Philadelphia’s “Every Fourth Year” Curse

The Phillies have just completed a great ride back to the World Series, ending up just two games (or three Cliff Lee clones) short of repeating as champions.

 

But don’t be surprised that they didn’t bring the trophy back home.  They were just the latest victim of Philadelphia’s “Every Fourth Year” (EFY) Curse.

 

And you thought the Curse of Billy Penn was bad. At least the Phillies eventually broke that.

 

The EFY Curse has proven completely unbreakable and has taken turns stifling each of our four professional sports teams on multiple occasions.

 

It all began in the year 1977.

 

Philadelphia had just been the focal point of our nation’s bicentennial celebrations and was enjoying a period of sports prosperity, with the Flyers having made three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final (two wins) and the Phillies in the midst of several division titles.

 

In that spring of 1977, the Sixers made the NBA Finals and led the Portland Trailblazers two games to nothing before being overwhelmed by Bill Walton and company, losing four straight.

 

And so it began.

 

Fast forward three years later to 1980, as the Flyers and Sixers both fell in the finals. But this was not the EFY Curse at work, as the Phillies were victorious in the World Series later that year. Instead, the EFY Curse reared its ugly head just three weeks into 1981, with the Eagles losing to the Raiders in Super Bowl XV.

 

The Curse would lie dormant as the Sixers lost the NBA Finals in 1982 and then finally broke through for a title in 1983, but it reached out and bit the Flyers in 1985.

 

When the Flyers lost to the Edmonton Oilers again in the 1987 Stanley Cup Final, it appeared that Philadelphia no longer needed any opposition from the EFY Curse to lose a finals series and it had all merely been a coincidence.

 

The pattern appeared to be broken for good in 1989. None of the teams made it to the finals, with the Flyers falling a round short. Maybe the Eagles were ticketed for the Super Bowl that year, but the Fog Bowl on December 31, 1988 made sure that wouldn’t happen.

 

Little did anyone suspect that the 1993 Phillies would come out of nowhere to play in the World Series. But we all know what happened there.

 

The Curse was reborn.

 

The city’s next chance at glory came four years later, in 1997, but the Flyers were swept quietly aside as the Stanley Cup eluded them once again.

 

Four years later, the upstart Sixers met the mighty Lakers for the NBA title. They managed a game one win, but were ultimately no match for the Curse.

 

The Eagles had a strong 2004 NFL campaign. But when the playoffs arrived and the calendar turned to 2005, the EFY Curse kicked in, denying the Eagles in their Super Bowl bid again.

 

Fortunately for all of us fans, the Phillies were able to break through and triumph in the 2008 World Series, impervious to the EFY Curse.

 

But it sat there, just waiting for 2009.

 

It has been claiming them in order recently, ever since Macho Row and the ’93 Phils.

 

The 1997 Flyers.

 

The 2001 76ers.

 

The 2004 Eagles, playing in the 2005 Super Bowl.

 

It was once again the Phillies’ turn this year. There was no stopping it.

 

And so you see, we are still cursed.

 

Yes, our teams are still able to make the championship round, and even win it, as the Phillies did last year.  But every fourth year? Forget about it.

 

Since 1977, the EFY Curse is an undefeated 8-0.

 

Teams making the finals in other seasons since then are 3-4. Not great, but better than zero.

 

With the World Series having come to a sad conclusion, Philadelphia’s fans turn the page on a very good season, but one that ultimately came just short.

 

Still, one of our teams will be back in this position soon, with a chance to give us a title and a parade and that warm feeling we all had last year.

 

Let’s just hope it happens before 2013.

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A Phillies Postseason Pitching Solution

What a difference a year makes.

 

Last season the Phillies seemed to have suspect starting pitching but were riding an excellent bullpen into the playoffs. Once they got there, the starting pitching stepped up, the “Bridge to Lidge” stayed strong, and there was a parade down Broad Street.

This year, the starters are looking formidable, but the “Bridge to Lidge” has suffered a fate similar to the Bridge on the River Kwai or one of those rickety rope bridges from an Indiana Jones movie.

Chan Ho Park’s injury is just the latest in a series of setbacks for the pitching staff, and Charlie Manuel will have to be very careful with how he handles his hurlers for the rest of the regular season so they won’t be worn out come playoff time.

Teams can, of course, make roster additions and subtractions after each round of the playoffs, but here’s how things should go for at least the division series:

Lead off with Cliff Lee, then pitch Cole Hamels in Game Two. I realize Charlie is fiercely loyal to the guys who have gotten him there before and will probably pitch Hamels first, but it should be Lee.

With the two lefties starting a series, hopefully you can put the other team in an 0-2 hole right away and then not have to worry about who would start a potential Game Five.

Pitch Pedro Martinez in the No. 3 slot. This may be his only year as a Phil, so his 36-year-old arm should be ridden for all its worth. Joe Blanton gets the No. 4 slot, where he excelled during last year’s playoffs.

