High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Phillies Aren't Playing PSAC Baseball

Episode Date: April 16, 2026

The Philadelphia Phillies endured another ugly series loss this week, this time at the hands of the Chicago Cubs. The High Hopes podcast recaps all the struggles and tries to find anything positive they can from this 8-10 start. Presented by Miller Lite. To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com 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

Miller Light, the official beer partner of your Philadelphia Phillies, is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of WIP's High Hopes Pod. To whether you're listening to the game, catching off on the latest High Hopes Pod or at the ballpark. Remember, it tastes like Miller time, Phillies fans. Celebrate responsibly. BetMGM is an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League and has everything for the action on the ice.

Hockey fans in Canada can place live bets, create same game parlayes, take player props on their favorite skaters, and bet on the 2026. Stanley Cup champion, including if that team will be from Canada or the USA. BetMGM also has original bets, which are hockey markets you can't find anywhere else. And it's not just about what you can do on game day. The Betmgm app has improved its lineup this season to include instant withdrawals,

data insights, and a brand new rewards hub. Download the Betmgium app today and enjoy the NHL like never before. Betmgmgm.com for terms and conditions. 19 plus to wager. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact Connects Ontario at 1866-531-2,600 to speak to an advisor free of charge.

BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. This is the High Hope's podcast. Hi-hoop on the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94 WIP. I feel a little less along. Yo, it is another edition of the iOS podcast, sponsored by Miller Light, official partner of the Philadelphia, Phillies taste like Miller Time,

Philadelphia celebrate responsibly Fritzy. You okay. I think about you, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. You know, a night like last night, we're watching that drivel last night. I think about you and I worry about you.

And then you got frigate, Elliot text in the thread, dumb things about the Phillies, like little jokes that he thinks are funny. Well, you're dying over here. Mm-hmm. You're okay. Well, so they are fully back to totally ruining my night. I don't know how it couldn't ruin the nightline.

The Sixers won a playoff game and no one cared. Don't care. Don't care. And imagine having, like, imagine watching Dylan Morpitch and knowing you have to do a post game. Oh, I know, dude. So it's like,

who. Extra 45 minutes. I rarely say, because I'm not Elliott-Troparks. I know that 99.9% of things that happen on a baseball field I couldn't do. I could throw it 40 miles an hour at the plate. I could do that. I actually could do that. I agree.

But man, you know, every time, because I can feel, I could feel my blood pressure rising. Second time he's pitched this year, by now. That's not a good sign. 18-8. I know. Really bad sign. And at home makes even worse. You know, on the road, it's like, okay.

Whatever. Like whatever, yeah. Losing and getting just bludgeoned at home, that sucks. But yeah, you know, I, because I feel like I have matured in a lot of ways. Oh, I feel like I. We were just talking about how healthy you are and how like locked in you are and taking care of your body and stuff. Camel tea at night. Right.

You're a tea guy now. I know, I know. You're not drinking beer and now you're drinking tea. Yeah. Well, on the weekend. You're not saying you're not drinking beer anymore. I'm saying like you're substituting the late night beer for late night tea. Exactly right.

We just took our growth. Like, come on. That's a swap. That's a swap. I would never. I know. I know. We have talked about it on the air so I can talk about it here.

We do have a third kid coming. Ah, so it's officially we get. I mean, I knew this. We can talk about it. Hey, Mazel tov, congratulations. Sleep a thing of the past. Yes, as always. It's just like one thing that like, you know,

oh, I get kids like five. We're going to have another kid. You got two, three and under. Like you are. Well, yeah. Yeah. He's going to be over three. Yeah.

But he's like three. I'm saying three. He'll be under four. Yeah. I'm saying three or under, a three-year-old or under. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. That's. That's. And they're all 21 months apart. You are. Props to you. Listen, we're dad guys. We are bad guys.

It's all good. It's fun. The, but at the same time, you know, because now that it's lighter out, they don't love going to bed. Oh, trust me. I know all about that. What do you mean after getting to bed is light out? I know.

We've talked about this, dude. You got to go down. No, you're old enough to understand this now. Yeah. So, you know, about a, I'll come home. I mean, with the baby, it's worse because then the baby just doesn't know and you can't talk to him. It's like, oh, they're, their schedules all off. Now, when he or she is born, we will be in September.

So, you know. Oh, maybe a little September 25th. Maybe they can have a great birthday like, like, September 20th. September 20th is the due day. I like this. A little Libra up in the Virgo Libra line right there. Sounds like a little stubborn. I don't really know anything about this.

Sounds like. Are we going to have a little bit? intense kid. Oh, buddy. Just what you need. You think it's going to be another boy? Are you, I mean, you know, having no matter what, but would you like to have a girl? I think so, right? You try it out.

I think for, you try it out. That's a good way to describe. Check it out. See it. Yeah, what do you think? Yeah, I think for my, for personal growth, I would like to, I would like to have a girl. And it seems great. So obviously a boy would be fun.

Sure. You know, I mean, do you really need three boys running around that house? Let's talk about the roughhousing. Oh, well, it was so funny yesterday. I'm driving home. You know, Jill calls me on the ride home when she can, like, get her head above water for a minute, just, you know, see what my time is. And she goes, got to go walk, just dunk this head in the toilet. Great, great.

You got to love when they leave the phone. You're like, okay, so that's how I'm leaving. That's my conference. Okay. It's always, I get home pretty much the same time every day. And it's always, you got to get home as fast as possible. I'm like, I know. I'm coming. I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you. Try anything.

Yeah. Yeah. Walker Dunst has had the toilet and she just put toilet bowl cleaner in. So that was good. Anyway, um, yeah. So we're rooting, like having a girl would be great. Having a boy would be awesome. But, you know, so I get home. I usually catch like, because no shot they're going to sleep. So like, you know, I can watch like second and third inning. Then like eight o'clock, it's usually around the fourth inning. So I start driving around. And I, I noticed last night as I'm listening. driving around in terms of like to get them to sleep. Yeah. Oh, you still did. Wow, really. Yeah. Listen, their brains don't shut off. That is dumb.

They don't shut off. So he's always been pretty good about it. Not, not, not our house. Now now she'll push it. Like she wants to stay up late. But like when she's like, Zoe's one of those and this might surprise you because she's my kid, uh, like just goes until she stops when she stops, she fully stopped. It's like it's like a, like a either going full hard or she crashes. Yeah. So with Walker, it's like he will, he's brain cannot shut off on the way to calm them down. It's just driving themselves. It's a thing.

Like, people are walking around the neighbor. Like, that's a thing that happens. Yeah. Yeah. But I could see you've got to listen to the game. That's so funny. Go ahead.

I'm, I'm, well, I listen to it on the radio. I'm not putting the headphones. That's what I mean. You're sitting in the car with the radio. Oh,

yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And, and last night, I'm listening to Lazzardo, just getting blasted. Nine of his last 11 batters were hits,

which is horrible. And, you know, Walker is just, he could he's like why feel your energy yeah and then I like hit the steering wheel and he was like Daddy what's wrong

and I'm like everything I don't want to be mad in front of you because I'm not setting the right kind of example but oh my God can you just get out of this freaking innings you don't get lose your third home series of the year where you lost three all of last year which was a stunning stat

Richie said that in the morning show this morning I guess Franke said the game I say and hear him stunning. I had no idea. They only lost three last year home. It's amazing. They were money. Yeah.

There were money at home. And I mean, that's just stunning stats from last night. There's a lot of stunning stats from last night. Let me rattle off a couple of them. Five errors, this home stand alone. Which is honestly, it feels like more watching it.

Three happened to me in the game. They won 13 to 7. Should have been 13 to 2, but Seth Johnson stinks. Nine hits in his last 11 batters for Hayes Seth Johnson still pitch better than his Azardo. They're the highest opponent average in baseball, pitching-wise. So they're the highest average in baseball.

Third lowest, third worst round differential in the sport. Behind the white socks, right? Yeah, white socks. And I think the giants, yeah. And they, uh, the Braves who are coming in this weekend, 69 runs. The Braves, I think are like plus 30 something or 40 something. Like, there are 69 runs that separate the two teams and plus ones. And the Braves have some of the devil magic back down Smith.

is batting over 300 with an OPS over 1,000. And they just got like a, not funny. Yeah, yeah. Riley finally hit his first home run the other day. So very, and I think they're pitching staffs the best in baseball. Bryce Elder, who is horrible is having a great year.

I don't know, man. And 26 whiffs against Imanaga last night. Their highest is in 2021. So that's not a good stat. The second Dylan Moore outing. I can get this to, I was going to do it later, but since we're doing all the bad stats.

Yeah, currently going on with the team. I mean, that's the right approach, I think. Yep. Lizardo stats. I don't know if you saw my tweet this morning. No, I know his ZRA is 794. That's all I know.

So opponents are hitting 467 with an OPS over 1,300 when they swing first pitch against Lazardo. Wow. His fastball. Real quick, that's like like literally gets that. That's like the best player on a high school team playing against like crappy high school players does that. Like what the hell?

Fastball right now. Four seamer hitters are hitting three. 348 against it. The sinker hitters are hitting 375 against it. With runners on, just runners on, we'll get to runners in the scoring position, but runners on base, teams are hitting 441 with an OPS over 1,200.

And with runners in scoring position specifically, they are hitting 500 with a slugging percentage over a thousand, with a 1,500 OPS. I didn't know a slugging percentage, one above 1,000. And that's including a dynamite start in Colorado, too. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yikes. And he's the end up the game. He's not tipping pitches. I disagree. I guess he has to be doing something because, well, I don't know what's going on. I think teams are kind of ambushing him right now. And they're not letting him get the two strikes because when he gets the two strikes, it's kind of over. He's got enough pitches to get you out. So they're trying to jump them. And his command has not been good enough at all. I mean, there was times last night where, again, he was missing a spot by a foot.

So I just, I personally believe it's just tinkering with, with usage with, with some of that stuff. I'm not like overly concerned about Lazzardo, but this also kind of was what he was in Miami where he looks the part, looks the part, looks apart, looks apart. And then boom. And it just kind of blows up. And he had a couple of them last year. I guess I guess I keep going back to like, he's had moments like this last year. The Toronto thing and the start before. The Brewers game, the Red Sox game.

and he he ironed it out. And it's not like we're seeing a stuff decline. I mean, the stuff looks fine. And he, there'll be stretches where he's mowing him down and then it just falls apart. Yeah, I know,

I know. So just finding that consistency is really, really important for him. But my goodness, I mean, last night was jarring. It was awful. It was awful.

