High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - We Love Everything About the Phillies Except Watching Them Play

Episode Date: May 18, 2021

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies disappointing series against Toronto. The guys discuss the Girardi-Segura fiasco, the Nick Maton thing, Nola's road woes, and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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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. Yeah. It is another oh no edition of the high hopes podcast jack what am i supposed to do after that that weekend i mean friday was good i like friday and then just man just the the

i mean could we could we catch a ball that's hit right at us? Is that something that a Major League Baseball team gets? I feel like Joe Girardi's saying this. How about Joe Girardi actually showing a little life, Jack? Who knew that he had another setting other than, oh, it's fine. Nothing to worry about. It's all good. Nice to see Joe showing a little life.

What are your thoughts? How you doing, buddy? Good to talk to you. Just another good weekend of Phil's baseball. For a team that we love so much, they really know how to make us angry and annoy us. Yeah, because it's just like they can just never be a normal baseball team. Like, why can't they just catch the ball? I know.

Jack, to the point where their manager, a manager who has been very Gabe Kapler-esque in terms of his want to criticize his players. We've seen many times this season where we would have been like, well, you might want to like say something that, you know, like the Jose Alvarado play earlier. Like all these different things where it's like, you know, come on, like say something that you know like the jose alvarado player like all these different things where it's like you know come on like say something like it wasn't right and like to the

point where the manager had this this guy who won't say a bad thing about his guys is like come on like this level can we can we catch the ball please right and that's what's so ridiculous it's like i just it it just can't it can't be that hard like i i know it's it's baseball it's a hard sport but i just these are major league you're a major league baseball player like you're you you are this is the the cream of the crop these are the best guys in the sport these are you know guys who are playing this at the highest level and it's just it's just disheartening to continue to see these mistakes uh made over and over and over again and it doesn't seem like there's any correction i mean you know he's talking about catch the ball on saturday and like yeah i get it and i like that he's frustrated and

you know the fact that they fought back yesterday and almost made a ball game at the end, and maybe if they had a full roster, maybe they'd win that game. But, you know, the fact that he does that on Saturday, he's, like, pleading with his team. And then Segura makes a ridiculous play in the first inning, and it's like, oh, great. So they're just – are they – like, are we just tuning him out?

Are we not listening? Like, it can't happen it needs to stop and just you know be a professional baseball team that is that's all we're asking you to do is just make the plays it's baseball you are professionals act like it yeah well because jack this team's not good enough to give up outs to give up runs like they're not enough. They need to win on the margins. They need to win on the edges. And look, I get it. They're a bad defensive team from a actual talent perspective. We get it. Like Reese Hoskins, not a major league caliber defensive player, you know, Alec Boehm, not a third baseman. Sorry. It is what it is. He's just not fluid and athletic enough in that way to be a 6'6", 6'5", third baseman. Like they just have

guys who are either bad defensively or in the wrong spot, but that doesn't excuse like the basic stuff, the bonehead plays, the not paying attention, the not looking the ball into your glove. And then like the, the, you know, the, the Reese Hoskins play from a couple of weeks ago where they're not paying attention, like all that kind of stuff. It's not, it's not just bad defense. It's, it's not tight baseball. It's not like being prepared to play and paying attention and focusing. And like, that's the problem is because this team, especially with the injuries and the lack of roster depth and all that stuff, which we'll get into, but like with all that stuff,

like they can't afford to make little mistakes and to give up outs. Like they're not good enough for that. And the fact that, I mean, the fact that they're 21 and 20 right now like they've had like what six seven eight games that that you can pretty much chalk up to stupid mistakes dumb decisions like it they it's crazy to think about where they could be if they just even with the lack of talent in spots the the lack of roster depth, the bad defense, it's crazy. And the horrible fourth of a starter, like it's crazy where they could be if they just

didn't make mistakes. Yeah. And I guess I just don't know how to feel about the 21 and 20 thing. Like if you try to look at it from the outside in, right? Like obviously you and I are very close to the situation here uh our listeners are very close situation like we live and die with this team but like i can't tell if if we're the crazy ones for looking at this team looking them being a game over 500 and being disappointed versus you know kind of having the holistic view of they've had injuries.

They've had guys who traditionally are back of the baseball cards, back of the baseball card guys that haven't gotten going. You know, Chase Anderson, Matt Moore, Archie Brown. I wouldn't count on them to get going. I think the better examples would be, you know, Didi and Alec Boehm and so on and so forth. Right. So, like, I can't. But I genuinely feel closer to the this team's not good, I don't care what the record is side.

