High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - What The Heck Is Going On With This Baseball Team?

Episode Date: February 16, 2026

The Philadelphia Phillies have their first full-team workout today and the High Hopes pod will be LIVE to discuss everything going on in Clearwater. James and Jack will react to Bryce Harper's comments and the fallout from Nick Castellanos being released and signing with the Padres. Presented by Miller Lite. To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Celebrate responsibly, Jack. I just want to, we have so much to get to it. Obviously, I think Bryce Harper, far and away, the number one thing that we need to get into. And I know there's another thing, and there's all kinds of stuff going on, but I just want to start the pod somewhere because for the last three or four days,

I've really been concerned. You played baseball in college, and I didn't. So I don't know that you can keep doing the podcast with me and feel okay doing the podcast with someone who didn't play. Like, how can you assume that I can carry my load, that I can help make this podcast what needs to be? If I never played at that level, how could you possibly assume that? I mean, you've worked with other people who didn't play at eye level, and I guess they could do it. Like, you know, Jim Leland, maybe when you started in the freaking sport, Jim freaking Leland, one of the great managers in the history of baseball who never played in the major leagues.

How you doing? Nick Castiana. Goodbye. Bye. Enjoy San Diego. Sorry. Yeah, San Diego. Because we were just doing the NFL.

I'm like, wait, they're like, wait, they're still standing. Good. Okay. How you doing? They're not the Los Angeles Padres.

No, they're not. That's good. Yeah, well, what's so funny about that whole thing is he shouted out Baco Figueroa, who famously didn't play in the big league.

So, yeah, and boy, he seems. obsessed with this whole thing now. It's the weirdest bit going. It's so strange again for a guy who played for Jim Leland. He's like him and Leroussa are like the quintessential examples of arguably two of the five or four greatest managers of our lifetime. I think Larissa is the greatest. And two guys have never played in freaking Matrix. Like it's just such a weird take from casting.

Well, and also what? Terry Frankel. He played for Madden. He played for Madden. but the Cubs, Madden didn't play, Francona? Well, Frankona did play. No, I was just trying to think of guys who Cassie actually played for it at success. Was he saying this about Joe Madden in Chicago? No, was he saying this about Jim Leland in Detroit? No, like, it's just so crazy.

And I'm not even the biggest Kevin Long guy, but to say that he had disdain for Kevin Long, who has won two world titles as a hitting coach and working with the likes of, you know, Canoe, A, Ra, Jeter, Chara, the 09 Yankees, and then doubling down to 2019 Nationals who had Juan Soto, Trey Turner, like all those guys, Anthony Rendon back when he was the, you know. But Castiano's really the, he knows, he knows, if you don't play the big league level, it's hard to take you seriously.

The truth of the matter is he never gave Rob Thompson a chance. I mean, that, that to me is evident. And he always kind of looked at him with a side eye. And on some of the castor stuff, I'm like, all right, I get it. I get it. Like, I don't have this disdain for Cassidy. I will give him a nice golf clap when he returns. He will not get booed, things like that for my perspective.

The one where he really lost me was with the Thompson stuff. The Thompson stuff where he played him 253 straight games, never took him out of the lineup, removed him one time for defense with a two-run lead heading into the ninth. If that's not a guy who had to quit. And then real quick, real quick. And then after the way he reacted to that with the beer and the PS wherever, Rob didn't do it again. He never took him out of a freaking another game for, like, so like,

for a long time. For the rest, until the playoffs or whatever. Like, what more do you, or maybe until the last week of the season, whatever, it went like 30 more games without taking him out. Like, it's crazy, man. And Thompson, I feel bad for Thompson with all this,

because he clearly had to walk on eggshells. And he probably knew that this guy never really messed with him. And, and he, he had to navigate it. And he navigated as best as he could, but at some point he had to do it with best to the baseball team. That was the annoying part.

It's like the right thing for the baseball team was to remove Cassie on us from the game. And for Cassidy not to have the, the wherewithal, to look yourself in the mirror and say, I understand I'm not the best defense player. This is the best thing for the team. I'll take that.

I think there was a couple things dueling here. One, you had a fading. Well, not just did he not take that? He went the exact, like had the worst reaction to that situation. You know what I mean? Like he acted like a little child. Like he did the worst possibility.

He went completely other way. Like not only did he not look in the mirror. He just went like, screw you. I'm going to throw a tantrum. Yeah. And I think the, I think one of the things that we see here is a guy who was a quote unquote star. And that was faded.

