High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Summer Is No Longer Cancelled.

Episode Date: May 11, 2026

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies winning yet another series over the weekend and preview this upcoming week's games at Fenway Park. 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

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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 High Ops podcast, sponsored by Miller Light, official partner of Philadelphia Phillies,

tastes like Miller Time, Philadelphia, celebrate responsibly. I would like to thank those other teams for ending their silly little seasons so we can focus on the 10 and 3 Phillies since Mattingly came in. Let's freaking go, baby. We're hitting.

We're pitching fritzy. We got a baseball team all of a sudden. The summer is not canceled. It's back on. How you do, pal? We kick the snod out of the Rockies. Yeah, Rockies are a good team. No, Rockies are all right.

Rockies are all right. They're more serviceable. That's for sure, yeah. More serviceable than in years past. So what if the A's bullpen out, look at 11 ERA? And they don't have like super great starting pitching. We're back. We're back.

No, this is, this is really, however, this ends, however good they are, whatever. I mean, they clearly have stabilized this thing. And this is how they looked all of last year. I mean, this is who they were. Now, Lazzardo getting blown up on Friday was not exactly how he looked last year. But since Maddenly has taken over, I actually think there's been a little bit like more crisp baseball. Like we'll detail it, I'm sure, during this podcast, like little things that have that have very, very, very much excited me. But overall, man, they are, they are playing good baseball and they're getting back to just

winning series. We've talked about it at nauseam on this podcast. They're allergic to sweeping. They don't do it. They may never sweep again. All they do, though, at the 2025 and 2026 Philly's level is just keep rattling off series wins. And that's all they have to do.

All of a sudden, they're now, what, three games under 500? They're four and a half back. Hide for a second in the end. Annalise, baby, let's go. Yeah. This is definitely what we thought was going to happen to start the year. The Mets have like a spurt of hotness and then lost two or three out in Arizona. So, yeah, overall, I feel good.

And I'm very, very, I didn't really want to do. Would you trade Zach Wheeler? No, no. It didn't sound like fun. It didn't. I know that you would have gotten into the potential future that we could have gotten from it. Yes. But it would have sucked, man.

Oh, come on, man. You know how miserable is, ah, the months leading up to that line would have been miserable. There'd be a middle. Yeah, the summer would have been ruined. Like, it actually would have ruined the summer, you know? But they did not ruin the summer. Thank you. And, I mean, the offensive stats since Madeline took over.

Best in baseball, dude. First and average, second at home runs, second and slugging. I think there's second in runs scored. I mean, Brandon Marsh is leading the league in average. He has been 353, dude. I mean, both Harper and Schwerber in the 920, 930, whatever OPS range. Like the guys have really turned it on, especially those top three. It's really been Harper.

I mean, other guys are hitting, but Harper, Schwerber and Marsh have really, I mean, we, I was at like three weeks ago, I was like, they have to have one all star because that's the way it works. But we're going to have the all star game in Philly and it's going to be like Sanchez and that's it or something. Like now we're like, some guys playing at that level. We're looking like we might have some guys in the all star game here in Philly. it's just like it's like a I feel like I can like take a breath of relief like a side and it is like good for the Phillies that they've kind of picked it up right when the flyers and sixers end it's kind of like they they were allowed to kind of you know they fight they make the fire and then they kind can quietly you know get themselves back and be ready for people to start tuning in because

now they're going to get a lot more attention it's just the way it is so thank God we're not coming into like a 10 games under 500 and being like well let's talk talk about this, this team. So I thought in general, look, and on Friday, they lose, I think one thing about this team, too, that I've liked to see the last two weeks, whatever since Magley, they fight, man, like they fighting games. I know they lost on Friday, but was it six nothing, seven, two, or whatever it was, they're down. They fight back. They, they, they tend to Xers, they end up losing. But I've been impressed with, now, granted, I, I don't love that it took, you know, they basically waited around and we'll get into the Harper comments and all that. They basically waited around

for Topper to get fired and then turned it on. But, you know, they turned it on. Yeah, I don't. I think he was talking more just about like that weekend, you know, like they, Debrowski marched the, the, said it multiple times though, you know, well, I, I just, I think that last week, I don't think it was, they weren't on opening day. They weren't on saying, we're waiting around for Thompson to get fired.

But I think that last week was a real pressure point for them. And, I mean, Dombrowski marched his three most close, trust. to the evaluators through the clubhouse down in Atlanta. Like, I'm sure they were like, what, like, well, this is, this is different. So I'm sure there was a little bit of like, what's going to happen here. And they almost just wanted resolution. I mean, that's kind of the way that I read it, but I know everyone's on a witch hunt to get price.

So I don't think it's a witch hunt. I just don't, I don't love the way you phrased it. Like, I, I think it's possible that Bryce didn't love Topper as a manager as much as we all think, you know what I mean? Like, I think the stock comments were interesting. I think that they really liked Rob Thompson as a human. I think they thought it was a great human. I don't know that they loved him as a manager in the same way we thought they did.

You know, I don't. I think Harper's comments, like, it makes my ears perk up that like, look, you might be right. And maybe it was just a feeling, but it also feels like, you know, they weren't that upset, Harper at least. I don't know if he was that upset about the change. Well, certainly he definitely wants Stott to play more. Obviously, that is key. You could take that as an ultimate is probably a strong word because there's like nothing that would happen.

Or he could take it as, you know, supporting his friend and showing support for his friend. But yeah, he and I was actually glad that Maddenly didn't just do it. You know, I'm glad that. And that's so sad the big hit that day. It was like a perfect little. All right. Rain it in Big Dog. But then stopped that smoke a ball off a lefty, which is also good to see.

