High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Phils Take Care of Business and Pivetta Lights Up AAA

Episode Date: April 29, 2019

The Phils take three of four from the Fish and James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are here to react to it. The guys talk about the series and also talk to Pat McCarthy about Pivetta's big day in AAA.  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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This is the High Hopes Podcast. High hopes. It's a bunch of baseball nerds. Well, without the computers. Talking about the Philadelphia Phillies on Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo! It is another edition of the I Am Spycast. Someone's excited for taking three or four from the Marlins. You called it last time. I figured I'd bring it this time.

Someone's excited for taking three or four from the Marlins. Plus, this is a special episode. We actually have a guest later in the show. We don't really do that here, but something amazing happened, Jack, and we had to find out about it firsthand. Yeah, I mean, something amazing happened, and some are saying that it was the most dominant AAA start that has ever walked the face of the earth. It is just like us to have our first guest of the season. To talk about

a minor league start. That is so on brand with us. Listen, if you told me that on April 29th that we'd be doing an interview about Nick Pavetta's dominant AAA start, I would have said this podcast is not around anymore.

We're like, whoops. We blew it. Yeah. Well, I never really believed in Pavetta. So someone got all mad at me yesterday because I joked around that I never believed in Pavetta. And he was like, yeah, you did. I'll show you the tweets, bro. I was like, come on, man. Can we just laugh for one second? Can I fawn a little bit here?

No, not on Twitter. But the affiliates did take three or four. And I got a question for you, James. So, by the way, Pat McCarthy joining us later on. Let's just finish that out. Yes. I thought we were teasing it. Let's get into it.

Let's get into it. So, I just have one question for you before we can start. Oh, good. I can't wait for this. Who has a better changeup? 08 Hamels or Arya Stark? Like, who has the better changeup? I mean, they would have moved last night.

The answer is obviously Arya Stark. I mean, always, folks. Let's be real. It's clearly Arya Stark. That's all we'll say. That is two elite change-ups. That's all we'll say. Arya Stark brought it.

Yeah. All right. Elite prospect. I think that was the first time I've stood up and cheered at my television screen. Dude, I was like, ho, ho. One of those. Yeah. So that's all we'll say.

I'm going to keep working in Game of Thrones things. I like it. Just to annoy people? That wasn't a spoiler. No, no. we'll say. I'm going to keep working in Game of Thrones things. I like it. Just to annoy people? That wasn't a spoiler. No, no. Now to say, no, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. Just kidding.

Just kidding. All right. Three or four of the Marlins. We weren't feeling great on Thursday night. Three to one loss in 10, but then they did it. All we wanted was three or four, Jack. They somehow did it. They made it happen.

Terrifying. At the end of the 17 straight days of baseball, the last three work out somehow. Let's dive in. Well, they lose the Nola start, which is like, are you kidding me? Who saw that coming? Right. Right? Well, he hasn't been great this year. Let's start. Let's go chronologically. Let's start with Nola. Look, they lost an extra as it happens.

The offense had been struggling for a while. Picked it up a little bit over the weekend, but what were your thoughts on Nola? Because what is it? Goes five and two thirds again? And one earned was it yeah i mean the night of the draft so to be frank i went back and watched some of it but i was working the draft of the link so i didn't get to watch every pitch that we normally do you said he wasn't vintage nola though yeah we went six and two-thirds so he pitched into the six and two-thirds he pitched into the seventh um and listen he he pitched well. He pitched fine.

But when you're playing the Marlins, I need to see a start like I saw from Eflin yesterday, where it's a lot of soft contact. He only struck out four in six and two-thirds, which isn't great. He allowed seven hits against a Marlins lineup. The Phillies' ability to make the Marlins look like a competent major league roster

from an offensive standpoint this weekend was infuriating. They had a 17-hit game. They had 18 hits against us two Saturdays ago. They're batting 224 this season. If you take out those games, they're batting like 200. It's crazy. It's not good, Jack. Brian Anderson is Jeff Conine 2.0.

I am disgusted. I told you, he's a killer. Jorge Alfaro stinks. And he is lighting Conine 2.0. I am just convinced. Disgust this. I told you he's a killer. Jorge Alfaro stinks. Yep. And he is lighting up. Not against the Phillies. Not against the Phillies. If he played against the Phillies, he would be an all-star. Yeah. Like, no doubt about it. We wouldn't have needed to make the JT Romulo trade if he could have just played against the Phillies all the time.

Did the Phillies pitchers not, like, like, pitched to him last year? Did they not watch him bat at all? Like, what are we doing? Just throw sliders out of the zone. He'll swing at it. I'd rather throw him a fastball than he can crush. That sounds better. I think that's a better idea.

It's like they're doing their friend Jorge helping him. Looking out for their buddy. Come on. I love it now. What a great move. The whole weekend was infuriating from that standpoint. Obviously, Eflin kind of shut that down on Sunday. It was good.

And he held up. We'll get to someone else who had a down on Sunday. It was good. But yeah, Nola... And hey, hold up. We'll get to someone else who had a pretty good outing too. Okay. Jared Eikhoff. I know. He's really good. What are we doing here?

But anyway, let's stick with Nola. Nola was fine. Some people, I think, got a little overzealous with how good he was on Thursday. I thought he was fine. He's starting to show some signs of being Aaron Oligan, but I don't think he's nearly back to the guy we saw last year I thought it was just a a perfectly fine didn't quite have his best stuff

yet um performance out of him six and two thirds one run I'll take it but again just not the same guy and that's frustrating because we're starting to get to the point in the season where you start to need to see that guy I'm always I'm a big June 1st guy. I always say when June 1st rolls around, I start to really take stats seriously and numbers seriously and positioning seriously when June 1st rolls around. So is Bellinger going to bat 400? Well, that's what I mean. It's May 1st. We're still a month away from that.

Come June 1st, if he's batting 400, I won't think he's actually going to bat 400. But he could bat 380 at that point. I mean, we start to see where stuff looks real. And again, look, it's only two months into a six-month season. I'm just saying personally, everyone has to have a time where they look at it and say, all right, you can't keep saying, oh, it's only April, it's only May.

Small sample size. You can only say that for so long during a season because realistically, look, one season itself isn't even that big a sample size in terms of these guys' careers and whatnot. What about one AAA start where a guy strikes out 14? We're going to get there, Jack. We had a guest on for it, my friend. We'll get there.

So where are you at with Nolan in terms of moving forward? Are you nervous? Do you think we're going to see the guy that we saw last year? Or is this one of those years where he just never has the same type of stuff? That was already too long a pause. Not good, man. I don't think he's going to get back to... He's not going to be ace Nola.

Yeah, he's going to be the ace, but I certainly don't feel good about him. Soft ace, not a hard ace. Yeah, I certainly don't feel good about Nola starts anymore. They're just fine. There's nothing that's blowing me away. He kind of reminds me of 17-ish Nola, where he's just good. But the tough part about looking at Nola now is that you saw what peak Nola can look like, and now when he pitches like that, you leave the game feeling unfulfilled, basically.

That's kind of where we're at at this point. I think it's a really good way to put it. It's been a very unfulfilling NOLA season. One that I'm just shocked by. And I can't tell if it's a... It's the one thing, Jack. We talked about every eventuality for this team heading into the season

except the NOLA regression. It was the one thing that we were like, oh, we got that. We'll pencil in seven innings. Can't wait to get to the playoffs. Let's roll with Nola regression. It was the one thing that we were like, ah, we got that. We'll pencil in seven innings. Ace, can't wait to get to the playoffs. Let's roll with Nola. That was the one thing that we did not see coming even a little bit. I know, and I feel really good about the starting staff right now.

When the Phillies roll out whoever they're pitching right now, I just feel confident that guys can get the job done, whether it's Vinny, Jared, Arrieta, Eflin, and Nola is the one where I'm like, come on, man. Imagine if they get Nola going. You're changing the level of this team from a good team to a great team because right now they don't have their ace.

Their ace isn't being their ace, and on Thursday, it was just a fine Nola performance. I'm not going to go say he's back. I left feeling I need more. All right, let's move on to Friday. Didn't need more from Jared Eikhoff. That dude did it, man. Yeah.

Seven shutout. First win since August of 2017. Crazy. Shout out to Jared. Like, just outside of the baseball thing, that dude worked his ass off to come back. And he looks good, Jack jack we talked about in colorado ran into trouble in the sixth inning but that curve has some bite to it man that's a real major league pitch right there yeah and uh he was saying that he was saying before the game that

he thought his curveball was really really good in colorado and he was like if i'm getting that movement in colorado that's what i said on the show. I'm like, if his ball's moving like that in Colorado, that's such a good sign. Yeah, and it was moving again on Friday. And the thing that we've talked about, Jared, and the way we've handled him is like, Jared Eikhoff, when Jared Eikhoff is Jared Eikhoff, he is seven innings, less than two runs,

six Ks, efficient. And that's what he was. He was efficient, pounding the strike zone. And I think at one point he threw 75 pitches and 51 were strikes. I think he only threw, what, like 86 pitches in seven innings, seven shutout innings. And he was just efficient, soft contact all over the place. And when he's working well is when his pitches work off of his fastballs.

He threw a lot of curveballs. But that's good. That's good for him. It's his best pitch. Yeah. This starting staff, I think at this point, they're more worried about soft contact than strikeouts, which is interesting. It's fascinating.

Every one of their guys right now, when they're going right, is soft contact ground ball guys. Even Nola. Arrieta, when he's going great, a soft contact ground ball guys. Even Nola. Arrieta, when he's going great, a lot of ground balls with his changeup and sinker. When Eikhoff's going great, it's soft contact. Yeah, but it's soft contact off his fastball because his curveball's been so good. Vinny Velo, it's fastballs early,

so guys swing at it, and a lot of fastballs pounding the zone that way, and Eflin's the same way. When Eflin's going well, it's because he's not striking out many guys, and he's just generating soft contact which is what we saw yesterday it's like the antithesis of modern

baseball it really is it's crazy it's very it's the opposite of what we've learned because the Philly staff is not racking up the strikeouts no I don't know if you

noticed but they're not I've noticed they're not really striking anyone out and honestly it's crazy but I don't want them to like if they come at us. And honestly, it's crazy, but I don't want them to. Like, if they come at a...

This is so weird to hear you say this. I know, it's crazy. This is very, very strange. But when they're rolling and they're going right, it's when they're generating that soft contact. And that's what we saw at Eikhoff on Friday, most of the very end of Saturday, and of course, definitely yesterday.

So you feel good about Eikhoff moving forward? Of course, yeah. No, I think Eikhoff's just a solid guy i the phillies have a three four five right now i think of solid guys you have nola who you could hope to get back to ace level nola and arietta who i think is a little bit better than solid um but if three four five like dude if you're five stars giving you seven seven innings three runs or less that's you'll take that every single every single day also bryce harper home run dude i needed it i did too monster shot like second deck i just needed it i felt it in the moment it felt

like a spot where it's like all right bryce is taking one yard right here yeah um and it blew the game wide open i do want to talk about bryce for a second yeah because i'm getting i'm getting um a little worried about his production against Four Seam Fastballs uh oh it's a very specific worry yeah because when I watch him I don't think he can catch up to 95 plus anymore like it's crazy

he's 26 well I know that's the problem I'm not worried about him figuring it out again I hope so I hope so but I'm just saying that

right now his batting average against Four Seam Fastballs is 200 not great like it's it's 200 his 28 games into the season

so i'm not gonna freak out no i i get it his slugging is 356 off of 14 fastballs in a day and age in which 14 fastballs are getting smoked we've talked about this a lot um and his his uh his whiff percentage on 14 fastballs is 17 it's a lot it's not great for 14 fastballs is 17%. It's a lot. It's not great. For four-seam fastballs? Yeah, it's not great. That's swinging and missing a lot on four-seam fastballs. So it's just, I need to see him start figuring out against four-seamers because he hit the slider out on Friday, which is fine.

But in order for him to be really peak Bryce Harper, it's smoking four-seam fastballs because that's what he did back in 15 and 17 was just smoking 14 fastballs and he hasn't really been able to do it this year like I feel like guys are able to get what do you think that is I mean it's the lack of you know

he's still getting spring training that was my first thought when you suggested it was that was my first thought but here's my training kind of a of spring training. My first thought when you suggested it was that was my first thought. But here's my problem. Spring training, kind of a shortened spring training gets in, doesn't really get all the work any needs. That was my first thought. Here's my problem with the four-seam fastball thing is that when it gets down to the nitty-gritty and it gets down to the playoffs

and it gets down to big moments. And power pitchers. Power pitchers are pitching in big moments and big spots. No question. And right now I trust Reese in those moments more than I trust Bryce Harper because I think Reese can turn around 95-plus. And I don't know if Bryce Harper right now can do it. Now, I think if Bryce was smart, he'd try to start going the other way with 95-plus.

I think he's trying to pull 95-plus, and he can't see it as well. He's pulling his head off of it. Whereas, if he wants to hit a slider 400 feet to right field, it's fine. But I think for him, when he's going right, he needs to see the foreseeing fastball all the way in and just think go opposite field i think that i think that's a better plan for okay and i'm again i'm not as worried as you are about it but it is worth noting it's an interesting nugget all right let's move on to saturday gene sagura returns and he gets hit in the head scary moment luckily he was back on sunday we'll get to sagura in a minute uh look saturday was a frustrating game. Luckily, they pull it out.

Reeves with the big homer late, but you're up 10-1, Jack. 10-1, and it's 10-9 by the ninth inning. How did you feel about Arrieta in that spot, kind of cruising for four innings, then all of a sudden just falls apart? Well, believe it or not, I did produce that game,

and I wasn't scared i was i was so mad like it was it was in it was watching them blow that was like are you freaking kidding me i was when it was 10-9 i was i was not because you felt at 10-9 you felt like oh they're gonna lose this like they're gonna lose they were gonna be up 10-1 and they're going to lose. That's what's going to happen. Jose Alvarez never made a 10-2 game feel closer than possible. Like, he made a 10-2 game feel like it was close. Yes. That's how bad I feel about Jose Alvarez at this point. Yeah.

Well, he's red. I mean, we talked about this last time. It feels like when they put Jose Alvarez in the game, it's like conceding. They're saying, here you go. Dude, they put him in. Here's some runs. Last series, they put him in when they were down Alvarez in the game, it's like conceding. They're saying, here you go. Dude, they put him in. Here's some runs. Last series, they put him in when they were down by one in the eighth inning. It's like, well, what are we doing here?

Are we just throwing in the towel? Yeah, I mean, thank God they won. But I thought Arrieta was mostly fine. It was good that, honestly, sounds bad. It was kind of rooting for a bad moment for him, just so we could get him back in line with the whole wow

just knock him down a package yeah like oh look at this guy I wanted to see it you wanted to be too high

on his horse there yeah yeah yeah like he's pitching he's pitching semi decently and he's like gonna start calling out his teammates so it was

wow it was nice of him to come back down to earth a little bit Jack Fritch was rooting against the Phillies I was not rooting against how about that

man that's too far. It's dark. His line looks way worse than it was because Alvarez came in. Five earned runs, that was really two. Jose Alvarez technically didn't allow a run. I know.

Shut out baseball for Jose Alvarez, Jack. Come on. I know what you're talking about. Never doubt Jose Alvarez. Shut out baseball. But yeah, I thought he was mostly fine. I'm not going to freak out about Marriott, I think. He's been too good so far this year to freak out.

I still thought... When you have 10-1, sometimes you just don't have that same bite to it. You know what I mean? And I didn't notice anything mechanically. When I was watching his mechanics, he was still getting through the ball, getting through his rotation and all that stuff. I thought he was fine. I didn't think it was a great Arrieta performance.

Obviously, it wasn't. His command obviously went there in the fifth, but it's fine. I'm not was fine. I didn't think it was a great Arietta performance. Obviously, it wasn't. His command obviously went there in the fifth, but it's fine. I'm not too worried about it. It was in the sixth. It was nice to see the offense finally put some runs up against a good pitcher. Trevor Richards, a good pitcher. Pretty good. I have a question too about the Segura thing coming up later.

I want to ask you, Mr. Unwritten Rules guy, a question because I do have something I've always wondered, but we'll get to that later. Anything else from Saturday? They awoke the sleeping giant that is Curtis Granderson. He had three hits. How could you let the 150 hitter Curtis Granderson? He's got to be close to 40.

He's certainly getting there. Yes, the girl got hit, what, Saturday? Hitting that on Saturday. Terrifying moment. Totally okay. Comes back on Sunday, has the three. Here's a stat I heard today, which is almost hard to believe. In the 18 games Gene Segura has been in the lineup,

they average over six runs per game. In the 10 games he hasn't, they average just over two runs per game. It's almost hard to believe. They had averaged 2.8 runs before he came out. I mean, that's outrageous. I mean, Gene Segar for MVP, Jack. I mean, those are MVP numbers right there, my friend. I mean, he is just so

important to what they do on offense. He really is, though. I'm being somewhat facetious here, obviously, but I do think that when he was out, you saw the difference it made. Yeah, because it just pushes everyone down the lineup. And you have Segar in the two-hole that can poke the ball the other way. He does everything

you want. We've talked about this. Whether it's move runners over, whether it's you need a hit and run, whether it's what... He can do everything a two-hitter needs to do. Yeah, and it lets McCutcheon go first, third if he needs to if he gets on base. If McCutcheon gets out, then Segura can just focus on getting a hit. And then it... I didn't

love Real Muto in the two-hole. I thought he was fine at it, and I thought that if he needed to do it in a pinch, he would and be fine. But it puts Real Muto in the five-hole. That gives way better protection for Reese and lets him just attack the ball. And then even you put Nick Williams in the six-hole.

I love that move. Just in general, from Friday to then what they did on Saturday and Sunday with McCutcheon in center and Nick Williams there, I thought that was a very necessary move. Aaron Altair, I'm sorry. That dude, he stinks. I mean, he might be the worst hitter on the team, which is saying something, because Andrew Knapp's on this team.

And Roman Quinn, obviously, it's a shame. It is what it is. It is what it is. Made a glass. But obviously, they need Odubel back. But I think when Odubel's out, I think you sacrifice the defense and you put McCutcheon in center and Williams in left, and that's a much better lineup.

Yeah. Oh, the one thing that happened. Matt Homer, Williams, that was a beast home run. That was one of those just keeps going. It's like, oh, it's a double. It's like, no, it's way out of here. Yeah, but you want to know the dumb thing about the Williams home run was that it was projected, its distance was supposedly

further than Bryce's on StatGast. Which is ridiculous. It was not further than Bryce Harper's. Bryce Harper's has hit the Bucks count. But it was a laser. It was a laser. Listen, I think Nick Williams is talented and I think he has a lot of pop and this is my pitch to trade him to the San Francisco Giants for Will Smith. Give me Will Smith!

If Farhan Zahidi is listening to the podcast, he smokes the ball every single time he's up. Now, I do like McCutcheon in center field. He made a nice diving catch. He did. That was a nice catch. But he also nearly cost him the game. That's why I'm saying I'm giving up defense in center field

just to get Williams bad in the lineup. I'd rather do that, personally. And look, I think this offense has shown it's needed it at times. This offense has shown it prevents you to get very cold over the last few weeks, as we've seen. Horrible. Horrible. And Williams has made a couple nice plays in the field. He's been fine.

Like, he's a fine fielder. He threw out the guy on Friday night. That way, actually, I mean, they lost the game. It was Thursday night, right? That was a great throw. It was. I mean, it saved the game for a little bit. They ended up losing, but it saved the game for a while there.

Let me just say, I did not expect that. No, me neither. I was like, what? Where did that arm come from? Yeah, no, I just did not see that one coming. Yeah, that game. Tell me that game you weren't like, they're going to lose this. I thought they were going to lose.

When it was 10-9, I was like, it's over. Yeah. I was like, they're going to lose. They were 10-1. No way they win this game. And then what happens? Oh, Reese hits another clutch home run because all that dude does is hit clutch home. Do you ever remember a player, and I know the numbers are out there, but do you ever

remember a player we've had who just seems to, all his home runs seem to matter? Like, it's not just the 10-0. Oh, now it's 11-0. It feels like every home run the guy hits is a meaningful home run in a game, you know? Yeah, I mean, Rollins had a lot of meaningful hits. Not home runs, I would say. I'm just talking pure home runs. I'm talking about Reese Hoskins' home runs almost always late in the game or to put him ahead or whatever it is.

It's unbelievable. I mean, the stats of him. The stats, I know. They're crazy. They're crazy. And I think Reese Hoskins, his start has almost been a bit underrated. It has. He's got, what, eight homers, 20-something RBI.

He's the second most April home runs in team history behind Pat Burrell. No one's talking about that. Yeah, no He's got, what, eight homers, 20-something RBI. He's the second most April home runs in team history behind Pat Burrell. No one's talking about that. No one's talking about that. He's on pace for 120 RBIs. He's on pace for 40-plus home runs.

And he has a 400 OBP. That's pretty good, Jack. Now, he's horrible on the field. Horrendous. I'm still reeling from the last pod when you told me his number of hands lefties.

Isn't that crazy? I'm still reeling from it. It's totally changed the way I is lefties. Isn't that crazy? I'm still reeling from it. It's totally changed the way I look at him. I can't believe it. As someone who owns him on two fantasy teams, now I'm looking at matchups and being like, oh, a lefty on there. Should I sit Reese today?

What am I doing? What am I doing? I know. And I can't remember a bomb he's hit off of a lefty. Really, of all the things we talked about on the show, that one has really stuck with me. Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy.

But I agree with you. I think people are not talking about how good he's been and how huge he's been, how important he's been for this team so far. Agreed. Obviously, offensively only. And I would like to say this. I just want to get it out there for you mostly. What are you going to tell me? I'm old now or something?

No. Okay. I like Sean Rodriguez more than Phil Gosselin. Yes. He's good. Welcome to the club, my friend, he's good right He's feisty, he's got a little fire to him And he's a really good clubhouse guy

He has no problem going up and telling someone when they're doing stuff wrong I think a young team A team that's trying to compete for the first time Needs accountability like that He's been around the block And he smokes lefties He does smoke lefties, and again he plays hard And when I watch him in the field It it's like this guy can play defense.

He knows where he's supposed to be. He might not be the best shortstop you've ever seen, but he knows where he's supposed to be. He's in the right place. He can turn a double play. All those types of things that, you know, look, Phil's not a shortstop. It's not his fault, but he shouldn't be playing shortstop. Rodriguez is much better there.

And it looks like, you know, Kingery, I would guess, still a couple weeks at best away, which is frustrating. Yeah, I mean, it looked like a real legit hamstring pull yeah it one of those like and those things linger yeah which is a good segue to talk about cesar did the man forget out of like defense and look we i think you and i are false you are yeah you and i are aligned in the fact that i think that people underrate his offense now he's been a really good offensive player for the last few weeks, batting like 360 or something over the last few weeks, whatever it is, two weeks. He's been really good, but Jack, Cesar Knobloch out there, what is happening?

I mean, it's got to be a mental thing, right? I heard a couple people on the Midday Show today mention the classic don't hit the ball to me, don't hit the ball to me, don't hit the ball to me guy. It seems like he's out there just being like, don't hit it to me, please, because I'm going to screw it up. Yeah, it's crazy. I still think he, I think once one mistake happens, it kind of all Snowballs on him.

Yeah, it turns like an avalanche for him. I think that's where Oh, that's very Markel Fultz. Yeah, but I do think a lot of his problems have come from the fact that the Phillies told him to bulk up over the offseason. And in bulking up, it has caused him to lose a lot of his flexibility. And he can't. He's not as quick. He's not as quick to the ball.

Which is you've noticed even running like he doesn't beat out grounders to first base anymore. He's ripped. It's unbelievable. I feel like he's been thrown out on a close play at first. That would have been an infield single for 90% of guys like five times already this year. I feel like it happens all the time. Yeah, and he has no range going to the middle. Yes.

The play yesterday was, it was like, I'm not usually the bench him guy, but you're going to your right. Segura, it's like clearly a short stops ball to turn and fire to first base. And he cuts off Segura. It was unbelievable. It was like you didn't know how to play baseball in that moment yeah that's the thing like people complain about a double's lack of like a defensive prowess or whatever and this is like this is like mental breakdown yes it's crazy again the play in the mets game he doesn't put his glove on the ground jack you've played baseball your whole life. I mean,

that's like Little League stuff. Like in Little League, if you have a ball hit your way, it goes to your five hole, your coach says, always put your glove on the ground. It can't go past you,

maybe hit you on the body, but always get your glove on the ground, it can't go onto you. You learned that in Little League, Jack. Little League. He dropped a pop-up.

Yes. He didn't even drop it, he didn't even touch it, Jack. Yeah, he wasn't even close. He wasn't even close to it. I think From a pure baseball standpoint Cutting off the shortstop

Was the worst Was it yes The Colorado base running mistake Was the second Everything else is like Well like It's all bad The Colorado base running mistake

Was just pure stupidity I mean that was pure like Who gets up off the bag If you don't know If you're out or safe If you don't see the umpire Call you out Who gets up off the bag

Yeah I This is all stuff that I would get mad if I were coaching kids on a little league team and they did it, I would get mad at them for it.

Yeah, no, I agree. And I don't want to bury Cesar because he's been a good offensive player, but like, man, you can only live with this stuff for so long. Like, it's just bad.

That is bad. But I'm also not overreacting and putting in Sean Rodriguez at second base. No, but I will say it again. He's incredibly lucky that Scott Kingery got hurt because Scott Kingery would be the starting

second baseman. Even if Kingery's healthy, what are you going to do with Cesar? Well, that's the issue, right? Look, I mean, I'm not saying you start Kingery every single game. You have to get Cesar in there and Kingery could do other stuff. But man, you can't put someone out there. If they keep making these plays, you're going to lose games. Yeah, I just don't think they really have a better alternative at this point.

Honestly, I don't think they have a better alternative. Well, Scott Kingery's a better alternative. You would think. You would think. I think he is as well. He's a better alternative. The point is that you don't have a better alternative to do with Cesar, but you still have to put the best players out there.

Yeah, but Cesar is a very key cog to the offense. Yeah, but if he can't play defense, he can't be out there. Yeah, but Cesar is a very key cog to the offense. Yeah, but if you can't play defense, you can't be out there. Right? I mean... I mean, Reece Hoskins is playing first base. Yeah, but first base is a less important defensive position than second base is. I agree. I agree. And also easier defensively.

Yeah. Yeah. And Reece, at least, he'll catch the ball when they throw it to you. He seems to do that most of the time. That is good. Sometimes. He's only cost him two games so far with not being able to catch the ball when they throw it to you. He seems to do that most of the time. That is good. Sometimes. He's only cost him two games so far with not being able to catch the ball. I'm not trying to say, like, all right, I'll rephrase. Reese Hoskins is a way better offensive player than Cesar. I know he is.

I know he is. I'm just saying that I don't know what they're supposed to do. It's an asset that has value, and if you start Kingery there's no value there whereas Kingery can have other value in other spots. Yeah I mean listen it's a misappropriation of roster resources. If you want to trade Cesar, totally down. It's just who's taking Cesar right now. I mean he's a good player but what are you getting for Cesar

that's going to help him right now. And what rebuilding team is going to take a 28 year old second baseman. Yes. Yeah. And the problem is you could trade him for a B prospect or something like that or C prospect or whatever but what does that really do for you, right? Right. It doesn't do much for you. All right, let's move on to Sunday.

F. Yeah. F! Yeah. Listen, there's a very clear success path for Zach Eflin. Jack texted me during the game yesterday. He's so geeked up. He's like, Eflin's success is so easy.

It's so easy. It's the easiest thing to predict in baseball. Like, when the guy throws his freaking four-seamer, he's good. When he doesn't throw it, he's bad. That's as simple as it can get. That's confusing. Could you explain that a little better, please? So let me just break this down.

When he grips the ball in a four-seam grip, throws it up in the zone either to lefties or righties, left side of the plate, right side of the plate, and he locates it, and everything off of that is now sliders, cutters, curveballs, changeups, which he didn't throw a changeup once yesterday, which is interesting, but when he does that, he's

good. When he's bad is when he starts throwing a slider and cutter a lot more than he has. Yesterday, he threw 54% for his four-seam fastballs the most of the season. 54%! And heballs the most of the season. 54%. And he was 94-95. He even mixed in a little 92 little sinker, I think, down and into righties that generate a lot of soft contact.

