High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - WHO LET THE PHILLIES IN THE DANCE?!

Episode Date: September 27, 2026

James Seltzer and Jack Fritz react to the Phillies punching their ticket to the postseason for the fifth-straight season and preview this week's Wild Card series against the Braves. 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, hi hope. I feel a little less alone. edition of the I-Obs podcast, sponsored by Miller-Light official partner of the Philadelphia Phillies, taste like Miller-time Philadelphia, celebrate responsibly Fritz. I will be completely honest. And we'll go through the whole gamut of emotions through the weekend, you know, the all-time disgrace of a performance that we saw yesterday. And like the whole emotional thing, but like I honestly went into today.

like I knew that they still were in the driver's seat and a lot of things had to happen this and that like is it even going to happen and they got the rain held off and all that but like I honestly did not allow myself to like and we have to like plan our lives I still I was like there's nothing happening this week except an Eagles game tomorrow night and that's it as far as I know

I was like I don't know because I couldn't let myself imagine like I was just I can't even go there I was like I'm just dealing with today it is a playoff game today and even then it's the the most like least like only anxious not fun going into playoff game right was just like it was like a please don't do this please don't like scott labyrinth where it was like that we're talking about six and a half with 10 games in 64 they were up four games with five to play

like this was almost like and so i just i'm relieved we'll get into you know the maybe if you have rock bottom to go all the way back up we'll get into all of it but like as far as i just sit here today Jack, I'm so freaking grateful that we are not doing this pod on like, is Jack going to survive watch because the Phillies just had the worst collapse in the history of the franchise, our lifetime. Like, I think, thank goodness. And look, they might lose two straight and worse in your bum. But like, I just needed them not to have this.

Thank God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Zoe. Behind me. Thank you. Thank you, everyone.

My birthday weekend, Jack. I was like just not not this weekend. You ruined my birthday with like a crappy zero runs. You ruined the day after with the worst showing I've seen. Thank God. Hey, buddy. I'm so happy to see you. I didn't want to see you if they lost.

I was like, I don't want to look at your face because I feel too bad. I can't handle it. Anyway, how you doing? Never a doubt. Never a freaking doubt. These guys. These guys, man, they've always been our guys. Yeah, we've always been our guys.

If you're not, if you're listening by you won't get it, but, but Tucker, our great producer, amazing, had two things ready. This is the one we ended up with, but also this was ready in case. Yes. What the bleep or never a doubt, you know, so we, we were prepared, but never a doubt. Never a doubt, not these guys, not these fellas, not these winners. Not these winners. It's five straight posies and appearances by the ball club. Only the second time in franchise history.

It's amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's huge. It's big stuff. what did we say James I want to take you back to Monday morning what did we say yeah it was the most painful thing possible we were like we knew it we knew it I didn't I really didn't no but the title of podcast on Monday afternoon or whenever Tucker put it up was just win two games this week and what did they do what did they do in the most in the most in the most they took us so literal they did it so literal we're like just went two okay they're like fine Fine. Yeah, well, do it. Fine.

Let's do that. In the most painful way possible, this team won two games this week. And I tell you what? I tell you what, would it want to be a brave? Would it you, they shouldn't let the fill? Sad cat's just been waiting for the playoffs. No, no energy, no excitement. Not like this team.

We just fighting. They shouldn't let the fills in, baby. They shouldn't let the fills in. I cannot wait for Tuesday. We can do the eulogy on Wednesday night or Thursday night. And at least it won't be the eulogy we were about to do, which would have been not just for the worst collapse ever, but for the era for everything.

It would just been like it would have been the worst pot, I think I've ever had to do with you. It would have sucks. Losing the World Series sucks, but like, come on, man. That would be serious. Yeah. Game seven, game seven of the 23. And yeah, there are a few that are up there,

but like this collapse would have been really high. It would have been really high, man. Oh, but you know what? You know what? No, it's a joyous spot. We did it. We won. Play us.