And now I've got Sosa back in left field, which is so fun. That's going to definitely not backfire in a big moment. It is crazy for a guy that is so athletic to go out there and just look like he has no idea. Like he would look like me going out there and playing left field sometimes where it's just like the read off the bad is so it's so it's so bad. But yeah, no. Yeah. It's certainly the sense that I'm getting from Bryce this year is way more of a I don't really give a bleep. Yes.

You know, I'm just trying to hit bleep hard. You know, like that kind of stuff. Like it's like, it feels like he's like, obviously we know how we felt about the Dumbraowski comments in a certain way and all that. Whatever he says, we know how he felt. And I think he's coming on a mission to himself be awesome. And I agree with you. I don't know, I don't know past that how he feels about everyone, all the whole thing, whatever. But I think he, he, he, look, and to his credit, he has been awesome.

Bryce has been awesome. It's the best price we've seen in a couple years. Like, obviously it's so early. Best sense, remember before he heard his handstring in 24? Exactly, exactly right, yep. Because there's a clip, there's a clip of me since the best that price has ever looked, which he was special during that time. Oh, my God.

Thankfully, it's only two years ago. I am, the Harper, I think he's playing with more of an edge this year. I think that's obviously. Without a doubt, yeah, no doubt. So he's playing with more an edge. And I think this might be what he has to be to lock in that next level that we know that he has in there. You know, Schwerber is way more,

yeah, I'll be all right, you know? Like, I'll get there. Don't you guys? Don't you guys? By the way, he's on page for 63 home runs. Yeah, dude, he's, four or five straight games or something. He's been.

Four straight. Insane. And he's got the average up to like 2030 or something like that. Or, you know, he's getting there. I think it's 227. 227. I know it was close to 230, something like that. But he was in the low two's, like even high ones, you know, so.

Yeah. Well, all of a sudden, like you mentioned, you know, March is hitting 353s leading the national league. in batting average or all baseball and batting average. All baseball, yeah. And then the Schwerber's tied for first. Harper's tied for seventh, which is better than I think we had thought.

You know, like, Adolice is hitting the ball hard. Sometimes they're out. The power isn't like there, but I agree. I like the batts. Like, I don't, I don't think he looks lost,

anything like that. And the average, I mean, him hitting like close to 250 is for him really good. It's just strange that he has not been able to get that power going. I am surprised he's a 700 OPS. Right? I mean,

and it's all because of the slugging, you know? I know, because we've obviously watched every game of his. He feels more like a, at least 750, you know, he feels more impactful. I agree. Yeah.

So maybe the hard. He also might be one of these guys that hits the ball hard, but happens to be at people and the numbers don't totally reflect how you, you feel about it. It was good to see him just absolutely launch one. Was it against the A's, yeah, the center field,

rather than the wall scrapers that he thinks are, are further than they are. No, but the swing adjustment they've made with him. And listen, I've been very anti-kevin-Long, but I think there's some things that he deserves credit for here. Like Marsh, yeah. Marsh, he deserves credit for. Adoli is a swing change.

He deserves credit for. Boom keeps talking about the adjustments, and it does look like he is trying to lift it a little bit more. Saturday was a good day for him, but yeah. Yeah, you got an RBI yesterday. Hey, beat out of ground ball. Elmo saved the season, right? You can thank Elmo.

Yeah, who would have thought? Oh, well, listen, I think if the match could do the stupid grimace thing, we can agree. We can have an almost way cooler than grimmis anyways. Oh, you know, I haven't gotten Walker at a Sesame Street yet. We haven't. Oh, you got to. It's amazing. I know.

It's a staple. Kids, there is a wild thing with the Elmo thing where kids just are drawn to Elmo. Like I'm, when Zoe's like, you know, four, five, like three, four, five really in the Sesame Street. And it's just wild. They just freaking love Elmo. It's, you know. We'll get there. We'll get there.

So, no, you say, feel good about those two in the middle of the lineup. Boom, we'll see, but like showing signs of life. It was good to see him hit two out. And the guy who I think is about to go on a run is Stott. I know it's, we're back. Come on, man. Come on. So here's the difference in what's going on with Stott right now that I think is really interesting.

So if you watch him, he's kind of changing as a hitter right in front of our eyes. he's turning into it he's he's attempting to turn into a a lift and launch slug guy which i'll take like i i appreciate over the noodle you know bat yeah oh over swinging a pool noodle what are you crazy so if you look at it so heading into the weekend i think it was like last thursday uh and he just missed one yesterday that beck made a crazy play on that was awesome but if you look at some of his numbers Like his pull air percentage, which I know you're a huge fan of. Love it. It is 21% or it's like it's not a 19.

I don't know what that means. You have to give some context for everyone with this. It's pretty, it's pretty simple. Pull air percentage. In terms of what are good numbers? I get like that percent you pull it in the air, but the point is like what are you looking for?

What is a good pull air percentage number? Okay. Well, right now he's running about 20% pull air percentage, which is in the red. It's not like bright red. And it's not like, it's not like I can say I want every hit her to be a pull in the air guy

I know what you mean I think there's there's value to it but but it's up from like 10% so he's clearly making concerted effort to do that you look at the hard hit rate and again heading into the weekend I looked at it last Thursday uh he was he's running a 61% hard hit rate

wow which is in the red yeah not like super bright red but in the red he it was 8% he's the 8% thile last year wow yeah that is a stunning difference. Yeah. So, and then checks out.

I mean, it was, no, yeah, I test backs it up, no doubt. It was a lot of weak fly balls to left field last year. So you look at hard hit rate, you look at barrel percentage, you look at, you know, pulling the ball in the air more, and I think he's starting to get more comfortable with it. I mean, he is like let the bad handle go

and trying to launch the ball. And maybe this is a, we're monitoring this. We're monitoring these situations. up and down the minor leagues into the major leagues. They're all trying to get behind the baseball. It really feels that way.

And boom, making a little bit of concerted effort to get behind the baseball. Stoddor, a concerted effort to get behind the baseball. JT looks like he's making a little concerted effort to get behind the baseball. There's good developments here. There's good developments here, Seltzer. And then you get the Crawford to the bottom, who is perfectly. I just let him. Crawford's been good, man.

Like, again, he had that little low and he's been good again. I mean, I think he's up to like 287 or something like that. I think he has the fourth or fifth highest OPS on the team. Yeah, Crawford's been good. Let's get to the one more guy and then we'll get to pitching and stuff. But a weird weekend for him had a big game, had a 0 for 10 or 11, whatever it was. Trey Turner has been all over the place. What was that four hit game, you know, over the weekend as well?

Or a game Saturday. Yeah. And then, you know, O for six. Like he's been obviously inconsistent and, and more bad than good. Any signs for optimism with Turner. Where are you at with Turner? Because he is, he really is such. a swing guy for this team. I mean, if you have the, especially if Marsh is going to step up,

you know, if you've got Crawford doing what he's doing and stock can be a little better. I mean, Turner can be that guy who can turn it into a real offense. Like, you need Turner to be good. Yeah. And, you know, Saturday was good. It looked like he was back spinning the baseball a little bit, which was a more positive sign. There were all fake hits. They were, they were real. They weren't like infield. It was a little concerning that one of the, a scout talked in the nightingale and said that they're legitimately concerned about trey uh so you know but the other thing too pal me too the thing that the thing that just stinks is man why are all of their best hitters left-handed because i would love i would by the way like i would love to have crawford nine

marsh should be batting lead off against righties at least so have if you go if you go mars schwerber harper That's like a million lefties in a row. Yeah, you set up for later in the game. You're in trouble, yeah. Which is a disaster. Like in my, in my head, I know that Marsh should just stay at five because it makes sense. You go Turner, Schwerber Harper, Adoli's him.

But at the same time, he's hitting 353. So he's, I would like that at the top of the lineup, especially when our leadoff hitter is hitting what, 2.30? Somewhere, yeah. Somewhere around there. So, but I also don't know. I don't know how you do it. I don't know how you do it unless you went Marsh Turner Harper Schwerber but I also don't want

that because I want I want Schwerber having more at bats and I want Harper having well Harper's same spot but you get the point so I'm almost just like ride it out with Trey and and hopefully heats up and he gets going here and I you know I think there's I don't know he's just he's so stop and starty I feel like he's always been stopping starty as in Philly really besides last year he kind of kept it together and it's just it's funny he said he took 350 swings before the game on Friday. It seems like he's like annoyed, obviously. Oh, yeah.

Yeah, those quotes were, yeah, for sure. And then he had zero. And like frustrated and, you know, kind of confused by it even, I would say, you know. And he's just, he's trying to work his way through it, which you appreciate. But also maybe, maybe he needs a little bone the two-day race that. Yeah, for serious. Yeah. Because we've seen this with Turner.

I mean, he is clearly a guy who puts a ton of pressure on himself. He just is. Like, you know, he is. We've heard it. We've seen it. and he is clearly someone who really works in the cage and works on his swing and all that. And it almost feels like to your point, like it's just he's overthinking it. He's doing too much.

Like I think he needs kind of just a day away or whatever. But it's just he is so important. Like he, I mean, we talk about him and Boehm and obviously, you know, those right-handed bats and Garcia too. But like him and Boehm having been here and part of this, like they have to make it go. Like they have to be the compliment to the lefty. bats that are hitting and and it's just it's it's frustrating because it feels especially with turner like you know the bone thing is just what it is he's frustrating he is the player he is he'll be gone next year but the turner thing yeah the turner thing

you know with the contract and the years left and the importance of it and also what that contract prohibits you from doing with other guys you know it's the tray turner thing is really the the biggest question mark for me right now moving forward in terms of like what this team can be. Yeah, I mean, I hear that. I hear that. They have survived with him being like this, you know, in the past, but they're not going to win. We're trying to win the World Series, man.

You know, they're not, they will not win the World Series with the righty bats doing this. They just won't. Like, we've seen the playoffs too much, especially, and I love Marsh. And I believe in Marsh, but like, we can't say for sure Mars will be awesome in the playoffs, tack a lefties attacking him all that type of stuff. It just, they, they have to, at least one of those two guys has to hit for them. has to. Yeah. Yeah. And Marsh, I'm really happy for Marsh. Marsh is a great dude. And it's been really good for an extended period here. He also has been a massive disappointment in the

postseason. Yeah. I mean, last year we talked about the, you know, the stats going around. It's awesome. But the numbers from May 1st, we had the horrible April. And then from May 1st last year, he's been one of the best hitters in the sport. But that doesn't include the playoffs, which happened in there where he was a disaster again, you know. And he is, it's one of those things. Because of the lefty thing, and, you know, it's nice to see him bad against lefties more that he needs the reps, he needs to get better at it. But when you get to the playoffs and you're facing, you know, teams that are more willing

to bring lefties into spots, more willing to be aggressive and you're facing better lefties who are, you know, max efforting and all that. Like, it's a tough spot for it. Oh, yeah. I mean, you're not facing the A's and the Rockies. Exactly. Yeah. In the playoffs.

