Phillies Gauntlet | Eagles Preseason Finale Preview | Special Guest Al Zaffiri

[Music] [Music] and good morning everybody Welcome in to the pass a fanatic show I'm your host James scorza with you and with me as always as a group of companions on this very important Saturday last week of the pre-season finale Joey marks and our good friend Al Safari the boss man joining us today good morning gentlemen good morning morning morning morning and and before we go any further we want to say thank you to our sponsors for this very important program today our friends over at Sherry tickets.com David or cherry Esquire Philly sports strips.com and our friends over at Doan bar but there's a lot to get to on this very important Saturday simply Joe Where Do We Begin well like you said uh to start the show this is the the odd but but true last uh preseason game for today uh at 1:00 Eagles face off against the Vikings and we know how the Vikings love coming into South Philadelphia um this time they don't have to worry about SK gonna be the quarterback well they might have a better chance of winning that that's all I maybe Mitch kovsky joins our show today it says good morning to everyone check out flly like an eagle every Thursday night on the edge of Philly sports network but yeah I mean I mean preseason finale today I'm sorry to interrupt Joe but go right ahead buddy oh well here's the thing we're we're going to cover two things cuz we have the preseason finale today but then before we even get to next week's show we're GNA have the regular season already already like we're going to Brazil boys we're we're we're going to kick the season off a in South American style in in Brazil and and I got to ask you like we're gonna we're going to break down lot with Al about his thoughts about the upcoming Eagles season but before we get to the regular season Al I got to ask you has there been any players on the Eagles whether it's one on offense and one on defense that has stood out to you this preseason um I would say if I had to picked defense you know not just one but the linebacker core the ability of Vic fangio to kind of start getting guys in an area that this team has forever and ever just always lacked in since Trotter back in the day now we have his son it took all the way to his son to come play here um to make things um interesting again you know young guys like him troter JR you know stepping up I I like I said take everything with a grain of salt what we see in preseason um yeah Devon white looking to make a a career Resurgence um has been making a name for himself noobe Dean as long as you know James I know that's your dude um got him on today buddy got them on today brother there you go like listen I'm right behind you with the niobe dean love I'm just hoping he pans out you always say you can't make the club from the tub and you know that's kind of been his um his Mo lately or you know so I listen I know he's a little smaller he's a little undersized Trotter's not as big either but I think that's just kind of the way the linebacker World works anymore it's usually speedier you know bowling ball kind of guys I call them they might not be the tallest you know it does kind of put you little limitations in um um when it comes to guys thrown over the middle but that's kind of where the secondary might come in they got a lot of options at secondary um you know vonte Maddox Isaiah Rogers you know we've been hearing a lot of good about uh quinon Mitchell uh slle of course doing what slle does best you know then all the way up to the safeties so you know it's not the same as it was as when trer was here you know you didn't have U safeties always dropping in the M know where the linebackers are standing in on the field and kind of playing a quasi linebacker but you know is it again is it a lot have to do with the the style of play that the way that that you know we have we've always had Vic fangio light style defense here because we never had we never had the secret sauce of Vic fangio that he had brings with him you know and and he kind of brings back a bit of that old school mentality that we as Philly fans Eagles fans have um loved you know and we haven't seen in a long time so let's see um you know let's see how that plays out you know does he have the right scheme for the guys uh Steve saying there's no true uh there's so that's so true in linebacker size now they linebackers are almost slightly bigger safeties now yeah and then that's the other thing is like the Eagles and the NFL have looked at guys for versatility so a safety in my eye is a a quasi linebacker in some ways so you know that that's probably been the area that's kind of interested to be the most um to watch on offense you know outside of the injuries on the o line you know I'm a little you know question marks on the o line but maai beckum has really stepped up um I wonder you know is Tyler Steen I GNA call him a bus or is he just going to be a you know back you know just back up we'll see how that works out but I would say those are the two areas that I really F and players I focused in on you know in this preseason I mean this is the thing with steam is even when we drafted him there was a lot of criticism about his his arm length his strength his his Get Up and Hold Up When when it comes down to getting off the line and staying upright and I think you're starting to see a lot of those because it's been a while like he's had some time in the statland University he you know so this isn't this should be a guy that's has it down I mean cam Jurgens is another prime example of being in that statland University for a while and he's showing progress um even if he's getting some things taken off of his uh off of his shoulders with uh the the line adjustments and whatnot because Jaylen uh from what I've heard jayen is going to take that responsibility on uh to do line adjustments and whatnot pre- snap um you know it it interesting to me uh I I kind of tend I want to touch on what you were bringing up and what Steve was bringing up about the linebacker and you know I look at like a guy like Brian Dawkin who was a safety back then he was a safety with the size and the intensity and the coverage that he he uh exemplified but if you look at what he was then as far as physical stature you put someone like Brian Dawkins in a linebacker position I don't know if you have the same impact I you know I think that sometimes with the way that the uh defense and athleticism and schemes have changed in NFL you need to have a a linebacker that can't just Blitz you got to get a guy that is like a safety that plays like a safety that can that can go in and get get in between tackles and guards but also can you know be able to cover a fast tight end or a third wide receiver or a backup running back like that's kind of where we're at right now in in the way that schemes are so I like Jeremiah troter I like nocoe de I and I've heard glowing glowing things from uh Camp about ncoe deem and I'm looking forward to seeing that translate on the football field um so my my next question is the Eagles Take the field today uh for a third preseason game which seems to be a bit meaningless at least in my mind I want to get both of your takes on what you think uh about this third preseason game whether you think it's meaningless or if you think there's some meaning to it what are you looking to see so I'll start with you Al what are you looking to do you think this is meaningless and what are you looking to see if you think there is any meaning to it uh Joe was kind of in the same camp many years ago before we started doing what we we do now um you know and probably from the product that you put on the team and knowing that you know about 75% of those guys who are playing are most likely not going to be making the club um but our our boy Al Thompson from football stories um you know he opened my eyes years ago we were doing a show because you know he's a credential reporter and he's down at he's at all these preseason practices and games and everything and he said to me Al he's like you have to look at these preseason games from their point of view he said it's like somebody put a briefcase with a million dollars in the middle of a table and then you know there's eight guys to battle out for you know only one guy's coming out with that briefcase you know they're fighting for a career they're fighting for a spot on a on a team they're fighting for play time so I'm like once he said that and then you can look you kind of look past that first layer of okay there a bunch of guys that are not going to be playing against a bunch of guys who probably won't be playing either um you know it it makes it a little bit more interesting because there is probably a lot of Fringe bubble guys that we don't even know about the that the Eagles want to get a little bit more tape on before they make a decision are they goingon to be a practice squatter or they gonna actually make the team are they gonna be a special teamer all that kind of stuff um so yeah I think that when when he told me about that and made me look at it from that point of you like again the product usually isn't the greatest let's be honest preseason games products aren't great uh the games look like um you know mildly high-scoring baseball games they're not really like you know they're 10 10 to three games you know like that it's not you know not a barn burner from the Casual football fan standpoint uh to the point that um I've been down to a cple these joint practices and Al Thompson was reporting from there and telling me you know they're more interesting I wonder if they ever start televising those one day and you know scrap these uh preseason games but and what make them what makes those a little bit more interesting is they do like scenarios like because you can do a million preseason games and never get and not get too much Red Zone time or you know you're on you're you're 12 yards away it's Fourth and fourth and goal the end of the game they'll do those scenario type um drills and setups in in the in those type of in um the uh joint practices but you can't get them in preseason games so that also makes things a little bit more interesting and and and things get a little bit even more chipper because you got a lot of the ones and the twos going up against each other yeah I agree with that and you know what when when you can uh have the prospect of being able to uh televise uh bowling or cornhole or or something like that I think televising joint