Mar 4, 2024; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) looks on from the dugout against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
CLEARWATER — Kyle Schwarber isn't sure he'd want to do TV work after his career. But he spoke with the media at length Saturday morning, and seemed pretty comfortable doing so.
Schwarber was a guest picker on ESPN's "College Gameday" back in October when his alma matter, Indiana, hosted Washington. He got to meet the legendary Lee Corso, and enjoyed the experience overall.
Could the two-time All-Star envision himself one day on TV as a baseball analyst?
"I don't know," Schwarber admitted. "Probably not. I don't like to really be in front of the camera. I probably have a face for radio, [and] a voice that's probably made for home. That's about it. And I'm not as well spoken as those guys. They do a good job. But yeah, I'm sure that there could be an opportunity there later on down the road and see what happens."
Who do the Phillies think will be the next @JohnKruk?🎙️#Phillies @GraceDelPizzo pic.twitter.com/fvROLjlNly
In a tiny mic video for Phillies Nation last year, Grace Del Pizzo asked some Phillies players who was the most likely player on the team to be an analyst after their career ends. Schwarber got quite a few votes.
"Great," Schwarber joked when informed of the very unscientific results.
Bryce Harper, a few lockers over, chimed in.
"Definitely don't have the face for it," Harper said in a deadpan voice.
Schwarber got a kick out of it.
"I told you," Schwarber said. "I said I got a face for radio, Harp. It would be fun when I get done and I can go Cincinnati and watch Bryce play when he's 42 and just bury him. But no, it would be interesting."
.@TimKellySports asked Kyle Schwarber about if he’d be interested in being an analyst after his career.
Bryce Harper chimed in: “Definitely don’t have the face for it.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/nNQjSR4PIr
There were more pressing matters discussed with Schwarber, who is entering the final season of his four-year/$79 million deal, which has turned out to be an incredible bargain for the Phillies.
Does he expect to talk about an extension with the team during Spring Training?
"I literally haven't heard what's gonna have to go on," Schwarber said. "But we'll see. I know there's interest on our side. Well see what happens throughout this camp. If they approach us and we get deeper and deeper into discussions ... you know, like I've said, I've always enjoyed my time here.
"I kinda got that first full opportunity to come in and just really not go out on a one-year deal," Schwarber continued. "I signed a four-year deal here, [so] you just get to come in and feel like you're gonna settle in and get to know everyone and try to get to where we want to be. And we've been close every single year. I think that's been the really joyous part for me is that this is a place that you walk in and you know that you have a chance to win."
Many players set deadlines for the beginning of Spring Training or Opening Day when talking about an extension. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., for example, has told the Toronto Blue Jays that if an extension isn't reached by the first full team workout next week, he's going to play out his contract year.
Would Schwarber be willing to talk about extending his contract even once the regular season starts?
"I'm always ears, I guess," Schwarber said. "But I'm gonna obviously focus on what we're trying to do. And if this is it, this is it. You're gonna put your heart and soul into the team, just like you do every single year. Or if it's not it, you're gonna do the same thing — put you're heart and soul into the team."
There's been talk this Spring Training of finding ways to get J.T. Realmuto off his feet more, without losing his bat in the lineup. While Rob Thomson has floated the idea of potentially having Realmuto take some fly balls to see if left field could be an option, the soon-to-be 34-year-old playing in the outfield seems unlikely. That means that the two spots where Realmuto could get off his feet without coming out of the lineup are either DH or first base. Realmuto playing either would probably affect Schwarber.
J.T. Realmuto: “At the end of the day, I’ll do whatever it takes for this team to win. So if he wants me to go out there and stand on my head, I’ll try to do that.”
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/WM7GHnk0r1
If Realmuto got a day playing first base, it may push Bryce Harper to DH and Schwarber out to left field. Schwarber was even doing some work with a first baseman's mitt Friday. Is it safe to say that he expects to play in the field more than he did a year ago, when he spent just 41 innings in left field?
"I mean, well see," Schwarber said. "I think the biggest thing is just trying to find ways to make sure that obviously if I'm DHing that I'm gonna DH. But I want to also make sure that guys are gonna get off their feet. I want to keep guys healthy, but also keep bats in the lineup. So if that's being in left field ... if that's possibly being over at first base and [we] can give Harper a day off and keep his bat in the lineup and keep some other left-handed bats in the lineup in the outfield, then so be it. I just gotta find a way to be versatile at what I do so that I can also make sure that you're not just taking someone's bat out of the lineup for a day, or maybe you can just get them off their feet for more than half the game and they can get their at-bats in as well."
Schwarber played 75 innings for the Boston Red Sox at first base after a midseason trade in 2021, and in the past, he hasn't talked particularly fondly about playing that position. But it sounds like he believes with getting to work on it in spring, he'll be ready if the Phillies need him there at all in 2025.
"Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing is when I was over there at first, I think I played the position in high school," Schwarber said. "And next thing you know you're in the playoffs and you're like 'What's going on?' You feel like you're just standing over here and hoping to catch the ball, right? They [the Red Sox coaching staff] did a really good job with me just getting me that crash course to be able to just be over there and do a somewhat decent job over there of just being able to catch the ball and things like that.
"But I think the cool thing now is that I feel like we have a really good infield coach in Bobby Dickerson," Schwarber added. "And to be able to hear him and listen to him and be able to hear the way that he thinks and talks to our infielders, I think that if I can just hear him and do some things with him, it's fun for me, right? You know, it's another thing for me to get to learn and get to experience and try to stay sharp in a different way. And also still being with [outfield coach] Paco [Figueroa] and not just coming in feeling like you're carrying around a bat, right?"
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