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:

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.

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]

Random thoughts halfway through Christmas vacation

While I'm waiting for paint to dry (we decided at the last minute to paint the bathroom), I figured I would take the opportunity to catch up on some of the tidbits I've been meaning to mention during our week off. Besides, there are only so many times that I can write about some random program I've had lying around for decades or the fact that Jason Bay will be playing for the Siberia Mets.

--Eric Bruntlett, who went from a throw-in to the Brad Lidge trade, to a defensive specialist, to World Series hero, to author of an unassisted triple play, has signed a minor-league contract with the Washington Nationals. How does someone go from being the utility guy on the league's best team to hanging around with the Pete Orrs, Eddie Guardados and Jamie Burkes of the world just trying to make the roster of the league's worst team?

--Big jeers to Sports Illustrated. I know everyone tends to overrate the things we're most familiar with, but didn't Harry Kalas deserve more than one line when Sports Illustrated recapped the sports figures who died in 2009? At least Paul Hagen did him justice.

--A year or two ago, when I finished saving all my childhood sports memories from my parents' attic, Christine and I agreed to condense them all into a couple of plastic bins in the crawl space. Even though we have never had a drop of water in that area, we've been hesitant to store anything there.

This weekend, we learned that even our basement has its breaking point: two feet of snow washed away by a day's worth of pouring rain. It was a large puddle, but not a big deal. It touched one of the bins, but my extensive baseball card collection is safe. Christine is very relieved we didn't have to throw it out. {No, just disappointed. The water was so close and almost finished off the thousands of cards that Greg insists he must keep for no good reason.}

--Christine and I went to the art museum on Monday. We saw the Rocky statue from the car. We didn't run the steps because it was too cold.

--Speaking of which, it has been frickin' cold this week. Yesterday, the wind chill was 11 degrees. Today, I took down the Christmas lights, but wanted to come in after 15 minutes because my hands - even with gloves - were going numb. It's a perfect day to drive to Boston and watch an outdoor hockey game or football game or rock concert. Brrr. Somehow this story made me colder.

[Photo credit: MSNBC.com]

I underestimated Harry

Growing up in the suburbs of New York in the 1980s, I never really understood the fascination with Phil Rizzuto. He was a character, but one who shirked his responsibilities to call the baseball game. He was more interested in beating the traffic across the George Washington Bridge than the on-field action. He didn't even know yet that he was one of the most overrated players of all-time.

So when I transplanted to the Philly suburbs, I guess that context helps explain why it took a while for Harry Kalas to grow on me. Now I know I was wrong.

I couple weeks ago, I asked Christine whether the Phillies would put up a statue outside Citizens Bank Park for Harry. She didn't think they would because they dedicated the plaque outside the broadcasting booth and named the booth after him, and the restaurant in the ballpark bares his name. All the statues are of players, she noted.

This morning, I told her that because it was a slow news day, I was going to write about a story that popped up yesterday about how a rogue group is proceeding on a Harry statue. She dismissed this group, saying if the Phillies choose to do a statue, they will handle the details. She also repeated that all the other statues are for players.

I don't think that should preclude an honor for Harry because he is more important to the Phillies brand, franchise and fans than anyone who has actually worn the uniform, from Mike Schmidt to Jimmy Rollins.

Christine then reminded me of one of our first blog posts in which we ranked the Red Sox, Phillies and SoxandPhils in the Hall of Fame. I wouldn't let her rank Harry:

When Greg asked for my favorites, I immediately asked if I could include Harry Kalas. He doesn't have a plaque in the main hall, he's just in the broadcaster's section, but if he did count, I think he would be battling for the No. 1 spot.

I don't know if I would change my mind because we were ranking on-field talent, but I would be would be more understanding of her argument.

A dog and a horse

It's no secret I like baseball. And dogs. I'm also intrigued by powerful stories involving death.

That's why I was so gripped by this sad tale of Harry Kalas' dog, the aptly named Scout.

Harry's widow, Eileen, says the golden retriever wouldn't leave the announcer's side for two weeks before he died:

"He usually would sleep in another room, but for some reason he wanted to be right there with him."

After Kalas' death, Scout "wouldn't leave [Kalas'] suitcase alone. I put [the suitcase] in a closet, and he just howled." She said she had to give the dog to a family friend.

