High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Luis Robert Conundrum

Episode Date: June 14, 2024

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies series loss and Boston and discuss what they would give up in a trade for White Sox outfielder Luis Robert. Presented by Miller Lite. 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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or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes! On the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94 WIP. The crowd was singing High Hopes. Smiling through a broken nose. Oh, High Hopes. High Hopes. I feel a little less alone.

Yo, it is another edition of the I am spot gas sponsored by Miller light official sponsor of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taste like Miller time. Philadelphia celebrate responsibly. Fritzy coming in after losing two and three. We are back, buddy. This is High Hopes Podcasting at its best. How you doing, bro?

Because we want to know why it's High Hopes at its best. Yeah. We got to calm everyone down. That's right. We got to be steady. Because people are freaking out, obviously. Yeah. A lot of calls of people just losing their minds going, it's all over.

We are much like turtles. This is not the analogy I was expecting. Slow and steady. I got choked up. I was so impressed by the turtle. Slow and steady wins the race. I was wondering what the turtle analogy was. I noticed hiding in our

shells, I was thinking maybe or something. You don't have a British accent. I don't. That's disappointing. You didn't see me quick enough. I had it, but I lost it already because I'm back for a few days. But yes, I was thinking maybe or something. You don't have a British accent. I don't. That's disappointing. Well, so it's just you didn't see me quick enough. I had it, but I lost it already. Right. I'm back for a few days. But yes, I was coming back like, hello, everyone.

I know, dude. I feel like we have not done a High Hopes podcast in a month. It's been forever. It's actually been a month. Even halfway across the world. I know. I'm gallivanting. It's my fault.

You know, not exactly halfway, but, you know. Across the pond, as I like to say. So how did that term come about? Because, again, I don't want to break news to a lot of people. Not a pond. Not even close. No, it's a great question. Ponds are smaller than lakes. Yeah, you would think across the ocean.

It would be a normal thing to say. The Atlantic, however you want to put it. I blame the British on that one. That's a good call by you. They made it seem small. They made it seem smaller than it is. But it feels like. Because the whole British Empire thing, you know, sun never sets on it and all that.

Joke. Jake. Jake. It's just a joke. It's good to have you back. Bunch of nitwit. Thanks, man. I did miss you.

We really, I wanted to pod. We couldn't make it work. Having a five-year-old on a trip. Takes time. And being six hours ahead. And being six hours ahead. The timing didn't work, but we're back so the beautiful thing we don't just have to talk about Fenway we can talk about London as well London was amazing though

it really not obviously we'll talk about it and stuff but the experience but honestly you know just as as the nerds that we are like the baseball nerdiness that I felt being there. A just seeing baseball in a different country, you know, outside of Canada. I've, I've been to Toronto and Montreal back when that existed, but like seeing it, that doesn't count.

Canada doesn't count. It is not a different. Exactly. So being in a whole nother country, thank you. Being in Europe to watch a game in a soccer stadium, the whole thing was super neat. Like you'll appreciate this.

I said this to Mike Angelina. He was the only person on the trip who appreciated it as well. But how about the nerdiness of seeing two teams play in the same stadium on back-to-back days and one's the home team each day? What a nerdy baseball thing. I loved it. I heard you say that. I'm too on a baseball nerd.

I didn't feel that. No. I didn't feel that at all. I took it too far he's emoting my daughter i get to like you know my dad like that the reason i love it the single thing i did most of my father was go to baseball that's what we did together you know we used to take baseball trips our summers were let's go to different stadiums and stuff. So like to get to take my daughter on a baseball trip like that,

it was awesome. Made it 18 innings, two full games for my five and a half year old daughter. What a stud, like straight stud action. I'm sorry. It was very impressive. Yeah, that's good. Yeah. No.

So it was, it was awesome. We can get into it. I just kind of envision you kind of just walking around London, just like, you know, like a little bit of extra pep in your step. Oh buddy. Did I around like, Oh my God, is that like,

yeah. Oh, big man. Oh my God. I knew big man. Yeah. That was absolutely. Especially,

especially because you didn't have to do your show till 11. Let me tell you, buddy, we got a well rested seltzer. What a joy it was. Let me tell you, getting a well rested seltzer. You don't want to complain about something like that.

You would never. It's not in your DNA. You're head down. I did feel so rested. The Friday show, I slept like a bunch before. I woke up at 8 o'clock. I'm like, this is awesome. I didn't know that I've been functioning at like half my ability for this all time.

And no one noticed. Yeah, see? That's a bad thing, I think. I can't tell if I've been functioning at like half my ability for this all the time. And no one noticed. Yeah, see? I don't know. That's a bad thing, I think. I can't tell if that's good or bad. Keep it right there. That's right. Keep it right there.

If nothing else, I'm consistent, Jack. Yeah. Yeah. I would say that this podcast is just very us. Like a turtle. Slow and steady wins the race. And don't change. Don't change.

At all. Ever. Yeah. sloven said he wins the race and don't change don't change at all ever yeah so but yeah no i definitely was playing up the whole i'm super not jealous i'm super like they didn't want to go anyway and then i saw you guys all over there i was like damn it really really it was the conversation yeah yeah i mean i haven't talked to cole since i was 15 and i stalked him around Giant, the supermarket. We know the story.

It's a great story. So I probably would have liked to bring that up. But yeah, I was super jealous. I'm glad you guys had a fun time. The baseball was pretty good. Pretty good. The turf was a trope. What a disaster.

I mean, Bryson South probably gets that ball in that faded inning in the ninth, the Alvarado inning. He probably gets that. It's probably a double play on a normal track. I mean, the way the ball would hit the ground, just take off. It was nuts. Again, that looked like the vet. That looked like all the old nasty turf stadiums.

Yeah, which the Bryce slide was a little like, you know, maybe be a little careful with the knees. Well, if he did that on the vet, he's not playing anymore. No, no, he's out for the year. Career might as well have been over if he did that on the vet. So he's lucky that it definitely had a little bit more give to it. Yeah, yeah. No, but it was neat.

And, you know, like the whole pageantry was really cool. I thought that the, you know, ceremonial double play was neat. Like all the, you know, accoutrement, so to speak, was awesome. You know, that. Way too big of a word for this podcast. All the. Accoutrement? Yeah.

You really did go to London for two days. You think you're smarter than us. You really do. You think you went to a higher level of learning. learning you know you hate to see someone change so quickly by going to a different country accoutrement like i've never used that what no um all the little like extra things like that like the having the taxi for the home runs with the the sparklers to try and imitate like the bell or the apple like doing their own thing like just all the little additions that yeah you're having all the mascots

there it was fun i thought london i thought they did a great job of making it feel big exactly and when they were when they lost the game i was like mad and i looked at the record i was like they're fine i had the exact same reaction it was someone said it was funny because it felt like it was like almost like a playoff type atmosphere i know exactly no yeah i was definitely like it had a heightened sense of of a lot of people watching this is big the thing that i just was i thought was insane and you didn't feel this obviously because you were over there what baseball has done so much right in the last like two years with the pitch clock and and and really i think getting the sport out there and that stuff and and it's great why would you as schedule makers have dodgers yankees on the same weekend as the london series so that the pre-game

show by the way for fox was not there and i gotta see a rod and jeter and poppy walking through monument park yeah like that's a disaster it's a disaster yeah it's crazy it's a disaster i mean it's just it's bad planning like what are we doing here what are we doing here yeah that that's a a big miss and even the broadcast like so i obviously didn't see the broadcast i michael k that's what i i heard every like the biggest thing I heard from people who weren't there was the broadcast was horrible. It was like nonstop. We were getting calls on the show on Monday.

We were like, the broadcast was terrible. Like people really hated the broad and Michael K. So yeah. Yeah. Like, are you serious? Well, the bigger, the bigger problem. And again, it was, it it was he couldn't pronounce names. I heard that.

Like, is he a major league broadcaster? Like, what are we doing here? The way he said Schwarber. So he would say Schwaber, basically. No. I cringed every time. This guy's been calling games for 30 years or whatever. I'm well aware.

