Lidge, Contreras, Fans, NL East News

As seen on Phillies Nation.

There's eighty days until Roy Halladay (I'm already penciling him in as the Opening Day starter) throws the first pitch of 2010. There's 35 days until pitchers and catchers report. The season is quickly approaching, and soon we'll be hearing more Phillies news on a daily basis. There was still plenty of baseball news today:

• The Phillies announced that Brad Lidge had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, and his status for Opening Day is questionable.

"The surgery went well, and Brad is expected to begin his throwing program in 10 days," head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said. "We're not sure if he'll be ready by Opening Day, but we don't expect that he'll be too far behind. This surgery was not directly related to any previous surgeries."

Loose bodies and a portion of his meniscus were removed. This is Lidge's second surgery this off season (elbow). This is his third surgery on his right knee since 2007. Lidge missed opening week in 2008 due to knee surgery, and also missed part of 2009 due to knee pain.

• The Phillies, along with four other teams, are interested in Jose Contreras.

Contreras, 38, had a 4.92 ERA in 131.6 innings with the White Sox and Rockies last year. Contreras would likely relieve, despite spending some time as a starter last year. If you were hoping for a reliever like D.J Carrasco, cross his name off the list. He reached an agreement with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Phillies need bullpen help, but personally I don't think Contreras is the answer.

• Smile! The Hardball Times named Phillies fans "the happiest in MLB."

Honestly, I was kind of surprised to see the Phillies listed as number one. I was expecting the 3-5 range, thinking Philadelphia would recieve the usual Philly fan stereotypes. A championship, two pennants, and three division titles in three years; yeah, that makes me happy.

• Brandon Duckworth and Jason Standridge sign minor league deals with the Phillies.

The Duck Pond is back!! I can’t believe I missed this news. Honestly, Duckworth was one of my favorite players in the early 2000’s, despite his struggles.

Since leaving the Phillies, Duckworth, 34, has spent time in the Astros’ and Royals’ system. Standridge, 31, was a first-round draft pick in 1997.

National League East news:

• The Atlanta Braves are pursuing Johnny Damon.


• Carlos Beltran had surgery on his knee without asking the Mets for permission.

The Mets' injury woes continue into 2010. Beltran is expected to miss at least twelve weeks.

In other Mets news, the Mets are close to signing catcher Bengie Molina. Molina batted .265 with 20 home runs with the San Francisco Giants last year.

• The Washington Nationals are interested in Orlando Hudson.

The Nationals could offer Hudson a two-year deal -- at the right price. Hudson could want as much as $9 million, which may be too much for the Nationals.

• What about that other team in the National League East?

The Marlins? You may have noticed that they haven't been spending a lot of money. Well, they reached an agreement with the players' union to increase spending due to complaints about the team's payroll violating baseball's revenue sharing provisions.

Blog of Note: We Should be GM's has a nice motion picture of the man, Chase Utley.

Phillies Fans on the Today Show

Yesterday, a video was posted from a moment at a Phillies game. Today, the family appeared on the Today Show.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The three year old is quite the Phillies fan. Her favorite player: Raul Ibanez.

In Phillies news, Greg Dobbs and Clay Condrey were activated. However, Chan Ho Park suffered a hamstring pull in yesterday's 6-0 win over the Nationals. Chase Utley stole home on a double steal and Jayson Werth hit a home run. The Phillies will try to complete the sweep tonight.

Call of the Day: HK called Utley "the man" more than once.

"Chase Utley again! Chase Utley again! Ending the ballgame on a great
catch! Chase Utley you are the man! Wow!"

Nice Catch-- WHOOPS!

During yesterday's 5-0 Phillies win, a fan made a terrific catch on a Jayson Werth foul ball. The man gave it to his three year old daughter, Emily. The rest is history.



According to Fan Graphs, the odds of catching a foul ball are 1 in 1189. The video already made it's ways around the Today Show and ESPN. Priceless.

VIDEO COURTESY: The Fightins

The Full Chicago Experience

Also featured on Phillies Nation.

From Wednesday to Friday, the Orr clan took a trip to Chicago to root on our beloved Phillies at Wrigley Field. I did not know what to expect about Chicago, but I woke up to a pleasant surprise. It is a beautiful city and a great baseball town.