Christine was particularly saddened by this tale. I tried to console her by saying maybe he wasn't just mourning, but cheering for his master's favorite team by howling, "Raauuullll!"

A horse is on the market: The flavor-of-the-day former Cy Young pitcher the Phillies are rumored to acquire has gone from Pedro Martinez to Roy Halladay, a stud pitcher suddenly placed on the market by the Blue Jays. Doc is the type of pitcher you wouldn't mind giving up prospects for, but I don't think the Phillies need to make this move, nor is it their modus operandi. I don't see it happening, but if the Blue Jays can convince the Phillies to make a move, they can check out Only Time Will Tell's scouting report on the Lakewood BlueClaws.

Today's games: The Red Sox, who need to start winning again, lead the A's 5-2 in the 7th. The Phillies, who finished with 22 runs last night, are tied with the Reds 3-3 in the 8th. Kudos to the kid who caught Brandon Phillips' home run in the 4th inning and refused to throw it back. Jeers to the kid who caught Phillips' home run in the 6th and, prompted by his dad, threw it back on the field.

Phillies TV show and Wawa's first-ever hardcover book

We watched The Pen last night. We enjoyed it, but don't think we would watch it if it were based on a team we didn't root for. And it was odd - they covered from February through May in a single one-hour episode. Based on that ratio, there won't be enough material left for the five episodes covering June through the All-Star break.

Another reviewer, on the Bleacher Report, was disappointed they didn't show a lot of behind-the-scenes personal stuff. We agree. Other than showing Jack Taschner play with his baby and talk about the sudden trade with his wife, Scott Eyre watch his son's Little League game and Clay Condrey lead a big fishing expedition in what appeared to be a drainage ditch in a housing development, there wasn't much stuff you wouldn't get from an extended feature on Comcast SportsNet. (Christine wants me to point out that Condrey did catch a fish.)

Oh, we did love hearing Charlie Manuel rip Taschner immediately after he was traded to the team in spring training. Ruben Amaro Jr. was critical of his acquisition, too. That was good stuff, and surprising to hear on an MLB-produced, Phillies-sanctioned production. I'd love to see the Trashman's reaction to those comments.

I'll take a Shorti with a side of Harry: On Sunday, I saw a sign at Wawa advertising
"Remembering Harry Kalas" for $9.99. I had no clue what it was.

Today, driving to work, they were talking about it on WIP. It turns out Wawa is selling this book exclusively. It retails for $25, but it's discounted at Wawa, which is donating $10,000 to the Kalas family's favorite charity.

Of course we bought it, although we probably won't read it until we take a couple days off later this summer.

We had a couple of "We miss Harry" moments yesterday. Every half inning, the broadcast would come back late, and we'd miss the first batter. And the announcers kept messing up people's names. Classic example was when Josh Beckett hit his home run. They showed a replay of him walking from the on-deck circle to the plate instead of showing the home run live. Then, they said it was Mike Lowell who homered. We miss Harry.

Tonight's games: Both teams are off. Clay Buchholz, dominating AAA, wonders why he is not mentioned in all the discussions about what the Red Sox are going to do with their plethora of starters. He didn't demand a trade, but would welcome one. And you know how when a coach or GM is upset with a player, he won't refer to him by name? Check out this quote from young Clay:

I feel like I'm more equipped with everything that I have right now as far as the pitches and the mental aspect and physically healthy to be up there and helping that team. If not that team I want to be in the big leagues and I do want to go somewhere where I'll be able to play and pitch every fifth day.

Busy day in 10 clicks

Since I last posted:

• The Red Sox tied a record last night for wild pitches, and Tim Wakefield wasn't even pitching.


• Brett Myers wasn't pulled from last night's game for ineffectiveness, but for a hip injury that he's had for awhile. He may need surgery, which could end his Phillies career.


• Harry Kalas will be inducted to the Wall of Fame. It's such a no-brainer, but I hadn't thought about it before.


• Pedro Feliz might get his 2010 option picked up.


• This afternoon, the Red Sox beat the Twins 3-1 behind a good performance by Josh Beckett and switch-hit home runs by Jason Varitek, who managed the feat before getting ejected along with Terry Francona and two Twins.


