This Phillies Weekend Is Bigger Than The NL East | 'WIP Daily'

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3:26So I think that's the end of September, when the post season ends, and the post season starts. But I want to dive into tonight's series, a tonight's game, and this four game against the Braves, seven over the next 10 days. And very quickly before we jump in anything, reminder my book, WhatIfthillybook.com is the website? What if tackling the biggest unanswered questions, full of all-be sports history? Is my book, I would love you to check it out, all pre-orders come with free shipping, and a customized autograph. So check it out there. But as far as the toes go, it's huge, and it's here. And I want the East. And I know it is stolen likely. You know, you'll get the odds, the Braves are still overwhelming favors to win this division. And the players really have to go five and two in the next 10 days against them. And then, you know, I'd just say, hold their own, or hold the fort in the three games, where they're not facing each other. The players with crazy, even used the NASTROPS coming in, or the sweet, not an easy series. Used to display better baseball last couple months, they'll push the head to be the favorite

4:28and the leader in the ALS, which is, you know, the last year when it took it off, the S was primarily win this division all the time. So, not surprised in the media open division, the S was back. So, tough 10 days, and it's gonna be really challenging, and we'll find out if the boys are still in this thing, to win the division next week. But these games are really big for me, and it's bigger than the NLX. And I wanna give you two reasons why it's bigger than just a third consecutive NLX crown, why it's bigger than a division title banner. That's all nice, that's great. But there's two to me huge reasons why the next seven games against the Braves, but it looks tan against the Braves and NASTROs, are bigger than just a division crown. Number one first and foremost, there is an opportunity to grab a buy. It is sitting there, scaring the Phillies in the face. If the Phillies catch the Braves, they can, that means they can also catch the Dodgers. The Braves and Dodgers are basically tied right now to win the second seed, right? They're tied for the number two seed.

5:28The Milwaukee Brewers are going to be the number one overall seed in the National League this year. And they've earned that, they've been the best team. Oh, and a post, they're obviously very well run as an organization, decent, space running, unearthing talent, reciting young talent early age and getting them for years and years. It's a well run, wonderfully run organization, and it has been for a long time. So the Braves are going to earn that number one seed, but the Dodgers are scuffle. They play basically five minutes of baseball for two months. Shoé Otani's knee is continuing to bother him. The pitching, I think we're refunding flex, you put with him where the pitching is becoming an, this is becoming an issue for his body. I don't know how much longer he can attempt to do boat at a high level. And I think eventually, you know, probably next year or the year after he just becomes an offensive force and end up scurry that way. It'll be a part time picture in some ways, but he's not right. And that team physically isn't right. It's their offense and their older position players are starting to show cracks.

6:28I mentioned the other day, they remind me a little bit of the 2000 Yankees. Trying to go for a 3P and that third year, they just say look like garbage dumps trucks in the season. Now, they turned it on, they used the muscle memory, and they won it all. And I don't think anyone will be surprised in the Dodgers due to that. That all being said, doesn't mean they're gonna get a two seat. They're falling here. And if the Phillies are good enough to catch the Braves, I think by the Mac, they'll be good enough to catch the doctor. So there's an opportunity here to earn the number two seed. And that is gigantic. So the Phillies are an older team. They can use a little rest in my mind. The Phillies have been a team that runs very hot and it's very cold. They're obviously in a super hot streak right now. And when teams like that, I would much rather have to only win three series rather than win four series. And as much as you might say, yeah, the wild card is momentum now. I just think the Phillies would run out of gas. If the Phillies are asked to win four consecutive series, I think at some point,

7:29and I don't know if that's the first round, second, third or the world series, they would run, the gas tank would run empty. I think that extra series off instead of having to win that series would be a big deal. And then you just take out the math on the probabilities. And the reality is as much as you could point to the positives of the wild card series and the momentum that is gained and say teams that have had them to buy, they get rustier whatever in teams that haven't gained momentum. We can talk about the Phillies in 22, 23. Those teams went further with the wild card then they did division winners and my buys and all that. We could say all that stuff and I totally get it. But there's also the flip side where you lose the wild card series that anything could happen to the best two out of three. But the Phillies, you know, what either be having the Cubs here or go to Wrigley Field for the best two out of 300. That's anyone's ball game. I don't love the matchup for the Phillies to get from Cubs and then the Cubs are built to beat the Phillies. They have a lot of right handed bats

8:30that hit left handed pitching. They have the best player in the series in Keeper Armstrong. They have better starting pitching now that they did a couple months ago. And they play super defense that Phillies do not. They run the bases well, the Phillies do not. That is a series, especially if it's in Wrigley, I'm not really interested in. So the benefit of going for it and achieving this would be to avoid all that, get out of the wild card series, get away from the Cubs and go in as number two seed. I think it would be massive for the Phillies to do that. The other part of this is, you know, these games are big. Let's say the Phillies push and get close but it's no such a guard. Let's just play that out, right? Which is, you know, I'm not necessarily likely but it's certainly very plausible that they play well in the next 10 games and with six out of 10, but it's just not enough and they're gonna go into the final two weeks probably too far behind to win the division. Yeah, it's pretty plausible. But playing well has an extra benefit on top of it to push ahead of the Cubs for the number one wild card seed, the number four overall seed.

9:31They could do that and they can get those three games here in Philadelphia. Yeah, I just mentioned, I don't love the match up against the Cubs. I like it less out in Chicago. I like it way more here in Philadelphia. I know old field is in everything in the Phillies track record here in Philadelphia has been less than you wanted to be in the last few octopers. I haven't played a great baseball here. I still win way, way, way. Rather take my chances with the Chicago Cubs here in Philadelphia for a three game set than I would have to go to Ratenfield. So that's that. The other, maybe even more important reason why this is a huge week for the Phillies. And why these games not so much beyond the NLs. Is the Phillies have checked a lot of boxes last month. And if you really, if you fell from outer space and you just watched the Phillies for the last month of the season, you would say, are they gonna see the baseball? Well, close to it. They're really good. They may have depth in their line up. They have great eye at the plate. They don't swing in this a lot. They don't strike out. They walk a lot. They're starting pitching is dominant.

10:34They having tremendous closure. They have some power arms out of the bulk then. They have a good lefty and rarely. But you would say, eh, this team, I don't know much about them. I don't know what the record is, but yeah, I go in the world series. I mean, I think you would say that without even like, like it would be normal if you just kind of watched in the last month of the season. For one thing that has not really been part of the last month. And really through no fault of the Phillies own. It's not been part of the schedule lately. It will start to be now. Is the Phillies really don't have a lot of health on the wall against teams that have good records? So the Phillies have put together a great record, in totality now for the season when you consider where they've started at nine and 19. But against teams that are above 500, the Phillies are just 28 and 31 and to replay with this grave series. They're under 500 by three games against stream baseball teams. And we get to October, unless the Phillies end up playing, you know, the 16 in the American League in the world series,

11:35which actually might be a below 500 team or 500 team. They're only going to see winning teams. So I'm only going to see really good teams. That's how you have to go through October. And the way the Phillies have played this year, you know, their record against those teams should not give us tremendous confidence that they're going to do a good job there. Because that's not, it's not really what they've done. They have not played good baseball against those teams the entire year. So there is a tangential benefit to this beyond just, you know, catching the graves or holding a one game lead over the Cubs. It is for themselves to know, hey, we got this. Because I could sense the Phillies have gained confidence over the past month as they should. Even 21 and seven in the month of August, you should gain confidence. It's a tremendous record. And they've played excellent baseball. And I wanted to basically swash the hopes that every team chasing them. You know, we were talking about them rising up the standings.

12:37There was a point in, you know, the second week of August where they were falling down the standings and we were having a very legitimate discussion on whether or not we were confident in sure that they were going to make the playoffs. Well, at that point, right behind them at the stand list cardinals, right behind them, I am the one behind them, right behind them, the Arizona downbacks, and they will put up huge distance between themselves and those teams effectively burying those teams and making it a good point. That the Phillies will actually, yes, of course, make the playoffs credit to the Phillies. They did that. I think they checked that box infatically. But now they could check the next box in Criotly, which is we got this. We can handle the good teams. I've said it a lot this year that this team, for a lot of reasons, reminds me more of the 22 team than any of the other renditions of this team. For the simple fact of, you know, they started off bad, they fired the manager. But that team also had a weird thing where they gained confidence, they gained light up that threat the season. But they didn't throw a lot of the year show us they could beat good teams.

13:38It just that was the last box they had to check. And it was a little confusing because they got beat up by the match, beat up by the braze lot that year. They didn't show it to us. But there when it clicked, it clicked. And they realized they could beat anybody. And I think that was the final propeller for that team. Hey, it doesn't matter what your record is. We could beat you. We didn't do it all year, but we could do it now. And it's really that's what the baseball postseason is about. It's about the now. It's about how you were playing in the moment. It's not about the whole year, it's not about all that. It's about how you're playing in the moment. And if the fully squad was just saying this weekend, it starts tonight with a wonderful pitching matchup with Christopher Stancher's and Chris Sale. Let's just say tonight that the players go out there and they win this game. And they beat Sale. And Sale has been wonderful. I actually think Sale is probably going to finish second in the Saiyan. I think he's going to be, I could be missing someone. And if I am, we'll go back and get a revise it. But I think right now at the top corner of the Saiyan she can miss her out. She's Sale Sanchez, Lazardo.

14:38I think they're the four best pitchers in the national league. Right now, Lazardo is as good as anybody. But the full body of work and the wins of Rebel Closeman, you might get a Sanchez three, Lazardo four, whatever. Doesn't really matter. But I think Sale is going to finish too. Just like tremendous pitcher, having a tremendous year again. I mean, he just, he pulled, you know, the, What if your next move wasn't another job, but a career? The St. Louis building and construction trades are looking for the next generation to build what's next. Earn while you learn through a union apprenticeship. No massive student loan debt, just real training, real skills and real opportunities. Many union trades earn 40 to $75 an hour in total compensation, including healthcare and retirement. With major construction projects happening across St. Louis and Missouri, there's never been a better time to get started. Build your future. Visit moeunioncareers.com today. None of this bothers him. None of the changes whether it pitch clock or, you know, the automated ABS, nothing phases Chris Sale.

15:39He just goes out there and strikes people out. And there's a walk anybody puts up zeros and zeros and zeros. He dominated last start. So the players got the right and beat Chris Sale. And Kristen for Sanchez, you know, continues a little uptick here after being, you know, a little bit mediocre for about two months. It would, to me, it would infuse that clubhouse with the, let's go, let's go catch him. You know, we're three bath, you know, entering the Saturday and Labor Day weekend. Let's go, let's go catch him. And how much will it not us to goodness NLE's race big in the month of September? I think it'd be awesome. I think it's good for the Phillies in so many ways, the mental part, the, if we don't reach this, we'll at least reach the four seating at the home Wild Curve Series. And the day when Matt Carrer, which is there, hell, let's go get the two C. Let's get a buy. Let's make sure that we don't have to play that first round. And let's get ready. Let the Dodgers wear themselves out in a Wild Curve Series. If they get upset with the way they're playing by the San Diego Padres, we'd be all six times this year. If the patch or a World Series is a five game series

16:40against the Padres, and then all of a sudden a ticket to the NLCS to go face the barrage of cops. I mean, that, that feels, that feels like the right path. It's supposed to go get to a World Series. I appreciate everyone listening, subscribing, follow the podcast, YouTube feed, 94WiK, check it out there, my book, What If, tackling the biggest unanswered questions in Philadelphia Sports History is available now. My website, WhatIfFillybook.com. You can order or it's very copies you want. You know, it can be a great birthday gift, or, you know, obviously the holidays coming up in a few months. Holiday gift for the Philadelphia Sports Band in your life. I appreciate everyone that's placed in order so far. Can't wait to get the hard copy of the book. And I start shipping that to you guys. WhatifFillybook.com is how you order. Thank you so much for listening to the VIP Daily Go Fills. Enjoy Labor Day weekend. It was a little rest of relaxation before a big football seems to arrive. And I certainly have been locked in a lot of Phillies. And on the college football this weekend, very excited for it.

17:41Thank you for being part of the VIP Daily, the Midday Show, everything in the VIP, of course, the Eagles Autism Foundation and the Radio Thumb we had was a big success. Thanks so much. We'll talk soon on WIP Daily. What if your next move wasn't another job, but a career? The St. Louis building and construction trades are looking for the next generation to build what's next. Earn while you learn through a union apprenticeship. No massive student loan debt, just real training, real skills, and real opportunities. Many union trades earn $40 to $75 an hour in total compensation, including health care and retirement. With major construction projects happening across St. Louis and Missouri, there's never been a better time to get started. Build your future. Visit moeunioncareers.com today.