Rockies Series Expectations and Closing Thoughts

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On the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94 W I P ower singing high voice smiling through a break, and those I feel it'll less along . Yo It is another edition of Dios Podcast, sponsored by Miller Light, official partner of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taste Like Miller Time, Philadelphia. Celebrate responsibly. You called it. You said they were going to lose the Foster Griffin game and then win the next two. Don't think we saw it happening that way. No. Getting outscored by nine runs, but they won two and threes, I'll take it. Do they still have the worst run inferential on baseball? I mean, I assume so. They were at minus fifteen and they only went to minus fourteen by winning yesterday. Got a lot of work. Oh, so the White Sox lost ten nothing, so the White Sox maybe passed him 'cause they were low. So I think they might have the second worst. They're they're in the vicinity. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sandy. It's good. Good good Sandy. Sandy yesterday. Is he back? Yeah, might be. Did you see his post games? No fans were here, but we love them. We know they love us. I don't think they do, Sandy. I don't think they're there, Sandy. I actually felt bad for him. I was like, I did too. You gotta go pitch in a real mark. Like imagine pi being that kind of pitcher and just pitching in front of six six thousand people like there's thirty eight thousand thirty seven thousand yesterday yeah's one o'clock game one o'clock game against the one of the worst teams in the sport yeah they're a little frisky they're a little frisky. The'yre fast is what they are. They fly around like Nunez. We were like, all these guys move, man. Uh Nunez especially Nunez moves. The one guy who I gained probably the most respect for on the nationals this week that I I knew last year he was good, but I didn't like watch him enough is Dalen Lyle. That dude's awesome. He's good. He does a lot of things well. I mean, like hitting he's hitting what 340 since since last year, and he's super, super fast. Like the it's one of those things you have you seen that Dan Hurley clip that's been going around about what I'm talking about, so you're not talking about the post game stuff. Which one are you talking about? Okay. Yeah. No, I'm talking about in twenty twenty when he said he better get us now. Like no, I haven't seen it. That's how I feel about the nationals. Like, I think the nationals are gonna be the problem of the twenty thirties. Great. Just so you want to hear well and the Mets are gonna be an issue too for a long time because they have the I've been reading a lot about uh the best pitching development teams in in baseball and the Mets are very widely regarded as as Oh yeah, McLean and Tongue and they got dudes coming. Yeah. Yeah, they got more coming. It's all right though. It's all right. We got we got gotham. No, but uh the the Nats, I was impressed by their uh their friskiness, their friskiness, and their clearly just want to single theme to death and then be annoying. Oh, yeah. They're gonna be annoying all year. They are annoying, and you know what? That is uh like the speaking of sing ling to death. I look, we got homers yesterday, a couple big ones from JT and Bryce. Yeah . They won two and three, which is good. I think my biggest concern came out the first, and it's only six games, you know, but but it was something we were worried about coming in and it's something you talked about in the afternoon show on the last pod, like the lack of power. Like with I'm shocked they came back yesterday. It was a miracle when they were by one of us like, well, pack it up. And they came back, skin of their teeth. They got there . They really don't hit the ball at the ball. No, it makes you it makes you really appreciate the oh eight nine . Totally. We got like like people talk about worth as like a oh and they had Jason Worth. It's like, no, they had Jason Worth. Like that dude was freaking awesome. His 2010, he hit thirty seven, thirty, yeah, somewhere in that range. Yeah. I would dude, you said it last podcast, and I haven't stopped thinking about it. Cassiano's third on team of home runs last year. And Max Kepler, who was on PEDs, was was hit 17. I mean 18 and 17. Those are the numbers. I know. So, like, yeah, it's why, it's why one of the things that I want to talk, my my my headline of the podcast. Ooh, I love a good headline for a podcast. Oh, I don't know. See, this is if you're not watching the video, you're missing out on the the little face thing that Fritz did. I was in on that right there. Yeah. The headline of my po of the podcast today that I I felt walking in is on the power thing. It's why Adoles is the is the biggest like swing guy for this team when when it comes to reaching their ceiling. Because uh no matter how they pitch the first week, I think the rotation's gonna be really good. Lazardo will be fine. I'm not at all concerned. Yeah. I mean honestly that painter start was that all like how good he was was a bigger thing for me than how Lazardo or Noah looked on the other side. Totally. It was a very reassuring start that I cannot wait to talk about. But so the starting staff, I think it's gonna be fine. Bullpen, some of the guys who either be really good have gotten off to a bad start. I mean, Keller, I was shocked that ball went outlet yesterday. I thought that was off the end of the bat. He could have been out of it, you know, with the tray plays bang, bang, whatever. I think Keller's fine. Uh Bowlin's fine otherwise, yeah. Bolin's fine. Yesterday was a jam shot, two jam shots, and a guy still a base. Whatever. It it happens. Bacchus might not be as good as as we thought, but I think as we discussed, Mesa stuff is really on the uptick. Alvarado in a