High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - This Offense Is Offensive

Episode Date: June 1, 2026

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies' west coast trip and wonder if there is any fix for their anemic offense. Jack also dives deep on some prospects who are heating up down on the farm.Presented by Miller Lite.To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com

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I hope. I feel a little less. long. Yo! Another edition of the I-OBS podcast, sponsored by Miller-Light, official partner of the Philadelphia Phillies, tastes like Miller-Time, Philadelphia.

Celebrate responsibly Fritzy. Saturday was fun. One of the wins of the season. Let's focus on that. What a great, great game that was. So much fun. Nothing else happened. Well, hold on.

We always said, we always said. One of three. one of three doesn't matter how it happened doesn't matter how it was a fact's a four and two road trips that's right true that's right a four and two westco trip you would have signed up for that before the series started i would have signed up for three and three you kidding me exactly exactly nothing even we don't have to talk about the games they won one game let's not let's not yeah they won one game out there i tell you what i know that they've been technically behind the dodgers for the last couple of years they feel even further behind the dodgers oh man i know after after watching that

series. And the Dodgers aren't even at full strength. Like, T-Oskers heard and, like, Glass Now's heard. And I, like, they fixed the bullpen. Last year the bullpen was a huge issue. Having, like, Trinan taking down important innings was a disaster. You know, obviously they didn't mean to have Edwin Diaz. So, like, whenever he gets back. But, man, it is, it is jarring, James, how offensive this offense is.

Yes, they are. Did you see the stat? I believe Ria had it on the morning show. It was in their last 11 games. They're averaging like 2.6 runs per game. It is the worst over an 11 game stretch for the Phillies since 1968. Nice. The epic.

Epic. Yeah. Well, that was the year of the pitcher. It was Bob Gibson and the lowering the mound after and the whole thing. Yeah, exactly, dude. Now, now granted, we are. back to the year of the pitcher, to be fair, you know, it is, it is one of those things where I think it's particularly bad for the Phillies and look, they are what, like, you know, like one of the,

it's been one of the worst offenses in the sport, uh, this, you know, the last few weeks or whatever, but it, the, the, it is across the league. I mean, this is something that a lot of teams are dealing with, like offenses down, but, you know, you watch and play the Dodgers and you see them, you know, smack the ball around and it doesn't make you feel very good about it. No, it doesn't. And the thing about the offense now is, you know, the last couple of years, they had a top five unit, essentially. I mean, by most metrics, they were, at least if not top five, then they were top ten. And when you watched them, they never really passed the eye test.

So you never really, you never really believed it. Yeah, it would always be like, you know their fifth in the league and runs. It'd be like, what? Yeah, I know. I know. They never passed the eye test. And that's obviously because we only watch the Phillies for a majority of the time. So we watch our team all the time, we have a, I think.

we lean generally more negative, you know? And what a sport? I mean, what a sport we choose to follow? I mean, you pretty much hate watch your team every single day. They have fits and spurts where you're like, this is the best sport of all time. But a majority of it, like a majority of it is just a game centered around failure that we sit down and they make us watch 162 of them. And then you add spring training and hopefully you make the postseason. It's a, I was talking to my neighbors about this this weekend,

how you're truly got to be like a masochist to love and appreciate this sport because there's just so much pain and suffering that feels like unlike any other sport and currently watching this offense is the equivalent of a lot of pain and suffering but like this year they've just fallen off a cliff offensively they've they've had good offensive runs but but right now if it's not schwarber harper and marsh everything else is dreadful. I mean, it is dreadful. Trey can't get going. He had the two games in San Diego, which was nice. And then he just

yeah, it's a problem. You had the back to that. I mean, that strike got out last night was horrible. I mean, that was such a bad, you know, and again with the, I don't blame him challenging in that spot because it was such a big spot, but yeah, you got to swing at that. You got a swing at that, dude. What are you doing? Well, his challenges

are infuriating. It drives me crazy, dude. I don't think he's, has he ever won one? I don't think he's, I have to be the worst in the sport. I don't, I don't think he's one. And they always, always come in a big spots they've come in a wrong always the big spot has found tray this yes it has over and over and over and over and over and over it's every game is like there's a big trice awesome awesome so it's like marsh schwarber harper they've all been really really good and when they're not clicking this offense stinks booms back to being like he's settled into being

boemish but it's not like he's on fire stats won for his last 21 and And the one was a homer. Hey, down 9-0. That was a big one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're going to tell our grandkids about the stock home run down 9-0. So he's, and then, and then I don't know what, I don't know what they're going to do with the Adolese thing, but.

