Happy Soto-Giving

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Alright, this is Chase that leak. It's the Philly Show.

00:00:08
Speaker 2: Hi, everybody, Ruben Tomorrow Junior, Jim Salisbury Todd's a Lucky brought to you by.

00:00:13
Speaker 1: Foul Territory Network. Good morning.

00:00:15
Speaker 2: It's Wednesday, November twenty seven, twenty twenty four. It's the day before Thanksgiving time.

00:00:23
Speaker 3: Anything. Is there anything better than Thanksgiving? Boys? I love that? Isn't it just the greatest time of the year.

00:00:28
Speaker 4: I mean, I love the fall, but because of yes, all these fall stuff. But dude, Thanksgiving with your friends and family, it's just the best.

00:00:37
Speaker 1: If you like your friends and family.

00:00:39
Speaker 3: I like my friends. That's a good point.

00:00:42
Speaker 1: No, But I agree.

00:00:42
Speaker 2: You get the holidays going, you start seeing the people outside decorating, you know, putting the Christmas lights out, the Christmas trees, the music, just the whole vibe of the season is just amazing.

00:00:54
Speaker 4: Well you think, Jim, Apparently, Jim, did you know you don't like it?

00:00:58
Speaker 5: Right?

00:01:03
Speaker 3: I like Thanksgiving? And you know, I grew up in the area where it started when the Wampanog Indians and the local colonists celebrated, you know, getting through the winter or the harvest. I guess it was and they ate seafood and wild turkey, and you know, I like turkey, but I guess the turkey is a symbol because they ate it at like the first Thanksgiving. I kind of wish they had pizza and chicken palmersan at the first and that became the tradition. But other than that, I love it too much.

00:01:41
Speaker 4: Trip to fan for you.

00:01:42
Speaker 2: You can act, Yeah, so funny. So I'm gonna test you guys on something. So I was thinking back to like past Thanksgivings, and one Thanksgiving sticks out for me as a Phillies beat writer. I'm gonna throw a date at you. November twenty fifth, two thousand and five, day before Thanksgiving.

00:02:02
Speaker 1: Boom. What happened that day.

00:02:04
Speaker 3: Two thousand and.

00:02:05
Speaker 4: Fo November was that when Millwood was Is that Milwood new?

00:02:12
Speaker 1: It was not? It was.

00:02:15
Speaker 2: Let me tell you November November twenty fifth, two thousand and five. It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Both of you guys were involved in this. I remember reporting, Okay, go for Jim.

00:02:26
Speaker 3: I remember driving up to New England and reporting and having my cell phone on the Connecticut Turnpike at reporting that story. As Jim Tolmy was sent to the white sox right.

00:02:37
Speaker 2: Yes, correct for Aaron Rowand and leeftended pitcher Geo Gonzales was there to be named, and Daniel Hagwood Daniel, Yes.

00:02:49
Speaker 3: I actually I actually was able to track down Jim that night, and I still remember speaking to him from from my brother's house up in New England. And uh and then you know, writing that story and we had remember at the Inquirer, we were at the Inquirer tob we had really early deadlines and trying to be cut Thanksgiving, you know, the night before Thanksgiving, and yeah, oh boy, I remember that well.

00:03:16
Speaker 4: Now.

00:03:16
Speaker 2: I remember I was in Wisconsin at my parents' house and just talking to you while you were driving, and I don't know who I was calling and talking to, and just remember my folks going.

00:03:27
Speaker 1: You have to work today. It's like, yeah, they just traded. Jim told me I gotta write a story. I gotta write a story on this, you know.

00:03:37
Speaker 3: I remember, you know, heck all all heck breaking loose on a number of holidays over the years. But yeah, I mean there was that year they were going, you guys were in the mix for shilling when he ended up in Boston, and that was sort of at Thanksgiving time. But yeah, a lot of stuff blows up at Christmas time. I remember one year. I remember on like a Christmas Eve writing about Bobby Estlay having a surgery. I think like that you guys announced that on Christmas Eve.

00:04:09
Speaker 4: If thank you, Rubin, I'm here for you, my friend.

