Former Phillie of the Day - Adam Eaton

Adam Eaton has the distinction of being the losing pitcher in the Phillies 10,000th loss, a 10-2 drubbing at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals on July 15, 2007. It was appropriate for his terrible career with the Phillies.

Eaton was originally drafted by the Phils in 1996 in the first round with the 11th overall pick. He won the organization's Paul Owens Award as the top minor league pitcher in 1999 when he pitched at 3 levels, going 11-10 with 127 strikeouts in 167 innings to go along with a 3.34 ERA.

He was traded to the San Diego Padres with Carlton Loewer and Steve Montgomery in 1999 for Andy Ashby. Eaton made his major league debut with the Padres in 2000 and was signed as a free agent by the Phillies before the 2007 season. That year, he went 10-10 with a 6.29 ERA, but the Phils still managed to win the National League East. He was left off the roster for the playoffs.

In 2008, he was better, if you consider an ERA of 5.80 an improvement. Eaton lost his spot in the starting rotation when the Phillies acquired Joe Blanton in July. Eaton was sent to the minors later that month and wouldn't pitch for the Phillies again. In two years with the Phillies, he went a combined 14-18 with a stratospheric 6.10 ERA. He appeared in 12 games for the Orioles and Rockies in 2009. His last appearance was, uh, messy. In 2 innings, he gave up 3 hits and 5 walks in 2 innings against the Giants, but somehow got the win.

Eaton went from first-round pick to minor league castoff. For his career, he pocketed almost $26 million in salary. Not too shabby for a guy with a career ERA approaching 5.00 and a WHIP of 1.44. But hey, his W-L record was 3 games over .500. So there's that.

Please don't confuse this Adam Eaton with the Adam Eaton who currently plays for the Washington Nationals. That Adam Eaton is an outfielder. And he's good.

Former Phillie of the Day - Johnny Estrada

Johnny Estrada is one of those players who got better after he left Philadelphia. Estrada, a stocky catcher from California, was drafted by the Phillies in the 17th round in 1997.

Estrada made his way through the Phillies minor league system, posting solid numbers at every stop along the way. He got called up to Philadelphia after starting catcher Mike Lierberthal was injured in May 2001. Estrada got the majority of the playing time behind the plate for the rest of 2001 and started solidly. He hit in 8 straight games in June, but his numbers fell off as the year went on.

Estrada finished 2001 with a .228 average with 8 HR and 37 RBI. In 2002, with Lierberthal healthy, Estrada was sent back to the minors and had a solid year in Scranton, hitting .279 with 11 home runs and 70 RBIs.

He was traded to the Atlanta Braves before the 2003 season when the Braves decided they could no longer afford starting pitcher Kevin Millwood, who was due a big pay raise in arbitration. Rather than lose him for nothing, the Braves sent him to Philadelphia. Millwood would have a forgettable career in Philadelphia except for a 2003 no-hitter, which I saw in person.

Estrada did well in a 2003 audition in Atlanta, hitting .306 in 16 games. Estrada became the Braves starting catcher in 2004 and had his best year ever. He hit .314 with 9 home runs and 76 RBI and made the All Star team. He homered twice in the NL playoffs against Houston. His numbers dipped in 2005, but he still hit a respectable .261 in 105 games. On June 6, 2005, Estrada was crushed in a home-plate collision by Darin Erstad and missed 5 games. He would later learn he had post-concussion syndrome.

He was traded again, this time being sent to Arizona, where he thrived, hitting .302 in 115 games in 2006. He was only there for a year, then it was off to Milwaukee. He hit .278 in 2007, was traded again, and ended up with the Nationals in 2008, where he was released midway through the 2008 season.

Former Phillie of the Day - Jeff Stone

As humble beginnings go, it's hard to top where Former Phillie of the Day Jeff Stone came from. He had 8 brothers and 6 sisters who grew up dirt poor in southwestern Missouri. He and his siblings often joined their parents picking cotton just to get by.

Stone was a gifted athlete and was a pitcher in high school whose fastball touched 90 mph. But scouts were more impressed with his foot speed. He was convinced to switch to the outfield and signed with the Phillies in August 1979.

His minor league numbers were astonishing. In his first year with the Central Oregon Phillies in the Northwest League, Stone stole 32 bases in 55 games while hitting .261. The next season Stone hit .277 and stole 123 bases for Spartanburg of the South Atlantic League. In 1982, he stole 94 bases and hit .297 for Peninsula of the Carolina League. With AA Reading of the Eastern League in 1983, Stone hit . 317, stole 90 bases, and scored 107 runs. His numbers were the stuff leadoff hitting legends were made of. He got called up to Philadelphia that September and was used primarily as a pinch-runner, where he stole 4 bases without getting caught, but was picked off once. In the last game of the 1983 season, Stone got a start in the outfield and went 2-for-3 with 2 triples and 3 RBIs.

Stone started the 1984 season with Portland of the Pacific Coast League, the Phillies top minor league team. In 82 games, he hit .307 and stole 33 bases, scoring 59 runs. The Phillies brought him to the majors in June and he went hitless in 4 at-bats in his June 19 debut. But he got hits in the next 11 straight games, raising his batting average to .463. In that 11-game stretch, he stole 5 bases, scored 11 runs, with 3 doubles, 3 triples, and 5 RBIs. A pulled groin muscle sent him to the disabled list for a month. 

Stone returned to the lineup in August, but was sent to the minors when the Phils acquired Al Oliver from the Giants. Stone came back to the majors in September and finished the season at .362 in 185 at-bats, with 27 runs and 27 stolen bases. But Stone's defense was shaky, at best. 

He was the starting left fielder for the 1985 season but didn't have the same success as the year before. He was hitting just .250 when he was sent back to the minors in mid-June. He got called up in late August and finished the year hitting .265, with 15 steals in 88 games. 

The Phillies had soured on Stone and acquired speedy outfielders Milt Thompson and Gary Redus before the 1986 season. He was back in the minors at the start of the season, but was back with the Phillies in mid-May. He hit .277 in 82 games with 19 steals and a career-best 6 home runs. It was back and forth between the minors and majors in 1987 and in 1988 he was traded to the Orioles. Both he and the Orioles got off to horrible starts. Stone had 1 hit in his first 32 at-bats and the Orioles lost their first 21 games of the season. 

