High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Sanchez The Stopper

Episode Date: May 30, 2024

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies snapping their three-game skid behind an impressive performance by Cristopher Sanchez. 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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or wherever you get your podcasts. And exhale. 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 reacting to, yes, a Phillies win.

Didn't know if we'd ever see it again, but regardless, I think the Phillies knew that I was going to be back in the saddle on the final out tonight, and they said, well, I guess we got to kind of grow up and go win a baseball game. The Game Wrap-Up is sponsored by Blazer Swiss Lube and Kravitz, the metalworking fluid specialist providing professional CNC machine cleaning,

coolant maintenance programs, and waste coolant disposal. Kravitz.online, 215-592-9494 to get in and react to, if you want to react to today, or really this last little bit of a skid. We knew the skid was going to happen. We knew they weren't going to play the level of baseball they were playing for an entire season. It's frustrating to go through.

It's a lot easier in your head to say, well, they're going to slip up here every once in a while and keep a steady hand because they're 38-17, 16-15, whatever. Now they're 39-18. It's much easier to just say that and tell yourself all over again rather than actually living it. And that's what this last little skid has been, is having to live with a team that was playing at a 114-win pace.

Just calm down a little bit. Just take a bit of a step back. So it was good to see it come out today. It was a bad road trip, but it didn't end up being a disaster road trip. They didn't get swept down San Francisco. And by the way, it's not like the Giants. I know because two weeks ago they came in, and the Giants were playing bad baseball

and they weren't how they kind of looked this series. And they had won, what, eight of their last ten before this series? So they're starting to right the ship out there in San Francisco. And yeah, was it frustrating? Was last night beyond annoying? I mean, having to stay up to 1230 to see them score zero runs

and not execute small ball late in the game? Incredibly annoying. Was the error fest in game one of this series incredibly annoying? Of course. But it's going to happen. I know people hate the term that it's baseball, but it's baseball. It's baseball. This team's done a lot of good, and today was a good step back, I think, in the right direction.

Let's get to the biggest takeaway of the game, brought to you by Morgan & Morgan, America's largest law firm. And, you know, if you've listened to me, if you ever listen to High Hopes, which, again, you know, subscribe. Subscribe on wherever you get your podcasts. High Hopes, Man Salter, of course. We talk about Kyle Schwarber. And I think Kyle Schwarber is the Jason Kelsey of the Phillies.

And I think he's that level of importance from what he is as a tone setter for that locker room. I don't think it's a coincidence that the second that Kyle Schwarber got here, things turned around for this franchise. Harper's great. We know that. He, I think, helped bring Phillies baseball back to Philadelphia. Frankly, it was not in a great spot before Bryce Harper got here. He's a superstar.

He's the face of the franchise. But I think what Schwarber brings, and huge credit to Dave Dombrowski, and this might seem like a bit of a reach on May 29th of 2024. But like, I just think he is so integral to that locker room and to this team. And I think he's this team's leader. And I think he's a tone setter. And today was a quintessential, this is why Kyle Schwarber is here kind of game. Leads off the game with a home run. He is at the top step when Harper gets thrown at twice, even though, again, I agree with Rob Thompson, I do not think it was on purpose.

But still, the fact that Schwarber's ready to throw down in an instant, and he got a big insurance run late. He has done a lot of things well now that he is the primary designated hitter. He's batting over. in May. Like, I didn't think I'd ever see him hit this amount of singles, but he is slowly but surely turning into a more complete hitter. But I just think from the standpoint of being a tone setter, being the leader of this team, the team was in a skid. And it seems like whenever this team is in a skid, whenever they need, I guess, I guess an exhale moment, whenever they

need to calm down and say, everything's going to be all right. It's always Schwarber. It always feels like it's Schwarber. That is the big calm down guy. I mean, if you want to go back to 2022, they, they lose a game one of a series down in Washington where that team is just dreadful. And the Phillies are collapsing in front of our eyes, Schwarber leads off the second game of the home run. And it's like, okay, everything's fine. They go down to Houston that year.

Kyle Schwarber, with a chance to clinch their first playoff spot in 11 years, hits two home runs including a leadoff home run. You want to go to the postseason game three of that year in the Padres series where they lose game two. It's like, ah, man.

