Phillies Midseason Check-In: All-Star Week & What's Next

With the All-Star break just around the corner, we break down everything happening with the Phillies. We discuss the team's recent stretch, the players representing Philadelphia at the All-Star Game, the biggest surprises and disappointments of the first half, and what the club needs to do after the break to stay in the National League race. We also look ahead to the Home Run Derby, potential trade deadline moves, and whether the Phillies have what it takes to make another deep postseason run.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:06

Hello and welcome back to season two, episode eight of two average guys. Uh today it's been a little bit since we've posted an episode, but we're kind of just gonna recap what's been going on in the league. The Phillies are kind of on a heater right now, record up to 51 and 41. Uh two games behind the Braves for first place.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

50 and 41.

SPEAKER_02 0:29

With the win tonight that we just watched, they moved to 51 and 41. It's right there on the screen. Puts them two games behind the Braves for first place in the NL East. Um, and yeah, Sawyer, what you got, man?

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Yeah, I mean, ever since we decided not to uh episode, they've been on a tear. I mean, two and a half games back now, really looking good to to take the spot against the Braves, been playing really well with a big one tonight. Shorber Homered, really fun game to watch. Wheeler had 14Ks. Yeah, Wheeler had a new high, 14Ks, and got to see two of our coaching staff get thrown out of the game over an interesting. I mean, it was a controversial call, but I think the umpires got it right with not saying there was no interference and the runner did not abandon. But going to the past series, I mean, we've really played, we played great against I mean, I mean, the f we split against the pirates in a four-game series, which we shouldn't have. Yeah, I know. A little disappointing, but we killed Skeens. It was very fun to watch Skeens get lit up by the whole Phillies offense. Really, Gabriel came out, got what got three hits on the night. It was really fun to watch. And then going into the Royal series where we got killed. Because the Royals apparently are the greatest hitting team of all time, currently, right now, for some reason. Scoring 20 or uh 21 runs in a series against us. Insane. And then topping off tonight with a great win against the Reds.

SPEAKER_02 2:06

Also, currently in a game right now that's 16 to 12. They have 16. So if the game were to end right now, they would have scored 31 runs in the last two games. Uh incredible. You're gonna win a bunch of ball games doing that. From a team that's not very good. I mean, the Royals, I I guess maybe maybe I'm just a hater.

SPEAKER_00 2:27

Taglione has been amazing recently. Yeah, like I re like he had a very rough start, but apparently the past couple this month, June, and like going into July has been amazing for him. It's been very fun to watch.

SPEAKER_02 2:39

I mean, they're 37 and 54, so they're not exactly the best team. Oh, yeah. But they're mashing ball. They're hot, man. They're hot.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

That's all baseball is. You you start off cold, and then if you get hot and you keep it going, you could do something.

SPEAKER_02 2:52

Yeah. I mean, the Phillies are hot too. It just still scares me that their run differential is negative four.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

It's still negative.

SPEAKER_02 2:58

They're 10 games above 500 with a negative run differential. That's like off the top of my head, I can't name another team that's done that, which makes me say super uncalled for. Also five all-stars?

SPEAKER_00 3:14

Uh Lazardo.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

Lazardo, Sanchez, Duron, Marsh, Marsh, Harper, Kyle. Harper, Sanchez.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Oh, Sanchez. Did we say Kyle? Did you say Kyle?

SPEAKER_02 3:27

No, I didn't say Kyle. Oh, seven. Seven? Wait. Seven?

SPEAKER_01 3:31

You also Sanchez choice.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

Oh, we did. Sanchez, Lazardo, Duron. Those are the pitchers. Yeah. Then you have Marsh, Schwarper, Harper.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Harper. Okay, so we have Sanchez. No, Bone, but not. So we had six. He does not deserve it, though. There's no good. There is zero good third basemans in there now.

SPEAKER_02 3:52

Besides Max Muncie.

SPEAKER_00 3:53

Oh, yeah, sorry. I forgot about Muncie.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

And I don't know about Austin Riley.

