High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - We Got a Rays Guy and Our Perfect Offseason

Episode Date: November 12, 2021

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies finally getting a Rays guy. Plus, the guys give their perfect offseason 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

Shop Best Buy's Ultimate Smartphone Sale today. Get a Best Buy gift card of up to $200 on select phone activations with major carriers. Visit your nearest Best Buy store today. Terms and conditions apply. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you

this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is. Another fact, so jump aboard the BIB Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi

Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the high hopes podcast. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on radio.com and sports radio, 94 WIP. Yo! It is another edition of the High Elms Podcast. And yes, Jack Fritz, it is the perfect off-season day. But in reality, it's the day we finally got what we wanted, what we've been asking for the entirety of the history of this podcast.

A World Series. My favorite guy in baseball he's my hero they hired a raised guy we're doing the perfect off season like i'm with you man playoffs this year maybe world series this year things could not be breaking our way more buddy i agree and listen the braves can have their one-off random world series all they want, but we hired a raise guy. So which is more important? It's a great question. Well, I would like to thank Dave Dombrowski for a lot of things,

you know, actually like shockingly making me invested in the Phillies again and making me actually believe in the infrastructure of the Phillies again, which I honestly thought was something that might never happen again in my lifetime but also for scooping me on the perfect off season couldn't wait one day for this one literally i sent it to jack as soon as it happened in my perfect off season there's only one thing at the top that is in all caps and it's sign a front office person from the raise my off season's complete i'm good i don't even need to do this pod jack unbelievable yeah and it's just it's it's exactly what we wanted

like having a having a tampa bay raise guy who has only worked for the raise come and run our research and development department like we're not hiring we're not hiring some random guy from google i mean with no plan or anything like like he's been brought in to to with a plan like he he's brought in with an idea of what you know they want him to do it's just like boy i i've been wrong about a lot and i know like i know nothing's really happened yet and i know like it hasn't been proven or whatnot but dude like i am so sorry for the dave dembrowski like he's literally doing it like delete podcast is that possible can we stricken that podcast from the world's record if you put if you put if you just took out the name dave

dombrowski and said this is a ivy league gm uh who was like birth like whatever like he worked under like thad levine or he worked somewhere else and he gave him a blank title and this is what he put well this is what he's done so far i mean it's just like this is this is how smart organizations are built and i'm just so happy i'm so happy that he's not like reverting back to old school ways like he knows what a sport is trending the fact that he that he kept ochard and he kept herg and preston mattingly preston mattingly who is the we already said on this podcast that fernando tatis jr and and black Guerrero Jr. of farm directors. It's just remarkable.

They are finally doing this thing right. I know it's been a painful 10 years, and I know the rebuild has been wasted or whatever, but just look at what is in place now. You have a raised guy who ran there was a assistant rnd guy there coming to be an assistant gm here that's a massive upgrade you have brian barber who in two drafts into whatever is added real talent to this system you have smart guys down there when it comes to where the sport is trending in driveline and and that kind

of stuff there are that you know you saw strides from last year and look what bryson stott's doing look what logan oh happy's doing like look at what those guys are doing that's a good sign preston mattingly's here obviously like we have a lot to learn about him i mean he hasn't we don't really know much about him but just from everything we've read people talking around baseball guy seems like he's on the ball like things are really starting to turn the right way i couldn't be happier and the news that came down today it was like i almost wanted to hit the breaking news sounder on the air but i knew i knew no one would care um but i felt i literally felt like a million bucks i've

been giddy ever since. I've been smiling. They blew the rebuild. They did. But everything that they've done under Dave Dombrowski has been the right thing. They've kept the right people. They're moving in the right direction. And I just have this overwhelming sense that these next five years, five to ten years, are going to be really, really good for Phill's baseball and dave is going to lead leave us in the uh in a good spot jack dare i say i don't even know if i can let

the words escape my mouth without a laugh after or without sarcasm attached but jack dare i say it for the first time in the history of that podcast are the phillies a smart organization now like do are we how like how long have we said i just want a smart baseball team like i just want a smart baseball team like buddy like it's starting to feel like the phillies are turning in to a baseball team that has the potential to be a damn smart baseball team. And like to your point about Dombrowski, especially like, and again, you know, we've never said anything bad about David Dombrowski. We loved the hire when it happened.

It was a no doubt hire. But you know, I mean, seriously, like you look at that hire and what this guy has done and then contrast it with the Lowell, I'm sorry, the Mets, and like literally can't get anyone to take, they're talking about hiring a lawyer who's been out of the game for three years.

It makes you appreciate them getting Dave Dombrowski that much more. It's just like, again, I don't think I've been more wrong about a Philly's take than my initial take when they hired Dave Dombrowski. Like it's the most wrong I think I've been. Like this guy has done everything we could have possibly wanted him to do since he came in here.

All the concerns we had, all the, I really hope this doesn't happen. I really hope he's not going to go old school. This and that, like all that stuff. It's been none of it. Like not a single thing has been that. Like he has done exactly what we hoped he would be. And then when you think about the actions and then the guy himself and the pedigree

and the knowing what a winning organization looks like and all that and combining that with the brains and the baseball smarts that have been brought into this organization or, you know, sustained in the organization with the minor league development guys and stuff. Man, like this is in the history of the ios podcast the most optimistic i have been about the future with the phillies like that's it like the most optimistic i've

been and we say going in the offseason jack and we're about to do our perfect offseason and we're really excited about jack's probably i might i might not get it right but i would say jack's mentioned it to me like somewhere in the neighborhood of 255 times today, perfect off season deck. Hey, perfect. Did you know, even tweeted, I don't know, like tweeted at response to the go birds podcast. I did this isn't the perfect off season, but like Jack is so ready for this perfect off season. And the thing is, is we talked about this coming in, but,

but as excited as we're going to get about this and as hopeful as we are, that they're going to sign the guys we want, make the trades, we want all that. Like we want, all that. Like the most important thing that had to happen this off season. And again, nothing has happened yet. We haven't seen these guys in action yet, but the most important thing was Dave Dombrowski nailing these hires. And man, like it's really looking like he's nailing these hires.

