High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Reacting To Yet Another Phillies Sunday Night Win

Episode Date: May 12, 2025

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies' eventful weekend in Cleveland and discusses what Kyle Schwarber's current value ahead of his impending free agency. Later, Jack takes questions on the state of the bullpen, Andrew Painter's progress and the Phils' backup catcher situation. Presented by Miller Lite To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com 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

Are you ready to dive into the story stats and personalities that make baseball the greatest game in the world? Rob Bradford from the Baseballs & Boring Podcast here, and we'll have you covered every day with podcasts that bring you closer to the action. From the bleachers to the clubhouse, whether you're a diehard fan or just a casual observer, these conversations are aimed to educate, entertain, and most importantly, inform you. Follow the Baseballs and Boring podcast in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes. On the Odyssey app and sports radio 94 WIP. The crowd was singing High Hopes.

Smiling through a broken nose. I can't tell if this is heaven or hell I can't tell if this is heaven or hell I can't tell if this is heaven or hell I can't tell if this is heaven or hell If heaven lives by, it's hell I feel a little less alone Seltzer ditched me again. So he is at another wedding never met someone in there in their 40s So popular with weddings, but I feel like he's a bit of a young 40 so I know she probably feeling time right now, but I just got done I Said that walking something around my neighborhood or whatever for the last like half hour. So When either either there's two camps here, one that has had kids and is looking at me and they're saying been there

or there are the people that don't have kids. And you know, one day if you do, you'll be in that you'll you'll be in that boat. So apologies for the the late start here. But by the way, was the fastest game in baseball history? I mean, it was ridiculous, but it seems like they were definitely ready to get out of there. And whole time I was walking, starting around, all I could think about was the fills.

I mean, I know that's like not the most surprising sentence they've ever heard in the entirety of this podcast, but what a win, what a series, series and they are just just playing good baseball Excited to get into it all. So of course it is the high hopes podcast presented as always by Miller Lite Jack Fritz yours truly here with you and a couple things here before we get into it May 31st, we are going up to Redding to see the fight and fills as I mean Record-wise not a hot start for the fight and fills still we're there to see Aidan Miller and some of the other young talents So looking forward to it. The links are in our Twitter's you go. I hope Twitter you go to my Twitter

They should be towards the top there. So definitely get in only a few a few tickets remaining. So it'll be a great night It'll be an awesome night and we will We will go up there as Aidan Miller's road the show continues eight and two for today We won't talk about the 0 for 6 yesterday only the two for four today, but Tonight tonight tonight then let's just start off with the single most important thing from this series and the beginning of this of this season is Just pay gosh warbler, I I don't it's it's I

Understand that you probably don't want to pay him during the season where you have JT as well and You try not to create some kind of awkward dynamic and they pay one guy They don't pay another guy both have been tenured Phillies JT probably a Phillies wall of famer one day but I don't like I and If there's some handshake agreement here where we're not gonna deal with it in season because we don't like it What the Eagles have done the last couple years when the Eagles? For ever since Joe Banner all the way back in the early 2000s took over and at the beginning of how I rose in senior

They always paid guys during the season and it was a staple because you could save some money Now every single couch over home runs not saving the Phillies any money at all, but like if it's a handshake thing and he's a priority, okay, if he wanna wait until after the season, okay, I beg of you, I beg of you. I didn't think I would like, I love Kyle Schwulberg, I didn't think I'd be at the point of begging. I am begging the Phillies to get the Kyle Schwulberg

contract done, I don't care if it's now, I don't care if it be at the point of begging. I am begging the Phillies to get the Kyle Schwaber contract done. I don't care if it's now. I don't care if it's a day after the season. I don't care if it's during the freaking World Series parade. I do not care when the Kyle Schwaber contract happens, as long as it happens. He is so important to this baseball team. He's important leadership wise. You want to talk about some of the minor little things

that Kyle Schwerberg does behind the scenes. You know, first, he was the first guy I dug out yesterday, which I really appreciated. He, I mean, Brandon Marsh has talked about how he's been in his corner every single day, trying to help him get out of it, out of his slump or early season struggles. By the way, by the way, March is hitting 462 since

coming off of off of the injured list. Good signs there. Is he perfect? No. Is Brandon Marsh a good player? I still believe so. And maybe we have back to the whole platoon thing with him in Rojas Rojas struggle tonight. Now he's smoke a ball off of class A in the nine. So that was, that was good to see. But regardless, that guy is the man. He is the man. Kyle Schwalberg and, and yelling at 10 30 on Sunday night about Kyle Schwalberg, like an absolute lunatic, but he is so, so important to this baseball team. He has been important from turning the culture around.

