Speaker 1: Hi, everybody, Welcome to the Phillies Show with Group of
Speaker 1: Tomorrow Junior Jim Salisbury. I am todd so lucky. It
Speaker 1: is Monday, April fifteenth, twenty twenty four. Gentlemen, the Phillies
Speaker 1: split a weekend series against the Pirates. I think everybody
Speaker 1: you know Phillies fans for sure went into this Sunday
Speaker 1: series finale feeling pretty good about their chances to take
Speaker 1: three out of four. You have Zach Wheeler on the mound,
Speaker 1: who's been pitching great all year, finally get a nice
Speaker 1: weather day, so you're thinking, man, maybe the bats finally
Speaker 1: get going a little bit. And then Zach Wheeler struggles
Speaker 1: a little bit and the offense really doesn't get going.
Speaker 1: They lose, so they split that series finale, split the
Speaker 1: series against the Pirates, and so much talk continues about
Speaker 1: this offense. Guys. You know Howard Eskin, our dear friend
Speaker 1: Howard Eskin on Thursday is asking Rob Thompson about the
Speaker 1: lack of slug and are you gonna slug enough this season?
Speaker 1: And I know you're gonna make the playoffs, but are
Speaker 1: you gonna slug enough? And Rob had a great response.
Speaker 1: He says, wait a second, so you know we're gonna
Speaker 1: make the playoffs, but you don't know if we're gonna
Speaker 1: slug or not, which I thought was which I thought
Speaker 1: was great because it's so true. You know, you can't
Speaker 1: have one without the other. In my opinion, this team's
Speaker 1: hitting like it is right now. Boy, it could be
Speaker 1: a rough second half. I personally think, like Rob Thompson,
Speaker 1: they will slug. But I want to ask you guys
Speaker 1: this question, is there what point of this season or
Speaker 1: how many had bats into his season do you start
Speaker 1: to feel like we're getting a picture of what a
Speaker 1: player can do or what a team can do offense?
Speaker 1: Will be Jim, what about you? I mean you've interviewed
Speaker 1: so many you know, managers over the years. Rubin, I
Speaker 1: mean you played. I mean, whoever wants to get to start.
Speaker 1: Let's get your thoughts on that.
Speaker 2: Go ahead.
Speaker 1: I want to hear what you say that'll copy it.
Speaker 3: So I think it's just I think this is a
Speaker 3: product of a couple of things. I know that they
Speaker 3: wanted to get off to a good start and all
Speaker 3: that other business. They want to do things a little
Speaker 3: differently in spring training, which they did with the pitchers,
Speaker 3: but they didn't.
Speaker 2: Do so with the with the position players.
Speaker 3: And I think part of it you had they have
Speaker 3: this sort of built in excuse that they had a virus.
Speaker 2: Running through you know, running through the clubhouse.
Speaker 3: It was pretty significant obviously, O'Ryan kirkering just getting back
Speaker 3: from that, and it really backed guys up because they
Speaker 3: didn't really get They didn't get on the field and
Speaker 3: start really doing their work until a little bit later.
Speaker 3: In most cases, like I don't know, eighty or eighty
Speaker 3: percent of the players that said, I do not think
Speaker 3: that they got enough at bats, enough competitive at bats,
Speaker 3: enough playing time, enough chances to run the bases enough.
Speaker 3: In this day and age, everybody wants to be more
Speaker 3: and more careful. The players are designing their own.
Speaker 2: Path for spring training.
Speaker 3: They all know what they're supposed to do to get ready. Well,
Speaker 3: guess what, they don't always all know what to do.
Speaker 2: To get ready for spring training.
Speaker 3: I believe in my heart of hearts that you've got
Speaker 3: to get somewhere between sixty and eighty at bats in
Speaker 3: a games, not in the backfield games.
Speaker 2: You got to get between.
Speaker 3: Sixty and eighty at bats, and you've got to get
Speaker 3: multiple at bats to start getting a rhythm, get your
Speaker 3: legs underneath, to get your eyes together, get your timing going,
Speaker 3: and you need the opportunities to get on the base
Speaker 3: pass because if you don't do anything.
Speaker 2: For three months, baseball is a weird game.
Speaker 4: Man.
Speaker 3: You put your spikes on, it's different, it's different on
Speaker 3: your body, it's different, your eyes different, you on your
Speaker 3: ability to react. There's all types of things that have
Speaker 3: to happen. That's why you play the games to get
Speaker 3: ready to play a major league season. I think that
Speaker 3: there is such an emphasis on allowing players, they don't
Speaker 3: care whether they're veterans or young players, giving them their
Speaker 3: time to get ready.
Speaker 2: Well, guess what. There is a tried and true.
Speaker 3: Method of getting guys ready, And guess what it is
Speaker 3: is actually playing the games, getting one at bat and
Speaker 3: getting two at innings on the field and then sitting.
Speaker 2: And cutting it. That's like a joke, Okay, a joke
Speaker 2: for me.
Speaker 3: Go out there and play five innings in your first
Speaker 3: game because they're all physically ready to do it.
Speaker 2: Go get ready and go play. And I know people,
Speaker 2: and I think this is epidemic.
Speaker 5: This is not just the Phillies or Rob Thompson or
Speaker 5: their staff or the medical staff I think it is
Speaker 5: an epidemic thing that is happening in baseball.
