High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The High Hopes Phillies Podcast: Waiving the White Flag

Episode Date: September 13, 2018

James Seltzer and Jon Marks waive the white flag on the 2018 season. The guys discuss what went wrong, how it went wrong, who's to blame, and more as they attempt to eulogize the season. James and Jon also begin to look ahead to what has the potential to be an action-packed Phillies offseason. 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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Get almost, almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol and select markets. See app for details. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes podcast. And I think that we can say for the first time on the High Hopes podcast in the 2018 season, the season is officially over. I'm James Seltzer, a subdued James Seltzer With a subdued Johnny Marks

Johnny, the season's over man It was a fun ride but it has not ended in the most pleasant of fashions Is that the official position? Is Fritz on board with that as well? Oh yeah, Fritz is there I think we all as a team here Are conceding We're saying it's done. No 2007 repeat this season, John.

See, and here's where, I mean, honestly, the starting pitching carried them for most of the season. And once Eflin and Velasquez and Pavetta, especially Eflin, when you could count on 60% of your rotation giving you a quality start and oftentimes a better-than-quality start, you're going to win a lot of baseball games. And they were winning a lot of one-run games, and maybe we should have seen this coming.

But at some point, I guess I was hoping the offense would step up. They made some nice moves at the trade deadline to improve the offense. But to use a sad cliche, at the end of the day, James, they're just not good enough. Thanks, Chris Berman. But I think, yeah, look, I think you're right. And I think it was not surprising to see the regression in the starting pitchers. Fritz talked about that a lot on the pod, heading into the trade deadline,

why he wanted them to get the starting pitcher, the potential innings limits being smashed and just pass easily for these guys. And, you know, Eflin, obviously, the guy we saw in the month of June, is a completely different pitcher, just to the eye test and obviously the results right now. And you're seeing that, that just the guys are getting tired.

You've seen it with Sir Anthony has been overused and using in insane amount of high leverage spots and the wear and tear of that. And, and like you said, I think there were things that we were counting on or hoping for earlier in the season, obviously the last, you know, three weeks, we've probably all given up on it but the oduble hot streak we all expected a second oduble hot streak and that never happened reese hoskins went cold for 20 to 30 games at about the worst time of the season and the moves that they made while i agree with the philosophy behind them in i was totally fine with them not giving up future important, potentially important

assets for the future for rental players or things that couldn't help you pass this season. I'm fine with that as an organizational philosophy. It just seems that the moves that they did make didn't end up being the right moves ultimately. And, and, and I don't blame them for what they did, but they certainly undervalued getting a starting pitcher, undervalued a closer potentially. So yeah, I'm with you. And I think it's frustrating. So here's what I want to get into quickly to start. Cause I heard you talking about it on your show today, Marks and Reese, the afternoons and WIP. And you were kind of talking about how, cause we've had a lot of conversations of this season's already a success based on what they've done already and where

they're at but it seemed like you were kind of intimating that you're starting to go the other way and with how disastrous the last month plus has been, month and a half has been, that it's almost souring your outlook on the whole season. Yeah, and I'm trying to, you know, it's pretty disappointing and I'm trying to have a somewhat level head about it. But you're right, James, I can't help feeling a certain way. And I had a lot of people say to me today, you're crazy, they won 65 games last year, they were projected to win 75, you're crazy. They won 65 games last year. They were projected to win 75.

They're going to go over that. They overachieved. It's a success. Well, if you look at it from that way, but I can't help from looking at where – I'll just leave it like this. I would have much rather the team would have been 500 or under in the first half of the season and then really be turning it on in September. Even if they were turning it on to finish five games over 500 and miss the playoffs, you would feel better heading into 2019 about this team.

And maybe I'm just soured, but I look at what this team is right now and outside of Aaron Nola and Reese Hoskins, they're really your two, I can count on them being all-star level type players on this team. And I think Nick Williams can be a solid contributor unless they sign Bryce Harper and then he's not even really needed. I wonder about Reese Hoskins playing left field. I wonder what Scott Kingery is.

Does the organization feel like he's a second baseman or a shortstop? What about J.P. Crawford? He's more or less been written off, at least for this season. So I guess here's how I'll leave it. I have more questions than answers right now, and I would have thought in the beginning of the season I would have a hell of a lot more answers than questions. And I think that's what soured me.

Ultimately, this team didn't have enough talent. I heard you and Joe and John Ritchie talking about it today. And yeah, I think ultimately they didn't have enough talent, but there's more to it than that. And what we're talking about is the future and development. And where is JP Crawford after 2019? Where is Scott Kingery after 2018? Excuse me. And I don't know because we haven't seen them. They haven't been developed. And once you get into a pennant race,

then you go out to the team to get veterans. So I totally understand all that. But I guess I just wasn't expecting the year to turn out this way. And it's disappointing in the end, but James, is Oduble your starting center fielder next year? Or is Roman Quinn, is he your insurance against Oduble being Oduble and Oduble's insurance against Roman Quinn being Roman Quinn, who's always injured? You know, I just don't know what this team is right now. Yeah, it's really interesting because I think it's one of those situations where both things can be true. That on a macro scale, this season is a success. It is based on what they did last season, based on the, like you're talking about, the kind of a lot of question marks they ultimately had on this team.

But when you look at it from a perception angle, and like you said, if they turned it on in the second half of the season where it's Scott Kingery and J.P. Crawford and the guys who you expect to be part of the future being the ones who are turning it on and playing better and growing throughout the season, it's a whole different situation right now. I think it's, um, it's fascinating because I still believe that JP Crawford and Scott Kingery can be really good major league baseball players. They're 20, what, 23 and 24 years old, respectively. I mean, that that's really young, you know, not everyone is a, a, a Ronald Acuna or a Juan Soto. Those are the freaks, the phenoms, the all-time type players. But to come up at the age of 23 in the majors or the age of 24 and just get thrown into playing at an everyday or close-to-everyday type of pace is not the easiest thing in the world to do, and it takes these guys time to adjust. So I'm with you I think that

and Jack's talked about this a lot too the idea of developing guys versus playing the old guys and I think that's what's been most frustrating about this it's not just the way they've collapsed it's that they're collapsing with Jose fucking Bautista out there. Like, you know what I mean? Like, well, I, again, and I was fine with the move at the time because he's a, a potential bench bat in my mind and they were going for a playoff spot. So sure. Bring in talent, but I mean, to see where they're at and to watch them failing with Jose Bautista and, and, and Estrubo Cabrera and guys who are just gone at the end of the year and are not a development type of thing, I'm with you, John. I think at this point,

I think they should play young guys the rest of this season. Get them those big reps. Well, you know, one of the things, and you mentioned Kingery and Crawford, is I still think Scott Kingery is going to be perfectly fine. I do. I think he's going to be a good player. I have less confidence in J.P. Crawford just because it seems like the team doesn't have a lot of confidence in J.P. Crawford, right? He was supposed to be the starting shortstop this season. It was supposed to be his job. He was supposed to

grow into it. He was supposed to struggle through it. I know there were injuries and other things, but he really never got a chance to get that job back and they kept going to kingery kept going to kingery so i is kingery a second baseman or shortstop where does that leave jp they were putting with third base for a while he's not a third baseman he doesn't have the pop to be a third baseman so when i look at it at that it's like well all right like well what is scott kingery are they playing him at shortstop he's less valuable than if he's playing second base just because of the nature of the position and what you expect offensively from those players.

So Scott Kingery is going to be fine. Hopefully J.P. Crawford is going to be fine too. But outside of that, for a guy that pays attention to a lot to the minor leagues, I can't look into the Phillies minor leagues and see an A-level talent like you see in Atlanta, in some other places, with positional players. They have some nice players that are coming up, but the Mickey Moniacs, who actually had a better year this year. Yeah, he's turning on a little. Young, too. Let's not forget how young he is.

He's a major leaguer, but even Adam Haseley, who I think is going to be a contributor, he's not a franchise changer. We're not talking about guys that are coming in here and being superstars. And that's what this team needs. So they're going to go out in the free agent market and they're going to try to get one, which is fine. But what if you're the Sixers, like the Sixers, and you strike out? Now you're coming back next year essentially with the same lineup. I don't know if you're going to add a pitcher. The fact that you didn't acquire Cole Hamels.

Chicago may exercise his $20 million option if they decide that they definitely want to keep him. So if I was coming back next year with Cole as my second starter, Arrieta as my third starter, and then I could choose two of the younger guys, that'd be great. Because like you said, it's a fascinating conversation, and it'll be really interesting to see where Matt Klintak and the Phillies front office go. Joe Jordan, their longtime director of the minor league guy, he's leaving. It's not working for him.

So you're seeing a clash of some of the old school guys and the new school analytic guys, and we'll see where it ends up, but they have a lot of work to do this off season. Yeah. Well, I, I've said all along and, and what I was pondering, I never got to your question of is a doable Herrera, the starting center fielder to start next season. And in my head, when you asked me that, I was thinking, I think Bryce Harper could be the starting center fielder next season.

Maybe the starting right fielder. I do think, yeah, he could play both. I think they would probably put him in right field, though, and save the asset for longer and not put the defensive wearing tear on him. But, I mean, Mike Trout could be your center fielder. I don't think that's completely out of the realm of possibility. I think that if the Angels go to Mike Trout this offseason and say, here's a record contract, sign it, and he says, nah, I don't want to,

they're going to look to trade him, and they should. I know it's tough to trade the greatest player of a generation, but at the same time, they would get as good a haul as you could possibly get for any player. But if you wait a year. Yeah, you're Manny Machado, and that's the problem. So he's free agent after 2020, So if you wait until after 2019, you'll still get something,

but it'll be well known that it's a last year of a contract. So you're more or less could be paying for a rental. I don't disagree with you with Trout, but I also don't think the Angels are that sharp of an organization. Well, I agree.

I mean, they've mad bad. That's why there's a situation. They haven't been able to win with the guy. They've had the best player in the sport for the last five years, and they've wasted him. Wasted him. I'm with you.

But I do believe, and I've always believed, that 2019 is kind of... was their pivot point, and that this organization was planning on spending big. And obviously, we've seen tons of reports. The Jerry Krasnick one, of course,

the one that stands out the most, saying that they might get Harper and Machado, which, again, I don't think anyone is actually counting on, but just the fact that that's even floating from anywhere. So check this out. High hopes exclusive because you brought up the whole John Middleton and they're willing to spend so much money. So I had heard that Middleton, so the first game of the doubleheader,

was that Tuesday now? Yes. On Tuesday, there was literally 100 people in the ballpark. I know you guys went to the night game, the midday show went to the night game, but I got home and I put on the TV, there was 100 people in the ballpark. I was listening to the broadcast on the way home, and I heard Franski and LA say that they can literally hear people selling sodas and beer and stuff down. They can hear the other broadcasters.

And John Middleton was furious. Furious at the collapse. Furious at the embarrassment of having 50 people at a Phillies game to start in a pennant race. Someone even said to me, kind of worried that this is turning into the fourth of the fourth teams in Philadelphia. And that's the way he's feeling right now. James, the last time that the Nationals were in town, there was no buzz at the ballpark. And this was when the Phillies were still in the playoffs at this point.

A couple weeks ago, whenever it was. And you would think that people would be ready to run down and support the team and have a final. Let's go Phillies. And they got the same roughly 17, 18, 19,000 people that they got the year before. The same Phillies fans are watching it going. But no one else is going back down. They haven't drawn any additional people so when you think when you think about the offseason that's also something that that i would think

that they're going to be mindful of yeah and look there's nothing that's going to generate buzz like signing bryce harper i mean there isn't or trading for mike trout or whatever trading for mike trading for mike trout that's the number one thing obviously yeah i don. I don't know if they get Bryce Harper, if that's enough. They'll be sold out opening day, but in June, how many people are going to the game? First week of June, a home game, because they get Bryce Harper. Are they selling that out? No. Are they getting $30,000? I don't think so. I don't think one player is enough to turn this around from the fans' perspective.

