Message to Philly Phaithful: Relax and Don’t Stop Believin’ In This Bunch

It’s always tough to defend a World Championship.

 

The pressure is on from day one. The fans expect more. The sports magazines pick your team as the favorite to win it all. The games sell out and everyone holds your team to such high standards that anything less than another title is unacceptable. They know what your team is capable of doing, and they long for another championship.

 

In short, defending a World Championship is not easy.

 

Yeah, right. How would I know?

 

I’m a Philly guy. How would I have a clue what it’s like to defend a championship? No Philly team has ever won anything in my lifetime (except for the Philadelphia Soul, but then the entire Arena Football season got canceled). This feeling is all new to me.

 

And I love it.

 

People have been getting on the Phillies’ case so far this year. They’re not playing well, the starting pitching sucks, they overachieved last season, blah blah blah. Everything I hear from my friends, family, co-workers, etc. is about how the Phillies are not playing well thus far in 2009.

 

Relax, people.

 

Take a deep breath.

 

The Phillies are 4-3 this year. That’s pretty good. Compare that to their 92-70 record last year.

 

2008 winning percentage: .568

2009 winning percentage: .571

 

The Phillies this year have won a greater percentage of their games than last year’s club.

 

Sure, the season is just over three percent over, but that’s still a pretty good winning percentage. That projects to 92.5 wins for the year, or pretty much the same number of regular-season wins as the 2008 World Champion Phillies had.

 

There are some obvious flaws with the ’09 team so far.

 

No quality starts from the starting pitchers in seven games is pretty bad. The Phillies have been trailing first in all seven of their games this year. And who can ignore former MVP Jimmy Rollins’ anemic batting average or World Series MVP Cole Hamels’ mammoth-sized ERA?

 

But there’s a reason this team is above .500.

 

Talent. Determination. And that never-say-die attitude that led to eight wins in a huge comeback win against Atlanta to avoid an opening series sweep.

 

There’s Chase Utley, who defied all odds, and not only didn’t miss a game after his hip surgery, but is hitting at a .400 clip with a .516 on-base percentage. Ryan Howard is hitting .345, close to one hundred points higher than his 2008 average. And Lights Out Lidge is still perfect—although he’s been close several times.

 

This Phillies team is resilient. Tough. Motivated.

 

And after last postseason, experienced.

 

The team is 4-3 and they have the ingredients to make another championship run. Utley, Rollins, and Howard would make any team in baseball jealous. Hamels isn’t going to give up seven runs in every start this season.

 

Matt Stairs is the best “if you need a home run” pinch hitter in baseball. And Raul Ibanez is sure making Philly forget about Pat Burrell with his tremendous play (three home runs, six RBI, and a .690 slugging percentage).

 

This is a team that historically starts off slow in April. So 4-3 really isn’t too much to be worried about. It’s above .500.

 

This is a team that peaks in every month leading up to September—and really comes through down the stretch. Not to worry right now.

 

Keep watching, Philly phaithful, and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: the chance to defend a World Championship.

Harry Kalas: Saying Goodbye to a Legend

In the past week, the baseball world has been saddened by news of numerous people passing, including long-time Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas.

To many, including myself, baseball is more than just a sport; baseball is an element of one’s life.

Growing up, games were affordable for my family and it grew to represent the familial bonds we possessed, even when it wasn’t apparent on the outside.

From a young age, baseball was the security blanket that traveled with me as I evolved as a person and saw many aspects of my world go through the cyclic nature of (re)building, collapsing, and flourishing.

Yesterday, hearing the news Kalas’ death made me feel like I lost a family member.

Earlier in the decade, searching for an escape from the stress of school, I found the Phillies and their primarily-East Coast playing times were perfect. Along with the team came the voice. Kalas’ voice was distinctive, majestic, and powerful.

Eventually, it was that voice that became a source of warmth and stability in tumultuous times.

In 2007, the death of someone close put me in what felt like an inescapable abyss of guilt, pain, and sadness. My ascension to normalcy was slow and I subconsciously turned to what was a familiar band-aid in my life—baseball.

I immersed myself in the game, especially the Phillies. Almost daily, Kalas’ voice met me once I got home (thanks to the East Coast-West Coast time difference). I held on to the consistency and comfort I received from such a simple game and used it to pull me out of the paralyzing grief so I could heal.

