High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - We Bleeping Hate This Place Too, Alec

Episode Date: April 14, 2022

James and Jack react to a disappointing series vs. the Mets. The guys spend the first 18 minutes of the podcast super annoyed with the Phillies but then they get it back on track talking Alec Bohm, beating the Marlins, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Yo! It is another edition of the IELTS Podcast. Jack, I was getting to the point where I thought they just might all be great yo's. I thought, you know, it was a new era. All the yo's would be fun. I wouldn't have to do the whole thing. But alas, we're here. Aaron Nola is still aranola somehow the bats have gone cold

good times pal what a start especially because like i don't know about you but i was so excited to record this podcast monday night like if we had recorded Monday night, it would have been such a magical, beautiful thing. Less magical, less beautiful. How are you, pal? Nevertheless, here we are. Here we are. You know, it's quite annoying that we already have to do one of these podcasts.

We're back. We joked about we're back when the Phillies were back, but that was bull crap. Like, we're back now. This is what we do right here. Three and three. Three and three. We're right on track.

I just don't know why it has to be this way. I swear to God. I literally swear to God. If this lineup was in any other city, they'd score like 10 runs a night. I really do believe that. It just doesn't make any sense to me why they can't score right now. I do not care that they scored six runs today. It was mostly garbage time, mostly when the game was out of reach. I don't care.

I don't view today as a positive offensive game. I know they came back on Monday. I don't view that as a positive offensive game. It showed that, hey, we can score quickly. Awesome. Is that going to for for 162 i it's just i think it's i i just think they're cursed i really do i just think they're a cursed franchise it shouldn't be this it shouldn't be this excruciating well i just don't know what i

don't know what we did why what did we do to deserve this every single year every single year what did we do i don't know what was so bad about it we had one we're the losingest franchise in the history of sports uh we you know we have like they have one world series in 1980 one in 2008 we have two real runs in the history of the franchise and everything else is just pure misery and it's just like what did we do is it because we let the a's leave like but why why is it and i know i know it's six games in the season it's six games i know i know i know you and i literally did a radio show hold on what time is it's nine o'clock so like less than 12 hours ago we did a radio show and we said calm down It's all good. Don't worry.

Now you're done. I'm not done. Here's where I'm at, James, is that I know it's six games. I know that it's early in the season. I know they'll eventually start hitting. It's just like maybe it might be all Aaron Nola's fault. I don't know. It could be. Like, it just having to deal

with that is just, and you know, I tweeted today, like if he's this bad, like they're not going to be able to compete this year. And like, obviously not like it's pretty easy scenarios. Like, well, it's early. It's like, no, it's not. It's two and a half years of this crap. Um, so it's like, I just, I know it's early. I know this is like an overreaction. I'm just really frustrated. And I want them to be normal. I want them to be a good baseball team. And I know there's highs and lows in the baseball season.

And I just almost choked on my own water, which is awesome. And really a good sign for this podcast. I'm over my last 21. I haven't won a bet since saturday it's just things aren't going great right now and i hate the mets i hate that team i hate those fans i hate that they come down here and they they go up by like two runs and they act like they're winning the world series um and i just hate that we're here i really do i hate that i already have this i just have this overwhelming feeling that we overrate this baseball team and i just i feel like an idiot and i i need this weekend

in miami to go well yeah well good thing they're in miami i mean it's never never been a problem down there no everything's yeah that's they been a disaster land. They play their best baseball in Miami. I mean, always. Look, I feel you. I feel your pain. The Nola thing. I mean, the flip to that is if Nola can be bad, if Kyle Gibson's going to be Cy Gibson.

So think about it that way, Jack. You didn't think about that, did you? No, I didn't. I can't wait to see what he does tomorrow night i'm sure everything will go well cy gibson i uh i feel you man and then no i think nola it's just that he's like if you had to pick one guy like from 2018 to now who's like the symbol of this team you know high hopes in it for a while collapse down the stretch when it's most important i mean it's it's arinola he is the phillies he is the perfect philly is the perfect example of the phillies so i get it i get it i will like i'm not funny enough maybe for the first

time in the history of this podcast i'm not not as down as you. I'm bummed. I'm tired. I was really looking forward to doing a fun podcast. It's clearly not that, but it is six games. I'm not going to overreact. I still think the things that we thought prior to the season are true. They're going to hit. I agree with you about this day this day not being a a positive

offensive day like I look at is they scored one run everyone that they scored after the one run feels meaningless to me so I I get it I'm with you on that and I'm frustrated with Girardi we'll get to that Nola is really just the worst I mean I I I passionately dislike that guy you know he is he is this as I said the symbol of all that is wrong with the Phillies. But I'm not ready to go down that rabbit hole of we were wrong. I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it, Jack.

Yeah, well, I know. It's hard to pace yourself over 162. It seems like you're doing a good job of it. So I'll just follow. Oh, I'm handling this well. I guess my thing is like, it's just I come on here and I genuinely just tell you how I feel. Like, it's just how I feel today. And I'm beyond frustrated like i just the nola thing is just such a letdown

and it's such a downer and it's like i want to love aaron nola i really do because i think he's a good dude um and he's one of our guys like aaron nola is a hometown guy and in 2018 it was freaking magical man like it it was freaking magical, man. Every start was like, wow, we get to watch one of the three best pitchers in the NL. And I remember thinking about his first playoff start and how playoff Nola was going to be a thing. And he struck out Bryce in Washington. It's like, oh, my God, this is unbelievable. And then I talked about about on the air today but like I watched him versus Scherzer on my honeymoon like I like Aaron like

Aaron O is a homegrown guy that turned into a top three Cy Young guy and like two and a half three years later I'm just I'm just done like I I he's like James, I could talk myself into just about anything on this baseball team. Like, you put it in front of me. Yeah, we've heard it. I don't think that's a statement you really need to qualify any further. I think everyone listening to this podcast knows that you could do that. No one's better at spinning things. I can't physically do it anymore with Aaron Nola.

