High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - What Are They Doing?

Episode Date: August 4, 2026

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies' moves yesterday and wonder why there wasn't more done to ensure the team will make the postseason. Presented by Miller Lite.To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com

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On the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94, WIP. The crowd is singing, hey, hope. I feel a little less alone. Oh, it is. Edition of the I have this podcast, sponsored by Miller Light, official partner of the Philadelphia Phillies tastes like Miller Time, Philadelphia,

celebrate responsibly. Fritzy. Yes. Hey, Bell. Hey. How you doing over there? I actually can't believe this is real, to be completely honest with you.

It is unbelievable. Yeah. So obviously, we'll get into the positive and the negatives of what transpired yesterday for sure. But it's one of those times where you just hate how much you love to baseball. Because what happened yesterday was the equivalent, I think, of getting in the red zone. I would say within the five-yard line, no, I may 10-yard line. And on first down to side to kick a field goal.

Like that's what I felt like as I... It's a great analogy. What a wonderful, really well done. Thank you. Thank you. Because I was sitting there all day yesterday as I slowly delved into insanity, waiting to see if there was a... I kept saying to myself, there's no freaking way in the year 2026

where defense has never been more important in baseball than they are really. really going to go with this whole thing for Luis Arise, who on the surface I'm excited for. I can't wait to have him in the lineup. I wanted him as like as a trade idea. I thought if they got him, it meant the 6-5 slap hitter would be out of here. But no, he is inevitable. He is going to be here for the rest of my life. and he will never, ever, ever go away

no matter how invaluable he becomes. And hearing Dave Debrowski talk about, and he has to say it because he's still here, but citing the RBIs and citing out like, hey, you know, one of our scouts made a good point. It's like, yeah, when you watch him every day, you can see the warts, but, you know, if he stack his numbers up against everyone else,

he's not that bad. Fooey, fooey. He is. The numbers are bad. He's like 156 out of one. 60 on Fangraph's war. Like whether you like war or not, like he's been horrendous. Like of first basement, I think there are 28 qualified first basement as of right now. Kyle Manzardo has the lowest Ops like 687.

Yeah. Bob's way lower. And there's like 640 or whatever. Like the numbers are horrible. Well, so tell me if this is a bad. And my good pal, Bob Wankle sent me this yesterday. I love Bobby. He said, here's how the Phillies.

new first baseman would rank among the other 29 qualified first baseman this season. He would be 26th in average. He would be 29th in OBP. He would be 27th in Slug. He would be 29th in OPS. And he'd be 29 in weighted runs created plus. Does that sound bad? And to couple with that with he has become a good defensive third basement.

For some reason. If nothing else. Yeah. For some reason, I feel like the analytics don't, don't, they're not positive on his defense. When I watch him every night, maybe he doesn't have like the best range in the world, but he's a, he is definitely a good third basement. Yeah, he's solid. For some reason, he's bad at first base. Like, it doesn't translate over there.

Like, he looks way more upright. Uncomfortable, yeah. Yeah, he just doesn't look the part. So it was a very exciting morning. It was like, okay. Here goes Dave. Like, there's Dave. But once again, for another deadline passes, where they get close, but they just don't do it.

They just, they get right there where it's like if you make one more move, you could, you're giving yourself a better chance to win. But no, they traded arguably their best pitching prospect. You know, if you want to still count Painter as a part of that and gauge and Marquez, I think are equal if not whatever. You traded that for a half season of Louisa Rise, and I'm very excited about Killian, which we will get to, but a half season of Louis to rise to create this whole jumbled mess on your defense,

and you didn't even put the finishing move out there. Because as Jason Stark said, and I don't know how. They ran out of time. They ran out of time. It's the most infuriating thing that happened was seeing that freaking Jason Stark tweet. And by the way, shout out to Jason Stark was dead on. I told you about his tweet before and saying Ramon Marquez most likely feeling to get traded. You're like, please no.

Turned out Stark was all over the whole thing. But yeah, I saw that tweet. It infuriated me because, Jack, I was on the air when they made the three trade or the two trades or three players. It was like 945. The morning show was still happening. He had over eight hours left in the day, not even to mention the days leading up. Like, guess what? The trade deadline is the deadline.

You have all the time before it. It's not like the day of is the only day you can make trades. It was insane. I can't believe that was something that was put out there, that they ran out of time. And it was even neuron forating. And by the way, shout out to our own guy, Jack Fritz, who literally predicted the two things that Dave Dombrowski would say.

We really liked what we saw on Andrew Painter. That allowed us not to make the move for the Fincer. We really liked what we saw in a BLDC, or BDLC. And what's up far as to say he's earned the opportunity with what? 15 at bats is a Philly about here. It's so crazy. Like Dave DeBrowski, it's like, I honestly, I never want to hear him speak again.

Can we just get pressing the job now? I'm so tired of this. And to your point, like, they half-assed it. They basically, it feels like they made moves to say, hey, Bryce, hey, team, we made some moves, but didn't go close enough to, like, making enough moves. Like, honestly, I'm so with you.

