Devan Kaney joins the show

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Okay.

Okay, I feel about this AJ Brown thing.

I would be okay.

Okay, what?

I'd just be okay.

No, I know.

You know, I'm okay with opening day,

Hugh Douglas, we are here live at Citizen's Bank Park

Broadcasting from the Dubor Heart and Lung Center Broadcast,

with Dubor Heart and Lung Center,

the Delaware Valley's only heart hospital.

A lot to get to, the rest of the show,

Spike and I will join us in the one o'clock

our little crossover as we hand it over to those guys

to get ready for the first game of the season,

the first leading off today.

And of course, so much where we'll have some overrunters

later on in the show.

Dan Fitzpatrick, the president of Citizen's Bank Park

is going to join us in about 45 minutes.

Your phone calls throughout 215-592-94-95.

And when we get the lineup here,

Hugh, we will pass it along as soon as we,

I imagine that lineup we saw a couple of days ago,

right the one on Monday,

is going to be the lineup today.

That looked like the lineup to me

against right-handed pitching

and the Phillies will face the right-handed pitch

for today with Nathan Evaldi on the mound.

So we'll get to all that and your phone calls as well.

We're going to be joined here by Devin Canyon.

Of course, cover the Phillies for us here at WIP.

I know there's some media availability coming up

at 12, Devin, kind enough to jump in with us

before she goes down there to talk to Topper and the team

before the first game of the 2020-26 season.

Devin, happy opening day.

Hello guys, happy opening day.

I'm currently wrestling with this headset in the booth.

It's been a while.

I'm like, it's also the first time in here in a while.

Yeah.

So Dave, I'm curious.

Do you still get excited for opening today?

I mean, is it, you know, how is it for you?

No, I'm really excited.

I mean, walking in here and knowing

that there's going to be a game played last time

I was here was for very random media availability.

They did like in January, I want to say.

When it was Rob Thompson, I think like Tanner Banks,

Otto Cam, just a few kind of random players

ahead of spring training.

And it's a very strange feeling being in a ballpark

in the middle of winter when it's dead empty.

So it's a lot nicer, you know, I know it's not filled yet,

but seeing all the vendors, everyone preparing,

it's always exciting.

It's, as you said, I think the last time I was here

was in the booth with you and Rubin.

We did the show before game one, I guess it was.

It was, yes, before game one.

Yeah, the NLDS against the Dodgers.

So a lot has changed, but not a lot has changed, right?

The team is similar, but a little bit different.

So now the spring training is over.

Now that we're here, Devin, it's opening day.

What has your mind on the team or certain players changed?

What's changed for you if anything

over the last few weeks month of spring training?

I mean, I'm going to be honest.

I think a lot of people agree with me on this.

I thought the team was going to look a lot different.

Come opening day at the end of last season,

with just the contracts that were ending

and the way things ended yet again for this team.

I do think that with the injection of youth

and ingestion Crawford and Andrew Painter,

I do think that it leaves a lot unknown,

but it also can be a good thing.

So it's not totally running it back.

Look, there's still going to be a very good team.

I also just think everyone needs to be a little bit patient

with a guy like Andrew Painter.

You know, not everyone's going to come out

and be Paul Schien's in their rookie season.

I'm really excited to see him get going.

I think he's the fifth starter.

So today, we at least have the ace,

or at least ace for now, Christopher Sanchez,

but it's baseball, guys.

And it's just exciting to know that for the next 162 games,

we can hang out with our favorite baseball players

in the Phillies.

Well, we can.

And it is exciting.

And I was thinking about this the other day, Devin.

We haven't had a game.

I mean, the six and flyers play pretty much every other night.

But we haven't had a game that everyone is locked in

to care about since the Eagle season ended.

Like we come on the next day on WIP.

And it's like the main story is that game.

So it's been a while.

We're going to overreact today.

That's what we do to opening day.

Oh, it's always what we do.

I was thinking at last opening day,

hey, it's also a nice having opening day

be home because last season, remember, it was down in DC.

I think it was, they had like 15 or more strikeouts.

