Cy Sánchez: Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler are MLB’s best 1-2 punch

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Hey, this is Bryce Harper and welcome to the Philly Show. Rubin Tomorrow, Junior, Jim Salisbury, Toads Leggy, Hey, everybody, it's the Philly Show. It's Wednesday, July twenty third, twenty twenty five. How are we feeling, guys?

00:00:22
Speaker 2: Excellent?

00:00:22
Speaker 3: A little bit better than I was feeling after the Angel series.

00:00:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, the Phillies. We talked about this the other day. The Phillies have had lost three straight series. Well, now they won a series. Now they won it. They won the first two games against the Red Sox, first series win since they took two or three from the reds over Fourth of July weekends. So beat the Red Sox on Tuesday night for one. Chris Sanchez pretty good. A lot of craziness in this series, walk offers, interference, steal of home slash, catcher's interference, slash, slash back in the first inning on Tuesday. It's a lot of great stuff. We're going to talk about Christopher Sanchez. We're going to talk about those catchers interference. We're gonna talk about Gauge Wood, the Phillies first round draft picks signing. He was at the ballpark on Tuesday. Maybe talk a little bit about some of the comments that Dave Dombrowski made on Monday about David Robertson and the Bult band and the lineup and all sorts of things. But let's start with Christopher Sanchez.

00:01:37
Speaker 3: Can we start with talk about your weave right now? Your weave is so nice and tight and high. How about look delicious look at earlier in the morning.

00:01:48
Speaker 1: If you're not watching on YouTube, really you should be.

00:01:51
Speaker 4: You really should be look at the just to see his moss. It's tremendous. Anyway, I carn't say that you some love.

00:02:01
Speaker 1: If I thank you, if I'm you know, if you watch us on YouTube and I'm wearing a hat, it means it's it's just a disaster. So we usually we like to get up early and record these podcasts, as you guys know, so we like to get it out early so you can listen to it on the way to work or on your morning run or bike ride or whatever. So thanks, Reuben, I appreciate that. Nice got my got my chest out a little bit. So let's talk. Let's talk Chris Sanchez with the park's first pitch. First Pitch is brought to us exclusively by our partners at Parks Casino, Pennsylvania's number one casino. I mean Chris Sanchez last Christopher Sanchez last night, third complete game of his career, four hits, one run aloud, no walks, twelve strikeouts. The guy should have been an NL All Star. We've we talked about that last week. But man, I'm telling you what. I'm looking at the numbers last night as I'm writing the story, I'm going this guy is going to get some As Jim predicted in late March, Jim specifically said, Ruben top three, cy Young finish.

00:03:23
Speaker 4: And he knew very well right after Skimes and Wheeler he is he might be in there.

00:03:30
Speaker 2: He is now.

00:03:31
Speaker 4: He is now a true candidate.

00:03:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, no question.

00:03:34
Speaker 5: According to Baseball Reference, he's number two in the majors in pitching war, behind Skeens and ahead of Wheeler. He's number two with a five point two war. Yeah, that was I mean, if I know Ruben loves war and he's you know, I mean, he's a little lower in fangrass fans.

00:03:56
Speaker 1: He is Jim fangrafs. He is fit in baseball all fifth behind Scooble, Crochet, Skeins, and Wheeler. But he he's right there.

00:04:06
Speaker 5: Baseball Reference he's number two at five point two, so I don't know split the difference.

00:04:10
Speaker 2: It's an awesome, awesome run.

00:04:12
Speaker 5: This young man is on power power sinker, great, great change up racking up tons of K's last six starts. I wrote down some numbers last six starts. He's averaged seven innings.

00:04:27
Speaker 2: Awesome.

00:04:28
Speaker 5: He's got a one point two two ERA. And how about this forty six strikeouts, four walks or walks.

00:04:41
Speaker 4: That's Cliff Lee plus.

00:04:44
Speaker 3: Really, when you think about it, it's like Cliff Lee or Roy Halliday plus.

00:04:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's bigger stuff than both those guys.

00:04:52
Speaker 4: It's great.

00:04:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean he's been so good.

00:04:56
Speaker 3: I've been so impressed by just his overall development. I've said it many many times. I'll say it again, from where he was to where he is. When he came to the big leagues and they made a trade, you know, can Matt Clintech made a nice.

00:05:09
Speaker 4: Trade, traded that bat. Curtis could Curtis is it?

00:05:12
Speaker 3: Curtis Curtis mead right handed bat. You got into the big leagues for a little while. I'm even sure if he's there anymore. I haven't really been paying too much attention to Tampa Bay. But I'll tell you this guy from where he started was as far as his overall ability to locate his pitches, all of us pitches, to where he is today is one of the greatest developments I've ever seen.

00:05:41
Speaker 4: That's how good it is. Because for me, I just I just love the character, the heart, the desire, all.

00:05:53
Speaker 3: The things that are associated with becoming a great player.

00:05:57
Speaker 4: He has all those things.

00:05:59
Speaker 3: He cares, he wants to learn, he wants to get better, and he competes.

00:06:05
Speaker 4: Man.

00:06:05
Speaker 3: I love the way he competes on the mound, all the ingredients, and for them to sign him and have the intelligence and the forethought and foresight to be able to sign this guy at twenty two and a half million for four years with two club options affordable club option numbers this guy on the floor, I mean this guy at the if he were out on this open market in two years from now or three years from now, the man would make forty million dollars.

00:06:41
Speaker 2: Think.

00:06:41
Speaker 5: I think that club friendly deal which was proposed by his agent, the kid wanted some security and it's helped him relax and realize his potential. So you can say, oh, it's a really club friendly deal. I left the money on the table. Who knew he was going to be this? But maybe he knew he was going to be this very dedicated young man. Uh, he must be very coachable. He's learned a lot, picked up a lot from from teammates in the rotation. Coughain and his group coming along with that change up and that location and that command and that control. Because when I first saw him, I thought he was a big arm rock thrower, you know, and he's become he's become like a great pitcher. That was really an electric performance last night, but a series of them this year and last year.

00:07:31
Speaker 2: Tons of fun, a lot.

00:07:32
Speaker 3: I don't want to get yeah, I want him to get too personal. But you know, he's done a bunch of things nutrition wise, you know, I think you might believe his wife is a nutritionist, dedicated and there.

00:07:43
Speaker 4: Was a lot of talk last year he had like a five E ra on the road. She travels on the road with him. Now. I think she prepares a lot of his meals.

00:07:52
Speaker 3: Allege a lot of things going on that he's done personally to make himself better, whether it's nutrition, health. He came in, I mean he came into spring training built like a brick s house, and you know, there was a question about whether he can sustain this in the second half. He didn't have a couple of great two years in a row. He didn't have a really strong second half. I think he's put himself in a position to be one of the best, and it's it's coming to fruition and I love it.

00:08:22
Speaker 1: He's got eighty five strikeouts on changeups lead major League Baseball. I mean, but you know, the thing I've noticed is, and it makes sense, the growth of his You can just see his confidence just escalating from year to your year. I mean, and I just based off of our dealings with him a couple of years ago. You talked to him, he's very short, very kind of like unsure of himself. He's very He's much more open talking to us now. He smiles a lot more, he jokes around a lot more. And how about that reaction he had last night in the eighth inning when he's yeah, when he's when he struck out the guy that hit the bottom off of Why am I drawing a blank on his name anyway? Reuch Schneider, Yeah, right, yeah, right, right exactly, And he said. I asked him, African, why are you so fired up there? He said, well, he got me earlier and then I got him twice, so I was fired up about that. It was great, It was great. He showed a ton of emotion. It was awesome.

00:09:20
Speaker 5: Ninety seven with Sink and that change up, it's just a great, devastating package. And you just think about October with him and Wheel are coming at you one two.

00:09:30
Speaker 2: That's a great place to start.

00:09:32
Speaker 4: And that's why there's not a better one too in the game. There's that's it.

00:09:36
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, base and especially Jim you just started by talking about like where guys ranked and war and you know in Major League Baseball. I mean, they're the only team with like two guys in the top five or six and more. I mean, so they are the best on paper right now and pitching performance wise, the best one to two common baseball. And that's why a lot of people have said, like, well, maybe you maybe you move him into the bullpen because he throws so hard, and I'm like, I would no, no, no way, dude. Why would you want two innings of Chris Sanchez when you could have eight innings of Chris Sanchez?

00:10:13
Speaker 4: All the one to be GMS.

00:10:15
Speaker 5: Yeah, it was fun to think about, you know, two or three months ago, thinking like that. Okay, if they go six deep in their rotation, that's and everybody's dealing that stuff would really play. But with the year he's had in the years other guys have had, he is superior. Though they have an excellent starting rotation, He's superior him and Wheeler to everyone else. You need to come at him and game You need to use him in game two. So hey, that was first pitch you presented exclusively by our partners at Parks Casino, Pennsylvania's number one casino. Parkscasino dot com is the website you must be twenty.

00:10:49
Speaker 2: One gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler.

00:10:54
Speaker 1: Phillies Fans, whether you're sliding into home or just chasing your kids around the yard, staying mobile matters. That's why we trust Rothman Orthopedics. From sports injuries to joint replacements. They keep you moving with top specialists who care for the best team and best fans in baseball. Rothman's got your back because at Rothman Orthopedics, your mobility is their mission. Visit rothmanortho dot com to schedule today or scan that little QR code on your screen and we will be right back.

00:11:29
Speaker 2: Krats.

00:11:30
Speaker 4: What do I do?

00:11:30
Speaker 6: I'm in a bind and I need to make some food at home. I would like it to be home cooked, but I don't want to deal with any of the grocery crap.

