Who's the best? Phillies or Mets?

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Hi, this is Kylee Forber and welcome to The Philly Show.

00:00:08
Speaker 2: Rubin Tomorrow Junior, Jim Salisbury, Todd Zelecki. It's the Philly Show. It's Friday, January thirtieth, twenty twenty six. Guys, who's better the Phillies or the Mets. Oh, Phillies won the division last year by thirteen games, but the Mets won the off season. And we know Pennance are always won in the off season, always every year. So yeah, we thought exactly right. So we thought we would spend today's show because there's a lot of angst I think in Philly. I think it was just a lot of interest in how much better have the Mets gotten, how much have they improved compared to the Phillies. Phillies running it back arguably depends who you talk to. We talk to fans, and most people they'd say either running it back Philly is a point. I we got a couple of new faces, new center field or new right fielder, however you want to look at it. But let's you guys have any thoughts on this right off the top of your head, I'm gonna throw some numbers out at you guys. Well, for fangrafts war. Everybody loves fangrass war. They do these projections. The Mats are now fourth in Major League Baseball and projected war for twenty twenty six. The Phillies are seventh. Oh, that doesn't really.

00:01:29
Speaker 3: Mean that's the old Pakoda that's the right number that it is ever so accurate.

00:01:36
Speaker 2: The Royd g biv.

00:01:37
Speaker 1: Yes, Bill Pakota or Biff pok Ova.

00:01:42
Speaker 4: Boom Bill always think it's the most silliest thing ever when you look at an iPad and you say, okay, we this is the team, this is the twenty six players, and this is what's projected to be correct.

00:01:57
Speaker 3: This is the number of wins they're going to have. It's the biggest joke of all time.

00:02:03
Speaker 2: Ruben, where do you stand on Pakoda projections? Jeezus. But it's a little just it's a little reference point. It injects a little bit of dialogue into the off season as spring training approaches, you know, but we got to be careful what we say today, guys, because you never know who's listening up in New York.

00:02:24
Speaker 5: The New York Post did a whole story about the Philly Show about a week and a half ago, about our comments following the Boba Schett heists, as Jim called it, the Luftonza heist.

00:02:35
Speaker 2: At Look, what they don't.

00:02:37
Speaker 1: Know is they just woke up to us because Ruben crushes the Mets all the time.

00:02:45
Speaker 2: Well here, well here he goes.

00:02:47
Speaker 6: There I lived it.

00:02:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, you were there. You lived it. So who is better the Mets or the Phillies. That's what we're going to be talking about today. Uh let's I'm gonna do a real quick recap Phillies. What they do this offseason. Schwarber resigned j T Real Mutel, They signed Brad Keller, Adolis Garcia. They traded for Jonathan Bolan, Cale Bachis, Zach popp Is on a major league deal, out Rangers score as Matt Strom, Harrison Vader, Jordan Romano, and not yet but he will be. List of Phillies have a change of heart, Nick Castianos The Mets, of course, their additions Boba, Shad, Freddie peerul To, Marcus Simon, Lewis, Robert Jr. Hore Polanco, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Out, Pete Alonzo, Brandon Nimo, Edwin Diaz, Jeff McNeil, Tyler, Rogers, Ryan Helsley, What do you think of that?

00:03:38
Speaker 6: A lot of bodies out, a lot of bodies in.

00:03:41
Speaker 3: I was the only comment that I want one of the comments that I will make about that. Yes, I gotta to commend David Stearns. Obviously was not working for them. Uh, they needed to make change. I sort of agree with the mentality, with the thought process that they had to get some of those guys out of there.

00:04:03
Speaker 6: They they did not have the right mojo.

00:04:06
Speaker 3: And whether you like Nimo and McNeil and Alonso and Edwin Diaz, it just didn't work for them. Regardless of the talent or the ability, that mix was not working for them. And you got to commend David Stearns for making the changes. Are they going to be better because of it? No idea, the Pakoda says it. I don't necessarily believe that that's, you know, going to happen. But it all kind of depends on whether these guys gel and whether they play well.

