Jim Salisbury: Phillies offer to J.T., Schwarber’s back, What’s next?

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey, Jim Salisbury is here. We're going right to the Phillies and the Philly Show Star. Jim is here because this week I think you were the Philly Show Star. Yeah, I'm saying it, Kratz. I mean, I can't say it the entire year. I have to be fair and nice to all of the different kids, right, you can't pick your favorite kid, but this week I can, Jim. And here's why. You had your little bus prop situation going on with Kyle Schwarber, and it landed perfectly if you want to start off the conversation that way. How you doing, man?

00:00:33
Speaker 2: Good are you? Scott? I got a new prop today. This is for Eric Kratz to make him feel at home.

00:00:40
Speaker 3: Mmmmm oh yeah, can't beat it.

00:00:48
Speaker 2: How are you? Guys?

00:00:49
Speaker 1: We're good? So tell us tell us about what you did with Schwarber though. I think that people would like it and they might want to click over there to see what you did the episode right before the Schwarber signing and then of course mix in. You guys felt this was common.

00:01:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, you could feel it coming. Honestly, I could feel it coming in July. This guy, he's just been such a success story in Philadelphia, from his performance on the field to his impact in the clubhouse, to his impact in the community, and the way the fans embrace him, and knowing the owner, John Middleton, and the way he operates and the way he listens to his customers, his fan base. I didn't see any way they were going to let this guy get away. I know he's going to play at thirty three next year, but you know, he doesn't play defense, so he's not going to lose a step. If you go on the advanced metrics and look at his bat speed, it is elite, and the way he takes care of himself, it should remain top notch, if not elite, throughout the life of this five year contract. He's an improving hitter as well. I mean, he had that non tender year out of the Cubs a few years ago. It's been agast five years now and he's just gotten better and better. So, like I said, you could just feel it going that way. I think it was he owed it to himself to listen, and we heard some of the teams that were in it, and I think it was very telling that, you know, Baltimore seriously, seriously in it. Pittsburgh in It, Cincinnati in It. All teams stocked with young players, all teams looking for that winning no how And Kyle Schwarber, in addition to being a great productive power hitter, is great with young players. He's like everybody's big brother in that room. And he's a winner ten out of eleven years to the postseason. He can, you know, help bring a winning intangible to your room. So I thought it was very It was a testament to a lot of the intangibles that those teams were in it. And yeah, and you could just you could feel it coming. He knew he wanted to get over with. He had a baby coming in in mid December. He's a family man. He wants to be Santa Claus. You knew it was gonna end before the middle of December. So I had that little I don't know if you can see it behind me as a little bus. So I brought the bus on and said, the schwar Bus is about to pull into town.

00:03:20
Speaker 4: So all right, you had Joe Jillio on the show w Ip Legend Joe and he said, he said, but they got to change this up. They got to change this up. Okay, Phillies brought Kyle Schwarmer back. Phillies need a starting pitch, starting catcher. Probably gonna bring jt. Realmuto back. Is Schwarber signing signifying that the Phillies are just gonna run it back. And guys like Scott Broun think the Phillies are just a regular season team and can never get over the hump in the postseason.

00:03:52
Speaker 2: Well, it's been an awfully good regular season team. They haven't gotten over the postseason hump yet. But all it takes is putting together, you know, a good three weeks and you can do it. I don't put it past this team to get hot. I think this team puts enormous, enormous pressure on itself in October because of the star power on the roster, because they haven't won the World Series in a good long time, because of the huge payroll they carry, just because of the town. This town just you know, demands winners. So they've put a lot of pressure on themselves in last three Octobers twenty twenty two. They're playing with house money. They played loose, they got to Game six of the World Series. After that, you know they're clenching those bad handles. They need to take deep breath and just let it all out and perform well in October. And I do believe they're gonna get another chance in twenty twenty six. When you look at this nucleus, when you look at this pitching staff and look at the players they have, I think they're going to be back there and give it another shot. So as terms of running it back, I mean that's a very popular topic here in Philadelphia. A lot of people are against it. But I'm not letting Kyle Schwarber walk all that production, all that impact, and you know who's going to handle this excellent pitching staff. JT. Real Mudo is going to do it. In my mind, they have an offer out to him. I believe it's probably a two year offer. I believe he probably wants more than that. But all along I have felt he's going to come back as well. So you got a ninety six win team, you know. I think there is some merit to bringing back these guys, A lot of merit to bringing back these guys. And if you want to change the mix, there are other little corners of the roster that you can you can do that, but both these guys, to me, were priorities to bring back, because you know, I just don't see I don't see anybody replacing real Mudo. He's he's vital, and Kyle Schwarber what he does to that lineup in that clubhouse vital as well. So with Schwarber coming back, I think the off season's actually off to a pretty good start. And if they get to October and finally put it together, nobody's gonna complain about running it back.

