Life without Trea

00:00:16
Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to the Phillies Show with Ruben Amarrow Junior Jim Salisbury. I'm todd so lucky. It is Monday, May sixth, twenty twenty four. The Phillies are in position on Monday night to sweep a four game series from the Giants. They are twenty four and eleven. It is the best record in Major League Baseball. It is the Phillies' best start since nineteen ninety five. They have a two and a half game lead over the Braves, who are on pace to win one hundred and one games. The Phillies are on pace to win one hundred and eleven games. It's May six, but it's still worth pointing out they're off to a really, really good start. Everything is going very well for the Phillies, but they are about to face their first adversity. I guess you could say this season they lost Trey Turner for at least at least six weeks with a hamstring injury. I think this is a team that's about as well positioned to handle a loss of a superstar, you know, as any team. Rubin, do you think this team is well positioned to handle Turner? I mean, you know, compared compared to most other teams.

00:01:31
Speaker 2: I really do. And the reason why I say that is just because of the length and breadth of their lineup offensively, and you know, Turner has been playing much better defensively this year than he did last year, just the eye test for me. But and he worked very hard at you know, getting himself back to like more of an average infielder. But I think that the fact that the you know, guys like Boem have stepped up. You're starting to see Stott get a little warmer. You haven't really gotten you know, the Bryce Harper yet, and Schwarber hasn't hit you know, the June home runs yet. So you're you're sort of don't have everybody working on all cylinders, but you still have you know, Marsh still pretty consistent. You know, you have guys that that are contributing. Castianas has done literally nothing offensively, and and and that yet you know, they're I think they're pitching has obviously held it all together. They're starting pitching has just been off the charts. And so when you have that combination, I think you're do fine. And let's think about it. Last year they lost hard and m Harper for a long time. They kind of hung in there for a while. They've had a super start. They got a great head start on the on the season compared to last year. I mean, the run differential is like from this year to last year is like seventy five is the difference or something like that, some kind of crazy at crazy ass number like that. So it's I think more than anything else. I mean, you have guys who can fill in. Now, shortstops an important position. I do believe that at some point you may very well see Bryce and Stott slide over to shortstop to take care of that position. I think that that may very well happen. I haven't talked to Dobrowski and I have not talked to Rob Thompson directly about that, but my feeling, just because of the length of the length of the stint that it sounds like it's like a grade two or whatever it is, hamstring issue. You may very well benefit from having stop go to short You get Meryfield some at bats at second base, and then you have, you know, a little bit more stability as far as the offense is concerned. Social will probably play some two and he's actually had moved as much better at shortstop than he is in the other position in the field, so they won't lose much there. But I think that there's a possibility you might see that little change. But I think as far as being position, I mean, they're in a great spot and they don't want to lose too many guys.

00:04:13
Speaker 3: But yeah, I agree, I think they're you know, they have experience in dealing with adversity, as Reuben alluded to, with losing Harper really each of the last two years, not having such an important guy, and you know, especially in twenty twenty two he was out. I wish I had the numbers in front of me, but I think he was out like fifty two or three games and they went like thirty one and twenty or something. So it's a real buzzword these days, resilience. But and they've shown it in the past and I think they can beat it again. But as a practical matter, I do think they they line up well to handle this. And it's a tough loss because tray Turner is playing like the tray turner you expected. I mean, he's just been a hitting machine. But you know, I think JT. You know, so far, so good, right, they've played two games without him. JT has stepped in at number two and really swung it well. They've won both games. Obviously they're on a role. But I do agree with Ruben. I mean, stott natural shortstop, came up as a shortstop but hasn't played there since twenty twenty two, No big deal. I think he can slide over there. And I think your best everyday lineup would include a lot of wit Merryfield at second base. He it looks like a pretty shrewd signing, and it also looks like that is heating up some so and it doesn't help that they've they've added, you know, they've padded wins, They've banked some wins here and and that's gonna help. And that's the way you do it. So I think they can handle this and come out on the other side standing tall. And I don't think you rushed Trade Turner. He's a legs guy, and you be careful, you know, like a pitcher with a grond pull on his push side. Trade Turner is a legs player, so he's got an I think that's why they've probably set that conservative six week estimate. So I think they can come out the other side, still smiling here.

