Why Phillies Have Exciting Future — Fritz | 94WIP

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]Let's talk about the Phils.

[00:00:03]Hit it.

[00:00:04]>> IT'S TIME FOR THE high hopes Jackie baseball report.

[00:00:08]>> Joining me right now is Jackie Baseball Fritz.

[00:00:11]>> Jackie baseball.

[00:00:14]>> Allighty.

[00:00:16]>> Okay.

[00:00:16]>> All right. Schwarber's back.

[00:00:18]>> Oh, that's good news.

[00:00:18]>> Oh, that's good news. We're back. So, they go Turner, Schwarber, Harper, of course. Uh they're settling back into Bulmer as the cleanup hitter.

[00:00:29]What's old is new again.

[00:00:31]>> Yeah.

[00:00:32]>> Uh Brandon Marsh in the five hole.

[00:00:34]Adoleius down to the sixhole. Uh Bryson Scott is at second base hitting seventh.

[00:00:39]JT eighth. And then uh Justin Crawford in in center field.

[00:00:43]>> Okay.

[00:00:43]>> So they're facing Gavin Williams tonight.

[00:00:45]>> Yes.

[00:00:46]>> Who is a problem?

[00:00:47]>> Oh, >> long been a Fritzman.

[00:00:49]>> Great.

[00:00:50]>> Long been a Fritzman. It is Sanche on the mound. Nice symmetry here. Sanchi's on the mound on Chris Sanchez bobblehead night.

[00:00:56]>> Oh, there. That's good planning from the Phils there.

[00:00:59]>> Yeah.

[00:00:59]>> Yeah.

[00:00:59]>> I don't know if it was planned.

[00:01:00]>> Well, >> I I would imagine it was >> at least a little bit.

[00:01:04]>> A little bit.

[00:01:04]>> Yeah. Well, especially when you have an interim manager, you're like, "Hey, could you make this happen for us?" You know, >> uh and in the lineup for the Cleveland Guardians, >> Reese Hoskins.

[00:01:14]>> OH, is he going to get a standing ovation if he has the home run jack?

[00:01:18]>> I'm not going to make the same bet as last time.

[00:01:19]>> All right, good.

[00:01:21]>> That turned out real poorly.

[00:01:22]>> Yeah, it did. Well, it turned out great.

[00:01:23]It was our first bet.

[00:01:24]>> It was a good bet.

[00:01:24]>> Yeah, it was our first bet. Y still causes me physical. Uh, you know, I don't love it.

[00:01:28]>> You get sick, but it's a great bit.

[00:01:30]>> It's a great bit.

[00:01:32]>> It's a good DP. The DP is key. Everyone knows that.

[00:01:35]>> So, Reese is hitting third for the Guardians. Not having a great year.

[00:01:38]>> No.

[00:01:38]>> Hitting like 180 something.

[00:01:39]>> Yeah.

[00:01:40]>> But, you know, >> it's early.

[00:01:41]>> It's early. A lot of times turn around.

[00:01:43]>> 50 games. I think we could Are I Are we Are we officially past it's early?

[00:01:48]>> 50. The 50 game mark.

[00:01:49]>> We're a third of the way through the season.

[00:01:51]>> Okay. All right. Well, but again, you you can kind of say it's early >> until about August. There's still a lot of season left. There's still two months of a year.

[00:02:00]>> A lot of baseball.

[00:02:01]>> There's still a lot of baseball left to be played. Uh and then uh I was looking at the the Guardians lineup and it did bring a a a single tear down my eye spike. Uh our guy Steven Quan hitting seventh for them.

[00:02:13]>> Oh, is he? Yeah. He's not having a great year.

[00:02:14]>> He's looking at his Savant. You want to talk about some blue? He's like in the one the first percentile of hard hit percent.

[00:02:20]>> It's kind of weird. I know. Yeah, I know. It's disappointing. I love Steen Quan.

[00:02:23]>> I do, too. He's not old, you know. I think he's 28, something like that. So, I I'm still fully confident in Quan.

[00:02:30]>> Yeah.

[00:02:30]>> Yeah.

