High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Phils Take 2 of 3 vs Mets, Place Stranglehold On Division, AND A New Fan Group?

Episode Date: September 15, 2024

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz discuss the Phillies winning 2 of 3 against the Mets and dropping their magic number down to six. They later react to Aaron Nola's start on Friday night and Bryce Harper's two home runs on Saturday. 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

Miller Lite, the official beer partner of your Philadelphia Phillies, is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of WIP's High Hopes Pod. So whether you're listening to the game, catching off on the latest High Hopes Pod, or at the ballpark, remember it tastes like Miller time, Phillies fans. Celebrate responsibly. I'm going back to university for zero dollar delivery fee. Up to 5% off orders and 5% Uber cash back on rides. Not whatever you think university is for. Get Uber One for students. With deals this good, everyone wants to be a student.

Join for just $4.99 a month. Savings may vary. Eligibility and member terms apply. After decades of shaky hands caused by debilitating tremors, Sunnybrook was the only hospital in Canada who could provide Andy with something special. Three neurosurgeons, two scientists, one movement disorders coordinator,

58 answered questions, two focused ultrasound procedures, one movement disorders coordinator, 58 answered questions, two focused ultrasound procedures, one specially developed helmet, thousands of high intensity focused ultrasound waves, zero incisions, and that very same day, two steady hands. From innovation to action, Sunnybrook is special. Learn more at sunnybrook.ca slash special. This is the High Hopes podcast. On the Odyssey app and sports radio 94 WIP. The crowd was singing high hopes,

smiling through a broken nose. Oh, high hopes, high hopes. Oh, I feel a little less alone. Yeah. Another edition of the high hopes podcast presented by Miller Lite. Tastes like Miller time Philadelphia. Celebrate responsibly. Suck it Mets, suck it, suck it. Thank goodness, Jack. Full disclosure inside baseball,

I texted Jack right when the first pitch was happening and I was like, it's nice to have a stress-free Phillies game because we know we're recording today. There's no way they win. They never do. They walked it off, buddy. How about it? Like a quick one, you know, a tight one, a zero, zero for almost eight. And then, you know, it feels like it's falling apart. And then yet again, this team just comes through and, you know, essentially clinches the division for all, you know,

we're, you know, we'll never we've we know the numbers and the stories. And essentially clinches the division for all, we know the numbers and the stories, but they're in pretty damn good shape to win the analyst, man. That was huge. They sure are. And then, I mean, it's as simple as this. If you wanna look on the negative side, it's like, well, they struggled to score runs today

and whatever. On the positive side, they just continue to find little ways to win ballgames. And they- Cal Stevenson, Cal Stevenson! Well, Cal Stevenson, Buddy Kennedy, all these guys just stepping up in the right spots. So, I'm really happy that,

for all intents and purposes outside of like an all time collapse, they did a job this weekend. They did a job coming back yesterday down for nothing. Like we, I at least, I at least mocked them for their resiliency when they were really going through it. But I think the last two weeks, you're really starting to see it. You're really starting to see the toughness that this team has has shown and talked about. And it's been massive. Chris Sanchez is brilliant today.

I mean, really awesome. Brilliant. So it was a big win. JT comes through and, you know, it's it's fun looking at the lineup and wondering which random player is going to step up and do something tonight dude totally and to your point look the uh four run comeback yesterday they had the the game against toronto the the biggest comeback of the season whenever it was down six one then eight four and all that stuff like they're just having those type of wins that we didn't see earlier this

season. And look, we love our bits and we'll like not talk about stuff, but we talked about random players coming through. How about the fact, the reason they won yesterday's game, which is Bryce Harper hit two fricking home runs and thank God. Like the first one opposite field love to see it, you know, kind of just gets out. But, but the second one was like a Bryce Harper pull shot. You know, like it was, and I think that fueled him yesterday. When he hit that first one, 4-1, it's like, oh, it's only 4-1,

but it was like, oh, like that's something. Then when he did it again, it was like, I believed they were going to come back. I believed they were going to win. And I believe they were today too. When they went down one nothing in the eighth, I was like, they're all right. I feel good about this team. I believe they were today too, when they went down one nothing in the eighth, I was like, they're all right. I feel good about this team.

I believe in them. And to your point, it's nice to have that feeling back because that's a feeling we had early in the season. It's a feeling we've had in the past years, you know, certainly in the, you know, rounds of the postseason. But it's just nice to feel that way about this team again. And to your point, on top of that, like these people stepping up, I mean, Wes Wilson, big hit to start that rally off and get that double.

And guys, look, I don't think Cal Siemens and her buddy Kennedy is going to contribute in the playoffs, but you know, they're earning their ring if the Phillies can pull it off right now. And guys like Wilson and Cody Clemens and these guys we've seen are potentially and likely, certainly some of them are going to have to contribute in the playoffs. So it's great to see them getting these moments, these spots, these reps. You know, Wes Wilson coming up in the eighth down one nothing in that spot. That's a rep. That's an important experience for someone who doesn't have that many of those reps. So it was a great and again, the Mets are the hottest

team in baseball coming in all that. Like it was, it was awesome. It was really nice to see you. Little bit, just a little bit. We're monitoring the situation, but like Bob Dylan, just like we're monitoring the Bob Dylan situation. I had many people react to you to you monitoring the Bob Dylan situation. Yeah, which I should have mentioned I saw Bob Dylan 23 years ago. So if as if I couldn't feel older. I mean, you're in your 20s. He was awesome, dude. It was a he played seven on course he kept

leaving and coming back leaving and coming back. It was great. Again, we are monitoring the Bob Dylan situation. Cheers to Bob Dylan. But the other thing that we are monitoring as I regain my train of thought, I threw you off that was on me is is that that fills magic the fills magic of like like because I think the first two and a half months is like this is a special season like this is we're watching an all time Philly's team watching a great Philly's team, maybe one of the best teams in the history of baseball. And that went away. And the biggest thing that worried me was, are they going to be able to recapture the magic because You know teams that win World Series

Generally have that kind of magic feel to them and the Mets to their credit they've had that magic feel for a little bit now and The Phillies had not but the last like two weeks the the Cal Stevenson thing, the Buddy Kennedy thing, these random players just stepping up and doing their thing. The Buddy Kennedy last time too, the walk in that spot, like so many kids wanna come up and do something like that to patients to get a walk, which ultimately led to the game winner.

