High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Laying The Groundwork For The 2030 Phils

Episode Date: December 2, 2025

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the latest MLB free agent rumors, including a former MVP that has been linked to the Phillies. Later, Jack goes all-in on some of the team's top prospects based on their work so far in the offseason. Presented by Miller Lite. To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com 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

Miller Light, the official beer partner of your Philadelphia Phillies, is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of WIP's High Hopes Pod. So whether you're listening to the game, catching off on the latest High Hopes Pod or at the ballpark. Remember, it tastes like Miller time, Phillies fans. Celebrate responsibly. At Fandual Casino, you get even more ways to play. Dive into new and exciting games and all of your favorite casino classics, like slots, table games, and arcade games.

Get more on Fandual Casino. Download the app today. Please play responsibly 19 plus and physically located in Ontario. If you have questions or concerned about your gambling or the gambling of someone close to you, please contact Connects Ontario at 1866-531-2,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. What's up? It's Draymond Green. I'm back for my 14th NBA season and my podcast of Draymond Green Show is back too. This season, I'm breaking down games, reacted to the biggest NBA stories,

and sitting down with teammates, rivals, and culture shapers. And trust me, I'm not holding back. on the court or on the mic two new episodes every week new segments big conversations real basketball talk for the real hoot heads listen to and follow the draymond green show wherever you get your podcast we're back we're better let's get it this is the high hopes podcast on the odyssey app and sports radio 94 wip the crowd is singing high hopes smiling through a broken knows oh high hope

high hope i feel a little less along yo it is another edition of that's podcast sponsor for Miller like official partner of Philadelphia Phillies tastes like Miller time Philadelphia celebrate responsibly fritzy you are you are beaming right now you are way too happy right right and you are like bouncing look at you what's going on how's your little football podcast you are way too happy right now how's your live no no no none of this don't you worry

what team won a championship this year in 2025 did one of the teams win a championship what have you done for me lately type of leg apparently yeah I'm good thank you for the championship boys we'll see you next year if that's the case yeah listen it's all good yeah it's all good is our fellas team ever going to win championship it's we're going to win one Who needs it? It's a smidge overrider. Tell you what, they are in a, they're in a tough position.

Yeah, they are, buddy. So the more and more you get into this all season, and this is not the thing that I was going to. Oh, good. Yeah. But, you know, just to just this is a completely Fritz program pod today, by the way. I got, I got nothing. This is all Jack.

Jack's, Jack's programming us. Great. So the more and more you kind of sit there and you assess where they're at. And you think, or you kind of realize, that it's pretty much like it's going to be schwarber and j t that's all they can really do difference making money wise and then hopefully they can make a trade or they let one of them walk and they use that money on on someone else but i think they're i think we headed into the

offseason it's like oh man they could do schwarber they could do j t and they can do uh oh i didn't or Bichet or it's like, well, no, they can't. And the more and more that, you know, you kind of, you kind of look at it, it really feels like it's going to have to be in the trade market if they're going to go and quote, unquote, shake it up. That's why our perfect off seasons were the way they were. Yeah. I mean, we both re-signed Trower and J-D and then we're like trades.

Trades. Because there's nothing else that they can do, or they're going to do. I mean, a big, big money-wise. Unless, unless they get off Taiwan, but also. So I don't know if you want to get off Taiwan. He might need him as a sick starter this year or whatever. I mean, Wheeler probably won't come back until May.

Yep. So. Painer, we're hoping he's ready to go and good to start the year. I mean, we don't know if he's going to be ready to pitch in the major to start the year. He wasn't last year. Yeah.

Of course. I mean, they might be in the market of trying to sign some, some cheap level starter. Come on. One year of Erlander. Oh, buddy. One year of Erlander.

Come on, man. No, but, well, because it's interesting. you feel really good about the starting pitching but also there's real questions about the starting pitching but also you don't really have a choice but to kind of have faith in the starting pitching because it's it's what has to happen in order for this team to move forward is you have to see what painter has you like you I guess you have to bank on Zach Wheeler bouncing back it's not like you can yeah what is what it is he either does or he doesn't he's on the books exactly so the starting pitching like you of course you feel good about it's probably

still the best unit on the team but you know it's not as is it only that the eagles are losing this while you're beaming you came in all excited and you're like well phillies are really in a spot where's the excitement i think you're excited i'm very excited no i'm like well let me tell you you're gonna be rough guys it's not a really tough situation right now it's not that it's rough it's just it's a tough situation you're right though it is because especially from from a fan base in terms of getting them excited non-stop i mean the most likely thing to your point is kind of a re-rack and that's going to make people mad it's the number one thing people don't want to but also you can't what else you need to be competitive i know you need to be

competitive it's that or it's kind of reset it's a re-rack or reset it's why it's why listen i know this podcast we have been all in on the 2026 phil we we we laid the groundwork for hey really is the 2027 phils that we're excited about you know we put that out there moving on is this 2028 dude I can't wait for the 2030s fills I'm just I was just thinking about in the bathroom

