High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - FInal Out: What An Annoying Loss

Episode Date: June 22, 2024

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies' frustrating loss at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. 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. Welcome on in. It is the final out. Sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable never looks so good. Jack Fritz hanging out with you here on this Friday night recapping one of the more annoying losses of the season. Last Friday might have been the game of the year.

I'm sitting here at 12 o'clock ranting and raving about how fun this team is. And then went down to Baltimore and beat the Orioles, one of the best teams in baseball. And tonight was annoying. It was an annoying loss. The game wrap-up sponsored by Blaser Swiss Lube and Kravitz, the metal-working fluid specialist providing professional CNC machine cleaning, coolant maintenance programs, and waste coolant disposal.

Kravitz.online. 215-592-9494 to get in a lot of people down there tonight. It was a packed crowd. Great atmosphere all night long. Frankly, kind of felt like a playoff game. For the Harper at bat, it was like, all right, this is getting pretty loud in here.

Obviously, the Hamels portion of this made it a big, big deal. We'll get into that a little bit later as I was down there for that portion before getting out to make sure I got home for postgame. But 215-592-9494. If you're stuck in traffic, want to react to the game, let your little frustration out, all good. That's what we do here on the Final Out.

Let's get to the biggest takeaways of the game brought to you by Morgan & Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. And you know, it's funny heading into the series. I was like, yeah, you know, Diamondbacks, they, the Phillies more lost that series than the Diamondbacks won it. I don't really have much ill will toward the Diamondbacks. And then I had to watch that team again. And all the negative emotions came immediately back. All my frustration. Losing to that team is the worst. They're not good.

I know they're playing pretty decent baseball heading into tonight. Under.500 a majority of the year. They weren't good last year in the postseason either. They weren't good last year heading into the postseason. They won 84 games losing to that team is just it's it's it's it's insane it's insane and every single negative emotion that i felt about the last year diamondbacks team immediately came back tonight as taiwan's getting lit up um i just they are they're a gnat man like they are a gnat, man. Like, they are a gnat.

They're not that good. They just, it kind of feels like they got a little bit of a mental edge with the Phils. Like, the Phils, I think, wanted to come in tonight and send a message, and they just didn't pretty existently. But every single negative emotion was back. You know, I'm starting to blame dead balls. Listen, there was the Alec Boehm ball to the wall I thought was 100% gone.

Sure, we'll get into Bryce here in a second, but I thought that was gone. Then that David Dahl ball to the ninth, that looked like it was gone off the bat. How'd that die? I feel like we're seeing an increase, a little bit of an increase in balls, a little dying at the wall. We don't need dead balls back, but it is incredibly frustrating. There's a couple balls that I thought were like 100.

We've watched a million baseball games at Citizens Bank Park. We know a home run usually when we see it. I thought a bone was a home run, especially with how hot it is, especially with how hot it is. The bone one looked like a home run, and the Doll one looked like a home run. Either way, it all points back to one thing, and the Diamondbacks are incredibly frustrating to play given what happened last year and what happened tonight because they look like home runs, and I can't believe they didn't go out. Just simply put, I can't believe they didn't go out. I can't believe that wasn't at least a tie ball game.

It was just an annoying baseball game. It was a big, big annoying baseball game. So, yes, every single bad Diamondbacks emotion I had, 100% back tonight. Second thing, and I appreciate the wah-wah campaign that we got going on. Tough Bryce Knight. Just was. He gets to second base after a double, does the hakutua, which if you're not aware of, it's a big social media thing going around right now.

You can't open a social media app without it being right there for you. So, yeah, feels the moment. Appreciates the content game. Is clearly a Dick Doxman. And, sure, the showman doing that, all good. Get to third base. Get to third base when a ball is hit to the wall. Okay?