And look, I, like, he stayed out for a while. Like, I don't, I saw a lot of people being like, why are you leaving him out there.

Like, shorten the pen. Yeah, I was okay with it. Like, but man, it's, here's and this is one of my fears coming into the year and we'll get to more you know

how about the stat of uh did you know that alec boe has a higher on base percentage and slugging percentage interesting hard to do you know he's sitting 059 against basketball dude he's dude he is a he ready for this he has a 217 on base and a 210 slugging hard to do hard to do um but with those are and and it losarthing is more like representative of my concerns overall and the idea of like they didn't do enough this off season we both agreed on we both felt the same way about the off season but that you know not only is are you not doing enough in the off season but you're also expecting guys to repeat what they did last year and it's not likely for a lot of guys and who's stepping up who's getting

better is the problem you know because like to expect lazare do he last year is isn't smart like it's unlike like you can expect him to have a good year but like i'm not saying isn't smart that's not he should he should he should be better than what he is right of course he should be still but my point is like you shouldn't you don't you don't expect to me quite as good as He was like Sanchez. Like I, you shouldn't expect him to definitely be second inside young. And it'll be really good.

Schwaburber, you shouldn't expect to be second in MVP. He'll be really good. My point is like they had elite, elite top of the blind seasons. Like, it's a lot of guys where it's like, even if they get back to me like a good player,

but not quite as great as they were the year before. And then other people don't step up like. So here's my fear. And here's what I, here's what I felt watching the game last night. And, you know, I think a lot of people have gotten here.

But, you know, my fear and you kind of touch. shine there is I kept watching them. I'm like, we talk about 23 a lot. Like that was the year. And I understand. They were closer because it was game six and seven at home and the Rangers

in the World Series. You could have won the World Series. And I understand that. But maybe for this core, this team, last year was the year. Like last year, you had the batting title champ. You had a second MVP, second and Cy Young, seventh in Sy Young. You had Duran at the

deadline, who was on pace to say like 60 some games. The Bader energy was real. You felt the Bader energy. They need some kind of spark right now. And I know Harrison Bates has been horrible in San Fran. He was great here. He was great here.

He added a level of without a doubt. Excitement. Yeah, without a doubt. That they needed. And they had all of that. And it just sucks that they faced the Dodgers in the first round. And Bader got hurt and Crawford got hurt.

And Wheeler got hurt before that and stuff. You know, it really didn't. Yeah. Wheeler was banged up. Rojas was banged up so they couldn't have a fast pinch hitter or pinch runner to go for Cassiano's in the ninth against the Dodgers in game two. And I just have this fear that they did it one year too long. And I'm fine re-signing Schwerber and J.T. I get it. But it's everything else. It's the team chemistry here. Because what it looks like right now is just a stale base. ball team. Like they just look stale. They look sloppy. There's bad base running. There's bad fundamentals. I mean, this is the stuff that gets a manager fire. Totally. So that's where I was going to go. That's, that's exactly where I was going to go. It's just, it just is what it is. And,

and when you don't look ready to go, and he talked the other night about the fundamentals and how, you know, we got to work on, he said, like, relays and stuff. And man, in my, in my, I was, it was one of two things. My one side of, you know, these guys are big leaguers kind of thing. They should know where they're supposed to be and what they're supposed to do on a relay play. Right. And then my fan annoyed side is you guys are just in Florida for six weeks.

Yeah, what that would be doing? Just like, you know what? And here's my thing with Rob Thompson is you've got to make it uncomfortable for these guys sometimes. And if they turn their back on you, then you don't have the right horses in the clubhouse. Like, I want them to be,

embarrassed. I want them to have to go take in-field outfield like it's Little League their next game. I want them working on a ball to right field and the right-centered field gap. I want to work on relays and make it, I want them to dumb it down as simple as possible so they feel embarrassed. I want them doing base running. These guys don't work on base running. How many times do I have to watch a Phillies pitcher get a ball back to them where they cannot throw the ball to second base? they cannot do that. And maybe what Straum was talking about, PFPs is not optional PFPs.

Maybe Matt Strom was on to something, dude. Not optional PFPs. Make them mandatory PFPs. Yeah, maybe he was on to something. And listen, PFPs were not going to change Kirkering in that moment. No, no, I don't think that was it, but it's more, all this other stuff we see.

It's the wheel play. It's all these things that we talk about this team, it's the stupidity that they play baseball with. So I know. Every, dude, the first thing you learn when you start playing baseball, Like at least the first thing my dad taught me, and I feel like one of the first things you learn is when you're in the field, whatever you're doing,

know exactly what you're going to do if the ball is hit you're right. Know exactly where you go with the ball. Know what you're supposed to do in every situation. Be freaking prepared. You're standing there doing nothing except waiting for the ball to come to you. Be freaking ready. And I just, like, I know that his whole thing and his whole message is,

we're good. This is a good ball club, back of the baseball card. And I do believe behind the scenes, he's having different conversations than what he presents publicly. I fundamentally believe that. But I just want them to feel it a little bit. And if Rob Thompson feels like he can't do that because players are going to say,

that's not how you've been your entire time here. Like this isn't how it goes here. Then maybe you weed some guys of that out of the clubhouse because it's ridiculous. And they've been doing this for three or four. They've never been a fundamentally sound baseball team. Never. Never.