No, they need to win. And I think that part of winning, as you talked about, I think that when you look at this Phillies organization, top to bottom, it is an organization, and as you mentioned, Nola for sure is a blue-chip, blue-chip talent. Reese Hoskins has the potential to be a blue-chip hitter. But, you know, Sixto, there are guys in the organization of blue chip potential, but it is an organization more of quantity of quality than top,

top quality. Um, and, but I think that quantity matters in a sport like baseball. Well, look, we've seen teams that win the world series that don't even have one of those blue chip type guys like the kansas city royals did a few years ago but but i do think that that they are going to add one of those guys whether it's harper whether it's machado whether it's trout i really believe that and i've believed it from from the jump i just it felt like that was the way the organization was being set up.

And I think it's interesting because tell me what you think of this theory that I've just kind of been thinking about here as, uh, you know, not, not quite a take as Jack would say. Uh, but it is, uh, uh, a theory that I think that the way that, and I, again, I said before, I, And I, again, I said before, I liked the philosophy of, you know, trying to fortify the roster without giving up anything for next season. But ultimately that philosophy has backfired. I mean, maybe down the road, it forces him to be all in one way or another to say whether it is to go for it or whether it is to bail. Do you think he says, you know what? Development's more important. We learned our lesson or, you know, Hey, remember that time we just added a few pieces. You know what? That's not good enough. It's go time. And that's obviously more likely as they try to be better and better

and be a real-world series competitor. But on a philosophical level, do you think that this is a bad enough outcome from the way this played out that it's something that will get a Matt Klintak or someone in that position to kind of redefine the way they look at these situations? Yeah, I mean, it's a great question. And I mean, outside of Cole Hamels, and I do think that they got caught in between being in for the playoffs and not wanting the

mortgage the future. And I would tend to lean towards your side, which is I didn't want significant prospects being traded unless it was maybe a Manny Machado. But for a closing, a closer or a reliever or somebody else, I wouldn't want to see one of the top prospects go. But I do believe the Klintec got caught kind of in between where he said, well, we still want to develop our pitchers and they're pitching great. But like Jack has been saying for a long time, Fritzy, is that these guys have never logged those innings

and frankly, they're probably performing over their head anyway. So do I think he learned anything from this? I can't answer that. I would sure that that contact's very disappointed that it's collapsed like it has. But he also, without giving up a whole heck of a lot or anything he was able to at least on paper and for a little bit improve this team um but man he you know i in hindsight i wish he would have made another move or two i do it really would have made a difference call hamels would have made all the difference in the world or like we said in hindsight now knowing where they are now you almost wish you didn't make any moves and you you saw Scott Kingery.

And you saw, you know, J.P. Crawford as soon as he was healthy. And you got more reps for Jorge Alfaro and Nick Williams. Obviously, the injury there. But, like, you know, the stuff you talked about, the getting reps for people and finding out as many opportunities as you can get to find out if Nick Williams is a long-term piece, if Roman Quinn is a long-term piece, if Corey Alfaro is a long-term piece, if Scott Kangary is, JP Crawford, all this stuff, and playing Estriba Cabrera, playing Joey Batts, playing Wilson Ramos, as much as I enjoyed when Wilson Ramos would play, when healthy enough to play, it has, in a way, kind of hindered not just development, but also hindered their ability to evaluate these guys.

I mean, you know, I think you and I are both big believers in reps in life being an important thing in whatever you're doing. And getting these guys reps in meaningful games, games that matter, It's interesting. It's really interesting the way it played out. And to your point before, look, if I were John Middleton, I'd be pissed off too.

