High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Collapse is Here and It's Not Spectacular

Episode Date: September 29, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to and vent about another September collapse by the Phillies. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the High Hopes Podcast. High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo, it is another edition of the High Hopes Podcast brought to you by Miller Lite. We love Miller Lite. Miller Lite is great. Jack, I feel like I should be like ranting and raving.

I feel like I should be yelling and talking about what a bunch of losers we root for. And honestly, I'll be completely honest. I feel dead inside right now, Jack. That's where I'm at with this team. I feel completely and totally dead inside. I feel gutted. I feel dead inside right now, Jack. That's where I'm at with this team. I feel completely and totally dead inside. Like, I feel gutted. I feel broken. We're watching it happen again.

Three and ten in their last 13 games, Jack. At the most important point of the last five years, of the last decade. Ah, man. I, like, I don't want to talk to you right now. No offense. I love you. You're one of my best friends in the world't want to talk to you right now. No offense. I love you. You're one of my best friends in the world. I love talking to you.

I hate that we're talking right now. For the first time ever in the history of IOPs, we're always like, if they win, we're going to record. If they lose, we're not going to. Because they always seem to find a way to lose. And today we're like, listen, if they win, we're just going to wait and see what happens in the National Series. But if they lose, if they freaking get swept by the Cubs, we've got to come here and freaking talk to each other about how freaking depressed we are, Jack.

How you doing, man? Is there something worse than dead inside? Like, is there another level? Like, I've honestly embarrassed myself this week james like i i've got i've gone to new lows like i feel like i'm back in high school back in middle school where like i i i said to myself multiple times this week like how do i do this to myself again and how do we go through this again and there's a multiple times where i'm just yelling aimlessly yeah calling everyone in the world losers uh a lot of expletives and

you know the other night they lost and for the first time since i don't know maybe i was like 12 or whatever like a child i went up and screamed into a pillow because of what happened to this baseball team it is it is insane again i think we're good people i think we're a good fan base like all we want to do is love them like all we want to do is love them. And I just, I don't understand how we're sitting here again, and we're about to, like, this is, like, I wasn't alive for 1964. Obviously, you were. It was right in your face. But, like, this has had to be what it feels like, you know?

But at least that team was going for a World Series. At least that team was, like, if you make the playoffs, you're going to the World Series no matter what. And, like, yeah, they blew a 10 or what? Six and a half with 10. Yeah, which, I mean, I'm surprised the city was still standing. I know. It's funny because someone on the air today or yesterday was like,

this will be worse than 1964. And the camera was like, shut up. Like, no, it's not. Like, I get it it this is horrible but that was six and a half and ten games and to your point if they win they're in the freaking world series so like as bad as this is like 10 and 6 9 and 10 like you know i mean it's it's incomparable but that's the point the freaking phillies jack that's what we do, man. Forever. Like that, Jack.

I tweeted out a while ago. It was like in May. I tweeted out the Phillies are the most frustrating franchise in the history of North American sports to root for. And back then, I get a bunch of people, oh, the Falcons, I'm a Falcons fan. Or the Mets, or that. And I do it again. So I wrote still true earlier.

I quote to you, I wrote still true. And I get all these freaking, do you people understand what a Phillies fan is? Do you understand the level of futility we've lived with our entire lives? Like it, like anyone is, should be embarrassed to even try and compare their team's pain to our pain. Since 1883, Jack, we've been to the playoffs 14 times 14 times since 1883 man like you would think just the law of averages we would get to the playoffs more than 14 times from 1818 to 1949 they were above 500 one time that's over 30 years one time time. 20 years. Bad math.

The math not, oh no, it was right the first time. See, now I'm doubting my math on the pod because of the last one and I'm sorry. All right?

I'm messed up. But again, 31 years. They had one time above 500 and they were 78 and 76. Like, don't talk to us about being the biggest losers.

It's us and you're all fighting for second place. Think about it this way, James. This is one of the best 15 seasons in Philly's baseball history. Oh, my God. I know. I know.

Let it sink in. How did we ever win a World Series? It's a miracle. How did that run happen? I don't know. I don't know what was happening. I don't know what the Earths were coll was happening i don't know what the the you know earths were colliding or planets you know they aligned to let us win um but again like i i don't know how to well i guess i do know how to sum into words like just how i feel

and i just continue to sit here and it's like we've done this podcast since what the the end of 17 you know reese came up and all through 18 19 20 and whatever this will be the fifth straight year they've collapsed in september and like and let me just get this out of the way james like they've already collapsed like it doesn't matter if they make the playoffs or not like it doesn't matter they've already collapsed. It doesn't matter if they make the playoffs or not. It doesn't matter. They've already collapsed. They're 3-10 in their last 13 games in the most important stretch of their season. This should have been a freaking cakewalk. The Brewers suck.