And I think that he was starting to realize his own baseball mortality. And he was starting to take it out in ways that weren't. He talked about things that are conducive to, winning, right? He's obsessed with that now. Addicted to winning. Your actions really speak that, for sure. Some of the things Rob Thompson was

doing was not conducive to winning. Well, I'll tell you what, pal, playing you every day is not also conducive to winning. So I like, he's just, he's just. You could argue that was the worst decision Rob Thompson made last year was sticking Cassie in the lineup every day. Oh, and then, and then did you see the quote

yesterday about how, you know, this is a veteran ball club that doesn't cut corners and stuff like that, and they don't accept mediocrity. What are you talking? Like, you turned yourself into one of the least valuable players in baseball. Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are? Like, there's, it's okay to have a guy with edge, whatever, but it just, to prop yourself

up into thinking that you were actually a $20 million a year type player and sort of take shots at your old teammates on the way out who are, I think, rightfully taken aback by how you treated a guy who seemingly everyone else has no problem with totally and like kevin along too have we heard a bad word whether or not like they're good at their jobs is a different to them but from the the players have all played for them like we hear the opposite we hear this guy might sign here because he wants to be with kevin long again and stuff like that like you never hear the opposite well and he's talking about how basically working hard and things like that well the fillers have been trying to adjust gassianas for years he refused to do it so

So I don't know. I'm over it. Some of the stuff on the way out's annoying. Looks like a cat at first base. Oh, that's going to work out. That's going to work out well. And I don't know. I mean, mostly good riddance,

but I'll give you a nice, I'll give you a nice ovation when you come back for some of the playoff heroics. Yeah, it's going to need to be a little while before I'm going to give the ovation. I get where your head's at. And like, I do think that there will be a time where I'll look back at, you know,

playoff, the Diamondbacks homers, is that they're the brave series homers i mean um and i'll look back at the scooby-due and the you know the catches come on which is you know obviously if they just have a major league average right fielder there they don't look as great because he just catches the ball but like he made the plays and whatever and you know he was a part he was a part of the fillies being back you know of the return of the fillies and the return of red october and that matters like that does matter to me. Well, and I'll always get a smile when he called Citizens Bank Park the jungle.

All time, all time. And honestly, to that point, there are real moments. Like him waving the towel on the top staff with the Turner ovation. Like, there are like things where I will look back. And honestly, him like being the first one to grab Kirkland coming off. Like there are moments. And it does seem like forgetting this thing. Like it does seem like all in all. I mean, I think he needs to grow up and need to get out a billion things. But it does seem like New Cassinghouse is a nice guy who looks out for people and tries to do good. I can't stand him right now as a Philly and as a former Philly. And I agree with you down the road.

I'll get to what we're talking about. But just to go out like this, to first and foremost, to sign a five year, $100 million contract. And so underperforming that contract that by the time you leave, you were statistically the worst regular player in the sport in the entire sport and what fine if you don't believe in more one of the five or 10 worst whatever you want to say everyday players in baseball and have zero accountability that like never oh he's working on oh he knows like it's just expectation that I should be in the lamp every single day and I should not get taken out for like it's this insane level of of lack of accountability from this guy who is already getting paid 20 you're already getting the 20 million like everything

after that that's on you dude like you could take the 20 million and be happy that you got 20 million like baseline perform for it and you don't just get a spot you don't just get to play the outfield because you want to like no by the way like this is a guy who told us after the 22 season they doesn't even really pay attention in the outfield during the season it's hard for him to stay locked in like i just i like for this guy to your point especially with the Padres. Like this Philly team for whatever we want

as won a World Series they've had more success in the Padres the last four years that Kiddick's been here. We've actually gotten to World Series and beat them on the way.

Like I just it's just that this guy is living in a different world and I know he is by the way, talked and the Scooby-Doo and all that. But I'm talking in terms of like his understanding

of who he is, what he's giving to the world and what he should expect from that because he was a horrendous baseball player horrendous and not once did i feel like that guy acknowledge that freaking fact man not once i feel like that guy said yeah i haven't come close to being worth 20 million dollars like and then they just like clock smack on the way out and ripam andrew always had your back and the one time he actually had the balls to freaking take you out of a game like you should have

every time we had a lead every game every game they had a lead he should have been pulled like it's just goodbye, dude. Goodbye. Have fun in San Diego. Enjoy the weather. Enjoy not winning. Goodbye. Your face is turning purple.

I know. I need to rain it in. Put that. I mean, put that show win podcast rant of the year. Oh my goodness. Yeah. I kind of forgot what I was going to.

I forgot what I was going to bring up with him. But he really did. He really should. he really struggled with understanding how horrendous he turned in to be. And that's the thing. It's like, I get, it's so, you know, we talk about the postseason, right?

By the way, career 650-something, the OPS in the postseason. Two for 15 this last postseason. People talked like he was the stud of the postseason. He's two for 15. And he had the worst base running play of the playoff. Yeah. Well, and what I would like to point out is

the Diamondback series. He finished an O4-23 and struck out in game seven with a run around third base lesson two out but you know all the big hits all the big hits yeah he um he you could argue that the nick castiano's contract costs in the world series both oh you absolutely could 20 million dollars a year to a sunk player uh you and 20 million not to other players or player that could have helped you well and how many years of row has it been can they need a right hand at that with some thumb well it's a cleanup hitter of this that like oh my god yeah imagine imagine imagine

Imagine they got some semblance of 21 Cassiano's for the last four years. Like a lineup with Harper, Turner, Schwerver, JT, and Real Cassiano's. Like on paper, that's an unbelievable lineup. It just really didn't work out. I tell you what. He was the perfect fit. To your point, Jack, like when they signed him, like he was the, like, I don't rip them for the signing.

