SoxandPhils stories

I did a double take this morning when I saw this picture. It is a fairly unremarkable picture from a dominant 11-0 win that gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead over the Dodgers in the NLCS.

What made me pause is that it was not from a Philadelphia Web site. It was from the Boston Globe's lead baseball story. I like the Phillies, but kind of depressing that they're getting top billing in Boston.

It wasn't the only story in the news with SoxandPhils connections.

The Jayson Werth castoff to All-Star story is well-known. The Los Angeles Times has a story that illustrates how far he had to come, or just how stupid former Red Sox and Dodger manager Grady Little was:

Grady Little understood the question.

He just didn't recognize the name.

"Who?" asked Little, then the Dodgers manager, in August 2006 after a reporter inquired about the status of Jayson Werth.

It was a clear indication of how the outfielder -- sidelined for the entire season by a nagging wrist injury -- figured into the Dodgers' long-term plans.

That is to say, he didn't.

Ah, it's been fun this week remembering the Grady Little era. No, it hasn't.

Speaking of Grady Gump, his moment of infamy (yes, I'm still bitter) was replayed on MLB Network this week. Joe Torre kept it on in the Dodgers clubhouse, but ball-stealing Doug Mientkiewicz represented the next day when the network aired the 2004 ALCS:

"Turnabout is fair play," Torre said with a laugh. Torre was asked if he watched replays of games he managed in previous years. "I do when I know the result is good," he said. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

I won't answer that.

Uh-oh: Forget the Steve Sax stuff - Mitch Williams says Chase Utley is injured.

Today's games: And never mind the Empire rising stuff. Angels aren't done yet, winning 5-4 in 11 innings.

Ryan Howard belted a two-run homer in the 1st right after TBS noted that Randy Wolf gave up only one home run to a lefty all year. Joe Blanton started out well, but the Dodgers rallied. The Phillies are trying to mount a comeback, but still trail 4-3 in the 7th.

I could have sworn in the 6th inning I saw someone in the crowd wearing a "Henderson 31" jersey. Ramon Henderson, really?

Look back at 2008: We're skipping this feature tonight on account that I posted what should have been today's recap yesterday. Oops. And, as Christine noted, I missed out on posting the Red Sox win to force Game 7. Oh well.

[Photo Credit: Associated Press]

Houston, we have a problem

In 2003, my work week ran Sunday through Thursday. That was a good thing on Oct. 17 - the day after Grady Little earned a middle name. After a late night and the most painful loss I have experienced, I was in no condition to work.

Little's inept management and a roider named Giambi cost a nearly certain, first-ever meaningful victory over the Empire. I was in shock and sputtered through that Friday, unsure if the game really unfolded like that. The joy of '04 took away the sting, but I still feel cheated as we have learned of more and more taint to the Empire.

Last night, watching highlights of the Andy Pettitte apology (although he's not a cheater, you know), a thought occurred to me: He and the prime roider, Roger Clemens, also fueled the Astros to the postseason. In 2005, when they went to the World Series, they narrowly edged the Phillies for the wild card.

While everyone marveled that the 'Stros finished 16 games over .500 after falling 15 games under in May, no one really questioned how an aging team could recover like that. Now we know it was fueled by the best 1-2 combo drugs could produce: Andy Pettitte and the Roidger. Each had what can be considered a career-best season: 17-9, 2.39 for Pettitte and 13-8, 1.87 for the 42-year-old Clemens.

In what I've considered - until now - to be a Phillies' choke job, the Astros won the wild card by 1 game. Looking back, the Astros swept the six-game season series, with Pettitte and Clemens winning half of those games. Then-Phils closer Billy Wagner blew two of the other games in a September series in Philly. The first blow, a home run by Craig Biggio, sounded like it killed Harry Kalas

I can't say the Phils would have replaced the Astros as league champions, but they did have winning records against all the other playoff teams that year. Why hasn't Arlen Specter tacked this onto his investigation of the Eagles-Pats Super Bowl?

Addendum: It seems as if that Kalas call isn't anywhere on the Internet, as this post from Crashburn Alley recounts an interview with Kalas on WIP.

About 32 minutes into the clip, Cataldi is asking Kalas about the most downtrodden he’s been on the air, and before he even said it, I was thinking “Craig Biggio’s ninth-inning three-run home run off of Billy Wagner in 2005.” I can remember Harry’s voice clearly to this day and it may have been the furthest my heart has sunk in my entire life.

