Citizens Bank Is Buzzing: Phillies Surge and Around the MLB

The Phillies have been one of baseball's hottest teams over the last two weeks, climbing the standings and finding their groove on both sides of the ball. In this episode, we break down what's fueling their recent surge, from key performances in the lineup to dominant pitching and bullpen contributions. We also take a trip around Major League Baseball to discuss the biggest storylines, surprise teams, and players making headlines across the league. Tune in for a complete look at where the Phillies stand and how the rest of MLB is shaping up.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Hello and welcome back to season two, episode number seven of two average guys. Uh it's been about two weeks since our last episode. So, of course, there's Philly stuff to catch up on. There's also some new stat leaders in certain uh categories, and just all around has been a pretty solid two weeks of baseball. So, Sawyer, I'll kind of let you start with some some Philly stuff.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Yeah, so I'll go in. I mean, we're six games above 500 now, so not too bad. Again, we're eight games back on the Braves, and I really don't think that's gonna change. The Braves are on a have been crazy all season. And then going to the Philz. So, I mean, last time we covered, we were going to a series where we were going into a series against the Dodgers, and I mean, I mean, it was a little disappointing, if I'm being honest. We only took one of three games to them. I mean, it's the Dodgers, they're disgusting. I mean, we had to face Yamamoto and uh what are you and uh who pitched that game? Was it Yam? I think it was Yamamoto and Painter, and Painter did horrible. I remember watching that, and then yeah, that was a pretty disappointing series. But then we took we swept the Padres again, which was such a great feeling going. I mean, a very disappointing road trip for the Dodgers and going into going against the Padres was very, very clutch and very fun to watch, very cool series to see. Then recently we just played the White Sox in a three-game series, taking two of three, which was another big win. White Sox this year have been really actually a very impressive team for some some reason. I mean, eh, not for some reason. They picked up a lot of guys, including sadly, we didn't get to see Merikami. I talked to like I was gonna I kind of wanted to go to the games to see Marikami, but sadly he was injured.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

But yeah, he's been hurt. Um pace to like be second in the league in home runs.

SPEAKER_00 2:06

Oh my gosh, he's so good.

SPEAKER_01 2:08

I I hope he comes back hitting as well as he was. Um to step back to the Padres series, I just want to touch on this real quick. Game one in Philly, Cassianos' return to Philly, and then the next day after game one, the Padres DFA him. Uh I think it was like really honorable of the Padres to let him get his return to Philly before they they let him go. Because you know they had to be thinking about that for weeks. Like that had to be something that was on their radar for for weeks, and then they were like, Oh, we play in Philly, let's let him get his return, like get his applause, and then the next day we'll DFA him. Yeah, which was cool. I thought that was cool of them. Um, but the Phillies have just owned the Padres. The last however many years, it's just been the Phillies have owned the Padres.

SPEAKER_00 3:06

Ever since that one video, you know, I'm talking about with like the bunch of like middle-aged kids.

SPEAKER_01 3:10

I know I don't know what year it came out. Yeah, I don't know. Was that before the playoff series in 22?

SPEAKER_00 3:16

I think it was after. I don't know. I don't remember.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

Whenever that came out, like the Phillies are like 24 and 9 or whatever against the Padres. That's a video. And this year it's been two sweeps in the span of a week and a half. Yeah. Um, the White Sox are are, yeah, like you said, a scrappy good team. Um, I think they're surprisingly good, especially because they're leading the division. Oh, yeah, they're they're in first in the AL Central. It's a team that picked up a lot of guys. We picked up a lot of guys that in my eyes were unproven.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

I mean, the only people I like recognize are like Benintendi, uh Miguel Vargas, he's been there forever, and then Colson Montgomery. That's the only guy on this team I recognize by names.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

I mean, I recognize a little bit more than Americami, of course.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

I mean, what? Okay, you're telling me you know these random dudes.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Some of them aren't. I mean, they have Sir Anthony, obviously.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Okay, I forgot. I was I was just looking at the players that played in uh oh, yes, oh Sir Anthony.

SPEAKER_01 4:29

He didn't I mean I know who Davis Martin is. I know Chase Mydroth, Colson Wild, Trevor Wood, um, Luis and Helena. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 4:41

They don't have like huge named guys.

SPEAKER_01 4:43

You get what I'm Randall Gritchick.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Okay, enough.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

I mean, I know some of these guys, yeah. Like, uh, but but a lot of these guys were like unpro like in my eyes, Randall Gritch's having one of like his best years, and it's ever since he left his former team. Like, he was he was okay on the Yankees, and he goes to the White Sox, and he's I think he's over a 300 average for the White Sox. Yeah, he was hitting 194 for New York, and he's batting 316 for Chicago, like just in a Chicago uniform, which is insane.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

Yeah, very interesting.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

Slugging 667.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Nice.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

I mean, he has six homers, two doubles, eighteen hits, fifty-seven at bats, like that. That's nothing to be you know complacent about. Like, he he's been he's been good, but I don't know. I think the White Sox are just a bunch of guys that need to make a name for themselves.