It’s amazing how one person can impact the lives of so many—possibly without even knowing.

I was hoping that this would be the year I would meet Mr. Kalas and thank him for the great work he has done. Now, as he sits beyond this world, he can call the game for all those who have passed. My loved ones who now get to bask in the color of his voice can pass my message on to the great Harry Kalas.

Thanks for everything, Harry Kalas. The world has lost a legend, but your voice will never be forgotten.

 

Read more from Claire here.

Outta Here But Not Forgotten: Phillies’ Voice Silenced

Upon writing this, I know there are many articles of the same vain.  However, this man deserves every tribute coming to him in the coming days. 

Harry Kalas was not just a broadcaster, he was a friend to Phillies fans the world over from April to September and sometimes beyond.  Harry made the game come alive with each and every spirited call.

Even if the game was out of reach, Harry had a way of making you feel that an amazing comeback was on the verge of transforming from fantasy into reality.  You could feel it in his voice, night in and night out, that there was no doubt who he was rooting for. 

Mere words cannot begin to describe the impact of a man who transformed the moments of something so trivial as a baseball game into magnificent oral poetry. 

I was not old enough to appreciate the legendary partnership of that Harry had with Richie Ashburn, however, from the age of 7 on, the “Outta Here” guy, as I remember calling him as child, was my first real introduction to the game that I love to this day. 

Harry taught me and every other Phillies fan that the mantra instilled by the likes of Tug McGraw, that you always got to believe until that last out is on the board.

The summers will never be the same without that voice, that passion and most importantly that spirit that made him one of a kind. 

You knew this day would come of course and in the case of Harry, it would have most certainly been in the place he loved the most, the broadcast booth. 

Players and managers have come and gone, but Harry was always there.  The old showbiz adage, the show must go on, comes to mind.  The games will indeed go on but there will be a significant hole in the hearts of fans listening to each and every broadcast. 

I could not help to think upon watching the ongoing tributes of all the warm and happy feelings that each and recalled moment brought me.  It is indeed a sad, dreary time, but when someone like Harry passes on, you cannot help but crack a smile in reflection of the lifetime of memories you are now left with to recall for the rest of your life. 

Harry, you’re outta here, but you surely will never be forgotten.

The Week That Was In Philadelphia Phillies Land

*First off, I would like to introduce Cody Swartz as my co-Community Leader for the Philadelphia Phillies. Cody has mostly written about the Philadelphia Eagles, but has also written about the Phillies and shares the same knowledge with the Phillies as he does the Eagles. He has officially been promoted to the position as my co-CL. He will be a huge help with all of the activities that are planned to be introduced to our community this season, so look out for messages from Cody or myself in the near future for a community event.

 

Phew. I’m tired.

It all began on an early April night, when the freshly cut grass and the dusk skies welcomed the new baseball season.

For the Phillies, it was the beginning of what hoped to be a repeat season. Yet, by the late evening on Tuesday, the season had begun 0-2 for the world champions.

What appeared to be the third loss for the Phillies turned into the first victory after a 10-3 comeback the next day, resulting in a 12-11 win.

After an off day on Thursday, the Phillies travelled to Denver to take on the Colorado Rockies in a three-game series. The Phils took the loss in the first game of the series 10-3, moving their record to 1-3.

That was where the losses ended. The Phillies took the Saturday game by the score of 8-4, and followed that by winning the final game of the series 7-5.

Things were looking up. Brad Lidge saved two games, while pitching well in two other appearances, the bullpen had performed well in most situations, and the offense was certainly improving.

Plus, moving your record from 0-2 to 3-3 definitely boots your teams confidence.

Then Monday came, and it seemed like it never left.

It was just another manic Monday. I wish it were Sunday.

Because if it were still Sunday, we would have never had to experience Monday. We would have never had to lose Harry Kalas.

Harry Kalas. He was a legend. There’s no need for me to go into detail about this legend. By now, we’ve all heard the hundreds—no, thousands—of stories and thoughts about Harry Kalas. We all know what happened, and we have all thought about what a great man, broadcaster, and fan he was.

