High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Make the Playoffs, Fire Klentak

Episode Date: September 22, 2020

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back as the Phils give a lifeless effort on Monday evening in the midst of a playoff run. 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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Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the high hopes podcast. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on radio.com and sports radio, 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the IELTS Podcast Jack, like, I feel like we're in Groundhog Day here Where every time we talk, this team is just disappointed

I want to start with you though And start with a tweet that you put out earlier today Before the debacle of a performance we saw tonight. Three errors, sloppy baseball, embarrassing play in an incredibly tight playoff race where at the point where the San Francisco Giants are playing right now and if they win, the Phillies are out of the playoffs. So you tweeted this earlier today. Do the Phillies deserve to make the playoffs?

Not really. Agree 100%. Is an eight-team playoff a joke? Yes. Agree 100%. Here's where we start to diverge. Could the Phillies make in the playoffs save Klintak's job? Probably.

But damn it, it's been nine years since they've made the playoffs. Get me to the playoffs this week at Phillies. Here's what I want to ask you to start this podcast. After tonight's performance, are you finally on my side that the playoffs are not worth it? Matt Klintak has to go. No playoffs. I'm out, man.

No, I am not. Listen, listen he's gonna be gone regardless i don't care well that's what matters man as long as fire matt clint yeah i mean i am obviously very very very very very very very on the matt clint act needs to be fired asAP uh and really I just I I can't wait until he's fired and I know that sounds bad and I know like you know there's a lot of people that were saying that about Gabe like oh I can't wait till he gets fired and all that and it was like well relax it's a guy's job but like I legitimately can't wait like just because when they fire them i'm finally going to feel like there's some hope back in this organization which i haven't felt for a little bit um so yeah i mean listen i i really want the phillies to make the playoffs like it's important regardless of of kl Klintzak and whatnot,

like just, just get in the playoffs and let's, let's get some big time reps here. And like, hold on real quick. I want to push back on that real quick because there's no pushing back. There is, there is because like,

first and foremost, this team will be limping into the playoffs. Probably no Reese Hoskins. You know, no Jake, Spencer Howard, all that type of stuff, if that matters. No Jake. They're most likely going to have to pitch Wheeler and Nola this weekend just to make the playoffs. We're talking about, like, Eflin in a bullpen game in one and two?

Like, what are we talking about? Like, come on, though. No, what do you mean no? Like, I don't know. Because it wouldn't be be efflin because the series didn't start till wednesday it wouldn't be efflin in a in a bullpen game it'd be efflin and whoever starts you know saturday that's not a bullpen game i mean i i hope you're right look i it's it's regardless i i don't know look what i like to see again this also just feels like a sham of a playoffs and a sham of a season and all that but what I like to see the

Phillies in the play in the playoffs of course but not it look if if you can tell me that Matt Klintak's gone no matter what and we'll talk about what Cam Rosenthal to say at some point because because I do have the quote uh there which implied that you know losing the first round of the playoffs probably wouldn't be enough um but i just need him gone man it's like you said like again what's the point of any moderate ultimately meaningless short-term glory or whatever and again i do think reps are important but we're talking about a weird year with, like, I don't know. I don't know if those reps are the same as other years, regardless.

I mean, they're not, but, like, come on, man. It's been so long. I know, but is this even the way you want to make the playoffs? No, obviously it's not the way I want to make the playoffs, but it's here. Like, it's literally just win three games this week or four games and you're in. And you have two teams that aren't even trying at this point. Look, I can't let myself get invested. That's the problem.

They win three in a two-day span and you're jumping back in and I can't do that. This team has broken our hearts all season long like look I again I can't watch a game and root against them so ultimately like I'm rooting for them to make the playoffs in that way but I need Matt Klintak gone like the future of the franchise is literally in peril while that guy is steering the ship and it's setting us further and further back in the long run especially when we're in this situation we're now in the short run we're not a a great roster this is not an awesome roster and there's not a lot of help on the way i mean i i hear you but again if if if they had a semblance of a competent bullpen, we're not talking about this because they would be definitively in,

in the playoffs. Like you can say the roster isn't as good as you think. And sure, that's fine. But again, if they had a competent bullpen, they're not as bad as you think either. Like,

like they're, they're, they're disappointing. And when they do the things that they do tonight, it's even more maddening. And when I sit down and watch a Phillies game, it's like getting just punched in the face repeatedly over and over and over again it's not fun but i just keep getting back up you know it's not about how many times you can get hit it's about i wish the phillies

were as resilient as you are jack whatever it should they're they're the best and the worst should be holding you up as a model there should be a picture of jack fritz saying we'll get him tomorrow in the locker room for this they could see it every day and be like jack believes in us you know what guys at least jack believes in us not i mean not when they they play as like like did did did anyone tell them that if they win for like do they Do they think they're in the playoffs already? Like, I mean, before the game, they have freaking Girardi and Klintak out there talking about setting the playoff rotation. It's like, hey, how about we get in first before we start worrying about the freaking playoff rotation? Like, and then they come out tonight.

It's flat. It's dreadful. Wheeler starts off slow. Like, Roman Quinn gets thrown. And, like, quinn sucks like i had no interest in roman quinn as anything other than than like a late inning weapon but like holy smokes like and it hamstrings your team just as a you have to use a bench guy like it yeah you know well it's ridiculous we saw it late in the game with moniak and left field making i mean just an all-time horrendous throw.

But it was not where it's supposed to be, you know? I saw enough horrendous throws on Sunday, so the Moniak thing is nothing to me. I mean, tonight was a really rough performance. I was somewhat enthused after winning three of four from the Blue Jays, and tonight just sucked it all away. I mean, I don't blame you. It's just like they do it all the time, you know?

I mean, they do it all the time. Whenever we show any semblance of like, all right, here we go. It's like, oh, well, we're going to go out and throw out a stinker against a team that doesn't even want to be here anymore. It's just whatever. A team that's done. They're done.

Well, and then that's what's so frustrating about. I think that's the most frustrating part about the Girardi experience. You know, obviously it doesn't have the horses you would usually want in a Major League bullpen or even a AAA bullpen. But, like, the still not looking like they give a crap about being there, not really grinding out at bats. I mean, I swear Nappy's the only one that grinds out at bats on a consistent basis.

Dude, so it's funny. We'll get to, at some point later i have two good things that i want to talk about and you may have just talked about one of them listen all he does is put together professional at bats but i love the guy always have i've never said a bad word about him nap is my dude dude. Yeah, well, especially in the year. I have to get used to him after. I know. I know, dude.

How about the fact that JT hasn't played 11 straight games? We barely talked about it. JT hasn't played in 11. We had him for 60 games in potentially what's looking like maybe his last season in Philadelphia and 11 straight games he's just had. That's like over a sixth of the season. Just like washed away. They traded 6-0 for a year and potentially 40-something games.

Like 45 games, 48 games of JT. Like, are you bleeping? Kidding me, Jack. I know we don't curse on this podcast, but I thought about it there, and I said bleeping for you. But I really want to curse. Like, it sucks. And real quick, you know, we're talking about this.

Let's just, can I just really quickly, and I know you've heard it, but for the listeners who potentially have not heard it, the quote that Matt Klintak gave today when asked about by Jim Salisbury had two good questions. This was his follow-ups. The first one asked about job security and a, you know, BS answer, um, you know, kind of, uh, deflecting. And then Jim follows up asking if the six to, if six to six, six to success, um, puts more pressure on them signing JT and Klintak says, look, what I've said all along, we would love to have JT here. But when you make that trade, you're trading for two years of control. And you know that.

Sixto looked really good against us. He's looked good this year. But we've had two very productive years of jt as well jack fritz the floor is yours oh well thank god we got those two years of jt romito i mean so it's it's so worth it no but he like i don't know everyone was melting down about those quotes and like i i don't know like that's kind of what i expect the gm to say you know i like what is he supposed to say like man have you guys seen six though like you know i don't know like he's he's he's not gonna come out and say oh man we have to do everything in

our power to re-assign jt romito like it's it's negotiations so yeah i don't know i mean yeah it's annoying it's annoying to hear him say, we did get two years of productive JT, and that was worth trading the next Pedro. Now, again, I know what you're saying, and GMC is fine, but screw this guy. Okay, well, yeah, I say screw him too, but what would your answer to that question. Okay. If I'm Matt Klintak, my answer is that something, look, I don't have the exact wording, but something to the effect of we want JT to be here for a long time. Like I'm focusing more on, we want him to be here for a long time. You know, we, we plan on making him an offer, whatever you want to say in that direction

instead of saying well we had two good years well that was fun well he's he's said that a couple times i don't know i know it's just it's it's the it's not the best time for it because uh you know we're like what four a week away from the end of the season and you might not be the playoffs and jt will be a free agent and everything's fine and i'm and again that's your point like that you said it before and it's them talking about the playoff rotation it's them talking about getting productive years from jt when you might not make the playoffs how is trading six over jt for if jt leaves you get two years of jt and you don't make the playoffs in either of them and one of them there are eight friggin playoff teams Jack like that's that's a disastrous

trade that's the definition of a disaster trade if that's the way it plays out well at least they didn't almost trade him for a closer oh god well so screw it let's just talk about that because Ken Rosenthal in his article

talking about GMs and we will get to some good news from rosenthal in terms of the klansak thing but he talked about how essentially that the mariners had their choice of whether they wanted to trade edwin diaz for j Kalinic, who's a great prospect, the top 10-ish prospect in baseball from the Mets, or for Sixto Sanchez, and they chose Kalinic. But the implication being that Matt Klintak was willing to give up Sixto for a closer, Jack, a closer, a closer. This guy. This guy. Get him away from my team this guy get him away stop letting him control anything i honestly want them to put a freeze on moves i don't want them

to allow to do anything like i i you know i know they really there is a freeze on moves right now at this point you know where we're at but like don't let him change the the art in in an office in the building like don't let him make a single decision until he's out the door just ah the guy was itching to trade the next pedro for closer closer this guy this guy nothing. Everything's fine. Yeah. He's a disaster. Yeah, I mean, literally, like, I just, yeah, again, can't wait for him to be gone. The only thing that concerns me, and I try not to think about it a lot because it sends me to a deep place.