00:04:13
Speaker 1: I had you know.

00:04:14
Speaker 4: It was NonStop twenty four seven, baby, I can picture.

00:04:18
Speaker 3: Them up there. Let's announce this when we can at the most inconvenient time, like you know, when you know I did it on purpose, just to.

00:04:31
Speaker 2: You guys are sitting on that for a week and said talk to pr and six thirty pm Christmas Eve, but I want you to send that release.

00:04:39
Speaker 1: But December.

00:04:45
Speaker 3: Paul Hagen, Paul Hagen gets inducted into the Hall of Fame. And I'm up there spending the weekend trying to enjoy watching my friend going to Hall of Fame, and Ruben is signing Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and I'm having to excuse myself from dinner in the original to try to chase this thing down. Now, Ruben's playing hard to get and he's driving me nuts. And oh my god.

00:05:14
Speaker 1: The original Mega in Philly, the original Maga.

00:05:17
Speaker 3: You know, that sounds really funny, but I can't hear you.

00:05:21
Speaker 1: You know, we were muffling each other.

00:05:24
Speaker 4: The original Mega and oh yeah, we were making baseball great again in Philly.

00:05:33
Speaker 1: The Gallifred. That is so funny.

00:05:36
Speaker 3: Oh my gosh.

00:05:37
Speaker 2: Well, we don't expect any big Thanksgiving. Well I shouldn't say we don't expect. They could spring it on us at a moment's notice today. I mean, very well, Jim, you and I could be rushing to our our laptops at you know, nine o'clock Wednesday night for a big Phillies trade. But there's been a lot of talk about Wan Soto. There's a report just a few days ago that the Phillies.

00:05:58
Speaker 1: Have not met with one so Photo yet.

00:06:01
Speaker 2: They you know, they they they're gonna meet with them at some point, but also that they have not even communicated at all with Scott Boris or anybody associated with Scott Boris. I've been told that, no surprise, they've they've communicated with Scott Boris about one Soto another, So that that, you know, I can tell you that they have not met with them. I don't they expect to meet with them at some point. I don't know when that will be. But there's you know, so just.

00:06:29
Speaker 1: A little colonel.

00:06:30
Speaker 2: It's not a big deal, but just wanted to mention it because we.

00:06:34
Speaker 3: Do we even do we even think it gets the stage. I'm sure they do their due diligence, but does it even get to the stage where they make an offer?

00:06:43
Speaker 1: Great point, I don't know that it may or may not.

00:06:46
Speaker 4: I know that they're going to start fielding offers, at least that's the rumor out there. They haven't made that presentation like other teams have. It sounds like the Mets and the Dodgers have made a presentation to Scott.

00:07:00
Speaker 1: Scott Force doesn't really need.

00:07:02
Speaker 4: A presentation or so maybe he maybe would want one if he's going to sign with him. But I mean, he knows everything there needs to be known about the Phillies through his biggest client, one of his biggest clients in Harper. So I don't know. It's a great point though, Jim. I don't know if they get to the point where they're and I think what John Nelson actually said, I don't mind being a stocking.

00:07:24
Speaker 1: Horse, but.

00:07:26
Speaker 4: I'm not sure if if, if they get to the point where they're where they're able to make an offer, and I think it. I think that they probably have some moving parts, like if they don't move salary like a castiano's salary or somebody like that, they can't.

00:07:40
Speaker 1: I don't know that they really can.

00:07:42
Speaker 4: So I think that might come after the winter meetings or after you know, somebody's moved off of their off of their paybal for them to really make a real solid offer.

00:07:54
Speaker 3: I mean, because these offers generally came after the presentation, the sizzle video, the me eating the private jet. Then then the offer rolls. And I'm just wondering when I think about even making an offer because of the people that are involved in this situation, namely Scott Boris. He also represents Bryce Harper. We've heard and seen evidence that Bryce Harper would like an extension or a bump on the AAV you know who knows. I mean, is it do you make a big offer to somebody when you probably know it might come up short. How does that affect how another Boris client kind of looks at things when he may be starting to feel a little bit underpaid. I think it's kind of complicating.

