High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The High Hopes Phillies Podcast: Hey! The Phillies Won a Series!

Episode Date: June 15, 2018

James Seltzer and Jon Marks talk about the Phillies finally winning a series, as they take two of three from the Rockies. More importantly, the guys discuss the resurgent offense and wonder whether it is sustainable. James and Jon also chat about the return of Rhys, Gabe Kapler's positivity, the bullpen situation, and more. Plus, the fellas look ahead to a big series this weekend in Milwaukee. 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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Visit Rogers.com for details. We got you. Rogers. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. I'm your host, James Seltzer. With me, I have the distinct pleasure of getting to chat this evening with the big bug killer himself, Mr. John Marks. What up, buddy? Yeah, we were just about to start rolling. I'm getting text messages from my wife.

There's a huge bug moving quickly. Hurry. Things like the size of a... It's not even like a centimeter. But yeah, listen, I can't do anything mechanically, but I can do labor and I can kill bugs. Yeah, it's a good skill set to have in a marriage. I'm useful.

I'm a useful husband, James. Yeah. Well, I was just excited that I got to listen to you kill the bug. And it took a couple attempts. You went after it, missed it the first time, was on the ground. I'm hearing you like huffing and puffing. It was entertaining stuff. I was standing on top of a dresser with one leg on another dresser.

And I got full extension. I was like a first baseman. Full extension. That's good work. But I hit him, but he fell to the ground. Then I had to move the heavy dresser with the TV on it to get to him behind it. I got it done. He's dead.

He's flushed. We can talk a little Philly's baseball. Win two or three. Vince Velasquez, I'm back on the bandwagon, James. Life is good. All right, let's start there. Because first and foremost foremost you mentioned it the first series win since may 23rd when the braves were in town almost a month ago john since the last

time this team win a series uh three weeks essentially since they won a series and as you mentioned velasquez goes what six and two and two-thirds, no-hit innings. Ultimately ends up giving up a couple runs, but really nice outing from Velasquez. More importantly, the offense got going a little bit. The bats started hitting. Reese Hoskins looks back, which is exciting. Let's start with the series itself. After the long run of not winning series and the Chicago series, you come home after.

Obviously I think, I think most would agree with a season of a lot of rough losses that Jason Hayward grand slam might stick out the most. How'd you feel about the team coming home after the Milwaukee series, getting their butts kicked two out of three, finally get a series win. What was your takeaway? Yeah. I'm just going to ignore the Pavetta start last night.

Didn't look great. And then today was just, talking about today, we're recording this on Thursday night. It was a quality win. It almost looked like it was getaway day for the Rockies. You know what I mean? You know when you have those games where you go down early and you're more or less just kind of like, yeah, this series, this game's over. You mail it in.

Yep, 100%. That's kind of what it looked like. I think that happens a lot, too, with, you know, especially a road team who has to travel after the game. The funny thing is, though, it's not as big an excuse in this case because the Phillies have to travel after the game as well because they're heading out to Milwaukee for the series. They're out to Milwaukee, then back for St. Louis kind of bobbing back and forth, but it was huge, man. And I, this team, it, it just seemed like they were in a funk the way

they were playing Arietta, calling them out. You know, P we're, we're getting to the point where people are starting to get so mad that the manager is manager doesn't throw his players under the bus more. I mean, that's where we're at. You know, isn't that kind of a funk? And we'll get into the positivity things. I definitely want to get your take on that. But you mentioned it. Let's give Velasquez a little credit here.

It looked really good. And I think the most impressive part for me, not even the six and two-thirds no-hit innings, for me the most impressive start was coming off that 10-run just ass-whooping to come back and have the start he did at home today in a big game where they wanted to take this series against maybe not a great Rockies team or even a good Rockies team, but a solid Rockies team. We'll take it at this point, right? Yeahies team, but a solid Rockies team.

We'll take it at this point, right? Yeah. Yeah, Velasquez looked more comfortable. I felt like he had pretty in sync with Knapp today. Knapp had a good game, had a couple hits. Yeah, he hit well, too. And seemed to be on the same page. I know after the game, Kapler was talking about Kapler or Kapler, Vinny and Nappy.

