High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The High Hopes Phillies Podcast: Phillies Frustrations

Episode Date: August 27, 2018

James Seltzer and Jon Marks recap a disappointing weekend series in Toronto --discussing what went wrong, why the Phillies keep playing down to bad competition, and more. The guys also talk about where the team stands now with 32 games left to play and why the season is far from over. All that and much more in the newest edition of the High Hopes podcast. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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of the High Hopes podcast as we come to you off a frustrating weekend at Phillies baseball. Questions about where this team is at. And we'll get to all that, but most importantly, my friend John Marks, this is the first High Hopes podcast we've ever done where all three of the High Hopes members are married men.

We just went to Jack Fritz's wedding, John. Yeah, we're all screwed. It's official. Here's what I'll say. Way classier than I would have expected. Fritz was way more serious than I would have expected. It was quite the shindig. Yeah, he tried.

He definitely tried. He was serious for a little bit. They wrote their own vows, and it was beautiful. It was a great ceremony. Jack got choked up as Joe Giglio. Or did you text it last night? I did. Hashtag never forget that Jack choked up during his vows.

So, yeah, man, it was great. It was a fun night. And, unfortunately, I look at bad reception at the place, right? Because we're, like, in the middle of frickin' nowhere. And I'm trying to get the Phillies score, and they're up. And Pavetta's, like, is Pavetta going out for the seventh? Like, I couldn't figure it out. And then the next time we were able to check, because we're at a wedding.

I don't want to be rude and pull my phone out they had lost so it was such a bummer too because i had i broke they had to break the news to you guys because we're like yeah they're up and then i said you and joe gilio like yeah they lost oh man wait what happened how and you're looking at your leg up looks like you left Pavetta in too long and and Sir Anthony being used in in like Gabe likes to use him as the high leverage reliever and I think you have a young man with a tired arm right now but we have a we have a lot to talk about tonight yeah let's dive into all of it but I will echo your sentiments it was really a nice ceremony uh Jack did get choked up but that's the appropriate time to get choked up. He came in saying, Oh, I got some good jokes written. It's going to be good. And, uh, I think

it was the smart decision to go more serious over classic Jack Fritz joking around. So, uh, it was a lot of fun. We had a lot of fun, uh, shout out to Jack and Jill, uh, which is also pretty hilarious in and of itself, but yeah, definitely a frustrating weekend, John. Let's start with Friday and then we'll work our way backward as coming in with Arietta on the hill, going into Toronto. And at least in my mind, after that, that Herculean effort that Aaron Nola put out there on Thursday against the best pitcher in the sport and basically just said, yeah, we're not losing. I'm winning this game. I don't care. Bryce Harper, come at me, bitch. Like it didn't matter. So I was, I don't know about you, but to see the Phillies come into that Friday night game, Arietta to pitch straight and mediocre for them to leave runners in scoring position for

them to have runners on base felt like all game and still only put up a two spot against some dude i never heard of before john um were you as frustrated as i was that they didn't build on that aaron nola performance as a way to kind of catapult them into a series they should have won well i mean i guess we have to start looking at it like this team kind of is what it is as much as I want to be positive John and and I do like this team and I like the resiliency but at some point you have to Larry Anderson said this the last couple times we've spoken to him on on on the regular WIP show and he's like some point you have to almost just admit that this offense is what it is without Wilson Ramos, I wouldn't even know

if they have any chance to win some of these games. But, you know, it kind of reminds me of when they're struggling to score and they're sloppy and like you said, runners in scoring position and defense is bad. It kind of reminds me of the Sixers when they can't get a bucket and they have to work so hard to get a bucket. It feels like they me of the Sixers when they can't get a bucket and they have to work so hard to get a bucket. It feels like they're just getting two points. It's like, oh my god, you got two points. When the Phillies have a good offensive day, it feels like it's just supposed to be like once out of every series, you should have an offensive game that you win, right? So that's what it felt like today. And yeah, Arrieta was mediocre. His stuff was kind of flat.

He didn't look great. It was kind of – the Phillies are a good team. Are they good enough to where they're going to win 95 games and make the playoffs? They're definitely going to be good enough to stick around. That's for sure. This isn't good. The bottom's not going to fall out.

