High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Do We Have to Divorce our Wives for the Phillies to Win the World Series?

Episode Date: November 3, 2021

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Braves winning the World Series, what it means for the Phillies, and much more. 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

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It's the Braves winning the World Series, Jack. That's what that is. The freaking Braves, Jack. That's what that is, buddy. I mean, what am I supposed to be like, yo, yay. The Braves won the World Series yesterday, Jack. How am I supposed to react? What am I supposed to say to you right now?

Yay, baseball? No, I'm angry, baseball no i'm angry jack i'm angry the freaking braves won the world series and at the trade deadline they went out and got the nlcs mvp the world series mvp and every year we make trades that have seemingly no positive bearing on what we do we barely even make trades we. We barely even go for it. Yeah, I'm sorry. Not the best yo today, pal. How you doing? Yeah, honestly, I went to bed last night,

so I don't even know what you're talking about. Everything's fine. Honestly, I forgot they won the World Series. Honestly, that Braves team is probably one of the four worst teams I've ever seen win a World Series in my life. You know, I think 03 Marlins, 06 Cardinals, this Braves team, 15 Royals.

I mean, they were kind of magical. So I get it. 11 Cardinals. Come on. Every Cardinals team ever. All of them. Yeah. I mean, David Eckstein was a freaking World Series MVP.

I mean, come on. He's 5'7", like 160. Ugh. But yeah, no. The Braves were clearly cheating. I mean, come on. He's 5'7", like 160. But yeah, no. The Braves were clearly cheating. Like, there's just... Tucker Davidson starting a World Series game and they win that.

Like, the amount of hits they got, the Solaire bomb, like, everything that Brian Snicker... Every movie made worked. It was insane. Like, there's no way you can convince me that the Braves weren't cheating. It's just a fact. No, stop. Here's thing i want to do that too and i want to rip

the braves and all that but no no we don't deserve that honestly the only good that can come from this and i'm sure it won't is the phillies feeling like i almost cursed bleep holes jack like like losers because that's what they should feel like they have been outclassed by the atlanta braves I almost cursed. Bleep holes, Jack. Like losers. Because that's what they should feel like. They have been outclassed by the Atlanta Braves for years, Jack. For years they have been outclassed by this Braves team. And I don't care how bad they were. They got it together and they won the World Series.

And they went out at the deadline and made moves that literally directly impacted them winning the World Series. They gave up a single A reliever for Jorge Soler. They gave up nothing for Eddie Rosario. They traded Pablo Sandoval and he got DFA'd that day by the Indians. They got Eddie Rosario because they were willing to take on $2 million in salary. I don't know how you could watch this happen and i don't care how bad the braves were or whether they deserved it or whatever like i don't know how is it philly's you couldn't watch that and be sick to your stomach about how your organization operates when you watch what the braves have just done after by the way being in the playoffs what like

four years in a row or whatever like and also and also, you know, of course, like decades prior for, you know, a decade plus all that, like, I don't know, like, it's just frustrating, Jack. Like I'm frustrated to watch this and to think about like the inactivity, the, the, like not willing to go over the luxury tax, not willing to make trades at the deadline, not willing to compete for a wildcard spot. If we don't, we don't like, it's just, I don't know. I'm angry's just i don't know i'm angry i'm angry today that's where i'm at baseball wise phillies wise i'm angry i'm angry at john middleton i'm not angry at dombrowski i think he's trying to fix things and he came in late but i'm angry at john middleton like i'm mad at you bro like i really am i'm pissed off at that guy today when

i watch what the braves did and i see where we are. And the Braves, all kinds of young talent. Oh, Ian Anderson, milquetoast draft. Right, John? Right? That guy pitched five no-hit innings in a World Series leading to winning a World Series game. But milquetoast. I don't know. I'm just mad today.

That's where I'm at. I'm mad. Yeah, you sure sounded it, buddy. I don't know. I just take solace in the fact that I know the Braves were cheating. Tyler Matzik was their best player. See, that's the thing is we can't know. No, none of this.

None of this. Don't let them off the hook. No, I know. I know. No, they lost Ronald Acuna. They lost Marcelo Zuniga. They lost Mike Soroka before the season even started. And they won the freaking World Series because they actually gave a crap about it.

They actually went out and got Eddie Rosario and got Horace Hilaire and got Adam Duvall, who, by the way, go back to our perfect trade deadline pod. One might've been one of us who said, go trade for Adam Duvall. I don't know who it was. Maybe it was me. Might've been just saying like,

I don't know. I'm just frustrated because like, you know, like why couldn't that be the Phillies to your point? You are right. Like talent wise, that is not a super talented juggernaut World Series team. But you know what?

They they did what they had to do. And it makes me think that like that much more frustrated with the Phillies never being able to do that ever, like ever. The Phillies were close to as talented as the Braves, if not as talented once they lost to Kunya Nozuna. And the Braves just did that. And we freaking went 80 to an 80. Like, I don't know yeah no i guess i guess where i'm at james and i i feel your your anger and honestly like i love it

need that passion um but i i guess for me i i just feel more more apathetic than anything i know it's like a sad place to be at as a really sad well because like i sit there i'm like dude if we traded for eddie rosario he would suck here if we traded for jock peterson who does suck by the way and we traded for i didn't even mention jock they trade for him too at the deadline jesus well not the deadline it was a month before but still month before but you know what i mean added a piece if they traded for that guy if they traded for duval they trade for these guys like it just wouldn't have worked here so like you know i i didn't get upset watching any of it because, well,

I got upset because the Braves were winning the World Series, and that just annoyed me to no end because I thought Truist Ballpark was a joke. But, like, it just, I didn't think that the Phillies could make those moves and they would have worked out the same. Like, I don't have the trust that if they went out and got those players, they would have done the same thing. So I'm more, like, apath like, wow, the Braves are winning here with a team that's

definitely not that talented. The Braves are, they're more talented than the Phillies. They are. They know that about it. But they're not that much more talented. The Phillies, they were under 500 at the All-Star break. This is a thing. Honestly, James, the 2019 Nationals, I liked that team.

