High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Could This Get Any Worse?

Episode Date: March 31, 2026

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies' 13-2 loss at the hands of the Nationals on Monday night. He discusses the lineup's cold start and what he's seen from the pitching staff as they continue to struggle. Presented by Miller Lite. To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com 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

Miller Light, the official beer partner of your Philadelphia Phillies, is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of WIP's High Hopes Pod. So whether you're listening to the game, catching off on the latest High Hopes Pod or at the ballpark. Remember, it tastes like Miller time, Phillies fans. Celebrate responsibly. Just a brutal. And I mean brutal start to the season for our fails.

Welcome on in. It is the Final Out, sponsored. by the Philadelphia Barking Authority. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here on this Monday night for the first final out of the season. And believe it or not, it's not the last final out of the season. There's still 158 of these bad boys left. But oh my goodness, because they've gotten off to a more excruciating start. The game wrap-up is sponsored by Roto Router.

When plumbing problems hit, wrap them up quick and call Roto Router. their team tackles, clogs, and leaks. So you can stay in the game. Roto Router, your MVP for plumbing solutions. 215-592-94 to get in on this one. If you were at the ballpark, I'm sure a lot of you left early. I know I would have left early. I do appreciate the fans that do stick it out until the end saying,

I don't know, maybe this is the night that they have the amazing comeback. It was not tonight. but 215-5-992-94-94 if you're stuck in traffic or if you had the pleasure of just watching this one from your house I when it was out of hand started vacuuming that was so so perturbed and annoyed by the game we started cleaning that's that's when it's reached that's when it's reached real negative times around here 215-592-94-94 to get in the biggest takeaways the game are brought to you by Morgan and Morgan America's largest injury law firm. So all of this is said under the, you know, preface it by this is four games into the season.

I don't think that the big three are going to all hit under 200 for the season. They will get going and be fine. But oh my goodness. It's just to get, they got bludgeoned by the nationals tonight. And I tell you what, watch a lot of baseball, obsessed baseball, watching the beginning right now. Like, all I care about. Four guys in the Nationals lineup I might know.

I mean, just a bunch of nobodies, but you know what they did? They just singled the Phillies to death. I mean, you could tell early in this one, like, there's reasons for frustration. You could tell early in this one that it was just going to be one of those nights, where a bunch of bleaters fall in for them and nothing. is going the Phillies way. Nothing went their way tonight. But at the same time, they got bludgent. Dylan Moore pitched tonight. Dylan Moore. The last time a position player had to pitch this early in a season was the third game of Gabe Kapler's tenure. Pedro Floriamon. I mean,

who could forget him tearing his Achilles or whatever down in Florida? Only sickos, remember that, but they pitched, it had to pitch Dylan Moore against a nationals team that is shut. Now, they have some friskiness. I understand. But that team and this team are not on the same stratosphere. And you want to talk about not looking locked in. Emundo Ossa is usually a phenomenal defender.

I don't know what he was doing tonight. I mean, you had the throw to the plate in the first inning where you just needed to get an out that was nonsensical. You had a throwaway to Trey at second base. You had a ground ball to him in the bowling inning. I don't care. The game's mostly out of reach by that point. I mean, that's three. That's three.

Marsh slow to react to a ball in center field. That may have cost him a run. It just, just sloppy. and the one thing, you know, as we are reacting to the beginning of the season here, the one thing that you kind of have a worry about is complacency here and having the feeling that, hey, we're a good team, we're going to get done, we know that. And it's one of the risks of continuing to run the same team back is the chemistry, is just stale.