00:06:05
Speaker 3: Let me ask you if you I was gonna talk about j T a little bit, You're talking about them talking in the works about getting these two years or is that is that? Has that happened? I just kind of misheard what you said there, that's all.

00:06:18
Speaker 2: Yeah, they have an offer out to him, and I don't know what the offer is. I mean they have they have not disclosed that, nor would they. I tend to believe it. I tend to believe it's probably somewhere, probably two years, and I think he's gonna want three. And we know how this game is kind of gone. They want They wanted to do a four year deal for Schwarmer. In the end, you give them the fifth, get them off the market. If you can get fourmure ones to me, it's worth it. I think JT they'd like to do two, but if they have to go three to get him in the off the market, maybe they end up doing it. And if you get two, it's worth it that, you know. You see all over the game guys get these extra years nowadays.

00:06:55
Speaker 3: So.

00:06:57
Speaker 2: We'll see. I still feel like JT's going to come back here. He has a residence in clear Water. He likes being a Philly. He's been here what six years, very very popular, very close to Schwarber. I think that, you know, could could signal or at least help in him coming back as well. Zach Wheeler, who pretty good picture, carries a lot of weight, A man of few words, he is openly stumped for them to bring back.

00:07:29
Speaker 3: J T.

00:07:29
Speaker 2: Openly talked about how important he is to that pitching staff. Pitchers love him, pictures want him back. I be surprised if he's not back.

00:07:41
Speaker 3: Let me talk about another guy too. That was really good stuff right there. I agree with you totally. I mean, why not finish it off here a little bit? Nick Castianos, what is the word on him? Many rumors we know about all the little stuff that happened there at the end, of the year. You know him and Topper a little bit, So can you talk briefly about, you know, what you got going on with him and what you've heard.

00:08:05
Speaker 2: Yeah, no rumors really, because they've been you know, open in acknowledging that they would like to provide him with a change of scenery. And they've been so open with that and so firm with that. I expect it to come in the form of a trade or a release. So I would be very surprised if he's in spring training. In fact, i'd be stunned. I think they're very committed to moving on from him and giving him that change of scenery. I mean, I don't think he can bring him to It's become such a public topic that I don't see how they can come to spring training with him, because you got to get your own the guys you're going to go to battle with, ready, you got to get them their bats. I don't see how they can get him playing time in spring training. So, you know, I think once this outfield market maybe shakes out a little bit more and clears up up, kind of like the musical chairs, who's ever got that last year remaining and needs an outfielder who's had very good years. He can be productive when he's on and I'm sure the Phillies, I know the Phillies would eat a significant portion of that salary. He's oh twenty million, but he'll be somewhere else. They're just they've been too open with it, Like I said, uh, to not follow through on it all right, Jim.

00:09:28
Speaker 4: I think the one area that Dombrowski fell short last year, even in the even in the off season, but then with Jose Alvarado's positive steroid test was the bullpen. Does Dombrowski make the same mistake and not bring in a power packed bullpen? I know, I heard, I heard rumors that possibly possibly Strom was on the move to get something done elsewhere. But I don't see how you take away from an area that essentially, in my mind, collectively is the only area of the team that lost the series to the Dodgers. Starting pitching outpitched the Dodgers. The lineup for the most part in either team hit but out hit the Dodgers. But the bullpen, not just Kirkering, but the bullpen didn't hold on to the leads that they had. Does he address that in a big name like a Pete Fairbanks, because all the other big names are off the board as of today this morning, with Robert Suarez signing.

00:10:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree with you. The way they addressed it last winter did not pay dividends. I thought they did a heck of a job though making up for it at the trade deadline with Johan Duran coming on board. But they would like to address that set up area. And I think one of the reasons you hear Strom as a possibility that could be moved is, you know, him being a left hander. They feel like with Alvarado and Banks they have some left handed depth. Maybe if they would have moved Strom, free up a little bit of payroll, he's owed seven and a half. You know, you could use that to go after a right hander somebody you could use, you know, seventh and eighth in in the from the right side, somebody who's tough on right hander. So that is something they would like to do and have their eyes open toward. And I'd be surprised if they don't address that bullpen. They they've already started tweaking around the edges. They made a small trade with Tampa Bay yesterday getting getting a big, hard thrower, and you know he's gonna have a shot at making the team, and you know the Tampa Bay ran into a numbers crunch. His name is Uniel Curett, and hey, if it works out the way the last two trades with Tampa Bay went, it'll be a pretty good one because they've got Alvarado and a guy named Christopher Sanchez, and Sanchez was a numbers crunch in Tampa Bay as well, so that would be you know, they're gonna take a look at him. They also got to rule five kids they're gonna take a look at. But they Wite would like to keep moving on that bullpen somebody who can be kind of tough on right handers, So that's definitely an area they'll keep an eye on, and a guy like Fairbanks would make a lot of sense depending on you know, where they're where they are budget wise, but most of their expenditure is going to be on Schwarbra and reil Mud or if they get that, get that to the finish line. To do more, they might have to shed some payroll alec ball maybe Strong maybe, and then all of a sudden, now you could be in play for some more set up from the right side. But I do agree with you. They that's something they need, uh and something they're going to work on.

00:12:41
Speaker 4: All right, there's a national show, not just a local Phillies show. I gotta ask you rank the three young studs that are in the minor leagues for the Phillies and their impact on the team being Justin Crawford, Andrew Paynter and Aiden Miller, and what kind of impact they're going to have in twenty twenty six on this team.

00:13:06
Speaker 2: I think we could see Crawford right out of the gate. Possibly he could make the team and be in left field. You know, he's a lot of speed, hits three three, twenty five, three thirty at every level, the knock on hims, hits the ball in the ground a lot. They'd like to see him get a little more, you know, drive the ball a little bit more and get it in the air a little bit more. But good looking, good looking talent. Former first round pick Aiden Miller, you know, shortstop, third baseman, mostly a shortstop. They think he can stick there, but obviously they have trade Turner, so maybe he ends up at third base someday. With Alec Bowm becoming a free agent after next season. After twenty six kind of a total package player. Stole fifty bags in in the minor leagues, can hit, developing power, you know, great amateur he deigree. And then you got Painter, who you know has had a comp of and comps are very, very dangerous. You guys know that. But some people think he reminds him of a young Justin Verlander. Tommy John surgery a couple of years ago. Slow coming back in twenty twenty five, but big six foot six, six foot seven power slider, change up, has the ability to be a front end, number one starter. So I'm going to say all three of them impact this team in the near future. Painter and Crawford in twenty six, maybe Miller in twenty seven, and the biggest impact of all probably I believe in starting pitching, and I believe this guy can be an acend, be number one. Probably Painter and then Miller, I think can be. They think he could be an all star player. I think those are their two untouchables in terms of trade talk, Painter and Miller. I think you know they listen at times on Crawford, but you know they need to get some young people in here. You talk about changing the mix and all that stuff. Some of that change is going to come from within. They've got an aging roster. A lot of there's all the stars are north to thirty and maybe even in a lot of cases significantly. You know they're thirty three and thirty four. Wheeler is going to pitch at thirty six next year, you know, real Moodo is gonna be thirty four, I believe. Uh So they need to get some youth in here, and Miller, Painter and Crawford are a good place to start, a good place to start. Really eager to see what they look like in twenty six. And like I said, I think we will see Painter in that rotation. They need him in their rotation. I mean, they're going to watch his innings. I don't know if he's going to be there in April, but he's going to carry a significant load for this team. He needs to, They really need him to. And Crawford is well in the outfield, and then Miller not far behind. He'll go to triple A and then they'll get a better gauge on on his you know trajectory.