"Probably the most downer call I ever made, Angelo, is Billy Wagner’s last year with the Phillies when Biggio hit a home run off him and we were on our way to perhaps post-season, and when Biggio hit that home run — I mean I heard a replay of that …"

The WIP team struggled with finding a clip of Harry’s call, and, unfortunately, there isn’t one on MLB.com, as they have the FSN Houston broadcast team for the September 7, 2005, game in question.

No football today ...

... but that doesn't mean it's not on my mind.

I still haven't picked up my jaw after Lawrence Tynes' overtime field goal salvaged his career and made the Giants a surprise entry in the Super Bowl against the team that perfectly met expectations to get there.

I've said it before, I'm torn. The Giants are the only New York/New Jersey team that I didn't reject in my youth. And rooting for the Red Sox has made me root for the Patriots as well. Usually I would prefer the Giants in this match-up because the Patriots have won so many championships recently. But the chance for history and shutting up the '72 Dolphins also has appeal.

One thing I've wondered is whom my neighbors in Philadelphia should be rooting against: their hated New York rivals or New England, which has become home of the champions, the opposite of Philly.

The Inquirer tackled this issue today with dueling columnists debating whether to hate the Giants or the Patriots. (Frank Fitzpatrick, still on his anti-local kick, says Philadelphians hate themselves.) Neither swayed me to either side. Here's how I would handicap it for a hometown Philly fan.

Giants: Underdog playing with heart. No really obnoxious players. But it's a hated division rival and on paper the Giants aren't much better than the Eagles.

Patriots: Ruined the Super Bowl a few years ago, plus the jealousy that comes along with winning.

My head says Philly will be rooting more for the Patriots, but I'm probably underestimating championship envy.

Back to baseball: TROTTTTTTTTT!!!! That's what I screamed when Trot hit a game-ending home run in game 3 of the 2003 ALDS against Oakland. It averted elimination and paved the way for a dramatic comeback. Grady Little then gave the league championship to the drug-infested Empire, but that was a fun run.

Anyhoo, he's still looking for work and did a Q&A with the Globe.

And: Looks like re-signing Doug Mirabelli may have forced former Phil Mike Lieberthal into retirement. He says he wants to get into broadcasting. I don't know how he'd do in the booth, but I fully endorse him to replace Wheels.

Through the years

Yesterday's post got me thinking. Growing up, 1986 was always the year for me. Being sort of young and not living in Boston, I don't remember much, but I've felt close to that team from reading lots of books.

But now that we're entering a dynasty of Red Sox baseball, I've been treated to some great years, so where does that first exciting year for me and the Sox now rank? Here's my top 5:

5) 1986: The year it all started for me. Even though Game 6 will be forever etched in history - though somewhat less thanks to '04 - the better team did ultimately prevail.

4) 1990: Sneaks ahead of 1986 for two reasons - the team cobbled together was a surprise division champion. The race went down to the wire and ended with a Tom Brunansky catch hidden in the corner that even I, a blatant Red Sox apologist, still can't say 100% that he made. And huge bonus points for the Empire finishing dead last. Got to love Andy Hawkins, Tim Leary and Mel Hall.

3) 2003: Yes, it ended painfully. But it was the year that proved '04 was possible. The team didn't back down. It came back from 0-2 against Oakland. And it ended the "mystique and aura" of the Empire, even though was shot in the foot by Grady Gump.

2) 2007: The year the Sox won a World Series without all the extraneous crap. It had a young nucleus that shows the promise of repeat that the '04 squad didn't quite have. Plus bonus points for the Phils actually winning, but that's really for another list.

1) 2004: No doubt. Curt's heroics. Ends the "curse." Humiliates the Empire. Can't add anything that hasn't already been said.

Honorable mentions:

1988: "Morgan's magic" rallied the team from a slow start to division champs where they began a habit of losing to the A's in the playoffs.

1995: The last division champs until 2007. And Clemens' last clean year and another 20 K game.

1999: The first glimpse of the Sox as a gutsy playoff team. Rallied from 0-2 against Cleveland. Pedro proved legendary in the All-Star game and playoffs.

I'd rank the Phils years, but other than 2007 and 1993, I really don't have much to go on. (I was rooting for the Phillies in 1993, but I had no connection to them then, just an anti-Blue Jay thing.)