Mookie Betts joins the show!

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Hey, this is Bryce Harper and welcome to The Philly Show.

00:00:17
Speaker 2: Hi, everybody, Welcome to the Philly Show. Ruben Amar Junior, Jim Salisbury. I'm Todds a lucky It's Friday, August ninth, twenty twenty four. We're actually taping this though Thursday night, before the Phillies opened a big four game series gym against the Diamondbacks. I just got back, just flew in from La flew back from La following the first Phillies series victory in almost a month. So you know, it's something that they badly needed. Nick Castianus last night, he he asked me like he knew the answer obviously. He was like, I said, yeah, you guys finally won a series. Like, yeah, who was the last team we beat last time we won a series? I said the Dodgers. He's like, yeah, I go, what does that mean? He goes, I don't know, Nick being Nick.

00:01:08
Speaker 3: You know, he was going to give you something deep.

00:01:12
Speaker 2: Well I think it was. I mean, he was kind of like inferring it was deep. But then he's like, eh, it's just it's just a weird coincidence. Man, they know baseball being baseball, so uh, you know, good series in LA for the Phillies.

00:01:24
Speaker 3: By the way, we're without Reuben, but we do have Willie.

00:01:28
Speaker 1: Willie's here, Yeah, Willy the Dog, Willy the Dogs.

00:01:30
Speaker 2: If you're on YouTube, you can check out Jim's dog.

00:01:34
Speaker 3: Long haired Mini docs And she's very needy today. She she just wants to sit on my lap because it's so radio so. But you're right, uh, you know, we talked a lot about how they've been struggling, and you know, all three of us felt like they would come out of it. Yeah, and it looks like they are. They've won three or four and they want a series important series because they take the season series with the Dodgers just in case they finished tied, they'll have the tiebreaker in ant for home field, and that's important. Hope Field's important for the Phillies because I know Game six and seven last year against Arizona, but they're still very, very good at home and that's a tough place to play for visiting teams. So that was good. It was good to see Christopher Sanchez have a good one. Really, I thought, you know, Kyle Schwarber was the star of the show on Wednesday, and he often is. He's a great player. He's been a great Phillies signing that said, I want to give a little tip of the hat to Tyler Phillips the way he you know, he was down early, but he really grinded and kept him in it and kept it close so the bats could come alive. And what a display by Schwarberg. It was the twenty sixth three home run game in Phillies history. I wouldn't have guessed they had twenty six three homer games, but they have been around for one hundred and forty years.

00:03:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, they happened around.

00:03:02
Speaker 2: You remember Harper had one in April and that driving, cold, frigid rainstorm against the Reds. Yeah, and uh yeah, Schwarber was tremendous. But you know, going back to Tyler Phillips, it's he gave up those two runs in the first inning. But I mean, Brandon marsh just misses the ball at the wall and left center field, Austin Hayes misses that sliding catch and left field, and both of those balls are caught. You know, who knows how the game happens, but it was interesting. Then they mentioned Schwarber. Schwarber made a point to go tell Tyler Phillips. I think after Schwarber hit that three run home run to give him an eight four lead, Kyle went up there and said, hey man, you kept this in the game.

00:03:41
Speaker 1: You need to know this.

00:03:41
Speaker 2: And then Tyler was kind of Joking's like no, man, like you've been huge. You had the big double, you had the home run, you had the leadoff home run, Like you're having a huge game. And they said. It was kind of a back and forth like no, no, no, you're having the huge game.

00:03:55
Speaker 3: That's why Schwarber is a great teammate man totally those little things and he pumps people up for doing those little difference making things that can win a ballgame. You know, we've talked about this before. I don't want to get out a tangent, but he was very, very helpful in Alec Bohm's maturation. When Bohm had some struggles early in twenty twenty two, you know, we'd walk in the clubhouse, you'd see them sitting there together, and I know one of the anecdotes you know I heard was Bowman had a tough night, or maybe another young player. But you know, Schwarber pulls up a chair and says, hey, let me tell you about the time I struck out four times in a game. I mean, tell you about the times I struck out five times, whatever it was, you know, and just kind of saying, you know, I've been there, and this is a tough game, and you can pick yourself up from this and turn turn a little bit of failure into into something positive, into a learning experience. Great signing on the field, great signing in the clubhouse.

