Kyle Schwarber is back! What’s next for the Phillies?

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Hi, this is Kyle Skorber and welcome to the Philly Show. Hey, Rubin Tomorrow, Junior, Jim Salisbury, Todd's a lucky It's the Philly Show. It's Wednesday, December tenth, twenty twenty five. We've been talking all week about the winter meetings and what the Phillies are gonna do, and oh, they did something big on Tuesday, guys, Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies have agreed to a five year, one hundred and fifty million dollars deal. What do we think, guys, Let's jump right into it.

00:00:37
Speaker 2: That's a lot of Schwarberfest, a lot of ho gies. Not surprised, not surprised that the number, not surprised that the year is, not surprised that it's back. That's what we've been feeling all along. Important player to what the Phillies do offensively in the clubhouse and the community. He's been one of the best signings in club history. Four years, seventy nine million. In the offense they've gotten out of him. They had a ten year drought in the postseason. They've been there four times with him, and others, of course have contributed, but one of the best signings in franchise history, right up there with that initial Zach Zach Wheeler deal. So not surprised that John Middleton was not going to let him get away. That's what we had been hearing. And they go to five years. I'm sure they would have rather had four, but you go five and we all think that Batsby's going to hold up. He's not going to play defense, so you know you'll worry about him losing a step. You got a few young players coming, and I love the chance that he has to impact their development and kind of be a big brother for them. So I'm very enthused by the signing.

00:01:53
Speaker 3: Totally agree, great insight on that with the young players, because he will be influential with those guys.

00:01:59
Speaker 1: There's no question about it.

00:02:00
Speaker 3: He is as strong in a clubhouse presence as we've had here in Philadelphia since Darren Dalton, in my opinion, and that's high praise. I don't quite think that anybody in the world could ever get to that Darren Dalton level, but he's one of the best, and that's one of the reasons why you saw so much play on the guy, especially as of late, and the Phillies probably said, hey, it's time to s or get off the pot. Let's make a move so we can figure out what we can do with the rest of our club. And just like we talked.

00:02:30
Speaker 1: About, I mean, he wasn't going to drag this out.

00:02:32
Speaker 3: He wanted to know what was happening. He wants to know whose teammates are going to be, what kind of team they're going to put together. He's interested in winning, so I'm sure that that was a part of the whole discussion and the process.

00:02:44
Speaker 2: So we used to talk.

00:02:45
Speaker 3: About how many hits you got that day, a face full of them? Well he got a face full of years. And it's a great thing. I love Kyle Schwarber for so many different reasons, but I also do believe, I mean about at the end of the day, it's about the performance.

00:03:02
Speaker 2: And I know a lot of people talked about, you know, not being able to come through in the postseason.

00:03:06
Speaker 1: Well he has in the past.

00:03:07
Speaker 3: He hasn't don the last couple of years as strongly as in the past. But this is a guy who means so much to this team on so many different levels, not just the amazing production that he's had. I mean, think about it, he started coming close to like an all time home run leader in Ryan Howard in a single season, drives in runs, does so many different things for this team, and is in a lot of ways a Lynch pin. Now the question is what's next?

00:03:39
Speaker 1: Absolutely you know, so you guys mentioned the other teams involved, and or we've been talking about the other teams involved. So something. A few things that I learned on Tuesday that I wrote on Tuesday night at MLB dot com my story. Well, first, I should say Ken Rosenthal, part of Fair Territory and File Territory, reported that the Orioles offered this same contract five years, one hundred and fifty million the Reds the Hometown reads it was about a five year, one hundred and twenty five ish million dollar deal. The Pirates offered four years, one twenty five. We don't know about the Red Sox. You don't know about the Mets. As we'd been talking a couple of weeks ago, the Phillies were kind of getting frustrated with the pace of the Schwarber negotiations, but we were never worried about it was like they're frustrated at the time, things are going to pick up. Well, things picked up this week. The Phillies actually had like a they were kind of going with like a couple of different offers, one shorter length, one of actually a six year length. And then Casey Close, Kyle Schwarber's agent, basically called the Phillies on Monday night and said, listen, we want to get this done. Here's the deal. Offer five years, one to fifty. He's a Philly, do it tonight. And he's a Philly. They said, okay, let's do it. So he's a Philly. So they offered. They made the offer to match the Orioles. And that just tells you what Kyle Schwarber wanted to stay in Philly, all things being equal, of course, and then there was nothing we don't know, but but all things being equal, he wanted to stay in Philadelphia and try to win a World Series in Philadelphia.