And what's so annoying is there like the worst defensive team? team in the sport and they shouldn't be. I mean, JT's a good defensive player. Bryce is a good defensive player. Stock a defensive player. It's not average, like, analytic wise. It's like the second best defensive baseball. Second best defensive second baseman in baseball. He looks like, I mean, it looks great. Sure. But, you know, his, again, his,

his floor to be a, a good baseball player is so low because of what he does running and, and he just can't hit. Anyway, you know, Trey, I think is fine defensively, but he's had some lapses this year. Boom. He had an error in game one. But they have enough good defenders. They should not be the worst defense. Mars is a great left fielder.

Yeah. I just, I want them to, they're not going to do it. So we're wasting our breath. Oh, there's a zero. There's a zero percent. Rob does this. Zero percent chance.

But I just want them to feel embarrassed. I want them to, not to compare it to like my coaches growing up, but like my coaches would make you feel embarrassed if you weren't playing the game the right way. And I know these guys are making a ton of money. And I totally understand that. But sometimes making them feel like dumb in a way by having to do like base running drills,

we'll, we'll click it into gear of like, all right, I get it. Yeah, challenge them a little bit. I understand them a little bit. You know,

and I think it'll end a lot important stuff. And I do think that like, and it's because I do think when you look at like the three most important, you know, the players, the front office and the manager, right, the way we always talk about,

you know, who's responsible for things. Like I think Dave Dumbowski, and the players are far more culpable than Rob Thompson for where this team is at. But Rob Thompson's the one who's going to go. Like there's in season, there's one lever to pull. Like they can make trades they can do whatever, but there's one lever that they can pull that could theoretically shake things up.

Kevin Long's another one. But yeah. But like, sure, they could move on from Kevin Long, but I don't think that's his big a lever. Like the big lever, and we saw it happen with Girardi. We saw this team turning around and go on a run when they fired Girardi. Like there's first hand evidence that John Middleton has that he did that thing.

and it turned the season around. So I think that Rob is is on the hot seat, like a real hot seat where I think if we have a month more, a month and a half more of this, he's not getting fired now. We are getting calls. I got calls on WFP today, fire up Thompson.

He's not, he's not getting fired now. But June 1st, May 28th, whatever, if they're still bad. Most Memorial Day. Yeah,

like it is on the table because to your point, I think that he is not doing enough here. to kick these guys in the ass. And he might not be able to. He might not have it in him. It might not be the type of manager he is. They might need a different voice. Like I think Rob Thompson is a good manager.

And I think on the whole, he's done more good than bad here. He's had his moments. We know what we've talked about it. And obviously in some big spots. But I think he's a good manager. But he might not be the right manager for this group. Like this group, to your point, might need a kick in the ass.

Like they might need. And look, it might even work. There might be nothing that can get this group to what. Like, to your point that you initially, made, like, it might just be a year too long. It might just be a group that is, as gone as far as they're going to go together based on age, based on talent, based on mix, whatever. But there is at least the possibility, because it hasn't been tried yet, that a manager

comes in and holds people more accountable and doesn't, like, the last one, we talked about Bryce's brain, it's like, he knows. Are you going to talk to Bryce about it? He knows. You know, he doesn't. He doesn't know how many times if you get thrown out on the base pass for you to be like, well, maybe he doesn't know. Maybe I need to talk to Bryce and say, hey, stop doing this.

Stop it. I know you're aggressive, but you know what? You're over aggressive and it hurts the baseball team. The point is I don't think Rob Thompson will ever do that. In a million years, I think Bryce Harper could get thrown out going for a double the next 150 straight times he does it. And I don't think Rob Thompson would say a word to him. And I think at a certain point, you have to say something to players. So I do that.

I think Rob Thompson is in a very precarious spot right now. I don't know that they'll fire him, but this is the first time in a little while. I know after Kirkring people, I think there's a real chance if they don't turn this around, Rob Tom's going to get fired in season. Well, and Donnie's right there. I mean,

obviously, yeah, we all talked about it. And I don't think he wants to manage, but he also might not have a choice. I mean, he might not have a choice. And when you sign on for that bench goes role,

you're kind of accepting the possibility of that. Yeah. And I don't know if he's, I don't know enough about him to say he's Mr. accountability. I don't either. But he does have at least cachet of, that's not how we do things.

Yeah. So, yeah, I, It was always going to happen, you know, with the Thompson. Oh, of course. I think that. Yeah.

But don't, don't tell me with a senior advisor to the San Francisco Giants right now, by the way. Don't tell me with a little Bruce Bochie time. Oh, buddy. Don't tell me. Dude, you know I'm fully on that. I know, I know. But hopefully we want to cross that. He seems like a player's manager to everyone.

Yeah, but he's poach. He's one of World Series. Four years ago. Yeah, four. He's one four of them. 2023. Pretty good at it. Hey, Ontario.

Come on down to BetmGM Casino and see what our newest exclusive The Price's Right Fortune Pick has to offer. Don't miss out. Play exciting casino games based on the iconic game show only at Betmgm. Check out how we've reimagined three of the show's iconic games, like Plinko, Clifhanger, and the Big Wheel into fun casino game features. Don't forget to download the BenmGM Casino app for exclusive access and excitement on the Price's Right Fortune Pick. Pull up a seat and experience the Price's Right Fortune Pick, only available at BetMGM Casino.