00:04:40
Speaker 6: You know the simeon will he bounce back?

00:04:45
Speaker 3: You know what kind of years Polanco go to a playing first base every day. I mean, there's all types of stuff going on there. But I do commend David Stearns, and I think the pitching is still an issue for them just in general, not just their starting pitching, but their bullpens well. But I got to give some love to David Sterns about at least making change and whether it's gonna be for the better or not, who knows.

00:05:10
Speaker 1: I mean, they added some offense in Barba Schett. I loved that pickup. We would have loved him if he was here, or loved that pickup if the Phillies could have closed that deal. But you know, but the Mets also subtracted some offense and Pete Alonso, who you know, helped them score a lot of runs over the years. So Bashette and Alonzo where I think I'm interested to see what happens is in the bullpen because they lost Dias Off a great year. Rogers pitched well, and you know, they bring in two guys from the Yankees, Weaver and Devin Williams, who struggled in the Bronx last year. So they bring him two Yankee guys. You know, I could conceivably see them taking a step back in the bullpen, and we know how important bullpens are. A lot of depth in the rotation but you know, until they just added Freddy Peralta, not a lot of star power. I think a lot of what happens out there is going to depend on uh, you know, we let Nolan McLain, he looked awfully good last year. Does he take a you know, a step forward towards solidifying a spot this year and see what they get out of the young youngster Jonah Tong. I don't know if he's gonna be in the big leagues right away, but certainly an awful lot of ability. Probably getting ahead of things a little bit todd here because I know you want to match up things, but I still think that rotation Phillies, if the Phillies rotation, if all that question marks come back, you know in the affirmative, I think they have a better rotation, and that's why I might give them the upper hand.

00:06:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, so we're gonna gett We're gonna go positioned by position here. But first I want to say, we're so close to ten thousand subscribers on YouTube, to make sure you hit the subscription on the top. Take who's gonna take us over the top? I wish we could like figure out exactly who the ten thousand subscriber is and of course you can go to the Philly Show shop dot com to pick up some swag from the show. We appreciate your support. All right, let's get rolling here, let's jump right into it. We're gonna go position by a position, then we'll do rotation and then bullpen as a big group Catcher Francisco Alvarez or JT. Real Muto. Francisco Alvarez had an interesting year last year. He got option down to triple A in June because he was playing so poorly offensively and defensively. Confidence was shot. They sent him back and then after he came back in July bat at two seventy six eight home runs nine one ops after his return. So those Fangraft war projections have him as a Mets Catchers as a whole four point zero war, Phillies Catchers as a whole two point six war with at real Muto and Raphael Vershawn. Luis Torrens is going to be Alvarez's backup. What so you guys think, Catcher, who do you give the edge to?

00:08:14
Speaker 1: Who do you give it to?

00:08:15
Speaker 6: I give it to the Phillies.

00:08:17
Speaker 3: I go to the Philly because you experience It's not just about the numbers here, It's about the experience and the ability to run a run a staff.

00:08:25
Speaker 6: I got JT. Uh uh flying colors over Francisco Alvarez.

00:08:30
Speaker 2: I guess, I just I just believe so much in the importance of JT to this pitching staff correct and you know some of the metrics say, you know that the blocking and the pitch framing and all of that, but you know, he's it's it's it's you can't put a number on it, obviously, right, because that's why the Phillies in the in the inreal Muto were at such an impasse for the longest time. But he is so incredibly valued now. Alvarez better offensive catcher, you know, no doubt about it. But I think JT just brings so much value. So I do I really like JT.

00:09:07
Speaker 1: I agree, I think j T completes the Phillies pitching staff. I have broken this rivalry down position by a position as well, and I have a p next to the catching category for edge Phillies.