There have been many terrific tributes to Harry Kalas and his life over the past 27 hours. All I’m here to say is that watching Phillies games will never be the same.

Harry Kalas’ presence on a daily basis had been slowly lessening for a few years now, but Harry was still there. Now he isn’t.

It will certainly take a lot of adjusting to get used to watching a ballgame.

The Phillies went on to play their game at 3:05, just under two hours after Kalas’ passing. His presence, or lack thereof, was felt throughout the game, on the field and in the booth.

Most of the broadcast was spent talking about Kalas, and tributes such as Shane Victorino’s point to the broadcast booth were seen throughout the ballgame.

By the end of the day, Brad Lidge notched the save as the Phillies improved to 4-3 in a 9-8 win.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Florida Marlins and the Atlanta Braves remain tied for the NL East lead with records of 5-1, while the Phillies sit in third place, two games back. The New York Mets are one game behind the Phillies at 3-4. Rounding out the division are the winless Washington Nationals, who are 0-7.

When you take a step back and examine the Phillies’ first week of baseball, this could be considered one of the most hectic starts in their history.

A horrible 0-2 start, a seven-run comeback, a seven-run loss, then four straight wins, the fourth and final coming just hours after the death of the voice of the Phillies for the past 39 seasons.

Phew. It’s tiring just to watch this team.

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, Pedro Feliz, and Jayson Werth are off to a hot start, while Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino are off to slower starts.

The starters have compiled an ERA of 9.00, while the bullpen has recorded an ERA of 3.67.

But more importantly, the Phillies are 4-3 and can look ahead to the rest of the season in memory of Harry Kalas.

Here’s to another eventful season, and here’s to Harry Kalas.

Reviewing the First Week of MLB Action

Well the first week of baseball has come and went. Like every year, there has been upsets. There has been blowouts. There has been nail-biters. There has been brawls. Just like always, it has been alot of the same, but this year, there is alot more change. There was the tragic deaths of “the voice of the Phillies,” Harry Kalas and Angels’s pitcher Nick Adenhart. There was the Grand opening of two new standiums in NYC. But the biggest change of all has been the teams on top of the divisions. You won’t believe this!

All-Time Philadelphia Phillies

In honor of the late Harry Kalas, I present the World Champion Phillies, a look at the all-time team if once could be assembled.

Face of the Franchise:  Michael Jack Schmidt

C – Bob Boone
1B – Dick Allen
2B – Tony Taylor
3B – Michael Jack Schmidt
SS – Larry Bowa
OF – Ed Delahanty
OF – Richie Ashburn
OF – Chuck Klein
DH – Sam Thompson
Bench:  2B Chase Utley, SS Jimmy Rollins, OF Del Ennis, OF Cy Williams

Past Teams
Yankees
Red Sox
Rays
Orioles
Blue Jays
Twins
White Sox
Indians
Tigers
Royals
Angels
Rangers
Mariners
A’s

Originally published at LestersLegends.com

Philadelphia Phillies Poised to Miss Playoffs

There is one thing that is indisputable: the Phillies are the defending world champions.

What happens this year is another story.

While the Nationals will almost surely finish last in the NL East, the rest of the division is up for grabs.

A strong first week has people believing in both the Florida Marlins and the Braves.

It seems like the AL East’s problem has now become the NL East’s. Four of the best teams in the league are now in one division.

So who will be the odd men out?

There is no doubt the Phillies have probably the best lineup in the east, if not the National League. But their pitching will be their downfall.

Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, and Chan Ho Park.

I can not see a team with these guys as their starting five being a 90 win team. Of those five, only Hamels and Moyer had winning seasons in 2008.

Moyer is now 46 years old and its been showing this year. He may have won Monday night’s game but he can not expect to give up four runs in six innings and win every time.

Hamels has had a rough start to 2008, but I am sure he will rebound. The guy has great stuff.

But how far can one pitcher get you? Brett Myers has been all over the place throughout his career. Joe Blanton is a .500 pitcher at best. And Chan Ho Park had trouble making a major league roster, yet he might be the best of the three.

Already the Phillies bullpen has accounted for two of their four wins. But we all know what happens to teams that rely on their bullpens too heavily to win games.

