High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Boys Are Back!

Episode Date: February 23, 2026

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz give their thoughts on the Phillies' first weekend of Grapefruit League action and react to the latest comments from Bryce Harper. 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

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What's good, y'all? It's Vaughn Miller, Super Bowl MVP, Sagmaster, and now your host of Free Range. This is where NFL meets Real Talk. Every week, I'm bringing you inside the game from locker room stories to league-wide headlines. You want football IQ, locker room insight, and real conversations with the people shaping the league. Welcome to Free Range with Vaughn Miller, where nothing is off limits and every down counts. New episodes every Wednesday. Listen and follow Free Range with me, Vaughn Miller, wherever you get your podcast.

This is the High Hope's podcast. I hope. On the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94 WIP. The crowd is singing high, yelling through a break. I feel little. this alone. Yo. Another edition of the podcast,

sponsored by Miller Light, official partner of Philadelphia, Philly, tastes like Miller Time, Philadelphia, celebrate responsibility. It is rare, Jack.

In fact, maybe never, I've actually gotten to watch Emily cringe as I do the yo. So it was a real thrill. In Clearwater, Emily and Zoe,

just hanging in the room, watch me here. I've got a live audience. So, how you doing, pal? What's going on? I know.

Clearwater. I went to the Phil's game yesterday. What a beautiful thing. Minus, you know, they lost. Yeah, yeah. But listen, when you think of clear water, you think of 50 degrees, the high of 50. Yeah.

It's beautiful out today, man. Beautiful. Yes. I tell you what. And I am, I am looking outside my front window. And it is, it's the beautiful kind of snow. You know what I mean? There's difference.

Like, this is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful snowfall here. Now, I was west of the city. So I, you know, we didn't get done. on Ike said, Ike just said they got 17 inches in South Jersey. Whoa, 17 inches? That is a lot of snow. That's a lot of snow. You picked a good time to go to Clearwater. Yeah, and that's, I'm definitely not complaining about the 40 degree weather and clear water. I'm just ecstatic. I don't have to deal with it. You know me. I'm like,

the best thing that could have possibly happened was being down here during this snow. It might, it might, you're a little mini Cooper. There might be more snow over your car. That might be happening. It should be great. It should be great. Yeah, we'll figure it all out. You're not going across day today. Does he Phil's nats at 6 o'clock?

No. No, we're not making the trek across the state for the night game tonight. Wow. I thought you were committed. That's interesting. Not quite a day. But I didn't have to wake up at 3 in the morning tomorrow to, you know, go to do the show. Oh, three.

That's a little early. That feels like a 4. Actually, probably 4 because I'm here and I don't have to go into produce. There you go. There you go. It's what a day! Beautiful things, man. Beautiful things.

Is there any guests that we can tease on the pod that will be joining the morning show? I mean, is there anyone, do you know, I don't know yet. Yeah, they've been, you know, talking with the Phillies, sorting it out. See, we, a shout to our guy John Brazier, who retired, you know, unbelievably. But Brazier used to be like our contact and do that stuff. So we're working with, you know, some other people and they'll figure it out, but I don't have the same level of information. Okay.

Well, we are a Phillies podcast. on the flagship of the Phillies. That's right. Let's wait this way. The next day's the morning show, we will have Philly's guests. Like, hopefully someone like Dave Nebraska or, you know, someone like that. You know, those type of people, we're a toper. Like, we're going to get some people on. So, yeah.

We'll see what happens. Make sure you ask the talk questions. Hold on McDonable. Oh, yeah. So how was the game yesterday? How was the game? It was, I mean, until, uh, the grand slam until our guy, Jack Dallas gave it all up, you know? I texted.

So inside baseball, I texted Jack. I'm like, why is there a guy named Jack Dallas pitching for the village? I was like, who hell is this guy? Did instinctively have a cold shiver down your spine and start saying Dallas sucks? I hated it. I was like, no, I don't like seeing Dallas up on the Philly scoreboard in freaking red. It was not cool. But it was a beautiful day, as it was awesome there.