practice uh joint scrimmage practice uh I think that might be in the cards especially for some place like ESPN or whatnot um but James what what do you think about the third preseason game I mean right now as far as I know it and Al you could correct me if I'm wrong uh this is the last time we are going to have three preseason games next year I believe they moved down to two and 18 games correct well that was the conversation let me see um I don't know if that's been exactly 100% but I'll I'll check why uh James answers his question so you know James is this game that that's going to happen today in your mind meaningless and if it has any kind of meaning what does it mean to you what are you looking to see I mean I wouldn't say it is uh meaningless because sometimes just like preseason game shows out like like basically who's going to make the roster I mean it's I think it's more like the last chance to make the roster like kind of like for like a couple of these guys that are like on the bubble just they finally step up and I think this is like a time for like somebody like a John Ross looks like like obviously he's not going to make it like towards like he's probably just going to be one of the players that's gonna be cut on the next couple days or so because obviously we got Jan doson now but this will be like like T for him like to see what he has in store for other teams to look at um there's another couple players that on the team that really look like they were good pieces in the preseason but probably not going to fit here but they'll probably fit elsewhere but um yeah I mean it's it's it's I don't I don't look at preseason games as like as like okay get these three things or four things back in the day out of the way more importantly than anything I think it's more that it's been like like who am anxiously who am I gon to look at to see what they'll do when they come if they are on the roster if you know what I mean right and and like this is the thing is there were guys and I mentioned this last week um there there were guys that would pop up as far as names that honestly I you know I I would never have heard of um yeah um Milton is a guy Milton uh guy Tony Booker the four Tony Booker yeah um there was another one that I that I liked um in that on that that group um I I'm I'm getting there's a couple others though that that really showed out the first name I get last name I'm I'm not recalling Jack Jon or jayx hunt JX hunt yeah he he's impressed me too with his pick in the draft people are really kind of scratching their head why it was so early on and people didn't see him a lot on their draft boards when he came from a small school but apparently he was a Vic fangio Choice uh was high on them so they got they got their new coordinator a special little present I guess and gave them who they he asked for and I mean so far um you know just early on things looked promising I mean look this is the other thing that you know we we have had a little bit of Fortune when it comes down to some of these underrated or come out of nowhere kind of Dbacks uh last year was Eli Ricks and he was undrafted he came in he made Camp he made the team out of Camp you would say that Eli Rick made his name in the preseason and that was the only reason why he was able to make this team in the first place um along with some of the injuries that happened that also probably helped but yeah like that that that is kind of the difference in why I feel like some of these preseason games are worth it because you you kind of get to some of these players that you may not have heard of before yeah definitely and I'll piggyback what you said about that too um the thing I took out that took out of the preseason this year was that I was really impressed about who was going to be G like that quarterback like backup situation with either Kenny picket or Tanner mcke because um mck has shown out that he's been really been balling out like since all preseason obviously we didn't see Jay Herz in that game and we hope we we just expect him to play a full like 177 Game season um but I seen a lot of good I seen a lot of positive with uh Tanner mcke too um I mean as far as Kenny picket I mean like this is why he wasn't as good in Pittsburgh either yeah and and look if you want to go see the Eagles this season and see the Jaylen Herz effect and see the the soon to be reigning MVP Jaylen Herz in this powerful offense you can go to our great sponsors at Philly sports.com James why don't you tell them more about it yes indeed Joe Today's Show is probably sponsored by our friends over at Philly sport strips.com Philly sport strips.com is a is an affordable trip for all your favorite Philly sports teams this year including the Eagles Phillies that are struggling right now but hopefully they can bounce back today uh the firers and Sixers come October and even the Union right now book a trip today with Vincent the guys over at Philly sports.com as you see on this graphic year Brazil's coming before you know it so um stock up and score big if you know what I mean check out today at Philly Sport strips.com and check them out today I never miss a moment throughout the season with Vince and the guys over at Philly sports strips.com that's at Philly sports strips.com so Al were you able to find anything out about the the preseason and the regular seon they they had meetings about it but nothing has been um okay okay so you know th this could be still a wait and see but I think a lot more of what you're going to see going forward it and once they do possibly get rid of the third preseason game you're going to see more joint practices so if there's going to be two preseason games I'd almost imagine that you're going to have joint practices with both teams that you're going to face in the preseason to give to give those coaches more it's like you said Al in the joint practices the coaches get to run more simil like stuff they want to run and I think that might be more beneficial for the teams um so that that may be something on the table but let's fast forward because like I said we're going to be covering we covered today's game but let's cover what game really matters the Brazil game and I get I get it it's going to be on a Friday which is going to be weird for all Friday Night Lights back remember that show back in the day yes but Friday Friday Night Under The Lights yeah and this time you know let let's just hope that uh the Eagles are the ones that come out on top with that but uh definitely they're going to be out shining some of the high school football teams uh for sure um so sorry High School football uh you're GNA have to take a back seat for one week but uh we're we're heading to Brazil we're we're going against an upstart Packers team and I want to get Al's perspective on what he's expecting to see and what he thinks is going to happen in Brazil um it's kind of hard to exp I always said the two the two hardest games to gauge and to predict is the first and last game of any NFL season because first game you don't know what you have in front of you either team the last game you don't know who's going to be playing some people's positioning you know and jocking for playoff positions um this one you know it can go really this this game can go either way it's going to make it a little bit more exciting so let's look at Green Bay for a second Green Bay was kind of the adverse version of the Eagles last year right they were struggling all the way up until about Thanksgiving they won their Thanksgiving game and then went on a tear made the playoffs and made some stink in the playoffs um you know walloping um Dallas which we all thoroughly enjoyed to watch um and then putting and then putting on a great um um a just a great game against the um was it the ners I believe yeah the Niners um and and you know just coming kind of coming short of making it to a Super Bowl all one one swing you know um the Eagles unfortunately were the other way around came out like gang bat Busters 10- one uh we all know about the proverbial a gauntlet they went through and then you know just fell off the face of the Earth and we all couldn't I remember I remember doing um you know a pregame show for for the playoff game for the Eagles I said I honestly I really don't want them to win it's like they don't deserve to win I don't want them to win um any I think if they win it just holds Credence to the the crap that's going on and making them keep guys around they probably shouldn't be around um but now you have again Polar Opposites you have a guy you have a team that's looking for Redemption you have another team that's looking to keep it going and and and we all know it's not easy to to have that same magic that happened last year so um you know you're gonna have two teams in my eyes who are fairly matched in in most areas um I would say defensively Green Bay has made some improvements again we've made some improvements as well but there is a lot of question marks around it because we haven't seen it in action yet um I really do worry about none of our um starters getting any not even a series of offense and defense under their belt before beforehand uh but you know this is a game that can go either way and it's like Joey you said you know they got to get down to Brazil and they got to adjust to Brazil and they're probably gonna be down there they'll probably leave in a week you know they'll probably be down there for about a whole week before you know it all goes down and so same thing with with Green Bay you know so I really don't have a prediction for this game this is a sit back watch it happen and see what you know see what the Eagles have learned see if they can make mistakes and recover from because the mistakes will be made I mean let's be honest this team has this number ones in this team have not seen any real action neither has Green Bay for the most part from what I understand I kind of looked into it quickly they haven't had much time either and we all know how sof tissue issues occur in the first couple weeks of um you know the season now because they let they kind of bubble wrap all these guys until they're ready to take them off for the game uh so like I said I really don't have a prediction they are fairly in my eyes evenly matched um in most most areas um let's just see if the Kalen Moore offense can make the defense scratch the head because you can't really go by much of the game tape from last year you know you know like there's a there's a plus minus about preparing for game