I thought they were fun to watch. i genuinely felt like they were very good i just i just never felt that way with this braves team and after the first like game i was like oh wow they're gonna win the world series like they're just yeah i knew it in me i dude i knew it in the first round like you they just had the look like you could see it it was like oh this team's got it. They just have that look, man. Yeah, I think it was game, I want to say game five, they lost to the Dodgers, and then they came back, or maybe game four, whatever. They lost one game in LA, and if they were going to lose

their composure, it would have been then. And they came back and won the next game, and I was like, well, there it is. Very fun. So, yeah, it's just like, it's frustrating where this team is at. But I guess I'm at the standpoint where I think and I trust that Dombrowski will be able to make those kind of moves next year. Like, honestly, I'm not doing the bit where I'm talking about how he built the Tigers. I swear to you, I'm not doing it.

But I might have. I probably said he built the Tigers. Yes, but I might have said as a force built the Tigers man yes but I might have said that before so sue me if I did but like I feel like those are the moves

that Dombrowski almost has brought in here for is a move for an Eddie Rosario and getting the most out of him or a move for Jack Peterson

because you know that's kind of what his role was in Boston I mean he got Steve Pierce to the deadline and he ended up being the World Series

MVP. He knows how to fill out the rest of the roster. The Red Sox were a talented team he took over, and he got the right guys in there to put them over the top. He traded top prospects for Chris Sale, which is a no-brainer move. I mean, anyone could have done that move. But the J.D. Martinez deal, he waited out, Boris got him,

and then just made smart moves, like Evaldi. Evaldi, yep. That's where I expect Dombrowski to kind of level the playing field, whereas I didn't trust Matt Klintak if he's going to go trade for Estribul Cabrera or Wilson Ramos or Justin Boer. These moves are going to work out, and I will give Dombrowski a pass for last year where he's coming in halfway through the offseason.

He's signing Chase Anderson and Matt Moore, and none of that crap works, which is what we thought was going to happen. But I expect that a year under his belt, that we can get those kind of moves where the deadline, they actually do pay off, and maybe we can have our own little, you know, Eddie Rosario or Duvall and stuff like stuff like that i mean wouldn't that be nice yeah that would be awesome man and like that's the thing you know

it's like you look at a guy like eddie rosario's brought in the deadline or whatever but now like he's an atlanta braves legend like that that guy will forever be a legend in atlanta and like that's what matt stairs was like that's what what, you know, like those type of guys, like that type of stuff where it's like, I honestly, the biggest feeling I had watching the Braves, the entire playoffs was like, you know, like I almost cursed again. I was like, well, bleep, like, why not us? Like, why can't we have that? Like playoff baseball is, is the best. And it's, I forget what it's like for it to be my freaking team in those games for, like, the tension and each pitch mattering. And, like, I just want that back, man.

I know we talk about that a lot, and it's kind of a theme through the history of the podcast. But, like, watching the Braves do it, especially a Braves team that, you know, even though we all knew, like, or at least most of us knew, the Phillies weren't making the playoffs for a long portion of the second half of the season. Like, there's a Phillies team that was in it with this team

until the end, at least, you know, for all intents and purposes, like, in it, you know, kind of. Like, we knew they weren't going to do it, but, like, they were there. And it's like, and then this team just goes and wins the freaking World Series, with Eddie Rosario and Adam Duvall and Horace Laird and all these, like, guys. Like, it's a bunch of guys.

And it's just, you're right. You're right. Eddie Rosario comes here, doesn't do that because that's the way this works. But, like, can we get it to a place where Eddie Rosario comes here and he does that? Like, why can't we have nice things, Jack? Like, why can't players come here and exceed expectations? Like, it happens. We just saw it happen.

Jorge Soler is the World Series MVP. Eddie Rosario is the NLCS MVP, Jack. Like, come on. Enough. Jack Peterson's hitting big home runs over and over again and, like, changing the culture of the clubhouse and, you know, getting them to think that they're big MFers or whatever he was doing.

Yeah, but here's the thing. And this is something the Phillies, I think we talked about it a lot this past year and I think maybe in the years past, but they've got to figure out how to win. And I watch the Braves and I see a team that knows how to win for as much as you know i was not a big brian snitker fan um and still i mean still apologize to me on that or no he's no he's not a good manager but world series winning manager and to your point to quote jack fritz every move he made work so yeah no he's a bad manager he got

hot for one postseason. Anyway. Dude, he pulled. All right. Listen, there were so many. Whatever. I don't feel like getting into this. I'm just going to take a victory lap because I was right, you were wrong.