Speaker 2: And people are not ready. I've watched Bait all the
Speaker 2: Bay a lot of baseball this year. It's ugly. There's
Speaker 2: not great baseball going on. You know who's playing well?
Speaker 2: The Dodgers, you know what I have.
Speaker 6: They're playing well because the Dodgers had to play in
Speaker 6: Japan and they started getting ready earlier.
Speaker 2: So here here's my take. First of all, they're not
Speaker 2: They weren't ready to play Number one. Number two.
Speaker 3: I think it's going to take longer to find out
Speaker 3: what that team what they are because they're still going
Speaker 3: through spring training. In my mind, and I think they're
Speaker 3: in the asked. I used to assess my team much
Speaker 3: better after about a month and a half, six weeks
Speaker 3: May fifteenth to May thirtieth, somewhere in there, I knew
Speaker 3: what my team is. Now, because people don't play, and
Speaker 3: people don't really get ready and rolling and get enough reps,
Speaker 3: I don't know what teams. You can't assess them until
Speaker 3: mid June because that's when you start to find out
Speaker 3: whether these guys after one hundred and.
Speaker 2: Fifty at bats or two hundred at bats.
Speaker 3: That's when you find out what these guys really are
Speaker 3: and what kind of team you got.
Speaker 2: That's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.
Speaker 7: I mean here in the very interesting points, extremely interesting
Speaker 7: points almost reminds me a little of what we're hearing
Speaker 7: about the NFL. Ow preseason has become irrelevant in the
Speaker 7: first handful of games are like extended preseason. The reason
Speaker 7: you see some sloppy play, etc. Guys still getting their legs.
Speaker 7: Hear that all the time time in the NFL. I
Speaker 7: would pick that or the new NFL, I should say,
Speaker 7: the way it's evolved with the de emphasis of preseason,
Speaker 7: I'm wondering they've played sixteen games based on your observations, room,
Speaker 7: and that's just under ten percent of the season. Do
Speaker 7: you think, I mean, if this is sort of an
Speaker 7: extended spring and these sixteen games, maybe you're a little
Speaker 7: bit fortunate to be at the midwater mark eight and
Speaker 7: eight while you're still getting your legs in quote unquote
Speaker 7: extended spring training. Do you think those sixteen games, these
Speaker 7: past sixteen games have been good prepper? Are we going
Speaker 7: to see them start to get going soon?
Speaker 2: Here? I think they'll get better. They're too talented. There's
Speaker 2: too much ability.
Speaker 6: I mean, you got guys like schore, Bert Turner, Harper,
Speaker 6: Castiano's boom Stot. They're really talented, super talented players. I
Speaker 6: just don't know that they were in rhythm.
Speaker 3: Like I believe that you have to go through different
Speaker 3: stages in spring training. You get your legs underneath you, you
Speaker 3: get your hands going with the bat, you get your
Speaker 3: timing going, you get hot, you get cold, you get
Speaker 3: hot again, and then the season starts. That's the rhythm
Speaker 3: of spring training for me, for everyday players. I've watched
Speaker 3: it too many times. I know how it works.
Speaker 6: If you get enough at bats and you get enough
Speaker 6: reps and you get enough times on the basis they
Speaker 6: are not running the base as well, they're a better
Speaker 6: based running team.
Speaker 2: Than they are.
Speaker 6: They're not a superb running based running team because sometimes
Speaker 6: it makes some overly aggressive decisions as a team.
Speaker 3: But they're much better than what I've seen, and I
Speaker 3: know they can steal bases, but they're a better overall
Speaker 3: based running team when it comes to going first and third,
Speaker 3: making decisions.
Speaker 2: Not getting picked off.
Speaker 6: But all those things you have to go through in
Speaker 6: spring training so that you're ready for him in the game.
Speaker 6: It's just, you know, there's not a lot of teams
Speaker 6: that can just not a lot of players. You can't
Speaker 6: get twenty six players all of a sudden go Okay,
Speaker 6: here's here's a switch.
Speaker 3: We're gonna plick it on and go play. There's only
Speaker 3: a few guys you can do that. Some guys can,
Speaker 3: some guys can't, but most cannot.
Speaker 2: And so I think that they're a better team than this.
Speaker 2: There's no question in my mind. I do think the
Speaker 2: pitching has been excellent. I really do. It's just not
Speaker 2: being supported by the rest of them, and.
Speaker 7: They've been sloppy. They've been sloppy in the field as well,
Speaker 7: which I think fits into what you're saying about reps
Speaker 7: and being ready to go. That's why I think very
Speaker 7: fortunate to be eight and eight ten percent of the
Speaker 7: way into the season, and maybe we'll see to use
Speaker 7: the cliche a better version of the Phillies soon. Anybody
Speaker 7: Todd surprised you slow start wise? I mean, Harper's off
Speaker 7: to a slow start. What's your take on me?
Speaker 1: Yeah, Harper surprises me, just because it's Bryce Harper. You know,
Speaker 1: Bryson stops off to a slow start. He got off
Speaker 1: I think the last season he opened with like a
Speaker 1: sixteen game hitting streak. He's off to a slow start. Castianis,
Speaker 1: of course off to a slow start. It was interesting
Speaker 1: the last night I'm thinking about this because there is
Speaker 1: so much from fans anyway, not not panic, but just
Speaker 1: they can't hit. They can't hit, And I went on,
Speaker 1: I looked up some players last night to see how
Speaker 1: they compare to other players in the big leagues. Like
Speaker 1: Bryce Harper, for instance, he has a six seventy four OPS.
