Battered and Brews’d: Phillies swept at home

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Hi, this is Chase that Lee.

00:00:05
Speaker 2: This is the Phillies Show. Rubin tomorrow, Junior, Jim Salisbury, Todds A Lucky It's the Philly Show. Hi, everybody, It's Monday, June second, twenty twenty five. Guys, how are we Ruben, You're in Toronto.

00:00:21
Speaker 3: I'm in Toronto. But I had to call three games that I did not care for just now this weekend. We will no chat about those.

00:00:28
Speaker 2: Yeah, we're going to get into all of this stuff. I mean, I was just looking at the we obviously. The Phillies gets swept by the Brewers this weekend at Citizens Bank Park. It's the first time the Brewers swept the Phillies in a three game series in Philly since April tenth. April eighth to April tenth, twenty fourteen. Kyle Kendrick, Antonio, bistardro and Cliff Lee took the losses in that series. Look that up. Just out of curiosity this.

00:00:54
Speaker 1: Week and reminding me I was the GM then, yes, you were the GM.

00:00:58
Speaker 2: Then this weekend, this weekend, yeah, and this team is not supposed to be this weekend it was Taiwan Walkerjesus's Art and Ryan Kirkering, who took the losses rehys Hoskins they held. He only went two for fifteen guys against the Phillies this weekend. It's just that those two hits were three bombs, three run home runs. On Saturday in that seventeen to seven victory over the Phillies. It's the first time the Phillies the second time the Phillies have lost four in a row at home since August of twenty twenty one. That's pretty amazing. They don't lose at home. We know this. Four hours of hell. And then the last time the Phillies won guys was Thursday, game one of the doubleheader against the Braves. The winning pitcher was Jose Ruiz, who's now been DFAD. So that's the last time the Phillies won a game. The guy's not even on the team anymore. That's That's the kind of weekend they've had. Bad no offense, bad defense story, bad start for Jesus Lizardo. Jim, we had a we had a long wind up before we recorded. We were we were, We've all had.

00:02:11
Speaker 1: We had all types of stuff going through our heads. Jim, what do you got?

00:02:14
Speaker 2: Jim's right right now, at this moment.

00:02:19
Speaker 4: It was just a very ugly weekend. You mentioned in your Johnny Cass Johnny Carson monologue that without the humor that o'rian Kirkering took the loss yesterday. He did not deserve that loss. No, he continued to get outs at the end of games. It's just that nobody wanted to put those outs in their glove and actually, you know, firm them up. I mean, defense just imploded in that game. You come into Sunday's game losing three in a row, and you kind of you need to win, right, You need to win. It's been a tough home stand. You need to need to grind out a wind to make it a five hundred homes and big crowd on a Sunday afternoon. And Ranger on a day when he doesn't have his top notch stuff, but he you know, he gots you out sixth plus and pitches into the seventh and you can't catch the ball on left field, you can't catch the ball shortstop. He lose the ball game. I know they didn't have a lot of offense, but game that's a game you got a lockdown because you got really good pitching. So that was ugly and a couple other losses. It was a two and four home stand. That's not a good home stand. A couple other ones. They didn't get good starting pitching a surprise. Wheeler had a tough inning and they couldn't recover from it, and Lozardo had a historically difficult inning and they couldn't recover from that. They played poor defense in that game as well. So they played poor defense on Saturday and Sunday, both contributing to losses, one directly leading to a loss. And you know, Lozardo gets hung with a you know, twelve earned runs. I think he had given up like only tener and runs in his previous seven starts. I really felt bad for the guy. I thought he should have been out of the game. I thought they him down by leaving him out there to kind of twist in the wind and see his go through the roof, because he's come through for this team in a big way over the first two months, and he needed a life preserver because it wasn't happening for him on that particular day. And and you know, they wanted to save the bullpen, but he had to wear it, and I disagree with it. He should have been on that ball game.

00:04:23
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a lot of different reasons why. I was really disappointed for Lozardo for a number of reasons. One and he was left in there probably a little bit too long. A lot of things happened up until then. I mean, he got screwed on the on the ball call. He gets a third base umpire call a ball a ball call on.

00:04:40
Speaker 1: What he said was a hesitation. It wasn't even where he stepped, it was that they said that he hesitated, which every left hander should do anyway, right.

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Speaker 5: They all hanged that leg, They all hang that leg, and he hangs a lay his leg in particular because he's done that before, I mean, and he did it earlier in the game and he didn't call it, so they called him that that that balk, and it really unraveled him a little bit.

00:05:03
Speaker 1: And then you know, obviously Topper gets thrown out of the game. He was pissed off and should have been finding ways.

00:05:13
Speaker 3: To get thrown out of the game, chasing guys down to get him tossed.

00:05:17
Speaker 1: But but then after that, it.

00:05:20
Speaker 3: Just felt like, for whatever reason, things unraveled super super fast. I mean, those runs got tacked onto him.

00:05:29
Speaker 1: Really quickly. Every pitch he threw was a rocket after that. And actually you could sort of see Lozardo get emotional, pretty aggressive and emotional guy anyway on.