It's not that hard. Like, Alec Boehm hits a ball to the wall. First off, just be camped at second base regardless. If it's gone, you don't have to go anywhere. If it bounces off the wall, you're probably still scoring anyway. I know Castellanos got out the next at bat on a brutal strikeout, but who knows? Who knows how that goes if Bryce is on third base instead of being camped on second base,

that's brutal. That is straight up brutal. That is baseball 101. Bryce was frustrated on second base. He knew he messed up. I don't think it'll happen again. He's been on a pretty good streak since there was a little bit of question about his demeanor on the field a month ago. we haven't really had that issue at all here.

That was frustrating because that's, that's just good baseball. That's just smart baseball. And it was clearly a mental lapse, but it's, it's something that has to be talked about. I mean, that's probably a tie game in that situation. If, if he gets a third base there with less than two outs. And the other thing, and it's interesting, because Bryce has been maybe the best hitter in baseball. I mean, he is batting.388 with runners in scoring position.

It's obviously down. It's heading into tonight. That's what the number was, which I believe was best in baseball, if not number two in baseball. But in late and close situations, he's batting 156, which is not what we've seen from him in the last couple years. And that double play at the bases

loaded was, again, it was brutal. And it was a little bit like pressing, trying to make that moment a big thing. So, listen, double plays happen. It's not the end of the world. If it gets past the pitcher, obviously it's probably a tie game. But it just stinks.

You know, it was a tough night for Bryce. 100% tough night for Bryce. But really, not getting to third base on the ball to the wall, that was incredibly frustrating. And then the most frustrating part is, again, Tywon Walker, who was just out there throwing batting practice at this point. It's just such a waste of time and on one hand i do feel bad for tywon because i think he's trying you know there's a lot of people you know listening to the broadcast tonight

from franski and and stock you know they were talking a lot about how yeah tywin's trying like they're trying things in the in the bull Caleb Cotham's working with them. And listen, if Caleb Cotham can't figure out Tywon Walker, it might just be a wrap. And unfortunately for Tywon, I just think he's done. Eventually a pitcher's arm is just done. You run out of bullets. It is what it is.

And velocity was down tonight. You have Rob Thompson saying after the game that he's going to check and see if he's healthy. And then Tywin Walker saying he's 100% healthy. This feels like we're trending towards a Phantom IL stint of some sort. Because, again, Spencer Turnbull was fine tonight. You know, there's three scoreless. At least he has stuff. At least there's a chance there.

Is there going to be games where Spencer Turnbull gets lit up? Maybe. Maybe. But, like, at least there's stuff. At least there's, again, at least there's some movement on the pitches. At least there's some swing and miss. Is there some wildness? Sure.

Is it five innings and going to be 90 pitches? Probably. But at least you have a chance. You're not down 4-0. You're not getting you're not getting lit up at home by the freaking diamondbacks and listen he had two okay starts the the the mad start was great you know the londoners might have seen the best pitcher they've ever seen bitch in london in tywin walker but every start is just rockets at people splitter

is probably the worst pitch in baseball it by the Splitter is probably the worst pitch in baseball. By the numbers, it's probably the worst singular pitch in all of baseball. It's brutal. It's brutal. And I know it's the fifth starter, and I know his job is to take down innings. He's not even taking down innings. They're not giving him extra time. Last year, they gave him extra time. They said, okay, you want to let up four in the first two innings. They're not giving him extra time. Last year, they gave him extra time.

They said, okay, you want to let up four in the first two innings? Fine. But get us into the seventh. And he would. He's not even doing that this year. He's just getting lit up. And I'm glad that they're knocking off the nonsense of letting him continue out there to just ride it out.

Why? Sometimes it's just a sunk cost. It's just a sunk cost. It is what it is. And that's what Tywon Walker is. He just might be done. He just might be done. It's as simple as that.