If he brings, if John, John, I beg of you, if you replace Matt Klintak with Dave Dombrowski, there will be riots in the streets. I have no interest in Dave Dombrowski. Like, just – this is – the biggest thing I'm afraid of is – I don't even know if – I mean, Dombrowski would probably take any job, I guess. He wouldn't. Like, if Dombrowski comes here, we don't have the assets.

Dombrowski likes to come into a place that has prospects that he can trade. I know. But honestly, the thing that really scares me is I worry about a John Middleton overcorrection to the Klintzak thing and being like, I don't want a Dartmouth. I want a baseball guy like an old old school baseball guy super yeah great yeah love love that idea let's let's just what's dave stewart up to yeah yeah let's let's let's we get dave stewart back let's do something stupid like

that so hopefully dude i could totally see that that would not shock me in the least so for as excited as i am for Matt Klintak's era, hopefully coming to an end. And I say hopefully because I think maybe it was Gelb this week or something. His contract is like going through 2022. And it terrifies me, the idea of Middleton just not wanting to pay two GMs at the same time. Well, we've never known John Middleton to be cheap in any arena or any sense. Oh, well, especially now that he's apparently losing $145 million,

which we're not even sure how true that is. That could just be him. I don't believe a word any of those owners said about any of the losses. Honestly, not a word. If they were honest about that, they would have opened their books to the players. They didn't. So they're clearly lying.

But to the point, let's hope that the counter is true because to Gelb's point there, we just mentioned it, but Rosenthal, this is what Rosenthal said in his piece about GMs on the hot seat. He said, the Phillies ranked seventh in payroll, yet the second straight season Are hovering around 500 Actually they're at 500 right now

Thank you Keith Despite fielding rosters That included catcher JT Romito Right fielder Bryce Harper and right hander Nola A deep run in the postseason Might save Klintak But how would that even be possible in the team's bullpen is the worst in the majors i agree that there is no chance for a deep run

because the bullpen but does that make you feel any better do you think like let's be real here let's let's talk about let's let's live in your hopeful world that they make the playoffs which again is is certainly possible, though they are doing everything they can in their power to not do it. Dude, you are such a liar. You are such a liar. We never lie to the High Hopes listeners, and I want you to stop lying right now.

Well, I told you, as I watch the games, as I watch the games, I want them to win. So ultimately, I want them to win the playoffs. But I'm telling you, if you, and again, we don't know. We don't know. All right. Of course, I would love to have my cake and eat it too and have them get in the first round and lose to the Dodgers or whatever

and just get to watch Phillies play off baseball because that's fun and Klintak goes. But if you're saying to me I have to make a hypothetical choice of I get to have the Phillies make the playoffs this year or or Klintak goes and I can't have both. I want Klintak gone more than I want them to make the playoffs. And it's not close. That's my point. And I and believe me, I totally agree.

But you're telling me that next Wednesday we got to we got to face that. We got to face the Padres. We got F, big game F. The Padres. How are we getting up to the 5C? You never know. This team is going to run. We got one more run than us.

Honestly, I don't want them to get the 5C. I want them to get the 7C and face the Cubs. But little Jake Arrieta revenge game, game one. I mean, does that sound appetizing to you or no? Not at all. Not at all? Not at all? You actually cringed when you heard that idea? Because you knew that maybe big game Girardi was thinking about it?

All right, well, let's live it real quick. I want to ask you that same hypothetical, but a different hypothetical, same type of hypothetical, but different slightly in that let's say they make the playoffs and they lose to the Cubs or they lose to the braves or they lose to the dodgers or whatever in the first round is matt klintak fired yes yeah i mean that's not changing again for me that's not changing the fact that it's those i think it's still the second worst bullpen in the history of baseball, a sport that's been around since 1860.

I mean, that's impressive. I mean, at some point you got to just laugh. I mean, like seriously. I think 1883 is the first year. Yeah, no, the Phillies, yeah. Well, hold on. So in your lifetime, have you ever been more sure that runs were getting put on the board

than when Heath Embry enters into a ballgame? Oh, dude, honestly, so I'll just get out of the way. When I was going to give you my two good things later, I was going to make a joke after and say, I couldn't feel good about putting someone being hurt in my good section, but I'm so happy that that guy is not pitching. Like get out of here. I hate him.

