Philadelphia Phillies: Harry Kalas, Thank You for Touching My Life

Yesterday was the third anniversary of the day Philadelphia lost the great Harry Kalas.  It was a devastating day for Phillies fans and a day none of us will ever forget.  I was asked by a reader to post an article I wrote on the day of Harry’s memorial service at Citizen’s Bank Park.

Here is the piece I wrote on that most memorable of days:

I know I’m a little behind in the cycle to be writing an article about Harry Kalas, but I definitely feel it is important to write, even if only for myself.

To anyone who reads what I write regularly, you may have noticed that I rarely ever use the words “I” or “me”.  I feel like we are all writing our own opinions on here, so why should I make any of my statements about me?

Well, this time, I’m going to break that rule.  Harry Kalas meant a lot to me, as he meant a lot to most Philadelphians.  For most of us, he has been a part of every Phillies memory we have ever had.

Probably the most amazing thing about Harry is not how many years he did it, or the fact that he was a Hall of Famer.  It is probably the fact that he announced all those years for teams that were generally pretty bad, and he still made it so enjoyable.

I was born in 1979, so my memory is from about 1986 through now.  If you think about formative years, growing up, generally you would think about ages 6-21.  For me, that would be the 1986 season through the 2000 season.

Over that time, the Phillies had a winning record just twice and reached the playoffs only once.  They finished in  last place and lost over 90 games six times.  It was an awful time to be a Phillies fan, but you know what?  I still remember it fondly.

I remember it fondly mostly because of Harry Kalas.  He was a treat to listen to and one of the most fun people to try to imitate.  Through those years, Harry Kalas was the Phillies.

I remember going to Business Person’s Specials with my uncle Don and my cousins.  We would generally watch the team lose, but we would always listen to the postgame show in the car specifically to hear Harry’s calls on the more memorable plays.

Maybe it was two-run double by Juan Samuel, or a “grand slam home run” by Kim Batiste.

Even as a 21-year-old, I would still do that. 

I’ve been lucky to be an Eagles season ticket holder since 2000.  I have the tickets with the same two cousins I used to go to those Phillies games with. 

As much as we love Merrill Reese, I can never remember us racing to the car to hear Reese make a call.

Kalas was so integrated into the fabric of Phillies fans that, in a movie about Mike Schmidt’s quest for 500 career homers, there was an entire scene dedicated to fans and players giving their rendition of how Harry would call that historic “long drive”.

Beyond just the memories of the games and the highlights and commentating whiffle ball or bounce pitch games in Harry’s voice, I have one more special memory.

I’m sure most people remember when Who Wants to be a Millionaire? first became popular.  My parents and sisters and I would all sit around and watch it, all trying to answer all the questions.

One particular question was “What is it called when two baseball games are played in succession?”  I don’t remember all of the choices, but aside from the correct term “double header” there was one that stood out to me.

Dutch treat. 

I don’t know why, but I just started, in my very best attempt at Kalas’ unique voice and style: “Here we are at Veterans Stadium for the second game in today’s Dutch Treat.  The Phightin’s took the first game on an RBI double by Mick-eee Mor-an-DEE-NEEE.”

Everyone in the house was cracking up and I was quite proud of myself.  Naturally, like most little things in life, I eventually forgot about it. 

Then, on the day my mom passed away, my dad handed me and each of my three sisters a bundle of photocopied papers with our name on it.  It was a journal my mom started keeping after she was diagnosed with cancer.

She had a section for each of us, and the majority of mine were about how, even though I had sort of lost my way, she had faith that I would figure things out and be everything she thought I could be.

But then, I came upon an entry from Nov. 20, 1999.  The entry closed with this:

“Share what you have to offer with the world.  Don’t hide it.  As I’m writing this I keep thinking about how hard you made me laugh over the “Dutch Treat.” Keep us laughing, you’re great at it.”

That little goofy moment imitating Harry, something we have all done hundreds of times, turned out to be a special and lasting memory that my mother had of me before her life ended.

