High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - We're a We Pod Not a Me Pod

Episode Date: January 18, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz talk about the Phillies 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

This is the High Hopes Podcast. I hope. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies. On Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. Jack Fritz. I got nothing to say. How you doing bye guys like how you doing that nothing's happened nothing's changed since we last talked we'll get into some stuff coming up with that i got i got no lead right now there's no lead i got no

lead man wow i know you do because you're going to talk about some you know uh uh you know the I know you do because you're going to talk about some, you know, the 13th ranked foreign prospect or whatever. He should not be that low, by the way. Yeah, is the future favorite player of your future child or whatever take you're going to have on it. I know you're ready for this, but I don't have much to say other than how you doing, buddy. Well, I think the offseason positive.

See, you know, the last couple years we'd still be talking about free agency. Oh, doing, buddy? Well, I think the off season positive. See, you know, the last couple years, we'd still be talking about free agency. Oh, yeah, buddy. And we'd still be doing the whole, like, well, could they sign this guy? And, like, who's this guy? Now, like, our big debate is, like, do you want Adam Duvall to round out the roster? And it's interesting.

It's an adjustment. And really, how I view High Hopes right now is that it's it's a time where you and i and the people that like this podcast you know we all just come together for once a week and just catch up with our lives you know i like that it's just talking about your parenting class the other day yes i have to get into that thank you for the reminder oh i got you buddy that's what i'm here for honestly i i'm far more interested in that than then i mean in anything to say village because it's too early to like do the lineup stuff like it just feels forced right now we're gonna do it all like you're right i think

we should just say hi and catch up how are you buddy well things are good well i'll say this i'll say this we are as of morning, officially closer to the 2023, the first pitch of 2023, than we are the last pitch of 2022. Now, I'm not sure what happened in the last pitch of 2022. You know, in my mind, the World Series ended after Game 3. You know, so I don't remember what happened. Three-game series, we won it. Yes, Phillies are World Series champions. i don't remember what happened and three game series won it yes phillies are world series champions you don't remember the parade it was it was pretty

great yeah um yeah and um i don't remember you know i still to this day you know james i think you have described me as like a glutton for punishment when it comes to philly's fandom like i i like it in a way like that i like feeling the pain all over again yeah yeah there's a little little masochism there you might say you know philly's masochism even is that is that a term that we can coin here and better question is that a term we want to coin here i don't think masochism well especially because we turned over a new leaf with this team i mean now they're great and what do we got nothing to complain about you're right um but even i have not i i still have not seen a replay of the yordan alvarez home run like it's it's one of the i i have not purposefully but it's it's well i i know when i saw i was like

wait when did i see it i saw it during the yearbook you so you turned away i turned to yeah i didn't see it okay that makes sense because i was like wait i didn't think i had seen it but i definitely did see it recently where did i see it yeah it's in the yearbook i don't plan on a questionable choice by the yearbook team i mean they did a great job obviously as we talked about last pod but maybe uh don't show us that i don't know yeah like we don't need it to be you know we don't show us that. I don't know. Yeah, like we don't need it to be, you know, we don't need it to be realistic. Here's what you do. Here's what you do.

Here's what you do. You do the game three and the homers and the barrage and maybe a shot of me injuring my ankle, which is still injured. I mean, seriously, this is the biggest milky of an injury I've seen in my entire life. I'm wearing the boot at home again. Oh, my God, dude. I know.

I know. But here's you. You do that whole game. And the Phillies are up 2-1. And then they lost. But here comes Trey Turner. And that's it. Like, one line.

Obviously, here's me. Ready? I got it. All right. Ready? For next time this happens, which hopefully is never. Because hopefully we win the World Series next time. But for the yearbook team, ready?

It's game three happens, excitement. The bank is rocking. Everyone's going crazy on that. And oh, what a lead. And then two on. And obviously, unfortunately, we couldn't close it out and we lost. But, and then you pivot to next year.

Boom. No highlights, no nothing. We don't need to see anything else from it. We all know. Boom, right? Wouldn't that have been better? No highlights, no nothing. We don't need to see anything else from it. We all know. Boom. Right? Wouldn't that have been better? Well, and to be fair, as someone who's watched these before,

I'm pretty sure that's what they did in 09, 10, and 11. Like, I don't think, I don't, now I might be wrong, but I don't think they showed Howard on the ground with the Achilles in 11. I don't, yeah. I mean, I didn't see it. You know, I've not frequented the yearbooks like you, but it would be crazy if they did. Why do we even know? One day, this is, see, there's, look,

I get it when it's a, you know, a 30 for 30 or it's like a sports documentary or something that is meant to be this impartial document or cataloging of this great event or this great team or this moment or whatever. Like, I get it. You got to show it all in that case. This isn't that this is Phillies porn.

Like this is just for us. Like this is only for not one single non Phillies fan will watch the yearbook. Like no one wants it. Like play to your audience, Jack. Am I right? Well, there's that.

Like we don't, again, we don't, we don't need journalistic integrity that's not that is not what we do on this podcast like we don't need the whole story um and at that point like you know we just we we we know how it ended you know what i mean like i know everyone's here we're all there we know exactly how it ended um and i don't think we need and now neighbor dan even i haven't done this but neighbor dan did buy the world series dvd

so i guess he would constitute as the one that wants the entire story um which is not surprising that is how we ultimately found out about the massive slight to us yes so you know yeah it's good that we knew about that at least you know that has to be continually brought up and and mentioned so it doesn't happen again yes um there's it's it's probably the biggest single slap in the face i've ever gotten um as a member of the media at this point was elliot shore parks being the World Series DVD over you or I. I know I was accused, accused, James, of being a me guy during HarperLent.