00:05:18
Speaker 2: So that's a great insight.

00:05:19
Speaker 3: That's great insight there, todd On on that stuff, because listen, I mean, that's some sometimes how the negotiations go. And that also tells you something about the two people that were really involved, particularly Casey Close and Kyle Schwarber. This is a man who is principled. He did not need to get the very last dollar. He got paid handsomely, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't necessarily about trying to drive the market and move the market. He wanted to get paid what he felt he was worth. He got what he you know, asked, made his ask. The Phillies, uh, you know, brought him back and uh, you know, just great work by everybody. This is this is a hand him, This is this is a this is people coming together and getting something done that was very important to this franchise and important to Kyle Schwarber as well.

00:06:09
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I look at when I hear you know, Baltimore, that's a great piece of reporting by Kenny. You know, Baltimore made the exact same offer Cincinnati. We knew it was in it. Pittsburgh made an offer. All three of those teams loaded with young players, especially Cincinnati and Baltimore. You know, Pittsburgh's got some they're all kind of on the rise. That is testament that those teams were in it and in it, you know, pretty seriously. That is testament to the galvanizing power of Kyle Schwarmer in a clubhouse with young players, he's a winner. He spent in the postseason every year except one, in his career. He's a winner. His special intangibles rub off on people, and of course he helps you win a lot of ball games with the way he knocks the ball around the yard. And he's an improving him. He's a power hitters, NL home run Champ, n L RBI Champ, runner up in the m VP race. Brings a lot even but brings also brings a lot beyond the batter's box. And the interest that those three teams had wanting him in their clubhouse. His testament to what it's called package.

00:07:19
Speaker 1: He is. Yeah. Absolutely. When I mentioned one other thing, Rob Thompson was asked on Tuesday about, you know, where he might hit in the lineup, and he said he's open to maybe shuffling the lineup around and maybe having Schwarber protect Harper next season, as supposed to Harper protecting Schwarber says he's not really sure though yet. But I just wanted to mention that that that's something that could happen. And you don't know.

00:07:40
Speaker 2: Whether it said the same thing last winer meetings.

00:07:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, exactly right, exactly right, And then Harper got hurt. And then when Harper came back this season, it was like you know, they kind of switched those spots in the lineup and so we'll see, well, you know, we'll see what happens.

00:07:54
Speaker 2: You know, that could change if they get a right handed bat.

00:07:57
Speaker 1: Absolutely. In fact, so real quick, I want to mention that if you're following us or watching us on YouTube, hit that subscribe button if you can and help support the show. And of course, the holidays are here, so use the promo code holiday and go to the phillieshowshop dot com, scan the QR code on your screen and pick up some swag.

00:08:18
Speaker 3: I got my thanks for the people who've already done so. Yes, quite quite a number of people who have gotten pretty aggressive with their with their Christmas gifts. Yes, there for the from the Phillies Show, uh podcast, And and I really appreciative of that. We we really we are. We don't take for granted that we have some pretty cool fans out there and people are supportive of us. So thank you.