I own a major league baseball franchise in the city of Philadelphia, and there are 500 people in the seats or 1,000 people in the seats. No matter if it's a rainout makeup game or whatever, I'd be pissed too because I think that as we know this, this franchise, when they're humming and when people are interested there, there are a few better things in this city. But, um, like you said, John, it's taking time. It's taking people time to get back in on it. And I worry about that. It's kind of what we were talking about at the beginning, that this rough stretch of baseball has really soured people. And obviously, look, that can change the moment Ken Rosenthal tweets out

the Phillies of Tray for Mike Trout or whatever. People will turn that around in a hurry. But how important, and again, we both agree the season is over. They are not doing seven from 17 games, games seven bag it's not happening again the Braves are playing too well they're not gonna you know screw it up like the Mets and the Phillies are just playing too terribly and they don't have those guys like Rollins and Howard to kind of and uh Chase to kind of carry them through but how important do you think these last 18 games are from an excitement for the franchise standpoint

and for the development of younger guys kind of getting these reps as well and both those kind of facets of development? Very little. Yeah, it's interesting. I like that take. Explain. Maybe JP, maybe Scott Kingery. Maybe if you can get one at second and one at shortstop, Yeah, it's interesting. questions rather than answers. And the question is, well, is Scott Kingery a shortstop or a second baseman?

And Gabe says, they don't even know yet. Well, I know he's a second baseman. Put him at second base. I know what he is. He's not a shortstop. Put him at second base.

You have a young shortstop, but for whatever reason, and we defend analytics, some more than Jack, more than me, Jack, more than you, you probably more than me, Jack more than you, you probably more than me.

When you fail, you're going to have people that question you. And when they're already questioning your philosophies before, even when it was working, they're certainly going to question you now. So, you know, fans, I don't think it's going to matter because you're going to have people that are paying attention anyway. I don't think you's going to matter because you're going to have people that are paying attention anyway. I don't think you're selling a single season ticket for next year or even a game ticket for next year based on the last 18 games. But can it help a little bit with the development? I suppose. Yeah, I agree with you.

And I think you're right in the sense that I don't think it can help the development that much. I think any big time reps in major league baseball games, you can get for younger guys who you believe could have potential to be an asset in the future is worthwhile. But I, I do disagree a little bit from a perception standpoint. I think that if this team can somehow, and again, I don't think this is going to happen just because again, they've been so bad for a while now. And it seems like they keep progressing. It keeps getting worse and again, I don't think this is going to happen just because again, they've been so bad for a while now. And it seems like they keep progressing. It keeps getting worse and worse, not just in the worst losses, which that seems like, again, they've had 17 games where I'm like, Whoa, worst loss of the season. Gut punch. I can't even like, I mean, it's, it's absurd. It is, it is absurd. The amount of games they've lost like that. But, but even not in that sense, just thinking about the way they've played and the, the rising to occasions in big

games in big spots, they've really come up small over the last month. And I think that if they can win, you know, 60% of the games, the rest of the way, or fifth, that's a lot, 55% of the games the rest of the way that's a lot 55% of the games if they can win 11 games or something like that out of the last 18 or 10 games out of the last 18

I think that that's something where there will be at least somewhat of a more positive spin on it but

I agree man it's been ugly I feel like there's been to be fair a little bit of hyperbole in the people are like I don't remember ever a collapse in the history of sports like this. What? Come on. Yeah, it's been that bad. People have gotten a little carried away with the aggressiveness of the collapse. It's been ugly. It hasn't been great.

but I mean you know what though James I think I think people that pay close enough attention like us High Hopes Podcast and our listeners

we could see this coming right like this is yeah I mean it's not all that surprising the level of it's surprising to me

they've been this bad but am I surprised that the starting pitching hasn't been what it was the rest of the year not at all no of course not

and like we said, run differential and Pythagorean wind theorem. There's all this stuff. There are all these reasons to point to and say, oh, this is why. One run game record, all that type of stuff. There's so many reasons. And again, just I think the biggest thing is,

how many times have you said this? I've said this. Jack said this. When they were playing well, we're like, how are they winning games? It's like, oh, the starting pitching's been good, but like nothing else ever seems to work at the same time. So I think that, yeah, of course it's coming back to earth. We all hope that maybe they could ride the luck train all the way to the playoffs because that happens all the time in baseball.

But I think it's interesting the way the season. And again, I agree with you. I wish it had been the reverse of it. But it is, I think they, if they can kind of stop this slide and not make it so that the whole second half of the season, or, you know, the end of the season, last two months of the season it would be, is just a train wreck. I think that it would at least help a little bit. But ultimately what they do in the off season is going to be the most important thing.