And they were on the same page and everything else. I can't get enough Kapler with his nicknames and everything else. But you notice when Vince is at his best, he's throwing a lot of fastballs. Now, I know he was throwing a slider today, and he had pretty good command of it, but he was getting a lot of chases. The Rockies were swinging at a lot of those high fastballs. And really kind of when Vince is at his best, he's throwing a lot of fastballs, and he's getting just not swings and misses, but he's getting contact, and it's weak contact.

So that's what you saw a lot of today. He retired, what, 15 in a row or 13 in a row at one point. He wasn't walking, guys. It was an impressive start, and it probably came right at the right time. Team was kind of ready to get out of town. The Phillies scored some early runs, uh he just kind of went from there yeah and again a game that the Phillies didn't have to have but it was one where they needed to win a series and with you know Milwaukee heading to Milwaukee St. Louis coming to town you get the Nationals the Yankees it's a tough month and we've talked

about that a lot and I've said many times i just need them to tread water to stay kind of right around where they're at and one way of doing that is winning a series or two along the way so i thought the rockies yeah and the rockies the worst team on the schedule for the month so i i thought it was big that they they took that series especially at home and especially the way they did well well totally agree with you about Velasquez. If you look at his numbers coming into the 10 run start, his six starts prior to that, 2-1-4 ERA, something like a 2-0-3 average allowed. He had 45 strikeouts in 32 innings, only like 13 walks or something along those lines. He'd been really good.

And when you look at him on a start-by-start basis, he's had a few terrible ones. And one just got awful one. Anytime you give up double-digit earned runs, that's a rough one. And that's rough for the numbers to come back from. The ERA is never going to look nearly as good as it could. But I think if you look at him on a start by start basis, he's been better more often than not this season. And in some cases he's been really good. So I'm with you, John, I'm bullish on him. I'm not ready to proclaim him a stud or someone we can count on long-term. I need to see more consistent effort for a longer period of time,

but I I'm, I'm with you that, that it is very positive. The signs we're seeing, I think though, when you look at this one, the most important takeaway, and like you said,

you kind of just hear the Bavetta start away, but other than that game in, in the, in the Monday or the Tuesday game, and then the game today on Thursday, they hit well and not just scored runs. They had good at-bats. They had the approach that we were seeing earlier in the season.

And I think that we talked about it a lot. And I think we might have even understated how important Reece Hoskins is to this lineup. And he's come back looking like he used to, John. What has been your takeaway from Reese back in the lineup and the offensive changes we've seen over the last three games? Yeah, just one word on the out on Velasquez. He's showing you with these starts where he's not doing it every start, but he's showing you why you just don't put him in the bullpen yet yep for all the people that say he's a bullpen guy he's a bullpen

guy i get it we may get there at some point but you don't you don't do it until you absolutely have to and he's showing enough potential right now this is why you're keeping him as a starter so we'll leave it like that with vince and we'll we'll we'll talk about him after his next start. As far as Reese, you know, you're really seeing, Joe Giglio had said this to me when he came in after the game and a caller actually had called in after the game today and said the same thing and they're right. It was probably the perfect time for him to get a couple weeks off. You know, even when you get days off, sometimes Charlie used to do this with Pat Burrow when he was really struggling and some other guys too. Give him an extended, take the pressure off, sit down, watch the game,

kind of figure it out without having to worry about playing. And when you're hurt and you're on the DL, you're not getting in the game. So you have to wait. You have to watch. And he looks more comfortable. He's been driving the ball. He hasn't been walking as much, at least I think the last two games. I don't know if he had a walk.

