High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: Trout Phishing Time

Episode Date: November 9, 2023

Jack Fritz is ready for the Phillies to go all-in on acquiring Mike Trout. 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 roads here are leading towards. Oh, trout fishing. My trout being in Philly. All right, let's do it.

Let's go trout fishing. All right. Yes. By the way, you started something. Like, we've got stagers on our station saying, or maybe it's time to go trout fishing, and they dug up the clip of Harper from 19 or whatever. I dug up the clip.

That was you. Of course. You don't think I'm going to talk to Mike Trout about coming to the Phillies. With absolutely no context. I know. No one knows where it's from. Funniest part, the camera's in my studio. That stager plays, and he's like, when did Bryce say that?

He's like, wait, what? I was like, bro. Six years ago. Like, it's when he just got Bryce say that? He's like, wait, what? I was like, bro. Six years ago. It's when he just got here. Remember? He's like, wait, what? I was like, yeah. He's like, well, that's a little misleading.

Really? What do we do here? It's radio. Never. So, all right. Here's my case for Mike Trout. Yes. Shouldn't need to happen.

He's one of the best players of all time. You are like hook, line, and sinker. Both feet in. Yeah, you're hook, line, and fishing bull. Yep. So here's a case for Mike Trout. I understand. Again, shouldn't need to do this.

It's all inner circle all-famer. No, but the injuries are real. That's it. The only case against the injuries. No, no, no, no, no. It's not the only case against. No, no, no, I'm saying the only case against is the money and the injuries,. That's it. The only case against the injuries. No, no, no, no, no. It's not the only case against. No, no, no, I'm saying the only case against is the money and the injuries, and that's it. Yeah.

But those are big cases. Go ahead. Yeah. Believe it or not, yes. $400 and some million. And not being able to play baseball. And not being able to stay healthy is a big risk. My counter to the injury stuff is last year's a handmaid bone.

It's a fluky thing. It's a bit of a fluky injury. If they traded for him, I'm putting Marsh in center field. Without a doubt, he's playing left field. I don't think there's any question about that. Trout's in left field. Or DH if you need to. I think they will be able to

throw a short route for a few games here and there. They're not the Angels. They're not morons. They know how to build a roster. That's my biggest, and I'm anti-Trout. Because you hate good players. But to your point with Blake Snell, why I would immediately be in and be excited, I do think going from the Angels to the Phillies is a massive difference

on every level, even staying healthy. I do think that the Phillies will do a better job of managing him, of taking care of his injuries, of being on top of things, on all that. The Angels are a trash organization. The trashest organization. They're not the trash. But they're up there. In terms of taking a guy and getting the best out of him

and giving him the tools for him to get the best out of himself, they're up there with the worst organizations in baseball. Yeah, they have been for years. And so Angels to Phillies, obviously a big win there. Whenever I put it out there, people are like, oh, I'm not selling the farm for them. Well, you wouldn't at all. You're not selling.

You're getting them for like nothing. You're getting my trout at a massive discount because they're going to want to pay a good amount of salary to pay it down. And if they pay it down more, you give better prospects. If they pay it down less, then you give up less prospects. Like there's a path here to where it's not like, I'm not saying that they're taking the whole contract, which I don't think they would. And you don't have to give up the entire farm to go get them. Like, you give up a real piece.

You don't have to give up, like, Mick Abel and someone else plus. Mick Abel and Johan and then something else. Right. Like, you give up that. It's not, you're giving up Painter. You're not giving up, like, Aiden Miller. No. But you're giving up a real piece, but not something that I don't think is going to kill you. You give up that. You're giving up Painter. You're not giving up Aiden Miller. No. But you're giving up a real piece,

but not something that I don't think is going to kill you. That's exactly right. It's Mike Trout. It's Mike Trout. So it's the injury thing, real, but I think they can manage it better. It's not going to cost a ton to go get them because they're going to pay down the salary,

and you're not going to give up your top prospects. So that is kind of a checkmark against. At the same time, it would bring so much buzz to next year's season. I worry that heading into spring training, heading into opening day, it's like,

wake me up when we get to the postseason. You add Mike Trout to Bryce Harper to Kyle Schwarber to Trey Turner and like all these people that are anti I know the second

they actually trade for Mike Trout and you start doing the line of projections and how they need a right hand bat that's kind of patient and can play left field

like are you serious? He's one of the 10 best baseball players to ever live. Wow. Live. He needs to win in the playoffs.

He has to. And he has a chance to do that. Yes, he has to. Other thing people bring up, wouldn't be able to handle Philadelphia, like all the pressure that comes with it. Like the difference between 2015 Mike Trout, when we were giving him standing ovations

with Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley and Ryan Howard on the field, which was insulting. But the reason why we did that in 2015 was because he was viewed as the savior. He's the savior of the franchise. He would not have to be the savior here. He would just be a cog in the wheel.