They're going to win enough games, and they've won enough games so far where we're going to come down to the last week of September, and they're going to be right in it. But it doesn't mean that it's fun to watch, and it doesn't mean that it's not annoying. This team is annoying to watch, James. It's a great point because there's such a blend of sometimes super fun and really, like you said, resilient and tough and likable and sometimes

you want to kill them like it really is it's such a dichotomy there um it's also funny that you say like without Ramos without Wilson Ramos I don't even know what they they can do offensively night to night aka without the guy that Matt Klintak paid some cash for the trade deadline um it's crazy to think about how big it is. Pretty amazing. Yeah, he's already had. But he brought the defense too, which for me, that's kind of, like when I look back at this and I'm, you know,

I feel like the defense is such a hallmark of what you're saying and of the fact that ultimately, like, you can't keep making those mistakes. You can't do it game in, game out, night in, night out, over and over and over again, and not expect that at some point it's going to be back to bite you. That's not the way baseball works. You can only get lucky for so long. And I do think that this is a good team.

I think they're a talented team. And like you said, John, their last 11 games is seven against the Braves and four against the Rockies. So, you know, the season's going to come down to those games, most likely. That's probably how it's going to play out. They're three back of the Braves right now. They're two back of the wild card. They're right in the thick of it. But I think you're right to look at it and say that, hey, there's, there are clearly some, some holes in this team that ultimately probably, and look, I think a lot of

us, nobody was really expecting them to win the world series this year. It probably, and look, I think a lot of us, nobody was really expecting them to win the world series this year. It was more, Hey, maybe they can make the playoffs and do something fun with the pitching that they have. But, um, ultimately I'm with you when you look at, um, moving on to the performance on Saturday. And again, I'm, I was incredibly frustrated with Friday because of what I F I felt like the momentum just died after Aaron Nola's start and then to go in and just no show like that. And then Saturday we didn't get to see the game. I've gone back and watched the highlights. And, um, one of those ones where it's kind of interesting to see how like the big mistake was leaving Pavetta in too long and we'll

get to Sir Anthony because ultimately they still had the lead and Sir Anthony the issue as he was in Washington as well. But from the Pavetta-Kapler decision there, kind of crazy now that here we are heading into the last month of the season. We're getting upset with Kapler for leaving his guy in too long. What was your take on this kind of whole situation? Well, you know, the problem with the starting pitching has been so good all year, it's tough to now start really getting ticked off at them. But, you know, I feel like if you get six good innings out of Nick Pavetta,

you take that and you run, and your bullpen is set up to where – and it goes back to the whole roll thing, James, and I've been arguing with you and Jack about this the whole year, but if you have a 7th and 8th and a 9th inning guy that are set in their roles, it's easy to get six innings out of Nick Pavetta. This wasn't Nick Pavetta that was three hit, seven strikeout, one walk Nick Pavetta. Like we said, we watched the highlights.

We were at a wedding, but just looking at the following along, he looked good, but I get him out after six and then I'm going seven eight nine now maybe it blows up in his face after that and people get angry at Gabe he's in a no-win situation but um you know the feel was when I looked at that and they were headed to the they were headed to the the bottom of the seventh and it didn't have it didn And it didn't have a new pitcher coming in, but I didn't know if they just didn't make the change on the play-by-play of ESPN.com on my phone. And that was the last time I checked.

And then Jack came out and danced with his wife or something like that. I wasn't buried in my phone. But at that time, my thought was don't send them out for the seventh inning and made the decision to do it and it came back to bite them and you're at a point in the year where you know a game losing two to three to the to the the blue jays that's baseball you you will lose two of three to an inferior team over the course of a year. It's happened way too much over the course of the last month. And if they miss the playoffs, series like this are going to come back to haunt them

and bite them like you said earlier. And again, I look at this series and that's what I see. Yeah, and I think, look, it comes back to, I think we've been so impressed with the resiliency and their ability to bounce back and all that stuff. As much as anything, because they are such a young team and they are so inexperienced and they have a first year manager and all that stuff. So I think it's been surprising how resilient they've been. But at a certain point, it does look like that starts to catch up with you.