And I haven't really tried because I just know that he's going to let us down. And I am at the point where it's like, not just him, James. I think my main message tonight is show me you know how to win. I don't want to have this whole, you guys are winners, this whole belief that they know how to win. I need them to just show me you know how to win like i don't want to have this whole like you guys are winners like this whole belief that they know how to win i need them to just show me you know how to win show me you know how to do the little things it takes to win a baseball game like show me you're a smart baseball team show me you can show up like show me joe gerardi you know how to manage a freaking bullpen show me you know how to press the right buttons why is every instinct that joe

gerardi has wrong i i don't understand maybe just being a manager in philadelphia like gabe has turned into one of the best managers in the sport now now i mean it does help to have uh uh far on the front office yeah far on that front office out there so that helps it just show me and listen i, I'll probably, if they take three or four this weekend in Miami, I'll be like, Oh, we'll be back. Right, and it'll be fine.

It's just like, I can't help but feel like I'm watching the same crap over and over again, just a more talented crap. Yeah, look, I think it's a fair point. And I'm not gonna, look, think it's it's a fair point and i'm not gonna look we talked about it even in our excitement for the season even in our our 90 win haze and and the nl east haze and all that we we acknowledge the fact that you know they're the phillies this is this is no sure thing yeah would we be surprised at all if at the end of the season

we look back and say what you said earlier in the podcast i feel like an idiot no it wouldn't be surprising at all in fact if we were right it'd probably be more surprising if they actually figure it out under a good team that'd be more surprising so you know nothing you're saying i think is anything that any phillies fan isn't feeling, thinking. Like, don't, James, James, you watch baseball. I watch baseball. Everyone that listens to this podcast watches baseball. Don't you think if they were in another city, they'd be off to like a 6-2 start? Like, don't you just feel that way?

Or whatever, they're 3-3, whatever. They'd be off to a 5-1 start. I don't know. There has to be something about this base. I don't know. There has to be something about this base. I don't know what we did, but there's too much talent. They're good

enough. The losingest franchise in the history of sports. I know. Yes. I know. I don't know. Sometimes, James, you can just tell on paper if a team's good or not. I don't know how... I just, like, because sometimes, James, you can just tell on paper if a team's good or not. Like, I don't know how, like, on paper, they're a good baseball team. How is this already starting six games in where I feel this way?

I don't know. I'm just, long day. Yeah, buddy. Long day. It's been a long day. Honestly, I'm tired. I'm frustrated. I'm with you there. and because it's because it's the same thing right i get it it's the same thing it's the same way they're losing games it's the same frustrating brand of baseball it's you know winning a

thrilling come from behind win on monday against Mets and losing two straight against the Mets. It's like, it's what they do. You know, it's every time we ever feel like this team finds something or feels special or has a moment, they find a way to just, you know, take a dump all over it the next day. It's just like, I mean, there's a reason. Remember that eight-game winning streak? It was like, holy crap. Because they only won four games in a row for like five years

or whatever it was, or longer. It's crazy. Like, this team can't seem to, you know, feel like a good baseball team for more than a week or two at a time. And I think that's why it's so frustrating. And, look, I'm with you. Mets and Mets. I think that magnifies it.

Like, I hate them. And seeing Max Scherzer in a Mets uniform made me so mad. Way, way angrier than I expected. It was weird, too. It just felt weird, and I hated it. But it made me actually mad to see Max Scherzer in a Mets uniform. I hated everything about it. And again, watching Aaron Nola on the other side, and to your point back to 2018 and you know what we thought the future was going to be the fact that Max Scherzer at like

75 years old is still a thousand times better than Aaron Nola like that sucks man it sucks it makes me angry like what are we doing here but I look I'm not I I get it. But I think the thing that makes me somewhat hopeful, which is not a word that probably should be used with this team right now, but that makes me hopeful coming out of this weekend is that I know they're going to hit. I know they're cursed, but even still, even a curse can't stop this lineup, right? Right? Right? Right? I mean, Nick Cassiano is not going to bat 250.

Like Kyle Schwarber is not going to bat 150. Cassiano's is hot right now. Yeah, he's one of the few. But the point is, like, at the end of the year, we're going to look up and they're going to be where they're supposed to be. So I can't, we think, I can't, I'm not going to freak out because, look, outside of Nola, which is worth freaking out about every Phillies fan should freak out about Aaron Nola. Zero Phillies fans should have any faith in him. No one should expect him to go out and shove as it were in a good spot. Like nobody,

like this dude stinks. He is a loser. He's a flat out loser. And until he does it for, honestly, he could be awesome the rest of the season until September. And then once September 1st hits, I'm still not going to believe he's going to be good until he's good in September. So, you know, long time till we're going to feel good about Aaron Nola. But I do still think that the lineup's going to hit and you look at everything else that happened over the first few games since we spoke, the last three games since we spoke, the Mets series, you look at everything, you feel better about the bullpen

than you did coming into the season, right? I mean, I do. I feel good about Kyle Gibson. I feel fine about Zach Eflin. I feel really good about what I saw out of Zach Wheeler after all the shoulder stuff and the worries and all that. He looked good, man. First thing was was rough and then he figured it out and then Girardi left him in too long that's another thing you can definitely feel bad about is Joe Girardi

but you know Ranger I'm you know I'm not worried about yet but you know obviously wasn't good but I do think that if you believe that this offense is gonna to hit, which I do believe, I'm okay. I'm okay. I think Nolan Girardi are the two things that I had. And honestly, it's not like I had real hopes for them changing, but I hoped for better. And I think they might not be better, but otherwise I'm still not ready to give up on. And obviously no one's giving up after six games. But I'm not. I'm okay. It was frustrating. It was against the Mets.

It was all frustrating. But they're going to hit. They'll hit. They will. And it'll be okay. They'll be fine, I think. It's like, so I think it comes down to Nola, Girardi, and like strikeouts for me,

just drive me crazy. Maybe I'm, maybe I'm more of a, uh, old school baseball fan than I thought. Like, and maybe it's also because Clayton Kershaw got pulled at the perfect game today,

which just bothers me. Um, the, and I don't know, it just, the whole thing is annoying, but I hate it. I hate it.