But you know what? I think he's being more aggressive at the plate too. And that's something he has to do because the league is going to adjust to what he did. And that's what they've done this year. He's been in a little bit of a swoon. adjust what he did and that's what they've done this year he's been in a little bit of a swoon and if you're looking for james if you're looking for anything to give you to give you some some positivity of the the phillies offense well there's some other things there too but reese hoskins coming back like he did it's exactly what we're looking for it's uh it's a good sign i'll

say that yeah and again i think that he's not he can't carry the offense by himself, but I think his presence in the offense changes the whole dynamic of everything. He's a guy that, that has shown in major league games that he's someone you need to fear. And I think your point too, about him just needing a couple of weeks office is really on point in that, especially the type of hitter he is. This is a guy who is obsessed with watching tape and diagnosing hitting, and he's a tactician. He's that type of guy. So I think the chance to step away from the game, step away from the grind, watch his mechanics, watch his at bats, see what he was doing wrong, where his issues were coming

in. I think that was huge for him. I really do. And I think that's absolutely dead on. And like you said, John, he's been hitting the ball hard. The home run he hit today was a laser and had a double that looked like it might get out too and was hard hit as well. And you're right about the walks. I know in the first game of the Rockies series, I think, or maybe it was the last game of the Milwaukee series, he walked in his first two at bats. But other than that, I haven't seen him walking as much, but as long as he's making hard contact and putting the ball in play in those spots, that's fine too. He'll find a way to get on base one way or another. You mentioned some other offensive things that, you positive notes here what else stood

out to you from this series as who else is kind of saying you're looking at and saying all right maybe maybe they're breaking out of this slump here you know carlos santana quietly has had a really nice month and um talk about a guy that gets on base regardless of the average being south of the mendoza line. The average is creeping up. He continues to hit balls hard. I think you're really going to start seeing in July the ball leaving the park with him. So Santana's looked good.

Aduble had two hits today. I don't know where he is. You know how he is. He looks lost, and then he catches fire. But Nick Williams has really, really, really since Reese left the lineup, Nick Williams has done an excellent job. And he continues with power. He continues with extra base hits.

And I almost look at him right now. I look at it, I think it's the perfect platoon to where you can have Altair and Nick Williams. And listen, if Oduble's not hitting, then you put Altair in center field. That's perfectly fine. But right now, I know that it's not 1993 in the Phillies. The Phillies used platoons at three different positions, left field, right field, second base, and it worked well.

I would start doing some of that. Nick Williams, his bat, the power aspect of his bat, because you don't see it up and down the lineup, is something that's a threat. And right now I'm putting him in almost every day. Yeah, John, I'm with you, man. I've been saying that for a few weeks, that when they were really in that slide offensively,

I felt like Carlos Santana and Nick Williams were the only two guys who were giving it tough at bats, who were going up and and fighting every time they got up to the plate i have been certainly derisive of nick williams many times in the past but i've been really impressed with him the last month or so obviously you know the greatest pinch hitter in the history of the game and all that but when he's been getting when he's been getting the starts he's been playing better as well and and like you said john it's a lineup that at least so far certainly hasn't exhibited a ton of power in a league that really is at all-time highs for power

anytime you know any guy you can get in this lineup who's going to give you the opportunity to put the ball out of the ballpark at any time, especially considering how much they've struggled. You need runs anywhere you can get them, and a guy who can put it out of the ballpark is something you need in this lineup right now, and I'm with you, man. I mean, look, Aaron Altair's been terrible. Can we just say that?

He is. He's been terrible. He looks lost at the plate, and at no time. He's had a couple game stretches here there john but at any point this season have you watched altair and said oh he's gonna be all right he's hitting 182 dude no it keeps going down plenty of at bats it's it blows my mind he looks he looks bad and i was definitely on on the Aaron Altair side of that argument, if you want to call it that, the Williams-Altair argument.

And right now, I don't know how you could be on Altair. And long-term, we'll see, but right now at the moment, there's no way that Aaron Altair deserves to play over Nick Williams. Yeah, defensively, you miss his glove. Nick Williams. Yeah, defensively, you miss his glove. He seems defensively to make a big play night in and night out. He's doing something defensively. So I like him. But if you're not hitting and you have somebody else that plays your position that's hitting, now if Oduble's, I'm fine with him playing center field once or twice a week if Oduble's not hitting too, but Oduble's so

important to this lineup. I don't think there's any coincidence they've struggled to score runs since Oduble really hasn't had a hit in a month or whatever. So, just like when J-Roll used to go in his slumps and when the Phillies were really feeling it was when Jimmy was really feeling it, getting on base, disrupting stuff.