I was just thinking about the 2030 Phillies in the bathroom and like how much of all problem they're going to be like they are going to be so good in the 2030s it's just these next couple years might not be like they

I'm dead ass serious I'm so serious. And is it because I watched Francisco Runtaria hit 18 home runs last night is a 16-year-old going at Salvi Perez and Ronald Ocunia Jr. And I started dreaming of like an old Sports Illustrated cover with him and Aden on the cover of it. And it's like that's our future, Francisco Rensorea and Aidan Miller. And then Andrew Painter, like hopefully he's the God-level prospect that we think he is. Dude, get me to the 2030s.

get me to the 20. I'm so over all these like high priced these high price con like Gabe Craig in the 2030s. You kidding me. I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait. Francisco Renteria. So we've been I know that when people turn on this really good when people approve of everything that's happening in this room right now. They wanted a breakdown of the off season where we're currently at. And I've been trying to temper the Francisco Renteria hide because he's technically not signed by the Phillies yet. He's also a child. And he's 16. And I understand.

You know, I get it. But at the same time, he's 6'3 at 16 years old and hitting tank shots against real, like, Hall of Fame level quality players. He's in the same cat. Like, he might be the best prospect.

I mean, he's going to be freaking amazing. I I cannot wait to see what he's going to be like. And he's going to be up here by the time he's 20-21. And I would not be surprised if he's going to be a top-10 prospect in the whole game. Couldn't end up being top-five prospect. And him and Aiden are going to carry us to the 20-30s.

And that's incredibly exciting. So that's all I'm excited about, frankly. Frankly, he's special. He's really special. Oh, wow. Thank you. You really brought it, buddy. Thank you.

Thank you. This is what happens. We don't have to a podcast for a week and a half. talking about a week and a half it felt like it was like six months a long time it's been a lot happening what what has happened you know other than like the whole league's in on shore over what has happened since last year sure well that's that's the most annoying part about the baseball off season it's like oh so-and-so oh they checked in yeah they checked that's good I'm glad they checked yeah they did their I'm glad they did their job you know and they're willing to listen to

offers but also they better be blown away or they're not they're not moving them and, you know, it's all nonsense. And we are, what, a week away from the winter meetings? Oh, buddy. Kind of feels like the winter meetings might have a moment. Oh, you think so? Yeah, I think Schwerber signs during the winter meetings. I think maybe Tucker signs during the winter meetings.

I don't know. Kind of feels like. How come? What makes you say it? Because I feel like we've not really had a winter meetings like that. I think the market's percolating a little bit. Oh, there's a little, there's a little percolating. Okay.

He's got seven years to 10. I know. which is I guess it's not that wild because he's taking that you're talking about durability and yeah and every team believes that they're going to be the one that's going to like make dylan sees throw strikes yeah and we'll see you know if one of these teams can figure it out um it's good news obviously for ranger ranger's game paid but the you know the reliever markets here you know david william's got 50 million yeah but you didn't have that any perfect off season no i had it much cheaper

I probably would have given the two-year deal. Sure. Two for 30 years. I'm not 50. He's getting 17 million a year. Again, he was mostly. He was awesome. Yeah,

he was awesome. Prior to last year. But also prior to last year. It's awesome. That's what I'm saying. It's like coming off an awful year. He's getting 3.51. Yikes.

First year in New York. Market's going to be nuts. I know, especially in New York. You keep him in New York, really? Yeah. I mean, hell's the got a pretty good contract. Yeah. Eos.

Unfortunately, it's the A's. Unfortunately, Balthy's going to miss. the year, right? Oh, is he? Yeah, I believe so. So, what a bummer. Would have been an awesome bullpen if he was still there. But, you know, I just, there's been a slow trickle of, of moves. It kind of feels like we might get a, might get the dam bursting a little bit. I get a Brendan Donovan trade next week.

Dude, we walk out of this with ref Snyder. I know. And Brennan Donovan. A lot of jack guys out there. Yeah, I'm just saying. No question. Ruff Sinder makes a ton of sense. Dude.

Yeah, he's like a lot. That's like a logical signing. It's all over. It makes all the sense in the world. It's Adam Deval all over again. A Marsh Reps in the Under platoon is special. It is a special. It's a special platoon.

Yeah, one of the best left-fielders in baseball, you think, combined when you put it together? Well, probably be right-field. You think Marsh and right field? Yeah. I think Crawford's going to play left. Okay, so can Brandon Marsh play right field? Yeah, I mean...

