High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Hoping for Kris Bryant for the Holiday's

Episode Date: December 19, 2019

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back as they talk about the possibility of adding Dellin Betances, the luxury tax, Kris Bryant rumors and whatever else they usually get in to.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. 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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Available right away. Who's Beetlejuice? Don't ever say that name. Beetlejuice. I'm serious. If you say that name three times, really bad stuff is going to happen. Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice. The juice is loose. On September 6th. We doing this? The wait. Let's go, honey. Is over. Thank you all for coming to this very special occasion.

I felt a little tingle. Ew. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, September 6th. This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Philadelphia Phillies on Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast.

I was expecting something to happen today just because we were recording and nothing did. It's kind of messed up. Well, Glentac knows that our recording schedule is usually Thursdays. It's true. So, I mean, it's not really his fault. He didn't know about the late change to Wednesday. It's a good point.

He was all preparing for the Dell and Batances signing tomorrow. Yes. Well, all right. How are you doing, by the way? Are you good? I'm good. I'm tired. It's Cowboys week.

I can see it. Your eyes, like you just did that thing where you shut them really hard, then open them and it was like, you're tired right now. I'm always tired. Yeah, I know. Perpetually tired. It's Cowboys Week. It is Cowboys Week.

Apparently, there's a football team still. We haven't fully moved on to the Phillies offseason, which is disappointing. Yeah. We're ready for it. It's go time. It's way less. It's go time. It's maddening in and of itself, and it's less maddening than this Eagles team.

Cowboys, it's just a different level of radio during Cowboys week. You've got to be on top of everything. It's not your typical week. It's been a whirlwind week for us. Is it easier for you not having to focus on your WIB fantasy team

because I beat you in the semifinals, so you don't have to worry about that this week? I never cared. Yeah, I know. You care a little bit. I think you care a little bit. Oh, listen, I literally slept-blocked the playoffs. I literally didn't pick up one player besides guys on buys.

I didn't try to make any moves, and I still slept-blocked the second half. That's because I'm a good drafter. Yep. Whatever. Oh, you know, we can't all be 12-2. guys on buys. I didn't try to make any moves and I still slept walked the second round. That's because I'm a good drafter. We can't all be 12-2. It literally doesn't matter. Alright, let's talk about something that does matter. Dalvin Matanzas. It's so funny because look, we've talked about Dalvin Matanzas

in our Perfect Off season. We are big fans. There was a point where he was the best middle reliever in the sport. I think without question, the all-star team is a middle reliever in the sport i think without question you know made the all-star team as a middle reliever i mean they once had a bullpen of what it was it was miller batances was chapman in there at that point chapman got there oh yeah he was there because then i traded them both the same offseason the year the cubs won the world series yes so they had batances miller and it's crazy it's insane it's crazy delmatansis is is nuts like just k per nine crazy throws 98 now

when he came back last year he was only throwing 95 which is kind of worrisome but i think a full off season of working out being healthy and whatnot you should see his velocity get back up to 98 yeah he is a potentially dominant reliever and look he's he's it seems like looking for a one-year deal trying to re-establish his value. That makes sense. Killy's tear, you know. We'll see. I think he's going to be fine. But the Batanta signing is bigger.

I don't think there's ever been a middle reliever signing that, if it happens, was more impactful than just signing a middle reliever. Listen, wait to see what Robert Stock does this year. No. No. I mean in the sense of if they sign Delmatances, it means they're going over the luxury tax. They are. And I honestly believe that going over the luxury tax

just to sign Delmatances would be stupid. Right. So that means that there's more coming if they do sign Delmatances in your eyes. Right. I would like to go over the luxury tax, obviously. It's the only thing I care about. I even changed my Twitter bio to,

there's no chance the Phillies are going over the luxury tax in hopes of... I'm hoping. That's where I've been actually believing it. But if we're being honest, going over the luxury tax and just signing Delman Hances does nothing. You're just going over the luxury tax.

You're just starting the clock. You're just going over the luxury tax for no reason. Right, and again, it's not that going over the luxury tax really matters in terms of money to John Middleton if they went over for Batanzas and a little bit more. Like that's nothing money wise. It's the idea that you're starting your clock of being over the luxury tax. Right.

It's got to be Batanzas and a big trade or Batanzas and Ryu or whatever. Like just going over the luxury tax for Batanzas would be dumb team management. But here's the thing, and I agree with you. And again, I'm still at the point where it does, it certainly feels like the fact that they're in on Batanzas, the Brian thing makes sense. We'll get to the Brian thing more. I know we've talked about it, but I need to see it happen

before I believe they're going to go over the luxury tax. See, I just think that if I'm- It makes so much sense. How do you build a bullpen? Go ahead. If I know John Middleton, I think I know John Middleton. When he talks, there is an intensity in his voice, and you're going to tell me that he's going to be $5 million under the luxury tax, and he's going to look up and down this roster,

and he's not going to just down this roster and he's just gonna he's not gonna just say f it and go and like i just there there is an element of john middleton f it mode that hasn't been reached yet but i think as we creep closer and closer and these guys stay out there even though they're not really staying out there like you kind of gotta act now yes there's there's just he's gotta just say f it. I agree, but why though? Why should we have Vaiton and John Middleton right now? What has he done for us other than bring Bryce Harper here, which, look, that was great,