00:05:44
Speaker 3: The mound, and he has a lot of expectations of himself, and I think he was upset with the early umpiring balls just off the plate or balls on the corner.

00:05:54
Speaker 1: He wasn't getting calls. You could see him getting upset about it. And then with that balk call.

00:06:00
Speaker 3: I think once that happened, I think he started to unravel to the point where that's that's going to have to be a learning experience, I think for him, because you know, just like every great pitcher, and he's still a young pitcher, but every great pitcher is going to have to like regroup and make sure that he can, you.

00:06:17
Speaker 1: Know, Okay, settle myself down and let me go make my next pitch, just like Doc used to do.

00:06:23
Speaker 3: Just like a lot of guys like Cliff we used to do because he go boy, but other guys just have to be uh you know, Wheels is like that, Nola is like that, and so you have even though Nola at times gets those innings where he struggles, but I mean we've got to He's going to have to, you know, learn from this experience and move forward.

00:06:47
Speaker 2: So we're going to get into Harper. He's supposed to come back on Tuesday. The Phillies are making some rotation and bullpen changes. We're going to talk about some of the decisions Rob Thompson made right after these words.

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00:07:15
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00:07:18
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00:07:20
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00:07:34
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00:08:00
Speaker 4: Hey, how about how about Cratsy dropping a John?

00:08:04
Speaker 1: I heard the John John. I love that.

00:08:07
Speaker 4: When did he get so cool?

00:08:10
Speaker 1: Well?

00:08:10
Speaker 3: When it was when he turned his hat around like this.

00:08:16
Speaker 2: I can't pull off that look. I cannot pull off. So I mentioned we're going to talk about all the stuff that happened this weekend, but I'm gonna really test you guys, because every Monday we do have to do Manco and Manco Best Week Manco and Manco Best Week because Manco Manco is the best of the best. It's where we picked the best Phillies player performance and play from the past week. So, guys, they just lost four in a row at home. Not a lot of options, Not a lot of options. I was thinking about it earlier, and I'm going to throw out College Schwarber, who still had a pretty good week at the plate it. I mean he batted three forty eight, four doubles, one home run, four RBIs and ops over one thousand in the last six games. And they needn needed every single one of those at bats with Bryce Harper out of the lineup. So I'm taking Kyle Schwarber. But if you guys, yeah, you guys, I have to jump on that quick, ause you know what.

00:09:18
Speaker 1: Jim's going last. Jim, You're going last. Always.

00:09:20
Speaker 4: We can always ripple up.

00:09:22
Speaker 1: I got Ranger Suarez. Man, Ranger Swars had two great starts. You know, he deserves some love after bouncing back. His first start was terrible. He came back and he's throwing five great not good? Is it five now?

00:09:37
Speaker 4: I think so four hours, last five have been really good.

00:09:41
Speaker 1: I mean really really great, not good great.

00:09:45
Speaker 4: The man knows. The man knows how to get out.

00:09:47
Speaker 3: He does and when he's healthy, and he's and and uh, I mean listen, he's his percentages. The cool thing about what Ranger Suarez has done is like the percentages of his usage as have have like shifted almost every single start.

00:10:04
Speaker 1: Like if he has a certain pitch that works for him or is a pitch that works against that particular team. He uses it, whether it's the sinker, the four seamer, the change up, the breaking ball, but he'll go to it. And that's the beauty of what Ranger can do because he has the athleticism to be able to do it. And that's pretty cool.

00:10:20
Speaker 4: You see.

00:10:20
Speaker 1: You see that.

00:10:21
Speaker 3: Happening with with with Obviously with Wheeler he does it as well on the secondary pitches, but as far as you know, being able to mix up the pitches that he needs that day, I think Ranger is probably the best in the group to be able to do that, and especially when he's healthy, and that's what makes him so effective.

00:10:39
Speaker 2: I think, Yeah, Ranger one, Ranger one point one zero e r A. In his last five starts, thank you, there you go.

00:10:46
Speaker 4: You're welcome. Such a such a good athlete. Do you ever go out Have you ever been out there and kicked the soccer ball with him over the years?

00:10:55
Speaker 1: I have not, but I know he's got some soccer talent.

00:10:58
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:10:59
Speaker 1: I don't know if he's a talent as I am, but he's talented is well. You know, you know that was my game.

00:11:07
Speaker 2: I know that's right. I think soccer the world's game, a beautiful game. I know that.

00:11:15
Speaker 3: By the way, Christian Christian Policy Policia. It got that thing on Polisic. Check it out on Netflix. It's a great one. It's a terrific, terrific one. I'm not supposed to be doing commercials for other shows, but I will tell you that that is a rip so far. I mean, watched the first three of them. That guy's a stud and people don't know about him. He is right now, he may en up going.

00:11:38
Speaker 1: Into going down as the best American ever to play soccer.

00:11:42
Speaker 4: Right now, I'm totally in Stanley Cup final mode. But once that's over, I will I'll jump on the elliptical and watch it. Like our buddy Mike McGarty. He listens to us on the elliptical.