Like I hate him. I hate watching him pitch. He's worse than everyone. It's unbelievable. It's an honor in a way, a dubious, horrible honor, but an honor to be the worst pitcher in the phillies bullpen and i think

that heath embry is and was the worst pitcher in the phillies bullpen listen we're not including some of the guys who are like we're there for a couple no no no like you know worse just say say it with me worse than pivetta just just worse than pivetta was he was he not was he not worse than Pavetta I mean seriously yeah at least Pavetta gave you a shot you know yeah yeah this guy this guy this guy's 91 and boy boy you know Joe G sure loves guys with some kind of track record doesn't he I mean oh my god it's brutal like again this is what i was talking about last time with with workman it's the same thing with hemry and workman all these guys like it's like all right we get it like these guys suck suck give me more connor

brogdon like give me more like you know young guys whatever this sucks yeah well actually it i mean for any kind of silver lining i guess you can take like brogdon's come back up and look pretty good yeah he's been look look very good i've been impressed by the fact that he's up to what 95 to 97 with really really good feel for a change up you know i mean our next madsen's is starting to develop really well. For next Madsen. And, I mean, JoJo's just such a... If only. From your lips to God's ears, Jack. Everything's going to be fine.

Honestly... I'll take a next Chad Durbin at this point. Yeah, he actually does have similar mechanics as Chad Durbin. I like that comp. No, but they've actually invested in the draft in some bullpen pieces the last couple of years. For example, I saw that Carson Ragsdale jumped into their top 30 of prospects after Boehm graduated.

I think Boehm graduated. And I just think that guy is going to be a stud out of the pen. Mitty Batances. So I'm excited for him. They've drafted some interesting arms in the last couple of years, and i'm excited for him there's they've they've drafted some interesting arms in the last couple years and i'm excited for it um and speaking of speaking of alec i don't know if you're gonna get this later so i'm sorry for for sabotaging this but like alec bohm uh graduating officially in the rookie of the year hunt you know i think i think jay cronenworth is really good um but i mean but i think i think too many people are writing off alec

bone's chances of of winning this thing i mean he had he had either the first or the second most hits in the national league this month he batted over 400 i mean he's batting like 330 something on the season yeah yeah yeah and he's had big, big moments. He's batting third in the lineup right now. It's great. As well he should be. It's amazing. It's glorious. Yes, that was my other thing.

Oh, nice. I love taking everything that you planned for this podcast in the middle of it. I was going to try my two good things, or Alec Boehm, like as a real thing, like as a real, like we always talk about here, it's just every game you watch, it just gets confirmed that we're going to be watching this guy get big hits hopefully for the next decade here or more. Like he's freaking awesome.

And Naffy, man. I love Andrew Knapp. I am so, like, he's like a top three one-up in a big spot guy for me right now. Oh, what a nightmare. Well, I mean, Andrew Knapp, at least I know I'm going to get a bat from him. At least I know he's going to do whatever it takes to get on base or poke a ball somewhere or whatever. I mean, he is good at bats.

I mean, and to the point of, like like romito being out for 11 straight games like nap has stepped in and like you know it hasn't just been a mirage of of small playing time like he's still batting like 310 or something like he's doing great love that love love love that guy love him who needs jt we got andrew now don't say that too loud. Clint's acting like he had an idea. I mean, he seriously might. But, and you have... Oh my God, they're going to let JT go. No, they're not. I've been very confident that he would be back

here just because he means more to the Phillies than anyone. I've said this to you many times. But like, man, I, this just all is starting to feel like the Phillies don't know what they're doing and that someone like Steve Cohen's going to swoop in and just, you know,

outflank them. So I, I still, I still think he's going to be here, but like, again, I wouldn't bet. I would still,

if I had to bet on a team, it would be the Phillies, but I don't know, man, I'm just losing faith in this organization. if I had to bet on a team, it would be the Phillies. But I don't know, man. I'm just losing faith in this organization. You know what I mean? I mean, yeah, I get it. It's just JT, them letting JT walk. Catastrophic.

Well, that and, like, it would just, you know, I've just been, I just get beaten down by all the, like, it would just, you know, I've just been, I just get beaten down by all the, like, older generation of people that, like, love to just harp on negative Phillies all the time. And, like, listen, I get being a negative on the Phillies. There's just some people are negative all the time on the Phillies. But, like, this would be, this would be, this would, letting JT Romito walk would age me, like, 20 years. Like, honestly, I would go from a 26-year-old with a lot of hope, and I've been running almost every day, so could be in great shape soon. Just filled with hopes and dreams.

Dude, I mean, if you're going to let JT walk, you may as well try and trade Harper and rebuild. I mean, right? Well, unless you're going to go sign like George Springer or something. Yeah, and even then, like, yes, George Springer, but does George Springer make the same type of impact for this team as Romito? I don't think so. Maybe.