Because they do things every night that good baseball teams don't do. That clubs that are supposed to start winning and supposed to win upwards of 90 games this year, they're not doing that. And they're not doing the little things it takes to win ballgames. And we talk about this a lot, but the strikeouts are just absurd. And it comes back to the philosophy of playing for the big inning, which I just don't think you can consistently rely on and win with. Like last year, I genuinely felt like, James, like we were watching statistically

what was a top six offense. I mean, when Boehm came up, they were a top six offense from the top down. And I didn't feel like it was always the beginning. I felt like it was more consistent at bats. I felt like it was more, you know, doing their jobs and gap to gap and that stuff. And I genuinely felt good about the offense last year. I felt like it was an offense that I could rely on for most nights of giving me four to five runs at least. And this year, it looks like we're back to the melee years where it's a lot of strikeouts a lot of playing for the beginning waiting for a home run but like who in this who in this lineup can hit home runs besides Bryce I mean they don't have home run hitters I mean Reese should be but he hits like three homers in a week and then won't hit a homer for

a month um so it's just it's it's it's it's just bad right now now. And the only thing I can bank on them getting better at as the season goes on is the back of the baseball card thing showing up and those guys being what they've been for their careers. And Archie Bradley coming back, I do think is going to be a nice addition. I think he's going to let everyone kind of settle into their roles a little bit. edition. I think he's going to let everyone kind of settle into their roles a little bit. But Arshie Bradley going out can't be the reason why your whole bullpen isn't as good as it could be. So I'm just disappointed. I'm frustrated because it feels like the same thing for the last four years. And this team is too talented to be where we're at. Yeah, 100% with you. And look, you hope Spencer Howard can maybe help out with the 4-5 starter thing

and be a guy who gives you 4 or 5 innings or whatever it is that he's going to be for you. You hope that helps. There are things you can point to, like you said, Bone being better, Deedee being healthy and better, just overall health. I think, honestly, one of the biggest problems with this team that we just don't harp on enough is just the lack of roster depth you know i mean even think about nick mayton came out of nowhere to be a massive part of this offense in this team and like like even with that i mean they just struggle from a depth perspective to the point where, you know, when

you have injuries, when you have, you know, that over the course of 162 games is going to happen. That's what makes baseball, baseball. That's why, you know, the best teams are the ones that have that, you know, depth upon depth upon guys that they can just roll in and out and bring up from the minors who are major league quality players and all that stuff. And, and, and the Phillies don't have that. Like, to the point where if a guy gets hurt, Scott Kingery's got to start a game. Scott Kingery, like, I saw Joe Giglio tweet this, and, like, I don't know every single player on every roster,

but he tweeted that Scott Kingery's the worst hitter in baseball and is not close, essentially, something like that. It's not close between him and who's every second. And, like, I have not looked at every team, but I find it hard to believe there's anyone close to as bad a hitter as Scott Kingery. I mean, he looks as lost to the play as anyone I've seen in a long time. And, like, Scott Kingery's starting games for them.

He's getting important at bats. And, like, that's a massive issue, the roster depth, cause there's such a top heavy team. And then when guys who are, you're counting on to the point you're making four don't perform, you're already going to struggle. And then when you want the depth to fill in for those guys, when they're hurt, that that's where you, you know, you run into problems and, and that that's what it is nerve-wracking to me um but all right let's kind of get into some of the specifics and some of the people from the weekend because look at the flip side to your point like you can make a a glass half full argument like the defense isn't going

to get much better from a talent perspective no matter what kind of moves they make but they can catch the ball when it's hit to them. Like they can be sharper and crisper and smarter defensively. Like you talked about, you can expect or hope to expect that certain guys are going to be better offensively. You can hope to expect that maybe Spencer Howard can fill in. Maybe they can, you know, I can't, I'm not even, we're never going to talk about Vinny and that the longevity of that,

but whatever. Are you disrespecting the ace of the staff right now? So, like, there is a glass half full case to be made considering they're 21 and 20 and, like, right in it in the division, but the roster depth concerns me. All right, let's jump into some specific things from the weekend. Let's just start with the, you know, instead of going in chronological order, let's just start with like the the biggest thing of the weekend. What did you make of the cigar Girardi thing? What do you make of the whole situation? Girardi's, you know, terse postgame response and the way he's handling it.

What do you think of it all? I loved it. I really did. handling it what do you think of it all i loved it i really did and um you know it's funny like segura is definitely a good player um but he he drives managers crazy i mean i mean this he's been on five teams i mean um and he he must drive people crazy with with whatever but um you know i think it i think i think it was a good thing, and I think it was something that this team needed. Maybe they need a little kick. Maybe. Maybe, Jack. Yes, yes, yes.

No, they did. They did. And I don't know how much that related to what they did after. I mean, making that a ball game late I think was impressive. So maybe it was kind. So, um, maybe it was kind of that, although cigar. And to be fair,

like Toronto helped out a bit. Toronto had some Phillies esque moments defensively in that. They did. I mean, it was like a minor league game, uh, broke out. It was unbelievable.

It was unbelievable, man. I mean, whoo, buddy. Yeah. Yeah. So,

um, so I thought the thing, I think it's like, it's just unfortunate. He got caught on camera. I mean, whoo, buddy. Yeah, yeah. So I thought the thing – I think it's just unfortunate he got caught on camera. I mean, that kind of stuff just happens in baseball games, and it's been happening forever. Well, they were in a minor league spring training stadium that didn't have a tunnel. I think that's the kind of thing where if that were at Citizens Bank Park, Girardi probably would have pulled Segura into the tunnel or something or whatever, you know i think that's the kind of thing where if that were at citizens bank park gerardi probably would have pulled sagur into the tunnel or something or whatever you know yeah and i just

like i just like that there was a sense of urgency you know there's been far too long ever since back to gabe and the first year of gerardi where it's like ah we'll be fine we'll figure it out and no reason to worry and i just like that i they care. I mean, they know that sounds bad, but, like, I like that they care because I'm mad too, and I'm sitting there, and I genuinely felt yesterday that I like everything about the Phillies except watching the games. And, like, I like the draft. I like the prospects.

