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House and Senate members are back in session this week to continue negotiations on a state budget for the fiscal year that begins July first. As WITF's David Payne reports, one of the issues lawmakers will be discussing is funding for mass transit. The owners of Restorative Roots Recovery want to continue operating recovery houses in northeastern Pennsylvania, but they're concerned about the Trump administration's federal funding cuts. Lydia McFarlane from our friends at WVIA reports from the only licensed male recovery houses in Luzerne County. The Eagles visited the White House Monday to celebrate the team’s Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Speculation about who would and wouldn’t attend the celebration had been going since the date was announced last month. Nick Kariuki with WHYY's Billy Penn was in Washington D.C. for the event. Yesterday, April 30th, was the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. For stories about the war from Central Pennsylvanians who lived through it, see: https://vietnam.witf.org/stories/ Two people were electrocuted in Pennsylvania... one in State College and one in Pittsburgh... amid severe storms that swept across the state Tuesday night. It's been two weeks since a shooting at Florida State University killed two and injured six. We're now learning that one of those injured is Gettysburg native and FSU student Reese Gourley. Her family released a statement through their attorney stating that their daughter suffered a gunshot wound in her back and now faces a long recovery. U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement... Known as ICE... has approved agreements with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and Northwest Regional Police Department. The agreement allow the two local agencies to arrest and detain people on behalf of the federal agency. Controversial Commonwealth University president Bashar Hanna will step down on July 31st to accept a new leadership role in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. A Mifflin County High School English and Journalism teacher is the 2025 National Teacher of the Year. Ashlie Crosson teaches 10th through 12th graders in A-P English, 10th grade English, and a class called Survival Stories... an elective that approaches global humanitarian crises from a youth perspective. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Episode 941, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight recaps the 5 Big Storylines from the Phillies' stirring Opening Day victory against the Nationals in DC. Alec Bohm's Redemption, Strikeouts Galore, Zack Wheeler's Cy Young Push, Bryce Harper Opening Day Magic & Bullpen Usage. Plus thoughts on the benefits of the new lineup, Kyle Schwarber's success vs. lefties and a preview of this weekend's final two games of the series. Powered by WHYY & BillyPenn.com!
On Episode 937 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis from The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com discusses Ranger Suarez' back stiffness and what it could mean for his ability to pitch in the first couple weeks of the season. Also, John lists 10 Phillies having very encouraging springs, way too many thoughts about Scott Kingery being DFA'd by the Angels this week, and why Opening Day should not be played overseas anymore. Powered by WHYY and BillyPenn!
On Episode 936 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight, Justin Klugh from Baseball Prospectus and Liz Roscher answer 10 pressing questions about the #Phillies with less than 10 days until Opening Day. Powered by WHYY & BillyPenn.com!
On Episode 934 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight, WHYY and BillyPenn.com opens up the mailbag for a solo pod chock full of Phillies nuggets, including thoughts on the state of the outfield, 26-man roster predictions, contract extension walk away numbers for Realmuto & Schwarber, 6-man rotation talk and lots more!
On Episode 933 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight is joined by The Athletic's Jayson Stark as he discusses his article on whether the trend line for the 2025 Phillies is on the way up, or on the way down. What will their legacy be if they don't win a World Series? And will J.T. Realmuto or Kyle Schwarber sign a contract extension this spring? Also, Justin Klugh from Baseball Prospectus and Liz Roscher appear on the roundtable to discuss Jayson's article, the spate of injuries to the Mets and Braves, and our level of concern over Matt Strahm's shoulder soreness. Powered by WHYY & BillyPenn.com!
On Episode 931 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight & BillyPenn.com gives his 10 bold predictions for the upcoming season and chats with Evan Macy of The Philly Voice about which players' stocks are up or down down in Clearwater. Also, Bryce Harper tells The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal he's open to changing positions.
On Episode 928 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com is joined by John Foley of OnPattison.com to chat about the latest happening in Clearwater, why it's not a big deal that Phils have the worst collection of MLB players 26 and under in the league, and Bryce Harper avoids an injury scare!
On Episode 926 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com is joined by Fangraphs Senior Writer Dan Szymborski to get his thoughts on the Phillies and how they compare to the rest of the contenders in the National League. Also, John ranks the 10 most important Phillies of the 2025 season, the need for Trea Turner to step up his game, and why the Day Care moniker needs to be retired for Stott, Bohm and Marsh.
