Unassisted Phillies Breakfast Links, August 24, 2009: Breaking New York, Savery Pig, Rehab? No No No.

by WholeCamels on Aug 24, 2009 8:22 AM EDT Comment 16 comments

Pedro Martinez? Dominicans still eat him up in New York
He also provides a convenient excuse to jump ship during the Mets' struggles. The Dominican world is used to quality baseball.

UNASSISTED TRIPLE PLAY ENDS LATEST FIASCO
What would a historic play and ending to a game be without a hysterical recap from the NY Post, along with an "our readers are subliterate" diagram of the play itself?

The Bitter Bill - NY Daily News
In this piece, the horrendous author rags on Phillies fans for being down on Brad Lidge, since he had an amazing 2008 season, but simultaneously rips into David Wright for only having nine home runs on the 2009 season. Hypocrisy wins!

Mayberry, Leon lift IronPigs
Joe Savery gives us both reason to believe, and to doubt (as usual): 5 2/3 IP, five hits, two runs.

IronPigs' Savery making progress
I guess.

Unassisted Triple Plays
A list of all of the unassisted triple plays in baseball history. They seem to have clustered in the 1920, and the 2000s. I wonder why that is.

Phillies' Brett Myers' rehab start in Lakewood postponed to today
Hopefully he can do so without falling off the mound and breaking his nose or whatever.

Pedro Martinez? Dominicans still eat him up in New York | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/24/2009
He also provides a convenient excuse to jump ship during the Mets' struggles.

Rock Cats Hold On For Victory Over Phils
Reading Phillies fall 5-4 to Hartford.

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Comments

Apparently being unhappy with a player leading the league in blown saves is “typical Philly behavior.” If that’s so then I don’t ever want to act like a New Yorker.

by yosoysean on Aug 24, 2009 8:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That Bill guy is a complete ass...

…the number of clowns wearing Phillies shirts who couldn’t tell the difference between Jerry Manuel and Charlie Manuel is insane….

Yes, we’re the stupid ones. Yet the NY papers have to a provide a diagram pictorial of the triple play so their idiot readers can understand.

by Boundforbeach on Aug 24, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The sour-grapes argument that seems to be spreading among Mets fans and their media these days is that Phillies fans are all johnnys-come-lately who didn’t care or know anything about the team until three years ago. Sort of like Rays fans in 2008 or Braves fans in 1992. I’ve seen it bandied about multiple times now.

Pretty silly stuff. What probably is true is that the level of fan enthusiasm has risen to the point where fans now have a new willingness to make the 2.5-hour trek up to Queens. But the Phillies always had a good fan base and always drew respectably well even during the lean years.

by taco pal on Aug 24, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Since moving from Shibe Park to Veterans Stadium (back between 1970 and 1971), average attendance has never dropped below 17,222 (in 1972). Since moving to CBP, the lowest has been 33,316. From 1971 through 1973, the Phillies outdrew the Yankees – admittedly, the Yankees were in their old ballfield (the original Yankee Stadium), but it had 25,255 seats. The Phillies outdrew them with three of their worst attendance figures, averaging 18,033 over those three years.

As for the Mets? Their attendance last year was 77% higher than their 2004 attendance, and 189% higher than their 1995 attendance. All of those were in Shea Stadium. The highest attendance at CBP (last year) is only 27% higher than the lowest (2005). If the Mets fans want to see johnny-come-lately, they need to look in the mirror.

"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"

by The Dark on Aug 24, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good stuff. Eagles fans might be much louder, but I’ve always felt that Philadelphia, deep down, is just as much of a baseball town as it is a football town, if not more so. There was a big shift in the late ’80s when Buddy Ryan was hired and WIP really got going. But the roots are still there. In my admittedly hazy memories of my early childhood, the Phillies were always more talked-about than the Eagles.

I had no idea the old Yankee Stadium was so small.

by taco pal on Aug 24, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, I think I misread a statement and only counted the “good” seats. According to ballparks.com, it had a total capacity of 65,010 in the early 70s – which would make our 18,033 being greater than their attendance even more ridiculous. They were only filling one seat out of every four or five!

"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"

by The Dark on Aug 24, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you are right

I live in Tampa now since 2001 and I can tell you they did have a stong fan base. The problem was tampa plays it games 30 miles away from their fan base. When they are losing not many people want to drive in that traffic 30 miles one way. Now that they had a winning season people make the trip all the time. Now I live 70 miles and people go nuts.

I wasn't even a year old but I stayed up to be outside the Vet with my Dad and Mom when the Phillies won the World Series 1980.

by Christopher A on Aug 24, 2009 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Amazing

It’s amazing that Bruntlett made that play, as that oh-so-helpful diagram shows the ball going to where Bruntlett vacated in order to cover second. Somehow, he was running to cover second but still caught the ball that went to where he would normally be playing. What an amazing dude!

by David S. Cohen on Aug 24, 2009 10:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

by David S. Cohen on Aug 24, 2009 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was this really in their paper in NY?

I wasn't even a year old but I stayed up to be outside the Vet with my Dad and Mom when the Phillies won the World Series 1980.

by Christopher A on Aug 24, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Missing Step 4

Bruntlett runs into Mets’ dugout, drags Jerry Manuel out to home plate, and, while pulling Manuel’s pants down, leads rowdy remaining Phillies fans in a mock rendition of Meet the Mets.

by Wet Luzinski on Aug 24, 2009 11:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

New York Post readers

ARE subliterate.

by Michael Z on Aug 24, 2009 10:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That’s the one Murdoch owns right?

Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned

by jemagee on Aug 24, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it sure is

They probably blamed the triple play on evil libburls

by dajafi on Aug 24, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unassisted Comment post.....

to end the sentence.

by Ralford on Aug 24, 2009 2:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hypothesis for the cluster in the 1920s...

That was the end of the dead ball era. 1920 was when they stopped using balls until they unraveled (usually around 100 pitches or so), instead replacing them when they were damaged. Spitballs were banned. Along with the earlier introduction of the cork-center ball by Ben Shibe, these caused more line drives as opposed to flies and grounders, which would improve one of the conditions for the triple play.

The flaw is, I don’t have an explanation for the precipitous decline after that, or the resurgence of the triple play in the “post-steroid era.”

"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"

by The Dark on Aug 25, 2009 3:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs