High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Phillies-Astros World Series Game 6 Reaction Pod: We Lost the World Series

Episode Date: November 6, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies losing the World Series. 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. Yoooo! Yoooo! oh oh oh

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oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh So I guess that's an edition of the High Ops Pod presented by Miller Lite. Shout out to Miller Lite. One of the great things that happened this season to us and this podcast and helped spur a run that was ultimately unexpected and really so much fun.

But tonight sucked, man. And coming off game five where you know we know they they they blew it they blew an opportunity to win that game and obviously the astros made plays and you know the chas catch and all that stuff but um but then tonight for the schwarm and then i've you know obviously we'll talk about it the the pulling of wheeler who you know had looked just so much better than any of us could have imagined um you know and then that homer was soul crushing and i you know no matter what anyone told themselves you know really fell over in that moment at that just a titanic homer and uh oh you know i i know i know jack that ultimately I'm going to look back on this run with with love and fondness and appreciation and so many great things.

But but it sucks losing the World Series, buddy. How are you? Yeah, losing the World Series is not fun. uh losing the world series is not fun um and especially because like after schwarber homer and and how wheeler was pitching i was like they got it like i i think we're getting to game seven here and you know you're on hits that homer and i mean uh like by far the most soul-crushing homerun of my life. You know, I mean, not even anything will come close. I know you're alive for Joe Carter. Um,

but that's my generation. And yet the broadcast had to show the Joe. Like, are you kidding me? I'm sorry. That was maybe the most mad I got all night other than the Jordan thing, which was more soul crushing. Anyway,

go ahead. Yeah. And, um, you know, of course I'm already annoyed like i'm already annoyed with the with the like oh yeah the the hindsight 2020 managers all over the place like personally i wouldn't have pulled wheeler like i i would have left wheeler in. He was doing his job.

He was mowing him down. I know he hit Martín Maldonado, who, no, that's a hit by pitch. I'm sorry. Yeah, I know. And the replay. He's not leaning into it. I can't. But he didn't make a big, big effort.

You're not calling that in that moment. But it wasn't an egregious hit. You know, like I don't think like Wheeler pitched poorly by hitting him. It wasn't like he lost control or anything like that. He gave up one hit after that. It was like, come on. I don't know. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. So, uh,

yeah, I mean, I would have pulled Wheeler. Um, and the thing that annoyed me a little bit, well, a lot was like Alvarado hasn't been the same guy for the last like, you know, he just hasn't the same guy in the world series. Just a little bit, well, a lot, was like, Alvarado hasn't been the same guy for the last, like, you know, he just hasn't been the same guy in the World Series. Just, you know, whether it was blowing the game four or game three, no, game four.

Game four. Like, he just hasn't looked like the same guy, you know? And Rob Thompson's the guy that is supposed to be looking at the game on the field rather than, you know, just looking in the binder or the books or whatever. And what I should have told him the last couple of times is that Jose Verado is not the same guy. So, yeah, I would have gone to Ranger in that situation.

I think Ranger is kind of good for that. If you're pulling Wheeler, which neither of us would have done. My neighbor Dan and I were texting in the moment being like, man, this guy's your ace. He's your ace. And he gave up one hit there. I just said 70 pitches. His velocity hadn't dropped, Jack.

I understand it, and I agree. I think there are a lot of people who may not have questioned the moment and then are going to pile on. And look, they scored one run. There are a ton of different things you can point to for why they lost this. And again, game five, another reason why tonight mattered that they lost in the same way. But I definitely, I definitely think that whether or not they're a lot, you know,

it's annoying to talk about, like it was the wrong decision to pull them. And it certainly was the wrong decision to go to Alvarado. Yeah. Um, 100%. Like Alvarado hasn't been the same guy and wasn't the right time to bring him in. I know like to this point we've managed aggressively and this worked in game one down there. And it's been something that has worked out. And it's probably one of the reasons why we're even in game six of the World Series right now is with the aggressive managing style

of Rob Thompson in those situations. But, you know, at some point, at some point, you've got to just let Wheeler go. And I can tell you one thing. He's not allowing full runs in that situation. Like, he's not going up there. And the thing that annoys me about it is that what are you giving him extra rest for if you're not going to use them you know what i mean like

like what are you giving him the trying to extend him and get him out there and get him you know to go and as deep into a game as possible if you're not going to just let him go out there and air it all out in a win or go home game. The guy's your ace. The guy is the best pitcher we've had here since Cliff Lee and Halliday. Whatever. He's your guy. Go down with him. At some point, you've got to go down with him. Alvarado, again, I've said it a thousand times already in this podcast, has not been the same guy for the last couple of outings. His stuff has diminished. I've never seen a lefty look more ready to go against him than Jordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker looked at those at-bats.

So it was frustrating. I thought Ranger would have been the guy if you're going to pull him, especially because you need the innings. You need to extend the game as long as possible, and Ranger's been a guy that has been, you know, we're unsure if he has a pulse in these situations. So I thought it was a mistake in the moment. It's not really hindsight. But at the same time, like, he's going to his best lefty. Wheeler, that's where he's blown up recently. Like, you know, he was just healthy.