The Brewers are not good. This should be a freaking cakewalk. 0-6 against the Cubs this year, who were under.500. But I swear to God, James, if you didn't know the records this week, you would have said the Cubs were better than the Phillies. The Cubs, who are supposed to be just, you know, kick their feet up and we'll go play golf in October, for some reason they played harder than the Phillies when the Phillies need it. There is something rotten to the core here.

There is just something rotten to the core. I don't know how to put my finger on it. We've been through three manager changers. They brought in Gabe. They collapsed. They brought in Girardi. They collapsed. They brought in Rob Thompson.

They're collapsing again. And I don't know what it is. There is something here where they just lay down. They just lay down. They don't rise to the occasion. They went 15 straight innings, James. How is this possible? You went 15 straight innings with a runner on base and you scored two bleeping runs. They had a runner on base in every single inning today besides the eighth and they scored nothing. They scored absolutely freaking nothing. How is that possible why do we have to go to the depths of baseball hell just to see what playoff baseball it looks like in philadelphia but guess what even if they make

it we're not gonna see it because they're gonna be on the road i i i just i don't understand why i keep asking myself why and i keep wondering is it ever going to turn am I ever going to see them in the playoffs again are we ever going to see them in the playoffs again because if they blow it again and they come down the stretch here and they lose and they don't make the playoffs when it was basically set up wanting the Phillies get into the playoffs it is going to be really hard I think for the for people to bounce back the playoffs, it is going to be really hard, I think, for people to bounce back from this. I'm not one of those, all the process and people are going to not come back to Sixers game. I was never one of those people. But they would have to be in first

place next year through the first six, five months of the season, I think for the fan base to really be invested in them again. This is an utter freaking disaster. And you know what? I'm going to sit there like an idiot and watch every single game down the stretch run here because that's what we do here on this podcast with our listeners and you. No, I know.

And we are are you know clearly morons is really the only takeaway from that and look i to your point like i'm at the point and again a full apology all right from both of us from me for you know i don't know believing numbers believing likelihoods forgetting that they're the phillies for just a second in time to think that this team was gonna make the playoffs they have to be in the playoffs until i'm gonna believe they're in the play they can have like a 10 game lead with 14 to play next year and i'm like i don't know i gotta see it i gotta see it and i and i apologize like people were saying neighbor dan shout out to neighbor Dan. He said multiple times, like, I can't get into this. I can't believe it's going to happen until it happens. You were right.

I was wrong. Like, why should anyone believe in this team? To your point, Jack, like, people weren't even coming back now. You know, and yes, the collapse happened. And look, all those people look super smart. Those people didn't shop, who didn't invest. They're like, see, I freaking told you. And but people weren't there

now and like yes they've been collapsing but prior to that like when september started they were what five and a half games up with the tiebreaker like you know people should have been there people should have been invested in this team and they weren't already because of the last 10 years because the last five years because the way the organization's been. So, like, of course, after this, like, they're screwed. Like, I honestly don't even think it's be in first place all year next year. Like, I think they have to make the playoffs and then wait for the next year. Like, I think if they have a home playoff game next year,

like, I'm not even sure it sells out. Like, that's how bad this is. I'm not kidding, man. Like, this is bad. This is bad. And to the manager's point, like, this is why I kept saying, like, everyone's like, Oh God, wish you could give Thompson a contract now. It's like, ah, hold up. All right. Where they make the playoffs, he's back. They miss it. He's out. And, and

honestly, like even making the playoffs, I don't know if you bring this guy back right now, his quote before the game, like Jack, honestly, I'm not, it's not quite quite if we don't, we don't, but it's like next level down in terms of my hatred for a quote. For those who didn't see it, Rob Thompson, prior to the game, asked if the team feels a sense of urgency when, remember, they had lost 9 of 12, their lead had shrunk to a half game after being 5 1⁄2 or 4 1⁄2 or whatever it was. Rob Thompson on does the team feel urgency right now?

He goes, doesn't he need to feel a sense of urgency right now? He goes, not any more than what's normal. I think they're pretty calm right now, having fun. Hopefully they're really enjoying it. We got to win some games. We know that. Just part of the gig. Get the bleep out of here.

