High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: Our Hopes are Still High

Episode Date: April 16, 2023

Despite the rough 6-10 start to the season, Jack and James are still hopeful the Phillies can turn things around soon. 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

I still feel more hope. I feel more positive. They turn around than like doom and gloom panic button seasons over kind of thing. Look in each spot where it's felt like it's spiraling. They've come out and had a big win. You know, they had the Alcantara game.

You know, they felt like, Oh God, what's going on here? We're sputtering. Boom. Like crushed Alcantara. They lose the three straight,

you know, the two, the Marlins, the first one of the reds, boom, come out the time and walk the game. They put up eight runs, you know, they lose 13 and nothing. They come back today, bounce back.

Um, you know, maybe you just got to hope that it's, I mean, that there may be just not even getting up enough for some of these, these teams after the playoff run and facing the best, the best, then you're like, Oh, the Marlins and the Reds, like we got this. Then it's like, Oh crap, we don't got this. Let's go out and actually get it. And maybe we're seeing some of that. But, yeah, I think that's the point. Like, look, no one should be panicking.

No one should be freaking out. No one should be, you know, completely reevaluating what this team can be in their mind. But you can definitely, and we've talked about it. I mean, I think the single jacket, I would both agree, you know, the, the runners in scoring position, like you just talked about, that's an issue, but I, we think that'll, it'll water will find its level. The injuries are really the only thing that is, has like actually concerned us a significant amount, but in terms of, of the wins and losses, it's, I think it, the reason it's been concerning is twofold it's one that it's

two teams like the reds and the marlins and then two it's like the way they've lost some of these games i mean you know to lose the three straight two to the marlins including the the losing an extra innings game at your house and then going in and just getting you know handled by the reds in that game one like that was just uh uh it was the first time they were down like 4-0, 5-0 in a game. And it was just like, oh, they're losing. You know what I mean? And that was frustrating. Early in the game, it was like, oh, they just don't have it tonight.

They're not going to be in this game. And then, you know, to come back and win that game and then get trubbed 13-0, it's the way they're losing these games. And like the ebb and flow of the season has just felt not only disappointing from the start, but also it's felt like they've

been disappointed. That's the way it's felt. Yeah, but also they haven't found their footing either. And I think that once they kind of get a little bit established here and and i think that as turner gets more comfortable as schwarber settles in as these young guys hopefully continue to progress as nola gets on his way back as wheeler continues to develop walker hopefully gets on a bit of a run here

you get ranger back You know, hopefully all those guys give some length and then some of the bullpen pieces can get settled into their jobs and their roles. Like, you know, the injury things are the injury things, but they're sort of like it's almost over. I mean, like Ranger is

throwing a bullpen tomorrow, I believe. He's facing live batters tomorrow, I believe, at least. And then, I mean, Bryce, like, Rod Thompson said he might even take a rehab stint. Unbelievable. Like, what are we doing here? Do you ever remember an injury in any sport?

And I remember guys coming back early. I remember, like, Adrian Peterson particularly stands out when he came back from that ACL, like the first guy to come back in nine months or whatever it was. But do you ever remember an injury where you keep getting updates along the line, line, like,

like until the comeback and each update is like more unbelievable than the last. It's like Dombrowski. We're not going to put on the 60. Like, wow, that's amazing. Then it's like,

oh yeah, he's like hitting off pitchers. It's like, what? I got a date for return.. Like, wow, that's amazing. Then it's like, oh, yeah, he's like hitting off pitchers. It's like, what? I got a date for return. It's like it's like each thing. It's like, is he going to be back in a week? Like, what the hell's happening with this? It's it's it's unbelievable.

The chronology of just like amazing update. Better update. I can't believe an update. You know what I mean? At this point, I don't think i'd be surprised if he's in the lineup next week it just feels like it's all progressing towards like oh yeah bryce is just back he's here like you know he's in the dugout again today i think it was friday night was the first time i noticed he didn't have the um the thing on his arm the brace on his arm uh sleuthing

that out no big deal uh and then every single time i see it like just feeling ground i'm like i need him back need him back um but yeah it's just like i'm like what if he's in the lineup next week when they return i can just i know it is it is like the swing every every person that's around the team they talk about his bp it's okay he's hitting ones in the second deck it's like how like how is he doing this is like doesn't seem real i mean it's surgery in like like the like early december or something like that i mean well thank you if you didn't wait a wait two weeks after i know i i know but it's this it just it seems like implausible it seems inconceivable that he could be back this fast. But everything's just like,