The whole thing is just stale. And it's four games, and I get it. But that is one of the fears here. If it does go awry, and they don't pull themselves out of it, which I'd be very, very surprised if they didn't. But one of the things that just hit me in Washington tonight is it looked like a lackadaisical effort and not totally being locked in. was, did they run it back one year too long,

and now there's a chemistry that is just stale here? And, you know, they're never going to press the panic button. Nothing's a huge deal. I mean, tonight, up 8-2, the Nationals executed, you know, runner stealing from first base and the runner on third base going home, up 8-2. and there was no retaliation, no nothing. Nothing. 8-2 is not completely out of reach,

but the nationals essentially are running the score up on you. And the Phillies just let that happen. O for 11 with runners to scoring position, some just brutal at bats. I don't know. I mean, it's hard to come on here and melt down, even though I'm very, very annoyed. Because while the big three have had a horrible start of the year,

I mean, all hitting on 200, I mean, Bryce just looks so jumpy up there, does not look comfortable at all. He looks, I mean, in a big, again, the home run the World Baseball class week was great. But in a big spot, I'm more nervous that he's going to not get the job done, whereas I used to just relish him getting up there. And it's not going that way right now. Schwerber is striking out a good amount after the first home run of the season. And Trey, nice to see the double tonight.

Little concerning that they have to call like Don Mattingly over and have a whole meeting with Trey before the game. Like, you know, it has a long batting practice session. Like, I appreciate the work, but it's also one of the things where we are three games, four games into the season. And that feels a smidge panicky. but I mean an angel loses its wings every time Trey goes up there and just predetermincerpts he's going to swing first pitch why he does that I mean I understand it was 9-2 11-2 whatever the score was it was pretty much out of reach

but Schwerberg just got hit Lord I think hit the walk the guy before him and we're swinging at a 60-foot slider For what reason? For what reason? Again, minor things, the double steel, the, I just sloppy. I mean, just downright sloppy and a brutal effort. And a night that you got absolutely bludgeoned by the Nationals. Not even close.

Not even close. A lineup, a lineup with a line up. with a bunch of just names. James Wood, real player, Luis Garcia, eh, Brady House stinks. Lyle's a player that is a decent little player. C.J. Abrams does nothing for me,

but he's a decent little player. I mean, Milas, Pena, vivas, and then Wymer, I mean, has the ridiculous on base streak. That dude stinks. And that offense struck Morpier.

than the Phillies offense. I mean, right now, Turner's hitting 167, Schwerver 125, Harper 063. That's just, Bome 145, Garcia 200, Sosa nothing, Camp 167. Ah, geez, up and down, up and down. I mean, just a, this offense is dreadful. Just dreadful.

215, 592, 9494. Eli's and Westchester, what's happening, Bell? What's going on, Jack? more way ahead from the game. Did you get your money back or no? Say that again? Did you get your money back or no? No, no, I didn't.

But it's all right. A night at the ballpark is better than I actually don't know about that. But no, I want to touch on Rob Thompson mixing up the lineup tonight. I know in spring they talked a lot about letting Crawford earn his spot up in the bigs, and he really did in spring. And then we're three games in and we're already taking them out. and I understand the platoon advantage with having Kemp out there

but it just feels like we're giving these guys with the names the Schwerber's and the Harper's the chance to go up there and like you said hit 060 and we're taking out the young kid who's going up there to prove him. Well, you're not suggesting that they should sit Schwerber and Harper for Justin Crawford, are we?

No, no, no, no. I'm suggesting they let Crawford go go out there and play a little bit more and just see what happens. Yeah, I mean, I did not like the decision tonight to do it. Now, I will say, I mean, Marsh had a good enough night.

They want to give Kemp some run there and left field as a platoon guy. I didn't like it. I want him to play center. We know Marsh can't hit lefties. I mean, he's like a career one-night or 190-some hitter against lefties. So, I get it. I mean, it's annoying. It's not the

they lost tonight, although maybe Crawford gets to one of those balls in the first inning that Marsh didn't. But, yeah, I think, listen, Crawford's going to play the lion's share of the games in the center field. I don't know why they feel like they needed to give them the day in the first weekend of the season, but they did. And I totally agree. I want to see him out there getting the lion's share of the playing time.

Yeah, yeah. And then just touching on Taiwan Walker out there on the mound, Rob said in the post game that he liked his pitch mix and that there wasn't a lot of hard contact. But in that stadium, it really felt like there was a lot of hard contact. Besides a couple of the bloops to center, everything was just, you know, up the middle, up the middle. It was tough to watch.

Yeah, I mean, it was death by a thousand paper cuts tonight. It was one of those games. You know, I mean, the Nationals did not have a ton of hard contact tonight. I mean, again, you could tell early. It was just going to be one of those nights. and it ended up being worse than that. I mean, again, they got destroyed by the Nationals tonight, but certainly was one of those games where, I mean, they went down by four,

and I was like, ah, you know, because I thought they had bads against Foster Griffin in the first, and I was like, ah, maybe we'll come back in this one. And it really was not meant to be. 215-592, 94-94 to get in on the other side. We'll get to the player at the game and some other positives, believe it or not. positives from this one tonight against the nationals. All that's coming up next on the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIPA.

Oh, welcome on back. It is the final out. Jack Fritz hanging out with you on Monday, March 30th. I know it feels like October, but it is still March. Four games in, they only have 158 left. There's only 158 left. Now, let me say this. I, listen, not to base everything off of a social media right now mentions a dumpster fire.

But, you know, tweeted might not be the Phil's Night turns into might not be their season. Like, can we just, you got to buckle up a little bit. I mean, you got to buck up. This happens in June. People are like, ah, that sucks. But it's not that. I'm annoyed. I'm 100% annoyed. There are things that are frustrating me. The offense, not having a lot of pop, frustrates me. Foster Griffin, who is my player of the game

brought to you by South Jersey Gas, Make the Smart Play, Save Energy and Money with South Jersey Gas at SJG SaveEnergy.com. He was always going to shove tonight. They never hit the no-name lefty that no one's ever heard of. It's not a good spot for the films to be in. So, like, if you honestly believe that the big three at the top of the lineup are going to be like this, and, you know, they're not. I don't know how to tell you, like, other than they're just not going to be like this the entire year. they have to be great for this team to reach the ultimate goal because after them,

like I've talked about earlier today on the afternoon show and the highest podcast, which you subscribe wherever you get your podcast, there's just a lack of pop. Like there's just a lack of pop. And you wish that if there was a lack of pop, there'd be higher averages and more doubles. And it's kind of just not like that. So, you know, you look at the team right now.

and the offense is an excruciating product, but it's been excruciating product for two and a half, three years. And they've won a lot of games. You know, the pitching staff over the weekend, Lazardo didn't do his job. And Nola was fine. Not great, but he was fine. And they pitched Taiwan tonight.

And I'm not going to go to Rob Thompson and say that Taiwan had great stuff, but I also think it was a lot of death by a thousand paper cuts. I'm annoyed at the effort that they put out tonight because I think that there was a lack of level of being locked in and it was a disgusting watch on March 30th. But I just, I can't do the determination that our pets' heads are falling off and the season's over. I just can't do it.

I can't dumb myself down enough to honestly believe that. And if you want me to dumb myself down enough, to do that. Not your guy. The final out is brought to you by the Philadelphia Parking Authority, and let's go back to the phones and talk to David and Westchester. What's happening, Dave? Hey, Jack, it's time to panic because I am absolutely 100% panicking right now

because I'm thinking this is going to be more the norm than, you know, the anomaly. And it's driving me nuts already in the season just starting. What's got you down? the lack of energy, they're like just, they look like they're going out there, going through the motions. I was losing that in spring training, like, you know, but it's spring training. Like, yeah, they're kind of going through the motions, but they're really not trying very hard. Now, the opening day, that was an entertaining game to watch. I was like, okay, here we go, we've got a team.

And now I watch all these last games since then, and there's, there seem to be no energy, no, they look like they're miserable out there and you know just just all the bonehead plays all the just direct they're putting out there it's horrible yeah I mean I get it but at the same time do you think that the top three

are going to hit under 200 for the entire season no but I think they're going to be like right around 200 really yeah I don't I don't think it's going to be their year but So you think Trey Turner off the batting title is going to hit right around 200? You think Schwerber's going to hit 200?