Everything he touched turned to gold. So you should be used to it, you know? So getting back to the original point. Listen, don't make me do my Dombrowski turn around the Tigers bit again or this podcast can have a downswing very fast. But the Braves, I always felt like they know how to win. And I just don't know what it is. And I can't tell if it's the manager, whereas I think Girardi should know how to win. the manager, whereas I think Girardi should know how to win.

The moves would suggest otherwise, and the general, you know, not balls-to-the-wall attitude of the players would suggest otherwise. But I do wonder if it comes down to the star players. And Freddie Freeman is a guy that is a leader on that team that those guys all revere and look up to and knows how to win. Danzy Swanson, who stinks, but he knows how to win. Oz to and and knows how to win danzy swanson who stinks but uh he knows how to win ozzy albies knows how to win it feels like they always have an ability to bounce back and and and figure out how to win ball games and to bring it back to the phillies one part of that is i wonder how much having a veteran-laden coaching staff has helped them.

I mean, having a Ron Washington just like as your third base coach, as a guy that everyone loves in the sport, and hopefully takes the A's job so that he's out of the division. But having him under Snitker, having Kranitz, having Sal Fasano, Phil's legend, having those guys that have had a lot of experience and aren't totally just looking at the binder all the time and are connecting with the guys and know how to win games, that's why the Bobby Dickerson signing has me excited.

That's why Kevin Long has me excited because it feels like they're building a really veteran-laden staff that hopefully emulates what the Braves got out of that team because it always felt like they knew how to bounce back. They knew how to figure out how to win games late and had them believing in themselves. And for the last three years, James, I have never felt like the Phillies know how to win.

We watch them every night. We get frustrated with why it seems like they don't care. And I just think that getting a more veteran staff in here and just kind of turn this culture around will help. But, you know, they got to figure out how to do that if they're even going to be on par with where their brains are at. Yeah, I don't think there's any question. And honestly, it's also an organizational thing.

Like, it's not just the coaching staff. It's to the top. It's John Middleton adding to this team when it when he needs to right it's like believing in these guys like we talked a ton about that at the deadline and i know they made a trade you know but but like it's it's going over the luxury tax it's all these things where you're committing to a group and and saying you know we we believe in this in this group of guys and you go out and win. I mean, how many times have we talked about that? Like, you know, I mean, why would the Phillies believe that the front office believed in

them if they're not going out to help them? And if they talk about them the way they did and all that type of stuff, I think it's organizational top to bottom. I really do. And I think you're right about them needing to learn how to win. I think that's absolutely true. Look, one of the things I think the Braves, I don't think if the Braves hadn't won the division four years in a row or whatever it is, they end up going on this run here.

I do think that they were ready to weather the loss of Acuna, the loss of Azunia, the tough start to the season and to get hot at the right time and all that. They were ready for that. The Phillies are not ready for that. But it's just frustrating, man. It for that but I just you know it's just frustrating man it's frustrating I I feel like ultimately it has to come from the top down and I don't believe in John Middleton I just don't I don't believe in that guy right now like I don't

believe that he is gonna have the chutzpah to do what's needed to really commit to winning I think he's all talk mister I'm gonna bring a trophy back to fill your die trying. Well, I mean, I don't even know if you've tried much less die trying. Like, you know, commit like right now heading into next season. Like as sad as it is to say the only way this team is winning the World Series soon is if they go over the luxury tax. It's what it is. It's just what it is. Like, it's factual. Like, sorry.

It's where you're at. Like from a roster,. Like, sorry. It's where you're at. Like, from a roster, from an internal depth perspective, because that's the thing. Like, part of the reason the Braves win is they have all these guys that they can keep bringing up and they can add and they can, you know, just have institutional roster depth and talent of guys that they can continue. Like, when they have to do a bullpen game, their bullpen game is better than our bullpen game.

Like, all that type of stuff, the way this roster is situated right now, unless Dombrowski just has a perfect off season where every 4 million and 7 million and $10 million signing ends up working out perfectly. And he makes a couple of shrewd trades. Like, you know, they're, they gotta, they gotta really commit. And I just don't think John Middleton will. I don't until that dude does it i will never believe that he's going yeah i mean that's fair i i and you know me i i generally generally leave

more more positive and i yes and i i i just i i believe that he trusts in brassy with his money more i think he got gun shy with with klintzak and mcphail and listen there's been a lot of stuff with middleton where you could point to no no, he's not going to do it. And that's totally fair. But they had a top five payroll in baseball last year. I mean, he is willing to spend. Is he spending in the right places? No. Is just hiring driveline people and telling them to fix the minor leagues

the best use of the resources? No. With absolutely no plan? No. No, he doesn't know how to do any of that stuff. telling them to fix the minor leagues the best use of the the resources no with that with absolutely no plan no like no he doesn't know how to do any of that stuff he hired the wrong people but i do think he does want to win i don't think he has an idea how to win um and that's a problem that's that's a massive problem and he's not willing to go over the luxury tax and i'm not sure he's ever going to be willing to go over the luxury tax but um they, right now they're pretty much, I think they're $41 million under if we're doing it as a hard cap. So, I mean, they do have some wiggle room.

But I do think he trusts Dombrowski more with his money. And I think that Dombrowski, you know, with his whole people involved now with Fold another year along in the process and stuff like that, you know, they should be ready to make some smart moves this offseason the problem is is i think that they are so far behind uh like you know the institutional depth or whatever you said um like with like where the braves are at i think they're so far behind there that it's going to take us a couple of years. I legitimately think that they're still, unless something, well,

this could obviously change. But on the surface right now, if I had to guess, I think it's like two or three years until they're in the playoffs. Yeah, well, that's why I said they have to take over the tax if they really want to compete. And, you know, he won't. But, I mean, again, like think about the Braves lost. Losing at CUNY is like if the Phillies lost Bryce Harper.

