High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The High Hopes Phillies Podcast: Harper Makes His Debut and Other Spring Takeawys

Episode Date: March 11, 2019

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back doing two podcasts a week now. The guys talk Harper's debut, other Spring Training takeaways and Jake Arrieta having a big second season with the Phils.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerds. Well, without the computers. Talking about the Philadelphia Phillies. On Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. In fact. A twice a week edition. You're damn right it is, Jack Fritz.

We are doing this two times a week now. It's Monday. It's not Thursday. So we don't worry about breaking news during our show, I guess. Nothing happens on Mondays. It's a very boring day. However, our Thursday slash breaking news show will always be back. And we're always ready for an emergency pod.

We're always ready. Literally, as people know, we will have it out as quickly as humanly possible, especially when we're next to each other. Only if it happens on Thursdays. But yeah, so we will be coming two times a week now. A lot of stuff coming up for you before the season starts. We've got an NL East preview, review type of thing of the offseason.

NL Beast? The Beast is back, baby. Oh my God. The Beast is back. For as exciting as I am just to have baseball back every day of my life, the NL East, just thinking about that and thinking about how we're going to be back in the absolute, this might be the heyday of the NL East, just thinking about that and thinking about how we're going to be back in

the absolute... This might be the heyday of the NL East. It could. It's the best division in baseball. There's a lot of good divisions in baseball now. The NL Central is also awesome. The AL East is also awesome. I think that there's no league that has... I don't know, man. The NL Central is pretty legit.

It's alright. It's solid. But I think that the four teamteam race between these four teams, and as I've said, I think the Mets probably the most likely to fall off the wayside. Oh, yeah. It's nice. It's cute of Mets fans to be excited. They're excited, man. It's okay.

Let them be excited, Jack. Listen, I understand you paid for Robbie Cano and Edwin Diaz is great. Just, like, welcome to the big show. Just stay where you are. But if you want to be excited for 20 starts of Noah Sindergaard and while Zach Wheeler is my Pavetta of the Mets, some would say he's actually better than the Grom. What? Who would say that, Jack Fritz?

Nobody says that. Not even you would say that. It's just an adorable little job by Mets fans. Listen, Mets fans, everything is going to go wrong, so don't even be excited. I am just excited to hate teams again. It's been a while since I've hated a baseball team. Because the Mets, obviously, we forget what it's like to hate the Braves. The Braves are as hateable a team as there is in sports. I do forget what it's like to hate the Braves. The Braves are as hateable a team as there is in sports.

I do forget what it's like. The Tomahawk Chop, all that crap. I hated the Braves growing up. With every fiber of my being. That's going to be back, Jack. I will never hate another sports team as much as I hated the 07-11 Mets.

That was special. There was a special kind of hate. Yeah, it was a special kind of hate. Yeah, it was a special kind of hate there. And, you know, I do kind of look at them as like our little baby stepchild that we don't really care about that much. Well, if they're the baby stepchild, we're the Nats. That's a good point. A toddler that you can't stand.

This is great. So you want to listen to our NLE's preview show because it's going to be a lot of this. We just did it. We don't have to do it anymore, actually. That was it. Everything's all good. We're just going to start crapping on teams. Yes.

What else do we do here, Jack? Yes. It's nice to actually be a... Man, it's nice to have a good baseball team in Philadelphia. Speaking of which, and again, we've got a lot coming up. We also want your thoughts on a few things. We'll get to that later. But, Jack, what have you seen so far?

Since the last time you and I talked, since the last time you and I talked, since the last time you and I talked, Bryce Harper has played a baseball game as a Philadelphia Philly. He's taken it bats. I mean, kind of played. Now, is that a sign that he's going to be a Philly? It's hard to read these reports. I'm not really sure where he's going to go.

I don't want to look into it. I heard he loves LA. That's all I've heard. Yeah, I don't want to look into it too much, but he loves LA. That's all I've heard. Yeah, I don't want to look into it too much, but it does seem that Bryce Harper is going to be a Philly. It still is a reason to wake up in the morning. So Saturday. First off, I watched the video yearbook before the game.

So the 2018 video yearbook is out. And man, did they talk up a team that was not that good. Oh, yeah. Well, they did it during the season. We did it during the season at times, too. It was like... How was that team like 14 games over 500 at any point? It was insane.

It was impossible. It was unbelievable. No, but it's like that was a... It felt like the world corrected itself with September. It really did. It did. It felt like... Look, it was one of those things where as much as we wanted to believe and

as we did podcasts where you and I would talk about them being 10 games over 500 and say, how? I don't get it, but it's working. And that last couple months of the season just felt like we were waiting for the shoe to drop and it finally dropped. Oh, I mean, September was horrible. I mean, it was just the worst month of my life. But the video yearbook was still fine. I always love the video yearbooks. I want I mean, September was horrible. I mean, it was just- It was the worst. It was just the worst month of my life. But the video yearbook was still fine.

I always love the video yearbooks. I want to watch them all the time. You're like the prime target audience for a video yearbook. It's like, yeah, how can we- you want a nerdy kid- The guy who sits around watching Bryce Harper highlights and minor league highlights and this and that for fun. You're right in that wheelhouse there. Okay.

So, 2018 yearbook. Okay. I'm just proud that you even know how to use the internet not well jack not well between you and the camera um well that's the sad thing about the camera is that i'm like a whiz on the internet when it's compared to him so but like man feel good about myself and it was so thirsty him coming out to the Fresh Prince theme, but man, did I eat it up. I thought that, so is there, can we have like a justified thirst type of thing? Yeah. Because yes, it was thirsty, but it was so awesome that it, who cares? I know.

