Benches clear in Philadelphia Phillies-Tampa Bay Rays game I The Phillies Show S1E61

hi this is Kyle schwarber and welcome to the Philly [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] show hello everybody Welcome to the Philly show Ruben Amaro JR's here Jim salsbury's here I'm here I'm Todd zolucky it's Wednesday September 11th 2024 guys how are we doing this morning you guys good ban oh is it bian or is it Bueno mu mu okay all right apprciate buo sounds Bueno has a better ring to it like Bueno but it is or B yeah Ruben has taught me a lot of Spanish over the years some of the words I can actually say in front of people is this true Ruben did you did you teach him some Spanish uh over the years a little bit or no over the years of course I toss it out there every once in a while I love do I love doing it I love doing it before I like rattling off stuff uh when I'm on set either pre or post or broadcast and I'm just babbling in Spanish and like faking like I'm doing broadcast in Spanish it's pretty funny that would one of these one of these days they should they should tape it it's kind of funny that know that that is spoken like a man who is huge on the streets of Caracus that's that's right you knowre only if Jim and I I was huge for a minute if Jim and I could take some Spanish lessons the offseason we could do a Philly show English version and a Philly show Spanish version and we can take over the world nice yes utter global domination global domination for the Philly show Los Philly show Los Philly Joe guys last night um lot of action a lot of action if you were tuned in uh eighth inning little Skirmish on the field you know was uh created some drama last night Nick castanos gets hit I don't know if you guys read the quotes or how closely he paid attention but you Nick gets hit first pitch after is Edwin um no Uka drills drills Nick I think it's USA is it is yeah okay I think it's USA useta okay I believe gets drilled Nick drops the bat gestures towards the mound Bryce Harper takes off his helmet starts stalking the guy at the mound he gets on the mound gets intercepted by a couple of raised players uh after the game they both talked about it said it was there's no place for that in the game of baseball Nick said he thought that he was going to get drilled he just had a sense he was going to get drilled um good show of camaraderie I guess by the Phillies you guys I I love I I mean I hate to say it well I don't hate to say it I love a good Skirmish I love a good benches clearing it is so much fun to write about guys are usually chatty postgame Jim right I mean yeah yeah there was it's fun those stories are so much fun to write there was there was a lot of testosterone flowing and you got to love it and you know I do like a bench clearing Skirmish I like watching a lot of the old ones on you Youtube like the Pascal Perez one with champ Summers I mean those are great I mean you know other than the Todd pod my favorite podcast is uh raw knuckles with Chris Nyon you might have to look him up but he was a former Montreal Canadian tough guy and he has a great podcast and he talks a lot about his his skirmishes and I I love listening to that podcast so yeah I mean I I think those moments can uh do a little camaraderie bring a team together show some got your back and um you know you know well placed now and then without anybody getting hurt I don't want to see that happen but I think they can be uh kind of galvanizing how's that for a good word well that's a great word yeah no doubt I mean I you know it's obvious that uh useta had done it on purpose um the fact that that was done so blatantly on purpose um you know and it IR some guys I you know it's it's a difficult situation now because with the suspensions and everything you cannot really get into a fight where you put yourself in a really really tough position like Bryce Harper um back in the day had Bryce perper been on second base and it was a different situation he probably would have pummeled that kid and he's uh the kid sort of lucky that no I mean no one really was coming to his rescue until he was basically almost top of the mount it was it's sort of a different deal now but um but for him to to have done that that was pretty egregious I always believed in um you know the players have have the ability or used to have the ability to set a send a message without without having it be dangerous um and in this day and age where people just don't really understand or Andor don't have the command to be able to do that can't throw a pitch on the inside part of the plate at somebody's hip or somebody's uh you know in the inside part of the plate at their numbers and feel comfortable about it because one they throw too hard and two they just don't know where it's going well right was that I don't even consider that message sending I consider that a that was not a message sending that wasn't that was I was pissed off because I got my ass kicked exactly and and you know beating my ass and and I was frustrated and now I'm going to drill this guy instead of drilling hard ER yeah um the guy said he threw a change up postgame that was the most amazing thing he's like yeah the change up got away from me like 96.2 mph change up holy crap what's the only only bu only person who has a 96 mph change up is a guy we faced in Miami the other day and Cabrera who's it's not really a change up it's a sinker everybody calls it a change up or Stat cast calls it a change up yeah but Edward cabrer throws a 93 or 95 M hour Sinker it's not a change up I don't care what you say right anyway the point is um uh I think for him to have done that uh so egregiously and so obviously I mean there's there's a difference between being pissed off and and and a difference between sending a message and that