High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Jack's Going to Be a Dad and the Phils Win a Baseball Game

Episode Date: September 22, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to a Phillies walkoff win. But more importantly, they react to the news that Baby Fritz is on the way! 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

This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo! It is another edition of the High Homes Podcast presented by Miller Lite. Celebrate responsibly. And look, that yo, Matty V, that was nice.

And, you know, it was nice to win a game. I mean, Jesus, like September, nice, thanks, cool. Like, fine. That yo was not for that. Jesus, like September, nice, thanks, cool. Like, fine. That yo was not for that. That yo was for baby Fritz coming our way. That's the only reason I'm awake right now. If you want to be completely honest, it's 11.04 at night.

The Phillies just won the game. I'm going to edit and post in the morning. So, you know, maybe Jack can convince me to stay up. I don't know. I'm dying over here, but I'm staying up because of Baby Fritz. Baby Fritz! How you doing, buddy? I'm doing great.

And I would like to shout out to the Phils for winning on Baby Fritz Day, as many are saying. It was going to be a really, really, really, really, really, really bummer. to be a really really really really really really bummer podcast i mean honestly though there wouldn't have been anything quite as fitting as you know it being important like it's a big day yeah i mean obviously obviously obviously today's not the first day that i've known about this i don't know if that's obvious for everyone out there um but yeah that'd be really weird but there was something oddly like fitting that you know first day that now everyone knows um that flag guerrero hits a like maybe the most mash ball i've seen by a righty ever uh in september by the phils as they are just collapsing towards imperial doom. It was very fitting.

And James, you know what I put together today? I don't think I told you this, but you know what I put together? What? Is that the day that I got married, Pavetta got shelled in Toronto. And the day that I announced that I'm going to have a kid, they were playing the Blue Jays. That's pretty wild. Thankfully, this one went better in the end.

Yeah. Well, day one of Name Watch, I think we're officially going to name it Beerling. We're going to name it Beerling. I think that's a smart name. Yep. We're going by the days here. We're going by the days here. But, yeah, it's very exciting.

days here uh we're going by the days here but yeah it's very exciting uh i wanted to uh you know obviously to talk with you on the podcast about it just because like i think it's funny and uh i just think that the content of i mean think about everything we've been through james right you know we started this podcast before i was even married uh we started this podcast before zoe was around oh yeah uh and you know like our listeners have been through with us through a lot you know we we're pretty open about uh our lives on here maybe too open sometimes yeah and yeah like you know we're we're two honest people. And to be able to share this with you and with all the listeners. And I promise it'll be a lot of Phillies slash Baby Fritz crossover content for the next, like, thousands of years, I'm sure. I love it.

I love that when you announce on High Ops, which, you know, obviously that was the reason I stayed awake. That was the reason we had planned to record tonight, no matter what happened, because we knew that we had to. You're going to announce on the radio, and we're like, we can't wait for the High Oaks community to get their own announcement and their own personal knowing about it, because it's the most important thing to us. It's what we love the most. It's what we love to do the most.

But I think it is hilarious that in announcing it to the Iovs community, you announce it in the form of the content it will bring. That's a very, very, very new way to approach it. I appreciate it. Oh, well, listen, if you didn't think that, at least a part of this set of the possible just loads of of just content oh it's gonna be good this poor i mean this poor again this poor baby just has no idea you know what they what they're entering into you know like they're like you know oh like dad and mom like this is like so great and that's

like hold on you gotta be funnier uh you know we gotta we gotta get some stuff here for the for the podcast so uh listen it'll learn at a young age like it's time to lock in um and no collapsing september um you know we got to make sure that we're strong in all months um but september's especially you know yeah it's important day one day one training is like you know as in you can do the whatever uh you do as a kid but like just know that when September rolls around, like enough. It's go time. Yeah, it's go time. Yeah.

We take it seriously. Just like the Phillies. It's awesome, man. I'm so excited. As we've discussed, I'm going to be your guiding light through all this. That's at least what I'm calling it. And it's going to be awesome, man. I'm really it's the best thing on the planet.