I don't think there's any coincidence that the second that they have started to win around here because they have had the same court, they have had Wheeler here, they've gotten an MVP season from Bryce, they've had Prime JT, you know, they've had some of these guys at the peak of their powers, but they did not start winning until Kyle Schwaber showed up. And this, I mean, the craziest part about Kyle Schwaber and the season that he's having so far and the season that he had last year is he is going to he's going to end up getting a bigger contract being three years older than the original contract that he signed. That's almost impossible to do for someone in their 30s. It's not like he was 29, I guess, when he signed the contract.

Still, he was working around up for the sake of the, of the conversation that he was in his thirties and he's going to get a bigger deal. And for my money, and it's not John Middleton money. This is just for my money, which, you know, could argue is not the biggest in the world but for my money he is this team's big poppy and I remember reading the Cubs way back in I don't know after they won the World Series and Kyle Schwab was obviously a part of it and and and I just will the quote that sticks in my head forever is Theo Epstein talking about Kyle Schwab and saying, we distracted our David Ortiz and it didn't work out Chicago. Now they got a World Series,

of course. And then he got non tendered. We know that, but the big poppy prophecy might be happening right now. He is not striking out all the time he is not hitting one eighty eight. He is hitting above two sixty two seventy he has the second most home runs in baseball he has been an absolute steal when when people talk about what has Dave Domebrowski done for this baseball team, he brought Kyle Schorber to Philadelphia. And that's a pretty damn good thing to have on your resume. Pretty damn good. A home run tonight off that, that, that lefty that is second home run that he hit. I don't know how you hit him. I thought he was disgusting.

Now he made a bad pitch. You made an absolute anger, but you know, he's like 6-4 up to 95 with a pretty wiped out slider and two years ago Schwab ares has no chance but not this not this version of Kyle Schwab We're so you know, the stars are really starting to do their thing. Obviously the big one Will get to him but you know, we stars are really starting to do their thing. Obviously, the big one will get to him. But, you know, we've talked a lot about this team and kind of settling into the season.

And I obviously we don't know this, but, you know, I there's always been a lot of comparisons between this team and the Eagles of last year. You know, both teams had a collapses at the end of last year. Eagles came out. It was two and two. It wasn't the prettiest in the world. And obviously they had the bi-week and they went on a run and they were the most dominant team I've ever seen.

Uh, like I've ever seen. Mount up or show up in Philadelphia. I mean, last year's Eagles team was the best I've ever seen. Just pure dominance, top to bottom. And they always talk about, they always talk about that bi-week. And I just wonder if there was something similar with this team after the Met series, where they said, are we going to let this thing fall apart? wonder if there was something similar with this team after the Mets series where they said, are we going to let this thing fall apart or are we going to come out tomorrow and show that we're a damn good baseball team.

And since that moment, they have looked like a totally different team. They look like they are buying into the not chasing everything. Now it's not perfect. There are guys that are chasing, but it looks like that they're buying into what they talked about at the end of last year and when they talked about heading into spring training, which was past the baton, they're walking a good amount.

They're not striking out a ton, which is good to see. They're using more of the whole field. I know tonight was was home run. You know, Kyle Schwab was the offense tonight and that happens. Believe it or not, you do have to hit home runs. You cannot just small ball your way to a World Series. You have to be able to hit home runs. But last night in the in the game on Saturday, you know, obviously Bryce had the home run. But the rest of that

ending, first off all with two outs. I don't know if I've ever seen, I don't know if I've ever seen the Phillies have that many runs with two outs, especially this version of the Phillies, you know, maybe back in 08 they did, but not this version of the Phillies. And, you know, to have all those runs with two outs, they're, they're beating you in, in different ways. They are they are not just relying upon the home run, they are passing the baton, they are using the whole field, they're getting better. They're getting better with runners scoring position, it's never going to be possible. It's never going to be perfect. You're not going to hit 400 with runners scoring position, there's going to be times where you don't come through,

but you look at and I feel like we're focusing so much in the offense. And I feel like mostly because that's that's everyone's. I mean, that's that's the key to this team reaching its apex is this offense proven they can get the job done. And when you do look at the offense, the Guardians are a good team, you know, and I feel like always from afar, when you watch these teams or you see these teams, you look at the record, like, oh, they're a good team, you know, they have the same record heading into tonight. But then you watch those two teams on

paper, and the Guardians have Kwon at the top, and they have Jose Ramirez, who are phenomenal. But then everything else is just eh. And they look at the Phillies and it's like, it's, it's there. Like they are a really deep lineup when, when things are, are looking, when, when they're doing their jobs. And I think that's been the most encouraging thing of how they've won since that, that Mets series is they just look like a group of individuals on offense that are doing their jobs and playing winning baseball.