00:04:56
Speaker 1: So good.

00:04:56
Speaker 2: I mean, I even like Saturday, Jim, and they blew that game late against the Mariners, just an awful loss, and uh, you know, Jeff Hoffman has his worst start in like three years, our worst appearance in three years. And Schwarbert after the game, he was kind of like the voice of reason and you kind of like trying to reassure everybody, provide some calmness. But he also said something interesting I thought after the game last night, talking about the Dodgers. He said, yeah, you know, I mean, maybe we see these guys again, so you know, you kind of have to remember you're at bats against them. You have to remember how they attack you. You have to remember just kind of you know, he's like, I know they're shorthanded right now, but this is a team that we could see again down the road. So I have to remember, keep keep all these little moments in the back in the back of you remind you think that this could be a NLCS rematch.

00:05:49
Speaker 3: Well, I think it could be. But you know, they're going on to Arizona, and boy, that team has caught fire.

00:05:53
Speaker 1: Yeah they have.

00:05:55
Speaker 3: You never know, you just never know who they're going to see in the playoffs and you never know. Hey, they still have to perform to get to the NLCS, so where you know, you can't take that for granted. I don't think they're taking it for granted. I don't think a Rob Thompson team would do that. A lot of interesting things happening in the standings. You know, the Mets are now tied with the with the Braves and the division and and hard for me to believe, but the Braves are like, you know, hanging on on that playoffs. Shit, if they keep going south, they're going to fall off the playoff grid. They're currently tied with the Mets for the last wildcard spot. And the Diamondbacks have just come on strong. I mean they are just they've won like twenty four out of thirty six. I think something like that some you know, since the end of June, they've been red hot. Now the Phillies is going to contend with them over the weekend Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. A four game series not going to be easy. But you know, from a Phillies perspective, it's good. They've kind of gotten some things together here going into that series.

00:07:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, they want to keep it going as much as they can, but you could tell that they you know, I guess we'll Really it was the first time in a long time, almost a month that you know, they there was a buzz in the clubhouse after the game. You know, they were excited that they won. You had Castianos got hit with the pitch and then he was barking at the pitcher telling him that's a big miss, bro, that's a big miss. Matt Strom. Then the bottom inning drills, a guy I got lost, Yeah you lost?

00:07:28
Speaker 1: That one is.

00:07:29
Speaker 3: Yeah, hey, you know what that's you can you know, you can say, you know, it's dangerous to be throwing at people, and obviously it is. But Strong handled it the right way. Lucks handled the right way, ran down to first base, yes, and that's you know, to quote an old friend. That's good teammate behavior. You've got to stand up for your buddies.

00:07:55
Speaker 2: That's right.

00:07:57
Speaker 1: Uh.

00:07:58
Speaker 2: One guy we did not see Jim in La was Mookie Betts. Mookie Betts is on the injured list with a hand injury, but he's going to be coming back next week. And we had the opportunity the other day to chat with Mooki for who's like, you know, one of the baseball's biggest superstars, for about twenty minutes the other day and that was a lot of fun. And for those that don't know, I mean Rubens mentioned it on the show. He coached Mookie in Boston and there's a real you know, there's a real affection you know that each each has for one another. That was it was.

00:08:30
Speaker 3: It was a cool talk, no question, I've heard Ruben talk about Mookie Bets. So Rubin after his time as Phillys GM was up, he very quickly went back on the field, put on a uniform with the Boston Red Sox, became their first base coach, also coached the outfielders and the base running. Oh, Mookie Bets is their right fielder at that time, and he's a great base runner based Steeler. They developed a great bond and a great respect for each other, and Ruben was able to secure the US uh interview with Mookie Bets. So, MOOKI you know, I I I didn't ask him this, but I'm sure he considers a career highlight to appear on the Todd Pod. Yeah.