Listen, I know that they have Odubel. They like Odubel in the three. I like Odubel batting leadoff. I would lead him off to try to get him going. Cesar doesn't offer much in any kind. Well, he actually does have some power this year. But the most important thing to me right now is to get him going. Two hits a day, we'll see.

I'd bump him up. I'd bump Odubel up. But, you know, Altair can't hit under 200 all year and keep getting the at-bats. Just can't happen. Yeah, well, I know Gabe's old two and four. I would bat Odubel two and I would bat Hoskins three if it were my lineup, but whatever.

Or at least put Hoskins in the four hole, but whatever. Whatever. Regardless, I'm with you on the Odubel front. He, you know, we've seen this with him this is what he does right you know he goes on these unbelievable streaks where he carries the team for a month and then he goes incredibly ice cold it's a a timing thing i suppose and i always i say this all the time when i watch the guy but i i don't get when the guys with the super high leg kicks i don't

understand how they are able to have success to begin with. And clearly they can figure it out. But the balance and the timing and all that put together against major league pitching, I don't understand how you could put your leg that high in the air and still figure it out and get it in the right place and get it down at the right time. But it works. But when it's off, it's off. And I think that's what we're seeing right now.

Anyone else? You said something of it. What were you going to say? You said something about Hoskins that you're right. He's over-preparing. He's doing too much work to where you almost, I would almost say to him, like, Reese, the game's 7-0-5.

I'll see you at 6-3. You know what I mean? So you're not thinking about it. Like, see ball, hit ball, you're right. He's trying to do too much. We don't know what Oduble's doing. He's kind of a mystery guy. He's goofy.

It's Oduble being Oduble. But clearly right now, he's probably pressing too. And when you're trying to carry your lineup because no one else is hitting, that'll happen. But something tells me by the all-star break or dude we'll we'll be back over 300 oh i think so too and he's got more hot streaks in him and you just hope to find some level of consistency in there but uh anyone else sticking out to you from an offensive perspective as someone who you think

is maybe turning a corner or or conversely someone you're out on? Well, I mean, I'm kind of still waiting for Kingery. I like how Gabe's been moving him around in the lineup at least. He's had him fifth. He's had him third. Find a spot that gives him some confidence where he can see the fastball and he can hit the fastball he's not worried about taking pitches uh right there Cesar Hernandez is I'm not gonna say he worries me but the early season thank god we didn't trade

Cesar well we haven't been talking about that recently. And, you know, he's still productive. He's still getting on base. He still plays good defense. But all of a sudden, it's like, well, geez, how many guys can go cold at once? All of them, John. All of them is what we've learned. All of them. And it's crazy.

I think there's no one else. I think we kind of labeled it as, and it's true right now, so goes Reece O'Double, Carlos Santana, and fourth guy who fills in, whether it's Nick Williams, whether it's Cesar, whether it's, I mean, maybe someday

Aaron Altair, I'll far out a couple of weeks, but I think if those three guys are going in Hoskins, in Santana, O'Double, they have a chance to score runs, and when those three guys aren't in Hoskins in Santana, Oh, double, they have a chance to score runs. And when those three guys aren't going, they really struggle. And.

Yep. And they need other guys to step up. And Kingery had that one game for RBIs. Everyone goes nuts. And then he strikes out four times the next trade. Oh, a golden sombrero the next night. The sombrero.

Ah, it's a rough one. And he looked lost on a couple of those too so i don't know what to make kingery right now i'm i'm not at all worried about his long-term prognosis or whatever you want to call it i also just as a macro type of thing if this team weren't trying to compete for a playoff spot i would be ecstatic with them letting him hit 200 and play every day that That's fine. Get him all the major league reps he can get.

So I have a hard time being upset about him getting reps, but I also see that, and look, it's not like they have options banging down the door either, but he's certainly not a quality major league hitter right now. A guy who I do, though, think has been swinging the bat better, both before he got hurt and since he's come back, is J.P. Crawford. And look, he's still young.

He still needs to fill out his body. He's not going to be a power or anything. But I think he might have the chance by the end of the season to get back to that 350-plus on-base guy. And I think out of a lower lineup type guy on this team, that could prove to be valuable. Plus, and granted, had a base running mistake today. It ended up not mattering.