SPEAKER_00 5:53

Yeah, I get what you mean. And they're doing it.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Yeah, I mean, yeah, they're a bunch of guys that are gonna be considered stars after this year because of their performance. Yeah, because they went and made a name for themselves.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

Um, and then I mean, I think we should go into the Blue Jay series that just happened. I mean, another another two of three we took, which was you're talking about a team that was in the World Series last year.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

Maybe they're not performing as well this year, and maybe I guess if you want to say they're underperforming a little bit, but that's still a team that's barely below 500.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

I mean, yeah, Vladdy's been very disappointing, in my opinion. Like, if you agree or not, I think he's been very I mean he's been disappointing from a power perspective, but yeah, I mean three homers, yeah. 282 average right now, but with three homers.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Right, he has a 282 average, and I think a couple weeks ago he was up near 300.

SPEAKER_00 6:47

Like, but that's not who he is, though. Like, I'm sorry, that's like that's not who he has to be for the Blue Jays. That's not his role.

SPEAKER_01 6:53

If you give it a right from a power perspective, I think he's been very disappointing. But from an overall perspective, I don't know if I would say very. I think he's been I think he's been good. I mean, he hasn't been Vlad, like he hasn't been the superstar that we're using.

SPEAKER_00 7:06

I don't think he's gonna be an all-star this year, personally.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

I I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 7:11

I he'll be borderline in my it would. I don't know. He'll get the fan votes, probably.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Right. Realistically, I mean, if you look at the stats, Bryce Harper probably shouldn't be an all-star. Wow. He's not very good defensively from a defensive statistical aspect.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

Yeah, but you don't look at that when you're evaluating. I mean, you do look at it, of course. Like that is a big thing. But I think he should be over Vladdy over a lot of other people. He should. I don't think you could argue him as the NL starter. Like, even if it wasn't in Philly, you could put that argument, but I don't think he will be.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

I'm not sure there's really much of an argument. I think Matt Olsen does almost everything better than him.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

Yeah, I forgot about Matt Olson for some reason. That's on me.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

I think Matt Olson does almost everything better than Bryce Harper.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

Loki, I've low key just like forgot everything about the Braves this season.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

You also have Freddie Freeman who should be starting over Bryce Harper.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Yeah, yeah, but Harper's gonna get it because it's in Philly.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Harper's gonna get in. Which he deserves. But like Freddie's betting 284, Matt Olsen's betting 272.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

I don't want to hear it. He's our king. Just let Harper be.

SPEAKER_01 8:33

I don't know. I just thought that he wasn't very good as a first baseman, and it opened my eyes to how good of first baseman are in the NL. And I'm not sure Harper's one of them.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Just my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Um I I I mean, you find I find this very surprising. Like, yeah, he really hasn't been that impressive this year. Last year he was a finalist.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

For that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 9:06

But like it's insane. Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

This year he hasn't been that good.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Yeah, I know. I mean, it's just it's just weird how that works. Like, I can understand hitting and stuff, but fielding, I feel like, is a little different. Like, of course, you're not gonna be a golden glove every year.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

But I mean, but even his hitting, even his hitting is is isn't uh I guess comparable to these other guys, but like I I think Freddie and Matt Olson clear harper. I'm not sure that's necessarily a debate. In any in any category.

SPEAKER_00 9:42

Yeah, oh yeah, I mean, yeah, I agree with that. I mean, I told if I'm being honest, I haven't followed the Braves at all this year. If I'm being honest, like I completely forgot about them because I gave up following on them because they're just disgusting this year.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Right, I haven't followed them, but they're disgusting, and I know Matt Olson is a reasonable.

SPEAKER_00 9:59

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I get 100% agree with you. And then should we talk? I mean, yeah, the Blue Jays, like going back, we took two of three, which I mean I love that Shorber's still leading the league in Homer's.

SPEAKER_01 10:12

I love watching absolutely, even with his like little sickness absence. Yeah, I know. But I mean, you think about it, one of those games was Sanchez almost a guaranteed win. Gave up his first the other game was Wheeler, and he actually got out pitched by Dylan Sees, which is I mean, that's just that's just a great pitching matchup. Yeah, and actually, he didn't even get out pitched because Duran sold the game.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

Oh, yeah, I was about to say, yeah, going back to it. I mean, we had it one. We had it. It was it was one-to-one.

SPEAKER_01 10:47

They brought in uh Louis Varland, who's been unhittable, like arguably reliever of the year. And Bryson Stott hits an RBI double, and then we bring in our closer who's supposed to be lights out. He gives up three hits and two earned runs and doesn't even get an out.

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Yeah, very eight pitches, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

So he just got shelled.

SPEAKER_00 11:11

Yeah, I mean, yeah, his first blunt save. Very disappointing.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

He just flat out got shelled. Yeah, even in his last outing, he gave up two hits.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

I haven't been told. I mean, yes, like he's gotten the job, but he hasn't been like, okay, like hear me out.

SPEAKER_01 11:27

So I'm I'm I'm hearing you out. So let's go.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

So in the past, like you hear him, you hear big strikeout guy, guys gonna blow it by you. Like lately this year, I don't think it's been the case when I watch him.