The Phillies will not make the playoffs if these guys remain their starting five. Not when they have to face the young guns of the Marlins. The Mets staff is not quite as good, but not a single one of their pitcher was below .500 in 2008. Pretty crazy stuff.

I think the Marlins and Mets pitching staffs will land them ahead of the Phillies at the end of the year.

I am sure the Phillies will go out and trade for a starter, but I just do not think that will be enough for them this year. The east is strong, and the Phillies will be the odd men out.

The Braves have a staff that added Derek Lowe and started the year 5-1 with Tom Glavine and Tim Hudson on the disable list.

Is it crazy to suggest the Phillies may find their way to a fourth place finish?

Silencing a City: Harry Kalas Gave Philly a Voice

In the coming weeks, the Internet will be flooded with tributes to the life of Harry Kalas. And rightly so.

People will say that he was a legend. That he was the last of a generation of broadcasters. Baseball people will talk of meeting him and his knowledge of the game. The head of NFL Films released a statement saying how much he enjoyed working with him. Ballplayers and co-workers loved him.

All of that is true.

But he was so much more than that.

I’m not qualified to write one of those articles. I can’t fill pages with tidbits I learned from conversations with Harry. I didn’t spend hours talking baseball with him.

I met him once. He was calling an exhibition game in Reading and I had seats in the grandstand right in front of the press box. Between innings, pop struck up a conversation with him.

I stood there in stunned silence. I was nine and didn’t know I had a chance to talk with greatness. All I knew was here was a man who had the same voice that lulled me to sleep so many nights from the transistor radio hidden under my pillow.

He was so much bigger than the game of baseball, but he never got in the way of watching a game.

Night after night I would drift to sleep listening to the crowd noise crackling over the radio. I would wake up to Harry’s It’s Outta Here!

How many announcers today could sit and not talk for thirty seconds while nothing was happening on the field?

That was Harry the K.

Yesterday afternoon, I was on the road when I got a call from my mom choking back tears. I may have been going 80, but time seemed to freeze when I heard those words. “Harry Kalas died.”

Legends don’t die. On Wednesday I saw him throw out the first pitch with my own eyes. Harry Kalas was supposed to live forever.

I was convinced one day someone was going to make a documentary of my life. And Harry Kalas was going to narrate it. He was supposed to still be spouting little nuggets of wisdom for another 50 years.

When I was young, I cried myself to sleep again and again as I listened to Harry describe how the Phillies blew tonight’s game.

For one night in October of 2008, I was a kid again. I put the last out on loop and fell asleep crying tears of joy and relief as Harry told me that all of it was really happening. I wouldn’t believe it until I heard that deep voice over the video of the pile of red and white on the Citizens Bank Park mound.

Last night, when I finally got back to school, I opened an mp3 of the top of the ninth of Game Five. A couple of us sat outside and listened to it and smoked a Phillie in memory of Harry.

And the Phillies are the 2008 World Champions of Baseball

And I shed a tear.

Thanks for being the soundtrack of my childhood, Harry. This city will miss you.

RIP

Remembering Harry Kalas

Sorry, Nationals: It Was All About Harry Kalas

What was one more loss going to hurt the Washington Nationals anyway? It’s not like Manny Acta was about to be replaced by Flip Saunders, or Stan Kasten was giving away 2-for-1 tickets to every fan able to prove their hatred of the Nats. It was going to be business as usual for a Nationals team that had no motivation other than pleasing a somewhat-partisan crowd.

But no one could really be partisan yesterday, after hearing the news of the sudden death of Harry Kalas, a longtime Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster and the echoing voice of NFL Films for many years. He went out the way many of us would like to, at an age so few of us ever imagine reaching.

Just dropped. Right in the booth. 73-years-old.

So as much as I would’ve liked the Nationals to get their first win of the year on yesterday afternoon, I’m sure the franchise didn’t mind my star-crossed loyalties on the day. Maybe after everyone has said an appropriate goodbye, maybe after children can gather a glimpse of appreciation for one of sports radio’s golden voices, who was still relevant in a cable television world, will I and many other young baseball fans get back to a regular sense of animosity towards the Phillies.

But today, having learned so much about a guy that I knew but never really knew, I won’t hate any success the World Champs may take away from Nationals Park this week. Lord knows they really will be able to use it.

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