Philliedelphia

We'll always have the memories, Roy.

The state of the Phillies and Roy Halladay is sad right now. How sad? 

This sad.                        (Be sure to watch with sound)

 

(Video created using Vine, as well as way too much spare time.  Follow Steve on Twitter - @GalloSays)

Here's A Thought: Chase Utley, Left Fielder?

Courtesy MLB.com. (Also, I miss you.)

You've seen the updates over the past couple days. Ryan Howard is about a week away from resuming baseball activities and you could estimate that he'll be back sometime in June. Chase Utley has also been quoted as feeling better right now than at any point last year, as far as his knee pain is concerned.

It's most likely that Utley returns to the lineup before Howard. I agree with most that it would be ideal to play him at first base a couple times a week to ease him back into playing shape. However, what do we do once everyone is back, healthy, and ready to contribute (assuming there are no injuries before then. Not likely)?

Why not put Chase Utley in left field? Hear me out.

Ryan Howard has returned and will be playing every day at first base. That's his spot and will be for the rest of his Phillies career. We've seen what Freddy Galvis is capable of with his glove. Sure, he needs to improve at the plate, but we're strictly talking defense here. One could argue that his glove, along with the overall performance of our starting pitchers, is one of the lone bright spots for this team right now. Let's keep Freddy here and see what he can do with a full Major League season.

That leaves Chase Utley without a position and we currently have a hole in left field. Juan Pierre has overall been a disappointment and John Mayberry has went from "Yayberry" to "Booberry" (Just ask the people of Twitter) quicker than any of us would have liked. Why not try Chase Utley?

Chronic knees issues will follow Chase around for the rest of his career. He has two years remaining on his current contract so why not get the most we can out of those two years? Left field will come with a learning curve for him, however, it is unarguably the easiest of the three outfield positions to play. The everyday wear and tear of a leftfielder is far less than that of a second basemen. With playing second base you risk a base runner sliding into you, pivoting on double play balls and diving for ground balls in the hole or up the middle. We don't need Chase doing any of that if we can avoid it.

This idea hasn't been mentioned by anyone in the Phillies organization, but it's worth thinking about in my opinion. I like this lineup:

Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley LF, Howard 1B, Pence RF, Ruiz C, Polanco 3B, Galvis 2B, Pitcher.

What do you think?

 

BREAKING: Chase Utley Seen Taking Ground Balls Prior To Tonight's Game

Prior to tonight's game in Arizona, Ryan Lawrence of the Delaware County Times tweeted that Chase Utley was taking ground balls in the infield. This is especially encouraging as Chase was doing so without the use of a stool this time!

It's nice to get a semi positive injury update tonight, as we settle in to watch the Phils take on the Diamondbacks around 9:40, with a lineup lacking starting pitcher Cliff Lee (places on DL this weekend) or right fielder Hunter Pence (day to day right now with an arm injury).

We're very close to the Utley situation here at Philliedelphia. We even used one of our secret contacts in Arizona to get the below picture of Utley taking the ground balls tonight. The similarities between the surface at Arizona's ballpark and my apartment rug are pretty incredible.

You can't get this kind of coverage anywhere else.

Philliedelphia Remembers Harry Kalas on the Three Year Anniversary of His Death

Three years ago to this day, Philadelphia lost the greatest voice in the world; Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas. The voice of the Phillies, the voice of our summers. The voice of Veterans Stadium and Citizens Bank Park. The voice of the 2008 World Series Champions. There is no chance that anyone could ever forget Harry calling Brad Lidge's perfect 48 for 48 saves as he struck out Eric Hinske to win the series for the Phillies, making them World (expletive) Champions.

Not only was it the World Series call that made him unforgettable, but of course all of the memorable moments in Phillies history, such as Mike Schmidt's five hundredth homerun, Mitch Williams closing out games in 1993 and the 1993 World Series, Jim Thome’s four hundredth home run , and many more fond memories (and not so fond memories) which led up to the 2008 World Series.