I liked it when they did it. Like it was a disaster. It didn't work out. But when that team that they were building, like if Nick Cassiano's came in and was your point, 19. Even like 18 Cassie, whatever, like it's a completely different. Like he's the perfect piece to fit with that. It really is a shame.

Like it is you're so right. Dude, I hadn't framed it that way. But I think you could absolutely say they didn't win a World Series because the cast, the cast, the cast guy back. Well, and then he gets at 22 and he was horrendous.

I mean, that whole post season, besides the catches. And the year, too, memory started out. It was good until like May. And then he was like this year hitter.

He was like the worst hitter. He was like the worst hit him baseball for the rest of the year. And to Rob Thompson's, uh, credit, he kept him in the forehold. the entire season even in the World Series. You're right.

Yeah, you're right. Which we were freaking out about at the time. We said we gotta get Bowen in there. And he hasn't. Who no? Who knew? Who knew? And he hasn't left.

So yeah, yeah. I definitely won't miss them. I definitely won't miss them. Definitely won't miss them. All right. So let's go from one frustrated former superstar, I guess we can say, to a, you know, current superstar who is, let's say frustrated.

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So I said no, I was booked on the Deich podcast before the Taylor Swift phenomenon. I must live up to my responsibility. Listen, wherever you get your podcasts. So Bryce spoke. I obviously want to get to the content of what he said because I am I am actually really I'm shocked at how visceral Bryce's emotions are about this like I understand you know and we knew when he did the not elite thing that he was like he definitely felt it we knew even from the reaction initially where he's like I haven't heard from them like that you knew that there was a little

he was a little perturbed Bryce is angry about this and Bryce is like hurt it seems like and feels kind of like violated or something almost like trust trust was broken or something here that's how i would put it there's a circle of trust here that was that was the main thing that hit me you know he that's what watching the whole thing and rewatching it a couple times couple times yeah dude a couple times i and he he he seems and i don't know a i don't know a athlete that is a superstar level even if he's not a superstar, you leave, whatever. Someone who's been at the top of the mouth. Bryce is. I mean, Bryce has been the face of the sport, you know, like.

I know. But like every single athlete hearing a, their boss, essentially, question whether they can get back to an elite level, I think would react the same. I thought it was Bryce. I'd be sitting home with like, what? He's like, so I think the whole, the reaction from some people is Bryce is being a baby.

But. Mm-mm. He, like, that's how, that's how every athlete would react. And this is not, I'm not turning this into a Jalen thing. But if Nick Suriani said, yeah, I don't, I mean, he's probably the 15th best quarterback in football. Oh my God, are you kidding me? Now, Jailen might not sit. Jailen might just be like talking, you know, code and not actually say how he's feeling.

But you could guarantee that Jalen would be furious and would be using it as motivation immediately. And he would go to Lurie and he'd say, what the hell is that? What that's going on here? We control your guy. Absolutely. So I understand why Bryce is. The people that say he's being a baby needs to get a, and he needs to admit that, what are you crazy?

You want him to say, I'm not as good as I used to be? And he has. He said, at least he said my season last year wasn't good enough. I wasn't elite. Like, he said that. He said, I need to get back to where I was before. He said that. What do you need from him?

Like, are you kidding me? I tell you what? He didn't miss six weeks. It's still pound 27. I feel 35. Oh, run. stays it from all pricey from all bricy and yeah the the shirt obviously they sent on the shirt he put it on it i love the price just being like yeah they gave me the shirt so i wore it it's

like okay brice cool sure but you're obviously using it as motivation which is cool which is cool my thing is if it stays here i think they're fine i i gotta be i just don't have a good feeling about it i just it feels yeah it well it feels like for the first time when i was watching it check I thought and it's all dependent on it playing on that but I thought like we talked about 2012 right like if if it's like 2012 but worse like let's say they start off you know 10 games under or whatever it's just a bad start and a couple guys get her whatever and it falls apart like this is the first time I thought like I guess they could trade price at a deadline like I don't think it would play that way this it was the first

the first time watching that thing was the first time I ever thought will Bryce finish his career like that was the first time I ever thought that I still I think we're far from that you know question i'm just saying i that was the first time it ever popped in my mind watching that of like oh like this feels like a a fracture well and i don't think it was some chess game i don't think at least it's some chess game by debrowski trying to get the best out of harper i think he just i think he was like half an hour into the press conference and was tired so real quick just on that note because honestly i think like outside of just the way harbour feels my biggest takeaway from this whole thing is like what the bleep

Dave, like this is an all-time bad press conference in this guy. Like, think about like this Bryce thing has spiraled in a way. Like even if he was trying to motivate the guy, like he clearly went about it the wrong way. Even if Bryce is motivated and plays well, like he, he went too far. Can't tell people how to feel. Oh, it's a Bryce feels, right? But Matt Strom comes out and basically like, we don't want the guy. And then they're forced to trade him.