You think Price is going to hit 200? Right now I do, yeah. Right now. I mean, that's how panic I am, just because, you know, and, you know, I'm no expert. You know, like I said, I'm a bonehead fan, but I live and die with the theme. And right now it's like, you know, you say 1,000 cuts, I'm dying from a million cuts right now.

It's just so unwatchable. I got you. I got you. I got you. I mean, it's March 30th, and the Phillies have the fan base just ready to jump. Oh, my gosh. I mean, I hear you. I get it.

I just, man, we've been through a lot of seasons. They've started one and three before. I don't know what to tell you. This happens. I'm annoyed. I promise I'm annoyed. I'm not trying to, like, minimize the situation. but also, listen, I'll be your therapy couch.

How about that? If you've got to just let it out, let it out, if you've got to vent four games in, about how do you think the season's going to go, that's what we're here for. That's why I get paid the big bucks. But I just can't sit here and really believe that the top three are going to be this bad. And Lazard is going to get sure.

shell like he did and things like that. Now there was some positive things from tonight. Marsh got a couple of hits, which is good. He even got a hit off a lefty. It was a vintage Marsh hit off a lefty where he kind of just flipped it over the second baseman as he was flailing on it. But whatever, it's a knock in the book.

Adoles is hitting the ball hard. I'm pretty bullish on Adoles. I'm not trying to sell you that he's going to hit 260 and 35 home runs or something like that. But for a lineup that lacks pop and for a lineup that you're looking for someone that can just hit the ball out of the ballpark after the top, really just Harper and Shorebird,

Trey's like a, you know, 15 to 20 home run guy. Having a Doleys, if he can actually do it, if he can get to the 25 home run mark. I mean, again, last year, third home runs was Cassie Sianos with like 18. Fourth was Kepler, who was on PEDs. He had 17. That's it. They had Schwerver 56, which really inflated their overall team home run numbers, and then Harper with 27.

That was it. So, you know, Bome's going to have more than 11, I would assume. Marsh is going to be around 10 to 15, Stott 10 to 15. Adolese, if he can be a 20, 25 home run guy, that'd be great. I think right now he's still kind of getting used to a new swing, and it is encouraging that he is smoking some balls. He smoked another one tonight that was right at a guy that was an out.

But overall, there was some chase over the weekend. I didn't love swung at a couple of 59-footers, a right-fielder swinging into a 59-foot breaking ball, sending a cold shiver down my spine. But been pretty bullish on Adoles. through spring and so far the season. Good to see Marshaun hit a home run tonight. I do wonder if at some point there's going to be a conversation as to should you start

cutting into JT's playing time? Do I think the Phillies will do that? I do not. But, you know, Marshawn, I've always believed is at least a pretty solid player. I don't think he's a, I think he could be an everyday player. The injuries have always been very worrisome for him. But I've always been a Marshaun believer from that standpoint. And at least if he can be competent, once or twice a week, it would really help this team.

And then this is just a throwaway kind of take from tonight. But I think Tim Mays is showing me something, a decent uptick and stuff. It looks like he's added more sync to that sinker. And he might be these. Well, right now he's probably the third best left to the out of the bullpen. The Alvarado winning is a throwaway. I mean, that's a super low leverage spot. Is it possible they have too many lefties?

Well, listen, I was told you only have two. That's it. That's all you can expect. So I'm not working out. Canter banks get out from the PSAC? That was not a good take. Not a good take by me that he was struggling to get out from the PSAC. Turns out he's pretty good.