I mean, we've said it. Do I think he's Cy Eflin? No. Do I think he's a solid pitcher that can give him six or seven innings, less than two runs? Yes. And he's shown the propensity to throw him six or seven innings less than two runs yes and he's shown the propensity to throw complete games he's thrown two of them before he threw them in 2016 uh do I expect this all the time no but do I think he can be a very very solid major league pitcher yes and and do I do I lose my mind when he gets away from his fastball like

he did against the Marlins yes I lose my lose my mind. But he was good on Sunday. And listen, Chris Young, if you listen to this podcast, if you ever let him not throw more than 45% foreseeing fastballs, you should be fired. There's no doubt about it. This is what makes him good. It's what makes Keith's hitters from squaring him up. It's what makes his off-speed, which is not great, look much better than it actually is.

I only have one issue with that what do you mean if he listens to the podcast right chris he needs to take he's taking notes he's he's taking notes he's taking notes all right jack i know coming up in a few minutes we're gonna look ahead to the week uh coming up i do have uh i have an unwritten rules question I want to ask you, too, as the self-proclaimed leader, go-to king, whatever you want to say, of the unwritten rules. Jackie Unwritten Rules? Jackie Unwritten Rules. I need to enlist Jackie Unwritten Rules for an answer.

All right, and I will unload everything I have in my notes because I have a lot. Oh, good. Yeah. And I got some other notes, too. So all that is coming up. But first. Pat McCarthy.

We teased it. We actually did an interview. Yeah. Because something amazing happened. The most dominant start in AAA history. Something amazing happened. Let's get to it. Here's Pat McCarthy.

And joining us now, we actually have a guest on the podcast, Jack. This is very unlike us. Rarified air. Well, when we do it, it has to be special. It has to be special. It has to be special. It has to be special. It has to be special. Someone has to strike out 14 in the AAA game.

Sure, and we get the opportunity to actually talk to the play-by-play man of the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs, the man who saw it happen, Mr. Pat McCarthy. Pat, what up, brother? Nothing much. I'm on my way up to the stadium now. I appreciate you guys having me on. Well, when Nick Pavetta strikes out 14 guys in a minor league start, I don't think we had a choice on this podcast

here. This is a very big day for one of us. Yeah, I texted James Pat and I said, James, we're having Pat McCarthy on the podcast tomorrow. I don't care. I don't care if you say yes or no. I need to know how Nick looked yesterday. So, Pat, take us through what

some are saying is the most dominant AAA start you've ever seen. Some, yes. One is saying. Well, in a word, he was dominant. He was really, really good. And Jack, I know this will make you very happy. I thought his best pitch was in Skirfall. So we're back, Pat.

That's what you're saying? Pavetta breakout season's back? I mean, we are, it's really,'re saying? We're at the Pivetta breakout season's back? I mean, we are. It's really, really close. If this is the Nick Pivetta that is going to, it's impossible to ask him to strike out 14 every time he goes out there. But, no, he was really, really good yesterday. Yeah, it was definitely a leaps and bounds better start than his first start up in Pawtucket.

So, you know, for him to come out there and you strike out the first six guys and then, you know, you're eight through three innings. You know, the way I described it, and I think I told you, Jack, this, that he was a man amongst boys out there last night. He was really, really good. His fastball was, you know, 96. His curveball was really good. He's working in a split finger.

What? So he's really trying to develop extra pitches. Wait, wait, wait. Pat, Pat, Pat, Pat. You just slid in a split finger, which is literally what I've been craving for since I think I was 16 for Nick Pavetta. Is it like a split changeup? Is it a splitter?

Is he not throwing a changeup anymore? What is happening with the splitter? Because that's the difference between him being Nick Pavetta and being Curt Schilling, in my opinion. Oh, my God. Yeah, I'm not totally sure. I would imagine it's more of a split change. But, yeah, it's something that he's working on.

I think this is the right time to do it. You know, he mixed in his slider here and there. The curveball, like I said, looked really good. So, if he can develop a fourth pitch and he can throw it effectively, I still think he's going to make an impact in Philadelphia. I mean, the way we're seeing the season go is that guys are going to get hurt. You know, NEL's up there right now, whether NEL slides into the starting rotation if somebody happens to go down.

But otherwise, Pavetta's going to be the first guy that's hauled back up there because they want Suarez to get consistent innings. Anderson's been bouncing in and out of the bullpen. So, yeah, Pavetta's still that first option if somebody goes down. So the fact that he's working on a fourth pitch and the fact that his fastball is really good, and if he's locating his curveball, could we see what we saw from Hector Naras or Dubre Ramos,

the guy that comes back and throws really well? Pat, let's get some context here because I'm sharing a studio with someone who is out of his mind right now, Pat. 14 strikeouts. Look, a lot of our listeners don't watch a ton of AAA baseball. Obviously, I know if a guy strikes out 14 in a major league game, what that means. What does it mean in AAA?

How different is the talent level? What did you see from him that made you believe you know that it was uh you know that there was more to it than just a 14 strikeout performance in triple a well in buffalo in terms of a team as some of the best prospects in all of baseball i mean i know vladimir guerrero jr obviously isn't there anymore you know boba shett's, but he was still working on a lineup that had a lot of major league talent in it. And for him, a 96-mile-an-hour fastball that you're locating is going to be effective at any level.

And if you're making him at different speeds, maybe 14 strikeouts to AAA obviously doesn't translate to 14 strikeouts to the big leagues, but it could still translate to eight or nine strikeouts in a game. And the fact of the matter is he's not walking guys. And he's not allowing a lot of

hits, which is what he was doing in the major leagues. So if you're throwing strikes and you're getting guys to chase, you're going to be effective no matter what level you're at. And obviously, the play discipline is a little bit better in the big leagues. But these are still guys that have big league talent. These are still guys that are one step away from the big leagues.

So, no, 14 strikeouts in AAA doesn't mean the same thing as it would in 14 strikeouts in the major leagues, but he was three away from setting an Iron Pigs record. It's the most strikeouts we've seen by an Iron Pigs pitcher over the last two years. So, either way, it was really exciting, and i think if he can go out and he can just build on this start i think we're going to see pivetta continue to transform now he did get tired in the sixth right that's when it kind of started falling apart a little bit he allowed the walk in the single and then you know classic pivetta fashion can't get through the sixth hey he allowed a couple of base runners in the sixth but you know

the temperatures weren't great. It wasn't ideal. That's what we needed to hear. Thank you. I don't mean to keep piling on on this, but it was in the mid-40s. It was raining.

If he's striking out 14 in the mid-40s in rain, what can he do in the big leagues? Pat, trying to do the rest of this podcast with him after we're done with you is going to be impossible. His head is the size of his room right now. I forgive you, Pat. Before we let you go, first of all, follow Pat on Twitter at

PatMcCarthy underscore. But I heard a rumor, Pat. Fan of the show. Fan of the High Heights podcast. It's a beautiful thing, my friend. What's your favorite part about the show? I've got about a 90 mile commute, so it keeps me busy when I'm on my drive up to Coca-Cola Park. Dude,

imagine a 90 mile commute. His commute is 90 miles. That sounds like torture. That sounds bad. That's a long day. It's just one Allentown to the other. Yeah, Allentown. That's a lot of Allentowns. A man can only handle so many Allentowns. Well, luckily you have us to guide you through, or unluckily. Before we let you go, Pat, I have two quick hitters,

because one will appease James and one will appease me. I care about one of these two. Yes, you do. So, Kyle Dowie didn't throw a strike yesterday. I wonder who that one's for. He just didn't throw a strike? He couldn't find the location? You scared him off in a pregame interview.