but also a no-brainer move on every single level, and we all knew it the whole time. I mean, what has John Middleton done? He's put poor people in place to run this team. Yeah, but I mean, he moved on. He seemed like a maniac at a press conference. I mean, I don like why should i i hope but why should i tell me why i should like believe in john middleton i moved on from capler and brought in joe gerardi that's a big time move it's good it's a big time over there i it is good move they are i mean they are at 200 they're

around 200 million dollars like you don't just get there by being a cheap owner like the White Sox have all the money in the world, but they're not going there. I know, but you can't straddle the middle ground either. You can't say, all right, well, I'm going to spend some money, but I'm not willing to go over because why should I? Or whatever. But this team right now is not good enough to win. This team right now, maybe the best thing they've done is gone from fourth to third in the NL East. And look,

maybe there's a fatigue effect with the Nationals. I could certainly see the Nationals falling back. I think the Nats are going to finish like they're in the division. I could see that. I could really see that.

Maybe they're a wildcard team. You just want to get there and have a chance. But realistically, looking at this team, the way it is built right now, if they're not going to go over the tax, if they're going to add supplementally and bring in a couple cheap relievers and it's Eflin, Vavetta, and Velasquez in the road to one of those guys is definitely in there.

Two of those guys could be in the rotation. I mean, that's not good enough. It's just not. Well, what about this? What about stupid money was so dumb to say last year. I like this theory. I've heard this theory. I like this theory. I've heard this theory. I like this theory.

And it hamstrung the organization from a standpoint of being able to actually negotiate to a standpoint to where teams were like, your owner already said they're going to spend all the money anyway, so just give us whatever you want and you don't really have a choice in the matter. He's doing the reverse this year is the idea. Putting it out there that they're not going over making it a little tougher. I don't know. I think you're

being too hard on the guy. Wow. Look, if it weren't for that press conference, I wouldn't be saying this stuff, but how can we forget that press conference? That doesn't just go away. It doesn't just go away. But then he responded and brought in Joe Girardi. But that was such an obvious move.

Look, he got Girardi to come here. That is great. I give him credit for that. And Joe Girardi was sold. The whole city would have done that. I mean, it's not like- Which is fine. The fact that Matt Klintak still has a job is an issue for me.

The fact that he is putting Klintak in place and trusting the decisions this guy makes is a worry. But Girardi is a guy that he would have had a job pretty much whatever he wants to do. He chose here because of what John Middleton said. I said getting Girardi to get here is something. I agree. Convincing Girardi to come here does matter to a point. And, like, I keep on going back to Bryce.

And I keep on going back to Boris. And I just don't think Scott Boris sends Bryce Harper here to be with an owner that's not going to do what it takes to win. I just think that the Boris thing last year, you don't promise and lie to Bryce Harper to try to get him to come to your city and then not fulfill a promise a year later. But, I mean, look, couldn't he say,

I went out and got Didi, I went out and got Wheeler, I'm making moves, I'm spending money, I got JT got Didi. I went out and got Wheeler. I'm making moves. I'm spending money. I got JT for you last offseason. Like, what am I not doing? I mean, right? He could. I mean, he could sell that, but no one would really believe it.

I agree with you. Look, I'm not saying, look, all the tea leaves make it look like there's a real chance they would go over. And as we've talked about and we'll talk about, I think there's a real chance the chris bryant thing is a real thing like it makes a lot of sense but well and i think still i'm not my point is i'm not middleton has not earned the benefit of the doubt with me that's fine and i don't think he should and the thing that's most frustrating for me right now and obviously it's very it's actually pretty early. And like they, there's a lot of moves to be made, but obviously they should start making moves because it seems like free agents are signing faster and faster,

which is great. It's all, I mean, think about last offseason compared. It's the polar opposite. By the way, only 99 days until opening day. Under 100. Let's go, baby. Let's go. Pitchers and catchers.

I had another dream about the Phillies last night. Yeah. I had another dream. I had another dream. I had another dream about the Phillies last night. Yeah. Another dream. Another dream. I had a dream that, like, I don't know. I was on vacation somewhere. And there's nothing. Like, I already said this to you millions of times.

Like, my favorite version of the Phillies is on vacation Phillies. Like, I watched the Phillies on my honeymoon. I wasn't missing Nola Scherzer. Like, what are you crazy? We know. I love watching the Phillies at the beach. Jill is the same. Or troubled. I don't know know what she's definitely not um and like one of my biggest one of my one of the things i've thought about a

lot was like going and living in like seattle or denver and being a philly sports fan away from philadelphia because i think that's just a cool thing to do sure um i'm not really gonna do that i know what you mean though i'm very happy with where I am. Yes. That's always been something I thought was interesting. I had this dream last night that I was like, I don't know, somewhere on vacation.

I, for some reason, brought every single Philly's article of clothing I had. They're all on the floor for some reason. I do hate cleaning my room. I couldn't find my Darren Dalton jersey to put on to watch the game that night because the Darren Dalton jersey was lucky at that point in the season in my fake dream um so if so facto I can't wait yes your subconscious is telling you I just all right it's gonna be summer I'm gonna take a ride home it's gonna be windows down we're on a train it's going to be summer. I'm going to take a ride home. It's going to be windows down. We're on a train.

