High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Final Out: Will This Team Wake Up?!

Episode Date: September 25, 2026

Jack Fritz reacts to yet another lifeless loss by the Phils as their playoff hopes continue to dim heading into the final weekend of the season. Presented by Miller Lite.To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy go to RingTheBellBook.com

Miller Light, the official beer partner of your Philadelphia Phillies, is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of WIP's High Hopes Pod. So whether you're listening to the game, catching off on the latest High Hopes pod or at the ballpark. Remember, it tastes like Miller time Phillies fans celebrate responsibly. Well, dynamite stuff. Dynamite stuff by the baseball team. Welcome on in it is the Final Out. Jack Fritz hanging out with you on this Thursday night. The Final Out is always sponsored by the Philadelphia Parking Authority, offering valet park. at the Philadelphia airport.

I knew this week would be painful. I went into this week feeling as if they're going to make it as painful as possible. They have done that. They are making this excruciating. The Diamondbacks swept the Rockies, of course. Rocky's dead franchise walking. And they have left themselves some wiggle room, some wiggle room. but I tell you what

I really feels like it's on the table it really feels like it's on the table I mean this would be 1964 for my generation our generation obviously not blowing a pennant with however many games were left in 1964

I'm too mad to remember it off the top of my head but from the standpoint of this thing being pretty locked down it is now in semi I doubt. In semi doubt. We'll get into it all.

The game wrap up is sponsored by Roto Router. When plumbing problems hit, wrap them up quick and call Roto Router. Their team tackles clogs and leaks so you can stay in the game. Roto Router, your MVP for plumbing solutions. 215-592, get in. If you are on your way home from this pathetic performance, we'd love to hear from you. Or if you watch this one on your couch, get in as well.

215-592-94-94. My biggest takeaway was the game brought to you by Morgan and Morgan, America's Large Century Law Firm. Just pathetic. I mean, it feels like playoff baseball. Kyle Schwabber said yesterday that, hey, we're treating these games like playoff baseball. Well, you are.

It certainly feels like you're playing it like playoff baseball. And I don't even think tonight was lifeless. I don't think tonight was lifeless. I don't think the series has been lifeless. Maybe last night I thought, I thought Bryce was a lot of. atrocious last night. And Bryce showed up tonight. That was good. They are just being outclassed. They are just being outclassed. And they, like, semi-look-like-a-dead team walking, but also they are- I don't know how good this team is. And, you know, I sit there tonight, and it was one of those

games where I felt like if Schwabler-H Harper didn't do something, they just have No shot. They have no shot. You have a $300 million shortstop who provides absolutely nothing. A totally limp baseball player. Just a limpy McGee level baseball player, our shortstop. Arise, we'll see. Overall has been a disappointment since they've gotten them.

Tried to bunt in the first inning tonight. Why? they grounded him to a double play. Hopefully he's fine, but regardless. You know, Bome's been great. This is not an anti-Bome thing. It just, when you play teams that have the pitching and caliber that the Brewers have, you feel so deficient.

And they felt so deficient and they felt outclassed. I mean, watching the Brewers play defense. I know Cooper Pratt had a bad ending there. I mean, Joey Ortiz made sick plays, Bryce Terang. I mean, the blessing, if they did totally collapse and fall out of this thing, is that maybe it would force themselves to look in the mirror, maybe drop the arrogant act a little bit, because there's a little arrogant for a team that hasn't had a parade down Broad Street.

There's a smidge of arrogance from this team. Maybe they drop bad act and look themselves in the mirror. This goes front office more than anything. Look yourselves in the mirror. Look how far you are you are away from some of these teams. And make meaningful change. That is roster. That is hitting coach.

Am I putting all of this on Kevin Long? No. But it sure as hell feels like we're about to walk into another October with one of the big fears, in addition to this bullpen, which reared its ugly head tonight. But the main concern, or 1A, 1B, being this offense, being a high-priced offense that consistently comes up small against good pitching. That may have had a little spark in August when they faced dog bleep pitching staffs. And maybe that's why they were a good offense for a month.

