WASHINGTON -- Couple of quick notes before tonight's first pitch:From pitching coach Rich Dubee: Right-hander Kyle Kendrick will move up one day and start Thursday night in Houston. Kendrick threw only 12 pitches yesterday before a 2-hour, 24-minute rain delay caused him to be removed from the game. Dubee said Kendrick will throw his normal between-starts side session tomorrow, unless an emergency situation (translation: an early exit by Brett Myers) requires that he pitch in relief tonight. Adam Eaton will start Friday night in Houston.
From assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr.: Kris Benson came through his 40-pitch simulated game Saturday without any problems. Benson, whose comeback from rotator cuff surgery was slowed by a strained right groin, will throw about 50 pitches in another simulated game Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla. After that, he will start in an extended spring training game next Monday. There's no timetable, though, on when Benson may be ready to pitch in the majors. The Phillies remain hopeful that it may be sometime between June 15 and July 15.
Finally, one clear sign that we're in Washington: Several TVs in the clubhouse are tuned to "Hardball" on MSNBC, which reminds me that Chris Matthews is a Phillies fan.
All for now.
9 comments:
didn't know matthews was a phillies fan. did he say that on tv at some point?
He's said it numerous times on radio and TV that I've heard and it sounds like he follows the team at least somewhat closely. He's from the Philly area originally, which explains why he boos some of his guests [joking of course].
Tom G.: As usual, you're right. Matthews is from Philly. He talks about that often on "Hardball," and during the lead-up to the Pennsylvania primary, his Philly roots were a regular topic of conversation. I saw Matthews last year at spring training (didn't see him this year, though). As I recall, he hit it off with Chris Coste.
They're watching because they think it's a baseball movie.
Matthews has come back to his Pennsylvania roots- a few years ago, at a Pennsylvania Society dinner, he admitted that he hadn't been back to the Commonwealth in a good deal of time. Since making that comment, you can see that he's made the effort to change that.
I'm just saying, some of us have always made the drive back up 95.
As for your comment about the view from the park, Scott, unfortunately it's only seen from the top- one of the original reasons for building the stadium on the Potomac, besides for revitalizing the area much as the Chinatown area has been since the Verizon Center was built, was for the potential view of the Capitol's dome. Unfortunately, unless your in the upper deck, your view past the outfield is blocked by the two parking garages on Half Street.
That said, if you get the chance and haven't had the experience, have try Ben's Chili Bowl at the stadium. Ben's is an institution in town and makes a mean chili dog. Nationals Park's version of Ashburn Alley looks more like one of the food courts found at PNC and is behind the left field foul area, with several Washington, DC area staples, including, Hard Times (wings and chili) and Red Hot and Blue among others.
Hopefully the Phils bats show up these next two games. Last night was painful, especially as the Nats fans, who are still developing an identity, enjoy making fun of Phils fan, regardless of how the Phils fans act.
And my last post wasn't intended to ding Matthews, it was a statement he made during a speech.
Phila fan: Good point about only being able to see the Capitol dome from the upper deck/press box. Jimmy Rollins made the point yesterday that it's not unlike the view of the Center City skyline at Citizens Bank Park. It's visible from the seats, not so much from the field.
Haven't had a chance to try Ben's Chili Bowl or Hard Times, but with three series in DC, I'm sure I'll make it over there at some point.
The National's Prresident also took the subway to the home opener because he said "there is no parking." Very poorly designed park for parking and aesthetics.
For the average Phillies fan, aesthetics means "the branch of philosophy dealing with such notions as the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, the comic, etc., as applicable to the fine arts, with a view to establishing the meaning and validity of critical judgments concerning works of art, and the principles underlying or justifying such judgments.
Post a Comment