Saying Goodbye

By Amy McCormick

I’ve been waiting to write this post, because I haven’t been ready to talk about it.  I still don’t know that I am, but now is as good a time as any, I suppose.  I will say that I’m not ready to start discussing who will start at first next season and whether or not the Phils will resign Jimmy.  I can’t handle that right now.  To say that I’m upset and disappointed would be a gross understatement. 

This season was our year.  It was not a rebuilding year or a transitional year.  This team was built for a World Series win.  Ruben Amaro, Jr. assembled a team that was Fall Classic or bust.  After our Cliff Lee Christmas gift last year, it seemed our fate was sealed.  Who could possibly contend with a Halladay-Lee-Oswalt-Hamels-and-oh-yeah-Blanton-too pitching staff?  Well, no one.  Our starting pitching was never really an issue, not even with injuries.  Our bullpen, though they had plenty of “off” nights, seemed to hold their own, too.  Our defense was fine. 

What went wrong?

It’s the same story I’ve been complaining about all season.  Outstanding pitching can only get us so far; with no run support, it’s pretty tough to compete.  Everyone thought the return of Utley would be the answer to our prayers.  For a short while, The Utley Effect did boost offense; it didn’t last.  On July 29, or RAJ Day in Philadelphia, we acquired Hunter Pence.  Pence, welcomed with open arms, was what our lineup needed: a right handed bat in the five hole.

So, what the hell happened?

It’s so hard to say, and I hate to be a Monday morning quarterback about it.  The thing is, though, we’re all left with that burning question: How does a 102-win team get eliminated by the wild card in the first round of the playoffs?  It’s hard for me to get angry, because the truth is, we were outplayed.  Period.  The better performance advanced to the NLCS.  I’ve heard lots of answers and theories; the lineup should have been switched, Charlie should have been fired last year, etc.  I can’t come up with anything more than the fact that we just couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn and not even Doc could save us from that. 

So, in the past day or so, my emotions have run the gamut from shock to disappointment to heartbreak.  It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.  I hate to be a crybaby about it, and of course I wanted that parade
… it’s just baffling.  For someone who doesn’t love sports, I’m sure it seems silly, but this really is hard to handle.  If one more person says “There’s always next year” to me, s/he will get an earful.  It won’t be the same 25 guys next season, and this was our year to win.  It didn’t happen.  Let me mourn that, please.  We’re saying goodbye to the season and to this specific team.

To all my fellow Phils fans, I know that we’ll never stop loving this team.  Maybe the silver lining is that there will be fewer bandwagoners eating up all the tickets next season …. In any event, pitchers and catchers will report in four months and we’ll start this whole thing over again.  In the meantime … I’ll still be wearing my Phillies gear and sending well wishes to all the injured and surgery bound players.  Chin up, kids.  The sadness only means that you’re passionate, and that’s a damned good thing.

Ten Musical Suggestions

By Amy McCormick

This five game losing streak is a depressing slump for Phillies fans.  Maybe it’s time to change some of the players’ intro songs in order to get their mojo back.  Here are ten of my suggestions. 

