Because the Red Sox spent their Memorial Day off, watching Casey Kelly pitch for Portland and the second-place Phillies continue to struggle (9-3 loss to the temporarily first-place Braves), all we can do is bask in the glory that is Roy Halladay.
This morning we watched his perfect game. Six whole minutes of it:
Tonight, we may watch the extended version as Comcast SportsNet is replaying the game. Our apologies to the Flyers, playing Game 2 of the finals tonight. It's scoreless in the first period.
We're also considering buying tickets to Roy Halladay's big game. No, we're not. We think this idea - the Marlins are selling unused tickets for Saturday's game at regular price - is stupid. You were either one of the 25,000 who were there, or you weren't. At first I was considering ripping the Marlins over this, but Christine convinced me that they're just taking advantage of people's stupidity. Go capitalism, I guess.
May 31, 2010
May 30, 2010
Today was for the children
Today was our day to cook for the families at the Ronald McDonald House. We think it went well, even if we grilled non-Mickey D's burgers at a house named after the burger icon.With our meal preparation, there was minimal thought of baseball today, except for the Hatfield Phillies Beef Franks we served. (Yes, the brand was intentionally selected.)
Before we left, we did see that Jamie Moyer was not perfect. He pitched well, but he needed to be nearly perfect because the Phillies offense is still struggling. The Marlins beat the Phillies 1-0.
Jon Lester had another strong start in an 8-1 win over the Royals. He's going to win the Cy Young.
May 29, 2010
Perfect day
A week ago, we, well, I was disappointed that Daisuke Matsuzaka didn't pitch a no-hitter against the Phillies. But it was an odd no-hit attempt. He struggled, and it was just kind of boring and uncomfortable.
There was none of that uneasiness tonight. Harry Leroy Halladay III was efficient and dominant as he pitched the 20th perfect game in major league baseball history, joining Jim Bunning as the only Phillies pitchers with perfectos.
Congrats to the Doc. Is there anything he can't do, besides handle the Red Sox?
We were able to watch, or at least listen to, just about every one of Halladay's 115 pitches in the 1-0 win over the Marlins. (Josh Johnson also pitched well, giving up an unearned run in seven innings.)
Before Halladay took the hill, we spent the day running to a bunch of stores and boiling enough macaroni to feed the SoxandPhils (we were preparing for dinner tomorrow at the Ronald McDonald House).
Among good but not perfect highlights of the day:
At a pet store, Christine saw a bulldog checking into their little hotel-esqe kennel. She thinks he smiled at her and that he looked like the currently unemployed Elvis - err, check that. Elvis is now a West Coast doggie because Pat Burrell signed a minor league deal with the Giants.
Later, we couldn't decide whether to take a walk because the Phillies game was coming on. We decided to walk and broke out the portable radio for the first time. It was neat listening to the game, although the houses we passed seemed more focused on the Flyers game than the Phillies. Understandable at the time, I guess.
Other games: Clay Buchholz was not perfect but pitched pretty well and beat Zack Greinke and the Royals by a 1-0 score. (The run was earned.)
The Flyers are losing to the Blackhawks 5-4 in the second period of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.
There was none of that uneasiness tonight. Harry Leroy Halladay III was efficient and dominant as he pitched the 20th perfect game in major league baseball history, joining Jim Bunning as the only Phillies pitchers with perfectos.
Congrats to the Doc. Is there anything he can't do, besides handle the Red Sox?
We were able to watch, or at least listen to, just about every one of Halladay's 115 pitches in the 1-0 win over the Marlins. (Josh Johnson also pitched well, giving up an unearned run in seven innings.)
Before Halladay took the hill, we spent the day running to a bunch of stores and boiling enough macaroni to feed the SoxandPhils (we were preparing for dinner tomorrow at the Ronald McDonald House).
Among good but not perfect highlights of the day:
At a pet store, Christine saw a bulldog checking into their little hotel-esqe kennel. She thinks he smiled at her and that he looked like the currently unemployed Elvis - err, check that. Elvis is now a West Coast doggie because Pat Burrell signed a minor league deal with the Giants.
Later, we couldn't decide whether to take a walk because the Phillies game was coming on. We decided to walk and broke out the portable radio for the first time. It was neat listening to the game, although the houses we passed seemed more focused on the Flyers game than the Phillies. Understandable at the time, I guess.
Other games: Clay Buchholz was not perfect but pitched pretty well and beat Zack Greinke and the Royals by a 1-0 score. (The run was earned.)
The Flyers are losing to the Blackhawks 5-4 in the second period of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.
May 28, 2010
Lee Arthur tips his hat to Sarge
Driving to work this morning, I got a treat because Lee Arthur Smith was a guest of Craig Carton and Boomer Esiason's WFAN radio show. I always liked the big guy and thought the Red Sox should have kept him instead of Jeff Reardon in 1990.
He talked mostly about closers because he's plugging a book, Fireman: The Evolution of the Closer in Baseball, for which he wrote the foreward.
The conversation turned a little SoxandPhils when he was asked about the 1984 NL East Champion Cubs.
"It was like a family," Smith said. "And the one guy for me that held the ballclub together was Gary Matthews."
Everybody loves Sarge, even one of the nastiest closers of my generation.
Smith didn't feel as bad about losing with his only other playoff team, the 1988 Red Sox. "'84 was tougher for me," Smith said.
He was also asked whether there was one hitter he couldn't get out. His answer? Mike Schmidt, who killed the Cubbies. Michael Jack had a .986 OPS against Chicago, his third highest against any team, and a 1.048 OPS at Wrigley, the highest mark he had in any park.
I like it when a player's memory reflects reality.
Today's games: After 30 innings, the Phillies finally scored a run. For days, Christine was convinced they would not score another run all season. At first, I thought she was just being melodramatic, but I was starting to wonder ...
The Phillies weren't satisfied with that run and scored another, and then one more to give them their first lead in a week. It was a pure offensive onslaught by the Phightin' Phils who held on for the 3-2 win against the Marlins, despite a nervous 9th by Jose Contreras.
If the Phillies night was an onslaught, the Red Sox offense was firing on all cylinders with five runs. But the Royals bats put both teams to shame, knocking out Tim Wakefield in the 3rd inning with nine runs. They embarrassed the once-again deflated Sox 12-5.
He talked mostly about closers because he's plugging a book, Fireman: The Evolution of the Closer in Baseball, for which he wrote the foreward.
The conversation turned a little SoxandPhils when he was asked about the 1984 NL East Champion Cubs.
"It was like a family," Smith said. "And the one guy for me that held the ballclub together was Gary Matthews."
Everybody loves Sarge, even one of the nastiest closers of my generation.
Smith didn't feel as bad about losing with his only other playoff team, the 1988 Red Sox. "'84 was tougher for me," Smith said.
He was also asked whether there was one hitter he couldn't get out. His answer? Mike Schmidt, who killed the Cubbies. Michael Jack had a .986 OPS against Chicago, his third highest against any team, and a 1.048 OPS at Wrigley, the highest mark he had in any park.
I like it when a player's memory reflects reality.
Today's games: After 30 innings, the Phillies finally scored a run. For days, Christine was convinced they would not score another run all season. At first, I thought she was just being melodramatic, but I was starting to wonder ...
The Phillies weren't satisfied with that run and scored another, and then one more to give them their first lead in a week. It was a pure offensive onslaught by the Phightin' Phils who held on for the 3-2 win against the Marlins, despite a nervous 9th by Jose Contreras.
If the Phillies night was an onslaught, the Red Sox offense was firing on all cylinders with five runs. But the Royals bats put both teams to shame, knocking out Tim Wakefield in the 3rd inning with nine runs. They embarrassed the once-again deflated Sox 12-5.
May 27, 2010
Two knocks and a shave
So Charlie Manuel finally corralled the offensively challenged Phillies in for a team meeting. Nobody's saying much, except that Cholly didn't read them the riot act. It hasn't helped because the Phillies still have not scored a run in their series against the Mets. But they have an excuse tonight - the game has been delayed by rain.
The only thing that seems to have changed is Jayson Werth's beard. He shaved it again, but we want to see a picture to prove it.
It is implied that J-Dub broke out the razor to snap him and his Phils mates out of their phunk, but I have two other theories. 1) He's practicing for when he's a Yankee next year. 2) He wants to be more aerodynamic because he's on pace to make a run at a storied record - most doubles in a season, currently held by Earl Webb, who had 67 in 1931. Sports Illustrated's Joe Posnanski thinks he has a real good chance.
I knew Webb held the record, but I didn't know he was a Red Sox.
Tonight's games: The Red Sox were leading the Royals 1-0 when I started this post, but Daisuke Matsuzaka just suffered an ugly-looking three-run 5th inning. He was yanked mid-frame at 112 pitches. Recently activated Joe Nelson, whose a fan of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA," came in from the pen. It's now 3-2 in the 6th.
Two hours late, the Phillies and Mets are just beginning.
The only thing that seems to have changed is Jayson Werth's beard. He shaved it again, but we want to see a picture to prove it.
It is implied that J-Dub broke out the razor to snap him and his Phils mates out of their phunk, but I have two other theories. 1) He's practicing for when he's a Yankee next year. 2) He wants to be more aerodynamic because he's on pace to make a run at a storied record - most doubles in a season, currently held by Earl Webb, who had 67 in 1931. Sports Illustrated's Joe Posnanski thinks he has a real good chance.
I knew Webb held the record, but I didn't know he was a Red Sox.
Tonight's games: The Red Sox were leading the Royals 1-0 when I started this post, but Daisuke Matsuzaka just suffered an ugly-looking three-run 5th inning. He was yanked mid-frame at 112 pitches. Recently activated Joe Nelson, whose a fan of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA," came in from the pen. It's now 3-2 in the 6th.
Two hours late, the Phillies and Mets are just beginning.
May 26, 2010
DFA
I forgot to mention the other day that the Red Sox early-season cult hero Darnell McDonald was designated for assignment. That's probably a good thing because it turns out that he wasn't designated after all. The Red Sox were planning on it, but then Jacoby Ellsbury had some discomfort in his ribs, so the Red Sox sent down Scott Atchison in case they needed an extra outfielder.
Funny story - McDonald was asleep in his hotel room when he was awoken by his cell phone vibrating:
While McDonald spent his time on waivers napping and watching movies in his hotel room, Wilson Valdez said he spent his time in exile listening to his iPod in his hotel room.
For the SoxandPhils, it's been a very insightful week about the waiver process. Paul Hoover cleared waivers today; I wonder if he also spent the week in his hotel room.
Today's games: John Lackey joined the pitching party that the Red Sox starters have been on. They're leading the Rays 6-2 in the 8th thanks to a two-run homer by scorching David Ortiz, who was bettered by Adrian Beltre who had a pair of two-run homers.
The Phillies? I don't think Christine wants to talk about them. She's convinced they will never score another run. In the 8th, Mets 5, Phillies ... see the last sentence.
Funny story - McDonald was asleep in his hotel room when he was awoken by his cell phone vibrating:
"I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming," McDonald said. "[Monday] was a tough day for me. I knew what the circumstances were. Now I'm here."
While McDonald spent his time on waivers napping and watching movies in his hotel room, Wilson Valdez said he spent his time in exile listening to his iPod in his hotel room.
For the SoxandPhils, it's been a very insightful week about the waiver process. Paul Hoover cleared waivers today; I wonder if he also spent the week in his hotel room.
Today's games: John Lackey joined the pitching party that the Red Sox starters have been on. They're leading the Rays 6-2 in the 8th thanks to a two-run homer by scorching David Ortiz, who was bettered by Adrian Beltre who had a pair of two-run homers.
The Phillies? I don't think Christine wants to talk about them. She's convinced they will never score another run. In the 8th, Mets 5, Phillies ... see the last sentence.
May 25, 2010
Extracurricular multi-sport potpourri
I was a bit worried that we may have jinxed the Flyers last night, but they held on and will play for the Stanley Cup. I guess there are a lot of people in the Eagles front office rooting hard for the Blackhawks right now. Can you imagine if the Flyers join the Phillies as Philadelphia champions before the Iggles get over the hump?
When we were watching some of the post-game analysis, we missed this gem. Classic stuff - it's almost as if Michael Barkann planted this girl to drop the F-bomb on live TV:
Poor Steve Coates. I never heard of him before last week, but now I'm quite fond of Coatesy, primarily because of this Joe Conklin Flyers parody of Lada Gaga's Bad Romance. Lady Pha Pha would approve.
From ice hockey to ice football: Super Bowl XLVIII is coming to New Jersey. I still can't believe it.
Back to baseball extracurricular stuff: People, including Christine and me, have stuffed the All-Star ballots for the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins, who has played in slightly more games than me, is the leading shortstop, but Carlos Ruiz trails Yadier Molina. Early AL results were released yesterday; fans in New York and Texas are stuffing the ballot.
Today's games: The surging Sox lead the Rays 2-0 in the 9th; the phlopping Phillies trail the Mets 7-0 in the 8th.
When we were watching some of the post-game analysis, we missed this gem. Classic stuff - it's almost as if Michael Barkann planted this girl to drop the F-bomb on live TV:
Poor Steve Coates. I never heard of him before last week, but now I'm quite fond of Coatesy, primarily because of this Joe Conklin Flyers parody of Lada Gaga's Bad Romance. Lady Pha Pha would approve.
From ice hockey to ice football: Super Bowl XLVIII is coming to New Jersey. I still can't believe it.
Back to baseball extracurricular stuff: People, including Christine and me, have stuffed the All-Star ballots for the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins, who has played in slightly more games than me, is the leading shortstop, but Carlos Ruiz trails Yadier Molina. Early AL results were released yesterday; fans in New York and Texas are stuffing the ballot.
Today's games: The surging Sox lead the Rays 2-0 in the 9th; the phlopping Phillies trail the Mets 7-0 in the 8th.
May 24, 2010
Book club
Nearly a year ago, we bought the Harry Kalas tribute book Remembering Harry Kalas. A few weeks ago, I finally finished it.
I am an editor and spend all day reading and rewriting, so after a long day at work, I'm not likely to pick up a book unless it's something that I'm really enjoying. I always thought it would be awesome to get to read for a living, but once I actually started doing it as a job and realized that poring over less-than-stellar copy every day can be not so fun, my love of reading definitely took a sad hit.
That's my long way of saying, it took me so long to finish reading the book because it wasn't very good. I loved the concept behind it, but I wasn't thrilled with the execution.
Rich Wolfe, who compiled dozens of stories about Harry from friends, colleagues, ballplayers and others, says in his preface:
Wolfe says there was minimal editing done, mostly involving commas and merging paragraphs, and that shows. Some of these stories ramble on and don't get to a point. Others have barely anything to say about Harry (I'm looking at you, Tim McCarver). A few are from friends who hadn't seen or talked to Harry since high school or college. Many of the essays tell the same story, and despite Wolfe's acknowledgment of that and assertion that they bring different perspectives, they just sound repetitive.
In addition, there are these random factoids at the bottom of many pages. They don't have anything to do with Harry Kalas, the Phillies or baseball. They didn't add anything of interest and definitely could have been left out.
Worst of all, there are basic mistakes throughout the book, the kind that make me cringe. Misspellings, missing punctuation, missing words, sentences and phrases that don't make any sense. I'm not a perfect writer or editor, but I also don't have a book deal. These kind of sloppy errors shouldn't be found in any book.
There were some interesting tales I hadn't heard before, and some tributes were touching. But I think Wolfe should have taken into account that maybe Phillies fans can be editors and critics too and would have appreciated a better product.
I don't like being harsh, but because Wolfe says that he's the least likely person to write a book, that he can't type, that he's never turned on the computer and that he's never seen the Internet, I think that it's probably fair to say he's out of touch with many Phillies fans today anyway.
Next on the list: I need to finally read my Gary Matthews-Scott Lauber Phillies Confidential about the 2008 season. I enjoy Lauber's writing, so I'm sure this will be a much quicker read. It will be fun to revisit the World Championship season after some time and with a little more perspective. And come on - it has Sarge! Can't go wrong with him.
Greg is in the middle of Doug Glanville's The Game from Where I Stand, which I bought him for his birthday. He's enjoying it so far. [It's not a tell-all, but gives enough insight to make it interesting. And, we've always enjoyed Glanville's op-eds.]
And at some point we'll probably check out Harry the K: The Remarkable Life of Harry Kalas by Randy Miller. The excerpts we've seen have been juicy.
At the movies: Greg sent me this fun tidbit this afternoon:
We're highly amused that the home team provides DVDs for the visiting clubhouse. I'm also trying to figure out if there's some kind of hidden message behind providing these particular movies, if they were in the discount bin at Walmart or if they were just left behind in Brett Myers' locker.
I wonder if the Red Sox provide a complimentary copy of Fever Pitch for their visitors. [Or, do home teams leave that disaster for the Red Sox when they visit to get in their heads?]
Tonight: The Phillies were off from playing a game but participated in their annual ALS festival. They open a series in New York tomorrow night.
The Red Sox are handling the AL East leaders and are up 6-0 on the Rays in the 4th inning.
The Flyers, up 3-1, are about 18 minutes away from the finals.
I am an editor and spend all day reading and rewriting, so after a long day at work, I'm not likely to pick up a book unless it's something that I'm really enjoying. I always thought it would be awesome to get to read for a living, but once I actually started doing it as a job and realized that poring over less-than-stellar copy every day can be not so fun, my love of reading definitely took a sad hit.
That's my long way of saying, it took me so long to finish reading the book because it wasn't very good. I loved the concept behind it, but I wasn't thrilled with the execution.
Rich Wolfe, who compiled dozens of stories about Harry from friends, colleagues, ballplayers and others, says in his preface:
This book is designed solely for other sports fans. I really don't care what the publisher, editors or critics think. I'm only interested in Phillies fans having an enjoyable read and getting their money's worth. Sometimes a person being interviewed will drift off the subject but if the feeling is that Phillies fans would enjoy their digression, it stays in the book.
Wolfe says there was minimal editing done, mostly involving commas and merging paragraphs, and that shows. Some of these stories ramble on and don't get to a point. Others have barely anything to say about Harry (I'm looking at you, Tim McCarver). A few are from friends who hadn't seen or talked to Harry since high school or college. Many of the essays tell the same story, and despite Wolfe's acknowledgment of that and assertion that they bring different perspectives, they just sound repetitive.
In addition, there are these random factoids at the bottom of many pages. They don't have anything to do with Harry Kalas, the Phillies or baseball. They didn't add anything of interest and definitely could have been left out.
Worst of all, there are basic mistakes throughout the book, the kind that make me cringe. Misspellings, missing punctuation, missing words, sentences and phrases that don't make any sense. I'm not a perfect writer or editor, but I also don't have a book deal. These kind of sloppy errors shouldn't be found in any book.
There were some interesting tales I hadn't heard before, and some tributes were touching. But I think Wolfe should have taken into account that maybe Phillies fans can be editors and critics too and would have appreciated a better product.
I don't like being harsh, but because Wolfe says that he's the least likely person to write a book, that he can't type, that he's never turned on the computer and that he's never seen the Internet, I think that it's probably fair to say he's out of touch with many Phillies fans today anyway.
Next on the list: I need to finally read my Gary Matthews-Scott Lauber Phillies Confidential about the 2008 season. I enjoy Lauber's writing, so I'm sure this will be a much quicker read. It will be fun to revisit the World Championship season after some time and with a little more perspective. And come on - it has Sarge! Can't go wrong with him.
Greg is in the middle of Doug Glanville's The Game from Where I Stand, which I bought him for his birthday. He's enjoying it so far. [It's not a tell-all, but gives enough insight to make it interesting. And, we've always enjoyed Glanville's op-eds.]
And at some point we'll probably check out Harry the K: The Remarkable Life of Harry Kalas by Randy Miller. The excerpts we've seen have been juicy.
At the movies: Greg sent me this fun tidbit this afternoon:
These were the DVDs in the Philadelphia visitor's clubhouse: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard; Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Semi Pro. Obviously the Phillies are hoping the opposition will pop one in and sleep through the game.
