Phillies-Blue Jays series relocated from Toronto to Philadelphia: UPDATE - CONFIRMED

by WholeCamels on May 11, 2010 12:39 PM EDT

UPDATE: Confirmed. See MLB press release.

David Murphy reports that the June 25-27 Interleague series between the Phillies and Blue Jays will be relocated from Toronto to Philadelphia due to security issues associated with the G-20 Summit, being held in Toronto at the same time.

If you're a scholarly man-of-the-world such as myself, you know that these huge mondo economic summits attract all manner of protesters, some more peaceful than others. Motives of the protesters aside, the possibility of violence and the associated security risks involved were apparently too much for MLB and the local authorities to worry about.

Unless there's going to be some fancy and borderline miraculous schedule juggling, this presents a number of interesting issues. First, basic fairness: Is it "fair" for the Phillies to get 84 home games in a season? Even if they play as the away team, with AL rules, the home-field advantage is still mostly present. Second, how do you split the revenue?

Basically, it's a raw deal for Blue Jays fans, and it's more or less inexcusable that MLB/Blue Jays/Phillies didn't address this situation when they first learned of it in the spring (or before)

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Beyond all the obvious issues pointed out

Many of us Blue Jays fans are just ticked off we won’t get to the chance to see Halladay.

by Oldfinfan on May 11, 2010 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

I can understand that. If the Phillies traded away Mike Schmidt in the early 80’s and he didn’t play in Philly again the rest of his career, I could understand the issue that would bring up.

by Cormican on May 11, 2010 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

as of right now, Halladay isn’t scheduled to pitch…so it might not matter.

Can't think of something catchy to say here...I suck.

by EREX21 on May 11, 2010 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions

1. No, clearly
2. I would guess the Phillies will take out however much they need to cover their expenses, then they’ll divide the rest however the Blue Jays would have divided it

by taco pal on May 11, 2010 1:19 PM EDT reply actions

Oh also, Bud sucks. He seems to be incapable of (1) foresight, (2) creativity, (3) good decisions.

by taco pal on May 11, 2010 1:20 PM EDT reply actions

I agree with both of your assessments taco. However, it is kind of awesome that we get to play with a DH at our home field; even if we aren’t the “home team.”

"I tried to run him over but Eli had his big boy pads on and he kind of stopped me from getting in the end zone. The next time I’ll try to jump over his head.’’ - Asante Samuel

by foos05 on May 11, 2010 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

So would this be the first time this happens in a regular season game?

by j reed on May 11, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

got too agree a dh for us at home is murder.

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 May 11, 2010 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Perhaps the All Star can determine whether Toronto gets the home team share of revenue.

by Cormican on May 11, 2010 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Will security be provided by Mounties with Tasers?

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

Does Celine Dion have to sing the national anthem?

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Will Molson be the only beer available that night?

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

If Toronto controls the Jumbotron, will Joe Carter HR be shown on loop? I’m done I think…

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Does Gagne throw out the first pitch?

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Or Joe Carter?

by Wet Luzinski on May 12, 2010 2:13 AM EDT up reply actions

can we tase her? pretty please

by j reed on May 11, 2010 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

No. Avril Lavigne.

Can't think of something catchy to say here...I suck.

by EREX21 on May 11, 2010 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions

So when do you think tickets will go on sale, website says information should be available shortly.

by Tron79 on May 11, 2010 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

I just got an e-mail saying that individual tickets will be on sale in 10-14 days

by Tron79 on May 11, 2010 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

1) No
2) Phillies play 78 “home games” games next year!

Matt Graham is an anagram for .... why don't you ask the scrabble expert!

by say hey nation on May 11, 2010 1:49 PM EDT reply actions

Just thinking on it a bit, what they ought to do is take someone else we play at home, move our series with them to their stadium, and move their series with Toronto to Toronto. Unfortunately, I don’t see a really good series for that. Maybe the best one would be Arizona – move their series this weekend to Toronto, move our July series to Arizona.

Honor is no substitute for victory.

by The Dark on May 11, 2010 1:53 PM EDT reply actions

move their series this weekend to Toronto

That’s waaay too short of notice to pull off. If Bud did this 2 months ago in ST, that would have been a perfect solution.

by Cormican on May 11, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I kind of felt that might be the case, but it was the only series I could find where:
1. We play them in CBP
2. They play the Jays at their field
3. All three series (Philly-Toronto, Philly-Team X, Team X-Toronto) are three games

Honor is no substitute for victory.

by The Dark on May 11, 2010 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Is it “fair” for the Phillies to get 84 home games in a season?

Let’s see
the ‘08 WS monsoon debacle
insulting the champions and their fans by scheleduling day games for the ’09 NLDS because folk here in Philly
can just walk out on their jobs and cut class. Not to mention how season ticket holders who could not make it were
screwed over.
playing in the ’09 NLDS in below freezing temp. I mean wouldn’t the day games in CO made a little more sense.

The extra home games this year is a step towards making amends for this crap as far as i’m concerned.

by j reed on May 11, 2010 1:53 PM EDT reply actions

According to Baseball-Reference.com, 2010 attendance in Toronto is down over 100,000 compared to the 1st 17 games of the season in 2009.