Like, both things can be true. I can really like Luis Arias and want him to be a Philly and think it's a bad trade because they gave up too much for a half the season when you didn't do enough all around the team. Like if you're going to make the arise trade, you have to make more moves. You have to combine them. Like they have to be part of a whole thing. And instead, you half-assed it. You're not good enough to beat the dog. You're not good enough to beat the Brewers.

The Cubs and Padres both had better days than you yesterday. Like, it's so frustrating. It is infuriating. It feels like the approach, the process that this seems like. So look, we saw it in the offseason. The Bobichette thing. Like, that was such bad process. The whole Bobichette thing,

thinking you're getting and putting it out there, getting screwed by the Mets, then going back and falling back on the thing you didn't want to do anyway. Like, they made it clear they didn't want Alec Bome on this team in the off season. And now he's like, we have to accommodate him and move him the first base. So he's still a major part of this freaking lineup. And look, on top of that, like, Luis Arise wanted to play second base. Like, good for him.

You're playing first, dude. Like, we're, like, I can't believe they're getting worse at every position, Jack. They got worse at every. Bryson Stott, elite second baseman. Well, he's got 12 games at third. Let's see what that'll happen. And that's the best of the moves in terms of defensively. Like, Arise worse than Stott at second.

Boom, significantly potentially worse than Harper at first. And Harper works, however, he's going to replace in right field. By the way, the Bryce Harper thing, he has not played right field since 2021. He was 28 years old. He was 28. He's 33 with back problems and T.J. surgery a few years ago. Like, this is crazy. This whole thing is so poorly orchestrated.

Like it just, and look, we'll get to, because to Jack's point, they said to being like, the Phillies as a baseball team today are better than they were yesterday with the addition of the two relievers and a rise. But it just feels like it feels like. Yeah, it feels like they have asked it. You know, it feels like they, they did a little bit to kind of say we did something, but didn't. And one more thing, Jack, and then back to you, like the part that makes it so frustrating

for me. And again, I'm not a prospect expert or anything, but it seems like a lot of these trades, Taylor Ward being the like A number one were makeable trades for the Phillies. They wouldn't have had to give up Gage Wood to get, to get Taylor Ward or a similar type guy. I just, I don't understand what they were doing, what they were thinking, what they did for the rest of the day. Like, none of it makes any sense to me. Well, they certainly seem obsessed with getting, with getting another starter, which, okay. They get one.

They get one. So many got traded. And getting a starter, I understand getting a starter. I don't understand that this is the move that we're putting Bryce back in the outfield floor. Yeah, totally agree. versus just trading or cutting Alec Bone. Or in off season signing Alonzo or doing this or doing that. Like they had a million options in front of them.

If they were going to consider this, the whole thing was they weren't moving Harper. And now they're doing it for this to move everyone else also. It just seems like, again, it's such bad process. Yeah. Well, nothing with the Phillies feels strategic. That is one of the things that's really starting to, you know, hit home with me is that it never feels like they have

I want to say they just wait for things to fall in their lap rather than being aggressive. And that's been one of my issues with the offseason's last two and a half year, two years is if you want to trade bone, you clearly want to trade bone, then just suck it up. Like, suck it up and move them off the team and find some solution. But there is a culture of fear at Citizens Bank Park inside those walls. There is a culture of fear and not fear from the standpoint of like there's a big bully running up and down the, running up and down the hallway. is a fear of the unknown. That's why Dave Nebraska is getting a contract extension.

He's getting a contract extension. Oh, my God. I can't even. He's getting a contract extension because they're too afraid of what else could happen. The Clintack thing probably is still scarring them.

From the standpoint, I don't know if I can trust another young guy again because the young guy we had in here wasn't ready for the job and couldn't build a winner. At least with Dave, there's a sense of security because he's been in baseball for forever.

And it was not tweeted out by Uram, but I watched the video, Dave Uram or on Dave Uram, the Bulldog, follow him on Twitter. At Mr. Uram, always at every event. He's insane. And a real informational follow on Twitter. Like, he will give you information. You might not get a lot of laughs,

but you're going to get information from Dave. Exactly. So follow Dave. But I watched the video he uploaded to our Google Drive, the share of Google Drive. At the end, he said something along the lines of, you know,

people forget, like the 1968 Tigers, 1968 Tigers moved to a shortstop mid-season. 1968! What are we doing? Is Denny McLean coming out the bullpen door? What are we talking about here? 1968, we got to go back to the 60s?

The games changed, Dave. Oh, goodness. But, I just think there's, I think there's a culture of fear. 68. It's unbelievable. There's like a culture. There's a culture of fear down there.

