High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - James and Jack Take Clearwater! (But Don't Actually See Each Other)

Episode Date: March 6, 2025

The Philadelphia Phillies will start the 2025 season in three weeks and James Seltzer joins Jack Fritz LIVE from Clearwater to discuss what they've seen at Spring Training this week. 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

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On the Odyssey app in sports radio 94 WIP I was singing high hopes, smiling through a broken nose. Oh, high hopes, high hopes. I feel a little less alone. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast sponsored by Miller Lite, official partner of the Philadelphia Phillies. Tastes like Miller Time Philadelphia Celebrate Responsibly. Almost said the Celebrate Responsibly before the Tastes Like Miller Time and got totally crossed out right there, but we did it.

Fritzie, how you doing? We're in Clearwater. You were just here. We're all fill it up. Let's go. Yeah. And I think you could have used the Miller Lite yesterday. I mean, it's a Miller Lite or 12.

It seemed like you had a fun day. The least enjoyable things in life, period, is getting on a plane and then being asked to de-board that plane to have to get on again. It's just a bad scene. Quick counterpoint though, it's way better than having to just sit on the plane for an hour.

Oh great, oh without a doubt. We are on the same page there, but you know what would have been better not getting on the plane in the first place, yes. So I agree. Now my big question is, my big question is, is were you creating your own turbulence

while not in the sky? By shaking the entire plane with your with your your your unconscionable leg? I think you already know the answer to that. Yes. Yeah. So I mean, it's a they're going right now. They're flying. Yeah, that's what I do. The pilots are sitting in the front of the plane like, what the hell? What is that? I mean, a smooth flight here. Everyone moving.

You have a little turbulence back there. We've got a person in seat 11. He is really like, we got Hurricane Seltzer in the back. It's like Hurricane Schwartz, same thing. Tornado Schwartz, tornado Shapiro. So I'm sorry. Shapiro, excuse me. Thank you. I got Hurricane Glenn, Hurricane Schwartz and Tornado Shapiro. How could you?. Shapiro, excuse me. Thank you. I got hurricane, Glen hurricane shorts and tornado Shapiro.

How could you ever mix that up? I know. I know. How you doing, Fretzy? I'm good, man. It's about 3.30 this morning. I'm so tired. Welcome to my life.

Yes. This has to be a short one. No, but. That was great. Thank you for doing that. I really do appreciate it. It made my soul happy. Just for you. But I'm good, man. Clearwater is, it's That was great. Thank you for doing that. I really do appreciate it. It made my soul happy. Just for you.

But I'm good, man. Clearwater is, it's just the best. I don't know how to, I don't know how else to explain it. I love being there. I got to ride the hot dog cart. I heard you did. What, like that's like a life bucket list thing. Like no big deal to Jack Fritz.

Again, I was down there as an objective journalist. I as always. Yes. Just rooting for the story. But it was I it's just everyone's so happy. Clearwater is remarkable. So as the disclaimer, if you haven't been to Clearwater, get the Clearwater. Yeah, it really is. I mean, I was about to say if you're a baseball man, if you're listening to this pod, you probably are. If you're a Phillies fan, like it's like heaven.

It's heaven. It's heaven. You come down, you're seeing the Phillies playing like a 5,000 person stadium. You're right on top of them. Like everything's baseball. Like everywhere you look, it's just all about baseball. And, you know, when you come down, usually this time from Philadelphia, the sun is out and the grass is green and it's just a it's it really is like walking into another world like a happy baseball world yeah and I really want to do eventually I'll get there but I want to do like a tour of all the other ones so I'm like why not to not to flex I was talking to Dave Dabrowski about this today

well what did you well before he came on he came a little early he was coming on like after a break and I was just chatting with him and we were talking. I was talking to him about how Clearwater compares to other sites. He's been, you talked about Lakeland and was Tigers and went to Marlin and stuff like that. And then we just got into a conversation about how cool it is that, you know, Port St. Lucie's right there. Tampa's right there that, you know, there are all these places that you can come down and, and experience it all. And it really is a neat thing. I'm really with you. We

should do a high hopes spring training tour. I want to do that. I was actually thinking about that. Like we got to do a Friday weekend next next spring, where it's we do live pods, we do it, but we have to make it a weekend because the only way it's gonna work. But yeah, we've got to be a week, you know, come on, come on. For a week and all the big like, we'll come up with like 10

great alliterative names for you if you let us whatever you need, whatever you now, I know the I do want to get into the Nebraska and Thompson interviews this morning, because I thought they were great. And they made me excited for Phil's baseball too. Did you get to the bottom of why he called Rob Thompson as Rob Thompson was being asked and answered a tough question? Wait, wait, say, did I get to the bottom of what? So the funniest part of that was I didn't know Rob was going to say that.

