High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Phillies Finally Linked to Kris Bryant and the Phillies Have 69 Players On Their Roster

Episode Date: February 7, 2020

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back as we are 5 days away from pitchers and catchers. The Phillies are finally linked to Bryant and they have a ton of guys on their roster. 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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You know what's great about ambition? You can't see it. Some things look ambitious, but looks can be deceiving. For example, a runner could be training for a marathon, or they could be late for the bus. You never know. Ambition is on the inside, so that goal to be the ultimate soccer parent?

Keep chasing it. Drive your ambition. Mitsubishi Motors. 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 Hopes Podcast. Jack, at least we're not the Sixers. Some would say that the Phillies were the Sixers before the Sixers. Coming off the Sixers, getting blown out by the Bucs tonight. It's a nice show over there. But luckily. Here's the thing. Here's the thing. What are we days five days from baseball that's that's all that matters that's the point i'm so out on the sixers

because you know what don't care because you know what who cares because the phillies are about to play baseball again it's really like i'm feeling the Jack. We talked about this last time. I started to get a little, like, I'm there, man. I'm ready. Let's roll. I saw pictures of Pavetta throwing a bullpen today. I love how you go right there. I love how I talk excitement, and it's right there. It's good.

Well, listen, and you know what sucked? That was a good sigh. That was a good sigh right there.'s good well listen if as soon and you know what suck that was that was a good side that was it that was a good side right there what was it sunday it was like 60 out and like you can just tell you can just tell when baseball's in the weather like you can just the the grass is like kind of dead but kind of turning green at the same time it's all like it's a little muddy but that is spring baseball in philadelphia that's that's the that's what i grew up on that's what i played it growing up that's where that is that's where that's just the foundation of my life is that feeling right there and we're so close we're five days away and you know what the sad but but thing

i promised i wasn't going to do was i wasn't gonna do all these bowl predictions i wasn't gonna do these breakouts i wasn't i wasn't gonna talk myself no every aspect of this team but as we get closer baby let's go as we get closer and closer and closer like i just keep saying i just keep saying myself like oh these bullpen acquisitions they're gonna find at least two guys i don't know why people are freaking out about the starting rotation um like at least 30 at least 30 home runs yeah it's like i love how you're i love how you're acting like it's now that that spring training is i love how you're acting like it's now that that that spring training is about to start you're there you've been there all off season my friend no i haven't i have tried i have tried my dammest to not talk myself into aspects of this

team that i know are like but i just honestly i can't see sagor being as bad as he was last year i can't see hossins being as bad as he was year. I can't see Haasens being as bad as he was last year. I can't see like Kingery being as bad as he was in the second half of that. Like, I just can't see these things. I know. I get it. But like, I just thought of a great nickname for you. Jackie.

What? Jackie O. Just like. Jackie what? Jackie O. The first lady aka Jackie optimistic is Jackie O is Jackie O a first lady oh dude are we are we really going there you don't know Jackie O is are you serious right now is this a real thing is dude are you serious jackie onassis jackie kennedy really

is this a real thing that is happening on this podcast right now why why did you say jackie kennedy jackie oh my god there's so many other first ladies why is she the first first lady i love you jackie oh i don't get let's go there's some there's so many first ladies why is she the first first lady? I love you. Jackie O. I don't get it. Let's go. There's so many first ladies. Why is she the first first lady? It makes the nickname. No, I'm not. She's Jackie O, man.

I see a lot of holes in your argument, honestly. I think you're showing your age here. High Hopes Nation, please let Jack know who Jackie O is. Other than you. Jackie Optimistic. I like it. No. Jackie Optimistic. I like it. No, no, no. I think what everyone here is realizing that I'm solely focused on baseball and don't care

about anything else. I think everyone else is realizing, wow, Jack's pretty young. I think that's the big takeaway right there. Dude, I didn't know who Bobby Brown was married to the other day. What? Yeah, I didn't know who. You didn't know who Bobby Brown was? Is that the idea?

You never knew that he was Whitney's husband? That was not a thing? That and, yeah, didn't know who he was married to. Wow. Well, you realize she's dead, right? So not married to her anymore. Right. I am aware of that.

Are you, though? Were you until I just said it? I am aware of that. Are you, though? Were you until I just said it? May have taken me a little bit too long. We are off to a start right now, and I am digging it. I am loving where we're at right now. Listen, don't question anything of me before, like, 1993.

I think you're being a little generous there. I'm just going gonna stay in the 2000s just to be safe that's a good idea that's a good idea all right let's dive into it shout out to jackie oh she's beautiful by the way jack check her out um all right jackie oh um now i'm talking to you not jackie and ass is jack jackie optimistic um are you speaking of which are you still last time we talked i was very much on the i am not optimistic that chris bryant is going to be a philly before the season starts you were far far far more optimistic than i was um it's starting to become a a thing that that chris bryant on the block all that stuff they have not said they're going to trade him they have alluded to the fact they're happy to hang on to him until the deadline all that stuff. They have not said that they're going to trade him. They have alluded to the fact that they're happy to hang on to him

until the deadline, all that stuff. Are you still as optimistic last time we talked last week that Chris Bryant will, A, get moved, period, and that, B, the Phillies are one of the most likely, if not most likely, teams to land him? Yeah, I'm not sure he's going to get moved. They don't seem as desperate as it seemed like they were going to be heading into free agency.