Really? Well, I think he's a strong arm, and he's really good in left field. We know that. I would like him more in... right than left, I think. Yeah. Well, I think, I'll actually admit Crawford.

I would rather Crawford and left. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I agree with that. I think Crawford has to my life. I think the games changed a little bit, you know, from the sample. If you look at the, you know, you look at the debacks,

you look at the broers. They've always just athletic guys in the outfit. They go figure it out. You know what I mean? And he is, I mean, Brandon March super athletic. It's not like, it's not the old days where you have Vladdy and right with a hose or, you know,

Jason Worth and right with a hose. He's like big right fielders. I think it's, I think teams are now just going for athletic people in the outfield it doesn't matter really it's almost like when it's it actually stuck out to me when we asked preston about nory and i was like so i'm just so tired of why guys can't just play center field you know so like why can't just hit and play center field track of baseball yeah you know things like that things that baseball players have to do and i asked him i was like well

is you plug and play center fielder and he was like well he can but like it's also the value of playing at i think they're i think they're they're going to do the brewer's model in a way in the outfield of prioritizing there's a there's going to be a big shift in this organization towards going more defense over other things that is my prediction it's why they're in on jake meyers the jake myers jake meyers jake meyers mostly stinks i know he had a really good year last year it's bater it's bater insurance you know where bader could get if they signed Schwerber and J.T. And they don't have the kind of funds to spend

$12 to $15 million on Harrison Bader. That's where you go and trade for a cheaper Jake Myers. I'm not thrilled right now. Dude, I just laid out of 2030 Phil's. Yeah, the 2030 fills are exciting. That's exciting. That's exciting. I know you're counting down

the days. I mean, I know you're approaching 50. I am. Yeah. But think about your 50s. And think about Francisco Rantaria. And think about A.M. Miller. Are you going to be as excitable about life in your 50s you're going to be pretty you've maintained your excitable level I know I know through your it is just me it is just me so as far as I know yes but I mean you know age comes for us all Jack it does come for us all I just wonder are we ever going to get a mellow

mellow selter probably see I don't think that's in the car I don't think so either like I guess my question is as we have transitioned into it's like a long take back essentially well I thought a lot about you. Oh, good. No, I'm just kidding. I really haven't. But, because I've thought, you know, are, you have such a child like love. I do.

I do. Yeah. And, you know, child like hate of other teams and all that. Exactly. And a childlike view of the quarterback. And. And, and. That was funny.

Thank you. And I just, like, is that going to go away? Or are you always going to have that child? Look, I've been a Philly sports for my whole life, and I still have it. I mean, you know, you would think it had gotten beaten out of me by now. See, it's mostly been beaten out of me. I know. Like, it really has.

I know. You're talking about the 23 Fields. You're like, yeah, you're tough, man. Besides the Phil's. Besides the Phil's. I realize also about myself. Yeah, never mind. I'm like, well, you know, it's a good.

She said, right on it. Well, you know, I'm listening to people talk about, you know, the things they believe in. You don't believe in. You don't believe in much. Is that kind of where you're going? Well, I believe in things. It's just like, I don't know how to explain to people that I've said this before, right? Like the Phillies, I legitimately treat like a family.

I know. And like I, I care deeply about the Philadelphia. Like care in maybe an unhealthy way. Yeah, maybe. How some people may view, like, religion. Sure. Is how I. The Phillies are your religion in a way.

I love this. I'm not sure how healthy that is, but we all got to have our things, you know. Who knows who's right? I just like, the Phillies could be the religion you're supposed to choose. That's right. That's right. And Francis got to run to reinatah Miller in the 2030s, you know. So I've been thinking about that as well in the last couple of days about how you've been there

a lot of thinking, man. Yeah, well, you know, you know, well, so. What's good, y'all is Vaughn Miller, Super Bowl MVP, and now your host of Free Range. This is where NFL meets Real Talk. Every week, I'm bringing you inside the game from locker room stories to league-wide headlines. You want football IQ locker room insight and real conversations with the people shaping the league.

Welcome to Free Range with Vaughn Miller, where nothing is off limits and every down counts. New episodes every Wednesday. Listen and follow Free Range with me, Von Miller, wherever you get your podcast. Funny, well, not a funny story. so Jill's grandma passed funny story well not that funny but it is humor to it the funny story is well so you know

gone the whole thing for all life she was an amazing amazing woman and very you know a compliment unbelievably positive like insanely positive at every turn an unbelievable lady you know so listening to all those things and everyone giving the speeches and I was thinking like people are really just going to

say when I die. He really loved the Phillies and his family. That was pretty much it. It was Jack. Yeah. Yeah. People are just like a bunch of speakers. Man, Phillies. Just really liked him a lot. Jack, really. He would be saying right now the Phillies in a few years. That's what he was excited about. Yeah. He said to me, if you're up there giving a speech. You know, I'm going to outlive you. I don't think so. Yeah. He said to me that that his main, his main, uh, objective for getting healthy and longevity. To see the Phillies. It was to see the Phillies play baseball.