SPEAKER_01 11:40

It's been very ever since he came back from injury.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Yeah, it's been very scary. Like, he gets the job done. Like, I'm not complaining. Like, yeah, like he's how much for I forget he is, yeah. That was his first blown save, but like he hasn't been that guy since he came back. He's been very iffy coming in sometimes, but yes, he gets the job done at least, but it's not pretty.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

He does. I mean, his VLO, in my opinion, I felt like his fastball was like 102, 103.

SPEAKER_00 12:08

And now it's down. I think it's a little down.

SPEAKER_01 12:10

Splitter was like 100, 101. Yeah, and now his splitter's like like 98, 99. Yes, I noticed that the other day.

SPEAKER_00 12:17

I thought that was crazy.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Yeah, I think uh yeah, you're talking about a couple miles per hour or whatever, but I mean that's a big difference for him. You know what I mean? Like that that's a big difference. Yeah, yeah, I mean, I think I think his VLO has been down since he came back. I I agree with you 100%. I think his VLA has been down a little bit, and it's something to watch because I mean he's back. They eased him back in, but he's back as like the guy, like the closer. Yeah, I agree. I I don't need him to necessarily step up his game, but I'd like him to kind of secure it a little bit more.

SPEAKER_00 12:56

Yeah, I yeah, my thing, my thing is it just hasn't been pretty. He hasn't been like it's been like iffy, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:02

He's doing it, but but you're always wondering, like yeah, you're like, oh god. Um yeah, no, I I completely agree. Um and Sanchez has just been dominant. Thank God we have Sanchez. If we didn't have Sanchez, we'd be terrible. He's so good.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

Like, I love watching him.

SPEAKER_01 13:25

Also, I'm not gonna lie, tomorrow we start a series with the Brewers.

SPEAKER_00 13:30

Oh, yeah. Isn't Masurowski tomorrow?

SPEAKER_01 13:32

Yeah, yeah, we might get waxed.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

Yeah, versus Painter. Oh my god, help me.

SPEAKER_01 13:39

We might lose by 85 runs tomorrow. Yeah, I mean Ms. Andrew Painter with his one in seven record and his 6.2 ERA. Andrew Painter has a higher whip than Mizorowski has a ERA.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

That's how she is.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Andrew Painter gives up more walks and hits every inning than Mizorowski lets up runs in his stars. Yeah, that's insane. We might lose by 12.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

I mean, okay, have faith. Just trust in Schrauber, and we're good.

SPEAKER_01 14:20

You know who we might lose by 12. I think Mizorowski might might strike out 15 guys. What's a single season game for Kays? It might be set tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

Yeah, yeah, I mean, it could be.

SPEAKER_01 14:33

I mean uh we are gonna get wow. I mean our only prayer is to win the next two games. Yeah, I mean, you know, starting pitching is gross.

SPEAKER_00 14:53

Yeah, I mean, yeah, they're not bad at all.

SPEAKER_01 14:55

Even against Sanchez, they're throwing Kyle Harrison, who's 7-1 with a 2-7-2 ERA.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

I mean, yeah, I've been following a lot of them really, but yeah. They I I mean they've always had a they they've always had a solid starting, like always. And then Mizowski just came out of nowhere this year and just like was dominant. I mean, I wouldn't say he came out of nowhere, but he developed.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

He definitely showed signs of this last year.

SPEAKER_00 15:24

Okay, yeah, yeah. But you know what I mean. Like last year he was like, he would miss.

SPEAKER_01 15:28

Last year he was good, but this year he's been just exceptional.

SPEAKER_00 15:31

Oh, yeah, he's insane.

SPEAKER_01 15:32

But even Kyle Harrison, like, who is this guy? And he's disgusting. Yeah. Uh we might get swept.

SPEAKER_00 15:42

No, no, okay, no. Sanchez is pitching on Sunday.

SPEAKER_01 15:45

Right, except he's going against a great pitcher, and I trust Milwaukee's. I I think Milwaukee might win a 1-0 game or a 2-1 game.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

I have full faith in Sanchez. I I don't think, yeah, Painter and Noah is not gonna be pretty. Yeah, it's not gonna be pretty.

SPEAKER_01 16:05

Like, yeah, our only hope is probably to take Sunday's game. I'm not gonna lie.

SPEAKER_00 16:09

Uh like Nola's been very, I mean, okay. Who's your who's your most disappointing like Philly batter right now? Like, what comes to your mind? Batter. Yeah, batter. Like, I have mine that comes to your to my head right now. What is it? Like, I have mine.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

Philly batter or Dolas Garcia?

SPEAKER_00 16:28

I didn't expect him to do like that bad, but first person that came to my head was Trey Turner. The most disappointing, for my opinion, was Trey Turner.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

I like that. I like that.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

He's batting horrible. Horrible. Like I we need him for average, he's not doing that. We need him for fielding, he's not doing that. Uh great. Like last year, he really stepped it up fielding wise. This year, no. He's batting 225 with seven home runs.

SPEAKER_01 17:00

I I do I really like horrible. Yeah, I mean Adoles Garcia is sub-200, he's 195.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

I mean, okay, Loki, I expect. I I mean I expected like two tens out of him. So, yeah, he's been disappointing, but in my opinion, Trey Turner's been even more disappointing.