You know, maybe. I mean, I don't think so. Obviously a better bat, but, I mean, look, maybe you can go out and sign. I mean, Middleton would have to, you know, I don't know, spend a bunch of money to make this team relevant. I don't know. It's just, it's bad. They've put themselves in a bad spot.

And I agree, if you sign JT, look, we've talked about it. If you sign JT and build a competent bullpen, then all of a sudden, you know, if you have a season of some health and you don't keep losing guys and all that, you could be in a nice spot because, again, this offense can rake. Like you said, I don't think they're way far away. This group of guys, this outside of the, again, historically bad bullpen, they're not that far off. It's just i the problem is until matt clintack is gone and until

john middleton is you know not so involved and who knows if that's ever going to happen but it just feels like rudderless you know what i mean uh yeah i know exactly what you mean um and honestly honestly like just fall in line with everyone else in the city. I mean, it's like no one really feels like they have. Like, the weird part about the Phillies is that, like, I agree they're rudderless, but they're the one team that can kind of spend their way out of it, you know, and if you can just develop, and I know it's such a big ask, you know, asking a team to draft and develop guys.

What am I? I know, it sounds like. Yeah, it's really asking a lot for them to do what they're supposed to do well. I agree. I agree, Jack. I agree. Yeah, but if you can draft and develop, and there's studs all over the draft if you can just freaking sign jt

i would love to resign dd i i don't know how here's the thing i want to resign dd i i get it but if you resign jt you probably want to resign one more starter and i don't know james like a whole new bullpen um yeah well that's the thing is like like middleton's got to be willing he's got a tax like it listen if you didn't want to go over this year i guess it's fine i i only if you're gonna like go over like it's like it's i feel like maybe not even just that first round like the 40 million40 million over. Like, go deep into the tax. Pay the $10 million fine or whatever pocket change it is for you. Like, oh, my God. Jack, it's a travesty.

Honestly, honestly, and I don't want to reveal my whole offseason plan, but I came up with the first thing I would do, and I feel like I'm just going to get it out of the way now. But I came up with the first thing I would do, and I feel like I'll just get it out of the way now. Like, just there's no salary cap on front office moves. Go send a blank check to Eric Neander and let him be your president and let him be, give him the Friedman role. I mean, Fried friedman this is the the exact situation that andrew friedman was in and it was go to a big market team and become

their president and president and gm and whatnot and you know i kind of flow this idea by a couple people and they're like well why do you take the ph the Phillies job? And, you know, I'm sure he's been offered this kind of position before, but I was, but my counter to that was what was the big market team that has the payroll, the Phillies have the resource, the Phillies had that has really been available. And the one that came to mind for me was the Red Sox. But here's the thing. If you were taking on the Red Sox, you're taking over a team that was shedding payroll that you had to trade Mookie Betts the second you got there, and you were entering into a rebuild. What's another big market team that has the payroll the Phillies had, that had the makings of a core that was ready to be taken over and taken to the next level? It just hasn't really come up.

over and taken to the next level like it just hasn't really come up um so well and i would add to your point you know the the way you get that like to the people who ask why would neander come here just give him a butt ton of money like give him as much money as it takes to get him to come here like jack just said there is no cap on it so say all right eric what is your price what do you need to come here and give him that that's how right and i just think that if like if you really want to win it's not about spending money and i know a lot of people like to say it's about spending money if you really really want to win you got to get the right guy in the gm position that can draft develop and know what he's looking at like that's the only way you're really really really gonna win and that's what all the great teams in baseball have they're not going out and buying world championships they're

not it's all been draft developed smart trades finding steals you know the like a max muncie signing you know like things like that that have gotten these teams over the hump eric neander their payroll every year is what a hundred billion at the most like oh less a lot of years i mean the point is it's it's 30th it's last every single year yeah yeah and imagine giving that guy the philly's payroll so so all the only thing i want them to do is just say whatever it takes come here and just do what you did with the race like that's the only way this team is going to consistently consistently win and then after that you know i mean we'll we'll we'll find another gm candidate there's there's some really really interesting ones um but like

john just just step up blank check whatever it takes go get eric neander like that's the guy i mean if you if you want to put on your big boy pants and try to compete at a high level for a long time, go get the guy that's built the team that has the most wins in baseball with the least highest payroll in baseball. Consistently. Consistently, too. It's not just a one-year aberration. That's how you're going to consistently win. I mean, for as excited as we were about Bryce and Girardi and all these on-the-field moves,

I mean, Eric Neander would be bigger than all of them. By far. Not even close. Not even close. It's like light years. Right. And I know I'm saying that like I'm stating the obvious, but it's literally that important.