Speaker 1: Guys just below him right now, Nolan Aernato, George Springer,
Speaker 1: Corbyn Carroll, Alex Bregman, all having worst starts. In Bryce Harper,
Speaker 1: Bryce and Stotts six' ten, Ops Randy, Rose, Arena Xander,
Speaker 1: Bogart's Cody, Bellinger Paul goldschmidt all having worse. Starts nick
Speaker 1: castianos he was right at the. Bottom Julio rodriguez is
Speaker 1: off worst, Start Francisco lindor is off to a worst.
Speaker 1: Start SO i feel like Sometimes phillies fans certainly they
Speaker 1: look at everything as it relates to The phillies and
Speaker 1: don't necessarily realize that it's also going on. Elsewhere so
Speaker 1: don't hit that panic button. Yet But, ruben it's. Funny
Speaker 1: while you were talking about spring training at bats and
Speaker 1: you said sixty to, EIGHTY i looked it. Up your
Speaker 1: head might explode. Here but twenty Five bryce And scott
Speaker 1: led The phillies this spring at. Bats fifty five at,
Speaker 1: bats thank, you, Yes. Rojas at one POINT i thought
Speaker 1: he was going to finish with. Eighty he only finished
Speaker 1: with fifty. Three you, know every every other, regular every
Speaker 1: other everyday player for The phillies was had fewer than
Speaker 1: fifty at bats this. Spring not a, lot you, know
Speaker 1: not a lot a lot of those.
Speaker 3: Guys so the SO i think what you would hear
Speaker 3: from the hitting coach and From rob is, well they
Speaker 3: got a bunch of you, know played appearances and at
Speaker 3: bats in the minor.
Speaker 2: Leagues when they stayed, back they.
Speaker 3: Got you, know and they got it is not the.
Speaker 6: Same it's not the. Same there's no there's there is no.
Speaker 6: Motivation you're not it's you're just seeing.
Speaker 3: Pitches it's just, EYEWASH i, Believe AND i don't care
Speaker 3: if people get pissed off at me or.
Speaker 2: Not you have to play.
Speaker 4: Baseball to be ready to play baseball in no other,
Speaker 4: sport in no other. Sport can you practice and be
Speaker 4: able to translate practice into the.
Speaker 3: Game you have to play the games to. Develop that's
Speaker 3: why they have minor. Leagues that's why they.
Speaker 2: Play supposed to play a. Lot now that's another whole, story.
Speaker 3: RIGHT i don't understand how they're bringing guys to the
Speaker 3: major leagues after four hundred and seventy five played appearances
Speaker 3: in the minors and now they're coming to the big.
Speaker 2: Leagues they're extraordinary. ATHLETES i get. It it's. Wonderful they're
Speaker 2: way better athletes THAN i during my. ERA i totally get.
Speaker 2: It but you got to play the. Game you got
Speaker 2: to play the game to learn the.
Speaker 6: Game you got to play the game to experience all
Speaker 6: the things that have to be experienced in the.
Speaker 2: Game base running, situations the.
Speaker 6: Panic you feel when you're in the field and you
Speaker 6: got to turn a double play with man on first
Speaker 6: and third.
Speaker 2: And there's one.
Speaker 3: Out that doesn't happen unless you're playing in a, game.
Speaker 2: And an a, game a major league.
Speaker 1: Game in in.
Speaker 3: Terms of getting ready for a spring training major league,
Speaker 3: season you need you need to have those reps because
Speaker 3: you just can't cruise into. It, man it doesn't HAPPEN
Speaker 3: i don't care how many seasons you. PLAYED i don't
Speaker 3: care if you're a one year veteran or a thirty year.
Speaker 3: Veteran you have to play the games to get ready
Speaker 3: for the. Games it's not like riding a.
Speaker 2: Bike and it's a.
Speaker 7: Long long held. Truism there is no substitute for game,
Speaker 7: reps no. Substitute it comes down to me to the
Speaker 7: speed of. Everything everything's a little, quicker a little faster
Speaker 7: in a major league game, setting any, professional top level game,
Speaker 7: setting and the intensity is. Different AND i want to
Speaker 7: ask you. Both listening To Larry anderson post game yesterday
Speaker 7: on the, radio he was wondering where the intensity. Was
Speaker 7: not seeing enough? INTENSITY i, mean he played the game
Speaker 7: for a long, time very valid opinion in my, estimation
Speaker 7: you see it enough? Intensity or is? It sometimes when
Speaker 7: you're just not getting on, base you lack the. Energy
Speaker 7: when you're not, hitting you lack the. Energy it doesn't
Speaker 7: look like you're showing. Intense it's that age old, question
Speaker 7: what do you?
Speaker 1: Seeing? Tom, yeah you, KNOW i always go back To
Speaker 1: Charlie manuel had some of the best offenses in baseball
Speaker 1: when when he was the, manager AND i remember when
Speaker 1: they would go into. Ruts people would, Say, charlie your
Speaker 1: team looks, flat and he, goes there's nobody on. Base
Speaker 1: you know you're gonna be. Flat you know you're gonna look.
Speaker 1: Flat there's no action on the. Basis SO i never
Speaker 1: really know what to think about. THAT i do know
Speaker 1: that On friday, Night Bryce harper took his helmet and
Speaker 1: beat the snot out of the bullpen book that dugout
Speaker 1: and couldn't quite fit the helmet back into the bend
Speaker 1: it goes in because he was smashing it so hard in.
