2009 Philadelphia Phillies - Season's Over, Time to Move On

[Eagles_Legendz]

LOL

"Nobody wants to see The Manny," Park said. "Nobody wants to look at The Manny."

That's an amazing quote.  Chan Ho is the farging man.

[PhillyGirl]

All of this from Jayson Stark's column this morning:

And, finally, there was Chan Ho Park. He hadn't pitched in a major league baseball game in one day shy of a month (since Sept. 16, when he popped a hamstring). He hadn't pitched in any kind of baseball game since the late September, when he reinjured that hamstring in an Instructional League game. So naturally, he was the most dominating Phillies reliever of the night -- buzzing through Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp and Casey Blake with the tying run on second in the seventh. Asked if that brilliance surprised him at all, Park deadpanned: "Yes. Very much. My body's not right. And I'm old, you know?"

But in his own inimitable way, Chan Ho Park epitomized this night. Just about everything that happened seemed to come out of nowhere. And so did he.

So maybe that explains what happened in the bottom of the seventh inning in this game, when Park showed up.

There hadn't been a whole lot of energy for him to feed off of for the last month -- since he'd spent most of that time either visiting doctors or throwing bullpens in the Instructional League, in front of about 14 people.

Once he reinjured himself, he decided to concentrate just on getting healthy. So he hadn't pitched in any actual games for weeks. But "mentally," he said, with a chuckle, "I was pitching a doubleheader every day."

Once upon a time, Park was his team's most consistent reliever, a man with a 1.84 ERA in his final 34 appearances. But as the Phillies roared down the stretch, clinched their division and then survived their Ice Age Division Series with the Rockies, he was Mr. Invisible.

And then, Thursday night, when they desperately needed somebody to save them, he turned more visible than Brett Favre.

For Park's first game in a month, this was the low-key situation Manuel brought him into: One-run game. Seventh inning. Tying run on second. Nobody out. And Manny about to hit.

"That's the first guy I faced," Park would mutter an hour and a half later. "Manny. Man on second. No outs."

What fun. The p.a. system was pounding. Those Dodger rally towels were gyrating. Manny dug his back foot into the dirt and rocked in the batter's box. And Chan Ho Park made sure to peer directly into the glove of his catcher, Ruiz -- and not at the man with the bat in his hands.

"Nobody wants to see The Manny," Park said. "Nobody wants to look at The Manny."

But whatever Park was looking at, it worked. He got The Manny to bounce to third. One out. Then he blew a 96-mile-an-hour full-count inferno past Kemp for the second out. Then he got Casey Blake to bounce to Chase Utley. Three outs. And as Park strolled casually toward the dugout, his teammates shook their heads in amazement.

"He probably took some good Korean ancient herb something," laughed Brad Lidge. "I guess what I'm saying is, he did a great job getting himself mentally and physically ready to pitch."

Must have been those Korean ancient herb somethings, because Park admitted later he wasn't feeling as good as he looked.

"I'm glad I pitched good, 'cause I didn't feel good," he said.

So what, he was asked, wasn't feeling so good?

"Just because I hadn't faced guys," Park replied. "Maybe I was a little bit nervous. My heart was pumping a little faster. I could hear more noise in there."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2009/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=4564347

[ice grillin you]

Never mind the fact that Lee would be pitching on two days rest.  farging imbecile.

three days but did he really say that?...what the hell was he doing in production meetings all week?

for the record i really like buck

and darling is one of the best in the business right now

chip carey can get stabbed by a latin king on the way into the park today


speaking of today how big of a limb is charlie going out on starting pedro....its an amazing plot line but really blanton should be getting the nod...pedro has pitched once in the last month and sucked...the fact that its pedro martinez is completely overshadowing the riskiness of the move

He pitched Monday, so Tuesday and Wednesday = 2 days rest and yes he really said that.

pitchers pitch every five days....they dont have five days off....thus he would have been pitching on three days rest

[Eagles_Legendz]

  Short rest is "3 days", full rest is 4 days off or at least that's how I've always understood it.  Rest as in you aren't pitching.  Whatever, we mean the same thing.

[mpmcgraw]

If Lee had pitched on Thursday it would have been on 2 days rest.

I lost my igy decoder ring so I have no idea what he is trying to say, but it would have been on 2 days rest. 

[phattymatty]

i just got the 2nd chance email from the phils if anyone is trying to go.  got 5th row seats for game 4. 

[ice grillin you]

thats weird i got this email for game 5 but it came to me on monday....you got one for game four but four days later??...must be credit cards that were declined or dodger tickets returned



NLDS Second Chance Ticket Purchase Opportunity
FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED -- WHILE AVAILABILITY LASTS!
 
CONGRATULATIONS! You have been selected in a second chance drawing for the opportunity to purchase tickets to a potential Division Home Game 3 (game 5 of the series) of the 2009 National League Division Series ("NLDS") game scheduled to be played at Citizens Bank Park.

We are pleased to offer you an opportunity to purchase up to three tickets to a potential Division Home Game 3 (game 5 of the series) of the NLDS on first-come, first-served basis (subject to availability). The game is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13 at 8:07 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park.

This purchase opportunity will be online only at phillies.com starting now and continuing through 11 p.m. ET on Monday, October 12.

Please note: If you purchase more than three tickets (three (3) tickets maximum), your ticket orders will be voided without notification. Click the "Buy Tickets" button and use your account number and PIN listed below to begin your purchase.

Prices and Payment - Tickets will start at $35 each. Payment must be made by MasterCard, Visa or American Express.

Delivery of Tickets - You may choose the convenient Print-at-Home option or your tickets can be picked up at will call.

[phattymatty]

yeah that is weird.  i just double checked but it's definitely for monday night. 

[Sgt PSN]

Meeting up with chuggie for sum ghey mansecks in doyer stadium

[Munson]

Never mind the fact that Lee would be pitching on two days rest.  farging imbecile.

three days but did he really say that?...what the hell was he doing in production meetings all week?

for the record i really like buck

and darling is one of the best in the business right now

chip carey can get stabbed by a latin king on the way into the park today


speaking of today how big of a limb is charlie going out on starting pedro....its an amazing plot line but really blanton should be getting the nod...pedro has pitched once in the last month and sucked...the fact that its pedro martinez is completely overshadowing the riskiness of the move

He pitched Monday, so Tuesday and Wednesday = 2 days rest and yes he really said that.

pitchers pitch every five days....they dont have five days off....thus he would have been pitching on three days rest

Jesus Christ my head exploded.

[ice grillin you]

check out these beauts from hameltoe



Hamels was visibly frustrated after second baseman Chase Utley threw a potential inning-ending double-play relay into the Phillies dugout. A run scored and noted batsman Manny Ramirez stepped into the batter's box with a runner on second.

"It's tough," Hamels said. "You're battling. I made the right pitch and got exactly what I wanted. Unfortunately the result didn't happen. It takes a lot out of you. These guys are tough hitters. When you do get them out, when you get them in a situation where you can seal the deal, it takes a lot of emotions to get through that. That was a moment where I thought we had that - and we didn't."


"Imagine you're in Philly what would the fans do? I did exactly what the fans would have done."

[PhillyGirl]

You're not a fan, you douche.

You're a farging million dollar ballplayer.

[Don Ho]

Cole for Halladay! 

[Don Ho]

93 degrees in LA!  That'll loosen um up for 45 degrees in Philly on Sunday.

[Don Ho]

Maybe I'm just emotionally spent from last night but this just feels like I'm watching a regular Saturday game on FOX. 

I have never seen clearer skies in LA.  Beautiful.