High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Our Attention Now Turns to Kris Bryant (and Some Thoughts on the Phillies Signings)

Episode Date: January 31, 2020

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back talking Phillies as Kris Bryant's grievance is finally settled and more thoughts. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. 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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Contact a licensed TD Insurance advisor to learn more. This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes. it's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the philadelphia phillies on radio.com and sports radio 94 wip yo it is another edition of the High Ops Podcast as Jack. Baseball's coming up here, buddy. I'm starting the juice. I know for you, you're watching clips more than you work and all that stuff. You're always ready. I'm feeling the juices, buddy.

The juices are starting to flow. Listen. We're just so close. we're under two weeks now like we are legitimately under two to aaron nola zach wheeler and jt romito that's all our pitchers and catchers should consist of like when they say oh pitchers and catchers is two weeks from now it should just be zach wheeler aaron nolan jt romito is two weeks from now. It should just be Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nolan, J.P. Romito. It's two weeks from now. I think that would be a fair way to do it.

Well, hey, Jack, for all intents and purposes, that is what it is. I know. It's so sad. It's so sad. But it's okay. It's okay. Baseball's back, baby. We're back.

Baseball's so close to being back. Baseball is like every day I walk outside now, I swear to God, it's starting to feel a little bit warmer. It is. And it's kind of that thing where it's so close, but it also is far away. Like I think we're at, what, 56 days until opening day? I mean, that doesn't sound like a lot when you think about how long the slog has been i mean soon enough we're going to be drafting fantasy teams we're going to be

you know looking at over under totals like this is like here and over under tolls are out and like they are we'll get that we'll get that but um i i just i need it like i need oxygen, Jack. I need my nights when baseball's not there, my nights feel so hollow. Like after my daughter goes to bed. Obviously, I love hanging with Zoe. But it just feels like I need baseball on my TVs. I need the Phillies on. I need my other TV when the Phillies aren't on to have a baseball game on it. Enough with these basketball games.

All right. It's almost just because like I have the TV. I'm like, I got to have sports on. Like, all right. I'll watch basketball. But like, give me what I want, Jack. Oh, oh, last night. I'm checking my phone.

Just saying, hey, is there any sport on tonight? There was squat. There was jack squat. It was like, oh, yeah, let me watch some crappy college basketball. And, dude, dude, dude, Nets Pistons was on ESPN. And it's like, just get me to baseball season. Here's the thing. Just like Ryan Howard, get me to play, boys.

Get me to baseball season. Get me to baseball season, boys. Just get me to spring training so I can talk about the 26th man on the roster and break out the better all right well we're going to talk about some at philly's for the first time in what feels like forever when we've been doing a show we actually have new philadelphia phillies players to talk about some lower lower level signings but i think there's some upside with these we'll talk about those in a sec. But quickly, we've obviously kind of been on the Arenado-Bryant discussion train nonstop.

This obviously has probably been the thing we've kind of talked about the most. And obviously, Arenado, I mean, a really strange situation with him calling out the team and all that stuff. But the Chris Bryant thing just got realer i suppose loses the grievance as we all expected but now clarifies his his um you know situation that he has two years left on the contract makes him obviously more valuable for trade and all that type of stuff um and the rumors have started to spread jack uh where you at with chris bryant I know you've been pretty jacked up about this along the way. Let me just say this.

We are one Chris Bryant rumor away from a serious Lent. I don't know what the Lent's going to be yet, but just give me one. Just give me one Chris Bryant rumor. You're like Jonesy. Give me one. Just give me one. Just give me one.

That's all I need to completely buy into Chris Bryant being a Philadelphia Philly. I am not surprised at all that he lost the grievance. The fact that he wasted, I don't know, my entire offseason waiting for this moment. He really should have had you in mind. I mean, that is a little rude. Yeah. I mean, does is a little rude. Yeah. I mean, does he want to be an affiliate or does he not want to be an affiliate? I will make it happen.

And the fact that he made me wait. You know what's crazy, though? I will make it happen. You see, Bryce? You see, Bryce? Yeah, I'll make it happen. Chris, do you want to play with your childhood best friend or not? I will be your

consultant is the key to that happening listen the sooner scott boris realizes that the sooner maybe he'll finally be good at his job for once wow after like boris of course coming off like his best season off season ever probably like he made a billion dollars or whatever imagine being scott boris like talk about a life man scott boris has the life but but like chris bryant wasted my whole offseason but like bryce harper wouldn't have signed until like a month from now which is crazy it's it's crazy how long it feels like we've had nothing to talk about this offseason, but the Harper stuff was longer.

And also – And I think the fact also that the Harper stuff was so unique and so like we talked about it like obviously every podcast, but also like we talked about on WIP a ton, like way more than Philly's offseason coverage this offseason. And I think maybe because last offseason coverage this offseason and i think maybe because last offseason that was such a big story we ended up getting him that this offseason and granted it has also been quicker signings and just less you know big high level stuff but

it also i think is muted by the fact that it's not quite as exciting as our everything was no it's not and this year we had of course to end the year at appreciation bay so that kind of takes away from the phillies off season even though i did work it into the the rundown two days ago when the brian grievance happened and me and john marks argued about it on the air because for some reason fighting the good fight i mean for some reason he doesn't want he he He's just obsessed with the Phillies not going over the luxury tax and just keeping the team down. It's just a very sad situation.

