High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: The Phillies 2024 Season Is Over

Episode Date: October 10, 2024

The Philadelphia Phillies season came to an end with a 4-1 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday night. James Seltzer and Jack Fritz are live reacting to another disappointing performance and looking ahead to a crucial offseason. 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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James Elser, Jack Fritz with you, final outsponsor by Regency Furniture, affordable, never looked so good. I mean just what words do we have for what we saw tonight? I mean honestly a disgrace. Like that's really the way I feel. I'm completely and totally just beyond disappointed. Just so, so upset with this group that they would come out and with their backs against the wall, you know, put up an effort like this, the offense, Rob Thompson, obviously the bullpen yet again, or at least a part of the bullpen. And, you know, Dave Dombrowski, the moveszi Mead I think they were all on display tonight and they all bear a lot

of weight and a lot of blame for a season that that was meant to be so much more Jack meant to be so much more being the biggest disappointment yet somehow they lost game 6 and game 7 against Arizona last year at home and this is worse this is worse changes are gonna have to come just really the worst night honestly they lost a World Series in the last couple years and this is our worst night as Phillies fans in the last few years. Hey buddy. Yeah, yeah.

Oh man. At least you weren't here for it. I can hear it. I can hear it. It's not awesome. Dude, I can't get OMG out of my head. I can't get my girl out of my head and being here for the Lindor Grand Slam. I mean, when I can go miserable, I can go about as miserable as we can get. The Jordaan home run, the Alec Thomas home run, that home run tonight. We've had to endure all three of those. They have found a way to work a lifetime of pain into the last three seasons.

And all I keep thinking about is that in 2022 they had to get the job done. I mean, they had to get the job done because this core has to look different next year. They have no... There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I mean, there has to be real, legitimate changes next season because this version of the team, they're done. They're done. The vibes are done. The locker room stuff is done. All that's done. They need real changes. Not Austin Hayes and Carlos Estevez at the trade deadline. They need, they need, they need 04TO. I mean, they need something like that to,

to get people back in because what happened tonight was the death of the 2022 to 2024 version of this baseball team. They ran it back. They got to a high start. I love hearing Rob Thompson say they got tired. Love, it's awesome. I really appreciate that. It makes everyone feel so much better.

And, I mean, everything has to be on the table. Whether it's, I mean, Thompson has to be on the table. Players have to be on the table. It's all, it's all here for what it's going to be a franchise altering offseason.

It's as simple as that. Real changes have to be a franchise altering off season. It's as simple as that. Real changes have to be made. They folded up here. They choked against the Mets. And maybe next year some scrub they can sign to a minor league deal can write a stupid rap or a song, and they'll be in the situation the Mets are. The Mets are good.

They're really good. And they play together, they play good fundamental baseball. The Phillies have been flawed for a couple years and the flaws somehow ended up in a World Series run in 2022. But that version, the good vibe Phillies, that feels just about dead here tonight. Oh, I mean, it's absolutely dead. And they got out good vibes by the Mets,

not only were the Mets clearly the better team, which, you know, I said last night on the post game, I wished I were wrong, but as much as, you know, Playoff Ranger gave me a dose of hope this evening. And I feel so bad for that dude. Like, what a frickin' stud that guy is going out and doing what he did tonight. And that gave me like a glimmer of hope

But but in reality this is what I expected. I expected the Mets to win tonight they are a better baseball team in the Phillies and Ultimately, like you know, I think we learned another lesson who cares how you start. It doesn't matter Honestly, just be the hottest team unless you're an all-time great team, which is the light Yeah, which which honestly I mean we don't really see those anymore that often. Like the Red Sox in 18, I guess, the last one of those or whatever, the 108-win team that went on to win. But it's rare.