And I know you like the guy they got like with some upside. But they definitely traded low on Matt Strom because they came out in their press conference and said, we don't want him. And then he came out in the press conference and didn't even try and pretend that they would want Nick Castiano's back. Didn't he throughout the whole off season? Like there's a reason Nick Castiano's, they waited until last minute and just had to release him instead of maybe getting $2 million, $5 million,

4 million, whatever. He'd signed right away. The Padre signed Nick in a day. Like I know it's for no money, but like Dave had three major things that he like had kind of control over shaping the narrative of here with Cassiano's Strom and Harper. And he destroyed all three. Like it was a disaster.

press conference from him. Well, and it could have been so easily, all he had to say is this is, hey, uh, Bryce, by Bryce Harper standards. Yeah, wasn't. Didn't have the season that he is, is, is, didn't have the season he usually has. And Bryce knows that. And we fully expect Bryce to be back to being Bryce. Bryce Harper's one of the best.

You know that price will do everything in his power to get every ounce out of his body. We know that price is the, but you know, it's so easy. Bryce is one of best players in baseball. ball and we have full confidence he's going to get back to that. Yeah, so let's just go through the rundown of Dave's offseason, okay? So this is actually taking back to last off season, but I think he misread Schwerber's market and ended up costing him five years, 150 when it probably could have been $4,100.

I mean, he cost him years and money by making Schwerber going that year. He pissed off Harper. He, I think, misread the Bader market and ended up with Adoli's Garcia, who I think that could still work out for the Phillies. Yeah, it's not one-on-one. I agree with you. I like the upside of it and the signing and the one-year deal, but, like, I agree with you.

I think they signed Garcia because they didn't think they could get Bader for the price he went for, and they pivoted too quickly, and they didn't do what they wanted to do there. They got played in the Bichette thing, where, well, sure, they were in, and I think he would have signed here, but, and obviously the Mexican... They got used, if nothing else.

And they didn't push back enough on people saying that the favorites to sign them. They pivot right. to JT and JT while I think he is a professional I think he'll get over what happened clearly knows that he was one footed out the door that they were ready to push him away the press conference he said I didn't think

he literally said I didn't think I was going to be back I was surprised he was like there was a moment where like you rarely hear that in that situation you know they tell the world about Cassiano and even Preller said yesterday like we were trying to get we were talking about a deal with them but we couldn't work it out and you know

ultimately we didn't have to We never didn't have to. And then the bone thing. I mean, he couldn't trade boom again because they keep thinking that he is something that he is not. So, yeah, it's been a, for a Hall of Fame level executive, it has been a, and Spike said this on Friday, and I agree with them. It's just been a sloppy offseason. Slop. It's been a sloppy Dave Nebraska offseason.

So, and it's culminating in the Bryce thing where you said Bryce might not be here. They might have to choose me him or Dave. I mean, that might be where it comes down to. And I thought it was interesting. In the cut about the elite thing, he referred to the Phillies as when I met with this organization, which I thought was weird. And I think he only said Phillies like once during the entire press conference. So, yeah, not great. Not great.

And if he uses his motivation and he gets the best out of it, awesome. But it was just a total, total miscalculation from. from, from, Um, yeah, and what you worry about with the Browski and,

you know, I think that overall, Dave's done a good job here on, you know, on the whole, we talk a lot about what he's done behind the scenes, the building up the front office,

bringing guys like Preston, barber and all these, you know, people who really know what they're doing behind the scenes to build up the organization, the development type stuff they've done in Clearwater,

Latin America, all these things. Like, I think that they are a much healthier organization today than when Dave Debrowski took over. So I think like, that alone is a really good thing.

I think we can argue about his on the field stuff. I think he's obviously had some big misses, some hits, but for the most part, it's been uneven. But I think that this off season, if nothing else, whether or not I liked the moves he was making, whether or not I knew that he was probably going to sign some guy for, you know, 8 to tell me in that was going to be a mistake or whatever,

like these things that we knew, I felt like he had a full control of the ball club and was an adult running the franchise, you know, and he's still an adult, obviously, but this is the first time I've kind of felt with this offseason, the way it's paid out, and the way he's done it in these press conferences where it was clear to everyone listening in the moment, like we all went, whether or not we thought it was going to be a disaster, we all went when the Bryce game, we're like, whoa, really? When the Strom thing, it was like, oh, okay.

I like the strong one. I liked it, but still it was also like, whoa, you know, there were these moments where you're like, whoa, you know. John and Bowlin's going to be better. John and Bowling's going to be better than Strom. And that would be the funniest part of it. And that's why I'm not crushing because I know you like some about this guy. But just more the point that like, and then the moves, the misreading of the market on Bader, the misreading of the bone situation and the mishandling of it from a media perspective.