And they said cast the Ianos, which is brutal. So you're basically saying a WIP caller was calling. A hundred percent. Would you want that? Does anyone want that? Castellanos. Castellanos.

So, Saturday was fine. Adam Amin was okay. I just, I guess I expected Joe Davis and I was a little disappointed. As you should have. Like,

of course. Here's my other thing. Here's my other thing. ESPN. I'm going to program disappointed. As you should have. Like, of course. Here's my other thing. Here's my other thing. ESPN. I'm going to program your channel. This actually, he might not want to do it. But if it's not going to be the Sunday Night Baseball crew, can I just get Joe Buck?

Dude, yes. Like, seriously. And you know what? I miss Joe Buck calling baseball. Desperately. And you know what? Joe Buck misses calling baseball. I don't even need to talk miss Joe Buck calling baseball. Desperately. And you know what? Joe Buck misses calling baseball. I don't even need to talk to Joe Buck to know.

He actually was cool. He did a Cardinals game. I'm sure. Because he misses it. That's his first love. Let's be honest. His dad freaking called games his whole life. Joe Buck is a baseballman.

He calls football games with Troy Aikman. He is a baseballman. Joe Buck should be calling big baseball games. The fact the World Series isn't true. And I like Joe Davis. He's very good. baseball man he calls football games with troy acheman he is a baseball man like joe buck should be calling big baseball games the fact the world series isn't true and i like joe davis he's very good but like it just and honestly it's kind of you feel it even with football like the fact that espn brought those two guys in it makes monday night football feel big again and it didn't it didn't know like joe buck feels big and when it's big baseball games, like it can't be K it's such a good call by you, dude.

It's such a call. Yeah. I just, again, I'm not a huge complaint about the broadcasters guy, but man, like the fact that they, they survived 2022,

the Cardinal series with having K on the call was, was big. And then, and then the London games like, man, just dreadful. Yeah. That's too bad because I think everything else,

they really, they really nailed it. Besides the ninth inning and going bad because i think everything else they really they really nailed it besides the ninth inning and going to soto everything else well yeah i was talking about that yeah i mean whoo yeah i had that the soda theory well especially the so so it uh the only thing i could think of and let's see if it jives with your theory because i've obviously thought about this a lot because i every single person we were sitting with was how is it not strong like it was so clearly the spot to bring in matt strom and they went to commercial after right after so they went to commercial break

i'm like perfect that is they're gonna go to strom he's gonna get out of this they come back from commercial break and i'm like why is yes everyone alive is thinking the same thing the only thing i can think of is is the weird trip and trying to get so to work like trying to get him but it even then like it's just a crazy decision. What's your theory? So this is a theory that my good friend Robert Orr and I were. Oh, look at you just name dropping. We were.

We were. Shout out to Robert Orr. Does a great job concocting together. So the Jose Ruiz decision the other night actually made me think about this as well, because that probably in a playoff game in a bigger spot, that's airk herring sir anthony and in the in the game i agree yes on tuesday night with chris sanchez yep that should be a kirk herring or sir anthony spot he goes jose ruiz i like jose ruiz we know that yeah we all do i don't think he's earned high leverage spots yet he definitely hasn't so between that and and between that and the Soto decision on Sunday,

the thing that I'm thinking about is we know this team believes in load management. We know this team believes in phantom ILs or they gave Strom like a week and a half off in early April, even though there's obvious strong spots because I think they want to make sure these guys are good for October.

I think they are starting to prioritize October over winning baseball games now. My theory is they're going to shut Alvarado down for a little bit. Which probably could use. Wouldn't be the worst thing. They might shut some of the ready relievers down or at least get Hoffman a blow at some point.

They need to see how Soto handles a high lever spot. They need to see how Jose Ruiz would handle a high-leverage spot because if they shut those guys down for any extended period of time, they're going to be the ones in those spots. So Thompson's trying to develop a feel for how to use those guys. It's a much better theory than anything else. It's one of them.

And that's the point. It does make sense. Again, I think with that game itself, I would have prioritized just putting your best out there for the world. Yeah. For London and stuff. But I think overall as a theory, like I want them to do that.

Right. I mean, like you want to win the division. That's important. We're there, but you do have a nine game lead right now and you are playing great baseball and you have great starting pitching. So I do think that it is smart to start to think about

looking ahead but you know it's just in the moment it's incredibly frustrating when it falls apart because of it and you can you can't play a fire look we know seven with 17 left is you know insane but it happened we watched the phillies come back from seven games back with 17. We watched the Braves chase down the Mets. Yes. Two years ago. It's a great point. They were way behind. I mean, we all know 64 and the whole thing.

I am fine with this, but be careful playing with a little bit of fires. Totally. And I agree with you. I don't think they're going to go out of their way to blow this. Agreed. And they don't want to lose games. But I think that this is the value of Rob Thompson from the standpoint of always steady. Like, doesn't panic.

I think there's a... Even the JT thing. Even the JT injury. When it first happened, I was borderline inconsolable. Like, he's got a knee injury. He's going to, he's going to be out for how long could this be? Could this affect the rest of the season?

The second I heard Dave Dombrowski say, we've planned this for about a, a little bit. Now we're planning to do it at this time. Like the way that so much better, the way that he just was like, so calm and, and perfectly even keel about how much they plan this out.

I really think that they are operating on a different level of... Organizationally. Right. And what really... Brian Kaplan is the pitching coordinator guy. It's him. It's Cotham. And they are developing the plan for this whole thing.

It's exactly what they did in 22. They shut Sir Anthony down for a little little bit they shot alvarado they shot wheeler they shot ranger and i think that more than anything they do value getting these guys time off so they're not running them into the ground into october and i think they they value that kind of stuff so it's the only thing because again this the soda one on sunday was egregious and especially because he went right too Strom anyway. I know. Which I would say is infuriating. So what was the point?

So I just, that's the theory. That's the theory. Like Rob Thompson is not a dumb guy. There's usually a method behind their method. And even with this point, like, yes, it was incredibly frustrating. And if Strom comes in, they probably just win the game easily. But they still did have a lead with Jose Alvarado in the ninth inning. We still got to the point.

So my point being that they can do this stuff and still find ways to win baseball games. That time, Jose let them down, which is rare. Yeah, and there has been, I mean, obviously, we take a lot of calls on stuff. Has there been a lot of closer stuff? The Jose Alvarado is now a question mark. They need a lockdown closer thing.

I heard you guys talking about it today. We had a caller bring up how they... It was Drew and Westchester, right? It was Drew and Westchester, yeah. And then I was like, no, I want to bat. I don't feel the big... If you want to go get a lockdown closer, knock yourself out.

We will not fight on it, because if you can have... I mean, think about it. If you put a lockdown closer at the end, you've got Alvarado and Strom for those situations. And then obviously Hoffman and Kerkering and Sir Anthony hasn't given a run since April. Honestly. Tanner Scott.

Wouldn't hate it, buddy. Dude is nasty. If you can go from Soto to Tanner Scott as your. It's a game changer. It changes everything. I mean, then all of a sudden you have three of the, you of the 15 best lefty relievers in the sport. Again, I'm not anti-reliever at all. Getting a lockdown, guys, is

nice. It's just so almost a luxury. It's a luxury. The bullpen is locked down. They have a bigger need. They have a much bigger need. It's a bat. A right-handed bat, preferably. Yeah, exactly.

I did this whole thing on on monday monday's afternoon show where i was like oh nice that's good yeah no big deal to me didn't do it on the midday show did not do it on the midday show and i do believe it i do believe it the way you said that was like i don't worry i actually believe what i'm saying it's's good to know. Sometimes. Life's a bit. Life is a bit. Life is a bit. But I do believe they need to be cautious about the chemistry of the team and not just going and getting some big name just to get a big name

and possibly ruin it. I don't think they'd ruin what they have here, but there's been a lot of, well, let's go get Pete Alonzo or go get this. Yeah, enough. Price is your first baseman. For a long time. The guy is your... He's going to start the all-star game

there. Relax. I agree. Hey, fantasy football owners. The road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. I'm Matt Harmon from Reception Perception. Join me and James Coe as we take a deep dive into the position that's going to make or break your fantasy roster. Wide receivers. We analyze route running, target share, and all the metrics that matter, giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers.