And it's just, to your point, this felt like this was supposed to be building to this year for them to have exitedited you know around earlier each year after after all this after all the talk after all the lip service that's why I got so annoyed yesterday when I heard Rob Thompson and today saying well what I believe in is is the resiliency of this group when when when have we seen this group be resilient when have we seen this group be resilient? When have we seen this group have to fight back other than in in one inning a couple games ago when they won a baseball

Game only because the Mets couldn't bat again Otherwise, they absolutely would have lost that one too. Like this team has shown zero fight zero Resiliency, They are front runners. That's what this group is. When they're winning, when they're up in a series, oh, home runs party, let's celebrate. But when the chips are against the wall,

when it really matters, when your backs are against the wall, this team wilts. They will. They have no toughness. We said, we said after, you know, game one and into game two and moving forward, like we're gonna find out what this team is made of because this men's team fights for every freaking out they get. And they're never out of it. That's why tonight we knew it. One-nothing. We were all waiting for it. The Lindor Grand Slam was the least surprising thing that happened all season long.

Like we knew something like that was going to happen because this team absolutely does not have resiliency. They do not have toughness and they don't fight. They are front runners and tonight they freaking proved it, Jack. Yeah, we learned a lot about them tonight and that's the unfortunate part is that I think all of our fears about them were realized I mean whether you want to go to a bullpen that was pretty good for majority of the year They missed you an 11 point for the whole entirety of the bullpen They pitched to an 11 plus the array offensively an absolute they gave up more runs than innings pitch Jack Dude, it's about that. It's insane and and talk about a lack of stones. I mean the ball or Think about that. It's insane.

And talk about a lack of stones. I mean, a pure, just so much lack of stones. And Rob Thompson, he was walking a tightrope the entire night. And it finally came back to bite him. How many times do we have to say putting a reliever out there after they get a big out is a bad idea. It's a, especially when they sit for 20 minutes and especially when he's been up three, he was up in the second.

When he's been up all game. He was up in the second. Honestly, Jack, I, cause I have this whole series, I think Topper had a bad series, like everyone on the team outside of Ranger Suarez, Zach Wheeler and Chris Sanchez. Nick Caffeata. Literally, you know, and Castee, I guess, you know, kind of.

Like, everyone had a bad series. This entire team had a bad series. But I didn't think until tonight, like, that Topper was up there with everyone. That Jeff Hoffman decision might have gotten him fired. Like, he might have got fired anyway. But like, that decision alone in that moment was so bad and so unforgivable in the moment.

Like honestly, I did not go into the night thinking I would fire Rob Tomsley in the season. And I'm not saying I'm sure I would, but I definitely wouldn't be upset if they do. And I wouldn't have said that before tonight. Like this was a disastrous night for this entire team and for them moving forward Jack let's get to the game wrap-up which we obviously have been doing it will continue to do sponsored by crevice providing CNC machine clean washing

service or cleaning services waste coolant removal and scrap metal systems designed for efficiency and lights out manufacturing. Kravitz.online.com or Kravitz.online or Kravitz.com. Jack, I think that the game wrap up pretty simple. Like they didn't hit and eventually it was going to come back to bite him. Yeah. Yeah. And real quick on Topper. Because his whole thing is sticking with his veterans and his veterans are going to come through for him and trusting his guys.

Well, they essentially laid down. I mean, there was no toughness. I mean, for as much as we didn't want to do it, I mean, tonight feels very similar to the end of last year's Eagles season. The Eagles ended up bringing obviously Nick Sirianni back. So, you know, maybe... Or it feels like it was a mistake as of now. So this team just might need a different kind of voice in there. I mean, James, they... First off, baseball IQ-wise, might as well not exist.

Oh, my God. I mean, Jack, how do you... How do you know that the one thing you have to do is have an approach to the plate and take pitches and you still chase pitches? I mean, Trey Turner, like, how is this guy? I'm, like, that contract feels like an albatross. Like it is- Well, it's only year three next year. It is arguably the worst contract in the city. Like it is a disastrous contract right now.

Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's brutal. And obviously, listen, you could say it over and over again, RobTop's not the one out there hitting it, and I get it. But the fact that it took until this week to start working on maybe bunting a little bit, trying to do the little things well, that to me is egregious. I mean, that kind of stuff is how you win playoff series. And in 2022, they got hot, they hit a bunch of home runs, they believed, and they got some out of body experiences.