Like they've had a lot of that, man. And that happens in to your point special seasons. You get that stuff, you remember that stuff. So stuff so like you know you look at their last couple series obviously the split Miami whatever like they are they're starting to rack up it's the outlier if those two games in Miami like winning the first two and almost like kicking your feet up they feel like the outlier and the the the weird Mets game where they just kind of didn't show up it almost feels like if they show up to play, they usually win right now. Well, there's something weird.

All right, so I had to look it up because- The off day thing, right? Dude, them playing after an off day, I feel like they've been horrible. Yes, well, that's what I was getting to. Yes. They are one in five in the second half off of an off day. So the people that are, listen,

I was actually talking to people today. There's a big restaurant festival here in Westchester. Talking to people, I like that. And they're like, you know, would it hate to see them get the wild card? And I'm like, at this point, they can't. Like we're not doing that. That's an all time collapse that that happened.

So, but then- And again, like the Diamondbacks, like I don't want to play the diamond backs So I have to play the diamond backs. That's my Only thought heading into the playoffs. Honestly, there's no other team I really care about like I want to beat the diamond backs, but I would like to wait until the NLCS to do it They're the detractors will say, you know, like that't want to have the off day so that you know, they can stay hot. But like, it is one thing where it's like they've just been bad off of off days. Like there's been many times where they just haven't shown up. So that gives you cause

for pause that into game one, the nice part would be Zach Wheeler would be on the mound. So that I think that would ease some of the ease some of the fears about the the off day blues, but it's definitely something to look at. That I think that would ease some of the ease some of the fears about the the off-day blues But it's definitely something to look at I mean Jack No one's talked about that. We've talked so much about like do you want the off-day and all this and look? I think there's mixed stuff again The Astros beat us in the World Series and they were the one seed they won 106 games that year and they barreled through the playoffs and beat us like it goes both ways

But I think the Wheeler thing is a really good thing to bring up, Jack. Like that does feel like, like no matter what, even if the bats are a little, you know, rusty to start or the guys are not like fully locked in, like, as long as you got Wheeler starting, like, that's huge, you know, that's a really good point, Jack. You take all that stuff. So there's obviously a lot of games that are currently idle I keep looking Milwaukee doesn't play And the Dodgers obviously the Dodgers don't play till 7 so like we won't have an update But right now I think there are two and a half games clear to have which means which means three and a half They hold the tiebreaker on the Dodgers I mean like we can't forget that like you have matters like what every time you look at it You know coming into today. They were two up on the Dodgers. It's like oh, that's three like that's big

This is gonna sound dumb But like I kind of don't want the one seat like I just I kind of could definitely live with the two seat I'm I'm perfectly fine now the one seed Secures that this is a great Phillies team. Like, World Series notwithstanding, like them getting the one seed in a year with the Dodgers and whatever, like that really, it shows that they're not just kind of a fluky team. But like I, there's something that worries me about having like the highest seed and then trying to win a World Series.

I get it. But also like as our good friend Elliott True Parks has pointed out, like this team does have a bit of a front runner swag to them at times. Like maybe being the one seat is just the thing. Like be the big dogs, go in as the big dogs. And I think ultimately, even though, you know, I think that if we had not been broken last year in game six and game seven at Citizens Bank Park, like it's one thing to, you know, the game four and five and obviously the way they played out against Houston and to lose the magic at Citizens Bank Park again, that was 106 win, like legitimately, arguably all time great baseball team, you know, certainly era, great, you know, one of the great teams of the area, you look at how hard it is to the point you made earlier to like maintain a hundred and five plus win pace of any kind and actually win the World Series.

Like, there aren't that many teams that do it. I mean, the 2018 Red Sox out of nowhere did it like that Houston team but you know, you go back to the Yankees obviously did it but like, you know, the Mariners we always talk about that one that won the most they couldn't get it done. So it's hard to maintain like that. So, you know, with beat the hammer questions every week. Is that what is that why you rip that off the top of your head? Is that? Yeah, that why? Mm hmm. Yeah, I know. know I know I Also to be fair I had a conversation about this with Emily recently and I looked up a few of them just to get a feel

There have been some other ones there was a these are these one-sided conversations with Emily or she like engaged You just listen so no she does but it's good cuz like it's funny like cuz she could talk sports With anybody and it's cuz she has to listen to this. So, you know, there's there's an offshoot of it. Yeah, Joe. Oh, no, Emily. Like, it's very funny because, like, especially for people who don't know or every just in a random setting, like she'll say something about sports in a conversation and like dudes will be like, how was that?

Like, you know, it's funny. Well, what I do appreciate it. What I do appreciate about Joe of the many things that I appreciate about Jill is that I think I think she has a really good and I don't know you can make you can be the judge of this. All right, you can be the judge of this. I love this. But I think she has a pretty high fraud meter. Like, Oh, I'm 100%.

