High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Max Kepler Is Zack Baun 2.0

Episode Date: December 20, 2024

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies signing outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year contract and discuss how this deal changes their outlook on the rest of the offseason. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Another edition of the High Hopes podcast. Jack Fritz James Steltzer with ya. It's an emergency pod, who'd have thunk it? Here's my question, Jack. First and foremost, for those people who don't know, which is just you, I can hear myself echoing after I talk. I'll say something and then I hear it immediately after. So I'm powering through it. This is what I'm here for, Jack.

Jack, my question to you, and I don't wanna start with a negative, but is this more the Philly's S.E.A.P.L.E.R. emergency pod, or is this the Philly's did not sign Mike Soroka emergency pod? Well, thank you for bringing up Mike. I forgot about him. We knew it was gonna happen, you know? As I've been deep diving into Max Kepler

for the last 24 hours. The Soroka thing was heartbreaking. I disappointed as always in Preston Mattingly for not getting the job done, even though we gave him a hint, a guy that had struck out over 50% of his guys in September. But he's now a deadline target, James. I want to officially put that out there. He's a national. They're not competing. So

we will get Soroka at the deadline. So that's, that's first and foremost. When you hear yourself twice, do you think yourself, man, I sound good? That is not what I thought. No, honestly, honestly, I can't really think because I have to focus so much on what I'm saying as it's coming back with something else that honestly, I have no idea what that I think you sound great. I think this is the best you sound. Thanks buddy. And probably is.

So, so I'm just going to be honest when it first happened, a little surprise, little surprise. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it wasn't. But but I mean, this is the Zach Bond signing all over again by it by how? Oh, no, is Zach Bond all over again? You kidding me? Elvin way quicker than it took. It took me a mere sleep.

It took me a one night sleep and Looking at his 2023 baseball savant. That's all that's all it took, you know, like Max Kepler. So in Classic Phillies and high hopes bit they've drafted someone or they signed someone or whoever that I've never really been a big fan of even though the analytic darlings I've never really been a big fan of even though the analytic darlings have always told me how actually good Max Geppler is so now I'm relying on the nerds to To deliver me a good quality major league player which for a majority of his career He has been James. He's been a pretty good player for for a good stretch. I

I'm mostly in on Max Kepler. So it's funny that you said what you said because I was the exact opposite. You know those guys who when you have fan I can barely talk with this. You know in fantasy when you have guys who they're like that guy's better than people think he is. If you have one your team you watch him day to day you're like that guy's not as bad as people think he is. If you have one on your team, you watch them day to day. You're like, that guy's not as bad as people think. He is. That's Max Kepler to me. Like I've always enjoyed going Max Kepler and fantasy to your point about Savant

Page. He does have a nice page. Like he doesn't strike out a ton for a guy who has the power he has. It's like average strikeout rate league average for a guy who has as much power. That that's pretty good. That's what you like to see. And as he walked more prior to last season, last year down year for walks, but has been a pretty good strike out to walk guy. Above average fielder now will have to get into the right

field of it all because the guy's never played left field before. So I'm going to assume maybe we're moving Nick back to left. But I think overall like Max Kepler is one of those guys. It's funny, because it feels a lot like the Romano signing to me where it's like one year deal for a manageable price. This seems like in a vacuum, like a smart move that a team makes. I think Max Kepler on a one year deal for 10 million is a nice move. It's a really solid move. I just think when you look at

these two moves and what we're, you know, expecting, we're hoping for a really solid move. I just think when you look at these two moves and what we're expecting, we're hoping for coming off season, I think that's why people are looking at me like Max Kepler. This sucks, but I do think in and of itself, if you just look at Max Kepler one year, 10 million and another left, which would prefer he wasn't, but I think it's a solid move for the Phillies. Yeah. It's funny because I don't know what the Phillies could, what move they could make right now that would not have the reaction of, what are they doing? Dave Dabrowski's cooked, you know?