00:11:56
Speaker 2: Nice he does. Yeah.

00:11:58
Speaker 1: Hey, By the way, I got a lot of love on photo Day on Saturday. Got a lot of love for the show. A lot of people were smelling us later.

00:12:04
Speaker 4: Oh, speaking of smelling, So we've been doing this Manco Manco thing for a while. We got these beautiful shirts and I have not washed it since we started this.

00:12:17
Speaker 1: You're disgusting.

00:12:18
Speaker 4: It's time. It's like it's I'm just gonna tell you it is time. But in honor of the Phillies, you know weekend. It it smells you know, apropos. Anyway, So my Manco Manco best of the week is I'm going back to the well. I went to this guy early in the year and because you know, losing four in a row, bad homestand I'm kind of scratching. But I'm not scratching that much because sixty miles up the road in Allentown or Lehigh Valley. This justin Crawford. Man, he's like me in bananas. He's two a day, two hits a day, sometimes three a day. And he you know, the last two games he's got three hits and three hits. So for the season he's hitting three point thirty eight with a four h seven on base. Love that right, and in the month since May one, Since May one, he's hitting three eighty nine. He's twenty one years old. I'm not sure he's ready. Major jump to the major leagues is a lot different. Playing in Philadelphia is different expectations and whatnot. But they fast tracked this kid, and right now he is keeping his end of the bargain.

00:13:32
Speaker 3: And let me just say something about that one he may be in Philadelphia soon because the outfield production is terrible right now.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, it's really really bad.

00:13:41
Speaker 3: Other than Castiano's You're not getting a whole lot out of anybody in center and left right now consistently. And he may add some spark, that's one thing. And it'll be interesting to be to be a fly on the wall inside that inside you know, some of those decision making offices.

00:14:02
Speaker 1: But I will say this, he's pushing them.

00:14:06
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:14:06
Speaker 3: I'll also say this, the Triple A pitching is not very good, and and I know out of campus going nuts, and it's another guy to sort of consider to try to jump start a little bit. Maybe he can play some left field, I don't know, and add to some of the offense perhaps, But the pitching and Triple A is really not very good. I've heard that from many, many, many.

00:14:31
Speaker 1: People that the pitching in Double A is way better even and so just overall, maybe not as refined, but.

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Speaker 4: I agree with you, that's pitching. But it's like when people say, oh, the Phillies are only beating the Rockies and all the crappy teams. You can only hit the pitching your face in that night. The kid is doing something right point and I am not saying he's ready, and I'm scared that if you brought him, I just if he got kind of swallowed off and struggled a little bit, because he is very young and very green, but he is giving people reason to take notice, and that, juxtaposed against the lack of production they're getting in the outfield, makes you go hmmm.

00:15:14
Speaker 3: So if I was a GM right now and I felt like he was getting close to ready and I was considering bringing him to the big legs, I don't bring him to the big leagues until I know Harper is healthy and playing and that lineup is basically fully healthy, so that I don't feel like I have to be the savior. Put him in the eight or nine hole and just let him, you know.

00:15:36
Speaker 1: Try to try to lengthen out the lineup a little bit.

00:15:39
Speaker 4: That would be.

00:15:40
Speaker 1: That's that's how I would handle that. And I'm sure they're I'm sure they're thinking about that too. There's not I don't think they're just gonna stick them in the one hole.

00:15:48
Speaker 4: No no, no, no, the nine hole. Yeah, you put him in the nine hole and you say catch everything, hit the cutoff man and have good at bats.

00:15:58
Speaker 1: And have here and have on and and go play your game.

00:16:02
Speaker 4: Yeah, no doubt how good at bats they don't have to end with ringing doubles off the wall and three for fours every night. Just you know how competitive at bats they need.

00:16:12
Speaker 1: They need some consistent contribution from left and right.

00:16:15
Speaker 4: And I'm not sure that he's ready. It's a tough, tough call.

00:16:20
Speaker 1: It is a tough really really tough because it affects you know, the Marshes and the Rojasas of the world.

00:16:26
Speaker 4: And the Crawford and Crawford kid. You gotta you gotta, you gotta handle handle this the right way. This, this eventual ascension, this nurturing, has got to be handled the right way. He is you know, he's not a college kid. He's twenty one years old.

00:16:40
Speaker 1: Yep. You'll handle it a little bit like the way you would the way you would handle Painter. And that's what they're doing.

00:16:46
Speaker 2: Yeah, Jim, that's a good one, man.

00:16:49
Speaker 4: So that's my that's my Uh. Now I'm gonna wash my shirt.

00:16:53
Speaker 1: Watch it please.

00:16:54
Speaker 2: You can smell it from here, my man.

00:16:56
Speaker 1: Yeah, we can smell you later.

00:16:59
Speaker 2: So jimmuh, you talked to He had a little chat with Bryce yesterday. He says he's going to be back on Tuesday in Toronto. I read your story on all pH l y dot com and uh, he talked a lot about well coming back on Tuesday. He talked about no retaliation, and you asked him, I guess, are you upset about it that the team didn't drill anybody on the braves or what can you tell us about that story for those that have not checked.

