High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Phillies Should Be More Like The Eagles (Jack's Not Here So We Can Say That)

Episode Date: August 13, 2026

James Seltzer and Tucker Bagley react to the Phillies' struggles in St. Louis and preview tonight's Field of Dreams game against the Twins. The guys also discuss the Phils' playoff hopes and if we're watching the end of an era. 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. Yo, ho. It is another edition of the Iops podcast, sponsored by Miller, like official partner of the Philadelphia affiliates. Like Miller Time Philadelphia. Celebrate responsibly.

James Seltzer and maybe a touchless minor league info today. Our guy, Tucker Bagley, talk. What up, pal? Yeah, I didn't even think about checking the miners. I know. I should have. I know you should have.

I've had all day. We're going to give everyone. We're going to give everyone a day off. It'll be beautiful. So we have a nice quick pod because we are previewing tonight's field of dreams game. Shout out among other things, of course. But tonight, Laszala's fire in the Northeast, Fritz and I, 730, baseball movie tributto and Phillies tickets.

The event is on. So here's the deal because I know that there is potential raining out in Iowa. It's raining now, whatever. Here's the deal. If the game gets canceled, the event is off. If it doesn't, we will be there. That's it. Full stop.

We are planning to be there. We are planning Fritz and Iowa. already discussed our timing to get out there. The whole thing, like, so we're going. It's happening. Be there. If perchance the game does get canceled, obviously the event will be canceled.

But I do not think that's going to have it. I think they're going to force this one in tonight. It doesn't look great tomorrow either. They're going to play the Field of Dreams game. So coming out with us tonight, La Scales Fire in the Northeast, it's going to be awesome. Such a cool place.

Great food, great drinks. Great prizes. Great trivia. Great hang. So coming out. All right. Tuck,

let's look back on the series a little bit. Do we have to? No, I mean, I don't know. I don't know. Where are you out at this Philly team? We haven't gotten your thoughts, you know, all the time. You chime in here and there. But it is, look, we could say today,

and technically they are tied with the Diamondbacks, but they are one and two against the Diamondbacks. Today, August 13th, the first time we've woken up in months. Where if the season ended right now, the Phillies would not be in the playoff, it has been a precipitous decline. Only a month ago, we were at the All-Star break, and the Phillies were two games back in the praes.

We're all feeling pretty damn good about it. It has been real quick to get us to this low point, the second low point, third low point of the season. I don't know where we're at. How are you feeling, time? Yeah, not great. I mean, I think they've lost six of the eight series. They've played since the All-Star break, not ideal.

And they just look exhausted, right? Like, I felt that way leading up to the trade deadline. And I think it was Jack who said, like, you know, just get to the trade deadline, get some reinforcements. And then we'll kind of take it from there. Well, we did that. We got the reinforcements, or at least one. I don't know.

how well you can say about the relievers they got, but you got your reinforcement. Like the big swings have been taken. This is your team for better or worse for the next seven weeks. And they look exhausted again, right? And maybe it's because they're an older team. Maybe they just don't have it in them. But, you know, I tweeted this morning and I kind of think it's true.

You know, the first quarter of the season, they're the worst team in baseball. Second quarter of the season, they're probably the best team in baseball. And now the third quarter of the season, they've been the most mediocre. So we hope the fourth that flips around the other ways. Who knows what we get?

Like there's 40 games left. Who knows what they can, they are? But I mean, at this point, you just watch them. And it's exhausting for me to watch it. And, you know, the mental gymnastics they have to do to get all these guys on the field because you want Alec Bomes bat in the lineup. The fact that Bryce Harper says, well, my knee's fine, unless I'm playing right field. And then it's really sore.

That's what really, really hurts it. And, you know, the guys that you've expected to kind of step up and play well, just haven't really done so in the last month. Kyle Shorebread is two home run game, but hasn't done much outside of that. Bryce Harper's been fine. Brandon Marshall was an all-star, but he's looked like, you know, first half of 20-24 Brandon Marsh really, you know, since the all-star break. So kind of look at this team and how on even the lineup is.