Like I, you know, I'm sure everyone listening who has kids feels exactly the same way, that it is the single coolest part of the human experience as far as I'm concerned. And seeing your kid look like you and act like you, sometimes for the worse. You know, Zoe is definitely a – has a little bit of my intensity, let's say. And sometimes it's like, chill out, Zoe. And then meanwhile, everyone's saying to you, chill out, Salzer. Yes, exactly, exactly. As anyone who was at the IOS night where Zoe showed up, to our openness with it all, saw a small glimpse of the intensity. But it's the best, man.

It's the best thing ever. I'm so excited for you. Like, you're going to be a great dad. Jill's going to be great mom. And like you said, it's going to be fun for content. So it's a win. And now, I mean, is there definitely a part of me that wanted to have a kid just so like, I could totally experience how you feel with the whole entire thing? It's coming back around buddy it's you're gonna think back and be like wow man he really powered through like um i gave him so much crap for that not to mention how old he was you know that's that's what you're gonna be saying

to yourself you know and you think about it yeah you know, yeah. Once your body starts hurting and your kid's keeping you up to all hours of the night and when you're with your kid, she's like a, a fricking firecracker and it takes it out of you. Yeah, buddy. You'll see. You'll see. I'm going to be like, wow. Stays up at check notes, 1030.

Um, and he was really able to power through it and he did it all in his mid 40s i mean what a trooper 41 on sunday i know i know nice knowing you but yes definitely like nowhere's birthday i just i i need to know what you feel like so i know like if i've been giving you too much grief these last couple years or if it's or if it's like, come on. I mean, it's not like there's so many things like, you know, as dad now, you know, I'm excited to obviously just, you know, sitting down for the first Phillies game. You know, imagine the first time they understand it. Oh, buddy. Yeah.

Zoe's not there to understanding it yet. But I will, as you know like and and again as i did on the pod when it happened the shout out cindy webster but and the phillies but like the first taking zoe to her first game even if she didn't really understand what was happening just watching her experience again is legitimately one of the coolest experiences of my life so you got a lot of awesome stuff coming yeah and uh i i promise i don't think too much is gonna change with the podcast but you never know um yeah our our our our our hectic recording all over the place recording schedule probably won't change much so yeah um and yes i have uh

watched king richard as a as a as a blueprint um for a blueprint for how I plan to go about this. And I would just like to formally... You can tell me if you think this is premature or not, James. Yeah, wait. Yes. Again, it might be, might not be. But formally, I would like to apologize for, you know, if I have a son, I would like to formally apologize if he blows any game for the Phillies when he's closing for them one day.

I promise, like, he gets winner mentality from me. He might not get winner mentality from Jill. So, you know, I'm not sure uh but i would just like to get that out of the way early before everyone starts melting down on my mentions like oh you know your son blew it they they melted down with pivetta imagine this jack yeah well some would say like i was more loyal to pivetta than my son because i'd probably imagine like ripping him on twitter you know like can you figure out how to throw a strike oh my god can you imagine no it would be such a nightmare um but i just want to just say no i don't think that's premature at all i think it's very cool

yeah i just want to make sure that was out of the way um now do you do you have any questions for me dad to dad now yeah buddy this is great uh so when's the baby due what's the due date uh well so we have a timeline for the march 23rd ah so close to you i know which is very selfish of the baby i was gonna say you're a little nervous little march 15th action it could be like a little dual birthday action well Steel is the thunder. Especially since my birthday falls on the literal Ides of March. I know. Well, you know, my Peter, shout out to my brother, Peter Seltzer, also born on March 15th.

Yeah. Sure. There's a little part of me that's like, wow. Way to make it about you. Okay. If you could pick a date around there, do you have one you would like it to be? April 1st. I think you're such an ass.

No. No. No, I don't. I really don't care. It's already close enough to my birthday to where it's like, ah, it's kind of a bummer. You're so ridiculous. I love it

but I am uh but I am like you know what's gonna be so fun I have legitimately thought about this a lot again I'm getting very ahead of myself and again we talk way too you know we talk way too much of our pride to the amount of people that listen to this

I'm like half delirious at this point at this point in the night anyway, so let's just roll. No, but like I have thought about like, wow, March 23rd, if it's born then, or, you know, it's probably later, early, or whatever. It's like, wow, that really is like right before Philly. Oh, I knew that.