Who would... But why? What, does he love billionaires? Does he want to save billionaires money? No, he's just trying to prove that he knows more about the Phillies than me. You know, it's just a very sad situation that's going on with John Marks. I will say this. I am a big fan of you just going after Marks on this podcast.

I think that's a bold move, and I enjoy it. I'm a fan. I'm here for it, as they say, Jack. No, I will not go after John. But Chris Bryant lost his grievance case it seems like now well it's weird with with arenado seemingly actually being available i don't know how i thought once the grievance thing settled it was going to move faster than it is like there hasn't really been any substantial rumors um seems like everyone's kind of focused on

the mookiets thing right now because, you know, the Red Sox make a crap ton every year, and they're like, ah, you know, you know what we have to do now? We have to get rid of Mookie. Yeah, you know, potentially generational type of guy, you know, already won an MVP World Series, won a World Series with him already. Why would you want to keep that guy around when you can have David Price and Nathan Eovaldi and all these good signings?

You know, it's good. Well, I'll say that the Mookie stuff, like trading him, is ridiculous. At the same time, he is not worth $10,420 with what he countered. I saw that number, and i was like oh well that makes well 10 420 is is crazy obviously i mean again mike trout is the only player in baseball deserves that money like that's it it just is what it is and just because mike trout signed the contract he did doesn't mean it's not one of those things where it's like you know like nfl quarterbacks it's like all right well that guy got that so i'm the next one up and i'm

pretty much as good as him or i'm close to as good as him uh i'm not as good as him but i'm like you know i'm pretty good it doesn't matter it just seems like those salaries keep going up that's how a guy like kirk cousins becomes the highest paid quarterback in the league for a year or two or whatever it was um well then and then horrible jared golf is exactly exactly so but i i think that's i think in baseball like we've seen that kind of thing happen i don't think it should i think when when mike trout got the money he got because mike trout deserves that money and nobody else does oh you're a hundred percent. I mean, 100% correct. Like, no one else is even...

No one else is really in the same stratosphere as Mike Stratton. No, and no one has been since Bonds. Like, he's a different level of player from everyone else playing. It just is what it is. Yeah, and I love Mookie, but if I'm the Red Sox and I'm Mookie and there's $120 million in difference, just go to 10-360. Just cut it in half. Yeah, figure it out.

Look, Mookie's not getting 10-420 from anybody. No. No, no, he's not. And although let this just be a PSA to John Middleton and the Phillies and everyone listens to this podcast, whether it be players, personnel,

uh, ticket sales managers. If Mookie bets gets traded to the freaking Padres and they are able to afford Manny Machado and Mookie bets, there will be a meltdown on this said podcast. Yeah. I mean, just the fact the Padres are in on Mookie Betts tells you that they're willing to do it. It's like, what the hell, man?

What the hell? It's the Padres. They also have some of my guys. Yeah, and they have a lot of young talent coming up. We'll get to that, by the way, the uh baseball america top 100 came out no one talked about that didn't we didn't we talk about this last year where the top 100 came out and every time i see the top 100 i i get sad you do yes but this year you know what having two guys that high is... Three. Well, not in the BA. They only had two guys. Oh, yeah, yeah, no.

I was talking about MLB Network. Did they rank in the top 100? Yes. And they had three. Well, the interesting thing is they had three in that one, but in the BA, I may as well just mention it, they were higher in the BA, both of them. Spencer Howard at 27 and Baum at 28.

I mean, that's... I mean, having two guys in the top 30 is cool. Like, that's good. That's 6-0, by the way, at number 16. And the Dodgers had seven guys on the list. So, you know, small victories. The funny part about the Dodgers, everyone's like, oh, you know, you got to be bad and draft at the top of the draft. Meanwhile, like Gavin Lux was the 18th pick in the draft.

So, no, it's way more important for player development than it is high draft picks. And also, while we're on the subject for a second, the fact that Royce Lewis put up Mickey Moniak numbers last year, actually worse than Mickey Moniak numbers last year, and was still top 10 i think is utterly embarrassing like i i was infuriated when i saw that and and just i love how personally you take it just a general mickey moniak slander i'm not here for i'm we'll get into it but i am very very i've heard some things about Mickey Moniac that make me very, very excited. All right. We'll get into that. We'll get into that later.

All right. Back to Brian. From my perspective, I don't think Brian is going to get traded before the trade deadline. And I don't know if I'll get traded at the trade deadline or not. I think that depends on how the season goes. But I don't think they're going to trade. I mean, look, could they? Yeah.