I don't know how he didn't score. How did he not score? How did he not score on that? Like, what is going on? But for the most part, he's been aggressive. Yeah, I've liked what I've seen so far. He's really erratic though you know what I mean with some of his decisions out there mostly offensively but he's erratic out there and kind of reminds me

a little bit not a Victorino but so he he gets a triple he slides he does a head first slide three feet in front of the base and does a face plant and almost gets tugged out because then he flies by the base and then he doesn't score he almost doesn't score from third base on a hit because he runs halfway yeah he runs back to the base to tag up because he thinks it's going to be caught and then he's got a sprint home he almost didn't make it home on a single from third base and you mentioned how he didn't score on the on the one play that it was a double and he was on second base, hitting the wall, the wall.

And it wasn't one of those like, Oh, should I wait to tag up? It was clearly going. It was, what is it? A home run or off the wall? We're the only questions about that.

Hit. You're, you're not, you're, you're going, you're going halfway or three quarters of the way right there. Absolutely. If the outfielder makes a spectacular catch,

then you go back to second base. You'll have time. You're still in scoring position. No, he's a young player, but Larry Anderson talks about this when he comes on with us every Wednesday at 3 o'clock. The instincts of baseball players, the young players, I hate to sound like the old guy,

but it's not an instinct game anymore. It's hit the ball. Crawford's a guy that likes to walk, so I get all that, but you're seeing some of these instincts that really aren't there as far as base running and other things. I agree with that premise. I think it is an instinct game. I also, though, think that no one teaches

fundamentals anymore i think that's a much bigger issue with it we've talked about it with not covering bases but it applies to base running all that type of stuff it's you teach them how to hit and how to pitch then they don't teach them any of the other stuff well you're right because it's it's it actually is more fundamentals than instincts. But if he doesn't know by this level of being in the major leagues, if you show up in the minors and they're needing to teach you basic fundamentals of the game and you're still not learning it by the time you get to the majors, I mean, Victorinius would drive me crazy getting thrown out of third base with two outstanding innings. What are you doing?

Oh, my God. Yeah, and you're right. I think it's part instinct, part knowledge, and it's part the way you think about it. When I was playing, my dad, the very first thing he taught me when I started playing baseball was defensively always know where you're supposed to be. Always know what you're supposed to do in any situation. If the ball gets hit to any spot in the field, if it gets hit foul and it's caught, if it gets hit to every situation that could possibly come up, what is your responsibility?

Where are you supposed to be? And I feel like we don't see enough of that on both sides of the ball. I will say, though, I do think that they have done a very good job of making aggressive base running a priority on this team. We saw it again a few times this series. Andrew Knapp comes to mind from today's game in the eighth inning. We've seen a lot of grounders to short. The shortstop will look the guy back at second.

As soon as the shortstop goes to throw to first, that guy's taken off for third base. We see a lot of that type of stuff from this team, and that's the type of stuff that, as limited as they've been doing offensively, they need that stuff. They need to gain bases any way they can. They do. Yeah, you're damn right they do.

Especially with what's going on here right now. Still a young team. Still learning. But, yeah, I mean, and hopefully this one of the things with with um with gabe with gabe is that he he has a great relationship with these players you can tell that they like him i i like the positivity of gabe he's also got to get through to him so if he wants to be mr positive that's fine but you can't have can't keep having the same mistakes we haven't had a lot of the same mistakes. But it'll be interesting to monitor it to see where these young guys are as we enter the stretch run.

All right. Well, you mentioned it, the Kapler thing. And don't worry. John and I will get to the whole bullpen thing in just a second. But really quickly. Yes, please. Really quick. Yeah.

Old man on the lawn and the fight event, all that stuff. It'll be great. But with the Kapler thing, because you mentioned the positivity and somehow this week that, this is like, I, and I get it. I understand the argument of saying it's disingenuous to come out after a game and not react to if you get your butts whipped back to back nights. But for me, like this guy doesn't want to criticize his players in public. me like this guy doesn't want to criticize his players in public awesome i have zero problems with that what what is your take on this whole a on that specific thing on capler and the positivity and you know after losing 12 to 3 mentions the the equipment guy and all that stuff but also also the kind of the way it's being talked about in the media as well.