And then once they face the big boys, I'm shocked. They reverted back into the real Phillies. And maybe finally developing some kind of hitting philosophy, some kind of hitting plan, some kind of developmental structure, because there is a zero percent chance they have that under Kevin Long. Kevin Long is a freaking dinosaur. He is a dinosaur in modern baseball.

He is teaching hitting from 2010. It is 2026. Breaking balls dominate the sport. Figure out a way to hit him. You haven't hit left hand pitching all year. Trey Turner has been a corpse all year. Bryce can't hit lefties all year. And we have a dinosaur, a dinosaur at hitting coach.

it is pathetic. So a blessing of them falling out of this would be maybe there's some tough conversations finally happening because it doesn't feel like they ever have tough conversations in that clubhouse in that in the front office. No tough conversations. Maybe this would force them to do it. Maybe it would force them to look in the mirror and say, we're not where we need to be as an organization mostly from a hitting side.

Bullpen is, is, Bullpen will get to. Pitching-wise, I feel like they're in a very, very healthy spot, and Cotham is a genius, and it's not the pitching. The pitching, they are one of the best pitching development organizations in the sport, and at the big league level, they're great.

It's the hitting. It's the hitting. Now, they have also rendered the manager, or left the manager, with squat in the bullpen. I mean, they are trying to beat, the Brewers tonight, a 100-win baseball team who doesn't have much to play for, but still has enough talent to go out there and win a ball game. Really refreshing to see William Contreras get pulled from a game by Pat Murphy, which I like to see. And immediately they bring in,

oh, I don't know, Jackson Churio off the bench. And he directly impacted the outcome of this game. It actually hurt them that William Contreras, who, by the way, has killed the Phillies this year, did not hustle and get pulled from this game. But you made to tell me that a, team that I'm supposed to believe it can win the World Series. And I hope they do. That would be the happiest man on the face of the earth. But

Alvarado and Sugar in a game that you need, you gotta have, we're turning to our I know he's been good recently. The most predictable thing of this entire last month is the Alvarado

blow up in an important game. And of course tonight, where he walks the first batter of the inning, you had a feeling after that, doesn't get it back. Stuff is down to 95, 96 all of a sudden. And bang, bang, bang, it's a two-on ball game, and the lead extends from there. Six of nine lead-off hitters reached tonight. That's unacceptable.

That's terrible. But when you just take a step back, Sugar, Alvarado, the eighth. that's their best option because you went to McFarland and the 7th, which is fine. And I tell you what, where would this bullpen be if they didn't bring up Alex McFarland or God forbid they had traded them, which I think that that's what they wanted to do. They would be dead. And guess what?

If they brought Alex McFarland up in June, maybe we don't have to worry about going into the last weekend of the season against the raise to try to clinch a playoff spot. but no, you had to keep him in Reading to try to keep his trade value up for a 25-year-old reliever. Why? What did you think you were going to get? So the whole thing is incredibly annoying. But they're probably still going to make the playoffs. 215-592. 94-94.

Jordan's in Princeton. What's happening, Jordan? That was a tough watch tonight, Jack. That was a really difficult watch. Austin, what do you think of the Phillies right now? Not good. Not good, Austin. Not good.

When Trey Turner recovering from a bobble on the transfer of a routine ground ball is one of the biggest positive you can take away. Painter looked pretty good. He really did. He really looked good. I got a lot of confidence in him now, which is certainly a positive to take in. But you mentioned it, what the hell was the bunt attempt in the first inning? What are we doing?

There were two outs. What are we doing? What kind of call is that, Don? I just, I was flound interested by it. That's not Don. That's not Don. That is Louis Sir Rice. Is it not Don?