And I think it's certainly possible. I'm just saying if I had to put odds on it, I would say it's more like 70-30 he does not get traded. Where would you put those odds? Do you think he's going to get moved before the season starts? Yeah, I do. I think he's going to get moved. I have thought he's going to get moved the whole entire offseason. I have no reason to really get off that now.

I was kind of just waiting for the grievance process to kind of go through and reassess after that. So, yeah, no, I think Mookie gets traded soon. I think Mookie's going to get traded. I don't think Brian's going to get traded, but he might. Yeah, well, I think, to your point, I've been saying that I don't think Brian or Aaron Otto is going to get traded before the season starts, so I'm kind of sticking to that too, I guess.

Yeah, I would much rather... I would think that Brian gets traded more than Arenado. That I agree with for sure. I would still be surprised if they trade Arenado. You've got to have some stones to move Nolan Arenado.

Or I guess the situation is so bad. Trading schmidt in his prime seems like a a ballsy move well well i mean if i mean you know what i mean being on no no i i know what you mean but i mean if we're being honest scott roland well scott roland was the same thing well no aaron is better than roland and roland's hall of famer i are a borderline hall of famer i don't know if i'll get in, but he's certainly close. But Arenado's better at this point in his career. He is better, I agree.

And Schmidt was way better than Rowan, obviously. Yeah, but you're trading, the premise is the same. You're trading a borderline Hall of Famer while they're still in their prime. Right, and that's my point. I'm saying, if you say Arenado could be the next Schmidt, and again, I don't think that'll end up happening but like he's tracking that way i mean he's had a pretty amazing career so far um and he's 28 right or some right 28 i think um so i don't know i mean he could end up if he if he continues on this track being a you know maybe

not schmidt like but like a close to inner circle Hall of Famer. But the Colorado thing obviously makes it a little harder to judge the candidacy. Well, maybe they can get Bud Smith for him and everything will be okay. Done. Boom. Either way. So this is interesting.

So since you feel more confident with Bryant getting traded, how, and again, obviously I know you're generally positive, but are you, how positive do you feel about the Phillies chances to get him? Very, very positive. I like this. I like this Jackie. Until, listen, I, this is, this has been my position now. It has been my position since the off season started. Since he started talking about the Chris Bryant stuff. Until he's on another team, I think Chris Bryant's going to be a Philly. I love it.

I love it, love it, love it. That's exactly where I'm at. Until he's somewhere else, I firmly believe that Chris Bryant will be a Philly. All right. I love it. I love it. I love it. All right, let's talk about some people who actually are Phillies. And I feel like this is a list that you can talk about.

It's fun when they bring in names you know, I suppose. But, look, you see what they're doing. They bring in Drew Storen, Bud Norris, Francisco Liriano, Storen and Norris both weren't in the league last year. Norris had a forearm injury. Storen has been working off injuries. And then, as I'm sure Jack's going to get into. Storen has been working off injuries and then, as I'm sure Jack's going to get into.

Storen's been terrible. Storen's been horrendous. And Francisco Liriano is actually a move I actually really like that move. That dude can get lefties out and that's someone they need in the pen. And then we'll get to Neil Walker in a second, but Neil Walker,

Jack! Talk to me about the pitchers Bud Norris of course you know was a close with the Cardinals for parts of a couple seasons ago had like 29 saves something I think you know is is fine and soaring obviously has been a disaster for a while but but uh some positivity from you on Storen as well, potentially. Jack, talk to me. All right. So, of Storen, Norris, and Liriano, let's start with Storen. Now, while I did just say he's always been bad, let me just say this.

He was a high draft pick as a closer only and has been working out a driveline this offseason. Factor all those three things in, and your boy will talk himself into it. I think you already have. And Soren had some success early on, even if he wasn't. He had some success.

No, I know. He hasn't had as bad of a career. Honestly, here's my full disclosure. He saved some games in Major League Baseball. Full disclosure, this is just really just me wanting to make fun of the Nationals for drafting a closer as high as they did and him being trash. So, yes, Drew Soren has not been bad his entire career, but I do love making fun of the Nationals,

even though they just won the World Series and also had Anthony Rendonon bryce harper steven strasburg mac scherzer and you know on and on juan soto actually has a career three four five era it's not as bad as i expected so he actually had a couple like really nice years in there i know it just he was he was drafted to be their kim right and Right, and he never developed. So he only had one season. So his second season, he had 43 saves and was outstanding. Drew Storn had 43 saves. 43 saves in 2011. But then he had 29 in 2015, and then 11 is his next highest.

So really only that one outstanding season from a closer perspective. I mean, 2011 was a great year for Phillies fans. True. Well, it was a great regular season year. I don't know if I can go so far as to say a great year, especially considering how it all ended. It's actually a horrible year. It was.

But you know what's so sad about this like andy reed under appreciation thing is that everyone's bringing up like howard and and like the the run there and every time i just think about the run i just get sad but um um store it so so here's the thing here's here's the Storen. He has a pedigree. He has been pretty good. He has a wipeout slider. At least he did when he was with the Blue Jays for a little bit. I was watching some old baseball savant videos of Drew Storen. And let me just go inside the mind of Jack for a second here. James.