SPEAKER_01 17:15

I can agree with that.

SPEAKER_00 17:16

619 OPS for him is horrible.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

Like, uh right, compared compared to Schrober who's 933 and Harper who's basically 900.

SPEAKER_00 17:30

Dude, I mean, the past three years, he's been near 800 OPS.

SPEAKER_01 17:35

Right. Now, he's been he's actually been a very good pickup in this year.

SPEAKER_00 17:39

He's just yeah, I know. It's just been like, yeah, first year with Philly, 778, not the greatest, 807, 812, and then 619 right now.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

Like, not ideal. He needs to step it up. Yeah, I completely agree.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

Like, it's horrible. Like, we we need like I hate Shorbert in the leadoff. Him as our two-hole, I love because when Trey actually gets on, Shorbert hits, and then it that's just how it clicks. I hate watching Shorbert leadoff. That's just me. I get he's great with working counts, grew, has a great eye, walks a lot, but it's just not the guy I want at leadoff.

SPEAKER_01 18:21

I'm not sure he should even be in our two.

SPEAKER_00 18:24

I mean, I I think he's a great two-hole hitter. I mean, he hits a lot of I get I get it, he hits a lot of solos, but like sometimes we need people on. Or we need that like Justin Crawford nine hole to just get on a lot more, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:40

I think I'd almost like to see Schwarber in the four. I'm more of a traditional guy where your top two guys are average and speedsters, your three holes are probably your best hitter, and your four hole is a power guy. That's that's always been my opinion on a baseball lineup.

SPEAKER_00 19:00

I can't I okay, I don't I that's how it was a couple years ago, in my opinion. Nowadays that's not how it is.

SPEAKER_01 19:06

I mean, you gotta like that's always how it's been for me. So I prefer a Turner, Marsh, Harper, Schwarber.

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Yeah, I mean, you just gotta like, I mean, nowadays it's just like people you gotta get out, you gotta, you gotta get up on top early. And I feel like that's what they think was getting Schwarber up there, which I don't know. I really like him in the higher part of the lineup because he gets on so much compared to maybe Harper or Bohm when he's in the four-hole, but I hate Bohm in the four-hole or Marsh. I mean, Marsh has been disgusting this year. Oh my god, don't get me star about Marsh. I love him to death. Watching him play baseball is cinema.

SPEAKER_01 19:45

I'm not even mad at Boehm, he's hitting over like 300 in the last like week and a half.

SPEAKER_00 19:49

He's really he's really stepped it up since the beginning of the year.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

I but like I'm still honestly bohm and Garcia are both hitting pretty well. Well, Garcia cooled off, but yeah, he he was hitting pretty well for a second there.

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Yeah, and Bohm still is. Yeah, he has, he has. I agree completely.

SPEAKER_01 20:09

But yeah, I think Schubert's hitting phenomenal, Harper's hitting good, Bohm's hitting on fire right now. Marsh has been great as of lately.

SPEAKER_00 20:18

Disgusting. Arguably, like I saw him the other day, MVP talks. I was like, no, he shouldn't be, but it's not crazy to say.

SPEAKER_01 20:28

And then, but like guys like Stott, Crawford, JT, they're disappointing.

SPEAKER_00 20:39

Okay, okay, okay. JT, I feel it's I'm gonna defend my catchers. It's a lot different as a catcher, in my opinion. Like, your expectations should be low for hitting catchers. Like, Cal Riley was last year, which he sucks now, was probably the first, again, first catcher to ever have over 60 homers. But like, you'll never see that of a catcher.

SPEAKER_01 21:02

What's your point?

SPEAKER_00 21:04

You catchers hitting Cal, like, expectations are lower, in my opinion. Right now, I I'm not mad at JT.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

Like JT JT's a career 270 hitter, and he's batting 200.

SPEAKER_00 21:18

He he's a career 270 hitter.

SPEAKER_01 21:21

A career 268. He's batting 200.

SPEAKER_00 21:28

I mean, I don't know. He's getting old. I I will always defend my catchers. It's a little he he is still very valuable.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

He does everything on the defense, and he's getting old, but at least hit like 230.

SPEAKER_00 21:41

I mean, I mean, baseball's a hard game, dude.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

At least hit your body weight. Like, he weighs 212. At least hit 212. I guess. I mean, I just for a career 270 hitter for someone who's who's been really, really good, like 200 is disappointing. I know he's a catcher, and I know he's a Lot defensively, but he also swings a good bat, and he hasn't been this year.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

Yeah, I get what you mean. He only has like two stolen bases this year. Like, usually he's like not a bad like stealer. Like lately in his career, he's just been on the decline. Like last year he only hit eight. This year he's two.

SPEAKER_01 22:17

I mean, but also all our catchers have been terrible.

SPEAKER_00 22:22

I mean, yeah, or my frickin' um Marsh on is on is was statistically one of the worst hitters in baseball at one point.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Yup, and Stubbs. I mean, he's just not getting reps.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

I mean, Stubb, Stubbs can't hit for anything, but I don't I like Stubbs behind the plate. He he's actually really good at ABS challenges, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

He's four for twenty. I mean, there's just not I don't know. Yeah. He's okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:49

I mean, he he was just a place filler up there because yeah, Marshon was just I mean, well, yeah, Ch T got injured and Marshon could not catch every day. That would not be pretty.

