Five Phillies storylines for the second half

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Alright, this is Chase Lee. It's the Philly Show, Ruben Tomorrow, Junior, Jim Salisbury, Todd so Lucky. It's the Philly Show. It's Wednesday, July sixteenth, twenty twenty five. Hope everybody is doing most excellent during the All Star break. We're all getting our mental breathers.

00:00:23
Speaker 2: Partying down in Chesapeake in Baby, I'm going my man Gan Marco Martins Shelley some love because his place is awesome. And Todd, you're in Niskanie. I need to talk about that background shot.

00:00:35
Speaker 1: I'm in Wisconsin. I'm at my parents' house. Family flew out. We're spending the week out here.

00:00:40
Speaker 2: I need a shot at that bar.

00:00:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, so this is This is the bar in my parents' Basement's the only flight about a half soari, Yeah, I've got Also, it's of got the DRAMBOUI here if I want to make myself a rusty nail.

00:00:53
Speaker 3: Later, you know.

00:00:57
Speaker 4: But also cool stuff.

00:00:58
Speaker 1: There's like these old my dad found these that you can't see him off screen, but like these old like it's like newspapers, but they're like cardboard cutouts of like the daily baseball results and.

00:01:09
Speaker 2: Not the cardboard cut out of Robin yelt No, this is.

00:01:13
Speaker 1: I wonder wall real quick. I gotta show this.

00:01:17
Speaker 4: This is pretty cool.

00:01:18
Speaker 1: So I don't know what this is, but this is like from they send out all these results, baseball results. Chuck Klin home run, hit a home run that day, Babe Ruth hit two that day.

00:01:28
Speaker 2: It's kind of cool, very cool.

00:01:31
Speaker 1: Got some cool stuff down here.

00:01:32
Speaker 4: You know, you got you gotta Harvey's wallbanger.

00:01:37
Speaker 1: Maker, Harvey's wallbanger. Later, a lot of a lot of Brewers remember remember Harvey Kean. I remember Harvey Keane. Come on, that was great.

00:01:46
Speaker 4: That was a great nickname.

00:01:47
Speaker 1: That was a great nickname. Great team. That's that's the team that kind of get me to got.

00:01:51
Speaker 4: What what was unique about Harvey Kean?

00:01:55
Speaker 1: I mean he had a wooden leg, He could drink forever. You know, there's so I've read a lot about Harvey Kean. Of course it was a great baseball player. Then he managed the Brewers and he had a wooden leg. And uh as as the story was told the eighty two Brewers, they they did tell this story over the years that players occasionally would steal Harvey's leg and hid it in the clubhouse.

00:02:22
Speaker 4: And the Yeah, didn't.

00:02:25
Speaker 1: You'd have to hop He'd have to hop around and try to find it, and you know they would, they would kind of goof on him. So but they loved their manager. Though it wasn't because they were making fun. They just loved the guys, didn't.

00:02:36
Speaker 4: Buddy Kennedy tell you some of those stories. But he told his grandfather played there.

00:02:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, he told me. Yeah, his grandfather was Don Money. So I of course I was like, tell me, you know, you got any good Brewer stories? And he told a lot of great a lot of great Bob Bucher stories. And the Harvey Kean stuff was just, I mean legendary. And he basically uh confirmed that that that stuff had did happen, because I read this that actually was like, oh, yes, that's that stuff happened. That's on undred percent great. Yeah, great stuff. I mean it's just fantastic. So yeah, I'm home. I'm home this week. Do a little fishing up north. We called up north, like northern Wisconsin called up north. So we're going up north.

00:03:14
Speaker 4: I heard the mosquitoes are like seven forty sevens up there.

00:03:17
Speaker 1: State bird Man.

00:03:18
Speaker 5: I like to I like to figure out whether or not the ones in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada are as big as the ones in Wisconsin, because.

00:03:27
Speaker 1: I'll take some pictures.

00:03:28
Speaker 2: Yeah, please, we can you have a missed mosquito off.