So they're taking shots on decent bounce back candidates. And the Romano signing is the perfect comp for this. Because again, you look at Max Kepler before last year and last year was a disaster. He was dealing with a hip injury. He had core muscle surgery after the season. He was clearly banged up. But if you look at the last really five years before last year where everything fell off the cliff,

like people were talking about how big of a chase guy is. He's not really a chase guy. He chased last year. Not career wise. He was trying to overcompensate for having his injuries and trying to still be a productive player. His whiff rate for a long time had been perfectly fine. His- Especially Jack, especially for a guy who's like power is his biggest asset as a hitter. Usually those guys have worse coverage than he does.

And had he had a typical Max Kepler kind of year heading into this off season, he's not signing a one-year $10 million deal. So it's a pretty decent bet. Obviously, they paid a good amount for him for a one-year deal. I mean, R-wise, he probably would have signed for $8 million. But you go a little bit over to lock him in and The right listen, I don't get the Jeff pass and say he's probably gonna play left field What are we doing? Really part of his value is

Being a is he's a solid is above average right fielder. He's one of the better defensive right fielders in the game. He can play center if he needs to. He has. Yeah, I mean, I don't... Not in a pinch. I'm talking in a pinch. But my point is if you can fill in at center, it means you can usually handle right. Yeah.

And listen, it's not like saying that left field is impossible to learn. Obviously not. If you're a really good right fielder, you're going to be fine in left field. But it's more just like, put Castellanos back in left field and Better right, right? Yeah, it's just not that hard. So I maybe that's just early reporting I don't know, but I I hope that it eventually switches over and and couplers in right field But you know other than that, I mean he's gonna be I think signed him, they're like, that's more of a fourth outfield bat. I don't think that's the case at all. I think that they went out,

they wanted Max Kepler on the idea of a bounce back. They paid him real money. Maybe they signed a right-handed platoon option, maybe, but I think they're heading into the season with the idea that Max Kepler is going to be in the opening day roster and play a decent amount. You mentioned about You know wanting another right-handed hitter or or left-handed or you know, you know Another right-handed hitter in the lineup that while I do agree I think the the struggles this team had against right-handed pitching last year is not to be understated as well I mean your second half the year

I believe they were 23rd or 24th and in now you're like this in witted Witted runs created plus again love it against wrong against right-handed pitching but against left-handed pitching. They were still top five WRC plus the classic You're a big fan. You're a big fan, but they they stunk against right-handed pitching So left-handed pitcher they mostly held their own. I think they stayed top five for a majority of the season They kind of fell off a cliff against right-handed pitching. I would like a right-handed pitcher, they mostly held their own. I think they stayed top five for a majority of the season. They kind of fell off a cliff against right-handed pitching. I would like a right-handed bat too, but going for someone who does better

against right-handed pitching because they need it also isn't the worst idea in the world. This is an ad from BetterHelp. This holiday season, do something for a special person in your life. You, give yourself the gift of better mental health. BetterHelp online therapy connects you with a qualified therapist via phone, video, or live chat. It's convenient and affordable and can be done from the comfort of your own home. Having someone to talk to is truly a gift, especially during the holidays. Visit BetterHelp.com to learn more and save 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelpHELP.com.

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to be automatically sent to your matches. Then sit back and let your matches start the chat. Download Bumble and try it for yourself. Yeah, ironically, last year, the one year in Kepler's career where he did better against left-handed pitching than right-handed pitching. That's what we do. Career-wise, a much better hitter against right-handed pitching. I think he's like closer to an 800 OPS against right-handed pitching in his career and below 700 against left-handed. So look, I'm with you on that and I totally agree. I think Max Kepler was trying to be an everyday player for this team or like a you know 130 game player, 140 whatever like the much heavier side of a of a I don't even think it's a platoon of it's you know

