High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Phillies-Astros Game 5 Reaction Pod: They Blew It

Episode Date: November 4, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to a crushing Game 5 loss at CBP. 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 Hopes Podcast. A missed opportunities edition. A... So many moments man the chas mccormick catch obviously will stand out forever i will remember it as long as i live i will literally

never forget the feeling of thinking that ball was at least a double maybe a triple and seeing that dude make a miraculous play in the World Series. But the Marsh strikeout, the Reese just game, dude. Like the strikeout with the bases loaded, the botched play at first where he could have gotten the play at home. It was a baseball game tonight. It was the toughest, closest game of the series. That first game was intense, but here at least it isn't Spank Park. It was just a tough one, man.

It was a tough one. I'm bummed. I hate that they lost. I'm not despondent in the sense that I felt like it was ours and we had it. Oh, I totally disagree. Oh, I totally disagree. Yeah, I guess 17 runners left on base. Dude, dude, dude.

I know, man. I'm trying to paint a picture. I know, I know. And I appreciate you trying. I'm trying, man. You've seen my ankle. I can barely stand, and I'm here tonight. That was tough, man.

That was tough. We're calling you Kirk Seltzer. You did call me Kirk Gibson at work, and it's like the nicest compliment you ever gave me in my life. It's bad. You've seen the picture. How bad is my ankle? Yeah, I'm surprised you're here. I know.

It reminds me of Isaiah Thomas in the 88 finals. Yeah. Thank you. So I got to be honest. Like, I am. I'm so crushed. I'm absolutely, absolutely soul crushed. And I think the Chaz McCormick catch, it's this team's version of, I guess,

the Ibanez and Utley balls from 2011. I mean, that whole game, that whole game, it felt like all the painful losses that we've experienced here. It felt like game six in 2010. Oh, man. It felt like game five. Game five, yeah, and 11 for sure. It felt like that game where it's like even early the vibes were off.

Like when Schwarber hit the homer, I was like, all right, they're going to obviously win this game, right? When Schwarber went yard, the place was going nuts. The place was melting down. And ever since that moment, it was just missed opportunity after missed opportunity. Little, little losing baseball plays that come back to bite you in games like this. And the Astros took advantage of it.

I mean, not like unbelievable took advantage of it, but they did. They made the Phillies pay whenever they could. And Marsh not getting a job done. He's not playing fundamental baseball. Like it was it was night after. It was inning after inning of just missed opportunities. And, like, I sit here today, 3-2 heading back to Houston. I feel like the Phillies should have won that game.

And I feel like they let one slip away. No, you're right. And now we have Zach Wheeler, who I have absolutely. Do you have any idea where Zach Wheeler is right now? So you could go out and pitch seven, shut out, or you could be done in two. I've never felt less sure about what I'm going to get. And look, I'll be completely

honest. It is certainly possible that Wheeler goes out and shoves, and they get to a seven with Ranger, which I feel great. I think if they get to seven... Get me to game seven. Yeah, I feel amazing. Just get me to game seven. I trust Ranger in game seven with literally every bit of my soul. I just don't know with Wheeler, and that's what's terrifying.

I could see him just going out and not having it. And the scariest, from a pitching perspective, the scariest thing I saw today from Zach Wheeler, they asked him how his bullpen session went, and he said, I guess time will tell. Oh, God. Well, even the fact that Thompson took until today to confirm him, the whole time, even the way Thompson talked about him,

where they were like, when it happened, the five, and we're like, all right, so you're moving everyone up, and we're going to pitch game five. He was like so like, oh, no, he's not pitching five. Fatigued. Definitely not five. And it's like, oh, no, he's not pitching five. Fatigued. Definitely not five. And it's like, oh, and even probably six. It's like, man, man.

Yeah, he has all the classic signs of dead arm. Yeah, he's cooked. Well, cook's not the right word. No, but dead arm. But it's not surprising. Again, he set a career earnings limit last year. I know he got the time off this year, but, like, some big spots, and that takes it out of you. These are really intense innings that you pitch in these games. And look, it wouldn't be shocking. And we're

having a lot of people come by where the WIP booth at the stadium, and I'm actually shocked how many people have come by and held up seven fingers to me like it's like i'm shocked man i'm expecting everyone to just be cooked on this and like a lot of people have seven fingers and it's certainly possible like it really is possible like team we saw this astros team the exact same thing happened to them in 2019 like literally the exact same thing but yeah after tonight and the opportunities and just uh and look i thought the crowd was great tonight. Like last night, you were here, we were here. It fell off.