Bang, leads off game three at the home run. You want to go to game six. I know they lost. 0-0 game late in game six. He hits a home run off Framber and gives them a 1-0 lead. There's times last year, they were scuffling heading into a Padres series in, I want to say, August or September, leads off the game with the home run. It just feels like when the team needs Kyle Schwarber or when they need a tone setting, everything's going to be okay, he's always there. And we're seeing

a more complete hitter this year, and Kyle Schwarber, I thought, really, really stuck out today. My second big takeaway is Chris Sanchez just looked phenomenal. And he had a little bit of a skid when we were trying to decide what to do with Spencer Turnbull and Tom Walker's coming back, and

Chris Sanchez had two bad starts in a row, and people were like, well, why don't I take him out of the rotation for Spencer Turnbull and Tywin Walker's coming back and Chris Sanchez had two bad starts in a row. People were like, well, why don't I take him out of the rotation for Spencer Turnbull? We get it. You're going to put Tywin back in there because he's making the amount of money that he is. Since then, he's been really good. If I told you that Chris Sanchez's ERA

was down to 283, I think you'd be surprised. I think he's pitching to a 3-1, 3-2 ERA. 28-8-3 out of your five starter is legit. I mean, he's striking out a ton of guys. He's, when he can get that fastball up to 97, when he can do that, and it's interesting, it happens later in starts where he can get it up to 97 and then work the change up off it. I mean, he's, he's borderline unhittable. When he can get it up to 97 and then work the changeup off it. I mean, he's borderline unhittable. When he can get like that, he's ridiculous.

The pitch count is sponsored by the Plumbers Union Local 690, protecting the health of the nation. Visit Plumbers690.org. He threw 96 pitches. I was fine with Rob Thompson taking him out of the game, even though it was a 4-0 lead, and he was on a little bit of a roll. But I just continue to be impressed by Chris Sanchez. He's got a little bit of Ranger

where it doesn't seem to get too high. It doesn't seem to get too low. I don't think he has the command per se that Ranger has, but his stuff is really good. Like really good. Like Taiwan is obviously a, it's just, it's an annoying thing to deal with right now. And, and Spencer Turnbull, now and and spence turnbull now he's pitched mop up it's a bit low low low leverage but i mean he was hitting 97 late in that game and and that's the turnbull that we saw a couple years ago in like 2021 when he threw his no hitter i'm just i don't know what they're gonna tie on i think they're gonna keep kind of rolling them out there and see how it goes. But the fact that one, two, three, four, at least, you have a really good chance to win anytime those guys touch the mound. And Chris Sanchez has felt underrated here for the last year and a half. And he just continues to go out there and perform. And man, when he can get that velocity back up to

96, 97, and I think 97.4 today from Chris Sanchez. To go with that changeup, it is lethal. So Chris Sanchez continues to impress. And the final thing here, before we go to the phones, again, 215-592-9494 to get in on the final out, is listen, I'm not a beggar. I'm not someone that begs. We don't need to beg around here. But I'm just begging that today was some kind of breakout game for Nick Castellanos. I mean, three hits tonight, a triple away from the cycle. If Nick Castellanos hit for the triple or hit for the cycle, I need to see it to believe it. Like, it would have been, there would have been stories written about what happened today in San Francisco if Nick Cassiano's hit for the cycle.

But good to see him hit the ball in the ballpark, hit a couple balls hard. At this point, I guess we've got to beg. Because it's been two and a half months of the season. He hasn't really gotten going. He's shown some signs of life. really gotten going. He's shown some signs of life, but man, I just, for where this offense is and

some of the pieces slowing down and without Trey, they really need their $100 million right fielder to get going. You just hope, you just kind of cross your fingers and say, okay, today's the day. Nick Cassiano, he figured it out. I have no idea if he figured

it out. I'm just at the point where Iianos, he figured it out. I have no idea if he figured it out. I'm just at the point where I'm begging him to figure it out. Anthony, my guy, out in California leaving the game. What's happening, Ant? What's going on, Jack? How you doing? Well, thanks for bringing a win today. We needed it, and you guys showed up.

When Dom goes to games, they win ballgames. It was fun to see. It was cool to get out there early. I'll tell you what. I saw Sanchez warming up before. He just looked like he was in the zone. That guy, he had a great day today. It was awesome to watch. There's a few pitchers on this team that's fun to watch when they get on a rhythm

like Chris Sanchez. When he gets on a rhythm, he's really tough to get out. Yeah, definitely. It was great to see. There's a lot of Philly fans out. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, no, it was great to see. There's a lot of Philly fans out. That was fun. The bench clearing incident was – I was with you. I wasn't really watching the fight as much as I was watching

who in the bench was getting up. And it was fun watching Rangers 4S go sprinting out there and all the guys. It just shows you kind of how tight-knit this team is. They were all ready to go. It was pretty cool. Yeah, but hold on, man. What's Pat Burrell doing?

Like, you got to remember your bread's butter, Pat. I mean, come on, Pat. You're one of us. You're one of us. So true. So true. Hey, Dom wanted to say hi real quick. What's up, Fritz?