His last big league appearance was in 1990 with the Red Sox and he was out of baseball in 1992. With Stone's humble upbringing, he couldn't help being naive. The Society for American Baseball Research likened his observations to Yogi Berra:

• In 1984, while dining with his Phillies teammates, Stone was asked if he wanted an order of shrimp cocktail. “No thanks,” he replied. “I don’t drink.”
• In Pittsburgh a year later Stone, at the time mired in a horrible slump, was having trouble sleeping at night. A teammate suggested that he try counting sheep, to which Stone replied, “They don’t have sheep in Pittsburgh.”
• Returning to the United States from Venezuela after a season of winter ball, Stone explained that he left his television behind “because it only had Spanish stations.”

Former Phillie of the Day - Tom Hilgendorf

Tom Hilgendorf, today's Former Phillie of the Day, only pitched in Philadelphia for a year. But he had an awesome name and had some remarkable things happen to him before he reached Veterans Stadium.

Consider:

* He was hit in the head with a folding chair by a drunken fan at 10-Cent Beer Night in Cleveland on June 4, 1974. He pitched the next night.
* While playing winter ball in Nicaragua, he contracted hepatitis and missed all of the 1967 and 1968 seasons.
* He dove into a swimming pool, fully clothed, to rescue a boy he saw lying on the bottom of the pool in Anaheim on July 6, 1974.
* He used a bat to behead a monkey that had bitten his child while Hilgendorf was playing in South America, according to a report in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1981.

Hilgendorf was signed by the Cardinals in 1960 but didn't make it to the majors until 1969. In 1970, he split time between St. Louis and AAA Tulsa. He spent all of 1971 in the minors after being traded to the Royals organization. He was traded to the Indians in 1972 and made his first appearance for them on July 12. In his first 3 games, he was used in relief, but got his first start on July 30. He threw a complete game and the Indians beat the Brewers 6-1. He got 4 more starts before moving back to the bullpen.

Hilgendorf was back in the bullpen full time for the next 2 seasons, pitching in 83 games. He wanted to start and hoped for that chance when he was traded to the Phillies in spring training in 1975. But he spent the entire year in the bullpen, going 7-2 in 53 games with a stellar 2.14 ERA.The Phillies released him the next spring, but he was signed by the Pirates. He appeared in 2 minor league games with AAA Charleston before retiring.

Former Phillie of the Day - Warren Brusstar

I remember some of the weirdest, most trivial, useless stuff. My wife will attest to that.

I got to thinking about the 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies and some of the lesser-remembered members of the team. And then, the highlight video from that season popped into my head. I could swear I heard broadcasting legend John Facenda doing the narration, and talking about the Phillies bullpen and describing them as "the men with the gunslinger eyes." And I thought he was talking about Warren Brusstar. So I went to the video. When Facenda said that line, Brusstar was shown in action. Here's the clip if you're interested. Why do I remember this crap? Beats the hell out of me.

Brusstar was a right-hander from Northern California who was drafted four different times (Giants in 1970, 27th round and 1971, 6th round; Mets, 1973, 33rd round; and Phillies, 1974, 4th round) before signing. He pitched for Napa Valley College and Cal State Fresno before turning pro.

He was a starter in the minors and threw 31 complete games in 1975 and 1976, with an ERA well below 3. But control was an issue. In 361 innings in those two seasons, Brusstar walked 197 hitters. But he still got the call to the majors.

Brusstar's first appearance for the Phils came on May 6, 1977 against the Dodgers, who roughed up starter Larry Christenson, who gave up 7 runs on 7 hits (2 home runs) in 1.2 innings. Brusstar relieved Christenson, and pitched 2.1 innings. He gave up just 1 hit, walked 1, and struck out 2–a solid debut. And this has nothing to do with anything, but the dude had an amazing mustache.

Six days later, he got called on again and struck out 5 San Diego Padres in 2.2 innings, allowing 3 hits and a run and walking one. Brusstar pitched in 46 games for the year, with a 7-2 record and 3 saves in 71.1 innings and a 2.65 ERA. He struck out 46 and walked 27. He pitched 2.2 innings in the playoffs against the Dodgers.

In 1978, he made the team out of spring training and appeared in 58 games, throwing 88.2 innings. He only gave up 74 hits, but walked 37. Still, he finished with a 6-3 record and 2.54 ERA. He pitched in 3 games in the playoffs against the Dodgers.

Shoulder and elbow problems plagued Brusstar after that. He only appeared in 13 games in 1979, 26 in 1980, and 14 in 1980. But he did pitch in the NLCS against the Astros in 1980, and pitched 1 game in the 1980 World Series. He retired 7 of the 8 hitters he faced in Game 4, allowing just one walk.

In 1982, he was purchased by the White Sox and he was with the Cubs from 1983 to 1985. His last game was Oct. 3, 1985.

Brusstar worked in the Phillies organization as a minor league pitching coach for a few years and even participated in the team's Phanatasy Camp. Brusstar worked as pitching coach for Napa Valley College. His wife is president and CEO of the Tug McGraw Foundation. McGraw was Brusstar's good friend and teammate for several years in Philadelphia.

Former Phillie of the Day - Porfi Altamirano

Today's Former Phillie of the Day makes an appearance because of a series of memories that somehow popped into my head. I was thinking about the late Harry Kalas and how I loved the way he pronounced the names of some players. Mick-ee More-an-dee-nee, Don Car-man, and Michael Jack Schmidt are some that immediately came to mind.

Then one of my all-time favorite Harry pronunciations appeared–Porfirio Altamirano. Porfi (as he was known) was the first Nicaraguan-born player to pitch for the Phillies. The Phillies bought his contact from the Miami Amigos of the Inter-American League in 1980. He pitched for AAA Oklahoma City from 1980 until 1982, where he was both a starter and a reliever. He wasn't overpowering, but was durable enough to serve as a reliable bullpen arm.

Porfi made his first big-league appearance on May 9, 1982 against the San Diego Padres. He pitched a perfect 9th inning, striking out one in a 5-0 Phillies loss. His longest appearance was on May 31, when he pitched 2.2 innings out of the bullpen in a 15-inning 5-4 Phillies win over Cincinnati. He gave up 3 hits and walked 1, but struck out 3 and kept the Phils in the game.

He went 5-1 with 2 saves for the Phils in 1982. He even got a hit, back when relief pitchers actually batted once in a while. Porfi made the Phillies out of spring training in 1983, and was used often. He was called on 8 times in the 13 games in July, but didn't pitch from July 25 until Oct. 1. He was probably hurt but I can't find any listing of a disabled list move.

Porfi didn't appear in the playoffs against the Dodgers or the World Series against the Orioles in 1983. In 2 seasons with the Phils, he appeared in 60 games, pitching 80.1 innings. He was traded to the Cubs in 1984.