He just first time he's been healthy in two weeks. Like, I get it on all sides. I just think. Yeah, it's not egregious. It's not like, you know, cash in the world series or, or leaving Garrett Cole on the, on the bench in the bullpen. Like, it's not that I agree, but you know, I just, to your point, it has to be the, the both parts of it, that the fact that you pull him,

which we all wouldn't have done, but then they go to Alvarado and I agree. It should have been Ranger. I feel like there's no, you did it before and Ranger got that exact job done. And then like, if you're not going to go Ranger, honestly, this sounds crazy, but like, we're talking about who's going to get the out. I would just brought in right now in this moment in that spot over Alvarado, the way Alvarado is look comparatively. Right. I mean, is that crazy to say? That would never happen. It should

be Ranger. I'm just saying, like, I'm trying to point out how much I didn't think in the moment Alvarado, on top of the fact and this is a neighbor damn point that I didn't think of right away, but you had a runner on third and who's much more likely to throw a wild pitch? Jose Alvarado or anyone else in the staff,

you know, so it's like in a one-run game there, you know, you're not necessarily expecting your, your not to hit a Homer there necessarily, but it's first and third with one out. Like why bring in a guy who also has a propensity to throw out pitches? So like just on, on, on a bunch of levels, it just felt like the wrong move. Well, I guess my counter to that is that they didn't have anyone worn that was not going to throw. I mean, I guess if, if you were preparing for ranger there um then you know like he obviously would not have been more prone to throw a wild pitch than exactly exactly that's the point yeah just a mistake i i just yeah it felt like a mistake in the moment um the the the the hindsight experts i know are gonna like but rob thompson

should never be allowed to manage in philadelphia ever again like no we're not we're not in the world he had a great year man we're not in the world series without it um it's just like there's still that there's still that major part of me um and maybe it's old school but there's just something about going down with your ace in a do or die game that when your ace has it like it's not it's not like he was laboring man like jeremy pena i get it again how in the world anyone throws that guy anything but a freaking slider is insane to me um but like jeremy pena didn't smoke that ball off him you know like he was still doing his job he's

still sitting 97 he was he was the guy that we had all hoped and dreamed like if you woke up this morning and tell me Zach Wheeler's hitting 97 in the sixth and hadn't allowed a run yet and had allowed like three hits then we're doing jumping jacks like we're we're freaking out we think we're going to a game seven it's just like just trust him man and and just let let just go down with your guys and have a little feel for where alvarado has been recently like alvarado has not been the same guy like he just he's been great but when you're talking about the amount of postseason innings that guy has taken down they're gonna going to wear down. They're going to get tired. They're bullpen pitchers. They're not starters. And he's a power

pitcher too. Have a feel for me, man. Have a feel for me. And yes, I understand the offense didn't score. And that's incredibly frustrating as well. But at the same time, it was a 1-0 game in the sixth. They sure were giving the big homer. They have all the momentum. They were ready to go.

Sometimes you're going to have to win a game 2-1. Like, we can blame the offense. They've been bad. But sometimes you have to squeak out a 1-0 win or a 2-0 win or whatever. Like, it's the playoffs. Framber has been ridiculous. Their bullpen's amazing. I'm with you.

Having to get shut down by Hector again was infuriating. It's killing me. I don't want to talk about it. There's a lot of things that are just soul-crushing. But, you know, good to be back to our roots, buddy. This is what we do, buddy. This is... High Hopes is back.

You know, and it was... What was this alternate world we were living in for the last month? Because it's certainly not what we know here. I mean how about the mundo soza you know almost you know that's 10 feet to the left it's a it's a freaking it's the home run and you know again it was um it's something you talked about a lot over this run where it felt like a lot of the the little stuff and the things were going our way, you know?

And it was like the balls, the bases or the, yeah, yeah, exactly. It just completely flipped man. And then all that stuff went the Astros way. And,

and all of a sudden where Topper was just making every right move, like, you know, his moves came back to haunt him and dusty Baker's making the right decisions. Like, you know, his moves came back to haunt him and Dusty Baker's making the right decisions. And it's like, you know what? It just all flipped. And look, the Astros are an awesome team.

And they are, you know, they do play better fundamental baseball than the Phillies. We all know that. I mean, they played outstanding defense the entire series. They were smart. They got key hits. Did they make – They got great pitching.

Did they make one mistake? Let's just say, like, they played great baseball. Like, the fact that the Phillies – You know, the Phillies – Like, game five is what we'll look at. Like, today, we'll look at this. But game five, man, like, that's the one. We did the pot after.

That's the one where, you know, I think everything just turned. Obviously, the no obviously the no hitter was frustrating but but you're two two and you have a chance to win that game at home and then you know if you lose this game then you you you have a whole new day tomorrow but um yeah it's just it's a frustrating end to what was a unexpectedly magical month that just felt that's that's the, Jack is how many times were we on here? And again, so out of character for this podcast. I mean, you know, we're on here talking about like really believing that the Phillies could win the world series, that they, that there were magical things that were happening that felt like a team of destiny and, and felt like it was, um, and destiny and, and felt like it was, um, this, this all time run that just had to end a certain way. And, and ultimately that magic ran out and the Astros just played a little bit better baseball

at the end. And, um, you know, it's, uh, and they had some magic of their own, you know, a fricking Westchester kid. It's all your fault, Jack. I'm going to blame all of Westchester. But, you know, it's it's it's just it's a bummer because, you know, somehow, some way the Philadelphia Phillies convinced all of us that they were going to win the World Series. And now that they didn't, it just is an amazing run. And we we're gonna look back on it so fondly someday i will love the 22 20 20 22 phillies and what they gave me forever and ever but you know tonight it just feels like um it just didn't end the way it was supposed to jack you know yeah i mean you obviously you could say that again um uh and yeah a week from now you know well maybe two weeks from now it'll be a week

for me it'll be two for you might be like a month for you we'll look back and think like wow what a time and all the moments and um playoff price and you know the all of it it's gonna be amazing no it's gonna be great it's just I really, really thought it was going to go differently. And they really had that magic feel. And it's just so rare that we have these kind of runs. And we've thought about it a lot. Like, Philly sports doesn't have these kind of runs. And especially the Phillies.

