High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Phillies Sweep The Rangers!

Episode Date: August 11, 2025

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies' 4-2 win over the Rangers on Sunday to complete the road weekend sweep. 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

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With flexible coverage options from TV insurance, you only pay for what you need. need td ready for you runner at first the pitch swing and a miss he struck him out and the phillies sweep the rangers in arlington and they've got a five and a half game lead in the national league east after a four two win over texas another come from behind victory for the phils oh what a welcome sight. Phil sweep down in Arlington and look at that five and a half games up

in the division. Feels pretty good right now with the baseball team. Welcome on and it is the final out. Jack Fritz, live from the link as we are at Eagles Open Practice. Elliot might be sitting next me. Not allowed to talk during Final Out. We know what time it is. It is time

to lock in but of course we will have you covered with the open practice. So don't go anywhere. The Game wrap up is sponsored by Rotor when plumbing problems hit. Wrap them up quick and call Rotoruder. Their team tackles clogs and leaks so you can stay in the game. Roto Router, your MVP for plumbing solutions.

215-592, 94, if you're driving down to the link or watch us, one at home, would love to hear from you as well. As the fellas, again, take a 4-2 victory down in Texas and complete the sweep. The biggest takeaways of the game brought to you by Morgan and Morgan America's largest injury law firm. So heading into today, I believe there are four and nine this year in trying to close out a sweep. It had felt like it had been forever since they have gotten a sweep.

And credit to them, they went down there to Texas. A place, they haven't won in a long time. And I thought played a very professional series. And you're really starting to see this team find a formula. I know some of it can be frustrating. some of it can work out. But overall, I mean, this team is just playing damn good baseball. And the kind of thought I've had, obviously, Duran's been awesome and we'll get to Bader.

But I think the one thing that we're seeing is we're seeing a team when we talk about, I can't believe they ran it back. Well, one of the benefits of running it back is these guys know each other. They know what makes each other tick. And they've been through battles together. They've been through heartbreak together. And I think that that camaraderie is starting to really pay off for this team to where they can go on the road and play a good ball.

You know, and we talked about how before this stretch, they're right around 500 since June 1st, and there was a lot of, I don't know, like are they starting to be like last year, up to 32 and 27 cents. It feels like every time we're like, I don't know what this team, they find a way to keep pulling out wins. And I think we'd be able to tell if they were fluky wins, if they weren't sustainable wins.

We've seen fluke baseball teams. Heck, even the second half of last year, you kind of felt like, this doesn't feel right. It's a totally different feeling right now. A totally different feeling right now. And that's very, very exciting. The pitching report, your pitch count, is brought to you by the Plummers Union Local 690,

protecting the health of the nation, visit plumbers 690.org. 83 pitches for Zach Wheeler today felt like a load management type start. He was not super crisp. He wasn't bad. He only allowed two, which is good. He clearly grinded his way through it, got some strikeouts in the middle. But not exactly the typical Zach Wheeler start, although he did get the five innings pitched for the 41st consecutive game.

So Zach Wheeler did keep that. streak alive. But overall, that felt like a load management type start. Velocity was down a little bit. I'm still curious to see how he responds tomorrow. Did they let him go out there and see what he had? And maybe now they'll do an IL stint to make sure he's fresh for the stretch run. Nola seems like he's close. But 94 is down two ticks from what he's been this year. I know a lot of people have said that. The one thing I will point out is that the last couple of years, during this stretch, you have seen him decrease his velo, I think, to keep his arm fresh.

And this year, he's been living way more at 98 than I think he has in years past. So did he over-extend himself and now they're trying to rein it back in? Maybe. but it is certainly a huge, huge thing to watch with this team going forward is what are they getting out of Zach Wheeler? Do they feel the need to maybe IEL them with shoulder stiffness or shoulder soreness? Give them a couple starts off. Do they keep skipping starts?