Former Phillie of the Day - Len Matuszek

First basemen are usually big, burly power-hitting types. Guys like Ryan Howard, Jim Thome, Deron Johnson, and Dick Allen come to mind.

Len Matuszek wasn't all that big and burly. The 1976 5th round pick played baseball and basketball at the University of Toledo. The lefthanded hitter stood 6-2 and weighed around 190 pounds. But he mashed a little in the minors. In 1981, playing for the Phillies AAA team in Oklahoma City, Matuszek hit 21 homers and knocked in 91 runs, with a .315 average and .410 OBP. Two years later, when the AAA team was in Portland, he hit 24 HRs with 92 RBIs, a .330 batting average and a .395 OBP.

Big league stardom seemed within his grasp. But like a low throw in the dirt, he just couldn't come up with it. Matuszek played in Philadelphia for parts of four seasons from 1981 to 1984. His best year was 1984, when he hit 12 homers and drove in 43 runs, hitting a modest .248. I added the modest part because he replaced Pete Rose as the first baseman, and Pete had himself a pretty good career.

Matuszek was traded to Toronto just before the 1985 season, and was traded later that season to the Dodgers for Al Oliver. After his baseball career, he coached high school baseball and worked as a sportscaster in Cincinnati. He also helped as a caregiver for a disabled man that was chronicled in the Toledo Blade.

Former Phillie of the Day - Ramon Aviles

When I started this blog, I wanted to make sure I featured players who weren't always in the spotlight–bench players, platoon guys, or guys who played so long ago you had almost forgotten about them. I also have a soft spot for guys who don't give up.

Former Phillie of the Day Ramon Aviles fits the profile. The infielder was signed as an amateur free agent by the Red Sox in 1969 out of high school in Puerto Rico. Aviles toiled in the minors for 7 years before making it to the majors.

His first game was with the Red Sox against the Brewers on July 10, 1977. Aviles was called into to pinch hit for Bernie Carbo. He laid down a sacrifice bunt in his only at-bat. He stayed in the game to play second base and cleanly fielded one chance. He was scheduled to hit again in the top of the 9th, but was pinch hit for by Dwight Evans, who struck out. That was it for Aviles in the majors that season and he was sent back to Pawtucket.

Aviles returned to the show in 1979 after the Phillies purchased his contract from the Red Sox the year before. Aviles debuted for the Phils on May 4 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. In the top of the 7th, Del Unser pinch hit for second baseman Rudy Meoli. Aviles came out to play second in the bottom of the 7th.

In the top of the ninth with Greg Luzinski on third and Garry Maddox on second, Aviles stroked a single to left field off Dodgers knuckleballer Charlie Hough. Both Luzinski and Maddox scored and Aviles had his first major league hit and first 2 RBIs. He got his first start two days later and went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He ended up starting in 16 games for the Phils and appearing in 27 before being sent back down to the minors. He hit .279 with a .371 OBP in 73 plate appearances and knocked in 12 runs.

He was back in Philadelphia in 1980 after starting the season in AAA Oklahoma City. His first start came on May 21 when he filled in for Larry Bowa at shortstop. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first against the Reds, Aviles drew a walk against Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, scoring the Phils' third run of the inning.

Aviles took Mario Soto deep in the bottom of the third inning for his first big league home run which gave the Phillies a 6-3 lead. The Phils went on to win 9-8 after scoring twice in the bottom of the ninth. Aviles was with the team for the rest of the season. He appeared as pinch runner in the NLCS against the Astros and was a member of the Phillies first World Series champion team that October.

He was back with the Phils in the strike-interrupted 1981 season, his last in the majors. For his career, he hit .268 in 117 games with 2 HRs and 24 RBIs and a .347 OBP.  He stayed in the Phillies organization, coaching and managing in the minors.

Former Phillie of the Day - Steve Jeltz

By all standards, Steve Jeltz was not a very good baseball player. Even by Philadelphia Phillies standards, the losingest team in the history of professional sports, Steve Jeltz was not a very good baseball player.

But as Former Phillie of the Day, I feel compelled to point out Jeltz's career highlights. It won't take long. Jeltz hit 40 percent of his career home runs in one game on June 9, 1989. It was a crazy game, which goes without saying. I mean, Steve Jeltz homered twice.

The visiting Pittsburgh Pirates scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning against the Phillies, prompting Pirates broadcaster Jim Rooker to tell his radio audience that if the Pirates blew the lead, he'd walk back to Pittsburgh. More on that later.

The Phillies scored twice in the bottom of the first to make it 10-2. They scored two more in the bottom of the third on a Von Hayes homer (his first of two that day) that plated Jeltz, who walked to lead off the inning. The Phils cut it to 10-6 in the fourth inning, when Jeltz homered off Bob Walk.

The Pirates added a run in the fifth to take a 5-run lead. Jeltz struck again in the bottom of the sixth, crushing a 3-run homer. A Ricky Jordan single scored another run, making it 11-10 Pirates.

The wheels fell completely off for the Pirates in the bottom of the 8th, as the Phillies batted around to score 5 runs for a 15-11 lead. Jeltz made the last out of the inning when he grounded to third. The humiliated Pirates could only manage a single in the top of the ninth, and the Phillies won. Jeltz finished the game 5 RBIs and 3 runs scored.

Rooker made good on his promise, walking 320 miles from Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh from Oct. 5 to Oct. 17, 1989. Jim Rooker's Unintentional Walk got lots of press, with "Good Morning America" documenting his departure.

Back to Jeltz–he spent 7 years in Philadelphia, where he compiled a .213 average. He homered two other times in 1989 (May 21 and Aug. 12). His first homer came in 1984. Jeltz is the only player in Phillies history born in Paris, France, and one of just 7 in baseball history. His Phillies career ended just before the 1990 season, when he was traded to Kansas City for pitcher Jose DeJesus.

Former Phillie of the Day - Ollie Brown

One of my all-time favorite Phillie nicknames belongs to today's Former Phillie of the Day, Downtown Ollie Brown.

Brown was a corner outfielder who attended Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, Calif., which also produced beloved Phillie Chase Utley and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Brown's brother, Oscar, played with the Atlanta Braves from 1969 to 1973, and his brother Willie played in the NFL for the Rams and Eagles in the 1960s, where he returned kickoffs and punts.

Ollie Brown pitched and played the outfield in the minors. He threw a no-hitter in 1963 for Decatur and got his nickname in 1964 when he hit 40 home runs with Class A Fresno. He was named California League MVP that year.

"I hit a lot of balls to center field," he told MLB.com in 2012. "And the way the ballpark was situated, when you did hit it over the fence, the ball was going the direction of downtown."