So, like, I don't know. If I was them and I saw what the Dodgers just had to give up to get Mookie Betts, who is better than Chris Bryant. What, nothing? Is that what you're saying? Like, give him nothing? Like, unbeaten? Now, Alex Verdugo's a nice player.

The interesting thing, the bets trade, and I'm sure they're going to iron it out, but right now in peril, I suppose. Brewster Gratterall, not passing the physical. Brewster Gratterall's a really good pitching prospect, too. Yes. Like, legit. Like, Brewster Gratterall. A-plus name, first and foremost.

Brewster Gratterall is an A-plus-plus name. He's really good. Like, a legit pitching prospect. So, you're right. They didn't get nothing back. But considering it's Mookie Betts, even in the last year of a contract, whatever, like, it seemed light to me. It seemed light. I agree with you.

But then you're factoring in the price contract and alex verdugo is really only a year uh like he was a year ago he's considered a top 20 prospect so and he's and he's had success in the majors like he's a good player platoon success but still like a a nice player i mean he hit 300 last year he's a good player he's not the centerpiece of a Mookie Betts trade though like if I had told you Okay we agree I agree I don't think he is either but I'm just saying if I'm the Cubs and I'm seeing that

they were only able to get that for the second best player in baseball a year away from hitting free agency and I would be shocked if Chris Bryant didn't hit free agency and you know right now that there are three teams in one division who need Chris Bryant. I would look to maximize his value. I know that's a crime these days saying that if you're not going to pay a guy, then why not try to win or whatever.

But this is not how these teams operate. So you have to factor that in when you're talking about baseball in 2020 is that these teams are maximizing return on investment rather than trying to win. And I just think that if – I don't think you get Boehm and Kingery with him being a year away from free agency, but I think you can get that right now. I think that they could maximize how much they can get in return

for a guy that's going to leave. So I would try to move Chris Bryant. I would definitely try to move him to only the Phillies and not the Braves or Nationals if I was the Cubs. Yes. So it seems like it's trending in the direction that they're going to keep them. But I think that could also just be them waiting for for a blow me away offer. Yeah. No. And I think, look, they got and I think we all expected it.

So it's not like it's not surprising. But when when they won that grievance, Chris Bryant lost it. That really gave them a lot more leverage. Like it allowed them to keep him until the deadline. It did. I mean, there's a huge difference between trading down someone who's going to be a free agent at the end of the season at the deadline and trading someone who's got a year and a half of control left. Like that's a massive difference and his value increased for them as a result of it. And if you're the Cubs, like I get it. If I were them, I'd probably wait until the deadline too. I mean, you still have a year and a half.

Are you going to get a... You'll get more, but is the haul going to be that much bigger now than it theoretically could be? It might be, depending on how the market shakes out. But there is a much better chance that based on need, based on situation, that you can find someone to pay more for him at the deadline. There just is, right?

I mean, you're getting for a year and a half, and you also know that halfway into the season, look, you obviously want someone for two years as opposed to a year and a half, but in terms of the market and teams bidding against each other, there's probably a better chance that there's a quote-unquote hotter market at the trade deadline when teams are fighting for a playoff spot or fighting for the World Series, and they know where they're at when you have a year and a half left.

Yeah, but I don't know. If I'm the Cubs and I'm at the trade deadline, and the Cubs aren't going to be bad this year, they're going to be pretty good if they keep Chris Bryant. Are they really going to have the... The gumption? Yeah, to make that trade when they see a chance to win a World Series right in front of them.

It's a great question. And on top of that, you're also taking the risk of if it does turn out to be a buyer's market as opposed to a seller's market at the trade deadline. If the Rockies decide, all right, we're out of it, we're trading Arenado at the the deadline or if whatever else happens, like, yeah,

like it's a risk. It's a definitive risk based on how you play, how other teams play, what the market sets up as. But I do think that, that having that, that two years, as opposed to if you waited till the deadline and he's a free agent at the

end of the season, it just, it makes it so much more palatable for, for the Cubs to hang on to him until then is kind of my point. Yeah, and I get that. I just think that if – also, like, I don't know how much the third base market is really going to change between now and the trade deadline.

Also, if you're the Cubs, if you have a sense that, I guess it would be better for them if Arenado gets traded first and then they could kind of just hold the other teams up for ransom. Yeah, big time. So that's one route to go. But it doesn't seem like he's going to get moved, but still I think that if they get an offer they can't refuse, which, I don't know, man. Putting both Bowman and Kingery in a deal should get the Phillies close to a Chris Bryant deal. Well, it should. It almost feels at this point like why would you do that?

Like if you're not – it doesn't seem like the market is hot at the moment. And if you're not bidding against a bunch of teams, like why would you go that far? Like, you know, at this point it feels that way but i'm not letting this get in the way of brian oh we know jack we know he's back because if you think i'm gonna let this team just sit idly by and not try to acquire chris bryant to pair with bryce harper and I don't know about you, James, but when that MLB Network lineup came out the other night. Oh, buddy.

