High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - BONUS POD: High Hopes Pod Recaps Phillies-Braves Game 1 with Joe Giglio

Episode Date: October 12, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz join Joe Giglio on Sportsradio WIP to recap the Phillies NLDS Game 1 win over the Braves. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phillies win today 7-6, and they are now 1-0 up on the Braves. Game 2 tomorrow, Wheeler against Kyle Wright. The Phillies right now are the favorites to win the National League Division Series. I can't believe we're here, but two weeks ago this team got swept by the Cubs in Chicago. You know what I was listening to two weeks ago after the Cubs sweep in Chicago? I was listening to High Hopes podcast because I knew those guys were as upset as anybody else and now they're with us and probably as happy as anybody else. James Seltzer,

Jack Fritz with us. Jack, the Phillies are up 1-0 on the Braves in the NLDS. Your reaction after today? I just can't believe that Joe Buck's not going to call the World Series if the Phillies are in. We've waited so long to hear Joe Buck call.

Honestly, Joe, you and I are big Joe Buck fans. I think you're a Joe Buck fan. I'm sure you're a Joe Buck fan because you appreciate greatness. But think about the awfulness he was going through at that point with the Harris situation. We've got to cook Joe Buck. And the second the Phillies make it back to the World Series, he moves on to another network.

So that's where I'm at tonight, Joe. So, James, we've moved past the Braves, past the Dodgers. We're in the World Series now, and we don't like Joe Davis compared to Joe Buck. Is that right? Yeah. Well, look, first and foremost, what an upgrade from Michael Kay. Oh, Joe Davis is ten times better than Michael Kay.

Ten times isn't putting it enough. A hundred times, maybe a thousand times. But, yeah, Jack, talking a thousand times. But yeah, Jack's, you know, talking about the Iowa Spots podcast, we just recorded one, and Jack's already calling them the team of destiny. So yes, yes, he is totally past all of it. Who's thinking? You know, Jack Fritz, you know,

person, man, who is always very rational, very logical when it comes to the Phillies, never living and dying and overreacting to everything that's happening, would be like over the moon right now. I'm shocked. Yeah, but Florida. We're all Florida right now.

Here's something, Jack, I actually am Florida about. Nick Castellanos looked like a living, breathing, good baseball player today. Three hits, three runs batted in, and I'm driving in, and I'm listening to the ninth inning, and I'm screaming to myself in the car, like, why isn't Dalton Guthrie on the field? Why is Castellanos still out there? He's going to cost him the game defensively. And then he makes the catch of his – probably of his career,

but certainly since he got here. I just – like, I can't believe Castellanos was good today. He hasn't been good as a Philly yet. Well, much like Franski in L.A., I like to say right around what 708 on most broadcasts right on time i mean it took him 162 and a whole playoff series on the road where he was him and reese were kind of like the uh the the group project members that didn't do anything but got an A. And, yeah, I mean, it was the first time all year where I actually felt like he looked like an intimidating presence at the plate. Like the guy that we had seen for the last decade,

that any big moment it's like, oh, he's going to get a big hit here because he always gets a back-breaking hit. Like that was the first time I saw that guy. And he seems like a guy that when he gets confident, he gets on a roll. I think we could be in the midst of a good Castellanos run here, and I can't wait for it. Yeah, James, first time in his Philly career, he had three hits and three runs batted in.

He didn't do that once the entire season, which, I mean, it's crazy because he's a guy that gets a lot of hits and he drives in a lot of runs. The first time all year, I guess better late than never for Nick yeah well i mean yeah to your point a guy who's had 309 with 34 home runs last year and you know has been a consistent hitter for years now and then all of a sudden falls apart and but here's the thing to the point about you know right now this moment you know he has such a unique opportunity in front of him he's someone who was a big money signing who comes in and was a, you know, disaster.