It is unbelievable, dude. I mean, he's down, he's betting like 190 something now. I don't think, I don't think I have seen a guy look more defeated than him going up there than, then current Adoli-S-Carcia. He looks, he's out before he even gets up there. He's going up there, either praying he gets walked or praying he gets hit by a pitch. Because every single, dude, he, he's either three for his last 57 or two for his last 57. Okay.

With 30 strikeouts, 30. Like, that is, do you know how many strikeouts that is? Like, I know, I know if we're simplifying this whole thing. Yeah, no, the point is he would set the strikeout record by miles if he kept that. base. If you extract it over a year, it's 2505 strikeouts. There's a 162 games in a baseball season. Third in his last 57th, 30 strikeouts. I don't know what they're going to do. I don't know what they're going to do. I mean, like, maybe it's, it's Rancones when he can get like his feet under him and gets going at AAA a little bit. He's just kind of, he's played three games, I think, up in, up in Lehigh Valley,

had one really good game and did not have a great weekend. I know that because I'm certainly locked in on the iron stakes this weekend, because I'm begging for anything. to come up and show me a spark offensively that has a pulse. I would love more Stewie Barrowa. You kidding me? I mean... Oh, buddy, big hit.

It was a huge hit. It was a huge hit. And just crisp and clean out there in center field. So like, hey, maybe let's just go for a super defensive team. Even though Dolies is great defensively. And Crawford had a nice weekend. I mean, that catch was unbelievable. And he smoked his head into the wall.

Yeah. Dude, I respect that of that. Like, he didn't. He went for it. That was like shades of Aaron Rowan, you know? Oh, 100%. I mean, I was waiting for him after the game to say, for who? My teammate? To win.

You know who asked that question? Fun WIP Facts. No, who? Jolly. No way. Yeah. Now, do you want to know how he worded it? Oh, I can only imagine, please.

He said something along the lines of. 10-year-95, Ricky Waters. He said. He said, for who, for what? Is that how you found out there? No, but he did like lay it up to him in a Ricky Waters quote. Yeah, so it's like a super easy response there for Aaron. Yeah, I mean, it was it was aura farming and it got it got clipped properly to make it

seem like he just had that on the top of his head. But it was actually jolly, I would say, T's ball off the floor. Leading question. Yeah. No doubt. Yeah. So, but even Crawford, like he had the, well, he's, it can't hit either, you know? He had the big hit, was it Saturday?

Yeah. Or whatever to help spark that. that comeback. It just seemed like he, I know he's batting 234, and I get it, and some of it is dreadful. It does seem like he does spark some rallies.

Yeah, he's, he's, this is what we said at the beginning of the year. We're like, don't overreact to a good start. Like,

this kid is 22 years old. It is going to take time for him to adjust to the majors. Like, it's not shocking that he's not hitting that great. I'm actually enthused by how he's looked in center field. To the Adolus thing,

it is such a cruel joke, Jack, finally get a dude with a freaking rifle and he can't hit like there were multiple i mean getting him the throw to third the throw to home it's like i i keep being like emily you got to watch this replay of throws because it's i'm so blown away but then we have someone who can like laser it like that and then he gets up the plate and the dude stinks and it's so depressing yeah emily's sleeping and then she's like great call me like get downstairs emily you got to see this throw from the delis that that the guy didn't even touch the plate on.

He didn't even touch the plates. It was crazy. And then I love JT the next day, making it a point of emphasis to go. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. And tag the guy. No, it is sick. It's actually the most Phillies baseball thing of all time.

All time. Like, again, you know, we have had a lot of movements on this podcast of things that we wanted to see. One of them being the velocity movement. Now they have the hardest throwing team in all baseball, which is nice. And we've been begging for an outfielder that could throw guys out on the bases. but then he gets in the field he is a Greek stud he's a Greek god you know he is awesome out I mean that catch this weekend too the diving one like that was I mean he is a he's a full gold glove caliber right feeling like he is he is phenomenal well and shout out to

warmonger he has him as the he has the most five star catches in baseball this year I believe believe is like 25% catch probability. I mean, that was like 25%. And you just, you see, you see a guy that gets good jumps and gets to his spot. He's not the fastest guy in the world. Like, if they could teach Justin Crawford how to get a read off the bat, he'd be the best,

the best of center fielder in baseball, but he doesn't, you know, and that's why, like, so a couple of these catches for Crawford, they end up looking good. Better than they should. Yeah, yeah. But they're like 70% catch rate. Even that one yesterday, I swore he like,

he didn't move. He didn't move for a second. I know. He kind of just stood there. He's got some, Revere used to be like that, where Revere make these crazy catches, but he also just would not get good reads off the,

off the bat. So not to bring up Ben Revere. I've been talking about Justin Crawford, but there's, yeah, don't do that, but there's some similarities to their, to their play,

you know, a lot of singles and whatnot. But at least he's not going to go a whole season without hitting home run, so that's good. But yeah, I don't. Great. Yeah. I mean, this is just, it's, I mean, it's the same old adage, but, you know, this is kind of who they are. And they have great starting pitching, really a great three and then two question marks. Their bullpen, I think, is improving. I wouldn't say it's locked down, but it's not a disaster. And the lineups infuriating. I mean, they, it really feels like I'm watching the 2011 Phillies where it does. Yeah, you're right. And even then it's worse.