Dangerous place to be. I got to be honest. a second here, James. Dangerous place to be. I gotta be honest. I was desperate for a move that I watched way too much Drew Storrs say. I watched

way too much Bud Norris and a lot of Francisco Lariato. I needed a move so bad that I'm talking myself into these guys. I love it. This is the least surprising thing that's ever happened.

Listen, get me the spring training. That's all I've been saying this entire time. All right. So, Storen. Go ahead. Storen, working on a driveline, I have heard from people that may or may not have worked at driveline that he is healthy for the first

time in three years actually healthy so um so so where i'm at with storm is that hurt he's healthy hurt he's pitching pretty well but if kyle body didn't take him with him to cincinnati kyle body is obviously the founder of driveline and had him working out of facility all season and the Reds need bullpen depth pretty seriously if they weren't going to take a chance on him I would kind of be surprised if he's as good as maybe some people are saying so that I'm like I am I am in. My toes are in the water on Drew Storm because of the driveline thing. I am not cannonballing into the pool. Okay. Bud Norris, are you a little deeper into the pool maybe?

Bud Norris, I am definitely a little deeper. I would say my ankles. I would say more than Storm for me. It's definitely the order you're talking about them is the order ascending order in terms of how I like Agreed so my I would say my ankles are in the water with with Bud Norris a year. I mean you're a move. I mean in 2018 I'm pretty I owned him in fantasy, and I was very happy with Bud Norris. I saw a John Heyman tweet from early January or maybe late December

that he's up to 94 or 95 miles an hour, which I think is massive. So Bud Norris has got it done in the closer role. They don't need him to be a closer here. If he can be a seventh, eighth inning guy guy i think he can get the job done there um the the problem is is that he's a a fun bad in baseball guy which just irked me the wrong way um but we can put that past us if he comes in and gets the job done so i think i think bud norris worst case scenario seventh eighth inning guy um and is part of the bridge to naris oh my god i'm actually i i i i'm i've really ripped the the plan here and i still will um from a not spending and not really adding real deal pieces and all that to the bullpen and the staff.

But I do think Hector Neris is good. And I'm in on Hector Neris for 2020. And I probably have not made that clear enough. I really do like Hector Neris. I don't want him to be my closer in an ideal world, but I do like Hector Neris. All right, Lariano. That, for me, and I think Norris and Starrin are both kind of flyers.

You know, I think you take a shot on those guys. They've had success before. If they are healthy, you never know. Francisco Lariano is someone I feel like you can count on to, at worst, be a Lukey for you. Yeah, well, I think the thing that I like the most about Francisco Lariano, I know we've talked about him not on the podcast, but just in our new wonderful studios that we have not done a high-host podcast from yet, is how nasty he is against lefty homies.

But the fact that he... Do you remember last year when I was complaining about Adam Morgan having to face both lefties and righties? I do. Well, I think Liriano can kind of take that, and he can be a guy that can get lefties and righties out. And then if Adam Morgan can just be your lefty guy, then, I mean, that's a...

Like, Adam Morgan is disgusting as lefties, and Jose Alvarez... Unless they're Jason Hayward, right? So, are you watching The watching the outsider on hbo no i'm not is it good i don't have hbo right now jack do you need my password yeah give it to me that would be amazing i would love your password oh i'll just give it to everyone on this but not gonna do that but um the outsider if you're not watching it on hbo i think you're foolish and it is continuing my belief that every single movie is so stupid and tv shows are 10 times better but and speaking of tv shows tv shows biggest tv shows i was late to recording this podcast because yes i had to get caught off on this yeah you did jack said he was too

emotional to go earlier had to really soak in that this is us yeah well i need to be in the correct emotion i tried to watch it i didn't know it was, and everyone was talking about this like a year or two ago. And I watched the first episode, and I was like, well, this ain't for me. Oh, I mean, you know me. I'm a big sappy. I know. I can be pretty sappy, too, but this was a little too much. But people love it.

I like Sterling K. Brown a lot. Oh, big fan. Big fan of that dude. I like Sterling K. Brown a lot. Oh, big fan. Big fan of that dude. Anyway, so The Outsider is a show on HBO that is based on a Stephen King novel. Ah, that's cool.

I'm in on that. I'm in. So instead of Stephen King wasting his time on movies, thank God, they are finally turning his books into TV shows. Thus, The O the outsider is born and in episode three of the outsider they they have the audacity to show the jason hayward home run off of that no way really yeah and i almost turned the show off i was that that's so funny though i hate that home run i know i do too i really hate it i didn't know where this was going i almost forgot that jason hayward is what led to this tangent yeah well it

was the first time freaking jason hayward who sucks caught up to 95 plus and was off of adam morgan and i was producing that game and it was two days away from my bachelor party which i was going to be in chicago um and i really wanted to kick their ass and uh fraud ass um oh my god what's his name who's the horrible oh dylan cousins um hit hit a home run that game to give the phillies a lead adam morgan freaking blew it and i was off grand slam baby i, baby. I was on a plane to Chicago the next day. So that's my Adam Morgan, the outsider story. Well done, sir. All right, back to Liriano. Liriano can get out both sides.