00:06:09
Speaker 1: It is funny when you think back to spring training and they signed whitt Mirfield to that one year, eight million dollar deal, and you know, I know there. I think most people liked the move at the time, but a lot of people like, wow, eight million dollars. This guy's he's never gonna play. He's gonna maybe play what two three times a week? And now he ends up becoming potentially very important piece, maybe an everyday player while while Turner's out. How often do you play Scott at short? You know, do you do you run him out there? Because it sounds like he is gonna, yeah, he is going to go out there at some point. I mean, do you run him out there most days?

00:06:42
Speaker 3: Uh?

00:06:43
Speaker 1: Maybe not this week, but once he kind of gets in there, do you run him out there every day it's shorter, or do you.

00:06:51
Speaker 3: I was playing pretty close. You know, he's been taking a few balls over there. You even take a third now and then, just to keep you know, you keep that versatility, you keep it in your toolbox. A little about the ability to play those positions. But I think if you're winning and he's making plays and it's your best lineup, I think you go with it probably more often than not if you if you maybe a lefty, that's when you play ed Woudno and and Maryfield at second stays a second if you wanted to give Scott a day off his feet. But I just have a feeling that's gonna end up being their best every day lineup while they endure the Turner absence.

00:07:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, I totally agree with that, and I just think I think, out of respect for Sosa, I think they're going to give him a couple of more games just to play shortstop and just to give him some love, just just knowing sort of you know, the DNA of how Rob Thompson works. I think he'll probably give him a little bit of time and then let maybe stop take some ground balls over there, have Bobby Dickerson work with him a few days at shortstop, and then stop, sort of make that gradual transition. I do believe if it goes for a month, and it sounds like it's going to be at least a month, I mean, thirty days is thirty days. That's one sixth of the season. So you you're talking about you know, I'm a significant amount of time, And I got no problem let's let's not forget. You know, the Philadelphia Phillies went to the World Series, almost won the World Series, but stop at shortstop. I mean he was a rookie, much like we saw years ago with Kevin Stoker going over there and playing you know, shortstop for the Phillies in ninety three. So you know, for me, I would slide him over there and then give. As James said, I think with Maryfield is going to be a really good player and an important piece of this and you're not. I mean, I know Trey Turner's trade Turner, but you start thinking about how this lineup set up. Get another right handed bat in there. That's a quality. You get a guy who knows how to play. You get a guy who has been and everyday player, was an All Star last year. I mean the signing is, as you said, Todd, very very shrewd, pretty smart and h and helpful, and that's what you sort of need. You need to have certain guys step up. I mean, what was it, Tadd and Gucci we ended up signing when when when? Or we ended up trading for it when you know when Utley went down. I mean, those things need to happen. You have to create some depth for your team.

00:09:25
Speaker 3: That was that was That was to Pat Killick felt bad for Freddy. Freddy Garcia, right, I think it.

00:09:33
Speaker 2: I think it was. I really honestly think I honestly think it was because.

00:09:38
Speaker 3: It was like two baseball men doing each other a solid like I think Kenny Williams felt bad that Freddy broke down so quick.

00:09:44
Speaker 2: Maybe I got to believe that there had to be something to that, because you know, there was some question about the medicals on on Freddy that we checked out. But you know, a little little, maybe a little shady.

00:10:00
Speaker 1: Right, I mean, that's they got. They got their Tad Agucci and Mirrorfield before the season started, so they don't need to run out and get somebody. So again that that move looks pretty solid. And it also helps, of course that you lose a player like Trey Turner. You have a rotation that is one of the best in baseball. It's the best in the National League. You know, last night, Taiwan Walker goes out and allows one run through six innings and he gives up the two run home run in the seventh. You know, he both games really through six innings, he pitched pretty well and a lot of hand ringing, a lot of angst amongst the fan base about you know, what do you do with Spencer Turnbowl? Now it sounds like he's in the bullpen, but it sounds like he maybe could pitch and start some games since Chris Sanchez spot, but maybe not. Maybe he'll piggyback them, but then maybe he'll be a high leverage guy at some point. But they got to keep them stretched out, you know, you got to keep them going three innings. I asked throughout last night, you know, it was if Taiwan had gotten through the seventh, would you have finished the game with Spencer Turnbull? He said, Now, we really want him to go three innings. I don't know what's going on or how it's going to work. It's it's all very confusing to me kind of how it's set up. But I guess somebody has to take, you know, has to take the hit, and it's going to be Spencer Turmble. Do you, guys, Rubin, how do you feel if Phillies are handling the Walker Turnbull situation right now?