I like everything about the Phillies except watching the game. That is so perfect, man. So perfect. I like following the minor leagues. I like the draft. I like GFs. It's almost like the Phillies are our fantasy team. We just don't watch the games.

And if we could just not watch the games and check the box scores and look at the roster and the minor league things, that would be a lot more fun. I might start doing that. I might just not turn them on and just check the box scores and look at the roster and the minor league things that'd be a lot more fun i might start doing that i might just like not turn them on and just and just you know check that check the box scores and whatever but it's just like i like that they cared and i like that you're already cared and yeah finally i mean because like i just and i think we're i think we're finally starting to see some of the old school and you're already come out like i feel like there's this whole notion that uh modern day players don't want to get coached hard because

they'll turn you turn you off and um they won't respond well to it and I think Girardi's almost to the point we're saying screw that man this is driving me crazy like he's been around baseball forever there's always been accountability there's always been you know it's it's funny because I experienced this growing up obviously not the same level as these guys. But the most annoying thing in the world to me was when a pitching coach would come out and be like, throw strikes. And I'll be like, I'm trying. Because obviously, you want me to throw strikes.

You didn't want me to just walk everybody? That's why not? Okay, cool. Right. And obviously, score doesn't want to make an error there but it's just it's just how the game is like we know you're not trying to mess up but you have to be it has to be instilled in your head that you cannot do that that is how you get better that's how you that's how you make improvements of the fear of failure in a sense so

i think it was important and i don't know how much, you know, obviously Maytown having a day and the Blue Jays, you know, turning into the Phillies. But it did seem like they responded to that a little bit. So I like that. The postgame stuff was stupid. Like, come on, man. Just say, hey, we, you know, those kind of things happen. It's natural.

I talked to Gene. We moved on. We keep that stuff internal. Instead of being like, next question, next question, do you have a baseball question? You know, just it almost felt like a loss of composure in a way. So I definitely didn't like that. But my main problem with Girardi from yesterday was playing Bryce.

There is no scenario where Bryce Harper should have been in that baseball game. It's May. I don't care if you win or lose. What I care about is losing Harper for a possibly more extended period of time. His first ball he got in the outfield, it was like a 10 dribbler to the infield. His first hit bat, he had to bunt three times, and they tried to play it off. That was the design for the dugout. Come on, man. And then all of a sudden in the ninth, he's fine to swing, and he's taking monster hacks to try to hit the ball out of the ballpark and wincing in pain and trying to take bigger swings because he knows he doesn't have the usual power that he would if his shoulder was healthy. I don't care if Velasquez pitched on Friday.

Put Velasquez out there. You cannot get Bryce Harper more hurt in a game in May. I thought it was totally irresponsible. And I don't know how that happens. I don't know how that happens. And if they didn't want to bring someone up for whatever reason, and Bryce Harper got more hurt because you had to put him out there or you thought it'd be too embarrassing for the rest of your team to play the last guys then just shame that is that is very short-sighted and I I just I didn't appreciate Bryce being in the game yesterday yeah like we don't know the specifics of Bryce's injury it's certainly possible that they told Bryce that he couldn't hurt it more by playing. That is a possibility. I hope to think that it's something along those lines where they wouldn't have risked that. Because I agree with you holistically.

If there's any chance of Harper getting hurt anymore, there's zero. I agree with you. I would play Velasquez over him. I would. I agree with you. I would play Velasquez over him. I would. But I have to think that they would not have put Bryce in if he was that hurt in that situation, you, I think they should get dinged for not bringing someone up. I mean, that happens before the game. You could have gotten someone there. You could have made a move.

And especially when Didi's been hurt. Like, why? Just backdate it, right? When was the last time Didi played? It's got to be close to 10 games. I know it's not, but it's like, what, seven games, six games? Like, just put Didi on IL and backdate it at this point. Like, what are you losing?

Like, I think that's much better than going into a game with Raphael Marchand catching out of nowhere unexpectedly and having zero bench. Like, you can't go into a game where your backup plan is we'll put our injured guy in. Like, that's unacceptable. Like, you can't do that in the major leagues. Like, I don't know about you, Jack.

I know you're not 39 years old, but I 39 years old yes point being i don't know about you and your memory of philly's you know history but i don't ever remember going into a philly's game knowing we had no bench guys like that's that's not and i'm sure it's happened but i certainly don't remember it like i i think that's malfeasance on their part and that's on gerardi and that's on the front office too. That's on all of them. But I agree with your point holistically. I have to hope because if, if they did put him in where he could get hurt worse, that's just, just an absolute disastrous decision. And I, it makes me terrified of, of any decisions that the people who made that decision are making. I have to hope that Harper couldn't get hurt worse, but I generally agree with it. With the Segura thing, I agree with a lot of what you said.