It's going to be warm out. And I'm going to get to go home and watch third starter Zach Eflin, fourth starter Jake Arrieta, fifth starter Nicky Breakout. Breaking out in the fifth slot. Breaking out in the fifth slot. But I don't even know where i was going with that my main point actually there really was no point there was no point but i want to make another point is is that you're excited for baseball i am that was the point you're trying to make very

excited but 99 days that was the point 99 days so the one thing that i keep that is driving me the most crazy and i don't want to overreact too much because I think they are eventually going to go over it before the season starts. But the notion that they don't want to go over the luxury tax in the offseason, but will go over it at the trade deadline is the single most asinine, bleeping idea I've ever heard in my life. It's like, oh, well, let's see.

Maybe if we're good during the season then we'll go over it hey jack wagon why don't you be better this off season go into the season with a real freaking plan and then at the trade deadline go over it just continue to go over it yes rather than having a flawed roster heading into the season and hoping and hoping things go well yeah it's not a good stupid morons. Don't do it. The way I look again, and again, no benefit of the doubt, but just from a logical, pragmatic

standpoint, I don't know how they fill out this roster in a way that will make anyone happy if they're not going to go over the luxury tax before the season starts. I mean, they don't have a bullpen. We talk all about, like, oh, we need another starter. Oh, we need, you know, Chris Bryant. They don't have a bullpen. We talk all about, like, oh, we need another starter. Oh, we need, you know, Chris Bryant. They don't have a bullpen.

You sure? They got nobody out there. Oh, come on. Hector Naras. I'm excited. Who else you got? I'm excited about the bullpen. Yeah, Robert Stock, really? We're going to put our season on Robert Stock? I'm buying stock, though. Man, now you did. Now you did. Sure did. Sure did.

But there's a lot of young interesting dudes that could come up and could help. Okay, sure. Do you feel confident going into the season with those young dudes as the bullpen? Let me just say this. Off-season Jack, excited to see the young dudes. August 15th Jack.

Are you kidding me? Like April 15th you're like, oh no, this is a gigantic mistake. What if they're all young and good? Yeah, sure. Because, yeah, guys Matt Klentak had any role in bringing in here are probably all young and good. Sure. They just had some decent drafts recently.

Yeah. Slowly working their way up. We'll see. We'll see. No, they definitely are flawed in the bullpen. And the thing that's so frustrating is, like, there's interesting moves to be made. Like, Batanzas, regardless, I think if you add Batanzas

to a back half of Neris, Morgan, Alvarez, you have some decent guys. There's Sir Anthony coming back. If you can go 7-8-9, lefty-righty matchup, whatever, and you have Sir Anthony fully healthy, Batanzas fully healthy,

Neris fully healthy, Jose Alvarez, lockdown lefty. of Sir Anthony fully healthy, Batanzas fully healthy, Neres fully healthy. Okay. Jose Alvarez, lockdown lefty. You know I love Jose Alvarez. Sir Anthony, counting on Sir Anthony to be a major part of your bullpen

sounds like a bad decision. I'm sorry. Why? Because how often does this work? We've talked about this a hundred times. Until he gets TJ's, I just think he's getting TJ surgery and it's gonna happen that is yeah Tanaka

literally and maybe I'm wrong I'm sure there are other ones out there Tanaka is literally the only guy I can think of who decided to rehab in that situation with the partial tear and has been okay that's it yeah I mean Richards kind of did the stem cell thing and then oh that worked out he was done

yeah it worked out great. Yeah, but, like, banking on Victor Arano. I've heard so much Victor Arano. They need guys, Jack. It's like Victor Arano. Listen, he was fine in 18, but, like, the guy doesn't have stuff. He was, like, 92. They need guys.

They need guys. They do need guys. Cole Irvin, Ranger Suarez, all this crap coming out of the bullpen. Suarez is not crap. Fine. You know what I'm saying. Doesn't have great stuff. It's not an issue, though.

Yeah. It's good that he's a bullpen guy that doesn't have great stuff in 2020. It's great. They got Robert Stock. Yes. Fine stock. So, you can't do that again. One time.

It's a one time only. No more. Stop it. All right. Okay. So, all right, back to the genesis

of this conversation. The idea that I do think, I understand pragmatically that going over the tax just makes a lot of sense for where they are, for where they're at

in this situation. Whether it's sad starting, bitching, whether it's sad bullpen guys, whether it's make a chris bryant trade we're a week since we last recorded more or less we talked a little bit about the bryant trade then where are you at with it now are you starting to the juice is flowing where you at uh yeah i i think bryant i think chris bryant the phillies um it. It just makes a lot of sense. There's a lot of things on paper that make a lot of sense.

His relationship with Bryce is massive. I don't think you'd have the concern of him not signing long-term. I see no reason why they couldn't trade for him, and almost whether they do the real Muto thing where they wait a year and then sign him next offseason or they do it right away. But, like, 7-2-10. Put it at 7-2-10. It's $30 million a year over seven years.

Pays him through age 35. Sure. Like, that is. I mean, I'd like to see him have another good season. Dude, even. To be fair. But even when he had a bad season in 2018 with a shoulder injury, he's a career OPS over 900. Like, he's been over 900.