J.A. Happ goes to the bullpen. Nothing personal against him, but his left arm is needed in the bullpen since J.C. Romero is not coming back and Scott Eyre has a bone chip in his elbow and is a huge question mark. This is all assuming that Happ himself is healthy.

And you should be ashamed of yourself if Jack Taschner even crossed your mind.

The other lefthanded arm in the bullpen, Jamie Moyer, can be used for marathon extra inning games or to eat innings after a bad start or rain delay.

That leaves five more bullpen slots.

Clay Condrey, just back from a two month DL stint, should be on the playoff roster if he proves fully healthy down the stretch. He will be taking the place of Chad Durbin and filling the same role that Durbin did last year.

Playing the part of Clay Condrey this year will be Tyler Walker. He has done a lot to help himself over the last month, and the Phillies are more or less forced to rely on him now that Park’s health is so iffy.

The final three pitchers are Brett Myers, Ryan Madson, and (yes, still) Brad Lidge. Who pitches the eighth? Who closes? I’m not even going to guess.

The point of the matter is, these guys came up big for the team last year and you have to have some faith in them.

Collectively, their 2009 seasons have been marred by injuries and ineffectiveness. But the Phillies only need to bang out 11 more wins in any way that they possibly can.

 

So cross your fingers, hope the staff doesn’t fall apart any more in the next two weeks, and dream a little dream of October (actually, November) glory.

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Eagles vs. Phillies: Whose Town Is It Anyway?

These days, the fiercest rivalry in the city of Philadelphia doesn’t involve teams from New York or the city’s Big Five.

 

Instead, it is an unspoken but painfully obvious competition between the Phillies and the Eagles, who are battling it out for the No. 1 spot in the hearts and minds of Philadelphia’s fans.

 

This was not even a valid debate until recently. The city had long bled Eagles green and the other teams were relegated to second banana and needed a deep playoff run to get anywhere near the attention the Eagles received on a year-round basis.

 

But the Phillies were finally successful in breaking the city’s 25-year championship drought last season, endearing themselves to a generation of fans and creating a crisis situation for the Eagles, no longer secure on their perch at the top of the city’s sports landscape.

 

Jeffrey Lurie, Joe Banner, and company had to be irritated to no end when the upstart Phillies broke through last year after their “gold standard” football franchise has been on the doorstep of a title for a decade but has yet to seal the deal.

 

You can be sure they hated the idea of their stadium being used for the Phillies parade but were merely afraid of a horrible PR backlash if they didn’t allow it.

 

Both parties will deny any rivalry and will tell you that they want all teams in the city to succeed. But you shouldn’t believe that for a minute.

 

Professional sports wouldn’t exist if they didn’t create big money for the parties involved. Not only do you vie for supremacy against teams in your own league, but you are also in direct competition with the other franchises in your market to carve out the biggest piece of the revenue pie as possible.

 

With the Phillies now selling out nearly every game, it stands to reason that at least some of their new cash influx has come at the expense of the Eagles.

 

The teams are also perceived very differently in the media, with the Eagles seen as cold and calculating, doing anything they can to try and get as far under the salary cap as possible.

 

The decision to let Brian Dawkins leave via free agency this offseason did not help matters. And Joe Banner, regarded as some sort of Dick Cheney-like caricature, is derided for being out of touch with the fans.

 

Many fans think the Eagles should be more like the Phillies, whose management team is considered wise in baseball matters and receptive to the fans. They also seem to keep the right players, bring in ones that fit well, and don’t break the bank in the process.

 

This was not the consensus a few years ago, but winning has gone a long way toward creating the image.

 

Based on this, it should really come as no surprise that the Eagles are making personnel decisions in reaction to what the Phillies do.

 

After the Phils traded for Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and he paid immediate dividends, the Eagles shifted the focus back onto themselves by signing Michael Vick.

 

Even though the Vick signing seemingly went completely against the image the Eagles have long tried to create, it ensured increased local and national attention and will make them look brilliant if it pans out.

 

The Eagles realize their window of opportunity has become much smaller. They are employing desperate measures in an attempt to prove they are the city’s top sports franchise.

 

The Phillies and Eagles are both very successful and healthy, and they can continue to coexist in this fashion for a long time. But they can never be equal in the eyes of the fans. One will always be held in higher esteem than the other at a given time.

 

At this moment, the Phillies have to be considered the leaders in the clubhouse. But the Eagles are no doubt keenly aware that winning will cure any and all issues.

 

It may very well take a Super Bowl parade down Broad Street to put them firmly back on top.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Phorecasting the Phinal Two Months of the Season

Sept. 3

The Phillies lead the Giants 2-1 after three innings when the game goes to a rain delay. Jamie Moyer again comes in to relieve Pedro Martinez, pitching five solid innings. Brad Lidge holds onto the lead by the skin of his teeth as the Phillies prevail 5-4. Charlie Manuel decides to split all of Pedro’s starts with Moyer for the rest of the season.

 

Sept. 6

Cole Hamels is rocked by the Astros, surrendering seven runs on nine hits in just 3.1 innings in a 10-2 Phillies loss. Afterward he complains to the media that he didn’t get his full four days’ rest since it was an afternoon game. 

