Phillies Stay Hot + Chaos Around the League

The Phillies keep rolling as one of baseball’s hottest teams, and we break down what’s fueling the run. From dominant pitching to big-time performances at the plate. We also dive into everything happening around MLB, including surprise teams, early disappointments, injuries, and the biggest storylines shaping the league right now.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello and welcome back to episode number four of season two of Two Average Guys. Um, first off, before we get into any baseball, today was Mother's Day on the day that we're recording this. So if there's any mothers out there that are listening or you know anything, shout out to Mother's Day, happy Mother's Day to everyone. Um, but moving on from that, we'll get into some baseball. The Phillies played today, Mother's Day. Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs. Um, this is the second year in a row where he's had a multi-home run game on Mother's Day, and Christopher Sanchez went out and dealed seven innings and looked pretty good. I think it was seven strikeouts and six hits allowed, which was no earned runs, which was really, really good. Um, but I mean, overall, really impressive game on a really good day, Sawyer.

SPEAKER_02 0:55

Yeah, I mean, yeah, you said it there. I mean, Shorbert, three for four, two bombs, fantastic. And then going into Brandon Marsh four for four. And leading league in average now. Leading the MLB in average. I love it. Dude is on fire. Like, I I can't get behind it. I mean, yeah, just going through it. I mean, like, Turner's still off to a slow start over three again today, but it had a nice sack fly. Saw that to score in uh I think it was no uh forget who it was boom. He had to score boom from third, I think. Yeah, which are then like you said, Sanchez dominant low-key. A little upset they took him out in the seventh. It's just me. Dude was disgusting.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

We got through seven complete and was at 103 pitches.

SPEAKER_02 1:48

Yeah, I'm leaving him in one more inning.

SPEAKER_00 1:51

Absolutely not.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

Okay, I don't know. You could disagree.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

I yeah, 103 pitches, and you're in May, Sawyer.

SPEAKER_02 1:58

Yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

This is not this is not a do-or-die game. This is the 41st game of a 162-game season, and you're talking about leaving our ace in a six to nothing game. Yeah, that's fair, I guess. At 103 pitches, when we have a bullpen that can close the that well, should be able to close the door.

SPEAKER_02 2:23

Yeah, that's fair, I guess. Fair fair.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

No way, no way you think they would. I thought they I thought they were gonna pull him at six and two-thirds. I didn't think they'd let him finish the inning.

SPEAKER_02 2:37

All right, and they're gonna let him go seven, I would think. But yeah, uh, and then yeah, Duran closes it, of course. Well, no, no, no save appearance, but closed the game at least. Dude, just get him innings out there, which is good.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

That's so funny. Imagine imagine you're playing the Phillies, you're losing six to zero, and you're like, ah, that's all right. Maybe we can score a run off of like a decent guy that's coming in to pitch a ninth inning, and we run out Johonduran, and you have to face a hundred to a hundred and two, and you already don't feel good about yourself.

SPEAKER_02 3:15

Yeah, not fun at all. That I don't think I could, I wouldn't even be able to touch it.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

No, absolutely not.

SPEAKER_02 3:25

But uh, and then yeah, going to I mean, we have a big series against Boston.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

I mean, Boston's been very, very bad this year. Yeah, we touched upon this last episode. But yeah, um Boston has been severely disappointing, and we need to capitalize on that, especially coming off of a strong home stretch where we won both series and won four of six games. Yeah. I mean, to win two against the athletics, uh that's a that's a good team to take two from. And then of course the Rockies aren't necessarily, you know, the best team, but we did our job. We took the series, would have liked a sweep, but you know, you can't get everything that you asked for. They battled in that game one. Um, I'm alright with that.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

Uh yeah, yeah, and then going into the Boston series. I mean, Wheeler, eh I I'm looking forward to him opening the series out. I mean, I don't we don't know yet who Boston's gonna pitch. It's looking like it's going to be is Crochet injured or am I wrong? I don't I have even I have no idea, but I don't know, he might be injured.

SPEAKER_00 4:41

But so obviously today's Sunday, Mother's Day. Tomorrow's the off day. So Boston has not figured out who they're pitching yet. Yeah. As far as that game. I'm looking at crochet.

SPEAKER_02 4:54

Yeah, and then game two right now is Painter and Sonny Gray. A little scared for the lineup to go against Sonny Gray.

SPEAKER_00 5:01

Crochet's on the 15-day IL.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

He is okay.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

He got put on that three days ago.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Yeah. And then game game three, Lazardo versus Ranger. It's gonna be fun to watch Ranger again, but not against us.

SPEAKER_00 5:16

Oh, I'm sorry. He got put on the IL 11 days ago. Uh three days ago, he was able to play catch for the first time.

SPEAKER_02 5:24

Yeah, I remember reading he was injured, but I didn't know like what it was. So I have no idea who's actually gonna pitch tomorrow for the Red Sox.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

Might just be a bullpen game.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

Yeah, sneaky opener, and then yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Sneaky bullpen game. The issue is I don't trust the Phillies in that game. I mean, with Wheeler, I'm uh with Wheeler, I'm more comfortable saying that we should. If we can take game one, I think we have to be able to win one of the next two.

SPEAKER_02 5:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

I know they're painter and Lazardo, and I know both of those guys are are not reliable for good starts, but we gotta be able to win one of those two games.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

And then Lazardo.

SPEAKER_00 6:04

There's a good, there's a good the team's on good vibes right now. Yes, you know what I mean. Garrett Stubbs got called up, he's got the team rolling, even though he doesn't really play. He's got the vibes up, he's got the team jumping, you know, they're they're ready, they're playing good ball, and I think we I think this is a uh an a stretch of away games where hopefully we can win two series because the Red Sox, we should be able to win the series, and with the Pirates, we should be able to win the series. And you know what? If we can come out of this road stretch being over or being 500, I'm really happy with that.

SPEAKER_02 6:49

Yeah, I agree. I mean, dude, I mean, I'm looking at I like our rotation a lot more against Pittsburgh. I mean, Nola starts out then it goes into Sanchez and Wheeler. I like that a lot more than the Red Sox one, but I don't know. Painter and Lazardo is gonna have to really show.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

I think we're gonna have to touch Sonny Gray because I really do think Ranger's gonna just slam the door in our face. I think we have to win the first two games of the series.

SPEAKER_02 7:20

I mean, Sonny Gray's off to for him, I I mean, average start off. I mean, he's three and one, three, five, four ERA, one, two, nine. Sonny Gray's disgusting still.

SPEAKER_00 7:32

A little bit better than average pitcher, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_02 7:35

Oh, yeah, easily, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

Um, I wouldn't say he's something crazy, but he's definitely better than average.

SPEAKER_02 7:47

I mean, yeah, I think he some people have him above Ranger. I do not personally, some people do, and I find them crazy, but no, I think Ranger's better than him. Oh, yeah, same. But I don't know, they're two different pitchers, of course, two very different pitchers. But yeah, I mean, Pittsburgh's gonna be a very interesting series to watch. So, I mean, I mean, uh all their pitchers are actually like I mean, uh well, Bubba Chandler's not that good this year, and he's only had a couple starts as a young guy, so yeah, and then Skeens, of course, Skeens is still like I mean Skeens is on like a below average year for him, and he's still like five and two, two, three, six ERA and seven, one whip and leading the league.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

No, it's it's definitely I mean the parrot pitching has been good, yeah. Braxton Ashcraft, Paul Skeens, Mitch Keller. As I mean, even Bubba, he's not the worst. Like, from a rookie to be um to have like a 4-6, that's way better than Painter. You know what I mean? So I'm I I think that I think that Pittsburgh's a very good team, but in you know, a little little Pennsylvania state rivalry matchup, you gotta be the better team. Out one of, if not the most beautiful ballpark in America.

SPEAKER_02 9:21

Oh no, it's the best ballpark in America.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Yeah, PNC is gorgeous.

SPEAKER_02 9:26

It doesn't compare to anything. But and then since it I mean, and then we got Cincinnati after them.

SPEAKER_00 9:36

I mean, that's another team that's good, but very beatable.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

Yeah, I mean it's gonna be, yeah, it's gonna be a difficult. I mean, Boston, I really think we need at least two out of three games in Boston, minimum. At least two out of three, or sweep, like anything worse than Pirates Harry.