That was the, it was just like, again, to Bryce, too good to be true. He just, he knows exactly what we want and he gives it to us. I don't want to read into this too much, but does Bryce Harper have a full PR team working for him? I mean, dude. How does he know exactly what to do? Well, he's walking into the thirstiest city in America. It's unbelievable. Yeah, but he knows what we want.

He's like pouring water on top of us. It's amazing. It's incredible. So, listen. You came out to the fresh print. I know. Really, dude? Listen, the well actually people, well, he actually left Philly to go

to LA, so this might mean he's leaving or whatever. And it's just like. Wait, hold up. Hold up. It wasn't serious, but it was like, you know that song's about him leaving Philly for LA. That is the worst take, thought of all. Like, I hate those people. And if you're, none of the IOPs people would have said that because our listeners are way too smart and way too awesome.

But that is just such a lame line. Now, here's a question for you. Yes. Can I just explain to you my setup for my games now? Yes, I would love to know how weird it is. Please. Is this weird? Let's play a game.

Let's play a game of is this weird? Can I say yes before you tell me what it is? So, like two weeks ago, I went out and I went to Best Buy, and I bought the last radio they had. Not great for our day jobs, but sure. It's literally the last radio in stock, and I bought that because, listen, nothing against TMAC and the whole TV booth. I just much prefer the radio booth. So the way my setup is, is that I have WIP. Like instead of having, I didn't want to buy the MLB, like network stream that you have to buy because we can't stream it over radio.com here.

So I wanted to be able to listen to it but not have to buy the stream. So I figured I'd invest 20 bucks on a radio rather than like 100 bucks a year to listen to it on the radio. Probably smart. Yeah, so I bought the radio. I'm sitting there. So I have the radio here. I got TweetTech in front of me and I got Bryce Harper on my big screen and a nice little Sloop Brewery

right next to me. Yes. Just drinking beer and watching baseball. So yes, it is weird. There's nothing better to drink beer to than baseball games. There's just something so romantic about baseball that there's no other drink that possibly could drink or taste better than an ice cold beer at a baseball game or watching a baseball game.

I feel like you have to have a beer while watching a baseball game and also being at a baseball game. I love beer. I really love beer with baseball. I almost started tearing up thinking about beer and baseball at the same time. I wish everyone could see your face there and this just wistful look you had on.

It's just the best, man. As weird as your setup is, I can't argue with it. No, going out to buy radio parts is a little weird. You call me the old man, that's like, you know. Agreed, but now let me ask you this. Let me ask you this. Would it be weirder if i bought the book and started keeping the book started keeping it keeping a book during the game so how old would i be would i be at least

90 here's what i'm gonna say it would be awesome please do that please keep score i i used to keep score back in the day i could see you score i mean i feel like it's a lost art well but yes it'd be incredibly weird okay yes now let me and a lot of people on this podcast listen to this podcast, when they say to their friends about Jack Fritz, they're saying like, oh, he pitched in college. Let me just revise that. I participated. Real quick, I just love the idea that you think that people are having

conversations about you and how you pitched in college. Go on. Here's what I really did. I kept a book for 50 straight games my sophomore year. So I'm pretty much a bookkeeping expert. You're an expert. I was first team all-peak sack in bookkeeping. That's a hell of an award to have. And fake broadcast in the games.

Oh, man. I played college baseball, but before you thought I was a superstar, which I'm sure you did, I kept a great book. Hypothetical question. What is your favorite play to score? Like a rundown. Yeah? Yeah.

Really like a nerdy with it. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You go like a 6-4, 4-4, 4-5. It's just... It truly is. Oh, Lance Collins is going to the Redskins. That's not great. That's fine.

Whatever. Who cares about the football team anymore? No one cares about football, especially the Washington racial slurs at that point. And for what it's worth, any good player who goes there, their career goes to die anyway. So no biggie. Right. So whatever. But yeah, so that's my setup.

And it was glorious watching Bryce. It was pretty glorious. So my setup, I was glorious watching bryce it was pretty glorious i so my setup i went to new york to go see a play with my little brother uh shout out to peter and as i told you actually uh my brother had to bring him a high hope shirt because uh he you know loves the show but um we went to a bar and before the show we went to we made it a point to go find a bar that had mlb network on and watch it in New York. And the cool thing was a group of like 10 people came in next

to us, giant Phillies fans in there for the same reason. It was awesome. My brother's buddy Matt was there too. Shout out to Matt. And the ratings were through the roof. It was unbelievable. It was like a thing. Like everyone in the bar stopped in New York. We're not even in Philadelphia and granted a lot of Phillies fans next to us but everyone was paying attention to a freaking

spring training yeah but no well it's because it was philly's well baseball's dead yeah so no one even cares about it anymore so but no that joke not be funny well if you're stopping in new york i mean new york only you know cares about football and basketball. They don't care about baseball in New York. Don't tell Mike Francesa that. But what was so cool, that first inning with Bryce was just like, it was a freaking script of how it's supposed to go. Yeah, get ready for that. Get ready for the Bryce walk, the Reese Homer. That's happening a lot. Yeah, I mean, Carlos Santana did just as much for $300 million less.

But, just kidding. I like that you had to say the just kidding, like anyone who actually thought you were just kidding. But that setup is just perfect. If you have McCutcheon leading off or Hernandez leading off, I think I'd prefer Hernandez, but whatever. We've discussed this. I think we both do simply because of what McCutcheon gives you lower in the order as

opposed to what Cesar does. But I'm fine if McCutcheon's in the one way. By the way, McCutcheon went yard deep to center field. So did Seguro went yard too. I'm feeling it, baby. Just to have hitters, professional major league hitters who I know have shown me in the major leagues that they can succeed, just to have those types of guys on my team again.

Come on, man. It's amazing. It's so exciting. And then the Harper walk and the Hoskins just absolute tank shot and watching him like round the bases and then get home and they're like, you know, bro-ing out and Harper saying get used to this. Honestly, I started looking at the next 10 years of my life. It was basically right there.