low leverage spot. I don't care. It was nine-two. So I think the bullpen's gonna end up rounding into form. It's it's the offense. It's always gonna be the offense. And the one thing that I don't see getting better is in the power department. It's why Adoles if he can do it, if he can be a looks great. I mean he looks really good. You like see him take a few more pitches and walk a little bit, but he's he looks really good so far. Yeah, I feel like that's putting unrealistic just just hit the ball. He's hitting the ball hard. As long as he hits the ball hard, that's what I that's what I care about. And he's he is a uh clear I know he had the one mistake play, but he is a clear upgrade in right field. That ball hit down the right field sideliner . Like that's a double against Cassianos , maybe a triple every time. And he got there like with a few steps to spare, like he covers ground out there. Yeah, I was standing where we stood for Bedlam. So I had like a so you had a good view of it. I I thought it was a lock double. But off the bat, I was like, well, it's a double. And he got there. He got there. Off the bat, I and just tracking I was like is he is he really gonna get there? Yeah I was I was really impressed with that and he yeah so the floor we knew with his defense was always gonna be fine good it was always the bat that was the question and he is you're gonna like this. Fourteenth in baseball with uh in in in uh balls hit ninety-five plus miles an hour. Fourteenth in baseball. That's a good stat. That's a great stat. That's good. That's a big stack. And I will say, like, and you saw with the soza play, I know they're best friends and all, but like there he does bring and even when he hit that the um was it the double on uh uh Tuesday or whatever with like he gets like basically let's ooh like he's got he does bring something this team does not have and has not had that they desperately need. And I think it's only gonna continue to get better. I agree. And when he gets to know the guys more and get to be a part of the group and all that more. And I do think that right now what you're seeing with him is I think he's still getting adjusted to the the swing changes where you hope that as the summer goes along then the power starts to come. I think he's trying to get a swing down so like he's making better contact and things like that. And then as the the season goes on, then he's gonna start feeling more comfortable unleashing on baseballs. So but he is so important from the standpoint of you know what the big three are probably gonna be, whether you whether Harper's a little power up, power down, average up, hopeful. Like who knows? There could be like a little bit different type of player, but we'll see. Schwarber's gonna be in the 40s, probably. Uh Trey's whatever. I mean, 20 plus. It's not it's not I mean from the standpoint of like fifteen. I mean from the standpoint of you know those guys are are good hitters. Yes. What's been kind of disappointing at the beginning of the season is well bone looks exactly the same. Exactly. Uh stott has Can we can we do a quick I know it's six games in, but the the spring training thing. Yeah. I mean well some matter, some don't. But Marsh had a disastrous spring. He's been their best hitter so far. And you know, start and boom, crushing it in the spring. Yeah. Now, now. Adolie showed some signs in springs in spring. I want that pointed out. Okay. Want that pointed out. Put that on your little resume. So again, it's not everything. You give cherry pick them. Yeah. But it's also not nothing. Okay. And chase the lauder. Hopefully he's fine. But he was great and spraying and translated. So I knew I listen, I I start preparing some things. I can I can feel like coming a mile away. You know what? And guess what, bud? I've been thinking it's getting it. I know too. I know I can tell. I can see it in your And you know what, pal? I appreciate it. But guess what? This is never changing. Okay, good. We're gonna react strongly. Keep it consistent. It's good. Crawford. Crawford. You look like you looked the part in spring training. It's translating over to to the the to the big league level so they put that in your little pipe and smoke no but uh it is disappointing that bone looks like dude him getting him getting jammed again and hitting the little uh you know, dinky pop up the second base, it's like oh get ready to learn Kansas City. Oh my just go be a freaking royal next year. You're I don't Aiden's back could never heal and and you can go learn KC bell. So and then start. Yeah, it's disappointing. I will. We're hopefully still believing in that. Six games. Six games, six games, six games, six games. So six games. But Adoles is fourteenth and ninety five. But that matters. That's important. No, but but if he can and and by the way, I'll give I'll give six four three, I'll give him this month, but hopefully with May around the corner, we can get a double's up there to four. Just swap them. Yeah. Go down to sixth. It was a fun six four three the other day from six four three. Oh, it was perfect. It was a d the most locked six four. I turned downly, I'm like he's gonna end there double flag. I was like, I bet my life wanted and you just feel it. The Phillies the there's there's a couple things you feel the the funniest part about re-entering a Philly season is in the in the off season you forget. In the off season you forget everything. And then once you watch him again, there it is. I know this so well. There it is. This feels so familiar. There it is. The the JT double plays, the Bohm double plays, like I know that in my in my bones, what is about to happen. And it's gonna be back. It's gonna be back. But like if we can get a Dollies up to four 'cause he almost feels like a waste at six. He's just down there, and sure, you want Thump down there, but I want him up at four as long as he continues to look at the part. And you know what ? I don't want to put him one. I think the the talk about putting Crawford at one is Premature. Give the give the kid a chance to settle into his major league career. But I also don't want him batting nine. No, I know, but for now I'm good with it. I think keep it here. Let him get settled. He's six games in five games, even play a game, five games into his major league career you think that him having that off day allowed him to be fresh for that game of course what else could it be yeah I couldn't believe he got thrown out on that Brady House play when I know unreal yeah I was like beat that out yeah but I do think that five might be a good spot for Crawford. Wow, that was I mean I j I can't go there yet. I know I'm not saying right now. But look, he looks apart. There's no question he looks apart. We're talking May. This is this is where the April, you can have your little fills. We're gonna go once May rolls around, Adolie Spats four. Here's my case for Crawford five . Is he's that like pesky little gnat in the middle of the lineup that they haven't really had since Segura. Like he's the first first hitter like Segura they've had since Segora. Like they have high average guys, but they don't have they don't have like ability to put bad on the baseball and totally. Stock kinda can, but I feel he's not so it's like Trey led the league in batting last year and we we're not saying Trey. It's a perfect example of what you're talking about. Like and Trey can put the bat on the ball, but he strikes out a lot. He has bad at bats. It feels like and it five games into the career it feels like Crawford it like it almost feels like he's there's no real bat at bats with him like he's he's always finding a way to kind of put the bat on the ball or to you know, he doesn't look foolish up there. Uh-uh. And even against lefties, which I know they did the nonsense the other day of putting Marsh in there against the lefty, although Marsh did get a hit. But like if because nine, it you're almost wasting his speed in a way, because you don't really want him running with Schwarber and Harper after Trey, yeah. So if you put him five, he could run more. He could theoretically run more. He could be like the second leadoff hitter if he wanted. Uh and and he can be someone in the middle of the in the middle of the order that can kind of extend it and put together a good at bat, put a bet on the baseball. Um so I just I kind of watch a team and it's like it always feels like a waste at six and Crawford kind of feels like a wasted nine and I would like to see Bowman him flip flop it's stop that's knife. No I get it. I and I do think the the best argument for it outside of the you know what you just made is the idea that it's like it's stuck batting five. It's not like he's displacing, you know, Randy Arosa Arena, who's batting five in Seattle, or whoever you want to pick someone who's like a good hitter with an established NF M MLB career as a hitter. Like he's replacing Brayson Stott, who we don't even know if he can hit in the major league level. He's only in flashes. So I do think that's part of it. I will say I think it's you know I think it is an overall concern for the ball club that we're talking about the 22 year old rookie. It's like, oh, he should hit fifth. I mean, that's not that's not what you want from a from a rest of the lineup perspective. But look I I it's compelling and it makes a lot of sense. When kid when well sometimes when the kids are ready to go, you gotta let them go. Let them go. You gotta let them go. So we gotta get to get Aiden out there. You know, we just just just start playing. Maybe we can start working you into that second base. Get our eyes on it. If your skin, or honestly your nervous system, feels a bit overwhelmed, this is your sign to simplify. I've been reaching for Primary Pure's Blue Tansy products anytime my skin feels reactive, irritated, or just angry. Blue Tansy is naturally this beautiful sky blue oil that helps calm redness, inflammation, and dryness almost immediately. And you feel it working. What I love is that this isn't just skincare, it's a full head-to-toe ritual. From their cult favorite blue tansy deodorant to their soothing collection and body oil, everything is designed to work with your body, not against it. 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You wanna go bryce first or painter first ell uh well what's the Bryce thing? I just want to check in see if it's he had the because look if we if if he doesn't at that home yesterday win or lose, we're talk like we're talking it's only six games we're talking about Bryce. We're talking about the the sub 100 average, which it would have been if he didn't homer, sub 100 average and no homers and all that. And that was a big Homer. And it was a no doubt Homer, like he got it. It wasn't a you know Dolus's one like it just clears, like that was a home run. Yeah. Off a lefty. But it has, you know, it still has felt like the Homer was big, just like the WBC, but it has felt a lot like the beginning of the WBC for him, where it's just felt like Harper has not really been able to get in a groove of any kind whatsoever to the point where until he had that Homer like in that game, I felt more confident with Random Marsh stepping the plate in that moment than I did Harper, just the way he's looked the first six games of the season. Yeah, so so obviously the first five, the first five games were just just dreadful. Awful. And really, really I love my job, right? It's hard to make us not enjoy coming into work, right? Well, it's been a bad month for I know. It's been your maybe worse than the worst one my of my of professional career. And um I know when you text me that you're not listening to the morning show, I know you're in a bad spot. I haven't listened to