Yeah. Now, I do think that the biggest thing that's happening with, with Marsh right now is, you know, he's kind of talked to. about it a lot, but he's just, he's dumbing this whole thing down. And I think when you watch him go play, and I know this isn't going to sound simple, but it looks like he's just playing. Seaball, hip-ball. Versus thinking in a way. And I think the trade thing. We were just talking about it. I know. I think that's the biggest difference from him and try is that like Marsh got sent down last year. And really since he's, he's come back, it's been way more, I'm just going to do me.

And I think he's been talking to Schwerber a lot about how to hit lefties. Because like the way he talks about hitting lefties is exactly the way that Schwabber talks about hitting lefties. It's smart, right? Look, look how much better Schwerver has made himself here in Philly hitting lefties. And he's obviously,

he's earned the ability to face left-handed pitching. Yeah, he has to be in it. He has to be. He's too good a hitter right now, not too. I mean, we're going to put Otto Kemp in there again, bring him back up for Reyes. I mean, these guys stink. Like, it's like they have a better chance

against left-hand and pitching, you know? Come on, man. Quade Kemp. Quote, Kemp. No, Come on, man. He's ripping the ball for play again, for usual. He's got to be going crazy.

He's down there. Like, are you kidding me? I know. He probably wishes he was down there playing bad. That way, he probably is like, I don't know. At least I don't have to think about this.

I don't want to go down here and have an 1100 OPS again and they all back up. But yeah, no, the marsh development is huge. And I wish they could move over the lineup. I just, I don't know where you do it. I don't know,

I don't know where you do it. I don't know how you do it. And the next thing that comes in is, are we extending Brandon Marsh, which you, Oh, you're right. It's a fascinating thing. And look, it is, it is wild with the Bome stop Marsh thing, you know, the daycare when

they were at the group of guys who've kind of been here. And obviously Bome and Stott through the system and have kind of grown up on the team together. I don't think anyone would guess that Marsh would easily be the best of the three of them. Like it's, it is a surprise. And look, I'm not going to take too big a victory lap, but just go back and look at the spring training stats for Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, and Brandon Marsh. Yeah.

Marshall's horrible, horrible in spring. Yeah. Yeah. That's fine. They don't tell the whole story. I had to get one in. You know who was horrible in the spring? And who's been horrible this year?

That's true. Yeah, you're right. All right. All right. Let's get to the pitching side of things. Then we'll get to the bag and the minor league minute and all that stuff. Oh, come on. Oh, that's what everyone's waiting for.

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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 eye-gaming, When the stakes rise and the lights get bright, that's when you find out who can really swim. Deep Waters is a new UFC podcast from CBS Sports. Every Monday, myself, Dean Thomas, alongside with legends of the sport, Chris Widman, Jorge Masvedal, and Dustin Porrier, bring you inside the octagon like no one else can. Deep Waters, new episodes every Monday, watch on YouTube or listen on Apple, Spotify, and everywhere else you get podcast. The pitching this weekend. You mentioned Lizarro. How concerned are you about the up and down?

Because we have seen that at times, Lazzardo we saw last year. He has had some brilliant outings this year, but he really has been way more inconsistent than at any point last year, much less earlier. Yeah, so you could tell, I could tell in five pitches that it was going to be a long one for Lazzardo on Friday.

It just immediately came out and didn't have command. So I was up in the, I was up in the Lake Wall and Paul Pack area. Ooh, look at you. Celebrating my, my buddies. We have a little bachelor party thing. So I, of course, I did bring my phone to the bar to. You wouldn't be you if you didn't. So I was watching the game with the, you know,

we found a place that had Sixers Knicks on, which is impressive. And given the area, because it's like around Scranton, there were Knicks fans in there. So that was funny. But no, so I was like watching the game on my phone, getting progressively more annoyed as the, as the night was going on. But yeah, I mean, maybe, maybe this is who Lazzardo is.

But I, like, I'll always just continue to bet on the upside and the high moments or the high moments. And he's just never going to, he might not have the consistency that a Sanchez can have, where Sanchez can just, a man, he is. What a king.

He is. He's back. He's back. He looks amazing. He's so far and away my favorite Philly. It's not even funny. I love him so much. But, and you can tell he's back by, what was it?

Was the third inning? Third inning when he had second and third no outs and just got out of it. Oh, dude. And the last start against the, is like the sitting in the bottom of the seventh for like, whatever, 30 minutes or whatever it was. Then I was shocked, man. I know he didn't have a time. I was shocked he brought him back out.

just deals like it was he is he is looking phenomenal and he looks like he was last year after that like weird hit barrage over a few starts it's much what have we talked about it nauseam on this podcast he ditched the ditched the slider I mean the hamill said it yesterday during the game he's like he I think he's thrown three or four sliders heading into the seventh and then he started throwing it more third time through just to give them a different look and be a tendency breaker but the basketball and Jake like I know there's this this thirst to You feel like you need three pitches. He wants to succeed at the major league level.

But he is such a unicorn from what he can do with those two pitches that it doesn't matter. They're the same pitch out of hand and they have no idea which one it is. And they just have to guess every single time. He's he's impossible. And he's down to a 2.11, like just like that. He's just a treat. I love him. But Lazardo, like he's just missing that level of consistency.

And he doesn't have the same kind of command. I think he's going to happen with him. Like he's going to just be off and it's going to be a horrible outing. And he's going to allow six runs and five innings. And then the next time he's going to go seven shutout. Like that's. Yeah. He's really when he's off.

