High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The High Hopes Phillies Podcast: This Team's Just Rounding into Form

Episode Date: August 6, 2018

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are back with a new edition of the High Hopes podcast following the sweep over the Marlins. This team is just rounding into form.  The guys talk about an amazing weekend of baseball and 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

You know what's great about ambition? You can't see it. Some things look ambitious, but looks can be deceiving. For example, a runner could be training for a marathon, or they could be late for the bus. You never know. Ambition is on the inside. So that goal to beat your personal best?

Keep chasing it. Drive your ambition. Mitsubishi Motors. starts with soil health and part of mine includes biodiversity why care so much because canadian dairy farmers hold themselves to higher standards that's what's behind the blue cow logo dairy farmers of canada yo it is another edition of the high hopes podcast i'm I'm James Seltzer. We are coming to you off a five-game winning streak. This Phillies team, as soon as you think they're down, they bounce right back up. With me, I wanted to say as always,

but it pretty much is as always, at least as usual, my good buddy Jack Fritz. Fritzy, what's up, buddy? Yeah, everything was terrible a week ago, and then now everything's fine again. Maybe we should just learn that this team rolls with the punches a little bit. I tell you what, I was just so proud of the team this week. The Red Sox series was awesome.

For all the, oh, baseball is so boring people that are out there, this week just spat in the face of that because it was a week full of genuinely exciting baseball, a bunch of great games, close games. Once again, the Phillies always play for the beginning. That's what they do. We have to learn that by now. I know everyone loves the crap on the offense, but guys, we're into August now. They've been doing this in this entire season

there was the one month of may where it was legitimately bad but we're in august and they're winning games here in first place they play for the big inning it's trademarked on my twitter account at jack fritz wip um they're they are a fun team a fun week of baseball and uh i love i love beating up the fish it was a fun weekend, an emotional weekend. It was awesome. Jason Wirth got a standing ovation. I don't know if you wanted to talk about Jason Wirth, but the fact that Jason Wirth got a standing ovation,

I was so happy. I was in the stands. I was too cheering him and I was yelling at anyone that was even thinking about booing him. He is our sweet baby prince and he is back and he's a Philly for life. And we'll get into

your experience down there for the 08 stuff because I think a lot of our listeners would love to hear that, the ones who weren't there. But I'm totally with you on the word thing. I mean, you and I have talked about this

a trillion times and at least 10 on air. But we are both... It's like our most impassioned... We feel very strongly about this and it was a big weekend for us. And look, here's the thing here's the thing i knew they were gonna cheer for him yeah we're too smart we're we are too smart as

philadelphia fans to not cheer for jason worth i get the booing in here you and i wouldn't have booed him when he came back as a national but you can at least make excuses for that he played for the nationals he took money he talked a little crap whatever but philly fans knew that when the time came in that moment to honor him they honored him like they should have and jack i'm so with you i was proud i was really proud even though i knew it was gonna happen it still felt i still felt pride in it and your points about this team man like here's something you can say this philly's team is good we're past the are they aren't they're past the oh, but the hitting doesn't work or the bullpen sucks. We're past all that, man.

This is a good baseball team. They're 63-48 on August 6th. This is a team that won 66 games all of last season. They're in first place by a game and a half, Jack. This is a good baseball team. And like you hit on, they're a resilient team. And James, they're only getting better. Like, this team is just now starting to reach its peak.

It is with the additions of Azdrubal Cabrera, who I think the addition of Azdrubal was almost underrated by, I know it was underrated by me and maybe by the High Host podcast, but seeing him in a Phillies uniform, seeing what he does on the field, seeing what he does at the plate, I think we underrated how big of an addition he was. This team, the bullpen is rounding

into form. Obviously, Aaron Loop didn't have a great debut, but Tommy Hunter... He didn't kill him, which was nice. Second half, Tommy Hunter might be a thing. Neshek's back. Sir Anthony is fine. I know he gave up the home run to Boer yesterday, but be a thing. It is a thing. Sir Anthony is fine. Like I know he gave up the home run to Boer yesterday, but it happens.

It was a good pitch. It was a good pitch. It was a really good pitch. Justin Boer made a great swing. You could even see, like when you watch the replay, like you could even tell Justin Boer was like, am I going to get this?

