High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - James' Last Pod in His 40's and Maybe Ever

Episode Date: September 23, 2021

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz talk Phillies and their playoff chances days before James turns 40. The guys discuss their playoffs expectations, Harper's MVP season, James being old, and much more. 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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Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the high hopes podcast. It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on radio.com and sports radio, 94 W Y P. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast. Fritzy!

First of all, I'm sorry to everyone. We've been gone too long. I agree. Football season starts and we fall apart. We don't even like football. Yeah, football? What's football, Jack? Exactly.

Yeah, well, we apologize. You can all forgive me because I'm dying in two days, according to Jack. Yes. My life is over. I have two days left to live, Jack. I mean, that's tough. Your last podcast in your 30s, man. I'm so sorry. Oh, fuck! I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry.

Oh, man. So you make fun of me for being old like all the time. Right. As anyone who ever listens to this podcast knows. Yeah. And I never feel old. Like the whole time you always make the jokes. I'm like, ha, ha, yeah, I'm old.

But I've never felt old. Jack, feeling pretty old, buddy. Yeah, you should. I mean, again, I don't want to rub it in. I want to make this, you know, make you feel – You don't – okay, sure. I don't want to make you feel old. Your life's goal for the next year is to remind me that I'm 40 every day.

Well, then what happens if you're 50th? Oh, God. I mean, let's put it this way. Can we not put the cart before the horse, buddy? Let's put it this way. You're closer to 50 than you are 30. Buddy. Starting Saturday. Not yet. Actually, yes. Starting Saturday. On Sunday, I guess. you're closer to 50 than you are 30 buddy not yet actually starting saturday on yeah sunday i guess

technically you can't go backwards so you're just progressing towards 50 which is shocking so um this conversation is about as much fun as this Philly season has been, Jack. Which have you enjoyed more? Here's the sickness, though. Because we always talk about it. You know what I'm doing right now as we're recording? Take a guess. What? Take a guess what I'm doing.

Take a guess. You are setting your fantasy lineup. Some dude named Ramirez pitched for the Diamondbacks against the Braves against Dansby Swanson right now because I'm sick. Because I'm sick. That you are. This is ridiculous. What am I doing?

By the way, Diamondbacks are down 4-1. They're winning 6-4 now. Just saying. Listen, I noticed. Just saying. Playoff runs back on. Big Carson Kelly three-run bomb. Yeah.

Yeah, listen. Our Diamondbacks. Our Diamondbacks may have sunk our, you know, playoff chances. Honestly. They owe us one man it was three or four i guess but they owe it like please could you take one one of four i'm not asking a lot here i mean if if if they didn't get if they didn't lose three of four to the rockies and they didn't lose if they didn't get three in arizona if you didn't lose one to the orioles that they

literally didn't show up for oh and four by the way at games that i've gone to this year i was there so it's your fault it's your fault i i guess so i mean they're gonna lose out on the playoffs by probably less than four games so yeah i mean in reality my four games ruined the season jack so couldn't have said it better myself pal um but yeah i saw him lose to the freaking pirates and the orioles are two of the four games i went i mean think about that yeah i mean come on man you sunk you sunk nolan and in pittsburgh that's not great oh buddy um but yeah it's just like it's like it's like why did you why did you have to do that you know why did you have to lose to the rockies why did you i know why did you have to do that? You know? Why did you have to lose to the Rockies?

Why did you have to lose to the Diamondbacks? They're not good. Why couldn't you just step up one time? Just one time. Be like, hey, you know what we're going to do? We're not going to let you all down. But. Okay.

They always do. They always find a way. That's what they do, buddy. Well, at least they've bounced back and you took two or three from the Orioles in very convincing fashion. Yeah, literally. Yeah, that was the worst series win in the history of series wins. I mean, it took them over 18 innings to get a lead against the Orioles. It took them like 17 innings or whatever, 14 innings to score a run against them.

I mean, it was just like such a horror show of a series. By the way, in case you're wondering, Jack, the teams we're talking about here, we're talking about the 104 loss Orioles and the 104 loss Diamondbacks, Jack. These teams are going to lose 110 games. I mean, that's really hard to do like you don't see 110 win-loss teams every year like like that's bad man yeah but i gotta say i mean i love that i i i

can't wait to see what you gotta say the The Phillies lineup isn't that much better. Oh, my God. It's true. It's true. I mean, outside of obviously, you know, Bryce and Gene. Bryce and Gene. Dude, every day I look at this lineup every day and I'm like, oh, great. 215, 217, 255.