And I think that it's just been tough for them to get up for games against bad teams. It's really been a frustrating hallmark of the last month of the season, their worst swoon of the season. You lose 2-3 to San Diego. You lose 3-5 to the Mets. You lose the season series to the Mets. You lose, you know, just like we saw here, losing 2-3. Losing 2-3 to Washington, no less.

They're not a good baseball team either. And I think you also combine it with the fact that this team is an atrocious road team. The home road splits have been so stark. Amazing. It's really unbelievable, especially if you count that Williamsport game as like a road game in a way.

They've been really bad. They've been really bad on the road. And I think that could be just something to do with being a young team and inexperienced. And they just play better when they're comfortable, better when they're at home. But look, like you said, as we'll get to Sunday in a second, but, you know, they're still in it. And that's kind of a fun thing. And we've seen teams go on runs before. seen teams go on runs before we've seen philly's teams win uh you know win a division when they were seven games back with 17 to play that's obviously the extreme end of things but being three out on august 27th or you know tomorrow august 27th that's not an insurmountable hill to come back from especially when you're only two out of a wild card spot as well but quickly let's look at yesterday's game not or today's game not much to take away from today's game other than, in my opinion, they just kind of come out and get the job done.

They were like, all right, we're not going to lose three straight. In Toronto, the offense gets going immediately. Sir Anthony pitches well in the ninth in a low-leverage situation, but are you starting to worry about Sir Anthony's ability? And I think that kind of goes back to what you're talking about with the no rolls and all that. I just think that, you know, it's kind of been a recurring theme this season

that they don't have anyone they can truly, truly count on to be consistent every single time out in high leverage situations. It was Sir Anthony for a while. He looks shot at the moment. Where are you at with Sir Anthony and then macro with the pen

as a whole outside of the the roles the the personnel there yeah i definitely worried for sure and and when we would have the conversations of zach britain uh who was who was the other brad hand brad hand whatever we talking about, this was the reason why. And you don't even need to have a dominant closer if you have an experienced closer that can come in, knows the situation, knows how to get prepared for the ninth inning. So you have a young kid that's always been a starter, had 10 appearances above single A before this. 10 appearances above single A.

Crazy. Like that is so good that he would go to your highest leverage, most important reliever. That is insane, John. Yeah, and he passed every test, and he's done well, but you're also talking about a young guy that has never pitched this deep into a season, that has never had this many appearances, that was a starter for his career.

And now you're looking at him, and, you know, Gabe's using him in the biggest spot in an eighth inning or a seventh inning to try to get out of trouble, and then he brings him back for a second inning, and it blows up on him a little bit. So I can't be mad at the kid. I can look at Matt Klintak and say, dude, you should have upgraded your bullpen with somebody on the back end.

But there's enough guys with Neshek and Tommy Hunter and some other people that should be able to get it done. I'm a Gabe fan. I have a problem with how he's managing this bullpen. It's time to give these guys set roles. If that's Sir Anthony in the ninth inning, then so be it. If that's Neshek in the ninth inning. I don't even mind that he mixes and matches sometimes because with Neshek and the ground balls, I guess it makes sense. But, listen, it's not working.

They've lost too many games of late out of the pen. And Sir Anthony looks like a young guy that's never been here before. And that's exactly how he's pitching. So, yeah, you really have to. I know they got another lefty reliever in there because that was an absolute train wreck. But I feel all right with some of the other guys. But Sir Anthony right now, let's face it, he had two down, two out double,

and then a walk-off home run. It was over like that the other night. I was already counting that as a win for the Phillies. I was looking ahead to the standings. And that was a killer, killer, killer loss. So they can't have many more games like that. They can't. And when you don't have a guy in the back end, James, that's what happens. And you have a young guy without experience, and it looks like it.

Yeah, and I think he's shot, too. I just think he's thrown a lot more high-leverage, important pitches this season than he's ever done in his life. Sliders lost the bite. Yeah. It just doesn't look the same. And even, even like he had five days rest before that start the other,

or before that, how do you watch the other night? You know, he hadn't pitched in a while and we, you know, I think it seemed for a while, like it was like, just get him rest and he's fine.