One of the passangers on our plane was Neil Hartman, an anchor for Comcast Sportsnet. Lately, I've been running into famous people. A few days before my vacation, I spotted Ryan Howard at a local Dairy Queen. He wasn't the only All Star caliber player I saw within a weeks span. Hours after arriving in Chicago, I saw two Phillies in the city.

We ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory in downtown Chicago, where there is an outdoor amphitheatre. A band played some of Motown's best as somebody danced on the pavilion. It was Jimmy Rollins. I did not want to bother him, but one of my family members approached him. After a quick photo, Jimmy left. But, five tables over from me sat Shane Victorino.

Like Rollins, I didn't want to bother Victorino since players are always swarmed with fans. Victorino was having a drink with his "friend" (I think it was Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, but it was hard to tell since he was wearing dark sunglasses). We passed him quickly to wish him luck, and Shane put his hand out to shake. Shane couldn't have been nicer so we snapped a quick picture.

It wasn't even a full day and the trip to the Windy Cindy was already well worth it.

Wrigley Field

After the Phillies took the first two games of the series, we headed to Wrigley Field on Thursday, hoping for a sweep. We got that, but the experience at Wrigley Field made the sweep even more special.

Wrigley has a completely different feel than Citizens Bank Park. Opening in 1914 and being the last stadium to install lights, Wrigley is filled with a ton of history, which is felt when entering the stadium. From the moment you enter Wrigleyville, the town which the ballpark is located, it is like a time machine pulled you back.

The view of the field is breathtaking, especially during the day when the sun brightly shines on the field. There are a few obstructed views, but you can get a glimpse of the action in any seat, including the ones on top of nearby buildings. The diamond is in perfect condition and the ivy can't get any greener. No scoreboard in any other stadium compares to the old fashioned one that sits in center field at Wrigley.

There aren't a lot of concession stands. There aren't any flashy scoreboards to pump up the crowd. The seventh inning stretch is a tradition that nobody can miss.

Being at Wrigley isn't the same Wrigley that appears on television. If you already have an opinion about the Friendly Confines but have never been there, a visit may create a new opinion. It is very hard to put the Wrigley experience into words. It's that awesome.

The Fans

Philadelphia was well represented in Chicago. Left and right, there were Phillies fans. Philadelphians have a natural bond and stick together. If sporting Phillies gear while wandering the streets of Chicago, another fan is guaranteed to say "Go Phils!" In my section, I was lucky to be surrounded by many Phillies fans. Also, I could always count on the Phillies faithful to pose with brooms after the game.

While Shane Victorino was showered with a beer, Cubs fans received a bad rap by the national media. However, I must say that the Cubs fans were very respectful. Many of the fans were very upset with the incident that took place. According to several Cubs fans, the Bleacher Bums are where all the bad-loads are. If anything, the beer incident proved that those type of things happen everywhere.

In a way, Cubs fans remind me of Phillies fans in that they are very knowledgeable, loyal, passionate, and patient toward their team. In addition, they aren't afraid to be heard. Like a Phillies fan, they wore their colors with pride, sporting Cubbie blue no matter where they were at. I wasn't in White Sox territory, but I did find that some of the White Sox fans rooted both ways. But, the White Sox fans didn't show their colors like the Cubs fans did.

What I especially liked about Chicago was that everybody knows how the Cubs are doing this year. Sometimes in Philadelphia, football overshadows baseball. In Chicago, baseball comes first. Even the non-fans can talk about the team in a very knowledgeable manner.

I would definitely recommend taking a trip to Chicago. It is a beautiful, clean, and safe city with lots of things to do. Visit the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower). See the stunning view of Lake Michigan, grab a bite at Gino's Pizza, shop on the Magnificent Mile, or go to one of the many museums. But more importantly, visit Wrigley Field, even if the Phillies aren't playing the Cubs.

Rollins/ Howard Video

One lucky fan got to spend some time with Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard. It turned out the fan wasn't so lucky.

Baseball Fantasy Camp with Ryan Howard and Jimmie Rollins - watch more funny videos

COURTESY: The 700 Level

Call of the Day: Brett Myers pitches a complete game shutout in 2008.