Let's call it like it was compared to what we expected compared to what he's making a disaster this season for the Phillies. But, but with someone who has four years left on his contract, he has the chance, a really unique opportunity to totally change the narrative. And if he can continue to do this and he's already doing it i mean today alone is a big help but if he can be a factor in them winning postseason series like no one's gonna care it's all good we don't care to

get that at 260 or whatever with 13 home runs somehow like forget about it man you're a postseason hero like it is a really unique opportunity. You don't really see that that often when this big time money player comes in. That's a horrible year, but then kind of, you know, validates it in the playoffs. Yeah. I mean, Jack, what James just said there about, you know, changing the story, changing the narrative. I feel like that's this team right now. I mean, Nola on Saturday and what he did against the Astros last Monday, Castellanos now. I mean, like all these guys, right? Like Eflin's career is changing. I mean, Nola on Saturday and what he did against the Astros last Monday, Castellanos now. I mean, like all these guys, right? Like, Eflin's

career's changing. I know today was difficult for him. But, like, the Phillies two weeks ago, I think if you asked anyone, what are they, people would have said, they're losers, right? They got swept by the Cubs and now they're two wins away from the NLCS. I can't think of a team that in a couple, in a

week, maybe has changed what people think about them like this right now. Yeah, and this is probably unprofessional of me, but when has that ever stopped me? I mean, I had to listen to you on a whole drive home saying, I hope they don't make the playoffs. I mean, it was egregious.

And at this point, I hope you did you get the crow that I delivered? Because I think you need to eat some. It's ridiculous. I mean, sure, you're on a heater with your quarterback take, but this is a big old cold pick. I don't care if Hurst is the MVP this year. It is – it has been an unbelievable turn.

And you weren't the only one, and a lot of people weren't the only one. Like the camera, every midday show was like, this is Mickey Mouse, this is Phony, whatever. And now people are – like the second they made the playoffs, it was, we're back. We're going to beat the Cardinals, and we're going to go on a run. No one talks to themselves in the baseball, I feel like, as quick as this city. And they really do have a chance here to change the narrative about them. I mean, Aaron Nola went from, I can't trust in the big game to, to clinching

a, clinching a playoff spot to going a six shutout at a playoff game on the road in a, in a, in a clinching game. Like it is just insane. And it's about time. Like it's about time you're learning about the makeup of these guys. And if you can trust them in big spots and the interesting part of this whole thing is like how much of this do you factor into the offseason I mean it's the gore of the free agent do you bring him back and do you kind of you know turn your nose up a little bit at the Trey Turner idea I mean it's a hard thing to say no to but these guys are having special moments in big games and there's a special feel of this team how much is real versus how much isn't yeah I mean I went it took me 10 days to say I don't want them to make the playoffs.

I'm sitting there Saturday saying, you know, Nola kind of reminds me of Madison Bumgarner in a big moment. Just pitching great. Ten days later, James, I'm all in. It's crazy right now because they won today, James, without their better pitchers going. Today just felt so big for the swing in this series because now they have Wheeler and Nola.

It feels like, I know it's just 1-0, but but just feels like they're in a big advantage in this moment yeah I mean obviously they're in a massive advantage they I mean they were in advantage if they just win one in Atlanta and they won one and have Wheeler and Nola coming up next I mean they are you know that was the formula right that's why you come to the playoffs saying you know what anything can happen because you got Wheeler and Nola pitching two games in the longer series four games like those dudes can win any game they start against anyone in the league and we've seen that already and you know their first two starts especially how good Nola's been yeah I mean it's and look baseball we all know every year like the playoffs are random and chaos. Stuff happens.