They want, yeah, but they struck at all.

And it went to extra innings, I think.

It was just a classic, like nothing changed

from the postseason previously.

So we'll see what happens today.

We had a caller the next day, like the last year,

the day after opening day that he just got on the air

and he said, enough is enough.

Like, he was done, he was done.

And it was, it was one game here.

All right, so of all the players this year,

who's, who's one or two you're locking in on?

Like I'm excited to see if they take a jump

or excited to see if they're different than last year.

I saw the show that I told my stod.

He had a great spring training.

He was really good in the last couple of months last year.

I'm a big fan of stod.

I think this is the year he breaks out.

I've said that before and I've been wrong.

No, I totally agree.

I totally, I heard you say that.

And I, I've been saying that as well about Bryson Stott.

He had, he finished spring training.

And I know it's always spring training.

You know, you have to hedge with that.

But he finished with the best batting average.

I believe the best OPS of any player

at like 25 or more at bats.

So that's pretty impressive for a guy who finished

the back half of last season really strong.

Clearly, whatever he did, whatever work he did

who kept along on Philly's coaching staff is working.

I think mentioning, I heard a caller mention

maddenly is the bench coach because I keep forgetting.

I don't know if he's not someone that we talk to a lot, right?

Like he's not the manager.

We're not going to talk to him before and after every single game.

But I think he could give this team an edge

that people aren't expecting.

I think with his experience and his help in managing that bench,

especially in these, you know, if a game is tight and comes down

to the wire, I think that maddenly can be

a massive advantage for the Philly.

I'm kind of curious, Dave.

How do you feel about like the success of this team this year?

How much is that is contingent upon how well

Bryce Harper plays this year?

So I think it has a lot to do with how Bryce Harper plays.

And I know that that's not necessarily

everyone else's opinion.

But at the end of the day, it's Bryce Harper.

Like he's the star of the team.

And yeah, you have to have the back end

of the lineup show up as well.

But you also have to have your stars show up.

And I know Bryce Harper has come up clutch in big moments

in the post season and big moments

throughout the regular season and years past.

We didn't really see that in the last two post seasons

from Bryce Harper.

You need a guy like him.

You need, of course, Kyle Schwarber.

You need Trey Turner.

You need these guys at the top of the lineup

to do what they're paid to do.

So I think that Bryce Harper getting back to being a lead.

I always think of Trey Turner.

What he said to us is spring training.

When he spoke, he said, I'm looking forward

to seeing Bryce Harper get back to himself.

Because I don't know if Bryce Harper was totally himself

both off the field and on the field last season.

And if that happens and Bryce Harper can get back

to being an elite player,

I mean, that obviously makes this team

an incredibly formidable team in the national league.

Also, you did you 3D print yourself a wedding ring?

Oh no, it's a fidget toy.

It's a fidget toy and it's a fidget toy.

He also has a club of garlic.

Yeah, a club of garlic.

Oh, wow.

I thought it was supposed to be like that.

Oh no, it's a, you know what's funny?

When people see it, they were like, oh, you got to wait.

No, it's a fidget toy and it just fits this finger.

It's really large.

Yeah, it fits.

But if you want my eye, it's difficult.

Well, because that's the fidget finger.

You know what I mean?

I mean, I want to fidget with.

Yeah.

Yeah, I got you.

I'm 3D print stuff.

Well, he's looking for new things to print.

Yeah, I would.

You said Chuck Norris is today, maybe?

No, I'm a print Chuck Norris today.

No, I'm a print Chuck Norris.

He hasn't used print people, so this is like a new thing.

This is new for me.

I'm a print Chuck Norris.

Can you print us?

If I learn how to, you know what it is?

If I learn how to do the files, I can do that.

All it needs a picture.

But see how it says, since we've had some people,

we've had a shift in some of the things that we do.

Now, I got to figure out how to actually put the photos

on the computer.

You mean shift like someone that worked here

that doesn't work anymore, that doesn't help you

with the technology?

Is that what you mean?

Is that a shift?

That's what we do.

I thought we said we were going to put personal business.

But yes, somebody that was helping me with my computer

stuff, he's gone now, so.

He also doesn't want to come on.

He's gone now.

So I'm trying to figure out how to get that situation.

It would be funny if you printed us.

Yeah, I could do that.

I could, I got to figure out how to do that, though.

Maybe somebody out there in the audience

that prints knows how to do that.

Yeah, well, you might get some help there.

So Devon is with us here live at Citizen's Bank Park,

opening day, first pitch at 415.

So Devon, you're talking about Bryce

and kind of getting back to what he who he is, right?

What's interesting to me about this team,

even though it's a lot the same as the same guys

are a little bit unknown now, right?

Bryce, how is he?

The old Bryce is last year's Bryce, the new Bryce,

and then Zach Wheeler, which we've gotten great news on.

I mean, the fact that Zach Wheeler is going to pitch at a,

and it might not be a game on Saturday,

put some on track to come back in the month of April.

If you had told me that when the news came out last August

or the surgery in September, I would have said,

no way, right?

That's, I mean, we're talking about

him potentially just retiring.

Yes, and now, first month of the season.

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The ERPO Liaison Program connects individuals and families

to trusted behavioral health providers

and vital support services in the community.

Compassion, guidance, resources, all in one place.

Don't wait to get the help you deserve.

Reach out today at ERPO Liaison Referrals

at CO.PG.MD.US.

That's ERPO Liaison Referrals at CO.PG.MD.US.

ERPO Liaison Program, here for you.

Gone South has been a podcast about crime

in the American South.

But for our new season, we're widening the lens.

Follow and listen to Gone South season five,

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What's your expectation and what kind of a boost

do you think that gives this team a peace back

if he is back in the month of April?

So I honestly think a lot of it's going to depend on

how this rotation looks one, two times through,

because I just mentioned Andrew Painter.

He hasn't pitched in a major league game before.

We don't really know if he's going to come out

and be guns ablaze in this guy that,

I feel like we've been talking about him for so long.

And he hasn't played in front of a crowd like this before.

And I think he's a pretty cool, calm, collected guy,

but I mean, you just never know

how someone's going to react.

And then Jesus Lazardo, of course,

was incredible for the most part last season,

but he did go through a few rough stretches

where with the tipping pitches

or potentially tipping pitches.

So there are still unknowns,

but if these guys come out the first five

and they pitch really well,

I think that's actually a great thing for Zach Wheeler,

because there's no reason to rush him back.

Now he's probably going to want to rush himself back.

But if you look at the Dodger state even last season,

I mean, they had a lot of guys,

both bullpen and a few in their starting rotation,

where they were kind of held out with injury,

at least for the first half of the season,

and look, that kind of paid off for them in the end,

because they were fresh coming in.

So I just think that that's something to consider.

If you're the Phillies,

I know Zach Wheeler is going to really push

to come back as soon as possible,

but if this starting five can get it done without Wheeler,

I don't think there's any reason to rush him back.

So that's an interesting point in the Dodgers.

They're very comfortable with,

hey, October is what we play for the regular season,

because they've had the talent to win more than like 95 games.

So they can win 100 and something,

but they don't seem to really care a lot during the regular season,

because they're planning for October,

which brings me to the Phillies.

They're an older team,

guys coming off injuries, down years.

Do you think the last few years they've won the division?

I'm wondering if they're going to prioritize it as much this year.

You know, I think there's a world where it's pretty clear

somewhere through the summer,

the Mets and Phillies are both going to make the playoffs.

Do you think it's as important to win the division this year

as it has been the last couple of years?

If I put it on the table,

they're going to make the playoffs anyway.

What kind of importance do you think there should be on the division?

Because they've won it two years at a row,

and then they haven't done anything to playoffs.

When they came in as a wildcard, they went further.

I personally don't,

I don't want to say I don't care about winning the NL East,

but what are you laughing at?

Nothing.

Now you have to tell us.

No, I don't.

You're just trying to do me.

No.

All right, we'll circle back on that one, don't you?

So the two forgets we are live on YouTube.

Oh, I know.

They can't see what I'm doing.

They can't see my phone.

They can't see what I'm doing.

They see you giggling.

You're reacting to your giggling.

You're giggling over there.

It makes me feel like you're laughing at me.

No, I'm not doing it.

I'm not doing it.

I'm giggling at you.

I'm going to show up on the air.

I know it's not about us.

It's about whatever else is going on.

It's going to show up.

It's going to show up.

It's going to show up.

Anyways.

Show's going on for the next segment.

Do you think it's important for the Phillies to win the National League East?

I do, I do.

Because like, just for example, with football, there

was always a process that you follow.

Win the division, you know, get home, feel the advantage,

and then try to go win the Super Bowl.

Yeah.

I think that's important.

And I know that the baseball.

Yeah, I think it's more important in football.

Yeah, and that's the, and I will, I will tell you,

that's the mentality that I come from.

I just feel like winning the division

puts you in better position at the end of the year.

You could put yourself in position to rest, guys,

if you have to rest them and things of that nature.

So yeah, I feel like it's important.

I feel like it's important to get that crown.

See, I don't, it's hard because I don't want to say,

I would prefer that they don't win the NLE.

Yeah, in a way that sounds crazy.

Or like should intentionally, you know, not have a buy.

But we haven't seen having that little rest work out for them.

Or a lot of other teams in baseball.

So like, I don't really, it would be annoying

to see the Mets when the NLE is just because they're in the Mets

and they'd be obnoxious about it.

Or really, the Braves, not that the Marlins are going

to have a chance to, but it's not

massively important to me, no.

Yeah, here, it's a fair point, right?

The win the division and you can rest in that first,

like the, while everyone's playing a wild card round,

you take a week off and I get it.

And they feel it's wearable to do that last year.

They're at the simulated games here, all that.

I just, they're, I think about the Dodgers point.

And it's a good one, Devin.

The Dodgers don't prioritize the regular season.

Like, they just do what they have to do

to get themselves ready for our program.

When enough games get to the post season.

No, I mean, I get that.

I get that.

And again, like I said, that's kind of the mentality

that I have.

And to your point, Devin, it doesn't really matter

if you have home field advantage or not.

It's just the way that the ball bounces, I guess.

Yeah.

But it's still, I think for the psyche of the players

going into the post season, having that confidence

knowing that you were the better team

and you're the vision and trying to care that momentum.

But the bottom line is this, we have really good pitching.

And I think that the thing that we all are concerned about

is the hitting, the timing hitting in the playoffs.

That has been the biggest issue.

When you talk about, we were chopping it up this morning

and we were talking about the way that we played

the Dodgers last year.

There were opportunities in that game.

You know, everybody wants to talk about the Thompson moves

and all this stuff.

Well, the bun twist at this end.

No, and I get that.

And that's all a part of baseball.

But to me, it's a zero sum game.

And you didn't hit when you needed to hit.

And that's the, to me, that's the bottom line.

You got the pitching.

And that's been the root of their issues.

Bottom line.

You've gotten the pitching.

You've gotten the pitching that you've needed.

And they've strengthened this pitching staff.

It's the hitting.

So they're going to win every game, like one nothing.

If that's what it takes.

And that's why I feel that's a good point.

And I feel I feel like Justin Crawford could potentially

be the catalyst because the thing that people are most

concerned about him, I think, would be his biggest strength

for this team, you know what I'm saying?

He just hits a lot of ground balls.

He does.

Yeah.

If you looked at his numbers, triple A last year,

if you put that in the majors, it'd be by far

the highest ground ball.

Yeah.

And what has been missing to me, from my, from my purview,

what has been missing is that small ball mentality

in the playoffs, because I go back to the MET series

and remember guys swinging foot offenses, like every time,

just trying to be that, trying to play hero ball.

And to have somebody out there that is just going to keep

bats at live and has that type of speed that's going to put

pressure on the pitcher, that to me is probably

can potentially be the X factor.

Yeah.

That's a good call.

Well, and I think he can infuse some energy too.

And it's based on him.

