High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Jamie is in Clearwater! (Plus Reacting to Middleton's Big Quote)

Episode Date: March 20, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are hyped about the Phillies. The guys talk about James finally getting to Clearwater, Trea Turner becoming an American hero, the ceiling for this Phillies team, and much more. 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

This is the High Hopes Podcast. I hope! It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies. On Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yeah! Well, it is another edition of the High Oaks podcast. Your boys in Clearwater edition. I finally made it, Fritzy.

I finally made it to Clearwater. All these people are like, oh, I got to get to Paris before I die. I got to get to London. I got to see the pyramids before I die. Not me, buddy. Clearwater, Florida. I needed to get here before I die i gotta get to london i gotta see the the pyramids before i die not me buddy clearwater florida i needed to get here before i die and thank god i made it buddy how you doing i really hope i really hope you just woke up the entire hotel like that's what i was going for it's pretty aggressive yo uh given that it's 11 a.m. down there. Yes, it is. You are staying in a hotel with other patrons, I would assume.

Yeah, outside there. Oh, you get a little podium. Oh, buddy. You get to see the ocean. I mean, listen, I got to say, I'm living totally vicariously through New York. I'm not always like a big check-in on how people are doing guy. I've texted James three times. He's been in Clearwater for nine hours.

I just keep saying, how's Clearwater? He texted me yesterday morning. He was like, how's Clearwater? I'm like, dude, the flight doesn't leave for four hours. You've been all over it. I'm so jealous. It's just hilarious because you were here, what, literally like 10 days ago you were here. It's like, oh, I'm so jealous.

I'm so jealous of you 10 days ago. One day I'm just going to take off the entire month and just live down there. We both will. One day we are going to convince our boss, Rod L lakin one day down the road we're laying the groundwork now hey you know high hopes good pod we bring it on down the road we're gonna be like rod listen you know what it's time for high hopes month yeah spring training like send us to clear water for a month let us cover everything let us be there it's it's gotta happen it has to we have a new life goal now that i've made it to clear water jack my next goal is to make it here for a much longer period of time with you.

Yeah. And get, you know, fans of Philly involved. I'm sure that we're starting to figure this whole thing out. Moneymaker. See, look at you. See, that's why you're that's why you're the best in the business. Right. Just always thinking. No, but so obviously I'm very jealous. But also, I'm very happy that for the first time in your 55 years of life, you are getting close to retirement age. I mean, that is a retirement community down there. So I'm glad that you're seeing other elder people. But listen, you get to see Baker Ballpark completely filled.

You get to see some spring training baseball. Unfortunately, the U.S. team is too good, so none of the players are back yet. I know. So I was wondering about that. I was wondering, do you think if Trey Turner knew that I was going to be here and that if he had not come through in that game, he could have met me,

that maybe he wouldn't have tried so hard? I think that's a fair way to look about it, a fair way to go about it. But at the same time the nice part for you is that there's so many storylines when it comes to like it's like turner's awesome uh schwarmer's awesome jt is awesome but like even listening to bone today it was like that's one of our guys like bomer is is one of our guys so well real quick on bone before you move on jack because you were the one person and i guess the listeners but you're the one person who could really feel this when he came in and he did the interview and he was really good like he did a great job with joe and john like

the whole time i'm thinking i'm like bro you were horrible when you were almost in the minors when we had alec boom on the pod it was like he had never spoken before in his life. And now he's cool, calm, collected. You know what else I noticed, too? He doesn't look as young anymore. Like, the baby fat's kind of gone. Like, he's even getting a little chisel in the face. Handsome fella, Jack. He said with you guys today, he's like, I kind of just got stronger because I'm getting older.

Yeah, he's like, I'm growing into my body, essentially, was what he was implying, you know? Meanwhile, I feel like it's going the opposite for me. I feel like it's all taking a big old downturn. Now, if I have a couple beers, now it's just like I want to stop because I don't want to get too full. Yeah, oh, yeah. I think about, well, am I going to be able to wake up tomorrow? Exactly. But, yeah, am I going to be able to wake up tomorrow? Exactly. Exactly.

