The headlines say all there is to say. I was too young to have heard the Giants announcer say "the Giants win the pennant" when Bobby Thompson hit his famous walk-off home run against Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951. When Thompson hit his "shot heard 'round the world a rookie Willie Mays was the on-deck batter.
There are some comparisons between the 1951 Giants and the 2010 Phillies. Both teams were well behind the first place teams in late August. Both teams played like they were possessed from that point overcoming deficits to win the pennant on the last day - Giants, and the division -Phillies when they chrushed the Braves at the end of the season. The comparisons are the stuff that we baseball fans thrive on.
Both of those teams had momentum going into the post season which would fizzle out once big boy baseball was played in the series and the NLCS. The Giants ran into the New York Yankees with DiMaggio, Rizzuto, and the rest. The Yankees made them go home as losers. The Phillies as we have just seen were dispatched into the night by the Giants who now have the unpleasant task of meeting the exciting Cliff Lee led Texas Rangers.
As you should know by now,I'm not a drinker of kool-aid. This long suffering fan stopped drinking the stuff years ago when I got tired of having my heart broken by our home town heroes. There isn't a team in any sport that haven't taken us to the brink of a parade only to snatch a defeat from the jaws of victory. Some us remember when even the 76ers led by the greatest basketball player in history would take the Celtics to a 7th game only to lose in the end. Or what about the Fly Fly boys. Most of you weren't alive the last time they won the cup. But you were around to see the Lindros and other teams get bitch slapped in the playoffs. Of course we have all seen our big green machine show us a variety of ways to not win a title. (see McNabb throwing up in the huddle) No kool-aid for this guy. I've accepted our Philly fate. Our fate of course is sometimes trumped as it was in '08 when the Phils won it all, or when the 76ers won their two titles, but for most of the time - we lose, even when we should'nt. We, collectively, are passionate and knowledgable fans who accept bitterly having our hearts broken by overpaid, overloved, over pampered, and underhearted athletes. And, most of us will do it again. Most will gladly sip on the kool-aid again when our candy assed, candy strippers make another run. The baseball gods will make sure that there is plenty of the stuff to go around before they show us yet another way to lose.
Some of our more rabid fans went to bed last night thinking that the world was coming to an end. These are the same fans who believed with all their hearts that the Phillies would not lose this thing at home. The baseball gods said - sure you can, we'll show you how. Hey gang - all the kool-aid and rally towels in the world could'nt prevent the Giants from beating the Phillies not once, but twice here in Philly. To these rabid fans I suggest that they look out the window where they will discover that the sun did rise in the east this morning. Sure it hurts, but mix up some green kool-aid and watch Fat Andy's guys take on the Titans.
One of my friends, a confirmed home towner who loves his kool-aid suggested that I wanted the Phillies to fail. Nothing could be further from the truth. I would have loved for these guys to find a way to beat the Giants - but I wasn't going to jump off a cliff with the lemmings who could'nt see the reality of the situation. The Phillies were beaten by a bunch of guys who wanted it more than they did. The Phillies demeaner was that they expected to win just by showing up - we are the Philles, roll over Giants attitude didn't register with the collection of cast-offs, and unheard of guys that the Giants brought to the park.
Aside from quality pitching, who are the Giants? Cody Ross, Huff, Uribe will return to their proper places of being anonomous in a very short period of time. Sandoval will soon eat his way out of baseball, and headlines in SF will soon lament another World Series loss. The baseball gods are still pissed that Horace Stoneham moved the Giants to the left coast from NYC. They have not allowed the Giants to win since they left NY, and I don't think they will allow it this year.
We all watched the same game last night, so I don't want to spend a whole lot of time reviewing the play by play. This long suffering fan didn't feel confidant when the Phillies took a two run lead. I was pleased, but when Polanco's error allowed the Giants back in the game I did hear the gods laughing. And I could'nt help but notice that after Sanchez was taken out of the game the Phillies bats got as limp as freshly overcooked pasta. If you leave 8 or 9 men on base - you usually lose. The Phillies had their opportunities, but, well we all saw how the opportunities worked out. The Phillies folded like a cheap suit. They choked in front of the 46,000 fans who spent big money to be there. It was so Philadelphia. It was so sad to watch.
Oh sure, our hopes were given a boost - until the line drive double play. We almost turned the game off after that, and I wished we had because at that point I knew, I knew that it was over. How confident were you knowing that Ross Gload was going to hit? The baseball gods saved the best for last though, and I give them the credit they deserve for fashioning such a poignient end to the series. It was so perfect. There we all were, watching the last hope come to the plate. Two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Ryan Howard was given a chance to redeem himself and carry the Phillies on his back to the World Series.
All he had to do was beat a guy named Brian Wilson. (I hate the Beach Boys too) Wilson with the dyed black beard.
We sat as if we were paralyzed. Neither one of us said a word as the Big Piece got into the box. We hoped against hope that Howard would find a way to send the ball deep into the night. Can you imagine (of course you can) our shock when he didn't even swing at the last two strikes. The mother didn't even swing. The gods were thrilled, and the two of us couldn't believe our eyes. HOW CAN YOU NOT SWING AT HITTABLE PITCHES? His failure will be put in my memory bank next to some other fantastic Philadelphia losing moments. I'm not a fan of Joe Buck, but when the asshole told us that it was the 17th anniversary of Joe Carters home run off Mitch Williams I wanted Buck to have a stroke on national TV. That was the icing on the cake for me.
HOW COULD HE NOT SWING?
On June 3, 1888 Ernest Lawrence Thayer had a poem published in of all places, The San Francisco Examiner. With a few changes here and there to his words we can bring that 1888 piece into the 21st century.
"The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Philly nine that day.........The score was 3-2, with but one inning to play.......they thought, If only Ryan could but a whack at that......there was an ease in Ryan's manner as he stepped into his place.....there is no joy in Philly...the mighty Ryan has struck out!
HOW COULD HE NOT SWING?
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