Eric Neander is the only thing that matters. Go do whatever it takes to get him here. Do whatever it takes. And as I'm sure the High Hopes listeners know, when we as a podcast go all in, we go all in. to get him here. Do whatever it takes. And as I'm sure the High Hopes listeners know, when we as a podcast go all in, we go all in. And this is not stopping

anytime soon. Every time you tune in to a new High Hopes episode, it is going to be two things. It is going to be fire Matt Klintzak and send a blank check to Eric Neander. Yes. Cosign. Jack didn't even run this by me i'm all in on it uh it's the best idea i've heard it just go get the guy go get the guy who's already doing it the guy

who's showing you do it with so much less money and again we saw what happened with freeman it's a perfect comp like he left there he went to the dodgers and now oh look at what the dodgers are look at what they do every year they're just a freaking powerhouse because not only is Andrew Friedman still doing the really smart things that he did with the Rays, like Jack said, the drafting, the developing, the smart trades, the finding market inefficiencies, all that type of stuff. But he's doing it with, you know, eight times the payroll he used to have, 10 times whatever, you know, all this different stuff. Like, so it's, uh, or maybe not quite that, but you know, eight times the payroll he used to have, 10 times whatever, you know, all this different stuff. Like, so it's, or maybe not quite that,

but you know what I mean? Like it's four times the payroll he used to have. Like all this, it's ridiculous. So go get Eric Neander. That makes all the sense. Our official high hopes position, fire Matt Klintak, hire Eric Neander. Obviously the first one is most important

and that needs to happen. Then we'll worry about the sec, but, uh, I'm, I'm very with you, Jack. Um, I gotta, I can't believe that. And look, I we're, that's very firm. I think we've laid out our position there. And I think I'm sure people, if people are still listening and if you are we love you thank you uh after us you know kind of yet again bitching about matt klintak because i hate him and want him gone and you hit on it it's so important it's the most important thing in the franchise but i want to talk about something else and have a little fun because i can't believe we're 34 minutes into the pod i thought this pod might be half matt klintak half bryce

harper for you oh what what am i upset with bryce a little bit yeah honestly i've never i've never been i've never been so upset with bryce than the the stunt that he's pulled the last two days um and and for those of you that were watching the the sham of an eagles game yesterday and we're not locked in on the phillies it was the seventh inning and the base is loaded i think one out no outs and bryce struck out instead of doing a job and trying to make it a little bit of a tighter ball game and and all that good stuff and the second he gets off the field he just goes to Girardi and says, like, ah, tweak something, I'm out, or whatever,

and packs up his whole entire bag and walks to the clubhouse and just leaves his team hanging. And then in the ninth inning comes up with a runner on, and it would have been nice to have Bryce Harper there to, you know, step up for the team and, and whatnot. And I just think it's, I just think it's a total embarrassment to the sport. What Bryce did, um, this is like whether or not you believe this is a, a playoff run or whatever it's technically a playoff run and and this team needed Bryce to be there and either you're so hurt that you can't hit and you can't be in the field and

you're done or get out there and play like get out there and play it is it is your it is your job you out there is better than anyone else on the team for the most part like it is it you you cannot just tap out of a play of basically a playoff game in a playoff stretch because of a little tweak and then be back in the lineup tonight and be terrible again like either you're hurt either you're hurt and you can't play and you're going to hurt the team that way, or get out there and play. But to pull yourself from a game because you struck out with the bases loaded is totally embarrassing. It is totally embarrassing.

It is not Philly. And he is lucky. He is lucky that the Eagles lost yesterday because he would be getting torched for what he did. Because that was one of the most embarrassing acts I've seen from a Phillies player in my entire life. And I have not gotten over it, and honestly, I can't believe more people aren't, aren't worked up about it. Like it was for as close as we've been to a must win or a playoff game or whatnot, all of these games matter. And to make that moment about you drives me nuts. It drives me nuts. This is all of is all these games matter all these games matter and i just it was so it just looked like he had struck out in a big moment he was embarrassed and

he's gonna take his ball and go ahead and go home and i was i was very very disappointed in Bryce, and I am still disappointed in Bryce. And it's going to take me a little while to get over this one. Yeah, look, especially when you're the leader of the team, especially when JT Romero's not out there. I mean, those guys are looking at you. You're the dude, man. You're the guy. They're looking at you.

And I think if, you know, if you haven't seen it, there's a gif going around of Joe Girardi's reaction when Harper told him he was done. And Girardi's like, basically like, what the bleep are you, like, what? Like, what is happening? Like, you could just see the shock and surprise in Girardi's face. So, yeah, it's disappointing. And again, I think, look, and we've talked about it here on this pod, that there have been times over this stretch, and granted he got a little hot the last week or so. He's kind of turning it around a little bit and all that. week, you know, or so he's, he's kind of turning it around a little bit and all that. Um, but you know, obviously that like month long or whatever, just disastrous cold stretch he had, like he was