I think I like the fire. I like seeing some frustration because like you said, Jack, we're frustrated too. I was tired of seeing Girardi just be like, whatever, or apathetic, it seemed like after some of these losses, after some of these disasters, after some of these horrendous decisions, just like, ah, you know, it happens, whatever. Like, I like seeing him get pissed off. I'm happy. He's like, you know, calling guys out in the dugout and saying, that's not good enough. Like, I know you're trying, but like, you obviously weren't trying hard enough. Cause that ball was hit right to you. That is a focus issue. That issue that is not a a you're not good enough to make that play or oh you you know that was a tough

play and you couldn't make it like that's focused that's simple that's basics that's like the basic stuff so I'm happy Girardi called him out I do agree with you with the postgame stuff I think more than anything with the postgame stuff to your point the loss of composure ultimately made it a bigger story you know I think Girardi really his comments kind of just added a little fuel to the fire when, like you said, he could have diffused it in a better way. But I also can't blame him there too, because that's the first time in one of those settings we've seen him like show some actual anger and frustration and be like ticked off about something and good, good. Do something,

man. Like do something. You need to be ticked off. We're ticked off. Like what we've been watching is not acceptable. Um, so I'm, I'm very with you on that whole situation.

You hope it can kind of drive them. Like you said, it might've driven them to, to come back in that game. Let's hope they come home and can use that as a little fuel against their their kryptonite yeah well and one quick thing um before we move off this like gerardi talked post game about like trusting the player or whatnot and i'm just like he has to know better than trusting the player like any player worth his

salt is gonna say yeah i can play i can help the team win i can like me at 60 is still better than trust in the player like any player worth his salt is going to say yeah i can play i can help the team win i can like me at 60 is still better than anything else we have so i'll go out there and i'll i'll get my all like you have to protect the player in that situation and i just think that if bryce ends up having to miss more games because of this or he re-aggravates his shoulder then he's not doing his job of protecting the player. And that's what makes me annoyed is because players are always going to say, yeah, I'm good. I can go out there.

Like, don't worry, coach. I'll swing. Well, especially someone like Bryce Harper too. I mean, that's just like so in Bryce's DNA. We've seen it already. Like, I think there's been multiple times when he's kind of been out there when you're questioning whether he's, he's really able to or kept going in a game where it's like, ah, Bryce,

maybe we should come out. Exactly. Exactly. So, you know, you hope that you hope that I honestly, and you know me, James, this is not going to shout, sound shocking for me, but I'm our, as I'm writing out my future 2021 Phillies video yearbook I am writing down The blow up in Dunedin And like as

The big turning point in the 2021 season Like I just you know I don't know I have that weird feeling I have that weird feeling That it's that kind of turning point Where it's like, okay. Once Joe, like, they're doing an interview with Bryce after the season.

And they're like, and Bryce is saying, you know, once Joe kind of had the blow up in Denny, then we knew it was go time. And then we rattled off 10 of 11. So, listen, I'm just saying watch out for that. And, you know, for the future Phillies video yearbook, I would like credit for that. And, um, I just, you know, maybe there's a little chance at a turning point here. I hope so, man. Wouldn't that be something? Here's the thing. I think that, that I hope what you're already takes away from this,

if they are able to get it going a little bit, is that, and there's something that you brought up a couple pods ago, even talking about their issues on the road and a potential reason for that. And I think we're seeing that just him ready every night on this grind of 162, where it takes a lot to do it night after night after night to have that, you know, that energy, that drive to bring it every night is a grind. And I think Girardi might with this group of guys, maybe have to take a more active leadership role than maybe he did with those Yankees teams. And

maybe it's something that he didn't maybe realize he had to do. I'm hoping that this, this moment can kind of, cause I think it's clear as day that he has to, cause we've talked about it. I mean, I just don't think there's anyone else on this team who's going to step into that role and Jordy could do it. Like it's not, you know, you'd like, you know, more leadership from the locker room and clubhouse, and maybe someone can follow him, but I do think that's something that I hope, like, is a kind of lesson he takes away from this. It does seem like there might be more of, like,

this Segura thing, though, because, like, after the game, he was obviously weird. We know that, but he didn't comment on it, and he hasn't talked to, then i think uh destiny uh was tweeting about this today i guess because he was on i think mlb network radio but like they still haven't talked which is like i mean like a whole i saw that too yeah it's pretty crazy you would think that they would talk immediately after the game right like first thing for first opportunity you know you have a plane ride home yeah i mean yeah there might be there might be more there than than we think yeah well it doesn't seem like gene's easiest

guy to get along with or or you know the best teammate or whatever you want to say uh i just can't wait for the the can you imagine what they're gonna do for his 300th double jack they might have to they might have to set off fireworks mid-game. Do you think that's an appropriate response? Is that enough? How about this? The game just ends in the Phillies' win. It doesn't matter what's happening in the game.

It's just an automatic win for that moment. Before the bullpen. I mean, how do you keep playing the game after that? I mean, what else can happen that night that could top such a monumental moment? No, I mean, I think at the least he gets the jogger on the stadium that Ripken had.

Alright. Some other stuff from the weekend. And just general stuff. I want to get to specifics of the game, but the Chase Anderson and Matt Moore thing. And obviously we're past Matt Moore and the rotation stuff i want to get to specifics of the game but the the the chase anderson matt moore thing and obviously we're past matt moore in the rotation stuff but just the the like kind of tie in a book because i think we're we're pretty clear on what these guys are how annoyed are you at dave dombrowski for spending seven million on these guys this offseason like when you're watching and i know he got hurt tonight, so we'll see, but like Tywon Walker, a couple more mil.

