High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Phillies are Going to the NLCS Reaction Pod

Episode Date: October 16, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react on Sportsradio WIP to the Phillies beating the Braves and clinching a spot in the NLCS. 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

Dominguez ready. The 3-2. Swing and a miss! He got him! And the ball game and the series are over! And the Phillies are headed to the National League Championship Series as they have taken out the world champs! An 8-3 win! The Phillies celebrate on the mound. And this crowd can celebrate as the Phillies season will continue. Yo! It is a special post-game edition of the High Hopes podcast slash the High Hopes radio show. We are live. Jack Fritz and James Seltzer sitting in Citizens Bank Park. We've hugged a million people.

We've slapped a million fives. It has been an absolutely magical day at the ballpark. And Jack Fritz, your Philadelphia Phillies, our Philadelphia Phillies, are going to the National League Championship Series. How you doing, buddy? I never thought I'd be here, James. I like, there was a point towards the end of last season and maybe like three weeks ago, I was like,

am I ever going to see the Phillies in the playoffs again? Like, I was straight up asking myself that question. And here we are, three weeks ago, I was like, am I ever going to see the Phillies in the playoffs again? Like I was straight up asking myself that question. And here we are three weeks later, and the freaking Philadelphia Phillies are eight wins away from the World Series. From the World Series. They're going to the NLCS. I can't believe we're sitting here, buddy. I can't believe we just sat here all afternoon.

And it was like almost stress-free in a way. It was easy, dude. It was almost stress-free. I was expecting a white knuckler, and it was nothing. They demolished the Atlanta Braves. Game one was a blowout. I know it got close late. 17-4.

They outscored the Braves at home in this series. 17-4, Jack. Yesterday was a Braves at home in this series. 17-4, Jack. Yesterday was a blowout, and today was a blowout. And for all this last year and last couple years of, oh, well, how are we ever going to beat the Braves? The Phillies just took it to them. The Phillies just took it to them. And I couldn't be happier.

I can't stop smiling. I can't stop thinking about, you thinking about this place and how loud it was and how into it everyone was. And the rally towel is going again. And everyone just, you know, the jubilation on the field after they won. The Phillies are going to the freaking NLCS, dude. They're going to the NLCS. I can't believe it.

I can't believe we're here. This is something that, you know, 08 was special. 09 was special. 10, 11, it was all special. all special but like now i'm an adult and and now now you and i and all of our listeners out there like everyone that's listening right now has sat through 11 years of dread and torture for this moment for this moment celebrate it celebrate what we just watched because it doesn't happen very often. That's a great point, man. And again, the Phillies are one of the final four teams in baseball this year.

They are in the final four of the 2022 season. And to your point, I caught myself umpteen times today just looking at the crowd, just looking around the stadium, seeing the rally towels and seeing the people into it and we were talking about it like five minutes after the game's over as they're celebrating on the field not a single person had left the stadium no it was magical here like honestly it had been 11 years since I've been in this ballpark and felt that and I forgot man I forgot I forgot what it was like to be here for a day like this, for a magical, special day. And you know what I'm really happy for? Obviously, we're happy for all the fans out there.

Happy for everyone who's gone 11 years. I mean, I saw kids here where it was like clear that they were like, you know, two, three, four years old. The last time the Phillies made the playoffs, they're here with their dad or their mom or whatever and it was magical but for those players man for those players who've been here through it reese hoskins and aaron nolan zach eflin and all these guys to be here through this the last whatever amount of years and see this park the way it was sadly right sadly and for them to get to experience this last two days like i i they probably had no idea this could happen. Like, for them, this must be the most amazing experience, and they showed up because of it. It was amazing, dude.

It was. And, again, I echo your sentiment here that I'm happy for those guys, and I'm especially happy for Reese. I'm especially happy for Nola, Eflin, being able to come in and do that today. Like, the first guys that came up and were really a part of this thing and have been through, been here through the Drek. I mean,

it's been a struggle these last couple of years. And for them to be able to see what this place is like for everyone that out there that loves to say, ah, football town, this baseball town, it's baseball's dead in this city, dude,

this place was electric the last couple of days. And it was filled with, it was filled with so many, so many like 20 plus yearolds, like 25 to 30. You told me that yesterday after the game. You were like, you're not going to believe how many kids are here. And I was blown away today. It was because there's something special about falling in love with a baseball team. You feel much more – you just feel connected to them.

And as we sit here today, they might be going to the World Series, buddy. I know. They might be going to the – I've talked about it a lot. It sounds so ridiculous when you say it. You said that sentence, and I'm like – I almost blanched it because I'm like, what? But from day one of this postseason, the Segura hit, the Castellanos catch. The Nola game with Eflin closing it out. Like there's so much team of destiny.

The Hoskins-Homer. The Hoskins-Homer, the Marsh-Homer. JT Real Immuno hit an inside the park home run today. The catcher. What are we doing? The first catcher in the history of baseball did an inside the park home run in the postseason, and it was magical here like that was a moment that for the rest of my life I will never forget being here and yelling go go

and everyone losing their minds and again the hugs and the high five I forgot what it was like to hug strangers man like I forgot it's the best I the best feeling in the world. And the fans showed up. And the players showed up. Like, this team came home. We talked so much. Like, that was the whole thing with the first round. It was like, yes, this is nice. We won a round.

This is cool. But we need baseball back at Citizens Bank Park. That's what playoff baseball. That's what we wanted. That's what we were yearning for. And then for them to, again, outscore the Braves 17-4 in the two home games we get, like, magical is the word, man. Like, I can't – that's the only word that keeps coming to my mind is magical.

You keep calling them a team of destiny. It feels that way. It's just – it is a miraculous, miraculous thing that we are watching. And if you want to chime in and weigh in on this, 215-592-9494. Celebrate with us. That's all I care about. Obviously, James and I are ecstatic and over the moon, and I haven't stopped smiling for the last hour and a half,

and I've hugged so many people. I'm not a hugger, James. You're not. You're much more of a hug guy. I have been just hugging everyone I've seen. But what makes today so special is to be able to celebrate it with everyone. That's right, buddy. Like, James and I are just pawns on the radio being able to talk about it.

But we love this baseball team. We know how much you love this baseball team. Celebrate this. I love it. Celebrate this. Let's do it right now. 215-592-9494. Let's start it out in allentown with matt matt you are on wip after the phillies have

just clinched a burst birth in the national league championship series how you feeling pal i cannot tell you how much it means to me and look i'll just give you an example of how this just permeates throughout the whole Phillies fandom. I was at the store getting a beer and some guy next to me told me he was at the game yesterday. And a woman, he was in a nosebleed. And the play started rocking. And the woman next to him asked him if it's normal for the stadium to be rocking like this. And it just shows the excitement that everyone has about the Phillies right now.

I mean, there's so much to get to. There's so much about this game that was special. JT Romito inside the park home run. Stuff like that doesn't happen unless you're going to have a special season. I really think the Phillies are going to win it all this year. This game was just phenomenal. Brandon Marsh still doesn't hit home runs. What's he doing hitting a three-run home run?

This guy doesn't hit homers. He's like a gap hitter. How about our guy? How about our guy, Dave Dombrowski? Noah Syndergaard comes out, pitches well today. Brandon Marsh. Brandon Marsh goes, yeah, yeah. And we forget, Jose Alvarado, the first trade that Dave Dombrowski made.

Garrett Clevenger for Jose Alvarado was the first thing he did when he got here. Look, and I just want to throw some shade at the Braves, because, I mean, we did beat a really good team, but Acuna had a terrible game. Yes, and he looked checked out three times. He had two really, really bad plays, and he let run score on both of those plays, and you could just tell, like, the body language wasn't there for him,

and it was sweet. It was like tasting the sweet tears of the Atlanta Braves I love it I love it I love it I love it great first call to start us off and you can hear the emotion the energy and and he mentioned it and I we haven't brought it up yet but this being against the Braves makes it so much sweeter makes it that much sweeter I hate makes it that much sweeter. I hate them so much. And we've talked about all series, like all these fricking rookies they bring up and they, they put a gun to their head to get them to sign contracts. These contracts they sign are unbelievable.

They've been on such a heater, the Braves, they've been on such a heater and the Phillies just whooped their asses, man. It took like two miraculous catches and a weird wheeler off inning and a Cooney getting hit for them to even win one game in this series. The Atlanta Braves got sunned by the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies beat the reigning champs.

They destroyed the reigning champs. Let's keep it rolling. Let's go to our buddy. Kyle Kendrick. Michael in Haddon Township. Michael, what up, buddy? James, how you been, buddy? I'm so excited, buddy. I'm so excited, buddy.

