High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Reacting To Phillies Spring Training Opener

Episode Date: February 25, 2024

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies first Grapefruit League game and the other rumors flying around Spring Training. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is.

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It is another edition of the High Elm Podcast. We freaking made it, man. Like, I have been like, honestly, this is the first time all offseason, maybe other than the NOLA signing, where I felt like I could just freaking go for it with a yo. Because we are freaking back, dude. I watched the Phillies play yesterday, 14-13. Not going to lie, little freaking, you know, terrifying to watch a 14-13,

not 15-14 game against the Blue Jays. I'll just say that. But hey, we're back, buddy. It was awesome. Honestly, I really felt it yesterday. It felt beautiful in my soul to see baseball again. How are you doing, buddy? Yeah, I mean, there's nothing that I think warms the heart, I guess, more than spring training baseball.

And I think for people who don't really care about baseball, they don't really get it. But if you care about baseball, it's just hard to describe. Like you go through the whole winter, it's still pretty cold up here, but then you see the boys down in Florida, and it's like it just warms you up a little bit. And seeing them take the field. They're wearing their full jerseys, which I find interesting.

They got the home whites on today for a spring training game. I'm not used to that. But it's beautiful. They might not have any other options. The Fanatics has made this a whole thing. I can't even tell who's on the mound today. It's so small. The font on the back of the jersey is so small.

And yes, don't you worry. I am watching the game while recording this podcast. In a perfect world, this podcast would have been done at least an hour ago. This is my fault. It happens. So I was locked in. But James, I have to be honest. I have to be honest.

And I am doing my best. I'm doing my best not to do it. Oh, you're all right. I know you are. You were telling me the Kingery text yesterday. I know. It's like one game, and you're just like, Scott Kingery breakout. Yeah, I know.

I know. It's going to be a month of this. A month of me being like, relax and chill out. You'll be like, no! I am semi-embarrassed, but I also can't hide how I feel. It did cross my mind at one point yesterday, probably when he laid off a curveball in the dirt. That's all I really need at this point like i don't i don't need the home run i don't need the the the

roped ball in the third inning i don't need the the the second hit he had laying on a nice piece of hitting that last hit was a nice piece like just waiting for it popped it into right little bloop single runner on base like she was a good piece of hitting you know it's just baseball i i am embarrassed to admit that i did say to myself why did we sign whitmerry you said it to me too all right did we really need wit is is the bigger question um i'm only half joking he looks great yesterday and i i have been doing my damnness to not think about Scott Kingery. But I'd be lying to you if I said I was not thinking about Scott Kingery pretty much right when I woke up this morning. It's all I want to talk about.

Well, good. Yeah, I'm sure it's all people want to hear about. Honestly, the funny thing is, is like, and Kingery obviously had the best day of anyone. It was fun. But like you tweeted. So I love when you get super nerdy with your baseball tweets, whether it's about, you know, mechanics or whatever. But I don't know, like a week ago or whatever,

you had a tweet, you know, quote, tweeting Johan Rojas video. And you're like, his swing path looks much cleaner. Yeah. Yes. Same difference. Yes. And you know what it does? Like, that was my big takeaway from yesterday.

Like, it really does look like his path to the ball is so much cleaner, and he's, like, barreling it up, and it, like, looks like his path is, like, right in the zone when it's supposed to be. And, like, that, I know, you know, the guy could have caught it and all that, but, like, he smoked that ball. Like, that, like, he, you know, multiple hits, but that one, that double or whatever, you know, off the glove, like, he, like, that was, like he, you know, multiple hits, but that one, that double or whatever, you're off the glove. Like he, like that was like that.

I know you're not reacting to the straight training results. You are sickening. You are sickening. Of everything I saw yesterday, that was the thing that got me most excited. I was like, Johan. Johan. It wasn't Colby Allard's new mechanics? That didn't excite you?

Not yet, not yet. I did think for a second. I was like, when did they sign Drew Smiley? I will say, not the greatest Nick Nelson outing at all. No, no, no, no, no. I mean, it wasn't as bad as the Phillies scoring 10 in one of the innings. Yes, a 10-run inning. Well, like seven of them with two outs too. It was spring training for everyone.

It was spring training for everyone yesterday for sure. Not to blame Buzz, you know, our guy Buzz Wilson. But we can do it. Yeah. Why would we not? You know, but speaking of spring training for everyone, you know, there are a few things in life that I look forward to more than when Franski cracks the mic for the first time in spring. And I obviously have the Odyssey app going, and I got to turn it on.

I got to listen to half of O Canada and then all the National Anthem. So I had to wait two and a half minutes of just singing for the first Scott Franski of the spring. First time, Buzz? First time? Yeah, I mean, that's what you've been there before. Maybe time it out a little bit better. It's actually not his fault at all. I will say, if you're going to have to listen,

you may as well have at least gotten all of El Canada. What a song. What a song. What a song. What a song. It is. It is. Call it like you see it.

It's a good song. So, yeah, it was great to see them back yesterday. Obviously, like... I mean, 14-13 against the Blue Jays. I mean, I was at that 15-14 game, so obviously I'm going to have flashbacks, but I am one of many Phillies fans who was sitting there in the ninth when it's 14-13

being like, we're going to lose this 15-14, and it's just going to be the single worst way that I could start the 2024 season to lose 15-14 against the Blue Jays in this game. team being like we're gonna lose this 15 14 and it's just gonna be the single worst way that i could start the 2024 season to lose 15 14 against blue jays in this game and they didn't you know so i i really did that was well i i was so sure i was seeing 15 14 it's funny that it's funny that you were like this because if there was one person i expected to be like this like i would expect it to be the camera tomorrow just talking talking about how the season's cursed. It's a bad omen.

Let's be honest. If they had started the season losing 15 to 14 to the Blue Jays, that's about as bad a start as you know. My only gripe with yesterday is that far too many

scrubs I've never heard of coming in late. So many. Croon or whateverubs I've never heard of coming so many like the dudes in home run like croon or whatever I never heard of we have an Aramis I was so excited I was like is this Aramis from where is this oh no not no yeah but I know it's like hey let's go new Aramis we've been Aramis like a jack I'm so with you I was I look like I know it's spring training like for first game of the I was I was expecting to know a little bit more than I did. I'm very with you on this. I was looking forward to some guys late.