He's a really. No, again, but he's only had one great season. Yeah, but, dude, it's even. It's even like. He's a 285. Like he's been over 900 No again But he's only had one Great season Yeah but Dude it's even It's even like He's a 285 He's a great He's a really good player

380 Yes and the potential As we know Is MVP level type player I'm not saying He's not worth The Won't be

I don't believe He'll be worth the contract But I'm saying If I'm gonna give him the money I'd let you know I don't think there's any reason To do it now Well the fact

The fact of the matter Is that he's not rendon he's not an arenado right um he's not matt chapman uh agree i'm forgetting any third baseman like donaldson's old so obviously he's not in that and by the way the idea of giving down some four years sounds like as much of a disaster as i could possibly hell on earth um that's crazy i think there might be one. Eugenio Suarez, but I wouldn't, he's not going to like, I'm talking like Aaron Otto,

Aaron Otto, Rendon and Matt Chapman are all 200 plus million dollar third baseman. And I think, I think Chris Bryant is right below those guys, but could get into that tier with some more elite offensive seasons. The defensive metrics haven't been great at third base, but I think he can play third base. Oh, Devers would be in that group. You think he's ever going to get 200-plus million?

Eventually. He's 22. It's not going to happen for a while. Yeah, I guess. He's one of the best hitters in baseball already. In terms of just pure hitters, I think if I had to go into a season and you say, all right, pick a guy to win a batting title,

him and Rendon would be my top two choices. Dude, Raphael Devers is so good. He's like a pure hitter. I feel like, and again, you know, I'm like my two TVs and I get weird and watch the package a lot. Package. Raphael Devers, it felt like literally every time

I saw him step to the plate, he got a hit. And I know that wasn't real but it felt that way it felt like every time he stepped up to the plate I was like oh another hit but here's the thing like he got like 320 something I know Devers is good he just also was bad the year before and whatever but I do think like I would rather have Chris Bryant than Manny Machado

ooh I forgot about Machado I don't think I would I'd rather Machado I mean Machado's a thousand times better defender yes I would rather have Chris Bryant 7-. I'd rather Chris. I mean, Machado's a thousand times better defender. Yes. I would rather have Chris Bryant at 7'2", 10 than Manny at 10 years. For sure. That's fair.

I would agree with that. So, like, I just think he's in that tier a little bit below. But, like, all right. He had the one bad season in 2018. He had a shoulder injury. I'm not trying to crap on Chris Bryant. I think he's a great player. I'm just saying, like. All right.

How about this? You know how people were worried about Bryce Harbour think he's a great player. I'm just saying. All right, how about this? You know how people were worried about Bryce Harbour before he got here, whatever, and this year he was good. He'll be better, I think. But we don't have those same concerns. Three of the last four years, 2016, 2017, and 2019, he batted.292,.295,.282,

and had a slugging over.520 in all those seasons. He's a legit offensive superstar. He's a very good hitter. I think it's been a little bit underrated. I do think coming here would elevate those numbers even more. I think it's possible. The reason why I want Chris Bryant so much and I opened this offseason talking about it. I think they need to add another blue

chipper to this team. I don't think you win a championship without at least three blue chippers on the offensive side. Bryce is a blue chipper. I think he won a championship without at least three blue chippers on the offensive side. Bryce is a blue chipper. I think Brian is a blue chipper. Real Muto is a blue chipper just because of what he brings defensively. Because he's a catcher, yes, but he's not a blue chip offensive player. He's a great

offensive player for a catcher. Correct. Yes. And Hoskins is a tier below. Yeah, he's just not. But I think people are too down on Hoskins. I agree. I am not as down as others on Hoskins, and I think. Yeah, he's just not. But I think people are too down on Reece Hoskins. I agree. I am not as down as others on Hoskins, and I think we've seen him be very consistent in the majors and be a close-to-blue-chip type hitter at times,

but he's not a blue-chip hitter. No, he's not. But there's ability to be a tier below blue-chip. He's a really great offensive piece. But I think if you add it to a lineup of, let's say, let's just go around in time, and you have Real Muto, Hoskins segura dd bryant mccutchen hazley harper that's a freaking dynamite offense kingery kingery harper hazley over kingery

all right kingery yeah kingery inside which is even better i mean king's a better hitter than hazley right now kingery is and i mean that's a that's an insane that's an insane offense that's an insane offense it's a great offense the thing is and the thing that I I I don't know like it's just so tough it's not that tough to work through

what a trade package would look like it would probably start with Boehm it would just be yeah Boehm would be the centerpiece of the trade and I think Spencer Howard's untouchable but I agree I would do everything in my power including trading

Scott Kingery to not put Alec Boehm in the deal it's not gonna happen but Kingery is a guy the Cubs theoretically should be going after because of the contract

Kingery's contracted he's one of the best in baseball because of the contract so if you can get Kingery's a great asset he's a great asset but he's just he's not blue chip enough

at least Boehm could be a blue chipper theoretically could be the offensive side offensive side so I would just do everything in my power not to have At least Boehm could be a blue chipper, theoretically. Could be. The offensive side. Offensive side, yes. Offensive side. So I would just do everything in my power not to have to put Boehm in the deal.

I think Boehm's going to have to be in the deal. There is no way they're getting Chris Bryant without Boehm or Howard in the deal. There's just not. Yeah. Now, the reason why... There are too many suitors. There are too many other teams that will be in it. There's too many suitors.

Well, there's not... Enough. There's enough suitors, especially suitors who have real assets. I mean, the Braves are going to be a suitor. But what the Braves don't have, what the Rangers don't have, what the Twins don't have, and the Phillies do have, is the ability to take on one of those contracts. Exactly.