00:03:34
Speaker 1: So, so uh uh a Tuesday's episode, we did a look back at the first half. Today, I think we should look ahead at the at the second half and uh, you know, different things that need to happen, big storylines, big storylines, right, and so I think it's time to start with the Parks Casino first pitch. First Pitch is brought to us exclusively by our partners at Parks Casino, Pennsylvania's number one casino. So we talk about the Phillies guys, and we've talked about this a little bit, the pat Well really the past several weeks. We talked about it on Tuesday. Even. Storyline for me, maybe the number one storyline is, I know everybody's going to talk about the bullpen, right, you gotta fix that bullpen sleeking oil at times it's not very consistent and scares you to death in the late innings. But for me, when I watch this team, I go, are they going to have enough offense? And so for me, the number one storyline in the second half is can Bryce Harper return the forim? Can Jim you said this and Ruben you said this Tuesday? Can the twenty million dollar players return to form? Can they start hating for some power. The one thing that kind of makes me nervous about the second half is, you know, maybe they don't address the offense and some of these guys don't step up. But even if you know, those guys have to step up regardless. So Bryce Harper, Schwarber, Castianos bowm all those guys.

00:05:06
Speaker 4: I agree with you, because if if they addressed the offense with maybe an outfield right handed bat, it might be like a platoon guy or you know, kind of a marginal pickup. It might not be a big name because I think they're going to use their trade capital or their big move in the bullpen. And I've seen it before. I've seen Bryce carry this team, carry other teams. Player of the Month last year, May and June, you know, down the stretch second half of his MVP season. We've just seen him put you know in, Schwarber's been great, but he just needs They just need more in the offensive department. And I think if Bryce can put together two you know, Bryce Harper months, this team is going to be really in a good position. I think I think his just rising up and being Bryce is the most important thing that can happen to this team because they need to score more runs and give that bullpen more breathing room, give the starting rotation more breathing room. You know, five hundred team. There are five hundred teams since June one, You know, five hundred team. They're nineteen and nineteen since June one, and they've scored two or less runs fourteen times in those thirty eight games, two or less runs. As much as we look at the bullpen and it's huge, they got to fix it. They need more offense. Bryce Harper is the guy that can do it because he makes everybody around him better. Everybody drafts off from in that lineup.

00:06:38
Speaker 2: And we've talked about this, and you're right, the big boys have to come through, but they also have to get some production from guys like Bryce and Stott and maybe even Kepler. But because I think the one move that they will make at some point, you're going to see Crawford come here. He's not going to be the savior. He's going to be here. He's going to play center field, because I don't I'm not an amord with the way field is being patrolled right now, and I'm not enamored with the overall production in the back part of the lineup. So I think Crawford may be a guy that they add to this to this club. And I do believe that there's gonna be a platoon situation in left field. Like gott o'keep's gonna get more at bats. He has quality at bats and he had a tough game his last game in San Diego, but I like the quality of his at bats. I think he's going to be a contributor against left handed pitching and uh and they're gonna have to get contributions from a Mundo Soso against left handed pitching because I don't think Scott's going to be playing against left handers. And I think you're going to see a strict platoon with Stott and with the left fielder, and those guys are gonna have to figure out, you know, ways to produce and help this team in the back part of the lineup. True, all of this point is moot if Bryce Harper doesn't become Bryce Harper, because if he doesn't and their ability to score runs is going to be diminished greatly. And not to put more pressure on the man, but he deserves the pressure and he usually responds very well to pressure.

00:08:12
Speaker 4: Yeah, a lot of expectations on that guy when he came here, and still a lot of expects He wants a World Series badly. He wants it on his resume badly. He needs to. You know, he's had the risk problem. But if you know, he's got to be healthy, and he's got to be Bryce Hawpery. He's got to be that guy that can put a team on its back and that would really lift this offense big time. Hey, that's been first pitch brought to you exclusively by our partners at Parks Casino. That's Pennsylvania's number one casino Parkscasino dot com. You must be twenty one and if you have a gambling problem, call one eight hundred gambler Phillies.

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00:10:24
Speaker 1: We're back. Second storyline going to the second half to me is the Phillies rotation. Now they have been unbelievable. Of course in the first half I talked about this Tuesday like the fourth best performance by any rotation at the Break in this Century. Twenty eleven Phillies at the top of the list, twenty twenty five Phillies fourth in that list. So they've got to keep it up. They've got to stay healthy, you know. But there's a lot of different things to consider here. When is Aaron Nola come back? What does he look like when he comes back?