• Someone with a vested interest read my book report post. More Roger Clemens posts can be found here. {Hi Rusty Hardin & Associates!}


• Our observation, not previously mentioned on the blog, that Charlie Manuel has lost weight has been confirmed.

Funny, this morning I thought that with an off-day for the Phillies and an afternoon tilt for the Red Sox that I would just write tonight about Todd Zolecki's Random stuff post. I still will.

Like many of our SoxandPhils readers, Zo says he is a fan of intro music. He noted that when Brad Lidge last pitched, he came out to the silly music for a scoreboard bobblehead race instead of Soldiers. I had wondered if they would keep playing that tune if his struggles persist. Lidge might have a similar thought:

"I was coming in to some circus music," Lidge said. "That's about right."

Another favorite silly Phillies thing for Christine and me is Sarge. Especially his hats. He's not only a fashion plate, but also a shrewd salesman:

Gary Matthews' hat collection is available at the Majestic Clubhouse Store, but I told him yesterday that I could not pull off the Sarge hat look. I just don't think I have the cool factor to do it. Sarge assured me that I did, which I thought was nice of him to say.

But then I remembered he's trying to sell hats. Why I oughta (shaking my fist in the air) ...

Final note: I'm always bummed when the Phillies aren't on, especially after a long bad day at work. But the Spelling Bee finals will substitute nicely tonight.

Beautiful day, ugly night

I've waited all winter for this day. The cold was finally replaced by a sunny day in the mid 70s.

I took my first bike ride of the season. I cut the grass and did other spring cleaning around the yard. Christine and I took a walk preparing for next week's charity walk. Then we grilled up a nice summery meal as the Phillies came on.

We didn't go to Harry Kalas' services, mistakenly figuring the place would be jam-packed. Christine watched bits and pieces on TV, and I listened on the radio while putting up some stone edging around one of our flower beds.

Earlier in the day, I heard WIP's Anthony Gargano, while reminiscing about Harry and Richie Asburn, use the old cliche that baseball is life's soundtrack. He said you could walk in South Philly and listen to their broadcast from front porch to front porch, or at the shore from blanket to blanket. I got that vibe for some reason as 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.

Later, watching the Chase Utley hit in the 1st inning, I thought I should add a standing feature to the blog called "We miss Harry." Today's moment would be when Tom McCarthy felt the need to explain that they give out Silver Sluggers at the end of the year to the best hitter at each position - even the mound. I miss Harry.

Today's games: Not quite a beautiful day for SoxandPhils closers. Brad Lidge's save streak is over. Christine predicted it when he gave up the leadoff double. You know Harry would have sounded pained calling the Padres' four-run 9th inning off the formerly perfect Phillies closer. That's two consecutive awful losses for the defending world champions.

The Red Sox scored six runs off former Phil Adam Eaton in four innings, thanks to a big night by my MVP pick, Kevin Youkilis (4-5, four RBI, two runs, two doubles and a home run). Jonathan Papelbon came close to joining Lidge on the blown saves list, but he ended the 6-4 game with the potential tying run on first.

And congratulations to the Cleveland Indians for setting a record for the most runs (14) in a 2nd inning today in their 22-4 win.

All in all, we've had worse days

Despite the Phillies' worst loss of the season, a Brad Penny implosion and the Harry Kalas ceremony getting pre-empted for the Flyers game, it was still a pretty good day at SoxandPhils.

With the Phillies booted to Comcast Network (unavailable on Verizon FIOS), I called a sports bar Thursday to make sure it would be playing the game because Christine was upset about having to miss the pregame memorial for Harry. A convenient coincidence with my work schedule allowed me to get my normal Friday errands done in the morning and us seated in the bar by game time.

Unfortunately, there were just a few TVs showing the Phillies - I guess Flyers playoffs are more important than Harry - but we did get to see his sons throw the first pitches to Michael Jack Schmidt, John Kruk and Jimmy Rollins. Then, Harry's son Kane sang the national anthem. I got chills watching some of the players, such as Jamie Moyer, break up during the ceremonies.

The bar had sound for the Flyers game only, so we couldn't get the full effect of the Phillies' half-inning silent broadcast.

We had a nice meal and headed home to "watch" the game on the radio. Larry Andersen explained at length about the ugly tie he wore (Christine picked up on L.A.'s odd look when the TV broadcast showed him). In a nutshell, it was one of Harry's ties, and Andersen has a connection to his paisley ties.

