High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: Michael Lorenzen is a Philadelphia Phillie

Episode Date: August 2, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies trading for All Star pitcher Michael Lorenzen at the deadline. 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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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. That's what I love the most about Lorenzen training. I wasn't, like, super excited about it. Are we going to talk about Lorenzen? Yeah, we're there.

It's time? Yeah, we did it. Right on time. How long into the pod are we? 36 minutes into the pod. That's called being topical. Yeah, it's the most important thing that happened yesterday. We're on it.

But I think it's funny because when they made Lorenz, it's like fine. It's a fine move. I think, you know, he'll help. I do like that. And Dave talked about it. I do like that he's someone who can go from the rotation to the bullpen. And left field. Left field.

Bench pad if you need it. Listen, all I'm saying is this. I ask for one thing, James. I ask for one small thing. If they get to the 12th inning of one of these games, I need a Lorenzen pinch hit. I'm with you, dude. It does. It gives you a little roster flex, buddy. It does. It really does.

If they run out of bench pads... The problem is the games don't go as deep. I understand. But if there is one, I agree with you. Let's put it this way. They want to put Sosa in to play defense somewhere, or Castro in to play defense. It gives them flexibility. They could just pinch in Mike Lorenzen. No, you're right. They really can. It's not joking.

Get him to work with Kalon. The dude played outfield in the majors. But I do think, honestly, it's ridiculous. But you know what? It's at it. I'll take all the optionality I can get. Thank you, Sam McGee. My favorite thing about Lorenzen's trade is what it means for is the six man rotation.

We've talked about this all year. We talked about going into the year when we thought Painter might be able to start all that stuff. Like, like we have been calling, you were the first, you brought it up really in the off season. You talked about like, like we have asked and wanted a six man rotation for a while for that exact reason for Aaron Nola and these other guys to get blows, especially Wheeler and Nola going deep and Ranger.

Like, I think that part of it, the six-man rotation, is a freaking great idea. And the nice part about six-man is they can always go back to five-man. Of course! You have to do this all season. They have 17 straight, or they're in the middle of what, they have 15 more straight games or whatever. I like that they're doing it in, I like that they have the option in August.

This is the month where I think they can kind of stretch it out. And you hate to start doing the whole, you can just kind of work your way through this month in a way. Because you don't want to get too cute, because then you can cost yourself games. But they are getting rest for guys. You know, like Stott, they got rest for.

Castellanos, they got rest for. JT, they're getting rest for. This stretch where it's Marlins, Royals, Nats and they play... All at home. After they're done this series in Miami, 19 of the next 23 are home. So they can kind of space this out a little bit and at least give Wheeler

and these guys... And Wheeler doesn't like pitching on longer rest, but I think they have to. Or they could do, hey, Zach, you're on the 10-day for two weeks. Whatever. Take a couple weeks off. Whatever's going to be out of the room. But Nola, I mean... Nola's a 3-1-7 guy. The numbers are

like so... Alright, this is a thing. The 4-5 day rest thing, it's really dramatic. That's why he wore it on the playoffs. So yeah, it provides a ton of value. Not only for the late inning bench bat, but just from the standpoint of, yes, he 100% can start,

but also, let's say we're into September, they're going on a run, Rangers starts pitching better. Wheeler's still fine. Noah gets on a run, and they want to just put him in the bullpen. His stuff plays up in the bullpen. And to just put him in the bullpen yeah his stuff plays up in the bullpen and he's pitched out of the bullpen

before like there's no like you know it's not like throwing Tyjuan Walker in the bullpen who's never pitched out of the bullpen I don't think he can do it

I don't think they would do that anyway they'd do Ranger if it was something else but if they'd trade for Verlander or whatever but like it's so much easier

when the guy's done it before when he knows what it takes when he knows what it's like to come out of the pen and I just like I like you know giving him to Caleb Cotham and the staff and then they get i think they can get more out of michael lorenz and he's been pretty good this year now a lot of it's been aided because

his last four starts he's had three scoreless so yeah he's his yeah well he's got i think the second best era in july of any pitcher in baseball it's a good time to trade yeah good time to trade uh the one thing so by the way real quick to everyone out there you know he was an all-star tiger you know we gotta see the phillies he was an all-star because he was a Tiger. You know, we got to see the Phillies trade for an all-star pitcher. People keep tweeting, like, he's an all-star. It's like, guys, like, we know how this works, right? Like, we've all been baseball fans for a while.

He's an all-star. So is Pat Neshek. Yeah, so was Gregory Soto last year. So was Oduwul Herrera one time. Like, you know, that's the way it works. It's okay. He's our guy now. Nice pitcher.

And he is having the best year of his career handling. And they won in the offseason. So, like, the fact that they targeted him. Or at least Dave told us they won in the offseason. Sure. Dave also told us he wasn't budging on McGarry and Abel. I know. Which is 100% posturing for the offseason. I'm sure.

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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. I'm sure. Yeah, so the one thing is – And Johan. I mean, Dave – I think Johan can help now, but Dave definitely pumped up Johan.

They think he's a star. Basically untouchable, essentially. All right. Yeah. So I didn't love giving up How You Leave for a rental, just because I think that he... So I would have traded him. That's not my issue.

He's kind of blocked. There's no real... He's blocked. The power is a concern. I think he's got really good bat-to-ball skills. I think he can be a good player. I guess I just would have liked a guy with more control. Or someone who's going to be here for longer than the rest of this season.