the morning show. I can only imagine. Why would you? A long time. Yeah. But I get all the updates. But the um no, it's been f uh uh almost cursed. It's been an unbelievably that really shows where you've been been at. It's unbelievably annoying week. Like everyone's like Bryce Done. Bright. It's like, okay, take it easy. And also the ballpark's absurd about Bryce right now. It's tense there. There's there's it's weird. Again, he didn't say I'm an elite player. The the general manager this one of the issues with what he said. He actually said not elite word t-shirt. What he said and why this was an issue is that now the ballpark's gonna be like, see you're not elite, which whenever he gets out, which is one of the dumb things that they did. But regardless, so the the thing that was sinking him early in the season was I thought he was jumpy, like every at bat, his feet were moving all over the place, his ass was in the first base, dugout, like just moving all over the place, way too many moving parts. And what was encouraging about yesterday, and I hope that he can sustain it, because for some reason he just, I don't know why it happens, but he loses balance for some reason. I thought yesterday the swing looked more connected and he looked much more on balance, and that's why that home run happened. Even early in the game, he's he he hit that ball to left field it was at least on a line and relatively hard it wasn't like a uh like a sad fly no we've seen plenty of sad fly lost of them yeah from him so far this year him getting him going the other way, thinking the other way at le,ast being on that pitch, I thought was a good sign. He worked better at bats yesterday. He struck out in one of them, you know. But I think what was encouraging about yesterday is that the balance in his swing was there and it looked how it looked in spring and it looked how it looked in the first two games of the World Baseball Classic exp exhibition games where it was just free, easy, on balance, smoking the baseball. And like I'm heading into this Rocky series expecting Bryce to to really break out. Like I was very concerned the first four or five games of like, oh my God. You know, I mean that's that's the thing that kind of hit me. But I think yesterday was a good reminder of okay, there's still there's still ability in there. And I I do think that getting on balance and not jumping all over the place and not being jumpy jumpy uh is is the key here and hopefully that he can translate it into the series and yeah yeah I think it was really big they won the game because he had the out in the was it the ninth or whatever we didn't come through. I think his homework contributing the win like was was important. It was a good thing. Look, it's one of those things with Bryce, and it's something we talked about a lot with the not elite comments on that. Is that look, he's 33 years old. He's gonna be 34 in October. Like he is changing as a player. Like he's not as good as he was at 27. Like that's what happens, you know? And I think it's one of those things where whenever he goes through these stretches now, particularly, you know, after the offseason, all that it's like we're always just going to be concerned about is he losing it? You know? And that's and again, I think to your point, that's kind of one of the issues with why like the big problems that come out of this Dombrowski thing. Like the the fact that to your point, the ballpark is more tense than it should be when Bryce is batting. The fact that we are talking about this at a uh much more frequent clip, the fact that everyone is attuned to the Bryce at bats and how does he look and how does it like it just it placed more pressure on Bryce than he already had on him. And he already had so much pressure on him to begin with. And we already know how much pressure he puts on himself. Yeah. I think that that that at the end of the day, and I know there are people like it could be a good thing. Like I think this was a bad thing, like full stop because of the fact and look, Bryce can move through it and we'll move forward and all that. But I do think there is unnecessary pressure on Bryce in the ballpark and just period that didn't have to be there. I totally agree. And and hopefully now got the first one out of the way. Yeah, I think that was a big one. And and I think going on the road now and kind of getting out of the ballpark is a good thing, going to the best hitters ballpark there is, like all that. And then straight to Oracle. Yeah. Where where dreams go to die. Oh my God. I hate that place. But he's gonna be playing in front of Tony V, which is gonna get a very excited. That's true. He loves Tony V. Sure. Tony V very odd first week for weird. The Giants are weird to start the year, yeah. What's every tell is like acting as if losing opening day in the first two games were like the drastic. Yeah, I know. And every one of his players is like, just calm down. Can we real quick too? Uh and we'll get to painter, but can we real quick since we're the topic of managers? And I know he is the youngest, they said it. The nationals manager and pitching coach , I know I'm old now and all that. It looks like there are children running that team. It is that is is unbelievable how young both those guys are. It was like a stunning to me. It looks like they picked them out of the crowd. It's unb it's like they met like a kid, uh kid can come manage for the day. It's crazy. It's the new uh it's the new uh Here Henry Roan Garner? Yes. Yes. That's that''ss he managing the national. Oh so Emmy Ron Garner's rookie of the year. It's the the Minnesota 20th. Little big league. Little big league. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. That's what it is. You're right. It's a yes, that's what it feels like. It's crazy. I just I had to get the on project to come because they the manager himself and then the pigeon coach I'm like, You look just as young. What is happening right now? Well, and then now again, one of the funniest parts about getting older is the the players that you remember are now base coach. I know Jankowski's the first person. I know, I saw, yeah, for the Rangers. Wow. And then I thought Jankowski was the pitching coach. Uh for the National He looks like him. I thought it was Thor for a second. Yeah, where is tinier, much tinier, but he looked like Thor. Who could forget? Game five starter. You know, what a good time that was. Game five starter. No, Noah Cindergaard. One of the most cooked players I've seen physically wear a Phillies uniform. Such a shame. Yeah. So um no, this really young. So painter. Yeah, let's get to painter. Oh, thank God. I mean thank god. I mean, just he was awesome. Oh, he was great. And you know, and a lot of the stuff you taught, and again, it's just one start, but a lot of the stuff you were concerned about in spring with the fastball and stuff, like wasn't an issue in the first, or at least wasn't big an issue. I mean he was getting he was getting swing and miss on that stuff. Uh not on the fastball, but like the the the the the fastball looked better. It looked like it had the kind of ride up and a little bit of life at the end. Well cut little cut little cuts on that But I think the biggest thing that changed between Spring Painter and Painter's first start was in the spring. I think he was still trying to use the fastball all the time and like because he he thought he had it still. And I think what happened with the national start is he just picked . He used his entire arsenal. And it's like it's so rare for a 22-year-old to be able to do that. Like we see 22 year olds come up all the time, but it's usually power fastball, wipe out slider and and the league will adjust and they'll they'll walk a lot of guys. With Painter, there's so many at bats that he just flipped over a curveball, started with a slider. And it got every hitter off the fastball. And it was encouraging late in the start when it'd be two oh, two one, three-one, pure hitters counts. He it's a fastball count, and they're still late on it because they they know the threat of because they couldn't throw the fastball of the other pitches. And the slider graded out is the best pitch. It kind of checks out. I mean, it like it's it starts in the same plane as a fastball, it's hard pitch and then really dives. So like that's the value in his slider. And I watched him, you know, first time on a big lead mountain. By the way, what a moment. Feels like we talked about Andrew Painter for forever, a decade. And he's just I was I walked to the ballpark and I was and obviously I knew he was pitching, of course, but just it's like he's actually pitching for the Phillies, which is it feels like it's been forever that we've been dreaming of this day. And he's just there, and Dan Baker was unbelievable announcing his name and like he takes the field big over basically. So big too. He could feel big. Like, yeah, there are a lot of big pictures, but he feels big out there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And and and then going back, I went and rewatched the start because I was there for the first four and things. So I don't I yeah, I got yeah, we gotta lock in and get a real view, yes. And I feel I this is this is my my my comp for Andrew Painter. Like floor, the floor for me is a better version of Efflin . Like stuff-wise, it looks similar. I think eventually Painter will use that sinker more. I think through one sinker that was dis gusting. Yeah. And I think he only threw five on the day. But I think as he gets older and goes through the the lead a couple times, he's gonna get more comfortable with that pitch. And I think it's gonna be a real weapon. So I think floor could be Efflin. But I tell you what, I watched him . I saw Doc. Oh no. Like I just I saw Doc. Doc Gooden? No No . The changeup plane was the exact changeup plane that happened. Doc Holiday? That he used to throw it on. The curveball kind of a get-me-over pitch, but could also bury it when he needed to. The slider, same shape as as as docks. Once he starts using that synchron ic, that's gonna be, and then the fastball it cuts a little bit. It's the Doc Arsenal. It's the Doc Arsenal. I felt like I was watching Doc reincarnated. That's what it was. That's who he was. I'm telling ya. That's who he reminded me of. Now it could take a little while. It's gonna take a little while. Just like it took with Doc. Okay. Yeah. It did. You got sent back to the miners and something. I don't think that's gonna happen with Andrew Painter . But really impressed by like the command of five pitches at twenty two and I think sort of just scratch in the start for now I don't think he's gonna get eight strikeouts if we start in five the nationals too or not. And also like I like I, do think he was set up in the best possible spot. We've watched enough baseball to know that when a team puts up thirteen runs one night, they usually don't put up thirteen runs the next night. Like it just feels like they kind of take off a little bit. So I think it was a good spot for him, but regardless. There's gonna be more pitch to contact. But it was encouraging. I mean, no one no one hit a ball over 100 miles an hour off of him. You know, there he generated soft contact. He struck a bunch of dudes out, and I just think that I think he's sort of just scratching the surface. And the Arsenal the Arsenal looks like that. All right, before we get to the take back, uh we talked about the bullpen. Any other thought I we just kind of went past Nola and Lazaro. You said you weren't too worried, but just quick thoughts on anything, anything there, anything like Lazaro, just no worries at all. Because I'm not, but I'm just no, and I thought it was encouraging said the stuff was the bad pitch. Yeah, they get home runs, exactly. We talked about that, yeah. Yeah. And Sanchez yesterday, the fact that he didn't I don't think he had a I don't think yeah, not even close. Yeah, you could tell. And he walked what three guys in the first three innings. So unlike him. Ended up with four. And even the running gave up. I mean, it was you know on the throw to first and all like in the weird glove lock of the base thing or whatever it was. That was a weird call. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um and with Sanchi, you can you can like his slider does look more like like he threw it way more with intent yesterday, I felt, and even in the first start, I thought I thought he threw it with more intent. But it it it moves more like Lazardo's now. I really do think I did this in my my tinfoil hat theory. Mm-hmm . That like last week of spring. I don't know why I took it to the last week of spring. Maybe they get back from the WBC. They sat down. They just compared notes. They said, Hey, like Zeus said, Hey, Chris, how do you throw that change up? And he said, It this is how I throw it. And he said, Hey Zeus, how do you throw that slide? There it is. They look like the same thing. I mean, why wouldn't you converse with your teammates about the day that's how it used to happen? Now they got the the wrap soto cameras and everything and it slows it all down. Back in the day, I mean uh you know, Mariana Rivera taught taught Halliday the the the cutter at All-Star game in 2008. It's unbelievable. Didn't didn't didn't turn back. So and many are saying painters arsenal reminds them of Roy Halliday. They are say I heard that somewhere. I don't know why you kind of dozens of people are saying it . Dozens of I like the the the scale of better Zach Efflin to Royal . It's quite the scale. It's it's floor versus ceiling. That's good. It's a vintage the vintage sports sports conversation. No, it's really good. Really good. It does remind me of Efflein. Open up with the bad knees. Yeah, I guess already hurt by the way. Is he really? Yeah, yeah. Is he still at the race? No, he's in the Orioles. Oh, I knew that. I knew that was that resign in the South I knew we went to the Orioles. I knew that. I didn't. The didy resign in this offseason. Okay. So I'm Spencer and I work at United Healthcare. So Spencer, why do you care? 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Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try it at progressive dot com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. Um No, I mean, starting staff-wise, I mean I'm you know excited to see the uh the Italian bowl tomorrow night versus you know Loren zen versus Nola. I mean two two pure born in Italy uh Italians facing off in in Colorado. So that'll be fun. But no, there's there's no sweeping conclusions. The one bullpen guy who might not be as good as I thought was Bacchus, but even Zach Pop had a good little ending after. Yeah, after a tougher one than one before. Everyone's ready to give up on old old Bob. Poppy. Poppy. Yeah. You like Popper? I like Poppy better. Poppy's pretty good. Yeah. I like Poppy. Yeah. Kirk and Kirking had a weird inning in Lehigh Valley. Technically gave up a run, but their the left field wall was 300 feet. And it let what it like hit off the wall that would have been caught, I think, anywhere else. 300 feet. 300 feet? Where is that? Uh they were in Dorum. It'd be nice to be a right-handed hitter in Dorum, huh? Right-handed power hitter in Dorham? Junior Caminara. That's right. Is that where he goes? That makes sense. He's doing the majors too, though. Yeah, he's pretty good. 40, 40 something moment Yeah, I mean I don't have like a crazy amount of things in the take bag. Uh uh our good pal Justin in Tennessee both called me last night and texted me. Make sure he wanted me to bring up his nephew Brady Smith. Shout out. He's starting tonight for he's made the the the debut . He's starting the season for the Ontario . Is he still a Dodger, Brady Smith? Yes, he is a Dodger. What the heck is there? He sent me the The Tower Buzzers. Ah. Ontario Tower Buzzers. Dude, there 's so many great Meyer League names. Yeah. Now unbelievable. The logos, the names, it's all so great. Did you know there was an Ontario, California? Nope. Oh, I thought you were talking about Canada. I know. It's California. How about it? I didn't know. Yeah, I definitely thought you were talking about Canada. I know. Okay. Yeah. Tennessee guy in Ontario. I don't know. I don't think that fits. Yeah, I don't know. So he's pitching tonight at nine thirty five, if you want to watch on the call MLB that too, yeah. I won't even be up at the Phillies Giants game on Monday and Tuesday, let's be honest. Are they 947? 945 or something, yeah. Ain't gonna work for this guy. Ain't gonna work for this guy. Looks like I'll be sleeping in the luckily the Rockies on the the now only one night game is 840, but it's Saturday, so I can watch it. Um definitely watching that. I can't wait. God, I hate the series in in in San Francisco. Oh, it's the worst. Already dreading it. It's the worst place. Like it is there a worse place for the village? Like I can't think of one, right? Like just Arizona is not great. We don't love going to Arizona. P C for uh disproportionate. But I think Oracle's gotta be it. Oh, yeah. Well the uh even back in the heydays. Yes. I feel like we've never played well out there. No, they've never played well. It's it's horrible. It's uh the Patrick Bailey walk off last year. Oh yeah, the p oh my god, that was the worst movie. With the umpire that retired. I forget his name. He was horrible though. Angel Hernandez? No, he's he was after Angel, already retired. This guy was older than Angel. Oh good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did you, by the way, did you see the C B It's been