I knew that would be your thought. Like, I mean, it's like... Will you take off days of work? Like, what if it's opening day? What if it is April 1st and it's opening day or March 31st and the Phillies are opening the season? Like, oh, my God. What do you do?

I know. It's going to be like, you know, when the players take paternity leave. It's like, Jack, is he going to take paternity leave or is he going to find a way to watch the Phillies game? That's the real question. First off, I don't think there's much of a question there. I'm sorry. It would be pretty ridiculous. I don't think there is much of a question there. I'm sorry. It would be pretty ridiculous.

I don't think there is much of a question there. I obviously will be watching. Come on. It can at least be in the corner TV, right? I mean, at least it could be on in the corner. We did watch. We watched Monday Night Eagles, Washington, Monday Night Football. Zoe was born like early Tuesday morning and the Eagles were playing on Monday Night Football.

And we watched that in the delivery. Well, she was like in labor, but it wasn't, you know, not like, you know, still hours from delivery, but she was in labor. So we watched the Eagles in the delivery room. So yeah, I'm pretty sure you can make it happen if you need to. Oh yeah, that's another thing that I totally didn't know about dude i did not know you spent like like like days in there well yeah i mean hours days yeah it could be a while yeah that sounds i it's i got you buddy and you're guiding light again again this is all this is all good it's actually funny it's funny like j Like Jill said she's become like pregnant or whatever.

Pregnant or whatever, you know. Like it's everything she like used to love. She like doesn't like anymore. You know, she likes it. But like she has aversions to stuff, obviously. And legitimately for the last like two weeks, the Phillies have been the one thing she looks forward to with a day of nausea.

Wow. So it's like, wow, what a bonding moment. How about it? Through this whole thing. So that's been pleasant. She's a big Matt Verling fan. Really? So this is like just because it's night or if she was already.

I mean, this is like quite the night. You should have led with that. You buried the lead. No. Jill's favorite player has a five-hit night, including the winning hit, a walk-off hit. I mean, that's kind of absurd. No, she's the worst to watch sports with because, like, if a player does bad on the opposing team, she, like, feels bad for them. Oh, yeah.

You know? And, like, Vierling has been struggling recently. Yes. And getting on i get it i get that yes yes emily's like that but with everyone on the planet like literally you know some what someone like cut you off or whatever driving and i'll be so pissed and i'll be you know you know me i have like a quick trigger with that especially in the car and like emily will be like they're probably not from around here or they don't know where they're going. And I'm like, you always have an excuse for somebody like very empathetic like that. Yeah, I got. Yeah, that's that's that's chill, too. Yeah. Yes. Our wives are our wives are much nicer than us. Yes. Much more empathetic in that situation. um but genuinely uh it's been i'm so glad that we i

can finally talk about it because it's just been uh it's just been like pent up you know i just want to tell everyone and like talk to everyone about it and uh can't wait and very very giddy for it and um i just there's gonna be so many little phillies related things that i just genuinely just it's going to be hilarious. But yeah, I mean, maybe like a high hopes night right around the time. Oh, buddy. I love this. Baby Prince coming out.

Yep. Yep. Yep. So from my marriage to Zoe being born to us having a kid, it's been a wild ride here with everyone listening. But listen, you're our people. You're our family as well. So I felt like we needed to share with everyone the good news.

Yeah, without a doubt. You said I have questions, so I have a couple more. I texted Jack when the Phillies went went down three nothing after the vlad homer and i said i only want to talk about baby fritz and not the phillies at all maybe we'll squeeze some phillies in now at the end because they won a couple quick ones and and you'll have to say which ones but have you at all discussed names yet with joe obviously you don't know the sex of the baby and and uh addendum to that too are you gonna find too, are you going to find out or are you going to wait?

We waited until they were born, but I know most people found out. What's your plan with that? Wow, two-part question here. Yeah, buddy. I told you. You said you have questions and then you let me ask one question and that was it. I have questions. Well, no. I didn't know if he needed life advice as a dad.

