Hammering the Winter Meetings: WIP’s Joe DeCamara talks Phillies, new book

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

00:00:07
Speaker 2: Ruben Tomorrow, Junior, Jim Salisbury, Todd z Aleki. It's the Philly Show. It's Friday, December fifth, twenty twenty five. We have a very fun show for you guys. Today we got Joe Decameron from WIP to talk to some Phillies and talk about his new book. Let me throw that graphic up on the screen right here. It's the best of Philly Sports, Amazing moments and stories in Philadelphia sports history. And I loved what he said, kind of the impetus of writing this book, why he wanted to write it, kind of a cool backstory, which kind of makes you want to buy it, which makes you want to buy. And that kind of makes you want to buy it, makes you want to buy the book.

00:00:44
Speaker 3: No, I did buy it.

00:00:45
Speaker 2: Why he wanted to write the book.

00:00:47
Speaker 3: I did buy it. I think Ruben got his for free. I bought mine, Listen, I.

00:00:52
Speaker 1: Got mine for free, and I got mind signed.

00:00:54
Speaker 3: Oh look at that.

00:00:56
Speaker 2: You close that inscription very fast, Ruben.

00:01:00
Speaker 3: Be a forgery, but it's not. It's the real deal, the real deal, Holy Field.

00:01:08
Speaker 2: Uh So we're gonna get to Joe in a bit. But the Winter Meetings begin next week in Orlando, Florida. I'm gonna be down there, you know what. Real quickly, guys, what are you guys hoping to see next week from the Phillies at the Winter meetings? Ruben, why don't you lead us off?

00:01:29
Speaker 1: I mean, obviously you'd like to get some clarity as quickly as possible on what.

00:01:32
Speaker 4: What's gonna happen with Kyle Schwarber.

00:01:34
Speaker 1: I mean, that's the biggest ticket name and NJ T. I gotta believe that at some point. I don't know how long it's going to be dragged out on the Ranger Suarez situation, but the Dylan CS thing certainly affects him, as we talked about before. But but but for me, it's about Kyle Schwarber because I think once they know what's going on with Coylee Schwarber, whether he's with the Phillies or he's with the Cincinnati Reds, or he's with you know, pitts Pirates not happening, or whatever team it is he's with, then I think that they can go about the rest of their business because that's the top priority forum and move forward. I do believe that if it's not done during these winter meetings, I think shortly thereafter, I think you'll have some clarity on it. But love to see it get worked out and find out and get some clarity on Kyles Shwart first and foremost and then go from there.

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Speaker 2: Well, you know what I noticed, Ruben, You went you were all hot and heavy on Tuesday show talking about Schwarber and the Cincinnati Reds. And then what happened after that? You My colleague at MLB dot com, Mark Sheldon, writes a story about the Reds, you know, in the hunt in the pursuit are part of foul territory. Ken Rosenthal writes a story about it. So, Ruben, you're kind of u A.

00:02:52
Speaker 3: I am, I am am I making things happen?

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Speaker 4: Am I dropping the mic?

00:02:56
Speaker 2: You're dropping the mic?

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Speaker 4: My man, you're dropping the mic.

00:02:58
Speaker 2: It was pretty good stuff, some.

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Speaker 4: Things that sort of made sense.

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Speaker 1: I mean, as far as you know the overall needs of certain teams and where that they can push their you know, push their the ovelop Well.

00:03:11
Speaker 3: The Reds, the Reds are in it, but I don't think they can win it. And I think this is the Phillies game to win Uh, with Kyle Schwarber. And that is the perfect word clarity in terms of Kyle Schwarber, because he is the lynch pin. He's sort of the the pivot on this entire postseason for the Phillies because once you find out if you got him as your big ticket, that's your big ticket. Now the rest is, you know, j T dressing the bullpen, figure out what you're gonna do in the outfield. But you've got to figure out what you're gonna what's gonna happen with Schwarver, because if you don't get him back, you can spend your big ticket elsewhere, possibly Pete Alonzo, possibly Bobush. I don't know, but I think, uh, it's gonna end up being Kyle Schwarber. I feel like it's getting close here and it's kind of moving toward us. I think the winter meetings will spur some activity. I don't think Kyle wants to go deep into October. That's just kind of my gut feel of it. Also my eyes around what happens with Schwarber and how that will springboard the rest of the Phillies plan their winter. I'm watching don't.

00:04:21
Speaker 1: Forget Bellinger and Tucker as part of that too. Tucker maybe not as much, but Bellinger certainly.

00:04:28
Speaker 3: Well, yeah, And I'm not feeling either one of those guys really for the Phillies, especially not Tucker. I think if that's going to approach four hundred, I just don't see that happening here. But you know, they want Schwarber, they want rail Mudo. We're gonna see how much progress, and I'm sure they've been working hard on it. We're just gonna see if this the winter meetings could signal a home stretch on either one of those guys. I don't know. I feel like it could. But one other thing I'm keeping my eye on is other Minnesota Twins is gonna make Byron Buxton available? Is Byron Buxton gonna make himself available? I think that could be an interesting conversation for the Phillies to have because he would check a couple of blocks the center field and right handed power guy in the middle. I think you'd really help your twenty twenty six club. I know he's got a lot of you know, those injury issues, but it would be a heck of a roll of the dice for a team that's really desperate to win now.

