High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Who Let the Phils Get Hot is No Longer a Bit, Just a Fact

Episode Date: August 8, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to a white hot Phillies team winning 10 of 11. The guys express their genuine belief in and excitement about the Phils while talking Casty, Gibby, Topper, and much more. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the High Hopes podcast. High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerd Hopes Podcast presented by Miller Lite. The 12 games above 500 Philadelphia Phillies. The smashed, finally smashed the bell Philadelphia Phillies. The 10 of 11 Philadelphia Phillies. The best Philadelphia Phillies team. Jack Fritz, that yo was the best in honor of the best Philadelphia Phillies team

we have ever talked about on this podcast. Hey, buddy. Not even close either. James, let me just start off this podcast by saying this, because I think it's very, very important. And I think it's very, very important for everyone that listens to this and everyone that loves this podcast, loves this baseball team, lives and dies with them just like we do.

Dude, we deserve this Phillies baseball team. Like, we just deserve it. It has been a freaking decade of dreck. There has been high hopes at some points. There has been, obviously, just a lot of despair, a lot of downturns, a lot of questioning. Why do we do this? Why do we do this? A lot of tricking ourselves into believing.

A lot of lying to ourselves. Not me. Not me. Definitely more you. Not you you that yeah i'm obviously talking about me of the two of us with that clearly clearly but but there's a lot of points during this last 11 years wherever where it was like or even more the last four years when they're really trying where it's like really i i'm gonna do this every single night and like a true sucker i'd be back the the next night and and be willing to get

sucked back in again by this baseball team and it's it's moments like the last two months that that frankly make it worth it because i tell you what there is nothing quite like having an actually good baseball team like i genuinely had forgot what winning baseball on a night-in-night-out basis looked like. I mean, it's been so long. I was in high school the last time I actually knew what it looked like. And what we've seen since Joe Girardi's been fired, since Rob Thompson has taken over, is genuine good baseball. Every single night, they're taking care of bad opponents.

They have bullpen moves that make sense. What a novel concept. They have pretty good starting pitching. And what we're finally starting to see is an offense that, you know, for most of the year, they've been top 10. It's mashing, man. Yeah. They've been top 10 in runs. They've been

whatever. But it never felt like the offense that we were hoping heading into the season. They've arrived. And they're doing it all without Bryce Harper. I don't think that can be overst the season. They've arrived, and they're doing it all without Bryce Harper. I don't think that can be overstated enough. They've gone whatever. I mean, they're 38-19. 21-13.

They're 21-13 since Bryce Harper went down. 21-13 since they lost the MVP of the league last year, Jack. That's astounding. It's stunning. That is what winning teams and winning cultures are. It is not about one player. It is not about that guy just carrying the team. Obviously, Brian Howard being the ultimate example

of just being able to put a team on his back and carry them for months. It's not that. It's every single player stepping up. Finally, your boy, Nick Castellanos, heating up, never a my god never a doubt never a doubt as you were as you are i'm sure in an altered state friday night uh at the fish concert oh buddy dude nick neighbor dan text me you text me i'm like searching for the clip as i'm on the beach

waiting for a fish show i see him freaking crank one to left field i was like that's that guy that's the dude that's why i wanted them to sign him where the hell's that guy been oh dude like you know things are going good when cast he's cranking the ball out the left field dude i gotta be honest like reese hit some homers over the weekend that's like wow that ball was destroyed i it's been oh yeah especially the one uh on uh the the second of the first inning ones or whatever like that like oh my god dude but it's been a while since i've seen a right-handed philly do that to a baseball you know what i mean like the castellanos homer was just like it was it was gone in in three seconds i think honestly it reminded me a ton of

those old school worth Werth homers. Like, remember the one off Samarja that, like, was just – I think it went second deck. Like, the Cassianos homer on Friday, like, frankly, James, I haven't stopped thinking about it. Well, you know what it kind of reminds me of, too, in terms of, like, off the bat and out, not quite to the same level, but, like, when Stanton would come in with the marlins and

just turn on one like that that's what it looked like off the bat that kind of explosion and just out in a second yeah and you know it's not even just the big price the the big name guys like you're starting to see contributions from everyone nicky mayton derrick hall like dude i know i know stop we're not talking about the average but hey haters it's over 200 now just you know 204 oh wow so he's now a good player um the matt veerling three run home run everybody like the whole lineup man i mean jt's been unbelievable white ever since the toronto series ever since that whole thing dude has been locked in and and like to your point jack i think it's such a great point and i will uh you know probably do something you hate but i'm going to

compare it to fish because as you know most people know and shout out to my buddy philippe who i saw at the show on saturday night happy 41st birthday buddy i will be having that soon that was a sad thing to say because i already feel jack let me tell you let me tell you i feel so old after going to three straight fish shows like you should i am i am cooked buddy like i did this podcast with you because a you're one of my favorite people to talk to on the planet and i actually missed you not seeing you today at work but also because i had to like there was no question like this team is finally making us like excited to you know we, we were excited to talk to each other. Now we're excited to talk about the freaking team.

But here's the thing. All right. So I was at the fish shows. So I caught up on the games and all that. But obviously Jack will be the expert for these games. Not my finest weekend. But first of all, the first time I've been at a show and like desperately checking stats like that's how locked in normally. I'm like, you know, if I miss, well, I'll check later. Like I needed to know stuff in the moment, but also like,

and you always make fun of me for going to a million fish shows and I can be different, but it makes me think of, to the point you made about like, what it's like to have like a real baseball team again. Cause it's funny. Cause there are 12 games above 500. And in my head, I'm like, it has to be the first time since like 2012 or 2011. And it's August of 2018, which is absurd because we never felt like that team had any chance and they fell apart in September. But like, it is funny to think that it was in 2018, they were this far above 500, but that wasn't a good baseball team. Like this is the first time, certainly in the history of this podcast, really in the last decade that we've had a real, real good baseball team that we

can believe in and count on and could not just make the playoffs, but I believe could do damage in the playoffs. Like, you know, hottest team wins. But to your point, it's funny because what it made me think of when it's like, I almost, you know, forgot what it was like to watch a good baseball team and the idea of yet we keep watching, keep watching it i uh i went to not this weekend i had a great time in ac fun shows but but we went to an msg show uh uh in april that was like one of the best shows i've seen in years it was just awesome the vibe was amazing and it was just me and emily and we were next to this guy all the time super nice guy and at the end of the show he gives us a hug and he's like, he's like, I've seen fish 200 times. And he's like, I chase fish for nights like tonight, like those special nights where everything's just like perfect. And this Phillies team is like reminding us of what it's like to

have a baseball team that's like that, because it's been so foreign and so long since we like got to go into a game and not be afraid all night and not count on things all night and expect the bullpen to blow it or expect the team not to hit or expect no one to come through and and it's like honestly jack i'm getting goosebumps talking about it like i i i honestly forgot like it's been a decade i'm i'm almost 41 man I was like a young man the last time the Phillies were good. Like it's, I'm like really, really excited about what's happening right now. And, you know, to your point, we deserve it. Like this podcast deserves it, let me tell you.