It fell off. Like immediately, even from the first moment of the baseball game, it fell off. Tonight, it felt like the crowd was locked in. They were into it. Even after that first thing and the run was scored, like everyone's like, we're good, we're good, we're good, we're good. And then – and see, it ain't over.

See, here we go. People are yelling at us. It ain't over. Like i appreciate that and i love that and you know what it is the right attitude to have every time this season we've doubted this team they've come back and and been resilient and all that but you know it's tough to watch this game tonight not feel like man like this this was the this was the pivot point like this was the spot where the series hung in the balance. And they just didn't get it done. And again, look, Chaz McCormick, that was an all-time World Series play. If they win the series, and we hope they don't,

but if they do, that's a play that will live forever. It was. It was an amazing, amazing catch. And, of course course we're sitting right behind his freaking family as he makes it it's like man um i mean i listen the the chas thing it was a cool moment for yeah for my guy but it was an unbelievable play honestly i've never felt more conflicted about something in my entire life did i watch like the my hopes of of winning a world series like absolutely die in front of my eyes yeah totally but was there also like you know in my entire life. Did I watch my hopes of winning a World Series

absolutely die in front of my eyes? Yeah, totally. But was there also like, I just saw his parents for the first time since I was a kid. I was like, that's kind of cool. I got to be honest, James. People are too happy leaving this place.

I'm shocked. I feel like I'm in a... Jack. Me personally, me personally, I feel like I'm in a... Okay, so let me take everyone to a little inside baseball here. First of all, let me just quickly.

Why are people waving? Stop waving. Right. I don't want to be waved. Let me just quickly say. Let me just quickly say. Let me just quickly say. And you're right.

It's weird. But let me quickly say the single greatest thing of this whole run for me, of all of it, and it's not even over, and they can win the World Series and it will still be the greatest part of this run for me, is the amount of High Hopes listeners who we have met at these games, who have come up to us and talked to us about the pod,

of what it means to them, and how amazing stories of losing parents in the game and the pod helping him come through it like connecting with parents over it you know like listening to pods on the way to games like it's been like i don't know like i i'm i'm not gonna speak for jack but i i'm pretty confident feels the same way it's been like maybe the coolest thing that's ever happened to me from a like life career but like it's it's the most humbling amazing thing that's ever happened and it's it's beautiful and um you know like for that alone i'm so grateful i'm so grateful

for what what we've been through and what's happened here um but i'm right there with you man like right now in this moment where they've lost and it feels hopeless i'm like really shocked at again like everyone's throwing sevens up at us like it just it feels weird well i hope they're right i hope that they are right and hope like i'm just tonight tonight was a win man like this is exactly how i felt a game five in 2010. Exactly how I felt in game five of 2011 is that the Phillies had a ball game to win here. And little things getting wrong, not doing your job, might have cost them a World Series. Do you feel like the Astros outplayed the Phillies? No, not at all.

The Phillies had more base runners. Yeah, without a doubt. No, I don't. I don't. Honestly, the Pena Homer, it's like, of course. It was so clear he was waiting for Jordan to go to Brockton. No, I don't. I don't. Honestly, the Pena Homer, like, it's like, of course, like top. And I don't like it was so clear he was waiting for Jordan to go to Brogdon. He was like, one more batter, one more batter.

And he just it ran out, you know, ran out there. That felt like such a symbol of like this year. And obviously there was more baseball to play and, you know, whatever. But like that felt like such a symbol of all series long that moment has worked out, all playoffs long that moment has worked out, and everyone in the ballpark, everyone watching the games, like Brogdon's coming in for Jordan, like he's coming in, and it was just one batter too long. And the Pena-Homer you know, then that extra run, that extra mattered, man. And, and Reese that it's a shame, man. It's a

shame because, you know, when he had that moment in Atlanta and, you know, the error, not error, whatever you're going to call it. Like it was like, oh man, like I really wanted reese to have a special run here and um and it's a shame because he really did for a while and and tonight it all came back man i mean that was i mean like look the marsh strikeout was big but if you have to and i don't want to it's not all on one player there were so many opportunities with runners on base there were so many spots where this team could have come through. But, I mean, if you have to pick a guy tonight, right? Like, it was Reese. Like, tonight, if you have to pick one player where you put, I don't know,

anyone at first base tonight, anyone in his spot in the lineup, like, it couldn't have gone worse, you know? Couldn't have gone any worse. You know, there's a couple big moments at the bat, defensively, whatever, Like, it couldn't have gone worse, you know? Couldn't have gone any worse. You know, there's a couple big moments at the bat, defensively, whatever. I mean, the bases loaded strikeout was, I mean, a freaking disaster. It was all night with the strikeouts.

