High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - The Phils Lose But it Doesn't Feel Like the Season's Over? This is Weird.

Episode Date: August 28, 2022

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to a 6-1 week from the Phillies, another amazing High Hopes Night at the ballpark, and much more. Presented by Miller Lite. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the High Hopes podcast. High Hopes! It's a bunch of baseball nerds talking about the Phillies on Odyssey and Sports Radio 94 WIP. Yo! It is another edition of the High Hopes podcast presented by Miller Lite. Celebrate responsibly.

And oh, buddy, Jack Fritz, like, look, today, classic fashion. I mean, they always lose when we're recording, when we're like, oh, it could be like off the charts. Maybe it's because they're saving my voice for that playoff. Yo, which we know is going to be insane. And my knees. And my knees from running. That, too. It's a great point, Jack.

It's a great point. But, look, I came into this week saying after that Met series, we're all pissed off. And, well, I was all right. But people were pissed off. And I said, five and two, and I'm happy. Six and one, like, I'm ecstatic. And they went six and one.

They just happened to win the first six. And high hopes night, which we'll get into in a second. But I feel great about this team, man. Like, even with the games today, they're still, what, like, five games up on a playoff spot with the tiebreaker. They're still up on the Padres. They're up on the Brewers. Like, Harper's back, man. We'll talk about Wheeler.

That's obviously concerning, but I'm hopeful. I'm not as concerned as I thought I'd be with that, with everything said. Like, it's good, man. We just did a high hopes night, and they're a good baseball team. They won both my hopes nights this year. Like, this is awesome, man. They won all three high hopes nights this year. The one in Skipback was also a win.

Yes. Oh, and maybe one more coming up in Skipback was also a win. Yes. Oh, and maybe one more coming up. We'll get to that later. Yeah. Dude, it's like the Mets lost 1-0 at home to the Rockies with Max Scherzer on the mound. The Padres are down 12-6 in the eighth against the Royals. You know, today is not Meltdown City that they lost the game against the Pirates. And by the way, like the first time, like fully seeing Contreras in a full start, that

dude is nasty. He's good. Like good stuff. I mean, like JT has been so locked in for so long. I hadn't seen him miss slider by that much in like months. It was like he wasn't even close. And yeah, it was vintage, right? I mean, heading into today, it's like he wasn't even close and um yeah it was vintage right i mean heading into today it's like all right they're gonna win seven straight the

vibes are gonna be super high uh the high hopes podcast we record tonight it's gonna be uh absolutely meltdown city and it didn't happen but james i sit here and i the way i feel about this team and the way that i just trust them and don't think things are gonna go wrong i feel two things the first thing i feel is that i would put this team up there with the 07 to 11 teams oh i love it i love when you do this i'm saying i think they are on the same level as those teams obviously a it. Obviously, a couple of them are different. The 08 team was all power, and Cole Hamels went nuts for... Which run was better, the Hamels run in the playoffs in 2008 or Foles' run in the Super Bowl run?

I mean, do you want me to answer that? It's probably Foles, right, because you didn't see it coming? Yeah, it's absolutely Foles. But hold on, man. My guy had like a one 80 RA in the OAP. This is not to take away from Hamels. Hamels rum was epic and amazing,

but Nick Foles in the two most important games in the history of the franchise played like the two best games. A quarterback has ever played, including out dueling the greatest in the history of the sport. Hold on. Call Hamels. While that guy had his greatest Super Bowl ever statistically. Like, come on.

Hold on, man. Hold on. Cole Hamels out-dueled Matt Garza. So I would put that about on the same level as Tom Brady. Same thing. Matt Garza also should have been way better. But regardless. You say that.

And Matt Garza had like have been way better. But regardless. You say that. And Matt Garza had a really nice career. Matt Garza was a pitcher for a long time and made a lot of starts and made a lot of money. Yes, he probably should have been better. But people should be so lucky to have Matt Garza as a major league baseball career. Frankly, I did not see four minutes in getting into Matt Garza. I know. What are we doing here? We haven't even talked about Iowa State. I know. Hold hold on let me just finish my thought here buddy go ahead okay

so the oa team obviously they mash they're unbelievable the bullpen do i want to let you finish this thought this feels like i'm aware we're approaching heresy here no this is nerve rack let me get it out let me i i was stuck in a car for an hour and a half with nothing to do. I know. We already apologized. It'll be a short. Normally, it's to be a longer pod. But Jack is on the air in like an hour.