SPEAKER_00 3:57

Austin Riley isn't. Is he even I haven't heard his name once this year, if I'm being honest.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

Um, well, that's probably because he's hitting 212.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Okay, that's well des Yeah, nope. His name should not be a thing. But I mean Who's the backup?

SPEAKER_01 4:12

Uh I don't even know off the top of my head.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

I don't know. I mean, I I am a low-key, I'm a little surprised. Harper. Is he the backup? It might be a Machado. He that would be very depressing. But uh I'm a little surprised Harper did got it. I mean, he deserves it. He's been one of the fan. He's been playing very but he has nowadays it's fan voting, and Matt, and Matt Olson is the starter, I believe. Right. He should be the starter, and then it's Freddie Freeman as another reserve, I guess. Unless Freeman didn't get an all-star, which would be insane. It's Freeman. He always should get an all-star.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

But I mean, I would say Freeman should be the reserve over Harper.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Going to going into fan voting, I think it's ridiculous. Otani again again, it's Otani, but I think it's a joke he got DH again this year.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Over Schwarber?

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Yes. Schwerbert leads the league in Homers by a long slot, by a huge spread. Okay. How much? Is it like four now? Like two games. Okay. Homers. I think someone got to 29. Okay, but still, like, come on. Like, he hit 31. 31 now. 31 tonight. Yeah, 31. Like, come on. Otani had a rough start to the year. Sure has been hot this whole year. And then Jordan's been.

SPEAKER_01 5:32

I mean, Jordan's got 29.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Yordan deserves the ALDH. He got it and deserves it completely. Probably one of the best lefty hitters in the past decade.

SPEAKER_02 5:41

Yeah, he's up to 29. Um the biggest snub, in my opinion, is Otto Lopez.

SPEAKER_00 5:49

Otto didn't get one.

SPEAKER_02 5:50

No.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

That's a little nuts. What's this? He didn't get okay. Fan voting to joke. This sucks. Like, like, I'm getting to the point. Like, again, coming from a biased Phillies fan, Wheeler not getting one is the biggest joke ever. Doesn't every team get one? Yes, every team does get one all-star minimum. Who else would it be? I don't know who my name is. Sandy? Sandy hasn't even been good. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:24

I mean, I don't know who the second baseman are, but it might be Xavier Edwards.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

Uh it might be Xavier. It might be Xavier. Also again, Bobby Witt? Like, he's he hasn't been that good this year. Like he's I mean, it's still like good, like, but like I think a lot of other guys in for that deserve the shortstop over him.

SPEAKER_02 6:48

Oh, Otto Lopez isn't starting. He's a reserve infield.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

Who's starting for now?

SPEAKER_02 6:54

CJ Abram.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:56

Stupid. Otto Lopez should be starting.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

CJ's had a good year.

SPEAKER_02 7:00

It's not even remotely close. Otto Lopez should be starting.

SPEAKER_00 7:03

I guess.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

Otto Lopez has been the best shortstop in baseball, arguably the best player in baseball.

SPEAKER_00 7:09

Yeah, but I think CJ literally leads every stat for shortstops except Average. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

I think I'm right about that.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

But I think I'm right about that. I think CJ Abrams leads most stats for shortstops except Average.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

I don't know. I'm not a huge CJ Abrams fan.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

I remember have you been seeing the clips about like uh not at all. No, about like MLB like managers giving out the all-stars. You've seen those. Come on.

SPEAKER_01 7:35

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Yeah, yeah. I saw like the one about CJ Abrams and the guy and the manager went through his stats and like how he leads most of the shortstop stats. Except average, of course. But yeah, I don't know. Oh, this also is gonna be a what has been very interesting, the selection. I mean, Marsh should should have always been a starter, been one of the hottest hitters in the NL. Posting a 320. Does he have 320 right now?

SPEAKER_01 8:04

I believe he's not above 320 right now. He isn't just below. He's in the 13s.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

Yeah, yeah. Still been phenomenal hitting, hitting a lot better for power this year, I think. Been hitting a lot better. And really he's been amazing. And he deserves that starting spot without a doubt.