As we listened at home, the Padres slowly chipped away at Cole Hamels and the Phils' 7-1 lead and wound up winning 8-7. Christine was a little vocal during the game. However, the Red Sox did the reverse to the Orioles. Brad Penny was awful tonight and put the Sox down by seven runs after two innings. But the Sox struck back and won 10-8.

Another game Christine won't see: Monday. That's because I won another prize from the Inquirer. It's not the tickets for suites at the 76ers or Flyers playoff games we'd been hoping for, or the Daily News Home Run Payoff, but something Christine has wanted: tickets to an advance screening of Earth.

It's not all-you-can eat wings and beer, but I'll take a free show featuring bears.

What a strange start

It has been different rooting for the Red Sox ever since Oct. 27, 2004. It was strange getting used to the fact that your players - whose history had been a mix of lovable losers and chokers - were champions.

Similarly, I knew 2009 would be a strange year for the Phillies, but I can't believe how odd it has been. A combination of pomp for the 2008 championship, memorializing Harry Kalas, a rainout and scheduling conflicts that have kept Christine and me from watching several games has given the start of the season such a disjointed feel.

I hope that after this weekend things can get back to normal, but I feel that it's just not going to happen for the Phils this year. (Christine, naturally disagrees.) I just have the sense that this is one of those seasons where they can't steady the cart after a rickety start. If that's the case, it would be a small price to pay for the great times we had in 2007 and 2008.

Phillies lost to the Nationals 8-2; Red Sox were off.

Catching up

Between Easter and Harry Kalas' unexpected death, a lot of happenings have slipped under the SoxandPhils radar this week.

Since the Red Sox game is over and the Phillies are rained out, tonight presents an opportunity to catch up.

First, when I was leaving work, a co-worker told me Tim Wakefield was working on a no-hitter. I had flashbacks to 2007 when Curt Schilling flirted with a no-hitter during a day game in Oakland. Just like then, I rushed to my car to listen to the radio. Unfortunately, I wasn't getting reception and couldn't listen as Wake gave up a hit in the 8th. He still pitched a great game, giving the bullpen a much needed day off after it went 11 innings on Tuesday.

Why did our relievers go 11 innings? Because Daisuke Matsuzaka left the game after an ineffective inning and has been placed on the DL because he's tired from the World Baseball Classic. Great - is it too early to claim a prediction win for the question about the team most hurt by this stupid tournament? Of course it is because we will survive this blow. But we do have a winner for "this year's Rays" question - Joe Wolf's Vertical Jump for predicting the Marlins.

Preoccupied with Harry's passing (I'm going to miss him too), we neglected to pay our respects to Mark Fidrych - a New England resident who played for the Red Sox in the minor leagues in an unsuccessful comeback attempt. I knew him just from replays of old broadcasts, but it's sad.

Awkward transition: Josh Beckett was suspended for throwing a ball at Bobby Abreu on Sunday. He's appealing, but even if he loses, it's just six days, or an extra day of rest to keep him fresh for October when he will be needed the most.

An irreplaceable loss

It's no secret that Greg is the writer in the family. In addition to his job, he's also recruited by friends and family to write speeches for weddings and eulogies for funerals. But tonight I'm going to try to muddle together a few thoughts about Harry Kalas.

There have been many stories told about Harry over the past day; I especially liked this one by Paul Hagen, about his life pre-Phillies. But I don't have a personal story to share. I never met him at the ballpark or spring training, at a restaurant or an event in the city.

And unlike some, I didn't see him as a surrogate grandfather. He was my baseball announcer. It may sound selfish, but I keep coming back to the same thought - what are Phillies games going to sound like now? And if Harry Kalas hadn't been there my whole life, would I enjoy baseball as much as I do now?

Harry had a good, long life. He was happy and loved what he did every day. And last year, the Phillies gave him the greatest gift they could, another World Series victory.

So while I shed some tears watching TV tributes last night, it wasn't just for his death. It was also for us, the fans. It was knowing that I'll never hear him call another "long drive, outta here;" reminisce about his favorite players and teams; get excited when the Phils make an unexpected comeback; sing High Hopes when the team succeeds again this year.