You have these three gods at the top of the rotation. And a lineup with a lot of aging, older players who, you know, it's the funny part is, it's the aging players that are still their best hitters. And they're the ones that are fine. I mean, that's it. It's everyone else that is just, it's not up to par. And I don't know. If they don't pitch well, it's going to be a lot of, a lot of nights and weekends like this.

Now, the good part is not facing the Dodgers all the time, but what was disheartening about this weekend is like, if you want to win the World Series, you're going to have to beat the Dodgers. And it's very, very hard to sit here and believe that they're going to be able to beat them in a five or seven game series after watching this weekend. Yeah. And look, it is May, you know, or excuse me, it's June 1. My bad, June 1. So, and it matters. I mean, it's not like there's been, you know, no sample size this season, but it is, we have seen teams, you know, kind of struggle in May and June and put it together later. the season and be hot at the right time.

Like, that is possible. But I think it's not just the Dodgers of it all because it is. But it's more just the offense. Like, I don't know who they beat in the, like, I feel like they could lose to anyone in the playoffs with this offense, you know? Look, I'm not saying they would. I'm not saying I would pick them to look. But like, let's say the Brewers, for example, all right?

A team that, you know, you don't get scared of in the playoffs that much, but the Brewers have a better offense in the Phillies. Like, I'm more scared of the Brewers offensively than the Phillies. Oh, it ain't close. So that's my point, like, where I, I do think that, you know, I'm not saying, the Dodgers are the ultimate thing. But if this offense isn't getting better,

like they might not make the playoffs if the offense isn't getting better, much less succeed in the playoffs. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's, that's where we are. I mean, that's exactly where we are. You,

instead of going cold in October, they're going cold in the regular season, you know? So now again, here are, let's put all the disclaimers out there at the same time, because that's what you have to do. Again,

when you follow this beautiful game. That's true. is great offenses have down periods of a season where they're not hitting and I mean the 08 offense had a three week stretch in the middle of their season where they couldn't hit and everyone was freaking out um the problem is is that their track records were what's the yeah the 08 offense had a better track record yes exactly yeah yeah and younger players and ascending players and um so yeah it is it is really, really hard to have this, they got watching every night, seeing the stars, seeing the pitching, all very, very fun.

But trying to project this out as can they do something this year is, is pretty tough. Yeah. And look, you know, they're already the rumors around, you know, I don't even know if it's a rumor. It's like, yes, the Phillies are going to try and get a right end at the deadline. Shocker, of course, yeah. So you're telling me, because I'm starting to get this sense, James. I'm starting to get the sense. Yeah.

And the Phillies are looking for a right-handed page. Yeah, exactly. We're back, buddy. We are so back. Really? Yeah. That is shocking. I love the, I mean, did Nightingale even have to talk?

No. It's like, what are we doing, guys? Like, yes, he just put that out. Did he check in with Dave? You know, and said the text, like, what are you looking for the deadline? And Dave, Dave sent him back like, what do you think? Yeah, do you need to ask, buddy? I think you know.

So, so look, that can change things we know, but, but it's pretty disheartening where this offense is at. I want to, I want to talk a little bit more about the series and we'll get to the bag and all that stuff coming up. But quickly, we'll go back to the offense, but Painter yesterday, I think from a pitching perspective, look, Wheeler wasn't great. He wasn't a disaster, but, you know, Wheeler's been great. I'm not concerned at all.

it's one night. The painter thing was ugly. And he had been coming off, what, like three or four decent start to good starts in a row, starting to make some progress. And, you know, was a step back yesterday? Oh, yeah. Yeah, well, it was one of those ones where he faced a real offense. I mean, that came in with a plan.