SPEAKER_02 8:22

He's down to 305.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

But he's got 15 homers.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

Yeah, I mean, for him, that's insane.

SPEAKER_02 8:29

Right, that's pretty good.

SPEAKER_00 8:31

Like, I don't care. If he's above 315 bombs, that's phenomenal.

SPEAKER_02 8:36

Um, a bunch of guys in the Phillies low-key have sneaky homers. Like, Harper's got like 20, like sneaky. He does? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

How much does Boehm have this year?

SPEAKER_02 8:46

Uh probably not that many. Hold on. I would Turner is I mean I was just looking at Molly.

SPEAKER_00 8:50

Did we talk to Turner for a little bit?

SPEAKER_02 8:52

No.

SPEAKER_00 8:53

Uh I tried, guys.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

Turner's got 10 homers. Turner has 10. Schwarber has 31. Harper has 20. Marsh has 15. Boehm has 11. Stott has seven. JT has six. Edmundo Sosa has five. Every day. Should be everyday player Edmundo Sosa.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

No, but Stott, okay. Stott's been great. I'm sorry. He's been he's been great. He stepped up his bat. His glove is always gonna be amazing. I have no complaints about him.

SPEAKER_02 9:26

He's hitting sub 250, but at the same time, Bohm's hitting 222. I don't really care. I don't care what you do, just get Edmundo Sosa on the lineup, man. Like quite honestly. I mean, it's just like Bohm is a negative 0.4 war.

SPEAKER_00 9:44

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 9:44

Bohm.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

Bohm has not had a hot start. But I mean, he's he's again, I think a lot of our NFO stepped it up since anything. Like I mean the team's been playing. Turner's been phenomenal. The team's been playing. He's stepped up. Like I used to hate Bone. I've been a Bone hater this whole like this whole season. But he really stepped up in the past couple days. Hitting a lot, a lot for power, hitting a lot for average, getting on, being a really good base runner, doing everything right.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

I don't know. I mean, the Phillies seem to be playing well. There's no doubt about that. Um, I would really, really like to see some of the moves made before the deadline. I would like to see another pitcher added.

SPEAKER_00 10:33

You see that, or you see that I saw something, but like there's no way we get scuba. But like I saw a thing that were yeah, but there's zero way.

SPEAKER_02 10:43

Um I don't think we've recorded an episode since Andrew Painter got sent down.

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Oh yeah, thank God that happened.

SPEAKER_02 10:48

Andrew Painter got sent back down to the minors, which means that we don't have a fifth starter. It's been Alan Ranhell for a little bit, but it he was fine.

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Also, who who would sometimes be an opener? Why am I blanking on his name?

SPEAKER_02 11:00

Who would sometimes the last two games?

SPEAKER_00 11:04

What uh the before that, before him, there's also before he came up, we we had oh myza. He would be, yeah, Tim would be an opener sometimes, which again, I mean, wasn't horrible. Like bent on that stretch, we've been great.

SPEAKER_02 11:18

He opened for Ranhell's first game. Oh, was it that? And then the next game that they just started Allen. And he was fine. I mean, he he was pitching well for a guy that's not a starter and was just called up from triple A, and then all of a sudden we just send him back down. When we have another game for the all-star break where our fifth starter is gonna be, we're gonna have to just go straight bullpen.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 11:43

And I don't think our bullpen's good enough for that. I think that's just gonna be like an auto loss.

SPEAKER_00 11:46

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 11:47

And uh I mean, I guess if you're 10 games above 500 and you feel you could give away an auto loss like that, especially to rest up right before the all-star break, like feel free to do it. But I don't know, it's just like it feels like they're giving away a winnable game. I think it'd be against the Reds.

SPEAKER_00 12:06

I mean, my big thing right now is we gotta go. Gabriel's been eh. He's been very like Hoover and Coney. Yeah, since he's been up.