And I'm sitting on the other side of Rob. So as soon as his phone starts ringing, I can see it's Dave Dombrowski. Like my view of him is he's holding his phone like right in front of me. It's like, oh, why is Dave Dombrowski calling right now? And then Rob said it, which I wasn't expecting. I was like, am I in a spot where I, do I say this? Do I know what I do?

And then he said it. And the ringtone was like the, I don't know how to explain it. It's not the Jaws theme, but it's like the ringtone version of the Jaws jaws theme. I want to know if that's only for Dave Dabrowski and not his normal ringtone. Yeah. What's funny too. Cause Jack, you know, any, you know, Tucker, you know, when you work in radio, especially when you produce like sounds that you don't know where they're

coming from, you're like, what the hell is happening right now? I didn't do that. That's very funny. Are we on the air? Exactly. I'm like, which one of these idiots left their phone on? And then it's like, oh, it's Rob. I had it as Richie. I thought I was Richie the whole time.

I did too. Immediately I thought it was Richie, or I thought it was Brazier who was like in the background of the room. You know? Could have easily been Brazier too. Could have easily been Brazier. So I thought that was great.

I thought that was great. But dude, listening to those guys and it's just, cause fans, we speculate all off season about, you know, do they care? Are they into it? Is this a, do they view this as a world series or plus kind of year? Are they mad about how last season ended?

And just listening to those two talk, like, I think they feel it. I think they feel it. But we also- 100%. But I think they also explained it in a way that was not insulting to two fans, like the way they explained it, I thought made a lot of sense. And I think if you, if you, if you're still mad about how last season, which is

fine, we're both mad, but I think like listening to them talk about it and explain it, it certainly made me feel a lot better. You know what I really like too, and we'll get into the details of some of the things they said, because there was some really interesting stuff. I mean, I did not expect Rob Thompson to just say Bryce Harper would bat to have Trey Turner bat one. Like there was a lot of interesting stuff to get into there, but I, to the specific point you're talking about, I really appreciated how those guys, a didn't

make excuses. Like Dave Dombrowski pushed back when Joe said that's baseball. He's like, no, it's not. He's like, we got to play better. He's like, that's baseball is a, a broken bat chopper that flies over the second base, his head and a run score. It's like, that's baseball. He's like, we didn't have enough bats. We didn't play off. I appreciate that. Joe gave Rob Thompson a chance to say that Joe said he had heard that the team was more injured than they let on. He's like, Nope, we were healthy. We just lost the Mets. They were better. I appreciated that mentality because to your point, especially with David, at the end of the season, he did feel like what he was saying was like, that's baseball, but when he could clarify it more and kind

of really dig into it, I really found everything they had to say, both incredibly fair and also it did make me feel better about them and their perspective any in the season. Well, and how how, Dave, I thought explained the offseason made a lot of sense. And it's kind of the point that I've gotten to, which is like, listen, I all things considered, would I would I have moved on from Alec foam and and gotten a comparable? Player there to play third base or even a better play if you want to argue Bregman sure like the Bregman

Yeah, he got he got the contract. We wanted to give him, you know in the end of the day. Yeah, sure But they also could not be in a position to make the team worse and it really seems like the boom not be in a position to make the team worse. And it really seems like the boom situation is screamed. We can't make the team better by moving on from a 28 year old all-star caliber third baseman. And also what we're getting back is not enough to make it, you know, like we're not making the team better. We would just be trading him to change it up.

Well, like, think about it this way, right? Let's say the best thing they could have gotten for Alec Bohn this off season was Brady Singer. Like Jonathan India for Brady Singer was a comparable move, right? Alec Bohn for Brady Singer. You're sitting here today, would you rather have Alec Bohn and Hazel Salazar

or just Brady Singer? It's a no-brainer, it's a no-brainer. So the way I thought he explained the off season, I think while I think it's okay to be frustrated that maybe they didn't do more, and maybe the Kepler thing doesn't work out. Or but, but at least he wasn't taking the approach of I'm going to make the tea, I'm making a deal just to make a deal. Because I think that's also a massive mistake.

It's a flawed strategy, like a flawed philosophy. It's a flawed way of flawed practice. Like, that's the wrong thing to do. You're not just shaking it up just to shake it up. And I appreciate that. I'm with you. Look, Alec Bowman is still a really good baseball player. You know, I mean, he's still, you know, and who knows me? I mean, we don't like the childish stuff that he's done and you know, the reason you have bench, but I do believe he's a much better hitter than he was the end of the season. I do believe that wrist injury was a real thing that had hampered him, you know? So while there is issues, I don't think it was quite as bad as it felt in the moment with a guy like Bo. Yeah. And, and the start injury, I guess now, like I know Rob said,

no, we didn't play well. The injuries really do seem like they're starting to... So part of that, I think, and I think there's a chance that Rob didn't want to make the Mets, you know, didn't want to take anything away from the Mets. He didn't want to be like, yeah, they beat us because we were hurt. I think it was the right answer, but I don't necessarily think it's the truth. I just appreciated that he, he didn't try and make excuses. And I keep going back to, I keep going back to Hoffman. I mean, Hoffman, if you remember before that series had the neck injury. And he failed two physicals. I know. I know.