Speaker 1: There so that that's some, intensity that's some. Frustration but,
Speaker 1: YEAH i always think, like if you're not on the,
Speaker 1: basis how do you show? Energy you? Know and that's
Speaker 1: What charlie always. Said but you, Know, reuben you might
Speaker 1: you might see something different than than THAN i don't.
Speaker 1: SEE i, mean do you do you see intensity?
Speaker 2: THERE i, agree when you're not, HITTING i mean, it
Speaker 2: look you look.
Speaker 3: FLAT i, mean you don't have things going, on you
Speaker 3: don't stealing, bases you're not doing. THINGS i get. That that,
Speaker 3: said you've got a group of guys who've gone to the.
Speaker 3: Postseason they keep everybody keeps saying the same, thing including.
Speaker 3: Me ALL us pundits, saying you, know it's a great ball.
Speaker 3: Club it's a great ball. Club it's a great ball.
Speaker 3: Club it's a playoff, team it's a it's a. Contender
Speaker 3: it's a. Contender you keep, here so naturally you hear
Speaker 3: it in your. Ears as a, player you hear it
Speaker 3: in your, mind and there's some element of you, KNOW
Speaker 3: i don't think they're doing this, consciously Like i'm just
Speaker 3: Gonna we're just gonna toss the gloves out there and
Speaker 3: the bats and the balls and we'll be. Fine BUT
Speaker 3: i think that there's some human nature element of guys
Speaker 3: just going you, know we're everything's. Good we've heard this
Speaker 3: and it's probably. True everybody calm, Down we're gonna be.
Speaker 3: Fine we're going to get, better and it's probably. True
Speaker 3: but you just like to see that a, little you,
Speaker 3: know you like to see, them you, know being being fine, earlier.
Speaker 2: Be fine.
Speaker 3: Now AND i think that's part of what the fans
Speaker 3: are seeing and maybe what you're seeing right. Now these
Speaker 3: guys want to. Win believe, me they want to. Win
Speaker 3: this is a good group of. GUYS i really do
Speaker 3: like these guys and like the fact that they like
Speaker 3: each other and want to play with each, other but
Speaker 3: there is.
Speaker 2: Always some element of, like you, know we're gonna be.
Speaker 1: OKAY i.
Speaker 7: AGREE i think the track records and the talent on that,
Speaker 7: team they are gonna be. OKAY i think. PATIENTS i,
Speaker 7: MEAN i know people don't exactly like that, word especially In.
Speaker 7: PHILADELPHIA i think we have a REAL i think we
Speaker 7: view our, team our baseball team through sometimes a football,
Speaker 7: prism and that's, fine BUT i do think you know
Speaker 7: he Wants Once harper starts getting, going he's standing on
Speaker 7: second base pumping his, fist and his uniforms, dirty and
Speaker 7: his sweat and his hair is flying all over the,
Speaker 7: place And turn is running and getting, up that stuff
Speaker 7: will crackle right through the dugout and they'll get. GOING
Speaker 7: i think there's some frustration, early but certainly no. Panic
Speaker 7: no panic in these, quarters at least for.
Speaker 1: Me one, Guy jimmy mentioned slow, starts AND i forgot
Speaker 1: to mention. Him AND i think it's interesting because The
Speaker 1: phillies made a point to go out and get him
Speaker 1: his wit. Marorfield he's really, struggled and not only has he,
Speaker 1: struggled he has not been hitting the ball hard at.
Speaker 1: All and you know they signed him to a one,
Speaker 1: year eight million dollar deal because they wanted to provide
Speaker 1: some outfield, depth you, know they wanted to you, know maybe,
Speaker 1: Platoon Brandon marsha and left, field you, know Get Joan
Speaker 1: rojas off his, feet you, know and just not seeing
Speaker 1: really good at bats from, Him and to, me that's
Speaker 1: he's not key. Necessarily it's Like pastiano's or you, know
Speaker 1: the other everyday. Guys but, man you signed him to
Speaker 1: give us some quality of bats and help attudes some.
Speaker 1: Guys and you, Know i'm just that's that's another GUY
Speaker 1: i think worth. Watching just not hitting the ball ball
Speaker 1: hard at.
Speaker 7: All, yeah he hasn't gotten a ton of playing time,
Speaker 7: either but you know he's kind of that becomes a
Speaker 7: catch twenty. Two the way to get hot is see
Speaker 7: a bunch of pitches and hit the ball hard and
Speaker 7: have good at. Bats and you, know you need volume
Speaker 7: of at bats to get. Hot it's it's very hard
Speaker 7: to you, know be Dell unser and come off and
Speaker 7: square it up every time or come off the. Bench
Speaker 7: but you, know if if marsh keeps keeps swinging, it
Speaker 7: it's gonna become more of a.
Speaker 3: Conundrum, no, yeah, well and that will be that will
Speaker 3: bring up the question of what are you gonna do
Speaker 3: With Johann rojas if he continues to have like okay at.
Speaker 2: BATS i, mean it's nice to, contribute but you, know
Speaker 2: we talked about a lot is his.
Speaker 3: Aggressiveness he didn't look we all, aggressive and a lot
Speaker 3: of his swing still hitting the ball really. Softly you'll
Speaker 3: hit the ball hard a couple of, times but like
Speaker 3: the eggs of, velocity not.