I hate it. Dave Roberts it. I hate it. Dave Roberts should be sent to pasture. Like, are you kidding me? Did you see this stat, by the way? There have only been two pitchers in the history of baseball that have gone seven perfect innings and been pulled out of the game. And Dave Roberts did it both times. It's Rich Hill and Clayton Kershaw. Like, and Rich Hill, at least he's 38 years old or whatever.

Like, man, at the time the time like that was an embarrassment at 80 pitches like baseball should be embarrassed Dave Roberts should be embarrassed everyone in that organization should be embarrassed like that was a travesty of baseball yeah and it's it's just like it's it's too it's too thinking with the numbers like I just let let us see if we can witness history there's been 23 perfect games. 23 ever! Jeff Passan tweeted out, there's been over 220,000 starts made

in the history of the sport, and 23 of them have been perfect games. And this is one of the greats. He's a Hall of Famer. He's done everything in the sport you could do. Let the dude go for the perfect game, especially if he's at 80 pitches. It wasn't like he was at, like, 110 through seven.

It's crazy, Jack. It's crazy. It is crazy. It is. It is. And that's just bothersome from the whole sports perspective. But, yeah, like, here's the thing. I'm frustrated.

All right. I think I've had 17 minutes to breathe here, James. All right. We're back. I can take a deep breath. Okay. So I think the bullpen's pretty good. I think the bullpen's pretty good.

It's just like every time I feel good about the bullpen, like Girardi leaves him in for one more inning. You know? Like maybe even on this podcast. He's leaving this podcast on for an extra 10 minutes that we blow up yeah you're so right this should be a 15 minute pot it'll be an hour and that last 10 minutes is gonna be yeah like i feel really good about nick nelson i feel pretty good about chris sanchez i felt really good about what bailey falter did today and then it's like oh you know what we to do? How about an extra inning and push it? And so, yes, the bullpen as a whole, I feel good.

And for the first time in a long time, I think there's at least three names that I can trust on most nights. Of course, it's baseball, so they're going to blow it. And it's going to, you know, I'm sure this comment will blow up. But I think on most nights they can trust knable most nights they can trust sir anthony how about i mean sir anthony in the the fourth today was was actually smart you know i'm glad i'm glad he did it um probably should have used him for mcneil but whatever um and familia is the one that could come back uh you know backfire on me because he's just been frustrating his entire career,

but also he has produced. And it's not like his stuff has massively declined, like his just, you know, command has declined. So at least with those three guys, they have three more guys in the bullpen that we've trusted in years past. And I'm not going to go there yet, but two good outings for Brad Hand, a completely normal 1-2-3 save, which was shocking. The most shocking thing that has happened yet this season.

Yes. Without a doubt. Fastball was up to 94, which is good to see. I thought it had a little bit of sync to it, which is really important because his fastball has been like hit it at 270 clip, which is ridiculous. And, you know, the slider is still the slider. It still plays. It even played last year when he had a down year.

So if he can get that fastball back to a respectable level and that slider is still there, you know, maybe there is something with Brad Hand. And the other thing, every time he throws the baseball, I kind of like wonder how his elbow just doesn't fall out because it's pretty much just all elbow um so good for brad hand for staying healthy but so i'll say that the the those four in the bullpen on most nights i feel pretty good about and then you sprinkle in alvarado who looked really good today we'll see what nick nelson continues to do um the one guy who is officially on my do not trust list and got optioned after

the game. And maybe this is just to kind of, and I, I, Connor Brogdon was like truly one of my guys. I really, really liked Connor Brogdon. But that was also the Connor Brogdon.

It was 97 to a hundred. And now he's like 94. And it's just like, when I watch him right now, I don't have that feeling in my gut that everything's going to be okay. Like he got out of a jam last night, and it was like, oh, that was lucky. Like JT had to make a throw, and DD had to make a crazy good tag at shortstop. So Brogdon is officially on the do not trust list until um further notice and hopefully it goes down to triple a and gets his velocity back up to where it needs to be so

you know on a collective i'd say the bullpen is good like people being surprised that the like i don't know seventh guy in a bullpen wasn't locked down is is a little ridiculous like i'm sorry the game wasn't able to keep close when we're when we're at the the bottom of the barrel there a little bit um and then and then the rotation i mean i think you laid it out pretty good i mean i think we can i think gibby is is solid efflin is solid ranger more upside than what he showed in start one wheeler very very encouraging start one as as he builds himself back up i mean ranger and wheeler are pretty much on a spring training like um thing right now which is frustrating because obviously they start the game with 13 straight games so you're relying on a lot of bullpen

situations with those guys only be able to go i would think they'd be able to get up to 80 next outing and then it's nola and obviously he's incredibly frustrating and you know it's just when when days like today happen james and you already know zach wheeler's on a pitch count and you know rangers on a pitch count nola can't pull that crap and i it's baseball it's gonna happen you're gonna have bad days but like he went he went like three and two thirds and the rest of the game had to be used by your bullpen as you head to Miami. You don't have an off day. Yeah, exactly. Right.

So that's the kind of crap that can just add up, and that's what makes today so frustrating because this is going to have a trickle-down effect to the rest of the team. So the first 18 minutes were how I genuinely felt about today and the current state of the Phillies and how cursed they are. This last five minutes, we're back. It's just the start of the season. It's just 3-3. Everything's fine. I love it.

And, look, the other part about the Nola thing that you said there, too, that you didn't add in is it's also against Scherzer. I know that's just a slot in the rotation and all that, but you want your dudes to bring it against the best guys, right? I mean, if the Phillies make the playoffs, Nola's going to be facing someone good whenever playoff game he's pitching in, you know? And obviously, the thought of Nola in the playoffs is honestly one of the scariest things I could possibly think about with the Phillies, as sad as that is. Playoff Nola, as sad as that is. Playoff no-lo. What a legend that was. But, you know, you want them going to be in Scherzer,

like you said, in this spot where they really need them to give some innings, to bring it. You know, it's like every time there's any sort of stakes to a baseball game, we get the worst version of them. Every time. You know, at least since 2018. Every time. Yeah, I literally, I think, Elliot's access today,

like when was the last time you'd say he stepped up? I legitimately think it was the 2018 start. It was the Boston start. It was that 2019, right? The Boston start. No, Boston. Well, the Boston one in Fenway was 2018. Oh, was it really?

