High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The High Hopes Phillies Podcast: Praising Kapler and the Closer Conundrum

Episode Date: May 14, 2018

Jon Marks and James Seltzer break down the series split with the Mets, and talk about the team's strong play over their homestand. The guys also heap some praise on Gabe Kapler and his coaching staff for the team's 23-16 start, highlighting the resiliency the team has shown so far this season. Jon and James also discuss the closer situation, the impending return of Jared Eickhoff, and much more. 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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Keep chasing it. Drive your ambition. Mitsubishi Motors. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. I am James Seltzer, and I have the distinct pleasure of actually getting to talk to the guy I started the podcast with, my buddy, Mr. Johnny Marks. John, what is up, brother? What is up, man?

Salvage the Mets series. A split. A split. Right? A split. One? A split. One game apiece. Noah looked good. Did give up some hits.

It was, listen, it was an entertaining game today. And, you know, you got to love where the Phillies are at this point. That's right. They're 23-16 last year. They didn't get their 23rd win until the middle of June. And we're sitting here recording on May 13th. Most people probably listening on the 14th. But we're until the middle of June. And we're sitting here on a recording on May 13th. Most people probably listening on the 14th, but we're in the middle of May. It took a whole month longer last season for this team to win their 23rd game. That in and of itself should kind of tell us

where we're at and the fun thing, John, and we'll dive in to what we've seen the last week. Obviously the four game sweep at home over the Giants, a lot of fun. And then the Mets series, a little anticlimactic with the rain out on Saturday. But like you said, huge win yesterday. Nola didn't necessarily have his best stuff, but able to grind and grit through. Only gives up one run in six innings and nine hits. You could tell he just didn't have his best stuff, but was able to get out of the first inning bases loaded jam. no outs, able to get out of that and just consistently pitch well enough

until the offense could pick him up. But let's talk big picture sense before we kind of dive into some specifics. As you just said, you have to feel good about where this team is at right now. When you look at the way the division is shaping up, obviously the Braves still playing good baseball, the Mets hanging around, and Washington, I think probably we both agree, yet to play their best baseball this season. Sitting here halfway through the month of May, 23-16, how for real is this Phillies team in your mind right now? They're for real, James, and there were some there's a few people in the city that thought this team could contend legitimately contend for a wild card we were two of them jacked it as well what did you what was your official win total we we got you to 80 i went

to 88 well we were doing this i went 87 well we were doing uh the the evening show round table together and i came in at 87, too. And you went 87, and I was like, well, I can't pick the same thing as John. I'm going higher. 88. I feel good about it. It's crazy. And right now, if you had to pick wins and losses, you may even go ahead of 88 right now.

Just like with the Sixers. I remember the Sixers, I said 44, and I was told that nobody went from where the Sixers were in 2017 to win 44 games. Well, they won 52, and we'll talk after the tough part of their schedule because it is coming up, but everything I've seen so far from this team, from their starting pitching, from their bullpen, to now Carlos Santana getting hot, this team's going to win 86, 87, 88 or more games. They are. Oh, well, Carlos Santana starting to play well. Who could have possibly seen that

coming looking at the man's career and what he does every year? Yeah. Yeah. People ready to throw him out of town about a couple of weeks ago. Yep. And he is. He's coming around. I know the average still, I think he made it up to around 200 or almost 200 now, and he is. He's coming around. I know the average still, I think he made it up to around 200 or almost 200 now, but he is. He's, all-in-base percentage is still pretty good, and the power has been, last week, how many home runs? Does he have four home runs in the last week or so? Yeah, four home runs, and the

double in the Mets game, the big inning that led to the greatest pinch hitter of all time, Nick Williams, hitting the three-run shot, but that double he hit was off the top of the wall at first blanch. I thought it was a home run that he hit. I thought it was a tie game, and then it bounced back in, and they showed the replay, and you're like,

all right, it was just a double, but that ultimately, part of that inning that led to Nick Williams. We'll get into that later because the dude's 9 for 18 as a pinch hitter with two home runs. It's hard to believe, but it's amazing. But to your point, just as a general overall kind of where this team is, I totally agree. We both thought they were for real before the season.