Oh, thanks, buddy. That's good. Yes, that's good. This is going to be great. Dad, no, I didn't know if he needed, like, life advice as a dad. Oh, thanks, buddy. That's good. Yeah, so it's good. This is going to be great. Dad to dad, though. It's going to be great. You and I are mano y mano. Yeah, peers, as they say.

Yep. Yep. And, again, if anyone else out there needs dad advice, feel free to tweet me. Because, you know, there aren't that many dads. So, you know, not that many people are dads. So, you know, it's good. You know, it's a small club. So, you know, there aren't that many dads. So, you know, it's not that many people are dads. So, you know, it's good. You know, it's a small club. So, you know, check it out.

Yeah. So advice, whatever you need. I got it. We have talked about we have talked about names. Yeah. We have talked about names. Yes. And we are going to find out just out just because like i'm not a big

surprise guy ah what gotcha and then especially like i just gotta start crafting the again the the uh serena williams dad king richard i gotta start like crafting i got you they got you the game plan there the plan um yeah but yeah we have two names um like one for each and you're just locked in and like you wow like you you don't have like 10 for each or five for you no dude honestly like names is like horrible like i know how to name like it's really hard we we were lucky zoe was a girl we didn't have a name for a boy like we were like we couldn't find one we liked but we knew that if it was a girl, it was going to be Zoe. And we had no plan.

It was a boy. You didn't think maybe Jack? You didn't think Jack Stelter? So, yeah, honestly, dude, I'm good at picking fancy football names. I'm good at picking High Hopes podcast title names. You are elite at picking. You are the king. I don't even try. I'm just like, all right, Jack, what's up?

Every once in a while, I'll notice it in the pod, and I'll say it in the pod. I'll be like, oh, yeah, that was the title. But 98% of our titles are just Jack's genius. I'm good at naming segment ideas and stuff for radio. This is way harder, and it's way more pressure. It's way more important. I mean, let's be i mean you could be setting you could be setting your your kid back at school they could be like you are you are you there is no question that a name is part

of your identity like you are absolutely setting your kid up for their life there is no question jack there is a lot of pressure because especially because like um um like one of one of the hallmarks of my beginning in this so-called business was the Jack Fritz name test. Good point. Yes. That's a great point. The point being that there's already pressure on parents to name their children because that child is then saddled with that name for the rest of their lives. Obviously, you can change it at some point, I suppose. But, you know, your upbringing, it's tough.

So it's important, like, in a real major way. But because you're you with the name test, there's even more pressure on you than, like, your average parent. Yeah, I agree. It's like naming a king or something. It's like you're you're the king and you have your your heir and that name is gonna go down the history books it's like same thing yeah and honestly i have already thought about like can i see this name being drafted you know in whatever sport like can it just sound like a a name that i would buy into

the jack for its name test so yeah listen there's been, there's been a lot of – I will say this. I'll get this one out of the way because I know there's going to be a thousand questions about it. It's not a Philly name. Yeah, I think that's a good move. It's not Chase or Ryan or Jimmy or Cole or Roy. It's not David Belfritz. You didn't decide to go with that?

No, believe it or not. Yeah, no. No, that would be instantly rejected. But yeah, it's not a Philly-related thing. I just want to get that one out of the way. Good, good. You should get it because you're definitely going to get that a lot. All right, last question, then we'll talk some quick Phillies before I go to bed.

If we keep it short enough, I'll edit and post it tonight. I want to get it to the people. This is fun. But I'm really freaking tired, Jack. All right, last question. How did it go when you announced it on the radio and the response you've gotten from everyone on social media and all that? Oh, it was good.

