Tag Archives: Phillies

Aug 11

The Art of the Second No-Hitter

In over a century of Major League Baseball, you have had 277 chances to witness a no-hitter. Actually, unless you were born in the late 1800s, you’ve probably had closer to 88 chances, even less if your baseball fandom, like mine, began just a few years ago.

Of those 277 no-hitters, 39 have happened in the same ballpark in the same season. It’s kind of like a do-over. If you missed Philip Humber’s perfecto on April 21, 2012, you had the chance to return to Safeco Field on June 8 for the Mariners’ first combined no-hitter in club history.

Limiting the pool of ballparks to those still in use, you might’ve seen as many as 71 no-hitters in 21 parks, 12 of which have recorded more than one. Only four, however, have hosted multiple no-hitters in a single season: Fenway Park (1916, 1917), Wrigley Field (1972), Tropicana Field (2010), and Safeco Field (2012).

Aside from upping your chances of witnessing one, ballpark atmosphere may seem inconsequential in the construction of a no-hitter. However, of the 19 seasons with multiple no-nos in a single park, 25 of 39 games have gone to the home team. From 2001-2012, seasonal park factors indicate a strong tendency towards the most pitcher-friendly parks, with allowed runs ranging from 0.625-0.819 per game and allowed hits from 0.745-0.906.

Back to you for a second. Had you been a fan of the visiting team and missed their first no-hitter, you might’ve had a chance to attend a rematch. Six times, a no-hitter was replayed between the same two teams in the same year: Reds-Phillies in 1971, Reds-Astros in 1969, Giants-Cardinals in 1968, Braves-Phillies in 1960, Browns-White Sox in 1917, and Tigers-Browns in 1912. Most impressively, the St. Louis Browns hosted three no-hitters against the Chicago White Sox in 1917. While the Sox came away with their first win on April 14, the Browns retaliated with back-to-back no-nos on May 5 and 6.

Since then, the only no-hitter to be repeated in the same year was a Braves-Phillies match-up in 1960. The Braves, then situated in Milwaukee County Stadium, took two no-nos against the Phillies on August 18 and September 16. Both were caught by Del Crandall—who, I might add, went 2-for-4 in both games with four base hits—and both featured complete game performances from the losing pitchers, Gene Conley and John Buzhardt.

Given the rarity of no-hitters, it is impossible to project a repeat of, say, the Giants-Astros meeting earlier this season. But, stranger things have happened. Allie Reynolds tossed two no-nos in 1951. Candlestick Park saw consecutive no-hitters between the Giants and Cardinals on September 17 and 18, 1968. Fenway Park has 13 no-hitters notched on its 100-year-old belt.

Hang onto your rally caps, Twins, Cardinals, and Astros fans. Your second no-hitter may be just around the corner.

Follow the jump for the complete list of ballparks that have hosted multiple no-hitters in a single season (mid-June, on partially cloudy Thursdays, during games boasting an attendance of 22,640 or higher):

Continue reading »

Jan 31

Sportswriters Needed!

If you’re a sports blogger, chances are you know about the myriad of blogging sites available for baseball, football, basketball, and hockey fans alike. There’s SB Nation, filled with insight, snark, and a lot of stats that go over my head. There’s Bleacher Report, which has perfected the art of 10-picture slideshows. There’s FanSided, which has just about every bit of breaking news you could ask for. And then there’s Aerys Sports—the only female-run sports network on the web.

As a writer, I know that personally, the biggest two needs I have to fill are 1) finding topics to write about, and 2) getting people to read those thoughts. However, when it comes to applying for blogging networks, I’m finding that the really successful sites also have tight-knit communities where you can bounce ideas off each other, help promote great work, and improve the quality of your own writing.

Back to the point… this great site I write for called Aerys Sports is gearing up for Spring Training, and it’s their goal to cover all these MLB teams by Opening Day. Check out the openings below and see if your favorite team needs a writer!

National League Teams 

American League Teams

Contributing Writer Openings

You can apply if: You love baseball!

Teams: All MLB teams

Who to contact: Click on the website you’re interested in, and contact the Lead Writers through Aerys.

Lead Writers

You can apply if: You’re a girl who loves baseball! (Sorry, guys…)

Teams: Colorado Rockies (hurry, this one might be filled soon!), Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (this might also be filled soon!)

Who to contact: Reply to us at @AerysSports, @Aerys_MLB, or through Tumblr.

Questions? Leave them in the comments!

