High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Late-Inning Heroics Are Wasted Again

Episode Date: September 13, 2023

Jack Fritz vents after another Phillies loss following a late-inning home run. 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

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Jack Fritz, hanging out with you here on Sports Radio 94 WIP. 215-592-9494 is how you get in if you're stuck in traffic on the way home. I mean, just a horrible time to be stuck in traffic. Add it to the list. Just add it to the

freaking list. I talked last night how excruciating this month of September is going to be. They're not making it easy on us. They fight all the way back. And the second they didn't win in the ninth, it was like, there it is.

I mean, it's just... Seriously, why? Why does this have to keep happening? I just... We'll get into it. Let's get to the biggest takeaway of the game brought to you by Morgan & Morgan. And the biggest takeaway of the game is just the pain that this baseball team is putting us through. And they're fine. Like they're up, whatever, in the wild card.

up whatever in the wild card it's just these are such momentum changing like season defining big home runs big momentum swings it's a freaking series against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park in September that like just put some wind in our sails because frankly I watch most of these games with my hands over my eyes at this point. I'm mostly in the fetal position watching them. Because I just keep waiting for bad things to happen. And again tonight, it's such, it is such a

rush watching them come back. And I just had a feel they weren't going to roll over. They weren't going to die. And of course, Harper makes it 6-3. Then Stoddy has the big home runoff of Mena, making it 6-5. And it's like, they're right there. They're right there. And I was almost begging them not to tie it up, because it's been this never-ending loop where it's just like again moments moments like regular season like big time deals Harper's 300 the 5-2 game Harper the other day on Monday Turner tonight Turner like that's five, five in a month, in a month, five, five.

And these last two against the Braves make it that much worse because it's like they're right there. They're right freaking there. And it's just, I just, oh, my gosh. Again, again, again, again. They tie it up. And then all of a sudden start playing bad baseball. We go to extras. Whatever.

I just, it's been since Friday. Friday they blow a two-run lead. Saturday they try to blow it. Sunday they blow a two-run lead. Yesterday, the big Harper home run. Game two was tight. And again, if you're one of those people, like myself, like Francisco, that it's hard to do. I gave myself a headache tonight, where you treat every single Phillies game like it's the last. These last six games are going to take years off your life because it's just like

they're finding so many ways to make this as excruciating as possible. I just want to watch playoff baseball. I just want to be the one seed. It doesn't have to be this hard. Why does every freaking September become the same thing over and over and over

and over again? Five times. Five times. Five times. They hit these big home runs, and they lose. They lose. They lose. They lose. It's not supposed to be like this. It's only this baseball team.

I swear to God, it is only this baseball team. That Turner home run was insane. It's like this guy is out of control. He's awesome. He's on a pace where he's had the most homers in a stretch since like 06 Howard. That's what we're talking about with what Trey Turner is doing right now. It's big home runs, big home runs, big

home runs. And then we've got to get into JT, which is my second biggest takeaway of the game. And again, the biggest takeaway of the game brought to you by Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm, the JT at that. I mean, again, the fact that he hit the home running game, one of the World Series, is becoming more and more shocking by the day

because that guy doesn't have a clutch bone in his body. It just doesn't have it. It's running in the scoring position. It's hitting at home. It's big moments. It's like momentum's all on the side. Bang strikeout. And I can just feel

the onslaught. Rob Thompson's a bench coach. That's why he's been a bench coach for 28 years. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. The guy can't bunt. The guy can't bunt. Okay? Like, I'm sorry. I'm sorry he's a can't bunt. The guy can't bunt, okay? Like, I'm sorry. I'm sorry he's a big leaguer. I know your little leaguer at home can bunt.

I understand it. It's a little different when he's facing 98, not 10-year-old Timmy, okay? Like, maybe the player should be able to execute and do a job and stop just blaming the manager to blame a manager. JT was atrocious. Absolutely freaking atrocious in that spot. I mean, it's all the momentum. It's first and second no outs. It's do your freaking job and put the ball in play.

