High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Phils Better Win This Season Because James Doesn't Have Many Left

Episode Date: April 8, 2022

James and Jack are back on Phillies Opening Day Eve getting excited for the season. The guys tell you why the Phillies are definitely, finally, going to make the playoffs, that it's ok to believe in them again, and much more. 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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It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on Radio.com and Sports Radio 94 WIP. So it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. I have no voice. I went for it anyway. I wasn't a Castellanos, yo, but it's a start the season, yo. Fritzy, we are on the eve it's the eve of the most exciting season since we started this podcast it starts tomorrow it happens tomorrow the playoff run starts tomorrow fritzy and and if anyone should need it to be a playoff run it's jack fritz who has made like i don't know like 15 000 bold proclamations about he's quitting

the pod if they don't make the playoffs he's not gonna be a Phillies fan anymore if they don't make the playoffs what else did you offer did you you might have even said kill me if they don't make the playoffs you've gone pretty far they're gonna make the playoffs or if or not things so how you doing pal you ready oh dude. I yeah. No, I am. I I can't be a podcast guest anymore. I can't go on any more podcasts. I can't be asked about Aaron Nola. I can't be asked about Moniak.

I can't be asked about the offense, how good they're going to be. I just need it to happen. I need my own two eyes to fully see it. I need the season to start. I might well up tomorrow i really might like 305 it seemed like hearing dan baker introduce the lineup it's just it's gonna be tomorrow is going to be a very very emotional day this season is going to be magical. And for anyone out there that is kind of afraid to get hurt again, James and I are both here to say it's okay.

It's okay. Listen, let yourself get hurt again because the other teams weren't worth it. This team's worth it and James if they hurt me again I don't know if I'll ever recover I don't I don't know if you will sometimes sometimes the stuff you say is I don't know like hyperbole or whatever I actually think there's a true statement you may not recover if they hurt you this year. Yeah, like I just, because I'm so in, and like couldn't be more in, but they're also definitely good.

Like I don't think I'm taking crazy pills, and even when I, I promise you, James, and you're going to think I'm lying. I'm trying to find reasons not to believe in this team. Like, I'm seeking out ways to think they might not be that good. And I just keep coming back to, I think everyone's wrong, James. I think they're going to win 90-plus games. Like, if they were any other team, not name the Phillies, I would say 90 wins.

But the Phillies, they haven't been in the playoffs in 11 years. They've let us down year after year. So we have to do this whole, wah, they're not going to be that good. Look at the defense. Look at the bullpen. Look at the pitching. Enough. It's going to be okay.

Grow up and let's enjoy a playoff run. Yeah, well, as uh once famously said defense is for nerds so i think that's got to be the i can't wait for that one to backfire when is when does that one backfire game three when when a ball goes through alec boehm's legs he's not playing oh buddy this is so exciting this is so good i don't have a voice i apologize to everyone i i lost my voice over last weekend and doing a bunch of radio shows and then that yeah what did you lose really completely doing like i don't know how do you i don't think i've ever lost my voice and like especially you haven't either all right i know i think honestly i think emily was sick

and i think i got a little sick or something and maybe like it contributed who the hell knows but you know what i don't care i don't care i cannot have a voice as far as i'm concerned because the phillies are about to win 90 games i said 89 when i that was my season prediction and you know what i'm not gonna be a coward i'm changing my prediction in 90 it's's 90. And we both, if anyone wants to, you know, really, and I, look, it's funny because you say the thing about, you know, not wanting to get hurt again and all that. And it's like, I definitely don't want to get hurt again. And I'm fully in on this team.

Well, especially because you don't have many seasons left, you know. Oh, buddy. Jesus. Yikes. Oh, man. Go, Phils. Go, Phils. know oh man go phil's go phil's go phil's what do we even say now like i don't even know how it might be this early as we've been to a podcast where we get the title of the podcast go phil's because james doesn't have many seasons left people are gonna click on the bottom be like oh my god does he have like some terminal disease oh he lost his voice oh no what is that yo i uh here's the thing like i get it man because like as much as i'm all in on this

team and i really do i predicted 89 wins last night on the joe gillian show and if you haven't listened to that check it out we had a lot of fun with joe it was like a really i think an awesome hour of you know we were awesome it is what it is but the hour itself was pretty great um but i'm up to 90 bleep it we don't curse in this podcast but but jack and i if you ever want to and i get it the point is that i'm all in on this team and and I understand the post-traumatic stress that we have from this team from the last three years. Since the Harper signing, it's basically been like, this is the year, this is the year, this is the year,

and now we're entering the 11th season without making the playoffs. So I get it. I understand the whole pain of it all and all that, but Jack's right like just because something happened in the past and just because we have this this like again ptsd from this team the last few years like that doesn't mean that this team right now that it's not okay to to dive in with this team because they are really good and i do think that if you want to be like i don't know if there's a good thing or a bad thing but jack and i both think they're winning

the division like how about that you know how about how about that that one won't come back to bite us i know i know i really do though i really do because i don't believe in the mets and the braves just won the world series like oh that hurt to say like it's tough it's tough to go the World Series and and make that magical run and then go back and win it especially when you lose the freaking heart and soul of your team and Acuna is not going to be back till May and oh I got a million reasons they're winning the division like it's okay it's okay this Phillies team is winning the division we're getting October baseball and we don't have to have that you that rinky-dink three-game series. We're winning the division, so get ready.

Or we'll have home games in that three-game series, whatever it is. You know what I mean? We won't have to be on the road for three straight games. Right, and I'm not, you know me, not a big gambling guy, but they are like plus 350 to win the division, which is, if we're talking strictly betting terms, pretty good odds. I mean, like the baseball, like there just has to be repercussions for winning a World Series and letting your best player. Wait, well, I mean, Cooney is the best player, but letting like your second best player.

The Harden-Zollier team. Like Mr. Brave. player wait what that i mean cooney is the best player but letting like your team your team like mr brave like if you had to say like someone in the last 15 years was mr brave it's that guy it's freddie freeman hey there has to be some repercussions for that i'm sorry they're just you can't just do that you can't just go get a different player and everything's gonna be fine even though that player is just as good. So there has to be something for that. And then, like, dude, I don't – I mean, yeah, I get it. The Gromiters are good. Chris Bass is good.