As you prep for your draft, let us give you the coverage you need. Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. So, but man, like dude, last night's lineup. Yeah. It was like 21 Phillies. It was unbelievable. I mean, it was like, whoa, look at that.

I read off the lineup the last time Rafael Marchand was in a game and like Brad Miller was the four-hole hitter and bamboo brad baby dude you know the you know who the third baseman was so this would have been 2021 i was gonna say 21 2021 wow that is we hated the september dude yeah and that was like the you know three in a row or whatever four in a row yeah yeah i guess 22 yeah it was four in a row because 18 was really that for even though we never really thought they were great well dude that was the colorado series they were in it in that september yeah i think the 18 colorado series is the reason why we are both dalman yes because he hit four home runs in four games yeah so all

right so 2021 september who would have been playing third base for them oh god drew ellis no that drew else was last year i thought he yeah drew else was way too far back i'm thinking of someone else who is it give it to me freddie galvis freddie galvis i forgot he came back in 21 yeah i totally forgot that he came yeah how about that galvis was the was the starting third else was only last year man i thought you know it wasn't two years ago drew Drew Ellis. Drew Ellis was last year. How? Because they broke out 35.

Time is flying by, buddy. It's all condensed. So they broke out. Again, I've been long on the 35 thing, which drives me nuts. Yes. Because they keep giving it to Straub. It's so dumb.

It went Oscar Mercado. Yeah. Then Ellis. And then it went Drew Ellis. And now. Well, David Dahl's earned it. What is that? Dahlvin. Okay. So this Oscar Mercado. Yeah, then Ellis. And then it went Drew Ellis. Well, David Dahls earned it. What is that? So, okay. So this is the lineup

the last time Rafael Marchand appeared in the game. Oduble in center. Wow. Segura at second. Bryce at in right. JT was batting fourth. Brad Miller at first. McCutcheon left. DeeDee at short. Wow. Freddie at third base. So they did an opener. Bunch of Phillies legends there. They did a bullpen game that day. Pre-DH. It says pre-Dee hit short. Freddie at third base. So they did an opener. Just a bunch of Phillies legends there.

They did a bullpen game that day. Oh, it was pre-DH. It was pre-DH. Nice. So the starting pitcher that day was Sam Coonrod. Remember Sammy? They went Bailey Falter after that. Cam Bedrosian. Wow. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, son of an

all-time great Philly Cy Young winner. Matt Moore, Ramon Rosso, Eniel De Los Angeles. Ramon Rosso. And J.D. Hammer. Eniel, the only one of those is actually in the career. Eniel's not bad. He's pretty good. Not bad.

He's been all right. Not bad. So, yeah. What a lineup that was. Which is a better lineup? That lineup? It might be that than last night's. I mean, last night's lineup was.

Was atrocious. Awful. Yeah yeah it was bad it was bad and and also last night i texted you this but not 2018 fenway nola level yeah i i do there's again there i think there's a couple things one the one thing i don't buy at all the one thing I don't buy at all, the one thing I don't buy at all is the Stubbs catcher. Stubbs is a good defensive catcher. And Nola's had a great start with Stubbs already this year. 1.24 ERA

pitching Stubbs this year. Yeah, multiple. That's what I thought. He's basically been his personal catcher for a month. That's what I thought. He's put a few starts in there. So I don't buy the Stubbs thing. And by the way, Wheeler was dominant on Monday with Stub in there. So I don't buy the subs thing. And by the way, like Wheeler was dominant on, on Monday with subs catching. So I don't buy that at all. I do buy the London thing. I do buy the time off.

Me too. Especially for Nola who, who had the extra days. Cause he pitched that first start. Not that, you know, rest hurts him, but that is a, you know, what a week plus before you pitch again, that can, can mess with your whole rotation with your whole like he's habitual and all that type of stuff. I mean he clearly looked off like Nola stuff and Sanchez. Yeah, they both

did. Yeah, Wheeler is the only one who didn't and at least Wheeler is pitching close enough to his rest where he wasn't as far off as the other guys. Plus he's a cyborg man. Wheeler's exactly you can't you can't compare Zach the best pitcher in baseball to everyone else. Well, I think what I like, one of the things I like the most about this team

is it seems like they take injuries personally. And that's what Monday felt like with JT going down. Schwarber hit the two home runs. Like, we're not losing the first game without JT. And Wheeler's like, I got this. Yeah. Now, the next two nights were obviously frustrating. But I just, I think the London thing and having the extra extra time off if it happens next start for both of those guys maybe it's more

of a concern we also have seen sanchez do this so sanchez sanchez it felt like just it's he's had like three of those this year at the end of april that's what sanchez and look nola it felt like the first start of the season it's that and that and that's it yeah oh yeah you know one five three well the shame of it is is and look i don't know if three starters we're gonna make it anyway but but last night aaron nola lost his all stars probably probably three almost definitely right it is what it is like you never know but like zach wheeler and ranger suarez are lock city to be in the all-star game they will absolutely i mean you never know what can happen over the next couple weeks but like they're gonna be especially because like exactly yeah it's

true hey we'll get to that zach wheeler will start the all-star game like that's gonna happen he deserves it he's been the best pitcher in the national league i mean other than ranger um and that the cubs guy but even then you know he's struggled a little bit there's still he's still in c's tuesday one, has been really good. No, no, no, no, no, no. You got another name for him? I got another. Well, how about Renato Lopez?

He's been great. Dude, he's got a year under, too. Yeah, but he's... God, Renato... But you know how. Zach Wheeler will start the All-Star. For the pageantry, and like... And he's earned it.

He's earned it. Totally. I think this whole year has actually been a... I think there's been a push for the for the Zach Wheeler Cy Young thing. Yeah. Like they never, they never budged off of him being the favorite for Cy Young, even when Ranger was the one,

even when Shota was under one. And look, Ranger, like if you just want to go strict, like if you put blind resume next to each other, Ranger still has a better blind resume right this second. If you just look at wins and ERA and all the stuff that they care about for the Cy Young, Zach Wheeler is the best pitcher in baseball.

Flat out. Interesting that Ranger has the highest war on the team. Does he? Yeah. Wow. I mean, it's surprising though. I mean, again, Ranger's been unbelievable. Dude, I think Emundo is the second highest position player. Sadly, that's not surprising either. Love him. He's...

We're starting to see the... That we expected. You can't... There's a reason Emundo Sosa is who he is. We love Emundo. Love him, but you can't there's a reason and mundo sosa is who he is we love it love him but he can't play every single day and be a 900 obs guy like really and look trey coming back finally it feels like it's been forever they held water they did all right with that trey but they did that is a big thing you know that in terms of people are getting a little nervous which i don't you know we know, we're joking around. I don't, I've not really talked to many people who are nervous, you know,

the JT injury and this, and I can find people being that the lack of hitting the last few games, but like, well, what trade coming back should, should at least raise some people's spirit. What has your, what has your antenna up the most?