00:10:59
Speaker 4: Then?

00:10:59
Speaker 1: What happens with Taiwan Walker? When's Andrew Painter going to come up? What's he going to do? Are they going to do a six man rotation?

00:11:06
Speaker 5: Uh?

00:11:06
Speaker 1: You know, is Ranger Swore is going to be able to stay healthy? He's complaining about his shoulder and an elbow thing. A couple starts ago. He looked, he looked pretty good his last time out. You know, what's is mickabel trade bait? Is he gone? The rotation? Guys? Second half? Can they keep it up? How confident are you their ability to keep it up going forward?

00:11:29
Speaker 2: Well, I do think that they're They're they're solid. I think that they've done a pretty good job, and they've got a pretty heavy workload on him. But I think they're they're managing it. I think they manage it well. I think the fact that none of these guys are pitching during the All Star break is a big one, and they're not involved in the All Star disappointment that Christopher Sanchez and Suarez and Wheeler are not in it. But for the team's sake, I think it's a good thing. I really love the death. I love the fact that you're basically getting you're trading for what could be if Nola comes back and he's close to where he was the last couple of years, You're talking about a solid middle of the rotation starter that can add so to the depth. And I mean, you're talking about a pretty damn good fifth starter if you're bringing Nola back and and he is healthy. So I like that. I like the fact that who knows what's going to happen as far as trade deadline is concerned. But if you get into August, you know, you get to the point where you can now start maneuvering. Okay, who do I want to slide into that bullpen? Now that I have some pitching depth, starting pitching depth. Who slides into that bullpen? Is it Lozardo? That would be the guy for me because I think your first three guys for me right now, and probably your fourth guy if he's healthy, is Nola. So I'm thinking, you know, you got two right handers and Wheeler and Nola. You got two quality left handers and Ranger, Suarez and Christopher Sanchez, and then you slide Lozardo into the bullpen to bring up you know, be firing that ninety nine to one hundred mile an hour fastball with the filthy sweeper and a nasty changeup. Pretty damn awesome in a bullpen scenario if he's throwing, you know, you have to get hi acclimated to doing that, maybe in September, and then you know, work them into it in October. I know a lot of people have talked about Ranger being that guy, but the way Rangers starting, the way he's pitching, and the difference in the types of pitcher that he is versus some of the other guys in the rotation, I think it's a great mix. So at the very least I like the top three guys as Suarez, Wheeler, and Sanchez, not necessarily obviously in that order.

00:13:48
Speaker 4: I agree rotation is a big storyline going forward. It was. It's a big reason their first place club at the break. It's been the most consistent element really on their team. Basically, you want them to continue doing what they're doing, and that starts with good health. If they're healthy, I think they're going to perform, So you need to keep those guys healthy. On the health question, Nola has missed most of the most of the first half with a couple of you know, there was an ankle and then the ribcage, and honestly, I don't think either one of them were serious injuries. This whole thing with there Nola sounds like a reset to me, or at least part of it. Not doubting he had injuries, but I just think this is like this byproduct to it all that it's a reset, it's a mental break, it's a physical break, and whatever you want to call it. And I'm just very curious to see how he comes back. If he comes back really fresh from this break, and it's like a home stretched drive for him. He's almost he could almost be like a hired gun. But we're not going to go no for a while because I don't expect to see him in the rotation until mid August, and then, you know, six or seven weeks he should be able to put the pedal to the metal. So that's a nice, nice boom for this rotation potentially. I know Andrew Painter has not put up good numbers, A triple A. It's a head scratch here, But I still think we're going to see him here at some point. I still believe we're going to see him here at some point. If we don't, we don't, and I still think he has a chance to be a great pitcher and pitching this rotation for a long time. I'm not going to read too much into it if he's not. But I still think he gets here, gets his feet wet, and I wouldn't be surprised if he contributes, because I think once he's here, some adrenaline is going to really kick him.