00:11:39
Speaker 2: I just think it's a fluid situation, I really do. I mean, listen, you can't have six guys it's clear that guys like you know, Wheeler don't do not want to pitch on six days, you know, five days rest. Oh no, that's oh no, you know that was very clear. And I don't blame them. I mean, these guys have their routines, and you know people talk about well, you know that can't be an excuse. Well, it is an excuse. You imagine sitting on your rear end for five days or six days and you're not pitching. That's different for a pitcher, and especially when you're talking about elite athletes. Okay, So the Aaron Nola's in, the the Suarez is and the Wheelers of the world are going to stay in their routines. Now, they may benefit from this in August if they clinch early or something like that, where you want to give them a couple of days, that may be different, but you never have enough pitching. I love the fact that they have this problem because it's never a problem. Never happens. Okay, I will tell you, knowing this business, that this problem never happens. And the fact that they have this is great and I think honestly it keeps kind of Christopher Sanchez on his toes because if he doesn't pitch well, he'll slide back into the long spot. I mean, it's I mean, that's what's going to happen. And I hope Chris Sanchez continues to pitch well or gets better, because I think his stuff is there, just he hasn't been super super sharp with his command, which he was doing very well last year at the end of the year. I think he needs to get back to that. But if he falters, then they can flip flop the guys. I mean, it's as simple as that, or they can piggyback them or whatever it is that they need to do. So I love this problem. I wish I had this problem for years and years and years as a GM, and I think it's just a fluid situation where they'll try to manage it as best they can. You know, at some point someone's got to blow up game where they give up five runs in the first two winnings, They're going to have to bring somebody in. Well, I'd like to have that guy. I like to have that guy, and I have that guy be sharp so they can stay in the game and perhaps come back and win it. So it's a great situation to be in. I'm envious, and I think it's a it's a really really great two signings. You start thinking about some of the things that they did in the offseason that are the smaller ones that become big are merror Field and Turnbull knows that's that's that's good stuff, man, and that's why Daved Nebowski is a Hall of Famer, right.

00:14:06
Speaker 3: I actually think guys, it keeps four and five Sanchez and Taiwan Walker on their toes a little bit because you know, that's if Turnbull can slot in either place. And very interesting to hear Rob very clearly say last night, when we use Turnbull, we want it to be three innings. They want to keep them stretched, so you know, he can slide into the rotation somewhere and you might see him next week, depending on the matchups. Start a game with Sanchez coming in behind him, so they're they're getting creative and and I think it has a chance of really really working. So they obviously want to keep him sharp because he has shown to be uh, shown great value early and they don't want to ice him, have him, you know, on ice, so the next time they go to him, he's not sharp.

00:14:59
Speaker 1: Right, right, you know, it's funny. Taiwan I thought said it best last night. I kind of fumbled the question. I said, have you talked to Spencer? You know, if you guys had a kind of hash it out. He goes hash it out? What do we need to hash out? But then he made a great point. He goes, Spencer's pitched phenomenally in that spot, stepping at the last minute. He has pitched outstanding, And Taiwan said it himself. He will be back in the rotation at some point. It is a long season. You don't go an entire season with only five starters. You don't go an entire season with only six starters. I think the Phillies have not had fewer than ten starters in a season since twenty fourteen. I think they had nine. They haven't had fewer than nine since twenty eleven, when they had seven. So the odds tell you, unless there's a miracle of health and production, that Spencer Turnbull will be starting again at some point for the Phillies this season.

00:15:53
Speaker 2: I sure hope in August they have the same problem. Can you imagine, I mean in July and August, if you have the same problem, then you'll be going you're literally happy as hell. I mean, if you're in the front office and you're Rob Thompson and you're Caleb Coffin, you're going, Thank the sweet Lord, you're letting me have all these pitchers right now.

