The Female Fanbase

By Amy McGinnis

We all know that Phillies fans have a certain reputation that is generally less than favorable and, in my opinion, not an accurate picture of the fanbase as a whole.  It seems to me that Phillies fans are the ones who are able to give you fair illustration of what the fans in this city are like.  Yes, there are some who are over-the-top and belligerent; however, for the most part, we're an intelligent and passionate group of people.  Well, what about female Phils fans? The reaction I get from male fans is sometimes interesting, to say the least.  I've been told to get back in the kitchen on more than one occassion.  I wanted to see how other women in the stands feel about it.  I talked to Karrie Woodruff, Stacey Lucas and Colleen Lucas, three ladies who know their stuff.  (They're all spoken for, by the way, so calm down.)

Before I get ahead of myself, I'd like to note that I am not attempting to criticize any females who enjoy baseball for different reasons.  I know there are plenty of women who enjoy the nice weather and tight pants.  My goal is to shine a light on those of us females who know and love the sport.  That being said ... what is it like being a female Phillies fan?

Stacey says that her favorite part of baseball is the comeback, and Colleen agrees.  The thrill of a rally in the 8th, a walk off homerun ... anyone who says baseball is boring hasn't watched a game with these girls. Karrie enjoys the strategy involved in the game.  Personally, I love that there is no time limit on games.  We've all been to the Vet and CBP into the wee hours, thinking, "Guess I'm just not sleeping tonight.  Oh well."

I love that, among four women, we have four different favorite players.  Karrie likes Jim Thome, explaining, "He doesn't juice, he plays hard, always give it his all and loves the game. Plus, as much as he gives on the field, he gives that much off the field to the community he is in. I also like the way he holds that bat before he settles into his ready stance."  Colleen likes Jimmy Rollins, citing his "cocky confidence" and "total understanding of Phils fans." It seems that Stacey and I are in the same boat: when asked who our favorite players are (Chase Utley and Cole Hamels, respectively), a lot of the time men smile at the answer and say, "Of course he is." I have explained myself more times than I care to admit as to why Hamels is my favorite.  His changeup, the focus and maturity he has acquired over time, the way he pitches rather than just fires the ball, the way he reminds me of a taller Tom Glavine ... I could go on.  Stacey likes Utley because he "plays the game like it should be played." She describes his fielding as "old school," and she loves that he hustles everything out, "even a clean shot to the second baseman."  As much as I love talking about baseball, I almost dislike being asked who my favorite player is, because I feel the need to qualify my answer.

I wondered if Karrie, Stacey and Colleen got similar reactions from men when it became apparent that they know what they're talking about.  I will say that, generally speaking, our answers are the same.  Guys seem surprised that when we open our mouths "Ohmygawd he's so hot" doesn't come out.  I think that when I was younger, I felt the need to try to prove myself in conversations; I got over that.  It seems that it doesn't occur to some men that girls know baseball (Colleen says, "I don't think it should be that big of surprise").  In all of our experiences, that initial amazement usually diminishes rather quickly.  It seems that most men think it's cool when a woman can enjoy sports with him.

I love raising my three daughters to be Phillies fans.  I love watching games with them, answering their questions about everything that's going on in the game, and knowing that they're likely to fall in love with baseball the same way I did.

Of course, especially with a winning team like the Phillies, fandom can become very trendy.  I think all four of us agree that we don't care if other people, male or female, enjoy baseball for different reasons than we do.  Every single one of us knows, appreciates, and loves different things about the sport.  That's what makes for good conversation and even debate.  Everyone brings something unique to the table.  Just don't bring a condescending attitude, because someone with a uterus just might run circles around you with her knowledge.

Thome Comes Home

By Amy McCormick

This past season, the Phillies’ bench left something to be desired.  It might not have been our biggest issue, and I always assumed that it would be addressed during free agency.  We all remember the exclamation point that Ryan Howard put at the end of the NLDS: he tore his Achilles tendon during the last out of the series.  Among other matters, we now had a lackluster bench and a hole at first (for at least the beginning of 2012). 

Paging Jim Thome ….

News broke yesterday that Thome, now 41, will return to Philadelphia for a one year deal.  You remember Jim Thome, right?  The one who is largely responsible for getting seats filled in Citizens Bank Park?  Word has it that the Phils offered him $1.25M, and once he passes his physical, he’ll be set to start Spring Training in Clearwater in February.  Yes, I’m already counting down.

There could be an argument that we need to make this team younger, not older.  I would consider listening to such an argument if it weren’t Jim Thome.  My Facebook page blew up the night we all watched him hit his 600^th homerun.  He’s a player who left Philadelphia but never lost the love and support from this city.  He’s that guy everyone loves because he loves the game, plays hard and carries himself respectfully (Jayson Werth should be taking notes). 

So, what does this mean for the Phillies?  Let’s start from the inside out.  Thome promises to have a positive impact in the clubhouse.  I remember (not fondly) the eight game skid after the Phils took the East in September.  I kept thinking that someone needed to step up and say something in the clubhouse.  Even as a DH, I think Thome can fill a leadership role; at the very least, he will lead by example. 

On the field, Thome’s a no-brainer sub for Howard at first.  It needs no explanation.  Did you know that Thome’s middle name is Howard? Now you do.  At the plate, Thome, a lefty, will offer consistency.  In 2011, his BA was .245 (not exactly stetllar) but he had 50 RBIs and 15 HRs (in 324 plate appearances).  If he can produce solid numbers for the Phils in 2012, he will cap off a HOF career in the City of Brotherly Love with (it had better happen) a ring.

This move is extremely low-risk, has a potentially high payoff, and makes fans extremely happy.  Dust off your #25 jerseys, kids.  Thome’s coming home.