Rhys Hoskins Returns

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Hi, this is Chase Utley and this is the Phillies Show. Hi, everybody, Welcome to The Philly Show with Ruben Tomorrow, Junior, Jim Salisbury. I'm todd so lucky. It is Monday, June third, twenty twenty four. The Phillies take two of three from the Cardinals this weekend at Citizens Bank Park. They lose the series finale Sunday Night Tough One in ten innings. A lot of things happened. The biggest thing that happened, for sure was Brandon Marsh pulling up grabbing the back of his right hamstring. No immediate word on the injury, but it did not look good. Rob Thompson walked straight out to second base and he told reporters afterwards I could tell by the look in his face he was in pain, so immediately called for the pinch runner. Rob said afterwards about right now, right now.

00:01:01
Speaker 2: He is day to day.

00:01:02
Speaker 1: But based off the way Marsh grabbed his leg does not look very good.

00:01:12
Speaker 3: Yeah it doesn't. I mean, look, the way teams and athletes now are so cautious with injuries, I think we can reasonably speculate that this is looking like an il stint. The way he you know, it happened so suddenly and acutely, and the way he hobbled off and legs are an important part of his game, and you got to think they'll protect him. And obviously no official word yet, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see some Iel time similar injury to Trey Turner, and you got to knock those things out because otherwise they they linger all year. It was a weekend series that left I'm getting greedy, I know, but it left me wanting more. Even though the Cardinals came in pretty hot team they won twelve or fifteen, and the Phillies get out and win two games right out of the gate. They look great, and Taiwan Walker just the so so start, gave up those two run two two run home runs, didn't pitch deep into the game and starting pitching dictates everything, and it just felt like, you know, they weren't going to overcome it on Sunday night, and they did not. But the Marsh injury is significant. You need all your pieces. I mean, we've talked about it at nauseum, but this is a team that's.

00:02:28
Speaker 4: Going to play in the playoffs.

00:02:29
Speaker 3: We know that barring something crazy and that crazy thing would be a rash of injuries. So you need just keep this team healthy. They seem to have skirted something with Ranger Suarez on that comebacker, but marsh Turner, they've done a great job playing over that injury, mostly because of Sosa. Now they're gonna have to play over something else. Not sure what they're going to do out there in the outfield, but we've talked a ton about it. Needing more production out there. Somebody like Merryfield. This could be an opportunity for him to get more at bats, maybe get him gone one he needs to get going. Clemens could be in the picture, Pache will be in the picture more. I'm sure I'm missing some some David dall Is swinging it at Triple A. Maybe it's time to take a look at him. So, you know, it's it's an ever evolving season and injuries are something that a front office always has to be aware of. And that's where your depth. You know, we talked about depth and starting pitching a lot in the last podcast. Depth on your roster is vital. So yeah, we're gonna learn more about this today. You hope it's not real long term, but I think they're gonna have probably have to make some adjustments here.

00:03:37
Speaker 5: I mean, obviously you don't want to lose any of your key players, and he certainly is one of them.

00:03:43
Speaker 4: Unless it was a cramp.

00:03:45
Speaker 5: I don't think there's any question that this guy's gonna go on the I l they're gonna be as cautious as they were with Trade Turner and continue to be with Trade Turner that you can be sure that they'll be really cautious with Marsha as well. Big loss for them just because of what he brings to the table, not just on the field, but off the field as well. He's just like having those guys on the field as simple as that. They do have a cushion. They do have some depth in there on their club, Jim, you mentioned it, it would be interesting to see who they go to.

00:04:18
Speaker 4: I obviously Dolls had experience, but Weston Wilson's a.

00:04:22
Speaker 5: Guy that they really liked and he has performed for them when they you know, and I talk about this all the time, you make your impressions in spring training and regardless of how that guy is, you know, particularly playing at the time in Triple A, because there's a lot of different factors that are associated with playing in Triple A. Once you're back down, it's a mental thing, it's an emotional thing. You know, sometimes you don't play to your peak ability. I've been there, I've done it. I've I've gone down to Triple A and had the woe's mees where you know, you just don't play to the level of what your particularly what you you know, be accustomed to playing, and so it's hard for you to mentally get up for every single game.

00:05:07
Speaker 4: You're in Triple A and you're not in the big leagues where you think you should be.

00:05:11
Speaker 5: That said, it will be interestingly who they go to as far as, you know, creating some more depth.