00:08:43
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and it's it's awesome. So you know, Ruben, you said what's next for the Phillies as well? They still need a catcher unless you want, you know, unless they're going to move forward with Raphaelmershaun and Garrett Subish. I don't think they are planning to do. They want j T L Muto. Uh. In that story I wrote on Tuesday on MLB dot Com, I wrote that the Phillies do have an offer on the table for GTA Real Muto. They're kind of waiting right now. It's not a surprised that there's not offer on the table. I mean, you don't go this deepening negotiations and not like, you know, throw something at him. I wouldn't think. But there's an offer on the table and they're kind of waiting for JT. I don't know what that offer is. Maybe two years. I'm just guessing, maybe more than the twenty five million dollars at Salvador Perez got from the Royals earlier this offseason. I don't know. I don't know where it's going to go. But Dave Dombrowski did acknowledge on Tuesday that, eh, the catching market is not that great right now outside of JT Real Mutos, So it's not robust. There's not obvious plans B seen do. What do you guys have any thoughts on JT and and where they should go with that? How long they should wait. Do they have to wait as long as he's out there because the options are so bad?

00:09:57
Speaker 2: Well, I'm going to go back to the opti optimism that Dave showed on Monday. David is a guy that plays everything so close to the vest that when he shows optimism on something, it just kind of almost feels like a signal to me that something's coming. So I want to kind of hang on that optimism a little bit and stick by my belief that he's coming back here when I still think soon. I don't think he's a guy much like Schwarver. I don't think he at this stage of his career, wants to let it. Linger could be wrong. The pres comp is quite legitimate. So I'll tell you what, if they get him on a two year deal, win win.

00:10:41
Speaker 1: I agree, win win for the Phillies.

00:10:43
Speaker 2: Totally agree.

00:10:44
Speaker 3: And the question is I think I would assume that their agency is they're going to push hard to try to get three years. I don't think there's any question about it. It's a tough one for the Phillies because one, you really do need him too. I think the player does want to come here, and will he eventually do a two year deal if a three year deal offer is out there for him, and so how do you bridge that gap if there's a three year deal in the in the let's say the twelve to fifteen million dollar AAV range, which is probably what his worth is. You know, my question is I'd sort of rather give him a two year deal and give him an AaB of fifteen or sixteen or closer to his what seventeen that he has now than to do the three year deal because you know, you know the catchers, you know, they they drop off. He's important, But the two year piece of this I think is important for the Phillies for their viability long term, even though they don't necessarily have a catcher coming behind him other than Marshawn.

00:11:55
Speaker 2: I think that.

00:11:57
Speaker 3: I think the two years is important to him. And I do think that JT at the end of the day, wants to stay at Philly. He loves Philadelphia. He's got a home in clear Water, He's got great friends, particularly in Schwarber, which was big for the Phillies to bring him back. It's got to make him lean a little bit more to the Philadelphia Phillies right now. And frankly, I would stay with two years. I know how important he is, but I try to stay hard. One thing that I did not do as a GM I did not stay to two years on Carlos Luiz, and I should have, even though I loved the player, It's probably something I probably should have stuck to.

00:12:35
Speaker 1: My guns on.

00:12:36
Speaker 3: There were other teams that were going to three years, but I wish I would have stuck to my guns on that.

00:12:40
Speaker 2: And I would say.

00:12:41
Speaker 3: The same thing to Dave Nebrowski and the Phillies.

00:12:44
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you know, yeah, if he ends up, this team gives him three years. I mean, it doesn't put you in a great spot catching wise, but it forces you to maybe do something that you wouldn't do and maybe that it actually ends up working out working out better for the Phillies. So we've been talking about this too also the last few weeks, that the Phillies are unlikely that they don't have the payroll flexibility if they resigned Schwarber, if they resign JT, they don't have. Everybody wants to know what's next if those two guys signed. My understanding remains the same is that if they resigned Schwarber and real Muto, they don't have the payroll flexibility to go out and get Let's forget about Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Boba Schett, Cody Bellinger probably not in the cards right now unless they go clear payrolls. So that's it'll be interesting to see kind of what else they can do. How do they do it? Harrison bad are still a free agent? Did they bring him back? Can they afford to bring him back? Nick Castianis is not going to be back for sure. I would say, right, he probably won't be traded until later in the offseason, if he's traded at all.