I don't think anyone's panicking, but I think we can all look at the team and say, like, what has your antenna? Like what's kind of sticking out to you antenna wise so i am not at all concerned about the pitching i'm not concerned about the nolan uh sanchez starts like i think they'll be fine i'm not concerned about alvarado it's the thing we talked about it's that i do think that and especially look it's not that hard to flash

back to game six and seven last year and what is the reason the phillies lost that series i mean outside of you know some bad managerial decisions and having craig kim And what is the reason the Phillies lost that series? I mean, outside of, you know, some bad managerial decisions and having Craig Kimbrell on the roster, they lost because they couldn't hit the bats went cold. And you look at it and you look at Castellanos who's actually hitting pretty well right now, but in the two hole Castellanos in the cleanup bowl every other night, and you look at the lineup and I say that it, and again, I think they can win with this lineup. I don't think they have to trade for a bat, but I look at the lineup and my antenna is up saying like, I think this is a very streaky group of guys and my antenna up to the point

you've made all year. And it, at the end of the day, when my, all I'm really thinking about is what's going to kill us in October, right? Like they're nine games up. I'm not super concerned about the here and now, but, but when I think about October and I look at this lineup and the streakiness of it, and some guys slumping in this and that, that's where my antenna is, is, is do they have enough, enough bats to go up against? You look at the Dodgers. If you take so sad, it was not qualified and Turner's not qualified. Dodgers have five guys who have an OPS hired in

anyone on this team, but Bryce Harper, their first five hitters, all five of them, including Tay Oscar have a higher OPS than anyone on the Phillies outside of Harper, Trey, and so is a train. So is it, you know, not qualified in that like you're good. And I know the Dodgers choke and all that, but like they got some bats, man. And if you're going to go up against a lineup that starts out with Mookie show and Freddie Freeman, and then the best hitting catcher in baseball sorry is Will Smith like that my antenna is up on on looking ahead and saying I need to score wrong but what are the vibes with the Dodgers probably pretty bad a fraud watch on the Dodgers so it is funny that you brought up the top of the Dodgers lineup.

You know who struck out all three last night in a scoreless outing? Oh. Should we bring him home at the deadline? Oh, who was it? David Robertson? No. Would you say he's the elixir? I know.

I have no idea. He's actually been good for them. It's unbelievable. David Robertson has been pitching in Major League Baseball for my entire life. It's unbelievable. He has been around forever. He was a Philly twice.

David Robertson was a Philly twice. It's crazy. It is crazy. I couldn't stand him. I know. Me too. By the way, do you remember like do you remember andrew bailey as a philly vaguely i was so excited i remember that he was a philly because i remember talking about it and all that but i mean did he pitch in many games i don't think so i don't know yeah i think he's 14 like that team was annoying

it was like burnett yeah and him and yeah a bunch of kids there's like oh yeah i used to like you guys yeah michael young i was i'm around michael young and his number retired by the rangers i think i could be wrong but i think he might have he did right he was awful awful i was so excited i was like we gotta we got a pro hold on hold on slap the baseball around you know who kind of compares to him Me too. I was like, we got a pro. We got a guy who's going to be on. Hold on. Hold on. Slap the baseball around.

You know who kind of compares to him? Is it Whitmerryville? Because that was my exact thought. Yes. Although. Yes. Hold on. Two hits last night. Big London series.

The biggest moment of his career in London. For sure. He walked a couple times. Screw. With heat up. Insane at the moment. With heat up. Insane every month. With heat up, that would be pretty sweet, man. Could you get it going a little bit?

Please just be the guy that we signed. Yeah, or even 80% of the guy we signed, that would be pretty sweet. Yeah, so I think the bat thing is definitely fair. And the thing that I've been now obsessing over, because he's hitting 221s May 1st, is Boehm in the four hole yeah well i'm boom is yeah believe it or not under 800 ops he's at 797 this morning damn i mean he

was at what like 1100 he was on pace for 17 home runs and 145 he was on pace to lead the league in doubles and rbi yeah and now he's fifth in rbis in baseball second in the nl still which kind of speaks to how hot he was totally it's just i've seen that spot like of all the things that have sunk them in the postseason in the last few years no doubt it's the four spot yep casting on us in 22 they didn't move they didn't move and it sunk them he had like two hits that mattered it It was the ball that hit off the bag in game four and game three. And then he had the big hit in game one

of the Astros series. And then it was Boehm last year, who I know he had the home run in game seven. And it's funny. But let's remember what we were all saying. We were livid that he was in that spot because he was a mess you know what's funny is that he did hit over 300 in that series did he really that is unbelievable didn't feel it at all it must have been the first two games also they put up 10 runs in game two and he hit one late in that game i

think he hit a double in the 10 10 nothing game small sample size we'll go with on that one they need a they need a cleanup there so but there's no one like so all right so let's let's flush this out because we've talked about taylor ward and that is a name where like you want to get this fan base excited but you know what taylor ward could come in and be a better option in the cleanup hole than you know i love yeah but again he's not like a classic orator i mean do you advocate because you talked about now i've seen the chemistry all have you're gonna bring in a big bad it's a guy who's gonna play every day someone's gonna be sitting someone's gonna you know brandon mars this or that whatever you're gonna do like someone's gonna play less i know whoever it is

someone who's a part of this culture i know um it's tough yeah so like what how do you how do you balance that it's i mean the name is robert i mean it's louis robert he's robert yeah and that means you're on roos see ya see ya i just i'm so like i've you know me i'm usually a convictions man you are we usually big time until i until people yell not a convicted man no convicted man. No. A convictions man. Different thing. Very important clarification. Thank you for clearing that up. You're welcome. I appreciate that. But, you know, until someone yells at me, I'm usually pretty convicted. I feel

so conflicted about Luis Robert because on one hand, it's three and a half years of service time. He is a super, super talent. There's no drop-off. He's a phenomenal defensive center fielder we know that the home runs the power is legit his last i did i've watched so outside of the village he had some some tanks you said home run last night i saw your tweet of the home run

you know did you know it looked like it looked like braun it did he liked it just a laser out of the ballpark like seattle's a hard place to hit a home run out of. And it is the deepest part of the park. I will say though, real quick, did you see the White Sox tweet of it? Which my vaulted take I'm feeling great about. I'll just show it to you. This was the White Sox tweet of the Luis Rivera home run. Robert.

Robert. I do that. Damn it. I know. We just said Robert. The software we used to clip highlights is down, but Luis Robert's in here.

Nice. It's just a picture because there's software. The White Sox are on fire as an organization right now. By the way, how funny is that? MLB tweeted it out.

Just take it from MLB. How funny is that? This is the White Sox are an organization, which honestly is the only thing that gives me, because like you're talking about the profile of Luis Robert, three and a half years left, what this guy has already done to me. I mean, he has had some big years in Major League Baseball.

But it was really just last year. Just last year. And a couple years ago, wasn't he good the year they went to playoffs? 2020, I think he was good. 2021, the one good year with LaRusso, wherever they went to playoffs, is that? White Sox made the playoffs? Yes. Tony LaRusso.

You sure? I'm almost positive. We can let Tucker. There would be. Tucker, get on that. I'm almost positive. Lord of that. Yeah, they were really good the one year.

They had like 95 wins or something a couple years ago. I can't remember. Maybe it was four years ago, whatever it was. 2019. Yeah, they lost the ALDS. See? Thank you. Come at me, bro. Come at me, bro. I'm not coming at 2019. Yeah. They lost the LDS. So you see, thank you. Come at me, bro.

Come at me. I'm not coming at you. I'm joking. I'm joking. I'm joking. Either way, either way, someone with his profile,

his age, what he's already put on, you know, his resume, like that someone you're trading in your painter to get, do you know what I mean? Whereas the only hope that I have for a potential Louise Robert trade is that you're trading with a moronic organization

and you're trying to take advantage of that. Maybe you don't have to give up what you would if you were trading with the Guardians or another team who's a smart new run team. Again, and that's why I'm so conflicted because I do see the upside. I see the talent. I see the home runs. Again, he had a home run last night, 415 feet that barely got off

the ground. It was unbelievable. It was a laser. His last five hits have only been home runs. I see the home runs. Again, he had a home run last night, 415 feet that barely got off the ground. It was unbelievable. It was a laser. His last five hits have only been home runs. I've watched now, outside of the Phillies, all I watch is White Sox games, which is excruciating. That must be tough. Did the crochet thing, did you see that? Did you see the stat, though?

He threw one off sweet pitch. He had one run innings or whatever. He threw like 74 two seamers or four seamers or whatever. He threw one off speed pitch. Really? He had seven one-run innings or whatever. He threw like 74 two-seamers or four-seamers or whatever. He threw like 30 cutters, and he threw one changeup. That's pretty wild, man. That's amazing. I wonder who's – whoever gets him is getting – they'll probably trade him at the deadline.