 

Sept. 8

In danger of dropping a series opener to the lowly Nationals, the Phillies rally in the ninth inning. The big blow is a home run by Matt Stairs, his first hit in nearly two months. The 10,000 Phillies fans watching in Washington hurl insults at the 500 Nationals fans as Brad Lidge barely hangs on for a 7-6 Phillies win.

 

Sept. 11

Pitching on four days and five hours of rest, Cole Hamels dominates the Mets in a 5-0 Phillies win that stretches their division lead to a season-high 11 games over both the Marlins and Braves. Paul Bako hits for the cycle.

 

Sept. 13

Pedro Martinez starts the first game of a doubleheader versus the Mets but has to be relieved by Jamie Moyer after three innings when the game is delayed by hail. Moyer pitches brilliantly again as the Phillies win 7-3. In the second game, Moyer starts and pitches the first six innings, giving way to Pedro, who posts a three-inning save in the 11-4 victory.

 

Sept. 17

Hosting the Nationals, the Phillies get a scare in the first inning as Chase Utley is hit in the elbow and has to leave the game. Eric Bruntlett replaces him and makes a critical error when he trips over his beard while running to his left to field a ball. The Phillies lose 4-2 but still finish 16-2 against the Nationals in 2009.

 

Sept. 20

The Phillies leave 22 men on base in a 6-5 loss to the Braves and are swept out of Atlanta. The division lead is now six over Atlanta and seven over Florida.

 

Sept. 22

The division lead is trimmed even closer as the Phillies drop a pair of games in Florida. The Phillies fall behind early in both games and Jamie Moyer logs 13 total innings of mop-up duty in 8-2 and 12-5 losses.

 

Sept. 23

The Phillies are swept out of Florida after Brad Lidge blows a save and the Phillies lose 8-5 on a walk-off grand slam by former Phillie-for-a-week Ronny Paulino. The Marlins and Braves are both within four games.

 

Sept. 27

The Phillies finish off a four-game sweep of the Brewers in crunch time for the second straight year, effectively putting away the division. Ryan Howard hits two home runs in the 9-4 win, capping off a series where he hits six home runs, drives in 14 runs, and steals home twice. People around baseball still think he is overrated.

 

Sept. 28

The Phillies lose 7-5 to Houston after another blown save by Brad Lidge. Michael Bourn has four hits and steals three bases for the Astros, as a smug Ed Wade tells the media that he really took advantage of the Phillies in that trade last year.

 

Oct. 1

The Phillies clinch the National League East with an 11-10 win over the Astros. Wanting Lidge to be on the mound for the final out, Charlie Manuel puts him in the game even though the team leads 11-2 entering the ninth inning.

After six hits and three walks, Charlie summons Brett Myers for the final out. He then announces “Brad is still our guy, I just didn’t think he had his best stuff today.”

 

Oct. 4

After being kicked around in the first two games of the series with the Marlins following the clinching of the division, the Phillies explode for a 19-0 win on the final day of the regular season.

The shutout is a combined effort by J.A. Happ, Jamie Moyer, Pedro Martinez, Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero, Antonio Bastardo, Tyler Walker, Scott Eyre, Andrew Carpenter, Kyle Kendrick, Rodrigo Lopez, Chan Ho Park, Miguel Cairo, and Steven Register. Ryan Howard reaches the 50 home run plateau and Raul Ibanez reaches the 80 RBI mark after being at 79 since Aug. 24.

 

Oct. 7

The Phillies begin their National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies, winning 4-2 behind Cliff Lee. Lee throws 110 pitches through eight innings but Charlie decides to stick with him for the ninth after a dozen Phillies fans forcibly restrain Brad Lidge to keep him from warming in the bullpen.

 

Oct. 10

The Phillies complete a three-game sweep of Colorado with a thrilling 1-0 victory. Brad Lidge faces just three hitters to record the save. He needs an unassisted triple play to end the game again, but it’s still just three hitters.

 

Oct. 15

Jim Thome cranks a three-run home run off Ryan Madson in the bottom of the eighth to lead the Dodgers to a 5-3 win over the Phillies in game one of the NLCS. The Phillies threaten in the ninth, loading the bases with none out, but don’t score. Jimmy Rollins pops to short left field on the first pitch of an at-bat to end it, the fourth time in the game he’s done so.

 

Oct. 16

Cole Hamels brings the Phillies even in the series as he cruises to a 7-2 win. Rafael Furcal commits three errors apiece in the second inning and the sixth inning.

 

Oct. 19

The Dodgers even the series at 2-2 behind Jim Thome, who goes 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in the 8-6 win. Manny Ramirez, 0 for 13 so far in the series, mopes like a child at the end of the bench and won’t eat his vegetables at the post-game meal.

 

Oct. 23

The Phillies close out a 4-2 series win with a 10-1 thumping at Dodger Stadium. Cole Hamels is superb yet again, although he complains about having six days of rest rather than four. Chase Utley is hit in the eye with a flying cork in the clubhouse after the game and is ruled out for the World Series.