Yeah. And it's not even, this is going to sound like a small thing but given what we've had to deal with in the last couple of years like just just reading his comments and we weren't able to hear them but it was like wow a real adult just talking about the talking about baseball and being open and honest about what they need like yeah they need a center field they need a left fielder they need closer a left fielder. They need a closer. And, like, he just, the thing that I've been most impressed with is just that they have a plan. Like, it feels like there is a legitimate, legitimate plan here.

It feels like they have turned this whole thing around. And, dare I say it, they're turning into a well-functioning organization. Sure, the last couple of years have happened, but I'm willing to give them a blank slate and start this thing all over. I know they bought some rebuild, but I can't keep harping on missing on draft picks and all that stuff because I believe where this team is at is really trending in the right direction. And everything they're doing is stuff that smart organizations do.

And, uh, couldn't be more fired up. And today was just like almost the icing on top of the cake. It's like, wow, they hired a raise guy. We always wanted James.

Since the inception, like they, they, they, they missed on high. Um, uh, like they, they've missed on raise guys uh like they they've missed on raised guys in the past but damn it we got a raised guy and it's not jose alvarado you know it's it's not right

it's not ryan sheriff or whatever like it's it's a real raised guy and and the guy that seems like he had his hands in getting some legitimate talent and trades down there uh and knowing what to look for and knowing what not to look for. I mean, James, what is the old adage, I guess, in baseball right now is like, don't make trades with the Rays. Well, guess who was running or being a part of their R&D development? This guy.

Like, that's what we're talking about here. The guy that helped the Rays pretty much steal every trade they've made in the last couple of years is now on our side. Are we going to, dare I say it, make smart moves? I mean, again, again, the Braves World Series is very adorable. But we hired a Rays guy today, and frankly, I will take that over a Worlds. I honestly, it's not even a bit. It's not even a bit it's not even a bit i would rather

i would rather have the raised guy than a world series this year well no no the raised guy means multiple world that's what i'm saying i can't believe they hired a raised guy man like i like if we weren't already doing the perfect off-season pod tonight like we would have done an emergency pod for an assistant general manager hire. And it would have been the first emergency pod for an assistant general manager hire in the history of podcast jacks. So, you know, we could have like made history today if we wanted to. That's how excited we are.

I can't believe they're there to get praised. Like a smart guy who's involved in something. Like, man. And then when you think about what Dombrowski has to offer, and obviously, again in baseball from the being with winning organizations from winning it all and all it's up and then you add it with these smart young guys who understand where the sport is at like man it again you know you need results this is the we're we're projecting but it feels like a match made in heaven it feels like the exact type of of you know uh mesh of of baseball ideology that i would want for my bank yeah and and i don't know if i brought up on this podcast or not but i mean you got to give credit for the

day but he did you got you got other podcasts no he he did build the the tigers up from the from you know he started there in 2002 you've never you've never mentioned it okay let me let me let me let me rehash this again no but i i agree with you actually just wrote down on my notes like this this might be a perfect storm uh and it's like it's it's a mesh of old school and honestly the best organizations i mean we just saw with the braves um you know they they they mesh the old school with the new school uh Anthropolis, you know, is a more older school GM, I guess. I mean, I guess, like, back in the day, he was considered analytical, but now he's become old school. I know. It's so funny.

But, like, he knows how to build a roster. He knows how to fill out a roster and that kind of stuff. And that's where I think Dave is going to be massive. I mean i i just trust him heading into the offseason like when he says that he wants a closer i just assume he's going to go get the one of the best guys in the sport uh when he says he needs a center fielder and he needs a left fielder like i just trust that the guy he's going to bring in is going to is going to get the job done i mean even you know it's not as massive as the race guy but getting a

guy like kevin Long in here. I mean, Kevin Long. Yeah. I mean, Michael Conforto, if you want to get crazy, not New York Post crazy, who has him signing him for 6-1-40. But, like, Conforto has best Europe. Yeah. I thought he was, like, a one-year prove-it deal guy right now. Dude, Ken Davidoff of the Post, the Phillies signing him for 6-140.

That's just insanity. I almost threw my phone on the Schuylkill because that's insane. You saw Conferto play last year, right? Yes. He watched baseball. He was terrible until August or whatever. Horrendous. Yeah.

Either way, they're just bringing in so many high level people into this organization to go along with who's already here and i'm just i just couldn't be more excited i literally could not be more excited about where like this is for it's not even i'm not even doing a bit right now i know i people think i could get overly excited about the phillies like i am so in on this team right now i could not be more in on the phill, which sounds insane given, you know, my track record on this podcast. But, like, I literally am so happy and confident and believe. And I just, it's just, it's such great vibes right now. Just great vibes.

Yeah. Well, I think that's the thing is if you're listening to pod and you're like, oh, well, Jack, you're always in, you know, you're always whatever. Like you just said, like, I'm in, dude. I'm the one who's normally like, Jack, to, to borrow our title, our, our, our, the name of this podcast, my hopes have never been higher in the history of this podcast. Like legitimately Bryce Harper getting signed. Like, obviously that was awesome. That was cool. We got the guy out that like, this is like real fundamental excitement about this team where it's like, I believe in the purpose. I believe in what they're doing. I believe in how they're doing it. And that's, anyone who's listened to this podcast for a long time knows, that's always been our thing.

We've always wanted a smart organization. Yeah, all we've wanted is a well-functioning baseball team. That's literally all we've wanted is a team that we believed in that was smart and whatnot. And what if this really is Pac- Gillick taking over all over again? You know, 06, and immediately the Phillies turn into a contender pretty much overnight. And I just, whew, I'm so excited.