Listen, he really loved Walker and Sutton. They were his life, but the Phillies were really mad. Yeah. Yeah. The Phillies just, they mad at the most. Other funny funeral story. Oh, we are on fire with the funny funeral stories. And this is,

this is maybe the most predictable thing that could have happened. But have you were driven in a funeral procession? Of course. Yeah. So, Not many, but, you know, multiple times. Right. So this is my first time.

Oh, driving in a funeral possession. It's an experience. It is. And the, the jerks who just decided to cut up, there's nothing worse than some a-hole who's just like, oh, I'm going to go, even though there's a funeral possession because my day is more important than the people are grieving a lost loved one. It's, it's so infuriary. It, like, drives me crazy when I see it.

Right. So what happened to me is that I broke the chain. So. You did not go through a red light? No. I didn't, it didn't compute with it. me and we were at the end of the all the other cars go and you're like

well I guess I could call it a yellow light and I know that the guy was like hey go through the light just go through the lights right you're allowed to go through red lights yeah that didn't compute with me I had chill and my two kids in the back I am not driving through an intersection I got screwed by the red light no doubt about it

and I had to lead the second unit so there was a whole first unit that went and then there's a second unit and it's on Westchester bike which is the worst road in America because there's stoplights all the time. And I was so embarrassed, I turned my, I turned my blinkers off and I try to get the funeral flag off.

Because I can't want anyone know that I screwed up the, yeah. And then I got, I got to the, we got to the burial site and I was like, yeah, I screwed up for the, the chain or whatever.

And everyone was like, that checks out. Yeah, that checks out, you know. So I delete the second unit. There was, there was like a,

there was a, there was a two different. different cemeteries within like a mile of each other. I thought I was about to choose the wrong one. And I was like, oh, that kind of looks like the one. And then luckily I chose right.

Good. And everyone was concerned. Everyone got to the funeral just a little bit later because I broke the chain. So that was my funeral story. So back to the film. Yeah. Actually don't know where I wanted to go. I don't know.

You're on fire today. This is great. Well, been cooped up with a lot of thoughts. A week and a half without talking Phil. Oh my God. I know. No,

But yeah, we'll see how this off season goes. I hope my new goal is just give me a cool trade. You know, just give me a cool trade. Really a high bar that we're setting. Bomb cast, you gone. Yeah. High bar. Just likable, be likable.

Boom, cast, you gone. And then give us a cool trade. Yeah. Give us cool trade. Resigned Shorebren JT. Really a low bar for you. Yeah. Well, I don't know.

They're still a really good team. They're going to win 90 plus games. Oh, God. It's going to be impossible to talk about this team this year, isn't it? No, they won't. We'll always find something. be fine. WIP is going to be less fine, I think. Yeah. Yeah.

It feels like they need a something to get people excited. Yeah, but I just, I don't know what that is. I don't either. Yeah. There's decent bounce back ideas as like a trade candidate and there's interesting trade candidates that people don't really care about.

Even if they sign Kyle Tucker, I wonder how I wonder how excited people would be. Yeah, which they're not going to. They're not, they're probably not going to. Oh, look at you. You can get in on tuck. Well, I think they like Kyle Tucker. The weird part about Kyle Tucker is that it doesn't feel like.

Really weird year, man. Just a weird year heading in. And I don't know how many teams love Kyle Tucker. And they don't like Kyle Tucker, but maybe they look at the 35 million a year he's probably going to get or 40 million a year. And they're like, well, is he really worth that? Like, is he worth 10, 400, 10, 350?

And then, I don't know. He's always just, I don't know, he's, I really like Cowt Soccer. I do too. I think if you look at the baseball, back of the baseball card, you feel good about Kyle's soccer. But there's something off. I agree. Look, that was a weird contract year, man.

One of the weirder ones I remember for a guy like him, I mean, it just, I know he's her, but the whole, like, the vibes were all messed out. Like, it just felt like a really weird year in Chicago for him. Yeah. I don't know what to make a Calcutter. I don't either. And if I was, if you were betting. I mean, could he be a steal if he goes for like $2.50 or something, you know, he was a guy who was going to make $400 and then, you know, like it's possible.