But the PSAC is a good conference. Tim Mazes on the team and he shoved in the PSAC as well. So, hey, maybe it's a good indication for 10. But, yeah, back has been disappointing, but Mays, it looks like he is ready to assume that third lefty out of the bullpen kind of roll for this team. 215-5-92-94. We will look ahead to tomorrow and we'll get to the wow moment of the game as I think we found something that buzz can buzz spleen on the other side. We're going to break down an umpiring ruling earlier today. and there's nothing that tickles, buzzes, fancy,

more than some good umpire discourse. So we'll talk about that coming up next and talk about a big debut tomorrow on the final out on Sports Radio 94WIP. Olivia loves a challenge. It's why she lifts heavy weights and likes complicated recipes. But for booking her trip to Paris,

Olivia chose the easy way with Expedia. She bundled her flight with a hotel to save more. Of course, she still climbed all 674 steps to the top of the Eiffel town. You were made to take the easy route. We were made to easily package your trip. Expedia

made to travel. That's right, it is the final app, brought to you by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here on this Monday. And I reacting to another dreadful night down the ballpark

as the Phillies. Tell you what, really not calming the fears of a city after what happened last year where, you know, offense didn't show up in October again. To come out and start a season like this, not great, not great. And not one that is making anyone feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And if they could break out of this, that'd be phenomenal. Tomorrow, a good chance for that. But we'll get to that in just a second.

Today's wow moment of the game is brought to you by the new. New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, from Waterfalls to Fairways, mountain resorts to Lighthouse Tours. Find your wow at visit nj.org. And that the Joey Weimer play in the first. So, you know, it's driving home and obviously from the show. And trying to, like, Francie is in a top spot there

because I don't know if I've ever seen it, where Taiwan goes, over, tags the bag, but it's a bang, bang, play, and just in case, throws home, and they get him out there, but then the umpire's discretion said that they felt like

the runner stopped running because of the outcall at first base, and then Thompson got kicked out. I mean, Buzz, you were a low-level umpire. You know, in that situation, Are you on team Topper or are you on the umpire side? I think Major League Baseball in general needs to do a better job of kind of defining this, because this is going to happen more and more,

not just in general replays, but in ABS. So, yeah, as you said, the third out on the field was ruled at first base should end the inning. And conceivably, the runner coming around third base may have stopped, may have stopped running because he saw the third out signal. But the Phillies kept playing the Nationals do not, the National or the Nationals Challenge. they review him safe at first base and as a result the umpires put the runner safely back at 3rd

Thompson's irate like what the hell are you talking about they were waving him he was halfway home I think they need to clearly define like either the play is dead or the umpires can use discretion of where to put the guy back and everyone knows to kind of keep playing the way in football you tell guys to keep playing

even after an incomplete pass sometimes you'll see guys still fall on it I think it leaves a lot of confusion you're going to see more of it happen now with like ABS. Like what if there's a runner on first and on a three two pitch? They call it ball four and he starts half-assing at the second base, but the catcher still throws it down there.

They tag him and then it becomes strike three. Like is he out? Does he go back to first? So I'm going right to the top. Manfred Major League Baseball needs to very clearly state like what the protocol should be because clearly Thompson, the nationals, the umpires all not in the same page here. Yeah. I mean, way to call out the big issue.

buzz. I mean, I think we need to look to the top on this one. I really think that's where the issue stems from. Let's take this all the way to the top. Let's take it all the way to the top. Yeah, I mean, looking back on it, I understood the umpires point because he did stop running. So thankfully, now, they got killed anyway. Thankfully, it didn't end up scoring after that. Maybe that's the baseball gods, give him one, giving one to the Phillies. But it was certainly one that I hadn't seen before. So that was a new one. And listen, Harry always said, You never know what you're going to see when you go to the old ballpark. And that certainly was something that I had never seen.

Well, and Thompson got kicked out because you're not allowed to, like, argue with replay. And then his point postgame is, like, I'm not arguing with replay. My point is you enforce the rule incorrectly is with Thompson. So I get both points of it. I think, but they're both in a tough spot. And that's why I think, you know, go to the top. Step in, Rob, man. Yeah, absolutely right.