So in reality, with exception of the Halladay game and possibly the extra draw of seeing the Phillies play, it’s more than likely a benefit for the Blue Jays in regards to saving money on operations costs. They’ll earn the money via the revenue sharing anyways.

OR – Just give them 3 extra home games next year to make up for it.

by Get A Grip on May 11, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

but you HAVE to show the dodgers and the yankees in prime time. you HAVE to.

by Bilzo on May 11, 2010 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Makes up for 1968....

When the roof of the Spectrum blew off in 1968, the Flyers played their “home games” at Maple Leaf Gardens. Seems fair enough to me.

by Grossy on May 11, 2010 2:29 PM EDT reply actions

• Third Party – Fans holding tickets purchased through a third party ticket seller (i.e. StubHub, TicketNow, etc…) must contact the organization they purchased the tickets from and will not be issued a refund from the Toronto Blue Jays.

Heh—-have fun with that.

by Bilzo on May 11, 2010 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

that’s pretty standard. If events are canceled, StubHub gives the refund. The original owner of the tickets got them from the Jays, so they will also get their refund.

by pjnc2003 on May 11, 2010 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions

the MLB

should be required to fly season ticket holders (all twelve of them) from Toronto to Philadelphia for these games, giving them dibs right now on the best tickets still available. BAM BUD SELIG YOU SUCK

by packimop on May 11, 2010 3:29 PM EDT reply actions

Make sure all Blue Jay fans that have tickets to the three games get first dibs and leave the rest to us and I would be satisfied with that decision.

by SmilingJPhilsPhan on May 11, 2010 4:33 PM EDT reply actions

Why not this:

1) TOR comes to PHI and plays as the away team
2) PHI goes to MIN for 2 of the three game series
3) PHI goes to CLE for 1 of the three game series
4) MIN goes to TOR for 2 of the three game series
5) CLE goes to TOR for 1 of the three game series

All teams play as the home team in their park.

by CountryRoads_to_a_WFC on May 11, 2010 5:02 PM EDT reply actions

The money/time/effort/fatigue involved in the extra travel in this scenario is to the detriment of every team involved.

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

obviously its not perfect. perfect would have been playing in TOR as the schedule has laid out. But it is better than what Selig came up with. At least this would have been viable had Selig reacted right away when the G20 was announced in DECEMBER.

by CountryRoads_to_a_WFC on May 11, 2010 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

If your gonna move other series, how bout this.

Move PHI-TOR to 6/28-6/30.
Move CIN-CLE to 6/28-6/30

PHI plays CIN 6/28-6/30 – move that to 6/25 to 6/27
TOR plays CLE 6/28-6/30 – move that to 6/25-6/27

Everything is solved.

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Earlier this year when it was spotted

someone mentioned that scenario. I guess Cin and Cle said no.

by SmilingJPhilsPhan on May 11, 2010 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions

well I guess this answers the question of how to increase revenue brought up in the “how to keep Werth” segment.

by Clyde Simmons on May 11, 2010 5:27 PM EDT reply actions

Yep, and a perfect opportunity for the Phils to offer the bearded Werth bobblehead as a fundraiser/promo.

by Wet Luzinski on May 12, 2010 2:12 AM EDT up reply actions

by CountryRoads_to_a_WFC on May 11, 2010 5:28 PM EDT reply actions

the Astros

does anyone recall:

Weren’t the Astros kicked out of Houston a few years ago and forced to play something like 30 straight road games? this is not entirely without precedent, and it’s not likely to impact the Blue Jays’ postseason aspirations. I can understand some National League teams grousing if the Phillies win a playoff birth or home field advantage by 1 game. And that’s assuming they win the series; we all know that June is slump season for the Phillies.

by Philibuster on May 11, 2010 6:18 PM EDT reply actions

I vaguely remember that. It was a long while ago. I think part of the Astrodome roof collapsed or something.

by taco pal on May 11, 2010 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the Republican National Convention was in Houston in 1992 at the Astrodome, and necessitated a 20 day or so road trip. Of course, the difference being that they knew about it in advance, and made the schedule accordingly, and they had 81/81 home and away.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on May 11, 2010 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh wait, you’re right. I mixed up the Astrodome thing with Olympic Stadium. Wiki:

On September 8 of (1991), support beams snapped and caused a 55-long-ton (62 ST; 56 t) concrete slab to fall on to an exterior walkway. No one was injured, but the Expos had to move their final 13 home games of that season to the opponents’ cities. For the 1992 season, it was decided to keep the roof closed at all times. The Kevlar roof was removed in May 1998, making the stadium open-air for the 1998 season. Later in 1998, a $26 million opaque blue roof was installed which does not open.

by taco pal on May 11, 2010 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I have to admit, this is kinda far out man.

Bud Selig is a moron though. Real rap.

by FuquaManuel on May 11, 2010 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

So tickets should be like what?….. 7canadian dollars each?

by DannyO on May 11, 2010 7:20 PM EDT reply actions

Does the phanatic have to dress up as a bird?

by quakerfan on May 11, 2010 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

do we have to wear grey unis?

by Wet Luzinski on May 12, 2010 2:13 AM EDT up reply actions

lets just forfeit those 3 games in exchange for an auto-win in the all-star game so that we finally get home field for the world series. The rest of the National League needs us to spot them 3 games anyway.

by uspsuperman on May 11, 2010 10:27 PM EDT reply actions