Speaker 2: Great, NOW i go back to the thought process THAT
Speaker 2: i go back on.
Speaker 3: With, merrifield AND i thought it was a great signing,
Speaker 3: Also but the danger of that is, this and we lived.
Speaker 2: IT i lived it as A gm AND i lived
Speaker 2: at as an ASSISTANT.
Speaker 3: Gm you have an everyday player who is now longer
Speaker 3: of tooth and now he is relegated to a bench.
Speaker 2: Spot let me tell, you, boys it is a different world.
Speaker 3: Being off the bench and having a, rhythm As jim,
Speaker 3: said and being able to put together the at bats
Speaker 3: you want to put together when you're not GETTING i don't,
Speaker 3: know thirty at bats a week at least or. Forty
Speaker 3: he ain't getting him and he's not going to get.
Speaker 3: Him and the only way he's really going to get
Speaker 3: him if he starts getting, hot and Then rob's going
Speaker 3: to be forced to put him in, there and that's
Speaker 3: a difficult. Thing who is a player that we Signed Alex,
Speaker 3: gonzalez everyday. Player we decided to try to get him
Speaker 3: to third. Base he was playing shortstop every, DAY i
Speaker 3: think with The, cubs and.
Speaker 2: We get him to, play you, know every once in
Speaker 2: a while in a platoon.
Speaker 3: Situation was It Abraham, Noon, yes we were good at
Speaker 3: platune him WITH i can't.
Speaker 2: Remember the player to play every.
Speaker 3: Day and now he's playing third base but not playing every,
Speaker 3: day and he was.
Speaker 2: Terrible AND i Liked alex and he was a good,
Speaker 2: player but he couldn't do.
Speaker 6: It and some players can't do. It some players are
Speaker 6: used to, playing.
Speaker 3: You, know you got a routine playing every, day and
Speaker 3: if it and if they can do, it it does
Speaker 3: take them maybe a year or two to make that.
Speaker 2: Transition Matt.
Speaker 3: CARPENTER i think About Matt, carpenter everyday, player first, baseman
Speaker 3: an all, star could.
Speaker 2: Really rake and then things starts slowing up for. Him
Speaker 2: now he's in a you, know D h, slash you know.
Speaker 2: Whatever he's not the same.
Speaker 1: Player it's.
Speaker 3: Harder it's hard to have rhythm and to be that
Speaker 3: guy who can get off the. Bench lenny not not
Speaker 3: that Many Lenny harris is out there and can sit
Speaker 3: around and just you, know for nine innings and go
Speaker 3: out there and whack.
Speaker 2: One it just doesn't, happen and that transition may take some.
Speaker 2: TIME i think.
Speaker 3: He's athletic, enough good enough, player baseball, player all that,
Speaker 3: stuff that he will finally make the.
Speaker 2: Adjustment but it is an, adjustment AND.
Speaker 3: I think that that's something that he's you, know that
Speaker 3: The phillies are shorter than he is dealing.
Speaker 1: With we've talked a lot About, rojas And Kevin long
Speaker 1: said something On friday. AFTERNOON i was chatting with him
Speaker 1: about the slow start and the same. Thing he's, Like
Speaker 1: we're gonna be. Fine haven't hit in the best. Weather
Speaker 1: it's gonna get it. Going BUT i asked him specifically About,
Speaker 1: rojas since we've talked so much about, him and he,
Speaker 1: SAID i, said how's his? Mindset his mindset finds that houses.
Speaker 1: Mechanics he, Goes i'm not talking about his mechanics, anymore
Speaker 1: and he's not talking about his mechanics. Anymore we want
Speaker 1: him just to go out there and. Compete he says
Speaker 1: he's been tentative on the basis he's been tentative on
Speaker 1: the field in the, outfield and he's been tentative at the.
Speaker 1: Plate so now it's no more mechanics. Time it is
Speaker 1: now compete. Time so kind of and which is like
Speaker 1: dead on what you guys. SAID i think the last
Speaker 1: time we talked about, him you got to go into
Speaker 1: that batter's box is trying to, compete and they're at
Speaker 1: that point With Johann. Rojas we'll see if he can
Speaker 1: eventually get it.
Speaker 7: Going that's been a consistent theme here on The Todd.
Speaker 7: Pod don't, overthink want, React AND i, mean you, know
Speaker 7: look at athletes these. Days you, know look at.
Speaker 2: An old team.
Speaker 7: Picture he used to be like three, coaches four, coaches
Speaker 7: not even a dozen or, So and in every sports it's.
Speaker 7: Hard you wonder if these guys are getting over engineered
Speaker 7: and and just not. Reacting so it is you, know
Speaker 7: Maybe rojas just by, reacting we'll play.
Speaker 1: Better.
Speaker 2: YEAH i just think that there's too much.
Speaker 6: Information there's too, much, right too much information is a
Speaker 6: hard enough. Game sometimes you just it's great to have some,
Speaker 6: information BUT i think they're.
Speaker 2: Just being fed different types of. INFORMATION i think this
Speaker 2: is a global with. Baseball this is a global. Thing.
Speaker 3: Man there's there's people who are have you've, been have
Speaker 3: been employed to do certain things in the game that
Speaker 3: we're never necessary before. Ever and NOW i think that
Speaker 3: they think that the athletes are so much better and
Speaker 3: the game's being played in such a different way that
Speaker 3: you need all this other. Stuff, well guess, what at
Speaker 3: the end of the, day you got to see. It
Speaker 3: you got to hit it when they hit the ball to,
Speaker 3: you you got to catch. It when you catch, it
Speaker 3: you got to throw.