I know there was that. Why were you accused? Was there anything that you did that warranted that? Well, for new listeners of the podcast. During HarperLent, yes, the revolutionary idea that brought brought bryce harper to philadelphia um i was asked by uh someone for like some san francisco website you know about it

how to come about you know what's going on with it and i said you know me and the guy i do the me and the guy do the podcast with like we it became up with it it's our bid and and and philadelphia has has rallied behind it um now now i still don't i still don't see where the slide is frankly um you know like i'm speaking to a san francisco website i didn't think i had to say you know j James Seltzer of Philadelphia, PA. Let me spell that for you. Yes. Yes.

Well, the funniest part too is that I didn't even know about it. I didn't even know about it, but everyone came to, it was, it was people getting outraged for me, which really made me warm my heart. You know, I didn't even know about it. And all these people were sending me like clips of like it and being like circling the words and being like, look at this. I was like, ah, okay. That's how it is.

Even me, with someone that has had me guy accusations in the past, even I was like, at least get seltzer on there. If it's not me, at least be seltzer. It being Elliot is just so disingenuous to the sport of baseball it's a real slap in the face not not just us but i mean it's probably

like you know the mlb you know they've gotten better the last couple years of you know letting media members you know actually have fun talking about. So it's not just the old like analytics, yada, yada, yada. And I would say that we are the face of that in Philadelphia. And I think we've we collectively have brought the fan base into the 21st century when it comes to to baseball and how it should be played today and whatnot. And to not I mean, self-proclaimed leaders of a movement um if i'm not mistaken right jack to not reward us with being in the world series dvd and and and on the other hand reward a guy who has mocked baseball um frankly and just just learned about the phillies in october is is very disappointing now i will say uh the union made up for it and they sent me a christmas

card and elliot i heard about this is hilarious it's so good honestly it makes me like the union way more than i did i like the union right i'm not a huge soccer guy you know obviously go union whatever but but i like them more now like i'm more in on the union that was hilarious yeah so i i don't know which is the bigger slight, me getting a Union Christmas card or Elliot being in the World Series DVD. I mean, it's the World Series DVD. Yes, it is. 100%.

Because, I mean, one's the World Series and one's... A card. You know, and the MLS. I mean, let's be honest. Yeah. Definitely. Definitely. And think about it this way.

Think about it. I'm going to continue on this. And we got nothing else to talk about. We could do this for 30 and get out. But think about this aspect. And I'm sure you haven't thought about this, but I have. I'm sure I have not. Whatever you're about to say.

Think about the children. No, I definitely haven't. Honestly, if you had given me a thousand guesses there, I would not have gotten to think about the children. So expound. Okay. Just think about the children that are going to be, that were like me growing up.

Ah, yes. I would watch all these DVDs and I would be like, oh, who's that brilliant baseball mind that is talking like, let me, like the Tom Verducci's,'s you know the jason starks the peter gammon the super who is the super old guy that was like a baseball that that i don't this is like the worst thing to do on a visual podcast but just envision the oldest looking baseball writer you could think of he's always on the uh espn all century like videos from way back in the day like just the oldest possible

looking baseball writer like this by the way quick side note I think that's the dumbest 30 seconds I've ever done on this podcast was what I just did I don't think I've ever done anything dumber than what I just did the last 30 seconds like no one has any idea of what I'm talking about I was enjoying it to be honest I went for what it's worth i was right i was locked in with you i know i know but i was like this is the you were it started to meander a little bit i know it started it was like all right i'm gonna make it even worse i think his name is frank i think his name is wait was it defrank hold on was there someone named defrank baseball writer uh uh hold on hold on now that you said that it's throwing me off from his actual name um he's a super old guy yeah i know i know it's frank something um uh i know who you're talking

about but you you i think it's frank does something yes or something yes but it's throwing me off that i can't frank to ford frank to ford thank you it's something like off. Frank DeFord? Thank you. Something like that. I think that's him. Anyway, he seemed to be in all those videos growing up. I would watch it like Gehrig and Aaron and Mays. All the... This century. Dude, I loved it.

Mel Allen. I watched so many of those. The Mel Allen 500 Home Run Club video. The Mel Allen 3000 Hit Club. I watched all the episodes of This Week in Baseball. All that stuff was so great. It was so great. Mel Allen 500 Home Run Club video, the Mel Allen 3000 Hit Club. I watched all the twib, you know, like episodes of This Week in Baseball. All that stuff was so great. It was so great.

Yeah. So think about the kids, you know, Verducci, Stark, Gammons, DeFord, or DeFrank. I think it's DeFord. I think you're right. And then Elliot Shoreparks. You know what I mean? Like that's really what does it for me.

It's like the kids are going to be like, Oh wow. I'm going to look up and see what he, see what he's got on Twitter. And it's going to be some stupid Eagles tweet, you know? Yeah. Or,

or, or saying it, tweeting it recently that, that all pizza is the same. It's like, stop, just stop tweeting. Don't do that.

Yeah. He can't stop it. He can't help himself. So, um, the good part about it, James, is that we're clearly over it. And we're not viewing it as a massive slight to the brand. But I have no idea how I'm going to transition out of what we just talked about back to whatever our main topic for this podcast was.