All right, then never mind. Never send my comment. Who could forget? I mean, who could forget? Yeah, it was amazing. What a magical night that was. Yeah, yes. All right, let's get to the Boehm thing.

We are 23, 24 minutes into this podcast. Just bad at our jobs. Yeah, I mean, it's the single biggest thing that happened with the team this week, even despite the last two losses. All right, the whole thing. You know, I'm sure everyone listening knows Boehm has the three errors and three innings on Monday night. They end up coming back to win the game,

but at a certain point coming off the field, he turns to Didi and he says, I bleep and hate this place. And Twitter goes nuts, and everyone's trying to figure out, did he say that? Did he say something else? All that.

And then to his credit, after the game, the dude came out and owned it. Accountability said, yeah, I said it. It was stupid. I was in the middle of a moment. It was emotional. I'm sorry I didn't mean it. And the next night, the Philly fans shout out to Philadelphia

because we all know what great fans we are. We always talk about how passionate we are. We're the best fans in sports, all that stuff. But that was a perfect example of why. It was a perfect example. Down at Citizens Bank Park, when Alec Boehm comes up to pinch hit in the eighth inning, the Phillies fans get on their feet and give the dude a standing ovation. After he said he bleepin' hated them.

He bleepin' hated them. The night before, and the quote goes everywhere, but because this dude stood up and took some accountability and took it on the chin, everyone gave him a standing ovation. And, you know, I think it was an awesome moment. And I'm frustrated because we talked about this on the radio today, and you had a great point. You had a great point saying, hey, wouldn't it be awesome

if this moment meant something to this team, right? If this team looked and said wow philly's got our back like let's go out today and and crush for him and and and dominate and and the moment itself was so awesome and it's one of those things to you know i hate to lean into this but but that's a video yearbook moment the back-to-back right i mean that's a video yearbook moment that will be there but what was your take on kind of the whole thing obviously the boom thing but then what we talked about today where we're how frustrating it was where it seems like you know every time the last few years that this team has a moment like luke williams or or the you know whatever the met

series this that there's so many things where the b The Bryce Grand Slam. The Bryce Grand Slam, where we're like, oh, this is it, let's go. So they never seemed to grab it and run with it. Well, even Bamboo, even the home run hat. Yeah, they never, ever capitalized on this stuff. Listen, it was a great moment. I did find it hilarious that he got cheered again today like he's now one of the most popular athletes in the city like the guy the guy said he bleeped

hated this place in two days in a row he's getting standing like like borderline standing ovation today just for being a pinch runner like uh you know it's it's pretty hilarious pretty hilarious yeah the first one was great the second one all right we get it yeah it's like all right i mean come on he did say whatever um you know looking back on it it's completely fair because i bleeping hate this so i'm with you i said this the other day but like and i'm sure other people have said it too, but we all need I bleep and hate this place T-shirts. I mean, that's the best idea. I'm sure there is, but that's a perfect T-shirt.

Yeah. So, listen, he said it. I was frustrated because it's like, hey, man, the city didn't make you make three errors. Yes. Very true. Very true. hey man uh the city didn't make you make three errors yes very true very true no matter no matter where you go you're if that's in colorado kansas city whatever if you make three errors in the

first three innings of a game and you finally make a routine play uh they're gonna mock cheer yeah there's gonna be a bronx cheer no matter what in every single city assuming there are actual fans in the stadium. You never know in certain places. Well, the cardboard cutouts, I think, would have done it as well. You're right. You're right. So, yeah, so that was a little annoying.

And also, I mean, you know, you've been in the minor league slash up here for this is his third year like the third year and i just haven't seen any improvements from third base like i'm sure he's working on it but it's just again it's one of these things where it's frustrating for i think most phillies fans was like this has been the thing that we need you to do if you want to reach potential it's frustrating that you haven't been able to do that yet so um yeah it's just like it's frustrating the first reaction was to blame the city for or being mad at the city for a mock cheer frustrating that you haven't been able to do that yet so um yeah it's just like it's frustrating the first reaction was to blame the city for or being mad at the city for a mock cheer like

admittedly i think that's always hilarious i'm sorry i i always think it's funny um so that was frustrating but obviously stepping up and doing that and i i do wonder if it was it was some of the veteran players like, Hey, this is, you know, there's just own it. Um, and, and I wonder if they kind of were like, Hey, uh, this is kind of a, an opportunity to, to maybe stand up and just be accountable. That's all they really want anyway. Um, and it was, it was a really, really good moment. It was a good moment for the city. Um, you know, I think I tweeted this last night, but I just, I bet the national media was just so perplexed as to how he got a standing ovation

after he said he bleeped and hated this place because it's not, it's not that hard to play here. Just, just, just be accountable. And when you, when you mess up and whatever, just, just be honest. It's not that hard to be honest it's it's really not so um i really appreciate it from alec he could have easily lied and said oh i was just talking about yeah i hate these plays there were people on twitter saying that was definitely what he said he could have so easily done that yeah and and credit to him he didn't and i hope it's one of those things that kind of springboards him for the rest of his career here.

Like, Alec Bone figuring it out here would be unbelievable for this team. It's the best outcome that could happen here. So, you know, hopefully it's one of those things where we're looking back and 3,000 hits later, he's going to say, yeah, I said I believe in this place. And all I did was admit it and look where I am now I'm a hall of famer

now I'm a hall of famer and shout out to James and Jack for all the accountability that you guys showed in all those years doing the Iowa's podcast sorry we never got a playoff appearance sorry it's been 35 years now without a playoff appearance but

the podcast is pretty good so but i got a lot of hits for you guys right i mean so yeah yeah everything's fine as long as long as he doesn't call uh st louis baseball heaven when he gets traded there i think i think everything will be okay so um yeah it was a it was a really cool moment. And I'm curious to see how the video yearbook treats it. And I'm annoyed that they couldn't even make it cool for a day. They had to ruin it. That's the most frustrating part because it was a cool moment. And I agree with everything you said.