We're highly amused that the home team provides DVDs for the visiting clubhouse. I'm also trying to figure out if there's some kind of hidden message behind providing these particular movies, if they were in the discount bin at Walmart or if they were just left behind in Brett Myers' locker.
I wonder if the Red Sox provide a complimentary copy of Fever Pitch for their visitors. [Or, do home teams leave that disaster for the Red Sox when they visit to get in their heads?]
Tonight: The Phillies were off from playing a game but participated in their annual ALS festival. They open a series in New York tomorrow night.
The Red Sox are handling the AL East leaders and are up 6-0 on the Rays in the 4th inning.
The Flyers, up 3-1, are about 18 minutes away from the finals.
May 23, 2010
First SoxandPhils series over
If you couldn't tell from today's pre-posting, we weren't able to watch the finale of the SoxandPhils series. I know, that's pretty lame for the premier blog devoted to all things Red Sox and Phillies to miss the final game of a showdown, but we had a pretty good excuse. We were watching my Dad get honored for being the great guy that he is.
On the way home, we listened to the end of the game. When they said Tim Wakefield was working on a shutout in the 8th inning, I was drooling at the parallels with Jamie Moyer's recent gem against the Braves. I was disappointed when he didn't come out for the 9th, despite a pitch count of only 102. Turns out, Wakefield doesn't care about stats.
Roy Halladay didn't do well. He was removed in the 6th, giving up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and two walks. Our immediate thoughts were about his recent workload and not throwing before this start. Todd Zolecki was also wondering about that, but Doc denied any problem.
So with the 8-3 win, the Red Sox win the first of two 2010 regular season series. I hope it's a sign the Red Sox are turning the corner, but I'm sure I'd swap this series win with Christine in exchange for her team's prospects for the season.
On the way home, we listened to the end of the game. When they said Tim Wakefield was working on a shutout in the 8th inning, I was drooling at the parallels with Jamie Moyer's recent gem against the Braves. I was disappointed when he didn't come out for the 9th, despite a pitch count of only 102. Turns out, Wakefield doesn't care about stats.
Roy Halladay didn't do well. He was removed in the 6th, giving up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and two walks. Our immediate thoughts were about his recent workload and not throwing before this start. Todd Zolecki was also wondering about that, but Doc denied any problem.
So with the 8-3 win, the Red Sox win the first of two 2010 regular season series. I hope it's a sign the Red Sox are turning the corner, but I'm sure I'd swap this series win with Christine in exchange for her team's prospects for the season.
Sunday showdown
The Red Sox and Phillies end their series today with the venerable Tim Wakefield against the robotic Roy Halladay. On paper, it's a clear mismatch. But I have faith in Wake.
I've often linked Wakefield with the Phillies' elder statesman, Jamie Moyer, and I'm not the only the one who has noticed the similarity, especially with how they both had been demoted from the rotation during the past two seasons.
SoxandPhils writer Scott Lauber had a nice piece the other day in which J-Moy commiserated with the knuckler:
I always forget that these two were teammates on the 1996 Red Sox. That was 14 years ago.
The other day I heard Buster Olney talking about covering Moyer in 1995 when he was demoted from the Orioles rotation. The upstanding lefty stood before reporters and told them he thought there were some mechanical adjustments he could make to improve his pitching.
Olney said the then-32-year-old sounded earnest but wasn't convincing anyone. "I was thinking, 'Jamie, you're a nice guy, but maybe you sound hang them up.'" Some 440 starts later, he's still not ready to hang them up.
I'm disappointed we didn't get to see these two crafty veterans match up this series. I hope it happens when they play in Fenway next month.
I've often linked Wakefield with the Phillies' elder statesman, Jamie Moyer, and I'm not the only the one who has noticed the similarity, especially with how they both had been demoted from the rotation during the past two seasons.
SoxandPhils writer Scott Lauber had a nice piece the other day in which J-Moy commiserated with the knuckler:
Like Wakefield, Moyer is among the select few players in the majors' over-40 set. And for the final six weeks of last season, after the Philadelphia Phillies traded for Cliff Lee and signed Pedro Martinez, Moyer was relegated to being the team's long reliever and in-case-of-emergency starter.
And, like Wakefield, Moyer wasn't happy about it.
"I had been a starter my whole career, and it's where I feel like I can benefit the most," Moyer, the 47-year-old left-hander, recalled yesterday at Citizens Bank Park. "When I say it's where I can benefit the most, that's because it's where I feel like I can help the team the most."
I always forget that these two were teammates on the 1996 Red Sox. That was 14 years ago.
The other day I heard Buster Olney talking about covering Moyer in 1995 when he was demoted from the Orioles rotation. The upstanding lefty stood before reporters and told them he thought there were some mechanical adjustments he could make to improve his pitching.
Olney said the then-32-year-old sounded earnest but wasn't convincing anyone. "I was thinking, 'Jamie, you're a nice guy, but maybe you sound hang them up.'" Some 440 starts later, he's still not ready to hang them up.
I'm disappointed we didn't get to see these two crafty veterans match up this series. I hope it happens when they play in Fenway next month.
May 22, 2010
Rotating door at the top
It's the middle game of the SoxandPhils series, and each team had a different look at the top of the order.
The Red Sox finally got their speedy leadoff man, Jacoby Ellsbury, back off the DL. He made his first start in more than a month. The Phillies reinserted their speedy leadoff man, Jimmy Rollins, to his usual spot in the lineup on Friday, but he got injured again. He was officially DL'd today. Welcome back, Wilson Valdez.
Tonight's tilt: Joining Ellsbury in the lineup was David Ortiz at 1B and Jason Varitek at C, which is interesting given the reports of the little scuffle between Daisuke Matsuzaka and Victor Martinez.
Replacing J-Roll in the leadoff spot was Shane Victorino, replacing him at SS was Juan Castro.
Actually, the most important lineup machinations were Varitek and Castro - not because of the riff between V-Mart and Dice, but because Tek is the only catcher to squat for four no-hitters. That's notable because he came pretty close to a fifth.
The 8th inning was the most dramatic. Raul Ibanez walked. Then, Carlos Ruiz lined a rope to third. Adrian Beltre made an amazing spear and then doubled off Ibanez. That was followed by a little bloop by ... Castro (where's J-Roll when you need him?). The little duck snort fell just out Marco Scutaro's reach.
At first it looked like it would be a no-doubt hit. "There it is," Christine said happily. But then it looked like Scutaro had a play. She got quiet, before clapping when the ball hit the ground. Her hands still sting. I don't think she's clapped so hard at baseball since the 2008 World Series.
I'll admit it, I wanted it. This might be a season where you have to take moral victories along the way.
That bloop turned a potentially special night into a ho-hum 5-0 victory. Daniel Bard pitched a perfect 9th to end it.
The Red Sox finally got their speedy leadoff man, Jacoby Ellsbury, back off the DL. He made his first start in more than a month. The Phillies reinserted their speedy leadoff man, Jimmy Rollins, to his usual spot in the lineup on Friday, but he got injured again. He was officially DL'd today. Welcome back, Wilson Valdez.
Tonight's tilt: Joining Ellsbury in the lineup was David Ortiz at 1B and Jason Varitek at C, which is interesting given the reports of the little scuffle between Daisuke Matsuzaka and Victor Martinez.
Replacing J-Roll in the leadoff spot was Shane Victorino, replacing him at SS was Juan Castro.
Actually, the most important lineup machinations were Varitek and Castro - not because of the riff between V-Mart and Dice, but because Tek is the only catcher to squat for four no-hitters. That's notable because he came pretty close to a fifth.
The 8th inning was the most dramatic. Raul Ibanez walked. Then, Carlos Ruiz lined a rope to third. Adrian Beltre made an amazing spear and then doubled off Ibanez. That was followed by a little bloop by ... Castro (where's J-Roll when you need him?). The little duck snort fell just out Marco Scutaro's reach.
At first it looked like it would be a no-doubt hit. "There it is," Christine said happily. But then it looked like Scutaro had a play. She got quiet, before clapping when the ball hit the ground. Her hands still sting. I don't think she's clapped so hard at baseball since the 2008 World Series.
I'll admit it, I wanted it. This might be a season where you have to take moral victories along the way.
That bloop turned a potentially special night into a ho-hum 5-0 victory. Daniel Bard pitched a perfect 9th to end it.
May 21, 2010
SoxandPhils series starts
I love the morning of a SoxandPhils series. There's something weird but pleasing about reading Phillies coverage in the Boston papers and Red Sox coverage in the Philly papers.
The Phillies writers, who never appreciated the talent of Terry Francona, obviously focused on the Red Sox troubles:
But the two-time champion is continuing to guide the Sox with a steady hand amid troubled waters:
The Red Sox writers, however, are in awe of the Phillies and are speculating about Jayson Werth:
SoxandPhils writer Scott Lauber checked in with some similar SoxandPhils players, such as Ryan Howard offering support for David Ortiz:
Tonight's game: It was Ryan Howard homering tonight in the 4th inning to tie the game 1-1. We learned - and can't believe we didn't know this before - that fans who catch Phillies home run balls get to have it signed by the player who hit it. It had been a nice pitching duel between John Lackey and Cole Hamels until the 4th, but then Shane Victorino singled in another run, and in the next inning, "future Sox" Werth hit a two-run home run.
Howard later poked one to the opposite field, against the shift, to drive in another run.
The Red Sox loaded the bases in the 9th, but Papi flew out to end it 5-1. Christine rubbed it in by wearing her Phillies pajama pants and a Phillies T-shirt. She claims it's because I wore my Red Sox shorts, but I wear them on most nights.
Uh-oh: Jimmy Rollins, making his return to the leadoff spot, was removed from the game. It looks like something is wrong with his leg again. Good thing Wilson Valdez cleared waivers today.
And by the end of the game, Victor Martinez's first inning home run was long forgotten.
The Phillies writers, who never appreciated the talent of Terry Francona, obviously focused on the Red Sox troubles:
"Right now," conceded manager Terry Francona, the team's bald, bespectacled Job, "we're being tested a lot."
But the two-time champion is continuing to guide the Sox with a steady hand amid troubled waters:
Asked to assume, for a moment, the perspective of a fan viewing a team that seems increasingly dysfunctional, Francona showed an instinct for self-preservation.