Last year, they completely choked, and this year they didn't even show up. I just... They have to change, they have to change a lot this offseason. I mean, they have to change. They have to change a lot this offseason. Yeah. I mean, they have to. I mean, there's going to be real changes. There's going to be meaningful changes. There's going to be legitimately tough decisions

they're going to have to make. Yeah. Like, there are multiple starters that should not be here. Did Bones play his last game as an affiliate? As far as I'm concerned, he should. Like, again, I don't want him in the game tonight. And that felt justified in it.

And I will say that was a fair ball. You were at the game. I don't know if you can see it. That was absolutely a fair ball. It was an outrageous call, but whatever. So full disclosure, I barely watched after the Lindoro. Yeah, I don't blame you. Honestly, I didn't even get mad about it.

And I had Ken from Cinnamentsen point this out to me, and he's dead right. And then I saw other people mention it too. But I think the fact that Topper didn't come out of the dugout in that spot to argue it shows how checked out he freaking was in the game like what are you doing there you're just sitting on your ass in that spot like the biggest potential moment we could actually maybe after last chance at a comeback like it was just again it's embarrassment and and I I didn't think I would come in and I

well like Rob Thompson should be fired. And I do. I feel like he should probably be fired. That's where I'm at right now. But that's been the whole MO of this season. I mean, it's been the whole MO of the season is that this is no big deal. Nothing. Yeah, yeah, you're absolutely right. No, we get some playoffs. Yeah, this is what we do.

Yes, just wait for the bank, man. Just wait for the bank. Oh. Just wait for the bank. Oh, that'll lift us. It's a joke. Honestly, it's a disgrace. It's a disgrace. This was a disgraceful season. Having to now watch them celebrate all on the field is making it...

I can only imagine. I can only imagine. All right. Let's get to the biggest takeaway of the game brought to you by Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. And I think Jack just hit it. I think the biggest takeaway from this game is that this team is gonna look very different and obviously Bryce Harbor is gonna be

your trade turn is gonna be here you know there are people Aaron Nolan, Zach Wheeler aren't going anywhere Christopher Sanchez isn't going anywhere like a lot of these guys will be here but they're going to have to be wholesale real deal changes both to the coaching staff I mean Kevin Long could not be more gone. Like I think I would put a 0% chance that Kevin Long is back. Well, what if it comes with Juan Soto? I sign Soto, then I fire Long.

All right. And look, as much as I want Soto, and I do, let me tell you, watching Trey and Soto's younger and better, but watching Trey Turner out there certainly doesn't make me feel excited to give out a Four or five hundred million dollar contract like I like I'm shook by the Trey Turner thing. All right We're gonna more three hundred million dollars on actually. Yeah, right. It's three hundred. Okay, sure. Yeah, we'll get it three hundred I know two one five five nine two ninety four ninety four. We're gonna come back

We're gonna take your calls tonight to react to a just again disgraceful embarrassing especially the frickin meds like just what an embarrassment what a disappointment what a disgrace there aren't enough adjectives to describe how absolutely brutal and and upsetting and disappointing tonight was as a Phillies fan. We'll come back, we'll take your calls, we'll continue to react to... Man, I can't believe these words are coming out of my mouth. The end of the Phillies season. We'll be back to react to it. It's a low hopes edition of Final Out.

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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. It is high hopes, low hopes. It feels weird saying high hopes because there are not hopes right now. Final out sponsored by Regency Furniture Affordable. Never looks so good, Jack Fritz. James Seltzer with you. Let's get to the Player of the Game sponsored by the South Jersey Gas Conserve. Helping customers and the community save energy and money. Visit southjerseygas.com slash conserve. Francisco Lindor, the Player of the Game. We can move on from that one. 215-592-9494. Yeah, what's up, Frit fronti back to back six innings in Games I know I know yeah the your your Dom was six sitting too no no I meant like tonight and last night I mean six sitting tonight first and second no outs. Oh, yeah

Second last really good. Yeah, I mean honestly it just so many I mean honestly even that the anything scored in I mean that JT a bat That I you know I think the honestly that kind of turned the game There were so many spots obviously where the Phillies had opportunities But when they got that first run in on the bone squibbler to Vietos, I saw your tweet You were right that the little dribblers down to Vietos were their best offense this entire series somehow But I thought that JT 2-0 swinging fly out at bat pop out essentially at bat there and not getting that extra run in there, like, that felt so deflating, Jack.

You know, there were so many moments, but that one stood out. Yeah, but it's like, again, I think a lot of things felt deflating this series, but it's like, it doesn't all have to be deflating the Mets had Bases loaded in like what one out the first point they couldn't take advantage of any of the momentum I know that's the whole night the whole night the whole series I mean the whole thing is they couldn't just get back into it and and string together some hits I mean, this is by the way and walks and bases runners Sure, this is this is back to back years.

And even if you want to go back to Houston, Houston at their peak was a team that didn't strike out, put the bat on the baseball, and it wasn't all home runner bust. This is back to back years. They've gotten beaten by teams that are not. I mean, I know Lindora had the big home run tonight. But what's gotten the Mets into this run here

is going the opposite way, getting a bunch of base hits. Well it's how they won game one, that eight two out hits or whatever it was. It's how they won game three. I know they have the big home runs, but the ones late also extended. It's back to back years where the Phillies have gone the same approach of yeah we're just gonna try to launch baseballs and then they get beat by a team that doesn't just rely on all that and Actually have good hitters. So maybe something to consider for the offseason Oh, yeah, like I said, I said it before the game and I'll hammer it home now I will trade the entire roster for Luis Arias

I will just start rebuilding with Luis Arias and we'll go from there. By the way, Terry Francona couldn't wait a week. I know, I know, dude, seriously. Oh my God, what I would give for Terry Francona. Alex Kord has had to sign an extension. Home, like, I mean, the Francona thing, what a homecoming, that would have been, you know? All right, 215-592-9494.

Let's go to the phones, let's start it out with Ed in Phoenixville. Hey, Ed. Hey, guys. So for some reason, the Oakland series just kind of sticks in my craw as the sort of epitome of missed opportunities that's kind of plagued us since July. Teams that were supposedly better than, that we just, you know, we don't step on their

throats. And I don't want to say I saw it coming, but it was just like, wow, this is starting to become an alarming trend that didn't really spook Dombrovowski into really taking drastic measures outside of you know Austin Hayes who draws zero walks like all season. Yeah it's another free swinger to the team that's a good idea. How unbelievable is that? Austin Hayes never walked it. He will he will never walk as a Philly because that guy will definitely not be. I know he's got another year on his deal. He better not be here.

Yeah so Kevin Long I don't know what his background or what his method is, but somebody either needs to be taught this or we need new players to realize that drawing a walk is a win, it's not a consolation prize. Like you get on base. And Alec Bohm, he's like, oh, he can get his 100 RBI as well. Players have to get on base and you know Alex Boehm you know he's like oh I can get a hundred RBI as well like you know players have to get on base for the drive-in runs and it's just you know Bryce Harper didn't get on base in the month of July and that was you know a very kind of low-key inflection point of

the season so it's just yeah no that was when it turned actually and a great call that was you know and and I remember that night when it turned actually, and a great call. That was, you know, and I remember that night when, I mean, that the Oakland series before the deadline and then the injuries to Schwerber and Harper that one night and it just felt like it was never the same ever again. After that night, it felt like the season kind of turned. Obviously London, I know, is pointing to it, one of those things. Jack, you just mentioned BOME.

You said it before. If you had to bet right now, you know, this season has been over for, you know, an hour or 45 minutes or whatever it is. So obviously I won't hold you to it, but if you had to bet right now, will Alec BOME be a filly next year? It's tough, because I'm trying to think of who's the guy. I wouldn't rush to move on with Castellanos. I thought Castellanos actually showed some guts to the series. Yeah, I think he was their best hitter in the series. And really the second half I thought he showed a lot of guts. To pull himself out of that.

He's your sixth hitter in the lineup and I think you feel pretty good about that. I don't think you get anything, but I think Castellanos for 40 million or whatever is left here, you're not going to get something better for that. So, so I'm trying to what the shake-up is, you know They have trade boom obviously, so I know I'm just working my way through it. JT is probably back It's one year left on it. Yeah, it'll be one year But they have to they have to have a move-on plan whether it's Martin whatever. Yeah ASAP Nice nice that Logan Oh hobby back wouldn't it? Yeah. Yeah, ASAP. It'd be nice to have Logan O'Hoppy back, wouldn't it? Yeah, I mean, I think Scott Boam, Marsh, those are the three to look at.

I don't know where you kind of go from. Austin Hayes is not enough. They're going to need something else. Do I think Boam played his last game of the Philly tonight? If I had to bet, no. If I was a betting man, I would say no. But I think it's on the table. I mean, I think it's on the table. Again, there's not an obvious move here to get out of whatever position they're in right now. But you cannot run back the same team.

You cannot for the second straight year. And we'll see what they do. But there has to be legitimately tough decisions because Dave Dabrowski hasn't made a tough decision since he's gotten here. Yeah, Dabrowski, again, I don't think we can hammer him enough, like what a disappointment Dabrowski had. It was this year year the decision to just

Re-racket at the end of the season the big offseason move being with Maryfield outside, you know resigning Nola 35 38 since they release with our not even on the team Obviously and then for your trade deadline moves to be Austin Hayes at Carlos Carlos Estevez I mean and and I saw this list Kyle Bennett put out on Twitter This is the list, ready for this? The list of Dave Dabrowski's trade deadline acquisitions as Philly's president of baseball operations. Ian Kennedy, Kyle Gibson, Hans Kraus, Freddie Galvez, Braden Ogle, Brandon Marsh, Noah Sindergaard,

David Robertson, Michael Lorenzen, Rodolfo Castro, Carlos Estevez, Tanner Banks, Seth Johnson, Austin A's Moises Chasse. Now we'll see what Chasse and Johnson become. But that is a list of trash. That is a disastrous. This guy is supposed to, and Debrowski historically has been good at the deadline throughout his

career. This guy was come in here to push this team over the hump and to get them. And he has done a good job rebuilding the organization. We've talked about the player development, the drafting, all that has improved under Nobrowski. But as far as the on the field product and getting them to the World Series, he has failed pretty miserably, especially with his in-season moves have been pretty disastrous. As we've talked about, the core of this team are Matt Klen-Tac players. I know.

Or Ruben, like Nolan stuff. I mean, come on. You want to know how down bad I am? I mean, is there an Alonzo signing this offseason? Oh my god, don't even. Nope. Is there an Alonzo signing? Nope, I hate him. Nope. I do hate him. And he wasn't even good this year now he's gonna get paid more because he has a good post. The Mets are gonna pay him whatever it takes. Oh my god. I'm good. At least not at the Soto running. But the Nebraska... Nebraska's deadline is gonna need to be studied. I mean we're gonna need a deep dive investigation into that.

Now I mean maybe they didn't believe in this core the way that we wanted them to believe in this core, and they didn't want to give up. They did! That's what they made the trades for. I know they didn't want to give up pieces, but like, he must have believed in the core enough to think that they didn't need help, like... Well, no, what I mean is that... I know what you mean, that he didn't want to give up big-time pieces because he doesn't believe that this core is gonna last.

I get it. I get it, but... The small market fitlies. Let's get to the. I get it, I get it, but. The small market, small market Phillies. Let's get to the play of the game, sponsored by Mike's Amazing, the official Mayo and Mustard of the Phillies. We all know what it is, it was the Grand Slam. 2-1-5-5-9-2-9-4-9-4. No more analysis on that, no more analysis on the Grand Slam.

What do you wanna say? What do you wanna say? Like, what do you guys say about that Grand Slam? What do you have to say? Awesome, great job, Francisco Lindor. Like, what do we want to say? What do you want to say? What do you have to say? Awesome. Great job, Francisco Lindor. What do we want to say here? It sucked.

It's like an all-time crappy Phillies moment. The only reason I might disagree with you on it being worse than Alec Thomas or whoever is because I knew it was coming. This felt like Lindor hitting that Grand Slam was the most expected thing that happened in a moment all night long for me. Like that was the only time I was like, yup, there it is. I knew that was coming. Like, well, you know, I don't know.

What do you want to say about it? You got something poetic to say about it? No, it sucked. All right. At least you weren't here for it. I'll say that. At least you weren't here for it. I'll say that. At least you weren't here for it. Trust me, I'm not sad that I was not in the building for that one.

Stupid Grimace. God, and just to waste this season, what a waste of time this was this season. It's not as big of a waste as 2011, but it's probably the second biggest waste of a season. It's a great call, I agree with you. And in some ways, because of all the talk and all the mentality... I'm being laughed at in the booth here, by the way. Yeah, as you should be. We earned it. You know, it might be worse in some ways in 2011. They weren't a better team than 2011, but in some ways... At least in 2011 they had just won a World Series, you know what I mean? Oh yeah, no, they couldn't have mixed in a World Series before falling off a cliff.

That's much appreciated. Alright, we got one more break to go and then we'll take some more calls and continue to react and then we'll get Fritzy on his ride back to Westchester. Dude, only a nice three hour drive home, that's gonna be awesome. I'm sure you'll be fine. This is gonna be a classic Fritz driving in silence. Guess who's driving in silence, this guy. I knew it.

All right, we'll be back. It's High Hopes, Final Out. One more segment, we'll come right back. It is a Low Hopes, High Hopes, formerly High Hopes, now Low Hopes edition. We're running Smokey the Bear Ass. Final Out Swans are our Regency furniture. Affordable, never looks so good.

What was that? We're running Smokey the Bear Ass. Theyiture. Affordable, never looks so good. What was that? We're running Smokey the Bear ads. They are. Can you head on over to CBP? Only you can prevent forest fires. This is awful. It's awful being here. It's the worst. We'll get you out of there in a couple minutes. Let's get to the pitch count slash injury report. Sponsored by the Plumbers Union Local 690,

protecting the health of the nation. Visit plumbers690.com and Jack, my pitch count report for tonight is zero. That would be the amount of pitches that Zach Wheeler threw in the Phillies last game. Well, at least he's ready for game five. Can't wait. Awesome.

He'll be really, really rested to start the season next year. So that'll be great. It's another sign. I mean, I just, something's fell off ever since the deadline. No doubt. No, that's what I said last night, Jack. And that's why I know you were, I think

you woke up a little less positive than you felt last night. Well, I watched it. Yeah. But that's when I did watch it. And when we were doing the show last night, I watched it. Yeah, yeah. But that's why when I did watch it, and when we were doing the show last night, I was like, the Mets are just better. Like, I hate to say it. And we deluded ourselves for so long,

thinking that the Phillies team that we saw the first three months of the season or whatever would reappear when it mattered most. And they just never did. We never saw them again. We saw a couple games here and there, like a five game stretch where they were like, oh look at them! But they never came close to having that. And it wasn't just Jack that they never came close to getting back to as good as they were, it felt like they never had the same mentality. We used

to talk, I remember doing podcasts in the first few months of the season and we kept saying like, you know what it of the season and we kept saying like You know what? It feels like it feels like this team takes losing personally like they hate to lose they want to win every single game They go out there and a certain point like that mentality completely disappeared and all of a sudden it felt like Whatever. Yeah, we'll get him tomorrow and and it really did feel like there was a shift, and it never got back to where it had to be. Yeah, and that has to be studied by all the important decision makers all offseason,

is why couldn't they recapture it? And, I mean, how are they going to handle next season? I mean, I'm just so happy that we can hang a 2024 NLE's Division Champs banner. I mean, thank God. I mean, it's awesome. I'm so happy about it. So what happens next year?

I just don't know how you handle it. We have to start 500. We have to start 500, and then hopefully get hot in the second half. I mean, baseball is just changing. There's no, there's no, it's seemingly great. Way to kind of prepare for it in a way almost. I mean every team is, I think, going to start,

well but can you even load management? I mean the Phillies essentially load manage the second half of the season. Well I think that's the thing is you have to load manage the first half of the season. I think that's probably the lesson. Like if you're going to load manage, load manage the first half and ramp up instead of ramp down. Like, maybe. You know? I don't know.

I have no idea what the answer is. I have no idea what the answer is. Alright. 2155929494. I think to your point too, Jack, and we're coming to the phones in a sec, I think the thing that I'm most bummed about right now, you know, obviously outside of just the season ending and losing the Mets, but just from a more big picture perspective, and it's something that you talked about prior to the season as being your concern heading into the year, and you know, if they didn't end up winning the World Series this year, and certainly with the way they lost in the NLDS, the Mets, that like, you know, hate to even invoke it,

but they've entered Sixers territory now for the fans. Like, I think the fans next season are not going to care about the regular season in the same way, and they shouldn't. Like, I don't know why to tell them that they should, and I think that when it gets to the playoffs, they are not going to be given the benefit of the doubt. They are going to be expected to fail until they don't. And sadly, they've earned that.

Yeah, definitely. And I think what makes this even more annoying is how much they talked about the fire that burned them after they lost last year. I know, I know. And to watch them. One goal, one purpose, 11 games to forever, like all that. Oh my god, enough talk. Exactly.

I know. I mean it's all hollow. It's all hollow. I mean this is what happens when you put Spike as the main voice of the hype video. That's a good point. Your season ends in four. Yeah, yeah, well. You're in a good spot.

It's going well. I got one more super important prediction coming from Jack Fritz. I'm going to ask him a question. He's going to tell us that an hour after the season has ended, what is going to happen. But first let's get one more call in here. Let's talk to our buddy Cashmere in the Poconos. Yo, Cash. This will be positive.

You know what? That's what we need right now. Like who needs positivity right now? Like no one should be positive I don't want to hear a word of positivity. Go ahead, brother Yeah, I can't be positive with you guys. I'm sorry, but I love you guys. I can't positive with the team right now They don't deserve positivity You know, we thought this team was different. We thought this team had it. We thought this team had the heart. We thought this team had the fire. You know, this year, you know, I think it was after a Blue Jays loss earlier in the

season when we were at home and they lost the game to the Blue Jays and you saw the look on Kyle Schwaber and Bryce Harper's face and it looked like they were like angry. They were foaming at the mouth. The fact they lost a game and I think mid-May or April, whatever it was. And we were thinking to ourselves, yeah, that team has the look. Like they don't care about anything else. They want to win it. And like you said, somewhere along the line, they lost it.

I don't know what happened, but I think it was when I checked out. I always was in this team, but I said there's a real problem with this team. It was after the Yankees came in here and just beat the crap out of us. And it was it was embarrassing. The Yankees came in here and they just beat us down. And I'm thinking to myself, oh my goodness, I'm watching the 2023 Eagles all over again. I'm watching a Phillies team that just, I'm watching, I know the Phillies finished it off, I get they won the division

title but I don't care. I really don't care, it's hollow. You shouldn't. That division title like... Oh it's meaningless. Honestly... Throwing a threat. It's a joke. It's a joke it's it like you said James real quick this team never shows any guts at all they have not

shown any guts since the Blue Jays game when they were down eight to one and they came back to win that game they have not shown any guts at all when they were down they always lose the game you win this game when it was four to one I was like I was like I want to turn this game off because it's not even worth watching anymore because you know the game's over this team's never gonna come back and win last year when they went up when when they found out who who nothing in game six you fell even gave it over because they weren't gonna hit it's a joke like why waste my time? Every single stupid year, I get myself juiced up for this stupid team, and I get let down again!

And I'm messaging my friend, who's also a big Phillies fan, she feels the exact same way! And you know what? I can't blame her, because I feel that exact same way. It's ridiculous! Cashmere, great call. It really is. It's the hope that kills you, Cashmere. Yeah, and you know what? Hi, Hobs! Check it out. Yeah, and honestly, I expect a lot of calls like that. Do you think Cashmere is still yelling, by the way? Do you think Cashmere is still yelling? Even though you cut him off?

Yeah, I do. I gotta get you home, man. You got a three-hour ride. That was a great call, though. And I do think that we led into that like there should be no positivity I'm sorry like I don't I don't want I don't want one person saying something positive tomorrow Did they that out there? I guess like final thought here. They just said well. I have a question for you, too Okay, well final thing here like they said no They had no way of getting out like just no plan to get out of it. JT said after the game, we were hoping once the lights came on, we'd flip the switch. What the hell does that mean?

I mean, what does that mean? They had no answers. I mean, Brod stops for the game today. First off, he got what he could have asked for out of Ranger. What he could have asked for, he got ten times what he could have done. Miraculous performance from Ranger. The way he was explaining it, it was basically just like, I have no idea. I mean, we'll just see. They, for a team that had been in the World Series in the NSCS last year, lost game 6-7 at home,

they have no idea how to win. I mean, no idea how to win. And it's our greatest fear of having to bring in all these mercenaries is that they didn't come up together. They didn't come up learning the Phillies way. And you know, they don't play winning baseball. We are hoping... Or they become...

The Phillies way is losing baseball. I mean, like Kyle Schwabber has won before. He comes here and they forget how to win. And he, you know, like, maybe the Phillies way is losing, Jack, you know, that's what history seems to tell us. We were hoping when the lights came on, we'd flip the switch. Awesome.

All right, last thing. And it goes to what you were just talking about, having no answers and all that, but we've talked a lot about Rob Thompson, the last prediction I'm gonna ask you to make. Will Rob Thompson be the manager in a few days? Like do you think or after the postseason or whatever, whenever they make those moves, like do you expect the Phillies to bring Rob Thompson back? Yes. Yeah, I think so too, but I think there's going to be, you know. There's more of a possibility than I thought, but I still would say yes.

I say so too, but I think that he is, and I think people like him as a person, but I think he is entering a Nick Sirianni territory from the fan base, where I think that it is going to be a really, really ugly, ugly spot for him if he struggles to start next year. Well, maybe they're hire Kellamore. Ah, was Bill Belichick? What do we think?

Well, that was Frank Kona. Yeah, I know it was. I was saying actual Bill Belichick. I'm actually mad that the core one actually hurts me more. I was actually talking, like, let's hire Bill Belichick. Like, why not? Awesome. It's so romantic. Awesome. They're going to hire the Tennessee coach in a year. That's my official prediction. Great. Once next year doesn't go the way we want. All right. Jack,

drive home safe. Please don't just drive in silence. Maybe listen to some music or something. But yeah I know. Doubt it. I know. Thank you to everyone who called in. I'm sorry we couldn't get to a lot of calls but Tom Kelly will be coming up next. We'll be taking calls for sure. And of course, tomorrow all day on WIP, we will be reacting to a disgraceful Philly season. You know, a fun start and basically after a fun three months, then everything else is done.

So we'll react to it all day tomorrow, and I'm sure the next few days, and all off-seas and all that. So keep it here. Thank you to Dan Wilson, great job producing, back in the studio. And Fritzie, drive safe, buddy. Thanks, man. Well, this was a fun year. Just kidding, it wasn't.

Yeah, great. Super fun. Super, super fun. But I enjoy doing this. I do, too. I love talking to you. One day enjoy doing this. I do too. I love talking to you. I love talking to you. One day it'll be all worth it. Yeah, maybe.

But as it currently stands, definitely not worth it. All right. 124 more days until Bidders and Catchers. Oh my god, no you didn't. Can I do a Go Birds? Can we even have any hope there? Go Birds, baby. Give us something. Meat Scuff season, baby. Something. Go Sixers. Yeah, can I do a go birds like can we even like have any hope there go birds? Baby, you must be something baby something Go sixers go flyers. Don't worry, buddy. The sixers got us

Official motto it's the year. Yeah, somehow. We made it worse. We're gonna get out here before we make it worse than that We'll be back tomorrow on our shows keep it here Tom. Tom Kelly's coming up next. Ah, more. This will be good. He will be positive. You know it. All right. Until then, he's Fritz himself.