SPEAKER_02 12:15

Yeah, we need a right-handed, we need a right-handed bat and a pitcher. Yeah, that's what I need. And it doesn't have I don't need a superstar either. I need two do-a-job kind of guys. Role players, great role players. You're gonna be the fifth starter because we have Sanchez and we have Wheeler, we also have Lazardo, and every once in a while we get a good Aaronola.

SPEAKER_00 12:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

And hopefully in playoffs, we'll get a good Aaronola most of the time. But if not, we still have these other three with Sanchez, Wheeler, and Lazardo that can throw. And then you so you literally need to. I don't care if he's a rental, I don't care what you do, you need a fifth starter that can play the game, and then you need a right-handed hitting bat that is good. Joe Adele. That is good.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

I love Joe Adell.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

I like Joe Adele. I mean, I see us in talks for like Scoobyl, I see us in talks for Mike Trout, I see us in talks for our oldest Chapman.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

That's not wait, we are aren't we like favorite for I don't remember seeing the thing we're favorited for?

SPEAKER_02 13:17

But I don't like I don't want any of them. Like I agree. Would it be great to have Mike Trout? Yes, he is the goat of our generation.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

But we're gonna give up so much for him.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

Would it be great to have Scoobyl? Yeah, he's probably a top 10 pitcher in the league right now, and before his injuries, he's probably top five. Definitely top five, which is fine. But like, if we get like one of them, we're giving up, we're not gonna get the other position that we need. And I think we're a well-rounded team right now, but we we're well-rounded, but we have one weakness, and I think we need to solidify that instead of trying to like, yeah, we could get a rotation of Scuble, Sanchez, Wheeler, and Lazardo would be fantastic. Like, that would be the best rotation in baseball, like whatever. But if you don't hit right-handed hit, right-handed pitching, or if you don't hit left-handed pitching, yeah, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Your pitchers can go out there and throw a shutout, but if you don't score any runs, you're not gonna win the game. Yeah, you know what I mean? And you can score as many runs as you'd like. If your pitchers go out there and give up like 15 runs like they did yesterday to the Royals, you're still gonna lose, unless you score 30. Like, I just think you need a good pitcher. I think you need a above-average right hand, like right-handed bat. And you know what? If you wanna if you get both of them for cheap and you want to go spend on Chapman, sure. But like you have to solidify the pieces that we need before you can go spend on a luxury item. Yeah, in my opinion. And I uh realistically, the Phillies aren't gonna do anything. Oh, yeah. We know the Phillies, they're not gonna make any moves. They might sign some really old pitcher to be our fifth starter.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

We signed Tommy Pham to a minor league.

SPEAKER_02 15:14

Did you see that? We signed Tommy Fam, who actually was two for two in his first two ABs with a double and a homer.

SPEAKER_00 15:21

That's how you do it.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

But like he's also playing like double A ball, if that. He might be like below. I don't even know off the top of my head. But it like I don't know. I just I think they need to solidify what what we need and get good above average players, yeah, and that'll round out the team. That's all you need. And I think we'll be good to go. Finish the all-star break. Like, come out of the all-star break, solidify a spot, and just just move forward with that. Yeah, you know what I mean? Just keep it keep it going into playoffs and don't choke to the Dodgers.

SPEAKER_00 16:04

Exactly. I have a question. Do you think or you think we're gonna re-sign Garcia?

SPEAKER_02 16:10

No.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

I think yeah, I think he's gone.

SPEAKER_02 16:12

It was a one-year deal. He got hurt.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

Yeah, I don't think we're gonna.

SPEAKER_02 16:15

We took a risk on someone that might fix our left-handed pitching problem. It didn't. And it and you know what? We took a risk, $10 million or whatever. It didn't work out. You take the L and you move on. But looking at the teams that are in the NL, that are in playoff right now, the Braves, come playoff time, we own the Braves. I'm not really worried about that. Um Milwaukee. They did not look like a good playoff baseball team last year. I'm terrified of Mizarowski, but outside of that, I mean I guess I guess their starting pitching is way better because uh what's his face? Harrison. This is Kyle Harrison. He looks really good. Um and then the Dodgers, of course I'm scared of the Dodgers, but then you have the Marlins, who I think we beat in playoffs. The Cubs, I think we beat in playoffs. And then the third wild card would be right now would be St. Louis.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

Oh, wouldn't it be Pirates?