So if the Cubs want just blue-chip talent, if they just want blue-chip talent to replace. Take Hayward back and not give up Boehm if you can something like that is what you're trying to say or even it comes down to

if they can just get the player like if it's just if they would rather have the Braves package of players and just get the blue chip talent back

and it comes down to that or the Phillies offer of Boehm plus taking back the Lester deal like they have the ability to have that over the Braves

which the Braves don't have so the Braves may have the top of the that over the Braves which the Braves don't have right so the Braves may have the top of the line blue chip town like Kristen Pache I mean again ability and then we have to see Middleton do it but I think in this situation that's the one that's that's worrisome with Middleton is I don't think he I'm worried he wouldn't take on one of the massive contracts now Hayward should be untouchable I wouldn't touch Hayward with a 10-foot pole either I mean that contract is an abject disaster. Disaster.

Lester would be awesome. Not that John Lester's good anymore, but it's $25 million next year. And look, I said this to you off the show when we were talking about this idea, and John Lester's not good anymore, but I would absolutely hand that guy the ball in a playoff game in any situation. I mean, that guy has been so great in the playoffs and had so many big moments that on a team with starters who I right now, certainly in terms of like

playoff experience and stuff, there's no one I really I mean, I know Ariadne has pitched him in games, but I don't want Ariadne to be in your mound in a playoff game. I would hand the ball to John Lester in a playoff game and I'd feel okay about it. Well, you said any offseason. Let's see what the regular season looks like. Yeah, and then he has a 5 ERA and I'm like,

screw this guy. Sure. His career ERA in the postseason is like 2-3. He is one of the best postseason pitchers of our lifetime. That's not talked about at all. No. It's never mentioned. It's crazy. Not enough. Yeah, I agree. So I would love to take back a Lester deal to kind of relax on how much

we're giving up prospect-wise for Chris Bryant. Darvish is interesting. It seems like they're not going to move him, but I agree he's interesting. It's like... Everything I've read, it seems like that he's... And look, you never know what can happen, but it seems like they're not going to move on from Darvish. They're buying the second half? Yeah, that's what I've read.

So Darvish would just be like they'd pay him this year, next year. They'd have to pay him until 2023. Same with Hayward. Lester, you'd be out of the contract after next season. Which is why it's more attractive. But it takes off $25 million off the books for them, which I'm sure that they would love to do. He does a full no-trade clause. It's so weird, all these big market teams being like,

yeah, let's just blow things up because it's too expensive. It's like, stop cheaping out, man. Anyway, go ahead. I mean, not that the We'll never. It's like, stop cheaping out, man. Yeah. Anyway, go ahead. I mean, not that the Cubs. We'll never. Yeah, I mean. We'll never do that. I say that, yeah. Granted, the Cubs ownership clearly is the worst for many reasons.

Not a fan. No. Not a fan of the Cubs ownership. Yes. But getting back Bryant and Lester would just take care of so many issues with this team. You get a lefty for the rotation, which people seem to be enamored with, which, again, I don't care about. Neither of us have.

I thought Girardi's... In the bullpen, obviously, it matters. What does it matter? What does it matter? Why do you need a lefty starter? I don't get it. I know. It's crazy.

Oh, it gives them a different look. Really? Really? These major league hitters, they see a lefty the night after seeing a righty It totally throws their like I don't think so Yeah and just get them like You know it doesn't make any sense to me Just get guys with stuff

That's what we've always said And then you add in Chris Bryant I've watched a lot of Chris Bryant highlights And I've watched Have you ever seen the Sports Dinner interview With him and Bryce? No And you talked about this with the dd signing and i and i think we might have even mentioned with brian but i do think that you can't underrate

the culture aspect of it the idea of bringing bryce's best buddy in here and the fact that they like each other and real muta you could just see like those three guys that in real muta like being like not just buddies but but leaders and growing together. And they're being a real core to this team from a culture perspective. I'm with you. And then you add in Girardi. Yeah, who's like...

Man, I'm just saying, this city would fall in love hard with the baseball team, with Bryant, Harper, Real Muto. I know. Kingery. Yes. Didi, Girardi. McCutcheon.

They're fun, man. McCutcheon. Dude, we never even factored in McCutcheon, who's like the best guy ever. I know. I told you he was my favorite Philly last year. And then he got hurt like two weeks later. I was like, whoops. Like, this team would be so likable.

He was my favorite player on the team last year. I think. The person I enjoyed watching the most last year while they were on the team, just from every aspect, from likability, from the way they went about their business a lot, was Andrew McCutcheon. And now you're adding DeeDee to it? I know. Did you watch his press conference?

Yeah. I love that guy. Let's talk about the press conference real quick. What were your takeaways? My takeaway is they're not done yet. I saw you tweet that. I hope you're right. But did you have the same takeaway when you watched it? So i watch it later i'm watching what's happening happened to my show

but oh that's pretty bad dedication on your yeah well you know i i i actually focus on my show when i'm not when i'm producing i'm not yeah why i don't do that at all yeah i'm not like you know whatever um but i uh i i understand what you're saying it did did feel that way. I just, look, I didn't think, I thought it was, I thought Clint Tagg was better there than he's been in other spots. Did you notice the gray hair? That's not saying much. No, I didn't. Is he aging through this process?

He's got a little gray going. I can see that. Love it. I mean, he's pouring over the numbers. Yes, yes. He's aging. I think it's more the stress is aging. Yes.