And you kind of got the sense early, you know, the first two pitches to Otani, 98 and 99 and he was dead set on them was was pretty jarring so well in the paas it was the second of the game yeah I mean it was just ripped yeah so you know I think I think painter as a young kid I'm sure I think he gets a little amped up in these big road environments and you know what's my sense by the way of course I mean the giant start was was a was a tough one early in the year that was his first road start in that ballpark I'm sure he was amped up red Sox start he was a little jittery early and then calmed down and ended up being fine. And then yesterday I'm sure there's

like a holy cow. I'm facing Otani. Betts, Freeman, these guys that I've grown up. There has to be a little bit of should I be out here? Of course there is. You know? So, so I think it's a little amped up for

these kind of starts. I do think J.T. going out hurt him. No, yeah. I mean, the numbers that have gone around are, and it's not huge sample size without him, but he's got like a three something area with JT and a nine something area with Stubbs of Martian. I mean, that's, that's pretty stark. Yeah, well, I think there's just a level of conviction when J.C.'s out there that he trusts what he's putting down and he kind of rolls with it and throws things with confidence. I think when he is out, the worst thing you can do as a

pitcher is not throw things with conviction or not feel like you not believe that you're going to do well, because then it gets in your head and you're going to get shelled. And I think that with JT back there, he feels like I got a confidant back there. I'm good to go. But, I mean, the fastball just continues to be a, I feel like I've used the word eight times already. But it's, it's jarring watching his fastball because it is 98. It is 99. And, dude, they don't miss it.

Like, there's not, there's not ever. Even when it's fouled off, I swear, it is like they just miss it by a millimeter. and they take an exhale because they're mad that they missed it. I don't know how they are so, like they try to hide it the best they can. And it's not like he's not throwing his other pitches. He's throwing them all the time. But oh my goodness, when he throws his fastball, the thing is getting blasted. So like this is something.

He cannot survive at the big league level with that fastball. And I don't need my number one pitching prospect at 6-7 that throws 98 to be a junk baller. Like that's not a great outcome here. It's not going to happen this season. I don't think. I think it's a hard thing to do on the fly and make it and kind of change things around mechanically or whatever they have to do. But this off season, they have to get in the lab and find a way to make that fastball work. There has to be some positive trait there that they can dive into and get more out of it. It's 98, 99. Find a way to make it more of an efficient pitch. And you have all the cameras, all the technology. If you got to turn into a two seam guy, I mean, Kirkering came up with a

flat four seamer. It got smoked. And now he's just the sinker and two seam guy. Like, they're going to have to find something to do with that pitch because it is horrendous. It's horrendous. And it's going to cost him, it's costing the teen games. It's costing him. It's going to have him that have a higher ERA. I don't know what the fix is. Like I'm not claiming to be Caleb Gotham. But this offseason needs to be a big old sit down with Painter of how are we going to make this fastball work again?

Because especially this is his first time through. Imagine what's going to be in year two, year three as the league gets more used to them and stuff. Now, Painter should be developing better off-spey pitches by that point. And like he'll find his footing from that standpoint. But man, man, that piece. pitch is it's one it's it's it's it's one of the worst pitches i've seen it just every single time he throws it guys are on the barrel and it's smoked at somewhere so uh it was a very very

disheartening start from from painter yesterday um and one that you like I'm I wasn't shocked watching it I was I was more surprised honestly it's struck out of Donnie on a curveball me too I was I was like oh my goodness well look at that that was it was awesome swing You got him swinging. I know. I know. It was like when Nola struck out Mookie in the All-Star game. Yeah, it was.

So, yeah, that's the painter thing. We'll survive this year. He's fine as a five. Let him work his way through it. But we got to find some kind of plan with that fastball because it is that he can't hold up. He simply can't hold up because it's just not going to work. Yeah.

Yeah. It's frustrating. And again, it's young and there's a long way to go. But for this year, it feels. like he's uh it's going to be an up and down season you know what i mean i don't think he's going to with if the if the fastball which i don't know why it would in season you know i think that's something you know that as he gets further away from the Tommy john and the off season they work on stuff you can get maybe get the fastball back but it feels like if he can't get it back in season it's

just going to be one of those you kind of just kind of you know hope for the best each time he's got to find a way to generate more finish like the ball just kind of glides through the zone. He's got to find a way to like, I don't know, it's, it's very pitching centric, but like, he has to be more explosive and like finish down. And I feel like he just finished it. There's a saying in pitching of don't throw to your target, throw through your target. Sure. And I just feel like he throws to the target. And he just nibbles a little bit. He's got to, it's got to, he's got to develop some, some, some dog. And, and, like, know that you're, part of pitching is,

is feeling like your bleep doesn't stink in a way, because you have to believe that if you're going to be out there. And he's just, he's got to, he's got to develop that a little bit. Keller doesn't have the killer face, but he's got, you know, good stuff.

Painter's got, he's got good stuff besides the fastball. Like, I don't know, he just, he's got to find a witted, be more explosive and, and have that fastball getting through the strike zone.

And especially because I think, I guess the biggest thing for him maybe is he's never had to because the fastball was always there. So maybe now he realizes the fastball isn't there and they'll find a way for him to get more explosive. It is hard with all the levers that he has because he's six, seven. There was the thing yesterday of Yamamoto and him having the same extension. Yeah. Well, it's easier when you're little, when you're a shorter guy because you have to do that stuff to generate velocity. when you're big like that,

it's like you can have a 20 foot extension. Like it's just there's a lot of levers there as a 6-7 guy. So I don't know. But finding some way to get more explosive down the mound is imperative. It is imperative. Yeah. All right. I want to get to take back in a minute.