Look, the furthest they've gotten this whole run is they were the six seed. They were the 60th that they played the Braves. Now granted around later, but they played them. I'm just saying, I am just, dude. And like the stats, they really, to the point of doing it the worst, like the four of five, like up four with five away, but also the other stat that I saw, I think it was maybe Jason Stark who pointed out, like, heading into today. prior to this game, since the Phillies got to the point

where they just had to win one game to make the playoffs, they were outscored 27 to 3 prior to today. Like, oh my goodness, it's just, it is so unbelievable. And look, I agree with you spiritually

and we'll get into all of it. And like, you know, I know the Braves are better and they'll probably win off. But like, I was texting my buddy Max, shout out to my buddy Max.

He was at the game today. And he texted, he was there. And he's like, the stot, it wasn't even in. That was big. But he's like,

the short, Dwerver double felt like it kind of like released all the pressure in the energy. And I was like, oh, that sounds familiar to the Stott double, followed by the bat slam in the Oswald Damien's Braves team, similar vibe. But look, we'll see what happens. But maybe to maxima the point, maybe they really did have to just hit the freaking rockist of rock bottoms. And like I used another Philly sports reference I was telling Emily about it too, where it's like the Howie Roseman thing, where it's like after. Chip, you know, you know, he got kicked out. The whole thing, Chip, get Jeffer takes the power back,

brings Howard back and how he's like talking about he's aggressive, all this stuff. And it's like, you know, why are you going to be? He's like, because once you, once you've died, what do you have to fear? Like, I was dead. And it's like this Philly team feels like they were dead. And like, I hope they have nothing to fear moving forward.

We'll see. Well, yeah, so that's where I'm at. I think the hope that I have is, and I'm not coming on here. They're winning the World Series guys to do it. Yeah, yeah. No, but again, this could be one of those things that we look back on and we say to ourselves, that sucked 100%. I mean, last night was- Like the Carson injury. Like the Carson injury.

Like there are moments we can look at and be like, wow, that was a moment, you know? But Saturday night was one of the grossest baseball games ever seen. They completely laid down Friday night with Sanchez on the mound. And I mean, you could feel how tight they were just through the screen, which is a really bad place to be at as a fan. And I think my hope heading into the playoffs this time around is they let us in the dance. Like that is, that is my hope for them is that they're saying themselves, who, there's a big exhale. Not we got, that we got the dance.

They let us to the dance. Yeah, exactly. They let us in the dance. And they shouldn't have done that. And they should have killed us why they could. And I, I hope they celebrate. tonight. Had they lost and the D-backs lost, it would have been the

funniest celebration of all time. But this is a team that 9-19 dug their way out of it. They won 88 games. Not perfect, for sure. But you celebrate the wins, as Zandhi Redi used to say back in the day. And you've got to celebrate when you can in baseball

because these times are short-lived. But I think the thing that could happen and the belief that they could have is the city gave up on us. The fans Oh, yeah. And what do we have to lose? They have nothing to lose at this point.

They can just go in, play their game. They're on the road. No one expects anything from them. And they can kind of leave it all out there. And I got to say this, and your buddy was there. I saw two high hopes listeners there. Yeah, buddy. Which was awesome seeing RP.

Only our sickos are, you know, locked in. I mean, because it's like an all-time risk today. Like, you'd be there for a clinch, which is amazing. And to my buddy, Max's point, 104 years of existence, not even 20 postseason appearances. to your point, like don't, you know, don't take that for granted it. But like going today, you have the chance to be in one of the worst Philly ball. Like yesterday already was, but like it could be even worse. It could be like that you were there in 64 or whatever, you know, which, you know, whatever was, you know, and they won the last games.

It was funny. But yeah, well, listen, if Walker was older or Sadia was older, I would have done the same thing just because I want to be able to be the being there. Yeah. I was there for the 10,000 loss against the Cardinals. And I'm so happy I was. It's like I'm proud to say, you know, yeah. Formative of memories. But I thought the crowd today was great, even though it wasn't a lot of.

Great, great, great, great, great, great. It wasn't a lot of people. But I thought they were very supportive. And I thought the ballpark the last couple nights was teetering on bullying in a way. Which is fair. It was hard. I agree. It was very, very earned.

But I thought at least heading into the ballpark today, it felt more of, we got to get behind these guys. Like, they can feel how. how they feel how tight the ballpark is, go play your game. So again, I don't have this overwhelming feeling of like they're going to go do it. But I really probably have talked myself into the mentality of we were dead. They let us in. No one believes in us.

Let's rally together and go and run. Are they healthy enough to do that? It's probably another question. Great C-Lazardo. Yeah, by the way, when he's like picking his shoes out, this, I'm like, I know he needs work, but like, really? Or what are we doing here? Like, this is, it's what are we doing? And like, obviously, it was super quick and good, but like, he's massive, obviously.

Huge. So maybe he can start game one. I don't think so. I still think if I had to bet he's out of the bullpen, but, you know, maybe he can start game one. Can arise get back? He was jumping around in the post game celebration, which I think maybe you could take as a good sign. Yeah, sure. Seems like when he was helped off the field

Then at the end he did walk to that like the last part of the thing to the like the Clubhouse hallway or whatever by himself and I thought that was a good time Yeah we're just we're we're we're we're rathompson saying hey Reese was walking around fine you look good yeah yeah and Bolin hopefully comes back and look close to the guy that they had for 42 games in the middle of the year when he pitched a 1.5 a array so like that makes me have But that, like the fact that they at least got in, the fact that they did not totally collapse, the fact that Hartford 29, that was big, we needed that one, right on time, right on time. He's gunning for 302. Five one at the entire four one made five one. Yeah, but listen, we need as many. No, trust me. Trust me. By the day, yeah, they get it is seven three. Trust me. I'm with you, pal. Yeah. So they're in. We can all exhale for one day. And then guess what? It ramps back up on Tuesday.

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Well, buddy, you know there's no one on the planet happier. I was expecting the five spotter ever, but like I was getting I was expecting five too. The two is like for once the baseball gods have shined down on me and said, sir, you're going to get some sleep for these free free games. Like after that, if they keep going, you know it's over. But I am so ecstatic the two ago. And look, I, you know, it's not all about.

It's not all about your city. No, no, look, this is where I'm going. This is where I'm going. I think when they're home, and we've talked about this, I want it to be dark and it's more fun at the ballpark and all that, and the red October. I do think there's something fun about when they're on the road day games. Like that Cardinals game, I think maybe both of them,

but certainly the security game was during the day. Like, I think there's something to. Yeah, I think there's something. It's more fun on the road during the day than at home is what I'll say. Well, in 2022, like looking at the parallels. Let's look at all the parallels. Oh, buddy. We've been thinking about it.

They faced the raise in the final weekend of the season. They faced the Astros, the final week in 2022. They might have been the one seed. I don't remember. But it could all line up to, hey, we had to face the World Series champion the last, or the face that team in the world. Also, think about the fact that today in like a rain soaked could be shortened game with issues. They beat the raise. Yeah, but yesterday was awesome.

You're saying I. The last game they played. is the one that matters most, just like in 2008, the last game of the season. That's all I'm saying. Yep. Hamill's in the booth as well. What? B.J. Upton was sliding across the plate somewhere in rain. Wherever he is.

Where it is. But game one was a day-ish game out in St. Louis in 2022 against the Cardinals. And then, who can forget, against the Braves, game one was also a day game of the NLDS in 2022 as well. So they are... Game two last fun, but game one was fun. Game one was fun. Game one was a lot of fun.

Game one was a lot of fun. That was the weirdest part about the year that run is that Wheeler started game two and lost in the... I know. I know. And then he started game two in the World Series. And also game two. They lost like game two. That was like their movie.

Well, they lost game two, but that was a Nola game. Yeah, no, no. I know. I'm just saying in general. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So I don't know, man. I just, I don't know how far this run's going to go.

I don't know how if they have the horses. But if you're telling me and asking me, what does my gut tell you? Like, my gut tells me that they're going to beat the brace and that there's going to be a little bit of a hot streak with this team. Now that they got in. That's all I cared about was getting in. There was only two scenarios for them that I felt like was going to play out this year. They were either going to miss the playoffs or they're going to go to the NLCS. Like, I don't want to get too ahead of myself thinking they were going to beat Dodgers.