"2 balls and 2 strikes with 2 outs. Fastball, struck 'em out! Complete game
shutout, Brett Myers. His 9th strikeout of the night. Brett's 7th complete game
of his career. And he shuts 'em out. He is our Chevorlet player of the game."

Fan Points Laser

Booing Santa Claus, throwing batteries at J.D Drew. Guess what Phillies fans? You can add another thing to your resume. A fan shined a laser (yes, the kind from 1997) at Julio Lugo while he was up to bat.

The incident caused a brief delay, as the umpires, security, and even coaches tried to find the criminal. Nobody knows who pointed the laser, and nobody around him played "tattle-tale."

It was a stupid thing for this fan to do. The fan should have never pointed a laser and could potentially cause eye damage to a player. However, it is silly to claim that it could have "changed the outcome of the game" in favor for the Cardinals. If anything, wouldn't it have took Chan Ho Park out of a rhythm? Lugo struck out, but he admitted it was a good pitch by Park. It could have cost the Phillies the game if Park had a long wait.

"I thought I was going to get shot," Lugo said.

"It's immature. It's
something that doesn't belong at the ballpark," Rollins said.

Many Phillies fans are upset about the incident, much like Cardinal fans. Just another addition to a bad Phillies fan reputation.

As the media and other fans "Philadelphia fan hate-fest" continues, didn't a similar incident happen a few years ago in New York?

QUOTE SOURCE: WPIX

Rollins Makes Wish Come True

Shaquielle Jacobs' wish was granted when Jimmy Rollins hung out with him for a day. Jacobs was diagnosed with Leukemia.

At the end of July, Swing and a Long Drive is sponsoring a wiffle ball tournament to raise money for Sammy Bradly, who was also diagnosed with Leukemia. I personally have not met Sammy, but he is a 12 year old student, and a big baseball fan.

Blog Note: Visit Phillies Nation for a post on Ryan Howard, much related to the one on Swing and a Long Drive yesterday.

Romero Might Be Charged

Also posted on Phillies Nation.

The St. Petersburg Police Department filed a complaint against J.C Romero to the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s office and he may be charged with battery.

“Remember, this is a simple battery,” Kajtsa said. “No weapon was used. There
were no injuries to the victim whatsoever, except as he says in the report he
was embarrassed because it happened in front of other fans and his family. This
is a very minor incident so the state’s attorney will probably concentrate on
more serious matters, but it will be up to the state’s attorney to make the
determination.”

Robert Eaton asked for an autograph, but Romero ignored him. Eaton made a comment about steroids and got into screaming match with Romero. Romero allegedly hit Eaton.

QUOTE SOURCE: Phillies.com

Romero Attacks Fan

Following Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, an unidentified Phillies player, which has not been identified at J.C Romero, was involved in an incident with a Rays fan.

“We are disappointed to learn about the alleged incident with a Rays fan and one
of our players following Thursday night’s game at Tropicana Field,” the Phillies
said Saturday in a statement. “We are in the process of gathering all of the
details surrounding the situation. Until such information is provided, it would
be inappropriate for us to comment at this time.”

The St. Petersburg Times reported that a police dispatcher confirmed a report for a battery call at 11 PM at Tropicana Field.

Rays fans Robert Eaton claims Romero grabbed him by the throat and pushed him after Eaton made a steroid comment.

Fan Posts: Utley

This is a post written by Gina R.

If you would like to write a post and feature it on Swing and a Long Drive, please e-mail me at amanda@swingandalongdrive.com. Also, please e-mail any questions. I would like to start a "Mailbag" feature.

Not only do I think Chase Utley is the best player on the Phillies, but one of the best in the league. Chase is pretty consistent (except when he's hurt). He is terrific defensively, making everything look easy. It can be a routine play, a double play, flipping the ball to first or second with his glove, or even throwing it from his knees. He showed his great defense in one of my favorite plays during the World Series, faking the ball to first, then throwing home for the out.

Offensively, he can hit the ball right out of the stadium. I think he can hit around 35 home runs this year.

He is unbelievably handsome and I've been a huge Chase Utley fan since he was called up. On May 26th , 2009, I got Chase's autograph. This was without a doubt the best day of my life! I will never forget him smiling at me with his blue eyes saying "you're welcome, sweetheart."