So is there anything that you're kind of looking for over these last 18 games? What are you looking for? What do you want to see him do? I mean, do you even, I mean, you're going to watch the games. We're all going to watch the games. It's what we do, but what do we look for here? I know you want to see development. You want to see some younger guys and kind of see him get some spots, but is there something else? Is there anything else we can kind of root for at this moment?

I want to see how they respond to Gabe too. And, and despite all this, I'm still, I still like Gabe. I'm still a Gabe man. But Hey, listen, like you said, there was a resiliency about this team for a lot of this season. And I thought you could, you could directly attribute that to, to Gabe and the type of clubhouse he was leading. Now, do I have to say the opposite when they're not winning games

and they're losing games? Not necessarily. I just feel like they've run out of gas, and they have what they had, and when the pitching failed, their confidence is gone, and they're not there. I'm looking to see how Gabe handles the rest of the season. I'm looking to see. He had said after the doubleheaders season i'm looking to see um he had

said after the double headers listen i'm not going to sugarcoat this right now we should have like a siren or a bell going off right yeah yeah gabe actually not you know saying they still got it the positivity taking a hit so i want to see him flip a couple tables and but but i i want to see him flip a couple tables and whatnot. But I want to see how they respond to him, and I want to see how he kind of manages the rest of the season. Because I don't really know what else you could be looking for other than JP and Kingery. They don't have any young players up here that they're going to be playing in abundance.

Most of their positional guys are in single A or double A that you would expect to be coming up relatively soon. Dylan Cousins, I don't care if he plays another inning or not. He kind of is what he is, although he does have good power. I want to see him finish strong, though. I do. It would make me feel better if 18 games left,

if they could win 11 of those games. If they could maybe knock the Braves out of the division and give it to the Nets. You know what I mean? Like, spoiler, take out the Rockies. So, I don't know. But I'm just looking for a strong finish. Yeah, me too. So we're looking for a

strong finish, and we're looking for the leaked video of Gabe chokeslamming Odubel after Odubel screws up a play. And like, oh, he's got it. He's got the fire. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

No, he's going to drag him out by his braids. He misjudged another one. You're coming out. I do think it's interesting that you do have Roman Quinn there. So there's going to be a lot of talk of trading Odubel in the offseason. I'd rather hang on to him and keep him with Roman Quinn so you can use both guys because both have showed that they're flawed for injuries and for Oduble reasons. But it's going to be a fun hot stove this year.

Well, that's what's exciting. And that's what I was alluding to before and kind of, you know, I think that this team has always been gearing up for 2019. And we've talked about it a ton that it seemed like even klentak and the organization was almost caught you know flat-footed with this season and that's the way they approach it i don't think anyone thought the team was going to play as well over the first two-thirds of the season as they did and i think it you know kind of changed their approach at a moment, but I think that ultimately, and it was shown by what we talked about with the fact that,

yeah, they made a play for Machado, but you know, they, they didn't really want to give up anything of value of the future for something for this season. And I think that's because they've always been gearing up for 2019 and beyond and really 2019 with those marquee names. I mean, again, and obviously a trout trade would be, you know, ideal, but at the same time that requires another team to want to do it and agree to do it. And then a whole lot of other factors. What we know is that Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are going to be free agents. A hundred percent. As soon as the season ends. And those two guys as free agents are almost unprecedented. I mean, they might be two of the best free agents,

if not the two best free agents prospects in the history of baseball guys who are 26 years old, who have the amount of major league experience and pedigree that these guys have already have like as top 10 players in the sport with the upside to be the best especially in harper's case other than trout um that you know guys like this don't come on the free agent market often if ever so i think that look john middletondleton, as you said, Middleton wants to win. Middleton doesn't want empty ballparks. Middleton has the money. This team, forgetting just that John Middleton has the money, and at least from everything we've heard and the impression we've

gotten, has no problem spending it to win. But the team from an organizational, you know, roster construction standpoint has the money to spend. You know, they've set this up where, as we've talked about a ton of time, Arrieta, Santana, and,

and Oduble are the only guys on who have a contract past this season. And Oduble's is insanely cheap, even if he's a platoon guy. So, um, so like where are you like heading into this kind of hot stove offseason, there's fun stuff. We're going to keep talking about the rest of the games.