Like, what more do you need to hear? I know. I know. So, yeah, I just I thought they were both great. I thought they were both great. And I texted you this was the last night of this morning. It might have been this morning because me and you were up at the same time. I know. What a weird thing that is, huh? Because my my schedule sucks, huh? Because, yeah, well, yeah.

My sense of the last couple of days down there was, it was a lot different than in 24. It was this morning you texted me this, yeah. Because 24 there was a clear message out of spring training, which was, we're gonna get off the hot start, we wanna win the division. And with this year, I kind of felt like they were searching

a little bit, just like talking to some of the players and they were kind of searching for like, do we want to get off the hot start? Do we not want to get off the hot start? Do we want to win the division? Do we not want to win? Like, it's just, it seems like even internally they're like, what do we want to do? Dembrowski's answer is fascinating with that today. I know. And it, and it made me, I I was I was happy he talked about that way because I've actually got to the point, James, where like I want this whole thing to stop. Just go win the play.

Go try to win the division and play good baseball. I just I can't take the I want you to be a great team. And and last year did debunk some of the things some of the narratives about one seeds can't win or teams to get by can't win because both teams that made the World Series and the Dodgers who won it were one seeds. I, I don't, the players cannot think that way. And that's what I need them to stop saying. Like we've got to start playing baseball, hot baseball at the right time, because then I think it gets into their brains of these laws.

Yeah. Like my, cause we're not hot enough right now. The playoffs are coming up, all that stuff. And my biggest fear about the season is they're so overthinking the play well at the right time and the beginning of the season doesn't matter, that they get back to like being that 500 team halfway through the year,

and maybe they can't just flip the switch and get it going. So they keep saying, play good baseball at the right time, but I want them to kind of stop saying it. I understand why they say it, but I think it creates a false landing spot to where last year you played two and a half months of brilliant baseball,

and then we kept waiting for you to flip the switch and you couldn't do it. And I don't want that to be their their thought process heading into the year. No, it's a great point. I will say I thought Bryce Harper's answer to basically this exact question that Spike asked him two days ago when you were down here was about as perfect an answer as a player can give to that question. So I think Bryce, if they can follow up, right, and it's easier said than done, but Bryce was basically like, yeah, pitching's awesome.

Bats, we got better bats, we got to do better in big spots. He's like, I just want to win the last game of the year. He's like, that's it. He's like, I just want to win the, whether we win the division, whether we not, whatever, like I want to win the last game of the year. And I know we need to be better to do that. I thought that was a perfect answer and a perfect mentality. Now that in Browsey thing today, to your point, I thought was really

fascinating because, because Joe asked him a question about this exact thing about the idea of, you know, if you thought maybe it's not better to win the division, this and that. And Nebraska was like, obviously, our, we have to say, let's go win the division, you know, that's, but he's like, if you could tell me that I would win the three game wild series, it's like a three game series is crazy. Anything can happen. But if you guarantee I win that three game wild series, I'd rather be the wild card.

Cause then you're coming in hot, which I thought was fascinating that he would actually admit to that. And he said that he's like, look, the Dodgers did it last year. He's like, but every team I've never, I think the way he phrased it was like, I've never been on a team that handled time off

in the playoffs well. And I thought that was really, really fascinating. Yeah. Well, and he talked a lot. He talked a lot about that, that Tigers. Tigers. There was so much Tigers action. And that was the day. So much Tigers action. We got a Joaquin Benoit shout out today, Jack.

Former Philly. I knew you would dig that. When he said Benoit, I was like thinking of you in that moment. Yeah. Former Philly Joaquin Benoit. I that was the guy who was a Philly. That's so funny. That was an all college act. That was an all time betting loss.

I remember I had money on the on the Tigers and watching David Ortiz hit a grand slam off. Oh, my God. Unbelievable. Oh my god, unbelievable. It's a core memory It's a core memory, but what was the study throughout there that we they had the lowest lowest Yeah, they yeah They gave up the lowest batting average ever in a postseason series and they lost the series four games to two I mean, that's wild. Yeah, no, it's it's it's wild aren't everybody It's here the March to Trending and opening day is officially upon us.

Hey, I'm Rob Bradford from Baseball is N' Boring and we'll have you covered every single day with instant reactions to late breaking signings, determining which players are yes, truly in the best shape of their lives, and behind the scenes stories from all the excitement and intrigue that spring trending brings. Follow baseball isn't boring in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. What's up NBA fans? It's Danny Green here. For those who want an inside look at the league through the eyes of a 15 year veteran and three-time champion, subscribe to my podcast Inside the Green Room. New episodes drop every week where we take you through the ins and outs of the Association's top storylines,

as well as breaking news and so much more. Be sure to subscribe to Inside the Green Room on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, listen, obviously, if you can guarantee you when the wild card, I guess it's fine. I just I just I want them to just be a great baseball team and don't I know that there it seems like the line that they're throwing out this year is we just got to start playing baseball well at the right time. And it's just so funny to hear that nerve wracking. Yeah, it's a little nerve wracking. It's a little nerve wracking.