Well, I get a real kick out of Kapler. Me too. I find him really interesting. He's compelling. I like him. He is. I like him. I look forward to his press conferences.

I like to dissect what he says. I like the way he talks. I like Kapler a lot. Right now, I think that his guys like him, and he's going to be positive. He's not going to be chewing people out. He's not going to, at least in front of the media, he's not. He may at some point, when he feels like he needs to say something, say something or be honest about it, but right now, this is what he's doing. I don't know if it can work forever. I don't know if it could work forever with his players. I mean, I don't know if it can work forever.

I don't know if it could work forever with his players. I mean, everybody has their expiration date, and maybe he's going to have to change it. But right now, listen, the offense isn't working. It's not clicking. You can blame the hitting coach. You can blame the manager. You can blame the players. I don't know who to blame for it.

But right now it seems like a pretty happy clubhouse and the guys like coming in they're battling there's still four games above high 500 i i i'm gonna i i he's driving me crazy with some things like the bullpen and some other things i don't think he's a perfect manager i think he's still learning which is good too because he is a guy that's shown that great point he's gonna learn on the job so we'll see how it goes but i i i love the guy i i it's been a fun season so far i that's a great point john i feel for some reason it feels like and i don't mention enough i feel like none of us mention enough that this is a guy who's 66 games into his managerial career this guy's never managed before and he's got a team that won 66

games last year four games above 500 and yeah they went out and made a couple moves but it's mostly a team of young guys who have never really been through a grind and when you think about it that way and you think about what he's done and the way i think he has really handled a lot of issues so far with grace and with dignity and all that type of stuff I mean get I mean in the history of baseball I would venture to guess that he is the first manager who has ever been booed the first time he took his home field I'll bet you that's never happened before I I mean, come on. So, and he's handled it all so well. He always has the right response publicly, and he's willing to take all of it on the chin

as long as his players are shielded. And I think that's a real admirable quality in a manager. And I think it makes sense why these guys are going to buy into him because he's shielding them and he's willing to say, I don't care if people rip me for my positivity. I'm not going to rip my guys because that's not productive. And I appreciate it. I'm certainly someone who I respond to positive reinforcement more than negative reinforcement. So I can understand that perspective. I also agree with your point though, John, that at some point,

and I think it also has to do with winning and losing, right? Like if you're winning forever, And I think it also has to do with winning and losing, right? Like if you're winning forever, positive all the time, yay. But at some point when the downturns come, it's hard to, like you said, it's like Charlie Manuel. It's Larry Boa with the opposite type mentality. It's this, it's that. We've seen it time and time again.

You always kind of see the back and forth with that. Andy Reid was always the positive guy that put it on him. That's on me. It drove people crazy. We wanted to kill him by then. Yeah, exactly. If Gabe wins, everybody will love it. If they're 10 games under.500 and it's August, people will be roasting him.

It's the nature of the job, especially in this city. You know what? As long as he's willing to take it and his players are happy with it, I respect that. Like you said, they've been resilient. And that's another thing I do give him credit to. He can take it. He can take it. Alright, speaking of who can take it, let's get into it a little bit. In case you are not on Twitter,

if you want to follow us on Twitter, at High Hopes Pod on Twitter, at John Marks Media, at Jack Fritz, WIP, I think, and then at James Seltzer on Twitter. How'd you get James Seltzer? How come you get James Seltzer? John Marks has been taken like 100 times.

Yeah, I think because James Seltzer, much less, you know, it's a less common name, I less, you know, uh, to less common name I would think than John Marks, but also I got it. I got it. I was on pretty early on Twitter and I just got it immediately, but I'm lucky. I feel like I'm going to get it now. Al Gore discovered this internet thing. It's good. It's good. Uh, yeah, yeah al gore and my buddy al um you can call me al if you want um all right uh but also uh rate and review the podcast if you get a chance it really means a lot for us it helps people find the podcast people are looking for philly's pods and all that so itunes uh stitcher soundcloud all that type of stuff, wherever you take in your podcast media, we really appreciate the reviews.