that's that that really wasn't right yeah then afterwards Bryce of course said um you know we're trying to make the playoffs here and you know Bryce got hit on the face a couple years ago remember that Pitch hit off his wrist hits off his face 96 mph fast ball uh the next year Blake Snell breaks his thumb inerrant pitch and so in his mind he sees that he's like you could I know you threw at his hip and it actually hit the target but you could injure one of my guys as we're trying to make the playoffs here and and we're trying to win a World Series so that seemed to get him especially fired up despite other than the fact that he knew he was being thrown at intentionally because it was so blatantly obvious that you mentioned that Harper that 97 in the face you know when I think about remarkable moments I've witnessed over 30 years of covering baseball that is right up there 97 off the cheekbone walks away uh you know that could have done so I don't even want to think about what it could could done uh it came off with such Force off his cheekbone that it bruised his wrist when it clanged off his wrist one of the most remarkable things I've ever seen that that he walked away from that yeah I mean Bryce got hit just the other day in Toronto off his left elbow I mean you know guys are getting drilled a lot a lot more than they have been in the past because like Ruben said guys are throwing harder and they don't know where the hell the ball's going uh this guy knew where the ball was going he knew where he was throwing it but uh that it angered angered the Phillies uh Kyle schwarber last night Kyle schwarber keeps going he's he's hot he he's he's hot in Toronto hot in Miami comes on our show he keeps it keeps it going uh sets a major league single season record his 14th leadoff home run of the year last night gives the Phillies a one- nothing lead he leaves the game in the before the fourth inning with a hyperextended left elbow he does not seem too concerned about it but man kle schwarber guys in that leadoff spot keeps doing damage and um nobody's asking about who Rob Thompson should hit leadoff anymore I think people like I think we mentioned this the other day people have finally accepted the fact that he's the guy in that spot I mean he's a run producer man that's what it's about he produces runs and he creates a lot of a lot of angst early in the game for the pitcher I mean he puts he can put people on uh in in feeling the pressure early especially starting pitcher I mean and I mean you don't have to the numbers don't lie I mean when you get ahead in a game particularly when you're talking about being in the postseason you get ahead in the game and your chances of winning a Skyrocket I mean you don't have to take a genius this guy can put you ahead in the game very very early uh with just one swing and when he's in one of those modes that he's just he's just spectacular um he's his balance right now is just so good I I was on the road with them when it sort of started and uh and it's just amazing to see the adjustment he's made as far as just the pitch choices his swings um and the balance that he has right now in his swing when he's balanced like this I mean he literally can take a full swing and be like sit there and be statuesque and he's so he's so his base is so strong that um that he really puts the pitcher in a very very tough position early in the game there's like for a starting pitcher I mean I know you got to come out ready to compete but we've all talked to starting pitchers over the years and they said you know you can pace yourself a little bit but there's no coming out and seeing what's working uh when you face the Philly's first batt there's no EAS in process you got to be locked in and executing uh or else you're going to get hurt reminds but Jim do you remember that time Jamie Mo gave up a first pitch uh home run to a some no-name Braves guy I can't remember who he was it was the kid he played in uh he played in Houston for a while he was an outfielder uh I can't remember what his name is but he gave up a first pitch fastball Ruben and after the game Ruben Jam's like well you know I'm kind of surprised you know usually that's a courtesy stke first PCH throwing Kyle schwarber a courtesy strike mhm he courtesy strike it to uh uh to J right on the ash alley my man did that exist like when you played Ruben the old courtesy strike was that spoken no courtesy what he meant was he thought that a kid a young kid who was leading off the game would probably take a strike to try to get the you know get ahead in the count or make the pitcher work or that was really the thought process back then so he just found grooved one in there and the kid just jumped on it probably so yeah Harper came close again to another home run he's came come close the last couple nights first night he hit one off the top of the wall did not thought it was gone did not run did not run at all uh to first base he apologized to Rob Thompson after the game for doing that uh he was he seems kind of stunned that he's not hitting it out and somebody asked him is like you know the lack of power you know are you surprised says I'm surprised these balls are getting out he cited the exit vo in the launch angle on one of those balls last night he's like you know I just don't understand why these balls are not leaving the ballpark I've never seen anything like it so I think he's GNA I think he's getting close what do you guys think well it's three games in a row he's hit a ball off the top of the wall Sunday Monday and Tuesday oh Sun okay off the top of the wall within inches correct correct it's just a millimeter getting under a little backspin but I I wouldn't fret I I I you know it looks 28 games I wouldn't fret you're hitting the ball like that you are