And we were planning on recording like an hour ago. And Jack just sat in a ton of traffic. So we're going to do it. Where is everyone going at 5 o'clock on a Sunday? What do you people have to do? I don't understand. I usually fly down here on Sundays I traffic's my least favorite thing literally in life so I I feel your pain so no but all right so I feel the way I feel about this team is the way that I felt about those teams where it's like

every night I think they're you know outside of know, outside of obviously today. But, like, on a night-in, night-out basis, I feel like consistently they are a good team that I don't think is going to go completely crater. They can win. They can reel off, you know, eight out of nine or whatever out of nowhere. Like, and that's what those teams did. You know, I mean, the 08 team, we didn't totally, I think we had a good feeling about them. We obviously didn't know that they were going to end up winning the world series that year but after that it was like the 019 they're going to figure it out the 10 team they're going to figure out the 11 team they're going to figure it out and that's kind of how i feel about this team like they have every aspect checked when

it comes to uh looking at a good baseball team you know the starting staff wheeler i'm with you i'm not massively concerned. Dabrowski said he could have made his next start. They're in the midst of a really easy stretch on the schedule. I would be shocked if this turns into anything worse. I think LA said on the air today, they talked to Wheeler today, and Wheeler was like, I actually feel way better. So I am not panicked about that.

Sir Anthony, he was throwing to uh he was throwing in a cage today need him back i mean because the bullpen is giving me a little bit uh it's the only thing right like it's literally the only thing right now that you can point to and be have concern about you know and the wheel to the wheeler thing but i'm with you honestly obviously you see the the forearm uh tightness or whatever it is anytime you see the forearm tightness or whatever it is. Anytime you see forearm, it's like your eyes bulge out of your head in terror. But I'm with you. I don't think like, look, we know you can't always or actually rarely trust what GMs or president of baseball ops or whatever say.

But the rhetoric with this from Dombrowski, from Wheeler, from the franchise, like they wouldn't be saying this stuff if he was getting Tommy John or if there was a chance of getting Tommy John. Like, they would look like, it would be, like, ridiculous. You know what I mean? Like, it would be too far. It's not like, oh, we're not going to trade this guy

where there's, like, a strategic advantage. Like, they would not be as, like, openly positive about this if it were not, like, something they're not truly concerned about also i think wheeler would have like talked to the media and stuff yeah you know yeah i agree it was and again i don't think dombrowski would say could have bitched through it like you know people know when you see forearm you know we're all baseball fans especially this podcast we're disease baseball fans forearm is not good tommy john wise that's the scary thing but i think they got out in front of it and i'm with you um i'm i initially i was i was concerned yes yeah and and i mean and ryan's

a lot of what they did with ranger you know basically they gave ranger 15 days off to to make sure he gets his gets uh gets back and going in the right direction but like they they have almost everything checked are checked off and now Bryce is back, like, dude, I don't know about you, but I looked at the lineup for Saturday like eight times to make sure it was real. Like the fact that Gene Segura, who is just is turning into a folk hero here, is in the eight hole. Yeah, Gene's genes. We just need to add uh like jimmy's

sigs or something and have like another that would promote unhealthy uh lifestyle choices yeah probably not but i don't think that flows but like dude this the lineup on saturday schwarber hoskins boom harbor real muto cassianos like stott segura marsh like that's a lineup so you have the lineup on paper which is is really good. It's insane. It's insane. It's insane. We've talked. How many shows have we done over the last five years?

But like this lineup, this lineup. And like, theoretically, we've always been right. Like, this is finally it. Like, this is finally that lineup where, you know, there really isn't like Brandon Marsh. You know, that's like the whole. But even I. Everyone else out is a tough out and Marsh is better. He's fine.