But the listeners of this pod and the disease Phillies fans and all of us who have like watched this stuff year after year after year after year some years knowing we had zero chance and a lot of years knowing that even though we quote unquote had a chance we really didn't have a chance Jack like this is like special right now and and I really I really think that there's more great to come you know I trust this team and let me tell you how little I care about that they play then like like, oh, they just play the Nationals. It's like I have seen this team lay down and not play up to their standards against enough bad baseball teams over the last couple of years.

By the way, 28 of the next 35 are against losing teams. So, you know, they're going to they're going to have to beat up on bad teams. Right. Yeah. And it's what they have to do although uh i mean who could forget the 2018 uh collapse because i believe it started uh when i went on my honeymoon and i left my honeymoon left my honeymoon and i came back to watch nola scherzer on the honeymoon yep watch nola scherzer on the honeymoon very good decision by me per usual and uh came back and they were not in first place anymore which is a shocking uh thing to to come back to but yeah it's just you know it's so funny because even when they lose and it hasn't been obviously often recently i mean they've won you know 10 of their last 11 but even when they lose it's not i love how casually you just said that like you know they've

won 10 of their last 11. Like, no biggie. It's just another day in Philly's land. Just win all the time. But, you know, it's not like sky is falling. It's not meltdown every single time they lose. And we got to reassess if Joe Girardi was firing him was the right move or whatever. And, like, this team sucks. And they're not going to make the playoffs.

They're going to blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Like, it's not sky skies falling. It's just normal baseball losses, which is such a fun concept to be around where it's like we don't have to melt down every night. We don't have to treat everything like the Eagles because we finally have a baseball team

that we can trust. We finally have a team that we don't think is going to crumble, that we don't think is going to fall apart with one loss or bullpen this, bullpen that. And it's just, for as long as it's been, being able to have that feeling again, like this last, again, like, you know, 40 games or whatever, it has felt so much like the heyday. And I know that, I know that, that Rollins and Utley and Howard and Hamels, they're all-time Phillies legends, and we all understand that.

But what we're seeing for the first time is I feel like the next core, and we're seeing the next, like, our guys. And that's just a really fun place to be at as a Phillies fan is, like, this is going to be the worst Phillies team. I genuinely believe for the next like five years. Like, I think they're only going to continue to get better. You know, that they've, they've improved, uh, obviously on the major league level. We believe a lot in the, in the drafting. We believe a lot in the player development.

I mean, they've turned into a legitimate pitching factory. Like I think in the front office too, and Ani and Mattingly and all these guys. You can't tell me it's not a coincidence that for years they had been so terrible at finding the value of the margin players. And then the second Ani gets here from the Rays, it's like, oh, here's Andrew Bilotti. And here's all these fringe players. Jairo Munoz. Like they, like they're, they're finding these,

these, these Camargo guys are just contributing. And that's what you need. You need guys like to just contribute throughout the season. Not everyone's going to be there at the end, but you need those guys to come up throughout a season and make a difference. And without having a farm system of guys who are ready,

you have to bring guys in who are like cheap and expendable you know and i think the the last point on all of this is probably the biggest indictment of the joe gerardi era the the the prospects that came up just never felt like they were like it seems like they never felt comfortable. And seeing the kids do it, whether it's Hall, whether it's Maytown, whether it's Vierling, whether it's Stoddy, seeing them do it, it just makes it that much cooler in a sense. And seeing Joe Girardi gone and all of a sudden, wow, these young players are actually good. We're starting to see the potential.

Alec Boehm has developed into a legitimate threat. He's a three-hole hitter right now. So, you know, the young... And playing sterling defense, dude. Like, he had multiple plays this weekend where it was like, Alec Boehm, like, honestly, even three months ago before, like, that moment on that, I don't think he makes that play. You know, the play in the perfect game, you know, until it didn't. And by the way, we're going to get to my boy.

I know. But, like like that was a great play. The play he had yesterday, like down the line, like throwing it kind of going out of bounds. Like he's just been he's been more confident out there. Yes. And it's got me to a point now where it's like, could he play there long term? Like, can he just stick there for the next, you know, six years that they like? Because there is that that roster decision that's going to come it's like well we're going to repay are we going to resign reese or are we going to move on and possibly yeah bone moves over but i mean

in a perfect world you can keep both of them big time i mean look reasons you'd much rather have reasons bad at first base than bones like and have bones bad at third like that makes so much more sense and to your point jack if he's already improved this much over the course of a season you know just with some some stumbles and obviously he's not a finished product but like he's gotten better why can't we believe that he could still get maybe a little bit better yeah and can i make a a declaration right now on this podcast and something that uh i feel very strongly about and something that I'm sure that you will agree with.

Are you ready for it? Uh, have I ever in the history of this pod said, no, Jack, I'm shutting down your declaration. Of course I'm ready. Please.

I would like lifetime contracts given out to Bobby Dickerson and Kevin Long and Caleb. I love this. I, what this is. And Rob Thompson. Screw it. They're all getting lifetime

contracts i don't care 38 19 under topper i i love when and it's on brand but when you'll whether it's you know i have something really important to say or i have to make a declaration or whatever and it's like always the most fritzy thing like of course you would lead with bobby dickerson to there before we even get to Rob. Like, just really on brand. And you know what? I'm with you. Like, best coaching staff in Philly's history by the numbers. He's not.

Well, come on. They're playing like they're on like a 100, like just under topper. They're on like a 116 win pace. They're like the Mariners. They're the 20, whatever, 2011 Mariners, whatever. Yeah. And they'll keep it up, too. But, like, look at Bobby Dickerson. pace they're like the the mariners they're the 20 whatever 2011 mariners whatever yeah the and they'll keep it up too but like look at bobby dickerson and and the second he comes back i

think reese has been pretty good at first base i think actually dd before they they released him had his best defensive season in a while stotter by far i mean i mean bryson stott like i i was kind of resigned to maybe not a shortstop long term. I think he's looked really good there, and we all know at second base, 99% sure he didn't make an error playing second base. Oh, dude, he's a stud at second, and we'll get to why there's a pretty interesting name that could make him the future second baseman. I know. Gene's been great.

And then you look at Alec Boehm. Alec Boe bone has just taken a massive massive step forward so i mean that's that's two pieces of the infield defense that people viewed as like oh my god it's going to cost them a thousand a thousand uh games this year but frankly it hasn't really crushed him and i think it was uh i think destiny compared bobby dickerson to jeff statlin which is a big comp. I mean, that's a big comp. I can't get there yet. I appreciate it, and it could be.

The early returns are good, but Stout has a longer – the Milota thing, honestly, is almost the most impressive any level, any position, any sport coaching thing I've ever seen ever happened. But I appreciate the reach. I appreciate the take. So would Alec Baum have turned into a gold glover to surpass the— Yes, exactly. That's what it is.