But, yeah, like, he's filling out. And, you know, so I don't totally agree with what he said about, like, the swing stuff. Yeah, I just, I don't really buy it. You know, I think there is a more conscious effort to lift the ball a little bit. But at the same time, like, what he said wasn't totally wrong either, which is like

i'm just a hitter and you know if it goes over the fence it goes over the fence um you know but in just seeing how he's done so far in spring training and and seeing the ball kind of just jumping off the bat uh you know they have a really good mix there with him you know he he should be 280 to 290 with like 25 homers and and that's like i think a realistic expectation not only just this year but i think you know going forward as well yeah when you look at the lineup like that's the exact kind of guy they need you know we've got especially once harper gets back once harper gets back like you got some pop man you got harper you got schwerber you got reese you got guys who can get you a big home run in a big spot you got some pop, man. You got Harper. You got Schwerber. You got Reese. You got guys who can get you a big home run in a big spot. You got some speed at the top of the line.

I'm now with Turner and all that. But, like, a guy who can handle the bat and come in and, you know, poke the ball to right field if you need it. A guy who can come in and say, all right, we really need you to fly ball right now. Like, that stuff matters. Being able to control the bat, come through in big situations, especially if we're going to play October baseball again,

which we all plan on doing. Like, you know, those guys matter. That matters. You know, even the ability to hit a ground ball on the right side instead of the left side. Like, whatever that is. Like, people who can handle the bat matter. And we got one in Trey Turner coming, too, which is thrilling, obviously. And he'll just beat it out to either side anyway.

But seriously, I do think that that is something. it out to either side anyway but but seriously i do think that that is something like not only is it is it thrilling you know after watching his progression to to see the type of hitter that we always thought bone could be you know turning into that but i actually think it's a bet that really is is necessary for the way this lineup is constructed yeah and i think um you know i think as we go along here i'm sure at the beginning of the season they'll keep him down you know in the minors or not in of the season they'll keep him down you know in the minors or not in the minors they'll keep him down like you're distracted there for a second yeah yeah i know that but i think they'll keep them probably down maybe six seven ish in the lineup

um but i i just have this feeling that as the season goes along i think he's going to continue to work his way up um towards the top of it, I think he's going to continue to work his way up towards the top of it. And I think he's going to be a real difference maker. And I keep trying to think of like what the lineup is going to look like when Harper is back. And like selfishly, I want Harper batting too. You know, because it would go Turner, Harper, and then whoever you want to put in three.

And then Trevor four, it's like, let's go. I just think that makes sense. Yeah. But they don't seem very keen on the idea of doing that. I think Schwarber is going to be the two hitter. And unless it doesn't work out, I think it's going to be Turner Schwarber. Yeah, I think it's going to be. Yeah, I think it's going to be Turner Schwarber.

But until Harper's back. Because maybe when Harper's back, they do put him there. Because I still, I know lineup construction-wise, batting him four makes sense in a way. I just hate the idea that Harper's not going to bat in the first inning. Yeah, he has to bat two or three for me. He has to. And I don't want to go lefty back-to-back,

so I don't want to go Turner, Schwarber, Harper. So maybe they can go, you know, like Turner, JT, someone else in the tool, and then Harper three. I think that could work. Or Boehm down the road. Is that where you're going with this? Because I think Boehm in the tool could absolutely work. Well, and if we're looking for the correct mix of uh you know put the

bat on the ball not strike out uh with a with the ability to drive the ball out of the ballpark i mean bowman the two hole could eventually work um you know i was actually thinking boom in the three hole so you're thinking go turn, Harper, Boehm, Schwarz. Yeah. And then because the fifth guy is going to be Reese or Cassius or whoever it is in that moment. Then you got to write it there. So many hitters. We got so many hitters, dude.

This is unbelievable. Well, and I was thinking about this last night, actually. So I've done this thing when watching Trey Turner, where I keep forgetting he's a Philly. And he hits the ball in the ballpark in the game Saturday night. And it was like, dude, that's our guy for the next 11 years. But when I keep looking at the lineup and I look at the roster top to bottom and I look at the rotation bullpen like what they have assembled on paper is what I believe is the best Phillies roster I've ever seen like I I know 11 had the three aces but like it was Stutes, Bastardo, Madsen you, like in the back of the bullpen, you had a lineup at that point that was kind of starting to taper off.

I mean, they weren't as, as lethal as they were in 07 to 10. It was the last year of Ryan Howard's career, essentially, you know, last year, Pete Howard, you know, so you look at the bullpen, the bullpen is way better. The lineup I I think, is comparable, if not better. With Harper there, I think you could argue it's better. I know. It's crazy. But we just mentioned, I mean, like, you're getting to, like, the eight hitter before you're getting to, like,

a guy who isn't, like, an all-star or boom. You know, this is nuts. I mean, just you run off the guys. I mean, Turner, Schwarber, Harper, Romulo, Hoskins, you know, Castellanos, we'll see, but if you can bat, like all six of those guys are like all-star caliber players or all-star caliber bats, you know, and then you got boom. I mean, it's so deep and so good, Jack.