But, like, that was going to be the Dodgers. was the feeling that I had and the fact that they left the fills in the dance is is going to be a mistake. It's 100% going to be a mistake. So look, I, I will see. I'm not, I'm not saying I'm confident, but I definitely like believe that path exists so much more. Whereas before, like, if they had say clinched on yes, like yes, sir, and hadn't had the most shameful, disgraceful one of the all-time performances in that horrible weather and the people i i tweeted but honestly like there are very few times i watch a sporting event and feel genuinely bad for a crowd because it's like you're going to a game you're having fun like there's so many worst things you can be doing you know shovel in a

ditch right now or whatever i felt awful for those fans i did man with the stakes on the line like that was that was disgraceful and and to bounce back into that to your like i do think hitting rock bottom they know it can't get any worse. They know no one get any more mad than they were in that spot. Anything they do to your point is like fools gold almost. And like maybe they bond over this. Maybe they fight over this. And again, look,

maybe they just lose two and they're just not that good, which is what they probably are. But I do think if my point being, if they had just won Saturday and gotten in kind of ugly or whatever, I would be like they're definitely just losing the race. But losing this way in a sick way, having to go through that like awful, awful, awful experience.

And again, really just weak, weak, flaccid, limp performance, whatever you want to say from a team in back-to-back nights in a huge spot. Like again, where it was like one thing like, I get it. Like, Nola got hit out, but you know, Sanchez did his best and he was solid, whatever.

Like, but like the bats, to put up one run, those two nights, like in those spots, it was just, and the bats they had. Like, it was like, they felt like they wanted to go home. And it was like, what are we doing, man? What is happening here? So I think like to, to have that happen and then come back today,

I'm with you. I do, and to not back in, like if they got it, it would have been hilarious, but then I would have been like, I think I'd have nothing if they lost in the time exhaust. But I think in this case,

like it is, there's at least some hope, which I feel like was completely dead in me, completely dead in me. I have some hope now. And we'll see what happens. And at least like I don't have those weight of expectations too. So I feel like the,

you know, look, playoffs are always like stressful and we're going to watch. But we don't have that same, like we have to win you know and the same makes it's like i don't think they're going to you know yeah i don't have the expectation and that's a semi-relieving way to go into a yeah yeah like that's a bit the dodger series excruciating last year it was like this big i think they have to win not just just the playoffs like they have to for like the era for everything like it just felt

so important you know and i don't feel that this year's probably because the way they played at the end of the year and you know we talk a lot and i think people have talked a lot about the the mental fortitude of this team and and questioning their their toughness and the last couple nights were definitely annoying and I was infuriated as well I did think they were trying I think they don't think they were succeeding and I thought today I appreciated how locked in it felt like that they were you know Schwabber having a late night cage session last night clearly paid off. I love a good late-night cage.

For anyone except Trey Turner, they never work for Trey. Although, hey, Trey had a good day today. He had a good day today with a couple hits and stuff. Trey feels like in Little League the kid, it would just go up and stick his bat out and hope for the best. And some days it works and most it doesn't. Yeah.

But I appreciated how into it felt like they were that game today. And, you know, Maddenly talking last night, he sounds insane. But he was like, insane, dude. Insane, man. Insane. Like, they had a couple all time. I was saying to Emily, I was talking about the quotes that stick with people and teams forever.

And it felt like if they had lost today and collapsed, like the Mattingley one and the, the JT, the Ben Davis thing where Ben was like, oh, if you noticed the Hitchin's thing, I was like, oh, I didn't even notice that. It was like, you're over 20, whatever. So it was like those, there are a few of those quotes where it felt like if they lost today at the dive max one like those would like be like if we don't we don't or whatever they would haunt these players in this group and that madingly one felt like it was like what do you feel like Kenny Atkinson in the in the cabs series and they lost that cold like it's like what are we doing

man what are you talking about what is happening right now you know so i i like i i don't think he was like lying or anything but it did it was an insane thing to say and and both those guys are really lying by jt hit today that when the stat went out where it was like uh jt hasn't had a hit since the Eagle season started. It was like, all right, man, enough. All right. So, yeah, I'm with you. But I, if I am madingly, there's at least a little bit of, I'm going to be positive on this.

And maybe there's some, like, belief that gets. What else is you going to do in that? What else is like? Like, oh, I kick your guys' ass at this point. They're like, stop. You know, it is what it is. What if you took the podium? It's like, that these guys stink.

You guys all say it. I know, it would be something, right? I mean, you guys all say it. So, but, you know, saying that and injecting, positivity and just coming out and taking care of business today was was massive. Dude, thank. Thank God. Seriously.

Thank God. I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't. I couldn't do it. I didn't want to do it. So she goes like now and again, like, you know, results dependent. Like we have the potential for an all time cool Philly Sports Week with the Monday night Eagles game that the Philly series with the potential for another series started this weekend,

the Flyers season starting. LeBron preseason started. Like there's like it's wild. It's awesome. But like we could have had this pall of like and the Phillies get to lose. We could be able to like we could have this pall of the worst collapse ever and like them not playing in a wild card round that's happening as we're talking about it. And like it just would have like it just would have put like a pause right word. It just would have put like a real like shadow over what should be a really fun time in Philly sports.

Yeah. And I don't. I'll be curious. I mean obviously how they play matters. If they go out, get boat race or two years. Yes. If it's like we saw yesterday in the play. then it'll be right back where it was.

I know. I just don't expect that. I just don't expect them to be like, maybe they're overmatched, but I don't think they're going to like be like feeble. I hope. I hope they won't. Well, maybe the key the whole entire time was having stopped betting for, you know.

Who knew? Maybe that was the, yeah, that's right. It was getting a rise out of the lineup. Who knew? Yeah, well,

listen. He, uh, I love how we're talking about one game like they didn't, again, get outscored 27 to three, the games prior. Yeah.

Well, What if it's a one of you done for me lately type league. You're so right. You're right. You're right. Are you, as your last at bad as you as your next day's starting pitcher? Today they answer the bell.

By the way, the Padres are up nine four in the in the, oh yeah. Well, I'm sure at a certain point it was like, well, what's the point here for the debacks? You know?

Yeah, you could probably hear the, the balloon being let out in their, in their dug out as Tori Lavello gets to cry again. Any more videos? Any more videos of like that feeling when you're watching, whatever it was. It was like,

F off. Maybe win more games earlier in the year. You'd be in a position unlike us who would. We'd been here this entire time. That's right. That's right. That's right. Okay.

Did you, did you experience what I experienced today? Which was, uh, going back through and remembering all the games they lost this year in heartbreaking. So I did a version of that, but I really just focused on like the 9 and 19 and just being like,

wow, man. Like that one thing like the waiting around for Topper to get. fired like that whole vibe that was it cross the playoffs like that alone like you can work about any that that was it and like i i did that i was like oh there are these other games like where it's like oh man like the you know uh it just spots where you're like well if they had just not blown that one or not this like yeah you're absolutely did you have some like highlights uh of the worst losses of the season well i can't remember of the top of my head i mean i just remember jonathan bowling giving up some big home runs and big spots like that washington game was

horrible. They won that game though. The, you're right. That one. Yeah. Well, Bolden, a lot of huge home run in Arizona and a zero zero game in the eighth. That's one that sticks out. Lizardo had a six nothing lead against the Marlins and blew that. Oh, yeah. I remember that one. That was a really, really, really, then they got swept in Miami in like the worst.

Like, uh, well, Duran blowing two games was, oh my God. Yes. Yes. Oh, that was awful. They were tough. The, uh, the home run. He allowed against the Guardians. That one. also jumps out. I remember that. Sure. Sure.

Yeah, of course. What was the other one? Really the vibes heading into the field of dreams game. Like that whole little stretch was just awful. Remember? I know. Field of dreams game,

save the season at one point. We all knew it did. And then they faltered down the stretch. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, that,

oh my God, they had the Braves and Yankees in there that they lost. It was horrible. Dude, I don't think I don't think I remember the Yankees series. Oh, God. Remember they lost to Cal Rale at his like first good game of the year

against them and they lost Three home runs in two games. Yeah, like that kind of stuff. Well, and remember I mean, the one that the one that really sticks out is the McFarland three-round home run against a Coonia. Oh yeah, for sure. The seven straight fastballs. Seven straight fastballs.

Who doesn't remember the magical seven straight fastballs? It's hard to say. It's hard to say. So, yeah, no, they, again, this is a team that is packed for as much as the 2020 Phillies. Oh, dude, I'm so with you on this. Like, just like a all-time roller go service season.

Yeah, it's actually been an exhausting year. I know like every baseball season has been, is largely exhausting if you care about 162, but this in particular has been such an exhausting year from 919 to firing Thompson to getting hot to

dying again. That game out in St. Louis, I'll never forget. I thought Wheeler's career was like hanging in the balance to to rising again around the all star break the whole thing oh who could forget the all star game the home run derby the whole thing who could forget the uh the jt bad pace running against the oh my god yes yes oh my god that was horrible we were at that game we were at that we watch it happen like that i've never seen that i was like what oh my god that it is special it was special.

And then, yeah, so the Iowa game happens. They get hot again. All of a sudden, you're like, here we go. This could be the year. Then they just, just crap down their leg for an entire month of September. And they had, I believe, James, it was 99% chance of making the playoffs. Oh, yeah. I think it was like 99.3 or 99.

Something. Yeah. And they made you wait all week. They lost in horrible fashion. Friday night. Yeah, that 12.1 game, like literally. I honestly think it's one of the all-time worst individual regular season game experiences in the history of Billy, or at least in my lifetime in Philly Sports.

Well, it got to a point where I was laughing. I was laughing as a joke. Yeah. As they're blowing it. Now, I also think that that- To get to double digits. When it was 10-0, it was like, 5-0. I was like, oh my God.

Then it was 7-0. And I was like, really, and there was 10-0, I was like, yeah. Mm-mm. I turned on, I took them off the main TV, and I put them. on the laptop and I put LSU Texas A&M on the frigate TV. That's what I did. It was horrible. That sounds horrible.

It was. Imagine watching college football. Yeah. I will say the being in LSU during it looked pretty fun. I would say that. Well, I would like to experience an SEC game. That's what I'm saying. As I'm saying, as I'm saying,

and I say, Lane Kiffin's fun to watch. Like, he's at least an entertaining, like, figure. But anyway. 215. That's the, is Lane given good for college football.

The, the, um, I think he is. I think he is. I think he is. I don't know what Ole Miss is freaking out about. Get over it. Anyway.

But, you know, there's fun. Like, that picture of the guy point, like, this, it was good. It's good. It's good. These guys are humans. But, but, like, the 12-1 game, you're laughing. I also think that that could be a, when we're looking back at the video yearbook. Was this rock bottom?

Is it, you know, and they rise from the depths. And they go on a map. rock bottom of the season. Actually what? Yeah. There has been three rock bottoms. I know. I know.

In one real deal like, yeah, I know. In one 162 game season, there has been three. There has been three. So they are in. And there's still the playoffs.

It is crazy. And you know, like I know that like, and they, it just, it's wild to think about. It is. Yeah.

Things are about to heat up. Southern heat. Crispy. Crunchy. Chicken sandwich. No. Sushi. saddle up for something spicy.

Introducing the Nashville hot chicken sushi roll by Bento. Find it in a grocery store near you. And are we getting a painter game one? Oh, I mean, look, it's him or Nola, right? I mean, I don't know who else they start in that. I mean, I don't think, I think Lazzardo maybe comes in for a couple innings in that game if they use them like that. But I just, I don't know.

I mean, what else you do? I mean, you've got Wheeler already short rest for game three. you've got Sanchez too. Like, you don't think you have a choice, right? Yeah. That's exciting to me. It's fine.

Look, I love playoff baseball and I love people, you know, again, like I hated the Dodgers won, but I love seeing Yamamoto come out the day after, be like, what's he doing?

He's pit, wait, and pitch two and a third or whatever was like, brilliant baseball. I was like, are you kidding me? Like, what?

Like, that's baseball and that's play up baseball. And I can't wait to see these guys. Like, you see guys push themselves. And I can't wait. This pens in a pre-6, spot. They're going to have Zach Wheeler out of the bullpen and

Lazardo out of the ball. And Alex McFarlane making his is a playoff debut and he's going to just light the roll out of fireman. Didn't love that McFarland outing today, but we'll excuse it. We'll excuse it. I don't know what they're going to do. I think it's going to be Painter Game 1. I guess

it could be Nola. You know, Nola pitched yesterday. And what could have been a heroic effort that did not? Not all heroes were in Cape Jack. I know. I know. And that was technically his bullpen day so he will be he will be okay i assume it's going to be nola i'm just thinking he pitched was that thursday so uh that was uh no saturday oh you're saying it start yeah

yeah uh thursday yeah thursday yeah thursday yeah so that's bad job at me at least i knew the philly's played today so that's better than that last pod yeah so he'll be on full rest it'll probably Nola. I wish it was a painter just out of like it'd be fun to see painter start game one. But I wonder when Wheeler's going to be ready to go. He won't be off start a game, but I wonder like when he's going to feel okay coming out of the bullpen. He's going to have a bullpen day in there. So you hope maybe like short rest on on Thursday could, you know, give you like not maybe not a bunch of things, but but some bulk potentially. Yeah. I mean, that would be three days rest. So I'm saying. Yeah. I know he's ever done it, but like he's the guy

he did come in was a two days rest coming out of the bullpen in a dime back series uh yeah you never know yeah i'd be a little worried just because i thought that once again his stuff kind of tapered off in the in the fifth and sixth inning so how would that look on three days rest but maybe it's it yeah and when look when your life's all the line depends on what happens if they get to a game three that means it's one-and-one and you know life's on the line like let's hope they can get to a game three i do like harper being in atlanta i like harper being in alana of course he that guy that guy kills the Braes and true. Yeah, he does. He does. Like I said going in, like

why I wasn't as scared of the Braves is this is a team that a bunch of guys on this team have won two posts. The last two posts and season series they played against this brave team as the, you know, lower seat in both. Like, they're not, they know they can do it. They won't be scared of the Braves, you know? They shouldn't let

the fellas in the dance. They shouldn't let them in. Yeah. By the way, I want for, for, for records sake, I want this on my, on my, on my, on my resume for knowing the game. Yeah, of you, of course.

Thank you. Thank you. This is a real, I need to be credited for being right, but yes, God. One of my big takes out of the year that was that Lazzardo was going to finish higher

in the Siam. Ah, yes, it was. Then Chris Sanchez. And while Chris Sanchez had that 50th and 23rd Squirrel streak, on the record, officially, Lazzardo finishes the year of the 2.86.

Look at this. Which is crazy considering what his, like the beginning of. Oh, nuts. It's nuts. Wow. How good he might, you know, he clearly was during that stretch is nuts. Sanchez finishes with a 2.91. So, Lazardo 2.86.

Sanchez 2.91. And Wheeler finishes with exactly on the dot of 3.0. Wow. I mean, so look, that, that trio, they delivered this year. Everything else went wrong. Those guys came through as expected, you know? They did. They did.

And if, and if Painter. and Nola didn't waste three months. We would have been a... Oh, what a thought. Situation today. What a thought. If Taiwan Walker didn't sing, maybe it'd still be here. All right.

He'll get a ring with here. I like that. I like where you had that, buddy. I like where he had that. All right. Take bag. I'm not sure won't be huge, but like a little preview of what's coming up in a minute.

But Jack, I know you know. But if you're out there and you just went through that, Philly's awful, you know, a couple games leading into this. And now the rise begins. Maybe you're feeling a little nauseous. times. Did you know that one and three people regularly suffer from nausea? And my family is one of those people. It's been a real problem in our lives. Honestly, like she couldn't go on a car ride without turning green. And we couldn't talk to her,

Zoe, who's behind me right now. We would be talking to each other and trying not to upset Emily because it was so upsetting because she's like literally sick to her stomach the entire ride her heads between her legs, like cruise, boats, not even an option, like couldn't look at her phone, couldn't enjoy anything, that's until relief fan came into our lives. Now, boom, she puts it on and she's fine. Like, it's a miracle. And she's totally fine. We can talk. She can read. We can potentially take a cruise someday. We have a great time now traveling. It's been unbelievable. And relief fan is 100% natural. That means no bills, no side effects. And it works in just minutes. Relief fans stops nausea from motion sickness, morning sickness, meds like GLP1. It even works from

nausea from hangovers. I can tell you that by personal experience. We'll find out if it works for playoff, playoff. Let's hope you don't have as much of that as we have in the past. Put Relief Band on your wrist and turn nausea. I've got to ReliefBand.com and use promo code James for 20% off, ReliefBan.com promo go James. All right, take bag slash, you know, preview. We will obviously do a pod Tuesday prior to, you know, the first game and stuff. But like, just kind of take bag and laying out where you're at right now. Yeah, well, listen, the filters are, the goggles are on, the beers are being bored. They're a playoff team.

They're eight, hey, hey, hey, only 12 teams are alive. Everyone else's season is over. Yeah, but I was told, but I was told. So, yeah, so, first off, Zach Wheeler again in a big game, money, you know, when they, when they need them, when they need him, the show up he does it. Shout to Victor Mesa, who I was absolutely furious. said after the first abat when he had 12 pitches against Wheeler because I knew at that point that Wheeler is probably going. Don't you dare

but he's chill out. Like five or six innings and I really want him to get seven. But regardless shout to him on the JT hit where JT. finally riffs one and just a little bit of a misplay in the outfield but sometimes you know that's a total misplay. Just go the wrong way. I'll take it. Yeah. Also

shout out to Rob Manford who I believe made a call to the New York office and said hey you should overturn that Bryce and stop. No, I guess if you wanted, like he was on the way up. It was fine. It was fine.

It was fine. It was fine. It was fine. It was fine. It's not about a hit. It's about the biggest ball and not. Yeah, that's right. That's all base.

I think it was a sole base. I don't. So, so thankfully, that got overturned and whatever. Heart, Hart finishes with 29 home runs. just shy of 30.

I hope the anger that you can get there, he brings into the playoffs and plays at that chip on his show. Oh, he's going to kill the brace. I'm not, I'm not too worried about that. I can't wait, dude. He's going to kill the brace. Yeah, so that's mostly it. Lazzardo looks great.

That was super important. And we'll see what they're, how they configure this rotation. I'm very, very curious. Game one is obviously going to be a huge question mark, given the fact. Massive. Imagine they could steal one from sale, buddy. Can you imagine? I know, I know.

So we'll see. But I mean, overall, because that's really all I had in the take back. I don't really talk about last night or. Yeah, luck, luckily. Yeah, we're done. We're looking at it. We're going to be back on Tuesday to preview the playoffs. We're not going to worry about it.

It was the worst two days prior to a good day that we've had. And we're on to Atlanta. We're on to Atlanta. Last thing, Zowie. You can say I know. Hi. Hi. She's got patiently the whole time in the back.

I told her she could say hi, Dan. You want to give me a go, Phil's? Go Phyllis. Yeah, there it is. All right. Awesome. So, uh, for it to your brood of children.

Uh, yeah. As Walker is now looking and wondering. There we go. I get it. See, come on in Bell. Um,

it's a family affair. You know, we're going to the playoffs, baby. That baseball is generational. It's about family. Yeah. Uh,

look at that. Zoh, see Zzzi. Sorry. Yeah. Hey, sorry. Yeah.

Hey, sorry. Sorry. He's got the head. Oh, look. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Can you say, can you let go Phil's? Go Phil. Yeah, give him go Phil's. There we go. Look at this. This is beautiful. What a family bond.

All right. We'll be back on Tuesday. Thank, thank God. That is the main thing. Thank you. All right. We'll be back on Tuesday. Until that,

he's Walker. She's Zoe. He's wrote some songs.