squaring it up you are hitting it hard it just you know you're just you know I guess we're so conditioned with power these days that all of a sudden now we take a line drive for granted three games in a row he's hit hit a screamer off the top of the wall last night had maybe a little more Loft but he's you know for a guy who's playing banged up he's he's hitting's getting a lot of doubles uh hitting for average don't worry about it don't worry about it you know you go back to what Charlie used to say it's just a well struck flyball that comes over the fence or goes over the fence and he's just maybe just not under it enough getting that Back Spin it'll come don't worry about it I think he actually looks good that dude had four hits yesterday and he's using you know I guess he's using his quote unquote little leg swing uh I think the uh the Home Run thing maybe a little Karma going on for him after not running the ball out uh I mean those are things things that just can't happen and he I think he knows it I think he just reacted because he thought he hit a home run but those are the kind of things that just can't happen I mean you're trying to win a championship and he talks about this a lot you know trying trying to you know if you want to win a championship you got to do things the right way and that was a mistake on his on his part he just that those those are things that can't be done that said um as far as the swing goes um it's probably not nearly as a aggressive as he he's a super violent swinger super violent one of the most violent swingers in the game is one of the concerns about his like overall health for me um and his elbow even um the reconstructed one or the one that he had the brace on um but also his back and that sort of thing but I think this is a good lesson like dude four hits four hits run scored RBIs production that's all that really matters home runs are great and they put your team up a couple of points uh a couple of runs but you know that's not that big of a deal um and when I by the way when I say points people get all on me about social media Point that's like a that's a slang okay guys just so you know I know I love when you say points yeah well well some people don't Reuben you don't know that it's R it's run scored yeah idiots anyway my point is um my point is he's producing runs and it's a and it's a very very good thing and you know at some point the B the ball's going to go out of the ballpark right uh especially in the in the postseason when your adrenaline's flying higher that Ball's going to be lofted a little bit more it's going to be out of the ballpark everybody relax and enjoy what's going on with the Phillies right now because they're doing the damage that's necessary to be done that's a good point Reuben yep it's a great Point Ruben and we will be right back hey ft fam it's Alana Rizzo I can't stop talking about vori viori is perfect if you are sick and tired of traditional old workout gear I wear viori in all settings not just in the gym because honestly it's comfier than whatever you're currently wearing no joke I'm wearing viori daily leggings right now they're high-waisted with the drawstring and cuffed ankles they look good and they feel great you're going to love them viori is an investment in your happiness for our listeners they are offering 20% off your first purchase get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at vi.com foul that's V ri.com foul not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase but enjoy free shipping on any us orders over $75 and free returns go to vor. cfal and discover the versatility of viori clothing and we are back it it's time for listener questions viewer questions um asked for a bunch last night if you're not following us on x formerly known as Twitter Instagram we asked for some questions last night also give us a follow on Tik Tok and Facebook and subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already so first question guys um comes from Scott Brawn our our pallet foul territory thought this is a good one because the Phillies have an eight-game lead with 17 to play over the Mets in the NL East they're one up on the Dodgers for the best record in baseball the best record in the National League one up but I it's actually two up because they own the ti breaker so they're they're they're in a good spot right now which team looks like the toughest matchup for the Phillies in October and then red J 888 on I think this is on Instagram said rank your possible playoff opponents five being most worried one team you hope they play so who do you think let's start with that who who do you think is the toughest matchup who would scare you a little bit I still think Arizona the way they play the style they play yeah confid they built against the Phillies last year they had a good series against them this year um that would be a little maybe a little bit of a concern but I still think the Phillies can beat anybody if they play their game if they if they're not sloppy don't give extra bases don't walk people don't chase stuff off the plate you know play the good brand of ball they're very capable of playing if they start chasing and Swinging big and uh anybody can beat him you know pressing and Swinging big like we've seen at time it's it's in their DNA it rears its head at times offensively um you just have to hope it it doesn't and when they're on top of the game if they worry about themselves they can beat anybody yeah my head says the Dodgers probably the toughest team but my heart says that uh Arizona and and the and the Padres are the teams that I would be concerned about the other team that I'd be concerned about it are the U are the Mets just because they're playing such they're playing sort of hot baseball they they played