And the defense has just been such a welcome side. One through eight is tough at bats. Every single dude. Yeah. The lineup I think is only going to continue to get better. It's funny. They've gotten this far. They're what? 15, 14

games over 500. They've gotten this far and it hasn't even been the whole smash the bell moniker you know it's it's been it's been the starting staff's been better than i think people thought nola having a really big bounce back year wheeler being pretty good ranger going on like an insane two month run here um uh gibby being pretty good every time he goes out like you know four good four really good starts one one bad, whatever. Like you'll take that out of Kyle Gibson. That's the nicest thing I'll say about him. Um, it's Cinder.

The other day, buddy. Yeah. The other day. I mean, it was about time Cinder guard, you know, finally came back down to earth a little bit. Um, you know, the whole, he hadn't lost a start since he'd been here. It's like, that's fine. Whatever.

Um, but you know, they actually have depth now to where if they do miss guys for, for a start, it's not like we're bringing up, you know, I don't know, like drew Anderson or whoever. I said this on the radio this week, like falter and Sanchez,

like, honestly, I don't like, it's probably a top five, six, seven combo in the league. Like, like,

like it's up there. Like not that many teams can bring up a six, seven guys where in the league like that like it's up there like not that many teams can bring up a six seven guys where it's not like a total disaster if these guys have to start games for you and you have the chance for them to you know pitch like cliff lee so you know i mean come on yeah i mean i don't know who would ever make that comparison six starter is getting compared to cliff lee come on hold on man when When Gabe did it with Drew Smiley, everyone thought it was endearing. I didn't compare him to Cliff Lee. I just said I felt

like I was watching Cliff Lee all over again. So you can take that whatever way you want, pal. I don't think it was a direct comp, but either way, they have... And then obviously, last point is the bullpen. It's been a little uh shaky here

recently you know i think brogdon's going through a period of dead arm um you know like it's been like 94 uh cutters and look like it's cutting as well but you know i think that i think he'll be fine he'll figure it out um you have like nick uh nick nelson actually thinks it's so weird like i think nick nelson's been pretty good this year and then it's like he'll have that one thinks it's so weird. Like I think Nick Nelson has been pretty good this year. And then it's like, he'll have that one where it's just an absolute blow up. Um, so the bullpen definitely without Sir Anthony, just being kind of annoying to watch, like with the,

the constant, like licking the fingers and like this and that, like, he's just kind of like the mannerisms. Like there's something about him that is like a little irritating, especially when he's strong. You know what I mean? Yeah.

Well, what irritates me is like, like JT will be, uh uh lined up on the inside for a fastball and like nick also just pull it to the other side it's like how did you get to the big leagues and miss a fastball spot by like a legitimate foot and a half um but yeah so you know the bullpen like brad hann's been way better than i ever thought he was gonna be like shocking um but you know, the bullpen, like, Brad Hand's been way better than I ever thought he was going to be. Like, shocking. But, you know, it's just very really well-constructed, finally deep team to where even, you know, if a couple guys need some days off, you know,

you can put in stubs for JT and it's not nappy, your guy. You know, Sosa hasn't done great at the plate, and he had that weird defensive game out of nowhere that was dreadful, but I think Edmundo Sosa's pretty good when he goes out there. Veerling's a guy. They are just a well-constructed baseball team and they go

out and they take care of business. The hopes are not down on this Sunday night edition of this podcast. No, the hopes are super high. They won six out of seven this week just because they lost the one today. If they had lost on Monday and then won six straight, we would have been losing our minds tonight.

Yes. We got to be real with it, especially on a Sunday where, let's be honest, they're humans. They know they're about to fly out to Arizona tonight. They have a game to play tomorrow night. Those are tough days. We know getaway days. That stuff's for a reason. It is what it is. It's a grind of a season. They're going to Arizona tonight. They have a game to play tomorrow night. Like, you know, those are tough days. We know getaway days like that stuff's for a reason. Like it is what it is. It's a grind of a season. They're going to lose games. Like I'm psyched, man. This team's awesome. They are

so firmly in trends for a playoff spot right now. What there's like 33 games left there, you know, five games up essentially with the tiebreaker, they could essentially have an under 500 record with the games left and and still win what like 89 90 games like you know um it's it's it's freaking awesome man and i was saying this and there's a perfect way to to mention high hopes night and we'll get back to the team in a second obviously but first of all shout out to miller light for letting this happen thank you miller light for these you know opportunities you've given us this year because uh the ring the bell night and miller light liberally ending was honestly maybe the best high hopes night yet i mean jack and i were blown away it was like people waiting in line to meet us it's like