We didn't have a main topic. Yes. Yeah. No, so we're good you're good i think we're just uh we're really just complaining about it being on the dvd and not us yes you know i think somehow i've spent the majority of this podcast doing that what a listen what a listen what a listen is gonna be buddy i know what i was going to ask you. Will, so, is there any loss in this upcoming Eagles run that, like, I just, I don't know how to feel about the World Series yet, James. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I don't know how to feel about them losing the World Series yet.

Like, when it first happened, I was crushed. And it was like, that stinks. world series yet like when it first happened i was crushed and it was like that stinks and um you know i think they kind of blew an opportunity here to ultimately you know steal a world series in a sense um and then i would say like two weeks out i was like you know what that was freaking awesome i watched all the highlights like time in my life you, and I miss it so much and I want it back. And I, it's almost like I've gotten over this, the sting of the loss. And the only thing that would make it more painful, James, it's one of those things where it's going to age painfully. Like I wasn't alive in 93, but I'm sure that, sorry to make you feel old again, but I'm sure

that we're back to what we do. I'm sure that in like 94, 95, you were thinking, oh, we'll get back. We'll get back. We'll get back. And it wasn't until they went into the depths of terrible baseball that you were like, well, damn it. That was our only run. And the difference is, obviously,

that this team is just much more well-positioned. But at the same time, you know, it was hard. It's hard. It's really hard. Like you. So it's funny that you're bringing this up. So like because I actually I've thought about a lot. And the thing that sticks with me was was what you said right after it happened.

Like that's kind of what stuck with me the longest. You said right after it happened. That's kind of what stuck with me the longest. They had a golden opportunity where 8,000 unbelievable things went their way, and they came up short, and it's really hard to get back and do it I, it will go down as one of my favorite Phillies teams of all time. It will go down as my favorite run of all time, just because of what we got to do in the experience we had. Um,

but I think it's also like going to be maybe my most painful loss too, if that makes sense. But does it feel painful right now? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it does. It does it does interesting it really does it still does again be and to your point i think with each year they don't win it will be like they well they could to erase it like they need to win or else each year it like it'll feel that much more painful and look it could have more painful losses, and hopefully we don't, but I think they'll make the playoffs.

I'm excited for the possibility and what could happen, and they're battle-tested. I am hopeful, and I do think they have a real chance. But if they don't win one, I think it's such a great point by you. The more we're talking this out, I like each year it'll be harder and harder to to not feel more that it was a missed opportunity than it was uh you know uh then it was just like oh great run you know what i mean and you know it's gonna be you know what's gonna hurt in way, James, is that when they make the playoffs again, whether it's, I hope it's this year, obviously, it could be devastating if they don't.

But the difference between the next time they make the playoffs and what happened last year is that there was no expectations. And now it's going to be like, okay, go in and create that magical run and get us back to the World Series like you did now there are teams like the 14-15 Royals that you know got to the World Series lost and then went back and won it and it's like

that's the perfect outcome of this whole entire thing obviously not like tearing it down and whatnot but you know now it's so hard to recreate the magic that that team had. And it's going to take longer, I think. The city will be more in on a regular season.

The city will be, you know, the ballparks will be more filled up. But I also think there's going to be a bit of a portion that's going to be like, all right, we'll hurry up and win. And that was the difference of that mindset versus coming out of nowhere, going on a run and the city being like, I need to watch the fills right now. Like I need to see what they're going to do next. And, and that's the part that kind of, that kind of sucks is that you almost had to go through the 10 years of pain and

misery to get to the point where it's like this is freaking incredible and you know when they make the playoffs again it's just gonna if they don't win it again and they don't get to the world series it's just gonna make everything that much more painful and it's gonna make this age this this loss age worse um but what but where I'm going with this is, and I know this isn't an Eagles podcast, but I was thinking about it today, like, this Eagles team is so good. How do you view what an Eagles lost this year

if it's like, in the Super Bowl, it's like, okay, that's fine, whatever. We're going to be back. NFC Championship game, is that crushing? Is that like one of those losses that we look back on like Rondé Barber, Joe Carter, Howard Achilles? You know, is it is that like one of those losses that we look back on like ronde barber joe carter howard achilles you know is it going to be one of those or is it going to be like oh wait we're like they lost the nc championship game but it's not like something

that people always bring up so first and foremost such a sign of what this philly's off season is that you're bringing up freaking eagles topics on hope. So just to really hammer that home, you know, scroll down in your pod feed. You might see a pod called Who Cares About the Eagles. Well, I'm trying. I'm trying to combine the Phillies losing in the World Series versus how it's actually it. Look, it's actually a really apt and interesting comparison and thing

to think about. It's just hilarious because, you know, you're the no Eagles guy. Again, again, believe it or not, I do like the Eagles. I know you do. I'm saying on this pod, you're not the one to bring it up. Alright.

So I actually think that the reason you bring it up. Um, all right. Um, so I actually, I, I actually think that the, the reason you bring it up is, is how I feel like I, with the Eagles, the way I look at it is, you know, on a, on a basic level, you know, I think Hertz and Sirianni, if you believe they're the guys and I do, then, then I think this season in some ways is, is successful already in the idea that you found those two. And that's the most important thing in the sport. But I honestly think and I know it would be, quote unquote, a successful season if they lost the NFC championship game. And I know that if they get to the Super Bowl, like it can't be disappointing or anything.