I felt strange all week hearing the stories about Harry, and thinking about my own memories of Harry, that I hadn’t cried once.  Well today, that changed.

I watched the tribute at Citizen’s Bank Park and I cried my eyes out.  Hearing Michael Jack Schmidt speak.  Hearing his son speak.  Hearing “High Hopes” one more time.

Harry, I know my memories are no more unique than anyone else’s, but you truly were a treasure.  We are all lucky for having had you be in our living rooms or our cars as often as you were.

We will never hear you call another game or see you taking part in another victory celebration, but we will never forget you.

Thank you, Harry Kalas, for doing what you did for us.  You weren’t just a play-by-play announcer.  You were a guest in our homes, and you were part of our families.  You were the best, Harry, and we will never, ever forget you.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Harry Kalas: A Young Boy’s Version of a Philadelphia Story

Three years ago today, a significant number of Philadelphians cried themselves to sleep.  Ninety-nine miles up I-95, I cried right along with them.

I was born and raised in New York City.  But my father was born and raised on Morris Park Road in the Overbrook section of Philly, and from a very young age, he instilled in me a love of Philadelphia sports.

Of all those sports, baseball—and the Phillies—were my true love.  

The parallels between his love of baseball and my own are fun.  The first ballgame my grandfather took him to was at Connie Mack Stadium, between the Phillies and the Brooklyn Dodgers.  The first game I went to was between the Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium during my family’s brief move to the L.A. area.

As my love of the Phillies grew, so too did my consciousness of the voice that went with them.  The deep baritone of Harry Kalas was something I could only hear when I visited my grandparents in Philly, which, for me, elevated it beyond even the level of reverence it received in Philly.  

It was a precious commodity to me, something to be treasured when I heard it.

I distinctly remember a day in Philly when Kalas was either ill or on some other business and wasn’t calling the Phillies game that day.  My grandfather—who had been crippled by a stroke when I was five and would spend most of his day in the armchair in the living room at his home—looked up at my grandmother, demanding that she put on the game.  

When Nana responded that she just had, he looked at her incredulously and said, “But that’s not Harry Kalas!”  It was a sentiment that was likely shared by many Philadelphians: if it wasn’t Harry, it wasn’t real.

When I was 10 years old, I did a research report in school about baseball (at least, as much of a “research report” as could be expected of a fifth-grader; you know how it was back then).  It was a pretty darn good piece of fifth-grade writing, if I do say so myself.  

In it, it had a brief segment about the time I met Richie Ashburn at Shea Stadium while I was autograph hunting after the game, back when you could do that sort of thing without security guards descending on you.  

It was a great moment.  I’d gotten his autograph, and my dad, who had idolized Richie growing up, had a five-minute conversation with him that was probably one of the most thrilling moments of his life.

Richie died later on that season, and we Phans all know the effect that Whitey’s death had on Kalas.  Ashburn had been his best friend, and he was never truly the same after he passed.  My father, conscious of the relationship between the two, sent Harry a copy of my report, thinking that he’d enjoy the bit about his friend.

A few weeks later, we came home from a family night out and saw a message on our answering machine.  Of all the things we could have been expecting as we hit the playback button, we were certainly not expecting to hear that voice leaving my father a message.

“Tony, this is Harry Kalas…”

We were stunned.  I don’t remember the message exactly, but the gist of it was that he had loved my report, and that he’d love to meet me the next time the Phillies were at Shea.

We were over the moon.  

Several weeks later, we had seats in the Loge level of Shea Stadium.  During the sixth inning—Harry’s inning off—we made our way to the old Diamond Club and were ushered to the corridor leading to the broadcast booths.  

Harry was waiting for us.

After presenting me a ball signed by the entire 2000 team (which I still have, safely in a ball case), he ushered me into the radio booth, where Scott Graham was doing play-by-play for the top of the sixth.  A few batters in, a rookie named Pat Burrell crushed a long home run to left field, the first of many, many home runs he would hit in that ballpark against that team.  

Harry turned to me with a huge smile on his face and said, “Looks like you’re our good luck charm, Sam!”