And I think that that is what is giving me the most hope for this being more real than not. We've seen this offense, we've seen them win 11 of 13 before 11 of 14. But there's been times during that where you'll watch the offense and you'll say, doesn't really pass my smell test. And I'm actually surprised for me personally, because I have been such a skeptic of this offense, and was in way more, I'll believe it when I see it, kind of a feeling with them,

but I am way more bullish than I thought I would be because of mostly the style of baseball they're playing. And I think that's been the most encouraging, that's been the most encouraging part of this last stretch is that you know they're really doing it in a way that is not how they've done in years past it's not just a barrage. It's been much more base to base getting some small ball moving a guy over getting a man. moving a guy over, getting him in. Now, obviously Friday night was a disaster, but at the same time, they didn't get in till 3.30 in the morning in Cleveland,

and the effort just wasn't there. So you can kind of give them a pass there. You hate to do a scheduled loss thing, you hate to make excuses, but sometimes excuses are explanations, and we'll see what the effort is like tomorrow Now at least they get to return home, but the Cardinals have one eight straight But still it's a playing Sunday night baseball and then flying home and having to be right back out there

Hopefully they you know with the with the energy of the home crowd they will get the the juices flowing and be all good to go from that standpoint. But again, Cardinals have one eight straight. So not exactly the easiest of tests. And obviously the Phillies got some unfinished business off of what happened, what was that, a month ago? When they went out to there and lost two of three. So other things from this weekend, Ranger was just phenomenal.

I mean, Ranger, like that that's what you want to see from Ranger. That was that was first month and a half, two months of Rangers Wars really before you got hit in the wrist in that one game. And I don't know, I find that hard to believe that a wrist in or that hit off the wrist derailed his season, but I and I know it sounds so simplistic, but it's just the best way I can describe it. I mean, Rangers Suarez was pitching yesterday. I mean, absolutely pitching. He saw the command of a fastball back to where when Rangers dotting his fastball where it can be, but it wasn't even that. I mean, everything off of it was so good. He would just jam fastballs in on righties. If they swung at it, great. It's being driven into the ground. If not, he's just going to throw a change up away and you're going to roll over on it

because you're speeding up for the fastball. It was peak Ranger. It was peak. There it is. There's Ranger. We've seen that and and the biggest thing for Ranger now Is whether or not he can he can hold up physically? I mean Rangers are really good pitcher when when he's when he's healthy, but now comes into question

Where is he at with the back? Is it gonna be able to hold up? He's dealt with the last couple of years and we've seen him have these stretches where, oh my gosh, he's one of the best pitchers in the national league. And he's got the best command of the sport and he's Greg Maddux from the left side. But then the back issues creep up and his stuff starts flattening out. And it's like, well, there's there's also the downside of Ranger. So I think everything with Ranger right now is certainly, you know, you're approaching with,

eh, you know, like this is great. Love watching him when he's healthy, but it's not quite like in B levels where you're just waiting for something to go wrong. But at least, at least off of yesterday, it was a pure sight to see. I mean, it was a pure enjoyment of watching a guy just be a craftsman out there. I mean, he was a craftsman, up, down, in, out, change ups away,

mixing in the curve ball when needed. It was it was it was an absolute joy and there's a middle music well like 60 some pitches in the sixth inning. I mean it was it was ridiculous and it was easy and I know the one that was the part that was so funny to me was it when Jose Ramirez was was safe at second base and it seemed like it was the longest review in baseball history. It took forever. And he has the guy O2.

It's a six minute delay, seven minute delay, right back on the mound. O2, struck him out next pitch. It was hilarious and it's so Ranger he also won that I was hit right back at him and he you know lobbed it over Cliff least out of first base man when he's on. Is he is such a joy I mean he is such a joy he he was dominant yesterday and speaking of dominance ho hum. Ho hum, Zach Wheeler showing up, dominating. Again, easy, quick outs. This starting staff is just a monster, especially with Ranger being back. And it was really good with Tyrone in there.