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Speaker 2: I you know, selfishly speaking, I'd just like to see some a little creativity, a little surprise move to come out of it, besides Schwarburt, besides Realmuto. It would be fun to have like a nice, a good old fashioned baseball trade come out of this. Imagine that, Yeah, good old fashioned baseball trade. Dave Dombrowski has been known to make a few of those in his day, made a couple before the trade deadline, of course, getting Joan durn and Harrison Bader. So, Dave, if you're out there listening, give us something to write about next week at the Winter Meetings. But we got Joe Decamra coming up right now, and we asked him, of course what he wants to see at the Winter Meetings, and of course to talk about his new book. Here's Joe. We are joined right now by wip's Joe Decamera. Joe, how are you man? Thanks for coming on the Philly Show, where we're honored to have you on during this holiday season.

00:06:20
Speaker 4: Thank you, Todd. I'm happy to be here. Aloa to Todd, Jim and Reuben. Great to see all you guys, and wonderful man. I appreciate it well, so my bosses.

00:06:28
Speaker 1: Guys, another one of my bosses, joins us.

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Speaker 2: That's right, and we're gonna talk with Joe in a little bit about he's got a book. He's not only an esteemed sports talk show host, morning show and WIP, but he's got the best of Philly sports, amazing moments and stories and Philadelphia sports history. It's wherever you can get your books right now, all over the play where Jim's got one and.

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Speaker 4: Thank you, hold on, hold on, don't go crazy.

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Speaker 2: Now, Jim's got one on his person, Ruben's got one on his person. I put the graphic together. So that's that's my contribution, Joe. But Joe, we were just talking about the Winter Meetings. They begin next week. So well, before we get to the book, we want to ask you about the Phillies.

00:07:07
Speaker 4: Yeah, we're just talking.

00:07:08
Speaker 2: About the Winter Meetings. What do you want to see happen next week? At the Winter Meetings? Rule five draft ends Wednesday afternoon, all the reporters and the teams get on their flights going back to Philly from Orlando. What do you want to see the Phillies have done?

00:07:24
Speaker 4: Well, Look, it's a really complicated situation and I'll just say this before I answer. I think it's the most fascinating Phillies all season that I can ever remember in my lifetime. I mean, there's the confluence of so many things. We don't have to reveal them. Everyone knows. I'll just tell you I'm pretty pro running it back now. Obviously, you know, there comes a point where that becomes unwise a certain amount of years, certain amount of dollars, and it's hard, you know, as we all have these discussions in October and November and December, and it will probably drift into January, maybe February. It's a little hard to talk walk in the abstract. You know, we don't know what the highest bidder will be for Shoreburn. We just don't know. So I'll just say, if things don't get too crazy where it then becomes such a preventative factor for the Phillies to have the ability to sign others and be nimble. And if it's not for too many years, where then you really hurt Let's say Andrew Painter's future. If he's your guy in twenty thirty one and he's the next you know, Wheeler, but he's got all these old bats and they can't you know, hit the ball. Then then obviously there's got to be a walking away point. But to be really simple, Todd, I would just say I thought the Phillies were one of the five best teams in baseball last year. I'm not as down on them as many across the Delaware Valley were and probably still are. You know, if you gave me the same team, I'm not saying I'd be thrilled, but I think they'd have a real shot. I think this is more about trying to run it back for the most part, while making some adjustments, you think in terms of Boom and others, because you don't want to have the exact same team. Obviously you're not gonna have the same team in the outfield. We know that, so but I you know, generally speaking, if they could get Schwarberg j At, I think that'd be fantastic.

00:09:13
Speaker 2: Jim what he got.

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Speaker 3: I agree they need those two guys back. I sometimes detest the phrase running it back because this team is in a situation where they need to capitalize in the next year or two while they still the guys that are here, the Harpers, the Turners, the Wheelers and all those. You can't just let that nucleus die on the vine if they could do one first of all, do you think they're going to get those two guys back in your opinion? And if they could do one thing beyond that, what would you like to see?

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Speaker 4: Well, I'll say yes, And it's obviously totally just a guess. I mean, you couldn't have more of a guess than that was when I just answered that, Jim. But I tend to think they will. But I will tell you there's one thing, Jim, I disagree with what you said, which is this concept that you can't let that part of the nucleus go or per se. What I think you're really said I should say is you can't let the remaining nucleus die on the vine. And here's where I disagree with that. The LA Dodgers just won the World Series for the second time in two years, and I guess what the third time in five or six, whatever the heck it is. And they've changed their nucleus five times in the last ten to fifteen years. You know, I think one of the arguments about walking away from Shoreber and JT in particular is you know, at times you just gotta restock the nucleus and even if you have to go down for a year. See one thing I think the Phillies have in their back pocket if they walk away from Shoreber and JT and Ruben. You didn't have this to the full extent, you know in your eras GM, certainly someone like Lee Thomas you go back thirty forty years ago, did and have this. Is you can still make the play as an eighty seven win team. That's a third wild card. And you know the reality, I mean, even an eighty five win team can make the playoffs. And I think with this starting pitching, you know it's very possible this team can just keep it going and needs to be careful about committing to the wrong pats for the wrong years.