Like everyone else my age who grew up in the area, I've never known another baseball announcer. Harry Kalas was a constant; from March to September or October of every year, I would listen to him for nearly three hours every day. Who's going to fill that void?

I love the Phillies. Always have, always will. But sadly, the team, and the game, will never be the same.

[Photo: Some of our mementos from Harry Kalas appreciation day, Aug. 18, 2002]

RIP, Harry

There's nothing to write about tonight. Phillies games will never be the same.

[Photo credit: Associated Press]

Have yourself a Harry little Christmas

In the summer of 2000, I worked nights and weekends. So, disappointingly, I had to miss Harry Kalas tribute night at the Vet. The giveaway to all fans, to commemorate the broadcaster's 30th year with the Phillies, was this talking Harry doll - you hit the bottom of it, and he gave an "It's outta here" home run call. I really wanted one, but I just didn't have enough vacation time to take off that Saturday night, July 29.

However, my dad ended up going to the game with his friend who had season tickets. I was psyched because I thought he would bring home the doll for me. But when I got home - no Harry. The next day - no Harry. By the next weekend - no Harry.

I asked my mom if my dad had even brought home the giveaway. She said no, he didn't. She thought he may have left it at the stadium or gave it to his friend for his kids - an understandable scenario, since they were his friend's tickets. Oh well. I forgot about it, and the Phillies finished the season with an outstanding 65-97 record - Terry Francona's last year in Philly.

I was 23 when this happened. And, of course, by 23, Christmas has lost some of its magic. I knew what I was getting for Christmas from my parents, and what I didn't know already, I was able to figure out as soon as I picked up the packages. But then I came across a small squishy one that I couldn't guess - it was my talking Harry Kalas doll. My dad had brought it home and asked my mom to wrap it up for me for Christmas. It may be my best baseball-related Christmas surprise.

I wonder if Greg has any Phillies surprises for me this year - we'll catch up on all the goodies tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the holiday.

(Postscript: Harry, sadly, doesn't talk anymore. A few years ago, he started saying "shkshhikhshkdkhsh" instead of the home run call, usually for about five minutes at a time instead of the programmed 10 seconds or so, but now he's silent. But he's still a happy reminder of that Christmas.)

It really happened

It still seems surreal. We sat in bitter cold for two nights and watched with our own eyes as the Phillies clinched the World Series, but it's still hard to believe it's all over.

I'm sure tonight or tomorrow, Christine will flip on Comcast and be disappointed there's no game. She appreciates what the Phillies have done, but whether a season ends in bitter disappointment or the ultimate win we saw Wednesday, she'll soon be pining for spring training. She just likes watching the game. Meantime, we can still soak in what has just transpired.

Here's the scene from the last game of the year, played on Oct. 27 and Oct. 29. Phils 4, Rays 3, ending the series 4-1 for the 2008 World Champion Phillies.

Parking lot: We arrived way too early, although I guess it's never too early to get to the park for a World Series clincher. We sat in the car and ate sandwiches we brought along. A guy parked next to us and started bickering with a parking lot attendant. It seems he didn't want to pay for parking again. I didn't like having to pony up another $25, but we park at an unofficial lot that doesn't give receipts.

Pre-game inside the park: We walked around a bit, soaking in the fans revving up for the frenzied three innings. We saw Mitch Williams and Michael Barkan doing a pregame show. After they were done, Mitch posed for pictures with the fans.

The Build-A-Bear shop stocked Rays uniforms for the bears. What parent would do that to their child? On Monday, Christine high-fived a guy in a bear costume when we passed the store.

The Phillies apparently weren't planning for four home games. All of the World Series cookies and cupcakes from Monday night were sold out.

When we got to our seats, there was a cute little kid in front of us who decorated a paper towel roll that said "Phillies Rule" on one side and "Slay the Rays" on the other. He gave me high-fives during the game. The dolt sitting next to us on Monday who didn't know Shane Victorino's nickname asked me, "Do we bat first tonight?" How do these people get tickets? And how could you go the last 48 hours without getting it drilled in your head where the game left off?

The Phanatic whipped up an already feverish crowd into near-mayhem. Christine said only he could get such a reaction in Philly. But one of the Rays relievers then taunted the fans by raising his arms, almost suggesting, "Is that the best you got?"