Oh, dude, you think I slept for the next three nights? I mean, imagine going to war every single night, 162, with Kutch, Bryant, Harper, Hoskins, Deedee, Real Muto, whatever the lineup was. Like, whatever you want to make, it doesn't matter. As long as Bryant, Harper, Real Muto, Hoskins, Deedee, Kutch, Segura. That's the best lineup in the NL, and that's how they built the 08 Phillies. I know people are so worried about depleting the farm system and,

oh, we'd love to build the homegrown way. Yeah, of course you want to build the homegrown way, but guess what? Circumstances change and there's only so many generational superstars that hit the market that a big market team should be able to afford. So I don't want to hear the whole like, oh, I'd rather build the homegrown way. Well cool guess what you also signed bryce harper and traded your best pitching product well i think he's actually the second best pitching prospect um for i like that take for jt real and muto so you opened your freaking window you put yourself in a position to to move this thing forward and we've yelled about it all offseason. But for them to just sit by and just be like, ah, well, you know, we'll see what happens is frustrating.

And a Chris Bryant trade changes it all. So High Hopes listeners, last year, James and I, we called on you for a lot. I mean, too much, baby. We love you. a lot. I mean, too much, baby. We love you. Too much. Yeah. We really relied on the High Hopes listeners. And guess what?

We would be lost without you. Let's be real. We would be lost. Oh, we'd be talking to ourselves, which we do. We would definitely do it. I mean, let's be real. We'd be talking to ourselves. And I don't know.

We'd see what happens. But I guess, you know, i'm not familiar with the the church but lent happens every year i'm not familiar you're asking the jew really you're asking the jew about lent i have no idea i know yum kippur happens once a year i fast that's all i got for you jack well. Well, I mean, you're old. Don't you know stuff? As far as my age has taught me, yes. I believe Lent happens every year. Okay.

Well, guess what? Every year we're going to force it to release. Let's do it again, baby. Let's go. Yeah, let's do it again. So, I am once again. I mean, it worked so well the last time. Yeah, it worked well the last time yeah it was worked flawlessly i mean anyone saying oh no creative original ideas i got no comeback but we'll roll with it yeah i swear to

god dude i woke up last time you know why if it ain't broke don't fix it that's our so i i i told you and i told the high ups listeners and everyone that inquired about doing another lent that i said just give me one phillies to there are phillies and bryant rumor and i'm all in and the other morning i want to say wednesday i rolled over at my usual time where i just randomly wake up in the middle of the night the exact same time freaking 4 30 in the morning it is it's so frustrating i get so mad every single time like i wake up in the middle of the night the exact same time freaking 4 30 in the morning it is it is so frustrating i get so mad every single time like i wake up at 4 30 every freaking morning i roll over i'm like again 4 30 so so i roll over this time and what do i see bob nightingale all reliable

never doubted who else could it have been we should have seen that never doubt bob is what we call him here on the high hopes podcast also a friend of the pot to be fair friend of the high hopes podcast bob ninegill correct and a well-known boris guy so he comes out 4 30 in the mornings when i see him getting texts and getting dms like oh it oh, it's time, it's time. And I laid there in bed from 4.30 to about 6.30 just raking my mind trying to think of something else besides Lent. And guess what? I couldn't do it. So we're back.

We're doing lend again and but but the wrinkle that the wrinkle that i came up with is that not only am i giving up beer um because you know you have to give up something that you love in order to get what you love um i guess that's how this works i have also pledged to lose 21 pounds in the chris bryant diet and the reason why it's 21 pounds is because it'll cost $21 million for the Phillies to go over the luxury tax to acquire Chris Bryant. Look at you. That's called synergy, James. And I would just like to think that me losing 21

pounds is the equivalent of $21 million. You have a very high opinion of yourself, but I appreciate it. Someone's got to do it if you don't do it for yourself. So I would just like, we are doing Brian Lent, but also the 21-pound pledge. Is that the word, or is it the Bryant diet? I think the Bryant diet. Bryant diet's way better. I mean, can we be real?

It flows. So that's the challenge that I'm taking down, my personal pledge to John Middleton. Now, a lot of people have said, well, you know, what if it happens within the next week and you're not down 21 pounds in a week? And I say to that person that this is my personal pledge to john middleton so he so no matter what you're saying you're

losing 21 pounds no matter what he steps up to the table and he pays the 21 million i will lose 21 pounds and you're gonna feel like a real asshole when you lose 21 pounds for no reason. It's going to be rough. I ran 20 poles. Losing 21 pounds is not bad anyway. Listen, I need it at this point. But this will be like the time after I won my second high school playoff game. Oh, really? I never lost in high school in the playoffs.

Really? No one has ever heard that. It's good to know. Jackie 2-0. Oh, really? I never lost in high school in the playoffs. Really? No one has ever heard that. That's good to know. Jackie 2-0. And it was a Monday. Our next game was on a Wednesday because we won the first round, obviously. And my coaches made me run 20 poles, which poles are like you run foul pole to foul pole.