And, I mean, again, they're up to 0 for how many? Well, before the run late. Yeah, yeah. It was 7. Yeah, they were over 20. I think 17, 18 base runner or something like that. See, this the run late. Yeah, yeah. It was over 20 or whatever. Yeah, they were over 20. I think 17, 18 base runner or something like that. See, this guy gets it. This guy's coming here like, ah. But he's saying, I love the Phillies.

And I appreciate that. Because I do. Like, ultimately, like, tonight sucks. Everything sucks. But, like, Sean, my buddy Sean, tonight, like, you know, I love this team. And I've loved this run. And it's been, honestly, the most magical thing that's happened to me.

And, you know, alone, like daughter, my daughter being born, like that's how I feel about this run. But, you know, it definitely it feels like it feels like a missed opportunity, man. I mean, it would be so this Phillies team to come back and win. I know. I know. Hey, that's the thing. It's so funny. It's so funny because and someone made this point to come back and win i know i know hey that's the thing it's so funny it's so funny because and and someone made this point to me today and i wish i could remember it was and i'm very sorry to whoever was if you're listening but they were like hey like i know the talk about him has been weird but it was one bad start zach wheeler has been the ace of this team in a big way all season and in the playoffs and he had one bad start one in the world series and we're all like well wheeler screwed he's gonna be terrible and i

get it because the tea leaves the reading all the stuff it's like i don't have faith but like it wouldn't be the craziest thing ever for wheeler to go out and be awesome in a playoff game we've seen that you know well here's the thing um for Wheeler to go out and be awesome in a playoff game. We've seen that, you know? Well, here's the thing. For those that don't know how dead arm works, you don't know when it's coming back. That's the toughest part about dead arm is that it's like one day you wake up and bang, it's back. And you're like, oh, I can throw 99 again. Again, I'm not sure he has dead arm, but I'm pretty sure he has dead arm. It's what it feels like.

And the way they're talking about it, like the way Thompson talked about the fatigue, it just feels like it's that kind of thing where he's just like nothing left, you know? Right. And, you know, it's all a sign of the dead arm. And pray to the sports gods that you can just let him be healthy because if he goes out there and shoves you got a chance and i do agree that school is more important than baseball or whatever that's a sign right there yeah more important that was the one that was on tv that kid's famous yeah he's

famous and again i'm very happy the kid's here it's just i, dude, I can't. I can't. I can't. Like, this is the last place I want to be right now. Like, full out. I know. Like, having to watch the last two nights behind the Astros family section. I know. Don't blame them. Like, you cheer for your team.

But having to experience it, it's just been added to the. Why did we choose 127? Well, because it was great. It was perfect. Before. For the first three games when we were 3-0, it was perfect because they were silent, and it was amazing. But the last two nights, it was not silent, and it sucked.

And let's be honest. I mean, and it's not your fault at all. You had to work the Eagles game for a while tonight. But, you know, I'm just saying, we're on Fantavision three times together, and we were 3-0. We were not on tonight, last night. I was on tonight.

You weren't here. Shout out to our buddy John, by the way, who is the best guy ever. But, you know, it is what it is. The vibes didn't work out because of it. You know, you weren't here for tonight. We couldn't make it happen. And I blame us.

It's our fault. Yeah. I mean, usually when we jump on the Jumbo Strong, the fills are already. It happens. It's a magic thing. You know, they're already. They're usually, you know, in good spots, not down. So maybe we're usually winning.

Yeah. Maybe it could be the rally. But yeah. No, I mean, tonight was a disaster. I had to be at work. You know, first off, I had to be at work around people, which I don't want to do. Like, if I have to be around people, I'd rather be at the ballpark. Yeah.

And even then you struggle with it. Like, you'll only kind of talk to me. Maybe like Tom Kelly was here tonight. Talk to Tom a little bit. But very rarely, like, you need to, like, be in your own thing. You can't, like, really deal with it. No, I can't. I can't.

And let's be honest. As soon as they lost, Jack just walked away by himself. Yes. Like wanted nothing to do. I said goodbye to all the people who were hanging out. I was like, oh, great to meet you. Whatever. Jack was just gone.