It was funny. I announced it. During the top five, of course. Yeah. What other way could you? What other way could i do it and uh it was funny because ike ike was like happy and then he's like i knew it he was like he was like because i told him on i told him i had to take off last friday because we had an appointment or whatever

and i was like he was like you good and i was like yeah you'll you'll know soon oh yeah then definitely yeah i would have guessed that too and that's it yeah i was like yeah you'll you'll know soon oh yeah then definitely yeah i would have guessed that too and that's it yeah i was like yeah you'll you'll know soon um so he was like i knew it and it was good you know they're very happy john and ike were very happy and uh yeah and then the caller started calling in which is funny because he talked to these guys behind the scene um you know he talked to these people behind the scenes and and sometimes they don't always get on the air sometimes they just want to talk to you so you do that and that was funny uh i got texted immediately which is funny which shows that people are listening um even though i didn't do any like pre-promotion of it or anything like that so that was funny my mom was mad because i didn't give her

a heads up i was gonna do it on the top five today but she listened and she heard it my mom didn't find out today that that I was that Jill was yeah yeah of course but she she didn't know I was announcing it to everyone uh Jill's mom texted me this morning because she knew I was doing it and she was like pitching top five ideas and I was like I got it it's like hilarious I was like don't worry about it. She's like, you know, sorry, I'll be more patient. I was like, yes, calm down. I got it. And yeah, and then obviously text and the Instagram and Twitter and all that fun stuff. So it's been it's been really good. Really love to see it. You know, it's funny.

Whenever I post tweets, there's always like show additional replies for like to find the really nasty negative ones, which I always check on. And I always check on um and which i always check on i never see them i had like once in a blue moon i'll check and i'll see it i had 400 plus responses and not one in the uh show hidden responses wow that's really cool good job twitter way not to be the worst um you. You did send me an Instagram one that was less nice, though. Yeah, Max Freed, ace pitcher for the Braves. Yes, probably not the same Max Freed, but whoever was most likely pretending to be Max Freed, not a Jack Fritz fan.

I think we can take that. Always nice to get this message. Congrats on what? Having a jackass father who doesn't know bleep to get this message congrats on what having a jackass father who doesn't know bleep about baseball and thinking the phillies would make the playoffs uh this other stuff's just too nasty so i was surprised you even started reading it i was like yeah you're gonna go there yeah and uh it was it wasn't very nice um so always appreciate that but yeah the the uh the support has been awesome and it's been funny.

And yeah, it's just like baby Fritz is coming in 2023. I mean, that's funny. It's funny. It is funny. Like we don't have to beat around the bush. It's pretty funny. It's pretty funny. You're going to have to actually grow up.

This is great. I know. Well, I don't have to we don't have to beat around the bush it's pretty funny it's pretty funny you're gonna have to actually grow up this is great i know i know well i don't have to grow up i think i could be an adult kid but also mature enough to have a kid i can't wait to see how this goes dude it's gonna be funny i'm just telling you like if nothing else it's gonna be fun i think it'll be more than that, but I appreciate that it will be funny. For sure. All right. I love it. And everyone, we love you, and we're excited to go on this ride with you. It's going to be, as Jack said, I think quite a funny ride and a fun one too. All right.

A little bit of Philly's talk. Obviously, this was awesome tonight. The win was great. And honestly, I think whatever happened tonight, the single best thing was that, that Zach Wheeler looked like Zach Wheeler. That was, I mean, as, as heartening a thing as, as you could have happened for this team right now with everything else going wrong. But, um, you know, Schwarber finally comes through with the hit late, but you know, Harper

has been a freaking disaster. Austin's been terrible. Schwarber has been terrible. Schwarber's been terrible. It's been a rough run here, Jack, but a really big win tonight. And they're mathematically in a good spot. But we were really close to recording this pod and saying, they're going to blow it. It's over.

Both of us. I'm fine. I've been like, all right. And tonight, I'm fine. Like, oh, we don't curse on the spot. Oh, bleep. I'm like, they actually are going, ah, they're all right. And like, you know, tonight I'm finally like, oh, you know, we don't curse on the spot. Oh, bleep. I'm like, they actually are going to do it, aren't they?

Like, I'm going to look like an ass. We're all going to look like asses. Everyone's going to feel like an ass. And it's going to be the worst one yet. And then they pulled it out tonight and you can kind of breathe a little bit. But where are you at, you know, kind of big picture right now with this team? I am in exhale mode. Like, I wake up every day just, you know, waiting, you know, for the sky to be falling with this team.