And it's like supposed to build your leg strength, even though I got to college and realized that running long distance is not the best way to do it. The best way to do it is explosive movements. So I ran 20 poles, and it was awful, and I couldn't feel my legs, and then we lost the next day, and I feel like I ran 20 poles for absolutely nothing. I will never recover from having to run those 20 poles, and that's how I feel about this 21 pound

diet loss thing that i'm doing wow so you're saying you're going in already regretting it is kind of what you're trying to say right no i'm going i'm going in saying i need to lose the weight i'm not excited about what i have to do to lose the weight. Yeah, I get that. I'm not excited. I will, even though I think we may be, how do they say, going to the well once too often, I will contribute to this, Len, as well. I will give up something I love as well, Jack. Zoe. No, no.

I didn't say something I'm obsessed with, Jack. I will give up something I love, not something I'm obsessed with Jack I will give him something I love Not something I'm obsessed with I will give up my evening ritual I'll sleep with that Your evening ritual? Yeah I'm giving it up

I'll take a month off I'll give it a chance Once the season starts though back in action I'm giving you a few weeks John Middleton don't F it up I'm giving a month I don't know if I can go a month without beer

I'm a little nervous about this month but I'm going to do it I'm giving it I believe in this cause Jack and since we're talking about beer, I feel like it's a pretty good time to bring up the new official brewery. Hey! I'm like, this might be the most exciting thing in the history of the IELTS podcast.

It's up there. It's pretty high on the list, Jack. Talk about just a lot of excitement with the IELTS podcast. It's really exciting. I'm legit excited for this to be on even on your your mount rushmore of high host moments is is saying something so my dad uh open up a brewery open up a brewery two weekends ago yes. Yes. So him and his friend, they open up this brewery. My dad's brewing all the beer.

It's very small, and it's right next to a pizza place, so there's no food. But the pizza place obviously takes care of the food. We're just saying there's not like a kitchen in-house. Very small, good beer, good times. Love it. So the new official brewery of the high hopes podcast is four fingers brewing company solid name it's a great name it's a great name now that i now that i've been there the last weekends and it's doing surprisingly well given the little amount of uh little amount of uh you

know advertising or getting the word out there we've done it's doing well so um if you want give us some follows on twitter at four fingers beer um instagram at four fingers beer and on facebook at four fingers beer um we're hopefully gonna be able to do some high hope stuff there um in the in the future maybe in summer, have some hangout sessions. But, yeah, so if you're in the Aston area and you're in Delco, come on by. We're open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday right by Newman University, 4500 Aston Mills Road. I just became the 24th follower.

I'm pretty stoked. Pretty stoked. Can we – okay, So here's my question. Can we get like a High Hopes beer, like an actual beer for the podcast? What if we call it High Hops? You were ready for this. You saw this coming. You did not come up with that on the vlog.

That is the greatest – Did you really? Seriously? Yeah. Yeah. I'm astounded. I'm stunned. Like i was gonna that might be the greatest thing you've ever done in your life can we get a high hops beer can we make this happen i was gonna say a high hopes ipa but i like high hopes is amazing well it's also amazing it's also, you know, fits in with baseball. Yes.

Oh, it does. The hot part. This is, please. Pretty good work. Papa Fritz. Let's make this happen. Yeah. Okay.

We'll have some high hopes nights, hopefully. Okay. So, Four Fingers Beer. At Four Fingers Beer, I am the 24th follower. If we are not, like, approaching triple digits by, I don't know, next couple days after this pod comes out, I'm going to be a little disappointed. I'm not lying.

Like, slightly disappointed. I'm not asking for much. You know, throw a follow that way. Is that fair? They're free. They're free. It's a free follow. You don't have to pay to follow. follow right i mean right and and look out for the

release of the high hops i'm so excited about this i can't wait um like the high hops beer should this come to fruition might be the greatest achievement of our life. So I'm, I'm really excited about this. So the high, what, what about getting, what about getting Bryce Harper? I mean, that was pretty cool.

And Chris Bryant, right? Um, listen, there's, there's a lot of influence on this podcast. Well, one of us has some influence.

The other of us is just an old guy talking to his buddy. Um, all right. Um, quickly before we move on from Brian, my one thing, and I'm willing to do it, and as we've discussed, I'm ready, but the closer I get to seeing Alec Baum actually play in the major leagues,

and the closer I get to the fact that DH is coming to the National League, the more wistful I get about the idea about Baum leaving. Like, just make me feel a little better. Because I get it. I'm good. It's Chris Bryant. I'm in.

But, like, I'm starting to get a little sad about the idea that we just keep giving Alec Baum away. Like, take him. Let's go. I'm really excited about Alec Baum. And if they don't trade for Chris Bryant, that's going to be something we're pretty pumped about is the idea of Baum coming up and contributing.

Make me feel better about it. While at the same time, getting me excited about Alec Baum. Oh, I can't make you feel better. I actually agree with you. Here's the thing. I would have been heartbroken if they didn't get Bryce Harper. I would have been heartbroken if they didn't get Bryce Harper. I would have been heartbroken if they didn't get Bryce Harper. I won't be heartbroken if they don't get Chris Bryant because I'm with you.