He's off. He's really. Yeah. I mean, last year he was on a lot more than he's off. He only had a few start. It was really those like a couple, that little two in a row and then like one other start and that's it.

Yeah. Yeah. And even that met started a lot four and then retired, what, 20 some straight? 22, 22 straight. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. It's definitely annoying.

You give them credit for coming back and fighting. And the Crawford moment was awesome. I was asleep on the couch for that one. I was sitting there and then went a little horizontal. I was watching on my laptop and then I fell asleep. But I did rewatch the next day and got infuriated all over again. I was so brutal. I was so excited when they came back too.

Because we had like a Zoe school like fund. razor thing. And I was watching before we left, when came back, it's seven to, I throw it on. I'm like, all right.

You know, it's seven to us. I was fine. I'm like, okay. And then they just start coming back and I'm sitting there. I'm like,

this is lovely. This is great. And then, well, and listen, I think Maddley has done a great job with a lot of the, a lot of the small ball situations.

And there's some things I want to detail that I saw over the weekend that I loved. Get the Bunting station back out. And I want T on it. I want JT on it. And all guys, he says that don't have experience doing it, I freaking do it. I don't care. It's insane that Trey can't and doesn't bun.

It's insane. Like that profiles a player. Like, yes, exactly. You're hitting 2.30. And you're super fast. Like, this is crazy. You should have a bun in your bag as a tool regardless. Like, it should just be something you have in your bag, you know?

I don't think either one has laid a bunt down since 2018. I believe that that is. That is a wild stuff. And especially when you get, like, Kirkering has that great inning. And Kirkering looks phenomenal. He looks great. He looks like he was awesome. And he got fired up.

It was awesome. You know, that was cool. The biggest thing with Kirkering, and we'll get back to it. But the biggest thing with Kirkering this year is he has also developed a bleep you kind of attitude. I think, I think what happened in L.A. Yeah, I think, yeah, it's interesting. Could have been the best thing for his career. Could have been the best thing for it because he's developed a way more.

I don't give a cat. I don't give a crap. Well, when you, it's the, this, this quote always gets brought up and it's a great one, but that Howie Roseman in 20, you know, after 2015 and comes back in 2016, he said, you know, something the effect of, you know, once you're dead, once you've been dead, you've got nothing to lose. And it's like, that's kind of the same type of idea where Orion Kirkring has experienced the worst possible moment you can have on a baseball field, maybe outside of Mitch Williams.

You know what I mean? like, like as bad as it gets, especially because it was such a, you know, his own gaff. It wasn't just a bad pitch. It was his gaff. Like, once that happens, if you can move past that, like, how could anything feel worse? Like, you go on a field. You're like, well, it won't be as bad as that. I've already had the worst, you know, that has to be in some ways, I would think, for the right type of person, a freeing thing.

Yeah. The next step for him I need to see is I do need to see someone hit the ball back to him and he throws the ball on Thursday. Yes, desperately, desperately, desperately. I just need it. Yes. He still. I'm sure she doesn't need it, but yeah. Well, the first play of his season is a little dribbler back to him.

And then nonsense, I don't think. It's hilarious. I think there would be one. I think there might have won, yeah. But he didn't go for it. He didn't go for it. But no, and I, he looks like he's developed the cockiness that I think you need if you want to be a shutdown late inning reliever. No, but like, especially in extra innings, when you get out of it in the top half of the inning,

with it being a tie game, just bun them over and get them in. Every single time. Unless Schwabber is at the plate or Harper is at the plate, I want every other player bunting in that situation. Every other player. I'm probably talking about it. I might. I might.

You're not wrong. Swarber I'm definitely not. But, man, it's so frustrating because that should have been a win. I totally agree. It should have been. And they should have swept. They don't do that, though. No, they should have swept.

And this is in the tape bag, but we're here. there's a lot of things that annoy me about Brad Keller but on top of his 94 mile hour changeup that has no chance of the strike zone if he could please please ditch Imagine Dragons as you're walking. It's oh my you want to talk about having like no aura or absolutely I think the other team gets motivated

by how lame it is when they hear give whatever it takes like what are we doing? Like get a real walkout song. Imagine dragons. No wonder you can't find the strike zone. No wonder you're like he is frustrating. He might be as soft as a marshmallow. I don't get it.

You throw 98. You have a great sweeper. Last year with the Cubs, I mean, he was awesome. He was ridiculous with the Cubs. He didn't allow, he allowed one earn run after the All-Star break. One, one. He freaking comes here. And you're watching him with your hands over your eyes.

Every time he comes in, doesn't have a clutch gene, has to allow a run first before realizing he has 98 in his back pocket. Stop with the 94 mile an hour change up. Get it over the zone. Throw it 88. And let's get this thing back on track. Because guess what? I mean, with the way Kirkkerings throwing and with the way that Bolin looked yesterday,

who I don't know what they did and I don't know what the injury was or whatever. but and I think they worked on something on his lower half because he looked way more explosive. All of his stuff took a took an uptick yesterday. His is induced vertical breakdowns for Seamer was 19. 19. I mean, oh my goodness. Like, I don't know what they do with Bolin, but Bolin, that was ridiculous. So we saw yesterday.

So holy cow, Brad Keller. I mean, get rid of Imagine Dragons. You have good taste of music. I've seen you walk in and you ask what you're listening to. You say Childers and you say Zach Bryan. So you got some feel for the musical spectrum. Get rid of Imagine Dragons and turn into the lockdown reliever that we thought we had and let this bullpen just kind of eat for a little bit.

