High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: Rhys Hoskins Memories And The Baseball Hall of Fame Voting Results

Episode Date: January 24, 2024

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz reminisce about their favorite Rhys Hoskins memories and react to the Baseball Hall of Fame voting results. 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-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball Isn't Boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is.

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. All right. Both postseasons, obviously not history, but the last two years, after Bedlam at the Bank is the Hoskins' bat slam, the number two moment. In the last two years?

In the last two years. Yeah. I feel like it's number two. The stairs there. The stairs, number three. But I feel like it's number two. The Stairs there. The Stairs, number three. But I feel like it's, I mean, Bedlam has to be one

at the end of the World Series. Obviously, it's Harper. But I think Hoskins has to be two. Yeah, I agree. I agree. Of the last two years, it's that.

And I still contend to this day, it was the loudest Citizens Bank Park's been in my life. It might have been. I mean, that, Bedlam, the Grand Slam, I will say, was up there.

And when Harper took Bryce Elder deep. Yeah. There are a few spots. Bedlam was both loud, but also it was hysteria. Exactly. Bedlam was almost just surreal. I think there's a lot of, did he just do that? Yeah.

There was a lot of like, except you're just kind of like looking around, like that kind of thing. Whereas Hoskins was like, pure noise. Euphoria, we're back. Pure noise. We're back. Like right off the jump. Because he could see it.

Yeah, immediately. He crushed it. And he freaking slams the bat. Yeah, I'll never forget it. Yeah. It was actually the only game of the run that I've like watched in the stands. You know?

Oh, yeah. You had seats for that one. Look at you. Because I wanted to. I've had zero of those. I'm going to do it next year. I've got to take Emily to a game or something. I keep being like, hey, it's the greatest live experience ever.

It's like, have fun at home. Emily's just at home. At home. She loves going to games. Good husband guy. Loves live experiences. Comes to all the fish shows and all that. So, yeah, it's a bad job of me.

I was going to take her this year to the World Series. I might. Didn't happen. June 3rd is when Reese makes his return. Might have to be Walk's first game. Might have to be Walk's first game. So I need to be there for Reese. I've gotten to the point now,

and people have accused me of this in the past, of treating the Phillies different than the other teams in the city. No. It is shocking. Where could they possibly get that from? I mean, do you listen to what you say or how you act or anything?

I mean, come on. I just don't see that at all. I'm shocked, too. But, like, I've gotten, like, I want to remember and, like, be there for all of our guys throughout the years. So, like, you know, being there on June 3rd for Reese coming back, like, I think that'd be awesome. You know, like, I've gotten really sentimental, I guess, about our fills.

Welcome to the sentimentality club. I'm a sentimental person. I would be there for Carson. Wentz? Yeah Really? Okay You might be alone on that one

And Foles I'm with you with Reese I'll be there for Reese I'm in on Foles I told you You're in on Foles? Yeah I've given it up

Welcome aboard I like Foles now How could you not? How could you not? The guy won a Super Bowl And also I've told you this before I know it doesn't matter Whatever

But like Maybe the nicest human being I've ever met in my life Brandon Graham exists yeah Brandon Graham's really nice too but like Nick Foles Jason Kelsey exists

yeah they're both those are my three I've said that to you before those are the three nicest guys to me when I worked for the Eagles by far like those three guys were so good to me

but like Nick Foles was like man like he like so my so when I first started working for the Eagles I'm in the locker room you know walking around with my microphone.

I'm terrified to talk to guys and all that. I'm not terrified. You were terrified to talk to guys? Yeah, that's not my style. I'm not terrified. But I was like, you know, I felt like an idiot going up to me and like, hey, what's your most prized possession or whatever? Is there getting asked about, like, the fourth down play or whatever?

But, like, I'm literally standing there by myself with the microphone. Nick Foles walks across the locker room, comes up to me, and was like, hey, man, you new here? Is there anything I can help you with? Do you need anything? It's just like, what's happening right now? He was that kind of guy. Shout out to Nick.