Yes. What kind of team are the Phillies this year if they lost Bryce Harper? Right? I mean, let's be honest. Bryce Harper is the NL MVP. He better be. I think he deserves it. I think he was the best hitter in the National League this year, best player.

Ronald Cunha Jr. is a better player than Bryce Harper. I mean, he is. They lost that guy. And they won the World Series. And they lost to Zuna, too. Who's a better hitter than anyone else in the Phillies minus Bryce Harper? Well, some are saying Ronald Foles. Or no, Ronald Wentz.

Ronald Ewing. That little Ewing theory. That little Ewing theory. I haven't heard that one before. So maybe they need to trade Ronald Acuna and run him out of town. Like, you ran Carson out of town. So, like, yeah, it's just crazy. If Bryce Harper had gotten hurt last year, the Phillies are just.

They're like a 70-win baseball team. I mean, that's MVP stuff, again. MVP stuff. Yes, to that point. Yeah, but it's all we have right now. Yay. The Braves are on the road. If somehow, when is it, this week or next week?

It's soon, right? Is it this upcoming week? I mean, we already had the Middleton release after the whatever he got voted, the player's choice. I think it's either next week or the week after, whatever it is. Like, if it pops up, and it'll probably be during the midday show i'll probably be working and it pops up and it says like juan soto wins an lmvp like i might just

stop being a baseball fan this is all i have right now i need bryce harper to win this mvp that's how sad it is like it's all it's all i have this is how it felt in those six no well, the thing with those six was getting Tomey was like an even bigger, he's not bigger than Bryce Harper per se. No, but at the time. But getting Tomey in that moment felt like more of a shock than getting Harper. You know what I mean? Like getting Tomey felt like, I can't believe this actually happened. Like I can't believe we got Jim Tomey.

Like, this is a whole different world for us. It felt like the Phillies were like an actual baseball team. Whereas now, it felt like they, probably without reason, but I think because we're closer to 08, like, 06 was 13 years after 93, and 93 was like a one-single-shot season. So I think because we're closer to the five-year run of 07 to 11 it doesn't feel quite as as you know monumental to to for something like that to happen so i think 06 felt a little

different but well six i'm talking about the i'm talking about the howard mvp it felt oh oh oh i'm thinking of i'm thinking of 05 when uh the 0405 told me. No. Yeah, the Howard MVP, no. It didn't feel that way as much because told me it had just been here. And also, I don't know. I don't remember it. Also, I think it was also because it was so shocking. It was like, holy crap. We just had a guy hit 58 homers?

This guy just went on such an – it was almost surreal the whole time. Whereas Harper, it's different because we were just expecting this like we were waiting for this we were like can we have the bryce harper season and then he finally had it and now and also i'm i'm i also think that what 07 to 11 did is like like it was much easier to be to expect bad things in 06 and 05 and 04 than now you know what i mean like whereas now i mean we're back to expecting bad things but but after but prior to 07 to 11 it was like again you know my entire life till i was 20 what at 26 years old so you're 40 years old yeah i had one season like we had one relevant season.

One. For 27 years, 26 years of my life. One relevancy. I guess you could say 23, 24, if you want to count those Tomy years as relevant. Like, so it was much more, it wasn't, you know, you didn't, you just weren't expecting anything. So anything was just like, oh, that's cool.

Oh, this is fun. Whereas now it's like, I'm expecting when I go into a season, I believe that, you know, signing Bryce Harper, signing JT Romita, or, you know, trading for JT, signing JT, signing Zach Wheeler. Like, it feels like they're trying to win in their own bleeped up way. So, you know what I mean? So I'm like that much more aggravated you know what they say the team and thus the mvp means more that's what i'm trying to say yeah well it's pretty long-winded

way to get there but you know insanely long-winded hey we gotta fill up time somehow we've got literally no philly stuff yeah well listen there's nothing to say right now you know you know what they say the best way to build a ball club is through free agency. So that's where we're at. Hey, 97 Marlins, all right? Yep. Talking about it. Who built that team? Hey!

You need me to redo the whole Dombrowski, you know, his resume? No. You know who's on that Marlins team? Darren Dalton team Darren Dalton Former Phil Full circle buddy That's exactly right Is there any worse

Phillies fan I would hope Again I hope this is not Our listeners of this podcast Who I love very dearly This is not a direct shot but i've been very frustrated with uh the people of twitter recently and they're in my opinion there is no worse phillies fan than the whole like no i'm actually happy for the braves

oh god i hate it it makes me so mad dude i had someone call the show today i actually cursed at a caller and i felt bad in the moment because he wasn't being like mean or anything but like he calls up and he's like it's like why why are we not talking about uh you know he's like you know uh i want to talk phillies but he's like why are we not giving the braves credit why are we not getting on and saying what a great job the braves did and how much they deserve this and all that and i go again i almost cursed i said bleep the braves like to this caller who was like you know and and it was f the braves is what i said right and he was like totally taking it back and he was like

and i was like no seriously man like come on i'm not gonna roof the braves they're our rivals right like and that was the whole thing but like he was clearly doing this whole like what a fun team and they really deserved it and good for the braves and root for the NL East. No to all that. No. All that is the worst thing I could possibly think of. I hated it, Jack. I hated it. And not just that.