00:17:28
Speaker 4: Yeah, he was. He was fine with the way it was handled. He said he does not believe there was intent in Strider's menacing fastball, and I agree, it didn't look intentional to me. And he said if it was intentional, probably would have been handled a lot differently. He believes that pitching staff would have done something. He had to have his back. But you know, the conversation turned to, you know, the arrival of Seth Johnson in the bullpen and Mick Gable is coming Thursday and Painter probably after the All Star break, and he's really excited about that. I mean, because this is a guy that openly questioned their minor league depth. If you remember Todd remember of us on that conference call, and is either it was either the pandemic year or the year.

00:18:13
Speaker 2: After I think it was was it? Yeah, yeah, it was. I think it was his MVP year. No, what didn't we talk to him the final day of the season.

00:18:23
Speaker 4: Yeah, but a couple of times he said, we need a better pharmacist, and we need more depth and how you know, enthusday is about having this pitching depth on its way and these potential and you know, the firepower of these two guys. He admitted that it, you know, takes time and uh to develop that mentality where you can succeed at the big league level, but you know, he said that teammates will have these guys back, and you know it also also talked a little bit about what an interesting time of the year we're kind of coming up on in the month of June, because you know, they got off to that other world start last year and they're offered a really good start this year, not quite where they were last year when they were what forty and nineteen. There were forty and nineteen on June eight, best record in the majors, and from June nine on, including the four games against the Mets in the postseason, the next one hundred and two games, they were fifty one and fifty one to five hundred team, and he's you know, talking about you know, we can't coast we can't coast in, meaning into the postseason. And we all think they're going to get there. That's their goal and if they don't, something big time is wrong. But he basically said we can't coast in. So they know this is a pivotal and losing four in a row going into June, I would call it a mini gut check, good time for a day off, good time for what Paul Owens used to call a meeting with yourself. And you know got Zach Wheeler on the mound Tuesday night, you got Bryce Harper back, and I think it's important they all kind of feed off each other on that lineup. He went basically a whole home stand without him. So maybe Monday a little reset after four game losing streak and get it together with Wheels on the mound and Harper back. But there's definitely a hunger there, so go get them.

00:20:12
Speaker 3: Hey, you make a great point, So just think about this for a second. It's it'd be like it'd be like the Yankees losing Aaron Judge for a weekend. It'd be like the Dodgers losing Otani. That's the kind of impact that he has on the lineup. All those things that's important to understand. I actually think it's also important that they get punched in the mouth in.

00:20:36
Speaker 1: This at this particular time.

00:20:38
Speaker 3: And they just got punched in the mouth. Yeah, four straight times. And you know, in a lot of ways. Last year they did sort of coast home, right, they had a ten game leader or whatever it was. The other teams were well behind until late and New York really made a charge. But I do think that there is some validity in having to really bust your ass to get to the finish line and get in and to be playing your best baseball to get in to the playoffs. And so yeah, did they play very good teams when they went got hot, No, But they had to play those teams and they played well and they did all the things well.

00:21:21
Speaker 1: They ran the base as well, they caught the baseball.

00:21:23
Speaker 3: They did not do that against the Milwaukee Brewers and when they were exposed a little. But that's a great like you said, great gut check, great punch in the mouth, because that's a wake up call they're gonna have to kick it in play some Baseball to win that division and to play, you know, to play deep into that into the playoffs.

00:21:42
Speaker 2: Yeah, their game behind the Mets, Mets right now in the NL East, you know, a leader or the wild card teams.

00:21:49
Speaker 4: So yeah, they're like tests of character. And the Mets, God, that manager must be pretty good man. They show a lot of character. They waved a little bit in early May and they just come back and they got it together. I know they I think they go to the Dodgers though, right, or play the Dodgers.

00:22:03
Speaker 1: But I really like Carlos Mendoza for that team. He's put them in the right space.

00:22:09
Speaker 3: Whatever he did and learned when he was with the Yankees organization as the bench coach and stuff with Boonie, really really good at what he's doing. And he's changed the culture there because the culture was shitty when I was there. These kids didn't know how to win. But these guys, they they're getting it and their colored.

00:22:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, there will be no coasting this year. The Phillies are gonna have to fight to win the division and maybe even fight to win a wildcard because a lot of good teams, A lot of good teams. Yeah, I mean, you just the Brewers just swept the Phillies, of course, and you know they're a game and a half out of the wildcard race.

00:22:47
Speaker 1: Now.

00:22:47
Speaker 2: They won seven in a row, so you have the red. You know, the Cardinals, Giants, Padres, Cardinal, Cardinals and Giants are tied for that last wildcard, so you have you have some competition. They're not gonna where they are right now. They're not going to be able to do what you say, guys, and that's coast into the postseason. They might be. They might not clinch anything until that last week of the season, so they're gonna have to be on their game, it.

00:23:08
Speaker 1: Might be, which might be a good thing because when you start looking back at where they were in twenty twenty two, yep, and where they got to. They got hot at the right time and there a roll.