I mean, this is what their uh sixth world series appearance i think it's eighth i think it's eighth but still their eighth world series appearance in franchise history um you can't count on when it's gonna happen again jack you gotta close these out when you can buddy i know and that's what makes it so crushing because like you know i would love to sit here and tell you 100% that they're going to be back. And this is like their 07 year. And next year is where they go over the top like the Royals did in 2014 and 2015. And we die, obviously, for that to happen.

I'd be so happy to get back here. It's just so rare that that you get back here and when you're that close and you blow game five like you do and you have that jordan freaking homer that i'm just gonna like the sick nightmares the sick part of me the sick part of me was like oh is that a pop-up and then it's like god i know i was like oh especially because we knew he was lurking we're like we're just waiting for jordan to do something and ruin it well and i was like just please point to the sky jose just please like make sure it's off make sure it's like you know off the end of the bat or something um and then it just absolutely i've never seen a ball clear

i've never seen a ball clear the uh the center field wall at that at minima park like that before um and all those fraud astros fans getting to celebrate that is even more embarrassing like and like they didn't even they didn't even like hug each other like we did after bryce it was just like yeah it's crazy awesome nuts um and i i just i sit here so crushed i think because i felt like that was our world series you know i i felt like that was ours to have they had it they had they split down houston they took a game three at home and game five i mean game five was was was where i was like they might have just cost themselves a chance to win the world series And they started doing the little dumb things that they had done for, you know, some of the majority of the season and like, and just gone away for like two and a half weeks.

And everything just came crashing back down to earth. And it just, I just, I just sit here absolutely crushed, man. Like I just, we've talked about the painful losses that that we've been through you talk about joe carter we all remember um ron de barber i remember oh wait we remember uh you know i guess you know i guess patrick kane or whatever but um like like this is this is right up there with all of them like it, it's right up there with all of them. And Game 5 felt like Game 6 in 2010. Like, all these painful, crushing baseball losses

after what was two and a half, three weeks of pure euphoria. It's just, it hits you like a ton of bricks. And I sit here at 1148 on a, on a Saturday night. Just, just feel like I, I just, I got hit with a ton of bricks,

man. Like this sucks. This absolutely sucks. And it's not fun. The Jordan thing. I will, again, there's been so many moments I get to tell my grandkids without,

well, one of them is going to be your Don Alvarez hitting a 450 foot home run that my dumb brain was like, Hey, maybe that's a pop-up so um down bad buddy down bad yeah and uh look i know you uh anyone who spent any time with jack at the uh the last two world series games the losses uh knows that jack doesn't handle losing very well that is not something that is um you know in his uh repertoire so to speak and uh look i'm i'm with you i i again it's especially frustrating like you said because you know this is i wanted to be able to look back on this team of guys we loved that became guys we loved and the dancing on my own and the celebrations and the, like we talked about, abnormal amount of moments, more moments than multiple win runs we you know you could say like and and i wanted to be able to look back at the harper homer as something that led to a world series and i wanted to be

able to look back on the gene hit against the cardinals that led to a world series and you know i wanted to be able to have this run that was so magical and so special and felt so um you know just fun like just flat i always do that you know sports are supposed to be fun you know we take our time and and invest our free time and our money and all this stuff into watching these games and supporting these teams and especially baseball that you know three to four hours a night for every frigging night for six months of the year. Like it's such a commitment and it's supposed to be fun. We're supposed to get fun out of it. And, and this month, this month is just been like, it felt like the, the 11 years since we had fun, since we had fun it felt like 11 years of fun packed into one month and and it had a chance to to be legendary yeah it had a chance to be legendary and now it's just like oh that was

really fun and that was great and i'm so happy it happened. And ultimately, I always look back with the memories I made were so special and the people I met and all that. But like it had a chance to be legendary. And it's and it's not legendary. You know, it just it just isn't. Well, and there's a reason why we hold, you know, the 08 team in such high regard. You know, they they got the job done and they were the guys that brought us a world title. And then same with the 80 team for the generation before me. I thank you.

Yes. And it just would have been a, an absolute cherry on top for, again, you know, like, like making this town a baseball town again i mean it's it's been so funny watching everyone get all back in on baseball like you know it's it's been it's been fun and and i was good to to remember what it's like when baseball's special around here um because i i actually think it's our best sport as a city. I know the Eagles exist.

And by the way, anyone telling me, oh, well, at least we have the Eagles, let me tell you what I don't care about. Oh, yeah. Honestly, there might be, at least for the next week, there might be no worse sentence you could say to Jack Fritz than some version of Well, at least the Eagles are in now, right? That or, wow, Philly lost two major titles in one day. Oh, yeah, don't say that to me. Don't even think about it.

Don't even think about it. Like, I'm sorry if you're a union, but I don't care, frankly. And don't even compare it to what happened to us. That's not happening to any of it right now. Don't even put it in the same sentence. I don't even want to use – it shouldn't even compare it to what happened to us. That's not happening. Any of it right now. Any of it. Don't put it in the same sentence. I don't even want to. It shouldn't even be a thought that crosses your mind.

Like, whatever. I don't care. Stop. It's not. They didn't lose two major titles in one day. They lost a World Series. Okay. They lost one major title.