On Episode 922 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com runs down his prediction of what the Phillies' 26-man roster will be on Opening Day, whether the Mets' re-signing Pete Alonso moves the needle for them, Fangraphs' playoff odds and we answer some mailbag questions about potential breakout performers in 2025.
On Episode 919 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com is joined by Fangraphs' Eric Longenhagen as he breaks down his top-30 Phillies prospects (not all of them because that would be a three-hour podcast, obviously), including his very interesting ranking of Justin Crawford.
On Episode 916, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com talks about the induction of Billy Wagner to the Hall of Fame, the status of Chase Utley's candidacy, as well as what Jimmy Rollins and Bobby Abreu need to do to get in. Also, Cole Hamels is on the ballot next year, what are his chances? Four Phils are ranked in Baseball America's Top 100, and more discussion on the Dodgers' insane spending spree.
On Episode 910 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com discusses the release of the 2024 Phillies video yearbook entitled "Chasing Greatness" and why he couldn't bear to watch it yet. Also, at what point might the Phils get interested in outfield free agents Anthony Santander and/or Jurickson Profar? MLB Network says Brandon Marsh is the 6th-best center fielder in baseball (!!!) and how the front office will likely handle the seven Phils who are out of options in 2025.
On Episode 907 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com talks Jeff Hoffman's free agency, optimal lineups for 2025, and with Jesus Luzardo now a Phillies, ranks Dave Dombrowski's 15 most impactful trades as the Phils team president.
On Episode 903 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of TheGoodPhight.com and BillyPenn.com runs down his power ranking of the top-10 teams in MLB and, guess what? The Phillies are still elite! Plus, the latest Hot Stove news and rumors, MLB's unsurprising findings from a massive report on the state of pitching injuries and we open the mailbag to talk Alec Bohm, the confounding Atlanta Braves' off-season and lots more!
On Episode 902 of Hittin' Season, powered by WHYY & BillyPenn.com, John Stolnis of The Good Phight, Justin Klugh from Baseball Prospectus and Yahoo Sports' Liz Roscher discuss their confidence level in Dave Dombrowski to navigate a challenging off-season in his quest to make the Phillies better in 2025. Also, why Alec Bohm likely isn't going anywhere, and we "celebrate" the 15th anniversary of the Roy Halladay trade to the Phillies and the subsequent trade of Cliff Lee to the Mariners. A complicated day, to be sure.
On Episode 890 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com recaps a disappointing and relatively uneventful Winter Meetings for Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies, including missing out on Garrett Crochet. Who's available and where do the Phils and Dombrowski go from here?
On Episode 899 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight, Liz Roscher from Yahoo! Sports and Justin Klugh of Baseball Prospectus analyze the Phillies' signing of relief pitcher Jordan Romano to a one-year deal at the Winter Meetings. Also, how much better are the Mets after signing Juan Soto and should Phils fans be upset at the front office for not pursuing him? And Dick Allen is finally a Hall of Famer! Powered by WHYY and BillyPenn.com!
On Episode 897 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com reacts to the latest Hot Stove rumors, including the latest with Juan Soto, a potential Bohm-to-Seattle trade, drooling over Kyle Tucker and some mailbag questions as well.
On Episode 892 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com assesses another Zack Wheeler second place finish in the NL Cy Young Award voting. What's this guy gotta do to win one of those things? Also, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer joins the show to talk about Juan Soto meetings and the latest on what the Phillies might do in free agency and the trade market, John runs down some big roster decisions made this week, and which free agents would cost the Phils draft picks by refusing the qualifying offer?