And, like, I'm glad they won tonight. Believe me, I'm glad. And my positive look is that's kind of that exhale. Like, we calm down. Everyone relax. Like, just go play good baseball. And we'll make the freaking playoffs. My hope is that that was like the seal in a way.

And then coming back, winning that game against the Blue Jays team, that's pretty good. And being able to do that at home, get the crowd behind you. Good crowd tonight. I mean, yeah. Thank goodness. Dollar dog night probably helped, but definitely definitely helped. But it's good to see a midweek crowd like that.

And maybe the players needed that because I think they're a little. It's tough because it's like I understand that they'd be frustrated that they feel like people aren't showing up. But also like, holy cow, you've been brutal the last the last couple years so i don't really blame the fans um but my my optimistic hope is that that's a big uh exhale seal breaking win where it's like okay we can just go play baseball because like everything before they started coming back and listen they did come back immediately after they went down by three runs and they did win a game in which zach wheeler went four innings, and Noah Syndergaard had a takedown in the middle of the game,

and Kevin Gosman was really, really good. So winning that game is always good. And they fought back, and they fought back. It really did feel like it was over, yeah. They bounced back right after they went down 3-0. I think that's important. They didn't just, like, sulk and say, well, woe is me. Like, they fought back immediately.

I think that's important. But, again, like, the last couple nights and really last like three weeks like every time there's a runner on third base less than two outs or a runner on second base less than two outs it feels like here comes a strikeout and it's like they they are striking out far too much they are making bad defensive plays like i bryson stott has been a revelation in shortstop this year. I have no idea what has happened these last two games. I hope that there's just two minor yippy things and they can lock it back in and he's good to go. But that was worrisome.

And it feels like the pitchers have been all over the place. It looks like the pitchers have been tired. It looks like they've been cooked. So they're sort of running on fumes here. And that's why I get an exact wheeler back in, him looking freaking dominant tonight, you know, back up to 99 look rejuvenated. Like I, you know, I think they had this whole plan of we're going to ease him back in, but as the games ratchet back up here, I think, I think tonight was the rehab start. And next and next week is, training wheels off you gotta go um

and they need him to take down some massive innings because he is a fresh arm in a bullpen that i feel like is just is just running on i mean sir anthony is is you know he looks good man he looks weird he he looks like he's kind of jumping at the plate right now. Like, doesn't look like he trusts his stuff. Just as it looks like he's getting more on the side rather than on top of all of his pitches right now. And I think it's just causing his pitches to flatten out. Like, it still has good velocity, but there's not that same kind of zip on it. So, yeah, it's obviously a massive win. One of those, like, stabilizing deep breath wins.

But, man, there's just been so much ugly baseball, even, you know, with a 3-0 lead. And last night was just freaking, oh, just awful. Yeah, I mean, last night, man. And, look, Atlanta's coming up. And, obviously, we talked about that last Atlanta series. It couldn't have gone worse. Atlanta fighting for the NLE still, so they're coming in with a lot to play for. It's terrifying, and I certainly can't say I have confidence.

I hope you're right. I hope that this was that kind of win, and it could be. They do have the Nats and the Cubs coming up. I know that's not something that is exciting to hear, but, you know, they just need to win enough games and have the Brewers lose enough games to get in the playoffs. But, you know, you want to see them play better. I just, I'm nervous about this series coming up.

I want to talk about Harper because, look, you know, that wrist injury, that hand injury, those are tough. And it does sap your power when you come back and all that. But it's obviously been long enough. I wouldn't care, not care, but I wouldn't be surprised if the power didn't come back at all this year to the same level because that is what that injury usually does to people. It's hard to come back in season and get that power back.

But he's been a disaster at the plate lost I mean that one tonight where he swung you know like six inches over the ball and then was like calling for a foul tip was like embarrassing and it's not just that Jack it's the it's the the just constant mental errors and stupid plays. I mean, you know, the game last night. I mean, the one moment they felt like they had a chance, the Guthrie-Homer to lead off the inning, and they get it to 7-5, and Harburg gets picked off second. And it's just like, or, you know, not picked off,

but thrown out on the flyout. And he was picked off the other night off first on a rally. And they win that game. But, like, it's just constant. They're trying to get extra bases and getting thrown out. It's like he's a dumb base runner. He just is. We could say that after almost three years or whatever he's been here. He's, I guess, yeah, four years he's been here.