Like their whole bone presentation strategy disastrous, like this is the first time I step back. And I'm like, is the game passing Dombrovsky by a little bit, both from the way you play the game in the media perspective and also obviously the, to how moves are made, the type of moves that are given out and the way teams are used to make these moves because it does feel like Dave's been played a few times. Well, listen, it might be, it might maybe after the year it's a, hey,

let's move you to a senior advisor role and let's get Preston there. And I was, I was thinking about this yesterday because I've worried and... Because it's all you think about every second of every day. Yeah, we know, I know. It legitimately. I know, I know. It was like very little tongue in cheek there.

But I've been thinking a lot about it. I think I've mentioned that three pods ago that I worry about the game passing him by. Yeah, you did. And my biggest thing is this is he came up in a sport where he had to outmaneuver, Jim Bowden, Ned Colletti. He started working for Bill Veck. Like, Bill Veck is, like, one of the all-time old school, like, running. Like, Bill Vex's responsible for the demolition derby promotion.

Like, that's the kind of baseball Bill Vec comes from, like a different, era of the sport you know what I mean like he's been around for a long time and I just think this the these guys are too smart now it's why it's why he hasn't the the Lazzardo trade was really under the radar the Sosa trade was disco night that was the other billback one sorry right right the Sosa trade was really but but who knows if that's Dave and not someone else in the front office that like focused on the little moves like that it's the it's it's just Even the, and I, the Duran trade was really good. That was a cut and dry old school baseball.

Lizardo trade, great trade. That was a cut and dry couple prospects for a dude with two years left. Like it was a very simple, like a good trade, but a simple trade. Yeah, I just, yeah, I, the lack of creativity thinking it's okay to run it back for the third, fourth straight year with with these guys. And thinking it's okay to to sell it the way they're selling it in the media. Like there's no like again, to allow your manager to come out and be like, anyone who thinks we're running it back, I got bad news for you. Like there's a pomposity to the way that they are like defending it

that I think is just very tone-deaf. They've had a really tone-deaf off-season with regards to both their own players and the fan base. And who knows how much of a how much hunger there still is from Dave. Like everything he's done is easy. I mean, this off-season has been an easy. easy off season. It's easy to resign JT and Schwabber. The whole thing, it's easy to come in when you start spending money.

Like, like Milton starts money. Come in, all right, spend us over the top. Like, that's easy, comparatively easy. I know. So we'll say, but I think the, there could be a move, especially this Harper thing continues. At the end of his funny, Devin, Devin got in there at the end of the video and was like, so you and Dave have talked, right?

And like this whole thing puts a bed. And for those watching, this, for us watching, this is what Bryce said, you go, yeah. And I'm like, oh, geez, don't like that. Put to bed. Put to bed is definitely, uh, yeah. Yeah, I don't think so. So maybe there's a move to. Put to bed like Zoe's put to bed when she ends up staying up for another hour and a half after supposed to put to bed time. Yes. Ah, the walk special. The walk special.

Buddy. Yeah. So, so maybe there's a move to see your advice. I'm just talking to myself. You said I can't talk to you, but I could talk to myself, right? It's like, okay. Yeah. Yeah. Nice. So, all right.

So that's the day thing. That's the day of thing. There are some other interesting things that I thought he said. In the Bryce thing, yeah. So let's get to some of it. I'll just bounce around and get your thoughts on. Let's start with the Dodgers thing because I think that was probably the next biggest of note one.

There were a few comments. The Shorber stuff will get into it. But I thought the Dodgers thing was, you know, interesting. And I, when you are. heard Bryce talking, you know, he said, you know, basically, you know, I love what the Dodgers are doing. You can't fault them for having a smart drafting, developing plan and then going out and spending a bunch of money. But he also, you know, I kind of read it as a keep spending John. He's like, I know that we're not the Dodgers, but like we have to compete with that.

And that's kind of what it is was kind of the way I read that. So the way I read it was the players union told the players, this is how you have to answer this question. Oh, yeah. Well, of course. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. they can't crush them, no doubt. Yes. Yes. So I was talking about the message after to John being like, we got to keep up. But yes, I agree with you. Yes.

So in listening to it, I think if you just read the comments, you would say, wow, he's ripping player development here. Like, I don't, yeah, I didn't think that at all when I saw it. I think that at all. Yeah. So I felt that a little bit with the, with the, like, we got to keep spending kind of thing. Yeah, well, the Klein thing. Yeah.

But he's, I mean, he's 100%. right when talking about when talking about developing these guys and and and that is the sign of a of a healthy organization and he's right with dodgers and the dodgers are always talked about that's why they have Andrew Friedman they can go spend but they have Andrew Friedman still doing the race stuff he always did yeah they are they are a lethal combination of elated player development and drafting and also can spend more money than anyone else in the sport it's the worst combination yeah yeah if we're best i guess you're a dodgers fan it's the best yeah i really wish Jeff Hoffman just did not hang that slider.