Yeah. So that was my only issue with the Lorenzen thing. I think I'd have used someone else. But whatever. Because, I mean, Lee was on. Now it was for Cinderguard last year. But he was untouchable in that trade. I mean, and Lorenzen is much, much, much better.

Significantly. Like, actually not done. Yeah, he can pitch. Like Noah Cinderguard. Very happy with it It's good He's gonna pitch tonight Tomorrow

Tomorrow Which I can't wait for Yeah Wheeler tonight Him tomorrow Which is gonna be exciting It's exciting And he's He's got the sweet Vans cleats

Which are cool Yeah And he's got super long hair So Yeah well the flow The flow Team flow Apparently him and Marshall

Like do hair routine Did you see this I thought it was a joke at first Like no no no Like they've Helped each other with their hair So It seems like a good dude.

Another good dude. Well, that was the thing with Tommy Pham, which it's like, you know, the profile of the player fits for what we're asking. He's not a huge power guy. He's had power this year, but he's not like a – but still, like, Tommy Pham, like, all right, I get that. That would make sense for A and B, but, like, he felt like somewhere. It's like, you know what?

Like, I actually don't know if I want to bring that guy into this vibe. You know, because this team, and I thought, again, I know we mentioned, but like Castellanos talking about it after the game. Oh, it's one of the best post-game interviews I've ever heard. Oh, absolutely. I was like, I actually, I got chills listening to it. Me too. But it's like, that's what we felt last year with this group.

And that's what we've seen with these coming back in games. And you know me, dude. Like, there are a few things that he could have said that would matter more to me. Are you going to start tearing up? I'm all about culture and connectivity. I love the guy next to you. I'm like Nick Sirianni. Oh, here we go.

I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. And I do believe that you play harder for someone you love or you care about. I think culture matters anywhere, whether you're an accountant in an accounting firm. If everyone's freaking happy, if everyone likes the people they work with, they're going to do a better job.

That's human nature. So I thought that was awesome from Nick last night, and it made me more excited about this group. More emotional after the Nick Castellanos interview last night or the Luke Williams walk-off? I mean, Luke Williams walk-off is an all-time moment. That's what sports are all about, Jack. There it is.

Family in the crowd. There it is. What does it mean to you, Luke? Everything. Oh, jeez. Oh, everything oh jeez here we go what a moment yeah but no and like the raw honesty i thought was really impressive me too um talking about struggling and all that yeah it's just like that's what i like that's what i want to hear more from athletes i agree like it's okay to admit you're like you're struggling we see it we're not idiots we're're not blind, dude.

And I liked how he talked about, well, first, the one thing I definitely liked was how all the broadcasters were like, we know how hard you work. We see you down there with Kevin Long. I think that's important. I like that he's going home and he's thinking about, I don't want to do that. I can't do that. But this is like brother and he's working on the game. I appreciate that.

But this is like brother and he's like working on the game. I appreciate that. And the other thing on Nick, and I had it in take back, I didn't anticipate leader Nick. Me either. I thought we were getting really good offensive player, difference making offensive player, but I didn't see the leadership stuff. Those guys love him, man.

That's the thing. We said it last year when he was in the center of all the things, but you saw it again last night. They were so happy for him. They weren't just happy that he hit a home run to give them the lead. They were happy for him. Yes, and that's special. I agree, that's special. That's difference-making stuff. How long have we asked for this? We remember the days of being like,

they don't look like they want to be here. They don't look like they enjoy playing a kid's game. It's just so nice. I know. It's so cool to feel that about this team. And I just, you know, he talked about in an article, I think Alex Coffey wrote it, about how when Hoskins went down, he took up the leadership role and said,

and he pointed the TV for postgame and he turned it up, which I like. Listen to what they're saying about us. The edgy leader, Castellanos guy. I didn't see that coming. I think that's more shocking to me than the defense in the postseason last year. Yeah, I agree. And I'm rooting for him.

It was really frustrating watching him. Very frustrating watching him. But I think that kind of postgame interview, when he's on radio and TV, it's a lot like what Alec Bone did last year when he went after the game he was like I didn't mean it I love this place I'm sorry you know and that kind of stuff just it resonates the fan base and it gives you a grace period it just does like it it it it just has us back off for a little

bit and I just I was I was really really really happy with what he said in the postgame. I'm with you. I'm with you. All right, take back one other thing, though, and just, we've mentioned the pop, but I just want to, because he made that catch again last night in left field, and if Schwarber's out there, that catch doesn't happen.

Just shout out to Brandon Marsh for being so willing to play left field. He might be the best defensive left fielder in baseball. He's unbelievable out there, but shout out. You said this when it first happened, but I was just thinking about it again last night because anyone else out in left field doesn't make that catch, and they probably lose the game if that catch isn't made.

I just, like, he's, like, well, again, he was trained to be the starting center fielder of this team in the future and all that. Like, and his just willingness to be like, yeah, I'll play left field. Like, I just really dig it. I really appreciate it. And I think we need to, like, remember to give him credit for that. Well, and it's just so refreshing.

Dude, the ball was hit to the left, and I was like, wow, we actually have a chance to catch this? That was a really hard play, too, like over the shoulder. Yeah, he's just good. Of course. He's just good.