Meet & Greet during Defeats

It's finally here, Meet & Greet V: The Return of the Wriz. The annual event that Phillies fans long for. It used to be up there with Opening Day. Now? Not so much. It was a star studded event, The Netfather, CJ Hood, Diamond Girl and Jay Wrizight. Right up there and surpassing Wing Bowl as the premier event of the year. Bands like AC/DC and the Foo Fighters taking the stage in front of a raucous crowd. Today someone may have a radio on in their car. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Our organizer, Robin, ran a wild event with a megaphone and a bull whip. Gourmet food, craft beers flowing, and world class entertainment. Throngs inside the K Lot and scores more trying to get in. This morning she will say, "Park over there, I think I have a bag of Doritos in my trunk".

And the stars have fallen on tough times. At one event in years past, The Netfather parachuted in and was swarmed by a bunch of dancers from Cheerleaders. I heard he can't make it this year, he's in the middle of his 7th divorce and he can't leave the state of Arizona. Judge's orders. CJ Hood was appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman. He was a headliner in the same breath as Chris Rock and Dane Cook. I hear he is hosting the Open Mic Nite at the Chuckles in Scranton. He's there the second Tuesday of the month from 6 to 10. His career has taken the same trajectory as Louis CK's tv show. What happened there? That brings us to Diamond Girl. She was dating 'The Man' Chase Utley. She was competing with Kendra Wilkerson and Heather Mitts for the title of  'It' girl of the city. Well...3 restraining orders later, she can't come within 1,000 feet of Citizens Bank Park. Against the advice of counsel she may appear at this year's event. We will see. Last but not least, our fearless leader, Jay Wrizight. Who am I kidding, he's like Bernie Parent in this town. He can't go anywhere without a fan asking how the lil' Wrizlets are doing? 

Like the Phillies, the Meet & Greet may have seen better days. We can look on the bright side, the Phillies found a stud in Maikel Franco, maybe Phillies Bunts have a star in Erik Whitacre. I can't believe The Wriz is making him watch every Phillies game, talk about hazing the new guy!

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

All Good Things Must Come To An End.

 

After watching the Phillies get smacked by the Braves again, I needed something to take the edge off. The Rockies/Dodgers game was just starting. What better way to chill on a summer's eve than to hear Vin Scully call a game? His voice is pure baseball, think Harry the K without stupid Wheels adding his worthless two cents. Scully does all Dodgers home games solo. He doesn't need help, he is a baseball encyclopedia, plus the best play by play guy in all of sports. There was a controversial call on a possibly trapped fly ball. Jim Tracey went absolutely bat sh!t crazy when the umps reversed the original call of a catch. Watching the super slow mo instant replay, Jim Tracey was right. The funny part was how Scully translated Tracey's tirade. Tracey said, "F'in horse sh!t!", Vin saw it as "Bleepin' fertilizer!". Classic Scully. I also got to see Shane Victorino end a Dodgers loss with a pop out in the infield. Ahh, the memories. I get carried away with my praise of Vin Scully. Something else during that game caught my attention, it was Fernando Valenzuela bobble head night.

 

The Phillies sell out streak ended last night at 257. Let's all give each other a round of applause. But, that's over now. I'm interested to see how the Phillies Promotion staff steps up their game next year. They have been on a 5 year vacation. Other than bobble heads what is the last good giveaway night you can remember? I haven't got a decent hat on Father's Day since the bucket hat, that was like 2007. WB Collectable Truck night? It's plastic and made in China. I have been to a handful of road games and got better giveaways. An umbrella at New Yankees stadium. A seat cushion and sunglasses at Citifield. A very nice replica batting practice cap at Nationals Park. A very wearable visor at Fenway Park. I have been a partial season ticket holder since CBP opened. The giveaways are lame and this year they screwed up the only decent giveaway night they have, bobble head night.

Here is an idea. Instead of having 2 bobble heads of current (or possibly traded prior to) players, how about an alumni bobble head night? The Phillies Wall of Fame night is pretty lame. What if the Phillies gave out a bobble head of this year's inductee? At this point I would rather have a Mike Lieberthal bobble than a Hunter Pence. Maybe more fans would get into Wall of Fame night with a decent giveaway. God knows no one is going to put up that lame ass print they give away. The Phillies Promotion Department should just steal ideas from other teams at this point. If the Phillies stink as bad next year at least spare me from the Charlie Manuel Baseball Tin.

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

The Great Ticket Market Crash of 2012

Our fearless leader, Jay Wrizight recently posted on Face Book..."When you offer away a free ticket to a game and someone asks 'Where's the seat at?' the correct response should always be 'it’s in the stadium, douchebag!'. The Wriz' post speaks the truth. Since 2007, Phillies tickets have been white hot. This season it’s like you're asking someone to attend a root canal. In 2009, the response to the question, "Do you want to go to the game?” was greeted by, 'I'm getting married that day but my fiancée' will understand'. Ask someone now? 'Yeah, I gotta do anything else.' Where has everyone gone? If they do attend a game, they are not still in the park when the Phillies are down by a run after the 7th inning. I know the Phillies couldn't beat a high school JV team right now, but it’s still a fun place to be, right?

Another question, what do the Phillies consider a 'sell out'? There are many open seats most nights. I figure roughly 2 to 3 thousand a night. How do they still announce 44,571 when there are clearly fewer than 40,000? T-Mac can't wait to tell the world, 200 blah, blah, blah sell outs in a row. It makes me want to punch that big titty, apologist right in his man boobs. I think the sell out streak ended during the Dodgers series in early June, tell me I'm wrong.

With having a decent amount of tickets, Stubhub became a nice source of income. I could easily get double face value for any game. Red Sox games, the sky was the limit. Now, face value is too much. When I try to give them away it's like I'm asking people if they want tickets to the WNBA. It shouldn't take 20 phone calls and an open Face Book invitation to give away 2 lower level seats. Thanks for stepping up, Joe Craig. Maybe Jimmy Rollins was right when he called this fan base 'Bandwagoners'. If I see you at the ballpark in September when the Fightin' Phils are out of it, I'll buy you a beer. I'll be the only one in section 103.

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Double Down!

Cliff Lee Stinks!

Another Cliff Lee start, another Phillies loss. Another 4 run lead, another no decision for Cliff Lee. I thought elite pitchers were supposed to hold leads? Phillies fans have all the excuses for Lee, "He's snake bit...He is getting no run support...etc." I'm done with the excuses. If he could have held a 4 run lead last October, the Cards get swept by the Phils. If the same thing happened to Cole Hamels he would probably be run out of town. Cliff Lee gets a pass of Utley proportions. He picked us over the Yankees, I get it. I would just like to see us get our $120 million dollars worth. Right now he is looking very Barry Zito-esque.

In his last start, Lee was in a good position to win his first game. The Phils gave him a 3 run lead early. In the 4th he got a close call to go his way on a double play ball. Ok, after further review Hector Luna held the bag. 2 outs, nobody on. He walks Mark Reynolds, no biggie, still 2 outs. Steve Pearce doubles. 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs. Up comes Steve Tolleson, Tolleson is 4 for 7 vs Lee with 3 doubles. First base is open and Endy Chavez is on deck. Chavez is hitting a whopping .170, he has no pop and he's a left hand hitter. Lee quickly gets ahead of Tolleson 0-2. His 3rd offering is borderline outside, a perfect 0-2 pitch that could have been called a strike. Ball 1. With a 1-2 count Lee serves up a meatball right down Broadway. 3 run bomb. A 3 run lead is gone like the last pizza slice in the Blanton household.

***WARNING: ATTEMPTED JOURNALISM ALERT****

Cliff Lee is not the choir boy everyone thinks he is. I have it on good information that he frequents Chester quite often. He likes poker, no problem with that. He dropped 12 and 15 large in consecutive sessions. That's probably like $20 bucks to us working stiffs. It could be nothing or it could blow up to something big. Remember, you heard Cliff Lee may have a gambling problem on Phillies Bunts. This was the same time frame when he had words with Victorino in the dugout. The ball that Victorino lost in the lights hit a foot from the top of the wall, it would have been a tough play had he seen it all the way. He was out of line. There is a lot of smoke, I hope there isn't fire.

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Road Trip....Family Style!

Road trip! Before you get too excited, it was our first road trip with our 1 year old aka SB09 in tow. Strollers, walking, walking and more walking. The little guy was a trooper as was my lovely bride. I think she saw 4 innings over 2 games. There are a few things to consider if you are bringing super youngins to a game. First, if it's an extra inning game you won't be in the ballpark until the end. We attended Saturday and Sunday's games, when Qualls comes in, that's your cue. Seats in the sun are tough, especially in plus 90 degree weather. Mom Bryson was also in attendance, like all Moms, she came prepared, water bottles, cold rally towels for the neck, sunscreen etc. Mom Mom also stepped up big time by watching the lil' guy while the wife and I had a night out. You know you married the right woman when she suggests we make this a yearly event even though she did most of the diaper duty.

It was a sea of red. It is absolutely amazing how well Phillies fans travel. The Inner Harbor was one Phillies t-shirt wearing fan after another. That is quite astonishing considering the Fightin's are a struggling .500ish team. I actually saw more red at Saturday's game then your typical home game. It was at least 75% Phillies fans. And we were loud. LET'S GO PHILLIES! chants all weekend long. For the most part our fans seemed pretty well behaved. The only ugliness I saw was when an Orioles fan flipped our section the bird. She was one of maybe 1 of 5 O's fans in our section. She got a slight beer shower, she deserved it.

Orioles Park at Camden Yards is still amazing. It is the original, old style, modern feel park. The only thing that bugs me is the tiny tunnels to get to the lower level seats. It's not like Citizens Bank Park were you can see the game from the concourse. One other pet peeve, ushers don't stop people from going to their seats while play is on, if you're on the aisle it can be quite annoying. Things to love? The way the Orioles fans scream OOOO'S during the National Anthem is flippin' awesome! I thought I liked Natty Bo or National Bohemian, but another Phils fan told me I was the atmosphere and it was as bad a beer as there was. By my 3rd one, I realized he was right.

I also met the only Phillies fan that hates Chooch. That is rarer than finding a Chris Wheeler fan. His argument was that Chooch hits .220 during the season but hits .300 during the playoffs. Ok, I don't ever remember Ruiz hitting .220 for a season, moving on. We also had the tools wearing Orioles shirts with Phillies hats. The moron in front of me said the Phillies were his National League team. That's like saying I like Democracy but I also like Communism.

And one last thing...F THE DH!

