lights

of whatever town i go to i mean like the cardinals i think would be in on them but i just don't know where he goes to to to i mean here i don't think the yankees i think the yankees are probably gonna get soda yeah if i again this is my perfect off. I do not expect the Phillies to get Juan Soto. In fact, I think it is highly unlikely the Phillies will get Juan Soto. Like the Mets, they talk about going into a two-year rebuild. Do they want to trade for Mike Trout right now? Like Red Sox?

Yeah, I think Soto is more likely for the Mets to trade him for a year and then sign him. They're more likely to just wait and try and sign him, though, if anything. Of course. So I just think it's the right time. And I think if you can get Taiwan in a a deal that pays down it takes a little bit of money off your books you have seven years 220 left on on trout i believe it's not like insane you know we're paying cassiano's 125 million over five years you know so yeah wait no i thought he was he was 100 wasn't he i thought he's 5125 either way yeah

i think he's 500 he's 360 because he's yeah yeah he's 500 because because he was the same amount but one next year in shorts right so bring me mike drought and bring me carlos estevez who i wanted to sign last year yeah i did not yeah i'm signing yoshi yamamoto to six years 175 love that we're on the same page on don't have to give up a draft pick, which is important to me. And I think he's just really freaking good. You look at his pitch mix, it's Darvish-ish. Darvish had more pitches, but he has that little flippy curveball that he can get in. My one pitching concern with Yamamoto is the fastball.

The four-seamer just looks a little flat. But he did show a feel for a two-seamer and a cutter in some of the videos I saw. pitching concern with Yamamoto is the fastball. Like the four seamer just looks a little flat. So, but he did show a feel for a two seamer and a cutter and some of the videos I saw. So, but I like, he doesn't walk people. He pitches deep into games.

Seems like a horse. And he's a horse and he's 25 years old. So pitching big games over there, like that matters. That matters. And I would just like blake snell at 31 no interest no it's just i mean blake snell today or last night just won his second side no i'm with you i am not look i did the same thing i went yamamoto we both said we'd rather

have nola than snell you know obviously years and money are part of it but i just think it is pretty funny because i don't ever remember someone who's like had just won the cy young that year who like more people were like yeah i guess i mean the stark laid it out really well yesterday about how like they're well first off they said they're lukewarm which is good but like he's just so you don't know what you're getting yeah you have no idea what you're getting um and paying him off that off a career ish year uh again just it doesn't add up to me so um i'm getting yamamoto and and i think uh i think him and wheeler into painter is a really good future one two three me too man um i think and ranger's a good four like i think you got like ranger the four is a steal that's what i'm saying and even sanji we like him like like that is your rotation through this this window i mean that you

got assuming everyone stays healthy you got one of the best rotations in baseball for the next three years. And I think Yamamoto's floor is really high too. Ceiling, I mean, obviously Snell's ceiling's higher. Yeah, well Snell's ceiling is... But I think his floor, I think Yamamoto for the next six years,

seven years, is probably going to be a 3-5 and below guy most years. It's kind of like getting a new Arinola in a lot of ways right where it's like the the high end is is high he's like a top five say young type guy potentially or whatever but he's never theoretically we believe he's never going to give you those those bottom seasons where he's going to just go out and eat innings for you and and give you good stuff and stuff wise um like he's been compared a lot to tanaka i think his stuff's better than tanaka's yeah darvish's stuff was really really good darvish's stuff was was silly

yeah especially like you mentioned before i mean i don't ever remember someone like where it's like oh this guy's got like 15 pitches yeah he's got a lot of eight pitches or nine like you can really throw i mean that's like that's crazy and one of those pitches schwaberber hit 488 feet. You're damn right. Good job. 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.

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or wherever you get your podcasts. Um, I am signing. I feel like I have been. Real quick, I just want to, again, it makes me so happy

that we're both on Yamamoto. Sometimes I feel like I'm, you know,. I just want to, again, it makes me so happy that we're both on Yamamoto. Sometimes I feel like I'm not bringing it enough with the perfect offseason or I'll feel like I didn't. I'm happy to hit on the pitcher you hit on. It makes me feel good in my soul. Good. I'm happy for you. Yeah, me too.

I feel like I'm one of the Phillies to sign this guy for a while because I think he's a veteran. I think he's a winner. And I think he's someone that would make this team better. Sign Michael Brantley to a one-year $8 million deal. yes need him he's a good player he played left field in the playoffs last year not well dude he's been a good player for a long time all he does is hit he goes over freaking smacks it all and it and it's just like late in the game it's you know i don't need the right hand bench bat because i have trout now um so like it's more of a luxury do you remember tangentially related to the phillies

in a way do you remember michael brantley the original guys started in cleveland you remember who he was traded for who was one of the the centerpieces one of two centerpieces oh yeah cc sabathia to the brewers obviously would lead into the playoffs. So long ago. Michael Brantley was a part of it. Isn't that crazy? He was a part of that trade. Yeah. Obviously, he's been with the Astros forever. He's been in a million LCSs now because all he does is go to the LCS.

Yeah, no, he's definitely got big moments. Big at bats. He's not going to be afraid of the moment. So I think bringing in a guy like that, older, that's what I wanted last year. He's like a better version of Andy Rosario, what I'm talking about. He's a better hitter. So it's what I wanted last year it's like a better version andy rosario what i'm talking like he's better you better hitter um so you say it's it's what i wanted heading into the playoffs last year i was like i feel like they're a veteran they need that veteran bench bat that i can trust in a big moment like had rosario that idea but brantley's a better hitter

than had brantley been on the team last year he's probably batting for johan rojas in the fourth and then and then you can go pache and play defense and stuff. I'm just bringing Michael Brantley in. Give me a professional hitter. I think it's a great call. Now this one, this is actually my last move. Wow. I'm shocked. I know.