like surreal i'm like what is happening right now like let's just all like form a big huddle and we could all talk to each other at the same time it's crazy you are all like the a big huddle and we could all talk to each other at the same time. It was crazy. You are all like the most amazing, awesome people ever. And, and it wasn't just, you know, this huge line of people beginning, but then people hung out the whole game. Like I felt like it was yet like a crew of like 15 to 20 deep people just hanging the whole game talking. And it was a lot of people we know come many times and new people. And, um, you know, it was really amazing. And, and what made me think of it is that it was the first time I kept turning to people and, and the Harper moment, like the, the, as much energy and excitement as I felt in that building in a while. And, you know, it felt like I kept saying to people, I'm like, can you, can you

believe this? We have a high hopes night with a, a really good baseball team that we believe in. And it's fun to watch. And we actually like want to pay attention to the game instead of just talk to each other the whole time during a 15 to four blowout loss or whatever. Um, it just was fun to, obviously the night itself was amazing.

And I, if you came, I love every single one of you. We had the best time meeting everyone, but like, it was really a really cool like kind of um your way to put it in perspective jack like to to feel like what it was like to do this thing in this pod that we've done for so long and and is our favorite thing to

do and we love the team and we love the community we built and it's like truly the most diseased like heartfelt thoughtful like thoughtful Phillies fan group that we could possibly have. And to actually finally be there with a bunch of people who care about the pod and we care about them and to be watching a good Phillies team, I don't know, it felt like it was meaningful. It felt totally different in all the best ways, Jack. Well, it was a tough scene for the for uh young people

don't care about baseball crowd because i don't know about you there was a lot of passion for for it's awesome yeah for this team for baseball you had a bunch of like uh garrett and his buddies all won tickets on your show it was like with philly's trivia no less and it was like 12 young dudes who just came to hang out with the pod and see the game it was like with philly's trivia no less and it was like 12 young dudes who just came to hang out with the pod and see the game it was like a ton of young people was awesome yeah it was and it was like i think i think we were there and like the line was starting and i think i turned to you and i don't think i said it but i'll say like is there a freaking line like yeah no i think you actually did say is there a line uh you know and you know i think

our goal is kind of always the same like you and i are very just normal people and like this whole thing is is funny um but it feels good being i feel like the leaders of a new era of philly's fans or like a younger generation of Phillies fans that like, you know, that, that support the team don't melt down all the time, have a lot of passion.

Um, and just like, just love the sport. And it was cool. Uh, you know, meeting everyone, it was incredible.

And you know, the, the Harper, the Harper first at bat, the MVP chance are going, I know there's only like what 30 000 people there but you would have told me there was like 45 and i would have been like yeah i totally believe it because it was felt like playoffs it was the most playoffsy moment i've

had at the bank in a while just that one moment with his bat yeah it's loaded it was like magical it's so funny i don't know if there's an extra pitch in our vocal cords or whatever, but we just sound louder. I don't know how to explain it. The CBP roar is different. There is an extra level of loud at Philly stadiums. I swear to you. I really believe that.

Maybe it's because we're great sports fans, but for 30,000 people, that sounded like a sellout, and I don't think that happens everywhere else. But yeah, incredible night. It was probably the biggest one yet. A lot of people came out, and it was good seeing regulars. We have our people. Lisa showed up.

That was great. About time. Finally. I know. Lisa showed up. That was great. You know, about time. You know, she's not really. Finally. I know. I mean. Good to see. So finally some support from her.

And yeah, it was awesome. So I can't wait for the next one. And hopefully we'll get a playoff one. That's all I care about. Would you like to offer or present a formal apology to one Zoe Rose Seltzer for your comments because she was at the game. They won. Suck it. Apology?

No? Well, they lost today. So the jury is still out on whether or not Zoe Seltzer ruined the season. It's good. If we're going to be real, since her first game, I mean, they're like, you know, seven and three or something like that, or, you know, eight and three or six and three or whatever. So I'll take it.