00:23:18
Speaker 2: Do you think there was anything to that, Ruben? In twenty eleven, remember they lost well at the end of the season. They clinched so early and then they lost like eight or nine in a row. Jim, you remember we were in we were in New York and City Field, Charlie Woods.

00:23:34
Speaker 4: They lost eight row.

00:23:36
Speaker 2: He was pissed going into the postseason and then on Friday night.

00:23:42
Speaker 1: He wasn't as pissed off as I was.

00:23:46
Speaker 2: I'm sure everybody was very upset with the way they play. And I'm not saying that's why they they lost the Cardinals at five. I'm just saying, you know, maybe there's maybe, well people.

00:23:54
Speaker 1: Back we got they got a little exposed, and and the Cardinals did a good job of executing against him offensively.

00:24:00
Speaker 4: And you talk about having to grind to the end. The Cardinals had to grind to the end.

00:24:04
Speaker 1: Oh my god. They got hot as hell. They were the hottest team of the planet.

00:24:07
Speaker 4: Right from August. Like I remember writing this a million times, but like from August twenty five on, they had this. You know, they were kind of on the fence, and they went crazy after August twenty fifth and.

00:24:18
Speaker 1: Lost that game against Atlanta. They would have been in exactly right.

00:24:24
Speaker 2: So, Jim, you said that, you know, Bryce talked to you a little bit about Abel and Painter and Seth Johnson. So let's let's go through this. So Mick Abel is going to join the rotation on Thursday. Taiwan Walker is going to go into the bullpen on a permanent basis, permanent for now, and he's going to get a look at it as a high leverage late ending reliever. They want to see him out Jose Ruiz dfade Seth Johnson, who they got exactly said Jose Ruiz had an array of over eight, so they're not really losing much there in terms of performance. Seth Johnson, who they got last season in the Gregor Risoto trade. He started the season the rotation. They moved him in the bullpen in part because they didn't have many optionable options in the bullpen. So set Johnson's going to come up. I don't know how long he's going to be here because they have to make room for able on the twenty six men roster on Thursday. So they're getting to look. They're getting a different look at the rotation. They're given some guys some looks in the bullpen, meaning Taiwan Walker and set Johnson. I mean, really, I think they just got to to me. This is like an information gathering stretch before they get into the trade deadline. You got to see if Taiwan can do it. Number one. They've talked a lot about it. We think his stuff is going to play up. I want to see what he can do in one inning. Well, now you gotta do it now. I mean they're going to do it now, but you really want to see can he actually do it? Can he actually be like this? You know mid season surprise that helps stabilize the bullpen. I mean, guys, the bullpen has a four to six five e RA, the ranks twenty fifth in baseball in you take out, and that's with Jose Alvarado. You take out Jose Alvarado, the bullpenny array is four eight eight, So they're you know, they're worse. No bueno, no bueno, So they got to figure it out. What what are our expectations for Taiwan Walker, Seth Johnson? You know Mick Abel you know when Mickey Mick, Mick is going to be in there until Aaron Nola comes back, presumably.

00:26:33
Speaker 4: I I don't know what you're gonna get, but you mentioned those names, you mentioned the need in the bullpen. This is the land of opportunity. If you want to step up and get out, you will stay. You will be here, you will get work, you will be an important part of something. So you know, Seth Johnson on paper doesn't look like he's going to be here long. And but if he has a couple of good games in Toronto, and if he has to go back to Triple A briefly, if he keeps getting out, he'll be back here to help at some point. Ditto for Mick Abel. And if Taiwan Walker wants to go on there and and spot his fastball and have that good split, maybe against lefties, he'll get work. So it's just if you get out, you're gonna get opportunity. So you know, I I I just I've kind of have my my questions about how Taiwan's stuff is going to play back there, right, But he's answered a lot of doubters so far this year, keep answering them.

00:27:37
Speaker 1: So I this fascinating to me.

00:27:39
Speaker 3: And that's exactly what I would do if I was in that seat as far as making those decisions.

00:27:45
Speaker 1: I love the number one. It tells you a lot of things.

00:27:48
Speaker 3: One a pretty good depth in their rotation because they can bring a guy like able to the big leagues. With Nola on the I L and they can bring him to the big leagues. I feel comfortable that at the very least they got a chance to win a baseball game.

00:28:01
Speaker 1: That's one.

00:28:01
Speaker 3: It's not a throwaway game, and number two. It also gives you a chance to do exactly what you need to do, which is to find out whether Taiwan Walker can help them in the bullpen because they need somebody to hand to hand the ball to in the seventh, eighth, and ninth inning. That is not every single day, Strom, Kirkering, Romano. Those guys are good like their arms are going to fall off at some point if they don't have more depth there, and I think that's really important to find to find out. I also got to give a lot of love to Taiwan Walker because the man earned a spot to be in the rotation in spring training. He pitched well in this in the rotation, well enough to win baseball games for them with like a two to six e RA or two eight e RA whatever.

00:28:45
Speaker 1: It was clearly good enough to be able to do that job.