If you can't bunt, great. Move the runner over. Do something. Do something besides strike out in that moment. I'm not pinch hitting Garrett Stubbs. You want to lose the locker room, pinch hit Garrett Stubbs for your star catcher. I mean, can we just think for a second rather than just being so emotional sometimes. Listen, I don't appreciate the little chuckle from Rob Thompson postgame. That didn't sit well with me. That's a painful loss. I don't need the little, like, I'm not going to ask a guy to do something he can't do.

Ha-ha. Like, not in a joking mood. But I'm not asking JT, who hasn't laid down a bun since 2015. Again, 2015. That's not yesterday. That's before the Eagles won a Super Bowl. And I'm not pitching to Garrett Stubbs. I need my freaking $25 million a year catcher to get the job done.

But now I've got to hear, oh, best catcher in baseball, defense, yada, yada, yada. He calls seven straight fastballs to Eddie Rosario. Seven straight fastballs. Craig Kimbrell has him set up for a curveball in the dirt that is hook, line, and sinker. See ya. And what does the catcher do? It's seven straight fastballs to the guy. Why? Like, why? Mix something else in. That was frustrating. And then obviously, you know, the Cassianos double play, I mean, I don't know. You kind of felt that one coming.

I mean, just an incredibly frustrating night. It was a euphoric night that ended in heartbreak. But what else is new? It's being a Phillies fan in September at this point. It's just, I just, man, it could be such highs with these home runs. Like, oh, my God, they came back and won another game with a big home run. And then it's just they beat you down and down and down and down. And the at-bats from JT Cassidy and Marcian in the game were just –

just do a job. 2-1-5, 5-9-2. 94-94 is how you get in. Pete's in New Jersey. Let's start this off, Pete. What do you got? All right, so I'm listening to you right now, and I hear you talking about how this is on JT and not on Rob Thompson.

Correct. I kind of agree with you a little bit. But at the same time, how long has Rob Thompson worked with JT Real Muto? Why isn't it your job at this point to know this guy can't bunt the ball, right? You're 142 games into a season, right? Like, you didn't decide to try to work on bunting the ball, and not only that, before Bryce Harper hit the home run, you had a situation with two runners on and no outs, so you could have bunted again. JT wasn't batting, and then there's a runners on and no outs, so you could have bunted again. JT wasn't batting.

And then there's a situation in the extra innings where you could have bunted the runners around. Alec Bone ground into a single that moved the runners over by accident. You should have been bunting them. He doesn't want to make decisions. He doesn't do situational baseball. He's down by one. He's down by one in extras.

Okay, so bunt the runners over and get a guy on second and third and sack Flags. Are you talking about tonight? Yeah. But you're wrong. There was a runner on second base that were down by one. Stott moved the runner over to third. That's what happened.

Alex Boehm moved the runner to third by accident. Like, he grounded it. But why wasn't he bunting right there? He should have been bunting. We're making excuses because fucking JT doesn't want to bunt. But, okay, like, Alex Boehm is swinging at that point and hits it by accident to the first baseman and moves the runners over. Why wasn't he bunting?

Rob Thompson had three opportunities to call a bunt tonight, and he didn't do it. We can't just blame JT. JT's one-third of the two times he had an opportunity to bunt runners over, and he didn't do it. JT thinks in clutch situations. Okay, why aren't you working on this with him? Why is he still bad at bunting? How long have you been coaching JT?

Teach him how to bunt. Teach him how to bunt. He's fast. He can leg out a bunt. And if he doesn't, who cares? The runners move over. What are we doing? This is on Rob Thompson.

No, it's not. Rob Thompson should be out there working on JT to get the bunts done. I mean, this is the big league. It's not Little League. By the way, just so we're clear, I mean, it was a 7-6 game, bottom 10. Bryson Stott was up. He tried to bunt, which was wrong. Like, bunting down one is dumb for me.

But whatever. Like, he pulls the ball off Brad Hand. It's a runner on third, less than one out. And Brandon Marsh strikes out, and then Johan Rojas pops up. I mean, that's what happened. And that's bad baseball. Let's see what Blackerty's got tonight. What's up, BJ?

I'm just sad, Nolo. I just can't live like this. And I feel like I almost want, I'd rather lose nine to one than to have this feeling of like, oh man, we're coming back. Again, like you said, the moments are so big and the crowd staying, I know it wasn't a full crowd, but you still feel it. You hear them, and you just want it, and then you expect it. And when they do it, you're like, yes. And then when they fall short like this, of course, you know, you can blame whoever you want to blame.