well they they feel confident um a lot of it depends on how it how these next several games they have with the Mets go down um because if the Mets beat him up a little bit then I'd be really scared of them so um and you know the Phillies haven't played great necessarily against the Mets uh over the years I mean they they seem to step up and play pretty good baseball against the Mets I'm not sure exactly what the breakdown is between the Mets and the Phillies this year but I do recall there's some there's some issues with them I don't what do we know what the uh what the I think uh I think they played in two series I don't maybe they split I'm not sure but I know theyve had some some tough goes with them at times anyway my point is my point is uh you know sometimes it's you want to play the team that's not the hottest uh and I mean we we saw that years ago in 2011 with St Louis Cardinals uh they were super hot we saw that years ago with the col Colorado Rockies who were super hot and uh in 2007 when they got knocked out by the Rockies in three uh they were super hot at the end of the season I just feel like you just have that that's part of it but as far as you know the way they're playing the Padre's are scary Arizona is really scary for me because the philes don't play well against them and uh they've done a nice job and executed well against them um but I mean talent wise you know you always have to worry about the Dodgers because they have so much so much threat at the top of that line I think the Diamondbacks just you know if they came back here they ain't G to be scared of the crowd because they they been there done it we've been there in the biggest moments one of the biggest the only game seven in Philly's postseason history you mention the Mets they got you're right they the Mets have a lot of good mojo going they do and um I know they lost Jeff mcneel uh tough loss but you know the Phillies are going to see the Mets a lot uh seven times in their final 16 games so they're going to get a really good look at each other somebody's going to have a chance to build some confidence they're very the Mets are going to be you know strapping it on and and they're going to be coming at you because uh they have a lot to play for nobody expected them to be in the hunt for this playoff spot and they're trying to cash it in and uh it's it's a heck of a race between them and Atlanta Phillies are Phillies actually are 4-2 against the Mets this season but that is almost a you can say like an entirely different Mets team than the one that is playing right now doubt they were so bad at the beginning they're playing Amazing now that's why they're in the uh in that third wild card spot Alex Hunt on X we got a lot of Ranger Suarez questions um uh F FR Corb 49 on Instagram level of concern with Suarez and droing vo if Ranger keeps his trajectory and doesn't show you more do the Phils need to go wheeler Nola Sanchez in the postseason uh do you consider Ranger as a bullpen piece in the postseason you know Ranger last night gives up a career high 12 hits his V's down it's up but it was up a little bit from over the weekend in Miami he didn't have a good change up last night so he was kind of just you know he was fast ball curveball getting hit some hard hit balls some that kind of got through uh yeah I mean I was just looking at the numbers last night and it's kind of a mixed bag but just not what you want to see I think he's got a few he's got a few more starts to go before the postseason but I we were talking about this last night in the Press Box that the postseason starts today is he I guess how do you line up the rotation if you can line it up the way you want is he your number four guy in a in a in a five game series seven game series he's not thrown great wheeler Sanchez Nola thrown a lot better it depends if I can get Sanchez on the mount at home where his splits are so much better I'm probably something I'm I'm going to consider um if if it's a series you can get through with three starters maybe Ranger goes to the bullpen these are all good questions all stuff I'm sure they're talking about but it's a concern for me and you can say oh he didn't have any rehab starts in the Myers he's what is he four starts in and his stuff hasn't start now there's your rehab and the stuff is no better uh everything's sort of trending downward and um from vo to spin um you just would like to see more I I I wonder how good a shape he's in he doesn't look like he's in tiptop shape um and uh it's it's got to be a concern for that for that uh coaching staff in that front office as they align things for the postseason so R Ruben Rob Thompson said before the game he mentioned just kind of Flo this I maybe he's going through like a little bit of a dead arm situation right now but he is healthy Rangers said last night he's healthy dead arm does that make any sense is that something he could be going through I mean he he missed a month so I guess usually you hear about guys grinding through and then they hit a dead arm mid-season but he had a month off and now he's four starts in and mentions dead arm see um when I like like Scout guys I like to uh watch arm speed I like to watch mechanics I like to watch see the ball come out of the guy's hand I want to see how the how hitters react to him yesterday everything was sort of blah everything uh there was no finish to his pitches um I don't know that this is necessarily a health thing uh or an arm strength thing but the arm speed I do not see the same arm speed I see a floating break ball that's kind of rolling up there there's not a lot of sharpness and a tilt to it um I see that I don't see the good uh finish on the change up where you know you're you're creating uh where you're creating sort of a deception and I