On Episode 891 of Hittin' Season, hosts John Stolnis of The Good Phight, Justin Klugh from Baseball Prospectus and Yahoo! Sports' Liz Roscher tackle the latest Phillies rumors on the world wide web. Targeting closers in trades? St. Louis Cardinals a possible trade mate? Anthony Santander for the outfield? Also, Andrew Painter owned the Arizona Fall League, how does he factor into the Phils' plans for 2025? Subscribe to Hittin' Season on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6fMSJlk... Check out all the Hittin' Season content over at BillyPenn! https://www.billypenn.com/hittinseason Read Justin at Baseball Prospectus: https://www.baseballprospectus.com Read Liz at Yahoo! Sports: https://sports.yahoo.com Read John at The Good Phight: https://www.thegoodphight.com
On Episode 889 of Hittin' Season, the Good Phight's John Stolnis, Justin Klugh of Baseball Prospectus and Yahoo! Sports' Liz Roscher discuss the not-so-strong possibilities of the Phillies signing Juan Soto and Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki. Are they destined to be stalking horses for both players? Also, thoughts on Zack Wheeler as an NL Cy Young finalist, Garrett Crochet rumors and Nick Pivetta declined a qualifying offer? Powered by WHYY & BillyPenn!
On Episode 887 of Hittin' Season, John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com checks in on some of the rumors coming in from the GM Meetings in San Antonio regarding the Phillies. Why this could be a particularly active season in the trade market for the Phils. The Good Phight's Anthony Esbensen joins the show to discuss the off-season as well.
On Episode 884 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com recaps the 2024 World Series and offers 5 key takeaways for Phillies fans following the Dodgers defeat of the Yankees. Also, the off-season is officially here which means all eyes turn to the Juan Soto sweepstakes, and some decisions on the 40-man roster are upcoming in terms of Rule 5 draft protections. Which minor leaguers are going to make the 40-man?
Powered by WHYY & BillyPenn.com, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight recaps some key comments from Dave Dombrowski and manager Rob Thomson at the end-of-year press conference, including nuggets about potential off-season plans and the state of the team after a disappointing finish to an otherwise successful 2024 season.
This week on TABLE TALK, Jeff sat down with John Stolnis from the Hittin' Season podcast at BillyPenn.com and WHYY to discuss how the Phillies fell so fast in the postseason, and what this offseason may look like for Dave Dombrowski and some of the talent on this team. What kind of shake-up do they need as we look to 2025? Topics that John and Jeff dove into:The pressure of expectations on the team, and lack of overall patience at the plate was the overriding issue.The player(s) who completely gave us that disappointment in the playoffs.Numerous platoons aren't working. So, how will the front office handle the left field and center field position before the start of the 2025 season?When it comes to Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm, which of these players should we be more worried about as we look to the future?All of this and much more this week on Table Talk!Head over to our website for all of our podcasts and more: philadelphiasportstable.com.Follow us on Threads:Jeff: @mrjeffwarrenErik: @slen1023The Show: @philadelphiasportstableFollow us on Twitter/X:Jeff: @Jeffrey_WarrenLen: @LenHunsickerErik: @BrickPollittThe Show: @PhiladelphiaPSTFollow the show on Instagram: instagram.com/philadelphiasportstable.
Powered by WHYY and BillyPenn.com, hosts John Stolnis of The Good Phight and Baseball Prospectus' Justin Klugh talk about 10 Phillies and whether they think they will stay on the roster in 2025 or go. Also, did the San Diego Padres' disappearing offense make you feel any better about the Phillies' collapse? And determining which World Series match-ups would be the worst, and the best, to watch.
From WHYY & BillyPenn.com, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and Liz Roscher from Yahoo! Sports discuss the Phillies' 4-1 loss in Game 4 of the NLDS to the Mets, ending what had been a storybook season. What happened? Should we have seen this coming? What will this team look like next year? That and many more thoughts on a depressingly disappointing finish.
From WHYY & BillyPenn.com, John Stolnis from The Good Phight and Justin Klugh of Baseball Prospectus break down Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS between the Phillies and Mets, recounting Game 2's heroics in an instant classic, while looking ahead to some key decisions to be made for Game 3.
On Episode 872 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com talks about the Phillies' intrasquad game on Wednesday, how hitters are dealing with the week-long layoff, potential roster and lineup decisions and recaps the first two games of the wild card round of the postseason.
Hosts John Stolnis of BillyPenn.com and The Good Phight, Baseball Prospectus' Justin Klugh & Liz Roscher of Yahoo! Sports react to Monday's doubleheader between the Mets and Braves, try to decide whether the Brewers or Mets will be the preferred match-up for the Phils in the NLDS, and react to the death of Pete Rose.
On Episode 868 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com recaps the Phillies' 6-2 win over the Cubs for their first NL East title since 2011. How did they get here and what's ahead for this year's #RedOctober?
