Thanks to their salvaging of a win in the finale of the Red Sox series and Monday’s off day, the Phillies haven’t lost a game in three days. Let’s see if they can keep that very modest level of momentum going against a team that they haven’t fared well against in recent years.
Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 21-14, Third place in American League East (7.5 games back)
The manager
In 2022, the Blue Jays were struggling at midseason, and fired their manager. They elevated a coach - John Schneider, to be specific - to interim manager, and the team responded with improved play, and made it to the playoffs as a Wild Card. Impressed by the team’s improvement under Schneider, the Jays hired him full-time.
Seems kind of unoriginal if you ask me.
The last time they met
The teams faced off in a pair of two-game series in 2022. The Blue Jays won the first two in Toronto and appeared well on their way to winning the second two as well, before the Phillies pulled off an improbable comeback in the final game.
MATT VIERLING WINS IT WITH A WALK-OFF RBI. pic.twitter.com/127PARrRiA
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 22, 2022
The Phillies won’t have Vierling around to bail them out, but hopefully that win will spark a turnaround in this series. Because when the Phillies play the Jays, not much usually goes their way.
The two teams have played 9 two-game series, and the Phillies have yet to win one (Jays won 5, and 4 were split).
— schmenkman (@tgpschmenk) May 9, 2023
-- The Phils are 4-14 in those 2-game series.
But, it's a new year, that's why they play the games, any given Tuesday, etc. etc.
What’s the deal with the Blue Jays?
Despite a solid record, they’re in just third place in the buzzsaw that is the American League East. The offense is led by Matt Chapman who is currently leading the AL in batting average after a couple of down offensive seasons.
Like father, like son
Vlad Guerrero, Sr. spent most of his career tormenting Phillies pitching. I’ll offer a mild defense of the Phillies, by pointing out that he tormented most pitching staffs. But it’s only a mild defense, because the man had a career OPS of 1.204 against them, with 31 home runs in 91 games.
Ryan Braun, who is 4-for-8 with 2 HR in the @Brewers' two wins in Philadelphia, has always crushed the Phillies.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) June 10, 2018
Highest OPS vs Phillies - Last 100 Years
Vlad Guerrero - 1.204
Ryan Braun - 1.148
Hack Wilson - 1.123
Barry Bonds - 1.111
Rogers Hornsby - 1.072#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/uWvJn6Um2E
His son hasn’t quite reached that lofty standard, but he hasn’t been a slouch either. In 13 games against the Phillies, he has five home runs and a .977 OPS, and is a major reason why the Blue Jays have been so successful against the Phillies. Let’s just be thankful that unlike his father, he likely won’t spend most of his career in the NL East.
Boo this man
George Springer is off to a poor start in 2023. Perhaps he should ask someone to bang a trash can for him.
Even in Buffalo, George Springer is getting heckled:
— 2021 Astros Shame Tour (@AsteriskTour) June 30, 2021
“Hey bring your trash can with you. Cheater! Off speed!” pic.twitter.com/csVs0YGUww
Smarty’s tournament of randomness
The top-seeded “ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah” sound from Down with the Sickness easily took out Daniel Jones, and advanced to the next round.
On to our next matchup:
#7 Folgers’ “Coming Home for Christmas” commercial
If you know, you know.
It feels like they re-shot this so that the girl explicitly establishes herself as the sister at the beginning, although that probably makes it worse.
#10 Fran Dunphy
He’s a Big Five institution, having spent time at Penn, Temple, and now LaSalle. If you want a coach that can lead your team to a first-round exit in the NCAA tournament, Dunphy is your man.
With 3-15 record, Temple's Fran Dunphy not hiding from NCAA Tournament struggles. @RoobCSN: https://t.co/goRdnzym43 pic.twitter.com/8FplB5h5v7
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 18, 2016
Poll
Who should advance: Folgers commercial or Fran Dunphy
This poll is closed
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72%
#7 - Folgers commercial
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27%
#10 - Fran Dunphy
Trivia
Last series’ answer: Chase Utley had a two-home run game at Dodger Stadium on June 29, 2013. Nobody got the right answer.
This series question: Matt Vierling beat the Blue Jays last year thanks to a five-hit game. Before that, who was the last Phillies to record a five-hit game against the Blue Jays?
Non-Phillies thought
Is it too much to ask that Tobias Harris actually shows up and plays well in a second-round playoff series?
Closing thought
The Phillies had struggled for years against the Angels before finally turning the tables and sweeping them last year. Maybe we can get a similar turnaround against the Jays this season?
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