I know. I know. I know. And, you know, when you say something like Castellanos batting eighth is like some big, you know, slap in the face in a way. Like, sure. But at the same time, like, it's sort of where it all makes sense. Like, if you rounded the lineup with Stott, Castellanos, Marsh, and then back to turner

that's probably the like that's probably the best lineup from day one um like hall will make his way up there because he probably went on lefty a little bit earlier um reese will be up there but like the fact that realistically they could have castellanos bat eight or whatnot as a three Oh nine 34 home run guy before the year before last, you know, is, uh, is,

is just insane. And, um, in the Haven article the other day where he talked about, um, you know, there's people around baseball that think Harper's me back in may. Um,

and it was another like long time scout that said when, when he's back, like that lineup is just insane. I mean, we, we had, uh, earlier in the off seasons, someone said that compared it to the nineties Cleveland Indians teams, which is such a big comp.

That's a massive comp. I mean, it's all big comps, but you know, like hopefully it all works out, but man, it's, it's hard not to,

to have that feeling when you just look at these, these guys on paper and you look at the back of the baseball card you look what they've done before and you look at how they can get better like marsh could get better stock could get better marsh will yeah i think those guys will get better they will um you know and the one thing that's going to be interesting for me is like let's say castellanos gets off to a cold start like i i think i think batting him in the eighth hole like from day one would be a mistake just because he seems like a confidence guy oh yeah you gotta you gotta put him higher to start you just have to just just just let him bat forward and hope

that he can he's starting to turn around a little bit in spring training um i'll say that but you know i think this whole idea of like let's start Castellanos in the eight hole. I think that would do more harm than good. And I don't think Topper will do that. I think we saw it through the playoffs last year. Look, I mean, everyone on the planet was saying back Castellanos eight or ninth and he still didn't do it in the playoffs even last season. So I think coming in this season with the pedigree and the resume, I think it'll absolutely be more towards the top of the lineup. the pedigree and the resume, I think it'll absolutely be more towards the top of the lineup. But, you know, I mean, again, it is, it's thrilling. It's thrilling to think about this lineup and turning it over and no weak spots.

And, you know, when you're talking about, you know, Stott, Castellanos and Marsh potentially as your, the very bottom of your order, I mean, and, and the, the way these guys compliment each other, I mean, you have, you know have pure hitters. You've got power hitters. You've got speed. It's just this lineup gives you everything you could look for in a lineup. And I think that's incredibly important, the way the team is constructed. And then, oh, by the way, what we keep talking about, it's something Boehm talked about again today,

but all these dudes love each other. And all these dudes like playing with each other. And they're going to fuel off each other. They're going to feed off each other. And they're going to be fans in the stands that they're feeding off of. I just think, I think that the potential for this team, Jack is obviously it's winning the world series, but like, I do think it's really, really high for this group of guys.

And look, I thought, you know, we had John Middleton on the show today, which is something I've literally never been able to say before in my life. That's pretty neat. We had John Middleton on the show today. And, you know, I know he had said a similar quote. I can't remember what article it was, but, you know, made the rounds athletic or something like that. It was in an article a few months ago, but he said on the show again, and it was, you know, talking about his goals for the team. And he had two lines that stuck out. The first one was, you know, when I talked to this team, if I say, I want you to win a world series, he's like, that's not good enough. He's like, this team

should win multiple world series. And he said, when I look back, when you look back at the history of baseball, when you talk about the great teams in the history of the sport, he's like, I want this Phillies team to be on that. Like that is such a grandiose and lofty thing to say and a goal to have and and again they have to go out and prove it and stuff but like the pieces are there the pieces are there for this team to to do what the astros just did to win two world series in a five-year span or whatever like they obviously again win one you know win one and we wouldn't say the same thing about 08 and they had the chance and all that. But like but it is it is really exciting to look at this group of what's here now the next few years with these guys.

Everyone under contract already like the sky is the limit with this group. Yeah. And that's why, you know, I feel like I I sound a bit like a broken record. But, you know, i've kind of had that feeling all off season where where it's just like look at how they are now look at how middleton is is spending money on on big stars and how like underneath the surface they are just continuing to to build this thing um you know people freak out about well the starting pitching depth or the or the bench spots or this or that, yeah. It's like, well, there's more coming.

When people talk about, is Ranger going to make it? Well, Ranger's going to be in the rotation to start the season. But Painter down, and then it's like Falter, whatever, and these guys get hurt. Who's to say that Griff doesn't just get hot and everything starts clicking for him, that he can come in there and that raises the level of your team. Mick Abel looked good the other day against the Braves.

I feel almost bad for Mick because it's like he just gets left behind with Andrew Painter turning into a superstar prospect. But Mick Abel is a top 40 prospect in baseball right now who reached AA a at 21 years old but he has to work he's not as like flawless as as as andrew painter he has to work on fastball command but like i mean it's still great it's a great point by you jack like we we almost have like just kind of forgotten about mick abel because of and rightfully so the the level of greatness as a prospect that painter has reached and kind

of surpassed him. But you're right, man. Like we don't talk nearly enough. I mean, Mick Gable could be a, a, a one or a two in the major leagues. Like that's a ceiling. Like he's that talented, you know, not like a one, one, not like a, you never know, but like, he's like, he could be a two in the major leagues. Like the guy's legit.

Yeah. A hundred percent. in the major leagues like the guy's legit yeah 100 so you know um when we talk about dodgers east and we talk about turning into one of these super like i think they're on the verge of being i know but this is what are we doing here this is a high hopes podcast we're supposed to be talking about the 2026 fills and and get me pictures. We can talk about the minors. We're talking about like, let's go on a dynastic run, Jack, but that's where,

that's where the franchise is right now. I mean, for the next five years, I mean, we, we talked about this, I think, uh,

made three pods ago, but like everyone on their team is everyone on the team is, uh, like at least in the lineup is locked up through 2025. So, you know, you look at, you look at, look at the core of this team is pretty much set. So you have the core pretty much set on offense. We'll see what happens.

It could be extension a week for Aaron Nola. So you have your one and two locked up for the next couple years. Wheeler, we'll see what happens with him. It's just so hard not to start dreaming on what they can be and think about them as one of the future superpower-ish teams in the sport. I mean, there's only a handful of them, but they have everything there to where they can get the job done. And I don't think Middleton's speaking out of turn to say,

like, only winning one is is obviously yeah let's win the let's win the freaking world series okay we've won one in our lifetimes okay like yes it is a big deal but but i get your point like i don't think it's i don't think it's when he said it i wasn't like oh what the hell like i was like yeah like you're right and again the the the thing that you you know you can look at this team but then yeah there's other great teams and steve cohen's up there spending money and the braves are good and there's all this stuff but but you look at this group of guys and especially what they achieved last year and the mentality and the the two more games thing bone brought that up too like just

that there it really does feel like this group is locked in on a goal and and clearly that goal is to win the world series and then you worry about past that but but as the owner especially talking about his goals for the franchise like absolutely he's not speaking out of turn i mean he has set some some very lofty expectations you know great teams of all time but but he's not but the point is like the pieces are there the infrastructure for the first time in in you know, over a decade is there from a baseball operations perspective. Like, we always talk about the infrastructure is there. And the guy making that statement is willing to open up his checkbook and keep adding and willing to keep going over taxes and keep spending money to do what it takes to win so yeah like if they keep

this formula in this group like they should have a lot of success with these guys you know yeah um and this is so weird like i man it like high hopes is like i i what i think about with this now is like you know the new listeners. And if you are a new listener who came on during the run, like, thank you. We love you. Welcome. Welcome aboard. Um, but like the, the, the old school listeners will know, like there is as much as, you know, it's thrilling and exciting.

Like there is a bit of a, uh, like, uh, I keep pinching myself when we do these pods being like, this doesn't feel like we've never done this before a season. These have never been the high hopes preseason pods we've been doing before. You know, there's been hype and excitement, but it's never been like, yeah, this team could go out and win a few World Series over the next couple years. Like, this is crazy, Jack. Like, step back and look at this and be like, you know, I'm just, I'm like feeling the feels.

I'm clear about all that. Like, I'm really grateful. I'm so grateful that we're here right now man i feel like we i feel like we were andy new frame slogging through you know what for years with this podcast digging through and we have come out the other side and we are raising our arms in the air and it feels amazing well it's funny because it feels like one of those, we almost got to calm down. You know what I mean? Like in the old high hopes ways, it was like,

people told us to calm down. Could it be like, listen, this, this team could win 90 games, you know? And like, this guy could break out.