don't see a finish on that fast ball I think he's trying to muscle through it it's not smooth it's not easy what what he was doing in the early part of the Season uh I have some concern about what kind of shape he's in too um I'm not sure you know where his legs are I'm not sure um you know if he's if he's driving with his with his lower half if his core is is working all those things have to be working I think to to get your arm speed to where it needs to be um and it may be a mechanical thing maybe it's just a small adjustment staying over the rubber a little bit longer you know being able to to drive with your lower half whatever the case may be the hitters let you know and when the hitters take the kind of swings they always let you know the what the reaction of the hitters and how they swing the bat is always the the um you know the Telltale sign of you know what this guy's got going on and right now the hitters are telling them I can handle anything you got you're flipping stuff up there that I can hit and so that is a concern for me I I do believe that Sanchez is a better pitcher right now and I would put him in a three hole I would go wheeler NOA and I go Sanchez and I know it's an issue with his splits at home he put his great at home not so well on the road he's just going to have to make that adjustment I mean listen if they're and they're going to have home field advantage so the first two games are going to be at home I think and so he's going to have to adjust and Pitch well on the road anyway my point is I just feel like um this guy needs to get his body together and I'm not sure if that can happen over the next month or so but it's going to have to happen two weeks because it's here um and if I have to then I will throw him in the bullpen and to make the bullpen a little bit better but that said because he's got the gumption to do it he's done it before but um but yeah you you want have all four guys rolling because when you get in the seven game series man you you need them well that's the advantage this team has is they're four deep I mean so many other teams are going to be going like who the heck do we start in game four because you know we've only got two I mean some teams only have two quality guys that the advantage the Phillies have is that they have four legit All-Star quality pitchers so you don't want to sit there on game four going we're gonna throw Suarez out there but he's kind of pitched you know these seven starts he made coming off the I he's got an e erra in the fives or in the fours and he's not looking real good so you don't have a good feeling you want to you want to take advantage of that depth that you have um and does does the stuff right now I use that word right now because things can change we know how good this guy can be does the stuff right now translate to the bullpen I mean that's turn around yeah and you I think you make a good point maybe his legs aren't back yet I don't know yeah Rob Rob keeps saying you know this is rehab this is a rehab assignment but right you're right Jim like this is his fourth start if it was any other pitcher it' be make three rehab starts you're going all right let's bring him back he's ready to go so two rehab starts they made rehab starts right you know right whatever I'm sure he should be better than he is right now he should be better because he's got better stuff and and but but right now I don't see it out of his hand I'd be willing to they're having the same conversations over there oh there's no question they're notum in the coach's room and upstairs so they know what they're doing and they know what they're seeing yeah well answer this can be Chrissy V on X will Alec bone be ready to play when his time is up on the iil he thinks he could be back you know before the end of the weekend uh he says there's going to be plenty of time to get him right at the plate get in sync with his swing and and and all that so he doesn't seem to be too concerned about it I mean there is enough time left in the season where if he comes back this weekend he he should be okay once the postseason starts do you guys see it differently he'll be ready he'll be ready he's fine um Ro our our good old buddy uh Rob haash for formerly from the reading Phils Rob uh sent us a note said the last two Octobers hi Rob the last two Octobers the Phils with no bu seem to take advantage of teams the Braves that maybe got got a little rust during the buy how do they keep their momentum this year if they get a buy we just mentioned that they've got a game lead over the Dodgers for the top record there there's several games up on the Brewers now for that top that second seed that will be the thing right that'll be the talk if when they get the buy is oh my gosh how do they stay sharp are they gonna play some Sim some games you know inter interner Squad games you know they're gonna they're gonna be face the traj machine just see vo is any of that apply once the postseason starts though right because you hear them say that like again but nothing's the same as getting in that box you know blah blah blah so is there a way to stay sharp you know to me baseball is an everyday game and you got to get out there every day to stay sharp that said this team is so banged up I really think they would benefit from um a few extra days and being able to line up their rotation um so what is the kind of the Les of two evils or I would in this case and there's times I like to keep playing um I think it really helped them when they with a wild card team a couple years ago but I would opt for the for the days off in this case and how do you stay sharp you just you you just get out there and and in Sim game whatever you got to do uh but maybe the best way to stay sharp is to get a little rest maybe it would bring