Radio.com. Radio.com, all that good stuff. All right. Point being, we were on social media and we were a little back and forth. And it got a little, I don't want to say heated, but certainly there were clear battle lines drawn. John Marks believes that it is time to make Sir Anthony Dominguez the closer. Jack Fritz and myself believe

that he is way too valuable to be shoehorned into that role. Now we will argue about it. Mr. Marks, go ahead. Well, I'll cut you off from starting the argument and say this because I do believe that Dominguez should be the closer. But I am willing to say, okay, I can understand why you would like to use him in a flexible, high leverage role for a reliever. The buzzword right there.

I guess. You would deploy him as a high leverage reliever. It's well played. As Kapler has said. I could put you on the MLB network right now. Boom. Let's go. Exactly.

So if you were to deploy him as an elite reliever. But see, here's what I say, though. It's time for rolls in the bullpen. If Sir Anthony is your swing guy that pitches wherever he wants to use him for an inning or two, that's great. But these guys are trying to naturally develop their role. You need to find roles. I need a closer right now.

If that means it's Ramos, fine. If that means you're – I don't think you're going to go back to Neris. Neshek is coming back soon. I want some definition of roles because it's not fair to these guys right now. And you know what? It's going to start not to work. And by the way, Dominguez has given up runs when he's doing these two-inning outings.

So, just be careful. He loves using them in two innings. He threw 41 pitches. He tried to not use them. What did he have to do? Had to bring him in the ninth inning to be the closer the very next night. So, be careful what you wish for you. Truthers out there that you don't need a closer or whatever nonsense you're talking about.

All right. So that's my position. I I'm okay with Dominguez not being the closer, but I need to find roles. Yeah. So, so this is the worst argument of all time. Cause I agree a hundred percent with everything you said.

I think that if you, you know, point being, I think even without a closer i think dominguez is more valuable in those high leverage situations but and in the case without a closer then i think sometimes the highest leverage situations will be the ninth inning as we saw when he had to use him the other night in that terrifying game the 5-4 win but i'm with you man i'm with you i have said many said many times that I think Sir Anthony, like we've talked about, the high leverage,

but it really is true. It's more just to put it in simpler, less baseball-y terms. A closer is used in the ninth inning if you're up three runs or less. Why do I want to wait to use Sir Anthony Dominguez in that defined role if there's a spot in the game where I really need the guy? And I think that's kind of the basic simple argument, but I totally agree with you. They need a closer. And I also don't think as we've seen with Hector Neris, I don't think you can just throw a guy there because he's a good pitcher. I think you have to have the mentality to be a closer. I think it's a role

where you need to want the ball in the ninth inning. You got to have a bit of an edge to you. You have to be a little bit different to pitch the ninth inning. And I think they need a closer, John. I think they need to find roles. I'm, I'm, I'm a hundred percent with you. It's the worst argument ever, but I think Dominguez and I get why if there isn't a closer you say oh well may as well make it Dominguez because there's nobody else you trust I think they need to find someone else they trust and and I think that's the bigger thing in that you can't I feel like you can't waste Dominguez in that role when you figure something else out, whether you trade for someone from a contender, a Brad Hand or a Calvino Herrera or someone like that, or Zach Britton, or you figure it out.

And like you said, give these guys a chance. Dubai Ramos hasn't really failed the ninth inning so far. He struck out two guys on six pitches and they got removed for actoneras that one time, but he got the save when it's done. But if you remember, and this is why i would i would make the main gets my closer is does ramos have the mentality no i know that's the problem none of them do and i agree with you i think dominguez probably is the only yeah i agree with you about that i think he's the only guy who does

i just think he's too valuable in that other role. So I would be willing to trade an asset to go get a guy who shouldn't cost that much. I mean, Zach Britton is going to be a free agent this season, this off season coming off, basically missing a year plus or whatever it is. I think you get Zach Britton for not that much. I think that's the move. They know that front office. Everyone's talking about a little Manny Machado trade trade for Zach Britton. That's a smart move. Yeah. You probably have to give up a top 20 prospect, which the Phillies have

a lot of them. Oh, a Phillies top 20 prospect. They have so much depth. Yeah, like 17, 18, 19. Totally. Yeah. I'm fine with that. And you may end up giving up somebody that's a quality major league player, but it would help so much because it would allow Dominguez to be that guy

that can do it all, can come in whenever you want to, because right now it's great. You want to bring in Dominguez in the 6th or 7th inning, that's great. I'm worried about who's pitching the 9th inning. You don't have two Sir Anthonys, unfortunately, and I just don't know about Ramos in the ninth. I don't think so either. He's really effective at what he's doing right now.