It's like, wow, what a great year. Everyone thought they would win, you know, nine games or 10 games or 11, maybe whatever. Another they're in the super bowl but i actually really think that you know and i felt this way really most after the ironically enough the the giants game that made it you know 12 and 1 or whatever when they beat him 48 to 22 and it hasn't really changed even with the injuries because the guys are coming back i i'm kind of going to be disappointed with this equal season if they don't win the super bowl almost no matter what and i think will that will it match match the Phillies losing the World Series?

Which would bring... No, no, no. I won't be as crushed as that Phillies loss. No. So they lose the Super Bowl, just like the Phillies lost in the World Series. You're more crushed by the World Series loss. Absolutely.

There's a ton of reasons for that, but absolutely. What about when the Flyers... Just kidding. Just kidding. No? No. Well, what's interesting is that, because bringing this to all the sports now,

which is what we do here at WIP, is like with the... With the Sixers is that it's pretty much just like... What are you doing? It's great. Well, I'm just saying like, I'm looking at the expectations for all the teams.

Right. And the expectations for the Phillies were just like, this is freaking awesome. But yeah, I get it. But it's also now, now it's when the world's here, but now it's when the world series,

which, and the Sixers, it's, you know, when, when the second round and I, and I, and there's a part of me that wonders like,

are we going to get to a point with this Phillies team that they don't get it done in the next couple years where it's like, wake me up when you get there? Because that's where I feel like a lot of the fan base is with the Sixers. It's just like, yeah, you know, like, wake me up when you get out of the second round. But the Eagle, I mean, the Phillies

just last year had multiple rounds more success than the Sixers have had. Of course. The Sixers thing, I think, is that they haven't gotten past the second round. They were the one seed the one year. Embiid's been MVP candidate for years now and all that. And, like, they haven't get past the second round. So I think it's a different situation where I do think the Phillies have that pressure on it.

But I think the Phillies, it was just one year they made the playoffs and it was an unexpected great run at the end. I think people will like, I think people's expectations while they'll say they want them to win the world series. I think people will go into next year expecting them to make the playoffs. I don't think people will expect them to win the world series. I think they will think they can. I think that, that, you know, obviously some people will, but I think on the whole, I don't

think that the expectations will jump to what you're talking about quite yet. I think it's a couple more years of this and then they're fully there. You know what I mean? Whereas with the Sixers, and it's not even when the championship, the Sixers, we just want them to get past the second round of the playoffs because it's every year.

So I think it's a little different. I get your point, but I think it's a little different. Yeah, I agree. But my overall point is just win the World Series. It shouldn't be that hard. It shouldn't be that hard. The big take is when you have an opportunity to become legends, become legends. That's pretty much it.

We said that. We said that in the World Series. We said that exact thing, and they tried. And they came up short against a more talented team. exact thing and and they tried and you know they came up short against a more talented team but um you know if it i think the the i'm happy you said it this way the age poorly things i think the most interesting thing we've talked about in this whole conversation is that you are absolutely right that if they don't win 2022 will will age poorly in that way we will look back like We'll always love that run, and we'll have fond memories, and we'll love that team and that group of guys

and dancing on my own and the whole thing and the bank. And if any person was in the building for any of those games, maybe other than a couple, which we won't talk about, we'll have such fond memories of all that. But I do think that if they don't win the World Series and we move further and further away from it, it was going to be a more bitterness than sweet to that bittersweet memory, you know?

Yeah, I will say, all this is just making me think about how legendary it's going to be when Bryce is going down Broad Street leading the float. Oh my God, dude, I can't wait. I can't wait. I like seeing seeing bryce harper play playoff baseball again is now like the single thing i care most about outside of maybe some zoe related things but that's close like otherwise like it's just it's the number

one thing i want like a mic like a micro versus macro in this with harper being the macro like let me explain this last night watching that football game the cowboys and bucksy now i'll do my own cross 215-592-94 right number out like i in a moment in a game i i may never have been more excited in my life for the fourth and fifth kicks and obviously made the fifth but when he missed the fourth it was just such an epic moment to miss your fourth straight in a game like i was so excited like i was it was my favorite thing that happened all year like i couldn't wait in that game all i wanted like i was actually dallas scored touchdown just so i could see this freaking extra point attempt here like that's how i feel about bryce harper like nothing else in the baseball season i'll care

about other things but nothing will matter as much as just needing to see that dude in the playoffs again like i need it now like that was the coolest thing I've ever seen. Obviously, him dominating. That's the point. I want to see him do it again. Do it again. Put on a show

for us, Bryce. A couple with that will be Andrew Painter's first playoff start. It's been something I've been thinking about a lot recently. Him coming up and morphing into the next ace of possibly Major League Baseball. I think it was Gelb. I'm sorry if I forget who it is, because I do. But someone wrote, I think it was Gelb. I'm sorry if I forget who it is, because I do.

But someone wrote, I think. You're like, I'm sorry if I forget. I should say, I'm sorry that I forget. I think it was Gelb. But there's been three, I think there's been three teenagers since, like, 1980 that have pitched in Major League, since 1990, that have pitched in Major League since 1990 that have pitched in major league baseball and like he could be the fourth one like Felix

Hernandez Kershaw and it was a Todd Van Popple that it was James I mean you're old yeah Todd look at you Todd Van Popple yeah he was a legit legit guy didn't work out became a reliever at a certain point all that but yeah but it's like a polar but we're thinking

about this kid. They're not downplaying any of the Andrew Painter stuff. My read at the end of last year when they were talking about it, I was like, yeah, I get it. But this is a pretty big ask for a 19-year-old. And ever since then, everything you've seen written about him is like, no, he's going to be in the rotation.