The next decade of my life is Harper Hoskins, back-to-back being best friends, being Bash brothers, their wives hanging out, raising children together. You're really going really far with this thing, huh? Wait till we get to the mid-season. This is what you do. Just imagine these like- Wait till mid-season, buddy.

This is just after one spring training game. Taking vacations together. They're going on vacays together. But it was just a snapshot into the next decade of my life. It was Hoskins driving in Harper. I mean, Hoskins is going to have what? He's going to have what? Three more 120

RBI seasons? I need a correction here. Hoskins driving in Trout and Harper. That's really, you know, come on, let's be real. Let's be realistic. Yes, Trout in the 2-hole, Harper 3-hole, Hoskins 4-hole, let's go. Real me to five-hole. Oh, man.

Please. No, this team on paper is already really good. The lineup is good. It's just that, like, the fact that Odubel Herrera, who was this team's best player for three years. He was an all-star in two years in a row. I mean, he was the guy. One year, one year, yes. You're right.

Neshek. Regardless. Neshek. Regardless. Neshek. Oh, God. Still here. Odubel Herrera was the best player on this team, or certainly was looked at as the best hitter on this team for multiple years.

He's like the seventh best hitter on this team now. I mean, and if he's locked in, six by the hitter. And now he can really be Shane Victorino. Like, Shane Victorino, I always thought, was the best comp for Odubo Herrera. You know, they were kind of polarizing. Flighty, kind of all over the place. If Shane Victorino was relied upon to be the team's best player,

he would not have been. It would have been a disaster. Right. It would have been a disaster. We would not look at Shane Victorino with the love and admiration that we do. Right. And now with Odubo, I mean, the guy has a talent to win the batting title. Like, that's not even a stretch.

Like, the guy for the first two months. I forget he was batting 360 through two months last year or whatever. It was insane. It was insane. The guy has all the talent to be a legit top flight major league player. And the fact that that guy's our seven hole hitter now, it's just ridiculous. And if you can, like, I am completely out on Mike Alfranco. Which is saying something.

There was certainly a time, and I'm sure there's someone floating around out there now but there was a time where you were alone on michael island well apparently not because i tweeted last night i know that mike moustakas would have been a large upgrade and people got mad at me and it's just second baseman mike moustakas by the way i don't know about that that's a little different that's a little bit weird that's that's a weird one i don't get about that. That's a whole different story. That's a little bit weird. That's a weird one. A little bit weird? Yeah, I guess what? Shaw playing third? Yeah, I suppose so. Why don't you just put Shaw at second and Moussaka's at third? I don't know.

Are we a Brewers podcast? No. Should we be one? No. No, I would talk about Christian Yodge if I could. I would talk about Corbin Burns if I could. I would talk about Brandon Woodruff if I could. Hater? Yeah. Not the person, the player? Yes, the player is one of my favorite BKs of all time.

Listen, I just... This lineup is insane. I wish Franco wasn't here, and I wish Moussaka was here. But still, top to bottom, if Odubel Herrera is your 7-hole hitter, it's just like, what even is this lineup? Unstoppable at times.

It's literally the 0 08 lineup reincarnated. If you have, look, and we know Odubel. He is what he is. There will be times where he's killing you. But when he is locked in, it will be the best lineup in baseball. Or right there with the Red Sox or whatever you want to say. I mean, it's that talented top to bottom. And when you've got a guy like Odubel as your seventh best hitter in the lineup,

and he's locked in and he's batting over 300 hitter in the lineup, and he's locked in, and he's batting over 300, and doing what he can do when he's locked in, it's going to be a terrorizing type of lineup for pitchers to face. Well, because he's going to start taking balls off the shins and out of the ballpark. Like, how are you going to do that? I don't know. I'm very, very, very excited.

And the fact that I think Segura looks great. Segura looks like how he always looks. He looks great, man. He does. He's thick he's thick junk in the trunk looking good i like it got a ton of pistardo at shortstop but it is funny because i've paid more attention to it since you said it and it is it is surprising you don't expect him to have as much junk there as he does he does he does and stout yes stout little guy he is exactly what i thought he's bigger than me but for baseball anyway he's exactly what i thought he was going to be. A little guy, much bigger than me, but for baseball. Anyway.

He's exactly what I thought he was going to be. He's going to bat over 300 and just put the ball in play and whatever. Get it to me. Get injected in my veins. And then he had McCutcheon. Oh, guy on first and the second hitter's up and he's actually going to do something productive in that spot? No.

Yeah. What a thought. He's basically a better version of the 2011 version of Placido Polanco. Yes. Where he can actually, you know, not be old. Nope. And still be a good player. So, you have Segura, and then you have McCutcheon, who looks just great.

He looks really good, man. Like, the bat looks quick. Yes. Quick. And the one- And again, caveat, spring training. I understand that. But he looks good.

I understand. And I'm just, I'm so sick and tired of here. Especially when it comes to, like, pitchers or whatever. When it comes to spring training. I understand that. But he looks good. I understand. And I'm just, I'm so sick and tired of here, especially when it comes to pitchers or whatever, when it comes to spring training. If we've seen these guys pitch before and they look exactly the same. It's useless. It's meaningless stuff. It drives me crazy.

These looking at pitchers' numbers and trying to decide what they're going to be from spring training. I'm just talking about the eyes. Oh, okay, okay. I'm talking about people point, oh, he's got a 6 ERA. He was working on his curveball the whole start. These guys are a lot more pitchers. They're working on things a lot more than trying to get outs all the time.

They are, except you'd like to see velocity. Velocity is one thing you can definitely take away. Breaking pitches, movement, I think you can definitely take away from. But I agree with the eye. That's a good point. If a guy looks exactly like, here's the thing. Ari had allowed two runs on Saturday, but he looked phenomenal. And this is the take that I have been preparing for.