I actually, like, for as great as Bryce is and all that stuff, it feels like we're actually going to have a chance at a real winner here. And we don't have to deal with the woe is me Phillies fan that's like, oh, well, there's no talent anywhere and all this stuff. It's like, I get it. But just, and I think I've been preaching this all off season, but trust that it's coming. The things are turning around and I don't want to steal a flower analogy,

but dare I say, dare I say the roots are under the system and you just got to keep watering and fertilizing. And you know, one day it's going to pop. And when it pops, baby, this podcast is going to be on fire.

The city's going to be on fire. Baseball is going to be so back in Philadelphia. We're going to have 45,000 people down at CBP with rally towels going yet again. It might not be the season. I think it'll be the season. But even if it's not this season, the window is continuing to open under Dave Dombrowski.

Ugh, what a time to be alive. What a time to be alive, man. Like, there's hope. Like, there's been no hope under Matt Klintzak and Andy McPhail. Like, it would just be ranting and ranting and ranting and go spend money and all this stuff and clean up all your mistakes. There's an actual freaking plan. What a time.

Honestly, it's,'s like almost surreal it feels like i forgot what that's like man it's uh it's pretty awesome all right with that in mind speaking of plan i think it's time to get to it uh again you've only mentioned it to me like 300 times what did i what did i come into your studio today and say he says said it's perfect for an off-season day. But what movie reference? Oh, what was the movie reference? Oh, come on. I thought this was memorable. I thought this was a memorable part of your day.

Well, you know, I'm doing a show. Oh, right. I guess you are. I guess you are. No, but I woke up today, and I felt like Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers. Oh, yeah. That's what you are. I guess you are. No, but it's, I, I, I woke up today and I felt like Vince Vaughn and wedding crashers. Oh yeah. That's what you said. It's wedding season.

No, it's perfect off season day. All right, let's get into it. Uh, I, again, like a no joke. I really swear on my daughter's life that in caps at the top of my thing from when I made this list is sign up front office person for the race. So we're already one for one on my list. Nailed it. Nailed it.

All right, let's get into it. You want to go first? You know what? Let me go first. And then because people are anticipating yours. I'm like an also ran here. I know it. There are certain things that are my thing and there are certain things that are your thing.

The perfect offseason. It's your thing. And you're the king of the perfect offseason. Also, to be suck at fake trades it's just what it is i know i try and come up with them i suck at it it drives me crazy but i have a trade so all right i'm gonna dive in i'm gonna do my off season and then we'll just clear the floor it'll be like a carmelo anthony possession we'll clear out you just take over do your thing no i'm gonna be locked in on your perfect off season i'm gonna react all right all right you already know what my first move is because i i saw a guy from the rays yeah yeah well yes my my first uh roster move

i will say um you also know what that is because i've been talking to you about it i'm not talking around the pod but i've talked about it quite a bit off the pod. I have one guy that I want, and I have a lot of moves, but I have one guy that I want this offseason. Nick Castellanos has to be with Philly. Like, that's it. I need Nick Castellanos on the Philly. I need a guy like that.

I need a dude who I can freaking count. Remember we were just talking about Anthony Rendon, and we're like, oh, Alec Bowen could be our Rendon. Nick Castellanos is Rendon. Like, that's the kind of hitter he is. A guy you can just count on to go out and just spray the ball all over the field and hit some bombs for you and just be a consistent piece in the middle of the line.

Dave Dombrowski obviously talked about a left fielder. I think they are going to add a left fielder. I think Cassianos just makes perfect sense. I think you get him for a little cheaper than you get like the top guys on the market. He's not going to cost Correa money. He's not going you get him for a little cheaper than you get the top guys on the market. He's not going to cost Correa money. He's not going to cost Story money. A little bit less than that.

I need Nick Castellanos on the Phillies. And Dave Dombrowski gets to bring his prize prospect back. Oh, yeah. I didn't even think of that. Look at that, buddy. Oh. The Tigers. Yes, of course.

Yeah. All comes full circle. Dave Dombrowski built the Tigers. I forgot this. I forgot that Dave Dombr buddy. The Tigers. Yes, of course. Yeah. All comes full circle. David Hrasky built the Tigers. I forgot this. I forgot that David Hrasky built the Tigers. Yeah, it is easy to forget. It's not like he was there for 12 years. Yeah, 12 years.

Okay. Castellanos. I would definitely take Castellanos. I'm a little worried about giving up a second round pick to sign them i fully understand like believe me i would be happy i'm just telling you that this is how i feel i would be at the moment i would be happy they signed them but i would also be thinking we could have drafted the next ethan wilson with the second round pick and that doesn't sit well with me so um i like castellanos if you're looking like

if you if you're judging off of what dave dembrowski said the other day uh talking about wanting a big bat in left field i mean there's no better option to me than castellanos yeah i love castellanos i'm on him all right if i don't get castellanos i would be in on the correa semi and say see they're not they're not signing correa it's not even worth the discussion no they're not i'm just again i'm saying if i can castellanos is my guy that's my reverend office i'm saying castellanos but i'm just saying like if i don't get castellanos i would be willing to venture into those markets but but castellanos is my guy all All right. So, second move. So, I've gone back and forth on this, and you and I have talked about this.

And I, and it was John Heyman today tweeting out, Phillies are in on Starling Mark, right? Which, you know, talked about a center fielder. He's 33. He's going to be 34 next October. Just went through the McCutcheon thing. I don't love it. But, dude's pretty athletic. I mean, with 47 steals with 47 steals he had like what 30 straight or whatever last year here's what i'm doing

i'm overpaying starling martay so that he signs a two-year deal because i can't give him three years i can't go four years like i can't i can't do that but i think starling marte is aging well enough where and and all the injuries he has it's always a freak injury it's always like he gets hit by a pitch or something like it's never a hamstring it's never a this i'm overpaying because i'm saving a little on castellanos i'm not going into you know high level shortstop money i mean obviously perfect offseason they go go over the luxury tax. We all know they're not going to do that. So we're trying to stay at least realistic.