He is amazing. Chase Utley, you are the man!

Call of the Day: Chase Utley gave the Phils an early lead in May of 2008.

"Long drive, fair or foul? Fair ball! OUTTA HERE! Chase Utley!
With his league leading twelfth home run of the year, has given the Phillies a 2
to nothing lead.

Blogger "Speculates" Steroid Use for Ibanez

Not many blogs make headlines on ESPN. In fact, unless its by a paid columnist, it is extremely rare. However, JRod, a blogger from MidWest Sports Fans posted speculation about Raul Ibanez using steroids.

Disgusted, Ibanez was asked about the posts and had some words for the blogger and basically asked for a drug test to prove his innocence.

“You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my stool- anything you can test,”
Ibanez said. “I’ll give you back every dime I’ve ever made [if the test is
positive.]"

The only counter argument the blogger had going was the ball park factor before he stated:

"Any aging hitter who puts up numbers this much better than his career averages
is going to immediately generate suspicion that the numbers are not natural,
that perhaps he is under the influence of some sort of performance enhancer."

Ibanez went to as low as you can critize a blogger calling him a "42-year-old in his mother's basement" and said:

“It’s unfair because this story should be about how hard work, determination,
and desire trumps chemicals and shortcuts,” he said. “That should be the
message: desire, character, work ethic. But some guy who doesn’t know me - one
idiot - says something like this. They should be held accountable. It’s
cowardly.”

Today, JRod had some sort of an apology to Ibanez.

"I'll accept some level of accountability and offer a sincere apology to Raul
Ibanez for advancing a public debate that, in his specific case, is very likely
unfair and perhaps even unnecessary. However, I'm not accepting complete blame
and accountability for being the person who started this. I just tried to do my
homework and write a cogent response to speculation I had heard from other
sources."

The blogger certainly received an increase of page views to his site, but also a bunch of nasty e-mails.

The Fightins and Gonzo have the full story.

Too Much Love For Phils, Not Enough for Raul

The Philadelphia fans have acted as a tenth player throughout the years. Just 9-13 at home, Charlie Manuel says the Phillies may be trying to do too much, but also has a message for the passionate Phillies fans.

"I notice sometimes when they're talking to us around the dugout, they're
always talking about last year and thanking us for winning and all that,"
Charlie Manuel said. "Of course, they're enjoying the game and they love us, but... well, maybe they should get on us a little bit."

"If you notice, our fans are still into everything. They fill our ballpark
up. And they stay. And that's good. I want them to keep coming to the
games. But I want our fans to start telling them, 'Hey, look: We've got to
win this year, too.'"

While the Phillies have been getting love, Raul Ibanez hasn't in terms of All Star voting. The best player in baseball this season is only sixth in the voting for outfield behind Ryan Braun, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Beltran, Manny Ramirez and Mike Cameron.

While the break isn't for over a month and it may be still early to vote (I'll wait until the end of June), Raul is definitely a deserving starting All Star to this point.

Chase Utley is the leading second baseman for the National League. Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins both rank third among their positions.

QUOTE SOURCE: Philly.com

Baseball Is...

A game, a sport, a way of life. The history, the passion, the game itself.

Anybody can throw on jerseys, stack up on gear, memorabilia and other merchandise calling themselves a fan. Yes, I own plenty of memorabilia, write about the Phillies any chance given, but I'm a true Philadelphia Phillies fan and proud. I get congratulations and condolences on the Phillies wins and losses.

It's safe to say I have a healthy obsession with the Philadelphia Phillies. After all, how many 17 year old girls like baseball? It isn't a coincidence I bleed red.

I was born with a Phillies cap on. I've loved baseball for as long as I can remember. When my mom didn't dress me in funny looking dresses, I wore Phillies outfits. My favorite movie as a toddler was The Sandlot, which remains a favorite. I'd always have a whiffle ball and bat in my hand. Baseball is a way of expressing yourself.

Behind my old house there was a little baseball field. Not much of a field, just a fence for a backstop, a few dirt spots for the base paths and a spot for pitchers mound. The intent of the lot may not of been for a baseball field, but it was used for one. I continue to play softball today as every little kid plays Little League at some point. Baseball has roots.

