Joe Giglio and Eliot Shorr-Parks opened Thursday's show, on the heels of another Phillies win over the prolific Rays, pondering whether or not the 2023 Phils are a team that is worth going all in on at the trade deadline.
Joe and Eliot came in with two very different opinions, with Eliot first declaring that the Phillies are absolutely worth going all in on, and making no prospect untouchable, because, in a way, the Phils already are an all-in team.
"I think they absolutely are, and that's a big change from where I was," Eliot said. "They are talented enough to make a deep run in the postseason. They made a deep run last year, and I think we would all agree they're better this year, with how the pitching staff is, the bullpen is way better, and Trea Turner has been hit or miss, but ultimately, I think the lineup is better.
"I would be very disappointed if they don't go all in. this is who this Phillies team is…we're not doing this show in a small market. This is Philadelphia.
They have the fourth highest payroll in baseball. This isn't a hold-on-to-your-prospect team. This team is already all in…the payroll is there, the big-money signing is there, and they're not a young team…their prime is right now, if not, arguably some of these guys are at the end of their prime."
Joe wasn't in the same boat, pointing to the Phillies' run last year as a reminder of how rare that kind of run is, and going all in should be saved for teams that are on their way to a division title and a bye to avoid the three-game Wild Card Series.
"I do not think this team is worth going all in," Joe said. "Yes, they're good, and I think they're probably gonna be a playoff team. but we have to recognize something. We ignore it because what they did last year. They're not gonna win their own division…the Braves are gonna win the division…we're asking them to win three rounds of the playoffs just to get all the way to the World Series. It's hard.
"It's hard for me to say any time that is not gonna win their division is worth going all in for…they can do it, but I'd feel better about this id the Phillies were in the Braves spot, were gonna win the division, and only needed to win two rounds to get to the World Series.
"That's a lot to invest in a crapshoot."