00:11:39
Speaker 2: Hello Fresh.

00:11:40
Speaker 6: Get it done and they'll start to know when you're in a bind and they'll figure it out for you, sending something new whenever you order it. It's freaking awesome, Yeah it is, and there are dozens of menu items to choose from each week. They can also help you out if you need a little assistance. They can kind of cater to what your needs are or what your preferences are to do a little q and A session for you and then you can be the star at home. Kratz is a superstart ad at home for his Hello Fresh expertise and if you want to get involved, then you can make sure that your summer's more enjoyable and delicious. At HelloFresh dot com slash ft ten FM, get ten free meals with a free item for life when you do that. HelloFresh dot com slash ft ten FM one per box with an active subscription free meals are applied as a discount on the first box new subscribers only. Varies by plan.

00:12:31
Speaker 1: We're back. What'd you guys think of the catcher's interference in Tuesday Nights game with with Bryce Harper?

00:12:37
Speaker 5: I thought, I thought it sucked that he lost out on a steal at home too.

00:12:42
Speaker 2: And I thought the umpire made a great call. Man, he was post split.

00:12:45
Speaker 5: He was on it as soon as that catcher's foot went into that you know, Marsha's batter's box there. He called it, and he called it right. Good for him, Good for Bryce hustle and play Bryce. You know, that's an instinctive, a play that shows where Bryce's game is right now. He's very very confident, and that's a good thing for Bryce and the Phillies.

00:13:07
Speaker 4: Yeah, great play. Obviously.

00:13:11
Speaker 3: You know the right hander this Richard Fitz. I mean, he's one of those guys's just really long to the plate. He was well off the third basement, was well off the line. You're right about the whole Bryce Harper thing. Jim Like, when he's feeling really good about his game, you can see he elevates his base running. He's getting extra bases he's trying to do things. He's feeling healthy, he's feeling good about his his at bats.

00:13:38
Speaker 4: And his overall game.

00:13:39
Speaker 3: And you know, if he's not going good, I don't know that he looks to do that. I don't think that that's in his DNA necessarily, but it isn't his DNA when he's feeling good about himself and he's in the space that he's in right now, and boy, is that important.

00:13:54
Speaker 5: It's It's like a golf swing, rub And I'm serious, when you're playing good, your swing is aggressive and you throw the ball.

00:14:00
Speaker 2: When you're not.

00:14:00
Speaker 5: Playing to go a little more tentative, and and he was aggressive and throw the ball and he you know, that was like Jackie Robinson asked, that was exciting.

00:14:10
Speaker 1: Bryce wasn't sure, but he thought that that might have been his second only straight steel of home in his career. Do you remember the first?

00:14:20
Speaker 4: Was it against the Fightings?

00:14:22
Speaker 2: Yes, Cole Hill's game.

00:14:24
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, fake.

00:14:29
Speaker 1: Called called Cole fake tough, Ruben Mike, Yeah.

00:14:34
Speaker 4: I love that.

00:14:35
Speaker 3: I love that whole exchange because my left handed pitcher got suspended after that.

00:14:40
Speaker 4: He did.

00:14:42
Speaker 1: And I don't know if we I think we might have mentioned this when we had Cole on the show last year as a little aside. But we go down in the clubhouse after the game, Jim, you were there, right, and we go, so, Cole, did you did you throw at him?

00:14:59
Speaker 4: Yes?

00:15:00
Speaker 1: Ninety nine times out of one hundred. Every pitcher will live through their freaking teeth. No, no, no, the fastball just got away from me. Haven't hit a guy all year, but I would now absolutely, he goes, yes, I did drill him in the back on purpose or like what?

00:15:14
Speaker 4: Yeah, Jim and I.

00:15:15
Speaker 1: Jim and I got into a foot race back to our laptops to write the story.

00:15:19
Speaker 2: I pulled a hammy.

00:15:20
Speaker 4: I literally started.

00:15:22
Speaker 3: I got on the phone when I saw the quotes and got on the phone with his agent, and I started ripping.

00:15:29
Speaker 4: Him a new one. I'm like, what is he doing?

00:15:34
Speaker 3: And then and then well I didn't start ripping him a new one until the agent said to me.

00:15:40
Speaker 4: Well, how come you're not backing them. I go backing him so I can get suspended. I mean, my god, he needs he needs a little bit more support. Support.

00:15:53
Speaker 3: He just stuck his foot in his mouth and he's I'm gonna lose him for you know, twelve games or fifteen games.

00:15:58
Speaker 4: Or whatever the hell it was.

00:16:00
Speaker 1: And it wasn't like we were Tom cruising Jack Nicholson on the witness stand. We didn't exactly. Jim wasn't sitting there going, come on, you, liar, you said. He's like, no, yeah, I know.

00:16:08
Speaker 4: I threw because that back then he had he had.