I don't know. I'm going to try. Like it was a great pitch. Yeah. So I just think they're, they're rounding into form now. They now have lineups that they can play an all defense lineup you saw him pull reese hoskins on i think saturday night and and put roman quitton left they have a defense lineup they have a big power lineup

they have a ground ball lineup uh when they'll put kingery at second base or kingery at shortstop um they they're they're finally they finally have roster. I think they wanted when they were, when they came into the season. Uh, and I think this thing is, it's been fun this entire season, but I think it's just starting to be like fun, fun. And we haven't even seen Wilson Ramos playing a Phillies uniform yet. That's an addition. It's like getting an all-star catcher back when you're already starting to fire on all cylinders.

It's like adding another first round pick. Hey, look at that look at you um but i think you make great points jack and i think the distributing is huge i think that people are starting to see the the added value that he brings on a lot of levels plus the fact that he's a switch hitter gonna hit from both sides of the plate he's perfect for this team perfect for the versatility I think that they feel all right throwing him at shortstop. I feel like this team is just kind of saying, you know what? We're not very good defensively and that's okay. It's kind of who we are. And he makes such a big difference

in the lineup, man. We've talked a ton about Kingery and the struggles. Having a Struble Cabrera in that lineup makes a huge difference. Yeah. and I kind of crapped on him as a shortstop. And I'm not going to say that he's a good defensive shortstop. He can make the plays that are right in front of you. The only thing with him is that he's limited in his range. That's still true. He's made every single play that's been at him. He's very solid when the balls are right at him.

It's just he doesn't have the range that he used to have. But I don't know, James. I love – one of my favorite things about sports is older, fat guys that just know how to play the game. Like, as Drew Bucabrera – He's not fat, let's say, but yes. He's kind of – he's a little chubby. He's a little chubby.

But, like, Boris Diaw is my favorite NBA player. There's something about the Kenny Rogers ALCS. Sure, David Wells, a great example. You see it with pitchers a lot more, obviously. Tommy Hunter, a nice example. Yeah, but he's fat out of just being fat. Like, as true bull has just gotten fat with age. Tommy Hunter is just, I'm going to eat.

Tommy Hunter's a big boy. He's a big boy. But I just, and his dribble just falls right in that category. He is a, this was the old Johnny Peralta syndrome. Yeah. When he was the Cardinal shortstop. But the offense. Jahani.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, right. Like Geoff Jenkins, Jahani Peralta. You ever hear this story? I heard that his parents, apparently it was a typo in his birth certificate. They were going to name him Johnny like normal, and it got written incorrectly, and they just said, screw it, let's stay with it.

Love it. Absolutely love it. But, yeah, no, Estrubel's been big. And, listen, the switch hitting point you brought up is good because now it doesn't matter. I mean, they have four switch hitters? Yeah, well, yeah, they have Cesar, Santana, Estrubel, and Roman Quinn's a switch hitter yeah well yeah they have caesar santana uh a strubel and um well roman quinn's a switch hitter as well roman quinn uh that's it i think that's it yeah but that that gives you a versatile

gives you a lot of versatility man it's legit and instead of instead of having a playoff matchup of you know i gotta have the lefty batting here, righty here or whatever. It doesn't really matter because they can all switch it for a four out of their eight hitters can switch it. And I think that's massive. It's going to be big, especially for Kapler, a guy who does like to utilize those types of things and plays those type of matchups. James, wait until wait until the 40 man rosters with Gabe Kapler. Oh, buddy. He's already he can't even sleep right now because he's thinking about it. I love it. And look, I think you make a great point, though, about Estrubo and kind of the way he fits this team and the fact that, look, this team's really well put together right now. And like you said, a lot of the guys are starting to round into form, starting to peak a little bit

here. But also, it's just Roman Quinn, a really nice example of a guy who, come playoff time, can really add things for you that you didn't have. He gives you a pinch runner. He gives you defensive outfielder. You can put in late in games. All that type of stuff. It's just a roster without a lot of holes right now, which I think is a really exciting thing to think about

with where they're at right now and what's ahead of them. Jack, you said it was a fun weekend or a fun week of baseball. It really was. Let's kind of dive into it. We haven't talked really. We had the trade deadline show we did, but we haven't talked since they won that game in Boston. Jake Arrieta, the best performance as a Philly yet

when you consider all that goes into it. And then just a really nice job by them to take the Marlins to task, to have a bad Marlins team come in here and to handle them, you know, to do what they're supposed to do. What was your feel of this last week, a streaking Phillies team winning five straight? Well, I think, you know, starting from the Arietta start, I mean, just the best he's looked. And I know the Pirates game happened, but that was a big moment in a big ballpark. Sir Anthony came in a really tight pressure-filled situation. And I thought that was a really big arrival moment for this Phillies team.