starting to show bad body language, starting to, you know, we talked about him not running that ball out to first and like things that we haven't seen since he's been here. You know, that's the one thing is, is even people who were critical of his first half last year this or that or whatever like like no one could say a bad word about his effort about his attitude about his defense about his concentration his focus all these types of things you know and this year we've seen kind of for the first time some of those examples of of the the other side of Bryce Harper a little bit you know yeah yeah and it just seems and the thing that frustrates me the most is that it feels like he's making his struggles all about him and it's it's not helping the team and what

was all last year when he struggled was he was still giving it all and grinding and making great plays in the field and, and all that. And this year it's like, I'm struggling, I'm pouting. And if I'm not doing well, I don't care if the team does well, like he's making it all about Bryce this year,

which is not something that I think constitutes towards, um, you know, long-term winning. And it, cause it needs to be about the team. It needs to be about the Phillies. And it can't just be about Bryce having a big year and the Phillies being good.

If the Phillies are good and Bryce doesn't have a big year, like, so what? I mean, the Phillies are good, so that's all that should matter. So, yeah, it was just disappointing. And then tonight he goes out again and is terrible and strikes out a couple times in some key moments. And, again, it just looks like he's doing a lot of woe is me. And it's just, yeah, pulling yourself from a game with an injury, like not a super serious injury that

could cause you to miss a couple days in the seventh inning of a game where you might need you in the ninth just didn't sit well with me just did not sit well with me at all yeah um all right uh before we get to your note bag uh last thing for me uh and maybe this was in your notebag notebag but uh again for a lot of people who didn't get to watch the game for you know another horrible game uh how medina looked to you so um medina is going to be a guy that uh like he just needs to use his legs more he's very stationary and stiff and uh i feel like there's i feel like there's a lot more in there for him because the arm has a it's pretty good arm action um i was expecting more like 95 not 92 um the curveball i thought was pretty wicked i think he has a good feel for a change up

but he's if he wants to ever reach uh real levels in in major league baseball i mean he's got to learn to use his legs more it's very just kind of arm and and and stuff like that so i just um i i i saw some things i liked i thought it was i thought his uh command got a lot better as the game went on but until he really shows that he can become more explosive with his with his bottom half i i can't really fully buy into him but you know i mean there's there's some some legitimate stuff there and it's crazy like three years ago he was ahead of 601 on the prospect countdown and stuff it's crazy to think about yeah yeah and and he's kind of his growth just has not progressed and i just the frustrating thing with him is that you see like ramon rasso

and you see jojo romero going to use the driveline guys out in seattle and using the resources the phillies have and they've both taken like both of their stuff has just gone to a different level brogdon same kind of thing i, he was not 96 a year ago. So I feel like if Medina kind of bought into what they are preaching in the minor league system from a pitching philosophy standpoint, there could be a mid-rotation starter there. But until he really uses his legs and becomes more explosive and gets the ball to jump out of his hands. I'm not there yet. But he showed some stuff,

and I thought his command got decent as the game went on. But that's the crazy thing. It's like we're starting at Donuts Medina the week before the playoffs start, and where you haven't even clinched a spot. Like, man, they've just been... They've been ravaged here. Yeah, it's brutal.

And we talked about it. They actually had a lot of injury luck early in the season and i thought joe gerardi deserved some credit for you know kind of not pitching starters too deep and all that but i mean they're just getting killed right now and it's just what it is but i mean howard arietta hoskins i mean whatever is going on with Harper, if he is hurt or not. Romulo. Again, 11 straight games on Romulo. I don't think we've kind of made a big enough deal about that. Like, they're in a playoff push, and Romulo has just been out 11 straight games.

All right, what do you got in your note bag, Jack? All right, let's see what we got here. Has this season felt way longer than 60 games? Oh, my God. It's felt like a normal season just because of this bullpen. Because every night you feel like you're watching two games, like the first game before the bullpen and then the after game, which is the crap on with the bullpen.

It's been it's been mentally draining this season yeah i mean and then also a lot of days where we have like a lot of double headers a lot of like days in a row with baseball you know it's just been like a lot yeah and it's been like it's been i don't know it feels like they fit 162 of pain into 60 games. It's crazy. It's only really been 53 games-ish. They're 27 and 27, so

54 games. It feels like they've played at least 100. Oh, big time, buddy. Big time. At least 100. At least 100. It doesn't seem possible to have this many gut punch horrible losses in this few amount of games and i don't i'm just glad the record books are going to show that they have the second worst bullpen ever in a shortened season it makes at least it wasn't a full season right you know at least it wasn't yeah because it seems like it

it would get a lot better over 162. They're just finding their stride. You could argue it would get worse as these guys wear down and injuries. It might be worse. Yeah, don't let the Philz get hot. No one is. Don't worry. All I'm saying is you don't want to see this team in the postseason.

You've got Wheeler, Nola, Big Game F, and then that lineup. Big Game F, I like that. That lineup. Listen, if that fraud James Shields can have a Big Game nickname, I think anyone can have a Big Game nickname. That's fair. I think it's very fair. I shall now go by Big Game James on this podcast.

Who was James Shields traded for? Fernando Tatis Jr. Who is single-handedly tanking my fantasy baseball season. If Fernando Tatis could figure it out a little bit and get back to the guy that was the NL MVP for most of the season, that would be great. Wow. Complaining about Fernando Tatis.

What a first- world problem that is. Fernando Tatis, who has been an MVP candidate for most of the season, you're actually ripping him. You should be grateful to that guy for everything he's given you. Hey. You are such a fickle fantasy owner, John. Hey. It's a what have you done for me lately leak.

I don't even enjoy owning Trout because it's like, oh, it's a one for four at the home or tonight, sweet, cool, whatever. Wow. I like that you saved the sweet fantasy baseball takes for the end of the pot here. This is good. Yeah, well, I honestly might be the best. No one finds better pitching talent than I do in fantasy baseball. If anyone ever.

I have one buddy who I would put you up against. No, you don't. No, you don't. No, you wouldn't. Okay. No, you wouldn't. I drafted Nelson Lament this year. I picked Corbin Burns up for a second off the waiver wire.

I mean, come on. This is the big league, son. I mean, no disrespect to your friend, but all i do is win fantasy baseball championships you gotta let the big dog exactly um that's what i always say um can can can freaking scott kingery throw the ball from second base to first base oh god i can't i don't i dude i can't even do kingery's gonna be fine I hope everyone calms down. He's going to be fine. Yeah, okay.

No, he's going to be fine. I promise you he's going to be fine. There was some stuff going on with his swing that he needed to get corrected, and they're getting him back on the right path with Scotty. Scotty jetpacks more talent than Dustin Pedroia. I can't believe they're talking about the playoff rotation when they haven't made the playoffs yet i think we've talked about that enough but i just it's pretty embarrassing i would just like to get it out there one more time that a team that has not been the playoffs in nine years uh who came out with a

lifeless performance tonight spent the whole pre-game show talking about their playoff rotation which is great super i'm glad we're i'm glad we're focusing on the important things rather than winning baseball uh but that's that's my baseball team and i guess the final thing is like i feel like to keep ourselves sane and happy and just for a reason to wake up every morning, even though, again, they might make the playoffs this week, to James' dismay, because James hates playoff baseball. He let that go on the record.

Jack, I'm trying to not be selfish and care about what I want and think about the greater good for our team. Alright, pal? Okay, that's fine. That's fine. Eric Neander is on his way. Please, flank check. I really like...

Can we give him Harper's money? I'm good with that. Wasn't that one of the hypotheticals? Would you rather have the Rays front office or Bryce Harper? Yeah, and we said't wasn't that one of the hypotheticals would you rather have the rays front office and or bryce arbor yeah and we said the we didn't it wasn't even close for us um but uh two things actually so moniak obviously came up front of the podcast our guy mickey moniak and honestly surprised at how well his adaptive looked had some good at bat yeah i mean he was not a big walk guy in the minor leagues, but he's worked really hard on

pitch recognition, and it seems like it's kind of paying off a little bit. I mean, he hits the balls hard. I mean, had a single tonight, had his first hit, was it pretty hard? Seems like he's just a tad late on 97, which is understandable. But, you know, overall, I'm interested to see more from Mick,

and that's interesting. And then the last thing was, like, Bo'm interested to see more from Mick. And that's interesting. And then the last thing was, like, Boehm and the situational hitting. Like, what was it, Saturday, where he hits the ball to the right side and he forces a tough play and Bryce scores and they tie the game up and end up winning that game. And, like, that that's baseball you know it's like there's a open spot in the field and if you're not gonna hit a dinger and drive the ball the off he'll at least do a job and and hit it where they ain't and and that's something that

is so impressive about alec bone and he's just gonna drive in a lot of RBI every year because he just hits them where they ain't. And it was a small little piece. It was a small little kind of insignificant moment. But it was a moment that just showed that he's different. And he is going to be a force for a long, long time. And sure, the Braves might have had Freddie Freeman for the last decade. But guess what? The 2020s are Ale last decade but guess what the 2020s are Alec Bomes the 2020s are Alec Bomes babies and everything is gonna be fine so uh I love

situational hitting I love baseball being played by Alec Bome and screw it make the playoffs, and still fire Klintak. Fire Klintak. That is all that matters. And, again, Alec Boehm and Andrew Knapp. Let's not forget Great Knappy. And don't ever besmirch Andrew. I will never allow it. Never on this podcast will Andrew Knapp's name be said in any sort of vein or taken in any sort of vein or taken in any

sort of vein because we love you, Andrew. Yeah, that's where it's at. And just know that James is rooting against this team every night and does not want you to watch playoff NOLA.

Fire Eric McClendon. Eric McClendon. Fire McClendon. Sign Eric Neander. Make the playoffs. Peace, friends, and sounds. We'll see you later.