High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: Phillies Offense Turning the Corner?

Episode Date: May 30, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz discuss how encouraged they were with the Phillies offensive approach against the Braves. 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 think the bigger takeaway from that night, and really the at-bats most of the series, is that they are putting together more competitive at-bats. They're not just giving a lot of them away. And Saturday obviously was a tight game, but still I thought they did some good things. A couple of bases loaded situations that didn't go their way. Sunday night just got out of hand.

Yeah, it was over in the first bottom of the first. But I mean even like the Marshy home run. Yeah, and Schwarber hit one, and Schwarber almost had two. He had two. Yeah. And had they kept that game close, I'm sure they would have been more locked in late. I agree. But Thursday and Friday, I just thought their at-bats were really high quality.

And that's one of the biggest things that I need to see more of, is this whole, like, oh my gosh, like the chasing and the first pitch swinging. Like, can someone go up there with a plan of attack? I mean, holy cow. It's been atrocious. So there's little things that are looking and moving this thing in the right direction. Yeah. Look, I was more, I came out of the weekend feeling better rather than worse about the

Phillies going in. Except for the fifth starter spot. Except for the fifth starter spot. And that is a massive issue. I will say, though, with the bats, and I did agree there were better bats, but look, and we've talked about it, and you said before, obviously they need their top four starters to be better and be more consistent.

Obviously, Ranger hasn't been good at all yet since he's been back. But ultimately, until they make a trade for a fifth starter, the offense has to do more. I mean, these guys have to win some games. They have to kind of carry this team a little bit at times, and we have not seen that. We have not seen the offense really kind of put this team on their back for a two-week stretch and just go out and put up a bunch of runs

night after night. We have yet to see the offense find its groove. Well, and that's what carried them in the heyday. Yeah. I mean, 08-09, it's not like, I mean, we know how 09 handles was. Yeah. And it was, they would have like a 20,

I feel like whenever they went to St. Louis, it was like, oh, here comes like 20 plus runs, and Ryan Howard's going to go nuclear and be awesome. But yeah, that is something that carried them a lot during the heyday was obviously a high powered offense that can go out and just kind of win them some ballgames. They've been far too inconsistent. It's been a lot of strikeouts, especially for an offense as loaded as they are on paper. I do think that this, I feel like Bryce is about to go on one of those kind of runs.

And I think that's what they need as like a spark is like, okay, well, Bryce is about to go on one of those kind of runs. And I think that's what they need as a spark. Okay, well Bryce is back. Let's just rally around him. And I thought you saw that a couple times down in Atlanta over the weekend. Well, that's why I felt that was so frustrating on Thursday.

It's that homer. It's like, yes. That's a moment right there. There's also a moment last year in Atlantalanta and then they brought in you're right that was the nick nelson it's like it was the exact same right really good point it was the exact same situation and the nice part about the offense right now is that i think stott stotty is getting back to feeling more comfortable i don't think you need that that was more in a context i didn't say he is oh Oh, that's fine.

No, I mean, the word is a word that can be used in sentences. Yes. You know, it's just not in a particular context. Correct. But I think Bryson Stott looks more comfortable. Trey Turner feels like he has turned a little bit of a corner here.

Harper's been great. Castellanos, every time I'm like, oh no, he's starting to chase again he'll like rip a ball off the wall yeah and he'll hold like you can see him

wanting to swing at a pitch and then he knocks himself oh Nicky Nicky Nicky Jack swing I'm so proud of you he's been really good though

he needs some homers some power but he is you know at least putting the bat on the ball consistently he's tied for the most doubles in the NL right now yeah he's been great

he had a triple. I know. It's unbelievable. I know. I wish I had bet on that. Imagine that. That could have been the cycle day. It could have been.

Can you imagine if Castellanos was the guy who finally did it? I would be happy. Of course you would. You'd be happy. You'd be happy if it's anybody. Well, if it's Dylan Covey, I probably wouldn't be happy. If Dylan Covey could get a bat. Who would I not? Is there a Philly that you... Well, because it's Dylan Covey, I probably wouldn't be happy. If Dylan Covey could get a bat. Who would I...

Nah. Is there a Philly that you... Well, because it's obviously against David Bell, but is there one where you wouldn't be that excited about it? Like, back in the day or on this team? No, no, no. This team. Uh, no.

We already got the one back in the day. It happened. No, I know. But then I started thinking about Wes Helms, and I was like, if Wes Helms did it, I also would have been upset. I think that's fair. Yeah. I think that's right.

I have a personal vendetta against Philly's third baseman. Like they're all my least favorite. David Bell's my least favorite. Wes Helms is my least favorite. I love Pedro Feliz so like whatever.

I mean Polanco I was a fan of. Yeah. I hated Ashy. Mike Alfranco. Mike ah see my problem is that

I thought about Mike Alfranco against the Yankees for like four years. And just held on to that. And what killed me is I really thought he was the next Beltre. He was not. Believe it or not, no. It's like he was a power-hitting third baseman with great defense.

And I was like, oh, we got our own stud. But, yes, a personal vendetta against Philly's third baseman is what I am. And who was the other one Oh well Either way It was in the West Helms time With the post rolling Anyway

I totally forget Where I was going I don't remember Castellanos Castellanos Okay so yeah So Schwarber

I think he's actually Looked good recently It's May 30th So we're alright It's May 30th And I mean I was at. It's May 30th, and I was going to say the last eight days. He's doing a lot. Better bets. JT, I don't know.