You will never forget where you were when you found out that Harry Kalas had passed away in Washington, D.C. during a Nationals series. From MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly:

"Everyone was heartbroken, and everyone cried. It was without a doubt the saddest day in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies. It was agonizingly painful to watch the Phillies and Nationals share a moment of silence on that day, and just as painful to see Harry's casket being carried onto the field and into the hurse just days later, by Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, and the rest of the Phillies. The Phillies wore an HK patch over their hearts for the remainder of the season, and fans all over the area bought shirts with the patch on it, too. Since that day, Harry's rendition of Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes" has been played at the end of every ball game at Citizen's Bank Park."

His voice will forever be the soundtrack of the Phillies. He was there for it all for 38 years, even when the Fightins fought through tough battles until 2007, when they made it to the postseason for the first time since 1993. More recently, he was there in spirit when the Phillies won the Division Series and Championship Series in 2009, and he was there in spirit when the players came out of the clubhouse (cigars in mouth and champagne in hand) and gave Harry's memorial banner in left field a nice round of high fives, and a few showers of beer and champagne. The fans wanted the Phillies to win it all in 2009 for Harry, but the Yankees had other plans for the Phils. That did not mean that they wouldn't stop fighting for the trophy in 2010 and years to come.

Despite the 2011 season ending sooner than expected, we all know that Harry Kalas was proud of this team. Harry would have loved to see these Phillies winning 102 regular season games. He would have without a doubt loved the starting rotation, the newly acquired right fielder Hunter Pence, and he would have been proud of seeing his Phillies make it to the postseason for the fifth straight year. The 2012 season will be another victorious one, because the Phillies have it all including the greatest voice in their heads to remind them everyday that they should have high hopes. These games will forever more be for you, Harry. Philadelphia loves you, the players love you, and we here at Philliedelphia love you.
Rest in peace.

From Philliedelphia blogger Mike Frohwirth:

It seems like I spent almost my entire life listening to Harry call
Phillies games. As a youngster, I listened to him on WCAU 1210 from my
radio. Later, I was fortunate enough to be able to watch him broadcast
games on cable, MLB.TV, and MLB Extra Innings. He was the voice of my
childhood. He was the constant in my life as a Phillies fan.

I'm still shocked that he is gone. I'm still saddened that I will
never hear him call a Phillies game again. I'm disappointed that he
didn't get to visit the White House with the WFC. I'm frustrated that
we will never be able to celebrate Harry's memorable career with him,
in a massive retirement ceremony at CBP.

But I feel privileged to have been able to hear him on thousands of
Phillies broadcasts. I feel honored to have heard him voice so many
great moments in Phillies history. Mike Schmidt's 500th home run. The
great teams of the 70s. 1983. 1993. I'm glad that he got to enjoy the
1980 and 2008 World Championship seasons. I'm pleased that he was able
to take part in the WFC Parade, and the WFC Ring Ceremony. And I'm
happy that he is reunited with Whitey now.

Thanks for everything, Harry. You are the man.

From Philliedelphia blogger Stephen Gallo:

When I think of Phillies baseball, I think of Harry Kalas.

I was 12 years old when my parents split up, and was moving back to Philadelphia with my mother. I'd be starting high school that September. That summer, I didn’t know anybody. I hadn’t lived in Philly for years, so I had lost contact with everyone I knew when I lived there before (of course, this was before the days of Facebook, Twitter, or even AIM). I had no friends, but I had Phillies baseball and Harry Kalas as their voice to pass the time.

Of course I was young and jobless, so the best part of every day was watching the Phillies and teaching myself how to keep a baseball score book. That was the summer I fell in love with baseball, more specifically the Phillies and their golden voiced announcer, Harry Kalas.

The way Harry told the story of each game was magical. Even back then, when our Phillies were dreadful, he made watching every game an event, and I didn’t want to miss a single one. He had charisma and a love for the game of baseball which I had never heard before. His calls, whether for a first inning homerun or for a game ending double play, always shot chills straight through me. He had a gift. I’ll never forget how I felt when I heard of Harry’s passing. I felt like I had lost a close friend.

Harry’s memory lives on. His famous homerun call, as well as his favorite song “High Hopes” are still staples at the ballpark for every game. He is responsible for so many Phillies fans’ love of the game, including this one.

Thank you, Harry.