Speaker 1: It when you're on the.
Speaker 2: Mound you got to pitch it to a. Spot it's
Speaker 2: really pretty.
Speaker 3: Sick there's a lot more going on with your body
Speaker 3: and your mechanics and your biomechanics.
Speaker 2: And all the other.
Speaker 3: Stuff but at the end of the, day it's still
Speaker 3: a game of, baseball and it can't be played in
Speaker 3: a robotic fashion or you get you're not going to get.
Speaker 3: Baseball you're not going to get the athleticism.
Speaker 2: That these young men now. Have and that's what you.
Speaker 2: Want that's what you. Want you want to see their athleticism.
Speaker 7: Play one thing that is not over engineered is this.
Speaker 7: Podcast todd's microphone broke minute before we were going to,
Speaker 7: start and and he's he's a gamer. Man he's carrying.
Speaker 3: On not only, that But jim has now embarrassed me
Speaker 3: into getting everybody new. Equipment so that's What i'm going
Speaker 3: to have to do because he Thinks i'm.
Speaker 1: A, bazillionaire which is of, course is a. Lie But i'll.
Speaker 2: Tie you, up you, know you poor. Babies i'll tell.
Speaker 1: You mine should still be under. WARRANTY i Just boughton sent.
Speaker 2: Me just send me your text you, know text me
Speaker 2: your addresses.
Speaker 3: And i'll have you, know some some entity sent to
Speaker 3: you sometime.
Speaker 7: Soon so, today today Is April fifteenth's a great day
Speaker 7: in the baseball. Calendar It's Jackie Robinson. Day and you,
Speaker 7: KNOW i was blessed with a dad who loved. Baseball
Speaker 7: and you, know not only did he get out in
Speaker 7: the yard and coach all that. Stuff if you told
Speaker 7: me about baseball history and how Important Jackie robinson was,
Speaker 7: SUGGESTED i think WHEN i was in like fourth, GRADE
Speaker 7: i do a book report on. Him And i've always
Speaker 7: had great appreciation For Jackie. Robinson what does it mean to,
Speaker 7: You Todd Jackie robinson?
Speaker 1: Day? Boy you, know, WELL i WoT want to say
Speaker 1: this About Jackie, robinsonday BECAUSE i was just thinking about.
Speaker 1: This i'm covering an event today At Citizens Bank. Park
Speaker 1: they are and are you a part of? This this event?
Speaker 1: Today it's he And. Pinstripes they're doing a very cool
Speaker 1: display at the. BALLPARK i believe it's on in The
Speaker 1: hall Of fame, level some. Photos just an honoring of
Speaker 1: The African american players that kind of paved the way in,
Speaker 1: color all, players all players of, color including your, Dad John,
Speaker 1: kennedy the First phillies. Player he will be have a
Speaker 1: permanent place now A Citizen Bank, Park and you, know
Speaker 1: it's just cool to see. THAT i think The phillies
Speaker 1: do a really good job recognizing their. History that was
Speaker 1: one thing they had not necessarily recognized up until this. Point,
Speaker 1: RUBIN i, mean can you tell me a little bit
Speaker 1: more about it prep me for my What i'm going
Speaker 1: to walk into.
Speaker 2: Today, yeah, Well i'm gonna chat a little bit about.
Speaker 3: It and it's an honor to have been asked by
Speaker 3: The phillies to talk a little bit about it at some.
Speaker 1: Point there's a whole lineup of folks THAT.
Speaker 3: I think whose families and members of their families will
Speaker 3: talk about.
Speaker 1: THEM i don't know all the, name SO i don't
Speaker 1: have him in front of.
Speaker 2: ME i probably.
Speaker 1: Should that, said me and my brother will be there
Speaker 1: sort of representing my.
Speaker 2: Father my Brother, david and you, know it's it is
Speaker 2: a big.
Speaker 3: Deal it did take The phillies a long, time last
Speaker 3: team to have someone of color basically in the NATIONALLY
Speaker 3: i don't know if it was The National league Or
Speaker 3: National league to have someone of color play for, them
Speaker 3: and so that's not. Great but that, said it, happened
Speaker 3: and it was a long time, ago but there was
Speaker 3: an influx of particularly of The Latin american.
Speaker 2: Players you start thinking about some of the players that
Speaker 2: came and. Played Cookie rojas Was.
Speaker 3: Cuban you Had Tony, taylor you had my Dad mexican
Speaker 3: And cuban you Had.
Speaker 1: I'm Sure Tony.
Speaker 3: Gonzalez Tony gonzalez was a player during the. Sixties it
Speaker 3: was big.
Speaker 2: POWER i think it was a big. POWER i think
Speaker 2: was was He Puerto? RICAN i think he. WAS i
Speaker 2: don't have all the. HISTORY i WISH i knew more of,
Speaker 2: it but it does mean a.
Speaker 3: Lot and, UH i, MEAN i have tons of stories
Speaker 3: about the fact that it was tough for. People it
Speaker 3: was tough for my dad in the minor leagues when
Speaker 3: he signed with The Saint Louis cardinals before he was traded.
Speaker 1: Over to The.
Speaker 2: Phillies. Uh he had a tough go.