00:11:19
Speaker 3: So what you're saying is I need Shwarber's power. If we're not going to get Sharber's power back, If Phillies are not going to get Sharba's power back, they better get it like an Alonso. They need to you know, they need to bring in a guy who can deliver that type of power.

00:11:31
Speaker 4: Well, I agree, I mean, look, I agree, it's what you want. I guess what I'm saying is I think there is an argument that they can make the playoffs if they have the exact same team without Kyle Schwarber, I guess that is it, and that means not getting Peede Alonzo. You know you have Darren Roff. I mean, I'm giving you a ridiculous example, but like they have elite starting pitching, and so it's a it's a fine line between you're trying to strike now, particularly as you're saying you might only have Wheeler for two more years, but you don't want to hurt the deep future. That's where I'm at.

00:12:08
Speaker 1: So in a vacuum knowing that you do not have JT and Schwarber right now as the team stands today, if you're going to prioritize, how would you go one, two, and three?

00:12:23
Speaker 4: Joe, Well, you want to start with Schwarber number one. He's the best player of all those guys. I think it gets really complicated if he holds them up the longest. Meaning it's a simpler situation of Schwarber is one of the first big name guys in free agency to sign, because then you know you have to pivot. If you choose to pivot and you have time to pivot, I would try to do Schorober first, So I guess I would go Shober one, JT two, altfielder guy third. I mean, it's sad we're not even talking about Ranger. I think we all know he's pretty much much gone unless there's some unique trade that trades away a good or great picture, you know, maybe for an outfield or that's possible, But even that from a payroll standpoint, doesn't still feel too because the pictures you'd be talking about trading, like theoretically lozartist that doesn't make a ton of money. So it's one of those scenarios where I just think it's really sad that Rangers probably going to be gone and there's just about nothing you can do about it. Do you guys agree? Do you guys agree with that?

00:13:29
Speaker 3: I had JT.

00:13:30
Speaker 1: I had JT first. I had to catcher because it's such an important position. I can understand Schwarber because he's so important.

00:13:37
Speaker 3: Otherwise, power.

00:13:41
Speaker 4: Make up all the other intangibles.

00:13:44
Speaker 1: It's almost like a one in one a But I go catch her first because it's the most important position on the field for me, and it affects the pitching in a way that's pretty sure.

00:13:54
Speaker 4: Well, here's something I think the Phillies also could use and it doesn't quite it's hard to stack up one, two, three cents, but I'll just tell you guys, I think they could use a creative trade. We've seen it before. We look, we saw the ninety three fills in many ways get built by creative trades. I mean mu'holland is brought in by a trade, you know, Sammy for for Lenny, I mean Crucker was brought in from a trade. You know, they could use one of them, and they're not easy to pull off obviously, and Lazarda was an unbelievably quality, you know, somewhat creative trade last year. But they it just feels like, and we've been saying this for a couple of years, there's there's just a log jam the way they're built structurally, payroll wise, and I just feel like if they could come up with something that sort of unlogjam them, that would help. But you know, we all know that's not easy to do.

00:14:47
Speaker 3: Well. If they do JT and Schwarber, they are going to be pretty close to tapped out unless they could move maybe a bomb, maybe a strom you're gonna free up. You know, if you did that, you free up about seventeen million, then you can maybe get created on the trade front. But if you do the two big guys, you probably look, your next move has to come in a trade. And and to me, that creative trade could be a guy like Byron Buxton, who to me would check two boxes, you know, middle little bet right handed gendle of the auto right fielder. That's where you're getting creative.

00:15:20
Speaker 4: You know.

00:15:21
Speaker 3: I don't know if the Twins would be interested in a whole lot off your big league roster, but maybe something after your uh, after your top two painter and Miller. Maybe maybe you could put together something there to bring him in because you know, age wise, I know he's up there. I know he gets hurt. But I got to roll the dice that he can help me win next year.

00:15:39
Speaker 2: Just got to do it next year, for sure.

00:15:41
Speaker 4: That's what it's appealing. I mean, we all know it's appealing. And you know, I just think it's an unbelievable off season. I I I look, I'm still really and by the way, with how much the Eagles are struggling. I mean just you know, I say, they're not like struggling massively. They're eight and four, but the last couple of weeks have been brutal, and the offense has been brutal. And I made the point today on our show that I'm really starting at Jones for the Phillies now. So I'm loving talking about all this stuff with you guys, because I know the way it ended, you know, was brutal and all. But you know, give me a lot more Phillies baseball. I think they're likely to have a very good team again, and I just love talking about this stuff.

00:16:16
Speaker 2: Absolutely mean, you're gonna have a good team.

00:16:18
Speaker 3: They're gonna play in October again next year.

00:16:20
Speaker 4: They are. And again that's part of my theory of why you don't necessarily have to have Schwarber. I very very much want them, but.

00:16:29
Speaker 3: But you need someone to pick up the power and the threat.

00:16:33
Speaker 4: And the protect in the lineup for the for the other left handed bat. I mean, for the first basement.

00:16:38
Speaker 3: I'm fine with replacing them, as long as I got something pretty darn good.