This guy could turn into this. And then he's going to, you know, fulfill all of our expectations for, for, you know, we're always looking at the highest possible outcome for whatever player, for whatever team,

whatever manager, whatever GM, whatever. Like that's been the thing about this podcast. And you talk about maybe not able to handle the moment. Might be us. Maybe we can't handle the moment. Watch them start like 10 and 15. And we're like, just, we'll be right back to where we were. Get them all out. That is 10 and 15 and we're like just we'll be right back to where we get them all out um that is gonna be the funny part about the season is that

you know it's gonna be way less like living and dying with every single game like well i i will watch every second i will care as much as i usually do but like pretty much after every game for what it's worth there are a lot lot of them, you know, regular season games. I mean, weekday games and all that. Yeah. But it's, like, now that we got through, we broke through, there's not that same, like, oh, my God, are they going to miss the playoffs again? Like, oh, my God, this is all a disaster.

Because, like, for the first time since, again, the heyday, it's like I trust them. Like, I just, I trust the manager. I trust the players. I trust the, I trust the GM and I trust the owner. So you talk about coming a long way. You know, I used to, I used to try to find those names like Topper. We never didn't trust, but like we, we didn't think he would ever be the manager of a baseball team. The dude was going to retire after last season and now he's you know extension all that but like for the statements you just made with

john jack middleton and dave dombrowski you know we've come a long way come a long way buddy yeah um and i again i just you know when i think, when I think about how a majority of the last couple of years, like they would be in first place or they'd be like over 500 and like 20,000 people in the stadium, you know? And, and now like, I just think they're going to get rewarded for the, for the fruits of what they just went through. So it's, it's going to be a different watching experience, you know, where it's not, wow, this whole thing is crumbling and it's falling apart.

It's a disaster. It's going to be more like, this is what we do now. This is just what we do. Maybe start a little slow. Maybe we won't win the division, but don't let us make the playoffs. Just don't let the Phillies make the playoffs. Entering into a cocky era of Phillies baseball is is not something that i i didn't know i'd be able to feel again but that's kind of where we're heading into a cocky era of philly's baseball

and yet again like andy dufresne this podcast has freaking earned that all right you know we we have earned the chance to be a little cocky about this team and uh yeah it's it's you're absolutely right it is weird having those expectations shift, especially, you know, like we've talked about so many times, but how, you know, in September, I don't know, I'll pick a date, like September 25th, September 27th, like none of us felt this way. None of us felt this way about this team come October 3rd or whatever day it was they clinched in Houston,

October 2nd, whatever that was. Like, it's just ever since that moment, like everything about how we feel about the Phillies has changed in such a profound and powerful and awesome way. And it all feels justified. And, and to your point, look, I don't, I don't think there's at least in my lifetime, you can maybe say a week after oh seven, but like, it was a different thing then. I think this might be the most important from a not making the playoffs or whatever perspective,

because I'm with you. I think they could start slow and figure it out. They're going to be good. But from a business of baseball perspective, like a hot start, that place is full all year. The place is full. I'm serious, right? But if they start slow,

it might take them a little time for people. There be full games there'll be some repeat but like if they start hot if they come out 20 and 10 or 20 and 8 or whatever and they're like rolling like we could get back to those days the salad days the hey i got a ticket to a game night you want to go yes let me drop everything i have going on my life because i have to be at that game like like we're on the verge of that again, man. And that was the freaking best. Yeah. And I thought about this a lot. I thought about, so I come back from Texas and then they go to New York and just like game one

at, at citizens bank park, you know, when for the first time we get to welcome the national league champions back on the field and say like, cause you know, they go, they went down to Houston and we never really had the chance to say, thank you. You know what I mean?

And, um, yeah, our last moment was marred by Chaz fricking McCormick. You know, it's like we were all in shock and we're all stunned. You're right, dude. Like we didn chas freaking mccormick you know it's like we were all in shock and we're all stunned you're right dude like we didn't so we were angry you know so when they take the field and dan baker does this and they do the introductions and i know

and then you couple all that with with turner you know making his making his uh his philly's what a donation he's gonna get because because Bryce isn't there, too. So it's just like all the energy is going to go into that Turner. Like that first at bat is going to – that place is going to be insane. I know. I know. So I know. I know.