BetMGM and GameSense remind you to play responsibly. 19 plus to wager. Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact Connects Ontario at 1866-531-2,600, to speak to an advisor free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. So yeah, no, it's a bummer. It's a bummer that we're even like here.

But the other thing is that I don't, pitching wise, I think you could. Yeah, it's like where do we go from here? Like, how's it getting better? So pitching wise, I think you can realistically expect. Wheeler will help when he comes back. Lazzardo should round. He's not going to pitch to a 70.

Yeah. Nola's been more good than bad. The cup star was not. great, but whatever. Painter's been a nice revelation. So, you know, you can talk yourself into the pitching staff. You can talk yourself into the bullpen,

but they are dealing with some injuries out there. And they haven't been great. Yeah, pop, pops hurt. You know, they brought back his back. But they've been great either. Like, you know, like, even Keller. Like, you know, he's, Duran has really been the only one who's kind of lived up

to what we expected from them prior to the season. Like Banks got smoked this series. Bowling, Bowling's been up, and now Mazza, finally. What a bummer. The scoreless streak. in a big way. Yeah.

No, he didn't get any help defensively for what it's worth. Well, he also made a bad throw. Yeah, but I still think Sotchard had that. Oh,

100%. It wasn't a great throw, but Stachan had caught that. Yeah, but that's also a double play ball. Oh, agree. With a good fee.

But if nothing else, that should have been an out at second base. Yeah. It's not PSAC baseball. We work on that. That's right. Damn right.

It's not. That's not piece back. Yeah, you're fundamentals on there. Oh, on Mesa. Yeah. Tapper,

she gets more PSAC guys in. I know you're so good at Miller's really. You don't have to work on your little PFPs. I know, but that's not what we do here. That's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's not, that's right. That's right. Anyway, um, so, you know, bullpen wise though, you, hopefully they can round in a form, whatever. It is just the lineup.

Like, they felt a bad short heading into the season. Yeah. And, you know, Adoli's a couple two eight games this series. Oh, yeah. But is the OPS is back in the six. It's just no power to. Yeah. And I think his average is in the low twos again.

Oh, it's 233. Okay. Yeah. I thought it was lower. That's good. I looked it up this morning just to make sure. You just smoke a ball off the wall yesterday that I think he did. No, he did.

He smoked the one off the wall. Much needed. Yeah. But, um, but you know, even if he's good, then you have, you're dealing with the bone thing,

which could be, I don't know, I don't know how this bone thing ends. Yeah. And again, and we said this last spot, I do think it's important to bring it up. Like it's a,

like you do have to mention that he's going through this personal thing that is really horrifying and sad and all this stuff. And I'm sure it's affecting him. But at the same time, whatever it is that, like, he stinks. Like, he is a, he is unplayable right now. Yeah. Again, I said it before. Like, and it's not just that the, the sluggy percentage is lower than the OBP.

Like, ha, ha, that's, you know, you have to do some weird things and be really bad for that. The fact that it's 217 and 210, he has a 427 OPS. I know. Dude. People are hitting higher off. higher average off O's Jaisalar fastballs than his OPS, practically. And Bones OPS OPS off a Bones batting average against fastballs is 059.

Yeah, it's so bad. He hit like 324 against him last year. So, but I don't know where, I don't know where it goes. I mean, I guess you could, you could sow the plays more during the week and, you know, see what happens there. The only hope is that bone, like you could say, all right, last year, bone started slow and he picked it up and got better. Like, March started slow last year and got better.

Like, that's the only hope. I know. and I'm not counting on it, but that's all you can point to is say, oh, they'll get better because it's still, and it is, it's 18 games in the season or whatever. Like, we are early. But I think, and I've said this many times,

when you come into the season with these concerns and these questions, like when they bear out that way early, it doesn't feel like it's that early when it's the same thing we've seen over and over and over. They're really not doing a good job of, you know, calming anyone down about the fears heading into the season. Honestly, it is, it's one of the more on-brand, like, directly what people thought

like starts your season and as long as I can remember like they are just really playing the hits exactly what everyone expected. You know, you know, another, they got hits.

You want to know another fear? Yeah. It was unlocked when I looked it up. I love a good fear unlocking. Quickly last night, I believe. Same record as 2012 as it right now. Oh, buddy.

Same record is 2012. Great. It's good. I don't think it's 2012. I don't think it's 2012 because of the, you know, the injuries and stuff. Here's my fear.

you know what they feel like they don't fit it doesn't really like it kind of is i guess even the like they feel like an 84 one baseball team to me yeah you know yeah like not bad they're not suck it out of the sea maybe they're in the fluctuate from like 87 to 80 like they just feel like a pretty mediocre team yeah you know yeah yeah and i tell you what could make for an interesting deadline oh oh don't don't tempt me with a higher draft we're about three pods away of struggling like we're about we're about three pods away from struggling well i do start talking about like, hey, really, what's the better thing for them long term? Trading.

Investing in this team or going for a higher draft. Yeah. Well, not just that. I mean, trading away beginning prospects, like build it. Ah, dude. What do you get for college for over today? A lot. I'll tell you that much.

Don't tempt me with a good time. Don't, don't do it. Don't make me start thinking about the deadline. Would you trade Wheeler? If they blow it up, if you had it like, if it's like the, would you trade wheeler? Would you like let him finish now here? A year and a half of. What the best big game pictures that's ever lived?