Like he would just be like... Mike Trout, cog in the wheel. He would be though. It's not that immense pressure to be like the savior of the team. He'd just be a part of it. And he'd get to play with Bryce and Bryce is still the face and he gets to just go beat Mike Trout. So you don't

have to worry about that. Plus, your golf course is coming in 2020. Don't you want to be closer to that? And plus, Eagles are here. I mean, that's the number one thing that he's thinking. Eagles every Sunday. Bang. Yeah. I think the people that are so out on it,

I think they're looking at it a tad wrong. A tad wrong. And I hope that convinced them. I'm in. I know. Let's do it. Look, for me, it's always been the injury thing. And that, like, John Middleton, God bless you. Hey, let's put it this way.

God bless you. He'll spend money. We only really need him if you want us to put him on ice until August. Look, I... He fits. I think it's the most interesting point that you've made in there

is that like in terms of just pure fit, like they actually need Mike Trout. Like they need like that exact... I mean, obviously, they need a player like him. Not, you know, everyone needs the best player in the history of the generation're gonna use a generation or whatever you can use a mic drop um it makes sense from that perspective it's just that I need him to stay on the field like

that's it it's my only thing that's my only thing but if he's the de-agent playing left field he's a way better chance of doing that it's a great point it's a good point you make good points thank you how about it welcome to making good points. It's good. Yeah. 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. Wide receivers.

We analyze route running, target share, and all the metrics that matter, giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers. 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. Realistically. How realistic do you think it is? Because I do think it's not crazy.

I don't know. I really don't. I don't have a feel for it. I don't have a sense for it. But I think that if John... So I think with Middleton, he's looking at next year's team and he's like...

The Trout buzz would just be... It'd be massive. It's the buzziest thing he could... I'm looking at the buzziest thing he could do this offseason. Signed show. Besides, which they're not. I know.

I'm just saying that is the single buzziest thing he could do would be the signed show. Right. If we're being honest withhei. Besides Butcher or not. I know. I'm just saying that is the single buzziest thing he could do would be the signed Shohei. Right. If we're being honest with you. Lake Snell's not bringing any buzz. No, I know. Mike Trout's number two.

Yeah. That would be the second most buzzy thing he could do. I think he's getting traded. I think it's finally time. Can you believe it? Can you imagine if Mike Trout's finally after all these years?

What a moment, though. It'd be insane, dude. It'd be pretty cool. It'd be so cool. I'm in. You got me. You sold me. Official high hopes position. Go'd be pretty cool. I'm in. You got me. You sold me.

Official high hopes position. Go get Mike Trout. We're going trout fishing. I apologize to all the people who tweeted me, come get your boy and all that. He got me, guys. Yeah. That was a very well-reasoned, well-thought-out, strong argument. Thank you.

And I will never, ever, if he does not and he ends up elsewhere, again, I have had a very up and down relationship with Mike Trout. Because he turned the back. I'm not going to let him forget this. He turned his back on the city. You're going to hold him accountable if he gets here. If he comes here, you'll hold him accountable? Always. You know me.

I would never just put all stuff aside and say, welcome home, pal. I would never, ever do that. Jack, you said that. In my head, I see an image of you standing at the airport with a big sign that says, welcome home. Will you go to prom with me? Yes. Oh, man.

Have a cool beavers family. That would be pretty neat. Think about the family, but also think about me. Well, I'm always just the area. No, but, like, I was so mad at him when he signed back out there. I was, too. Because he ruined every. Well, it was right after Harper was doing all that stuff, too.

I know. It was like, oh, wow, this might happen. How cool would this be? And it was only a week after he signed his contract. But, like, every, you know, local baseball player's dream around here should be, you know, I want to play for the phillies someday yep and he had me hook line and sinker with the whole story about how you know when the phillies got roy halliday and he's a member of the angels minor league system he came running downstairs and said to his dad dad we got roy halliday and and his dad said the angels got

roy halliday and he said no the phillies gotaday? And he said, no, the Phillies got Roy Halladay. That story is something that will stick with me forever. Mike, come on home. I don't hate it. Come on home, man. I'm a lot more in than I exactly am.

If you end up as a Yankee or a Mets or a Cardinal, I'm out. Yeah. Oh, way out. You have one chance. Yeah. You get to, like, think about it this way, Mike. It's a big swing for him right here. Because I'm out. Yeah. Oh, way out. You have one chance. Yeah.

You get to, like, think about it this way, Mike. It's a big swing for him right here. Because I'm sure that, I'm sure that Mike, Trout, and his family are listening to the podcast. Obviously.