00:08:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's very Yeah, it's very complicated.

00:08:44
Speaker 2: I mean, you think of you know, say they throw out five hundred million, Rice Harper is going to sit there and go, this guy's worth one hundred and seventy million dollars more than me.

00:08:52
Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean even if you do, even if you don't consummate the deal, it.

00:08:57
Speaker 2: Do you have the money? Yeah, it's the offered it. Yeah, I'm about throw us a little my way.

00:09:03
Speaker 4: It's it can get a little complicated.

00:09:05
Speaker 1: I mean I went through that.

00:09:06
Speaker 4: A little bit with when we ended up signing Cliff Lee back and we had Roy Halliday and I had told him at that at that point, I.

00:09:13
Speaker 1: Told Roy he was going to be the highest paid player we have.

00:09:16
Speaker 4: Two years later, I'm I'm.

00:09:18
Speaker 1: Reneging on that now.

00:09:19
Speaker 4: I talked to him about it and discussed it with him prior to let him know that we were in the midst of having that negotiation.

00:09:26
Speaker 1: He was very meanable.

00:09:27
Speaker 4: It was like, I don't care, man, Yeah, I got you know, do whatever you gotta do to make this team be a winner. And that was sort of the beauty of Royaliday. But I don't know what the psyche of a guy like Harper would be in this situation. I would assume he'll say, hey, get the best players who we can get, you know, so we can get that trophy back. But but you're also telling you're.

00:09:48
Speaker 3: Also telling the agent, hey, we have this this money, and now the agent's gonna you know, he's has a responsibility to maximize his client's value and and sal he's gonna, you know, has a chance to use that information. It just seems very convoluted and slippery, sloppish to me, except.

00:10:10
Speaker 4: You know, the reality of it was when when he signed that contract, Bryce Harper, no one had a gun to his head. I mean, he was a guy that signed the contract willingly. He wanted to stay in Philly. He had no trade you know, he didn't want to go anywhere. He's got no opt outs in there, and so that was a decision that he made.

00:10:29
Speaker 1: And so I mean, it's a contract man, as far as I'm concerned.

00:10:36
Speaker 4: It's not like the NBA or the NFL, where you can like opt out of your you know, you're allowed to opt out or you asked.

00:10:42
Speaker 3: Him to come out of it.

00:10:43
Speaker 4: So, I mean, this guarantee. The beauty of guaranteed money is that you get it's guaranteed. So if he flops or gets hurt or whatever the case, may be he still gets paid.

00:10:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:10:55
Speaker 3: It is complicated.

00:10:56
Speaker 1: It is complicated, very complicated.

00:10:59
Speaker 2: So thanks Giving is tomorrow, It's Thursday, and so we thought we would talk about things in baseball that we're thankful for.

00:11:09
Speaker 1: You know, we're in the we're in the holiday.

00:11:11
Speaker 2: Spirit here at the at the Philly Show. What are you Let's let's start with Jim.

00:11:16
Speaker 1: Let's start with Let's start with Jim. Let's start with Jim. I'm gonna here with Jim's thing.

00:11:19
Speaker 2: But he was the slowest to respond of is he excited for the holidays?

00:11:25
Speaker 3: I hope I'm not getting mushy, because I know Reuben gets very emotional. But you know, when I was a little kid, like four or five years old, my father had me out in the backyard and he was throwing me balls and one of them like hit me right in the mouth, and I had a mouthful of blood, split my lip and my teeth and everything, and uh, you know, my mother apparently gave my father holy hell for blowing up my face. And my father's response to her was, if I can just teach this kid the game, he's gonna love it the rest of his life. And he was so right, And I just I'm so happy that my dad introduced me to the game. My mother didn't kill him from splitting over my face. And it has been a lifelong love affair. It's been a vocation and avocation and the relationships with players, you know, coaches, managers, front office official other reporters, fans. So I'm just really thankful to that. And speaking of the fans, I'm thankful that for all the folks that have given us a chance on this podcast. It has been so much fun.