Ooh, ooh, ooh. Yes. Let me get this ready here. Please do. Yes. I got a text about that. Like, I got a text about this take, and it was one of those texts, you're not going to believe when I give this take.

It's a real one it's a real take it's a jack will be like hey i got takes for today or whatever this was a very purposefully set up i have a take today proceed for as in as i am on breakout nick pivetta jake arietta is far and away this team's number two. And I trust... Coming from Jack Fritz! Right, Jack Pavetta, some would say. As in Pavetta's dad, yes, go on.

If he changes his name to Giancarlo, which he should. But I am so... Now, I very much trust Jake Arrieta. I was worried about him heading into the season. That's great to hear. I am. And watching the runs the other day,

it was bleeders off the hand that if McCutcheon was in left field, they get caught. It was those kind of things where he made really good picks. It was results of a process when the process was really sound to get there. And the fact that he was 95 up in the zone, sequencing it with a splitter change-up thing that was like 88 falling right off the table like i think he listened to the podcast last week and said you know what jack you're right i'm gonna ditch my i mean that's the most likely i'm gonna ditch my curveball slash uh slider thing um and he please he he throws it in

advantageous spots whereas last year i felt like he relied on it a bit more. And it's just not a pitch that he can locate at this point. He should really be a two-pitch mix of 94-95 with that splitter that just falls flat off the table because that's just a way harder thing to pick up on from a tunneling perspective. And the fact that he looks so smooth and he looks so calm and he's fully rotating through the zone,

which he wasn't doing last year. Last year he was just cutting himself off and he was not able to get glove side. Now he's able to fully rotate through the zone and he's getting glove side. He's starting balls at the guy's shoulders and then he'll break over the middle of the plate for a strike. And that's just stuff that is eye test stuff

where you can look at spring training and say, this is something that I could see moving forward. a strike and that's just stuff that like like that stuff that that is eye test stuff where you can look at spring training and say this is something that i could see uh moving forward and the one big test i wanted to see on saturday was him out of the stretch because he was horrible it was a different picture last year but and like when i talk about cutting himself off he did that a lot out of the stretch last season on on saturday he was 94 he was getting fully through and like he was able to actually make off-speed pitches out of the stretch the other day which he was not able to do last year so um i just think that i think he's going to be a ground ball machine and he actually has ground ball guys behind him and he's actually getting swings and

misses now which he was not able to get last year so the reason why arietta was so bad last year was because he was not able to generate any kind of swing and miss and now he's actually able to get last year so the reason why arietta was so bad last year was because he was not able to generate any kind of swing and miss and now he's actually able to get some swing and miss because his fastball is jumping a little bit and he's actually able to kind of fool guys with his fastball so um like when he went when he went 95 up in the zone for a swing and miss and then a a change up sinker whatever it was that just fell flat off the table at 88, I was like, in. In. I'm just in. And look, I mentioned this a little bit last time, but I don't always believe the, oh, this guy was injured last year and now he's going to be better this year. But the torn meniscus, if he was playing with that

for the second half of the season, that will absolutely impact your ability to be successful. So you take that in with the fact that he didn't have his full spring training last year a guy who is so dependent upon being in shape working out all that a late start to the season i think that you can look at those things and say oh at least it makes pragmatic sense that he could bounce back this year and then you hear this stuff you see this stuff with your eye it's bullish and look if, if Jake Arrieta is a two for this team, and I've said it before, even if he's like a high-end three as a two, it's a world of difference.

It is such a massive thing for this team. And I think a big reason today, you and I talked about it before, but, I mean, you can't rely on Vince Velasquez to be a contributor on this team. No. And listen, this is not meaning I'm completely out on Pavetta. I think Pavetta's great. It's just that I trust Arrieta now, whereas I didn't trust him. I think if he can take that step forward and be a competent number two starter,

give you six innings or whatever, and then turn it over to the bullpen, it just makes a world of difference. And you don't need Pavetta to be unbelievable. There's so much pressure on Nick Pavetta right now. Oh, man, I'm a little nervous. It sounds like you're backing off your breakout Pavetta, Jack. I'm not backing off. You're just saying you're more sure that Arrieta will be a two for you

than Pavetta's going to break out. But think about what if both happen. Right. What if both happen? That is definitely a possibility. I'm not saying it's not. And the defense for both. You mentioned it for Arrieta, and we talked about it forta i mean they're gonna be this seems to be so much better

defensively and adding in for all these guys jt romuto behind the plate is going to make a difference i mean you have a guy who actually can call a game for you who's gonna stop the ball who's gonna make the plays you expect him to make who's gonna be sound who's gonna help you call a game and that's the one thing that is just massive. The one thing that people, you know, when people just look at the numbers and statcasts and all that stuff and don't physically watch baseball, it's like, that's what the

Jorge Alfaro fan club, that guy didn't know how to call a game. No. He was a disaster in calling a game. And these guys actually trust JT Romulo. I think it's going to make a huge step forward for the pitching staff, especially a guy like Arrieta. Arrieta pitching to a rookie catcher, I could see that being a problem. Well, especially Arrieta made it clear that whether, not necessarily Alfaro,

but that defensively he was not getting what he needed. No. So Real Muto will definitely help out from that standpoint. And Pavetta, by the way, on Sunday, he retired his final nine batters. His average fastball velocity was 94.5. Average? Yeah, he's sitting 94. That's really good.

Yeah. That's really good. I mean, the 99-98 was tantalizing, I will say. But if he can just settle in 95-plus, he supposedly, from people down there, a couple of bleeders got through that scored runs that if McCutcheon or normal players were playing, it wouldn't have happened. So that's encouraging. Pavetta's on the right track.