You know what I mean? I'm like, what do we need to do to fix it? Like, on a consistent basis. Because this is like a playoff game. You know what I mean? And not for nothing, I can take the acquiescence and say, oh oh we went toe-to-toe with the Braves and we're right there but you're coming up on the short end two nights in a row and it just it it's gut-wrenching to me you know what I mean like the last guy was just so angry I'm like upset when you tweeted out

I'm nervous I had to sit back and mute the TV for a minute because I'm like, oh, now they're dead. You know what I'm saying? This feeling is sickening to me. And I can't stand it. It's how you can tell you're in a playoff race. I mean, it is what it is. I mean, this is why I just can't understand and fathom the people that say baseball is boring.

This is excruciating. How this is boring to be... It's tough. I gave myself a headache tonight, BG. I swear to God. I gave myself a headache tonight because I'm watching... Again, I can't be too loud because Walker's trying to sleep upstairs. It's the freaking Braves, man.

And I can't take... The Ozuna home runs smoked. Acuna's unfreaking believable. Matt Olsen's hit 51 home runs and hit 30 of them here. They had him. And that's the thing. We were going toe-to-toe with him. And just one last thing, and I'll let you

drop me, but JT, talk about bunting, he's a dinosaur. There's no teaching him how to bunt. If he can't do it at this point, he can't do it. So, I mean, that's just a non-starter in that general situation and again when you're going toe-to-toe with the braves show up bryce harper is so freaking cut it makes me sick because normally in baseball you don't get the one

guy that just does it when you need to get it done and we're wasting it we're wasting it let you know i'll talk to you later appreciate Appreciate you, brother. Yeah, I mean, again, just big moments. I mean, Bryce had the home run. It's funny. What was it? 1,000th hit was a home run. His 300th home run was a home run, and 1,500th was a home run. So, I mean, good for Bryce.

And then, obviously, the Turner home run late, but just another blown opportunity. 215-592- 9494 is how you get in. Shaq Fritz hanging out with you run late, but just another blown opportunity. 2-1-5, 5-9-2. 94-94 is how you get it. Shaq Fritz hanging out with you here on the final out. On the other side, we'll get to all your phone calls, more of your phone calls, reacting to this loss,

and actually some positives I have from tonight. We'll get to that and more coming up next here on the final out. I mean, it's just... Oh, it's just like that's again. Again. another moment. The Harper heroics the last, I don't know, two weeks, ever since the 5-2 game against the Giants off Duvall.

I mean, it's just these big, I mean, if you want to go back to last year, I mean, the homer off Jansen down in Atlanta, where, you know they bring they bring in nick nelson to close it out um you know i mean thank god they didn't blow bedlam at the bank i mean seriously seriously seriously given everything that's happened this year with the bryce harper home runs the big home runs big moments i mean imagine the rain persists or whatever, and they blow Bedlam at the bank. I mean, it's an all-time Phillies moment that just completely gets wasted away.

I mean, listen, I talked about JT in the first segment with the home run in Game 1. Like, no one brings up the home run in Game 1 of the World Series because they lost the World Series, but if they win, that's a huge home run. No one brings up the Schwarber home run in game six to get in the lead because, obviously, Joran Alvarez hit one 750 feet the next inning. I mean, we're lucky Bedlam at the Bank is the moment that it is

because given what we've seen this year from this Phillies team, they blow that game. I mean, they blow the battle with the bank game. That's what it is. And again, these are, like our stars are being our, well, I spoke too soon. Turner, Harper, and Schwarber,

I know I struck out four times tonight, have been great. And JT, Cassianos, Marsh, started the big home run, which is good to see. Hopefully he can get on a bit of a run here. It's more like those three have been unbelievable since August 1st. All of OPS's over 1,000, all been insane.