This guy was a freaking rugby player. Yeah, but he was also a freak athlete. He was also a freak athlete. I get it, pal. But, like, come on. He's, like, potentially a all pro left tackle also football's easier than baseball so i mean not even mentioning like how stoutley can go like 13 guys deep and have like brett toth playing an acceptable left tackle yeah i think we're good well but it's a great point we're. When was the last time we were on here

just talking about how excited we were about the Phillies coaches? And to your point with the Girardi thing, it's not just the young guys. And I think it all is, obviously, it's part and parcel. It's a whole thing. But it's the vibes, man. Even the Phillies Twitter account.

Shout out to our people down there. We love you guys. It's a lot of tweets like, the vibes are great. Hey, the vibes are good. It's because they are because like there's real like vibes with this team and it's the players creating it. And there's a culture being created because Thompson's letting them do it and not instituting this this hard line way that Joe Girardi clearly had. I mean, again, like, you know, I could go back and forth on the importance of managers in baseball. And, you know, honestly, I the more and more and I've always thought this in Joe, Joe Torrey, but the more I think about the importance of managers,

I think I'd much rather have you be a great culture guy and a so-so in-game guy than than a bad culture the problem was Girardi was bad at everything he's a horrible in-game manager and a horrible culture and it seems like Thompson's a really solid in-game manager I'm not raised like it's common sense he's been good about I'm not ready to say he's like you know Frank Kona with Andrew Miller in those playoffs where he basically you know kind of changed the way relievers are used like those kind of stuff like he's not not the most innovative or whatever, but he's really solid. And the culture that he has not necessarily created,

but allowed to be created, like fostered, like supported for these players to create their own culture. Like, man, I am so impressed. I know you tweeted this, and this is such such an aggressive tweet and it's one of the reasons I love you. Um, and it also implies that, you know, we know what happened with him, but, but you tweeting that Rob Thompson, the Phillies might've found their, their next Charlie manual with Rob Thompson, like, like super aggressive through, you know, 60 games or whatever.

But like, I totally got it. Like, I didn't think it was like, I wasn't like, Oh Jack. Like I was like, I mean, you're, you're going a step far too early, but like, I see it. Right. Like I see this baseball lifer. Who's like, got this like kind of super calming personality and who all the players just like and respect. And, and you know, when he talks, you listen and he's not going to get in your face if he doesn't need to and like all that stuff like i don't know i i again you know i know you you you don't actually you're not saying he's charlie manuel yet but i i thought it was a really interesting i hadn't thought about it and as soon as you said it jack it was like one of those things in my

brain where i was like oh man like i totally see what he's saying here like i see that you know what i mean? Well, I mean, it wasn't anything like, I wasn't negative towards Charlie at all. I'm just talking about, like, they're- No, it's a good thing. That's my point. I'm saying it is a good thing.

Yeah, I think they found- I'm saying, like, yes, he's not at Charlie's level yet. Charlie's the best manager in the history of the franchise. He won the World Series. But, like, the point is I understand the effect and the way Charlie had with players and his managing style. And it feels like Topper has a very similar style to Charlie, a similar vibe.

Yeah. And that's more it. Like, you know, he seems really down to earth. He seems really approachable. He talked about in his opening press conference that he was going to talk to, you know, he wants to be in the clubhouse and actually talk to players. And, you know, I just think about looking at the team like they're they're playing hard. Has there been any like, wow, this guy's not hustling or this guy's not not doing these guys and he got tfa'd a couple days later after tonsillated him that was it nobody else what

one dude and it's the guy who always did it now he's finally gone but no jack like constant effort from this team yeah and you know i don't think it's i don't think it's a small thing that these guys feel comfortable enough to say that's Tomper or Topper or whoever. Let us say that's Tomps. They feel like they're on such a good level with them that they can just be real with them. And you never heard, was there any player that had a Joe Girardi,

like, ha-ha, that's my guy. We talked about that a lot when he was about to get fired. It was like, there's not one player in the last two weeks while his job was quote-unquote on the line that was like, no, he's our guy. We play hard for him. That never happened.

Like, literally not once ever happened. But I think if they were, like, thinking about moving on from Rob Thompson, the players in that clubhouse would not be happy with that. And, you know, I joked around about lifetime contracts for for kevin long and bobby dickerson and caleb gotham whatever but i legitimately do think like i i want rob thompson to be the manager of this team next year and i want to be the manager for the next couple years you know i think if you can get a guy that's a really good vibes uh manager at the at the head that players like being around that creates a a loose locker room that everyone talks about how prepared he is for everything.

It's not lost on me that he ran the spring training design or whatever. He laid out their whole plan for everything, and that shows how detail-oriented he is. He's very smart about baseball, seems to know everything about it. And if you can just have him be the leader and then use all of the pieces he had around him, you know, like ever since Girardi's been fired, I feel like Cotham's gotten to another level. You know, you see the Alex Coffey article a couple weeks ago about P-H-A-P bleep all pitchers. Like, I didn't hear that under Joe Girardi.

Kevin Long, like, like Brandon Marsh gets traded here and his first day he's like fix me to Kevin Long like I'm gonna move on from that guy I think that's really important so and Bobby Dickerson we know what he's done all year with the defensive pieces on this team so like keeping this coaching staff

intact and not risking them being moved on from him by bringing in a different manager and he wants to bring in his own guys i'm good with this crew i want i want these guys to be here so um yeah it's it's really really interesting and um you know i i like charlie's obviously different charlie's the best manager in team history but i think that rob thompson has a chance to be this generation's charlie yeah and so first and foremost jack let me tell you i don't think you have to worry But I think that Rob Thompson has a chance to be this generation's Charlie. Yeah.

And so first and foremost, Jack, let me tell you, I don't think you have to worry because I think he's going to be here next year because you said this on the last pod. And I was like, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo. The Phillies are making the playoffs. I actually think the Phillies and the Cardinals are making the playoffs. As we saw this weekend, I think the Brewers are going to fall out of it. The Phillies are good. They're making the playoffs. As we saw this weekend, I think the Brewers are going to fall out of it. The Phillies are good. They're making the playoffs, man. And, you know, we'll see. But like, you know, I'm not going to like, you know, but like, I really think they're going to make the playoffs. And I think no matter what, if they make the playoffs, they are bringing Thompson back.

Like, how could you not, if they make the playoffs, they're going to have ended the season on at worst a 20, a game above 500 pace, like they're on now. And it'll probably more be more because they're going to have to continue to on at worst a 20 game above 500 pace like they're on now. And it'll probably be more because they're going to have to continue to win games and get further and further above. There's three games behind the Braves all of a sudden, Jack. They are ahead of the Padres. There are two games up on the Brewers. Like they're an infinitely more talented team than the Brewers. I think Topper is going to be here next year no matter what.

And you're not going to love this. I think Topper is going to be here next year no matter what, and you're not going to love this. But, like, look, there is, like, a precedent for this in very recent baseball history where a guy was, like, and that's the thing, too. It's, like, yes, he's a first-time major league manager, but this guy's managed a lot of games in the minors. He's been around a lot of baseball teams.