If the Yankees get him. That's the other problem with baseball right now is that it feels like Dodgers – Winners and losers. Exactly. That's what I was going to say. If you're not going to make a big move, guess what? The Dodgers are. The Dodgers just spent $8 trillion this offseason.

They have not won a World Series except for the Bobo 2021. They are willing to do what it takes to win right now. And the other problem for the Phillies, the Dodgers, I totally agree with you, but the Yankees are also all in. And they feel like, by the way, Soto, he could walk. I don't think he's going to walk. He's been awesome. But they view this as, and Cole's not even back yet.

And he's coming back. Exactly. Yeah. And then look, I don't know that they would do it because of how they're running and all that, but the Orioles have all the prospects on the planet to trade and they could go for it too they went got corbin burns this offseason like and they're a smart team too so wouldn't shock me if they went out and actually did something like they're the team i think that gets mason miller if he's actually available it would they're the only one with the firepower to be able to afford to like get that and they are

experiencing greg gimbrell yep yep so like that is the hole on their team. You look at it like we're talking about. Should the Phillies get a closer like they need to close? Well, because man, I feel like I love me too. He's awesome. He's not back till next year. So two of the biggest teams in the sport are in urine. I think Seattle could use and DePoto will do.

He is like King Trader. Exactly. Not a traitor as like, tr a d e r not i a t r so it's an arms race i mean whether you like it or not it's a total arms race right now and like louis robert has a chance to like really put you over the top it could backfire 100 because the injuries are real he's missed a ton of time, does not walk. And the back thing at that age is scary.

It sunk them in the postseason not being able to walk and striking out a lot. So you're adding like a younger, now the power is more legit, but Cassiano is exactly, dude. So I mean, I was thinking it's like a,

such a good con for, for the type of the way he goes about his hitting. He's got more power, like a real power, but he's a real four-hole hitter. And if you can put Boehm down, you put JT down, you put Stott down. Changes the whole complexion

of the lineup. It's just massive. Because the injuries have been part of it, but the bottom half of the lineup doesn't strike fear into opponents. And Spike has made this point a lot about the bottom of the lineup. And on paper, yeah, I agree with you. But for some, like, one guy

in the night seems like steps up from the bottom of the lineup. And look, we trust that. We know Marsh against Arady. We trust that guy. Like, there are guys who we feel we, watching this team, trust in those spots. Dolvin. But to the point being, like, if we're talking about, you know, like, we just mentioned the top five of the Dodgers lineup.

Like, then they got Max Muncy coming back. And they got guys. Like, if they add another, you know, like we just mentioned the top five, the Dodgers lamp, like then they got Max Muncy coming back and they got guys like if they add another bat or something like, you know, and look, you don't look. We again, they beat the Braves last year at the best line we've seen in 100 years or whatever it was, you know, this Braves lineup. Not great. Not as good. It's a difference. Yeah.

Losing 40 whatever homers and 70 stolen bases. Not been ideal for them. And Olsen's been brutal and Riley and all those guys. I really hate that. I'm so sad for them. Really just beating up about it. Yeah, we all are. Just beating up.

You know, a baseball fan, you're going to be bummed about that. I really feel like the next month and a half, the only thing that matters is the trade deadline. I feel like I'm more locked in on trade deadline stuff than the day-to-day. I know. Because to the point we made earlier, again, the division's not over, but they're up nine games right now. And to the point we keep making,

the Braves are good. They're not great right now. They're just not close to a great team right now. Before Wednesday night, I think that they were 16 of their last 25 games. They scored three runs or less, and they were 9-16 in those games. Look, this was a wild stat. Rhea mentioned this on the morning show. I almost couldn't believe it.

That when they lost prior to winning last night, they had lost their fifth straight game when they lost the Orioles. The first time in seven years, the Braves lost five straight games. Oh, that's sick. Isn't that like unbelievable?

She said that. I was like, no way, man. Well, and the other thing with the Braves, not to turn this into a Braves conversation, I do not remember. Now, they did. So they picked third and fifth in back-to-back

years with Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright. When were the Braves ever that bad? It's a great point. How did Freeman still have to be there? Acuna wasn't there yet. I don't remember that. Who the hell was on those brick streets? I don't remember that. Maybe Old McCann, I guess, had to be there because I think it was 16 and 17.

They picked third and fifth. You know what it was? It's because the Phillies were so bad. We're just kind of checked out on it. The rest of the league, you're not paying as much attention to what's happening. The Mets had to win the division in 15 because they went to the World Series. We're just kind of like checked out on it. The rest of the league, you're not paying as much attention to what's happening. Obviously, the Mets had to win the division in 15 because they went to the World Series. They went to the World Series.

And did the Nats win it in 16? That's when the Nats run. Yeah, because the Nats made the playoffs a few years there with Harper. 2017 does not feel that long ago. It's really long ago. I know. I know.

It's almost seven years ago. It's crazy. That's like your credit would be expunged. You know, the seven-year thing where you could just start over yeah so i again i just i feel so older than my daughter seven years i feel like she's been around forever i know but i really do i feel conflicted about louis robert because i know it's probably gonna cost painter and i probably like i love andrew where are you oh hold on all right hold on i can't believe we're doing this right now. Go ahead. Go ahead.

Yeah. You'd give him up. I'd be okay with it. Wow. I'd be okay with it. I'm not saying I'd be happy about it. I would do everything in my power. Okay.

Put it this way. I'd do everything in my power not to put Painter and Miller on the table. I'm not trading in Aiden Miller for Luis Robert. He asked me about Kyle Tucker. Dude. I know. I know. Give me Kyle Tucker.

I know. I'm sorry. You have to yeah you have to enjoy i mean like assuming he's healthy he's out right now like assuming kyle tucker is healthy and good to go like top five player in the sport i don't think they're really trading on i don't i don't think there's any chance they're trading like that's a guy you build exactly yeah so i don't think kyle tucker's really available by the way it was off to a freaking banger start to the season i know i know i actually wish there was a. I wish they had a fit for Bregman.

Yeah. Dude, Big Hits has been there. They don't really have a spot for him. He's aged pretty well, actually. He's probably going to walk at the end of the year. Unless they know Bregman's walking, they know... I don't know. Maybe that's how they trade Kyle Tucker. I don't think they really are.

We'll see. If I could do... By the way, people like George Clawson has more value than Mick Abel. Like obviously people keep doing the whole like 100%. I know Clawson's been great this year,

but you really think he has leapfrogged him? Yes. Because he is not in the prospect rank. Clawson's moving up, but I mean, Abel is still higher in most of those prospect ranks. Listen, public rank, I'm telling you, they don't they just love it the closet has more value i think mercado has more value i think wow so able has fallen off that much i got i just don't think that he can be in the deal i just i don't think that i think he's value other pitchers more if i had to guess like even though you want to go down to like gene cabrera, Mavis Graves, um, the,

well, look, they have other dudes. I mean, Kaba, they've got, uh, and, and of course,

uh, Crawford, like those are pieces that people are interested. If you can do, and I wouldn't want to get George Clawson, but you have to, but if you can, if you can do a deal of Crawford,

Kaba, Clawson as like the three headliners and keep Miller and painter. Those are all top 100 guys now. So like, there's all, or I guess it's Clawson been put in the top. It's not yet, but you're saying he is,

he should be. Yeah, he should be. And I think by like by the, cause Crawford's been in a lot of those Kaba recently got put in the top. So like those are, those are, those are names,

you know? Yeah. So I just look, you might be able to say to the white Sox, Hey, just look at baseball America. Just go off that. They'll be able to figure it out.