Like, I almost cursed there jack and i texted you before the pod and i said i'm gonna have a real problem today not or abiding by our no cursing rule because like bleep that bleep bleep you know what i'm saying like what what a loser quote from a loser manager of a loser bunch of guys like that was i knew they were gonna lose today as soon as I read that quote. I'm like, oh, we're screwed. I'm like, this is what they're going in with? This is what they're preaching in the clubhouse?

Ah, just another game. No urgency. Only eight games left in the season. But, you know, go and have fun, guys. Like, are you kidding me, Jack? Yeah, and the problem with that, James, is that they've tried this crap before. They've tried this with Gabe. It was like, ah, you know, we'll get there.

You know, we'll see and whatever. They've tried this. How about we try something else? Listen, this might sound drastic, but let Boa manage the last five games here or last seven games just to see the difference in what would happen. I don't know. It's just that quote, and I understand what he's trying to do. What he's trying to do is not let panic sit in. But, like, if it was working, you would see them go out there and play like they cared.

If it was working, you would see it happen on the field. But what you're seeing is just dog bleep at bat after dog bleep. I got you bleeping. I love this. Just dog bleep this all over the place when it comes to defense, when it comes to base running, when it comes to at bats. Like, the pitching's been mostly fine. Like, I know we'll do the whole September NOLA thing.

Like, yeah, it was classic. It was vintage. But, like, they scored two runs, you know? Like, I don't care. Like, NOLA. Oh, the bats have been the way. I mean, NOLA obviously has not been good enough, but the bats have been the premier issue with this team. Like, you can do the whole, whatever like you know i don't want

to let panic sit in well well someone's gonna do something about it then no it is time to panic it is it's like in have you seen semi-pro with with will ferrell yes okay the the bear scene which i think is one of the funniest scenes in in any movie ever when he's like it's all fine nobody panic and then like literally once again you're like everybody panic it's that's where we're at everybody panic like you should be panicking in the at clubhouse you should be feeling an insane sense of urgency like like this is it like you're on the verge of a disastrous choke job that no one will ever forget. Yes. Panic. Yep. And, and I know,

I know a lot of apathy is set in with you and I, and I, I just, I couldn't be less dead. Like if you go back and read my tweets, like 10 years from now, you'll be like, wow,

that guy was really going through something. Yeah, I really was. But it's even the apathy. I feel like with a lot of the hitters on the team. I know Nola showed emotion last night, and boy, Boehm sure always looks like he's quick on the verge of tears ASAP. And it's interesting.

I still feel like Schwarber. Schwarber's only one piece of this. I think he's a winner. I think he's a good person to have in the clubhouse. But it can't just be Schwarber. You know what I mean? This is where I need. Reese shows frustration, but it's usually in the wrong spots.

It's like when a ball is right down the middle. He's like, oh, I thought that was a ball. I need Bryce. I need Bryce to step up. JT, for some reason, was Philly of the Week again. Whatever. I think he's batting 160 in the last eight games. There's just...

I don't think it would make me feel better, James. But if I felt like that they were pissed too, I think it would make it a little bit easier. But it's just... It is such terrible brutal just dumb baseball over and over and over again and it's like it's like just show me you care a little bit you know like work a pitcher working at bat like dude what happened in the ninth inning on oh was it was it was it Wednesday where it was oh here comes like no it was it was

it was it was Tuesday night where it's like oh okay here comes the closer let's see what we can get out of them whatever two pitches games over like are you kidding me? Like, I just, it's been, like, what makes it so frustrating is I think we saw the blueprint offensively, you know, really like, what, early June, mid-June, July, where it was like, okay, they're grinding out pitchers. They're working good at bats. Like, they're getting Corbin Burns to throw 100 pitches in, like, five innings. Like, that's good. And for the last two weeks it's like they're not even making guys sweat I mean Marcus Stroman who hasn't been like the Marcus Stroman in a couple years looked like he was back to 2016 the other night um so it it

doesn't look like the lock-in is there I don't know who's holding people accountable I don't know who is like gonna rev things up but it's like it accountable. I don't know who is going to rev things up, but it's like they keep waiting for a three-run home run. And it's like, guys, at this point, put the ball on play. Play a little small ball. They tried it the other night, and Brandon freaking Marsh popped up to the third baseman. Holy cow, James. It's just such losing, Cow, James. It's just such losing, losing, losing baseball. Yeah, no one's holding it accountable.

They just want them to go out and have fun, Jack. Want them to be enjoying themselves. You know, it's no big deal. Like, again, if that's the messaging, like, yeah, sure. I get it. No one's holding him accountable. And it's a great point we saw again today with the marsh drop and the Marsh drop and the Segura losing count of what's going on. I know what the scoreboard said,

but if you're paying attention in a baseball game, I know when I'm watching a game, I know how many balls and strikes there are because I'm paying freaking attention to the baseball game that I'm watching. You're in it. You're playing it. There's just so many things where this team,

for a team that was a playoff team for the, until today, has been like a playoff team in a playoff spot. Like, this is the last 13 games, this stretch here. Like, they've looked like one of the worst teams in baseball. Like, they haven't looked like a, not just not a playoff team. Like, they look like the Nationals. You know, they look like, you know, honestly, what their September record over the last five years shows, that they're the second worst team in baseball in September over the last five years.

I mean, think about that. Think about that. This is a Phillies team that has finished either 80 and 82, up to 83 wins now, and obviously there are more games left, but has always been right around 500 the last five years, and they have the second worst September record in baseball like think about what that means think about how bad you have to be in September for that to be the case for you to even out to end up there like man like to your point it's year after year after year after year after year and you change certain players you change certain things like you a while back I

don't remember what pot it was but you came on you're a while back, I don't remember what pot it was, but you came on and you're like, you know what? I don't normally go with this whole thing and all that, but I think we're cursed. I think we're cursed. Like, to your point earlier, like, what did we do? What did we do to deserve this? Like, I just, I can't come up with any other rational, logical, pragmatic type of explanation for this

other than we're cursed. Jack, that's how best up this is the most logical explanation for how this keeps happening years after years is we're cursed so no i got a i got a better uh explanation for you good good good and i blame mostly you uh a lot of it has to do with you and and your little football team but i think i think you and everyone else that was like oh i'll take 10 years of awfulness for every other philly sports team as long as my widow football team wins a super bowl it's all your fault it is all the phillies were horrible for five years prior to the Super Bowl. What are we talking about here, Freddie?

Yeah, but look at the years post the post Super Bowl. I think everyone. The most painful. The city sold its soul for a Super Bowl. And this is what we're dealing with now is that we got to sit here. I mean, again, and I see Jack. Jack, don't blame the Eagles for the Phillies being the Phillies. I know.

The Phillies own their own issues. No, it's actually commendable. You know how we always were like, oh, well, I just want the Phillies to be a well-run, smart organization. It's like, oh, wait, we already have that in town. Yeah. No, it's a great point here. The Eagles are such a well-run, smart organization. They have everything.

They basically have the Theo Epstein of NFL GMs. Yeah. It's a great point here right the eagles are such a well-run they have everything they basically have the theo epstein of like nfl yeah it's a great point chat what a good point i never i never once thought about that parallel because we you know we're so fillied up when we do this but you're so right all we want all we ask for for here the history of this podcast like it's been the single biggest ask give us a smart team we have one it's just not in our sport so seriously like do you think the eagles win on sunday i mean like like it's doug's return you know i think um all right let's talk some birds let's talk an athlete who actually comes through dude i know like honestly honestly i wish the i wish the phillies had jalen hurts like i wish they had like seriously you're right. That type of guy, right?

That type of leader, driving force who all he cares about is the sport he plays and all he cares about is winning the sport he plays. It doesn't feel like they have that guy, right? It feels like Roy Halladay-esque as a football player. And Utley. Yes, Utley, perfect, exactly. They don't have that guy. No. And, again, I know I got mad at you, like, a couple podcasts ago

when you brought up, like, everyone from the outside and them being brought in. But it's like, that's kind of it, you know? Like, that's kind of it. But at the same time, like, I don't care that you weren't drafted and developed in this organization like can someone just just figure out how to win here and it's and the you know what sucks about that whole thing james you know it sucks about the whole like well you got to have guys that developed here to truly understand what it means to win as a philly

um is that the two guys that they have actually developed and have turned into everyday players are the guys that I feel like never come through when we need them, you know, in Reese and Nola. Oh, I'm so with you. What a great point, Jack. What a great point. Like, if I had to pick the two guys I would least want up

throwing a pitch or swinging a pitch in a big spot, it would be those two. Well, and honestly, like I think that, you know, when you're looking at the other teams that have brought in a lot of marquee free agents and have brought in a lot of outside pieces to try to put them over the top, a lot of those teams already had homegrown stars there that knew how things were done. You know, you look at what the Mets have done this year,

but Alonzo and DeGrom and McNeil and that fraud Nemo, those guys were already there and the culture was already set so that you could bring in a Scherzer, you could put them over the top, you could bring in a Lindor, you can bring in Eduardo Escobar and whoever, like Mark Kanya. And it's like, yeah, but Pete Alonso is still Pete Alonso. Or last year at the Braves, you can bring in whoever. Freddie Freeman is still there.

Acuna is still there. Albies is still there. You know, with the Dodgers, I know Justin Turner was brought in from the outside, but it's like Justin Turner has been there for a while, so Mookie Betts can come in and just go be Mookie and stuff like that. So and Kershaw, like that's obviously a way better example than the Justin Turner one that I use. But but Clayton Kershaw is an all time great. And here it's like, OK, Reese Hoskins is here and Aaron Nola is here.

But let's bring in Bryce. And now he's got to be the leader. But let's bring in Bryce. And now he's got to be the leader. And it's just, I think I've run out of, I just, I don't know. I don't know. I can't. Oh, man. I can't. James.

James. James. This is to you. This is to everyone listening. I can't believe we're here again like i just and i know like people will get on us like oh you told us this team was different i know i'm sorry but they were i'm sorry we're sorry they were playing different baseball and the dna is still the dna and i just i don't know how to change it and i just i sit here and i've gotten so mad and i just i just i can't take it like i just i can take a lot right you

know i can take most things that happen in sports most things that happen in life but bad baseball i think is the one that i simply can't take and like just think about how messed up my life is james that i am willfully bringing a child into this to see philly's baseball and put them through this as well i know you've done it with zoe you know you took her to her first Phillies game this year, and I'm not one to blame Zoe Seltzer, but what's the record? Oh, you're not? Really? What's the record post-Zoe? Post-Zoe's first game?

Sounds like a disaster. But, you know, I don't even really want to laugh because I don't feel like laughing. Yeah, that was really sad right there thank you thank you it's so depressing no i know take a shot at my daughter and then you're like wait it's not funny well good i mean it's sort of funny but also like it's always figured out like we need to start winning some baseball games around here yeah dude tell me about it i will uh i will i will reprimand her later the stern talking yeah relay the message from uncle jen just like i did when she was in wawa like dancing around and i was like zoe stop dancing around she's like no and i'm like

you better stop dancing around wow she's like in the middle of where people are where people were walking in like she's like twirling and i'm like, the people walking in. I'm like, Zoe, you can't just stand there. You can't go wherever the hell you want. Anyway. Good times. Are we still calling this podcast High Hopes? Do you think? Hold on.

Real quick. I know that branding is very important. Do you think if we change the podcast name, then we would make the playoffs? Oh, wow. Because High Hopes clearly isn't working yeah i mean i i think you're giving us a little too much power because honestly jack i don't think there's a single thing that we could do one way or the other like this again like not even us can break this curse, Jack. This curse is deep. It is festered. And, you know, I don't think our powers even can handle it.

Dude, you want to know how washed I am powers-wise? Is that, like, I bet on the Cubs every single game. I tweeted about how the Phils are obviously going to lose. Oh, you've done everything, dude. I mean, you've been... How much money have you lost just live betting on these other teams every night? Well, I've actually been doing all right.

I've got to be honest with you. Oh, yeah, I should have thought. Of course, they're all winning. And there's always plus money when I bet. Things are going all right, though. Don't worry about it. I mean, the Braves, like, plus 450 on Sunday was a big winner for your place.

Oh, man. I know. You've been trying everything. You even tried tweeting the other way. You even tried that tweet like, I'm done with this. We're winning this. You've got no moves left. Dude, I know.

You're just like throwing crap at a wall at this point. I'm as washed as Topper. It's like James, literally, I was feeling it. Are you having fun, though? So, you know, well, no, it's like I tweeted the thing like, you know, enough of this. If you're scared, get a dog like they're going to make the playoffs. And then Noah allowed the Homer to like Morel, who like all of a sudden is is the conine of the 2020s. And it's like, just kidding.

That's all out the window. I, I, I, i have to be honest i am not emotionally stable enough to handle the phillies in like this you know i have no confidence my confidence could not be more waned yeah i mean well you were just mentioning, I mean, like, think about this. Like, obviously, they lost six to the Cubs. The Phillies went, hold on, quick math. We all know math, not been a strong suit. I believe that the Phillies went 1-15 this season, Jack, against the San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, and the Texas Rangers. 0-10 against the Rangers and Cubs. 0-10 against the Rangers and Cubs.

0-10 against the Rangers and Cubs. Think about that. I don't have to think about it. Believe it or not, James, I know you just read that out loud, and I know that you just said think about that, but believe it or not, buddy, I lived it. No, I lived it. I literally lived through that.

I had to sit here and watch this baseball team lose to the worst teams in the sport the worst the worst teams in the sport for like if they win three more of those games they are cakewalking to the playoffs they can kick their feet up pitch whoever they want and they can make the playoffs. They can kick their feet up, pitch whoever they want, and they can make the playoffs. But you know what, James? You know what the sick truth is? Is that I sat here and I lived that crap.

I lived it. I lived them going to Arizona and San Francisco and going one and five. I lived the Texas bleeping Rangers and Jonah Heim or whoever coming in here and hitting three-run home run after three-run home run. And I sat here and I watched Ian Happ turn into Mike Trout.

I watched Christian Morel or whoever turn into the best player in baseball. I watched this team get shut down by Mark Leiter Jr. Mark Leiter, are you serious? Mark Leiter Jr. is the guy that is going to shut you down in a playoff race? Mark Leiter? Mark Leiter was the face of the Phillies rebuild and the tank. And I have to sit there in what is a team that is 84 and 60 or whatever and watch him dominate this offense that they

went over the luxury tax to pay. They went over the luxury tax to pay. I had to sit there and have Mark Leiter Jr. be the one that shut them down. Keegan Thompson for three innings today. Like, yes, I know the stats. I know the stats, but I live the stat. I lived it. That's what makes it worse. Mark Leiter Jr.? Are you serious? I think we just had in the pod. You got anything else? I don't really know what else. Here, you know what? One more thing.

One more thing. In case you missed it, I just want to make sure you know that the messaging inside the clubhouse is fine because if they're feeling a sense of urgency, the manager said, not any more than what's normal. I think they're pretty calm right now. Having fun.

Hopefully they're really enjoying it. We got to win some games, though. We know that. That's part of the gig. So it's all good, Jack. It's all good. Oh, my God. I hate him.

I actually. How did I go from. First of all, by the way, I apologize. The very open of the pot. I was like, I should be yelling and I'm not. I'm just going to like, I'm just depressed and dead inside. And then I proceeded to yell for 30 straight minutes. But like, it's such a shame.

Like Topper, I actually don't like him anymore. Like that'd be, he is the face of this, this year for me, even though it's not all his fault, obviously. They're, it's way past him and all that. But like, I'm like, it's, they've turned me on topper even jack the the most heartwarming story of the year i don't even like the guy i'm like out i don't want him back i don't want to see his face i'm just i'm it's all ruined jack yeah well yeah at least we got two tomorrow in washington Oh, God. Yeah. Great time. All right. We'll be back after the weekend.

We'll see what happens. Who knows? Maybe our last pod for a while. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What a time. You got any final thoughts for it or anything else you want to add? No take back. No, I'm not actually talking baseball today. I got all the take back out

in that Mark Leder Jr. rant. But hey. We're not actually talking baseball today. I got all the take back out in that Mark Leto Jr. rant. But hey, go Marlins this weekend, I guess. Oh, my God. You know that with the... Of course, that's exactly what's going to happen, Jack, is the Marlins just continually whoop our ass in September. And now the first time we need the Marlins to go win some games for us, you know,

they're getting swept. Well, yeah. And the other thing is, is that, uh, Dusty Baker, whom I dearly love.

I love Dusty Baker. Um, he's talking about the ethics of baseball or whatever, when it talks about, you know, playing as players, the final three games of the season. Uh,

no disagree. Dusty, that is not the integrity of the sport. Please bench three games of the season. No, disagree, Dusty. That is not the integrity of the sport. Please bench every one of your starters, and that would be greatly appreciated. But James, I would like to make one final prediction for my final thought of this podcast. And my prediction is that come next Wednesday,

it's going to come down to the Phil's win and they're in. And I'm going to leave you with determining how you think that's going to go. Oh, all right. So next Thursday we'll be doing our season wrap podcast talking about the end of the season. It'll be a lot of fun. That's where it's at.

Yeah. Oh my God. All right. My final thought is like i don't like i don't you know i don't even have a final thought like go win in washington it's crazy that is the funniest part about this and funny is not the right word but you know i'm saying it's like like they could be in the playoffs in a week just like what what oh god anyway um this i needed this fritz i didn't want to do this i needed this you were right i hope the venting uh i hope you all kind of it helped uh it was cathartic for you too but um now we get to watch his team this weekend so

we'll be back and we'll be angry. I'm sure he's friends himself.