It's like, what planet are we living in right now? The guy who was in high school, uh, two years ago, by the time the season starts is now expected to be a major contributor on a team that has world series aspirations. And when you go through the,

the, the, the, the, the, the starting staff, you're like, all right, Wheeler, Nola Ranger.

That's a great one, two, three. And I'm guilty of this too, James, dude, what if Andrew Painter is just ridiculous? And it's like,

so you, and if then, then, then, then Taiwan Walker becomes your five. Like, you know what I mean? Like it's freak.

I, I, I keep having to. I can hear the excitement. I keep having to calm myself down because it's like, all right, he's probably going to throw 100 innings this year. I don't want to get ahead of myself. We've seen young pitchers come up all the time and struggle,

and it's usually like takes a couple years, figures it out, figures out the game, comes back, and is dominant. Like, honestly, in a perfect world, James, he comes up, struggles. Not in a perfect world. In a perfectly fine, realistic world that we've seen a million times over with pitching prospects, come up, struggle, maybe get sent down, and then two years from now is when they pop. That's how it usually works for pitching prospects.

And then like two years from now is when they pop. Like that's how it usually works for pitching prospects. But there's also a chance that he's just so like stupid good that he comes up and he could easily surpass like Ranger and Nola. And then it's right at the top of the rotation. Like the way he's talked about, the way they talk about maturity, the mechanics, the command, 100 miles an hour, his strikeout rate, his walk rate, it's all freaking absurd. And we actually have a mega prospect, James.

We actually have a real one. I mean, he's the best pitching prospect in baseball now. MLB.com, MLB Pipeline, he's like number one now. He's out of Grayson. We have the number one pitching prospect's out of grayson well late the number we have the number one pitching prospect in the sport on the phillies like the number one like the best one the top guy and the part that made me even happier was that abel is in there too you know nine nine two like that's not low no and jack i think it's so it's a really fascinating

thing because i it's one of those where to to your point, you know, and look, I think the expectation should be set at what you said, that it is likely he will not just come up and dominate. Like, he might be fine. He might be good. He might be whatever. But, like, up and down, up and down is just what normally happens with these guys. But, but, but when you are this good, this young, like when you're pitching at the level that he's been pitching at as good as he's been pitching, I mean, that's either, either as a hitter or a pitcher, like when you're 19 and you're this elite, this ready for the majors. I mean, those are the guys who become inner circle hall of famers.

Those are the guys who become 10-time all-stars. Like more often than not, when you're this precocious, so to speak, like you end up being a great player, like outside of injuries and stuff. Like it's more often than not, you know, the guys who come up at this age and can compete at this age you're it means you're you're truly great and have a chance to have a truly great career and obviously again you know pitchers and injuries and all that but um look i i he has i mean look when he comes up like he after wheeler has the best stuff on the team right i mean like immediately and like

arguably better stuff than wheeleler. Like arguably. Like he doesn't have the experience and the know-how and the pitching, but just pure stuff. Like this kid is elite, elite, elite, elite, elite, elite. Like he is the best prospect in the sport. The best pitching prospect in the sport, Jack. So yeah, like I think he could be a real difference maker. It's just a real question.

Like what do you do? How do you manage this thing? Because you obviously have to get to the playoffs, and obviously it seems like, you know, there's a clear spot for him in this thing, you know, where there's clearly an open spot at five, and we're going to see Falter, and we're going to see guys mix in and out and all that.

But, like, this kid's never pitched that many innings. To your point, he's 19, and this is a team that wants to win the World Series. And as far as it goes for me, like, I want Andrew Painter to, like, if I have a choice, if I have 100 innings of Andrew Painter this year, like, I would really like it if, like, 30 of them were in the playoffs. Like, I don't know if that's a possibility, you know? So, like, it's a really, it's a really, 30 a real 30 would be a lot but you know i mean let's

say let's say 15 of them in ways whatever like um it's it's a it's a it's a high wire act in a lot of ways too you know that that how do you use them and when you use them because remember what happened remember what happened to strasburg of course and many other guys like that like that's a that's a classic ace too i mean mark prior currywood we've seen a lot of those guys who get used you know heavily earlier in their career and and just kind of are never the same after it so for example um like in what we're talking about here and now obviously there's some massive examples you know like kershaw ended up being unbelievable and and he was came up really really young felix fern he came up really young. Felix Hernandez came up really young,

and they, you know, became Inner Circle Hall of Famer. Well, Felix is probably... Do you think Felix is a Hall of Famer? I think he is. Yeah, oh, he's a Hall of Famer. Not in Inner Circle, but he's a Hall of Famer. Kershaw is, you know, one of the three best of a generation. But the one prospect that I compare him to,

and I remember the hype around them was really, really big, and he had the similar kind of projections of this guy's, you know, he's going to be a stud, is Gialito. Sure. Yeah, it took him a little while. Right. same time so his last year in double a by the way this is at 21 21 years old he had a 9.1 k's per nine and he had a walk rate of 4.3 walks per nine andrew painter at double a at 19 years old struck out 12 per nine and had a walk rate of 0.6 james dude that's insane dude that's like that it doesn't seem possible i mean lucas giolito is the best pitching prospect in baseball yes like yes he was yes he was dude yeah that's the thing is like the you know the his his rise

to your point to talk about the mechanics, the maturity and the pure stuff. And then the numbers, like it really, like he should be the number one pitching prospect in baseball. And if he stays healthy, he like, he's a hall of fame talent, like legitimate hall of fame talent.