And you just want him to say like what you just said. We just want to be a good baseball team. We want to go out there every day and try and win every game and compete and win more than we lose. You know, like that's what you want to hear. Well, because it just, it just, it makes you think, well, what's the first three, three and a half months of the season for if it's, if it's only about the last two weeks or last month, then like, but if that's all you need,

I just, I think you get stuck by being in neutral for so long that I worry about getting out of neutral and turning it on. Which we saw last year, they couldn't flip the switch back. Yeah, so listen, again, I thought those two were great and it's just, it's like they all know they're really good and and they feel like that they're gonna sleepwalk to 90 wins and and And that's nerve-wracking. Yeah, so we'll say but I

Love what Thompson and and dude it's so funny though because you bring up the Harper interview and you bring up the the tray interview and like I am so bad at listening to the answers because I'm just trying to think about like, all right, what's like the what's a good question? And I know that's not what you're supposed to do is yeah, you're supposed to listen and then play off what they say. But dude, I I don't remember anything they said. Like I guess just I'm so, I black out during, during interviews. So I'm glad that you gave the quote about Bryce because I don't think I remember it. It was a great quote though. It was a really, I thought, I thought it was exact. Like when,

when I heard spike asking the question, I was like, I was like, I don't know which way this is going to go. I don't want him to say what you talk about. Like just got your hot right time. This is not like, and he didn't like, I thought it was a really detailed answer. I love that he's like, our pitching's great. And he was like, it's like, we got to do better. And it was just exactly what I would have wanted the guy to say. And I'm just hoping that that, cause to your point,

look, it's one thing for Dave Dabrowski to think to himself or even to say like, oh yeah, you know, you got to get out at the right time. You got to make big hits in the postseason. And it's another thing for the players to think or even to say like, oh yeah, you know, you gotta get out at the right time. You gotta make big hits in the postseason. And it's another thing for the players to think it and to feel it. Cause to your point, another thing, like you were talking about before, like I worry that if, if it's just this mindset of getting out at the right time, like what if you're like a weekend in September and like you're cold, what if you're too, and does it get in their heads where they're just like, huh, we're doing this again now.

What are we going to do? You know, and it's funny too, because it's not even like, look, the 2022 Phillies weren't hot until October. Like they got hot in St. Louis in that two game series. So it doesn't, it doesn't have to be this like specific thing of like, you got to play September into like, it's just, you just got to get, get hits when it matters. Well, and again, like my worry about it is that there should be a sense of urgency. Like you don't have to you don't have to freak out and and and think everything's falling apart about a loss in April. Right. But like you also there has to be some sense of urgency.

And we it's not like you can't just be a great team in the World Series again Dodgers just did it but even back to Dabrowski the 18 Red Sox were just they were just great they were they were just great and maybe they were 108 or 104 or something like they were just a great I think it was 108 wins I think so too which makes Gabe Kapler's first year at San Francisco winning a hundred and like seven yeah I think so too. Which makes Gabe Caplers first year in San Francisco winning 100 and like seven. Yeah, that much more of a god team stunk. But but I just maybe it's just they're confident that they're a really good baseball team and they're not too worried about it. And

and they know it comes down to the end and maybe they're right. But it just it feels a little too laissez faire to me. And I hope that it's not something where we're looking in in July they they have there's they're still around 500 and They can't get out of it because that's how you miss the playoffs That's how you end up on the road in a wild card round. God forbid Well, especially in this division, especially in a division where, you know, like if you're third in the division, you're on the road, done.

It's over. Like, you know what I mean? Like you could still get a home series of your second. You can't have your third. Like, so and again, 2023 worked out because you played the Marlins in the first round. You know what I mean? Like last year there was much better teams like Brewers Brewers. I mean, the Padres team in the the first round like that team was sick, dude

Like I don't think if they didn't lose the Dodgers, they'd get Padres. He probably wins the world series. Yeah. Yeah, so I just I know it's their messaging that everyone's gonna have that's probably been the the thing they've been telling themselves all year, but uh, I would like it to change well and I will say I do to just play the other side a little bit I do understand how hard it is to come into last season, you know, after the two years you would have prior and to come in and saying like, World Series or bus guys, like we're going to win the division. We're going to have a great year. We're going to have a hot start and we're going to go in at all.