00:12:35
Speaker 1: That's great stuff, man, That's it's awesome.

00:12:38
Speaker 3: You know.

00:12:38
Speaker 2: I remember being in the backyard with my dad. He'd throw tennis balls. He'd go on the other side of the house and me and my brother would be in the backyard and he'd throw tennis balls over the roof, and we thought that was the greatest thing in the entire world.

00:12:50
Speaker 1: So it was so fun. We'd try to catch him and whatnot.

00:12:53
Speaker 2: I actually have done that with my own son and daughter, throw them over there, and they it's amazing to kick they got. And so it's those memories are just those are just amazing.

00:13:01
Speaker 1: That's cool. That's cool. Keep going to keep going to oh man, Well, you know, I was.

00:13:05
Speaker 2: I actually wrote down you know this. I'm thankful for this podcast, and I'm also thankful for the response that that we have gotten from the Philly Show. And I've said this before, but it is funny. I've gotten more positive feedback and more comments from just fans at the ballpark and just out and about about this show than.

00:13:28
Speaker 1: Any reporting or writing or story I've written, you.

00:13:31
Speaker 2: Know, But I think it speaks to like, you know, how much people are enjoying this. And I think people can tell how much we enjoy getting together, you know, two three times a week and talking baseball.

00:13:40
Speaker 1: We have a lot of fun.

00:13:41
Speaker 2: So I really appreciative of of you guys joining up and and and the fans that have been listening on on podcasts and watching on YouTube.

00:13:52
Speaker 1: That's been that's been absolutely a blast.

00:13:55
Speaker 2: So it kind of kind of fuels me to kind of keep this going and and see where it can take us.

00:14:00
Speaker 3: Keep the Todd Pod going.

00:14:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, baby, keep it rolling, Keep it rolling. Do you have anything? What do you got?

00:14:06
Speaker 4: I got a bunch of them, But I I mean it goes without saying about you know, my my life in baseball, obviously, my family. Jimmy alluded to it my family, you know, being involved in baseball. I get to do something that I truly love, you know, in so many different capacities. So without getting too emotional about it, the fact that my grandfather played baseball, you know, a century ago almost and uh and started that this baseball life in Cuba and Mexico, and then you know, obviously passed it down to my to my dad, and then my dad passing.

00:14:42
Speaker 1: It to me.

00:14:44
Speaker 4: It's brought my family great joy and it's been you know, it's been amazing for me. I'm thankful for And I wrote this down too, this was my fifth one. But I'll mention it as well that the podcast to be able to be.

00:14:58
Speaker 3: On there with you guys and to build their relationships.

00:15:01
Speaker 4: Over the years with both of you guys, I know how much you guys both love the sport and love doing what you're doing. I wouldn't be doing this if I mean, I've always been friends with you guys, but I wouldn't be doing this unless you guy. I knew that you guys had were really passionate and really love this game and uh, and you love the covering the Phillies. I mean, it's it's it's uh it's been you know, sort of a you know, a couple of decades old theme for you guys, how much you enjoy working and doing what you do with UH, with baseball. So thankful for you guys to to be able to be on this podcast. So Tom McCarthy is a great partner. I wanted. I wanted to be thankful for him because he's been he's the best. Everything he does is also a great human being. But he's an amazing broadcast partner for me. I wanted to mention mention him.

00:15:55
Speaker 3: I wanted to mention.

00:15:56
Speaker 4: Zach Wheeler because Zach Wheeler to me, has been a joy to watch. I have a I have a really you know, big, you know thing in my heart for this guy. I just watching him grow up when he was with the Mets and now grow up to be the picture that he is today. I know he's been sort of not screwed, but I mean he especially the first time with Unberg, but I mean he's gotten us. He's had two high young type seasons and UH and I think he's a great pitcher and also very grateful to be able to watch him on the daily and to be able to broadcast about him and I wanted to say something about Rob Thompson because I don't think that he gets a whole lot of love.

00:16:39
Speaker 1: I think Rob.