I hate that his first thought was to say what he said in the moment. But again, taking the accountability and really how Philly looked handling it was all awesome. It was really awesome. And it was a great, you know, sign of what this city is and what it's like to play here and, and what you can be if you handle things right here.

And like you said, it's not that hard, man. He just didn't lie. That was it. He said, he bleeping hates us. And then he just didn't lie about it and we're like we

love you man you're great you're the best alec thanks for playing philly like it's so easy it's so easy dude like i'm just imagine if ben did that like just imagine i just i'm curious to see what the reaction would have been i don't know um but yeah it is pretty comical i don't know any other place that would have treated it like that like probably boston maybe chicago um i don't know about new york um but yeah it's uh it's it's just one of those things that makes us us and uh one of those things that i just it's it's part of why I love this place. And I wouldn't want to go through torturous baseball with any other city. Yeah, dude. Tell me about it. Follow me on Twitter and get mad.

Tell me about it. Yeah. And look to the third base point, you know, I hate to say it, but you know, I don't think he's ever going to get better. You know, he, I feel like, I feel like he could work every hour, every day for the next five years and not get markedly better at the position. He's just bad at it. He's just oafy and too big. And it's not even that he's just too big.

Look, guys this size have played at their base, so it is harder. But he's just not super coordinated. He's not super athletic out there. He's just bad. He's just like not super coordinated. You know, he's not, he's not super athletic out there. He just, he's just bad. He's just a bad defensive player. Well, and,

and honestly, that brings us to pretty much another subject, but like, okay, if that's true, which you're, you're probably right. So what do we do?

Like, you know, like, because Hoskins has a year left. I don't feel comfortable moving on from Hoskins and putting Baum at first base at this point. Do I think Baum could play left? Sure.

That's awesome. We just signed two left fielders. Great. So what do we do there? We don't think he can play third. Even then, I wouldn't say. I mean, he could probably figure it out. I know.

I'm just talking out ideas of what we could possibly do with them is it gonna are we trending towards a trade here like unless unless you're comfortable moving on from hoskins and putting bone at first base which i i don't feel comfortable doing that at this point i don't know where we go from here unless i think it comes down to a trade yeah that's where i'm at i hate to say it it, but I think that Alec Boehm is going to get traded. I think that that's probably what makes the most sense. Again, like you said, I really only see two options because, look, like you just said, they signed two left fielders who literally can't play anywhere else in the field.

So, you know, one of them is DH and one of them is playing left field. That's it. Like there will be some random days where you could DH Boehm, you know, when Cassie needs a day off or Schwartman needs a day off or whatever. But you're certainly not keeping Boehm on the roster to be a pinch hitter slash once in a while DH type guy. So, yeah, I think you're trading him. Again, the only other option, as you said, is if they are not planning to sign Reese past this year. And maybe you say, all right, Reese has the— And look, I don't think they're trading him this year.

I mean, it'd be such a weird move to trade Reese right now while this thing's, you know, kind of—you're going for it. So maybe they could trade him in the offseason with a year left. But it just doesn't seem like—it seems like the best use of the resources you have, assuming you can get something for Baum, which have, assuming you can get something for Baum, which I do think you can get something for Baum. He's still a third overall pick not that long ago. He is someone who has had legitimate offensive success at the major league level.

He's looking good now, but obviously the rookie year. And there are teams that have DHs open and have first base spots open where they can. Because I do think he played first base. Obviously, not yet. He needs to learn to play the position. But I think you buy it first base with his body frame. Again, I don't think he'll be a good first baseman.

Don't get me wrong. I think he's going to be bad at any position he plays. But I think at least at first base with some practice, he could be a passable first baseman. So, yeah, I don't love it i don't think it's you know the best way for this all to play out but i don't really see a path forward outside of training yeah um and the shame of all of this and the shame of the um you know the thing that happened monday night and and all the reaction is that like he looks pretty good at the plate he really yeah like he he smoked the ball uh monday night uh hit a ball hard last night to make his first out of the season and even today uh smoked the ball late

so you're starting to see some signs of life i just i don't know how this whole puzzle comes together and honestly james like the best case scenario now in my estimation is he hits the crap out of the ball and it ups his trade value and they can get some legitimate pieces back. Because I just don't know. I think Reese should be here long term. I think Reese is a good player. I don't think it'll cost them a ridiculous amount to do it i mean i know he's a boom uh i know he's a boris client um but i i it just it doesn't feel like his market's gonna be insane like if castellanos got 500 i don't i don't know what reese gets so oh certainly less than that is the point no i know i know and i think castellanos is

a really good offensive player so um a long – yeah, absolutely. So, I don't know. That's kind of the next evolution of the Boehm thing. And, you know, I guess in a perfect world is that they move on from Didi this offseason, Stott plays shortstop, and Boehm plays – Yeah, that's perfect. But, again, we round back to the same issue, my friend. Knowing this, well, as long as they sign Camargo

to at least a five-year contract. We called it, by the way. You said it. By the end of the season, Philly's fans' favorite player is going to be Camargo. He's going to be the guy that everyone wants. Now, have you got the name yet? Camargo.

Camargo. Camargo. I keep saying Camargo. What is going on with me, Jack? It's the camera's fault because the camera calls. Yes. That's how he pronounces it. It's a Rendon, Rendon, you know, relapse.

Yeah, but you follow baseball. I do. You know Johan Camargo. I'm just saying the name wrong. Camargo, Carmago. Like, it just. Yeah, but that doesn't even sound right. I know that.

All right. Even when I'm saying it, I'm like, this sounds weird as I'm saying it. Camargo. Johan Camargo. There you go. He's a good player, man. Yeah, he's a baseball player. He's a guy you want on your team.

He will struggle against spin, but he can play good defense and can hit a little bit. I mean, he's bad at 500 on the years. Only switch hitter on the team. Oddly enough too. Well, yeah,

because you ran nappy out of town. Yup. I'll take that one on the chin. Hey, how about this? Ready? I've seen one game of Garrett stubs way better than nappy. I don't know.