But I believe, I think Mick Abel's pitching today. He is. Apparently, I believe it's Nola, then Abel is the plan. I know. This is exciting. This is exciting. I live for every single spring training

storyline. We'll get into a lot of it, but the JT spending the offseason in the biomechanic lab couldn't be more all in. I feel like Johan Rojas had to have been in there

as well. Based off Kingery swings yesterday, Kingery had to be in there too. And then like the Griff McGarry new mechanics, like the Mick Abel new mechanics. There is nothing in the world, I believe, that fills you with more hope than spring training storylines. So it's the greatest.

Yeah, so we joked aboutoked about before but if you're new to the pod welcome super avid avi uh you'll see that this will be a theme throughout the season is jack getting very excited about spring training stuff and me kind of tamponing him down and all that but but i say this every year as someone who is very and proven correct, let me say, does not overreact to spring training stuff. New mechanics, buddy. I'm in. I'm sorry.

I'm right there with you. Give me new mechanics. He's on the other side of the rubber, or he figured something out in the swing. All in on that stuff. Well, but I will say, the biomechanic lab is a new one that I'm currently working my way through. This is the first time I've really had to

deal with it. Because now, the Phillies are not stuck in the dark ages. It's going to be a learning process here. It's going to be, how excited should I get about the biomechanics lab when we see JT in his new swing? Are they all just going to be how excited should i get about the biomechanics lab when we see jt and his new swing like are they all just going to become uh guys that don't chase and only look to

do damage in the zone like i can't i can't wait i think the thing that i love the most about spring training is i can't wait to see everything they worked on the off season coming to fruition that's all i care about that's all i care about and it's it's again it's the most hope-filled time you are hilarious i love it it's the best dude there's there's nothing better in the entire world than the first couple of spring training games like you can have your little world series runs and all that but but you want to talk about what really matters here this is this is the good stuff this is what separates the men from the boys. That's what it is. It's like, oh, you're just going to tune in for opening day.

Cute. Well, I already know what's going on with the team. You know, I already I already have my breakout. Who would have known that Junior Marte would play like a very minor role in last season? If you had to watch spring training, you knew it right away. You're like, yeah, Junior Marte. And it's like he would big would somewhat contribute to the season. So that was a pretty big thing.

You know, it was good. That's why we're here, buddy. That's why we're here. I'm so fired. I'm so ready. I'm so excited. You're going to spring training, what, like a week or so? You're going to two weeks?

So it's going to be awesome. March 7th. March 7th, yeah. It's going to be absolutely beautiful. Let's dive in. March 7th. March 7th, yeah. It's going to be absolutely beautiful. Let's dive in.

Quickly, before we get to more important stuff. I'm sorry, Jack. Anything outside of Kingery that you legitimately want to react to that you saw yesterday before we move on to other stuff? Was there anything you saw yesterday? I mean, they did. They played, and it was fun. Was there anything legitimate yesterday outside of just the fun of it being back

and Kingery and Johan that got you kind of like oh like somewhere just like oh one of those well it was like unfortunately for me they they pitched like most of the scrubs that won't be on the roster i know um which was it felt like a personal attack i think it was i think it was i mean they very easily could have just pitched a good guy yesterday and pitched scrubs today, and they didn't. And they had to have thought of you. I mean, it might not have been because of you, but there's no way they didn't think of you when they decided to do that. Yeah, well, I mean, it does probably make sense. Keep the good guys for the home opener rather than the game in Dunedin.

Against the Yankees, the whole thing. It's a rivalry game. It matters a lot. Right next to each other. I mean, they're basically like crosstown rivals, essentially,

when it comes to Grapefruit League baseball. Exactly right. So, yeah, no, I mean, the Rojas,

I mean, did strike out on a slider, which I didn't love. No, we're not talking about that, Jack. Right, that doesn't matter.

We're talking about him roping balls that almost got caught, but didn't, and ended up being an RBI double. That's what I'm talking about. Okay? Good doesn't talk about him roping balls that almost got caught but didn't and ended up being an rbi double that's what i'm talking about okay good i'm proud of you um uh but yeah i mean mary phil got a nice hit the opposite way that was good to see um but once again did we really need them with scotty did i need i there i just i nothing i think would make me happier than a nice like a revival of scotty jen well the funniest part would be that the revival would happen right after we stopped

paying him a bunch of money exactly yeah like it's just the the easily the most hilarious way for it to happen is like you pay off the contract the whole thing useless and it's like oh now he gives you something would just be so funny like it really is perfect dude him having him having 19 homers in like in 2019 is i think it's a race from my memory because he had the one month where he just got in the month it was it was legitimately the don brown month it was yeah it's not quite the same level. The Dom month became an all-star because of it. But yeah, same idea. Special.

And real quick takeaways from the spring training game currently going on right now. I know. No, I can't help it. I can't help it. Nola is dotting the fastball early. Just dotting the fastball early. It is a sight to see, watching the Bulls right now. We're going to do a Bull Predictions pod at some point along the way,

and I'll just say I've got an Aaron Nola Bull Prediction. I'm just saying it. I've mentioned this multiple times. I'm just going to say I'm very, very, very in on Aaron Noel this year. That's one of my things this year is I'm expecting big things from Aaron Noel. Just saying. I mean, through the first inning and three pitches. Lock it in!

Might have a better year than Zach Wheeler. Might have a better year than Zach Wheeler. God, I need to see Spencer Turnbull. It's just, again, you crapping on spring training stuff. You are almost like a... Hold up, hold up. I'm not crapping on the excitement of baseball being back in spring training. I'm crapping on taking anything meaningful away from it

that's projecting for the season. Come on, man. Nola just dotted a fastball up in the zone like like like he wasn't able to do that a lot last year he's gonna go down with a change up or a curveball right here and get a strikeout like it's just it just it just matters so much and i but it doesn't it doesn't it doesn't at all no i think i should have learned my lesson with pivetta throwing 99 every year like every year you could learn your lesson every year this happens every year the history of this podcast there are very few they are there are a lot of things that have been the same there are very few things that have been exactly the same every year and every year

we get on here and you do your thing and every every year I'm like, man, chill out. And I am proven right every year. So I'm okay with it. But what about the sense of feeling alive, James? Have you thought about that? It's fun. I'm not hating on it. I'm just not taking it as seriously as you.