00:28:50
Speaker 3: And now he's been bounced around, and uh, he's taking it like a real man and a real professional. And I think that that he deserves a lot of love for that, and I'm hopeful that he that this gives him an opportunity, you know, to do what Hawkman did to make prolong his you know, and Topper talked about this to prolong his life span in the big legs. Maybe he becomes a closer, maybe becomes, you know, a strong eighth inning guy you can pitch forever.

00:29:22
Speaker 1: He can do that and stay healthy. So he's sort of reinvented himself a little bit in the offseason and put himself in a position to be here. But for him to uh to accept this assignment. Great team player, maybe not like some others there, but pretty pretty impressive.

00:29:42
Speaker 3: And I'm really really glad that they're they're they're finding out right now because they need to find out. Otherwise they're gonna have to like go help bent On, go and get somebody in the back end. Even I mean, they may even try to do that regardless.

00:29:57
Speaker 1: They have to do that, and they have to, they.

00:29:59
Speaker 3: Have to do that, but it will put even more pressure on him if if it doesn't really work out, they have hard to do that. Yeah, and far as sept Johnson is concerned, Hey man, blow and go. Let this guy just air it out, just like everybody else, you know, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Guardians and uh the San Francisco Giants. Just get somebody in and just blow and go and see if the guy can get some people out, throw a hard ass breaking ball and a hard ass fastball, and see what you can get out of the guy, and see if he can't get three outs in an inning.

00:30:28
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:30:29
Speaker 4: Can I ask you a quick question, do we this is quite a lengthy sprained ankle for Aaron Nola? It would seem to me this seems very much as much a break for him physical mental. I actually it in a reset as much as anything. This is a very long twisted ankle.

00:30:50
Speaker 3: It may be, but I talked to I talked to him about it. He said it was not progressing all that well, like for like a week or so, it didn't really get any better, didn't really get worse, but it didn't get better. So I had that conversation, is it possible that they're trying to reset him and what have you?

00:31:05
Speaker 1: But yeah, it's possible, and that's fine. That's okay. Yeah, that's okay because you got the depth. I mean, if they didn't have the depth, maybe they rush him a little faster. I don't know, but I mean, listen, he's got to be healthy. If his lower half isn't working and he can't he can't push off and he can't do what he needs to do physically, then he screwed. Any player screwed.

00:31:25
Speaker 3: So I think it's, uh, it's important for him to be to be one hundred percent when he gets back on the mountain competing.

00:31:30
Speaker 2: Yeah, Jim, I thought the same thing with the ankle. I'm like, this is this is you know when when the first one, I was like, ankle injury, and then all of a sudden, I was like, yeah, he'll be back for sure in fifteen days. And now it's obviously it's progressed. And uh, he's throwing a ton of innings. We know this over the past six, seven, eight years, and you know, I know Dave Dombrowski and Rob Thompson and Ernola have all said, now this his struggles early this season have nothing to do with the workload. And he's not he's not you know, flaming out or he's not tired or whatever. But I think this can only potentially help him the final, the final a little.

00:32:04
Speaker 1: Bit of pressure.

00:32:04
Speaker 4: I'm not being critical of it. I'm just wondering, you know what the reason, and you know, and I'm fine with it. Take a reset, take a deep breath, watch some film, get some work in the bullpen, get your lower half right, get whatever's in there out of there that's bothering you. But it feels like, you know, let's not worry about the first month and a half. It means's let's let's start over, you know.

00:32:29
Speaker 2: Right right. So Rob Thompson after Sunday's game, he you know, talked a lot about the weekend, and he talked about himself and he said the quote was, I have to manage better. And that was specifically in response to the sixth and seventh inning on Sunday's game. Left fielder Weston Wilson hits in the sixth against Brewers. Righty, Nick mears, you wonder well, why didn't Kepler hitting with a one run lead. He's a better defender than west and Wilson go out there, hit maybe pop one, then go out there and run down everything in left field does not happen.

00:33:15
Speaker 3: Because he is the best left fielder in the game other than Stephen Kwan.

00:33:19
Speaker 2: I think, yeah, I mean, yeah, you said that, Reuben.

00:33:22
Speaker 3: I mean, he's been outstanding in left field, so really really good.

00:33:27
Speaker 2: So that said this even jumps out at me more because Wes Wilson strikes out in five pitches looking whatever I mean, he strikes out, but then he goes out there and plays left field to start the seventh and completely misjudges the fly ball that that that starts the three run rally. That helps the Brewers sweep the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Now they're go into that Blue Jays series on a four game losing streak.

00:33:53
Speaker 1: That happened, Just say something about that play.

00:33:56
Speaker 3: If he catches that ball, stays out there, he stays out there and finishes the seventh.

00:34:02
Speaker 1: Or they try to have him finished the seventh.

00:34:03
Speaker 4: And there's no traffic on the bases, and get tight and that place never even comes about. So you get the leading lady on, and it changes the entire complexion. Everybody's changes strategy, it changes the way the pitcher executes changes in a one run game, everybody's a little tighter. You got to get that leading lady.