They lost one real championship. I'm sorry. They did. And no, I don't care if the Eagles are series. Okay. They lost one major title. They lost one real, like real championship. I'm sorry. They did. And no, I don't care if the Eagles are eight. No, I don't care that like Jalen's playing an MVP level. I really don't like,

I don't care. The Eagles could go 17 and oh, and you can tell me they win the super bowl right now. And this will, it will not go away. It will not go away it will not go away i don't give two bleeps about the freaking eagles i don't care about them right now like like if that's a silver lining then like whatever like whatever and no even i don't care that jayalen Ortiz hit nine homers in the Arizona fall league home run derby tonight.

I don't care. None of it. None of it. I don't care. I don't care that any good other things are happening in Philly sports because the one thing that mattered the most was this team figuring it out and winning a championship. And I had to watch that happen tonight.

And the last two games happen. And there's a reason why I was so down after game five because i felt it because i felt it i knew it i was crushed i couldn't shake it for two days and why could i not shake it for two days because i felt this before i had my whole adult life and existence on earth has been feeling like the phillies are about to collapse. Okay. And they're going to blow it and they're not going to come through when I need them to come through.

And I just, it all came back. It all came back within the last 28 hours of pure misery and pain. I haven't had any sleep. I haven't been able to think about it. I had to watch our, our manager pull the starter with 70 pitches that you're ace for no freaking reason and you're done avarez hit a ball that i

don't think has landed yet like spare me the eagles nonsense spare me the mls cup nonsense for one day one day i don't care i don't care. I don't care. I watch fricking football tomorrow and don't not give an ounce of effort. You'll be dead inside. You'll be dead inside tomorrow. I just, I can't, I can't do it. I don't know. I hate losing baseball games so bad. I hate losing baseball games. I hate losing regular season games, but you know, it makes it 10 times worse. James hate losing regular season games, but you know what makes it 10 times

worse, James? Actually, 100 times worse, which I don't think is possible, is losing it in the World Series to the Astros. It makes it way worse. Yes, 24 minutes in, I got there. I reached the breaking point. I got there. We're there, buddy. We're there.

The full-on mopiness is over, and the anger. We have turned it. Much like Yoron Avra has turned the game on its head, well, the podcast got turned on its head. They lost the World Series, dude. They lost the freaking World Series after what was supposed to be their year to do it again because we never get this team

we never ever ever ever ever in our existence as sports fans get what they just did like i i don't care about the 2010 flyers they lost two but we never get that run james we never get that run the eagles were dominant in 17. The 04 Eagles were dominant. Like, we just, it doesn't freaking happen. And we had a chance at special. And we're sitting here losers again. Losers. Losers.

That was like a devastating rant. I'm devastated right now. I don't. Well, at least there ain't no. The NFL sucks right now. I don't care about that. But, like, I mean, just, like, man. Like, for so long, we expected losses with this team.

We expected to be gut punched. We expected that it was a joke. I was like, oh, high hopes pod tonight. They're on an eight game winning streak. I'm going to lose tonight. So it's going to be less fun. Like, oh, you know, gut punch loss. Oh, lose one of the last, you know,

can't win one of the last seven to make the playoffs. Like, you know, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again september collapse and all that stuff and you know we knew it like at no point really like we might have come on the pod and been excited in a moment but deep in our souls in our guts in in where we don't where we don't lie to ourselves. We never lie to the house listeners, but sometimes you're carried by emotion. We said the Phillies are winning the World Series at times, and they weren't. And sometimes you're wrong, and sometimes you get carried by emotion and what you feel and all that stuff.

But ultimately, over the last whatever, five years or four, whatever, since 2018 when we talked about this team, deep in our hearts and souls, we knew as we watched them throughout the season, that they were not going to end it in glory. We knew it. We knew it. We knew it. We knew it. There was no question. And this season we knew it at times too. And we got, you know, had some fun and believed in him at times. And then all of a sudden it all flipped, it all flipped. And for the first time in the history of this podcast, in the history of you and me, two buds who love to talk fills and decided to do a pod together about it and, and decided, I guess we'll just wall wallow in misery together because that's what we do. For the first time ever,

they got us to actually truly believe that they were going to win it all, that they were going to be World Series champions. And that belief lasted through game three of the world series and culminated at game three of the world series the five home runs the citizens bank park the 13 years since the game like magic and then like for just the the the three game crush of four, five and six. It's just,

you're right, dude. It does make it, it makes it that much worse. It makes it that much more painful. Like I almost wish they had just gotten swept in the world series. And it was like, Oh,

they came out game one, the Astros go up five, nothing. And it's like oh they came out game one the astros go up five nothing and it's like oh astros they're really freaking good that was a fun run like it would have been easier it almost would have been better you know i don't it's just the hope that kills you buddy and we learn not to hope we learn we in spite of the name of this podcast we said no we know better we know better because they're the phillies and we're not dumb because history tells us that they won't win and then we thought they were gonna win it's a bummer buddy because they didn't win they didn't win they didn going to win. It's a bummer, buddy.

Because they didn't win. They didn't win. They didn't freaking win. And then you know what? We want to know what else happened. By the way, real quick, can I just, I'm sorry. Like, I don't care about, I don't want to change my lineup, my faith in my guys all up. He has like Cassie in the five hole was dumb as bleep the entire time.

And we all freaking knew it. And Harper in the four hole was dumb. And we're not there with that topper. He was freaking amazing. He had an amazing run. I'm happy he's the manager. I think he did an amazing job with the culture and the managing the staff throughout until like the very end.

The way he got them there and the way he, you know, inspired them and all that. But it was stupid. And we all knew it. It was dumb. Go ahead. Sorry. Now you got me angry i was not angry i mean i was angry but i was more like sad angry now i'm angry angry yeah um and and maybe this just makes

like matters 10 times worse is that like the Zach Wheeler that we dreamed of, we got world series. We like, we got the Zach Wheeler that we dreamed of in a game six when I certainly felt like he had dead arm and didn't have anything left. And, um, you know,

Zach Wheeler said after the game, apparently that like he was surprised that he got pulled. It's like, yeah, I bet you were, but I bet you were, I guess it wasn't the plan. You know,

I guess it wasn't the plan you know big dog yes um yeah got a little too aggressive yeah and he was aggressive the whole time and it went too far i know too far aggressive except when it came to the lineup but whatever yeah exactly that too well i'm just like i don't know it just made no sense but could you put bone there yeah i guess you know you could i would put bone there but sagura there i put freaking whoever like anybody but casty and again he shouldn't even be protecting harper in the fourth side because harper should be two or three like it just was dumb the whole thing was dumb and we all knew it and we knew it, but they're winning and all that. And, you know, don't question Topper.

And he was great. Again, he was great. But we questioned it, and it was right. It was right to question. Well, you go down with what got you there, I guess, buddy. They went down with what got them there. They went down. That's for sure.

It sure did. And I thought this was going to be done at like the 14 minute mark. I was like, we got this is this is depressing. I don't need to do this. We're back. Here we go. Hi, buddy. The pod is back.

After this run, we're firing all cylinders. Other than the fact that I can't walk, my voice yet again lost. And at least I could change my beard. I was going to see the beard, but you know what? See ya. If anyone likes this, goodbye. Say goodbye.

The name High Hopes was a bit anyway. It's always been a bit. We're always looking for one reason to give up on a team um isn't this a raised pot or that that that's not a thing okay no and honestly like i just i i hope that i hope this isn't it like the uh the run these guys have gone on i think you know they've of course it's kind of like hurts in the playoff game last year where i like had they not made the playoffs people would have been more

positive about it hurts but it goes out there in the playoffs and plays bad and creates a whole off season of doubt not by me but by some people and not by me buddy and i'll and don't worry i'm probably more positive about this year go ahead well no but it's like you know you have all these guys and a lot of them had you know kind of out-of-body experiences uh now on the flip side like reese jt uh cassianos most of the rest of the lineup like did not have out-of-body experiences you know like definitely could have used some more moments from two three five in your lineup um and but at the same time like you know nola took down a ton of innings wheeler took down a ton of innings alvarado turned into the best left-handed reliever in baseball for a while um sir anthony was back to being sir anthony like a lot of things also went right for them to even be

here um rob thompson was right for them to even be here. Rob Thompson was unbelievable for them to be here up until the last like two games. So like to have all the stars aligned like that, and then to not get the job done. Like I just, it pains me inside that. I just, I hope that this was not Bryce's best chance at a championship. I know that's like a really deep fatalistic way to look at it

and believe me like i'm not saying it is i'm just saying there's that part of me where i hope it's not and and now and now i'm at the point where it's like i need bryce arbor to win a championship more than like almost anything on the on sports wise wise in the world like i need that guy to win a championship because they're this close. First off, again, I keep going back to it and I've been down for two days about it. They blew game five. They 100% blew game five.

I don't think I'll get over game five for a while. I can tell. They freaking blew game five. They blew a chance of having a 3-2 lead heading into Houston where they can be tight and whatever. Anyway, you just hope that that wasn't it because it felt like the year that everything went right. Up until, obviously, the regular season, everything didn't go right, but it went right in the postseason.

And you just hope that that wasn't the peak of this group that we've put together and have hoped that they can get the job done. I think you're being too fatalistic. I don't think that's it at all. Look, these guys are still in their prime, the vast majority of them. I think Middleton wants to win. He's made that clear. And I think after getting a taste of it, I wouldn't be shocked

if they make some big-time moves this offseason. And we trust Dombrowski. And they're developing guys. Now we got painter coming like this team. How long do we talk about a team that just didn't know how to win? And now they weren't going to figure out a win until they did it. Like they know how to win. Now this team knows what it takes. They just had a magical run. When we get to the playoffs again, we can trust Bryce Harper to have a great run. We can believe in Kyle Schwarber taking playoff at bats. And look, there are things you can point to.

Nick Castellanos didn't go right. I think there's a 0% chance that Nick Castellanos is nearly as bad next season as he was last season. And he was a disaster this season. But that stuff happens. Guys have weird years like that. He's way too good a hitter to just disappear as a hitter. You never know, but I would be absolutely shocked if he's not significantly better next season. There are absolutely reasons to be positive. They still have dudes, Jack. And again, they know how to win. They've created a culture. There are guys who care about each other. They're going to go into next season like that. I actually

think there's a chance they're a better team. Now, look, I think where you're right is that look, the baseball playoffs are chaos. You know, the, the Dodgers win a hundred and million games every year and, and, you know, get bounced most of the time, you know, so it is, I get it. I'm not saying it's easy, but I think you're being too fatalistic about the fact that I think that they are absolutely going to be in the playoffs next year. And when you're in the dance, you had a shot and we got a lot of guys here who just got real valuable experience, real valuable understanding of what it takes to win it all. And, you know, I, I understand your point and it, look, it certainly could be, there's absolutely a possibility that this was it.

And this is the peak. And they never get back to this moment. But I definitely think the way you're looking at it is way too fatalistic. I think there's a better chance than you're making out to be. Well, first off, I'm not saying they're not. But there's. I know you're not. I know you're not.

But like, you know. There's a little. A lot of things went right. I mean little a lot of things went right i mean a lot of things i know but a lot of things went right right and it was a magical one and all that but like look the and again the astros are a great team and all that but the astros have been to the world series what still four out of six years like it's still possible for teams to go on runs and to you you know, be performers in the playoffs. I mean, you know, again, you just need to get there. You need to have the chances. And I think this Phillies team will have chances.