Dude, I will say, I will say, Pavetta against the Cardinals. Like, I don't, outside of his, outside of his complete game against the Reds, I don't know if I felt pure joy from a sporting event in my life. Like, I don't people. Not the bedlam at the bank or any of these things. You're in the Reese home or, like, any of these moments you were there in the building. No, no, no, no.

Good point. Good point. I mean, the Nola Boston start has to be up there, obviously. No, no, no, no. Good point. And then Nola Boston has to be up there. Nola Boston. Yeah, yeah. Back in the infancy of this podcast when no one listened to it or cared. There was a lot of dynamite stuff. A lot of bad takes.

I'll own up to that. A lot of bad takes. A lot of bad takes. I never had any. We've been eating up in the take game in the last little bit. That's right. That's enough about spring training for right now, but I will. If you see me combust on the screen.

What else are we going to talk about? Do we have other stuff to talk about besides spring training? No. Well, I mean, yeah. There's stuff to talk about. Of course. I'm joking. All right.

So let's talk about some stuff. Bellinger's not going to be a Philly. Never really expected that one. I'm joking. I'm joking. All right. So let's, let's talk about some stuff. Bellinger is not going to be a Philly. Uh, never really expected that one. I w I thought the Montgomery Snell thing was way more possible than the Bellinger thing, but thoughts on Bellinger going to Chicago and then thoughts on like, look,

it's, it's about to be March and Montgomery and Snell are both still out there. Both. I know Montgomery has been connected to the Phillies more. It seems like as this has played out and stuff, but like both those guys are both still out there. Both. I know Montgomery's been connected to the Phillies more, it seems like, as this has played out and stuff, but both those guys are freaking sitting there. They're not getting what they want. There is

opportunity there. Where are you at on the whole kind of what's still out there thing? Yeah, so it did make me more hopeful about signing Jordan Montgomery, and it seems like Boris is now on the mindset of like i gotta get these guys in camp uh we'll try to get as much as we can but he's definitely he's taking opt-outs after

year one year two whatever he'll take every opt-out he can at this point i would be shocked if bellinger plays on that contract you know for all three years well unless he stinks again if he reverts that's why they you know Because he literally has gone from being an MVP to being cut. It's a pretty wide range of outcomes for Bellinger, but I agree. If he plays anything close to last year,

he will opt out. I think that's a perfect world for where the Phillies are at right now. If you can sign Jordan Montgomery for one year, and you have him for a year, it should not affect how you approach Wheeler. Because I think if they sign him now, it doesn't affect the shoes tax. Wheeler's already signed for this year, so it doesn't matter.

Exactly. Yeah, yeah. Wheeler will be for next year anyway. There's no new money, essentially. And it allows them. And either way, if you're signing Montgomery for this year, you're going over that next number anyway, and it wouldn't really...

Or you're close to it, most likely. But I was going to say, they could get off Taiwan still. Sure, sure. You are the king of all offseason, but maybe they could get off Taiwan. I'm just saying I'm pretty confident that how it's viewed how that contract is viewed around the league is not how it's viewed here oh i agree

with that too i honestly i don't view it that way myself like again it might not seem exciting but like the numbers he gave you last year are pretty close to what 18 million a year is like as much as it's like uncomfortable to think that way about baseball it's like absurdity but like the innings and the the numbers he gave you it's like close like i i don't know what i haven't looked at the war and the value and all that but i would guess he was probably like not that far off value wise from what he costs you know yeah it's it's the ultimate like having to sit there and watch it what's the innings eater thing it's like the it's like the innings eater thing when you actually watch it it's like where it's like this is valuable like like jim salisbury says it this

way and i love it it's like innings are valuable like he just says it like it's like and it's right it's like innings are freaking valuable in baseball they are and like what taiwan walker gives you is freaking valuable. It's just when you watch it every fifth day, it's like, what? How is this guy making this much money? But in reality, just if you're really dollars and cents spreadsheet-wise, it's not that bad a contract. No, I will say.

I've obviously been down on Tywon. There's definitely a chance that he bounces back and has a pretty good year two years ago he was good if they got the guy two years ago we all would have been like this is sweet and I guess I think Alex I think Alex Coffey wrote about how

he's been working on getting the velocity up and not starting games slow because of all the bits that the Phillies do every year the Taiwan walker getting rocked in the first three innings and then ending up in the sixth with the same exact score. With it six to four, yeah, exactly. It was an underrated all-time bit.

It was. You're right. Well, it's because there were so many bits. And I told you yesterday I was watching 2023 playoff highlights, and then I ended up following and just going to 2022 last night after the game because I was all Phillies up. But I forgot just how many bits the team had. I'm watching the highlights, and it's like Marlins, Braves, and then it's like NLCS, and it's like Schwarber, bombs.

And I'm like, I totally forgot about that. What a bit. Just shuts up until the end. I forgot it. We never forget about the Schwarber sucks till June bit, but we forget about the Schwarber sucks until the NLCS and then hits like eight homers. There's so many bits with this team.

No, it's the best. It's the best. I was watching that, like all the bits that were playing out. Yeah, so I have a couple thoughts on the playoff run last year because we haven't discussed it enough. I do too, actually, so good. No, I just – it was the greatest thing like when they went up to well against the diamondbacks like you couldn't have told me anything like i had

a nothing game dude it was like it felt as destined as any moment ever has right they went up to nothing or 20 in the series and i even like watching it and bringing back the memories i was like dude these guys the regular season doesn't matter they just win like they're just winners and um it sucks that how it ended his is how it ended but um and speaking of shorebird a strikeout but but there was a there was like an article i think zelecki wrote about. They think he can bat like 250 again. And I was like, I don't know where that, I mean, sure. 250 would be insane.

I would honestly, I'm sure you would too. I would sign on the dotted line for 220 right now. I'd be like, really? Hell yeah. Kyle Schwerber batting 220 is an outstanding baseball player. Please. 250, come on. Like 250 is winning the MVP. I mean, come on. is a outstanding baseball player. Please. 250? Come on.

Like, 250 is winning the MVP. I mean, come on. So. He'll have like a 900 on base percentage. I mean, excuse me. 900. He'll have like a 420 on base percentage if he bats 250.

I know. I know. So, back to Montgomery, though. Like, the Bellinger contract did make me feel more that Montgomery's still on the table. Now, I do know, I guess, I think Lauber talked to Middleton, and he basically said— Okay, I thought you were about to say, like, when you said, I do know, I was like, ooh, Jackie Sources? You were about to say something that you know that other— The way you said it was like, I do know I've heard something.