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Thome is my Homie

Happy Sunday Bunters! Good news! April is almost over and the Phillies are hanging near The Wriz's magic number of .500. Who knows how long Jim Thome will be out with his back issues. I know he got hurt on a routine play but I for one will miss him while he is out. He has started off the season slow, 2 for 18, 10 strikeouts. Many Phillies fans are ready to push Thome into the grave and kick dirt on him. Is he possibly shot? Sure. But if any player deserves to go out on his own terms, it's Thome. How soon we forget, Big Jim brought baseball back to Philadelphia. For those of you who started following the Phillies in 2007, let me lay some knowledge on ya.

Jim Thome was the biggest free agent signing for the Phillies since Pete Rose when he signed here in 2003. Jim chose Philadelphia over a bunch of other towns. This happened a few short years after Scott Rolen ran out of town for 'Baseball Heaven'. Free agents used the Phillies to drive their price up, then signed with the team they really wanted to play for. Everyone loves Cliff Lee, as do I, for flipping the bird at New York and signing here. Thome did that long before the Phillies were competitive. He brought energy back to the ballpark, and that was a tall order at the Vet. Whenever Thome was at the plate you had to watch. Plus, when he left he only talked about his time in Philadelphia in glowing terms. Some recent former Phillies can't wait to dis this town when they leave, Jayson Werth, Brad Lidge, etc. And those ingrates won a championship here.

Forget the fact that Thome has 604 career Home Runs as a 'clean' player. Forget the fact that he is a 1st ballot Hall of Famer. He was the shot in the arm that this franchise sorely needed. He opened the door and sold this city to future free agents. So next time you're at the ballpark, instead of booing, let's show Big Jim some love. All together now...THOME! THOME! THOME!

Keep It Classy Philly!
DB29

FREDDY! FREDDY! FREDDY!

Watching the world's greatest baseball team has been a chore lately. Corey Luebke mows them down like Koufax in his prime. Are you kidding me? The newly acquired bench players are showing why they were bench players in the first place. Other then Juan Pierre, have any of them impressed so far? The 1-2-3 inning offense is getting old quick. Will John Mayberry Jr. drive a ball to the outfield this season? How many times will they have 1st and 2nd with no outs and not score? As 'The Wriz' pointed out earlier this week, Charlie is never going to dazzle us with his 'X's and O's' skills but come on Chuck! Pick up the phone, Charlie, call some other National League manager and ask them to explain the double switch to you. I could go Negadelphia all day. I want to touch on the biggest, nicest surprise so far.

Coming in to the season, the Phillies asked a kid who never played much above the AA level to be their Opening Day second baseman. Plus, the kid was not a second baseman but a shortstop. Seems like a recipe for disaster. Freddy Galvis looks like the best defensive second baseman the Phillies have had since Manny Trillo. Trillo made all the plays and had the strongest arm for a second baseman I have ever seen. Freddy also turns the double play like Trillo and he has only played the position for what? A few months, and that includes Spring Training? Freddy has a strong arm for a shortstop; move him to the other side of second and Wow! The kid is making great plays with the glove every night. The one bright side, the Phillies going down 1-2-3 every inning is Freddy gets back on the field to flash the leather.

Something the Phillies could use, a few quick hits.

- Placido Polanco looks shot at the plate. His bat speed looks gone.

- Not that I'm worried but can Hunter Pence lay off the fastball up in his eyes?

- I fear Michael Stutes may have been a 1/2 a year wonder.

- Kyle Kendrick may get the respect he deserves now that he is in the starting rotation.

- The Nationals look like they are for real.

- Don't let their early success fool you, the Mets still suck.

- Guillen, Reyes, Ramirez, and Zambrano? Too many hot headed hispanics to win consistently.

- Did Freddy Galvis ask 'The Wriz' permission to wear 13? I haven't seen sweet moves by a player wearing 13 since 'The Wriz' pulled a sweet toe drag.

Keep It Classy Phily!

DB29

Don't Hit the Panic Button!

Oh no! A 3-5 start. 2 straight losses to the New York Muts. The Flyers score more goals in a 5 minute stretch then the Phillies score runs all game. The sky is falling. Every call on 94 WIP is of the "Break this team up, trade this one or that one" variety. Everyone is so quick to trash this team that brought us such joy for 6 or 7 years. Negadelphia is in full effect. Everyone needs to take a deep breath. We are 8 games into a 162 game season. They have played less then 5% of the season. Are the Flyers out of a game when they are down 3-0 in the first period? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? There are some recent examples of why there is no reason to panic.

 

The Phillies have played poorly in April recently and have been fine. Last year was the first good April they had in a long time, 18-8. In 2010 they were 12-10 and in 3rd place. In 2009 they were 11-9 and in 2nd. In 2008, hey that year rings a bell, they were 15-13 in April and in 3rd place. All these years ended with at least a NL East Division Title. Last year the Red Sox were 11-15 in April. They missed the playoffs on the last day off the season. A few more Papelbon saves away from the post season. Their loss our gain. The Braves had a 10 game losing streak last year. They would have made the playoffs if they played the Muts in their final series instead of the Phillies.

If the Phillies can hover around .500 till the cavalry arrives, (Howard and hopefully Utley) they should be ok. Wigginton, Pierre and Galvis are not every day major league players. Hopefully one steps up till then. Freddy can play the field, maybe his bat stays hot. It's hard to go on a long losing streak with a starting rotation like this. There is a reason studs like Halladay, Lee and Hamels are called 'Stoppers'. Plus, we know RAJ likes to make deals at the trade deadline. He got Pence, Oswalt, Lee and Blanton all at the trade deadline. They all worked out to some degree or another. Don't jump off the bandwagon just yet. So, Bunter's, if I see you walking around on crutches at the 'Bunters and Bloggers Summit' on June 3rd, you better have a funny story.

