High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Edmundo Sosa to the rescue!

Episode Date: April 22, 2023

Jack reacts to the Phillies late-inning comeback over the Rockies on Friday night. 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

Welcome on in, it is the final out here on Sports Radio 94 WIP 215-592-9494 is how you get in. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here on this Friday night. The final out as always is sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable, never looked so good. Packed crowd there tonight. 43,000. If you're on your way home, stuck in traffic, we'd love to hear from you. We'd love to hear what the atmosphere was like.

You know, I expect in the first weekend of the year, it's like, okay, the crowds are going to be big. It's just so refreshing to see that amount of people. Even 35,000 last night. For a Thursday night in April, that's great. I would love to hear what the ballpark was like tonight. If you're stuck in traffic or on your way home, get in now. 215-592-9494. The first big takeaway from tonight is just like, thank God.

Because I was sitting here and I was like starting to mentally prepare myself for a post-game show where I was going to have to come on and just absolutely eviscerate this baseball team, starting with the starting pitcher, down to the lineup, and just, again, looking out of it and not looking into it and just not playing an inspired brand of baseball. And while them winning tonight doesn't excuse away a lot of the things that we'd seen for the first, I don't know, six innings of that game, five innings of that game. Sometimes you just need wins like that.

I mean, at one point they had a 16-inning scoreless streak heading into the game, and it's like maybe they just needed to break through. You know, they always say with great shooters, they got to see one through the hoop. And I just hope that that's what the beginning of this game was tonight. I hope that they can just

play the rest of the series and take three or four. This Rockies team is atrocious, man. They are just bringing these guys out of the bullpen that were good three years ago. And, again, shout out to Brad Hand.

You know, he earned that NLCS ring that he got tonight. And I'm proud of him because his ERA last year was fake. There's no way in the world Brad Hand had an ERA in the twos last year. It's the fakest stat I've ever seen in the history of Philadelphia sports. So, sometimes you need wins like that. And the Phillies came out, and they came back, and they fought back, and they won an ugly game.

Obviously, we would like every game to be pretty, and we would like the starting pitcher to be great. We would like the offense to hit with the run scoring position and hit some home runs. We would like the defense to be crisp. We would like the bullpen to be shut down. The likelihood of all four of those things happening in one baseball game? Low.

And sometimes you gotta win ugly. And sometimes you gotta win when the chips are down. And sometimes you gotta come back and steal one. Because that's what they did tonight. The Phillies did not dominate that game tonight. And it was more of a, wow we stole that game from the Rockies.

Then bang, Phil's win. Uh, everything's fine. Everyone's back. So, you know, you need wins like that.

And, and, and for a majority of last year, um, up until, I mean, pretty much up until the, the,

the playoff run. Um, that's how they're winning a lot of games against bad teams. And Philly's played a lot of bad teams last year. It aided them in making the playoffs. And ultimately it didn't matter because they took down a Cardinals team that won the division and they took down the Braves and the Padres. So ultimately it didn't matter. But we'd be lying to ourselves if the Phillies didn't beat up bad teams last year en route to making the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. And it was a lot of wins like that.

It was a lot of wins like, well, that wasn't totally inspiring, but thank you for not making me feel awful going to bed tonight. But it was an ugly win and one that they had to have. Some good things. So, um, I thought it was, like, the Nick Castellanos

development into a pesky kind of base runner and making stuff happen. I like that stuff. I think that's cool. That's what makes baseball baseball. So him forcing that balk there

and them kind of breaking the scoreless streak was refreshing to see. Jake Cave not striking out in that situation and putting the ball in play and getting a run home. Kyle Schober, I said in the pregame on leading off that I thought he was going to hit a home run tonight. I thought it was going to be the first inning as a tone setter, but he hit it late today, and he tied that game up.