I know Tyrone is not exactly, I mean, I think a lot of people are happy for Tyrone. And hopefully he can give them three really good innings twice a week and he can help this team from that standpoint But you know, whatever starting staff wise they are on paper just ridiculous and every single night You know you were tuning in to see something special I mean the starting staff was always gonna be good enough to be able to Keep them afloat if the offense wasn't gonna do their thing

enough to be able to keep them afloat if the offense wasn't going to do their thing. Bullpen, you know, we'll get to more more bullpen thoughts here, but the starting staff was always going to be good enough to where even when the offense sputtered or even if the bullpen was like going through one of its rough batches, you feel pretty good that those guys, two out of every three games are going to give you seven innings and, and there's not many staffs in baseball where you can say that. Are there staffs that have guys with better, with better pure stuff? Probably. But the Phillies have a really good mixture of a staff that has good stuff.

They have durability, they go deep into games, and they have pitch ability. I think that's been the biggest thing that they have emphasized with with this group is pitch ability. Zach Wheeler, we have some of the best stuff in baseball, but he is generating in in in most games, quicker quicker outs early contact. Rangers Wars, a king with that. Chris Sanchez, thing that has helped propel him the last couple of years, early contact. What has gotten Jesus Lizardo to another level?

Stuff is still stupid, but he's traditionally so far been more efficient with it. His last start was not the most efficient but still battled grinded and Nola You know Nola had obviously wasn't great on Friday night made two bad pitches They got smoked but before that was was settling into a group I do wonder what they're gonna do with the with the Marshon real Muto thing. I mean the numbers are the numbers. Are they everything? Are they the end of the world?

Are they the biggest thing? No idea. But they are what they are. His ERA is over seven and a half with Marshon and it's 2.79 with JT or Muto. I believe both are in four starts. So he went on a good stretch with Real Muto. They went back to Marchand because obviously, you're not gonna play JT every single day. And it didn't really work. I mean, it didn't really work. So maybe they adjust there. Maybe they put Marchand on someone else.

I guess if I, I guess it, if I was looking at their lens, Noel is a veteran guy. He, you know, it shouldn't matter what catchers back there. You know, I, I was listening to the, to the broadcast, I was listening to the stalker on Friday night and he was saying that, you know, maybe there's something with Marshawn setting up late, you know, it's this big thing in baseball now where, you know, back in the day, the way that we all grew up playing baseball, the catch would set a target and it would, it would pretty much stay there because the old adage was you get your eyes locked in on it and it becomes like a, like a mental thing. Like mentally you're locked in on it and it becomes like a like a mental thing like mentally you're locked in on that pitch and where the game has changed is they'll set the target and

then they'll drop the glove and they'll try to try to get underneath it to steal strikes now it does have its benefits because it does steal strikes and It's harder for the umpires to pick up that to Pick up the the pitch when you're getting underneath it and you're bringing it into the strike zone but maybe where it hurts a guy like Noah is he is old-school from the standpoint of C target hit target and stock we're saying they think's real muto does that more. Now, if that is the case, it seems like a pretty simple

conversation to have with Rafael Marchand saying, leave the target up. And if you need to steal strikes, don't worry about stealing strikes, just leave the target up and I'll hit the target. Because there's just up and I'll hit the target because there's just in The in the two stars are real mute. So right before that Felt like no one didn't miss a pitch. He was down. He was down. He was down and then went back to this and He missed two spots up and he got crushed. So again, I

would be, I guess I'll be surprised with the catcher thing, but maybe there's something to it. If it's as simple as something like that. I think that's a pretty easy fix. I think it's a I think it's a pretty easy fix. So we'll see what happens this week with Noah, you know, maybe to go back to JT try to to sneak Marshawn in somewhere else. We're ready to get Stubbsy back up here. It's tough because Marshawn,

being a backup catcher is just not the easiest thing in the world. And you know, people love to dump on the backup catcher. But Ravio Marsha is a a youngish player That is used to playing every single day And now he is relegated to playing once a week and having to be prepared having to stay locked in It's just not the easiest thing in the world and I think it takes a little bit to To get adjusted to being able to do