Like we, we don't know what the alternative could be for Alibom. So we're going to just, we're just going to keep bringing them back. And there's no, there's just no creativity, nothing bold, nothing. That's interesting. I mean, some of the moves, it's funny, the under the radar moves yesterday to me are way more interesting than the. Yeah, the Killian move is, is fascinating. I mean, that guy with five years of control and you're outside of, I think it's like he's had a couple

bad outings and otherwise he's been pretty great this year. It's a fat like I'm with you. That's a fascinating move. And I'm pretty Colby Thomas up. I'm going to be honest with you. Sure. And they got rid of Seth Johnson, which was all we needed. And as for, I like, Kobe Thomas was good. Let me see like the third prospect

last year. It's just having a bad year. I like that move too. Heading into the year is their third ranked prospect. He seems to strike out all the time. But hey, I'll fit imperfectly. Given what this team is. has done with Derek Hill, who's our new hero and savior. Maybe they could find and unlock a different version of Kobe Thomas.

And I don't know if you, it wasn't reported anywhere, but Don Maddenly did try to resign yesterday once you saw the news that Seth was on the move. Does he know how to manage without Seth on the team? Can he function? Well, sources inside the dugout last night, this is just, he kept going to cock him and saying, where's Seth?

Can we warm up Seth? And Caleb was like, sure, we're going to warm him up. Wink, wink, wink. We're going to warm them up. And then bang, there's Kirkering. You know? So he was trying to find a way to get Seth Johnson in the game yesterday.

And Don Mattingly is all of a sudden becoming a front runner for the A's job, if they do move on from Marc Cod's say, just so that he can go out there and find a way to get Seth Johnson in some A's games. Anyway, anyway, like that is my, like the overall feel is they're too afraid to take to take certain risks because of the fear of the unknown and it's so and like I hate when Elliot does it but it's so on Eagles like where you're right no you're right where the Eagles they operate in like in risk taking they'll continue to take risks because the payoff generally I mean what's how he had some quote on his whiteboard. I forget what it was. Yeah, I know what you're talking about.

I can't play, but I know what you're talking about, yeah. Like something along the lines of you, that you'll never be great if you don't take risks or something. And I just think that this team, I think that this team is more content making the playoffs than they are winning the World Series. I think that's what it is. Yeah, I think, okay.

So, uh, so the famous Harry Rosam Kodon is whiteboard is to win a Super Bowl, you either need the best player or to make a decision that could cost you your job. And that's right. That's what he's saying. You know, you have to be. And the line how he always had after he came back from, you know,

2016 or 2015 to 2016. And he always was like, you know, you can't be, you can't be afraid of failure if you've already died. You know, that was his whole thing. It was like, I already died in this job.

And now I'm back and I'm going to take risk and look how well it's work. And I'm with you. It does, it feels like, and I think the off season is a perfect example of it with the Bichette stuff. You know, like, oh, wow, we're going to do this thing. And then when it falls through, it's like you just go back, you revert back to the thing you didn't want. Like you made it clear by going after Bichette that you didn't want that. And instead, you know, you're like, well, let's just go back to the same old, same old. There's no other plan.

There's never another risk. And again, your point, it doesn't feel like there is a real strategy, a long term plan, a, you know, like, that you know that the moves are for a particular reason. Again, the way the day played out yesterday is nonsensical to make those trades at, you know, 10 o'clock and then do nothing else for the rest of the day. It makes no sense. Well, especially, especially when like Joe Adele went for some catching prospect. And Taylor Ward, all these guys went for way less than we would have thought.

It felt like the only teams, I felt like the only overpays or, or proper pay yesterday was Marquez and the Cubs given up their second ranked prospect number 63 overall for for Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor. You know, that felt like the only time where it was wow, that's a pretty hefty package. Everything. Good job, Dave.

Like Foster Griffin went for four, like four random ass prospects. Yeah. It's crazy. What are we doing? Why weren't you in on these things, man? So I think the one thing that may have happened yesterday and this might be a hand up, you know,

a little hand up might have been wrong on this is you know and Dave talked about a little bit that he's like they didn't seem like people wanted our prospects which was you know not great to hear from the general manager I also think they're a little

they got a little screwed because norie's been heard who's one of their better prospects and Aden's obviously heard he's one of the better prospects so like teams weren't lining up the trade for those guys whereas maybe if they're playing and healthy they could have been used as trade chips and Arroon's having a down year at Redding.

So like those guys, you know, that could have been used in deals to facilitate them. Now, I'm surprised that teams weren't interested in a Brian Rinconi type, but yeah, what could have happened is that the Phillies were offering some of their guys and teams were like, well, I can go elsewhere and get, you know,

better prices. And the Phillies did not want to trade like Ramon Marquez and a gauge wood to get a deal done. Or Ramon and Painter to get a deal done. And they didn't have enough of the middle guys to kind of get stuff done. So that's probably the reality of what happened yesterday. But I just, when you, when you sit here and you feel like they made, they got close, but not close enough. And you kind of have a feeling as to

how the season's going to play out. They're going to make the playoffs. And it's probably going to end earlier than, then we would like. And, you know, all this for Louis. Yeah. No, and that's, and then a rise, you know, obviously if they sign him, you feel a little bit better about it. But even then, it's not like, you know, he's going to be a 30-year-old, you know, 800 OPS guy. And he's a valuable player, but he is not, you know, people are talking about like they got Juan Soto today or something like that. You know, oh, my God, I've heard multiple people say we got the best hitter in baseball. It's like, the best average, the best average hitter. Like, it is a different thing.