You can hear anything else from the weekend. But quickly, I hate to even bring this up. But our guy, shout out to our guy, Pressum Mattingly, friend of the pod. spoke about other friend of the pot, Aidan Miller this weekend. This was the quote. We're learning on medical.

He's still just doing his rehab. Excuse me, leaning on me. We're leaning on medical. He's still just doing his rehab program at this point, not baseball activities. He was reportedly doing light baseball activities, but not any longer fritzy. Yeah. Gosh, man. This is, this is, it's a, nothing's going great right now.

And it's very frustrating. Yeah, it's a huge bummer. It's a huge bummer. Number one, I feel. bad for Aiden. Of course. Are you kidding me? Yes. Like obviously, you know, not everyone on the podcast is like met him and whatnot. But the guy is a, from what we know, the guy is like a baseball rat, he's obsessed with the game, like just wants to play. And it's being taken from him with the whole back thing. It, it stinks. Now, I think, like, they're pretty confident he's going to play this year.

I am like, I don't believe that. I don't know why. Yeah, I don't think any of us should assume he's going to play this year until he actually plays, you know, or until he's doing baseball stuff. I mean, he was starting light baseball activities. And then it was like, and then they had to stop. I mean, come on. Yeah.

So I'm like, it must be one of these things that like comes and goes. Like it's good, it's good, it's good. I'm fine, I'm fine. And then bang, there it is. And it's like you got to, you're back to square one. I don't know. I, I, I, he is like what they know. need so badly right now, a power threat in the middle of lineup, a right-handed bat.

And I don't know where he'd play, but I don't really care. I think they could make a spot from a third base. You can make a spot from a second base. You could make a spot from the outfield. Yeah, no one is, like, a locked down their spot where it's like you couldn't move on from one of these guys if Aiden were good already, you know? Yeah. So I guess I'm just of the mindset of I'm not going to see him this year, which is a huge

bummer. and hopefully he's good to go in 2028. When the lock got us lifted. Great. No. There'll be baseball next year. I think there will be too. We'll see.

The weekend, obviously there was some public posturing over the weekend. So we'll see how that all goes. Always. So, no, it just stinks. It stinks.

And every update makes me want to step my eyes. It's worse and worse. I know. I know. I know. I just, every time I see his name now, Like a dead. No, don't, don't show it to me. I don't want to know. Yeah. All right.

Take back in a sack. Shout out to Santino's tap and table. Today's show is sponsored by Miller Light and the Santino's Tap and Table in Milmont Park. Check out Santino's Tab and Table for every Phillies game and enjoy $5 Miller Light drafts. And their authentic Italian cuisines, Miller Lights for Phil's win celebrates responsibly Fritzie. You are, you know, you're not a godfather guy, but I read this and I have to say, somebody has to answer for Santino. Anyway, nice. You know Santino's. Sunny Corleone is Santino Corleone. Is that sunny Corleone? Who's the actor that plays him? James Cunne. No, not him.

Who's the guy that who's the main godfather? Marlon Brando. Oh, yes. He never is. He is the Don Corleone. Yes. Okay. Okay.

Yes. So yes, we did have our first, we did our first back and forth between the players and and the owners it's it's pretty wild to me that for the first time

it feels like there's a lot of people on the owner's side and and I guess my one thing on it is that I think Dodgers are great I understand that

I think we're making they're trying to turn the Dodgers into like this this boogeyman and to an extent I get it but it's not just money that make the Dodgers great

like what makes a Dodgers is great is player development. They draft really well. They're able to trade those guys for difference-making talent. And like the big, the fact that they came in at $171 million as the floor, which like 12 teams would have to get to, like all they're going to do is tell you that they're losing money every year,

but they won't open the books. But their first proposal is $171 million as the floor for all these teams that are supposedly losing money. that makes no sense to me that makes no sense to me so um i just i don't i don't want a cap i don't think a cap's going to happen i think they can find like some some middle ground in a way i agree i would be shocked if they have a cap shocked i just don't think the players are or ever they have it they have it pretty good and the one thing about a cap is that it does limit like what everyone talks about the stars and what the stars can make and

And like there's not going to be the $700 million contracts. But it also does hurt what the middle tier players make as well. So instead of like Taiwan Walker making $72 million on the open market, you know, a guy like Taiwan makes 40 or fifth. Like it just it also trickles down to the middle tier players. So I think. Oh, without a doubt. Yeah.