What's up, Dom? How was the game today, buddy? Well, that was a great game today. It was. Well, listen. I got to give Schwab the words to the bomb. He's just doing great. Well, we're three days away from June, Dom, so you know it's about to be Schwab season.

And listen, man, we need you to come home with a win today. You went out there, you flew up to San Francisco, and you got a dub. We appreciate you, Dom. Yeah. And I... Whenever I go to games, we win for some reason. Like, Nikki sees... you, Dom. Yeah. Whenever I go to games, we win for some reason.

Like Nicky C. That was great that Nicky C and Swobus both got a bomb today. Yeah, well, listen, if we need to fly you across the country for a World Series closeout, we'll do that. Because when you're in the building, we win, Dom. I'll make sure to come if we're in the

World Series. Alright, safe travels back, guys. I really appreciate the phone call. See you, bye. Alright, there he goes. Anthony and Dom, who went to the game today out in San Francisco. But yeah, come on, Pat. It reminded me

it was actually there was a throwback fight in, like, 2011 with, like, Eli Whiteside, and I think Victorino was in the middle of it. I remember Eli Whiteside, who was a total clown on those Giants teams, was, like, jumping around Victorino, like, couldn't wait to get in a fight. I hated those. I hated those Giants teams. So that brought back some old memories. And, well, hold on. It also brought back a memory of Bryce versus Hunter Strickland,

which happened out there in San Francisco. I believe that was the anniversary of that today. Really? Yes. I'll double check on that, but almost positive. I mean, sounds like Bryce has a problem being there on May 29th. Also, the anniversary of Roy Halleck's perfect game. I mean, a lot of –

A lot of Phillies history, yeah. Oh, it's beautiful. But the other thing it reminded me of with Burrell being involved is I remember when Corota threw at Victorino, who seems to be in a lot of these things, but Corota threw at Victorino in the 08 NLCS. And I remember like Boa was one of the first guys out there. And I was like, hold on, Boa. We know you're a Philly.

Whose side are you on? Yeah, get back. Him and Davey Lopes need to go to opposite dugouts and start fighting. No, no, no. Davey Lopes. So it's funny. Growing up, I was like, Davey Lopes is like a legend. And whenever I talk to older people, they get so mad about Davey Lopes.

And I never understood it until eventually I learned about the he's a dodger that like had one of the most painful memories ever happened against the Phils but regardless Pat Burrell watch yourself 215-592-9494 it's the final out on the other side some thoughts on one big Philly

whose body language I'm trying to get a read on we'll get to the player of the game and your phone calls. 215-592-9494. It's Jack Fritz here on the Final Out. Hey, fantasy football owners. The road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. I'm Matt Harmon from Reception Perception.

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Welcome back. It is the Final Out, sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable never looks so good. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here in the Final Out, reacting to, yes, Affiliates win. Affiliates win. Thank God. There's no more panic in the streets.

Everything's okay. Speaking of the streets, it took me like two hours to get home today from Philadelphia. It was a disaster. It was a disaster. So I missed the first like five innings of the streets, it took me like two hours to get home today from Philadelphia. It was a disaster. It was a disaster. So I missed the first like five innings of the game, which if you know me at all, I don't handle very well. I don't handle very well at all. Murph wasn't getting the job done for you?

That's not what I'm saying, Buzz. Uh-huh. It sounds like it. That's not what I'm saying at all. Murph was doing a great job with Kevin Stocker. And again, condolences out to Scott Franski, who lost his father, Bob. Bob Franski, 91 years old. So our thoughts and prayers are obviously with Scott and his family.

But yes, with Murph on the way home. And I had to hear the whole kind of skirmish on radio. And I'm interested in Bryce's body language. And I think if I'm playing body language doctor with Bryce and I'm looking at him, I just continue. Now, he's had a good start to the year. I wouldn't say great. I think he's going to be the starting first baseman in the All-Star game.

He's been really good at first base, and that's great. Bryce is a phenomenal player. I think there's something really good at first base, and that's great. Like, Bryce is a phenomenal player. I think there's something going on at the back. And I think he gets a little bit tight, and then I think he gets frustrated. And when you see the spots where he's not busting it to first, I think it's a couple things. I think it's frustration, and I think he's trying to pick his spots because it's so – I just think it's so out of character,

and there's been more of that this year. I haven't seen him – it doesn't seem like it's been as fun. It kind of seems like he's a little bit agonizing out there, and he's kind of gutting his way through it. I hope it's not the back because, again, he's 30, 31 years old, like having back issues at this point, especially with the rest of the contracts, not great. I just, something just feels a little bit off because we've seen more of the jogging up the first baseline and it's just, it's out of character for the Bryce Harper we've seen here.

