PhilsWeek! – Extra! Extra! Phillies aren’t very good!
By Mike Lacy
May 29, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg (23) walks back to the dugout after making a pitching change in a game against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. The Mets won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome to PhilsWeek! – a fun* look back at the week that was and all the exciting happenings surrounding everyone’s favorite major league baseball team: The Philadelphia Phillies!
*Note: Amount of fun experienced may vary.
Super big Phillies issue of the week: Extra innings, extra misery
At first, having your team play three straight extra inning games sounds like it might be cool. You envision high-tension baseball with clutch plays being made all around.
That wasn’t exactly what we got this weekend. What we got from the Phillies and Mets was a battle of attrition between two lousy baseball teams, neither or which seemed particularly interested in actually winning any of the games.
We got Reid Brignac recording a game-winning RBI on Friday, only to follow it up with an 0-5, four strikeout showing on Saturday. We got Ben Revere showing a baffling inability to bunt. We got Phillippe Aumont making his return to the major leagues and promptly losing the game. (Keep in mind that Aumont’s return was not due to especially good performance in the minor leagues, but rather because the Phillies were in desperate need of bullpen reinforcements, and he was pretty much the only guy available)
My only hope is that when the Phillies inevitably lose more games this week they can do so in regulation.
Pennant year song of the week
Winning the National League pennant isn’t something the Phillies do all that often; it’s only happened seven times in team history. Each week, I’ll take a song from one of those years that somehow ties into the events of the past week.
Longer – Dan Fogelberg, 1980
I think fans from both sides were hoping that these extra inning games didn’t go any longer than they did.
Speaking of things that are difficult to endure, how about that song? That’s pretty sappy, even for 1980.
Right player, wrong uniform
There are some players who played their entire careers with a single team, and it’s impossible to imagine them in a different uniform: Mike Schmidt with the Phillies,Cal Ripken with the Orioles, and Derek Jeter with the Yankees are prime examples. On the other hand, there are some players who you might associate with a certain team…but they also had a forgettable stint (or two) with another team. You might not remember their time with those other teams, but the internet never forgets!
Dale Murphy was a two-time MVP for the Atlanta Braves in the ’80s, and for a while, he looked like a future Hall of Famer. Towards the end of the decade, his career dropped off rather suddenly, resulting in a trade to the Phillies. As a member of the Phillies, he wasn’t exactly in the MVP discussion, but was still somewhat productive.
When the Phillies released Murphy at the end of the 1992 season, he had 398 career home runs. He probably figured that playing in Colorado, he’d have an easy opportunity to pick up the two he needed to reach 400. But sadly, his Rockies career consisted of 26 injury-riddled games, and he was never able to hit another home run.
The Week Ahead
After yet another game against the Mets on Monday, the Phillies travel to Washington to take on the Nationals. The Nats are reeling a bit, so the Phillies have an opportunity to take advantage. After that, the Phillies will head to Cincinnati for three games against the Reds.
Inane Rap Lyric of the Week
“A couple of sips of this love potion, and she’ll be on your lap” – Tone Loc, Funky Cold Medina
I was too young when this song first came out, so I don’t quite remember: Did people knowledge just how “rapey” this song is?
See you next week for another installment of PhilsWeek!