"If I speak like a fan," he said, "I'm going to be a fan pretty soon."
The Red Sox writers, however, are in awe of the Phillies and are speculating about Jayson Werth:
The Sox-Phillies series should be interesting if only because it'll be a chance to see Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Roy Halladay and future Sox star Jayson Werth. There are a few too many interleague games and the integrity of the schedule is damaged, but the games are still fun.
Still, it's a bit ridiculous that the Red Sox get the Phillies six times and the Yankees get the F Troop Mets six times.
SoxandPhils writer Scott Lauber checked in with some similar SoxandPhils players, such as Ryan Howard offering support for David Ortiz:
Ortiz texted Howard last month to congratulate him on his new contract. Howard responded by offering Ortiz encouragement through a text message. His advice: Just be yourself.
"Everybody knows that you're going to have ups and downs. Everybody knows that you're not going to get off to a good start every year," Howard said. "You being you, doing what you do, your numbers are going to be where your numbers are pretty much every year.
"As far as (Ortiz) is concerned, I think people make a big deal out of it. It's like, if he doesn't get off to the start that everybody thinks he should get off to, all of a sudden he's struggling and this and that. You've just got to let the man play, let him do what he does."
Tonight's game: It was Ryan Howard homering tonight in the 4th inning to tie the game 1-1. We learned - and can't believe we didn't know this before - that fans who catch Phillies home run balls get to have it signed by the player who hit it. It had been a nice pitching duel between John Lackey and Cole Hamels until the 4th, but then Shane Victorino singled in another run, and in the next inning, "future Sox" Werth hit a two-run home run.
Howard later poked one to the opposite field, against the shift, to drive in another run.
The Red Sox loaded the bases in the 9th, but Papi flew out to end it 5-1. Christine rubbed it in by wearing her Phillies pajama pants and a Phillies T-shirt. She claims it's because I wore my Red Sox shorts, but I wear them on most nights.
Uh-oh: Jimmy Rollins, making his return to the leadoff spot, was removed from the game. It looks like something is wrong with his leg again. Good thing Wilson Valdez cleared waivers today.
And by the end of the game, Victor Martinez's first inning home run was long forgotten.
May 20, 2010
Fighting two enemies
My head hurt last night figuring out where my hopes should lie in the battle between the first-place Rays and wild card-leading Yankees.
Christine said I should focus first on the wild card, but I hate conceding anything, no matter how tough and talented Tampa is. And hey, we have a chance to win our third straight tonight against a playoff-caliber team.
This morning, the Globe suggested the Empire is crumbling and vulnerable. I guess the Globe and Christine make rational arguments, but I'm a fan. Let's knock 'em both off.
There's no doubting where my allegiance lies this weekend: I'll be anti-Phillies, and Christine will be anti-Red Sox. (She usually is anyway.)
Red Sox vs. Phillies history: Click here for a look back at the Red Sox and Phillies battles, SoxandPhils style. Our posts from June 2008 have details from each year of interleague play between the two teams.
Today: I had a long day at work, the Phillies beat the Cubs, and the Red Sox lead the Twins.
Christine said I should focus first on the wild card, but I hate conceding anything, no matter how tough and talented Tampa is. And hey, we have a chance to win our third straight tonight against a playoff-caliber team.
This morning, the Globe suggested the Empire is crumbling and vulnerable. I guess the Globe and Christine make rational arguments, but I'm a fan. Let's knock 'em both off.
There's no doubting where my allegiance lies this weekend: I'll be anti-Phillies, and Christine will be anti-Red Sox. (She usually is anyway.)
Red Sox vs. Phillies history: Click here for a look back at the Red Sox and Phillies battles, SoxandPhils style. Our posts from June 2008 have details from each year of interleague play between the two teams.
Today: I had a long day at work, the Phillies beat the Cubs, and the Red Sox lead the Twins.
May 19, 2010
Sunday switcheroo
Last night, as we watched Roy Halladay dominate the Pirates in a 2-1 complete game loss, Christine noted that he was on track to start Sunday against Josh Beckett.
I almost cautioned her not to count on Beckett. Unfortunately, or hopefully fortunately in the long run, I was right. Despite the Yankees protest, he is injured and has been placed on the DL, so it will be Tim Wakefield vs. Doc on Sunday. Game on.
Red Sox vs. Phillies history: Lifetime, Josh Beckett is 8-4 with a 3.98 ERA in 19 games (17 starts) against the Phillies (including his Marlins starts). He has hit them well: .222/.276/.444 in 27 at-bats, including two of his three career home runs. We were there for one of them in 2006. As a Red Sox, Beckett is 2-1 in three starts, including a debacle last year.
Against the Phillies, including his time with the Pirates, Wakefield is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA in nine games (seven starts).
As a Blue Jay, Halladay is 14-14 with a 4.28 in 41 games (38 starts) against Boston.
So, give the Red Sox the edge on Sunday. C'mon, despite last night's victory, delusion is all I have right now.
Tonight's games: Jamie Moyer pitched well, but the Phillies bats are still silent. In the 7th, Cubs 2, Phillies 0.
David Ortiz hit another home run (MVP! MVP! MVP!), and the Red Sox lead the Twins 2-1 in the 6th.
I almost cautioned her not to count on Beckett. Unfortunately, or hopefully fortunately in the long run, I was right. Despite the Yankees protest, he is injured and has been placed on the DL, so it will be Tim Wakefield vs. Doc on Sunday. Game on.
Red Sox vs. Phillies history: Lifetime, Josh Beckett is 8-4 with a 3.98 ERA in 19 games (17 starts) against the Phillies (including his Marlins starts). He has hit them well: .222/.276/.444 in 27 at-bats, including two of his three career home runs. We were there for one of them in 2006. As a Red Sox, Beckett is 2-1 in three starts, including a debacle last year.
Against the Phillies, including his time with the Pirates, Wakefield is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA in nine games (seven starts).
As a Blue Jay, Halladay is 14-14 with a 4.28 in 41 games (38 starts) against Boston.
So, give the Red Sox the edge on Sunday. C'mon, despite last night's victory, delusion is all I have right now.
Tonight's games: Jamie Moyer pitched well, but the Phillies bats are still silent. In the 7th, Cubs 2, Phillies 0.
David Ortiz hit another home run (MVP! MVP! MVP!), and the Red Sox lead the Twins 2-1 in the 6th.
May 18, 2010
Kicking a dog when he's down
It's been a ruff week for Pat and Elvis Burrell. They were designated for assignment by the Rays, which might end their baseball career. And the following day Ronnie James Dio - whose Holy Diver served as their intro music during some of their Philly days - died. Just when you thought they couldn't sink any lower, they had to endure this insult:
That was in a pretty interesting story the Daily News did on the Phillies' history with bobblehead promotions. They also compiled a complete list of Phillies bobbleheads. Christine has long been a fan of the trinkets that we just learned are also called nodders. She predicted they'd be popular when they started to make a resurgence in the late '90s.
Chase Utley is one of the rare Phillies to have two bobbleheads in his career. I guess he deserves it because, if you consider fielding and base running, he's been called the best player in baseball.
Tonight's games: Tonight's bobblehead honoree, Roy Halladay, pitched a complete game but lost to the Pirates 2-1.
Coming off last night's debacle - Jonathan Papelbon's gave up his first-ever walk-off home run. to Alex Rodriguez, no less - the Red Sox are trailing the Yankees in the 5th inning in a 3-0 rain-delayed game.
Tonight's starting pitchers, Halladay and Josh Beckett, are scheduled to face each other on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.
Red Sox vs. Phillies history: I hope Papelbon doesn't give up a walk-off homer against the Phillies this weekend; he has pitched well against the Phightins' in the past. In 7.2 innings over six games, he has given up a run on four hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. He has given up a home run. He's 1-0 with three saves and at least one blown save because of that home run hit by the best player in baseball. The Red Sox won it in 12 innings, though. That was June 2006.
[Sports collectible expert Ted] Taylor says the plethora of bobbleheads available is exactly the problem. "Every team has just been cranking them out," Taylor says. "In the catalog there are 13 pages of bobbleheads in small type."
Taylor pauses and adds with a chuckle, "I have a Pat Burrell one you can have."
That was in a pretty interesting story the Daily News did on the Phillies' history with bobblehead promotions. They also compiled a complete list of Phillies bobbleheads. Christine has long been a fan of the trinkets that we just learned are also called nodders. She predicted they'd be popular when they started to make a resurgence in the late '90s.
Chase Utley is one of the rare Phillies to have two bobbleheads in his career. I guess he deserves it because, if you consider fielding and base running, he's been called the best player in baseball.
Tonight's games: Tonight's bobblehead honoree, Roy Halladay, pitched a complete game but lost to the Pirates 2-1.
Coming off last night's debacle - Jonathan Papelbon's gave up his first-ever walk-off home run. to Alex Rodriguez, no less - the Red Sox are trailing the Yankees in the 5th inning in a 3-0 rain-delayed game.
Tonight's starting pitchers, Halladay and Josh Beckett, are scheduled to face each other on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.
Red Sox vs. Phillies history: I hope Papelbon doesn't give up a walk-off homer against the Phillies this weekend; he has pitched well against the Phightins' in the past. In 7.2 innings over six games, he has given up a run on four hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts. He has given up a home run. He's 1-0 with three saves and at least one blown save because of that home run hit by the best player in baseball. The Red Sox won it in 12 innings, though. That was June 2006.
May 17, 2010
Draining night
Sorry for tonight's post. I'm distracted and under time pressure ...
With the struggles of the Red Sox, I was honestly looking more forward to the Pirates-Phillies game than the Red Sox-Yankees on ESPN tonight. I'm getting tired of waiting for the Sox to turn it on, and I was a little curious to see whether the surging third-place Pirates would make a statement against the reigning NL champs.
We had to run an errand and when we got home, the Sox, behind Daisuke Matsuzaka, were already down 5-0 to the Empire. WTF!!! Something is off this year. They're playing like they're dead. I know, I should remain patient and take life as it comes, especially when there are more important things to worry about, but I'm starting to lose it. David Ortiz hit a big solo home run in the 4th. J.D. Drew hit a three-run homer in the 5th, so maybe they're showing their old pluck. Never give in. In the 7th, Yankees 7, Red Sox 6.