An 88-win Braves team won the World Series last year because they were the team that had the most swag and the most attitude and believed in themselves the most and just went out and kicked butt every night. They were not the most talented team. They weren't as good as the 100-and-whatever-win Dodgers team they beat. Just like if the Phillies get through this and can finish this out against them, talented team they weren't as good as the 100 and whatever winning dodgers team they'd be you know just like if the phillies get through this and can finish this out against a more talented or if nothing else not necessarily more talented but a a higher performing brave team they're

gonna have to go against a more talented and higher performing dodgers team but but this is not like a mickey mouse to jack's point before like, they were an 87-win team that has a ton of talent. Like, they have the, what, 6'6", highest payroll in baseball. It's not like there aren't guys here who have had real success at the Major League level. And we're seeing these guys start to come through. Harper, we haven't mentioned him. Another narrative where this guy has been so bad since coming back from the injury, and then at the playoff start, all of a sudden it's like oh there's Bryce Harper again you know so it does have a special feel so far and obviously

we're only three games in but it has a special feel and it is a talented group of guys that can beat any other team on any given night and and the baseball playoff sometimes that just happens and a team makes a crazy run. We're talking to Jack Fritz and James Seltzer, a High Hopes podcast, joining the show after a Phillies win today, 7-6 over the Braves. All right, let's talk about some of those guys, the most talented guys in this team.

Jack, I think I saw you tweet it earlier. If Bryce is back and Sir Anthony is back, it changes things here. It's like a full team effort right now, but at some point every team that wins a championship or goes far, they need their best players to just get hot or play well. I haven't seen Bryce Harper pull a ball like he pulled on Saturday since June, right before he broke his thumb, and that looked different. Then he had three more hits today.

Is Bryce back? Yeah, I think he is. It's not even the pulling of the ball. Like, I kind of thought it was like, okay, he got a meatball right down the middle and didn't miss it. Like, good job. But the hits today, that's when you know Bryce is at his best. When he's thinking center, left center field, he's a lefty.

It was the first at bat, that first hit he got. I was like, like okay he's back he's locked in um and then hit the ball later that i honestly i thought i was gonna get out um and didn't but it when he's going right he is thinking center field and that was the best he has looked but you know i thought it's funny because tucker like spurned it on you mid-segment on the drive home like who's been the best player so far in the playoffs and you can't you can't name one i mean that's how good this run has been but if you get bryce harper having a big playoff moment um which he didn't really have that on washington i mean he had a big homer um against the giants if i remember correctly but other than that like

he doesn't have a postseason moment and i think think today it was like, okay, the Phillies, already a good team, might have gotten their best player back and might have gotten the best hitter in the National League back. And that is scary for opposing teams. Yeah, it's gigantic, James. And then the Sir Anthony thing, the way he pitched today, we haven't seen that once since he came back. He's had a couple clean innings here and there.

His velocity is okay. But two innings, 18 pitches, it just looked like he was toying with the Braves today. I mean, honestly, I mean, especially considering the circumstances and who he was facing, I think it's the best he's looked all season. You know, and it was after a stretch of, what, like eight appearances with like an 11-and-a-half ERA or something like that. I mean, he had been really struggling and didn't look like the same guy.

And, you know, obviously the outing in St. Louis, that was a big spot going up in Theranato and Goldschmidt. But like in this game today, he was just, I mean, it was dirty. Like it was really nasty stuff. And, you know, I think between him and Alvarado obviously Eflin today that was concerning I think you have to I know it's been a nice story and I I think it's been poetic the the way that Nola closed out the the or opened the the clincher to make the playoffs and Eflin closed it out it's been a really cool thing and all that but

you know I think you know you got up at Sir Anthony at the back end or Alvarado or those two. I mean, those two guys are by far the two guys you can trust right now. And Sir Anthony gives you two guys who can be devastating out of the bullpen with him and Alvarado. And, you know, with Wheeler and Nola, you know, obviously questions about the other starters. But with Wheeler and Nola, I mean,

that could be a dynamite formula to win games every time those guys go out there. Yeah, let's get to the concerns because at some point they're going to become a thing and we're not just going to have a win every game in the postseason. They're probably going to lose a game, I think, at some point during October here. Jack, Reese Hoskins had a hit today, which was a pleasant thing to see, but he's still about two for his last 35 or whatever now, dating back to a couple weeks ago. Do you think they should move him down from the two spot?