Like if he, if things go well for Andrew painter, you know, like not even like best case. Best case is inner circle. That's the kind of talent he has. But if his career, with what he's done to 19,

if his career just continues projecting and he stays healthy, he'll be a Hall of Famer. That's what this is at this age. Forrest Whitley, best pitching prospect in baseball for a couple years. Injuries hurt him and whatever.

But for a long time there, untouchable in trades, was the number one pitching prospect in baseball for a couple years injuries uh hurt him and whatever but for a long time they're untouchable in trades was the number one pitching prospect in baseball we get it 20 years old at double a uh 11.6k per nine 3.8 walk per nine well that's the thing the 0.6 walk is just insane it's like i almost cursed it i was gonna say bat crap you know it's a bat you know yes like it's it's it is it's nonsense like that is nonsensical man yes yes yes so um like i i know that and like zach wheeler could go down there and pitch a full season in the minors and probably have a 0.6 walk rate like what are we doing um and and i think you know it's funny people ask us like how the pod's gonna change like as as we get more as the team's better now and whatnot but i would say the biggest change

in in the last couple years of the podcast is like i don't really do the like i still have my guys at the prospects but it's not like this guy's gonna be the next like superstar like you know back in my younger days but it's like with andrew, it just slaps you in the face. Like it just slaps you in the face about how good this guy can be. Um, and I, it's just, it's,

it's, it's hard to factor in what they could possibly possibly be getting here and how much he raises the ceiling for this team. Like we talked a lot about in the last, you know, off season about going and trading for an ace. I know I wanted to go get Shane Bieber and

whatnot, but there's a very real chance that Andrew Painter just comes up and is in that class and then two years from now is one of the top five pitchers in baseball. That's what we're talking about. Like Walker Bueller or something. Even better.

That's what we're talking about. bueller or something even better yeah even better that's what better that's what we're talking about i was trying to be a young guy i was like i did that right away like that yeah it's it's it is freaking insane man and uh yeah uh andrew painter not even factoring in it's like he's in my plans for the 2023 Phillies. But like shame on me. It's probably got to be more. Dude, the real loser in this whole thing is your poor 2026 Phillies. I know. Platform. I don't even know.

It was not even a take. It was like a platform. I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait. It turned out you didn't have to didn't have to um all right speaking of um um you know you're not going overboard with these guys like you just said and you're much more cool yeah and i know honestly i mean we don't we because the phillies are good we don't spend quite as much time talking about like you know for example over

30 minutes whatever into this pod and and um you have not talked about this guy and and you know, for example, over 30 minutes, put whatever into this pod and you have not talked about this guy. And, you know, not to contradict your earlier statement about not going overboard. And honestly, to be fair, this is actually quite under board for you comparatively. But let me read a tweet from Jack Fritz and then and then, you know, we'll finally get to him. Jack Fritz, tomorrow the Phils are officially going to sign Starling Kaba. And I'm not being facetious when I say he's automatically the best hitting prospect in the system. Legit star potential. Yeah.

Is it go time now? It is very funny, though, because you did. I know. I know. Dude, I think he's going to be a star. And some people, some people, some people are not happy, I think he's going to be a star. And some people were not happy that I think he's going to be a star, but whatever.

No, I just like, I've watched him for ever since last year when I saw that they were linked to him. And everything just looked different. The last couple of years years i kind of felt like they were looking for more floors and not really ceilings um and every time i watched the kid whenever i could like there's not like full games of it or anything it just every every action he has in the field look different i mean uh salagas and ellie um so he's the best defensive shortstop he's ever seen friend of the pod pod. Yes. Sal Agustinelli. Thank you.

You know, coming out and saying that he's the best defensive prospect he's ever seen and stuff like that. And it's like, yeah, I see it. Like, that's what it looks like. He just looks different, like, quick twitchy-wise than I feel like the last couple of international signings. Now, I know, obviously, you know, 17 years old. He's got to develop and stuff like this. But at the same time, like, you know, 17 years old, he's got to develop and stuff like this. But at the same time, like, you know, we watch high school players all the time. And

you know, we evaluate them for the draft and I keep watching this kid. It's like, yeah, I see it. So, you know, obviously it's a big thing to say the guy has star potential, but just comparatively so, like, in watching the other guys, it's just like he just jumps off the screen more.

So I can't wait. It's so fun to think about. They already have a 90-plus win roster on the major league level, but there's just little things under the surface that are starting to develop that make even more excited. There's possible waves coming of young talent. Now, whether or not they want to use that for the major league roster or use them in trades um like they're just they're just building this thing and it's so exciting i mean uh i think it was alex coffee that had a whole

article today about you know what they're building down in clearwater and how they're building like like they're legitimately calling a pitching and hitting labs. What are we talking about here? It's baseball, but they're doing that stuff. Um, and it's like the, it's,

it's like they're turning into, um, Dodgers ish East in a way. Like it's, it's, it's a big market team that knows how to develop pitching. I mean, they've, they've shown that so far,

is that they've figured out and revamped their pitching side so they have a better idea what they're doing there. They have smart dudes in their front office. They got to get the hitting right, but they've identified that as a weakness, so I think that they are on the right track to hopefully turn that around. It's Dodgers-Eastie, in a way, of big market team that is doing the right thing,

spending money on the surface, but under the surface, they're doing all the right things to make it sustainable. And that's the thing that ultimately sunk the 08-11 Phillies, is that it was not sustainable. They pinned all of their hopes on Don Brown coming up and being the next guy they could carry him for the next decade. But it's just so exciting to think about where this team is headed because I think they're just getting started when it comes from the prospect side.