Like we had the seat down on the lawn, which was like I had not done before. It's really neat. You know, sit out to our lawn and started a good time. It was so much fun. It was so much fun. So minus the loss, you know. And minus like the hero. that Aiden Miller's got a back thing after.

I didn't even know about this. I was hoping to see Aiden. And it's like, well, I guess I'm not seeing Aden. And then I see the Bryce Harbour interview. I'm like, thanks. Bryce, that's cool. What's going on, man? Yeah.

Yeah, Bryce broke the news. He said, you're not going to bring me another right-handed power threat. I'm going to leak that that, that Aiden has a back injury. Oh, cool. It was actually a good, it was kind of a, it was kind of a funny Bryce moment because he sounds excited about him. You know what I mean? He was like, I need him here, essentially. Yeah. Yeah. Again, just keep

keep taking shots at the current third basement who is going to be hitting clean up behind him, you know, making sure they're making. It is pretty. What do we make of that? All right, because like, look, we know, we know like the price stuff and we'll get into, you know, what he had to say yesterday and, you know, kind of what's happened with the, you know, Devin Caney reports. Scoops. The scoops report.

the news, as they say. We'll get to that. But just this whole, like, Bryce kind of not really caring what Alec Bohn thinks about what he's saying at all. Like, just like, it feels like Bryce. And we know he's a little, you know, he's annoyed and they're going back and forth.

But it feels like Bryce really has come in and said, like, well, you know, believe it. I'm just going to kind of say what I want to say. Yeah. And it's not a, it's not ideal. It's not like we want, you know, if you could pick a, a lane to go down i probably pick a different one yeah and people forget last 28 games of boom last

year at 315 with an 8 they do forget they do 20 something i forgot frankly boom was like their best hitter in the playoffs everyone talks about castie boom all he did was get on base yeah listen he uh he scored he scored their most runs in the playoffs pretty pretty thrilling well it's so funny about the devon report it's so funny about the devon report is she she she she worded it as uh he wanted like a right-handed hitter with swagger hitting behind him, which obviously is a dig-in-all. I mean, like, there could not be a phrasing that would be more of a shot at both. Like, unless they said, you know, we want someone who like doesn't break down or like it, like, isn't like who can control him. Like, it was like, it's about as loaded a way to say it is he going to say it.

I mean, what do we think? Well, and, but one of my, I had like a million thoughts on it on my drive home. I think she's shocked. Because I left. You've thought about nothing else since, I'm sure. It's just to occupy. You called me to talk about it. I called about four people.

You just happened to pick up. You just happened to pick up. The, the, the right-handed hitter with swagger hitting behind him should be Adelis Garcia. Like, that is, that is, that is the guy, you know, he's, he's built for this kind of thing. So I, man, it was, it was wild. I, I, the whole thing. and the idea of getting Reese back, while on the surface, made absolutely no sense. It was also super exciting.

I think it seemed like Reese was into it as well. And then a day later, he's in the Guardian's locker room. And he's signing a freaking minor league deal. I mean, he could have been a great Iron Pig. He could have been a great Iron Pig. Oh, I mean, I'm former Iron Pig and Future Iron, you know? I mean, come on. I still have no, again, I don't know how it would have worked.

I was trying to concoct all the scenarios. It's impossible. Like, what could it? Unless Bryce wanted to move off for his base, which we all feel incredibly confident he doesn't. Like what, and even then, I mean, you know, what I, it's what, Jack, I think we talk out of the phone. But it's one of those things where it's very rare where you hear a rumor or a scoop or whatever it is in a case. And your like, your immediate reaction is that's bleeping awesome. And then two seconds later, you're like, no, you can't do it.

Sorry. Like, that's so rare. It's so weird. Like, even normally it's like, that's awesome. Like, sure. why not? It probably doesn't make it size. Like this one,

it's like, how could you possibly do that? Like it doesn't make, unless you want Reese to be like a bat off the bench, which I guess if he's signing a minor league contract, you could make the argument, you know, that,

that there could be some value there, but it just, it's just, and maybe you get him home in Philly and he kind of rediscovers himself. He's not that far removed from, you know, being a good power hitter in the league.

