Sean Fennessey

was a potential target for them as well.

And the fact that they had to pivot to pay 35-year-old JT Real Muto a $3 or $45 million contract.

Yeah, they didn't see my Phillies fans' friends did not seem happy about that.

I mean, it's just not a good deal.

JT Real Muto has been a really good player for a really long time, and he seems to be really important to that team.

I don't want to denigrate him personally, but

I don't know a single person who thinks that's a good idea.

And they pivoted hard off of it because of the wound of not getting Bichette, who they thought they were going to get on a longer-term deal.

And, you know, let's be real.

The Phillies have been a much better franchise for the last 10 years.

They've had more success.

They've been to the World Series.

They've been to the playoffs more frequently.

They've won 90-plus games more frequently.

The whole thing with Steve Cohen is that we have to find a way to become the best team in the NL East first before becoming the best team in the National League, which is what the Dodgers have set the bar for.

These moves, which is just really using financial might while continuing to build the farm and protecting prospects, is the way that the Dodgers did it.

It's the only way to do it when you operate from this strength and you're still rebuilding out of a very fallow Will Pons era.

I love it.

I'm looking at David Stearns right now, who spoke at the Boba Shett press conference.

He was interviewed by Steve Gelb's.