But I did, if I had to say, I didn't get it as strong as you it wasn't like i walked away i was like oh my god they're clearly gonna spend more i got the feeling that they're willing to it was more like hey we are willing to do more things if those things make sense was kind of the feel that i got i got that i get this i get the same kind of thing but i think with dd saying we're not done making I like that I like that a lot we're not but I'm making moves uh Klintak answering the luxury tax question and being like they've told us to be opportunistic yes I think opportunistic would mean a good word for it would mean Chris Bryant like my if I could trust John Middleton

with one thing it's that that guy wants to get stars here. And if all it takes is, again, this is, I don't know if people know this. I feel like we should probably just get it out there again. Again, if they go over the freaking luxury tax, it's paying a $3 million penalty. It is paying freaking Jason Vargas. Dude, and not even that. Don't even think about it in Jason Vargas terms.

Think about it in terms of how much money John Middleton has. Yeah, and then think about the fans, man. I work nine to five. It's like, honestly, it's like for a normal person, and I'm guessing at the number, but I would guess it's something like 10 bucks or something like that to a normal. I'm not even kidding.

That's pretty great. Do you understand the difference between a million and a billion like not really it wasn't 999 million in terms of dude i don't think you like there's a lot of billions a lot you can there's really cool like little things where you're like you can you could do this with a million dollars and you could do this like this many more times but like there's a lot of that type of stuff out there i'm telling you you, someone put out the numbers for what it would be. I'm sure we can find it. I think it's like $5 to $10 for an average person.

Have you ever thought about a trillion? Sure. It's not $999 billion. It's a lot. I'm just saying, I don't think you understand just how much more a billion. Oh, is that math for you? In terms of dollars and what it really feels like, I'm telling you.

I think it's like $10 or $100 or something like that. But regardless, let's lay it out more while you're looking at that. You look that up. They go over the luxury tax. It is $3 million just by going over it, which is whatever, right? Stupid, doesn't matter. I'll just do math. And then there's another luxury tax threshold of $240 million,

where if you go over that, that's when you start dropping draft picks, and no one wants that. I don't want John Middleton to go $250-plus million or whatever because I want to keep our draft slot because I've been doing a lot of draft research, James, and there's so many guys that I want. And let me get this out there right now. They're going to get an absolute freaking stud

at 15. I think the player that goes to 15 this year would have been a top 10 pick in last year's draft. Wow, really? There are some freaking monsters in this draft. I love that you're bringing it up. The draft is in June. Oh, dude. If I could fast forward to June, whenever, 16th I feel like, I would do it. I can't do math. I don't feel like

doing math. Someone will tell us. It's somewhere between $10 and $100 100 either way it's nothing nothing um so then there's a 240 thing 240 million dollar tax which is so there's no additional tax from 208 million to 240 million it doesn't matter not if you want to be cheap or you want to help your team win so um it's frustrating that they don't that they're well i still think they're gonna go over it yeah i still think they're gonna go over it but the luxury tax thing that's why that's why it doesn't make any sense not to go over it now and then you know be better positioned for the trade deadline yeah i'm with you i i'm i just need to see it i just need to see it i know that's so sad

it is where's all your hope gone is it because you're up a lot of hours? You get like four hours of sleep, like all your hope's lost? It's been sucked out of me, Jack. No. No, when Zoe turns like four, though, your hope will come back. I don't forget what it felt like at the end of the season

and the press conference and Matt Klentag and all of it. I'm not past it, Jack. All he said was that he's not a potted plant. Yes, true. I still don't believe it. So what if Howard Eskin asked him about prospects and he spent 11 minutes talking about the bullpen?

Oh, man. I just don't understand why you're so worried about the bullpen when they had the fourth lowest bullpen in the second half of baseball last year. I'm good. No, you seem too worried. You seem too worried. This team can identify bullpen talent. They found like more and you forget that. Oh, my God. You forget that. Oh my god.

You forget that. What else you got? My list is done. Your list is done? My list is done. What are you, 31 minutes in this podcast? I know. Wait, what do you want me to do? It's December. My list is done. Dude, it's December. What else you got on your list? I made a list.

Did you check it twice? Yeah. I spilled coffee on myself this morning. Actually, I heard. It was awful. I saw you list. Did you check it twice? Yeah. I spilled coffee on myself. Actually, I heard. I saw you tweet about it. It was awful. Like the first time I've ever really spilled coffee on myself. What do you mean the first time you've ever spilled coffee?

Oh, like hot, like, Oh, I got you. I, yeah. Hot ass coffee.

Got you. Okay. Like really? Oh, wow. So what happened? So I was, so I put my coffee,

it's my fault. I put my coffee, of course it's your fault. I put my coffee it's my fault i put my coffee of course it's your fault i put a crease in the couch moronic move immediately so i put it works every day okay but i put the coffee in between the couch in the crease in the couch yeah and then i had to go to the bathroom and i stood up too quickly or I moved around and it fell all over me. So you do this every day? Yeah. Are you going to stop doing it now? No.

Not until I do it again. Not until I do it again. Um, one thing that is, is driving me a little bit crazy about the pitching staff that they are kind of seemingly leaking out a little bit. Um, yeah, it's not great. The leaks about the pitching staff. No one would want to hear. But like, can we stop with this whole Zac Eflin?

Like, they don't even factor in Zac Eflin as, like, a question mark. Oh, he's a lock. It's freaking crazy. Yes. Like, they're just assuming that because he had a good six starts with, or he had a good seven starts to finish the season, two were against the Marlins, two were against the Mets, he got rocked by the Nationals in one of them,

and he had two good brave starts. That's enough for them to be like, hmm, yeah, these are three. And then, like, the whole banking on Arieta thing. And seriously, I mean, I'm not even kidding. The fact that Vince Velasquez is even a discussion point. Again. Like, that there is a real possibility

that Vince Velasquez is either competing for or having a rotation spot is like F you if you do that to us. I'm telling you I'll be livid if I'm watching Vinny Velo try and win a rotation spot. I'm not in for that. I won't do it. I'm not in. And can I just say this right now and I will not change my stance on this one bit. Okay. I will not buy into spring training baseball.