And he's a good fit for this team. They need a guy like that. We know that. I like change. I like changing the chemistry on offense. He's better. He's better. The Phillies are better with him, and I'm happy he's at Philly.

I just don't understand the plan, the strategy, the, the, the whole process of yesterday. It just makes no sense to me. It doesn't. One thing doesn't add up with the other. And look, we know, can the Phillies win the World Series? Yes, they can. Like, if, you know, 2020 happened, they were an 87 win team who was playing their worst baseball, really of the season, heading into the last few games of the season, and they got hot and turned it on and went on a run.

Like, you know, it is, it is possible. But yesterday was supposed to be a day where the Phillies made it, where they increased their likelihood of winning the World Series. And I think when you look at what the Dodgers did, what the Broder did, what the Cubs did, what all these other teams that they're competing with did. And obviously the Brewers didn't add that much, but the Brewers were already out in the front of them

and did get Dusty May and Jojo. I think that, you know, I feel worse about their chances to win the World Series after yesterday. and that's crazy because they went on and got a rise, you know? Yeah, I agree. I agree. Who is Yohope's Segorah? You know, they haven't had a guy.

Segura plus, Segara Plus. Yeah, I mean, Segarra by the end, you know, he wasn't hitting 324. Yeah, you hope it's early career, Segarra, you know. Yeah, which I am glad they have a hitter like that in the lineup. It's just if it ended up. It'll be a lot more fun to watch, that's for sure. If you could have ended yesterday and if you could have gone the arrest, rise deal he plays second you have stopped playing third you leave harper at first you you ship

boom out in some deal maybe to the angels for joe adele or the orioes for ward and then you have him in right field it's just the whole i think we're coming in here today saying we're fired up man we're fired up they got a chance they got a chance but you kind of sit here and he kind of say i don't know like it's it's way more of a a hope and a prayer and it was so predictable so Again, Jack, like, I don't know that everyone listening now tuned in for our podcast. Was it yesterday and whatever it was when we did the preview pot or Sunday, whatever it was. Like, you literally predicted exactly what he was going to say. You were like, I better not be sitting here hearing Dave DeMouse and say Andrew Painter's

performance gave us hope and blah, blah, blah. Brian Dela Cruz is our right field bad. He's earned it. Like, you literally said those things, Jack. And then he came out and said them. Like, it was, it was crazy. We all went through the Tyler Phillips 24 experience. I know, I know, but you called it, man.

And that's what's so frustrating is we all went through that. And so did Dave. And yet he still did it again, you know? Well, yeah, you know, listening to this, the lovable reunion, the Cubs podcast where they're bringing all the old Cubs players back and have them on. Oh, it's cool. Yeah, it's cool. I would love the Winter World Series.

And then 10 years later have been a glorious thing. We would do that. I hope you do that. I'm just letting you know. We'd love to. But, you know, Theo is on there. And he was just talking about how a team, you, if you're building a team that you think is a 95 win team or 100 win team,

the thing you have to do is you have to make sure you have your bases covered in case, in case like injuries happen or whatnot. And it just, it feels like they've left themselves so thin here. Oh, yeah. To where if, if things falter, let's say Brian Dela Cruz turns back into Brian Dela Cruz, then who was a minor leaguer two weeks ago let's not forget it wasn't an option until until two weeks ago who and like now obviously him being up here what took so long but like Gabriel ranconis has been

up here for a month and has contributed almost nothing besides the royals game and the marlins game but you know it it just feels like they 27 played appearances by the way for delacruz For Dela Cruz. Yeah. And I guess four of them were last night. So it only took the Phillies, 23 plate appearances to decide he earned it. Yeah, I'm sure.

I'm sure that's going to definitely end well. Seriously, though, 23 plate appearances. Dave DeBreskes said he's earned it. That was the thing that was said by our president of baseball operations yesterday. But guy who said 23 at bats at that point with the Phillies, he earned it. Yeah. So we'll see. I'm certainly not.

is super fired up about Bryce being back in right field. I think it's, I'm, I hate it. I don't know how he's going to move out there. I mean, he's been playing first base. I don't know how years,

man. And by the way, just to put the, like, I think there's a misconception that Bryce was like a great right fielder. People were saying on the radio and something like it. He was average as a right fielder,

you know, average. He has a good arm. He has a good arm. That's about it. That's about it. Yeah. Yeah.

And again, like the, the back thing, the Tommy John, like, It's just, it's just a real risk with a guy who's still here for six more years or whatever. And, you know, his body is important. And then real quick, because I do want to get to Killian and really.