I love Alec Boehm. I love the idea of building a homegrown team and all that stuff. It's just that when there's a chance to get a guy. It's the window thing. It's the window thing. It's the window thing. It is. And you hope that Alec Boehm turns into Chris Bryant. And when you get the chance to get,

and the third base concerns really do worry me. I think eventually he'll be a first baseman slash DH, whatever. But I think that you hope that Alecbaum turns into chris bryant and that you can go get chris bryant he's sitting right in front of you as an mvp in 2016 and like if you look at the beginning of his career if you put his first five years in perspective like only i julio told me tonight there's only been 27 other players in mlb history that have had as good of first five offensive seasons as Chris Bryant. So that's what we're talking about when we're talking about acquiring

Chris Bryant. And he's a light years better defender than Alec Baum. Well, his defense has kind of gone downhill. Oh, he's not a good defender, but that's the point. He's not good, but Alec Baum's so bad. Right. So, Baum, like, listen, I'm with you. I will, I will, we, first off, we need to be at Alec Boehm's debut.

I don't know what our work schedule's going to be, but I need to be, I need to be there for his first home game. Oh, we'll make it happen. I mean, he is, again, friend of the podcast, you know. Friend of the podcast. podcast uh you know friend of the podcast um and and and there's i just hate some sometimes the prospect conversation because it's not it's almost not even worth talking about because there's certain people are like oh well don brown was a prospect dude watch alec bone freaking hit also the different also i hate those people like you're the worst people don't do that just listen the the part of the part the one of the parts about baseball, which there's so many great things about baseball,

is talking yourself into your prospects. And Spencer, I believe that Spencer Howard and Alec Baum are just two different level of prospects. Like people hear me talk about Spencer Howard and they'll be like, oh, well, you also like Pavetta. And I'll say, say dude there's a major difference come on there's a major difference top 30 prospect in baseball like it's I mean like come on like come on do people really say that to you is that a real thing well those people are morons I'm sorry yeah I I don't disagree um but like like there's a difference between guys that throw hard there's between believing a guy that throws hard and has a good spin rate versus a guy that has three legit

pitchers that he can get big league hitters out with right now so yeah no i i again i won't be heartbroken if they don't trade for chris bryant i want them to trade for chris bryant because i think it gives them the best chance to maximize uh realuto, Harper, and the rest of this course. But again, seeing Alec Boehm come up would be incredible. Seeing him turn into a star here in Philadelphia would be incredible. I'm good either way, but again, he's an MVP. I think it's something you have to do if it's presented.

Yeah, and I think the point you made earlier and kind of hit on again is, is the real reason you make that trade is because you have Bryce Harper, because you have JT Romita, because you have this core of guys who you have committed to and whose primes are right now, right now. And especially Harper. Times are right now, right now. And especially Harper. I mean, you've tweeted it out multiple times,

and I've seen it within the last week from you. But just the fact that that quote of Bryce Harper saying, John Middleton will do whatever it takes to win or whatever, I'm paraphrasing, but he's willing to go out and get the guys that we need and all that like it just feels like like you can't lie to that dude like you can't like that can't be bs like bryce harper is 27 years old heading in this season it is his literal prime we are in the heart of bryce harper's prime like just don't waste that man like that's what it comes down to like just don just don't waste that. Like, you don't go and pay Bryce Harper $330 million to build a good team in his 30s. You know?

Like, you don't. You build a team around him now. You go for it. Like, you just have to. Yeah, and, you know, waiting to try to build this correctly and waiting to lose in his 30s, you're wasting the best of Bryce Harper. And I know it's, John, this is directly to John. I know it's going to cost a lot of money.

I get it. It's probably going to cost a contract extension of, what, $780-ish for Chris Bryant? Yeah, somewhere in the $ to 35 million a year range. Yes. But it's just for the first six years of Bryce Harper's career here. So you got to suck it up for a little bit. You got to suck it up.

If you want to be a big boy, you got to be a big boy. Well, especially with like – here's the thing with john middleton like you did this man you're the one who put those expectations out there there are a lot of owners who do not come out and say i'm bringing an effing trophy back i'm willing to do what it takes i want to be the the the big boy the bad boy like you did that you that. This is not us putting it onto you, us projecting onto you and saying, oh, our owner, you know, we're Philadelphia. We're a big market.

You should go out and spend. This is, you said it. You did it. You put this out there. You have to back up your word. You have to man up and back up what you said. I'm sorry, but this is your fault. This is your own doing.

You have put yourself in this position where I'm sorry, man. Like, you gotta back that up. You can't go on with Angel freaking Gattoli, the, like, dean of Philadelphia radio of all time and say, I'm gonna do everything i can to bring the trophy back to philadelphia and then not back those words up with your action like you just can't my favorite part about this whole thing is that like no philly fan philly's fan has forgotten like no one's forgotten anything

that john milton ever said dating datingating back to 2009 when he told Ryan Howard that he wants his trophy back. It's so funny. Poor John. Philly's fans just don't forget anything. Welcome to Philly, John. Welcome to Philly, brother. Last thing on the Bryant thing.

Did you see who he was hitting with today? No, who was it? The intro of this podcast, Bryson Stott. Oh, was he really? Yeah. They were in Vegas together. Oh, buddy. Oh, buddy!

I mean, we could have the all Vegas boys. Oh, my God. We could have Stott. We could have Stott. Harper. Oh, my God. Let's go. Come on. Come on, God. Let's go. Come on.

Come on, John. Dream with me. Dream with all of us, John. And if nothing else, just back up what you said. I'm not asking for much. I'm not asking you to do anything you didn't say you were going to do. That's really what it comes down to. Just do what you said you were going to do.