Like, oh, Dubal's 255. It's like, wow, what a hitter. The dude's batting 255. Yeah, I feel like he hasn't had a hit in a month. JT, 265. Ho 255? It's like, wow, what a hitter. The dude's batting 255. Yeah, I feel like he hasn't had a hit in a month. JT, 265. Ho, ho. It's unbelievable. Yeah, I mean, like, I mean, Didi's down to 209, which is just.

207, Jack. Oh, is it? Wow. Even worse. Great. I love that. Well, good thing, by the way, that he started against the lefty last night because, you know, that 207 only gets better. It's 150 against left-handed pitching.

So you needed him in the lineup last night, Jack. But he did get a big hit for Joe Girardi a decade ago. I know. I know. Sound decision-making. What a crazy excuse it was. I'm going with the experience, and I'm going with someone who's gotten, I've seen him get big hits. Let's

start there, Jack. Does Joe Girardi care? Is he actually trying anymore or is he just like, check that. Well, like last night he willfully said that he pinch hit for Wheeler in the seventh. Wheeler didn't pitch the seventh. Wheeler was down to sixth.

I'm dead serious. I'm serious. Oh, my God. He said, yeah, well, we pinch hit for Wheeler. And it's like, yeah, no, you didn't, actually. You didn't. You brought in Coonrod for the seventh. So, you know, they did not pinch hit for him in the sixth.

So he has been a major major disappointment it's not like so here's the thing with Girardi like the roster's not good like the roster's not good enough they're not obviously they could make the playoffs and that's fine I mean I want them to make the playoffs like I desperately need to play out baseball in my life um but like they're not good he well yeah I mean they would be eight and a half games back in any other division. That's the best they'd be. They're 22 back of the Giants, 13 back of the Brewers, but the best case scenario is you're in the AL Central

and you're eight and a half back. That's their next best case. It's just that he hasn't helped them. He hasn't heightened their level of play like he's not getting the most out of this roster like i understand that the roster's not good enough i understand that they have flaws in the bullpen and lineup and all that but like i see i see managers getting more out of guys almost every night and with him it feels like he's every night feels like he's putting the team in the wrong positions so like yeah is it all gerardi's fault no uh has

he been an utter disaster yeah and the thing that i keep coming back to james is that you know how can you sit there and fire gabe based on september performances and then have the same exact september under joe gerardi like what are you gonna you're gonna bring him back because i know they're gonna bring him back it's like of they're going to bring him back. It's like, it's just the whole, the whole thought process was ridiculous. I mean, last year was about as bad a September finish as you could possibly imagine. I mean, you just needed to win two of eight and you won one of eight. I mean, that's, it doesn't get much worse than that.

But I mean, this year to lose the games they lose, you know, and until the way they've lost, I mean, you're right. Look, they don't have a lot of talent.

I mean, they're all not a, just especially with the, I mean, like they had talent. We thought in certain spots, but when Didi Gregorius is, you know,

a literal shell of the player used to be when Alec Boehm literally is going to finish the season in the minors, when Aaron Nola is the worst version, forget September Nola, just all season the worst version of Aaron Nola we've ever seen, and other guys underperformed to certain levels. You know, I get it. It's not a great lineup, but at the same time, to your point, like Joe Girardi has done nothing to make it better. And it does seem like he just, like I'm joking about him being checked out but it does feel like he's like these games

feel like they're being managed like he's checked out like he's not he's not paying attention to the game you know I know that's crazy but that's what it feels like watching these games and the decisions he makes I've just been so incredibly disappointed with him and you know i it's not that i i i don't know like i don't think you have that reaction to a doable the other night if you're totally checked out you know what i mean like like the the reaction of why i don't think he's actually like i don't think he's like truly checked out it just feels that way jack you know some of these decisions you know know what my problem is? I don't think he knows. I don't think he has a plan.