00:16:15
Speaker 1: I think that's one of the reasons why this situation seems so convoluted and messy is because it never happens. You don't have a guy that throws one hundred and seventy two innings one year, starts a season and the injured list, and people are going, how are you going to fit him in? Because the guy he assigned to a one year, two million dollar deal, who's been injured the last four years, has a one six seventy rac and six starts. It's pretty wild.

00:16:40
Speaker 3: I think Taiwan deserves a little respect for those sure both one two, and for the way he's come out of the gate here with two solid starts. But you know, obviously the seventh innings haven't gone his way, and you can make the argument that he should have been out of there earlier in both games. I think it's fair to make that point. I think it's fair to ask Rob Thompson that question. I mean, he was asked about that last night, whether you know he was it you that asked him or Scott.

00:17:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, I asked him if if he'll he'll have more pause. I guess, yeah, that's right, Like get.

00:17:16
Speaker 3: Him out of there after six, and I think it's it's fair. And I bet you he will. I bet you all of a sudden, like his little ding ding ding meter is going off, you know, at six, after six innings the next time. But Rob's not gonna come out there, come out there last night and say, you know, and say that, and it shows a lack of trust and faith in his picture. But I bet deep down inside he's gonna view things a little differently after six innings. I think last night he framed it around. Depends where we are, depends where his pitch count is, and those are all, you know, you know, fair points. But I think it's also fair to say, you know, six innings, boom, we gotta we gotta do something here. You kind of learned from that empirical evidence. And but you know, if you stack up Taiwan his two starts over his first six innings in each, I'll take that day, even though the stuff is not like dynamic and lighting up the radar gun and making everybody go oohing ah. The location has been good, the results have been good. Yeah.

00:18:15
Speaker 2: So here's the thing. I think, out of respect to Taiwan and the fact that the team had some cushion and Rob Thompson's got a lot of confidence in the offense, I think you can let him go to that seventh inning and try to get through to it. And I think that's the beauty of this offense that they've gave him, given him a couple of cushions to be able to work with that, and to give Rob Thompson and also, you know, I mean, it gives Rob Thompson an opportunity to like find out, Let me find out if this guy can go through seven, if he can get up and down six times? I mean, and I think that that's I don't think I have a problem with that. And the fact that he also trusts the guys in the back end to be able to clamp it down if they have some issues. I think that that's what you saw on his first two outings. The other thing that I noticed about Taiwan Walker and correct me if I'm wrong, guys, but his split is even working. It's his best pitch and his split is not even working yet, right. I think once he gets the field for that split a little bit more. I know his velocities are in the nineteen ninety two range. He's probably that's where he's gonna be. He may ramp up a little bit. I know Rob Thompson talked about it that he may get gained some more velocity as he goes, as he gets stronger through the season. That said, his best pitch is not even working yet and he's still sort of managing through. Now, these are not great lineups, but there.

00:19:34
Speaker 3: Aren't great lineups in the whole, in.

00:19:36
Speaker 2: All of baseball. I mean, there's not that many great teams offensively that you have to really quote unquote worry about. Now. It will be different in the playoffs. It'll be different in September when games get tighter and tighter. But the man doesn't even have his best pitch and he's still sort of managing through. So you got to give him a little love for that.

00:19:54
Speaker 1: Yeah, he said is he had a blister in San Diego and that's why he I mean, he didn't throw a split almost at all. I feel like in the debuty said he got a better feel for it later in the game Sunday night. So it was the pitch he was throwing him, what thirty or thirty Yeah, third of the time. Last year he was going it was all split split split. So it was interesting though, like he gave up home runs, that big home run that kind of spoiled both of his lines. It was the ninetieth pitch and both starts the inning before he finished. This is what the kind of the gray area is. I guess, like I think in his first start he finished the sixth inning at like seventy three pitches, and last night he finished at seventy seven pitches. So you can see why Rob sent him out into the seventh inning both of those. But again, now his next starts, say he's at seventy six going into the seventh inning, do you send them back down?

