High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Please Bring Us Chaim Bloom

Episode Date: October 2, 2019

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back talking some Phils offseason as we await to hear the fate of Gabe Kapler. They really want Chaim Bloom and no more Orioles guys.  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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Dairy Farmers of Canada. 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, are the hopes high? Good afternoon, James.

Fire Matt Kllenczak, hire Chaim Blum. Yes. I'm not even going to say anything else besides this podcast, besides those. You're just going to repeat that over and over and over again.

I tweet it out every morning. I'm now putting it on this podcast. So you're like trying to speak it into existence. It is literally all I care about. Me too.

It's all I care about. It's all I care about. He is more important than anything this organization has done in the last four years. I agree with you. Besides Harper. And probably Real Muto.

No, let's be real. Let's be honest. Probably more important. Having a good... Bryce Harper you could argue because of the Scott Boris tie-in and we'll get to the at the yard pod and what they had to say. We'll get to that. So maybe you could argue Bryce Harper, but legitimately we're talking about the guy who's

going to steer the franchise potentially for the next hopefully you know decade plus or whatever would be good at it yeah it certainly seems like you put out that tweet where the or quote tweeted or whatever with the fact i mean we've talked a lot about how what the rays are doing the rays playing in a playoff game tonight uh made the playoffs with the lowest payroll in baseball, but just how low? 55%? Less than any? I mean, that's insanity. The fact that they made the playoffs is every major market team should be firing their front

office, except for, of course, the Dodgers and the Astros and these types of teams that are winning. I mean, it is, when you look at what the Rays are doing, and teams like the Phillies, with the resources they have are doing what they're doing, it's embarrassing, man. That whole front office should be getting jobs. I mean, you should be poaching as many people as you can from that front office. I mean, it's just tough to say, because we don't have any recent examples of a Tampa Bay Rays executive going to a big market team and turning them into a juggernaut.

Oh, wait, we have that already. You're telling me we've already seen that work before? Oh, if only, wait andrew friedman used to work for the rays and now the dodgers are a freaking machine and i want to be a freaking machine it's just like oh my god all right well let's get to the the it all kind of we were waiting to do the pod inside baseball 55 percent lower than league average i mean that's unbelievable that's how that league average yeah that is league I mean, that's unbelievable. That's how that's... Than league average, yeah. That is... League average. I mean, that's unbelievable.

It's hard to believe. So, all right. So today, we've been waiting to do the pod. We kept... Honestly, we were thinking, all right, we got to wait. Gabe's going to get fired. We got to do the pod after that. Yep. Good thing we waited until today, Jack, because we finally got some information from the people

who cover the team. It started with Jim Salisbury, who says, I'm here and nothing's going to happen today. So everyone starts to kind of back off a little bit. Then Matt Gelb tweets out, a reminder that it took the Phillies eight days after the 2005 season to fire Ed. Wait. The longer this goes, the more questions there are about leadership above the manager. That got everyone's ears perked.

All of a sudden it's like, whoa, is this more than a Gabe Kapler decision? Then, of course, Stark with the bombshell. I'm hearing buzz that it's now possible there won't be an announcement on the fate of Gabe Kapler until next week, which I'm taking as a sign the Phillies understand they have more to decide right now than just the fate of the manager, Jack. Yo. Thank God. Yo. All right, we have a lot to dive into with this.

First, just your general thoughts and impressions about this. And again, it's not a report from Stark. He is saying it makes me think, but Stark doesn't put stuff out there without solid information. Neither does Salisbury. Those are probably the two most hooked in guys to this Phillies clubhouse for a very, very long time. Yeah. What they say matters. What is your, what's your interpretation?

What's your take on this whole S show right now, Jack? I didn't curse there for you, buddy. Wanted to. Um, I, I'm glad, I'm glad they're reassessing. It seems like they're reassessing the general, the general manager position. Thank God. And I'm glad that hopefully, hopefully they're reassessing the Andy McPhail job. I would think they would go as a team.

Together. Would be my thought. Right. Because we've been screaming for months that this is not an entire Gabe Kapler problem. No. It's just not. Gabe is a small problem in, in a bigger organizational,

not this. I don't think they're dysfunctional. I just don't think they're very good. Right. But this right now feels somewhat dysfunctional. It's like, it's the, you've been out of playoff contention for a month.

What are you doing? How are you not evaluating these guys? How are you not, how do you have no idea whether you're going to fire the manager or the general manager? Well, and Gabe Kapler's at the, at citizens bank park is doing work. It was office. It's like, it's or the general manager. Well, and Gabe Kapler's at Citizens Bank Park, he's surely doing work.

He's going to his office. It's like the poor guy. First off, you should let him interview somewhere else if he wants to do that. Absolutely. I mean, there is a team out there in the Giants who have already been said to have real interest in Gabe Kapler. It seems like the worst kept secret in baseball.