So like, I love the heart. It's just I can't, to your point, I don't like what Schwerber would have to play in the outfield. I mean, like I just don't know the mechanics of it of how they could possibly kind of fit him in the lineup with any sort of regular. So here's how,

here's the scenarios I came up with. One, it was, uh, uh, a marsh and Adoles in left as a platoon and then harper and right reese at first. And, which you're taking away that part of the reason you signed a Dolos is because he's such a good right fielder.

Wait, I meant, March and Adoleson right and Harper. Okay, you threw me off there because I was like, why would, yeah, yeah, Harper and left me, it would make more sense at this stage of the career. Right, right, right. But my thing with that is, is you, I mean, you're not, like, Adolias was signed not to be able to in guy, and I'm sure, I know it's hard to say you can't irk Adolies because he's

only on a one-year deal, but he, it's also, you got to kind of do right by him because he did sign here with the, again, not guarantee he's going to play every day, but at least with the he are going to be our starting right feeler, which I do think matters with with relationships with agents and stuff like that. So I agree. I don't love it. But I think it's one of those things that if he doesn't play well, they can move on from that. But I don't disagree with you.

I do whether people like it or not, that agent stuff playing the game, like that kind of stuff actually matters. I don't love that it does, but it does. It does. The other option was you trade one of them, you know, or the Marshall or Adoles, you put Harper and left, he put Hoskins in first. Imagine they signed it. Don't listen. They're like, all right, buddy.

Just kidding. Just kidding. Just kidding. And we're eating $5 million to the contract, too. So we're going to regret. And then Marsh, you know, I don't think I want to trade Marsh right now. So I have Mars should left. I have to trade Marsh probably or whatever. And then I put Harper and left and Hosings at first.

Or the last option was making the right-handed option when there's a lefty on the mound, Schwerber and left. and you kind of roll that way. And I don't know if any of that makes the Phillies better besides you just get Rees Hoskins back, which, again, would have been fun. But just the idea of Bryce clearly not. Like, do we now look back on his first press conference at spring and do we now say he's more perturbed at what the lack of moves that Dave did this offseason more than he's mad at Dave for? the not elite comment. Yeah, I absolutely.

I think the not elite comment thing allowed him to really just say what he feels about the job Dave's done. And I think it's not just this offseason. I think it's probably the, you know, really the entirety of Dave's time. Dave taking shots, but Dave missed. I mean,

like I'm sure he blames Dave for the Nick Castiano signing and that failing. And I'm sure he looks at it and says with that you've been unable to get a guy. I mean, my entire career here essentially. Like, I'm sure it's, I'm sure this off season was a big, like was the cherry on top, but I think it's probably a few years of me,

I mean, frustrated with Dave and Dave's decisions and Dave's, I mean, like, think about, how many guys can he bring, I mean, look, the question is, does Bryce blame himself at all for the Whitmerry Fields and stuff like that?

We don't know, but you know, from what we, we heard where they did, like, he's involved, go get that guy all that stuff. So I don't, I think at the end of the day, I think Bryce,

like, I think Bryce was already a little frustrated and annoyed. And I think that partially goes back to the contract stuff in public and this and that. I think there are reasons where this, the relationship, between Dave and Bryce has been fraying a little bit, I feel like, and I feel like this not elite thing was just, you know, set it off. But it does feel like it, Bryce is like,

this is not something that I think is just going to like go away. And Bryce is going to be like, oh, cool, we're all good now. Like, I just, it seems like he's really, really annoyed with this. Yeah, well, it's getting to the point. It's getting to the point now where it could be detrimental to the team. And that thing with the rest thing, it's like if nothing else, maybe just bring him recent year I'll make people happy and maybe there is value to that even though it doesn't make any baseball sense, you know? Well, I was going to say, I think that the one thing that I think needs to happen, and I'm sure he's talked to him, but this feels like a Middleton sit down with Bryce because one of the things that Bryce could be thinking is like, hey, when I sign here, you told me

you're going to do whatever it takes to bring a championship back. And yes, they have the fourth highest payroll or wherever they are, wherever they are payroll-wise, but can you really sit here and tell me that we're going to go be the Dodgers? Like you've, you know, turn over every stone to try to win. And I just wonder if there's... Especially the last two off seasons. I mean, you can literally point to the last two off seasons and say you did not go out and spend money. I get it.