maybe not every every day but he You assign to play a lot. I agree with you. But my question, like on the days when you're facing right-handed pitching and then you got March in center, you got Kepler in left, are you going to be able to against left-handed pitching roll out an outfield of Marsh and Kepler? Or, I mean, like, look, we talked about internal options. We'll see what they do. But internal options, Justin Crawford really the only other in Rojas but you know what I mean the only

potential center field option to get excited about another left-handed hitter if you worry at all about you know having no versatility against left-handed pitching in that spot. Well it comes down to do you want to upgrade the Weston Wilson spot? Yeah. I mean that's kind of what we're dealing with. And I'm just getting you prepared for it. I'm getting our listeners prepared for it. One year, three million for Austin Hayes?

I mean, come on down. You know it's coming. You can play it off. Yeah, they like them, man. Plus they want to justify the movie. They're like, oh no, we really like them. Yes, come on, man. A's gonna stay want to justify the movie. Yeah, like oh no, we really like that Yes, come on man a little Friday news dump around five o'clock of a Austin Hayes resigning heading into the holidays Come on, man. It's the holiday season. I can

Not be doing an Austin Hayes emergency The only reason we had to do this pod today is because it's just There's it feels like there's a lot of confusion on the Whole the whole max Kepler signing of the world. It's not he's max Kepler not emergency pod worthy No in years. No, it's not in years past. Yeah, so It's it's really we've done a Jordan Romano and a max Kepler emergency I'm not the way the off season is. We hoped it would go.

Had had this team not been in a world series window, I would definitely be more geeked up about Jordan Romano and Max Kepler. 100% dude. Again, that's why I keep saying in a vacuum, I really like both of these timings, like one year, 8 million for Romano makes total sense. The guy could come back to being a great closer for 8 million. Like of course Kepler to your point prior to last year, like absolutely worth $10 million for a season, probably more. The guy 31 home runs five years ago.

Like it's in him, but you know, and, and, you know, I'm one of my, my things. I believe like there's no such thing as a bad one year deal. Like it's just a year. I love the moves in and of themselves. It's just to your point. It's for coming off, you know, declining playoff finishes three straight years and they've got Harper turning 31 and he's 45 years old or whatever. I mean, you know, all these guys are getting old and the windows there.

I think that and look, I think you and I are being way more rational about this than most of these fans. I mean, the reaction I'm seeing and you would know even better because you've got your finger on the pulse. But like, it does feel like people are. Set so far, Jack. Yeah. Yeah.

And cause I think, I think once you recalibrate your expectations of this off season, I think that it becomes easier to kind of justify. And I guess, listen, I we all had in the offseason thinking, oh, here's going to be the all these huge moves and then they're going to reshape the roster. I mean, the reality is, is that you could be potentially making your team worse at spots. I mean, at this point, do you really want to trade Alec Bohm if you can't get a, an obvious win of a, of a deal? Like it comes down to two years of bone versus seven of Bregman. I would rather have two years of, of bone. Seven years. I would do seven years. And look, it does seem like the rest of the league doesn't value bone as much as the feelings do and When that happens, you don't trade it out. Well again, I think that I think

If I was reading what they're doing with the bone thing, right? It feels as if they're saying Okay, we'll trade them if you give us something Really really something serious, but we're not going to just so that so that you know They're not going to just give them away and they don't want to which is good, which is fine Which is fine, and I would rather have bone than than aeronaut. Oh, I mean the aeronaut of thing again I just have I'm not in no no interest. So You're you look at where the team's at they're trying to find value at the margins

I would like I would not be surprised at all if you look at the end of this year and and both Kepler and and Romano Outperform their contracts. I think there's a certainly a world where that's possible. It's a pretty deep I think it's a but even likely. Yeah, I think it's a I think it's a really good bet that they will I think it's a good bet that they will I just There there's just there's not that splash change this thing up Well, you also do you really want to make a 95 win ballclub that much worse that and I think there's not that splash, change this thing up. Well, you also, do you really want to make a 95 win ball club that much worse?