some of the sharpness back because they they're banged up Reuben do you think that's is that an a convenient excuse at all the buy I I think it I think it's a little convenient and there is some to something to it just because for the teams that are that are grinding to win um sometimes there's a let down you know when you're grind oh we made it and now you know exhale and then that's what happened in 07 with the Phillies they grinded it they made it you know the Mets went tanking and then you know we got into the playoffs and boom we got knocked out in three because I think it was a collective exhale that we finally made it or whatever and and oh oh oh we have to play another Series so I think that there's it's different for each team I think it's a there's a different flow to it for each team I think in this case I agree with Jim um they have a veteran group of guys who've been through it the last two years they know what it takes and what it's like to be in the playoffs most of the players even with you know Turners and the I mean everybody basically on this team has been through this been through the postseason I understand what it takes and how to be sharp I do think that Rob Thompson will do some things simulated games uh even talked about semi jokingly about piping in some noise and stuff like that some crowd noise and things like that to be able to get get guys going I'm not sure if they'll necessarily need it but I'm sure they're thinking about all this stuff and preparing for all these things um uh I I'm okay I'm okay with them getting a couple of days off um if they get a week off it's one thing now I understand that MLB is trying to tighten up some of this stuff that it's you know there's a couple of blowout series that they're going to you know start series you know try not to let it expand too too long and they might have to make adjustments now it's all about TV and revenue and all that stuff but uh but I think that's a smart thing to do that you know two you know C couple of series get knocked off quickly I mean you can't have those guys sit around for four or five days you got to make them play plus you lose the momentum of the fan base and so um I think they're going to make some adjustments on that as well I don't think that other teams necessarily like let their guard down but I feel like if any team is going to have a sense of urgency in terms of being prepared it's going to be this team you know John smolt said it last week on the show he said you know uh the the the the the bitter sting of getting knocked out last year in the NLCS has this team so motivated and focused so I think whatever they could possibly do I think they're going to be all in on again not to say that other teams aren't all in on it when they get these first round buys but I think this team is going to be really like all right guys let's do whatever they need to do because they don't want to blow this and they go well boys you know we were really rusty coming out of that buy got knocked out so uh John Maloney on X uh oh uh do you think the Phillies will engage Kyle schwarber a contract extension talks and what do you think that might look like I I think about that all the time because next year will be his final year and it's been a great signing how old is he 31 31 32 I can take a look at that I think he's 31 years old I believe I think he'll be 32 when we when they have to extend him 32 or 33 it's been so uh so good such a good signing and like I said I think about that it's I I would engage him to see where it's going to go um but you know his his agent he foure $79 million they're going to be looking you know it looks like almost like a bargain uh they're going to be looking for for a pretty significant deal I would imagine because I don't see that bat speed going away anytime soon and that selectivity and his DH I think he could continue to do what he's been doing for for a few years he's he's uh such a good Clubhouse presence I would engage it and see where it goes I'd love to keep it to like three but I don't think it would I don't know it'd be hard to imagine wouldn't want to go more than that Ruben you've done these things uh yeah I would love to engage him for another three probably um and a shorter the better if you have to pay more money to do it I mean we talked about this at nauseum I mean I'd rather be able to do shorter deals for more money um and you know you got that you got that out of Wheels right you got three more years out of wheels at at big big time money uh top of the top of the ticket money but that said um I think this guy would want to stay here I think he likes being here I think the um you know you typically don't want to negotiate during a season where the GU having one of his better seasons of his career so it's you you want to see him out of a lull a little bit or whatever but that said it there's a lot of factors here okay so it's health because of his lower half you know he's had some knee issues he's had some stuff going on um uh I I don't think it's going to be necessarily a long-term thing but you'd have to factor that in I mean I went through that with Brian Howard when we extended him and he ended up you know blowing out his Achilles and his lower half didn't work anymore and all of a sudden is he was a different player and so and he had some knee issues as associated with that so um you have to be aware of that that said I mean you sort of have to pay the guy for his presence because his presence is huge he makes the team a better team by his presence alone and his knowledge of The Game and his ability to pick things out from pitcher and his ability to work counts and and there there's so many different other things that are associated that you sort of can't measure that an analytics person