And then when, when the season, like when you do even worse than you did the two years prior and you didn't have that whole, like, this is the year thing. I understand how it's weird to come back with the same group because I do think, and again, not about whether they should or shouldn't have or whatever, just more about the lack of new energy, the lack of new people coming in and changing vibes or changing up motivation or whatever. It can feel stale if you're saying the exact same things and doing the exact same things and feeling the exact same way about about heading into the season. So I can understand how as a player, whichever these guys are, whether it's Trey or JT or Brace or whatever, how it's hard to message in a way because you don't want to do the same things you've just done. And you don't want to kind of hit the same notes. But ultimately, at the end of the day, every single person in that clubhouse knows it's World Series or Boston.

So it's like, it's kind of a hard thing to navigate, you know? Well, and maybe, and again, talking our way through this thing, maybe some of the, maybe there was, they felt too much pressure and it made them feel tight by- Nick talked, I mean, that's like Nick's comment, you know? Like, oh, we have no pressure this year. Like that seemed like that was something that, it was we know we didn't love the comment and whatever. But maybe that's where he's getting that from. Maybe his feels like we had too much pressure on us last year. We got to take that pressure off.

Yeah. And and, you know, the Eagles lost six or seven games and they got off to the two with two start. And I'm sure they're feeling the pressure. But they found, you know, I think they maybe use the media as a way to Define us against the world and and I just yeah, I think I also think to the point of me before I think the Seek one New energy was a big oh, yeah You know, and that's the worry of it getting stale Yeah, is it just getting stable messaging that kind of stuff getting stale? But I do think the pressure thing has an aspect of this as well. Just just we we got tight last year

we were kind of internally freaking out even though every time we talked it was like we're fine, everything's okay and and Maybe that's their idea baseball man What's there to worry about we got the best record record in, but what's, what's the concern? Months of that. Yeah. Apparently they didn't have the best record anywhere. It's like, they're pretty much the best record baseball.

I mean, yeah. Yeah. So I don't know. It's all good, but yeah. It is all good. And this is an all time talk at three type of thing, because, and again, I don't, I think we, we all feel similarly. I like what I just said, whether it's the fan base or whether it's the players.

And now if you want to frame it, like we all know that and they're serious, like, look, if they lose in the NLCS and they it's a hard fall, like there could be a season where it's not like that was a disaster of a season. Yeah. We all know that, that no one's going to be satisfied unless they win the world series. This is not like 2022 where winning the world series and you called it, it's really hard to get there, not winning it mattered and it sucked, but like it also was, we were just hoping to get back to the playoffs at that point

as a franchise. The fan base, it's a different mentality. We have flipped the switch, like it's turned and it's, I get it. It's hard when, when everyone knows it's that it's hard to not just latch onto that and make that all you focus on. It's the whole point you talk about with like, you don't want the regular season to not be fun. You don't want it to be something where people are just waiting for the playoffs. Well, it's just, it's just miserable. You know, they go, they go, they could win a big game.

It's like, yeah, I'll wait till October. I did. That sounds awful. I mean, that sounds straight up awful. Cause, cause and not to make it about the history of the franchise. No, but that's what I was going to say. Like this is the third best run in the history of the franchise, which Nebraska talked about too, about how none of this matters.

We don't win like the Tigers run was the best in their history and no one's going to talk about like he brought up what 84 and 68, 68 and 84. Yeah. They're two titles. So like back in 68 back when yeah, back when it started through complete. Yeah. Yeah. Kirk Gibson, Detroit, 94. Yeah. Luke, Luke Whitaker, Alan Trammell. Let's go.

Was Cecil Fielder on the 84 team? I if he was, he was very young. I don't know that he was. He was not like a big part of it. If he was, he wasn't a major. It was like Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammell, Gibson. Like those were the dudes. I think my favorite Cecil Fielder and Prince Fielder stat is the end of the career with the same exact same. So cool. It's insane. It's just so I saw this is show my you love when I show my age. I saw Cecil Fielder hit a ball out of the old Tiger Stadium. Do you even remember old Tiger Stadium? No, I'm strictly a Camerica Park guy. So it was the cool thing about old Tigers

stadium is one of the worst ballparks in the sport, but it had a really short roof. So like people used to rock balls out of there all the time. So I saw Cecil Fielder and Mickey Teddleton hit balls out of the old Mickey Teddleton. Mickey Teddleton sounds like maybe the oldest baseball player of all time. If you had some pop Mickey, sureer, dude could pop a little bit. Yeah.

So there you go. Now, they're not gonna win the World Series if the starters don't figure it out after the Lazardo and Wheeler. So I wanted to bring this up with Lazardo specifically, cause not, you know, we gotta do it. You interview the guy. Yeah.