I believe that. The drafts are getting better. We have the best pitching prospect in the sport. We got another top 10 guy in Mick Abel. We have Griff McGarry, who I'm genuinely surprised wasn't on that list we have the best pitching prospect in the sport. We got another top 10 guy in Mick Abel. We have Griff McGarry, who I'm genuinely surprised wasn't on that list and might have a higher upside than Mick Abel. So they drafted two guys in this year's draft. One of them has similar comparisons to Devin Williams.

If you look at his change-up stuff, I think they're building it the right way, and I think that they're investing in the right way and I think that they're investing in the right things. I think they're spending wisely. I think they're just turning into a super well-run,

smart organization and I can't believe we're here, James. I can't believe we're here. Yeah, so, what I was, I was going to say to all that you mentioned before,

all the people who are, you know, reaching out to you and saying, you know, how's the pod going to change? You know, with this team now and all that, mentioned before, all the people reaching out to you and saying, how's the pod going to change with this team now and all that? The last two minutes, just clip it. That's it. That's the change.

Dodgers-y. Dodgers-y, Jack. Smart baseball team stuff. Like, I don't. What a world. What a beautiful thing, thing jack what a beautiful world we're living in buddy all right i have two things one is i need your help and by proxy the listeners help because you will speak for them and i trust you to speak for them uh and i have a a zoe thing

that i think you'll enjoy uh take back before we get there um okay well is is uh part of what you have is it does it have to do with the birthing class I went to on Saturday? Oh, buddy, I was waiting for you to bring it up. No, I had nothing to do with the birthing class. I figured you would at some point take back or not. I don't really have anything to take back besides it. I figured what else could you? You know what I mean?

Yeah, I pretty much got it all out yeah so um so saturday jill and i uh spent 9 a.m in the morning until 5 at night legit like work day um doing a uh like a child birthing class like basically it's just like how's it gonna work you know here's what to expect here's what we're doing for you here uh i don't know it was good it was informative um but my problem always in class growing up james was that i would just sit there and if i'm not i you know i just doze off and start thinking about baseball you know um and i started thinking about the phillies But really, during this, I was like, I got to start laying out the groundwork

for how I'm going to turn my future son into a Hall of Famer. Oh, I see it. You sent it to me. Yes. Yes, and I have it in front of me. The birth plan. Yes. Yes.

This is the baby Fritz birth plan. Yes. This is an actual thing that Jack sent me during his like mommy and me class yeah yeah now let me put the disclaimer out there like you know obviously if they don't play base if he doesn't play baseball it's it's mostly fine i think um it's mostly fine um but obviously it'd be it'd be fun fun and I've already had I legitimately had a dream the other night

about being at a little league game so things are going well there's definitely not too much expectations currently for what's going to happen here oh yeah no expectations why don't you read your birth plan 0-2 age wise

work on hand eye coordination little things to see like all right how your reflex is here can you can you hit this you know like how make sure we're moving make sure the right movements um i think that's gonna be important as they grow older um two to six is catching and throwing you know where you start to lay the groundwork like catch it let's work on some feet let's throw through the target not to the target. Let's work on some feet. Let's throw through the target, not to the target. I'll start throwing some grounders at them and let them start working the hands a little bit.

Get through the baseball. Get through the baseball. Six to nine age is agility and speed training. Now, this is fun coming from me who has no agility or speed, but that doesn't mean that we can't work on those kind of things you're high you're hiring someone to do this for him right or are you entrusting this to yourself here i think i think i'll hire someone after little league and i just want to say the next one's my favorite 9 to 12 is my favorite skill refinement and mental toughness. Mental toughness! Let's go! Baby Fritz! I guess at this

point, adolescent Fritz. We're toughing you up, buddy. We're coming for you, kid. Mental toughness time. I'm going to mentally torture you and see if you can handle it. What does this mean? Give me your mental toughness training. I read a quote from Tiger Woods last

week about how if he can get in Charlie's head, then everyone can get in Charlie's head. So he's trying to get in his head so that he can block out all of the haters. It's good. He's trying to block out everyone on tour. So I figured... So Tiger Woods is your parenting model.

In this instance. I just want to get a handle on the situation. In this instance. It want to get you know a handle on the situation in this instance okay it's sports only yes so i figured like not taking relationship advice from tigers what you're saying or anything like that no so but i figured at this point like i could um you know like not let him win at anything you know and like oh you gotta beat me first and like that's gonna be as big a reward as like oh i finally beat dad at a sport um that's gonna be the mental tough i'm not gonna like berate him like uh you're a loser you know i don't think that's what i'm gonna do

but i haven't figured out the mental unless he's bad at baseball then we'll see what happens right well my problem is is that i'm like not mentally tough at all so it's gonna be weird well that's why i enjoyed it because i was like, how are you going to teach him mental toughness? That was my whole question. I'm relatively... You're not mentally weak. You're definitely not mentally...