"This is to the Philadelphia fan.
To laud your passion as best I can.
Your loyalty is unsurpassed.
Be the Fightins in first or last.
We come to the park each day,
looking forward to another fray.
Because we know you’ll be there,
we know you really care.
You give the opposing pitcher fits
because as one loyalist shouts, everybody hits.
To be sure in Philly, there might be some boos.
Because you passionate fans, like the manager, hate to lose.
Your reaction to the action on the field that you impart,
spurs as broadcasters to call the game with enthusiasm and heart.
We feel your passion through and through.
Philadelphia fans, I love you."

From Philliedelphia blogger Frank Klose:

 

I was seven years old when I became a baseball fan, thanks to the lure of baseball cards and playing catch with the two boys next door. I still distinctly remember the first Harry Kalas call that resonated with me:

"Long drive, left-center field! Home run, Chris James!"

That call has stuck in my head since. Looking it up, that game was July 17, 1988. I am not sure I would even remember Chris James for any other reason than his being the first home run call I ever heard from Harry Kalas.

I was fortunate enough to meet Harry in September 2007 at RFK Stadium. Apparently, the press box food was as lousy as the stadium itself, and all the broadcasters came out to eat something in one concession area available to fans. As Sarge ventured over to Cluck-U Chicken, Harry stepped towards the balcony area overlooking D.C. to have a cigarette, and I followed, getting the chance to shake his hand and pose for a picture.

On Easter Sunday, 2009, as my mother-in-law gave us our Easter baskets, she asked me about Harry Kalas.

"I don't think he looks too good," I told her.

The next day I stepped onto the treadmill to attempt to burn off the previous day's Cadbury Creme Eggs and put my television on, and my fears were realized: Harry was gone.

We all lost a loving grandfather that day: one who kept us happy and optimistic when things were not going so well; who experienced the good and the bad alongside us through our life's journey. But we could not help but smile, for we knew he finally got to call a World Series victory just months before. Mission accomplished.

From Philliedelphia photographer and blogger Lindsey Crew:

My whole life has been centered on baseball. I can't remember a single time when it wasn't there. I consider myself quite lucky to be born into a family passionate about this game. As a toddler my mom would turn on the Phillies broadcast on the radio for me to fall asleep to. It got to the point that I couldn't sleep well without it.

I fell asleep to Harry and company every single summer night. Once I began competitively playing softball I started to take in the meaning of what Harry said. He knew so much about the game and really taught me to respect it. Harry loved baseball, he loved the Phillies and he loved us. My passion grew from listening to his stories, his enthusiasm in calling the games and from taking his words to heart. I always like to say that my father taught me how to play the game but Harry Kalas taught me how to love it.

The day Harry died I didn't know what to do with myself. I tried imaging Phillies baseball without his voice and it just seemed too foreign of a concept for me to grasp. Three years later and I still can't think of Harry without tearing up. I miss him every single day. When I have kids I'll be telling them about this era of Phillies baseball with a huge emphasis on Harry and what he meant to the fans and the entire organization.

 Harry, I hope you and Whitey are causing a ruckus up there in heaven and watching over this team. We love and miss you so very much.

From Philliedelphia blogger Erik Seybold:

Growing up as a kid with parents who lived during the 70's-90's, some of the best years of Phillies' baseball, you can say it gave me advantages in life. I grew up surrounded by the same people who got smashed after the Phillies won the World Series. The same people who rooted for Lefty, Bull, The Dude, Dutch, Von Hayes, Steve Jeltz, Mike Schmidt, Kruker, Mickey Morandini, and more Phillies that played in that era. What kid in this area, during that time period, didn't grow up listening to Harry Kalas on the TV and the radio? I guess you can say it was a given that I, a young kid, was able to hear the voice of Harry Kalas calling the strike outs, home runs, wins and losses in the late 90's and early 2000's. Harry Kalas was not just a voice to me, he was also a comforting figure when my team was down and had no efforts of emerging victorious.

Before the Phillies started winning again in 2007-present, I would watch and listen to every game I could just to hear how the Phillies were doing. Whether they were down 10-0 in the 9th inning, or if they were squeezing by the opponent 2-1 in the 9th inning, Harry Kalas would let me know.

When Harry Kalas died three years, ago I didn't know what to feel. At first I felt like it was just a gaffe on the media's part. Harry Kalas dead? No way, he just called Matt Stairs' home run and called the Phillies last game in Colorado, how can he be dead? He seemed perfectly fine. After the shock hit me, I didn't cry, I didn't mourn, I didn't know what to do.