00:09:12
Speaker 2: I think I'm pretty sure. He was texting everybody afterwards. He was like texting Freddie Freeman and Otani going, dude, you gotta go on, you gotta go on.

00:09:20
Speaker 3: It was the time of my life.

00:09:22
Speaker 2: There's no doubt about it.

00:09:24
Speaker 3: Well, what do you say, Let's uh, let's give it a listen.

00:09:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's look. Yeah, you gotta listen to this and and and one thing I want you to keep an eye, uh listen your ears open for is listen to how Mookie Bets says farewell to Reuben. You guys are gonna get it. I think you guys really can enjoy this. Mookie, thank you so much for joining us. We really do appreciate the time. All of us have a lot in common besides the physical talents and the charm where we all do a podcast and you've got on, you've got on base with Mookie bets with Bleacher Report, and you've had some big time to hit, you know, heavy hitters. Obviously, I have an Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Francisco and Freddie Freeman. But I think Philly's fans are gonna be most interested in your last guest. I saw you just posted a photo of you with Aaron Nola, and I'm wondering when is that episode going to drop? And what did you learn most about Aaron Nola that might interest Philly's fans.

00:10:18
Speaker 4: It was live, so I don't know how it works after it's live. But you know, I've loved doing the podcast, and I really loved getting to know people like I really can sit down in front of really anybody and get to know a lot about.

00:10:33
Speaker 1: Them in an hour.

00:10:34
Speaker 3: And so.

00:10:36
Speaker 4: Going in knowing that I was doing Nola, it was I was like, well, he hasn't ever said anything, so.

00:10:44
Speaker 1: I don't know what I'm gonna get. I mean, he doesn't smile on the field, he doesn't do anything.

00:10:49
Speaker 4: I know he's obviously now I know he's having fun and.

00:10:52
Speaker 1: Whatnot, but I wasn't sure what to expect.

00:10:55
Speaker 4: And what I learned the most about him was probably his knowledge of fishing. I know I didn't, he didn't talk to me about it, but I could only imagine how deep.

00:11:07
Speaker 5: It really runs when it comes to just fishing.

00:11:10
Speaker 4: And then just his love for his brother. That that that that show.

00:11:14
Speaker 1: That really really showed.

00:11:15
Speaker 4: He really kind of lit up, and he said he could talk for hours about that, and that's probably the only thing I can imagine him talking.

00:11:23
Speaker 1: To hours about. So But I mean, you know, he's.

00:11:28
Speaker 4: Real cool, real chill, and I'm glad I had got to have him on.

00:11:31
Speaker 2: It's funny that you picked up on his demeanor on the field. You know he is. I mean, he got no emotion. He can never tell I be mad, sad, whatever.

00:11:39
Speaker 1: I appreciate it. Though.

00:11:40
Speaker 4: I appreciate it, though I wish, I wish I could do it, but.

00:11:43
Speaker 1: I'm not wired that way.

00:11:46
Speaker 2: Well, you know, you've had some pretty good success against Stole in your career. I just looked up the numbers. You're seven for twenty double couple home runs. You haven't gotten to face him this year, of course, because you've been hurt, but I'm thinking maybe in October you might have the opportunity to face eron. Do you think like Dodgers Phillies NLCS. We might be seeing a preview this week at Dodgers Stadium possibly.

00:12:08
Speaker 1: No, I mean it's just not the same. No, we're not. Everybody's healthy and for either team, right, and so you know, and just a game. What month is this August? I mean a game in August.

00:12:23
Speaker 4: Even though we do play hard and we take everything serious, it's just nothing could could really simulate a playoff game and the feeling and you know, just walking into the park, the smell of being outside. I mean, there's so many things when it comes to playoffs that you can't replicate. So, I mean, maybe the Phillies and the Dodgers as teams per se, but that's definitely not the game.

00:12:44
Speaker 1: The game will be completely different for sure.