 

Oct. 28

Eric Bruntlett, starting in place of Utley, drives in seven runs to set a World Series single-game record, leading the Phillies to a 9-4 win over the Angels in game one.

 

Oct. 31

The Phillies take a commanding 3-0 World Series lead with a 6-3 win. Bobby Abreu goes 0-for-4 and drops two fly balls, visibly shaken by the pressure and raucous Citizens Bank Park crowd. Abreu has seemed disinterested all postseason long since he is no longer accumulating fantasy baseball stats.

 

Nov. 1

Amidst a light drizzle, the Phillies lead 11-1 with two outs in the top of the ninth and an 0-2 count on the batter. As Brad Lidge delivers, Bud Selig sprints from his front row seat and hurls himself in front of the pitch, declaring the game suspended.

In the press conference, he says “We’ll stay here till Pearl Harbor Day if we have to. But we’re not going to resume until it’s 78 and sunny with low humidity and at least a moderate UV index.”

 

Nov. 6

On an unseasonably warm day that reaches 73 degrees, Bud Selig finally relents and lets the game resume. FOX goes on the air at 8:00 pm to start their pregame show. Brad Lidge throws the only pitch of the night at 10:23 pm, a fastball right down the middle that Bobby Abreu takes for the final strike of the World Series. Adam Eaton is seen amidst the post-game celebration for some reason.

 

Nov. 8

Three million people again jam the streets for a championship parade. After checking the Doppler and seeing a chance of light showers, Bud Selig attempts to stop the parade but is run over by one of the floats, his legs curling up and disappearing underneath the truck in Wizard of Oz fashion.

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Phillies 2009 Championship Gloat Tour, Part III: New York

The 2009 Gloat Tour makes its final stop in the Big Apple at brand-new Citi Field, the home of the amazing(ly far out of first place) New York Mets.

Taking in a game between fierce rivals such as the Philadelphia Phillies and Mets loses some of its luster when one team is so far ahead in the standings, while the other is forced to field a minor league lineup because of huge injuries. However, it’s always fun to stick it to New York, so no mercy will be shown.

After boarding a series of trains and subways to make it to the ballpark, my four traveling companions and I exit the platform and are greeted by the new facade, an homage to Ebbets Field.

As we enter the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, my awesome streak of promotional giveaway item luck continues as we are handed small replicas of Citi Field. I guess I will have to start smoking because it will make a fine ashtray.

We soak in the ballpark. I can see design elements from Citizens Bank Park, Nationals Park, and PNC Park on the concourse. The place seems fairly wide open and pleasing to the eye, but slightly on the generic side. The seating bowl also strikes me as very similar to PNC Park’s.

After I devour a Nathan’s hot dog and some very good fries, the Phillies come to the plate and immediately put up three runs against Oliver Perez on a colossal Jayson Werth home run to left field following a 15 pitch at-bat.

By the time Ryan Howard flies out for the first out, Perez has already thrown over 30 pitches. Four hitters later, Carlos Ruiz sends another three-run bomb into the seats. It’s 6-0 in the top of the first. The many Phillies fans are going wild. This is great.

Pedro Martinez gets a good round of applause from his former home fans as he comes to the plate before taking the mound. Several hundred Mets fans have decided to wear their old Pedro t-shirt jerseys, which is pretty idiotic. Spring for a new shirt, guys.

The count goes to 3-0 on Pedro, and Perez is unceremoniously yanked from the game right then and there. I think he has thrown his last pitch as a Met. Former Phil Nelson Figueroa, a critical piece of the Curt Schilling trade, comes on and gets Pedro to finally end the top of the first.

Things get strange when Angel Pagan leads off the bottom of the inning with an inside-the-park home run that shouldn’t have happened. The ball barely sticks below the padding in center field and Shane Victorino throws his hands up to call for a dead ball. But the umpires, seemingly out to get the Phillies however they can this year, let Pagan circle the bases.

Pedro doesn’t have his best stuff, but he has an 8-2 lead going into the bottom of the third before he serves up a more traditional home run to Pagan. The Mets tack on another run to make it 8-4.

An incredibly annoying, drunken, and red-faced (from booze and the beating sun) Phillies fan behind me continues to yell “Pedro!” and other inane things, but he thankfully passes out for a few minutes and then stumbles out of our section, never to be seen again.

Pedro exits with the 8-4 lead after six innings. Chad Durbin comes on and gives up one run in the seventh to bring it to 8-5.

Matt Stairs then puts on a clinic in the top of the eighth. After he walks, he advances to second on a wild pitch, moves to third on a groundout, and scores on another wild pitch. It’s 9-5 and we’re all very comfortable. Mets fans have hardly made a peep.

Ryan Madson makes it a lot more interesting in the bottom of the inning by allowing a run and making it a save situation. Brad Lidge time.

Charlie Manuel is ejected in the middle of the ninth inning for arguing after the umpires again give the Phillies the short end of the stick. I think he did it just so he didn’t have to see Brad Lidge.