He's like, I can't deal with anyone right now. Well, I don't blame you. I feel it. And people know me at this point. Like, I don't know. I don't know what you're expecting. Like, I'm not really not in a warm and fuzzy. No.

And like, dude, it's such a shame, too, not in a warm and fuzzy. No. And like, dude, it's such a shame too, because this ballpark has just been insane. It's the best, the best experience of my life. I said it the other pod, like the games here that we've been to,

like prior to the last two nights, we're the best thing I've ever done in my life, in my life. It's the most fun I've ever had doing anything. Seriously. And again, like I said before, like how many amazing

high hopes people to be me? Like it was like it made all the last five years worth it. It felt like, oh, my God. All right. Yeah, I got it. Jack can't handle this right now.

I can't handle it. I love the high hopes people. They just lost freaking game five at home. I can't. I can't deal with the high hopes thing. I love everyone. I don't want to talk

about them right now. I know them another time when they're not losing a freaking world series that they should have won tonight they should have won that game tonight they should have won that game tonight and if they didn't like they just have just played such losing baseball last couple nights and i know like we keep saying the same things over and over again and now there's nothing else to say but why are you again these people are coming over believe i'm trying i'm trying to believe even though the employees like believe we'll get there i'll get there can i deal can i wallow in my sorrow it seems like you're going to buddy it seems like you're going to i mean yes not only

did i have to work tonight which is fine i said to be around people at work which is great here great um it's just like the marsh at that was yeah well especially because you got here and it started rolling you got here like right before that inning and then gene got the hit and it's like oh oh that was it jack's here now we're good i honestly believe that i honestly believe marsh is gonna come through because you got here and i felt it and then the schwarber hit like trey mantini like seriously what a tale of the game, right? Trey Mancini, who's not even a first baseman. He's a freaking outfielder. Makes a play.

Yeah, that was bad. Makes a play. That's where I see him right there with you now, Jack. Makes a play. And Reese can't. And Reese can't. That's where it comes down to. You know, that's what it came down to tonight.

Like, the dude who's an outfielder made a play at first base, and our first baseman didn't. And that's the difference in the game. So, first inning, they blow that opportunity to have Verlander and just end him, right? I know. You have the Mancini play, the Marsh strikeout, the JT ball to the wall that Chaz caught,

having to hit Harper to face Castellanos, which I'm shocked that didn't go well. Oh, my God. It just had all the vibes of – it had all the feeling and the vibes of the games that we've seen them lose here in soul-crushing fashion. I can't believe that after everything that we've been through at this ballpark, this magical run that we're sitting here watching them lose at home. The fans are great tonight. Fans were amazing tonight.

Last night, we opened the podcast with them, but they felt off last night. Tonight, they were all in. They were amazing. The whole game, no matter what happened, they were all in. So now we go down to Houston. Wheeler. Fram Houston. Wheeler. Framber. Wheeler Framber.

Oh, man. I'm not excited to face Framber again. I know. I'm not excited to face Framber again. Yeah, not great. Yeah. Not great. Not what you want on the hill for them in that spot.

And the Verlander part's so annoying. Like, and you know what? For the first game all series, Dusty, man, and Tilly, the Mancini move was so... And you know what? It worked out for him. It was like Tavern night. I was like, why are you batting Mancini for girl?

And I guess girl was hurt probably, and that's the reason, but it's like... Well, yeah, I mean, he was hurt on the Reese run down. Yeah, on the run down. But Dusty made the right moves tonight. He got out of the Verlander thing at the right time. He made the right... He got rid of Neris in that spot, and Hector's fine,er thing at the right time. He made the right – he got rid of Neris in that spot.

And Hector's fine, but that was the right move, going to Abreu there. For the first time all series, Dusty managed the game right. Well, and again, we said a pre-World Series, but really could have used a Neris, a vintage Neris performance. I so thought it was going to happen. It felt a little bit like Pedro in like O3, where it's like the right. It's great a little. I said to Tom, our buddy Tom Kelly, I was like, I did my whole thing, Jack.

I was like, athletes are humans too. And I was like, do you know how many moments that Hector has blown here? Like you're telling me he's going to walk into this stadium in this moment and just be fine? No way! No way! He got it done. He did.

And that's the most unfortunate part of this all. He actually did get it done. He did. It feels like, not in a good way, but it feels poetic. We've talked so much about the poetry of this whole run. That was the other end of the poetry. Hector giving us one would have meant something. Yeah.