Cookie Carrasco is good. But, like, what is scary about the Mets lineup? Lindor, I think, is going to have one of those, like, oh, yeah, Francisco Lindor's incredible seasons because he's incredible. But, like, Alonzo's fine. Other than that, I'm banking on Cano. I'm banking on Jeff McNeil bounce back. I'm banking on Brandon Nimmo, who's just okay. I'm banking on Starley Marte, who's playing right field,

which is like killing his value. It's so weird. Like, it's so weird. Why even sign the guy? Why sign him? Like, why not just sign Conforto? Who's still out there, by the way. How weird is it that Michael Conforto is just sitting out there for someone?

Yeah, why not? Hey. Hey. Why not the Phils? Hey, already over the tags, right? Let's go. Can stand in center field and hit 30 homers. Sounds like you'll sign me up.

No, but like, in all seriousness. Can stand in center field is the perfect way to describe Micah Conforto playing center field. Yet would be the best left fielder on the team to date. Yeah, it would be. But guess what, pal? No one else is playing center out of those left fielders besides Caporto. No, we know, buddy.

No, but like if they win the division, if not, whatever. If we're talking pure value-wise, there's a lot of value in the Phillies winning the division. And, you know, know obviously i just bet it good love it literally as you were talking about it i was like you're right i think they're going to win the vision plus 340 is stupid like those are dumb odds like i just bet it i just bet i'm going to win the vision i hope zoe can still go to college um all we know is my history of making live bets on the air this is the second time i'm one for one you know by a half game by half game but i got there oh because last year is bankrupt

the books and yeah on joe gilio's show remember i bet over live on the show same thing we did last night last year but the live on the show this time it's live on the pod which has to be even better juju right yeah well and hopefully people listen before 305 tomorrow um although you can live bet it all throughout the season now so who cares but um yeah it's just like it's it's one of those things where sure they might not win the division but it's not outlandish to think they can i mean the the first the first five in lineup are awesome segura is right there um and then the bottom of the lineup, you know, you hope you get bounce back-ish Didi. Like the ish in there.

Yeah. Because we can't in all good faith say bounce back Didi. Yeah, no. But, you know, the rotation on paper is at the minimum of a top 10. And I'm more bullish on the bullpen than I think most people. Because I think they actually have stuff down there. I said it last night, and I guess I'll just say it again. They're either going to be top 10 or bottom 10.

I don't know which one it's going to be, but I see no in the middle. It's not crazy. It's okay to think that they can win the division. Like, I don't think it's some otherworldly take. You know, people are like, well, the Braves got got Kenley Jansen. It's like, OK, I mean, good for them. I guess my golden rule here is if the Dodgers are letting you go and you're the best closer in team history, there's probably a reason why. And I know it's such a it's such a good

rule man it's such a good rule especially for a one-year contract you know i mean like it's not like kenley jansen got like three for four you know three for 45 or something like that he got a one-year 16 million dollar deal 16 million a lot for one year but the brave the dodgers absolutely could have done that if they wanted to. Yes, they definitely could have. They replaced him with Kimbrell, which is whatever. But, yeah, so, you know, obviously the Braves are very good on paper when it comes to the bullpen, and Jansen will probably be fine. But, I don't know.

I don't think it's some slam dunk. They have a lockdown closer. Will Smith, I thought, was like the luckiest pitcher I've ever seen in baseball, I think, last year. McHugh is a really good signing by them.zik. No shot. He does that again. Um, so I don't know. I just, it's, it's tough to repeat. I think people are assuming the Braves are gonna be great again. I think losing Freeman's going to hurt. You're not going to Acuna back for a while. Um, I need Austin Riley to not be good anymore. Like I swear to God, Austin Riley is not good.

And I just, I needed to go back to not being good um but i don't know i think i think the philly should realistically be in that conversation um i'm sure these words will come back to bite us but i don't care yeah that's the key right now don't care don't care and and i agree with everything you said like look matt olson's a really nice player like i like matt ol Olsen, dude, it's bombs. But Freddie Freeman was the heart and soul of that team. And also a better player than Matt Olsen. Like, I'm sorry.

I like Matt Olsen. You know, maybe he's a slightly better fielder. He's probably a better fielder than Freddie Freeman. But like Matt Olsen is absolutely not a better baseball player than Freddie Freeman. He's not a more important player to that team than Freddie Freeman. That has to matter. You said this multiple times times, and it sounds like a silly thing to say, but it has to matter. It has to matter if you're the Braves and you lose Freddie Freeman. You're not the Rays. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You don't just get rid of guys and it doesn't matter and you put in some guy no one's ever heard of. You not the race like that's not the way it works you won 88 games last year like i know you went on a magical run

they won 88 games last year like this was not some juggernaut of a baseball team it's a baseball team that got in barely by the way and 88 wins 88 wins hot hot at the right time like like let's not get carried away here. And I just, and, and again, not just all this stuff we're saying, but also like just the, the, the grind of going into late October of playing that baseball, playing all those meaningful games, playoff games. We've said this a million times, but they're like twice as intense as a regular baseball game.

Like they take twice as much out of you. Like to go all, we saw it up in the nationals. Like, they take twice as much out of you. Like, to go all the... We saw it in the Nationals. Like, we just saw it. And God, how much does it... We don't... I almost curse. I sometimes on this podcast,

I almost said, how much does it bleeping suck that the Braves and Nationals have won like two of the last three World Series? Like, enough. Enough of this. Like, it's our turn. It's time.

But like we saw with the Nationals, you know, they went all the way to the end. They won it, and then they came back next year, and they were a shell of themselves, because it's really hard to do that. It's hard to go on a magical run like that, come back, and find that same magic again, especially for the grind of a season, especially after

losing the, you know, core player of your team. And to your point, again, like, your most talented player isn't going to be here until May. We don't know what he's going to look like as soon as he comes back. It's going to take him time to get rolling. Ronald Acuna probably won't look like Ronald Acuna until June at the earliest. That's two months without the dude.

I just think this thing is so... And obviously we talked about last time with the Mets. Not only is it just kind of a weird mismatch of pieces with Buck Showalter, by the way, as their manager, like, not that we believe managers matter that much, and I can't talk too much, because it's not like we're singing the praises of Joe G, but, but Buck Showalter, I just, like, I don't, I'm not scared of him, the DeGrom thing, like, I'm, I just, I can't be scared of the Mets. I just think you look at this Phillies team, if you look in the whole division and you say, yeah, that Braves bullpen is good,

but what's the thing you can count on the most? In my opinion, the thing in this division I feel like I'm going to be able to count on the most is that Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and frickin' Nick Castellanos with Hoskins and all these other guys around them are going to mash. Like, they're going to mash. And I think in the end, that's going to be the most important thing

that happens in the NL East this season. 100%. And pitching is something that is going to determine this entire season, I think, given that shortened spring training and the cold weather in April off of a shortened spring training. So it's going to be tough with pitching. But you know what you can bet on, James? You know what's easier to bet on is a lineup.