00:15:40
Speaker 2: For that guy to be thinking another thing, one other thing I was saying about Painter. I think Painter's not going to come until he's really thrown well, right, now he's not real sharp, he's not dominating. I don't know whether it's because he's bored, as Jim may have suggested, which is a possibility, because he's been waiting, you know, it's just time. It's time for him, it's time for him. Maybe he's just not bearing down. I don't think that's in a nature, in his nature, but it's possible.

00:16:04
Speaker 4: But he's gonna have to perform.

00:16:05
Speaker 2: He needs to perform to get called up to the big leagues, and he needs to earn it, because if he's not earning it, then then I don't think that's the right thing to do.

00:16:14
Speaker 8: Uh.

00:16:14
Speaker 2: There's other guys down there, able in particularly who went down there and pitch pretty well in his first start when he went back down, who probably right now deserves to be in the big leagues before Andrew Painter does, probably do we think?

00:16:26
Speaker 1: So what if Painter comes up, is he's strictly is it strictly gonna be as part of a six man rotation the way hiven.

00:16:32
Speaker 4: Nola could pay me back out of the gate. Because they're gonna watch it a little bit early. Yeah, they're gonna watch him even if he comes here and he's dealing. I don't think you'll ever see him pitch more than five innings, but he does have to get here. And I mean, you know, the power stuff is there. It sounds like he just doesn't have that that Andrew Painter finished that they've seen in the past. Maybe that's slow coming back from Tommy John, you know, I don't know, but it's a head scratcher. He hasn't pitched better.

00:17:01
Speaker 1: A lot of home runs. I feel like, you know, he's been you know, just yeah, giving up. You know, every time I look at his line square, I feel like there's two or three in there. It's a lot of home runs lately. And then but it was it Ruben interesting. I guess, I guess I should have thought of that. But the idea that, yeah, if Nola comes back, and if Painter does come up, or if Painter doesn't, even if Painter doesn't come up, you know, one of those guys is gonna have to go to the bullpen and get Lizardo acclimated. If it's gonna be if it's gonna be Lozardo, it might be somebody else, I don't know, but uh, then you have September to kind of get him adjusted. To that role, which is going to be so important once the postseason starts because you need more reliable arms down there. So I love that idea.

00:17:40
Speaker 8: I mean, if you don't get l Varado back, because you're not going to get him for the playoffs, you got to have and they don't trade for a left hander in the bullpen, then you're sitting there with Tanner Banks and Tanner Banks.

00:17:53
Speaker 2: And Strong and that's it. Yeah, And I you know, I'd love to have another left hander and Lozardo. Yeah, that's a weapon out of that bullpen for me. And hopefully everybody's healthy enough so that they can make that choice.

00:18:08
Speaker 1: So this brings us up to the storyline number three, which is how is the bullpen addressed? Can it produce in the second half down the stretch? Will you be able to turn on a game if you're watching at home in September or October with the one run lead tour and lead late in the game and feel good about the team's chances of doing it? So how far do you think, do you guys, gun to your head right now? How far do they going to improve this bullpen? They go out and get class a big, big guy that give up is aid Aiden, Miller gone or you know, ty Eaton Escabar, Ruin Escobar. How far do they go for this?

00:18:45
Speaker 4: I think those guys in a ball are definitely going to be in play. Yeah, I don't think either one of those guys are going to hold them up a big deal. Miller might not. Sometimes I wonder about Crawford because he's the closest of all of them and a real need at the position he plays center field, left field, so I'm not saying he's untouchable, but there's a variable there that you know he might be here soon at an area of need. So I think everybody's on the table able. I don't think Painter is. But you never know what opportunity comes down the road. If you know, if something intriguing comes down the road, we'll see. I mean, you know, Closse has one of the best contracts in baseball. I don't even know if he's available. Is he available? I mean, I hear his name, I hear so. One of the real challenges of this time of year is separating the good from the bad, the real stuff from the bs. He's got a great contract, you know. I don't know that the Indians are gonna trade him, but you know, maybe maybe not. But I would keep an eye on that Minnesota bullpen.

00:19:46
Speaker 2: Uh.

