Larry Bowa Joins the Show

0:00It is the WIP afternoon show with Ike Spike and Fritz opening day Thursday finally feels like we had a wait for ever joining us now to talk about the fills the great Larry Boeth Larry thanks for the time today we appreciate you coming on all right guys getting ready for the season and I think it's going to be a good season this year yeah I wanted to ask you what you thought of the because we're only there for a couple of days and it's hard to tell what you thought of the vibe of the guys obviously it's been a few years of not getting where they wanted to go in the playoffs what what did you feel from them when you're down there I like the vibe I mean it sort of reminds me of when we had those runs in their mid 70s and kept coming up short and I know they're tired of hearing about it I mean we hear it they hear it feel these are going to play good in the summer then October comes and they disappear so they're tired of hearing that stuff and as far as the lineup is concerned the lineup to me is very capable of doing what they're supposed

1:04to do you know you take a look at everything that's happened in the playoffs especially last year Sanchez has a guy struck out you know he'd get a break here he'd get a break there and I really believe he gets to the World Series you got to be good but you also have to be lucky you have to get a get at the right time the Empire got to make the right call you got to make a play there's so many intangibles are going to get into the final destination and we've been coming up short so I like to vibe the way it is right now I think these guys know it's time that window's starting to shut a little bit I don't think it's completely shut the one window that I think wide open is our starting pitching we have some outstanding pitching they're all lined up to pitch for a while here Wheeler's coming along great so if we can hold the fort till he gets down which I don't think it's going to be that long I think we're going to be in good shape from from the leadership standpoint LB I'm wondering you know you talk about coming up short a few years and sometimes that can be a little deflating or draining on a

2:10baseball team and now the club has to figure out how do you get the club reenergized with players that don't necessarily have that weight of the world on their shoulders but you also need the leaders to sort of drive this thing because they know what it's like being there I guess my question is how do you sort of view you know the trade turners the Bryce Harper's the cow swarvers that willers of the clubhouse what being able to lead these guys to where you think they can get this year you know what I the bottom line is big boys got to play like big boys in October we can go over this thing all we want and as far as infusing some energy I think Crawford is going to add a ton of energy I like Garcia they've changed his swing a little bit painter look there are three different guys that I think are going to help these older guys with the energy they're coming in Garcia wants to prove to everybody hey you know what it's a new team it's a new league I'm going to

3:11show you guys Crawford I love Crawford and painter to me looks like he's starting to come into the the form that he was when I saw him two years before the the Tommy John but the bottom line is the big boys got to play like big boys they they can't be move coming up short and we have not had the that happen and until that happens it's just like our ball club you know Schmitty got big hits finally in 81 we needed him and Pete Rose those guys came up big and then the complimentary players like myself and Manny Trio they all fell into play place and I think that's what we need we need those the big boys to play play like they're supposed to play and play like they're capable of playing the right reason I love talking to you about this team and about baseball and journal because you have that unique perspective from a former player standpoint and a managers standpoint so from Rob Thompson's sort of view from the clubhouse I thought last year was his best job as a manager dealing with everything he had to deal with and to get this team to the second most wins in

4:15baseball another postseason didn't turn out the way he wanted it to but I thought getting them to that point he did an outstanding job what is there anything from a managerial standpoint that that Rob can sort of do I know it's early so we got a long way to go but I'm just wondering from that that sort of viewpoint how does the manager sort of have an impact on this you know man I got you that's a great perspective but I think I agree with you I think Rob had a great year last year I'm going to tell you right now it's very difficult I think as good as our team is when you got a lot of big you know you got some superstars in that clubhouse and to do what he does and keep everybody in line that's not an easy job and we know the expectations are high which they should be and I'm sure Rob will be the the first to tell you I want the expectation side but he's not afraid to fool around with that lineup but I think the last three or four days finally when we got our all our guys back he sort of flipped the line up around a little bit we

5:17got a lot of options we can do here I do think that he's willing to change he's not going to sit there and say hey we're going to go with this lineup no matter what happens if we go into a funk I think you'll be the first to tell you hey we'll switch it up a little bit but we have some pieces here that in my opinion I think Crawford apply start down weighing low into batting order which I really like a young kid coming in but I could see this guy taking off and all of a sudden saying well wait a minute he's going to hit higher in this lineup later on this guy's he's a force I'm telling you I will say this I've watched him the last three years April's aren't his best months for some reason so I don't want the fans out there to get down if he has a slow April this guy can hit and he makes things happen on the base field on the baseball diamond he can steal bases I think people saw it spring training some speed when he get a ball down the line got a triple with note throw he's a dynamic he's got a chance I'm I'm projecting this guy's going

6:22to be right and running for rookie of the year and I think pain right now is the place that people didn't think he'd be at this time he looks very comfortable right now I like the way Nolas throwing and Lazardo and Sanchez are definitely at the top of the line rotation right now Larry Bowen with us you know Larry you were talking about Crawford at the bottom lineup well now with pitchers not hitting him being at the bottom of the lineup even if he's there him being able to turn that line up over with his as top heavy as our lineup is him being able to get on base for tray and Bryce and and Shorber even even hitting at the bottom of the lineup would be a huge plus if he's able to be effective there I felt that about stock even last year no question none there's no question about that I just believe you put you put Crawford and Turner back to back whether it's one two or nine one man you're going to create some havoc out there and then you got the big boys coming up behind them and the one guy that's opened my eyes more than anybody

7:25this spring has been the way stocks won the bat and I expect big big things from stock this year I really do he adjusted his swing last year the second half I expect him to have a tremendous I love our offense right now but I agree with you you know I think that Crawford's going to create a lot of problems for the defense so you make a sure that those two steps to his right don't even bother throwing it I mean this is kind of speed he's got unbelievable speed he's not afraid to steal bases he's played very good in centerfield if there's one negative thing I don't think it really is a negative because there's not a lot of centerfielders to throw people out of their home plate as on might be a kick below average as far as throwing from centerfield to home plate but he charges the ball well he's going to stop guys going from first to third again I'm excited about this lineup within three new guys we're going to have and I think right now Tom's just talking to him before we left I think right now he plans on

8:26platoon and with with left field we're getting camp in there against some tough left-handed pitching you know Larry you mentioned Trey there he he I felt like not only do you have a great year at the plate last year but he had such a great step up defensively what did you see from him that was that allowed him to do that and do you think there's even more for him to improve their defensively well I'll tell you what guys he's he's improved 100% from starting last year Bobby Dickerson who I think is one of the best infield instructors that I've been around he's helped him tremendously but let's be honest Trace put in the work this guy's on the half field every day he's tired of reading all the negative stuff about his defense I think he was finally a plus and run save last year and he's starting to get a feel like hey I can play this position the way I'm supposed to I think the fact that he always hits three 20 or three 30 he's sort of I don't want to say he's neglected the defense but he's taken it for granted that oh if I don't make

9:27this play I'm going to get three hits tonight but he's taken a lot of pride in the last especially the second half of the season last year the way he's played defense and he said it real good spring and I I like our infield boom and and uh tray a stop and and harp they might have not have the greatest range but these guys are going to catch the baseball and with the at the analytics placing guys in the right position I think we're going to have a fun year this year and last thing you mentioned that Wheeler was looking good I think we we were all you know the the evolution of how we felt first we were hoping that he would ever pitch again and then we heard you know maybe may now it seems like it's possible we could see him in April when when you saw Zach Wheeler pitching down there did he just look like Zach Wheeler to you I mean did you see anything different than you normally see you've knotted all it's coming out really nice and he was only throwing about 70 percent uh I didn't know what he did today but I think it was a simulated game the only thing that's going to stop this stuff from progressing the way we want

10:31you know once he starts getting on the clock say pitches uh 35 pitches the first time in redding or li Valley he's got to wait five days then he's got to do it again I'm sure they'd probably like to see him get three maybe four starts whether it be redding or triple A but obviously if he's coming out strong after two you might be able to see him up here and they might say hey give us five or six early but he's throwing the ball well it's coming out nice I don't see any difference right now in the way he's throwing uh the other day he was nice and uh everything was relaxed and I asked the guy was charting the pitches I said what's he throwing he says 93 94 so when the thing was over I said uh I said the wheel said you look good and he says that's about 70 percent I went whoa which is good wow that's good is 70 percent throwing 93 94 that's good well Larry we're all excited for the season I appreciate you coming on this the offseason was a little bit too long I'm hoping next next year's offseason maybe about three weeks shorter um so