It feels like the plan keeps changing on the fly. I thought at the beginning of the year he was a strict numbers guy, and then he tried to be a strict gut guy. The gut guy thing backfired, and now he's just like, whatever. I don't know. I'll throw something against the wall and see if it sticks you know like i felt beginning of the year it was like oh we're gonna double switch a thousand times because it's gonna give us these like these numerical advantages well that backfired and then he tried to be the gut guy when he was letting

aaron nola go into the ninth and letting wheeler go into the ninth and burning out wheeler's arm and now he has to pull him after 97 pitches in the sixth inning when he had 10 games left, which is ridiculous. And now it just feels like he's just like, eh, we'll see, you know, which probably isn't the best place to be as a baseball team. Yeah. And again, like I know it's a little thing, but trotting Didi out there, first of all, not pinch hitting for Didi the game before in the 2-0 game game as i was at i mean that was like criminal like that was about i it's so funny jack because i want to

be like that's the worst decision he's made all year 17 others popped right in my freaking head but but in the moment in that game like knowing how important that game was now winnable it was like i thought not pinch hitting for ddable it was, like, I thought not pinch-hitting for Didi there was criminal. Like, among the worst single decisions, not as impactful as others, but in the moment, single decisions, as bad as it gets,

and then a rollout there against Lefty, it's just like, I don't know, I get it that, like, I understand managers wanting to stick with their guys and, like, you know, I trust him, he's my bet and stuff, but, dude, we're 150 games into the season and this guy's banged 207.

He's banged 150 against lefties. Like at a certain point you have to say, all right, maybe it's not forever, but right now this is who this guy is. Wow. Listen, that doesn't sound like a small sample size, does it? Wow. I mean, is 150 games a small sample size? I mean, honestly, yes, in the grand scheme of things it is comparatively a small sample size but it's not a small no it's

not also um he's speaking of bad decisions i feel like this wasn't really talked about but i was sitting there in the moment like just well first off pulling wheeler last night when you have 10 games left and like you're just coming off a bullpen game I thought was ridiculous. I know he's at 97 pitches, but, like, at least let him go after the seventh. His spot wasn't even due up. Now, I know that Joe thinks that he pinched it for him, but he, in fact, did not. But the other decision was, like, I think it was Tuesday night in extras. They'd already gotten a run home. They had two outs already.

It's not like you have an advantage by creating the double play, but he will put another runner on base. Like he put a runner on base so that they could possibly score more runs for like a minor advantage. It's just like, why are you – Well, he's done that a lot this year. I remember when he – Against the Cardinals.

I know that's a deep pull, but walking Sosa in that spot. Like he's done that. And then the Matt Carpenter home run, like we've seen him kind of just not read the situation right. A lot of times this year. Yeah. I mean, it's, and it's not, you know, it's not all totally his fault because like, you know,

it feels like every decision he makes goes wrong, which shouldn't happen, but like genuinely, it feels like every decision he made and every decision that Gabe made, it was like, oh, well, this is clearly going to backfire, which is just unbelievable. You would think that at least they can get lucky every once in a while, but it feels like they never get lucky. It feels like they never can just have a normal baseball game where they can make the correct decisions and they all go to plan. Wouldn't that be nice? Jack, I can't.

Yes. And you know what it's nice for San Francisco and Gabe right now because everything they do goes right. Unbelievable. But yeah, look, I'm with you. And I think it goes back. I think the key point is, look, is Joe Girardi the worst manager we've ever seen? No. But this guy was brought in for a lot of money at a big name and a big spot to be the guy who, you know, added, who helped you win games, who,

who did that extra stuff. Like, you know, like again, like we see the smart teams in baseball, dude, the giants, the rays,

these teams that win games on the margins that find ways to get that extra edge, that extra market inefficiency, whatever it is, and take advantage of it. And, you know, Joe Girardi was supposed to be that type of thing for us and he

obviously obviously hasn't all right let's get some other stuff before we get out of here um again like so i don't know about you jack and i know that you will identify with this and other people will who play fantasy baseball um and also i'm going to let you know how weird i am with fantasy because i'm you know we have our own little superstitions and stuff like that so my fantasy baseball superstition and it is incredibly dumb but I don't look at my actual scoreboard of the team I'm playing until all the games are done I just track it by going on and going into each box score it's crazy and it's like way more time and all that but it's my weird little thing that I do okay anyway point is i'm used to

going and checking on my players and on other players right like who's my opponent have i look at their team at the beginning and i know they have and they're big guys and i go check them and i feel like right now that i am like checking padres games like i'm checking fantasy scores where i'm like what did tatis do i gotta know how much of a lead does Harper have? Like, I know, like, I want the playoffs too. I'm desperate. Nate, look, right now, trending towards it could be two outs tonight. It's possible if they can win this game