SPEAKER_01 23:03

Um, but I mean we can we can move on from the Phillies there. Yeah, have some series to look forward to, but overall it's been good. Um some of the hotter teams in baseball right now, Miami Marlins are eight and two in their last ten. Really good team. Texas, Detroit, and Philly, and St. Louis are all seven and three in their last ten. Outside of that, most of the teams are in that six to four and four and six range. There's actually been some pretty steady baseball in the last week and a half.

SPEAKER_00 23:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:44

Um, not too many teams are really. I mean, the Marlins are on a five-game win streak, one game below 500. But I mean, they've been playing some really good baseball, but outside of them, it's been pretty, I guess, average. The teams are doing good, teams are doing bad, no one's doing exceptionally bad. I mean, no team is sub three wins in their last 10 games.

SPEAKER_00 24:13

I like to say one thing. I want to talk about arguably the best hitter in baseball right now. Jordan Alvarez.

SPEAKER_01 24:23

Arguably. Yeah, I think the best, but arguably.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

Okay, I said arguably.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

Yes. Arguably.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

316 average, 22 bombs, 48 RBIs, one 1066 OPS. Insane. Triple crown watch too, right now.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

Hey, remember when Dooley said that Corbin Carroll was better than Jordan?

SPEAKER_00 24:49

Okay, that's insane. Sorry. You won't you were here.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

He said that on the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 24:54

Yeah, I yeah, I forget a lot of things.

SPEAKER_01 24:56

And I said that Jordan was gonna be better. And you guys are like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 25:03

He is by so much.

SPEAKER_01 25:04

Like the best hitter.

SPEAKER_00 25:06

He is the best hitter. Or one, sorry, one of the best hitters.

SPEAKER_01 25:11

I would say right now he's the best hitter.

SPEAKER_00 25:13

Yeah, I mean, I think he is. I mean, he he's literally on triple crown watch. He I uh I think he's like third in average in the AL. He leads the AL and Homers. I'm not sure about RBIs, but he leads the AL and RBIs. Oh yeah, oh yeah, he leads the AL and RBIs. He's seventh overall, but he leads, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

Or wait, I guess he doesn't anymore.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

But yeah, I didn't think he did.

SPEAKER_01 25:36

I it could be at the time that I saw a video about his triple crown watch, he did lead. Um, but he he doesn't right now.

SPEAKER_00 25:45

Yeah, I mean he's very close. He's doing very impressive things.

SPEAKER_01 25:49

Like not he's he's second in the uh AL on average.

SPEAKER_00 25:55

Yeah, right behind uh is it uh is it who is it?

SPEAKER_01 25:59

Yandi Diaz. Oh yeah, it is Yandi. Yandi Diaz is betting 331. Yeah, that's yeah, that's really good. The other guys uh Otto Lopez is 344. Wow. Jung Ho Lee is 338.

SPEAKER_00 26:16

Did you say Jung Ho Li?

SPEAKER_01 26:19

Yes, he's 338. Holy crap! Hello, has he been on a tear recently?

SPEAKER_00 26:26

For the San Francisco Giants, Jung Ho Lee's heading 338. This is I don't know why this is funny, but it's hilarious. That's so random. What? Hold on. Profound Jung Ho Lee stats.

SPEAKER_01 26:48

He's on an 18-game hitting streak.

SPEAKER_00 26:51

What, Jung Ho Li? Yes, oh my lord.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

Including one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine multi-hit games. I need to see this, dude. I need to look at these stats. 18 game hitting streak, nine multi-hit games, and a game where he went five for six. Five hits.

SPEAKER_00 27:19

Dude, he's betting 500 in the month of June right now.

SPEAKER_01 27:23

Yeah. He's 20 for 40.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

Yeah, what April he batted 312. May he batted 313, and he's been holy, dude. This is impressive. Like he has zero pop, but this is really cool.

SPEAKER_01 27:41

I did not know this guy was hitting three.

SPEAKER_00 27:44

This is so cool. Four for five against Milwaukee. Oh my god. He's he literally mashed in the Milwaukee series, dude. Mashed.

SPEAKER_01 27:57

He went he just he's a singles machine.

SPEAKER_00 28:05

He went eight for fourteen in in the four games they played Milwaukee. That's insane. You're telling me this guy won against Mesroski and just die uh wow.

SPEAKER_01 28:18

He was 11 for 15 in the three-game series against Colorado.

SPEAKER_00 28:24

11 for 15.

SPEAKER_01 28:26

Yes, that is uh that is like a 700 average. 733. I even underestimated.

SPEAKER_00 28:35

Yeah. And then his past three. Oh my gosh, dude. And then you also, yeah, uh the uh Washington, he went uh eight for eight for fourteen, too, like just above 500. Like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 28:52

This dude just got put on the map. I did not know he was like that. This is insane. I'm gonna be on Jung Ho Lee watch the rest of the year.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Sadly, he has zero pop, but he can I don't care.