They made something happen in the ninth. JT let it off with a double. Some frustrating at-bats. He steals third, and Amuno Sosa brings him home. So, again, it was an ugly win, but they were 1-9 heading into this game when the opponent scored first. So I think

that's big. Just finding a way to come back and get a job done. So, the first take tonight is you need wins like that. They got a lot of wins like that last year, and you just gotta keep piling. The second take I have off the game tonight was Nola was good, not great. I know the end result, three runs over seven innings, that's winning pitching,

and he got a quality start, and I get it. But three things that I find concerning. One, fastball's up. I don't get this. LA talks about this a lot on the broadcast. Aaron Nola should be a guy that is getting on top of that fastball and driving it down, creating ground balls. We don't have to go for strikeouts.

Like, you should be a ground ball pitcher. That is what you should be. And getting that ball down and consistently keeping that fastball down, it'll limit the amount of, like, back-breaking home runs that he allows. And it feels like as soon as he starts getting up for no reason, that's when you start to see the ball fly out of the ballpark. So the Ryan McMahon home run, that was the fourth straight game in which the Phillies have allowed a multi-run home run in the first inning, which is just dreadful.

So that is brutal. He had only three strikeouts tonight, which is down, like very down. Aaron Nola's always been a pretty good strikeout guy. So not generating the same kind of swing and miss that he usually does. And he had three walks tonight, which is just so uncharacteristic. I mean, he had 29 walks in all of last season. So Aaron Nola was good tonight. I'm not going to totally crush him, but he's not back.

And heading into the game tonight, opposing hitters with two strikes were batting 298 off of Aaron Nola. Before this year, it was 156. 298. His strikeout percentage with two strikes is 40%. Before this year, it was 52%. Those stats courtesy of NBC Sports Philadelphia. So hitters are hitting damn near 300 against him in two strike counts, which can't happen.

Like you got like two strikes is obviously a pitcher's advantage. And you got to go execute and make pitches to get out of that. Or things can snowball and all of a sudden it gets away from you. And my final take off of tonight's game is that Jose Alvarado is your closer. We talked about this Tuesday. But Jose Alvarado, I mean, this is the third straight game. He's coming in closed. He is just good morning, good afternoon, good night. He is ridiculous. And I've said it

before, and I know it can be viewed as a hot take, but this dude is the nastiest Phillies reliever we've ever seen. Bar none. It's a 100-mile-an-hour turbo sinker. It's a 95-mile-an-hour cutter. It is strike throwing. I still don't think he's allowed to walk this year. So Jose Alvarado is their closer, and good on Rob Thompson. I know he doesn't want to do this. I know in the ethos of Rob Thompson's baseball brain, he does not want to make Jose Alvarado his closer. But when you have the options, like Sir Anthony,

who continues to look like he's on his way back, Gregory Soto, who is pitching great. Craig Kimbrell. These guys, they finally have options to where you don't have to burn Alvarado earlier and get those final three outs when you can get them. And Jose Alvarado, I believe this team's closer.

2-1-5, 5-9-2, 94-94. Let's sneak in Jim in South Jersey. What's happening, Jim? Jackie! What's up, brother? How we doing Jersey. What's happening, Jim? Jackie! Oh, what's up, brother? How we doing tonight? What's up, baby? Hey, the Phillies are back. Listen, man, I hope so. I hope so.

Last night was soul-crushing. Tonight, the soul is starting to become revived. You know, last night, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, it was tough to play at four on Tuesday, then seven, then back again at two, and then travel all the way back to Philly. I get it.

They're professionals. That's tough on everybody's body. I'm telling you, they're back. We're going to go on a streak. We're going to win the next eight out of ten, and we're all the way back. We're back in this race. Hey, you know what?

It's not a sprint. It's a marathon. You're damn right it is, Jim. Especially with Aaron tonight. He had one bad pitch. One bad pitch in the first inning. After that, he was almost laid down. Yeah, I mean, listen.

It was one of those starts where where again um he did his job tonight and and sometimes that's all you can ask for and tonight was a step in the right direction for Aaron Nola um it still feels a little bit under the hood some of the stuff is not where it usually is um and you just hope that as we go on here that he continues to find his footing again he was like 89 in the fifth at one point now I think what was big for Aaron Nola tonight is that he continues to find his footing again he was like 89 in the fifth at one point now I think what was big for Aaron Oldenight is that he battled through um the fifth and and was able to go seven you know I talked early in the season when people were frustrated that Rob Thompson left him out there about how you have to let these guys work through stuff they're your aces they're

your horses you gotta trust them And hopefully the early season, let him out there, let him kind of figure this out thing is letting Aaron Nola figure it out and get him to the seventh and through the seventh, which is what he did tonight. 215-592-9494.