The inning begins, and it’s a nightmare. Back-to-back errors on Ryan Howard and Eric Bruntlett bring across a run to make it 9-7. Daniel Murphy singles to put men at first and second with still no outs and Jeff Francoeur coming to the plate.

Citi Field is getting loud. The Mets fans haven’t had much to cheer about this year, but they are hoping their team can play spoiler. Lidge looks headed toward another blown save, even though this one is not his fault.

You won’t believe me, but at this point, a thought goes through my head—the thought of an unassisted triple play. I can remember watching as a kid when Mickey Morandini turned one. I usually talk too much, but this time the thought does not pass to my mouth, and I don’t say anything.

Francoeur works the count to 2-2. Lidge delivers and the runners take off. I will remember the next part for the rest of my life.

Bruntlett moves toward second base to cover, only to find a line drive coming directly at him. In one motion, he catches the ball and steps on second base. Murphy, the runner from first, tries in vain to elude him but can’t.

It was an unassisted triple play to end the game—the most ridiculous, miraculous, unbelievable ending to a baseball game that I have ever seen in person.

I will probably forget the final score was Phillies 9, Mets 7, but I will never forget how my first trip to Citi Field ended.

So now, for the rest of my life, every time I walk through the gates of Citi Field, this day will be frozen in my mind—the World Champion Phillies finding a way to deal the already downtrodden Mets and their fans a thoroughly demoralizing loss.

I think I may just have a smile on my face every time I lay eyes on that ballpark over the next couple of decades.

As for the quality of the park itself, I would rate Citi Field higher than Nationals Park. But it’s still no Citizens Bank Park. Maybe it was hard to be objective given the team that plays there.

It’s a decent park and certainly worth a trip for the serious baseball fan, although be careful not to sit in one of the many sections where your view will be badly obstructed.

The Gloat Tour is over. What a success. Three trips into enemy territory with a sparkling 4-0 record.

I hope to write about, and I hope that you will join me for, the 2010 Championship Gloat Tour.

Let’s all keep our hopes high for the rest of 2009.

Phillies 2009 Championship Gloat Tour, Part II: Chicago

After a rainy but successful stop in our nation’s capital a few months back, the gloat tour rolls on as I follow the Phillies to Chicago for the first two games of a three-game set against the Cubs.

 

Wrigley is, for a true baseball fan, a near religious experience. I have been fortunate enough to make the trek a few times, but this time my girlfriend Rachael (who is not a Phillies fan and actually likes the Braves) accompanies me on my trip to Chicago.

 

We have other plans for the week, but no trip to Chicago is complete without a visit or two to Wrigley Field.

 

We arrive plenty early on Tuesday so that Rachael can soak in the atmosphere outside the stadium and in the nearby neighborhood. We receive the pleasant surprise that it’s Ryne Sandberg bobblehead night. The Phillies might have foolishly traded him away 25 years ago, but I’m bringing him home!

 

We witness most of batting practice and see Pedro Martinez warming up with his new teammates for the first time, preparing for his first start as a Phillie the following night. I thought it was going to be Cliff Lee originally, but there is definite intrigue to being there for Pedro’s first start.

 

Tonight though, it’s J.A. Happ vs. Rich Harden. And we are seated in the very last row of the upper deck. Thanks, Stub Hub.

 

The seats are not bad, but please heed this warning: If you ever sit in the last row at Wrigley, even in August, bring a sweatshirt or jacket or something. Because of the wind, it is easily 20 degrees colder up there than it is in the rest of the stadium. A t-shirt and shorts don’t cut it.

 

It’s obvious very early that Happ doesn’t have his best stuff. Harden, meanwhile, is dealing. He has been a disappointment for my fantasy team all year of course, but now he’s pitching what looks like the game of his life against the Phillies.

 

The Phillies are down 2-0 after five innings and don’t have a baserunner yet. The perfect game watch is on. Carlos Ruiz ends that with a one-out walk and Rollins thwarts the no-hitter bid with a home run to tie the game. Finally, something to cheer about.

 

Happ ends up hanging in there for six innings to keep it 2-2. Gary “Sarge” Matthews regales the Cub crowd with “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”, then Chan Ho Park hurls a scoreless seventh.

 

In the top of the eighth, the Phillies manage a run on no hits as Carlos Marmol walks three and plunks another. He is booed mercilessly by the Wrigley faithful as he exits.

 

The Phils cling to the 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth after an obviously foul ball by Carlos Ruiz is ruled a home run and then overturned on instant replay. The umpires must have read this article I wrote a few weeks ago.

 

Anyway, Brad Lidge time. Last year, this was automatic. But this season it is very different. The Cubs fan next to me asks if his ERA is really 7.20. I confirm it and try to make excuses for Lidge while trying to think positive.

 

Lidge takes about three minutes to blow the save. 3-3. Extra innings. We get to freeze some more.

 

We get to the 12th and the Phillies still have just two hits. Something inside me makes me turn to Rachael, who is completely chapped by the wind, and say “The Phillies are going to win it for you this inning”.