It just sounded like that. Well, they've made an offer but i don't like um i'm sure they've been in touch the whole time so but but lauber talked to middleton and middleton basically was advised by dobrowski like save the money for the deadline and i don't think that's yeah we saw the quote the the save. I had never heard it called the powder before. I don't know if I love that, the save the powder, but yes. Yes. So, yeah, so, I mean, that's obviously on the table. But if you have a chance to just from day one be like, all right, I'll go add Jordan Montgomery to the team.

I think you just still take the chance to add Jordan Montgomery. I still think it would require. Like, I only really want to do it if I know I can get off Tom Walker because I am worried about the next part of the tax because of losing 10 spots in the draft. And I know that no one else cares about that besides like five people and me. But I don't love losing five spots in the draft.

But it just makes them, it makes them just that much more dangerous. And adding Jordan Montgomery, and then that lets the deadline pretty much just be, do we need to go get a closer or not? Do we need an extra bench bat? They should. Yeah, they should. I mean, if we're really talking about the deadline,

if you want to make this team perfect, some pop off the bench wouldn't hurt like they don't have pop off the bench and that is something you could say is a reasonable thing to add like if we could replace jk with someone at the death like you know adam duvall or whatever somebody like i actually feel much more comfortable with in a spot hitting me a home run or whatever um you know regardless though i dude i'm totally with you and and i the whole thing is you're talking there about montgomery and the potential for it and all that like i just keep coming back to something that we have talked about all off season and at the end of the season and even during the season last year but like we've talked about this so much but like they're like right in the heart of a window like this is not like beginning of a window and we're like we are in the like we always talk about athletes like

prime years like they're in the prime of their career. We are in the prime of this window, of the Bryce Harper window, the Trey Turner, Zachary, all these guys. It's now. It's all right now. They're all late 20s, early 30s. Go time. It's freaking now.

You don't sign all these guys, give them all this money and all that to not go for it right now. Bryce Harper, Trey Turner, all these guys give them all this money and all that to not like go for it right now bryce harper trey turner all these guys will never be more equipped and more ready to win you a championship than the next two to three years because it is what it is right they're gonna decline most likely like so like this is it now and we've talked about this a ton but like that's why you sign a jordan montgomery if it happens that's why if blake snell's sitting there and he's one year 20 million like sure why not like that's like it's it you're in the moment right now and you are gonna no matter how smart they can be and i think they can be and you know when aidan miller is the best

player in baseball that's gonna solve a lot of roster issues for you and all that stuff but like the reality is we are going to have trey turner at 30 million a year or whatever at the age of 37 38 39 we're gonna have Bryce Harper potentially into his 40s for those type of numbers and all that like that is a reality and they can play around that they can still win and stuff like that but in terms of like you have these contracts in the books the best value you are getting for this these massive all-time contracts in terms of the length and all that is right freaking now you do everything you can to maximize winning right freaking um now i believe you're not counting for pop off the bench you were not talking about could be weston wilson or derrick hall bro you know how much i love weston wilson

and how anyone who comes up in their first game and has that type of thing, I'm always going to be connected to. You know me. I still love Luke Williams. Sorry, it is what it is. He's a brave, so you love the brave. He's also a Marlin, so you love them. I love Luke Williams' family, I should rephrase. But you know, I'm always on

Weston Wilson. That's my guy. Gave me a moment of sports, our family, our life moment. I'll never forget it. Thank you, Mike. I said Mike, too. Both of them together, Lorenzen and Wes Wilson gave us a moment. I appreciate them. Hey, maybe they can get

Dylan Cousins, too. Maybe he could hit some pop-off events. Dylan Cousins, excuse me. You know where my mind went? I'm so ready to defend Dylan Covey to people right now. You said Dylan Cousins, and I'm like, before you said Pop-Up Adventure, I'm like, hey, you know what? We're not slandering Dylan Covey on this podcast.

Like, he was good last year. I don't care what anyone says. Who's better? Who's a better Covey, Dylan Covey or Britton Covey? That's a great question. Probably still Britton, but like, I don't know. For all we did with Dylanylan covey last year it was one of those things were like disaster that it was like you know what like honestly can't do much better for your mop-up guy you're down eight one bring him in guy like he was

good i'm i don't hate dylan covey that's perfectly fine he's he's perfectly fine to the point where when you're bringing up Dylan Cousins, I immediately just think you're talking about Dylan Covey. You couldn't wait to rant about how great Dylan Covey is. To be fair, Dylan Covey more relevant than Dylan Cousins to our current spot, but yes. Most people would say that. Most people would say that. The interesting part-

Is Cousins still a giant? Is he a giant? I don't know where he is. I do not believe he's- I think he's a football player. I think he went- Oh, yes, yes, yes, is. I think he's a football player. I think he went, ah. Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. Every guy tried to be or whatever.

Yes. Christian Pache with a nice little hit. That's a guy you forget about. I think everyone's forgotten about. Christian Pache was our guy until he got hurt, and then Johan Rojas had to come up. He was the first. He was a top 10 prospect in the sport.

Talk about pedigree. The guy had it. We'll see how he factors into everything with the team. I don't think he has options. Either way, we'll see. It was so funny because obviously last week,

the beginning of last week was a lot of the Harper extension stuff, which is funny. Big advice. I would stop talking about the extension, and if it happens, it happens. Just let it go away. I totally agree with you, dude. Just let it go away.

Just let it go away. I still can't believe JK is on this team. I can't either. If you could have said, it's a big one person who definitely won't be on the Phillies next year, I probably would have picked JK. Anyway, go ahead um but it was so funny because the discussion was like oh my god well all these older contracts like whatever it's like i just i i don't buy into the theory of oh my god they're gonna suck in like eight years just because after rollins and

utley and those guys got old they sucked for a decade because they couldn't draft and they couldn't develop and they couldn't – they weren't spending money and they kind of just were like 10 years behind everyone else in baseball. It doesn't mean like the Phillies are going to fall off a cliff when they're just pretty much paying an older Trey and an older Bryce. Like it doesn't automatically mean they're going to stink. You have to be – you have to have your player development in a good spot. You have to automatically mean they're going to stink. You have to have your player development in a good spot. You have to have your drafting in a good spot. But I think there was a little bit too much doomsday of everything's going to suck 10 years from now. I just don't think that.