Kenny's in Newcastle closing us out. What's happening, Kenny? Hey, man, how you making out? Pretty fresh, right? How about you? I just got to make a couple points. Super. If long as we have Brad Marsh, out of Cambodis, I call them role players, we're not going to be that good.

Back in the 93, when Jim Pregosi had like five, you know, mixing different people in and out, they were pretty good. Our outfielders are terrible. And I wish we'd let just a young kid play a little bit more too corporate. but, you know, I mean that. I mean, I think we're just playing role players and we think they're going to do great, but they're not going to do great.

That's what they are, what they are. They're just role players. They go any other team, and they're not going to get, you know, 300 of bats. They're just going to be role players. Well, we are role players. I mean, Marshal. I know, but I think they're terrible.

I think they're terrible. That's what I think. They're not that good. I understand. I mean, I mean, now, Brad Marsh is 68 years old, so maybe he, I don't know if he'd be the best left-fielder. But, I mean, Marsh is a tough one. I think Marsh, the best way I can explain Marsh is he's both, I don't think he's like that good,

but I also think he's underrated by the general fan base. He did hit over 300 for the majority of last season after starting, or after April, when he went over 31. He plays a really good left field. He got a couple hits tonight. Do I think he's a world beater? No. Do I think against right-handed pitchers he's pretty good?

Yeah. Do they need Kemp to smoke lefties? 100%. Tonight I would have played Crawford and Center Field because he's presumably your center fielder. And it's the third game, the fourth game of the season. He's 22. He does not need a night off.

He's hit lefties well authorized minor league career. It's more important for him to grow. than Marsh getting out there, but whatever. Whatever. Tomorrow, Andrew Painter's debut, long-away debut. It feels like Andrew Painter has been in our lives for a decade, and it has not been that long. He's 22.

He's going to turn 23 in April, so he's still a young kid. And spring training results were mixed. You know, the first couple outings were scoreless, but he had some concerns by the fastball shape, and he wasn't exactly going against the real A lineups, because a lot of teams were in the World Baseball Classic. Then he had the ordeal start where you want to talk about jarring. He was like 97, 98 first two innings,

and then all of a sudden third inning was firing 93 miles an hour, and Samuel Vassallo took him deep on one of the longest balls I've seen in spring training. And then he closed it out with a start against the Braves where everything was working. You know, fastball velocity stayed up. He showed a good feel for off speed. pitches. And I think I think Painter's going to be a work in progress, but it's still going to be exciting to see someone who we've heard a lot about and does have a lot of potential go out there tomorrow night and get the career started. And hopefully it's a long career. And hopefully

as the season goes on, the fastball velocity ticks back up when we get closer and closer to seeing that special fastball that we saw in, in 2022 as a prospect. But looking forward to it, I'm going to go down for little bit tomorrow night, but it is hopefully the start to what is a long and special career, because we've heard a lot about Andrew Painter, and he does have a lot of feel for five pitches. And I think there's going to be some arsenal tweaking with him if the fastball isn't returned to its former dominant self, but still really looking forward to Andrew Painter. And guess what? No pressure, kid, but you've got to be a stopper because the city is on the edge.

The city is on The city is on edge. Glad we saw the Dylan Moore pitching debut before Painter in the 2026 season. Yeah, I know. I know. Who had that on their bingo card? Certainly not I.

So that's going to do it for me. Buzz produced the final out tonight. Don't worry. We'll be back tomorrow to save the season. Tonight didn't go as planned, but tomorrow we're going to write the ship. We're going to write the ship tomorrow. Get it back on track.

Everyone calmed down. It's early in the season. and we'll go from there. But enjoy Painter Day. Hopefully it's a great debut and one that leaves us feeling positive heading into the final out tomorrow night. So thanks for hanging out.

And Buzz, Ashland Sullivan, coming up next. You would be correct. Never a doubt. Never a doubt. Ashland's got you next. She'll take you through the rest of the night here on Sports Radio 94WIP.