And the way Thompson talked after the game, Taiwan disputing, 100% healthy. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some kind of little bit of a shutdown here. Maybe work in the bullpen. Try to find a mechanical adjustment. I have no idea. But for him to go out there every fifth day at this point,

it's really just malpractice to me when it's been to turn bull exists. It is really just malpractice to me when a Spencer Turnbull exists. It is. 215-592-9494. That is the pitch count sponsored by the Plumbers Union. Local 690, protecting the health of the nation. Visit Plumbers690.org. 77

excruciating pitches for Tyjuan Walker tonight. On the other side, we'll get to the player of the game, plus your phone calls and some signs of life from one Philly and something to monitor. We'll get to all of that coming up next on the Final Out on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Hey, fantasy football owners.

The road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. I'm Matt Harmon from Reception Perception. Join me and James Coe as we take a deep dive into the position that's going to make or break your fantasy roster. Wide receivers. We analyze route running, target share, and all the metrics that matter, giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers. As you prep for your draft, let us give you the coverage you need.

Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Some more signs of life from Nick Castellanos. Who knows? Who knows? Either way, hitting over 250. I know. Don't get too excited.

But hitting over 250 in the month of June. And, again, that should have been the game-tying home run. But, again, an incredibly frustrating night down at CBP tonight. Welcome on back. It is the final hour. Sponsored by Regency Furniture. Affordable never looks so good. Our player of the game.

Sponsored by South Jersey Gas. Committed to providing safe, reliable, affordable natural gas. Make the switch at southjerseygas.com. Love my home. We'll get to something to monitor here in one second. But let's go to the phones. Dave is in Maryland. What's happening, Dave?

Just extremely frustrating just to watch that. It just felt like you're watching the 2011 series with St. Louis, the Ibanez ball at the track. Totally. It just seemed like it was never going right tonight. Dave, you've watched, in talking to you, you seem like a really good baseball guy. I appreciate that. We've watched a million games

in Bank Park. That doll ball, I was like, no doubt about it. That's gone. No kidding. I turned the Apple TV on the Franski and the radio call because I couldn't stand listening to Kruk

and TMAC give the Diamondbacks a little love. But, you know, that's just their job. I thought it was so funny listening to TMAC and Kruk call that game down the middle. It was like, hold on. Like he said it, and I'm saying this with complete love because I love TMAC, a little too excited on some of the Diamondbacks' home runs. Correct. Correct.

The part that Taiwan's Taiwan, he's just not good. When we can figure that out and move on from that, that's on Dombrowski, Rob Thompson, and the coaching staff in the front office.

It's probably on Middleton, too. I mean, he's going to be the one that has to eat $18 million for the next year or the following year. Yeah. I mean, the part that's really concerning me right now is you just have three big holes in the lineup right now with, you know, the catching spot, the center field spot, the left field spot, and then Stott's not hitting the ball well.

Like, as soon as you get past four in the lineup, it's just like, how are we going to score? And Brandon Marsh, I looked it up tonight, hasn't hit a home run since April 26th. I know he was out for a little bit, but he had five going into May, I think. And he's been struggling a lot lately. I know he's out, but even his hits are little singles to left field. He's not driving the ball at all. They need him, at least.

And he's in the lineup against the Reds, to be a threat. Yeah, totally, Dave, and I appreciate the phone call. You know, it's interesting. Jeff Kerr tweeted out tonight that these are the Phillies' outfield numbers against left-handed pitching this year. Brandon Marsh is hitting.128, Whitmerry filled.197, Christian Pache hitting 205.

It's against the lefties. That's brutal. And listen, I, you know, Ken Rosenthal was talking on a podcast yesterday, and he's talking about, like, the camaraderie of the team and don't want to screw that up. Like, they need to address the outfield so clearly you know i know they're they're they're playing essentially 500 ball yeah i think they actually are playing 500 ball and i think they're 12 and 12 in their last 24 games and what like they're so on pace to win