We've spent a lot of money. But these last two off seasons have been like. And I just wonder if there needs to be a clear course to Bryce of, of listen, work with us here. We need to see what we have in Crawford. We need to see what we have in Aden. We need to see what we have in Painter. We're going to try to win at the same time. But we have to figure out if these kids can play.

so that we can have a more over, like a not bloated roster with a bunch of huge contracts. Like, just work with us here. Be patient. I, and I think part of why Bryce is lashing out feels like the wrong term, but like you understand what I mean, is maybe he's like, dude, I'm 33. Of course it is. Of course. One or two peak years left of this. And like, maybe his baseball mortality is.

is starting to kind of look them in the face. And I'll never forget, I mean, what was it? Two straight games after, I mean, he had the game out in San Fran last year where he had four hits or whatever and they all roped off the left center field wall. And he said like a couple times, I'm one of the best players in baseball.

And we were trying to figure out what that was. And I kind of took it as he's trying to like remind himself of how good he is. And I just, I wonder if that he's like freaking out. No, but starting to realize. that, again, staring his baseball mortality in the face, and he wants to go get a title in the next year or two, and the Phillies might be on a different kind of timeline.

I think there's absolutely no question that that is a part of the whole thing. And we've talked over the years about no athlete that I remember has cared more about winning a title and his legacy and what it means for his career and history and history of the sport. And this guy just really cares about that. It's what he's always cared about. Like, I think it is something that has always been paramount and top of mind for him. And yeah, dude, he's 33 years old.

I mean, the history of baseball players in their mid-30s. Like, he is, he cannot do the things he used to be able to do. And I'm sure that leads into this, this, Dombrowski thing. And maybe that's why this has been something where Dumbrowski, you know, and we all thought it, you know, you and I thought it was a stupid thing to say in the moment. We did not like the comment from Nebraska.

But, like, I think we all have been kind of shocked at how upset Bryce has been about it. And maybe it's because that hit on a nerve. Maybe that's because Bryce knows that he's not the same guy anymore. Bryce can't be the same. We saw it like we've seen so many time. He went to it in the moment because of an injury. Like you saw it and the guy just didn't realize that he couldn't do the same things physically that he used to be able to do. And he couldn't adjust. You could ever change. Like Bryce is going through that right now where he's realizing physically whether he admits it fully or not that he can't physically do the same things he used to be able to do and he's changing and I and maybe he can have a year or two where you can

you know have those kind of special years for for stretches but the he he can feel it man he feels his body like he has to know that he is not the same guy used to be and that it's not like it's going to get better for me you know yeah so we'll say we'll say but uh and him saying he's not elite that like hits right in there that's like right if if price is in his you know head about that to begin with and then his guy comes out and says that like it might have just been one of those confluence of things where it's like dave said the exact wrong thing at the exact wrong time for how bryce was mentally feeling you know what i mean and i think that's on the table i think that's i think that is on the table um and i just like he's he seemed in pretty good spirits yesterday

you know it's much much better than the first one and every photo you see down there it's like him smiling, him laughing. I think he likes a team. I just, I don't think he's happy with the production behind him. Now I will say, while we all talk about this, like, if he just hits two, then it's, it's not really

a thing, you know, but I think you just, now you could argue that even if he hits two, the rest of the lineup isn't where it isn't up to the snuff. But man, I hear all this, and I hear about the protection and all that. Well, if you hit two, you have a 56 home run got hitting behind him.

So now again, Bryce could say, hey, well, I'm protecting Schwerber. That got 56 home runs in 132 RBIs last year. Why don't you get someone behind me? You know? So it kind of goes both ways. But the fact that he, there still seems to be this, this wedge between him and Dave. You know, I do think Middleton, I'm sure that he's going to have a conversation and try to figure this whole thing out.