Host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com recaps the Phillies series loss at the hands of the Brewers, touting two outstanding pitching performances by their top two starters, and why home field advantage is critical for the Phils in the postseason. Also, the 2024 Phillies bullpen is, by far, the best of this recent string of success, and what the playoff roster might look like.
On Episode 855, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com recaps the first two games of the Phillies' series against the Braves, including a 3-2 win aided by something we don't often see by the Phils... small ball! Also, we're pretty sure we already know who the 12 playoff teams are going to be.
The Philadelphia Phillies are at the halfway point of the season. They're one of the best teams in baseball, and have been exciting all season. What might we see during the second half of the MLB season from this Phillies organization and team? This week, John Stolnis from The Hittin' Season podcast at WHYY and Billy Penn joined us to break down a number of storylines. What should we make of the bullpen, Bryson Stott, and the impending trade deadline?But first, we dove into some Eagles talk, and specifically what Nick Sirianni needs to do to keep his job after this coming season. (approx. 5:15)We then gave a brand new Top-3 list: the top-3 aspects of Eagles Training Camp and the season that we'll be keeping our eyes on? (approx. 9:50)From there, we discussed the coming college football season, and how the dynamics within college football will be altering once again this season. (approx. 23:30)Then we talked about the state of the Phillies farm system, how it has developed over time, and some of the homegrown talent in the minors. (approx. 34:10)What we threw down on the Table this week was a fantastic and in-depth discussion with John Stolnis from The Hittin' Season podcast and TheGoodPhight.com as we analyzed where the Phillies are at during the halfway point of the season. Spoiler - they're doing great. Who is the “Comeback Kid” and “Underrated Contributor” this season? What's been up with Bryson Stott this year? What has the bullpen optimized this year? Plus much more within this discussion! (approx. 44:30)Head over to our website for all of our podcasts and more: philadelphiasportstable.com.Follow us on Threads:Jeff: @mrjeffwarrenErik: @slen1023Follow us on Twitter/X:Jeff: @Jeffrey_WarrenLen: @LenHunsickerErik: @BrickPollittFollow the show on Instagram: instagram.com/philadelphiasportstable.
On Episode 840 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com recaps all the Phillies excitement at the MLB All Star Game, as well as Alec Bohm's tremendous performance in Monday night's HR Derby. Also, John says there's a relief pitcher he'd trade Andrew Painter for right now, and he previews the Phillies' very difficult July schedule.
On Episode 831 of Hittin' Season, hosts John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn, Liz Roscher from Yahoo! Sports and Justin Klugh of Baseball Prospectus and BillyPenn recap the Phils' series win against Arizona. Why didn't this NCLS rematch have much juice? Also, Christopher Sanchez signs an extension, what does it mean for the future of the rotation, and is Ranger Suarez next? And just how bad is Taijuan Walker's blister really?
It's the Friday News Roundup! Today's topics include why one Philly School Board nomination is still in limbo and the newest plan to move the Greyhound bus station (again). Plus, Wawa is creeping in on Sheetz territory. Host Trenae Nuri is joined by Carly Sitrin, Philadelphia bureau chief for Chalkbeat, and Meir Rinde, investigative reporter at Billy Penn. Our Friday News Roundups are powered by great local journalism: Wawa entering Central Pennsylvania market in challenge to Sheetz Philadelphia mayor plans to go over City Council's head, put contested nominee on school board As the bus turns: New proposal for intercity bus stop is Old City parking garage Lifeguards in demand in Philadelphia Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Philly. We're also on Twitter and Instagram! Follow us @citycastphilly. Have a question or just want to share some thoughts with the team? Leave us a voicemail at 215-259-8170. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On Episode 810 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com recaps a strange and successful series against the Angels, wrapping up a 7-3, 10-game road trip with the most wins in baseball! As the calendar flips to June, where does John rank the Phils among baseball's best? His answer may surprise you!
On Episode 807, John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com opens up the Hittin' Season mailbag, grouses about Rob Thomson's lineups for Tuesday and Wednesday night's losses to the Reds, as well as yet another seemingly endless slump by Nick Castellanos.