Let's be realistic here for a second. Yes, we're trying to be realistic. I'm overpaying Marte for two. And then I've got my outfield of Bryce Harper, Starling Marte, and Nick Castellanos. And part of my thought process that I've said to you many times is I feel like the best plan for the Phillies right now is a double barrel approach where you commit to the squad that you have now on the field and you try and win with this group because Bryce Harper, Zach Wheeler, JT and all these guys are in the prime of their careers. They're paid a lot of money. You've already got a lot invested in this team.

Like, go for it because the rest is far away. So worry about building up from the bottom and building up the farm system and stuff but also take a shot with this group right now. And the only way you do that is to add some premier talent right now. So that's my outfield. I know you're a little nervous about Marte.

And I am too. I would not do this for three years. It is two years. If I could get him one year insane amount of money, I'd do it. But there's no way he's going to sign's gonna sign right and you know he's gonna do whatever it takes to get three or more years i know i know i this is this is again perfect off season this is a little pie in the sky i know that but i'm i'm going yeah i'd rather pay him an extra 10 million in the first two years to save that third year yeah and i think i think martha is awesome like it's not that i'm worried about the player it's just like i'm not i have no interest in giving a 33 year old uh three years

i get it i get it yeah no but like listen if you if you can get him even i would even give him two and a third and a third year option and just see how it plays out see where he's at yeah yeah but but like the the now i do he he's he for 33 i mean he's still he's – for 33, I mean, he's still – He's phenomenal. Honestly, I was shocked he was 33. Like, I knew it earlier this year, but when I found out that he was 33, I was floored. I thought he was, like, 30. Yeah, me too.

He does not seem 33 to me. Just, like, because he's still so athletic and all that stuff. So he probably ages well. Like, Lorenzo Cain's the one I always worry about when it comes, like, these kind of things. He's a better hitter than Cainccain yeah he's a better hitter um you know i still stole a ton of bags last year all that stuff so would just be worried about but he's he's obviously the almost a perfect fit and i'm looking at needs for this team right now and i'm bad at fake trades and i don't want

byron boxing because i think that's gonna end up costing a lot of money i don't trust that guy to stay healthy or anything at all and there's and to end up costing a lot of money. I don't trust that guy to stay healthy or anything at all. And there just aren't a lot of options. They need a center fielder unless we're talking about moving someone who isn't a go-to center fielder. We've talked about trading for Mitch Hanegar in the past. I love Mitch Hanegar. I would still be interested in him, but he's not a center fielder. He can play it, but he's not.

He's not a center fielder. I've just seen enough bad defense with this team the past few years, last year we're like i want a center fielder to make some plays so start the thing with marty is he's the only guy like he's the only center fielder on the market the only legit center fielder on the market you can look at and say that guy's a stud so that's it was more of a scarcity thing for me with marty than any. Okay. You ready for my next move? Yes. I have one, one more offensive move and then, and then we'll get to pitching. You ready for my trade? Yes. Okay. And I need a little help with it because I have a prospect attached and it'll probably take more. I might need your help with what level of prospect I'd have to give up. I know I'm

probably below right now, but I'm going to, I i'm gonna take a shot here i'm trading reese hoskins wow and jaylen ortiz like you add another prospect i probably this is not enough but i'm trading for matt chapman man i'm trading for matt chapman i'm turning alec bowman to a first baseman i'm locking down third base with the best defensive third baseman in the sport, or at least one of the couple handful of best defensive third baseman in the sport. I just, I love Matt Chapman. He's still young. He is still not paid for two more years. Him and Reeves, similar situations with that. I love Matt Chapman. I've wanted to be a Philly forever. I don't know what else I have to give up plus reason and an ortiz type prospect i i'm sure it's more but i think there's something there it would definitely be at least one more prospect that would say matt olsen it looks like they're probably going to trade him they're

shopping him so you would you know fit there where they bring him reese they move matt olsen something like that potentially i know that reese getting close to getting paid is an ideal for oakland it's not a perfect fit like a ale Boe, Matt Chapman trade probably makes more sense, but I just can't trade Boe. So, Matt Chapman is obviously great defensively. It's just he can't hit. He can hit. He's a 240 hitter.

He's not 240. Dude, he's been a below-a average offensive player for the last couple of years. He had the breakout year a couple of years ago where he had 38 homers. Yes, monster year a couple of years ago. And it was like, wow. He had 27 home runs last year. Oh, he was awful last year offensively. Yeah.

All right, I didn't realize quite how bad he was offensively last year. That makes me a little nervous. But he's still young. He's still good. Yeah, I mean, obviously the defense is remarkable. He's only 28. Yeah, no, I mean, Matt Chapman's awesome defensively. But, I mean, he goes 249, 232, 210. Yeah, I didn't realize how bad he was last year offensively.

I probably should have looked up his stats a little bit before my fake trade. But I still like it. Yeah, I yeah i mean listen matt chapman is awesome just when it comes to the like you just having a vacuum but you're bringing this castellanos in to kind of make up for it a little bit i would definitely be the one concern with it is you're lacking pop in the lineup a little bit but i just i i don't'm not, I don't see myself giving Reese Hoskins the money he wants. Was it next year or whatever? And I want to try and parlay that. I can't, look, unless we know for sure the DH is going to be here, which I think there's a chance it is, but we don't know.

Like, I can't have Bowman or Hoskins on the same team. I can't. Well, yeah. Well, I don't know. I wouldn't be too worried about Pop. I mean, you have 30. You've had probably 30 homers from Matt Chapman. If he doesn't play in Oakland, he's playing here.