But it's almost like there's a, well, there's definitely a disconnect. I just wonder how I wonder how big of a deal it is. That's what I can't get a feel for. I can't feel, I can't get a feel for how big of a deal all this is. You know, I think we all have our, we're monitoring the situation. I don't think we're all pressing the panic button. Doesn't feel like a panic button situation. But he's clearly frustrated and it seems like the Reese thing is just adding,

the idea of getting Reese is just adding more frustration to him. Hey, this is Richard Deich, the host of the sports media podcast. If you're interested in what's happening with all the places where you consume sports, the sports media podcast has you covered. I've been turning down interviews all week. Hoda Copy, reached out, Oprah, George Stephanopoulos. So I said, no, I was booked on the Deich podcast before the Taylor Swift phenomenon. I must live up to my responsibility.

Listen, wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, I'm with you. And look, time heals all wounds. all that type of stuff. Like, I don't know if, you know, as the season goes on, maybe Bryce, you know, feels better and better. And this isn't as big a thing. But in the moment, it definitely feels like a thing, obviously.

And it feels like Bryce is annoyed at best. And at worst, he's ticked off at Debrowski, Middleton, the organization and all that. So it's definitely going to be something that I think is not going to go away. You know what I mean? Like this is going to hover around this team. And obviously, by winning if Bryce plays great, it goes away. It changes its tenor. But I mean, this is definitely something that it has the potential to get uglier if they can't kind of, you know, grab a little bit.

And look to Bryce is like, I, on the one end, I am fully, I fully understand Bryce coming from that perspective. I mean, it has been a disaster at the four hole. And Castiano's is as to blame as anyone. I mean, if that signing works out, we're not even talking about this. It's a completely different thing. But they have failed. They have failed at findings of for-hitter. I mean, they failed out of the top three in the lineup, really, like, to really, you know, bolster this lineup year after year.

So I don't blame him. I want to get back to the criticizing the teammates thing, though, because that's where I feel like we get into really dangerous territory, Jackson. It's one thing for Bryce to be annoyed at Middleton, and it's probably about Middleton. Middleton's, you know, 60, whatever year old guy he can handle. He's been a baseball long time. Like, whether or not, you know, works out, like Dave's okay. Like, like, Boom, might not be. I mean, like, he's got, Brian.

Bryce Harper, like the, you know, face of the team coming out and just basically openly saying for all intents and purposes, like, I wish that guy wasn't the third base with his baseball team. Like, I don't know how else you interpret it. Like, does that concern you that Bryce is just so openly willing to, because Bryce is good at playing the game. Like Bryce, Bryce, I don't think says things that often that he doesn't know what the repercussions of saying it could be.

What do you make of it? Because it's weird. Well, I wonder, I don't think it's a, I think he's okay with Bome. I think if he felt like Bome was hitting six, I think he'd be fine with Bome. It's just, and maybe he's trying to make it not about Bome because Bome happens to be hitting four, you know, and he's trying to make it about the four spot, but we know that's probably going to be Bome. Which he is. It's just when you do the four spot thing and then the Aid Miller thing, it's like,

if you're out like boom forgetting when anyone else thinks if you're like boom how do you not look at that as any other way as like price coming for your position yeah yeah yeah i i i don't know i mean on one hand i feel like all these guys and i think all these guys kind of have the mindset of it's price you know like he he he what we can argue a superstar not a superstar he has superstar he's famous and he's a super yeah all that exactly like he's been a superstar in the game and while he you you you're you he might not be a super superstar. He still is Bryce Frickin Harper. So, you know, I think that's kind of the amount doubt. I don't think, I don't think Bome, I mean, I'm sure he sees it and it's like, well, come on, man. But I also think he's... Or bleep that guy or whatever.

Who the hell knows what he thinks, but, you know. Yeah, but I mean, he's in a contract here. If I'm, if I'm Alec, Boll, I just keep my head down and go out of the best year that I get. Yeah, this is to show up. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Hey, maybe, maybe he uses motivation. Say, prove me wrong.

You know, maybe... You just saw one of the great contract years in Philadelphia history. So, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so the Schwerber contract year, the judge contract year, 60 plus home runs. Maybe we get a Boomer 30. No, I'm just kidding. But, yeah, I'm sure he doesn't obviously feel great about it. And, you know, it seems like everyone's kind of ready to turn the page here.