00:20:49
Speaker 3: Ruben said, you know, Rob wants to find out. Yeah, so you know you send him out there twice to find out. And now when you make the move that you know at the seventy the ninetieth pitch, when you make a move, when you make a move at eighty eight pitches, and he comes in after the game or the next day and says, hey, why didn't you show him? Why don't you stick with me? Boom? You point to you point to where the where the numbers are and the results are, and you say, this is, this is this is this is why going with the going with the numbers. And I think that's a very legitimate use of the numbers there, Todd. I wanted to ask you, remember all those years. I was actually thinking about this driving home last night, Like when the Flyers are over and the Sixers are over, the Sixers getting knocked out earlier this week, the n the NFL Draft is over. It always seemed like early in the season there were those other matters, sporting matters in town taking away the attention to the Phillies, and we'd sit down and we write, you know, all right, the Phillies have six eight weeks now to really grab the town here, right because training camps not open yet with the Eagles, and they have six or eight weeks to grab everybody's attention. And that probably written that, You've probably written that at times, but no need for that. This team has totally grabbed everybody's attention, you know, dating back to dating back to bedlam at the bank, but really you've seen some of these cold, misty nights and this huge crowds there and the attendance and the way this team has captured the town with its star power, with its good looking young players, with the starting pitching rotation, and ultimately with the w's. I mean, that's what matters most. It's really becoming a lot of fun to watch.

00:22:37
Speaker 1: It is, and I think that this is really setting up to be one of those summers where people are just going bananas over everything that Phillies are doing. And you're right, I was thinking about, you know, for the last few years, they've gotten such a slow starts, and so the Phillies fans are kind of grumpy and there's some angst about you know, are they going to be good enough? Well, now they have the best record in baseball, not saying it's gonna last, but they're on this remarkable pace and the fact that they're winning and they're such a fun team, I think is going to only add to that fan interest. You know, I don't know if you guys saw it on social media. I went back and I listened to the broadcast last night. They had Brandon marsh miked up yes, and it was unbelievable. I mean, he was so great, and that's I know there's some people that don't like guys miked up and it's in the middle of a game, and you know, you know, Mike Schmid wouldn't have done that, or you know, Greg Lozinski wouldn't have done that. I get it, But man, it was so much fun to listen to him talk and just show his personality. And I think that stuff feeds into it. And it was funny after the game marsh said he had He says, that's a lot harder than it looks talking and playing at the same time. But he was great. He showed a lot of personality. That's why I think this thing team has. You have the hot start, you have the personality, and now they are the only show in town and it's really building up to be. You know, you can see everybody's radio at the Shore is going to be tuned into the Phillies game at night, every back porch in southeastern Pennsylvania, Soulterer is in Delaware, everybody's going to be you know, it's got that vibe going to it right now.

00:24:15
Speaker 2: I think the cool thing about it is that you talked about the personality that you know they have their veteran guys, I mean, the Harper's, the JT. Real Muto's and the shore Beers are sort of the stabilizers and Turner obviously the stabilizers of the club. But then beyond that you have guys like Marsh and Stott and those you know, Ranger Suarez who are are now starting to become real stars in the game, like really really good players. And not only that, but they're you know, they're good team players. Marsh did two things yesterday, pulled a couple of balls on the ground with man on second base, with with nobody out quality at bats. Now that you know, one results in a run, I think, and the other time it did not because Casianos has been struggling. But but they're doing the things that are necessary to win baseball games. They talk about being dogs, right, well they are, I mean, and they're they're backing it up because they're playing winning baseball. And then you know, in the postgame interview, I listened to uh to Harpard's about the consistency of their level of play, and that's they've been doing those things. You know, Stott didn't panic, you know, coming out of the shoot, was struggling. He's starting to swing it again. I mean the other guy was Alec Bohm was the third one I was going to talk about. I mean, these are guys that are becoming stars and have a chance to be really really high level players. And you start stacking up all those guys in that lineup with the veteran with the veterans, and you combine that with the with the quality of the young players coming through and the confidence that you see them have now, and boy, it's a great combination. It's a great combination to have, especially with this kind of pitching staff that we talked to.

00:26:08
Speaker 3: No, no question, a great, great mix of a veteran track record, a veteran All Star caliber track record, and ascending I almost saying ascending young player, but I think they've a lot of these guys have actually crossed the thresholds where you're a young player. Now you're a young established player, a young player, a pro. You know they're young, but they're not so young. They're they're really right there and they're entering their prime. So a real nice mix. And I mean, you know, we're taping here on Monday morning, and what have they won? Sixteen out of nineteen and six in a row. Todd, Yeah, I mean they have a chance to get a you know, later on Monday, they have a chance for a four game Sweet. That's really tough.

