Thanks for the Ride!

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 12:19 PM EDT

Sitting here today with the World Series tonight, and the Phillies not going for the first time in three years, I got to thinking back to all of the moments that made up this season, some were happy, others not so much, but all in all, a ride that I am glad that I got to take with all of you!

This year as phans, we survived:

The trade of Cliff Lee
Joe Blanton, Brad Lidge, and J.C. Romero starting the season on the disabled list.
Bad Kyle appearing early and often (although the offense did sometimes give him a bail out plan).
Jimmy Rollins straining his calf just prior to the home opener.
Over 100 starts by Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez
J.A. Happ joining the DL bandwagon.
Ryan Madson losing a fight with a metal chair (can I suggest steel toed cleets??)
Tasers
Slumpmas
Being one hit (more than once)
Being shutout swept by the Mets
Being swept by the Braves (while falling from first to third in the Division)
The monster under second base/ the mound/ the plate
Carlos Ruiz going on the DL
Chase Utley and Placido Polanco going on the DL in one fell swoop.
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Offense, offense, where are you?
Over half a season with at least one member of the bullpen on the DL
Getting to know Paul Hoover and Dane Sardinha far better than anyone would want.
Going 2-6 to start the second half
Goodbye Moyer (is it forever?)
Cole Hamels getting no run support
Good-bye Happ :(
Ryan Howard completing the infield sweep of the disabled list.
Being swept by the Astros
Going the entire season without the starting pitching rotation planned for in Spring Training.
152 games without the opening day starting lineup on the field.
Danys Baez
The big bats coming up small far too many times.
Getting shut out waaaaay too many times.
Losing the home finale.
A Juan Uribe sac fly heartbreak loss
A season ending K

But all of this was worth it for all of the wonderful moments the team gave us this year:

Roy Halladay joining the team with a contract that will keep him here for the next three years.
So many Phillies phans at Nationals Park for opening day that it became Citizen's Bank Park South.
Placido Polanco's opening day grand slam.
Sweeping the Astros in Houston (and beating a future teammate in Halladay's first complete game of the year).
Complete game shutouts, particularly one by Jamie Moyer v. the Braves, the oldest pitcher ever to pitch one.
Good Kyle's appearances
A welcome back walk off home run for Jimmy Rollins.
A first major league home run for Dane Sardinha
A nail biter sweep of the Reds that included:
- Welcoming back Ryan Madson with a blown save, followed by Brad Lidge blowing a save.
- Brian Schneider going from goat to hero as he atoned for a run scoring passed ball with a walkoff home run.
- A six run ninth inning featuring multi-run home runs for two Phillies reserves. Ryan Howard (who had told Manuel when they were down by five in the sixth that they could win it if the bullpen held) walked off with a two run home run in the tenth.
- Welcoming back Carlos Ruiz with a perfecto breaking double, followed by scoring the winning run in extras.
- Cole Hamels managing to work his way out of a bases loaded, no out mess without giving up a run.
A one hitter by Hamels and the bullpen leading to a win that turned the season around. Placido Polanco broke up the zero-zero tie with a home run. It was his first in over a month and his last of the year.
1-0 wins (who needs offense- pitching, we gots it!)
Following up losing six of seven with winning eight in a row.
Your 2010 Philadelphia Phillies, now with 100% more Roy.
Welcome Mike Sweeney and thanks for the hugs!
Welcoming back Shane Victorino with a pinch hit walk!
Jonathan Broxton is owned by Carlos Ruiz.
Welcome back Chase!
Welcome back Ryan- our in field is back together!
Roy Oswalt, left fielder- his joyful attitude and willingness to do what it takes to help the team won over fans... and helped to take some of the sting out of a 16 inning loss.
A six win seven game west coast swing that featured
- A Jimmy Rollins matrix slide to beat the Padres in extras.
- A Mike Sweeney homer (Hugs!)
- Cole FINALLY getting a win!
- More Broxton p'ownage.
- A Chase Utley grand slam providing the margin of victory over the Rockies
Phinally back in Phirst as Madson saves the game!
Sweeping the Nationals as Werth walks off!
Sweeping the Braves at home.
The season coming full circle with the Phillies clinching at Washington with Roy Halladay on the mound on a rainy September night and enough Phillies phans in the audience to turn Nationals Park into Citizens Bank Park South.
A two homer night for Ben Francisco.
Celebrating Bobby Cox Day in Atlanta by beating the Braves!
For the first time in Phillies history, the best record in baseball.
Halladay's no hit wonder of a playoff debut- not only would Roy register the second no-hitter in post season history, but he would beat the Reds by himself in hits, runs, and RBIs.
A Cole Hamels complete game shutout gem to give the Phillies their first ever post season sweep.
Oswalt's NLCS slide into the plate.
Halladay's gritty game five performance.