Who knows who they're able to draft? No, I'm with you. Who they can sign in the international markets. That's why I said it that way before when I was joking about that, but that's why I was like, when Aiden Miller's the best player in baseball, I won't worry, but it's like, we love Aiden Miller, but it's like, all it takes is hitting on a prospect.

All it takes is a couple moves, and it doesn't matter. You can win. I don't think Bryce Harper is going to stink. Assuming he's healthy, I don't think he's going to stink at 38. I just don't think he's going to be worth $25 million. You know, like I think it's a really good point. Like,

don't assume that the future of the Phillies is barren because they have these numbers on the books, especially because that by the time that comes around, the, the cab luxury tax, if you're going to call it, it's going to be way higher. Like that 25 million or 27 million or whatever.

Turner is like that or Nola or whatever. These numbers are going to be way higher. Like that $25 million or $27 million or whatever Turner is like, that or Nola or whatever, these numbers are going to be so much less. I mean, Harper already is. From the time Harper signed his contract to now in terms of A, that's why this is happening. That's why he's talking about an extension. It's because he's looking at it. It's like, oh, that guy's making $40.

That guy's making $70. That guy's making $35. I'm making $25. So as time goes on, that's only going to increase more where the percentage of the the pie so to speak is smaller and smaller on a year-to-year basis but again that doesn't change the point i said before where it's still you're in a window now and you and you commit to that exactly exactly um and especially if you if you can do the bellinger ish type deal with an op that

after year one totally it just lays it out perfectly because okay he can leave or he's really good and you resign him plus you know you have painter coming back you know next year and next year if you go into it just gives you optionality to go like a hinky phrase it gives you so many ways to you know maneuver and he opts in it go and given i think they're gonna resign wheeler no matter what so wheeler n, Nolan, Montgomery, Ranger, Painter is with Sanchez. With Sanchez? I mean, that's like, dude. I was putting together my Fritz list yesterday because someone DMed me asking early for the Fritz list.

So I figured I would have to look at it real quick and put together some guys. My draft is like a month from now, so make sure we're all over that. Dude, like Chris Sanchez was ranked ahead of Walker Bueller on one site that I love, that I like really value. Does that have to do with coming back from injury still with Bueller? I mean, because Walker Bueller is clearly. But still, I mean, that's a wild thing. It's just a concept.

He was ahead of a lot of guys. I was like, man, really? And I think I always do this. And I think we were guilty of this a lot with the Wheeler-Sai Young stuff from a couple years ago. Where we're almost so close to it that you don't realize how good they are. Totally. I say this all the time, dude. I always say we're myopic with our Philly sports.

Cause we focus so in on it that I bring this up with the pitching staff a lot where it's like the fifth starter thing, even with Taiwan, where we were just talking about with like the value that he brings, like look at the fifth starters for most teams in baseball. Like, you know who sucks? The fucking pirate.

Oh, I curse. The pirates fist starters stinks. Like whoever is this, like most fist starters stink. And we just focus so much on ours. All right. Bad job. That was, wow.

That was like, that was a blatant. Did not expect the. I'm excited. All right. No, it's good. But yeah. And it's funny because every time I put something out about the Phillies, that's positive. It's always like, well, pitching sucks or whatever sucks.

It's like they have a top five rotation, a top five bullpen, and a top five lineup. Are they great at any of those spots? I think lineup-wise is pretty great. Ah, good play. Just kidding. Is lineup-wise probably the closest to great is the rotation great great no but like by but it's really good it's really good and also compared to the rest of the league like if you look at fan graphs see this whatever you want to choose as

you're like i'm gonna get excited for the season and read stuff like the phillies are a top three rotation like basically anywhere you look are considered considered obviously it plays out whatever but they are like ranked as a top three rotation wherever you look fangraphs has him as number two they were number one until kershaw came back to the dodgers like like whatever like we get myopic and i think a lot of times people in the city are like oh you overrate him this that's like no look at the rest of the league like the phillies rotation is legit legit you know like it is and then you have montgomery it'd be the best it'd be the best No, look at the rest of the league. The Phillies rotation is legit, legit. Look, it is.

And then you have Montgomery. It'd be the best. It'd be the best. It would have the best rotation. It would be 11 all over again, except that 11 rotation is obviously special, but Oswald was on almost his last leg. He just wasn't Oswald. Christopher Sanchez last year was better than freaking Oswald was.

Oswald. Like he was, I mean, Christopher Sanchez last year is better than freaking Oswald was. So I, I, I just Jordan Montgomery. And I remember watching that South Carolina. I remember when he first came up with the Yankees,

he wore 47. He's a gamer dude. Like we saw it last year in the playoffs. We saw it before with the, but like the dude, just a gamer. Like he's just one of those dudes who like, he's going to show up.

He's going to show up. He's going to show up. He just reminded me of, he reminded me of Pettit. Like, like a competitive. What a good comp. Like, no,

like unfair to compare anyone to Pettit in the playoffs, but like even Vi, like the way he, obviously Lafty too, but the way he goes about his business, he does feel Pettit. Like that's kind of a good comp. And you have,

you've had him do the postseason with Wheeler, who's already has a ridiculous resume nola more hit or miss um it's still good like nola's still got like a three something career postseason era like you still solid good postseason pitcher you know and then ranger montgomery i mean like that's a like those are three out of four pretty proven postseason guys and one guy who has a chance to be dominant as well. Ranger's pretty postseason, too. I mean, Ranger's great in the postseason. No, I know. That's what I'm saying.

I think Noel's actually bigger. Oh, you're saying Noel. I got it. Okay, my bad. My bad. Yep. Yeah, I think Noel's actually a bigger question mark in the postseason. No, he is.

You're right. Good point. You're totally right. Good point. So, yeah, it would be exciting. It would be exciting. And we'll see if anything happens i know he said we're not going to spend to the trade deadline but i just still believe

that if there's a chance to add a guy i think they'll take that chance so uh looking forward to it yeah i'm so with you and look i think like you want to keep it up in the trade down but like first and foremost sonny montgomery doubt doesn't mean you can't still do things at the trade deadline maybe it's like not as big or whatever and even then you could do whatever you want like ultimately like yes there are luxury tax thresholds but it's not a salary cap like they can do what they need to do if they feel they need to do it and if they get an opportunity to get a guy like montgomery at a at a value and a short-term value like i think i'm so with you i don't i do not think that though we want to wait till the deadline would prohibit them from doing something they believe.