00:15:59
Speaker 4: Jim quick One, the picture behind you is that Jake Deakman. The picture that's behind you at the top. Is that is that Jake Deacman in the picture.

00:16:07
Speaker 2: That's Billy Wagner.

00:16:10
Speaker 4: Really, Okay, so that's when big long glove, that's what I was thinking of. So that's an old, old picture.

00:16:18
Speaker 2: That's twenty years ago, cratsy I and that's me in the picture. And I caught one of his bullpen sessions in clear Water and wrote a story about it. So it was quite a thrill. And he he he let it out. It was So that's that's that's the story that was that I wrote in the Philadelphia inquire about catching Billy Wagner's bullpen session. It was very illuminating.

00:16:42
Speaker 4: Uh.

00:16:43
Speaker 2: And I had to sign a waiver and in the second second sentence of the waiver the word death appeared.

00:16:54
Speaker 4: You still signed it, though, look at you look at it. Look at You're reckless.

00:16:58
Speaker 2: Anything anything for the for the readers, you know that, anything.

00:17:02
Speaker 1: For readers, anything for a good story. I also like how he threw a deacon at you, and hey, he could sling it back in the day, but Billy Wagner is a little bit of an upgrade.

00:17:10
Speaker 2: Jake Deekman one of the one of the great stories of player development. In my mind. He was at Low A in Lakewood, good pitcher's body obviously throwing right over the top and wasn't getting anybody out for like three years. And uh, the pitching coach over there in Lakewood was Bob Malackey and went up to him one day and said, you know, Jake, we want you to really drop down and like, you know, almost like scrape the scrape the mound when you're delivering the ball. It was either that or get released. He just wasn't getting people out, so they put him on the phantom disabled list, and they both penned him for two weeks with a new submarine delivery getting way down there and it unlocked a little more velocity and deception. And he went on and made an awful lot of money and had a terrific career. So that's what creativity and player development testament.

00:18:12
Speaker 4: They sent him to the Fall League too, and I and I'm blanking on the catcher that told me the story.

00:18:17
Speaker 2: It was a team.

00:18:17
Speaker 4: It was a catcher from an other team, and they said, yeah, we really don't know what this guy's got. He's changing his arm angle. And the dude said his first three pitches in warm up were ninety seven, ninety eight, and ninety nine, and they go, he looks over at the dugout in the you know fall league. You don't know these guys. He looks over the dugout and the guy goes. The manager for the fall league team goes. He goes, he used to be ninety three to ninety five. I don't know. So yeah, he dropped his arm slide.

00:18:46
Speaker 2: I love that story.

00:18:46
Speaker 4: Deakman just an incredible athlete, owns all the records for all the testing in the Phillies, minor leagues, big leagues, broad jump, high jump, all that stuff, and hits a golf ball country mile.

00:18:58
Speaker 2: I bet he goes, and he was this close. He'll he'll tell you he was this close to getting released. It was like this last ditch effort, and he said, I'll give it a try, and look what it did for him.

00:19:10
Speaker 1: Hey, Jim, you got to get Eric Kratz on the Philly Show one time. All right, I'm waiting for that inviting to listen to that episode. So just throw that out there on the way out. Okay, it's good to see you, but I need I need more of that. I need that for an hour, if that's possible. I know you talk to your people, see what happens. But let's make it.

00:19:29
Speaker 2: Happen my people. Ruben and Todd, we would love to have We would love to have krats on. That would be.

00:19:38
Speaker 4: Only rub good.

00:19:41
Speaker 2: There's actually a good, good chance to be on the golf course, so we could probably.

00:19:46
Speaker 1: Krats for a day with Todd and Jim. I love it, Jim, good to see you. Happy holidays.

00:19:51
Speaker 2: Hey, thank you guys, thanks for having me. Happy Holidays to you.

00:19:54
Speaker 1: Guys, thank you, and for everyone else. The Philly Show super super popular, dialed in on the Phillies part of the Foul Territory Network. It's fantastic, multiple episodes per week covering everything going on with the Phills and the offseason, then of course during the season covering all of that