00:26:56
Speaker 2: That's crazy, crazy, really.

00:26:58
Speaker 3: Tough to do. But I mean, gosh, you got you got the surgeon on the mound, Zach Wheeler.

00:27:05
Speaker 1: Yeah, and he's not happy either if you.

00:27:09
Speaker 3: Had a chance to do it, get the forced four games, sweep.

00:27:13
Speaker 2: The you know what, and how about all the talk about the center field of Johann Rojas. No one's even talking about Johann anymore. Just as we talked about before. I mean, it's not that big of a deal that the kids hitting too Tan or whatever he's hitting or two twenty, because he's doing what he needs to do. He's gotten on base a few times. He's got a couple of big bass hits and drove in a run, you know, a couple of backbreaker hits. He's stolen a base here there, he makes the plays in center field. You know, you don't need him to be an offensive juggernaut because you got the whole rest of the lineup doing that damage.

00:27:48
Speaker 3: It's just what, just the way they thought it could happen that we should be good enough one through eight that he can be a good functional piece in the lineup while continuing to improve and not hurt them. That's exactly what's happening. He was kind of in the center of it all last night. Michael CONFORDO hit a couple of bombs out there, and you know, one he I think he actually was a little too aggressive. On the second one, he kind of overran it a little bit. But the fact that he got to those balls was something he'll he'll catch. He'll catch those in the very not too distant future because he'll learn from from both of those plays.

00:28:24
Speaker 1: I thought Rob Thompson had had an interesting common asked about those plays. Someone asked him about you know he did he overrun those balls and should he have caught those balls? He's like, you know what, I think people need to remember that he is so good defensively. He's getting the balls that most human beings would never get to, and it's almost unfair to expect him to catch every rocket that is hit into the gap or over his head.

00:28:47
Speaker 2: Uh.

00:28:48
Speaker 1: That tells you how And I agree, I mean, you know, he he probably should catch it. He would tell you he should have caught those balls. Maybe in some of those cases, but he's gonna run. He's going to get close to lot of balls that most guys.

00:29:03
Speaker 2: And I guarantee, and I guarantee who's pissed off ned to make those plays? Yeah, oh yeah, I guarantee you because he wants to be elite. You know, that's his calling card.

00:29:13
Speaker 3: That's the sign of a player who's going to be good. If you're ticked off that you don't make that play, and he'll go out and work on making This is to be a fascinating week. Like I mentioned, you get a chance to get a four game sweep. You don't play a lot of four game series, and to sweep on very very very difficult. Then you got a Toronto Blue Jays team coming in that it's just not playing a while, spending its wheels, having a real tough time. And then you you go to see Miami which seems like they've entered full tank mode and a chance to clean up down there. You know, again, again we've said it a million times, but a chance for this team to even get some more padding, make make some more. Hey, don't you think it's a big week?

00:29:56
Speaker 1: I think it's right, Yeah, they're all big, but yeah, it's right for the taking for sure. Or the Blue Jays are struggling, and that Marlins team, i mean they just got rid of a rise. They sent him packing.

00:30:05
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that's that Marlin team and that's an embarrassment. What's happened ever since they let go of Kim Ang. That that was a that's a bad that was a you know, we can talk about that at some other point. But I mean, they really I think it's that You're right, they're there for the taking, and hopefully they go down there, it's not a letdown for them because they literally want nobody in the ballpark. They will not have anybody in the ballpark, and that sometimes mentally is a tough thing to adjust to. It's not or it's something, but it's something they're going to have to deal with, and it's gonna be something, you know, probably if they have some family down there. I'm sure there's gonna be lots of family going down there. My kids graduating from Miami down there. I'll be happen to be down there. It'll be kind of cool. But but there's not gonna be a whole lot of energy in that ballpark. It's gonna be like a morgue out there, and so they're gonna have to.