Well, and who runs the Giants? Farhan, who hired him. Yeah, of course. And also, you know, former Rays guy as well. Wait, Farhan's a Rays guy too? Former Dodgers guy, excuse me, not Rays guy. But from, you know,

worked under Friedman with the Dodgers and stuff. Farhan's great. That infrastructure. Yeah, Farhan knows what he's doing. So, look, I'm with you. I really want Matt Klintak gone. I think it is imperative

for the future of this franchise because I just don't believe that he's going to get better. I don't believe he's going to be able to lead this franchise where it needs to be. We've talked, I mean, we don't need to dive into the organizational issues they have, but there's no depth in this organization of talent. What is the case for keeping Matt Klintak? That's my point. I don't, I'm with you,

but again, the case is that John Middleton said in March, he's an elite general manager. In March, Jack, it's October. And again, the team was already built. John Middleton knew what the team looked like going into that season. He said elite general manager, compared him to Branch Rickey.

All these types of insane things. When you hear them now that he's considering firing him, I mean, dysfunction isn't that far off of a word it makes me feel like john middleton has no idea what he's doing well there's a reason why there are 11 000 losses is that what yeah officially how about that was it was it could there have been anything more like synchronicity, perfect type of thing to 81-81 to end the season and it's your 11,000th loss as a franchise? It was just like, of course.

Of course it is. Yeah. It was about as 2019 Phillies as a 2019 Phillies could get. It was perfect. It was too perfect. I wish I had known going into the season that they were 81 losses away. I wish I had noticed that because I would have predicted 81 and 81 because it's just so perfect.

It's what happens. It's what happens. Yeah, the Middleton thing is just, I just don't know. Here's my hope. My hope is this. You're a hopeful guy, John. I'm a positive high hopes guy. We know.

My hope is that John Middleton is having his Jeff Lurie moment. He knows that the guys that are running this organization right now are not fit for the job. Andy McPhail blows. Andy McPhail is just pointless in this whole thing. Again, even alone, the if we don't, we don't comment, to say that out loud to media, he should have been fired for that one comment alone. He should have walked out of that press conference in the middle and should have been like, get the F out.

Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can't believe you just said that publicly to the media. Like, oh my God. Well, it would have been the quickest turnaround in baseball history. I miss those days. Who said, hey, we're still in first place.

At least we don't ever have to hear that again, which is nice. I don't know what you guys are complaining about. Right now, in May, we'd be in the playoffs. So, I don't know what you're complaining about. If the season ended today, Jack! Andy, love it, buddy. And I just, Matt Klintak's been here for four years, and the fact that they don't have, like...

They have two prospects they have two guys who you feel like can be all-stars someday no power they have two guys in the whole

freaking organization and like they're a step behind when you're looking at like everyone talks about oh they went too far at the analytics no they haven't

they're behind what they do the problem is is that first and foremost they probably it seems have too heavy a reliance on the numbers they're told you do need a balance there needs to be some sort of feel with this thing human beings are not robots you know i say that all the time it's one of my

things like you can't tell everything from the numbers but outside of that i think the bigger issue is that it seems like they don't know how to apply these analytics it seems like yes they use analytics but they're using them incorrectly they don't know they don't know how to apply these analytics. It seems like, yes, they use analytics, but they're using them incorrectly. They do not know how to use them. Clearly. We saw it last year with the defensive shifts. A perfect example of it.

They just didn't understand how to shift. That was the issue. I mean, that's basic stuff. They changed their whole philosophy in the offseason. They came into the season last year talking about how great they're going to be at shifting, and then they had to literally flip it flip it they had to flip it from from figuring they they last year with the shifts they tried to do it to the batter rather than to the pitcher strengths and they get burned and then they flipped this off so it was fine like it was better

but like why are you why are you doing something you don't know what you're doing that's the point to have that batter read on something that's so fundamental, especially when we're talking about analytics, where every team in baseball seems to understand shifting. Literally. Pretty much every team. You know, there are a few teams that shouldn't be discussed in any sort of discussion. I mean, the Detroit Tigers lost 114 games, like, whatever.

Our future scouting director from the Orioles, probably. Can you imagine? Oh, James. Me and James have talked about this off the air. There are a few scenarios where you're never getting another High Hopes podcast. Yeah, no, we might shut it down. We might just be like, all right. There's no point.

Sorry. Because you know why? Because there are no hopes. Hopes are dead. That is on the table here. If they bring in another Orioles guy, if they bring in Socia. Socia would be bad. Honestly, no joke. And this isn't going to happen. And Todd DeLackey put this name in his article. they bring in Socia Socia would be bad honestly

no joke and I this isn't gonna happen and Todd DeLackey put this name in his articles Ruben Amaro I might want him

more than Mike Socia that's how bad I don't want Socia the point is I obviously don't want Ruben Amaro those are the two worst possible

why was he even mentioned I have a theory on it to be honest I think what it is I think the Phillies are doing him a solid whenever people start to I agree with you but I think what it is is we see this in sports all

the time especially in the nfl where once a guy is on those lists once a guy is interviewing for managerial jobs other teams seem to like take that at heart and give those people opportunities and interviews and stuff so i honestly think they're doing Ruben a solid and just saying, hey, we'll put you on the list. Maybe we'll give you an interview, but you're not getting this job. But now people will see, oh, we gave him an interview. Maybe we should give him an interview. And I think that I know how stupid it is, but stuff works like that.

And then will they say, oh, you interview with the Phillies, another dumb team. We're not going to hire you. Like, so they're hoping it's hired by a dumb team. He doesn't know what on-base percentage is. Well, I know. He said the prospects don't matter. Yeah, I know. I know.

This whole re-litigating of the Ruben Amaro era recently is driving me crazy. Actually, he really wasn't that bad. Yes, he was. He was. He was that bad. He had absolutely no foresight. I think he did get hamstrung in a couple of things but after after they moved on from the core like you could have done some other things absolutely but that's neither here nor there yeah let's talk about

this fun team the point is mike socia ruben tomorrow if they're announced as manager of the team high hopes is probably not happening anymore and if they hire a orioles guy to be their scouting director yes or an angels guy to be honest yeah either director. Yes. Or an Angels guy, to be honest. Yeah. Either or. But there's so much Orioles stuff. It's way too much Orioles. Why are we investing so much in the 100? They've been the worst team in baseball for five years. What are they doing?

They did what the Phillies did after their run. They went into the absolute tanks. They had nothing in the system. Well, they've been worse for longer, too. I mean, they've been really bad. Well, I mean, they did it overall. What was the last playoff run with Showalter? Was it 2014, 2015? Yeah, well, the Phillies was

2011. No, I know, but the Phillies also didn't start really rebuilding until like 2015. You know what I mean? They were like holding on. Oh, God. This is so sad. Imagine if we had the podcast back then. Oh, we would have been losing our minds. Thank God we didn't do that.

Yeah, sounds like a disaster. Yeah, I just i'm hoping that john middleton is like yo these guys are not where we need this baseball team to be i think john middleton i think john middleton in his heart of hearts wants to be a big money spending owner but on smart decisions and i i don't think they've made smart decisions in the last in the last obviously they haven't outside of harper and remuter yeah but here's the thing like those moves are right in front of your face yeah they're right in front of your face anyone can trade their best pitching prospect for

somebody else anyone can sign bryce harper to 330 million the jeans agor contract or jeans where a trade is looking like an absolute disaster it's it's actually unbelievable that was a trade where in the moment people were hailing Mac all around baseball. What a trade! Well, maybe not all around baseball. You know what I mean, though. It was hailed as a, wow, what a great move. It's looking like a disaster. They're talking about moving Gene Zagoroff shortstop. Yeah, for one

year in. Doesn't that sound great? Don't you want to be your second baseman? And then Scott King... You know what sounds even worse? Him being my third baseman as a slapper. Yeah, well, that too. I mean, that's a disaster. That's a disaster. And here's the thing. I actually think Scott Kingery would be a better shortstop. If you put Kingery there every day and told him, like, you're the shortstop,

he'd be better defensively than Segura. He's more athletic. He's got better range. Segura sucks. Segura's not a good shortstop. No, he's too chubby. Like, Kingery is better. But again, Kingery should not be the shortstop either.

I'm just saying, like, that shows how bad Gene Segura is. Yeah. But, like, what is the plan, Jack? What is the plan? What are we doing here? You honestly want to know what it is? Yeah. And it all goes back to that Andy McPhail quote about before he got to

if we don't, we don't. He said, we want to be the quickest turnaround in baseball history. But you weren't. It's over. It's done. I know. But they made moves in the short sight to be the quickest turnaround in baseball history. That's why you got Gene Segura.

That's why you traded J.B. Crawford and Carlos Santana for Gene Segura. Like they made win now moves and they pushed their chips in on a team that just wasn't good enough. That's what it is. And Segura, like you got to try to flip him this offseason. You have to try to flip him. Sure, for what? I don't know. Anything?

To get off that contract? Sure. That's my point. What are you going to do? You're going to have to pay part of that contract. That's such a disaster. Who's taking Gene Segura after this season and saying, Oh, I want that guy.

Especially when it seems like everything you hear is he's a douche in the clubhouse too. Nobody seems to like Gene Segura. Dude, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it. Say it. Trade him and sign Freddie as a stopgap. No, you didn't. What?

Stopgap Freddie? Oh, God. What is happening? It's a one-year Freddie. What is happening? Oh, it's one-year Freddie. All right. So this is how you know how bad things have gotten. One-year Freddie. What is happening? Oh, it's one-year Freddie. All right. So this is how you know how bad things have gotten.

One-year Freddie. Jack Fritz is asking for Freddie Galvis to come home. Listen. This is it. I don't even know you. I don't even know who you are anymore. What has happened? Jackie Oldschool?

Oh, my God. He's a gold glove shortstop. All right. No, no. But in all seriousness, Freddie on a one-year deal. Bring up Stott next year, and let's ride. Okay, so you're trying to be optimistic with Middleton and what you do?

Because I don't think he can be as bad as this is. I think he has no idea what he's doing as an owner of a baseball team. That's what I think. What do you mean why? He's a billionaire. That doesn't mean that he's a baseball owner, that he's a smart baseball owner.

What if he sees his team, and he thinks the team is on a verge of like going down the wrong path? Then clean house. This is what Laurie did. But Laurie, first and foremost, Laurie had a lot of experience as an owner before then. I mean, Laurie had 20 years.

Middleton's been a part of the organization since 95. Right, but he has not been the primary guy. It's a different thing. He's in charge now. And furthermore, again, just because we see this a lot with like we usually see with children of owners like whether it's the bus kids or whatever you know you see it where these people become owners because their dad was rich enough to buy a team

and ran a team and then their dad dies and then they're the owner of the team and they're completely unqualified to do so james dolan a terrific of that. I like what he's building up there. Yeah, yeah, totally. Yeah, he's doing great. He loves music. So that's good. I just again, I don't, and I'm not saying that Middleton can't get there. And I do agree with you that at his core, I do think

that John Middleton does care about winning. I don't think that he is strictly a businessman and is just there to increase the value of the team or this or that. I do think that he is strictly a businessman and is just there for for to increase the value of the the team or this or that i do think that he wants to win i just don't think he has any idea how to do it i think he knows i i in my in my gut right like you're talking from your gut right you're gonna say obviously i want him to be great i want him to be exactly what he says he is a big boy and steinbrenner in the south like i want that sure i would like steinbrenner when he was in jail and when he didn't try to trade a nice little mix

of hal and george how about that i just want brian cashman that'd be great here's the thing this is me speaking totally just pie in the sky. When is that not the case, Jack? I mean, I did just say I want Freddie Gellis back. I know. That's true. If he fires Matt Klintzak and fires Andy McPhail and he brings in High and Bloom. So he's Jack Middleton again. Then he's Jack Middleton again.

Okay. I can get on board with that because I do agree. I know it sounds... I think he... Because he hasn't been this involved. I mean, that's one move. He literally could change our opinion with one move and it's bringing in someone smart to run this team.

This isn't that hard, but I just don't... It doesn't seem like he knows what to do right now. Here's the thing. This wasn't... You called him an elite GM in March. But he was just excited about getting Bryce Harper. We all know what that was. I don't think we can look too much into that.

Elite. General manager. Four all-stars. I was. I don't think we can look too much into that. Elite general manager. Four all-stars. I know. That's why he said it. He has not been this involved. He's only getting involved because he feels like there's such overwhelming pressure to do something. In the past, when he just let Matt Klintak do what he

wanted to do. He let Andy McPhail. He was very hands-off. He only feels like he has to get involved now because he feels like the team's falling apart. Maybe he was in the owner's box in week one of the Eagles season talking to Lurie about how he did it. I like that spin right there. That was good.

Jackie spins? Yeah. He hasn't been this involved. He's only gotten involved recently when this thing is looking like it's spiraling out of control. Let's take Jeff Lurie off the table. And again, he got very lucky with how it all worked out. I don't think Doug Peterson was the first choice.

We all know he wasn't the first choice. There was a lot of luck involved in how it all worked out. He fired Chip Kelly, props. He put Howie back in charge, which ended up being the right decision. But there was a lot of luck involved in that. More so, how many examples of owners being very involved in sports history have we seen be good be good things to have happen to your team how often does that happen don't ask me that question because i know the answer but i i just

don't think i just don't think he wants to be as involved as he is right okay that's right i hope that i hope i hope you're right about that. Because I think that... Your hope is that John Middleton is recognizing there is a real problem with this franchise moving forward. This is almost a pivot point potentially for the

franchise and that he could potentially get rid of Matt Klintak, bring in someone smart, and then step back again. I hope so. And I think he would spend the money. I think he would spend the money then. I think he would spend the money and invest in something he believes in.

I don't think he believes in his team right now. Or should he? I mean, why should you believe in this team right now? But that's the thing. That's why I don't get. Here's what I don't get. Is if Middleton just fires Gabe Kapler, then what is the point of his baseball guys? His baseball guys are telling him not to.

Well, that's the point. Just clean house to that point. Exactly. And bring in guys you believe in. Because if you're going to do that, and then especially bring in someone who, and again, Buck Showalter might be the one example against this because he does have history with those guys, with McFarlane Klintak from Baltimore. I know, it's so ridiculous. But if it's a Madden or a Girardi or whoever it is,

someone with real clout, I mean, immediately you're setting up a situation where their general manager and coach are fighting against each other inherently. I mean, they're, you know what I mean? They come in and they're like not on the same page. Good, I guess. Right, but I'm conceding your point.

I'm saying you're right. The idea that to only fire the manager in the situation they're in seems silly. Gotta go get Dave Dombrowski. Oh, God. If I hear another person- Can we just get this out there? Can we dispel that myth? Yeah, please.

I feel like we have to because we're the IOS podcast. Look, here's the thing. Dave Dombrowski won't come here because there are no prospects for him to trade away to try and win. There's no one here. He's got no farm system to trade away from. Let's get this out there. Dave Dombrowski is horrible at his job. He's got no farm system to trade away from. Look at this out there. Dave Dombrowski

is horrible at his job. He's been horrible at his job forever. For a long time. All he does, all Dave Dombrowski does is come in and start selling prospects

and spying. Signing big contracts. And signing big contracts. And now that's why the Boston Red Sox now apparently can't keep Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez because they gave

Nadia Valdi and Chris Sayles money. Your only job as a president GM is to keep your stars. You're in Boston. Mookie Betts is 26 years old and he's a superstar. Mookie Betts is unfreaking believable. MVP of the league last year. And they're like,

it's going to be tough to keep this guy here. Can you imagine if Mookie Betts were here and that happened? We would riot. And again, just the fact that Dave Dombrowski won 108 games last year in a World Series and got fired this year tells you all you need to know about Dave Dombrowski as a president of Oregon. They went to John Henry and were like, hey, not a big deal or anything, but we can't keep Mookie Betts.

And he said, you can get out. Get the hell out. You signed Nate Ivaldi for $63 million? you can get out. Get the hell out. You signed native all-in for $63 million? Yeah. Get out. Why? Get out. Why?

Why did you extend Chris Sale when he did? It made no sense. He could have just waited. Yeah. He extended Chris Sale right after the worst Chris Sale has ever looked in his career. It's like, oh, that guy can't pitch in the World Series. Let's sign him. That's smart.

Love it. That guy can't pitch in the World Series. Let's sign him. That's smart. Love it. So if any of your friends, colleagues, peers come to you and say, you know what? I think the Phillies should sign Dave Dombrowski.

Say to them they're dumb and listen to the IHOPES podcast. Yeah. Well, it won't be here if they sign Dave Dombrowski. That's another one. Another one? Dombrowski, Socia, Amaro. Anyone else you want to add to this list? Orioles. Orioles guy.

Orioles guy. Yes. Orioles guy, yes. Orioles guy X. Outside of Showalter, I wouldn't like Showalter. I'd be okay with Showalter. But it would not be Socia level. Exactly. It wouldn't be a disaster. Because if he comes in and he wins and then gets out.

Yeah. And look, Showalter, I do see the potential for this clubhouse, this group of guys, to need someone to come in who has some cachet and is someone who is not a disciplinarian, but they need a boss. Yes! They need a boss. That is exactly right. And Buck Showalter would come in and be a boss. So from that perspective,

he wouldn't be my top choice, but I'm not quitting on the team if they bring in Buck Showalter. My issue with bringing in Buck Showalter is it probably means that it's Clint Iacob McPhail who brought Buck Showalter. My issue with bringing in Buck Showalter is it probably means that it's Clint Agamick who brought Buck Showalter. That's the problem. Yeah, I mean, like, Jim Salisbury is on At The Yard. Yeah, let's get into that.

If you don't listen to this podcast, or no, if you listen to this podcast and you're looking for, like, a beat writer podcast, the At The Yard podcast is the best podcast. If you're looking for, you know, entertainment, fun takes, that's what we're here for. But Jim Salisbury did say on At The Yard that they're looking for a boss as their next manager. Which makes sense. That makes sense.

The clubhouse needs it. And I think Harper, Real Muto want that. And Harper, Real Muto are what matters. Yeah, they're the leaders of this franchise moving forward. And they want to play for a winner. Which they should. It's fair. Sometimes you just need that.

And I'm very okay with that line of thinking. The other thing... Because it can be for a short period of time. I'm cool with bringing in an old school boss guy for a couple years. To kind of get this team back on track. Right. And that's what it feels like Showalter would do. He's only 63.

I don't think he's looking to manage for the next decade or something like that. Dusty's only 60. Is he really? Yeah. looking to manage for the next decade or something like that. Dusty's only 60. Is he really? Yeah. He feels like he's 75 years old to me. Is he really only 60? Wow. He feels way older to me.

That's crazy. No, I'm just kidding. 70. Oh, it makes so much more sense. Oh, wow. I was like, he totally threw me off there. I'm like, no way. 70 sounds right.

Where did I mess that up at? I would have said 72 if you'd asked me how old he was. It's because Charlie's 75. There you go. So regardless, I'm fine with that. I'm okay with something like that. The other thing the At The Yard podcast mentioned that we should get into, because that was really fascinating.

Scott Boris. Yeah. I'm ready to be. I'm ready to just be a Scott Boris team. Well, dude. He manages all the good players. So what they said on At The Yard was that Scott Boras and John Middleton have become very close and that there is at least a solid chance

in Jim Salisbury's eyes. And again, the guys have to want to come here and sign and all that, but that he is going to try and funnel his clients, particularly the two he mentioned by name, Garrett Cole and Anthony Rendon, one or the other, obviously, towards the Philadelphia Phillies to come here and play with Bryce Harper honestly this is the best thing John Middleton has done

is become close with Scott Boris like you said I know that Scott Boris a lot of people are like oh he's the devil oh he's the worst isn't that you want that dude on your side you just do he might be the most powerful person in baseball. Probably.

Probably, right? I mean, Rob Manfred probably doesn't have more power than Scott Boras. I mean, I don't know who else. Maybe. But not really. But not really. I think Scott Boras probably, practically speaking, has the most power in the sport. Yeah.

Get that guy on your side. Yeah. I mean, this is what the Nationals were from 2012 on. They got Wirth. Strasburg, Rendon. They drafted Rendon, but Harper, they drafted, but still a Scott Boras guy. They had a lot of Scott Boras people in that building. They became the Scott Boras franchise.

Now, it does force you to take guys like Matt Wieters sometimes, and it forces you to take some bad guys, but usually it means... It all works out in the end. I mean, listen. We took Jake Arrieta, okay? That should be tenfold what we had to pay. Yeah, it's true.

You better bring us... You should bring us Garrett Cole on a silver platter. You should, yeah. We should get a discount. The Jake Arrieta discount. We should take this freaking guy. We still got one more year of that, by the way.

Did you see what he said about Carlos Santana? He is... He is just awful. He's the worst. He's bad. He is Jason Bavin. He's Jason Bavin. It seems like Carlos Santana. He is just awful. He's the worst. He's bad. He is Jason Bava. He's Jason Bava. It seems like Carlos Santana universally liked throughout the sport.

The Indians glow about him. He seems like a great dude who everyone loves. And Jake Gary is like, hated that guy. Happy he's gone. It's like, all right, jerk. He didn't say hated him, but he said he's happy he's gone or whatever. Well, and because Carlos Santana didn't want you guys to play video games i know i know it's like they don't want to be a professional and like you know actually like care about baseball what a crazy thought jake yeah not a jake ariana

honestly one more year i would actually honestly i would be fine with them eating the money and not playing him that next year that's someone that disliked the guy well that's not how of course it's not gonna happen that's outrageous to think that but all right let's get back to it because i've kind of like been all over the place so which is that kind of what it is i mean there's so much swinging around with this team right now and really i think the fate of this team is really hanging in the balance the future of this team again the, I don't think I can speak strongly enough to how nervous I am about the next couple

weeks with the Phillies. About how crucial the decisions that are happening now are for the future. Again, like the general manager, scouting director, who John Middleton is as the owner of this team. And we're not even talking about upgrading the roster

which is going to be a massive part of this offseason because you know they don't have any pitchers Jack. So there is so much going on with this franchise right now with this team heading into this offseason.

I really feel like these we talked a lot last offseason we said like a million times this is the biggest offseason in the franchise history. Yeah. This might be bigger. The next week plus might be the biggest offseason in the franchise history. Yeah. This might be bigger. The next week plus

might be the biggest week in the last decade of this franchise or longer. And for the next decade of the franchise. It's so important. I know it's like nerve wracking

but I'm also excited for it. You always are. I just want to see what's going to happen, man. I do too but I'm more nervous than excited. So, all right,

let's get on the record. What do you think happens? I actually feel better about Klintzak being gone. I do too, but I'm more nervous than excited. So, all right, let's get on the record. What do you think happens? I actually feel better about Klansak being gone. I do too. Which is like- The fact that this came out, like- Listen, I hope John Middleton saw the tweets. Every day I wake up and say, fire my Klansak.

Fire High and Bloom. Let's go. Well, it's funny. It's such an- Listen, I'm rooting against the Rays tonight. I need the Rays to lose. So, I need the Highblum thing to be done. I need it to be over.

Yeah. Because I need to stop getting my hopes up. One way or the other. Either he's with the Red Sox or we get excited. He's going to sign with the Red Sox. I'm going to be let down. Yeah. Just prepare yourself, man.

I know. I'm not looking forward to it. But if he signs with the Phillies... The thing I love about you, it's perfect for the podcast, the High O's podcast. You, more than anyone I've ever met, can take like 0.01% of hope

and find a way to make it into 100% hope. It's really amazing. It's a real skill. It's going to happen. Chaim Bloom is going to be our new... Make him the president. Speak it into existence to be our new president. Speak it into existence. Make him the president.

Screw it. Give him the team. Just sell the team to him, John, for nothing. Just let Chaim run the show. Please. I need him here. I need him here so bad. I just, he's from here.

He's from here. Hashtag. We can say it to the Mets forever. They chose Brody Van Wagener. Which is unbelievable. He was right there. I know. He was from here. He's from here. Hashtag. We can stay to the Mets forever. They chose Brody Van Wagenen. Which is unbelievable. He was right there. I know. He was right there.

One of the two finalists. Which is crazy too. You tweeted this out. I couldn't believe it. Chaim Bloom, one of the three finalists for the Phillies job back in 2015. We could have had him. Now he was like 23 at that point probably. Who cares, man?

Who cares? I don't know. I'm cool. But like, here's the thing. Like, Chaim Bloomom built the raise way he built the raise way how they develop their minor league players he developed a plan to build their minor league system that is what he did before becoming the whatever he is now he's number two now he's the number two that is what he did before now you can bring him here now you can bring him here. Now you can bring him here.

I just imagine you keep saying this too. Like I think in like half of your tweets are about this, but just imagine giving this guy the resources that you have here. It's what happened with Andrew Friedman. Andrew Friedman built a race team that went to the World Series. Like I don't think we should underrate how impressive that team he built was. And Phillies obviously handled it. But that was so impressive to do what he did. And then he went to the Dodgers and now he's built a literal juggernaut for the next decade or whatever.

People get hurt. They bring up a stud. Dude, I was just talking with Joe Giglio. They brought Dustin May to pitch out their bullpen. He's a top 20 prospect in baseball. Gavin Lux. He's like a top 10 prospect in baseball. Come on up.

We'll play you some second base. We'll bring you off the bench. It'll be fine. Gavin Lux, the Phillies don't have anyone like either of those two guys. Spencer Howard's not even Dustin May. And we're talking about Spencer Howard saving the franchise. We're like, oh, God, thank God he's going to be in the rotation. He could save the season.

Dustin May's pitching out their bullpen. I don't like this Spencer Howard slander. He could be just as good as Dustin Mays. If the Dodgers offered you Dustin Mays for Spencer Howard, would you take it? Nope. Lies. That is such a lie. I just saw it on your face.

Such a lie. He's got red hair. Okay. Fair. It's true. I did marry someone with red hair, so I don't think I can go down this road. He's got a leg kick. Spencer Howard's a horse.

Also, I mean, Alec Baum could be Gavin Lux. No. Yes, he can be. Stop lying to yourself. I'm not lying to myself. Why can't I be? You're right. Maybe he could be.

Probably won't be. Maybe not. Again, if the Dodgers offered you Gavin Lux for Alec Baum, would you take it? I don't know. You totally would take it. Why? Don't lie. Don't lie. offered you Gavin Lux for Alec Baum, would you take it? I don't know. You totally would take it. Why? Don't lie. Don't lie.

Where's Gavin Lux playing? We have Kingery. You always keep it real with the High Elves listeners. Because I honestly don't know. Okay. Although I do, I will say this. What does hurt is seeing Keston Hiyora be- Batting clean up.

Batting clean up for the Brewers. I know. I don't know if you- We didn't have this podcast, I don't think. I don't think we had this podcast. But I don't know if you remember how much I't have this podcast, I don't think. I don't think we had this podcast. But I don't know if you remember how much I wanted Kesson. You loved Kesson Hura.

I was so mad. I was so mad. I know. It was a Kingery thing too. Yep. It was like, they believed in Kingery so much that they didn't want to shake Kesson's Hura

even though he's basically the next Anthony Rendon. Well, isn't that a great idea when kids are that young to say, oh, he plays that position, so we're not going to take him.

You morons. You mor him. You morons. You morons. You morons. I don't know what else to say. What are we doing here? It's all right. It's all right. Haim's coming to save us all.

Please, Jack. So you think if you had to bet your life right now one way or the other, you think he cleans house? I think he cleans house. I think so, too. And I would have, again, I've been very staunch. I said, I think I said like a two percent chance contact goes earlier i'm willing to admit when i'm wrong or when things change at this point after that comes out and the fact that it is taking so long it makes me feel like middleton is lining his ducks up in a row he's figuring

everything out and he's gonna clean house yeah i think the fact that there hasn't been any statement of any kind of nothing like he's clearly deliberating right now i'm gonna be so disappointed if he doesn't oh dude like maybe such a bummer wake me up wake me up when when hyam signs the red socks yeah get me get ready oh god get ready for a high hopes uh yeah i mean he's gonna be using the red socks uh uh uh you know system and and resources to to build the Red Sox system and resources to build the next juggernaut of the Red Sox. Dude, I'm just saying it is so important to hire this guy.

He's the only guy in baseball I would trust as the GM other than myself. I'll take Heimblum over you. No offense. No offense. I'll take high and bloom over you. No offense. No offense. I'm not kidding. Well, it's better than the caller to the Midday Show today who said, make Charlie Manuel the general manager. That happened.

That's where we're at, folks. We're at the point where, and yes, there can sometimes be some crazy WIP calls. People are calling WIP saying, make Charlie the GM. Help us. Fix this. Did he follow up with, make Chase Utley the manager? I'm sure he was thinking it. Make Dawkins the defensive coordinator? I'm sure he was thinking it. Making Chase

the manager is not the worst idea. No, I don't think it's that bad of an idea. I think Chase actually could be a really good manager someday. Again, he needs experience. And also he needs some experience. That's the thing about Raul, which again, and it doesn't seem like they want to go the new manager route, but the reason

both of us really like Raul is because he put in his work. He did what you're supposed to do to become a manager in baseball. He went and he worked in a front office. He's learned about these things. I do think that matters, but I think temperament-wise, baseball-wise, I do think someday Chase, if he wanted

to do it, could be good at it. I think so, too. Yeah. Great baseball guy. How about that? Yeah. Alright. Got anything else on your mind, Fritzy? Offseason Jack is officially here. Thank God. That's what we were waiting for. The other night, I was trying to find Joe Girardi mic'd up

because I've just fallen head over heels with Joe Girardi. Ooh. All right, so who's your top choice? Girardi. Me too. I wholeheartedly agree with you. I think he brings the nicest blend of stature of someone that that clubhouse will respect, but also someone who is a really nice mix of analytics and old school baseball

and uses feel but still understands the importance of analytics. I like Girardi. I like Girardi too. I know Yankees fans don't love Girardi. It's really interesting. I'm very with you. It's funny. One of my best friends is a diehard Yankees fan, and he thought Girardi was horrendous.

Even as Girardi won the World Series, he's like, they did it in spite of Girardi. That's what he felt. Yeah. I mean, one of my best friends is a Yankees fan too and he used to keep a, he started keeping a diary of all the things Girardi would do wrong in a game. Oh God, he really got triggered. He became so obsessed with like

this guy is horrible. So there's that hanging over the balance, but like I just think that I think this team needs a Girardi and I think he's smart. I think he's smart too and I think that people always talk about the Yankees, but they forget what a great job he did with the Marlins in his first managerial job. He really did a great job managing that team.

That was not a super talented team, and he did a really good job with it. A couple years out, he's probably got the hunger back if he's willing to take a job. I'm with you. I think Girardi just makes the most sense from a lot of angles. We'll see, man. We'll see. Anyway, so the other night I was watching. I'm beating down a little bit right now.

I was watching, I was watching, I was trying to find out if Joe Girardi mic'd up, but I ended up just going down a rabbit hole of Joe Girardi ejection compilations. Were they good? Yeah, it was like a 30 minute, 30 minute.

30 minutes? Yeah, 30 minutes of him just getting thrown out of games. He got thrown out of a lot of games. He got thrown out of a lot of games, it was like 30 minutes. 30 minutes? Yeah, 30 minutes of him just getting thrown out of games. He got thrown out of a lot of games. He got thrown out of a lot of games. It was surprising. I like that. Over like not that big of a deal.

Give me some fire in my life with my manager. I was just, you know, I'm just starting to look up pitchers I want. Oh yeah? I'm already thinking about

the big trade. Oh, I thought you were talking about like the June draft. I was like, yeah, I can't wait. Well, they did solidify the 15th pick. Breaking news. Hey, can't wait. It's actually higher than you, you know, would have expected. Well, yeah, I can't wait. Well, they did solidify the 15th pick. Breaking news. Hey, can't wait.

It's actually higher than you would have expected. Well, yeah, it's because I expected a playoff run this year. But I do think... What a crazy thing to expect. That was dumb. Isn't this shitty? I think the Phillies need to make a... They need to kind of change up the core a little bit this offseason

and add in a big star, whether that's trading away some top prospects to get it done. Oh, might need some prospects, but go ahead. Yeah, Mookie. Mookie comes to mind. I love the idea of, oh, we could trade for Mookie. With what? With what?

Spencer Howard and Alec Baum doesn't get you Mookie. And Hoskins? Sure. I mean, that's an interesting package. Here's the thing get you Mookie. And Hoskins? Sure. I mean, that's an interesting package. Here's the thing. The Mookie thing, he's got one year left on his deal, so it would be- Well, you're resigning him. Of course you are, but the point is that still adds the extra layer, but I don't even think

that's enough to get it done. Yeah, I don't know. I think there has to be a top 10 prospect in the game in that type of trade. But I have a weird Chris Bryant feel. I can see that. Look, that's, I believe, a Boris Klein. Boris Klein, best friends with Harper. Makes sense.

They won Little League Championships together, I guess. They talk all the time. They're best friends. I'm very in for Chris Bryant. Let's go. I think... Coming off a bit of a down couple years compared to the year before.

Good Chris Bryant-ness. Yeah, so maybe get him a discount. I don't know if it would be a discount, but I mean... Less than you would have had to pay from two years ago. Yeah. He needs to get paid and all that. Theo, who is finally realizing that he's behind the times and not

very good at finding free agencies and building and sustaining a roster. Is that what I critiqued him for? Yes. And he's already planning his exit to go back to Boston probably. I mean, what a guy. He said the other day that Chris Bryant and Javi Baez

are not untouchable. Yeah. There could be a path. There's no way they have enough to trade for Baez. You get Bryant for cheaper than Baez. Yeah. I mean.

I mean, Baez has been a top three MVP candidate last year. He's a better player. And he's a more versatile player. And he plays in a more important position. And he's better defensively. I mean, Baez is a better player. And he's really cool. Yeah.

Well, he's fun. Like, he's a fun player, Avi Baez. I enjoy watching that guy play baseball. He's a reason to go to the ballpark. Yeah. He is. He's really fun. He could do anything at any time.

Like, he's that talented and that athletic and all that. Bryant, Harper, Real Muda a really fun. He could do anything at any time. He's that talented and that athletic and all that. Bryant, Harper, Real Muda. Let's go. I would be good with that. Chaim, make it happen. Yeah.

Jack. It's all that matters. Middleton. Let's go. Can we see Jack? I loved Jack Middleton. Did I? Not a big fan of John

at the moment. I'm considering taking the H out of his name. I'm considering making him John and not John. It's where we're at right now his name. I'm considering making him John and not John. It's where we're at right now. J-O-H-N is the real John.

Obviously. We know something about that. All right. Nope. Any final thoughts? That wasn't my final thought. They need to make a core changing move

this offseason. Yeah. Well, let's just say my final thought, sign Guy and Bloom. Get rid of Matt Glintak. Let's go. I don't think there's

anything else we need to say. Rate and review the podcast once a week now. Once a week. We're going to make it happen. And emergency podcasts when necessary. The second something happens, we will be there. hopes are not high at the moment. They're getting there. But they will hopefully get there

next week, week after whenever stuff finally happens. We'll be with you either way. So, prefer it to themselves. We'll talk to you later. All-Star Closer, Kenley Jansen. We have a question. What's the best podcast of all time?

Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago. It is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is. Another fact.

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