 

Of course, she doesn’t care who wins. She just wants to get out of the cold. But just then, Ben Francisco leads off the inning with a home run to stake the Phils to a 4-3 lead. I see Chad Durbin, just off the DL, warming up. If he is going to blow this lead, he might as well lose it. I don’t want to be here all night.

 

Durbin allows a one-out walk, but gets the next two hitters. Phils win. Cubs lose. No stupid Cubs victory song. The blue flag with the white “L” flies high atop Wrigley. All the freezing is worth it.

 

But our Wrigley journey is only halfway over. We return the next night to see Pedro in his first start of the year. His opponent is Jeff Samardzija, making his first career start for the Cubs.

 

No bobblehead tonight, but they do hand out t-shirts. Our seats are thankfully in the lower level and we do not suffer frostbite. There seem to be a couple more Phillies fans than the previous night, but still none close enough for me to high five after a home run or anything.

 

Rachael plays along but that’s just because she’s a good sport and a good girlfriend rather than being an actual Phils fan.

 

The Phillies jump all over Samardzija immediately, with Victorino, Utley, and Howard lining three straight extra-base hits into the right field corner. I already hear murmurs in the crowd about this being Samardzija’s last start.

 

Lucky for the Cubs, the Phils only lead 2-0 after the top of the first. Chicago gets a run back in the second, but Victorino nearly puts one out onto Sheffield in the top of the third to give the Phils a 4-1 lead.

 

The next inning, the wheels completely come off for the Cubs as the Phillies pound out eight runs on eight hits, including home runs by Rollins and Ibanez. Werth and Feliz have two hits in the inning, and Pedro Martinez actually makes two of the outs.

 

It’s 12-1. And from this point on, it’s no contest. The Cubs peck here and there, but by the end they still lose embarrassingly, 12-5. Even more embarrassing is the behavior by one fan who dumps a beer on Shane Victorino as he catches a fly ball.

 

If this happened in Philadelphia, ESPN and the rest of the media would shove it down our throats for forty years like snowballs being thrown at Santa Claus. But I doubt you will hear much of anything about it since it happened in Chicago and the Cubs are such lovable losers.

 

If you haven’t ever been to Chicago, you are missing out on a great city. And please see a game at Wrigley if you never have. I would put it right behind Cooperstown on the list of places that every baseball fan should visit.

 

The two wins I witness bring my all-time Phils record at Wrigley to 3-3. And it’s likely to stay that way for a while because I have a couple other places I would like to go before I venture back there.

 

Seeing those games reminds me of how great it is to be a Phillies fan right now. I did not have that sense of automatic dread that my team was going to lose.

 

Instead, they gutted out a 12-inning win that they should have lost, and then dominated with an offensive explosion. Our time is here and it feels so good.

 

The games taught me something else: Being a Cubs fan is and has always been pure hell.

Should the Phillies Bet the Farm on Roy Halladay?

With the Philadelphia area positively abuzz over the last few days about the prospect of the Phillies trading for Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay, the usual questions have sprung up countless times about what players the Phillies would need to part ways with to complete a deal.

Ultimately, the question becomes whether or not you should potentially mortgage the future to give yourself a much better chance to win right now.

The Phillies have a number of palatable prospects in the system, like pitchers Kyle Drabek and Carlos Carrasco, outfielders Michael Taylor and Dominic Brown, catcher Lou Marson, and infielder Jason Donald, to name a few.

Would it be worth trading some or possibly (but hopefully not) all of these potential solid major leaguers for Halladay?

There is also a strong possibility that the Phillies would have to part with J.A. Happ, just about the only player on the big league roster who fits the mold of being good, young, and cheap that a team would love to have as part of a trade.

I don’t know what the final trade scenario would be, but I do know that the Phillies should do everything in their power to complete a trade for Halladay.

If they could bring him in without losing a significant piece of the major league roster, they would have the best one-two punch in baseball at the top of their rotation.

Imagine Halladay and Cole Hamels starting four games in a best-of-seven series. How could you not love your chances? And with Halladay only being 32, you could get several more seasons of dominance out of him.

A trade for Halladay would instantly make the Phillies the favorites in the National League once again. With teams like the Cardinals and Dodgers playing much better this year than last, they will need the extra help come playoff time.

Many will argue against such a trade, worrying about the future of any player the Phillies would include in a trade for Halladay. Could they become All-Stars or even Hall of Famers?

If we all get to witness another parade or two down Broad Street in the near future, who cares?

It would be truly exciting to see a team make the big move to stay at the zenith of its sport rather than be content to revel in a recent title and play with house money for a while.

If, however, the trade is made but turns into a disaster for the Phillies, I, for one, would not fault them for at least making the effort. No one should.

The hunger of the team and the fans for another World Series is there. We shouldn’t be satisfied just to be competitive and in the mix every season.

We already have a team like that in Philadelphia. They’re called the Eagles.

If Halladay were to change addresses this season, he would be the highest impact player to be moved prior to the trading deadline—and the Phillies may be the only team with the budget and the assets to trade for him.