I stayed in the booth for the rest of the inning before taking a few pictures and saying goodbye.  Burrell hit another homer—a grand slam off Armando Benitez, which started the feud between those two—in the ninth inning, and my dad and I watched the Phillies win in person for the first time in a while.  

It remains one of the best days of my life.

I met Harry several more times over the years.  The next year, he greeted me with a ball signed by rookie and All-Star Jimmy Rollins.  In 2003, when I entered a guest broadcaster contest held by the Mets, I sent him my audition tape, and he sent me a letter back with a wonderful critique.  

Over the years, it got more and more difficult to see him, because of his advancing age, my workload as I went through school and the heightened security at the New York ballparks that accompanied the post-9/11 era.  

The last time I saw him was in the summer of 2007, the year I graduated from high school.  A few months later, we all got to hear him call the Phillies’ remarkable division title—the first time that I could remember the Phils in the playoffs.  A year later, we got to hear something we’d all wanted to hear: Harry calling a Phillies world championship.  

My father and I cried tears of joy that night, and for days afterward, we replayed those words on our computers…

The 0-2 pitch…SWING AND A MISS!  STRUCK HIM OUT!!!  THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES ARE 2008 WORLD CHAMPIONS OF BASEBALL!  Brad Lidge does it again, 48 for 48 in save opportunities, and let the city celebrate!!

No one in Philly knew on that cold October night just how bad Harry’s health truly was.  A week into the 2009 season, while he was preparing in the booth for the Phillies’ next game against Washington at Nationals Park, he had a heart attack and passed away.  

It wasn’t just a broadcaster who died that day.  It was the Voice, the beating heart of a city with a long baseball history.

But more important, losing Harry was like each one of us losing one of our best friends.  A friend who would come into our living rooms every night for more than 30 years, bringing with him the greatest gift he could possibly bring—the gift of a night at the ballpark.

I’m sure there are hundreds of stories similar to mine.  But on this anniversary of his death—the first since I’ve been a writer for this site—I felt compelled to share mine.

Please do the same in the comments if you wish.  And let us remember this man we all loved—a man who may be gone, but will never be ‘outta here.

Long live the K.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Why 3 NL East Teams Will Make Playoffs: Early Results and Rotation Predictions

The Philadelphia Phillies look to be the big dogs in the National League East again this season. However, the talent in the starting rotations of the other teams in the division can keep these five teams close all year. 

A week into the season and the NL East has two of the top five rotations in baseball based on starting pitchers’ ERA. The Phillies are first with a 1.67 and the Washington Nationals are fifth, boasting a 2.41 ERA.

As far as strikeouts are concerned, the New York Mets‘ starting staff leads all of major league baseball with 37 and right behind them are the Nationals with 36. 

This division is one of the best in baseball, and all five of these teams are good enough to make the playoffs in 2012.

The Nationals have drastically changed their pitching rotation for the better, as did the new-look Miami Marlins. The Atlanta Braves have a solid staff as well with young, dominant arms, and the New York Mets can have a viable starting staff if Johan Santana can remain healthy all season.

From top to bottom, the NL East pitchers will shine in the league this year and are already proving it.

Begin Slideshow

Philadelphia Phillies: Odds That Each 25-Man Roster Player Will Stay for 2013

We are less than two weeks into the 2012 season, but baseball is the type of sport where you find yourself thinking, “It’s never too early to be looking at the future.”

The Philadelphia Phillies are certainly thinking that way.

Mired in a slump to kick off the 2012 campaign, the Phillies know that their elite pitching staff will hold up their “contender” status throughout the season, but what happens if the offense, which scored all of six runs in the first full series of the season, never kicks it into gear?

The goal will always be to win the World Series this season, but you can bet your bottom dollar that a bunch of men in suits in the Phillies’ front office are debating whether or not it is more prudent to re-sign Cole Hamels after the season or spend that money on guys like Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence.

Baseball is as much a business as it is a game, and more often than not, performance on the field creates a numbers crunch off of it.

