High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Hopes Are Fading

Episode Date: September 17, 2026

Jesus Luzardo is on the IL and the Phillies are 4-8 in their last 12 games. Even as they continue their push for the playoffs, the Hopes aren't as High for James Seltzer and Jack Fritz as they react to yet another uninspired series split against the Nationals. Presented by Miller Lite.

Miller Light, 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. This is the High Hopes podcast. High Hope! On the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94, WIP.

The crowd is singing high hope. I feel a little less alone. Another edition of The I Ops podcast, sponsored by Miller-Light, official partner of the Philadelphia affiliates, tastes like Miller-time Philadelphia, celebrate responsibly. Let's start with the good stuff.

Tonight, Thursday, September 17th, the borough in Downing Town will be there. I was just telling Jack, my email, my phone is working, so I've printed out trivia questions. We've got a packet of trivia questions. I can see the answers. That was good.

They will not, Tucker. I will be very, shielding it can't see it like that can you if that's not a reason to show up i don't know what right see this idiot with the printed out printed out trivia you'll see me cross the bar look that's the paper's in his hand yeah what's you doing anywhere what a psycho what are those things in his hand maybe i'll bring a book and i'll keep the book for the game we'll make it as old school as possible it'll be a nice old school affair look it's it's our last i hopes event of the season uh coming out with us seriously especially if you're in that area i feel like we have not seen some

of our favorites this year yeah and you know what that hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts I felt like we had a special thing. Where's you're in this season? Where's Lisa? Lisa. Yeah, Lisa and Michael. Hello. Hello.

I know. You know, they're from out that way, kind of, right? I mean, a little bit. Not real. I mean, sort of. Sort of. Swang's feeling. Look, I'm driving further than anyone tonight so we can all show up for Seltzer.

It's always good. Give Seltzer a hug for driving. That's right. Yeah. You just say I'm getting on a plane to Tennessee tomorrow. It's a round for you days. You need to go watch all these sports everywhere. I know.

It's awesome. It's very, very cool. I'm actually really really. excited. It's going to be super fun. So coming out with us tonight, it's the last one of the year. Let's have fun, watch and beat the Mets. It'll be kidding. And Thursday, that football is a good one.

Great one. Lions, bills, opening at the stadium, the whole thing. Maybe we'll play some bets before we go down. I don't have an extra money. I have three children. Did you know that? Yeah. No, no.

My family grew is over. It's done. I'm talking in my 50s. Talk to get my 50s. These kids are out of college. I'll start gambling like a dead. Yeah. But no, it'll be, it'll be.

good time and we'll all be monitoring the the Redding playoff game as they look to advance. 21 runs last night, big dog. Two nights ago. Two nights. Sorry, last game I meant to say last game, excuse me. Yeah. Twil and runs. I know. I know. Could they give a few to our major league club?

I tell you what. It makes me hopeful about the future of the offense. Maybe they have some, something brewing down there. But yeah, an impressive first round win. And you know, Cody Balker goes tonight for the fightens as, as, he and Brad Bacheco listed by baseball America is underrated and sleeper pitching prospects.

I'm on like 10 in baseball. So the Phillies pitching factory. As by the way, they got approval from the city of Clearwater for, I think the taxpayers are giving them $115 million. And the Phillies are committing another, however we get the $200 million. 85. Yeah. So they're putting $200 million into renovations down in Clearwater. That's awesome.

Well, and the stadium's great. I guess they're building another deck. Yeah. But I mean, the, it has to be a lot of the pitching lab and all that good stuff, which is already, you know, I think they are now figuring out what to do with it. But it's all, all good stuff that is happening. Yeah. No, that's huge.

Yeah, yeah. Everything below the major league level work for super average. Yeah, everything's fine. decides what's currently happening on the field. So we'll get to the big league club. 13 walks and three runs and all that. You know, we'll get to all that. But we got it.

I mean, we have to start with like it. Honestly, there have been a lot of times this season where the news has come out or whatever. And obviously, 9 and 19, we've had a moment. But like when a news is broken,

it's been like, come on, man. Really? Like really. Is that really the news? By far, in my opinion, the worst.

And he might be fine. He might be good. But like that L. to IL News. Like that, that was about as big a shot to the gut. For me personally, at least as a Phillies fan

as anything that has happened this season. I know it's not, it could be fine. Like, it could be okay. But with, there were, you really have to stretch

to get like super positive about the Phillies in the playoffs. We know it for the last four years and the way the bullpen is and all that. But like, there were certain things you could look at

and be like, well, at least we got that thing that gives us a real chance because that thing is so great. And like the way Lazzardo was pitching was like our number one thing, just soul crushing that news. Now, the news itself, but also the where you're at with him getting back, what they had to say about it. Because, you know, they good news is that they have no fear for the future.