Calm down. Calm down. I know. It's hard for you. And that's why Walker is time to go. Walker, it's time to go. Walker, let's go, pal. We should quickly just officially address that because, you know, I didn't know that the name was out there for a while.

So we were kind of saying baby boy Fritz and all that type of stuff. But apparently it's out there. If you don't miss the afternoon show, apparently just got out Walker. We got Walker coming, man. Well, it's going to be so surreal watching Taiwan Walker and like seeing Walker

99. It's going to be weird. Well, it is funny. You notice that type of stuff. Like the name pops, like Zoe, whenever I see Zoe anywhere,

it's like, you know what I mean? It's like a totally different thing. I was watching the Michigan State game yesterday, and their point guard's last name was Walker, and I was like, Walker to the 10. I was like, what is going on? Oh, yeah.

So, yeah. So the names out there, it is kind of funny being a washed pitcher. Well, it's hilarious. You named your kid Walker. It's freaking hilarious. It's like almost knowing you, and I know it wasn't, but knowing like almost you all knowing you and i know it wasn't but knowing you you're like is this a bit is his actual naming of his kid an actual bit but it's not well you know it's like a stranger of course that's a bit we know i mean you're

basically having the kid just for the bit take so exactly you know well my concept was slowing down it's like how people have the the baby to save a marriage you're you're the baby to save the career save the content yeah that's good uh well listen uh our due date is supposed to be in three days so i know i know so yeah well unless we got opening day in in nine days like you know let's let's speed this up especially at least at least let me make the home opener like all i want to let me make the home opener. All I want to do is make the home opener. Yeah, I'm with you, buddy.

We want you. We need you at the home opener. But I will say, watching it with Walker, like, all you want to do is not be in labor for the home opener. That would be a disaster. But, like, if he's out, you could watch it. You know, holding your boy, watching the opener. You know, there's something to that, you know?

So, I agree. It would be better if it were a Texas game. Like game like come sooner and we could do that while they're on the road i get it but like it could be worse in that case well yeah um but i will say but i'd rather go to the home opener still a bit of a me guy i know i know like listen you'll experience he'll experience his little uh when the phillies are coming off their third straight World Series or whatever, then he could be there. But let me soak this in. More about me is what parenthood is usually about. Oh, yes.

Let me tell you, buddy. It's all about you. Not giving up anything of yourself or what you want to do. None of that. Yeah, you're right that's a good point i'm happy you're heading in with the right expectations but there's gonna be i'm so excited dude you're gonna be such a great dad it's gonna be it's gonna be awesome well i really think you're gonna be i think you're gonna i know you know we'll see that the last you know

five minutes of conversation shouldn't let anyone you you know, done that path, but you're going to be great at it, buddy. It's going to be awesome. Um, all right. So I have to go in a few minutes cause I get to go watch the Phillies play. It's not rubbed in. How about it? You were just here. Um, but quickly because I saw a bunch of people and in true high hopes fashion, I feel like this is the perfect kind of last Phillies thing to get into before a quick take bag. Cause again, gotta go. Um, but just quickly,

cause I've seen a bunch of people talk about it in the chat and thank you to everyone showing up, you know, a lot of awesome people. I see Scott, I see buddy Rocon, I see a bunch of great people. Our buddy, Dave, UK Phillies TV in there. But quickly, the one real Phillies topic outside the macro stuff, the five man bench who's making it it buddy look if i think like obviously we all know that that stubs is on the roster that so is on the roster those those are locks i think uh derrick hall at this point looks like a lock i think jake cave the way he's i mean

put his bag 500 or something like i think he's a lock i think that last spot comes down to harrison kingery maybe clemens i don't think clemens gets i think it's gonna be harrison or guthrie excuse me or guthrie um what do you think where you going with this last spot so i'm not going scott kingery like i'm sorry like i i know i know it's intoxicating i know people are like oh everyone wants it dude we got three calls about it like everyone wants it it's it's why. Why are people so kangarooed up? I guess because people just haven't given up on the idea. It's hard to let go. You should know about this.