He's a dumb base runner, flat out. But it seems like right now not only is he just totally lost at the plate, but he's checked out in a way, not, not purposely, but like, but like he is playing really dumb baseball and he is not paying attention times and just not locked in. Um, how concerned are you about it? And, you know, like, do you expect him to bounce back here? Or is this the Bryce Harper that's, you know, kind of going to head out for the rest of the season? And it's the kind of thing where it's like almost a lost end of the season. I'm not there at the plate.

I think he's one of those guys that when he gets locked in, he'll be locked in. I think his timing is just off right now. It's been off, especially because lefty. He just doesn't look the same. The thing about the base running is like I felt last night that him getting picked off at second base or not picked off but uh throwing out second base it felt like he was pressing and the thing that i think he has to know in that situation is that he's the best player and he's the guy that everyone kind of looks up to saying you know carry us and help, you know, as we are struggling here.

Like we need you to kind of pick us up and get us going here. And I think by doing that in that situation, it feels like a panic move. And I think it sets panic through the rest of the team. Like, oh, my God, are we really about to do this? So it just it has to be smarter it has to be better it has to be more locked in like that is a key spot in that game when you have the momentum you feel like you're coming back you feel like okay the blue jays are on the ropes here that felt panicky and i i can't have that from from my best player and my superstar and my MVP

because then that leads it to the rest of the locker room. So that would be my message to Bryce if I was Rob Thompson. How you play is reflective of the rest of the team, and you doing that in that situation feels panicky, and it's going to create panic, I feel like, in the clubhouse. So, yeah, that sounds frustrating. It's been going on for years. He's an aggressive base runner. Sometimes I think it's going to create panic, I feel like, in the clubhouse. So, yeah, that sounds frustrating. It's been going on for years. He's an aggressive base runner.

Sometimes I think it's obviously doing too much, but has to be smarter there. And the hitting, I don't know. Like, it hasn't been great. He's coming back from a hand injury. I'm sure there's a little part of him that's afraid to go full go. It could very well be a lost end of the season here for Bryce, but I'm not counting that guy out. Like, I'm just not doing it.

And I think that at the snap of a finger, he could get going here and he could really, like, getting, again, getting Bryce back for his last, what, 15, 14 games? Like, let's go, you know? And I think that's something that could catapult a team that feels like it's searching and looking for something. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. And quick shout-out to Gene as I'm sitting here recording

and watching the highlights of the game in the background. That play tonight was, I mean, maybe the biggest play of the season, one of them for sure. All right, I want to get this posted and up and stuff, and I'm going to edit it tonight. Like, screw it. I almost said F it. I'm really tired.

Yeah. I really almost said it. Like, that was very close to me saying F it. What else you got? You got anything else you wanted to hit on before we get out of here from the last couple games since we had a talk? Could not give a bigger shout-out to Oscar Hernandez

for the 2-0 swing over a 58-foot slider tonight. I mean, seriously. Especially when Belotti's slider was, you know, Belotti just didn't have it tonight. When did Andrew Belotti turn into Al Albuquerque that's just throwing slider after slider after slider? It's a good pitch. I mean, it has a really high...

It is. It just wasn't biting the same way tonight. Oh, my God, dude. If they walked in another run with the bases loaded, I was going to lose it. There were so many points tonight where I was like, I'm going to lose it. I'm going to lose it.

Like, this is it. Yeah, no. Again, when is Garrett Stubbs going to start getting more innings on the mound? You know, the 38 mile an hour EFIS pitch into 84 at the knees was, was something to behold. But yeah,

I mean, other than that, the gene play tonight was big. It reminded me of so much of Utley in game four out in LA where he dove back and got him. The Stott yips. Hopefully he figures that stuff out. Dude, I can't believe how good JT has been.