00:09:21
Speaker 2: All right, there we go, There we go. So let's move up the first base line to first base. You've got Horge Polanco versus Bryce Harper. Polanco is going to play first base for the first time in his career. Now, he did play shorts, He's played a ton of shortstop, obviously came up as a shortstop, played a lot of second Base's been working out at first base. So I don't know, you know, I assume he can go over there and catch the ball. He's going to be able to go over there and catch the ball. But you know, you're going up against one of the best players Hall of Famer. You know, I think any any any GM or president baseball ops would take Bryce Harper over Horrey.

00:09:59
Speaker 1: Plant This is you know, we're within what a couple months of the beginning of the I Am Elite Tour. That's right, And I give the edge to the Phillies there.

00:10:13
Speaker 6: Philly's on the edge.

00:10:15
Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt about it. Okay, So second base, this is a little this is an interesting one. I feel like, very interesting second base. You have Marcus Simeon versus Bryce and Stott Simeon. He was third for al MVP in twenty twenty three, so insanely good in twenty twenty three when the Rangers won the World Series. The last two years, he has been a below average offensive player, elite defender, fantastic defender. I would throw a couple numbers out of you. After the All Star break last season, Marcus Simon batted two oh three with a five to ninety three ops. He's thirty five batted a combined two thirty four six eighty six ops the last two seasons with the Rangers. Bryce and Scott had a really nice second half last year more than you know. Also a very good defender. So who do you get the edge to you there? Guys?

00:11:10
Speaker 1: Tough one good. I struggled with this one, like you said, both very good defender. Stott's a heck of a defender, and I like the chemistry he has with Trey Turner up the Meddle. I also liked that eight to fifty five ops in the second half. I liked the adjustment he made, lowering his hands a little bit a little more direct to the ball. I'm wondering if he saw the light a little bit last year Bryson Stott, remember we had Kevin Longhan. He said he had that conversation with him, said, do you want to do thirty your whole life? And Stott really started making some adjustments and got it going together. I like Simeon. He's a couple of years removed from that great season. I'm going to give Scott the edge a little bit, younger legs, and I like the second half and have some faith that he might finally be pointing in a in the right direction at least in terms of consistency. But you know, I thought this was was a tough one.

00:12:20
Speaker 6: Todd what he got.

00:12:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I I go with Stott because of his He's a younger player, who's I do think he might have figured something out defensively, you know, he's very good up the middle as well. Interestingly, again just going by if you want to know what the Fangrafts projections are, Simmy in three point four war stot three point one war basically a toss up there, depending on how you look at it. You know, three that's that's a negligible difference. So but I I really like the way to stop played last year, and you have a two year track record of Simon not producing and he's getting older, so he's on the wrong side, he's on the down side of his career. You know, I'm gonna go with but a very slight edge, very slight edge.

00:13:04
Speaker 6: I'm gonna go with Semon slight edge. And the reason why I'm gonna go.

00:13:07
Speaker 3: With Simeon, uh great defender, prowd of a push on the defense.

00:13:12
Speaker 6: Maybe simme in.

00:13:12
Speaker 3: A slightly better second baseman, maybe not, but it's pretty close. Excellent both of them. I do like the way Stott finished up, and I'm a big Stott fane all the stuff. I'm a huge fan. But I think Simon is going to bounce back and have a really good year. He's a talented man. I think that he is gonna be rejuvenated by the trade. So I'm gonna give a slight edge to Simeon.

00:13:38
Speaker 2: Okay, there we go. Third base. Boba Schett versus Alec Bohm. In in another universe it's uh, you know, Brett Batty versus Bobachett or whatever the case might be at third base, but it's Boba Schett versus Alec Bohm at third baseba.

00:13:58
Speaker 3: I got Boba Schett on this one. I do think that Alc will bounce back and have a good year. I think we'll have a solid year as long as he stays healthy. I'll have somewhere between eighty five and ninety five. RBIs I think that he's going to play a decent defense. The Bobashett thing has never really played third base. There's a question as to whether he's going to be playing. I say, not a great shortstop, so he's going to be I think the defense will be a push. I just like Bobaschett's overall ability to put the bat on the ball. He's a hit machine. He's got some power, similar power numbers. Even though the raw power is much greater on Alec Boma side, he hasn't really shown it on the consistent basis power wise. I'll take Bobachett on this one, and uh so, I'll go with the Mets.

