High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Where Were You When Kyle Schwarber Saved The Season?

Episode Date: August 15, 2024

Jack Fritz reacts to Kyle Schwarber's heroics in the Phillies 9-5 over the Marlins on Wednesday 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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There is another fact, so jump aboard the B.I.B. Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Come on, come on, welcome in. It is the final out, sponsored by Regency by Regency furniture affordable never looks so good Jack Fritz hanging out with you on a happy Finally a happy Wednesday night reacting to a Phil's win

That was looking a little dicey there until Kyle Schwabers stepped up and did Kyle Schwabers things Welcome on in the game wrap up tonight sponsored by blathers with lube and crevice the metal working fluid specialist providing professional CNC machine cleaning coolant maintenance programs and waste coolant disposal crevice dot on line two one five five nine two Ninety four ninety four to get in if you're stuck in traffic another sellout tonight would love to hear from you as Just praying Praying that was the spark

That was the the moment the word where all this pent-up frustration Just got released big exhale kind of win tonight again It was tight, but Kyle Schwab er stepped up. Let's get to the biggest takeaways of the game brought to you by Morgan and Morgan America's large century law firm and the biggest takeaway the game for me is that Kyle Schwab er well Not the best player, you know, obviously that goes to Bryce Harper Is he up and down as he hot and cold is he the streaky? Sure this year not as much as the last couple years But damn it like that guy is is a winner

He's the leader of this team most important Philly like and and that swing in that spot with a team that Was down three nothing early scratch their way to make it a three two ballgame Immediately they go back down five to they could they could have folded last night Very critical of this team talking about resilient how tough they are Well, you saw tonight and it started with number 12. I mean that is a a massive Massive performance by Kyle Schwab er something this team needed and you saw it you saw it after he hit the home run Everyone in that clubhouse and everyone in that dugout just

relaxed Listen this team needed that kind of moment. Is it gonna end whatever they've been going through? We'll see but like that kind of moment can just turn things here and I just Pray it does because this list last again since the all-star break really since that Brewer series has been mostly excruciating and I felt like you saw some weight lifted off their shoulders with the Kyle Schwab or home run, you know Nick Cassiano's, you know the next pitch hits a ball left field and they can throw it out second base

Whatever and then they added on a little bit late But man Kyle Schwab are just massive and and earlier in the game and LA brought this up LA was on with us today on the on the afternoon show he was on you know, obviously the the get the broadcast tonight talking about even earlier in the in the game moving the guy over to third base and Getting in there with less than two outs. That's a winning play when you have two strikes You know to always hit a home run getting hits awesome But but pulling the ball there getting the guys guys over like the little things matter

When you're struggling and Kyle Schor of course is our player of the game Sponsored by South Jersey Gas committed to providing safe reliable affordable natural gas make the switch at South Jersey gas comm Love my home my second biggest takeaway of the night It goes to the point about Kyle Sch Schwaber where he moves the guy over does a job and I think that that that's what you saw tonight is a team do their job like even when they were down they were still doing little things right we'll get the Tyler Phillips coming up a little bit later but they were doing the little things right and what made last night so frustrating is It was just pop-up after pop-up after pop-up and it felt like they were all trying to hit a seven run home run

They're all trying to hit a home run that would you know? Erase what has been a tough stretch here and they're putting added pressure on themselves I don't know what they did before the game tonight Maybe there was that kind of laughing moment. Maybe there was a team meeting I don't know what happened But what we saw tonight even against the Marlins who stank we understand that is at the plate They looked much more locked in. I think we saw a lot more bat on ball line drives going the opposite way

It wasn't all just trying to lift and launch even the Schwab or home run Like that's a line drive that just happened to go out of the ballpark Like that kind of approach I think gets this team back on track you know people like talk about their home run or bust and and to a certain extent I agree like they They swing for the fences a lot and it's frustrating because They really shouldn't be that way, you know bohms not that guy and to his credit. He doesn't really do that It's really to shore burn Harper that are really really big power guys Everyone else should be gap to gap line drives base hits and when they were playing their best when they were