00:12:47
Speaker 3: Hey, Rookie, thanks again for being with us. One of your biggest fans is on here, and that's Ruben Tomorrow. I've heard a lot of stories. He cherished his time with you in Boston. As you know, he's done everything in the game. He was a batboy for the Phillies, he played for the Phillies, he was an assistant jam, he was a GM, and then when his time as general manager came to an end, he goes back, puts a uniform on, go it goes on the field as a coach with the Boston Red Sox, and he just so happens to coach the outfielders and base running, and that earned him a lot of time with you. What were those experiences like for you? And and maybe Reuben can jump in a little bit and tell us what he enjoyed about working with you as well.

00:13:27
Speaker 4: You know, to be honest, he didn't teach me a whole lot about baseball.

00:13:32
Speaker 5: It wasn't baseball that really stood out. It was really just the honesty being able to go talk.

00:13:43
Speaker 4: To him because I didn't really need a whole lot of help playing baseball. I needed like almost life coaching within baseball. And I feel like he was there, he was placed perfectly for that. And sometimes I mean when I didn't feel good or whatever, he was like, shut up, just be quiet, just go play, go play, just go play right field, Go be mookie, go do this, go do that.

00:14:06
Speaker 1: And it was like no matter how yeh, there we go, this that's the white there we go.

00:14:17
Speaker 4: He always would slow me down and would always just instill confidence in me. And so I just remember so many times like but he'll remember this. So many times I felt like I could steal this space, Like I feel like I could steal this space. Like I would look at him like with this concern, like I think I can go, and he would look at me and like, yeah, go steal the baby, he would say all the times, And even if the first baseman was right there.

00:14:46
Speaker 1: Go.

00:14:48
Speaker 4: You you know, and it's like so like just that instilled the confidence in me that that really I used today, like I even do it now.

00:14:57
Speaker 5: Like bro, just swing, just hit, just go.

00:15:00
Speaker 1: The guys slowed it.

00:15:01
Speaker 4: I catch myself saying that to the young guys now. And uh so that's it wasn't like I said, it wasn't a whole lot.

00:15:09
Speaker 1: Of baseball stuff. It was more like the life within the baseball.

00:15:13
Speaker 6: And what was interesting about being with Mookie is he I don't know if Mookie really realized.

00:15:16
Speaker 1: How good he was. I really don't. He worked so hard.

00:15:20
Speaker 6: I he was one of the hardest working guys, perfectionists, great athlete, all that stuff. Everything you see with him on the on the field every day. But as a person, he was really a perfectionist. And I just don't know, like he wanted to do everything perfectly. And there were times when I was like, ooh, you know, one we're gonna make mistakes.

00:15:38
Speaker 1: I was actually glad he got picked off once. He hadn't gotten picked off and like in like four years or.

00:15:44
Speaker 6: Something like that, and I was like, dude, just go just be you know, be you, because it's okay to make that mistake and it's okay to be not perfect. And it was just a joy to be around him, just because he was really humble about that. I think he believed in himself, but he didn't quite believe in all the things that he could do on the field. And I was like, man, you can do things. And his instinct is just off the charts. But and so he's right. I didn't have to teach a many name about baseball, and I didn't. The only thing I didn't want to do is screw these guys up. And Jackie and Bennett's andy. That was that was my goal. Don't just don't screw them up because they're just fine. But it's fun to be with them.

00:16:25
Speaker 1: Really.

00:16:26
Speaker 3: When Ruby was the gym in the Phillies, I know he tried to trade for you.

00:16:31
Speaker 4: He said that, he said that, and he said he's gonna put me in a second ace.

00:16:35
Speaker 3: What that's that's right.

00:16:37
Speaker 6: I needed an infielder. There were some guys that thought that he was not like the classic center fielder and so and he was such a so athletic, he could play anywhere in the field. I was like, man, I probably needed a second basement. So let's get him in the in the infield, in the middle infield. How good would his numbers and out the ridiculous with his numbers be as a middle infielder.

