High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - World Series Game 6 Reaction Chapter 1: Losing the World Series is not fun

Episode Date: November 6, 2022

Don't have time to listen to the entire High Hopes episode? Check out this clip where Jack and James react to the Phillies losing to the Astros in Game 6 of the World Series and debate Rob Thomson's decision to pull Zack Wheeler after he threw just 70 pitches. Presented by Miller. 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

Yeah. Losing the World Series is not fun. And especially because like after Schwarber Homer and and how Wheeler was pitching, I was like, they got it. Like, I think we're getting to game seven here. And, you know, you're on hits that Homer and I mean, like by far the most soul crushing home run of my life. You know, I mean, not even anything will come close. I know you're alive for Joe Carter, but that's my generation. And yet the broadcast had to show the Joe Carter. Are you kidding me? I'm sorry. That was maybe the most mad I got all night other than the Jordan thing, which was more soul crushing.

Anyway, go ahead. Yeah. other than the Jordan thing, which was more soul-crushing. Anyway, go ahead. Yeah, and, you know, of course, I'm already annoyed. Like, I'm already annoyed with the, like, oh, yeah, the hindsight 2020 managers all over the place. Like, personally, I wouldn't have pulled Wheeler. Like, I would have left Wheeler in.

He was, you know, doing his job. Personally, I wouldn't have pulled Wheeler. I would have left Wheeler in. He was doing his job. He was mowing him down. I know he hit Martín Alvarez, who, no, that's a hit by pitch. I'm sorry. Yeah, I know. And the replay. He's not leaning into it.

I can't. But he didn't make a big, big effort. You're not calling that in that moment, but it wasn't an egregious hit. You know, like, I don't think like Wheeler pitched poorly by hitting him. It wasn't like he lost control or anything like that. He gave up one hit after that.

It was like, come on. I don't know. Go ahead. Go ahead. So, uh, yeah,

I mean, I wouldn't have pulled Wheeler. Um, and the thing that annoyed me a little bit, well, a lot was like, Alvarado hasn't been that annoyed me a little bit, well, a lot, was like Alvarado hasn't been the same guy for the last, like, you know, he just hasn't been the same guy in the World Series.

Just, you know, whether it was blowing the game four or game three, no, game four. Game four. Like, he just hasn't looked like the same guy, you know? And Rob Thompson's the guy that is supposed to be looking at the game on the field rather than, you know, just looking in the binder or the books or whatever. And what is, I should have told him the last couple of times is that Jose Verado is not

the same guy. So, um, like, yeah, I would have gone to Ranger in that situation. Like I think Ranger for that. I think it's, if you're pulling Wheeler, it could, which neither of us would have done. I neighbor, Dan and I were texting in the moment being like, man, this guy's your ace.

He's your ace. And he's, he gave up one hit there. I just said 70 pitches. His velocity hadn't dropped Jack. Like I, I understand it. And I agree.

I think there are a lot of people who, you know, may not have questioned the moment and then are going to pile on. And, and look, they scored one run. Like there are a ton of different who, you know, may not have questioned the moment and then are going to pile on. And look, they scored one run. Like, there are a ton of different things you can point to for why they lost this. And again, game five, another reason why tonight mattered that they lost in the same way. But I definitely think that whether or not they're a lot, you know, it's annoying to talk about.

Like, it was the wrong decision to pull him. And it certainly was the wrong decision to go to alvarado yeah um 100 like i have a lot of the same guy um and wasn't the right time to bring him in i know like to this point we've managed aggressively and this worked in game one down there and it's been something that um has worked out and it's probably one of the reasons why we're even in game six of the world series right now is with the aggressive uh managing style of rob thompson in those situations but um you know at some point some point you gotta just let wheeler go and i i could tell you one thing he's not allowing full runs in that situation

like he's not he's not going out there and and the thing that annoys me about it is that what are you giving him extra rest for if you're not going to use them you know what i mean like like what are you giving him the trying to extend him and get him out there and get him you know to go and as deep into a game as possible if you're not going to just let him go out there and air it all out in a win-or-go-home game. The guy's your ace. The guy is the best pitcher we've had here since Alladay, or, well, since Cliff Lee and Alladay, whatever. He's your guy.

Go down with him. At some point, you've got to go down with him. And Alvarado, again, I've said it a thousand times already in this podcast, has not been the same guy for the last couple of outings. His stuff has diminished. I've never seen a lefty look more on more ready to go against him than you were on Alvarez. And,

and, and Kyle Tucker looked at those at bats. So, um, it wasn't frustrating. It was frustrating. I thought Ranger would have been the guy if you're going to pull them. Cause especially cause you need the innings,

you need to extend the game as long as possible. Um, and Rangers been a guy that has been, you know, we're, we're unsure if he has a pulse in these situations. So I thought it was a mistake in the moment. It's not really hindsight. But at the same time, like, he's going to his best lefty.

Wheeler, that's where he's blown up recently. Like, you know, he was just healthy. His first time he's been healthy in two weeks. Like, I get it on all sides. I just think. Yeah, it's not egregious. It's not like, you know, cash in the world series or, or leaving Garrett Cole on the, on the bench in the bullpen. Like it's not that I agree, but you know, I just, to your point,

it has to be the, the both parts of it, that the fact that you pull him, which we all wouldn't have done, but then you go to Alvarado and I agree it should have been Ranger. I feel like there's no, you did it before and Ranger got that exact job done. And then like, if you're not going to go Ranger,

honestly, this sounds crazy, but like we're talking about who's going to get the out. I would dress Brogdon right now in this moment in that spot over Alvarado, the way Alvarado is looking comparatively, right? I mean, is that crazy to say? That would never happen.

It should be Ranger. I'm just saying, like, I'm trying to point out how much I didn't think in the moment Alvarado. On top of the fact, and this is a neighbor damn point that I didn't think of right away, but you had a runner on third, and who's much more likely to throw a wild pitch? Jose Alvarado or anyone else in the staff, you know? So it's like in a one run game there, you know,

you're not necessarily expecting you're, you're not a homer there necessarily, but it's first and third with one out. Like why bring in a guy who also has a propensity to throw wild pitches? So like just on, on, on a bunch of levels, it just felt like the wrong move. Well, I guess my counter to that is that they didn't have anyone Warren that was not going to throw. I mean, I guess if you were preparing for Ranger there, then, you know, he obviously would not have been more prone to throw a wild pitch.

Exactly. Exactly. That's the point. Yeah. Just a mistake. I just. Yeah, it felt like a mistake in the moment. Yeah. It felt like a mistake in the moment. The hindsight experts I know are going to like, but Rob Thompson should never be allowed to manage in Philadelphia ever again. No.

We're not in the World Series without him. He had a great year. He had a great year, man. We're not in the World Series without it. It's just like there's still that major part of me, and maybe it's old school but there's just something about going down with your ace in a do or die game that when your ace has it like it's not it's not like he was laboring man like jeremy pena i get it again how in the world anyone throws that guy anything but a freaking slider is insane to me um but like jeremy pena didn't

smoke that ball off him you know like he was still doing his job he's still sitting 97 he was he was the guy that we had all hoped and dreamed like if you woke up this morning and tell me exactly what he was hitting 97 in the sixth and hadn't allowed a run yet and had allowed like three hits then we're doing jumping jacks like we're we're freaking out we think we're going to a game seven. It's just like, just trust him, man. And just go down with your guys and have a little feel for where Alvarado's been recently. Like, Alvarado has not been the same guy.

Like, he's been great. But when you're talking about the amount of postseason innings that guy has taken down, they're going to wear down. They're going to get tired. They're bullpen pitchers. You know, they're not starters. And he's a power pitcher too. Have a feel for me, man.

Like, have a feel for me. And, yes, I understand the offense didn't score, and that's incredibly frustrating as well. But at the same time, it was a 1-0 game in the sixth. Like, they just gave them the big homer. They have all the momentum. They were ready to go. You know, sometimes you're going to have to-0 game in the sixth. Like, they just gave them the big homer. They have all the momentum. They were ready to go. You know, sometimes you're going to have to win a game 2-1.

Like, we can blame the offense. They've been bad. But sometimes you have to squeak out a 1-0 win or a 2-0 win or whatever. Like, it's the playoffs. Frambo has been ridiculous. Their bullpen's amazing. I'm with you. Having to get shut down by Hector again was infuriating.

It's killing me. I don't want to talk about it. There's a lot of things that are just soul crushing. But, you know, good to be back to our roots, buddy. This is what we do, buddy. This is, I hopes is back, you know. And it was, it was this, what was uh alternate world we were living in for the last month because it's certainly not what we know here um i mean how about the mundo soza you know

almost you know if that's 10 feet to the left it's a it's a freaking it's the home run and you know again it was um it's something you talked about a lot over this run where it felt like a lot of the the little stuff and the things were going our way, you know, and it was like the balls hit the bases or the. Yeah, yeah, exactly. It just completely flipped, man. And then all that stuff went the Astros way. And and all of a sudden where Topper was just making every right move, like, you know, his moves came back to haunt him and dusty Baker's making the right

decisions. And it's like, you know what? It just all flipped. And look, the Astros are a, they're an awesome team and they are, you know, they do play better fundamental baseball than the Phillies. We all know that. I mean, they may, they played outstanding outstanding defense the entire series. They were smart.

They got key hits. They got great pitching. I don't think they made a single... They played great baseball. The fact that the Phillies... The Phillies... Game five is what we'll look at. Today, we'll look at this, but game five,

man, that's the one. We did the pot after. That's the one where I think everything just turned. obviously the no hitter was frustrating but but you're two two and you have a chance to win that game at home and then you know if you lose this game then you you you have a whole new day tomorrow but um yeah it's just it's a frustrating end to what was a unexpectedly magical month that just felt that's, that's the thing, Jack is how many times were we on here? And again, so out of character for this podcast.

I mean, you know, we're on here talking about like really believing that the Phillies could win the world series, that, that there were magical things that were happening that felt like a team of destiny and, and felt like it was, um, this, this all

time run that just had to end a certain way. And, and ultimately that magic ran out and the Astros just played a little bit better baseball at the end. And, um, you know, it's, uh, and they had some magic of their own.