Nov 30

Free Agent Carousel

The Giants aren’t the only ones making strides as the Winter Meetings draw near. Yesterday, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik held a conference call to outline his plans for the team this offseason.

Seattle has already committed to one trade so far, acquiring catcher John Jaso from Tampa Bay, and relinquishing RHP Josh Lueke, as well as undetermined minor league or monetary compensation.

Still, there are many gaps to be filled, and an offense that needs heating up in 2012. Prince Fielder is the big question mark on the Mariners’ list, but with $15M in extra cash, Zduriencik is understandably hesitant. As quoted by MLB.com’s Greg Johns: “There are so many factors there and no one knows where that number will end up. As much as you might have desire to go down a path, the length and dollars tie into that.”

Johns revealed that the M’s are looking at strengthening the team in many positions, building around a young—and still-developing—core. Nothing seems to be out of the question as the Mariners head into the Winter Meetings, from starting pitching to extra shortstops and third basemen.

A list of names and positions mentioned:

At this point, it’s nice to have options. I don’t expect the M’s to hook Fielder, and it may be more economical to go after a few veteran players instead. I’d rather see a team of young stars cemented by a few temporary vets than one or two big bats trying to carry the team.

Keep up with the Mariners’ moves and follow Greg Johns (@GregJohnsMLB) on Twitter for up-to-date information as the meetings develop, December 5-8.

Oct 19

Jumping Off the Bandwagon

It’s been a fun ride, but I’m done.

In a few hours, Game 1 of the Rangers-Cardinals World Series will begin, and I will do my best to watch without a hint of bias toward either team. It’s not just that I’m torn between the pros and cons of rooting for the Rangers: they’ve never won a World Series title; they effectively beat the Mariners in the NL West; they made it to the WS one more time than the Giants; they play flashy, offense-driven baseball (I’m looking at you, Nelson Cruz). It’s not because these teams have more or less flown under my radar until the past month.

Mostly, it’s because I picked the Rays, Tigers, Phillies, and Brewers to go far in this year’s postseason. Sure, the Tigers battled in the Division Series and hit for the cycle in one inning against the Rangers. The Rays didn’t do much of anything, and the unbeatable Phillies fell by one run in Game 5 of the NLDS. My hopes were pinned to the Brewers, with their tacky but catchy “Beast Mode,” until the Cardinals had a 12-6 slugfest at their expense.

I played the part–donning the rally caps, cheering for players I still can’t name, even acting sad when each of those teams lost. Which brings me to my point: each of those teams lost. Superstitious as it may be, I’m afraid that by picking a favorite team to win the championship title, I will somehow jinx their chances of succeeding.

So in the spirit of fairness: Good luck, Texas. Good luck, St. Louis. I’m looking forward to seven exciting games, and promise to give you equal amounts of grief for flashing the “claw” sign and chanting “Happy flight!”. And I can already tell that the best moment of the 2011 World Series will be the moment Jeremy Affeldt receives the Roberto Clemente Award in Game 2. Because you all remembered to vote for him, right? Right?

Oct 10

Boycotting Beast Mode: Brewers vs. Cardinals

Confession: I haven’t been a very good faux Brewers fan. It kills me when I see the players in “Beast Mode,” and as of this moment, I can name only three Brewers on the postseason roster: Ryan Braun (he drove in four runs yesterday), Prince Fielder (he tried to run over Eli Whiteside once), and John Axford (well, have you seen the ‘stache?). Still, I’m doing my best to retain some knowledge of the Brewers, if only because the more you know about a team, the more apt you are to care if they win or lose.

So, here’s what I can tell you about the Brew Crew–at least as far as it relates to the postseason. In 1982, Milwaukee reached the World Series for their first and only time to date. As an American League team, they faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals. Neither team had much of an edge; Milwaukee’s Mike Caldwell threw a shutout for Game 1, giving the team a 10-0 win, but the Brewers faltered in St. Louis, surrendering a 3-2 lead in the last two games of the Series. Should the Brewers advance again this year, they will join the Dodgers and Cardinals as one of the only teams to play for two leagues in a World Series.