11:34that would be great yeah would be great yeah uh we need another parade and we need we need to end this uh this myth about uh when October comes our boys going vacation so I think they're tired of hearing it I really do and the only way to prove it is go out and do it and I expect them to go out and do it this year absolutely uh thanks for your time today Larry I appreciate it man all right I'll be all right guys there he is great Larry Boa just to eat just said you know the big boys gotta be got like big boys when October comes that's you know what that means we can talk about all the Justin Crawford and the painter and what this is going to come down to definitely is they will all it'll end up everybody has a Crawford and a painter that they're not sure about yeah it will just come down to the big money guys having big money at bats when it when it counts yep and I think it's a good thing that they seemingly don't like to read about it anymore well yeah then go do something about it as Larry Boa said there's only one way to get people to stop you know thinking about that and and he he did go through that with I mean that it was the

12:39same thing with the Phillies teams in the late 70s there were good baseball teams they couldn't get over the hump uh that eventually did now they added uh you know the best hitter of all time uh it was was a nice little boost to add Pete Rose but um but they capitalized yeah they they capitalized on it yeah I look at I look at our situation and and when I think about the Phillies now and even when LB brings up what they were knows late 70s up until they 180 you can't help with think about the teams we have from 2000 to 2004 2005 and you're saying you're close you're close you're close you got to get over the hump and even when we added to that that was our opportunity to take advantage of adding that caliber of a player there yeah so anytime I think about this team meaning the Phillies and where they are now and and the playoff run they sort of been through and how close they've got and now they seemingly are moving further away from it

13:41man you don't want to you don't want to have that regret at the end of your career where you're like we were good enough like we were good enough there there was a window there maybe not every year we should have won it but there was a in that window of a five year period we were good enough to win one of those yeah and we didn't you don't want to have that regret and a lot of it is yeah Fred you don't want to have that regret with that well every day yeah that's a different thing working with these two and then having a big podcast yeah being on satellite radio somewhere paint all over the place yeah star in the show versus having to come here work with these two morons do you really want that do you want that Phillies exactly exactly yeah you think Rubin would be here any one and oh nine he might be what do you think now we don't know nobody else is here he has a ring on his fingers yeah that's a good that's a good question you think Billy King would have been here oh yeah he wouldn't be here you want me to get up at what time

14:47to talk to who about what that's be gay and I love you guys yeah we're all in the same boat yes we're losers yeah we don't have all groups like wait a minute I have a championship right room does that we have a daddy put it on the party you ate franchise yeah yeah big part yeah yes he was but man we don't have many to rings around here well a lot of great yeah Richie almost got one almost got screwed out of one yeah Richie almost got one what do you mean he was with us no but like with the Raiders I think it's a damn if you don't want with the Raiders he would you want me I'm just saying look I know when you're here I'm just saying I know in our heart one one with the Broncos he might bring that up no it's a good point fair I just know in our hearts the Broncos are Green Bay I don't know he was on both of those teams oh what's he yeah I can't remember which one he wanted with I think it was the Broncos he wanted with in our hearts Richie is a is an eagle yeah I think if we put him on the lie detector fast he might be a Raider yeah especially

15:50Groot all loves him yeah really love some yeah you ever heard of the WIP radio it will only one with the Broncos in 98 also he was on the 98 team yes the the uh repeat team he was on the team that I got that we got spanked by my rookie yeah there you go an infamous infamous game famous on this show yeah it's a good infamous standing one they have tops yeah well the I can't find right right patty and Williamsport your WIP what's up patty well actually I'm sitting on the beach in Florida oh well braggie braggie braggie yeah well he didn't ask me where I was from but um yeah I just bear with me guys I've made it to you I know you're all really nice except for my heart is really pounding right now okay um you know because I haven't called in 25 years but I listen every day I listen every day my husband and I we both listen we're down here we're getting to see all the spring training games we're going to practice and to go with with what Bo was talking about when

16:55you lose stubs you do lose a little bit of the vibe um I hate to be talking about this underdog my husband sitting here going they don't want to talk about stuff but you know we went down we went down to uh the the the Orioles stadium to see the Phillies play them you know just what two days ago whatever and uh stuff's played a really good third game uh what are we going here what are we doing you know nobody's gonna you know nobody's gonna want them but you know we see just a good guy that's all the thing nah nah we gotta test it a good guy I just believe me I understand it not every good guy gets a roster spot you know I understand but he winds people up you know when he winds up the I was gonna say the audience but you know us we're sitting in the stands and he's throwing his balls and oh by the way I did get trade turners autograph that was a big highlight okay there you go well hope you on the team at least yeah well yeah maybe yeah yeah yeah it's just like I'm just a grand mom standing amongst all these little

17:56cutie boys and he signed so I was like pretty pretty flattered it was pretty cool wow that's that's nice um it's not for me it's not for nice turn my grandson okay yeah yeah get one for yourself he's got a good picture with yeah yeah yeah yeah well my husband that was his job did he get the picture with with him signing it now no of course oh my god he is useless as we all are so I don't know why he would get a beer I don't know what that's like man but now the real reason why I called was the Wendy Zach Zach Bryan ticket oh well do you have a do you have an annoying thing a coworker has done well well let me just say we're sitting on the beach because we're retired but I'll tell you I'll tell you what annoyed me I worked at home almost my whole last 15 years of work and I worked at home and they would have zoom calls yes and there I would get out of my pajamas do my hair put on some

18:57makeup and you get on the zoom call and then there's one or two creeps that just have a black screen with their name on it yeah don't even show you their face they close their camera that's not fair I agree with you anyone anyone patty who did not have their face on the screen on a zoom call I assume was doing non-work things they were always muted too I can just assume now once you got out of your pajamas you put on clothes right you skipped over a step there I wasn't sure I put on a shirt let's see that's what I'm saying I didn't know how you rolled back in front of the camera I knew something was missing there I knew it I knew it so the thing that it knows you is the people that don't show their faces on the zoom calls show your face show your face you lose I mean it could have been a conference call if we were all going to do that yes you did a zoom you wanted to see people see their expressions yeah yeah yeah all right patty all right put me in the front of the line like wow I got you put her in front of the line she's in front of

19:57well she's in Florida anyway well she's gonna fly up for the cops like she wants to come up for it we have a a pair of tickets all week long every day to go see to go see Zach Bryan the with heaven tour with kings of Leon september 18th and the woodlands at dover motor speedway and dover Delaware tickets available the woodlandsdover.com wow times doing covid error man oh yeah with the zoom call zoom hot a lot a lot a lot of wild times doing that zoom time yeah yeah a lot of people you know acting inappropriately on the zoom yep now I think it is something you know for some meetings I understand to me it's something we can mostly leave behind I don't need if we have to talk you could just call me I don't think we need to look at each other for every one of these conversations or you want those people to don't like them though face time well it's it's like sometimes I'll have somebody say hey you want to have a conversation about this and I'll

20:57say fine and they'll say hey we could do a zoom next week if we're to zoom then I have to be in one certain place at one certain time just call me right just call me we're in the car for like 40 minutes that should be around and take your call yeah yeah yeah I don't need to do a zoom I'll stand there uh two on five five nine two ninety four ninety four Jack has a controversial opinion about jalen hurts we should get to know you can't wait for that concerning concerning game over the weekend yeah well two on five five nine two ninety four ninety four this is the WIP afternoon show with ike spike and frets this baseball season fandole in partnership with valley forch casino is letting you choose your own reward for opening week betting customizations that transform how you experience the game now make a choice and the reward will be ready to use on your next MLB bet fandole is the home of home run now I don't know how many teams are out there playing this weekend well pretty much all over out there everything is playing this weekend

22:02yeah shut up frets every team is playing I'm looking at the local team we're talking about home runs come on man how about the dh for the Philadelphia Phillies I like that there he's shorted at home run so ready to play your game head to fandole dot com slash locally choose your reward for MLB opening week bandole official partner of the MLB fandole sportsbooks the official sportsbook of 94