SPEAKER_00 9:57

We can afford to lose two out of three to the Pirates if we can win two out of three.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Yeah. But yeah, and then going in a sense, yeah, like I mean, Pittsburgh is where we I think we could go two and three also. Nola Sanchez Wheeler is a great three. Yeah, I mean, but we gotta hit Bubba Chandler good and Ashcraft good. And then Skeens, I'm terrified.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

But yeah, but Skeens is like Tim, I know he's still disgusting.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

7-1 will be.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

No, I'm not saying he's having a bad year. I'm saying he throws a lot of fastballs.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

I mean, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:38

This is a team that can hit fastballs.

SPEAKER_02 10:41

I mean, dude, he has a splinker, he has all his pitches, dude. I know he has a big thing.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

All of them are filthy, but he throws a lot of fastballs, and this is a team that can hit a fastball. Yeah, I mean, you know what I mean? He's yeah, he's gonna throw a fastball, probably every at that. At least one. Probably do that. I mean, no, actually, there's a lot of pitchers that don't throw fastballs. They'll throw a sinker, they'll throw a cutter, but they don't throw a four-seen fastball.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

I mean, are you sure? I mean, I thought I could be wrong. You might know more than me, Vince, but I thought he throws his splinker more now. I could be wrong.

SPEAKER_00 11:26

I'm not saying he doesn't throw his splinker, I'm saying he throws four scene fastballs.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

Yeah, I'm gonna look at a savant actually right now. I'm just wondering now. I just I feel like Yeah, four scene fastball. You are correct. Four seams most of the time 36. Yeah, yeah, 36%, then change up being 18%, sweeper being 16, sinker only being 15, and then his split finger being 14, and then curveball 2%.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Yeah, you were his fast, he's a fastball pitcher, yeah. And his fastball moves, but yeah, I mean, you should be able to you should be able to hit a fastball.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

Like dude, 13 inches of uh 13 inches of tail. Oh my god. I don't think 13.2 inches of rise on average. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

I'm not saying that we're gonna crush Paul Skeens, but I'm saying we might be able to put a couple runs on the board where Wheeler could maybe get us a win there. Just something to think about.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Yeah, I mean, they're gonna have to sneak in.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

I'm not saying we're winning the game for sure. I'm just saying there's a chance that we could win a uh a 3-1 ball game.

SPEAKER_02 12:39

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

But we gotta have we gotta have a pretty good wheeler, and you know, maybe Kosh Wurber's gotta make contact on a good good uh good Paulskins mistake.

SPEAKER_02 12:52

Yeah, dude, I'm just looking at his savant page. This is insane. Like this is insane. He's five, he is five inches, five point three inches on average of more tail as a as a normal as the average right-handed pitcher. Holy crap.

SPEAKER_00 13:13

It just feels so weird to be talking about the Phillies as a 19 and 22 team that needs to sit here and and crawl their way out of the hole that they put themselves in. I mean, but honestly, they're thank god we play in the NL East.

SPEAKER_02 13:37

Yeah, I mean, right now it's a three-way tie for second. Yeah, the Phillies, Marlins, and uh and nationals are tied.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Yeah, and the Phillies would be last in the NL Central as all five teams are above 500. Yeah, and then the Braves, oh my god, and they would be they would be fourth in the NL West right now. So thank god we play in the NL East because that's the only thing giving us a chance. But of course the Braves have the best run differential in baseball and look look really good.

SPEAKER_02 14:11

Yeah, really flip the strip, really flip the strip, uh really flip the script this year with uh firing their whole staff and then deciding to become amazing for some reason.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

That's so interesting because the Mets are three and a half games behind us and have a better run differential.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Yeah, I mean, uh I mean I did a paper one time on like what statistics correlate the biggest with winning. The biggest winning run differential is the obviously the highest statistic that is most correlated with winning, of course, because you outscore your opponents, but like of course there's always going to be that small thing, but like, yeah, that is interesting to say the least.