Brown was just 21 when he came up with the San Francisco Giants in 1965 and played with Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and a couple of the Alou brothers  In 1968, the San Diego Padres made him their first pick in the expansion draft, and he played with San Diego from 1969 until 1972. He moved around a lot in 1972. In May, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. About 6 weeks later, he was picked up on waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers.

After the 1973 season, he was traded to the Angels, but never played for them because he was purchased by the Astros late in spring training in 1974. The Astros waived him in June, when he was picked up by the Phillies. Brown stayed with the Phillies through the rest of 1974 and until the end of the 1977 season.

Brown was a reserve outfielder with the Phils, filling in for Greg Luzinski in LF and sharing RF with Jay Johnstone. Brown played 262 games in Philadelphia, hitting .264 with 16 HR with 82 RBI. He had 4 at-bats in the playoffs for the Phillies in 1976 and 1977, and reached base just once with a walk. His best year in Philadelphia was in 1975, where he slashed .303/.369/.510 in 84 games. His most memorable game as a Phillie was probably on May 15, 1975, when he hit a 2-out, 3-run walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Reds.

He retired after the 1977 season and returned to California where he worked with his wife who ran a promotional products company. Downtown Ollie Brown passed away in April 2015 at the age of 71.

Success Without Support

Thank goodness for pitching. Even though they've received minimal offensive support at catcher, first base, third base, and right field, the Phillies are in second place in the National League East at 11-7.

Phillies pitchers have allowed just 68 runs in 18 games, the 8th lowest figure in baseball and fourth lowest in the NL.

And when I say minimal offensive support at some positions, I mean minimal. Look at the numbers.

The combined offensive output from C, 1B, 3B, and RF (highlighted) accounts for 47 hits in 269 ABs, a lusty .175 batting average. The OBP is just a paltry .241 for these positions.

Conventional wisdom says Carlos Santana has just had bad luck. He's hitting the ball hard, but right at people. He's hitting 100 points below his career average and his OBP is also down by 100.

Maikel Franco is hitting .220. He had two good games against the Marlins and the rest have been pretty awful, even though he leads the team in RBI. Franco's been the starter at 3B since 2015 and his numbers have dropped every year. Many thought this would be Franco's breakout year, with the possibility of being replaced by a free agent like Manny Machado in 2019. Sure doesn't look like he's breaking out of anything.

Catchers Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp and outfielders Aaron Altherr and Nick Williams have underperformed from last year. They're all essentially rookies, so maybe they get a pass. Maybe it's the cold weather.

The starting pitching has been mostly terrific. Jake Arrieta was spectacular last night, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 10 in 7 innings against the first-place Pirates. Aaron Nola, Nick Pivetta, and even Vince Velasquez have been solid. Ben Lively looks to be the starter to head to the minors when Jerad Eickoff is healthy in May.

The highlight from the bullpen is Victor Arano, who has yet to allow a baserunner in 8.1 innings. Going back to last year, he hasn't allowed a baserunner in 10.2 innings.

As long as the pitching holds up, and the guys who are actually hitting keep hitting, this team could make a playoff push. And imagine what could happen if the folks at C, 1B, 3B, and RF start to produce.

Former Phillie of the Day - Nick Punto

Nick Punto was the kind of middle infielder you'd get if you called Central Casting. "Get me a scrappy little guy with some speed who has a great glove."

Punto, today's Former Phillie of the Day, was drafted by the Phils in the 21st round of the 1998 amateur draft out of Santa Ana, Calif. His best year in the minors was with High A Clearwater in 1999, when he hit .305 with a .404 OBP and 16 steals. He moved up through the organization quickly and made his major league debut on Sept. 9, 2001 against the Expos.

His longest stretch with the Phillies came in 2003, when he had 99 plate appearances in 64 games, hitting .217. Punto and Carlos Silva were traded to the Minnesota Twins after the 2003 season for starting pitcher Eric Milton.

Punto stayed in Minnesota for 7 years and played regularly from 2005 to 2010. In 2006, he hit .290 with a .352 OBP and 73 runs in 135 games. He signed with the Cardinals for the 2011 season and won a World Series. He also played with the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Athletics. He also played for Team Italy in the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classic. His last MLB game was with the As on Sept. 27, 2014, when he went 1-for-3 against the Rangers. He played 2B, 3B, SS, and even a little OF in his career.

He played 14 years in the big leagues and played in 28 postseason games. He won a World Series. Pretty good career for a scrappy little guy.

He's on Twitter @Shredderpunto if you want to say hello. His Twitter bio says he's a "proud stay at home father. For now."

I Hate the Powder Blues

For some reason (selling more merch), the Phillies are wearing their old powder blue uniforms tonight.

I hated them when they wore them in the 70s and 80s. And I hate them more now. They're awful. Ugly in the dark. I know nostalgia is a thing, but some things are best left in the past. Leisure suits. Nehru jackets. The blue uniforms. Ugh.

Former Phillie of the Day - Kevin Gross

The first game I attended with my wife was the 1987 Home Opener on April 10 against the Cubs. We had seats in the first row of the 300 level above the left field bullpen.

As we took our seats, she asked if many balls would come our way. I said maybe 2 home runs were hit each game and the chances of them landing in our section were pretty slim.

In the bottom of the second, former Phillie of the Day Kevin Gross was facing Cubs catcher Jim Sundberg. Sundberg hit a 2-0 pitch that soared over the bullpen and thumped against the empty seat next to her. Fans climbed over each other to get the souvenir. In the bottom of the inning, Phils outfielder Glenn Wilson hit one to the exact same spot with the same reaction from the souvenir hunters. She was not pleased. We decided to move to avoid any future scrums and found empty seats in the 300 level down the LF line, where we watched the rest of the game.

In the bottom of the 6th, Mike Schmidt hit one to the same place. She questioned my baseball knowledge. I made a mental note to stay clear of home run territory for future games. The Phils ended up losing, 4-3.

Gross pitched in Philadelphia for 6 years and made one All-Star team. One of my more memorable moments was on Aug. 10, 1987 when umpires went to the mound to see if Gross was scuffing the ball. He was caught with sandpaper and a foreign substance on his glove and was suspended for 10 games without pay. He whined about the suspension, saying he had a family to feed. And that really pissed me off, especially since I was making $22,000 a year at the time.

Gross went on to pitch for the Expos, Dodgers, and Rangers. But I'll always remember him for the sandpaper suspension.