00:16:13
Speaker 3: The pensity to say things that he probably would not want to say. And I guarantee it five years later as a major leaguer he would not have done that.

00:16:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah no.

00:16:27
Speaker 2: And then remember Rizzo's quote about fake tough.

00:16:30
Speaker 5: And then all of a sudden, I think our next stop was Minnesota, right, And all of a sudden, Brian Schneiders walking around in the dugout in Minnesota with a T shirt says fake tough on it, and I'm like, can I take a picture of that?

00:16:42
Speaker 2: He goes, yeah, just don't use my face. So I had to focus like on his tour.

00:16:47
Speaker 4: So that's funny, man. But that was cool.

00:16:50
Speaker 1: That was that was It was just it was just a fun baseball play. And you're right, Jim the umpire Edwin Jim Inez was right on it. It would have been a steal of home anyway. And then Ruben, you so this last night, but Jim, you did not. Somebody shot Ruben at tech tweet last night and said I did what Bryce did to fits only to you. In high school, Ruben, did you see that? Yes, you were pitching at Penn Charter as a freshman. I was on third for Bishop McDevitt. You went into a wind up and my coach said, see what he's doing in there, steal home And the guy said, his name is Paul Friol says, and I did on you. Do you remember this, Ruben?

00:17:28
Speaker 4: I thought it was. I remember it. I don't remember pitching all that much. You know, I pitched.

00:17:32
Speaker 3: I was Ambidexter's pitcher, but I don't think I did it as a freshman.

00:17:36
Speaker 4: Okay, I did it.

00:17:40
Speaker 3: I never pitched in I never pitched one game ever in high school in varsity.

00:17:46
Speaker 4: Maybe in JV, maybe JV, then maybe JV.

00:17:50
Speaker 3: Because in the ninth grade I only played in a few games with my brother.

00:17:54
Speaker 4: I didn't play very many games.

00:17:56
Speaker 3: I sort of got shooted up a few times because back then their team was really good, and so I didn't play till my sophomore year.

00:18:04
Speaker 4: I don't think, but.

00:18:06
Speaker 3: I hear that all the time. This in One time I was in spring training and some guy in the middle of the spring jumps up and says, it was hilarious. There was a break in the action. It was like the second inning, in between the second and third inning, and I was gmming at the time, and some guy gets up in the in Clearwater and says.

00:18:22
Speaker 4: Hey, Rubin, I struck you out when you were a kid.

00:18:28
Speaker 2: I go, congratulations, showing the club so funny.

00:18:33
Speaker 1: Well you I mean that, I mean, what a huge Those are the things I guess if you're playing Little League and Legion ball, and you know, I guess back.

00:18:41
Speaker 4: There you get your puff your chest out.

00:18:43
Speaker 1: Sure, yeah, I mean, like like the kid in high school that struck out Bryce Harper. When you think he's not telling that story, of course he is. Yeah, you know. I a few years ago I talked to a kid who hit a home run off of Andrew Painter in his first game his senior year. And I talked to him and he's like, and they have video of it wherever. He's like. He's like, dude, I show that video all the time to people, like that's my crowning achievement in high school Baseball's I had a home run off of deanrew Painter my senior year high school. So it's pretty cool. It's pretty cool. We're gonna talk a little bit about the Phillies draft picks signing and Dave Dombrowski's comments, but the Phillies tonight they have a chance to sweep guys. Jesus Lizardo not the Lizard King. Jim, He's not the Lizard King.

00:19:32
Speaker 2: Oh he is.

00:19:33
Speaker 5: He is the Lizard King, says it on Baseball Reference. I'm taking it to the bank, Tim Kelly. Tim Kelly unearthed that scoop TK.

00:19:45
Speaker 1: So Jesus Lozardo is facing Lucas g Alito. H tonight, what's the Game's that? Seven O five? Seven O five starts ESPN game And if you can't get to the ballpark, I'm sure it's a sellout. You can head over to park casino or from the comfort of your own living room, you can maybe follow the action on TV and then maybe they have a little action on your phone and you.

00:20:15
Speaker 4: Got to do it.

00:20:15
Speaker 3: And if you're got to do it, there's gonna be live betting on Philadelphia Baseball for tonight's game.

00:20:21
Speaker 4: And it's better, way better on the bet Parks app. The bet Parks app. It's the one and only betting app I recommend and use for.

00:20:30
Speaker 3: Betting on sports and playing casino games for real money. Not only do they have you know, you know, parlays and all types of different things to play, but you can also like casino games, there's like if you hit on this thing, there's huff and more puff.

00:20:46
Speaker 4: There's all types of things you can do.

00:20:49
Speaker 3: You can touch on this and go to sports and go to the games, the actual game and actually see what you can bet on. There's so many different parlays and things to do. Put some skin into the game. It makes it really really fun. Bet Parks app. There's there's so many different things you can do. It's really really super fun. You can bet, you know, basically on any type of situation for any game, and you can do it right from the comfort of your own home. As Todd said, new casinos, the new users can get up to one thousand dollars bet cash back if you're down in your first twenty four hours. See betparks dot com for details. You got to be twenty one in Pennsylvania, Jersey, Michigan, or Maryland. Gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler. You love to play, you love to win. You bet you bet Parks.

