High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - World Series Game 6 Reaction Chapter 2: We won't rest until Bryce Harper is a champion

Episode Date: November 6, 2022

Don't have time to listen to the entire High Hopes episode? Check out this clip where Jack claims he will not rest until Bryce Harper finally wins a championship and Kyle Schwarber is giving a speech at a parade. James is worried about this team's chances to get back to the World Series after such a magical run. 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

I hope this isn't it. The run these guys have gone on, I think, of course, it's kind of like Hurts in the playoff game last year where had they not made the playoffs, people would have been more positive about Hurts, but he goes out there in the playoffs and plays bad and creates a whole offseason of doubt,

not by me, but by some people. Not by me, buddy. And don't worry. I'm probably more positive about this well no but it's like you know you have all these guys and a lot of them had you know kind of out-of-body experiences uh now on the flip side like reese jt uh cassianos most of the rest of the line like did not have out-of-body experiences. Definitely could have used some more moments from two, three, five in your lineup. But at the same time, Nola took down a ton of innings.

Wheeler took down a ton of innings. Alvarado turned into the best left-handed reliever in baseball for a while. Sir Anthony was back to being sir anthony like a lot of things also went right for them to even be here um rob thompson was unbelievable for them to be here up until the last like two games so like to have all the stars aligned like that and then to not get the job done like i just it pains me inside that I just, I hope that this was not Bryce's best chance at a championship. I know it's like a really deep. Fatalistic way to look at it.

And believe me, like, I'm not saying it is. I'm just saying there's that part of me where I hope it's not. And now I'm at the point where it's like, I need Bryce Harper to win a championship more than like almost anything sports-wise in the world. Like, I need that guy to win a championship because they're almost anything on the, on a sports wise, wise in the world. Like I need that guy to win a championship. Cause they're this close. I mean,

they're this close. Like they were first off again, I keep going back to it and I've been down for two days about it. Like the blue game five, like the a hundred percent blue game five. Like there's, I don't think I'll get over game five for a while. I get like the fricking blue game five.

And it blew a chance of a 3-2 lead heading into Houston where they can be tight and whatever. Anyway, but you just hope that that wasn't it. Because it felt like the year that everything went right. Up until, obviously,

the season and everything didn't go right, but it went right in the postseason. And you just hope that that wasn't the peak of this group that we've put together and and have hope that they can get the job done like it's just what i think you're being too fatalistic i don't think that's it at all look these guys are still in their prime you know the vast majority of them they're i think you know middleton wants to win he's's made that clear. And I think after getting a taste of it, I wouldn't be shocked if they make some big time moves this off season.

And we trust him Browski and they're developing guys. Now we got painter coming like this team. How long do we talk about a team that just didn't know how to win? And now they weren't going to figure out a win until they did it. Like they know how to win. Now this team knows what it takes. They just had a magical run. When we get to the playoffs again we can trust Bryce Harper to have a great run we can believe in Kyle Schwarber taking playoff at bats like there and look there are things you can point to like Nick Castellanos didn't go right like I think there's a zero percent chance that Nick Castellanos is nearly as bad next season as he was last season. Like, and, and he was a disaster this season, but that like, that stuff happens. Guys have weird years like that.

He's way too good a hitter to just disappear as a hitter. You never know, but I would be absolutely shocked if he's not significantly better next season. Like there are absolutely reasons to be positive. They still have dudes Jack, like, and again, they know how to win. They've created a culture. There are guys who care about each other. They're going to go into next season like that. You know, I actually think there's a chance they're a better team. Now, look, I think where you're right is that look, the baseball playoffs are chaos. You know, the, the Dodgers win a hundred and million games every

year and, and, you know, get bounced most of the time, you know, so it is, I get it. I'm not saying it's easy, but I think you're being too fatalistic about the fact that I think that they are absolutely going to be in the playoffs next year. And when you're in the dance, you get a shot. And we got a lot of guys here who just got real valuable experience, real valuable understanding

of what it takes to win it all. And I understand your point. And look, it certainly could be. There is absolutely a possibility that this was it and this is the peak and they never get back to this moment. But I definitely think the way you're looking at it is way too fatalistic. I think there's a better chance than you're making it out to be.

Well, first off, I'm not saying they're not, but there's... I know you're not. I know you're making out to be well first off i'm not saying they're not but there's i know you're not i know you're not but like you know there's a little a lot of things went right i mean a lot of things i know but a lot of things went right right and it was a magical one and all that but like look the and again the astros are a great team and all that but the astros have been to the world series what still four out of six? Like it's still possible for teams to go on runs and to, you know, be performers in the playoffs. I mean, you know, again, you just need to get there. You need to have the chances.

And I think this Philly team will have chances. And again, look, there are a lot of other great teams and things happen in the playoffs and you need guys to stay healthy and stuff. And look, I get it that odds wise, look, you know, if Philly's history, you know, it's not, you're right when you get there,

take advantage of the only one, two ever. So yeah, no doubt. But I just the way it seems like, you know, my first thought coming out of tonight or one of my first thoughts is not, well, too bad.

Harper's not winning a world series of Philly, you know, like that. I think that's a little too fatalistic. But look, I, you know, I get it. I get what you're saying. I don't think it's crazy. I just am not, I'm not there, you know? Well now my only goal in life is getting Bryce Harper championship. There we go. I need him to win a championship. All your power towards it. Yeah. I won't rest. I mean,

I personally won't rest until Bryce Harper is world champion. I definitely need some rest, Jack. I'll tell you that much, buddy. Well, yeah. And Kyle Schwarber is doing the Kelsey speech on the parade steps because that's happening as well. So, yeah. I mean, at this point now, i think this town is intoxicated to play

off baseball again you know and they and they want to feel it and then yeah like dude that was awesome like the the home games and hopefully we get it again um but yeah listen they had their shot you are you are you're a barrel laughs it's a good time with you tonight i'm happy 750 feet and whatever well they lost they lost two major championships today and yeah please you are you are this is great um everyone send jack tax tell him that you love him to make him feel a little bit better because i think he needs it i don't know about you i hope you will be there. You'll be all right. Listen to your point about

the games at home and all that. I will say that, you know, again, outside of them losing and stuff, the run itself and the opportunities to meet so many people. I tried to do this after game five and he got mad at me and probably mad at me again because now's not the time. But I really, at least for me

personally, like getting to meet so many amazing members of this high hopes community that we met. Like there, it just felt like there were so many people down there who listened to the pod. I had no idea how many people listened to it. It was like humbling and awesome. And, um, I just, I appreciate the opportunity to get to do that in such a joyous forum. Most of the time, I mean, the only lost two at home, they were the two most important and the two most frustrating and all that at the end. But, you know,

we got to see some really fun times there and some really great moments again, you know, even though it could have been more legendary, if it ended differently, the Bryce Harper home run is still the greatest sports moment I've ever been in a building for, you know? So like there still are things that I will look back on and, and, you know, be appreciative of and, and getting to meet as many amazing people who care about this pod and care about the team like we do and seeing the love for the team, like it was in the crowds and the

intensity and the electricity. And it was amazing. Like, it was amazing to be in that building. It's like the coolest things, like the coolest experiences I feel like I've ever had were being in that building for those wins that we were there for and the energy and the communal experience of it all

was like really truly some of the great nights of my life. And I won't ever forget that. And so I am really appreciative for a lot of this, but I know it's probably too much positivity for you tonight, Jack, but I felt like I had to get it out there. So I'm still sad. They lost. Don't worry about.