And then just someone else kind of steps up, and that's been the offense. And the offense has done its job. I mean, they've scored well in this series against the Braves it's it's encouraging but um again you know trey turner that's one of my positives from tonight and that is my i don't care that they lost that's my mike's amazing play the game presented by mike's amazing the official mayo mustard and vegetable oil of the phillies um like again i mean trey turner just been absolutely insane just on it on an insane heater um you know obviously the ovations worked in the beginning but i mean what trey turner is And, I mean, Trey Turner has just been absolutely insane. Just on an insane heater. You know, obviously the ovations worked in the beginning.

But, I mean, what Trey Turner is doing now is just being the Trey Turner. And he's making up for lost time. I mean, this has not been the Trey Turner of his entire career. I mean, he is three home runs away from setting a career high, which is ridiculous. So, there were some positives from tonight. Obviously, Trey Turner is one of them. And I know this is going to sound trying to, like, I don't know, put lipstick on a pig or whatever.

But I do think it's the Phillies are – if I was the Braves, right, I don't think I would be thrilled about playing the Phillies. It wouldn't obviously happen in the wildies are, if I was the Braves, right, I don't think I would be thrilled about playing the Phillies. It wouldn't obviously happen in the wildcard round. So you would have to play games in Citizens Bank Park. The fact that they keep coming back and, and show they're not really afraid of the Braves. I think off of what happened last year does matter a little bit. And it does put a little bit of fear.

Iglesias might be the new Jonathan Broxton for all you fans from 08 to 09-ish where they just destroyed Jonathan Broxton. That might be Rossiell Iglesias. So if you get him in Citizens Bank Park in big games, I'd like to see how that goes. You know, Max Fried was nasty tonight. Zach Wheeler wasn't. That's a big negative is that Wheeler didn't have his good stuff tonight.

They fouled off a ton of pitches. I believe he had like 60 pitches through the first four innings. So he was not efficient. He's down like 93 a lot tonight. But also, like, he got squeezed early a lot too as well. I mean, the strike zone all night was incredibly inconsistent. So who knows how it goes. But regardless, you know, Braves did their job against Zach Wheeler.

The Phillies didn't do their job against Max Free. But they keep coming back. And I do think that is important. And I do think it does create a little bit of fear in the Braves' mind of, like, man, they just won't go away. Now, in a perfect world, we close it out. And we don't keep blowing these games. And we sweep the Braves rather than we have to talk ourselves into moral victories

because we are continuing to blow big games in the later stages of the game. But I do think there's definitely a little bit of like, man, they just won't really go away. And I do give the Phillies credit for continuing to fight back. I mean, that's a game 6-1 against the Braves. You could have easily packed it up and gone home and they didn't do that. Also, Sir Anthony, I thought, looked pretty good tonight. Still not

perfect, but I thought it was smart of Thompson to get him in a 6-1 game. Very low leverage. Just try to get some feel for some pitches. I thought for the most part tonight, Sir Anthony Dominguez did his job. Let's go to Jim in South Philly.

What's happening, Jim? Jack, how are you? Not great, buddy. Well, I'm even more frustrated than you. I called in this week about Renuto before you went into your rant. You had me, you had me, you had me until you lost me.

Look, Renuto's been hitting under 200 at home, two weeks ago he was hitting 163, which one is in scoring position. He hasn't had a walk-off hit of any kind since 2021. So that's not a small sample size. So then, where you lost me, now let's throw out. I would not have Mero bought under any circumstances. But I can tell you, I would have a manager

who would be looking at the stats as they are and not the pedigree that Romero had two, three, and four years ago. My point, he would not have been anywhere near home plate in that situation, period. You can laugh at me. You can say he makes $28 million. That doesn't win games. If you can remember one of the games you mentioned,

the bottom of the ninth, home run, I guess it's Washington. That's a foul, Paul. Who stuck out with the bases loaded? No, it was against the Giants. They had the bases loaded, and then he swung at a 3-2 pitch that was basically in New Jersey. That was Renuto again.

I know. Look, you need somebody. You need somebody. But you want Garrett Stubbs in that situation. Is that what you're saying? Bingo, because he will bunt, and if he doesn't get the bunt down, he'll put the ball in play. Wow, we don't know that for sure.