There has been times in Washington where it was a thing. I mean, I think that's how the whole Papelbon and him situation kind of happened. But I just, I don't think it's, if I had my read on it, I just think that something's nagging him back there and he gets frustrated with it. And yeah, he doesn't run things out sometimes and that's annoying. But I think it also has to do with picking and choosing his spots because there is something going on with his back. Like, I don't think all of a sudden he's back to, to nationals price where he's not running everything out a hundred percent. I just think that there's a, a something going on with the

back that is, that is causing him to get frustrated. So, um, it was annoying. Like, that is causing him to get frustrated. So it was annoying. Obviously, you see the play today, and had he beaten that out, which he could have if he was running hard to first base, and obviously you want guys to run hard to first base. I'm not one of those excuse-it-away guys. But what's frustrating is that that would have loaded the bases,

and then, boom, he let off the next inning with a rope off the wall. It obviously could have happened there. They left a good amount of runners on base today i'm not saying today was a flawless game i did think it was more it was more two out hits like we'd seen in in in games past when they're playing at their highest it was it was the bottom of the lineup not being an absolute sieve it was was different contributors stepping up. It was great pitching, another really good bullpen effort. Like I thought there was a lot of good. The one down side is left on base, runners left on base. Like they had what, 13, 14 hits today and only scored six. I mean, it could have been, could have been a lot more, but I just, the Bryce jogging thing, I can just, I can sense it coming and I can sense people getting frustrated with it because thing, I can sense it coming.

I can sense people getting frustrated with it. Because, yeah, watching the games, I get frustrated with it. But I refuse to believe that it's not something like the back's a little bit tight. And you saw it. He was bending over early. He went back into the locker room. So maybe something was a little bit off. He did get the big hit late, which was good.

He just looks a little bit frustrated with the whole back thing. He's trying to play his way through it and gut his way through it. If I had my read on it. The player of the game, sponsored by South Jersey Gas, committed to providing safe, reliable, affordable natural gas. Make the switch at SouthJerseyGas.com slash lovemyhome. I'm going to give it to Chris Sanchez, who we mentioned in the open, but I thought was

really, really good. Again, keeping that velocity up late. ERA down to 2.83. A good amount of strikeouts today. So good, good stuff from Christopher Sanchez. 215-592-9494 to get in. One final thought here on some of the bullpen pieces. Again, Sir Anthony has only allowed one earned run since the Angels game where he allowed two, and it looked like, oh my God, we got to get this guy out of here. We got to ship him down to Lehigh Valley and try to get right and put him on the Alvarado path.

Slowly but surely, kind of feels like he's coming out of this thing. And what's exciting about the developments of Sir Anthony and the developments of Orion Kirkering, and if you want to throw a turnbull in there and Jose Ruiz, Jose Ruiz, I'm a big Jose Ruiz guy. But one of my biggest question marks with this team is,

listen, I think Strom's a stud. I think Alvarado is mostly a stud, although I think Alvarado is a stud. I think his, I think his stuff is starting to tick down a little bit. You know, I think it's been more 96-97 than the

99-101 like we are accustomed to seeing from Jose Alvarado. But either way, I think you feel good about the lefty options in this bullpen. Gregory Soto looked pretty good today, but again, he's not someone I feel like he'd totally trust at all times. But the righty bullpen options are starting to emerge here. Hoffman's a stud. I mean, last night, getting out of that spot was really, really big. They lost, but it was still good. Sir Anthony, I think, is turning a corner. Ryan Kirkring, I think, has taken a huge step forward now that he just looks like he has confidence in that fastball. I think when he first came up, he's like, my sweeper's really good. I'm going to throw it over and over and over again because guys can't hit it in the minor leagues. In the big leagues, they can hit it. And I think that he, from the standpoint of developing confidence in that fastball,

you're starting to see him show a little moxie on the mound and show like his bleep doesn't stink. And it's really important for a reliever. So I think those three, Jose Ruiz I continue to be interested in. I think he showed some stones Friday out in Colorado. And I'm not sure what they're doing with Turnbull, but if he's going to hit 97 and have that sweeper, there might be something there if they want to use that.

So I still think he's more of a guy to go after, you know, if a starter can only go four innings. It's just hard to plan on that stuff, especially given how deep these guys are kind of throwing at the games. But this bullpen continues to kind of round into form here. Been really good in May, and you're starting to see some righty options emerge out there. 2-1-5, 5-9-2, 94-94 to get in.

On the other side, we will get to the play of the game. We will get to a look ahead to the Cardinals series and a whole lot more before handing things off to Robbie, here on Sports Radio 94 WIP. The next pitch to Schwarber swung on and hit well the left field Ramos is going back he's at the track he's looking up and that ball is gone just clears the wall out there in left field home run number 11 for Kyle Schwarber and a perfect way to get this one started an opposite field shot for Schwarber and the Phillies lead it 1-0.

Well, it's almost June. That is our Play of the Game sponsored by Mike's Amazing, the official mayo and mustard of the Phillies. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here on this Wednesday night before Robbie and Ashlyn Sullivan take you through the rest of the night. They final out, as always, sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable, never looks so good. And why is that my play of the game?

Because like I mentioned in the open, I just think that that was such a nice tone setting. We're going to be okay. Everyone took a deep breath. I thought this team was pressing the last couple of nights and really on this road trip because it's like, oh my God, you guys are the best start in franchise history. Best record through 50 games.

You better win the World Series. Blah, blah, series blah blah blah blah blah and they started playing bad i thought they were pressing especially last night like last night was a game zero zero against the giants spencer howard again like spencer howard is what we're talking about here like i know nick cassiano had a good day today and that was good but he mentioned he missed a 94 mile an hour fastball from spencer howard right down the middle like am i are you is anyone gonna handle getting shut down by spencer howard who when he was here was like an absolute joke like spencer howard was so bad that he went from like the number one prospect like good enough to trade six o'sanchez away for and by the way i mean six o'sanchez has not exactly worked out. But we went from Spencer Howard's like the next

God level pitching prospect here to gone within two years. The second Dombrowski got here, he's like, absolutely not. Spencer Howard was talking about how he's getting tired from running to first base. That's why his velocity is dropping five miles an hour from the first inning to the fourth inning. Like, he was the

worst. And having to watch them get shut down, because it felt like they were all trying to launch baseballs off him, as most teams have done in his big league career. I just think they're repressing. A game like that

is why you sign Kyle Schwarber, because he's a winner. He's an absolute winner. He's been a part of World Series champions. He's been a part of World Series champions. He's been a part of the Red Sox team a couple years ago that went to the ALCS. We know what he's done here. He's a winner, and he's this team's leadoff hitter. It's been fascinating. He's hitting over 300 this month. If you would have told me at any point in the rest of Kyle Schwerber's contract with the Phillies, if he hit over 300 in a month, I would have said you're

crazy, but he's going to do it. By golly, he's going to hit over 300 in a month. It's crazy. And it feels like everyone's been talking about Boehm being great. And he has been. All those OPS is like 650 this month. It was good to see him rip the ball off the wall today. You know, Stott was really, really hot and he kind of cooled off here. Bryce, Bryce. But, you know, Schwarber's been kind of under the radar here, just being at the top of the lineup, driving in runs, getting you know, Schwarber's been kind of under the radar here. Just being at the top of the lineup, driving and runs, getting singles, getting base hits. And he only had one home run in May heading into the series, hit two out there in San Francisco. Again, not exactly the easiest ballpark in the world to hit a ball out of. I just continue to be really impressed with

Kyle Schwarber at the top of the lineup, not striking out a ton. Obviously, he's going to get his strikeouts, but he's doing a job, and he's hitting over 300, and he's doing a big, big kind of job carrying this offense right now that has not been great. He's doing his part, and it's good to see. So the Phillies off tomorrow before returning back to Citizens Bank Park. Thank God. I like watching this team a lot more when they're to Citizens Bank Park. Thank God. I like watching this team a lot

more when they're at Citizens Bank Park. So they return home. St. Louis coming to town. Paul Goldschmidt has started to heat up for the Cardinals, so watch out for that. Nolan Arenado, two of their older guys, seem like they're starting to round into shape here a little bit. But either way, on the mound Friday night,

Aaron Nola versus Miles Michaelis, who actually I think pitched pretty well earlier this season against the phils and like the third fourth series of the year but he's again someone they should just have no problem with but this offense has made lesser pitchers look much better than they should so aaron nola who speaking of kind of underrated is i think has like a two threeRA if you take out the first starter of the year. So this starting staff has just been a marvel. And even when they've struggled here, even when they've had a kind of rough road trip, a lot of the starters still did their job.

And I think that's a big thing to take away. I think we knew the offense was going to be up and down, hot and cold. They traditionally do that. It was good to see the starters in the bullpen kind of maintain their form and wait for the offense to kind of break out today. And not all hope is lost. Either way, that's going to do it for me. Dan Wilson produced the program tonight.

Again, Robbie and Ashton Sullivan. They'll take you through the rest of the night here on Sports Radio 94 WIP.