00:19:46
Speaker 4: It is teeming with good arms. It is teaming with guys with big strikeout numbers. I'm talking like four guys. Yes, it is teaming with the type of guys they need, you know, the closer Duran. I mean, you know that Varlin guys having a great year, Kobe Jack's you know, if you get two of them. I would keep an eye on Baltimore with Bautista, maybe Bautista and Sarantony. There's a there's a big guy and a secondary guy. You never know. Maybe Bautista and Loreano, the outfielder, right handed bat have a very nice year, plays with some tude. I like him, but maybe you don't go about down to Baltimore Road again. But those are the two teams I'm.

00:20:33
Speaker 1: Really watching interesting.

00:20:36
Speaker 3: I look it, Hey, listen, I think that I don't there's any question that uh, Dave Don Brownski's helping on trying to improve this team, and there's a lot of prospects in play.

00:20:48
Speaker 2: Let's just put it that way.

00:20:49
Speaker 1: It's such a I mean, there's no snap your fingers though. Even if they would get two guys from the Minnesota or two guys from Baltimore? How many other And that's that's that's I mean, you know, Rubin, you were in those shoes, man like. That's that's the part that would just keep me up at night going, I'm going to trade Aiden Miller and Edward O Tayet and a Rude Escobar or whoever it might be. And man, is this offense gonna hit come back? Come the NLC Wildcard series? Are they going to be able to win two games in the Wildcard Series? Or or if they win the division, are they going to be able to win three games in the division series?

00:21:27
Speaker 2: That would keep you always a crapshoot man. And and you know, sometimes you just gotta sometimes you gotta risk it.

00:21:34
Speaker 4: Yes, that's what I risk it.

00:21:36
Speaker 2: Yes, I man bold he when you got a chance to win, and this team has a chance to win, it's very very it would be it would be disappointing with this sort of rotation to not add to it, because you really do have a legitimate chance of winning a world series with this rotation. Yes, the other pieces in the part have to produce, The offense has to produce, but you've got a real chance to shut down teams with at least three of these starters. And that's a really good percentage.

00:22:12
Speaker 1: An historically good rotation. Take advantage of that.

00:22:17
Speaker 4: If they don't, you can if they don't improve this bullpen. And I feel funny saying that because I am very one hundred percent confident they will. I have one hundred percent confident he's going to get a dominant arm and he's gonna give up something big and it's gonna sting. But on the chance that they don't, the veteran offensive players in that clubhouse are going to be very disappointed.

00:22:40
Speaker 1: No, not no doubt about that. So All Star Game is over. It's Wednesday, Phillies zoom play on Friday against the Angels. Open up the second half against the Angels.

00:22:54
Speaker 4: You know what's funny I was thinking about. I'm interrupting you, Tom, I'm sorry. Once upon a time, the Angels would have created all this buzz Mike Trout was coming to town. Ye, now there's like no buzz because he's he's unfortunately, he's been hard a lot. He's not the Mike Trout of old because of the injuries, and he doesn't get on the field as much. There's doesn't seem to be that buzz.

00:23:14
Speaker 1: You're right about that, You're right, and and I forgive me. Has he even played in the outfield since he came back? I know he was dhing for the longest time. I don't even know if he's back out in the outfield yet. But it didn't not sure. He's not a guy that, you know, even if he was, you know, even if the Angels called you up tomorrow and said, yeah, do you want Mike Trout, I mean you need to play in the outfield.

00:23:35
Speaker 4: He's own two hundred million, right, Yeah, he's a.

00:23:38
Speaker 1: Lot of money. He's owed a lot of money. I mean, that would be be fun. But so yeah, Friday night, Phillies zoom play against the Angels. Begin the second half. If you want to follow on the action, make a little bit more interesting, Rubin, you have a little you have some ideas.

00:23:55
Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt. But it does create a little bit of a buzz for me, Jim, because my man Mark Goobers as one of the color analysts on TV, and he was my old teammate and the man that I got my very first extra base hit against, and is that right?

00:24:10
Speaker 4: High school and.

00:24:12
Speaker 2: My very first RBI against believe it or not really pitching the last name for the Angels myself and the Kandisity against the Tennessee Rulves. That is a true story in nineteen ninety one.