one as a offense and defense coordinator because all you have to go on is last year and some preseason tape right well we all know preseason is as vanilla as it comes uh so if you're the Green Bay and you know Eagles can look at some of the Green Bay stuff a lot of the returning players they have all those things going on for them so they can kind of get some gauge based on that you got a whole new offense and a whole new defense a whole offens new defense coordinator and offensive coordinator um so I think gives the Eagles a little bit of a a step in the right direction with um the ability for them to throw a little misdirection in their way but it this is a good oldfashioned sit back and enjoy and see how this thing starts to unfold situation in my eyes I so you know James I'm gonna get to you in a minute one of the things that I have to say uh in regards to to this is that you know with with Brazil I agree with you Al like it's kind of like you don't know it's the mystery of the unknown because none of what we saw last year exists anymore because the coordinators are different the scheme is different the idea and the way that they may have you know structured some of the play calling is different and you can't get any gauge on well what is different from preseason because none of that was a it's like two poker players that are the last two poker players standing at the table that they both have good hands but they're both trying to out Bluff the other one and and that's the way I see like the first game of the season is like you you have two guys that are just they they know they have good hands and they know the opponent has a good hand but they don't know how good of a hand and we know that the Packers have talent we know that they are potentially a playoff contender in the NFC this year you go down to it in a situation like Brazil where you're you're playing on a Friday which you know athletes are creatures of habit we've said that countless times so how does that throw off you know any of these players SK ways to get ready for a game how does this does the p pageantry of doing it in Brazil uh throw them off from what it would feel like on a typical home opener or season opener and like that that makes a difference like as a play as a person who played uh you know Semi-Pro sports or as a person that like played Sports in general like you have certain things that you do to get yourself ready to get yourself mentally ready physically ready and I think that this first string team uh it's going to be a little bit of a shell shock but I think it's going to be a shell shock for both teams I think in the first half I predict that these player that the these two teams are going to be feeling each other out it's going to be a jab jab a jab and then you're going to see in the second half at someone whether it is the Packers or the Eagles it's going to take a shot it's going to take a shot to see if the other team can respond or if they falter if it's a bluff or if they really have a good hand um I I think the Eagles have got the Packers number just off of talent Alone um I don't know if that's going to be enough because with Talent you can still make mistakes and a game is fluid and just because you have a lot of Talent on paper we all know the game isn't played on paper um James what's your feeling about this this uh game in Brazil yeah I mean it's a excuse me I think the one thing I I'm really looking forward to seeing is just that the the whole complexion of how great jayen Herz looked with Kell Moore's offense all in the basically and OTAs and also and also in training camp as well but I think the one thing I'm really excited to see is just like like even though obviously I wish the gab was here and I would love to see the e was play Green Bay here because it's like I mean basically losing a home game doesn't help anybody but if you can really like do whatever you can to like like bring that fire like you have at the link to Brazil I think it would be just like won't won't feel let mean won't feel like it will feel like a home game but the one thing I'm really looking forward to seeing is just that just I think the Packers I mean yeah they got I mean even Steve brought it up said they have solid wide receivers in one area and it worries them but I mean it's not like we have Aaron roders like on the other sideline they don't got like a Randle Cobb or like a Jordan Nelson on the other sideline either but I think the thing I take out of it too was that that if the Eagles can start off like a like get off on a higho and score like on their first drive that's going to probably tell you the complexion of what kind of season it's going to be kind of like what they did back in 2017 and that same year they won the Super Bowl on their opening drive on the first week against Washington now keep something in mind both when I say these two teams can come out the first half and Jab and Jab and Jab yeah both these both these teams have picked out picked up in free agency this past off season two really good Premier running backs absolutely Jacobs and Barkley I would not be surprised if you see a heavy dose of both in the first half for sure of of that game just so that they the the offense and the defense can kind of get a stronger footing um th this coming season we're all going to be and I say with sarcasm uh if people can't tell in my voice um we're gonna be privileged to hear from Tom Brady when it comes down to commentary um I I think if you want to hear a blow hard you might be in for a treat I if not you know it is what it is but he Tom Brady came out with his top five teams in to watch in this upcoming season and the Eagles were not on that list in fact in fact there were no NFC teams on that list it was the Kansas City Chiefs the Baltimore Ravens the Cincinnati Bengals the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets H what so my question to you guys is the are the the Philadelphia Eagles in your mind a top five NFL team Al I'll start with you uh again it's hard it's hard to guge without knowing exactly what this team is yeah like I said too many new new moving Parts I would say they're definitely top 10 maybe six Fringe five but if I'm looking at it and being very analytical you know you know I believe Kansas City is you're number one overall there uh the Ravens have to be up there too um the Bengals I I you know I think he's got everybody you know Joe burrow effect and a lot of they have a lot of really good offensive weapons but they still have some have some hold out issues and things like that so I'm not ready to anoint them that that high up on there I mean I the fact that kind of look over the Lions too is kind of um ridiculous the ners should be in that conversation I believe over the Jets um so it's really kind of hard for me um to sit there and say that the Eagles are top five but if they are it's it's a five you know but I would say they're more six seven in that range at at this point in time you know it's interesting because like there are things that I dislike about Tom Brady but when Tom comes out with this kind of list and almost makes me want or makes me feel like I have to stick up for the Dallas Cowboys that's when I really want to hate the man more not that I feel like the Dallas Cowboys are better than the Eagles but I think that the Dallas Cowboys are one of the top maybe five teams in NFC you could hate them all you want their defense is really still good they they their quarterback is is good not great I know a lot of people want to say he's great and then you have CD lamb who still hasn't left and you have a tight end that's that's coming up in the world my feeling is that that Dallas isn't going to go anywhere as far as the talent they they have to fall apart on the field the the talent on paper is there but I have to see them fall apart on the field first and you know the NFC is weak let let's just be clear you like the NFC is weak and that's why I understand if he put four out of the top five in the AFC like I agree with that but I'm with you James like the Jets like the what did the Jets proven to me at all did they got like a 40y old I mean the only different thing that Tom Brady got it right was that they were both like in their 40s and were still playing with the jet between Rogers and Brady but here's my thing if I was going to make a top five and I was going to put all the top five teams from the AFC would to put the Jets I would have put like the Dolphins or something I would put like Miami or maybe like maybe like a Cleveland I I think I think the Aaron roders effect can give a team a little bit of a higher upscale but again if he could play more than three snaps that always plays a big factor in it but you know putting that aside if if if Aaron roders is playing that does give the Jets a little bit of a high upside but they're not a top five in my guys at all uh maybe top 10 um the Jets have made some dumb decisions I mean who brings hisan reik in knowing that the guy's looking for a contract and thinks he's gonna work off that contract like I don't like they they they've made some really dumb decisions and it's hard for me to get have to say the Jets aren't going to be a good team they'll be in the top half of the NFL but we're on the top half definitely not the top five uh Mike papernick ch in here the Jets are not top five KC Eagles San Fran Baltimore Lions you know if you're going by number one KC yeah I I have to imagine Baltimore Falls to two not I I can't the Eagles if you were just taking these five people the Eagles would be five in my eyes right um and you can make a conversation for somebody that um there's probably another team or two in front of them that makes him at a 67 spot so you know it's really you know maybe it's the the Brotherhood of old quarterbacks that make him feel like I'm gon to put Aaron roders up there maybe that's his kind of uh that was his click baity moment they told him like find somebody in there to enrage people whatever it is it is um Mike's also saying um Aaron Rogers has every opportunity to win another Super Bowl in Green Bay having HomeField and always hearing L uh always hearing Lambo um yeah I I I don't believe he's GNA win a Super Bowl I I just think that Division and that conference in of itself is just too difficult but you know I mean when we talk about when we talk about Aaron Rodgers we talk about what happened last season and the fact that he got injured well if you deal with personal injury we have a great lawyer for you to