As in ’82, Milwaukee has taken Game 1 of the NLCS, relying on the sheer energy of an air-hugging crowd and the slugging power of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Their weak spot? Zack Greinke, who lost control of the game with 6 runs, 8 hits, and 2 walks over 6 innings pitched. On the other hand, the Cardinals were not to be brushed aside. They held a 3-run lead for, okay, half an inning before handing Milwaukee 6 runs in the 5th. Let me try that again…

This evening, St. Louis will try to even up the series with the arm of Edwin Jackson, a right-handed pitcher who threw 6 innings with 5 hits, 2 runs, and 4 K’s in Game Four of the NLDS. With an average of 4.16 runs per postseason game, they’re not quite at Giants offense levels, either. It’s just a matter of holding back the Brewers’ bats enough to pull out a win. If anything, the Cardinals are a team who has proven they can come from behind–whether to overtake the Braves for the NL Wild Card, or demolish the Phillies’ 2-1 Division Series lead.

Since all this talk about the Cardinals is piquing my interest in the team, perhaps I should quit while I’m ahead. Good luck, Milwaukee!

Oct 7

A Guide to Bandwagon Jumping

So your team didn’t make it to the postseason either, huh? Join the club. No, really. There are about six clubs you can join to relieve that offseason ache when you start thinking about the long, cold months until spring training begins.

I’m fairly new to the whole idea of bandwagon jumping, and while I’ve settled on the Tigers and Brewers as my seasonal favorites, you may want to test the waters a bit before rooting for just any home team.

American League Contenders

Last World Series Win: Never. Can we still call the Rangers a “Cinderella” team after they made it to the postseason twice in a row? Perhaps not, and though I am happy to see Texas get another chance to prove themselves in the Championship Series, I wish the Rays (the “Cinderella-est” of AL teams) could’ve stuck it out a little longer.

Last World Series Win: 1984. Any team that beats the Yankees is a team to root for, in my book. Plus, they have former Mariners pitcher and Giants draft pick Doug Fister, who held New York to one run and a handful of hits during the final game of the Division Series. Now that the flashy team is out of the race, however, it comes down to two underdogs in the ALCS. Who gets your vote?

National League Contenders (a bit more skewed since there are two Game Fives left to play today)

Last World Series Win: 2008. Let’s face it, these are the top dogs of the NL. The only reason to root for their success tonight is to see the Brewers take them down in the next round. Though I have to admit, I’m a sucker for good pitching backed by a solid offense. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to see a Tigers-Phillies World Series after all…

Last World Series Win: 2006. The favored underdog in this match-up, St. Louis has been battling hard to even out this series. I really don’t know much about the Cardinals, but I’ve caught rumors that upon winning, fans chant “Happy birds!” (or “Happy flight!” depending on who you ask). Nothing would entertain me more than watching the fans start yelling, “Angry birds!” following a loss tonight.

Last World Series Win: Never. I have yet to wrap my mind around “Beast Mode” or air hugs or whatever meaning is behind the ridiculous gestures the players keep making, but I like a team that can play seriously without taking themselves too seriously. Need more reasons to cheer them on? Not only have they never won a World Series, but they also used to be the Seattle Pilots (okay, it was one season in 1969, but it counts!).

Last World Series Win: 2001. While I am more than willing to give credit where credit is due, I am nowhere near generous enough to support the team that took first place in the NL West this year. Still, Arizona has earned their place in the playoffs and fought their way to Game 5 after the Brewers began with a 2-0 lead. I won’t make the mistake of underestimating this team again, and I have the feeling they’re not quite done yet.

And there you have it–six teams vying for your cheers, tears, and half-hearted devotion in the weeks to come. Have a happy (and pain-free) postseason!

May 19

Rollercoaster to the Top

Credit: Mark J. Terrill/AP

…is that even a phrase? Maybe not, but it feels like an accurate description of tonight’s game. We’re back on top of the NL West, since the Rockies fell 2-1 to Philadelphia this afternoon, and we beat L.A. 8-5. I should feel elated right now. Cain dominated the mound in four perfect innings, produced the first hit of the night, and overcame a few crazy ABs in the fifth. For once, we had adequate run support, building a lead of 4 runs and coming back in the 9th with 3 more after L.A. tied us in the 8th. It wasn’t a perfect game, but the Giants maintained control and eventually got the win.

Like I said, I want to be happy about this. And I am, for the most part. It feels good to be half a game ahead of Colorado. It feels good to win against the Dodgers. What doesn’t feel good, however, is the amount of injuries accumulated over this game. DeRosa’s wrist gave out before he began his second AB, and as he goes on the DL, rumor has it he may not return for the rest of his season or his career. I don’t quite believe that, but it did look like a serious injury.