SPEAKER_00 14:56

Uh and just and Cincinnati's 22 and 19 with a uh run differential worse than us. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

Um it's in it's interesting, very interesting.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

It just I mean, yeah, I guess if if they're losing, they're losing bad, but I I don't know. I would have thought that our run differential was a little bit better. We're only three games below 500.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

Yeah, I mean God, I can't believe I'm hearing that three games below 500. But I mean, going and then going after Cincinnati. I mean, we have Cleveland. Cleveland's been a number one in the AL Central.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

But they're they're 500. I know, and they're not playing good baseball. Yeah, I mean they are not because I have once again I go back to my fantasy baseball team because that's how I keep up with players that I have because I always check their stats. I have Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez on my team. They're not playing good ball right now. Um, I mean they got they got two hit last night by a long list of pitchers for the Minnesota Twins. They got two hits, and then today they ended up with 11. But they didn't have that many hits until later in the game. I mean the twins pitching kind of shut them down.

SPEAKER_02 16:40

I mean uh twins I mean uh I just don't know who's in their arsenal exactly, exactly, outside of Joe Ryan.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Joe Ryan. Outside of Joe Ryan, the twins pitching is not all that good. Yeah, I mean they were able not sweep the series, but they were able to take two of three, and they just don't look that good.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, uh a team being first in the division at 500 is pretty sad.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

That's what I'm saying. And they called up Travis Bazana, and he hasn't looked good. He's sub 200 average.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Yeah, yeah. And then we, I mean, then we have the Padres. And Xander Bogart, I mean, is on a pretty good start. I mean, 260, 268. I mean, uh, seven bombs, 23 RBIs, 342.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

Is amazing. He didn't get seven bombs all of last year.

SPEAKER_02 17:41

Yeah, 342 OBP. Like, he's killing it for them. I mean, shout out Nick Cassianos, dude. He's still batting a buck 92. I take it. Is that home or away? Uh, that was that his first home run? No, second home run this year.

SPEAKER_00 17:59

Is that home or away?

SPEAKER_02 18:01

What?

SPEAKER_00 18:02

Uh the Padres.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Uh might be like a split. I don't think, or no, it'd be a home stretch. No, it's gonna be a home stretch.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Yeah, Bogart's in 11 home runs last year, by the way. I was just a little bit off. Yeah, that's insane. And he's already got seven, and we're in May. But you also talk about Brandon Marsh, who had a hitless April last year and now leads the MLB.

SPEAKER_02 18:24

Yeah, crazy.

SPEAKER_00 18:25

Talk about going into an off-season and staying hot. I mean, because he was really hot post all-star break last year. Yeah, and he was hot, like super hot, like one of our best players. And then you go into the off-season, you're like, wow, I really hope he can stay hot. And boy, did he stay hot. I mean, he's 353 and had a four-hit showing looks really, really good. Yeah, but anyways, moving on. So then yeah, after is that home?

SPEAKER_02 18:57

Uh, I think it is because I'm I'm not 100% sure, but oh no, San Diego. Uh no, only one of them are home. Because then there's a nine. There's a there's a nine forty start if on the for the middle game, and there's no way that's in Philly.

SPEAKER_00 19:16

I'm looking at all three, they're all in San Diego. What do you mean one of them would be at home?

SPEAKER_02 19:21

I mean, I don't know. The 641 made me think. I was like, that makes zero sense to me.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

They don't play series in multiple locations.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

I mean, uh, they'll play two and one sometimes. They've never done that. Okay, I must be yeah, I'm just an idiot. Never mind.

SPEAKER_00 19:37

But you play the Padres, which will be a nice, you know, Cassianos reunion, not at the bank, but I'll still get to say what's up to the guys. And then Orion Kirkling look out. We play the Dodgers, yeah. And boy in LA. Boy, do they look actually low-key? I feel like recently they've been not that good.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

Um, I mean, but it's always still they're still the best team in baseball.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Not record-wise, but on paper, absolutely. I mean, yeah, I guess. But I have a theory, I have a theory that they tank on purpose.