I'm so excited. Oh, man. I haven't seen you guys since the High Hopes night in 2019. Oh, my God. Dude, my first game was Philly's opening day, 1976. Wow. I'm sitting here now as a 55-year-old who's been starving for this for 10 years this is a team we've got a legit shot at getting to the series we do buddy we absolutely do michael i don't know what i'm I'm sitting here just like pacing back and forth, remembering everything from 76, 80, 2008, 93.

This is going to be fantastic. And I'm so happy for you young guys to finally be experiencing this. Michael, it's such a great point because it's generational. I'm not young. I'm old. But it is. It's a great point, Michael. It's Michael. It's such a great point because it's generational. I'm not young. I'm old, but it is. It's a great point, Michael. It's generational. I've said it before, but you see parents with their kids here who weren't old enough to experience this before. You see people who are like 11 years old and now are 22. And we met a guy, Tyler, tonight who is 22.

He's like, I was 11 when they went to play us before and I bought a beer tonight. How cool is that? Like, it's that kind of stuff that makes it special. James, you know I love you and Jack forever. You younger people, you have to remember this forever. It doesn't come every day, especially on such a beautiful October afternoon. Oh, great call. Especially this family. It's Philadelphia. Well, like, James, I mean, think about it this way.

You know, we grew up hearing about 1950. We grew up hearing about 1964. We heard about Black Monday. They won the World Series in 80. I grew up hearing so much about 93. I grew up with 07 through 11, which is magical. And now the 2022 Phillies are having one of the – I mean, we're at a point where this is one of the five best Phillies

in the world. They're ridiculous. Like, mean, we're at a point where it's one of the five best Phillies teams. What a ridiculous – Legitimately, we're watching – Dude, I just need this for everyone out there. The Phillies are in the freaking NLCS, dude. What world are we living in right now? The Phillies are the first team to advance to the CS. Like, there's no other team in yet.

The Astros game is still going on. The Phillies are the only team that is officially in the championship. Dude, I'm gushing. I'm gushing. I couldn't be happier. 2-1-5-5-9-2 94-94. We're going to continue to take your calls. It is a high hopes victory hour after the Phillies

have just won a game 7 to 8 to 3, right? Jeez Louise, I forgot about the heartburn. What a game! What a day! What a magical moment. We're here with you. Get on board now. We're going to celebrate. Celebrate with us as the Phillies are going to the NLCS.

It's Fritz. It's Seltzer. We're coming right back. Here's the 1-1 swing and a fly ball center field. Back into his right is Harris towards the angled wall to the track, and the wall reaches out. It comes off the wall. It rolls away. JT flying around second.

He's heading for third. Dusty Watson is going to wave him home. Here's the relay to the plate. There'll be no throw. JT slides. It's an inside the park home run. JT Romucho hits one off the bottom of the angled wall and caroms away from Harris and it's four to one Phillies what a play what a moment like Jack there are not that many moments

that I can point to that I've been in a building for where I can say wow that might be the coolest thing I've ever seen and that was that moment that was be the coolest thing I've ever seen. And that was that moment. That was among the coolest things I've ever been in a building for. The entire crowd urging him to go. Like, it was clear it was going to happen. You're like, Acuna didn't back it up. We're like, wow, this is going to be an inside the park home run by a catcher in a playoff game. That happened.

I mean, Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter in a playoff game. I actually think seeing an inside the parker is more insane. Yeah, I mean, maybe not more rare, but more insane. I mean, home runs are great, and they're awesome. But any real baseball fan knows that when you're in the ballpark, a double, triple, slash inside the parker and hearing. You don't even say inside the parker run because you don't even count it. You're like, I want to triple because you're like,

you don't even think inside the parkrun run is an option. Exactly. And just hearing the crowd start to rise. And then once everyone realized, like, JT coasted. He coasted inside the parkrun run. I didn't realize. So because where we were, we were, like, standing room and watching from behind. Like, people are jumping up and going nuts.

I didn't realize there wasn't a throw home until I just heard that call. Yep. I assume they at least threw home. I didn't, it's un- They didn't throw home on that. They didn't throw home on a single to left field later that like scored a key insurance run for the Phillies. And again, insurance runs. How about the Phillies just piling on and saying,

no, because early on it's like, all right, they get runs and the Braves will get a solo homer and a solo homer and kind of keep like, you know, chipping away. And then all of a sudden it was like, no enough of this like we are going to just keep putting up runs and pull away and and and finish you off even when it was even when it was 4-1 it was and they and they made it like 4-2 and then like the Olsen home or whatever I was just like they got it I felt this like there was never weird what's so weird about this team is that like when I watch

them I always just assume they're going to lose. They'll find a way to lose. For the last 11 years, Jack, that's how I felt. I have nothing. I can just sense a loss coming. It's a sixth sense of mine. It's your superpower. And I didn't feel it.

When they made it 4-2, I was like, yeah, but Pilates is going to get out of this. It's not a big deal. And there was no point today where I was stressed. I was stressed, yeah, but like Pilates is going to get out of this. It's not a big deal. And there was no point today where I was like stressed. I was stressed this morning. Like this morning. Because I started thinking about like – I started thinking about, okay, so you lose today and then you go – you go Wheeler on three days rest. Is that really what you want?

First a fully rested Max Fried. Right. That's scary. And I was like, they got to end it today. And honestly, James, I sit here thinking, they don't win that game without this crowd. And they don't win these last two games without the crowd because I don't, we talked about this last time on the podcast,

like, I don't know how you're a baseball player and you felt that yesterday and you sensed that yesterday and you don't want that euphoria again. And they wanted that euphoria again. You could just sense it with the way they played today. It was like, they might have finally reached the ceiling that we dreamt of at the right time. And I don't think Bryce – like Bryce continuing his whole

we're not losing this game thing, that means something. I'm just telling you it means something. How about Bryce just being insanely locked in right now? I mean, we spent, what, two months or whatever, or a month and a half, whatever it was, after Harper coming back from the injury, being like, well, you know, that's not Bryce Harper. That's a shame.

And then the playoffs start, and it's the guy from last year again. The guy from the start of the season. Well, and it's the guy you don't want to pitch to. I mean, he is like straight up. He's in the center of baseballs all of a sudden playing for the Phillies again. Hey, James, guess what?

What? You know who they might face next round? Who's that? That'd be Blake Snell. Oh, buddy. You know who's ready for some revenge? That's a really good point. I didn't think about that.

Who's ready for some revenge? That's MV3, baby. That's a great point. 2-1-5, 5-9-2, 94-94. Let's keep it rolling. Celebrate with us. Go to South Philly and talk to our buddy, Dan. What up, Danny?

Oh, my God. James, Jack, can you believe this? No. Straight up, I can't believe it. But we are so freaking happy, man. I mean, you know neighbor Dan is a podcast guy and not a radio guy, so this has to be something special. Neighbor Dan!

It's a party! Oh, my God. This is the last time I'm ever going to do this. But, I mean, forget three weeks ago, Jack. Two weeks ago. Can you believe, like, did you think two weeks ago you'd be sitting there at the ballpark doing a show following a win that is sending them to the NLCS? This is unbelievable. Dan, I got to be honest.

This is an absolute dream come true like being able to be on wip which is like the greatest thing in the entire world after and celebrating with you and every single person out there listening right now it is this is an absolute dream they're going to the nlcs i mean literally two weeks ago i went to a bar in the city and i had to like beg them to turn the game on the tv like nobody cared you know know, college football. And they got destroyed in the first game of that doubleheader by the Nets. And I'm thinking, here we go again, another year. We put all the time, you guys, myself, we put into this team,

and they're going to blow it again. And then, like, nothing. The Brewers lose to the Marlins twice. All of a sudden, we're clinching. I mean, they've celebrated three times in the last two weeks. I can't even keep track of them all. It's unreal. But, man, he's so right, though. Like, think about it, Jack. Like, two and a half weeks ago, everyone in this city was like, oh, man, they're doing it again. Yep. It's September. It's collapse time.

Yep. It's happening again right in front of our faces. And now we're sitting here on WIP talking about them going to the NLCS. Like, what a crazy two weeks. Well, it's like they go out to Chicago and they get swept and it's like you guys freaking serious I know you know they win the game one in in in Washington it's like cute adorable good job would it be the Nationals what you've done for for two years now and then dude 13 to 4 happened and it's like why am I wasting my time? All the same emotions are coming back of like,

what a waste of time. Like, what an absolute waste. I spent, I watched 161 baseball games this year of Phillies baseball. I figured it out too, I'm 160. I was one less than you. I was 161 of like, obviously not start to finish, but seeing a pitch.