00:21:43
Speaker 1: Gauge Wood signed on Tuesday, the Phillies first round draft pick. Well, they also signed what sixteen other guys on Tuesday. They all those guys are in town over the weekend. Guys kind of jacked. He's he's a strong looking dude. I used to look like that once.

00:22:02
Speaker 4: He is.

00:22:03
Speaker 5: He's built like a young Ricky Bottalico. Honestly, I covered Ricky's you know, when Ricky came to the big leagues in ninety four. He's built like a young Ricky Battalico, about the same size, big fastball, and he's got you know, some fire to his personality. Enjoyed, you know, I enjoyed talking about I watched that entire no hitter he pitched in the College World Series.

00:22:25
Speaker 2: Was very exciting.

00:22:26
Speaker 5: He was ninety eight, ninety nine with a boom hammer, and he loses his perfect game when he threw he flipped up a breaking ball, hit the guy in the foot, loses his perfect.

00:22:36
Speaker 2: Game in the eighthening.

00:22:37
Speaker 5: So I asked him yesterday, he's still pissed about that about hitting that guy.

00:22:41
Speaker 2: He goes, I think about it every day.

00:22:45
Speaker 4: That's great, right out of my mouth.

00:22:46
Speaker 3: As far as Ricky Battallico is concerned, because he does have that sort of physique, it looks like he sort of has that mentality to that bulldog type of mentality, which can bode well, especially when you're in you know, especially no doubt. And Brian Barbara talked about this about makeup and what it meant to pitch.

00:23:05
Speaker 4: In Philadelphia as opposed to other places.

00:23:08
Speaker 3: Brian Barbara, the scouting director, you know, he talked about how important that is, and especially in Philadelphia. Now there's a lot of talk about whether the guy can come up and pitch right away in this bullpen. You know, if you get him ready and get him physically ready, is it possible. It's not out of the realm of possibility. But you just can't put that kind of heat on the guy. You just don't know him well enough yet. You gotta get him ramped back up. He only had what thirty seven and two thirds innings or something like that this year and got some shoulder issues, you know, with power stuff. With the maximum effort type of a guy, you got to be careful. He's an important piece. He's signed for a ton of money, and uh, you know, you got to you gotta.

00:23:52
Speaker 4: Take care of this kid. But you never know.

00:23:56
Speaker 3: If the guy's throwing well, and he's and you feel like he has the makeup, can you throw him in the back of a bullpen.

00:24:03
Speaker 4: It's possible.

00:24:05
Speaker 3: I don't think it's probable, and I don't think it's fair to the kid, and I don't think it's necessarily the right thing to do. But in this day and age, shoot, they're throwing everybody to the big leagues quick, so you never know.

00:24:20
Speaker 2: I agree it's unlikely and risky. I mean, you're trying to develop a guy for the long haul.

00:24:27
Speaker 5: But you know, if he blows he's going to pitch competitively at some point this summer, starting in clear Water. If he's blowing people away, you never know. But if things go the way that they need to go for the Phillies of the trade deadline, and if Kirkering and Strong and David Robertson guys, you know, continue to pitch well or step up, you know, hopefully they're not going to need.

00:24:50
Speaker 2: Him, right.

00:24:51
Speaker 3: I mean, they could go along the model of the Tampa Bay Rays, where they just keep firing guys up to the big leagues that they blow out, who cares so bring up the next guy.

00:24:59
Speaker 4: I mean, that's a model that some teams.

00:25:03
Speaker 3: Are doing because they don't have a lot of money to spend and capital to spend on the big league players, and so what they're doing is they're running them up to the big leagues. They're maximizing everything they throw, either their breaking.

00:25:18
Speaker 4: Ball or their fastball. They let them blow out physically.

00:25:23
Speaker 3: And I think players and teams are understanding this better now, so they backed up, back this off a little bit. But that was what was happening in a lot of organizations, and I think it's you know, it's not good for baseball number one, it's not good for the player, and I think that they have to be a little bit more judicious when they make these decisions.

00:25:45
Speaker 5: Yeah, you need to develop a pitcher, whether he's a starter, which I think he wants to be, or a bullpen guy. You need to develop a quality, contributing major league pitcher. This starting the staff for the long haul. The staff's going to be in flux over the next few years, and you need to have that next generation ready to ready to move in.

00:26:02
Speaker 2: And you can almost see their strategy in their draft this year. Their first eight picks were pitchers.

00:26:10
Speaker 4: Uh.

00:26:10
Speaker 5: The first six were college pitchers conceivably guys who could move quicker if everything goes well in the development process.

00:26:17
Speaker 2: Not everybody's gonna get there, but you deepen your pool and you.

00:26:21
Speaker 5: Have more chance of guys, you know, coming to the surface and making it to the big league.

00:26:26
Speaker 2: So I was impressed with the kid. I kind of liked his.

00:26:28
Speaker 5: Uh, little swagger and his little bit of toughness, and I like his big fastball, and I like his hammer. Two elite pitches which make you think, yeah, maybe bullpen maybe close with that attitude. But he also throws a uh he said, a cutter and a split, and they're going to try to develop full four pitch repertoire and uh and develop a starting pitcher, which I think is very smart because you can always transition to the bullpen down the road after you build some innings.

00:26:56
Speaker 1: And for what it's worth. Chatting real briefly yesterday with pressed a man the Phillies GM, I asked him about maybe possibly joining the bullpen later this year, and he kind of he basically his words were, basically, he has those two pitches meeting the fastball and the breaking ball. He's like, but we view him as a we view him as a starter. So in other words, there's no yeah, there's no there's no internal expectations. I think that like, we got to get this guy ready. He's he's got to come up and help us this year, you know. And they're also got in their plans.

00:27:30
Speaker 5: They also signed that seventh rounder, yes, Matthew Fisher, really high ceiling high school kid from Indiana who was going to go to Indiana University. But they threw a lot of money on him and he's in the system. Now, that's a nice get that that kid was projected to be like a top fifty pick and he slid because of the college commitment.

00:27:49
Speaker 2: That's a nice.

00:27:50
Speaker 4: Get that was.

00:27:51
Speaker 1: He got one point two five million dollars. The slot value there was two hundred and fifty seven thousand, and then according to Jim Callison dot com, that's a record for a seventh round pick signing bonus, So that's a huge, huge number. So yeah, the Phillies were excited that they selected him and that he's signed with them, so they that's a guy definitely to kind of keep an eye on what Dave Dombrowski talked on Monday, following David Robertson being signed. He talked about plans for Robertson. He talked about going out and getting more bullpen help. He said, you know, Alec Boem's injury doesn't influence how we're looking at acquiring a bat or not. Talked a little bit about Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter. Anything jump out to you, guys. I thought the one interesting thing was the most interesting thing to me was when he was asked about Justin Crawford. He basically said, we've thought about him a lot. We kind of need to see how things shake out up here in the big leagues before we figure out what to do with him, because when he comes up, he needs to play, which is obvious you're not going to bring up Justin Crawford and him played a week, but it sounds like, you know, he could be in the mix right up there. And what happens before July thirty first, you know, if somebody gets released or somebody gets traded, maybe we see Justin Crawford the last two months of the season, did you guys see you know what you would you guys think.

00:29:18
Speaker 5: Kind of the vibe I got that we might see him right out of right after the deadline if he's still here, depending on who moves, who comes in, and who leaves, and he's he's he's you know, obviously hitting over three hundred, he gets on base at a good looking player, So and it sounded like they really value him.

00:29:33
Speaker 2: So we'll see, uh you know, they lose Bam. I got to tell you this.

00:29:39
Speaker 5: I heard a name in the clubhouse yesterday from a player, and that was Gino Suarez.

00:29:46
Speaker 2: So I there's you.

00:29:49
Speaker 5: Know, we know they need a bat, we know they need a bullpun guy. But there's some uh you know, it's it's at least floating around in guy's head that heads that Suarez is out there. And we've to talked about that in the past. It would necessitate probably swore we're ending up in left field, but it's something to think about.

00:30:07
Speaker 1: Tell you what, Ruben hay Out, I love it.

00:30:10
Speaker 4: I would love it.

00:30:11
Speaker 3: I think that there's got to be some protection for me. There's got to be some protection for Bryce Harper right now in that lineup, the way it's constituted and.

00:30:20
Speaker 5: The way he's swinging. He imagined he's like crushing extra base hits. Imagine if he had real protection.

00:30:27
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think I really feel like the right handed bat is an important piece of it. And if they can't really nail down the back end of the bullpen guy and they only have one move to make, they may check off and go to that big bat and try to slug and hope that they score enough run so that they give that sort of semi shaky bullpen an opportunity to have a little leeway. So if they're in for a two or three run lead in the eighth or ninth, they got a better chance in winning the ball game rather than a one run lead. You know, I would rather them get a lockdown closer. I just don't think that they're going to be able to get them. And if they can't, then go get a bat and try to slug a little bit and see what happens. But it's interesting, and I don't I don't think there's any issue at all with with them taking Schoreber to left field, because hene O would end up being probably at the d H bom at third.

00:31:31
Speaker 4: It'll be very interesting, I'll tell you. That's all.

00:31:33
Speaker 3: The Other thing about Crawford is I think he's either going to be in the big leagues on on August first for the Phillies or in the big leagues with somebody else, and and he sort of deserves it at this stage of the game. If he doesn't get traded, I think he's going to be in the big leagues because I think when they say, aw things are going to play out, it's one whether he's going to get traded or not, but two you have to continue to like sort of assess where you're going to go with mac Kepler and Brandon Marsh. Neither one of them have been, you know, particularly stellar. Brandon Marsh obviously a little bit better lately. But you know, Kepler hits a home run yesterday, and you know, can he get jump started? He walked once or twice, got on base, did some things.

00:32:19
Speaker 4: Can he get going?

00:32:21
Speaker 3: I don't know that it's been a long time and he hasn't been he's been subpar. But I think a lot of it depends on those two guys how they play in the next two weeks, because I think the assessment is if they don't really step forward, one of those guys are going to be off the club.

00:32:41
Speaker 2: And you don't think they're going to get a closer.

00:32:45
Speaker 4: I just feel like if they don't, because the price on the closer is so big.

00:32:50
Speaker 5: Jim, But like, how can they without another big arm back there?

00:32:55
Speaker 2: How can they go with that?

00:32:56
Speaker 4: How can they compete? Don't How can they go where they want to go?

00:32:59
Speaker 2: We know where they want to go.

00:33:00
Speaker 5: How can you get there without somebody shutting down the last hours?

00:33:04
Speaker 2: I disagree.

00:33:05
Speaker 3: I guess maybe if they can't get them and the price is too big, they're gonna have to mix and match with robertson Strom, Kirkering, Lazarre who stepped forward and pitched really well lately. You never know, somebody needs to step forward. You know, last year or a couple of years ago, they had Hoffman step forward. Maybe hot Lazaar's like this version of Hoffman. I don't know this year's version of Hoffman who knows well. Then you're then you're hoping instead of getting a lockdown, which is not ideal.

00:33:39
Speaker 4: But I do believe. I mean, I agree with you, Jim, but they may not want to pray the pay the price of what about like a guy like Duran?

00:33:47
Speaker 1: Yeah, what about a secondary like a guy at the next level down? I mean, I don't know what that would be, say like a David Bednar or somebody who doesn't have that same juice as Bautista and Duran, maybe somebody like that.

00:33:59
Speaker 4: Also.

00:34:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, Dobrowski also left the door a jar on Monday for like Able, you know, maybe even Painter. He said, you never say never. We have had no discussions about it. You never say never. He said that a couple of times. But I left the door. So maybe they go on that route and go get the big bat. I really think that they need to go out and get a big bat because I just feel like and not only just for the take away the protection stuff for Harper, like that would be great obviously, but I need to feel like somebody other than Schwarber and Harper in a big spot can hit the ball out of the ballpark and it's just not happening with really anybody else in that lineup. The number, the power numbers are way down. I mean, Castianos right now, if you look at his numbers is like just above a league average hitter. And you know, you know offensive hitter are performer, and you know Boem same thing. You know, Turner's not hitting home runs, which you don't really know.

00:34:53
Speaker 3: They got no pop other than those two guys.

00:34:56
Speaker 2: So they need both.

00:34:57
Speaker 1: They need the arm and the bat exactly totally. That's what I'm saying, is that he can't get the Felix Bautista. Maybe you get a next tier down guy. Maybe you go, Okay, we're gonna have Lizardo in the bullpen at some point, we're getting Alvarado back. Maybe we'll put Abel in there. Maybe Max might be or he might think true, true, true.

00:35:17
Speaker 5: I'd be surprised, given your needs and given his ceiling that and it just seems like they would part with him.

00:35:27
Speaker 2: I'd be surprised if he's here.

00:35:28
Speaker 4: I would think so too. I did talk to somebody who's pretty prominent.

00:35:31
Speaker 3: In the organization and they talked about Aiden Miller, and the person said, he's the one guy I would not move even above Painter.

00:35:42
Speaker 4: And the reason why I think he said is because he's so young. What is he nineteen twenty one?

00:35:48
Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, he's I think he's twenty twenty. Yeah, he might be see.

00:35:52
Speaker 4: Twenty or twenty one.

00:35:54
Speaker 2: I think he's twenty one.

00:35:55
Speaker 1: He's twenty one. He just turned twenty one.

00:35:57
Speaker 4: He just turned twenty one.

00:35:58
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean he's not that young, but it just feels like he's got such a high ceiling that it makes it really difficult to move him.

00:36:07
Speaker 2: I don't want.

00:36:09
Speaker 4: I personally would move him if it got me what I needed. And I want to mention this to control.

00:36:18
Speaker 1: Yes, Rubin, you mentioned the other day the idea of Schwarburn moving left field, and of course, you know, reading some comments and no way, they can't do that. Again, Schwarburn left, no way, Schwarburn left Castianison right. Talking to people last couple of days, people in the organization think that that wouldn't be such a bad thing. That you know, Schwarber is is a could be a better defender than he was in twenty two. By the way, they went to the World Series in twenty twenty two with Schwarburn Castiana's playing on the corners. I'm not saying it'd be a great defensive outfield, but you know, you take adding a bat like Suarez, does that make up for you know what you're gonna lose defensively in left field because you're not get much like tremendous defense in left field. I just wanted to mention that.