There was that whole thing. And then there were also the, like, I'm not rooting for the cheaters. Like, really? Like, holier than thou. Are we really? Like, you'd rather root for your team's bitter rival like our number one let's be honest like the mets are a joke as much as the mets want to be our rival the braves have and and and for a long time will be our rival because they're just way better and they're

actually competent as an organization we're gonna root for a bitter rival over some cheaters what do i care did their cheating affect me no you know why because the philly stunk whatever like and look i'm not a fan of what they did and all that obviously but like i don't care i don't care i'm not rooting for like i i root for the 1919 black socks against the braves i would root for you know what other examples of their horrible teams horrible i root for ty cobb against the Atlanta Braves. You get where I'm going with this? Like, what are we doing here?

I hated it, Jack. I hate it. I couldn't believe it. Honestly, it felt like we were in the minority. It felt like more Phillies fans were rooting for the Braves than the Astros. Now, James, does it make me a hypocrite, though, if I was? I like the 19 Nationals. I don't know.

No. No, it does. You can't like 19 Nationals. I don't know. No, it does. You can't like the Nationals. But they're not as big a rival of ours as the Braves. It's not as bad, but it's still not good. No, I know. You didn't even know that the Astros were cheaters. There was no reason not to like that Astros team other than Osuna.

Yeah, well, I guess I never liked Cole that much and i i liked rooting against them um and that was before i knew about spider attack or anything i don't know like seeing him kind of honestly seeing the best team choke always kind of makes me happy i don't know why and i don't know it's really their manager of choke right right right but i i loved i've always loved brindone and strasburg and scherzer were unbelievable Soto was like this up and coming don't sell this don't sell this this is as bad as our listeners won't get

to hear it but you not being able to make it through 30 minutes of a podcast without having to go pee oh well listen man I gotta go a lot I'm like once a break guy now I can't believe it I'm the old man I'm the one who's supposed to pee a lot. I couldn't believe it.

We just stopped the pod because you had to go pee. Yeah, well, I didn't think you were going to bring this up to the listeners, but I guess we got to hash this out now. Jack, do we ever lie to the iOS system? Do they need to know about this? I mean, you know, I think it's only right. No one can tell. No one can tell.

They could probably tell. I'm sure they could. We had a seamless transition. I knew exactly where I was going. I was back's only right. No one can tell. No one can tell. They could probably tell. I'm sure they could. We had a seamless transition. I knew exactly where I was going. I was back in 30 seconds. I think they appreciate that we keep it real with them. And the real thing is, is you made it like 29 minutes of a podcast and said,

oh, I got to stop. I got to pee. Listen, I know supper was at 4.30, old man, but like relax. And I know it's your bedtime at 7.30, but It's always bedtime. I know. Listen, I tried to hold it and then I stood up. I danced around

a little bit and I was like, you know what? I gotta go, man. Sue me. I can't. I don't think I have any legal grounds here. You've got a lot of stuff going on. It's true. I forgive you. I do think you're a little young to be bad. Yeah, I can't tell I have any legal grounds here. You've got a lot of stuff going on. It's true. No, I forgive you.

I do think you're a little young to be. Yeah, I can't tell if it's a bad thing. It's really because I drink so much coffee and water. Well, that's what it is. Coffee's a diuretic. Right. It goes through you quick. No, well, listen.

I'm like. I'm sure you're fine. I probably have like four coffees a day. And a Celsius. I do too. Yeah. You're fine. I'm just bad at it.

Anyway, do you think that the, like, if you were ranking the most hated teams in Philly right now, are the Braves back at the top or is it still like, we're still doing this cowboy thing? Nah, it's, I mean, sadly, you, I mean, if we're going to do these things, like, you would have to do it as like percentages of fans or whatever, because like there's just more Eagles fans and Phillies fans.

Like, sadly, I mean, it's stupid. We know that. But I mean, the Cowboys would win just because I mean, the Giants and Cowboys might have more hate than the Braves just because there are so many more Eagles fans. Well, all right. I guess I guess. All right. Like Phillies fans.

Is this is this like fully? I guess, all right, like Phillies fans, is this like fully – I feel like for me, I'm back to like – I've always said my most hated team in my entire life, Eagles, whatever, is still the 07 to 11 Mets. Like I hated those teams. But now, brave fucking back. Well, that's because they were competitive. See, that's what's funny is I always hated the Braves more than the Mets

because I – and that's what's funny is i always hated the braves more than the mets because i and that's obvious i was older and more cognizant of them winning 14 straight of my division now the first one wasn't the first one we played them we beat them but like like think about like every year you just lose your division to the braves and and you know like before the wild card then the wild card comes in you just lose lose lose lose every year like every year to lose your division the braves i hated the braves oh i hated the braves well it's been forced right now only 10 more to go you know what that's yes they're back jack to answer your question they are they are firmly squarely back not only not only are the braves back but it looks like the cowboys are back too so and it's not great right now no it's not a great time the dallas could win the super bowl

i don't think they will but they're like there's there's like six teams that i think of in the super bowl and dallas is one of the six it's not awesome no it's not it's not it's not so um yeah great time to be a philly sports fan flyersers! Oh, stop. Flyers look good! Oh, great. Awesome. Awesome. Jackie Pugs! Counter-art shot last night! Counting down the seconds. Aren't the Coyotes the worst team in hockey? I don't know. By far?