Speaker 3: Man he played in The Dixie, league played In texas
Speaker 3: Leg he played in a bunch of leagues that he
Speaker 3: couldn't eat in the same places as his white. Counterparts
Speaker 3: he could not stay in the same. Hotels not good,
Speaker 3: man and he had to endure some.
Speaker 1: Stuff what did he ever in the big? Leagues did
Speaker 1: he early on when he made the big?
Speaker 2: Leagues just in, uh just in spring.
Speaker 3: Training in spring, training there was an issue WHERE i
Speaker 3: think it Was Fort Harrison hotel where The phillies could
Speaker 3: not Did they would not house people of, color and
Speaker 3: The phillies basically had to stay well out In, tampa
Speaker 3: so they had a. Disperse it's kind of, shitty but that's.
Speaker 3: Life that's how it was. Then now The Fort harrison
Speaker 3: is run by the by the.
Speaker 2: Scientologists so is it all that?
Speaker 8: Different uh uh we, digress BUT i will say that.
Speaker 2: That it's meaningful for me and my.
Speaker 3: FAMILY i take a lot of pride in the fact
Speaker 3: that my dad was a man and a player of,
Speaker 3: color and, uh it's it's an awesome thing to at
Speaker 3: least be honored and at least have the a little
Speaker 3: bit of the stories.
Speaker 7: Told, yeah well WE i was lucky enough to know your.
Speaker 7: Dad AND i mean a great, man a great baseball.
Speaker 7: Man And i'm JUST i Think Jackie Robinson day is
Speaker 7: one of the best THINGS mlb has ever done because
Speaker 7: his his impact really transcends. Baseball and, uh if you
Speaker 7: watch some of the documentary and just an amazing, man
Speaker 7: and it'll be good to see all those forty two's out.
Speaker 6: There it's.
Speaker 7: FUNNY i always WHEN i see forty, two like on
Speaker 7: a hockey player or another, SPORT i always kind of
Speaker 7: wonder if he selected that number out of respect For Jackie.
Speaker 7: Robinson so it's it's it's just a really special day
Speaker 7: on the baseball. CALENDAR i CAN i remember remember the
Speaker 7: year The expos played down In Puerto. Rico they played
Speaker 7: like three or four series down In Puerto. RICO i
Speaker 7: went down to one of, them and the there was
Speaker 7: like a, clinic baseball clinic run by the sons Of Roberto. Clement, yes,
Speaker 7: yes sons of The Alamar boys were there And Sharon
Speaker 7: robinson was, there AND i remember speaking with her and just, Thinking,
Speaker 7: wow this is really. Cool As Roberto clent's, Boys i'm
Speaker 7: talking To Sharon. Robinson it was, like if you appreciate
Speaker 7: baseball history and you know history in, general it was really.
Speaker 2: SPECIAL i, mean think about What Jackie robinson had to, endure.
Speaker 2: MAN i, mean.
Speaker 3: You, know people talk about What Hank aaron had to
Speaker 3: go through when he was getting to seven point. FIFTEEN i,
Speaker 3: mean think about What Jackie robinson had to deal.
Speaker 1: WITH i, mean he had a whole world on top
Speaker 1: of his.
Speaker 2: Shoulders it's.
Speaker 7: Incredible and that's if you ever visit The Negro League
Speaker 7: museum In Kansas, city WHICH i. Have in, FACT i
Speaker 7: went With andrew McCutcheon and wrote a story about. It
Speaker 7: it was one of the thrills of my career going.
Speaker 7: There but the gentleman who runs The Negro League's museum
Speaker 7: is a guy Named Bob, kendrick and he gives a
Speaker 7: great tour of the place and he talks about Why
Speaker 7: Jackie robinson, was you, know the guy That Branch tricky
Speaker 7: wanted and had so much to do with his life
Speaker 7: experience and his character and the fact that, yes it
Speaker 7: was going to be a weight on. Him but this
Speaker 7: was the guy that could handle. IT i would recommend
Speaker 7: that visit to.
Speaker 3: Anyone and and there was Some jackie was a really
Speaker 3: really great, player but not the best.
Speaker 2: Black player there was and. Thereat BUT i think that
Speaker 2: that you're.
Speaker 3: RIGHT i think that he had the mental makeup to
Speaker 3: be able to handle the pressures of being the.
Speaker 7: Guy he was a little bit, older and and he
Speaker 7: was the guy That Bran tricky, tabbed and you, know
Speaker 7: Thank god for, him no.
Speaker 1: Doubt, well, guys let's look ahead real quick before we
Speaker 1: get out of.
Speaker 3: Here, hey CAN i say one thing About andrew school
Speaker 3: is at About andrew hitting at the three hundred uniform
Speaker 3: in a well in A pirates uniform at The phillies.
Speaker 7: Awesome he was a uh you, know when you cover
Speaker 7: baseball and you know you got a lot of, guys
Speaker 7: there are certain guys when you look back at your,
Speaker 7: career or even you look back at a, season you, say you,
Speaker 7: KNOW i was really lucky to get to know that
Speaker 7: guy and cover that. Guy you know me guys like.
Speaker 7: It But andrew McCutcheon is definitely one of those guys
Speaker 7: that MAKES i would bet makes every baseball writers, list
Speaker 7: just a quality human, being a good, guy, accountable good.
Speaker 7: PLAYER i love watching the way he gets that bad
Speaker 7: head out when he gets a hanger.