They don't think this is something that's going to, you know, they sign him a contract. It's important. But like, they're like, we think he'll be back. At the end of the year, we hope we, you know, but we don't know where you have at the whole Lazzardo thing. Yeah, I think if he pitches in the wildcard round, is out of relief. I would be. Wow.

I'd be surprised. Well, because it's, I don't know, by the time the wild card rolls around, it would be three weeks. So he's a, I believe he is eligible to come off the I.

The last day. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it would be three weeks, but maybe like two, two and like five days or two weeks. I would just have,

I would find it hard to believe that he's able to start a playoff game in at least round one. You know, before, like, I think he needs a ramp up a little bit, I would assume. So like,

I just, I'm almost. counting him out of the wild card round. I would wake him up, wake us up in the NLDS. Or if you do pitch him in the wild card round, it's probably out of relief. And it's like a three innings, two innings,

three innings type situation. And then he can be fully ready to go, God forbid they win the wild card round. Now the good part is, is that while he would have helped, of course, they don't need him, need him, or shouldn't need him in the wild. Oh, yeah.

I mean, of all the things they could, they should be able. to withstand. The point is that the bullpen might they might lose because of the bullpen regardless. The bats might not hit, but like Wheeler Sanchez, Nola is not the worst. You know, that's still a strength of your team going in theoretically. Yes. I get your point. So if there was a round.

It's not doing that much to make me feel better, but I get it. There's nothing to really feel all that good about at all, frankly, about the team is fine right now. That's why we're on to the Redding Fighten Fills. But if there's a round to lose them in, I think the wild. out of guard is probably the best time to lose them. So, yeah, I mean, it, it, it, it, every time that only talks, I just feel worse most the time now, which is a good spot to be in. He's just like, you know, Lazaro's like, ah, man, if it's a playoff game, I'd be out there,

like, miss my brothers, like, and Don just like, uh, yeah, you know, competitors say things. Yeah, I just got to be like, all right, pal. Nice. What? I know. I know. I thought that. Man.

Thanks, Don. But, but no, no, no. it things will be fine. Yeah, everything's okay. I think Don's the epitome of the everything's fine. I know. You know, Giff? So, uh, or meme, Giff, meme?

Uh, it's me. I mean, yeah, man. All right. Anyway, but yeah, so I. Ask him the 45 year old, which is right. Personally, I am counting him out for the wild card round. I hope he can, I hope I'm wrong. I don't think I'm wrong.

And if he can come out of the bullpen, great. But I am banking on NLDS. that's the next time that we'll see Hages Lazzardo and once again, banned a complete game. No need to throw complete games anymore. Why? What are we doing here, guys? Yeah.

Well, like people were mad. They pulled Wheeler last night. Lazzardo? What? Do you not just see what happened? I know. Now he said that it had nothing to do with it. I'm sure he did.

Okay. Okay. That's fine. But, you know. Certainly coincidental, huh? Sanchez throws a complete game earlier in the year. It starts to go a little bit downhill after that. You know, you have the Wheeler. last year they're on the complete game. Ban complete games.

I'm in, because every time it happens, like in the moment, it's, it's, oh, yeah. I love it. Oh,

this is how pitching used to be. And then, it's just one win. Yeah. And if you go on with the season, it's like, oh, crap. Now,

I mean, the guy is to miss two weeks, but at least we got that one game that we won. It's crazy. It's like, Michael runs it through a no hitter. Guess what?

And he sucked after that. Exactly. I would take a playoff run from the rents and more than a no hitter. Ban the complete game. No more no headers. Pull them after eight. I don't care if you're under way to the pitching a Maddox. There's something there's something cursed about a complete game in Philly.

I mean, even Mizoroski is like worst like stretch of the season was after he threw that game against us, wasn't it? Didn't he have a few down games? I mean, he hasn't had many. He's just been awesome. But I feel like he had a couple bad starts after that and then got back.

Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, I. He probably didn't. He probably didn't. I mean, his bad games like three runs. Well, that's what I mean for him bad games. Yeah.

He's pretty crazy. I mean, you see the stat about how he, what he said? He has 900 pitches this year over 100 miles an hour or something like that, which is. And again, it's one thing. And I know we're tired of. I'm just so, I'm so astounded by it because it's one thing to see like an Eraldus Chapman or a Jordan Hicks out of the pen or what did these guys come in and just for an inning throw 104. It's like, okay, yeah, I get that. This guy's doing it for like seven innings.