I don't know anything about anything in hockey other than the Flyers are 5-2-1. That's all I got. Gotta put the puck in the net, honestly. Score goals! You gotta score. Shoot! You know what's a key to hockey, Jack? Shooting. Shoot the puck in the net, honestly. Score goals. You got to. Shoot. You know what's a key to hockey, Jack? Shooting. Shoot the puck.

And Cam Atkinson will do that. Cam Atkinson. Can you think Chucky Fletcher knows baseball? Should we bring him over? No, I trust my guy, Davey. I don't need Chuck. Yeah. Which is a further home run.

Should we bring Elaine Vigneault over? Is that what you're saying? Maybe. Maybe. Go, Maybe. Maybe. Which was a further home run? Solaire last night or Pujols off Lidge? Pujols. I mean, that was like a soul-crushing home run.

That Solaire one, though. That was one of those off the the bat you're just like wow that that is a you don't even need to see it go and you're like i'll bet that one really freaking far like it went down got it just just the explosion the but it's so funny too because like i i mean the guy led the american league at home runs two years ago like and he's just the American League at home runs two years ago. He's just acquired for nothing at the deadline. To be fair,

the Solaire home run was the 164th most valuable play in baseball history. Excuse me? What is this? It was ranked as the 164th most valuable play in baseball history. What are we talking about here? Do they have instant rankings?

Yeah, well, they rank. I think it was Foolish Baseball that tweeted it out. But, yeah, basically, it's like win probability. Wow. Win probability combined with importance of game. Yeah, okay, okay. Like when probability combined with importance of game. Okay. Okay. So whatever C, whatever lowercase, I think it's winning percentage gained.

So it was worth 14.73% of a winning percentage game, game, whatever. It was the most, this is dumb. It was the most, this is the most pivotal play of the year. And the 165th most pivotal play in MLB history

based off of win percentage gained. Super dumb. But it was definitely very important at bad news. And we made 3-0. It's not like, you know, game's not over at 3-0. Anyway. It was a hell of a run, though.

The idea that in the 130 years or whatever yeah something 104 years baseball whatever it is that that that is out of all of it out of the you know what is that like millions of plays that have happened over that time that that's the 165th most 164th most important probably not it was a big hit for both series, but probably not. That made it a three. It was three nothing. It just made it three nothing in the third inning. What are we talking about?

Game over? They did it? I mean, they did end up winning, but come on. In the moment, it was a big hit, but you think that was 164th most important play in the history of the game? Really? With three shoving? Yeah. Game was over. But you think that was 164th most important play in the history of the game. Really? Free shoving?

Yeah. Game was over. Don't defend this. This is embarrassing. I can't tell if you're joking or not. This is like classic Jack Fritz. I think that most people who have ever hung out with Jack or know Jack, they will tell you, it's pretty hard to tell when he's being serious or not.

This is one of those moments. I feel like I've gotten very good at it. I have no idea if you're serious right now. It's pretty hard to tell when he's being serious or not this is one of those moments i feel like i've gotten very good at it i have no idea if you're serious right now it's pretty good um anyway so um yeah it was i mean what a shot when i think of the under the other 164 most pivotal moments i'm gonna i'm gonna tell my grandkids about the solaire homer off of uh you know, Luis Garcia in the third inning of the World Series. Like, I mean, what is the most pivotal play in baseball history?

Is it the Jeter flip to get Giambi at the home plate? No, that wasn't the World Series. I mean, it's probably Bill Mazeroski, right? I mean, if we're going to be honest. I can't believe you didn't fall for that. I can't believe you... Come on. Well, I did. Yeah. I mean, come on. Come on. honest. I can't believe you didn't fall for that. I can't believe you. Come on. Well, I did. Yeah.

I mean, come on. Come on. I knew what you were saying. I knew you didn't actually think it was Jeter. I know you. I know that you don't actually think it was Jeter. Yes. Where's the other play?

The other play should be on there. I had a Jeter. That's for sure. A Pedro Feliz. Is that in the top hundred? I mean, Bill Mazeroski has to be one, right? Yeah. Like there's only been one

Game 7 walk-off home run. What about Joe Carter? It's Game 6, Jack. I know. But it ended the World Series. Well, I know. I said there's only been one Game 7 walk-off World Series home run. Yeah, I don't know if that

tops Solaire. What about Joe Carter? I don't know if that tops Solaire versus... Joe Carter? More important than Solaire's as well, I don't know if that tops Solaire. What about Joe Carter? I don't know if that tops Solaire versus... Joe Carter, more important than Solaire's as well, I would say. Solaire's is a big hit. I'm not trying to minimize it. It was a monster home run. To your initial point, it was definitely one of those like, oh, that's gone.

I'm going to be in it. Yes, I mean, I'm surprised you didn't go Solaire reps one into the night. Could have. Into the solar system. Oh, look at you. Look at that. Solaire, into the solar system. Yeah.