00:14:48
Speaker 1: And they're both both Bowman and Bashett are entering their free agent years. Let's not forget That's can pocket that forty two million and opt out. He has a lot of reasons to have a big season. Alec Bohm has a lot of reasons to have a big season. But I have a big Bold M next to that category of big M like Frank.

00:15:15
Speaker 2: Mahovlich, Frank Mahovlidge, Jim, look it up, all right, So let's go to shortstop. We got Francisco Lindor against Trey Turner the toughest one. These are two to These are two superstars's on.

00:15:33
Speaker 3: I'm gonna cop out here and say this is a draw. I got a draw on this one. I mean because I think, honestly, I think Trey Turner played the best shortstop he's played.

00:15:45
Speaker 6: In his career.

00:15:47
Speaker 3: He had a MVP type season, and I think there's more to come. If I were to pick a slight favorite, I'd go with Trade just because I see him more.

00:15:58
Speaker 6: But I'm gonna call this a.

00:15:59
Speaker 2: Draw about you, Jim.

00:16:02
Speaker 1: I'm gonna give the edge to Frankie Lindor. This is the guy who hits thirty bombs a year. Turner had, you know, hits for a higher average when he's going good, like last year hit three or four, won the batting title. But I Lindor's pop, his pop, his extra base pop, his power to me is a is a bit of a separator. I think they're both good defenders. Trade Tray was last year. He wasn't previously, but last year. You know, I don't think we talk enough about how well he turned things around last year and the season he had finish in the top five of the MVP. I think Lindor finished in the top ten of the MVP. But I'm going to give the slight edge to Lindor based on the pop.

00:16:52
Speaker 2: You know, I was doing the same thing, Jim, the slight edge to Lindor because of the pop and just I feel like the consistency over his career is just you know, you know what, your He's almost rolls out of bed. He's going to have a great Sea's not that Trey Turner has not, but the consistency with him is just tremendous.

00:17:09
Speaker 6: For m v P. Last year, Lindor or turn Turner.

00:17:13
Speaker 2: Turner got Turner was Yeah, Turner was top five m VP. Correct, Yeah.

00:17:19
Speaker 1: He was Lindor I think finished tenth.

00:17:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, Turner had Turner. Yeah, this really this is a tough up for me. This is a toss up. This is a toss up. So all right, left field is a little bit in flux. For the Mets, they could be Carson Benge, Tyrone Taylor is going to compete for that job. Some playing time. Brett Bady could get them at bats there the Phillies, of course, unless they make a move before opening day. There's some We spent Tuesday's episode talking about some possibilities that are out there, Randall grit Chick, Miguel Andrew Harr, a couple other guys, Austin Hayes. It looks like it's going to be Brandon Marsh and Auto Kemp.

00:18:02
Speaker 6: I got I got the phillies on this one. Yeah, I got the phills.

00:18:06
Speaker 3: I'm not you know, I don't know much about benj but I got the phillies over on this.

00:18:11
Speaker 2: One, slight edge of the Yeah, I like it.

00:18:15
Speaker 1: I broke it down outfield versus outfield. Okay, So I won't give you my final grade, but I'll hear you guys out and I'll tell you your teaser. I'm gonna tease. I'm gonna tease that puppy and it all comes down to one guy.

00:18:31
Speaker 2: And stay tuned, stay tuned for Jim's grade on the outfield.

00:18:36
Speaker 1: Uh.

00:18:38
Speaker 2: Brandon Marsh from May through the end of the season beat a three oh three eight thirty six. Ops. You know. MLB Network does this MLB now like the Top ten. Have you guys seen this Brandon Marsh ranked? They put Brandon Marsh as the tenth best left fielder in Major League Baseball, which I think surprised a lot of people, so you never know. They're really high on auto camp. He was banged up last year, he's healthy. They think he can go out there and maybe be a nice platoon. I don't know. We'll see, but you know, the Mets again, we don't really know who's gonna be playing left field for the Mets center field.