I think he's obviously really, really good against lefties. But if you can just have Adam Morgan be the guy to get lefties out, and Liriano does both, I think that's almost the best-case scenario for the Phillies. Which is the fact that I feel – when was the last time, James, you felt really good about three lefties in the Phillies' bullpen? Like Cormier, Ayer, like that time. Well, Cormier wasn't on that team.

Oh, yeah, not even good. Ayer. Romero. Yeah, obviously, JC. Was there even a third there? I don't even know if there was a third there. Was there? No.

On the 018? Well, I mean. Well, just during that run, at some point, there might have been three who I forget about. But regardless, maybe never. I don't know. It's a long time. Yeah, but, I mean, Jose Alvarez developed into a really good guy last year.

Adam Morgan's good against lefties, and Francisco Liriano has been pretty proven to do both. So the fact that they have three of those guys I think is massive. I know we've kind of ripped the Phillies' bullpen, and mostly rightfully so, even though I think they're going to be pretty good next year. Just the fact that they have three of those guys is pretty massive. So that's exciting.

And just the fact that he's a real guy that pitched in the big leagues last year, I mean, they are just rushing towards that luxury tax. Well, that was pretty good. To your point, though, I agree with you. Look, they're being cheap. It is what it is. There's no question about it. They should not have been cheap.

They should have built the bullpen up better. But for being cheap, I see what they're doing. I understand what they're going for. And I think it absolutely could work at least to a level good enough. You need Neris to be good again. You need Alvarez to be good again. But, you know, if two of these three guys can be anything close to what they can, you know, have been at times, certainly NARS in 2018, 2017, and certainly 2018. And Liriano, even last season against lefties, and Liriano for a long time, there's a reason Liriano's been in the league for a long time.

I think if you can get something out of those two guys, it really does dramatically make your pen better. And again, guys who have been in closing spots, a pitch in the eighth, the seventh, the ninth, that type of stuff for different guys. So, yeah, I think for the way they're doing it, I think they're doing a fine job. It's just frustrating that they're doing it that way. All right, Neil Walker, you excited?

No. I feel like Neil Walker is a guy you've always hated, and I don't know why. Yeah, I don't know why. Yeah. I don't know. He's fine. He's whatever. I like Josh Harrison more. Well, Neil Walker's better than Josh Harrison now.

I like Harrison. A healthy, truly healthy Harrison maybe is better, but Harrison has not been as good the last few years as Walker has. Neither's good. They're both bench guys. I don't disagree, but Walker can't play anything but really first base now. Oh, has he not been able to play second base at all anymore? Not really.

I think he can be a spot guy there. Yeah, well, that's less useful. Harrison can play multiple positions. For a back-up infielder, you want someone who can do that, obviously. Yeah, so I'm more excited about Glaber versus Josh Harrison. Not Glaber. Oh, my God. Glaber.

Wow. Torres. I'm so sorry. You should kick me off this podcast. That was rough, man. I would kick myself off this podcast. We got a momentary thing of like, Glaber? Like, what? And then take it no yeah crap uh i'm i would like to sincerely apologize to everyone listening to this podcast um we did not

have flavor doors i don't think they need to be told that so i think we're okay i mean it's the next best thing isn't it oh god our 26th man battle the yankees got clay and again i know the cubs won a world series but glaber for aroldis chapman is like an all-time all-time all-time great trade listen as long as as long as you give credit where credit's due, you can save that as much as you want. Cash. He is a fraud. Oh, gosh. All right.

He is a fraud. He's a fraud. The Cubs are screwed. He's going to trade us. We're going to get Chris Bryant for, like, Luis Garcia. Oh, brother. All right. You got anything else on these signings? No. I'm actually excited, brother. All right. You got anything else on these signings?

No, I'm actually excited, though. I think that the fact that they're going down this route, I like the idea of TJ Rivera. I like the idea of what they've been going at this offseason. They went after a driveline guy. They went after a guy who was a year ago that just was waiting to get healthy. Neil Walker is nothing to me. But Josh Harrison.

Neil Walker is nothing to me. If Josh Harrison's hamstring is fine, if he's healthy, I think you could potentially get a steal there. T.J. Rivera. Which, to be fair, is probably unlikely with Josh Harrison's history. Highly unlikely. Highly unlikely. But I like what they've done. I like what they've done with the bottom of the roster.

These are moves that would involve them. Some Jack Fritz moves in here. Yeah. I mean, would I take a guy that throws hard? And would I like to believe in a guy? Yeah, of course. But for what they're giving me, it's giving me plenty of like james i'm talking about plenty of reasons to watch spring training games um that's actually a good point they're

giving me a lot of like would this be all right james oh brother it's just me it's just me and you talking on this podcast. No one's listening. I was thinking about starting a note. You know how people have notebooks for Eagles games? Sure. I might start doing that for free. Just keep little notes as you watch. Yeah.