Look, I'm sorry. Like I said, you can laugh at me. I'm not laughing at you. Just whatever. But I've been laughed at before when I make the suggestion because what it says is somebody is willing

to accept a strikeout, which you are going to get, rather than maybe moving the guys to second and third. And let me tell you, as I sat here and the meter came up, I said, he's going to strike out, and Castellanos is going to win the double play. Not because I'm pushing, because I watch every game, and that's what they do.

So if you want a better chance of winning, you put a guy up who can bunt, and if he doesn't bunt, he will put the ball in play. You move the guys at second and third, if Castellano hits his infield ground out, you score the tying run. So I don't care if I'm left out. I put up a guy like Stubbs to bet for a $28 million a year guy

who hasn't done it for three years. I got you, Jim. I got you. No one's laughing at you. My whole feeling, and again, you can disagree if you want um but i just think that sends such a bad locker a bad message to the locker room and it says like if i like i feel like if i'm jt's teammates i'm like he's still our guy we want him up in that spot. JT obviously feels bad, I'm sure, leaving the ballpark tonight. Like, he's a human being. I just think that if you pinch hit Garrett Stubbs for JT, how that looks,

I just think it does more harm in the locker room than good. If you're one of those people that doesn't care about the locker room and these guys are professionals and they'll get over it, I'm sure they will. But, you know, I just – I would not do that if I was them. And I would like my $25 million a year catcher to be able to come through in that situation. He hasn't done it. Runner in scoring position has been a huge problem.

I mean, like, he hasn't laid down a bun since 2015. I get it. I mean, in a world where egos and where feelings and whatever didn't matter, sure, put Garrett Stubbs in there. I just think that he does more harm than good in that locker room. And Cassianos, it's like, just, this is going to sound so simplistic And I promise you hitting is harder than this But if you see it Starting to tail in

Just please don't swing And why has it always got to be the first pitch Can you just Extend the arms You know It's like every time It starts diving in on his hands, there he goes flailing at it.

Just don't swing. Just don't swing. Take a deep breath. Frustrating night. Frustrating night. Owen is in Flemington. What's happening, Owen? Hey, I had to call in and support my buddy, Fritz, man.

Thank you, man. It's been a tough night. I appreciate it. Yeah, it's a tough night, but, I mean, we got support my buddy, Fritz, man. Thank you, man. It's been a tough night. I appreciate it. Yeah, it's a tough night, but, I mean, we've got to look at the positives here, man. Always. We were always in it with this team that supposedly is so much better than us, and I would rather lose these games in September than October. And the bullpen looked great tonight, and that's a great positive moving forward. And I bet you this, Zach Wheeler is not going to pitch that way in October. And the bullpen looked great tonight. That's a great positive moving forward.

And I bet you this, Zach Wheeler is not going to pitch that way in October. So we don't got to worry about that. The doubters, man, just calling in. Well, I mean, it's just like, oh, and

you see it the same way. I live and die with these games. I'm sure you do, too. It's just like, oh, and you see me the same way. Like, I live and die with these games. I'm sure you do, too. It's just wild to me that every time they lose, like, well, they're going to miss the playoffs. It's like just deep, deep breaths. I'm not there at all. It's really just they've had so many amazing moments that have just been

completely wasted because they can't just take a lead. Like, every home run is a game-tying home run rather than they go ahead. And that's where my frustration comes from. And, yeah, it's annoying that it happens against the Braves. I mean, that makes it extra annoying. Yeah, I mean, the good news is no extra runner in the playoffs. Oh, they're fine. World Series, baby.

Here we come. No ghost runner. We're fine. Appreciate the call. They're fine. World Series, baby. Here we come. No ghost runner. We're fine. Appreciate the call. I'm sorry. Might have cut you off there. Man. That's what we're here for. We're here to talk our way through it. 215-592- 94-94 is how you

get in. On the other side, we'll get to a look ahead to tomorrow night. A fun quote from Zach Wheeler after the game that I don't want you to miss. We'll hand things off to Jody Mack and run all your phone calls. Coming up next here on the Final Out.

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Make the switch at southjerseygas.com slash lovemyhome. And listen, if Wheeler makes a better pitch there, he gets out of that inning, obviously that's a totally different ballgame tonight. And it's uncharacteristic of Zach Wheeler. He's been really good. I mean, again, this last little stretch, he's looked ridiculous. Tonight just didn't have it. And that stinks.