Like, that stuff matters. Like, it's still situational, you know, awareness, what you do in these situations, who to use, all that type of stuff. And you know who it honestly reminds me of? And I know you're not going to like it, but it is what it is. It's Brian Snicker, man. Like, this is Brian Snicker. And like, look how that worked out.

I agree. And I think that's what I think that's one of the first things we mentioned when they hired him is that this does have Snicker potential, where it's like the baseball lifer finally gets his shot. And crazy concept, the guy that's been in dugouts forever that has managed a ton of games that runs like spring training and everything turns out to be a good manager what a crazy concept and honestly for years like not having to be the guy you know not having to be the manager and not be able to like being able to be the second in command or whatever

that allows you to get closer to players because you're kind of the guy, the go-between. That's a great point, dude. He's the go-between. And it also allows you to see the mistakes that the guy you're right next to makes. And boy, did he have a lot. He had a lot to write down. Do you think he had his own Girardi files? Do you think that he had his like –

Oh, buddy. Do you think he's like, are you serious, Joe? I'll bet you he was. Honestly, I'll bet you there were situations where he was. Like how could he not be? Like he's clearly good at this and he clearly gerardi clearly wasn't like there were clearly moments when he's the bench coach and he's with gerardi and gerardi says to do something he's like well i wouldn't believe but do that but okay joe imagine how furious that would make you like

every day you do you know me especially me you know how like quick twitch i am with that stuff like i would not be like rob thompson is definitely the opposite personality of me i am like You know me, especially me. You know how quick twitch I am with that stuff. Rob Thompson is definitely the opposite personality of me. I am a lot, and Rob Thompson seems very calm, cool, and collected. Yeah. He's special. Again, I watch them every single night, and it's just like, this is a well-managed baseball team,

and that's a crazy place to be in. Like, even Gabe, you know, Gabe has turned into a fine manager, although, I mean, Giants have just been a dumpster fire recently. But even when I was watching Gabe, it was like, eh, not a great in-game manager. I think Rob Thompson is, like, every time I watch him, I'm like, this makes sense. Yeah, I'm with you. Alright, let's get to some specific

guys. Obviously, we've talked about a few throughout, but quickly, before we get to pitching, just a couple hitters I want to throw at you and just kind of, like, essentially, the three guys who we had talked about for so long, really, Hoskins was hitting the whole time, but obviously he's in one of it. That's the beautiful thing with what Hoskins has been doing this year

is the lulls have been nowhere close to as deep or as bad as in recent years. And we're still, as we're seeing right now, getting those patented best hitter on the planet for a week and a half hot streaks, which he is locked in right now. A couple of those homers like to left center field, like, you know, we have not seen him just crushing a baseball like that to that part of the

ballpark consistently in a while. So, um, but, but really, uh, JT and Cassie, like the two guys that we kind of,

you know, when Harper went down and we're like, all right, dudes, like Schwarber is good. Hoskins is good you're the other two 20 million dollar year guys you know hoskins not 20 million dollar year but the other you know big hitters like how watching these guys right now and and jt it's been really since that

toronto series he's been like really awesome and the the the triples this weekend the homers like hitting the ball really hard to the opposite field. And funny enough, like for Cassidy, seeing him do the other thing and really pull the ball. Well, it's like such a sign that both these guys are, are getting back to what, you know,

we, we hoped and prayed they could be. How real is this to you with both guys? Well, man, JT was so close to ending the David Bell rain. I know even tweet. I honestly,

it's your own fault for tweeting it was gonna no i really felt it though i really felt like i know you did but this is like such a deep like personal like no one this is like so there there's rarely things in life where you can say i am the person in the world who cares most about this one thing i honestly in my soul believe without you know surveying every Philly's found the planet. I believe that you are the person who cares the most about someone ending David Bell's streak of this cycle for as long as it's been. I honestly, I honestly believe that maybe there's one other person out there who's in your hemisphere, but you're like the 0.0001 percent of this so like you can't mess around with this like you need to just either let it happen or or you know

like it's not going to you know i i honestly believe that i really it's your own fault i have to again i i truth i truly believe this can't help yourself is what you're saying you can't help yourself i don't think they're ever going to hit for the cycle ever again. I really don't. I know the Padres finally got their first no-hitter with Joe Musgrove a couple years ago. Yeah, Musgrove. They're never hitting for the cycle again. There's no doubt in my mind.

It's never going to happen again. And yeah, James, I mean, sure. I was a few beers deep, and I was really excited about the Phils. And I was like, you know what? Bleep it. He's, he's ending.

He's ending the fricking dude. David Bell was the worst. Like there is just, there's no one worse. No one could look more miserable being here than David Bell. And the fact that that guy, he's the last guy to hit for the cycle in France. Like,

can we just please, I'm begging you, anyone do it. You're never going to do it, but do it. Um, yeah. So JT, like, we just please i'm begging you anyone do it you're never gonna do it but do it um yeah so jt like i think it was the home run saturday where it was just the one to right field right where he just like crushed it to right it's just like smoked it to right that ball is just waffled

like just absolutely smoked um it got out as quick as the Cassianas one to left, but to right. It was like a laser to right field. Yeah, and he's been moving in the right direction, I want to say, even before the Toronto series. But ever since then, it's been ridiculous. I mean, you know, I think it's mostly real. He was never going to be as bad as he was. The only thing that was really concerning, I would say,

early in the year is that it looked like the power was all zapped. You know, and that's a concern when you're talking about a catcher that's entering into his 30s like is the is the power all gone that's why the power numbers recently have just been so relieving because it's like okay he still has some some juice in that back because it was just so weird you know early in the season it was like dd-ish where the ball just seemed to be dying off his bat like sure some i think i mean we we were, I think, heading into July, and he had only barreled like 13 baseballs all year, which was obviously a disaster for somebody.

Insane. Like, he was on the list of like, whenever you saw those lists of like, you know, players with least barreled balls, like for the first like month plus of the season, JT was like top 10, top five, whatever it was, like every time they put the list out. And again, I will give credit to Kevin Long for this.

It feels like a Kevin Long working, working, working and eventually you're getting that breakthrough. That's kind of where I feel like a lot of these hitters are at with Kevin Long. Schwarber obviously went off in June. Been obviously cooler recently, but it hasn't been off a crater. He's actually

mixed in some singles and doubles with some home runs, which is wild. But obviously, in June, he kind of really picked it up and was insane. And I could attribute that a lot to Kevin Long. Reese, I think, his swing just looks tighter. It doesn't look as loopy. And it looks like he's finally driving through the baseball rather than just swinging it like a pool noodle or whatever. JT, same kind of thing. Looks like he's finally finishing through. Nick Castellanos, we'll get to him. But, you know, like finally driving the baseball game.