Credit: Mark J. Terrill/AP

Then, Rowand threw out his back trying to field a ball in the 9th. And apparently, Brian Wilson twisted his ankle after stepping in a hole. Thankfully, Rowand and Wilson should be fine in the next day or so. It’s DeRosa that has everyone worried–not just for his sake, but for the sake of our suddenly weakened infield. Maybe Huff will take over, perhaps Tejada could step in while Fontenot plays shortstop, as they did tonight. Or Manny Burriss or Ryan Rohlinger might return, which seems likely according to beat reporter Andrew Baggarly.

We just have to wait and see. Any way we fix the holes, I’m sure it’ll take some time to adjust. In the end, the important thing is that the Giants seem to be making a little progress, Cain shut down what might’ve been a fluke inning and Ross covered Wilson’s pitching blunders with the extra runs we needed. If we keep playing that way–if everyone pitches in, that is–there’s no reason why we shouldn’t maintain our division lead.

May 7

Celebrating MLB Mothers

I love how creative MLB gets for Mother’s Day. Although going to a baseball game is probably last on my mom’s wish list this weekend, it’s great to see all the ballparks making their Sunday afternoon games extra special for the baseball-loving moms. Well, most of the parks, that is.

I decided to take a quick poll of all the teams hosting Mother’s Day games to see who is offering the coolest promos this year. For the American League, we have rhinestone visors from the Rangers, earrings from the Mariners, and pink-lined tote bags from the Royals. The Orioles aren’t giving away anything (or if they are it must be a see-it-when-you-get-there kind of thing), while the Blue Jays are upping their game with pink rally towels and roses.

As for the National League, neither the Padres nor the Mets will be giving away anything super special for moms, and the Giants just want to give everyone World Champions tote bags (I can’t really complain about that, I guess!). The Phillies have pink keychains, the Cardinals are offering pink mini bats, and the Pirates follow suit with the Mariners in the jewelry department. Looking at the giveaways for the Marlins, I was a bit perplexed–it only says “Mother’s Day at the Ballpark.” I hope this goes beyond stating the obvious and is just a hint of the spectacular surprises in store at Sun Life Stadium!

The point of this post, of course, is not only to pit the AL against the NL or make fun of the teams not celebrating their mothers this weekend. As great as all the giveaways look, there’s something even better you can get your mom for Mother’s Day: the Baseball Rose. It’s just what it sounds like–a rose made from an actual baseball. You can even order them in bouquets and special floral arrangements from the website. Sure, it’s a little corny, but definitely a cute way to show your appreciation for Mom and baseball at the same time!

Feb 1

Fans Gone Wild: Too Late to Apologize

Die hard fans are not known for their exceptional powers of forgiveness. At best, a botched play or recently traded player is booed from the stands. At worst, well, you only have to Google “The Decision” for examples of extremism.

jd-drew.01231922.jpeg

Somewhere in the middle of this vast spectrum of fan outrage is J.D. Drew and the decision that cost him peace of mind in Philadelphia. In 1997, the rookie right fielder got it into his head that he was worth a $10 million contract. Perhaps it was the persuasive words of his agent, Scott Boras (the man behind Jayson Werth’s $126M deal with the Nationals), or maybe the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy Drew won at Florida State University gave him an inflated head. Whatever the case, the Phillies drafted Drew in ’97, unwavering in their conviction that a player must earn his stripes before he earns the cash.
The following year, the Cardinals snagged him, adding the confident young player to the roster by early September. Over 14 games, Drew collected 15 hits, 5 home runs, and batted .416 with only 10 strikeouts. Despite his increased value as an outfielder and hitter, Philadelphia was slow to pardon the player for his initial bravado. When J.D. returned to the City of Brotherly Love in 1999–this time in a St. Louis uniform–Philly fans lovingly pelted him with D batteries as he stepped up to the plate. Under threat of forfeiting, Philadelphia went on to win 7-5, and rumor has it J.D. never quite recovered in future games against the Phillies.
Photo credit: John Biever/SI
Jan 2

Question Sunday: New Years Resolutions

It’s officially the new year, which means that all the hopes we have for this upcoming season can fly high until spring training. It’s comforting to think that at this point, anything can happen over the next 12 months. The Mariners could take the AL West by surprise. The Phillies could prove everyone right and rise to the top with their ace pitchers. The Giants could successfully defend their World Series title with another band of misfits.

Today’s question:
What are your predictions for 2011? Of course, you expect your team to take the title (at this point, who wouldn’t?). But who do you want to see as contenders in the NL? The AL?
At least for the NL West, I’d love to see the Giants and Dodgers duke it out for the division title, old school style. What about you? Make your predictions below!