Yeah, he's, I found a new target. We know, buddy. Yes, you have. This whole team drives me nuts. I know. I know. I will say, like, at least, you know, thank God we have such a likable Phillies team. I know they blew it last year and it's frustrating,

but it is still a group of guys that we're connected to and we love and we're excited to watch and to cheer for. That matters so much. It matters so much. Sixers are getting there. Hey, they are. Flyers. Hey, trade James Harden. Yeah, maybe not the Flyers. They were. much it matters so much yeah sixers are getting there yeah they are right hey trade james hard

yeah maybe not the flyers yeah they were there's this they have a squirtle song though i do like the song the sax you know the squirtle is a you know squirtle's a pokemon no i didn't know what the thing was is it his pokemon song well i don't know if it's pokemon song but squirtle it's squirtle on a saxophone nice squirtle's a pokemon i didn't know that. Well, there you go. Why don't you up your game, pal? I'm going to have to. I had no idea there would be so many Pokemon references. I did not expect to discuss Pokemon on this podcast. But we did.

That's because we were very versatile. That's what we do here. In many things. That's what we do here. So June 3rd, Reese comes back. I feel like that was that patented like a brower series. I know. It's always in June.

It's so funny because it's like I feel like whenever they play the Brewers the Phillies are not usually not playing very well and they get going and they beat up on they've been beating

up on bad teams and losing to good teams and people are like who are they gonna beat and then they'll beat the Brewers and I'll be like well there's a big series win versus the

Brewers Josh Hader Josh Hader Trey Turner there last year. Did they win that game when they had the big home run late? I was at a wedding. Yeah, they won that one. They won that. Well, they blew the 300th home run game late. Of course.

No, that was during the stretch when they blew all the big home runs. They might have blown the Brewers one. I can't remember. They won that Diamondbacks one where you had the late homer. I don't remember. Yeah. He did have some clutch homers, though, Trey. Trey?

Yeah. He got hot. He got hot. He did. Did he? What happened? Nothing before August, though, Trey. Trey? Yeah. He got hot. He got hot. He did. Did he? What happened? Nothing before August 4th with Trey matters. And then he just, it was nothing happened.

It was just he got better. What do you expect from Trey this year? Like, are we getting back to MVP type level Trey? I think so. Or are we getting like, like 290, 25 homer guy. Or are we getting, like, 320? I think in between.

Can we get, like, a God-level turn of year? I think we... Look, we better. I mean, you paid him that money. You don't think we're going to get it in 2030? That's my point. You paid him that money to get him now. Like, the next three years need to be his God level years.

So we better. Cause he's cause Trey, you know, the, I think it was fan graphs. They put out there like war projections and he's like a five war guy. Really? Yeah.

Can I, can I, I'm, I'm, hold on. You had a great caller today. Breakdown war. Yeah.

Chuck and Cherry Hill is a phenomenal bit. He is a great baseball caller. It might be out on more. Yeah? I mean, the whole Schwarber thing last year, did you see the, I think it was Codify. Do you follow Codify baseball? Pretty good.

It's Codify. Codify. Thank you. Whatever. Look at you. You're always correcting my pronunciation. It's not a fish. It's not a cod. Codify is a word, though. You know that, right? No, I did not know that. Maybe I shouldn't be listening to you. Yeah, maybe you shouldn't.

I think I always say codify in my head. It might be codify, but codify is a word. Maybe it's spelled differently or said differently in different ways. Look at this. Okay, right? They put this up. Like here. Like this tweet.

And just then it's like one of those things where it's, and I've seen just too many of these things just be like, all right, like I've had enough. So what Jack is looking at. Oh, it's like one of those things where it's, and I've seen just too many of these things just be like, all right, like, I've had enough. So what Jack is looking at. Oh, it's because of defense. I know it is, but it's a comparison of Alex Gordon and Ryan Braun in 2007, who both were two war players. Read out, what was the difference in average?

What was Ryan Braun's average? Ryan Braun batted 324. And what did Alex Gordon bat? 247. Yeah, how many homers did Ryan Braun hit? 34. What did Alex Gordon have? 15. Yeah. RBI, RON. 1, how many homers did Ryan Braun hit? 34. What did Alex Gordon have? 15.

Yeah. RBI, runs. 1,000 OPS with 725. Yes. Same player, according to War. I know. Like, that's dumb. Like, we're going too far with it.