I mean, it was so, like when he was going through his two and a half month slump, it was like just the least conviction in swings I've seen from a great hitter in forever. And recently it looks like he's really, you know, attacking and going forward and driving the baseball again. Like even, like even after the, the home run,

like it was maybe the next night, just roped the ball into the right center field gap. It's like, there's, there it is like, like there's Nick Castellanos, but you're seeing, I mean,

obviously the Alec, the Alec Boehm ascension has just been ridiculous, but like all of these hitters, as they've worked longer and longer with Kevin Long heading into the deeper portions of the season, we're getting all the best versions of them now. And we're not seeing the Reese Prolong slump that we talked about. And we're not seeing JT just be dreadful for the whole year. We're not seeing Nick Cassiano just be dreadful for the whole year. And you're starting to see the results that these guys are putting in.

I mean, everyone around the team talks about how much time these guys spend in the cage and the fact that you're starting to see that now should only back up their belief in Kaylong as the hitting coach. So I definitely think the Castellanos thing is real. I think he's taking good at bats. You know, the thing that's honestly been

most telling for me, James, is not the home run. It's not the smoked ball into the right center field gap. It's been the fact that he's actually working some walks and he's getting deep into counts. He's not just like waving at pitches and just like swinging over them. Competitive at bats, right? Right.

Just competitive. How insane is it to say that like, oh, Nick Castellanos looks like he's bad because he's having competitive at bats. Yeah. You know? They were like lifeless before. They were. They totally were. I mean, Bryson Stott, another guy who like struck out six times in July.

Like, we're seeing all of the better versions of these Phil's hitters, and again, like, Gene's back now. What's going to happen when they get Bryce back? Like, this team is going to be... You said at the top, you're like, it can't be underrated, but it's insane. I feel like we can't say enough again.

Again, they are eight games over.500 since they lost the National League MVP last year. Honestly, of all the impressive things this year, the fact that they've improved their record since bryce went out substantially is like the single most impressive thing it's amazing jack it is um almost amazing as going from seven games under 500 to 12 games over 500 just by firing one guy just by firing one guy it's not like anyone was out there yelling, fire this guy for a long time or anything, but you know, it's cool.

It is what it is. It's cool. All right. I'll let you get to all the other, you know, pictures, hitters, whatever you want to address in your take bags. I'm sure you got other stuff, but I just want to get to one more picture

before I turn over the take bag and then I get some other stuff for later. But my dude, Gibby! Gibby! Gibby! So I tweet, uh, so it's funny enough. I tweeted this, but I actually texted Jack. Gibby is better than Cinder guard and Jack wrote back. He is. And I wrote back, this is a stunning text to receive. And I know you don't like Cinder guard that much, obviously, as we talked about about many times but i think it was the nicest thing you've ever said about kyle gibson are you turning on gibby are you are you coming to to our side here gibby he's gonna start a playoff game jack no he's not but um they get

to a seven game series he's gonna have to because you'd rather have gibby start winning cinder guard right uh yes 100 actually let's be honest let's be honest zach willer's gonna pitch on three days rest because he's roy holiday let's go yeah um although i mean blanton pitching that giant series so i guess and he was yeah and it worked out like can we can we let him hit too are we gonna do that no i don't i don't think so um well he won't pitch in the first round series but after that how real quick real quick i want to get to your thoughts and give you but like just like that was honestly like that was a moment for me where i feel like we've joked about like and talked about the playoffs so many times in this

pod but like i just made a joke about like the playoffs and i actually believed we were going to make the playoff yeah like that's like it's it's such a strange feeling. Anyway, give him his due. 100% we'll give him his due. Like 2 million percent. You know, it's interesting. Again, it's either he's just brutal or he's really, really good. And they got good Gibby on Friday. I loved how into it he was. You know, like he was jumping off the mound, like the bone play happened.

He's animated across the board. Like he does have some fire. We saw as soon as he got here remember that met series how into that he was when he got the hit and all that like he's he's got some fire when he's out there i love that yeah and and giddy's perfectly fine i think recently the thing that i've liked the most about watching him is i feel like he's using his change up more you know if if i was kyle gibson i would pretty much be sinker and then working my change up off my sinker i think if he has that plan against lefties he is is really tough to hit and he's done a better job recently of it seems that way he just he's done a

better job recently of when runners get on base just like not completely crumbling i mean that was the thing that was so frustrating was like he'd be good for really for four innings. And then like second time through the lineup, it would be like a runner gets on first base and bang, here comes three or four runs. It seems like that is happening less and less. So listen, I'll give,

I'll give Gibby his credit. He's a fine number four or five starter. I would prefer him to be my five more than my four. And man, after seeing Noah Cindergarten's first start i will i am much more appreciative of uh of kyle gibson well especially after we watch the rest of the series and see how the other pitchers handled that nationals lineup like the same lineup that like 11 hits in five innings and like it wasn't just the 11 hits.

It was also like every out to like, you know, everyone put the bat on the ball. There were so few swings and misses. And that's the thing with Gibby that like, is at least interesting is like, especially like there are nights when he's on, like,

you know, it's funny. Cause I'm looking at his game logs and like, you know, the, the, the game is pitch eight innings, one earned two hits.

Like he had six innings to earn the one before with only four. It's six innings, one run for it's a couple, eight innings, one earned, two hits. Like, he had six innings, two earned, one before with only four hits. Six innings, one run, four hits, a couple before. Seven innings, two hits, no earned runs. He's had eight innings, no earned runs. Like, he can go out and, like, be locked in on a night where he actually does have swing and miss stuff. Like, he has had 10 strikeouts in the game. Like, he's had some certain nights where, like, his stuff feels like – like and granted we have not watched cinder guard on the philly as much as here but you know jack has

watched a lot of of him on the angels and i've seen a few games this year on the angels and like it just doesn't feel like cinder guard stuff has the same like when gibby's locked in the same type of bite and and just kind of nastiness that gibby can call up on a certain night and if nothing else it does feel like you know you're right like gibby will have those nights where he's got a couple you know where six earned runs and and three innings or four innings or whatever but it it often feels like it's and this is somewhat anecdotal but you know we watch them i feel like it's like he runs into a bad inning and it's his own fault or whatever but like i feel like he'll be dealing for like three innings,

like looking great. And then I'll get to the fourth and I'll get one out and then I'll give up like six runs and it's three and a third, six runs. But like, he kind of just fell apart in an inning. But like, I feel like the,

the majority of innings that Kyle Gibson pitches for the Phillies are good more than bad. If that makes sense. Yeah. Although I can't believe you used Kyle Gibson and nasty in the same sentence. You know, that's not something I was expecting. He has been at times, though, right?

Okay, you're right. Nasty is strong, but nastier than you'd think. Is that fair? Yeah, again, I think he's fine. I think he's perfectly fine. What do you want me to say, that he's the next ace? I think he could beat Joe Blanton. All right, all right.