I mean, will we be having these conversations if, if Hoffman didn't hang a slider? No, it'd be such a different. It's so funny, too, because you're so right. It's one pitch, essentially, that would change the conversations. But, like, they would still have signed Tucker and Diaz. Who knows, maybe they signed someone else because they lost and, you know, yeah. Miguel Rojas. Miguel Rojas is the World Series hero, by the way.

Miguel Rojas. Only us. Only us here in this city. And really, the people that seen this pod truly appreciate and expected that to happen. That's it. It was kind of like when Michael Martinez ended the... It was, you're right. It really was.

And everyone came through like we expected them to in those spots, too. Just be a Phillies fan through the bad times, and you'll know enough about baseball to watch any game. I think he's the takeaway. So, and the reality is, and I think they're getting better at it, but they're still, I mean, they are still eons behind where the Dodgers are from a, from a PD standpoint. I think pitching-wise are there. I agree with you.

I agree with you. But hitting-wise, I mean, there's not. turning out well Aiden and Crawford was what the 14 pick in the draft right or 13 or something like whatever somewhere in there and Aiden was 27 but would have been higher if he didn't have that injury like they're great and they're big hits and I'm excited about them but like they're not like hitting on a bunch of like mid to late round hitting prospects and bring those like that's where they have to start to like you know not anyone can hit on a first because we know in baseball that doesn't happen but like it is much easier to hit on your first round pick than on your fifth on your seventh on your knife you guys you guys got to start like churning these guys out who become you know parts like board players and more and more and that hey build out an organization by hitting on more and more picks well especially as these guys get older so it's not just that's the way that you avoid the exactly that you have all

these high price guys at this point but then you have young guys who don't make money to supplement it and who are they're getting better in any of their prime so the other guys are declines up they're a little off on the mix you don't want you wish there was a little closer gap than like 12 a decade to 12 years between these kids and the high end of these players, which was more like seven years. But that is the formula theory. It's going to be a nerve-wracking five years. It's going to let you know. It's a very nerve-wracking five years.

I know. Well, this year just got more nerve-racking. We were already like, you know, we'll see what happens with the baseball and all it's happened. And as it goes, it'll be fun and whatever and the stupid Dodgers. But like, just from the like, I didn't need the extra is my favorite player going to like ask because he hates the general manager of it all. And you know, just the like acrimony that is like, and again, like I really do.

And we can quibble with how Bryce, I'm sure there are people like, you know, Bryce stop being a baby. I'm sure there are people like Dave, you're, it's all you or everything. There's all kinds of, you know, gray that we don't know about and all this. But like all I can do is, and I think you felt the same way watching that video. I was surprised by how, and we've seen Bryce talk a lot in the last seven years, like, talks a lot we've seen him into videos i know kind of like we feel like you kind of know him to a degree it felt like he really was hurt like it felt like he really took this personally and not know like

and i take it personally like you know like i took this personally like this i feel trust broken i i feel a little offended i'm disappointed like i just i hated seeing bryce that way does that make sense well yeah well and i think the and we should get to the i want to the the shoreber stuff because i think the schwarber stuff was almost more concerning to me that he thought he was going to sign in cindsay no the fact that it was i don't really talk to him i stayed out of it since when yeah i know jd thing i know like we're freaking signing checks as you cross home plate and stuff i know now maybe hey maybe they told him you got to tone it down with that stuff you're killing us with leverage and things like that but what i would have liked to have heard from the the schwerber thing was

there's no more leverage anymore especially you could say anything anything now. You don't have you could say, yeah, I was all into it. You got, you know, I mean, the leverage is when you're saying stuff before they sign the player. It's over now. But with the Schwerber thing, what I would have liked to hear him say is, dude, I was texting Schwerver all lost season and saying, we got unfinished business here that we got to take care of. Like, you got to do the best thing for your family and I totally appreciate that. But man, we need you back. We need you back. And it kind of, the whole answer there felt like a big shrug emoji of, eh, either they're going to be here or they're not. And I don't think Bryce,

one thing that I am not I guess concerned about but like the the player Bryce I don't think is checked out I thought I was actually glad yesterday he brought up the I know people think that I'm not happy playing baseball like I'm yeah he's like he's basically like I have a resting B face I'm sorry guys and and I mean I think he's I think he's up to his serious level recently which like that he knows that that he's aware that that's a kind of a narrative out there you know So, but I wonder if he's, I just, I hope he's not checked out from health of the organization stuff. And I hope he's not checked out from being the guy that's still recruit players of Philly and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and the whole Schwerber answer was, well, it was kind of like, ah, I thought he's going to go to Cincinnati and we were busting his chops. ha ha ha ha and then you like yeah i didn't really i didn't really reach out want to let him take it

another player saying that i i understand but that hasn't been bryce i mean bryce has been i want people to come here and this guy come sign this guy go get that oh he's a great player yeah totally and then yeah he from the only guy here did the mike trout thing in his freaking press conference do we all forget that like it didn't work out but like the moment he got here he's like i'm trying to get mike trout here guys you know what i mean he was the foot of the first things he did I know. I know. So that that was also, I wonder if the Dave thing turned him off from that as well. It's certainly possible. And it's certainly possible that Dave, that there's more backstory to all that than we know that they've, maybe they've, you know, there's been friction before. And, you know, who knows? Especially because like going back to the comment itself and we all like, like, like, I don't think Dave was just trying to motivate Bryce Harper with that comment.