What's going on with Kyle Dowie? I think it's just going to be jitters. I think it's going to be his first couple of appearances here at AAA. You can see the stuff. It's electric. He's just one of those things where you just couldn't locate his fastball. He couldn't locate his slider yesterday. That's kind of been the knock on Doey through his career,

is just that he has trouble throwing strikes, and when he does, he is unhittable. I talked to Greg Caserta the other day, who is Redding's broadcaster, and he said that he thought Doey had really turned the quarter with his command. This was the day that we were getting him up in Pawtucket. So far, he's struggled with his command, but you can see the stuff's there. So as soon as he starts to consistently throw strikes, there's a reason he's one step away.

I think there's still a lot to be, a lot of improvements with Kyle Dowie, but his ceiling is really, really high. Alright, and final one for you here. There's a catcher in the Major League roster who one of us on this podcast. Absolutely cannot stand.

And that is Andrew Knapp. So tell us about David Gurion and how he needs to be up here immediately. Please, please tell me, Pat. Well, I mean, David, he's been really, really good this year. I saw him a little bit in Reading two years ago, and he was a guy that was really still working defensively, and his offense was there. And he just took off last year.

And everybody knows that at all the minor leagues, that numbers do get inflated in Reading just a little bit. But he has absolutely mashed the baseball here in his first season in AAA. And his defense is really coming along, too. Bring him up. It can't be worse than that. He still really has to work on throwing guys out. Base runners have been successful against him so far.

But offensively, I mean, between him and Rob Brantley, I think the Pigs are probably the best-hitting duo of catchers. In the internationally, you throw Matt McBride in there, too. They've got a pretty good trio. I'll take all three of them. He's been really good. I mean, he hit a ball out the right field the other day,

and you talk to the coaching staff down here, that's the one thing that they're really, really high on with him is just that his opposite field power is there. And two of his home runs

this season have gone to dead center field, so he's hitting it all over the ballpark. Ah, this is music to my ears right here, Pat. Anything we could do to replace Andrew

up on this round. Pat, thank you so much for coming on As I said, you certainly made one of our days That's for sure And I enjoyed it as well Well, I appreciate you guys having me on See you, Pat

Talk to you soon See you, guys That was pretty good stuff, Jack Of course How about that? I had to mix in the nappy question for you Yeah, I appreciated that And Doey season in AAA is not going well.

Not yet. Give it some time. Yeah, he's got to get his feet under him. Nap season in Major League Baseball is not going so well either. Listen, you heard Pat McCarthy. He said it was 40 degrees and raining, okay? Who was supposed to thrive in that kind of situation? No one.

No one, and yet he did. How amazing is that, Jack? Speaking, though, of your calls and stuff, really quickly, I just have to ask you a question. What? It's April 29th. Has Adam Morgan given up a run yet? Adam Morgan has not given up a run yet.

I just want to make sure. Yeah, I know. April 29th. It was my only prediction heading into the season. We're over a month into the season. Yeah. You're Adam Morgan. The guy who everyone was crapping on forever.

Called it. What did I say? Not even you. I'm just talking to the people out there. I love Adam. I always said Adam Morgan was going to be great. What are you talking about? Last week we talked about like Pettibone and those guys.

David Buchanan? Yeah, we forgot to mention Adam Morgan. You're right. I know. You're right. Good point. I know. And now he's Adam freaking Morgan.

He's not even Adam Morgan anymore. He's Adam MF and Morgan. All right. One more before you spill your notes on me and then we do some unwritten stuff. Adam F and Morgan. I like that. Adam MF and Morgan. Where is your trust meter at with Hector Neris the closer?

Another save over the weekend, my friend. Never a doubt. Another save over the weekend. Always easy, Hector Neris. Just lock it in. It's like, done. Get a lead, ninth inning, over. He's the new Mariano Rivera.

God, he's terrifying. He is. If you, he's the roller coaster of relievers. It's like life on a ledge. We used to make those jokes and Lidge was better. Don't get me wrong. Better, way more. I felt way better with Brad Lidge coming in.

But it's that whole, like, it was never easy feel of it. It's never easy with Hector Neris. I know. And that splitter is, it's actually, it's easy with Hector Neres. I know. And that splitter is, it's actually, it's gotten better, I would say. I think the splitter is nasty. It's a nasty pitch, man. It's nasty. Like I said last time, I think it's the best pitch on the team.

Yeah. Yeah, it's a really good pitch. It's definitely up there. He's just a heart attack. Listen, I think he's fine. I'm rooting for Hector. And when he celebrates after they win, like, my heart is full. Oh, I love it.

It makes me so happy. I love it. It makes me so happy. And he gets so happy. And he's such a... He'll always say, well, you know, when my guys go out and pitch so good, I got to finish it off for them and all that. He's like, I like the guy. I know. I'm rooting for Hector Neris.

The guy's just not a ninth inning. He's not a ninth inning option. Not a ninth inning guy. High leverage Hector is a nightmare. I like that. High leverage Hector. That's what I'm going for. No, he's fine. It's just... i would feel much better rich robertson and do you feel nine and eight in the 17 straight game strategy go but that i feel

like that's okay i'm okay yeah the road trip was bad but there's a bad road team um they're a bad road team they are bad roads yeah well then you have to figure that out um but yeah it's fine nine and eight 17 straight. They have two off days this week. They should have a full bullpen against this Tigers team coming in with my boy Turnbull.

I'm excited to watch. You're a big Spencer Turnbull guy? Yeah, he's good. He's no Matt Boyd, but he's okay. Yeah, I watched Turnbull in the spring and I was

like, this guy's good. All I do is watch Matt Boyd now. I love him because I own him. Well, the Phillies are trading for him at the deadline.

I hope so. I just don't know why the Tigers would trade him. Well, because he's 28. He's a late bloomer. They're three years away from competing. Yeah, but you still have him. He's still under service time. I mean, you've got him

for like five years on a cheap deal. Why wouldn't you keep him? I don't get it. He's got three arbitration years left. Does he really have three left? Is that it? I thought it was five. No. Okay. He's got three years left. Well, still. He's a valuable asset is the point. No, I agree. It's just that if you're the Tigers, you're not competing yet. You're trying to get prospects for him.

Yeah, and he's a 28-year-old late bloomer. Like, you know, I don't think it's... I love him. I'm with him. How about... Go get him. Speaking of trade targets, Mike Miner struck out 13 on Saturday. I know.

I saw. Infuriating. Yeah. Well, I don't want to kill him, but like, what was holding that deal back? It's a great question. It felt like it was happening. Might have been your boy, Adam Haisley. What if it was that?

Uh-oh. What if it was that? Uh-oh. What if it was Nick Bavetta? No, it wasn't. We heard about teams trying to trade for Nick Bavetta. Could have been. That would have been sad. All right. Real quick, and then we'll get to the notes and the emerald rules.

Any general thoughts this week? Two off days, which is huge. Off day today, off day Thursday. Thank God. They need it. And then that lets Real Muto play all the time. And they're home all week, which is nice. So the Tigers come to town whenever you hope they can take both from the Tigers. One or two at the worst.