00:34:24
Speaker 2: Yeah, certain. So Rob Is asked about it yesterday and he says, there's a couple of things I'm going to have to look back on over today's game and question myself over So, uh, you know, you don't hear a manager say that too often, because I'm always a believer that there's always a there's usually always a good reason why a manager does something or a team does something during the game. Sometimes those decisions work, Sometimes they don't work out. You could bring in a pitcher or a pinch hitter and it could be the right decision, and the guy could have the crappiest at bad ever or could throw the mediest of meatballs down the middle of the plate. It doesn't mean it was a bad move. It just means that move did not work right. But Rob Thompson yesterday and I think everybody said, now, this is a move that didn't seem to make much sense in the moment. And then you know, he acknowledged it, acknowledged it after the game, and then and then the other one, of course, I think Jim you alluded to it at the top of the show. Was jazus Zzardo staying in there on Saturday and getting just absolutely pummeled over and over and over, gives up twelve earned runs, a career high. You know, watching that game, I'm sitting there going, they got to get this guy out there. I was talking to a picture in camp last spring who had a similar experience in a start, and I'm not saying this is going to happen with Hazus a Ard. He's a tremendously successful pitcher. But the picture I was talking to, I mean, it still haunts the pitcher this day, and it's and it haunts him that his manager in that game left him out there to die, and the pitching coach left him out there to die. And again I'm not saying that's going to happen with Jesus has Art, but but that immediately came to my mind.

00:36:08
Speaker 4: You got to get him out of there.

00:36:10
Speaker 2: You got to get him out of there. I know, you got to save the bullpen, and you know you have you know all, but yeah, figure it out. And this is one of your best guys.

00:36:23
Speaker 4: It's like it's like when it when a goalie doesn't have it in hockey and he gives up three quick ones. You got to get him out of there to protect himself, you know.

00:36:30
Speaker 3: It's like, yeah, they they got somebody up a little tardy there, and I think so many things happened so unraveled so quickly when he got thrown out of the Thompson got thrown out of the game that I'm not sure if they reacted quickly enough around that to be able to save the guy.

00:36:46
Speaker 4: It's like when, uh, when Patrick Waugh had a really bad night years you know, a couple of decades ago for the Canadians and Mario Trombla and let him, let him stay in there to wear it and Patrick Waugh, you know, ended up getting ticked off and they had to trade him.

00:37:02
Speaker 3: How about just recently in the playoffs that the two shots, two goals and they pulled their best goalie in the planet.

00:37:09
Speaker 4: Yeah, well, they don't mess around.

00:37:13
Speaker 1: Shots two goals.

00:37:14
Speaker 4: Yeah, what game was that?

00:37:16
Speaker 1: I forget what game it was. It just happened. Was that the one about I haven't been paying attention. I heard about it.

00:37:21
Speaker 4: The Winnipeg goaler he had a tough posts.

00:37:24
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it was a Winnipeg It was like a really good goalie.

00:37:27
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:37:27
Speaker 4: Hell about he had a tough series. Yeah him a.

00:37:30
Speaker 1: Couple of times.

00:37:32
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, they don't mess around.

00:37:35
Speaker 2: Well, they let Hazes Lozardo stay out there, give up.

00:37:38
Speaker 1: I mean.

00:37:38
Speaker 2: The crazy thing about that now is a week ago at this time, we were saying, you know, man, if you had if you had a rank like cy young candidates, you know, like early front runners or who's in the picture. I mean hazus Zardo was leading the National League in war.

00:37:54
Speaker 4: He was he was going to start the All Star Game.

00:37:56
Speaker 2: Yes, you could make an argument that Jesus Zarda was going to start the All Game. And now he's a guy that if you look at his numbers and where he ranks in the RAA, he went from like two to one to what three five over a little over three five and now you go, man, if he probably won't even make the he probably wouldn't make the All Star Game today. If somebody was just looking at a stat sheet and saying, who are the best pitchers in the first half of the season, you would look at thirty guys above him in terms of the era.

00:38:21
Speaker 4: But that's why, to quote Charlie Manuel, you have to watch the game because you know, I caught out one inning. He's an All.

00:38:28
Speaker 1: Star, right, I believe me, a season mate.

00:38:34
Speaker 2: And he has plenty of time to recover too. I mean, if he keeps pitching the way he's been pitching, that three to five is going to get down back into the twes again. And now you're talking about him and joining Zach Wheeler and uh, you know on that All Star NL All Star Pitching staff So, guys, the Phillies open a three game series against the Blue Jays on Tuesday night. Ruben, you'll be there announcing it all right, Oh yeah.

00:39:01
Speaker 3: I will be there, and I hope now it's a much more entertaining game.

00:39:05
Speaker 1: You know, the Toronto Blue Jays are brought his ship right now.

00:39:10
Speaker 3: Funny they faced Milwaukee's how to sell.

00:39:12
Speaker 1: Now they're facing Toronto's how to sell. It's another great test.

00:39:15
Speaker 3: I mean, I'm sort of glad they're out of the country so they can reset maybe right.

00:39:21
Speaker 1: But it won't be no easy task. I mean, this Toronto Blue Jays teams all of.