If they bat him ninth and trade first,

I mean, those two guys can feel a lot better.

That's what I'm saying.

That's how I feel.

And I know he's young, and that's a lot to put on a young guy.

But that's where we left that when it comes to the team.

It sounds crazy to say, like when you look at the Phillies

outfield, I would say that center field, even with Justin

Crawford, is my least, like I'm least concerned about him.

I'm mostly concerned about left field.

I mean, Brynn Marsh didn't have a good spring training.

I feel like no one's really mentioned it.

He had a really low batting average.

And we know that he already has the platoon situation.

I don't know how auto-cam's going to play out there

in left field.

A jealous Garcia, I think, only had two home runs

in spring training.

We'll see if he can heat up a little bit.

It's their weakness again.

I mean, I'll feel it's weak, yeah.

I mean, compared to other teams, it's weak.

The one pro, like a jealous Garcia is going to be a lot better

defensively in right field than what the Phillies

previously had.

But it's crazy to say, I haven't seen him playing

a major league game yet.

But Justin Crawford's probably who I feel most confident

in out there.

And that tells you a lot about the outfield.

That's the part that's still a wild card.

Last one for you, Devon, the automatic ball strike system.

Are you excited for it?

What you saw on spring training?

There was one last sign in the first game

between the Giants and the Yankees.

It was overturned quickly, or they were upheld, I should say.

At first, when all these ideas were coming a few years ago,

I was so anti-this.

I was like, to let the game beat the game.

And I kind of like the element of when

they yell at the umpire and then the manager comes out,

that's all going to kind of be gone now, right?

Because the technology will take care of,

are they right or wrong?

But I've come around to it.

I think it's going to be interesting

to see the strategy of, do you challenge in the first inning?

Do you kind of wake?

Because you only get the two when you have to be right.

Otherwise, you lose them both.

What's your thought on it?

And do you think it's going to be good for the game?

I mean, yeah, I will miss the, like you mentioned,

running out the dugout and the drama.

I was sure a couple of years ago flipping out on the umpire

when he was playing.

Yeah, yeah, and like should Rob Thompson have come out.

And maybe there will still be some of that, I don't know.

But I've liked what I've seen so far

and what really made me pro ABS system

was the Phillies series against the Dodgers last year.

I think it was in the final game when the ump

literally admitted to Chris Persantius, like, oh, yeah,

I got that wrong.

And it could have potentially changed

the outcome of the game.

I'm really curious to see the strategy in it.

I was looking earlier on in spring training X.

They implemented it throughout the minor leagues

all last season, the success rate.

And pictures actually had the lowest success rate

when they challenge calls where catchers had the highest

in JT Road, Muto, at least last I checked

was five for five on his challenge.

I think he's going to be great at it.

So I think JT is going to be a massive advantage

for this new ABS system strategically.

So I mean, I'm excited for it.

I don't think it slows the game down too much.

So it can only be can only improve.

You can't trust those pictures.

They think everything's Australian.

You can't trust them.

Devon, we appreciate you hopping on.

Enjoy today.

It's an awesome day and beautiful weather out here.

It's great.

I'm excited to go downstairs and talk to some players.

All right, Devon Cainey with us there.

Talking some Phillies.

We'll have Dan Fritz Patrick coming out

of the president of Citizens Bank in a few minutes.

Right now, we have a phone call from Dylan,

our guy over in New Jersey.

What's up, Dylan?

Good afternoon.

Good morning.

Almost.

I'm on my way.

All right.

We'll give you that.

It's 11 things.

You're good.

All right.

Let's look at the poll, guys.

Accountability and credibility.

Go hand in hand.

Oh, my bad, guys.

Oh, accountability and credibility.

Go hand in hand.

And when you look at the team, Harper gets a lot of credibility.

And he also takes a lot of accountability.

And that's why I would have to say he's still the main guy.

Schwarbert, if you said someone was the MVP of the team,

the most important player, I would say that's Schwarbert.

But someone that's a leader.

I mean, you get boom that cries.

It looks like just like Harper.

He's the leader.

You could tell.

And so for my pick of stop or boom,

I'm taking baby face stock.

I think he's going to do better this year.

He's going to have a nice breakout season.

And I got a bold prediction.

I think the hubstash auto camp.

I think he's going to hit 10 hit runs this year.

And I know he's a part-time player.

But I can tell, I can see him taking a full-time role.

And one of these outfielders taking a backseat rogues.

I didn't work out that good this year.

Yeah, you know what?

If camp hits, they're going to find a way to get him

in the lineup, Dylan.

I mean, they just will.

I mean, whether that be more at bats over Mars,

whether Garcia struggles in right,

or I mean, there's even a world where if boom is struggling.

Because, you know, he's been a third baseman

and a second baseman and now they like camp.

I mean, the way Dumbrowski talked about him during the off season,

they think he's a real player.

And last year we found out he was playing with like a broken kneecap.

It was amazing.

It was part of why he was only okay.

I'm a fan of his.

He can hit.

And I think if he hits, they're going to find a way

to get him in the lineup.

Dylan, man, we appreciate it.

Enjoy opening day here at Citizen's Big Park.

Did you finish prepping and giggling over there?

Yes.

Okay.

Still, it's probably not appropriate for the show.

I'll tell you now.

But we were doing it.

I know.

But when I saw it, it just kind of popped.

Because I was looking for something, but it kind of popped.

We're on the air.

I know.

I know.

I know.

I know.

Listen.

As much as I would love to share with you.

Okay.

I got to tell you, I just thought of something though.

Kyle, I haven't heard you used watch today.

I think it's Kyle's fault that the watch was off.

It's probably because he gets my blood pressure out of it now.

I think he's scared that he's been mad at you.

I know.

He gets my blood pressure.

Well, it hasn't happened today.

No, not yet.

Not yet.

Watch doesn't go on.

Yeah, cows are a nudge, man.

He's a little bit of a nudge.

Well, it's just I've been trying to keep the show in order.

Yeah, I could also just go out of order.

The show is in order.

It's because I asked me questions to like, I can answer.

Yeah, God forbid we ask you questions about it.

Yeah, well, yeah.

Yeah, that's what I'm doing.

The show is in order until we solicit.

He was opinion on something.

And then you know, this is one of those moments where you say,

hey, man, just, just, you know, just don't say nothing.

Just let it go.

I'm trying to exercise that now.

As many great talk show hosts say nothing.

215, 592, 94 94 broadcasting live from the DeBora Heart and

Links in a broadcast booth.

All right, you're both prediction for the season.

You're a win total here.

And what do you wake up feeling today?

Is it excitement for the 162 to come?

Or are you one of those?

We have a few of those today.

They'll wake me up in October crowd.

Who can't enjoy anything and see this thing going off the cliff?

Where do you come down?

215, 592, 9494.

And on the other side, let's dive more into the best unit

on this team, the starting pitching.

How great.

Not good.

How great could they be?

And what would be the one reason if they don't reach that?

We'll get to all that coming up on the midday show.

Sports radio, 94 WIP.

It's tournament time.

And this March, for that sports book, has 10 times the rewards, folks.

Starting with round one, they give you 10 profit boost.

Every single tournament game, they, that means first round, second round.

Round of 16, all the way down to the last four.

And the 90, the National Championship, that is, 10 chances every game day.

To level up your winnings.

But that's not all, folks.

Your bet can earn you up to 10% fan cash back.

Which you can use on anything in a fanatical universe.

We're talking about team gear tickets collectibles and a whole lot more.

Plus, if you're new to a fanatical sports book, you get up to $200 instantly

in fan cash where you can bet $5.

It's time to shoot your shop, folks.

Determine his different with fanatical sports book.

Must be 21 plus, gambling problem called 1-800-Gamler, or 1-800-My-Reset.

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Here for you.

I'm Dana Carving.

I'm David Spade.

Flying the Walls back for another season now on audio and video every Monday and Thursday.

So many incredible guests will be joining us.

Follow and listen to Flying the Wall everywhere you get your podcasts.

To get to you.