You probably have 25 to 30 from Castellanos. You have 30 plus from Bryce. You hope Baum gets to 20. He should get to 20 pretty easily. And then Marte, well, whatever, 10. So, yeah. I mean, the pop would be fine. I don't know.

But having a vacuum like Matt Chapman would be fun. I think it would probably cost a little bit more. I agree. That's why I think it would cost a little bit more. But I'm in that range right there. I would actually trade for Matt Olsen before Chapman. Ooh. Talk about adding pop to the lineup talk this out with me so so uh hoskins and prospects for olsen type deal yeah i mean

matt olsen's like my bum i love matt olsen dude i've won matt olsen in fantasy for for three years i picked him up like or i've been an early matt olsen guy like i had him that whole first year when he went nuts in the second half. I'm a Matt Olsen guy. Talk to me. I'm down to trade for Matt Olsen. I'm down to on the fly change my perfect offense. You're basically adding 40 homers, 100 plus RBIs. 40?

Maybe 50. No, he hit 39 last year. He goes 39, 14 last year, which is whatever, in 2020, which you have no idea, whatever. 36, 29, 24. I mean, that's legitimate major pop and good defense at first base. I got to look at when his contract is up. But Matt Olsen is like the kind of middle-of-the-order impact bat that would actually change things.

Yeah. I'm with you, man. If you don't want to pay him. And they're looking to trade him. That's the rumor, too. He's only 27 years old. I guess he turned 28 in March. So let's do this. looking to trade him that's the rumor too he's only 27 years old i guess he turns 28 march so let's do this let's trade him he betted 271 last year which is crazy he has this year and then he has next year where he's still on arbitration and the same thing as

chapman same exact 2024 is when he becomes a free agent yeah let's see matt olson and said i like that it was more about so what do we do with boneehm? Like, Alec Boehm's not a third baseman. Like, he's just not. Like, he's not. Well, I'm kind of banking on the DH coming. Yeah. In my perfect all season, the DH is in the NL. Oh, okay.

I like that. All right, let's go with that then. Yeah. Yeah. So. But I like the Olsen idea. That's not, that is, that's an idea right there. So I'll wait to hear what you're doing with that then yeah yeah so but i like the olsen idea that's not that is that's a that's an idea right there so what i'll wait to hear what you're doing well they're both they're both

in the same track by the way hoskins is also in the same track as olsen but okay all right good good good all right well that's you know at least a little better i thought hoskins is here earlier okay good um i need a bench bat i like all the guys i like are too good you know i would love to have chris taylor here my guess is someone pays him to start but a guy like that he's played multiple positions yeah but i i'm not i would be i would be pretty mad if they signed chris taylor but well he's gonna cost too much and i'm talking as a bench guy and he's costing a draft pick i'm not i'm not getting a draft pick for is he really did he get a yeah wow all right well that that is a a fair point then um all right i'll get back to a bench bag because honestly it's not it's not super exciting

out there in terms of bench bats and also i'm not exactly sure what people will cost like a guy like jorge soler is someone you look at maybe coming off the offseason eddie rosario might have made a little too much money i think soler made too much money offseason? Because, again, these are both guys, Eddie Rosario and Oriol Soler, who were literally free at the trade deadline. It's always hard to get a gauge on that. Soler's younger and has the home run pop that he knows there. I would pay Soler more than I'd pay Rosario. I mean, Rosario looked like he was done before going to Atlanta.

But I don't think it's going to cost more than like $7 million a year. Yeah, and that's very, very doable for that type of guy. All right, I'm going to breeze through my pitching thing quick so we can get to your perfect offseason. It's been way too long on my perfect offseason. All right, I'm signing a starter. I'm adding one. I don't think Zach Eflin is going to be fully ready to start the season.

We saw this past year. Our important depth in starting pitching is I'm going to spend a little bit of money here. I'm not. I'm this is where I veer away from Dave. I'm not paying big money for a closer. I'm not giving, you know, Iglesias is the only one of the guys on the market who I would be OK with. You know, I love the Glaziers. Yeah, but I'm not giving...

He's got $20 million a year. That's my point. I'm not giving up a draft pick for him either. Oh, my God. You and the draft pick. All right. So my plan in the moment is different, but I'm signing Steven Matz.

I think you get Matz for a pretty cheap deal. He did not get a qualifying offer, Jack. So there you go. Thank you. He had a really nice year. He's hit or miss, but, you know, there you go thank you really nice year he's hit or miss but you know he's an r and i think he's someone who has the potential to be pretty decent um so but steven matts is really just a stand-in for that type of guy someone who can come in and can be a part of this rotation i don't trust kyle gibson going into next year i hope ranger is amazing i'm actually more excited about ranger than kyle gibson like but that with between the kyle gibson thing between the apple thing between the who

knows where they're no one all that stuff like i am signing another starter i need an extra guy there um and then bullpen wise i told you i'm not going closer i'm i'm signing like three four guys but uh i'm resigning actor i think that's a no-brainer um and then i'm signing two of these guys and i think some will cost more than others but i think you can all get get all these guys for at least a somewhat reasonable the most expensive option that i have that might be out of our range with a multi-year deal is kendall graveman that guy's awesome uh you know pitching the playoffs again like we've seen him he's someone who you know went from someone who was throwing like 90 to like 98 you know he's worked on his craft and all that i like graveman a lot i think he's not i think he's doable uh another playoff

guy i like a lot cory knebel you know i i think you can get knebel for a decent price a one-year deal potentially um and then i'm signing uh so I'm signing one of those two guys as my higher ticket guy, either Knievel or Graven. Graven will be my first choice. And then I'm getting a guy who I think is probably someone who won't cost too much,