Do they go six-man when Nola's back to spread this all out? I don't know. The nice part is that they do have options as long as Taiwan Walker is pitching well. 2-15-5-992, 94-94. And then final thing, before we go to the phone lines here, there's something cooking here with this platoon outfield thing. I don't, I didn't love it when they started it. Obviously, when you say you have a platoon,

well, it doesn't really mean you have a great answer for those spots. But heading into today, post-deadline, this outfield, which we have crushed, had the highest slugging percentage in baseball since the trade deadline. Today, Weston Wilson got the hit, which was good, a big hit in this game to give the Phil's the lead. So, you know, he's going to keep doing it. And as long as it keeps working, I don't think we need to do the, blah, there goes Rob Thompson doing the time. Because every time we're like, that seems like a dumb move. It feels like the guy goes off.

Kepler in there yesterday has a big night. Rob Thompson has been pulling a lot of right strings. I want Harrison Bader to play every day. I want Marsh to play every day. but you know what it's happening right now is they're winning a lot of games and they're getting a lot of production from the platoon outfield.

I actually think Casti is now in a platoon. Casti's hitting about 200 since, or I think he had a 200 in July hasn't exactly got off to the hottest start in August. I mean, he sat yesterday. That was surprising. I know big outfield, you want better defense. I get all that, but still

to that platoon Cassie after last year when he was dreadful at the end of the year is surprising. I think this is something Rob Thompson believes, and I think we might be getting some platoons in the infield. Sosa, Stott, Kemp, when Bones back, I mean, there's some kind of a rotation there to where they're going to try to maximize each game. So the platoons are going nowhere. 2.5-592-94-94.

Dan's leaving Globe Life. What's happening, Dan? Hey, Jack. We're outside Global Life Field after a big suite, and I just heard you talk about the platoon's up. Edmundo Sosol yesterday saved the game. He made two huge plays at third. And I said to my son before the game, I said, listen, Thompson went with an all-defensive lineup because we're facing to Grom. We never hit him well.

And he's trying to save runs. And he saved at least two runs yesterday just with the defensive alignment alone. Yeah, I mean, at some point we've got to just say the guy knows what he's doing and it's not just a stooge at the manager position. I'm curious, how is global life field? Is it a cool place to watch a ball game or is it like a... So my wife and I have been to 18 stadiums. This is our number 18.

Nice. Top three, I would say. It's comfortable in there. The air is coming. It's very nice. You know, everybody was nice to us for the most part. But when they booed Bryce, I said, you don't boo nobody's. I got some smirks there.

But other than that, it was nice. Well, listen, I appreciate you bringing home a sweep, Dan. And we certainly could use it. 215.5.592. 94. On the other side, a disappointment development up in leave. the player of the game and some other thoughts from this one. All coming up next on the final album, Sports Radio 94WIPA.

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Every week we sit down with the icons, disruptors, and game changers on the field and beyond it to talk victories, heartbreaks, and everything in between. We've built a space where athletes, change makers, and people creating the future. future of women's sports can show up and show off as their full unapologetic selves follow and listen to the recap show wherever you get your podcast reader into his windup and the pitch swung on hit high in the air right center fairly deep baiter back in the alley at the track at the wall he jumps at the wall and he robs him of a home run harrison bader leaping over the wall in right center takes a homer away from Corey Seeger.

Heck of a play by Harrison Bader, who they're not going to do it because again, like we just mentioned with the platoon thing that they got going on, but man, I think he brings a nice energy to this team. And I've said it before, I'll say it a million times. The guy just looks like a 93, Phil. He's got the hair, you know, he's got a little bit of a spark to him.

I like Harrison Bader. And you're starting to see some of the good defensive plays that he can make. It seems like he's very comfortable going back on the ball. There's a couple times, like one fell in front of him today. That could have been a miscommunication with Stott. There was also the play that Trey made where Bader was so far back. Now, that could have been no doubles defense.