Yeah, okay. I'll believe that when I see it. Which is more likely? Me not buying into spring training results or John Middleton going over the luxury deck? I think John Middleton. Flying over the luxury deck. Yeah, I'm flying over it. You are locked in.

Did you see what he did today? He was three for four. Laced one into the outfield. God. Get me to spring training. Get me to spring training. Did you see what Pavetta did? Oh, my God.

Oh, dude. Spring training Pavetta. Oh, you know what we're going to miss out this year? What? Oh, it just kind of set in for me. I'm sad now. You know what we're going to miss this year in spring training? What?

Spring training Mike Hill. Oh. A tradition unlike any other. It's going to be real sad. Best shape of his life. You know who I'm going to miss this year in spring training? What? Spring training Mike Hill. Oh. A tradition unlike any other. It's going to be real sad. Best shape of his life. You know who's not sad about that? What? Me.

Why? Because I don't want to make him hear it. Come on. Bye, Mike. You don't miss the tank shots? Bye, Mikey. When he's a close stance in spring training and then all of a sudden two weeks into the season.

What do you think? Well, when no one, when he gets some shot somewhere and fails there and then he doesn't have a job, maybe they can get him to just be a perpetual spring training guy and he can just be there every spring and just hanging out and just being a fun guy everyone likes. Yeah. Another thing I don't want to take away from the press conference.

Actually, there's two other things from the press conference. Okay. One, I love Joe Girardi. I love that guy. All in on Girardi. You can just see guys wanting to play for that guy. He's a baseball guy. And the fact that Didi came here for him,

it feels like he's trying to sell Batances on coming here. Yeah, buddy. The nice thing about Batances is he wants to stay East Coast, and I think the Dodgers are the biggest threat for him. Dodgers already stole Blake Trainham from us. It hurts. It hurts. But Girardi, I can't wait to see how this team plays with him. Um, but like, Dodgers already stole Blake training from us. It hurts. It hurts. But,

uh, Girardi just, I, I, I can't wait to see how this team plays with them. Like Gabe, I didn't think it was as bad as people made it out to be, but I just, I definitely didn't fight for Gabe.

No, I feel like they could fight for Gerard. There's going to be a different level of, yeah. Intensity. Yes. Excitement. I mean,

dude, the 20, the 2017 Yankees were not projected to be that great heading into the season. No, he got a one,1 away from the World Series. Again, we've read that roster. That Marlins roster he had, they won like 74 games with or whatever. With a $15 million payroll. It is unreal.

Honestly, it's more impressive than someone winning 100 wins with some great team. Way more impressive. He won manager of the year. And he deserved it. He legit deserved it. My other main takeaway from the press conference was that Zach Wheeler chose Philadelphia because of our analytics department. No.

Which is hilarious to me. He did not. Yes, he did. I don't believe it. Did you read Salisbury? I don't believe it, though. Salisbury's like, I guess Wheeler was like, yeah, we didn't really touch on that stuff in New York

and I'm excited to see all the stuff they laid out for me here. He didn't choose it because he chose it because his wife

wanted to live in New Jersey. Let's be real. Let's be real. The Louisiana Licks department some are saying next Indians.

Oh yeah right. Next Dodgers? Sure. Next Rays? Next Yankees? Who do you think? Who are they? Next Yankees?

No. No? You don't see no no that's it okay well either way uh zach wheeler did talk a lot about him being the next gary cole you know john middleton's the reason they're here and he and he's very serious about it yes um uh but if it is that he's buying into the analytics and he's going to actually buy into what they tell him I am fully prepared to talk myself all the way into Zachary Wheeler. The excitement your ability to just jump in is really impressive Very excited for Zachary. I know

it's good. I think we're going to get you remember when Curt Schilling came here and they taught him the splitter and all of a sudden he turned into Curt Schilling You asking me something that I was alive for and you weren't? I forgot. That was in high school for you. Yes.

Yeah. Right. High school. All right. What else you got? I think it's insane that the Nationals backup plan for not getting Josh Johnson is rumored to be Mike Alvarado. I know.

Well, I also like where it's like the teams that are in Donaldson, it's like Chris Bryan is also their backup plan. It's like, what kind of backup plan is Chris Bryan? That's your main plan. I understand that you have to give up assets for one and not the other, but if you're in on Chris Bryan, you're in on Chris Bryan. Signing a 33-year-old third

baseman to a three or four-year deal should not be your plan one if you're going to be in on Chris Bryan. We have not celebrated enough that we no longer have to face Anthony Rendon a ton. Yeah. Well, we said that in the moment, but it's pretty great.

It's pretty great. I was sick and tired of the back break. Me too. All of them. The guy was so good. He's so good. It's so sad he's going to waste away with Mike Trout. Yeah. Mike Trout, the traitor.

Traitor. Totally a traitor. Get out of here. We didn't want you anyway. What else do I have? Teens are calling in on Nick Pavetta oh man

let me just say right now mistake to trade him unless not interested thank you unless I can see a team like the Indians

or the Yankees I like a smart team taking a shot of course the smart teams do he's got stuff yeah yeah so listen I'm just saying if Nick Pavetta gets traded I like you doing a smart team, taking a shot on them. Of course. Yeah. The smart teams do. He's got stuff.