SPEAKER_01 29:07

I don't care. You know what? I like uh you know what? I like the San Francisco Giants just because they have two guys in the top four and average.

SPEAKER_00 29:19

That's kind of funny coming from you too.

SPEAKER_01 29:23

I don't care. I love guys that hit for average.

SPEAKER_00 29:26

I really I mean, yeah. I mean, very like it's it's not like what they do nowadays, but yeah, it's very fun to watch.

SPEAKER_01 29:34

Only San Francisco was good at baseball.

SPEAKER_00 29:36

Yeah, dude. They're like fourth right now. Yeah, they're fourth. Oh, yeah. They're holy, they're yeah, it's not a pretty 13 games below 500.

SPEAKER_01 29:45

Yeah, yeah, but like not pretty. But like they have guys that hit for average.

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Yeah, that they have that one.

SPEAKER_01 29:51

Except outside of their guys that hit for average, they have no one, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Nothing. I is just insane.

SPEAKER_01 29:58

I would look at the rest of their roster.

SPEAKER_00 30:01

This is just insane. He literally hasn't like oh my, he's gonna hit every game since May 13th.

SPEAKER_01 30:11

That's insane. I just told you we had an 18-game hit.

SPEAKER_00 30:15

I know, yeah, I know, but May 3, like, this is so this is insane.

SPEAKER_01 30:22

You would think that the Giants would be better. 233, 234, 327, 262, 276, 338, 267, 231. You would think they would be better.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

It this is what shows average doesn't correlate with winning as much as other other stats do.

SPEAKER_01 30:44

Well, their pitching's actually been atrocious.

SPEAKER_00 30:47

So yeah, which that also is a thing, but maybe look at team OPS.

SPEAKER_01 30:51

They don't have a single guy. Their lowest ERA guy is a 388.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

Okay, that's horrible. Isn't Rob is Robbie Ray still on there?

SPEAKER_01 31:01

Yes, Robbie Ray is a 4-4-2.

SPEAKER_00 31:04

Yeah, that's bad. That's really bad.

SPEAKER_01 31:09

I mean Logan Webb is their leader in ERA with a 3-8-8, and he just lowered his ERA. He was at a 5-1-4, I'm pretty sure, like two or three starts ago. Yeah, that's retarded. Oh, yeah, that's stupid. But so you know what? Maybe average isn't everything if your pitching is just terrible.

SPEAKER_00 31:35

I mean, I also want to look at the like what's their team OPS? Do you did do you have that in front of you, if not? But I OPS is the biggest stat, in my opinion, that correlates to winning.

SPEAKER_01 31:46

If that isn't like total OPS is 728, but that's for everyone on their team.

SPEAKER_00 31:52

Uh wait, no, I mean, I need the average, right?

SPEAKER_01 31:57

728.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Oh, that's how I mean uh okay. I mean, uh, it's not great, but that's not bad. Yeah, it's not bad. Yeah, it might just be their pitching.

SPEAKER_01 32:06

Their pitching is just terrible, their pitching is awful. What's the Phillies OPS? The Phillies OPS is 688. They have a better OPS than the Phillies.

SPEAKER_00 32:18

Interesting. That literally straight their pitching, then because they're pitching. I think our pitching keeps us in a lot. Like, if our if if Sanchez wasn't Sanchez this year, we would have lost a lot more games.

SPEAKER_01 32:32

All right. I'm gonna put something into perspective for you. All right, I just looked at it. The Giants are 728, the Braves are 751. The Braves are 45 and 23, and San Fran is 28 and 41. It's gotta be pitching.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

Yeah, I mean, OPS, like when I wrote my pitching, when I wrote my paper, I wrote about stats that had the highest correlation of winning. Ops was one of them because yeah, it's literally on base plus slugging. How good you are of a how good is your team at getting on and mashing baseballs. Like, that's basically how you win. And that, but also, of course, ERA is a big thing too. And holy crap.

SPEAKER_01 33:19

The team ERA for the Giants is a whopping 4-5-5. That is horrible. The team ERA for the Braves is a 3-2-0.

SPEAKER_00 33:30

Yes, that is great.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

Holy difference. Yeah, they bat roughly the the Braves are a little bit better batting, but the Braves are way better pitching. The Phillies are a 4-0 one ERA.

SPEAKER_00 33:46

That's a lot higher than I would think, actually.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

Well, but you gotta think outside of outside of Sanchez and Wheeler. I mean, Nola's a 5-6. Painter's a six something, painter's a six something. Um and uh Lazardo's like a a four.

SPEAKER_00 34:05

Yeah, yeah, that doesn't. If we're just going by like by just starters, yeah, probably.

SPEAKER_01 34:12

You know what I mean? Tywin Walker still factored into that average.

SPEAKER_00 34:16

Oh, he does. Oh, and his is so high. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:20

Seth Johnson has a 70RA, like, yeah, it's not been I yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

I mean, it's been confusing how we somehow win, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:32

Uh, you know what's confusing is that the Phillies have a minus 14 run differential, and our yeah, I don't I don't get that either. That makes no sense. We should be way below 500.