But if I'm Alec Bohm, you internalize it and you go out there and you try to prove everyone wrong and then earn some kind of payday payday next year but i don't mean he's done stuff like this in the past i mean the the the blake snow thing when he said like you love that blake snow on the rotation they're paying taiwan 18 million dollars a year to to be there he's done many of these that yeah this is not your brice has not been shy about saying what he thinks the team should do no no no and he does but again maybe the eye for talent not what it used to be it was easier when jt was when jt was like 28 and and kyle was 29 and and those guys were younger,

maybe a 34-year-old Reese Hoskins isn't the, I agree with Dave, I guess. I agree with Dave that we're good here, pal. We'll try to figure it out. It makes no sense. It makes no sense. And look, back to the comments on Miller minus the back. I will say the rest of what Bryce said about Aden was thrilling.

Like it does seem like Bryce is legit excited about Aiden Miller. And it's like, Bryce, yeah, dude, welcome to the club, man. Yeah, get in line, pal. Get in line. he's our guy he's our oh he is our guy that's right come on let's take back it yeah well i mean obviously we play games of the weekend which was super exciting thrilling dude the justin and deneden let's go dened just sounds like baseball i don't denedin is one of those places and i guess clear water because of the fillies but like denedden i only think of baseball when i think of

demean like there's nothing else that happens in dened dened training baseball yeah i want to get over there they say how beautiful dunedden florida is is, but have never gone over. But, but, so a couple things. So first off, I can't stop watching the Justin Crawford double. How exciting. What a, what a beautiful moment. And, you know, get his hands up to that and be able to drive that baseball was, was, was quite the, quite

the scene. I tell you what, he, he looked apart on Saturday. And I think the thing that I appreciate about Justin Crawford is, I don't ever feel like, like he's going to be overwhelmed. I think that being just Carl Crawford's kid and being in big league clubhouses since he was younger, I just think that he's almost built for it in a way where it's not too big for him. It's not too big for him. And the fact that he went out there first at Batsmunk to double off the wall, you know,

kind of the whole ground ball rate obsession in the first one he he rips was beautiful. And, you know, he worked a couple tough of bats against lefties. the stupid BS pitch clock thing, you know, that cost him his second at bat. And then defensively, I thought that he only had two plays out there. But what I think was important is that the one off the bat of Vladdy when McCambly was on a mound, you know, Vladdy's a big, lumbering power right-hand guy. When he swings hard like that and looks like he makes solid contact, your first instinct is to break back. And the fact that there was almost no hesitation, didn't really move much, can't under it,

It was all good. Like, he didn't look like a deer out there, like a deer in headlights just running around. So I thought that was really important. And then the Addison Barger one, you know, that's a line drive right at you. I think that's the toughest, toughest ball to play in baseball for an outfielder. And, you know, stopped for a second, but then came in. I didn't, I guess I was expecting, I was expecting to not, for him not to react as quickly as he was.

And I thought it was very, very encouraging that it didn't seem like there was a slow first that felt like he was just reading it well off the bat and he knew where to be. So everything I thought was was super encouraging for Justin Crawford. And the fact that he's going to be batting knife. Like it's the lineup can be good. The lineup can be really really good set up for him. It's a great like the Phillies have not always put guys in the best positions to be successful, young guys coming up all the type of stuff.

Look, even Alec Bowen, we've talked about this. I mean, him being forced in the foreo for so many years. And it's like it changes like the way people look at him in the city and all that that this Crawford setup minus, you know, they're figuring out with center field. You could say center field, you know, it's a big ass, but they're figuring out. And I do think the nine spot,

the not too much pressure. And look, I do think that, you know, I think he's going to hit. You know, it's whether it's 270, 280,

you know, higher maybe like, I think he's going to hit for average. The question to your point is, will he be able to lift the ball? How much can he use his speed on the basis to really be a terror this year? And he'll get better.

But, you know, I think that how does he look at center field thing, to your point, is going to be the real key, to how he can stick out there because I think he'll hit.

Well, he clearly lowered his hands a little bit, which is good. Lowering his hands allows him to get under the baseball a little bit better. So, you know, you saw that,

at least with that first hit, and second hit as well. You know, that's probably caught in a big league game by a real majorly shortstop, but whatever. The fact that you can go him and Turner back to back and...