And I think sometimes you do see youth take steps forward before people expect them to. And I also think that this team was really well put together in terms of the pieces that they have and the holes that they have to fill and all that. I think they did a really nice job in the offseason. But I think the thing I've been most impressive with, John, and I don't know who else to credit

but the coaching staff and Kapler and the guys on the team as well, but I've been so impressed with how resilient they've been so far in a young season. Of course, it's very early, but we've seen them suffer some tough losses. We've seen them, for instance, start the season out 1-4

and have their brand new manager booed the first time he stepped onto the field at home, John. And since then, since that time he got booed, they're 22-12. These baseball teams play great baseball. And I credit Kapler for having these guys, and we've seen it time and time again. After that opening, they fight back. They play great baseball and I credit Kapler for having these guys and we've seen it time and time again after that opening they fight back they play good baseball we see it uh the four game losing

streak Aaron Nola comes out and stops it they start to play better baseball they lose four straight series including a game where Hector Neris just totally craps the bed after they fight back against Max Scherzer and actually are in position to take the series against the Nationals and lose a devastating game like that where Neris blows it. And they come home and sweep the Giants in a four-game series, John. The resiliency I've seen from this team, the ability to bounce back, the ability to not get too low, that's something for a young team that has really impressed me.

When you look at that, is it more the players, the coaching? How do you kind of assess the credibility there? And have you noticed that as well? Well, yeah. And I look at what Gabe Kapler's done. He's been outstanding. And hopefully some people, and like you said, we're recording on Sunday into Monday. I plan on talking a lot of Phillies tomorrow on the afternoon show and I'm hoping people are going to call in and say you know what I've been impressed by

Gabe Kapler I had a knee jerk reaction of I hated him and he's bad and the stupid just the term analytics which is like painful to hear these people say it's like a trigger word for people. Oh my God, they think that

he has a Commodore 64 computer and he's putting in all these numbers. All he's doing is using numbers. But you know where I'm going here. And the closer hasn't been great. He's been getting it done for the most part. We're going to get into that. Don't worry.

We're going to get into that. Don't worry. We're going to get into that. Two of your regulars are batting under 200. And we're not talking about your 7th and 8th hitter. You're talking about today, your 2nd and your 5th hitter batting under 200. Scott Kingery has not hit, has not walked. For the most part, Alfaro is now finally catching fire. So the lineup hasn't been great. Starting pitching's been very good.

He's made it work, and he really, he's, I'm just enjoying it. I'm enjoying the job he's doing. I'm enjoying the games that are being played. The bullpen did the job today. Nola's 6-1. Yeah. Nola's 6-1 with an ERA under 2. So, you know, whether it's some nights, some guys getting it done, you know, Nick Williams, I'm looking forward to seeing him

maybe getting some more starts. Get him in there. He's been great. This has been a total team effort and I tip my cap to Gabe Kappler. He's been great. It's a great point, John, because not only has the team been resilient, but they've won baseball games without performances from guys you really counted on being a part of them winning. And the predictions we made with 87, 88, you know, we were counting on certain guys playing a lot better than they have and still count on them, you know, rebounding. But it's a great point to look at how the individual guys have performed and what the staff has gotten out of them. And we talk about it a lot with the way they work counts.

You saw it in the first inning today against Jacob deGrom where they made up their 45 pitches in the first inning. They didn't score a run, but that plays a role. And deGrom coming off the DL, you know, they end up going to their bullpen. It's a whole bullpen game. Ultimately, they wear down. That's a big thing, you know that they they have that type of approach especially in a city where you know we've we've craved it for so long at least you know a lot of baseball fans have and i'll mention one other

thing and and obviously we are as pro-duble as it gets on this uh uh here podcast i hope's podcast very pro-duble herrera but not only, obviously, 41 straight games, now getting on base after a walk in the first inning, had a hit later as well, just continues to contribute. Leading, I believe, the majors still in hitting. I'm not sure what's happening in the night games and whatnot. But I think that Kapler really deserves a lot of credit for the way he's handled O'Double Herrera.