The best team in baseball and they're firing on all cylinders, it was that kind of offensive approach. So I just I hope tonight kind of unlocked and again, lock this team back into what worked for them for a majority of this season. I know it's the Marlins and I get it, but at least that approach tonight was something that is more sustainable than a bunch of long balls So the Schwab are home run massive. It's it could have saved the season But how they played tonight was much more locked in much more You know focused on what they needed to do and they did their jobs and I also thought it was interesting How aggressive they were in the base pass stole a couple bases that helped create

some runs the little things matter when you're struggling 215 592 94 94 to get in and the final takeaway of the game tonight is that Rob Thompson was was very very aggressive the Rob Thompson when Kyle short were hit the home run he decided it was time to go for the kill and he pulled fell really early use a lot of big guns in the middle innings and you know part of the the the logic there is obviously you're facing some of the heart of the order but likely they're gonna come up again in the ninth and You just hope the offense can add on it was some gambles

You know using Hoffman early using Strom early but it paid off tonight because they're able to add some insurance runs and it gave the staff as a Fore run lead it gave our auto a four run lead like, you know, that's that's that's important You know, like they need that kind of stuff If they are are gonna come out of this thing. So Rob Thompson, obviously very aggressive tonight, and that was really good to see. And I tell you what, the Alvarado and Estevez innings are going to be tight here.

I know Estevez had a perfect knife, but it's still a little shaky sometimes for sure. Let's go to the phones and talk to Frank in Havertown. What's happening Frank? What's going on? Hey, Frankie from Havertown. Long-time listener, first-time caller. It's a great win for the Phils. Thank God Frankie. Get back on track man. I was down at the game tonight. There's a small turning point. Middle third, Philly Fanatic comes out with the cannon Level hits me right in the chest don't even have to move an inch hot dog down the gullet

Followed by the shore bomb grand slam Everybody was clicking on all cylinders you get a nice base hit late I stopped nice double by real Muto couple RBI's just felt like what this team needed to get back on track Schwab on gets everybody going puts them on his back and we're feeling good This is the team that we all know and we love all Pam was looking good Just feel like this is what we needed and hopefully It's the start of the normalcy of what we've been used to this season. Yeah appreciate the phone call Frankie and it doesn't start without Frank there getting smoked by a hot dog and not even flinching like that's the kind of grip that's the kind of tenacity

that we need if we're going to turn the season around like if the boys are looking up and they're down 5-2 and they see Frankie take one off the chest. You know, like they're going to be like, hey, if Frankie can do it and not even flinch, like we're not going to flinch either. In my head, Frankie definitely yelled like 365 more days to hockey season. And just like Abby Gilmore did. So what a moment. Andrew is in Langhorn. What's happening, Andrew?

Hey, how's it going, guys? Thank God, Andrew. Very, very happy tonight. They needed that one. Yeah. Well, you know, I'm a long time Phillies fan here and I appreciate WIP for all the points that are made except for the fact that I believe we're a little hypercritical when things are not going good, especially when the Phillies are up, what, six six games seven games in the division right now Yeah, I mean it's a long season and I understand that they've been doing terrible But they're in first place by seven. How often can we say that?

Right. I know but they've also lost some ground with the one seed and they have planned their way to possibly being the three seed like But we never even get to say that it's Philly fans We're holding on to the work we're happy when they make in the playoffs deep breaths deep breaths like holding onto the divisions very important I agree with you But also like the Braves aren't playing that one the Mets aren't playing that well Like I'm glad that they're kind of getting bailed because those teams aren't doing very well But like I just care I care more about how the Phillies are playing and the simple fact of the matters are under 500 They're last like 40 some games. So people are gonna freak out. I back with the matters they're under 500 in their last like 40 some games so people are gonna freak out I I don't there's a little too much like seasons

over for me like I think it's okay to call out poor play but hopefully tonight is just the turning point and we can put all the the last like 50 games behind us yeah I mean I just think we get a little too hyper critical as Philly fans and it actually is a detriment to our team when they're actually performing overall for the season. It's a very long season. They're playing very well this season and they're in a very bad spell right now, I get that, but to be hyper critical and to be short sighted,

I think is doing our team more harm than good. And I think overall we're in a very good spot right now and I think we should focus on that. Yeah, and I appreciate the phone call, Andrew, and I think, you know, overall we're in a very good spot right now. And I think we should focus on that. Yeah. And I appreciate the phone call, Andrew. And I think it's, I think it's difficult. So, because on one hand, I agree. Like it's, it's, I guess we don't live it day to day. And like, if you can just, if you are able to do the 30,000 feet thing and, and,

you know, take yourself out of the pure emotion of of losing games like you know, that's Like more power to you. Like I just it's it's hard to do Really when you see how they've played and I don't know like when I bet when we see the diamondback series and we see last night like last night was a I think a breaking point for a lot of people because the Marlins are Really not good. I mean again, they sold like most of their interesting pieces at the trade deadline and it was just like are they really gonna do this? I think the reaction is based out of fear that this season that I think we really thought was gonna be magical was slipping away from us. So yeah mean, the reactions are harsh and they're swift, but yeah, listen, I see both sides.

I see Andrew's side where it's like, can everyone just calm down? They're really, really good. And they've been really good and whatever. But I don't see the other side, like, are they ever going to come out of this thing? Are they going to wake up? So at least tonight we can say that hopefully it was the turning point season and couch over stepping up was just really really big on the other side We'll get some more your phone calls plus two big signs from key fills and a name that could be in the mix for the rotation If they need it with all that coming next here on the final out on sports radio 94 wipa

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Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Two-two. Swung on. Ground ball up the middle. There's a base hit. Harper's going to come home and score. or wherever you get your podcasts. Two-two, swung on, ground ball up the middle. There's a base hit. Harper's gonna come home and score

and Alec Boehm does deliver some insurance. An RBI single here with two outs in the seventh and it's seven to five, Phil. Oh, it wasn't that refreshing. Wasn't that refreshing. They're holding the one run lead there for a little bit. By the way, one of the most, if that game stayed six five

They won six five the hoser weeds backing up at their base would have been a huge Huge play in that game like an underrated play, but the Phillies again to their credit broke the game open Bomber gets a big hit there, you know again when we talk about the early season Phillies What made them so different made them so good was hitting with runners in scoring position, and two out hits. Like two out hits, I think at one point, they were hitting 288 for the first two months of the season

with two outs and runners in scoring position. That's kind of stuff they have to get back to. That number might have been unsustainable, but that kind of stuff is what they have to get back to. So again, the Shoreborough Home Run kind of felt like the opening of the the floodgates there And then we saw the affiliates team that we've seen for majority of the season For the rest of the game and then hopefully it translates over Tomorrow and then this weekend against the Nationals before again the schedule tightens right back up

It is the final not sponsored by Regency Furniture affordable never looked so good Jack Fritz hanging out with you on This Wednesday night. One of the unsung heroes of tonight is obviously the bullpen. And you know, they're going to be my pitch count tonight. Sponsored by the Plumbers Union Local 690. Protecting the health of the nation. Visit plumbers690.org. 69 pitches by the bullpen.

No runs, nice. And you know, a lot of guys doing their jobs a lot of guys in in different spots Hosey Ruiz I was pretty much out on because I feel like I'd seen him I don't know like every single game there for a week because the fillies were The filly stars weren't giving them much but he's starting to throw the ball pretty well Mastrom is has settled right back into where Mastrom's usually been Hoffman good to see him last couple nights looking closer to Jeff Hoffman Jose Everado listen, it's still it's it's it's gonna be a tight inning when he's out there if he goes one two three

It's it's like a godsend. So Alvarado things are gonna be shaky Carlos Estevez. It's just man. I appreciate not strike or not Not walking many guys, but I think there's gonna be some tight Carlos Estevez innings. So tonight was fine, didn't allow a run and the bullpen did their job. Now I did mention before the break,

listen, Tyler Phillips, great story. Bishop Eustis kid, South Jersey kid, and I were rooting for him hard, obviously. Like he's living out every local baseball player's dream. It's just, I think he's more, I think he's a six in a rotation than where he's pitching when he first got up here. When he first got up here,

obviously the league adjusted to him and his last three starts have not been as good. I still think he's a battler, I still think he's a grinder, but I don't have too much confidence in Tyler Phillips when he goes out there. I do give him credit for battling, I think he does that very well. But the name to kind of monitor here and just file away as something to monitor is our old pal Mick Abel who obviously is Before the season was a top 50 prospect had really struggled at triple-a they shut they they shut him down for I think like seven or I think he missed like two starts and

I get to kind of Right the ship there because ERA was like over seven with Lehigh Valley, but they never took him out of Lehigh Valley they kept him but Lehigh Valley they shut down his development and Last two starts been pretty good and tonight five innings struck out seven No earned did walk for guys, which is not great command is not exactly there yet But in watching some of the video tonight, the stuff does pop. So maybe if he keeps pitching well, like if they need a guy,

having Mick Able come up and as one of your top five prospects and giving you something here down the stretch run and maybe spelling some guys, because I do think they're gonna have to start managing some of these workloads. Obviously Rangers coming back in, I don't know, nine days.

Wheeler's been fine, Nola's been fine, Sanchez I wonder if they they consider you know Phantom Ielium or shutting down for a little bit of things ERA is over six in his last five starts and that five spot is certainly up in the air with Taiwan and and Tyler Phillips right now so McAbel just just just following one away just saying hey we we'll keep an eye on micable But certainly some of the stuff look pretty exciting with with some of the the clips that I saw on On Twitter tonight get to some other thoughts on some fills that had good nights that hopefully are showing signs of breaking out of this in one second, but

God talked to my guy tasty cake Dom was happening Dom Hey, Jack. Well, man, I might enjoy Don was happening Dom. Hey Jack. Well, man, am I Enjoying listening to you right now. Thank God man. We needed that That's your over Homer. It felt like 50 pounds came off my shoulders It was I mean when he hit the home run, there's been a lot of pent-up Frustration in this house still and when it hit the home run, I think we all like like a big old exhale Monday I I told you Jack that I wasn't worried yet. I was concerned.

That first inning last night was so hard for me to swallow that I became worried. When I was listening to you guys this afternoon, I was worried. You know what bothered me the most, Jack, about that first inning last night wasn't that Walker couldn't throw a strike. Wasn't that they scored those six runs, those two runs.

But on that second cheap hit, right, Jack, they didn't get the cutoff guy. That guy stretched that blue pit into a double. Yep. That went down all the way down my throat the wrong way. Cause I'm like, they don't know how to play baseball anymore. I know. I know. And that's what made tonight so encouraging Dom is that they did the little things right then I I don't know

What happened like hopefully Rob Thompson, you know kind of late into our May There was a players only meeting and or or hopefully last night was kind of just a wake-up call Are we really gonna let this season kind of slip away? And I'm sorry Dom dropped off. Love Tasty Kick Dom, but Yeah, I just like the way they played tonight was the brand of baseball that they played when they got out to the record they got out to. We can put all the caveats out there I'll put all the caveats out there like I'm happy I'm happy they got a win the Schwabber home run felt like a moment that the people will shout you

down and say they're not back they're not like okay, that's fine, but like like This has been a very very good baseball team that had gone through a prolonged tough stretch The the glass half full way to view this is they needed that kind of adversity to come closer together and go through some tough times and and See who is the real leaders of this baseball team? But like How they played tonight was was much much much much much closer To the team that we've seen for majority of the season. So yeah, I just it's it was it was a good night

now it was also a good night for two guys that they really had to get going and and that is Bryson Stoddard Brandon Marsh Both had two hits Brandon Marsh Especially had two two hits to the opposite way one off a lefty that were they were smoked So that was gonna see and cuz I I felt I felt for him you know, he struck out earlier in the game and in a semi big spot and He just looked defeated you know walking back to the dugout and it was good to see him kind of bounce back and You know show some of that resiliency that they talked about it and start had a good hit up the middle of two strikes You know work to walk that looked vintage start, you know hit a ball over the first baseman's head like again little wins here

but hopefully these little wins and playing the game the right way and stealing some bags and Thompson being aggressive all this little stuff can that can get this team rolling back in the in the right direction But I thought Scott Marsh had had a good night and JT too, you know, JT's a guy that's really really important for this lineup I do wonder They could hurt Turner. They said it's gonna be back in there tomorrow I wonder if he keeps gassy honest in the two spot for a little bit and moves Turner down to try to get him going before putting him back up there. I don't hate that strategy. They won tonight, scored nine runs. Was it because Cassianos in the two hole? No idea.

But I think that at least letting Turner get some of the pressure off of him, I don't hate keeping him down for a little bit with the hopes of getting him going and then bringing him back up Let's check in with Tom in Vancouver. What's happening Tom? Tommy we'll check back in with Tom in a second Nate and Shafan what's happening Nate Might have lost the phones that's all good coming up up next on the other side we will look ahead to tomorrow. Plus we'll get to the play of the game and a whole lot more before handing things off to Francisco. We're handing it off to Jody Mack tonight? Nope, Robbie.

Robbie E. Robbie E. I knew it was Robbie E. I texted him earlier. Donovan Chespat. That's on me. Robbie E's coming up after we finish up here on the final out on sports radio 94 WIP bring it back It's about that time bust out the song Bust out the song we got to save the season Welcome back. It is the final out sponsored by Regency Furniture affordable never looks so good And of course the Kyle Schwab or home run our play the game sponsored by Mike's amazing the official May when mustard of the Phillies and listen

I don't know if they've been playing the song or not But there's ever a time to bust out dancing on my own and maybe slug a few brews at the boys I feels like after a game like that where you can You can take a deep breath for a night, you know, we got a lock back I'm gonna get a four against the Nationals before this schedule toughens up a little bit again. But I think it's time we break it out. In case of emergency, it used to be you stairs, Matt stairs.

In case of emergency, we break out dancing on our own, and this team goes on a run. So it drives people nuts, but I find it funny. So I hope that they bring back Dancing on My Own, but we'll see. Let's try the phones one more time. Nate and Shawfond, are you there? Totally not there.

So yeah, looks like we might be having some phone issues. But regardless, Phil's win tonight and one that I hope that, obviously, if you've listened to me in the past, a big video yearbook guy. And I think when they get to the post London portion of the video yearbook, it's gonna be very deep and downtrodden.

And in a perfect world, that Schwaber home run reignites everything. And this team locks back in. But I think more so than anything, even when they were losing earlier, they were doing little things better. And I think that that's why last night was so frustrating. It's like you come off the Diamondback series, where

you pretty much get dog walked by a team that came into your house last year and took game six and seven on your home turf and you laid down. Then you come home, you're playing a Marlins team that traded off most of their interesting assets at the trade deadline. I don't know why they couldn't have traded Jake Berger. Jake Berger has been tormenting us the last two nights, but whatever. You know, and, and last night was just so like, what are you guys doing? Are you really going to let the season kind of slip away?

And maybe there was a big come to Jesus talk in the locker room today. Obviously we don't know that Rob Thompson and talk about it. There are some questions pregame of Rob Thompson, like was there a meeting? He's like, I'm not going to discuss that publicly. And then they asked Nick Castellanos And he's like if there was I wasn't aware of it which kind of screams to me there definitely was some kind of meeting but At least for one night and and hopefully it translate over or translates over

But at least for one night that looked like the team that I think we'd seen for a majority of this season So good to see tomorrow again, Phil's back in action. Nationals in town, Nationals another team that trade away a lot of their pieces, but they are, they've been frisky. James Wood has come up, he is a top prospect for them and one of the top prospects in baseball. And he's played pretty well, he's a young player,

but still some has some light power, as they say. But the Nationals are young, they have nothing to lose, and they have Mitchell Parker on the mound today. Tomorrow has been pretty good. They're throwing three straight lefties against this Phil's lineup. So he's actually had reverse splits this year, like lefties are hitting 277 off of him.

But a 3.82 ERA, and he's just a solid lefty. So Zach Wheeler toes the rubber No one else would rather have in the for the fills on the mound tomorrow than then wheels so Zach Wheeler on the mound versus Mitchell Parker the afternoon show will get you set for the game and You know, hopefully they can add in one more, but I guess I got to do a mile tomorrow So I got the mile the mile streak is. Usually I don't do it till three, but I've been bullied into doing it after one because desperate times call

for desperate measures. But either way, that's going to do it for me. Francisco Rojas produced the program tonight. Robbie Rob Ellis will take you through the rest of the night here on sports radio 94 WIP.