No, there's four losses. There's four losses. Yes. I'm not counting the one that you're at, but no, I guess. Yeah. I guess you're right. It is. Today was the fourth.

I guess the seven and four, the season might not be over because it's always out there. So I will get that. I, I appreciate you, you know, especially, you know, growth mindset,

two words you love to say, grow up. I appreciate you growing up there and, you know, saying we need to be set. Here's what, here's, here's how this is going to go down.

And let me, you can just tell me if you're on board or tell me if you're not on board. I can't wait, but maybe at, I'm sure I'll be invited, but Zoe's high school graduation party, you know, when she is turning, you know, 18, whatever, about to go to college. And, you know, I'm there and I will go up to Zoe and I will say, you didn't ruin the 2022 Philly season. Love this.

Love this. you didn't ruin the 2022 Philly season. Love this. Love this. Which, you know, imagine if you can say which turned out to be, you know, a championship season or something like that. Like, imagine what that comment could be to her if the Phillies can, you know, go and run. What are you saying, Jack?

And then I'll say, but you did risk it. Yeah, I mean, she did. It's fair. It's fair. It's fair. I can't argue with that she's gonna be so confused by that conversation but i thoroughly look forward to it no idea what you're talking about which would be great and i like the idea that you know you're obviously going to see her many times over the years until then so i like the idea that you would wait until

her high school graduation or whatever to to have specific conversation with her. I really appreciate it. Well, that's the time when you turn into an adult. So I need to make sure she's an adult before I have that conversation. Yes, yes. Speaking of adults, right? Grow up. All right.

Speaking of High Hopes nights, and we'll talk about this more before it comes up, but September 8th, all right? Blocked the date off. High Hopes watch party. Not the same as going to a game, but we're going to go to a bar. Gleason's Bar and Grill in Levittown. September 8th for the Marlins.

So we will be there that night. We'll talk more about it, you know, as it gets closer and stuff. But September 8th, block it out. It's coming up. Levittown, Gleason's Bar and Grill. Fritz and I will be there to watch some Phillies action again, all presented by Miller light. Thank you to my life for making this stuff happen. Cause Jack and I always say like, we just, you know, it's so cool for us to actually get to meet people who,

who love this cause we love this and we love the community and Miller it's letting us kind of get together. So it's super cool. All right. Um, I have, uh, like a bunch of notes and stuff, but I think you're probably gonna get to a lot of it in your take bag and all that stuff and i know we don't have a ton of time so um and i have a really fun question i want to ask you at the end but take bag it up and if there's anything you miss i'll fire off what i had how much have you thought about the depth on chris sanchez's slider since his start last week have you thought about it a lot um honestly maybe the thing i've thought about most like per minute if i were to think about all the things i've thought about in that time since then it probably is the highest percentage it's close it's close that or my daughter driving me crazy not going to bed on

time uh you know because that's a big chunk of time in the moment percentage-wise. Yeah. But I think it's up there. Yeah, I would say so. It was interesting. I went into way too much depth with that. I just said yes. It was interesting, though.

I think they tweaked his mechanics a little bit to add a little bit more depth to all of his pitches. So just consider me intrigued by the chris sanchez one start him and falter you know our sixth seventh uh depth guys uh speaking of new pitches it looks like they taught sam coonrod a cutter they've turned into like a cutter factory out of nowhere um but i think they taught him a cutter that has a good amount of depth to it and he looks man like i know he lost Knable for the year, but I'm pretty sure Kunrod can step right in and be perfectly fine.

You know, I think they need to, they kind of need to take the kid gloves off here a little bit. I mean, he's pitching today in like the ninth of a 5-0 loss, you know? Like, let's get him into some high leverage roles faster. But I think they taught him like a little cutter with depth. And this whole cutter movement this team has been on, it's just been, it's been a good run here. I was going to say something nice about Syndergaard's slider, but no, not doing it. I'm not.

Table that. Yeah, we'll say that. Let me throw a quick Syndergaard thing at you. Yeah. It's still weird, right? Like I said, so Zach wheeler is a philly like i honestly don't even remember that he played for the mets at any point in his career but like with cinder guard like i still feel like it's a mat dude and i'm like you're still a traitor dude like you're yeah i like it just feels like i can't

like i'm rooting for him obviously but like i can can't really get behind it. It's weird. I know. It's not the same. It's a little like Orlando Scandrick. Or like DeMarco Murray. Yeah, a little bit. DeMarco Murray is a better one. Orlando Scandrick was here for a half sack. But yes, DeMarco Murray is a really good example.

Also, I know he's coming back from Tommy John, and this isn't a critique. It's interesting to me how he can throw a 90-mile-an-hour changeup and a 94-mile-an-hour fastball. Like, you know, mix it 96-97 for me one time. Dude, Nola's stuff against the Reds was probably the best I've just purely seen his stuff. It's probably his best game

too, right? Complete game, 11 strikeouts, 5 hits, no walks. It's one of his two or three best games, game score, whatever you want to say wise, ever. How about Thompson? I mean, letting him pitch to the 8th and then a little bit of trouble in the ninth like that loved it what a

thought that's managing by the way how about your boy uh how about bryce the comment about like uh oh yeah we actually have a manager like you know he's rooting for the young kids or whatever i know i know hanging at this guy yeah barbs out yeah he wastes so much time um but no no the thing that we knew who knew that no one said it so yeah okay the thing that the the thing that really jumped out to me about nola's stuff on on the complete game is like you know how his two seamer it's obviously nasty when it starts at a lefty and then like comes back over the uh inside part of the plate but it kind of is loopy um dude he threw one that i swear i haven't seen since doc like doc used to throw that pitch too except it was like it was

like 96 and just moved but it was like it was like a sharp movement rather than like a floaty movement nola's was like that so you know i don't maybe they tweak something in a bullpen but for some reason all his stuff looked like it went up a tick. I mean, his curveball looked different. I mean, Stubbs called a great game. It was one of those games, James, where I was sitting there, and me and Stubbs were on the same page. I know it's important for him and Nola to be on the same page, but I do believe it's equally as important for me and Stubbs to be on the same page. do believe it's equally as important for me and Stubbsy to be on the same page so um you know there's the the sequence in the eighth where it's like all right change up throw it again bang

Stubbsy throw it again he's out of it I love you're taking us into the mind of Jack Fritz watching this situation that you're like in the catcher's mind thinking call this call that yeah I love it big fan I love it big fan of game calling i love it jeans jeans is maybe the biggest sign that that phil's baseball is back um you know they're they're up in right field uh it's a fan group fantastic it's fantastic and you know they're supporting gene i gotta be honest man like i i didn't i've grown to really love Gene Segura. Like, he talked this week about how, you know, in the locker rooms he was in before as a young player,

he felt like he never had a veteran leader that kind of took him under his wing. And now you're seeing him and Stott, you know, like he's taking Stotty under his wing. Like the home run, even though he lost the game against the Mets, like all the pure joy he had about that like i remember shorebirds talking uh you know around the offside break they were like who's the guy that you weren't uh sure that you were gonna really like love in the locker room that you ended up loving he talked about yeah segura um and it's just like i've gotten to the point where it's like dude i not only do we need to make the playoffs for like our own sanity because we want we want playoff franski like we

need gene buddy get gene to the playoffs man like i didn't realize jt's number two two did you realize that we have the two players in baseball played the most games that go in the playoffs like yeah man yeah it's like such a microcosm of the macro of us um it's such a good point and he just seems like such a fun guy he's he's having fun out there like we always say like they're playing a kid's game but like they are playing a kid's game and like it's nice to see a dude out there you know talking to people having fun doing it like enjoying the moment of it all i i think it's such a great point and to your point i think we've heard multiple players over the years say he's their favorite teammate or he's super cool to be around

or whatever. I'm really with you, man. I think, you know, as much as, you know, we want it for us and all that, it is a nice little, you know, cherry on top or a cherry on topper, I should say. Hey, that we could end the streak for those guys, too, particularly. Yeah, it would be it would be awesome. And I think him and Scott have a new postgame win celebration where they see who can get up higher for the high five or something. You know, that stuff's cool. Jack, real quick. Dude, to this point, you were about to say,