and the Diamondbacks hold on, both, you know, big ifs. But, like, I know that it's just a stupid award and all that, but, like, I really want Bryce Harper to win the MVP. I just think he deserves it, man. I think he deserves it man i think he deserves it and i think it would be i think just like other than home runs and rbi like he is far and away more deserving than fernando tatis jr for this award and i don't know what's gonna happen i know he's the betting favorite now but you never know with this type of stuff and and you know voting

is still kind of in a changeover period from with analytics and and the other stuff and all that but i just i can't believe how badly I wanted to win this award. It almost makes me sad that I cared this much, Jack. I love it. Real quick question for you before we talk about Bryce for a second. Which do you trust more, September NOLA tonight or the Diamondbacks to hold this lead the ninth? Oh, man.

I'm watching a dude named Wendell akin warm up okay uh so um um i i don't know if i could save the time you're going nola i'm going nola is that possible i love it um nola gets pittsburgh down this road i know it's all your fault that's why we're in know. It's all your fault. It's why we're in this position. It's all your fault. But yeah, you know, I was kind of sitting there last night and it really set in for me like he could very realistically

be the NL MVP next week. It could be over. I'm trying to take it all in and remember what this felt like um you know I felt it in 2017 with Carson uh I felt it most of the season with Embiid and then I feel like the last two weeks I was like oh Yoko she's gonna win it so like I'm not totally invested um I don't like I so with Rollins the 2020 and 20 was obviously awesome

last day of the year. So I remember that. And Howard, I mean, Howard was just, it was just must-see TV every day. But this is like adult life. I've watched like 150-some baseball games this year. And Bryce winning it would mean a lot. He's now our guy. And like even the play last night, you know, I know it's Pedro Severino.

I know he can't run. But it's just like that's another play. Like that's another MVP moment. Getting from first to third on Sunday against the Mets, that's an MVP moment. Scoring on the JT ball to right field the other night, that's MVP stuff. Like I don't know how you can – like I in in in team stuff when it comes to mvp voting like the padres have been a dumpster fire for you know like two months now um i mean they're starting vince velasquez last night which is absurd they've started jake arietta and vince

velasquez think about that not even the 2021 phillies would do that no not saying something so like i need it i i'm with you something. So, like, I need it. I'm with you. Last night I was like, holy crap. Like, he's probably going to win the MVP. And listen, Juan Soto is un-freaking-believable. Like, the age-old question is, who would you start your team with? Soto, Tatis, Acuna, or Vlade Jr.?

Like, I honestly have no idea. I've gone back and, i swear to you i'm not kidding it's the hardest question in baseball right now every month i felt for a while it was clearly to tease like i felt pretty strongly about it for a while i think i'm back to soda like what that guy does that the the force he is oh i don't know like it's probably to tease the position but i don't know he's not even good at that position. I know! He's an outfielder now. I don't know! It's my favorite.

It's my favorite. It's such a great, great question. I'm not giving the MVP to Tatis, or to Soto. They're way under 500. No, it's Tatis and Harper. I don't think Soto has any chance at it. He probably doesn't. They're the worst team in the National League, or one of the worst teams in the National League, other than the Diamondbacks. Obviously, it's not his fault. I don't think Soto has any chance of it. He probably doesn't, but they, they're the worst team in the national league or one of the worst teams in the

national league other than the Diamondbacks. Obviously it's not his fault. It's just like, I can't vote for a guy to be MVP if his team's like that bad. And I know Trotz wanted it and I get that, but, um, also,

well, Trotz wanted a bunch, but also honestly, Harper's season's better. Like I know that Soto's is very good, but Harper still has a higher OPS. I mean, Harper's got an OPS by like 20 points higher. I think Soto's like 1030, but Harper still has a higher OPS. I mean, Harper's got an OPS like 20 points higher.

I think Soto's like 1030, which is unreal. I think it's like 50 points higher in the last two months where Soto's been also on fire. It actually, honestly, Bryce has been underrated in baseball circles. He's now being talked about, but you think the guy that has been proclaimed as the face of baseball having an MVP season would have more national buzz. But it seems like all the buzz is about, you know,