Hello, Trout family. You have a chance to come home and put your, your team you grew up rooming for over the top and win

a freaking World Series alongside Bryce Trout. Oh, audience laugh! Alongside Bryce Harper. Like, you have that chance. You have it. It's right in front of you. Just do it.

Just do it. There's not this immense amount of pressure. You don't have to be the savior of the franchise. You get to just come here, play baseball, in preferably left field, and be Mike Trout. Come home and be Mike Trout. Well, and like we talked a lot about with Harper, and now Harper feels it, and he talks about it,

and you can tell that he can't. Like, Trout, Michael, to Jack's point from earlier, I mean, you have a chance to go down as one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the sport. Like, you already are just, like, in terms of talent and production and certainly in a 10-year period on top. But, like, I got to be honest with you, man. You need a ring.

You need a ring. Like, you need a ring. Or a postseason moment. Exactly. Or postseason moments. Like, you need to have come through in the biggest of stages with the entire world watching. And striking out against Shohei in the world baseball class does not count. Not a moment either,

for you at least. It would have been. Nice moment for Shohei, yeah. But you need this, dude. You need it. Your legacy is incomplete. It just is. And it's woefully incomplete. Bryce might not have a title, but Bryce has bedlam at the bank. Bryce has playoff runs. Bryce has playoff home runs and moments. You got nothing, Mike.

You gotta get rid of these, like, Jake Cave has as many playoff hits as Mike Troutoff runs and moments. You got nothing, Mike. You got to get rid of these Jake Cave has as many playoff hits as Mike Trout. That's a travesty. Honestly, it's a joke and it was so funny when it happened. I almost cursed there.

It's a freaking travesty. That is a travesty. It is a baseball tragedy that Mike Trout has as many playoff hits as Jake Cave. Enough with that, Mike. Go freaking win a title Be a legend dude

It didn't take you long Who had a quicker turn? Me on Blake Snell or you on Mike Trout? I think it was you on Snell still It was pretty close Don't trot fish I'm in, where are we going? Let's go, let's hop in the car

We might have to go to Millville That's fine. And find Mike Trout. I'm in. I'm in. I mean, the family listens. We just got to that point somehow. Tell the boy to come home.

That's right. And stop wasting time in LA. Yeah, wasting your career, your legacy. No big deal. How do you want to be remembered? Yeah. When you are on the steps of Cooperstown someday, because guess what is happening?

Wouldn't you rather stand there as a freaking champion instead of like, well, never got it done? And go in as an official. I guess I had some nice moments, but, you know. And you had some nice moments in front of like 10,000 people. That's cool. You know what I never did? Achieve the top possible thing that I can achieve in my sport.

And live out every Philadelphia fan's boyhood dream. Well, that's a part two. I mean, Seth's a thing with Travis. That's the unique thing. Like, he actually has a chance to live out every Philadelphia that's the part too I mean sad to think of Trout is he that's that's the unique thing like he actually has a chance to live out his exact childhood dream like everyone wants to win the World Series like he gets to win it with his childhood team and

calling a little I can't believe I and I I'm like pitching Mike Trout let me just get this one out of the way too Mike because I think I know you now you got much less formalism going Mike listen Mike because I feel like I you now. You've gotten much less formal as we've gone on. Mike, listen. Mike, because I feel like I see it in his eyes. You look into a horse, you see a winner.

Mike, let's just lay our cards on the table. We haven't done that yet? No one believes you when you say, I'm just an Eagles fan. Oh, yeah. Or I'm just a Sixers fan. No, stop. Knock it off.

You're in the Phillies parade. Like, stop. Like, it's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Like, Zach Gallin, fraud. Oh, no doubt. Cardinals fan growing up?

I mean, that's embarrassing. Yeah. Stacey was right to not let him go to the parade. Yeah. I'm still mad at Stacey Gallin for mocking us. She did mock us. She did mock us. The rest of the family was quite nice. Shout out to Zach Gallin's dad.

It was very cool. Stacey mocked us. Yeah, she's out. We're out. Now, to be fair, if I'm really going to call it like it was, you might have been calling the Diamondbacks a loser team that was like the worst team ever

in the moment that she responded. I don't remember. Do not remember. Can you prove that? Probably for the best part. There's no tape of that. No. Yeah, can you prove that? Probably for the best part. There's no tape of that. No, no,

yeah, it's good. There's no video. There is no video. Yeah, only what we said happened. No, but I do have,

I just will never get Stacey Gallen's face out of my mind. I know. Of her looking at me and being like, hey, I called.

I know. And then like doing a little like celebration thing. Yeah. It was tough. Top five. Anyway, back to, back to my job. I know. And then doing a little celebration thing. Yeah. It was tough. Top five. Anyway, back to my trout. Yeah.

Come to Philly. Yeah, figure it out. Yeah, make it happen.