But and shout out to Derek Hill for the Grand Slam last night. We probably won't get into that game too much. But like what. But imagine, imagine it was trending. I thought about it, dude. I thought about it. It was trending towards dead deadline, a 3-0 loss. And Nola was fine.

But, you know, Noel allowing some some home runs. early and then settling it. But settling it was it was setting up for a all time. Oh my gosh. You have kind of a disappointing, disappointing, ish type deadline. And then just a horrible effort at home against a nationals team that sold a couple of their high quality players.

Thank God for that national's bullpen. Honestly, there might not be a playoff team in front for the National's bullpen right now. I know. Some big games is here. All right. One more thing in that. I want to get to Raleigh and Killie.

and then your thoughts on those guys, but the tray of it all. Because, you know, obviously, I think anyone who's watching Phillies this year knows that moving Trey, like, he can't possibly be worse in the outfield than he's been at short. Maybe he could be. Maybe he can be just as bad, but, you know, he has been such a deficiency. And I'm not saying that moving into the outfield in season is 100% the right move. I know that's not like an easy thing. He hasn't played it since, what, 2018 or something like that.

But what I am saying, Jack, is for the Phillies. not even to consider it, not even to talk to him about it, according to Don Mattingly. They didn't think about it. They didn't have a conversation about it. It was never on the table. And instead,

you're moving your 33-year-old back to right field. I, I, again, I'm not saying, Nate, that I, that I don't understand that it's a hard thing to move a shortstop to the outfield who hasn't played it in six years or whatever all this.

I get that. Okay. whatever. But not having a conversation about it, Jack, not even like internally considering it. I thought Maddingley's comments yesterday were like, I almost heard, bat bleep. Like, I couldn't believe it.

Well, it doesn't benefit them to come out and say that they had the discussion. You're right. You're right. You're right. So, so I don't think they came out like, yeah, we really were considering it. I think trade would be like, hold on, you know. So listen, I think we just have to accept that. in the off season they will have the conversation. I think they want to give him every opportunity to look closer to lap.

Because pulling that plug, it's not he's going back to the shortstop. He's got seven years left on this deal. Like he's got seven of, you know, seven and a half, seven and a half or six and a half, whatever. Like he's got a long time left on this deal. When you do it, it's a pretty permanent move. And I'm not even sure if I won him in center field. I don't know. No, I was actually thinking left, honestly, you know, I'd rather put him in

probably prefer him and left. Yeah, I think left. I don't know why people keep saying center. I think left makes so much more sense. Yeah. I don't need a 33-year-old guy that depends on his legs running around galloping through center field. I don't disagree with that.

Again, it's just, it's not, it's more that not necessarily the result of him saying it short. It's that it seems like the team is afraid to approach straight Turner about moving positions. It seems like they are very, very against that. And I think that is, that concerns me. You know, they, they catered to all the star players. That's my point.

I know, but, but, but, Trey Turner's not a star player anymore. I'm sorry. Like that's, I know he makes star money. You have to start treating Trey Turner like the player that he is, which is a below average baseball player for you, you know? He's eating up in the dish.

Okay. He's eating up a dish. We need it. We need him to get going a little bit. So, well, that's true. Yes.

Not, not, not everyone could be as, selfless and team senator's Bryce. That's true. Yeah. I want to make sure people. He heard a lot of crap.

I'm just saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He has heard a lot of crap. The discussion about Bryce and the show right at Spike. Was that like a direct shot at Spike on that one? Oh yeah, probably. Yeah, probably. I mean, listens, you know.

And the minions out there. I just, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, moronic levels, mostly. I think it has reached a point where it doesn't need to be. to be completely honest with you. So I hope that there is a selfless recognition of Bryce when he goes out to right field tonight. And he, do you think he's going to bring back to the bad?

I was going to ask you, dude. I was going to. I think he does, right? It was his thing. I know. I know. I hope so. We'll say it'll be interesting having him back out there.

And then watching him run and saying, oh, he's not as fast as he was five years ago. So I don't know. I don't know. It's just a wild one. All right, let's get to Killian and really. Brooks, really. At least I got a perfect deadline name in there. Give me Brooks, really.

It's a win. Would you make a boat those? I guess the Brooks really deal itself. We already know what we make a Marquez going. But Killian, like we mentioned before, a really interesting, like the profile is super interesting for Killian, especially the five years of control. You mentioned the bold thing yesterday. Dombrovsky himself mentioned it after you said that.

No big deal of you. But it really, I think I saw Ryan Spader tweet out that it was two bad outings. I think 1.1 innings where he got shelled and blown saves. Otherwise, I think it's a 43 innings of 1.88 ERA in all his other work this year. I mean, that's the kind of stuff you like to hear. Speaking of things that I said that other people may have taken, did the camera say on the morning show or with you anything about him being Segor-like or no? Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah. He said that. But yesterday. Yes. No, today he said it. Not yesterday. Cool. Yeah.