It is what it is. Yeah, you could trade for someone like Montgomery at the deadline, or you could have the guy for the whole season. You could not give up prospects for him. There's so many, and it's all about the market, but I'm so with you. Hey, fantasy football owners. The road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. I'm Matt Harmon from Reception Perception. Join me and james co as we take a deep dive into the position that's going

to make or break your fantasy roster wide receivers we analyze route running target share and all the metrics that matter giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers as you prep for your draft let us give you the coverage you need. Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. What else you got? Feels like take back time. Yeah.

Because it's funny. There's been so much we've uncovered on this pod. I know. And it's like 30 minutes in. I feel like this take back could take 25 minutes. I'm just letting you know. Oh, God. I thought this would be like a 40 minute pod total but no worries let's go the the rojas the rojas bad path thing is real it looked more clean my only thing

you had to bring it back okay i know but to finalize my point is that everyone needed that my only concern with spring training stuff is that if it doesn't work do they go back and revert to their to what they've always done so while i'm excited and while the the the hit was great yesterday he did also swing and miss on some sliders early which we don't love is i'm more in the dirt which you know we would like to get that locked in um but the bat path very exciting uh one thing that's not exciting, James, and I'm curious how you feel about this. You are an old soul.

You are someone who... Actually, just old, too. Just old, but I believe you are resistant to change. You don't love everything becoming so modernized. Yes, like me and all other human beings. Yes, resistant to change, yes. Well, but you also don't like everything being modernized, either. Like movies, right?

Like, 90s movies are better than movies today because so it's not the modernization it's yes partially the cgi is not as good and also like the superhero of movies and all that but it's not because it's strictly because it's new it's not like oh it was better in my day but yes i do part, I will not argue. Just go along with the point for one second. Yes, I'm going along. I'm going along. Let's go. What do you got? I like the out-of-town scoreboard the way that it was. I did too. I hated

that they did this. I'm with you. Thank you. I know I'm the one who's supposed to. It's too digital. It's supposed to feel a certain way. It's baseball. It's like Wrigley. It's like Fenway. If it were up to me like i'd rather still have the guy back there taking the cards out and sticking them in certain things i'm with you like i am yes averse to change like everyone but also like i understand that change

needs to happen there are certain things that are just perfect like it's just perfect and you don't need to change it real quick off of that i think we talked we've 100 talked about it but i'm just i'm just very curious like will we well me hopefully yes yes good maybe a longer life technology buddy there we go will you will you see a different ballpark besides Citizens Bank Park in your life? We have talked about this. I think yes, I do. I just don't want that. Dude, I am right there with you.

I want in 100 years when they change every ballpark and they'll be like, the three oldest ballparks, Wrigley, Fenway, and Citizens Bank Park. I'm with you. I want it to be that. I think it's cool enough. I think it's well-built enough.

I think it is timeless and classy enough. Camden Yards, same way. That could last forever. If I had to bet in 20, 30 years with the money involved, with the politics involved, with the city, the whole thing that's involved, I just think someone's going to be like, hey, let's make some money and build a stadium. You know, would be my guess. The only, uh, the only thing I will accept a new stadium location is if they can do it on

Penn's landing or somewhere, which is the dream. It's the ultimate dream. I mean, it is like, and I understand like the Chinatown thing and this and that, and I understand the, the all kinds of issues, just forgetting any specific issues with specific cities, just on a holistic level, there's

nothing cooler than a baseball stadium in a city. There just isn't. And on a river, on top of that. On a river, like PNC, like PNC Park is not overrated. It's beautiful. It's awesome to watch a baseball game there, and that's not even half the city that Philadelphia is.

But being right on the water with the bridges and the city right behind you, it just kicks ass, man. It's just a fun way to watch baseball. So I'm right there with you. I would love it. I just don't expect it. Plus, we call it Harper's Cove. I mean, it's just...

Oh, yeah. I'm really just thinking about Walker at this point. I get it. I want Walker to experience a ballpark downtown. But final thought on that before I move on. To your many other thoughts, yes. There's a lot of thoughts. I just – I think Citizens Bank Park is just perfect.

I think it is a perfect – like it's loud. The way it's built was with dave montgomery's vision like even down to the where to where if you hit it off the wall at this current point yeah it bounces a certain way and all that yeah you can get it inside the park home run like it it's just also it has it has like a you know like they're just certain sports stadiums or just music venues whatever they walk into and there's no life like there are just certain sports stadiums or just music venues, whatever that you walk into. And there's no life like you could just feel it where it just feels like this is a space that was built to house events. And then there are places that you walk into and say, like, this is where the Phillies play.

Like, this is like a home, like it has a vibe and a life to it. And then you add in all the moments that have happened there and especially you know the last few years and the whole you know national thing and all like there's just something about the place that it's there's just something special there and i don't i don't know that you'd want to ever mess with that you know what i'm saying yeah it's a it's a it's a it's a great spot it's a great spot uh one thing i've also been thinking a lot about because we're we're winding down and i guess it ties into the the biomechanics thing for some reason i've been like bringing the biomechanics back it's good work for some reason i've been thinking about a lot recently like life without jt um and how because like we we've been i mean yeah he's like 32 year old 33 year old

catcher i mean you know how long and we've we've been spoiled by having the best or one of the best at his position for the last like four years. And it's like I'm not ready for the usual drop-off that comes. Well, especially because he might not have been the best at his position, but Chooch was super underrated. Like Chooch was a really good catcher and got you clutch hits and obviously was a great backstop and all that stuff and did everything you want to have a catcher that it does feel like outside of you know a few

years in there it feels like we've kind of been spoiled at a position for a long time where it can be really ugly and and year to year like a lot of these guys i mean i mean just the way jt hits even when he gets cold road jt whatever, whatever. I mean, compared to most catchers, it's usually an automatic out for the most part. You know, so it's such a great point, Jack. I think for a long time we have not, you know, like Andrew Knapp, the whole Knapp thing. We got so many. He was a backup catcher. Imagine your starting catcher being like Andrew Knapp-esque because that's what some are, you know, like.

Well, the thing is, I just have a feeling i i don't think at the end of his contract which is after next year i i think he's gonna be back like i don't think it's already the end of next year jack oh my god the pay jt thing feels like it was yesterday jesus yes wow the the sign that as if i could not feel older. Okay, good. Yeah, he's got one year left. Time is flying. But I think he's going to be back. I agree.