It is putting too much on defense. By the way, defensive metrics are not, like, perfect. Not even close. Yes, you don't know where guys are supposed to be standing. Knivings into count, all that type of stuff. So, like, I'm starting to sour a little on Ward. I know we don't have a better way to encapsulate a player, but like stuff like this, they're just-

Like Ryan Howard was always a bad Ward guy. Kyle Schwerber, like, I'm sorry. Kyle Schwerber is a super valuable baseball player. I'm super happy he's on the Phillies. Ward tells me he's not. Like, Ward tells me he's a below average baseball player. So like, I don't- Good offensive Ward.

I'm starting to get- I know. You're right about that. I'm just starting to get a little frustrated with, well, it can't be the end. I'll be off. Exactly. It's what people use it like that.

Pitching award drives me nuts. Yeah. Pitching war only because I've watched Aaron Nola. Yeah. He's not the best pitcher in baseball every year. I'm sorry, guys. He's just not,

he's not. I'm sorry. Also, they just put, they put the way they, they put too much value on things. Whereas I don't, I,

again, like defense in this case i've always i've always been i couldn't i couldn't stand the old alex gordon argument yeah about how valuable he was such a great player yep he couldn't hit i'm sorry he couldn't i know um yeah it's yeah i think i think the thing that has been going on more in sports which makes me happy is i think people are getting back to the idea thank you you and i have long been proponents and we both do a podcast with someone we love stats and it drives us crazy because look at what you're watching like see what you're watching listen kevin durant the great philosopher yeah he's a pretty deep guy. One set. Who wants to have a hoop argument with graphs? Nailed it.

Yeah. Nailed it. Yeah. Well, they matter, but they're not the be-all, end-all. Like, thank you. You know a good player when you see it. Thank you. Exactly.

That's the thing I agree with Howard the most. I don't need these numbers. I can just watch a baseball player. Howard, an expert baseballman. Yeah, he's a genius. Yesterday, arguing that Boa was better than Utley, by the way. Really? Great take, buddy.

Jeez. I know. Stop. I know he's your friend. No, no, no. Boa and Howard. Oh, oh, oh. I think you're talking to me.

Howard's my friend or something. You and your good, close friend Larry Boa. And I love Larry Boa. Larry Boa's great. Love, listen. Chase Utley is going to be a Hall of Famer. I mean, the hemisphere of this. I mean, Larry Boa's I love Larry Bo. Larry Bo is great. Love, listen, Chase Utley is going to be a Hall of Famer. I mean, the hemisphere of this.

I mean, Larry Bo is a really nice baseball player. He was a quality player that you want on your team. And he's a winner. Like, I'd rather have Larry Bo talk to me on the radio than Chase Utley.

He's great at talking. What are we doing here? I know. Like, you know, yeah. It's a, you gotta, come on. I know. Give it up. I will say,

back to the F-War thing, or Pitcher War thing, or whatever. And we'll get, back to the F-War thing or pitcher war thing or whatever, and we'll get close to the season when we make all our stuff. Kind of feeling a big null this season. Well, so my one part about re-signing him that I was happy with is I didn't want someone else to reap the rewards of the adjustment he made. The adjustment. And then also, I think that he's the type of guy we've known a lot about.

I think having the money and the contract and all that stuff was a way on him type of thing. I think Aaron Nola is going to be back to, I think we're going to get a vintage Aaron Nola season this year. That's my early prediction. I feel really good about it. I hope so. I think it's going to be a weight off.

You've got to stay here, be comfortable. The money's taken care of. He doesn't have to worry about anything. He's just going to go out and pitch. I feel really good about Nolan this year. I do too. And the next thing I'm interested in is Wheeler. Do they get that extension done before opening day?

Yeah, well, especially because, like, again, in a season where we're literally, like, dying for Phillies news, like one of the small pieces of news we've gotten is that they want to get that done this offseason. It's unbelievable how few rumors there are. It's not even just that it's happening. I know, but it's just unbelievable how few rumors there are, even across

baseball. Like you said with Hoskins, there weren't any rumors. There he is in Milwaukee. And then Matt Moore signed a minute later. Yeah, it's just been weird. And I know it always takes long. Well, I guess last year was the exception. Last year was pretty awesome. That's because the sport shut down.. Last year, free agency worked. They got it fixed.

