NEW YORK -- Wow. Where to begin?Two weeks ago, after they rebounded from a rough series in Florida to sweep the Braves in Atlanta, I wrote here that I think the Phillies may have a split personality. Now, I know they do.
After going 2-5 on their homestand against Arizona and San Francisco, they came here and swept the previously red-hot Mets at Shea. Consider some of what has happened in the past three nights:
* Pat Burrell began today batting .152 (16-for-105) since April 25. Charlie Manuel finally dropped him to sixth in the lineup, and Burrell went 2-for-5 with a game-tying home run off nemesis Billy Wagner in the ninth inning and an RBI double in the 10th. Here's what Wagner had to say: "He has a one-path swing, and I just put it right in its path." Kind of a backhanded compliment, don't you think? Also, within this notebook, Burrell tells a humorous draft-day story.
* The Mets' bullpen, maybe the best group of relievers west of San Diego, allowed 10 runs in 10 innings over the three games. The Phillies' bullpen, already thin and now missing closers Tom Gordon and Brett Myers, tossed 10 shutout innings. Chase Utley (off lefty Pedro Feliciano), Jimmy Rollins (off Aaron Heilman) and Burrell (off Wagner) burned the Mets' bullpen with clutch home runs. Meanwhile, Antonio Alfonseca saved all three games, and Mike Zagurski got his first career win tonight.
* Jerry Layne can say whatever he wants, but the umps had to have seen the replay of David Wright's drive to left-center that clearly hit off the yellow-colored Wise potato chips sign for a home run. Burrell said he could tell the ball was gone by the sound it made. The ball makes a different sound if it hits the padded wall.
* Click here to read about Phillies' first-round pick Joe Savery. I'll try to post more about him throughout the weekend.
* Warning: Danger ahead. A series in Kansas City against the lowly Royals could be trouble. Just ask Aaron Rowand. "I played in the AL Central for five years, and I can tell you, that's a team that can bite you if you take them lightly." How will the Phillies do?Speaking of Kansas City, I have a 7 a.m. flight. Pillow time for me. I'll check in tomorrow.
7 comments:
This is what they have to do to NOT fall into the Philly stereotype: beat the bad teams after beating the good.
Dont know if you caught it in the last thread Jaime, but way to go Pat! What a great sign.
Scott,
Is the PA system at Shea as annoying in person as it comes across on TV?
<3 pat. haha
anon: most annoying announcer ever. dudes all businuess. its like listening to headline news.
good job out of Pat Burrell last night. Maybe this demotion in the order will do him some good.
Scott, any chance the Phils and the Royals turn back the clock this weekend (uniform wise)? I think this is the first time they've met since the 1980 World Series.
Anon 1: I wouldn't call the PA system at Shea "annoying." I would call it "overly loud." The music and artificial noise they use to pump up the crowd is piped in through speakers in center field, and at times, it's nearly deafening. Hopefully, the PA system at the new ballpark will be a little more friendly on the ears. I kind of like their PA announcer, though. Jamie's right. He is all-business, but he puts a little extra into it when he announces Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and David Wright.
Anon 2: I haven't heard anything about the Phillies and Royals wearing retro unis this weekend, but that would be a cool touch (anyone still have a powder-blue Phillies road uniform?). It is, in fact, the Phillies' first trip to KC since the '80 World Series.
I'm pretty sure, but not positive, that the Royals came to Philly a few or several years ago.
Anon: The Royals came to Philly in '04, but this is the Phillies first trip to KC since '80.
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