00:24:23
Speaker 4: Your high school teammates as well.

00:24:25
Speaker 2: We were high school teammates. Yes, and he's a great, great human being.

00:24:28
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00:26:01
Speaker 1: The storyline number four for me the kiddos, we kind of kind of touched on all these guys. Rubin, you mentioned the very beginning Justin Crawford. Do you think he's going to come up at some point? We believe Andrew Painter is going to come up at some point. Maybe mckabel comes back at some point. Maybe he's traded, maybe he's used in a trade. Ruben, when you said when you said Justin Crawford could come up at some point, whose spot does he take and how does that work?

00:26:32
Speaker 2: He's coming to the big leagues, and I think they're gonna have to make some type of roster move because they're not really making either. Either you have to send a guy like Johann Rojas out or you have to make some sort of roster move with Kepler because he just hasn't produced. And the question is is Crawford going to give you more offensive and defensively than what Kepler brings you in left field on the daily? And Kepler hasn't done it. I know that they're hoping that he does. I was in the same mindset with Jim and you Todd about how he looked in the spring and how he might produce for this team. He just hasn't done it, hasn't gotten comfortable. And now I mean I thought it said a lot when Otto Kemp played against the right hander and the last game prior to this first half being over against San Diego. I know Kemp did not have a great day, punch out a few times, but it says a lot, and I think they want to need to find out whether Otto Kemp can be at least a platoon in left field. And I mean, unless Camp starts to produce at some point in the next month or the next couple of weeks, I would not be surprised if some mood had made to bring guy like Crawford and do some juggling with that outfield.

00:27:59
Speaker 4: So, with all the question marks in the outfield at center field and left field, and Crawford's relevance to both positions, is he on the table for a trade for you, Reuben.

00:28:13
Speaker 2: He's on the table for a trade if you're able to really bring back something quality because he's so close, you really have to have somebody's going to made him make a media impact with your major league team. I don't know if you move with Justin Crawford unless you know you're getting a guy who's either locking down that ninth inning and you're doing it for a guy who's just not just knocking down the ninth inning for a month and a half, but he's doing it for another few years. That's the only way I would move a guy like Crawford because he's so close and could really impact my major league team in the short term.

00:28:53
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm thinking I'm a little bit careful with him because he's so close and correct. It's an area of need yep Man.

00:29:01
Speaker 1: He produces at every level too. I know everybody talks about his ground ball rate and he's not getting the ball in the air, three hundred, three hundred batting average everywhere still means something. Getting on base, yeah, base hits, base hits. Let's your trade turning, and he still don't make the all start team. Last storyline for me, guys number five going into the second half or in the second half.

00:29:27
Speaker 4: Is.

00:29:29
Speaker 1: Do you think they sign anybody to a contract extension before the end of the season. Kyle Schwarber talked to him on Friday night after he hit that thirtieth home run in San Diego, and you know, said, hey, do you think there's a chance that you know that you could get something done before the end of season or do you think at this point that ship is sailed and let's just let things happen in the offseason. And Kyle said, you know, honestly, haven't talked to anybody in a while. I don't know, you know he's going to say that, but he said, you know, my guys are gonna be at the Aulcar game. Maybe there are some conversations still to be had. Maybe we do get something done me, but maybe we don't. If we don't, I'm still gonna play my butt off and try to help the team win the World Series. I think if they're gonna sign anybody to a contract ascension in season, it's probably gonna be Kyle Schwarber. Do you guys agree, disagree? Do you think there's any shot at JT? Do you think there's any shot at Ranger? I know before the season started, all three of us said probably no chance that Ranger comes back. Opinions change on that.

00:30:28
Speaker 4: Not really. I would agree with you. If anybody signs between now and the end of the season, probably I think Ranger could end up being a budget cut. And as much as I mean, he's a great pitcher, would be great to have him back. I just think they're knee deep and humongous contracts and they need to bring back Schwarber, and they might have some young pitching coming that, if all goes well, can move into ranger spot and maybe someday perform adequately to fill it. I don't know, but uh, and I think JT is probably going to be, you know, go out and kind of like he was last time, go out and see what's out there and come back to us, And we'd like to do a two year deal, as we talked about in the last couple of podcasts. Yeah, Zach Wheeler is already stumping for him. Zach Wheeler is going to be around two more years, so maybe a two year extension would make sense there, But that's probably the way I see it.

