PHILS PHACTS:
The Beginning Of The Lidge Legend – On
this date [yesterday] eight years ago, the Astros sent Brad Lidge to
Philadelphia as part of a five-player deal. Lidge was two years removed from
his last All-Star appearance and coming off a 2007 season during which he
converted 19 of 27 save opportunities and sported a 3.36 ERA -- not a bad
season by any means, but nothing historic. His first
season as a Phillie, though, can only be
described as "tearing it up." Lidge was literally perfect, going 41-for-41 in saves (the first
Phillie ever to do so), while averaging 11.94 strikeouts per nine innings. He
was an All-Star and finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting that year, but
Phillies fans probably remember his seven saves in the postseason more than
anything he did in the regular season -- including Lidge's World Series Game 5
save that clinched Philly's first championship in 28 years. Your browser does
not support iframes.
Did the Phillies win the World Series because
they traded for Brad Lidge? It's impossible to prove otherwise. Fun
fact: Joining Lidge in that deal was Eric Bruntlett, who turned the
14th unassisted triple play in MLB history as a
Phillie in 2009.
Phillies Host Sleepover – On
Friday night, Citizens Bank Park turned into a wonderland for a special group
of Philadelphia-area children, who were able to turn from hospital patients
into Major Leaguers for the Sleepover in the Phillies Clubhouse. The children,
all being treated for serious illnesses, had the rigors of that routine wiped
off their faces by wide smiles as they filed into the clubhouse in the early
evening, accompanied by their parents and lugging sleeping bags and duffel bags
of baseball equipment. Participants ranged in age from 3-year-old Noah Sierra,
a patient at Temple University Hospital, to 16-year-old Riley Hunter,
undergoing treatment at Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Others
came from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Christopher's Hospital
for Children. Each youngster was assigned a balloons-bedecked locker; one reedy
teen broke into a grin as he entered the room and, with glee, immediately
pointed to the nameplate "Marcus Quattlebaum" above a locker. As the
kids began to settle in, new Phillies general manager Matt Klentak welcomed
them with a video message to inform them that they would each sign an official
players contract to become Phillies for a day as "my first official
signings." Bending over the contracts placed in their lockers, the kids
affixed their signatures, then made a beeline for the indoor batting cage,
where they took turns taking cuts off tees with the help of a quartet of
Phillies ballgirls. After slicing line drives, the kids took slices of pizza,
as well as french fries and chicken fingers, from a buffet in the middle of the
clubhouse. The Phillie Phanatic crashed the feast, adding selfies to the menu.
The meal was followed by movies with the usual accompaniments -- ice cream and
popcorn. A scavenger hunt, chaperoned by Phillies staff, ensured that by
midnight the kids would be ready to drop into the sleeping bags laid out in the
footprints of Ryan Howard, Freddy Galvis and company. It wasn't easy, with the
prospect of sleep interrupting this special experience. Usually, dreams only
come in sleep, but these kids were dreaming with their eyes wide open. Eventually,
they drifted off, knowing that the treats would continue in the morning, with
breakfast in the clubhouse followed by a photo session in the Phillies dugout. The
Phillies did not have a successful season in 2015, but it got a whole lot
better on a night-into-morning when they gave a bunch of kids the gifts of
mirth, and of hope for all of their tomorrows.
THE BEGINNING:
The
Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL
East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and
bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in
franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.
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