My dad played slow pitch softball, so I would always go to his games. My grandparents and parents told me Phillies stories at a young age. I was born a couple years before the 1993 World Series, so I imagine that the game was on TV more than usual. That is probably how I first started to watch the Phillies, although I may not remember very well. The Phillies and I connected, and I fell in love with them. Baseball is a family tradition.

The older I got, the more I liked the Phillies. The time I was a little kid was a very difficult time to love the Phillies. They were awful, but I still stuck with them and rooted them on. I lived through the wonderful Terry Adams, Turk Wendell and Joe Roa days, but I still remained a fan. After Scott Rolen left, Brandon Duckworth was my favorite player.. there was really nobody better on the team to like! I was accustomed to losing. 10,000 losses and proud.

I learned so much about baseball from books, the Internet, watching games, playing, observing or listening to the great broadcaster, Harry Kalas. The game has so much history. It is America's pastime. I can name famous calls off the top of my head replaying the scene in my head. I might not know all the history, all the players, all the milestones, but I am willing to learn about it. Every time I hear something about baseball, I stop what I'm doing and listen. New records are made, records are broken. Stats tell stories. Baseball is a history class.

Whether it is sitting in the stands, or in front of the TV, I love watching baseball, no matter the team. The passion for the game across the country is unbelievable. Many families make it their priority to take at least one trip each year to the ballpark to root on their favorite team or player. Whether its cheering, booing, clapping, or starting the wave, fans show their support or hatred toward their team, or the opposition. Even if you don't know a thing about baseball, or don't even like it, it is impossible to say you had a bad time at the ballpark. Nothing is like being in Citizens Bank Park with other fans. Philly fans have a natural bond. I may not know who I'm sitting next to, but I am still high fiving that guy anyway. Baseball is fan interaction, the trash talk, arguments, and agreements.

My passion for the game is indescribable. The excitement comes with the pain. The nerves. The relief. Words can't put it. Every time I turn on the game it just gives me this special feeling. My head will clear of the all the bad things, and put a big smile on my face. Baseball is happiness, and sadness.

The passion leads to the game. Have a bad game? There's always tomorrow. Even if the Phillies are losing 25-0, I'm still watching the game. I don't give up on them. Like Tug McGraw said “Ya Gotta Believe!” I always have faith in the Phillies. Anything can happen in baseball. The passion allows you not to give up on your favorite team. I don't miss a game, I watch all 162. If I miss a game for whatever reason, I will find away to get scores. It's a daily routine to turn on Comcast Sportsnet for baseball coverage.

The game of baseball itself it amazing. There is no time limit. There is no clock, but 9 innings that can last a lifetime. Human nature makes the game unpredictable. An umpire may miss a call changing the outcome of a game. You never know what to expect. Anything can happen. Hitting a 95 mph faster is harder than it looks. Failure makes the game so great. The best players fail 70% of the time. There is so much strategy that goes into the game. Baseball is just as mental as it is physical. Baseball's winner is up for grabs.

When the Phillies clinched the division in 2007, it was awesome. I thought it was the best thing ever. Little did I know what a World Series Championship felt like. I always thought about how I'd react if the Phillies won the World Series. Even though Brad Lidge struck out Eric Hinske, to this day I don't know how I reacted. I couldn't think straight. Words can't describe it. Euphoria. Either way, being accustomed to losing was temporarily flushed down the toilet.

Baseball is... the greatest sport ever created. I live for this.

Win World Series Tickets

World Series Tickets are impossible to get. If you can get them, they are extremely expensive. However, anybody has a chance to win them.

If you are a big Phillies fan, check out Philliesnation.com for your chance of winning World Series tickets. Write a short story telling why you're a big Phillies fan, and send in your photos.

The Full Mets and Phillies Experience

Put on my Ryan Howard Phillies T-shirt, charged my camera, and I was ready. Parked in Lincoln Financial's lot, crossed the street to Citizens Bank Park. New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies.



Not knowing that the outfield gates were the only gates open before 5:30, my dad and I waited about 15 minutes in line at the first base gate.

When we finally got in the Met's were taking batting practice. We walked down to the first base foul line to watch, and waited for an autograph.



An hour and a half later, my ticket remained unsigned. $4 for an unused pen. Inches away from getting Hamel's, Utley's and Howard's.