SPEAKER_02 20:20

Okay, that's okay, go, but this is such okay, just go. I'm gonna hear it out.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

So, all right, I don't know if I ever touched upon this in a different episode, but the one and two seeds in the playoffs get a bop. The three seed plays in the first round against the worst wildcard team, the the sixth seed. Uh yeah, the sixth seed. The Dodgers last year were the three seed. They beat the Reds two out of three, they beat the Reds twice in a row, carried their hitting momentum in against the Phillies, played well in that series, won three-one, and ended up winning the World Series. Now, in a league where teams that have gotten the bye in recent years have lost their first series, because a lot of the teams, a lot of those one and two uh teams that get buys lose the divisional series. So I'm thinking that the Dodgers play well enough to make sure that they're the three seed so that he can play in the wild card, get their bats hot, get their pitchers loose, continue that on into the next round where they play a team that was on a bye and they're already hot. They already have momentum, they carry it in, they beat the crap out of that team, and they use it all the way through the the playoffs. Of course, small sample size. But I feel like recently a lot of the teams have come out. Ice cold after having a bye in the wild card weekend.

SPEAKER_02 22:04

Yeah, I mean you've had you you've said this before a lot.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

I think I swear I think the Dodgers tanked last year. You're telling me the Dodgers last year were not like they they were not that good. I don't remember the record last year. Hold on.

SPEAKER_02 22:22

I mean purposely do that. No team will.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

They were 93 and 60. You're telling me the Dodgers couldn't win 100 games last year? You're telling me the Dodgers were 93 and 69 and they add Kyle Tucker that they're not gonna win 100 games this year? That doesn't make sense. They have to be tanked. No, they gotta be tanked. Because it's so smart. It's so smart.

SPEAKER_02 22:47

No team, I no team in their right mind can purposely will purposely lose, dude. I but if you can get hot, yeah, but that's a bet that's not that no one is willing to take. That is a huge risk, dude. Humongous. Like, think what could happen. Hey, like one of your pitchers like throws his arm out in the wild card game. Like, anything could happen playing those, playing that series when hey, if you got the bye, maybe that would have not happened.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

I will say in 2024, they were the number one overall seed and took the bottom. But last year I just looked at that team, and you just don't I don't understand how they weren't the number one seed with 105 wins. And yeah, sure, it's baseball, whatever. Every game's unpredictable, and anyone can win at any moment. But put that team on paper and tell me they're not a hundred-win team, and I'll call you crazy.

SPEAKER_02 23:48

I mean, yeah, I agree. Like, that's probably the best team ever made. For if this is where this is he got squad.

SPEAKER_00 23:55

Like, I disagree. Last year's team wasn't the best team ever made because this year's team is because I was talking about this year.

SPEAKER_02 24:01

I was talking about this yeah, Kyle Tucker. I was talking about this year, but okay.

SPEAKER_00 24:04

Exactly. If they don't win a hundred games this year, you can't convince me that they're not tanking on purpose.

SPEAKER_02 24:09

I mean, let me just go down the roster and see if I could like all right. Will Smith, best catcher in baseball, arguably.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

Dude, there's no way that they're not tank, and I know it doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense to a lot of people, but for me, in my head, if you're that good, I think I think you could.

SPEAKER_02 24:33

I mean, like, dude, just going through this team, like, it's insane. Tucker, teoscar, paez, then Shohei, Munsey, Freddie Freeman, uh uh, Hunk Sung Kim. Uh, why where's Mookie Betts? Because think about it.

SPEAKER_00 24:53

If they were the two, who would be the three? The Phillies. And if the Phillies played the Reds in the wildcard weekend, I bet you they use that pitching. They get hot. Phillies might win that series against the Dodgers last year. Because they're hot, they have momentum.

SPEAKER_01 25:12

Yeah, that is what baseball's about.

SPEAKER_00 25:14

They would beat the Reds in a three-game series, and they would take that momentum. What do they do in 2022? Uh yeah, momentum from the wild card, and that's how they won the divisional in the championship series. Yeah, they don't win those two other series unless they get the win in the wild card and can keep that momentum climbing. The Phillies are such a momentum-based team because when they have momentum, they swing the bat well, they run the ball out of the yard, and pretty home run-dependent lineup. They can run the ball out of the yard, and they got that momentum in 2022. Um, who what was the who did we play wildcard weekend? I don't even remember. Oh, uh, St. Louis. St. Louis. You get a little bit of Gene Segura slap hitting the ball into right field.

SPEAKER_02 26:03

Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_00 26:04

You get a little bit of Bryson Stott going yard. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 26:09

That was against uh the market.

SPEAKER_00 26:10

In in later in the playoffs, but that momentum. That was next year. Whatever. I'm just saying that wild card momentum kept them going where they could win the divisional, and then they won the the comp the championship series, and then all of a sudden they were in the world series, and their momentum ran out. But I think last year, if the Dodgers had become the two seed, Phillies would have gotten enough momentum playing the Reds, they would have won, they would have beaten the Dodgers. It's crazy. Call me ludicrous, because I it's uh it's insane. Insane. Yeah, I mean but that is I truly believe that the Dodgers are pulling some shenanigans, and it's working because they're that good.

SPEAKER_02 26:59

Yeah, they are they are insane. I mean, I remember I mean that series was when I went, it was such a sad I witnessed the wheel play, and it was sad. I remember we talked to Freddie about the wheel play. I mean, that was the that you you run on that. I mean, I agree with we could go back, we you could talk about that play for hours. Yes, I agree, but we had no one else on the bench.

SPEAKER_00 27:23

I don't care. We did, we did. I forget who I said was on the bench. Someone was on that bench that we had.

SPEAKER_02 27:30

I remember it was like Vader was injured and we already pitched ran for him.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

It was someone was on that bench. Uh maybe Stubbs or something. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 27:43

We didn't have we we didn't have him for the division.

SPEAKER_00 27:45

We I don't remember who was on the bench, but I remember seeing if we have someone on the bench, put them in the game.

SPEAKER_02 27:51

Yeah, I guess, but like I don't know, that was a perfectly executed play, and that would be hard not to, but it was, and you know what?

SPEAKER_00 28:00

If the best team of baseball is gonna execute a perfectly drawn-up play, you know what? You tip your cap and you move on. But yeah, I mean in that scenario is so heartbreaking, and then for the series to end the way it did is even more crushing, and I just I just think it was because the Dodgers were the team with the most momentum and were hotter, and I think that's because they played a wild card series.

SPEAKER_02 28:25

Yeah, and then Shohei went on to in the next series to have probably the greatest game of all time.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Yeah, the greatest game ever.

SPEAKER_02 28:34

I mean, God. Well what was that stat line again? I'm like blanking what it was.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

Six innings, he had like three bombs, ten strikeouts, something like that. It was incredible.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Insane that no one will ever do that again in history, but yeah, I do I do agree with your reasoning on how like getting hot early on is a huge thing in playoff baseball, which it's something you like. I kind of want to look into the statistic and how many teams like if you win the first game of the series, like I want to see how many teams win the whole series when they it when they win the first game.

SPEAKER_00 29:11

I want to look up how many teams since they made two teams they get a bye, how many teams have gotten a buy and lost the first round?

SPEAKER_02 29:19

That's what I want to know because I know I mean I think the statistic hear me out. More pe the the okay, the there's been more world series winners that have had a buy compared to the wild card, but more people get past, but more wildcard winners get past the divisional series. Yeah, I remember, I remember, I think that's right.

SPEAKER_00 29:44

I forget, but there's yeah, it's it's if you it's more teams have lost after getting a buy, but the teams that have a bye are more likely to reach the World Series, yeah. Yeah, very interesting. Since the new 12-team MLB playoff format began in 2022, six of the 12 teams that received a first-round bye have lost their divisional series. Crazy. Wow. The top seeded teams struggled immediately following a bye where they didn't see live pitching, they didn't have the competition environment of an MLB game, especially playoff baseball, because that wildcard you get to settle into playoff baseball. No nerves, you can get them all out of the way. You know what I mean? There's so many advantages. And yes, I get it, you play 162 games, your body's gonna be taxed, but there's so many advantages to playing the wildcard weekend that people don't understand. And I think I think the perfect seed to be is the three in the playoffs. I think it's the perfect seed. You don't get a first-round bye, you get the worst team to play against in the wild card. You're not playing the better of the two teams that got a bye.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

Yeah, and you're home, yeah, and you're home too, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:08

I mean like you're gonna be home in the wild card, you're not gonna be home in the divisional, but that's alright, because you're not playing the better of the two teams.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

I mean, you will you you will be home for two games. No, how many division? Right, it's a five-game series, so you'll be home for two.