1. Jimmy Rollins.  Jimmy has three at-bat songs, apparently; they are “Bright Lights, Bigger City” by Cee-lo Green, “Play Your Part” by Wale, and “The Show Goes On” by Lupo Fiasco.  They’re all decent choices, but I would love to hear J-Roll come out to “Rollout” by Ludacris.  I think the reasoning behind my choice is obvious.
2. Placido Polanco.  Polly left the club years ago, and returned as a third baseman.  He came back with outstanding range of motion, instincts, and batting.  For my favorite large-headed infielder, I’d choose “Look at Me Now” by Lil Boosie and Big Head. (His current song is “I Know You Want Me” by Pitbull.)
3. Shane Victorino.  It bothers me every single time I hear “Buffalo Soldier” played at Citizens Bank Park, and for one reason: Vic is Hawaiin.  “Buffalo Soldier” is performed by Bob Marley … from Jamaica.  It’s not even the same ocean, people.  I’m a sucker for “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. I know it’s kind of mellow, but so is “Buffalo Soldier.”
4. Hunter Pence.  I was so tempted to pick something from New Kids on the Block, but I resisted.  When I think of Pence, I think of three things: “Good game, let’s go eat,” a huge kid-in-a-candy-store grin, and red socks that look as though they’re probably tucked into his underwear.  I love the high socks, so I went with “Taylor Gang” by Wiz Khalifa. 
5. Ryan Madson.  Can we discuss the Journey song, please? From my understanding, it started as a joke, in reference to the headache-inducing YouTube video that Giants fans made last year.  Joke’s over.  Now you just look like a pansy running from the bullpen to a Journey song.  I’d quickly change it to “Shut ‘Em Down” by Public Enemy.
6. Carlos Ruiz.  Chooch has a case of Ryan Madsonitis when it comes to song choice.  Phil Collins? Really?  I’d get rid of that in a hurry.  I’d rather hear Ruiz come out to “Panama” by Van Halen … because he’s from Panama.  See what I did there?
7. Cole Hamels.  I couldn’t think of any songs about having dreamy dimples, so I think he should come out to 45,000 fans singing “Cole and Amy sittin’ in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g …”.  His AC/DC song, “Thunderstruck,” is fine, too … I guess.
8. John Mayberry, Jr.  Follow me on this one.  Out of laziness/cuteness, I have always called Mayberry “JMJ.” I started to refer to him as “Jam Master Jay” because that’s what my friend James calls him.  That nickname is the reason I’d choose “My Adidas” by Run DMC for John Mayberry, Jr.
9. Pete Orr.  I know we rarely see Orr bat, but I’m a big fan of watching him sprint to first.  I’d love to hear the vintage version of the theme to “Speed Racer” when he is up to bat.
10. Michael Schwimer.  I think it would be appropriate to hear “Creep” by Radiohead when Schwimer runs out to the mound, for one reason: the lyric “I don’t belong here.” Sorry, kid.

I don’t know what it will take to snap this funk that the Phils are in.  Maybe hiring me as Musical Director at Citizens Bank Park would help.  I’m available to start immediately.



Cole Hamels is pictured in this post because, well, I get to choose what goes here.



Phils Clinch, Lose Four Straight

By Amy McCormick

As expected, the Philadelphia Phillies clinched the NL East early this season.  On Saturday night, Roy Oswalt recorded the win against St. Louis.  Oswalt pitched well through seven, and Ibanez tore the game open with a grand slam.  Phils defeated the Cards, 9-2. 

Champagne sprayed from every direction in the clubhouse.  Hunter Pence looked like a five-year-old on Christmas morning.  It was time to celebrate a division five-peat, then regroup and move onto finishing the season.

Well, the celebration happened.  I've yet to see the team move on to finish the season.

The way I see it, our rotation and starting lineup should stay with their routine.  I'd like to see our positinal players put in five innings or so each game.  I know what you're thinking.  "Why risk injury? Why not let them rest? The rest of the season is a waste." I don't see it that way.  I believe in finishing what you start - there are 162 games in the season, and it would be a shame to throw away the last dozen or so games.  Do you really think our opponents want us to call it in?  If we want to get lazy and sloppy at the end, then you might as well  scrap the remainder of the season once we clinch.  Rest is important, but too much will result in rusty post-season performances. 

I've never been an "Oh well, you can't win them all" kind of fan.  There are some games that are sloppy and embarrassing.  There are some teams we should not be handing games to.  This is what frustrates me.  I know that Charlie is very much a laissez-faire manager, but in this instance, I'd like to see him get into some faces and say, "Get your pinstriped ass out there and play ball like you mean it." 

This should not be vacation.  This is prep time for the postseason; the World Series is ours to lose.  I want to see grit and aggressiveness.  These past four games have bored me to tears.  I feel like Curt Schilling with a towel over my face.  Please, Phils, now is not the time for complacency.  Don't run out of steam now.  A great season should end on a high note.

Do You Mean "Dump Joe West?"