Guy's been awesome for the Mets. I mean, so many examples of guys if you had spent either that or even just a little bit more or whatever, you get like a real pitcher here, like a real guy. And then, you know what, then you could do the Vinny Spencer Howard thing for their spot and kind of ride one or the other and back and forth. But like you could have had four real guys if you had just not done this stupid chase anderson matt moore thing yeah and i you know i mean i'm not surprised that it happened james but

no me me talking myself into them backfired um although i taught myself more to matt more than chase you did and to be fair we both were not happy with the signing neither of us came on this podcast and we're like yay these guys you talked yourself into more i didn't talk myself in either i said anderson was better and more but they both stunk either way like neither of us were were thought these were gonna work you just you know you have a way of talking yourself into things, Jack, people might not know that about you. I know I should have just trusted my gut.

Uh, but yeah, honestly, like whoever the scout was that came back to them and was like, yeah, that more looks great over in Japan. Like that guy should be fired. I mean,

like just a, this is an absolutely atrocious decision. Um, like, and he fired. I mean, like, just an absolutely atrocious decision. Like, and he actually looks good on the bullpen. But, yeah. And so Chase Anderson, obviously bad. But I do wonder how much yesterday, you know, him and Marshawn hadn't worked together and it was 20 minutes before the game and stuff like that.

Also, I do love he is, like, so weirdly confident for someone who is so bad, like so average. Like, he's talking about how his last start is like, yeah, I think I should be able to go eight innings. It's like, let's get to the six. Yeah, make it six, big dog. Right. Try to be Vinny Velasquez right now and then we'll talk

and then yesterday he's like yeah i was so locked in i didn't see anything going on it's like dude you got shelled like relax with the whole the first two batters hit home runs how less locked in can you be yeah he's a he's an interesting interesting fella but um yeah and even like a guy like Garrett Richards is disgusting and he got like 10 million dollars you know um uh Anthony Discofani was like an obvious you know signing from the Reds from the Reds always had good stuff but they could never harness it come here to work with Cotham and you know I mean he's pitched well this year. So, yeah, it's just like I don't understand how they thought Matt Moore and Chase Anderson was just going to be fine.

And, like, think about this, James. They thought those two were going to be so fine that they were transitioning their number one pitching prospect to being a bullpen guy. I mean, the whole Spencer Howard thing has been an abomination the way they've handled him this year. It's unnerving what they've done with Spencer Howard. And, like, I get it in a perfect world, but you're not going to figure out if he's comfortable coming into not clean innings. Like, you're not going to figure out if he's comfortable coming into not clean innings.

Like, you're not going to figure that out, maybe talk to him beforehand before having this grand plan. So, yeah, like, listen, he's probably going to be in the rotation soon. But even when he does that, it's going to be four innings max. And it's just like, what's the plan here? Are we going to ramp him up to be a starter or is he just gonna be an opener is he gonna be a four or five inning guy and just give us as much as he can I I don't know so um yeah it's just thank thank god Vinny's been good because if not I mean we're still rolling rolling with Chase Anderson and Matt Moore in the back, and that's just not good enough.

And I don't understand really why it was ever thought to be good enough other than these guys could eat innings, but they can't even eat innings. Like Wheeler, Eflin, and Nola are eating all the innings, and these two can't even get past the fifth inning. So, I mean mean just not great yeah it's bad man it's not good um no on the road uh i saw your tweet it was compelling i didn't like it what do you think's going on tell everyone like the numbers but then what do you wait like is it is it a thing is it is it

like what's the deal yeah i i don't know i i guess i never really thought about it um until uh after the game i was like oh let me just let me just see what they are um and yeah so so in the last four years so 2018 he had 241 era obviously great last year or 2019 519 2020 426 2021 565 so that's a bigger sample size than than not i mean that's three seasons of even though last year and this year's not obviously complete but but either way, that's a lot of sample for a guy not being a great road pitcher, and I honestly, I don't have an answer for you, because if you think about it, all his meltdowns have been on the road pretty much, and I just, I don't know, I don't have some, you know, smart galaxy brain take as to why he's bad on the road. I just, you know, sometimes, sometimes, you know, maybe get different, you know, different routines and stuff.

Maybe the mounds are different, but he's going to have to get it back to what it was or not back to what it was in 18 because obviously 18 was a, was an outlier, but he needs to figure out how to pitch well on the road because you're not making every start at home. And, yeah, it's just shocking, and it's definitely something to monitor as the season goes on. All right.

Any other pitcher stuff before I get to some hitter stuff and we get to the take bag? I mean, I guess I'll just do Vinny now. Yeah. Oh, yeah, Vinny. Good point. Do Vinny. Yeah, and, like, again, I genuinely believe this when I'm talking to the High Hopes listeners

because we never lie to them. So I'm, like, I'm trying not to get ahead of myself with Vinny. And I feel bad because I feel like I lead our listeners down the wrong path sometimes. You know, we're doing it again with Matt Moore and Chase Anderson where it's like oh Jack you know was all excited and it's completely backfired he looks like an idiot again but um uh I just I like I like the I like his plan I want to say in in a sense like it's obviously a lot of a lot of curveballs sliders and change-ups but the change-up looks nasty. Like it's added some depth for sure, and it's playing well off his fastball.