And I was like, we do two podcasts a week. We watch every game. You do Phillies today. And it's like, we do two podcasts a week. We watch every game. You do Phillies today. And it's like, what a waste. I know. And here we are. Again, you just said it. We are sitting at Citizens Bank Park after the Phillies just clinched a spot

to go to the NLCS. It is so surreal. But that's what makes baseball so beautiful. And that's what makes this town so perfect. We have seen so many of these postseason teams, of these, you know, home teams that have gotten tight when the road teams have come in here. And what the Phillies did was use the crowd to their advantage. And what we did as fans is put all kinds of pressure on the braves and that one

that's what makes us different there was charlie chance today oh my god like i hate you know i've texted you about those years like i hate the tomahawk chop it's one of my least favorite things on the planet i can't believe it's still a thing in 2022 but you know what i'll tell you the mock chop in the stadium for it pretty great great. Yep. It was pretty great. It's different. And it's magical, man. It is ridiculous that we're here. And I can't wait for game one.

2-1-5. Game one of the NLCS. What? 2-1-5. Is that a thing? Zach Wheeler will be starting game one of the NLCS. And that's another underrated part of this. Didn't have to use him.

Didn't have to use him. It's amazing. It's amazing. 2-1-5-5-9-2-94-94. We will take your calls. Celebrate with us. We are on for another hour and 15 minutes. We're going to be reacting to this magical, magical day as a Phillies fan.

The greatest day as a Phillies fan that I've had in my career. I started in radio in 2012, and now they're here. It's a beautiful thing. Celebrate with us. 2-1-5-5-9-2-94- here. It's a beautiful thing. Celebrate with us. 215-592-9494. It's High Hopes celebrating. The Phillies going to the NLCS. We're coming right back.

1-1. Swing and a high fly. Deep left field. Towards the corner. Rosario looking, and it is gone. Bryce Harper, an opposite field home run to tack on one more here in the eighth. It's 8-3, Phillies.

Put an exclamation on this one. Man, I'm so struck, and it's Jack Fritz and James Seltzer, high hopes reaction to the Phillies winning today at home and going to the NLCS, and I'm struck as I'm listening to that. I'm listening to JT highlight. And it's something, Jack, we've talked about on the podcast for years. Literally, I think the entirety of the podcast, the six years or whatever we've done it is having new highlights, having new moments, how we love the 7 to 11 highlights and our

80 highlights and the Schmidt and the Harry calls and all that and how magical and special they are to us, but how it's been so long since we added to that, since we, we brought in new highlights that are going to last with us forever. And the Hoskins Homer yesterday, the Marsh Homer, the JT inside hearing frantic call the JT inside the Parker. Like this is stuff you and I are going to hear thousands of times like think about how special that is that stuff happened today that's going to live with us forever and that that's what's so beautiful about today well 10 years from now

and you know hopefully it's not another playoff drought yeah let's not do that again but we'll get to we'll get to relive those moments and there'll be new chill inducing calls and we'll look back you know obviously we remember we remember all of them, like the Howard double, the Rollins walk-off, the Victorino Grand Slam. We're already starting to have those moments with this team. And we're already starting to – I'll remember where I was for the Castellanos catch. I'll remember the Francie call of that. I'll remember the Hoskins home run is just so chill-inducing. The Gene hit. Yes. So many of that. I remember the Hoskins home run is just so chilling. All the time. The Gene

hit. So many of them. And we talked a lot about get Franski to the playoffs. Yeah, we did. Was that our best take ever? I think it might have been. I think it might be our best take ever because Franski's back in the playoffs and our guy in LA, they are freaking delivering. Those guys are so good

and all throughout the season all the fill-ins were awesome. But those two have just such a different chemistry. And there's nothing that brings a smile to my face more than hearing L.A. It was a little like, Oh, yeah. Woo, woo. Hey.

It was like Franski's, JT, run out there. Go, go. There's the best. I'm getting chills. I'm getting chills talking about it. And we got more of that. And guess what, buddy?

We got a whole other series coming up. I know. One of the last four. It's not over. We are on the national stage. It is a beautiful thing. Let's keep it rolling. 215-592-9494.

We are on until 8 o'clock. Celebrate with us. Let's go to Newtown and talk to our buddy, George. George, we did it, pal. What's up, Jimmy and Jack? It's honestly gotten hard to take a smile off your face after watching that. I know. They played

amazingly well. I gotta tell you, my MVP, Bobby Thompson. The fact that he never juggled that lineup, I'm telling you. Everyone! Everyone wanted to juggle it around. He never juggled that lineup. I'm telling you. Everyone. Everyone.

Everyone wanted to juggle it around. And credit to him. Like, he has had such a good feel for this team. Seeing how the city, like, was just reveling in Rob Thompson smiling at the end. Like, he's so stoic. He has such a good feel for this team. And him never wavering and trusting his guys. That means something, especially in baseball.

Like not panicking, George, that means something. Absolutely. You know what? It gave them confidence. It made a big difference. I say they did two things that made a huge difference this year. One, they got rid of the ethical situation in center field. Two, they changed managers.

situation in center field. Two, they changed managers. From that point on, from them two changes on, they played baseball the way it's supposed to be played, and today was the epitome of it. Quick story,

I'm watching a bunch of dogs today, so I couldn't go to the game. I'm watching dogs because my daughter and all her friends are down at her bachelorette party. Wow. Having a good time down the shore. That daughter was born on August 7th, right after Kim Batiste hit the ball.

After the ball went through his leg to let him tie the game, he ended up hitting a single. Needless to say, I wanted to name her Kim. Well, Jenna's having a good time today. That's awesome. George, we love you, buddy. What a win. And you can hear the emotion.

You hear that in his voice, and that's what this is. And that's what the Phillies do for us. The Phillies, because it is such a long season, and you get so emotionally invested, and the losses kill you. You know, being able to celebrate this today, you know, we talk about clinching in 07, 93, but now we're talking about the 2022 Phillies, which is a place I never thought we'd be at.

Especially after the wait. After the wait. And you talk about things that have changed this team, you know. I'm hearing Girardi. As George is talking, I'm just thinking about, like, and it's Thompson too, but it's the combo of getting rid of Girardi and it being Thompson. Like,

that is the thing. You point to a lot of things this year, that was the moment where everything changed. Well, that and, like, you know, halfway through the season realizing, hey, defense is, is like kind of important. Yeah, let's go get a Mundo Sosa. Yeah. Let's go get Brandon Marsh.

Like, let's go do these things where it's shores up a baseball team and you turn into a great team and you turn into a winner. Like, for so long, for the last like three years, it's been like these guys are losers. They don't know how to win. And here we are, and they're winners. They are winners. They just beat a team that's a team of winners.

And a team that always gets back bringing in. Exactly. Exactly. And they just beat their pants off. They did. And we said it earlier, but it bears repeating. Like, Bryce Harper was the best player in this series. And Bryce Harper is back to being the MVP.

And Bryce Harper has a chance to carry this team to the World Series. To the World Series. That was the thought. When they signed him, we're like, man, Bryce Harper, playoff baseball. Like, we are real again. And to actually see it in action, and what a series Harper had. It's amazing. All right, 215-592-9494.

We're going to get to a lot of calls next hour. It's been a tight hour coming out of the game, finishing up the coverage. But it is all us and you coming back. Get on the line now, 215-592-9494. We're going for another hour. Jack Fritz, James Seltzer, High Hopes Radio, another hour reacting to a magical day at Citizens Bank Park. Stick with us.

Celebrate with us. It's Fritz at Seltzer. Thank you. Why can't you see me? Jack Fritz and James Elton reacting to the Phillies winning today with the NLCS. It still feels surreal to say it. I've been somewhat of a critic of this song itself, Dancing On My Own. I will say, in the ballpark when they play at the end, like, yep, in, felt it, it's magical, it's awesome. I feel like I've said the word magical 20 times the only word that like describes how i'm feeling yeah rod actually texted me said

how many times it's going to say magical until eight o'clock but it is man and um like dancing on my own like is the song bad mostly yes but when the whole crowd is going like it was like it's just It's just different. And it's one of those things that, you know, we talked last podcast about jealousy, go Cubs, go. Like, the crowd was behind today. The crowd was into everything. The crowd was into every pitch.

The crowd was into every fly ball. The crowd was into every strikeout. Dude, I was saying to you, crowds were even doing, like, the charge chants. And, you know, like, do, do, do, do. Like, everyone was getting. Which no one ever does. That's my point. We're here. No one ever does that. regular season. That's my point. We're here.

No one ever does that. And every single person was into all of it. It was as locked in a crowd as I remember. And you want to know the biggest difference, buddy, is that I had to sprint to the bathroom to make sure the line didn't get too long. Yep. That's when you know playoff baseball is back in Philadelphia. And we are really, really firing on all cylinders.

And just, again, not having to use Zach Wheeler today and making sure he's fully rested. They go into the NLCS with Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola perfectly healthy and on a lot of rest. That is dangerous. You couple that with Wheeler being off essentially for the month before that. He's rested and ready to go. He turns into a massive weapon.