Are you kidding me, Mr. Hang on to a take? I think it's a take thing. People don't want to be wrong. Dustin Pedroia with more talent. People are still holding on to that one. For me, it just doesn't make sense. Like, go down to AAA and hit for a little bit before it's like, oh, we got,

we got to get Scottie Jetpacks back on the roster. And, you know, I'm not moving off Josh Harrison at this point. Like, he's a veteran. He's been around. He's a good clubhouse guy. This is the second time they brought him in. The first time they cut him,

which I don't think he was expecting. They gave him $2 million, you know like i'm gonna give josh harrison every not every shot like he's not gonna play every day but like i'm gonna give josh harrison a shot before i'm like no i'm gonna i'm not my evaluation is wrong um so i'm going uh yeah i'm going harrison sosa Cave, Hall, Stubbs. That's my... It's absolutely locked in for me as well. Now, Dalton Guthrie turned out that I didn't know this, but he's Jewish, so I'm fully on Team Dalton Guthrie now. So if he makes a roster, I'll be very happy about it.

I had no idea Dalton Guthrie's Jewish. He's a gamer. Dalton Guthrie? That is about as not Jewish a name as you will often hear, but happy to have him on board um but i'm right there with you look we made this mistake with josh harrison once right like we made the mistake we brought him in we were like ah money whatever let's give him he was a valuable player for another i mean in his role a valuable player for not washington like he made

a difference there like just keep josh harrison here dude's proven that he can handle this role he played all over the diamond for you. Like it just, I think he just gives you more versatility. And again, that kind of veteran presence off the bench. I'm all about it. Yeah.

So here's my, here's my final, not my final. This is my last, this is my roster projection as of today. Real Muto Hoskins, Scott Turner, boom,

Schwarber, Marsh cast, Wheeler, Nola, Ranger, Kast, Wheeler, Nola, Ranger. You're going full 26? This is great. Good job.

I did this in the first. I appreciate you, buddy. It's good. So obviously our person this time is going to be on the I.L. So I'm factoring that in. Painter should be on the I.L. I would think.

Anyway, so he'll do minor league starts to ramp back up anyway right yeah yeah so uh real muto hoskins dot turner boom schwarber marsh cast wheeler nola ranger walker falter uh harrison sosa cave hall stubs and then bullpen of alvarado soto sir anthony kimbrough Colorado Soto, Sir Anthony Kimbrell, Strom Brogdon, Junior Marte. Wow, you're doing it. I'm like a Junior Marte jersey. I'm sorry. I might.

He's my favorite film. So for the listeners who might not be up on every single one of those last guys, like the Junior Marte slot, like who else could it be? If it's not Junior Marte, is it Drew Baker? Who are the guys who you think are in for that spot? Well, it's Bilotti. It's Bilotti. Bilotti, of's Bilotti. It's Bilotti. Bilotti, of course, yes.

It's Nick Nelson. It's Drew Baker. Nick Nelson's still dealing with the hamstring thing, right? That'll probably hinder him. That's a big loss. I might affect my window. Everyone was really bummed when that happened, yes. How does Bilotti not make the roster, though?

I mean, that dude pitched big innings for you and was good. And I know, look, these guys are going to psych up up and down it's all about options and all that stuff but i don't know i'd be surprised if blight doesn't make the roster too good how about that that's my answer too good i'm a big fan of of jay's as ya sounds in general you and your martha like if people want to call me Yames, I'm totally fine with that. I think it sounds great. But Jimmy is where you draw the line, right? Yimmy. You can call me Yimmy.

No, Jimmy's okay. Jamie is where I draw the line. Shut it down. I just am not a Jamie. I've never been a Jamie. Can't do it. That's when I actually get mad. Like people can call me Jimmy.

Yeah, I get mad when people call me that. Now, great. Now, like how many high hopes people are going gonna come up god darn it why did i say that okay yes listen jamie you can go to the game soon thanks buddy i have to yeah i got richie and the camera waiting on me yo and yan or you might say yeah um but yeah that's just they're too good i don't know what to tell you what a pod what a pod what a pod we just did there what's the point of the there's no point in talking about until

opening day because they're just like hey everything's fine everything's fine everything's great it is wild i will say and again i i feel it you're right there with me it is like we're going into a season where like and he might come back soon earlier and all, it's like Bryce Harper is theoretically out for half the season. And we were more excited. Like we're like, they're fine. They're going to do great.

It's just like wild. The MVP of the league two years ago is out for half the season. It's like literally no big deal. It's not, it's not a big deal. It's not, I'm saying it's literally, it's crazy. It's crazy. Are you guys I know! I'm saying it's literally no big deal. It's crazy.

You got anything else in the take bag? I think it's interesting they're stretching Matt Straum out. So that came out the other day. Obviously a starter prior. So with him being stretched out, obviously he's been a bad starter before. Yeah, well he only became good when they started relief pitching.