Oh, what a star. He's been the best player on the team without a doubt. He's not even close. Really? Not close. Since the All-Star break or whatever, since the Toronto series, really,

he has been the best player on the team without a doubt. There is no argument. It's not even a question like handily. Um, not a great run for the, uh, Sam, our Sam Coo round needs to be pitching in, in higher leverage spots. Uh, ever since then, I think he's had an ERA over 12. Um, and by the way, uh, way, I mean, big game Gibby, are you and UK Phillies done with that? You and Dave done with the Gibson thing where you're

ripping me about him or no? Okay, so I love Dave Shaw. He is my guy. I am all in on him, and I'm excited for my next appearance on the UK Phillies pod whenever it happens. for my next appearance on the UK Phillies pod whenever it happens. I can't speak for him, but I am absolutely done, and I apologize. I was at that game last night, Jack. I was at that game with a bunch of WIP listeners, and I watched Kyle Gibson live do his thing in that game. I'm out, okay? You win.

I still think Gibby can go out and be way more dominant than someone of his talent level should be on a given night. And it is intriguing that he could do that. But I'm out. You win. I concede. He is infuriating, especially like in any game where it's like, oh, this is like a semi big start. Like who's on the mound?

Oh, crap. This is going to be this this is gonna be dreadful and and he does it slowly too which is just like oh yeah no he's got he's got no feel for for when his feet up and again there is no there is not a quite worse sinking feeling than kyle gibson's runners on base. They always score. I don't know how to put that into stats, but they always score.

Jose Alvarado needs to be pitching later in games. Enough with the whole sixth inning, seventh inning thing. He's the reliever I trust most. Just put him as a closer. Robertson looks like he's pitching on fumes. Serenity is pitching on fumes. Somehow Nick Nelson was pitching late in the game today Whatever

Yes he did So Jose Alvarado needs to be pitching later in games And I kind of like Don Guthrie I have no idea what he is What do you mean you kind of like Don Guthrie I love him He's like the guy I wanted to play at the end of the game

At least this guy's not a freaking At the like at least this guy's not a freaking you know at the moment i was like at least this guy's not a freaking loser like the rest of these guys he doesn't have the philly stink on him yet but uh but now they're winners so no no no it's another winner um but uh yeah he's you know i don't know he's kind of the same mold as like the Maton Beierling. Yes. To Greg. That's what he is. But he's a guy.

Yeah. Yeah. I think he's better than Luke Williams. That's my baseline. Yeah. I like that. But other than that, again, shout out to Oscar Hernandez for swinging two out of 58 pitch or 58 foot slider, um,

and saving the game. Where were you when to Oscar Hernandez, uh, save, save the fill season. I love that. That's the way to do it. There you go.

Not, not when Jean did or, you know, anyone else, JT really over the last few months. Um, where were you when baby Fritz saved the season? That's what we really should be saying.

Um, and, and also a, a shout out to jill who um you know has to do this with you yeah yeah again i i don't do much i mean again you're you're leading line for i'm having a kid is oh this is gonna be funny i know i already feel bad because like i i spent whenever i'm around kids like i just start laughing at them you know so i just i just envision that my poor uh future kid just be like why did my dad laugh at me no don't worry i laugh at you all the time kids are hilarious kids are zoe does the dumbest funniest stuff or she'll say the funniest things like

like it is it's hilarious. Kids are hilarious. Ever since I had a kid, I totally, I never watched the show, but the kids say the darndest thing. I was like, oh, I get it. I get why that was a show and why people watch it because they do. They're hilarious.

Yeah, I'm thoroughly, thoroughly looking forward to that portion. So again, it's going to be fun and I'm excited for the journey with everyone on this podcast and and everywhere else this pod was twice as long as i was hoping it was gonna be but i think it was worth it never a doubt all right uh philly's braves will be back monday after the series in the off day obviously after after, you know, um, um, hopefully not a horrible series, but, um, we'll see. I don't have confidence, but, uh, you know, you, you, they don't,

they don't have to be great to finish out. We would like them to, um, all right. Um, that's all I got. I'm going to bed. I'm going to post the pod tonight, Jack. I'm doing it. Just send me the audio immediately. Send a trooper. Send me the audio immediately. Send me the title. And I'll immediately go to bed. Baby Fritz. He's Fritz himself. See you later. We'll see you next time.