He kind of looks like the cat and I like Garrett subs. He kind of looks like the cat and I like Garrett Stubbs. He kind of looks like every catcher in the home run derby. Like, you know, the catcher that, Oh yeah, sure. On the home run derby.

That's what he reminds me of. They plucked him from the Astros. Come on, Jack. Smart organization. Well, well, and,

and like our, now there's only, I, I walking into this comment, i know there is maybe four people listening that care but the fact that they traded logan cerny for him yep is for his just it is awful it's uh and i think whatever garrett subs is fine like he's a backup catcher there's no way you had to trade logan Cerny to make that happen. You just did it.

The guy is like, he's twitched up. He's hitting tanks. He's twitched up. It's just like, there's no... Dude is twitched up. Why do you have to give away talent to get role players like Garrett Stubbs? Even trading TJ Rumsfeld for Nick Nelson. Whatever. It's fine.

But let's hold on to talented players. Give away the bad players. That's my main motto. I think that's a good philosophy. I'm not going to lie to you. Other teams should steal that. That's called being a GM. Look at you. Alright. Let me look at my notes here. I got notes tonight, Jack.

Have we turned around this podcast, by the way? I think we've turned it around. I think so. All right. One more thing and then take back. I will say, liked a little bit of tempers flaring today. Like Buck Showalter getting all fired up. And it was clearly they were not hitting people on purpose.

Like, Buck, relax. But I like it. I like it. That's what I'm saying. I like it but i like that's what i'm saying i like it i like it philly's mets should be hatred it should be vitriol it should be looking across the diamond and saying i bleep in hate you all right not this place i bleep in hate you and today i fell over those juices big fan yeah i mean the fact that yeah well buck show author's clearly just making up for

the like four years he's been without a job in the last two weeks i mean he's he's been on the top step a lot i love watching him like waddle out too dude listen i i freaking love books like maybe not the best manager but dude's He's fun. I wish he was our manager. Oh, you know what? I do too. I was like, of course you would. I definitely do. Yeah, I definitely do.

I wish whoever, who's the Mets bench coach? I'll take that guy. Sure, sure. You know, maybe, maybe we can take Alex Cora in a year, you know, I'm sure Boston will be looking at the. Just pluck the best manager in baseball. No problem. Flip back out. I mean, Dombrowski hired him once.

Yeah, Dombrowski found him once. That dude's so good, by the way. We always talk about managers not mattering that much. Alex Cora, I think, actually matters a little bit. Dude, he's worth at least 10 wins a year. Dude's amazing. He's amazing. But honestly, real quick,

I know we've been doing a lot of future projections because the season's over. But, like, first off, Dombrowski didn't even know that, like, Girardi had an option for next year. Like, I think it's pretty clear that he's not really his guy. Like, they're letting him be a lame duck manager this year, which doesn't totally happen. If you look at the history of Dombrowski with managers he's done pretty well now he did hire Leland twice so I guess it's not like that hard right um it's like hiring one of the one of the best yep like what would you say Leland is top top 10 manager of all time oh man

um he's up there I mean like it's hard to, like, compare. Certainly of our era, he's high. You know, it's hard to... How do you compare him to, you know, Connie Mack and, you know, the Leo DeRocher or whoever you want to say from that era. You know, Billy Martin. Billy Martin won a ton of world series.

Casey Stengel. You know, like, it's tough to compare. I mean, Casey Stengel's definitely higher. But you know what I mean. So I think of our era. He's a very good man. Like, he's, like it's tough to compare. I mean, Casey Stengel is definitely higher. But you know what I mean? So I think of our era. He's a very good man. Like he's like right below the, like LaRusso's above him. There aren't that many.

Like, you know. I mean, he's basically, she's basically a notch above Showalter and a notch below LaRusso. Fair? I would say he's like multiple notches above Showalter and a notch below LaRusso. I mean, he's got what, one title? One title, yeah.

And Showalter has none? Showalter has none, but he's made multiple World Series. Showalter's never been in the World Series, I don't think. Yeah, well, but also the year after he left, it's like two teams that won World Series. Yeah, I still would say Leland significantly above Showalter. But regardless, yes, he's a notch below La Russa. I think that's fair.

I mean, like Torrey's in there. You know, you have to mention him and all that. Sure. Yeah. This is a long-winded way of saying that. Very, very long. Like, I did not expect to have to talk about Casey Stangle on tonight's podcast.

Or, like, Sparky Anderson. Sparky, another good name. Sparky's up there. It's a good one. I'll take Manuel over all of them, obviously. Philly guy, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I take Chuck, man.

Wait, did Jeff Singer just call into the pod? What just happened there? Yeah, hey, what's up, boys? Yeah, good to talk to you, Jeff Singer. Here talking about the fightings. talk to you Jeff Sanger here talking about the fightings um so but in in the history of Dabrowski I know he's like pretty much hired Jim Leland but uh he hired Jim Leland he hired Alex Cora so pretty good success when it comes to uh hiring managers so I'm interested to see what his next move is. I pray, James, that it is Placido Polanco or Raul Abanez personally. Yeah, I would be in on either of those guys.

But Abanez has been a name for a while. And I think he's one of those guys who everyone loved. Every team he was ever on, like everyone always talked so highly of him. And Middleton definitely loves him. I mean, like the fact that – and I like loves him. I mean, he, like, the fact that, and I like Raul and I like that he was a Philly and all that stuff, but the fact that he spoke at the 09 World Series, like, or no, no, no, it wasn't that.

It was Doc Day. Yeah, Doc Day, that's what it was. Yeah, not the other one. I mean, he played with them for two, I don't know. It was an odd move, but he's a good talker, so I get it. But Polanco, he's in the Dodgers system right now. So I just, you know, I would love Placido Polanco to be this team's manager next year. Or Raul Banez.

Either one. I don't care. Just as long as it's not Joe Girardi. Yeah. Anybody but Joe. All right. As I watch, Vlad Guerrero had his third home run of the night for my fantasy team. Yeah, he just cranked one.