And it would have been, you know, this whole thing coming full circle. Yeah. It went the other way, though, because it's not just Hector, but, like, we just talked about, like, Reese and Nola, man. Like, those are the guys we talk so much about that stuff with the whole time, where it's, like, these guys coming through in moments, and this run, and, and like the last two nights, you know,

that maybe, you know, last night you could put it on a lot of people, but like, you know, maybe the two biggest culprits for, for not winning the last two games are the two guys who, you know,

we had the most hope for and wanted the most out of because there are guys and, and it really, it's a shame. It's a shame that it played out like Nola. Like if they lose this series you know which obviously they're they're a heavy underdog you know at this moment and and we'll see what happens and you know i'm not gonna i'm not gonna say they're gonna lose

i'm not gonna count the team out they've they've surprised me too many times but like if they lose like man it's a shame because aaron nola for a moment changed that that narrative and now it's back to you know what? It is what it is, man. Like, he blew it. Like, he freaking blew it. He had three straight starts. He had a chance to do stuff,

and most recent and the most important, and he blew it. He sunk, man. He sucked. And Reese, I mean, a couple of times. Yeah, in the biggest way, man. Just big moment after big moment. I mean, the only moment Reese had in the World Series was a home run to make it 7-0. That was it.

It's his whole series. It's tough. Yep. So, Bruno and I. And it felt every bit as much like the 07 to 11 days. The bullpen continues to do a pretty good job. Unbelievable. Unbelievable, man.

Before tonight, the only people that had a lot of runs were Alvarado, Nola. Yesterday. Yeah, Alvarado. But yeah yeah all right but the open was great so heading into heading into the weekend you got wheeler hopefully you can come back and be okay it's everything and then um you know alvarado's his stuff's like kind of decreasing a little bit you know he doesn't look as as running out of steam which i mean he's been used a lot sar Saranthian looked pretty good tonight, I felt like. I don't know. They're not – it comes down to can Wheeler be okay.

If Wheeler comes out there on 99 first inning, I'll be like, okay, everything's fine. We'll be all right. But it comes down to really the first inning on Saturday to determine how good we feel about this weekend. But, again, as we wrap this up, they're not done. I'm not giving up. Tonight would have been a really sweet feeling going up 3-2, and I think they should have gone up 3-2

because I feel like they deserved to win that game. They had a lot of missed opportunities. But if you're ace in the mound, you need a brain during game seven. So, Zach, I'm praying to the baseball gods for the next, well, tonight, tomorrow night. It's like 36 hours, whatever it is. Not like 44 hours, whatever it is. Wake up Saturday and pray that his arm is not dead anymore.

Yeah. And, hey, you know what? No hits. Two runs today. Let's pray they hit for Amber, too. All right? Because, you know, we knew it would be great. But you know what? No hits. Two runs today. Let's pray they hit Framber, too. All right? Because, you know, we knew it would be great. But you know what?

Get some freaking hits, dude. Get some freaking hits. It feels like a game they're going to have to win 2-1. Yeah, I know. But, like, get those hits to get to two even. Like, all right. I know you've got to go. Jack's doing the WIP postgame.

So hopefully you're listening. I'm going to have to add this at home. And it probably will not be up quick enough. But fun one to react to. Fun one and it probably will not be up quick enough. Fun one to react to. Fun one. We'll be back. We didn't have internet now, so no live one. We'll be live after game six, win or lose.

Hopefully we're talking about game six. Here's the thing. I don't feel good about game six. I just can't right now until I see what Wheeler looks like. But if they win that game, I honestly from the bottom of my soul, think they win game seven. But it's game six.

Yep. My final thing here, don't let the Phils win game six. There it is. 25 minutes-ish. 25 minutes-ish. Don't let the Phils win game six. Jack's got to go on the radio. I't let the Phils win games. Yeah. Jack's got to go on the radio.

I'll get this up as quick as I can. Even though Jack didn't want it. I love everyone we met here. You're all amazing. I love them too. It made my freaking time. Like, it was the coolest thing that happened. Like, there were so many people who came up and told us they loved the pod.

Like, a hundred more people than I ever imagined would ever do that in this setting. So like it meant everything to me. So thank you. And, um, I know Jack feels the same way. He's just, Jack's Jack's not 41.

He's 28. And you know, when you get to 41, he can deal with this stuff more. All right. They got to go in the air. We'll be back, uh,

after game six until then he's for some seltzer.