All right. Quickly, before we get to the roy holiday of it all because i want to get into that but um really the only meaningful move i know i'm sure you have some thoughts on on diolos gara if i'm saying that correctly you're the names guy and of course uh i actually like the anthony swarczak signing um i know it's a minor league contract but i think he'll make the roster. I think Swarczak, look again, we've talked about it with the moves recently with Bud Norris, with Francisco Liriano. Storen, Swarczak to me, a very similar type of move. Though Swarczak has had more recent major league success than a couple of those guys.

Certainly not than Liriano, but more recent than Norris. Certainly more recent than Storen. more recent than Norris, certainly more recent than Storen. I think they're doing, for what it's worth, a nice job of bottom-of-the-barrel hunting with some of these bullpen arms. I'm fine with Anthony Swarczak. Well, it's funny. Basically what they're doing is like, hey, you can go out and try to get your big money,

but when you have no offers, you can come here and you can sign a minor league contract and we will the thing the thing that affiliates present to these guys is that they will give them the opportunity like you can't you can't really get that anywhere else to where you can get an opportunity on a team to the point to the not just an opportunity to the point where you could end up the closer of this team like that's the thing is like every single one of these guys except lariano who's uh uh you know uh the the one guy we have a lot of confidence in in that role that he's going to be in. But whether it's Storm, whether it's Bud Norris, whether it's Anthony Swarczak, all of these guys have closed Major League Baseball games before. They have saves on the record.

They are all guys who, and again, Norris is the closer green in the season. But there is opportunity not just to have a consistent role here here but for that role to turn into something even better if you pitch well so yeah i think it's a unique opportunity for a lot of these guys to be on a contending team and have a meaningful role yeah and i think it's a i think with the bullpen for where we're at right now i think it's a nice a nice mix of we're not just relying on young guys um and we also are kind of having bringing in some guys that are that have done it before i mean swarczak has closed before i mean he closed some games for the mets a couple years ago so um it's a it's a nice mix of not just banking on you know edgar

edgar garcia reaching another level like um like garrett clevenger conor brogdon uh you know olivero like it's not just relying on those guys kind of taking the next step and going into a season just thinking they can get the job done. It's bringing guys who have done it before, and it's kind of – it's a huge number. I mean, I hate the whole – just don't – just promise me you won't say nice after I say there's 69 people on camp right now. It's so annoying. I now. It's so annoying. I promise.

It's so annoying. But there's 69 players in camp. Wait, did you say 69? Nice. Yeah. Hey, you got to say nice after that. But they have all those players in camp. And that level of competition should theoretically only bring the best out of the guys there.

Like, they brought in Logan Forsythe last week, and it's like. I like Logan Forsythe. For what he is, I like Logan Forsythe. That kind of guy. He can mash left hand at pitching. I like specialty guys like that. Like, if you're going to have those guys, like, bring in someone who's really good at one thing.

Like, I'm okay with that. I would have rather kept Brad Miller. But, yeah yeah it's just they have so many dudes and i just i like i like what i feel like this is has gerardi's fingerprints all over it because i feel like gerardi can come into spring training every single day and say hey do you want this job go get it you know i think he's such a good motivator um that when those guys come into camp when there's the young guys hey guy, go steal an older guy's spot. Hey, old guy, prove you still got it.

There's a nice mix that I think the Phillies are going to get the best. We're going to be surprised, I think, by some of the guys, some of the performances we get from the guys that we have. Especially in the pen. the performance that we get from the guys that we have. Especially in the pen. Like, two of these guys, whether it's Liriano and Norris or Norris and Swarczak or Storen and Liriano or whatever it is, two of those guys are going to be meaningful bullpen pieces for this team.

They are. And can I throw my hat in the ring on the guy that I'm loving? Sure, which is funny because I thought you were going to say, can I throw my hat in the ring to be a meaningful bullpen? Or at least it was where I thought you were going, but yes, do something way more, way more reasonable and rational.

Well, I sat, I sadly throw about as hard as Taiwan Walker right now. So, um, which is, I, I apologize for that.

I wish, but I, I'm a, I'm a big Reggie McLean guy. I knew you were. Oh, I, I'm, I'm, I'm a big Reggie McLean guy. I knew you were. I'm big on Reggie McLean. Because the funniest part about Reggie McLean is he had a 1-5-9 ERA against teams last year, not named the Astros, and had like a 20-40 ERA against the Astros.

Yeah. It's interesting. It's not not interesting, I'll tell you that much. Hey, man, he throws hard. I'll take it. I was looking at the rundown today of all the players. I was like, oh, my God, I forgot about Robert Stock. How is that possible, Jack?

I know. I thought you went to bed dreaming of Robert Stock. I know. You had stock in stock, you might say. Yeah, I was buying stock. You were. It's a shame. Let me get some Doulis Guerrera.

Is that how it's said? Is it Doulis? No, I think it's Guerrera. It's definitely Guerrera. Guerrera. It's Guerrera. Doulis, okay. I don't know.

Yeah, I'm not sure. I figured the Guerrera part was right. There's reason to be excited about him. Didn't pitch in the bigs last year, but the fact that he put up a 1.89 ERA in the PCL and struck out 34% of the guys in that league. It's crazy. It's crazy.