00:19:16
Speaker 1: This is interesting.

00:19:17
Speaker 2: This is an interesting one. Louise Robert R. Versus Justin Crawford. Now, I'm gonna give the edge to Luis Robert Junior only because he is a no quantity. I believe that you get him out of that hellscape of Chicago with no fans in the stands, you're losing one hundred and fifteen games. Not to say he was mailing in and or whatever, but you're gonna have a little bit more juice playing in city field in the NL East and you are playing for the White Sox and with no chance to win. So if Louise Robert Junior stays healthy, and you know, I think he can put up some big numbers, you know. Yeah, So I'm going with Louise Robert Junior over Justin Crows.

00:20:00
Speaker 6: I'm going to Louise Robert Jr.

00:20:02
Speaker 3: Also, I'm not a huge fan of his, but he has the ability and he's been playing in the big leagues for what over five six years now.

00:20:09
Speaker 6: I mean, this is a guy's got a lot more.

00:20:11
Speaker 3: Experience, and Justin Corwford's an unknown commodity.

00:20:16
Speaker 6: I gotta go with Louise Robert Jr.

00:20:18
Speaker 1: Here In this one, and we know you're not a big fan of his because I believe the last two trade deadlines. There it is, dude again, give me a lot. There you go. So it's interesting because you got a young kid with some upside against you know, a lot of ability, who has tons of ability, cantilizing potential, but just hasn't done it in a while and gets hurt, doesn't always put out, and he'll hear it up there if he doesn't put out, because they won't put up with that. So obviously Lewis Robert being being around a little bit more with that potential, can be much more of a force I think out of the gate than Justin.

00:21:05
Speaker 3: And he's a really good defender, and Justin Crawford there's a question to mark about his defense.

00:21:10
Speaker 6: So you know whether he can.

00:21:12
Speaker 3: Be a I remember Louis Robert Junior can play d he can he can roam out there.

00:21:16
Speaker 1: But I think you're gonna get a lot of effort out of Crawford, and I also think that means something. So Lewis Robert better show a little bit of a little bit of effort. I think he will up there change your scenery, demanding fans.

00:21:30
Speaker 2: But he gets he gets banged up a lot. So the last five seasons, he's played one hundred more than one hundred and ten games just once in the last five seasons. So he's the guy that gets hurt a lot. Hory Planker, we talked about him earlier. He gets hurt a lot. Boba Schetz had a bunch of leg injuries the past few years, so that you know.

00:21:47
Speaker 6: That's half injuries for both.

00:21:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, you got you gotta get on the field here, So right field, Juan Soto.

00:21:56
Speaker 6: I wonder which one we're gonna go with here?

00:21:58
Speaker 2: This is an easy this is a he's a no brainer.

00:22:00
Speaker 3: Swan Soto, he crushes Yeah what what what a dollar? Scarcia can bring the table's good defense, some energy, some power, lots of swing a miss and can he make enough contact to be like a solid six seven hole hitter for the Phillies.

00:22:17
Speaker 6: We'll see.

00:22:19
Speaker 1: So in terms of offense, offensive production, putting runs on the scoreboard, Juan Soto tilts the entire offense, the entire outfielder should say in the Mets direction, in the.

00:22:33
Speaker 3: Greed, Yeah he's I mean, he's like if you're talking about the entire if you talk about the entire outfield, no question that that they have the edge.

00:22:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, I got m there.

00:22:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, Okay, d H probably Mark Ventos.

00:22:49
Speaker 6: This is a no brainer.

00:22:51
Speaker 2: Kyle Schwerber, No, come on, I mean, you get one hundred and fifty million dollars. He hits tanks, you know, and he's performed, but he's gotten.

00:23:01
Speaker 6: Better every year.

00:23:03
Speaker 1: And as though he ain't ever getting comfortable, he's been he's been in Major League Baseball eleven years, ten times to the postseason, continues to improve, always brings a hunger. That's a big letter p on that matchup.