SPEAKER_00 31:25

Right, so all you have to do is win one game on the road, yeah. And and win two at your place, you know what I mean? Like, I think the three seed is perfect.

SPEAKER_02 31:37

And I just I mean, going back to 22, I mean, who would have thought? I mean, I just remember watching 22 and be like, I'll be happy if we somehow get past St. Louis, and we did off and and we were all it all of it was away. And I mean, I don't know, like that. I mean, that was just a historic year for us. Like that I remember just having no faith in the Phills, and then we went on a run all season and somehow got the last spot in the playoffs. Was it the last spot? Yeah, I believe it was the last one. What year was that? I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

Oh, yeah. That was insane. But yeah, but I'm just I'm sitting here and I'm looking at it, and I pulled up, I pulled up the stats because I'm a stats nerd. Obviously, I'm a stats nerd. If you guys haven't figured out that I'm a stats nerd by now, listen to more episodes. Um 2022, two of the four teams with a bye lost. 2023, three of the four teams with a bye lost. In 2024, one of the four teams with a bye lost, and then in 2025, one of the four teams with a bye lost. So that's six of twelve.

SPEAKER_02 32:56

That's but how many, how many, how many buys won it all though?

SPEAKER_00 33:01

Um I don't know. I'm looking at 2025 right now. Obviously the Dodgers won, they didn't get a bye. But yeah, year before they did, though. Year before they got a bye and won it all.

SPEAKER_02 33:13

23. Why am I blinking? Who won 23?

SPEAKER_00 33:17

Uh the Rangers, and they did not have a bye. Uh Houston because 23 was when the Diamondbags beat the Phillies and that.

SPEAKER_02 33:27

Yep, enough, enough. Heart heartbreaking, heart, very heartbreaking series. Um, and then 22, did Houston have a bye?

SPEAKER_00 33:37

Um, Houston did have a buy.

SPEAKER_02 33:39

So it's like split kind of.

SPEAKER_00 33:42

So in the last four years, two teams have one that had a buy and two teams of one that haven't had a buy.

SPEAKER_02 33:47

Interesting, to say the least.

SPEAKER_00 33:50

But I just like I just it just makes me so uncomfortable to think about the fact that and to make it to think about the fact that the Dodgers could like if everything I said made like I know it doesn't make sense. I know it didn't actually happen. Like, there's no way the Dodgers actually did that. That's just how the cards fell. But it just to have such a conspiracy like that just burning in my mind, it just it makes me twist, it makes me like irk. Like, I don't I don't like it.

SPEAKER_02 34:23

I mean, if the Dodgers don't win a hundred games, I'm kind of with you. I find it crazy. I if you have that lineup, that rotation, that overall team, and you don't win a hundred games, you're doing something wrong as a coaching staff.

SPEAKER_00 34:38

By the way, in 2021, both teams that had so in 2021, there was only one team that had a bye. Because they they implemented the two-team by in 2022. So in 2021, they had um only one bye, and the Tampa Bay Rays had in the AL, and the San Francisco Giants had it in the NL. Both of those teams lost the divisional round to the team that won the wild park.

SPEAKER_02 35:03

Who won in 21? Uh Braves.

SPEAKER_00 35:06

The Braves.

SPEAKER_02 35:06

Yeah. Okay, who oh, and they played Houston. Screw you, Houston. I hate Houston. Minus Jordan. Jordan's a dog. But I mean, you know what's crazy? Like the worst person on our lineup is freaking Young Sung our Young Sung Kim right now. Is Mookie injured is Mookie on the I. Edwin Diaz is injured. Sorry, Edwin, but that kind of made me happy. Don't want to say that, don't mean it, but kind of screwed over your team.