The bullpen just looks exhausted outside of Duran. Like I just don't trust anybody in a big spot right now because they've all been all been worked to death because they had to climb out of that 9-19 hole. And they haven't had a lot of big win. right. Like most of their wins come in high leverage situations. They have the most one-run runs in baseball. And then even the rotation, right? Like you could at least bank on, hey, we're winning Wheeler, Sanchez-Lazardo starts.

And who knows when Painternolla, whoever else gets the other two. But you're not even doing that now. Like Wheeler's ERA, I think is close to four in his last six starts. Sanchez is up there too, although that's inflated because of the royal start. He hasn't been as bad as that number syndicate because of that outlier start. but even the guys that you counted on for when this team clawed their way back into the playoffs and called their way back to really their high point of the season at the beginning of July, they aren't really playing their best baseball either.

And I just don't know where you turn for this team right now. Well, I mean, the only hope is that they get out and sneak into the playoffs and make a run. I mean, 2022, even though I think that was a better baseball team than this one, I think is the formula in terms of, I mean, I think, you know, as we remember that 2020, two teams so fondly and that run so fondly. But with a week left in the season, we didn't know if they were going to make the playoffs. A lot of people hated,

like actually hated the team. I remember Joe and John saying they shouldn't celebrate if they do make the playoffs because they haven't like funded it. Yeah, I mean, they made it because the Marlins slept the Brewers. Exactly. I bought my Mike Piazza Marlins jersey as celebration for the Marlins

letting the Phillies into the postseason. The Brewers gave it to them as much as the Phillies took it. And then it was the best run of this, you know, five year thing. So I think you just have to hope that they get there and their aces are, you know, to the point you made, it's been up and down season. Maybe it's an up.

I saw someone, I think it was like John Clark or someone tweet in 2024. They were the best team of baseball to London and London ruined it. Maybe it's the opposite here. And the field of dreams game sets them off. But yeah, it does feel, it just feels like you're grasping at straws. It feels like, again, the only hope they have is, eh, maybe they can get hot at the right time. And that's a ridiculous way to hope for a baseball team. But isn't that what you're hoping for anyway?

Right, like even if they were on pace to win 95 games. Like, of course. If you were a pessimist, that would be a big issue now is I don't think there are a lot to make the playoffs. Like I don't. And then on top of that, if they do make the playoffs in the five or the six seed,

which is what it will almost definitely be at this spot. I mean, you're talking about playing the Braves of the Cubs in their stadium to start. And both those teams are way better than the Phillies. And that's not even talking about the Dodgers, the Brewers, or whoever's coming in that next round. So,

you know, I just, it just seems like a tall order. for them to get hot. I just don't think they have the pieces. I don't think they have the guys. I don't think they have the arms in the bullpen. I don't think they.

And to your point, I mean, the way this team has been managed this year, and it's really been the offseason coming in. I mean, I gave them an F minus for their off season on the morning show. And it was, you know, a lot of people agreed.

A lot of people didn't. I mean, vindicated. I mean, what a disastrous off season they had, just as we thought, yes, the only argument against not being an F of an off season was

they could have not signed Trover and JT. Like, I guess, But there's an argument to be made with how this plays out that, like, maybe they should have reset at that point. We don't know. We'll see how this goes and stuff. But I certainly think there's an argument to say that they shouldn't have traded for rise. They shouldn't have made these kind of half-measured-type moves, especially if they're going to change up their entire defensive alignment for it to keep freaking Allen bone on the field.

I mean, this team has just run so poorly right now. Like, they feel like they are run poorly. And it is both off the field in the moves they make and how they make. I mean, going back to the off season. the Boba Shet thing, like we forget because Bo Boshed hasn't been very good, but they were panced in that situation from an organizational perspective. I mean, they got used and abused in that situation. The Mets swooped in the Phillies like, we got him, guys.

Tell everyone in the media, he's coming here. Get our fans excited. And then boom, it goes the other way. There's no backup plan. Let's just bring Bome and J.T. back. That was the freaking backup plan. J.T. and Bome, two guys, and J.T. is valuable defensively. I know he is and he's been better offensively.