Vince Velasquez. The Phillies have a Vince Velasquez problem. Yeah, I can't rephrase. We all have a Vince Velasquez problem. I just, I just, I just cannot take him anymore. Is there anyone in your history of watching baseball who is more boring and annoying to watch pitch? I mean, I'm sure there are guys, but. Well, there's a lot.

Right. But in terms of, not just the stuff, not just the hits and stuff. I'm talking about the way he goes about his business. How boring. He's like Steve Traxell. He's like the human rain delay out there. He's brutal. And then on top of that.

Puckles? Yes. And then on top of that, he's walking guys. He's not throwing strikes. He's brutal. And then on top of that, Puckholtz? Yes. And then on top of that, he's walking guys. He's not throwing strikes. He's not trusting his stuff. Look, I know there have been more infuriating guys to watch,

but he is high on the infuriating list. Yeah, he takes forever to pitch and then he's just all over the place. Yes. Here's my problem. And the reason why I will never buy into Vince Velasquez is for two things.

One, is that he's just not a bulldog on the mound. Instead of actually pitching, he just tries to nibble. And he just tries to be too perfect with every single pitch rather than, hey man, you throw 94, you can get freaking grounders, man. You don't have to try to strike every single guy out. And his problem is, is he tries to strike every single guy out. And that is not how you have

to pitch. Spot up your fastball. It's absurdity to pitch that. It's just asinine to try and pitch that way. I mean, Arrieta talked about it last year. He wasn't having success with it, but he's like, I don't care how many guys I strike out. I just want to get the outs. And that's all that matters. You need to have swing and miss stuff, but you need outs.

And here's the other thing. This is the common misconception with Vince Velasquez. Vince Velasquez does not great stuff. He has a good fastball. His curveball is crappy. His slider is bad. He's never had a changeup. But he can't control them either, which is a real issue. But with Pavetta, at least with Pavetta,

you can physically see how disgusting the curveball can be when it's on. With Velasquez, you just don't see it. It's not a hard-breaking curveball he is just he is just so so freaking frustrating he does not attack hitters at all he is nibble nibble nibble and hope they get themselves out it is it is frustrating and i just i don't understand how they don't understand this by this point well like you're not gonna you're not gonna get good pitching out of Vince Velasquez.

You cannot rely on him every fifth day. He had a nice little run last year. Ten start, really nice run. He was a good pitcher for ten starts. But when you look exactly the same as you did last year, that's the frustration. That's what I'm talking about. That's the problem.

It's the same thing with Franco. No matter what runs you have, you always revert back to that guy. That's the problem. It's the same thing with Franco where you just, it's no matter what runs you have, you always revert back to that guy. And that's the problem, right? I mean, like you see the flashes in there, but eventually it all comes back to that guy. Yeah. So listen, I understand that the arm talent is tantalizing, but when you're just nibble and you don't pitch

and you just don't try to get out, like it's just not, he is not a guy that I can rely on every fifth day. I just can't do it. I don't trust Eikhoff either. I know people are semi-fitting Eikhoff. Yeah, I don't trust Eikhoff at all. He throws 89 and it's just a flat 89. Like, that ball's getting pounded by left-handed hitters.

So, with that in mind, do you think that, and again, Dallas Keuchel is still out there. I think it is still on the table. The fact that he hasn't been signed yet means that he's not getting a four-year deal. I think it's a better possibility than people think it is. I think it's more likely him than Kimbrell. And I think that it's a real possibility because of the way the market has played out. At this point in the market, no one's giving him a four-year deal. It's just not happening.

He's probably going to sign a one-year deal somewhere if I had to bet money at this point, just the way the market is played out. Yeah, I think it could be a two with a third-year option. Sure, that's possible too. Or even like an Arrieta-ish type deal for less money, obviously, but that type of three years front-loaded type of deal, I guess that's possible. But I mean, the way the market is played out, I really wouldn't be surprised if the Phillies pounce on him.

Yeah, but if I'm Keuchel and it's a one-year deal, I'm just going back to the Astros. I would do that too. So that's, if I'm him, so that's why I think

they would need the second year and a third year options they want to bring him in. Sure. They'll come in in the National League if you're going for

a one-year deal, go to the National League, don't have a DH, get great numbers and move forward is possible as well. Yeah, and listen, that's the best part.

I understand, I understand, but when you're a ground best part. I understand. I understand. But when you're a ground ball guy, exactly. So that helps. That does. That does help. It's just, I understand he doesn't miss bats anymore. But if you give him enough incentive on a two-year deal

and leave the money open for Trout and try to compete with Bryce Harper now, I just don't understand how you can go into a season thinking that you can trust Velasquez or Eikhoff to be your five. Because I just don't think that's a realistic—I'm more in on Eflin than I am on Velasquez, but even Eflin, it's like, I don't know. Maybe. I hope he's good. Well, especially because we believe in Pavetta and whatnot,

but there is still the chance that Nick Pavetta doesn't break out this year and is a solid starter for you. But the point is that outside of Aaron Nola, nothing in this starting staff is a sure thing. Yeah, and I understand that they were the only reason this team was good last year for a large portion of the season. The vast majority of the season. But even while watching that, it felt more like luck than domination. It wasn't like I was watching the Mets of 2015 or that.

That's not the level of talent we're talking about here. Their fips were always more indicative of the pitching they were besides Aaron Nola, of course. I think they're running a risk of just putting a season into the toilet before it even starts with having Velasquez as your five and trusting these guys to take a major step forward. Like I just, I understand that if Keiko came in now,

he probably wouldn't be Keiko until like a month or two into the season. It's fine. But I just, I just think it, and waiting until the deadline's fine, but then you're paying a lot for Robbie Ray. Maybe you don't know if he's going to be good. Like Baumgartner.