Off Jonathan Luizaga. Honestly, that's surprising. Loizaga is awesome. Yeah, I know. Loizaga is good. Yeah, he just crushed it. Vlad is unreal, dude. He's unreal.

I mean, honestly, the MVP is already over. I know. Him and Sodor are winning the MVP, right? I love him, dude. He is the most fun fantasy I've had in a while. All right uh take back how is it this late how okay good i i honestly expect this to be a 30 minute pod and we're well past that all i have in the take bag is uh i actually mentioned this earlier on the radio

but like it i figured it's worth a mention now. Layton games left managers are going to bring in lefty relievers and Nola notwithstanding and back of the bullpen, notwithstanding JT, being able to consistently deliver in the two hole and not letting opposing managers or causing doubt, I would say, and opposing managers just going for a lefty, like a kind of lefty that's only good against lefties. Like JT has to be able to make them pay in those scenarios because, you know, they're just going to go lefty on Schwarber. And if JT can't make them pay, then they'll do that.

And they'll leave Harper to to face against a tough lefty so one of the key important you know pieces this year is JT being able to consistently deliver late against lefties and I don't know totally how I feel about that it was good what he did Monday night off of Rodriguez, who I totally forgot was a Philly, by the way. Joe Ellie. I didn't totally forget about it. Like, I thought he was a Philly, but I was like, no way. That was 100 years ago.

And he's still around. Like, I think baseball players are just around forever. But that's going to be one of the key parts of the season as we hope to turn this thing around as JT consistently being able to deliver late against lefty, lefty pitchers. Well well this jives with your take that you told me earlier that lefty lefty matchup should not be allowed in baseball yes uh if you really want to get into the take back you want to fix this sport is what jack said you want to fix baseball ban lefty on lefties it is not fun it is rally killing it is almost

always ends up and we contact their strikeouts it is not fun uh lefty on lefty sounds like what does that sound like i feel like it's something we've watched our whole lives oh, the pitcher hitting. Just saying. All right? Cool. Yeah, but as I always said, it's not about pitchers. I knew they couldn't hit. Yes. I felt good about that one. I enjoyed that. Lefty on lefty should be illegal after the seventh inning.

If you are a starter, it's fine. But lefty lefty after the seventh inning needs to be banned. Love it. It's a great thing. And maybe it's just because I'm trying to salvage my... Kyle Schwarber striking out every time he's at the plate right now is really just taking a toll on me. Disappointing. And my Twitter mentions. time he's at the plate right now is really just taking a toll on me disappointing um and my twitter

mentions um hk passed away 13 years ago today r.i.p hk um the soundtrack of our summers i still wish i was able to be alive for harry and whitey um i'm glad i was able to be around for a good amount of harry but um r.i.p Harry. And Seltzer didn't know who his last home run call was. I didn't. He's really a fraud. That was good work by you. And RIP Harry. The best. Just the best. Yes, I did not

remember. Matt Stairs. That's the answer. Who could forget? Who could forget? Do we want to say your your miss terry moment for earlier today or should we just skip over that one we thought the kim batiste it was in the world series do we want to say yeah you just you change your mind aside i'm just gonna say i just said i was gonna i was gonna not say it and i was like you know what

now you just threw me under the bus i'll throw you under the bus too why not and then he literally said it and then at the end of the call he says and the phillies win game one of the league championship it was so good well i mean you deserve me after you no but you threw my my forbidden take out on the take bag so i didn't expect that it wasn't for good i was was just kidding. Yeah, listen. I wasn't in my mid-20s like you were in 1993. So sorry I wasn't fully up to date as to when the Kim Batiste single or whatever was to be. I knew it was the Braves.

I had a mental lapse. Angelina was slow on the cuts today. So I wanted to make sure I set it up right. to lapse angelina was slow on the cuts today so i wanted to make sure i set it up right and i just i had a mental flub trying to make sure that we didn't have dead air because i was so paranoid after the first one yeah i now i'm ripping angelina i think that's good i think that's good i love i love how you've just totally thrown it around this is good work uh real quick top five uh you're obsessed this is like my second one today yeah this is like an actual uh a thing like you know i'm starting to get worried about i didn't even i didn't even

do you come home at night and say hey jill top five of my day let's go no i really oh you know when i put together my top fives five Five minutes before I remember we have to record. We're recording high hopes tonight is when I do the top five. I didn't even get into my other segment that I came up with, which is the Girardi Files. Oh, God. Sounds like that's a hoot. It's really just...

He left this guy in too long. There's nothing groundbreaking. And there's another episode of the Girardi Files. Oh, he left a reliever having the night of his life in for an inning too long. He saw his VLO dip by four miles an hour and Joe's just sitting in the dugout with his arms folded looking at charts instead of looking at what's happening on the field. I love the Girardi Files. It's good. Just another night in the Girardi Files.

Yes. Maybe Fox will pick it up and they'll bring it back as like the X-Files reboot. David Duchovny, Jillian Anderson, and Joe Girardi. What a cast. What a manager. Top five things I currently hate about the Mets. Number five is Max Scherzer.

I keep forgetting he's a Met. You brought him up earlier. I hate that his eye colors match the uniforms. That drives me crazy. Him getting mad today. Like, relax, man. I hate that he's a Met. He's such a Met.

Get out of the NL East east i'm looking forward to the day you retire um you aren't even good anymore like if you own max scherzer in fantasy trade him now because he's not that good oh that was a good it's not love you just dropping that take in there that was good uh number four is drew smith looks exactly like spencer howard and i don't like thinking about spencer howard i like that one too he does look a lot like spencer howard and i don't like thinking about spencer howard i like that one too he does look a lot like spencer howard like exactly like yeah yeah so drew smith is awful uh number three is brandon freaking nimble how is he not number one i i hate him so much number one i even watching the game with emily explained to her about the running to first base on the walk thing, and now she hates him.