Everyone always talks about the star player, star player, star player. Well, sure, it would affect how much they can ultimate. make, but it does affect the middle tier as well. And the smaller players, or the lesser players, sure, like, they could get affected by it. But I don't know. I'm not looking forward to having to talk about labor breakdown stuff at all. It's, yeah, it's not. I'll let you do it because you watch you.

I read the book. I know all about it. And I'm not looking forward to it either. So there you go. Yeah, figure it out. Figure it out. But I'm definitely. Seriously.

Well, especially look, we, you, you. You weren't around in 94, but let me tell you. It hurt the sport, man. Like, it was, baseball was one thing in 93 in the beginning of 94. And in 95 forward, it was a little bit of a different thing. And in 98, you know, they brought it back, McGuire and so, so, so, but like, baseball took a hit that I don't, I think it never fully recovered from. It was never the same thing after 94. And they have made so many positive strides the last few years.

I mean, unanimous. Everyone agrees. The changes are perfect. You know, with a pitch clock, people like ABS, the basis, like all these things. They've just done things. I mean, I just saw it again. You'll see the average time of games where it's like, you know, a few years ago, it was like over three hours, three and a half, whatever.

And now it's two hours and 40 minutes. Like they have made the game so much better. And fans are into it. We just came off from the great post seasons. You know, obviously not for us. But the World Series was, you know, the best game we've seen. All that stuff. there's so much positivity for our freaking sport like don't F this up dude seriously like it's my

biggest fear dude the sport is as good as healthy as it has been in such a long time there's real excitement about the sport and it's like of course like if they do this it's like of course well then it'd be the owner's fault yeah it's it's it's not an owner player thing it's owner to owner like it's it's it's the smaller guys that don't want to do it they don't 100% And, and, like, they keep doing fan sentiment. They do fan this and fan that because they want to gaslight you and stuff like that. It's exactly right. It's the owners.

It's the owners. Like, that's, whatever. I don't know. Just, just figure it out. Listen, uh, Wheeler, like, I, there's, like, zero cause for concern with Wheeler. I mean, he actually has had starts like that in the past and that's hard to believe. It was just like they lost a game he started. I feel like that was going to happen all year.

It was just like that game at Camden Yards a couple years ago where all of a sudden he allowed four home runs. Oh yeah. Remember that was like a game up seven total or whatever it was? That was wild. Yeah. So that's what it reminded me up. I also, the balls in that game weren't passing my, my eye test.

Oh, I like this tank. This is good work. They were just like it looks like they were hitting bouncy balls. I don't know. I was surprised at some of those that went out. The Muncie one was ridiculous. So I would have liked seeing the Phillies take advantage of it more than they did. But the baseball...

You're talking about the ones right down the line that was basically like a line drive that just went out? Well, no. Didn't he hit one? He had like a pop-up on Friday. Oh, on Friday. I was talking about the one yesterday. Yeah. No.

Investigate the baseballs at Dodger Stadium on Friday night because that's the only reason that Wheeler sucked. That's my official position. It's a good thing. I like it. It was crazy. It was crazy. So many pop-ups. They went out.

I already mentioned Borowa. I did like his batts on Friday. Hey, you know, I texted you. As soon as I saw that he was called up, I was like, let's go. Come on, Stoley. Minor League minute. And he immediately did a little drag-bunt try attempt, his first. The first time he was up there, which is fun.

He did that all the time at Lehigh Valley. So if he gets a chance to play, I think he's an exciting little player. I don't know if he's going to have the chance. But again, Adolese is three, for his last 57 with 30 strikeouts. So, you know. Wish that were a joke, you know? Well, and like the ball.

It sounds like it should be those numbers. I think that it was the ball on Friday night looked like it could have been a home run and then it just died. Yeah, just. Just peered out. It did. Look it off the bat and it didn't even like get to the warning track.

It wasn't even close. Again, I'd rarely have seen a player look so defeated than modern day. Adola's going to say, yeah. He goes up there and it's like, It's wild. When he strikes out, he's just like, of course I did. Of course I did. What else should I have expected?

Yeah. So maybe they run out of, I don't want to move Crawford off center field because I want to get used to it out there, but like a Baroa center, Crawford left, Marsh right. And like Adoles, if they did a two-day reset for Alec Bohm, then they need a one-month reset. Like a week reset for Adoles. And the bat looks slow. everything looks slow. And then, I mean, like, last thing before, like, some minor league stuff is, and I'm fully

in wait and see mode, but if there is ever a time for a let's really change up what we're doing offensively kind of move at the deadline, it'd be this one. Like, nothing's working anyway. So whether it's a new third baseman, new second baseman, obviously we're going to talk about outfield. But if there's, like, ever a time for a real shakeup. up here to try to, because again, they've essentially ran back the same offense for multiple years now.