Can he beat Joe Blanton? Yes, I think he could be joe right can he be joe blanton yes i think he can be joe blanton for the future world series champion philadelphia phillies noah cinder guard the other hand i felt like i was watching an area to start now oh my god i honestly i think arietta like felt better well that was horrible i'll give i'll give him a little bit of a break i mean nine days off and then flying across country all that so we understand the human side of it totally although gives him missed like 10 days new spot and all that but also it does feel like that the way he is now with kind of like the the sinker stuff and like the slower fastball but you know it's still

95 it's not it's crazy so it just so to compare to where 94 night whatever like compared to what it was it just feels like he's the kind of guy who, you know, he's not going to be, you know, striking a bunch of guys out regardless, but it feels like he's the kind of guy who could really benefit from being in front of a good defensive team. You know, maybe the numbers could look a little bit better.

And look, the Phillies are better defensively now than they've been this season with the addition of Marsh and, you know, kind of the removing around the infield and getting Segura back and eventually, you know, kind of the removing around the infield and getting Segura back and eventually, you know, like the boom getting better and all that type of stuff. But it does feel like Syndergaard is defense dependent more than others. Yeah, definitely on those nights you want more Edmundo Sosa out there for sure.

Big time. As much defense as possible. And I do think that going forward with him, like the, the best, he's one of those guys where he's adjusting his arsenal. You know, he's,

he's not used to not throwing a hundred miles an hour and, you know, the kind of slider off of that. So, you know, I don't, I don't think the curve ball has been something he's used a lot in the past,

but if you look at all the numbers against his pitches this year, the curve ball has been his best pitch. So I wonder if going, like they've done a good job of changing up usages on pitches. Like obviously we know about the Alvarado cutter. We know about the Bellotti slider. Nolo was throwing a lot of cutters the other day. So I wonder if that's their new thing is the Cinderguard curveball

as kind of their secret weapon. I feel like he didn't throw it that much in his first start. So maybe that can be the thing that can get them to be useful. Yeah, and look, to the point we made about Brandon Mars coming here and being like, fix me, and he had a nice weekend. Two hits again yesterday, all that stuff. Same thing on the pitching side,

right? And to your point, we've seen them do it, but Caleb, go to work, man. Get the best out of this guy. And to your point, I do think that possibility is here. And look, you have a guy who's pitched in big games before you know he's been on good teams before so like you know there is upside with it but so far you know certainly not a uh inspiring first all right take back in a second uh shout out to miller light by the way uh always oh by the way i saw a couple people we saw at the Miller Lite High Hopes Watch Party out in Skipback at the Fish Show.

Shout out to Steven Malvern, who I saw. Met him at the High Hopes Watch Party. That was super cool. And I mentioned before, saw Philippe at the Fish Show. Happy 41st birthday, buddy. So good times. But we have some awesome stuff coming up. An event to tell you about in a sec. But first, Miller Lite Restaurant of the Week. shout out to our high hopes miller light restaurant of the week uh the buckets tavern in jenkins town jack for its name test uh that is in a 10 out of 10 buckets am i right jack like buckets tavern 10 out of 10 on the name test just sounds like a great time do you like that i i i spun the name test to a place instead of a person because it's always been people but i just used it on a

restaurant tavern bar place like i think that's you know it matters i like it i mean it just straight up matters buckets like who doesn't love buckets so shout out to buckert's tavern in jenkintown shout out i got family from my grandfather lived in Jenkintown his whole life. I love Jenkintown. A couple of nuggets for you from the Buckert's Tavern in Jenkintown. Classic neighborhood bar down in Jenkintown on West Ave. That's a nice spot down there. Again, a beautiful place.

It's a great place to watch. Phil's enjoy $3 Miller Lights. As always, thank you to Miller Lights. Celebrate responsibly official partner, the Philadelphia Phillies. And speaking of Philadelphia Phillies coming up, we've mentioned it before, but we're really getting there.

We are 18 days away. Jack for it's our next ring the bell night at Miller light, liberally landing at citizens, bang park Friday, August 26th versus the pirates. Seven Oh five. First pitch. We'll be in the Miller light lamb landing from 6 o'clock on.

Hanging out, if you know, we've been to those games. We basically just stay there the whole time and hang out with anyone who wants to come hang out with us. And rumors, Zoe and Emily Seltzer will be making an appearance at that game as well. If that is the kind of thing you're interested in, in meeting my daughter, who is the coolest girl on the planet, I'm just saying.

She will be there, I think. That's the plan. And we'll be giving out tickets on WIP, listen to WIP for ticket giveaways, and obviously we'll be telling you on the podcast how you can get those tickets. But honestly, August 26th, phillies.com. All you need to do is get a ticket to the game,

and we'll be there. So shout out to Miller Lite for all that. All right, Fritzy, take back it up, buddy. Oh, we'll take back it up. You shouted out a couple of listeners. I want to shout out one that I sent you that I thought was really cool, and that is Matt Wilcox. Oh, this was so cool.

Yeah, shout out to Matt. This is really awesome. Sent us a DM just about the podcast and how he got a shirt a couple years ago and again hope we can get shirts back um that would be be massive and i guess he used it as a goal to to fit into the high hope shirt and he's done it he looks looks looks like a snack in the high hope shirt so uh he looks amazing shout out jack i don't you know we don't talk about like because i was in high school time but i was like 50 pounds heavier in high school i weigh like anywhere depending on the day of the week from like 165 to 175 now i weighed 223

pounds in high school i know what it's like to have to lose a bunch of weight to go through that and all that and matt like you look at those pictures it's freaking to have to lose a bunch of weight to go through that and all that. And Matt, like you look at those pictures, it's freaking awesome, man. Like keep at it. You're doing amazing. You look amazing. And I know how hard that could be. So, um, just pro and the fact that Jack, the fact that like, even in the most ancillary way, just the shirt size that we sent him could that like this podcast could somehow have an impact on you know something meaningful like that like i don't know it's humbling it's weird i appreciate it it's like just so cool like i'm i'm blown away by it so thank you very very cool so shout out to matt um hopefully to see you at uh high hopes uh uh things soon um but i love that i love that like dobrowski spent what,

like three months watching his team and was like, you know what? I do need good defense in here. This is, this is like DD out. And DD was actually pretty good defensively this year, whatever. We haven't,

we haven't recorded since that have we, you know, shots DD, like we appreciate him here and stuff like that, but also shout out the Phillies for having the, like the old school Phillies. Don't just eat whatever it was three mil, four four mil whatever was left over the course of the year like they just don't do that like i i had so much respect for the phillies just saying hey we made

a mistake you know it's hurting our team we're not just gonna keep him because he cost us money like here you go like i really jack as someone again who's older than you and like watch the phillies for a really long time like I don't know about you but to me that felt like a very unfillies like they made three smart decisions in three straight days it was absolutely insane but yeah like they

just decided that defense matters crazy concept which is fun and Mundo Sosa dude he was so I never thought I would see a defender as good as Mundo Sosa again in, he was so – I never thought I would see a defender as good as Mundo Sosa again in a Phillies uniform. Like, it was ridiculous. Dude, it was ridiculous watching him the other night.