 

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Opening Day Hangover

The Fightin' Phils opened the season with a win. Halladay had to be Halladay to make it happen. We also got our first look at Cinco Ocho. Jonathon Papelbon lived up to the bill. 1-0? We will take it. You wait all winter for Opening Day, what follows? An off day. I get why it's necessary, if Opening Day gets rained out they can't reschedule it for sometime in August. It is a let down none the less. So, what is a rabid baseball fan to do when the season is so fresh and you want more baseball? Watch some other games. Unfortunately, Friday was an American League heavy schedule. As most Bunters know, I am not a fan of the American League. I am already dreading next year’s realignment. It will mean Inter League play every day of the season. Opening Day through game 162 will feature at least 1 Inter league matchup. I guess it's time to see what the American League is all about.

First game I checked out was the Yankees/Rays. How can the first game of the season last 3 hours, 44 minutes? This was a 9 inning game! The Phillies and Pirates game went 10 last night and was only 3 hours 15 minutes long. One big reason is over managing. Joe Maddon used 5 pitchers in 2 innings. Mind you, the Yankees never got a runner to 3rd base in either inning. It wasn't like his pitchers were in trouble. I know managers get paid to play the matchups to their advantage, but the American League is out of control. Also, the catcher mound visits seem to happen 3 times more often then your typical National League game. I thought Jorge Posada retired? The whole game seems like it's in slow motion. Batters and pitchers both move like Philadelphia trash men waiting for OT to kick in. It's a joke.

Some other observations:

- Albert Pujols Bobble head day is Tuesday. They didn't wait very long, did they?

- Raul Ibanez went yard and had 4 RBI's. Would a 1 year deal here been so bad?

- Mark Trumbo can't play 3rd. I guess when you give Albert Pujols a half a billion dollars he is going to play first. Trumbo had a great rookie season with 29 bombs. I see a lot of DH games in his future.

- If Bruce Chen is your Opening Day starter, I don't like your chances. The Royals will be the same old sad sack team again this year.

- Balkin' Bob Davidson calls every check swing a swinging strike.

- I think all Fox Sports stations have a couple of hot chicks that handle their social media. You can Face Book or Twitter these shanks and ask them questions. I would love to read some of the unedited ones.

Charlie gets, as Eugene puts it, 'A Laminated Hall Pass' from me. But I got to ask. Did anyone else wonder why he pinch hit for John Mayberry Jr. and not for Freddie Galvis last night?

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

April Fool

Spoiler alert! If you don't want to know what will happen this season in Major League baseball stop reading. It's prediction time.

First, let's talk about the only team that matters, the Fightin' Phils. Baseball Prospectus has the Phillies winning 88 games this season. Will they take my 'Over' action? I don't see them winning 102 like last season but 93 wins will be plenty to win the NL East for the 6th straight time. They will struggle until the All Star break, and 'gasp', they may not even be .500. Howard and Utley come to the rescue and after slow starts for both, they help the Phils to a MLB best 52-23 after the break. They enter the playoffs as the hottest team in baseball. And after they dispatch the Nationals and Giants, they best the Detroit Tigers in a 7 game epic. More than half the fan base will show up to the parade in casts, having broken their ankles jumping off the bandwagon when the Phillies were 41-46 at the All Star break. That's the big picture as I see it.

Awards predictions.
NL MVP - Ryan Zimmerman

AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera

NL Cy Young - Matt Cain

AL Cy Young - Jared Weaver

NL Batting Champ - Hunter Pence

AL Batting Champ - Miguel Cabrera

NL HR Champ - Joey Votto

AL HR Champ - Albert Pujols

NL Manager of the Year - Charles Fuqua Manuel Jr.

AL Manager of the Year - Jim Leyland

Playoff Teams.
NL Division Winners - Phillies, Reds, Giants. Wild Cards - Diamond Backs, Nationals.

AL Division Winners - Yankees, Tigers, Angels. Wild Cards - Rangers, Red Sox.

Random predictions.
- The Mets are gonna suck...I really went out on a limb there.

- Chipper Jones will end his career on the DL.

- Jamie Moyer will have more wins than Johan Santana.

- The Pirates will finally finish a season over .500.

- Wheels will say "No Doubles Defense" at least once.

This is going to be a 'hang in there' kind of year. Remember the World Series isn't won in April, May or June.

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Fast Track to Nowhere!

Philadelphia International Autoshow...EPIC FAIL!!!

It's just a few short days till pitchers and Chooch's, Bunters! Pretty soon it will be back to normal, 24/7 Phillies. Diamond Girl will be checking in with her perspective as a Phillies fan who lives in Sh!tsburgh. CJ Hood will be back with his rapid fire comedy stylings. Kornhole will be open for business once again. And our fearless leader, Jay Wrizight will be dropping his considerable baseball knowledge on everyone smart enough to read this blog. All is right with the world. So, before life is right again I would like to rant about a non baseball topic: The Philadelphia International Autoshow.