Like I don't think he was just like, I'm going to go in here and I'm going to say something to get Bryce fired up. Like, I don't, I think it was just being honest to your point. tired, whatever it was, I think he just said something in a way that he shouldn't have said it. But just overall, like the, you know, I just, it's a strange situation to be coming into, you know, with this guy here. Wow. It's, you know, I have no idea what the season is going to be. That's exactly right.

The Harper thing on top of it is it can either go one of two ways. It can get messier or you could just put it to, put it to bed and go. off. I just, it's gonna, it's really, it's, they need the youthful injection, I think. I think they need it. Well, this is the whole point with that we didn't just say, uh, change it up, don't run it back for the like, this team isn't good enough of it all. Because like they're close. They got talent and stuff. It's like we've seen sports our whole lives. You, you have to change things up. If things, if things kind of get stale or if things are the same or if things are getting like, uh, like, uh, you know, the same every year, like the same finish. Like,

you just have to do things to change up chemistry to change up a clubhouse, especially in baseball. It's such a long season. Like it really can grind on you. If it's like you need energy yet, we've heard like Kelsey always talks about this when he's on with us. He was talking about CJGJ a lot when it was going on. Everybody's like teams need those type of guys.

Teams need like someone who can come in and just like get everyone out of their heads or like make people fire up or this or that like you need like a wild card type thing. And this team feels like it's been very the same for a while. Like it feels and maybe Garcia comes in. in and whatever, but it does feel like there's the potential for it to get very stale in there. Yeah, well, it's why Bader was such a revelation. I mean, Bader was such a, he's excited to be there, positive energy. I mean, that's why Bader turned into a legend so quickly.

So, yeah, that was not so interesting. Also seems like he wants some, he really wants some protection in the lineup. Oh, dude, yes, that was the last thing I was going to mention that, oh, Aaron, it'd be nice to have Aaron judge him. I mean, the WBC, yeah, he, and look, you know what? Like, I'm blaming. I agree with you, Bryce. The Phillies have done a bad job of protecting you since you.

So I feel it's too. It's the Cassiano's as far as much as anyone. But I mean, I get it. It's true. Now, you could also say hit second, hit first, be willing to do, you know, it goes both ways. But there's, there's two, both, two things can be true on this one. While it's true, the Phillies have done a poor job getting protection for Bryce Harper. He's also too obsessed with hitting third.

And if he hit second, Schwerber behind him, I think you would have good production. Or if he hit lead off, then you'd have Schwerber and Turner behind him. So you know, Harper, Harper Turner, Schwerber is I think like pretty clearly the best lineup. Like in the smartest lineup they could roll out. I think. So I would argue Harper, Schwerber Turner, but whatever. Fine. This one is Harper in a leadoff hole at this point in his career where he's at like does make a ton of sense. Also I did find it. Well, he also mention specifically that they haven't got good production from the four

whole they're like 20th in baseball seems like you knew that number off top of the set oh yeah yeah yeah I'm sure he's also well aware that he only saw 43% of pitches he's in the strike zone last year which is the least amount of baseball so I'm sure he's well aware of those two stats what I found funny about the judge comment is did he did he say I'm not playing unless I'm batting second or third and judges behind me I mean in the wc are you talking about yeah yeah yeah i don't i don't think i think he probably knows where that he's batting somewhere in there and like but the look you're not there's some pretty

dang good hitters on that team it is pretty fun yeah but it's like that he's you know the respect of it all and all that but i uh it is pretty funny because like if nothing else he definitely was publicly told the manager where he wants to hit if nothing else yes he did yes he did uh he also also mentioned the first player he can't play with is Bregman which killed my soul. That was tough, man. Really killed myself. You could a, yeah, you coulda.

Yeah. And DeRosa said that, Derosa said that Breggman and Shorebur are the most active guys in the group chats and they're already planning events. It's just like, we could have had them. We could have had Bregman. It's all right.

Bum's going to be planning all kinds of fun events. It's going to be cool. Bum's 30 this year, by the way. I know. You got that. I like Bum's 30. Yeah. All right.

You got any small take bag stuff before. go see Steph Curry's movie well just some final uh I got some quick things on on Harper real quick okay I love that it both him and Shorebur so funny with how I talked about Cassiano's shorebur just talking around it after pausing oh it's so good yeah and then saying there's somehow like turning it into talking about the Dodger series was hilarious and then Harvard being like yeah I didn't read it but I got the gist of it yeah it's sure got it yeah took like it took 30 seconds to read it's not reading it is the that was his His statement was saying I didn't read it and nothing else he said mattered.