00:16:43
Speaker 2: I'd like to see some creativity in the outfield, for sure. CASTI Onix won't be back. You know, It's funny, Joe when you said the one two or Reuben, I think he said one two three I didn't even think you were talking about Ranger because I just considered him as good as gone. I'm thinking you're talking about Harrison Bader and that in that sense. So that's where I'm going. I'm I'm I think Rangers is good is gone. The Dylan C's contract has him gone seven years, two hundred ten million. I mean, it's a great, great week for Ranger last week in that regard, but I'm thinking they they got to figure out something to do in the outfield because the outfield production has been pretty bad and I don't think he can go into the next season. Go and Justin Crawford's gonna hit three point fifteen with an eight hundred ohps. I think you're gonna hit him ninth. Hopefully he can do enough stuff to stay in the lineup, but I want to see a good bat either in centerfield or in right field.

00:17:27
Speaker 4: Well, I agree, but I'll add this when you bring up Crawford and you think about Aiden Miller and others, you know, whether it's next year or beyond, the reality is they are going to need some of these guys to come through. And you know, I'm just thinking about it as you guys are all talking there, I guess, unless I'm missing someone, I think Stott is the last quality player. And when I say quality, like average player that they brought up from the farm system prior to that, I guess it would be Boom in twenty twenty. So you're now talking about being halfway through a decade. And unless I'm missing someone, I guess this decade it's really only been Stock and Boom and that's really not much. Am I missing anybody? I don't think I am right in the position of the any of the arms or what have you.

00:18:15
Speaker 2: Not.

00:18:15
Speaker 4: Really they were all pre pre the decade or were brought in from outside. Okay, Kurt Listen deserves credit for being a guy that you just said this decade. But the point the point is that's not much. For half a decade in that's not much. And that's where you really can't start getting into trouble. And you know, they got to get some hits there. They got it. They got to get some hits. So it's appealing to trade guys away, but we also know that to keep this thing going for the long, long haul, a lot of times you just need those farm system guys to be the next generation.

00:18:48
Speaker 3: Yeah, and you look at the old eight team, it was largely built, it was all it was all through the draft, scouting development. I'd even put Victorino on that list because he was a good pluck in the Rule five and then he went to Triple I and became the MVP of the internationally, he was finished off by their player development system.

00:19:09
Speaker 4: So yeah, I guess, And I would just add this, there's never, to the best of my knowledge, there's never really been a second consecutive wave of great farm system guys in the history of the Phillies. Now maybe I'm missing it, but I'm thinking back to the seventies that created eighty you know, and pretty much created eighty three, and there was some some tinkering that created eighty three, but it wasn't like the Kevin Gross, Charlie Hudson, even Lonnie Smith who was te you know, it was gone after, you know, soon after eighty and Keith Moreland, like, they didn't become the new nucleus. And you know, certainly after Reuben your squad in eight, nine, ten eleven, there was no new nucleus. So they need they need another wave. That's how that's how you keep Look, there's only two ways to keep it going. One as you spend like the Dodgers, or two as you have another wave. I guess three is you have you know, like the Brave Side, perhaps the greatest pitching staff in the last fifty years, and they all stay healthy for fifteen years. But you know what are the chances of that? Yeah?

00:20:09
Speaker 1: I mean all you gotta do is look at the Yankees and see what they did in the nineties. I mean that they're nucleus were Yankees. I mean you had Persada, you had the short Stop, you had Jeter.

00:20:19
Speaker 3: You had Bernie, Bernie Williams.

00:20:20
Speaker 4: I mean, they're all had had it, but they also had But I will say this, will I hear you on that. You know they also have that ability to really throw this at you too, Carrats And I think that was, frankly the bigger thing, I really do, because think about how quick that list just ran out. Rube. You said four, and they're four truly great ones. But I mean they they were. They were bringing in waves of current or former All Stars every year. You know, it was unbelievable to add to that piece.

00:20:49
Speaker 3: And most teams are built that way. You gotta you know, there's a lot of players that are drafted by one organization don't become stars, so they're second organization. So if you can get no doubt you two or three home grown own supplement around the edges. That's, you know, how you build a team.

00:21:04
Speaker 4: And I'll say I think keep, I think Lizardo maintaining let's call it quality or excellence, whatever word you want to put next to his name, and being signed is a really important part because he's still a pretty young player for what I would call the next generation. I mean, at some point Wheeler is not going to be here. I think we all feel pretty darn confident in Sanchez, but you know you're gonna need especially as Nola lags, there's uncertainty with Wheeler. You're probably gonna lose Ranger. You don't truly know what you have in Painter until he pitches at the big league level. So to me, Lozardo is a very important figure to you know, And I will tell you guys, I do think there's an argument, and I don't think they'll really have the guts to truly do it, but I think there's an argument to go to Lozardo right now and his agent and say sign a contract right now, or ile traja and I'll sign right now because you know you hear about that bird in the hand or whatever that's saying is. And the bottom line is there's an argument in twelve months they could be without both Lozardo and Ranger. And part of my theory is, like, hey, guys, who wants to sign first? Who wants to sign first? I mean, they could negotiate right now with Ranger and Lozardo simultaneously, knowing that the objective is to keep one of them long term. And if Lozarda doesn't sign, you could say, well, I can get Ranger and lozardro and trading you for an outfielder. I mean, it's not that's the kind of creative trade I'm talking about. That's not crazy talk.

00:22:36
Speaker 2: I definitely think I could see them doing that in this spring, Lizardo.