a tough week for C B it Yeah, it's missing 88%, only getting eight percent of schools, right? U I think a lot, you know, a lot of times people will make grandiose statements and be like, this is the best ever. This is the worst ever. This is whatever. I actually a lot of people say I actually think it's the worst call in baseball history. Which one? The C B Buckner first base call. Oh, is it worse than uh you said he missed the bag? He likes his whole foot gets on the bag. He like wasn't even looking. It is look, let's put it this way. I don't have a worse call. It's as bad a call as there's it's worse than the Galaraga call. At least like that was close kinda. Like this the guy stepped on first. He said he didn't have on the bag. Like it's the replay shows his full foot. Like it wasn't like he glanced the bag. Like his whole foot comes down in the bag. He's like, he didn't touch it. It's crazy . I am pretty out on ABS, by the way. Oh, all right. Let's battle here. Pretty out. I love it. Why? Why wouldn't you love it? They're getting calls, right? It's shaming umpires when they need to be shamed where they like i know uh la was talking about he's like i don't think there'll actually be any accountability there should be i agree with you accountability on umpires well because uh see buckner fransky brought up how bad he's been and how many calls have been overturned. And he's like at a certain point they have to stop him from calling balls and strikes, right? If that with this ABS system where it's like you can prove that he is, you know, has eight wrong calls a game compared to like one or two or whatever. Like isn't that a way to get and LA was like, nah, like nah, there'll never be any accountability. I don't think that I should get him out. But I do like that that C.B. Buckner is getting publicly shamed in the moment. And on top of that, like it's super quick. Publicly shamed. Yeah, yeah, when you deserve it, get publicly shamed. It also it's like that. It's so quick. I like the idea of having to make the split second call. You could screw your team over, their strategy to it. Like do you like in the first inning, you missed the call? What a disaster. It's fun. What's wrong with it? No, it's it's the one that feels the most Mickey Mouse to me. Oh, I feel so I don't disagree. I disagree. I like it that at the home team cheers if they get the call. Oh man, I the one that I hate is uh you know, you get the big strikeout, it's like, oh everyone, hold on, and you tap the frickin' helmet. I just eh it's like I I know it's not going anywhere. It's like I'm I think it's I think it's great. I think it's I think it's elite. I think it creates fake entertainment. It's like on board, buddy. Just like at baseball, I get it. Uh basketball can learn from baseball. Every change they make is great. Well that didn't what a what a turn that is for baseball. Right. I know. All of a sudden. It's funny because I do I dislike him in general and I hated the hunk of metal comments and all that. But like I know. Rob Manfred kind of having a decent, especially when you compare him to Adam Silver, who is as bad a commissioner. I mean Gary Bettman is in his own, you know, two workshops a lot. But Adam Silver's been an absolute disaster in the NBA. You compare the two. Like me for it. He's a the last guy look at it. Post post-COVID. He's he's been a different like it actually is actually making changes that are good for the fans. Like what a crazy thought that is. He's got one thing left to save his legacy, and that is don't have a work stoppage. Yeah, no, if you're right though. And you know, look, he's he's been through it. You can know he was there with ceiling in the in 94 or whatever. You know, he knows that side. 145 games. Whatever. You see the the war chest that the players have? Oh, I can only I can only imagine up to 500 million good for them compared to the 275 they had last night good for them so they're they're they're ready they're preparing us to play they're ready they're ready so it is Christmas morning it's Christmas morning. The minor league season starts tonight. I was wondering where this is going. You kidding me? Ah, I can't wait, dude. So so the it's so the Lei games that they pitched. Sorry, sorry. The rest of the minor league. Okay. Okay, gotcha. So that's weird. Redding and gotcha. Okay, so just triple A started. Yeah. Gotcha. Reading, Jersey Shore, uh , low A, all the stuff. Clear water. And just this is this is everything for you. Well, it's it's it's both off David the Phil, too, so you can just fully lock in. Oh my god. Boys better be asleep by seven forty. Oh, that's right. Yeah, because I got to mess around tonight, boys. I got a lot of lot of Sorry, Walker Sutton. Can't read your bedtime story. Gotta go watch the Clearwater Thhrasers go crush it. Well, I tell you what, that Thrasher's pitching staff . They are friggin' awesome. They are freaking awesome. You know who's on the you know who's on the Thrhesers pitching staff? Yeah, I I would say have I heard of any of them, but I'm a member of this pod, so I'm sure I have. Yeah. So on them on the Threshers pitching staff is Gage Wood, uh Ober Mueller, uh Balker, Youngerman, Craig, Pacheco, who I love, and Brian Walters. I Isaac Pacheco. No, Brad Pacheco. Okay. Everyone knows him. 98 miles an hour. But um , but just being back and like I live and die with every single box score. And then if one of my guys has a moment, I go back and rewatch it because I usually don't get to watch it live because I'm watching the Phillies and then you're watching it on a grainy tape usually, you know, and and the the the announcers' mics are always peaking. You know, they never just are are oh yeah great mics you know not a shot at you know jake starr or sam jel nik who we love but not their fault not their fault the infrastructure is not their fault it's just you know