High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Phillies Pitching Implodes In Loss To Boston

Episode Date: June 13, 2024

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies blowing a 4-0 lead to the Red Sox on Wednesday night at Fenway Park. 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

Make your nights unforgettable with American Express. Unmissable show coming up? Good news. We've got access to pre-sale tickets so you don't miss it. Meeting with friends before the show? We can book your reservation. And when you get to the main event, skip to the good bit using the card member entrance.

Let's go seize the night. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Visit amex.ca slash yamex. Benefits vary by car and other conditions apply. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names

to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago. It is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is. Another fact. So jump aboard the B.I.B. Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app

or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome on in. It is the final out, sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable never looks so good. Jack Fritz hanging out with you on this Wednesday night and frankly a surprising Wednesday night. It's not very often we see the Phil's pitching staff

get hit around like that. Some sloppy baseball. Not a great night up in Fenway. Let's get into it. The game wrap up sponsored by Blazer Swiss Lube and Crevitz, the metal working fluid specialist providing professional CNC machine cleaning, coolant maintenance programs, and waste coolant

disposal. Crevitz.online 215-592-9494 to get in. If you're leaving Fenway, again, we talked to some people that left Fenway last night. Another good Phillies crowd there tonight. Looked like another kind of invasion.

Or if you're like myself and sitting on the couch here and want to react, get in. 215-592-9494. Phil's lose. Come back. They fought late. I'll give them credit for that. But overall, not a great night.

The biggest takeaways of the game brought to you by Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. And the first big takeaway is obvious. Chris Sanchez didn't have it. You know, Chris Sanchez, this is how he looked. You know, it was maybe a mush by me in leading off. But in his last six starts, so before his last six starts, he had a weird three-game stretch where it looked like he just lost feel for his changeup and lost his command for a couple starts.

And it was a lot like tonight where he was battling, he was fighting himself. I mean, it's rare, I feel like, in watching Sanchez, really since he's gotten on this run, where you see guys barrel him up the way that he was getting barreled up tonight. But he was getting smoked. It wasn't just some fluky hits. There were some balls that were ripped at people. A lot of hard contact off of Chris Sanchez tonight.

Now, it was only 67 pitches, and the pitch count is always sponsored by the Plumbers Union Local 690. Protecting the health of the nation, visit Plumbers690org and rob thompson just just didn't have a choice now there's a lot of armchair managing going on right now which you know it feels a smidge nitpicky and maybe it's it's just my mentions but i don't understand the mindset of how do you let him start the fifth inning like look what are we talking about here guys like what are we talking about sure did chris sanchez not have his best stuff tonight a hundred percent we're people are mad at rob thompson for putting him out there in the fifth inning in a 4-1 game when we've seen Chris Sanchez get better as games go on.

This is what we're nitpicking when they're 45-20 is they have that big of a lead. By the way, Braves lose again. And we're bitching and complaining about trusting. By the way, Rob Thompson is a trust guy. It is what he does. He values trusting players because it ultimately, ultimately gets the most out of them. And it's part of why they play for Rob Thompson. I do not get the idea of not letting him pitch the fifth inning in a 4-1 game.

It's crazy to me. It's crazy. I know they lost. I know it backfired. I know it didn't work. But can we just take a deep breath and and and maybe have a little bit of faith not everything is this the sky is falling all the time and if you want the numbers here's the numbers first time through a lineup Chris Sanchez batters are hitting 293 off them second time through a lineup 245

third time through 242 I'll take a chance on Chris Sanchez finding his release point and giving them solid innings. We don't need to burn. It's a 4-1 game before the fifth. There were some annoying things that happened in the fifth. David Dahl throws to the wrong base. Jaron Duran has an infield hit that they throw away at first base. It's logic that I can't get behind. Like I'm,

I'm for accountability. I'm for holding Rob Thompson accountable when I feel like it's necessary. That's unnecessary to me. That is not a mistake by Rob Thompson having Chris Sanchez go out there for the fifth. Like we gotta, got to take a deep breath sometimes and calm down. That's my first big thing. Obviously, Chris Sanchez didn't have it. Jose Ruiz came in. And I have some thoughts on maybe something Rob Thompson's doing there. And Turnbull, I agree with Thompson after the game.

I mean, he hasn't pitched in 10 days. And that's the one kind of downfall or downside of the London series is a lot of time off. A lot of time off. You have the two days before they play the game on Saturday, Sunday, then the off day Monday to travel back. It's just when pitchers, they're just sitting for so long and it gets them out of a rhythm. Turnbull, there hasn't really been opportunities for him.