00:22:40
Speaker 4: I don't think they'll have the guts though, Todd, because to me, it's a right now conversation, like it's right now. You got to tell Lozardo's agent a month ago, like I'm actually not fooling around. I love you, I want you, but if you jack me up twelve months from now to the wall to say, like I might not sign here because the Kis are coming call him for an extra forty million, and I lose you, and I lost Ranger the prior year, and by the way, I'm about to the totally lose Wheeler, and Nola's a whole another year older. And next thing, you know, my pitching staff is Christopher Sanchez and Painter and that's it. That's how you fall out of the playoffs.

00:23:16
Speaker 2: Yeah, and they traded able, Ruben.

00:23:20
Speaker 4: Do you agree that something, Ruben? Do you agree that that's something they probably would not have the guts to do.

00:23:30
Speaker 1: Uh, I think that they would consider doing. I don't think they're gonna use that ultimatum. I don't think that they'll say, hey, you know, we're gonna trade it, because I don't think the guy, he's already been traded twice, two or three times, so I don't think he gives a crap one way or another.

00:23:44
Speaker 4: To be honest, he's.

00:23:45
Speaker 1: Gonna believe it, knowing loves Arno, He's gonna believe in himself and say, you know what, I'm gonna pitch my ass off anyway, and I'm want to make a bunch of money. That doesn't mean you cannot be proactive and try to sign the guy prior to get in the spring.

00:23:59
Speaker 4: Look, I'm just selling this ribbon. I'm not worried about Lilizota pitching in twenty twenty six. I'm worried about losing them after twenty two. Well, I understand that. I get it.

00:24:07
Speaker 3: I like the idea of a good extension. I don't think they have misgivings about Rangers long term is durability And.

00:24:15
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would think because they've had him so long, Joe, No, I think that they they know his warts.

00:24:21
Speaker 3: So to speak.

00:24:22
Speaker 1: Other teams must just say, you know what, I'm okay with him just throwing one hundred and sixty innings. I'm okay, don't throw one hundred and fifty innings.

00:24:29
Speaker 4: We'll deal with it. Well fair, But I'll tell you this, his warts are not why they've ever lost in the postseason, no.

00:24:40
Speaker 3: Doubt, Oh no, no.

00:24:41
Speaker 2: And that's and that's what and that's what our man.

00:24:43
Speaker 4: You know, Scott Morris is going to be pounded on. He pounded on durability with season.

00:24:49
Speaker 1: He's gonna pound on that that quality with the with Ranger, and that's why he's going to make so much glue yep.

00:24:54
Speaker 3: I I'd be very surprised if they don't approach Bizardo before opening down after they clear up the winter stuff.

00:25:02
Speaker 1: It just seems like it would make sense based on the fact unless they feel like he's got a long term issue with his health. But if they feel comfortable with his health, I would assume that there'll be they're smart enough to understand like how important he's gonna be as part of the piece of the puzzle.

00:25:18
Speaker 3: I hear you.

00:25:18
Speaker 4: I'm just differentiating the difference between before opening day and right now.

00:25:24
Speaker 3: Yep.

00:25:25
Speaker 2: Right, Joe, you were a man of that was that was great. But I want to ask you about the book. You're you're man. You're a man of many talents, as we many talents. You you're you're fantastic on the radio. You're an athlete.

00:25:38
Speaker 4: Thank you, don't now down, Todd, Now you're all down, keep going.

00:25:46
Speaker 2: And now you're an author.

00:25:47
Speaker 3: Quit it.

00:25:48
Speaker 2: I mean you have a busy schedule. Yeah, why'd you want to write this book? Tell us about this book?

00:25:54
Speaker 4: Well, I appreciate the platform to talk about it as I wanted to write the book because my nephew, who at the time was about nine or ten years old did not know who doctor J was. Wow, that was Jim. That was outrageous. You know, this goes yeah, this goes back to It hurt my heart. It stunned me. You know, it was actually a fascinating exchange because we were talking. This goes back over ten years ago. He's in his twenties now, but we were we were in a conversation about basketball, and I can't tell you I remember every aspect, but I just know we were talking about multiple players and we're moving fast and we're going back and forth and I say doctor J. And I keep going and I get a glazed look on his face, and you know, I was like, whoa you? You don't know who doctor J is?

00:26:41
Speaker 2: Do you?

00:26:42
Speaker 3: So?

00:26:43
Speaker 4: You know? And of course he like when I say, he literally didn't. I mean he know, like as an actual doctor, why is there a doctor? Is it? Who is it? Or what? What is a doctor? J? Made me like what is it? I mean, don't even know what it is. If you don't know, you don't know. So it struck me. And then a couple of weeks later, I was in my mom's basement and uh, I came a us this tremendous book from the nineteen seventies. I never know about it growing up, my older siblings would have. And it was on the greatest athletes of the first you know, seventy years of the twentieth century. And it was a book primarily geared for younger fans. And so this was Jim Thorpe and Jesse Owens and Babe and Joe Dee and you know, Wilton, all these amazing figures. And I thought, Wow, what a book. And each chapter was kind of short and just said like, here's Jackie Robinson, like boom here, you know, and then here's and you moved to then here's Rocky Marciano. It's just boom, boom, boom. And I thought, what a book. And then I remember the conversation I'd had with my nephew, and I thought, you know what, I think this is a book I can actually write, you know, for Philadelphia sports and for younger Philadelphia sports fans. So that that was the impetus behind it, and you know, I ended up bringing it into sixty six you know stories, thirteen on the on the Phills, I think, thirteen or twelve on the Eagles, and ten or eleven on the sixth and Flyers and some other stuff like Joe Frazier and Kathy Rush and you know Villanova's championships and Cheney and you know Saint Joe's team from twenty years ago and all this great stuff. And so the idea was, look, I encourage adults, certainly certainly to consider purchase for yourself and for other adults. I am convinced it'll totally work for adults, because it's not the cat and the hat. It's written for ten and up, but it's like a newspaper, Like a newspaper can be read by a fourth grader, can be read by a ninety year old. And so I wrote it sort of in that sort of simple style, but one that works for adults but really is primarily geared for the younger folks, and say to them, this is who Reggie White was, this is Mike Schmidt, this is the ninety three pills, This is the sixty Eagles with Ben and Erek by the way, this is the twenty twenty four Eagles with Saquon, you know, right on through that championship, and just say, this is this is our history. This is the stuff we should be most proud of. And that was that was the idea.

00:28:54
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I'm enjoying it. And you have all the essentials, you know, all the essentials, and I like that you kind of you mentioned the Jamier team, did you, Jeria Nelson team and Monet Davis totally. You have a few smarty Jones, Yes, yeah, yeah, I like I like that stuff so and I love a good human story. That's really cool. Anecdote about this is a gift to your nephew, Well.

00:29:21
Speaker 4: Yeah, I appreciate that, Jim. And you know, I initially called it a tribute to philadelph or Philly sports, a tribute to Philly sports. And it's funny that the publisher thought that word tribute might be a little high flutine, you know, for a book that's geared to a younger folks. And I thought, yeah, it makes sense. You're right. So we settled on the best of Philly sports, which is what it is. It's the best of Philly sports. And I was really happy with how it came out. And yeah, I would really just encourage the adults watching to consider it not only for yourselves, but really if you have kids or grandkids, nieces and nephews. I mean, it can be read to a six year old. It can be read by in nine or a ten year old. I think it's totally wheel house for twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old. I would have loved this book as a kid, you know, reading about the exploits of the Total Package back in the day.

00:30:14
Speaker 1: So I just think the cool thing about it is you're right, it's not Cat and the Hat, but it's also brings you back and gives you I mean as an adult, it gives you those memories again. Man, it takes you back to that, to those spaces that you really enjoyed and you loved about, you know, filled up your sports it's you know some of these is like some of the things that happened here with the various teams or the reason why you became a filled up your sports fan listen, I had to row up in the city, so that that's a cool thing for me.

00:30:44
Speaker 4: I appreciate that, Ruven, And I think you know, people that are hardcore sports fans, you're going to know most of it. Certainly, there's some things that you know maybe you don't know even if you're a hardcore fan. I'll give you a couple for instance, when the Eagles won the Super Bowl A couple of months ago, they find tied the Philadelphia A's for the most championships in the history of Philly sports in the in the four main leagues. So the Flyers, UH, Sixers, and Phillies are all at two championships. The A's had five and they haven't existed for seventy something years, and the Eagles just tied them. So the Eagles have tied the A's. That's a fact. I'll give you another fact. A lot of people probably don't know this. You know, many people would know about Kathy Rous and Maculotta. But what they may not know what was so big about that? That was the first and this is something people should really be proud of. That was the first three championships in college women's college basketball history, you know, the first. And by the way, if you said to the average if you say to someone who doesn't really know that story, you know, do you do you know that a team locally won the first three women's college basketball national championships? Well they would say no, and then they'd say, Okay, which Big five school did it? And it wasn't. I mean it was a Macilotta. They won three consecutive in the first three ever, So just a lot of a lot of stuff that hopefully people find interesting and entertaining and and all that good stuff.

00:32:04
Speaker 3: Give I'll give you.

00:32:04
Speaker 4: I'll give you another one because a lot of this I knew before writing it, But this one I did not know. The Philadelphia Warriors first NBA champion ever. Did you guys know that? No? I did not know that. Yeah, for the first So it's a little convoluted because two leagues actually came together merge. That's sort of an NBA ABA thing and NFL AFL sort of thing. So there were two different legs and they merged, and in the in the way they merged, there was a an idea of Okay, this this team from like a year or two before that is the one that we're going to say, this is when the NBA started, and that's the team that won the first one. So, you know, just just all sorts of stuff and to me, just points of pride. And you know, whether it's the ninety one Eagles defense or you know, the Phillies finally winning an a I mean the ninety eighth year, the ninety eighth year it took for the Phillies to win the World series, all sorts of stuff like.

00:33:07
Speaker 2: That, and it's basic. It's most basic though as an author, is it is it cool to get that box of books and open it up for the first time?

00:33:16
Speaker 3: And what was that?

00:33:17
Speaker 2: That's cool? Right? I mean, you know, you get you know, you know it's cool. You know. Yeah, it's It's.

00:33:23
Speaker 4: An amazing feeling, it really is. It's a great feeling. And yeah, it's you feel you feel proud that when you hold that book and you finally hold it. Yeah, it feels good. It feels really good.