SPEAKER_00 35:49

In 2019, the Dodgers had the buy in the NL and Houston had the bye in the AL, and the Dodgers lost. To the Nationals who ended up winning the whole thing.

SPEAKER_02 35:59

Interesting.

SPEAKER_00 36:00

The Nationals played, they were the four seed. They played the wild card, and they ended up winning the whole thing because they got hot. I'm just saying. I'm look, I'm just saying there's there's some analytics to look into here. I'm looking at the last, but the last thing I'll look at is 2018. Where Boston won, and they did have the first round bye.

SPEAKER_02 36:26

Yeah. Say I'll close that out.

SPEAKER_00 36:30

But they played the Dodgers who were the two seed, who beat Milwaukee, who had a bye. So in 2018, both teams that had a bye won their first round. I don't know. I'm just saying something fishy there. I just think that if you play the wild card, you're in a good chance to have a serious shot to win.

SPEAKER_02 36:57

I think it's split, but I mean, it yeah, I mean, baseball's all about yeah, momentum, routine, everything, like you've said already. So, yes, I do agree, like coming off a huge series win and going into the next one is overall better than just starting off with a bye and being cold, like we saw last year.

SPEAKER_00 37:21

Yeah, happen. I don't know. I would in a perfect scenario in my mind, the Phillies get the three, but probably not possible.

SPEAKER_02 37:30

Yeah, um, I we would have to well assuming you have to win the division and be the the worst division winner. We don't is that is that yeah, we would actually have to win the three divisions.

SPEAKER_00 37:44

There's zero way, yeah. The three division winners are gonna be one, two, and three.

SPEAKER_02 37:50

Yeah, there's zero way, yeah. I mean, because dude, Braves are 28 and 13. Did I read that right? I think 28 and 13.

SPEAKER_00 38:01

I remember up that much. Yeah, they are 28 and 13. I completely lied. You know what, everyone listening? I just completely lied to you because the Braves are 28 and 13. We're in second place and we're nine games behind. So Lord.

SPEAKER_02 38:15

Oh my goodness. It's fine, it's fine. The Braves are gonna brave.

SPEAKER_00 38:21

But um, yeah. Well no, I I still think that it's a conspiracy theory, but that's just me.

SPEAKER_02 38:30

Yeah, it's a crazy one to say the least.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

But it's one that circulates in my mind, and I hope you know what, anyone listening, I really hope that you just enjoyed my little rant about being the three seed. Because if you enjoy baseball and you enjoy playoff baseball and you enjoy a little bit of a conspiracy, might be something you should look into. I want this 12-team playoff format to continue because I want to see how the data lies.

SPEAKER_02 38:57

Yeah, I mean, it's gonna keep going because I'm gonna keep tracking it.

SPEAKER_00 39:03

Yeah, I'm so curious.

SPEAKER_02 39:05

Yeah, real quick. White Sox, the White Sox should low-key be second place, or they're at second place right now. They could overall, they could win this division. If the White Sox somehow make the playoffs, god, so many people will lose money. That's funny.

SPEAKER_00 39:23

So many people will lose money on a team that doesn't really have any stars.

SPEAKER_02 39:30

I mean, they have uh what is what's his name?

SPEAKER_00 39:33

Uh Murakami.

SPEAKER_02 39:35

Yeah, Miracami.

SPEAKER_00 39:36

He's not a star. I mean, he's got 15 bombs, but he's hitting 230.

SPEAKER_02 39:40

I mean, that's you could you could say that about Schubert.

SPEAKER_00 39:44

Uh I don't know. The guy with the highest average on their team is batting 278.

SPEAKER_02 39:51

Yeah, interesting. I don't know. And then the A's are in first.

SPEAKER_00 39:58

They're just kind of finding ways.

SPEAKER_02 40:00

Yeah, very interesting. See uh like overall everything right now. Very interesting, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:10

It's definitely an interesting MLB, and we're gonna keep tracking it, and I'll keep tracking playoffs as the years keep coming. Yeah, but that's that's about it. We'll see you guys next week with some more updates. Go Phillies, get a couple series wins, get back on track above 500, and we'll see how you know the season shapes up as we get into the middle of May.

SPEAKER_02 40:38

Yep, see ya.