You could probably get something serious for that. I'm well, I'm well away. So as of right now, I'm going to plead the fifth. But you're kidding me. You had to be watching the YouTube for that one. Are you kidding me? That was great. Yeah.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know what I would do. I don't know what I would do. That was really great. Duran? I mean, who knows? You're like tear it apart.

If you didn't like San Lazardo, get a frame of the deadline. See? No, I'm just kidding. Just kidding. No, they're going to write the ship. You did go. They practically swept the dog back.

I know. We did go in one week from the tweet of like, everything's fine. I know. I feel like I feel like courage. They made me look like an idiot. So. You did.

But not the first time they did on that. Dude, and it's so funny because the Cups headed into the series kind of being the same team as the Phillies. You know, the Patriots hasn't been as advertised bullpen. Line up not doing their job. And then you watch the cups.

It's like, I'm so jealous. Oh, I know. They have hitters. down the line. So Drew from Westchester made this point on the year today, uh, looking at Nico Horner and Bryson's hot because they were drafted super close together. Were they really? Yeah. How much rather would you rather, how much would you rather, how much would you rather Nigo Horner than Bryce and Saddam Hussein? Well, and again, I don't like, like imagine they took McGonagle. Oh, I know. I know. I know. He's come on, Aiden.

Figuring like we again, what sucks is that Aiden is, is our guy like that. But he's also like McGonigal level he's like, McGonogel might be a little above, yeah, but still. But like, like, like,

like, even prox of baseball. Like, I want to talk about him getting an eight year, 150 million dollar deal. Like, oh my gosh, and like the phone thing could write itself out.

It's so perfect. It's play it. Right there. Right there. Just get on the field. Like, take my back. Yeah,

you get my back. I'm over. I don't need more. I don't care. God. But, yeah. No,

Niko Horner's, I think, I think, I think, I really like it. Is the most underrated player. You might be. I'll bet a lot of people you know who was when the Phillies were playing. I'm like, never heard of the guy.

He's awesome. Yeah, me too. And they just like, so what's interesting is I think a lot of teams this year are, well, the Phillies do have the highest babb of against also in baseball. So we're getting unlucky. Good. Yes, that's what it is.

But it does. And I know, I said this last time in the final out. I know it's not like football where other opposing defenses spend all year trying to figure out your offense. I agree with where you're going here. It does feel like teams really have a plan to pitch to the Phillies. With the hit, no, the hit against the Phillies.

I mean to hit against the Phillies, yeah. Every team, it's a, I meant to hit against Phillies pitching, is what I'm trying to say. It's a bunch of, it's a bunch of bleaters. Like, I know that there's some hard contact in there, but it feels like every single bleeder has fell, as fell this year against them. It's so weird. I mean, Sanchez, Sanchez allowed 11 hits against the Giants. The other night, you know, it felt a good amount of singles. Noly got single to death the other night.

Lazzardo, again, nine of the last 11 hitters, got hits against them. So I don't know. It's just weird. It's weird watching it. And I don't think the game played all off season on how to face Phillies. No, I think that would be a poor way of using your time.

But there's a lot of, there's a lot of base hits against them. Yeah. I don't disagree. And maybe they're trying not to launch against the Phillies pitching because they know, well, I mean,

Lizarro's getting kind of these loudings in home runs. You can launch against Aaron. Yeah, well, that's Noles, I guess. You know, it seems like the Brewers,

like they're bullpen area, six something. Is it really, wow. And you think about the Brewers. and it's like they are pitching McGill and your rebate. They got dudes out there.

Yeah. So I don't know. Like maybe it's a trend in the sport of going back to getting a bunch of bases. I have no idea. I mean, that was what we talk about with the Blue Jays. I mean, they serve at home runs,

but the idea of putting pressure on defense is put the ball and play. And then the stark contrast, two tough lefties. Lizardo should be a tough lefty. Oh my God. It's just, the Phillies are such a contrast. Well,

it was three hits, 26 whiffs. Meanwhile, And then they start the game at the Homer, too. Trace starts off the Homer and then it's like, okay. And then see you. It's just they never would. I mean,

it would, I mean, literally would, I think they would combust if they grind it out of bat. Oh, it's impossible. Yeah. They physically can't do it.

You know, Bryce swings first pitch a lot. And I think it's because he feels like it's the only good pitch. He's going to get the entire bat. Yeah, totally what it is. Yep. could grind out on a bat.

Totally. Like Stott should be able to grind out. That's what we thought he could. You can't do anything. I just want some grinders. Some freaking grinders. Another wild thing to think about Drew from my sister brought this up today too.

I would bet you there are not many offenses. Maybe all year, much less this season, who have had a person hit cleanup and eighth in the lineup. What do you mean? Like Marsh, bat at eighth last night. He was their cleanup hitter.

Like how many teams have had a guy who's batted cleanup who's also betted eight this season? Not many, I'm guessing. Well, it does feel like they are, it feels like they're actually doing the lineup optimization thing. They're trying. Yeah. They're moving around. Tom's in the four and there's trying to do some levers.

You know what the problem is. What's the problem? Guys don't hit. Doesn't matter where they are. Yeah. You can't really optimize a lineup of no one hits. I know. And, you know, we've had our issues with Kevin Long.