Like, the diving stop down third baseline was ridiculous. Like, just – I mean, you want to talk about probably one of the best defensive players I've ever seen suit up for the Phillies. I mean, Mundo Sosa's already in there. The other takeaway from the defensive side is like it's like there was a a pop-up to center field and stocks like sprinting back and then just like pulled up and i think he was just like oh wow he's just there that's a crazy idea brandon like brandon marsh is just there. I don't have to worry about it. Again, this is going to sound insane.

I think about Brandon Marsh a lot. I really do. I need a... Anyone who's ever listened to this podcast doesn't think that is insane. Actually, they think like, no, that sounds like something Jack would say. I think about him a lot. Just turning into a potential, him reaching his potential here. Like Kevin Kiermaier, but a better hitter?

Well, just the idea that the Phillies figuring out how to turn around a top 50 prospect into a possible all-star, that's something that matters a lot to me. That matters so much when I'm talking about and evaluating the future of this franchise. If they geton marsh back to what he was as a prospect like that's really important for the future of this team so yes brandon marsh is very very important to me but yeah i mean defense at at third base with sosa was insane stotters look pretty good segura's look good um going and

trading for marsh being able to put veerling in late in marsh and center field like all of a sudden their defense isn't as big of a worry as i think a lot of people had it uh how about bryce harper in the booth like just out of nowhere oh yeah i didn't i didn't mention it because i knew it would be here and i just left it in the holster because i was like this is definitely a problem take back like first it just comes out of nowhere. It's like all of a sudden, okay, Bryce is sitting here. And I was like, oh, cool, we'll do an inning. And then it's like five innings later.

Five innings later, he just nails it every single time. Like, he just, no matter what he does, he just gets it. He gets us. He gets this fan base. He knows what to say. He knows just... I love the way he talks about his teammates, you know, and his reaction to the Boehm homer I thought was really, really cool.

And the most important thing you said, James, is future shorts. I mean, I feel like I can just... Like, we can just announce it, right? Like, future shortstop of the Philadelphia Phillies, Trey Turner. Welcome to Philadelphia, Trey. We are happy to have you. We look forward to hopefully having you on this podcast someday.

We are super excited for the Trey Turner era. So, yes, yes, let's announce it. Trey Turner. We can just announce it. For Bryce to throw that out there, and honestly, for it to just feel so logical from a money coming off the books positional needs situation where this team is at like it just like it's like yeah like

yeah that makes all the sense in the world although turner good although i will say this gonna have to give up another second round pick to to sign them and that would be get over it pal very over it get over it crushed as much as i love nick castellanos trey turner you know a significantly better i mean trey turner is like a top 10 player in baseball type dude hey hey you know you know who wouldn't cost a qualifying offer in the second round pick carlos correa yeah but trey turner is better than carlos wow wow big take better big better he is he's better he's better let's be honest um also just uh to the price and the boost thing like it is really fun when you like because like especially for this pod i like i feel like it's the ethos this part of like you know we always talk about this pod. We don't have a curse on this pod.

I was about to say a curse, but we bleeping love baseball. We just bleeping love the Phils. We just love it. It's our thing and all that. Here, your star player, the guy who chose us, the guy who won an MVP for us for the first time in 15 years or whatever, 12 years, 14 years in our franchise as fans, all this stuff.

To hear him in the booth and just hear the youthful exuberance and just pure love he has for the sport that we love, I don't know. It just feels like, I don't know, it matters to me. It's like, oh, our dude loves this game and this team as much as we do and i don't know i don't know why it matters but it does jack well what a crazy concept maybe having broadcasters that care about the sport maybe that maybe that's a good way to grow the game rather than having a

commissioner who cares about this word that'd be nice every single old player that gets on there just rails against the modern sport like what a crazy concept people like listening to positivity about baseball um speaking of bryce harper uh where the hell is derrick hall gonna play it when when bryce harper comes back i mean is he just gonna be the matt stairs role um i don't think they can send him which you know you could do work no no no he's on the team no matter what yeah why wouldn't you i mean you're if you're trying like he's a massive pinch hit bat you can have. And look, like, you know, there are certain nights you could do things

to maneuver around the lineup. But I think when it comes down to it, in the end, yes, I think he's Matt Stairs when they make the playoffs. Yeah. It's been remarkable watching Derek Hall. Oh, that one, he, that one. Honestly, like, the dichotomy of his two homers on Sunday,

to be able to just muscle it that far out to the opposite field was just in and of itself incredibly impressive. But then the next homer to be able to pull it almost triple deck to right, it was just like, wow, man, like this guy's got some like real deal legitimate power. Yeah. Just keep hitting and increasing that trade value for the offseason. Very sorry. It does present like to your point before, you know, you know, moving forward this offseason and moving forward like the Reese thing is made more interesting by it it adds another layer to it because one way or

the other i think you can say that like either derrick hall or reese hoskins will probably be traded at some point you know so it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out you know yep so that's gonna be interesting uh for the offseason for sure but if he keeps hitting they don't leave a spot for him and they could possibly move him for like a bullpen arm so whatever um but for this year what a weapon to have off the bench right like what a weapon 100 100 uh dude real quick on some future fills i mean painter and dude i can't i can't you're the best i can't i can't freaking Mick Abel and Andrew Painter over the weekend. It's like, I like people make fun of like prospects and you don't get rid of them.

And you know, like, Oh, they're going to bust. And Oh, well remember Kyle Drabeck, dude, Andrew Painter is like in a different stratosphere when it comes to the Philly's prospects I'm used to seeing.

Like Aaron Nola is the best homegrown pitcher they've had since Hamels. And like, dude, Andrew Painter is on another level. And like, I'd love it. It's not even close prospect wise. Like not even close. I mean, it is a free and easy 97. He might be a top 20 prospect in baseball next year. Like he's like, that's a real chance. He might be the best 20 prospect in baseball next year like he's like that's a real chance he might be the best pitching prospect of baseball when it's all said and done

that's the point like yeah like in the next year or two like depending how long he's in minors like he's if he continues on this trajectory he will be one of those like top five top five prospect in baseball best pitching project baseball One of the two best pitching prospects in baseball. Like, yes, he is that level. I don't say this lightly. I really don't. I really don't say this lightly because he's my, one of my, well, obviously he's my favorite Phillies pitcher of all time. But, like, he's got Roy Halladay potential.

I'm just telling you. Oh, buddy. He has Roy Halladay. Matt, we get none of none of these like aggressive comps you make have ever gone wrong so i feel i feel confident he has a chance to be really holiday um you heard it here first uh we gotta do this i'm so sad um dude mickey gets a fresh start out in L.A. He hits two homers. Looks like good for him. Good for our guy. And freaking breaks his finger and is done for the year.

I know. Poor Mickey. Poor Mickey. I know. You just can't get your break. It's super frustrating. But we love you, Mick. You'll get there.