By Amy McCormick

I shouldn’t really be surprised, should I?  Especially considering the fact that Facebook reminded me a few days ago that my status a year before was “[My daughter] could do a better job as an ump, and she’s in diapers.  And nonverbal.  And legally blind.”

A year later, Olivia is a chatterbox, her vision has improved somewhat, and the potty issue is a work in progress.  One thing remains the same, though: she seems to think she can do what she wants and make up rules as she goes along.  Sound familiar?

Today’s game at Sun Life Stadium (“a dump,” according to Ricky Bo, and I concur) wasn’t much to talk about … until the top of the sixth.  Hunter Pence would have been out had it not been for fan interference.  That call should have been made on the spot; Joe West should have been able to say that Petersen would have made the catch easily, send Howard back to first, and move on.

Instead, West chose to gather the ump crew and watch instant replay.  Upon review, West sent Pence back to the dugout and Howard back to first base.  While this was the correct call, West used improper means to come to that conclusion.  Instant replay in baseball is for close homerun balls, which this clearly was not.

Enter Charlie Manuel.

In true Charlie style, he let everyone know something: The Marlins might be 28.5 games behind and will be watching October baseball from their living rooms, but Philadelphia does not tolerate nonsense from umpires.  On his way out (don’t act surprised that Charlie got tossed), he was sure to let West know that the Phils would continue to play under protest.  Essentially, no one is contesting the judgment call – Pence should have been out.  What is unacceptable is the blatant misuse of the instant replay.

I’m eager to hear postgame statements, and it will be interesting to see how things play out.  If Joe West says that he looked at the footage because he thought it could have been a homerun, then he’ll be insulting our intelligence. 

Two side notes … 1) Phils-Marlins games should never go into extras.  Period.  They’re the Marlins. 2) I Googled “ump joe west” and my computer asked me, “Do you mean dump joe west?” Maybe it’s time we started taking Google’s suggestions.



Tonight's Game, in Numbers

By Amy McCormick

Tonight’s 9-0 victory in Cincinnati brings us one day closer to the postseason.  Here are just a few reasons, quantitatively speaking.

18.  Number of shutouts the Phillies’ pitching staff has recorded thus far this season.

3. Number of RBIs for Halladay tonight.

411.  Number, in feet to center field, the baseball traveled when Pence homered in the 6^th.

6. Number of consecutive 100 RBI seasons for Ryan Howard.

85. Number of games in the Phils’ “Wins” column.

17. Number of homeruns for Raul Ibanez this season.

7 ½. Number of games by which the Braves trail the Phils.

23.  Our magic number.

Do the math, kids.  This team is steamrolling itself toward the Fall Classic.

LOLMets

By Amy McCormick

We fans really needed to see the Phils destroy the Mets tonight, after the weekend we had.  What a bizarre weekend it was at CBP South!  Rain delays, two consecutive “starts” for Oswalt, and an uncharacteristic few days for the bullpen seemed to throw the Phils for a loop.  While I was impressed (relieved, excited, I could go on) by Oswalt’s outing on Saturday, it seems that his performance was the only highlight of the series.  Well, that and Schwimer’s debut.  Phils lost the series.  To the Nationals.  Seriously.  During the rain delay on Sunday, I joked that I would write a post titled “Mother Nature Interrupts Halladay Beating Wang; He’s Unable to Finish.” I was too depressed by the end of the game to even bother.

So, what’s a team to do after such a series? How do the Phils get their mojo back?  What’s a good pick-me-up for players and fans alike?

Beat up on the Mets.  Duh.

And did they ever.  Cliff Lee records his 14^th win of the season and the Phils are now 82-44.  We saw homers from Pence and Mayberry, a triple from Vic, and a double from Chooch.  Phils win, 10-0.  If it had been a Little League game, it would have been called after six innings.  There’s no mercy in the bigs, though … not even for the Mets.  Ricky Bo said after tonight’s game, “This is what the Phillies should have been doing to the Washington Nationals.” True.  One thing (of many) that I love about our team, though, is the ability to shake it off and put a bad game behind them.

We’ll see New York again tomorrow night at 7:05.  It just doesn’t get old for me.  LOLMets.