Like, she was like, that's so dumb. Like, what a loser. She couldn't stand him. One of the dorkiest things I've ever seen in my life. Like, it is not cool. It is not a cool thing. Well, and it's not an advantage. Like, look, it's one thing, like, yes,

you could theoretically take second base if someone throws the ball away or whatever, but don you think if they know you're the the idiot who runs the first base all the time they're gonna pay attention to you and they're not gonna make a mistake because they're more locked in on you because they know you're the idiot who runs first base every time like there's so much like the only way you have a chance if you kind of rope a dope them a little bit let them know you're not running then take off when someone messes up like they they know they're paying attention to you because you're not running then take off when someone messes up like they they know they're paying attention to you because you're first base immediately you idiot you're just

wasting energy and looking like a loser no one should be allowed to play professional sports from the state of wyoming oh good love that is he from wyoming that is such a good take he does look like a loser from wyoming doesn't Wyoming Doesn't it? Sorry to any of our Wyoming listeners I know we're huge there Let me make sure he's from Wyoming We have ones of listeners In Wyoming Yes, he's from Cheyenne, Wyoming

The capital Sure You sure about that? Yeah I am sure You clearly were not sure no not at all um number two is obviously their fans i mean just like the let's go mess chant every time they took a lead it was like they would just won the world series

um they're annoying online and it's like it's like you guys are just as cursed like cursed as the philly i know i'm so going through this together oh the philly's losers like you're losers too you lose all we've won a world series way more recent than you have losers and it's just like they they all have the same uh they're just fans. I actually think they're worse than Cowboys fans around here. I really do. What a take that is. That is a fire. Because Cowboys fans aren't even real anymore. They're just trolling at this point.

No one cares. Yeah, it's a good one. I like that. Eagles Cowboys is dead. 2-1-5-5-9-10. And the number one thing I hate about the Mets... I... I... And the number one thing I hate about the Mets, I – Wow. Really struggling to get this one out. There's no baseball player in my entire life that I have loathed more than Pete Alonso.

Like, he is so uncool. that I have loathed more than Pete Alonso. Like, he is so uncool. He definitely had no friends growing up. Yeah, for sure. Like, he hit a home run the other day in Washington and is, like, blowing kisses to the crowd. Like, you're not that guy, Pete. Like, you're just not. Just be the dorky first baseman.

I hope he never enters into a home run derby again. I can't take the dancing. Oh, you know my take on this. I know. I planted my flag on this. I don't like that he is trying to be a voice for make baseball fun again. I just, he's not that guy. guy like he is a massive dork i can't take pete alonso i can't take him like making plays at first base which is like you should

not be able to do that like just go be a loaf at first base but he's like shockingly pretty good at playing oh he's quite good yeah um and it's like i feel like he hits balls 700 feet against us. I can't stand him. I cannot stand Pete Alonso. The number one thing I hate about the Mets. And I don't think I will ever hate a baseball player more in my entire life. Wow. I've never hated an opposing player as much as I hate Pete Alonso. I didn't hate Chipper that much. I didn't hate David Wright. Wow. I've never hated an opposing player as much as I hate Pete Alonso. I didn't

hate Chipper that much. I didn't hate David Wright. Wow. Jose Reyes bothered me. I'm trying to think of like, dude, Pete Alonso, it's like, you're not cool. Stop trying to be a cool guy. Just be a dork. But then he does be a dork and then i hate him for being a dork i can't stand pete alonso yeah i you know i'm not you're not gonna get any pushback from me on this i think he's the worst he's more annoying than nemo like do you think he's more annoying than nemo i don't know they're close he better, so that alone makes him more annoying from that perspective. It's close, man. I mean, Nimmo is a real deal loser, man.

I mean, he's a real deal loser. I mean, he is a full-on loser. So it's pretty close. It's very close. I'm glad I was able to wrap it. I'm happy you got that off your chest. It felt like that was faster. Every time I see him play, and I think about the Home Run Derby,

they dance like bopping his head around. I know. I know. The worst. The worst. Very with you. The Mets are a really hateable team. They're a hateable team between Alonzo

and Nimmo and now freaking Scherzer there and you know I don't like them I I really don't like them so it's what I like to groan yeah but he's not playing so it's easy to you know forget that he's there he's just an opener yeah he's just an opener He's not that good Alright is that the end of the tape back Yeah that's all It was good It was more than I expected Alright you got any final thoughts Somehow we get an hour

I have no idea how this I was ready to go to bed an hour ago And we're here We did it We showed up If only the Phillies would show up The first 18 minutes of this podcast We're downers We did it. Hey. Hey. We showed up. If only the Phillies would show up. Right? The first 18 minutes of this podcast were downers,

but I think everything past that was pretty good. And just take three or four and make me happy again. Love it. Shout out. My final thought. Shout out to the Phillies fans who took the phone out of the guy in the Pete Alonzo jersey's hands and threw it on the field. Have you seen this video, Jack? No, I don't think so.

It's hilarious. Go on Twitter. Check it out. Everyone listening, check it out. Dude, like the Mets fan is walking up the aisle like filming. You can't hear him. It seems like he's like, oh know just philly whatever and philly's pit and just walks up grabs the phone out of his hand and chucks it on the field and walks away it is an epic video shout out to that dude you rule the guy's in a pito lonzo jersey so you'll definitely appreciate it shout out to that dude jack oh i just saw that's a great thought

it's a great right that's great Like that is strong work right there. Also, I thought the guy that threw it was my friend for a second. But it was not. So we're all good. But yeah. So that's a good video. Win three of four. All right.

Beat the Marlins. Beat the Marlins. You know, we just talked about this whole Nola thing and the Mets and it feeling like freaking Groundhog Day. You want to prove to us you're good and there's going to be a good season? Handle the freaking Marlins, okay? Because that's something the Phillies never, ever do. You're right.

They never do that. So let's change that this weekend. All right. Listen, you sound like you've given it all you have so i appreciate it buddy i really i'm like nola the third time i really appreciate it you you gave it all you had uh all right we'll be back uh later in the or weekend yeah sunday night right i'm sure we will that's the plan that's the plan unless it you know here's what i'm gonna say if if god forbid they get swept by the marlins you might never hear from us again but things don't go too bad we'll definitely be

back sunday night he's for himself All-Star Closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby.