Phillies offseason to-do list w/Amaro, Will JT or Schwarbs return?

00:00:08
Speaker 1: We are going to lay out the off season to do list for the Philadelphia Phillies right now with Ruben Tomorrow Junior, and you can catch rum in a lot of different spots, including on Phillies broadcasts and the so popular Phillies Show one of the three stars of the show there, Ruben. Great to have you on and let's do this right from the jump. You know this and how to do this more than anyone. As a former GM of the Phillies, how would you lay out their off season strategy one through three? Top of your list.

00:00:35
Speaker 2: Great to be with you guys right out of the shoot.

00:00:37
Speaker 3: I don't think there's a more important position than the catching position.

00:00:42
Speaker 2: On the field. I know Kratzy well would believe that.

00:00:46
Speaker 3: Number One, I think they have to figure out what they're going to be doing at the catching position.

00:00:50
Speaker 2: Obviously with JT. Realmuto being a free agent, that's a big one.

00:00:54
Speaker 3: Number Two, they got to figure out that big bat in the middle of the lineup, whether it's going to end up being you know, the kyleeg Sharberers of the world, but you know that big bat in the middle of the lineup that's really important for them.

00:01:06
Speaker 2: And then finally, it's the bullpen.

00:01:08
Speaker 3: They have to tighten that bullpen up and get somebody to take the baseball to Juan Duran, I think the pen has to be addressed as well.

00:01:17
Speaker 2: Those would be the three and in that order for me.

00:01:20
Speaker 4: All right, Well, catcher the most important position on the field, not some utility in field or whatever position you really were. I know you played some left, but whatever catcher is it?

00:01:32
Speaker 2: JT.

00:01:33
Speaker 4: Real, Muto or bust for the Phillies Because you look at the market, there's not a lot out there. And I don't think Aaron Stubbs and Raphael Marshawan are putting together one hundred and sixty two games between the two of them.

00:01:47
Speaker 2: I would tend to agree with you. I like Marshaan a lot.

00:01:50
Speaker 3: I just don't know if he can if he can catch one hundred games, one hundred and ten games. I like Stubby as well. I like both of those guys. I just don't know whether you can put your egg in that basket. And JT is as good as anybody preparing. I think the pitchers have a tremendous amount of confidence in his preparation, his knowledge what they feel and how they feel throwing to him. I think in a lot of ways, it is JT or bust, And if it's not JT, then they're gonna have to figure out some way, some ingenious way to try to get somebody in a trade, somehow, some way. Just because, with all due respect to raf L Marshawn and to Garrett Stubbs, I mean, you're talking about two pretty garden good backups. I just don't know that with the importance of what you know this team is about, which is pitching. I think that's their biggest strength. They have to have somebody who can handle that pitching and do it well.

00:02:48
Speaker 4: I want to reiterate what you said there because you actually had a conversation with me after my twenty twelve season. People were like, well, do they need to re sign Carlos Ruiz? Do they need to? Like, It's like, I had a good season, but a backup is way different than a starting catcher. Can you say what goes into maybe trying to sign a guy like this who clearly sees the team you were a GM, sees the team needs a starting catcher. He's probably gonna get in a three year, fifteen million dollar range. How hard is that for you? And I know, you worked with mister Montgomery when you were the GM, and he was very straightforward. He was very much market Hey, we want to treat this guy right. How hard is that for you as a GM when you're trying to lure him back? Oh, and you really need it?

00:03:39
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's difficult.

00:03:40
Speaker 3: It's a little bit of a rock and a hard place because the you know, the agent knows, and the player knows that they really need him, and they also know that the marketplace out there is not very strong.

00:03:52
Speaker 2: I mean, where else are they going to go?