Isn't that basically Twitter? I know, but Twitter can't handle some of my... That's awesome. Also, Elliot showed me how to make GIFs today. So that's the next part of the brain. Wait, hold up. Make GIFs? what do you mean make oh like to take like a video and turn into a a gif or a gif or whatever uh thank thank you for

explaining that to everyone i was trying to figure it out and it's a gif not a gif but whatever it's 888-729-9494. Shout out to Elliot. All right. Let's get to it. We're 30 plus minutes into the podcast. What are we getting to? We very much buried the lead. 2021, Jack. DH in 2021.

Let's go. Why'd you bring down my mood? I don't want to talk about that. Jim Bowden saying it's looking like it's going to happen. Look's go. Why'd you bring down my mood? I don't want to talk about that. It's looking like it's going to happen. Look, Jack. That guy, instead of freaking Aaron out of trade, is inevitable, and he fell for a fake Jeff Passon

account. You don't believe it. You're saying this is erroneous reporting. Listen, I would love for the DH to be... It's going to help the Phillies, Jack. Do you care about your team or not? I would love for the DH to get eradicated from all baseball.

You will never have to watch Reese Hoskins play the field ever again. How great is that? Think about that. I mean, I like the Freudian slip of never have to watch Reese Hoskins hit again. No. a Freudian slip of never have to watch Reese Hoskins hit again. No. No, like for as much

as I hate the DH with every fiber of my being, the fact that it would help the Phillies tenfold is making me like excited for it. My man. If you can get if you can, but the problem is like you're not getting

Bryant without giving up Boehm. Like, that's not going to happen. And then I want Chris Bryant on this team. So it's a tough situation. But, yeah, it seems like the DH is happening, which I'm just going to have to think. Actually, it is interesting. Does Boehm have more trade value with that? That's really interesting.

Well, the DH coming in. Yeah, he should, right? Dude, I'm watching those. That's really interesting. Well, did DH come to you? Yeah, he should, right? Dude, I'm watching those. I watched the countdown of the top 100 prospects or whatever, and I saw like 10 hitters who aren't even in Alec Baum's class. And the only reason that dude is not considered a top 10 prospect is because it's because of the fielding stuff and i get it but the guy is it i i he is i'll take a bad field for a great hitter

every single day and twice he's a he's a he's a 300 hitter with 30 plus number potential is that good that's what that's what he's gonna be in the big leagues from day one. So, like, the whole, oh, my God, the defense is bad. Like, sure. But you're telling me I can acquire that guy and trade for Nolan Aranato or Chris Bryant? Yeah, I'll take that. So, yeah, the DH is happening. I get that it's happening.

It doesn't mean I have to be happy about it happening. Look, I will concede the Jason Stark idea that we talked about on this show, the idea of it becomes NL rules after the pitcher comes out, after the starter comes out of the game. I would be fine with that. I think that's kind of a neat rule. I think you would have to do it in both leagues. My main thing, no matter what,

is I think that both leagues have to have the same rules when it comes to that. Why? It's ridiculous. It's a disadvantage for the National League team in the World Series. Like a massive disadvantage, actually. Oh, my God. Cry about it. There's been National League teams that have won the World Series.

Of course. But why wouldn't you want the same rules uniform across the sport? Why? Because it's what makes it makes it interesting why is that interesting it like it adds a wrinkle to the game it'd be like in in basketball if in one league you could have five guys on the court but you know you didn't have to to wait to substitute in you could just switch guys in and out, but they, I mean,

I'm trying to think of an analogy. Like it's ridiculous. Like it's crazy. And, and why? Why? What do you mean? Why?

Cause, cause the league should have the same rules, especially cause they play each other all the time. Now, like the league should have the same rules. That is the number one thing. Why? Let's put it this way.

As in favor as I am of the DH, because watching pitchers hit sucks. And one out out of it one out of every nine times they come to the plate you get to watch a it's not crappy at bat it's not about pictures it is about it it's part of it and no it's not and it's part and the whole there's so much strategy is such an over yes it's no it's not strategy will still come into play regardless and it's not, it's not. Strategy will still come into play regardless, and it's not. No, it doesn't. An idiot can make a double switch. This is not like high-level strategy.

This is not high-level strategy here. No, it's not. And regardless, my point is even as a proponent of the DH, I would rather see the DH go away in the American League, which would obviously never happen because the players union, but I would rather see both leagues have no DH than just one of a DH and the other, not,

you see what I'm saying? Like I'm more, my number one thing with this is I think both leagues have to have the same rules when it comes to that. I think the DH is better. And thus I think both should have the DH, but first and foremost, like you should have both leagues have the same rules.