cannot measure and um and when you're trying to win you need winning players and winning people and he is that and if you do not keep guys like that those those guys don't come off of trees they're not you know the Darren Daltons of the world aren't you know those are the Chase Utley of the world as far as leadership they don't they don't they don't even exist because no one cares enough about their teams to to to be the kind of guy that Kyle schwarber is and so that is a very important piece of this that I know that Dave nski understands well go back and listen to the episode on Monday with Kyle schwarber you canre get a great sense of what kind of leader leader that he is in that Clubhouse and the intangibles that he brings to this team so let's let's finish off with some quick ones Steve Johnson on Instagram if gave Ruben a week to stretch his arm what could he hit on the radar gun Ruben what are you th we throwing up there some serious cheese or what right right-handed or left-handed because I'm that's true let's go with your strong arm right now right now I I don't have anything on my right arm right now I mean they didn't even let me throw BP when I was you know I was so bad with my BP uh in Boston that they said okay D enough that we can't we can't do that people don't realize people don't realize how hard it is how difficult it is to especially when know the very first the very first time I go to the throw BP Dave Browski is behind the behind the turtle and I'm going oh Christ and I'm having to throw left hand my right because my right arm was screwed up so I'm throwing left-handed I'm drilling guys oh it was terrible the team gets like two hit that night and they blame you terrible totally right yeah no doubt so but um uh probably I don't know 65 miles an hour I can't I you know it would it would take a long time for me to get my arm stretched out to be able to throw you know 70 70 miles an hour there I did throw in a I did throw in a uh professional game though when I played nine nine uh nine positions in AB ball in at the in the California Leake did is that right B bill lch bill lch bill Latchman allowed me to do it he was our manager he's a greatest God bless him he passed away recently or fairly recently he let me play all nine positions it was one of the coolest things we had already clinched the first half and the very next game he let me play nine positions it was ftic awes I got uh I got a guy to roll over on a I got a guy 02 and I just thre him a little Sinker he rolled over to a short stop bang I think it was just one hitter at that I think I faced just one hitter maybe two Luke Kel on X I'm a musician and used to play at the Continental in Yardley Ruben came to us during a gig and requested hoodie and the Blowfish is Ruben still a hoodie guy are you still a hood guy huge hoodie guy that used to be my go-to for karaoke yeah that's awesome I love Hoodie in fact crazy story I saw hoodie before hoodie became hoodie is that right I was in Dallas hanging out with a friend of mine there and uh this is a thousand years ago and she said um he we're going to some Hony Tonk place in Dallas and some group called like hoodie and the Blowfish or py and the blow dumps or something I don't know what it was and I'm like what and and we ended up going and literally hoody ended up I mean there's Hoody and the Blowfish on on the stage I was like these guys are awesome boom right after that they like they went nuts I Darius Rucker Darius Rucker and his group became like famous as hell and I mean I'm a huge fan he's he's he's also like a huge baseball fan I think yes so Tod back in like 94 or five um one of the Blowfish actually came to the Phillies Clubhouse not hoodie but one of the Blowfish um and one of the blow dumps because they were friends with Dave Holland from uh University of South Carolina one of the guys knew Dave Hollins and he came to the clubhouse so um got to witness one of the Blowfish up close and personal what a huge thrill I'm sure yeah um let's finish with this six on X what were Jim and Todd's funniest interactions with Ruben while he was an executive oh I I was thinking about this and honestly I couldn't think of like one specific funny moment but there were I mean there was just a lot of uh you know goofing around in in moments that provided some levity you know there was there was a lot of laughs in the you know because you had to be somewhat serious you know you had to be serious a lot of the time because you were making big decisions and had to talk about struggles and whatnot but uh there were a lot of serious moments there were times when sure I mean when you're a reporter and an executive sometimes you bang heads and you get sideways I mean I had some cold Wars with Ruben that lasted you know for months and then you know some some uh disagreements but you know Ruben always had really and still does thick skin but there were times when you could lighten up the moment and have a laugh and break the tension and maybe end the Cold War and we had some laughs over the years um I I you know one of the things I do think about for these guys is you know when I was a player and they were sort of and Jim at the time I was a player you or not Jim but zo um you know there's a different relationship as a player and you know I goofed around a lot more as a player than I could obviously as an executive so the dynamic that they how these guys had to deal with me is sort of different as a player as an executive they're like this guy was like a player a few you few minutes ago or whatever back in the day and and and so um obviously a lot more playful now than you ever was but um but it was really sort of different when I was a player as was a little bit more playful I think as a player Jim you would probably know a