00:16:40
Speaker 4: Thompson is one of the best managers we've ever had in the city and one of the best leaders.

00:16:44
Speaker 1: I really do.

00:16:45
Speaker 4: I think he's spectacular. I don't know what what his future holds. I know he's gotten you know, I know they picked up in his option or whatever the case may be, or extended him. I think that the man is tremendous. I think he is very conscious of the job that he has to do on the field and the way that he handles and loves his players, and that's a tremendous combination.

00:17:08
Speaker 1: Of a person.

00:17:11
Speaker 4: He is someone who grinded it through the minor leagues and became, you know, the leader he is today. And he learned from some great, great leaders and came from a great back baseball background, and for a Canadian who is basically, you know, basically a hockey guy to become the kind of baseball leader that he is, I'm pretty.

00:17:33
Speaker 1: Grateful for him as well.

00:17:34
Speaker 4: So and then finally I wanted to say something about the fans. It's it's amazing. I mean, watch it with not just the Phillies and how much they travel, but the Eagles and all the other sports, and how passionate the fans are here, and how much they love their sports and hate their sports sometimes, but I think the passion that they have for the sport is just amazing, and there's nothing like it.

00:18:00
Speaker 3: I guarantee you.

00:18:01
Speaker 4: I've been around, don't believe me. I've been to a butter bunch of cities. I've been in New York, I've been in Boston, and there's passion there, there's no question. But there's nothing like the Philadelphia fan. And I'm grateful for them because we wouldn't be doing this podcast without.

00:18:15
Speaker 1: Yeah, no doubt.

00:18:16
Speaker 2: Yeah you mentioned Rob Thompson. Maybe he's sitting at home on his lazy boy with La Bat's blue, watching the Leafs before leaps game and appreciates your kind words. Now, I I appreciate, and I you know, Rob, Rob is Rob is a great guy. Awesome right about great? Just a great person. People are a great person. Yeah, just a tremendous human being. I mean really is. And that that is why players love playing for him, and that stuff matters over the grind of a six season. It was really It's really really important to have a leader that you respect and like and make you want to play hard every day.

00:18:52
Speaker 3: So Canada, Canada has had a great impact on the American game of baseball. So the I mean, who's the most legendary baseball figure of all time, Todd Babe Ruth. Yeah, you don't think you'd get out of a ball nowadays because you don't respect anything that happened anyway. But I'm on one of my famous tangents. Now go ahead. Brother Babe Ruth was taught the game by a Canadian brother, Matthias, at the at the Industrial School in Baltimore. He ran the school. He was the baseball coach, the principal, head disciplinarian, he was everything He's got, brother Matthias, and he was from Cape Breton in Canada. So he taught Babe Ruth baseball, so that it has a you know.

00:19:44
Speaker 1: How about that brother Matthias.

00:19:47
Speaker 3: Brother Matthias, look him up. How do you do it, Jim?

00:19:51
Speaker 1: How do you do it?

00:19:53
Speaker 3: Jim?

00:19:54
Speaker 1: You gotta be what else are you thankful for? As we as we.

00:19:57
Speaker 3: I've given this a lot of thought and I'm gonna do this in one minute. All the cool things I've gotten to see at you know, in person and written about Okay ready, Okay Lidge forty eight for forty eight, Ryan Howard home run king seasons, Chase Utley career, five home runs in the nine World Series, Jimmy O seven you know, with a team to beat and wearing it and backing it up every freaking day, Kurt Shielding back to back three hundred strikeout seasons, Doc's perfect game in his playoff note, no no bedlam at the Bank Hamils No No, and then even outside the Phillies realm. I was at the game when Jeter made I covered the game when Jeter made that great play in Oakland to cut down Jeremy Giamby. I covered the game when Dave Roberts had the history making stolen base and four the year before that, I was at Boone's home run when he won the ALCS or the Yankees, covered the Bloody Sock Game. I covered Jeter's rookie year that was really special, but just as special in that year in nineteen ninety six, the Yankees had this right hander that was out of options, and they didn't know what the hell to do with them, so they made him a setup man it was named Mario. I was at the game the night in six at SHA Stadium when Andy Shaveez climbed the wall on Scott Roll and still the greatest catch I've ever seen. And a few others I can't read my writing, but the All Star Game in Boston in ninety nine when Ted Williams was surrounded by all the people, all the great players. I mean, that was really moving, so so many and I'm sure there's a lot more, but those are some of the ones I was just so thankful to see up close and personal. I was at I covered the game when Zimmer and Pedro went at it, and that was amazing.