00:13:51
Speaker 3: But what do you guys, I think the fact that Kyle Schwarber is back, we'll almost guarantee that Castianos will not be back.

00:13:58
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean for right, exactly exactly. So what do you guys think? Where do you guys think the Phillies go then?

00:14:04
Speaker 2: From here?

00:14:05
Speaker 1: I mean, do you do you feel that they must trade players to try to force the issue getting guys off the twenty six man roster, clear some barrel, bring in some fresh blood. I mean Dave Dave said earlier this week, he say, listen, I don't like the term running it back because we're going to have Justin Crawford in the lineup. We're gonna have Auto Camp. You know, we're going to have a new, new, new outfield in a sense, so you know, there is going to be some new life, some new blood. Aiden Miller could be up at some point this summer. We're going to have Andrew Painter. You know, what do you guys make of that?

00:14:41
Speaker 2: Well, if they were to be able to you know, clear Bomb's ten million and saw them seven and a half, they might be able to do something rather significant. The problem with that, it's going to take time to make those deals, clear that money. You know, there's a there's some process there. It's gonna take some time. It just doesn't happen with a snap of the fingers. You got two guys and then you're gonna have multiple teams and you gotta agree on stuff. And while all that's being worked out, guys are disappearing from the free agent market. So it'll be a challenge.

00:15:18
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you're right about that, Jim, as far as how long it will take. I if I was a GM and we signed JT back and it created the inflexibility that I had, it would be incumbent upon me, and I would be hell bent, hell ben. I would do everything I possibly could to make trades to change this team up.

00:15:36
Speaker 1: Somehow, some way.

00:15:37
Speaker 3: That's where I would be right now, just to change things up, not for change his sake necessarily, but it just needs to be done because I think it's while you are going to have a Justin Crawford, and maybe and Andrew Paynter and some younger guys you know, out of camp possibly could could contribute in some way, shape or form. I really feel like it's important for the organization to change things up somehow someway, and I would do my damnedest to make a move to do that because I think it's important to inview something new into this organization and into this major league team.

00:16:16
Speaker 2: Well, maybe when Bashitt and Bregman find homes and the infield market starts to clear up, there might be a path for the Phillies to make a deal with one of their infielders, because I think we all feel like if they were to trade from their twenty six man roster might be a bomb, might be a start. Those are guys that are not, you know, encumbered by long term deals and making a huge amount of money that would make something prohibitive like that. You could certainly see them listening on both guys. I mean they listened to on bow ball last winter. So I would especially watch the third base market where Bregman ends up and maybe you know, Bomb slides in somewhere after that if they want to make a deal.

00:17:01
Speaker 3: Yeah, both Brett Vote Bashett and Bragman. No doubt they will definitely impact their ability to do something without both.

00:17:09
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I just don't rule out the fact that Dave Dombrowski can be aggressive and uh, you know, an owner can be convinced.

00:17:19
Speaker 2: So so so in other words, school ball will pitch Camp two.

00:17:26
Speaker 1: That's right there, Schoobel on the way. You know it may be different one. Well, you know the Fernando Tattoos junior, who knows the Padres want to do something big this offseason. Maybe you never know, maybe you go out and get fit Tattoos, throw him in right field for the next several years.

00:17:42
Speaker 3: You talking about changing up to the uh the clubhouse a little bit and giving it a little new type of energy, having a tattist, whether it's plus or minus his energy, And I think, uh, you know, a guy like that. I mean, that's why Beider I think was so impactful for the team in a positive way. They got a lot of guys that are sort of good dudes, very professional, but maybe they need a little salsa in that in that and I'm.

00:18:07
Speaker 2: Not taking I'm not taking I'm not taking Buston off my rid or keeping them off because they can say all they want they want to hang on to them, but a lot can change over the course of the winter. When a guy wakes up one day and looks and sees, oh, we traded one of our starting pitchers and we've done nothing to improve our team. Maybe I will go and you know, also put the pressure on people and something materializes. So this thing, the construction of this team is a long way from being open.

