High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - High Hopes Chapter 2: The Phillies Are A Team Of Bits

Episode Date: September 7, 2023

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz discuss just how wild this Phillies team has become. 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

All-star closer, Kenley Jansen, we have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball Isn't Boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast. It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod 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. All right, let's get to something important. And I need to go in dangerous. I'm going to apologize to our listeners before I do this, but we're going to go inside the mind of Jack Fritz.

Dangerous spot. I know. Prior to the double last night, Bryce Harper sitting in a hot over 19. Oh, for 20. Oh, for 20.

Since the whole Chuck thing. Yeah. Yeah. You're like, you know, I mean, it's you, it's your show.

You're a big part of it. You're the, you're the guy, the whole thing. Like someone said the face. Yeah. I would say the face. like how much were you losing your mind?

Like take us inside this side. Cause I know you very well. And I know that like, you probably like, we're like sweating every time Bryce Harper came. So I'm going to be completely honest with you. I didn't really care. I promise you,

I promise you I didn't care. Cause like, I just know he's going to be fine. Like, all right, good, good, good.

Because this is very unlike you in this situation. But you're right. That's a perfectly valid. It's like, yeah, it's Bryce going to be fine. Okay. All right, good. Good, good. Because this is very unlike you in this situation. But you're right. That's perfectly valid. It's like, yeah, it's Bryce. It's fine. Again, if I can be the whole guy that can explain away pretty much everything with Kyle Schwarber, do you really think an 0 for 20 for Bryce Harper is going to shake this foundation? It's a great point.

Yeah. Really good point. I could see why you were concerned. I worry about you. I care about you. Right. But there was Yeah. Really good point. I could see why you were concerned. I worry about you. I care about you. Right. But there was nothing. I felt nothing.

I'm so happy to hear that. That's a growth mindset. Thank you. Yeah. I've been working on it. I did want to make Chuck nervous for sure. I just wanted to start blaming him all the time. Yeah.

Because he does not handle that well at all. And it was pretty hilarious the way this all kind of. It's like, of course. For sure. And he shaves. He's clearly thinking about it. Yeah. I mean, it is funny.

Have you ever, do you remember a player ever who is more willing to just change his everything, everything, the batting gloves thing, the facial hair, the, what he wears,

the way he goes, like this fricking stance, like the whole thing. Like I don't ever remember a player who like when they go through something, it's like more willing to just completely change certain things about how they do baseball. It's such a baseball

thing to do. Oh, of course it is. Mr. Superstition. Yeah. He's a real ball player. No, he is. I'm just saying I don't ever remember anyone doing it as much as him. Well, what about me? I had my one shirt. I don't see you play baseball. Oh, you're talking about him watching. You're right. You do do that. I had my shirt. You got your shirt. You got your spot. You got certain people you can watch with, certain people're talking about him watching. Yeah. You're right. You do do that. I have my shirt. You got your shirt.

You got your spot. You got certain people you can watch with, certain people you can't watch with. That's a good point. Yeah. I walk. Yeah. Well, now that's a whole new. Dude, by the way.

Hold up. That's a whole new thing for the playoffs. It is. Walk has no playoff resume. So, counterpoint is that Jill got way more invested in the Phillies. Like, she was like, like, Jill never texts me at work about the Phillies. She just started texting me. She's like, this is crazy.

It's like, who is this? Did someone take your phone? Someone at the house right now? So Walk's bringing the Phillies family in. Correct. That's how I know he's my son. That's good. Jill was so invested

in the playoff run last year. I was like, this is awesome, but what's going on? And then this year, dude, she'll try to get him to sit there. Maybe she'll put a nature thing on YouTube and he'll lose his interest. The second the players are on, he's moving his head around so that he can watch the game. This is so great. I keep looking at Jill and I'm like

that's my boy my boy right there you see that I know that Zoe's my daughter because she's that's like oh yeah no there's never been a kid

more like their father than Zoe Seltzer I told you before but like literally there have been times where like Zoe's like non-stop talking or whatever

and Emily will turn and go James! and then she'll go oh no like that where she's like I'm sorry because it whatever and Emily will turn and go James and then she'll go oh no like that where she's like I'm sorry because it is me

yeah it's you so but yeah he's just he's been gravitating towards the Phil's I love that so I'm not

I love that yeah he's good he's a keeper but again he holed up though him gravitating to Phil's loving Phil's

that's cool and all but that doesn't mean he's good luck for sure no I agree but he was we watched the end of the game yesterday together, so they didn't blow it.