Tatis and Otani and Vladdy and rightfully so. It just feels like Bryce hasn't been put in that class and he's probably going to win the MVP. I mean, in my mind, he is no bias, no whatever. Like, I just think he's so clearly the National League MVP this year. Like, i don't understand how you can make a rational argument for anyone else just numbers wise again you know if you're gonna go to tease for some and i just i'm with you i'm uh i understand that mike trout

has won multiple uh mvps i understand that andre dawson won an mvp on a last place team he didn't deserve it but he won one like i get it that that's baseball but like if i have options that are that are even similar on a second place teams or third place teams as opposed to one of the worst teams in the sport i'm gonna go with the the higher teams but on top of that like i don't even think it matters like i think whether you look at tatis soto is a a stronger case from a numbers perspective but i think the team takes him out of it and then to tease from a numbers perspective like it's not close and it's certainly not close when we're talking about the stretch perspective but i think the team takes him out of it and then to tease from a numbers perspective like it's not close and it's certainly not close when we're talking about the stretch run by the way arizona diamondbacks shout out they close it out my down all right i hope that doesn't mean

to your question earlier now i'm terrified that means that aaron noah's just gonna come out and blow this game tonight we're gonna be like oh another day another missed game uh anyway what if what if they're two out like can you i mean they could be it could be i mean like it's it's on them like if they win tonight they're two out and they're they're facing a bullpen game um so you know it's no jack that is like i can't even say it out loud because it just makes it feel so like ridiculous because of course nola's gonna blow this but nola versus pirates bullpen game that's aaron nola versus pirates bullpen game james how do i not feel great about this james james i'm getting i'm getting excited i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm getting excited big win well the. I'm sorry. I'm getting excited. That was a big win. That was a big win by the D-backs.

That was a big win. And you know what's so bad is I'm already so nervous for that Braves series. If they take two or three from Atlanta, I'll parade down Broad Street. I will be so happy. Well, we've got to see where we're at there. I know. I know. But that's the thing like

think about how tough that is they let's say they get two back tonight and let's say they find a way to beat the pirates as much as the braves beat the padres and then the braves have the suspended game they have to finish out and all that but like let's say it all evens out and they head into that brave series two games back like they have to win all three to be in front after it like even then like it's like oh we're two games back if they win the first two but lose the third there then they're game back again like it's just it's a tough spot jack tough spot man like this is tough like they have we said you said at the beginning of the week six to seven and i i was like yeah like they have to win six to seven you said that to me like and i'm like they do like they have to win six to seven. You said that to me. Like, and I'm like, they do like they have to win six to seven this week.

So, hey, you got to sweep the pirates. Just saying. Just saying. Hey, Phil. Hey, Phil. Just do it. I mean, just do it. Just just do it.

You're at home. You have no on the mound. Probably a bullpen game mixing this weekend. But like, dude, the pirates are so bad. They're so bad. Like, they're so bad. Like, please. Like, I'm begging you. Please just.

I mean, a sweep is tough for a four-game series, but at least three or four. I mean, I will settle for three or four. Whatever. Just don't blow it. Like, if they split, I'm never doing a podcast again. Like, I just. I will not be able to take it. If they go one and three, you know, whatever. I'm out split I'm never doing a podcast again like I just I will not be able to take it if they if they go one and three you know

whatever I'm out I'm out I need you cannot do this to me you can't do this to me you can't do this to this podcast do not do not split do not split this weekend it's more important than the Eagles Cowboys I'm sorry but like you cannot split this weekend

yeah so we might be talking to you on Sunday night we might not do they can't do it James I'm not like they can't they can't I agree with you look if if if they because of what happens this weekend against the Pirates have no chance going into Atlanta we're not recording I would be I would be so down I won't do it I won't do it I'll just watch Eagles Cowboys not recording. I would be so down. I won't do it. I won't do it. I'll just watch Eagles-Cowboys and move forward. That's what we're going to do. I would be despondent.

If they go out and do this, I would be absolutely despondent. So, please, I'm begging you. I'm begging you. And I know the Phillies suck. I know they're not that good of a team, but I need the playoffs. I just want the playoffs. I want fun. I need it.

I need it. I need it. I need it. Do not split this weekend. Just do not split this weekend. I'm just... Do not. We're going to get out of here soon because the game is about to start. Jack, got to get home to watch this.

It's so funny. So I drive Jill to work one day a week. Ah, it's just today's day. You got to go get Jill. Yeah, but luckily she had a dentist appointment, so it's pushing it back. Okay, so we're in good shape. So we're getting out of here in a minute. Anything quickly in the take bag before I have something at the end? Oh, you got something at the end?