I mean, that whole league's on steroids. I mean, just offensively. And it's thin air, small parks. Like, it is the hitter's league. It just is. offensive and it's and it's thin air small parks like it is the hitters league it just is yeah it's it's crazy so for him to put those numbers and um just if you look at the brewers 40 man like it's a good 40 man and they had to waive him so like same thing as as christopher sanchez who i also can't wait to see. Just stealing bottom of 40 mans from smart teams. I'm all about that.

That's market inefficiency stuff. Dude, there's so many guys. Like Christopher Sanchez, I'm going to weep the first time I see him watch. The first time I see him pitch. There's just so many of my dudes on here. I was waiting for the most absurd statement of the bod. Thank you. Thank you for that.

I'm going to, I will be in tears when I see that guy, bitch tears. There's so many guys. There are a lot of guys. I can't wait to see, I can't wait to see the minor swing changes, the minor mechanics.

I love you, Jack. You're the best. you're the best. You're the best. I've honestly, every day I wake up, I check Instagram, and I just wait for the next Nick Pavetta mechanic breakdown I can do. All right. Well, speaking of mechanics,

let's get to the last thing that at least I had on my docket to talk about. I'm sure you have like seven other things in your final thought note bag area. But speaking of mechanics, speaking of perfect mechanics roy holiday the phillies announced this week that they will retire the number 34 for roy holiday you came in at the studio at wip and told it to me and my first reaction was like yeah hall of famer sure and then kind of stopped and and we talked about it was like he's only here three years um he's a blue jay first and foremost where do you come down on this i i started off initially elated with the idea of i love roy holiday like yeah sure cool and then you start to step back and say well i mean if they're gonna do that then that means

they have to do chase right they have to do jimmy they have to do ryan i mean those guys meant way more way more to this franchise than roy holiday did but roy holiday's a hall of famer and those guys probably aren't probably won't be maybe chase gets in maybe jimmy gets in i wouldn't bet on it um where do you come down on holiday getting his number retired by the phillies and then the kind of effect of that moving forward for the phillies and retiring numbers because right now they're all hall of famers uh listen i am not i'm not mad roy hall is gonna get his number retired like i don't think anyone is like let's his number retired. I don't think anyone is. Let's frame it that way.

I don't think anyone is like, screw that. This is an outrage. We all love Doc. We all appreciate everything he did, and I am super happy that no one's going to wear his number again. I'm totally fine with it, but it does raise some interesting hypothetical type of questions. Well, I just think that if you're going to retire Hall how that you have to retire chase uh ryan and and jimmy like you just you have to i know i know

you might but i think if you're gonna i think hamels has to be part of that group too i guess so i i get the hamels thing world series mvp man yeah also the World Series LVP in 2009. Right, but man, he deserved that MVP in 08. And then they had to bring in guys because he wasn't good enough in 10 and 11. Whatever. I understand the Hamels

thing, sure. I'm cool if he does not get his number. I'm cool if he doesn't get his number retired. But, like, the weird part about the Halliday thing, and I get it, but, like, Andrew Knapp wore number 34. I know. I know.

34 has been handed out after Roy Halliday hasn't been here. And 6, 11, 26, 35 have not. So if you want to put in Roy Halladay, I know this is just – it's such a dumb argument, but it's also – it's probably my favorite argument. Honestly, I love talking about retiring numbers. Me too. It's because it's the modern version of –

because we're both annoyed with the Hall of Fame, but it's a modern Hall of Fame argument. If you're going to retire Roy, i think you have to retire those three because those three were all-time all-time all-time phillies and this is like retiring roy holidays is almost like retiring to or jim tell me yeah and and not letting anyone wear that number ever again i really how they want to say young here i threw a perfect game he threw a playoff no hitter one of two ever he had real moments like it's different from tommy for that reason tommy was a great player had a couple good years here but it's different from tommy for that specific reason but i agree with the promise and here's the problem is that is that

all those guys are are worthy of more than just the stupid wall of fame like they're worthy but but going as far as retiring their number is just it's weird to me it's weird to me that it would be weird to me as a phillies fan going to citizens bank park 10 years from now and seeing Halliday's number retired but those three first baseman X wearing number 6 Jack I'm 100% with you I actually think it's kind of draconian that

it's just Hall of Famers I understand and I'm a big standards guy I'm a big don't let people under the Hall of Fame who don't deserve it guy I am all for having a very high standard a high bar for these types of things but at a certain point you have to step back and say all right forgetting whether they're hall of famers or not what did they mean to our franchise what did these people mean to the philadelphia phillies and there are no three or four players whatever you want to say who have meant more to this franchise in the last 50 years 40 years whatever since mike schmidt

retired so 40 years there are no three players since then who have mattered more like period end of story they want us our only title they were the core of the greatest run in the history of the franchise. I'll say that again. The core of the greatest run in the history of this franchise. Like, I don't care whether they're Hall of Famers. Like, their numbers should be retired. It's just what it is. Yeah, and also, if you want to do the whole stupid Hall of Fame thing,

maybe you should develop and draft better players. Yeah, true. And again, also, to be fair, Utley and Rollins have real cases. I don't think either. I actually, I'm one of the few. I would say it's significantly more people think Jimmy deserves it more than Chase. I'm the opposite. I'm more of a peak guy. I'm more interested in the highs than the longevity. I'm the opposite. I'm more of a peak guy. I'm more interested in the highs than

the longevity. I think both matter, but I think Chase Utley's more of a Hall of Famer than Rollins, but I think either of those guys, if they got in someday, I wouldn't be mad about it. They're close enough, especially with some of the people who've gotten in. I mean, look, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley are both way better than Harold Baines. And Harold Baines is a Hall of Famer. So maybe someday it happens, but it shouldn't matter in this case. It just doesn't. They meant so much to this franchise. No one should wear their number again.