Speaker 1: Boom he knows how to use that bad. Head. Still
Speaker 1: he's one of those guys when you see him walk
Speaker 1: through the, clubhouse there's a presence about, him, RIGHT i,
Speaker 1: mean just he carries handsome gravitas about him when you
Speaker 1: see him in the, field in the, dugout in the.
Speaker 1: Clubhouse so The, Phillies, Philly Philly's, uh this isn't great
Speaker 1: opportunity for The. Phillies we've talked a lot about slow
Speaker 1: starts and easing getting getting things. Rolling, man this is
Speaker 1: the week to get things. Rolling And, RUBEN i know
Speaker 1: you've said. IT a lot of people say. It anybody
Speaker 1: that puts on a big league uniform is a big.
Speaker 1: Leader AND i totally understand what you mean by. That
Speaker 1: these are two, teams The phillies opening a three game
Speaker 1: series tonight against The. Rockies they played The White sox
Speaker 1: over the weekend three game. Series rockies third worst run
Speaker 1: differential in, Baseball White sox worst run differential in. Baseball
Speaker 1: both teams have been getting pounded all season. Long this
Speaker 1: is this is this is a. Week this is the
Speaker 1: week for them for them to get. Rolling do you not?
Speaker 3: AGREE i think it's a. DISASTER i will say. THIS
Speaker 3: i think it's a disaster if they don't win four
Speaker 3: games out of the, sixth simple.
Speaker 1: Agree so a disaster in the third week Of.
Speaker 3: April not, disaster but it would be a gross underachievement
Speaker 3: to not beat for before out of.
Speaker 2: SIX i, mean you got to clean up on. This
Speaker 2: you got to play better.
Speaker 3: Baseball AND i know baseball, baseball but you got to
Speaker 3: take one game at a. Time as you, Know, todd
Speaker 3: you know you can tell you drop all of the
Speaker 3: cliches you. Want but talent, wise there's no contest here
Speaker 3: and it needs to be and it needs to be.
Speaker 3: Enforced they need to enforce their greatness on these two, teams.
Speaker 7: But even more, so even more so than the opponent
Speaker 7: and cleaning up on the opponent and making Hay on
Speaker 7: a bad. Opponent phillies need to catch the ball. Better
Speaker 7: phillies need to run the bases. Better offense needs to thaw.
Speaker 7: Out they need to Get Zach wheeler some. Support there's
Speaker 7: things that they can take care of that are just
Speaker 7: specific to The. Phillies you, know kind of clean up
Speaker 7: your own shop before you worry about taking it out
Speaker 7: on somebody. ELSE i, mean there's regardless of the, opponent
Speaker 7: there's there's areas they need to get, better but, hey
Speaker 7: the fact of the matter is they're playing two week.
Speaker 7: Teams just be careful With.
Speaker 2: Charlie Charlie.
Speaker 7: Blackman it seems like every time he comes To Citizens
Speaker 7: Bank park he breaks three chairs in right.
Speaker 2: Field he's a good. Player he's been a good player
Speaker 2: for a long.
Speaker 3: TIME i know he's getting older and but but he
Speaker 3: can still do some damage.
Speaker 2: Outside everybody, says, well you can't hit other Than.
Speaker 1: Colorado that's not.
Speaker 2: True it's.
Speaker 9: Here the other guy you gotta be, scared you gotta
Speaker 9: be leary of is a kid Named Nolan, jones A
Speaker 9: philadelphia product from From Holy Ghost PREP hgp and from
Speaker 9: The Philly bandits wonderful, kid tremendous athlete who had a
Speaker 9: phenomenal year last.
Speaker 2: YEAR i mean he was fifth In rookie of The,
Speaker 2: year third or something crazy number and he only played
Speaker 2: what three quarters of the season or two thirds of the.
Speaker 2: Season this kid can do some things, now and he'll
Speaker 2: be in his. Hometown he'll have four hundred thousand. Tickets
Speaker 2: but he's a good. Player. Man you got to hold
Speaker 2: him down. Too he's not he's struggle a little. Bit
Speaker 2: he's in like two hundred right, now but they got
Speaker 2: to hold him down.
Speaker 7: Too just a phenomenal baseball. Name Nolan jones is a baseball,
Speaker 7: name or.
Speaker 3: Try and you talk about being a, wonderful humble. KID
Speaker 3: i just digress a little bit on this. Kid he
Speaker 3: is a spectacular. Kid and if you stand next to,
Speaker 3: him you, go oh my. God he's the largest human
Speaker 3: Being i've ever.
Speaker 1: Seen he's six,' five he's all, of it.
Speaker 3: With a, beautiful swing, runs well plays well, in defense,
Speaker 3: good player and is.
Speaker 7: His brother like a, hockey goalie a professional hockey goalie
Speaker 7: is the annual.
Speaker 1: Hockey reference i'm.
Speaker 2: Not sure don't.
Speaker 1: QUOTE me i thought. HE was i think you just
Speaker 1: want him to be a, WELL guys i. Appreciate it
Speaker 1: thank you. So much thanks to everybody. For, listening listen
Speaker 1: we're gonna get this audio Fixed that ruben has promised this,
Speaker 1: very expensive, high performance VERY high i mean we're gonna,
Speaker 1: be like you're gonna feel like we're in the living room,
Speaker 1: with you in the car with you. Next time so
Speaker 1: thanks everybody for listening and Watching The Philly Show. Hockey
Speaker 1: later Smell your smell, You, Later ruben, smell you