Obviously, we are going to watch him and root for a strong finish. But how do you feel about the organization as a whole right now? Again, going back to our premise that we started this pod with, the premise of is this season a success or has the way they have crumbled towards the end. And the guys they've done it with really soured you that you're not as

excited heading into the off season. Where are you from that perspective right now, from looking at this team into the off season? I think once I, once I kind of get over the collapse right here, it doesn't make me feel like that this team, I mean, is this team one player away? Are they a Bryce Harper away? Yeah, if they pitch the way they pitched for the first half of two-thirds of the season, sure. But I don't think you can count on that again.

The great thing is they have money. And it's Ken McClintock and company. Pick the right players. Make the right trades. Do the right signings. the great thing is they have money and it's, uh, Ken McClintock and company, uh, pick the right players, make the right trades, make, do the right signings. You don't want to blow all this money. And then if trout becomes available,

now you're, you're, you can't do it. I mean, I, I wonder if, if, um,

if Carlos Santana will be on the market to an American league club, this, uh, this off season, if Reese Hoskins in left field was, I thought it was a great idea. Ultimately, maybe it wasn't. I, you know, field, I thought it was a great idea. Ultimately, maybe it wasn't. I had answers to these questions a month ago, and I felt strongly about them.

And now I don't feel so strongly. I don't feel like that Hoskins is necessarily the best place for him is left field. And it's going to have to work itself out. They have money, they have, you know, they have a good situation here being that they have a nice place to play and they have a lot of room to grow with a lot of money. I'm excited for this offseason because there'll be players, there'll be big players. And the way that the Nationals handled the trade deadline with Bryce Harper tells me there's a pretty damn good shot that they're not going and matching at all odds. They're not putting out the 10-year, half-a-billion-dollar contract. So maybe if you are the Phillies, you can sneak in with an eight-year for, God, there's $300 million or something,

but that there's a good chance that Bryce Harper does come here. And that would make me really excited. Dude, we talked about it. You and I both agree we'd rather have Harper than Machado. And, man, I want Bryce Harper here. He would be one of those guys who this city would love. And I know right now we hate him, but once he's here and once he's doing the things he does

and the intensity and the passion and how badly that dude wants to win, we will love that here. That's what Chase Utley was. He's a Chase Utley type. He is, man. He's a Chase Utley with a little bit more personality. Sorry, Chase. Yeah, a lot more personality.

I was trying to be nice, John. I was trying to be nice. Chase Utley's still the man. But yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you. And again, I think they're going to be nice, John. I was trying to be nice. Jay's at least still the man. But yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you. And again, I think they're going to be players too. I think it's going to be a really fun, really fun offseason. And again, as I said, I have staked my claim there since last offseason.

I think they get one of those guys. So, Johnny, of course, we'll be back Sunday, Monday, beginning of next week to talk about the weekend and all that good stuff and continue to, as we say, have high hopes about this team and hope they can finish out the season strong. But any final thoughts before we get out of here? The Phillies had a successful minor league season with a lot of their prospects, including some pitching prospects that kind of came out of not nowhere, but I don't think they made leaps and bounds. So we'll talk about that a lot during the offseason. But there is a lot of promise down there.

It's not in position players. It's in pitching. So if you think that there's your next Mike Trout in the minors, I haven't seen him yet. It's not that he's not there, but they do have some really, really good young players. And it's going to be an exciting build here, and it's going to start next season.

So we'll see what happens. Rate and review the podcast. We appreciate any time you take to do that kind of stuff. And my final thought will be, as John kind of alluded to before, high hopes. Let's hope they finish out strong. And either way, I do think this season is a success and that ultimately we'll look back on it as the beginning of something fun.

So that'll do it for us for this episode of High Hopes. We'll be back this weekend for this episode of High Hopes. We'll be back this weekend for Marks, for Fritz. I'm Seltzer. We'll talk to you guys later. See you. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen. We have a question.

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