I'm signing either Eric Fetty or... Eric Fetty crushing Japan. No, the KBO. KBO, excuse me, in Korea. I'm signing either Eric Fetty or Eric Fetty crushing Japan no the KBO KBO excuse me in Korea excuse me I'm signing either

Eric Fetty or Luis Severino for one year 10 million I need Seve hold up hold up

you think Seve's gonna cost 10 million dude he got like a 60 ERA last year that's my point oh I think it's too much I think he's getting like one year

5 million or something with all the injuries and all the I mean not just he was like the worst pitcher in baseball for a month this year come on down I can get him like one year $5 million or something. With all the injuries and all the stuff. I mean, not just... He was like the worst pitcher in baseball for a month this year. Come on down. I don't think he costs anywhere near $10 million. Okay, whatever. I will never quit Seve.

And Fetty is like that minimum contractor. I don't know. I guess how good he was. Off of Merrill Kelly. I mean, didn't he win the triple crown there? Dude, he had a two ERA over there. And more importantly, and why I won Eric Fetty. And for everyone listening to say. I mean, if you've listened to IHOS for a while, Jack asking to sign Eric Fetty. It's like the world is upside down right now.

That's all I'm going to say. There was no pitcher I felt more confident in in the last five years. He was the new Volstead. Then the Phillies destroying Eric Fetty. I know. That's what I mean. Every bitch. There is no one I was like, bet the over, bet a Harper home run.

They're going to smoke Eric Fetty. Yeah, no doubt. Smoke Eric Fetty. He was the new Volstead for me. Remember how much they used to crush Chris Volstead? This is what I'm saying is I've heard all the Eric Fetty references on this podcast until now we're about how much we crush him like that was it and now time he's been brought up need him um what happened well so the so the story is is that changes changes mechanics get a new pitch like what do you do

so the so the nationals never had uh you know high velocity or high speed cameras so like he had no idea about pitch shapes or anything oh my god until miss organizational mismanagement organizational mismanagement went over there to the kbo nationals i mean they've been on top of the strassburg so like he apparently now understands everything about pitch shapes i looked at exactly one sinker from him and i said i don't need to see don't need to see anymore that's one of the best thinkers i've ever seen um he figured it out he figured it out he's a first round pick also a vegas kid yeah um and i need him so it's great under the radar call by you on so many levels. Obviously, Larry David, but I like the call.

Shout out to Robert Orr. He's good, Robert Orr. Yeah, I enjoy him. But you know me. I am such a sucker for this type of thing. And maybe it's a prisoner. Didn't know about this stuff, now knows about it. Yeah, I'm in.

That's the kind of... Whether it's a mechanical change, whether it's a new pitch, whether it's a new way of looking at about this stuff, now knows about it. Like, yeah, I'm in. Like, that's the kind of, I look, whether it's a mechanical change, whether it's a new pitch, whether it's a new way of looking at how you pitch, all that type of stuff. Like, I am a sucker for that stuff. And maybe I'm a prisoner of the moment because I had to watch Merrill Kelly in a game six shove against us, and he figured it out over in the KBO. Speaking of that, I realized that I haven't changed my water bottle

since game seven. Wow, you're still holding on. I'm holding on. Now we're on camera so people can see it. Shout out to Maureen from the works in the cafeteria upstairs. She is the one who gave us those bottles. Shout out to Maureen. Big fan of the show. Love you, Maureen.

I'm sure everyone's on board with my Eric Fetty pick. So Eric Fetty or Luis Severino. Like Severino, I don't think he'll be that bad. I don't think he'll cost a lot of money. I mean, he is crazy talented. He's crazy talented. Like, this is a, no, he's barely pitched since like. And he did have a real injury that caused him to miss like a season of baseball.

Yeah. Bring him here. I love Gary. Bring him here. Need him. The talent's there. I think it was not. Luis Severino and Ericic fetty have completely

would also consider frankie montaz yeah an old that's a staple of the perfect all season back it really is montaz has been mentioned give me seve fetty or frankie montaz that's my five no that's phenomenal work so uh wheeler yamamoto, Yamamoto, Ranger, Chris Sanchez, Severino slash Fetty slash Montas. Love it. The one thing there, and I was trying to find someone else that could sign, but I don't want to sign a guy for a six-man rotation, but that's leaving myself a little bit bare on the back end with, you know, because who knows how long those guys are going to be able to stay healthy.

Although Fetty should be all right from that standpoint. He was reliably bad for the Nationals for a long time so never got hurt he was consistently out there you're right um lineup schwarber turner harper trouty stott boom jt marsh castellanos the only way it makes sense i know it's the only way it makes sense. I know. It's the only way it makes sense. Bullpen. Estevez, Alvarado, Sir Anthony, Kerkering, Strom, Soto, Hoffman. I can't believe you only added one bullpen guy. Well, because they don't need it. I know, but it's just so surprising.

They're so, like, so Fangraphs does the depth charts or whatever. So, like, if you go to. Yeah, like, they roster resource Fangraphs. They put them together. Their relief pitcher was ranked number one. The Phillies you go to... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like they roster resource fan graphs. They put them together. The relief pitcher was ranked number one. The Phillies are the best bullpen in baseball. Unbelievable. How far we've come.

And they all throw hard. Estevez kind of cooled off towards the end of last year. He did. But he was really good early on. Yeah. So I have a top bullpen. I have Mike Trout. And I have my new number two.

That's 25 years old. Very happy. I love it.