It felt like that to me. Because early this season, I'd been discouraged in thinking about future playoff games with this team. Because I saw them going to Chicago and crap down their leg. Los Angeles crapped down their leg. Against good teams, they've generally come up small. because I saw them going to Chicago and crap down their leg. Los Angeles crapped down their leg. Against good teams, they've generally come up small. They would win a game, but it wouldn't be on a big stage. And those two games in Boston were on a big stage.

And I know if D'Ibble messed up Monday night, and I understand. Tuesday night, they responded. Another big moment. And I think it's vaulted them into, like, guys, our two starters held the Red Sox to two runs. The freaking Red Sox. That's not a joke. And I think they came back home, obviously, Franco,

with a huge homer on Thursday night. And, James, I just want to ask you, how does it feel to be dead wrong about Mikel Franco? Look, look, look, it's a great question because right now, I'm teetering, Jack. I'm teetering. I have refused to come on board i said i need to see it longer here's what i'll say i really enjoy watching michael franco play baseball right now i know so like offensively defensively across the i mean that guy makes like tough plays at third

look like it's nothing a cannon of an arm it seems like almost every game that dude's making a play at third where you're like, whoa. Yeah, it's ridiculous. And he had to get a play, I think, Friday night or Saturday night when he was – The throw from the ground are you talking about? Yeah, yeah. Ridiculous.

And then he made the – Absurd. It's absurd. He made the same kind of play on Saturday night as well. Mikey's good. Mikey's really good. He's good, man. And what I was thinking – He's been good's good. Mikey's really good. He's good, man. And what I was thinking.

He's been good, man. He's been good. I'm not booking my reservations on Franco Island quite yet, but I'm looking at ships and when they depart. I'm taking it all in. I got two things for you. One, seeing Pedro Feliz back in town this week kind of reminded me, why can't Franco just be Pedro Feliz?

Pedro Feliz, at his best, was a.250 hitter with a.288 OBP and 20 homers. And gold-gloved defense. Right, and Franco, while he doesn't have the same range, he is a more than serviceable defender. Franco's better than Pedro Feliz was, And Pedro Feliz was a championship caliber. I don't know if he is. I think Franco's high-end plays are better, but I think Feliz, like you said, he had more range.

Like, Franco, Feliz made every single play. Like, that dude made it look easy at third base. I think he was probably a better defender. Probably. I mean, even just talking, I mean, Feliz was maybe the best defensive third baseman in baseball for a little while. He was a really good defensive third baseman. Okay.

Whatever. Anyway. Point is, Franco's really good defensively. He is really good. More of my point is that if Pedro Feliz can be the best, or can be a third baseman on a championship team, then there's no reason that Mike Alfranco can't be that for you. So, like, if you go get Machado, you can put him at shortstop or third or whatever. I'm just saying there shouldn't be a rush to get Mikel out of town.

Not the way he's playing right now. And, again, look, if it continues, and I was in the ballpark on Thursday night for that walk-off, and he's just seen the ball really well. And we're not seeing – my issues with Franco always stem from, you know, you'd get two weeks of awesomeness and two weeks of atrociousness, and there was kind of no in-between. We're not seeing a lot of those same mistakes

that we saw earlier in the season. We're not seeing, we're seeing him lay off bad pitches. We're not seeing him open up his stance as much. He's just locked in right now. And right now, you can't say anything other than Mike Calfranco has been a really good player for this team for the last two months. And since you were at the ballpark on Thursday night,

I need to get your take on this. Phillies powder blue or Eagles Kelly green? Here's the thing. You could say Phillies powder blue or anything else after that in all of sports, and I'm going to say Phillies powder blue or anything else after that in all of sports, and I'm going to say Phillies powder blue. Jackie Love takes the Phillies powder blue uniforms are the best uniforms in all of sports. Come at me.

Wow. Come at me. All of sports. That's how strongly I feel about the Phillies powder blue uniforms. And here's something else I feel strongly about. out of the uniforms and here's something else i feel strongly about i am so much in the camp of nick williams that i picked him up in two fantasy baseball leagues that's a big step for me it's a huge step i don't know what else you could do to really show your love more i think i should get a standing ovation for my sacrifice of putting nick williams admitting my mistake

and putting nick Williams on tour. I'm proud of you, buddy. I'm proud of you. I know, you know, you are one to not leave your takes lightly. You know, you will stay with a take longer than most people would stay with anything. Very proud of you.