During the off-season, it's tough to find things to do with the family. I have 2 teenage boys who enjoy going to the Autoshow every year. Even though I'm in the automobile business, (Mt. Ephraim Chrysler Dodge is where I call home, sorry for the shameless plug), I enjoy the Autoshow more than most. Most of my fellow employees would not be caught dead at the Autoshow. They live it everyday, so their time off is time away from cars. My kids and I like to see the new stuff. It is usually a nice day out. Not this year. My first complaint is it cost me $23 to park. I don't mind dropping $20 to park in the Halladay Inn every Sunday to see the Fightin' Phils. It cost $5 more then the Phillies lots but you can tailgate there. Plus, were we park there is tree cover, shade is clutch in July when it's 95 degrees at 10am. And, you have access to a clean bathroom in the lobby. So, $23 just to park in a lot for 2 hours? They also jammed 300 cars in a lot that should only hold 150. Isn't there something the city can do about this?
 

Ok, so we parked, got in the show for free with employee passes, so all is well, right? Wrong, this year all exhibits were consolidated to one floor. In years past they were spread out over 3 levels. Previously you could get close to any car you wanted. You might have to wait a minute to get close to something new or sporty, like a Challenger SRT8 or the Acura NSX. No big deal. This year the line to get close to anything was 5 or 6 deep. Really? I need to wait 15 minutes to get a close look at a Ford Focus? No thanks. I now know what it's like to ride the Tokyo subway.

Whoever came up with the layout must have been drunk, high or both. Classic cars were next to the 'Shamwow!' booth, which was next to the Scion display, and so on.  A total mess. In previous years the main level had all the normal brands, Ford, Toyota, Chevy, Chrysler, etc. High end and Exotics were upstairs. Everything else was downstairs. You could actually walk. This year it was so crowded it was hard to breath. Who is to blame? I have no idea. Is it the City? The Convention Center? Maybe the car manufacturers trying to save some money in a down economy? Who knows? I know it needs to be fixed because right now it is broken.

That is behind us for another year. Let's move on to a more positive topic. Who will be the Chris Coste/Greg Dobbs surprise this Spring Training? Let's Play Ball!

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29



DB29 Mobile!



Reliving the Phantasy

Phantasy camp for 2012 came to a close without me last Sunday. It has now been 5 years since I had the pleasure of attending. I got to go in 2007. After years of listening to The Wriz and cdubsallstar12 claim this is the year we are going to Phantasy camp, I pulled the trigger. I smacked my credit card for $3,800, (It's over $5,000 now) and hoped for the best. It's funny, you have great expectations about what it will be like.

Let me tell you Bunters, it's everything you would expect and more. First, you get to meet Larry Andersen a few months before at the 'Initiation Night' at Citizens Bank Park. There, you get fitted for your official Phillies uniform and are informed about what to expect. This is all held in the Phillies locker room. I got fitted in Pat Burrell's locker, it was 2007, remember? Getting back to LA. He is the commissioner of the camp. If you think he's funny on the radio you wouldn't believe the sh!t he says when he is uncensored. We also got information about a pre camp workout. That is were I met two guys who I still consider friends, Sean and Teddy Ballgame. We continued our pre camp workouts on pretty much a weekly basis right up to camp. A word of advice, the Phillies camp staff lay out a very good stretching program to follow before camp. Follow it! I thought I didn't need it since I was 38 and was playing roller hockey at the time. It isn't for the old timers, they know their limitations. I pulled my hamstring the first day. If it wasn't for the amazing training staff, the same staff the real Phillies use, I would have had to have been a bench jockey all week. The only good thing about getting hurt is I got a nickname early on, but more on that later.
 

So I hopped on a plane to Clearwater not knowing fully what to expect. I was lucky enough to be on the same flight as Milt Thompson. We sat just a few seats away. Milt saw my Phillies gear and asked if I was going to Phantasy Camp? I told him I was. He chatted me up for awhile and assured me I'm in for a great time. That was one thing I wasn't sure of, how approachable will the 'Legends' be? My experience is they all want to be there. They all will give you more then just a handshake, autograph and a smile. They will actively engage you in conversation. Tell you the real scoop about anything you ask. They could not have been nicer. The first night they have a meet and greet, the campers were still not sure how the players would be. Jim Eisenrich comes up to the table I was sitting at and asked if he could join us. Jim went on to answer any questions we had, tell stories, you name it. I was also lucky to be drafted by Mickey Morandini and Dickey Knowles. Two super cool guys. Mickey is old school baseball, real down to earth, funny. Dickie Knowles is the most positive person I have ever met. He battled his demons while he was playing. Now you can't talk to the guy for 5 minutes and not feel inspired.
 

If you read this blog, you are probably the biggest Phillies fan out of everyone you know. Every camper at Phantasy camp is just as nuts about the Phillies as you are. You will instantly click with your teammates and everyone there. ESF is the company that runs the camp. They do a first class job. Your every need is totally take care of. Your week starts with skills evaluation. Each team has two Legends coaches. The Legends draft their team from the pool of campers. The teams are pretty close in skill level. If you are like me, played baseball until High School and are marginally athletic you will be slightly above average. I got a hit off the guy that won the Cy Young award for campers so no one is going to blow you away when you are at the plate. My team finished around .500. We did win a game that we trailed 10-0, final score 11-10. That was damn exciting. We also won a game 4-3 with a pitcher that was in his early 70's, Dave Scott. Dave  was our old timer. He pitched batting practice to the A's back in the 50's. The old guy was amazing. He kept the other team off balance all game. By the 5th inning, we were diving for balls like he was throwing a no hitter. He deservedly won the Tug McGraw award for most inspirational camper.
 

Back to my nickname, my one highlight came when I was in rightfield. There was a man on first with 2 outs. A base hit and three hops to me. I charged the ball and came up firing to 3rd. The runner on 1st was trying to go 1st to 3rd. I made the best throw of my life, (at speed pitch I top out in the low 60's). A one-hop laser right on the bag. Bobby Abreu style. The runner was out by 10 feet. Remember, it wasn't JRoll running. I came to the dugout and Dickie Knowles slaps me on the back and says, "Great throw, Hammy!" Nothing like it. My week could have ended there and I would have left a happy camper.

They save the best for last. Your team plays a 3 inning game against the Legends team. My one official at bat verse the Legends went in the score book as FC 6-4. I reached base at least. I played 1st base during the game. I got to do the 1st baseman chit chat with Juan Samuel, Von Hayes and Ricky Jordan. My buddy, Sean, stroked a clean double off of Dickie Knowles, that was the only extra base hit I saw a camper hit. Milt Thompson and Ricky Jordan both went yard. You realize from the sound of the ball coming off their bats that the Legends are playing at a level you could never achieve.

If you have an extra 5 dimes laying around, I highly recommend Phillies Phantasy Camp. You won't be disappointed.

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

All I Want for Christmas is JRoll Signed

All I Want for Christmas is JRoll Signed

Seasons Greetings Bunters! What has RAJ got everyone for Christmas this year? Last year, we had Clifton Phifer Lee under the tree. He went above and beyond. RAJ did something no Phillies GM had ever done. He signed the biggest free agent pitcher that was available. Remember the time Bill Giles was asked why the Phillies don't sign big time pitchers? His response was, "Pitchers break down, we don't want to commit that kind of money". Translation, "We are cheap, we are happy to spend like a small market team". Those days are, thankfully, long gone. The Phillies are now a major player anytime someone good lands in the free agent market. 

So glad to see Jim Thome back, even if it will be in a supporting role. Big Jim started it all. He was the first big time free agent to sign with the Phillies since Lance Parrish. He gave us some great years. We got to see his 400th Home Run at CBP. The Phillies started to contend for the first time in over a decade. I have heard the negatives for bringing Thome back, "He can't play the field", "He may not be a good pinch hitter since he is used to being a DH." I don't care. If the Phillies were ever going to take a chance on a guy I'm glad they picked Thome. He is total class. During this whole steroid era, his name has never come up. The guy did it the right way. If you can't root for a guy like that, who can you root for?

That brings me to Jimmy Rollins. I'm the biggest JRoll fan there is, he's my guy. Its Jimmy and the 'Big Piece' for me. I'm like those Kardashian sluts, I like me some athletic black men. Jimmy is the best shortstop this franchise ever had. He is a huge reason for this sweet run that started in 2007. He flipped the bird to the Mets to get this run going. Why no love for JRoll? When did fans start thinking of the game as a business? Everyone discussing money and years like it's their money. I want to see Jimmy flashing the leather, hitting with pop, going from 1st to 3rd in a flash.  I don't care how RAJ does it, I want Jimmy on the field playing for the Fightins. When Jimmy is doing his thing the Phillies win, pure and simple.  Isn't that what it's all about?

Keep It Classy Philly?

DB29 

DB29 likes his Phillies like he likes his coffee: Black and Strong!

This is Gonna Leave a Mark

Two years in a row now, I got to see Ryan Howard make the last out to end the Phillies season. As he approached the plate, I was hoping he would at least draw a walk so he wouldn't get bashed the entire offseason again. It seemed like a lot of people in attendance were waiting for him to fail. As he lay on the ground with a ruptured Achilles I heard a guy yell, "Good, now you can retire!". How quick we forget.  I actually heard Howard Eskin say yesterday that "Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino need to choke up on the bat". So now you're a hitting coach Eskin? Aren't you the same unathletic, zit faced kid who never played a sport in your life? In your own words, you are the biggest 'Fraud' this city ever had, and that's saying a lot since Adam Eaton played here. Go back to falsely reporting injuries on the Eagles sideline like you did 2 weeks ago. The Dog Killer didn't break his hand as you reported. I can't believe you don't get called on your sh!t. I will never bash any player who helps give us a parade. The championship victory is it for me. Once you win a championship for all of us, you get a lifetime pass. In my weird mind I have more respect for Eric Bruntlett and Pedro Feliz then Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. I am 43 years old and have seen 5 championship teams in this city. There have been 172 seasons for the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and Sixers during my lifetime. Five times the Philly team was the last one standing. Jimmy, Chase and Ryan may end up elsewhere in the near future but we don't need to kick them out the door.

This team is old. Not one player under 30 in the starting lineup till Hunter Pence got here. The fact that they had a bunch of injuries the last few years is no coincidence. Maybe time is catching up to them. Maybe they did it in reverse, 2008 could have been the pinnacle for this squad. In 1977 and 1978 the Phillies won 101 games but it took till 1980 to get to the top. Do we throw this run to the curb if we only ever get the 2008 World Series championship? It wasn't that long ago that Desi Relaford was your starting shortstop. Take it from someone who has seen a lot of bad Phillies teams, this is still where we want to be, early playoff exit and all.