He was listening. Anyway. So. So. I did think when he said it. I was like, yeah, it's a good call. I was like, yeah, you're right. That's the last Philly.

He was kind of like that. Yeah. So. That makes so much sense. So, yeah, Killian. So I went back and watched a couple of this full outings rather than just trying to, because, of course, first thing you do is go on Savant. You see a lot of red?

A lot of red, a lot of red on the baseball savant. But sometimes it could be misleading with pitching. And you know, you got to go and really study the film. And in actually watching him, it was a tight game. I mean, it was a two, two game in the eighth out in San Diego on the 1st of August. So what was that, Friday night? And Saturday. Saturday, whatever.

He was pretty impressive. It was 98. He seemed to command it really well up in the zone. zone. I don't think he's going to throw that knuckle curve ball here. If I was, if I was Caleb Cotham, I think the first, well, Caleb Cotham is a sweeper guy. So he's going to teach killing in a sweeper. He will 100%. That would be one of his pitches. But, you know, as for fastball ride up in the zone, I thought he had good ride to it. I thought he had pretty good command. He wasn't all over the place. So that was interesting. His K rate has jumped from, I think, 12%

last year, to 28% which is good. He was a former. He was a former. He was a former. He was a former top pitching prospect, top-ish pitching prospect. He's actually in the Chris Bryant trade all the way back in the day. Oh, wow. The Cubs Giants won. So, and in watching him, I really think that there is a clear path to a pretty easy splitter. I mean, just looking at his, I do think everyone could learn a splitter. I feel like every pitcher I'm like, well, there's a, there's a path to a splitter.

I do think there's a path to a splitter for him that would be, that would really, really be beneficial. against left-handed pitchers or left-handed hitters. He's got a little natural four-scene cut on that fastball at 98. So for five years of control left, they may have just bought another guy that could be a back-end option and kind of supplant. I mean, him and Kirkering will probably battle it out, and Boland feels like the eighth inning guy.

You know, there's still questions, certainly, about getting the ball to Duran. And I don't think they were answered yesterday. but I think they took a couple interesting like if you were it's almost like a bi lobe and almost like if we're a small market team it would be like hell yeah we got this guy

we're going to turn him into something if I was a small market team the Colby Thomas trade and and getting Killian is freak out worthy emergency podworthy like this is this is awesome but we're not in that we're trying to win the world series and the pirates are out there trading for Luke Weaver

I'm like guys well Luke Weaver Luke Weaver, Deval and someone else. I know. I know. Deval's been awesome for the Yankees. Why did they trade him? Like, Deval's been horrible for the Yankees.

I thought he'd been good this year. No, Deval's been horrendous. That's why they traded him. I was thinking of someone else. They basically gave him away. Bedner's been really good for them. Yeah, I must have been thinking Beddner. I thought it's up.

Yeah. So, but yeah, the, so Killian is really, really interesting. And really, and really, I mean, I feel like we've been talking about Brooks Rayleigh for four or five years and him finally being a Philly is perfect. He's only a thousand years old. So it's good. Yeah, he's only 37. I think he's 38, isn't he?

Well, hey, we got someone close to Seltzer's age and that's a win. Thank God. We got LeBron. We got him. This is a beautiful thing for me. Spikerman, Spikeerman's an interesting little prospect. He's probably not going to hit enough, but he's, you know, PCA level in the outfield. And then I do, I do, I do.

feel bad for Luke Gabrish. I like him. I like him a decent amount. He's probably a a reliever, but he's a St. Joe's kid that was close to the bedlam at the bank home run by Bryce. So he's a, I remember when they took him when you talked about that. I remember that. Yeah. So he's a big Phil's guy now. I'm going to go and do with the Mets. And the Mets have a good pitching development. I think they'll get something out of him. I think he's a major leaguer. But I don't think he's a starter. I think he is a reliever for, you know, for Brooks Riley. They could probably resign if they want because he's pretty good. And, you know, just looking at the bullpen now, you go from Backus, who somehow has had three straight scoreless outings, even though I feel like it's been second and third no outs each time.

I know last night wasn't, but I feel like there's been a lot of traffic on the basebats. But going from going from Backus to that with Rayleigh, Mesa goes into the Backus role, which is fine. And then whatever Alarado, it gives you good insurance if he's not truly back, but I think he is more back than not. So Alvarado rarely feel pretty good about. And the right-handed options, it was good to see Kirkering have that outing last night in a tight game. I'm not going to sit here and say,

I refuse to believe in the Kirkering thing. I'm just in the, I'll believe it when I see it. Yeah, I need to do it in the playoffs for me to actually be there. But, you know, Bolin and Killian and him, I mean, there should be enough there to where you can get the ball to Duran on a more consistent basis. I mean, that was Duran's first.

saved last night since like the 6th like the middle of July was it really wow he is not had I think it might be July 11th I mean he he hasn't had a safe opportunity well he hasn't a same opportunity he had to blow him yeah he hasn't saved the game in in forever so not the craziest stat from yesterday's win the craziest one was it was the first win in a game not started by sanchez wheeler or lizardo since June 21st I think or June 24th or something At least 24th, yeah. That's pretty nuts. It's nuts, but also pales in comparison

to not winning a fifth starter game since May 18th. Sure, yes. Yeah, you're right. That's true. Yeah, only this team, paling, which is good. You know, that's good. Only this team, pal. Only this team.