Like, I don't much more to over boom. But like two guys who you absolutely can't trust to give you a hit in the playoffs as a right-handed bat, which is what this desperately, desperately this team needs. The off-season, they have no plan B, no real way of going about things. It's either Bichette or we just re-rack it, which everyone said is the worst possible thing you could do with this group. And they did. And then they come in the year, they wait around for the manager to get fired or whatever,

then go on a bit of a run. And now we're right back where we were to the point where it's like, we did a poll on the morning show talk to you yesterday. Who's a better Phillies manager? Rob Thompson or Don Mattingly. And Rob Thompson won with 67% of the vote. It wasn't even close. And this is a guy who people were like yelling to get out of here.

I agree with the poll. Like if I had started the team coach guy, I would take top Rob Thompson 10 times I'd tend to manage my team over magnating. Magnet is a disaster with the bullpen. One of the worst bullpen managers that we've seen here. Like he has done a, and again, caveat, I get it. He has absolutely nothing to work with. It's not like he could, they're a right decision to be made.

But I have not liked the ways management. And even more so, I just, I haven't liked the Harper Mattingly thing. I mean, to your point, we talked about this on the morning show, but Harper comes out a few days ago with the athletic, does an article saying, yeah, it hurts when I'm in the outfield. When I have to run certain ways or make certain moves, I feel it. I'll power through. I'm doing the best I can, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

They asked Mattingly about it yesterday. He's like, hasn't told me about it. I don't know. Maybe I guess if he's hurt, we shouldn't play him, huh? It's like this adversarial thing between them. And it happened before the deadline with the whole, like, well, Bryce should shut up, essentially, comment. And after Bryce was like, we need help.

Or then a couple days later, Bangs, he's like, we could use some relievers, which I get. But it just feels like there's an adversarial thing between Bryce and Magley. It feels like there's an adversarial thing between Don Browsky and Harper. like it does not like we talked 22 part of what why that felt so special that was because even though it happened late the team all coalesced together and everything was good vibes and it was like it felt like they were in fun playing and they loved each other and this and that and all it's up like I don't get any of that I get the exact opposite both from the front office

coaching staff and the players I just get like hate is not the right word but like contention I think is the right word yeah and there's no harmony with this team. It just feels like I don't. And again, it can happen. They can go on a run. It just seems so far fetch right now, Tuck. Yeah, I mean, it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And, you know, what's funny is if they would still competing, because I think a lot of people kind of always compared this group and what they've done to the previous successful regime, right? Like, and what they did in 07 to 21, 21, and 706 to 83 or whatever, you know, this might be 2012. Like, this might be the team just running out of gas.

And you don't want to say that. What's our fear heading into the season, Chuck? I mean, we, Jack and I talked about that on this podcast. It's definitely a possibility. The fear is in 2012,

yeah. And the fear is and the worry is, were they good enough or too good for a six-week stretch between May and June? Yeah. To where you gave the front office and the manager, hope and believe that, you know,

you actually are, you know, staving off those demons and those ghosts for another few months and can make a run in the postseason. And unfortunately, that might not be the case. And, you know, you kind of look down the line. Before you go on real quick, just to add to that, I agree with you. And I think that's part of what happened.

But I also, that does not absolve Dave Dombrowski. When Dave Dembrowski comes out after the deadline and says, well, Brian Delacruz earned it. That guy earned it with 23 at Bats as a Philly before the deadline. He earned right-handed playing time. Like that kind of, when saying Andrew Paynor off, one start after being in the minor is coming back. He has one decent start in Baltimore being like, well, he proved that he could do this. and he might be able to. And I want Painter there.

Like ultimately, honestly, it's probably more important to develop Painter than it is to make a run because it's probably not going to happen. But like we predicted that. We said they're going to say these things. Like these guys we know are not answers or good enough answers. And maybe they come through and you never know in play or whatever. But like I think that that's part of it, Tucker.

But I think Dave Naurowski's job as the president of baseball operations of this team is to not get hoodwigs. by that is to not allow 23 at bat to Brian Della Cruz to say, you know what, that's all right hand at bat. We found him. By the way, Brian Dela Cruz has one start since Elise Verraises got here. He started one game. He earned it and he's been on the bench ever since. And they got to have freaking Alec Bowman in the lineup.