Be a pro for once, Joe Buck. That's a great point. If anything you could say about Joe Buck, not a pro. I think it's the. You know what sucks is that every time I watch these playoff games with Joe Buck and him i think it's the you know you know what i you know what sucks is that i every time i watch these these playoff games at joe buck and i'm now it's like why did he have to be going through the phase where he was like trying not to uh i know fan bases well it wasn't the phase it was it was more that now he's in the different phase it was it was his whole career up

until he got the vocal surgery thing like he's talked about it i know he's like you know i was a it's like pat summerall like i was trying to be that guy and then he's talked about it i know he's like you know i was a it's like pat summerall like i was trying to be that guy and then he's like i had this thing i i almost lost my voice like this whole thing and he's like i was like why am i doing this i should enjoy the moment and let people enjoy the moment with me and and just be real and be you know how i feel and he's changed completely why why would any broadcaster want to be Pat Summerall? Pat Summerall was awful.

I just don't get it. It makes no sense to me. And fly ball to left field and that's out of here. Home run. Kirk Gibson has won game one of the World Series. Yes. No fun. Instead you want to hear,

I don't believe what I just saw. I don't believe what I just saw. You know? Yeah. No. So, yeah, I'm very sad that we didn't get, you know, maybe when the Phillies meet the playoffs in the next decade, we can get, you know, a good Joe Buck run.

That's optimistic, Jack. That's optimistic. We can get a good Joe Buck run, but like. Might be, so we went, it was Jack Buck, Joe, it might be Jim Buck calling the games by the next time the Millies are in the World Series. I mean, seriously. I just like, he's so good at calling games. Now, Smalls, I could definitely do without.

Yeah, I could do without Smalls. But like, Joe Buck, we got nothing from Joe Buck. And we were in the World Series and in big games for five years. And they were all bad. We didn't get one. Our only good Joe Buck moment is Stairs Rips One Into the Night. Like, that's it. And even then, even then, it's a great line.

Not the most amazing. He goes, Stairs! Into the night. You know, it's not like he's super into it. Yeah. It definitely wasn't the senior yearbook quote of one member of this podcast was that really your senior book quote it was either all right i can't remember if you say it certainly wasn't mine as i think we all

know i was not a senior yes yes maybe in the 1980 yearbook mike schmidt said something for you when you're graduating but uh it was either that or it was good game, let's go eat from Hunter Pence. It was one of those two. I hope it was into the night. That's a bad one. I do, too. I'm going to have to look at my yearbook when I get home. But it was either I knew I could.

I think I put good game, let's go eat on the back of my T-shirt for my senior year. And I think my senior year quote was Starr's first one of the night. Yeah, I think the big takeaway is thank god for scott franski that is the big takeaway so we have those calls his call of the home run is way some magic magic all right uh i got nothing else to say we've nothing you got some take back stuff i sure do pal um good good i don't want to jinx this i might't know this i have to put my daughter to bed but you know if you have to go pee again i just wanted to put that out there um that's good code word for you got to put yourself to bed old man i i way to way to throw zoe under the bus i wish i could i'm so tired oh stop um i don't know if this is gonna to happen, but I'm calling my shot here. Bryson Stott is going to be the next MLB hitter

to hit 400 in a season. He's going to top Ted Williams. He's hitting 438 in Peora right now. It's the greatest. Honestly. Can we just get Bryson Stott's going to be a good major leaguer? I'd be ecstatic about that. We thought we had that with Boehm after the first year.

It's my point. That's what I'm saying. Let's not set expectations too high, Jack. I don't think I'm doing that by what I'm saying. I think he's going to be the next player to hit for 400 in Major League Baseball. So, I mean, no pressure. But he is remarkable. And honestly, he might have been sleeping on how good

Bryson Stott is I mean some of us said last spring training that like what if he pushes Didi well Didi was terrible so I don't know I genuinely I don't know what their plan is for Bryson Stott if he's clearly good enough to play out of spring training he'll probably

go to AAA that's fine but what if he rakes there and then a month into the season, whatever, like do you play him at short? Do you move Segura back to short? Do you have Story at short and move Stott at the second? And then you have Segura at third? The possibilities are endless. But Bryson Stott doing what he's doing out in Arizona is simply more important than what the Braves just did last night.

Sure. Also, the Astros losing to that Braves team is simply the worst thing the Astros have done in the last couple years. Yeah, by far. There's not a close second. The Astros, as far as I'm concerned, were totally fine until they lost to the Braves. Ah, no, no, no, no, no. They lost to the Nationals

too. Screw them for both of those. Alright, there we go. What are they going to do? Lose to the Mets next? Yeah, if it holds. Probably the Marlins with our luck. All because we came back and beat Nolan Ryan in Game 5 in 1980. You know, it's just ridiculous. Speaking of the Arizona Fall League, I'm all Logan Ohopied up.

I mean, just, like, what a player. I can't wait for him to be up here. I don't know what they're going to do again if he's really good. Like, do you trade him? No. I think he's really good. So, I don't know. It's a good problem to have.

They like the, the Phillies are, are bad at most things organizationally, like developing wise, but for some reason they just have the most stacked groups of catchers. Um, so, uh,

Logan, I'll happy as a guy. So I'm very, very excited about him. Um, I hope Braves fans enjoyed Freddie Freeman's last game as a brave last night um i thoroughly would be sure go with that i would be very happy if freddie freeman never suited up for the braves again because he is great he is very good

it would there's nothing that would make me happier i would be i would be just about as shocked as maybe any player ever leaving a spot like it's but look hey you know what happens when you sign ronald lacuna and ozzy albies to like borderline criminal contracts because they're like agents should be fired the day they sign them you got a little extra money over to pay freddie freeman. Everything's fine. Of all the bull that happened in the World Series, them getting four and two-thirds from Kyle Wright is the simply most frustrating thing I've ever experienced in my life. Kyle Wright is terrible. Okay?