There you go. I like that. It's all about music. All right. Take bag in a sec, but on the way into the take bag. And I don't know if there's too much to say. We have an event on Thursday. Oh, yeah.

But thank you. Yes, I was going to get there. But yeah, let's just say that right now. I was actually going to mention Aaronnola, but Thursday in Philly, the garage written out. So it is the garage in written house. We are going to be there for the Phillies and socks, Red Sox action. I can't wait. It's going to be awesome coming out with us.

We'll have trivia, Miller Lights, giving away tickets. It's going to be freaking awesome. Am I asking my trivia questions again this year? You better. Yeah, buddy. Can't let me do it all. I mean, come on. Give my sicko questions in the holster.

Yeah, that's the best. goes silent and then it's like room dies oh it's so good it's so awkward and i love you'll just stand there you have no problem just letting them you know sit like i like i like seeing nothing quite like seeing the room die i know i know it's lively everyone's having a good time and then's hey who the philly's trade chase outley for oh you don't know darnel sweeney like you're like what are you crazy come on together uh uh uh uh uh who do they trade t j rumfeld for oh no idea Nick Nelson and Donnie Sands, I believe. Well, look at that.

Dieter Rumpfeld was nasty of Virginia Tech. He's a really farman. Yeah, he's an intriguing little first base bat. You want to talk about Nola? Sure. I mean, had a good start prior, the only one, and then, you know, kind of back to being Nola. They won, but back to me.

Yeah, listen, three innings, three, three runs or five innings. Yeah, I think it was four and two-thirds. Dude, and how about Donnie getting him out of there? I was, I was getting ready to give a stand. Oh, frankly, I was from my couch. I stood up and started clapping. I was like, look at that. I appreciate the proactiveness in which Don Mattingly is, is getting guys out of games before it goes, before it goes haywire.

I do think that's something that he picked up from John Schneider because this has not been the M.O. No, oh my God, at all. Ever, ever, ever. I think he's taken a lot from the Blue Jays. It really does seem that. Schneider's a good manager, so I'm good with that. But, no. So, yeah, I mean, him.

And Shapiro is a good organization. They're a good organization. 100%. So, but getting it out of there and knowing that he had a light pen that day, now he could have gotten screwed if, well, he had a pitching Kirkering anyway because he could have been two innings of Schubert, who, by the way, big Chase Sugar guy. You know it. I said, I love Chisholm, I'm fully in on Chase Sugar. 96 mile hour sinkers at the top of the zone and move like a foot.

But no, so knowing that he had a light pen, but feeling that that was too important of a moment in the game, I thought was really, really good and really, really an aggressive move that I liked. Probably Nola was that, I mean, it was vintage from the standpoint of he was, he was down, down, down, and then he'd go up and it was fine. When he is trying to be down and it leaks up, it just gets blasted. I mean, that's just been the story of Aaronnola really since 2018. So it's not anything new. I do think that he is trying to throw, you know, more first pitch curveballs to get hitters off the fastball. But I mean, his fastball is getting tattooed right now that the four seamer at a rate that he's never seen before.

So, yeah, I mean, at this point, he's a four. Just is what it is. Yeah, he's a five really, yeah. He's a five if painter can figure it out. Yeah, yeah, he's a five in general. but yeah, four here. Yeah, four, these are four here.

It is pretty jarring looking at the, like they've been good starting pitching wise. Oh, the numbers. I know the ERAs and stuff. It's like, whoa, look at that. Like painter and Nola, it's a Lazzardo. It's like, geez.

Dude, Lizarters is at a 5.90. I know. It's nuts, dude. Yeah, yeah. But they are pitching better. Yeah. Yeah. And I mean,

it's a really big painter start tomorrow. Well, I don't know. It's not like the end of the world. No, but you want to see, look, he is a 23-year-old kid pitching the majors for the first time. Like, you don't want him to spiral. You don't want him to get on a spot where he is not confident and not trusting his stuff

and all that. Like, I think if you, you know, keep getting hit up, they could have to send him the minors. You know what I mean? Like, so I think it's a big start for him, not in terms of like, oh, his career or whatever, but in terms of him being able to help this team this year, like, he needs to have some success and build some confidence and keep himself in the majors. Yeah.

And I think that, to his credit, it seems like he's handling it pretty well. I mean, Maddenly said he wanted to keep going out there, which you appreciate. But he also got to start seeing some results. I think they've tinkered with his fours team a little bit to get some better action on it. So we'll see if it, I mean, obviously, I think he was, he might have been tipping a little bit in that, in that last dark. They were all over him. They were all over him. I mean, Rooker hit a ball that was.

Oh, it's tank. So did Langaliers. The Langeliers one was like a moonshot just kept going, you know? No, but yeah, but the Rooker pitch was like at his belt. Oh, you're talking about the pitch itself. I was talking about the action. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Rooker pitch was a horrible pitch.

I mean, it was out. I think he set up outside. He missed it by a foot. But like to be able, I don't know, I don't think major league hitters, I give them a lot of credit and a lot of senses. But being able to do just be that on 97 in feels a little fishy to me. So maybe he was dipping. Maybe he wasn't.

Well, we'll see. But the issue continues to be. Obviously, the fastball has not. return to pre tj levels and we'll see if it ever does but uh the off speed just is not it's it's wheelerish where the off speed is quality if the fastball is elite and the fastball's not elite and then the secondaries aren't as aren't as crisp so the biggest thing he has to work on is like honing in and sharpening up all the secondaries if his fastball's never going to return which we'll see if it ever does but maybe he's the three maybe he's great let's pray that fastball returns all right let's take baggett

Okay, so what else? What else? The migraines thing. I've never seen it. Weird, right? Three guys now, right? Three migraines. What's going on?