A scary moment happened during Met's batting practice. A little boy fell from the right field wall, a good 10+ feet drop. The Met's players in right field rushed over to him. They called over some help. The boy was down for a few minutes, and he was carted off the field. Hopefully he was OK.

Before the game started we got something to eat. With the cheesesteak lines extremely long, we went to the one with the shortest, Bull's BBQ.

We made our way up to our seats, in the upper level, on the third base side, near left field. The score was already 1-0 by the time we got up there. When we got there, we were already surrounded by Mets fans.


Actually, the ones sitting directly next to us weren't that bad. They seemed okay. However, the ones in the section directly next to us were a little more vocal.

"Let's go Mets!" chants were overshadowed by "Let's go Phillies!" chants.

The game didn't start to pretty for the Phillies. Jamie Moyer was way off. He lasted just 3 innings. It was his shortest outing since 2005 with the Seattle Mariners.



Damian Easley homered to give the Mets an early 3-0 lead. Fernando Tatis would also homer. All of sudden the Mets were somehow up 7-0. With a big lead, the Met's fans felt very comfortable.

Jamie Moyer gave up 6 ER in 3 IP. He gave up 9 hits, but didn't walk a batter. He struck out 3.

"We finally got a run!", a Phillies fan said as Shane Victorino crossed the plate on Pedro Feliz' sac fly. 7-1.


Slowly, but surely, the Phillies were starting to come back. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard each hit a homerun, and all of a sudden the game was 7-5.

The 5 runs all of Pedro Matrinez. The Phillies still had the Met's bullpen left. A bullpen without Billy Wagner.

In the 8th inning, we moved down to the third base line. We started up, then slowly move our way down each inning.

The further we moved down, the more you could sense the growing rivalry. Some fans were trash talking each other.

In the 8th, Rollins hit an RBI single to score Carlos Ruiz. 7-6.

Pat Burrell hit a deep fly ball that would of gave the Phillies the lead. However, it was caught at the warning track. A Met's fan in front of us turned around, looked at my dad, and said "Phew!"

That "Phew!" didn't last too long.

The big hit came in the bottom of the 9th. Without anybody else to use, the Phillies would rely on Eric Bruntlett with 2 outs. Bruntlett was saved because he was the last bench player to use.

Carlos Ruiz played 3rd base for a few innings, while Chris Coste caught. Funny, because Coste has more experience at 3rd base. He played 3rd when he first got called up, and in the minors. Using those to players at once while saving Bruntlett was a good idea, but maybe Coste should of played third.

Bruntlett doubles to right center field, and Jayson Werth scored all the way from first base. If the throw was handled cleanly, Werth may have been out, but instead in bounced away from the catcher, Schnieder.

A tie game. 7 unanswered runs. 7 isn't a lucky number for the Mets. They blew a 7 game lead last year.

The game would go to extras. Both teams had all the chances in the world to score, but didn't.

The Phillies bullpen pitched a full game. 9 innings, and only 1 earned run off Clay Condrey. Condrey got a big double in the 5th to get things started.

In the 11th, a few Met's fans started cheering, "Let's go Mets!" A Met's fan in front of said in response to his own people, "Shut up. We blew a 7 run lead."

The 13th inning. 7 and 13. Superstition numbers. Victorino tripled down the right field line. With nobody left for the Phillies to use, the Met's decided to intentionally walk Werth and Bruntlett.

Brett Myers would pinch hit for Rudy Seanez. Manuel told Myers not to swing at anything, to prevent the double play.

Chris Coste would follow. Coste came in during the 8th inning. Already 3-3, Coste smacked the ball to center field. Beltran just walked back to the dugout. He didn't even go after it, or look at it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHILLY.COM

I high fived a bunch of Phillies fans around me, even though I never met them before. It's cool how everybody just comes together as one during a game.

On the other hand, the Mets fans just put their hands on their heads.

About 12:45 AM, the Phillies won, 8-7. A Met's fan said to my dad, "Oh well, there is always tonight."

Phillies back where they belong in first place. It must of been a long ride home up 95 North.

The Reaction

Too boo, or not to boo? That is the question. For Jimmy Rollins, there was a little bit of both.