I do hope, listen, my optimistic sense is that Andrew Paner actually has found something and he can be viable on the stretch run. But my only fear with that, too, is, I mean, this is his first time pitching. Now, he's pitched 100 innings. But he hasn't had a break. I mean, they've staggered his starts to AAA.

He's going to be expected to pitch down the stretch run of you trying to run down the Braves in the division and also make the postseason. I mean, if he gets, if he gets tired or gets worn out a little bit, all of a sudden, you're back to Alan Ron Hell, who Dave Nebraska did say yesterday, he said, listen, teams calls on Allen Ron Hell all the time, you know? then train him. Yeah. So they, so, you know, they might have to do a thing where if, if a Walker Bueller type becomes available, not him. I'm talking about like, you know, I know, I know what you mean. I know you mean. My response holds.

Yeah. I might assign someone to just get through the rest of the season. But here's hoping. And certainly a positive start for Andrew Painter against the O's. And, you know, no pressure kid. but we need you. No pressure. All right.

I don't know if you have any take bag in you. I do. Okay, good. We'll get to take bag in a sec. Shout out to the horse tavern and grill. Today's show is sponsored by Miller Light and the horse tavern and grill. Check out the horse tavern and grill in Sellersville for every Phillies game. And enjoy $3.50 million, Pines Lank, with their legendary half pound burgers and famous short fried, short rib fries.

That sounds awesome. Miller Light for Phil's wins. Celebrate responsibly. All right, Fritzie. So, uh, it's pretty crazy. And I'm not saying the A's are good, and he wouldn't be doing this in a normal circumstance. And his numbers are pretty horrendous. It's just wild that Colby Thomas was hitting clean up for them a week ago.

And now he's- Was he really? Wow. Yeah, I watched one of the games. And he had, well, because he had two hits in the game. So that's why I watched it. And one was off Peyton Tolly, which is a good sign. Okay. I think he seems to hit lefties pretty well.

But it was just jarring that a guy he was legitimately hitting forth. and they traded him for Seth Johnson. It was funny seeing some of the A's reporters talking about Seth Johnson. They were like, you know, he's 98 to 100 with a pretty wipeout sluggish. An interesting bylaw candidate here. I'm like, yeah.

Sure, sure. And listen, maybe maybe being on Sacramento and not in the pressure cooker that is Philadelphia will be good for Seth. But getting a guy back that, and it's not like the A's prospects were unbelievable. You know, once Kurtz and Wilson kind of graduate, there's not, and DeVries wasn't there yet, but he, he's the third ranked prospect behind those guys.

So that's encouraging. And he seems to have a lot of pop. And hopefully the Phillies can kind of tap into him making more contact. But it's for Seth Johnson, it's certainly a pretty low risk and semi good reward if they can get something out of Colby Thomas. Yeah. No, I, I'm with you on that one. I saw that trade. And obviously, I think we all were like, thank God, Seth Johnson's gone.

So Don magically can't use him. We're protecting Don from himself. But when I read up on Colby and saw that he was third prospects, all the numbers, I was like, this makes sense. I think this is a smart play. Yeah. They did a couple smart moves in there. It just, again, whatever.

We've talked about it nausea. They had some smart moves that are exciting. It's like the Chasse trade with getting Seth Johnson. And again, that's the first. funny part and you led with it like we have often talked about how fun it would be to have louisa rise on the philly's like we're cool with that like i'm excited he's a philly it's just so wild the way it all played out you know i know i know and romein's not here anymore so he's gonna be great in that ballpark he's going to be great in that ballpark one day we shall see we shall see uh i know we talked about it in

like a mocking way earlier. But Brian Dela Cruz has been good. He has been good. And again, I like Brian Della Cruz as like, you know, what they did with him, bring him in Myers,

bring him up. Like I think I liked it from the beginning. I always like, that guy's got a little pop, this and that. And I like him. I don't like Dave Dombrovsky saying to us. He's earned it up 23 of bats

and that's our move for a right in a bat. That's what I don't like, but I agree. It's not BDLC's fault. What if he's worth? What if he's worth? Talented guy that, you know, just needed a fresh start.

The city energizes him up a little bit. Come on, man. What if Derek Hill and BDLC are the two right-handed bats we needed all along? I know. I know. Derek Hill. Also, there's a big push to play Derek Hill every day. Another thing that's not happening.