You'd get a bargain. Who would you, I mean, would you bet on him or like, if you're looking just the next four years, right? Would you bet on him or Bellinger? Oh, I bet on on Tucker. Interesting. But is it money, I guess money aside. If he was just like, well, I think Tucker's a better player. Tucker's a better player than Bellinger. But is, is Bellinger a better player. But is Bellinger a better. a safer yeah oh yeah well yeah because maladro got like a hundred million as opposed to 300 150 or whatever he might have 150 yeah so like you know what i mean he's gonna be to half the price theoretically or whatever yeah yeah um and not as many years yeah so that's the bellinger thing i just i can't i just can't get excited about bellinger i know he had a good year and he didn't strike out a lot last i just he just he just i can't do it like i just he doesn't excite me but it's so because he's gonna pop if he's if he's if he'll he sign him right and i think it was hayman

said they're lurking. Yeah, they said he's involved. Yeah. Or they're, and I was going to do Bellinger as my free agent target of the day. We're going to start doing that on the podcast. Oh, I think,

I try to come over. I like that. So, but with Bellinger, you know, if they signed him, he's going to hit 25 at a minimum. He hit like three something against lefties last year.

Yeah, he didn't strike out last year. He didn't strike out. One thing that people are going to overrate with Cody Bellinger is center. field and he's more of a corner guy now yeah he's more of a corner guy now and it could be good bryce get off his feet thing if he wanted to play first base but it's so interesting to me that it feels like bellinger has not like the he's he's he's produced for the last couple years

after getting non-tendered by the dodgers and and still no one's that excited yeah like no one's just knocking on the MVP which is wild to think about you know well the And then he got non-tendered. And then the last couple of years, he's been good. Really good. He's been an 850 OPS guy for the last couple of years while playing theoretically playing three positions. So the Bellinger thing is fascinating. Because maybe you're getting a steal.

Maybe you're getting a steal on Cody Bellinger. And you don't have to pay the huge amount of money it would take to get Kyle Zucker here. And if they, you would rather have Schwerber back than pay Bellinger, right? Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So that's the other issue, you know. do you think there is a chance they do get Schwerver and still sign someone else

like a big time guy you know like not maybe not talking about you like no I'm saying you bring JTN Chwerver back do you think there's any chance they add another guy a substantial contract like would they spend 100 million on someone I think I think at that point would depend on how much is a team eating on Castianos

can they trade boom so they don't have to eat any of the salad there and and then can they get off strong so strom would free up seven and a half million real quick why do they want to get off strom so bad i i know that they were annoyed with him we saw i don't know they want to get off strom so bad yeah because it's only seven half million like that seems like a pretty fair price for strom so i mean debon way he's got 17 million years he 10 million year better than strom absolutely not yeah i think strong's a valuable pitcher reading the tea leaves Well, I know, Dave, Dave buried him.

Like, that was, that was what, like, we talked about it. It was like the Bryce moment and the straw moment, or the two moments in that press conference, we were like, well, yeah, really the tea leaves, I think that they are just annoyed with him. Yeah, but that's a dumb, you know, that's a bad reason to move on or something. Yeah, I mean, unless you feel like he's a problem or whatever, but like, he's also, look, I think a better easy pitch a lot of innings last couple of years and you think might fall apart or whatever, but.

If they were getting rid of them, if they were getting rid of them, I think it's because they view him as. not the best locker of guy. I think that's what it is. You know, because now they, they'll say, well, we got Banks and Alvarado if they traded Strom. But at the same time,

you know, Banks had an unbelievable year last year. He's still not a high leverage. It's all you can, yeah, exactly. You know, where Strom is. And then Alvarado, I mean, they're putting a lot of eggs in the Alvarado basket. So obviously, he was unbelievable

the beginning of the year, probably, because of obviously what happened in the office season. He was bad, he was bad two years ago, or, you know, last year. He's never, he's, he's, he's always been inconsistent to a degree, you know. Well, and then it came back, it came back after everything and he wasn't the same guy. Now, he probably shut it down for a little bit, you know, you get out of the room. I'm not judging anything off that September too much.

Sure. So it's a really risky proposition to, to get off strong, you know, because he's, he takes the ball whenever you ask him. He had some home run issues last year, obviously. Yeah, he wasn't as good last year's a year before. He's a all-star, as a middle reliever. As a middle reliever. And this team needs bullpen arms. Yeah.

Now. You can go get Cade Gibson from the Marlins, you know, this nasty little lefty. They do have, again, speaking of 2030 Phil's, we get overmuller, we get up James Tallon. You know, there's, there's some talent in the old pipeline. But for next year, yeah, I don't, getting rid of Strom doesn't make them better. I think if they were to get rid of them, it's because they view them as not a great, wow, sky, if I had a guess. And I think there's a really, there's a thing there's a good chance to trade carcoring. Really?

Yeah. I mean, it makes sense. We talked about at the end of the season. I mean, I think they, I think he still has value around the league. I think he absolutely has value. He's, he's made $800,000 next year, man. Like, that's, that's a valuable player. And it's, and everything that they've indicated is they would prefer to trade off their major league roster, which I'm sure people are, uh, lining up to.