00:16:55
Speaker 1: So and you know it happened with that, whatever happened that did, they just didn't want to try.

00:17:00
Speaker 6: Uh well, it got to the point where that year it was uh Cole Hamilton was involved. And first of all, they didn't want to trade you. I would have gone probably one for one for you, but I was trying to push hard. Yeah, you were sort of the top of the ticket for me. And there were some other guys that I was interested in two at the time. There was some young dudes. So Schwyheart was there and over left hander Owen, Yeah, yeah, he was, you know, but you know, I was trying to get the big boys and uh and and you were you were probably the top of the list, but ben Cherrington just felt like that team wasn't good enough to add on to the point where he didn't think it was going to be good enough anyway, so he just backed off.

00:17:45
Speaker 1: So so I was out.

00:17:46
Speaker 3: How did Ruben I know he used to pitch batting practice?

00:17:51
Speaker 1: Left you? I tried, I tried to, she tried.

00:17:54
Speaker 3: And then how did he handle the fungo bat as?

00:17:59
Speaker 1: It was all right? I mean really he got He started off and it was rough. I ain't gonna say rough.

00:18:05
Speaker 4: It wasn't great starting off, but then to his point, like I take an obsessive amount of ground balls and fly balls, and.

00:18:13
Speaker 1: So I would say probably.

00:18:16
Speaker 4: Probably by May June, it got it got good because he had had hit.

00:18:21
Speaker 1: So many by that time. It got good. And then then he was fine with it.

00:18:24
Speaker 4: And I would just keep going and keep going and keep going, and he I think he would get bored with it and be like, Okay.

00:18:30
Speaker 1: That's enough, let's go inside.

00:18:32
Speaker 6: And I thought Mookie was gonna be like one pound by the end of the year. He wanted to kept taking I mean, he kept to such a perfection as he worked so hard at every every part of his game that that actually had to back him off.

00:18:44
Speaker 1: Hey lookie.

00:18:45
Speaker 3: So, so the thing that.

00:18:46
Speaker 6: I've noticed about you since you left, since you left Boston, is like how you've sort of grown into this leadership role. Tell me about that transition for you, because in Boston and you didn't have that same didn't seem like you had that same role or felt that same way to be able to do that. What clicked for you when you slid over to LA and sort of became the guy and sort of like a leader.

00:19:18
Speaker 4: I don't know because when I first came j T, Justin Turner was here who was really kind of running the team with Kersh and so I just really came over and was just chilling, you know, just kind of taking care of my job.

00:19:33
Speaker 5: And like now you know, now that you know a lot a lot.

00:19:38
Speaker 4: Of change, I still don't really see myself as a leader like that. I just show up, do my job and go home if there's something that needs to be said. The only thing I really I guess I grew up and I started to hold myself more accountable to.

00:19:56
Speaker 1: Whatever it is.

00:19:56
Speaker 4: Right, So I feel like your success is in your failures are both your fault.

00:20:02
Speaker 1: They're on you. And so I feel like.

00:20:06
Speaker 4: Now I just because I hold myself to that standard, I kind of hold other people around me to that standard. And so if you're going and you're not playing well, if you're not doing this well or whatever it is, and I see, well, I mean, bro, you can't really expect to bunt if you don't ever bunt like you can't or you can't expect to to get out of this slump if you go hit the same amount that you hit. And so, because I hold myself to that standard and I hold the other people around me to that standard, sometimes I just don't say anything because what I'm gonna say to you you probably are not gonna like.

00:20:50
Speaker 5: And so.

00:20:54
Speaker 4: That's why I don't see myself really as that much of a leader, just because I don't. I try not to do that to everyone because not everyone can handle that type of stuff because I've said it. And even with my wife, you know whatever is, they may get mad or who she may get mad because I say something. And so I know my wife that's fine, but my teammates, I don't think it's a good idea to really because people handle things different ways. So I don't see myself as that much of a maybe like an on the field.

00:21:23
Speaker 1: Example leader, but definitely.

00:21:25
Speaker 4: Not a vocal raw raw type type leader or whatever you say.