I mean, imagine watching another number 11, 26, or 6. It would just be weird. It would be so weird. It would be so weird. So I'm with you. It seems like we're pretty aligned on this. All right, Jack, what else you got? You got anything in the note bag? I would like to say that in seeing the Super Bowl ads

and the cost to make one Super Bowl ad, it would cost less to go over the luxury tax and make us all happy. But that's just me. Right? I think it's not just you. But yeah. That's just me. Think about that.

I mean, it's unbelievable. Again, back to what we said before, but I think it bears repeating. John Middleton came out and told us all that all he cared about was bringing a trophy back to Philly. Those were his words. That's not us saying, oh, we think he wants to win or, oh, I'm sure he wants to win because he's the owner. He told us. He said, I'll do what it takes like i'm sorry dude like we all know what the luxury tax is we all know what it costs you literal pennies like for all intents and purposes like like you just not up man for lack of a better phrase, not up John Middleton. My final thought is a question.

Which is a more under-talked-about slash under-appreciated moment in Philly sports? The Ertz first down in the Super Bowl on fourth and one or the Pedro Feliz single to give the Phillies a lead in game five. I mean, I love that Feliz single. It's the Earth's play. I mean, it's... But no one knows who drove home the winning run in game five of 2008.

Well, I would bet you a lot of people on this pod, listening to this pod, the High Opposition does, because I certainly remember Pete Appie getting that hit. And I do think I think more diehard Phillies fans would remember that than not the thing about the Ertz play is it's the most important play in that football game and we talk about the Phillies special we talk about the Ertz touchdown we talk about the Alshon touchdown we talk about all the things Foles did we talk about this that all the stuff we talk about the Brandon Graham play like the

Brandon Graham play is literally the only play you could argue is as important as that fourth down play. That's it. And nobody talks about it like that. Nobody. We talk about the Earth's touchdown more than we talk about the fourth down. And making it, like, you watch that play again, like, that play should have never happened.

Like, Nick Foles has to be Carson Wentz. Nick Foles has to be someone who can evade a sack and make a huge throw in a big moment. And damn it if he didn't do it. I think that when you and I someday, and obviously me way before you, when you and I are on our deathbed someday, and we're looking back at the history of Philadelphia sports,

I think we're both still going to be like, why don't people talk about that play more? Like, what the hell? Well, that was way too much Foles conversation for this podcast. You okay? Did you cringe a little bit? Honestly, you said like Foles three times. Just talking about the best quarterback in the history of the franchise,

but all good. Disgusting. It's disgusting. It's disgusting that you say that. It's absolutely disgusting. You know, facts. Honestly. Just facts. It's definitely not facts.

I mean. It's definitely not facts. Quick question. Really quick question. How many quarterbacks. You know what? Let's rephrase. How many players in the history of the franchise have won a Super Bowl MVP?

Just a quick question. Listen, man. Just because you like to pander to people doesn't mean I have to be subject to your pandering. What James just did right there is what he does. He is a panderer, and I refuse to pander to people. Yeah, sure. You know what I am? I'm a lover of greatness, Jack, and Nick Foles undeniably showed us greatness in the biggest moments.

And I am a glutton for punishment, and I talk myself into players that likely won't break out. So you can love your players. I only like players that probably aren't good enough. It seems that way. I just like guys who, you know, in titles. I don't know. All right.

Sounds good. I threw you off on my Nick Foles line, which people won't hear because I'll let it out because I know you hate it. But I totally threw you for a loop with that one, huh? I didn't like it. I know. You really didn't. You're so risk-averse, Jack. Risk-averse.

Not risk. I just know there's plenty of families that listen to this podcast. They don't need to be subject to the Nick Foles conversation. All the families out there. I would just take out the whole Nick Foles conversation. All right. We done? Yeah.

It's bedtime, Jack. Yeah, you're darn right it is. It's bedtime, Jack. Yeah, you're darn right it is. It's late, man. We brought it tonight late. So rate and review the podcast. It makes Jack so happy. And it makes me happy when Jack sends me the reviews to let me know. So please, please rate and review the podcast.

It really does. And it helps people find the podcast, which ultimately, if you love iOaps like we love iOaps, like we love you, you want to help people find the podcast. So rate and review it. That's all I got, Jack. Love you, buddy.

That's all I got. It was a good time. All right. We'll talk to you next week. Until then, he's Fritz. I'm Seltzer. We'll talk to you later. week until then he's fritz himself all-star closer kenley jansen we have a question what's the best podcast of all

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