I don't know. Like maybe he doesn't bounce back. I hope he bounces back going to be good. Baumgartner, I don't know. Maybe he doesn't bounce back. I hope he bounces back. I feel good about Baumgartner, but it's more the point that if Baumgartner pitches well, there will be other suitors in there. You're not getting him for free. I think it would be a mistake not to explore

the starting pitching market and just kind of hamstring yourself before a season even starts. Unless your plan is hey Vince, get us five innings and then let our bullpens take over. We have Nolan Arrieta who can get us seven and then Pavetta, whatever, Eflin, whatever. Do you think they believe any of the Romeros, the Medinas,

that any of those guys could come up this season and make an impact as a starter? I think they... No. I think JoJo's probably a year and same with Medina. Medina's barely even pitching. I don't think he's pitching. Unlikely is my point, but still, look,

we saw them, and he's a reliever, but they brought Sir Anthony up unexpected last year. I just don't know if you think that any of those guys are far enough along where we could see something like that, and obviously I don't think that you could only get 100 innings out of them or something like that in the majors, but someone who could sell them at you down the road.

Even those guys are not impact guys, though. They're not super. I mean, Medina is, but I think he's a year away. I think Romero is a solid four or five. So it would be a shame to go into the season and kind of not have a better option in the starting rotation. Well, essentially you've gone all in, and it's a long-term all-in. Like, why stop now?

Why stop now? And if you can sign him for a two-year term, you're getting him cheat now regardless. And it's not like he's going to start throwing way softer. He's going to be Dallas Keuchel. He's just going to be Keuchel. And where this team is at, I mean, they are so, even with Bryce Harper and all that,

they're way under the luxury tax threshold. Like, way under for the next couple years. This year in particular, I think they're 20-some million under. So I guess the way it works is that you want to keep... I thought they were further than that under. Are you sure about that?

Yeah, they're only like 20 under now. But under the low threshold, but they're like under the 197 number. They're way further under that. I don't think so. I think they're the sixth highest paid role in baseball. Has it gotten up that high? Yeah. Well, there you go.

I know they're the sixth highest paid role in baseball. I don't know where they are. So not as much room, but certainly room down the road after Arrieta and those guys. That contract is off. Right. They have money coming off the books. So, and obviously before Trout. I mean, they'll have money available. Either way, they can afford to bring Keichel in.

And it's a luxury tax, not a salary cap. Yes. You can pay it, John. And either way, the point is they can afford to bring a Keichel in this year without going over the luxury tax is really the main thing. Yeah, so my main takeaway from – well, not my main, but one of my takeaways from spring so far is that the Phillies have a Velasquez problem and a Nikoff problem.

Neither of those guys you can trust to be your five starter. Just go sign Keichel and let Pavetta and – Six highest already, huh? Yeah, it's crazy, isn't it? It is crazy. Well, they spent a lot of money. They did. Not even Harper.

I mean, McCutcheon and McCutcheon and McCutcheon. Adding in Segura's salary. Segura, sure. Segura's a great salary for what it's worth. It is, but it's still good money. So I think it'd be a waste if they just go into the season with Velasquez. We just know what he is at this point. Just stop running him out there.

Ike Coffey can't trust him. I think it'd be a mistake not to go after him. I think not getting Keichel and letting him be your 4-5 and letting Pavetta hopefully break out, but hopefully not like I just think they're trusting too much in that, and I think that could be a mistake. And it's not that I don't trust Pavetta or like Pavetta. I love Pavetta.

I don't know how you can completely, 100% believe in that. And on the flip side of that, I mean, look, you could say lineup, bullpen, it won't matter. You could say this team's good enough to win games without great starting pitching, which they are. But I agree with you. When you've built this team up the way you have and you've got this type of excitement and these types of players who you really can win now,

I feel like it's just such an obvious last move to bring in that guy who can just beef up the one real flaw that you have before the season starts. Yep, I think so too. All right. So, all right. I can't believe we were like, oh, what are we going to talk about? in that guy, you can just beef up the one real flaw that you have before the season starts. Yep. I think so, too. All right. So, all right. I can't believe we were like, oh, what are we going to talk about for 35 minutes? Oh, wow.

We're 35 minutes in? Yeah. How does that happen? Anyway, all right. A few quick show things, and we're coming back Thursday. We'll have another pod this week. Two weeks. I'm so sorry.

Forevermore. Jack, any other takeaways from spring training? Yes. Yes. Kingery has played center field three times now, and I think we have to start shaping our minds around is that there's a chance Kingery is starting center field on opening day if Herrera. With the injuries.

It's a good point with Quinn and Herrera both down. I haven't even thought about it. It's like a potential neither-could-be-ready type of thing. Yeah, so if they're banged up, we could see Kingery or even Altair in center field on opening day. Who? Aaron Altair? Listen, he had three hits on Friday night.

Oh, man. Is there competition for the right field spot? Oh, man. Or you could put Williams in. Williams could play center field. I mean, they could put Williams in right and move Harper to center is what I meant to say. Listen, if I ever have to watch Williams in center field.

I meant put Williams in right and you could put Harper to center is what I meant to say. Listen, if I ever have to watch Williams in center field. I meant move. I put Williams in right and you could put Harper in center field, but they're not going to do that for his opening season. I love you, but you're so wrong. Because Andrew McCutcheon can play center and you can put Williams in left. That's the movie. I forgot we have Andrew McCutcheon. Yeah, you forgot we have the MVP of 2013. He used to be a center

fielder. That's a good point. Well played, Jack. The point is there's a little bit of maneuverability out there. There is an outside chance that King restarted on opening day. So I thought that was interesting. They put him in center field I think three times now. He looks decent out there. He did play center field.