00:21:43
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh.

00:21:43
Speaker 3: You wanted to see a lot of really cool things. And uh and I got to cover a game in Wrigley Field day game and I just remember it was a day game and Ruben had the game winning hit and get to interview him after the game. Pretty special.

00:22:01
Speaker 1: That's awesome, that's awesome.

00:22:04
Speaker 3: I got a game winning hit it in Uh.

00:22:07
Speaker 4: Yes, I was there a triple down the right field line or double down the right field line off with somebody.

00:22:12
Speaker 3: I think it was late in the game because I had already gone down the stands. You know, we had to work your way down and it was like I was standing in one of the little alleys there and it happened right in front of me, and I think you were actually po'd at me, and you kind of big time to me after the game, working to me. That's how I do it. I wasn't asked fun. I keep it to one minute.

00:22:38
Speaker 1: That was That was pretty good. That was pretty good. Yeah, you know, I've had.

00:22:42
Speaker 3: Took me down memory lane, Jim.

00:22:43
Speaker 1: That was sweet. That's awesome.

00:22:45
Speaker 2: YEA have so many great, you know moments covering the Phillies for sure. I mean Halliday's Hallidays no hitter in the nld S was just I mean it was just unbelievable. Hamil's Wrigley Field, the double Horrera catch after that game, O Double Horror makes this circus catch on the warning track and O'duble's coming out of the out of the shower, and I you know, his English wasn't great, but he could understand it one hundred percent clear. I go, we need to talk to you after you're done getting dressed. Don't go anywhere. Dude, leaves just left the clubhouse. I'm asking Philly's I'm like, where do dubele go? Like, I think he left for the bus, So I take off. I'm running down the corridor like a huge loser and Oduble's about to get in the bus. I've never done this. I've never chased a player of the bus. It's just something you don't do. I grab him on the shoulder, go like this. He jumps up, scared, scared the crap out of him, and uh, thank god, Andres Blanco was there, Whitey and.

00:23:41
Speaker 1: Uh, I go, I go, what are you doing?

00:23:43
Speaker 2: We need to talk to you, and Andre's blanker goes what I said, this guy left without talking to us. He made the final out of this ridiculous catch. And Andre's Blanco I didn't know what he was saying in Spanish, but he was basically yelling at odubl Horrera and Spanish going are you insane?

00:23:57
Speaker 1: You've got to talk to these guys.

00:24:01
Speaker 2: And so Whitey translated for me and it got our quotes, gave it to you know, passed it over to the all the other writers.

00:24:06
Speaker 1: Because I said, I'm gonna run after him. I'm gonna catch that guy before he gets on the bus.

00:24:10
Speaker 3: So how about o'douball o'double never knew anybody's name. He didn't know anybody's name, so you know, he's here for years. And Greg Castrianto is the great PR guy. And Greg goes up to him one day and says, hey, hey, double my name you had here three years. My name is Greg, call me Craig. And o'duball goes, okay, poppy, and he wants to.

00:24:32
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, that's good.

00:24:34
Speaker 2: There's so many good stuff, so much good stuff.

00:24:36
Speaker 1: I put down.

00:24:37
Speaker 2: I mentioned that, wrote down that I was. I'm thankful for spring training in clear Water, Florida. Spring training their whatever you think of you know, Arizona, everything's all kind of bunched together. But you think of all the locations where the Phillies could be in Florida.

00:24:51
Speaker 1: They could be no.