But, again, if he can just limit the damage there, and he took full accountability postgame for it. So that one's on him. I like that, you know, I like that they take it on themselves and say, you know, it's on me. And I think that stuff kind of matters when talking about a clubhouse. Because I think they are close. And I think they don't want to let each other down. So I was glad you did that. But the most interesting quote to me from Zach Wheeler postgame,

and there's no audio of it, so I'm sorry. But, yeah, Mark Bauman, obviously the longtime Braves beat reporter, was at the Wheeler thing. And Wheeler was talking about the home runs to Acuna. And he said, and then I just hung a curveball to, what's his name? Acuna. So a nice little shot there I mean uh it's it's nice having a good old-fashioned sports hate again and this Braves team it just brings out all the anger and all the the emotion um because they're I mean they're

really good like it's I'm not I I don't they're Mickey Mouse. I don't think they're frauds. I mean, Acuna should win the MVP, in my opinion. Olsen's got 51. Albies is fine. He's whatever. I think he's a tad overrated. But it's just Riley kills them. So it's more out of, like, respect.

But the Phillies have held their own. I mean, it's not like they've completely rolled over. If the pitching staff does their job a little bit better here, this is a totally different series. They've hit with the Braves, and we talk about the Braves having the same OPS as the 1927 Yankees as a team.

We always put the 27 Yankees up there and hold them in such high regard. Well, the Braves have done that this year, and the Phillies, since August 1st, have been the better offensive team, which means something. If this pitching staff could just lock in for a month,

it's a totally different ballgame. That's what makes it frustrating, because the offenses that we dreamed about is here, and if they can just get back to early season a little bit, I mean, they could do some damage.

I mean, the Dodgers are down their two best starters, and Kershaw's banged up again. I mean, this could be a head-on collision, Phil's Braves, if the Phillies pitching staff can do their job. And they have the capability to do it, they have the stuff to do it, the offense has arrived, just step up. We'll get to some phone calls here

in one second tomorrow. Chris Sanchez on the mound versus Spencer Strider. I know Strider still has, I mean, listen, Strider's a really, really good pitcher. Strikes at a ton of guys, but he's in a 4-15 ERA in his last seven starts, and it's been weird.

So he has a start where he allows one earned, and then he allows six earned. And then he has three starts where he allows one earned run total. And his last two starts, he goes four earned and six earned. So you really don't really know what you're going to get from Spencer Strider. Either way,

just... I was calling for a split. It's all I cared about. I didn't need three or four. I didn't need to get ahead of myself. A nice split would just do wonders for me. So it's daunting. It's Spencer Strider versus Chris Sanchez. Chris Sanchez, I still think, has done his job more often than not this year,

so it's definitely a daunting task, but could really use a split tomorrow. Could really use a split. Brian's in Churchville. What's happening, Brian? Hey, what's going on, Jack? What's going on, man? How are you?

Well, I'm doing well, thanks. But yeah, tonight was rough. There's no getting around it. Yeah. So yeah, I'll rough. There's no getting around it. Yeah. So, yeah, I'll start with the positives. And I echo a lot of what you have already said. They definitely can hang with that Braves offense, which is great. I mean, they're literally never out of a game, which is awesome.

Six to one, you're like, they're not coming back. And they came back. So, but then it's just the situational, you know, game, you know, Trey hits the game tying home run, obviously. And then the, trying to think, It was Harper and Bomer on. Yep. And I know Real Muto hasn't...

It's not a bunter, but I don't know. He's still got to do a job. It's not letting JT off the hook. If he hasn't bunted it a while, like he hasn't bunted since 2015, fine. But just don't strike out, man. Do something. Do something.'t strike out, man.

Do something. Do something. Hit a ball to right. I'm not asking for a home run. Hit a ball to right field. Well, I mean, Acuna is a hose in right field, so maybe not. But get the guy to third base. I mean, anything but a strikeout, and it just seems like it's over and over again with this.