00:21:32
Speaker 3: You're definitely an example guy because you play the game the right way. You're one of those guys that when a young kid is sitting in the stands with his mom or dad, the parents says, see that guy right there, that is the way you play the game. That was like how Chase subtenly played it too. Yeah, Chase, Yeah, hats off to you for that. I wanted to ask you a lot of time. You know, we're in Philly, we're Philly guys. A lot of time we'll see these player polls and a lot of players will say Philly is the toughest place to play as a visitor, As a visiting player, is there any truth to that. You've been through Philly a few times. What's it like playing in Philly in front of that rock as fan base that they attract on a nightly basis.

00:22:16
Speaker 1: It's fun, man, it's fun.

00:22:17
Speaker 4: When I was in the outfield, they say some good stuff out there, they say some good stuff out there there in New York they got they got some good stuff.

00:22:27
Speaker 1: But I think that's uh. At first, it.

00:22:29
Speaker 4: Would get to me and I would, you know, turn around and like, you know, y'all really talking to me like this, you know, and whatever and so.

00:22:38
Speaker 1: But now while man, I'm in the infil now, so I don't really hear it.

00:22:41
Speaker 4: But I just got to a point where you just get numb and you feel the atmosphere but you don't really hear what they're saying, but you definitely feel it going into Philly no matter no matter if.

00:22:53
Speaker 1: It is April or June or October, you're gonna feel it. You know you're gonna feel it.

00:22:59
Speaker 5: Now.

00:23:00
Speaker 1: The game may be a little.

00:23:01
Speaker 4: Different, obviously because during the regular season during the postseason, but Philly always brings it. And that's one thing I do appreciate about going going into Philly.

00:23:10
Speaker 3: Anything creative that you might remember that they said to.

00:23:12
Speaker 1: You, not that I can say on here.

00:23:17
Speaker 2: I feel like Boston probably prepared you for it. I mean, that's not like Boston's an easy place to play. I know you played great there, but you know the team doesn't do well. I'm sure team heard some booze from time to time.

00:23:27
Speaker 1: Oh absolutely.

00:23:28
Speaker 4: And that's that's one thing that I really appreciated being in Boston because no matter what, no matter how you feel, no matter what day it is, no matter what time it is, every time you put on that uniform, you have to strap it up and be ready to go.

00:23:41
Speaker 1: Like there's no.

00:23:44
Speaker 4: Going to your point, like you're gonna get booed. You're gonna get booed if you don't run down the line, or don't play the game the right way, or don't do extra work or whatever. You're not accountable in front of the media, like you're gonna get booed. And so all these things, to your point, help me to who I am today.

00:24:02
Speaker 6: Just one quick one, last quick one about the transition to the infield. I know that you used to take ground balls all the time. How much joy are you having right now? I mean, how much fun are you having? I mean sometimes?

00:24:12
Speaker 5: I mean you're one of those guys who wants to be involved in the action.

00:24:15
Speaker 6: Tell me about how that's out feeling that shorts.

00:24:19
Speaker 4: It's coach, It's probably one of the best feelings in the world. Because when I got drafted, I was as short and immediately got moved off of short, probably ten twelve games in going to second base, and so I never got there. Nobody ever took the time to teach me or whatever it is. And I understand that have the reasons, so you know, whatever the reasons is, it worked out, so thank you, right, But you know, I wish I would have gotten that instruction and gotten to learn how to play short and so when all these years and never got to do it, and now it comes back full circle and the practice is so much fun for me, just the ground balls, the pregame routine. You see me out there, I'm out there an hour every day. Especially why right now I'm hurt. I mean, I'm taking ground balls an hour straight and it looks tiring, this, that and the other. But like I'm having the time of my life out there, just having so much fun. But the only thing that that may not be the time of my life is the stress that comes with playing like this, Like like you you may only get three plays, but you better not mess them up. And it's like in the eighth inning, first and third, two outs, and they hit you like a backhand that's a relatively routine backhand, but for me, that's not relatively routine.