Swing and a Long Drive X 4

THIS DATE: 4/17/1976: Mike Schmidt ties major league record by hitting 4 consecutive home runs in 18-16, 10-inning win over the Cubs in Wrigley Field. Schmidt’s homers came in the 5th, 7th, 8th and 10th innings (game winner). (AP photo) pic.twitter.com/7SfmPRYUkB

— Larry Shenk (@ShenkLarry) April 17, 2018

Former Phillie of the Day - Dave Cash

Some say that Dave Cash's greatest contribution to the Phillies was his rally cry of "Yes We Can!" Cash, our Former Phillie of the Day, was traded to the Phillies before the 1974 season by the Pirates for pitcher Ken "Wrong Brother" Brett.

But I submit that the following is Cash's greatest contribution to the Phillies, and dare I say, baseball as a whole. Behold. Well, listen, cause the video just shows a 45 spinning.

Cash and double-play partner and Phillies legend Larry Bowa are the featured "artists" on this novelty record. I remember it well because my sister played it incessantly. And over the weekend, this musical nugget somehow managed to sneak back into my consciousness. Since I'm all about sharing, I'm now hoping you won't be able to get it out of your heads so I can.

Anyway, more on Cash with the Phillies. He joined a team that finished last in 1973 but was on the upswing. With budding young stars like Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Steve Carlton, and Bowa, the Phils won 80 games in 1974 and finished third in the National League East. In 1975, Cash and the Phils finished second with 86 wins. And in 1976, they won the division with 101 wins and their first postseason appearance since 1950.

Those were Cash's only years with the team. But man, was he productive. He hit leadoff and all he did was get on base. He hit .296 in Philadelphia with a .348 OBP and was an all-star every year as a Phillie. He was also durable. He only missed 2 games in his Philadelphia tenure and left as a free agent to join the Montreal Expos. 

Most people remember Cash for Yes We Can. For me, it's Ting A Ling.

Power Rankings Update

The major sports sites post their power rankings on Mondays and Tuesdays. Each week we'll look at where the Phillies are in the eyes of the rest of the baseball world.

Current Record: 9-6

USA Today - 18
ESPN - 18
Bleacher Report - 18
CBS Sports - 18
MLB.com - 17

Let me get this straight. The Phils are 3 games out of first place and have won 6 of their last 7. They have the 8th-highest winning percentage in MLB. When it comes to power rankings, I guess reputation takes precedence over actual performance. Whatever.

Former Phillie of the Day - Bruce Ruffin

It isn't easy to replace a legend. But that's how Former Phillie of the Day Bruce Ruffin made it to the majors.

Ruffin was called up in June 1986 after the Phillies released Hall of Fame lefthander Steve Carlton. Ruffin, also a lefty, didn't as much replace Carlton as take his roster spot. The Phillies liked him enough to draft him twice–in 1982 when he was in high school and again in 1985 when he was a member of the College World Series Champion Texas Longhorns.

The Texan was just 22 when he made his first big league start against the Cardinals in St. Louis on June 28, 1986. He went 6.1 innings and gave up 7 hits and 3 runs, including a home run to Mike Heath. He didn't figure in the decision, but the Phils won in 10 innings, 7-4.

He got his first win a week later against the Reds, pitching 7.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, 3 walks and 3 runs. Ruffin was durable, throwing 6 complete games (remember them?). Ruffin finished the season with a 9-4 record and a 2.46 ERA. He didn't exactly leave people saying "Steve Who?" but it looked like the Phillies had a solid left-handed starter for years to come.

But, as often happens with the Phillies, it didn't quite work out. Turns out that 1986 was Ruffin's best year in Philadelphia. He lost double-digit games for the next five consecutive seasons and battled with his control. He averaged 4 walks per game over the course of his career. Sports Illustrated described his struggles, comparing him to Pirates pitcher Steve Blass, who mysteriously lost the ability to throw strikes.

He was first stricken on July 9, 1988, while
 pitching for the Phillies; during a game in Cincinnati he threw
 three wild pitches in one inning. Later that season he was
 warming up in the bullpen at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh
 when he threw a pitch so wild that it flew over a 15-foot wall
 and struck a fan. Days later Ruffin was throwing in the bullpen
 at Shea when a wayward delivery hit a mounted-policeman's horse 
in the behind.

In December 1991, he was traded to Milwaukee for infielder Dale Sveum (a future Former Phillie of the Day if there ever was one). He lasted with the Brewers for a season, and then spent the next five seasons with the Rockies, where he worked as their closer. He saved 24 games in 1996.

Former Phillie of the Day - Roger Freed

Before there was 5-for-1, there was 3-for-1. And that was Roger Freed, today's Former Phillie of the Day.

In 1970, Freed was the International League MVP. Playing for the AAA Rochester Red Wings in the Baltimore Orioles system, Freed hit .334 with a .427 OBP and 24 HRs and 130 RBI. The Phillies thought enough of Freed to trade three players–Jim Hutto, Grant Jackson, Sam Parrilla–to get him from the Orioles. They thought they had a star on their hands. Not so much.

Freed was the Opening Day right fielder for the Phillies in 1971. He went 1-for-4 in his Phillies debut, hitting a triple, scoring a run, and striking out twice. In the Home Opener at brand-new Veterans Stadium on April 10, Freed had 2 hits and an RBI. The next day, Freed had 2 more hits and 5 RBI. And that was about as good as his Phillies career got.

By the end of April, Freed was hitting just .215. But the Phillies stuck with him and he got "hot' in May, hitting in 6 straight games and raising his average to .254. But his offensive struggles continued, and Freed finished the year hitting .221 with just 6 HRs and and 37 RBI in 118 games.

In 1973, Freed hit .225 in a part-time role, getting just 129 at-bats in 73 games. He was back in the minors in 1974, where he hit 30 HRs with 96 RBIs for Oklahoma City, the AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

He made it back to the majors in 1977, where he hit .398 in a very limited role for the St. Louis Cardinals. By 1979, his career was over, and he finished with a .245 average.

104 Wins!

The Phillies finished off a 3-game sweep of the Rays today, which followed a 3-game sweep of the Reds. The Phils are now 9-5 on the season and have the fourth-best record in the National League.

The offense is being led by Scott Kingery (12 RBIs), Rhys Hoskins (12 RBI, .326), Odubel Herrera (.327) and Cesar Hernandez (.275 with a .422 OBP). The Phillies are 5th in MLB in runs (3rd in the NL), averaging 5.6 per game. The rest of the offense–Carlos Santana, Nick Williams, Aaron Altherr, and JP Crawford is struggling. All of the struggling players have been given days off so far. Except Santana. Perhaps he needs a day or two off to clear his head so the hits start falling in.