I never really worry about JT. It's just like there's some times where he goes to these periods where it feels like he's always up in a spot with bases loaded. And it's just like at this point, he's not coming through with it. I just feel it in my bones so whatever they'll keep hitting him six

it's fine boom I think is now the hamstring injury we'll see what happens yeah concerning it is a little bit concerning just cause again

with this team then we're gonna play Sosa Clemens well that's what I mean like this team is is down to those guys

you know like we have we have used up all our extra health, so to speak. All the guys that you... Again, that's why losing Reese, we talked about it. It's like, yeah, they can piece it together. And maybe Derek Hall and this can be an amalgamation of Reese.

But you're down to the next guys. It's like every guy gets hurt, then you keep going down. At a certain point, Cody Clemens is playing every single day. That's when you get into a problem. So yeah, they can't afford corner infield every single day. That's when you get into a problem. They can't afford corner infield injuries right now. That's for sure. Now there is both Luke Voigt and

Jesus Aguilar were released on the same day. Luke Voigt, no homers this year. So that's not a great sign. Maybe not working out for Luke Voigt. Aguilar is at least crushing lefties. Yeah. Always does. Yeah.

So, I don't know. I don't know. If they lose, boom, maybe. They might have to. Yeah, I agree. So, and then Marsh is clearly, he is clearly. Oh, he's been great.

The chiropractor that fixed his bleep is clearly helped this team out a lot. I mean, he's back to like, he's back to like, he's hitting the baseball hard again, which is good to see.

And, you know, I just, he is clearly, you know, on his way. Umarov strider? I mean, that was great. Yeah, he's good. He's good. So there's a lot of good pieces here besides the fifth starter.

Yeah, which is a disaster. If you had to, okay, actually, I'm going to ask you a question in one second and then we're going to take it back. First, real quick. Yes. They're back.

Thank goodness. Who? Shout out to Miller Lite. Of course, pod presented by Miller Lite. Do we have to bleep that? No. No, no, no. This is acceptable in this case.

We're talking about Miller Lite, not the Phillies. Miller Lite, it's okay because they come through when we say things. Okay. You know, like if we say Miller Lite's back, guess what?

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The Miller Lite Bar of the Week is back. We're thrilled about it. And, of course, we're thrilled about Miller Lite, who never lets us down, unlike the Phillies, who, you know, often. Less than. Sometimes. Yeah. It's been known to happen.

Well, not last year. No, that's true. You're right. You're right. That one year was really special. You know who didn't let me down? Walker. I met him.

What a little guy, man. He is a little guy. He's adorable. We had fun. We hung out in Westchester on Saturday after the show. A couple little families just walking around. It was like the American dream right there. Yeah, it was a beautiful day.

It was adorable. By the way, May is flying up, my favorite month. May is strong. May is heating up right now. Yeah, May is heat. You're right. May back? Literally and figuratively.

I don't know if it left. Do you know when May left? I was never a huge May guy. I think I took May for granted. Well, not anymore. Not anymore. Yeah. I mean, every morning never a big, huge May guy. I think I took May for granted. Well, not anymore. Not anymore. I mean, every morning is like 55, which is perfect. It's been like 50 to 80, like every day, like the lows and highs.

It's been beautiful. I mean, this is what living in San Diego must feel like. Right? Yeah. I mean, similar. Yeah. Philadelphia, San Diego. It's a great idea.

Yeah, sure. This is as close as we'll get. Is Philadelphia the new San Diego? Probably. Probably not? No. But yeah, so like, it's just, I've become a big the right idea. Yeah, sure. This is as close as we'll get. Is Philadelphia the news, San Diego? Probably. Probably not? No. But yeah, so like,

it's just, I've become a big fan of May. Yeah. Might be working in my top five months. I like the, ooh, top five there. I know,

big top five months. I think it goes, I think my top five months are obviously September. Of course. October. Mm-hmm.

I put March in there. Because your birthday's there, I get it. Of course. October. I put March in there. Because your birthday's there. I get it. Of course. May. And then like December? It's a good list. Yeah, it could be December. There's so much time off.

Yeah. Holidays. Football. Yeah. I like this. Yeah. Okay. I think that's my top five.

It's a pretty good list right there, buddy. It's this strong. I like that list. Good luck. Good luck knocking off one of those. Yeah. I think it's unassailable. Yeah. June's pretty good. June's pretty good. May. April's my top five. It's a pretty good list right there, buddy. It's this strong. I like that list. Good luck. Good luck knocking off one of those. Yeah. I think it's unassailable. Yeah.

June's pretty good. June's pretty good. May. April's also all right, but I feel like it always rains a lot. And it's still a little cold. Yeah. It's a cold April. It's March, but you know.

Yeah, but there's also the Hope Springs Eternal. Tournament is fun. Tourney. Yep. Spring training baseball. That's true. Spring training baseball. But April has, you know, first month of baseball, which is great, too.

It is. It is. But also, the lead up to baseball is also just different. It's true. Yeah. It's true. Spring training baseball. But April has, you know, first month of baseball, which is great, too. It is. It is. But also, the lead up to baseball is also just different. It's true. Yeah. It's true. Spring training, getting to go down there. It's true. That's true. Good luck.