00:24:52
Speaker 5: Disrespect, but they could be in Northport. They could be in Port Charlotte, they could be in Lakeland, they could be in Winner. You know again that's home of Charlie Manuel Chary. If you're listening, no disrespect to winter Haven, but there is maybe there's nothing that beats spring training in Clearwater floor.

00:25:10
Speaker 1: I mentioned this to my wife last night.

00:25:12
Speaker 2: She goes, she goes clear That means you're gone for six weeks, I said, I'm not I'm not saying I'm excited to leave for six weeks. I'm just saying it's a great place to have spring training. I mean in the location there, it really is.

00:25:24
Speaker 1: People.

00:25:25
Speaker 2: You know, Phillies fans are very very lucky that they can watch a baseball game in the afternoon, go down to Clearwater Beach at night, you know, spend the morning at the beach, go to a baseball game in the afternoon.

00:25:36
Speaker 1: There's really nothing better than that.

00:25:38
Speaker 2: I always tell people you should really have clear Water on your bucket list of things to do while you can.

00:25:45
Speaker 3: And the folks who run that team, the folks who run the Thrashers are awesome.

00:25:48
Speaker 2: Yes, everybody there is fantastic. Yeah, no doubt about it. Just just a great ball and a great spring training ballpark. Two. That's the other thing. It's not just they have a great location. The ballpark is also fantastic.

00:26:03
Speaker 1: A nice Yeah, the tiki bar and left field, you got the.

00:26:06
Speaker 2: Berm in the you know obviously in the outfield seats, and good food, good beer there. Not that I drink during the game I would like to sometimes, but clear Water, Clearwater Florida for spring training. I'm very thankful that that's where you know, we get to spend six weeks every spring, no doubt about it.

00:26:29
Speaker 1: Great. Yeah, yeah, man, definitely a bucket lister. Yeah.

00:26:33
Speaker 2: And then you know, and just in terms of the job, you know, one of the cool parts for me, of course is like just going around and seeing other ballparks. I'm really it's really cool to like add up your tally of every ballpark you've been to. And my my favorite trips every year out to the NL West. That's another thing I always tell people, you know, there's usually a couple NL West trips where they you know, the sandwich, you know, put them back to back, you know, if it's San Diego, San Francis, Go, La San Diego, et cetera.

00:27:01
Speaker 1: I always say, like, if you're a.

00:27:03
Speaker 2: Phillies fan, those are the those are the cities you want to try to knock out. Petco Park, Oracle Park in San Francisco, Dodger Stadium. I love Dodger Stadium, you know, Chase Field that that would be at the bottom of my list. But good city, good food, a lot of good restaurants in those in those towns, so that that's that's a kind of a cool thing as being a Phillies beat writers getting a run out to the NL those NL.

00:27:27
Speaker 1: West cities every year. It's a lot of fun. That's a lot of fun.

00:27:31
Speaker 3: Good.

00:27:31
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, so.

00:27:36
Speaker 2: But yeah, so thanksgivings tomorrow, you guys, Do you guys have any I.

00:27:40
Speaker 3: Want to say? Like so, it's like twenty some odd years ago I made a trip to the Dominican Republic with Sal Agustinelli and it gave me so much perspective. And you know, all the years, I've really had great relationships with so many Latin American players and I just love them, so many guys, And I love how hard they try with the language, and how patient they are, how courageous they are. That's hard to do and and and I've had dozens of good relationships with with the Latin American kids. And you know, you when you go down there and you see where they came from, you really have an appreciation for their for their journey, and you know, seeing how bad they want. I remember going to tryouts with Sal and he would, you know, lay out the sixty yard dash tape measure and uh, these kids were literally running for their lives. You know, they were like running to change their lives and their famili's life, and to see how bad they wanted and to where they where they came from, and you know, the ragged feels and the equipment and but the love of the game they just exuded. And to see them, you know, try to each for the stars and come to the States and be major leagues and make it. You know, he just gave me real appreciation. And I'm grateful for so many of those relationships with those Latin American players, you know, going back to the mid nineties, going back to the mid nineties, really warm people, and a lot of them have become just great friends. You know. You see you see Chooch once every couple of years, a big hug, you know, I mean, yeah, great. So just that trip really opened my eyes and gave me an appreciation. I'm really grateful for that, and I'm grateful for those guys.