I think his sophomore year of college. So it's not like you're putting him at shortstop, which he hadn't done since. Played a little left last year. Has played some outfield in the majors. Yeah, he's not great. He's very short. He's very small. But yeah, I just think that's something to monitor

as we continue along here as well. I agree. Alright, so coming up too, we're going to have some fun with Talks of Men. Like we said, Mailbag Shack. Should we make mailbags a part of the show? We're thinking of this. Obviously there's two podcasts

a week, but we want to get the listeners of High Hopes involved. Because we love them. Yes and listen you guys are involved like crazy amount. It's crazy. It's awesome. It's really crazy. We were dying. Like when I just randomly brought up that text thing that Jack does to me because I thought it was hilarious and then Jack's like yeah why don't you do that and do this. We

never expected all of you people to actually do that. It was awesome. Like Jack and I were just sitting there like, look at this. This is so cool. We were dying laughing. We love everybody. We were dying laughing. So if you want to get involved in the show, we were thinking about maybe Mailbag Thursdays

or Mailbag Mondays, one of those kind of things that it could kind of be like callers into radio stations, but with tweets. And we'll answer all of your Twitter questions. Or at least the good ones. The good ones. Not all of them. sometimes I make the mistake of wanting to read everyone I know I've been there where you're like I promise we will answer every question then all of a sudden you like a hundred questions you're like

I can't do that yeah so listen mistakes were made both now this is not this is not a brag I don't think but both of our feeds do get caught up with a lot of a lot of replies it's a humble brag and notifications so listen here's what we'll do just tweet at high hopes pod your question throughout the week maybe we need to start a hashtag yes hashtag mailbag mondays i'm good with mailbag mondays okay so that's fun we'll do

hashtag all right so it's like bleacher tweets on the on the baseball tonight podcast tweet at the high hopes pod your question with hashtag mailbag mondays yes and we'll get it we'll make sure we see it and we'll favorite it we all good to go so that's how we'll handle mailbag mondays two podcasts a week it's here we also have another social media thing that we're figuring out yeah it's coming right it's gonna be fun right that is that is that is in the works so in the works yeah mailbag mond other stuff in the works. Yeah. Mailbag Mondays, two podcasts a week. Get excited. I'm excited. Yes.

I don't know how you couldn't be. And I love everybody so much. Yeah, we say that a lot of times. We really do, though. It's just true because we love you. All right, Jack, final thought. Final thought. So this is going to make people, I think it's going to make people pretty excited. I'm excited already.

You don't even know what it is. I'm doing the game Friday, and I'm producing the game back here. Doing the game is a different intonation. You're not actually calling the game. In my mind, I am. In my mind, I know. It's cute to dream, isn't it? But anyway, so I'm producing the game here.

Not calling the game, because James likes to kill all my dreams. And they go to break, Franski and L.A., they go to break, and Franski's talking about how he was in the Tigers booth the other day, and one of the Tigers broadcasters asked Franski how to pronounce Mickey Moniak's name. And before Franski could even answer, Al Kaline chimes in and says, it's Moniak. He says, I love that kid. What? He's got a beautiful swing. First of all. Al Kaline, a 3,000 hit guy. Good to hear Al Kaline

is still alive. I didn't know that. James thought he was prematurely killed Al Kaline. I said he's still alive? But I love Al Kaline. Al Kaline, former Mets broadcaster. The man's been around. Mr. Tiger. I'm thinking Ralph Kiner was a Mets broadcaster. But regardless, Al Kaline, former Mets broadcaster. The man's been around. Mr. Tiger. I'm thinking Ralph Kiner was a Mets broadcaster. But regardless, Al Kalin, hell of a hitter back in his day.

3,000 hits guy in on Mickey Moniak. I don't know why I confuse Ralph Kiner and Al Kalin. It's a weird, I guess the K last name maybe. Yeah, and Chuck Klein, you can put in that same kind of thing. Sure, I don't confuse him with them, but sure. I do sometimes. He's much older. Yes, he is way, way older. Well, dead, but he's actually dead. No, RIP. RIP? We don't want him with them, but sure. I do sometimes. He's much older. Yes, he is way, way older.

Well, dead, but he's actually dead. No, RIP. RIP. We don't want to break news to people. All-timer. So if he's in, I'm in, and also Haseley continues to look good. He looks good. But there might be legit outfield prospects, which is very, very exciting.

Legit like bat prospects. Yeah, and not even, listen, they might have to use one in an actual trade. Mike Slash probably will. Probably will. One of those guys is going to be used in a trade. Great. It's very important that they self-scout correctly in that one. It's a great point.

You cannot keep the wrong one. If they trade Moniak and keep Haseley and Moniak's a 10-time All-Star and Haseley stinks, people won't forget that. No. We don't forget those things. Right. So I smiled when I heard them telling that Al Kaline story. So there's that.

And I think that's all I got. That's all I got. That's the thing. Speaking of, my final thought. JK, that's amazing. My final, yes. My final thought. And it's a, because it's that I we joked as we're about

to start this podcast we said oh whatever all we've done is talk about Bryce Harper for the last two months we actually have to like think about what we're

going to talk about we barely even talked to Bryce today that's where I'm going proud of us I got a Bryce Harper thought so in all the time we've talked Bryce Harper

there was a point that I meant to make and I've been meaning to make and I have seen other people make it I just forgot to get it in so here it is

Bryce Harper point to round it out I think that the one thing we had talked enough about and you know Jack one of my one of my corners in sports one of the things that I harp on all the time and I hey oh I didn't mean it one of the things I Harper on all the time is that athletes are human beings they're people okay people with emotions and thoughts. And we always look at them as robots who are supposed to, they're a 333 hitter, so they're going to get hit one out every three times and this and that. It's all stats, and we define them by that type of stuff.