And if they do it, who should go up? If they do it, I guess I would put Boehm there. But at this point, I know they've been struggling up there, but the team is winning. I mean, they're 3-0 in the postseason. So it stinks. It's frustrating. But maybe everyone else feels comfortable where they are. there but the team is winning i mean they're three and oh in the postseason so it stinks it's frustrating but maybe everyone else feels comfortable where they are and maybe that's more important at this point um i actually thought hoskins had three good swings today

i mean the first thing he hit the ball almost to the warning track that he's got on here a little bit uh the second at bat he smoked the ball right at riley which is good and then he got the hit third at bat so hopefully he's turning a corner. And Schwarber, like, I'm just never that worried about Schwarber. It feels like when everyone starts panicking about him, it's like, oh, there's a back-breaking home run. You know, so I'm just not like – it's really not a big concern for me. I don't love having two strikeout guys want to, especially because young guys get on first and third one out, whatever.

You know, having strikeout guys is the best thing in the world. But at the same time, like, they're 3-0 in the postseason. And I just wouldn't mess that up right now, even though they're not going to the Grand Prix. James, what do you think? Hoskins in the two-hole, you want him still there or you want to move him down? Yeah, I just agree with Jack.

At this point, you're winning games. The vibes are great. Like, that's the thing that sticks out to me the most with this team, you know, over these first three games. And I think it really kind of showed itself in that ninth inning. And, you know, they were, yes, the Cardinals made mistakes, but they were the looser team, the team that was more prepared to take advantage of mistakes,

more prepared to close it out, more prepared to gut out a 2-0 win. The next night they did what the Cardinals couldn't. And today, again, you know, obviously until the very end when it got a little shaky i just think this team has a really you know really good energy you know like a really good vibe going right now and i think there's something to the culture i think there's something to what thompson's kind of brought after i mean clearly we heard all the quotes with the top stuff i mean they hated Girardi. Like, they hated that guy. And I think with him gone and Thompson, you know, what they're doing right now and all these guys who've never been to the playoffs

and never had these opportunities. And it just feels like there's something special with this group right now and the group together from a chemistry perspective. And I just wouldn't mess with anything like that. Like, you know, obviously the E mess with anything like that like you know obviously the efflin thing is that's a you know you'd be messing with something to move him out of the closer role but i mean that seems like a pretty easy decision i don't think that influences you as much as the lineup which is you know every time through and multiple times throughout the game

it's only affecting we have two people at the end as opposed to multiple. So I'm with Jack. Look, if they start to lose and he's still struggling, maybe you do something to mix it up. But for now, I wouldn't. All right, let's go to – you mentioned Topper. Jack, James mentioned Topper here. I think the biggest decisions of his season are coming up, unless they sweep, which would be amazing. But if we get to four and five, who's going to pitch those games?

So four is guessing is some something of falter gibson or cinder guard but then game five jack if they go back to atlanta for game five would you run ranger back out there after today and he stunk against houston his last over the regular season and then we had some callers asking tonight about wheeler on three days rest he's never done it i doubt they would ask him to do that but what are you thinking if we get to game five? Would you give the ball back to Ranger? No, I'm giving it to Wheeler. I'm giving it to Wheeler.

I don't care if he's never done it before. I like CeCe had never done it before until 2008, and his run was insane. So I think Zach knows at this point it's time that you've got to kind of do things he's never done before. Zach Epple's never closed a baseball game until Monday. You know, it's like two Mondays ago, and now he's had, what, four straight closing appearances? And today was a safe situation that turned into a safe situation,

which wasn't great. But at the same time, like, they essentially gave Zach Wheeler a month off in the middle of the playoff race. And I don't know how hurt he was or if it was just like, hey, we're going to do this and make sure you're good for the playoff. He's got a relatively fresh arm. And I know he hasn't done it before, but I thought his last start, you know, he's back up to 99.