00:03:55
Speaker 3: That said, I do think JT loves it in Philadelphia. I think this is the place he wants to be. They did have a situation like this earlier in his career and he ended up signing back with him. It's not the first time this might happen. But I think that JAT also owes it to himself to find out where the marketplace is right. That's that's the beauty of being a free agent, and that's what he's gonna do. There may be a team out there that goes crazy. Buster Posey might say, the Giants might say, Hey, guess what, brother, I need a catcher too. I'm gonna go to four years. I'm going to go to some ridiculous number. Who knows does Steve Cohen go that crazy knowing that even though he's got a young catcher, you know, in his stable, maybe he wants to get a veteran guy because he knows how important that catching position is. Who knows, I know it's important. The whole industry knows it's important. And he's really the only guy out there. He is older, and his offensive numbers are starting to drift south, but his ability to handle the staff is as good as any in baseball. And you know, you start thinking about the Yadier Molinas of the world. How important would was he to the Saint Louis for many, many years. You sort of have to overpay for that, And I think that's what the Phillies you're gonna have to do.

00:05:16
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00:05:28
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00:05:41
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00:05:55
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00:06:18
Speaker 5: Hey, Ruben, nice to officially meet you. We're gonna move down that checklist and go to the big bat. Kyle Schwarber probably the obvious choice, but it feels like the theme of the offseason right now is breaking up the band. You know, we saw what happened with Marcus Sime and Brandon Nimo. Are we looking at a situation maybe in Philadelphia where I know Schwarber is not the problem in that clubhouse, and they'll be a fall up with that. But is it Are they at the point where they've had this band together for so long that maybe some parts need to be separated a little bit to see where the Phillies can really go.

00:06:53
Speaker 2: KP.

00:06:54
Speaker 3: This is why, and great to see you again and to meet you here on on territory. I have to say for the Phillies' is one of the most fascinating off seasons ever because yes, they have two great players that they want to bring back and are really important to this ball club and to the heart of this ball club in Schwarber and JT.

00:07:16
Speaker 2: But at the same.

00:07:16
Speaker 3: Time, they cannot run it back. They just cannot do that because they've seen what it happens at the end of the day, and it's really important for him to mix it up now.

00:07:26
Speaker 2: So where do they go?

00:07:28
Speaker 3: I do believe that Schwarber is one of the most influential players in baseball in a lot of ways, not just on the field with what he does, but off the field with what he brings to the table. This is a guy that if I was a GM I've been fighting my rear end off to bring to my ball club because he wins, He understands what it is to be a teammate.

00:07:53
Speaker 2: His teammates love him. He is a community service guy.

00:07:58
Speaker 3: He's really the total package and it's really nice to be able to have spent some time with the man. And the difficulty of that is, if you bring him back for the Phillies, do they have the flexibility in their payroll to really do much more? I know we talked about bringing JT back already. So they bring both these guys back, where do they go? How do they change things up? This is where Dave Dombrowski's you know, his role in this situation is not just a difficult one, but a little bit rock in a hard place because they may have to change things up and in some ways they're gonna have to be ready to go to Plan B or C, and it may not.

00:08:41
Speaker 2: It sounds crazy.

00:08:42
Speaker 3: Even though I would love to have Schwarber back and he's such an integral part of the team, if they don't bring him back, that does give them a chance to do some other things.

00:08:51
Speaker 2: Maybe they bring up Pete Alonzo in.

00:08:53
Speaker 3: Maybe they think that that's the right handed bat that gives a little protection for Harper. Maybe it's a go bashet, someone to mix things up, who can play a variety of infield positions, just to change up this ball club, which I think is an essential piece of this too fascinating offseason. And I honestly I don't want to be in Davin Bowski's shoes.

00:09:16
Speaker 5: In terms of if Shoorber doesn't come back, are Harper's days playing the outfield over? Does he now become a DH assuming you bring in a guy like Pete Longso to play first base, and in your opinion, Schwarber if he's gone, is Harper the next guy in line to kind of be that leader or is it was it kind of a leader by committee with Schwarber and Harper.

00:09:39
Speaker 2: I think it's more of a leader by committee.

00:09:40
Speaker 3: Just to answer your last question first, I think Schwarber probably is a little bit more vocal, someone who would tend to put his arm around a guy a little bit more than maybe Harper would JT.

00:09:52
Speaker 2: Quiet leader.