You're in there, you're asking questions. He's talking about your cutter, you know, no big deal. Everyone to do it. You interview the guy. Yeah. You're in there, you're asking questions. He's talking about your cutter, you know, no big deal. Everyone knows about it. He said 89 and 91 for it. I don't know about that, but maybe once upon a time, but never, but. Put that on my tombstone. But how do you like internally, we all know Jack,

like goes out, you know, gives up six runs on three pitches, believe it or not, the most runs you can give up on three pitches. Where you at? Are you a little, you're like worried that you might broken Lizardo just by showing up? Yeah, well, 100%. And it's funny because he was, it was my first thought. So I'm sitting there. We're doing the show yesterday. And what a talker, by the way, Lizardo is an amazing interview. Like I had no idea he was that interesting to listen to. He was great. And, and so I'm sitting there, we're doing the show. And I have the I have it all on one tab, it's open, but I went back to Twitter and then went back to it I saw the Grand Slam I was like well that's not great and then I went back to the

Twitter and I checked back in and I was like oh another home run exited again can't turn back around and another home run mmm poor Rob Tom like if you're Rob Thompson you're kind of just you turn into Jim Halpert right you know I look at the camera that yeah like you seen this like But it was it was tough scene. It was a tough scene. It was a like that's the Lizardo that Has got him in trouble where he's at like I said Angelina

The engineer down there and I was like this is Lizardo Well, people don't know who like I know we know him. Right, I think some do, but some don't. Yes. Okay. Shout out to my guy. So I was like wow he's at 35 pitches through two innings. This is this is the bad version of Hazel's Lizardo and then yes six runs later in the

same inning was not going well. It did make me feel better that Wheeler got shelled the day before. So also not fun to be yet. So I think as soon as Fritz leaves clear water, everything go back to normal. It's gonna be great today. They're gonna win. It's gonna be fun. Everyone's gonna pitch great. And spring training doesn't matter. So no, no, again, good results matter.

They're just working on it. They're working on things. Yeah. He's just throwing straight curve balls. They're working on the curve. He's working on a pitch. He was working on a pitch. He was working on 98 right down the middle. Just right down Broadway. He was doing his best Jack Fritz impression after meeting you. You wanted to show what kind of pitcher you thought you were.

Well, he said, he said, I would love to emulate 90 R.A. Fritz at Bloomsburg and the biggest plus in the program's history. But him looking at me, looking up and down and saying this guy at one point had the cutter of the century, not named Mariano Rivera, I thought was a good moment for me. I don't think that was exactly the way he phrased it. But the way he said 89 to 91, you're a winner. There's no way around this, you know. Well, and it was also kind of striking because I was looking at his arms and I've

looked at, you know, pictures arms all throughout the year. Yeah. You're a big look at arms and legs guy. Well, it was, you know, your legs, man. We know your legs. I'm a calves man. I know. I know.

You have to look at the calves, the legs. Have you seen JT's calves? Anyway, anyway, Lazzardo. That's a big time anyway. Lazzardo is striking. And it was like, usually I told myself that I can't, I'm a lean muscle man, you know, and then I look at Lazzardo and I'm like, I guess I didn't have to be a lean muscle guy. Oh, that's what muscles are. Cool. Yeah. So turns out pitchers, I guess, now they start lifting upper body

back when he's on the mound. Is he feel big when you're in the room with him? Because he does look big on the mountain. I mean, I like him. No, I because the former NFL linebacker, and he was like, you're big. There you go. That's what I figured. I just it's sometimes telling them and sometimes it's you know, you can't tell as well. So yeah, yeah So overall not concerned just bring training

But I would like I want to get the hype train rolling with hazes and it was it was really funny Every single person that came in and talked to us was like Lizard is nasty. It was art. Yeah is nasty So well, and I will give you some credit for your question asking I thought you asked a great question about his experience coming in since Mike park is the for game one. I thought that was a great question. Like if I go into Los art interview, that's the number one thing I would have wanted to ask him is, Hey, you pitched a playoff game here. Talk, you know, how about,

how about him throwing out Redding terminal too? I mean, that's, I know. What a veteran savvy, savvy, savvy. Well, I wanted to get deeper into the whether or not he added things to his change up because that's what I was excited about. The tumbling action on his change up. Talk about high hopes interview than a WIP interview. I think we'll have to get Hases on here. Yeah.

Hases, listen, I know you started out the Reddit terminal market with us, but we got to talk about your pitch mix to righties and whether or not You'll be able to execute the sinker away and then change it off that and how that's gonna lead to a breakout season for you That's yes. I am concerned now. We promise Jack won't tank your career if you meet with him again, so it's important well again Again, Aiden didn't get a hit and got sent down a minor. Sit down. I did. I noticed I get the fact that I that was the other thing that the Right after you talk to me is this thing. But really what I saw I didn't even text you

I was too sad when I saw the end grid I was I was I want to see him today like I'm Bob here whatever But when I saw the Aiden got sent down while you were there, I was like that's like honestly It's a little mean that the Phillies did that. It's all bit again See, it's a little mean that the Phillies did that it's all bit again The whole Phillies thing with me is just everything's a bit everything's a bit everyone who I say good tanks and Always got if again, I am a stain on this fan base. Mm-hmm Somehow it's emotional leader too, I don't know how about those things I love

I was just walking when I got off the hot dog thing with the fanatic. I Would say just saying that is just like what are you kidding me? Like it's so cool. I was just saying to myself. I Love those man. Yeah, you do That's not a bit your love of the Phil's is but a bit. And I think it turns some people off. I quickly before we get to the take back is I know you don't have a ton of time, which is rare that I have more time than you today. But I had to be sure when I was up at 330 this morning, I got an app in there. You've never said anything that I respect more in my life.