SPEAKER_00 34:47

Yeah, which yeah, that is the number one statistic in win correlation because it literally means how much you outscore your opponent, but like yeah, it's it's always interesting, very interesting to see that. But I think that's like I think that's straight up because like we either like we have close games a lot, and then we also lose by like crazy amounts sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

Yeah, we'll lose by like 12.

SPEAKER_00 35:14

Yeah, but and then we'll have like three games in a row where it's like a two it's within two runs. Like that's that's the interesting part about us, too.

SPEAKER_01 35:24

So yeah, if we if we if the Phillies lose, man, they're gonna lose right. Yeah, they're gonna get stomped out.

SPEAKER_00 35:34

Shout out, Painter, 9-1. Shout out. You suck, Painter. We hate you, man. We don't hate you, but we don't like you right now. Lock in, please.

SPEAKER_01 35:45

Yeah, uh, you think it's getting to a point where we gotta send him back down?

SPEAKER_00 35:49

I mean, I think we brought him up at a bad time. Like, we needed him, we needed another guy, like, because we're we weren't gonna waste money on another dude because we had him, but I do think we brought him up a little early.

SPEAKER_01 36:03

What if we send him down and go trade for Tarek School?

SPEAKER_00 36:07

We're not gonna get School, dude. We are not. I actually saw a proposed trade for Trout the other day.

SPEAKER_01 36:16

Oh, Gagewood and Justin Crawford, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:18

Yeah, yeah. I love, I mean, that's a great deal. No, I would love okay. Gagewood's disgusting, and I can't wait to see him pitch.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Gagewood is gross, and Justin Crawford is the future. Yeah, Mike is old.

SPEAKER_00 36:32

But that would be sick, dude. It would be awesome. It would be awesome. I would buy a jersey in a heartbeat.

SPEAKER_01 36:38

It would be awesome and it would be a fan favorite in everything, but Mike Trout's not good anymore.

SPEAKER_00 36:42

Yeah, but we need our the whole goal. I you know what I wouldn't be surprised if our GM office did it. You know why? Because we want to win now. That's their goal. They want to win now.

SPEAKER_01 36:53

He won't help us win now.

SPEAKER_00 36:54

Eh, I think he would.

SPEAKER_01 36:55

I think he would batting 224.

SPEAKER_00 36:58

Yeah, but who cares? He's on the angels. He's on the angels. He'll come here and just become the great himself again.

SPEAKER_01 37:06

He's batting 224, dude.

SPEAKER_00 37:08

I don't, you don't some players just like you they change teams and they're amazing, or they're just you want to give up, you want to give up Justin Crawford, who's been pretty good, and Gagewood, who is one of our most promising prospects, for a 34-year-old Mike Trout. Or you get who's way past his prime, or you take out uh Gage and put him Bryson Stott. And then Sosa gets to be an everyday player.

SPEAKER_01 37:41

If you gave up Bryson Stott, I'd be okay with it.

SPEAKER_00 37:44

Oh, yeah, you would. I love Stott. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 37:47

I don't.

SPEAKER_00 37:47

I he's a I think he's a great glove, but I mean, yeah, he's a great glove, phenomenal glove. Yeah, this year has not been. Yeah, I agree. I agree with you completely. But yeah, doing if that trade happened, hey, Sosa would be an everyday player.

SPEAKER_01 38:02

Which I would be okay with.

SPEAKER_00 38:04

But yeah, I still I love watching him play.

SPEAKER_01 38:06

He he's I love Edmundo Sosa.

SPEAKER_00 38:09

He's a great bat to ball, everything. I do love watching him play.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

I don't care if he's hitting like 200 right now. I love Edmundo Sosa. Is he 200 right now? Is it that's yeah, he's like 202 or something. He doesn't get a chance to play. That's my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 38:22

Yeah, but like what's his K-rate? His K-rate has never been that high.

SPEAKER_01 38:26

He doesn't get a chance to perform because he's never in the lineup for more than like two days in a row.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Yeah, I agree with you on that. I mean, yeah, he's just I really don't know why we don't give him a shot. Because I I I don't know. I'm a Boehm hater, he's been good lately, and I'm really happy about that. But I don't like Boehm, I've never liked him.

SPEAKER_01 38:45

Never. I mean you leave him in the lineup right now because he's on fire.

SPEAKER_00 38:48

Oh, yeah, he he's yes, he's done great.

SPEAKER_01 38:50

He was also hitting like below 200.

SPEAKER_00 38:53

Like he was the worst hitter in baseball, also at one point. Like, I I I've always been I've never liked him. I don't he is a very mediocre glove at third, especially at third, you should not have a mediocre glove. You should be at least a reliable guy. I'm scared to death every time the ball's hit to him. And then his bad's also just so iffy. Like, I'm not a huge fan of him. I've never been a huge fan of him ever. So I don't know. I don't know. I all things I have to say about him are negative, so I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 39:27

I just wish they gave Mundo a chance.

SPEAKER_00 39:29

Yes, I agree with you on that. Like maybe give Bohm a break sometimes and like yeah, get Sosa in there, but but like once Boehm cools off, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:39

I mean I want I want Sosa to play second. I well, I think Stott's glove is good. I just wish his bat would like heat up.

