High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Phillies Swept Out of Queens

Episode Date: August 28, 2025

Jack Fritz reacts to a disaster of a series at Citi Field as the Mets sweep out the Phillies and shrink the lead in the NL East to four games. 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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See Golden Nuggettcasino.com for details. Please play responsibly. As the pitch is popped up, shadow right, the second baseman McNeil makes the catch. And the Mets make their pitch for the last ditch charge in the National League. East not over by a long shot as they sweep the Phillies in this three-game set a six-nothing final here tonight as the Mets have trimmed the Phillies lead in the east to just four games oh what a cluster bleep welcome on it is the final out jack fritz hanging out with you here on this wednesday night as we react

and I guess cope or vent or whatever emotion you're feeling tonight with the Phillies going up and just, I feel like laying an egg is actually not doing it justice. First game, horrible last night, a little fight. And then tonight just truly felt like they did not have a chance. 215-592-924-94 the game wrap-up sponsored by roto-ruder when plumbing problems hit wrap them up quick and call roto-ruder their team tackles clogs and leaks so you can stay in the game a roto-ruder your MVP for plumbing solutions if you're up in new york i know a couple people in leading off or on the drive up i'm very sorry being in that ballpark and being surrounded by those fans and now they have this like

sense of superiority over us and and you walk in that ballpark and you kind of feel like they're going to lose if you were in the ballpark I'd love to hear from you or if you watched at home like I did a lot to feel a lot of emotions after what was a once hopeful thought heading into the series, completely dashed by Wednesday night at 10 o'clock. The biggest takeaway is the game brought to you by Morgan and Morgan America's largest injury law firm. And I have a lot of feelings. I think when you feel as if the game is over by the sixth inning, you have a lot of time to talk to yourself and kind of get a feeling. as to where you're at

rather than losing a game late and the raw motion is still hitting you. Where I kind of have settled after this, because it felt like a sweep pretty early. You know, Nolan McLean was amazing. Taiwan, I thought,

battled decently. And then when Viantos hit the home run, I would say the Phillies are good at heating up two players. Austin Riley and Mark Viantos. Austin Riley is someone who I don't care if he's hitting 240 before he plays the Phillies, he will go off and it seems like Viantos is doing the same thing. A new age Phillies killer.

But when they lose early or you have a feeling like it's going to go one way early and you'd be damn near flabbergasted if they were going to fight back and win a ball game, you have a lot of time to reconcile with what. you are watching and what you are feeling and where i've landed is i still believe in them and i i think it's a disaster series up there i'm incredibly disappointed was dying for two or three felt like i was going to die if they got swept they got swept they only have a four game lead now in the national league east but they never make things easy baseball is not a game to where things are supposed to be easy.

And I think what we are looking at with this team right now is another inflection point in the season. They rallied after the Wheeler injury, rattled off a nice five-and-one stretch. Well, now they got punched in the mouth. Thankfully, they got punched in the mouth in August. I know the last three games have been treated, and I have treated them like a playoff game.

100%. But the reality is, is that they're not. They're not a playoff game. It's August 27th. Is it kind of eerie in a way that this is around the same time in 2007 when the Phillies swept out the New York Mets at home and were off and running towards winning National League east? Yeah, I don't love that omen. But regardless, it's August 27th.

And there's a lot of baseball to be played. The Mets still have to prove that they're a good team. They clearly get up for the Phillies. The Phillies clearly have a city field problem. And it's something that hopefully in October they don't have to deal with. It's not like the Phillies are a lock to play the Mets. I'm disappointed. I'm annoyed.

The star players have really let us down in this series. But at the same time, I have a certain level of trust in this baseball team. that they're going to write the ship here a little bit, they're going to be fine, and you could chalk it up as another inflection point in the season to decide who you really are. I do not think how they played up in New York the last three nights is who they really are.

I do not think that as Chris Sanchez. I do not think that is a Ryan Kirkering. I do not think that is Joanne Duran. I actually thought Lazzardo was mostly fine. Some disappointing moments hitting a guy on an O2 count and all things considered. But Tile on mostly fine. I don't think that's Trey Turner. I don't think that's Kyle Schwerber.