I got something at the end. No, it's nothing really that special. Just a little something. What did I have? I had something written down that I thought was clever and creative. Oh, you know what I have written down? And you kind of brought this up earlier. Dude, I can't wait to tell my kids about bryce you know

like i had to listen to so many like old like older people tell me about like johnny callison and the 1964 phils and like schmitty and and carlton and um you know like the 93 team i know you're alive i know you're in your 40s for the for 93 i was at one of the world series games jack yes thank you yes thank you i was at the 15 to 14 was at one of the world series games jack yes thank you yes thank you i was at the 15 to 14 when you were at the 15 to 14 game did you ever think to yourself that someone who wasn't born yet is going to be hosting a podcast with you no not just that wasn't born yet for a few years so yeah it was only one year it was only one year only one year 94 94 yeah oh yeah i didn't do the math for some reason 96 was

in my head no come on i'm not a baby i'm not a baby you know okay yes you're right yeah um hector narris is nine strikeouts away from setting the all-time reliever record for strikeouts what yes for the phillies you mean obviously no all baseball history no that's not true no but for but for the Phillies, yes. Wow, that's actually stunning. I mean, he's been here a while, but that's pretty stunning still. It does kind of tell you that they haven't had, you know. Yeah, it tells you they haven't had great relievers.

It tells you they haven't had guys who stayed a long time. And it also tells you that we're in an era of baseball where there are more strikeouts than ever. I think it's a combo of those three things. But Hector's also very good, and everyone needs to know that. I mean, I think that, yeah, the real takeaway is Hector is the best reliever in Philadelphia Phillies history. Yes, better than Brad Lidge.

Let that take a sit out there. And better than his teammate's father who won the Cy Young for the Phillies, Jack. Yes, which leads me perfectly. Ben Rock 2.0, baby. Now, were you in college for Steve Bed for steve bedrogin's 1987 saw young year or no so that's like the the funny because 1987 is the first year that i have real memories of baseball but like 1988 is the first year i really remember the phillies i really remember what happened i remember oral in the world series remember gibson like all that stuff so like

i don't i remember that it happened in the moment like i remember my dad talking about it but like i don't remember watching cam bedrosi and pitch in 1987 so we found my my limit yes good um that's a pretty big limit um like for example i think my first 40 man i'm about to be 40 um i think my first baseball memory like real memory, might have been the Luis Gonzalez walk off against it. Oh, my God. Yeah. I was in college for that, Jack. So, yeah.

Cool. Good one. You're 40. You're 40 on Saturday. Wow. I'm 40, man. Like, it's been a bit on this show. We've had this pod for a while, and now I'm actually old.

Now, it's not a bit anymore. Now you're just making fun of it all the time. I'm also looking at Luis Gonzalez on screen right now, which is pretty funny. He's a Diamondbacks announcer. You know the biggest problem with this, James, is that I feel like you're kind of aged out of the demographic. I know. You might have to

replace me soon. You might have to get younger. Like Dan Wilson in here or someone in here to take over. Yeah, you might have aged yourself out, pal. Might be looking for a replacement. You know, I'm going to appeal to the younger generation. Speaking of Cam Bedrosian or Steve Bedrosian, you know, this didn't happen last night. They held on to it.

But, like, dude, Cam Bedgerian has been up here for two weeks and joe is already trusting him with high leverage spots over bailey falter who is better than him and it's just another example of get all the veterans away from like dd go like all these veterans are it it just drives me crazy. Like, these guys are not, like, Bailey Fother is better than Cam Bedrosian. I don't care how many games he's pitched. Like, enough with this crap. It drives me crazy. And my second take in the take back is, like, dude,

I like establishing a fastball as much as the next guy. Like, Ian Kennedy, like,'ve got to mix in another pitch. The fact that Ryan Nancastle didn't tie that game up last night, I thought that ball was gone. There's no doubt about it. I thought that ball was gone. Me too. And it's just like you've got to mix in your other pitches, man.

You don't throw 100. I don't want to break any news to Ian Kennedy, but you throw 93 to 95. Like you're not – it has good high spin efficiency. I don't want to break any news to Ian Kennedy, but you throw 93 to 95. Like you're not, it has good high spin efficiency. I get all that, but like, holy crap, man,

you cannot survive on a 90% four seam fastball usage, right? You gotta mix in the other pitches for my own sanity. Yeah. Do it for Jack. I think that's a, I mean, we could use that as a, a mantra for,

I think a lot of players, right? I think that sounds like a podcast title. I mean, we could use that as a mantra for, I think, a lot of players, right? I think that sounds like a podcast title. I mean, I feel like we haven't given you enough credit yet for Bryce Harper's MVP season. You know? I mean, it wouldn't be happening without you. He wouldn't be here. Thus, he would not be having this MVP season. Exactly.