I will try to look on the bright side. My life isn't over, just a baseball season. I will kiss my beautiful wife and enjoy the fact that my newest addition is 6 months old today. I still have a baseball game to go to today, it's a Babe Ruth Fall ball game and I get to see the best catcher in the area not named 'Chooch'. I am not saying we can't grieve a little. They won 102 games then ripped out our hearts, but we had a better week than Steve Jobs and Al Davis. It could be worse, we could be Mets fans.
 

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Violations Abound

Playoff time brings out the bandwagon. I am not talking about the quasi fans who only watch during the playoffs. I'm talking about the local media. Like the late local news, who lead off every broadcast with Phillies news. During the regular season, you would have to wait 22 minutes to get a Phillies score and highlights. Now, it's the first story every night. They have a reporter at some bar with a bunch of idiotic, screaming fans all jumping around like the morons that they are. What is it about wanting to get on TV that makes people lose their minds? The reporter ends up interviewing some people who couldn't pick Ryan Madson out of a lineup. I guess to keep my sanity I won't watch, easy enough. But one local news station has committed a 'Violation' so egregious I can't let it go. Fox 29 News has put a banner up on top of their building to count down the wins the Phillies need to win the World Series. Before last night's game they hung a huge '11' banner. WTF! Why are these 'Johnny Come Lately's' messing with my team's mojo? Don't they know anything about jinxes? What ever happened to 'One game at a time'? I was actually hoping John Anderson would fall off the roof. That would be a story I would love to see. Am I the only one who is annoyed by their ignorance? Please, no Phillies cap on top of William Penn.

On a totally different subject, why does it seem like some people attending playoff games are watching the Phillies for the first time. Or attending their first baseball game ever? There was a woman behind me that thought the game was over after the 1st inning because the Phils were down 3-0. Can't people grasp the concept that's its OK to be down early? Then I heard, "Throw strikes Halladay", after he walked Pujols on 4 pitches in the 1st. How do you explain the 'Unintentional, Intentional walk' to this nit wit? Thank God, Halladay settled in to his best performance as a Phillie. He went on to retire 21 straight batters after a shaky start. Truly amazing. Ryan Howard shut up all the doom and gloomers with a titanic blast. Maybe they kept babbling on but after Raul launched a homer of his own I couldn't hear them the rest of the game. Another point for first time attendees, if someone needs to get by you need to stand up. Why do they think my 265 pound, fat ass can squeeze by if they just move their legs? Serenity Now!

Let's end on a positive note. Charlie Manuel is a freakin' genius! He only trotted out last night’s lineup 7 times before last night. They were 7-0 in those games. This lineup is sick. He kept it under wraps for the playoffs. Brilliant. Keep doing your thing Charlie. The guy in the other dugout may think he invented baseball managing, but you perfected it. Let's hear it for the most valuable person in the Phillies organization. CHARLIE! CHARLIE! CHARLIE!

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

The Phillies are Class, New York is Ass

WOW! That's all you can say. Who new a month ago the last game of the season would have so much drama. The Phillies had it wrapped up for awhile but as a baseball fan how could the regular season end on a higher note? The Rays win in extras after being down 7-0 in the 8th inning. Joe Girardi should be ashamed of himself. The Yankees had a 1 run lead in the 9th, he has the greatest closer in the history of the game and he doesn't use him. Hopefully the baseball Gods pay back that smug ass clown in the playoffs. Sweet justice would be a Rays victory over the Yankees in the ALCS. By the time the game was over there wasn't a Yankees player on the field with a number under 50. Scrubs galore. Pena, Golson, Dickerson, Romine? Can anyone pick these stiffs out of a lineup? I know Greg Golson used to play for the Phils, but it seemed like Girardi was trying to stick it to the Red Sox. Bush league stuff with both New York teams today, the Yanks half ass it and Jose Reyes gets a bunt single then comes out of the game to win a batting title. Can we get an asterisk next to Reyes name?

The Fightin' Phils win 102! New franchise record, that and they eliminated the Braves from the post season. Epic collapse. 8 1/2 game lead on September 1st. A Tomahawk Choke if there ever was one. Congratulations to Charlie Manuel, he passes the Gene Mauch, speaking of choking, as the all time winningest manager in Phillies history. Great job during this amazing run Charlie. Nice job keeping your integrity by playing to win, you could have laid down like the Yankees.

Did anyone else notice the Phillies/Braves game was 2 innings ahead of the Yankees/Rays game? The American league blows; let's hope the Phillies kick some American League ass in a few weeks. Speaking of blowing, what happened to the Red Sox? They couldn't beat the Orioles in a 3 game series? Another epic collapse. Glad to see it, the Sox fans may be the biggest douche bag fans on the planet. When they come to Citizens Bank Park they walk around with their heads up their ass. Screw you Red Sox nation, you make Mets fans look classy. Is it me or does Jonathon Papelbon look like he's blowing kisses to the batter before each pitch? He should have a fun off season after blowing that game. Boston may have a new 'Buckner'.

It's about to get a whole lot funner.

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Flip the Switch

All together now! WHEEEEWWW! We can all breath again. The Phillies offense wakes up. Roy Halladay didn't forget how to be the best pitcher in baseball. Hunter Pence didn't forget how to catch a fly ball. The Phillies defense isn't as bad as it has looked in the last week. Step away from the edge of the bridge. Make room for the Eagles fans. The Dog Killer's broken hand = broken season. Three games in and the Dream Team looks more like a nightmare. Watching an Andy Reid lead team is like watching the same movie over and over and expecting a different ending. The Phillies are a veteran team, the oldest in the Majors. Five straight division titles, if any team can 'Flip the Switch' and turn it on in the playoffs, it's this team. There is no need to worry, save that for Sundays when your watching the Birds.