In Philly, Chase Utley got the flu, spoiling the family reunion planned for the return of Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz to the lineup. To make room for J-Roll, Wilson Valdez was designated for assignment as if he were dead to the Phillies. I wonder if he started crying hysterically when he got the news. {Even though he's a former Met, Valdez did well defensively for the injured shortstops. I wouldn't mind having him around the minors in case of any other major infield injuries. But let's hope that doesn't happen.}
After giving up a leadoff home run, Kyle Kendrick settled down and the Phillies made a statement against a potential playoff opponent. Phillies 12, little doodles, err, Pirates 2.
With the struggles of the Red Sox, I was honestly looking more forward to the Pirates-Phillies game than the Red Sox-Yankees on ESPN tonight. I'm getting tired of waiting for the Sox to turn it on, and I was a little curious to see whether the surging third-place Pirates would make a statement against the reigning NL champs.
We had to run an errand and when we got home, the Sox, behind Daisuke Matsuzaka, were already down 5-0 to the Empire. WTF!!! Something is off this year. They're playing like they're dead. I know, I should remain patient and take life as it comes, especially when there are more important things to worry about, but I'm starting to lose it. David Ortiz hit a big solo home run in the 4th. J.D. Drew hit a three-run homer in the 5th, so maybe they're showing their old pluck. Never give in. In the 7th, Yankees 7, Red Sox 6.
In Philly, Chase Utley got the flu, spoiling the family reunion planned for the return of Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz to the lineup. To make room for J-Roll, Wilson Valdez was designated for assignment as if he were dead to the Phillies. I wonder if he started crying hysterically when he got the news. {Even though he's a former Met, Valdez did well defensively for the injured shortstops. I wouldn't mind having him around the minors in case of any other major infield injuries. But let's hope that doesn't happen.}
After giving up a leadoff home run, Kyle Kendrick settled down and the Phillies made a statement against a potential playoff opponent. Phillies 12, little doodles, err, Pirates 2.
May 16, 2010
Diver down
Christine and I were running errands this afternoon when the radio played Rainbow in the Dark by Ronnie James Dio, who is one of SoxandPhils' favorite characters.Usually, when we hear a random song like this, one of us would joke, "What did he die or something?"
We didn't say that today, but the DJ came on with the sad news: Dio has taken his final dive. He is now a Holy Diver.
How sad that Dio is gone and it happened the day after Pat Burrell, who used to come to bat to Dio's iconic tune, was released by the Rays.
I wonder whether Rays GM Andrew Friedman feels guilty today.
At this moment, all we can do is huddle with Elvis and let out a good howl for a silenced voice.
Today's games: The Red Sox followed up losing in extra innings yesterday with a walk-off walk with a listless 5-1 loss today to the Tigers. It's getting harder and harder to keep my patience.
The Phillies are off to a good start on Sunday Night Baseball, leading the Brewers 2-0 in the 2nd.
[Photo credit: Associated Press]
May 15, 2010
Milestones
Earlier this week, Tim Wakefield got his 2,000th strikeout, joining Jamie Moyer and a couple of cruddy Yankees, roider Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez, as active pitchers in the 2K club.
Last night, Jamie Moyer became the second pitcher in history, behind the late Robin Roberts, to give up 500 home runs. When you've pitched as long as those guys, you are going to have good numbers and bad numbers:
I hit a milestone myself. Less than a year after I got my new bike, the odometer hit 1,000 miles this morning. I'm proud. I just wish I knew when I actually got it. I bought it on May 30, but I forgot to note when I picked it up - probably the following weekend.
Anybody wanna bulldog? Pat Burrell's career is over - well, the Tampa portion anyway. He was designated for assignment. Charlie Manuel thinks he'll rebound: "I think Burrell can still hit," Charlie Manuel said. "I think he'll get a job. I hope he does."
Either that, or he's subtly trying to convince the Mets to sign him, knowing full well that Burrell's done. I don't think Christie would handle it well if she saw Elvis in blue and orange.
Today's games: Joe Blanton is pitching well - one hit and no runs through four. But unlike last week, he's been efficient with only 43 pitches so far. In the 5th, Phillies 2, Brewers 0. {But just as soon as I was ready to post this, Blanton gave up a home run to Prince Fielder. Phillies 2, Brewers 1.}
The Red Sox play the Tigers tonight.
Last night, Jamie Moyer became the second pitcher in history, behind the late Robin Roberts, to give up 500 home runs. When you've pitched as long as those guys, you are going to have good numbers and bad numbers:
"There's a lot of chances out there," Moyer said. "You can't give up 500 in 600 at-bats, can you? I've thrown a few innings in my career. You're going to give up hits, home runs, walks, strikeouts, errors. I don't really keep track of it all."
I hit a milestone myself. Less than a year after I got my new bike, the odometer hit 1,000 miles this morning. I'm proud. I just wish I knew when I actually got it. I bought it on May 30, but I forgot to note when I picked it up - probably the following weekend.
Anybody wanna bulldog? Pat Burrell's career is over - well, the Tampa portion anyway. He was designated for assignment. Charlie Manuel thinks he'll rebound: "I think Burrell can still hit," Charlie Manuel said. "I think he'll get a job. I hope he does."
Either that, or he's subtly trying to convince the Mets to sign him, knowing full well that Burrell's done. I don't think Christie would handle it well if she saw Elvis in blue and orange.
Today's games: Joe Blanton is pitching well - one hit and no runs through four. But unlike last week, he's been efficient with only 43 pitches so far. In the 5th, Phillies 2, Brewers 0. {But just as soon as I was ready to post this, Blanton gave up a home run to Prince Fielder. Phillies 2, Brewers 1.}
The Red Sox play the Tigers tonight.
May 14, 2010
Philly's revenge
There was some compelling SoxandPhils baseball tonight: Clay Buchholz pitched well against the Tigers on an MLB broadcast, and Jamie Moyer and the Phillies are wearing their retro powder blue unis to celebrate the '70s with the Brewers.
But we didn't really watch either. We were more focused on Boston vs. Philly on ice, even though Christine has grown less interested in hockey in recent years and I have never liked the sport.
But I have a soft spot in my heart for teams that make it to a seventh game after starting 0-3 in a playoff series. We haven't been watching much of the Flyers run, but we turned it on tonight. When the Bruins scored three quick goals, Christine said I jinxed it by watching.
We figured the game was over and lost track of it while we cleaned up after dinner. When we got back to it, the Fly guys tied it up at three. We watched the entire 3rd period and saw the Flyers score a goal and advance to the semifinals.
Incredible. All that was missing was a bloody sock. {Does Gagne's broken foot count?}
So, I guess the Flyers got their revenge for Jan. 1, or maybe the Bruins are only better when they play in Fenway.
Back to baseball: Buchholz pitched well - one run in 6.1 innings, and David Ortiz hit two homers and drove in four. Red Sox 7, Tigers 2.
Christine likes how they play the sound of a growling Tiger every time Detroit scores a run. I don't, except when they're playing the Yankees.
Jamie Moyer dispelled any thoughts of another shutout early, by giving up three solo homers in the 2nd. That made the score a Flyers-like 3-3, but the Phillies, catching the comeback spirit, scored three more in the 4th. In the 5th, Phillies 8, Brewers 3.
By the way, months ago when we first heard about this retro night, we joked that J-Moy should get to start. We're glad it worked out that way. He looks right in this uniform.
But we didn't really watch either. We were more focused on Boston vs. Philly on ice, even though Christine has grown less interested in hockey in recent years and I have never liked the sport.
But I have a soft spot in my heart for teams that make it to a seventh game after starting 0-3 in a playoff series. We haven't been watching much of the Flyers run, but we turned it on tonight. When the Bruins scored three quick goals, Christine said I jinxed it by watching.
We figured the game was over and lost track of it while we cleaned up after dinner. When we got back to it, the Fly guys tied it up at three. We watched the entire 3rd period and saw the Flyers score a goal and advance to the semifinals.
Incredible. All that was missing was a bloody sock. {Does Gagne's broken foot count?}
So, I guess the Flyers got their revenge for Jan. 1, or maybe the Bruins are only better when they play in Fenway.
Back to baseball: Buchholz pitched well - one run in 6.1 innings, and David Ortiz hit two homers and drove in four. Red Sox 7, Tigers 2.
Christine likes how they play the sound of a growling Tiger every time Detroit scores a run. I don't, except when they're playing the Yankees.
Jamie Moyer dispelled any thoughts of another shutout early, by giving up three solo homers in the 2nd. That made the score a Flyers-like 3-3, but the Phillies, catching the comeback spirit, scored three more in the 4th. In the 5th, Phillies 8, Brewers 3.
By the way, months ago when we first heard about this retro night, we joked that J-Moy should get to start. We're glad it worked out that way. He looks right in this uniform.
May 13, 2010
Whining
There's been a lot of whining lately:
*The Red Sox, mostly Dustin Pedroia, whined about the umpires yesterday, even though they had a point about Dale Scott's strike zone.
*The Mets Jeff Francoeur whined about the Phillies getting three extra home games. They're not home games. They will bat first and use a DH. Sounds like an American League game to us. Seriously, we know it's not the best situation, but what else could be done? It's a safety issue. If the Mets have a problem with it, they can simply win more games than the Phillies.
*Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was reprimanded by baseball for using binoculars in the bullpen after the Rockies whined that the Phillies are cheating. The Mets and Dodgers have similarly whined in the past. And Charlie Manuel whined that the Dodgers are poor losers and that the Mets must be cheating or else their home and road records wouldn't be so different.
*Rays manager Joe Maddon didn't whine, but he had the best defense of Billmeyer, his former colleague:
OK, I get that he's a horn dog. But what else could be on the list before sign stealing?
Today's games: Both teams are off. Tomorrow they start series against the Central: Phillies at Brewers, Red Sox at Tigers. I hope there's less whining and more winning.
*The Red Sox, mostly Dustin Pedroia, whined about the umpires yesterday, even though they had a point about Dale Scott's strike zone.