But the starting pitching has been mostly pretty good and the bullpen seems to be settling down. And that's without veterans Pat Neshek and Tommy Hunter, both recovering from injuries.

Yeah, I know it's only 14 games, after that awful 1-4 start, this team looks good. And fun. If they continue at this pace, they'll win 104 games. Yikes. Right now, they lead the Wild Card race. I can't wait til the weather warms up for good. It's going to be a fun summer at CBP.

And speaking of weather, 6 more games were postponed because Old Man Winter is a giant dick who refuses to retire. That makes 21 games postponed by weather already this season.

Gee, if there were only enough warm-weather sites and domes/retractable roofs to host these games during the first two or three weeks of the season.

Today is the 18th day of the baseball season.

We've only had 3 days where all 30 teams have gotten a game in.

It won't happen today, either. (White Sox-Twins already called.)

Baseball in April. Yikes! pic.twitter.com/YYKhjxcZJl

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) April 15, 2018

Yikes, indeed.

Former Phillie of the Day - Tadahito Iguchi

Shohei Ohtani is absolutely ridiculous. He pitches. He flirts with no-hitters and throws 100 mph. He mashes long-distance home runs. And he's 23 years old. He's the latest Japanese player to take MLB by storm. Masanori Murakami was the first to play in the U.S. when he joined the San Francisco Giants in 1964.

Today's former Phillie of the Day is Tadahito Iguchi, the first Japanese player to play for the Phils. Iguchi was acquired from the White Sox in July 2007 after Chase Utley suffered a broken hand when he was hit by a pitch. Iguchi was in a tough spot filling in for the wildly popular Utley, who was having his best season.

But Iguchi played really well and hit .304 in 45 games for the Phillies. He had hits in 13 of his first 14 games and reached base in each of his first 14 games. His contributions helped the Phils in their furious comeback in the National League East. With 17 games left in the season, the Phils trailed the New York Mets by 7 games. The Phillies overtook the Mets and won the division for the first time since 1993.

He was released by the Phillies after the season and signed with the San Diego Padres. Iguchi returned to the Phillies in September 2008, but he was out of MLB after the season.

Iguchi returned to play in Japan and retired in 2017. This season, he's manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines. He's the first Japanese MLB veteran to manage a team in his home country.

Former Phillie of the Day - Marlon Anderson

Marlon Anderson, today's Former Phillie of the Day, is one of five Phillies player to accomplish a rare baseball feat. Anderson is the last Phillie to have hit a home run in his very first major league at-bat.

Anderson homered on a 2-2 pitch from Mets reliever Mel Rojas in the bottom of the 7th inning on Sept. 8, 1998. It was one of six HRs the Phils hit that night in a lopsided 16-4 Philadelphia win. He spent the first five years of his career in Philadelphia and also played with the Rays, Cardinals, Mets, Nationals, and Dodgers.

And in case you were wondering (and I know that you are), the other Phillies to hit a HR in their first major league at-bat were:

Ricky Jordan on July 17, 1988 (Note: He walked in his first plate appearance and homered in his first official at-bat)
Ed Sanicki, Sept. 14, 1949
Heinie Mueller, April 19, 1938
Bill Duggleby, April 21, 1898 (Second mention for a 19th century player in this blog!)

Former Phillie of the Day - Harry Kalas

Harry Kalas, the voice of my childhood, passed away on this day in 2009. And baseball in Philadelphia hasn't sounded the same since. For those of you new to Phillies baseball, Harry was the Phillies radio and TV announcer for 38 years.

I'm a big, dumb sentimental idiot when it comes to the Phillies and my favorite memories. I got misty-eyed more than once looking through these old clips. Here are some of my favorite Harry moments:

 

How many other announcers have a statue?

Former Phillie of the Day - Ron Jones

Ron Jones was a can't-miss prospect in the Phillies organization in the mid-1980s. The stocky outfielder was a solid hitter, averaging .284 in the minors with an OPS nearing .800.

Jones got the call to the majors in 1988, joining the Phillies on Aug. 26. He hit .290 with an .843 OPS in 33 games, and the Phils thought they had a star outfielder in the making who'd be a mainstay for years to come.

He made the 1989 team out of spring training and was hitting .290 when disaster struck. He tore the patellar tendon in his right knee after he crashed into the outfield wall at Shea Stadium on April 18. He missed the rest of the year. He worked hard to rehab the knee and was back with the Phils in late May 1990. And then the unthinkable happened. Jones got his cleats caught in the artificial turf at Veterans Stadium on June 30 and tore the patellar tendon in his other knee and was done for the season.

He tried to come back one more time in 1991, but struggled at the plate. He hit just .154 and was out of the major leagues after the season. He tried to continue his career, playing in the minor leagues, independent leagues, and in Mexico. But by 2000, he was done.

Jones coached youth baseball in Texas in the early 2000s but died in 2006, a week before his 42nd birthday. The word tragic just doesn't seem descriptive enough to sum up Jones' career.

Former Phillie of the Day - Doc Edwards

On May 2, 1970, Phillies catcher Tim McCarver suffered a broken finger after Willie Mays fouled a ball back in the bottom of the 6th inning. In that same inning, backup catcher Mike Ryan suffered a similar injury. Jim Hutto was pressed into service and caught the rest of the game.

For the next month, catching duties were split between Hutto, Mike Compton, and journeyman minor league call-up Del Bates. The Phillies were so unimpressed with Bates, who hit .133 in 22 games, that they signed bullpen coach and Former Phillie of the Day Howard Rodney "Doc" Edwards as a free agent.

Edwards, who got his nickname when he was a Navy medic, hadn't played in a big league game since July 5, 1965. So of course he went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in his first game, which the Phillies won 7-3 against the Astros on June 6. On June 9, he had both of the team's RBIs and caught Jim Bunning and Dick Selma as they combined on a two-hitter against the Braves. Edwards played in a total of 35 games for the Phillies in 1970, and he hit a respectable .269 in 78 at bats.

Edwards went on to have a long career as a manager, starting in 1973 with the West Haven Yankees of the Eastern League. He made it back to the majors as a manager in 1987, taking over after the Indians fired Pat Corrales (another catcher). Corrales, interestingly enough, managed the Phillies in 1982 and 1983. Anyway, Edwards lasted with the Indians until Sept. 12, 1989, when he was replaced by John Hart. He compiled a 173-207 record with Cleveland.

Edwards managed in minor league hotspots including West Haven, CT; Midland, TX; Wichita, KS; Quebec City, CAN; Denver; Rochester, NY; Charleston, WV; Portland, ME; Buffalo, NY; Albany, NY; Atlantic City, NJ; Sioux Falls, SD; and San Angelo, TX, where he managed until 2014. 

15 in a row!

Here they come...

Former Phillie of the Day - Von Hayes

Some ballplayers have great nicknames. Oil Can, Nails, the Secretary of Defense, the Big Unit, Cool Papa, Death to Flying Things, Three-Finger...the list goes on. Then there are guys like former Phillies outfielder Von Hayes, who get stuck with nicknames like 5-for-1.

Hayes was given that monicker because the Phillies, believing Hayes was a budding superstar, traded away five players to get him from the Cleveland Indians. Jay Baller, Julio Franco, Manny Trillo, George Vukovich, and Jerry Willard were the guys sent to Cleveland in December 1982. Trillo was a Philadelphia legend, playing second base for the first-ever World Series winning Phillies in 1980. Franco played for 23 years and 8 teams until he was 83 years old (OK, he was 49 in his last appearance). Franco was a three-time all star and runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 1983.

Hayes showed flashed of greatness. On June 11, 1985 against the Mets, Hayes led off the bottom half of the first with a home run. Later in the inning, he hit a grand slam, becoming the first player ever to homer twice in the first inning of a game. The Phillies scored 9 in the first inning, and 7 more in the second before winning 26-7. Hayes finished with 6 RBIs and 4 runs scored. His best year was 1986, when he hit .305 with 19 HR and 98 RBI and led the NL with 46 doubles and 107 runs scored.

He spent 9 years in Philadelphia before being traded to the Angels for Ruben Amaro Jr. and Kyle Abbott. A whole other blog could be devoted to Amaro, but Abbott stunk like feet in Philadelphia, with an ERA of nearly 5 and a WHIP approaching 1.5. Just the memory of Kyle Abbott makes my stomach churn.

I have a semi-personal connection to Von Hayes. I was a vendor at Veterans Stadium from 1979 to 1985. Back then, I was thin and tall. I'm still tall. Anyway, while I was waiting at the employee entrance with my fellow vendors, a guy approached me with his young son and insisted that I was Hayes and asked for an autograph. I told him I was a vendor but he didn't believe me. I gave him the autograph.

Hayes' last season in the majors was 1992, and he was a manager in the minor leagues and independent leagues from 2002 through 2011. His last job was managing the now-defunct Camden (NJ) Riversharks in 2011. He's on Twitter as @VonHayes9, but hasn't had anything to say since 2013.

Former Phillie of the Day - Billy Grabarkewitz

Infielder Billy Grabarkewitz once said he led the league in consonants. Unfortunately, that was about his only claim to fame. The oft-injured infielder was an all-star in 1970 for the Dodgers, his first full year in the majors. But he had trouble stating healthy, and was a reserve for the rest of his career.

He played parts of two seasons for the Phillies, suiting up in 59 games in 1973 and 1974. He was acquired by the Phillies from the Angels for the ever-popular player to be named later, who eventually turned out to be Denny Doyle. The Angels later sent Aurelio Monteagudo and Chris Coletta to the Phils to complete the trade.

Nicknamed Gabby, the witty and loquacious Grabarkewitz was once told to stay in the shade during spring training to keep his tongue from getting sunburned. Billy G does hold a place in Phillies history, possessing one of the longest last names in team history.

Today at Wrigley Field...

I’m no expert.... but now seems like a bad time to water the outfield #BaseballWeather pic.twitter.com/a9C02LresX

— Trevor Williams (@MeLlamoTrevor) April 9, 2018

That's 10 games and counting postponed so far this season. Why? Because MLB insists on scheduling games in the East and Midwest in late March/early April.

Meanwhile, in Reading, PA....

Former Phillie of the Day - Jay Johnstone

Jay Johnstone was a pretty good outfielder who was best known for his pranks and practical jokes. Legend has it that in spring training in 1976, he and his Phillies teammates were lined up to give urine samples for the annual drug test.

Johnstone, aggravated with the process, decided to pull a fast one of the medical staff and presented a specimen jar filled with apple juice. When told the sample looked rather cloudy, Johnstone replied, "Really? I guess I better run it through again." And he proceeded to drink the sample, much to the horror of the medical staff. Good times.

Johnstone played 20 years in the majors, and was with the Phillies from 1974 through part of 1978, when he was sent to the Yankees. As a Phillie, Johnstone had a .363/.455/.823 slash line and batted .303 in 462 games, with 33 HR and 200 RBI. A very productive career indeed. The Phillies signed him as a free agent in 1974 and eventually traded him, along with Bobby Brown, to the New York Yankees for Haddonfield, N.J.'s own Rawly Eastwick.

As a prankster, one of Johnstone's favorite targets was Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda. Johnstone played for Lasorda from 1980 to 1982. Enjoy.

Everybody Hits - And I Mean Everybody

#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/84jafR5B8Q

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 8, 2018

This Isn't Baseball Weather

I just got back from running some errands and it's lousy outside in the Philadelphia area. It's a moist 41 degrees but it's not supposed to rain.

We're now into the second week of the season and many of this weekend's games are being hosted by Northeastern and Midwestern teams. Here's what they'll be dealing with at game time, courtesy of dailybaseballdata.com:

(Photo from Thursday's Tigers-White Sox game in Chicago. Yes, it snowed.)

Marlins at Phillies: Overcast, 47 degrees
Mets at Nationals: Overcast, 42 degrees
Orioles at Yankees: Overcast, 43 degrees
Rays at Red Sox: Partly cloudy, 42 degrees
Mariners at Twins: Clear, 26 degrees!
Tigers at White Sox: Clear, 34 degrees
Diamondbacks at Cardinals: Clear, 38 degrees
Royals at Indians: Clear, 33 degrees
Reds at Pirates: Partly cloudy, 39 degrees

Phillies fans should consider themselves lucky. They'll have the balmiest weather in the eastern third of the country.

It still makes no sense to me why MLB schedules games in the Northeast and Midwest during the first two weeks of April. The weather and playing conditions aren't suitable for players and fans. We've already had eight games postponed because of weather so far this season. And those makeup doubleheaders are going to add up later in the season.

There are enough warm weather teams and teams with domes/retractable roofs (Marlins, Braves, Rays, Mariners, Blue Jays, Rangers, Astros, Padres, Dodgers, Angels, Athletics, Giants, Diamondbacks, and Brewers) to host most of the games during the first two weeks. Come on MLB, use some common sense.

Warning - Hockey Post

The Philadelphia Flyers have just one game left in the regular season, and it would really help their playoff chances if they beat the N.Y. Rangers on Saturday.