00:30:59
Speaker 3: And it's good that they're so good at scoring early. First and second thing, they put a lot of runs on the board. You go out, I agree with you. I mean, that's why I think some of the reason they had trouble down in Miami over the years, because that place is like a mausoleum. It's so quiet. It's you know, there's no energy in the ballpark, but offense equals energy. Go out there early and put a couple on the board early every night. I think that energy can carry you through because you need to make a good showing in that series. I think Atlanta. I think Atlanta is five and one against Miami, so in the division, you need to clean up against Miami. AIB they're going to be this willing, compliant opponent that just you know, is giving away their best player or traded away their best player and seemingly, you know, decided they're not going to build on a playoff appearance last year. But it all starts with Monday afternoon. I'm intrigued by this pitching matchup. I mean, Zach Wheeler and young man from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Mason Black making his major league debut so for the Giant's on Monday afternoons, So, you know, I'm sure it's a thrilling moment for him and his family, But the Phillies are going to be out to get themselves a four game sweep. Yeah.

00:32:10
Speaker 2: The concern always when we when we face a guy for the first time, especially the veteran guys, not so much the younger guys, these ascending players, but when they haven't seen somebody, you know, it's it tends to be like a foreign object to him. But they've actually dealt with that pretty well this year. And if they can get an early lead for Zach, I think Zach's he's got a little vengeance in this game right now because he wants to be Zach Wheeler for the next next several.

00:32:39
Speaker 1: He was about as ornery as I've seen him after a start the other night in Anaheim, pitching on extra rest. He was so unhappy about his performance. We asked him, you know, he limited the damage, and we asked him, you know, you take any positives out of doing that, and he he basically that I got nothing out of that. He was so mad about the way you pitched. So yeah, I think he's, uh, he's gonna have a little bit extra edge edged him night. So it's Mason Black versus Zach Wheeler tonight, and then the Blue Jays come into town for two Jose Barrios versus Christopher Sanchez on Tuesday. Maybe you'll see some Spencer Turnbull, maybe you won't, nobody knows. And then Wednesday it's Aaron Nola versus Chris Bassett. Who's who's struggle a little bit this season? So rubin you you said you had something you wanted to show us, Oh before we sign off.

00:33:37
Speaker 2: So my man Tony Demico, he's from Tojoe Mushroom Farms Mushrooms Incorporated. He is a card collector, and I told him I went to UH I went to a golf tournament with the Joe Watson UH up in BC. Yeah, years ago. He a couple of years ago, and we kind of hung out together. This guy's a car collector, he said. I told him that my grandfather other played in the major leagues, so or it's played in the UH in Cuba and the Mexico, not the major leagues. And he got this card he founded on a website in Cuba. It's an actual baseball card of Santo Tomorrow. It's insane. It's a legitimate baseball card of Santos El Congudo, El Gonzo Amato. Now Gonzo Gonzo is goose, so that was one of his nicknames. And Congoudo is a kangaroo. So he had a couple of nicknames because he sort of looked like Dave Winfield. Who's that type of like long six five, you know, great, pretty cool. So Tony's the man.

00:34:42
Speaker 3: If we could go back in time and have the Koala interview the Congurro, it would be like all these marsupials from Australia.

00:34:53
Speaker 1: Ruben, do you have do you have any other like Memorabiley of your every granddad like that watch?

00:35:00
Speaker 2: You know remember when they did the had the cardboard cutouts in the ballpark. Well, they actually have one of El Cangudo when we see we can get it there there is Yeah, they had one. They had one of him and they actually put it out there. How cool is that?

00:35:19
Speaker 1: That is awesome?

00:35:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, that was one of them. But I have a bunch of pictures and stuff. But I and I have a couple of a couple of pictures that people have mounted of my grandfather, who was a Hall of Famer in Cuba and New Mexico. Pretty pretty cool. But for him to come up with this card, man, I mean, it's a legitimate card, you got it looks like.

00:35:40
Speaker 1: It looks like it's professionally graded and everything. It's in the actual CA Yeah, yeah, they.

00:35:45
Speaker 2: Actually it's a grade one, I guess. I don't know what that means. It's quale as far as quality is concerned, I don't know. But it doesn't matter. It's an actual playing card of my grandfather from like nineteen thirty two or something like that. That's insane.

00:36:01
Speaker 1: That's rad man.

00:36:02
Speaker 2: I love that. I love that.

00:36:04
Speaker 1: Well, guys, thanks for the time. As always, thank you for listening. If you are new to The Philly Show, please subscribe. We come out twice a week and we will be back later this week after the Blue Jays series. Thanks guys.

00:36:20
Speaker 2: Smell Lena, Smell you Jim.