There hasn't been many laughers. Starters are going deep. They haven't been getting blown out. So it's kind really been opportunities for him. There hasn't been many laughers. Starters are going deep. They haven't been getting blown out. So it's kind of been unfortunate for him. And he was really good in his last outing where he went a couple innings and saved the bullpen. I think that was in Taiwan only went four. But, yeah, just clearly didn't have it tonight.

So the first big takeaway, Sanchez didn't have it. The Phillies lineup, some good and some bad I want to highlight here. Castellanos, kind of looking serviceable at the plate. Now, two-hole, when Trey's back, don't need that at all. But had an almost inside-the-park home run, which was pretty shocking. I did not have Castellanos almost hitting an inside-the-park home run on my bingo card tonight. But he's looking serviceable at the plate.

I know the average is still low, but you're starting to see some signs of life from Castellanos, and that's obviously huge with JT missing the next month and Brandon Marsh not back yet. So Castellanos slowly, slowly looking serviceable. Whit Merrifield, again, a lot of baby steps here when talking about the lineup, but he had a couple good games in London. He had a big hit tonight.

He walked twice, signed the life from Whit. David Dahl, another double. I thought, I mean, he was, again, just missed a game-time home run in the ninth. I thought for a second it was gone. But again, every single time David Dahl swings, I feel like the ball is about to get launched. So maybe I have a David Dahl problem. But, but, he smoked a double off the monster.

So continuing to look like the Phillies might have found something there. Maybe it can be the turn ball of the outfield. Stott had a double, which is good to see because they need to get him going. All good. All good. The one that is really sticking out to me from a this is killing them standpoint is what Alec Baum is doing. Since May 1st, he's hitting 221 with a 603 OPS. Since May 1st. Not good enough. I mean, 603 OPS is just dreadful. I mean, that's approaching Rojas territory. And he's been more streaky than I think people like to say about Alec Boehm

because they view him as more of a pure hitter. But he's your four hitter. He's in a run-producing position. He's now second in Major League Baseball and rbis it's just he's got to get going i i don't know what else you could really say i mean it's just pointing out the obvious he's not doing his job right now but again you got to kind of ride with him the the the issue here is that i know he hit the home run in game 7 in the NLCS, but they didn't have anyone else they could put in that four spot. They're kind of running into the same thing right now

with what Boehm is doing in the four hole. So I think for a lot of our fear about what happened at the end of last year, getting Boehm at least somewhere close to what he was doing in the first month and a half of the season is just imperative for this team. And then my final takeaway before we go to the phones, 215-592-9494, is what a massive spot by Sir Anthony tonight. Bases a little one out and gets out of it without allowing a run. And he continues to look the part, continues to look the part. Kirkering and Sir Anthony's development in the last three weeks,

I think has been one of the most exciting developments about this baseball team. And Sir Anthony, like that's a, that's a confidence building spot of like, okay, I'm, I got it. I'm back. So there's really, I'm really happy for Sir Anthony. You know, I think he's a really talented pitcher. I thought he was in a bad place after that Angels game where it's like, man, they might have to send him down.

I mean, of course there's overreaction calls to DFA the guy. I get it. Stuff was still there. Had to find his mechanics. Had to find some depth to his slider. And it really looks like they're getting about as good of a surrounding as we've seen in a long, long time. 2-1-5-5-9-2. 94-94 to get in.

On the other side, they play the game. And a theory on something that I think Rob Thompson is trying out. We'll get to all that coming up next on the Final Out on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Hey, fantasy football owners. The road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. I'm Matt Harmon

from Reception Perception. Join me and James Coe as we take a deep dive into the position that's going to make or break your fantasy roster. Wide receivers. We analyze route running, target a deep dive into the position that's going to make or break your fantasy roster, wide receivers. We analyze route running, target share, and all the metrics that matter, giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers. As you prep for your draft, let us give you the coverage you need. Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app

or wherever you get your podcasts. Swung on and blasted high and deep right field. Going back, Castellanos and he's out of room. Home run for David Hamilton. Straight away right field. Fourth of the year. It's a two run shot

and it's 8-4 Boston. That is our play of the game sponsored by Mike's Amazing the official mayo and mustard of the Phillies. Yes, David Hamilton, the official mayo and mustard of the Phillies. Yes, David Hamilton, the home run that kind of put this game out of reach. It was, that made it 8-4. Phil's obviously made it 8-6 by the end.