little bit more about that I I can mess around but there were times when I was an when I was an executive too that we and some of the stuff can't we we cannot air no um but but but some fun stuff that that did did still go on I mean I um it probably was a different Dynamic for you guys um and for most reporters that when I made the transition from being you know on the field to being in the in the front office that you had to we had to sort of deal with each other differently kind of weird yeah it was a it was a big change um the cat and mouse game before free agent season was always you know it could elicit some laughs you know I you'd catch Ruben maybe at the GM meetings and I'd be like you know does this guy do anything for you and he'd say no I say does this guy do anything for you and you're kind of like talking on background you know as a reporter you're trying to build your story and plann for two three four weeks down the road whether or not there might be interest in a certain Guy and um you know it's say does this guy give you any blood flow Ruben and he no blood flow oh my God you know moderate flow and so if I knew if moderate if if no flow would come up I know maybe there's nothing there but moderate flow maybe a guy to keep an eye on so you develop these little code words and and and um but you never know you know I had a GM ones tell me at I think it was the GM meetings or something we are not signing x x player we are not signing X player and so that kind of shaped my thinking throughout the winter and then they signed X player so you never know um yeah that's time once I was interviewing you at the winter meetings Todd I'm sorry um so at the winter meetings we you know you'd have a a session with the GM every day and I remember going upstairs to your room or your Suite actually where you're all your brain trust the war room and we had a camera and you know you'd walk in they turn around the Whiteboard so you couldn't see the Whiteboard with all the names they were getting remember that Todd and had so R I said Ruben was goingon to do this little standup interview with me he said we do right here we'll do it right here it was all business you know so you know I remember saying like you know I'm in the War Room here's where all the Philly's plans are behind this whiteboard there are secret documents all over this room and I held up an Eminem rapper that is so good oh my God it was funny we used to have to either turn the Whiteboard around or we have to drape it with like a sheet or something like that you we had a special she mike gondo always set up the room you know our director of uh Pro scouting who's still there still do a great job with him oh yeah but he uh we used to it was fun it was fun time man it was fun uh doing that stuff those days were long were fun yeah all those little nuances you have to pick up on how what a guy's saying like Jim that's so true like if Ruben like I remember talking to you the Cliff Lee thing was about to happen I remember I think you were in Arizona maybe or I was in Arizona you was in Arizona right and I remember getting you on the phone and asking like you know Ken Rosenthal or somebody says this thing is close and you're like I'm not talking about to I am not getting into free agent negotiations and I just said just the vibe you were giving me I was like this guy is full of it right now there's something going on there's something but just just from knowing you over the years and knowing if something was totally not going to happen it was garbage the tone in your voice was just different when you said there's nothing going on or I'm not going to talk about this I I don't get in free agent negotiations I don't discuss this stuff I was like um I think there's something happening here so I remember calling TR Sullivan who was our Rangers writer at mlb.com at the time I said I think something is going on here and then he ended up breaking the story because I think he got word from the Rangers that Cliff said he's signing with the Phillies so he ended up breaking that story that night on Twitter um but uh yeah so that those are the little things that that you pick up so I remember and sometimes we could help Ruben because I remember when so at one winter meetings you guys were trying to make that Michael Young deal and it got really hung up and I forgot why I he was trying to decide whether the wave is no trade or whatever but I had somebody close to Michael Young telling me that he eventually is going to wave it's no trade clause it's gonna take a day or two but it's gonna happen so I'm writing that this deal will happen Michael Young will and I remember Ruben calling me and saying do you know something I don't know here they they they were not getting the word from Michael Young's camp um whether he was going to accept this deal or not so and and that created some laughs and um great never heard that story it's funny it's funny that is great well all right well thanks everybody for the questions we will be back later this week smell you later boys smell you this is the Philly show if you haven't already please subscribe to the Philly show where ever you get your podcasts you can also watch us on our YouTube channel if you like what we do give us a review tell a friend catch Ruben Jim and me on Phillies Nation TV presented by Valley Forge tourism new episodes air an hour before every Saturday Phillies game on NBC Sports Philadelphia replays air throughout the week and on philliesnation tocom get more of Ruben's analysis during before and after Phillies games on NBC Sports Philadelphia on the sports radio 94 WIP morning show and mlbb network read Jim at the All City Network atall phly.com find more of me at mlb.com the Phillies be newsletter and occasionally on MLB Network [Music]