00:05:18
Speaker 4: I do think.

00:05:20
Speaker 5: I mean Cody Clemens is gonna play. I mean they threw Cody Clemens out there and left field in the cores field, and I mean it was a little precarious. He made another play, he made his place wasn't pretty, But they're going to toss him out there, especially if they're playing a siss Bank Park. It's not like a really super challenging place to play left field necessarily as far as covering ground.

00:05:43
Speaker 4: So I think Cody's gonna get an opportunity.

00:05:46
Speaker 5: First, especially against the right handers. That's my guess, could be wrong. Gladly I'm not the manager. I let topp or take care of that. But but again, I mean, it's it's about being costs with them because it's one of those injuries again that you do not want to have. Linger that said, I am surprised to see all these soft tissue injuries like come on in this day and age when guys in they're monitored, their their intakes are monitored, they have these strap on things that monitor everything about them.

00:06:19
Speaker 4: They whether they have enough electrolytes and all this other stuff.

00:06:22
Speaker 5: I'm just surprised in this day and age when they talk about being hydrated and take care. Why this is happening. It's happened a lot. I mean, you got I think Blake Snell went on a g on the aisle. Are going to go on an aisle with a growing injury. There's guys with like hamstrings and quads, and in this day and age, it just doesn't seem like this is the kind of sid I know, it gets humid during the game and things can happen, but it just doesn't make sense for these things to.

00:06:49
Speaker 4: Be happening with the regularity. They're happening at the major league level.

00:06:55
Speaker 3: So guys are guys are eating way too healthy? Need you need I'm serious about this. I need to mix in. You need to mix in an occasional cheeseburger. I'm talking about like one a week, one every two weeks maybe, uh and and I think that would no, I'm serious. I just think you get a little soft when you eat a soft diet now now and now and then you need to you know, you need to mix in a good burger, a big, drippy burger.

00:07:19
Speaker 4: Nice and you know what, And you can't. You can't pull fat, right, You can't pull fat if it's too muscular. I mean, you just can't, you know.

00:07:26
Speaker 3: I actually, I actually was in a clubhouse probably this might have gone back to the Vet. I think it was the Diamond not I think it was the Rockies clubhouse. And I was talking to a couple of guys and there was a trainer talking to a player. And the trainer was telling this player how it's okay to have a cheeseburger now and then that your body craves that type of fat and if it will do decent things or put that fat to good work. Not every day, not every week, but now and then it can be good for you. So I'm sticking to that story.

00:07:58
Speaker 1: Let me point out that Zach Wheelers is one of the most durable pitchers in baseball, and he famously loves junk food. Yeah to his locker, he had the candy shop, him and Zach Eflin. So we talked about some options, Rubin, you said, Cody Clemens Christian pace is an option to play left field. This is all if marsh goes on the ils as we all seem to suspect Wit Marifield, he's not been good this year. Rich Rob Thompson said, I think it was yesterday that he just.

00:08:27
Speaker 2: Hasn't played enough. We've got to get him playing more.

00:08:30
Speaker 1: Now, let me ask you guys this about real quick, and then I'll continue with the other options. Wit Mayorfield is on pace right now to have three hundred and seven to play appearances, is it?

00:08:38
Speaker 4: That?

00:08:39
Speaker 1: Is that not that much where he's it kind of not excuses but explains why he's struggling so much. Three hundred and seven played appearances for over the course of the season seems like enough work.

00:08:50
Speaker 2: No, that you should be a little bit more productive.

00:08:53
Speaker 3: Yeah right, okay, all right, three hundred and seven is what Pat Gillick. He used to use that phrase, semi regular, remember that, Rubin.

00:09:00
Speaker 2: Yes, I'm sure, okay, all right, that's sure.

00:09:02
Speaker 3: You should be able to stay sharp on Okay.

00:09:04
Speaker 4: I I know that this is judge. I've talked about it publicly. I've talked about at nauseum.

00:09:09
Speaker 5: It's an adjustment going from and he'd being an everyday player to be an a bench player at some point.

00:09:14
Speaker 4: Now there's really no excuse.

00:09:16
Speaker 5: At some point, he's going to get a chance to play probably three out of the next seven days, out of the next seven day, whatever the case may be. He's going to get a chance to play now. And if he's not being productive, then they're going to have to start peeking around to see where else they can be more productive. Now I think he will be. I still think he's a you know, viable and.