The 1987 Twins lost 5 in a row after clinching the AL Central, they went on to win the World Series. I like the Phillies chances in the NLCS, Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Halladay, Lee, vs the D-Backs. The D-Backs are the 2007 Phillies, a good young team that isn't ready for a deep playoff run. Kirk Gibson is probably going to win the NL Manager of the Year. He has done a great job and is very deserving. I just see the D-Backs as a team that will be happy to have made the playoffs. Does anyone think the Phillies can't handle the Brewers or Braves in the NLCS? The Braves should hang on to the Wild Card, unless the Phils put a hurting on them in the final series.

Charlie ran out a Split Squad Spring Training lineup for a bunch of games last week. I'm the biggest Phillies geek I know after Jay Wrizight and I'll bet 'The Wriz' never heard of Erik Kratz before last week. Uncle Chollie must have bet 10 large on the Mets yesterday, how else can you explain the fact that he brought David Herndon into the game yesterday? That's a sure fire way to make a 3-0 lead evaporate. Let's calm down, pay no mind to what happens the rest of the pre playoffs season. Hit the fast forward button, let's play some meaningful baseball. Pardon me, CJ Hood, let me quote Billy Joe Armstrong, "Wake me up when September ends".

One more thing, the new rule in the NFL where every scoring play is reviewed stinks more than my feet. Keep Instant replay out of baseball, why give Joe West more ways to screw up a game?

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29

Not Rotten to the Core

 

The Core to End All Cores

They did it again. This time seemed like a walk in the park. Five straight National League East titles. This team keeps accomplishing feats that no other Philadelphia sports team has accomplished. Long, sustained success is not something Philadelphia teams are known for. Sure, the Andy Reid Eagles won 4 straight NFC East titles but they threw up on themselves in the playoffs. The Flyers and Sixers could only manage 3 straight division crowns. It hasn't been a, get to the NFC Championship game and find a way to lose kind of run. The Phillies run includes a World Series title, another World Series appearance and who knows what this year. The current Phillies roster has 8 players who were a part of all 5 division winning teams. What is crazy is many of these players seem to get the most criticism. I don't know if its Eagles fans in disguise but many of these core players can't catch a break.

- Kyle Kendrick. Ok. Maybe KK is just in the right place at the right time. I must say this about Kyle; he has earned my respect for being a team guy. You know he wants to start but he seems like he will do whatever he can to help the team. In an age when almost all athletes have egos that are bigger then their skill set, players like Kyle Kendrick are a breath of fresh air. Thanks for being a good soldier Kyle.
 

- Carlos Ruiz. Nobody bashes 'Chooch' and rightly so. The only way I see that we let him down is the fact that he hasn't been voted to an All Star team yet. We are approaching 200 straight sellouts; make it your mission to get him on the All Star team next year.

- Shane Victorino. 'The Flyin' Hawaiian' is almost as beloved as 'Chooch'. Who can bash the greatest 'Rule 5' pick up since Roberto Clemente?
 

- Ryan Madson. I still hear people whispering that he doesn't have it as a closer. The 2008 Brad Lidge will make it difficult for future closers in this town. A closer having a perfect season never happens. Even Mariano Rivera blows a save every now and then. I take solace in the fact that the people who think a closer should be perfect never saw Jose Mesa attempt to close a game. Keep doing your thing Mad Dog. Keep your pimp hand strong, and tell your wife you're signing here in the off-season.

- Cole Hamels. He got booed for a sub par performance in his first start of the year. How soon we forget. The man was MVP of the NLCS and World Series in 2008. He seems to get more heat for a bad outing than any other starter not named Kyle Kendrick. Without 'Hollywood' the Phillies are the Eagles, getting close but not winning it all.
 

- Chase Utley. Chase used to have a 'Get out of jail free card', not anymore. I guess people have gotten tired of hearing about his health issues. I actually know someone who bashes Utley on a regular basis. All I can say is this, If you don't like Chase Utley, you don't like baseball. He plays the game the way Pete Rose did, balls to the wall every game. He is paying the price with all the injuries but that's why we should love him.

- Ryan Howard. He gets bashed because he's not Albert Pujols. King Albert hasn't won 5 straight division titles, the most an Albert lead team has won in a row is 3. Albert has only won 1 World Series. He has the greatest manager in the history of baseball, he has Matt Holliday and a resurgent Lance Berkman and they can't catch the Brewers or Braves. I'll take 'The Big Piece' for this team. Mr. September knows how to win. Enough with the Howard bashing, he's the best position player on the best Phillies team ever.
 

- Jimmy Rollins. I have heard how Jimmy Rollins isn't a great leadoff hitter since he's been here. So what? He was the 2007 MVP, the year this run started. He flipped the bird to the Mets by saying, "We are the team to beat". He is the best fielding shortstop of his generation. He makes this team go. Rube needs to show me something. Lock up JRoll for the rest of his career. Let's see him retire as a Phillie.

Let's not forget Charlie. He got crushed when he first got here. Now he's 4 wins away from being the winningest manager in Phillies history. Can we finally drop the 'Negadelphia' act and embrace this core?

Keep It Classy Philly!

DB29