He's clearly jacked up and fired up to be out there. I'm giving the ball to Zach Wheeler. I'm making sure that I give myself the best chance to get to the NLCS. And if we lose, we lose. And I'm going down with my best on the mound, not Rangers or us. Manager James Seltzer, who's getting the ball in four and five? Yeah, I feel like I'm just parroting Jack, but I think he's right. I have four for me.

It's Falter. I just think he's been the best most consistently of the guys. It's certainly not Gibson, right? Please no. Please, I can't. I can't do that. Please no. I don't know what Topper's going to do, but please no. It's certainly not Gibson, right? Please no. I can't. I can't do that. Please no. I don't know what Topper's going to do, but please no. It should not be Gibson. It's between Syndergaard

and Falter for me, and I would go with Falter. And I'm 100% with Jack on Wheeler in Game 5. Look, he's your dude. He's your ace. He's the guy who should have won the Cy Young last year. And to Jack's point, I thought that was a really good point about the fresh arm and again sometimes you just got to do things you

don't normally do and look you have Ranger ready to go Rangers push pitch out the bullpen before maybe there's less pressure on him not starting the game if they need him if Wheeler can't go too long or whatever maybe you use Ranger in that situation but I certainly can't start Ranger in that game after today and you know for me I'm starting Falter in four and Wheeler in five if that happens. All right. I know we have a game before we get there, but I'm sure you guys have talked about it on the podcast. I'm sure you've thought about it, Jack. I know you've probably been thinking about it since Saturday night when they got to this round.

Tell me what you're thinking. How excited are you to watch and be part of that atmosphere on Friday, Jack? At Citizens Bank Park, a sold-out crowd, a playoff game, rally towels, which just make the whole thing better. What do you think? Like, have you stopped thinking about what Friday's going to be like? Dude, honestly, I forgot there's a game tomorrow. I really did.

Like, as soon as they won today, I was like, if they win tomorrow, that's great. But, like, just get me to 437 on Friday. Like, I can't wait. I know the people that listen, the people that know me, they're surprised to know that I didn't go to one game during the run from 07 to 11. So I've got to make up for some lost time because I didn't think I'd have to wait 11 years to have to go to a postseason game. But we are here.

So I can't wait to experience it. I mean, it's interesting because whenever I go to a baseball game, I feel like I'm not as locked in. But also, like, this is the postseason. You're going to be locked in on every pitch, and we hang on every pitch. I hope they find a way to play dancing on my own so that the whole crowd can sing along to it. I think that'd just be a special moment for everyone involved.

I could not be more disappointed that it will not be the white rally towels. That is a soul crusher. An absolute soul crusher. When did that change? Because it obviously used to be the white ones. Yeah, I blame Jay Bruce. I don't know if it's totally

his fault, but when he lost the ball in the, whatever, the lights in 2010, maybe they could blame it on the rally at Thousand End. But Tucker made a good point. I mean, this could have happened any time in the last 11 years, and we would have had no idea. We would have had no idea. So I can't wait.

It's going to be incredible. And, yeah, it's been far too long. And I can't wait to rewatch it just to see how awesome it's going to look. James, when was the last playoff game you were at? Did you go in 11 or was it before that? Oh, no, that's a bad answer. Oh, no. Yeah, it's not great.