They play each other all the time. It's crazy. It's not crazy. It makes it interesting. Jack, just because something has been done one way for a long time doesn't mean that it always should stay that way. Evolve. Change. It makes it

cool. Change, Jack. Grow with the times. As a baseball purist, I have vowed to never change we know obviously that was fun i hate i hate change i know you do that's why i said it i know look i don't think there's anyone who absolutely loves change but like you have to force yourself to embrace change because that's how you get better that's how you grow jack that's how you get better. That's how you grow, Jack. That's how you... First off, don't tell me what to do. Second off, no, I don't. And third off, I don't get why both...

Honestly, has it impeded your baseball watching that the NL has a DH and the AL doesn't? Again, Jack, you're hitting on my point. Just because it's been done that way for a long time doesn't mean that's the right way to do it. But you're not giving, this is what I don't get you're not giving an actual reason as to why it has to have two, like it doesn't matter if either team

Of course it does! Because then one team has a DH who's a guy who is a professional hitter who plays every day and is a much better hitter than whatever like bench player the phillies are going to put him in the dh role when they go to america league park like obviously like that is such a clear thing like how is that not an advantage baseball has survived the red

socks have david ortiz as their dh and the phillies have or a perfect example the 2009 world series the world series mvp hadaki maxui, is the freaking DH for the Yankees. We've like Ben Francisco or whoever DHing. Like, come on, man. Like, that's a massive disadvantage. It hurt your team. I don't think it's... But the Yankees had to

take him out of the lineup when they came to Philly. It's cool. It's so not cool. It's so lame. It's lame. Oh, oh my god you know you and you millennials have to have everything you know you're the millennial what are you talking about jeez i just want tradition i know you do all right you got anything else is the note bag yeah i do all right well get on with it already. All right. The freaking Phillies were looking into. Wow.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I meant to bring this up. Not great. Jack. Well, not while me and you are obsessing about. Oh, are they going to trade for Nolan?

Oh, are they going to trade for Chris Bryant? This freaking team's like, well, what about Pablo Sandoval? Not great. Really? Really? Not the type of news you want to hear when you're hoping for Chris Bryant. I mean, it does hurt that Pablo Sandoval had a higher F4 than Hoskins last year, but. Who didn't, Jack?

Who didn't? Let's not let that get in the way that Pablo Sandoval is cooked. Like super cooked. The Hall of Famers were announced. Congrats to Derek Jeter. Congrats to Larry Walker. Nothing made you more happy than Derek Jeter not being unanimous. Oh, my God.

Let's talk about this for a second. I was cackling that Derek Jeter was not a unanimous hall of famer and shout out to the voters for finally recognizing that derrick jeter never won an mvp and the fact that a guy who has never won an mvp should have been unanimous in the eyes of a lot of people is downright embarrassing it's actually it'll end up being a great stump someone question years later when you say Derek Jeter and Larry Walker went into the Hall of Fame together. Who had more MVPs? It's Larry Walker because he won one.

Yeah, you're darn right. So, and at least with Mariano Rivera, you could very clearly say he was the best closer of all time. Best ever at his position of all time. Exactly. Right. Jeter was not.

Yeah. Um, he wasn't even the best, he wasn't even the best shortstop on his team post 2004. Um, that is not, not true. So it was a glorious day when he did not get, um, full. I love your pettiness. I love that you can actually get joy out of the fact that he was the second highest vote total in the history of the Hall of Fame. Like, that's like a real win for you.

It was. I was so happy. What a life. I love that. Listen, I have my things and I stick to them. I know it. This is going to be the year for Pavetta. What else you got?

What else you got here, Frenzy? It does seem like that Schilling's probably going to get in next year. Yes. If we're talking about former Phillies. Which he should. The fact that he's an asshat. You know, the Hall ofer is Ty Cobbs There's already a bunch of asshats in there You've got to keep it on the field

And I hate Curt Schilling Flat out I think he's a Disgusting human being Flat out that's just how I feel about the guy It's not even his politics I just think he's not the dead I don't get into that But I think I just think he's You know Not that that You know whatever

I don't get into that But I think I hate him He's a hall of famer Like it just is what it is If Twitter never existed Kurt Schilling's probably At least a second ballot

Oh yeah I mean he's a hall of famer Like it just It is what it is It's like It's It is what it is I saw what I saw with my eyes

You know It is What it is So Or as Joe Pesci said, it's what it is. It is. Yeah, sure. Whatever that's from.

You saw The Irishman, didn't you? Yeah, but I barely paid attention to The Irishman. You are the worst. The Irishman's a really good movie. The only movies I pay attention to are Hitch. I love Hitch. You always go to Hitch. Is that the only movie you like?