You know, so, you know, thanks, buddy. Hey, no problem. Anything for the podcast, anything for the podcast anything for the phillies i like i just if you lose if you split this weekend or worse i don't know what i'm gonna do i really don't i think i will just be so despondent so i mean it's my birthday weekend so do not blow seltzer's 40th birthday my 40th it's not like oh i'm turning 38 or all through no i'm turning 40 phillies all right could you do it for me just one time one time could you make the end of my 30s not suck and could you make the beginning of my 40s not suck it is crazy jack

because i was thinking about this the other day but like i obviously people are good at math here i turned 30 in uh obviously september of 2011 so yeah you know so i'm turning 40 now so like you know it's good math by you. Um, something here, you know, let's, let's, let's end this. I also,

I, um, I don't want to, uh, you know, get too mathy in this podcast, but that would be 10 years. You would go your whole thirties without a playoff appearance.

Yeah. Well, technically not. Cause again, I, I turned 30. I've never, no season that started in my 30s did they make that wow

it's pretty cool man you know what though like that that's the kind of stuff i was talking about last time and now that i'm about to be 40 i'm old so i can understand this but like think about someone who went from 50 to 60 or 60 to 70 or 70 to 80 and they spent that decade of their life the twilight years like you're 70 to 80 and you're turning 80 this year and you're like well that was an awesome decade phillies thanks a lot like do it for those people phillies like enough of this like generational we have the we are the longest playoff drop in baseball jack like come on yeah but but listen it's not as bad and i've tried to tell you this many times it's not as bad as 1915 to 1949 like that was 30 some years literally yeah okay it's not as bad jack here's the thing it's not as bad yet yet there's only 20 more years when we do your

50th uh anniver or 50th birthday podcast will the phillies have made the playoffs you know well they how sad is it that like honestly i'm like my first thought was like of course and then my second thought was like wait yeah my third thought was like i don't know they probably won't well maybe they'll expand the playoffs there we go there you go and well i mean they did that last year so that worked out well um there are eight playoff teams they could make it last year jack like we forget to mention that we talk about the two of eight instead of one of eight. There were eight playoff teams. I'm sorry.

Getting worked up. Do you need me to drop off any soup for that playoff fever that you have? No, I'll be all right, I think. Okay. Let's put it this way. I think I'm going to get over the fever pretty quickly. I think it's going to be one of those 24-hour fevers. Not if they go six and one.

Yes. Could you? Could you? Nope. They sure can't. Could you? Nope. All right.

Last thing was just to say again. I almost cursed. Yeah, well well that's what happens with the whole age you start you know 40 man i would like to thank everyone who listens to this podcast for joining me on this ride to 40 it means a lot it means a lot all you wonderful beautiful people for sticking with me even though according to jack fritz and the many texts he has sent me on the subject i will be dead in two days so i just i appreciate you all sticking with me for these last days is that a fair estimation jack and james let me say something to you pal okay i can't wait i can't wait to see what it is what is it i really do wonder if you have

aged yourself out of the demographic and if we need to find a new co-host happy happy 40th buddy um thanks buddy and we will be here uh we will maybe. Maybe be here. This is not on us. Yes. So, like, I am willing to give up my Sunday night of my birthday weekend, no less, to record a pod. Now. If the Phillies make me do it. All right? That's the deal. Now, is that before or after you eat your 5 o'clock dinner? Jack, we call it supper actually at this age i think i think that's

actually a law that now i have to start calling it supper i could be wrong about that but i'm pretty sure i have to go with supper now so i'll i'll look into it but just to be safe i'll make sure the pot is after supper um but to that point it's got to be pretty early because obviously i gotta get be in bed by like seven o'clock yeah 7 30 7 30 is faster bedtime oh you got anything else um have you already looked at your place in clearwater florida yet or is that not over a couple years do you want me to start like i'll start just dropping f-bombs and then i'll be like this bleep that and then you couldn't stop the recording quick enough you're exactly right but

um happy 40th well maybe we'll talk to you sunday i honestly jack i really hope we do and you know what you're right happy birthday to me buddy yep enjoy your supper he spreads himself