yeah, he's just going to be here. Man, when you talk about this, and we have to factor in that he is bad for two weeks when he gets back from every Oh yeah, just get ready. Prepare yourself mentally. We get a two week buffer with Bryce. I don't think he's going to fix

everything, but who knows? He just recovered frommmy john like four months so whatever um but like you add into the lineup where now it feels like we finally have determined who the leadoff hitter is which is great trey turner or uh trey revere we'll see which path he chooses does he want to be trey turner does he want to be Ben Revere? I think that's pretty much a simple thing to boil this down to. It's really perfect. She's nailed it. Is this strictly because I've lost a ton of money on him? Yes, mostly.

But then you go like you go Stott, Turner, Harper, Boehm. I would like Boehm, personally. But I know they won't. So it'd be Castellanos. JT and Castellanos both should

not be batting in front of Boehm, and both are. Right. Schwarber, five. And then it's just like, oh, here's JT and Boehm and JT. And it's like, wow, buddy. And Marsh. Yeah, then Marsh is hitting eighth. I mean, that's... Then we're back. Yeah, then it's like, oh, good to see you, Phil. Hey, buddy. Marsh. Yeah, then Marsh is hitting eighth. I mean, that's – then we're back.

Yeah, then it's like, oh, good to see you, Phil. Yeah. Hey. Glad to see you. Hello. Hello. I tell you what, man. Speaking of Brandon Marsh, like, he's just – he's turning into one of my favorite players. Like, he just –

He's been awesome. The way he goes down, tracks down, fly balls, it's like – like, I haven't seen this since Victorino. Like, it's a similar way he goes haven't seen this since victorino like it's it's it's a similar way he goes about it where he's so like aggressive and you know he's kind of flies the ball he's like oh he's not gonna get there and then he's there and then at the plate like it's he like the the turnaround that he has done is actually more surprising than than any of the the hitters that we've seen break out this year because he was so feeble with the Angels

and what Kevin Long has done with him and turning him in, he's roping balls off the wall with authority and inconsistency. It's not like just every day. It's not like every once a week he's smoking a ball. It seems like every day

he's ripping balls off the wall. Again, I feel like Girardi is fine. Wow, that's bad. That's bad. I'm sorry, Rob. That was bad. Wow. Wow, that's bad. I'm the one who's tired, too. I'm the one who's going to bed as soon as we're done.

Wow, tough. That is bad, but I feel like Thompson has finally gotten to the point where it's like, okay, we'll play him against lefties. You win. Everyone wins. Well, he got there with Scott, too. You know? Everything we expected and wanted, it just took him a little while to get there.

Very proud of him. Especially when Pache is the freaking option. It's like, you know, let's make the decision quicker. You know? Pache is like, he's turning a corner. Yeah. At least start in the left field against lefties

if you want to do that. At least you have a lead defense in the left. I agree. Very, very strong with you. All right. I have a random baseball thought slash question for you at the end. But take back it up.

Okay. First off, Massa, they avoid Cease. baseball thought slash question for you at the end, but take back it up. Okay. Uh, first off massive, they avoid cease, cease his pitching today. Um, so he will not, they will not be,

he's so nasty. He is stupid. Um, so that's, that's a good thing. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball. I think, of course.

Yeah. Well, yeah, of course. Um, but I'm pretty sure that they play the next at least this series and i you know i think their next like four games are against righties probables and i just think this the lineup when they face righties just makes so much more sense like you can play cave even though that's not a great option you can just play marsh and not

think about it um so i like that they're on a bit of a run of facing readies here. Oh, this is a problem that I have with the Phillies broadcast. And this is also like... I love when you rip our media colleagues or whatever you want to call it. Well, it's a facetious rip, but... Okay, good. I would just like, you you know official statement here the season can't start until they pick a new philly of the week like back-to-back weeks it's bryce and then

it's nl champions and it's like we can't keep looking back at last year it was amazing i loved it i would i i was so down last night i watched highlights again because i wanted to feel something but like back-to-back weeks of philia the week is is is last year yeah it should be especially we got bryson stott like what are we doing here you could have bone one week stott the other boom done literally chasing dimash here right now marsh yeah he's on his way he's listen i told you dimash isaggio's in the hot seat. So, like, just pick someone else tomorrow. Okay? There's enough to go around.

There's enough to go around. I think it's a very valid take. And as official high-ups position, I co-sign.