you know, five mil, maybe four, five, six range, who's kind of a little bit older, but is still the pitcher. Like Brad Hand, like jumped around from teams last year. Ended up having a pretty good year. Alex Cologne, like wasn't awesome last year. Ended up having a pretty good year. Alex Colombe, like, wasn't awesome last year,

but was freaking awesome the year before that. Like, someone like that who's closed games before, who's gotten some big outs before. You know, Michael Givens is, like, a lower-end version of that, not as good as those two, at least production-wise. And I'm also looking at Kyle McHugh. I know he's 35, but i like those guys who can kind of open for you and kind of come in some spots it's coming from the race there's a connection there

i'm looking at those guys i i don't my perfect dog season let's say is graveman colombe and and mccue or something like that but any any grouping of these guys here i'm in uh yeah i i like i like graveman a lot uh i guess my only thing i don't i'm kind of out on signing free agent relievers like i just i've been burned by it so much in the past i get it but what are we gonna do we don't have the guys in the system right now i got i mean sir anthony sir anthony you hope they come back and be an impact guy for you but like i need to compete this year and i i need some guys who can get out to my pen i'm with you i'm with you um i i like graven a lot can able is actually in my perfect all season as well i want i want him bad uh brad hand yeah he's good man i have no interest in brad hand

and i figured you wouldn't i love oh i've always liked Brad Hand. I loved Brad Hand two years ago. I don't like modern-day Brad Hand. He was pretty good last year, man. He was better than you think. After the 70 area. He had a 270 area on the season. No, he had a 270 area at the Mets. Is that what it was?

Yeah. We'll still pitch well at the end. Got hot. Got hot late, like a veteran does. But, yeah. He's on my lower end, but I would take a shot on Brad Hand. Yeah. And he could probably have him. Got hot late. Like a veteran does. He's on my lower end, but I would take a shot on that. And you could probably have him. You're right.

He had a 270. I already met the Mets. That is correct. Yes. Alright. Are you ready? It was totally alright. It was 4-3-4. Yes. I feel like the Phillies always dominated. 4-1-2. It was 4-1-2, Jack. So there you go. Enough of me. I'm laying out.

It is your world right now, my friend. Do your thing. All right. So let's start this one off on brand. I am trading Mickey Moniak and Christian Hernandez to the Pirates for David Bednar. Getting an absolute lockdown reliever. That is as oned as it gets. I will say, though, it is a

little jarring that you're getting rid of our biggest fan, you know, as far as Phillies players go in the very first trade. I know. Well, I'm letting him You'll notice just for the record, Mickey, you'll notice one of us didn't trade you.

The other did. Just saying. Right. I guess my point is I want to let him go, give him a chance to start elsewhere. And enough of this. Oh, I see. That's a good move. You're doing it for Mick.

I'm doing it. Good work. Doing it for Mick. Yes. Yes. So Bednar is awesome. I mean, like 96 has a hammer curve. Actually, I think it's more like a slider,

but I had like a two, three last year. And this is like a bulldog. Take the ball whenever you need them at the bullpen. And I am very pro trading for bullpen arms than I am for signing at this point, just because like, I feel like they never work out. And I like the idea of trading for a guy that's ascending. And I think David Bednar is doing that. So David Bednar is my on-brand reliever trade, okay? Yeah, I'm with you. It's very

on-brand. I would give up the qualifying offer. I will give up the second round pick to sign Cassianos for left field. But just for the sake of being different from James, I am signing my guy, Siauki to a three year 24 million dollar deal this guy is so awesome it's not even funny i mean hey he had 38 homers last year let it let the league in war has four gloves, has walked more than he's struck out.

I mean, the guy is awesome. Bats over 300 over there, which probably translates to, I don't know, like 285 here. Guy is an elite talent that I think you're getting at a good price. And him hitting tanks at Citizens Bank Park is something I absolutely need next year. Can you can play center field if you need them. I'm signing him for left unless Bryce wants to go over there, but I understand.

So I will have Sia in left and to play center field. James, I am trading Simon Muziati and James MacArthur to the Tampa Bay Rays for Kevin Kiermaier. Unless you get into defense. I am getting the elite defensive center fielder in baseball. I'm getting him for one more year after this one. It is so classic Rays to trade him at this point. Won't cost much money, obviously, because the Rays wouldn't have paid him.

Obviously, not the highest average guy, but honestly, if I bat Kevin Kiermaier 8, 7, 8, and he hits me 20 homers, bats 240, and plays elite center field, that's all I really care about. Yeah, dude, I love Kiermaier. I've talked about him in the past. That dude is as good as it gets as a defensive center builder. When I'm talking about Mark,

I need somebody who can play some defense in center field. I need it. And super cheap. It should not cost a lot. The next thing I'm doing is I am signing Trevor Story for five years and $120 million. Oh buddy.

I'm giving him the Springer contract. I'm letting him play shortstop for me for the next five years. I don't care about the road splits. I don't care about any of that stuff. Trevor story rakes. And I think if you add him to this lineup, it is just beyond potent. I don't think he's going to cost

as much as Seager or Correa um I like him way more than I like Javi Baez I think he's I think you're getting him at a at a pretty good price there uh like like Springer I I thought it was an impact bat last offseason I would sign up for for that level of production from from Trevor Story bring him here enough with the dumpster fire that was shortstop last year, and this way that Stott doesn't have to come up and have the pressure of playing shortstop from day one. I could have him start. That was going to be my question.

I was thinking about Stott because obviously in my offseason, that's the idea that Stott comes up and plays. Yeah, I will. I love Stott. I think he's going to be really, really good. I think his bad plays from day one. I'm not totally sure about shortstop. I'm not sure how realistic signing story is.

I'm beyond fine if Bryson Stott is my opening day shortstop, perfect golf season notwithstanding. I am trading Eric Miller, Yosuar Garcia and another prospect if needed to the Oakland Athletics for Lou Trevino.