[00:02:31]>> Uh more confident in turning their season around >> because they're both are all like now we know about Nolan's struggles. I feel like JT struggles have flown a little bit under the radar. Yeah. because we all kind of accepted that he was here for only his defense, but you you look at the offensive numbers and they >> aren't pretty. His OPS is in the 500s. I think he's slugging two something off of fast balls where he slugged over 500 the last couple years against >> Good thing we signed him to a three-year deal.

[00:02:59]>> Yeah, it's a good thing there's only two and a half years left on that deal.

[00:03:02]Sure.

[00:03:02]>> Yeah. So, that's good stuff. And more confident turning around JT or Nola?

[00:03:06]>> JT.

[00:03:08]>> I JT.

[00:03:10]>> Yeah. It's been shorter with JT. You know, it's been This is the second year of Nola. You know, JT, you know, J had JT had a really big hot streak last year, I thought. Um, so I'm just going to assume it's going to happen at some point until it doesn't. I I would say JT. Would you as well?

[00:03:27]>> Probably. Although I'm rooting harder for Noles, >> of course.

[00:03:32]>> Yeah. Well, he's a real Philly.

[00:03:34]>> Yeah. Yeah. JT's a wall of famer.

[00:03:37]>> Well, who is it?

[00:03:38]>> Yeah. This got this team's loaded wall of famers. We got >> Hey, this whole team is wall of famers.

[00:03:43]>> They're gonna have to make a new wall. I mean, they're gonna have to extend the wall. You're gonna have JT. You're gonna have Well, Bryce hopefully his numbers tired so they don't have to put him on the wall, but they could, you know, do both, I guess. So, Bryce, JT, Schwarber.

[00:03:53]>> Yeah. Wheels.

[00:03:55]>> Wheeler Sanchez.

[00:03:56]>> Yeah.

[00:03:57]>> Nola.

[00:03:57]>> Nola.

[00:03:58]>> Mitch, right?

[00:04:00]>> No, not yet.

[00:04:01]>> We'll see.

[00:04:03]>> Well, he's going to be here a while.

[00:04:04]>> He's gonna be here a while. It would actually be a bad thing probably. It means his career really petered out if he's not on the wall of fame.

[00:04:11]>> I agree. Yeah, he better be on the wall of fame.

[00:04:14]>> A lot of wall of famers. Lazardo will get on there.

[00:04:17]>> Hopefully. Hopefully. No, Rangers.

[00:04:19]>> Ranger.

[00:04:20]>> Can I Can I get my my Nola take here?

[00:04:22]>> Yeah, go ahead. I I got nothing else.

[00:04:24]>> So, in my my long drive today up and back from uh Belmar, I was thinking about Nolles. What to do with Nolles?

[00:04:31]because I am in this difficult spot where I want to root for him, but every time I see him, it makes me sick to my stomach. And I started thinking about what you do with Nolles because the throw him out there every fifth day is going to get old and they're going to be in a situation where you can say you're paying them all this money, but if he's not effective, it's hurting your ball club. And I started thinking about I I thought about John Smoltz >> as one does. And John Smoltz had Tommy John surgery and when he came back he could not keep his velocity up as a starter. So the Braves turned him into a closer and he was a really good closer.

[00:05:09]I think he's 50 plus saves one of those years >> uh for three or four years. And if the deal with Nola is and I thought back to the playoffs with Nola and I thought back to the World Baseball Classic and the playoffs he threw pretty hard and one of the reasons he was able to throw hard is that he knew he was only going to be in there for a few innings and World Baseball Classic, same thing.

[00:05:30]Nola, you know, only in there for a few innings. Then I start thinking, uh, you know, Joan Duran only has one more year after this year on controllable contract and you're gonna have to make that decision about paying Don.

[00:05:43]>> I would at the trade deadline get another starter, put that starter in the rotation, put Nola in the bullpen and say, "Let loose and see if this guy can pitch out of the bullpen." And if he can, if he is a if he can do the Smoltz thing, then you don't have to pay Don because it's going to be tough to pay Duron $30 million a year while you have $35 million in Nola sitting there doing nothing. If Nola could be your closer for the next couple of years, if that becomes, and I know people think it's I don't think it's crazy.

[00:06:18]>> Yeah, it's crazy.

[00:06:19]>> I I really don't think it is. I think if you tell him you're only throwing one inning, go in there and give us what you can. See what's there.