I've never really experienced death in my life, my Grandparents are alive and the only ones who have passed did so when I was an infant. Harry's passing wasn't like hearing it in the news, it was like seeing it in real life. I shed a tear or two the same day when the Phillies played the Nationals and Shane Victorino pointed to the sky, to Harry. But nothing hit me harder than his funeral a couple days later. That was the worst thing I've ever seen on TV. My parents were sulking in the living room and seeing each Phillie touch that casket and tears streaming down their faces, provoked tears in my eyes. I cried like a baby.

Harry Kalas was the voice of the Phillies, the voice of the fans, and the voice of the community. Harry Kalas affected each and every one of us in some sort of way. In my case, Harry spread the love and passion of baseball through the TV and radio signals straight to me. I love the game of baseball more than anything in the world, I'll die before I switch teams and I'm proud to be a fan, a fan that loved Harry Kalas, a fan that was loved back. 

We love you, Harry. RIP.

From Philliedelphia photographer and blogger Steve Trapani:

For someone who didn't grow up in Philadelphia or the area, I didn't have the opportunity to grow up hearing Harry Kalas' voice. I didn't have the joy of hearing his great "Outta Here" home run calls or his raspy voice say the words "Michael Jack Schmidt". However, I did know who Harry Kalas was, How could I not. He was a Sports icon not just in Philadelphia but across the country. By the time I was 15 and starting paying more attention to the Phillies and baseball in general, I would soon learn more and more about the man behind the mic, and just how beloved he truly was by the city of Philadelphia.

I think back to the first Phillies game I attended in Philadelphia. It was opening day 2002, I was already 23 years old and having lived in a city without baseball or a baseball voice all my life (Washington DC) I knew i was venturing into something special. Being at the Vet on that Sunny April day was like a dream come true. Seeing Harry Kalas on the field before the game and hearing the crowd react to his every word was heart pounding, That is when I first realized just how special this man was to the Phillies and the City.

April 13th 2009 season was just getting underway when the Phillies came to Washington for their home opener. I got to the stadium that day at about noon for the afternoon game. I was in the outfield seats watching BP when I heard someone say "Harry Kalas just died" I stopped paying attention to the Phillies pitchers on the field shagging fly balls and turned to the man in shock and said "what"? He repeated himself "Harry Kalas is dead".

I could not believe my ears. I then grabbed my cell phone and checked online to see the news was in fact true. He had been in the Visitors broadcast booth at Nationals Park, just an hour before. As word spread around the stadium you could see the Phillies fans in attendance with a shock and sad look on their face. I wondered if they would play the game, I wondered if the team knew, I wondered how the team would react to the lose of their voice?

Well the game went on, In the pre-game ceremony's the Nationals paid tribute to Harry with a moment of silence. Very touching since it was so recent and ever so fresh in the minds of everyone in the stadium. People made signs on the back of pizza boxes that they just bought at the park. "RIP Harry" read most of them. At the end of the day the Phillies would go on to win that game and I know beyond doubt they did it for Harry.

From Philliedelphia blogger Christina Angelos:

It's hard to believe, but, three years ago, Philadelphia sports fans lost our "Voice."

I got to meet Harry Kalas once in 2005, only 16 years old. When I was leaving the ballpark one day, I had my opportunity to say hello and talk baseball while he was walking to his car. I was starstruck a little. It was probably the most random time I ever met a person who is related to baseball, even if it was 5 minutes. I think I got to know him and how much he really loved the city of Philadelphia. We got to talk about who won the game, who scored the runs... never a dull moment of being able to talk about baseball. Before he stepped into his car, he told me "always remember baseball is more of a mystery."

And that same teenager who is now 23 years old, can still admit that she gets as choked up now thinking about that moment as she did when it first happened.

For all of the deserving and astounding accomplishments Harry Kalas received during his time as an announcer, his greatest feat is that of a human being that so loved his city, the fans, and his team.

And when the impossible happened, when a World Series title run erupted in front of his eyes, his town couldn't be totally sure this mind-warping event had actually happened until the great Harry Kalas' golden voice exploded with the words: "The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 world champions of baseball."

Cheers Harry. We will never forget you and thank you for being such an incredible part of our lives.

From Philliedelphia blogger Kevin Durso:

He was the voice on my TV that rose with excitement every time the Phillies hit a home run. The greater the stakes, the greater the excitement. “Outta here!” was just as much a part of Philadelphia as it was the Phillies broadcasts.

 

For me, an aspiring sport writer, Harry Kalas was a hero and a role model. I never heard someone call a game with such grace and majesty in his voice. I never heard someone sound so devoted to the team he was calling. I learned early on from watching games that Harry was calling that there was only one way to watch Phillies baseball. It had to involve Harry and it had to be with the same passion he brought to each broadcast.

 

In the early Phillies seasons of my life, that was easier said than done. The Phillies weren’t a playoff team then, so while Harry went game by game treating every one as if the Phillies were on their way to winning the pennant, fans knew what the standings said.

That’s what makes his final two seasons of calling baseball so special. Harry’s voice was the first thing I heard the moment the Phillies won the World Series in 2008. I didn’t watch the final out live. I lived it in my backyard with Harry’s voice bellowing with euphoria over the radio. There was simply nothing better. Two days later, at the parade, I saw Harry host the new World Champions in their celebration. When Harry ever said anything about the fans, like he did on this day, it hit you personally. You and everyone around you felt personally touched by his words, like a little part of that was meant especially for you.

 

That’s what I always loved about Harry. And to me, Harry is now part of the baseball experience at Citizens Bank Park every game. When you look at that statue, you almost want to offer Harry a greeting, as if he was still here. On every home run, at least one fan is screaming that “that ball’s outta here!” At the end of every game, some fans just can’t leave the ballpark until they sing “High Hopes.”

 

Three years ago, when Harry passed so unexpectedly, it was a personal loss. I’ll be honest, I had not watched the Phillies with the same devotion I do now for my entire life. Several summers came and went without me ever really knowing what was going on in the world of the Phillies. But I always knew who Harry Kalas was. I always wanted to be like him in some way and I still do. I want to find that love for a team through my own work.

 

Now that I’m in college chasing that dream, I do slightly understand it. Part of the reason I love it so much is because of Harry Kalas and his lessons on loving what you do.

 

I still think of Harry every game. I await the start of every game with the hopes of saying “outta here!” as many times as possible and ending the night with a rousing rendition of “High Hopes.” That’s simply what Harry did and what Harry still does, even three years since his untimely death. He keeps making baseball great for people in Philadelphia and his legend grows with every game.

 

We leave you with Harry's rendition of "High Hopes," and one of my favorite quotes from him.

“In between the exuberance of youth and the serenity of the Golden Years lies a lifetime of memories. For a baseball fan, a million images here mark the passage of time. Whether it’s witnessing part of the game’s history, or simply making contact with a favorite player, the image is indelible. Who can forget that first look at a big league ballpark? The colors, the sounds, the smells. These are as lasting as the day they first happened. We choose our favorite players by the most subjective means: we like his stance in the batter’s box, or the way he wears his cap. His smile. Or maybe we just like his name.”

Stephen Gallo's 2012 MLB Predictions

The 2012 team should be another year of exciting baseball. A lot of teams got better, which should help even the playing field and challenge the usual favorites like the Phillies, Yankees and Red Sox. Before you read the predictions below, I'll say that I am pretty cautious with my hopes for the Phillies this year. Like many others, I think injury and age may have caught up to them and this current team's window may still be open, but by the slimmest of margins. The NL East race should be a good one. On with the picks!

American League

AL East winner - Yankees

AL Central winner - Tigers

AL West winner - LA Angels

AL Wild Card Teams (2) - Red Sox, Rangers

 

AL MVP - Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox

AL Cy Young - Justin Verlander, Tigers

AL Rookie of the Year - Yu Darvish, Rangers

AL Manager of the Year - Jim Leyland, Tigers

The American League is much stronger than the National League. A lot stronger. You could make the argument that the AL has four or even five teams stronger than any NL team from top to bottom. I like the Tigers over the Rangers in the AL Championship, breaking the hearts of Rangers fans everywhere once again.