Share your favorite, and least favorite memories from the season here!

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Comments

Add to the list of things we survived:

-The joke genocide of 2010.

-Post-loss histrionics.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Oct 27, 2010 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

Being 48-46, or, as it seemed to some, 3-94,450.

by Phrozen on Oct 27, 2010 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Good one! At times it seemed they were.

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 3:55 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

First they came for the wisecracks, and I did not speak out, for I did not crack wise
Then they came for the one-liners, and I did not speak, for I did not find work in the Catskills
Then they came for the quips, and I again said nothing, for brevity was not the soul of my wit
Then they came for the dick jokers, and by then, there was no one left to speak out for me.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 27, 2010 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs

And you got punched in the dick.

by Phrozen on Oct 27, 2010 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Beautifully executed.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.

by FuquaManuel on Oct 27, 2010 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Good post.

It was a hell of a year, all things considered.

Rec’d.

by Phrozen on Oct 27, 2010 2:42 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks!

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 3:56 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Favorite: Perfect Game. Nothing can beat that.
Least: Greg Gibson ruling that Michael Bourne was safe when he was tagged AND
ran 8 feet towards the dug-out to avoid a tage during that damn Astros series.

Honorable mention:

by Boundforbeach on Oct 27, 2010 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

I think I liked Halladay’s no-no in the playoffs better just for its rarity- although it may be recency (and the fact I watched and listened to it) doing it to me.

I worked the night of Halladay’s perfecto and could only go peek at the scores occasionally. I remember having a feeling early something was cooking down in Florida.

Thanks for reminding me of the gosh awful umps in the Houston series. I went to game 3 of the series and there was extra security on the baselines for much of the game- and the announcement of the starting lineup was broken up by boos when the umps came into site.

As for the honorable mention- at least our field jumpers are harmless.

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 4:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I think I liked Halladay’s no-no in the playoffs better just for its rarity- although it may be recency (and the fact I watched and listened to it) doing it to me.

I worked the night of Halladay’s perfecto and could only go peek at the scores occasionally. I remember having a feeling early something was cooking down in Florida.

As for the honorable mention- at least our field jumpers are harmless!

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 4:07 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Best: The playoff no-no.

Worst: A tie:

1. When Kyle Kendrick pitched 8 shutout innings against Atlanta, but Madson blew a 3 run lead in the ninth and Contreras allowed a walk-off blast to Nate Mclouth. That game sucked out loud.

2. The goose-egg sweep.

by ThinMountainAir on Oct 27, 2010 6:11 PM EDT reply actions

Dang... I almost forgot the KK game.

I was mad at Manuel when he put Madson in that game because Kendrick had been pitching so well… The first appearance of good Kyle ruined by Really Bad Ryan.

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 6:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

one of my favorite moments of the year was Jamie Moyer’s bases-loaded walk against Santana back in May—for me it was even better than Victorino’s grand-slam follow up because the fans so clearly got into his head. (it was even sweeter considering it led to us retaking first place in the division at that point, plus Santana’s pre-season comment about being the best pitcher in the NL East, plus the LOLMets factor)

by AshburnAllie on Oct 27, 2010 6:53 PM EDT reply actions

That was awesome…I completely forgot about that game writing this up (it started as a diversion during a seminar), but now I remember that clear as day- Santana had 2 outs that inning- in fact he had 2 outs three batters into the inning, with Chase Utley on third. Then things fell apart- a pair of singles scored Utley and put two on the bases. Santana unintentionally intentionally walked Carlos Ruiz… Then seemed to forget that once you walk someone to get to the pitcher, you still had to actually throw strikes and get the pitcher out. Listening to the sequence unfold on the radio made my night (although by the end I almost felt guilty for enjoying it).

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 7:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Of course, that led to the whole Binoculargate:
Mets: “There’s no way you could have scored nine runs off the best pitcher in forever unless you cheated.”
Phillies: scoring more runs
Rockies: “Hey, yeah, why does your bullpen coach have binoculars?”
Phillies: scoring more runs
Everyone else: “The Phillies are a big bunch of cheaters. We have irrefutable proof.”
Phillies: "What? We were too busy scoring more runs.’
Selig: “BINOCULARS BAD!!! BREAD GOOD!!! EEEERRRRRGHHHH!!!”

by Phrozen on Oct 27, 2010 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought binocular gate was caused by a Phillies-Rockies game?

by dannijd on Oct 27, 2010 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions

So many good memories, but the one that will stay the longest is the Hex Boy game you alluded to with Chooch’s pwnage of Broxton, where the Phils scored 4 in the 8th and 4 more in the 9th to win 10-9. I leapt with joy when Chooch hit that double. Awesome FanGraphs chart, too.

by essman on Oct 28, 2010 3:19 PM EDT reply actions