00:39:26
Speaker 3: A sudden, their bats were in the toilet for a while, and now all these guys are raking again, just like Milwaukee.

00:39:32
Speaker 1: Milwaukee was in.

00:39:33
Speaker 3: The bottom of every category in baseball coming in and they got hot, and they've gotten hot in these last like a week or so, and they pummeled the Phillies and now they got to deal with that in Toronto, heads up Milwaukee.

00:39:50
Speaker 4: I blame the Brewers Big Weekend on Todd. Todd, yeah, because he grew up a Brewers fan and he wanted to have Reee Hoskins on the pod podcast and Todd sprinkled him with magic dust and he hits two bombs six RBIs.

00:40:07
Speaker 3: Those on social media can go ahead and crush the Todd Savage talk him.

00:40:14
Speaker 2: Reece Hoskins was good talking to us on Friday, though. He had a lot of great stuff to say that was that was great. If you if you miss checked out this episode with Reese, check it out. I loved Well, we can get into this in another episode. But he talked a lot about us hitting mechanics and some of his great Phillies moments, So go check that out. But but Phillies in Toronto, I always feel like, well, let's let's take away the ninety three World Series. But I feel like always, I feel like there's always something crazy that happens in Toronto or something memorable that happened. Remember the game last year where they got oh mash now it was it Taiwan started, They get absolutely like putting a seven to nothing hole in the first inning or first second inning, and then Kyle Schwarber hits three home runs leads into a big victory. I remember there was a game they were up huge and then Cliff League got absolutely annihilated, like in the seventh inning, they lost in.

00:41:04
Speaker 4: That game for Flyn.

00:41:05
Speaker 2: Yes, the first start, right, yes, Zach, first start. I remember the Phillies trading Cole Hammils and Jonathan Papple Bond when we were in Toronto.

00:41:14
Speaker 4: I remember Jim Jim.

00:41:15
Speaker 1: We're in the tunnel. Jim's on the phone down the way.

00:41:19
Speaker 2: He's trying to find out who got who got traded, who the prospects are getting.

00:41:22
Speaker 1: I'm on the phone.

00:41:23
Speaker 2: I'm on the phone trying to get and we're looking at each.

00:41:25
Speaker 4: Other and I'll never forget. The bus backed right into the building. So the bus is back into the building. They're spewing out the carbon monoxide. I'm on the phone and here comes Cole Hammels around the corner and he's got his head down, he's got his bags in his hand. I'm like, I'm like, literally in real time watching the end of an era as he's walking to the bus. Yes, it'd just been traded. And then Deakman pops out and he's gone too. It was and Papa Bon didn't show up.

00:41:53
Speaker 1: Yes, sure, that's that's when stuff gets exciting.

00:41:58
Speaker 4: It was exciting.

00:41:59
Speaker 1: That's how exciting was as a GM.

00:42:00
Speaker 4: Guys so didn't even make it up there he was. He went home for the day to Mississippi, I think wherever he lives, and he was gonna fly up and rejoin the team because it was an off day before and he never makes it into town because he's banking on getting traded.

00:42:14
Speaker 2: Well, you're yeah, that's one hundred percent right, I remember that. Yeah, Papa Bon never showed and were like, I assume he's I mean, he was pretty confident he was going to get traded, or he was trying to send a message to your room and saying you better trade me because I might not be in Toronto that night.

00:42:30
Speaker 4: So there you really really?

00:42:34
Speaker 1: Yes?

00:42:34
Speaker 2: Fun, Yeah, there are there. There's always something interesting. Action in Toronto, Yes, a lot of action in Toronto. So we'll see what happens this week.

00:42:41
Speaker 1: We almost fired manager in Toronto at one point.

00:42:44
Speaker 4: What was that? Oh, oh, hold on, I got to think this through. Was it during our era?

00:42:50
Speaker 2: Yeah, that might have been. That might have been the time.

00:42:56
Speaker 4: No, come on, you can't you know, you can't. You can't leave the folks hanging on this one. Just let me a little refresh.

00:43:02
Speaker 1: For the book, Jim.

00:43:03
Speaker 2: This is a great This is a great podcast. Cliffhanger. Yes, well, come back to you later. Yeah, let's tease it. So Tuesday night we got Zach Wheeler versus Bowden Francis, Wednesday is Christopher Sanchez versus Jose Burrios, and then Thursday, Mick Abel makes a second Major League start against Chris Bassett. Gentlemen, I think we uh hashed out the terrible weekend it was for the Phils. We'll see what happens later this week when we return.

00:43:37
Speaker 4: That was enjoyable. I will smell you boys later.

00:43:40
Speaker 1: Smell you, Jim.

00:43:42
Speaker 8: 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. If you like us, give us a review, follow us on Instagram, TikTok x, Facebook, and threads. Find Rubens analysis before, during, and after Phillies games on NBC Sports Philadelphia, on the Sports Radio ninety four, WIP Morning Show, and MLB Network. Find Jim at all pH l y dot com. Find me at MLB dot com, the Phillies beatnewsletter, and MLB Network