You know, give him two, three days and he can pitch. And I think we're just getting to a point of no return. That's what happens with young pitchers, with pitchers in general. And, you know, I think his arm's just shot. And I also think he's in a spot where there's a lot of pressure being heaped on him, like you said. But I think more than anything, I think he's kind of shot right now.

And I think your kind of summation of the rest of the pen is, is really dead on. There's no one that you really can count on, on a consistent night to night basis. I like Neshek. He's obviously very good, but you know, even he's had some struggles and he can only pitch one inning for you. One,

one take that Fritz has put out there that I really agree with has been the idea that Gabe has a tendency to go back to guys for a second inning after they come in and get the team out of a high leverage spot and how that's generally a mistake with pitchers. It's hard to amp up that intensity again. And I thought that was a really interesting point from Fritz and I, and I agree with it, but I think that on the whole, that hasn't been, been you know the biggest issue is he just doesn't have enough guys that he can trust and guys are gonna get the job done and i'm with you look i'm not gonna kill clint tack at all as we just discussed the best hitter on this team right now is the guy

paid some cash for but but i'm but i'm with you like zach britain right now the way he's pitching in new york that looks like a guy who would have made a hell of a difference for this team. And they could have afforded it. What the Yankees gave up was Dylan Tate's a nice prospect, but it's not something the Phillies couldn't have afforded. Yeah, it's weird because it seems like they went, the Phillies went, I didn't expect them to go all in,

but they were like half in. They could have went out. They said that they were fine with their starters. Cole Hamels pitched a complete game a few days ago. Cole Hamels is amazing. They said they were fine with their starters, and none of these guys outside of Arrieta has ever seen the innings that they're seeing right now. And Eflin looks like it. Velasquez is just kind of Velasquez. And Pavetta, you never know what you're going to get. It would have're going to get.

It would have been nice to have. And I kept it very simple. I try to keep it simple in life. Who would you rather have pitching a game in September, Nick Pavetta or Cole Hamels? And the prospect that the Cubs gave up to get Cole Hamels was a 17-year-old kid that they just spent. They gave a big signing bonus to her, a $300,000 signing bonus to. But he's a 17-year-old. He's an international prospect. He's not a first-round pick that they brought up through the farm system, and they really knew very well, and they had a relationship with him. This is a kid that just came into their farm system, and he's been killing it with the Cubs.

So while they went out and made a great trade for Ramos, and they got Cabrera, and they made a couple of nice moves, it would have been nice if they were fully committed to really trying to go forward and win it. I'm not talking about trading 6-0 Sanchez. I'm talking about doing what you need to do to go out and make your team better in areas that you needed it. And Zach Britton was that. And I look at the Yankees box score on a daily basis.

I go to it. And when I see what he's been doing, it burns, man. Yeah, it does. It does, man. He would have been a perfect fit. And I totally get that, and I'm with you. But, look, you had Matt Klintak on your show, the afternoon show, Marks and Reese on WIP.

And I thought, you know, he didn't come out and say it, but he pretty blatantly said, hey, man, we weren't ready for us to be this good this year. I mean, that was the big takeaway. And I think you're right in the sense that I think they were trying to cosmetically make the team better to fortify some positions of weakness. But they were never planning on going full bore all in this season. And I think that even after the team was contending, they added. There's no question they made some moves that will help this season. And I think that even after the team was contending, they added, there's no question. They made some moves that will help this team that have helped this team,

as we've discussed with Wilson Ramos, most notably, but I'm with you, John. I think that, I think that that was more of a measured, put our feet into the water, make this team better, but we are not the best team in baseball this year, and we're not going all in. Yeah. Yeah. Which is, again, it's one thing if you're giving up. I wouldn't want them to give up two,

three of their top ten prospects to get guys on expiring contracts. Bottom line is they made a play for Machado and were the runner up to try to get them. So some of the time they were in, they felt like they were all in. But then ultimately they were picking and choosing their spots where they were all in or not. Yeah. And look, I, I think they've done a nice job building this roster, building up this organization from a prospect standpoint, from, you know, even the moves that he did make again, he made moves that did help the team and have helped the team without really giving