I was at the last one prior. I was at the Ryan Howard-Achilles game. Yeah, but I went to a ton during that round. I was at a World one prior. I was at the Ryan Howard Achilles game. But I went to a ton during that round. I was at a World Series game. I went to a World Series game in 93 with my dad, too, so I've definitely gotten the opportunity to be down for something. I'm really excited for Jack. I mean, you know how

freaking way over the top he is about the Phillies. We all know it. I can't believe he's never been to a Phillies playoff game. I think that it's going to be a really awesome experience. It's going to be amazing just seeing it, seeing the people back there. Honestly, it's kind of one of the things we

talked about from the beginning. Everyone was like, oh, they made the wild card round, but I just want them to be back in Citizens Bank Park. Can it even be Red October if they don't play a game at Citizens Bank Park? And now, like, they're coming back at worst in a tied series against the Braves. Like, no matter what happens tomorrow,

they will have a chance to close it out in two games at Citizens Bank Park. And, I mean, that's freaking awesome, man. It's freaking awesome, especially your point you made at the beginning of this call, like earlier, that, you know, just like two weeks ago we all like hated them and we were all like furious that for the fifth year in a row or whatever they were breaking our hearts and it was the worst of all of them and then they they they just found some magic man and and there's going to be playoff games at citizens bank park and i honestly think that might be the most magical part of this whole thing that It's a magic, man. And there's going to be playoff games at Citizens Bank Park. And I honestly think that might be the most magical part of this whole thing

that has already been magical for three games. Yeah, and the cool part is, I know you guys always talk about it on the podcast, like you want the city to buy in again. That's the goal, right? Like everyone at that stadium on Friday has bought back in. They bought tickets. Like literally, they bought back in, and they're not cheap tickets. People there believe.

Like, they want to go watch this team in a big game. By the way, Tucker looked it up. The white rally towel was banned in 2016. We've been blacked out for six years here. We didn't even realize that. It's not surprising. I mean, we would have had no idea. Again, I mean, 2016, we're still dealing with, what,

Aaron Altair and Nick Williams debates? That might have been pre-that. That might have been pre-Nick Williams. I don't even know. Yeah, it was. I think it was, yeah. I think I blacked out during the whole 2016. Yeah, 2016's a blur.

Yeah, 2017, they won 66 games in 2017. But 2016, 2017 was dark years. Like, 2017 was dark years. Like, 2017, at least Reese came up at the end. But, like, man, 2016, that's dark stuff. Yeah, that's – I mean, I'm trying to look up the roster quickly here. Yeah, McCannon's managing the team. Well, Cameron Rupp. I mean, Tonka would be there.

Cesar would be there. Jeremy Hellickson started opening day. Can you guys tell me who got the most at-bats in the corner outfield spots? This is a big test for this. Tyler Goodell in left. Was he that many? No, it wasn't Goodell.

His names are unbelievable. I feel like I've tried to block this out as much as possible. Dubo would have been in center. Michael Saunders? So when you go to baseball reference and you look at their left and right fielder for that season, it's Kodiakian left and Peter Borges in right.

Wow. Wow. I feel like maybe we could have gotten Borges. There's no way we were getting Kodiakian left much less. Weren't the Angels worried about Peter Borges when bringing up Mike Trout? Oh, I think you're right, yes. And that did not work out well for them at all.

God, we had some tough times, man. But that's also what makes this whole thing so special. I feel like when I first game back in St. Louis, you felt all 11 years. You felt the weight. It was not just playoff baseball intense. That might be the most intense baseball game I've ever watched in my life just because it had been so long since it happened. I think that just adds.

And part of the reason why the games at Citizen Bank are going to be so special, it just adds. I think, you know, I wouldn't ever want to wait 11 years again. Don't do it again in Phillies. But I do think that since we did, it does make it more special. Yeah, sometimes you have to sit through 92 games of Tyler Goodell hitting 190 to make him appreciate it all. Oh, my God.

Stop. Yeah, he was terrible. All right, guys, I appreciate you hopping on. Is the new, uh, high hopes podcast episode out?

Yes. All right. Everyone go check it out. High hopes podcast, Jack Fritz and James Seltzer. Have a good night. I'm sure we'll talk again this week as the Phillies maybe move their way towards the NLCS.

Thank you guys. Thanks, Jack. All right. Thanks, Joe. Thank you, James.

See you, buddy. There he goes. James Fritz, Jack, James Seltzer and Jack Fritz. I combine their names.