how fun is it to see stuff that's organic and not contrived and feels real and feels fun like we used to? I almost cursed. The stupid freaking Homer hat know all this stuff the bamboo and that was you know i like brad miller it was a nice idea like but all this stuff that was so contrived and so not you're not real like this stuff feels authentic and real it's like oh wow like this is what it looks like when everyone likes each other and they're they're playing well and they believe in each other and all that stuff like oh yeah that's what it looks like well yeah

and then you you add you add in what st stat's been doing recently with the post-game interviews like sneaking up behind guys i love the little cups of water it's so clever it's so clever yeah it's just this is this is what winning baseball looks like i know it's good i know it's good i know it's been a decade i know it's been a long time. I'm really smiling right now. I'm super happy. This is what winning baseball looks like. And my final thing in the take bag is I have an official statement on the attendance. Ooh, love it. This is important. The voice of Phillies baseball is speaking to this.

So, you know, pay attention. Correct. My official position on the attendance is obviously I want more people there, but I don't care. Like, keep winning baseball games and people will show up. Like, it has been, I know we are diseased. I know we believe this team is great. I know we believe that they're going to end the playoff drought

and they have a chance to do more. And we feel like this is a winning special baseball team. But it just takes a longer time for that to reach the general public no doubt dude no doubt like I don't blame a single person like they haven't made the playoffs in 10 plus years like like

I don't blame anybody I'm very with you Jack and you know it's been it's been 10 plus years I want to see people there they got 37,000 on Saturday night against the Pirates. So I think that was kind of meaningful. But, you know, I just, I know this fan base well enough to know that as we go down the stretch run here and as these games get more important, people are going to show up. We know from our ratings here that people are listening, people are tuned in.

from our ratings here that people are listening, people are tuned in. It's just, it's getting over the hurdle of being in watching from home and going to the ballpark and wanting to be a part of the atmosphere. Like, you know, that's where they're getting to right now. Like,

I think they, I think they are building towards that. It just takes a longer time, especially in baseball. It always has. It's always been that way. You know, people will bring up the attendance from 0407 like

oh they're doing this and they were doing that they also missed the postseason it was a brand new ballpark it was a brand new ballpark and you had like howard going on the mvp run you had utley you had rollins like you know there were some homegrown guys like a lot of the fan base is still learning this team and you know i think really for the last two and a half months is the first time where i felt people were saying i love this baseball team so you know i think really for the last two and a half months is the first time where i felt people were saying i love this baseball team so you know just deep breaths it's it's sure what i want more people to be there there's 30 000 people there today on a hot sunday against the pirates like i think people are in and i think as they can continue to go down the stretch run here i think

that park is going to get more and more filled and you know that that first rally towel game in september is going to bring tears to my eyes so my official position on the attendance is it's not a big deal wake me up in september yeah i'm i'm totally with you and i will give an official position on the way we talk about this team um it is not okay to rip them for beating bad teams to say, to even mention like, Oh, they're only being bad teams. First of all,

they're not like they have a winning record against all the teams are competing with for a playoff. We keep getting to say, Oh, there are four games ahead of the Brewers. Oh no, wait, they're five.

Cause they hold the fricking tiebreaker against these teams. They have a winning record is the fricking Dodgers. All right. Like enough. But even outside of that, like we can't spend the last five years saying they never beat the teams are supposed to beat. They go to Miami and they lose. They go to Cincinnati and they lose like blah, blah, blah. Like we can't say that and then turn around and not give them credit for doing that this year. I'm so sick of it. I'm so tired of it. And it's not people listening to this

pod. Honestly, it's more a PSA for the people who listen to this pod to go to your friends and the people, you know, in your life who are doing this this because I know Jack and I hear it on WIP. We just do. Enough. You can't have it both ways. Either you don't care about them beating bad teams or good teams beat bad teams and that's what they're doing right now,

which is where I'm at and that's important. Also, what no one brings up is that for the first two months, dude, their schedule was insane. When you look at how tough it was, that never gets brought up when we bring up the schedule discussion. Now, also, in other baseball news real quick, Josh Hader allowed six runs in a third of an inning today. Dude, he's given up like 12 runs in four innings since coming to San Diego.