They were like, bang, let's go. Which we both think would be better for baseball if people were actually really excited about it and having the moment. I know it's taken a while, but it feels particularly flat for an offseason. Because it's one big move a month. It was a bad free agent class's like one big move a month. Well, and the other, I mean, look, it was bad for your agent class too. I mean, that plays a role. There were not many great players in this class, which hurts too.

Yeah. So, yeah, and with Wheeler, it's going to be funny because I feel like I'm going to do a thing where it's like, oh, I'm worried about Wheeler because he's probably going to be throwing 95, you know, and then I just have to remember. Yeah, he'll be fine. When he gets into the post because he's probably going to be throwing 95. And then I just have to remember when he gets into the postseason. He's going to be fine. It's so, because we talk so much,

and we talk so much about how dominant Halliday was in the postseason and Cliff Lee. It's like, Zach Wheeler's right there. Oh, yeah. Like, right there. We talked about it last year. I think he's one of the great playoff pitchers of our time. Legitimately.

And I feel like we'll look back on it in 10 years and take it for granted. Well, that's why he needs more opportunities. He needs to have like a real, like you talk about Smoltz, you talk about like all these guys we always bring, Beckett, like these guys are like, oh, the greatest, like they had a lot of opportunities or at least multiple chances to pitch in the playoffs and always came through. You want to see Wheeler get more chances.

And obviously at the end of the day, you need a little ring in the finger to really be considered the all-time greatest in the postseason. Like, I want this to happen, buddy. I know. I know. What does it say? I want them to wear the ring. Breaking news.

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Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, one more thing and then take back. Somehow we've talked for 40 minutes and have not mentioned that Chase Utley and Jimmy Rons did not make the Hall of Fame. No. Not that we expected them to. And thank God Wagner didn't.

Thank God. I agree. He's going to get in next year. I know. I'm so with you on this. Like, again. Why are we putting them in the Hall of Fame? I'm with you.

Like, my opinion, and I know people think Trevor Hoffman, whatever, like, I think Mario Rivera should be the only closer in the Hall of Fame. Like, that's my opinion on closers in the Hall of Fame. I tell you, I've always felt. It's just, what am I putting a closer in the Hall of Fame. I tell you, I've always felt. What am I putting a closer in the Hall of Fame? Preacher of the Choir. And also, like, look, I know statistically, I get it. Like, I never once watched Joe Maurer play him and been like,

that guy's a Hall of Famer. I don't know, man. He's a great player. I don't know. A great player. A very good player. You looked up his own eyes. Yeah, I know.

I looked up his numbers. He's a 306 career hitter. Like, I get it. Numbers-wise, he's in the Hall of Fame. I'm not ripping it. Who's better, Maurer or Posey? Posey. Posey won three rings, man. For me, it's Posey. Team accomplishment. He was the

best player on three championship teams. That matters to me. Rank him. Posey, Molina, Maurer. Posey, Maurer, Molina. Yeah, I agree. Maurer's pretty sick He's a good Look he's

I get it He is a Hall of Famer statistically I get it I just never felt like Maybe it's because he's in Minnesota And he played in the playoffs Only a few times Or never

They never won the playoffs And because their outfield At that point Had a trash bag As the wall Sure did But do you remember that? Yeah

So like I don't know I get it I'm glad Let's put it this way. Like, if Joe Maurer got in on the eighth ballot, I'd be like, yeah, fine. Like, Joe Ballard is a first ballot Hall of Famer. It just feels weird. It feels like Joe Maurer was not like, oh, he's clearly in the—

Like, Beltre, yeah, dude should be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Like that. Anyway. Gary Sheffield, how does he not get in? I know, but enough already. Enough already. Enough already. Did Gary Sheffield ever get caught with steroids?

Did he ever get tested? Did he ever get, or did he ever? No. He never got suspended. Nothing ever happened. Like, where is this line? Mike Piazza, we never talk about him. He was in that era.

He's in the Hall of Fame. Like, there's so many guys in that era. Big Papi. Big Papi, exactly. Who actually did have rumors about him with steroids. Like, I don't know. It's just so stupid. It's all freaking pick and choose.

Like, oh, well, I don't think you did it, so I'm going to put you in, but I think you, yeah, Pudge. Pudge was on those freaking Texas teams. Like, are we kidding? Like, it's just so hypocritical. You get so mad at the Hall of Fame.