The Flyers can still clinch the third playoff spot in the division, either wild card spot, or miss the playoffs entirely. Here's how it shakes out, according to playoffstatus.com:

The Flyers will finish in the third spot in the division IF:

Flyers beats the Rangers in regulation or OT, and Blue Jackets lose to the Predators, and Devils lose to the Capitals; OR Flyers beat the Rangers in a shootout, and Devils lose to the Capitals, and Blue Jackets lose to the Predators in regulation.

Here's what needs to happen for the Flyers to get a wild-card playoff berth:

Flyers beat the Rangers, and Devils lose to the Capitals; OR Flyers beat the Rangers, and Blue Jackets lose to the Predators in regulation; OR Flyers lose to the Rangers in OT or in a shootout, and Devils lose to the Capitals in regulation; OR Flyers beat the Rangers in regulation or OT, and Blue Jackets lose to the Predators in OT or in a shootout; OR Flyers beat the Rangers OR Flyers lose to the Rangers in OT or in a shootout. So the Flyers need a win or end up tied after regulation against the Rangers to get into the playoffs. Got it? 

If the Flyers lose to the Rangers and the Panthers win their last two games, both teams finish with 96 points. The NHL says if two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order: The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).The greater number of games won, excluding games won in the Shootout.

So just beat the Rangers on Saturday, OK. If you could do that, that would be great. 

Flyers Captain Claude Giroux is having the best year of his career. His 31 goals and 68 assists put him second in the league in scoring. And he's played in every game this season, which is nearly impossible in the land of lower body injuries. He deserves serious consideration for the Hart Trophy, which goes to the league MVP. He still has a shot at the Ross Trophy, which goes to the league's top scorer. Either way, he's been fantastic. 

Former Phillie of the Day - Mike Anderson

Mike Anderson was the 6th overall pick in the 1969 baseball draft, chosen by the Phillies out of Timmonsville (S.C.) High School. He was going to play football at the University of South Carolina but opted for baseball after the Phillies made him their top pick.

Anderson was an absolute stud in the Phillies minor league system, hitting .322 with 21 HRs and 241 RBIs in three seasons. That performance earned him a promotion to the majors in 1970. During spring training in 1972, he was hit in the head with a pitch and was carried off the field. But he still made the Opening Day roster. Unfortunately, he struggled at the plate and was sent to AAA in May.

He returned to the Phillies in 1973 as a platoon outfielder, and won the everyday RF job in 1974. But he hit just .251 with a .313 OBP and was eventually traded to the Cardinals in 1975 for pitcher Ron Reed. Many speculated that he was never the same after getting hit during spring training.

Scenes from the Home Opener

Former Phillie of the Day - Marlon Byrd

Marlon Byrd was the first Phillie to step to the plate in the first regular season game played at Citizens Bank Park on April 12, 2004, making him today's FPOTD. He went 0-3 with a walk that cold, windy, drizzly day.

Byrd played for the Phillies for parts of five seasons, from 2002 to 2005 and again in 2014. He finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2003 when he hit .303. And in 2005, he turned two double plays while playing LF. He was the Eastern League MVP in 2002 when he played for the Reading Phillies.

Byrd's career blossomed when he played for the Texas Rangers. But he'll always be a former Phillie.

Home Sweet Home Opener!

Welcome to Opening Day, home edition. The Home Opener is my favorite day of the year. There are two things you can usually count at the Home Opener–the weather will be lousy and the Phillies will lose.

Today should be no different, weather-wise. Although it will be sunny, high temperatures will be in the upper 40s with winds out of the west-northwest at up to 25 mph, making it feel like it's in the upper 30s. At least there won't be any rain or snow. Today. So we'll be bundling up and probably wearing the knit ski caps the Phillies are giving away.

Today is the 39th consecutive year I've attended the Home Opener. Thanks to Baseball-Reference.com, I was able to compile the Phillies record in Home Openers I've attended.  It isn't pretty. Some fun facts:

Last Home Opener win - 2018
Home Opener record Current Century - 6-12
My overall Home Opener record - 14-25

Here's the tale of the tape. Click the score for a link to the box score at baseball-reference.com.

04-11-1980 Phillies 6, Expos 3

04-13-1981 Phillies 5, Pirates 1

04-08-1982 Mets 7, Phillies 2

04-12-1983 Phillies 4, Mets 3

04-10-1984 Phillies 3, Astros 1

04-09-1985 Braves 6, Phillies 0

04-11-1986 Mets 9, Phillies 7

04-10-1987 Cubs 4, Phillies 3

04-05-1988 Pirates 5, Phillies 3

04-08-1989 Phillies 5, Cardinals 4 (11)

04-13-1990 Cardinals 11, Phillies 0

04-12-1991 Phillies 11, Cardinals 4

04-07-1992 Cubs 4, Phillies 3

04-09-1993 Cubs 11, Phillies 7

04-11-1994 Rockies 8, Phillies 7

04-28-1995 Phillies 5, Pirates 2

04-02-1996 Rockies 5, Phillies 3

04-11-1997 Padres 8, Phillies 3

04-07-1998 Phillies 9, Marlins 8 (10)

04-12-1999 Braves 8, Phillies 6

04-10-2000 Phillies 9, Mets 7

04-06-2001 Cubs 3, Phillies 2

04-05-2002 Phillies 6, Marlins 2

04-04-2003 Pirates 9, Phillies 1

04-12-2004 Reds 4, Phillies 1

04-04-2005 Phillies 8, Nationals 4

04-03-2006 Cardinals 13, Phillies 5

04-02-2007 Braves 5, Phillies 3 (10)

03-31-2008 Nationals 11, Phillies 6

04-05-2009 Braves 4, Phillies 1

04-12-2010 Phillies 7, Nationals 4

04-01-2011 Phillies 5, Astros 4

04-09-2012 Marlins 6, Phillies 2

04-05-2013 Royals 13, Phillies 4

04-08-2014 Brewers 10, Phillies 4

04-06-2015 Red Sox 8, Phillies 0

04-11-2016 Padres 4, Phillies 3

04-07-2017 Nationals 7, Phillies 6

04-05-2018 Phillies 5, Marlins 0

Faceball

I'm watching the game on Facebook today, because that's the only way to see it. I'm in full-screen mode to avoid the comments. But what's up with the enormous scoreboard thing?

I like the absence of commercials, but the in-between-innings chatter between Kruk, Cliff Floyd, and anonymous announcer guy leaves a lot to be desired.

But the camera work and replays are terrific. But I'd still rather watch on my big screen.

Spoke too soon. As soon as I uploaded this post, the feed froze. Stupid Facebook.