What a backup catcher does and and that was the value of Stubbs. He's like, hey, it's not like he was gonna get up there and kill the ball. But like, I think from a, I think he understood and got used to being a backup catcher. Now, as always, the problem with the Marshawn and Stubbs conversation is that if you want to send Marshawn down, you have to play some odd waivers because he has no options left

and Stubbs had the one option and whatever. So if you're going to make that move, you got to be pretty damn sure. And I'm still pretty bullish on Marshawn. I think he's a good player I think he's gotten off to a a brutal start as The backup as in his first stint as backup catcher So I don't really want to play small waivers yet because I I do think he is good enough to To get picked up by someone so I I'm sure there are people out there that want Stubbs back up here,

which is funny because last year it was the worst idea in the world to have Garrett Stubbs in this team. And I do think that they lost their Stubbs privilege. I think if I'm going to be honest, they got to earn having Garrett Stubbs in this baseball team. But if Marshawn continues to struggle and pitchers throwing to him, continue to struggle, the conversation is going to happen. And we'll see how it kind of goes. But that's my thoughts on it right now. Wouldn't pull the plug early in the season, getting adjusted to doing a job that he's

not totally used to doing. And I don't really want to lose him because I think he could be a good solid big league catcher. So a couple of things before we get some questions in here. How about Jordan Romano? I mean, it feels like the meltdown against the Marlins is in our rear view. I think there's still a certain number of people that don't totally trust them. And if you're still in that camp, totally fine.

But after the MAD series, we were buying stock in Jordan Romano and he's done a damn good job. And there was some idea of him maybe tipping pitches in that Marlins series. And I think he certainly adjusted that sense. Everything looks much more crisp. That slider looks closer to the slider that we'd seen those years, the Blue Jays.

And when he can get that over, 96, 97 certainly looks much, much tougher to hit. So again, tonight, pretty easy. And it was the heart of the, it was the heart of the Guardian's order. You know,, they brought it was interesting. It was interesting about Rob Thompson. He chose to go Alvarado eight nine one and that was all about Making sure Stephen Kwan did not get on the base paths and and wreak havoc or you know

God forbid go yard or anything with with guys on you know, it's a little lefty lefty matchup there So I get it, you know,'s a little lefty lefty match up there so I get it you know they have two big threats in the lineup it's him and and and Jose Ramirez so he opted for let's shut down let's shut down Quan here we'll bring Alvarado in and and we'll trust Romano with the eighth and that's a real or trust Romano with the eighth. And that's a real, or trust Romano at the ninth. And that is a big, big development if they feel comfortable enough to have someone else close out a game. Because it does make Alvarado that much more valuable when you can bring him in in the eighth.

In the seventh feels a little bit early, but you get the point. If you can bring Alvarado in and have someone else in the backend end that you can trust, it just makes it so much easier for Rob Thompson to say, okay, you go get the Harley order because it's a two run game and you want to put the fire out at that point. And we'll leave Romano in an easier, in a perfect world, an easier situation to deal with in the ninth and Jordan

Romano obviously has closer experience He was an all-star two-time all-star and he's just looking closer and closer to the guy that I think we thought We were signing when they signed him. So again, that was uh, that was pretty easy pretty efficient And it's not bad when you can get it start at going seven innings and then be able to hand off to those too. So the Jordan Romano stock price should have gotten a couple of series ago, should have gotten a couple of series ago because it is certainly flying up. So I think that's all I got right now is the opening monologue.

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please contact Connex Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 to speak to an advisor, free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Moms, dads, are you the parent of a student athlete? Do you want to know how to get the most out of youth sports? If so, listen to the next pitch podcast to give you the tools to raise an aspiring athlete.

It's not simple, but we talk straight and give you the best insight there is when it comes to youth sports. We'll cover everything from nutrition and training to mental toughness and teamwork. It's a podcast you can listen to together with your kids so everyone can benefit. Follow next pitch on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to podcasts. Jack, what the heck do we do with Nick Abel? Surely they can't just let them carve up AAA guys all year and not give him a shot, right?