And he's, like, it, I think he is an evolution. Like, he is a next step of arm ability. Well, yeah. It reminds me of, and I think these guys are, I think these guys are great and were great, whatever. It went from Manning versus Brady to Alan versus Mahomes. Yeah. And it's like Manning and Brady is like the tacticians and, you know,

they're looking at the defense. Look at this guy as a tank out on the field and can throw it 80 yards. And then you go to the evolution into Allen versus Mahomes and it's just two cyborgs. You know, that is what Jacob Mizoroski and modern pitching. in today's game is all about. So yeah, a bummer. A bummer, the Lizardo thing. Drink up, baby.

Fantasy Football Happy Hour is here to get you wins and have some laughs. Matthew Berry here and my podcast, Fantasy Football Happy Hour, has the sleepers bus and starts-in advice you need to win your league. We're diving into the tape. We're crunching the numbers to bring you sleepers. Bus weekly starts-sid advice, whether you're defending a title or desperately avoiding last place. I've got you covered every single.

single weekday. The bar is open. It's fantasy football happy hour with Matthew Barry, wherever you get your podcast. All right. Before we get to the Washington series, how do you feel right now? You know, overall with this team, because we are

two weeks away from the playoffs theoretically. And look, that... You get the juices flowing? Big time. Yeah. Diamondbacks lost yesterday. They are five and a half hop, I believe, with 10 to play, 11 to play, whatever is. they're in really good shape. We've seen them.

Yeah, the match number six. The point is they're in damn good shape to make the playoffs. They're fine. But they're in as they say. They are in good shape to make the playoffs. They are currently not playing well.

No, exactly. That is. And look, we and these are different teams constructively. I'm not saying one to one. But just as an example, like we do remember in 2022, they played horribly in September.

We hated them going into the playoffs and all of a sudden they went on a match. It is possible. Oh yeah. It just feels so far away right now. Yeah. So if I was looking at it positively, it would be 2022. It would be we went through this before the Marlins helping the Phillies out.

What is Sandy? What was that? Yeah. Now the negative part. Why? I mean, I love it. But like why? Are they still even alive?

Are they technically so alive? Technically. Okay. They are way. What is Sandy? Just like, I'll do it. Yeah. The bad news of what happened last time was Sandy.

In case you missed it. He started Monday. Yeah. And then came in. closed yesterday. It's technically his bullpen day. So, you know, it is whatever. Don's going to take that. And he's going to use it with Wheeler or someone. And that's, we're going to have, we're going to run these guys even more into the ground. So if I was looking at it from a silver lining perspective, I would say that they are going, a couple things. One, they dug out of

9 and 19 when we thought they were dead. Two, after the Cardinal series, we could proclaim them dead. All starting. Break all that. Yeah. They climbed out of the lost six of eight series after the All-Star break. It felt very similar to now. And even in games, like, we have seen them come back in, like, individual games quite a bit this year. And obviously the Shoreber Homer, so, so, like, we've had, this team does fight for all their other issues.

Like, they do fight when they're down. Mostly. Mostly. Now, how they're playing right now, I'm not seeing the most amount of fight, but we'll get to that. So the positives are, they've climbed out of this twice already this year. They could snap out of this as well. they need a spark, they need something.

We also could use history of 2022 where it felt, I think, more dire than this, and they were able to get into the playoffs and they went on a run. The other positive that I am trying to look at and something that I do think is in the realm of possibility is just, we've kind of talked about it,

but they've played bad and then once the postseason starts, they're like, listen, we got a time, we got nothing to lose. We're on the road. We want to be spoilers rather than the spoiled. We do better in the underdog. No one's... No one's expecting us to really do anything.

So I think that that could be something that plays into where they're at. The issue is, is they are just so hard to believe in from that standpoint, what we're seeing on the field. So you have the offense right now where Schwerber just set his personal number for strikeouts in the season. Trey looks about as limp as ever. Unbelievable. just a wet noodle of a baseball player. You get that foul ball, like almost Homer and then got a single after.

I was like, that might have been the best thing you've done this entire series. I was like, wow, last night where they walked Schwerber on four pitches and he struck out on three pitches and the bat ended up in the third base dugout. So he's going through that. Yeah, the bat flew out of the guy's hand. So you have Trey who's going through whatever Trey is going through back to being Trey of this year at least. And then like Harper was really. good in the Brave series. I don't really worry about Harper. I just, I have been, I have been annoyed with his attitude during this national series. He looks disinterested to me. And that irks me.