That was good. Matt Strum was really trying to blow it. He was, for sure. But, yes, if the games are at home, I'm not really going to be there. That's true, too. Yeah, we'll be at the stadium, so it's a good point. Space is recreating last year.

I like this. It's good. Don't worry. I'll figure it out. I believe buddy I so believe in you. Thank you. I really do. Alright what else before we get to the take back? Bullpen. We haven't talked much bullpen lately.

Where you at with Alvarado? Strom obviously a lot of innings. Kind of where this pen is at. Kimbrell looked good and not great. A couple walks but got through that last outing but luckily because of the way these games have played out, they've gotten more rest over the last week or so than prior. And what Rob Thompson, I know in this,

you can't wave the white flag. You can't. You got to go for full nine innings and do your best to win. Dude, Lorenzen just got there and bitched six and then gave the ball to Covey. Oh, that was a no-brainer. Yeah. I did like, look, and Thompson's done it before, but in the 9-7 game,

bring in Kimmerlin against Art of the Order in the eighth. Like, I do like that he still does that kind of stuff. Speaking of that, it triggered something in my mind that I wanted to bring up. I appreciate wanting to go for wins, and I know that we have a lot of scar tissue with blowing games. Oh, yeah. Where you at, Joe Girardi?

I just, like, you can let Kimbrel sit for a little bit longer before we're getting the jacket off, and it's like 5-1 with two outs. Oh, I know. I agree with that. I agree with that. No, I agree with that. Big time. Big time.

It happened in the 12-7 game. It happened in the game. Yeah. They started warming up with five. Well, that's why. I think that's why he blew the 300-home run game. It happened in the game. Yeah. They started warming up with five. Well, that's why. I think that's why he blew the 300-ohm run game. I think that's why. I think at least part of it was warming up the night before.

Rob, you're a lot like everyone. I appreciate it. You want to win the game. But we don't need to. We need to save. Save Craig. There are more important games coming. Yes.

If Strom blows a 5-0 lead with two more outs to play, I'd be shocked. Yeah. 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.

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you know, the funny part about the bullpen is just whenever I'm like, okay, this is a guy I can trust, they go out and have a shaky outing. So like Hoffman yesterday, of course. Of course. I know you literally spent the whole last part being like, Jeff Hoffman, my guy. Might be a guy that we could turn into a high leverage.

In a big spot. Yeah, so I apologize in advance for what I'm about to say. Oh, God. But I would like to point out. Should I turn your mic off? I would like to point out that, and no, the eye test does not totally back this up, but in his last 14 appearances, Serenity Dominguez has only allowed one run. I'm sorry.

It is weird. So I actually knew the numbers. He's actually like— Dude, the ARA is 3.6. Yeah, well, and if you go back to— remember he had those couple rough outings to start the season? Like, if you go back and take those outings out, I think it's April 17th or something.

I saw this on Twitter. Someone put it out April 17th on. It's like 2-6 or something like that. 2-7 or something. It does not feel that way. At all. At all. Probably because he's not striking guys out.

Yeah, and it's just eye test. It doesn't look quite as nasty. It doesn't look quite as unhittable. I think Alvarado's getting back to that, though. I think Alvarado's looking great. I think that was a big spot for him to get that save, and obviously the excitement. Dude, it was...

What a celebrant. I mean, the guy, his ability just... He's the best. He's the best. It was so exactly, exactly like game one of the NFL. Yes! That's a great call by you. There's been so many games this year that have felt like the playoffs last year.