If he doesn't hit that, maybe it's a different ballgame. And yeah, the Spencer Turnballs didn't have it tonight. There's a lot of guys that hadn't pitched in a while that came in and did some things tonight. Sanchez didn't have his best stuff. Rob Thompson said after the game that he doesn't buy throwing to a new catcher as a reason why maybe the usage of some of his pitches was a little bit off. I think there's a comfortability to throwing to guys that you're used to as a pitcher. Stubbs has been here for two years. Stubbs has been here for two years.

Chris Sanchez has been here for two years. I think there is something to it to where you just are more used to it. Raphael Marchand, I think, is a good defensive catcher, but there is a camaraderie that does get formed between a pitcher and a catcher that I think that it does throw you off a little bit. Maybe it gives you less conviction in your pitches. So while Rob Thompson is not making an excuse for Chris Sanchez there, and I do appreciate that, I don't totally buy it.

I think that throwing through a new catcher that you haven't thrown through before is not the easiest thing in the world. You know, like some pitchers, some people can do it. Some people can't. Pitchers are finicky. It kind of is what it is. But I don't just completely brush it aside. I think Chris Sanchez is fine. Velocity

was still really, really up tonight. Guy just squared him up. He wasn't sharp. It happens. And Spencer Turnbull, again, he hasn't pitched this month. He hasn't pitched in forever. And it kind of stinks for Spencer Turnbull.

I understand money-wise why they went back to tyler walker they couldn't just like bury tyler walker they're paying him for another two and a half years so you can't just be like nah we're not even gonna give you the opportunity now obviously in a in a just world that the guys that earn it they get out there and they they get the to go pitch and stuff like that we all understand that earn it, they get out there and they get to go pitch and stuff like that. We all understand that. But it's also a business and they're paying him. Stinks for Spencer Turnbull. It was on a one-year, $2 million deal.

Had the lowest ERA, I believe, in the NL when, or if not the lowest, like the third lowest ERA in the NL when he was put back into the bullpen. Now is just hoping that, I mean, they talked before the game about how, like, is he even stretched out anymore? Like, can he give them six innings if they had to put him back in the rotation? And that's the, one of my big concerns

when they took him out of the rotation is, well, if Taiwan stinks, can they just put him back in there? Is he going to be okay? Or is there going to be, like, a ramp-up period here? Like, there was some expensive turnbull magic that might be gone.

So, yeah, Turnbull definitely didn't have it. But I have a theory here. And, you know, the Phillies, I think, are being pretty smart about managing these guys to make sure that they're getting through the season and not running them into the ground in June. And when you have the 25 games over 500, you have the 10-game lead in the division,

it allows you to try things. And I think what Rob Thompson has done, now Sunday against the Mets, bringing Soto into that spot, I thought was ridiculous. That's a strong spot. In the back of my mind, I'm like, obviously, if that's a postseason game, Strom's in that spot. In the back of my mind, I'm like, obviously, if that's a postseason game,

Strom's in that spot. We know that. But it's like, okay, why is he doing that? Rob Thompson's not a dumb guy. Everything he does I feel like is calculated. I think he has a good pulse on this team. So why is he doing that? So I'm thinking that.

And then tonight, Jose Ruiz in that spot. I like Jose Ruiz. I think he's had, he's been a bit of a revelation here. I think he's got good stuff. But in a 4-3 game, that's probably a spot where you go to Kirkering, who hasn't pitched since Saturday, or you go to Sir Anthony, which he eventually went to late, but that was an 8-4 ball game. You could have used one of them there and then used the other in that spot. So my theory is, is he trying out these guys for high leverage spots to see how they handle it so that if one of these guys, they kind of sit for a little bit or maybe phantom IL

or just take out of the bullpen. They did this with Strom in early, around where that red series was. There was obvious spots for Strom. They're worried about his pitch count. They're worried about wearing him down. And they essentially just sat him for a week. I think they're going to start doing that with some of these bullpen pieces. And they need to find out if Jose Ruiz can come in in a high-lever spot

and get out of it, if Gregory Soto can do it. Soto looked better tonight in the ninth. Will I trust him? Never. But there has to be – I think there's a method to the madness with this stuff because i think they're going to start giving these guys some prolonged periods of of being off and jose ruiz has not been used a lot gregory soda has not been used a lot they do have stuff and i think as they try to manage their ways through later games maybe when those guys are in a break period

that's where you'll see more joseiz and Gregory Soto. So it's a theory. Do I know it for a fact? No, but they have been very calculated with when they want to give these guys some breaks. In 2022, I think I talked about this the other night. I remember they did this with Sir Anthony. They did this with Ranger. They did it with Alvarado. They did it with Wheeler, where they just gave those guys time off. And whether it was an IL stint, how injured they really were, I'm not sure, or just kind of putting them on the back burner. They've done this the last couple of years, and it's worked out pretty well for them. And then they believe in it. And I would not be surprised if that's something that they're trying with jose ruiz gregory soto and some of these other arms i think they've tried with kirkering and he's kind