It's nuts. I mean, you can really, really generate and create some havoc with those two. flying around the basis. So I really, I was impressed by how not overwhelmed and how much Justin Crawford really looked apart on, on Saturday. Now, I do want to talk about, we talked to the Bryce thing with the Aden thing. The one thing I do want to point out, and it's, it's, it's like a minor concern of mine for Aden is that he has had a lot of like little injuries, like a groin here, a hamstring here, a back here. It's just, the handmate was a straight break. that happens. It's the little ones. It's the little ones that you worry about. So he'll probably be in the lineup this week. I mean, obviously, there's being, you know, cautious about it. But that is the one

thing with him where where he's dealt with a lot of little injuries. And he just hope that it's not something that, you know, lasts over a long time and he kind of work his way through it. I mean, I'm sure the last two. He's been in both ways. I mean, you see guys who struggle with that early and then figured out and vice versa, you know? Well, And I think he's also putting on more weight right now, like strength-wise. So his body is probably adjusting to that. And he's still changing, but then he's like, again, he's only 21 years old, man. He's still growing.

Yeah. What else? What else? I did like that Bryce was going the opposite way. He didn't get a hit, but he went the opposite way. I need him thinking oppo at all times. And then just some like, some pitching stuff. I mean, Kyle Backus, I am already.

You look good. Yeah. You look good. I mean, I had no hitter for a while there. He was a 10 pitch inning, I think. I mean, we were in the grass. It was hard to, like, see the movement and stuff, but results-wise. Like, he was mowing down. At one point in turn, I'm like, this game is flying, man.

Yeah, well, he, I think his inning was only 10 pitches. So, like, actually him, him, him, Mesa and Genesis Cabrero. I did he pitch two innings, wasn't he? No, it was only one. Oh, it was only one. Okay. No, it was only one. It was only one. So he's probably going to be the third lefty out of the bullpen.

I'd be surprised. Like, I think Mays is, is reliable and steady, but Bacchus seems like he has a little bit more upside there. Thing is like, this bullpen is going to be a problem. As long as Alvarado, you know, is fine, then you go banks and Bacchus and then all the options you have from the right side. I thought Zach McCambley booked how I thought he was going to look, which is mostly filled the strike zone and then, you know, the slider is a pretty good pitch.

So, like, between this bullpen and the Iron Pigs bullpen, I mean, they got. got so many dudes they got so many dudes they can they can they interchange a little bit they just go the iron pigs bullpen right now hold on oh this is exciting stuff this is exciting stuff yeah because i'll talk about zach pop in a second but the iron yeah where it's gonna pop when you talk about zach pop so obviously the major league bullpen the right-handed options you have deron keller kirkering barlow or uh uh uh bolin and then and then mccanley could be like the the fifth guy fourth fourth guy then the lefties you're gonna have i know you have lazar too because he's probably me a long man the lefties you're gonna have alvarado banks bacchus that's three pretty good lefties against

against against his pretty nasty he has to have a good plan against right he's three better men but the depth options you got this is this is what i'm keeping you for the depth options you got with the with the pigs bullpen mazea pop kusik cabrera uh courriot Seth Johnson, Nolan Hoffman, Alex McFarland, Chase Sugar, Daniel Harper, Daniel Robert, Lou Trevino, Andrew Walling. I mean, it's going to be a problem. And Trevor Richards looked pretty good yesterday, you know, for Trevor Richards standards. Washington Nationals, Trevor Richards, that's? No, he's in Marlon.

He started with the Marlins. You're thinking of Trevor Williams. I'm thinking of Trevor Williams, 88 miles an hour. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So he'll be. William, yes. Bad job with me. There you go.

Trevor Williams is the most, like, middle, middle to late 90s starter of all time. Like, no wonder those guys hit 300 and 40s five home runs. They're all facing Trevor Williams, you know? Totally. And then every once in a while, they be a guy nasty. Meanwhile, everyone that comes out of bullpins are like 95 these days. I know, it's nuts.

