Series Sweep Not Ruined by Nervous Old People

Lidge popped up Miguel Cairo, Jayson made the snare, and the Phillies swept the Reds in four games to show that all was not lost as we stroll leisurely into the midway point of the season.

Oh, look… Dom Brown’s batting clean up in the Minor League All-Star Game.

Wait, where’s he going?

Dom called it a “tweaked hamstring.”  The baseball gods call it “Ha ha fuck you.”

UPDATE:  He’s fine.

Phillies 1, Reds 0

I haven’t been to as many Phils games this year.  I decided it was not in my best financial interest to pick up the usual partial season ticket plan of seasons past.  I just couldn’t rationalize it from my home under a bench in Washington Square Park.

So when I returned to my old left field seats for yesterday’s game, it was jarring to be reminded of the straight ignorance of some of the fans.

No, of course I don’t mean the guy screaming at Johnny Gomes to turn around, and then if he did, screaming at him to pay attention to the game.  That guy’s got spunk.  And probably a disorder that makes you not want to insult/talk to him.  You expect that.  The opposing players expect that.  Its part of the CBP experience, like getting cursed at by Jayson Werth.

No, the ignorance I’m talking about comes from the close-brained middle aged suburbanites taking over the section; the ones who call security at the slightest gathering of loud teenagers, assuming its a flash mob waiting to erupt.

“We’re in the middle of a rally and they’re yelling at the left fielder,” ignorant lady to my left muttered to her husband.  He nodded, but I don’t think he even heard what she said.

I mean… what a dumb thing to say.  We’re yelling at the left fielder because we’re trying to mount a rally.  We’re making ourselves feel better by pushing someone else down.  Didn’t you go to junior high school?

In all seriousness, if you’ve got an intense aversion to “shouting,” or “swearing,” or “beards,” maybe a Phillies game isn’t the Sunday afternoon activity for you.

If you’re not going to be loud during a four game sweep of a first place team just before the All Star Break, then you may as well swallow your voice box because you don’t deserve it.

Jimmy Rollins once again knocked in the single run and Cole Hamels pitched 7 2/3 of shutout baseball, before the bullpen came in and finished off the sweltering, staggering Reds.  Brad Lidge got the last two outs, and Cholly claimed Lidge entered the game amidst a chorus of boos.

Okay, look.  There’s a dynamic in the stands that nobody talks about.  There are times when you know the boos are going to come–usually deservedly, like when Scott Rolen is batting (“PEOPLE DON’T FORGET, SCOTT!  YOU ASSHOLE!!!”) or apparently Miguel Cairo, a guy who barely made a dent during his Phillies tenure.  But those of us with a brain above our Phillies jerseys know when it is appropriate to boo one of our own.

Lidge hasn’t been a god awful monstrosity just yet, completely.  But the point is, this series was built on momentum.  Do you remember the last time we only needed one run to win a game or came through for a stellar starting pitching performance before this series?  It’s been occurring less and less.  Why put the brakes on Lidge’s fragile confidence by booing the christ out of him?  We needed two more outs to take the series. That’s a huge deal right now.

So, the boos Cholly is referring to were subject to a smothering by cheers, if only to equalize the negativity.  We know what we’re doing, people.

They say we’re a second half team, so hopefully entering it in dynamic fashion will be enough to keep the ball rolling. There’s really no choice but to slam into the second half like a freight train, so by the time the starters come back, there’s nothing to do but watch the right numbers go up.  Sounds like a dream.

But I’ve got to warn you, stuffy middle-aged crowd:  There’s probably going to be a bit of shouting.