And he's just pitching. Like this is why I kind of liked him heading into last year because I felt like he was pitching more and more. You know, the cutter was a thing and whatnot. But he – because Vinny in the past, when he would get behind or he would start struggling, he would just start pounding fastballs, pounding fastballs, pounding fastballs. And eventually, major league hitters are going to catch up to that stuff. But what he's doing this year, he's doing a really good job of mixing in his curveball, changeup, and slider,

and working them in all counts. It doesn't. Because you have to be able to get those pitches over for strikes so that the fastball, you know, can work off of those pitches. So, because like, you know, I talk about with Nola and Wheeler and Eflin that they need fastball location so that their off-speed pitches look better. Well, Vinny's almost the opposite. Like, people can't sit on his fastball if he's able to get those other pitches over for strikes. Like, Wheeler, Eflin, and Nola have shown the consistent ability to get those pitches over for strikes. But with Vinny, he's never shown that ability. So guys are just waiting for him to throw a fastball and just sitting on everything else. That's why he throws so many pitches. But what he's doing right now is he's able to mix all those pitches in. He's committing to that game plan. And I do

think that's a lot of Caleb Coffin. I think Coffin has done a really good job with him and just getting him to commit to a game plan and sticking with it and not deviating from it even when runners get on base. So I don't – obviously we're not saying to buy completely in and Vinny's the guy and all this fun stuff. But, I mean, I think he can be a good four or five starter. I mean, why can't he like if you look i know why yeah i mean he can like can it's a of course he can but i i just

look here's where i'm at with video not look he's definitely looked really good the last three starts like you can see it like you're talking about you know that the some of this stuff is is swing him his stuff and he looks he looks more confident he's pitching he's working like it seems quicker and smarter and all that stuff but like he has just built up such a reserve of distaste and disbelief that like, I need a lot more. Like I'm just not, it's not going to be three stars. I'm going to be four stars.

I'm going to be five starts. Like, like when he's had 10 good starts in a row or 12 out of 13. Okay. I'll start to be in on Vinny and actually believe that he can maybe carry this through the rest of the season. Even then I'm going to be dubious, but for now I'm certainly just not there yet. I not i can't but like all right let's say he pitches

to like a four era like you're happy with that right sure but again jack like he's at three good starts in a row like we've seen him do this we've seen him go on runs where we're like oh vinny ha ha he's doing the stuff we want him to. He's just pitching. Like, he's just listening to JT. He's listening to Nap. He's not thinking out there. He's just throwing stuff.

Like, look at this. That's three in a row. That's five in a row. Like, I just can't do it until I see it more. Like, I think it would be foolish to say, oh, Vinny's fine. He's part of the rotation. Let's roll. Like, that'd be foolish. It would be. I just think you, Vinny's fine. He's par the rotation. Let's roll. That'd be foolish.

It would be. I just think you're worried about losing our bet from last year on Vinny. You already lost it, pal. We didn't remake it. Well, there's no proof of that. Yes, there is no proof. All right. I have a bone to pick with you, by the way.

What? What could I possibly have done? Before the take back, I have a bone to pick. But, by the way. What? What could I possibly have done? Before the take back, I have bone to pick. But quickly, offensively, look, not a ton to get into. Quickly, I want to talk about someone in particular, obviously, but Bryce JT Didi, fair to say that Didi's the only of those injuries that you have real concern about? Well, depending if Bryce is going to get re-injured.

Trying to have a Kirk Gibson moment in the ninth. Of a game in a spring training stadium. The Didi thing is terrifying. It's not good. I mean, it's the same elbow you had Tommy John on, the second time it happened this season. Like, phew. It's bad.

Not great. It's really bad to your deal everything's fine yeah i'm i'm legit concerned about it um bryce i'm not too concerned jt i'm not concerned at all you know but the dd one's a real concern and look the guy I want to talk about is what's made it more palatable. Obviously, Nick Maytawn. But it also, like with Maytawn here, again, we go back to that roster depth issue, and they just can't afford to lose guys, any guys. But Maytawn, man, like it's one of those things where you keep saying it's like,

oh, you know, he's not going to keep it up. Oh, he's going to cool down. And he did. He's had little strides and stuff. Like, oh, like he's not really – he's like oh you know he's not gonna keep it up oh he's gonna cool down uh and he did he's had little strides and stuff like oh like he's not really like he's like a bench guy like he's not like an actual starter in the majors all the stuff like like it's a very small sample size still a very very very very small sample size but at where you at with may tolly are you starting to like look at him differently than you did when he came up? Obviously, we all have looked at him differently. But in terms of what he can be for the rest of the season and moving forward?

Not really. It's so funny because I'm with you, too. I think he's going to be a nice bench player in Major League Baseball. But it's so funny because you, who is so willing to believe in matt moore believe in vinnie like believe the phillies are gonna win the world series like you can't buy in on on the one guy who the rest of philly's fandom is all in on it's hilarious i love it well it's you're you're such a you're an enigma jack well i don't like i don't like buying in when everyone else buys in. Ah, there it is. There it is.