Who's not, they're pounding the door down for Alex. Oh, man. The offers, they're getting for BOM and said, they're just choosing, it's too hard to choose as they're also great. I know, I know. And, you know, Mars is available, yeah. But if they're looking to trade out their major league roster, Kirkering is someone that would have value in a trade. I agree with you.

Especially not, like another fan base is not going to hold against him what our fan base will hold against him. Although you brought that up about opening day and like, I'm just letting you know. He's getting, he's getting a standing ovation on opening. I probably would, but like, I do think there's a large portion of the fan base who would be, which just don't want to see him again. I don't think I've watched the, I only have watched the replay. I have it. Good for you, buddy. Obviously, I haven't, nor will I, but you, you're the kind of person who I'm shocked given, like, broken it down and have like a whole job boy type breakdown. I do love wallowing in it. You know, you're a wallower. I know. You are a wallower. When I go low. I am not a wallower. I'm like, I don't want to hear about it. I want to see it. Like, I'm good to watch a movie, whatever. Anything to not think about. You're like, let me watch the play over and over here. What if it went differently? What if this could happen? What if that? Like, you, it's very healthy of you.

I know, right. But I'm like, I'm like Nick Siriani, where you got to drag yourself through the mud. That's true. You got to get back up. Yeah. Although someone did send me a video. You ever see fever pitch? The Jimmy Fallon, Drew Bimer, I'm sure.

Love them. Do you really? Dude, I did. Well, because you're talking to, I was, I love the O4. Yeah, I did too. There are. And I was in my, I was in middle school. There was just a moment in time because it's not a great movie.

No, not at all. Okay. But it's a great movie. As rom-comsman. I mean, we are, we are rom-comsmen. And we know our rom-coms. We are, it's not a great one.

It's okay. It's not like, it's okay. But I love the O4 Red Sox. I love fear pitch. I love that you do. Yeah. It's like,

I mean, it's up, hitch is like, my movies. Yeah. Fever pitch. Oh, hitch is a much better movie than fever.

And, uh, like Mike. Really? Dude, like Mike. What? We're talking about 04.

Oh, like Mike? Do you. Like Mike was a problem. I mean, that was a movie. I don't know that I've ever even seen like Mike. It wouldn't,

you were in college yeah no I missed it as a kid yeah I was I was trying to throw my sneakers up on electric thing and turn to Michael Jordan every not Michael Jordan I was trying to turn like a baseball player yeah yeah I suck the basketball actually don't suck that bad at basketball don't say that yeah to camera cut the audio yeah yeah yeah so fever pitch there's this brought it back around there's this clip where he's sitting there whenever he relapses with his Red Sox fan

and he goes and he sits in front of the TV and replays the Buckner play. I get it now. You are Jimmy Fallon. The character is you and thus you identify with it. I get it. Thank you. It makes so much more sense now.

So what's that? I built my whole brand off of Jimmy Fallon and fever pitch. So much on sound. Well, dude, I'm so I want to get the, I want to get a thing that he had in his classroom where he had the standings up. You know, I want to make something like that and keep it in my house every single day

and update it. So I love that movie. Anyway, anyway, someone overlap the Kirkcoring play over the Buckner play on his screen. And it was just me sitting there, rewatching the Kirkcaring play.

But you know what's funny is that, like the two-two pitch I would actually watch over and over and over again. The Sanchez bitch you on it? Yeah. That's the one that still sticks in my crawl. The Kirkcreen play, I was waiting for them to lose.

And when I did it while shocking. Yeah. While I didn't see that one coming. Not that way. It was a new way. And again, there was a part of me that was a little excited to be able to be like, hey, that was a new way for the Phil's a lose a lot. I've never seen any team lose.

I mean, like, that was as big a brain blunder at the end of a game as I ever remember my life. Yeah, it's almost a shame it happened in the NLBS and not the World Series. I know. I would have been unbelievable. Can you imagine game seven, the World Series, extra ratings ending that way? Can you imagine? Yeah, yeah.

Add it to the list. I was actually thinking about the, uh, the Blue Jays again, how the spring home run was so good. And the Rojas home run was so bad. good. That's such a good of World Series. Oh, it was amazing. Amazing. I, I, I, I, you would follow and be fine that that was tough for the Blue Jays. Like, I can't, if I'm a Blue Jays fan, I'm still, I'm still really down. I'm like, I'm still on the floor. Would Dylan Cis help you? No. For seven years, too, that's cool. No, it's good. That's good. So how's that? How's this podcast going so far? It's really great. Honestly, I've had a lot more fun than I expect to do.

Yeah. That's not fair. I always expect that fun. I think it's been, you, you know, you know, mildly entertaining. Mildly. I totally disagree. Totally. Totally disagree. What else you got?