SPEAKER_00 39:45

Yeah, I agree. Yeah, Stotz just Stot's never gonna move. He's he has a great glove then that and that's just like the reason he's always gonna move.

SPEAKER_01 39:56

Right, his defense is I mean phenomenal.

SPEAKER_00 39:58

Him and Turner have some have a great thing going, and yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

Well, he does.

SPEAKER_00 40:04

Yeah, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 40:05

I don't know if Turner does.

SPEAKER_00 40:06

I mean it, I don't know. It's like the short second like duo, you know. Like, I don't know, but yeah, except neither of them is guarding. Yeah, none of them can hit. I mean, only one of them can feel pretty good, the other one's decent at best.

SPEAKER_01 40:21

Not much of a duo.

SPEAKER_00 40:23

Yeah, I mean, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 40:24

But you know there's a duo.

SPEAKER_00 40:27

What are you gonna say?

SPEAKER_01 40:28

Otto Lopez and Tino.

SPEAKER_00 40:30

Okay, enough. The one and two in hit leaders. Are they still one and two in hit leaders?

SPEAKER_01 40:34

Uh hold on. Give me two seconds and I'll let you know.

SPEAKER_00 40:37

They might be.

SPEAKER_01 40:39

Oh no, they aren't. Oh, who tells me Xavier Edwards is slacking. Oh boo. Otto's one and Luisa Rise is two.

SPEAKER_00 40:49

Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 40:50

And then Ernie Clement is three. I love Ernie Clement.

SPEAKER_00 40:56

Sneaky right there.

SPEAKER_01 40:58

I love Ernie Clement. That guy is phenomenal. Postseason all-time hits leader.

SPEAKER_00 41:07

Yeah, insane. That was that was fun to watch. That was really fun to watch.

SPEAKER_01 41:15

Man, that stuff was electric. That got me excited. That really, really, that that really got me excited to watch the blue jays. Yeah. I didn't care about that. Like Dodgers and and Blue Jays. Like, I mean, I care because I'm a baseball fan, but like whatever. The Dodgers are a powerhouse, and the Blue Jays I have no ties to. But then I was like, Ernie Clement. This guy's phenomenal.

SPEAKER_00 41:45

Yeah, he that was a very impressive. I mean, yeah, and he's still mashing this year, which is very cool.

SPEAKER_01 41:51

But he might be my favorite second baseman in the league.

SPEAKER_00 41:56

Nah, I'm just gonna be biased, but yeah, it's he is fun to watch compared to a lot of second basemans. I mean, like, yeah, there's really no second basemans that really mash right now. I mean, Simeon's not been good.

SPEAKER_01 42:09

Uh Xavier Edwards. I mean, he doesn't mash, but yeah, he's good.

SPEAKER_00 42:13

No second basemans mash, like none.

SPEAKER_01 42:16

I feel like um oh, what's his name? Oh my gosh. Catel Marte. He hits he hits some bombs. Yeah, I mean, yeah, he's like probably like the only he's probably the the the most slugging second baseman. But I feel like he's not been that good this year. I haven't heard his name at all.

SPEAKER_00 42:38

I don't think he's batting that bad. I'm checking right now. Uh yeah, it's not been yeah, 248, 11 bombs. Ugh. For him. I haven't heard his name at all. 11 bombs, though. Yeah, yeah. For him, yeah. That's actually not. He slugs. He slugs. Yeah, 40 RBIs. He slugs. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, 748.

SPEAKER_01 42:58

Yeah. Um, I want to look at the wild card real quick. Just real quick. St. Louis first, Philly second, San Diego third in the NL, and then Yankees, Cleveland, Texas.

SPEAKER_00 43:14

Texas sneaking in there.

SPEAKER_01 43:16

Washington, Pittsburgh, and Chicago are the first three out in the NL. And Athletics, Toronto, and Baltimore are the first three out in the AL.

SPEAKER_00 43:28

Kind of expect it all, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:30

That kind of makes it very, very interesting. The playoffs could be a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_00 43:34

Seeing the White Sox in the playoffs is gonna be interesting, too. Not even halfway there, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:46

However, the first thing we gotta do is make sure the Phillies make the playoffs. Yes. They gotta keep playing good ball, they gotta stay above 500, get their run differential to positive, and maybe try and catch the bridge. But outside of that, the Phillies are playing some good baseball. It's been fun to watch.

SPEAKER_00 44:08

And let's hope we don't lose by 20 runs tomorrow.

SPEAKER_01 44:12

The league is in a sense of homeostasis. There's kind of just a balance, yeah, um, between all the teams, and dear lord help us tomorrow. Yes, it's gonna be so ugly. We'll have to we'll have to get an episode to follow up with that series because I'll be if if painter does bad, you will be seeing me post just stuff about how much I hate him. Oh boy.

SPEAKER_00 44:43

But yeah, uh, I mean, yeah, that's pretty much it.

SPEAKER_01 44:47

Yeah. Um go fills, uh, Mizaroski, you suck. And the M L B is in a perfect balance.

SPEAKER_00 44:56

Yeah. We'll see you next time.

SPEAKER_01 44:58

See you next time.