I don't know. I also don't know if you can just figure out migraines, but they need to figure out the migraine. It's really strange. A lot of migraines. A lot of migraines. We are on Ty Cobb. We got to take him down with the Babep.

Oh, Mars is going for Cobb now? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Three, six. 370 some career babbip for marshy and and ty cobs is 3803 it's unbelievable it is the most absurd top five like stat like it's it's just such a ridiculous grouping it's him and four hall of famers like it's it's it's high it's it's high cobb brandon marsh and shoeless joe jackson yeah it's the top three yeah it's crazy which is i guess is joe not a hall of fame or a hall

fame worthy yes yes of course of course i mean the thing has always been if he could just put the ball I'll play. Yeah. The good things happen. And the biggest thing that I like about March's season so far is he's running a 19% K rate. I mean, wow. Last year he was 25, which was good. And then the years before, he was like 32, 30, all in the 30s.

And right now he's running a 19% K rate. That's phenomenal. He might finally be turning into Johnny Damon. He might finally be turning. comp, actually. That's a really good comp. I can see that. With the hair and the home runs and the left field defense.

Yeah, that's pretty good. I like, dude, that's pretty good. We love him to turn in. Yeah, if he could be a winner like Johnny Damon was, that would be cool for us too. Yeah, for sure. All right, so some little things that I did notice that I thought was really interesting. Well, not really interesting. It was actually just playing baseball the right way.

Which is interesting when they don't do it for a while. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Now, not getting buntz down and not winning on Friday. That was bad. That was bad for the Donny baseball brand. But on Saturday, when Sosa grabbed second after Marsh hit the sack fly to right field and he forced him to cut the ball and then he still got a second base. I feel like I see teams do that on the Phillies all the time because the Phillies never throw the right base it feels like.

Now under Donny baseball, they probably do throw the right base more often. But it was it was refreshing to see, hey, force the throw, you get the throw home, force them to cut it, so you make sure you score the run, and then you take second base. Yeah. That's the little things. And then the other thing, and I'm not sure if it was on purpose,

but if I ever coach Little League, or if I ever coach, you know, Legion. You're saying when you coach Little League, let's, come on. Wow, the schedule currently would make it pretty tough. Yeah, you'll figure it out. You'll figure it out. I would love to do what Stott did on Saturday with a runner on second base, where he bates the throw to second,

and as the ball goes, he's already on his way to third base. And the ball goes in the center field. You steal a run. Like, you steal a run. That's demoralizing for the other team. You take advantage of a young team in the Rockies. So I thought that was impressive, and I like that as well. Yeah, I'm with you.

And then for the true high hopes fans and the sickos out there, they did claim Jackson Rutledge off waiver. I saw. I got the email. That was exciting. Now, he's the ERA for the nationals this year is about 47. Is that bad? Yeah, so not great.

Not 4.7, 47. He was my draft crush. I remember. I want to say 21, maybe. I don't know, but he's a Juko kid, big fastball. A lot of levers there. He's huge. but he throws in the upper 90s like everyone else does.

And it's an intriguing little lad. I mean, his career minor league IRA is in the threes. So there has been some success there, but obviously it's not put it together. We'll see if Kauffman and Crew and Kauffman Co. And Kauffam City can... Katham City is phenomenal. Can work with him because there obviously is real stuff there.

But they need... Actually, they do need triple. way starting depth so we are I mean they do though like honestly they need major league starting depth in reality I mean you know if we talked like I just mentioned the idea of if painter doesn't you know he keeps struggling at this level he could get sent to the miners he could but like I don't even know what they bring up to take his place like they don't have guys right like and you've talked a lot about like low miners they got some dudes you know they got some guys to be excited about but in the high miners they're really really light now and even at a double a level there's I they're

Next closest starters are like prospect-wise are probably, it's probably Mavis Graves at Jersey Shore, just from the standpoint of being like, ready? I mean, everyone else, I mean, Chuck King is kind of pitching right for the Iron Pigs, but I mean, no, you don't want to do that. That's far, man. That's far away.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, Gabbish got lit up this week. Soccer fans, your chance to witness history is here. You could win tickets to the FIFA World Cup 2020. six final thanks to visa all it takes is a bemo visa credit card to enter sign up and enter at bemo dot com slash contest contest rules apply uh all right so the minor the minor league minute minor league minute um you call it minor league minutes i feel like well i only got actually only have three guys thought about okay all right love it so he this guy might be behind gauge as the second best pitching

prospect in the in the system and that is ramones marquez who is you know how you remember peaked devon williams with the airbender yeah of course he has that really he does and he's 95 to 97 now in his first start he's got nine he sure got nine in four innings the other day uh now i don't know how into the game the the the Daytona beach tartugas were because because wait for this they had a double header on Saturday and it was a rain delay in the first one and the game was supposed to start I think at 430 and it didn't start until 730

and then they played a second game after that so that second game didn't start 1030 or oh my god 30 10 30 so I don't know how into the game the tartary they played that like that's wild I think they had to because they didn't want to do it the next day and they want to give up the gate I guess yeah it's One, they wanted to get out of there, I'm sure, on Sunday. So it was hilarious to try to follow along.