00:33:35
Speaker 2: Absolutely. Do you have any book signings coming up before the holidays that you can tell us about. I don't know. I know you've done some I do.

00:33:42
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I got to think of this all the top of my head. I did an event last night with Joe Conklin, Glenn and Ray So I will be on Saturday at at the Wheelhouse in Wayne. So it's really cool sports store right there in Lancaster Avenue. Trying to rifle through this in top of my head. It's hard to remember them all. But there's a variety coming up, you know what I would say, So for people interested, I would say a few things. One of course is available on Amazon dot Com. Sure, it's also available in Barnes and Noble. It's also available in a lot of neighborhood stores. Now, frankly, I still want to get it in more neighborhood stores. And really I want to connect and I need to. I just it's a matter of time. I need to connect with the stores like Target and all these big stores cvs like these are the kind of stores Frankly I want to get in it, get it into because I think they're they're really important type because you know, everybody goes into a pharmacy. I mean everybody needs to, and so I want to go into those kind of stores. And so I still got to do some work. A lot of this will go into twenty twenty six. The other thing I'd say is if anyone watching wants to put together an event, I'd be happy to be there. And also if anyone watching, there's only you know, about two or so weeks left before you know, the holidays are kind of like boxed up. But you know, if you want to purchase it for your employees, I can do that. I can sign them. So if you buy it off Amazon, obviously I can't sign them because they get shipped directly to you. But you know, if you want to contact me, I can sign in bulk. You know, if you have employees that you might want to give it to them as a honicare Christmas gift. I'd be happy to do that, and I have an email set up for that, which is Joe de camera Book at yahoo dot com. Joe decamera book at yahoo dot com. Just hit me up and I'll try to connect with as many people as I can. That's awesome. There, it is, there, it is what I'm really I'm looking for my next Jaws. Jaws already bought about five hundred to donate the kids. I want one of those people with all that money to say, hey, let me let me donate them to somebody. Let me let me donate them to this school I need. I need some rich parent from a school to say, you know what, I'm buying this or every kid in the school. That's what I'm looking for. Everyone listening right now, I'm looking for someone who wants to buy it for schools.

00:36:06
Speaker 2: All right, Somebody out there, did I plug it?

00:36:11
Speaker 4: Well?

00:36:11
Speaker 3: Is that you have no shame.

00:36:18
Speaker 2: Nobody's gonna nobody.

00:36:21
Speaker 4: But guys, it's all for the kids. That's right.

00:36:27
Speaker 2: Oh good, Jim, what do you got? You got something you want to close with?

00:36:31
Speaker 3: So, Joe, they call you the hammer, right yeah, because you just hammer people in trivia.

00:36:37
Speaker 4: Well, the actual uh beginning point forward was because I was known for asking tough questions in press conferences.

00:36:44
Speaker 3: That's w Yeah, Well we came up with a few trivia questions for you. We know you just recently won your three hundredth game.

00:36:54
Speaker 4: Yes, that was a moment in time.

00:36:57
Speaker 3: Don't forget he's at three oh one. He likes to say, well, we're gonna beat you right here. I got a bunch of them, and I know we go on along, So I'm gonna whittle a couple down. But uh, I think the.

00:37:08
Speaker 4: First answer is going to be Don Carmen.

00:37:11
Speaker 3: Uh No. The first question is what was Scott Rowland's walk up music?

00:37:22
Speaker 4: I don't know?

00:37:23
Speaker 3: Okay, what was it? Jim? Well you too, where the Streets Have No Name?

00:37:30
Speaker 2: That's a good one.

00:37:30
Speaker 3: I should have known that mine was a you two song as well. How about what Philly which Phillies Wall of Famer was born in Alaska?

00:37:41
Speaker 4: Which Phillies Wall of Famer is born in Alaska? Boy, you're killing me here, all right. Philly's Wall of Famer born in Alaska? Wow, Jim, I mean, without having any clue, I will go with, uh, Philly's Wall of Famer born in Alaska. Let's go with that, Manny. Now, so that can't be Manny. Let's go with Oh, what the heck, let's go with Let's go with Steve Carlton. I have no idea.

00:38:08
Speaker 3: Kurt Schilling.

00:38:10
Speaker 4: Wow, I didn't know Shill was Alaska.

00:38:13
Speaker 3: I should have known that his dad was in the Middlitary top them.

00:38:18
Speaker 4: Yeah. I don't feel shame with having missed these. I just went the world.

00:38:21
Speaker 3: All right, we're gonna kind up there, Okay. Who who did Ruben Amaro Junior beat out for the final roster spot coming out of spring training in nineteen ninety seven?

00:38:38
Speaker 4: Wow? Well, I will make a point before answering that to say, Tony Longmire beat him out of ninety three for the playoffs. And it's still a travesty. Yes, and no offense meant to Tony. But Ruben deserved to be on that team and it would have helped the squad if he was appreciate that. I mean it, I mean it. So who did Ruben beat out for the final spot in ninety seven. I'm going to say Lenny Tony Baron barn Well Tony Barron in nineteen ninety six made the best defense seven or was it ninety seven or ninety six? Ninety seven? Not catch ninety seven made that catch that was incredible. So ninety seven, by the way, is when Lenny that was it, right? That was when he, like that retired. I think he officially retired. Maybe that spring training, wasn't it that spring training? Next one?

00:39:28
Speaker 3: I think ninety eight, I can't remember. Is in there some way? It was quite a spring they had acquired uh Glanville and yeah, I was trying to make a comeback and it was interesting. Ninety seven or ninety eight.

00:39:43
Speaker 4: Jim would you say that Lenny and and Doug Lanville have different personalities?

00:39:48
Speaker 3: I believe it. You should be able to get this one. Uh, I mean, who was the Phillies all time leader in triples?

00:39:59
Speaker 4: Well, don't know with the first two names that come through my mind are Richie or Jimmy, So I will go with probably played comparable years, but Jimmy might have played a little longer. I'm gonna go with Jimmy.

00:40:11
Speaker 3: Robbins Ed Delahanty, Jimmy, Wow, all right, Todd gave me this one. This is a good one. It's a good one. I like this one.

00:40:22
Speaker 4: This is now getting shameful, bro, These are not easy.

00:40:26
Speaker 3: Oh, nine to fifteen, right, Todd?

00:40:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, from two thousand and nine to twenty fifteen, which was Rubens's entire run as Phillies general manager.

00:40:38
Speaker 3: Right, So Cole ham alost led the Phillies and innings pitched during that span. Who was second?

00:40:46
Speaker 2: Oh, I know that one, you know, Oh, I know it all right.

00:40:51
Speaker 4: You won't believe it now, I get it. I already I already discounted Cliff Lee and others thinking that's it's not Cliff Lee and Holliday because I don't think you would ask that if is that obvious. So it's a little bit under the radar. Kendrick would not be that person, Blanton would not be that person. So it's going to be someone more on the back end. So someone that just was kind of kicking around there. This is really going to be nine to fifteen. So I'm trying to think who was on thirteen and fourteen and fifteen. I know that Hellickson started a couple opening days, But I don't think it's him, so I'm gonna try to have you did have him? Yeah, yeah, I thought it was because it was after Coal. He would have started opening days after Cole. For the purpose of time, I will simply say that I honestly don't know who is it.

00:41:44
Speaker 3: Jim.

00:41:45
Speaker 4: He said his name, Yeah, which one, Kyle Ken, Kyle Kendrick. He was around that long.

00:41:51
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, all right, two more, It's just two more.

00:41:55
Speaker 4: Yeah, Japan, Ruben, What the hell is any think we are crushing the hammer?

00:42:02
Speaker 3: By the way, all right, going back in time.

00:42:08
Speaker 4: Which, by the way, Jim, just for the record, just so you know, every trivia question ever asked goes back in time.

00:42:16
Speaker 3: It doesn't true, true, true, This is gonna go way back compared to the other ones.

00:42:23
Speaker 4: You guys like that one. I kind of got. Yeah, good, which otherwise it's called a prediction. But go.

00:42:32
Speaker 3: Which position player led the nineteen sixty one phillies in innings played?

00:42:40
Speaker 4: Which position player led the sixty one phillies and innings played? I mean, you're just killing me here. So Richie was on the sixty two match and that was his last year, and before that the Cubs, so it can't be him, So I mean, I'm gonna say he maybe was there at that point, Ruben Lamar senr. There we go.

00:43:09
Speaker 3: We're gonna end on that one. You're gonna end on right there past. Now, that's a great one.

00:43:15
Speaker 4: And that was a tough man.

00:43:16
Speaker 2: Those are those are some deep dives.

00:43:18
Speaker 3: And last it was a good one.

00:43:20
Speaker 4: Joe, Well, it was deductive reasoning. You know, hey, guys, I love your show and I appreciate you, you know, having me on the program.

00:43:30
Speaker 2: Joe Man, they go out and everything hit the book The Best of Philly Sports by Joe Decamera, and all of your favorite bookstores and shops around the area. And again go go check out Joe's books. Its great holiday gift books, great great holiday gifts and this and this is a great book for the holiday.

00:43:47
Speaker 4: I appreciate that. And final thing, I'll just say again, the easiest way is Amazon dot Com. I mean that's you know, that's the the super easy. And I wish I could plug every local store. It's just there's so many. It's in rally houses. It's an all sorts of stores. Shout out to Abington Pharmacy and Abington and Least Hoogie House and Abington and Roman Delights and Addington, all these great stores, but Amazon dot com is the you know, the simplest speak and also Barnes and Noble over the holidays.

00:44:12
Speaker 2: So absolutely, Joe, thanks a lot. I appreciate it.

00:44:16
Speaker 4: Man, thanks for being with us, Joe.

00:44:19
Speaker 2: Thanks again to Joe Decamera for the time. That was a lot of fun.

00:44:22
Speaker 3: Jim.

00:44:23
Speaker 2: You crushed him on trivia, David. I think he's gonna come after He's gonna be coming after you on the radio now, so be ready. The gloves are off, Jim. But all right, guys, winter meetings are next week. Like we said in Orlando, Florida, we are gonna be coming at you all next week talking about what's going on at the Winter Meetings. So make sure you check out the Phillies Show next week. I'll see you guys next.

00:44:47
Speaker 3: Week and will smell your line of boys you Jim.

00:44:50
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.