Keep plugging. Look, you showed you could do it. You went out to L.A. and started crushing. I believe it. There's no better place for him than L. it'll be perfect yep uh two more things here you know what sucks james i didn't realize this until the other day that if they make the playoffs as like the third wild card they don't get a home playoff game so i know is they need to win that first round well that's kind of why you know know, them passing the Padres and threatening the Braves is like a little like

precarious. Like ultimately you want them to, to, you know, be as good as they can, but like that third wild card and getting to face the Cardinals or Brewers and probably the Cardinals is such a better spot than having to face the Braves or face the,

the mats or whatever it's going to be, you know? But also I need a home playoff game. Me too. Well, they got to win a round. Well, Jack, the only way we're getting a home playoff game is they have to win the first round series. So let's hope for the best first round series matchup. Unless they catch the Braves.

Yeah. They could catch the Braves. Unless they catch the Braves. They could catch the Braves. And the final thing in a take back and for a long time listeners this podcast this is going to be a very important and very impactful statement but i feel comfortable saying it and i feel ready to say it and that is is that Dave Dombrowski is a better president of baseball ops and a better choice for this franchise than high in bloom would have been. Whoa, whoa, buddy.

Wow. Wow. Deny that. Why would I? I mean, right now, I mean,oston's floundering you know everyone's furious adam jimbrowski's building the front office like a freaking all-star like look to the point like i think hyam bloom is a a savant i think he's a super smart guy i think he knows how to win but he's also young and hasn't had the same experience like Like, Dombrowski is, like, if nothing else,

if you want to compare the two, the one thing you would absolutely immediately put in the Dombrowski checkmark or box or whatever is experience. And we've said this so many times, and it's the one thing that, you know, when he first came in, obviously we're always on board.

Long-time listeners know. Yeah, we never doubted Dombrowski. it he was not our he was not our disaster scenario no we were we were always in um but you know like the one thing we've been saying for a really really long time that has always been even since they hired him whatever else we said like the one positive we said is like this guy knows what a winning organization looks like and that for a phillies franchise that has not been a winning organization for a long time you know that matters it matters the infrastructure that you build the the phillies way thing that jack always talks about all that stuff like it matters so much and i think that that is that what we've seen in the the couple years and again that's

the impressive thing is look nebraska came in like right after the the pandemic season like right like in in this kind of weird off season leading into a strike like all this like kind of weird or right before the pandemic season all this like weird stuff that's happening like and he hasn't he's finally kind of like settled into this spot in this role in this team and and you know it's i think it's really exciting when he's building and um yeah honestly like as crazy it is is i i right now in this moment i'm happier we have dave jabrowski than high and bloom jack and happier than we have him than theo epstein that's a fact yeah well yeah especially more, not,

not, not because the Phillies don't have Theo because I need Theo to be available to take over for Rob Bamford, like enough already, like enough, enough, enough. Agreed. Agreed.

All right. Fritzy. Last thing I got for you before final thoughts. We're not going to dive into it super deep. You know, we don't, you know, great vibes, great time. We're not letting him ruin Fun Philly's fantasy. Again, we don't curse on the pot, but if I could curse, I would say Pete Rose is a piece of bleep.

And, you know, that's really all that matters. And, you know, that's really all matters. And I, you know, I think, I think they made a mistake bringing him back. It is what it is. It happened. I think the whole situation kind of sucks and it's a shame. I think from a baseball perspective, like, you know, obviously like he belongs in the hall of fame as a baseball player. He belongs like being honored as a player,

but you know what? Like just a bad dude. And, and sometimes as we've dealt with, you know, in recent years, like, you know, this is sports, this is our choice to have fun with this, to enjoy this. And like, sometimes, you know, I just don't want to like celebrate a crappy dude. So that's kind of my, you know, 32nd reaction to alumni weekend, Jack, I felt like we had to mention it, but it's just like, you know how we feel like we think it was dumb. We don't like the guy. Like, I don't really have more to say, you know, I'm it's, it's a shame it happened, but you know, I'm not going to, it did none of the, the, this team had nothing to do with it. And this, like this group of guys, and that's like what I'm into right now,

but it's a bummer. It sucked. Like, that's what I have to say. I don't like the guy. Yeah. And you know, I think Alice Coffey has been really, really good here. And I'm.

I think she's been phenomenal here, Jack. Like seriously, like she has done a outstanding, like the amount of scoops she's gotten, like in just interesting tidbits, the Schwarber toes, like all those things throughout the season, like for a first time reporter stepping into the beat and and walking right into the locker room like i think she's done a outstanding job covering the team this year i'm happy she's here yeah and frankly like the when i saw that quote i like it it crushed my soul it really did like i just i couldn't believe that's how you talk to

uh someone else and you think about alex you think about like, I think Destiny's awesome too. So, you know, shout out to them for covering this team. Like that, the 55 years ago, babe thing, it was so, so disappointing. And just, we've come too far as a society to be taken, you know, backwards. So, yeah, never again. Never again with with with Pedro. So but yeah, but this team is we're not letting him bring down the what was a great weekend. No, because he had nothing to do with it.

Look in the organization made a mistake and they shouldn't let him back. And they listen to their players and they listened to whatever and, you know, mistakes happen and I'm not going to, you know, indict them forever about it. It's, it's ultimately about,

you know, Pete Rose being someone who is not worthy of being celebrated in any way, shape or form. Like, yeah, he was a damn good baseball player, but so was Ty Cobb, you know,

so we're a lot of, you know, crappy people. And, um. And you can respect their career and the type of player they were without celebrating them, without giving them love, without praising them.

And I think that's what it has to be for Pete Rose, because he's clearly not a great person, or not even a good person. And just kind of accentuated this weekend, you know, to get this opportunity for him after all this stuff that's happened again, he should have never for the horrendous, you know, we're not even talking about the gambling, obviously, that the horrendous things he's done. it this way, like to not, you know, be humble and, you know, be, um, contrite and, and try and own his mistakes and try and, you know, accept his faults and his problems up and to instead go the other way and not just, you know, refuse to talk about it, but, but, you know, callously, you know, regard a woman in that situation. Like, you you know i want to bleep that guy that is my

take on it all right uh fritz final thoughts i look forward to beating sandy alcantara again this team finds a way to beat sandy alcantara yet again this week um cinder guard versus alcantara is definitely not the prime matchup. Only for Gibby. I mean, you know who dominates Alcantara? It's Gibby. Just saying. So, listen.

Marlins week. They're playing a lot of losing teams going forward here. I hate off days, especially when the fills are hot. But they'll be back tomorrow. It's amazing that we can just say the fills are hot. It's not a joke. Even doing that. Yeah.

Not a bit. Who let the fills get hotter? It's just the fills are hot. They're a good baseball team. They got 20 of their next 35 against losing teams. Like this is real. And it's really exciting. And,

uh, you know, finally, this podcast gets a chance to talk about a good baseball team what a freaking thrill um all right um my final thought is i'm super excited to actually get to go on this uh a real playoff run journey with the this community here like this is gonna be special and i can't wait august 26th, coming out with us. Let's celebrate. This is going to be super fun.

I'm just happy, man. I'm happy. Fritzy, finally. Finally, you can be positive and be over the top about this team. We're all right there with you, buddy. Yep. How about it? Yep. How about it? All right. We'll be back later in the week you spread some salt so we're talking soon