[00:06:28]>> Still 93 miles per hour, >> but not not if he's only throwing one inning. If he's throwing one inning, if he doesn't worry about throwing five or six innings, that's the problem that Smoltz had. If you can go in there and throw 94, 95 miles an hour and you could be that. I I just think the idea of throwing him out there and expecting it's going to fix itself is it's never going to happen. I I it seems really really unlikely and every year this goes by that I I just would not if they're going to have to think about phantom iiling him they're going to have to think about releasing him they're going to have to think about eating money in a trade I'm doing everything I can to see if there is value in him especially before I pay Don because you spent a lot of money on the closer that is a commitment and I I'm not even confident they would do that like they they haven't spent that kind of money on a closer Well, since papon.

[00:07:19]>> Yeah, it's been a long time.

[00:07:20]>> No, you said 30 million AE. It wouldn't be that. I mean, the highest AV right now is like 23 million.

[00:07:24]>> That's Diaz, right? But but it's only going up.

[00:07:27]>> Yeah. I mean, it's next year. It's not going to jump to like 30. So, it's still going to be like 17 to 20 million a year.

[00:07:32]>> Well, if Diaz is getting 23, he's going to get 23.

[00:07:35]>> But >> in two years, >> either way, it's not going to be 30 million.

[00:07:38]>> It's still going to be a lot of money.

[00:07:39]Well, sure.

[00:07:40]>> I want to see if Aaron Nola can be a real bullpen piece the way that John Smoltz did. I I could I could not even imagine letting the Nola era like letting this just peter out without at least trying it, especially because it's happened with at least one starter before.

[00:07:56]>> Yeah, you're going to have to do that in the offseason, though. He's going to have to come into a season with that mindset already. That's the other problem here. You know, the contract gives Aaron a cache. He gives him a little weight to push around and so he's not if he's not want to do that, he's not doing it.

[00:08:15]>> Well, sure.

[00:08:15]>> I think he's he views himself still as a starter.

[00:08:18]>> He's prideful. He wants to go out there.

[00:08:21]I I just I just think they're stuck. I I just I I just think they're stuck with him. And you're gonna you're going to have to What it does is it puts more pressure on the other three guys and your team to win every time those three guys go out there.

[00:08:38]I just don't think >> because how many rotations got four or five good pitchers in there where >> I mean >> I mean to have three is a good thing.

[00:08:46]>> It's a it's a good way to start your rotation but is a six erra of a guy that can't get out of the fourth.

[00:08:52]>> I hear you. But every every out Yeah.

[00:08:54]Every outing IS GOING TO BE THAT. Every outing isn't that.

[00:08:58]>> He's only getting older. I again I'm not >> Well, I mean he's not going to age this year.

[00:09:04]They're all aging every conversation that you can have with him in the offseason that would get him he would be prepared to do it going into the season.

[00:09:12]I just don't think he would do it during the season.

[00:09:15]>> And I I I know I know Smoltz did it. I just I don't think his stuff would play up that much out of bullpen. And the other thing is like he's going have to get he's going to have to get hot quick in some instances. He's going have to pitch back toback days. Yes. Like I think that's an adjustment for a guy who has a whole routine of being a starting pitcher, a different routine. He have to get he would have to get used to it. Now maybe they make him a long man first or make him like a >> uh and let him work his way into more high leverage roles, >> but it's uh it's an interesting thought.

[00:09:46]I just wouldn't be I don't think he's got closer stuff. Certainly worth a try. I It's just th this is every fifth day of this for four more years.

[00:09:58]>> There's just no way. Yeah.

[00:09:59]>> Well, have you gauge wood bump?

[00:10:01]>> Well, you just got to get through this season. I won't think about the four more years.

[00:10:04]>> Well, I'm thinking about it every day.

[00:10:07]>> Yeah.

[00:10:08]>> 2030.

[00:10:09]>> I can tell. Yeah, I can tell. Yeah. You got to get through this season.

[00:10:12]>> 2030 is not that far away.

[00:10:13]>> Oh, it is. It is not that far away.

[00:10:16]Don't rush it.

[00:10:17]>> Yeah, it's it's further than 2029, which is when Joel's season contract ends. It seems so you know shortterm I'm reasonably Oh yeah yeah yeah Ike. We'll get in short term longterm right after uh Ike tells you about something.