And they'll be like, yeah, they'll be like, Oh, look at this. He says he's up 44. Make able to say to the white socks hey just look at baseball america just go off that they'll be and figure it out and they'll be like yeah they'll be like oh look at this he says he's up 44 mcgable let's take him yeah so i would do everything in my power not to do it but i think it pushed both i think you have to do it so you would trade andrew painter for louise robert because i think you have to right i mean so i i am all in on winning the world series right now i am fine doing i just don't know that for Robert, like I,

like I am sure there's enough concern with me, with the back, with the, you know, club, not that I know anything about Robert. I'm just saying like bringing in someone huge like that with the culture and the clubhouse and taking a job and all like,

like there are enough little things that make me nervous to give up the, the, you know, best pitching prospect you've had. So I hear that, but also they got four studs in the rotation well i think the and not just i think the best argument is something you bring up a lot is is how much we trust the infrastructure now it's that i believe that that they will be able to draft guys and turn that maybe not into andrew painter obviously but turn i mean andrew payne is what the 15th 14th

16th pick in the draft something like that i mean like there's 14 right so the point is like oh look aiden miller who were obsessed with was 27th or whatever so like like they can i i have such a a faith in in our guys you know in in barber and mattingly and this crew of guys there where and and caplan and and caught them in the whole kind of system that they have for developing guys and and and drafting them in the first place and you know uh uh evaluating them there that I think that is the best argument for being willing to trade Painter is that for the first time like hey we can we can redo this we can create these guys but still it's such a it is a big risk to trade the future of Andrew Painter for a guy who does have some flats.

Yeah. And the other thing is, unless they don't want to pay Ranger, which I do think they want to pay Ranger. I think you have to. I think you have to. So you have Wheeler, Nola, Ranger, Sanchez, one through four. Really good. Painter, obviously, hopefully is the fifth starter. Again, the upside of that pitching staff is ridiculous.

And I still, Andrew Painter, I still think is the i don't know top a top three pitching prospect in baseball especially with the idea of of the like the kind of staggering the ages is nice too because as wheeler and nola kind of age you've got painter coming in potentially is that new ace and stuff it jives it's just again he's he's 26 and him and plus i think imagine louis robert you mean painters obviously but imagine you're imagine you're louis robert right and first off you have to wake up in the worst organization in the sport you have to walk into whatever stupid white socks park is it's cellular field i don't know it's not comiskey anymore i I do think it's us cellular. I think you're right.

Okay. It's a brutal ballpark. It's huge. It is a hard, I've been there. It is about as, as crappy. And I was there 25 years ago and it was, it was a crappy ballpark.

Nice. It can't have gotten any better. You get in front of citizens bank park, get energized by a playoff run. You play center field. You know, Jilio brought this up off the air when we were talking about it. Like, he has some Cespedes.

Like, where, like, Cespedes struck out. He didn't really walk much, but he went crazy in 2015 and carried that team to a World Series. Yeah, big moments. And, and, Dave Dombrowski traded for Cespedes once before. He did, you're right. I forgot about that. So there's, there's the Cespedes idea before. He did. You're right. I forgot about that. 18, yeah. So there's the Cespedes idea that he kind of reminds me of.

And then power-wise, he's a better player. But like Soler. Sure. I mean, Soler in 21 won World Series MVP. So we're just doing Cuban comparison. No, but like... I'm kidding. Like the kind of hitter they are with the the light tower power that no i'm with you

no it does i i get it it makes sense yeah so i just man it's so again it's enticing i feel so conflicted i really do like i don't i do not have a strong take it's one of those things where i'll be happy if it happens and i'll be okay if it doesn't but then but then my problem is okay goes the dodgers what is louis robert doing sure well they have to do. The point is, if it's not Luis Robert, it's something else. Maybe it's someone we're not talking about. Maybe it's Kyle Tucker. Maybe it's whatever. But the point is, I agree with you that this team is too good.

This window is too important and too clearly right here, right now to not do everything you can to maximize you. Well, but what about getting rob reff snyder or tyler o'neill did you see that home run that's tyler o'neill that was a that was a you want to talk about a tank shot i mean that got over the monster like that it was whoa dude that was like out might have been the most that was that was also my uh i can go to bed now moment which was very very nice for me you were good i was watching i was like okay thanks tyler bedtime luckily emily was like i'll

stay up and if they come back i'll wake you up and i was like you're my freaking hero honey but yeah when tyler hit that ball i was like good night bed to bedtime for me yep yep yeah he he i would be in on tyler o'neill ref sder. There's obviously a lot of names out there that are not Luis Roberts. You would not have to go up the farm for Taylor Ward, one of those guys. We'll see. A lot of podcasts before the trade deadline.

That is fun, though. I know we've had the last couple trade deadlines, but we talked about this. We did our perfect deadline, which I can't wait for. By the way, we've just been proven right year after year on these deadlines. both we talked about this like we did our perfect deadline which can't wait for but you know in and by the way we've just been proven right year after year on these deadlines like if they had traded for juan soto last year they probably win the world series and if they had one soda this year they're definitely winning the world series i'm just saying um but just you know throwing that

out there um but um we knew the last couple years we didn't we did the perfect deadlines but we even said it. We're like, I don't expect them to go crazy. Like, I don't expect them to be really, truly in on the biggest names, no matter what people say. This year I do. I'm not saying I expect them to definitely go crazy, but I expect them to be in on this stuff. I expect Dave to seriously consider making these types of moves, which I don't think he really was last. Well, and yeah, I mean, those teams were hovering

around 500. So it's not like there wasn't this inspiring I know what this team's going to be. So, I mean, really, first time since 11. You know, 11, obviously, they got Pence. You know, obviously, 9, 10, 11. All those years. I remember it was so fun following

the Halliday or Lee thing in 09. It was unbelievable. I think it's going Lee thing in 09. It was unbelievable. I think it's going to be, it's going to be a fun deadline. And I agree. And I, I, people are gonna be more in on like following these guys and, and seeing who they want versus who they don't want.

So yeah, it's going to be, it's going to be awesome. Yeah. All right. Uh, take back in a sec. Shout out to our Miller light account of the week,

the trap tavern, which, uh, you know, we may find our way to later in the season. More on that later. But today's show sponsored by Miller Lite and the Trap Tavern. The Trap Tavern is your Saturday headquarters for all Phil's games with $3.50.

Miller Lite pints along with their famous prime rib sandwiches. Miller Lite's for Phil's wins. Celebrate responsibly. Fritzy, let's take back it up. Okay. A lot of things to get into. A lot of things to get into a lot of things to get into i got to it late but you know what i was just really enjoying this is great yeah you know what sometimes it's a long pod lots i i would guess from what we hear people don't hate it when

it's that long sure so you know everyone's yelling at they're like shut up are you in or are you out on mechanical adjustments i want it couldn't be more i mean let's put it this way the funniest most unexpected moment you know the entire london trip was us actually being upset that taiwan walker was pulled from that game that the game went downhill when and then granted he's put up in strong but like taiwan was awesome he paint in the corners now granted you know i've seen a little on tv since but i because i wanted to check it out but i wasn't you know i couldn't see the strikes i know perfectly well from where i was but he looked really good and like that it looked like he was in control obviously six shutout i guess he might have had one of those i guess the first run we credited him but But I was really impressed.

Like, look, I'm not like, oh, he's fine. But we love a good mechanical adjustment on this podcast. And I thought he looked really good. Yeah, he did look good. He did look good. He had some confidence. Yeah, I mean, he kind of gave Rob a little crap when he came out to get him. A little turn.

Did he like any tweets after the game? By the way, RIP that, right? Oh, right. He can't see anymore. a little crap when he came out to get him a little turn it was like did he like any tweets after the game anyone anyone r.i.p that right all right like that anymore taiwan is definitely the the person out there being like thank you for doing this elon i really appreciate you that whole thing would have never happened so many tweets now no we would have never known we could don't let the pills loose the postseason because taiwan's going to be a liking tweet, buddy. Retweet Armageddon. It's going to be Taiwan's like Armageddon. Yes.

Oh, that's awesome. That's awesome. Good for Taiwan. So, again, had he gone six shutout, I feel like Londoners were prepared to say that's the best pitcher I've ever seen. That is the best pitcher I've ever seen in my entire life, Taiwan Walker.