00:23:20
Speaker 3: Some talent with Bientos, some talent with the bat, no question about it. Very streaky though, can punch out and get into those punch outs. Handles the Phillies really well for some reason. But he's a Philly killer, but pretty inconsistent. And this is a no brainer.

00:23:37
Speaker 2: Absolutely all right, so let's move on to the rotation. Now, the rotation the Mets projected Freddie Peralta, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Nolan McClain, Sean Manya, Cody Sanga, Tobias Myers. That's the kind of like the gist of the rotation. You don't know how they're gonna fall or whatever. Health obviously, blah blah blah. Philly's rotation, Christopher Sanchez, Jeesus sozardro Aaron Nolah, Zach Wheeler, Andrew Painter, Taiwan Walker, Fangrafts War projections. Gotta throw those out there. Philly's rotation fifteen point eight, Mets twelve point three, So a big edge to the Phillies rotation via fangrafs war. I would have to agree with Fangrafts for war, and also the old fashioned eye test and just watching these guys pitch. I mean, especially if Zach Wheeler comes back and the talk about him is so weirdly like upbeat and positive, it's almost kind of like, can it possibly be the doing he'd be doing this well, but yeah, everybody seems to be pretty upbeat about his recovery so far.

00:24:48
Speaker 3: I think if Wheeler's healthy, then it's it's clearly, clearly an edge to the Phillies.

00:24:56
Speaker 6: Now there's been some talk about Franbur Valdez. He has not signed yet, There's talk about fran Ra Valdez coming to the Mets.

00:25:03
Speaker 3: I think depth wise, I think the Mets. I take the the Mets. They've got better depth. But I would say that just on paper right now. Again, we don't win championships on paper, but right now, as a scout and as an evaluator, I would see that the I would say that the Phillies are have the edge here in the rotation.

00:25:24
Speaker 6: It's one of the strengths of the team.

00:25:26
Speaker 3: And if it's not the strength of the team, then they're in and a whole lot of shit.

00:25:34
Speaker 1: You know, we talk about the acquisition of Peralta, we talk about Zach Wheeler coming back healthy and doing Zach Wheeler type things. Phillies still might have the best picture on both teams, and that's Christopher Sanchez, who has in the last two seasons, you know, vaulted right there to number one status and has a chance I think this season to really firm that uh lay ball up and I expect him to because he you know, we talked about Schwarber never comfortable, Sanchez never comfortable, great worth, work, ethic, always getting better. I think he, you know, finished second to Cy Young last year, twenty two quality starts to tie, you know, tie for the major league lead. Uh not comfortable, power, fastball, great change up, great pitching aptitude. I think we could see another great season from from Christopher Sanchez. He might be the best pitcher on on both staffs.

00:26:34
Speaker 2: He's got that look about him, man, when he's just in the clubhouse on the mound, looks like a stud pitch.

00:26:40
Speaker 1: And Lozardo's really good, and Wheelers really good, and Panter's got great ability if he ever puts it together.

00:26:48
Speaker 2: Nolah's huge concerned.

00:26:50
Speaker 3: About starts out of Lozardo, man, and he threw he had a Cy Young worthy. You know he'd be in that conversation too if he didn't get blown up a couple of years.

00:27:00
Speaker 6: Oh yeah, with those he's pitch tipping.

00:27:02
Speaker 1: With those two starts. There were twenty earn runs in those two games inane he added like a three point zero three ra or something. If you take those out and he's pitching for a contract. Great motivator, yep, and he's a great kid.

00:27:16
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:27:17
Speaker 1: I like the Phillies. I think the Freddie Peroulta acquisition was a must for the Mets. I love this kid, Nolan McClain, great talent. But I'll take the Phillies rotation, you know, over the Mets. I just think it's a better rotation. I think it's the strength of the Phillies team. I mean, there's some question marks. Some things have to go right, but you can say that about every team. Things have to always go right for teams.