If you're on your way home, would love to talk to you. 43,000 people at the ballpark tonight. It's a beautiful, beautiful sight. Phil's win. It was ugly, but who cares? We needed it. We needed it at this point. It's Jack Fritz here on

the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIP. And on the other side, one player I just got a heap of praises of. Can't stop thinking about him. Can't stop talking about him. And it was great to have him back tonight. We'll talk about that on the other side in addition to all your phone calls.

It's Jack Fritz on the final out here on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Look over at third base. JT leads there. Brad Hand ready. He kicks in the pitch. Breaking ball swung on, line towards left field. Pro far over. He dives.

He didn't catch it. It falls in. JT is in, and the Phillies are on top. Edmundo Sosa. Phillies have a 4-3 lead. That's right. That's our Mike's Amazing play of the game presented by Mike's Amazing, the official mayo, mustard, and vegetable oil of the Phillies.

And that is Edmundo Sosa. And welcome back. Welcome back, Edmundo Sosa. And welcome back. Welcome back at Mundo Sosa. I love that guy. And I think he is just, he is developing into such like a cult-like hero here. With the fans in this city. Like it's the personality.

It's how excited he gets. Like he got that hit tonight. You would have thought it was the game seven of the World Series. It's a game he gets. He got that hit tonight. You would have thought it was the Game 7 of the World Series. It's a game in April. Speaking of which, what is Jerickson Profart doing on that play? Get to the ball. I guess it did look like Edmundo hit that

way harder than he ended up hitting it. I actually thought it was going to be off the wall, so maybe not. I'm an idiot. Edmundo sosa like the second he gets back in the lineup it's like bang winning player doing winning player things uh and he just he he he adds such like a a different element to this team that they kind of lost by losing a nick mayton um in a. And I would do that trade again.

I think Soto's really good, and Maton's fine. But it's just like he brings such a good energy to this baseball team, and he is a winning-type player. And in a perfect world, on a perfect baseball team, he's probably more of a utility guy. But he has the potential to be a really good player. They fixed his swing this offseason to generate more power. And he just looks like he's generating more power.

Early in the game, he hit a ball to the wall that I think if it was middle of the summer is a home run. He had that hit late. And even when he fouls some balls off, you can just tell he's close. And it's not like these little slappy singles. He looks like he can do some damage. So it was good to see him back tonight. I thought his defense was back.

We talked a lot on this show the last couple nights about how they hope he avoided an IL stint and how I said that, you know, what happened over the weekend, there was like three different plays where I've seen Edmundo make that play in his sleep and it's a routine play. And he just wasn't getting it done. It comes out with the back spasms and it's like, okay, that makes some sense.

Defense is back tonight. So I just want to, you know, heat the praises of Edmundo Sosa. He is a winning type player. And everything he does for this team is just massive. And they need an infusion of energy. It's April. They've been kind of down. And he just kind of lifts that clubhouse up.

And I always feel like he's going to make winning plays. Whether it's the late hit. Whether it's strong defense. I mean, the play on Krohn in the ninth. That keeps Krohn in the ninth, that keeps Krohn off the bases. He probably would only get a single, but you never know. Maybe that gets in the corner and he's on double and he's running in a scoring position.

Maybe that game just turns out a little bit differently, but man, Munoz Osiris comes back and makes winning plays. What a player. Let's go to Dan in Washington Township. What's happening, Dan? Hey, how's it going, Jack? I'm doing great. How are you?

Phil's got a win tonight. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was good. I actually worked out in the park. I worked out in the Diamond Club. Dude, I've been working there since 08. But tonight was good. I would say, you know, so far this year, every home game,

I thought tonight was probably the most electric the crowd was. You know, a guy in the Diamond Club chugged a beer bat, so that always brings good vibes. Now, have you gotten a beer bat yet? Have you gotten a beer bat? No, no, no, no. They only got them in passes, though. Okay. But people get them in passes, though.