up anything worthwhile that would have helped them in the future so or at least for the most part who knows if killamay becomes anything or not but you know what i mean so i um look i think it was the right approach for where the team is at you want them to be all in you want to win this season but at the same time this this was never about this season and we have to be able to step back a little bit and understand that you know what they're doing was for is for the best of the franchise's health long term and look they're going to be awesome next year next year is going to be really fun they're going to make moves this offseason we all know they're going to be in on Harper and on Machado all that but before we get there we're

not to next season yet, Johnny. As you said it before, and I think that if there's anything people can take away from this show today, is that the season isn't over. It really does feel, and I guarantee you, John, when we are on WIP tomorrow, that we're going to hear the season's overtakes. And it's not. Evenakes. And it's not. Even just mathematically, it's not. The way this season shakes out, like you said,

the Phillies will at least have a chance heading into the back half of September. So where are you at with this Phillies team right now? What are you expecting? Are you expecting a push where the season's over with two weeks left? Do you expect them to play down to the last game of the season? Or do you still believe they're going to be a playoff team this year? And just a programming reminder for the Marks and Reese show, Monday at 2 p.m. we're at the stadium.

Gabe Kapler will join us live at Citizens Bank Park. Right from the start of the show because he obviously has a game that he has to get ready for coming up. But, yeah, so he joins us right at 2 o'clock. Honestly, what do I think of this team? As long as Aaron Null keeps pitching the way he's pitching, and Velasquez gave you a pretty good outing today, and I think Arrieta, for the most part, even if he's a 3.5 to 4 ERA guy, it's going to keep you in games.

They're going to win enough games to drive people crazy, and people think that they're back in it, and then they're going to lose some games, and then they're going to win a couple games. You know what the problem with this team is? Spike Eskin actually said this to me last week, and he's right. One of the reasons why people aren't really excited and aren't jumping on board,

this team doesn't have the capabilities to win seven games in a row. You know what I mean? With their offense, the Nationals for instance, the Nationals have enough talent to win seven games in a row. There's just something funky going on down there and there's something going on in the clubhouse and there's just bad mojo down there. But the Phillies, with their roster, with their offense, they can't win seven games in a row. They could win three or four. They could win three or four after that if their pitching is going well and maybe the offense comes around. But they just don't have the capabilities to really, wow, the Phillies just won ten straight. They're not good

enough to do that. So unfortunately, what we've been seeing, maybe they'll win a couple more games, maybe instead of – they win a series two or three. But for the most part, they're 10 games above.500 right now. I think you're going to see that heading down to – I would put them 86 and 76. That's not going to be good enough to get them in the playoffs. 89 wins. So, you know, they have to start stringing some more wins together.

But I think right now this team kind of is what it is. Tough team, resilient team, likable team, not a very good team. Night in and night out. Yeah, you can't. There's a real lack of consistency with this team. I think that's a really good point. But, look, I don't think they've won more than five or six games in a row all season long. Five.

It's five. That's what I thought. They just haven't. They just did five. But, yeah yeah and then you look at the schedule i mean they've got the cubs to start september that's not going to be easy luckily it's here then miami and the mets you would feel good about that if and they didn't suck against bad teams for some reason uh morgan's washington washington a lot of washington games uh then miami and New York again, and then that gauntlet at the end of Atlanta and Colorado. So it's kind of funny, but when you look at the schedule over September

and, of course, coming up tomorrow night, they start a series at home against Washington, coming home for a six-game stretch against Washington and the Cubs. But it's really going to come down to them being able to beat some bad teams, John. I mean, if they're going to stay in this, if they're going to be there for that stretch of 11 games against four in Atlanta, four in Colorado, then three in Atlanta, you don't love that eight-game road trip of Atlanta and Colorado.

Yikes. But other than that, it's three against the Mets, three against the Marlins, three against Washington, three against the Mets, three against the Marlins. So you have, you know, that's 15 games against teams that are below 500. And granted the Mets have, have, you know, stifled this team so far this season, but it's really going to come down to them being able to find a way to start to beat teams. They should beat John, even as not consistent as they are. They're better than these teams that they find a night,

a way to, to lose series to. Yep, two or three is what they need out of all those series. You go two or three, and you're 10-5 over the course of 15 games. You need to win 10 of those games against those teams. And if you don't, and you don't make the playoffs, it's not going to be difficult to look why. And maybe they're overachiever's teams. I don't make the playoffs, it's not going to be difficult to look why. And maybe they're overachievers, James. I don't know. We'll have this discussion at the end of the season of was it a successful season,

even if they missed the playoffs, did they overachieve, whatever. But sitting here, August 26th, they still have an excellent chance to make the playoffs. So let's, all the high hopers out there listening, remember that. There's no reason why, even if it's the second half of September, the offense starts to pick up a little bit and the pitching stays where it is. They could easily, easily win some games. So we'll see. Roman Quinn goes down again with an injury.

Sore hammy there, yeah. They can't catch a break. Well, they've caught breaks all season, actually. Been a really healthy season until now. Yeah, they can't get a break. Well, they've caught breaks all season, actually been a really healthy season until now. Yeah, and you shouldn't be surprised. I know Gabe said that, you know, Roman's been killing it since he came up here. Gabe said they're giving him a day off. They think it's one day.

I hope so. But you know how these soft tissue injuries are, especially with him. Yeah, where the speed is so important. Yes, his game. So he comes back. He thinks he's 100 percent. He's really not tweaks it again Yeah, it's his game. So he comes back. He thinks he's 100%. He's really not. Tweaks it again.

Now he's DL'd. So let's hope he's okay because he was, listen, he was insurance against Oduble. And he's playing a lot in right field with Nick Williams. Yeah, and again, he's a weapon as a switch hitter off the bench, as a runner off the bench, as a fielder off the bench. And again, getting starts out there as well and to your point just just about this team you know they do have a really good chance to still play fun September and potentially October baseball but it is crazy when you look at how

the National League is shaking out John is um you know the Braves now three games up in the NL East obviously but then you've got a an NL West that is very competitive right now with the Rockies and the Diamondbacks. Diamondbacks in first by a game over the Rockies, the Dodgers two and a half back there, the Cubs in first and the Central, but then you've got five teams battling for those two wildcard spots as well. It's really crazy. We got the Phillies who are two back, the Dodgers a half game behind them, and then the Rockies, the Brewers, and the Cardinals with the Brewers and the Cardinals in the wildcard spots right now.

It's a really intense race. It's going to be a really exciting finish, and it's just fun that Phillies are going to be a part of that, and we get to actually have meaningful games down the stretch again. John, it starts tomorrow night, big series as the Nationals come to town. Eflin versus Strasburg.

We get Nola versus Scherzer part two. The sequel, as they say. And then Arrieta versus Gio Gonzalez. What are you looking for from the Phillies this series? Obviously, as you said, I think that two of three mantra has to start now, especially at home. But in general, what are you looking for from this team to kind of start to feel like maybe they're back on track

or can get back on track? Well, I would say better defense, but I don't expect that to happen. You know, just like you said, Scherzer-Knoll is going to be one of those matchups it is. It's going to be who gets the hit, who gets the hit with runners in scoring position. I would just like to see some timely hitting out of this team. You know, it's like even if you're not putting big numbers up on a particular night, how about runners in scoring

position? How about a guy gets a clutch hit when they need it? It seems like it's been a long time since that's happened. It seems like it's been a long time since this team's come back from a deficit to come back and win it. You know, they had a lot of great wins like that through a stretch in July. So I'm looking for some rallies. I'm looking to see some life in this team, whether it's two or three or whatever. I need to see some life. And this week right here is going to tell me a lot about my own psyche with the Phillies because it's a tough week. And if they can get rolling a little bit and they can show some confidence,

they can show they're a good team again, it's going to kind of elevate me back to where I was before where I can say they can beat anybody in a series with the pitching they have. But, you know, just got to start with the Nationals, win two or three. Yeah, start with the Nationals. And look, then you got the Cubs coming to town. For some reason, you feel better about this team playing good teams than bad teams.

So maybe they can beat the team with the best record in the National League since they lose to the team with the worst record in the National League. So I'm with you. Big series here. Nola versus Scherzer yet again is going to be just awesome. And look, if Nola, it felt like,

Jack and I talked about this on the last episode, but it felt like that gave me insurance there was Nola's real kind of coming out party to a national audience as people, you know, the Nola for MVP campaign is starting and all that type of stuff. But if he can go out and do it again and beat Scherzer again like that,

I think it's going to go a long way towards cementing Aaron Nola as a legit ace. We know it here. We've watched him all year. We know what this guy is, but I think from a national perspective, people will really start to say, wow, Aaron Nola is really good. And I know the numbers are saying it needs a Cy Young contender. They should be saying it, but until that last start, it didn't quite feel like he was starting to get that kind of credit that he really does deserve. Marks, we will be back later in the week. We will fill in for Fritzy.

We'll take care of everything so you can go to Costa Rica. I told him not to try and watch the games in Costa Rica. He's like, I don't know what I'm going to do. I've got to watch the games. I'm like, you're in your honeymoon. What is wrong with you? Give it a break. He's got the app, right do. I got to watch the games. I'm like, you're in your honeymoon. What is wrong with you? Like give it a break. Um,

but any got the app, right? You can watch it from the app. Oh, you know, he's going to watch. I mean, I was just trying to give him some,

you know, husbandly advice where happy wife, happy life and all that good stuff. No, you watch it anyway. So we were leaving and I was giving him a hug and I gave his, I gave Jill a hug goodbye. And I say to him,

I go, I go, so you're going to, you're still doing the podcast on your honeymoon, right? Oh, I take a half hour. And he,

he's kind of looking at me, not sure what I'm doing. And then I say to Jill, I'm like, you're cool with that. Right. If you, I say he could do a couple podcasts.

Right. And she's like, kind of like wants to say no, but doesn't feel comfortable. She's like terrified. She's in there like, what do I do right now? And my wife and Liz, my wife goes, he's just messing around with you. He's not doing any podcasts. Go on your honeymoon. So have fun on the honeymoon, Jack.

Yes, have fun on the honeymoon, Fritz. The High Hopes community is very happy for you and Jill. Johnny, any final thoughts before we get out of here? Yeah, earlier today I saw come across the bottom of the screen that another lunatic decides he's going to start shooting people up in a public area. I don't know how many people are dead. I saw four, I guess, the last time I checked, at a Madden tournament. So, you know, gun control or no gun control, I don't have all those answers.

But I do know this, this world is fucked up. And, you know, I don't feel safe. It could happen to any of us. So count your blessings and say your prayers and and tell your tell your your wife and your family and your loved ones that you love them because it could be over at any time even when you think you're just playing madden and you're sitting down and playing a video game you're dead uh and then secondly john mccain passed away uh this past what was it was it yesterday or friday whatever it was yeah uh you know a a good man, a good American. And again, whether you share his politics or not,

he was a class act who spent five and a half years in a Vietnam POW camp. Can you imagine? I mean, can you imagine? I can't spend five and a half minutes somewhere I don't want to be. Like, oh my God, man. Well, if you gave Fritz an iPhone, he could probably charge you. He could probably do it. But yeah, he had

damaged hearing in the one ear because of being beaten so much there. So, yeah, just remember, we have life pretty good. Even when you have bad moments and you think life sucks, life can be pretty good. So rest in peace, John McCain, and for all the other people down in Jacksonville, man. Yeah, man.

I think you put it best there. Thoughts and prayers totally agree with you. And like you said, I think it's great advice to anybody in any situation. Always just say, hey, tell the people you love that you love them. It sounds cheesy. It sounds all that, but you do never know when it's going to be the last time. So I'm with you with that. So again, hopefully we will we will have some more positive things to talk about moving

forward as hopefully this Phillies team can get back in action and, and start to give us some fun games down the stretch again. We'll have a fresh one Wednesday night? Fresh one Wednesday night. We'll be ready to, yeah, Wednesday night for sure. I have a fantasy draft on Thursday night, so that'll be fun. All right, for Marks, for the newly married Jack Fritz, I'm James Seltzer.

We'll talk to you guys Wednesday night. See ya. All-star closer, Kenley Jansen. We have a question. What's the best podcast of all time? Baseball isn't boring, baby. I'm Rob Bradford, and every single day I'm sitting down with the biggest names to show you this great game is the greatest game. It's my podcast.

It's my passion. It's a cause I started more than two years ago and is now the most prolific national daily baseball pod there is. Another fact. So jump aboard the BIB Express. Follow and listen to Baseball Isn't Boring, presented by Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.