I can't believe you were in attendance yesterday for Connor Griffin. I mean, Connor Griffin is, and that could have been a home run if the wind wasn't howling there yesterday. Dude, it was nuts. It was crazy windy yesterday. Yeah, he's, he's awesome. He's amazing. He's like one of the biggest shots.

I was going to say, huge. Well, it's weird because they had O'Neill there, too, who was like the other, him and Ellie and O'Neill are probably like the three biggest that I can remember. I mean, can you remember any others that are that huge? Ellie, yeah. That's what I'm saying. Ellie, O'Neill, when he played it and he moved, but O'Neill, when he was out there, and then, and then Connor, which is funny because the pirates with two of them.

I know. Well, because A-Rod was always the gold standard for huge short stops. And then. six three or whatever but i mean o'neill and and and elli are both six seven i know i know and korea and segari and seeger is in the room dahs da oh man i'd do i'd do caria and and seeger are big short stocks but not that you know not now not what those guys are uh Zach pop was relatively interesting uh if he could get it on top of his sinker that's a really that's like a it's a bowling ball sinker just goes it dies on you so i can see why they're intrigued by him but i think he's

got some work to do if he wants to make this. I would still give it to Campbelly over him. Like that's the one spot they need is like that extra guy behind Bolin and then Boland Kirkering about the same before Keller and and Duron. But the bullpen's super, super exciting. The bullpen is just super, super exciting. Nothing else crazy. I mean, Dante Nori looks like he has a new setup.

Looks like Cody Ballinger, which I think is. It's a Cody Ballinger's up. I don't know to tell you. He's doing, I feel like he's doing it to get more power. I hope it doesn't like sacrifice his hit tool. But I tell you what, seeing the kids get in the game, or Rune had a hit up the middle yesterday. That was a beautiful, a beautiful thing.

Because first with the past of the spring, he saw, he saw two pitches, you know? Take a pitch kid. So, seeing the kids in there, it's been exciting. And I wish they to spot. I'm happy for you. Thank you. This is your year so happy.

I wish that, I wish they had a spot for Keaton and Anthony. I swear that guy's good. That dude rakes, 100% rakes. They can't play them anywhere. You can't play them anywhere. So unless on, again, Harper got hurt, which we don't want. But then they just bring Reese back, right?

Oh, 100%. Look at them. Taking back from the guardians. So, yeah, I mean, I think that's pretty much it. But there's another game tonight. I haven't, shockingly, I have not been, been watching live because they're in like the middle of the day. Yeah, that one of, one of five's on a Saturday and Sunday, not ideal.

And it's like, I can't. I can't with the boys. So I've been watching him late at night. So you get to look forward to him. It's really, yeah. Grinding the tape, just grinding the tape. You are. What a life you live.

Listen, I live for spring training baseball. All I want is the starters to get out of the game. Like, I don't care. I know what I have. Bring in the kids. Bring in the interesting arms. Let me build out of this bullpen. By the way, Stott really did, just went to the,

the Schwerp school of setup. They're the same exact setup. Watch those two side by side, same exact setup. So it's a good thing. He smoked the ball. That was good to say. Got a lot of thoughts. But it's glad for you.

It is funny how Mr. And I'm talking about myself, don't care about spring training, preseason any of that stuff. Somehow ended up doing a podcast with the biggest spring training fan on the planet and the biggest training camp fan on the planet. So lucky me.

Well, because you got to worry about the little things. You got to worry about the little minute details that that most again my mentality is I watch spring training games so you and our listeners don't always have to good work and I really appreciate it plus spring train is way better than preseason football oh that's without a doubt preseason football stinks the worst it's the worst it's not worth watching spring train is worth watching seeing what boys are barking on it's warmer crushing tape all right we're going to we're going to brunch Go have a nice brunch.

I got to figure out what I'm talking about today. And have fun down here when you come down here. I can't wait. Check out the morning show next few days. We will have Philly's guests on. Not true yet, but they'll be good. All right. No.

Thanks, Tuck. All right. Thank you, Emily. For producing the podcast. I'm a lot to thank Tucker. Thank you, Emily and Zoe. I got a thumbs up for my wife. So we're all winning here.

All right. We'll be back next week later in the week, whatever. What happens? Until then. He's worth themselves.