Psst... check out major results from yesterday's primary election in today's edition of the Hey Philly newsletter. Want to dine outdoors in the nice spring weather? You might've noticed that many of the city's pandemic-era outdoor dining structures, or “streeteries,” have disappeared. City Cast Philly podcast host Trenae Nuri speaks with Ali Mohsen, food and drink reporter at Billy Penn, about why this is — and which city officials are now taking steps to cut red tape and bring more streeteries back. Read more of Ali's reporting here. Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Philly. We're also on Twitter and Instagram! Follow us @citycastphilly. Have a question or just want to share some thoughts with the team? Leave us a voicemail or send us a text at 215-259-8170. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Presented by WHYY & BillyPenn.com, hosts John Stolnis of The Good Phight, Justin Klugh from Baseball Prospectus and Liz Roscher of Yahoo! Sports break down the Phillies' disappointing weekend against the Pirates, Zack Wheeler's rough 6th-inning Sunday, silent bats, bad defense, and a .500 baseball team being saved by good pitching. April Phillies will drive you crazy.
On Episode 797, John Stolnis of The Good Phight, Liz Roscher from Yahoo! Sports and Baseball Prospectus' Justin Klugh react to the Phillies' frustrating 1-3 start, things we liked and didn't like from opening weekend, whether it was a good idea to raise a 2023 flag at Citizens Bank Park, and Rhys Hoskins' wild weekend in New York. Powered by WHYY & BillyPenn.com.
It's the Friday News Roundup! Today's topics include plans to move the intercity bus terminal again and why some local businesses have adopted a four-day work week. Host Trenae Nuri talks with Meir Rinde, investigative reporter at Billy Penn, and Lizzy McLellan Ravitch, workplace reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Our Friday News Roundups are powered by great local journalism: Pennsylvania Lottery resumes ticket sales after being shutdown by computer upgrade Mega Millions winners in Pennsylvania, jackpot nears impressive $1B Philly floats plans for another intercity bus terminal Thank God It's ... Thursday? These Philly companies have embraced the four-day work week Read more about the poll worker shortage and how to become one. Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Philly We're also on Twitter and Instagram! Follow us @citycastphilly. Have a question or just want to share some thoughts with the team? Leave us a voicemail at 215-259-8170. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
John Stolnis from The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com celebrates the return of baseball, as Phillies pitchers and catchers officially report for spring training, with a number of position players in Clearwater, too. John runs down the five players he's most interested in watching this spring, shares some thoughts on the bullpen and the latest on the Zack Wheeler contract extension talks.
Host John Stolnis of The Good Phight & BillyPenn.com chats with MLB.com Statcast guru Mike Petriello about the Phillies' quiet off-season, where they stack up in the National League, and the possibility of more moves coming this off-season. Also, five key takeaways from Dave Dombrowski's interview on WIP, Phils playoff projections are out from Fangraphs and PECOTA, and the Phils add three new players to the 40-man roster this week.
On this episode, host John Stolnis from The Good Phight and Billy Penn opens up the mailbag for a little Hot Stove chatter, talking Johan Rojas' future, what a Wheeler contract extension could look like, Orion Kerkering as a future closer, bench additions, and lots of Hot Stove and mid-season Trade Deadline possibilities!
##KeystoneReport: mosing manufacturing in Allegheny County; Saving Billy Penn in Philadelphia County. Salena Zito, Middle of Somewhere, @DCExaminer Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, New York Post, SalenaZito.com https://salenazito.com/2024/01/04/the-silent-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-in-manufacturing/ https://salenazito.com/2024/01/08/william-penn-and-the-removal-of-historys-lessons-2/ 1950 Allentown Pennsylvania
On Episode 758 of Hittin' Season, host John Stolnis of The Good Phight and BillyPenn.com chats about the Phillies' contract offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Is there a chance they could actually land him? Also, some thoughts about Rhys Hoskin's ultimate destination and tracking Chase Utley's Hall of Fame chances on the public ballots thus far.
On Episode 746 of Hittin' Season, the Good Phight and BillyPenn's John Stolnis dissects the latest on the MLB off-season rumor mill, including the Phillies' thought process behind re-signing Aaron Nola and potential back-up plans, as well the possible pursuit of a Japanese pitching phenom, throwing cold water on the Josh Hader conversation, and whether the Phils are the team that needs to win a World Series most in 2024.