Which cost-efficient prospects are ready to replace a pricey veteran? Which players do the club deem essential, and who is expendable?

These are questions that Phillies officials will debate throughout the season, and this slideshow should serve as a bit of a primer for those discussions. Which members of the Phillies’ 25-man roster will return for the 2013 season, and who is on the bubble?

For news, rumors, analysis and game recaps during spring training, check out Greg’s blog: The Phillies Phactor!

Follow @Greg_Pinto

Begin Slideshow

Philadelphia Phillies: Notes from the First Week

The Phillies finally kicked the season off after what seemed like a never-ending spring training camp in Clearwater. Six games in, they’re three up and three down—could be worse, could have won one or two more.

A few games into the season, here’s my six pack of observations from the season’s opening series.

I empty my notebook and we can discuss some of the keys, trends and whatever else is going on with the Phills.

We’ll do this about once a week, one after every few series.

Begin Slideshow

Report: Pat Burrell Will Sign One-Day Contract to Retire with the Phillies

Even though Pat Burrell hasn’t been a member of the Philadelphia Phillies since the 2008 season, it is a sad day in Philadelphia, as “Pat the Bat” has announced that he’s ready to retire.

Paul Hagen of MLB.com reports that Burrell has signed a one-day contract with Philadelphia to retire with the team that he saw the most success with over the course of his 12-year career.

Burrell last played on September 28, 2011 at AT&T Park as a San Francisco Giant against the Colorado Rockies.  Manager Bruce Bochy allowed him to start and bat cleanup in the game, knowing that it would likely be Burrell’s last game before retirement.

He lined a single to left field in his first at-bat, and then took his position in the seventh inning before being called back to the dugout by Bochy. 

A standing ovation and a curtain call were both well deserved, as Burrell has been nothing but a stand-up guy in his time in the game.

His playing career began when the Phillies drafted him No. 1 overall back in 1998.

It’s no secret as to why he earned his nickname, as he ranks fourth in Phillies history in home runs (251), fifth in walks (785), eighth in RBI (827) and ninth in extra-base hits (518). (via Hagen).

Burrell’s career will officially end during the May 18-20 series with the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. His one-day contract will be signed then, and he will be throwing out the first pitch on May 19.

He’ll also be available for autographs in the Hall of Fame Club.

The Phillies may not have won the 2008 World Series without the heroics of Burrell, as his seventh-inning double in Game 5 of the series turned into the winning run.

Although Burrell will officially retire from playing on May 19, he is far from done with the game.

He currently works as a special assistant to Giants general manager Brian Sabean, as well as a special assignment scout.

Burrell will retire as one of the most beloved Phillies of all time, and “Pat the Bat” will always be remembered as the powerful left fielder who led the team to its second World Series title in history. 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies: Why It’s Premature to Proclaim the Dynasty Dead

Well, this isn’t exactly the start that we were hoping for.

The Phillies have struggled out of the gates early on in this 2012 season, which has understandably brought out some panic and frustration among Philly fans. More troubling, though, is that these early struggles are being cited as an omen signaling the end for the Phillies’ dynasty.

While I agree that some of the current team’s shortcomings have been highlighted these first few games, I think it’s way too early to say the 2012 Phillies are “done,” that they don’t have a shot at winning a championship or that their run of success in the National League is coming to an abrupt close.

In the next few slides, I’ll go over why I don’t think it’s time to freak out just yet, and why some of the common worries about the Phillies and their farm system are overblown.

Call me an optimist, but I think this team will be alright. 

Begin Slideshow

Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies Betting Preview

The Miami Marlins (2-4) and Philadelphia Phillies (2-3) will close out a three-game National League East series on Thursday night inside Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 ET.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have established the Marlins as minus-115 road favorites, while the total stands at eight across the board.

Miami was handed a 7-1 loss in Wednesday night’s contest, which also served as the first of five games without Ozzie Guillen in the dugout.  The first-year manager was suspended five games by MLB for comments that he made to Time magazine about Cuba’s Fidel Castro.