SPEAKER_02 17:16

No. The Pirates are 47 and 45, St. Louis is 47 and 43.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 17:23

Er never mind. We're in the wild card. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, we 100% would be. It's Chicago, then us, and then uh Miami. I kind of forgot to put the Phillies in there. But like you think about that, and it's like I would expect to meet the Dodgers in the CS.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

Like, that's like goal. And I think you can beat the Dodgers. I think you can, but you gotta play good baseball.

SPEAKER_00 17:52

You gotta play amazing baseball.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

You gotta play good baseball.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

I mean, their pen's been mid this year compared to like their pen's always mid. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:00

The Dodgers' pen is not.

SPEAKER_00 18:02

Like Suzaki's been very bad this year. Their starting pitching is phenomenal, like always. Their hitting's phenomenal. Right. But you just gotta you gotta do them better. You gotta beat them in one thing and be even with the rest.

SPEAKER_02 18:14

Right. They have the best run differential in the league by a wide margin. Um, because their starting pitching is elite and their hitting is elite. However, we saw last year that our pitching is good enough to handle their hitting.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:28

I mean Sanchez shut them down. I don't really remember any of the other games, but our starting pitching kept us in the games. I know that for a fact.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

Yeah, easily.

SPEAKER_02 18:40

We made a couple errors. Bullpen kind of sucked.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

I don't know Kurukarang.

SPEAKER_02 18:44

Bullpen kind of sucked a little bit, and we didn't hit. If they hit and they do their job, it's it's a winnable game. It's a winnable game.

unknown 18:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:55

You know what I mean? I just I want to see the Phillies keep moving forward, get some additions, and just keep plugging along because you can win the NL. You can do it, you just gotta keep going. And I think right now, with the all-star break coming up, I think it's we're in a great spot.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Yes, I agree. I mean, we since beginning of the season, we felt really down and we've been on a ride. We're hot, we gotta keep it going.

SPEAKER_02 19:21

Starting 9-19 and now being 51-41 is phenomenal.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

And one thing, shout out to On Mattingley. Why are we trying to get other guys? Like, he's been phenomenal. No, he's been good. He's been amazing. He's been very why are we trying to get what's his name from why are we talking to the Mets old coach? Oh, um, why I forget his name off the top of my head.

SPEAKER_02 19:43

Um what's his name? Like Alex Cosa or something.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:46

That's not his name, but I forget his name.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

You know, it's fine. But why are we talking to him? Don Mattingley's been phenomenal, right?

SPEAKER_02 19:53

He's been doing his job perfectly. We don't need more than that.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

Yeah, I really don't know. But that's we could talk about that forever. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:00

But you know, that we can save this for future episodes. Moving into the all-star break, we'll cover that in a future episode with the home run derby that hopefully Kyle and Bryce are participating in. That'll be really fun. And then just kind of probably update how the all-star game went, how the Phillies did in said all-star game with another quick episode. Yeah. And then it'll be post-all-star break, right back into business, man. Trying to get the Phillies to keep rolling with some wins.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Yeah, it's gonna be fun to watch. Hopefully, Shorber. I mean, I think I saw things saying Schrober's in the home run derby, which would be really fun.

SPEAKER_02 20:33

He's in his home run derby, barring any back tightness. Yeah. Um, barring any sore back. Yeah. And Harper doesn't know if he'll be in because he doesn't know anyone to pitch to. Yeah, it's fair. Because his dad isn't ready to pitch right now.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 20:45

But yeah, I don't know. We'll see. Phillies keep on rolling and we'll catch up in the all star break and then move into the second half of the season.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

Yeah, we'll see you next time.