Well, and that's the thing, and it's amazing that it's at our home park, which is a hitter's park, which is mind-boggling. And then, unfortunately, the guy after him has been a double play hitting machine recently. It was just a case of I felt like they could have really put a nail in the brave psyche tonight if they would have won that game. And look, I think they still did to a point. Well, they're definitely

in Iglesias' head. That's for sure. Yes, agreed. But once they didn't win the game in the night, you're like, oh, crap. They're going to lose. What a time. What a time, Brian. I appreciate the call. Yeah, I mean, that's,

it's fair. I mean, that's, that's what tonight was. It was like, they tied it as soon as they tied it and they didn't just end it. I was like, well,

here we go again. Here we go again. Dave's in Maryland. What's happening, Dave? Hey, what's up, Jack?

It's obviously frustrating. The only thing I would possibly criticize Thompson about tonight would be when Baum hit the single after Turner got the home run. Pinch run for him. I felt like if you put FF Cave or Castro in there, Bryce's hit could have gotten him to third. That ball was smoked and Acuna does have a hose.

I don't think Cave gets a third. Maybe Castro does. Yeah, maybe. All the other stuff, the players got to produce. They're going blow for blow with these guys. I was at both games yesterday. The Braves, if you

kind of look, they don't want to play. I know they have nothing to be afraid of. They're a machine. If I'm them, I don't want the Phillies to get the four or the five seed. I don't think the Phillies can beat the Braves in a seven-game series, but I

think they can beat them in a five like they did last year. And that 4-5-1 matchup is looking like it's going to happen. And, you know, they've got to get by the Cubs or the Diamondbacks first. You know, hopefully that's a home series. But this Braves team, they don't – I think Iglesias is in trouble, and then, you know, you're going to throw Brad Hand. Brad Hand being the one on the mound and the Mars strikeout. It brought me immediately back to Game 5,

where Brandon Mars could have hit a ball in the air and get a job done. We're going to play them when it counts. They might beat us, but they're going to be – I mean, we're going to play them when it counts. And, hey, they might beat us, but they're going to have to earn it. I think I like our chances. Well, I hope so, Dave. And I appreciate the call. Now, good news so far. I'm trying my best not to jinx it. But the Rockies are up 6-4 in the ninth against the Cubs with one out.

So hopefully they can close that one out. And tonight's not a disaster from the standing standpoint. They stay up on the Cubs and all that good stuff. The one thing that I think is interesting, and, you know, he lets Marsh bat there. Part of the reason why they got Rodolfo Castro is because he has like a 950 OPS against lefties this year. I think this might be the last two years.

So the fact that they didn't feel comfortable with him in that spot, and I don't blame him. I would not have as well. But the Castro kind of having a roster spot right now because they can't option him because he has no options left, it's killing him because that probably should have been Weston Wilson. I mean, Weston Wilson has 31 home runs for the Iron Pigs. So, like, that's a – like, it's a roster problem if he can't hit –

if you don't trust him to hit against lefties, and that's supposed to be the thing that he does well. But either way, it's small potatoes. But still, you know, if that's Weston Wilson, maybe this game turns out a little bit differently, which is not something that I anticipated saying at the beginning of the year. Either way, thanks for letting me have this venting session. It was a tough night.

And again, tomorrow becomes huge. Losing three or four of the Braves at home, a place that's been really a special place since August 4th, would just be crushing. So it's been a stride on the mound. I thought Rob Thompson, you know, what he said postgame, and again, when people are like, oh, this guy isn't what he's doing, he's a buffoon, like, you know, he's not thinking out there.

I mean, the fact that he's breaking down, like, why it was important to get Minter in the game, why it was important to get Iglesias in the game, and how they pitched three straight days, and that's why Pinchett stopped in a situation. I mean, that's thinking the game and being in a good spot. So they should be down Iglesias

tomorrow. They should be down AJ Minter tomorrow. So hopefully that kind of breaks well for the Phillies. Either way, that's going to do it for me. We will take you into the game tomorrow on Marks and Reese, and I will have you for postgame as well. Jody Mack will take you through the rest of the night here on WIP. Francisco Rojas produced the and Reese, and I will have you for postgame as well. Jody Mack will take you through the rest of the night here on WIP. Francisco

Rojas produced the program tonight and did a great job, as always. Thanks for hanging out. Thanks for the eventing session, and I'll talk to you tomorrow here on Sports Radio 94 WIP.