I mean, she's been with you since you guys were children. Like, you're kidding me? Like, oh my god, I honestly I think she is better than you are. Like in your you got a good fraud meter for you know, you're pretty good at reading frauds. I can think of a couple examples in our long friendship and knowing each other, which by the way, like, we've known each other for like 1213 years now, which is which is so funny, like insane. Like,

it's almost half your life. Nine it's nine years we had a 2015 we didn years. But in that, you know, you are, I can think of especially a prominent example where you were just locked in, you knew it, you're like fraud. And I was like, I don't think so. And I was wrong. So Emily's good at that, too. She's a great fraud meter. You're surrounded by people who have great fraud meters. I can't get away with anything. But yeah, I think just being around Jill many times over the almost decade we've known each other, like I think she's absolutely better at than you are. And you're good at it. So well, but it's just funny. It's like, you know, someone will try to talk to Phil's and like, well, like, no,

when she go when we get home, she's like, yeah, I know, I know. Yeah, it's all good. It's it's all. So I ultimately bringing it back around, though, I know. I know. It's all good. It's all so I ultimately bringing it back around though, I do think the point being that even though game six and game seven last year went the way they did, I do still think citizens bank park is an advantage for this team. You do want every extra home game you can you do want to be like even though it's just I feel like we lost a game seven there. It's like, oh, we're,

you know, like, we can't even though it's just I feel like we lost a game seven there and it's like oh we're you know like we can't even want it here let's just have games I don't think it's like that you know I mean I do think that it's still an advantage so I still think the one seed is is the right move dude so I have to look it up I have to look it up I don't have it off the top my head but I'm pretty sure so fransky put this that out there like maybe a week ago and I don't know what it is since but in night games at CBP I think that there's their winning percentage is like over 700 like it's the them at home at CBP is an animal but you know one thing I do like you mean you said at home at CBP at home at night at CBP yes I guess

I didn't need to add the at and CBP. Good. Congrats. All right. There we go. Big old swing and a mess. I know what you're going for. I knew we're going. So one thing that I want to point out, and you know, I think that I may be more so than you get thrown into like, Oh, just be Homer. Oh, yeah, I would say that is absolutely the case. Yeah. And so I just want to point out that I'm just proud that we've seen them dig themselves out of it, because they were going through it like it was a long two months and you and I, you know, hand up, we put on blinders for a good month, month

and a half. Totally, dude. Totally. A bit like, ah, it's whatever on blinders for a good month, month and a half. Totally, dude. Totally. Like, eh, it's whatever. It's baseball. It's baseball. It's baseball. I was pulling excuses out of like, I was like,

oh, there's another one. Look at this. I got it. Let me like, it was. I'm sorry. Found one. I found one. There it is.

We talked about having to go to London. Oh, the Mets are playing good. Damn. I know. OK, let me get back to that. Hold on. Hold on. I'll get there.

Yeah. I know. But I'm really proud that they pulled themselves out of it. Is this gonna end in a world series? I have no idea but like the toughness of this team and and not just You know getting down on themselves and the well is me like we mock sometimes I think a little bit too much We mock team culture. I mean, you're seeing not this guy, buddy. You know, your culture, big time, big time, dude. I feel like if you work in a fricking accounting firm, like if everyone likes each other and everyone works hard and you like know that the person next to you can like handle it, if you give them something to do it like,

oh, it just is like everyone's happier. everyone works better right i'm big time culture beats scheme every time chip that's exactly what our guy said the good old days man isn't it funny that quote's like 11 years old he was a great quotesman chip kelly like whatever else the issue is like he had some great lines like big people beat up little people we're from philadelphia we fight like he had bangers. Yeah, I mean no one better, but I just yeah I think that they deserve a lot of credit for for not just cowering and and give me and there's a lot of you know Eagles comparisons in the How many times was like this my least favorite thing ever I hate it and then I kept being like no and then at certain

Where I was like fine, you could say it, but I still hate it. This sucks that it can even like acknowledge it. Thank God. Thank that's like, oh, my God. Like if people are counting on it's like, by the way, you know, it could end up that the seven was having to play against the Mets, right? It's like, just shut up. Shut up. Stop it. Yeah. So this was a big, this might be the biggest two of three for me all year. Like just like putting your, especially putting yourselves in the whole Friday night like they did and just

to the off day thing or whatever it is, just not showing up and getting bludgeoned like to bounce, especially when you consider like, you know, those three runs, the March Homer, nice team at Homer like meaningless essentially the 11 nothing and then four nothing. It's like, like ah it's that kind of weekend like you're right like i think like they deserve credit for for battling out the hole they were in and and now battling in games like they resiliency across the board it's it's huge for the playoffs it's so huge well 11 listen i'm not counting the Marshall run but 11 nothing into being down for nothing

That's my point right like that like that's 15 unanswered as far as I'm concerned Yeah, so and I've been waiting with beta breath for the where's the where's the classic Mets? You know and like I felt a little bit that with the the for nothing comeback now Friday is also There's real concern there. I mean, Nola got hit around. Which is just because he was dominant for a majority of that game. Like just especially early, what do you, he had like five or six strikeouts in the first, like three innings. He looked like nasty at first too. Yeah. So that gives me hope.

And then there's the Homer for what it's worth, especially the first one, like, like, yeah, it's on him, but it was like, you know, a foul pole, like weak sauce. You know, it's more about the next one. It is what it is. Yeah. And also the fact that somehow, again, I didn't even notice that he's like leading the NL and home runs again. It's like, how'd that happen? Like in home runs allowed, no, allowed it. No, you didn't know that. Yeah. I didn't realize it. Somehow he's giving them 28 homers. I don't know how the hell that happened.