Not only would they be vastly improving their own pitching staff, but they also would be preventing a team like the Mets or any other National League contender from getting their hands on a Cy Young winner.

Use any cliché you want: striking while the iron is hot; emptying the chamber; going all in.

However you say it, just get Halladay in a Phillies uniform soon.

MLB Umpires Must Use and Trust Instant Replay

There has been much chatter in Philadelphia over the last few days regarding first base umpire Jim Joyce’s decision not to turn to instant replay for a near-home run by pinch hitter Greg Dobbs during Friday night’s Phillies-Red Sox game.

 

The towering fly ball was ruled foul, even though it was difficult to tell after several replays if it went directly over the right field foul pole when it left the playing field. Regardless of whether or not the correct call was made, Joyce was utterly wrong in his refusal to use instant replay.

 

If there was ever a textbook situation of when to use instant replay, it was on Friday night. This was not the fourth inning of a September game between two last place teams, it was the bottom of the eleventh between the best team in the American League and the World Series champions.

 

The entire outcome of the game hinged on the call. For Joyce and the rest of the umpiring crew to not use the technology at their disposal is nothing short of an embarrassment.

 

Joyce was quoted afterwards as saying, “I was very confident the ball was foul. I’ll be very honest with you. I thought about it after the call. But I was very confident that ball was foul”.

 

Joyce should dust off his thesaurus if he thinks he can still call himself confident, even when he admits he had second thoughts. This whole event is simply indicative of someone putting their personal pride above the game itself.

 

I can see the staunch traditionalists and umpire apologists out there applauding Joyce and the crew’s decision to stick with the call on the field. However, whether we like it or not, instant replay is now part of the rules of the game.

 

MLB umpires generally do a fine job. They are not commended enough for the large majority of calls they make correctly, yet are often under great scrutiny for the calls they do miss.

 

However, there was no excuse for the stubbornness that was shown on Friday night or might be shown at any point in the future when the old guard refuses to accept the new rules and technology that are now part of the game.

 

If instant replay were used on Friday night and found to be inconclusive, then the call on the field should stand. It happens in the NFL all the time. It would have only taken a minute and would have avoided the large backlash against Joyce’s crew.

 

I don’t believe we should advocate any kind of challenge system, but if the umpires don’t start wising up and cut down on the arrogance, we might have to. Instant replay is in the rulebook, Jim Joyce and company need to use it.

Brad Lidge: Phillies’ Once Mr. Perfect Faltering in 2009

What happened?

 

Mere months after providing a final flourish to a World Series victory and capping off a fantastic year for himself, Phillies closer Brad Lidge is enduring a miserable 2009 thus far.

 

After blowing saves on consecutive days at Yankee Stadium this past weekend, the rumblings and speculation about Lidge’s immediate future are spreading like wildfire.

 

But before everyone goes off the deep end, things have to be put into perspective. Phillies fans were so spoiled by Lidge’s perfection of a year ago that he is now held to a different standard.

 

Going into this season, the thought of him blowing a save seemed unimaginable. That kind of thing is reserved for the Jose Mesas and Jeff Brantleys of the world.  And Billy Wagner.

 

But four blown saves later, Lidge’s bloated 9.15 ERA has now become great cause for concern. How could a man who went 41-for-41 during the 2008 regular season be so shaky this year?

 

First, while Lidge was very good in his first season as a Phil, he was quite fortunate to have gone the entire season without blowing an opportunity. He posted a sparkling 1.95 ERA, but fellow closers Joe Nathan, Mariano Rivera, and Joakim Soria all bettered him in that department while failing a combined ten times.

 

Lidge also sported a much higher WHIP than any of those three, as well as other closers like Jonathan Papelbon, Bobby Jenks, and Trevor Hoffman.

 

Lidge’s season, while very good statistically, was quite the anomaly. On four different occasions where he entered games with a two-run lead, he surrendered a run before closing out the game.

 

But of the 19 times he came into a game with a one-run lead, he tossed a shutout frame every time. You can perhaps make the case that he bears down more with just a one-run lead, but shouldn’t he take the same approach every time he enters a game?

 

There were also six different times where he walked at least two batters in a save opportunity but still closed out the game successfully. And, he managed to allow just two home runs in 69.1 regular season innings after entering 2008 with a career ratio of one home run allowed every 10.2 innings.

 

All of these numbers point to Lidge being far from infallible, even after 2008. He simply had a career year thanks to his natural ability, a good defense behind him, and a few lucky bounces here and there.

 

Unfortunately, momentum does not carry from season to season. We all had to realize his streak would end at some point. When it finally did, there was almost a sense of relief. No more built up pressure. Lidge could go back to being dominant.

 

Instead, it hasn’t happened that way. He has been eminently hittable and lacking the kind of control we all know he possesses. Opponents also find it very easy to run on him, which forces Lidge to press for a strikeout, often with bad results for the Phillies.

 

One almost hopes that Lidge’s knee or some other physical malady is chiefly responsible for his struggles this season. There is simply no other explanation for how someone can go from dominant to pedestrian in such a short time frame.