Like that was the point. You could read it and you're right. Not even 30 seconds. 12 seconds to read that thing. Yeah. Seems like they were ready to move on. And then no one tweeted this out. I had to watch the full video to find this nugget.

But his wrist feels great and he hasn't had pain in it. Yeah. You're right. There was everyone so upset. You're right that that didn't get enough. You're right. That's a big deal. Well, he said coming into spring train last year, it bothered him.

And now he hasn't had daint. So I think that is huge. And then final just overall thought on it, the hair is just immaculate. I mean, he looks so good. I'd tell you with you. I'm so. Whatever he did. That hair, I don't know how you know.

The raw milk. I don't know what it is, but it was glowing. I agree. It was phenomenal. He looked, he looked like really healthy. You know, he looked good. He did. Yeah.

No, I agree with you. And some of the off-season photos. Oh, my God. They're terrifying. Like sometimes I'm like, whatever the hell you're doing. stop it like eat some freaking meat or drink you patched milk or whatever you need to do you I don't know I don't know what he's doing I'm just saying like I'm I've seen some of those videos that were like clips of him and been like you look sickly man you know yeah he's

not we won't get into some health things here but he's doing he's doing the right things I would say anyway the um the the video of Aden or the the But a video of Boa talking about Aden is, it really warms my heart. Now, Boa is obviously very bullish on a lot of things. Shortstop prospects and stuff, but yes. But he was, I actually thought he was trying to ring himself in. I really did. Yeah, I think he's learned.

Because I remember him coming on with us in middays back when Kingery came up. And you could tell how excited Bo was about it. And, you know, yeah, I'm excited to hear it. Yeah. We didn't talk about the Wheeler Rib yet. All time weird move. I love it. He's such a weirdo. It's great. It's exactly what I want my ace doing. I just want it. I want it in the dugout. I wanted the dugout. I want it to be the rally rib. Oh, it could be the home run rib. I like that. There it is. Pass the rib. There you go.

Oh, man. They win the World Series and throw it. There's a lot of bits that could do with the other. A lot of potential with the rim. I agree. I agree. A lot of potential. I also can't stop watching the videos of Boba Shet playing defense. Have you seen those? Oh, no, but I like where you're, I like that you're just pivoting the other way. It's good work by you. Yeah, it's true hater fuel.

It is. Yeah, you're like 50 cent over here. Well, he's just, I mean, he looks like a butcher at third base. Very, very, not soft hands, as they say. Not soft hands. Very, very hard hands. And as we always say on this pod, defense first. Defense first, especially in February, on February 15th.

Always. Always. I really want Tony Gonsland on a minor league deal. Yeah, we know. I've gotten, Tony Gonson's name has been said in my text messages more than current Phillies in the last like three weeks. Well, in our chat with Elliot and you, I believe it was Saturday. Elliot was trying to round me up and I said, please don't.

And you were watching a Brazilian movie. Yes. And I said, I'm crushing Gons tape. I'm grinding Tony Gonsolent tape over here. There's still some signs of life from Gonsland. Pretty good year last year. He could, not like an unbelievable year, but he could bounce between being a starter and being a reliever pretty easily.

I would be fully in on a Gons flyer. He's Nick Martinez, but doesn't cost you a 13 million. Come on, man. I'm in. Come on, man. And then, last thing I do want to shout out, a lot of positive comments on the podcast and Philly's Reddit. Really?

The other day. So I want to shout out to my peeps in Philly's Reddit. I will say that Reddit, I will say that Reddit, I think, think is the best social media platform. I'm not a huge social media guy, but like red is the only thing Emily's on. She is not on any other social media platform. She loves Reddit all about red.

I think like I will now like when I'm Googling to find things out, I will sometimes just add Reddit into the Google because I trust Reddit answers more than whatever AI Google tells me. So yeah, there's some good answers in there. People are a little. Redd it's great. Yeah, it's great. Yeah, it can get weird. They're a little complaining sometimes.

Yeah, I look. Any social media gets weird depending on where you go with it. But in general, Big Reddit fan. Shout to drive people. Yeah. So, uh,

some positive comments. And, uh, yeah, I think that's all I have. That's awesome. That warms my heart. I will be thinking about nothing else while watching a basketball movie about a goat.

It's going to be sweet. You're going to love it. I know. I know. I love these kind of movies. I'm going to like it more than Zoe. So that that's the beauty of it all. All right.

Uh, we'll be back later in the week. Plus, uh, clear water coming up. We'll talk about that. Oh, first game Saturday. Oh, I'll be there for it.

So yeah, we'll talk. Wow. We'll talk about it'll be awesome. All right. Yeah, we'll be back later of the week. Preview all that stuff. Lots of fun going on.

Until that, he's worth some shelter.