It might be a hitter evaluation too. Sure. Dude, I would fire him today. Like, I have no, I have no allegiance to get. And I think we've never, I think you've made a, really, I mean, you've been talking for really a couple years now about maybe the league kind of passing him by and his philosophies and all that stuff, but like, fire him. Cool.

Love it. Well, they're something. They extend in the soft season. I know they're not going to. I'm just saying like, the point is, it's like, they brought back the same team. They look exactly the same. Everything's the same. Like, at a certain point, you've got to do something to break it up.

You would think. You would think. You would think. Who knows if they will? Who knows if they will? Who knows if they will? I don't know. Rob Thompson told us they didn't run it back.

and he really takes exception to that. Yeah, yeah. Well, they changed two thirds of the outfield. Once you factor that in. It's really, it's really, it's really, it's really, it's, March could have been fine. I think they got a real platoon bat. It was probably trending towards, you know,

a conversation about AutoCem for Felix Reyes, who is hitting 33 with a, dude, auto cam here last night. AutoCamp can't play on my team anymore. Like, I mean, I know, I know. And it's not a ton, a huge sample size, but he has just looked overmatched, both both at the plate and in the field.

Yeah. well, Felix Reyes will not help you in the field. That's fine. Honestly, I don't care. I'm off my defense thing. I know we were on the defense thing. I'm off. You're not a run prevention guy anymore?

I just want runs. Yeah. You can prevent all the runs in the world. If you don't score and you can't win. Yeah. That sounds like what the Mets are going through right now. We can't even make fun of the Mets. It's such a shame.

I know. It's so annoying. Anyway. I know. I know. All right. What are you got in that bag over there? Well, Gage is really good again last night.

Oh, thank God. You bring in light and joy. to this podcast. There's a lot. I don't want to do my minor league guys who've caught my eye this week. That's at the Sunday pod tradition. Good. I like that. Or Monday. Sunday Monday. Yeah. Sorry, Monday. It's really Mondays. It's a Monday pod tradition as of one week ago or this week. Yeah, we've done it one time. So, but there are some guys catching my eye. So this is not that, but you're just going to talk about this guy. I'm going to talk about gauge though, because Gage is the single most important guy in the organization. I like that. He's up there. He's one of the most important. Yeah. ZRA is 0.79. He is. He is 0.79. He is. is not allowed more than two hits in the star yet. I bet he was mad at himself for allowing those two hits too. Yeah, he's psycho.

I love it. I love it. He, that'll still be the all-time bash. Like, after the 19 strikeout, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like I'm mad I hit,

I hit that guy or whatever it was. It's like, dude, you're awesome. I love him. I love him. I was so in the moment that I was like, this guy's a dog.

Like a real dog. Have I thrown some of my comps at you? No. Oh, okay. So the one comp, so I did have a, and by the way, as the originator of the,

OG Jackford's name test way back of the day. Gage Wood in any sport is just a home running. Like Gage Wood, like it sounds like a badass. Plus, I mean, I can post morning Gage Wood. Oh, look at you.

Yeah, yeah. It's perfect. It's perfect. So, if I don't think, Frisky Fritz over there. I don't think any of the admins will take that one, though.

Like the Phillies. I don't think they're retribed. I don't know if they're going to do that one. But, so, so the one big comp I had that I'm, I still kind of feel, but it's more his mentality. It's like, I think he's a six-foot Roger Clemens.

But the, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. He's a splitter away from being a six-foot Roger Clemens. This is very similar to Rob Thompson saying that Brad Keller reminds me, Roder Clemens. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but the size guy. I get the Bulldog thing, though. I mean, Clemens is a bulldog, yeah. But he reminds me of Rich Harden a little bit. Ooh.

I need people to go, like, richard was awesome. Like, that guy couldn't say healthy, but he was awesome. Like A's Rich Hardin was awesome. So Rich Hardin was like one of the first pictures that effortlessly through 97, whereas like today we see it all the time. Every day. Yeah. He,

Rich Hardin was sick. He was awesome. He was awesome. But the more I, the more I've actually watched him and it kind of hit me today, I was like, damn it. Like it was one of those aha moments.

Like, oh my God, I gave him him in Seever. Is that his stuff doesn't move like it. But he reminds me a little bit. bit of good Areetta. Like Cubs Arelletta. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean like good Ariada was really good.

I think 2015. A young winner. I think 2015 Arieta might have been the single best pitcher I've seen. Was that the second half here? The year we had like the point, whatever you are in the second half. That was one of the best, that was the best half, among the best half seasons I've ever seen a pitch of my life.

Yeah. And overall was amazing. That happened, but like when he went on that run, that was like, there were a few, Hersheiser in 88. I know it was very young, but I remember, I mean, 59 a third score of the sittings. I mean, come on. Pedro 99.

Pedro 99. Like there are years that's, yeah, Pedro 99, absolutely. That's up there, man. Dude, Arieta, peak of his powers, Arieta was disgusting. We did not get that here at all. I mean, holiday in 2010.

Of course. But just peek at their, anyway. So I was like, because I was watching them, and it's like, man, fastball pops. He's got the little slider curveball thing.

Like, like, Arieta used to have a power curveball, and then you had that little slider that would go underneath. And then you had that little split that would go away. his split's not there yet. He flashed one last night. Oh, it's not, I believe it.

It's not. It's okay. Yeah. He flashed one last night, though. There was like, it's right. There it is. It's right there. He's got to hone it. He's got to figure it out. But he can throw it as someone. I think he's going to figure that pitch out. No doubt. He just will. I have full confidence.

He's going to figure that out. So he's already like a, so MLB.com put him at 99 already. He's already top 100. And then some for other prospect people I follow, have him like 77. Yeah, buddy. Yeah. So this is awesome. It's a fun development in a year that's absolutely sucked so far.

But that was the one that kind of jumped out where I was like, a little Ariettaish, a little Ariettish, a little Riholm-esque. A little Rich Hardin-esque. But yeah, that was the one. So I watched Wheeler, of course, in AA the other night. George Lombard, by the way, good little player. Yeah. He's going to be better than Volpe.

Volpe. Yeah, Volpe's things. Well, Vope's not good. Yeah, but Volpe's a major league player. He's, yeah, was. Was, was. I met was a man. Yeah, I don't know if he, yeah.

Okay. So Lombard, like, almost got him twice. He did hit a double off of Wheeler. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. And his brother's in this draft, Jacob Lombard, he's better.

But, so George Lombard definitely a real player and almost got Wheeler twice. So overall, it's kind of been how his season is gone, or his rehab was gone, where I thought it's the best command he's had yet. Like, his first five innings, he faced the minimum through

five, which is really encouraging. That's great. Yeah. And I thought the command was top notch and that was really good. He was 92 to 95. Hitting 95. That's good. Very, very important. Yeah, I'll take that. And I do think the secondaries are looking really good. I think the the curve ball he has working right now looks real. Splits

a really good pitch. He should be dominating AA, so we don't need to get too ahead of ourselves. Okay. He's still a foursamer. It's just, it's not like I think he could generate soft contact on it, but it used to be a a pitch that he could he could just ride.

And it's not that it got hit the other night. It just didn't get swing and miss. Like the hitters were on it a little bit. So that's my only thing with them. That's my only fear because I think I think he is, he's getting there. Like the command being where it was, I thought was a really,

really important sign because he can, he can be an effective pitcher from that standpoint. It's still the foreseamer. Still the forseamer. So we'll see. But that was like a quick synopsis on the Wheeler double a start. He's going to start Sunday for them again? Is it Sunday?

Yeah. So, and then I think he'll make one more and then he'll be back. It's exciting. It's exciting as long as it goes well. Yeah. As long as he's good. Yeah. Huge.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. As long as he's not coming back to a team like 10 games, well, 500, but I don't know. Well, I mean, this stretch I have right now. Big. Braves, Cubs, Braves is big. Braves Cubs, brave. You got a, you got a round and a four. They're playing six of their 10 games against the Braves.

for the season in the next week. You know what I mean? So it's big, especially with the Braves are in first place, have played the best. Like, these are important baseball games. I know it's early in the season for how they're playing and the opponent.

They're big games. Yeah. Two national TV games this weekend. I know. Yeah, back to back, uh, what is it got Saturday and Sunday,

right? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

we do a post game pod. Is that what you said? Monday. Monday will be there. It's going to be great. Did you say post game pod? Yeah, boys going right to bed after.

Dude, it's going to, I mean, like not to, you know, you know, wine. Oh, you would never. I mean, I got two playoff series in the Phillies coming up. Your boy ain't sleeping for a while. Yeah. I mean, one of them is going to. Yeah. I'm not thinking this.

The Sixers will last that long, but I still have to stay up for games. It's still to stay up for them, you know? Is it four games? I don't know. Is it seven games or five? It should be seven. It should be. It should be.

But I think it, yeah, it should be. But I think it won't need seven. Yeah. my prediction. I agree with that. Ain't going sound. Dude, it is, I feel really happy for Flyers fans. It's fun. I'm like super into it.

Yeah. It does feel like 22 a little bit. It does. No. Yeah, like young team, not expected to do gets in late. You know, yeah. With you. The way they wanted was like 2010 when they got in. Yeah. And even the hype video today where it was like, it's been so. I didn't see it. It's basically like it's been so long and it's okay. If you've checked out like, well, Welcome back.

No gatekeeping here. It's a lot. Now, I do appreciate the gatekeeping flyers fans. Well, they've always done it. It's even more historic than you as a gatekeeping. My people. That's right. You respect it.

Yeah, it's like, I love it. You love it. Exactly. You're just award it. You kidding me? Yeah. About as pro geek gatekeeping as you guys. I know you're the number one.

So it'll tell me about Gagewood. I've been watching every start. Okay. Where are you? To talk about Gagewood. Where are you? Don't you make fun of Aidan's back. Um, yeah.

I'm excited. That's be fun. Yeah, well, we might need them. We might need them big time, buddy. I know.

Flyers, Phillies, don't make us need the flowers. Like, we want the, flyers, I want them. Don't make us need it.

Like, don't make it be like, oh, the Flyers lose this series. It's going to be a wasteland of sports talk. Like, don't do that. Right.

Right. Right. Right. Right. All right. All right. All right. We'll be back Monday after the brave series.

Can you, I'm not even to say when you're, can you please. freaking win two or three up. Can you not lose more home series? Can you make it out of April before you lose more home series here than you did all the last year? I feel like that's a fair ask. Make it out of April. It means you're going to get through one more series because then you're going on the road. I think that's fair. All right. Either way, we'll be back to talking about it. Until that, he's first themselves.