Because no one pitches well over there. No, he was the best pitcher. It was so funny. So Adam Wainwright did the game on Saturday. Because no one pitches well over there. No, he was the best pitcher. It was so funny. Adam Wainwright did the game on Saturday. He got shelled last year in London. And AJ Brzezinski was like, did you even get out of the second inning? It was good work by Brzezinski.

Yeah, that's good. He's not bad, Brzezinski. Yeah, he's fine. He's fine. He's fine. The thing that has me most excited about this team right now and i've done like solo pods about this i talked about on the final out but i have to talk about here the the kirk ring sir anthony developments have been buddy just beyond i don't care about kirk ring last

night whatever it was yeah but kirk ring has been disgusting and students ran out of bases loaded one out the other night hey you know what again this has been the year of you getting some wins here. You know, the Turnbull thing, Dahlman, which, you know, group win. But still, like you said, like right away in May, like beginning of May, you're like, I'm just telling you, Seranthi looks better. And he's not given up a run since. So you know what? Credit.

I'm glad you brought that up. I would never bring that up. You're not one to do that. But permission to go back into the Sir Anthony safe space. Yeah. Because I got another one. Because it's been a pretty good safe space. So yeah.

So I don't want to say this on the air. Don't want to tweet it out. But, and I will not trust this guy. I don't think once. But last night, I think saw caleb cotham in uh uh throw out or at least have gregory soto on the chris sanchez reduce your velocity add movement he was at 97 last night but his sinker was actually sinking to get off the barrel. Just monitor. Oh,

you're putting yourself out here with this. And I really appreciate that. Cause don't tweet this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Just monitor Gregory Soto going from a hundred to 97, but adding movement as a possible way to get hitters off the barrel. I mean,

look, this stuff is there. It's always been there. Exactly, exactly. And we've seen them do this with pitchers where they go from, okay, so there's two ideologies with pitching. It's like throw harder, throw it by guys. But when you throw a little bit softer,

you traditionally get more movement on pitchers. Yeah, and change of speed matters. We know that. And they've done this with... Unless you're Garrett Crochet. Sure. They've done this with a lot of pitchers on the staff where they've said, okay, throw a little bit softer, make Unless you're Garrett Crochet. They've done this with a lot of pitchers on the staff where they've said,

throw a little bit softer, make sure you're commanding stuff, and then we'll work the velocity back into it. I think they might have tried that with Gregory Soto. Last night was a good start. I think he went one and a third scoreless. He was pretty good on Monday? Yeah. I think the key is when you're working on this, he needs

to be in the leverage spots. He can't come into a 3-0 game with a runner. Which is what they did with Sir Anthony. Exactly. That's exactly what they did. Sir Anthony was disgusting on Tuesday. It was good to see. Yeah, dude, he was good in London. He's been good.

Sir Anthony, again, it's one of those things. It's funny when someone has kind of struggled for so long compared to what they used to be. It's hard to just snap back to being like, oh, it's Sir Anthony again. He really has looked like Sir Anthony again. It's just hard to fully get there. Yep.

This is a nerdy thing. You did your nerdy thing in London. I did. It didn't land as much as I hoped it would. In baseball? You didn't like my home team different days. Yeah. What a unique baseball thing. Come on. I appreciate that. Whatever camera angle they were using in Boston, I need that all the time.

Oh, it's so good. It was an awesome angle. Awesome angle. Yeah, I know. It's like almost you're like right in there. Like, it allowed us to actually see what these guys' pitches look like. Yeah. No, it's phenomenal.

Phenomenal. It's a great catch by you because a lot of times you're like over a shoulder or it was a great angle maybe and it's probably because of the park itself they're so old and there's you know spots for that but yeah but like because i was watching wheeler and i was like did they add this did they add horizontal movement to a slider thing or look like that and i was like no it's just the camera angle it's a really good point by you need that camera angle yeah that's my my nerdy thing. I always think David Dahl is going to hit a home run. The way he swings, he's got such a pretty swing, man.

I really am with you, man. I love the guy. And so he's over four last night, whatever. I think he has played well enough to where they would consider keeping him up here when Marsh comes back. But I think it's interesting. It's just a roster gymnastics thing with the Pache. Wait, wasn't he just up for the

taxi squad thing? No, he hit a pinch hit spot last night. Oh, he's still here. See, I went to bed. So, I think it's interesting. Last night, Marsh was in Reading. He went three for five. Three for five. By the way, after the game, he's talking to Jake Starr, who is the Reading announcer, Rustin Kidd.

Of course. Go Knights. Go Golden Knights. But, dude, dude, I couldn't stop laughing because Brandon Marsh was like, listen, give credit to those guys over there. That's a good team. How do you know that's a good team?

What are you talking about? I did see a funny tweet where i didn't credit whoever it was but it was like uh like uh we should do this in all walks of life for like people who are struggling or whatever like send them down to the minors like how cool was to see brandon marsh and miley like if you're like struggling as a lawyer you should have to go like debate like high school kids for a week or whatever like it was such a funny idea i was like that's so clever i love it because it is a weird thing that you know you're seeing like a major league baseball player just play for a game or two in a minor league like it is it's a unique part of the game you know but the idea of like hey gotta get rid of those guys it's a really

funny what are you breaking down i know baseball like name one player on the other team he's like he's like that's a big win for us what are you talking about that is great that is really strong work he was dead serious it's a pro right it was awesome yeah that is awesome but the next i guess the next two nights they're playing him in center field and i think that's especially because he's coming off an injury like do you really want him running around like center field they run more than the other outfield spots so it's analysis i don't think that's not cause he's coming off an injury. Like, do you really want him running around? Like they run more than the other outfield spots. So it's analysis. I don't think that's not nothing because maybe they're thinking, okay,

Marsh comes up first to the righty. They can go Marsh center, Dawn left, keep doll up here and kind of go from there. But it's also, it could be a trade deadline thing where they could go get a, a lefty bat or a left fielder left fielder, hopefully a righty bat,

you know, God forbid we get a righty with some power. fielder left fielder hopefully a righty bat you know god forbid we get a righty with some power but um i just think i think it's notable he's playing center field like getting him reps there so that maybe trade deadline go get a big bat that could play left field and marsh is your more primary center fielder which he has not been this year yeah i think it's an interesting thing and if nothing else i think it's important to keep getting MRAPs there because of the versatility, because who knows who you're trading for. Like, again, if they trade for Taylor Ward, guess what? Brandon Marsh is going to be playing center field more.

So I do think it's important to keep that active. By the way, real quick, I was just thinking about it. You have ruined. I don't know if it's ruined or enhanced, however you want to look at it, but I can't watch a play where the pitcher covers first without thinking of you now. Every single time. They're always there.

They always get there. I think of you every time. So if that was your intent, to make me think of you every single time I see that, you have won. It's one of the little things where it's like, how can you not be romantic about baseball? It's all I think about.

Every time a pitcher goes to cover, I'm like, Fritz. Even like, I don't know, Billy Hamilton's at the plate. And you have Cologne on the mound. He's beating Billy Hamilton at first base somehow, every time. A really fun little observation

that has embedded itself in my brain. I feel bad for Spencer Turnbull. He was so good. He is on a one-year, $2 million deal. They keep going so deep into games that he can't get out there. The whole thing was like,

we'll pitch him for three innings at a time. He's like, guess not. Give him an inning here. They haven't blown anyone out. He can't get in. Listen, I'm chalking up his last game to Russ. He hasn't pitched since May. He's pitching really well. He's got good stuff.

I think he's done enough to where another team is going to take a look at him this offseason. Without a doubt. He has made himself money with the first month of the season that he had. Without a doubt. Yeah. Some rebuild it. Now, the Royals are good, but they signed Seth Lugo. Which was a great signing.

Which was a great signing. He's been awesome. No, you're right. And some, I could see him having a Seth Lugo type of career where, where it's like this, you know, turns into something who's a really valuable player for it.