00:37:05
Speaker 3: At the end of the game, you're gonna have Rojas and center and Marsha left.

00:37:09
Speaker 4: Anyway, if they're winning the game, you can lose the game prior to that. You can lose the game prior to that with that outfield.

00:37:16
Speaker 3: But that's what's gonna end up happening anyway late in the game.

00:37:19
Speaker 2: It's a real possibility. Shwarward left field is.

00:37:21
Speaker 4: Especially if you get this, you gotta get right.

00:37:24
Speaker 5: Well, that's how the only way would happen, and it's a it's a real possibility.

00:37:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, the Phillies are not afraid of that idea. Let's just say that, and.

00:37:33
Speaker 4: Let me just say this.

00:37:34
Speaker 3: I would what is a better scenario is to put the first basement in the left field.

00:37:40
Speaker 2: I think they do that mid stream.

00:37:42
Speaker 4: I don't think that they would.

00:37:43
Speaker 3: But athletically, I actually, with all due respect to Kyle schwarbur and he's you know, he'll do anything for the team, I just feel athletically, you'll have more coverage, you'll have a better athlete out there and left he's taking in the first base in two seconds. I mean, he's been great at first base after being a right fielder. He's played center, he's played other positions. I mean, I just feel like just overall. I don't think that they'll ask him to do that, but for me looking at it as a as a x GM and an ex coach and someone who evaluates, it would be great to have.

00:38:23
Speaker 4: The first baseman go to left field. Just say a lot of fun.

00:38:28
Speaker 1: I mean, this is gonna be a fun week. You know. Check your tweet notifications.

00:38:36
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, it's gonna be great.

00:38:39
Speaker 1: Probably more fun ruben on, Like as you said the other day, more fun on your side when you were doing it, making the texts, sending the text making the calls.

00:38:46
Speaker 4: Oh man, there's nothing like it.

00:38:48
Speaker 3: It is the best because you get everybody together and you're meeting.

00:38:52
Speaker 4: You're talking.

00:38:53
Speaker 3: You're talking kids, You're talking, you know, Latin American kids way down there. You're talking about out all types of talent, who you should move, You're talking about the future of your franchise.

00:39:05
Speaker 4: There's so many cool things to talk about.

00:39:07
Speaker 5: Did you guys order off for hogies and stuff when you're in the warm room.

00:39:11
Speaker 4: Don't remember.

00:39:14
Speaker 1: I can say a nice charcuterie board.

00:39:16
Speaker 3: Maybe you got Yeah, I didn't even know what a charcoterie board was.

00:39:21
Speaker 1: Back then, Back back where I'm from, they called a vegetable tray. You know what I mean?

00:39:26
Speaker 4: Shar board, you know what I mean. In Milwaukee they called a vegetable tray.

00:39:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a vegetable right now.

00:39:33
Speaker 2: Sure charcterie with the meat or.

00:39:35
Speaker 4: Is that meat? That's meat?

00:39:37
Speaker 2: Yeah, you have to have some encased meat.

00:39:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, in case, a little Oscar Mayer boloney on there, you know, yeah, a little bologny.

00:39:45
Speaker 5: Yeah, you know what I mean, Ruben, Are you old enough to remember the Oscar mar commercial?

00:39:50
Speaker 4: What are you crazy? I can have questions and I'm sixty years old.

00:39:55
Speaker 2: I can still sing that.

00:39:56
Speaker 4: Are you old enough? I go and the wiener and the winer traveling across.

00:40:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, I can sing it.

00:40:03
Speaker 4: I know, I know. That's I know. Want to asking my queen or yeah?

00:40:09
Speaker 2: No, the kid that.

00:40:13
Speaker 1: Yeah, of course.

00:40:16
Speaker 4: We're we're one hundred years old.

00:40:21
Speaker 1: Okay, all right, guys, we will be back.

00:40:24
Speaker 5: Uh.

00:40:24
Speaker 1: I think we're gonna be back on Thursday. Thursday. Well, we'll be back layer this week, so check us out later this week. We will be back with more hot Phillies.

00:40:33
Speaker 4: Talk smell you, lated, Malady, Jim.

00:40:38
Speaker 7: The Philly Show is brought to you by the foul Territory Network. Subscribe to The Philly Show on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. If you like us, give us a review, follow us on Instagram, TikTok x, Facebook, and threads. Find Rubens analysis before, during, and after Phillies games on NBC Sports Philadelphia, on the Sports Radio ninety four, w IP Morning Show, and MLB Network. Find Jim at all pH l y dot com. Find me at MLB dot com, the Phillies Beat newsletter, and MLB Network