And again, look, there are a lot of other great teams and things happen in the playoffs and you need guys to stay healthy and stuff. And look, I get it that odds wise, you know, if Phillies history, you know, it's not you're right when you get there, take advantage. We only won two ever. So, yeah yeah no doubt um but i just the way it seems like you know my first thought coming out of tonight or one of my first thoughts is not well too bad arbor's not winning a world series of philly you know like that i i think that's a little too fatalistic but look i you know i get

it i i get what you're saying i don't think it's crazy i just am not i'm not there you know well uh now my only goal in life is getting bryce harper a championship there we go i need to win a championship also put all your power towards it yeah i won't rest i mean i personally won't rest until bryce harper is world champion and kyle i definitely need i definitely need some rest jack i'll tell you that much, buddy. Yeah, and Kyle Schwarber is doing the Kelsey speech on the parade steps because that's happening as well. Yeah, I mean,

at this point now, I think this town is intoxicated with playoff baseball again and they want to feel it. Dude, that was awesome, the home games, and hopefully we get it again. But yeah, listen, they had their shot. You are a barrel of laughs.

It's a good time with you tonight. I'm happy. 750 feet and whatever. Well, they lost two major championships today and no yeah please eagles you are you are this is great um everyone send jack tax tell him that you love him to make him feel a little bit better because i think he needs it i don't know about you i hope you will be there you'll be all right listen to your point about the games at home and all that i will say

that you know again outside of them losing and stuff the run itself and the opportunities to meet so many people i tried to do this after game five and you got mad at me and probably mad at me again because now's not the time but i really at least for me personally like getting to meet so many amazing members of this high hopes community that we met. Like there, it just felt like there were so many people down there who listened to the pod. I had no idea how many people listened to it. It was like humbling and awesome. And I just,

I appreciate the opportunity to get to do that in such a joyous forum. Most of the time, I mean, the only lost two at home, they were the two most important and the two most frustrating and all that at the end. But, you know, we got to see some really fun times there and some really great moments again, you know, even though it could have been more legendary if it ended differently, the Bryce Harper home run is still the greatest sports moment I've ever been in a building for, you know? So like, there still are things that I will look back on and, and, you know, be appreciative of and, and getting to meet as many amazing people who care about this pod and care about the team like we do

and seeing the love for the team like it was and the crowds and the intensity and the electricity. And it was amazing. It was amazing to be in that building. It's like the coolest things, like the coolest experiences I feel like I've ever had were being in that building for those wins that we were there for and, and the energy and the, you know, communal experience of it all was like really, truly some of the great nights of my life. And I won't ever

forget that. And, um, so I'm, I'm, I am really appreciative for a lot of this, but, um, I know it's probably too much positivity for you tonight jack but i felt like i had to get it out there so i'm still sad they lost don't worry about do you remember when kyle schwerber bunted with two strikes oh my god but what was that what was what was that and look i think schwerber's very very very low on the list of people if we're making a list of people we're most mad at or most disappointed with or whatever for this run. Way low on the list. But that was like, that's when I knew it was completely over. I already felt like it was over after the Ordon over.

Like, I really honestly didn't. I texted you. I was like, well, you know, and you're like, you were trying to talk yourself into it saying they're going to win. And I don't think you actually believed it. But I certainly didn't believe it. But when Schwerber butted in there, I was like, oh, it's truly, truly and fully over. I guess you could also say it was over when Reese swung at the first pitch

after. Oh, God, dude. It's such a shame to, you know, for, you know, the Reese playoff run. Like that's, it sucks. Cause he did have some awesome moments and the, you know, for, you know, the Reese playoff run. Like that's, it sucks. Cause he did have some awesome moments and the, you know, the bat spike was great. Yeah. And the, the homers at home, but like, you know, that's,

that's what losing the world series does like Reese Hoskins, who has been such a great Philly over this run. And, you know, it's been like the one guy who's been there for the history of the IOPs pod and all that stuff. And it's been our guy and all that, like, you know, no one will look back on it fondly. No one's going to look back and be like, Oh, but remember when he hit the two homers against the Padres and made it six, six, after it went down six, four, and you've got them back in it. And you know, the bat spike, like they won't remember that they're going to remember him blowing game five and him going like, Oh, for his last million and striking out looking time and time again.

And just, you know, like that's, we're going to remember, that's what we're going to remember. And it's a shame. It's a shame because, um, you know, he has been a great Philly and, and, you know, I wanted more for him and if they could have won the world series and, you know, he could have contributed a little more at the end. It could have, you know, I wanted more for him. And if they could have won the World Series and, you know, he could have contributed a little more at the end, it could have, you know, could have changed that whole thing. You know, it sucks. Yeah. And tonight very well could have been his last game as a Philly.

And like, fine, you know, I mean, like Burrell's last at bat, he had a 409 foot double, you know, and they won a World Series. I mean, maybe, maybe the bat spike from Reese is Burles' 409-foot double or whatever. It's just too much bad baseball at a bad time from a guy who is your two-hole hitter. It's like, whatever.

It's just, I don't, one of the things that i could not grasp the last two games is like why their approach just went to such crap for like no reason you know like stop all of a sudden having bad at bats part of what makes reese good is working at bats. Bryce just all of a sudden back to swinging first pitch. Like, why, man? Like, why did you do that? Like, I hate. I don't think there's anything in the world I hate more than bad baseball and losing baseball.