It's so true, man. It really is true. And I actually feel good about the pitching. We'll get to it. But I actually feel pretty good about the starting rotation. But go ahead. And it's not even – it's there at bats too. It's how they approach the plate.

It's Kyle Schwarber who I felt like every single time I saw him in spring training, it was a 3-2 count. And, you know, Kyle Schwarber is going to strike out, like 100%. So he will strike out, but 100%. So he will strike out. But he's making the correct swing decisions. That's a good spot to be at. JT, I like him personally in the two-hole. I know there's been a lot of talk about Reese possibly being there.

But my thing is that I like where Reese got to last year, where it was kind of turning down the obsession with working counts and getting it to 3-2. Because I thought he left a lot of good pitches on the plate. He left a lot of good, solid pitches that he could do damage on out there. So him in the two-hole, I still think he would be concerned with working pitchers, trying to grind them down for Harper and Castellanos and Real Muto behind them. Um, so if I have JT there, it should theoretically lead to him getting more fastballs. And I really liked JT against the fastball. And I, I, I'm, I know I've been down on, on JT heading or after last season. Um, but I think JT is going

to have a really good year. He looks awesome at the plate. And I just think if you get him in a spot where he can hunt fastballs and they can't pitch around him because Bryce is right behind him and Castellanos is right behind Bryce, which every time I say that, I start getting a little teary-eyed. But you have that, and plus I think he's the best base runner on the team. So I just think that helps from the two-hole position.

And then you get into the middle of the lineup, and I just think that those guys are going to have ridiculous years. And, like, I'm almost speechless when it comes to Bryce Harper. We heard it. We just heard it. We heard it. We just heard it. We heard it right there. I know it's – I actually was sometimes –

obviously, inside baseball, everyone will have technical issues or one of us will be talking. I thought I lost. I thought I lost. I was like, oh, crap. Do I have to stop this? All right. So I think Juan Soto is the best hitter in the sport.

But I think Bryce Harper is right there. And when the Phillies signed him, we were obviously excited. I didn't think I was going to be able to get this. I thought we were getting a really good player. But I think what Bryce has turned into, how he looks in spring training is how he looked at the second half of last year. And I just keep coming back to the stat of him batting 358 with like a 1300 OPS when Reese went out of the lineup last year.

And like it's the year 2021 last year. Baseball teams are smart. They know there's only one guy in a lineup that can kill him, and that's Bryce Harper. Well, he saw the lowest percentage of hittable pitches in the sport last year. And he's still mashed. So it's like Bonzi.

And it's, it's, it's exactly what it is. And I just, I just have this feeling that we're about to get one of those nuts. Bryce Harper seasons. Like we, we just had one.

I think he's going to be better this year. I did too. I think he's winning an MVP again. I think he's going to be better this year, James. I do too. I think he's winning an MVP again. I think he's going to be, I honestly in my soul believe, and you never know. Like you said, Juan Soto could have a season for the ages and there's nothing Bryce could do about it, but I think Bryce is going to win the MVP again because I think the Phillies are going to make the playoffs.

I think he's going to be better than last year and I think he's going to win it again. And it's so tough to make that prediction because back-to-back MVPs just don't really happen, and it's tough to predict a guy to win. Schmidt's the only Philly who's ever done it. Yeah, it's something hard to predict, but just watching him play right now,

he's just taken his offense to a new game, new level, has actual protection around him like like castellanos is is perfect um so you know you can you can have all the pitching you want but regular season wise i mean that lineup is going to be tough to stop um if they stay healthy yeah man uh and it's just a cat i still can't believe they signed castellanos like obviously schwerber felt like that was going to happen and and it's just a cat i still can't believe they signed castellanos like obviously schwarber it felt like that was gonna happen and and it did happen but then app like just the feeling of of them actually signing castellanos after schwarber is just i'm still floored like i

still i i feel like i still need to pinch myself to to know that it's real it's it's so exciting and i'm 100 with you on our really look to your point it's hard to pinch myself to to know that it's real it's it's so exciting and I'm 100% with you on Harper I really look to your point it's hard to predict like you never know what player is just gonna have a magical season out of nowhere or or not out of nowhere but like Juan Soto or whatever and I think the Phillies would be better so that's why I would give Harper the edge in that spot but you know like there are a lot of great players in the National League Mookie Betts could have a an all-time season you know that that, but I think Bryce Harper is going to be right there in the conversation.

I think he's having that type of season. Especially with Acuna out and especially with Tatis missing two months of season. Tatis out too. Those are the main guys going against him. And then I feel like Mookie even gets penalized because the lineup is so good, like Freeman. Totally, totally. And Turner is out there.

And obviously the Dodgers. I keep forgetting the Dod out there. And obviously the Dodgers are, I keep forgetting the Dodgers. I feel like the Dodgers aren't even in the same sport. So it's like hard to even, I know it's hard to even count them. It's like, it's like they already had the best line in baseball. And they're like,

eh, yeah, I guess we could have Freddie Freeman. That'd be all right. Yeah. Sure. It's ridiculous. Sure.

Like Cody Bellinger is like a shell of himself. And you know, he's like Cody Bellinger is like a shell of himself and you know he's like cody bellinger is like not even a lot to play every day on that team that's how good they've been yeah again a different sport um but i mean our our guy is going to be is going to be right in there and it's so tough to say oh there he's going to win back to back mvps but i don't i don't know how you i mean obviously you can say he's not going to, but how he looks in spring and just how locked in and how he looks like the exact same kind of swing

that he was having at the end of last year, I don't know how you couldn't say that he's going to have one of those ridiculous years. And, you know, I think Bryce having that kind of year coupled with ending the postseason drought is, is, is the stuff that we're going to talk about for a long time on this podcast and going forward. All right, let's go to the, uh, and it wouldn't be nice to see if Bryce have the type of year he had last year, but then actually, you know, win a bunch of games because of it. That'd be cool too. Um, all right, let's go to the pitching i'm actually pretty bullish on the starting rotation

you know i i think there's a lot of people in philly where i was like oh you need pitching and oh we don't have pitching it's like yeah i got some pitching like if you look around the other rotations in baseball like you said it before i think they're absolutely top 10 i know fangrass had them at three that's like a little high but I I think they're like a top seven top eight type of rotation in baseball I mean you know I think the biggest honestly the only reason I'm hesitant is is is Wheeler and and that's the funny part but you know with the shoulder thing and the career high in innings by like 20 innings or whatever last year and all that like I just want to make sure Wheeler's Wheeler if Wheeler's Wheeler I feel amazing because I think Ranger's really good like obviously not one five era good probably but I think Ranger's

a legit you know three in this league I think he's gonna be that and I think that Nola is if nothing else like when you know we can't count on Nola to ever be 2018 again or whatever because you know you've talked about so many times like you know the the issues that he has with trusting stuff or trusting his defense or you know going for the strikeout when he shouldn't or oh there are so many things you can talk about with nolan or just you know pitching in important games um pitching in september you know there's all these things but like aaron nola's not gonna have a 4-4 era again like aaron nola you know he will have a bounce back season it's just a question of what level of bounce back season efflin on a free agent push a contract year i mean obviously the you know this is a guy we didn't even know if he was

gonna be ready like may and he looks like locked in to start the season and you know give me the five it's whatever it's fine he's a guy who's pitched in the major leagues before his year five it's fine i'm pretty bullish about the starting rotation. My only worry is depth. I worry about the depth because other teams, like the Dodgers, for example, or the Braves are actually a perfect example of this the last few years where a guy will go down, they'll be like, all right, let's call up Ian Anderson, or let's call up Sean Newcomb,

or let's call up this guy or that guy, or whatever it is over the years where they're just able to kind of supplement those losses in the rotation because we know that there's going to be a handful a large handful of starts that whether it's a bullpen game or someone caught up from the minors aren't going to be made by the five guys we just mentioned it happens every freaking year so that's my my biggest worry but you know assuming those five guys stay you know reasonably healthy I feel really good about the rotation. Yeah. For me, it's depth too.

And I don't know, like I am definitely, Wheeler just worries me just because like, because they need him to be great. Like for this rotation to be really good, Wheeler does have to be great. He does. He absolutely does. But if you could sign me up for 180 innings right now, I would take it, and I would be happy. Me banking on him going over 200 again, it would be too much for me. And given that he's already kind of had a little shoulder thing, so, you know, it kind of is what it is. But Nola, he's just a wild card.

He's just – I have no idea what to expect from Aaron Nola. I really don't. I don't know if I'm going to get – there's the high upside where he just gets on a roll and his confidence is back, and he's back to being the Aaron Nola that we kind of saw last year. I mean, or two years ago. I wouldn't even take 2018 Nola. I really wouldn't. I don't think that's ever going to happen again.

Nah, it was an anomaly. It was, but can I get a 3-2? Like, can I get a 3-3? And you know what? You're going to get double-digit strikeouts per nine. Like, that is going to happen. Whatever version of me can get him, he's got the stuff. That's what's so frustrating is that you know he has, I mean,

10 strikeouts in a row that Seavergate you know tying Seaver remember that like he has it like this guy has stuff that other dudes don't have like it's just the consistency the ability to get out of big spots tough spots all that stuff is something where you know the last few years it's been hard to trust him and I think if he just gets over it, I think if he just can power through, and if a runner gets in scoring position and it's a seventh inning, if he can just power through it,

I think he goes on a run and we get a good version of Aaron Nola, but he hasn't been able to do that for two years. He hasn't been able to get shut down innings, put guys away, be 0-2, finish them off, be a stopper, step up. There's been so many little instances Get shutdown innings. Put guys away. Be 0-2. Finish them off. Be a stopper. Step up.

There's been so many little instances where, sure, if you look at the overall product, it's like, oh, he's definitely a pretty good pitcher. It's just the little things which he had in 2018 that just haven't been there. So I'm nervous. Every NOLA start, I'm going to be nervous. But I do think him confidence-wise, if he can just get on a roll, I think it just would do wonders for him and just kind of get out of the way because then he can get back to thinking about, okay, Aaron NOLA is our second ace rather than I would start Rangers with Suarez in a playoff game.

So Rangers is going to be fun. He's probably in the top four of players I'm most excited to see this year. I want to see if last year was real. Like, I want to know what I have in Rangers for. Do I have to change my personal ceiling on Ranger? Like, should I be thinking of him in the all-star category? Like, he can be an all-star in this league? Or is he kind of what he was reading triple a when he first came up so you know i think he's closer to to the all-star level

ish pitcher than than not but i want to kind of know that and i i like watching him pitch i think he's a bulldog i love that he's not afraid to pitch inside to righties like i think that's awesome um but i want to know that and then with efflin i would love to again i think i've said a couple times like i would love to be all in but i mean heavy body and the knee stuff and i just worried that it's two great months kind of like what last year was and then it's kind of slowing down a little bit. I know it's contract year. I know that's a massive incentive for these guys, and that gives me a good amount of hope heading into the season. But, you know, he's one of those guys as well where it's I need to see it to believe it.

But, man, if he hits, he hits because I think Zach Guffman's awesome. I think they legitimately have four. I think they have a real number one in Wheeler. I think they have a real 1B in wheeler i think they have a real one b and nola if he's nola i think suarez in the 1b category and i think efflin has the has a high three upside um and gibson i've just i've just soured on him more and more like because it's just doesn't really miss bats and he's the five you look look at kyle gibson he's he's miscast right like basically should be on any other team than the phillies you know kyle gibson needs a defense behind him is is kind of what you're

alluding to and you know if he has a defense behind him i think it looks a lot better not you know that much better he's a five like kyle gibson's a 34 year old five who's pitched a lot innings and you know look he has the potential to go on a couple streaks where he looks pretty good for for a month maybe or whatever but he's a five he's gonna pitch you if you get a four two to four five era from gibson you're like sure it's fine fine i agree honestly anything anything under five and i'm like all right sorry uh this offense let's go. Real quick diversion from the Philz.

Listen, MB got me that 30 points else. Oh, you won a bunch of money just now, huh? You won a bunch of money just now, huh? How about hitting a far lay during the podcast? Have a night, kid. You just won a bunch of money. I did. It's going to be a good season for the Philz. I really. night kid you just want a bunch of money it's gonna be a good season for the phil's i really look at you what a time what a time to i'll tell you this i'll tell

you this it's a much better time to be a phillies fan than a sixers fan and sadly we're both but you know for us over here on the phillies are our favorite team beat it's tough the Sixers team is not super exciting right now I'm not looking forward to the playoff no I know like they're gonna lose if they play Toronto in the first round like I'm not gonna say they're definitely gonna lose but I think they have a real chance lose oh it's a real shame let's get back to the Phillies um yeah that was enough of that sorry I had to I'm doing as you my two TVs, I'm watching the Braves lose in 3-1 right now. Oh, how about Tyler? To a team that took a hatchet to their roster this offseason.

Yeah, but you got to factor in the Franz and Boost, you know? Oh, good point. Yeah, you got to factor that in. Wait, that's the Nationals, Franz, and what are we talking about? I know. Well, and I guess what? The Reds. Tyler McGill's hitting 98, apparently.

We're talking about different games. I'm watching the Braves lose, buddy. Oh, sorry I guess what? Look at the Reds. Tyler McGill's hitting 98, apparently. We're talking about different games. I'm watching the Braves lose, buddy. Oh, sorry. That's the melee. Yeah, that's melee. I will say, though, I know they gave up three runs, but Max Fried looks pretty good. Yeah, well, I don't care,

because Phils are winning the division anyway. I know. I know. But, no, so Gibson, I think I'm just sour on him, just because I know he's a five and I shouldn't have This like I kind of I've kind of Had this expectation of like oh They're getting an all-star

You know because he was an all-star last year I know I know so I will read I will read Just for an all-star before 33 years old he makes an all-star team It's like yeah I will readjust my expectations. I will do that for you and for the rest of the podcast.

I won't get mad. And do it for Gibby because he's incredibly likable, whatever else you want to say about the guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's fine. You don't like Kyle Gibson? What are we doing here? I like the off-the-field stuff.

It's good. And also just on the field he seems like a great dude he was super fun remember the rbi hit last year's on the home run and then being pretty brutal after that start yeah he wasn't very good it wasn't very good it wasn't very good that first start man that was some special stuff jack weren't you there he was fine you were in pittsburgh weren't you i was yeah i was in pittsburgh but that wasn't his first start it was against the mats or his first home start i'm thinking of correct but either way he didn't make this first start in pittsburgh i don't think did he pretty because i saw well i saw nola pitch

which was yeah oh you're right he pitched the next day i wasn't there i went to the saturday game he pitched they won like 15 to 1 or whatever yeah yeah after they lost the first two games of the series so yeah great job phil's um allils. All right, let's do your bullpen thing because you mentioned it before. You mentioned it on Julio last night. It is a pretty provocative take to say there's either top 10 or bottom 10 and there's no in between

when in fact there are 10 spots in between. Tell people why you're so high or low on them on them so to speak and if you have to choose like you got to make the call you say it's going to be top 10 or bottom 10 which is it well what do you think like i think you know me pretty well by this point um yeah i didn't need to ask the question but i wanted you to say it yeah um, so I guess my thing with the bullpen is this, is that I think Kniebel solves the closer, quote-unquote, issues the last couple years. Because I just think he's consistently hard to square up

if he's coming in the ninth inning. I mean, legit, power 99-mile-an-hour fastball at your hands if you're a righty. And lefty too like doesn't even matter and that's just hard to get on top of and do damage with couple that with a a just a hammer curveball and apparently he's working on a mystery pitch which i don't know what that is but uh i would rather him stay healthy than to work on a mystery pitch but regardless um i think the the closer issues are just completely kind of fixed if Knievel can stay healthy. Familia looks shockingly good.

Now, is that going to translate? Probably not because he's just been maddening his entire career outside of 2015. But hey, if we can get 2015 Bryce, why not get 2015 Familia? Which version of 2015 would you rather have for this Phil's team, James? Yeah, can we get – oh, well, come on. Well, actually, you know, honestly, here's the thing. I think it's actually clearly Familia because we don't need 2015 Bryce. We got 2021 Bryce and 2022 Bryce, so we're good.

Yeah, 2015 Bryce was – Same Bryce. Same Bryce. Was an absolute scrub. Could we get 2015? How about this? Give me 2015 Brad Hand and Familia, and we'll call it a day. If we have 2015 Brad Hand, this team's winning the World Series.

There's absolutely no doubt about it. The problem is that there's a 0% chance for getting 2015 Brad Hand. Actually, was 2015 Brad Hand still with the Marlins? Yeah, I think he was. 2015 Brad Hand. If he had 2015 Brad Hand, it's actually close to 2022 Brad Hand because he had a 5-3 ERA. So it sounds about right for what I'm expecting from Brad Hand.

Was it really in 2015? It was, yes. That was a quick look up by you. But he was a 2-9 was a 292 the year after. So we want 2016, 2017, or 2018 Brad Hand. 2019 Brad Hand? I'll take that too. I will take any version of Brad Hand from the years 2016 to 2020. How about that?

Fair. Fair. The problem is, don't see it happening. I would love to be wrong. Again, believe me. I would love to be wrong. I just don't see it. His fastball just gets tattooed every time he throws it.

So not buying that. Familia, I think, actually looks pretty good. Alvarado, I'm not even going to try to do it. It's just he actually looks like he's kind of finding the Shrek zone a little bit. I know. I know. I'm not even going to try to do it It just he actually looks like he's Kind of finding the strike zone a little bit I know I'm sorry I shouldn't have said it Dump it dump it No

Brogdon was back up to Brogdon was back up to 95 Which I thought was a really good sign I need him to be good like I just I don't really want to live in a world where Connor Brogdon isn't, like, this team's Madsen. Like, he's just – there's too much talent there. Like, of all the guys on this team, I need Brogdon to reach his ceiling.

I know that's probably a little aggressive, but there's just – I can't not watch him and think he's really good. So I need him to be really good. Is that fair, James? Is that – Oh, yeah. I think it's really good. So I need him to be really good. Is that fair, James? Is that? Oh, yeah. I think it's incredibly fair. Absolutely.

I haven't even gotten to Sir Anthony yet. I've been waiting. Literally, all I wanted to hear you talk about Sir Anthony. It's like you're getting all these guys. I know. That's because ESPN is a bad site. It's not that I'm a fake Phillies fan. It's just I need to look at the 40-man roster in front of me.

Oh, Jack. Why do you do that? Well, because ESPN, you'd think they'd be good. that i'm a fake phillies fan it's just i need to look at the 40 man roster in front of me oh jack why do you do that well because espn you think they'd be good they don't even have sir anthony in the bullpen so like what a joke um just don't look at anything use your brain jack i know but my my brain's so consumed with winning 400 dollars on b that we're scoring 40 points um um oh so sir anthony like he's actually been giving up a little bit more hard contact recently which isn't you know great heading into the season but just from the earlier turns in spring training it was this is this is different um and his his whole like pitching profile is is just so different than when he came up in 19 18 because in 18 it was like power cutters.

Doesn't even throw a cutter anymore. It's more of like a slider. And then he has a two-seam off that. So, like, also, Damon Jones has probably the best slider on the roster. So, yeah, I just think that the bullpen, I understand why people are concerned. But like I've said a couple times, I think, you know, on this podcast and I think with Julia last night, is at least these guys have stuff. people are concerned but like i've said a couple times i think you know on this podcast and and um i think of julia last night is this at least these guys have stuff you know i'm not sure they're

gonna find the strike zone all the time but they have stuff and stuff plays out of the bullpen we always say it's not that hard to to build a good bullpen because you just want guys to throw hard so um these guys have stuff they um can't always command. But if they get on a little bit of a roll here, they do have some experienced guys in Familia and Hand and Knable. And Serenity is kind of a bit of a wild card. But the upside is there to have a top 10 bullpen. Will they reach it? I don't know.

Could they all get hurt? Could they all stop throwing strikes? Could Knable get hurt? Could Serenity get hurt? And Familia is our closer in two months, I could totally see that. And I'm sorry to put that thought in everyone's head out there listening. But I just – at least they have stuff. And I will take that for the time being before we make some deadline trade.

In case anyone's wondering how the Braves season is going, Brandon Drury just hit a three-run home run against them. Really? 6-1 Reds. Let's go. Somewhere Brian Cashman is just thrilled. Yeah, I think I agree with everything you said. Look, I think really they're going to need some health luck.

If Knievel can stay healthy, I think that alone increases the potency of this bullpen by 20%, 30%. He's such an important piece. Obviously, stabilized in the back end, but also the most nasty pitcher in that pen. When healthy. It was awesome. He's awesome. And I think he's a guy a lot of people haven't seen a ton of. With the Dodgers last year, had injury issues before that.

Closed with the Brewers before that. But dude's nasty. And, you know, he can, he can lock that ninth inning down, that closer work down. And like you said, you never know. I think, look, Familia, Familia's good. That'd be Familia stuff. You know, he's just maddening at times, but I'm more concerned about the bullpen than you are, i definitely could see a a scenario where where things go the way you know where they end up being a top 10 type pen i i obviously wouldn't bet on it

but also i think that you know the the the awesome thing about them going over the tax is that like now now they can add guys you know it was always like the oh it's the deadline let's get wilson ramos or estruble cabrera or you know kyle gibson or whatever like oh and and make sure we get kyle gibson you guys give us some money back so we don't go over the tax or whatever like now we got a little leeway here we got a little runway where you know the team has to be good obviously in a position where they're gonna trade for it but like that's the exact type of stuff you can get the trade deadline bullpen arms like every friggin year we see these guys flip teams like

so I do think that that of all the spots on the team and obviously starting pitching depth could be something that proves to be that um but I think you can really supplement that during the season it's like the the the best weakness to have going into a season if you have some room to maneuver is is having a light bullpen so I feel pretty good about that. Um, all right. Uh, I didn't want to, you know, mention too much earlier. You mentioned quickly, but I figured I'd give 43 minutes or whatever it is, 40 minutes of, of, of yay. And then, ah, here, here's what I'll say. Hashtag why Mick man? Why Mick? I know. And honestly, like, it hasn't killed my excitement,

but there's definitely a part of me that's, like, down about it. Because, like, it was supposed to be the Phils, and, like, they're going to have this mashing lineup, and Mickie's also there, too, in a way. And it just hurts that that that he got hurt and i feel bad for him because you know it he was really starting to put it together and it looked like it was all starting to click and he just had a really good positive energy about him he hit the home run down in the trop off of like a real pitcher and in a real major league stadium. And I was like, wow, Mickey's fully arrived. And,

um, I, I, I just feel bad for him. He really, he had worked really hard to get to this point. And obviously it's not over. He's missing four to six weeks.

I just, I worried that the momentum kind of gets killed and it takes a little bit for him to, to regain, um, you know, where he was and the hand, you never know with those kinds of things. Is he, is he going to be a little bit for him to regain, you know, where he was and the hand. You never know with those kind of things. Is he going to be a little worried at the plate now of getting hit?

Is he going to move off the plate? Like, there's just a lot of things that can happen. And, you know, it happened in the last at bat of frickin' spring training. Are you kidding me? So, yeah, like tomorrow is going to be Nickkey's opening day start in centerfield like that's crazy where we were at with him um and you know he's our guy he he wore our shirt he um a lot he interacts with us and um they can't thank him enough for that and this podcast was behind him and i really felt like we were about to enter into a new era of Phil's baseball,

Mickey Moniak and center field and kind of being the Brandon Graham of the 2020s from bust to guy. And, you know, I just, I would be lying if i said it didn't kill a little bit of my excitement for tomorrow just because i thought he's gonna be out there with this lineup that's gonna mash and um be a part of this fully be a part of this magical run yeah it it really really really stings especially like after the initial x-rays are negative and we're all kind of like thank goodness you know he escaped it you know maybe he misses a few games but we're good and then the bomb drops today just it really and and i feel horrible for him you know because he

really worked to get there you know and and as who like, it's tough to have the pressure of being the number one overall pick in the draft and to, you know, honestly, up until this point, obviously, you know, be, be seen by, by everyone in the city is like a bust up till this point. And then to really work your ass off to get better and to build your body up to where it needs to be and, and put in the work and put in the time. And then to, you know, get to this spring training where you come in and, and you weren't even like considered an option for this center field thing, even though the guys were being considered have nowhere near the pedigree that

you do. Um, and then to, to go out and rake and, and earn like flat out earn that opportunity. And then the last fricking at best spring training, like flat out earn that opportunity. And then the last freaking at-bats spring training. Like it's like too dumb to believe. Like it's like how could this happen? It really sucks. And look, it sucks for the team, but I feel worse for Mick. And especially because, you know, these are tough injuries to come back from

and get that back. You know, a wrist injury, like it does hurt your power. It does hurt your ability to drive the ball and all that type of stuff. So, you know, you hope he can come back and get that back. A wrist injury, it does hurt your power. It does hurt your ability to drive the ball and all that type of stuff. So you hope he can come back and get that opportunity. Assuming Vierling doesn't take the job and run with it, which obviously we're happy. We want Vierling to be good. He's going to get a real opportunity here because I don't see Simon Muziati getting nearly as many bats as Matt Vierling. But, you know, hopefully Mickey gets a chance when he comes back and is able to kind of get it back to where he was and find that groove again.

Because it really did, to your point, it really felt like this was the year where everyone was like, oh, wait, Moniak's not a bust. How cool is that? How cool is that? And, of course, our guy. And Kevin Long said he was the easiest fix in 16 years of coaching. That's a lot of guys he's coached. I know.

I know. Yeah. And I know Girardi's itching just to sit him on the bench when he comes back. Of course he is. He didn't want to play him. Like, Moniak forced his hand. Moniak made it so that he had to. It sucks.

But, you know, we'll see. Hopefully Mickey heals quick and gets back and can do, you know, force Joe again, you know, every opportunity to take advantage of it and get, you know, that, that shot back. But look at to your point, like it does, it takes some excitement away, especially for us, you know, him being our guy and all that. But like, you know, look that this team, you know, if you're going to lose anyone, you're going to lose your nine hitter. It's not like something that's going to cripple this team. It doesn't change the outlook that I have for this team. It's just a bummer, you know?

Totally agree. Totally agree. But onward and upward. Hopefully, Nicky comes back and helps this team win their first division in 11 years. All right. I think it's take back time. The eve of opening day take back. I know.

You know what I'm going to do right after this, James? And frankly, I'm very much looking forward to it. What I do every night before the season starts, watch the documentary of the 08 films. Oh, buddy. get all the feels get in the get in the right mindset heading into tomorrow um i can't wait uh i i it's it's i you know i don't want to think too far ahead but eventually when i have a uh a kid that is hopefully old enough to like the phillies and and be with a you know understand how it works excited to to sit down and say hey you know what

we do the night before every phil season oh brother and by that point it's going to be watch the 2022 phil's world series yes yes obviously um i don't know my other take is like 2022 Bills World Series. Yes. Yes, obviously. I don't know. My other take is like this is going to really hurt if they're not good. I'm just setting myself up to just be crushed if they're not good. But you know what? You're a coward if you don't think they're going to make the playoffs. You're even more of a coward if you don't think they're going to win the division.

It's okay to think they're going to be good. Everyone's being cowards, James, and I don't want to hear any negativity because everything is going to be fine, and I'm not worried about this season. Is that fair? I couldn't have said it better myself. Did you watch the video yearbook from 2021 over the weekend? No, but I know you and neighbor dan did you're probably the only two that is not true i for i just it's the greatest thing ever when the video yearbook comes

out like now i didn't appreciate them putting the pass ball in against the padres in it like that was a painful moment you know like that in A year filled with they put the Nola Game tying home run against the Padres In there which is like come on you know give The Cronenworth Homer really yeah Yeah what I just said The scene you know as far as I'm Concerned the 2021 yearbook

Should have just been all of Bryce Harper's Yeah I don't care about anything Else maybe throw a few Zach Wheeler's strikeouts In there and I'm good to go. Oh, dude. Well, if you want to talk about like chills and like. Oh, and the Luke Williams. That was the single best moment of the season.

No, it was not. Yes, it was. No, it wasn't. What was better than Luke Williams? The Wheeler complete game on Doc Day. That was a great performance and it was awesome. It was not better. Like the Luke Williams moment is why you watch sports. Like williams moment was as like among the most magical moments

i've ever watched watching a regular season phillies game like the guy gets called up he's got his family in the stands he walks it off they're talking over the dugout it was beautiful man it was magical like it was i went upstairs and told emily about it like it was one of those i was like i gotta tell you what just happened like i was like welling up as it was happening i thought that was the best moment of the year by miles i thought that moment was was awesome yeah i think that i think that moment inflated what people thought luke williams until he starts mashing for the giants because you know that's gonna happen oh he'll be a five win player for the giants there's absolutely no doubt's going to happen. Oh, he'll be a five-win player for the Giants.

There's absolutely no doubt about it. Him and Darren Ruff leading the Giants of the World Series. Wait for it. Dude, wait until we get Derek Hall. I don't know how Derek Hall is going to end up a Giant, but he's going to end up a Giant. But yeah, the video yearbook was truly phenomenal. It's on YouTube now.

And it just, I don't know, it just puts me in a good mood, even though they've been brutal for a decade um uh kevin long needs a lifetime contract you know like i i'm sorry kev uh i hope you like philly help you like g6 but um you're not allowed to leave like you have to be the philly sitting coach for the rest of my life i'm sorry i guess but also like division titles and world series i just that guy's really good at his job and i'm really excited to see what what the guys do this year but so far like the early returns i've just been very very impressed with kevin long needs a lifetime contract sure and my last take before top five is I would like

to I know they're probably listening because why wouldn't they listen you know the day before the season or on their drive to citizens bank park but appreciate the Phil social media they put out a graphic today collecting tweets from the Cassiananos and Schwarber signing.

Yeah, that was fantastic stuff. And what was front and center? This guy was front and center. Oh, buddy. Yeah. So I appreciate it. It's a mistake, but, you know, we'll go with it. I actually think it's pretty smart marketing by them.

And anything else they need. You don't sound full of yourself at all right now so that's good that's good it's good this is very good anything else they need i didn't even realize i'm going back to look at it i did not realize oh there he is jack fritz oh buddy look at that. Front and center. What are you guys doing over there? Because you are listening. What are you doing over there? What are we doing here?

You know what's going to happen when you do this. They know who to go to. Oh, buddy. It's going to be a good season. Okay. These are, James, my top five locks of the 2022 Phil's season. Love it. Number five is the Phil's lose on I Hope's Night.

Yes, that is in perpetuity. It seems like it always happens. I can't wait for I Hope's Night. I don't know when it's going to be. Tomorrow will be outside passing still. Tomorrow, we'll be outside Passing Stowe. Oh, yeah, buddy. We're out by the statue. It's like a block party.

We're going to be out there. I'm going to be out there before you. Yeah, you are. Just saying. I'll be there at 11 a.m. Jack, when will you be there? Two o'clock. So you hang out with James for seven hours, and then I'll show up at 11 a.m. Jack, when will you be there? Two o'clock. So hang out with James for seven hours and then I'll show up.

Come see me. Come see. If you've always wondered what Brian Seltzer is like, he'll be there. That's pretty exciting. A little Seltzer and Seltzer action. You guys, not related, but I definitely thought that you guys would. What are the odds? What are the odds?

So, yeah. So we'll be outside passing Stowe. James will be there a lot longer than I am, but I'm excited to get over there. And I think we'll be walking around the ballpark. So, I think we'll just be like sort of wandering on the main concourses. And if you see us, come up, talk some fills, but not for too long because I want to watch the game.

Just kidding. But, yeah, so if you see us tomorrow, come say hi, get a photo. I meant to get my hair cut Tuesday. It didn't work out, so my hair is a little long. Please don't make fun of me. Sorry, I can barely talk, Jack. I think we'll get through it. Number four, lock of 2022, is that Castellanos gets the fills in a bench clearing bra and it

brings the team together. Just like this one, just like the, uh, rain tarp in Colorado in 2007, the Cassianos bench clearing bra will be the thing that brings this Phil's team together. Love it so much.

It's my favorite thing you've ever said. I'm so in on this. Never know it. I see it in my mind. I know. As you're saying, I see Castellanos jawing with the pitcher and getting all pissed off and just charging the mound. I see it. I see it.

I agree. It's going to be electric. Number three, this could come together very quickly. Nola allows a game-tying three-run home run tomorrow after seven shutout innings. Come on, buddy. It's going to happen. He gets into the seventh and

I don't know. Steven Piscotty hits one out and it's just like, oh, here we go. And that would be the first hashtag feels like a loss of the season. The second lock oh, here we go. And that would be the first hashtag feels like a loss of the season. Oh, buddy. The second lock of the 2022 season is this is probably around September.

Phil's making their charge. Nick's on a hot streak. He's at the plate, bottom of the ninth, running on second base, down one. And the crowd just starts raining down. Why not Nick Chance? You want to talk about a moment. Could you imagine, Seltzer? I don't even know if I can imagine it.

I love it. I don't know if I can imagine it. I don't know if that's within the realm of imagination. That's what i'm saying 45 000 people why not not mick why not mick yeah it's real good yeah yeah you want to talk about weeping on a podcast and the number one lock of 2022 is after 11 painful, brutal, just Tyler Goodell up years of Phil's baseball. Ethan Martin, Jonathan Pettibone, David hair.

Oh, David Hale. I can't remember his name right That's how bad he was Cameron Ropp Brandon Workman Heath Hembree Nick Pavetta, am I right? Vince Velasquez

Jake Arrieta Scott Kingery, sadly Jake Arrieta Yaxel Rios Edebrai Ramos Jake Arrieta. Scott Kingery, sadly. Jake Arrieta. Yaxel Rios. Edebrai Ramos. Freddie Galvis. Sorry, Freddie.

It's all coming to an end this year. I cannot wait to all of you that have been with us since the beginning. I can't wait to document the season with you. I hope it's not too rollercoaster-y. I hope it's just a normal baseball season. But knowing this baseball team. Okay, sure. Yeah, okay. Yeah, knowing this baseball team, not possible.

James and I love you very, very much. not possible. James and I love you very, very much. And we just, I think, I think you guys hear us smiling like all throughout these podcasts because we love this baseball team. We love this podcast.

We love this community. And being able to witness this playoff run altogether is going to be something magical. Get all the bad vibes out. Nick Cassiano, spot Ben Simmons' house, which is unbelievable. They're getting the bad vibes out. We got to get the bad vibes out too. It's been a long decade, but we're here.

The season's going to be well worth it. And tomorrow, 3-0-5, it's going to be a bad day to be in oakland a yaks el rios that's what got you that whole thing there were many of those in there i just it was the last one you said i could have gone with any of them um i think you said it perfectly and and i think that the big takeaway there is um i love that we get to do this. And I love that we get even that we've had so much fun on this podcast and the team has disappointed us at every turn, every turn. Never once has this team really made us truly happy other than, I guess, signing Bryce Harper. And like, you know, we did it. We kept doing the pod and we kept making jokes

and we kept smiling and we kept having this awesome community of people who freaking came to a baseball game with us. Like a hundred people showed up and we're like, what is happening? Where are all these people coming from? This is amazing. And, um, just the interaction and the people like tweeting out the dumb stuff we say at the pod. And, um, it just, it means everything to us. Like we, we love the high hopes podcast. We love the I was podcast community and we love the Phillies and that's what brings us all together. And it's just going to be, that's honestly the thing I'm most excited about this season is to get to do this podcast for the Phillies team that deserves this podcast okay

because we bring it every year and and the Phillies have not deserved it yet I think this is the year that it all comes together in in perfect harmony I think it's gonna be a special year buddy I agree so uh to you all out there, sleep well tonight. Maybe watch the 08 documentary like I'm about to do and gear up because it's going to be a long, fun-filled, home-run film. Good job by them getting the home-run bell fixed before the season starts. It was a must. It was a must. And Mako Mako is at the stadium now, so it feels like a division title. That's for sure. Yeah. And again, come was a must. It was a must. Yeah, yeah. And Mako Mako is at the stadium now,

so it feels like a division title, that's for sure. Yeah, and again, come see us tomorrow. Me way earlier, Jack, way later. Come say hi. We'll be down at the ballpark if you're there. Honestly, anyone who comes up and says, I listen to IOPs, you're our favorite people, and I'm not going to pay attention to anyone else but you

in the moment that you're there. So I'll end this podcast with this, because I think it's really the perfect thing to to end it with um there is zero chance that anyone plays this podcast at the end of this season and there's gonna be nothing wrong you know there's gonna be nothing that comes back to bite us from this podcast. That's how confident I feel, Jack. And I will leave it by saying this, that we are a podcast built on losers. Uh-oh, uh-oh. We thought we had a podcast title.

Might have gotten another one there. We're a podcast that were built on losers that are now winners. it yes oh this is great we'll be back um sunday night reacting to a sweep sweep sweep of the ace this is great he's friends with salt or else he'll die All-Star Closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names

to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is. Another fact, so jump aboard the BIB Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.