The abat in the eighth last night was embarrassing. Especially in Washington. It's always, it feels like he's always brought juice there. Yeah. Well, he, I think, he brought a lot of juice in Atlanta. I don't know. I just felt like he was, was not too into it, which bothered me. You know, rise at a good series. Important. It walks. He walks. He walked three times. Yeah, yeah. which was great. And I think he had a couple walks, a couple games ago, too. Like,

that's big. Then you get to, now, Boehm has been really solid, 100%, you know, he's a two out, just running,

scoring position. Yeah, he's our guy. He, I mean, he's been a meaningful swing change to me. I mean, like the,

the bat's higher than it's been. So it's believed, it's somewhat sustainable to you. Maybe. I have not. Yeah, he's not like, but the point is like,

it's like, it's possible to, like, like, like, he's out of, like, boom,

here there's like changing and maybe it's not like he's lifting and launching but he he he has been better he's made a swing change and that's the funniest part is like you know him stott and marsh well and stott marsh i mean well stott marsh britt right now but like all three of those they have their spurts for like see they're good now yeah and they go back into the toilet god they didn't sign five for one hundred for marcia yeah like tucker was begging for he was begging for he was begging he wouldn't shut up about it wouldn't stop talking about one of the best hitters in the first half and arguably the worst in the second half and arguably the worst in the second half He is the worst.

I know. I've seen something like R.C. Plus and stuff like that. He's 207. Waited around Scrae Plus. No, second worst is Mickey. Sad. But,

yeah, so Marsh has been brutal. Stott's hitting 1.23 in his last, he's five for his last 57. They are so consistent this team. It's consistent of being inconsistent. That's with a three hit game against the Braves. So you take that out.

It's even worse. He's two for his last 54, I guess. It was what the hell happened, Jack? well, I have no. They just are who they are. I don't know. He was crushed.

That was good. We're all like we believe. We're taking a lot of victory last. I was about to say, has there been a player who we have. The premature victory last? Yeah. More. Like he's bad.

He could do this. He's good. Like, I know. I know. I know. I know. I know.

It sucks. Yeah, it hurts. So, so yeah. So it's just the way they play and way they're looking right now and the way they've played really since that brave. The one here has been.

The one where they lost the first one. Yeah. Now they fought that Bray series. The Asher series was a coin flip, but they found more ways to lose than win. So the national series has been so uninspiring. And you look where they're at offensively. They're back to being cold. I know they walked 13 times after Maddenly said, we got to get more base runners,

which I guess was a good response. But also you're facing a Nats bullpen game. You scored three runs. Did you hear the sad that Ria gave him on the morning show? In first times it's 1955. 71 years. The team in Wong 39 It's unbelievable.

I know. So you have that. Then you have where you're at with the pitching staff, Lisa's starting staff. Lazzardo's hurt. Now, Wheeler was dominant last night. Wheeler was the one great thing that happened.

The life in his fastball was back. I thought up in the zone, he was able to control it. I mean, whatever they did, I think it was after the Mariners start. They really dug in with the cameras and figured out his arm angle

and got it back to where it was. It gives me some hope for Sanchez. It seems like now they're going to break glass in case of emergency and get in the lab and figure it out when it comes to that with him. But so you have you have Wheeler who's going to be the game one starter deserves to be the game one starter. It looks really good right now. Lazaro's are you have Sanchez who I can't believe how frustrated I currently am with Chris Sanchez because he's been so great the last two years. But my goodness, man, like it's the Nationals B squad. you're not facing Abrams.

Wood. Lyle eventually got in there, clearly. Yeah, you got in, all right. But, and I know there was a lot of weak contact, but there was also some hard contact. I mean, Chaparro hit a ball, hit a double and then the home run. Harry Ford in the seventh, when the game was still in doubt

or when it's still a tie game, rips the ball, two to pitch up the middle that you missed your spot by a foot on. I mean, he's just, he's all over the place. And it's like, you're too, what frustrates me about Sanchez is that he's too good for this. He's too good for it. You see him on the mound.

And he's getting more frustrated. And I think that that's not a great thing. Yeah. Because you, he's always been so even. Well, it's just clear that he is, he's frustrated with himself.

Yeah, that's the point. If he's showing it, that shows just how frustrated he is. So you have Sanchez who looks like a, not a shell of himself, but certainly not as good as he was. Noel has been really good. Do you trust on the postseason?

We'll see. Painter, the fact that it's in doubt if he's going to start over the weekend, what's concerning? Not great. Yeah, they have two TBDs for this, for the, I like,

how TBD is throwing right now, but I don't know if I can trust in a ball game. But like, that's good. What's going on with a painter? All of a sudden now he threw a bullpen. Like, well, maybe he'll start. Is he hurt? I have no idea. Is he fatigued?

Then they need to skip them. They can't skip them. So they're not doing two bowling games. Right. Nestor Cortez are we going to see him finally? I think Nestor might be up. I think so too. I feel like he has to be.

Well, I mean, like, but he also is not really starting. I think he's probably an inner two. I'm just saying like to, like to your point, like they can't get through two bullpen games. This bullpen, I mean, my God, Jack, my God, is there a bullpen that you would less like to see than this Philly's bullpen? The national. Sure. Even they got the job on Friday or not Monday. I'm so bad Tuesday.

Tuesday. Tuesday. There we go. We got there. Lizar through a complete game. Did we get there? Yes. Yes.

Yes. The cruise guy was pretty sick. Yeah. You know, there's one at that. It was Cruz, basically, Delacruz. And the ball is hit to Dylan Cruz. It's pretty good. Oh, man.

Is that baseball? I don't know what it is. It's a Jason Stark staff right there. I love it. Yeah. So that's the starting staff, which all of a sudden is in peril because of Lazzardo and you didn't go out and trade for another starter at the deadline so that you can't bring someone up or have someone in case there was injury.

They really got bailed out by Painter showing signs of life. Yes. If he didn't show signs of life, the not trading for a start of the deadline would be a much bigger thing. Look, that was, that was part of the. what we were saying with the dead link too is it wasn't just it's the depth it's that like if anyone goes down they have no one to fill in like that's a problem and how about instead of signing a guy like master cortez who was in pitched all year you signed someone who had been you know released or put on waivers

that has pitched this year so that so that they could come in and and at least eat some innings for you so so that's not even getting to the bullpen which you mentioned to where we have no idea how they're getting the ball to juander on i mean i know i john the bowling like Like, man, that's... Running on fumes. Yeah, he's running on fumes and the homers are a thing. Like, in... Three out of his last five games is our home run.

I mean, that was a tank shot, too. That was like, boom, go on. See you. Yeah, it sucks. So now, some of the developments in the bullpen, I think, are interesting. I mean, Alvarado has been pitching well, you know, which is... You will totally trust him in the playoffs, right? It's actually one of the worst developments for them.

I hate it. I hate it. I don't want them to go to him. I don't want to trust him. They are going to put a Jose Arvado. in too high leverage of a spot because they have no one else, and it's not going to go well. I think in their mind,

he is their second best reliever. Like, I think it's like him and Duran and McFarland and Bolin are like their four guys. Well, yeah, but my issue with that is that... Yeah, we all have issues. I'm just saying. McFarland should be ahead of Alabama.

Yes. And that was that, that is clear that he is not, given how it was used last night, Alvarado coming to that game, and how it was on Sunday against the Braves, where... McFarland's facing 789 and in a one run game, which is crazy.

I don't get it. Now, yeah, so it's those four. Kirkring's been battling the turf, though, you know, so we'll see if he gets back and can get into any high leverage spot. He won't. Oh, I really hope he does. Yeah, yeah, yeah, everything's fine. Everything's fine.

So, so yeah, and then he gets to the banks, he's in the mazes and then you work your way down from there. but they are as of right now a tough team to believe in. And I know the match just got swept, you know, so the Mets, a lot of that thing was Alonzo fuel. I mean, we got the, we got the all-time ball dropping between Soto Lendor. Soto Bichet. That was a great call.

It was a billion dollars. Like, at least we get some laughs there. Yeah, yeah. And Pete Alonzo hitting his 300th in New York. Oh, my God. Thank you for reading that up. One of the funniest things ever. I mean, to give the guy a curtain called cheer when he ties it late in the game.

Like that was just like, I am fine with the P. Lonzo homers in like the second inning. And you're like, hey, man, thanks for your time here. We love it. Like, Chase, like I get that. And Reese. And Reese. Totally. I get that.

I'm okay with that. Like, I'm not saying it's my favorite, but I get it. Yeah. The idea to give that guy a cheer in that spot was like one of the all time, like fraud fan moments of all time. Yeah, I'm curious how we would have handled it. I mean, if Olley's first game back and the Phillies were... And the Phillies were a dumpster firing.

It's almost like a screw you for being so bad thing. You're right. No, that's fair. You're right. That angle on it, not to defend Mets fans, but that's a fair angle on it. I agree. I probably would have cheered Pee too. No, I get it.

I get it. He's done a lot more than a lot of those other Mets on the field currently. I didn't take into like that. That's a good call. Okay. You're right. You twisted me up pretty quick. Not to defend Mets fans, but I also think that I probably would have chased in a walk or

if we were that mad. For his like 300. Yeah. And we were so mad at the team. You're right. Yeah. I think we would have done the same thing. It's great point by you.

And you know what's funny, man? Now that he's not met, I kind of like Belaide. I hate him so much less. I hate him so much less. Like I just. Did you watch the video of him and the guys after the game? I didn't see it. Okay.

So there's a video of him, the guys after the game who caught a 300th home run ball. He was wearing Alonzo jersey. And, you know, Pete came down. And Pete was very, it's so nice and refreshing when the athletes are just, just normal human beings. So like Jalix Hunt, for example, like Jalix Hunt, totally on the Jaleks Hunt show,

which you can hear in WIP Monday afternoon, Mondays at 6 at Jigs and Pete's, he can go down. He's like the most normal guy ever. You could tell. I mean, dude, you knew you. I mean, I'm sorry. You answered the phone when an NFL general manager's

calling you the draft. What's up, big pimping? Like, did you just have it? Like, you just are cool. Like, there's just something there. Like, you're comfortable. You know, you're yourself. Like, I'm so with you.

I think that's a matter. Now Pete comes off still as mostly a door. A door. But, like, he seems very, he seems very human. He was just like, you want to get you guys some bats. Like, I'll sign him, whatever you want. Like, he brought some beers for him. Like, they, he's like, if you want to come down to Camden Yards,

I'll bring you on the field for some BP. Like just very good guy stuff. And now that he's not in that. I can, I, I, I, come around and all. Like Jalen Brown with the kid and all that and boss. Yeah, now he's our guy. Yeah, he's our guy. Exactly.

What about the LeBron Zaco Tuesday? Dude, I love it. It's so, I'm so in on the way. It's so, like, they just. I joked on the show this morning. Joe was like, oh, hypothetical. If LeBron comes here for one year and wins a title, does he make the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame?

And I'm like, I'm putting him in for choosing us. He's in with me already. Like, that's where I'm at with LeBron. Like, I am fully it. It's just exciting too. Like when I read LeBron stats, now I feel like pride in them. I'm like, yeah, you're damn right.

That guy's done that. It's the weirdest thing of all time. I'll still believe he's playing for the sexers when I see him out there. It's the first game of the year. That's what I don't believe that he's actually. I don't disagree. I don't disagree. Are you got anything else on that,

NatSeries before we get to the bag? No, nothing crazy. Nothing crazy. Yeah, nothing crazy. You know what is crazy, Jack? What's crazy? That one and three people regularly suffer from nausea. I'm going to need it for the post season.

Dude, I know. I'm taking one to Tennessee for when I drink on time. Oh, man. Watch out, Nashville. One in three people suffer from nausea. My wife family is one of those people, and it's been a real problem in our lives. A car ride is an adventure and pain tolerance.

the idea of having a conversation. Impossible. Impossible. Zoe and I are sitting there talking to each other and her heads between her like. She's like, shut up. Literally. Please shut up.

We still talk about Mother's Day last year. Literally. Yes. We still talk about Mother's Day last year is a conversation. Remember the car ride because she was green by like her actually attinged to the green. Like I didn't think that was a real thing. She actually had a little greener. It's horrible.

We can't talk. We can't hang out. Trains. Can't even look at her. Don't even look. I love her. I'm trying to help her. Please shut up.

Yes. I'm like, stop talking. I'm trying to focus on driving here. I get it. You don't feel good. If you want to throw up, tell me to stop.

The problem is, sometimes you got throw up. It's a horrible situation, Jack. Thanks. Until what? Relief ban came out of that. And it's true.

Seriously, it's actually been a miracle for us. Emily is like completely fine. It's not even like, oh, I feel a little sick. She's fully 100% good to go. We're talking. it out. Zoe's having an awesome time.

It's been, honestly, it's been a miracle. You got your life back. It's been life changing. Yeah, you got your life back. I'm dead. Honestly, I have a lot of people being like, oh, it's not really true. I swear on my life that this is a, everything I'm saying is 100% true. She puts it on in minutes. It changes everything. It has been absolutely life changing.

Relief band is 100% natural, no pills, no side effects. And it works in just minutes again. I've seen it happen. Yeah. It stops, listen to this. Relief band stops nausea from motion sickness, morning, even from meds like jlp ones as i mentioned before it even works from nausea from hangovers so you're bringing it to nashville everybody that's right i won't say the two words that you hate this is not the forum board not the four things that make me go green that's oh well done well done so if you're like jack

and you go green from that reason or if you're driving in a car put relief ban on your wrist and turn nausea off go to reliefband.com use promo go james that's j a mes for 20% off relief ban dot com promo go james all right fredsy Yeah, I didn't think there was a lot. Plus, we got, we got a vent tonight going nap, the whole thing. Oh, yeah. Oh, wait, so you're going to get back to your nap? You're going to extend this. I got, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

All right. So I'll go to another. One of my favorite bits in I hope's history. I got another 10 minutes. Yeah, that's all right. Okay, so I become just fascinated with, like, the decisions that they're going to have to make this off season when it comes down to. Look at you.

You're already in the off season. This season's over. Classic Fritz here. Yeah, this season's over. like we'll cross that bridge. In two weeks we're going to be doing podcasts about this off season, by the way. You're not wrong. So, but, so they traded a guy who, so some of the super nerd,

prospect, like war projection, staff, places I follow. This is one of the nerderer sentences you said, so I like it. Ramon Marquez is the best pitching prospect in baseball. Stop. So. Stop it. Stop it. But.

Stop it. Even he's not number one, he's going to be at least in the five-ish area. Awesome. So you gave up arguably a top five pitching prospect in the sport for Luis of Rise. Are you not going to re-sign them? You know,

like that's personal pride you had to resign him. But then there's the bone thing. Bone now has been easy, easy, stop it, easy. Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath.

I don't know that I can. I'm just thinking about them as a front office. What they, they drafted them. I get it. Homegrown player who is, having a resurgent second half. Aiden's not like ready, ready.

Do they, I mean, now the issue is, I think a rise may take a one year deal. I don't think bone would, but like both of them, you present with the one year deal, whoever takes it. Well, and then you get to the, and then you get to the Marsh stock factor, Marsh, who obviously has been horrendous, but he's a year away from payday. Do you move on from there? Do you want to come back with the Crawford Marsh out for the next year again? I want all of them gone.

Honestly, I've reached that point. I don't want any of them back. Seriously, do they get all? I know that it's not feasible. I know that some, like you can't replace everyone. And as far as I'm concerned, I don't care if any of them come back.

That's honestly how I feel right. Any of these guys or the whole team? No, no, no. Like the four, a ride. I actually probably want to rise back the most, which agrees, but arise,

Stott, and I know Stott's on for a region, but Arise Stott, boom and Marsh, don't care. Marsh is a, Marcia is a free agent. Don't care.

Honestly, I am good. I have seen all I need to see on them. I'm good. arise a rise rising back i'm fine with that the other three like i'm good i love you guys thanks for the times i'm good i'm good i'm just good i'm good i'm tired of up stop believe again i believe again i'm tired of marsh oh he's got half one of one of the best sorts of baseball since last my first if you look at the numbers like i'm tired of it i'm just tired of it they are who they are they're inconsistent streaky guys who are not bad baseball players like they're not

they are worth being on a major league roster and they can have stretches where they're good as we know. But like, I'm just good on it. Like, as a baseball fan, like, I have maxed out on my ability to root for those three guys. Ready to have new blood in here. Yeah. Stott is the one that Scott's like the one of the, it's a Martian bomb. Goodbye. Yeah, Marshbone, I'm mostly over. I'm mostly over. I mean, Marsh is a platoon guy. He's not even hitting rice right on. He looks just so feeble. It's up there. The fact when I saw, when I saw he was the worst hitter in baseball in the second half. My reaction was not like, no way. My reaction was like, yeah, that, that jobs. I totally believe that. That was my reaction. He has seven extra base hits since July 1st. Wow. Seven.

Seven extra base. The guy's about like 320 homers at one point, you know, or almost like on pace. Yeah, 300, like 12 homers, right? On pace for 300 or 20. I think it's three doubles. I think it's four doubles and three home runs in that time span. In that time span. So yeah, he has been just dreadful. But they're going to have I mean, they had decisions to make with, I mean, again, Stott year away, Marsh year away, boom expiring, a rise expiring. What do they do? What does they do? Yeah.

Because also, obviously, if you resign. Also, let's real quick, let's not forget, because we talked about last market with the Bichette deal and going to, it is a horrendous free agent class this year. Like, you can't just go out in the market and replace everyone with guys on the free agent. It's ugly out there. Yeah, it's pretty ugly. I mean, there's players I like, like say as a free agent.

Sure, there are guys. But my point is, if you're saying, I'm flipping over four starting positions. And maybe you're adding one from the miners or something. Like it's not, it's not going to be easy to restock a lineup this season. You're going to have to make trades. You're going to have to do other things.

And then how much are they banking on, you know, Rincon and Aiden coming up and like, because they're knocking on the doorstep. Aiden probably close than Rincona. I assume they want Rincon to go to Lehigh Valley next year and prove it and prove that he is who he has been this year for Redding. So, you know, how much, how real do they view that when they're, when they're, you know, factoring all this in? So I think it's be a really, really interesting from that standpoint. Obviously, we know December 1st is the drop dead date for the CBA when that expires. I wonder how aggressive they're going to be before that. I, it's a fascinating situation. Because they're probably going to grandfather in the high payroll. So maybe you just suck it up and if they say six years from now, you got to be under this.

If somehow they got a salary cap then you just suck it up and start the process. Is that what you're saying? No, what I'm saying is that... Or you just go heavy and then go down from there. Yeah, so what I find hard to believe is let's say the institute... I don't think they're going to have a salary cap. But they institute aprons or whatever. Right.

I don't think it's going to be you've got to get under it now. I think there's a 0%. Anytime they've ever done that when they did add salary caps, the NBA, all these things, whatever, there's always periods for them to become compliant with these things and all that. So that's what I'm saying, like, if they feel like that that's what may happen, you put all the money in because you know you have... four years to pay it down or four years to get down under whatever it is. Well, it's also going to depend on what those like clause,

what those numbers are and like how hard like you don't want to overdo it and say how are possibly going to get down to that number in five years. We'd have to slash this, this, you know what I mean? Like it is a, it is a balance. Yeah.

But also I'm sure that some of the agents out there are like, I don't know what the money pulls are to look like. So I want to sign my guys before December 1st. Yeah. Big time. I think that I think, I think no matter what free agents are desperately going to one to sign. Probably.

Because, I mean, which could be exciting. We don't know for sure, but I think, I doubt that it'll be as free mark. Like, I think they will do something to curb the spending, whether it's some form, I don't think it'll be as dress as the NBA or whatever. I don't think there'll be a salary cap. But to get the deal done, there will have to be some give on both sides, some sort of compromise eventually. And I do think that it will be something that limits the biggest of contracts, don't you,

if you had to guess something that helps to limit that. And deferred. And deferred. Yes, exactly. Which is also something, though, that makes these contracts bigger. If you have to pay it all at once, you're not able to pay as much money because you can defer it. Yeah. The stuff that I'm really more passionate about is, well, this is like, selfishly, I hope there's an international draft because the Phillies are doing well now internationally.

But the one that irks me so much is how much they want to downsize minor league baseball, how much they want to, you have to be, they want to eliminate high schoolers being in the draft so that it can only be college players. so they just want to basically have college teams develop players rather than minor leagues, which I hate. Well, yeah, of course. They've already, I mean, minor leaguers get paid little this. Like, the minor leagues are already, like, way too underserved, undervalued to begin with. Oh, so 20 rounds are going to get it down to 10 rounds. I mean, for you, that's like we need all the draft.

Everything we can talk ourselves into. So, so yeah, the one thing I just wish that, I wish that they would have the conversation of is, like, we all agree there's going to be baseball next year. If they can get to the room and say, we all agree there's going to be baseball next year. How are we going to figure that out? We don't want to cancel the season. We don't we're in a good spot.

We all agree that eventually there's going to be a deal done. What's the deal? Like, what's the deal that we can get done to where we can get on the field next year? And hopefully there's some adults in the room. Hopefully there's an adult in the room. And it's a real, it's a real big test for Manfred and his legacy. Oh, yeah. Because he's been in a good spot.

And he's also known as it. a dealmaker. I mean, that was his whole thing. Like, Manfred's whole like image coming into the commissioner role was like, this is a guy who gets things done. This is a dealmaker. This is a guy who like for the CBA and stuff like, this is the guy to have in here as a commissioner. So like this is what he was brought in for. You know? So we'll see what happens. We'll see what happens. But I feel, I feel mostly positive. I, I'll figure it out. I think we'll lose a season. I don't think we'll start the season on time. Probably not. I haven't figured out where I am in between those two things.

you know what I mean. May 1st. I hope so. If you're saying like you have to put a date down and stick your house to it or whatever, I would probably pick June 1st. Yeah. But we'll see. We'll see.

So see everyone at the Burrow and Downing Town. Yes. And see you later. It's going to be awesome. Coming out, Burrow and Downing Town tonight will be there. Again, you can win Phillies tickets, hang out with us, win some other prizes. It's going to be awesome. and three of four against the Mets.

No, split. Okay. All we're rooting for this. You're honestly, you're right. All they need is. We got a bullpen game in there. We have no idea we're getting a painter. It's a really good point by you.

I don't know what I was talking about. The Mets are going to be super psyched to try and beat the Phillies. They don't play well up there. No, they're generally. It's a house of horrors. So split. Split. Yeah.

We'll take a split official position. We'll be back after the weekend. Until then, he's friends themselves.