And because it's just like. It's just stupid and like it's avoidable. It's avoidable. It's avoidable. It's avoidable. It's just like you don't have to swing first pitch. Frank Rivaldez is all over the place for the first batter and just having a soul-crushing 96-mile-an-hour fastball. Let's call it ball. I know.

It was definitely a strike. And then Reese double play. Boom. Double play. Here you go, buddy. Swing at first pitch. It's right in the middle. I get it in the ninth.

But do some damage on it. Bunting with two strikes is insane. Like, this is stupid, stupid baseball, man. Stupid. How do you win a World Series like that? Like, how was that your plan to win the World Series? And, like, all of a sudden, you know, I think that Framber changed tendencies on him,

and they had to adjust. Yeah, no know he did, but like for, for three innings, it felt like, Oh, well, I guess we'll just like,

keep thinking that he's going to throw curve ball in like, you know, two strike counts. Yeah, they didn't adjust. And it's just like, just dumb offensive baseball. It's the world series,

you know, like the, again, we don't watch 162 Astros games, but I feel like they don't make mistakes to come back to bite them. I feel like they have a consistent approach. It felt like they weren't going to strike out. The Phillies had what?

41 strikeouts in their last three games? Is that what this is? They set the record for most strikeouts in the World Series. And they got no hit in the World Series. They didn't go seven games either. It only took them six.

Yeah, ball goes boom. It's great. Smash the bell. Smash the bell. It's what we do. What an offense. Hey, man. I know.

They made game six of the World Series. We should be happy. No, I'm not saying. I'm just saying, you know, like that, you know, I don't, I just don't, I can't remember like that. Like I agree. Look, it sucked. And they, they, but like, they did have enough of an,

like, you can't say this offense wasn't good enough to win the world series. Cause if they just had a couple more games, they could have won the world series. So they technically weren't, but like pretty damn close to being good enough to win the world series. So, i i get your point but like you know they just they didn't show up when when it mattered the most you know they had they had their two well really three three worst games of of the playoffs in a row at the end you know it's like

that's really you know that's really what happened it was their three worst games of the playoffs and um and thompson's worst game of the playoff yeah the the offense and thompson's three worst games of the playoffs boom right in a row lose the world series happens fast yeah yeah i'm so tired dude i can barely keep my eyes open i feel like i'm like trying to look at hi everybody i feel like i'm like sitting there like hi'm i'm so tired dude i can barely keep my eyes up and i feel like i'm like trying to look at hi everybody i feel like i'm like sitting there like hi everybody i'm so tired dude so tired this has been a this has been so much fun the run and tonight sucks but it has been long it feels like it feels again like 11 years in one month. All right. Well, let me let me get out of here with a seltzer like wax poetically about, you know, where we where we are. So my last message, I mean, obviously, we'll do a podcast maybe in two weeks. You know how we do.

All right. We get I need a break, at least a little break yeah um so uh my last message here is uh you know i made fun of seltzer and got mad at seltzer for this last podcast um because i just couldn't handle it at the moment like just can you read your friend one time that you know like two minutes into a soul-crushing loss at home in game five i didn't need to hear about you know happy times um but this last you know month has been insane it's been awesome it's been a lot of fun uh it took us way too long to figure out how to do this stuff on youtube like hey um and meeting everyone at games hearing the stories

talk about like their their parents and what it means to them and like going through all the the pain that that baseball like listen there's no more painful sport in the world than uh the baseball like i just fundamentally fundamentally believe that like painful losses hurt way more with baseball because we care more you know it's 162 versus 17 or 18. Um, and this last month, like it's been the last 11 years and last five years, this podcast worth it,

where it's like, man, baseball is the greatest sport ever invented. Like, I don't care about the other sports. Again, I know soul crushing, uh,

MLS cup loss today, but like, like, I'm sorry to keep picking on the union. It's just like, yeah, I get it, buddy.

I get it. Like, stop. Um, now's not the time. I get it. Yeah. You can say that again.

Um, anyway, championship play at three 30 in the afternoon. And I'm supposed to, like, I'm supposed to, I'm supposed to compare losing game six of the world series to a championship being played at three 30 in the afternoon.

Like the FCS national championship for football that Carson played in was played at one o'clock on a, on a Saturday afternoon. Like talk about comparisons. But it's been great. And this team like will be crushed. Now I'm going to be crushed for a while crushed now i'm gonna be crushed for a while so i'll just be crushed for a while everyone that's a diehard of this team has been crushed

for a while um but dude what a run like what a run i love these guys i'm sure some of them won't be here next year like very well could have seen gene's last game as a philly reese's last game as a philly um uh i don't know like i mean i'm sure it's gonna be selling on cassianos yeah but like some of the like i mean all the you never know if like the bench guys there are certain guys like a mundo probably potentially he's got a lot of control left so i think does he all right well either way i mean you never know with certain guys bullpen guys who won't be back like you know there's a lot of control left. So I think does he, all right, well, either way, I mean, you never know what certain guys bullpen guys who won't be back. Like, you know, there's a lot of turnover in certain spots.