You got to learn to accept things. He's not playing every day. I think he would get exposed to he played every day. let him do what he's doing. And you have a 22-year-old center field prospect, even though you question how much of a center-fielder he is, that you need to give runway here because you hope that he is a big part of your future.

I will also say that I don't think he runs down that ball in the 8th last night. I don't think Robert gets there. What do you mean, you don't think? There's no chance he gets it. He doesn't have the right read off the bat. Like, there's no way. It's so funny how he's so fast. but it's like it's not

impactful speed yeah and it's not instinctual speed it feels like you know it's not like he's not again it doesn't feel like he's ever running the right way immediately you know yeah the other issues he's fast but he's also

super long leverage so he's not quick yeah you're right if that makes any sense so Crawford and Hill center field Martian BDLC Harper and Wright let's let's go let's go in the world series. I did like your

big home run from my right fielder tweet last night. That was strong work. He is my right fielder. My selfless. He's back. My selfless leader, right fielder. I think that's the real takeaway. Is everyone knows Bryce and a ball. Not this pod, but everyone else does.

130 miles per hour off the bat that home run. Also, also, we might have to rescind our apology to Dave Dumbrowski from our original pod when they hired him to the apology we made after. Like, It might be, you know, the original pod's looking better and better. I'm just saying. Yeah, I might be turning this whole thing right around.

I'm turning this whole thing right around. Hey, can I, all right. So we've had a pretty negative podcast. Yes, yes. We can bring some positive. Yep, yep, yep. I'm asking for permission for something that I thought this morning. And I said, this is really sick.

But it's also like, to be true. It's all you. Let's go. Dude, is farm system by next trade deadline? Now they kept everyone besides Ramon. That's good. You have a lot of pieces. It's going to have a lot of pieces.

I'm just saying it might have stuff to work with. Might have some stuff to work with heading to the next deadline. It teams will be lining up for some of these pieces. Next year, pal. Next year's a year if we have baseball. Yeah, it's going to be a wild trade deadline last next year. Dude, I try not to think about no baseball next year. Really not because

Not because of the Phillies, really, to be completely honest with you. It's more because of the draft and I want to consume minor league baseball content. It's not Phillies. It's really just it's everything else that goes with it. Because again, because again, the best part of being a sports fan is not winning championships. The best part of being a sports fan is having hope. And that's all minor league baseball and the drafts are. That's a good way.

I like that. Look at you. You've been so romantic the last couple of pods. yeah yeah well listen I got a lot of time I think that's usually my job I'm usually the romantic one I like this

well you are the emotional one I'll say that I sure am there's no question of the two of us that's or damn sure um I'm in close

yeah it's highly emotional the swings the swings I am who I am I acknowledge it yeah all right we got anything else we don't have anything else

okay but hey can't wait for that line that we posted tonight yeah well that be fun. Plus, we do have something else because a week from Thursday. So it is Tuesday, August 4th, a week from Thursday, August 13th, we will be at La Scala's Fire in the Northeast for the Field of Dreams game. It's going to be, that's a super fun, neat thing. And we can watch Louisa Rise, spray the ball all over the Field of Dreams Field. That'll be fun. Maybe see Brooks

rarely come in and get out of tough twins lefty if they have any of those. That, you know, that'll be fun. So coming out with us, we're going to do baseball movie trivia. You can win Phillies tickets. It's going to be awesome. So that is next Thursday, the 13th Atlas Gala Fire in the Northeast. All right, Fritzie. Aspen. What's your, what's your, what's your prediction for the lineup tonight? I think a rise leads off. And Turner is to Harper 3, Shorter 4. I know you don't love that. I'm not saying I love it, but I think that's what it'll be. I don't think they go, I don't think they're going to go the three lefties in a row.

yeah probably not i would like to see turn i would like to see turner for oh i like that so i mean then they'd have to do the lefties in a row i know i'll go i'll go i'll go i'll go i'll go i'll go i'll go rys schwarber harper turner what i am what i am open to if schwarber continues a struggle which i am worried about because surebor is the biggest thing we haven't talked about that i'm worried about again i said it last pot it he has had three home runs since July 1st. And I mean, the Gelp piece, I think it was Gulp, I think it was Gelp and Charleston Barnes. They both wrote about Schwerber and how he's changed his pregame routine where he's not hitting on the field as a preventative measure.

And then Schwerber's like, I promise, I'm not hurt. I'm like, well, it sounds like you're at least a little concerned, you know, at least a little concerned. So the Schwerber is, if he continues to struggle, I'm fine if they go, you know, arise Turner Harper, Schwerber. But I also don't, I want Schwerber to get more of bats. I get it. So, yeah, we will see. But the Schwerber thing, I think, is a situation worth monitoring. Definitely worth monitoring.

I agree. It's my biggest concern right now, probably. All right. We'll be back later in the week. Friday. Probably. Maybe. So I can maybe do Friday.

We're going to figure it out. We'll make it out one way or another. Until then, these words themselves.