[00:10:31]>> Hey looking look for a great deal to stay connected now for a limited time.

[00:10:35]New Verizon mobile and home customers can get FiOS and Alana mobile for just $69.99 a month with autopay. Get Fio's 300 megabit per second for $20 a month and unlimited welcome for $50 a month plus taxes and fees when you bring in your own phone. visit a Verizon store today to learn more and make the switch.

[00:10:55]>> So, we we talked with the Eagles and the Sixers about short-term and long-term and how confident we are. Shortterm, I'm reasonably confident about the Phillies.

[00:11:05]We know who they are. I think they're a good baseball team. long term the the three guys the and I know it doesn't mean everything for every prospect they have but when their core is all 32 33 years old >> and the the the biggest prospect we have is Aiden Miller has not played baseball has lost his fastball and Justin Crawford >> like looks like a major leager but but that's about it I I would be and Dumbowski you know having maybe lost his fast ball Just like Painter, I I'd be skeptical of the Phillies long term.

[00:11:42]>> Uh I feel better about the next I feel better about the five to 10 years than I do the next five years, if that makes any sense at all. Like I think I actually think the future future they are moving in a better direction. Like >> how do you feel that?

[00:11:55]>> Well, so here's how I feel it because they are investing way more in the international market. They're not just They used to >> That's true. Yeah, you're right about that. Yeah. They used to cast a wide net, not spend a lot of money on they spend a little money on a lot of players rather than big money on the the the top players.

[00:12:14]>> So like Francisco Renteria who no one cares about, but like he he's one of the three best international prospects in in this year's class, the upcoming classes, you know, the apparently this Kenny Ronald Akuna's brother Kenny Akunia who's like 14 or whatever and has a Philly's commitment.

[00:12:32]>> Damn, how long we got to wait? You're gonna again, this is why I'm more optimistic about the five to 10.

[00:12:36]>> We got it. Six years. What is he? 14.

[00:12:39]>> 14.

[00:12:39]>> He's not coming. He's not playing before he's 21, is he?

[00:12:42]>> 19.

[00:12:42]>> 19.

[00:12:43]>> 19.

[00:12:43]>> He better play at 19.

[00:12:44]>> 19 or 20.

[00:12:45]>> Okay. 19.

[00:12:45]>> Dude, I'm 49. I'm >> When do we ever have a 19year-old playing for us?

[00:12:48]>> It's supposed to be painter in 23.

[00:12:50]>> Yeah.

[00:12:50]>> And then he got hurt.

[00:12:52]>> And then he got hurt. And then he got hurt. So, I actually think that I think below the surface or like under the hood, there are good things happening when it comes to player development and drafting and international market. But I do think that the end of this era now you feel good because the pitching staff's here at least with the top three through 2031.

[00:13:11]>> Yeah, >> the top >> top three top two.

[00:13:15]>> Well, yeah. Sorry, those two. Yeah.

[00:13:16]Sanchez and then I did put painter in.

[00:13:18]We'll see.

[00:13:19]>> No, I thought you I thought you talking about Wheeler.

[00:13:21]>> I messed up with Wheeler. Yeah, >> although he's pitching after next year anyway.

[00:13:25]>> We're going to extension two more years.

[00:13:27]Come on. We got a Hall of Fame. You got You got to put the cherry on top of Hall of Fame career. You got to get in there, kid. Everyone knows that. And then Gage Wood's coming. So, you know, we'll see.

[00:13:36]We'll see what he is.

[00:13:37]>> Who's thrown 26 innings?

[00:13:39]>> 27 innings.

[00:13:40]>> Okay.

[00:13:40]>> 27. And he's starting for Reading tonight. All right.

[00:13:42]>> Yeah. Come on, man. See you in September. Gage.

[00:13:45]>> 215.

[00:13:46]>> September.

[00:13:47]>> Two. And we're not counting Toy Story as one of the top three until >> Damn. Yeah, you >> guys are so dramatic.

[00:13:53]>> No, so dramatic.

[00:13:55]>> Yeah, I know you feel the same. Someone get the lie detector. Someone get the lie detector.

[00:13:58]>> Dude, put in a lie detector in the Phils, man. It'd be a whole different story.

[00:14:02]>> Yes. Yeah. I think you'd do worse than Elliot did to be quite >> honest. work. Yes.