00:27:42
Speaker 2: No doubt about it. All right, But let's finish up with the bullpen. The Mets bullpen we mentioned at the top. They added Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. They have a j Minter Brooks, Raley Louis former Phil Luis Garcia, Wascar, Brazobah. Phillies of course, a Jouan, Duran Alvarado, Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller, Ryan Kirkan, Kennerbanks, Jonathan Bolan, Fangrafts war Phillies four point six, Mets three point three. So the numbers like the Phillies, but Ruben and Jim like the Phillies.

00:28:17
Speaker 6: I like the Phillies.

00:28:18
Speaker 3: I mean, I I you know Devin Williams, you know, a few years back may have been a bigger difference, but people have made some adjustments on him.

00:28:27
Speaker 6: I know he finished the season off a little bit better.

00:28:29
Speaker 3: With the Yankees, and he started obviously, he's really struggled for a long time with the Yankees. I like Gironduran. I mean that Joan Duran's as good as it gets. As far as the Closures are concerned, I'm I got the Phillies, man. I like the fact that they added Keller. I think that they have Alvarado was a big arm. It will bounce back. I think he'll throw well. I think Kirk Ring will bounce back after that tragedy in the playoffs. And you know, Tenor Banks actually done a nice job for really really good, solid job, very underrated. I like that combination of of of guys over the Mets. But again, and you never know what's gonna happen during the season, but u but as of right now, I'll give the edge of the Phills.

00:29:15
Speaker 1: I'm gonna give the edge to the Phillies as well, because the Mets subtracted Diaz and the Phillies, you know, they're they're they're you know, criticized for quote unquote running it back just a couple of months, you know, with into last season or with a couple of months to go. They acquired Johann Duran. Johann Doran, and he's a difference maker, and they're gonna happen the whole year, and they're gonna have the whole year. So the subtraction of Diaz with the late season, you know, trade deadline acquisition of of Doran and having him the whole year, I think it's huge. I think the Phillies know where they're going to go in the ninth inning. It's not one of these years where they're scratching their head. So coming right out of the gate, they're gonna have guys slotting in.

00:30:04
Speaker 6: Uh.

00:30:04
Speaker 1: They're gonna know who's coming out there in the ninth dinning and who's who's gonna slot in uh in front of him, and they got to do their jobs. Alvarado's big key. He's gonna come out firing Keller like that acquisition, especially you know, in that seventh or eighth and see what happens. But on paper, I have to give the Phillies a bit of an edge there. Devin Williams a question mark after what he did in Yankee Stadium last year. And he's still in yank in you know, New York, and that's tough. That's a cauldron up there. It's like Philly when things are going bad. New York's tough. When things are going bad, Boston's tough. So he needs to come out and established himself quickly. Devin Williams does, and I think Johann Duran will And already has established himself as an ass kicker in Philadelphia. Yeah, absolutely has.

00:30:57
Speaker 2: I wasn't keeping track here, guys, but it feel like if we added, if we tallied up everybody's choices, it was maybe pretty I mean almost even. You know, Phillies versus Mets. In other words, it's not a lopsided as lopside is. Maybe some people think one way or the other. Phillies are still a pretty good team, you know.

00:31:18
Speaker 3: Everything's are the Raining, are the Raining nationally champs. They got to be the crowned. I mean, you know, the people are chasing the Phillies. They won by over thirteen games or whatever it was.

00:31:35
Speaker 6: Nobody was close. I know Atlanta will have a much better year this year.

00:31:38
Speaker 3: They'll be healthier it'll make things very difficult, and they could be.

00:31:42
Speaker 6: They're going to be in the mix, There's no question about it.

00:31:45
Speaker 3: They've got a lot of talent, and for their sake, I'm sure they're hopeful that they're healthy. But it should be a very interesting l east.

00:31:55
Speaker 2: It should be. It's just so funny, Like you think back to the summer, right, and you know we were giving thumbs down to Luis Robert Junor. I don't think a lot of Phillies fans were excited about Louis Robert Junior when that was maybe a possibility. It's like, oh my god, forget about it. This guy bring up justin Crawford. And then you fast forward a few months later, it's like, oh my god, justin Crawford, the Mets got Louise Robert Jr. I mean, the guy is so talented. You know, it's just funny how some perspectives changed and perceptions change in a few months with everything that has happened.