00:18:35
Speaker 1: And they have a lot they have a lot of space. Yeah, they have a lot of space on the forty men roster, so they I mean, they have to do more things right now. There there are several several spots short on the forty men roster. They have the Rule five draft on Wednesday. You know, maybe they take an arm there, you know as they look to, you know, try to round out the bullpenkers. They really right now only have five spots locked up with Dran Kirk, ring Strom, Alvarado and Banks, so they have some things they could do.

00:19:02
Speaker 3: Hey, I got a question for you guys. Would you prioritize Baiter or a guy like Fairbanks or Suarez to to help out their bullpen?

00:19:12
Speaker 2: Which how would you? I would go over Bata. I would probably go with those two pretty accomplished relievers.

00:19:19
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I like the idea.

00:19:23
Speaker 4: Yeah, And I believe that that would really impact this ball club and now. And I know centerfielder is important, but you may have to just go with Justin Crawford and let him play center field and let the chips fall where they may.

00:19:36
Speaker 1: Right and you know, like one of those two guys.

00:19:40
Speaker 2: You know, Rob.

00:19:41
Speaker 1: Rob Thompson was asked today again if he's talked with Ryan on Tuesday, if he's talking with Ryan Kirkering, and he says, you know, he has been keeping in touch. Of course, the Phillies are optimistic that you know he's going to bounce back from that that horrific ending in the NLDS at Dodger Stadium, But you never know. I mean, right now, he's the only right handed late inning reliever you have besides Dorn who's the closer. So I love the idea of getting another late inning stud type.

00:20:08
Speaker 3: Would that be alicious bullpen with one of those guys?

00:20:12
Speaker 2: And then Duran, speaking of bullpens, Edwin Diaz out of the out of the division.

00:20:18
Speaker 3: Yes, it's good news for the field, and I think that's why the Mets are going to go hard on a guy like Suarez and or Fairbanks.

00:20:26
Speaker 2: Gotta believe that.

00:20:27
Speaker 3: I mean, Devin Williams is good, He's got some warts on him right now, but he's that's not enough for them in that.

00:20:36
Speaker 1: In that bullpen. Yeah. And you know the other thing about yes, Jimmy, he asked about Baier versus those bullpen guys, is man if Baier? You know the talk here? I think I can't remember who reported it might have been Matt Gelb said, like teams are looking at or Baiter's in the three year market for a contract man. That that you know, that makes me nervous just because he hasn't We've talked about this too before, but he hasn't had that type of career offensively.

00:21:02
Speaker 2: But of course it's in the market for a three year deal.

00:21:04
Speaker 5: You always it doesn't mean you have to give them one true, true true, But if it comes down to it, you know, a two year, three year and you have to think about that where I really like the idea of shoring up the bullpen.

00:21:14
Speaker 1: So there's a lot that still needs to happen for the Phillies. I don't know if anything's going to happen before everybody leaves town on Wednesday.

00:21:24
Speaker 2: We didn't get Ruben's take on it looks like Don Mattingley yeah, will indeed be at Rob Thompson's side as a bench coach. Nothing official, but that's one of those things where they're talking openly about it, so I think I think it'd be spectacular.

00:21:40
Speaker 3: I love Don Manningly on so many different levels. I love do him as a manager with the Marlins.

00:21:46
Speaker 1: Did a phenomenal job with them.

00:21:48
Speaker 3: I felt tremendous, experienced, great person, great baseball man, and obviously has a relationship with Rob Thompson, which is huge, very very important. But I just think that uh, having another experienced, quality, intelligent, you know, someone who has been there and done that as a player and a manager, I think that combination is huge for the Phillies and and it'd be really helpful for Rob Thompson as well.

00:22:20
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's gonna be guys a legend. Yeah.

00:22:25
Speaker 3: Yeah, they waited until Thompson was I think they sort of waited until Thompson's extension happened before they made that decision or made that announcement.