I think they'll re-sign him, although he will not be playing first base. No, he's aged well as a catcher in terms of at the athleticism. And we talked about this back in the day when they signed him and all that. But he is a rare kind of case in that not only is he just extra athletic period he's you know a great runner and all that stuff for a catcher but he played shortstop and and other positions a lot of his career he doesn't have the same like you know 20 years of squatting down or whatever prior that a lot of people do so you it wouldn't be shocking if he could last a little while well Well, and in reading the Gelb article, that's a good piece of hitting by Castie.

That's a good piece of hitting, Castie. He had a little change up on the outside corner, but he dumped over the shortstop. Regardless, by the way, Matt Stroud looked great. Oh, reading the Gelb article, he's very conscious about about and he's like aggressive and not regressing i guess if that's cool if that's the way that you can do it so um no it's just like life without jt you know we've i've almost i feel like i've almost uh

i've appreciated jt but it like it can go bad with the catching position there's not many around the game that are as good as JT. It's kind of a smaller, obviously in terms of importance to the city, but kind of a smaller version of the Jason Kelsey thing, where it's something you don't really just think about, like a position that seems like it's like, all right, we're just set at this thing,

and that's what we do. And then all of a sudden, Jason Kelsey's not going to be the center of the Eagles anymore. And it's like, oh. Well, that's not possible. Wow, we had that thing like i feel like it's not the same level obviously but it's a similar type of thing with the catcher position and what jt has been in a way from from an on the field perspective yeah um so i think before the last podcast or or since the last podcast it came out middleton talking about how they offered yamamoto the

most of anyone else and i do believe it was in the 330 range um which is hilarious but i wonder if they were so aggressive in yamamoto probably knowing that they weren't getting them uh with the idea of next offseason being all in and maybe even going up to like 400 million, uh, for Sasaki, who I believe will be over next year. Um, who I think right now is a top five pitcher in the world.

Well, you talked about it last time, even when, when we were talking about trying to sign Yamamoto, you brought up Sasaki and you were like, listen, I love Yamamoto. I would sign him Sasaki,

dude. Like I just remember, I remember how excited you were about him and that was what you have three or four months ago you were talking about that oh man short almost had an infield single that we're getting to 250 one day at a time one day at a time um but yeah i a part of me was wondering okay well is this all laying the groundwork for just show show hey look we are willing to pay for japanese pitchers will make you feel comfortable whatever like and by being up there, that's fascinating.

I mean, look, if they are, and look, I would believe it with Dombrowski, but Dave Dombrowski and John Medard are playing 4D chess then. Even if they don't get Sasagi just to think that way, to say, hey, maybe we get Yamamoto, maybe we don't, but we're setting something up, that'd be really cool. Yep, so that was something I was thinking. Interesting seeing some of the clips of Griff McGarry's new wind-up.

It looks a lot tighter. I think he got away with being long in his mechanics. He dropped his arm pretty far down. They really shortened it up. The only concern I have with that is that it it takes a while for it to click i think i don't think this is an overnight thing so like i know pavetta a couple years ago he tried to shorten it and it

really just broke out last year by the way there are a lot of breakout pavetta articles being written right now and i would just like to say you're five years too every year you're you're you're late you're late um so it just it takes a little while when you shorten your arm path to get comfortable with it i they're already saying he might not pitch in grapefruit league games um but just looking at the shortened mechanic it it it's like and and he does not have the velocity I'm not saying he's this guy, but it looks just like Spencer Strider. So, so I'm excited about the Griff McGarry stuff. I want to see him in a game.

Cause I want to see what it looks like, but potentially back in on Griff McGarry. That was a real high hopes moment there. Thank you for, you know, okay. I thought I, for a moment thought it was five years ago

and we were talking about Nick Pavetta and Curt Chilling and I just had a real flashback. But we're back and we're good now. So go ahead. Thank you. Thank you. Listen, all I said was that he's a splitter away from being Stephen Strasburg. He did.

He sure did. And he's better than Stephen Strasburg right now. Well, it's true. So am I, Jack. So am I. Yeah, so very excited about the Griff thing. I'm excited to see Mick Abel today. I can't wait for that.

About 10,000 at the home opener today. Wow, really? That's phenomenal. Wow. Dude, people are excited for the Fills. And we talked about this. Which is true. They are.

They are. They're so excited. I thought people were going to be a little bit hesitant to buy in. I mean, people are flocking to Clearwater. Fully in. I mean, the way the Eagles season ended definitely played a role. But there is almost no animosity or anger or whatever. It hurt.

It sucked. We all remember it. But I've carried none of it over. I am as excited as I could possibly be for the fills and i don't you know it doesn't hang over me at all and i would have never guessed that yeah well that actually does bring me to a thing i texted you last night and some other people about um it's wild for as backbreaking as the yorda and alvarez home run like so last night full disclosure i watched one of the 2023 highlight films and started with which i did it's super fun yeah it started well because i wasn't gonna let

you out like like like that's sickening if you're if you are watching all highlights as soon as i texted you that i was watching the highlights you had to watch it wasn't well i was like guess what i'm doing tonight um so so you know the the highlight that i watched it started with the alvarez home run and again i think that's only the third time i've seen it um and in your book freaking one of them i was that was what i was not it was like not expecting that at all i was like oh anyway go ahead but for such a terrible moment like it feels like it's never talked about like Rondé. It's never talked about like Joe Carter. I agree with you 100%.

And I think it's because we have just pretty much erased it from the Philadelphia Sports Memory Bank. I think we've erased the viewer memory. Game 5, I think it's because, and you put it out in the, literally, credit to you, in the moment, you knew the Phillies lost the World Series in Game 5. It almost felt like the Alvarez-Homer was just like, yup. You know, it wasn't like.

They were up. I know. Trust me. I know. I'm not trying to diminish it. I'm just trying to explain why. Because I'm right there with you. When I text you back, I'm like, I don't even think about it.

I'm like, I don't even think about the Astros series. I just think about beating the Padres. And then I, like, kind of just blank out on what happened in 2022. And it was so fun on the whole, the run itself. But you're right. It was not exactly Joe Carter because it's only happened twice in baseball history. But it was the same idea. The Phillies lost a World Series on a home run in Game 6 of the World Series.