I don't think enough we talk about the human emotion, the fact that they're people who, I talk about that with closers, where I just feel like not everyone can do it because certain people aren't built for it. I think the thing that we haven't mentioned enough with Bryce Harper is that this kid from the age of 14, you know, but really 16, the Juco thing, getting the majors 19, his whole life has been building up to that contract, to being the highest paid player in the sport, to getting paid to all that stuff. I don't think we've talked enough about the fact that he doesn't have to worry about that anymore nope we've talked a lot about you know picking here and he's gonna be here for the rest of his life and all that but i think the

the byproduct of not having to weigh on his mind anymore of not having to think about building towards that i'm just really excited to see what comes from that i think that there could there could be a i think it's an aspect to this whole Bryce Harper thing and why I think he could be even better than some people think because of it, that we just haven't given enough credit to. Because do you think it's like a big exhale for him? Yes. I think that's exactly what it is.

I think it's like, okay, now I can just go play baseball. And he doesn't worry about, like, that's how I feel about his first half last year. Getting hurt, all that type of stuff. It's just less, like, he can play. He can not have that in the back of his mind at all times. All he has to do is go up and play. Yeah, and he's entering into his prime, it says, in Spank Park. Oh, man! I know.

Yeah, I agree with you. I think that there's a level of Bryce Harper that we haven't seen yet to where he really reaches the phenom level. Yes. And look, he showed us that he can do it. At 22, he showed us that he can do it. At 22, he's the youngest unanimous MVP in the history of the game. I mean, he had one of the great seasons for a person that age ever in any sport.

Going off of your Harper thing, this is a thing I've been meaning to bring up. Yes! If Harper didn't bat 249, they're paying $400 million for this guy. Oh, it's so true. It's a great point. If he had another season, he had to win a 22 last year. Well, not an MVP, but if he bats 280 with 35 or 40 homers. If he has his 2017 season. Yep, for sure.

You're paying $400 million for this guy. That's how much you're paying. And now he's entering into his prime. They got Bryce Harper at a freaking discount. A big-time discount discount and especially when you think about the 13 year part of it and how it stretched out. Are we in the emergency

pilot all over again? I think we should. We're talking fast again. We're talking a little fast. No, but like think it. It's because we just did a whole pod without talking to Bryce Harper

and now we're like, oh Bryce Harper. We swore that we would not go over 40 minutes by the way. Here we are. If he didn't have a 2017, if he didn't have a 2018, if he didn't have a 2018,

if he had a 2018 like he had a 2017, they're paying $400 million for this guy. So just because of one bad half, the Phillies got him at a massive discount. Thank you very much, Bryce, for not playing defense last year as well. That is great. And going off your Bryce thing, I have two more things.

Ooh, love it. Just keep it going. I know, I know. So Bryce was on the cover of ESPN, the magazine. I saw that. Top 100 thing right there. The World Fame Top 100 list. I didn't know that was the name for it.

Well, it's called the World Fame 100 list. He's the first baseball player to be on there since A-Rod in 2016. Wow. Which is why you pay $30 million more than Manny Machado. Yes. Because you're getting the face of the sport. I mean, that's the thing is he was worth well more than $30 million. He's already been worth like $20 million more than Manny Machado because you are getting the face of the sport. I mean, that's the thing is he was worth well more than $30 million. He's already been worth like $20 million.

The stadium is sold out for like the first month of the season practically. Speaking of which, April 6th. April 6th. April 6th, the Fightin' Frankies Foundation. It is my pinned tweet. Go to my Twitter account. It is supporting a great cause. It is to strike out addiction.

It is a great cause. Come join to strike out addiction. It is a great cause. Come join me and James at the ballpark. Tickets are only $20. I mean, it's the best deal you're going to find. It's ridiculous. It's awesome. So tickets are only $20. Saturday day game.

It's going to be beautiful out. So many beers. And there's going to be, it's for a great cause. If you want to help a great cause, come out to the High Hopes crew. It's going to be a great time. We'd really appreciate it. It's helping a family in it's for a great cause. If you want to help a great cause, come out to the High Hopes crew. It's going to be a great time. We'd really appreciate it. It's helping a family in my area that struggle with this. So it would be awesome if everyone could come out and support that.

Again, on my Twitter page, it's the pin tweet. Follow that link and you will go to the game with James and I for $20 tickets. Second thing I got to plug is that I'm going on the Fans of Philly trip. You are? Down to D.C. Look at this guy over here. Down to D.C. I will be in right field

with Joe Giglio. You know, not all of us can get out of work to just go to a game or whatever. I have to work sadly. I'm sorry, buddy.

I had to do it to you. At least one of us is down there. I couldn't say no. There's going to be 600 Phillies fans in right field right behind Bryce Harper.

Perfect. It's going to be awesome. So if you want to join us, me and Joe Giglio, we'll talk a lot of small, we'll nerd out to some baseball, have some beers, and we are going to freaking cheer the crap out of Bryce Harper in right field. It's going to be awesome. Down in Washington. God, I love Bryce Harper.

Yeah. It's very fun to hear. Also, last Bryce Harper point that I wanted to bring up to you. I like how my one point is brought up. I know. I'm sorry. I know. I just thought of it again.

Don't be sorry. It's all good. He's wearing number three. He's got a great beard. The bearded Bambino. Ooh, buddy. Bryce the bearded Bambino Harper. I don't hate that at all.

Thank you. I don't hate that one. That might be the best thing you said all show. Yeah, thank you. It took 46 minutes. Yeah, it took me a while. You finally got there. It took me a little while to heat up.

How cool is it that we don't have to wait a week to talk? No, we'll be back on Thursday. I mean, we never do, but how great is it for you guys that we'll be talking to you on Thursday? We can't wait. Again, check it out. The tickets, we will have a blast on April 6th,

and we'll be back. Thursday. Thursday. Two pods a week. Peace, friends, and yourselves. We'll talk to you soon. 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.

Another fact. So jump aboard the BIB Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.