be able to check out yeah Joe today show is probably sponsored by friends over at David Archer Esquire David Archer will fight for you whether it's for workers comp motiv vehicle accidents criminal law or personal injury or anything that Tom Brady does is basically tell you right now if that game was in Philadelphia I think he might have to call David or cherry because I don't think he's coming out there with a hot hand if you know what I mean anyways give him a call today at 61565 300 that's at 61056 6 5300 David or cherry will fight for your rights and to schedule a consultation today visit Cherry injury law.com that's at Cherry injury law.com so I I got before we wrap up the Eagles talk I wanted to get Al's breakdown and I get it you you you you only can see this team uh from what we see on paper and you can give kind of like your outlook especially with um what we see on the schedule and the teams that we have to face I'm want to get your prediction for every guest host we've had come on we've gotten their prediction for the season and why they believe that you know why they believe so strongly about that record so Al I'm G to put you on the hot seat so what do you think the Eagles record is going to be for this season and why Joe you always know I love doing this but um being realistic I have him about 11 to 12 win team at this point uh 12 on the high side um but you know it's like I said it's really difficult to tell but there is some you know it this the be this schedule is is kind of what makes it somewhat interesting for me and I see do we have it in here so I can kind of pull it up uh no I don't have it in here but I I'll see if I can pull it up but um the is what makes the Eagles season kind of interesting in my eyes um you know you lose one home game home field advantage in my eyes with with with that Brazil game as you talked about and here we go um you know you got two teams in the beginning so technically have you have five four games before the buy which that early by irks my soul um you have technically two home games and two games but the one home game's in Brazil so that's not a home game um and then you have Atlanta on Monday night so we always know how Atlanta does on Monday night here and Kurt Cousins does on Monday night here I feel like that's going to be a win in there but you know New Orleans at Tampa Bay you know early on give people fit especially New Orleans then you go into Cleveland and you have divisional with the Giants the Bengals the Jags Dallas I mean a lot of people looked at the schedule as being an easy schedule and I'm kind of looking at the other way around um it'd be inter you know you got Carolina baked in there I think that's pretty uh should be an easy team Pittsburgh depends on which way they go but outside of that I mean if you split you split with Dallas maybe even split with Washington but beat Giants you know that's where I'm getting my 11 and you know 11- six um or 12- five team yeah I you know for me I I'm leaning at 12 and five uh I see teams like New Orleans as much as there's some people that feel like they're on the uptick I think and and a lot of people have held this pretty critical but I think of you know weapons wise I have Atlanta possibly winning that division uh I think with Kur cousins he kind of Shores the ship as far as being able to beat the teams in that division with the weapons that they have down there uh I think that that's enough to get over the hump I'm not saying that's enough to be a contender in the playoffs I just think that that's enough to get through that Division and I think Atlanta that's all they have to do is get through that division so Atlanta is I don't believe they're a loss on our schedule but I believe they're a contender in that division the New Orleans Saints I I I've said this and James and I have gone back and forth James has made a pack with me he is never going to pick the Saints against the Eagles again because he's lost the last two times he's done so and I put him in the bathroom every time umom yeah like listen you know the Saints don't scare me now Jacksonville Jacksonville is always a coin flip and and let's be honest that a couple years ago when Jacksonville came here a lot of people thought that that was going to be a harder game than it became I think the reason why it became a little bit more of an eagles advantage game is because of the rain I don't think the the the Jaguars were able to handle the conditions the conditions of the field and being able to bounce back when when times got tough in that situation um I know Cleveland people are saying be scared of their defense yes I am but they still have to have a quarterback that can throw a football and you know like that that's my perspective unless their defense scores you know most of their points I think the Eagles should have Cleveland's number Cincinnati and Cincinnati kind of worries me because we don't always fare well in Cincinnati yeah that I mean that that stadium is a very very one of the most one of the best stadiums I think on football yeah it it that they there's a reason why they call it the jungle uh because you definitely feel like you're in the Wild Kingdom well someone told me a long time ago it's like I don't I don't know if it's he was being fous or something but he said at the shores of Lake Erie in Cincinnati Ohio but not like at the shores of Lake Y in quand Ohio so because there's like Shores like right not far away from there like there's like oceans and stuff so I never I never got the punch sline but I I always ran with it though so and then you have Baltimore and of course Baltimore is going to be a tough big tough out and a tough win so I I feel like we would lose to Baltimore Carolina is a treat because I feel like that may be like a second buy um I I think that we would probably be able to rest starters in the fourth quarter um so you know and the Cowboys are the Cowboys look I I don't have faith that the Cowboys are going to have a good season this year I I think that this is a team that's on the brink of just utter uh collapse like nuclear collapse and I'm going to look forward to watching it happen um I think the commanders are kind of on the rise but they're not there yet and I think the Giants are just Daniel Jones's uh you know it's gonna take them when Daniel Jones takes them well here's the thing I think we all remember the the movie from the 90s Little Giants I I feel like that's what the Giants of of the NFL are they're the little giants yeah they oh uh Joe you hello there you go there you go a boy they're they're the the punk quarterback with all the misfit players and so you know that that's where I I I'm leaning towards 12 and five look my feeling is the bar starts at 12 and5 James what where's your prediction for the season what what's your final record prediction for this season you know I I thought about this but but I got to say 13 and four okay I because here's the thing I mean a couple years ago I said 15 to two and everybody thought I was like yes we all wanted out of proportion and like we all wanted to drug test you yes yes we did but I I look at this I look at this team I look at this team and I say okay maybe they'll lose the game here and there like maybe c will lose one maybe Jacksonville but I don't know what Jacksonville is I mean Trevor Lawrence is okay but he but I I look at probably maybe one of those games that they will lose like it's either that they have wrapped up the division and they wrapped up the first seed and those like two other games that they lose is like basically meaningless so so I don't see any I don't see like five or six losses on this on this schedule because I mean I don't know maybe because I'm a homer and I I want my team to succeed and that's probably why I'm word around you never know who's going to pop in on the chat yeah so um yeah I mean I I I guess the thing I the one thing I'm really intrigued by I mean maybe I mean those Washington games are always like a little bit iffy like the first game or second game is um but yeah I I just I I see I don't see I think yeah I see 13 and four gonna ADM so Al I'll ask you before we move on I'm just curious what your take is the jayen hers bounceback season do you feel like that this is a jayen Herz boun cuz I have gone on record that I think Jaylen Herz wins MVP this year uh I have been on the jayen Herz train since day one you know this I was on with you and Fred and and Al Thompson uh the the night that he got drafted I got into it with Fred about you know why and we we were talking about the quarterback uh Factory so my my question is do you think Jaylen has this bounceback season uh this year um yes I do uh is he 2022 Jaylen I don't think he I don't know I don't know if he is ever going to be 2022 Jaylen I mean that team that was just a magical year for them um he will definitely be better than 2023 jayen I mean he's already saying he feels better he feels healthier he feels in best condition he's been in a long time um um you know did that 2022 Super Bowl really take a lot out of this team I think so um so I I I I think he will have a really good year and it all really depends on how well Kell Moore and him get along and the system gets along like that that in there lies um the big question so I think he will have a bit of a bounceback here how much of a bounce back time will tell yeah and uh and Joe I think you're off your mic's off again buddy uh uh but no I do agree what you said there Al more importantly than anything with that jayen Herz say having a comeback season and also having that breakout year that he had back in 22 I mean now since they got a stack roster like they do with Johan Dawson obviously AJ Brown Devonte Smith and like a stack roster even like saquan and all that um the one thing I really I mean that's the thing I take out of it too is that uh K one wolf or something says time will tell what kind of analyst is that but I mean it it's I mean I don't I mean I want to just enjoy this season more than anything like that so uh and uh Joe's back on sorry about that it's all good um so we're going to transition into the Philadelphia Phillies right now oh God and two post games in a row this this BEC s come painful talking Phillies it's like it's like ruk canel yeah yeah it's like taking having heart surgery without anesthesia at this point um hey don't don't say that I'm I'm that's a little too soon for me man well I mean listen my my feeling is this God forbid my feeling is this um what what would we have to start with ripping the Band-Aid off definit what what has been the biggest issue in what what needs to change what Al what what needs to change for this team to to bounce back because right now this I get that this team is kind of in the quote unquote Gauntlet uh because they're playing a lot of good teams but that shouldn't mean that they play poorly uh for this long so what what needs to change it's a million-dollar question Joe uh if I had the answer I would be probably working for the Phillies right now um so it's I don't know it's it's a mental thing uh I know we're already seing some of the messages um you know about people talking about John Middleton not firing Rob Thompson I know Mike's in there I've been he's been in there um in in the postgame shows going back and forth with me uh a lot of people want want Rob Thompson's head and I get it and I he's making it real difficult at times I said it last night on the postgame show he's making it very difficult at times to defend him if you are def a defender of of uh Rob Thompson um but you know I more I look at it right now is your stars are not shining um Bryce Harper had a decent night last night but up you know the last night you had Trey Turner going 0 for five the only way with three strikeouts the only way he got on base was with an error you had Kyle schwarber going 0 for five with three strikeouts team had eight strikeouts last night and six of them came from two guys um you know the nights before that the the bats were called I think where the Phillies only scored six runs against the Braves not going to cut it um you know last night if you look at last night's loss on a hole to me that's a Tai one Walker thing I don't you know listen everybody wants Rob Thompson fired and I get it um but I don't think they do that but I said why not fire uh Taiwan Walker then if you want to do something to shake this team at the core a little bit I don't think people probably don't think it's a big enough because a lot of people are over him and maybe their own players are maybe they'll make the players feel better uh I would rather see Tyler Phillips run out there than and and him implode versus watching tywan Walker we know he's going to implode the other guys may implode uh the they're not hitting timely hitting and hitting with runners in scoring position that became a problem you know uh Mary B and I were talking about at the beginning of the Season that was one of the key things that made him a better team um you know it's it's it's the tough I don't have an answer if I had an answer we would all know what to do but the Stars aren't shining that's the key factor here pitching's pitching fairly well uh except for last night of course um but the the the bats are cold they're not stringing hits together and there's no confidence in this team like they they look they go up there whail they look frustrated and angry um you know it's it's there there is something missing in this clubhouse that was there earlier this season that they don't have there's no Swagger in his teams um you know and then and move on but that's that's my roundabout answer to I don't know one one of the things that I would I would say about Rob Thompson and I know I I'm I'm with what you're hearing I've I've heard it as well with Rob Thompson's head on a pike and the problem with that is I I go back to and I I I guess this is becoming a cliche line of mine but then it's like who do you bring in like if Rob Thompson's out then what is the answer because for me it it's a matter of okay he could be the best manager of all time but when you give up when you're starting pitcher that you run out there that that your president that Dave dumbrowski puts on your roster and signs for $18 million if that's the guy you have to run out there and he doesn't get the job done and he lets up six runs in essentially three innings what can Rob Thompson do uh to to nullify that I mean what's he supposed to do like send Barry Bonds out there that that that can like hit uh home runs every time he's at bat like what there is very little that someone like Rob Thompson could do to make up for a deficit that a starting pitcher that should have higher expectations and should have a higher performance um sets out to do I mean that that's the thing Tywin Walker I have put Tywin Walker in the same clubhouse as Ben Simmons I'm willing to just dump like just dump it like I it's trash it's garbage he doesn't have it anymore and I I get what what topper was saying and and and topper right now he's just trying to play both sides of the fence he's not trying to be like the I'm going to be the manager that throws my players underneath the bus but at the end of last night's game he said yeah I like the way he his velocity looked but then he said you know he was asked do you think he's going to make his next start and he said we haven't talked about that yet and to be honest that's a Telltale sign to me that he that's his way of saying look I don't believe in this guy if it were up to me I wouldn't run him out there yeah he his velocity looked good but I'm evaluating him like he's a rookie that that he's not a rookie he I'm paying him we're paying him $18 million he's a veteran he should be coming in here and knowing what to do without me having to be like coddling him and that's where I feel like the the Phillies need to shore up what they're doing because if you're down by four or five runs I don't care if you have the lineup like we do it's it's hard to make up that that run differential and I'll go and say this is kind of like a closing to it um in the beginning of the season when we were thriving we were get able to win a lot of games because we were able to jump all over teams early that had some to do with the offense but it had a lot more to do with the pitching because if your pitching keeps the other team off the board it allows your offense time to get that lead and be able to sustain it that hasn't happened it the first two innings for this team have been putri and and the Phillies Road schedule I mean road record this year has been 35 and 33 it's just not good enough it's just not good enough and and and like my that leads me to my next question which is does this Phillies team need to be in the first or second seed in order to have some any kind of home feel at advantage to avoid going on the road and dealing with those dos of that record uh Al I'll start with you listen the way this team's playing right now um the home run the the the home field versus non-home field advantage isn't there it doesn't matter in my eyes right about now um this team is is is is struggling mentally and when you struggle mentally sometimes home could be just as bad as away I mean I covered the the the uh Yankee series you know I was in the the games for that one and you know they got swept you know that didn't help them um this team lacks confidence big time and I don't know if you're going to find it at home you're going to find it away this team just needs to string a couple wins together and give you know get the confidence back that they need you know and and I know I'm still seeing plenty of the stuff um Darth Pooh here bats went cold after London pitching went cold after All-Star break yeah and I I know what he's saying there but it got really bad over the last six weeks uh you know that's really when Bullpen is pitch pitcher by committee zero feeling um you know again it's like one one's doing okay the other ones there's other areas that struggle like take Nick I said last night like look at Nick casan when the team was doing good people wanted him gone because he was doing so bad he's been one of the few bright sides on this team as of during this struggle uh especially the bigger uh portion of the struggle uh Mike saying the Phillies need to avoid Arizona in the playoff as proven last season when Robbie got out of managed by another analytic manager um yeah I mean listen the Dbacks are a hot team they seem to have our number this year and a little and last year um it's not hard to beat the Phillies in the sense is if you know if they're struggling just don't give them anything worth hitting I think I think at this point you know we don't have to worry about the Diamondbacks we have to worry about the Phillies meaning the the Phillies are beating themselves right now and I I I don't think it matters what opponent we potentially could face in the in the playoffs if we're beating ourselves there is it's not going to matter who's on the other side of the diamond and that's just my take away on that yeah I mean a lot of it's self-inflicted a lot of it's shot in the foot a lot of uh take last night um I I was doing the postgame show and I said last night the third inning was indicative of what the struggles for the Phillies have been you have the bottom of the order hit three hits in a row get an RBI tie the game up you have two guys on base with um with no outs and you have the top of your lineup coming up with KW rber goes and strikes out and then Trey Turner comes up there's only one out and all you ask him to do is don't hit into a double play don't hit into a double play and guess what he does double play so um that to me was is a sign of the of what the struggles are not the best small nutshell of what the struggles have been for the Phillies and getting every all aspects of the game on you know on the same period on paper you know that that's that's the difference you know uh Freddy Bern here remember this team limped limped into 2022 playoffs and we down in the in the ninth of the game uh ninth of game one of the wild card and they suddenly got hot yeah and that's why I'm unlike many people who are not out on this team yet I'm not out on this team ever until the team's out I'm also being realistic in the sense that you know they continue to struggle like this it's not going to be much of a playoff run if a playoff run happens at all if they continue to really struggle like this this team has the ability baseball has the ability for you to do things like that you know in in all aspects of the game if say they they come back win this series and then go on a tear for most of September we won't even be talking about this you know two month struggle if you want to call it that um speaking of September I wanted to let everybody know there's not many games in September for the Phillies at home but if you want to get any home tickets for any of the upcoming Phillies games we have a great sponsor with Sherry's tickets that's going to give you a fantastic price James why don't you tell them more about it yeah indeed Joe Today's Show is also sponsored by Freds over at Sher tickets.com you can save 10% by using that promo code e op10 the price you see is the price you pay and for sports Contra theater and so much more visit Sherry tickets.com and again like I said use that promo code e op10 on your next event visit Sherry tickets.com that's Sherry tickets.com you know it it comes down to me like I I've heard people say that they're out on the on the Phillies like I I've heard Sports Talk and and and everyone's sitting there saying okay I'm out I'm done this team is infuriated and and Freddy Burns makes a great point in that but this this is what I would say F baseball is such a interesting game more so than other sports because in other sports momentum matters and with baseball momentum can change so like rapidly I go back to 2007 H 2007 we were we went into the playoffs and we wound up facing a team that went was going on a 22 game hot streak with the Colorado Rockies sometimes it's not about being hot in August or being hot throughout the whole season it's about getting hot at the right time so the question then becomes okay can this can you go through the doldrums that you're go what you're going through and be able to switch on that figure it out where you guys can then become the hot team and I think that's what Freddy Burns is basically saying is like it's never it's I mean they never they never like like never we're not we're not we don't need to worry about how and when to get how we get hot it's a matter of when we get hot yeah so it could be don't judge a book by its cover so right it's like what we can do is sit there and just say okay it's going to come it should come and I get that fans are like no it's not no no I'm not going to put myself in that in that position for a heartache folks we we've been there we've done that I don't think that this is new to Philadelphia sports fans I I think Alice said it once before is you know the the definition of what a Philly sports fan is is he lives and dies he or she lives and dies by what success or failures the team has so we live by their successes and we we feel immense pride and we need a lot of drinking and therapy when they fail and and that's who we are and and like that honestly I I feel like this team is just it's baseball I and I've heard this and I I don't know if that's an excuse but for me it's 162 games is a long season and for all tent to purposes this team still has about three or four weeks to figure it out well let me matters well let me tell you this uh Joe I mean you make a very good point on this but it feels like um like somebody brought it up I think either on uh gargano's chatboard or somebody said it on Twitter but they said like this team just like looks like they it's just stay on boring you know it's just at this point it's like like they lost their confidence I mean I don't know if it was that that they're I don't know if they're trying to like work too hard and they're trying to hit a five on Homer every time like that that Washington series I was like okay now they're gonna like bounce back and they're gonna like that's probably the one thing that will break the Campos back and finally like everything will be back to normal but then they start playing like like God AF a baseball again I mean I don't even remember like who they played I mean the bravs were during the week but like I want to have that feel again that like like this was that 2022 and even 2023 wasn't a fluke I don't want to say that word but I mean it's it's just not good right now Joe here here's my feeling and I'll ask this to you Al like you brought up the 10 and one e uh record for the Eagles last season and and the collapse and and a lot of people have compared this Phillies team and the the hot start tour start that they got on and and now what it looks like now um my my question is do Philadelphia teams need to be playing from behind all the time meaning do they not not need to be starting out so Tor in order to keep the hunger uh hunger there for the whole team because it feels like the Phillies have have gone from the hunter to the hunted and they can't handle it uh and it feels like that's what happened with the Eagles last season too is they were the Hunter and then all of a sudden son when the Niners came in they they became the hunted and they realized they were the prey and and they didn't know how to react to it so do the Phillies are they used to being the hunt Hunter and and can't handle being the hunted feels like that a little bit I guess Joe I mean I can see what you mean always like you know this Underdog mentality they only do well when they're the underdog even when the Eagles won in 2017 um you know they were the number one team and all that stuff but then they had injury after injury after injury and were able to um keep fighting and be that Underdog uh mentality um 22 and 23 Phillies all came out to really bad starts and then got went on a tear for the most part so it kind of does feel like that and that could be what we're very much looking at maybe we're hoping to look at at this point because you know if you want this team to do anything and I think Darth PO said it earlier uh in the reality this baseball team baseball season starts now and if you want to spin a positive which you can we start with a nice lead um you know listen baseball's funny like that you can spin analytics in any which way you can look at the last 10 games and get discusted you can look at the last four games and look really exciting you know but you have to look at everything in a Hole uh going forward but it it's uh I I think you know uh Mike papernick asked a question um I said Al when do you worry since you're not out there is a difference between being worried and being out on a team you know what I mean and and um it is that again Joe like you said it makes this what makes baseball such a fascinating sport to to some because you know like like a game of basketball it's a game of runs you know what I mean like a team could be down 25 points in a game and and most of the time when you're down by that much of a percentage of points in any game is usually not a good sign of things to come uh but they can still come back and win you know and and that's kind of the baseball season you can go on a a skid I I mean people the Athletics have been having a great winning record since the All-Star break but doesn't mean anything they're still they were so far out of it it doesn't mean anything um you know I know some of the other teams the Baltimore is is struggl Ling uh immensely and they were I think someone said Cleveland too Cleveland Cleveland is another one that has been struggling at time struggling as well you know and but I I hate using the term that's baseball but it's um I believe how Darth Pooh says it right here how can you not be romantic about baseball I mean that's what it is it it's a relationship it's got its ups it's got its downs and that's why it doesn't mean you don't get worried in a relationship if things aren't going great but you also don't you know break up with your girlfriend after a couple bad dates you know what I mean or a couple bad arguments you know you have to sometimes push through and get past those things and that's what baseball is to me you know and that's why like when people watch postgame show with me on it versus you know Maddie B or or or or or s or or Mike Lao or whatever um you know there might be a little different takes different spins on it um you know we try not to be homers and remember that we all were we've all been fans for many years of our lives and try to separate that but also because I've been covering baseball for so long and I've been in the in in the muck you know in the in the locker room when this team has been winning and been in the locker room when this team has been losing you know um the team isn't like you know this they I see I've heard the term this team has no heart I disagree with that I think this team has a broken heart um in some ways and they're you know trying to repair it um the team is you know a lot of people said they're just not a good team and I disagree with that um they're a good team on paper they're just not a good team on product wise right now um and I'm hoping that's what it is right now uh in the coming weeks we'll tell you a lot uh this this little stretch right here is important you know can they do some you know maybe win this series against Kansas City then you've got Houston coming up who is another team that struggled a little bit out of the gates and now is in the playoff discussion um so they're looking to and they're a hot team right now and they're looking to make uh to to to make a a statement with the Phillies and then you come back home and if you don't do too well against Kansas City and and and um Houston you come back home to the Braves that could be the first time we're not in the lead this whole season long well in the I I I want to touch on that that leads me into my next question so with with Kansas City and then we come home with the the Astros and then we come home with the four and with the Braves um you're talking about a World Series rematch uh you're talking about a four game series with the Braves that conceivably could shift the Paradigm in the in the NL East we could lose our lead in the division conceivably by the end of that series um if we keep going on this skid so i' like to get your predictions on what you think is going to happen in the upcoming Series against Astros and the Braves what are you hoping to see win just win like Adrian yeah just win win yeah it's like just win winning solves all problems you know what I mean it it it does it really does and when you you have a confidence problem again you don't have a bad team and I will push back on that against anybody we have a team that's not playing well you have a team that does have blemishes no team's perfect okay um but defensively this team is good not I wouldn't put them as great but defensively they are a good team um you know they uh offensively this team on paper could be explosive um you know but right now they're not um you know pitching wise you when you have wheeler Nola as a one-w punch and then you know Ranger especially into the playoff Rangers ranger that's a one two three punch Christopher Sanchez when he's doing good he's a definitely number a great number four it's that Five Spot you know we you know Turnbull doesn't look like he's coming back in the regular season the very least which again if you can find somebody just to take care of this every fifth spot fifth uh game in the rotation and just do okay um you don't have to worry about that person coming to playoffs that's not not it's a non factor at that point yeah um so you know the answer is win just win get string a couple hits together to win string a couple wins together to get a streak and then we we can all look at this and hopefully look back and be like well you know if they do really well and they go on a good run and and hopefully go to the World Series and win it all all we won't even be remembering how angry we were at me for being positive and not so positive um moment you know here here's my my response to like some people who are saying this is not a good team I said no one was saying that when he had 60 wins before the All-Star break no no one person was saying this is a bad team uh when that was happening and and and I I feel this strongly is that it doesn't I get that there's an argument for people saying well look at the teams they played okay but they still proved a especially coming out of the All-Star break that it doesn't matter what team that you face you have to play you have to play well you lost to Oakland you you lost to you know the marins you lost to the NS you like these are games you should have won these are streaks you should have gone on that that this tour streak that you're you're referring to Al is something they should have been on by now but they haven't been and it and that's where I push back on people it's like yeah well they would had 60 wins but look at their schedule it's like okay but look at their schedule at the end right now despite any of that we still own the Dodgers they're one of the best teams in the and the majors and and we own them but then for some odd reason we can't string things together it's about consistency at at the plate and and I've said this before the thing that I'm hoping for and I feel like I've been a broken record uh the last two or three weeks but the thing that I'm hoping for with this upcoming Astros and Braves series is I want to see good at bats two strikes and make it make something happen two outs never say die like I've seen that in the first 80 plus games of this season I want to see it for the next 80 plus games of this season because if you take 80 games from now until and and put in 80 from now until the end you're talking about being in the World Series so for me it's a matter of you need to put that together you need to say okay whatever we have been we have been whatever we're going to be that's where we need to start right now good at bats matter outs matter because when this team is on and you brought it up earlier Al um we talked about the preseason game with the eagle Eagles uh I think it was against um the LA the last team we played um it was the same night as the Phillies and the Phillies almost outscored the Eagles so it it was like okay that's what the Phillies can do and when they want to a and run shouldn't be at a premium and hitting shouldn't be at a premium but I feel like with this team the way that they succeed is by not giving anything up whether it's at bats or outs or even getting upset at the lack of good strike ball ratio with with umpires and I'd like to apologize to the blind Community because umpires are giving our community a bad name um but that that being said um I I'm gonna I was going to do the MVP of the week I'm not going to this week because the Phillies don't deserve an MVP this week they just don't they because right now I disagree okay disagree the MVP of the week if you're not going to give it to the Phillies should be the Phillies fans okay especially the ones have had stuck through this who continue to watch the team when they're not putting on a good product and and and getting their hopes up and kind of letting them down right now um um you know it's I'll give the fans the MVP of the week I I will I will dive a little deeper into that I will will give the Philly the the MVP of the week to the Die Hard Philadelphia Phillies fans because right now if you're still on this ship with this team you're die hard because there are so many people jumping off this boat and I I you know I worry that you're going to have those bandwagoners jump back on that boat if and when [Laughter] I mean that's gonna happen that's what's gonna like I said Joy like if I play devil's advocate for for a second Darth you've been here the whole time yes I know that's why you know you deserve like the other guys deserve I said uh the MVP of the week um you know it's how do I put this it's this team this this game can just be frustrating fun exciting saddening all in one game let alone a season um but if they somehow turn things around going into September have a decent September run turn it on like Freddy said like remember like like they limped into 2022 and they even get that first game it took the whole eight Innings first eight Innings of that St Louis game for them to come back and win and from there on from that moment is when that team went on a run you know and if that happens again something like along those lines where they have to limp in or or or or just not put on a great product but turn it on this team makes a run to the postseason we're gonna forget about this moment we're gonna forget about this you know July and August you know yeah and I I feel like if if that when that happens you're going to see the idea that this team was what we thought they could be and like that that's the thing is I feel like this team is built to do great things but you can be built to do great things and still not do great things you just you can be sure Dodgers know all about that because they've tried to build team after team after team of great players and still have not won that elusive World Series in the last you know few years that's the difference yeah and you know that that's where I'm that makes a huge difference yeah and and look if you want to see great players or you maybe want to cheer on the Phillies in this run but want to be surrounded by people that are those DieHard fans those MVPs of the week There's a great bar to go to and it's Dolan's bar the most Delco bar tell them more about it James for sure Joe and Today's Show is also sponsored by Doan bar at 24 East sellers Avenue in Ridley Park PA open seven days a week and like I said you like we always say you'll never be surprised of how many great celebrities have come and gone at Dolan bar also quizo music uh great times memorabilia giveaway and so much stuff visit Dolan bar.com and that's again at 24 East sellers Avenue in rley Port PA and tell people that the boys over at pav and EOP has sent you you know here's my thing to just wrap things up for today with with the upcoming Phillies schedule and and upcoming I guess month and a half in it would be better for me to see the bats come alive but it'd be better for me to feel like this pitching especially the bullpen is is stronger more confident because you know a lot another person who's getting a wide amount of criticism and I want to get your take Al on this is Dave dumbrowski the fact that he quote unquote has not done enough at the trade deadline where I agree with that my question becomes to you what else I mean you can't do more than what the market has like you can't go out there and say I I want a Mercedes and you're at a Honda dealership you just can't you you're at a Honda dealership you're not going to get a Mercedes at a Honda dealership um so if you're Dave dumbrowski like did he do enough for this team in the trade deadline um I believe he did and and and and did what he did with what he could I mean you would never going to win that argument because if he gave up all the pieces he would had to give up to bring it bring in somebody else um I really wanted Randy rosarina here uh but Seattle paid a lot of money for them and then take them for instance or a lot of not just money but they they paid a lot of resources for them um and now look at them they fired their manager because even they brought him in and it wasn't enough um and you know if if the Phillies went out and spent a lot of money and and and got uh some key players that they wanted but they were going to have to spend a lot of resources and give up a lot of their their their um their farm and they're playing like they're still playing now then D Bros is an idiot and the Phillies are idiots and they they gave away every the farm for nothing y y y that's all you would hear um you know so it's kind of a lose lose situation um I mean they got a lot I think they've got a lot of decent pieces um um Banks I think has been is a good relief pitcher you know uh Estes or Estes Estes if you have to say it the right way um is he's going to make thing he's going to be kind of like hard heart attack Hector was for us it's never going to be easy but he is a good closer speaking Hector is um Hector nerys is available DFA him I wouldn't be against them bringing him in you know what I mean bring him in not as a closer six seven spot I'm okay with that 6 seven oh boy he has the ability it was his contract that they let him go because of that that was why they let him go um you want back heart attack Hector at the 67 spot not 89 spot that's what I'm just saying but with that being said is I knew I was gonna get something out of that one um but you brought him in you know um they they've been high on Austin Hayes for a while they've been trying to get him here they pretty much swapped him out for guys that they didn't want the uh the the Orioles had a a log gy in the Outfield so it was an easy move for them because he wasn't playing every day um but you know they got decent return for what they got but they also for all those people they want to give up anybody big in the in the pipeline well you have to pay to play so they played they didn't pay a high cost they got um good serviceable players that's the way it works you know it's a sell's Mark I mean it's a buyer uh sellers market and when it comes to the trade deadline and people want them to trade earlier well a lot of these teams don't want to trade until close to deadline because they know they can get more out of it so there's always those aspects to it so I'm not mad about dombroski and the trade deadline no we haven't had that flashy move like a 100 Pence move right you know uh was you know who else have we bring in big time at those points I'm trying to remember