106 games are they going to win 106 games i have no idea but the nice part about like regressing a little bit is it makes it abundantly clear what this team needs and i hear people talking about going and getting a closer that's what we're worried about right now is a closer what are we talking about like if you want to go get tanner scott you want to go get a bullpen arm that's fine it's more like you have one shot at this with get it with investing your assets in something and whether you want to talk about mason miller or emmanuel classe or by the way i don't know why i said classe the guardians are really good but you know what i mean like investing in a in a big name closer for what it Like, I would much rather, like, if you have a push-your-chips-in move,

I don't think the Astros will trade Kyle Tucker, but, like, Kyle Tucker, Luis Robert, you know, Luis Robert, obviously, I've talked on the station a lot about how I'm so conflicted on him. At this point, yeah, I'll take the shot. I'll take the shot because at least he's a middle-of-the-order bat that can play center field and hit a home run from the outfield spot. But that's the problem. They got to fix that because they do feel a bat short.

You add one more bat to that, and the lineup goes from, I don't know, about six through nine to, like, okay, these guys are in the spots they should be. Rob's in Potsdown. What's happening, Rob? Jack, how you doing, man? Frustrated, Rob. I'm frustrated. Me too.

Yeah, I am infuriated. The game started with such an awesome ceremony with Cole Hamels. I remember I'm in my mid-50s, and seeing the Phillies win in 2008 was just amazing. I had my three young sons there, and it was just awesome. And then as soon as the game started, Walker just completely dampened, not even dampened, just down from the moon. He's a buzzkill. He's a buzzkill at this point. An absolute buzzkill. And I don buzzkill at this point. He's an absolute buzzkill.

And I don't get, I just don't get, every knowledgeable fan in Philadelphia knows that he's cooked. He's done. I don't know if he's hurt, whatever. He's done. And we have Spencer Turnbull. When Spencer Turnbull came in the game,

I didn't have any concerns. He got bent on base. I wasn't concerned at all that he was going to give up a run. I just wasn't. And as soon as Walker gets a guy on base. I wasn't concerned at all that he was going to give up a run. I just wasn't. As soon as Walker gets a guy on base, you know it's trouble. He's walking

guys on four pitches that are hitting below two under, Jack. There's just something wrong there. It's got to be done. Topper, in his post-game news conference, one of the reporters asked him, is he making his next start? And he was like, well, oh, yeah, he's definitely making his next start.

Have some honesty with us, Popper. Come on. Well, I think he is. I mean, unfortunately, Rob, I think he is. They're just not going to – listen, it's frustrating. I'm totally with you. I think he's cooked. They're just not going to pull a plug at this point with the amount of money that he has left.

And I don't think that's a Rob Thompson decision. That's above his pay grade to me. I think that's Dombrowski and Middleton. Like, we invest in this guy. We're going to keep trying it until maybe the trade deadline. And Spencer Turnbull, at least he still is providing some length. And do I think that Turnbull is going to come back and pitch to the 1-6-7 era he had before he got shifted to the bullpen?

Probably not. But at least he gives him a shot. You know, like, the Phillies bullpen is really good. If he can give them five innings allowing less than two runs, perfect. I'll take that every single day from Spencer Turnbull. Because the stuff's good. He had 96 with sink tonight. It's like, come on.

I've got to watch freaking. Tywin Walker threw 90-mile-an-hour meatballs and the worst pitch in baseball, the Tywin Walker splitter. And just make four innings excruciating. When I see Spencer Turnbull, at least have stuff. Listen, they cut Odubel, they cut Familia, they cut Didi in 2022 with some money in the book. Not as much, but some money in the book.

We'll see if they do the same now. Now, one thing to monitor is the Atlanta Braves. And there's only one person to blame and that is joe gilio because you don't do this you don't say the the division's over in in june you can feel it you can feel it in your bones you don't put that in the universe and listen i think the phillips are gonna win the division. Was it always going to be rocky? It was always going to be rocky. Even when they lost Acuna, even when they lost Strider, I never believed that they were going away.

I actually have too much respect for the Braves. And that hurts to say, but they are a damn good organization. And here they come. They are starting to hit home runs again. Olsen had a home run again also not a home run riley hit a home run ozuna has been really really good from the dh spot like they're just they're they're relentless man they they won't go away so the phillies are six games up there's six games up schedule starts to tighten up here a little bit obviously they're managing the jt thing but still the six games up on the braves as they are are starting to figure it out

in this national league east race on the other side we'll get to your phone calls plus the play of the game a look ahead to tomorrow and yes some thoughts on the pre-game festivities down at cbp all that's coming next on the final out on sports radio 94 wyp He's down at CBP. All that's coming up next on the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Dominguez ready. He kicks the payoff pitch. Swung on, floated into right center.

That's a base hit. And it'll bring a run home as now the ball booted momentarily by Castellanos and Perdomo is going to take the extra base and go to second. Another run for the Diamondbacks. Back to a two-run advantage now at 5-3. And that is our play of the game, sponsored by Mike's Amazing, the official mayo and mustard of the Phillies. Yes, the single by Perdomo,

which again, just felt so much like the LCS last year. Like, the whole game felt like it. Really did. Especially like Game 6. Game 6 with like the Tommy Pham home run that was infuriating. I'm sure Tywin Walker

would have done much better in a playoff start, but luckily for him now, the biggest thing, the best development, I guess for Tywin is that his likes are now private on Twitter, so you can't see what he's liking, which means he's going to be liking all the he should start a playoff start

tweets he can find. you know the world's all turning for taiwan but on one hand i do feel bad you know he's talking after the game he's like i know i gotta clean my bleep up i'm working at it and stuff like that i just i just think he's done i just i don't think there's there's sometimes again your arm just runs out of bullets and it looks like a bet this is not a hot take or breaking news looks like a bad investment it looks like a bad investment but you know that that made it 5-3 the Cassian's home run would have made it a tie ball game you know I saw some again I I probably shouldn't look at my mentions during a baseball game because they're just they're just infuriating but this whole idea of like why is Rob Thompson putting Sir Anthony in the game?

Have you watched Sir Anthony the last, like, month? He's looked phenomenal. He's allowed, like, one earned run this month. And it wasn't even, like, Perdomo barely squared that ball up. Like, I just, again, Sir Anthony's not a concern. Sir Anthony's had a really good run here. He's throwing hard again. He's added some depth to his slider.

Like, we don't need to hit the panic button. Sir Anthony's had a really good run here. He's throwing hard again. He's added some depth to his slider. We don't need to hit the panic button on Sir Anthony, but still that was a hit that put the game just a little bit further out of reach and the Phillies couldn't come back. It was incredibly frustrating. Now, what was not frustrating was the pregame festivities.

It was awesome down there. Obviously, a lot of us me you know i'm a younger guy although i am 30 so i think people treat me like i'm a little too young you know what i mean like i'm weathered i've seen the world that at this age but you know like those guys are my formal years so obviously i look up to them like like heroes And it's just been so kind of cool seeing how close the guys still are. And it's so interesting. I watched Hamels pretty much his entire career, and now he's retiring. And it's like these are the first wave of guys that I've been able to kind of see their entire career,

how they've grown, their struggles, and now seeing them retire. And it was a beautiful night. You know, Charlie got a huge ovation, which was awesome to see. Obviously, the second time he has been in the public light since the stroke that he had. And it was a huge reaction for him. I just, I love Carlos Ruiz. You know, I just, I think he's everyone's, like,

favorite Philly from that team. You know, obviously, we love Chase, Ryan, Jimmy, and Cole, and whatever, but, like, and Cole and whatever, but Chooch is our guy. It was just funny to see him catch Cole Hamels' first pitch. Cole gave a really, really good speech. It was an awesome pregame festivity. Obviously, it helps the teams really good,

so the ballpark was really full for it. But it was really cool. It was special. And, you know, close to the book on the 08 team. They're all done. They're all done. They're all out of baseball. Cole was our last guy.

So hopefully this team can get it done and we can enjoy the next special memory. But, man, it was the end of an era. Really the closing of a chapter on Phil's baseball. But really, really cool stuff. We'll get to tomorrow's matchup in one second. But Jordan in Collegeville. What's happening, Jordan? What's going on, Jack?

Per usual, agree with pretty much everything you said. There's two things that stuck out to me. You said the game was annoying. That's absolutely the perfect way to put it. I'm not going to do the whole sky's falling thing, but annoying. Second, is weathered, because anybody, and I'm about your age, anybody who

grew up and was led to believe that 07 to 11 was the norm, and then cheered on Pat Meshack in the All-Star game, is absolutely weathered. What about the Adubo All-Star game? We did have that mixed in there as well. Oh, I was giving the El Torito a little bull as I was talking about that. Come on, we don't forget.

Yeah. Listen, we went through some bad baseball, man. I think it was Absolutely Hammered tweeted a photo today of the mustache animals, and he's sitting right next to John Lannan. He'll never get off the list. The deepest of deep guts, man. Yeah. And the worst part about the Hamels run post, obviously, the great run,

they never scored for him. Like, they would never score in Cole Hamels' starts. It was like our only chance to win a game on most nights, and they just would never score for Cole. I know, and it's so weird. I think about it sometimes, but tonight, to think that him and Nola overlapped is like, those two belong in completely different eras and worlds in my mind.

But they did. Although it's kind of funny, I feel like they're both viewed the same way. I know Hamels had the 08 run, but I feel like they're both viewed as like, I don't know, Nola, bleeping Nola, bleeping Hamels. It's like Wheeler has gotten the holiday Lee treatment, and Nola is sort of in the Hamels category. I know, and even if you look at the last two years, if Nola had nine starts in the postseason, what, seven of them were good?

And yet you talk to people and you hear about the two. The last thing I want to say is I have been to Frawley Stadium in Wilmington many a times and unfortunately I'm going to be in Sea Isle but I am going on the second to see Aiden Miller down in Wilmington. So hope you guys have a lot of fun there. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, Jordan. Thanks for the phone call. In case you aren't aware,

Seltzer and I are having a nice little high hopes trip down to Wilmington on July 3rd. Go see Aiden Miller, Justin Crawford and the boys. It's a little high hopes trip down to Wilmington on July 3rd. Go see Aiden Miller, Justin Crawford, and the boys. So it's also fireworks night, which is fun. So if you're looking for tickets, we've already sold out one section, so that's fun. And they opened up another section for us with some tickets left.

Maybe they'll open up more. I have no idea. We've sold like over 130 tickets. So it's going to be a fun time. If you want to see the future of the Phils, come down and hang out with us. Tomorrow on the mound for the Phils, Zach Wheeler. Thank God. We could use a nice little stop and kind of performance from him.

Versus Tommy Henry, whose ERA is over 6. Looking for wheels for a nice little bounce back start. You know, Zach's had a couple stinkers this year, like more than a year's pass. Again, he allowed more runs in his last start than he's allowed in any start as a Philly. He obviously had the six-run game against the Marlins earlier this year. What I will find interesting is, will Garrett Stubbs catch him? Now, he had the first good start with Stubbs up in Boston, and then the last one did not go well at all.

Do they leave Marshawn in there? Marshawn 0-3 tonight, but again, he looks pretty solid back there. Is there something to the Stubbs-Wheeler thing? I don't know. We'll kind of see there. Either way, tomorrow, 4-0-5 start.

The annoying-ass Diamondbacks, man. They're gnats, man. They won't go away. Hopefully, Wheeler can go and shove tomorrow and at least give us a chance to win the series heading into Sunday. Either way, thanks for hanging out. Ben Kenney

produced the program tonight. Robbie E. Late night Robbie E. Taking you through the rest of the night here on Sports Radio 94 WIP.