00:22:35
Speaker 2: I think they had a lot to do with it.

00:22:36
Speaker 1: Well they haven't, actually, I guess he hasn't officially been hired yet. But but it was funny because they've Dave came right out on Monday and said it before the before they announced the agreement on Tuesday, the extension on Tuesday. So but but you know, Dave's Dave did say he's like I talked with Rob about the comfort level. I talked to Don about the comfort level, and then talk with the Preston about the comfort level. The whole father son thing, so and everybody seems to be ultra professional.

00:23:03
Speaker 2: I think he was the had no issues with me being his boss when I.

00:23:06
Speaker 3: Was, when my dad was working as a as a rover for the Phillies back then, and when Ed Wade hired him. So it's I'm sure that Don was happy for his son and would be happy to work with him.

00:23:21
Speaker 2: I would think he's the only I think he's the only guy they pursued or they have pursued for that position. I think it was his job, like they made him like chords. If you want it, take take a week, take a month, think about it.

00:23:34
Speaker 1: You know.

00:23:35
Speaker 2: The stuff cleared Disappointingly, you didn't get it. But uh, maybe maybe he'll come here and add a line to his resume as a world serious champ. I mean that that's what the Phillies want, that's what the city wants. But it would be an incredible story for that family.

00:23:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, no doubt about it. Well, that guys, that was fun. We'll be back wrap up the winner meeting on Thursday or Friday. Let's see what happens. Never know what happened, but it was a big, big big Tuesday was big though for the Phillies. They get Kyleshwarar back. You keep that power.

00:24:11
Speaker 2: Here's the other thing, Todd, Kyle Schwarber, I'm sorry to interrupt you.

00:24:14
Speaker 1: Oh you're good.

00:24:16
Speaker 2: Five year deal, three hundred and forty career home runs. He's gonna probably get to the five hundred mark while he's here, So he's gonna be chasing the World series title, the elusive World series title for the Phillies. Obviously he's already got one. But he's also there's gonna be a Cooperstown countdown, you know, with the five hundred club. We're gonna be talking about that in a few years. So you know, you might have two guys in that clubhouse going into the Hall of Fame with peas on their hat, Harper and Schwarra from this nucleus, And how cool would that be? Very cool? But they need that extra line on their bronze Plax World Series Champions. But I think he can get to five hundred home runs here. He's got like one hundred and sixty seven in four years here, He'll get to five hundred home runs here with that bat speed, the way he stays in shape, improving hitter, that's a neat storyline.

00:25:14
Speaker 1: That is a great point. Jim. Yeah, I hadn't even thought about that, But you're right, he's I mean, gosh, I mean, obviously he's gonna be dhing, so it's not you know, he should know they're they're expecting it. Rob said, he's like, don't expect this year's numbers every year. But he's like, we think he'll stay productive for the for the next five years. Pointed out the fact that he's in tremendous shape, and man, he is in tremendous shape, and you know he is good. That this is somebody who is not going to rest on his laurels. He's gonna be working his butt off from today through the final day of that five year, hundred and fifty million dollar contract.

00:25:50
Speaker 3: And that's what separates the insight from you, guys versus everybody else. You Todd and you, James, you're insight separators.

00:26:02
Speaker 1: Lift and yeah, lift and separate. That's the way we like to do it.

00:26:09
Speaker 2: Long before that was a baseball term, there was a commercial on TV with Jane Russell talking about lifting and separating. Is that right?

00:26:18
Speaker 3: Yeah, okay, I'll stay away from that one.

00:26:23
Speaker 1: It's a great way to end, Jim.

00:26:24
Speaker 2: Okay, way to bring it home.

00:26:28
Speaker 5: My slow brain literally when it click click click, ah.

00:26:37
Speaker 1: I got it all right, Guys.

00:26:39
Speaker 2: Clothes we gotta get rid of. That's good, Jim, juh, Jim.

00:26:43
Speaker 1: I'll talk to you later. You gotta say your closing line, Jim. 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,