Speaking of the O4 Red Sox, we don't do a TV recommendations on this show. Oh, but I am, I'm back on Netflix. I was off Netflix for a while because, happy to have you back. Because those bastards,

uh, stop with the price. No, they stop letting you share users or whatever. They got, like, shut it down. So I was on my mom's account.

Ah, there we got. And, and, and so I, I, splurged, you know, and it was really because I wanted to watch Who Killed the Montreal Expos, which was a very good document. I'm so, I miss baseball so much. I'm like so star for baseball

content. I actually like the offseason because I watched so much baseball. I'm so bored by everything else. Anyway, we can tell. Though, so I watched Who Killed the Montreal Expo's. Very good, very good. Like a good baseball doc, all that stuff. But dude, I thought I was pretty sick of O4 Red Sox content. I watched the comeback I think it's the best baseball document I've ever seen and like the the three days in October or whatever the 30 for 30

I thought it was like the gold standard of this is awesome yeah this is way better wow way better way better backstories like like I know this sounds sick I know this sounds sick

but like the Grady Little decision if that happened here oh my God it's one of the world it's all time I knew it in the moment watching. I was like, what are you doing? This is crazy bringing Patreon.

This is crazy bringing Patreon. And watching it, they set it up so dramatically. They lay out both sides. The Red Sox owners were sitting next to each other and said, can we fire him now? No way. Can we fire him right now? No way. Did they really?

Yeah. It was really good. That's unbelievable. It was really, I have like 25 minutes left on it, but it's, it's well worth of watch. If you're looking for baseball content, it's a, it's a good one. Love that. It's the holiday season, which means ring the bell. oh buddy ringer the book of christmas come on come on uh so that's right holiday presents

honica too was on me honica what's why i said holidays oh you did thank you yeah that's good yeah yeah i just assumed you said christmasers are always assuming christmasers are always christmasing all over everybody else yep so um i did elliots speaking of god is anyone more obnoxious about christmas than elli holiday cheer the holiday cheer so obviously it's the book of christmas and it's a great holiday gift get it for the Phillies fan in your life you can go to ring the bell book.com and of course we're always looking for Amazon reviews

to help you know get us up the charts get us up the charts so books a lot of fun all that good stuff love it get the book passing throughout the idea of just running with Aiden at third base this year I wonder if that's something that's going on internally I don't know Jim he would be

oh Jim I don't know Jim Can you believe it? Can you believe it? Jeff? Come on. Josh Allen. Josh, John did it, Bill.

Oh my God, Jeff. John, Sonny Rob. Yeah. It would be crazy. It would be crazy. Now, I, if they go full youth movement, just do it. I, so he would be one of, if not the youngest players in the, in the majors if he comes up at this age. This is, Jackson Shoria did it?

You did? No, I would love it. It'd be awesome. It'd be 21. Yeah, one of the youngest players in baseball. Yeah, it'd be 21. Top five youngest probably. So, again, I'm definitely warming up to the idea of, you know, auto playing third.

Give me 20, 25 home runs and shoddy defense need it. But if they, like, if they need it, if they do feel like they need to go young, it was, it was interesting. Victorino was on, um, Victorino was on the 611 podcast, the Howard and not least podcast, or Howard and Rollins's podcast. And he was talking about like the idea of going with a youth movement and and having these young kids come up and just let them play, you know, and you have the older guys and then you should let the young kids play. It is good in theory, but it's also hard. Yeah, if you're trying to win, yeah. You're trying to win and you can't, you have, that's what the, that's where they're at. They're like two ends of the spectrum that they're trying to balance.

You have two years of Wheeler left. You have Harper in the middle of prime. Turn in the middle of the prime. You're probably going to resign Shorber 303. 38 or by the end of it, I mean, it'll be 38. And then it's like, we're just going to play a bunch of young kids. Yeah, it's a weird. It's tough.

You also need to see if they can play so that you can talk about the 2030s. Again, you got to go through the growing pains. So the 2030s are when things go well. That's right. You know what I mean? So while I would love it, obviously, if they just roll aid and out there and let them cook, it's a huge risk. Oh, it's a massive risk. And again, he was really good for.

The last month of the season, like month and a week. Before that, he was like, what's going on with Aden and get that way? I understand everything under the hood was good. You know, he was pulling the ball on the air and stuff like that. Man, really. Aggressive. Really going in on that one month and saying he figured it out. I would feel much more comfortably.

Let him just start, we have Valley and make, like, go from there. Yeah. Go from there. Well, I mean, look, you're likely starting Crawford here. Crawford's young too, man. Man, was he 22 next year, I think. Yeah, it's, that's young. That's young.

I know. Got to do it. You got to do it. You got to do it. It's a little nerve wracking. We're all about the prospects until we're going to watch prospects. I know, until the prospects have to produce. I know.