God forbid the guy who's not going to be here next year has to be in the, like that is the thing that varies me the most. And then on top of that also, can we just real quick and I'll get back to. I'm sorry, I interrupted you. But like, also the idea that Luis Reyes just comes here and gets to play second base because he wants to. Like he is so clearly not as good as second baseman is Bryson Stott. He does not get to balls that Stott got to, like clearly. But up, up, he wants to play it.

And even if you put him in second base, there was a better solution by not keeping Bome on the field. Like there were so many ways they didn't have to do this, dancing, you know, musical chairs, everyone's moving every, and then Bryce Harper's in right field. These are freaking shot. I will say, Bryson Stott's a much better third baseman than Alec Boehm. Way better.

It is fun that Dre Turner doesn't have to, field so much and cover so much ground on that side of the end field. But it, you know, all of this I think goes back to and I know what podcast this is and I know who's chair I'm sitting in. So I don't want to compare the Phillies to the Eagles. But you kind of look at the way Howie Rose and runs that franchise and the way Dave Nobrowski has, the Eagles are always a step ahead or two steps ahead. The Phillies feel like they're two steps behind with everything they do. They feel reactionary. They feel like, oh man, who could have seen this coming? Okay, I guess we have to do this now. And they keep painting themselves

into corners like this. Who would have thought that Brad Keller, who had one decent year wouldn't be the guy to be the eighth inning dude. And, you know, unfortunately he gave him $20 million and it's probably never going to pitch for this franchise again, right? Like, who could believe that Adola Garcia,

who, you know, it sucks he got her because he was playing a little bit better, but who can believe the guy whose numbers have gone down so much in the last two years isn't going to be the answer in right deal. It was one of the worst ball right in the sport the last year. Like, come on. Like, I'm all for taking reclamation projects and I'm all for, you know, trying to find diamonds in the rough because that was one of the things that saved the 08 Phillies, right? Like finding someone like

Shane Biggerino's a rule five pick drafting or signing Jason Worth after he was given up on by the Dodgers because of his wrist injuries, right? So I get it. And like you have to do that, but it just feels like they're never proactive with addressing anything. And, you know, outside of maybe the Lazardo deal to like really strengthen their rotation and, you know, get that done before Noah started to fall off a cliff. last year. I just can't point to many moves where it's like, man, he really saw this coming and was able to get out ahead of it because most of the problems become really obvious on the field before they're ever addressed.

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 it advice you need to win your league. We're diving into the tape. We're crunching the numbers to bring you sleepers, busts weekly start sit advice, whether you're defending a tight, or desperately avoiding last place, I've got you covered every single weekday. The bar is open. It's fantasy football happy hour with Matthew Barry,

wherever you get your podcast. It's such a great point. And we're not even talking about the lack of depth on the team. I mean, we're just talking about a starting lineup that they can't fill adequately. I mean, what if someone's hurt? What if they lose someone for a period of time? I mean, you're talking about those three pitchers.

It really is like we talk about, oh, they could go on a run. And they could, but only if those three pitchers, are good. That Wheeler could use two weeks off more than like anybody in the world. And unfortunately, bud, you got to take the ball every fifth day. Because they are not a playoff team today. You know, exactly. You know, Wheeler could use time off to run.

I'm sure by the end of the season, I mean, how much you're going to rely on that guy in the playoffs? What's he going to have in the tank? Bryce Harper could use some time off. Kyle Schwarper could probably use some time off. I mean, it is really, it's a great point, Tucker, in that like they could go on a run. And you're right in reality in that. I think that was, you know, most Phillies fans hope to have a good team going into playoffs,

but I think at the end of the day, we're all just kind of hoping they got hot at the right time, but it's a better team that gets hot at the right time. Now it feels like the way they're playing and with the lack of talent and the holes that they have in major parts, especially the bullpen. I mean, it just, it's one thing to think, all right, Harper and Schwabber and Marsh and Stah

and a rise can get hot for three weeks and month in the playoffs. Like, I could, that is something where it's like, you're not expecting all those guys, but for games and a two, game and three a game or whatever like sure i can be in a picture where that's possible i can be in a picture where zach wheeler and and uh christopher sanchez and aso zazardo are great in the playoffs like i can see that i can't get there with the bullpen i can't because they don't even out like it i can't see painter coming in and being some shut down reliever of them i don't think

they have the starters to move over like i don't know how they figure that out for four rounds of the playoffs against let's just say the Braves, the Brewers, the Dodgers, and the rays or the whoever, you know what I mean? Like, I don't know how that plays out in any possible way where they can actually, actually go on a run. Maybe you signed David Robertson. That's it. That's been the answer before.