um you know but they didn't have those big flashy moves that people wanted to see but then they also people didn't want him to give up the the farm bow I'm like how does that work how does that work like these Untouchable players where do you put then who do you move if you have the guys that people are going to want any real resources of you can't touch any of them then it's pointless and they didn't they didn't move on from any of the big ones Crawford's still in the pipeline um uh Mick AEL still in the pipeline who's the the P the catcher they really like the young catcher the third baseman's still here too yeah all these guys are still here Miller yeah aen Miller Maran yeah yeah Mar well not Marshon there's that younger catcher they really like they think they have a lot of by with um you know these are these are players that they were Untouchable well what else would they want so it's like the people who complain about D Broski were also the same people who complain about we can't get rid of Crawford we can't you know we can't get rid of any of these guys well that's the way it is um you know what I want to see if D brosi do is get rid of Walker make a statement that might not be the biggest statement but it'd be a really good statement and there you go Darth I don't know if he does it but I would like to see it I mean it'll put me out of my measure R like like it'll put put I mean he's just been atrocious I mean here here's here's my thing I think for for what dumbrowski did and and keep in mind like there there were things that I feel like a lot of people from hindsight can pick on like I heard oh we should have got Jazz Chisum okay but how do you know jazz is gonna do the same thing to for us that he's doing for New York Randy a Ros Arena okay Seattle gave up a lot of bank to get him and and I you know you you brought up about Seattle firing their manager let let me just put throw this stat at there um the the mar the Mariners have only had 20 wins since the All-Star break wow the Phillies have only had 24 so they fired their manager with four less wins so imagine what Rob Thompson must be feeling the pressure he must be feeling because if Seattle is in win now mode Phillies have been in win now mode for quite some time a far longer time than the Mariners and so Rob Thompson I think is a player is a is a coach I should say that you know for the longest time has been the how do I put it he's been the Sue Chef he's not been the head chef he's been the guy that will never get will get some of the credit for the good results but would rarely get most of the blame for bad results now you're a manager you're the head chef now you have to take both the good and the bad but with debrowski I and I and this is the way I've responded to his uh results name the big player he's brought in during the season at the trade deadline name the big name that he's brought in the biggest name was Marsh and even then when they brought Marsh over he wasn't a big name he's become one since but he has he wasn't a big name then and I think for de braski he's try he always tries to bring in complimentary pieces but how are you going to have any complimentary pieces if the whole you know dish is just bad it it's just not working it doesn't taste good you know you can't have any kind you can have like good french fries but a bad sandwich okay but the fries aren't your whole meal okay that that that's that's the nuts and bolts of it is the Browski brings in the complimentary P pieces he's not the guy that's going to shift like did this team need to be switched and flipped on its head no because you don't know what that would have done for the rest of the season we still know this team is good because they have a good roster and you know they have a good farm system we me and James have talked about this before you know we could sit here and say they're just prospects but the future looks still looks bright for the Phillies would you agree with that Al I mean yeah I mean if you're looking you're looking into the farm system there's a lot of good pieces I mean this team is getting older uh you know by the time JT is at you know probably getting the end of his contract you know if this young catcher is an option then you know there you go um Crawford he could be you know center fielder of the future he could maybe they don't maybe if Bryson stock continues to struggle they don't you know they don't sign him on further down and maybe he plays at second base or you know um it it really depends I mean there is a bright future with the young guys and I get why people didn't want um you know to get give up any of these guys but you know the the the Jazz schisel trade I mean he's been playing playing well since coming over to the Yankees I believe he's almost B in the 300 since the trade but um the catcher's name is Tate sorry Matty B was breaking my Stones I keep forgetting his name um and you know but to get jazz schisel in here it would have it would have costed a Crawford or aen Miller or or something the the Marlins weren't going to give them up for what we've given up to trade all of the people we've traded for so far they weren't taking a Sir Anthony you know what I mean they weren't taking some middling prospects you know so you wouldn't be able to if for the same people who wanted it you wouldn't be able to got a Chaz in a Chaz chisel in here um without giving up those guys so it is what it is and I mean like that's the thing is that that's why I brought up the the analogy of like the Honda dealership is it feels like the players we got are are just a Honda and and everybody out there wanted to Browski to get a Mercedes uh to get that a Ros Arena or J Chisum or even in Frank Finnigan's Infamous wisdom um someone like a Vlad Guerrero Jr and you know like that's the thing and and I'll say this kind of in parting considering I know Matty B is probably listening or will find out about this but oh he's already chiming in he's chiming so the idea that you know someone like um you know ree Hoskins Who was highly criticized last last time he was here um you have a guy that you know and Whit marfield is another uh example of this yes they don't have the stats or the performance at the plat to um to to validate keeping them around but sometimes the player the type of player the Fielder and and just the the clubhouse guy the the mentality that he brings to the team matters and I think you're seeing it now is that there's not this guy that can change the mentality of the the lineup the ment it of the players I think some people have tried like a k schwarber but you don't have a guy I mean the the take on Whit marfield he was a good Clubhouse guy he just could and he was good defensive guy and he showed that in the series against the Phillies recently uh he he didn't show it at the plate and and I get it that's where people are going to hold their hat and Reese was the same way when Reese went into his slumps people were like get him out of here but let's be be real about it reys was a heartbeat of this of this team uh when he was here so uh and look where where the Brewers are uh so my feeling is don't get rid of something that you don't think matters when it matters more to the team than just a batting average that that's all I can say to Matty B because I get it people are going to be like well you know we still don't stop invoking what stop invoking MADD B well I I'll read you his comment he said so with that line of thinking stubs is an invaluable piece of his team because of his party skills come on I listen I I'm there is good Clubhouse guys and I agree with that but if that's all you bring to the table it's hard for me to to you know validate you being on this team unless the rest of the team is playing so good and you're just a a spot that comes in every so often you know a a bent piece that you barely you call upon then that would be the only time I find that acceptable you have to have you know a guy who can rally guys is also a guy who can put his money where his mouth is so words but I agree with m b a little bit in this keep in mind with the stubs example stubs is one of the top 20 defensive catchers in the league and he's a backup so keep that in mind it's like like I said he may not be able to do it at the plate but he doesn't in other ways and and it's not just a raah ra guy it's not just a cheerleader uh and and I get that people just look at the batting average and and and hammered that and I get it but then look at like a guy like Bryce Harper who in in a stretch batted under you know 150 for a stretch of time but no one's sitting there saying Bryce Harper's a BM Well of course not because he can turn it around so can Garrett you know what he you know what he can bring I mean that's the thing with like when people say Bryce Harper's a bum I I hate saying that listen he's not playing well and you know at time plenty of times you can say he's not playing worth his contract but many of the times these guys don't my eyes you know for the most part but um but like you said Harper can be you know what he can do we've seen what he can do especially in the playoffs we've seen him you know come up clutch hitting at times um so well you know I I'll conclude this episode by saying this the Phillies need to do one thing and that is win that's what we've pulled from this episode is that they need to just win and an hour and 37 minutes people we know the Phillies need to win okay so uh I want to say a great thank you to Big Al for joining us I know he's the BM bmid the big man in Delco uh he he's a busy man with edge of Philly sports and uh he's he's dealing with a move and he's got a lot of things on his plate so I want to thank Al for joining us and taking the time out of his busy schedule to to come and share some of his uh Infamous Philly sports wisdom yeah right uh I appreciate that as always guys great work and uh we'll do this again yeah yeah definitely thanks for coming on home studio at that point where I'll be in um J I want to also thank James scorza for being a great producer for today's show my pleasure pal I also want to thank everybody including MADD B for for joining us today on on today's show um MADD B just make sure you can take reach out to me if you want you know come on the show The invitees been sent out there I want to give you your platform um but for Joe that's must uh must watch TV right there yeah definitely um for for Al for James gor I'm Joe marks we are the Patterson FNX go Phillies go Birds we are out see you [Music]