Yeah, for sure. I am rooting for the Celtics. I'm glad that they are going to win the final. No, that I, you want to know why? I need to know. I mean, that's a clip, that audio,

and play it for the next hundred years type of comment there. Yes, go ahead. Rooting for the Celtics. I'm glad they're going to win. Do you want to know what happened the last time the Celtics won the title? Bills won the title.

Oh, wait. Okay. You landed the plane, buddy. Thank you. You landed the... Something he could never do. I was ready to jump all over you there. You landed the plane, buddy. Thank you. You landed the... Something he could never do. I was ready to jump all over you there. You know what?

I don't know if I could say I'm rooting for the Celtics, but I'll say... Okay. The silver lining in the Celtics winning the championship. By the way... Kyrie not winning is fine, too. It's annoying and all that, so... Almost said the Celtics won in 1980.

They did not. They did not. That was the Lakers. That was the Lakers. They played, didn't they? They did. The Sixers played there. Oh, but how about...

I guess it wouldn't... Well, I was just going to say Celtics-Lakers. So we really needed Celtics-Lakers in the finals is what we really needed there. That's probably not going to happen. No, never again. The Lakers seem the finals is what we really needed. Yeah, that's probably not going to happen. Oh, never again. The Lakers seem like a colossal.

You don't think JJ Reddick's going to really carry the franchise. Yeah. Yeah. And then two final things. Obviously the Duran thing happened last night on the three, one counts. Oh, yeah.

Actually, I'm happy you brought this up because I do want your official stance, whether it is change it all. Cause I think a lot of people, it's starting to turn. Oh, it, yeah, yeah. Actually, I'm happy you brought this up because I do want your official stance, whether it is change it all, because I think a lot of people are starting to turn. Oh, it's happening. Robot umps are gaining momentum, buddy. So two things. One, I think people are letting Aaron Nola off the hook a little too much for that.

No doubt. Nola's bad. And also, man up and keep pitching well. He fell apart after that. This is a 3-1 count. Yeah, it wouldn't have gotten out of the inning. He still apart after that. This was a 3-1 count. Yeah, it wouldn't have gotten out of the inning. He still had to make another pitch on a 3-2 count to get out of it. So it's not like it was a two-strike miss.

But he fell apart. So it went single, home run, single, single, and then he was out. And tank shot home run. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolute bomb. So, absolutely. I don't want Robodom anywhere near, absolutely, absolutely. I just, I don't want Robotoms anywhere near Major League Baseball.

I just hate them. I hate, I want, I'm okay with human error. I'm happy. I'm okay with them getting wrong sometimes. I have turned to Robotoms, but I'm not like a, I'm like 51-49. I really don't feel super strongly about it. But what I will say is like,

if you're not like, I just need consistency. Like, I don't care if you call a pitch that is a strike, a ball, if you call it a ball every time, like, well, that umpire was brutal.

He was horrible. Like honestly, in the first inning, it was happening. It was happening from the jump of the game. Like he was like, no one, a very similar pitch in the first inning.

It was clearly a strike. Like I just, it's frustrating. That's all. Umpires are frustrating. It's fun to yell at umpires. I don't need the, everything that's like all the human thing, or it's being taken out.

Like I know getting yelling at an umpire is a tradition as old as time. And we had a caller say this on the air and he is right. And it's true. If they got rid of that box, it would be very good. That's have get rid of the box get rid of the box i don't know why it's more it's better to watch with that like it just looks better i there you'll every once in a while get a national game or whatever with the we'll take the box away or not national like you'll watch um there are certain teams that don't always use the box on the national broadcast or at least maybe it's just because it's a glitch when i'm watching or ever but every once in a while the box will go away for some reason because of glitch or

just that it's like oh yeah i recognize this this is what i watch my whole life i love it yeah i wish there was an option to get it off just get it off i agree i agree with you they should have that technology's got to be at that point where we can choose the the box option or the non-box i know well and the other thing and this is like nerdy pitching stuff but like sometimes pitchers don't deserve strikes sometimes you get to earn the corner what a take i love that that was nerdy pitching stuff that was that was inside miss your spot inside baseball baseball right there miss your spot by by four feet i i agree with you so yeah no i agree with you i i do that actually is a really good point. When a guy's set up inside, you hit the upper left-hand corner.

No, no, no, no. That's not me. No, no, no, no, no. That's dumb luck, right? I agree. Big weekend. Massive. How about Father's Day?

We get Wheeler Burns, dude. Are you kidding? Honestly, I was like, I don't need anything else for Father's Day. This is the best Father's Day present I could get is Wheeler Burns. As long as they win. But I just, this weekend, I want to see how, I want to see them go toe-to-toe with the Orioles. I know they're depleted.

I know Turner, probably back Saturday. I thought Monday, you think it's going to be Saturday? I thought they'd bring him back for the homestand. No, I think he might be activated this week. Wow, I mean, that'd be great. He ran, Tom said yesterday he ran at 100%. I saw that, but we'll see. I hope he's out there.

I know they're down some players and i get that but like just just go down and and you don't have to win the series the rules are really good we get that but like i want i don't i don't need the pitching staff getting bludgeoned and i'd like to see them win the series they have ranger they have ranger and wheeler going two of the three games like and what more can you ask for? Adjustment time. Exactly. So, yeah. So, no, I, I'm with you.

This is a, this is a really fun, I mean, Orioles Phillies is always just a fun thing. So we know that a bunch of Phillies fans are going to go down and the park's

going to be full and it's like, and it's Camden yards and the whole part of it is fun. But like, I mean, where they're both this good,

it's, that's unique. We don't get that very often. It's pretty cool. Would you rather Phil's Yankees or Phil's Orioles for the World Series? Phil's Orioles. Well, I'd rather play the Yankees.

I think the Orioles are a better baseball team than the Yankees. Personally, I do. But you want revenge for 09. It feels bigger. I'd just be fond of it. And it feels bigger. Look from a from a baseball. I think it's better for baseball. I just I love this Orioles team. I think they be fond of it. And it'd be, it feels bigger. Look from a, from a baseball. I think it's better for baseball. I just, I love this Orioles team. I think they're fun to watch.

I think the way they go about their business is fun. I like a lot of dudes on the team. I have a few more fancy teams, all that kind of stuff. Although Jackson holiday is dead. And I just, you know, and he's been good since we're back in March. I just, uh, and I just like the idea that Orioles being good, like, you know, but you're right. You're right. If Phillies Yankees is a way, way better thing. Plus, plus I can just, I can just, I know I can get Yankees fans. I know I control them by saying I would take both Wheeler and Ranger in a playoff start over Garrett Cole.

Love it. Love it. They will lose their frigging mind. Garrett Cole is a loser. Wow. That is it. I like Garrett Cole. I just don't trust him in a big spot. He's really good, but to be fair, I don't trust AJ Inch to put him in in a big spot. It's probably a better way to put

it. Sure. Man, again, not to get ahead of ourselves. Would never do that. No. Would never do that. No, no, no. But yeah uh man i can't wait for this weekend i'm really excited for all the games like i it has a big game feel to it i hope trey comes back i hope to go down there and do their thing and and uh yeah just good times good time let me

talk their way through the little last two games feel pretty good feel pretty good all right uh we'll be back sunday monday one of those probably monday sunday depends on father's day stuff i guess but either way we'll be back to react Monday. One of those probably Sunday depends on father's day stuff, I guess, but either way, we'll be back to react to the biggest series of the season today. I think without a doubt, outside of, you know, the London thing,

I think this is clearly since week, since the opening three games of the season, pride is the best team they've faced. So it should be a lot of fun. And a chat to Tucker. Really? I think you did a great job today. No, I really do. I'm not kidding. I just was looking right at him. So I'm like, I'm uh, shout out to Tucker. Really? I think you did a great job today. Uh, no, I really do.

I'm not kidding. I just was looking right at him. So I'm like, I'm going to wrap it up. He's for it. Some seltzer. We'll see you next time.