I don't think that's JT. Real Mutual. I think all of those guys had a disaster series against the Mets who at that stadium clearly have a mental edge over the baseball team. But the season is not over. It is August 27th. That was not the NLDS. That was not the wildcard round. That was not the NLCS. That was a regular season series where, yes, I'm not trying to poo-poo it because I put a lot of emphasis on it as well. But when you take a step back, I think there's still a lot of good baseball in this team. I just do. If you don't, that's perfectly fine.

I get it. These last three nights felt like an extension of October. Sure. I'm just telling you where I'm at after this, while I'm annoyed, I'm not throwing the towel on this team. And I do still believe in them. and I don't think that this was like some nail in the coffin. Frustrating series, but one in which hopefully, hopefully they learn from and don't

tuck their tails, take their ball, and go home. I'll be incredibly disappointed if they return home, lose three or four, even split against this Braves team, who albeit are starting to play a little bit better baseball. three of four we're sitting here next monday and saying okay met series was a disaster but overall they weather the storm baseball is a a roller coaster of a of a season it's highs and lows and emotional highs and emotional lows this is so evident with the you know red series and national series and to mariners like it's just this has all been the last two weeks where they're different they're definitely bad they're back they're definitely bad again it's it's a it's a roller

coaster it's frustrating it's it's exhilarating it's baseball and i know there's probably people again driving off the road at the sentence it's baseball but in an instance and in this instance it is baseball and it was a brutal series a disheartening series a frustrating series but i got to be honest i i just am not ready to throw in the towel on this team two on five five nine two ninety four 94 now here are some things that i hope didn't happen with this series because there are a couple things that we could look back on and say oh bleep That was the thing. Two, the Bryce Harper rivalry pack, could that have been the thing that ignited the Mets and they printed out a big fat head of Bryce in their gear and said, oh, he's trying to mock us and that's a rallying cry?

We're monitoring that situation. Other situation. the bone camera or or mike thing already metz fans are are bringing their own whatever kind of mic they are cutouts to the stadium the fact that it's boom who is already a crybaby that has to be the one to maybe ignite the Mets and this be their thing we're also monitoring that situation those are two things that I hope didn't happen because we will look back on and say, why did you do that? Why did you do that? 2-15-592-94-94. Let's go to Bill in East Hampton. What's happening, Bill? Hey, Jack. How you doing, my friend? Pretty annoyed, Bill. How about you, Bell?

Yeah, I hear you there. I got to say, I was expected him to win one out of three, And that's all we really needed. But it wasn't, I'm going to say, though, they really, they're so good in city against us. They got, they have that mentality where they can, it doesn't matter what we're doing that they can just beat us. And it happened. They pounded us on Monday night. We tied them up late. They had no fear.

They had ice in their veins. We brought in our biggest asset at the deadline. We brought in Duran, four straight hits they got us. And then they got us tonight. It was basically a humiliating series, but when you have a humiliating series, what happens is the other team can't wait for the matchup, the next matchup, and we got them for a four-game set at the bank next month. I guarantee that series is already circled on the calendar in the Philly's Clubhouse. So I'm not that worried about it. I feel like you do.

I'm not that worried about it. We're still four games up. We're fine. But it was a tough series. But the Phillies can, they'll definitely bounce back from it. I think so, too. Well, and Bill, I appreciate the phone call. I'll be incredibly disappointed if not.

If I'm proven wrong here and they lay down and they fold up and take their ball and go home, I'll be, I'll be crushed. I really would be. Like, there's enough good players in this team. There's enough good leaders in this team. There's enough, I think, championship. chip type metal in that locker room to, if they just pack it up, then guess what? Major change happens this offseason.

No doubt about it. I think there's already going to be change. I think Cassianos is gone. I think they'll find a way to get off Taiwan. I think there's going to be different players in here. But if they fold here and limp down the stretch again, go out early, there can be bigger change but as it stands right now i just i think they're going to bounce back i trust they're going to bounce back it was annoying watching them tonight just be like yeah you know well let's get home

harrison harrison hader has been really good big home run last night has played a good center field got to be honest like you know you're about to get swept seeming like seemingly like you're about to get swept and he throws that throw us at lindore it's a great play but smiling at each other come man you're a philly i understand last year you you had a miracle run with the mats and and i'm sure you still feel a type of way with that team but didn't love to see that but again overall i just I think they've done enough good this year to still have belief that they're going to be okay. And is city field a problem? Yeah.