And I think that's where you start having reality kick in, which I'm not the biggest fan of being reality guy, James. You know me, I would much rather be fan guy. But I think that we're kind of, you can't subtract from a 95 win ball club and, and take a huge step back. Now we've also pushed back on the idea of them being, you know, just, just kick your feet up and you're going to win 90 games next year.

I don't, I don't think that's going to be the case. They paid, they played two and a half months of 500 baseball. If they're going to have to show up, they're going to have to make different kinds of moves here. But, you know, I, for a year where after the year, you're going to get off of JT, probably, and if you do resign, it's not going to be at 25 million a year. Schwabber, I don't think he's going to get as big of a contract as he got the last time, but you know, probably still 15 million. I

mean, there's probably, but they do have, they do have a good amount of money coming off the books to where you can keep this core here. You're not getting rid of your main pieces in the farm system. And again, we talked about the deadline, and we talked about it early in this offseason, James. But they clearly are very, very concerned about closing this window. And they're just trying to keep it open as long as possible. And that's why they're selling a bunch of one year guys. And you know, I think the off seasons of 2026 and 2027 is where we're going to start seeing them really spend on a big time contract.

Yeah, that's the feeling that I'm getting too. And look, I think they should commit to this window. We've talked about that a lot, but I also, you know, we went through it. I remember we did pods during it. Like I remember 2012 to 2022, you know, we all remember it. So like I also, you know, I speak out both sides of my mouth, but I, which is happening in my ears right now, I also like can understand not wanting to trade these tough prospects, not wanting to, you know, get into the same type of situation you were before,

especially when you're talking about having guys like Turner and Harper, whose contracts aren't going to be done soon, and you are going to have that back end play, especially Turner Morgan turning, where you know, you're gonna have to have cheaper guys to be able to balance that out. Like, so I, I get it. I think it's just, you know, it's frustrating. Well, I can look at it and say, this is smart in a lot of ways,

and maybe I don't agree philosophically about not going all in in a moment, but I can at least logically understand it. And look, maybe we should have listened to Dave Moore in that End of Season press conference. I know, I know. I know, maybe he was. He never lies, and we're in that I know he's impressed conference. I know I know I know he was He never lies and we're like always lying. I know I know And let me just let me just let's get this out there because that listen

I'm sore sick with myself as well for this for this thought process But it's also probably the least surprising thing in the history of the high hopes podcast Getting pretty excited about seeing the prospects come off I mean like eight and making his debut in this the idea of the we will be there for that oh you kidding me I mean we went to Wilmington with 300 talk about the all-time my hopes night yeah well and listen I will be there I'll be there for doesn't Crawford I give me all of them give me all of Yeah, well, and listen, I will be there. I'll be there for Johnson Crawford. Give me all of them. Give me all of these guys coming up and making their debuts and kind of just forming the roster around some of the young guys. Because the reality is, and God, I hate

keeping saying keep saying the reality is because it's just, it's so, you know, disheartening in a way. You can't, it's very, very hard. And they almost did it in 2022, James, even though there was some homegrown talent, it's just very hard to build a team through free agency and spending a ton of money. It just is, especially when you don't have like the, the Yankees pay or the Yankees resources, money buys a dog. There's a reason and it's funny. It's been brought Rowski, but there's a reason that there's only one example of that.

The people point to, and obviously people have added to these, but there's only one team like ever. The 97 Marlins that won strictly that way. And even then, Levan Hernandez was a massive part of that team. And he was a gerentery and they still had homegrown guys. Impossible.

It's, it's, it's. It's really, really hard. So I think they're, and you mentioned this last podcast and it's the perfect way to put it, is they're trying to do two things at once. They're trying to stay competitive. Are they knocking down the door to win a championship? Are they like pushing all of their chips in saying, we gotta get it done this year?