00:25:40
Speaker 1: Like I'm just learning this.

00:25:41
Speaker 4: I'm just I'm just learning how to do I just I just learned this two days ago, so I'm trying to put it in the game now and so that part is stressful, but you know it, it's fun. It's definitely kept me up, kept me up at night.

00:25:55
Speaker 2: Though, Mookie, last one for me and we'll let you go. You know, I was listening to the Mike Trout podcast and it's and I think, what's cool about your podcast? It's not You're not in there going like what are you working on the cage right now? Or you know that it's all human interest stuff, learning the player off the field. And so I'm wondering, you just had Aaron Nola on who is next on your Phillies wish list? And why would you like to interview them and dig into who they are as a person.

00:26:20
Speaker 4: Well, honestly, I mean, I know the world wants to see Bryce, they want to hear from Bryce, and this is no shot at Bryce by any means. I feel like we've known you since you were sixteen, bro, you know what I'm saying, Like we've known everything you've been on Baseball America, and like we know everything about.

00:26:40
Speaker 1: You since you were sixteen seventeen.

00:26:42
Speaker 4: So it's not that I don't want him, but on there by any means I feel like it's the podcast is geared for people like Aaron Nola, who nobody really knows.

00:26:51
Speaker 5: So my my from the Phillies, my next one.

00:26:55
Speaker 4: I would really like to get Zach Wheeler on there, because he didn't talk. I know nothing about him, nothing, and so that was the good thing.

00:27:03
Speaker 5: That's what I enjoy because going with Aaron.

00:27:08
Speaker 4: I saw him in the lobby when I got there and we hadn't started. Obviously, we're walking up to the room together, and from the lobby walking up to the room together. When I first saw him, I said, Aaron, I'm not talking to you because everything I'm going to talk to you about is going to be on air. So me and him did not talk for twenty minutes and we were three feet away from each other. And so the good what I love about it is like I'm genuinely getting to know Aaron as.

00:27:35
Speaker 5: The show is going on, because I don't know him.

00:27:37
Speaker 4: So like for Zach, there's no possible way I haven't spoken to him now, so there's no way I would speak to him until on in front of the camera. So hopefully he says, yes, you know, we'll we'll see, we'll, we'll see.

00:27:51
Speaker 2: That's awesome, and I hope that happens because that would be that would be a great listening. Because you're right, Zach is a little bit of a man of mystery, you know exactly.

00:27:58
Speaker 1: I'm trying to solve the.

00:28:01
Speaker 2: Mooky. Gotta make it happen. Man, We really appreciate it, appreciate the time. Thanks so much for joining us, Thanks.

00:28:07
Speaker 1: For bringing so much joy.

00:28:08
Speaker 6: Thanks for bringing so much joy to me and to the fans of Major League Baseball.

00:28:12
Speaker 1: Man, it's been awesome to watch you go. Love you coach.

00:28:15
Speaker 2: That was a lot of fun. Thanks again to Mookie Betts. We had a great time. Ruben will be back on Monday. We'll be back on Monday to talk about the Diamondback series. We'll do a look ahead at the homestand remember folks were part of the followed Territory Network, so check out all their shows. Jim, that was great. I'll talk to you on Monday.

00:28:34
Speaker 3: Smelling later, Chimes, Smellia.

00:28:42
Speaker 2: This is the Philly Show. If you haven't already, please subscribe to The Philly Show wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch us on our YouTube channel. If you like what we do, give us a review. Tell a Friend, Catch Ruben, Jim and Me on Phillies Nation TV, presented by bally Forge Tourism. New episodes air an hour before every Saturday Phillies game on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Replays air throughout the week and on philliesmation dot com. Get more of Reuben's analysis during before and after Phillies games on NBC Sports Philadelphia, on the Sports Radio ninety four, WIP Morning Show, and MLB Network. Rejim at the Allcity Network at allphl y dot com. Find more of me at MLB dot com, the philliesb Newsletter, and occasionally on MLB Network