It'll always be the answer. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you just, you look at what this team has and the depth they have. And you're right. Like, could they get hot? sure, but it just, it makes me think a lot about when they lost to the Mets in the playoffs. And it was like, well, the offense might not be great, but at least we have great pitching, or at least we have a great starting pitching.

We have a great bullpen, right? Like, you need kind of two of those three units to be clicking to have the ability to win. Because the bullpen wasn't great in 2022, right? Like, you relied on, you really Eflin, Tamingus and Nalborado and then still Suarez to come in and save the day, right? Like, but you had great starting pitching. and your lineup absolutely mashed for three rounds of the playoffs and you kind of got around it.

I just don't see that happening this time. I don't see, like, couldn't you see them losing 2-0 in the wildcard game and Wheeler throws seven shutout innings? Of course. And Poland gives up a home run. Like, if I had to predict right now, like, first of all, I don't know that they'll make the playoffs.

You look at, we'll go through it, but the schedules don't play out well for them. But if they make the playoffs, like my prediction, like right now, if I had to bet my life or bet in my house, on how does this Philly season play out? I would bet they lose in the wildcard round. That'd be my bet. Whether it's to the Brewers of the Braves,

or sorry, whether it's the Cubs of the Braves, I think they lose two of three in one of those spots. It's funny, if you would argue a shorter series with only three games would favor the Phillies, right? Like it would maximize their biggest strength,

which right now is the top end of their starting rotation. But you're right, like the schedule isn't super easy. You have three more against St. Louis next weekend, who, you know, you just had issues with. I'll go through this schedule for sure.

But, you know, I just, I hate being pessimistic. I hate being sad. I hate being frustrated about the Phillies. But I just don't know what there is to be positive about because you watch them. And it's the same problems over and over again. They don't play Chris baseball. They've never necessarily been a fundamentally sound team, but they've always been talented enough.

And they've hit enough to kind of get around it. But you weren't even getting that this year. Like the only thing that it seems like anyone's striving for right now is Bryce Harper trying to play all 162 games. Like, that's the only goal you have. And it's like, I'm happy for him. And I get it, but like really, really good. Yeah, I mean, like, Schorber's not getting 50 now.

Like, he's only at 35. He's had five home run since July 1st. And should price play 162? Is that a good thing? Probably not. You know, exactly. It feels like, it feels like he decided like, well, I can't be elite like Dave said. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to go out and play all 162 and try and try and be a warrior that way, which like I do

I do, I do. I do, too. Again, I'm not, I'm not over all over, right. Like, there is something to be said. said about you going out and, you know, taking the field and standing in the batters box for all 162 games, especially in their 15th year in the majors. Like, I do think that is, that is somewhat impressive. But, you're also hitting 254 with an 870 OPS right now. Like, you're not exactly putting up the numbers you put up earlier in a career when you first got

the Philadelphia. I just, this team's desperate for either a star or somebody to really be a difference making player, especially in the top of the lineup. And they just haven't gotten that in a really, really long time. And a rise looked like he might have been that for a week. But in fact, well, do you know his career OPS in the month of August is 650? I saw that tweet. And I thought that was fascinating from you.

It's like just get to September. It's like between 790 and 830 for every month, except for August is 650. It's a really strange thing. This is a rental. Dave, you didn't know that? Yeah. You traded your third best. prospect for a guy who you're only going to get one month of real production out of?

And if you ask him that, he would obviously laugh and say, well, that doesn't matter. And yes, exactly. I get it. But he is brutal to watch when the soft little bloopers aren't falling in. Yeah. And look, I think I brought this up on the last pot. And I don't, I don't know what, I think a lot of people when they trade for rise were like, well, think about this, you know, fly ball rates up.