of you know killing it so it's been it's been good the development of kirkering 215-592-9494 ziggy is in delco what's happening zig yeah hello ziggy not there jerry the truck horn driver. What's happening, Jerry? Oh, that's a soft horn, Jerry. Is that because the Phil's lost tonight? Yeah, I got to give him a soft horn tonight, Jack, because, you know, you can't give him the good horn. Yeah, we can't go full horn tonight, Jerry, on an 8-6 loss.

We got to do the soft horn. So here's my thing, Jack. I don't call upon around a whole lot. I wanted to call tonight because it's just how the game played out. I was listening to it off and on and it was just one of those

games, Jack. You and I play baseball. We both play baseball. We know how the game goes. You play enough games. We've play baseball. We know how the game goes. You play enough games. We've got a 10-game cushion. We're going to be fine. Now, everybody's going to start blaming that real Muto's out, and now we're playing Stubbs and Marcel Marceau.

We're playing him tonight, you know. And if you don't know who Marcel Marceau is, he's a – has to look it up. Okay. That's why I call him Marcel Marceau. But, you know, it's just one of those games, Jack. We just didn't – we hit the ball a little bit. We didn't hit any long balls. But when the pitching's not up to snuff, we're not going to win these games.

It's just one of those games, Jerry. You know, we've been blessed with having this pitching staff so far this year. Like, I think we can handle a stinker every once in a while and be like, you know what, there is still some bad outings that can happen to us. We've been pretty spoiled with this pitching staff. So, yeah, you know, it happens, Jerry. I don't know what to tell you. We don't need to freak out all the time.

I drive up and down the byways and the highways right now. I'm in South Carolina getting ready to get into North Carolina and be done with my night here in about 20 minutes. You know, I reflect on the game, but it's just one of those games that we just didn't have tonight, you know? So, I do want to apologize for the other day that people that don't know but that you know but i don't know it's all right jerry it's all well we'll be all right i appreciate you taking my call on the final out jack

and i will i will hear i will be talking to you soon on the mid on the afternoon show sounds good jerry thank you so much buddy jerry the truck horn driver a soft horn tonight buzz he I will be talking to you soon on the afternoon show. Sounds good, Jerry. Thank you so much, buddy. Jerry, the truck horn driver. A soft horn tonight, Buzz. When they lose a ball game, he's not... You can't be giving the big horn? Yeah, we're not getting full horn from Jerry. You're going to give him a soft horn.

What happened the other day that people don't know about, by the way? I'll tell you off the air. Oh, it's that kind of story. Yeah, well, it's just... Can't repeat what he said on these airwaves. So, yeah, appreciate it, Buzz. Dynamite drop-in. 2-1-5-5-9-2.

94-94 is how you get in. On the other side, we'll get to the player of the game. We'll get to the player of the game and a look ahead to tomorrow. Big pitching matchup and what could be a tough, tough game for the Phillies offense. All that's coming up next on the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Swing and a high bouncer. Going to be tough. Charging Merrifield.

Has it. Fires to first. Harper can't dig it out. It gets by. Two runs are going to score. Duran takes off for second. And it's a one-run ball game as the Red Sox have climbed back in and it's 4-3 now.

Welcome on back. It is the final out on Sports Radio 94. WYIP is always sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable never looks so good. One of the plays of the game tonight. Jaron Duran is my player of the game, which is sponsored by South Jersey Gas. Committed to providing safe, reliable

affordable natural gas. Make the switch at southjerseygas.com slash lovemyhome. And that was a hit off a lefty. Jaron Duran has not been good against lefties at all. Tough play by Whit Merrifield. Sure, you could have eaten it and not had the throwing error, but people get so mad at this saying, but it's baseball. I don't know.

Sometimes it's just baseball. So frustrating night. A lot of little stuff that went wrong. A little bleeder up the middle. Scores two and bang, Chris Sanchez. Not his best night, but, you know, even with that, it was three runs. Obviously, Jose Ruiz came in and didn't really do his job either. But I think a lot of this has to do with rust,

and the London series added a lot to the rust factor. An annoying night, but we'll see how tomorrow goes. Speaking of tomorrow, we'll get to the pitching matchup here in one second. Let's try Ziggy and Delco again. What's happening, Zig? What's up, Jack? So you've got a Unionville grad here, so I know the Chessmont greatness here.