This is growth, Jack Fritz. Another question I have for you. Yes. Bigger number change. Tommy Hunter going from 40 to 96y hunter going from 40 to 96 or kobe going from 8 to 24 obviously tommy hunter i mean that was ridiculous with kobe it's like all right buddy you're getting a little trouble i'm gonna change my number tommy hunter it's a legitimate important change i mean 96 is so much better uh he looks he looks great on the mound

with 96 and i don't know well all right so like this is actually legit like i'm not i'm not lying to you at all he wanted he wanted the number 69 and his and his like wife wouldn't let him no way yeah no i'm dead i'm not lying to you is that really true if that's true then that makes 96 that much better that's funny it's that much better yeah it's funny that is great great. Shout out to Tommy Hunter. I mean, that's so great. Shout out to Don Mattingly for pitching to Franco with the base open. Oh, can we talk about that real quick?

Because DeCamara and I were at the game. We went with a bunch of Midday Show listeners. And DeCamara turns to me. The count is 2-0 with runners on second and third. And he goes, so there's no chance they're throwing him a strike. The rest is a bat, right? I'm like, no, I would intentionally walk him here if it were me. And the next freaking pitch he hits out of the ballpark. It was so, it was so, and everyone thinks Don Manley is a good manager.

If Kapler had done that, people wouldn't stop talking about it for a year. I know. I know. Such bad managing. He's a terrible manager. Yeah, he's not good. Never going to win a World Series as a player or a manager wow the donnie baseball they're not gonna like that people love don matt he's one of those guys who

i think if you grew up at a certain time or whatever like and caught that you know three year run where he was the best player in baseball you're such a don mattingly lover and everyone else just looks at it and goes, it wasn't that good. All right, so that was a big one, the Thursday night win. Over the weekend, we see some more really good pitching. I know you have been all in on Vince Velasquez as of late. I said this earlier this week on Phillies Today. I think that we've debated this a lot and gone back and forth,

and I think right now with the way Arrieta's pitching, I think it's pretty clear Nola game one, Arrieta game two, assuming they get to the playoffs. Right now, if it starts tomorrow, Vincent Velasquez is my game three pitcher, Jack. What do you say? Yeah, no doubt about it. No doubt about it.

He's just really evolved as a pitcher. Like, he's no longer a thrower. Like, when I watch him, I see a game plan. And that's not how I felt about him in years past. And not even, like, two months ago. Like, he has changed so much in the last two months. It's incredible. But, yeah, he is, him figuring out that two-seam fastball that he can start at a guy's hip and end up on the inside part of the plate, it just opens up everything else.

And it gets guys off his fastball. And if it gets guys off his fastball, then his 96-mile-an-hour fastball looks even harder to hit. Against the Marlins, he was overwhelming. It was overwhelming. They didn't have a chance. And I know it's not a great lineup,, he was overwhelming. It was overwhelming. They didn't have a chance. And I know it's not a great lineup, but it was just relentless. He was attacking with his fastball.

And it's something that I wish Pavetta would do more. Pavetta, I think, pitched fine on Thursday night. But I think a lot of people are expecting him to come on here and be like, told you, Nick's fine. I don't think he pitched that well on Thursday. His curveball is still lacking the sharpness that it had in the earlier months. I think I saw some stat. I think the Good Fight put it out that in the month of July, his curveball has been 30% less spin rate, basically.

So he's not getting the same effectiveness out of it. That's a different story for Vinny. His curveball is now playing off of his two fastballs, which I think is just really good. And the best thing about Velasquez's start, and it was at some point in I think the seventh inning, it was 76 pitches for Vince Velasquez and 60 strikes. Now, I don't know where it ended up, but obviously it was still pretty good.

Sixty strikes out of 76 pitches is insane from a guy that we thought couldn't go more than five innings it's it's such a change from the guy we saw before and i think he was like 25 of his first 30 pitches were strikes that game um it's been it's been really great to watch like you said jack as we've kind of seen over the last few years this guy with elite type talent and the stuff to be great just really struggle to put it together and struggle to trust his stuff and struggle to throw strikes and watching it happen on a start by start basis before our eyes has been really gratifying at least for me watching Velasquez and what we've seen him and knowing there was more in there to being so frustrated to the point

where I was like, just put him in the bullpen. Like that's where I was at. I understood why they didn't, but it was so frustrating to watch him pitch. It's been awesome. And again, like I said, he's my clear number three on this team right now. And he's trusting his stuff.

I feel great every time Vincent Velasquez takes the ball. The other guy we got to talk about has struggled since the All-Star break, but a really nice outing as well. Again, not as good as Velasquez was. And like you said, there is the caveat of this is a bad Marlins lineup, a legit bad lineup. But I thought from the eye test, as Dominic Velasquez looked, I thought Eflin looked good.

Eight innings, gave him a nice outing. It was the gave up a two-run homer late in the start that kind of made it eight runs, three-er, and made it a little less of a dominant outing than it looked like he might have. But he looked good, not great in my mind. What were your thoughts on Eflin's performance? It looks like the rust is beginning to come off. I maintain that I think he's

going to be fine. I think he just had some rust on him. That's perfectly fine, perfectly normal when you haven't pitched in two weeks. It's hard to get back into the rhythm of things. Sometimes when you're rolling along really well and all of a sudden it just stops, it shouldn't be as hard as it is to get back, but

pitching is so reliant upon feel and being able to repeat your mechanics that once there's a little bit of a hiccup, it does take a little bit to get back to the mechanics that you were feeling when you were rolling. And unfortunately, I had that problem my whole freshman and sophomore years at Bloomsburg. I never even got the ball rolling. It was just all downhill as soon as I stepped on campus. But Eflin, I thought he did a much better job of fastballs both sides of the plate, especially his fastball away.

He was really finishing it. He was really making sure he got his arm out in front, and you could see in how he was throwing, he was putting more tenacity into reaching the outside corner and making it jump on guys. He didn't do that his last couple of starts, and I think that was just a minor mechanical adjustment that he made to really try to finish to the outside corner.

Because as we've seen, even when he's pitching really well, he can still just get hurt by a fastball down the middle, and all of a sudden there's two runs on the board. He can be rolling along, but as soon as that fastball leaks across the middle of the plate, it's not great. But he pitched really well. He pitched really well. It was good to see him bounce back. It's good to see him kind of stop the downward trend he was on. He needed to start like that to calm some of my fears, and I'm sure the Phillies' fears. Yeah, Jack, I'm with you. And again,

I thought he looked, again, better, not as good as he has looked in the month of June and all that, but it looked like the spin rate was a little higher. It looked like his ball was dropping a little better than it had in the starts before. And again, I think that underrating blisters for pitchers is something I don't ever want to do. It's an important factor to take into account. I think that blister might have still been a bit of an issue the last couple starts. Well, it affects your— It affects everything, your grip, your spin, all that.

Well, he can't spike the ball. I mean, he can still spike it, but not with the same ferocity. So I was impressed with Eflin, and I'm happy to see him taking steps towards getting back to the guy we hope he can be over the stretch run. Before we move on, just your take on the staff as a whole, I think it sounds like we agree, you know, you've got Nolan, Arrieta at the top,

then Velasquez, Eflin right after that, and then Pavetta would be the guy most likely to head to the bullpen if the playoffs started tomorrow. Is that kind of your take on the rotation right now? Yeah, and that's fine. I mean, the fact that Nick Pavetta, for the talent that he has, to be your either five starter or guy out of the pen, I think that's a good sign.

I think that's a really good sign. I feel confident every time Vinny goes out there. I think Arrieta has really rounded into form a little bit. And Nola, I mean, I know he didn't have his best stuff yesterday. It was also scorching hot, so I don't blame him at all. Pitching in that kind of weather is just terrible. And he gutted it out too. You know, like those first six shutout innings obviously ran into some trouble in the seventh. I don't blame him at all. Pitching in that kind of weather is just terrible. And he gutted it out too.

Those first six shutout innings obviously ran into some trouble in the seventh, but it was one of those spots where it was six shutout innings, but you could tell he was laboring through it. It wasn't six shut-em-down innings. It was six shutout innings. Exactly, exactly. So, yeah, no, I feel good. I feel much better about the staff than I did heading out of the all-star break when they were allowing runs every first inning.

All right, in a minute I want to kind of look at the standings as, again, Philly's a game and a half up, 63-48. The Braves tied in the loss column, actually, three games in hand. But it's going to be a race, and I want to kind of look at how clustered the NL is. There are a lot of teams that are competitive, but for those who weren't there, I was one of them who wasn't there yesterday. Take us inside. What was it like to be in the ballpark for the 2008?