Yeah. Just sickening. It's like, I've felt this before. I know. That's what I felt watching that. I was like. Well, the McCormick catch was the one we just had with. I know.

And there was. Whoever that was. I forget. Yeah. But yeah, the ninth on Monday. Again, pretty surprised they won. It was trending towards just an 8-1 lead and them losing in September.

It was like, been here before. Well, that was the one, yeah. Them winning that game, you're right. Them winning that game was kind of like, okay. Maybe this team's different. They didn't blow an 8-1 lead in September. Then they come out and lose 8-0. That's our squad.

But yeah, so the bullpen, I think Alvarado's on his way back. I'm glad Kimbrel's had a couple days off here. Strom, I think, is mostly fine. It's just the one thing about the bullpen is that I don't know who you can turn to. Sure, they could go out and be great, but it's not like he's going to be great. I agree. You know what I mean?

So that's the big difference with the bullpen. It's like Strom can go out and be great, or he can go out and walk the ballpark. I mean, Gregory Soto is the ultimate example of this. He's the kingpens. Like, Strom can go out and be great, or he can go out and walk the ballpark. I mean, Gregory Soto's the ultimate example of this. He's the king of it. I mean, he is as high and low end as, like... Dude, there's innings where he's done in seven pitches. Where's he's... I've missed, dude, I've missed three Gregory Soto innings

because they've gone so fast at some points this year. And, like, sometimes the stuff, you're just like, wow, dude, like, you are nasty. I just... You have stuff. He could be so good. I mean, he has, like, stuff with a capital S. Yes. Like, yeah. He could be so good. I mean, he has like stuff with a capital S. Yes.

Yeah. He could be good. He's just not. Yeah. And one, you can't trust him now at this point. But. Well, and now the big thing that's starting to come around is, and I'm happy we're having the conversation, but like, do you try to bring up a Ryan Kirkering for the last like.

Well, you know where we stand on this. Last little month. You know where we stand on this. Last little month. You know where we stand on this. Let's see what we got. Let's go. I mean, there was a prospect guy that I think is one of the smarter ones out there, and he said, best slider in the minors. Whoa.

Which is... At his age, too? Wow. Well, he's not... There is level or whatever. Sorry, level, I should say. Yes. Best slider in only baseball. Wow. Our, level, I should say. Best slider in baseball.

Wow. Our guy. That's pretty awesome. So I'm just, I think it's, do you want to bring him up for the Covey role? No. Do you bring him up instead of Bilotti? Would you rather, that's the question.

Yeah, I'd rather take a shot. Why not? At least see what you got, the upside of it. Yeah. So it probably, I think the only way they would do it is if someone got hurt in the last little bit here. I don't think they'd bring Brogdon back up. I don't think, it would do it is if someone got hurt in the last little bit here. I don't think they'd bring Brockton back up. I don't think, it's pretty much

if someone goes down, it feels like Kirk Crank's getting the call. That'd be fun. It'd be fun. Let's go! Alright, last thing before the take back, I just would like to, as a pod that is a fan of bits and has done bits, has appreciated

bits. And now the Phillies are also bits. Well, the fits, that's what I'm going for, is that this whole Phillies bits thing, it's another one. The road JT thing is... All the time. What are we doing here? And the dude's a stud again.

It's like the homer he hit Milwaukee was like a freaking tank shot to center. I was like, who is this guy? Where did he come from? It is hilarious. It is a hilarious bit. Yeah, and again, in a team full of bits, it's what they are. It's what they are.

It is the bit team. The starting staff, the losing games, the hit big home runs, road JT, leadoff Schwarbs is actually kind of a bit. Kind of a good bit. It's remarkable. It's just absolutely remarkable. If there was ever a team for this pod, we found it. We found it. What a beautiful name.

Dude, he's like, he is an MVP candidate. Dude, he's got like a 950 OPS on the road. I think it's higher. It might be higher. It might be, I was guessing though. He was 931 during the road trip. And he's in the low 600s at home. It's, oh, so he's over 600,

because he was in the 500s. Yeah, he's over 600 at home.