No, no. No, I think because I love him, right? Look, we're baseball guys. Of course we love him. Like, he's a baseball guy. And I just think he's a really solid player all around. And you know what he is? He's like a freaking cardinal he's a cardinal

the guy that just comes up and just plays a ton of positions can hit and like will have back breaking moments against you like that's nick mayton and i think he's clutch and sure handed yeah and he just he's just a ball player he's just a ball player so um yeah do i think they should by the way there i like tweeting a lot um like just during games and i like i do like picking like you know prodding people no tweeting tweeting tweeting give mayton number 26 oh it's great dude people get so mad. Like, so mad. It's just a joke. Like, relax. But, yes, I like tweeting that a lot because the reactions are always like, you're such an idiot.

No one should ever wear that number again. And I just sit there and I say, gotcha. But I like him a lot, but I just, I don't see a starter every day. I see a guy that can play second, short third. And I think he's eventually going to be able to play outfield. And I think he can, I think he can be a spot starter slash platoon guy that can, um, you know, do some things. He's going to help you in ball games. He's the kind of guy that good baseball teams have, but I don't think he's a guy that starts on a good baseball team, if that makes sense. So that's where I'm at with Maton. I'm thoroughly enjoying the ride.

I don't understand why people don't pound him with fastballs up because I don't think he can get to them, but that's just me. And, yeah, listen, I'm enjoying the ride. I love him. I think he's a good ball player, but I can't say I see him being a starter for 162. Yeah, that's pretty much where I'm at, but I'm definitely enjoying it. And, look, you know, he is a ball player. You know, I do agree with the point. at, but I'm definitely enjoying it. And look, he is a ball player. I do agree with the point. I want him on my team.

To your point, I don't know if he's a starter for 162. I mean, maybe he's an average starter, best case scenario if everything works out. But yeah, I'm with you. Speaking of Twitter, and we'll get to the take back in one sec, but I got a bone to or best case scenario if he kind of everything works out. But yeah, I'm with you. Speaking of Twitter, and we'll get to the take back in one sec, but I got a bone to pick with you. Speaking of Twitter, you just brought up Twitter. All right, cool.

Talking about Joe Girardi and stuff. I break my back here to come on here and keep this Jim Nance bit alive with everything I have. And you take a shot on me about Twitter. You put the Joe Girardi video up about it on the High Hopes account. By the way, Jim Nance's birthday today. Happy birthday, Jim.

Patron saint of the High Hopes podcast. Happy birthday, sir. I felt a little affronted when you put up the Girardi video. Next question. Man. I personally thought I nailed it, to be honest. I felt a little affronted when you put up the Girardi video next question I personally thought I nailed it to be honest I thought it was a really good tweet

I thought it was a good tweet I thought it was funny and I felt like it was related to the podcast because I saw the video and I was like how could I tweet this from a high hopes account and I was like perfect it's the Nance bit it was a good tweet i'll give you yeah yeah well i mean i thought you're gonna bring up how i had him

ranked as my number two national oh you don't think i didn't have that next up top five and five baby yep the the the radio segment that is sweeping the country yes yes so you had him second explain yourself listen i mean even though he's a free agent the guy's total pro and i expect him to get uh scooped up soon and um he's not better than joe buck because joe buck is the goat yeah i would put him after joe buck too dude see this is this is why this is why this is why you drive me crazy like you you do the stupid philadelphia thing where it's like where it's like uh joe buck hates my tea no i just said i would i love joe buck i just said i would put him after joe buck too what are you talking about but joe buck is objectively better than jim i just said that

i'm agreeing with you what are you talking about i said oh wait hold on wait do you agree with me you think joe buck should be number one? Yes. That was my point. I was saying. Oh, okay. You're such an. You can't get anything right when Jim Nance is involved. You're like. You're on tilt with it.

Yes. I'm saying. Yes. Joe Buck is better. I love Joe Buck. I think Joe Buck is. Hey, Donovan. Donovan Chesspat.

Yeah. Donovan Chesspat. That's on me. Yet again. I feel like Jim Nance leads to Chesspat. All right. Take again. Yet again. I feel like Jim Nance leads to chest paths. All right. Take that.

Wow. I can't believe we just had a, we had a public fight. Well, I, I mean, I wasn't fighting. You were yelling at me for something I didn't say. I know.

I know. Cause I, you were so ready. Yeah. You had it locked and loaded. You were holstered and it was, it was too far. You couldn't pull back. Yeah. Yeah, you had it locked and loaded. You were holstered, and it was too far. You couldn't pull back.

Yeah, well, what I envisioned in my head was you hitting that correct sound or like Joe Buckstock's correct, correct, correct. So that's what I was seeing in my head. I would like to kick off this take bag with your annual. I like that, kick off the take bag. I like that. Yeah, with everyone's annual Mick Abel update, hit 99, struck out the side the other day.

He's not my favorite Mick in the system yet, but he's creeping up there. Yes. Yes. We talk a lot. We're a Mick-friendly podcast all the time but we thought we talk a lot about uh you know seeing guys major league debuts and how emotional they're gonna be i mean when mick abel uh makes his debut i'm gonna be an emotional wreck yeah it's gonna be super cool when they bring him up to pitch the seventh inning of a 10-2 game in Colorado or whatever.