The Marlins had split the first two games in the series. They own a 60-93 all-time record when playing in Philadelphia, including a 34-42 mark when playing inside Citizens Bank Park.

Mark Buehrle (0-1, 3.00 ERA) is use to the Guillen’s antics on-and-off the field, coming to South Florida after spending time together with the Chicago White Sox.

The left-hander will be making his second start for his new team, coming off a 4-0 road loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 5, when he gave up two runs and seven hits over six innings of work.

Buehrle has a perfect 3-0 record and 5.06 ERA in three career starts versus the Phillies, but hasn’t faced them since Aug. 30, 2004. 

Bettors may fade the Marlins due to their starting pitcher’s dislike for cold weather, especially in-between innings as mentioned in a MLB.com article:

“I’d always rather throw when it’s hot and sweaty and come off the field after an inning or two when you’re actually sweating,” Buehrle said.

Philadelphia is definitely one of the toughest teams to beat in its own building, posting a 52-29 record a season ago, which was made possible due to a pitching staff that finished with a 2.83 home ERA.

Roy Halladay did his part to continue that success last night, tossing seven innings of one-run ball in collecting his second victory in as many starts this season.

The Phillies are hoping that Joe Blanton is able to build off that momentum, as he makes his second appearance (first start) of the 2012 campaign. He allowed one run on two hits and recorded just two outs in a relief appearance against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 7.

Blanton has garnered a solid 6-2 record and 3.33 ERA in nine lifetime starts versus the Marlins. Including a 6-4 road victory in his only outing last year when he surrendered three runs on eight hits over five frames.

The betting public will definitely be drawn to the Phillies’ 20-8 record in his last 28 home starts.

Weather forecasts suggest game-time temperatures in the low-50s, with a slight northwesterly breeze of 5-10 mph (left to right).

Total players will find that the “over” was 14-10 in that situation during the 2011 season.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Roy Halladay: Why Phillies’ Ace Will Win 20-Plus Games Even with Poor Support

Roy “Doc” Halladay has been one of baseball’s best models of consistency over the last five to 10 years. He’s won two Cy Young Awards, pitched a perfect game and postseason no-hitter, and even as he approaches his 35th birthday, he has shown no signs of slowing down.

Rumors swirled throughout spring training that Doc’s velocity was down and his control had eluded him. However, we’ve seen through Halladay’s first two starts this season—a 1-0 road win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day and a 7-1 home win over Josh Johnson and the Miami Marlins last night—that he’s looked just as good as ever. With 15 innings under his belt this season, Doc currently sports a 0.60 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, and has eight strikeouts, not to mention he’s picked up the win in both of his starts to date.

Simply put, Doc is able to compensate even when he’s given little to work with. Last night was the kind of night any pitcher dreams of, but when you take into account that the Phillies were only able to score one run on eight hits against the Bucs last week, and also that the team was on pace to score 370 runs for the entire season before last night’s game, it’s a little disconcerting, to say the least.

However, Halladay is no ordinary pitcher. As we’ve seen, he seems to improve with age and has a work ethic unlike almost anybody else in the sport. There’s a reason that San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson referred to him as a “cyborg” at the All-Star Game last year—he’s just durable and just that good.

There’s little reason to believe that Doc will struggle this year. Even with poor run support, Halladay will manage, and unless he pitches his arm off, there’s no reason why Halladay can’t win 20 games—if not more—or even place in the top three of NL Cy Young Award voting. But how, you ask? Keep reading.

Begin Slideshow

2012 MLB: Why the Philadelphia Phillies Will Get Back to the World Series

Much has been made about the decline of the Phillies. Advanced metrics suggest a steep drop-off in the near future for the aging starting pitchers, and evidence of a similar drop-off, both in durability in productivity, has been seen in the offensive cornerstones Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, while the team struggles to sign rising ace Cole Hamels pressed up against the luxury tax.