*The Mets Jeff Francoeur whined about the Phillies getting three extra home games. They're not home games. They will bat first and use a DH. Sounds like an American League game to us. Seriously, we know it's not the best situation, but what else could be done? It's a safety issue. If the Mets have a problem with it, they can simply win more games than the Phillies.
*Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was reprimanded by baseball for using binoculars in the bullpen after the Rockies whined that the Phillies are cheating. The Mets and Dodgers have similarly whined in the past. And Charlie Manuel whined that the Dodgers are poor losers and that the Mets must be cheating or else their home and road records wouldn't be so different.
*Rays manager Joe Maddon didn't whine, but he had the best defense of Billmeyer, his former colleague:
"Are you sure he was looking at the other catcher's signs?" Maddon asked the St. Petersburg Times. "I hate to throw [Billmeyer] under the bus, but I would check something else first and then I would accuse him of stealing signs maybe third or fourth or fifth. Knowing him, I don't believe it was anything to do with stealing signs. I would actually bet on that. And I can say that because he's still a single guy."
OK, I get that he's a horn dog. But what else could be on the list before sign stealing?
Today's games: Both teams are off. Tomorrow they start series against the Central: Phillies at Brewers, Red Sox at Tigers. I hope there's less whining and more winning.
May 12, 2010
Catching crisis
Or ... A funny thing happened on the way
to the All-Star Game
This week it seemed everybody caught Carlos Ruiz fever. He is off to a great start, and some think this might be a breakthrough year at the plate for Chooch:
"You develop through experience," Manuel said before the game. "You develop relaxation, concentration, confidence ... all that comes together."
With Charlie Manuel getting to select the All-Star team this year, Chooch's chances of making the team seemed pretty good.
But then, today, I got an e-mail from Christine with "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" as the subject. I knew it was going to be about a Phillies injury. I was kind of relieved when she said it was Ruiz, not Roy Halladay.
He has a capsular strain in his knee (whatever that means), and the Phillies expect him to avoid the DL, but it's not reassuring that the catching depth chart for the immediate future (starting with tonight's nightcap with the Rockies) is Paul Hoover, followed probably by Jayson Werth.
Although I love the resurging Jason Varitek and what he has meant to the team, and the fact that he is the best backup catcher in baseball, I have offered to trade him to the Phillies. I told Christine that I'd start the bidding with Halladay (she said he stunk after he couldn't hold a 3-1 lead in the 7th).
Today's games: After they lost Chooch and that 3-1 lead, the Phillies dropped the first game of their doubleheader with the Rockies 4-3 in the 10th. The Rockies catcher, Miguel Olivo, survived the game, going 5-5 with the game-winning home run off Chad Durbin.
Tim Wakefield pitched well for the Red Sox and notched his 2,000th career strikeout, but he did not get much support as the Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays 3-2. They nearly came back in the 9th, but wound up with just some gripes at the umpires:
"Thank God I wasn't hitting righthanded because that would have hit me in the ribs," (David Ortiz) said.
Suffice it to say, the strike zone was expanded all game. Replays and Pitchf/x showed the pitch to Ortiz was well was outside.
We'll leave the final word to Dustin Pedroia:
"[The umpires] must have had a flight. I'm actually going to check on that," he said. "If they had a flight, we're going to make sure it was delayed. Because I can do that. I have that kind of pull."
Tonight's game: Jamie Moyer takes on the Rockies. I hope he's over his preference for experienced catchers because he is kind of stuck with Hoover. If they even get the game in, because it's raining again in Denver and game 2 has been delayed.
May 11, 2010
Mugged
At the game on Saturday, we noticed that the Phillies have a new screenshot for players.Shane Victorino's looked like a mugshot. Actually, not so much when we loaded the picture onto the blog, but on the scoreboard at the park, he really looked like he was just booked for something. Trust us on this one.
The Philadelphia Zoo isn't new to the scoreboard, but it usually it features a frog (one of Christine's favorite critters), not a polar bear (one of mine).We think Jayson Werth looks like he's ready to go bear hunting.
But considering all the talk about his next contract, he should probably stay safe and keep away from bears in the immediate future.
Today's news: The Blue Jays were mugged and will have to "host" the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park because of the G20 summit next month. Prediction: The Blue Jays will win one game with a walk-off in their opponents' park. ... Josh Beckett was mugged by a back spasm and will miss a start. Tests came back OK, so I hope this is a case where he takes a couple days off and comes back pitching like the ace we paid for. ... Roy Halladay was mugged from his first start in his hometown tonight because of rain. The Phillies and Rockies will play two tomorrow.
Tonight's game: Daisuke Matsuzaka is pitching well - one run on three hits (no walks and nine strikeouts) through six. He's only thrown 94 pitches, but I hope Terry Francona quits while we're ahead. Jason Varitek hit his 6th home run of the season. In the 6th, Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 1.
May 10, 2010
Off to Colorado
It's a good thing Roy Halladay wasn't involved in the debate Christine and I were having the other day about who Phillies fans would choose as their favorite BraveandPhil. He would have sided with Christine because he was a big Dale Murphy fan, as we learned in this story about Halladay who is scheduled to start against the Rockies on Tuesday - the first start he'll make in his hometown:
Because of Doc's connections among these teams, I thought I would do the all-time RoxandBravesandPhils team. Christine doubted me ... she was right. There are only eight such players, including someone else who was an option in the poll the other day, Ron Gant, current hitting coach Milt Thompson and the immortal Andy Ashby. Off the top off my head, I could only come up with Marvin Freeman. The others: Adam Bernero, Jose Hernandez and Jeff Parrett.
SoxandPhils who don't love their Mommas: I know that not every player uses a pink bat on Mother's Day, but I've never heard of players specifically shunning them. Today, we learned that Phillie Jayson Werth and Red Sox Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz wouldn't use them yesterday.
Tonight's games: In an ugly one, the Red Sox lead the Blue Jays 7-4 in the 4th. The Phillies are just under way in Doc Halladay's hometown with an early 1-0 lead.
"I was a big Dale Murphy fan, so it was pretty exciting when they got him," Halladay said. Just before the start of their inaugural season in 1993, the Rockies signed Murphy after he had been placed on waivers by the Phillies at the end of spring training. Halladay was 15 at the time and had grown up a fan of the Atlanta Braves.
"I just watched them on TBS all the time, so I became a Braves fan," Halladay said. "They weren't any good until after Murphy left, which is when I became a Phillies fan for a couple of years."
Murphy was traded to the Phillies in August 1990 and also played for them in 1991 and 1992. Because of a balky left knee that required constant draining, Murphy's career with the Rockies lasted only 26 games, and Halladay's interest in his hometown team did not last much beyond that.
Because of Doc's connections among these teams, I thought I would do the all-time RoxandBravesandPhils team. Christine doubted me ... she was right. There are only eight such players, including someone else who was an option in the poll the other day, Ron Gant, current hitting coach Milt Thompson and the immortal Andy Ashby. Off the top off my head, I could only come up with Marvin Freeman. The others: Adam Bernero, Jose Hernandez and Jeff Parrett.
SoxandPhils who don't love their Mommas: I know that not every player uses a pink bat on Mother's Day, but I've never heard of players specifically shunning them. Today, we learned that Phillie Jayson Werth and Red Sox Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz wouldn't use them yesterday.
"I tried those pink bats in the past and they didn't work so well," Werth said.
He added that his mother would not be offended.
Tonight's games: In an ugly one, the Red Sox lead the Blue Jays 7-4 in the 4th. The Phillies are just under way in Doc Halladay's hometown with an early 1-0 lead.
May 9, 2010
Mother's Day
I spent this afternoon wrestling with a prickly shrub because my mother-in-law wanted it removed from her yard, so we missed much of the Phillies game.
It appears that Cole Hamels struggled with the Braves as much as I struggled with the hedge. We both, however, were victorious in our endeavors. I deposited the shrub in a dumpster, and the Phillies trashed the Braves 5-3. Most notable was Brad Lidge's eight-pitch 1-2-3 9th inning to record his first save of the season. Maybe ... nah, I won't say anything.
With their moms in the park, Chad Durbin (who I learned today was delivered by the same doctor who delivered J.A. Happ) and Jose Contreras bridged the three innings between Hamels and Lidge. They were perfect with five strikeouts. Maybe ... nah, I won't say anything.
A great Mother's Day story: The A's Dallas Braden pitched today, and his grandmother, who raised him, was in the park. He pitched a perfect game, the 19th in baseball history, against the Rays. Previously, he was most famous for calling out Alex Rodriguez, who had responded by suggesting that Braden was a nobody. Now, he's in the record books, and his grandmama had some choice words for Slappy (we love this story but question whether it will prove to be urban legend):
Amen, never argue with a grandmother.
Tonight: I'm watching Sunday night baseball between the Red Sox and Yankees, but I'm not planning on staying up late to see how it ends. In the 4th, Red Sox 6, Yankees 2.
It appears that Cole Hamels struggled with the Braves as much as I struggled with the hedge. We both, however, were victorious in our endeavors. I deposited the shrub in a dumpster, and the Phillies trashed the Braves 5-3. Most notable was Brad Lidge's eight-pitch 1-2-3 9th inning to record his first save of the season. Maybe ... nah, I won't say anything.
With their moms in the park, Chad Durbin (who I learned today was delivered by the same doctor who delivered J.A. Happ) and Jose Contreras bridged the three innings between Hamels and Lidge. They were perfect with five strikeouts. Maybe ... nah, I won't say anything.
A great Mother's Day story: The A's Dallas Braden pitched today, and his grandmother, who raised him, was in the park. He pitched a perfect game, the 19th in baseball history, against the Rays. Previously, he was most famous for calling out Alex Rodriguez, who had responded by suggesting that Braden was a nobody. Now, he's in the record books, and his grandmama had some choice words for Slappy (we love this story but question whether it will prove to be urban legend):
After Sunday's game, Braden's grandmother said: "Stick it, A-Rod," according to multiple reporters on the scene.
Amen, never argue with a grandmother.
Tonight: I'm watching Sunday night baseball between the Red Sox and Yankees, but I'm not planning on staying up late to see how it ends. In the 4th, Red Sox 6, Yankees 2.
May 8, 2010
Windburned
SoxandPhils was at the park today for a game that was truly one in which you had to hold on to your hat - not because the Phillies 4-1 loss to the Braves was particularly compelling, but because if you didn't hold on to your hat, you'd loss it in the killer wind.We cannot describe how windy it was: The flagpoles shook, trees appeared to bend backward, peanut shells flurried around the park like snow, and garbage constantly blew from the upper rows. At times when walking to our seats, we could not move because the wind was so strong in our face.
Watching this game was a matter of survival, which probably explains why I have so few games notes and why I wasn't particularly riveted by a game that was a pitcher's duel, albeit an ugly one, that was 1-0 through five innings and one in which Joe Blanton took a no-hitter into the 5th.
Today wasn't the most fun we've ever had at the park, but it was definitely interesting. Here's our recap:Observations from the stands: Today was youth baseball day at the park. There were a lot of youngsters in the park. Led by Hershey's Chocolate characters, they paraded around the park. Did I mention there was a lot of them? The parade took nearly a half hour. They just kept coming in and circling and circling. One of the kiddies had a homemade replica of the 2008 World Series trophy. I saw it on the scoreboard and then he wound up sitting in our section. ... The Meadowbrook School Singers under the direction of Phyllis Ward did the anthem. I didn't note whether I liked it or not, which means it was probably acceptable. ... A couple of young baseball players and a youth league coach threw out the first pitch(es). ... After deviating a bit earlier this season, Jayson Werth is back to using Sammy Hagar's Heavy Metal for his intro music. ... Christine and I debated today's fan question: Who is your favorite BraveandPhil - Johnny Estrada, Kevin Millwood, Ron Gant or Dale Murphy? I figured Murphy's tenure in Philadelphia was forgettable and a long time ago. Christine thought he was just the most inoffensive. She was right, and he won 40% of the vote. I had picked Estrada. ... Chase Utley, Charlie Manuel and Carlos Ruiz had days off. Utley pinch hit in the 9th, Ruiz entered the game in the 3rd after Brian Schneider was injured, but Cholly got to attend his daughter's wedding, presumably without interruption. ... New Brave Jayson Heyward pinch hit in the 9th. He looked huge even from the upper deck.
Antiquated shirts: Aaron Rowand, Pat Burrell, Mike Lieberthal, Matt Stairs, Jon Lieber, Cliff Lee, Pete Rose and Jim Thome. I almost included Jimmy Rollins because it seems like forever since he's played. ... I can't believe they're selling shirts about the taser incident outside the park - I bet the dolts who proudly wear those are the same ones who complain about how the national media portrays Philadelphia poorly.Lady Pha Pha returns: The sensation of Lady Pha Pha is growing so big that the Phanatic may never be green again. Today, he, err, she came out and did her dance (without any inappropriate behavior from a coach). She then went to the first base side and did a special little dance for umpire Wally Bell. He didn't make any obscene gestures but didn't like it when Lady Pha Pha grinded on him.
He reacted with a playful motion that sent Lady Pha Pha to the ground and her hat and wig off her head. We're not sure how much of that was supposed to happen and how much was like today's games: uncontrollable train wrecks in which the less said, the better.Speaking of which: Yankees 14, Red Sox 3.
It sucks. I make no excuses nor concede anything, but I'm more fascinated with the image I just saw on MLB Network in which it appeared that a low-flying Marine helicopter appeared to go right throw Fenway Park in the middle of the game. I can't believe there is no outrage over this yet.
Oh well, better days start tomorrow.
May 7, 2010
Mowing 'em down
When I got home tonight, I realized my grass had grown six inches over the past week, and with a decent chance of rain tomorrow morning, I decided to be a responsible adult and broke out the mower instead of watching the Red Sox battle the Yankees on MLB Network.
I didn't miss much. Josh Beckett got shelled, and Phil Hughes is pitching like Josh Beckett circa 2007. In the 8th, Yankees 10, Red Sox 2. Blech.
I did miss a fun little bit of history in Philadelphia, however, as Jamie Moyer became the oldest pitcher to ever throw a complete game shutout. He was beautiful: two hits and no walks. He needed just 105 pitches (71 strikes) to finish off the Braves 7-0. In the 2nd, he needed only three pitches, and that was one of the two innings he gave up a hit. He saw 25 pitches in his four at-bats.
Jayson Stark and Rob Neyer were all a-Twitter during the game.
Charlie Manuel got so excited that he's going to have to miss tomorrow's game. Just kidding. He will miss tomorrow's game, but that was announced before Jamie Moyer made his push to catch Roy Halladay on the all-time complete game list. They're just saying non-health personal reasons. We're guessing he's finally getting hitched to his long-time companion, Melissa Martin.
C'mon Todd Zolecki, get the scoop. We're dying to know.
I didn't miss much. Josh Beckett got shelled, and Phil Hughes is pitching like Josh Beckett circa 2007. In the 8th, Yankees 10, Red Sox 2. Blech.
I did miss a fun little bit of history in Philadelphia, however, as Jamie Moyer became the oldest pitcher to ever throw a complete game shutout. He was beautiful: two hits and no walks. He needed just 105 pitches (71 strikes) to finish off the Braves 7-0. In the 2nd, he needed only three pitches, and that was one of the two innings he gave up a hit. He saw 25 pitches in his four at-bats.
Jayson Stark and Rob Neyer were all a-Twitter during the game.
Charlie Manuel got so excited that he's going to have to miss tomorrow's game. Just kidding. He will miss tomorrow's game, but that was announced before Jamie Moyer made his push to catch Roy Halladay on the all-time complete game list. They're just saying non-health personal reasons. We're guessing he's finally getting hitched to his long-time companion, Melissa Martin.
C'mon Todd Zolecki, get the scoop. We're dying to know.
May 6, 2010
A complete game of life
Roy Halladay came to Philadelphia with great expectations. He has exceeded them and improved today to 6-1 with a 1.45 ERA in the Phillies 7-2 matinee win over the Cardinals.But for the fourth time in seven starts, he failed to pitch nine innings. Doc is often seen as a throwback because of his ability to finish games. He leads active pitchers with 52 complete games - four more than Livan Hernandez, 20 more than Tim Wakefield and 21 more than Jamie Moyer.
We're talking completion today, of course, because another dominant righty for the Phillies, Robin Roberts, died at 83. I know they're completely different eras, but to put Halladay's complete games into context: Roberts had 45 shutouts and 28 consecutive complete games over two seasons.
The guy finished what he started. And judging by the eulogies, he led a complete life on and off the field:
"When I think of Robin there is definitely one word that comes quickly to mind: class. He was a class act both on and off the field. He was definitely one of the most consistent quality pitchers of all time, and the way he lived his life was exemplary. Every young baseball player should should model their life after Robin," Bill Giles, team chairman.
Christine and I don't have many personal memories, but we remember seeing him toss out the first pitch before a Red Sox-Phillies game in 2008. It was the 60th anniversary of his debut.
Awkward transition: From a pair of pitchers with 357 complete games to one who has ... one. And, Daisuke Matsuzaka probably won't be adding to that total tonight.
While taking a walk earlier, I told Christine that Boston's four-game winning streak would end tonight because Dice-K is pitching. I turned the game on in the 1st inning and he already had the Red Sox in the hole 4-0 to the Angels. But in the 5th, it's now 4-4.
May 5, 2010
We still miss Harry
The other day when we were putting mulch down, I had to hammer some bricks that line our front garden back into place. I thought of Harry Kalas because last year when I put those bricks in, I listened to his memorial service on the radio:I listened to speeches from Jamie Moyer, Mike Schmidt and assorted politicians float from my garage to the front of the yard where I hammered bricks into the ground.
Now, I'll probably always associate Harry with that flower bed.
That's what I wrote on April 18, 2009, and it is true a year later. I can't weed whack that garden without hearing "Outtttaa heeeerrre!" OK, there's no audio in my head, but I do think of Harry a lot.
A couple days later, Christine and I finished listening to Harry Kalas "Voice of the Phillies," a commemorative tribute CD to the legendary announcer, as we drove down to Baltimore to see the Red Sox.
It was nice to hear his voice again from his time with the Astros and with Richie Ashburn, his Hall of Fame induction and the success of the Phillies in the final years of his life.
On the drive home from Baltimore, we heard the Orioles broadcaster. Their color guy was into self-deprecating humor like Larry Andersen, but it was forced and didn't seem to work. It was just another reminder of how baseball broadcasting will never be the same.
Shut up Wheels.
Full disclosure: Expecting a busy week, I wrote this before Ernie Harwell's death. Listening to the eulogies of the long-time Tigers broadcaster reinforces the reality that baseball broadcasters will never be good again. And it's also striking how similar the tributes for Harry and Harwell sound.
Tonight's games: John Lackey pitched a beauty against his former team. Red Sox 3, Angels 1.
Kyle Kendrick also pitched a gem - seven shutout innings. The Phillies beat the Cardinals 4-0.
[Photo credit: www.baseballvoices.com]
May 4, 2010
Philly phans
It's official: The Phillies have overtaken the Eagles as Philadelphia's favorite.The Daily News conducted a survey to determine that 54 percent of the area's fans favor the Phillies compared with 30 percent who prefer the Eagles. The fans also gave 74 percent approval ratings to Citizens Bank Park and Charlie Manuel.
I know it's a combination of the Phillies recent championship run and the Eagles long-running championship futility, but I can't believe how times have changed since I first became acquainted with Philadelphia sports 15 years ago. The Eagles seemed like they would dominate the scene forever. Congrats to the Phightins'.
The most favored Philly sports traditions? Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" at Flyers games, the E-A-G-L-E-S chant and the Big 5. I'm surprised the Phanatic's antics didn't crack the top three. Booing came in 7th.
Coming in 9th: running onto the field and getting tasered.
OK, I made up that last one.
I'm just glad, and I know Christine is, that this episode has not devolved into another indictment of Philadelphia fans. Public opinion seems to view this as an isolated case of stupidity that was properly handled by the police.
Tonight's games: Marquee pitching duels.
You couldn't ask for much more out of Cole Hamels or Adam Wainwright. In the 10th, the Cardinals and Phillies are tied 1-1. Another dolt (why couldn't he be an Eagles fan?) ran on the field in the 9th as Hamels tried to finish a 1-0 shutout before giving up consecutive doubles. Not fair.
{Update: Carlos Ruiz just ended the game with a home run in the bottom of the 10th. Choooooch!}
Ervin Santana and Jon Lester were just as good, but in the 9th it's now Red Sox 5, Angels 1.
[Photo credit: Associated Press]
May 3, 2010
Doctor, Doctor
This is not about Roy Halladay, even though I recently learned he used to take the field as a Blue Jay to Robert Palmer's Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor).
Nope, this is about another Phillies pitcher, one who won't be toeing the rubber anytime soon. Ryan Madson, who earned his Mad Dog moniker last week by breaking his toe when he kicked a chair after his last blown save, has to go under the blade.
Semi-related: Christine recently read on a Snapple bottle that the big toe has two bones while all the other toes have three. We found that interesting.
I'm sure Mad Dog is getting quite an anatomy lesson about the human toe during this experience.
Tonight's games: The Red Sox lead the Angels 7-4 in the 6th. I can't decide which joke to use: A) Man, the Angels are worse than the Orioles, or B) I wonder how the Red Sox plan to blow this one.
The Phillies got a decent start out of Joe Blanton, but Nelson Figueroa couldn't erase the jam he inherited in the 7th, and the Cardinals lead 6-2 in the 9th. Before the game, Christine predicted a typical Joe B start - four runs in 6 innings. He gave up four runs in 6.2 innings
Nope, this is about another Phillies pitcher, one who won't be toeing the rubber anytime soon. Ryan Madson, who earned his Mad Dog moniker last week by breaking his toe when he kicked a chair after his last blown save, has to go under the blade.
Semi-related: Christine recently read on a Snapple bottle that the big toe has two bones while all the other toes have three. We found that interesting.
I'm sure Mad Dog is getting quite an anatomy lesson about the human toe during this experience.
Tonight's games: The Red Sox lead the Angels 7-4 in the 6th. I can't decide which joke to use: A) Man, the Angels are worse than the Orioles, or B) I wonder how the Red Sox plan to blow this one.
The Phillies got a decent start out of Joe Blanton, but Nelson Figueroa couldn't erase the jam he inherited in the 7th, and the Cardinals lead 6-2 in the 9th. Before the game, Christine predicted a typical Joe B start - four runs in 6 innings. He gave up four runs in 6.2 innings
May 2, 2010
O nO
The Red Sox were swept away by the Orioles this weekend, and I'm all O'd out because Christine and I spent the weekend in Baltimore to witness Saturday's debacle for ourselves.Beside the Red Sox - our reason for the trip - it was a nice little getaway.
It was weird seeing so many Red Sox shirts throughout the city. Christine, wearing her Phillies shirt, got to experience what it's like to wear an unrelated team's garb to a ball game.
Besides the game, we walked around the Inner Harbor and took a water taxi over to tour Fort McHenry, and I ate a crab cake sandwich.
During one of our travels, a Red Sox fan (wearing a Cubs shirt?) excitedly stopped us to tell us the Red Sox were staying at his hotel, the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. The team did a number on the breakfast buffet - especially Hideki Okajima with the fruit - and Daisuke Matsuzaka was a bit surly, the fan reported. We doubt that the team would eat at the same buffet as the rest of the guests, but we wanted to pass along the man's story anyway.Walking to the game, a church had a sign out front that said something along the lines of, "Lord bless the O's, maybe the Sox, but the Yankees? Forgive our thoughts." Amen.
At the park: When we went to Camden Yards in 2007, we couldn't believe how poorly it has aged compared with Citizens Bank. It didn't seem as bad this time, probably because we entered with lower expectations, but it was still bush league.
Prime example: CoverGirl was giving makeovers inside the park. "Philly chicks come for the game," I said to Christine, who pointed out that the booth was full of Red Sox fans.The makeup company also sponsored Kiss Cam. It found a Red Sox fan whose mate was conked out. She seemed angry and embarrassed by the sleeping and started deeply kissing another nearby fan.
Christine and I recently discussed whether a poor year by the Red Sox would "thin out the herd" of some of the bandwagon jumpers. I was starting to warm to this idea until we saw a group of drunken girls merrily singing Sweet Caroline on the way out of the park. If fans are so oblivious to the games, I don't think they'll give up their Neil Diamond fixes because of some losing seasons.
Other culture shocks: Culture Club was playing before the game, the Orioles sold Red Sox memorabilia throughout the park, vendors were so bored they invited you to buy from their food stands, still no cup holders in the seats!, a random fan threw out the first pitch, and fans (mostly Red Sox) started a wave. And they did it backward - counterclockwise.Other annoyances: Fans were obnoxious, and ushers did not enforce the rule that says you don't move to or from your seat during a pitch. ... A family near us asked an Orioles fan to take a picture of her "large family from out-of-state." The Orioles fan wasn't happy but obliged even as she was introduced to every one of the 20 members of the Red Sox woman's family. ... A guy had the gall to wear a Yankees hat with a Dustin Pedroia jersey - unforgivable. ... The fans. ... The game.
Game notes: The highlight was watching Super Saver win the Kentucky Derby on the scoreboard. This was the second time Christine and I watched a Triple Crown race at a ballpark (first time was 2007). ... Maxx Factor sang the anthem; it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. ... Dice-K, making his 2010 debut, was actually efficient and effective until giving up six runs in the 5th. ... It was sad watching Tim Wakefield take a beating in his first relief appearance. ... David Ortiz hit two home runs. The game was played in beautiful 84 degree weather and moved at a great clip considering it was a 12-9 game - two hours 48 minutes.
Antiquated SoxandO's jerseys: Jeff Conine, Rick Dempsey, Rafael Palmeiro, Nomar Garciaparra, Gregg Zaun, Manny Ramirez, Jason Bay, Curt Schilling, Melvin Mora, Trot Nixon and Brady Anderson.Huh? We spotted a Schilling Red Sox shirt with white writing, a Chase Utley UCLA-themed shirt and a couple of Babe Ruth Red Sox shirts. Phillies fans were also representing throughout the city - we saw shirts for Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Utley, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Citizens Bank Park.
I rocked a new Red Sox T-shirt Christine got me for my birthday.
Oh yeah: The Orioles new scoreboard is an improvement, but it still seems dated. One improvement is the out-of-town scoreboard that is much more detailed than the ones at Citizens Bank. A random example is pictured above: You can see that the Phillies beat the Mets 10-0. Roy Halladay beat Mike Pelfrey. Utley went 3-5 with a double and three runs. Shane Victorino hit a home run.
Curiously, the picture we took of the final score between the Red Sox and Orioles didn't turn out too well.
Oh well, time to finish unpacking so we can watch the rubber game between the Mets and Phillies on ESPN. Mets are leading 3-2 early in the game.
May 1, 2010
SoxandPhils, Slocumb agree on one-year extension
SOXANDPHILSVILLLE, N.J. -- SoxandPhils, the leading blog dedicated to the 2008 and 2007 World Champion Phillies and Red Sox, proudly announces that it has extended the sponsorship of Heathcliff Slocumb's Baseball-Reference.com page for another year
"Heathcliff was long out of baseball by 2004, but he was just as responsible as Pedro Martinez for that glorious year," SoxandPhils co-owner and lead writer Greg said. "I still can't believe that the Sox were able to convert that pitcher into Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe. Slocumb will always have a special spot in SoxandPhils lore, and we're glad to have him back for another year.
"And, of course, Chris Berman has never come up with a better nickname than Heathcliff Slocumb 'if you got 'em.'"
Slocumb began his career with the Cubs and pitched for the Indians before he was traded to the Phillies for their current GM Ruben Amaro in 1993. Slocumb pitched for the Phillies in 1994 and 1995. For the Phils, he saved 32 games, with a 3.84 ERA in 113 games. He made his only All-Star game in 1995, picking up the win with a scoreless inning.
He was traded to Boston with Larry Wimbley and Rick Holyfield for Glenn Murray, Lee Tinsley and SoxandPhils-sponsored Ken Ryan.
In less than two years in Boston, Slocumb saved 48 games with a 4.02 ERA, but in 1997, he struggled with a 5.79 ERA and was dumped on the Mariners for Varitek and Lowe in a rather lopsided trade.
He also pitched for the Padres, Indians and Orioles, who play the Red Sox today.
Slocumb joined the SoxandPhils family last year as a birthday gift to Greg from Christine, SoxandPhils co-owner and head of editing and marketing.
"I swear, my husband really isn't as weird as he sometimes comes off on this blog," she said.
Those seeking further comment may post a comment or e-mail us. Because of a scheduling conflict, Greg and Christine may not be available for immediate comment until Sunday - including their takes on today's games.
"Heathcliff was long out of baseball by 2004, but he was just as responsible as Pedro Martinez for that glorious year," SoxandPhils co-owner and lead writer Greg said. "I still can't believe that the Sox were able to convert that pitcher into Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe. Slocumb will always have a special spot in SoxandPhils lore, and we're glad to have him back for another year.
"And, of course, Chris Berman has never come up with a better nickname than Heathcliff Slocumb 'if you got 'em.'"
Slocumb began his career with the Cubs and pitched for the Indians before he was traded to the Phillies for their current GM Ruben Amaro in 1993. Slocumb pitched for the Phillies in 1994 and 1995. For the Phils, he saved 32 games, with a 3.84 ERA in 113 games. He made his only All-Star game in 1995, picking up the win with a scoreless inning.
He was traded to Boston with Larry Wimbley and Rick Holyfield for Glenn Murray, Lee Tinsley and SoxandPhils-sponsored Ken Ryan.
In less than two years in Boston, Slocumb saved 48 games with a 4.02 ERA, but in 1997, he struggled with a 5.79 ERA and was dumped on the Mariners for Varitek and Lowe in a rather lopsided trade.
He also pitched for the Padres, Indians and Orioles, who play the Red Sox today.
Slocumb joined the SoxandPhils family last year as a birthday gift to Greg from Christine, SoxandPhils co-owner and head of editing and marketing.
"I swear, my husband really isn't as weird as he sometimes comes off on this blog," she said.
Those seeking further comment may post a comment or e-mail us. Because of a scheduling conflict, Greg and Christine may not be available for immediate comment until Sunday - including their takes on today's games.
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