Appreciate the question, Andrew Frelinger. I wish he could come up, obviously, you know? And Mick Abel was, I think, left for dead, prospect-wise. You know, people had given up on him. He had fallen off the top 100 lists and he's a he was a super young guy and he had to get used to AAA and The value of able was he was taking down a ton of innings now. It wasn't really going very well They clearly made some adjustments with them this year. You look at some some some, a lot of the models out there, his stuff grades out at a, at a

big league level, which is, which is crazy. The fastball I think is a special pitch and I, man, he is, he's dominant. It's actually a really good case for stubs and it's actually not a bad reason to keep him down there is is Working with a guy like mckable a young guy and working with painter now obviously being up there So it's actually a good case to keep carousels down there But man is able to cut I didn't get to see the you know, I didn't get to watch the full game yesterday but it seemed like more of the same and

In my opinion he's yesterday, but it seemed like more of the same. And in my opinion, he's probably trade bait, which stinks because he's obviously, you know, taking a step up here. I think he's trade bait. Because, you know, when Painter gets up here, I don't know where you put them. I don't think they want to put them in the bullpen. Now, maybe if he's here post trade deadline, you can start trying in the bullpen. There's no reason to start him in the bullpen

or there's no reason to put him in the bullpen right now. Cause again, the Phil's pen is starting to kind of come together a little bit. But maybe if he's here after the trade deadline and you're still in a really good spot starting wise, maybe then you would try it. But I think I think right now he's probably trade bait. And you know, Ryan Hales is coming down.

I think Hales is trending down a little bit and he's entering into obviously the his walk here. I think my number one guy right now for the bullpen would be Felix Bautista. But as we get closer and closer to the deadline, we'll break that down more. But yeah, I'm really happy for Mick. You know, he is. He seems like a good kid by all accounts, and I'm glad that he was able to, to figure it out, but if I had to put my money on it,

I think he's more trade bait than anything. What's next? Jack Jim Bowden said the Phil's are in the running for Luis Robert as they have been predicted for like a year and a half with his numbers. Is it really worth? What will it take to get him? I'm pretty over Luis Robert.

And last year I was much more interested in him. Might'm pretty over Luis Robert and you know last year I was much more interested in him. Might just not be that good. I mean he just did a lot of strikeouts. Now again if he wanted to play devil's advocate he's at the White Sox. It's not a great place to play, not a great place to hit. Comes here gets a new lease on life. Playing in front of that ballpark. The upside is, is still the upside, but I would be a little disheartened if the, if the Dodgers got them, of course, the Mets are kind of rumored to be in there as well, which, which was think, but, uh, yeah, I, um, I, the Lewis Robert just might not be good.

They might not be that good talent is tantalizingalizing, but I know that we're still sitting here with Rojas and Marsh. I mean, again, Marsh hitting well since coming off the IEL and Rojas over for tonight, but again, did smoke a ball late off of Clausay. Is it perfect? No, definitely not. Would it in a perfect world, would I like another righty?

Maybe the pair of Kepler and left field who didn't have the best road trip. Although I did have the big hit yesterday, Saturday, which was good to see, but still not an overall great road trip. That's like 235-ish. But yeah, I'm pretty over Luis Robert, if I'm going to be honest. What's next? What upgrades do you think we need to make? Obviously bullpen arm, but I feel like on the offensive side, I feel like we have the personality and the results when it matters. Yeah, I mean, it's going to ultimately come down to the stars on offense probably. I think getting a right-handed bat to play left field and maybe platoon with Kapler would be big.

I like Weston Wilson, maybe it's Otto Kemp. If it is, I'd be through the roof, I'd be happy. Most interesting thing heading into the deadline to me is like, what are people willing to give up? You know, is this team a team that you want to sell some of the big pieces for? Like for me, I don't want to put painter on the table. I want to put Aiden on the table. I don't want to put Crawford on the table. I want to put Tide on the table and I don't want to put a RuneSco bar on the table. Like those are the five that I'm, that I'm keeping off limits that limits you when it comes to getting a real difference maker. Again, I want to keep the window open. I want

to have young guys be able to come up and help this team. And you know, I want them to, to not have the window slam shot when these guys get, get older and they have to like being able to keep it open. I want to win a championship obviously, but I also don't want to, I don't want to give up the future for the right now. Maybe things trade at maybe things change at the deadline and they make it very apparent that this team's real and it's time to go for it and blah blah blah blah blah.

Fine. Where it stands right now, those five are off limits. Don't want to trade them. Don't want it. Um, now that should not preclude them from being able to get an interesting bullpump piece. You know, I think Felix Bautista would love them. Duran from the, from the twins, if he's really available, would love him. Duran from the from the twins if he's really available would love them twins have won what seven straight? So they are well that was heading into that and see what they did today, but still. Yeah, right handed bat off the bench or right handed bats it's a Parrott's capler make that platoon a little bit stronger get someone above Weston Wilson should that cost you? a little bit stronger, get someone above Weston Wilson. Should that cost you a top five prospect?