It's one of the things that drives me crazy is, and you know, that's why you set me up and you let me go. I get it, because it drives me crazy. It makes me,

I grew up, the Hall of Fame was like one of my favorite things in sports. I cared so much about the Hall of Fame. It just feels devalued. It just feels like it doesn't matter the same way it used to, and it sucks because baseball was the only one that really mattered. Yeah, I think it will come back though. I think that now we're getting pretty past the steroid era, guys.

No, that's a good point. You're getting into like the Mowers, the Posey. I'm glad Helton got in. Oh, me too. I am glad. I've long thought Todd. Todd Helton, he was one of the best hitters of a generation. Yeah.

I know the Colorado thing, but he was just a stud. He's an outside of Colorado. Yeah, he hit everywhere. He was just a stud. He was a stud. Yeah, so I think that outrage will die down as we move on, because now we're starting to get into a lot of guys that I grew up, you know. But then we get it.

Then there's other stuff. There's the grip cheating. There's the this. Oh, the spider attack. Is the spider attack going to keep Garrett Cole out of the Hall of Fame? No, I don't think so. You don't think so? Garrett Cole's in the Hall of Fame.

Yeah, you think he's in the Hall of Fame? That's big and bold of you. Yeah. There's actually an article of, like, who are the Hall of Famers right now that are playing. And obviously tier one was, like, Verlander, Scherzer. There's actually an article of who are the Hall of Famers right now that are playing. And obviously tier one was Verlander, Scherzer. Like the guys who are almost done who are locked. Kershaw.

No, no, no. Kershaw's in the tier below. And I was like, of probably a Hall of Famer. What are we even doing here? What? Dude, Kershaw, it's beyond. Yeah. He's right there with those guys.

Those three, they're all at the same level. Yeah. And he's better than all of them for a stretch. For a stretch, yeah. I think career accomplishment-wise, it gets interesting. But, all right. Look, I think Utley's going to get in someday, which is really, really encouraging.

You get 28% in the first year. You usually get into the Hall of Fame. Rollins is not going to get in. No. I think that's how it should be. I think Utley's Hall of Fame and Rollins isn't. I'm okay with it. Yeah, I agree. Although, it is interesting because you see the stats come be. I think Utley's Hall of Fame and Rollins isn't. I'm okay with it. I agree.

Although, it is interesting because you see the stats come out. I know. And it's like, he's the only shortstop. What are we talking about? Don't just listen to stats. We just did this. We just did this. And it's like the side-by-side. Well, this guy's it and this guy's it. And that's the other problem. They let guys in. Would you take guys out of the Hall of Fame? Jim Rice is in the Hall of Fame. Harold Baines is in the Hall of Fame.

So this guy was better. You know what? Guess what? Jimmy Rollins was a of Fame. Harold Baines is in the Hall of Fame. So this guy was better. You know what? Guess what? Jimmy Rollins was a better player than Harold Baines. Without a doubt. Harold Baines is in. Jimmy isn't. Yeah.

I know. It sucks. Are you pro taking guys out of the Hall of Fame? I would. I would take Harold Baines right the hell out. See you, buddy. What a mistake. You restrict Harold Baines' policy.

Trevor Hoffman, you're not Mariano Rivera. Get out. I don't know. I don't know. Hoffman's the only other closer I would even consider. But it's one you're not Mariano Rivera. Get out. I don't know. I don't know. Hoffman's the only other closer I would even consider, but it's one closer rule. Mariano, everyone else out. Schwarber, Hall of Famer?

Obviously. No questions asked. Is Reese a Wall of Famer? Yeah, I mean, of course. Mike Lieberthal's a Wall of Famer. I mean, who did they put in last year? I mean, who did they put? Rowland, obviously he who did they put? I mean, who did they put? Rollem, obviously he deserves to be in, but like.

We put Juan Samuel a couple years ago. Juan Samuel was in a couple years ago. I mean, they put some down, down. I mean, Lieberthal. Yeah, Lieberthal. Lieberthal, Burrell. Yeah, Reese meant more to us than that. I hope Reese is a Wall of Famer.

Me too. I will be there for the ceremony, 100%.