Yeah. Yeah. So, listen, I'm just saying, if Nick Pavetta gets traded, he's going to get traded for more than people think. Okay. I like that. That's more of what I wanted to say. Chance Adams got released by the Yankees today. I'd like the Phillies to take a shot on him.

Okay. Brian Barber, obviously, the Yankees connection. Certainly. Girardi. Makes sense. He was a former top prospect. He was. He was a former top prospect He was A very top prospect

He was He was He was Everywhere he's gone I think that's it Any final thoughts? I don't think I I don't think I have anything

Written down on final thoughts That was kind of just me Going off the whim there I thought it was good It was okay I had to get a lot out there You did good buddy I

I think I did good I did good You didn't do bad Let's say that. I wrote a whole article on Chris Bryant. Yeah, check out his article on Chris Bryant. Get a lot of clicks. Jackie Page views.

Jackie Page views. Dude, we're talking like serious clickage. I'm really excited for you, man. Anyway, my final thought is trade for Chris Bryant. Yes. Please. Yes. I cannot get the thought out of my head of how fun this team would be if you have just a core of Brian Harper, Real Muto, Didi, McCutcheon,

Haseley, Sash, Kingery, Bounce Back Hoskins. Fun. It's a fun-ass team. And you have Wheeler and Nola, two best starters in the NL, with a one-two punch. Bounce Back Arrieta, brand-new Pavetta. I mean, we're rolling. Rate-reviewed by us. God, the offense-two punch. Bounce back Arrieta. Brand new Pavetta. I mean, we're rolling. Rate and review the podcast.

God, the offense would be unbelievable. They would score eight runs a night. We said that last year. I know. This is different. I'm not going to rate it in a little bit. No, can't. God, come on, Johnny.

Rate and review the podcast. Bring me Chris. It means a lot to Jack. We're at 600 reviews, by the way. Are we really? Or 600 ratings. Okay. Keep them coming. We're at 600 reviews, by the way. Are we really? Or 600 ratings. Okay. 600.

Keep them coming. We got stuff planned for you for that. I already can't wait for High Hopes next year. Me too. And in that spirit, happy holidays to everybody. Oh, yeah. Who knows what'll happen next week. We might be here.

We might not. I'm off a couple days. Yeah, so am I. Probably take next week off and then maybe bring it back next week. Wow. We've been taking off a lot of weeks. Well, we'll see what happens. I think there might be

we haven't taken a single week off what are you talking about no we took off we took off the week before Thanksgiving no we halved it we kind of took it off but we also did like

it was like a 10 day thing we also did back to back podcasts that's true yeah made up for it let's just say I think a Chris Bryant deal might come down

between Christmas and January 1st well then we will definitely be recording yeah I think we'll record either way. Okay. Well, happy holidays if we don't talk to you about that. And

we really appreciate you. Oh. We really do. Like, I just, whenever I deal with, and I love the callers at WIP, I love fans of other things that we do and stuff, but there's no one like the High Hopes listeners. Oh, I met a High Hopes listener on the train last week.

Yes, you told me about it. That was amazing. Yes. He had an awesome- His wife was apparently super embarrassed that he was talking to you on the train. She was like, well, is that guy like an athlete or something?

What is happening? No, he just hosts a podcast. What is happening? He had an awesome like 70s trucker Phillies hat that I was very jealous that he had. Invited me to play in a baseball league on Sunday nights, but I'm not over 30, so I can't play in it. You are not over 30.

No. I'm well over 30. You are screaming towards 40, buddy. No. Flying towards 40, someone said. I'm flying. I'm flying. All right.

So anyway, the point is we love you. We do love you we do seriously i it's an awesome uh group of people who listen to this podcast and you deserve you deserve presents under the tree and whatever have fun with us and and and you know text your family to terrify them and then just say bryce harper got signed and come hang out at High Hopes night and do all this cool stuff. So we just, at the end of a fun year, minus some not fun baseball times, I just want to say thanks. I want to say thanks too.

And let me just say this. Listen, giving the gift of High Hopes is not the worst idea in the world. I like where your head's at right now. Like you could just say, you could just go under the tree, have their phone, hit the subscribe button. That's a great idea their phone, hit the subscribe button. That's a great idea. Yeah, hit the subscribe button. Who needs actual presents

when you could give people high hopes? Give the gift of high hopes this holiday season. This is great. Yeah. I like that. Send us your videos of you forcing someone else to subscribe. I love seeing the videos of people forcing themselves to subscribe. I have a string of them.

Just text me. I got another one. Got another one. Give the gift of high hopes this season. I like that. I have a string of them. Just Jack text me. I got another one. Got another one. Give the gift of high hopes this season. I like that. Give the gift of high If you if you have

Phillies fan in your life Phillies fans that love it. I mean go on. Who couldn't love this podcast. Who couldn't love this podcast.

So give the gift of high hopes this holiday season. I like that. Yes. I'm going to have to tweet that out. You should.

I think it's a good thing. So until then give the gift of high hopes. And I hope that everyone gets Chris Bryan under their trees. Me too. That we can all see. And not trees, but in this holiday season. We get it. We get it. I didn't take any offense.

Alright. Peace, friends. I'm Salter. We'll see you later. 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 BIB 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.