 

National League

NL East winner - Phillies

NL Central winner - Cardinals

NL West winner - Diamondbacks

NL Wild Card Teams (2) - Marlins, SF Giants

 

NL MVP - Jose Reyes, Marlins

NL Cy Young - Cliff Lee, Phillies

NL Rookie of the Year - Freddy Galvis, Phillies (reaching)

NL Manager of the Year - Kirk Gibson, Diamondbacks

Up until a few minutes before this post was submitted, I was ready to pick the Phillies to settle for a Wild Card spot. But the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't see any other team in this division winning more than the 92-93 wins I think the Phils will get this year. I like the up and coming Marlins and Nationals, but think they're both a year away from making any major noise. I like the Diamondbacks a lot and think they have great, young talent. It was incredibly difficult to pick a team to represent the NL in the World Series.

World Series matchup - Tigers vs. Diamondbacks

World Series champion and # of games - Tigers in 5 games

 

Phillies predictions

Total number of Phillies wins - 93

What date does Ryan Howard return to the Phillies lineup (if at all) - June 15 in Toronto as DH

What date does Chase Utley return to the Phillies lineup (if at all) - June 4 vs. Dodgers

Which Phillies ace has most wins and how many - Cliff Lee, 20

To follow up "Good game, let's go eat," what will be Hunter Pence's next catchphrase? - "Great win, boys! Now lets go and....SQUIRREL!" *runs off camera*

 

The Phillies Are The Cast of The Walking Dead

Posted by Stephen Gallo

This past Sunday’s season finale of The Walking Dead was tremendous. It had plenty of zombie action, answered a lot of questions and set up what should be an exciting third season. After my second viewing, I noticed some similarities that some of the characters have with our Phils.

Roy Halladay is Rick. Our fearless leader. Like Rick, Roy isn’t the loudest character, but he gives you confidence just by his terrifying stare. The AMC cameras have never showed this, but I’m sure Rick wakes up before the sun every day to run steps, just like Doc.

Kyle Kendrick is Lori.  No one likes her. She hangs around Rick (Roy) way too much and every time she opens her mouth, you just get angry. They are exactly the same. Actually, I’m pretty sure Kyle and Lori are the same person.

Shane Victorino is Carl.

 

You can never find Carl. He’s constantly disappearing, especially at night and he doesn’t pay attention to what his parents tell him. He may have ADD. Shane goes wandering off the basepaths and often makes bonehead plays. He also has ADD. 

Vance Worley is Shane. They both have the look of a damn lunatic. However, they both mean well. Worley just wants to go out and protect the lead for his team. Shane wants to protect his stolen family from walkers and Rick.

Cole Hamels is Glenn. 

Glenn was one of the first main characters we ever met on the show, like Cole on this current team. Like Glenn, Cole is not very manly. Cole’s wife is attractive and was on Survivor, so she probably didn’t have many clean, good looking dudes to choose from. So, Cole was a no brainer for her once she got off the island. Glenn has a cute girlfriend named Maggie who settled on him since she's stuck in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.

Jonathan Papelbon is Maggie. Maggie is liked by pretty much everyone who watches the show, for now. She’s the hot new chick. Unlike most of the other characters, Maggie hasn’t done anything to piss us off. Same for Jonathan. Yet.

Chase Utley is Andrea. 

Andrea was left behind and the group was forced to go on without her. Will we ever see Andrea again? Probably. Do we know when? No. Will she be as strong of a character as she once was? We don’t know. See the similarities?

Hunter Pence is Beth. Who? Beth is Hershel's youngest daughter and is the sweet and innocent one of the group. We don’t know too much about her story. We don’t know much about Hunter other than he likes to eat. Season three will be our first full season with Beth, and 2012 will be our first full season with Hunter. 

Cliff Lee is Daryl.  Redneck and certified badass. He’s the new #2 to Rick now that Shane is out of the picture. He wields a crossbow and does it well.

Charlie Manuel is Hershel. Old? Check. Southern accent? Check. Replace Hershel’s shotgun with one of them there baseball bats and you’ll think Charlie stepped into your TV.

Carlos Ruiz is T-Dog.

Like T-Dog, Chooch doesn’t say much. However, sometimes he comes out of nowhere and says something profound (“My nicknang es Chooch”). He’s reliable and loyal to Rick, just like Chooch is to Roy.