Essentially lost the World Series there. And, like, we just never even, like, think about it. It's crazy. Now, I think if you rank – it's funny because you rank the heartbreak of that series. And I think the McCormick catch ranks above the Alvarez. I would freaking put the Reese freaking error above it. I would put the Brad Marsh at bat above it. Brad Marsh. Interesting.. Brad Marsh, interesting.

What are we, a hockey podcast? No, that's not on you. The camera did it the other day. Yeah, and Howard did it too. It's a bad job by me though. No excuses. It's definitely all on you. Yeah, no excuses.

Honestly, it's also I just watched Pulp Fiction and I've been quoting the, check out the big brain on Brad a lot. So I've got Brad in my head. Nice. Nice. That is a tasty burger. Last thing. Last thing. I did appreciate

Whit Merrifield and Colby Allard immediately talking about how different the culture is here. Makes you feel warm inside. Makes you feel warm inside. I loved it. I mean, even before he got here, like what was on with the, like the, just the,

and I'm paraphrasing, but the quote where it's like, I've been an all-star. I've led the league in hits. I've blah, blah, blah. I've done all that. I want to come here to win, man. I want to be a part of this thing.

It's like, bro. Yeah. I mean, yes. It is a shame that they're going gonna have to cut him for kingery in in june but i love that you think they would cut him before sosa strong strong good work thank you no no this is also so this is also my guy there are so many of my guys on this team that was one of the fun ones i forgot when i was watching the 2022 highlights was the slide into home the save. It's so great. It's so great.

And real quick before we... It's only taken back because we don't talk about that because of the hop skip, the Sosa-like, the Sammy Sosa-like hop after in game six where it looked like he hit one 700 feet. And it was caught on the wall.

That's like the all-time. It it was gone that was gone like it was gone 100 um one couple quick things uh the the stott grand slam we i don't think we talk about it enough as a moment because obviously you know it's just the first round and whatever but in terms of like like it wasn't the reese bat spike it wasn't the harper uh you Bedlam, but it might be the next loudest at any point, either run like that. The stock grand slam, just pure loudness, pure like eruption in the same.

It was up there as the point. I got one that goes against that. The, the Harper home run off of the elder. Yeah. Yeah. The stare down. Yeah.

Yeah. I think, I think that was louder than the grand slam. Either way. Those are the two loud yeah the the stare down yeah that's your call yeah i think i think that was louder than the grand slam either way those were the two loudest the last year also the um uh you know wheeler just i don't we talk about it but like when you watch just the highlights and watch like the inning after and they just show like back bank six seven and just like show like and then you think about him coming in at the end and really like it's just between him and ranger too but what he did i just want to like one more time just shout it out and be like wow and then one other good thing and then one other weird thing and then that's it on my thoughts

2023 and then we're moving on but um we don't uh jeff hoffman had one bad moment one bad pitch but otherwise like the dude was awesome like that moment against the braves and it was like oh no jeff hoffman jeff hoffman was really good and i'm excited to see what he does this year essentially i did throw a bad slider in game seven but did he yes yes i've blocked that out i don't remember yes i'm sure um also he was so but yeah jeff hoffman's great it's just he him coming in in the third of game one against the Braves with the masterclass by Rob Thompson. Was unbelievable.

Unbelievable splitter, but he did allow a back-breaking run. Okay, so I don't remember that. I trust you. I've blocked that out. And then the weirdest thing that we don't talk about, because we talk about the Kimbrough moves and the Kirkring moves and all, but the weirdest thing that I do think played a role when you look at it, you know,

how he pitched in the next two games, bringing Kirk ring in, in the 10, nothing game to pitch the ninth really weird move. Like, and I don't like, and he was flat the next two outings and he used him overuse him. And it just,

in the moment it was like, like, I guess experience, whatever, but like, he's already gotten playoff experience. Like why is Kirk ring in this game right now? It felt weird in the moment, it was like, I guess experience, whatever, but he's already gotten playoff experience. Why is Kirkering in this game right now? It felt weird in the moment, and then the way his postseason finished out,

it probably would have happened anyway. But it just, in hindsight, it was a moment that felt weird in the moment that we never talk about. But now, especially after he fell apart after that, it just was like, why? Why was he pitching in a 10-0 game in that spot? It should have been like Lorenzo. Exactly.

It was just so weird in the moment. I had forgotten about it and everything that happened. It's just a weird one. Yeah, I mean, maybe you just wanted him to get his feet out. I know. I'm sure it's what it is, but the way it played out, I don't know. It just felt weird. Anyway, that's all I got.

Actually, no, I'm actually glad you brought that up. I to put it in my uh in my take bag we talk all the time and this is my promise my final thing um although hoffman's hitting 96 did end up going an hour so we did it somehow um you know we always talk about guys coming in new teams and sometimes it takes a little bit to adjust and um you know it and maybe you see the real them in year two i think people wrote off gregory soto a little bit too much oh i love this call and dombrowski keeps bringing him up whenever they talk about clothes he's like by the way guys so just had a 30 safe season like he's done it before i agree with you yeah well especially with what they got at alvarado after that um you know after the first year god i love jeff one especially when you look at soto's numbers where it's like it really was a few bad outings and it really was like especially

against lefties he was really really good like there are things that you can look at and so does here and be like i think that you know if he's in the right situations, if he doesn't have a couple bad outings, I think his numbers could look so much better. You know? Yeah. Also, I think Turner's using a smaller glove, which should help him defensively. Oh, buddy. Let's go! Yep, yep, yep. All right. Oh, man. I think Jeff Hoffman

just got tooken like 700 feet to right. Well, that's good. It's called by Cassianos. We're good. We're back. Everything's fine. Jeff Hoffman's not done. A 1-2-3 inning. What a beautiful day. I love this podcast. I'm so excited to record. Man. This is great. I did not expect us to go an hour,

but I should always expect it. It's a beautiful thing. Always expect to go an hour. We'll be back later in the week. We'll figure it out whenever. I'm pumped, man. Maybe we got some news coming up later to announce that could be fun for stuff we'll be doing oh yes yes yes yeah so we'll get there all right big big fun stuff freaking awesome stuff yeah all right so we'll talk about later um i'm so happy they're

back man like i this is to our point before this is about as much as i've needed baseball in you know, on February 25th and in recent years, as I remember. And we're officially 32 days from opening day. Let's go buddy. Let's go. All right.

Uh, we'll be back later in the week until that. He's for some salsa. We'll see you next time.