But everywhere else, they've been really good. And I pointed out some numbers in the pregame show where maybe the Mets just have tells on their pitchers. You know, the runners in scoring position numbers were insane. way that they were able to neutralize the stars on this team. I mean, J.T. went O for the series. Schwabber went O for the series. Boom had a good series, but there's a couple, I mean, in every single game, it's crazy. In every single game of this series, Boeum's slowness was on display. A couple of times he couldn't score from first base where almost everyone in the league, besides him and Juncarlo Stanton, are able to score.

then it ultimately didn't matter. It would have made it a 6-1 game. The balls weren't that deep, but not be able to score on some sack flies, like just unbelievably slow. Castianos is not the guy. I mean, the best thing they could do down the stretch is hit Harper 2 and put Schwerber 3. So at least that there's like some threat behind Bryce. Because while JT's been great, I just, he's not a four-hitter. Bowm's not a four-hitter. Castown, it's not a four-hitter. At least if you put Schwabber behind Bryce, there's some kind of protection there. Is it going to mean they're going to win the World Series?

I have no idea, but I certainly would feel a whole lot better if that was the top of the lineup versus where they're at right now, which it does feel like there's a steep, steep drop-off. 215-592, 94-94. on the other side, there is one person to blame for all of this, and we'll get to the player of the game. It's Jack Fritz here on the Final Out on Sports Radio 94WIP. Yeah, it's been a couple bad days. Welcome back. It is the final out.

Jack Fritz hanging out with you on this Wednesday night as the grittiest post-game show in America rolls on. I am in our new house, great house, very much looking forward to it. However, we are getting flooring in, so I'm sitting on the floor because no couches are in here, and I am like basically boxed into a corner surrounded by the flooring. And last night, to make matters worse after the Phillies lost, stepped on a nice staple that was right into my heel. So I was limping around on that all day, but don't you worry, we're here, we're battling through. Unlike the Phil's, who pretty much laid down tonight against our 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 conserve, and that is Nolan McLean, who seems like he might be a problem. Now, listen, we have seen the Mets bring up starters, and they have a moment, and the Grom stayed around. That's great. whatever happened to that wheeler guy uh you know Harvey was great a lot of flashes in the pan and then they moved on but that guy has really good stuff that sweeper was disgusting hard to tell the difference between like the sweeper and the slider um you know both were more plus pitches and the fastball really like ridiculous run on that two seamer so as long as healthy is going to be a

problem you know the Mets were ranked as the number one farm system in baseball by ESPN the other day. They're going to call up Jonah Tong, who is, you know, I think, you know, was the number one pitching prospect in baseball so far this year. But, you know, with those two, giving them a spark, not the right time. Again, to go up there and get swept. A lot of little, like, is this the spark that the Mets needed to kind of get going after they've been pretty much in a malaise for the majority of the season.

but Nolan McLean was great. Now, again, like Jacob Mizoroski made the freaking All-Star game after five starts and has not been the same pitcher since. So first time through the league, they'll eventually adjust to him and we'll see how it goes. But just pure stuff-wise, he clearly has Bigley stuff. And, you know, the Mets feature rotation with him and Zangan and eventually Tong. He's got the makings of a pretty good rotation. So he, you got to kind of tip your cap.

You know, last, I mean, his first outing, he went seven innings, second outing, eight tonight, eight. He was on track for Maddox and then, you know, Phillies pieced together some base hits against him and got him out of there. But certainly a sparkling couple of starts to the big league career of Nolan McLean. So he might be a problem for this team for a little bit. Dave is in Ben Salem. What's happening, Dave?

Hey, Jack, how are you? Always great to talk baseball with one of the most knowledgeable men on 94-1 WIP, man. Well, let's tone it down a notch, but I appreciate the call. I appreciate the call. Now, I was kind of depressed when I got on with you, but I'm going to kind of go the other way. You know, this team's got to come back now. You've got the Braves for four games.

That's just in Bank Park. You've got to try to win three out of four. You've got to get games back that you lost with this series. Yep. Without a doubt, Jack. And it's like, I do believe in this baseball team. I think this baseball team's going to win. But, you know, you look at the schedule, September.

The first two weeks is going to be very important how the Phillies are going to win this division. They got to go to Milwaukee. They got to go out. They got to play the Mets, four games here. They got to go out to L.A. They got to go out to Arizona. You've got to win these games. Well, totally.

And September is going to be definitely a little bit of a gaunt. Now, I will say, it does end pretty favorably for them after the Dodgers series which will be tough of course at diamondbacks which listen it's been a house of horrors for them much like city field but dimebacks don't have much to play for then first marlins first twins i mean the last three series are against non-playoff teams so that could be a good time we'll see where the division's at where they can get right heading into the postseason well that is out jack and you know like it said. Losing Zach is an incredible loss, incredible loss, man.

Sure. But then, like you said, this team has picked it up until this series gets the match. They just can't beat the match. They've got to learn how to beat the match, man. Sure. Because you don't want to face them in the playoffs. You know, you don't want to have to come to that, you know what I mean? Listen, Dave, I totally agree. I obviously would not want to play the Mets in the postseason. They have a city field problem. The good part is they might not have to play the Mets in the postseason. There's a lot of a lot of things that can happen between now and then that can that can change the equation here but i i guess for me i think they've shown me too much good this year to get too discouraged off

of a couple bad series up in city field like i just i'm not going to let six games at that ballpark i know it's been 10 straight losses but this year not 10 straight losses you know i'm not going to let that change the other 130-some games that they have played where they've been one of the best teams in the National League. And I just have a trust in them that they will fight their way through this. And I guess my hope is, my glass-half-full approach, is that they'll come out stronger on the other side of this. And they'll end up being okay. Now, the pitch count is brought to you by the Plummers Union Local 690 protecting the health of the nation visit plumber 690.org 102 pitches for Taiwan tonight he was mostly fine I mean the one inning got away from him

you know it wasn't great late but for your fifth starter he went out there and pitched like a fifth starter he's he's been serviceable this year they've needed them he's taking down some innings he wasn't perfect tonight he wasn't a disaster tonight so taiwan enjoy your 18 million this year thank you for a pretty good start tonight now one guy who is currently ruined the philly season is joe jillio for those of you keeping track at home jillio said on monday night that or monday morning that the division was over thank you for doing that right before the met series and it was cute it was adorable and look at how it has turned out so jillio deserves all of the ire that is currently coming his way he knew what he was doing and i'm incredibly disappointed in in someone

that i view not only as as a friend but a a good baseball man and he's trying to recreate the the accomplishment that he pulled off last year by saying the division was over so early and this year he just got ahead of his skis a little bit. So if there's one person to blame for the current state of the Phillies in the last three games, there is no more, there's no person that is more solely responsible than Joe Gillio, not the top of the lineup, not the starters, not the bullpen, not the bad defense.

It is Joe Gillio. On their side, a look ahead to tomorrow. Plus, there was one good thing from tonight. We'll get to that. Coming up next on the final out on Sports Radio 94, WIPA. This episode is brought to you by Defender. With its 626 horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine, the Defender Octa is taking on the Dakar Rally,

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late if you keep talking to the mirror this promotion is yours go get them Starbucks it's never just coffee yep welcome back it is the final out jack fritz hanging out with you on this So Wednesday night as the fills get swept up in city field, their city field problems continue. Ten straight losses up there. More non-hitting with running in scoring position. Mets get the big hit seemingly whenever they need it. Fills don't really show up for this one. Nolan McLean was phenomenal.

And, you know, once again, it felt like they were swimming upstream against a team up there at city field. But, you know, overall, being four games up, they would have loved X this series still remaining six. Like, they very easily could have done that. And then they did not do that. And they may have woken up the Mets. They really might have woken up the Mets, which would absolutely suck because they have looked dormant for a majority of the season. But as I've said many times tonight, like I still believe in them. and heading home against the Braves,

another kind of semi-big series, and though the Braves aren't going to make the postseason this year, it's another gut check. Are you going to go and take two of four? You're going to split at home, or you're going to take three or four, and, hey, take four, go nuts, and write the ship here and keep this thing on track

and not let it fall apart. They can go one of two ways. They can go one of two ways, but they've shown me too much good this year to believe that six games at City Field are going to throw me off the scent as to who they have been for a majority of the season. Now, there was one positive from tonight. I thought Lou Trebino looked all right. I mean, he's up to 97.

Sweeper was interesting. I like the change up. He's obviously a local kid, so maybe pitching for a hometown team gets him close to what he was with Oakland a couple of years ago. But when you need some kind of right-handed arm out there that can come in and do a job because Joe Ross and Jordan Romano could not, Trevino looked pretty good. Daniel Robert, I don't totally trust because I just think that he is a moment looks a little too bright for him. But Trevino has pitched a lot of games, and at least from the standpoint of is his arm dead or alive, I think his arm looked pretty alive. So that was a good thing to see tonight. William is in Janketown.

What's happening, William? Hey, Jackie, baseball. How are you doing? Not doing all right. How about you, pal? I'm just concerned. I mean, it feels like every time this team goes up against good teams, they either smoke the team or they get smoked.

And there's just no in between. I mean, I think they've been really good against good teams for a bit here. I mean, the Mets, I think, just kind of have their number, but they did just sweep the Mariners. They did go down to Texas and sweep them. You know, they did take two or three from the Tigers this month. They lost two or three from the Reds. But I think for a majority of this year, besides, like, the one stretch in June, I think they've been pretty good against over 500 teams.

Yeah, I mean, I guess it just feels like a, you're on a wavelength, I guess, with this team. It's more what I'm thinking of. of up and down with them and yeah yeah i just don't know what's going to go on who would you start say they get the two seeds and they get the buy who would you start game one because i know you're are you still taiwan game two or uh that's strictly a bit i'm not i'm not starting taiwan he's not touching a playoff series for me uh no i mean i would go sanchise i at this point i i guess ranger uh But obviously, Lozardo can pitch his way into that, and Noel can pitch his way into it.

But Sanchez is game one, and I think if it ended right now, Ranger would be game two. Yeah. I just, I got no faith. I want to have faith, and I want to, they're just so, this team just seems so not silly, but silly because the whole nation wants to love them if that makes sense. and it goes back to that Arizona 23 when they went on that run where everyone just bawled into them but it just seems

they're going to let us down again yeah I mean I mean maybe but the season didn't end tonight it just didn't I know right now it's hard to believe that they can go on a run they can figure it out

but you know we always we say, do you want them playing their best baseball in August or July or June? No, you want them playing good baseball by the end of the season. And they have plenty of opportunity to do that. Now, the one thing I think the series has done is it certainly has soured the fan base on really believing in them heading into October because I think there was a lot of bets stench in a way to where the fan base needed to rid themselves of the Mets thing,

and that didn't happen. So now the Phillies are going to have to buck up in October and go on a run, or they're going to be labeled as frauds. But that's what the series is done. It took a lot of the wind out of the sales of the fan base to where if they went up there and took to a three, there'd be a lot of, okay, now we go, here we go, burn the boats, win it for Wheeler, yada, yada, yada.

They didn't do that. They laid down, or majority of the series they laid down. And I think a good amount of the benefit of the doubt was lost by what happened in the last three nights. Now tomorrow, back home against the Braves, three or four, feels like a necessity. Cal Quantrell, who I feel like they've faced every year and traditionally have done a good job against. He's on the mound for the Braves. They claimed him off waivers. And then Aaron Nola on the mound for the Phillies, a marquee start for Noles.

really use a stopper with his $172 million contract would be nice for him to show up and shove in a game that it feels like they could really use. Do not need four straight losses. So Nola tomorrow, he looks good his last time out. You know, the velocity was back up. It was actually a vintage Nola performance from the standpoint of it's pretty good, allowed some home runs. but you look up at the end of the day and it was a quality start.

So hopefully we can get a similar performance tomorrow as he takes them out, 645 against the Braves, of course, the afternoon show will lead you into the game and we'll get you set for all of that. But that's going to do it for me. A frustrating night up in City Field. Tom Kelly is going to be fired up coming here in that couple minutes, laying down the hammer on this field team. Luke Nichols produced the final out tonight.

Thanks so much for listening and try, try to enjoy the rest of your night. Go Fells. What's up, guys? I'm Jordan Robinson, host of the podcast, The Women's Hoops Show. We're heading towards the home stretch of the WMBA season and there is so much to get into every episode. Twice a week, I'm joined by one of my amazing co-host as we dissect the biggest games, performances, and even some off-court drama.

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