Do I hope that he turns into these guys? No. But would I take a World Series? Yes. But it reminds me a lot of Patrick Corbin and Chris Sale. Sure. I mean, those guys were – I mean, that was – Dave Dombrowski's last World Series team was 2018.

He brought Chris Sale in every situation possible. Nathan Ivaldi's the same thing. Closed it out. He closed it out. He closed it out. Corbin, they brought out of the bullpen. They pitched a ton, but Zach Wheeler's positioned to do that. Nola's ready to do that. I think

Ranger just had a bad start. I still think I mostly trust them, but they are... It's almost like there's a lot of time off here. There's a lot of time for them to think, but on paper they are fully rested and really healthy heading into the LCS. And not just that. That's the funny thing about this team is that it's not like a scrub team

that won 83 games and got into the playoffs and went on a run. But my point being that this is the sixth highest payroll in baseball. This is a stacked roster. This is a team that ultimately underachieved in the regular season by winning 87 games. They can beat anybody, man. They can beat anybody. And you know the other thing, James,

is that hopefully they're getting David Robertson back for the NLCS. It's a great point. They didn't even need him. They didn't even need him. Jose Alvarado. Jose Alvarado is turning it. Listen, I know Brad Lidge was perfect in 2008. Jose Alvarado is better.

Jose Alvarado. Jose Alvarado is better. Yeah, he's nastier. He is better than 08 Brad Lidge right now. And how about Sir Anthony? Sir Anthony is locked in. He's back. He's back.

Dave Lundquist had a conversation with Sir Anthony in the bullpen last week. LA and France. He said this on the air. Dave Lundquist was talking to Sir Anthony in St. Louis, and he was like, are you okay? And Sir Anthony's like, yeah. He's like, well, why don't you just go throw a strike? And Sir Anthony's like, okay, sounds great.

And now we're getting 99 with sync again, James. Thank you, Dave Lundquist. Yes, shout out to Dave Lundquist. Get your World Series ring, kid. 215-592-9494. Jack said it before. Who cares what we have to say? We want to hear what you have to say,

because this is a special moment for this city. We have waited 11 years to be back in this spot. And really, we've waited, I guess, since 2009 to technically be back in this spot we're in right now. We've not been in the NLCS since 2009. It's a special day, man. Let's hope it doesn't end the same way. Yeah, well, you know. But at the same time, and I know we'll go to the phones one second yeah this is all house money like this is oh

that's the way it feels this is perfect this is this is everything right now like it we're still living and dying with every pitch we're still getting chills we're still thinking about the calls but like everything from this point forward is just gravy yeah it's just gravy just hop along and get on the get on the. And it feels like for the players too, we talked about it so much going into the playoffs saying, hey, the big weight on them was the playoff drought. I think that might be our best take.

I think it might be the best take we ever had. We're like, they're going to be loose going to, we feel good about it. And like, look what's happening. It's an amazing thing. All right. React with us. Celebrate with us. 2-1-5-5-9-2-94-94. Let's go to Glenn Olden and talk to my buddy Rob. Positive Rob's going to be positive tonight, I would guess. What up, Robby?

Yo, what's up, fellas? How you doing, man? Great time. What's up, Robby? Listen, James, I texted before. I said, they're going to win and Harper goes yard. They won and Harper went yard. Look at you, buddy.

Look at you. It's a man-dog kind of night tonight. Man-dog kind of night. Again, it's just an unbelievable night. And that Harper-Homer being like the exclamation point at the end. Because it was like, all right, now even a grand slam doesn't tie it. It's just like, wow, man. It made the ninth inning so stress-free.

Exactly. Instead of like, oh, my God, they're going to blow it. I was just counting down outs. I started at 12. I started at 12. And Jack was not just counting Braves out. He was counting all outs. It was very good. You could feel it through the TV, and then you got that

Nimrod, Denard, you know, stretching out the last at bat just to be a tool. You know what I mean? That's because he's a former Phil. Yeah, I know he was a former Phil. And what was appropriate was him. He's like the one guy that couldn't get out all series, too. But listen, I love you guys both former player. And what was appropriate was him. He's like the one guy that couldn't get out all series, too. But listen, I love you guys both so much. Your dad.

I lost my dad right before the Eagles were on. And it's just one of those moments you wish you could, you know. Well, Rob, yeah, actually, like, you know, you brought that up. I lost my dad almost 19 years ago. Oh, wow. Today would have been my dad's 75th birthday. Wow. My dad was born October 15, 1947.

So I thought about that a lot today. Great call, buddy, and we appreciate it. I thought about that a lot. The reason I'm a Phillies fan is because of my dad. He took me to games when I was a kid. I was here for Schmidt's retirement ceremony. I was here for Carlton's retirement ceremony. I was here for all these.

I remember I met Ricky Jordan on the field. My dad got us on the field, and it was so cool. I got to meet one player, and I met Ricky Jordan. I was like, this is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me. It was, like, amazing. And, yeah, it would have been his 75th birthday. And, again, it goes back to that thing that I keep talking about, that what makes this so special is the generational aspect of it,

that, you know, it's familial. My dad was a Phillies fan. His dad's a Phillies fan. Zoe's going to be a Phillies fan. Her kids are going to be Phillies fans. And for us to wait so long and for it to be, you know, 11 years of our lives, man, like people who are 60 or 70, people who are 10 or 20, like it's like big, big gaps in our life without this.

Massive. And a lot of time spent watching this. Oh, my God. It's horrible baseball. So much horrible baseball we've watched. So much disappointing baseball we've watched. So much disappointing baseball we've watched. Yeah. That's the thing about baseball is it's such a commitment.

Yes. You're giving three and a half, three to four hours a night, every night for six months of your life to this team, and we've gotten so little back for 11 years. And this is why we do it. I mean this in the most endearing way possible. Trust me when I say this. Anyone can be an Eagles fan.

Anyone can be an Eagles fan. I totally get it. It is 17 weeks out of the season. That's not commitment. I'm just letting you know this is commitment. You're right, buddy. This is commitment. This is 160-plus games watched a year.

This is multiple podcasts a week. This is commitment. This is 160-plus games watched a year. This is multiple podcasts a week. This is minor leagues. This is – I treat every single Phillies game like an Eagles game, and they crush me when they lose. And to be able to sit here on the radio reacting with people, being in the ballpark today, and hugging just so many strangers, there's just – I'm going to steal your word of the night. Yes, do it.

And it's just magical. Because it's the right word. Yes. It's the right word. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I love this. I'm excited to see it.

Justin in Northeast Philly called the Midday Show multiple times this week, and I don't think I could even understand what he was saying because he was yelling so loud. He was so fired up. Justin, how are you feeling, pal? James, it's on the phone. I have no voice. You didn't have a voice when you were calling us on the air this week. You were so fired up.

Oh, my God. You asked me to be the hype, man, on Friday morning. I ended up hanging up with you, and my best friend Brian called me and got tickets to last night's game. Wow, that's awesome. And we went, and it was the third inning wiped me out. I lost my voice, I had headaches, like you guys said, hugging everybody. And, you know, I'm here in the car now driving to my mom's shore house. I got my better half, Melissa, with me who deals with me yelling at the TV.

I know that game, buddy. Well, it's all worth it now, Justin. All the yelling, all the pain, all the anguish. It's all worth it. It's all worth it, buddy. We did it. I cannot believe we won it at home. It's just, you know, like you said on Friday morning,

you guys keep saying your old word, magical. I know because it's the right word. It's the right word. And, Justin, great call, buddy. And I love the emotion and the loss of the voice, but it's the right word, man. It's been so long. And to your point, we've watched so much bad baseball.

And like, again, dude, the first time I started working at WIP right after the 20s, in the 2016 season. So like at the beginning, like in August, it was like the end of that season. So I started there. Like that season was horrible. My first Phillies season WIP was a 66 win philly's team they won 66 games and since then it's just been progressively better and more disappointing exactly and more painful and the september collapses and to be here now it again

it's surreal like it is i i almost feel like i'm dreaming man yeah i i i keep thinking of the lebron meme the is this my life like i can't that's what i feel almost feel like I'm dreaming, man. I keep thinking of the LeBron meme, the is this my life. That's what I feel. I feel like is this my life right now. I can't believe it. And, like, you know, my story, you know, I didn't get to go to any playoff games from 07 to 11. First playoff game yesterday.

Unbelievable. My mom hates that I continue to mention this because she thinks it makes her look bad. Yeah, I love my parents, but I didn't get to go to one playoff game during a run. It's not great. It's disappointing, Mama Fritz. You know I'm a fan, but I mean. Which is great.

It's fine. It's all good. And 07-11 was magical. It was something that I'll never forget. And Rollins, Utley, Howard, Hamels, they were our guys. Collins, Utley, Howard, Hamels, like they were our guys. And growing up with them and being able to be a young fan, fall in love with baseball with those guys was special because they're the pillars of the best run in franchise history.

And what makes this so cool is that now these guys are starting to feel like our guys. You know, Stotter comes up and is a rookie playing. Like Bryson Stott is a rookie playing shortstop in the NLDS and having a huge key double. Maybe the biggest bat of the series. We're talking about the Bryson Stott double. First off, it reminds me, it's so poetic. He was batting ninth, like Brett Myers was batting ninth,

and Reese Hoskins, after they walked Schwarber, hits a home run as a two-hole hitter it's a great and which Victorino was a two-hole hitter as well it's like it's all perfect so you have like you have Stoddard coming up and doing that you have Alec Boehm who goes from I bleeping hate this place to getting cheers to like people are talking about how much they love Alec Boehm you have Gene Segura who was the longestured player in baseball, for not making the playoffs. Gene Segura had not made the playoffs in his entire – He played 1,328 baseball games without making – think about that.

That is a lot of baseball games. Yeah, and think about him, man. Like he goes through all of that, you know, that we all remember when his brother died with Milwaukee. And the McCutcheon thing, he took that so personally. He talked about that later, how much that hurt him, like how much he blamed himself for that. Yes, and we're sitting here, and he is going to the NLCS.

Re-hit day today, baby. He has that huge jump over the railing yesterday on the Reese Homer. Let's get to Reese. Reese was our great hope. Reese was like our cornerstone piece. Nola was obviously pitching, whatever, but Reese was our hope, you know, of a cornerstone,

real prospect, because we didn't have any real prospects. Reese was our real prospect that was going to come up and he was going to save us and he was going to be our savior. And for the last three years,

he's talked about like, I want to make our memories. I have to walk past the thing in Clearwater, the picture in Clearwater and see the final outs of the 08 World Series. And he's like, I'm sick and tired of it in a way.

Respectfully, he's like, I'm sick and tired of it. It's time. He said that on your show. And he gets to do that. JT, the second longest tenured player in baseball without going to the playoffs. A lot of talk earlier this year of him being washed. He's going to be in the MVP consideration. And he should be.

Schwarber, I think, is the team MVP for everything he brought off the field. But I think JT was their best player this year. Kyle Schwarber just played in his 10th clinching series. Like, he just clinched his 10th series. You want to talk about a winner? That's a winner. Well, Dombrowski said, I thought that was such an impactful statement. Dombrowski said he's the best clubhouse guy he's ever been around.

Dave Dombrowski's been around baseball a really long time. And he traded for Darren Dalton. Yeah, he did, buddy. He traded for Darren Dalton in 97. Let's get to Brandon Marsh. Brandon Marsh is a guy who was a top prospect with the Angels. They ruined him. They tried to ruin him.

They did everything they could to ruin him. He gets traded here. They fix him like that, which is crazy. I didn't know the Phillies were allowed to do that. Super quick, yeah. They fixed Brandon Marsh, and now it feels like we have a stalwart in center field for the next... How great is it when a ball's hit the center field, and you're just like, oh, he's got it.

Didn't know that was possible. Didn't know that was real. Nick Castellanos, you know, everyone's fired up when he gets here. Like, we got our superstar right fielder. Has a disappointing first year. Starts making up for it in the postseason. Like, starts having some moments. Castellanos catch, the big hit yesterday.

You know, starting to hopefully look like the guy. There's just, there's so, like, 07 to 11 had a lot of homegrown, our guys. We had to learn how to love these guys. And now we're here, and I couldn't love them anymore. 215-592-9494. Let's talk to Zach and Jackson. What up, Zach? Hello? You guys can hear me?

Yes. What's up, Jackson? Okay. I just wanted to make this clear. Let's go! Let's go! NLCS, baby! Let's go! I saw you guys on the big screen. I love it. My favorite podcast host ever.

Brandon Marsh, the daycare is alive like yes the veterans the daycare is alive stoddy marsh veerling when he's in there holds his own like boom everyone is just everyone everyone who let the phil get hot you guys no idea pal oh my god for those for those who don't know, Jack has been saying, who let the Philz get hot for the entire history of our podcast, and it has never once been true until now. Well done. Oh, everyone. It's everyone.

It's not the steal from the Eagles. I know Jack doesn't want to talk. Who cares? Who cares? It's the whole team. It's the whole team. N's the whole team. It is the whole team. It's the whole team. Nola in October is shut down.

Zach Wheeler is still an ace. Our bullpen. When did the Phillies get a bullpen? All these young guys. All the veterans. Everyone's doing it. This is the best. I love this.

This is the best sporting day of my life. This is the best Phillies game I've ever went to. I'm so happy I went. Like, this morning, found tickets, went, amazing seats. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I can't believe I went. Zach, this is awesome, dude.

We're so happy for you, and we're so happy for all the listeners and all the people who got to experience it again. And I think he makes a great point, you know, talking about the daycare, and we were talking about kind of the signs that this thing got different. And obviously it was the changeover from Jariah Thompson. But I think a big part of Thompson was the daycare thing and letting the kids play and believing in them. And, oh, wow, like you let a guy get reps in the majors, he gets better?

Oh, my God. What a crazy thought that is. We don't need to bench him and send him down for Ronald Torres? I think that vibe, the daycare vibe, added something that this team hasn't had the last few years. It added that youth, that excitement, that exuberance, and that I don't know what I don't know type of thing,

and I think it's made a real difference. Especially on a team of veterans, there are veteran guys from the outside. Baseball is a marathon, we all know that. But having those guys be able to come up and just bring energy every day. Nick Maton is a lunatic in the best way possible. But the Wolfie thing, everyone talks about it.

And everyone loves him. And you talk about the daycare. I mean, think about what happened out in Milwaukee. You know, the Alec Baum tie game, the Veerling-Homer after that. I think Veerling had the biggest hit of the year, too. I think that 4-3 game against Toronto, just a regular season. Five for five.

And I think that was the game where, like, it stopped the bleeding. Like, that was at the worst moment of it all. And then they won that, and then they won two games against Atlanta, and they kind of righted the ship. That was a big game. They were down 3-0 in the eighth in that game. There was a lot of low moments, buddy. There were.

There were a lot of them. I don't know if that was low. So maddening. Dude, 13-4 is like the lowest I felt. No, I know. I'm saying that hit was so big because it ended that run. But the daycare is – it's just – it's perfect. Like, for years, James, what have we heard?

Oh, all the young kids come up and suck. They never develop anyone. The Phillies, drafting and development, the worst ever. I mean, think about it. First base, homegrown. Third base, homegrown. Ace, homegrown think about it. First base, homegrown. Third base, homegrown. Ace, homegrown. Shortstop.

Shortstop, homegrown. You know, Matt Vierling, key utility guy, homegrown. Maton, utility, homegrown. Like, there's a – Bullpen guys, Saranthony, there are a few guys there, yeah. Like, they are starting to develop some homegrown guys. And we'll go back to the phones in a second. But the most fun part about this, James, is that we're just getting started.

Like we're just getting – this is special. I don't want anyone to not be engulfed and ingrained in the moment that is happening right now because we don't get to experience it. But just know like this is only getting better. These guys are in their prime.. These guys are in their prime. All these guys are in their prime. The young guys are coming up, and they're figuring out how to win. Like, think about Bryce. Think about the best pitching browser in baseball just, like,

waiting in the wings. And Mick Abel just chilling behind him. But think about Bryson Stott, you know. And I feel like I've talked about him a lot, but this is a 24-year-old in the middle of a pennant race. Like, he legitimately could have another decade here. And think about the young guys that come up and, like, he can tell them, no, that's not the way we do it.

Like, this is how we won in 22, which is, like, which is a crazy way to think about it. Like, you said that sentence. I was like, wait, what? Like, it still doesn't hit. It's so wild. Let's go to Glassboro and talk to our guy, Black Granny Black today. Jack Nolo, baby mama.

Victory! There it is. I love you guys so much. If you need your couch food or you need to borrow $50, anything you need right now. Now is the time to ask, brother, whatever you need, okay? I got you. You need your car, wife, the vacuum, whatever you need.

We are here for it. I'm so happy. Jack, you know, me and Jack have been talking all year long, and we was holding off the playoffs, and we just got to get in there. And, Jack, look at us now, baby. Look at us now, BG. Look at us now. We are super loud, Jack.

I don't know if 50 pounds watching the game. I got a butt lift. I got people calling my phone. I'm just – I'm just – we're taking it to the NLCS, BG. NLCS. I can't stand it. And guess what? Guess what, guys?

It don't matter who wins because I don't know if you guys remember our record going out to California. These guys love California. Oh, we dominate the West Coast, Black Gritty. On the West Coast of the East, Coast to Coast, Key West, Suki Lotto, the fellas out here doing the ham sandwich. I'm so happy.

I love you guys so much. Like I said, if you need anything, you got my number. You call me, I'm going to be there for you because the Philadelphians. Oh, and one last thing. I don't want to hear anything about, oh, the Sims didn't show up when it was 900 degrees outside. Oh, great point, dude. When you give Philadelphia something to cheer for, what do they do?

They sell the bleep out and blow. I have to turn my surround sound down brother we are here i love you guys so much let's go i love it i love you uh what a call and oh and what makes it even better buddy is we have a stress-free song well unbelievable yeah like it's but yeah it's almost like the eagles game it's just like sure this will this will be fun. Why not? Let's beat the Cowboys, too. Dallas sucks. I still feel that way. Let's beat the Cowboys, too.

It's like icing on the cake, but it's like taking everything. Like, this is what mattered. And they closed it out today at home. 215-592-9494. The emotion in these calls, the excitement is giving me life, Jack. This is everything. Keep coming. We're going to keep celebrating with you.

It's Fritz at Seltzer. It's High Hopes. We're coming right back. Two on, one out. Morton kicks the pitch. Swung on, hit high in the air, right field deep. Acuna back, track, ball, gone! Track, ball, gone!

Brandon Marsh with a three-run home run to right field. And the Georgia native gives the Phillies a 3-0 lead here in the bottom of the second. God, Franski's just so good. He knows to let it breathe for a moment. I mean, it's just the best. 2-1-5, 5-9-2, 94-94. It's Fritz. It's Seltzer.

We are talking about the Phillies winning today to go to the NLCS. It's a real what up, buddy. So, are you prepared for next year at the Phillies ring ceremony? Oh, man. Slow down. Slow down. Are you ready for Joe Girardi to come out and get a ring? Oh, my God.

I didn't think about that. 100% getting a ring. What about Familia, Odubel? There's a whole group. Didi. Oh, my God. Didi's fine. Didi can have a ring.

Scott Kingery. He was here for a minute. He came up this year. Mickey. But what a great point. What a year it's been. They are going to the NLCS, and it's the same year where we watched Juris Familia do his thing, where we watched Oduble still here.

Like, it almost feels like it was a different season for that part of it. It's crazy. Well, I mean, think about it. 21-29, 22-29, whatever, after they fired Girardi. And, like, the game down at Atlanta where Bryce is the big homer off Jansen and then bringing back the worst, the 7-1 lead on that Thursday. Like there's been so many of these just – every freaking series in Miami. Like there's been so many painful – like 19-11.

The Rockies series in 2018. Oh, my goodness. Brandon Workman existing. Yeah, Heath Embry existing too. Like those guys existing and just ruining our collective baseball lives. Going 1-8 down the stretch in 2020 to miss the playoffs when you just had to win one game against a race team that had nothing to play for.

And the Marlins before that. Oh, my God. The five-game national series, they lost two or three or whatever. It's been – there has been so – like the Yadiel Hernandez walk-off. Like Yadiel Hernandez hit a walk-off against his team. Wilmer Defoe. Remember that one? The game up in New York this year.

There was the nail in the coffin. Eduardo Escobar walking them off. Like we can count all the just dreadful, dreadful losses. And it all just becomes pent up and let out when they do this today. And they do

this in front of this crowd that has waited so long for it and hasn't shown up. And I know they haven't shown up because they didn't believe. But man, when this city believes and when this city gets behind you, I'll never forget watching the 08 World Series DVD of, I think it was Ryan Howard. He read the piece of the article in the Philadelphia Inquirer the day after, and he's like, thank you for turning Citizens Bank Park into the coolest place in sports for the last month.

It was. It was the coolest place in Philadelphia, without a doubt. And these last two days have felt like the coolest place in sports you know you hear national broadcast talking about like wow it's loud there rosenthal said it was so loud he couldn't like do his job he was having issues doing his job well he's not very good at his job thus the gerardi the gerardi article but like it you're starting to get recognition for just how different it is here. And we've talked about this a lot, but I'm so happy for the players. Like the players being able to feel what it's like. And this has to become intoxicating when you have sat there and you know they've sat there through games.

How do you go back to the other way? Exactly. And you know they sat there and it's like, does anyone here still care about baseball? People care about baseball, buddy. Oh, my goodness. What a day, guys. What a day.

It is such a, again, I'll say it again, a magical. Magical. It's a magical thing. Magical day. Let's keep it rolling. Celebrate with us. Let's go to South Jersey and talk to my guy, Chuck, who I know was in the building today for it.

Chucky, how you doing, pal? James. Guess what? What? We clinched. Yes, we did, hi jack james james guess what what's that chuck we clinched at home we did buddy against the braves chuck guess what james what chuck we were there yeah we were there, buddy. What a day, man. What a day.

Came home and watched the Flyers do a number. Who? Yeah, right? Yeah. Shout out to the Flyers. I just saw on Twitter that they put the final out on the big screen there, so the people at the Flyers game were able to see it. And that's something Jack and I have talked about.

Like, that's another thing that's been really cool about this Phillies playoff run. And we saw it today with Embiid and Laurie here and the reception they got. We saw it yesterday with Howie and Nick Sirianni here and Tobias Harris and all that. And, like, the brotherly love between these teams and seeing these guys supporting each other.

And Jack talked about how important he thought it was for this Phillies team when the Phillies were at the Eagles game and everyone did the Phillies chant and stuff. I think that's special. And it's not something we've seen a lot of the last few years. You don't see a lot of cross admiration between teams for one city, you know. Yeah. It's really nice to see.

It makes it that much more special. Chucky, a pleasure, buddy. I'll talk to you soon. You know what? I'm happy you're here for it. Girardi, what would happen if he would have just stuck around? Well, we wouldn't be here,

Chuck. Probably like eight games under.500, I think. Oh, total mess. Love you, buddy. I'll talk to you soon, Chucky. We'd be golfing. I mean, the Phillies would be golfing today. The young players would not... Joe Girardi would have been fired at the end of the season is what would have happened, you know?

And we wouldn't know anything about these players. We wouldn't know anything about the young guys. We wouldn't know how they respond to any situation. We wouldn't know, like, if Alec Boehm could bounce back from it, if Bryson Stock could handle playing shortstop every day, if Matt Vierling could handle playing center field or right field when Castellanos and Bryce get hurt because they would have brought up, like, who knows,

to play those positions because he doesn't like playing young guys. We brought Ronald Torres back. We would have brought Ronnie T back. Maybe we got Jeter out of retirement. Who knows? Didi probably wouldn't have gotten cut. Like all those things. Oh, Didi was 100% still here.

Like 100% still here. So the Girardi thing, the Girardi factor, honestly, don't give him a ring when the Phil's I'm with you and you know what to this point like the Thompson thing we've given Thompson a lot of credit I think Dave Dombrowski deserves a lot of credit too like he made the move he was someone who said he didn't ever even consider manager changes in season is what he said and then he did make the move he made great moves at the trade I mean look we haven't even talked about it but Syndergaard was good today I know he was pretty solid cinder guard brandon marsh played a role today like these

moves that he made ended up matter right hand the team he's put together and you know i think you know we've we've you know ripped him a lot of times over over the last couple years and and you know what a year what and and these moves too i think you can't who's ripped them right no not i mean like philadelphia and you can't you can't underrate. Well, who's ripped them, Brody? No, not – I mean, like, Philadelphia. And you can't underrate the getting rid of Deb Wade, too. Like, it took some chutzpah to cut Didi. Like, that's a vet who's been around for a long time, and they just cut him. Like, getting rid of Odubo, getting rid of Familia,

making those trades so that you can get rid of those guys. There were a lot of underrated type moves that I think put this group together the right way. And it's so nice having a guy. Listen, when they hired Dombrowski, I was not in. I was not a Dombrowski guy. I thought he was going to be old school. I thought he wasn't going to be any analytics, whatever. He is far – I love him.

I mean, it took me about two months to be like, this is our guy. And I was all in. But there has to be something said for knowing what winning baseball players look like. And what a winning organization looks like. And there was a lot of points this year where it was like, these guys don't know how to win. But ultimately when it came down to it,

and when Rob Thompson would talk a lot about they're resilient, it was a little bit of a chuckle, whatever. But they are. They are tough. They are tough. And that's what we asked for in the city down to nothing in the ninth inning of their first playoff game like it feels so far ago yeah they were they were down to nothing and down to their final two outs of their first playoff game and they won and ever since and ever since that moment you could just tell that they felt different.

And it's not lost on me that Bryce Harper is the best player on this team. And I feel like Bryce has always been a lead by example guy. He's not the rah-rah guy. Just follow me. I'll show you what to do. And that's good. That's great. But sometimes your best players also have to be vocal and they have to be into it as well.

And you can't tell me that Bryce walking up and down the dugout or whatever he's doing saying, we're not losing this game, doesn't get you fired up if you're in that dugout. That's a great point. I mean, they look to him. He's the MVP. He won the MVP last year. And now he's back. Now he's back.

Shout out to Miles Michaelis. We're sending you a ring, buddy. We're sending you a ring. He doesn't lose more than Girardi, that's for sure. Yes. Let's go back to the phones. Go to Atlanta and talk to Nick, who's a Phillies fan in Atlanta. Must be sweet for you, pal.

Nicky! Yo! Yes! You're my guys. You're my bleeping guys. Thank you. What a moment, buddy. We did it, Nicky. We did it, Nicky.

Guys, I'm 25. I was 11 when they won it in 08. I remember riding around my neighborhood on my little dirt bike screaming, Philly's back. We broke the curse. And then all these years, my God. I mean, this year I was 0-5. The Phills were 0-5 when I was at away games this year. 2-20 oh and five the phil's were oh and five when i was

at away games this year two and three field in mid-august you know you remember no runs scored saturday sunday mid-september here in atlanta washington gets swept and i was there on may 5th when they lost eight seven i was at that game so i was was there Wednesday. I was there Wednesday watching our guy Reese blow it. Oh, my God. Here in Atlanta. I was there. I was at. Wow, Nick, you have a pretty epic run here.

Nick, don't ever go to another Phillies game in Atlanta again, please. My uncle is a Braves fan, and he was trying to pay me to go to the game. That's hilarious. He was trying to pay me. But I was there at the battery today watching in the fake x fendi live that they have locked in that place was was a morgue it was a ghost town it was amateur hour i was the only phillies well there are a lot of phillies fans in the bar i was the only one wearing a phillies jersey because they're all coming up to me saying you were brave enough

to do it and there's a bunch of amateurs at that place that they keep showing me on the big board. The Phil's are up 3-0, 3-1, 4-1. They keep showing me, and I just point to my maroon tee on my chest. That's awesome. Scoreboard, Nick. We're proud tomorrow, buddy. We're proud. Yeah, you're my guys.

Thank you for getting me through it down here. I wish I could be back at CBP. You know, my official position for Jack Fritz saying, I'm going to away games as a fan is it sucks. I want to be back in Philly. It's no fun. It's lose-lose. If your team wins, you're the bleep hole.

If your team loses, you're still the bleep hole. So get me back to Philly. We love it. Nick, thank you, man. It means a lot. You know, getting a yo, it is call, that was – First time. That's the first time for it.

That was pretty freaking cool. It is cool having a lot of – like I love the Phillies, you know, and we love the Phillies. We know. And a lot of our listeners, WIP, High Hopes, like we love the Phillies. But it was almost the last couple years of laughing. Like it was like you really love that team. I know.

Yeah, I really do. I know it's an Eagle City. Like the Phillies are my thing. I love them. I really do. I know it's an Eagle City. The Phillies are my thing. I love them.

And to be able to sit here and just be filled with so much joy and pride with being a Phillies fan. First off, weird feeling. It's been a while since I've been able to do that. Pride is not a word that has been associated with the fan base in this team that often. Yeah, it's been unbelievable. I'm so happy. I love these guys. I love so happy. I love these guys.

I love this city. I love the Phillies. And we can be proud to be Philadelphia Phillies fans today, which is it's been a long time since we can do that, since we can say that, and we can just rejoice and just talk about them in such a positive way. We don't have to hear about, oh, they're going to collapse again. This guy's a loser. This guy's a loser.

That guy's a loser. They're winners. They are winners. 215-592-9494. We are sitting in Citizens Bank Park right now, coming to you from the booth at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies just clinched the National League Division Series and are going to the NLCS.

What a magical day it is. And we're going to be back. One more segment for us. We'll keep taking your calls. And then after that, Rob Ellis and Devin Keeney taking you after that. We will have Phillies reaction all night on WIP. Keep it here. We're coming right back.

Dominguez ready. The 3-2. Swing and a miss. He got him. And the ball game and the series are over. And the Phillies are headed to the National League Championship Series as they have taken out the world champs. An 8-3 win.

The Phillies celebrate on the mound and this crowd can celebrate as the phillies season will continue they have taken out the world champs how about that and it's not that James, it's not even the world champs. It's the freaking Braves, dude. How often – seriously, in your life, I mean, you're almost 50 now. I'm not almost 50. Think about how many times our teams have beaten rivals in the playoffs. Not many.

It just doesn't – Not many. 93. By the way, Braves still have not beaten the Phillies in the playoffs. Just saying. But it just doesn't happen. Like, a 1988 NFC Championship game. Yeah, but I wasn't around for that.

Obviously, they beat the Cowboys, which is special. But, you know, they lost the Cowboys game a couple years ago. Like, what, 2008, 2009? 2008, obviously. They lost to the Giants that year, the Ron Dixon. Yeah, like, they beat the Giants in the playoffs on a walk-off acres kick, right? But in baseball –

They've never played the Mets. No. And the Braves, they're 1-0. And I guess – It doesn't happen that often. It doesn't happen. We never get to face our rivals in big moments. And, again, for a couple years it's been like,

you want to be like the Braves. You want to be like the Braves. The Phils bludgeoned the Braves. Like they they I know game one ended up being close they smoked them in game one game two was an error away from being a a flip of the coin they smoked them yesterday and they smoked them today the Phillies took it to a team that has owned us that not just that a team that has owned us and also a team that since June 1st has been the best team in the sport. Like the Braves have been unreal since June 1st. They caught the Mets.

Yes. Oh, by the way, what are the Mets doing? Are they playing now? I'm not sure. Do they play later? They must be on. I mean, they had 101 wins, right? They must be playing.

Well, and they have Scherzer and DeGrom. Yeah. That should carry you through any playoff series. I mean, they would never lose a playoff series. We got to check the TV listings after. I'm sure they're playing later. I'm not a big baseball guy. I don't really check.

I don't work in sports. But I would find it very hard to believe that a team that had Max Scherzer and Jacob DeGrom on it would lose a first-round series. Oh, buddy. What a day. What a day. Celebrate with us. I just love that there's not that many people here anymore,

but they keep walking by and pounding their – Everyone walks by. Yes. Yes. That's our guy. Every single person who walks by, it's like people who work here, this and that. Every single person who has walked by is like fist-pumped

or like pounded the window or whatever. It's real. It's real. It's real. It's real. Let's go to South Philly and talk to our guy, Darren. D, we did it, buddy. Let's go to South Philly and talk to our guy, Darren. D, we did it, buddy. Let's go.

We did it, D. Yes, we did. I can't wait. I called it. I said, before we finished the season, I said, don't let us get in the playoffs. Don't let them do it. Don't let the Bills get hot. Exactly.

Like you say all the time on the pod, don't let the Phillies get hot. And they are hot. They're dangerous. And our biggest Achilles heel is no longer a problem. I trust our bullpen complicitly. Like, when did you think you would ever say that about our bullpen prior to this year? Yeah, it's been a long time. Oh, wait.

2008. Of course. We have Lynch closing a long... Oh, wait. 2008. 2008. Of course, we have Lynch. Lynch closed, and I trust anything, too. Oh, man, and Madsen, and those guys. I mean, that boy is so deep. Oh, Romero, Ayer, Durbin. All of them, yeah.

Hey, Jack. Yes? Jack, who do you want more, the Padres or the Dodgers? I want the Dodgers, personally, just so we can beat up on Josh Friedman again. That's just what I want to do. D, love you, buddy. Great call. That's a great question.

Who do you want? Because, like, obviously, you know, the Dodgers, 100 and whatever, 11 wins. They're the Dodgers. But, you know, there is something to be the best. You've got to beat the best. Well, that's fine. The Dodgers, first off, cute Mickey Mouse title in 2020. Like, doesn't really count. So with you on that. It didn't happen. Dodgers, first off, cute Mickey Mouse title in 2020.

Doesn't really count. So with you on that. It didn't happen. So they've choked in every single postseason, and they're well on their way. Fair point, man. They might choke tonight. It could be over. Well on their way to choking again.

But at the same time, I think when the Dodgers get rolling, I don't want to be the team. I want to face the Padres. Give me the pods. That's a very easy answer. But, man, the pods have a lot of talent that are figuring. They also have team of destiny vibes, too. They went out and got Juan Soto, for Christ's sake.

And Manny Machado's ridiculous. And he's locked in. Machado's been great in the playoffs. And, I mean, Musgrove can pitch. I mean, Clevenger, Snell. Not Clevenger, but Snell. Darvish. Darvish wasn't great in the last game.

But, you know, they're talented. And it seems like haters kind of figured it out a little bit. I think both teams are obviously going to be a massive challenge. I would just rather play the Padres, although they seem like they're kind of rolling right now. If you're telling me I've got to feel confident heading into a 111-win Dodger team. At the same time, though, that starting staff is not the same.

No. Dave Dombrowski tried to go get Tyler Anderson last year. This time, though, that starting staff is not the same. No. I mean, like Tyler – Bueller goes out. Dave Dombrowski tried to go get Tyler Anderson last year. Now he's pitching in the playoffs. The Dodgers. Andrew Friedman. Gonsolin. Like, Gonsolin, you know, feels like a lot of smoke and mirrors

with the numbers this year. I agree with you. It's not – Kershaw's career post is in the Urias, 4-5. Yeah. And Urias is good, but he's not, like, unhittable or anything like that. No, no, no. I don't know.

It's an interesting point, actually. We might be talking ourselves into the Dodgers? Bring on the Dodgers! Honestly, the way the Phillies, that's the cool thing is it doesn't, I mean, look, they could beat anybody. That's what they look like right now. That's the vibe that they have. And people forget that Nola

owned Mookie Betts in the 2018 All-Star Game. Yeah, buddy. That's the important stuff. Which before this last week, I was holding my hat on Noel in the All-Star Game in 18, Nola at Fenway. And not Boston. We've talked about that.

And that. And now our guy, he is – I'm just saying this. You can take it whatever way you want. He has had a better start to the playoffs than Hamels did in 08. Dude, he hasn't given up an earned run. He hasn't given up an earned run in three massive, massive starts. Like the Monday in Houston. They close it out this season.

Game two in St. Louis and the other night here. And it's not just the numbers. It's watching him. He is as locked in as he's been since that Fenway start. Consistently, he is that Nola. He's the painting. It felt like every pitch he threw was exactly where he wanted it to be. I mean, it's been really, really impressive to watch.

Let's go to Middletown and talk to our buddy Tom. Tom A. James, how you doing, my friend? What a pleasure, buddy. We're going to the NLCS, Tom. I couldn't be better, pal. Listen, the sports gods are shining down on Philadelphia right now.

Yes, they are, Tommy. We're going to the NLCS. We have an undefeated football team, and right now, in case nobody's yet paying attention, we have an undefeated hockey team. We're tuning up. Oh, everything's great. No one is paying attention, so I'm happy yet paying attention, we have an undefeated hockey team. We're 2-0. Oh, everything's great. No one is paying attention, so I'm happy you said that, Tom. Hey, listen, great start for the Flyers, and we got great expectations for the Sixers.

So, it's shining great right now. Yeah, Tom, it's the best time in a long time, man. James, I'm going to be calling you Monday and I'm going to pound Joe for his hatred of that extra wild card team. Yes, please. Please. I got to be honest. Tom, listen, I love it.

Joe is a Philadelphian. The guy is a I am happy for Joe, too. I know he had a take and people are still mad about it and whatever. I'm happy for Joe. He cried when know he had a take, and people are still mad about it and whatever. I'm happy for Joe. He cried when the Eagles won the Super Bowl on the radio. No one loves Philly teams as much as Joe DiCamera.

And he cried the other day during a Philly montage. Broke up. Yeah, I am, too. I'm really happy for Joe. Still wore a uniform the last four days, for Christ's sake. I shed a tear for him yesterday when he got 200 wins. Yeah, he's had a big weekend. Tom, what made Jonah Kammerer the most happy this weekend?

Phil's going to the NLCS, win number 200 on Beat the Hammer, or the Eagles beating the Cowboys tomorrow. Which is going to make him the most happy? Being the narcissist that he is, it's his 250th win. It probably is. It's close. I think he would say the Phillies, but it's closer than it should be. Yeah, 100%.

Tommy, what a pleasure, buddy. And I want the Padres, not the Dodgers. Yeah, I do too. I do too, and great call. And, yeah, look, I'll take whoever, though. That's the crazy thing, and I want the Padres. If I could choose, if I could wave a wand, I'd make the Dodgers win tonight and make it go five games because why not? Yeah. I would rather face the crazy thing, and I want the Padres. If I could choose, if I could wave a wand, I'd make the Dodgers win tonight and make it go five games,

because why not? Yeah. I would rather face the Padres, but I can't. Jack, this is one of the craziest things about where we're sitting right now. Not only did I never think we'd be sitting here with the way the season played out and the way September was playing out,

I certainly did not think that you and I would be sitting in Citizens Bank Park talking about them winning the NLDS. I did not see that coming at all, but I also really did not see coming sitting here and saying, I don't care if it's the Dodgers. I'm not scared of the Dodgers. Put that on the billboard.

Bring on whoever you want. I don't care. I feel like we could beat anyone in the world right now. That's how I feel. Put that on the billboard. You're right. Not afraid of the Dodgers. Because, like, you start talking your way through it.

Starting staff's not that great. The lineup, I mean, Freeman, Mookie, Johnson Turner in the playoffs, different animal. Trey Turner, future Philly, is obviously on that team. Yeah, the lineup's ridiculous. But at the same time, like, that bullpen doesn't scare me as much as it used to. I mean, Jansen's gone. We had to face Jansen up 7-3 in the eighth today.

How great was that? I mean, dude, freaking Snicker, who, by the way, did the whole so-called hostile environment. Take that. Take that, Brian. He wants that quote back. Take that, Brian. Way to rile up the wrong fan base heading into the series.

But this freaking guy, he's bringing out Minter in the fourth, fifth. Like, what, desperation? Setting in early for Brian Snicker? I mean, it turned out they were. They were desperate, and that's the way it played out. Yeah, listen, listen. He got sunned by Rob Thompson all week. He sure did, man.

Beautiful. He sure did. And, you know, Rob Thompson, what a story. Like, 58 years old, never got this opportunity. So funny, him at the Flyers game the other night, he's like, yeah, I've spent 58 years with no one knowing who I am. And now everywhere I go, people know me. It's the weirdest thing.

I was like, what a unique, cool thing. Shout out to everyone. And everyone who called in, you know, celebrating with us. Everyone who's online, stay on the line. Rob Ellis and Devin Keeney are coming up next, and they are talking Phillies. I promise. I haven't talked to them about it.

I'm just going to assume. I'm just going to know. They're going to talk to us. Talking to Flyers. Yeah, right? They're going to react. They're going to talk to us. Talking to Flyers. Yeah, right. They're going to react. So stay on the line. They will get to your call.

And everyone who called him, we couldn't do without you. But, Jack, you know, final thoughts, I guess, here is, as we just did a High Hopes radio after the Phillies won the NLDS in Citizens Bank Park, and we're going to the NLCS. We're going to the NLCS. My final thought is that I'm happy for everyone that has suffered for the last 11 years of just brutal baseball and living and dying with this team.

And knowing that this was possible, and maybe not thinking this was ever going to happen again, is having the euphoria of playoff baseball. It's been so special these last two days of this ballpark being filled to the brim with just excitement about a baseball team. You know, it's been so weird having to wait in lines at the bathroom and sitting next to people.

I know. It's so strange. It's been so empty here. And celebrate this. It doesn't happen very often. We know that as Phillies fans, but really as Phillies sports fans. We're a 4-4-4 town

sometimes. It's like we're witnessing one of the best runs in this city's history. The Eagles are unbelievable. The Phillies are back. Six should have a chance at a title. This doesn't happen very often. Shout out to Rod Lakin for letting us do this. It's been a lot of fun.

Talk about people I'm genuinely happy for, buddy. He's coming up next, fun. Oh, my God, Rod, we love you. And talk about people I'm genuinely happy for, buddy. He's coming up next, man. Like, Robbie. Robbie's a Phillies guy, man. He's with us. He's a Phillies guy. He is diehard.

I love Robbie. Devin, I'm excited for her to be able to experience this fan base after a win like that in the Euphoria. So I'm pumped for those guys. And get me to Friday, man. Get me to Friday. Well, Seb, I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you to Moshe Kravitz, Dan Wilson producing the show,

and again, everyone who called in, and the euphoria and the excitement. Like, it means everything to us. We are two Phillies fans who are here talking about the Phillies going to the NLDS, or winning the NLDS. I can't even. What? Going to the NLCDS, or winning the NLDS. I can't even, it's still like surreal. Going to the NLCS!

It's over! And to get this opportunity to talk to you guys in this moment has been really special for both. It was magical, you might say. So shout out to everyone who gets to experience this tonight because it is special. We don't get that many special, special, special days in Philly sports, and today's one of them. And we get to do it all again next week, buddy.

How about it? The NLCS. Again, thank you to everyone who called in, everyone who listened, everyone who helped out. We couldn't do it without you. And Rob Ellis and Devin Kane, you're coming up next, talking Phils, going to the NLCS. He's Fritz, I'm Seltzer.

Thanks for listening to a High Hopes Radio Edition. And the Phillies are going to the NLCS. We'll talk to you guys soon.