I'm with you. I was just more just throwing names against a wall. Well, it's a name I said too. He would be the next guy you would think because he's got the best stuff. He's got the best numbers. But when you really look at that bullpen, Tommy Hunter, I don't want him coming in in the ninth inning. No, he's disappointing me.

You certainly don't want Lou Garcia. No, Lou Garcia is banned from ninth inning work. I never want to see that guy in the ninth inning ever again. Same with Adam Morgan, too. Yeah, Lou Garcia is good when he's on. I'm with you. But I think it's a mentality thing. Not in the ninth inning ever, though. Yeah, and we saw it, right? Just. I'm with you. But I think the mentality thing.

Yeah, and we saw it, right? Just comes in and just loads the bases like that. You look down and all of a sudden the bases are low. It's like, what the hell happened? What happened? So, yeah, I'm with you there. And, again, this is all, of course, dependent on them staying in the race and actually competing at the end of July. But I think it makes a lot of sense.

And regardless, the way it is right now, and maybe Neshek can come back and give you a boost. I think he's making a rehab start soon. He's somewhat on the pathway back, it appears, though he had a setback last time, so I don't want to get too excited. Yeah, we'll see. But he's a guy who could help you if he comes back and looks like Pat Neshek. But either way, John, I think you're right.

They're down a guy. And I think it's kind. They just, they're down a guy. And I think it's kind of causing real issues with the roles and the, and people knowing when they're going to be used. And I think that's true, John, as much as, as much as stat people and analytics and everyone wants to say, well, everyone should just use a bullpen this, this way. And it shouldn't matter what the guys say. It should be this batter versus this pitcher and these numbers. It's like,

these are still human beings who have a way they prepare, who have a habit. They go about things, especially in baseball, more than any other sport. So I do think that, and whenever you hear relievers talk, whenever you hear pitching coaches talk,

they always talk about the importance of those defined roles. So I think that's something that can be somewhat underrated by the stack community or whatever else there. Yeah, I agree, man. All right. Again, rate and review the podcast. Johnny, coming up this weekend, the Milwaukee Brewers, obviously 24-7 over that two-game stretch in the Phillies, fight back to win the last one.

Tonight, Jake Arrieta. Tonight, I'm assuming most people listen to this on Friday. We're recording on Thursday. But for everybody on Friday, tonight, Jake Arrieta taking on Brent Sutter. Arrieta spouts off and then doesn't back it up against the Brewers. Are you expecting to see Jake Arrieta go out and do what we all expected him to do against the Brewers at home? Better.

You know, better, like you said. He didn't have his stuff. He grinded. Yeah. He gave him five and change. He gave him what he had. Five and two-thirds, four and runs. He gave him what he had.

Had more walks than he normally has. He didn't have his stuff. This is payback. This is revenge this entire weekend for the Phillies. They were embarrassed. And you have, actually, who would think that we're talking about Zach Eflin as being one of their top three starting pitchers, but the fact that you have Arrieta, Eflin, and Nolan going,

this is keep winning series, James. Two or three, go up there, win two or three, come back home, we'll talk. Yeah, I'm with you. Keep-winning series. And even then, keep-winning. Even if they can win this series and take the Cardinals series, then they can lose the other two. You know, it's just tread water until July.

So I'm with you. Big series here. And the pitching matchups favor them. Not that that's mattered, as we've seen. You know, Zach Eflin has been their winningest pitcher in this month. But, you know, Arrieta versus S Sutter Nola versus Chase Anderson on Sunday Junior Guerra versus Eflin on Saturday I feel good about all those matchups all right again rate and review the podcast and uh we will be back on Monday morning with uh with a breakdown of the whole weekend and

looking ahead and all of that stuff so for John John Marks, I'm James Shelter. Thanks for listening to the High Elves Podcast. See ya. See ya. 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.

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