I don't know if I would say you're like... I'm not mentally tough. Listen, we'll figure it out. Uncle James will stop in and I'll bow it down. 12 to 17 intensive stop in and up out with them 12 to 17 intensive training i don't know what that means either but it's gonna be intensive that's all we know it's good that's when you work in weightlifting and running and yeah and started you know get some high level training with with trainers and stuff and then by 18 drafted by the phillies

obviously dude yeah now that now i'm not expecting rounds one through four, but four through ten. I think that's a really fair level expectation to have. Thank you. Yeah, I'm impressed with this whole list. I got to be honest. Thank you. I'm really excited for this. I can't wait for your kid to get here.

Get here. Kid, please. Baby fruits. Get here. This is going to be please. Baby fruits, get here. This is going to be just high-level stuff. It's going to be good content, I'll tell you that. Yeah, I mean, it's the reason you're having them, so it's good. Yep, exactly right. As we've long established, new listeners are like,

what the bleep? What did they say? Yeah, very excited, very excited. But obviously, disclaimer whatever they they are passionate about i'll be passionate about but like would love for it oh look at you gonna be a good dad i i plan on being a good dad believe it or not you're gonna be a good dad i think you're gonna be a great dad i think you're gonna be a top top notch dad top notch dad yeah i really think so i think you're gonna be great i really mean it um all right speaking of dads uh

this is just for you because i know you'll absolutely love it and then i need your help that everyone's helped through you um but uh zoe calls the eagles phillies love it so like that's my girl that's my girl eagles game and i'd be like oh give me like a go birds remember when she goes go phillies go and i'm like oh it's the eagles like go phillies go and i'm like okay we're just gonna roll with that now so now whenever we're watching the eagles like where the eagles are on anyway go phillies go she'll say go phillies go like she's like go cubs go or something i don't know where she got it but she's her thing is go phillies go in any sporting event in the team she's rooting for it's go phillies go i like that he raised the high hopes listener i know like i

know like she you passed down the diseased uh philly's fan yeah yeah she's locked in on it and who says the younger generation doesn't love baseball that's right that's right buddy all right uh second thing now i need your help yes and it's something that i i brought up on the the pot i did this actually you know i don't remember when it was after the world series or something um but i changed my twitter bio you know and you know me not don't remember when it was, after the World Series or something. But I changed my Twitter bio. And you know me, not a big social media guy, whatever. But I changed it to include the, I was in the building for the quote-unquote, the Bryce Harper home run. And at the time, it felt like, you know, it was the Bryce Harper home run.

It's obviously since completely just become bedlam at the bank. Like it's bedlam at the bank. That's what everyone calls it. They freaking yearbook called it that and stuff. So I need your, like, do I change it to bedlam at the bank? I was in the building for bedlam at the bank? Or do I just leave it as is? Because that's what I initially thought it was.

And it is still the Bryce Harper home run. I mean, of all his home runs, you know, that's the one, obviously. What do I do leave it as is because that's what I initially thought it was? And it is still the Bryce Harper home run. I mean, of all his home runs, you know, that's the one, obviously. What do I do here, man? What do I do? It's been plaguing me, man. So here's what I would do. I would say that I rolled my ankle during the Bryce Harper home run. Well, so I didn't, though.

That's the thing. It would be lying. Harper home run. Well, so I didn't, though. That's the thing. It would be lying. Which home run? I rolled my ankle during the Bryce Harper home run in Game 3 of the World Series. I didn't do it during the Bedlam at the Bank one. Damn it. Damn it.

I know. Trust me. I permanently injured my ankle during the Bryce Harper home run. Probably would have been it. But it's not. I would say I was in the building for Bedlam at the Bank. I think so, too. I think at the Bank. I think it sounds better. I think so too.

I think so too. That's where I'm at. Also get the 215 out of your bio. I have a 215 in my bio? Hold on. It's like one of those 215. It's because it's my location.

So you can not have anything there oh you don't you don't have to have anything there no i took it out it's gone my location's gone all right so it says your bed limit the bank be be in quotes or no what do you think uh yes i think it has to be in quotes okay so i was in the building for bedlam at the bank yes correct nope not beckham nope is there is there anything more annoying than than uh autocorrect or is it like the single most annoying thing in the world uh you know i used to fight autocorrect and just turn it off but then i was like you know what oh i've never turned off i accept it i understand that it is um it does more good

than bad for me but the bad really bothers me. Yeah, it is ducking BS. So that was pretty good. Look at you. All right, it's changed. It's official. It looks better. It looks better. Yeah, it does.

It's cleaner. You're right. You're right. All right, that's all I got. So thanks for having me. You got anything else? No, 52 minutes is perfectly fine. You got a haircut anyway.

I totally, honestly. So before the pod, You got a haircut. Anyway, I totally honestly. So before the pod inside baseball, before the pod, I was like, oh, do you want to get out at a certain time? You're like, no, we're good or whatever. I was like, oh, I'll try and be out by like 7 or whatever. I honestly just forgot about your haircut. It's all good.

It's just a haircut. Let's get out of here. We'll talk to you guys soon. Back next week, you know, we'll be there. Probably on StreamYard. You know, check us out. We'll do it live and all that stuff. That that's all i got uh go phillies go let's get some seltzer