They bring them down. And a guy chugged one. The crowd was screaming, chug, chug, chug. It was good stuff. Good. I mean, screaming, chug, chug, chug. It was good stuff. Good. I mean, listen, it was cool. And we've been – so, like, obviously 07 to 11, we were spoiled with a full ballpark on most nights.

It was nice to see that kind of ballpark in April and see the fans, like – I know it's been a tough start to the season, but see the fans just kind of show back up and be like, you know what, it's a long season. Let's go have a good night at the ballpark. Yeah. You know, so they started 0-4, and now what?

We're 8-12, so we've been playing 500 since that 0-4 start. And, you know, in my group chat with my pals, my buddies, it's like, so every night, if I just live and die with a team. You know, last night I was, you know, I waved the white flag with that pitcher they threw out there. We got shot out. It's like, oh, my goodness. I know. It's just brutal.

Tonight, I'm sitting there, and I'm like, oh, they're going to bring me back. They're going to bring me back. And then Schwarber hit a home run, and I'm like, all right, I'm back. That's why you love baseball. Yeah, it's unlike any other sport, Dan, where it's like one minute it's this team's terrible, a bunch of losers, never going to get the job done, and the next minute it's like we're so back.

We're obviously going back to the World Series. Because everything hinges so much on one pitch, something with the ball in play, a ball hit out of the ballpark, a bad pitch by the pitcher. It's just so unique, but that's why it's the greatest sport in the world. Yeah, I might say football's the best sport, but baseball for me is right there. Everyone likes football, Dan. But, I mean, come on, it's easy to be a football fan. You try living and dying with 162.

You know what I mean? I agree. Very true. All try living and dying with 162. You know what I mean? I agree. Very true. All right, buddy. Appreciate the call. Yeah, just like, again, I mean, Tucker's a football nerd back there, but at the same time, anyone could be a football fan. You tell me you're grinding through 162 and living and dying with every game.

Are you questioning if I'm grinding through 162? No, I think you have more than most grind through 162, my friend. Although, I mean, how many games do you think you produce on the radio? 100 a year? I would say probably about that. Yeah. Because I don't do weekend games or day games. Right.

I would say probably do between 80 and 100 a year. I would definitely say over half. I would say probably around 60%. Yeah. Well, listen, that's because you're a winner, Tucker. 215-592-9494. It is the final out, sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable never looks so good.

On the other side, we'll run through all your phone calls. Also, look ahead to the pitching matchup for tomorrow before handing things off to Sean Bell. It's Jack Fritz here on the final out here on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Welcome back. It is the Final Out, sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable never looks so good. Reacting to the Philz win tonight. Late comeback win.

Ugly win, but we take that at this point as they hopefully continue to find their footing. It's time for the player of the game, brought to you by South Jersey Gas, committed to providing safe, reliable, affordable natural gas. Make the switch at SouthJerseyGas.com

slash lovemyhome. I would love to give it to Amundo Sosa. Listen, I would probably give it to Amundo Sosa, but I gotta give Aaron Nola credit. I will give Aaron Nola, player of the game tonight, even though I thought he was more good than great, going

seven tonight and not letting the first inning totally just ruin his psyche for the rest of the start and not letting three runs turn into five runs is an important development here because what has happened with Aaron in the past is like

home runs have killed him. Two strike stuff is just it just crushes you. But it usually avalanches when things go wrong. Like when Aaron is on a roll and he gets the ball and he's attacking and he's just get the ball and go, he's great. He gets into a rhythm. It works.

But when he struggles, it's everything slows down. And the pitch clock has obviously affected him in that regard. But, you know, everything slows down. And he doesn clock has obviously affected him in that regard. But everything slows down. And he doesn't stop innings. It feels like it avalanches and it snowballs. And it goes from three runs to five runs or two runs to four runs. And all of a sudden it's like, well, yeah, they can come back. There's no time clock in baseball, but there's a pitch clock.