00:32:30
Speaker 1: But you know who's got the better mascot?

00:32:34
Speaker 3: Oh please don't be ridiculous.

00:32:40
Speaker 4: Why, I don't know, an embarrassment.

00:32:47
Speaker 6: I also.

00:32:50
Speaker 2: I also want to say this though, Uh, the Braves should be pretty good. This year too, I think really bounce back and and and so I don't want anybody down in Atlanta going, oh, they're overlooking their braves. This that's not what it is. It's just everybody up here right now has been focused on the Mets so much, especially after they stole Bobachette. You know. The feeling is that they stole bobershet from the Phillies at.

00:33:11
Speaker 3: The last and they basically took contrast in in in off seasons, one team that basically jettisoned a bunch of guys that had been there for many years, including McNeil, Nimo and Alonso as well as h Das.

00:33:27
Speaker 6: I mean there's four guys that were like core players for them gone.

00:33:32
Speaker 1: One team shook it up and one team.

00:33:34
Speaker 3: One team they took the dice and they fired them, and the other team stayed stayed pretty consistent.

00:33:42
Speaker 2: Absolutely. So there you go. Spring Training Pitchers and Catchers is on February eleventh. And I tell you what, man, the way the weather's been guys the last few days that his soul sol sucking.

00:33:53
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:33:53
Speaker 3: Wait, so going down next week and I'm going down again the following week.

00:33:59
Speaker 2: So you're going you're him back down. All right?

00:34:01
Speaker 6: Oh yeah, oh god, I got lined for a reason.

00:34:06
Speaker 2: Bro, isn't this weather just the worst raccoon?

00:34:09
Speaker 6: Thank you? That's those glasses. I better start putting on a little sunscreen. I'm not listening to Schmidty enough.

00:34:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, you should listen to the Schmidt Well next time, dow Hey, Before we go, I do want to send my condolences to the great Philadelphia writer Dan McQuaid, who passed away, uh this past week at age forty three. Dan uh, you know he worked at dead Spin, Philly mag You know, he worked all over the place. Defector, a great, great guy back when like Twitter was like at its peak, when it was so much fun to be on. Guys like Dan McQuaid were so great and like his spirit was amazing. He would reach He was at the Phillies game years ago where the fanatic was dressed up as Batman. He was supposed to drop in from a helicopter. He's supposed to sky dive in, and the wind was so bad, and so the fanatic is hanging from this helicopter for like twenty five minutes, and Dan Baker had to stretch out this whole bit. And so Dan Baker's trying to stretch out this whole bit. It was absolutely hysterical as Dan Baker's trying to like, oh, no, fanatic, what are you going? You know he's doing this whole thing. It was a great moment. Dan I always popping his head. Every once in a while, Dan would talk about it. But if you're not familiar with Dan's work, you've got to go read the story he wrote in Philly magg several years ago. He watched Rocky two the training montage. It was like a minute long, and he was watching it and this is how his brain worked, and he said, I wonder because he saw these different parts of the city. So he went and he actually figured out if Rocky actually ran this thirty second montage and the order it was presented in the movie. It was like a thirty mile run. It was so genius, so funny, so clever. I'll put a link in the description, so if you're watching this on YouTube, you can click the link and read it, or if you're listening listening to us on the pod, you can click the link and check it out that way. By my condolences to him, what a what a great guy man, just one of the all time a great Philly guy, great Philly guys. So yeah, yeah, all right, guys. We will be back next week as we gear up for more spring training talk. I might have a few surprises next week. I don't know.

00:36:26
Speaker 6: We might have some guests.

00:36:28
Speaker 2: We might have some guests. We're working on it, all right.

00:36:31
Speaker 1: Guys, samelliar a little boys, It's nice Jim.

00:36:35
Speaker 2: 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.