When first announced, Rollins got a mixed reaction from the fans. He received boos with some cheers mixed in. Some even gave him a standing ovation.

The boos got louder for Jimmy as the game went on. Rollins went 0-4, including a ground out into a double play.

For Jimmy Rollins, the boos don't affect him.

"You go up and you're on deck and people are already on you, talking to
you. If you go up there and getting booed, sometimes it gets hard to concentrate
on what you need to do..."

"Then, instead of your concentration being on what you need to do, you
might lose it for literally a split second. That's all the time you get to swing
a bat, and that results in an out. Not that you wouldn't make an out if you were
100 percent concentrated, but it's just the added things that make it more
difficult..."

Manager Charlie Manuel felt that the fans here aren't much different than fans from any other fan base.

"Fans have been here all summer," Manuel said. "They stay until the game is
over. That's what baseball is supposed to be about. I've said this before, the
only difference I see [in Philadelphia fans] is they swear more here. Outside
that, they're the same. In Japan, they're a little bit quieter, but they'll
throw balls at you."

Manuel feels that Jimmy Rollins will be able to handle the attention around him during this time.

"Some guys can handle it better," Manuel said. "If you can focus on what
you're doing, you can completely block it out. You don't hear it. It's like
grabbing a shell off a beach, it's just a roar. Every now and then, when it gets
quiet and you're coming off the field, and somebody yells at you, you hear it.
Outside of that, you don't hear nothing."

I'll have to agree with the manager on this one.

QUOTE SOURCE-Phillies.com

Campaign Cheer

"We Should Be GM's" is starting a campiagn to cheer tonight for Jimmy Rollins and the Phillies tonight.

Boos are expected after Jimmy Rollins' front-runners comments, but this could help change that!

Sounds like a good idea to me! Support the campaign! Spread the Word!

Take Backsies

As we now know, Jimmy Rollins labeled Philadelphia fans "front-runners" during a recent interview on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period."

Yesterday, Rollins went back on the show to clarify his comments. He didn't take back his comments, or apologize, but he wanted to clear things up.

First, Rollins was shocked to hear about the reaction he got from Philadelphia fans. The reaction of course, was not a good one. Why would he surprised? He talked negatively about the fans.

"I said something might happen, but ... " Rollins said. "Whatever.
There's
nothing to make out of [the reaction]. I don't get it."

He then went on to define the term front-runner, in his mind.

"When you're doing good, they're on your side. When you're not doing good
they're gonna let you know. They expect better, they want better, and they want
it now. I think that, ya know, they feel like by booing they influence the way
you play. But when you give off that negative energy, it really doesn't."

Jimmy felt that everybody knew the term front-runners as people who only show up when winning. Jimmy acknowledged that it wasn't the case as Phillies get 45,000 fans every game.

"They want a winner. But as passionate as they are about us going out there,
winning, playing well, as that's the same passion I feel about them. But ya
know, give us some support."

The team has been getting booed, and Jimmy did agree with the fact that the Phillies deserved boos right now because they aren't playing well.

"I don't pay as much attention on the road, because they're not my fans,"
Rollins said. "If they want to boo us as the visiting team, keep giving me the
boos. But at home, give us some home-field advantage."

Rollins was defending his teammates. He talked about how a player being booed before they bat, or pitch, can effect a player in a negative way. He talked about how he didn't like how some of his teammates were booed on Opening Day, this year, and past years.

If his teammates had a problem with the fans, why didn't they say something? Is it Jimmy's fault they stink? Or is Jimmy just trying to save his butt by "clarifying" his statement.

Jimmy Rollins and the Phillies will be back home Tuesday. There's no doubt in my mind there will be a negative reaction toward JRoll. But if he hits a homerun, there will be cheers. The only way he can be forgiven is if he plays hard, and wins.

Boo!

J-Roll Best Damn
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Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard appeared on Wednesday's episode of Fox's "Best Damn Sports Show Period."

Rollins is the type who says how he feels and this time was no different. From the "Team to Beat" comments to "100 wins in '08." Mets fans usually respond to his comments with boos, now this time Phillies fans could be doing the same.