That's why they're so fun. That's why they're so fun. The dreaming on the prospect. Yeah. No, it is the best. It's exciting to have prospects to be excited. But the prospect of starting eight and every day at their base would be crazy. That was good work by you, right?

Wordplay. Thank you. It was good. pro and i don't need to bring up my anthony rendon point dude just do it you texting me about it nonstop you don't just may as well you've been talking about third base if he doesn't retire i mean he's miserable out there is that the worst bang for the bucket in the history of contracts you mean uh nine

years 245 million dude he was awful there like he didn't even play a lot he basically just quit he quit yeah he's fighting with fans coming out of the field it's such a shame man prime rendone he was unbelievable I thought I I thought he would get like if you would ask me and I like who's the most likely player to get 3,000 hits back in 2019

of players playing I might have said renown I was like this guy's a machine he'll never stop hitting and there's someone I was going to bet on for a contract yep I would be like I would bet on renown ah if the Philly sign that I would love it yeah they were reportedly in that year if you remember what he was so great I know it's such a bummer

it really is I feel like we get screwed out of Anthony Rendon's career and I'll never quit him. I'll never quit him. Well, you want him. That's what you're saying. Well, listen, as a stopgat? I mean, come on, man. Yeah, the guy just quit on his team, fighting with fans, making it interesting. Can you imagine here in Philly? Hold on. Could you

imagine? All right. This is just, I promise. This is, this is just a bit. I would have to warn people. But, but imagine this headline or like Tucker just clips this. And and the caption is, here's the case for the Phillies sign Anthony Rendon. So if I were to

make a case for the Phillies assigned Rendon, been miserable out there, hated being an angel. You read the things about how they don't even have air conditioning and just, yeah, waste of time, right? He sees in Philadelphia, Kevin Long,

Howie Kendrick in the clubhouse, Harper, Turner. I'm sure he loves Schwabber. Who doesn't? They didn't overlap at all, but he just Swarbs. Yeah, they probably loved him.

Signs like a one year, two million dollar deal. Bring him Max Scherzer on a one year deal. How about that? Get the band back together. Give me all the night. What's Strasberg up to? I'm just kidding. Yeah.

But get Corbin. Both. We can, uh, Patrick Corpum was decent with the range. Daniel Hudson. You were trying to get him last year at one point. I think, right? No, he's definitely been retired.

Daniel Hudson has been. Do little? Sean, do little. It's he up there. Will Harris. Yeah. Well, Harris is really good for a second. Yeah, it was.

All those guys were. dude that how that team was under 500 for the first third of the season they had one soda rendone turner adam eaton was la roach the first base yeah healthy strasberg shirzer corbin was ramos the catcher no is curtis i think suzuki yeah by the way manager of the angel for only one year how crazy i know they made him a lame duck i know they are the worst they they and all i think they might be the worst in all sports because they they actually spent money and still are a disaster. Yeah.

They're up there. They're one of the worst organizations. And they had, who's the baby shark guy? Baby Shark guy? Oh, oh, Parra. Yeah. Yeah. I love him.

I love that whole thing. Yeah. That whole thing. So there's the case for Rendon. If he wants to play again, a one year, two million, get all with the boys, maybe it unlocked something. I love it. And you get back some version.

Hey, hitter's hit, man. Hitter's hit. You never lose it. Yeah. This is where people say this podcast is jump the shark. We start talking about the case for Anthony Rendon back. Oh, next year. Well, you may get a compelling point there, Chad.

I don't know, Jim. That's all I got. Anyone but boom. Yeah, well, yeah. I think Rendon might push people to say. I'd rather have bone. I think people be like, oh, he's good, right? And then they'll look at what happened last year and be like, oh, no.

Oh, no. No. No, no, no, no, no, no. All right. This is good. Talk to you next week. This is fun. I actually really had a great time. I know. I know. I wasn't expecting. Nice job programming the pod. I don't know if anything productive was done, but I enjoyed doing it. Well, we did lay the groundwork for the 20-30 films. It's true. We've got some sort of 20-30 titles. That worked out. 100%. Thank you, Tucker, for not showing up today. Yeah. We really appreciate his help. Yeah. Relax. Well, he did give me the idea of talking about Ballinger. Ah, okay. He said, which free agent should we talk about? he couldn't even come up well it's not that I couldn't I don't know which one to go with that was my issue I was outsourced it to Tucker

there's so many I was like just give me one okay just tell me to talk about good I like it Villager's interesting no I that was an issue on Tucker good job I ever sent in my earlier comments you do good job too yeah yeah else

we're back next week don't worry Jack thank you freaking out well there might be a move this week who well then we could do can you mind emergency pod would have thought is JT worth an emergency bug no

yes Okay. Thank you. Until then, he spread some seltzer.