00:09:35
Speaker 4: Solid major league player.

00:09:37
Speaker 5: Again, but you have to produce at some point, you know, Dave Dobrowski, I know where they paying seven or eight million dollars.

00:09:43
Speaker 4: You got to You've got to kind of be productive.

00:09:46
Speaker 2: You have to.

00:09:47
Speaker 4: And I love the guy. I think he's I thought it was a great signing, but you have to also produce. We're in a production.

00:09:55
Speaker 5: Business and and you know he's going to have to start coming through with more consistent you know, at bats.

00:10:04
Speaker 3: I think there already are peaking around and if if they're not, they should be. For more production of that outfield. You need to build this team that a team that's going to succeed in October. And to me, that means right now you should have your eye on the outfield and how they can get more consistent production out there.

00:10:20
Speaker 1: No, I do want to point out also we talked. We've talked a lot about Nick Castis. I probably get more tweets and emails and comments about Nicko. Why does Rob Thompson keep playing Nick cast Let me point out these numbers. I look these up. Just ten minutes ago. Nick Cassi is less ten games, betting two seventy nine, three home run six RBIs eight thirty seven ops. Nick Cassian since May fourth betting two fifty five, five home runs sixteen RBIs seven sixty three ops. MLB average ops is six ninety eight. He's actually been putting up some decent numbers for the last month. And we talked a lot about this team trying to win the World Series.

00:10:55
Speaker 2: That's the goal.

00:10:56
Speaker 1: This team's chances of winning the World Series improve if Nick Castianos gets going.

00:11:01
Speaker 2: That's why he's playing every day.

00:11:02
Speaker 1: So you've got Clemens and left, possibly Mayfield and left, possibly Christian Pace and left, possibly ed maybe when Turner comes back at Mundo Sosa.

00:11:12
Speaker 2: Is that crazy?

00:11:13
Speaker 1: I mean Rob's mentioned it, you know, possibly getting him out there in left field.

00:11:17
Speaker 2: He hasn't played a lot of left field.

00:11:18
Speaker 1: They tried him in center field a couple springs ago, and then they kind of pulled the plug on that once the season started.

00:11:25
Speaker 2: Would that be something you would look at?

00:11:27
Speaker 4: Yeah?

00:11:28
Speaker 3: I would. I would. I don't think it's an everyday solution, but no, occasionally, if you can make a play out there and you can kind of ride this hot hand that he's shown since Trey Turner went down, I mean, why not. The kid's athletic enough. You know, there might be a lot of mixing and matching until somebody steps up and grabs that job.

00:11:46
Speaker 4: Yeah, I totally agree.

00:11:47
Speaker 5: I mean sometimes you have to be a little bit more creative in certain situations.

00:11:52
Speaker 4: My concern is.

00:11:54
Speaker 5: That that makes for a very, very ugly defensive outfield. I think that, you know, that's where it's in a lot of ways. Strangely, it sort of saves Johann Rojas because he's got to play out there in center field. If you have these other off outfielders who are sort of out of position one and left, and you have Castianis who's done a nice job but doesn't cover a ton of ground and right.

00:12:19
Speaker 4: So now you're putting yourself in a position.

00:12:21
Speaker 5: To be not very good defensively at the risk of you know, just adding you know, production with the bat. You sort of need somebody who can go catch the baseball, and you got you got to be careful about that because.

00:12:35
Speaker 4: You know, by and large, you're you know, one of the biggest.

00:12:38
Speaker 5: Strengths of your team is yours you're pitching, so you've got to make sure you support it defensively. And it was a concern a couple of years back about you know, the outfields defense is terrible. You know, it's got to get better, and so you can't necessarily sacrifice that. And something to think about as well.

00:12:56
Speaker 1: And then triple A Wes Wilson, he is the only guy in the forty man David Dolls having a great year, Uck, you said Rubin, he's not on the forty man, always a consideration. Jordan Luplo having at another he's having a good year as well, not on the forty man. Wes Wilson started off terribly the last twenty games. He's really really come on. So yeah, probably I would think.

00:13:16
Speaker 4: That's the guy.

00:13:17
Speaker 5: I think that's going to be the guy because he also creates a lot of versatility because you can play so many different positions and he can really run, and he's gonna play solid defense if he gets chances.

00:13:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, Maker, that makes it right, Yeah, for sure, for sure, short term, short term.