Rollins was asked about the reputation of Philadelphia being a tough sports town and said this:

"It can be, yeah," Rollins said. "There are times, like, it's one of those
cities ... I might catch some flack for saying this, but, you know, they're
front-runners. When you're doing good, they're on your side. When you're doing
bad, they're completely against you."

Some flak.. heh.. And front runners? You can classify pretty much every team's fans a front runner.

Rollins would then go on and talk about how Donovan McNabb got booed when he was drafted in 1999. He also defended his teammate Pat Burrell who fans give him a rough time at times.

The hosts explained that many cities have fans that boo and cheer, linking it to a family. Rollins went on to say:

"I hear you. But, for example, Ryan [Howard] is from St. Louis, and St. Louis,
it seems like they support their team, they're out there and encouraging. In
Philly, can't be no punk."

Does this mean JRoll wants to go to Saint Louis? While Rollins said all this, Howard just nodded his head the whole time. I think Howard just wanted to get out of the whole conversation.

These comments Rollins made are very different than the comments he made in the Phillies commercial. In that commercial he said that Phillies fans were "the best fans in sports, period." and "passionate and want to win." and how "if you don't go out and win, you better at least be trying."

I think these comments come back to the season the Phillies are having right now, with the slump they are in. Things aren't going the way they should, so obviously there are boos. Fans know that this team can do better. The fans want them to play the way they are capable of.

In addition, I think winning the MVP has to do with it too. He thinks he is simply the best. He already showed up the manager, by not showing up on time, not hustling, and hasn't played the game he usually plays, and now this.

Nobody really understands Philadelphia fans unless you are one. Not even the players understand. No championship 25 years. At least he Cubs had the Bulls all those years in Chicago. The Red Sox had the Patriots and the Bruins in Boston. In Philadelphia, we can't rely on another team.

We want to win. And we want to win more than the players probably ever would. The boos aren't because we want to see them fail. We want to see them do well. We know they have better things inside them.

Rollins also made a comment about his hometown Oakland and how Oakland fans don't show up in the stands. Jimmy, if we didn't have your back, the stands would be empty too in Philly. Would you rather play in front of a crowd that wants to win, may boo here and there, or no fans at all?

What if all Philly fans gave up just because we kept losing? Nobody would be in the stands. Look at the Marlins. They won 2 championships, more than the Phillies. Plus the Phillies have been around over 100 years more than the Marlins. The Marlins have 2 people in the stands each game. But Philadelphia sells out almost every game.

If you are a fan of another team, how would you feel if your team has won 1 championship in 125 years? On top of that, have a weak front office. Would you give up? Would you boo?

Philly fans have every right to be frustrated in the whole organization, but at the same time say "Ya gotta believe!"

Ozzie Pulls Team Off Field

I know this is a day late, but I did not find out about this until today. Maybe because the incident did not happen in Philadelphia?

The Minnesota Twins' Denard Span attempted to bunt at a ball, but it appeared that he pulled back and got hit in the leg. Home plate umpire, Bill Welke appealed the call to the third base umpire, Marty Foster. Marty Foster called it strike three.

Furious, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire argued the call with Foster. Gardenhire was ejected as Twins fans chanted "Gardy! Gardy!" On the way to the dugout, Gardenhire punted his cap like a football. That wasn't the only cap thrown. Fans threw hats, balls, bottles and other objects onto the field.

In response, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen pulled his team off the field. In my opinion, pulling his team off the field was a good move. He was protecting his players from being injured.

The Twins PA announcer warned fans to stop throwing objects, and if they continued, the Twins would have to forfeit the game by rule. The Twins fans listened, and stopped, and the game was continued.

Gardenhire apologized for his actions. And oh by the way, the Twins won the game.

I'm not trying to bust on Twins fans, but like I mentioned earlier, if this incident occurred in Philadelphia, it would of been the first thing, and top story on ESPN. That is the rep Phillies fans get. But, you get that kind of stuff everywhere. It happens in every stadium. Fans booing, throwing objects, running on the field, etc.

There are both good and bad fans in every single fan base. Whether it is Philadelphia, New York, St. Louis, or Minnesota. You can not judge an entire fan base on certain actions by just a few fans. They do not make up for the rest of the fans. Also, don't judge a person by the team they root for. Get to know the fan before you make an assumption. All different types of fans make up an entire fan base.