After we've seen the last three years, and it's part of the reason I think people are so critical of Herrera is because there was really no one else on the team to care about for the last three, four years, right? So I think that people really tore him apart and really nitpicked with a kid who was 23, 24, 25 years old at the time and just getting used to the culture, the sport, the team, all of it. And I think we were way too critical of him. And I think people are obviously now that they're seeing the, the resounding kind of inarguable success that he is having are kind of coming around. But I think that, look,

he hasn't been flipping the bat this year. If you've noticed no big bat flips on home runs or anything, he's going about his business. He's not making the same type of mental errors. He had that one game where, you know, he apologized to Reese and that whole thing. But, you know, and of course, the not running to first base fast, down nine runs in the ninth inning or whatever it was.

But for the most part, those things have been few and far between. And I think between that and the, you know, increase he's playing the best he's ever played, I think that's somewhere else where, I don't know where else, other than giving Herrera credit, which of course he deserves, the best he's ever played. I think that's somewhere else where I don't know where else, other than giving Herrera credit, which of course he deserves, the rest of that, I don't know where else to go,

but to give obviously the coaching staff, but also Kapler credit for how he's handling him. Oduble's an all-star. I don't think there's much to speak about that right now. Oduble's one of the 10 best players in baseball so far this season. He, last year, remember when they started winning games last year? It was essentially when Oduble started playing well. And, you know, I didn't necessarily like how Pete McCannon

handled a lot of the guys last year. And I don't think he necessarily got through to Oduble. And I know his teammates were frustrated with some of his nonsense last year and I don't think that they felt like it was um that that he's a bad guy or a bad teammate but you know enough is enough he he he he needs to grow up he needs to become more of a professional I've seen that this year and he is uh he has been a tremendous tremendous tremendous find from the terms of how the Phillies acquired him, the contract that they gave him, and where he is right now. Listen, he's the best player on the team,

and he's probably going to continue to be the best player on the team. Now, he's going to get hot, and he's going to get cold. He's not going to hit 360 all year long, but here's what I know. Every time he comes up there, he's going to give you a chance. And you can't say that about a lot of people in this lineup, night in and night out. His defense is great. And he's an exciting player.

He is. If fans can get over the fact that he's going to have the occasional not run the first base, which, by the way, Jimmy Rollins, who could be a Hall of Famer, used to do. By the way, every player in the sport, Mike Trout, I watch so many Angels games because I'm up late writing or whatever. Dude, Mike Trout

does it, okay? Like, everybody does it. Like, if you're down a bunch of runs late in the game, like, sometimes you just don't bust your ass to first base. It happens. Get over it. Yes, get over it. I'm so with you. Enjoy the results, but let's not treat this like football.

Okay, there's 16 football games. There's 162 baseball games. Let's try to keep that in mind when maybe a couple times a year he's going to do the Oduble move. Just deal with it. He's a great player. I totally agree. And to your,

your McCannon, uh, Kapler point, I, I mean, it's, it's almost just so blatantly obvious when you think about it as McCannon,

a guy who, a baseball lifer, who's been a coach or a interim manager or whatever for the last 30 years or whatever. And then you've got Gabe Kapler, a guy was playing in the league five years ago, you know, a guy who has been around youth.

He was a developmental director for the Dodgers. Like all that type of stuff, it would make sense that someone like that would be able to communicate better with younger guys. Someone who's also 20 years younger than McKinnon as well. It's been great to see, and I've been really excited by the Herrera of it all. We'll get into it in a sec. I want to talk about the pitching staff and the potential kind of moves that could be happening up ahead, but we've got to start real quick

with the closer thing because, obviously, I think it was shown in full effect this weekend. I mentioned before the Nationals game where Neris blew it, but Friday night, just a brutal loss as Jake Arrieta is lights out for seven and a third. And the Phillies go into the top of the ninth, one to nothing lead. And Neris Nerises. And Confer, it was so, it was,

I can't even speak about it because runner on first and Conferto is up and Conferto just mashes a ball into right field. And you're like, that's gone. And oh no, it's a foul ball. It's just barely foul. And you're like, oh, thank God. Adjust what you're doing.

Very next pitch, Conferto just crushes again into right field. And it was such a, you wanted to strangle Hector Neris through your screen. And then of course he gives up another home run to Masarocco. And then today when having the optionector Neris through your screen. And then, of course, he gives up another home run to Masarocco. And then today, when having the option with Neris not, you know, getting everyone gets a day arrest with the day off yesterday with the rain out, John. He goes to Dubrai Ramos and Ramos gets the job done. One walk, but otherwise a clean inning. After the game, Kapler comes out and says, we're going to be creative with the ninth inning. What is your take on all this?

I do a closer by committee right now. Neris hasn't blown a lot of saves. We're not talking about a guy that has blown five saves, but he could have blown a lot of saves, right? You watch these games like I do. He doesn't have faith really in anything but the splitter. I don't even know where that is right now. Closers are like kickers and

right now he is not kicking well and frankly he hasn't earned to where you need to keep putting him out there. I go with the hot hand. I'm not saying to put Sarah Anthony Dominguez in there every night right away. I'd like to see him. He pitched the 8th inning today, didn't he?

He sure did, Johnny. And he pitched a clean eighth inning. Twelve pitches, nine strikes. That's been every inning, his pitch, right? I know. A lot of strikes. He throws first pitch strikes. A lot of fastballs.

And he's got the hook that he trusts and a changeup. He's a good pitcher, man. And I think when he gets some more major league reps and continues to get outs, I think that there's more comfort there. He seems like we talk about this a lot here. It's one of the – we're more analytically inclined, I would say, as baseball fans, you, me, and Fritz here at the IOS podcast than I think the average fan is, I would say.

But one area where the analytics guys, I just, I don't, I think they are stone cold wrong or the stat guys or whatever you want to call them is that they believe that anyone can go in and succeed in the ninth inning. And I don't think that's the case. I think there's a human element to it. I think it is. Some guys have it and some guys don't. And then sometimes it is match matchup some guys can go out and have it for a night in a lower stakes situation but you need a guy who wants that ball in the ninth inning and at least the feel you get from sir anthony and the time we've seen him in the majors and of course his work in the minors he feels like that type of guy john yeah i mean there's no

reason i can't see to give him a chance at some point. It doesn't mean it's going to happen right away. It doesn't mean that all else being equal, kind of like with Kenny Giles, you bring him in, you let him pitch the seventh, the eighth, you let him naturally figure out what his role is. The fact that he pitched the eighth inning today tells me that Gabe Kapler thinks he can do more. So we'll see what happens, but certainly he comes out there in the eighth inning today throwing fire. The kid's got it, so we'll see what happens. But certainly he comes out there in the eighth inning today throwing fire. The kid's got it. So we'll see what happens. I'd like to see him in

there. Yeah, I agree. I think, you know, look, he seems like he has that mentality and the human element of it all. He seems like the type of guy who can handle that role. I think that Kapler might be trying to play this out a little bit till he feels like he's more ready, but we've seen examples of closers who have gotten the role at a really young age and just stepped right in and been successful. I mean, there are guys all over Major League Baseball right now, you know, granted not in the best shape right now as he's been arrested for sexual assault, but Roberto Asuna was a guy like that who came up as a young rookie, never pitched in Major League Baseball, closing immediately. You see a guy back in the day like Francisco Rodriguez, K-Rod, came up and started immediately. Seattle, Edwin Diaz, that guy just throws 100

miles an hour and they brought him up and he's their closer immediately. So I think you're starting to see more and more of that and have and and have seen it over history as well so I think that ultimately the the main point that we both kind of agree on is at this moment Hector Neris is either not the guy or not the guy who deserves to have the the lone solo job as closer I just think it's interesting because uh Kapler and saying he's going to be creative he's talked uh we talked about the good fight tweet uh uh, from, from, uh, uh, like a week ago or whatever, where they said that he's basically so creative and forward thinking with everything else, but not with his bullpen, which is so strange. Um, I'm just excited to see him kind of try and manage his way through

this right now till either he feels Dominguez is ready or he feels there's someone else on the roster is ready or ultimately maybe, John, you know, it comes where it's July and no one has really grabbed the role and they trade for somebody. I think that could be the ultimate out as well. Now, the closer you are to competing and it would be difficult to think right now

that they're not going to be in the competition come trade deadline. Everybody's talking about starting pitcher Cole Hamels. The starters are still pitching the way to think right now that they're not going to be in the competition come trade deadline. Everybody's talking about starting pitcher Cole Hamels. The starters are still pitching the way they are right now, and they're actually pretty deep in the minors. I agree with you. You might be looking for a ninth inning guy that's available, and you certainly have the prospects to get them. So it's exciting to think that we could be talking trade deadline deals. We'll see. It's exciting to think that that we could be talking trade deadline deals we'll see it's awesome to think about i know john hayman and he's not my favorite but he came out with

the phillies or one of the front runners for cole hamels already or whatever and and other guys they might be interested in and all that stuff it is exciting after a long time of looking at those type of deals as who could the Phillies be trading away, now we actually get to look at it the complete other way around and say, oh, who could we add to help this team? And you make a great point about the starters because let's get into that because look, I think someone like Cole Hamels certainly on the table down the road. And with the bullpen, I think it could be that it's as easy as Dominguez taking the role and being great with it, or it could be trading

for someone like a Zach Britton or someone on like the Padres, like Brad Hand or someone on a bad team who's willing to like Kelvin, Kelvin Marrera from the Royals or someone who's got experience and can handle the job. But I think the more pressing situation right now for this team, it's funny because, you know, we could talk about about the closer but i don't know if they need a starter at this exact moment we've got obviously aaron nolan jake ariette at the top have you know really grabbed the reins and said we are a one and a two and this can work but uh nick pavetta you know coming back after that rough outing in washington his only bad outing really great outing, battled through against the Giants at home. And then it's a really interesting situation right now because we are not the

biggest Vince Velasquez fans here at the High Hopes podcast, but he, you know, coming off six innings, 12 strikeouts in his last outing. Zach Eflin gets skipped over the weekend, but has had two starts and has been lights out in both, up all that Jared Eikhoff on the way back John I mean we got an interesting situation coming up as Eikhoff potentially could be back in a week maybe two how do you see this shaking out here I think we can agree obviously well don't need to agree Nolan Arrieta out of the conversation I think we can agree Pavetta his spot is safe how do you see this shaking out with these other kind of three guys for two spots type of situation?

Yeah, I mean, a lot of times these things just take care of themselves on their own. Like Eikhoff gets hurt again and just stays on the DL longer or whatever. Exactly. He's not ready. Velasquez blows up and has a couple terrible starts. And they say, all right, let's move to the bullpen. Eflin comes back down to earth earth and here's the bottom line you got to be able to produce and man you know velasquez just he looks so good at some points during his starts and then he looks like

vinny v and other other starts i don't think he's i don't think he's pitched poorly enough to lose his spot in the rotation. And frankly, if you're going to tell me Jared Eikhoff has a higher upside or you're going to bring him and put him in the starting rotation over Velasquez if he continues to kind of do the same thing that he's doing right here, here's the difference. Eikhoff doesn't really have bullpen strikeout stuff to where you could put Velasquez in the bullpen

and he could, from jump street, come in and dominate and strike guys out. I just don't think that you take him out of the starting rotation at this point. Not for Jared Eikhoff. Jared Eikhoff, I don't know what his stuff is this year. You're talking about a guy that nibbles. You're talking about a nibbler that has best case back of the rotation stuff. He's a four or a five best case. Hopefully it works itself out on its own.

If it happens right now, if the decision was due right now to come back, I can't put him in the starting rotation. I can't take Eflin out. Sorry. I'm not. I'm with you. And I think, look, I think that's why it's good that there's a little time for it to play itself out because I agree with you.

I think, look, if Zach Eflin goes out, let's say it takes Eikhoff, realistically, I know people are saying it could be a week. If I'm betting, I'm a betting man. I'm betting two weeks, 10 days, two weeks. Let's say two weeks to play it safe. Zach Geffen gets what? Three, four starts in that time, probably three starts in that time. It really depends on how he looks.

You know, if he has three great starts, two great starts and a solid start, or if he kind of falls off the table the other way, I think that makes the decision easier one way or the other. And I totally agree with you. I would say that Vince Velasquez, his role is safe. I think that it's really that spot between Eflin and Eikhoff in my mind. I know that people get furious with, uh, infuriated with Velasquez and I do too, like, hello over here. Um, I certainly have complained. I have sent, uh, you and Jack Fritz on our High Hopes text chain

texts to the effect of Vince Velasquez sucks and other not nearly as nice things. But at the same time, when you just look at the three of those guys, there's no question that the ceiling for Velasquez is just higher. And we saw it the other day against the Giants, Grant. The Giants, a team that strike out a ton, but has a really rough first inning and then throws five brilliant innings and strikes out 12. So it's there and it's in him. And for what it's worth, he has, the ERA is at five, but he, when you look at it on a start

by start basis, he has had more good starts than bad starts, which for Velasquez, that's saying something. So I'm with you. I think that they're not ready to give up on that. I think it comes down to Eikhoff, Eflin. And I really think it's going to depend on how Eflin looks the next few starts. I think, to your point, I think you make a great point that Jared Eikhoff, and let me say, I was a big Jared Eikhoff fan a couple years ago. I did think there was something there, especially in the walk rate. I mean, a guy who walks guys at that low a clip

and has a close to eight strikeout per nine or whatever it was. That's what he's got to do. I mean, that's a skill set that you can work with. But I agree. I think his ceiling was a four or five guy, nothing you can get too excited about. He also, Eikhoff lost a couple ticks off his fastball last year. And for a guy, when you're throwing 92 and you're topping out 92,

A, you can't walk, guys. You have to have pinpoint control. And B, you have to be able to hit his curve. He's a good curveball. You have to be able to throw that for strikes. That's something he didn't do last year, A. And B, he was down to 88-89. So I suspect there was an injury there.

I think so, too. That he just wasn't sane. So I suspect there was an injury there. I think so too. That he just wasn't sane. And I respect him for that. But the whole reason we're having this conversation is because of Zach Eflin. Zach Eflin came up here throwing 97. He's getting big time swings and misses. So, you know, Eikhoff, yeah, he's a pitcher in this league,

no doubt about it. But Eflin gives you the stuff that you want. Someone's going to be out of the rotation that probably deserves to be, and my feeling is it's going to be Eikhoff, unless Velasquez blows himself up over the next two weeks. They'll slow play this as long as they can. There's no doubt about that. We'll just have to see how it works out.

Totally with you, John. I think, look, they're not rushing. I know that Eikhoff could be ready at a certain point. I don't think they're rushing him. I think you're absolutely right. They want to see how this plays out. Because look, Eflin, if you look at what Eflin did last year, he came up, he had three really good starts, and then he fell

off the table. So, you know, you have to make sure that's not the case this year. Just, look, I love the increased velocity, but increased velocity does not mean that he is a better pitcher you know that is it helps but there have been many many examples throughout history of guys who show increased velocity and don't get any better um but look I like what I've seen from so far in in the starts he's had this season and there's no there's no doubt that he's

and I thought this going into this year that he's a better prospect than lively oh yeah that's why I didn't even mention Lively in this discussion. I feel like Lively is, you know, if everything hits the fan and everyone gets hurt, we'll see Lively again. Yeah, which hopefully doesn't happen. But, yeah, he's probably the eighth starter right now. Yeah, and look, I think Eikhoff, again, I do think that the reason he struggled so much last year

was that back injury and that kind of affecting his whole rotation, his whole makeup, all that type of stuff. But I'm with you. I can't – when I look at those guys, when Zac Eflin is on, he's better than when Jared Eikhoff is on. And that's even without factoring in that Eikhoff hasn't pitched in the majors in close to a year and has struggled to get back and has had all these setbacks.

So I'm with you. And I think that Kapler kind of put that out there when Matt Klintak said that Eikhoff had a spot in the rotation when he came back like a month ago or whatever, or a couple weeks ago, and Kapler was like, yeah, no spots in the rotation are set. Sorry. By the way, things change.

Yeah, and he's right to say that. So I think that was smart to put that out there, and I think it was certainly a tease of what could be coming. Either way, like you said, John, I think it'll kind of play itself out with their performances and whatnot. Before we look ahead to the month of May, real quick,

I mentioned it before, but a quick shout-out to Nick Williams, the pinch hitter. 9-for-18, two homers, a monster home run yesterday, or today, yesterday for a lot of people hearing, to basically win the Mets game more or less. But I know a lot of people see that and say, play him more. When he has started, he has not had nearly the same success as when he pinch hits. What do you make of that?

And do you think there's anything to it? Or do you think he just needs more at-bats and he's taking advantage of the high leverage spots he's getting? I make of it this, that it's baseball, right? I mean, that's baseball for you. The Giants crush the Braves

and after the Braves crush the Phillies and the Giants come up here and lose four straight to the Phillies, right? Like, try to figure it out. Nick Williams, when he starts, can't get a hit. You would think that he would need starts to get going. But meanwhile, he comes up pinch hitting after he was playing video games all night. And he's killing it.

So, you know, thank God. Thank God. Thank God he's doing it. You know, I look at Aaron Altair and I see a guy that is a better defender. I see a guy that maybe from the right side has a little bit more power. But, you know, Aaron Altair is not producing. So if Nick Williams wants more at-bats, they're there for the taking. And, you know, if he's coming off the bench and that's what he's got to do,

that's great. But it really just shows you that we talk about where this lineup was a year ago to now. This is a deep lineup that has guys that aren't getting regular at-bats that probably deserve them. So, hey, Nick, push Altair and you'll get all the at-bats that you want. But give the kid credit, man. He crushed that ball today. That wasn't a Citizens bank ballpark home run that was a monster shot so you know i i heard him after the game he said that he was uh it was two

one count he was looking for something to drive and he got one right in the wheelhouse and he pulled it he yanked it and he crushed it so it's good to know you have guys coming off the bench that can do that it's a big spot in the game man man. Yeah, 100%. And you're right. I was one of those ones that when Barry Bonds used to play left field and there would just be a bomb over his head and he wouldn't take his hands off his knees. I love that. But that's what that home run was. The right fielder shouldn't have moved. It was just gone the moment at the bat. And it's really interesting because we talked a little bit about it before with closers and the whole human element of it and having someone who just has that mentality.

I think there's a little bit of that with pinch hitting too. It's a really weird thing, like you said, John, to be playing video games the night before or to go to the ballpark and know you're not in the lineup and to sit on the bench for five and a half innings of a ballgame, no involvement, no nothing, and then be asked stone cold to take a bat and go up, face a reliever who's pitching to one or two innings and bringing their best stuff that they have, and to go in and be that successful, that consistency.

I think that's a really interesting facet to it, and I think that that tells us something about Williams. I don't know what it is, but he's really impressive in that role and and clearly someone who who can do that who can kind of you know you sit through a game ice cold step in and and make something of the one opportunity you get so I think uh shout out to him he's still young too oh yeah yeah 24 I believe yes so um certainly there's time and like you said take advantage if you keep

no matter how valuable you are as a pinch hitter if you keep doing it if you keep taking advantage of every opportunity you get like that you're gonna get more he just needs to start hitting

when he gets the actual starts like he hasn't been but look again 23 and 16 sitting here on May the 13th which is just hard to believe

considering again, it took till mid June last year to get their 23rd win. So it's fun. But speaking of that, John, like you said, the schedule starts to toughen up a little bit and look, it's not any like they haven't played anybody yet.

The Diamondbacks are one of the best teams in baseball. Granted they lost that series, but you know, they, they played a fair amount of teams with winning records. The pirates, the giants are back to having a winning record. I believe, after today. The Nationals. So there are some teams in there, but I think you hear that a lot coming up. There's some real series

coming up here. Obviously, an off day on Monday, but then two in Baltimore against a woeful Baltimore team. But then you go to St. Louis for a four-game series, which could be interesting. That's a tough series against a good team, and then three at home against Atlanta. You get Toronto coming in, who's played really good baseball, and then four in Los Angeles against a struggling Dodgers team. Look, it's some good teams on there, you know, St. Louis, Atlanta, but certainly no one that jumps off the page i think there's a real chance for this team to kind of continue what they've been doing and and you look at kind of the breakdown of home versus away they are heading on the road for six games but then back home for another six before back on the road for four so 10 more road games this month six more at

home they've obviously been just terrific at home 16 and six on the season at home john how do you kind of look ahead to this month of May, and where do you think this team's going to be sitting at? Come June 1st, it could be really real. Wow. I would love to sit here and tell you that I think that they're going to go balls to the wall and finish June with five games over 500. I honestly don't know.

I don't know what is Nick Pavetta going to look like against the Dodgers? What's he going to look like in St. Louis? There's still a lot of unknown. I feel like I know what Aaron Noel is, but can he do it over the course of a full season? Can he do it without getting hurt? I don't know. They're better to this point than I thought they were going to be.

So there's no reason to not have confidence that they can't step up. This team's building for the future. And this is an important year in the development of a lot of these players. There's also some veterans here that are ready to win right now. So the young kids, how much can they develop? How much can Carlos Santana do? A lot of what the Phillies are going to be this season, you're going to find out in June.

I really believe that. Depending on what they can do June, heading into the All-Star break, I think is really going to define the second half of the season. Are the Phillies making trades? Are they trying to solidify the team? Are they okay going with what they have? It's exciting.

It is. And I expect them to compete. And they're going to have down periods. We know that they're going to. They're going to have series and weeks where we're saying like, oh, man, it's over. They can't continue this pace. But I think when it's all said and done, they're going to be right where they are right now, which is a pretty damn good team and um and and it's just exciting that we're actually here

in the middle of May talking about a playoff baseball team it really is it's a great word for it it's exciting and to kind of round it back to the beginning the reason I expect to continue to continue is is because we've seen such resiliency already this season from this team. We've seen a young team that's willing to buy into a message and to work counts and to have an approach as pitchers and to have approaches at the plate. And when some guys are struggling, other guys are picking them up. And when other guys are struggling, some guys are picking them up. And it just, it's been, I like the way this team plays baseball and I like the effort and the attitude and the aggressiveness and I like the way they've been coached.

So I feel echoing all the words you said. It's exciting. It's fun. And I agree with you. I think June's going to tell us a lot, especially when you see what they start to gear up for. And also when you start to really get into the thick of it, you know, again, if you want to say for the people out there who don't think this start is for real, it's the people out there saying, hey, this is a young team. It's a really long season. It's a grind. They'll flounder at some point. And we

can't tell them they're wrong yet. But I think that what we've seen so far has to make you at least bullish or feel positive that that type of possibility is there for this team. And look, like we said, a month earlier, over a month earlier, they're winning their 23rd game. That's awesome stuff. All right, Johnny, any final thoughts before we get out of here? Yeah, looking forward to this week and kind of getting out of here. And I think it's important team building to

get this team on the road and and yeah I got the dinner and win some games and then get back home for for some more giveaways I have a ton I have a ton of Phillies giveaways now working at WIP Cindy Webster give us the best giveaways so I have fanatic hats I have a hats. I have the pullover women's Mother's Day shirt. Everything that they have is great. It's awesome. Looking forward to getting down to some games. The weather's breaking, and it's going to be a fun summer.

Yeah, and we'll have some fun announcements. We're going to try and do some fun stuff with the High Hopes listeners and all that down the road as well. That'll be coming in. I will use my final thought to put on my Jack Fritz voice here and say, I'm right about everything. Oh, no, wait. That's normal Jack Fritz.

No, Jack Fritz voice, rate and review the podcast. It literally, he sits there and refreshes the screen over and over and over again, waiting for new reviews. So do it for Jack as also for us, because when you type Phillies in iTunes, it certainly helps people find it if you rate and review and all that good stuff. So we would really, really appreciate it.

All right. We'll be back later this week. Thanks for listening to another edition of the high hopes podcast for John Marks. I'm James Seltzer. We'll talk to you soon. Go Phillies. 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. That's it. league 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