You're making some serious reliever trades. Come on. Do you know who Yosuar's podcast with? I know. Y swar's fallen pretty far though that's a shame he's fine he's he's he's a elite defensive player not sure on the bat but still has the prospect pedigree there people will take a shot on him eric miller i think could be really good but he's already 24 um you know he just hasn't been able to stay healthy

but he has legit upside it might take another prospect. I think Trevino's are eligible for the next three years. So you have him under control for the next couple years. And you get a legitimate lockdown closer. I don't want to trade for Josh Hader, even though I think that is in the cards. Because there's only one more year. It's going to cost so much, too. Right. because there's only one more year.

It's going to cost so much to... Right. Like, I would rather trade a similar prospect package to go get Lou Trevino and have him for the next four years than I would be for Hayter for one more year. So... Yeah, I'm very, very, very, very with you on this. So, I'm kind of basing my perfect offseason

off of what Dombrowski said, and I've got the left fielder for him, I've got the center fielder for him, and I've got the closer fielder for him I got a center field for him and I got the closer so hire me uh obviously resigning Hector I mean come on one year five million I get in I get in I'm so Trevor story Suzuki so far this is good Kiermaier Kiermaier Trevino my guy David Bednar I'm stunning Corey Knable for 2 euros 16 million 8 million a year I think he is elite

I love the fastball I love the power fastball curveball combination it's just dope this this I'm not sure you're going to like. I'm giving Brett Gardner one year, 3 million. Oh, stop. No.

Dombrowski talked the other day about winning a world series champion. Brett Gardner, I'm going to play him in left field, play him against righties, giving him a one year deal. For 3, 3 million. There's no way the Yankees don't bring him back. Well, and, and, and it's all fun and games until Joe Girardi bats him over Suzuki and gets him like $400 a bet. I know, I know, I know. I trust Brett, all right?

I've known Gardy for years. I know he can handle it. Yeah, so I'm playing a bit with fire here, but I do think that they need more winners in here. They need guys that have done it before. And Brett Gardner commands respect everywhere he goes. So I am actually trading DD and a prospect to the Rockies for, I don't know, whatever. Like, I'm getting off that. I'm getting off that $14 million however I can.

I think Kendall's a good enough prospect to where at least it's semi-intriguing. The Rockies have, like, no direction, but I bet they would be like, ah, whatever, Didi's fine, I guess. They're losing story. Just saw Trevor's story, yeah, yeah. Yeah, replacing him with Didi sounds like a win. Yeah, sure, they're excited. So, I mean, listen, Didi goes to Colorado, whatever.

But, yeah, I'm getting off that contract, and that's part of my plan to stay under the luxury tax like i will give up a legitimate prospect to get off of that and kendall kendall is legitimately legitimate enough to where it might be able to get the job done i don't know but whatever not whatever prospect it takes but any prospect in like the 10 to 20s i'm i'm pretty open to moving so i can move dd and leave shortstop open for Stott or Story yeah all about moving DeeDee I'm with you on that like I said I'd rather take the route

of you know framing him for a crime or something but this is probably a better idea yeah probably DeeDee's too nice a guy I can't do that to him and my final move is I'm no one's gonna like this but i'm not even sure i like it but uh i'm signing john lester to a one year one million dollar deal what what john lester i'm

just kidding i'm listening i'm literally just getting a number five starter for a million you just want winners yeah i yeah guys have won titles yes i do i do i need guys that know how to win and i don't know john lester can't literally is awful now i mean he had the pitch before 70 ra last year i pitched him a four three with the with the cardinals last year and he's actually a thousand years old i think it was his 30th birthday 37 trust me jack i know he's younger than me congratulations John Lester and I are almost

contemporaries so until Eflin comes back I'm going to give a couple stars to John Lester whatever I don't care gives my final roster looking like this JT and Marshawn are my catchers Reese and Boom are my first baseman slash dh

stott at second story at short segura at third uh yes suzuki and left with paired with veerling kiermeier and center bryce and right and guardy our guy guardy uh just rotating around starting pitchers are weird shut down bullpen can we just get to the shutdown bullpen you you put together wheeler nola gibby ranger falter slash kraus until efflin's back and lester uh closer lou trevino followed by Hector Falter after whatever. Bednar, Kunrod, Alvarado, Sheriff, if he has options. He could be in AAA, whatever. I don't care. Brogdon,

and Sir Anthony Dominguez. Really good job by you. Yours is much, much, much, much more realistic than mine. There's a 90 win ball club, Dave. You have my number. You improved the defense. The offense is still solid.

The bullpen is a thousand times better. Give this guy a job. Don't, though. Don't leave me on this podcast. If needed. But think about it. I could be your inside source. That's true. Why is Seltzer breaking all this news all of a sudden?

Can't figure out where he got that from. Oh, who could it be? Why did that happen? No, you did a really good job. I appreciate all... I mean, you're the king of... I will say, you did promise me more fake trades than this. And the listeners. Forget me.

