Did Phils fans hold up their end?
The Phillies stumbling start has obscured another stumbling start: Ours. At least ye who vacated your much sought after seats before the final pitch this week.
Did Phils fans hold up their end?
Sam Donnellon, Daily News Sports Columnist
The Phillies' stumbling start has obscured another stumbling start:
Ours.
At least ye who vacated your much sought after seats before the final pitch this week. You know who you are.
Sure there was not much offense and not much to cheer about over the first 2 ½ games. And if you left early Wednesday because it was 10-3 and dinner time, well, OK.
But as they showed in those final three innings, and throughout September and October, four runs is insufficient reason to bail. Especially if you were one of those cornering me all winter with your wistful stories, or one of those who vowed to cut them some slack, to stick with them thick and thin.
To those who stayed til the end in any or all of those games, a pat on the back. For you others, there are 78 games left to seek redemption.
Bobby Cox said he had never before seen a game like Wednesday’s before, and maybe that’s true. But he saw one that was damn close, against the same team, two seasons ago.
Sept. 5, 2007, Turner Field. Perhaps you remember. The Phillies led 8-2 entering the eighth as Tom Gordon took the mound. Chipper Jones doubled, three singles followed that, and when Phillies closer Brett Myers took the mound with one out, the score was 8-3.
Myers uncorked a wild pitch, walked Yunel Escobar, allowed an RBI single, walked another batter and the Braves pulled to within 8-6 before the fire died – temporarily. The Braves completed the 9-8 comeback victory with three runs in the ninth as Myers surrendered a bases-loaded one-out triple to Matt Diaz.
Another reason to love Brad Lidge: Staked to an insurance run in the eighth inning Wednesday, he challenged Matt Diaz on a 1-1 count rather than fall behind him. With a two-run lead, in a game that had already swung dramatically via walks, it’s one of the subtle attributes of Lidge. He’s about the game more than the numbers.
Diaz hit a home run. Lidge then used some October sliders to retire rookie Jordan Schafer on a ground out and strike out the free swinging Garrett Anderson to end the game.
Sad but true: A South Jersey high school pitcher threw 189 pitches in a game Wednesday. Penns Grove senior Don Haines, who walked 10 batters in a 15-8 victory over Woodstown, said he struggled with command of the strike zone.
Clearly Penns Grove coach Jim Halter struggled with command of his senses.
At the risk of pointing out the obvious, THIS IS A REALLY BAD IDEA!!!!
Under any circumstances.
Haines is headed to Rowan University. How would you like to be the head baseball coach there, and read that?
The coach explained to a reporter that he had a reliever ready in the sixth inning, but the kid didn’t want to leave the mound. What that tells me is that the kid is a gamer. He should have plenty of years to prove that in college and if reports of his high 80s velocity are true, maybe even as a pro.
Again, stating the obvious, this episode should never be repeated again. By any high school coach. Or college coach.
Or any coach.
Barring an emergency, you're a total loser non-committed fan for leaving a game that includes a ring ceremony for a team that has not won a WS in 28 years! Every year baseball has games where things happen which have never or almost never happened before (see Bobby Cox for reference). The people leaving that game early deserved to hear the comeback on the radio.— PhilCali
Comment removed.- Phillies come back from down 7 runs with an 8 run 7th, and Sam Donnellon writes about fans leaving. Is that what writers do when they feel lazy and want to put no thought into their article. I look forward to when the people around me leave this way I can be comfortable. It's hard to get comfortable when you have a 375 lb guy with half his body hanging over into your seat while trying to watch a game.— EC1981
- somebody's gotta be the villian. i guess when the team wins the fans are gonna be portrayed as bums. whatever sells right sam?— allegrabene
- Well...Hmmm...Living in Tampa, I didn't see any Phils' games live last season; however, I saw about 130 games on TV...As a former baseball player and life-long PHILLIES Phan, I wouldn't hesitate to leave a game early, BUT it wouldn't be because I was upset or angry with the Phillies! AND it certainly doesn't make me any less of a PHAN than ANYBODY else...Some of us simply have brains which we sometimes use for things other than our favorite pastimes...Sometimes, beating traffic is a hobby in itself. And, sometimes, crowds just suck! PK PK— PhillyTheKid
- I left Tues game top of the eight. I think It's horrible they let the game be played in those conditions in the first place. It was 32 degrees and the wind was on our necks sec 141 all night. Honestly, I think one of my six game packages should be refunded. It was like an Eagles game (without the thermals).— smarterthanu
- It is an attention grabbing headline. Why with a 7 run deficit, 9 outs to go and after an hours-long ring ceremony would everyone be compelled to stay? I'd have liked to have heard more about the opening day fans--some of whom may see a handful of games this season--booing Myers. Where does that fall on the "failure of fans."— abaldwin22
- Do you really have nothing else to do with your time? How many articles on the fans in the last week alone is this now, Sam? 4? 5? You're worthless.— phillyfan412
sam: you still knockin' em back @ PJ's in Haddonfield? Looks like you let some of the kitchen help do some of your articles.- Baseball obviously makes this a different arguement compared to most sports which are timed. Teams cannot come back from 35-3 with 5 min left in football. We have fans that are very loyal, especially considering that almost everyone hates us, so it's pretty much just Phillies fans filling up the stands. In a perfect world everyone could stay until the very end, but I never complain if some people leave a little early, it usually makes it easier for me when I leave after the game..— furio
- As someone who goes to lots of games and watches virtually every game every year, let me say this. When people leave and for whatever reason they do is their business. I have a 100 mile drive home...if I leave and listen to the end of the game on the radio, it makes my drive more enjoyable plus I can catch most of the game live. People live busy lives and do what they need to do to manage them. This subject is all nonsense and has nothing to do with loyalty. On the other issue, a coach allowing a pitcher to throw 189 pitches is highly irresponsible.— TheLon
- Hopefully someone from that high school's Board of Ed will read about this and contact the District Supt to discuss the behaviour of the Caoch. ANY college coach will tell you that a high school kid cannot and NEVER should attempt to trow over 100 pitches on a regular basis. 189 is criminal !! Sam, you need to make some calls and get involved in this abuse situation.— mick314
- I agree with Varsho in that we baby our pitchers today, BUT 189 pitches from a high school kid who has hopefully NEVER thrown anywhere near that number before is insane and criminally negligent of his coach. The kid may have caused himself some long-lasting damage by trying to be a super-stud.Coach should be suspended and parents should go after school for any related medical expenses.— DONDEN31
- When I was in HS, we didn't even count pitches. The coach took the pitcher out if he was stinking up the joint or if he was tired. I understand people want to protect the kids, but this is ridiculous. The only reason why anyone is aware of how many pitches as HS kid threw is because its become such a big issue in the big leagues. 15 years ago, nobody would have known the difference, and the kid would be praised for gutting out a performance.— Gary Varsho
- Comment removed.
Reach Sam at donnels@phillynews.com.