00:09:53
Speaker 3: Also, a lot of these guys starts. I think this is one of the reasons why Harrison Bader coming on at the end of the year was so important for this ball club because they don't have too many like quote unquote energy or raw Rod type guys, and I think you can overstate that sometimes, but for this Phillies team, I think it was important because everybody's just so calm and professional that maybe you do need a little swagger, Maybe you do need a little something something in that clubhouse. It's it is so interesting to see how things will play out. As far as Harper is concerned, He's they're really happy with him at first base. He's made an amazing adjustment. He's made himself a pretty damn good first baseman. I think down the road he's gonna end up wanting to be a d H. I don't know there's any question about that. But I think he still has the ability to go to the outfield and and I don't know, I know it's gonna probably depend on whether it's a Scott Bores client or or something like that, where whether or not, you know, Harper goes back out to the outfield. If I were a betting man, I would assume that unless a Pete Alonso comes on board, that he's probably locked in to first base. And even I Pete Alonzo does come on board, they may just share that DH.

00:11:13
Speaker 2: Role rather than move Harper out to right field.

00:11:16
Speaker 3: I think he's feeling really comfortable there, and frankly, I'd be surprised that he would move out to right field unless unless they end up getting two pieces and it sort of puts them in a position to make their best team with him in right field and maybe Alonso or someone like that.

00:11:35
Speaker 2: At first, I.

00:11:36
Speaker 4: Mean, he got drafted as a catcher. Ruben, come on, think with your head here. We can get Harper change. You know, Mookie switched to shortstop and should have want to gold gloves, So why can't Harper switch the catcher? No, I won't. I won't put that on you. You didn't say that, but I will put it on you. The one part of the team in the NLDS, part of the Phillies team that was beaten by the Dodgers, because the Phillies out hit the Dodgers, the starting pitching beat the vaunted Dodgers starting pitching. They out pitched him the bullpen. And you said, they need to do they need to do some big things. Obviously Alvarado will be coming back, and you know, you don't know what he's gonna give you, but obviously nine million dollars, it was an easy yes. And then Johann Duran is going to be the closer. What are they looking for and is it something that I think maybe Dombrowski fell short last offseason building it up enough.

00:12:34
Speaker 3: Yeah, that is the trickiest part of the game, I think, because you just don't know what you're gonna get from year to year. I mean, unless you're Mariano Rivera, you really don't know what you're gonna get out of your bullpen guys, and they have a phenomenal closer now made a great tray to get Deron.

00:12:52
Speaker 2: Now you've got to get somebody to hand the baseball to him. Now.

00:12:55
Speaker 3: He got Robertson at the end of the year, which I think was important. He was hoping that Kirkering would be able to handle that. They had a bunch of other you know guys Romano that they tried. It's a difficult process and I think it's really important. There's a lot of things that are hinging on where they go here. Do they have the confidence and Kirkering can bounce back from that very very difficult playoff series and the one particular play does he have it in him to be able to bounce back and be a guy that can be a set up guy. I think that he can in some ways, but you can't necessarily count on that to be the guy. They're thinking about the possibility of maybe moving Strong just to change things.

00:13:36
Speaker 2: Up a little bit.

00:13:37
Speaker 3: Because they have Alvarado and they have Tanner Banks from the left side, maybe they move Strom in a deal where they go lefty for righty. I think they need a right hander in addition, or someone that can get both rights and lefties out in the eighth inning that they can hand the ball to Drawn with knowing that they can, you know, make this like more of a six out game. And that's why I think the bullpen is a huge one for them. Maybe somebody can step up from the minor leagues. Maybe this young kid named Gage can step forward at some point during the course of the season.

00:14:14
Speaker 2: I think that's a long shot. I don't know that he has the ability to do that. I know they want to make him a starter, but I do think that the bullpen is.

00:14:22
Speaker 3: An important piece here and love to have somebody be able to hand the baseball to Deron.

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00:15:30
Speaker 4: All right off your list and maybe not necessarily the Dombrowski Way in the off season but traits you already mentioned possibly Strom to be creative. But last year I heard rumors of Costianos and Boem packaged for Kyle Tucker. Is there a trade from the position player standpoint that could net them some of these three needs.

00:15:55
Speaker 3: Yeah, Well they're sort of locked into you know, they're locked in the turnered into Harper. They're not going anywhere. They're the big contracts that basically are going nowhere. Wheelers not going anywhere, and I don't think NOA is going anywhere either. So they've got some pretty big contracts that aren't being moved. Now, can you move a guy like Stott.

00:16:15
Speaker 2: He's under control.

00:16:16
Speaker 3: Can you move a guy like Bom, he's under control for just one more year? What is the value out there for a guy like that unless it's a team that just needs that one piece for one year, a right handed bat. I mean, there's value in Alec Bohem, there's no question. But his value might be for the Phillies.

00:16:36
Speaker 2: He might be a higher value. And that's one of the reasons why he never got moved last year.

00:16:39
Speaker 3: So it will be very interesting how they're going to ingeniously try to and and and have a little ingenuity to be able to move pieces around to change things up.

00:16:54
Speaker 2: I love Stott. I think he's improving.

00:16:57
Speaker 3: I think he made an adjustment with his hands and at the end of the season last year to get closer to who he is. And he's a guy that probably has at least as far as out there in the industry.

00:17:10
Speaker 2: I think he has a little bit more value than does Alec Bohm.

00:17:13
Speaker 3: But I don't really necessarily want to move the guy because he's a baseball player. So it's a tough situation that Debrowski's in.

00:17:21
Speaker 6: I do think that Alec Bohm has value. The question is do you move that guy and do you just switch things up just to switch him up, or do you move that guy and bring back something of real value? Can you bring somebody who is a sort of a lockdown eighth inning guy for the next few years, because you're you know, if you walk away from Alec Bohm, man that's like close to what thirty some doubles ninety plus RBIs and someone who actually makes pretty consistent contact.

00:17:55
Speaker 1: In the middle of your order.

00:17:57
Speaker 4: I guess they could always move on to Aiden Miller from the minor leagues, and Justin Crawford could be in the outfit, all that stuff. You got to listen to the Philly Show. But that's my last question. Yeah, I guess it's a question The Philly Show, unbelievable show you do. You guys do a great job, but it's Todd's Alecki, Jim Salisbury and you Ruben Tomorrow. Who is Manny, Moe and Curly from the Three Stooges. If you guys are if you guys are playing each role.

00:18:25
Speaker 3: Well, the funniest guy, I don't know how you I don't know which one you ranked the funny, how funny these guys are, But the funniest guy is Jim Salisbury, without question.

00:18:34
Speaker 2: I think the straight man is is Todd's Alecki and me, I'm just sort of a wild card.

00:18:40
Speaker 3: You never know what you're gonna get out of me. But but I would say I would be the Moe, I would think, I think that the Curly would probably be Jim Salisbury.

00:18:52
Speaker 2: That's sort of my guess.

00:18:54
Speaker 4: Yeah, But.

00:18:56
Speaker 2: We have a great we have a great time. We have a great time and we enjoy it.

00:19:01
Speaker 3: Those guys are lifelong great writers and also love the game with a great passion.

00:19:07
Speaker 2: So it's fun to be with those guys.

00:19:11
Speaker 1: Well Ruben, great stuff, dude, Awesome to have you, thanks for running through the list, perfect guy to do it. And tons of Phillies content on the Phillies Show, YouTube channel, podcast pages wherever you get them.

00:19:24
Speaker 2: Go check it out.

00:19:25
Speaker 1: This is the spot and the Phillies should have some activity here. There's the nice mugs for each of them, Todd, Jim and Ruben looking great. It's part of the ft network. Super super popular for Phillies fans and for anybody that even hates the Phillies like maybe Mets fans or Braves fans.

00:19:43
Speaker 3: Go check it out.

00:19:44
Speaker 1: Ruben, thank you, good to see you and have a great holiday.

00:19:46
Speaker 6: Dude.

00:19:47
Speaker 2: Great to be with you. Guys. KP. Nice to meet you. At least I know I've seen you, and I've had a lot of great respect for you. Of course. Cratsy love you, my friend, Scott. Good to see you, guys. Have a great, great holiday.

00:20:00
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