That's nuts. Yeah. Now they play seven inning double headers, so it's not as egregious. But Ramon Marquez, if he is 95 and 97, he has that change up. And that change up to single A hitters has to be the toughest pitch that they've probably ever seen in their lives. So he's really, he's really, really awesome. He's really awesome. So him would, Brad Pacheco for Clearwater is really, really pitching well.

he's got some power stuff. Those are the three interesting ones. Fisher, well, this is like, Fisher's not even lower. Yeah, I know.

I'm just talking about guys who could be something down the road. And then Balker, Balker threw four inings relief yesterday. He struck out 37 and 20 innings. So, yeah, Balker's, you know what hurt them?

The Chassee injury hurt them. Yeah, a little bit. Yeah. Because he was someone who was moving up and looked like he could maybe, you know, be a guy for them, you know,

certainly, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Ramon Marquez, file that one away. Faribus, by the way, is smoking the ball still. Get on the Feribus? The Feribus. He got hit on the wrist, and it looked like a bad one because he went right down. But he came back and had four hits on Sunday. So I guess he's okay. He's had in a four game, well, in this series in Daytona Beach, he had 11 hits.

So I don't know how long they can keep him there. There's OPS over 1,000. So, you know, how long they can keep him there to get him to Jersey Shore. he is far and away the next most interesting catcher in the system because we're all looking for the JT replacement one day I wish I had a better feel for how he is behind the dish I don't really notice anything he seems fine I don't think it's the tight situation where he's just a DH I believe he can stick behind the dish

legitimately but uh fair of us is awesome and then there's going to burke order yes like dude all right all right I need like all right one second yeah buddy it's all right I really, I really like Dante Nori. And I like some of the other hitters in the system. For my money, peak of their powers. Like the best, the best prospect behind Aidan Miller when they're going is Griffinberg.

Wow. He is, because he's a combination of everything. Like, he's super fast. He can legitimately play center field. Nor he can as well. Norie is super fast. But he hits the ball hard. And, and, and he had nine hits in.

in his last four games. And four of them were doubles and two of them were home runs. Let's go. And they're trying to manage him as best as they can because he's had hamstring injuries and they're trying to be smart about it. But the Griffin-Berk holder package that he can be, the tools that he has, I mean, that is a possible difference-making prospect. He is, I'm so happy he is starting to play better.

He was hitting like 160 heading into the series. And before he got out in his last two of bats yesterday, he was up the 254. Wow. Just like that. And he jumped like a 750 OPS. Oh, my goodness. Like he has the total package. If he can just stay healthy, he has to stay healthy.

But man, he's like, he's like mini trout. He's mini trout. But he also might have the trout injuries. So we'll have to monitor that. But man, he is so intriguing. He's so intriguing. He hits the ball so freaking hard. And right-handed.

And he's right-handed. Which they need. And if you remember correctly, you know, they went a little underslot with Norrie. And they went overslot with Burke holder. They gave him $2.5 million and like the 60-some pick in the draft. So, yeah, the thresher's are the thrashers eye. They're just a treat.

They're just a treat. to watch. But Burk Holder's very, very excited. I love this. This is, this is exactly what I want to hear. He needs to stay healthy, but, but we are monitoring the Griffin Barkholder situation. Love it. Love it. All right. That's all I got. Um, again, Thursday, garage written house for the Sox game will be there for the whole game hanging out, uh, chance to win Philly's tickets, trivia, hang out with us. It's like, come on. Listen, it's for the Sox game, but don't you worry. We'll probably pull some Redding game up on the phone. Oh, you know, Jack will pull up a Redding game on the phone.

We'll have the thresher's going. Maybe we'll get a second TV. Maybe it's the most of the TV's in there. I like this. This is good work. Maybe we know someone who knows someone. Throw some pressures on. Let's get wild.

We were at this bar on Friday night up in the Poconos. And they had the Syracuse Mets on the TV. No way. There's nice little touch. I like this. There's Jonah Tom. You know, he's a triple A. So yeah, dude, last thing, this is just a baseball discussion.

I was looking up obviously the stats during the Don Mattingly era this morning. The 13 game era, yes. The raise of a 1.35 ERA during that. It's the race. Awesome. Their relievers have not allowed a home run. That is nuts, dude. Nuts.

Yeah, it's going to be a tough little stretch here. I mean, the raise aren't a, uh, a point. of this but it goes uh it goes who is the pie uh pitching wise it goes red so yeah they have the pirates this weekend red socks pirates reds who if they face chase chase burns good luck reds are good too reds are who would have thought tito would turn another team around shocker what a shock and then they go guardians podres dodgers that's tough man that's a that's a a stretch. And look, to the point, like I think, and we've talked about this, I think, you know, they made the Maddingly move, giving them a little runway to get going with the schedule.

Now they can play some real teams, you know, not that the Red Sox have been great, but to your point, you know, they do have real pitching. Now, is Crochet still hurt? Yeah. But Rangers, Rangers is being great. Or Ranger's pitching Thursday. Oh, so we'll see Ranger. Oh, my God. All right. Now everyone has to come. Watch Ranger with us. We have to do this. That's going to be, oh, I'm going to feel that one. I know. All right. Wait till they hit a little ground ball back at him. Oh, he's going to nonchalant, just toss it over.

He's like, oh, he does that. I miss that. He's so mean. I'm happy he's doing. I love that. Yes, of course. All right, we will be back later in the week, Thursday. Garage Philly Rittenhouse.

There are two garages. It's the one in Rittenhouse coming out with us. It's going to be awesome. There are three garage Gordon Tiger. My bad. The Rittenhouse one. That's all matters. All right.

We'll see you guys that. Can't wait. Until then, he's rid themselves.