If there's ever a time to do it, I think when you are, and even since, so you brought some stats earlier, but like since the Pirate series, they've the lowest average in baseball, the lowest slug percentage in baseball, or no, 27th the slug, last in OBP, and I think they're all over the place, littering the bottom of the, the offensive ranking. It's great. Now that obviously coincides with facing. better pitching. So, you know, that doesn't help. But, but yeah, so if there was ever a time for a let's really shake up the core a little bit, we tried it. It didn't work. We're horrible offensively.

It'd be this deadline. But at the same time, that would require, you know, Dave to be creative in, in one of these scenarios. And he hasn't shown that from the offensive side. The Lazzardo trade was creative. Was, yeah. Although Keith Laude to describe Starlin Caba as the best defense, like one of the best defense of short stops he's ever seen. Terrific. Great. But he can't hit. So we'll be right.

Yeah. Yeah. But I don't think they gave up anything really of substance, but at least he's a, at least he's a sick defensive player. I think he's top 50 prospect for Keith. Anyway. Oh, wow. Anyway.

So yeah. Watch him be better than Trey Turner. Well, defensively, I would say that. Oh, well, I know. Obviously defensively he's going to. I mean, I'm saying period. That is, uh, that is probably, probably the case. All right.

And then just. Quick, quick little minor league minute. Oh, buddy. I mean, we're on fire with it. Baroa, I mean, things are happening. Things are happening. Rekonos didn't have a great weekend. I keep, I'm just begging for him.

If he can just go off for like two weeks and get up here, like, and give us some pop, begging him, begging him to do it. I guess a good way to kick off the minor league minute. I'm going to put out after we're off the landing page for our game at the Redding Fighten Hills. June 20th. June 20th. And we have, so June 10th. We have an event coming up.

We need to get the information for where it's at. But we do have it. Do you have it? No, I'm just like, I wish I don't. We got to get it. I don't have it. But I know that June 14th is our date at garage in written house, I believe. So I will double check that.

No matter what, no matter what we have an event on June 10th. For sure, keep June 10th locked up. We have an event on June 10th. Pretty sure we haven't on the 14th. And we definitely have the 20th. And I think the 24th. I think those are the dates. We will tell you next, Bob.

We'll get all the information, but we definitely have an event coming up on June 10th. Yeah. We definitely have one June 10th. And I think the garage makeup is the 24th. 24th. Okay, my fault. My fault.

And then 20th is ready. We will get everything to happen. Those are the dates. So keep them for us because we want to see you when we miss you guys. June 10th. June 20th. Okay. 24th is garage.

20th is Redding. And 10th, we're going to. tell you next time. It's somewhere. I think it's, I think it's, I think, I think that's where we are.

Okay. How's that? Love it. Great job by you. Really phenomenal. Let's have some other life. Some pros here, you know,

that's what we do. And, uh, listen, I don't know if the Redding, fight and Phil's listen to this podcast, but the, maybe the higher ups that be.

Gage. Let's just push Gage back and make sure, come on, push him back so we're starting June 20th. Please. Yeah. He's probably still going to be there unless we're on rocket ships with major leagues. So Gage did pitch Thursday night in his debut for the Redding Fight and Phil's.

By the way, those throwback Redding Thursdays are just beautiful. Oh, they're awesome. They're so cool looking. Yeah, big fan. Beautiful. So he, I mean, it's every time I talk about him, but he still looks the part. He, I think in four innings, he generated seven whips on his fastball. That sounds a little different than someone else I know.

You know, like the difference in watching. Painters fastball, yeah. And Gages is night and day. So he allowed one run, but honestly, it was a bleeder. It wasn't, there was no signs of like he's getting smoked up here. Again, it looks how it looked in low A. It just happens to be double A, which is, I think, a really, really good sign. It's a great sign.

It's what you want. Now there's a little bit more bad on ball, just because it's, It's a better hitters. But it's not hard contact. Like he's not allowing hard contact, which is very, very, very encouraging. So he didn't really throw many splitters. The one thing I thought that he did a lot of was mixing his,

he pitched backwards a little bit with his off speed pitches. And he's throwing them kind of to the outside corner a little bit. But, yeah, like fastball, the fastball up, the guys can't touch. It looks pretty much how it looked for Clearwater. And that's really, really encouraging. Yeah, it's good. The other thing that is super encouraging. is that Kate O'Muller made his Thresher's debut.

Oh, buddy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So the reason I didn't bring up Cade on his, on the first, his first debut or his debut of the year, didn't go very well. Selective. I like this. Yeah. But when he pitches well, we bring that up.