Probably not. I actually just don't know who the best players at the trade deadline are gonna be. I mean, it might be Louise Robert. There might not be that obvious, there it is, go get them kind of move. It might have to be one of these fringe type of trades. And I know that people are going to be furious. There goes Nebraska again.

But he's serving two things here. Keeping this team good and giving them some upgrades and giving them some pieces and also not trading the farm. And I am definitely in the mindset of, I don't want to give up any of those five right now, because I want to keep this window open as long as possible. All right, what's next? Do you think from Morgan Landy, do you think Romano is earning his closer drive back or do you think Topper will flip out with Alvarado? I think it's, again, it's going to be matchup dependent. Do you think Romano is earning his closer job back or do you think Topper will flip out with Alvarado? I think it's, again, it's going to be matchup dependent. You know, I think that Alvarado is at this point is getting the most important outs in

the high leverage situations. So if it's meat of the order in the eighth, second, you know, it's a, you know, two hole hitter, three hole cleanup or whatever, even if it's a lefty, you know, whatever, I think that that is how he's going to do it. Romano getting back to looking closer is just big from the standpoint of, um, is big from the standpoint of being able to do that and being able to go matchup dependent and having a guy in the backend that can, that can do his job as well. It's a it's a little bit like what they did with Kimbrel in the beginning of the 23 season and that obviously

turned Kimbrel into an all-star and when Topper had that guy at the back end that had closing experience and was doing the job he was fine going to him and it made Alvarado a really valuable ro- rover. Now, I don't think Romano has pitched well, as of right now, he's pitched well enough to, to earn it. But I don't think we have to like do that at this point. I think Alvarado should look at the ninth, if it's, you know, all things being equal. But I really think that Romano is, is turned a corner. And I, I don't think he's, he can't roll.

I don't think that arm's cocked. I don't think that arm is turning towards being shot. He looks fired out of a cannon and and now Now when he's pitching well, the quirky stuffs kind of funny, you know like when he's mumbling to himself and walking around the the mountain the mountain like a madman and You know being a zany Looney tune kind of reliever, it's funny when he's pitching well, he's not pitching well. It's annoying. But now that he's pitching well, he's our guy.

He's our guy. So Jordan Mano, the Jordan Mano experience. But he certainly, I think, has has turned a corner in the bullpen. Slowly, but surely. I mean, Carlos Hernandez is probably the weakest link right now, but even he's kind of pitching a little bit better. Joe Ross is pitching a little bit better. So they, I don't feel hopeless right now when the bullpen enters the game. And the biggest one they need is Kirkland to really right the ship. And, you know, if we're going to talk about slumps with Bryce, then we got to talk about slumps with some pictures as well. Speaking of Bryce, I'm glad that I kind of had the whatever little memory thing.

Obviously, Friday, not great. Had a big Saturday tonight. He did hit the ball the wall late off the lefty, which is good to see and what the one at bat in the middle of the game was just good morning good afternoon and and and good night and The thing with Bryce Scott I Really don't lose sleep over Bryce. I This is a slump. It happens in baseball. You know, people will bring up,

people will bring up, well, you know, to 254 since July of last year, whatever. He hit 319 in September of last year, I believe. And if you go by the last two months of the season, he had over 300. Now, is the power thing there? Maybe but like I'll believe Bryce is cucked when when I see Bryce being cucked but like I just think this over concern and again might just be my mentions because people know how much I care about the Phillies you know they

like to try to get under my skin you know this whole like wow the contract and not living up to an overpaid like can we just shut up I mean can we just just shut up and let him work his way through it it's it's it's May 11th they're winning a ton of baseball games he has said the right things he's not and let him work his way through it. It's, it's, it's, it's May 11th. They're winning a ton of baseball games. He has said the right things. He's not saying like he's only up to it. He's saying after games, like, I know I'm struggling. I'm well aware.

And I'm just glad my teammates are picking me up. And, you know, I, I got out on two weeks, two weeks ago, because I thought he's being a little, I thought he's being mopey out there and I think since that time that not saying I had anything to do with it. Obviously, I'm not like a psychopath but You know, I think he also is very aware of what the conversation is around them and I think he's been Really? I think he's been perfectly fine since then. Has the results been there the whole time?