Doesn't seem like they sweep teams. They didn't. Well, they did sweep the Braves in opening weekend. True. Hasn't happened since. And then the Nats coming to town obviously. Hopefully some revenge for the last time. I can't wait to see that Nats bullpen. I just want to take them down. Yeah, but I mean Thursday we'll talk more about the Nats series. Yeah, we'll get into the Nats series. Tigers series, not much to say. Yeah, I can't wait to see that Nats bullpen. I just want to take them down. Yeah, but I mean Thursday we'll talk more

about the Nats series. Yeah, we'll get into the Nats series. Tigers series, not much to say. Yeah, I don't know. Tigers stink. Tigers stink. I know they have a solid record right now. They're a bad baseball team. The Phillies should be able to handle them. Turnbull's an interesting pitcher. I'm excited to watch him. And you get to see your old buddy Tyson Ross in game two. He's a Tiger now.

Did you even know Tyson Ross was a Tiger? Yes, I did. I didn't think I'd have to watch Tyson Ross. Tyson Ross. That guy has no idea where the ball is going. Brother of Joe Ross. I know. I do love Joe Ross. I miss Joe Ross. I know. I miss good Joe Ross. Good Joe Ross. Well, I don't really miss him, but for fantasy. No, he's national. I don't really care, but... Good Joe Ross is interesting.

He was fun to watch. I wanted to fill his trade for him. Before I get to my unwritten rules question for you, lay some notes on me. One note. I don't know why I said one. One of many. Yeah. First, I have 434 notes. Let's get started.

Yes. Sir Anthony Slider is moving at two and a half inches right now. Yeah, I saw you tweet about this. And when he came up, it was four to six inches. That's what his fastball is moving. His slider was moving at that much. So what's the problem? I think it's release point.

Well, not release point. I think it's his grip on it I mean speaking personal experience some of us some of us lose our slider grip and can't regain it um it's just it's just high level pitchers it's just it it's just a bad pitch right now it's a legitimately bad pitch and if he doesn't have another pitch to go with his fastball, it makes his fastball way easier. Yeah, for sure. So I feel like everything with him is just grips. He doesn't know when his cutter's going to cut, but it just does sometimes. He doesn't know when his slider's going to be on or off, but it really hasn't been on since he came up.

Remember when he came up, it was like, this pitch is devastating. Yeah, we thought it was a dominant pitch. It just hasn't been there. All right. Do you think he gets back there? I would hope through video scouting and all that,

I would hope that he gets back. Chris, another job for you here, buddy. Chris. Get it back to where it needs to be. Fix his slider. Fix it. The Phillies record

on the Fanatics birthday is 30-11. Is it really? Yeah. Does they get up to play for the Fanatics birthday? You can't lose on the Fanatics birthday. You can 11 is it really yeah does they get up to play for the fanatics birthday you can't lose on the fanatics birthday you can't lose on that day they've done it 11 times apparently you have a 30 and 11 i think they should make every day what do you think of the

bryce harper fanatic bro thing it's fine it's cute yeah i don't care i'm fine with it it's fine whatever it's okay does it feel forced to you? Well, I think everything's a little forced, but it's okay. It's our guy. I like it. I'm going to say I'm a fan of it. I'm going to go with that. Mike Calfranco has gone. People are swimming, man.

There is like a whole line of people swimming out to the island. Because he's going to the opposite field. He's been good. He's going to the opposite field. I want to bash him, and I can't. I don't want anything to say. Listen, we are a weirdo. Keep him in the eight hole. That's all I'm going to say. Yeah, he's bad good he's been he's going the opposite field i'm i want to bash him and i can't i don't want anything to say that guy listen where we are we're in the eight hole that's i'm gonna say yeah he's bad when he gets up what is the deal it's crazy it's like we're talking with cesar with the mental thing defensively it does seem like there's just something about being

that eight hole for that guy and any other spot that's my spot yes he's just not the same guy it's really crazy yeah he's like that's my spot um uh so so so michael first off opposite field i'm more in on opposite field franco than eight hole franco because obviously opposite field franco is not the same guy not the same okay different guy different good to know different guy i thought they were the same i was obviously opposite field franco is a good guy a good a good hitter we like we like opposite yes that's a Bill Franco. That's a weapon. Also, Michael Franco has gone 508 straight plate appearances without striking out in back-to-back at bats. Wow, really?

He struck out nine times this year. What is going on? What world am I living in right now? He's always been a pretty decent non-big strikeout guy. But that's a really wild stat right there. Back to last season. Yeah, obviously. Tony Gwynn went three years one time without doing this.

But we'll stay with Michael. Tony Gwynn. Yeah, crazy. So you're saying Ron goes next to Tony Gwynn? Could be. Some would say that. It's a fair take. I think it is too.

Basically the same type of hitter, right? Way better. Next note. Alec Baum is batting.3 I'm pretty sure at Lakewood with a 446 OBP he needs to be moved up and I have a little birdie that says I think he's going to be moved up very soon. Jackie Minor League

sources. Jackie Minor League sources I like that you found a way to add on to your final thoughts and just do like a I got notes too they're just basically a bunch of I'll say one of my things for you guys say one we're gonna do final thoughts i know all right my final my my final notes before i get the final thoughts your final not thought note got it so there's just one promo on the phillies on the phillies uh returns we play returns before we come back from the breaks

and it's like uh 94 lingo for you yeah it's like turns it's like 94 wip your home for the best philly sports talk is one of them. Oh, no, actually, this is wrong. So there's also these last commercials before we come back from break that are Phillies commercials saying what they have upcoming, right?

So they have like dollar dog nights this night. Sure, Andrew McCutcheon, Rattro Scherzi night, all that stuff. So the new one, and I just want to get your thoughts on this. Uh-oh. There's a Game of Thrones theme night.

There's a Star Wars theme night. The final theme night is a nurse theme night. What is a nurse theme night? What? Are you supposed to go to the ballpark dressed as a nurse? That's really weird. What could be a nurse?

Every time it comes up, it's like right before the 10 second countdown, I get back to France and I'm just laughing because I'm like, what could possibly be a nurse related theme night? I got it. You wear glasses and a suit nick nurse night nick nurse night it's right i get i i every time i hear it and by the way it's weird so like is it like dress up as like a sexy nerd i don't know i'm so confused also is it like for dudes do they just wear like scrubs is that like cool isn't it weird

it's weird. But the one funny thing is that- It's really weird. I know. Game of Thrones night? Sure. Well, LA- Star Wars night. Yep.

Makes sense. Nurse night. Yeah. Come on out for nurse night at Citizens Bank Park. I'm so confused. Definitely sounds like something at a strip club and not at a citizen's bank podcast. Agreed. Okay.

So the one thing that LA, LA has to do the reads for the Game of Thrones theme night and he's like, House Phillies is hosting. It's like he says House Phillies. House Phillies? Yeah, it's funny. Or House Citizens Bank Park. It's hilarious. He has no idea what he's that's hilarious he has no idea

the game of game terrific yeah terrific okay uh before we get to our final thought unwritten rules question for you yeah two of them actually one i thought of a trevor richards but let me ask the one that i think will help our audience more because we talk a ton about uh this specific unwritten rule we talked about it when we were talking about unwritten rules. Why is it not okay for a batter to time a pitcher? Like, that seems, I don't get it. Like, why is it a big deal? Who cares? What do you mean?