It was like waving raw meat in front of a tiger cage. I don't know which reliever it was, but I'm sure that was the last little bit of fun he had that night.

Before the game started, Dorcus Whigham sang God Bless America. I like her performances. The crowd wanted the usual slow version, but she kept it upbeat, which was a good thing to keep the crowd's spirits high. Between this and Monday's National Anthem, I've never heard so much patriotic singing along.

Game on: With the crowd roaring, waving towels and shaking the stands, the much anticipated chess match between Charlie Manuel and Joe Maddon began with Geoff Jenkins doubling off Grant Balfour. There's never been so much excitement over a leadoff double.

Jenkins went to third on a Jimmy Rollins sacrifice bunt and scored on a Jayson Werth single. That's all they got, but the game felt over.

In the 7th, after striking out Dioner Navarro, Ryan Madson was tattooed by Rocco Baldelli, tying the game at three and costing Cole Hamels his fifth win in the playoffs. I wasn't concerned, but Christine blamed me for flashing the "eight more outs" sign. The Rays gave another scare, but Chase Utley ended the inning by duping a throw to first then throwing out Jason Bartlett at home. This might have been the play of the game.

In the bottom of the 7th, Pat Burrell led off. I've stuck up for him a lot this season, but said no more if he didn't come through with a hit. But I was confident and he ended up nearly homering, but he would up with a double. Eric Bruntlett came out to pinch-run, probably ending Pat the Bat's Philly days. Bruntlett advanced on a groundout and scored on a single by Pedro Feliz.

In the 8th, J.C. Romero had a relatively quiet inning, aided by a double play. David Price escaped harm in his half, setting the stage for Brad Lidge to do it for the soldiers one last time in a perfect season. Everyone notes that his only loss this year was in the All-Star game. I'm not saying he threw that game in July, but there were more World Series games in Philly than Tampa - including the home clincher.

Lidge got Evan "Eva" Longoria to pop out before Navarro singled. Pinch-runner Fernando Perez stole second, putting some doubt in the crowd. I got a little worried when Ben Zobrist hit one to right, but it hung up for Werth to catch. Up next: Eric Hinske, who had already homered earlier in the series. And I feared him throughout the series because he was a Red Sox last year. But he struck out, and Lidge dropped to his knees, shouting something he couldn't remember as Ryan Howard and his mates pummeled him into the ground.

Post-game: National TV ruins everything. Last year, when the Phillies clinched the NL East on the last day of the season, there was pure emotion as they celebrated with their fans.


Tuesday was a bit more orchestrated. Fireworks shot. A banner, rolled up all through the game, unfurled down the batter's eye. The Phanatic wove a 2008 banner, which the players grabbed to do a victory lap around the field.


Then everything was put on hold so Fox could do its official post-game. Bud Selig was drowned out in boos. Cholly got the loudest cheers. World Series MVP Cole Hamels, who's about to cash in after these playoffs, got a sweet 2010 Camaro that Carlos Ruiz probably could have used more.


I noticed one of the cops standing in the outfield threw someone's rally towel back into the stands. Then I saw more towels being thrown at the cop. He was rubbing them in the dirt for people to have a nice souvenir. Very nice gesture by one of Philly's finest.


The crowd was loud and supportive without incident. The only rioting came from the Phillies digging up home plate and the pitcher's rubber, which Jamie Moyer lugged off like a lumber jack.


Harry Kalas sang High Hopes and smacked down the Mets, CC Sabathia, Manny Ramirez and his own son.


We waited and waited, but saw no sign of Pat Burrell and Elvis - the only disappointment of the night.

Today: We woke up tired but happy. I was almost deprived of one of my day-after-a-championship pleasures because the newspapers were nearly wiped at my Wawa. There were a handful of Inquirers and just one Daily News, but it was overlooked by people in front of me because it had fallen apart. I pieced it together for Christine. Joe Wolf’s Vertical Jump has some of the celebratory covers along with some of the ones from Tampa.

Future: The parade is scheduled for Friday, and the stories about how the Phillies are built for the future have run. Just once, I'd like to see someone write that a newly crowned champion is going to fall apart next year. But I think the Phillies are in good shape for next year. The biggest challenges will be replacing Pat Burrell, fortifying the pitching and figuring out how to keep the money-hungry youngsters (Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard) happy.