Yes, exactly. It seems like this is a... this is going to be a piggyback with him and Ranger, I think, to begin the season. So then Ranger will start giving like three innings and then Strom can get you through four, five, six,

and then, you know, hand over the bullpen in an ideal world. So I don't think it means Matt Strom's going to be in the rotation, but I do think it means like a Ranger, him, piggyback,

you know, maybe falter is the same kind of thing. But if Nick Nelson's not going to make the roster, then you need someone who is able to. To be a long man. Yeah, no doubt. To be a long man. So they didn't sign him to be a long man.

They gave Matt Strump real money. To be a believer, to be a situational lefty, essentially. Yes. But they did trade for Soto, which wasn't also a plan. Yeah. So like. Strump has done it before. And also a lot of those numbers with the starts it's you know the second third time through the lineup if you're hoping he can kind of get one clean time through the lineup like that's that's not

that much to ask of some someone who's done stuff like that before yep um i thought billy foster looked really good in his last start i i continue to believe in him. Like, I know people, like, are scarred by the NLCS game. It was two out. It was one – it didn't even get through an inning. And we all – and, again, also had not pitched in, like, a month or whatever it felt like a few weeks before that. We all loved him going in. We were talking about him being one of, like, the three or four pitchers

on the team we trusted the most. Jack, keep pounding this drum, buddy. Saved the season last year. But I thought what we trusted the most. Jack, keep pounding this drum, buddy. Saved the season last year. But I thought what he did the other day, you know, so I think he, when he first came up, fell in love with his fastball too much, and major league hitters are eventually going to figure it out.

I thought he did a good job on Sunday, and I think going forward, of mixing in the slider curve ball, and we'll see what the changeup happens. So I just think he's going to be harder to hit. And it should be Nola contract week. I don't think they want to head into the season with this whole extension thing looming over his head. I think they want to

get it done. So hopefully it's Nola contract week. Yeah, look, and if you do want to re-sign him, I'm saying from the Phillies' perspective, which of course they should want to, especially with how durable and how consistent he's been over his career. But you want to it is it is imperative might not be might be a little too strong a word but it is it is important to do it before free agency because the market like he will he will get more money in the market than he will here flat out yes so

and uh try turners of phil and an american hero jack you know that's what turner is i know you weren't watching live but that that venezuela uh usa game was one of the yeah so i watched the last uh wait the what one of the 10 best baseball games i've seen wow i watched last so when you texted me we're like you have to turn it on. I did. And the last inning half was super compelling. And like the, you know, obviously the vibe and the thing I'll say, and again, it's mostly been the fact that I've been going to bed at seven o'clock every night that has kept me

from watching more than anything, my new schedule. But I will say like the, and I watched a little bit of the last night game when I came back to the hotel after we went out to get some food and stuff. Like the energy is real like it is it is real and the players truly care so when they're caring like it's hard not to get you know i'll give you that and edward diaz got hurt which which stinks it stinks it does but you know well it's the fills

oh buddy it stinks it's no it's it's bad for baseball and it's a shame especially to the point of like if people are starting it in the wbc like you are and baseball fans are like it's you know those those injuries and stuff like that are the kind of thing that people are going to bring up and be like don't send your players don do this. And it just creates, instead of what's seemed like a fully positive, exciting response to WBC this year, it's like one of those things where people will point to and have a negative response. And that's a shame. And I'll say they got hurt.

But that was also on a fastball up and in. So, you know, that could happen. And again, like, yeah, they all could, right? I mean, Gavin Lux, right? I mean, we all talk about the Gavin Lux tours ACL in a spring training game. Like, it happens, Gavin locks, right. I mean, I'll talk about the, the Gavin locks tours, ACL in a spring training game. Like it happens, you know?

Yep. All right. It's been final. You got any final thoughts for it? Uh, my final thought is there will be shirts. There will be shirts. Yes.

There will be shirts. Maybe a little, uh, freshened up. We'll say there will be shirts there will be shirts that's a perfect final thought i got nothing else uh dad other than enjoy the ball game buddy play baseball baby yes enjoy the ball game so if you are actually in uh in clear water watching come say hi um otherwise we'll be back next week or later this week or whenever it is so uh

obviously no contract could influence that at all as well so um you go do your job i'll go watch some baseball i think i'm winning this one seems like a fair trade yeah it'll be good and uh uh thank you everyone for tuning in we love you guys everyone who tuned in for the uh chat we have just a blast and that means a lot and uh we'll be back soon until then