No, they're a hundred percent definitely not doing that, but they're keeping themselves, they're keeping themselves just competitive enough to, hey, and this is the annoying part too, because you can say, hey, at the deadline, then we'll add, but at the same time, they haven't really added at the deadline the last couple of years.

So they're trying to do two things at once while staying competitive, while not trading all their prospects and closing their window even more. And you just have to really put faith in Luke Merton, in Brian Barber, in Preston, overseeing those guys of making sure that there is a continual wave of talent coming behind the Major League roster for when these guys do get older to where you get Cassianos off the book, you get JT off the book, you get Schwaber, Wheeler unfortunately at some point, Nola, and then they have enough coming behind them to where that they can supplement the roster and keep it going while Turner and

Harper get older. So I mean listen that's kind of just where we're at. Well and in the meantime what it is to your point where it's like going all in and yes, they're not this off season, but let's be honest, the last couple off seasons they have, like they have spent tons and tons of money and broadened superstar players. Guess what? Trey Turner, you've got to be good. Like Trey Turner has to be awesome now. Like Nick Castellanos, like live up to your 20 million Schwab or these guys like like again that's the thing is it's like oh the Phillies are not spending this offseason yeah well guess what they're gonna start the season with the fourth or fifth

or third or sixth highest payout you know they're gonna be top five or right there in payroll again like that should be good enough to win. Like it should be. You just need the guys you're paying a ton of money to to play better. Yeah. And listen, I think there's a couple, there's a couple key cogs to this kind of year for how it's going to flip. Capital obviously is now in the mix with that,

but Turner's a huge one. I mean, Turner is, is arguably the biggest one if you get, and he hit 295 last year, but we, we all watched Trey last year. The he was really good heading into the all-star break. He was hot coming out of the all-star break. And then it was just meh. I mean, he was hitting, he was saying what?

When he had the injury, the hamstring thing member and he wasn't running after that and it just didn't look like the same type of player. Yeah. So he was hitting three 30 at some point in like August. Yeah. I think he might've been hitting 350 when he got hurt or something. Like he was kicking ass. So it's still there from that standpoint,

but they need him to do special. And listen, I haven't given up on Bryson Stott, but Bryson Stott is a huge swing piece next year. If you can get 2020. Well, we didn't talk about the injury thing last pod. We probably should have. So if you want to set that up for people who didn't see it. Yeah.

So they came out and said that he was dealing with an elbow injury last year. And it made sense watching him swing. It was maddening to watch because it was like, dude, you can't drive a baseball right now. What are you trying to hit? We talked about it on the pod. We talked about his fly balls and I didn't even die.

I know. Well, then at least maybe the elbow thing explains that away in a certain extent. So, but getting stopped back. I mean, did you know the start of the highest war on the 2023 team? I mean, he was easy. I did not. Wow. But Bryce only played a certain portion of the season

He was still like a three plus win player and that's not counting exactly. I don't really count pitching war, but you know, you know Yeah, I don't either it's a whole different ballgame of the position player war guys. This is be war I know there's that for be war whatever but but but for those who don't know that's fan graphs and baseball reference It's not that yeah. Baseball reference war at Stott is the number one guy on the team in war in 2023 and he was really good player and he ended the year hitting 280. But heading into September, if you remember, he's hitting over 300. We all were talking about winning a batting title, Jack, heading into last season.

So if he can get back to being the brightest stop that we saw in 2023, I think we have a general sense that BohB is going to be 280 to 300 ish with 15 home runs, but stock cannot be a 234 hitter. I mean, you just can't be. And maybe they round out the roster here with, I would love another back end of the bullpen ish type piece, just saying twins are are are possibly shopping griffin jacks or or duran would die would die for either one of them and This and I think this ran is like a freaking super star. I just thought it cost a lot but and this is we're going on

Now I know the devol bed's dead because I believe he's too old now, but I believe I have my new adam devol the devolve bit's dead because I believe he's too old now, but I believe I have my new Adam Devolves. I'm going to keep saying every offseason to design and just to play center field over Johan Rojas things, but Harrison Bader, I mean Harrison Bader for one year, like three million just in case Johan Rojas doesn't do the job in center field. And then you get a Marsh, a Marsh, Rojas, Bader kind of thing in center. And he's not a center fielder anymore, but I still think, I think Gritchick should still be on the table as another kind of right-handed bat. If you can-

Well, especially with the Kepler signing, like you just talked about a right-handed stick that can be replaced West Wilson. Like Gritchick is, that's like a perfect spot for him. And here's where it drives me nuts, man. And we talked about this at the deadline and in the subsequent months after that, where you're just banking on guys that had put up really good numbers in AAA, but

haven't done it at the big league level. Again, if you're not going to go get a star level player or a, or a high level starter, get some studs on the bench and studs in the bullpen that aren't going to cost a ton of money. If you're worried about 301, which they're going to go over 301, it's just a matter of how much they're going to go over 301 million. And the more, the more you go over it, the higher, higher the taxes and the, we know 110% tax over, we get it. But if you're not going to go get a high level starter, you're not going to go to Breitman, you're not going to go spend money on

that, which I think people have now kind of just accepted that they're not going to get a breakman. You're not going to go spend money on that which I think people have now kind of just Accepted that they're not going to do then build a super bullpen and build a strong of a bench as you can It's how the Dodgers have Otani. That's great. They have stars. We know that but they also have the Tommy Edmonds they also have the Copacs, you know, they have these guys that they take shots on I think Kepler and and You know, they have these guys that they take shots on I think Kepler and and Or on Romano are actually Dodgers kind of move James. I really do. I totally agree It's just get more of those types like again, Grichick should not cost you more another starter Get another starter, you know all that stuff

If you if you end this offseason with filling out the bench with more high qualityquality-ish Major League types and you get another real bullpen option, I think you're mostly fine. I think you're mostly fine and I think you've rounded the edge of the roster and you should win 90 days in advance. See Uber app for details. Sometimes when it comes to your personal fitness goals, you just need a plan. Peloton can give you the plan. Absolutely.

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at onepeloton.ca. It's amazing how our expectations- I know, I'm disappointing myself even just uttering this sentence, James. I disappointed in myself. But this is where they've gotten me to. And I still, listen, we're going to be here, pal. Hey, look, it's back to our roots. I mean, when is the IOP spot?

Like we honestly felt weird about it being like a big money team pod. I mean, that's not how we do things. We are a raised pod at art, man. We are a Bill Giles, this is a small market team pod. I mean, that's not how we do things. We are a raised body art man. We are a Bill Giles. This is small market being. You're damn right, buddy. You're damn right. All right. So so what's next? If you had to guess and you mentioned a beard, I think what if you had to guess? You think it's more of these

kind of fringe radar moves? Do you think they have like, obviously not necessarily pregnant, but like a big ish move, a trade on the rise or anything like that? So I think that, I think there's still, again, we, I think we both resigned, been resigned to the fact that it seems like BOM's going to come back. I still think there's a chance for a BOM trade. I mean, Rosenthal did throw that out there. I think the one to look for on a-

Yeah, for what it's worth, Rosenthal said he still thinks he's getting traded like pretty strongly Yeah, I think the one trade to look for is either the Astros or the Mariners and I still to my core Believe that there is a there's a path to a Luis Castillo bone Headline of a package. Well, that's what Rosenthal mentions He said bone plus pieces and again, and I mean Luis Castillo. I mean that's what Rosenthal mentions. He said bone plus pieces and I mean, Luis Castillo. I mean, that's that'd be a move, man. It's 24 million a year. So I and they seem like they want to shed that salary. We know the fillies are concerned about how much they want to go over the luxury tax. So you got to find some way to supplement it. Maybe Mary, maybe Jerry Depoto

really misses Taiwan Walker. You know, maybe he just says, Oh, probably. Bring him back. He won't. But if they could find some way again, it's not bone for Castillo straight up because I think that those have to give more. But I think they're happy. They definitely want they would. But the Mariners, I feel like we want to kind of shed some money. They're not a huge market team. They need a bat. They DFA'd your boy, Josh Rojas. And, and so I think there's some pathway there. And then with the Astros, if they lose Bregman, maybe they go, maybe they pivot the bone since Aeronauto turned down the, the opportunity to go to the

Astros, maybe they pivot there and the Phillies can get, I mean, I listen, I'm not a huge Presley guy anymore I mean 14 million dollars for one year of Ryan Presley who's like been declining a little bit They have other pieces in the bullpen. Maybe you go that route with with foam But again, the issue is who are you replacing him with if you if you if you trade out bomb one year of young mancada Oh, I dude I love young man cara I thought young man cara was gonna be a freaking that star and he had that one year he was freaking awesome yes yes and and at one point he's used the mic trout of the infield

prospects so you know dude he was the best prospect in baseball yeah bring him home Dave bring Bring him So, I don't know again. We're all throwing ideas out there I just the Castillo one is the one that I keep coming back to where they can add a difference Maker ish and in Luis Gusti. I think he's the ERA somehow three five last year Which feels fake every time I watch Luis Gusti. They don't think I've ever seen him a little bit hit but I totally but That's the one that I think makes sense for a lot of I don't think I've ever seen him let about hit but I totally but That's the one that I think makes sense for a lot of for a lot of reasons

So that's the one I'm kind of keep my on as the next possible big move they can make they'll make other moves It's just they're probably gonna be more the Romano and next Kepler fights And we'll be here for more Not worthy emergency buds. I know take back that I'm assuming. Nope. No perfect off season today. No, the perfect office is already complete, man. Romano and Kepler in one year.

This is, this is a, this is everyone's dream, but I think we've done, I think we've done a decent job today of, of at least calming everyone down. It's a, I hope so buddy. It's a fine sign. It's a fine signing. It's a fine signing with some upside. Look at everything before last year when he had like three massive injuries that he had to deal with

and you had a pretty good player. Plus James, a career 1300 OPS at Citizens Bank Park and in the year that he had 24 home runs, Park adjusted the CBP, that would have been 29 home runs. So listen, what do you see? You did your work here. What do you want me to do buddy? He has 164 career home runs. Had he played at Citizens Bank Park I believe it's in the 190s, 180s, something along those lines. This is why you're the best buddy. This is why people need you This is why we recorded for stuff like that. This is that bond people

That's definitely our title I Will be back the next time the boys do something I'm sure we'll do a part over the holidays at some point and if we don't talk to everyone Prior to Christmas Hanukkah all that happy holidays to everyone. I know I speak for Jack when I say that this community is our favorite thing in life. And what we do, all of it, is our favorite thing. So thanks for making it special. All right. Hopefully they give us another exciting one year deal that we could talk about.

Yeah, because you're off for what? The next two weeks, right? If I was listening to that. Yeah, buddy, I got any time I guess. What, buddy, if they do something, it's going to be a two hour podcast. There's going to be 18 more perfect. I've already accepted it. Yes. Yes. I love when you have to accept what's on call for you, Jack.

Yes, that's all I want. All I want. All right. Well, that's all I want. All right. All I want. All right. Well, until that call happens, I'll see you in the sprint themselves. What's better than watching your team win? Winning money while you do it. I'm Jim Costa and I cash the ticket.

Mike Valente and I give you the edge to make every game playable. College football, NFL, we're breaking it all down game by game. Your podcast feed is going to be filled and you're going to love it. You can click on the games you care about. We do it all. With our analysis, we're finding games that other people aren't talking about. We're turning every Saturday and every Sunday into days when you got a chance to win. Don't just sit on the sidelines.

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