The memories, the feel, what was it like in the ballpark yesterday? It was really cool. It was, obviously you had Jason get announced, but they announced it all. They announced the whole lineup, starting at the bottom of the lineup. They announced the whole lineup, starting at the bottom of the lineup. They announced the whole pitching staff,

and they had videos of Cole having his thoughts and Chase having his thoughts. And overall, it was really well done. It was cool seeing everyone else back there. Jamie Moyer is a ponytail. And also looks like he's 1,000 years old, so it's good. Yeah, and people were saying that he's going through a midlife crisis, and I was like, no, that years old so it's good yeah yeah and people were saying that he's going through a midlife crisis and i was like no that was on the mound in game three yeah

and also it was so funny because i was watching with my wife and emily says to me wow jamie moyer looks really old and i turned around like he is old he was he's in his 50s like he was in his 40s when this happened we think of him with those other guys but he was a decade older than all of them at the time of course he's gonna look old and yeah did i ever tell you about jamie moyer like told his son that i was a psychopath on the mound what what i played uh i played travel ball with hutton moyer his son and i was pitching down at the university of delaware and i was like i guess i was like freaking out on the mound because i think there was like errors behind case fritz

oh i mean you think i'm very calm but on on the mound it's like a different story it's a completely different person and he had hutton come to me in the dugout and say hey uh my dad thinks you're acting like a psychopath so so jamie moyer thinks i'm a psychopath but that's terrific stuff i said i said hey jamie sorry i'm a grinder that's good i like yeah but it was it was awesome it was awesome it was also it was so i can't i can't underestimate just how hot it was. It was so hot. I saw like five people faint. There was just people getting pulled around those carts all over the stadium.

People weren't even sitting in their seats. They were just sitting on the rails outside the sections. It was insanely hot. But it was a special day. I'm so glad that Jason Wirth got a standing ovation uh it felt like everyone was just like all right we're good to put this behind us like you were great here um it was good it was good yeah it seemed uh i watched the ceremony on tv and it um it certainly seemed like they handled it really well and again like you said everybody except chase utley and

hamels were there which i thought madsen and madison yeah any except for the guys who are playing in the major leagues yeah and half the guys were playing in the major leagues right now everyone else was there i thought that was a great job by them to get everyone back and to to do it the way they did i totally agree with you and and to get the video messages i won 20 bucks from a caller to the midday show who bet me that chase utley would show up and i was like no he's playing for the Dodgers. And they said, oh, the Dodgers will let him go. I'm like, what are you, crazy? And he's like, I'll bet you $20 Chase shows up.

I was like, I'll take your money. That's fine. Yeah. I also love that Charlie came out and said, hey, this week's been great. It's been great to look back. But he basically said, this team's in first place. Yes. This is now about the now Phillies.

It's awesome. It was a good message to a lot of the fans who have been kind of on the fence with this team. And I heard Charlie speak a couple times. He's like, I watch every game. They're good. Gabe's good at his job, all this stuff. So I think it was good to have those guys talk about this team.

And I think a couple weeks ago when Chase was in town, I think a lot of people were there to see Chase and obviously didn't care about the team because they cheered him when he got a hit um but i i think this was big from this the fact that the 08 team was recognizing this team and it was really cool seeing them all interact like they were all messing around with chooch um and yeah it was great and obviously the holiday stuff on saturday was was sad all over again uh brandy holiday continues to like just be the strongest it's unbelievable

shout out to brandy holiday yeah she's she's amazing um and and when chooch like touched the holiday plaque i was so sad tears tears i was so sad tears and and you know pat gillick i thought um i thought he did a really nice job of of you know getting honored but making sure that it was about roy and you know i thought that i thought they did that really well job of, of, you know, getting honored, but making sure that it was about Roy. And, you know, I thought that I thought they did that really well. Cause a lot of times you would just say, all right,

you're honoring Roy holiday. Why would you bring someone else into this? But Pat Gillick with the relationship he had with the holiday family and how long and well he knew Roy and all that. I thought, I thought they did it really well. And, and just the whole weekend,

like you said, I mean, Victorino on Friday night, like they took a weekend to honor the only team that's won a world series in my lifetime. And I thought they did it just so well and with such class as an organization. And I thought it showed. And Jack, I think you make a really great point though, that as great as it was and honoring that team and everything that weekend, that's great, but it's time to honor the team that's on the field right now because they're in first

place. They're a good baseball team. Again, they're a game and a half up on August 6th in the NL East. And, you know, I think it's great that Charlie did that. I think it's great the players talk about it. But it's time for Phillies fans to get on board because this is real. They're going to play meaningful games in September. And it's time to, you know, stop dicking around and like get out there and support this team. Uh, all right,

Fritzie, speaking of which this team is in first place, you look at the national league, man, it is crazy. There are six teams with a chance to make five playoff spots in the American league. There are 11 teams that are over 500 right now, Jack. There are only four teams in the national league that are under 500, only four. How ridiculous is that? So I just want to quickly take a look at the other teams kind of in competition. Obviously, it's the Braves and the NLEs. The Nats still in it, but you're worried mostly about the Braves, the Cubs and the Brewers. The Cubs one game better than the Phillies. The Brewers with the same record in terms of one loss. They have played a couple more games, but they would be tied with them if in the same division. And then the Dodgers and

the Diamondbacks at the top of the NL West and the Rockies a couple of games back. I think those are the teams that are most competitive right now, both in terms of record and in terms of on the field product. When you look at the other teams in the National League, how do you kind of rank those opponents come really the stretch League, how do you kind of rank those opponents, really the stretch run, but also come to playoffs? I think the Dodgers are the best team, or the team I'd be most afraid of in a series, because they can kind of beat you in so many different ways.

They have so many different lineups that they can play. They have a defensive lineup. They have an offensive lineup. They have guys that can play everywhere uh their bullpen has not been great but i think once the playoffs start they'll shorten that maybe move my ada to the bullpen uh where he was last year during their run i just think that team's good i think they're they're gonna be good they have they've been they were in the world series last year like they took it to game seven they could have won the world series last year and and like you

mentioned you know not just deep lineups. They were already deep, and then they went out and got Manny Machado and Brian Dozier. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which was, I mean, the Dozier addition was genius and didn't really cost them anything. So that team's really good. I think they're only going to get better.

Whatever. The Cubs, I'm telling you, man, I haven't thought they've been that good ever since they won the World Series. I just don't think they're that. I think they're in that Phillies run now, since they won the World Series. I just don't think they're that good. I think they're in that Phillies run now where they won the World Series and everything else is just kind of gravy. I don't think they're that good. I think the Brewers are fine, but their pitching staff is trash.

And the Braves haven't played well in like a month, and for some reason they're still ranked ahead of the Phillies in the ESPN Power Rankings, and I just don't understand what the justification for it is. Their pitching staff isn't good. Their bullpen isn't that good. And their offense is great, but Albies hasn't been the same player. And Acuna's given them a nice little jump here.

But what are the Braves good at? The fact that people still have the Braves with the Phillies, why? What do the Braves do that's so much better than what the Phillies do? Yeah, I agree. I think the only argument you can make, well, one argument you can make is who gives a crap. Power rankings are stupid. I know, but it's fresh. No, no, no, I agree. I think the only argument you can make, and one argument you can make is who gives a crap. Power rankings are stupid.

I know. No, no, no. I know what you mean. I know what you mean. I think the one argument you could legitimately make is saying that the Braves run differential

is like 50 points higher, 50 runs higher than the Phillies. So I think if you want to look for something, you could. But I also think the Phillies just got better. Look, look. I wouldn't make the argument.

I'm just playing devil's advocate. I think the fact you could say the run differential, you could say that technically, you know, if the Braves just win the three games that they have in hand, they're tied with the Phillies too. So I get it. But look, I wouldn't put them ahead of the Phillies. I think the Phillies are a better team.

I think the Phillies are better set to move forward. I trust that what they have, the production they've had and the guys who have produced are going to continue to produce more than I trust that with Atlanta. Especially on the pitching side. I mean, they're getting meaningful contributions from Anibal Sanchez. I can't even get this sentence out because it's so freaking

absurd. Anibal Sanchez should be out of the major leagues and has been multiple times. It is crazy to me. But I'm with you. I'm not as scared of the Braves. has been multiple times. It is crazy to me. But I'm with you. I'm not as scared of the Braves. I think your analysis is pretty spot on. The Brewers offense is really, really good. They're in a playoff series

rolling out Julius Shasin in game one. Really? Is that happening? I think the Dodgers are the best team in the National League. I think you underrate the Cubs. I get what you're saying, but it's still a really good baseball team

with a lot of talent. Something has felt off of the Cubs ever since they won. True. And I didn't feel it last year. And I feel the same way, but I also feel like, look, they have the best record in the National League. And we're talking about how not good they are. And I'm with you, but they have the best record in the National League.

So I think the results at least have to make you, and when you look at the roster and the amount of talent, I think you at least have to take them somewhat seriously as a competitor. I agree that. Well, I'm taking them seriously. I just don't think they're as good as the Dodgers. Which I think is fair.

And I would put the Dodgers one and them two. And then after that, I agree. I don't think there's anyone who really scares me in the National League. I'm not scared of playing the Brewers. I'm not scared of playing the Diamondbacks. I'm not scared of playing the Rockies, any of that. So, look, it's going to be really interesting. There are a lot of teams in it,

and it's certainly possible that one of those teams toward the bottom end of the race, whether it's the Pirates, the Cardinals, the Nats, one of those teams makes a run. I think that's possible too, but I think you have to be really happy with where the Phillies are positioned right now. Speaking of the Diamondbacks, big series coming out.

This is the last time the Phillies will go to the Far West all season long. They got three in Arizona, then three in San Diego before coming back home. Pitching matchups, you get three of their best pitchers. You get Zach Godley, you get Zach Greinke, and you get Patrick Corbin. How do you feel about this series out in Arizona against the first place Diamondbacks? I think it'll be tough.

I really do. I think they drew just about the worst pitching matchups you can ask for from their side of the ball. And they've been playing better with Pollock being back. Pollock's always been a pretty key cog for them. If he's healthy, he hits that, dude. He is an injury waiting to happen,

but when he's on the field, he's awesome. He is. He really is. Corbin hasn't been as great of late. Still been pretty good. Gran really is. Corbin hasn't been as great of late. Still been pretty good. Granke is Granke. But, man, Zach Godley's had a bad year. So, take tonight. Another big Jake Gary at a start.

Hopefully, he picks up where he left off up in Boston. I think he will. I think he's been pitching better the last three starts. And now goes down and faces a good offense. And I think he'll take care of business. Godley, see, he has the potential. Like, he's good and he's talented, so he can come in and shut us down. I'm just saying, like, he hasn't been good this year.

So it would be nice to take advantage of that, especially with Granke and Korb in the next two nights. I'm already nervous about Pavetta's start tomorrow night. Me too. Pavetta, Granke, it's almost like you just write that one off. You try and win two of three, win the first and the third, and give them the Granke game. Sure.

I'll take it. I'm not going to lie. I'm a little nervous heading into the series. I don't know if it's going to go as well as they've been playing recently. But, hey, they've been resilient the whole year. Even if they lose two or three, they head into San Diego for the weekend, and that will be a good way to get back on track. And that is the actual worst team in the National League of those four teams with under 500

records. They are the worst at all. I forgot to mention adding Eduardo Escobar, Eddie Escobar to the Dimebacks. That's a nice addition, too. So I'm with you. I'm a little nervous about the series, especially real quickly. Are you worried at all about, I mean, you're obviously not worried at how good a home team this Phillies team is, but are you worried at all about the road record and the ability

to kind of recreate what they've done at home on the road? Yeah, they certainly haven't been the same team on the road. And it's not like the crowds have been that good at home, but they just feel comfortable there, I guess. I just hope that the Boston series kind of ease some of their road tensions. And they've been bad this whole year, but they did go to Boston and compete for two straight games

in high pressure situations. So hopefully that gets them rolling on the road. All right, Fritz, you got to go produce the evening show. If you hear this very quickly, listen to Jack and Giglio. I feel he's baseball as well later nights. At least you get some time before that.

But any final thoughts before we get you out of here, Jack? really appreciate the phillies uh tweeting out that high hopes is their official podcast of uh the phillies alex i mean uh we officially made it and i just hope i hope that people did that and it tricked them into actually playing the high hopes podcast i love that by the way that was super cool um yeah we appreciate it yeah hey we'll take the listens anyway we can get them speaking of which rate and review the podcast and make jack it makes jack happy so do it for jack because we all love jack yes um so do it for jack and uh hey jack one more time jack jack attack jack mac jack Now I'm done. All right.

All right. Yeah, we're both done. That's it. We'll be back there this week. We'll talk some more baseball. And again, hopefully Phillies can go out and take care of business in Arizona. It's been a fun week. Hopefully this is a fun one as well. So for Jack Fritz, I'm James Seltzer.

Talk to you guys later. 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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