He's in that huge park in San Francisco. He's going to be hitting the ball out of Citizens Bank Park. wrong. And I was like, oh, I guess that makes a little sense, whatever. I didn't think it would be a lot more or whatever. But that was the wrong analysis. The real analysis is that the 40% fly ball rate, combined with these smaller outfield,

he's going to get less of hits. And that's what we're- funny. And I said something to Jack about it. In San Francisco, like, that ball drops, man. I think I saw Jack at the Phillies game last week, and I talked to him about it again a little bit later. Like, I don't think people realize how softly

Luis Arise hits the ball. Like, he swings hard, but people don't realize how soft his exit Velo is, which is fine. Like he's been an incredibly productive editor. Right. That's who he is. It's fine.

But it's hilarious to watch in person when he hits those fly balls. The entire crowd stands up and gasps. Like, this is going to be 450 feet. And it's a lazy fly ball of the warning track. It happened like seven times when I was at the stadium last week when he made his debut at home. It's just, it's funny to watch because he's such a different profile than,

The guys that we've got in front of them. Yeah. And not just the guys that we've had here, period for this run. Like, he is such a different hitter than they've had here, you know? Mm-hmm. And you need that. Like, I really think they've needed someone like that. Like, I think swapping out someone like Gene Segarra and his hitting profile for someone like

Trey Turner, who's such a big swinging miss guy, was probably a little bit of a miscalculation, just as far as, you know, lineup construction goes because they've missed a guy who, and I think Justin Crawford's been this way this year, because I think he's been really good. I said you should be following a rise around. You should follow a rise around like a little baby. Like, like Luisza Rise is the top with speed is the top version of what Justin Crawford can be.

And I think what he's done in big situations with runners in scoring position has been huge because he just puts the ball in play. Like he'll hit a hard ground ball right by the first baseman. He'll put pressure on the defense with the speed. And that's something you need in the postseason. Because in those games where Schwerber's 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and Harper's not hitting home runs. Guess what?

You need a guy who's coming up with a man on second and two outs, who can just loop a ball over the right, the first baseman's head in the right field and score you a run. Like you need the ability to score dirty runs like that. And I think they finally have a couple guys who can do it. It's just, is it too little too late? Because who knows if they have enough of the other stuff,

to where that's even going to matter. Yeah. And then even then when Bome and JT, and you have no right-handed power, no right-handed thump behind those guys. I mean, it's just an easy lineup to move around. And to your point, I mean, you hit on it's not like breaking news, but, but Trace the thing that fouled this holding up.

You know, it's when you pay $300 million and close $30 million a year for a guy, and he's supposed to be your big right-hand of bat, and he isn't, and he is what he is. And not just that, to your point. Like last year, it worked better because at least he was willing to say, all right, I'm just going to put the ball and play into your point per pressure on the defense with my speed with me being on base, just causing problems.

And even if 305 is a weak batting title, he still batted 305 last year. What I don't understand is he had that success with that last year. And then revert back to this hitter he was before, even though it was so clear that worked better last year, which is infuriating. But Trey Turner, I mean,

he's, he's the crux of the problem. He really is. I mean, he went 2024, he hit 290. And it's funny, like,

you look at his strike. I struck out 107 times last year. He struck out 98 times. in 2024, like, that's fine. Like he was an all-star. He was a top-five MVP and it struck out 150 times or 15 times already this year. Wow. Like he just worked right-us and he did a year ago.

His OPS is 120 points lower than what it was the last two years because he was at like 8-10 each of the previous two years. I mean, he just hasn't been a productive baseball player. And the fact that, you know, his defense on top of it has been such, such a sieve on that side of the infield. I mean, it's just, if he were even close to what he was a year ago, I don't even know how many more wins they have, right? Like, if they just had another guy at the top of the lineup

to where the pressure wasn't so much on Harper or Shorebird to get it done, I mean, you really got hot with three guys, right? Like Harper, Shorebur and Marsh carried this lineup through, you know, the heart of the season where you really clawed your way back into it and went from being the worst team in baseball to two games behind the Braves. Now that those guys have cooled off and are, you know, producing at a more normal rate, you don't really have anybody taking over. Like, Stott's been really good since the All-Star break.

He's been great. He's not necessarily a difference-making guy. Like, I just, I don't know what they have right now. And we know the names and we know what they're capable of doing. But they're also all older. Like, they're also. I said this in the off season. This is part of my thing.

Everyone's like, is it crazy to expect a group of guys who are all 33, 33, 34, 35, 366. Like, maybe they can't play 162 days. Maybe the reason why they're fun. falling apart in mid-August is because they've had to be clawing every day since mid-April just to get to where they are. Now they've just simply ran out of gas. Yeah. And look, I think Schwerber in the home run derby and all these things, I had to do it. But look, look at one and then the other.

I think it absolutely played a role, whether it's the back thing, whether he's out of whack. And without Schwerber hitting him runs, I just don't have it. I mean, they can't win without him. He is so important as like the only true power threat they have. You know, it's. And again, I like small. ball. I love having Luis Rise here. Like, you can't win if you don't hit home runs. I'm

sorry. I know people love to say, oh, you just got to hit the ball around and, like, you have to hit home runs. You have to. That's the way the game is. And those aren't good enough at small ball to do it. Like, you don't have a loose arise. It's like all of a sudden, the one thing we can do for the last five years, we're not going to be able to do. If you're the Tampa Bay Rays,

whose whole identity this year has been small ball. They have actually, like, Philly's fans would love them. They literally built a team to hit the ball on the ground and get hits and steal bases and run and play great defense. Yeah, if you build your team that way, fine. If you bring in one guy to add to a bunch of guys who don't do that, probably not going to work, you know? All right, let's get to the schedules before we get out of here.

I know it hasn't been the most fun pod, but like we got to call it. We see it. I mean, I think everyone's really down on this team right now, and I think it's justified. So obviously, you know, and look, the scary part about the standings right now, they're only, The Marlins are only two games back of them. The Cardinals, two and a half, and then they're tied with the Diamondbacks and the Padres. I'm sorry, timebacks. The Padres have one game up on them now. Padres has won like 15 and 19 or something like that.

I mean, you look at the run differentials just to begin with. I mean, the Phillies are still at minus seven. The Marlins are plus 11. The Nats are plus 16. The Pirates are plus 25. I mean, that's just a concern overall. But you look at the schedules, Tucker. The Diamondbacks, I think, have the easiest schedule left of the three.

They have a couple tough games to start. They got the Cubs here, but they've got San Francisco left. A four gamer in San Francisco, that's huge. Biggest series of the season for the Fills is going to be in Arizona, the 31st through the second. That's going to be absolutely massive for the Fills and a head dead. But like the Diamondbacks still have three in Kansas City. They're home against Texas, who is competing, but there's nothing crazy. They've got Miami.

They finish out with three in Colorado. And then three against San Diego, which could help because, you know, someone has to win. The Padres have a, they got Cleveland now. They got the Mets in Minnesota and Pittsburgh, which is a nice stretch. Tampa Bay is tough.

They got Cincinnati's pretty easy. They got some against Washington. They have three more against San Francisco and four more against Colorado. So those seven games are huge for them. Plus another three against Miami. They do finish hard against the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks. But isn't this for the Phil's? They have a nice stretch now with this Minnesota, Miami,

and Miami again swept them last time at Minnesota Miami then they got the Cardinals again and were fighting with them Seattle in it in the West they've got the Angels a three game series the end August versus the angels which will be big but listen to this last month for the Philist Tucker they start the month with that big game three game series against Arizona then right four at home against the Braves that is obviously tough three home against Houston which is you know they haven't been great but still they're not a pushover then they're in the first place technically yeah are they Are they back in first?

Okay, so yeah, with a... They're 6B and 62 in first place. There you go. There you go. So, but they'll be fighting. Then three in Atlanta again. So you got seven out of ten games against Atlanta. Then two against Washington, three against the...

Excuse me, four against the Mets. That's a nice little... That's the only six games you can kind of feel okay about. And then they finish with three versus... Well, three versus Milwaukee and three versus Tampa. I mean, the only hope with those last six games is that those teams have wrapped up their positioning in playoffs. But with the way the Aal East is playing,

I don't think the hot. with Tampa with Milwaukee depends if they're still fighting for that top seed that that is possible. Yeah, I mean, Tampa Bay is six games up on the Yankees right now. So they're, I didn't guys say it's separated so much. Okay, so that Tampa Series, you could at least potentially get a team that might not. But what about also points back to how they won in 22, right? Like they went to Houston. They were the six seed.

They were the six seed and Houston had nothing going on. Like Houston had clinched the division. They were good to go. And I don't want to say they rolled over because they. kick the Phillies ass the next day with the Rangers Swarro's hangover. Yeah, yeah. You know, Aaron Olo was perfect through like six and a third. Right?

And, you know, you know, you're going to. Yeah. And yeah, Schwerver hit two home runs, I think. And like, that was the win. And that's how you did it. And it felt soft at the time, but it didn't matter. And it kind of set off maybe the greatest month of Philly's baseball we've seen. And I don't know, maybe ever, just as far as vibes go.

But, yeah, I mean, you look at what this team has ahead of them. It's not easy. And, you know, you hate to. beat a dead horse and go back. But the way they started the season going 9 to 19 and getting Rob Thompson fired, like unfortunately when you do that, and I know they erase it, that immediately cuts out kind of any sort of wiggle room, right?

Like if they just went 500 and then they got hot and now they're back to being mediocre again, well, at least you have that. They'd easily be in a playoff spot right now. Right. If they had done that, yeah. You could go 9 to 19 right now and it'll be like, well, okay. Like it sucks, but you kind of figure it out. Like the fact that you dug yourself such a deep hole,

early in the season and you had to climb out of it the way you did. Unfortunately, like you don't have the luxury to take weeks off or a month off the way the team like the Dodgers do, right? Like they lost seven in a row, but guess what? It doesn't matter because there's still eight and a half games up on the Padres because they take care of business and they can rest like four fifths

that are starting rotation for half the year because all they care about is October and they know they have enough organizational depth to get them through the regular season. Like you don't have that luxury right now. Like you didn't build a team strong enough and you didn't start out good enough to where you can do that, to where in the dog days of August, you can sit there and say, you know what, we're getting this guy a break. We're getting this guy, breathe it. We're going to skip a start for him. We're going to let him take a weekend off because, unfortunately, the way you started didn't afford you that luxury. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. Tug.

You said it perfectly, especially infuriating when you think about them, just saying, well, we're just kind of waiting for the shoot to drop. It's like, well, waiting for the shoot and drop might cost you a playoff spot and potentially the end of this era of Philly's baseball, who the hell knows where it goes from here. So look, they have 40 games left to change this thing around. I will end with the positivity in that even though it feels hard to believe that it could happen, I guarantee you if you take us back to September 15th of 2022, it would have felt just as impossible.

Maybe the team was better. I think that team was better, but it would have in the moment felt just as impossible. And you can make a case where they might have a better three if those guys are on right now. They do have a better starting three with the pitchers. they do have a better reliever than they had then in Duran is better than, you know, Saranthi was pretty great that year, but you know what I mean. Like Alvarado is pretty great that year, but Duran is lights out. They do have, you know, they added a rise.

Stott is hitting like, could Harper and Schwerber and Marsh get hot again, added to a rise, added to Stout? Like there is a formula. There is a path because it's baseball because the playoffs are absolute chaos. And things happen. Again, the Diger came really damn close to not. the World Series last year. It took Miguel freaking Rojas hitting the biggest home run of the season.

You know, like sometimes that happens. So they can do it. It's just we really need to see this 40 games. They turn around quick. It's going to be a high bar to clear. But let's hope for the best. Look, it starts tonight. It starts tonight.

We're going to look at it. We look on London ruining that season. Field of Dreams game, lift off. Let's go. Some soggy corn out there. Iowa. It's going to be great. All right. Coming out tonight, La Scala's Fire, I have my freaking baseball tribute question. It's going to be awesome. So much fun. So coming out, that's tonight. Las Giles Fire in the Northeast. Fritz and I'll be there watching

the game. It's going to be so much fun. And obviously, we'll be back after the weekend series. Thank you to Tucker filling in for Fritz here right now. Just a home run job from Tucker, the best. And we'll be back. Yeah, I think he did great. Soft double. A Castianos double down the line. Don't do that to yourself. All right. Um, We'll be back after the weekend. So until then, I was about saying he's Fritz and Seltzer. He's Bagley, I'm Seltzer. I wish.