Yeah, it's a good allocation of resources. I understand the 40-man roster constraints. And I understand if they—so basically if they option Kingery, he can elect free agency. That's where he is at year three. But he also would have to forfeit the rest of his salary so i don't think he's gonna do it but like objectively luke williams should be up here i mean he's hitting in the 350s at triple a he's can play every single position just like kingery like i mean scott kingery is the worst player I think I've ever seen yeah objectively anyone should be up over Kingery legitimately but like Luke Williams

provides the versatility and all that stuff so I just I just think he should be up here and I know the I know they'd have to add him to the 40 man roster but Kingery being up here is a waste of time if you're gonna fix his swing or you're gonna give him a chance then let him stay at the minor leagues and and give him a chance rather than just having him be up here and and be pointless um it it sure was shocking seeing the amount of uh young players the blue jays have that are awesome oh dude i mean bichette guerrero like biggio Biggio, Teoscar, Simeon. Like, it's just like waves of these guys who I wish we had. Well, and it's like they were in the playoffs in 2015. They didn't have to go through a decade and a half of misery.

You know, it's just like they built a baseball team perfectly normal. Yeah, Mark Shapiro. You know, the guy who was from Cleveland. Like, that's what we say, right? Go get the smart guys from the smart organizations and let them run your team. That's what Toronto did, and now they're reaping the benefits.

Must be nice. But I hope that we have that here soon. What do you think? What do you think about Boehm in left? I love it. I've seen people talking about it. Look, I said it before, and it's just, it's what it is. Like, he's not a third baseman.

Like, he's obviously an athletic guy, but he is not athletic in the way that you need to be to be a 6'5 third baseman. Like, it's just the physics of it are hard. Like, it's hard to play that position at that size that's why when you think throughout history you're like oh how many can i name not bleeping many like gary gaetti you know manny machado is pretty big but not even that big like like there aren't that many guys who play that position at that size so so like you know and and he doesn't even look good at it. Like, those other guys were, like, studs, like, in terms of fluidity and athleticism. Like, he's just not a third baseman.

He either needs to be at first base or, like, I'd give a shot at left field. He's athletic. He's got a good arm. Like, that'd be fine. Yeah, it's something that I think they had to explore this offseason. He's not a third baseman. Like, he just, he's not. Like, it is what it is, but he's not. third baseman like he just he's not like it is what it

is but he's not yeah i mean long term definitely not right now probably not um uh last thing the the braves have just been caught with a lot of just weird bad luck this year what are you talking about like hosker and noah punching yes yeah yes like he broke his head he's pitching great for this year. What are you talking about? Like Oscar and Noah punching. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Like he broke his head. He's pitching great for those guys. It seems like they're having one of those seasons from hell. Um,

like Marquega is retired. Uh, Darnell is on the 60 day IL, you know, was out for a couple of months. Like their lineup wasn't that great. Anyway, their pitching staff has been brutal. Acuna has been in and out with nicks and injuries and stuff.

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, speaking of Acuna, I don't know. I have this weird superstition with my passwords, especially my work password. Are you about to tell all the High Hopes listeners your password? I am not. But, I mean, I would trust them if I needed to.

But I had this weird superstition that if I make my password something, then it'll automatically backfire. My password for a while was Pavetta43 that backfired. And then it was Girardi25 that 43 that backfired. And then it was Girardi 25. So you're basically applying the bio curse to the password curse, in a sense, as a similar type of mushiness that's involved. So I finally wisened up and I put some Braves players. Oh, look at you. Yep, yep, yep.

So credit to me if they have a bad season. Yeah, Hwaska, I know I had no idea you were going to put him as your password. They're a better name in baseball to say than Hwaska. It's a great name. It really is. He was way better than I thought he was going to be. Way better, and also swings a bat.

He's like one of those pitchers who can hit. The rarity. It's always fun. We all know that's better baseball. The worst. Just give me a DH. Is Reese Hoskins allowed to DH yet? Can we get a waiver from the league?

You know what? Speaking of which, can we also get a waiver from the league that we only play home games? Do you think teams would have a problem with that if we just no more road games? And no looking only pitch at home. Oh, man. We're fine if these things are laid out this way. We should – it should work out. All right.

What else you got? You got any final thoughts? My final thought is that we are fully stocked of high hops beer at Four Fingers Brewing Company. Come on out. Oh, and I'm heading down to the ballpark for the first time tomorrow night. Oh, are you really? Yeah.

I'm excited to get down there. Going to see the Marlins, eh? Oh, listen, any chance I can to watch the Phillies lose to the Marlins yet again, I will take advantage of that. That's awesome, man. I'm really excited. So on the next, I hope we'll get a uh a recap of uh of what it was like to be down that super cool will i tear up yes maybe yes i think so i'm gonna say yes

my my prediction is yes um my final thought is is please god it's the marlins like end this stupid curse and this stupid like we suck against the marlins thing it's the Marlins. Like, end this stupid curse. End this stupid, like, we suck against the Marlins thing. It's, of all the, I almost cursed there, Jack. Of all the bleepy stuff that we've dealt with the last year, the consistent stuff, you know, the gut-wrenching losses, the, like, you know, us coming and defending Hector and then him breaking our heart the next night. Like, all these, like these tropes that have come

up the last few years. The September collapses. All that. Sucking against the Marlins annoys me the most. Why do we have to suck against the Marlins? Enough of this. It goes back to Conine, right? It's basically one big Miami

Conines right now. You've given us so many options For a good title for this pod I don't even know what to go with Yeah I think you know the one I do You'll all find out what it is

I guess before I say this Everyone knows Cool title He's friends with himself We'll see you later