And so it was, it was everything, it's everything we've been dreaming of with Cade. Everyone's been talking about how he's, he's Josh Hader. He's a slightly less explosive Josh Hader and a short rancher Miller. Yes. So we've all been dreaming on the the Kate Obermuller potential. And it was so refreshing watching him just dot from that arm angle because he he, he in the spring breakout game, he was not dotting. In his first outing, he was not dotting. He was walk, walking the ballpark.

But on Friday night, my man was dotting, dotting. And he was like working that little slider off. He's got a nice feel for a changeup. He's a stod, man. Love it. Love hearing it. He's a legitimate stud. Carter's has your family covered for every summer first.

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They, they lit up Shane Bieber. I mean, they, he didn't know, I mean, it had to be the toughest line of his face since, you know, the Dodgers. Yeah, obviously, yeah. He probably felt like he was facing the Dodgers when he faced his freshman. Yeah, same thing. Yeah, the same thing. So there's this kid, Victor Cardoza, came out of nowhere.

Like, all of a sudden out of nowhere. Plays a really solid center field. He's a righty. Dude's hitting like 500. And it's like he's doing in the FCL, like the Florida Coast League, so it's on the backfields. And then now he's doing it for the threshers a little bit.

And like it was not on, it was not really on my radar. He's still batting like ninth for him, which kind of suggests. that they're easing. Yeah, sure. The best hitters hit at the top of the lineup. And it doesn't matter.

Is that how it works? Well, it's like what I mean is the place that they're interested in get the most of the bats. So he's batting ninth, which would suggest like, I don't know, I think they might be a little surprised at how he's doing. And then they have this kid, Robert Phelps, who had like $4.50 this week with a couple home runs. But he's like a 19th rounder.

I'll need to see a lot. And he's a college kid. Some talent, but I'm just going to need to see a lot more before we're like leading the minute with it. Really, the minor league minute is just turning into Thresher's talk. I love it. I love it. I can't get into the blue claws. I can't do it.

They had this kid, high Phil who pitched well this week, Gabberch had a good week. I don't know, man. Their offense is just a bunch of the bad draft picks they've had over the last couple of years. Great. Yeah, love it. For me. So I haven't really been, but we do not to talk about Pond, who two years ago had Tommy John, and he's missed some time.

He's a relieving prospect. He's from seven scoreless endings so far. He's up to a 100 with a six split. I could see some, I could see him being of interest in trades for other teams. So, but he is like a really, really interesting,

my only picture. And then I don't know what they're doing with Alex McFarland. It's infuriating. They brought him up for one day. They sent him back down to AA. He has a 0.47 ERA. Ray. Wow. He is like he's too good for the level and I don't know why they won't just put him in Lehigh Valley. I can't tell if they're if they're putting him there and leaving him double A so his numbers look insane so that they could trade him at the deadline. Maybe. But I don't know, man. I think he'd get big league outs. So I don't know what they're doing with them. But we will we'll figure that out. I'm getting really nervous about the draft. I need them to draft a prep. I need them to draft the prep. So prep. so bad. Desperate.

We need another cool bat. Big time. A lot of fun little arms. Big time. We need some bats. College pitcher is fine. I have talked myself out of ever drafting a high school arm again because the data suggests that they don't work out. I need a prep bat.

I need a prep bat so bad. And happy opening day to the Dominican Summer League. Oh, yes. Everyone's talking about that too. So that's good. As Francisco Ranjaria summer begins now. Well, that I'm excited about it. No.

I can't. This is, I never have been that locked in on the DSL. Until now. But now that Francisco is there. How much am I supposed to juggle here? You know, I got, I got the big inning. You're doing the work, buddy. You're doing the work.

We've got the big inning in Phillies every night with post game. Hey, yeah, look at all these minor league games and see who's sticking out at all. See, people don't appreciate how hard do you work for them enough, you know? Well, and Matthew Fisher's pitching the FCL the other day, which is an, add another layer to this whole shindig. My God. What are we going to do? Well, this is, this is. Minor League minimize to turn into a minor league hour.

You should do the show, the minor league show. Yeah, well, Fisher was alright in the outing. He's only like 89 to 92. We're going to need to get that up to 93, 95 fish. But he's got good feel for a breaking ball, which is exciting. But I think that's it. All right. Padre is coming to town. Two or three.

We could say two or three. We sweep again? One or three. No, two or three. Two or three. Two or three. and just don't allow a ronkress. Yeah, seriously.

Let's keep this freaking thing going. Let's keep this magic ride in here, buddy. That'd be pretty cool. It's awesome. And at least become the number one South Paul ever, the longest South Paul ever. Yeah, hell yeah. That'd be pretty sweet.

And Herschizer, your days are number, pal. Yeah, take that oral. Yeah, oral. All right. Chris Sanchez's coming. Sanchez's coming. All right. We'll be back later in the week.

Until then, he's fruit some salsa.