Like, the on-deck thing, you know, you're not allowed to sit there and, like, time up a pitcher's pitching. Why? No, no. I don't get it. Are you talking about what Tony Walters was doing? So, Tony Walters, what he was doing wrong in Colorado was he was standing, like, right behind home plate

so he was seeing what pitches were coming. Whereas if you're in the batter's box... Aren't you not supposed to, on deck, they say you're not supposed to time it up? You're not supposed to take your... You always saw guys growing up timing up. I thought so too, but it seems like that's an unwritten rule

in Major League Baseball. No, I just think the one thing people don't like is when you get too close behind the catcher so we can kind of see the movement. If you want to do it organically... Ah, okay, so it has to do with them seeing it while... Okay. So I was wondering why.

That's interesting. All right. Now, here's my other one. And this isn't... I don't know if it's an unwritten rule or not. I don't know where this comes from, but I've always wondered it. And I thought of it with Trevor Richards on Saturday.

When he hits... This is when we're talking about when he hits a girl. When he hits a girl. By the way, thank God it hit... That was the only place it could have hit where he wasn't going to be... Incredibly lucky. Because it spun the hat. It spun the helmet. It's the only place it could have hit where he wasn't going to be hurt. Incredibly lucky. Because it spun the hat.

It spun the helmet. It's the only spot it could hit. Any lower, he is in. It's his eye. He's a broken eye. He's a broken eye bone. Any higher, it's a concussion. So him hitting right there deflected it.

Yeah. It was unbelievable. But here's something I don't understand. Why will a pitcher, when they hit a guy in the head or come close to that or whatever it is, and it was clearly not on purpose, like he wasn't trying to throw at his head, why don't they ever apologize? Why don't they ever like tip the cap or do something? They always just go, and it has to be a thing.

It's clearly a pitcher thing because you hit a guy in the head, my first thought would be like, oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your life potentially or whatever it is. Like these guys never apologize. They never tip their cap. They never give a wave and be like oh my god i'm so sorry i didn't mean to ruin your life potentially or whatever it is like these guys never apologize they never tip their cap they never give a wave me like my bad why what is it i never i've never understood it my whole life because you never show fear baby but no no no no what is it i know i know i uh i know i would like i would just be like my bad yeah i'm that i don't get i don't give me i was actually i was actually wondering the same thing right thank you thank you because i was like you know you know you clearly weren't trying to do that you weren't trying it's not like what does it

matter i think it comes i think it comes down to being you just want to feel like like get off my plate kind of thing i don't know it's so strange to me man it's a macho sport thing i don't know what you i guess that's what it is but it just seems to me like in that situation where you hit a guy in the head so you have seen that before though like when guys get some people will do it every once in a while you'll see a guy but i would say like nine times out of ten they don't like nine times out of ten they're like yeah yeah i i would lean towards your side as well okay so that makes me feel a lot better i don't know if it's really unwritten or anything okay so it must not must not be. But it's something that I just never, I've never understood.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I would give him a little of my bad. A Donovan McNabb, my bad. I would too. My bad. I didn't mean to hit you.

Sorry, happy or okay. Yeah, because then you would think that that would kind of put the tempers down a little bit. Yes. All right.

I feel so much better that you agree with me on this. When you thought of this in your head, were you thinking I was going to say Evelyn? No, I assumed there was some sort of picture on this. When you thought of this in your head, were you thinking I was going to say Evelyn? I assumed there was some sort of picture

on written rule where you never show, never let them know if it was the mistake or not or this. I didn't know. I thought there was some sort of... I don't know. I didn't know if there was some sort of thing to it, so I'm happy to hear that. Alright. Jack, final thought. My final thought is that Scott Palmer did the game

Saturday and Sunday, and it just didn't sound the same. I missed Dan Baker. Dan Baker is feeling – Yeah, first time in 15 years he missed a game. Yeah, he has never missed a game at Citizens Bank Park, which is crazy. It is crazy to think about. And you can just tell the difference between a Dan Baker called game

and almost anyone else. It's not like Scott Palmer is bad. It's not a shot at Scott Palmer. It's just that Dan Baker's the guy. It's just like you get hyped for a Dan Baker call. You hear the difference in a Dan Baker call. I would protest the Phillies game this weekend didn't even happen because Dan Baker

wasn't there. I like that. We'll take the wins. We'll take the wins. They'll count. But the games didn't really feel the same. I think that's fair. Get better, Dan Baker. We love you, Dan Baker. Okay. Going a completely different way with my final thought f the cubs well it's my final thought not theo's fault though i guess he's involved because they're all involved but did you see the story about addison russell not the one that he's a gigantic piece of crap yeah we all know that he's clearly

a creep you know domestic violence all that he's like you read the stories about it like he's just an a-hole like addison russell's a piece of crap i really wish he never was playing anymore i agree like he is a bad dude and i hate him but did you see this story and i am quoting from hardballtalk.com uh that the cubs are taking a step further charlotte ring of fangraphs who is also a lawyer has spoken to a member of the media who said that the cubs privately instructed that person to lay off Russell, threatening reprisal. The Cubs are approving stories that paint Russell in a positive light, particularly in terms of redemption, goes on to show an example, and other examples of reporters whose stories have not been approved or have not gotten access or whatever because they are

ripping Addison Russell because he's a piece of crap again. Jack. Are we allowed to do this podcast still? Oh, I mean like seriously, seriously. This is so bad on so many levels. Not okay, man. That's just not okay. Like freedom of press for Christ's sake.

We're talking about the First Amendment. I mean, what are we talking about here? I just, that kind of stuff really bothers me. God, this is so Big J of you. You're just such a classic media member. Wants your stories out there. Look at you. No, it's just the idea that they are trying to.

Do you want to go see a Springsteen concert? Is that next? Pretty good. The idea, that was very good actually. That was really well done. The idea that they are trying to control stories to make Addison Russell look like less of a piece of crap. Yeah, it's annoying.

It really bothers me. Yeah, it's really annoying. Just like the guy's horrible. He's horrible. He shouldn't even be playing anymore. No. He's like a really bad dude. I know.

It's embarrassing. And I agree. I do agree with you. I like making fun of old... Yes. And it is a big old man Jay Jerno type of thing, but at the same time, it's just more in this specific context. Are you going to tweet about American Airlines after this?

What about PressBox food? What do you think about that? It's pretty good. Didn't have the right ice cream today? Yeah. You're going to go to a game for free and sit there and eat their food that they make for you, but we're still going to complain about it?

Yeah. Tell us how you really feel. All right, that's going to do it. Phillies-Tigers, next couple of days, we'll be back to talk about it on Thursday for Fritz. Thursday. Listen, please just take two from the Tigers. You have to. I don't even want to think about these games.

Yes. I want to just roll out of bed. Just be over. Yeah. We're done. I don't want to think about it. I want it to be Thursday, and we're recording another pod talking about how they just took two from the Tigers.

Agreed. You going to interrupt me again when I say goodbye pod talking about how they just took two from the Tigers. Agreed. You going to interrupt me again when I say goodbye this time? Did I interrupt you last time? Yeah, just now. Okay. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen. We have a question. What's the best podcast of all time?

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