00:13:34
Speaker 2: So Marsh probably head of the il.

00:13:37
Speaker 1: Ranger Suarez looks like he avoided serious catastrophe by maybe breaking his hand on Saturday Night. I mean that kind of illustrates starting pitching depth and the importance of it. You know, how lucky did, how lucky did, How lucky did Ranger get, and how lucky did the Phillies get on Saturday Night.

00:13:55
Speaker 2: It's crazy, crazy, very.

00:13:57
Speaker 3: Lucky, both of them, very lucky guys having a career year. Your team's had a career year. Can't affordunately, can't afford to lose anybody. And he's such a major contributor and such an important piece to this so it was good to see him escape escape injury. It was a little scary for a moment.

00:14:17
Speaker 4: Yeah, it was.

00:14:18
Speaker 5: And my daughter went to the game. She came down from New York. She was all excited about seeing Ranger pitch and he gets drilled. She texts me right away, Oh, no, Ranger, Ranger got popped and he's out of the game.

00:14:34
Speaker 4: No way, I can't believe it. Something like that.

00:14:37
Speaker 5: And I told Andre, it's okay, It'll be fine. Thankfully, was because you're right. You don't want to lose the range or no.

00:14:48
Speaker 2: Man.

00:14:49
Speaker 1: My colleague at MLB dot com, Paul Cassell, he had this unbelievable stat. Listen to this eighth pitcher since nineteen thirteen. There have been eight pictures since nineteen thirteen have seventy five more strikeouts, nine or more wins and a one point seven oh ear a and like eight starts or something. Obaldo Hemen is in twenty ten. Then the list goes to Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddix, Vita Blue, Sandy Kofax.

00:15:13
Speaker 2: And Ranger Suarez. I mean, that's how good.

00:15:16
Speaker 1: That's how good you guys, Ben, So, yeah, I could see why everybody was holding the breath and while your daughter was in a panic, full pat Saturday, full panic on Saturday.

00:15:24
Speaker 2: So what do they do there?

00:15:25
Speaker 1: If it sounds like they're gonna he's gonna throw today or tomorrow, see if you can grip the ball, you need to do that. If you can't go, you go Spencer Turnbull on Saturday. Rangers schedule to go on.

00:15:37
Speaker 2: That's what I would do.

00:15:39
Speaker 3: No, and they got a nice little this little cushion time wise because of the London trip, But yeah, I would think you would go with Spencer Turnbull look good and release the other night he gave you a little bit of a little bit of length and yeah, this is why you have that depth piece in Turnbull And this is uh, he's pitched well and if you need a spot start, he has to be the guy. I would think.

00:16:03
Speaker 4: You just have to be careful with grips.

00:16:05
Speaker 5: I mean, obviously when you start changing, if you have to start changing your delivery, or you have to do something different with your hand. If he can't really grip the baseball, I mean, the only thing that's on your on the baseball, and as I talk about this, with hitting, the only thing that's on the bat is your hands. The only thing on the baseball is your fingers in your hands. So if that's not working perfectly, then you have a chance to then compromise your elbow, your shoulder, whatever the case may be. So you can be sure that they will not let him take the mound at the major league level, particularly if they have to go do it in London, to you know, compromise anything that would damage this guy. And the fact that they have Spencer Turnbull to be able to turn to sort of a no brainer. Again, if he's fine, he'll pitch. If he's not perfectly one hundred percent fine, he will not pitch.

00:16:57
Speaker 4: I can assure you.

00:16:58
Speaker 3: That, nor should he if he's ninety nine point nine take a rest.

00:17:04
Speaker 4: I'm right with you. Yeah, it's not that important.

00:17:06
Speaker 5: The London Series is nice and it's great, and this would be great for him to pitch there, But guess what, not that important when you're trying to win a World Series.

00:17:14
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think I feel like the vibe in that clubhouse is we understand the big picture.

00:17:20
Speaker 2: So he's not going to go You know, I'm okay enough.

00:17:23
Speaker 1: I think even Ranger hopefully is smart enough to say, you know, I'm kind of not there, give me a few more days and let's go forward. But it kind of illustrates, gosh, if something had happened to Ranger, kind of illustrates again starting pitching depth and what they would do and and you know, you look down a Triple A.

00:17:40
Speaker 2: Mc gables hurt right now.

00:17:41
Speaker 1: But even if he wasn't hurt, I don't think he would have been an option.

00:17:45
Speaker 2: He's really struggling right now in Triple A.

00:17:47
Speaker 1: Tyler Phillips is a starter with the ERA over five. Davy Buchanan's got an e O over five. Michael Mercado maybe their best starter right now, but he hasn't really gone more than like four innings since he moved into the row to So.

00:18:01
Speaker 2: Just illustrates starting pitching depth too.

00:18:03
Speaker 1: You know, all this kind of stuff comes up and kind of shows you how close they are to, you know, walk on that line.

00:18:10
Speaker 3: Thank goodness they have Turnbull and excellent signing.

00:18:13
Speaker 5: Yeah, it might might be one of the best signings of the Yearnest for sure might pre for the dollars and cents might be one of the best signings in all baseball.

00:18:23
Speaker 4: I mean there's others that you know, I've done a good job there, but.

00:18:27
Speaker 5: Wow, with the with the level of importance that and the level of depth that he creates for this team.

00:18:34
Speaker 1: Well, my going back to my colleague Paul Cassella, he said, the only other starter this season with six or more starts with an ERA better than Rangers Suarez A Spencer Turnbull.

00:18:43
Speaker 2: He's got a one six seven. I mean, really, again, you think about it. When they signed him, it was it was a Super Bowl Sunday.

00:18:52
Speaker 1: They agreed to terms, and it was like, maybe he's going to be a Triple A starter to start the year. He would have to accept the assignment. Will he accept the assignment to Triple A? Maybe he'll be a long man. And now we're he's, like you said, Rubin, one of the best signings of the year.

00:19:07
Speaker 5: You got to get lucky sometimes, man. I mean, obviously it's a good job by scouting with the guys. I mean, he had the stuff and you know now they they pitch designed him. You know, Brian Kaplan and and Caleb Coffin probably worked with him, and yeah, probably put him in a really good position.

00:19:25
Speaker 4: To have success, you got to give them some love for that.

00:19:27
Speaker 5: And shoot, you got to get lucky sometimes when you make signings and we have Chinaha Park who did some stuff for us, and you know, I mean.

00:19:37
Speaker 3: You had you had wanted to me one of the ultimate you got to get lucky guys in Jason Worth.

00:19:43
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I think that that was again, that was a familiarity that Pat had with the guy. He had drafted him, he had seen him play. He knows what kind of athlete he was. He loved the background of the of the athlete. You know, that's that's all you know, that's all part of it. You know, that's all part of make these.

00:20:01
Speaker 3: It was essentially a released player. And yeah, I remember you guys trying.

00:20:07
Speaker 5: I'm sorry, an underperformer in a lot of ways, but also you're underperforming.

00:20:12
Speaker 3: But he had the pedigree and athleticism and at some point in most guys career, something clicks, you know, sometimes it takes guys time. I was watching that Jojo Romero for a last night. He's turned out to be pretty good, just needed some time. And it's a lot. It's that way with a lot of athletes. And it Worth was to me a classic example of taking a shot and then the talent and the experience and the health all come together and you get a hell of a player.

00:20:39
Speaker 5: Oh well, the big story for me is, I know you guys remember this when we were in Chicago and he kind of and Pat sort of like aired him out. I mean, because Pat believed in him, and he was like, I think he took him in the office. He's just like slammed him, like, dude, it's time for you to like step forward, let's freaking go.

00:20:58
Speaker 4: And he did and from that went on.

00:21:01
Speaker 5: I'm not sure if Jason really talks about that all that much or is discussed, but I mean Pat sort of challenged him in a lot of ways, and the kid responded and it became Jason Wirth.

00:21:10
Speaker 4: He owes a lot to Pat. I think.

00:21:13
Speaker 3: Story we're kind of on a tangent, but I like tangents. So you were going to kind of maybe sign him to a minor league deal, and then didn't Billy Bean come in and kind of backdoor you with a big league deal and you had to give him a big league deal.

00:21:26
Speaker 5: Well, basically I've told him I was talking to the agent I was in charge of like sort of managing the negotiations, and you know, Pat.

00:21:34
Speaker 4: Was like, he's not gonna sign. You know, he's not gonna sign a major league deal.

00:21:40
Speaker 5: And I'm like, I'm like, Pat, I don't think we can get this guy. If you really want this guy, we're gonna have to give him a major league deal. And we ended up having to put him on the forty man roster. I'm not sure if it was a bunch of bs or not, but had we I mean, I'm like, if you really want the player, you got to step forward. I don't know if we at the time we had room on the forty man. I don't remember all the particulars about it, but uh, but Pat did some serious background as he always does, did some awesome background on him, went to see him. I think he and Mike Arbuckle went to see him personally and chatted with him. But I mean, we we basically had to step forward and do a major league deal for the guy. I don't know seven hundred thousand or a million dollars or whatever the case may be, but we sort of had to guarantee him that money, and Pat was kind of reluctant to do it. I'm like that we're not gonna get the guy if it don't do it, and we ended up signing him in the rest was sort of history.

00:22:37
Speaker 3: Well, Spencer Spencer Turnbull's some similarities. You know, it's a cut right deal, a guy coming back for some injuries he had. It was a pedigree kind of draft, high round draft. And if he goes out that continues to have a really good year, much like Jason Worth is gonna you know, get his career back on good footing and has a chance to go Chi Chang.

00:22:58
Speaker 5: Chi Chain, no question about especially with the dearth of pitching and people who go, are you kidding me? If you're a starting pitcher right now and you can have some level of success, I mean they're turning guys. How about Jordan Hicks who they turn They're turning you know, bullpen guys into starters right now because it's.

00:23:16
Speaker 4: Amazing, guys. The starting pitching is actually important.

00:23:20
Speaker 2: It's nice, it's fun to watch.

00:23:22
Speaker 3: Can you believe it?

00:23:23
Speaker 2: Yeah? I love it?

00:23:24
Speaker 3: I mean again, but what old will we do?

00:23:28
Speaker 5: It's just it's just the silliness of what is gone and making contact and not striking out and stealing a base, And.

00:23:37
Speaker 4: Isn't that amazing. It's for twelve years, somebody else took over and changed the whole world. I don't get it. Well confused.

00:23:47
Speaker 1: Well, Jason Worth one of the most productive right handed hitters for the Phillies in the last you know how many years. Reyese Hoskins one of the most productive right handed hitters for the Phillies in the last how many years? Uh, Brewers coming back into town tonight, three game series at Citizens Bank Park. Jim, you wrote about Reese at allphl y dot com.

00:24:09
Speaker 2: Yeah, what do you want to tell me about it?

00:24:10
Speaker 3: Well, he's coming back tonight for three games. Comes off the I l You know, I always had a lot of respect for Reese. I remember he was drafted during Ruben's time as GM. He was drafted fourteen, fifth round, which is kind of a bit of a magic round for the Phillies and first in Big Bats where they got Ryan Howard. But you know, I still remember his first year talking to Charlie Manual and Charlie said, you know in his voice that Boyden knows how to drive in a run, and he had a knack for driving in runs. And you know, he developed the leg kick with Joe Jordan and Andy Tracy and it became a real staple in his in his swing. But what always jumped out about me Reese's maturity, his intelligence. He was and this is no BA. He was always team first, and he would survived from some rough days in that rebuild when he was like the great Hope and the great position player Hope, and he was the kind of the one guy that emerged from that group and was there when they were ready to win. And you know, he always looked to me like a foundational player that might be around a good long time. And then all of a sudden, now there was this influx of players from outside the system, Hoskins, Wheeler, Real Mudo, Turner, Schwoar or Castianos, and they all have big price tags. And I used to talk about this with Reese more than once. You know, everybody's getting their paydays, and you know, do you ever wonder if there's gonna be room for you? And you, the homegrown guy who endured the rebuild, are going to be the guy that's pushed out? And you know, he he was always mature in talking about it, recognized it was a possibility, never complained about it, and just worked hard every day and Indeed, he was the guy that for a lot of reasons just wasn't payroll. It was spot you know, they needed a spot for Harper, they needed a spot for Schwore where they're heavy in these DH types and first base DH types. And he also survived to me, three very serious injuries. I mean he had the the UCL tear, he had the abdominal tear, and the the a c L which he missed all last year, three serious injuries that required major surgeries. So I always thought he was a good Philly, good guy, class guy, and I believe he'll get a really nice ovation tonight and we might even see that Batspike a little bit up on the scoreboard.

00:26:41
Speaker 4: Yeah, I would think we'll see it. Several times. I would just say this a couple of things.

00:26:47
Speaker 5: One, I have a soft spot for him, obviously because he was in our system when we brought him into the system, when I was still as the GM and just watching his progression and you know, come through the system, there was a question always about you know, defensively he could be okay and he's gonna end up being a DH, but a great run producer. Really matured as a hitter, especially and I think he put some ridiculous numbers up in reading at one point where he was just mashing the baseball and driving in runs at at a tremendous rate. But when I think of Reese Hoskins, I think of a classy young man and and sort of represented And I know he was sort of the spokesman for a while as as they were, as we were in that transition, or as the organization was in the transition.

00:27:40
Speaker 4: I was gone at that point once he got to the big leagues.

00:27:42
Speaker 5: But I think he represented the organization extraordinarily well. I think he represents his family. He and his wife represent the family extremely well. And so you have a soft spot for someone like that who's that classy and that professional. And yeah, I mean baseball is a tough game, and it's the decisions that you have to make. You know, they end up signing to Castillanos and that's probably Castiumers. And then and then you have you know, the Schwarbers, as you said, Jim of the world, and you start, you know, looking at your team and Okay, where can we improve in certain areas? Where do we fit all the pieces of the puzzle. And he ended up being a guy that then ended up being sort of the odd man out. But but I think in his heart of hearts, he'll always sort of be a Philly. I think he probably feels that he probably felt a little disappointed and shunned about, you know, what happened in in the offseason. But I'm glad he landed with Milwaukee. Great spot for him. He I'm sure he's bringing a lot of maturity to that team, who has a has a very young team, uh with some very good athletes, and I think that's a it's a great thing for that organization. Good kid man, good you good young man, I should say kid man. He's a he's a grown man.

00:29:00
Speaker 2: He's a girl man. You know, think about this. You know, they he and his wife Jamie, bought a house in Center City. They lived here a couple off seasons.

00:29:08
Speaker 1: That doesn't happen too often anymore where you know, players was just scattered to Florida or Scottsdale or wherever they want to live warmer weather.

00:29:14
Speaker 2: In the off season.

00:29:16
Speaker 1: They stayed here a couple of years because they were so connected to the city, did a lot of work charity work with MDA, and you know, they were always out in the community.

00:29:25
Speaker 2: They really did love it here.

00:29:26
Speaker 1: When I think of Reese, I think of the same thing Jim just being in the clubhouse. How many times during that awful run they were.

00:29:32
Speaker 6: On to be go.

00:29:35
Speaker 1: Yes, let's talk to Reese, because he's kind of he was kind of the de facto spokesman. They know you valued his opinion, and he was always available and at his locker after bad loss after bad loss after bad loss, if he had a good game or a bad game, he was there. I very distinctly remember at the end of I think it was the twenty nineteen season, they lost like ten in a row. They finally gotten eliminated in Atlanta, A couple of his teammates were kind of yucking it up, getting dressed ready to go back catch a team bus, and he was still in full uni, his head buried in his locker because they had finally got officially eliminated from the postseason.

00:30:10
Speaker 2: Because he he did care that much.

00:30:13
Speaker 1: And every time I will point out, every time you see a Phillies player homer and salute the bullpen, that was a tradition that Reese Hoskins started back in eighteen so and now you see it all around baseball. That is a Reese Hoskins started tradition the sal college.

00:30:30
Speaker 2: Yep, he started that. He started that.

00:30:32
Speaker 1: I wrote about that last going in the last postseason. You know, I was a little piece of Reese is going to carry into the postseason.

00:30:39
Speaker 3: And he started at City Field.

00:30:41
Speaker 2: No, he started it. He's we went back and found it.

00:30:44
Speaker 1: He came back from the injured list.

00:30:47
Speaker 2: When you remember when he broke his jaw, falling up all off his face.

00:30:49
Speaker 3: And.

00:30:51
Speaker 1: Yes, he he was on the il and I think what the story he told was after the game, after you a game, Hector Norris and he were by the iPad in the clubhouse where they turn up to music, and they were doing some rock and roll music and Hector Norris did the rock on signed from him. It's like jumping around acting like a goofball because that's what Hector Nerris is.

00:31:13
Speaker 2: And then.

00:31:15
Speaker 1: Hoskins came back from the aisle. It might have been that first game back or second game back. He homered and he gave he gave the old salute to Hector Harris in the bullpen and then he just kept doing it ever since.

00:31:25
Speaker 4: So that's that's pretty cool.

00:31:27
Speaker 3: That's an awesome little tidbit everybody does it now, you shit it up and down the game, and it's like the guy who invented the high five, Glenn Burke, him and Dusty Baker invented the high five. So Reese Hoskins invented the bullpen salute, which is like we said, it's probably gonna be around for an awfully long time.

00:31:46
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, you know, Kyle, and Kyle Schwarber said, I'm going to keep doing it, and you know, every well, everybody.

00:31:50
Speaker 2: In the Phillies keeps doing it. It's it's kind of a thing now.

00:31:53
Speaker 3: And I like it because those guys in the bullpen. I mean, you go in the doug everybody high fives, he gives you a little, you know, a little love of home run. These guys in the bullpen just as much as part of the team, and they're just as happy.

00:32:03
Speaker 2: And that's what that's what that was part of it. Hector and Nerris said.

00:32:06
Speaker 1: He's like I told Reese afterwards, like you got to keep doing that because we're we're part of.

00:32:09
Speaker 2: The team too, you know.

00:32:11
Speaker 1: And now it's to the point where Bryce Harper has done this a few times where he's forgotten to salute and he will call down the bullpen to apologize.

00:32:19
Speaker 3: That's right, bad guys. I will sorry about that.

00:32:21
Speaker 2: I forgot to give you guy. This is the salute.

00:32:25
Speaker 3: So that's pretty cool.

00:32:26
Speaker 1: So Reese will get a standing ovation, no doubt about it.

00:32:33
Speaker 2: If he hits a home run, it might be a different story.

00:32:35
Speaker 1: But I think no, I think it would be at some point it will be sure that it would be a.

00:32:40
Speaker 2: Loving boo if he gets booed.

00:32:42
Speaker 3: It's the funny thing, is he you know, he hits that home run against Spencer Strider in Game three in twenty twenty two against the Braves in the NLDS. He was booed early in that hit, the home run in the third inning. He was booed after striking out in the first inning. He was booed during introductions because he had a tough night in Atlanta the night before, and I mean that was part of that batspike.

00:33:01
Speaker 1: It was like, you know for him, yeah, that that isn't quite a moment for him.

00:33:06
Speaker 3: And he never complained about the booze. He never complained. I remember that one great quote he had about Philadelphia said it's an honest market, meaning you know, I'll tell you when you're good to tell you when you're bad. And it was to me a perfect summation of playing here.

00:33:20
Speaker 2: That's a moment.

00:33:21
Speaker 1: Fifty years from now, they're going to be doing a retrospective on the Phillies and you're gonna have Tug mcgrad dropping to his knees.

00:33:27
Speaker 2: You're gonna have bed limit the bank.

00:33:29
Speaker 1: You're gonna have you know, brad Lidge dropping, Tug raising his arms, Lydge dropping to his knees, and you're gonna have the batspike from brhys Hoskins in Game three of the twenty twenty two NLDS, no doubt about it.

00:33:40
Speaker 4: So don't forget that home run from Bryce Harbor no.

00:33:45
Speaker 2: Limit.

00:33:46
Speaker 4: Yeah, that literally was the greatest. I was one of the most amazing moments I've ever seen. Anyway, that's that was gonna digress.

00:33:53
Speaker 1: More more what we will be back Wednesday or Thursday before the Phillies go to London. So don't want to miss that next episode. It's gonna be a good one, I promise. Oh yeah, thanks guys.

00:34:08
Speaker 3: Smell your lady boys, small Jim.

00:34:16
Speaker 6: This is the Philly Show. If you haven't already, please subscribe to The Phillies Show wherever you get your podcasts.

00:34:22
Speaker 2: You can also watch us on our YouTube channel.

00:34:25
Speaker 6: If you like what we do, give us a review, Tell a friend. Catch Rubenjim and Me on Phillies Nation TV, presented by Valley Forge Tourism. New episodes air an.

00:34:34
Speaker 2: Hour before every Saturday.

00:34:35
Speaker 6: Phillies game on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Replays air throughout the week and on Philliesnation dot com. Get more of Reuben's analysis during before and after Phillies games on NBC Sports Philadelphia, on the Sports Radio ninety four, WIP Morning Show, and MLB Network. Rejim at the Allcity Network at allphl y dot com. Find more of me at MLB dot com. The Phillies be this letter and occasionally on MLB Network

00:35:09
Speaker 4: Mm HM