With the talented, young teams in Washington and Atlanta already gaining, the Miami Marlins went on an offseason spending spree, and the Phillies’ stranglehold on the National League East suddenly seemed as tenuous as it has been since the days of “we’re the team to beat” talk.

Phillies detractors had more ammunition in the spring, when it was discovered that Utley would be joining The Big Piece on the disabled list until at least mid-May.  

While, down the road, prognosticators might be right, and this veteran club might be nearing the edge of the cliff, 2012 is not the beginning of the end. In fact, it just might be one more peak.

In the landscape of the National League, potential contenders has become a buzzword. The Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and New York Mets are the only teams without supporters of their playoff chances. Of the 12 remaining teams, each has strengths. 

Any argument, though, that the team in Philadelphia is not the best is an argument made in vain. This club won their division by 13 games for a reason, after all.

The starting pitching, obviously, is the chief reason for their superiority. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels each finished in the top five of Cy Young voting last season, and that’s all you really need to know. Each of the three had an ERA below 2.80, a WHIP below 1.041, and at least 194 strikeouts. Since 1900, only 88 times has a pitcher put those numbers up. And three of them were on the 2012 Phillies.

Vance Worley is a rising star, and Joe Blanton is still in the discussion as the best fifith starter in the game.

But this not news. Everyone knows the pitching is dominant, like it has been for the last two seasons. What will separate this Phillies team from others with great starting pitching is the few quality offensive players, fantastic team-wide base-running, the October-proven closer, and, maybe most of all, what has become the best group of defenders, top to bottom, in the majors.

Run prevention will be the key for their success. It’s become apparent that, especially in the absence of Howard and Utley, the Phillies aren’t the offensive juggernaut they used to be. But with this pitching and defense, it might only take three runs a game to win the division.

The guys behind the aces committed the fewest errors in the National League last season (74).  Shane Victorino’s range and consistency have earned him the reputation as the best centerfielder in baseball. Carlos Ruiz, Jimmy Rollins and Placido Polanco are consistently in the Gold Glove conversation as well. Even Cliff Lee has been recognized as a fantastic defensive player. 

The only Phillies from 2011 who never received praise for their glove work, incidentally, were Raul Ibanez, Domonic Brown and Howard (though his play has markedly improved since his younger days). Ibanez is now a Yankee and Brown was sent back to Lehigh Valley after, among other things, some Ibanez-like defense this spring. It’s clear management values the skill. 

(Another note: As painful as it is not having Utley in the three-hole for the first third of the season, Freddy Galvis is an absolute wizard with the glove. Count us as lucky, because after Utley returns, Galvis will show just how important having a backup middle infielder with his defensive skills can be for the stretch run.)

So with the league’s best defense from 2011 now improved for 2012, we are likely to see even better numbers from the starters (Team ERA in 2011: League leading 3.01). That’s a scary thought for the National League.

Offensively, they will lean on Hunter Pence and Victorino until the cavalry arrives. Even then, though, those two, with Rollins and John Mayberry Jr. helping anchor the middle, Polanco writing the book on hitting in the two-hole, and the uber-clutch Carlos Ruiz on the back end, three-and-a-half runs a game should be the lowest end of estimations. 

Something the detractors seem to ignore is that somebody has to beat them for them not to win. What National League team is better than Philadelphia?

The Marlins don’t have the pitching, or maturity, to keep up, the Braves’ offense makes the Phils look like murderers’ row, and the Nationals are just too young. And for all of the praise the Diamondbacks are garnering,  I would love for someone to explain to me how that rotation can hang with the guys donning red pinstripes. Ian Kennedy is the one comparable starter, but even he wouldn’t crack the top three in Philly.

The only two teams who could have beaten the Phillies last season each lost, arguably, their best player this offseason (Albert Pujols from St. Louis and Prince Fielder from Milwaukee). 

After combing through the contenders, one thing becomes clear: While it might be fun and tempting to pick an upstart to dethrone the Phillies as the NL cream of the crop, all attempts are reaches. They simply don’t have the horses. I know it, Charlie Manuel knows it and in October, so will the rest of the League.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »