Breaking ball and a cold. Strike three. Third strike out for Zach. He's going to just watch it go. A grand slam for Bryson Stott.

And there's a high fly ball. Deep right field. Hopper watches it fly.

From W. H.Y. This is Hitting season of Philadelphia Phillies podcast. My name is Justin

Klu. I write for baseball prospectus. With me is Liz Rocher, the editor of the Baseball Research

Journal. Hello, Liz. Hello, Justin.

Well, another weekend series is on the horizon.

The Phillies are going to face a Diamondbacks team that was able to do the unthinkable and defeat the New York Mets in New York.

We'll get to that in a little bit.

But first, Philly's got some exciting changes happening to the pitching staff as some familiar faces return.

And there's some, let's call it, suspicions going on about the Major League Baseball Strike

Zone as well.

But first, Elizabeth, I don't know if you saw, but my favorite thing in baseball media has occurred once again, which is a survey among anonymous MLB executives.

Yes!

The greatest sources of information out there!

I love when these faceless cowards choose to share their opinions on goings-on in the baseball world with absolutely no accountability whatsoever.

Fortunately, this one is not very dynamic.

It was simply a couple of questions about what's going on so far in this season, who's been the most surprising? Who's been the most disappointing?

And so forth.

And Liz, you'll be surprised to learn that the Phillies don't really factor into a lot of these.

I'm not going to make a guess or anything.

I'll just tell you straight up that of the MLB executives asked,

the top answer for which team has been the biggest surprise has been the San Francisco Giants with eight votes, which I don't think that's too surprising.

...