Him. I swear to God, at least he led it after his star I don't know if someone the last couple days gave up some, you know, you know I mean he's up there him and him and Garrett Cole are the same pitcher Like I said, Garrett Cole's a higher end version. I agree, but I think there's a part of it Cole's him who could throw 98, you know, but I think that I think there's a part of Eric Cole's him who could throw 98. But I think that I think there's a part of Yankees fans that don't trust Garry Cole. Oh, I get that. Yeah. I think it's and I think that's like I don't think I don't. I think there's a huge part of us is Philly's fans who will no matter what.

Like I actually trusted going to playoffs. Like he should be the number two, like all stuff. But like I also trust him while knowing that any game he could think like it's so weird. I know it's that he's got less more than forever than like Wheeler. If Wheeler could be, you know, not locating as well. He's still got fricking, you know, 97 was zip to lean back on, you know?

I just wish and it's probably not gonna happen for 172 million reasons, but I just wish- What is that hundreds of, oh no hundreds. I just wish I wish Sanchez and starting game two. I really do. I'm with you, man. Again, Vic Fangio, take the Vic Fangio cue. I don't care how much we paid for you. You're if you're good, you're playing meritocracy Sanchez real quick. Let's get him because, you know, to your point, you're taking the next step. It's going to be, I think, still a conversation on, you know, sports radio pods, whatever it's like, should it be him a ranger? If ranger can reestablish like it shouldn't be the guy love ranger and I trust ranger with the cold bloodedness and all that but like, Chris Sanchez is Just a flood of better pick. He's got to see stuff wise.

He's so much to the point about no, like Sanchez can be off a little bit and still have this stuff to fall back on. Like Sanchez is nasty, dude. Chris Sanchez is the closest thing. I want to get ahead of myself. You going Cliff Lee here? He's a close thing to Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels that we've had in a long time. He really is.

I mean, he is remarkable. He's a lot taller than both. He's huge. He just he for some reason, I feel like Chris Sanchez still gets talked about like he's not obviously their third best starter and like I think their second best starter but I think I don't think like forgetting who should start in the playoffs order. I don't think there's any question he's been their second best. He's just a really freaking good pitcher. The guy is a stud man. It's 97. So he

traditionally has waited to whip out the slider until later in the start to give hitters a different look. He was starting in the first today. I mean the fastball coupled with the change- up coupled with having command like Chris Sanchez, super long arms and that like late release like we was like, oh, Bailey falter can succeed because he releases the ball so late 92 looks like 97. Christopher Sanchez releases the ball late but it's 90 friggin seven dude. Chris Sanchez is is he's just a damn good bet. I love him. I

love him. I love him. And the contract, like, finally, we got our Braves contract. Thank God. We finally got one. Like, thank you. It's awesome. And I know they're probably going to start. Curtis Mead, we're happy.

We're good. He can turn into whatever he wants. Like, it's all good. But if they're up 1-0 with a chance to go up 2-0 in the series, I just don't know how I don't give the ball to Chris Sanchez, especially at home. Especially at home is the only thing is that that's the most compelling part.

What are the numbers? I know it's massive. Do you actually have the numbers? Well, so it was 2.1 heading into today and he went seven innings one run or And he's like fourish on the road or something like that. Yeah, it was seven because he pitched in the eighth level and then it hit.

Yeah, so seven innings fourish on the road, like somewhere around four or something like that. Something like that. Yeah, seven because he pitched in the eighth level. Yeah. So seven four ish on the road like a four somewhere around four or something like that. Something like that. Yeah, but it's under it's it's 200 at home. Like it's just there's something there. He's got confidence there. And like it's not even it's not super anti NOLA. I'm not trying to be anti NOLA. Because I actually do trust him in the playoffs oddly. But like I have confidence that he can go on the road and do the same thing he can do at home.

That's the thing. It's like, I think you can get the same air in NOLA at home versus on the road. I don't think there's a big difference. But if you've a guy- Arguably real quick to the team you're playing, like if it's a warmer place, like Arizona or something, you might want NOLA pitching in a warmer place or whatever.

I guess Arizona could have the roof over not. But you know what I mean? Dude. I'm like, I but you know what I mean dude I'm like I don't know if I've ever been more excited excited slash nervous heading into the playoffs like I know and I think a lot of it has to do with the quality of opponent like they could again we talked about last podcast I think all six could make the world's here the whole level the whole level of competition this year as opposed to last year is just like ratcheted up. It's like a whole tier above like the six worst team is as good as the second best team last year, you know,

in terms of ability and team and like how they're playing again, like the time backs are terrifying. They actually I think now is after this weekend have the best record since London, you know, they passed the mats. They've been insane. Like, hmm. And the power is like, I'm not scared of the Padres. I just can't get there. But we've talked about that bullpen and series, you go down a couple runs like, and they got cease and they got, you know, Musgrove and they got like, I don't know, I'm with you. I I trust the Phillies above these other teams. and I don't think that I look at any team and go, Oh no, but I

certainly think they could lose to any of these teams for sure. Yeah. And that's just the reality of it all. Like, I don't think it's gonna like outside of being like losing the Marlins last year, they weren't losing, they were not losing that series, no matter what, you know, outside of outside of being up like 3 1 or 3 2 and then Collapsing like I don't think it's gonna be hard for me to look at a series this year and be like They got it over. That's a detrimental loss. You know what I mean? Like I get that too. Yeah, so we'll see but either way like

I just They they won't do it I don't think they will but there's gonna be a long conversation on WIP and on these air on this podcast about Chris has been the number two starter and I don't know he's just he's just phenomenal and Noah so there is some some videos going around about him tipping pitches. Tipping pitches yeah I saw that. And I mean I hope that's the case. It's a pretty easy fix

If it if it is the case, how funny is it to be like, oh, I hope it is that when it's something like that It's like such an you know antithetical thing to think but you're like, oh, I hope it is something that you can it seems bad But it's actually easy to fix as opposed to like, you know the other options I love almost I think I love everything about baseball like almost everything about baseball I think that the idea of a pitcher tipping pitches has made my favorite like it's Like the less like McCullers game It'll always be like and who knows what the real story around everything is but but that added so much fun to it Bryce to bone like what are they saying to each other this that is it like that was fun it added an extra

I'm so with you like a layer to it and also a layer of gamesmanship and sportsmanship and things that like like it's like yeah like doing them all that you can do within the rules of the sport and being smart within the rules of the sport to gain a massive advantage it's awesome so I don't know if he's taking pictures I don't think so the guy that did the video is talking about location I mean on the video nola missed his spot by about two feet. So I don't know if his location I think it's more Swipes of hand like if you go one swipe, that's a fastball if you have two swipes, that's a curveball If you have three swipes, that's a change-up, you know, it's just like I mean general stuff

um, but I don't know it's just I hope it's tipping pitches because the shame of it all is that again, he looked brilliant for the first five things that game and then it completely and and I know the start before this one wasn't great, but that the like two or three search prior were awesome. One of them was the one where you were like, that's the best know we've seen all year. Best know 18 since 18. And look, also we have seen remember the famed mechanical adjustment last year,

you have seen Nola look horrible and the playoffs start and it's like, oh, look at that. He's awesome. You know, so we know that he is one of those guys who can, you know, kind of go hot and cold quickly like that. Well, I mean, legitimately, as he's already the last, you know, couple of September's have been in the fives and then, and then he just turned into a pretty good playoff pitcher. He's not, he's just, it's as simple as this, you know, you never feel totally confident in him.

He's clearly a good pitcher and he just almost like a ground ball to Trey. Although Trey is like kind of heating up in the field. Can we talk about it? Oh buddy, nobody. Can we talk about T in the field. Can we talk about it? Oh buddy No, we talk about trying to feel it's so funny too Cuz he does have moments where it's like he looks as smooth as anyone has ever looked like that the spin Like he might be the smoothest Spin in the throw guy. I maybe have ever seen like he's just like graceful out there and then another one

He'll just like not get his body in front of a ball and it'll go right past his glove, you know, a ground ball to tray like a routine ground ball is more terrifying than totally than a ball up the middle that he has to run for I'm so with you, dude. So but it's a but a Nola star is kind of like a ground ball to try traditional trade, where it's like, I said, no idea what I have no idea what I'm gonna get. And you hope for the best.

Yeah, it's almost like if he's gonna get ten playoff starts seven of them will be good and three will be like I don't know one will probably be bad one I'll be like, you know four runs and five innings and another will be like three runs and four innings, right? You know, I mean like it's just you don't know you don't know what you're gonna get But I agree with you that like I oddly trust him more than I probably should considering I have no idea what I'm gonna get from each time out it's it's strange what's better than watching your team win winning money while you do it I'm Jim Costa and I cash the ticket Mike Valetti and I give you the edge to make every game playable

college football NFL we're breaking it all down game by game your podcast feed is going to be filled and you're gonna love it you can click on the games you care about're breaking it all down game by game. Your podcast feed is going to be filled and you're going to love it. You can click on the games you care about. We do it all. With our analysis, we're finding games that other people aren't talking about. We're turning every Saturday and every Sunday into days when you got a chance to win. Don't just sit on the sidelines. Cash the ticket with us. Follow Cash the Ticket in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, fantasy football owners. The road to winning your fantasy football championship starts now. app or wherever you get your podcasts. giving you the insights you need to draft the best wide receivers. As you prep for your draft, let us give you the coverage you need. Follow and listen to Reception Perception on the free

Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, before we get to take back, let's get back to Harper because I do think we undersold it a bit. Just seeing him, the two-homer game, obviously just seeing him actually hit a home run again, it was really hammered home how long it had been. Now it fell over a month old thing. Did you like, first of all, just take us through the Jack Fritz emotions with Bryce actually going yard and then doing it again. And then what do you think it says moving forward is, was it just a day was feeling it or do you think, you know, maybe we're kind of coming out the

other side and we get power Bryce back. Well, so I kind of coming out the other side and we get power Bryce back. Well, so I kind of felt it coming Friday because he swung a miss a couple times and did not win some pain and I was like, Oh, that's a good sign. We need to see that. Low bar. Yeah, for sure. And then so Saturday now

Maybe my mate like outside of one of the World Series like favorite baseball game of all time I mean 10 to 1 7 10 on on Bryce Harper to oh, yeah, you said that to me and Elliot unbelievable That's I kept saying especially when he hadn't omered in over a month to like have you gotta have a feel Too much just have one to have two is like it's pretty amazing. I really know your guy. You have to have a feel to much as have one to have two is like, it's pretty amazing. Like you just have to know your guy. You have to know your guys. I've never won. So that win by you is over. Hold on. It's like six times more than I've ever won in any bet ever. Yeah, it was like five and a half. I might be doing some bad Matt. It was a big one. And I just so I was at a family party yesterday because we had to set we had to celebrate September birthdays. So hey, shout out to me. Of

course, as we always do. And Jill's like, Hey, party starts at four. Like fantastic. Phil started for you means, you know what that means? Guess who's never gonna see Uncle Jack everyone involved. So used to it. I would hopes I tried to explain like you should be used to this by now. They don't they doesn't doesn't seem to get it, you know, so I'm over there, we go down for nothing. And I was like, I gotta take a walk. Look, I just, I gotta, so I went outside,

and I played with Walker. Composed yourself. Yeah. Sort of, I mean, fuming, per usual. And then, and then I got the notification that it was like, home, price at home run. And I was like, well, there's at least 50 bucks in the account, like, we take that.

And then I was like, on it's four one in the six yeah this this this isn't over okay especially cuz it was Bryce in that moment I felt I felt like it was like anyone at Tomahere I'd be like for one all right let's go whittling away or whatever but the fact that it was Bryce it was like gave a little extra juice you know went back in Jill's cousins they all took Phil's money line live down for nothing. So So we do we turn into a gambling family what we do So sat down, you know, everyone was aware that I had Bryce our blood

So that's that's actually really fun It's fun when a regular season home run can feel like a World Series home run for an entire room of people, you know? Someone say bigger. I mean someone say bigger than any World Series home run. Yeah, yeah. And... Bring it in, big dog. Sometimes the bits go too far. And I hit it and so there was probably about, I don't know, 40 people at this party. And he hits it and I'm like, plus 7,000, plus 7,000.

Like, you know, he's freaking out. Everyone, you know, in the room is happy. No one else has any idea what's going on. And there was no doubt or two, like he hit it. It was like, the first one, it was like, wow, is that gonna get out? That one, it was like, you just got to throw your hands up in the air and feel the victory.

And for a majority of my gambling life, which is going on about 13 years now, I've had to hide it, you know, now, even though it's legal. Yes, because, you know, I just like, you know, you know, I don't want to, you know, I don't want them to be worried about Walker going to college. Are you admitting to illegal activities right here? Is that what's happening? Oh, yeah Yeah, every day every day. Okay, good. Okay, cuz it wasn't legal for a while

You know, and you also were not of age it would seem if we do some quick math So, you know just saying I was live. I have no Liability here nothing to do with these comments. I was live betting. I was live betting Dodgers games in 2012, 2013 from my dorm room. So we had the system down where you could bet live on... You could have just stopped that so we had this system. Everyone knows where this is going and some reason or another we're going so we had it down to where they decide Hat was late was slow getting live things going so Are like early live bet internet? Yeah, so if you were synced up early

Oh, you get the advantage no way, but it was only for one pitch So so we had an advantage like it's gonna be a ground out is it's gonna be a pop out it's gonna be a home run and the way we lost it so we were up like amazing we were up like $300 as as high school or as college freshmen which college freshmen has made the biggest deal of all time and we got cocky and we put 200 bucks on this pool holes at that and poo holes first pitch first pitch hit a ball Deep but foul and we put it in home run We lost it. We completely lost it. Yeah, it was awful It was awful a ball don't lie situation exactly exactly

But yeah, yeah, and I had to explain to Jill and everyone involved. I was like, listen, I just won $715 on price hitting two home runs. And they're like, wow, that's amazing. You're going to take it all out? And like, no, obviously not. No, this means I can bet more.

What are you kidding? It's great. Now I don't feel guilty about betting for a while. It's going to be awesome. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I kept saying to Jill, I've literally, I've, I don't know. I've said plus 7,000 to Jill, maybe 7,000 times in the last 24 hours. She's dude. It doesn't.

I, I, my whole goal in life is just to not have to tell Emily I'm depositing money into a gambling account. Like I just want to win enough to keep not having to put money in that seven 10. That's like a euro euro You're on a long leash. It's a beautiful thing. Yeah, it's big. It's big. Well on that company Never mind. You got the account to a different size. I got you. I got you. I got you. I'm pretty psyched for you Um, all right, so the price deal is a big deal. So, you know the analysis I've seen the jack before too. I was like, I gotta go like it can't be like super long

I was like I gotta go like it can't be like super long Here we are as People people love haven't even gotten to the take back yet I know people love when you say I don't want to be a super long podcast So, you know as long as we're rating it, I don't want it. It's that I have you know Obligations in life. All right guy. What's up? No, but price so And today as well like he did not win today. So that gave me so much hope did I was pretty down on the dumps? Like Friday me too where it's like I just don't think that power is coming back Whenever he had the quote where he was like you guys might see me put the bat like that's gonna happen

Like you saw that that's gonna happen. Don't be too loud. Whatever. I was like, yeah Like you saw that that's gonna happen. Don't be too loud. Whatever. I was like, oh god But my like with Bryce and you and I both said this so once again credit to us Like you just trust he's gonna find some way to to figure it out and it seems like he has I mean obviously we Everyone knows the numbers since September like he's been money per usual But it's like if you can find the power on top of that heading into October it's different. Changes everything. So the swing looked good, swing looked compact, didn't look like he was having much pain and that gave me a lot of hope that we're maybe on the back end of whatever injury he's dealing with but I don't know if that's true.

Well again look I mean the guy did get his wrist shattered by Blake Snell. And you came back and figured out to be a playoff home run beast and hero and all itself. So, yeah, to your overall point there, like I just I do at my core. I'm nervous. I've been nervous about it. I've been like, you know, it's like we talked about their moments. Oh, God. But like deep in deep down, if I'm alone in a room in the dark and I have to ask myself, do I trust that come playoff time Bryce Harper is gonna figure it out

and be able to get the ball out of the ballpark? Like I do. And I would have said I did before, you know? So, you know, it's good to see it, but you know, I did trust it. All right, take back, what you got? But you know, I did trust it. All right, take back what you got. So the name of this fan group is too good not to share. Oh, good. I love this. Yes.

I don't know if he's the right player to use it on pals. No, no, no, no. But after after his outing yesterday, I'm prepared to possibly, now this is not for him starting, but maybe as a long reliever, I'm prepared to start a fan group called... Oh, God, is this a Taiwan thing? Oh, God. Taiwan-imus? I mean, the name's amazing. Like obviously, the name is amazing. Like, obviously, the name is. An underground movement to believe in Taiwan Walker. He's better than you think he is. People aren't talking about him.

People aren't talking about it, but he just goes out and gets a job done. I mean, that's two games. He's kept the fills in. It is the most shocking thing that happened this weekend. The Blue Jays gave me gave up two runs. He's kept the fills in That happened this weekend. It's the Blue Jays gave me gave up two runs He quote unquote kept a minute like sure he didn't give up more runs Like it was six four when he came in and then it became eight four Let's not give him too much credit this one though. He was good. Yeah, like you got it done credit. So full disclosure When Taiwan was coming in I decided to check out

Yeah, I don't blame you. I don't blame you. No, I don't. I don't this day. No one's going to rip you for that. I think that's OK. As you being the official gatekeeper, I will let you off on that one.

I think that's fair. Thank you. But Taiwan on this is here. And we are monitoring monitoring Possibly time to do a real movement. Okay. Yeah, it's good. I want it's like this. Yes It's good. Thank you. The name is great. Nice. Great. Thank you. It'll probably stop there, but it's great. Good For so this is

This is secondary, but the Buddy Kennedy moment today was unbelievable. I'm so in on the Buddy chance and the Cody chance and envisioning that in October is enough to start welling up about. It's beautiful. But... Nobody won't be on the player frost, right? Maybe. Don't let them heat up. I

Don't know how to explain this. I don't know how to explain this to people but like Buddy Kennedy is The most From me. Yeah. Yeah from here looking baseball player. I think oh, oh my god. Yes, totally dude Totally. He does not he absolutely looks like he should be outside on that sidewalk and not on the field No, buddy Kennedy should be playing in the Westchester adult league like I mean even his name to buddy Kennedy like it's like the whole package I've played against like I have to have played against like a million buddy Kennedy's like he just I don't know how to explain it, but he just looks like a local baseball player and I don't know how to explain it, but he just looks like a local baseball player. And of all the players that ever played for the Phillies, if I had him lined up,

I'd be like, that guy's local. There's just, there's something about him. I don't know what it is, but Buddy Kennedy is the most hashtag from here, like Philly I've ever seen in my entire life. I think it's a fantastic take. I have no notes. 10 out of 10. I need to explain for people the because I think there's a lot of people who don't understand when when you or I start talking about Joe in the Northeast.

So I want to explain. Oh, yeah. So how about think about this way? I was thinking about like I saw like 15 tweets from WIV personalities, imagine like all the followers on Twitter who have no idea what the hell, Joe, Joe from Northeast, definitely not on Twitter. So go ahead. So Joe in the Northeast is a caller. Now I have met him once, I've met Joe in the Northeast once.

And in our interaction, while he was wearing a City Connect Taiwan Walker jersey, which is an interesting choice, given that this is the first year of a City Connect Taiwan Walker jersey. Love it. It's an interesting choice, given that this is the first year of the City Connect. So he willfully said, yeah, after last year, it's good point. Yeah, give me Taiwan Walker. Maybe they mean Joe in the Northeast can can have our fan group, Taiwan Amos, and we can we can put it together. Our two brains together create a great bit. So Joe in the Northeast is a caller who I've met once in a Taiwan Walker City Connect jersey

who told me that Cal Stephenson should be hitting lead off over College Warburg. And then called every WIP show for weeks saying, they gotta bring up Cal Stephenson, they gotta put Cal Stephenson in line. This kid's great, I saw him in Lehigh, he's great. They gotta bring up Cal Stephenson, they gotta put Cal Stephenson in the line. This kid's great, I saw him in Lehigh, he's great. Like no caller has ever had a more unique, specific passion project that they have been

so aggressively on point about calling him out. Just weeks of Cal Stephenson calls, it's unbelievable. Weeks of it. And I know not everyone listens to WIP that listens to this podcast. It's remarkable. The guy called every day multiple shows saying, start with no other point. No other point. Like he had nothing else to say. I won't be like, Joe, you got to talk about something other than Cal Stevenson. Like you can't just call about calcium. Yeah. But he was mocked. He was he was ridiculed. And I just want to give aenson. Yeah, but he was mocked. He was, he was ridiculed.

And I just want to give it a nice shout out to Joe in the Northeast. Congratulations. This is a big win for you. And there's just something about the wrong, a slider down and into Buddy Kennedy, he's not going to miss it. He's not going to miss it. He'll just hook it into the right field, you know, hook it down the right field line and he'll run for days.

But big game Cal, you know, the gesture, the Cal Stephenson game. Remarkable. I don't know where he's run for days. But big game, Cal, you know, either the yesterday, the Cal Stephenson game, remarkable. I don't know where he's gonna be. If he's gonna be in the playoff roster, probably not. Maybe comes down to him and Cody. Cody for a playoff spot. I mean, it's gotta be Cody. I mean, yeah. I would go Cody.

I don't think Cal or Buddy will be on the playoff roster, but I enjoy them. Like, but you know what though? Can we shout out the, you know, ehh, small ball crew, back to back days with big bunts to move runners over the plate of rolling winning baseball games. No big deal. Marsh.

He actually got one down. Like, you know, just I know I was, I was going to, you won't hear this when people call again and saying, Oh, can't we go play small ball? Okay. When I rowhouse got the bunt down, I don't didn't score after but it's okay. He got the almost I know. Oh, wait, the rose bunt didn't lead to run. You're right. Now because they scored on that double before. Yeah, you're right. Regardless. It could have

Yeah, they gave an opportunity. And both almost beat him out to like both Ross and Marsh beat almost beat those things out. The rose bunt was a great punt. It was shout out to him and March. Like both Rojas and Marsh beat, almost beat those things out though. The Rojas bunt was a great bunt. It was, shout out to him. And Marsh- Yeah, for a guy we've ripped for it. Like, especially him, like Marsh, you know. I'm excited you got one down,

but I'm not surprised he's not a good bunter. But like Rojas, we were like, dude, you gotta learn to bunt. And credit. I want to point out this, and final thing here. I want to point out this Bryce quote because I find it so funny. I Guess Bryce Harper before the game was asked who should be the MVP between Otani and Lindor And Bryce said I'm so sorry. I haven't been paying attention. I'm a father of three

Great quote that's a great quote. He's right. I am I barely I've had I'm a father of one and I can barely pay attention to stuff. He's right. It's a great point. It's just so funny. It's like, first off, you definitely are aware. Like Bryce is like a cerebral. We all know Bryce. Of all the players in baseball, he'd be in like the top 0.01% of players who are aware.

What he should have said, the best answer would have been uh who should who do you think should win or tani or lindar bobby would yeah that would have been like really on top of stuff yeah dude i appreciate the season lindor's having but tani is about to put up a 50 it's so dumb like can we stop it i don't care if he plays defense or not like he's got 48 stole base and 47 on runs or whatever. Like, what are we doing here? Like, this is crazy. I'm so with you, dude. Like, it's it's nonsense. It's Bobby wit has a much better argument between the AL MVP over here and judge, which, you know, people have kind of just given a judge then Lindor does against Zutani in my opinion either way It's an unbelievable quote from Bryce and unbelievable. Okay, I'm a father three. I might just start using that like I don't know man

I'm a father one. I'm sorry not not But I got a kid man What a comeback what a win back to back games with the comeback and you're starting to see the resiliency and they took through it Two or three from the Mets. I didn't think they were gonna take two or three I talked it over one of three me too big time after Friday night. I was like, I was ready to spin it I was ready to spin it. They they hate they they they are seven games up in division It's not a disaster, but they came through they came through they did their thing and we're starting to see that little Phil's magic coming back right in the right time and update Brewers down to nothing to the diamond max in the second inning

Or end of the second so and then the Brewers tomorrow Brewers come to town. So Now they're in Milwaukee. They're in oh, sorry the go to mo excuse me Yes, the Phillies go to Milwaukee and then the New York. Correct. But yeah, Phillies can they just need to win one of them to win the tiebreaker to not you know, they're looking good against Spurs. But if they just win one, they have it's you know, they're in. It's pretty exciting to your point to rabbit all the way background where it's great to see that they bounce back and I'm proud of them. And it's awesome to like feel this way about them again. But it's also nice to just talk about these standing things where you know at one point in the season we like took these

things as for granted you know that at least definitely at least be a top two whoever and to have sweated it out at times here to kind of be sitting here now with what like 11 games left or whatever it is 12 games whatever 13 whatever somewhere there but to kind of be here and feel this good about the situation they're in from a standings perspective it's it's like a a breath of fresh air after a uh uh uh you know andy dufrain like climb through a uh you know a tunnel so to speak well going from it's it's been a total mind adjustment like the stress of still having to go for the one or two seed Totally weird. I'm so used to just having making sure they're in the playoffs. Yep. Totally

They're not even looking at the division just like being like, all right, like oh, we're four games up on the Brewers cool We're good, you know, whatever and that's it. Yeah, pretty remarkable. They're gonna win their first division in Since 1112 years. Yeah 13 years. Yeah, it's insane. It's nuts Yeah, it's great It's so funny because this has been the year where it feels like people have been the most It feels like this has been the year that people have been the most mad to which is funny Yeah, cuz they were expectations, but they actually lived up to them. They just had a little lull baseball and they hit 90 today Yeah, 91 they had 90 yet today. Yeah 91 day at 90

Yeah, so uh, oh, hey, we want to bet today. Nice. Oh man. Wait $10 Yes, no, I actually think I might have put like 20 on it. I went crazy for it. I was crazy I might have even put more on it. So it's good stuff Jack. Yeah. Yeah, and then final thing I want to make sure it's like your third or fourth final thing I think so just I know noting that like marking that I Want to make sure I was right? Okay. Yeah, so Bryce officially passed Reese Askins in in-home runs this weekend as a wow That's pretty wild. Yeah, I saw that he had finally passed his number in Washington.

So now Citizen's Bank is the park he's hit the most home runs in. Well, and it's like he's been sitting on that nugget for a month and a half. It felt like it. Exactly. Yes, totally. Yeah. So yeah, it's big stuff. And then thank God. Thank God. Well said. All right. We'll be back after the Bird Road series.

This is nice. It's gonna be weird. We're gonna have to, you know, like have a little layoff most likely before this is gonna be interesting. It's a new things for us, Jack. Maybe it'll work out this time. Please. Maybe I want a world tour so bad. All right. We'll be back later in the week. Thanks to Tucker. Fired up doing a great job producing the pod. I don't thank you enough, Tucker. Great job. All right. Thank you, everyone. Listen, we'll talk to you guys soon. Until then, go, Phil's. He's for some shelter. use for it some seltzer.