Joe Blanton is Dale. 

Even when he was around, you knew he wouldn’t be around long. Same goes for Joe. Whether it’s by injury, trade, or freak zombie accident where his guts are torn right out via his belly button, Joe probably won’t be around much longer.

Dom Brown is every zombie. Like the zombies, Dom keeps coming back for more even though he’s obviously not wanted.  The speed and power of the zombies have been talked up for a while, but once you get one in front of you, they’re easily put down. Same goes for Dom. People are usually seen fleeing from both.

Ryan Howard is Otis. …..

 

Phillies Slugger Ryan Howard Has Joined Twitter

Posted By: Stephen Gallo

It's a slow Phillies news day, but this is worth noting. Ryan Howard, fresh off his torn achilles and all has joined the world of Twitter. You can follow him @RyanHoward6  (whether you like that nerdy hat he's wearing in his pic or not).

For all those non-believers, Jimmy Rollins confirmed it's real:

Todd Zolecki even confirmed it:

The current Phillies players, Jimmy Rollins, Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and Vance Worley to name a few are very talkative towards fans and love to interact with the Phillies faithful on pretty much a daily basis. It's nice to add our rehabbing slugger to that list.

That leads me to the question; what Philllies player would you most like to see join Twitter? It'd be great to interact with Doc or Cliff, or talk strategy with Utley. How about the lovable Chooch?

***Update 7:00pm: Howard has dropped the 6 from his handle. His new Twitter handle is simply @RyanHoward .***

 

 

Happy Pitchers and Catchers Day!

Posted by Stephen Gallo

courtesy @magelb via Twitter and philly.com

The day we've all been waiting for is here. Well, at least the day we've been waiting for before the real day we've been waiting for which is Opening Day. Today, Pitchers and Catchers, as well as select devoted position players, report to beautiful Clearwater, Florida for the beginning of Spring Training.

Above is Roy Halladay, leaving Brighthouse Networks Field in one of the muscle cars he's worked on after an early morning workout. Is everything about him awesome? (Spoiler: yes)

Sure, the games and practice down in the Sunshine State may not mean anything in the standings, but to baseball fans everywhere this means spring is almost here, followed by a long, exciting baseball season where we have a Phillies game to look forward to almost every night. 

Step one is here.

 

 

Loud And Clear: Phillies Games To Be Heard On The FM Dial

By: Stephen Gallo

courtesy mlblogs.com

Today on Sports Radio 94.1 WIP, it was announced that  an agreement has been reached with the Phillies to air all preseason, regular season, and post season games on the FM dial. The deal is a multi-year agreement and financial terms of the agreement were not shared.

The games will also continue to air on 1210 AM as well. However, this news is great for fans who have been hoping to hear more of Scott Franke and Larry Andersen. The duo has quickly become a favorite to fans in the area and barring any delays in the broadcast betwen the radio and television feeds, it's looking likely that you'll be given the freedom to choose which on air announcing team you want to hear.

Howard Eskin first announced the news in November, but the announcement is finally official and public.

Mad Dog Out: Phillies Sign Veteran Closer Jonathan Papelbon

By: Stephen Gallo ( @GalloSays )

 
via speculativesports.com

According to multiple sources, the Phillies have agreed to a contract with former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. The details are said to be for four guaranteed years and worth $50 million. There is apparently also a fifth year vesting option as well.

Long time fans will be sad that this marks the end of the Ryan Madson era, as we watched him rise through the Phillies minor league system and become an elite closer in 2011. When it all came down to resigning him, however, the two sides could not meet. It isn't hard to see why, as Madson's agent is the always pleasant Scott Boras.

I think signing Papelbon is a good move for the Phils. Although I would have favored keeping Madson around, the Phillies now have one of the elite, reliable closers in the game who can shut the door on Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Cliff Lee victories.

Fans will probably hate the move at first, since we don't exactly get along with the Red Sox. As I pointed out and have noticed others say on Twitter, he has a very annoying and punch-able face. That being said, he's ours now.

Once he hits the field and starts closing games for us, I'm sure fans will become big supporters of Papelbon and his personality. Time will tell whether I'm right or wrong.

Somewhere, Sarah Madson is celebrating.