 

Lidge himself will never use injury as an excuse, but the team may be forced to shut him down for a period of time in the very near future. Luckily, the Phillies have an ace up their sleeve as JC Romero will return from his 50-game suspension next week. 

 

In the meantime, I suggest that Ryan Madson be given ninth inning duties right now. Lidge can either trade roles with him or be used in whatever capacity Charlie Manuel sees fit.

 

Once Romero returns, Lidge can then move back into the closer role and the Phillies will be able to work their bullpen like they did so successfully last year: with Romero being used in the seventh inning or situationally against lefthanders, then turning it over to Madson and Lidge.

 

If results do not improve in a week or two, and Lidge continues to falter, then he will need to be shelved so that he can work on his mechanics, rest his body, or whatever the case may be.

 

The Phillies would not have won the World Series without Lidge’s brilliance last season. And, they surely will not return to October glory unless he delivers a second act of almost equal greatness.

Phillies 2009 Championship Gloat Tour, Part I: Washington, DC

This is the first in a multi-part series this baseball season where I take my fan act on the road to cheer on the World Champions. My first road stop of the year was in our nation’s capital for the second game of a doubleheader on May 16 between the Phillies and Nationals.

I had already trekked down to Nationals Park once before, last year during its inaugural season. It looks like a few things have been added, but I still have the same overall view of it: a nice place to watch a game, but very ordinary, almost like a minor league park.

Of course, the caliber of baseball being played by the home team serves to enhance the feeling that you are watching minor leaguers.

Along with two friends, I signed up for a bus trip through a Phillies fan website. After leaving Citizens Bank Park an hour and a half later than we were originally told, we pull into DC shortly after 5 pm.

There is a brief tailgate and then some fairly heavy rain as we walk to the park. Upon entering, I notice three new statues that have been added this year. They look like they belong in a Body Worlds exhibit. Ghastly.

The rain subsides and the tarp comes up. Everything is right on schedule. Looking around, I observe that the busloads of Phillies fans have completely overwhelmed the home crowd. There is easily a 2 to 1 ratio of Phillies fans to Nationals fans, and the crowd is far less than the announced attendance of 23,896.

The national anthem singer is a guy named DC Washington, which I find funny. Andrew Carpenter, making his first career start for the Phillies, is extremely shaky in the first inning and lucky to get out of it allowing only one run.

In the third, the Phillies offense gets going. After a Chase Utley RBI double ties the game, Ryan Howard’s mammoth three-run home run sends the road crowd into a frenzy. Phillies fans are making a lot of noise, particularly our sections in left field that are completely filled.

Washington gets a run back in the fourth as I take an opportunity to stroll around and get something to eat. Again, nothing about the building really strikes you.  Apparently, there’s some things to do in the industrial-looking edifice attached to the stadium in left and center fields, but I don’t go in there.

I come back for the fifth inning and witness Raul Ibanez hit his third home run of the day, padding the Phillies lead to four runs. A bases loaded walk extends the lead to 7-2. Things look good.

Carpenter comes out for the fifth inning and promptly works his way into a jam. Clay Condrey relieves him and allows a triple to cut the lead to 7-5. But he saves the day by striking out the next two hitters.

The game is moving extremely slowly, well over two hours old with only five innings in the book. My friend comments to me that it has actually turned out to be a nice night. Then Ron Villone takes the mound for Washington.

In what might be the slowest display of pitching I have ever seen, Villone takes what seems like 20 minutes to issue two walks and give up a single. Ryan Howard steps to the plate.

I feel a single raindrop. Within 90 seconds, we are scurrying for cover in a torrential downpour. In my mind, Ron Villone has caused this delay himself.

Not only are the Nationals bad, but so is their grounds crew, which loses control of the tarp and is unable to pull it over the infield until it has turned to mud.

There seems to be little possibility of the game resuming, but still we wait. A young girl, I’m sure with one of the Phillies bus trips, runs onto the field and slides across the tarp.

Her backside is mostly exposed as a security guard pulls her to her feet and ushers her off to jail. Another overexcited (probably drunk) Phillies fan runs onto the field and slides on the tarp 15 minutes later.

A few minutes after that, two more Phillies fans, one male and one female, run out at the same time. The male does a feet first slide into the home plate area, spraying a security guard. Four arrests is the final tally, at least from what I see.

We wait for over an hour and the game is still not officially called off, but we head back to the bus. The bus is nearly full so we are not able to all sit together.

I sit next to one of our group leaders, who does not look like he is doing very well. As we sit in awful DC traffic, he complains of motion sickness, with an assist from numerous beers I’m sure. He grabs a plastic bag and very quietly throws up into it.

The bus trip lasts for almost three more hours after that and we finally get back to Philadelphia just before 2 am. It takes me another 45 minutes to get home after dropping off my friend.

Chalk up another win for the World Champions, as the game was called off shortly after we left. A successful and enjoyable trip even with the adverse weather. And it’s always fun to see your team play on the road, especially when it feels like a home game.

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