But there's no time clock. But still, four runs and two runs is much different when it comes to coming back. I thought it was big for him tonight. Three innings in the first, but rebounded and gave them seven quality innings and

kept them in that ballgame and helped them come back and win in a game like, we know it's not the end of the world, but 9-12 just sounds so much better than 8-13. I needed it. Frankly, I needed a Phillies win tonight. I could not handle

losing another game to the freaking Rockies, but whatever. They did it. Phillies win. Ugly. Whatever. We take it. Steve's in Westchester. What's happening, Stevie? Hey, can i talk about these phillies well that's why we're here buddy it's the final out well first off jack for the niners game um all they need to do is get hits with men on the pond seriously they've left the third most

runners in baseball on base this season. You don't have to tell me that. I know that stat. Well, here's another thing. We got these shore bombs, but he does what men on base. He doesn't seem to do that much, Steve. He seems like a big solo home run guy. Talk about how you guys crushed me on the first caller Friday thing.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I had notes. Okay. Bad notes. I honestly, I don't really remember, but I remember that you gave up, you gave a good effort, and we look forward to trying you again. You gave the top five new callers, and I was number five. Right.

You know what? You know what I think you did wrong? What? I hit all four sports, and they were like, yeah, don't do that. Yeah, we don't do flyers. Yeah, Mark is hypercritical. Yeah, he's more just kind of busting your stones a little bit, Steve. But listen, man, I hope you call back soon, all right?

I took the critique, and I I took notes and I'm going to make a better call when we do a new call next time maybe next Friday we'll do another new caller Friday and we would love to have you be a part of it okay hey Jack I remember you gave me the hotline can I get it again

sure have Tucker grab it okay Tucker give it to you you'll take care of that one, right, Tucker? How many times can you be eligible for New Caller Friday? That's a good question. I feel like it's one and done. After that, you're just a caller. Yeah, it kind of defeats the purpose of New Caller Friday.

But whatever. Sounds like Steve's having a great night. So, listen, Phil's come back. We're all having a good time here in the final out. And, yes, usually you call the final out to talk some Phil's. So, that's the general concept here. Looking ahead to tomorrow, it is, again, the game got moved up to three. So, I know on the schedule it was four.

It's been repeated, I don't know, a million times tonight. But the game has been moved up to three. So, in case you didn't know that, I got you covered. Kyle Freeland on the mound for the Rockies, who, yeah, I mean, like he's just an average major league pitcher. He got off to a pretty good start, first two starts scoreless, then two earned in his third start, and last start, seven earned for Kyle Freeland.

So a guy that, again, the Phillies can take advantage of. This Rockies pitching staff was the worst in baseball heading into this series. So Kyle Freeland, probably their best starter. You know, Jeremy Marquez I will always believe in, but Kyle Freeland probably their most consistent starter. So I guess we get their ace tomorrow. But still, seven earned in his last start. So definitely beatable.

Going up against Christopher Sanchez. He's back! Christopher Sanchez is back. 11 strikeouts and 8 and 2 thirds up in Lehigh with a 1.04 ERA. So that's good. My thing with Christopher Sanchez is that it's always like

he'll dot the outside corner with a sinker. He'll make like two good pitches and then like bang out of the strike zone, out of the strike zone and all of a sudden it's like 3-2 and I feel like he never makes a good 3-2 pitch. So I have my own frustrations with Christopher Sanchez but could obviously use

a nice start tomorrow and give this team a good spot start. That's going to do it for me here on the final out. Sean Bell's got you next. Hope you guys have a great weekend. Hope that we come back Monday. I got Marks and Reese leading off

final out. Hopefully on Monday they take three or four from the Rockies, take care of business and get this thing back on track. If they takes three or four, back to 500. And we take that any day of the week. No, that's not even true. They would be one game under 500. But we're

not math guys here in the final out. We're just eye test guys. Sean Bell's got you next. Thanks for hanging out with me. Tucker Bagley produced the program. Have a great rest of your night and enjoy your weekend here on WIP.