It's a cavernous outfield in Globet, in Globe Life. So, who knows? But overall, he was billed as a plus defensive center fielder. And so far, I think that has bore itself out. And at the plate, listen, he'll take his walks. I don't think he's a world beater. But there's just something about him where in the postseason, I feel like he's going to have a moment.

There's going to be a Harrison Bader moment at CBP. He's got a big game, big game field of him. So he's been great. Obviously, I mean, Duran has just been, it's, I've said it. It reminds me of watching Sequan for the first time with the Eagles. We're like, I've seen closers before, right? We've all seen closers. And I'm not even going, like, Lidge is ridiculous in 08.

We know 48 for 48. I know Papabon is technically the team's all-time saves leader. By the way, we are 120 saves away from taking down Papabon's team record. But, you know, we've seen relievers here. We've seen Alvarado. We've seen Madsen. We've seen Gene Mar Gomez. But, like, then you see this dude, and it is a different category for pitchers.

It's ridiculous. Wagner. How can I forget Wagner? This guy's got Wagner fastball, but then also has a 98 mile an hour splitter, splinker, they call it. He is, and last night, he flashed a little sweeper. So I love the strikeout, little strut shimmy thing he's got going on. He is a big time game changer.

And I think the move legitimately sparked the team. I think the move of going and investing real action. assets in a real closer has legitimately sparked this team and has them, has them believing that, hey, Dave believes in us, let's go get it done. And I thought it was a mistake last year when he didn't, only going Estevez and Hayes. I thought it took some wind out of the sales of the, of the Phil's Clubhouse. This year, a totally different feel. The player of the game brought you by South Jersey Gas Conserve, helping customers and the

community save energy and money. Visit South Jersey gas.com slash conserved. I'm giving it to Rob Thompson. Like, Rob Thompson had a great series down in Arlington, whether it was choosing the right guys to play in the outfield, whether it was going with a defensive lineup last night, the pitching decisions worked out. The Strom situation, I just have this feeling with Strom that he's going to allow a 700-foot home run in the postseason. It's going to be backbreaking. Hopefully it's early in a series, but I wish there was another lefty besides Banksy that I totally trust. it in a high lever spot because Strom

feels like a high wire act. I thought he was coming out of the early season funk, but he looks right smack dab in the middle back into that thing. Now I will say, Kirkering and Duran is a pretty tough eight-nine to deal with. I do wonder though, last night it was the heart of the order

the Duran face, or the Kerkring face than the eighth. I wonder, or no, sorry, Strom finished them, started that inning in the eighth last night. I wonder in the postseason if it's harder the order in the eighth inning if they go Duran 8, and then Kirkran for the bottom of the lineup. But that's a conversation for another day.

But I thought, you know, Rob Thompson, everything in the lineup comes down, it's like, oh, there he goes, Thompson with the stupid platoons or stupid left, right, nonsense. The guy just keeps producing wins. And, you know, you're seeing the Mets kind of implode up there, fills five and a half up. Mets blew a five-nothing lead today.

Their big trade deadline by acquisition, Ryan Helsley has not had a good series. Like, you're seeing some of these teams that aren't able to, you know, replicate their success in the Phillies. are on pace to win 90 plus games again. I don't want to say they're on pace. They're currently on pace to win the division.

Do not want to get too ahead of myself, but they are on pace for 90 plus wins. So I just think we don't give Rob Thompson enough credit for the job that he does. Now, a disappointed development up at Lehigh Valley, Andrew Painter shelled, four and a third, seven earned. I've gotten to the point where as long as he gets through the year healthy, that's a win. I know that people are freaking out because the Phillies label them as untradable at the trade

Deadline. Untouchable, the trade deadline. 22-year-old kid coming back from Tommy John first professional baseball in a long time. I'll give him some grace, whereas I've seen guys like Alconcha and Strider coming off Tommy John, they're struggling as well. I'll give some grace to a 22-year-old. Some other thoughts from the night.

Trey's defense. Some good defensive plays in this game has a good defensive plays yesterday. He has really turned the corner from that standpoint. Obviously, been a little slower at the plate. It was great on Friday night. But defensively, you know, you don't get too nervous when the balls hit his way. right now, which is a very positive development.

Wayne is in Arlington. What's happening, Wayne? Hey, it's Wayne. I just left the parking lot at Globe Life. Nice. How was it? It was fantastic. And one of the things that was great about it, the place was filled with Philly fans.

Nice. And you're just all cheering. I mean, it was wonderful. You know, I'll tell you what, baseball, you have to watch them play. You watch these guys play. This is the real deal, you know? Wheeler didn't have his best stuff, but once he settled down, they didn't allow another run, right? And this is a good-hitting team.

Our relievers, great plays by Bader, Wow, Turner, great play in the field. And I have to apologize to Thompson, man. Why did he take the bat out of Sosa's hand? Well, I got that run, didn't they? You know? Yeah, my only thing with that, my only thing with that was it was a three-oh count. You know what I mean? I wouldn't just let him walk, so, yeah, but it worked out.

It worked out. Right. Windier would see a guy a month three and O. He did, but it worked out, right? You know? But it was amazing. It is so fun. And remember, we just swept a good team.

Thanks for letting me call. Appreciate it. Yeah, they appreciate the phone call, Wayne. Rangers are good. They play good baseball. I think that's actually a pretty scary. Of all, we've watched a lot of A.L. Ball the last two weeks from the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers.

White Sox don't really count. Rangers are right there at those teams. So it was impressive what they did this weekend down in Arlington. 215-5-92, 94-94. On the other side, another positive development for this team and a look ahead to tomorrow. All that's coming up next on the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Next pitch, swinging a drive to left. This is well hit.

Smith is back to the track. He looks up and it's gone. And Edmundo Sosa ties the game with a solo. shot to straightaway left. It's his sixth of the year, and we start over 2-2. Welcome back. It is the final. Out, Jack Fritz, live

at the link. Oh, the link's popping. But don't worry. We got one more second to talk about the fills as they sweep down in Arlington, continue to play good baseball, as the Mets also losers of seven straight, five and a half up

on the division. They blew a five-nothing lead today. So, Two teams currently going in opposite directions. One other thing here before we look at it to the weekend, or to the week in Cincinnati. We talk about the platoon in the outfield, and I actually think those guys are settling into the role. Marsh has seven pinch hits.

They seem like they know what to expect now, which that's on Rob Thompson, making sure that the communication is good with those guys. And it really feels like they're kind of embracing it in a way. They know what to expect. They know that, hey, be ready to go in the sixth, seventh, eighth. Like, we might have to get you ready to go. So I think that's been good.

But also, the bullpen is totally settled down. It's still, the strong thing is concerning. Banks has been great. Kirkering has been great. Obviously, Duran kind of changes the whole equation here. But when we talk about settling into rolls, when you have that guy at the back of the bullpen, it just makes everything.

so much easier and allows Thompson and really it's a it's an eight-inning ball game it is an eight-inning ball game oh is the Super Bowl MVP runs onto the field tomorrow down in Cincinnati a little earlier start a 610 start Taiwan Walker on the mound versus Andrew Abbott Abbott's been great this year Phil's kind of rough them up the last time though so we'll see what he has in store for tomorrow And the question is, you know, do they stick with Taiwan when Nola's back? What happens with Zach Wheeler? Do they feel the need to skip a start, feel a need to ILM? Who knows?

But again, velocity was down a little bit today, battled. But again, only 83 pitches. So certainly one to monitor there. But Taiwan has been serviceable because ERA in July was like three something. So you take that from Taiwan every single day of the week. All right, that's going to do it for me. But don't go anywhere. we got Eagles open practice coverage coming up next here on Sports Radio 94 WIPP.