it's just minor it's it's appeal of minor league baseball everything's peaking at all times. L'ets you know get some good mics down there. But just living, dying, and checking the box for it and stressing out if like Nori goes over four. And it's like, well, is he even that good of a prospect? Oh man. The mental highs and lows. When they get two hits, it's like, oh my gosh. We're we're back. So there's an exciting. I can't imagine being in your brain. I just I can't imagine it. So Clearwater, the Clearwater guys, I'm looking forward to. I just mentioned the pitchers. Yes. Only two hitters. Their hittings might not be great. But Griffin Burke Older is healthy. That's exciting. Know that name. I can't wait. Know it. I'm ready. Dude, I need him to have a good year. And then Nate Humphries was an on-drafted kid last year who uh works good at bats and does, you know. Love a good bat worker. I don't know if he's actually good, but he's a lease semi-injury. Ward guy, maybe. Jersey Shore is gonna be pretty bad until he 's a TV show? No. Oh, okay. The blue clock. Until some of the Clearwater kids, you know . But uh Luke Gabrich is a name to watch there. St. Joe's kid. He's in the building for Bedlam with the Bank Big Phil's fan. Oh just missed it apparently. So just missed catching it. Yeah. Oh, so he's out there and he's in left field. So he's uh a real Philz fan. And love that. And I love that. Yeah. It's a he's a he's a one 's listener. I don't know. Should be. You would think I'm still waiting for I'll be there's no other pod talking about him, I'll tell you that much. Still waiting for one high hopes listener to get drafted. For real, right? No, Kurtz is probably the closest one. Yeah. I think the Kurtz family listens to the big deal. But the best rookie in the league last year, no big deal. Him tome. One of the best rookies of all time last year, I should say. He's gonna be the Phillies first baseman in 2032. I can't wait. Come home, Nick. Yeah, and come on that pop with us. Yeah. Uh Mavis Graves, who is my pick to have the Ben Brown uh go off for a half season traded. Love those guys. Uh and then Titan Kennedy Hayes is the ballback. Ben Brown made it to the majors, credit to him. Well he's he's he's good. He needs a third pitch, but he he never will. And then uh I just John Spiderman I believe is good, but he's good moral. John Spiderman. Spider Man. Spider Man. I like Spider Man too, but not as much as Spider Man. Yeah. Redding's gonna be pretty dang good this year. Redding's gonna be really good. Uh their bullpen's gonna be sick. Alex and Farlins are closer. What'd you do in the pod today? Oh, we broke down the entire Phillies minor leagues. Like all of it. I got 'em all. Uh Alex and Farlins are closer, so they're never gonna lose a game. And then hitters, I can't wait to see, is obviously a rune. You know, a rune a rune's a big 'cause and we might be monitoring the stats situation. So we might need a second base, but could be a rune. And then you know, Nori's there. So looking forward to to the Dante Norrie season. Who is it? And maybe he forces his way up this year. I don't think he will. But maybe, just maybe he could. Maybe, just maybe. I don't think so. But he could. Well, according to multiple general managers, they'd already been up and leading off Alex. Arod, who owns team that Nori's dad is the assistant manager. It's like, all right, thanks, Alex. It's good. Appreciate it. Good player. Let's slow down. Yeah. Let's slow down a little bit. So it's all back tonight. Oh I'm so excited for you. Yeah, thanks. Yeah. Just living and dying with it. All right, so if Aiden could, you know, not have a back injury, that'd be phenomenal. Please just be healthy. I didn't smoked a bat yet. So we need him to it's great. Gosh. So annoying. It's the most annoying thing that's happening. It's easily the most annoying. Nothing's even close. Because like all these guys trying to like so Connor Griffin called up today. Did you see that? No. He's getting called up. Then you have uh Cooper Pratt signed a uh a 51 million dollar deal with the Brewers and then Colt Emerson, yeah. Emerson, yeah, I saw that, yeah. You know, all these guys, all these guys, and like McGonagall comes up and uh yeah, McGonagall's been awesome, yeah. Uh and And it's just like Aiden is one of them. Like he's right there. He's right there. Get the back going. Get the back. Need him back so we can like need the back so we can get him back. Get the third baseman that's currently up. So before we go, let me ask you the same question as last time. Because normally we are uh locked to a three. It's what we do, three of four, two or three, whatever. Even splitzville, you know, we do that . But it is a team that won 43 games last year. Yeah, but they did smoke the blue And I do I do love Hunter Goodman. Uh Hunter Goodman's good. And Ezekiel Tavar's. And Brandon Doyle bounce back, maybe? Yeah, he might not be able to hit . He might not be able to hit. It's a problem. But you see Lewis Robertson? Oh so so two or three then? We're not going three or three. So Cantana asking. Cantana's putting Saturday. Oh, so that's a loss. Okay. All right. So so two or three we lose on Saturday. Dude. You've been on fire with these. Why does Cantana have to st stillill why is he believed? Why can't they just like thirty six years old? Why can't the Phillies just sign him? Sure, get him even if you don't play him. It costs you two ones a year. Yeah. It's true. Right. And sometimes big games. Sometimes playoff games. Yeah, exactly. Sometimes playoff games. Yeah. I can't believe he's still dealing. No, I know, I know. He's out there. Yeah. He's he's doing it. So get a paycheck. Other big development is is I don't know if you are a are you a big inning consum er? A big no, I'm not. You are traditional. What's what I find so funny about you is you have the two TV setup. Yeah, I