Quick question before we move on. Do you have a favorite Jim Halpert look at the camera moment? Because I think there is one clear moment of him looking at the camera that is the eye. So many good ones. I think in an all time best. So listen, I, I never sat down and watched it all the way through. So you are much more equipped. So when he moves to the Stanford branch and he does the Jell-O calculator thing to Andy Bernard and Andy and he's like, Oh, freaking I am not messing around. And the camera shoots a gym and Jim just goes, Nope, Nope. And it's like, it is one of the funniest things of all time. Like it's so perfect, Jim. Like, anyway, that's my guys. Well, and another name drop for people who probably have no idea

who we're talking about, but Justin Morgenstine, who's probably listening Well and and another name drop for people who probably no idea who we're talking about but Justin Morgenstein Who's probably listening right now if I had to guess about let my guy that's love guy Yeah, but he like in the in the Trey Turner thumbnail Interview I look like I'm doing the Jim Halper. Well, you do I saw that the tweet about it you do I mean, it's exactly is they're all looking at him and you're just like looking at the camera like What an idiot. Yeah. When you want to bet on sports played on a field or ice or course, that rivers is the place over under money line same game. It's all fine. You put a smile on your face. That river sports book is your home for chance where you can experience the thrill of betting on the sports you love.

Bet River Sportsbook. Download the app. Must be 21 plus available in Iowa only. Void more prohibited. Terms and conditions apply. Get one problem call 1-800-BETS-OFF. So, the Chris Sanchez hype trend seems like it's getting out of control, which is phenomenal. I can't wait. Scouts are saying he has the Tarek Scooball and Cole Raggans fastball now, which is unbelievable. Stop it. Stop it.

So you have that with the change up. Oh, another guy who's huge, by the way. Like Chris Sanchez is really, yeah, and yoked and also tall, which helps with that Scooball thing. Those lefties were like big and tall like that's It's intimidating man. He can command it and he can command it the I cannot Listen, I know Losardo didn't pitch well. I know we live in pitch well, it's going to be an

Absolute blessing watching this starting rotation night in night out. It's going to be even Taiwan's up to 94 even. Hey, how about this for spring training? That was just for a big take. Even if Taiwan had to make 15 starts, I'm pretty confident he could hold it under a four or five. I'm pretty, it's pretty bold. So for what it's worth, I, I'm actually kind of with you on Taiwan. Like I don't, I just don't think there's any ways as bad as he's been. And you know, I mean, it's pretty bold. So for what it's worth, I, I'm actually kind of with you on Taiwan. Like I don't, I just don't think there's any ways as bad as he's been. And you know, I mean, he's not, I think four or five is fair. Like if I think that's the right number, I don't think it'll be like five or six or whatever. Plus, how about in the interview, I was surprised they put anything on it when topper was like, he was like, we're talking about bringing

up painter. He's like, internally, we've been saying July ish, because he was like, we don't want to put an exact date on it. But that's what we've been saying. Like, I was surprised he even gave us that, you know, that, generally look towards July. And then I mean, right now, and I would Joe said this day, it was like, it might be and you know, if you obviously think about the four horsemen, but if you add in the Vanimel or whatever, like he was like, whoever their fifth starter is this year. And obviously a painter comes up at six, whatever, like it's probably the best Phillies fist starter of all time. Whoever it is, whichever one of those guys it is, it's probably the best, right?

Like, right. Well, and what I think is going to be, I thought it was interesting. Also Thompson said he's going to be a starter. They're going to get a six man. They're not going to the kind of pouring cold water on the bullpen thing. Now, maybe if they go down, the guys rests over that time and maybe it's not a full six man. And they're like, oh, no lie.

Here's two weeks or not. No, you know what I mean? Yeah, but also that could also change by the postseason. And and we don't know if this is a you can't predict. Yeah. So, yeah, the rotation even and when painter gets up here It goes six minutes. It's just gonna be it's gonna be a treat it's gonna be an absolute treat and if there's one thing to get really excited about I think it's those guys the big revelation that I mean it was one I was

Sitting there on the plane listening to the the Thompson interview. And it was one of those times where, and you obviously doing this, where you hear something and you're like, well, that was, that's news. I looked, I know exactly what you're talking about. And Mike Angelino is engineering Chad, second chapter, Angela. We looked right at each other and we were like, yeah.

So Thompson, the camera asks him like if Turner's lead off hitter Bryce is batting second and, and Tom's like, yes, no doubt. Yep. We've had all this stuff about will Bryce even do it and all this stuff that was like, that was a definitive thing. And we all know that's the best lineup if Turner's going to lead off, you know, if you totally agree. Totally.. And Tracy is pretty fired up about the idea of leading off. He's talking about, yeah, he was excited with you guys. He's, he's leading off. I think we can all say like Trey Turner's, they're going to start the season with Traitley. If I think it's pretty clear.

And they're going to give it much more runway than they gave it in 23. By the way, do you realize how many games it was? I didn't realize until today. How, dude, I thought it was, I said three weeks and I was short. I mean, I was long. I was like, oh, it was like three weeks or a month. And then they moved on from it. Mike Angelina texted me, he's like, it was 15 games.

I'm like, that's insanity in baseball to give the $300 million leadoff hitter guy you signed 15. I honestly can't believe it. Like I'm floored that that happened. Yeah. All the good, and I love that, but it. Like I'm floored that that happened. Yeah. All the good, and I love that, but it was all to get thought up there. Cause I think that, I think Thompson

started struggling too. Yeah. I think, yeah. So I think Thompson thinks that he can be a lead off hitter, which I hope he can. He, I hope we get a bounce back stop season, but I would like to see it before I'm like, yeah, he needed that.

So I thought that was, that was really interesting. That was good. What else do I have here? In the old take bag? Oh, yes, this is all in the take back. Big news also. Bryce Harper willing to play willing to go the outfield. Yeah. And that was a Rosenthal report to that wasn't just out of nowhere. So well, he said it to Rosenthal. Yeah, not, he said it to the Rosenthal. Yeah. Oh, not a report. It was to Rosenthal.

Yes. Yes. Yes. We did not get that answer out of them. That's my point. It was to Rosenthal. Yes. Quite disappointed.

We did not get that answer out of them, but regardless, it just opens the door for Vladdy if they, if they want to do it, you know, they could, after the year, they want to dip their toe back into the big free agent market because get some of the money off the books. I mean, again, if you had if you add a Vlad to the to be the cleanup hitter or be a middle of the order back after Bryce, it's just it'd be ridiculous. But the fact that of contact and turn like all of it, like you're like for this lineup, like Vlad is like, if I could pick five headers and baseball to add to this lineup, like Vlad, he would be like one of the most perfect things. Well, and I like that Bryce said, I'll move for a 3540 home run guy. Not a little slap hitting 25 home run first

base, but a 3540 guy. I get it. So glad to get defender too. Yeah. So that that was it was just good to see because obviously that's been something out there about Bryce that will he move to the outfield again I'm sure Reese I wonder how he thought about the quote but yeah I know I know I know and listen I'm okay with not doing it this year for a Christian Walker even though I think Chris Walker totally agree even listen I know we kicked around the polar bear idea, but you know If it ends in Vlad E I'd much rather it breaking news would much rather end in in Vlad Guerrero

Then a Pete Alonso Christian Walker and then that takes you out of the running to go after Vlad E Well, and just in general Vlad E Whatever it just it just opens up the options for the team It allows the team to consider a whole nother position where the bats matter. And it just changes the whole dynamic of the roster, you know? Yeah. Yeah. So that's all I got. Oh, wow. Oh, you got to go. Yeah, you got to work.

Keep forgetting you got to like work today. Come on. You've done my work. We're going to go to a baseball game. So I think it's the O's today. See your boy Jackson Holliday down there. Oh I think it's the O's today. See like your boy Jackson holiday down there Tell him that the fate of my fantasy team lies on his shoulders. No, it's the it's the Rays So you get to see Shane McClanahan, which will be exciting. Oh, it's the Rays Why did it was the O's, you know why cuz when we were sitting there

They had the lineup thing and I guess it was the wrong day by the way It's nasty. By the way, the theitz list is coming together strong. I was working on it Yeah, so just you know, I have about eight days till my draft. We're driving too early this year way too early So I need the fritz list On fire by the way, like yeah, thank you for for Bryce Miller in the 16th round as a keeper for me That was sweet. I love Bryce Miller. Yeah, he's he's my guy So there's a lot of a lot of good things happening with the first sweet. I love Bryce Miller. He's my guy. So there's a lot of good things happening with the FrisBus. I'm very excited. We're doing that on the plane today. Only the

I need it. Like I desperately need it. So thank you. All right. We'll be back next week. Obviously, if anything happens, we'll be there. That's why I brought the computer in the microphone to Clearwater. Yay. But if you are in Clearwater, if you are randomly watching this in Clearwater, go into the game, they come say hi, I'll be hanging out with Richie Rio, have a lot of fun. Joe taking a nap instead of going to the game. So what a grinder. Yeah, yeah. Getting ready for the show. I'm just hates baseball. He hates going on a fun trip with his teammates

and we do whatever. He's a person trip with his teammates. You know, we deal with whatever. Yeah. Yeah. He's a person, believe it or not. You're damn right about that. All right. Relentlessly himself. Get to work. Tuck, thank you for doing this on the fly

and we'll be back next week. Until then, peace out.