Yeah. So they, you know, might've seen the last of those guys and especially like recent gene, you know, like big moments, special moments. Um,

we'll, we'll remember this run for a while and it's one that will eventually look back and smile on. Um, but I want to thank everyone that that listened and hopefully became new fans of the podcast you know like we're gonna be back you know oh it could have been efflin's last game shots and yeah i was thinking efflin yeah in the chat um which was stink i love that i love zach efflin i'd bring him back to the

whole time guy don't care he was he was great. He was great. It was like seven straight shutout or something, 10 in the playoffs of the World Series. But from 22 and 29, Joe Girardi being fired to game six of the World Series is a pretty insane last four months, pal, an insane last four months. And the Jordan Alvarez home run will be something I'll never forget, but also the Bryce Harper home run be something i'll never forget but also the bryce harper home run is something i'll never forget um and you know you love this baseball team i love this baseball team my listeners love this baseball team they're the greatest and and

baseball is a game full of pain and sometimes you have to go through it and you just hope that tonight wasn't the closing chapter on on some of these guys and hopefully we're back like but love nothing in the world more than to be back um but you get those special moments and you gotta take advantage of it and i just whatever um so i know we gained some new listeners on this podcast stick around with us like we'll have a so many reaction podcasts because i think like if you're john middleton at this point and you're Dave Dombrowski, you tasted it. You got that close. Totally.

You were that close to bringing that bleeping trophy back to the city. I think they're going to be aggressive as anything this offseason to get it back. I can't wait to see what they do. The fact that Dave Dombrowski has been here for so long and has built a winner this quickly and now has even more resources and flexibility to get more stuff done, that makes me

thrilled to be a Phillies fan. And look, this is... See, you're coming around here. You're coming around. Welcome aboard! I was just about to say it. 52 minutes in, we've come full circle. I already can't wait for the offseason. I can't wait. 100 days

until pitchers and catchers, by the way. There it is, buddy. Rob Thompson managing the All-Star game next year. Think about that. Is he going to pull a starter after 70 pitches? No. By the way, Gabe did this in his

first managerial game ever whatever anyway it's games whatever this is we're ending this on a positive note yes it's gonna be fun buddy baseball's back in philly yes no doubt about it like baseball's back in philadelphia um and i think the fan base is intoxicated with what they experienced through most of this run um and i don't want to blame your good friend tommy but three games i watched with him this this postseason three losses so never watching a game with him again so um i watched a lot of wins with him but but that's fair from your perspective without a doubt great year um year, soul crushing loss tonight. Game five is something I'll never get over.

I really just feel bad that Jack jr. Or whatever we name my future son is not coming into the world as a, as a champion. Um, but I guess we'll have to experience it together. So, uh, future son,

Jack jr. Is that, that's what's happening. We're not naming him Jack jr. Um, I just thought that would be funny. Hopefully when he grows up, Bryce Harper's a world champion. That's now my only goal in life.

Sports life, whatever. Don't get mad. But it was special. And obviously, wish they came out on top. And this sucks. But thanks to everyone. I love you. Even though the last podcast, I haven't wanted to talk about you at all.

I really do appreciate you, and we'll be back soon, man. This sucked. This absolutely sucked. And they lost the MLS Cup. Oh, just soul crushing. Yeah, look, I'm definitely the more touchy-feely, happy-go-lucky of the two of us, I would say. So I'm happy to come around to my way of thinking.

I'm pretty happy-go-lucky. I just don't handle Philly's losses. I know. It's not the only thing in life I just don't handle it. Like, I just don't handle Philly's loss. I know. I know. Not the only thing in life that I don't handle. Well, yeah. Um,

yeah, I, I obviously, I said it before I go, everything you said, and the, the community and the people is why we do this. The disease Phillips fan base.

That's why we started. Cause we knew there were people out there who love this team as much as we did. And, um, and that we didn't feel like there was really a uh community for that and uh having seen it form and and what's happened over the last month the amount of people who've you know been on this ride with us and um it's been the most special

thing that that's happened to us with this for sure without a doubt and uh this room was definitely the coolest most magical thing i mean we went to get we went to world series games we went to clinchers we were at the nlcs and nld jack fritz and james seltzer the high hopes podcast the one you listened to for years of hector narrows blown saves freaking hector except the world bullpen crap and you know just disastrous losses and all that like we went to an nlds and an nlcs clincher together you know like there were super super special awesome things that happened that you know we certainly you know definitely didn't expect would happen and thought might never happen in the history of, of high hopes pod. So, um, it sucked tonight, but I'm with you, man. I mean, this has been a special run and, um,

this pod means a lot to us and, uh, you know, it makes us so happy that, that anyone, you know, is along for the ride with us. So, um, so thank you to everyone who does it. And, uh, look, I'll say this too. Just talking about the team next year, I think you're absolutely right with Middleton and Dabrowski. I think Middleton, I know that guy wanted to win. You can tell when I talked to him at those games we were at when he was walking around and stuff, all he talked about was winning. All he talked about was, oh, this guy's got to be better.

Oh, we got to do this. He was just really wanting to. And when I saw him at the World Series, he came by the booth. He was walking by meeting all the people. And I was like, you know, John, congrats. This is great. He's like, you gotta get it done. You gotta get it done. Like it's all he wanted. So I think that's true. And I also think, look, if there's any superstar who is going to use this loss as fuel and,

and do whatever it takes, whether, on the field work talent all that but also recruiting whatever like i think bryce harper is going to do everything he can to win a world series like that dude wants it more than any of us he loves baseball more than anyone like um and now he's come so close and he showed what he can do in the playoffs. I'm not going to bet against that guy. That's where I'm at. I love you, buddy. Love you too. And permission to have first take of the offseason?

Oh, yeah, buddy. For sure. Is it that we should go to bed now? Because I agree with that take no i think i got a couple more minutes here um we're back we're back no um my first official prediction for the 2023 right 2023 philadelphia phillies is that nick Castellanos makes the all-star team. Wow. I love this. This is... All the way back.

I love it so much. Honestly, it's literally the perfect way to end the pod. We'll be back. Love you, buddy. I love High Hopes. I love everyone who listens. He's for it. Some salsa.