00:29:35
Speaker 1: That's cool.

00:29:36
Speaker 2: I've never been in the Dominican but I would love to go one day. But yeah, the fact that these guys come up here and then we try to ask them quite you know, and they've don't learned language. You mentioned Chuch, I remember the first few years he always had to have an interpreter with him when he did an interview, and then by the end of it, boom he was talking postgame, talking about the picture and what a job he did and just.

00:29:58
Speaker 3: Imitat matating Victorino, like I said, like I.

00:30:02
Speaker 2: Said, like I said, like I said, Well, yeah, those those techology tremendous.

00:30:09
Speaker 1: Respect for any any of those guys, all those guys.

00:30:13
Speaker 3: The bottom line is it's a great game and we're lucky to be involved.

00:30:17
Speaker 1: In it, no doubt, no doubt.

00:30:20
Speaker 3: I mean, you know I've gotten I've gotten to live. I've gotten to live. Yeah, I mean, this is my life.

00:30:25
Speaker 4: I've gotten to live it for Wow, I've been an organized I've been in organized baseball for fifty one years.

00:30:34
Speaker 1: Wow.

00:30:34
Speaker 3: I mean you have one of one of an amazing run you've had. I used to go to I used to go to I used to go to Fenway Park as a kid. And when I was a kid, go to Family Park and I would watch the bat boy, and I would always say, he's got the best job in the world. Well, you were the bat boy. Then I got a little older and I would watch the players and I say, they have the best job in the world. You've got to be a player, man, you you know, amazing, You've had a great run that all I've been.

00:31:02
Speaker 4: I mean, like, you know, that's another obviously one one of the things I'm very grateful for. I talked about a little before, but to be able to have worn all these hats and to be involved in this game.

00:31:11
Speaker 1: People talk about all the time.

00:31:13
Speaker 4: Why did you go become a first base coach after you were a GM That's just such a lowly job.

00:31:17
Speaker 3: I don't really lowly job. It's an unbelievable job with the Boston Red Sox, who are a great team with great people and you know, great fans. I mean, come on, you like you like you like John Quincy Adams after he became president, he went back and became a us centator. He loved the show.

00:31:36
Speaker 1: Yeah that's right. I mean, it's right. And that really does speak to how much you love the game. I mean, you know, you're you're right.

00:31:44
Speaker 2: I mean, you could have done anything you wanted to, I suppose, but you're like, no, I want to get back on and get in uniform.

00:31:49
Speaker 1: Get on the field. I mean, teach some kids.

00:31:51
Speaker 2: And you know, we had Mookie bets On earlier this year, and he talked a lot about how what you taught.

00:31:56
Speaker 1: Him, you know, on the field and off the field. So yeah, it's yeah, very very lucky lucky man.

00:32:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt agree. Yes, yes, we're all grateful to be in baseball. We're all grateful to be doing this show. We're all grateful for our listeners and viewers as well. So everybody have a great Thanksgiving. Yeah, yeah, have a great Thanksgiving YouTube. Everybody listening, Maybe you're in your car driving up to a relative's house or getting on your plane and flying cross country to UH to celebrate the holidays. So we'll be back and eventually the Phillies are going to do.

00:32:32
Speaker 1: Something, Yeah they are. They're gonna do something. Yeah, they're gonna do They're gonna do something, and we'll be here to talk about it. So take care, everybody, Happy Thanksgiving.

00:32:41
Speaker 3: Smele Lady boys, Smile Jim.

00:32:44
Speaker 1: The Philly Show is brought to you by the Foul Territory Network.

00:32:47
Speaker 2: 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 Ruben's analysis before, during an after Phillies games on NBC Sports Philadelphia, on the Sports Radio ninety four WIP Morning Show, and MLB Network.

00:33:07
Speaker 1: Find Jim at all pH l y dot com.

00:33:09
Speaker 2: Find me at MLB dot com, the Phillies beatnewsletter, and MLB Network