No. Um, but I think at least on the field wise has not been super mopey and Scott Francine and Kevin Stocker again tonight, um, we're saying like people around say he's been the best he's been, you know, since he's been here with being the leader, being the teammates and you know, I, I, I like that they're saying that kind of stuff, obviously. Um, and I just, I think it's okay to give them the benefit of the doubt and, and say he's going to fight his way out of this thing. And I wouldn't be surprised if we look up in July and he's up to 280 and, and, you know, 15 home runs and looks like the Bryce Harper that we're used to seeing.

He's obviously going through a slump right now. It's not the first time it's happened. He's getting, you know, he's getting more breaking balls than he's ever gotten in his entire career. And I think that's made him late on fastballs and he's just missing all these fastballs and I Feel bad for the pitchers in in two weeks three weeks When he's not missing those fastballs because he's not gonna miss 97 down the middle for that much longer. He's not gonna do it I promise you that so listen if we look up in July and he's hitting 240 and and

Not looking the part. Okay. May 11th when they're winning and he did have the game on Saturday. I just let Bryce let Bryce live and and when he heats up, maybe someone else is cooling down. Maybe Turner cools down stocks on a little bit of a cool streak for sure. He's definitely, you know, calmed down a little bit. Maybe Schwaber cools off. I don't know if he will, but I feel pretty confident

that at some point Bryce Harper's gonna kind of heat up and be fine and I just, can we just take a deep breath? Can we just take a deep breath at Bryce? That's a deep breath? The price is all I'm saying. Alright, Tucker. What do you think? Like two more here. Is it true? Seltzer doesn't even know who won the game tonight because he

wanted to bet like two hours ago. So he is in California until like Wednesday. All this guy does is take time off on top of the flight situation from a couple weeks ago where he had missed work It doesn't even work anymore. He told me he doesn't really have great service. So that would Suggest to me that he probably did not watch the game tonight Which is disappointing because he was a big At that point he was an Indians fan or not Indians fan He liked the 90s Indians which it seemed like everyone was a huge fan of those teams and I don't blame them. They're awesome

but yeah, I He's not in bed. No way. He's out in California time. So Yeah, well, we'll get him back on the pod eventually I mean this you might be dealing with some solo bots until until Thursday. So But he'll be back soon. All right sucker How many stars pain in Lehigh Valley before he's called up this summer and who goes the bullpen from Ben Stroop I would think for

Like three or four starts and then he's probably ready you know his first start was what three ending sixty pitches had the bases loaded and then he's probably ready. Um, you know, his first start was about three ending, 60 pitches had the bases loaded and then, um, and then, uh, was obviously pulled from the game. He really does remind me of our Lander just stuff wise, like early ver Lander. He's going to be awesome. I do think he needs to change, change his fastball up a little bit. You know, it's the one thing that I don't think is totally bounced back post Tommy John is what his four seamer was before that.

So, you know, maybe that's something that as he continues to pitch more, the four seamer gets back up, but he. He's right on the doorstep of the big leagues, and again, they have a plethora of starting pitchers. It's remarkable. So I don't know what they're gonna do. Maybe that's when they get the old six man rotation and they go from there,

but we're not putting Ranger in the bullpen off of what he just did the other night. He just went seven innings and dominated and it looks like a range for us. If he, if he slows down, back becomes a thing, has to miss time. Okay. Maybe we'll put Ranger in the bullpen, but it's a pretty damn good problem to have. And obviously everyone has to, uh, to maintain their health. And then maybe they, they consider, consider, you know, maybe they consider giving some guys

some phantom IELTS and Lizardo is someone that they are probably going to need to manage his innings, you know. Lizardo is someone who's not, maybe he's only made what, over 30 starts one time and is dealing with injuries heading into this year. So maybe they give him some time off. Chris Sanchez has been off and on sometimes with the injuries.

Maybe Wheeler if they want to manage his innings. I don't think they're gonna worry about Noah. He'll be out there every fifth day, baby. Every fifth day, Aaron. But man, it's a damn good problem to have. The damn good problem to have. So it's a good time in Phil's land, man. Good time in Phil's land. Tonight's game flew. I think it helped

I think it helps that the umpire was dreadful I mean that's been the biggest strike zone since since what the LaVon Hernandez game. It was ridiculous But either way come back. That's a good Guardian Seam. Are they great? No, you look at that lineup You don't really see it outside of Kwan and and Jose Ramirez, but man they can pitch starters did their thing they did not hit starting pitching was the series by the way, but Not that stars I think Walker's still awake so I gotta get out of here It's 1115 at night. That is not a good sign.

So thanks everyone for hanging out and we'll be back later with another edition of the iOS podcast.