This team went 24-6 down the stretch, losing just one game in each round of the playoffs. I've told Christine many times she has no idea – even with the suspended Game 5 – how easy it's been for her during the playoffs.

Each of us has been incredibly lucky the past few years. Our teams have won three of the last five championships – two of which ended long droughts. In person, we've seen the last game at the Vet, last year's division clincher and this year's World Series clincher. We'll never have a run like this again.

We probably won't renew our Sunday plan. It was great fun, but we expect other commitments next year. But we know there will be no way to top the baseball we've witnessed. We'll savor it a bit more, but pretty soon we have to get working on SoxandPhils 2009: World Series or bust.

We have some outtake photos that we'll post tomorrow or during the weekend. And Christine will pen some final thoughts on the season as well.

Smooth sailing for the Phils, not so much for the Sox

The Phillies held off the Reds 5-4 tonight, keeping their hold on first place. Kyle Kendrick didn't pitch particularly well, but the bullpen kept the game in check. Another great game all around for the 2008 MVP Chase Utley. Even Harry Kalas doesn't know how to handle it. After Utley ended the game with a diving catch, Harry revived his "Chase Utley, you are the man," but it sounded forced. Tom Gordon pitched a clean 8th without a chat with Jimmy Rollins.

Things weren't as smooth for the World Champs tonight, as they finished their series with the Orioles before beginning their big showdown with the first-place Rays. For the second time in a row, they wasted a great Tim Wakefield start. Tonight's culprit was Hideki Okajima (four runs in two-thirds of an inning). He's been in my fantasy team's doghouse, but I started him this week.

More importantly, with our best pitcher already on the DL, David Ortiz could be out for a month, or even the whole season. Not good.

Manny trivia: Guess which pitcher has been most victimized by the newest member of the 500-homer club? Jamie Moyer. Christine points out that J-Moy is 45. When Manny Ramirez is 45, Moyer will be 54 and more likely than Manny to still be playing then.

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.

Hall of Fame III

Yesterday I looked at the future of Red Sox and Phillies in the Hall, today I'll look at those already enshrined.

According to the Hall of Fame's database, which may not be totally accurate since it didn't list Tom Yawkey as a Red Sox, there are 36 Hall of Famers with Red Sox connections, and 34 connected to the Phillies. But with those listed primarily as SoxPhils, only eight are Sox to 11 for the Phils. Surprised me too.

Anyhoo... here's my favorites:

Red Sox

1. Ted Williams

2. Carl Yaztremski

3. Jimmie Foxx

4. Wade Boggs

5. Cy Young

No doubt about Ted. Love the enigma of his character, his confidence and his hitting. Jimmy Foxx -- a little personal, if I ever needed a pseudonym it would be a variation of his. More on him later. Just missing the cut: Bobby Doerr, Carlton Fisk and Tris Speaker.

Phils:

1. Mike Schmidt

2. Steve Carlton

3. Richie Ashburn

4. Grover Alexander

5. Robin Roberts

Not much personal connection. Pretty much how I think most Phils fans would pick 'em.

{C: When Greg asked for my favorites, I immediately asked if I could include Harry Kalas. He doesn't have a plaque in the main hall, he's just in the broadcaster's section, but if he did count, I think he would be battling for the No. 1 spot.}

Those who played for both:

1. Jimmie Foxx

2. Hugh Duffy

3. Fergie Jenkins

4. Tony Perez

5. Bucky Harris

Not a great list. Foxx finished his career for the Phils -- surprised me. Tony Perez shouldn't be in the hall. And Bucky Harris managed each team for one season.

Most surprising names on either list:

1. Sparky Anderson -- played one full season for the Phils.

2. Casey Stengel -- played a few for the Phils.

3. Nap Lajoie -- started his career (5 years) with the Phils.

4. Jimmie Foxx -- the Phillies portion anyway.

Favorite names that pop up but really shouldn't count.

1. Ryne Sandberg

2. Tom Seaver

Well, hopefully in the future years we'll see some additions: Pedro, Manny, Curt, Chase Utley and J-Roll.

ETC. Very interesting piece in the Globe today about NBA and SoxPhils star Gene Conley. I didn't know too much about him, other than he played basketball and pitched for the Red Sox. Apparently he was traded from the Phils to the Sox. Good read.