I feel like it's the only movie you've ever mentioned you like. Which is funny. I really like Hitch. I think Hitch is a super underrated funny movie, but like, that is your go-to great movie

every time movies come out. It's a really strange thing. It makes me happy. You might be the only person whose favorite movie is Hitch. And I like Hitch. Well, no. Sandlot, The Departed, Hitch. you might be the only person whose favorite movie is hitch and i like hitch well no sandlot the departed um what a weird group of movies and i love you man i love you man it's my favorite movie of all time you are such a strange dude i love you but that was that's i love you man

but that's weird i just i just like those movies i just uh whatever i don't care i love it i honestly honestly everyone that tells me a movie's good i automatically watch and figure out a way to hate i know i saw a really good movie the other day peanut butter falcon fantastic movie sounds it's it's a real crowd blazer it's a real it'll put if you're not smiling there's something wrong with you when you watch this movie it's a really it's a real it'll play if you're not smiling uh there's something wrong with you when you watch this movie it's a really it's a really nice movie it's a delight i would say it's a delightful movie how about that that's how i feel about the end of high hopes by guests because it's over that's kind of messed up no just if you're not smiling at the end

boom that then me and you did not do our jobs. I thought you were talking about during it. I was like, well, I smile during it. I guess you don't. Ouch. The Phillies over-under was set at 84.5. And let me be the first to tell you that I am going to put our mortgage on the Phillies over of 84.5. I would say that there is no chance they go under 84.

Wow. So it's funny. And, well, as it gets closer, really hammering down. But the number that stuck out in my head before the over-under came out of where I would set it was 85-86. So maybe I guess 85 and a half. So I would clearly be taking the over, and I could see it going higher than that. I like that you're super confident. So that's good.

Whereas last year I felt like the over-under was too high. After the Harper signing, this year I feel like it's too low. Yeah, I agree. I think it should have been right around 85-86. I think you're getting some games there. I was about to say points. I'm so used to talking about football.

If you could please figure out what podcast you're on, and if you could please just say to the people of this podcast that no one listens to the Go Birds podcast. Aww. They only listen to High Hopes. You don't have to put one down for another, you know? The point is, the High Hopes is the only Phillies podcast.

Yes. That's really the main thing. And I love High Hopes. You know that's really the, if you ever, if you ever mentioned, you know that if you ever, if you ever mentioned points again, just go stick to the go birds pod. And my final,

my final, final point is James. Is there anything you'd like to say to the IO listeners? Oh no. What am I being set up for what did i do well what did i do well what what am i being set up for here let's go inside our job oh god this is gonna i don't even know what the is coming here good it was last fr, and Jutta Cameron was down at Fantasy Camp in Clearwater, Florida. Yes.

And you got an audio recording from someone that you said was Larry. Oh, yeah, and it was Larry Bowe. I was trying to do a lot of things at once, and I wasn't thinking. You don't have to get me going. You just love to call me out for everything. you don't have to give me you're on you just love to call me out for everything i would just like for you to apologize to everyone in the podcast listening community for mistaking larry anderson for larry boa yes it was audio and i wasn't thinking and i heard larry anderson said to me in my head the lar Larry Boa said to me before I got it. So, all right.

I would just like the record to show that within five seconds of the clip, I said that's Larry Boa. You did. James said, no, it's not. I said, yes, it is. And then James, for the first time in his life, said I was right. Listen, I stopped because I said, no, it's not, because I wasn't even listening to it.

I was doing something else as the clip was playing. And I'm like, no, it's not. And then you're like, yes, it is. because I wasn't even listening and I was doing something else as the clip was playing and I'm like no it's not and then you're like yes it is and I stop and I listen and I'm like oh maybe it is whoops my bad you're right I'm wrong I was wrong

oh man good times good times shout out to neighbor Dan who I saw the other day nice to see neighbor Dan. You got anything else? Can I go to bed after I stay up and edit this? Well, I mean, you'll edit

I'll edit and you post. I do appreciate that. Jack and I split up the duties. We help each other out. I do one part, he does the other. And the Mickey Moniac tidbit that I heard was that he has bulked up.

And I already mentioned that his swing looks different. I can't tell which I'm more in on, the Pavetta breakout or the Moniac breakout. I will decide, but I'm very in on both. For Moniac's sake, let's hope it's the Pavetta breakout or the Moniak breakout. I will decide, but I'm very in on both. For Moniak's sake, let's hope it's the Pavetta breakout. I know. I'm so sorry. Friend of the pod.

Let's look out for the guy. I've heard great things. He was great. We had a lot of fun with us. I think for all involved, maybe just double down on poor Nick. So you want to be honest? Can we be honest with Ohio Uplift? When aren't we, Jack?

When aren't we? So Moniak still follows me on Twitter, and I'm so nervous to tweet about Mickey because I'm worried that he's going to be like, can you not ruin me? I love that you think that he's, like, locked in on you and that what you do has a major impact on what he does. He hangs on my every word, just like you do.

Yeah. All right. You got anything else? I do not. Wow. This is fun. I enjoyed this. Wow! This is fun. I enjoyed this. Honestly, my last thing. Actually, I got two last things. Are you kidding me?

I log on Instagram every day waiting for new Pavetta mechanics. Oh, that is not a thing. You didn't need to say that. And I watched a three-hour History of the Phillies last Saturday. Oh, my God.

What are you doing with your life, Jack? Man, Jill's in Florida. Nothing else to do. Oh, man. I don't even. Oh, my God. All right. It's been real.

Oh. You done now, officially? He's Fred, I'm Seltzer. See you later. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names

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