Just wanted to put that out there. There's so much Chessmont greatness. It's not even funny. I think you know that team. We won't get into that. But we know the Little League World Series team. That's right. That's right.

Yeah. But anyway, so I just wanted to talk to you about tonight because I think a lot of these fake fans are going to call and say, like, ah, he does over. You can blame Joe G and Spike for this one. Well, it is fair to blame Joe Giglio. If there is one person we can – We've got Spike on the blame list, too.

Like, I sent you a DM. We've got to burn that. It's easy to treat if they blow this lead. I don't think they will. Yeah, I mean, it's just when you put that out in the universe, it's just – it doesn't sit well with me. Like, he kept saying it. Oh, it's way too early.

Way too early. It's such a takesman. Like, and let's be honest. They're probably going to win the division. It's just, when you put it out this early, there's a lot of pain, you know? And you didn't need it is really the key point here. You didn't need it. It's all loss and there's no win.

And it just, I'm with you now, man. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat now. But basically, I just want to call in and say, because you talked me down from the trade deadline edge, and I just want to reiterate that. I don't see the need for it, because I like the dude from the White Sox. Luis Robert. But you talked me down from him. Yeah.

I liked him, but you talked me down from that, man. I think, first of all, can we agree, Painter is just absolutely untouchable. Painter and Aiden Miller are untouchable for me i would give up miller for an extent but i think painter is like you can't even touch that dude but i don't even feel the need to even to to even go there um the only thing that i think might be coming back to bite them is that a hobby with the uh you know the um Brandon trade. The Marsh trade. Yeah, the Marsh trade because now, I mean, Marsh has been great and everything,

but that's the only thing I can see that might bite them in there. Well, but at the same time, though, I mean, JT, it's the first time he's really been hurt. And Lohapie was good enough to start. So, unfortunately, he was blocked. They gave him a good player. It's actually, it's a rare, a rare win-win for both teams. It's pretty crazy. I think we need to just keep the fires out and talk everyone down

because I don't see a trade because I don't think we need to add anyone else right now. This team is great. I mean, it's unbelievably great, to be honest with you. These losses like this, people call up and act like their head's on fire. Relax, dude. It's a split series. They'll go out and win tomorrow guarantee it i hope so zake appreciate the phone call yeah the the trade deadline is going to be interesting the trade deadline is going to be interesting the one to monitor is if bone can't heat back up and then it's like well

crap like we're getting stuck here again where by the way it's back it would be 2022 castellanos was basically on unplayable on the floor spot but they kept in there last year bone was pretty dreadful where they're pitching around harper and yes he had the home run in game seven we get it but still if if he was productive they're probably in the world series like kimbrough happened we get it so you know if he can't heat back up again since may 1st he's hitting 221 with a around a 600 ops that's brutal and louis robert i just i'm so conflicted i'm just so conflicted about him because the the upside is tantalizing he's in a just a dog bleep organization with the chicago white socks there's a at real upside, but then it's also he's hurt all the time.

He strikes out all the time. He doesn't walk, and he's hitting like 200. Now, he's just coming back from injury, but still, like, it's just, I am, it's almost like the old devil on one shoulder, angel on the other shoulder. I don't know which side to go at with how I feel about Luis Robert. Three and a half years of controls in Tyson. Great center field defense.

38 home runs last year. There's a lot of good, but there's definitely some downsides. We'll see what happens. The Boehm thing is definitely one to monitor. Tomorrow's going to be a tough one. Just going to put it out there. It's going to be a pretty tough one. Tanner Houck's going for the Red Sox.

If you're not aware of who he is, so far this year, he's pitched to a 1-9-1 ERA in 85 innings pitch. So he's finally putting together. He's always had good stuff, but it seems like it's all kind of clicking for him. Andrew Bailey, the former Philly, by the way, really kind of went out and has really rejuvenized that staff. He's done a great job. A lot of guys having good years. Pavetta, not great tonight, but has had a good season. Either way, last five stars for Tanner Howe because of 1.38 ERA. Noel's been great. Noel has been fantastic. And who could forget Aaron Nola's

2018 start up in Fenway where he shoved against the eventual World Series champs and solidified himself in the Cy Young race. So we'll see how he does tomorrow night. But it's a really good pitching matchup. Tanner Houck versus

Aaron Nola. Either way, that's going to do it for me. Thanks to everyone who hung out. Buzz, Dan Wilson, producer of the program tonight. Robbie Yee, he'll take you through the rest of the night here on Sports Radio 94 WIP.