00:31:28
Speaker 2: I disagree with you about this. I do think that JT will sign a multi year deal before the end of the season. And I'll tek you, okay, because one pitching is their starting pitching is their biggest strength too. They need somebody to catch that starting pitching, and JT's the guy because there's nobody that's close in the big leagues who is that guy? Ty got a chance to be that guy in a few years, but he's not ready and he may be traded. So I do think that there is some there's some connection between the fact that he might is availability and the that they lock up a guy like JT. The other the other factor here is Abel and Painter are coming and if they're not traded, they are going to be guys that need to be managed through games by JT. So I think there's a whole slewth reasons why it's important to sign them. Why I would sign him and be preemptive about on a short term deal. I wouldn't do a long term deal with the guy. But I just think he brings so much to the table as far as preparing, managing players, catching guys, and the fact that Zach Wheeler is basically this guy. And I think there's I think those factors, a lot of those factors are one of the reasons why he may sign before Schwarber does.

00:32:48
Speaker 4: Those are great, great points, especially the ones about Abel and Painter managing those guys. He might trade TAYI to me, that all gives JT leverage, So why wouldn't you? That's why why would try?

00:33:03
Speaker 2: That's why you try to sign them now before you trade t I got it, Yeah.

00:33:09
Speaker 4: But I don't know that if you had that leverage, you could go out of the market, maybe get more than a two year deal from the Phillies. Do you you sound like you have some inside info? What are you holding on on us? I got nothing.

00:33:21
Speaker 2: I'm just thinking. I mean, I'm thinking as a GM I used to be one.

00:33:25
Speaker 1: Unless you guys forget I remember, I.

00:33:30
Speaker 4: Think I think you're holding out on US.

00:33:32
Speaker 5: I just feel like I just feel like there is an incentive to do that, and so did these so that the leverage, leverage is not created, go out there and sign them to the two year deal, be aggressive with it, get it done, and then it opens up possibilities of doing on some other things.

00:33:50
Speaker 4: So not only are you saying he could sign before the end of the season, you're you're saying you could sign before the end of the month. I like that. I think you got inside info and you're holding off.

00:34:00
Speaker 2: I wish he did. I wish I did.

00:34:02
Speaker 1: That'd be great, That'd be great. Yeah, Yeah, we gotta start. We gotta break news on the Philly Show.

00:34:07
Speaker 4: You know what I mean.

00:34:08
Speaker 1: We got to break news on the Philly Show.

00:34:09
Speaker 4: I got it.

00:34:10
Speaker 2: I wish he did.

00:34:11
Speaker 1: But you know, but his impact on that pitching staff. We've talked about this so much. You know, people always ask, you know you talk about college s Warburn's leadership. I always say, you cannot over sell how you know big he is in the clubhouse in terms of the leadership JT. Same thing with the pitching staff. I'm telling you every pitcher in that clubhouse loves throwing that guy, and they all talk him up big time.

00:34:35
Speaker 2: Zach dedicated, any cares, he dedicated and cares about his pictures man, and he is a he is a solid, solid, solid clubhouse man.

00:34:46
Speaker 1: He gets the crap kicked out of him in the game. I mean, you see this guy drop like a freaking boxer in a heavyweight fight against Mike Tyson over and over again, and it's like the one. There's like one game he left recently and I think everybody thought the same thing, is like, he must be really hurt if he's leaving the game, because that guy never leaves a game. Yeah, that's what it was. Yes, the fruitball, Fruitball. That's the only time that j will leave a game. That Yeah, that guy is man of steel. The man of Steel. So all right, well, we will be back later this week to talk more phils. That was fun, guys, So if you missed, yeah, Tuesday's episode got check that out. We kind of wrap up the first half and uh, we'll figure out something to talk about lair this week.

00:35:40
Speaker 4: Looking forward to it. Smell lady, boys, It's made jee.

00:35:44
Speaker 1: 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