You promised the listeners more fake trades. You're so good at them. It's kind of messed up. I thought we were going to do it every pot. Well, I'm going to get back to the bit of doing that. I forgot about that bit. When your whole life is a bit, it's hard to keep all the bits. It's hard to keep all the bits in order. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

JT is so lucky I didn't trade him and sign Mike Zuniga. I'm shocked you didn't trade him and sign mike zunino i'm shocked you didn't i was expecting a jt trade bombshell well i gotta be honest i tried to do a perfect off season that i also felt was realistic yeah yours is very very very realistic like you know it was it was good you did a good job buddy i'm proud of you oh thanks you know i really am i feel the i feel the warmth in your heart for how well i did i'm gonna go home and put that on again i need nick castellanos but otherwise it's perfect no i listen i i so i'm already giving up the the second rounder for

story i guess i'll do that um but it's a third rounder right it just goes back around so why not then it's like a no-brainer stop that's that's that's too far you want me to give up two draft picks for players that would make the phillies automatic playoff contenders good luck selling me on that well you know we do what we could do jack we do what we could do honestly which would you hate more gardner or lester i mean i think i'd hate gardner more wow even though he's a better player right now don't get me wrong yeah i mean gardy's definitely definitely done but i hate like a deep passionate hatred of that guy like he's high on my least liked people in the sport list like outside of guys who are like you know true a-holes like bad people and stuff

like brett gardner is the top of my i hate you as a baseball player list yeah but winner and uh but i do agree with you you are playing with fire knowing that gerardi would have like his boy back that would like really like tempt him to bat him all the time because he came up let's be honest just wait for the first gardner leading off and dd in the two-hole lineup that we get and then it's like oh no they need they need they need dd out of here for our own good like dave dave i think dave saw one too many dd starts last year and he's like, oh, Joe. They need DeeDee out of here for our own good. Like, Dave, I think Dave saw one too many DeeDee starts last year. And he was like, you know what?

I hope he did. Yes. I hope he went into Middleton's office and was like, John, why did you make me pay this guy for two years? What are we doing here? Can I do my job? Right. Because I have to believe that's what happened, Jack.

I have to believe it. Yeah. Our guy Dave would never. No. Well, not that he's a year under his belt now. Not after having a year of seeing DeeDee and knowing that Girardi probably helped facilitate that move and saying, Joe, not anymore. Trust me, man.

This guy's great. We need DeeDee here. Disagree, Joe. All right. This guy's great. We need Didi here. Disagree, Joe. Alright. This is good. They signed a raised guy, Jack. Yes. And that raised guy is going to bring me Kevin Kiermaier. I love it. I love it. I'm assuming there's no tape bag today.

I feel like we just kind of did the tape bag. Is there anything extra? No. I did think the Aaron Loop thing was interesting. Former Phillies great, Aaron Loop. Yeah, you doubted Klintzak and his eye for talent. But, I mean, listen. Let me tell you, when Aaron Loop was here, he wasn't good. No, he was not.

But then, but then. He was a lights out reliever, of course. Our guy with the Rays found him and brought him down there, created a monster. Aaron Loop turned into a dominant reliever. The Mets signed him he was great last year our guy brings him back i like it yeah all comes full circle i'll tell you just get me guys you can get outside of the bullpen i'm happy yes also like it's not that hard again

i feel like i say this every offseason after i lay out my perfect offseason not that hard to build a bullpen i just did one in 20 minutes. It's true. It's a really good point, Jack. Thank you. I agree. Dave, figure it out. Dave, hire Jack Fritz, but don't.

But do. Just do what he tells you to do. How about that? I appreciate Dave listening. He's at the GM meetings. He's probably busy. On his flight home, I'm sure he will download this. Oh, I think he's got his AirPods and walking around the meetings with us in his ears as he heads

into meetings and stuff just to make sure he's like prepared and ready. This is like playing with fire, Jack. I mean, come on. I agree. I agree. So I appreciate you listening, Dave. And yet again, it's not that hard to build a bullpen. It is not that hard. All right. Um,

final thought, final thought today was a really great day. I woke up well last night I got home. I wrote out my perfect all season, got super excited about it. Woke up this morning, uh, added John Lester to it, made it even better. And then I came to work. Saw you. Said it's perfect off-season day. And then while producing the show, the Phillies signed a raise guy to come run their R&D department slash be an assistant general manager.

And now he just did the perfect off-season podcast. And I gotta be honest, it's just been a great day. It has been a great day. I love it. For those who don't know, Jack has reserved the right to update the perfect offseason as we go along. So it is possible you will get more perfect offseason. Yes.

Yes. So this is perfect offseason 1.0. If Mel Kiper and Todd McShay can put out 8.0 mock drafts, I can do perfect offseasons. And I genuinely get excited writing them out every time. Although I do highly enjoy this one. Yeah, I like this one too. There were a lot of moving parts. He made a lot of moves.

It's just a lot of trades, which I appreciate. Again, as someone who sucks at fake trades, I appreciate your ability to fake trade. It really is. It's a skill, Jack. Yeah, yeah. So bring me Lou Trevino, who, fun fact, threw a no-hitter against Bloomsburg in college.

Ah, a true story comes out. I kept the book for that game, and he was... Now we know. And he was nice to me. We've got to get Chaz McCormick on the pod. Can we make this happen? Yeah, for sure. Okay, that'll be fun. So was nice to me. We've got to get Chaz McCormick on the pod. Can we make this happen? Yeah, for sure. Okay, that would be fun.

So look forward to that. That's coming up. Plus, next Saturday, the plan at least. The plan. The pod where Jack and I get drunk and go through all the, I was about to curse, Jack, the bleepy losses from this season. The worst of the worst.

So if you wanted to laugh and cry, it's probably the pod for you. I think we'll do both. Yeah, well, I would say more laughs because it's over. Yeah, it's a good point. And because who cares? Because we've got a real baseball team, Jack. And a Rays guy.

And a Rays guy. All right, my final thought uh it has been a great day and it is also veterans day so thank you to all the uh all those people who served our country i don't think we make a big enough deal about veterans day in this country so um thank you to everyone i'm sure there are listeners out there who've served or are serving their country and uh and we we greatly appreciate that and the sacrifices that have been made by so many over the years to allow us to uh sit here at home on a microphone and talk to you about baseball so um so thank you um fritzy the next time we talk we're gonna be doing it with drinks

it's gonna be good well that's not we're gonna talk at work every day but you know what i mean into these microphones for these beautiful people yes and uh you know hopefully by that point maybe one of these moves have been done oh oh buddy give it to me give it to me lou trevino is going to be a philly by next saturday let's go exactly right he's