No, it is. Well, then. It's Louis Surranz. Then we really need a better hitting coach who's going to tell somebody that that's not the time. You pull the bat off your shoulder. I mean, we have to score runs. I said to you when I saw you at the dream, Is it going to be the offense or the bullpen that takes this team down in October,

and tonight it was definitely both of them. Really tough watch. And what's even worse is that I'm afraid that's because I can't go to the games this weekend. That could be the last time I set foot at Citizens Bank Park for quite some time, especially if baseball is locked out next year. Yeah, I mean, you'll be back in June of next year, Jordan. June of next year. That's when you'll see baseball again.

But I think if they collapse here, I don't know if anyone's going to miss it, to be completely honest with you. I don't know if anyone's going to miss baseball next year if they just totally bottom out here. Well, on the other side, we'll get to the wild moment of the game and some other thoughts as well on what was an incredibly discouraging night down in CBP as the Phillies are semi-hanging on by a thread for a birth in the playoffs. It's the final out here on Sports Radio 94 WIPA. Drink up, baby. Fantasy Football Happy Hour is here to get you wins and have some laughs. Matthew Berry here and my podcast, Fantasy Football Happy Hour, has the sleepers bus and starts-it advice you need to win your league.

We're diving into the tape. We're crunching the numbers to bring you sleepers, bus weekly starts-sid advice. Whether you're defending a title or desperately avoiding last place, I've got you covered every single weekday. The bar is open. It's Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Barry, wherever you get your podcast. Well, that was my wow moment of the game, brought you by the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, from Waterfalls, the Fairways, Mount Resorts to Lighthouse Tours. Find your wow at visit nj.com. That was a moan in which I thought that they were going to win that game tonight

as Alex with Farland allowed the first two runners the inning to reach base, a lead-off walk, which you never want to see. But, you know, he has very quickly emerged as, besides Zeran, their most trustworthy bullpen arm. Bolden, I hope, can get it back. I did trust him a lot, and then I think he just got overworked. But Alex McFarland has been, been nails for them. And he's got some stones.

You know, I think he has the stones that you wished that Orion Kirkering had. But his stuff plays, it's power stuff. He seems to lock in if things go a little bit awry. And he's been super impressive. And God forbid if they make the postseason, he could legitimately legitimately help them. So that was my wow moment of the game.

And overall, I thought it was stones from both of your rookies tonight. You know, it's a big game. It's not necessarily a playoff game. You know, I don't know how they would have reacted if it was a sold-out CBP or a sold-out road game. Crowds going crazy, things like that. But at least from a standpoint of a big game, I thought Andrew Painter was great.

That change-up has been a total equalizer since coming back. A lot of people talk about. the fastball and I agree, but I didn't think his fastball was overwhelming tonight. I think the only reason his fastball has been better since he's come back up is because the change up is such a devastating pitch. He's really turning into a two-pitch guy and then using all his other stuff off of it, but with the main two, just kind of playing off of each other. And it's made his fastball better. It's kept hitters off of it, which is huge. So I was really, really impressed the painter. It was really tough second inning, battles way through it. And then

it was pretty nails after that. So, you know, test passed for those guys. So very, very impressed with them. But not impressed with really anyone else tonight. I thought Harper and Schwerber, credited to them. Big game, they showed up. Harper was into it, drove in a run. Schwaber was on base for that, got two hits.

Both each of them had two hits. But, you know, that was it. That was it. Four hits. So they showed up. No one else really did. 2-15-592-94-94 it is the final out Jack Fitzhanging out with you on this Thursday night

the final out brought to you by the Philadelphia Parking Authority offering Valley Park at the Philadelphia Airport Tony's in Philly is leaving the game What's happening, Tone? Hey, I just came back from the game and they just suck man Like what the heck is happening to this team? There's no possibility they won't even make the playoffs And like that now goes over, now a rise goes down

and, like, he's our only, like, at the trade that I'm, like, oh, maybe they have something this year, like, all right, great, now he's down. And, like, Alvarado, like, putting him back on these meds, like, he just stinks. He's not good. Why are we putting him in? Like, it's insane. Like, I'm feeling, I feel really bad about this team. And, like, even if they make the playoffs, like, what are they going to do in the playoffs? What does it get swept by the Braves in Atlanta?

Like, I don't, I'm not happy at all about this team. and I'm not expecting anything from them. Well, I think it's totally fair way to look at it. I mean, I certainly am not expecting them to go on a run. My optimistic sense would be, I didn't feel that much better about the bullpen in 22 either. I feel better about the rotation now. And the lineup, for as much as I just hate them,

if they can just, it's not, again, I say this all the time. I'm not asking for the moon. I'm not asking for to string together six base hits. I'm not asking for you turn into the 27 Yankees. I'm not asking for a million home runs. I'm asking for moments. I'm asking for runners in scoring position to get a job done.

I mean, it was actually refreshing tonight. When they scored that one run, I mean, Trey made a conscious effort to hit the ball to the right side to get Schwerber home. now, Trey later in a game when they needed a bit of a rally popped up because, of course he did, because he is, again, just a limp baseball player. But, like, they got to do that kind of stuff. They got to just have some moments. Someone has to hit a home run. Someone's got to get a double in the gap.

Like, if they can score, I don't want to put too much pressure on them. But if they can score three runs. or four runs, that's it, then they're going to have a chance. Three runs. I'm begging. If you score three runs, you got a chance with how good this pitching staff is. And it just, it irks me that it feels like we're going to waste the second best pitching staff of my life. I'm not talking about like the 11 staff is the best.

And this staff is very, very close. It's really the last two years, I would say. but they're just just wasting it with with just a weak offense just a feeble offense they're going to waste it and why they go to alvarado because he's been there with bowling down and outside of duran he's their second best option right now that's the reality that's tough to win with so yeah and maybe let's just enough. Part of me is like, I was getting sick and tired of seeing the, well, it's going to be so fun.

We'll be to stay up until one in the morning and see if we can celebrate. Let's stop worry about the celebrating and let's get a job done. It's going to go up there. I mean, the stubs in the pool in Arizona and this cute thing about, yeah, it's one in the

morning. We're going to be waiting up and see if we can celebrate that. You guys are in your mid-30s, your dads, go home. in Westchester. What's happening to you? What's up, Jack? I was at the game with my mind. She's upset. This stuff's breaking her heart.

I can't see her like this anymore. But I got a question for you, Jackie. A couple years ago on your podcast, you said that we should appreciate the ride and that it's not all about winning championships to enjoy a team and to appreciate it. I'm just wondering if the Phillies collapse, are you still feeling that way, Jackie? I'm going to hang up and listen to. for your answer. Thanks, Jackie. Well, I don't think I need to be, like, super trolled on this.

I mean, I think we're all going through a little bit of pain. I mean, I think we'll look back, and I think it's one of those things, what, 10 years from now. Now, obviously, if they miss the playoffs, I think it's a different, I think it's a different scenario. But, yeah, I think 10 years, but, yeah, we had some good moments with that team. When you're going through it, they drive you nuts. but I mean time heals all wounds and if they go through another decade where they went through like from 11 to 12 to 22 you're going to look back on hey it was nice having a really good baseball team for those five years sucks they didn't win breaks your heart that you know Harper and and Wheeler

and Sanchez and Nola and I know Schwerber, obviously, he'd won a title before, but like, Schwerber not winning a title here. And like, our guy's not winning a title, you would be like, well, that really sucks. But when you're going through it, you're in the heat of the moment. Right now, you can't stand those guys. Like, you just, you can't stand them. That's the nature of, that's the nature of sports.

But, yes, I think that, like, championships are great, but it's the ride. It's the hope of, hey, maybe next year is our year or get in and we'll see what happens. I mean, the hope is what keeps sports fans, you know, going. That's what keeps you going. And actually, I think personally, I know I'm not speaking for everyone with this, but like winning all the time is kind of boring, like winning championships, like over and over. Like, to me, it's like, oh, cool, whatever. I like, and this is, this sounds sick.

I'm not, again, this is speaking for me. But going through this, you build scars. You build scar tissues as a fan. And you could be able to tell your kids, like, I went through the collapse of 26. And I don't know. Maybe I'm just a sicko. Maybe I'm just a sicko.

Billy was at the game. What's happening, Billy? Talk about scar tissue. I can't tell you how scarred I am since I started following in 1964. Oh, right on time. I was at the game. I was at the game tonight, and I got to tell you, we go down three to one, the feeling surround people around me, started heading for the exit.

Everybody knew there was no way we were coming back in that game, and it was so clear the entire night, what we aren't. They can go good pitching, got a bullpen, we don't have any of that. You talk about Kevin Long being a dinosaur? Let's start at the top. Dave Dombrowski, this organization lacks his accountability. Just go back and look at Dave Dembrowski's acquisitions. Trey Turner was his first major acquisition.

He is the worst contract that the Phillies ever followed by guys like Austin Hayes, Taiwan Walker, Whit Merrifield, Max Kepler, Michael Lorenzen, all gettable names. He extended to know at this point if that was about a good thing or a bad. He extended. J.T.D. is a liability

offensively now. He's a liability. And time than he does. I will credit Dombrovsky for Schwerber and for invader and the signing of Sosa and Marsh. But you know what?

His time he cannot identify talent thinking about rebuilding because the window is closed. Responsibility. Give him a couple years in We've failed in one year Go from worst to first Have a moderate

At the Farm Club And there's got to be There's got to be guys that are gone Home has got to be gone Not because he doesn't put up nothing He's just not You got to resign a rock With the going rate for a high hour

Gotta get out of that contract He is dragging us down Thought's got to go back to shortstop Aidan Miller give him a couple years To see if you play third If not Then find yourself I think they really need to get rid of JT too.

There's a catcher by the name of Carter Jensen, Kansas City, the good young left-handed power hitter with a high-on-based percent level. Please, it's close to them right now. It should be listening to all over again when the fans boycotted this team. Nothing's going on. Well, Billy, that was a beautiful phone call. Beautiful phone call. Did it agree with all of it?

agree with most of it. And the one thing that stuck out in a truly masterclass of a phone call is talking about the White Sox, going to a modern approach. And it was so refreshing for me personally, hearing someone who, his first year is 1964, just understanding the modern game, rather than just talking about the old, like, uh, they need guys that don't strike out.

They need to put the battle. They need less analytics and more scouting. No, no. The White Sox did to turn it around is they brought in modern hitting coaches who emphasized swinging harder. And the idea with that is the harder you swing. If you make contact, it's going to do more damage. And if you miss, oh, well.

And I know that sounds like Cardinal sin to Major League Baseball, but it's where it's going. Joey Vado had a great audio thing on Elway Network talking about how the death of the 300 hitter with 30 to 40 home runs. And he's just like, those guys would hit 250 now. Pitching has gotten so good. Defense has gotten so good. So the harder you swing, even if you miss hit it a little bit, at least it does more damage than not swinging harder. So how the White Sox turned around in a year, how the pirates turned it around in a year,

how the nationals before they trade all their talent turned it around in a year, it was mostly with bringing in modern coaches and having their guys swinging harder. So it happens. All right. On the other side, we will get to the player of the game. We'll look ahead to tomorrow and a look around the league. It's the final out on Sports Radio 94 WIP. Welcome back.

It is the final out. Jack Fritz hanging out with you. The final out, sponsored by the Philadelphia Parking Authority offering Valley Park at the Philadelphia Airport. My player of the game is brought you by South Jersey Gas. Make the smart play, save energy and money with South Jersey Gas. I'm going to give it to the Brewer's bullpen one hit tonight. Like two walks, completely neutralized the Phillies.

Not surprising. I mean, Ashby is someone who they have a 0% chance of hitting. I was disappointed they didn't do more against Chad Patrick, Jojo Romero came in. That was a good little throwback. But Ashby was the real one as he really stifled them. And he has great stuff. And he's been nails for the Brewers this year. So yes, the big news tonight is that, well, a lot of big news. But Luis Arise had the scary play at first base. And the x-rays were negative after the game, which is a good sign. Don Mattingly doesn't know if he's going to play again this year. So obviously, I think they'll learn more. and they'll know more tomorrow. So I guess we kind of wait around and see that. I know this might sound crazy. I don't think it's going to hurt them that much offensively.

He had not been producing at a super, super high level. I know the batting average has been all right, but for a guy who hits and probably win the batting title, I just had not been overall impressed with Lewis her eyes. and even if I'm having that bun in the first thing, drove me nuts. But the defensively now, or what they're going to do, will be interesting. Do they keep Harper in right field and go, boom, Sosa, Trey Stott. Do they go back to the old formation and put Harper at first, Stott at second,

Trey at short, of course, have to, and Bome at third base, and then, I mean, Brian Dela Cruz. in the outfield. Do they get super crazy and bring up Ada Miller or Brian Rincon, just to see what they have the final weekend of the year? Just kidding.

They won't do that. But we'll see what they do. We'll see what they do. But it certainly seems like arrives we've done, at least for the regular season and high angle spraying, I don't know.

I don't know. It doesn't seem like something you can just come back from very easily. Around the league tonight, yes, the Diamondbacks did win again earlier. So that's,

that's obviously it has not been great. for the Phillies, Cubs clinched their spot today with a win over the Marlins. And the big one tonight is the Padres versus the Dodgers. Now, there's, like, conflicting stuff out there. It seems like if the Padres lose tonight, then the magic number is not like officially won, I guess, but it pretty much goes to one because those teams have to play each other this weekend and maybe the math at the end of it, uh,

it works out. I'm relying on buzz on this. I mean, buzz is someone who lives and breeds the magic number. It's like his schick. So he seems to think it's going to be one. Murph was saying majorly baseball is telling him it was one. If the Padres lose tonight. And then that dropped it to one. it might be it drops to one as long as the Phillies like win one game over the weekend it's not your traditional match number where it's win or lose or a loss by an opposing team gets you in like the Phillies win just one game this weekend so you know gilio privately expressed that he doesn't think buzz is right

so we're putting a lot of faith in buzz if it drops to a traditional one game match number but i'm not sure that it does. And I tell you what, the sleep I'm getting and the general lack of smarts when it comes to math, I ain't figuring it out. So I'm relying on these two idiots, even though I'm the real idiot. So, yeah, we'll see if Philly's great, Nick Pavetta can just throw a nice little stinker tonight for the Padres as he is facing Tyler Glass. Now, tomorrow for the Phil's, they're facing Freddie Peralto, has been much better.

with the raise than he was with the Mets. Still been kind of a five and two-thirds inning pitcher, which he was consistently or has been consistently during his career. But as Chris Sanchez on the mound for the Phillies, the plan was like 80 to 85 pitches to try to keep his pitch count down as they want to have him start, obviously, game two of the Wild Card series. It would be a disaster if Wheeler has to throw on Sunday. But so I wonder if that changes.

at all that this feels more must-winny. They want to make sure they get in. So I wonder if they extend it past the 90 pitchmark or the 85 pitchmark if he's rolling. So that would be wanted to certainly monitor tomorrow. But Sanchez versus Freddie Peralta. So I guess we're looking forward to that. So go Padres or sorry, go Dodgers as in Philly's fashion. Shohadis flew out to the wall.

So things are not are already not going our way. So hopefully they can lock and get together and get that magic number down to one, according to Buzz. That's going to do it for me. Louis Coco produced a program tonight. Broads is coming up next as he, I'm sure, will lift all of your spirits. So if you're on the line, stay put. And enjoy Broads here on Sports Radio 94. WIP.