And that is just more proof that the Braves were cheating because he allowed one earned in four and two-thirds. And I've seen the Phillies light up Kyle Wright every time he pitches against him. Sure. It's just awful. Speaking of good things in the NL East, the Mets president of baseball operations. The Mets are the one thing we got.

This whole thing is, and especially like watching mets fans slowly come to the reality that oh like not only are they not getting theo epsi or billy b and like that like they can't get anybody is is is really enjoyable how it's really great like it's unbelievable i i said this to you off of my hopes i'll say it here like i was as many listeners know terrified of steve cohen like that guy could be the meds owner for the next hundred years i love this guy stay steve you are fantastic buddy keep doing what you're doing um seriously how close are they to to interviewing frances I mean... Honestly, at this point, I mean, you know.

You got them, Mike Piazza. Buster Posey is retiring, and I just hope that we can go back to letting baseball players play baseball. So that is my official statement on Buster Posey. He's obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He also led to the single worst rule change in the history of baseball,

and I will never get over that. So congrats to the single worst rule change in the history of baseball and I will never get over that. So congrats on the career, Buster. You know, hated you in 2010. You know, you're obviously a first ballot Hall of Famer, yada, yada, yada. Go back to the old rule. Yeah, he's definitely

a Hall of Famer and I would be fine going back to the old rule. I don't like that rule, but you know know buster posey's pretty great had a pretty great career and and one of the rare guys going out on a good year you know like uh you know i respect that i respect that he had a really great year looked like the buster posey old and said you know what that was a fluke that's never gonna happen again i better get out now good Good for you, buddy. Yep. Good job, Buster. Yeah, for real. All right. That's all I got. Oh, that was it.

That was it. Kind of a mini take back. I got a good amount in there. No, it was good. I mean, look, I came with literally nothing to say about the Phillies. I just came to bitch about the Braves. Right. That was more than I had.

Well, there was a lot of people that were bitching about the Braves. As they should be. You know what, Jack? Not enough. Nah, I don't think it's enough. You could have just gone to bed like I did. Dude, I'm about to go to bed. It's going to be great.

Do you want me to run through my top 20 prospects before or no? No. Let's save that for next time. It's a tease. Everyone will get really excited to hear it. All right. You got any final thoughts, buddy? My final thought, I actually had this written down, but I forgot to do it.

So I genuinely love talking about the Phillies. Like, I like learning about old Phillies stories. Honestly, I got to be honest, James. My favorite Phillies stories and Phillies talking with people is, James, my favorite Philly stories and Philly's talking with people is like hearing their misery. I don't know. Does that might make me a bad person? I don't know. But like hearing the tormented Philly stories is my favorite version of like talk. It's like, you know, you get stuck at like talk about like 1964 or davy lopes or like whatever or like this random game like i love talking about the phillies and dark man kind of dark

but it's like that like that's why i've said you're basically like like uh like a we're brothers yeah like you go through it we are we're family i hear this and i'm connected to you in a way right like because i don't you i don't think you can really get it this is good i like this i don't think you can really get it in any other like obviously some there's some eagle stuff where it's like wow sixers is kind of hard i mean like they like we're gonna remember the kawaii shot, 26-point lead blown last year, the Simmons misdunk. But I don't know. It feels like Philly's pain is, I don't know, somehow more painful. And maybe it's because I've been looking through Dan Wilson's bracket

of most painful Philly's losses. And it's like, you know, it's good to not be alone. And I already told Dan that we will be stealing that for the podcast where we, well, I mean, we talked about it before he started doing his bracket. So it's not stealing. It was all right.

In all honesty, like Dan might've listened to the pot or heard us say it and then did his bracket. So just say it. We know Dan, he wouldn't, I wouldn't put that past him. No,

I'm just kidding. Dan's great guy, but we did talk about it before I saw his tweet. Yes. But I already told him we will be stealing it when we do that podcast cool you didn't have to tell him it was ours right yeah yeah we did all the work well i mean it was our idea initially you know i mean again he probably stole it from us so you know what you should have said was hey i saw you stole our idea. We're going to do it too. Because it was ours. Same thing, right? For sure.

Oh, Fritzy, buddy. Wouldn't it be nice if we're doing this pod in early November and you know, oh, the Phillies just won the World Series. I can't even do that. The Phillies were in the playoffs and it was fun.

They're never going to win the World Series when we do this podcast that's my take are you saying we have to end the pod but then more than world series yes also oh no also i don't want to throw jill under the bus but we started dating what are we doing right now all i'm saying is we started dating in 09 phil 71 since and they won in 2008 so coincidence wow wow i think wow i mean just to throw it out there i mean emily and i started dating in 07 so you know superstars you're welcome right and then jill and i started dating boom down but here's the problem emily and i got married at 11. I have to divorce and just stay together. Yeah, right? Like, get divorced but live together and be together

without being married. I think getting married was the problem. Maybe we should both divorce our wives on the same date and then live together for one full season and if they don't win the World Series then we can get back with our wives. But they don't win the World Series then we can get back

with our wives but if they do win the World Series it's over for good you always wonder like will there be a moment when at least I do because I'm the one who you know does do this I always wonder like will there be the moment where I know

that the podcast is over that it's time to end the podcast. He's for it's himself.