He's not the closer. God, Veerling. He's not the closer anymore. Veerling and Boehm ruined him. Clutch guys doing clutch things. That's all I got in the take back. Last thing I got. Do you have a final

thought? Because the last thing I'm going to end on this question for you that I think you're really going to need. My final thought is they haven't won a series in Arizona since 2016 or a series in Really? They haven't won a series in Arizona since 2016 or a series in San Francisco since 2011. It's time to end that. Yeah, and San Francisco is floundering right now. So take care of business.

Give it back to Gabe. Gabe has gotten the best of us since he's been out there. Let's turn around. All right, Fritzy. Last thing I want to add on because I think it's a really fun question. I think you're, like, such a perfect person to answer it. And I had this conversation with my buddy Tommy recently, and I was reminded of it today when Brogdon in the eighth

had the strikeout to end the inning and just, you know, walked off the mound before the strikeout call and, like, just that super badass of the case drought where you like know that the umpire is gonna call a strikeout and it's like just a badass no better feeling in the world as someone experienced it a couple times i'm sure and that's why when i see this question because it made me think of a conversation i'm my buddy tommy um when i was watching um uh, oh my God, which lefty was I? I can't remember. But watching just a baseball game and I was thinking about like that moment with Brogdon, like what is my favorite. I think it's the lefty one. But my two favorite pitch moments are a like legit swooping lefty hook that completely freezes a right handed hitter. And they just sit there and stare at a strike three dumbly and like almost even like, and a batter swings like a foot over the baseball for strike three. I think I prefer the hook. I think like a perfect hook freeze the batter like where they even like twitch and they're frozen is my single favorite baseball pitch to watch.

But, you know, who cares what I think? This is your world. What is the best pitch to watch? Like the best pitch moment pitch, you know, who cares what I think? This is your world, Jack. What is the best pitch to watch? Like the best pitch moment, pitch, you know, third strike this. Yeah, like the best pitch moment in baseball. I thought about this a lot. I figured you had. Honestly, that's why I didn't like tell you I was doing this forever.

I knew you'd be ready for it. And I love you. Well, so it's I got two answers because it's different. So as did I. So which is fair. My first favorite is a fastball on the outside corner that he stares at for strike three. Um,

and such a pitcher answer. I love it. It's like, it's like, see ya. Um, like the, but also like the Nola,

the Nola two seamer that starts at a guy's, you know, chest. Yeah. And just cuts back. It is just gorgeous. Um just cuts back. Oh, it's just, it is just gorgeous. Um,

but if I was, I think my favorite was a change up that got a swing and miss. Cause like in your head, you're like, oh, you thought that was a fastball. Didn't you? Way out in front of it.

Yeah. You thought that was a fastball. Didn't you? Uh, and getting a swing and a miss on a change up. Uh, I think change up my favorite pitch in baseball so um i would say a swing and a miss on a change up where a guy is just like way out in front of it is my probably my favorite pitch of baseball love it that's awesome i knew you'd be ready for that and that makes me really happy i miss pitching i miss pitching every single day it's a fun it's a fun

thought until i do it and then it's like oh my legs are jelly see that's one yeah i'm sure uh that's one of the things that i know everyone listening to this pod uh because they are you know like us just diseased baseball fans and phillies fans is thinking right now wait a minute let me think what my favorite is or they know immediately what their favorite is and that's what's awesome about it all right um fritzy uh do good on the radio if you're listening if you're one of those people and and jack and i are always like um like amazed and and um humbled when people like tweeted us like right after we put the pot out like an hour later they're like listened already it's like the coolest thing in the world so if you're one of

those people jack's on the radio coming Coming up soon. 7 to 10 tonight. Sunday night on WIP. Check it out. I'm guessing there'll be some Phil's Talks. So check Fritzy out. This is fun, buddy. Those are good. They're just a good baseball team.

I already have my take for 7 o'clock. You want to know what it is? Of course. It's time to raise expectations on this Phillies team. Oh, I love it. Making the playoffs is no longer just good enough. You need to win series 215-592-9494 call like someone listen to this podcast and call jack it'll make me shy we'd be like i called because i heard the pod jack will text me you'll make both our nights all right um this is fun be back later in the week, off day. There's lots of stuff coming up, so we will obviously be here

as we're about to head into September, Jack, and the Phillies are good. It's good. What a world. Let's get some seltzer and do it.