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Commentary: It’s The Best Time Of Year
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Mon, October 06, 2008 11:49 AM
October 6, 2008, and the Phillies are still playing baseball.
Like that? Yeah, I do, too.
They’ll start Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park, the 45,000-plus screaming fans (are you one of them?) waving towels and generally acting insane. FOX’s cameras will be all over the place, and Joe Buck and Tim McCarver (for my money, still tops nationally) will be calling the action.
All the eyes of the world will be focused on the Phillies and Dodgers. The storylines — while not eye-popping — are plentiful. For the Phils, it’s about proving themselves as a burgeoning dynasty. Are Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels and Brett Myers worthy of a world championship? Can Pat Burrell come out a winner in potentially his final season as a Phillie? Will the city break its 25-year drought? For the Dodgers, it’s about vengeance. Is Joe Torre really the magic potion needed to go all the way? Can Manny Ramirez go out as the best player of his time? Are the young Dodgers ready for the spotlight?
There’s a lot to digest with this series, and certainly, it’ll be fun. These two teams are very evenly matched. They boast great pitching staffs, inexperienced but potent offenses, and a heck of a lot of tenacity and grit. They could make a very entertaining NLCS.
Today we reflect on, so far, a fantastic season that isn’t quite finished. No, just as there were stories to be told after the division win, there are still stories out there. The celebration after yesterday’s division series win? A little bit more subdued. Yes, I cheered and called my family members, but was it a release? Was it vindication? Elation? Nah. A little was missing — there is more to do.
Tomorrow I will start a seven-part preview of the NLCS with a heavy look at the opponent. Meanwhile, we’ll count down to Thursday’s game one with the usual news and features.
This is certainly the best time of the season. The leaves are turning bright oranges, reds and yellows. Up here in New England, the chilly air turns days into excursions, nights into warm escapes. The air smells fresh and natural. The atmosphere is ripe for change. It’s the perfect time. And what do you know, we can still cheer on the Phils.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Yes I will be there on Thursday and I can’t wait! No time for too much celebrating though-our boys still have work to do (after some much needed R and R of course.) Looking forward to your preview.
One game at a time….
October 6th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Our first NLCS since I was three is grounds for flying home and missing class, right?
October 6th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I myself am not a fan of Joe Buck. He always tries to tell a story with his broadcasts, just call the game Joe.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
For Pat and for Jaime, we have to get it done this year. The core of this team is young and locked up so I have no doubt we will be competitive for many years to come, but for those two — two fan favorites — there might not be a “next year” for them and the Phillies. I can’t imagine the feeling of going all the way and those two guys not being a part of it.
There’s gonna be a lot of excitement and anxiety this week.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
*Joe Buck will also never pass up an opportunity to discuss the behavior of “Philly fans.”
October 6th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Buck can be a little too much, but sometimes his stories and way of catching the big moment really works for the stage. More than anything I love his voice. Fits very well with October baseball. Not so much with football (Summerall had that market cornered), but def. October baseball.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
The Phils have me so engrossed in baseball that I probably won’t even notice when the football season starts.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Haha. Normally an Eagles / Redskins game in which the Eagles blew an early lead would have ruined my week. Yesterday I was just like “Eh.” I don’t even know who they’re playing next week
October 6th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
“(for my money, still tops nationally)”
That’s like saying you have a favorite veneral disease.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Haha Nick, good one. I will say baseball commentating is so over-saturated there’s not much good out there.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
You’ve got to love the Phils right now and you get the feeling they now know what it takes to win so it’s good times soaking up every minute.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Would be great to get commentary with Joe Morgan… “when I was with the Phillies back in…”. “Manny Ramirez is a complete player”, “I think I just soiled myself”…
October 6th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
did anyone watch nlds game 1 and see me holding a sign that said unphinished business? It was awesome that I got on tv AND the phils won. I’ll be at another game with a sign: the hunt for red October!
My other favorite signs:
David Wright is playing golf…this is better
Brewers are good for one thing and it’s not baseball
October 6th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Surprised there wasn’t a big sign saying “Gallardo… You serious?”
October 6th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Hahah i hear that NJ
October 6th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Tim McCarver might be the only broadcaster in MLB that’s worse than Wheels. Gotta disagree with your assessment Tim.
October 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I’ll be there on Thursday! SRO tickets through the lottery.
FWIW - I like it when the Phillies are considered the underdogs and I think they do too!
Lets go Phils!
October 6th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Had to give my friday tix to my parents, so hopefully they’ll bring some good luck! I’ll cheer them on from Key West - GO PHILS!!!
October 6th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
lilgartrn … Who’s your daddy?? No seriously.. maybe he’ll take me instead??
October 6th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Not to pile on, but listening to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver is almost enough to make me hate baseball. And sports. And America. And my family. Awful, awful, awful.
October 6th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
>
Joe Buck: “You know those two Phillies fans are picking out which player to throw their batteries at. Did you know that they boo’d Santa Claus here in Philly?”
October 6th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
** Camera pans in on a shot of a father and son in Phillies gear eating hot dogs, comparing their score cards and identifying their favorite players taking batting practice. **
Joe Buck: “You know those two Phillies fans are picking out which player to throw their batteries at. Did you know that they boo’d Santa Claus here in Philly?”
October 6th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
And that rep is often enough to keep most visiting fans from ever coming here to take over this stadium on raod trips…
I’m just used to listening to them, so I like when the playoffs roll around and I get to hear them in the booth.. I also like Wheels, which not a lot of people do.. I think he has a great memory of past players, and plays… and doesn’t miss as much as Harry the ZZZzzzzzzzz
October 6th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I like Wheels. A lot of people seem to hate on him.
The only thing I have against him is something similar to that of Tom McCarthy is that they know so much information, that they try to squeeze 3 innings worth of talking points into one at bat.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Good Luck to the Phillies in the NLCS, hope we get a chance to beat your butts in the World Series.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Trolls are out….too bad we cant use one of those whack-a-mole hammers on this site.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
this MUST be a different rs fan than the one on here for saturday… hah that other guy was a d-bag…
thanks for the friendly banter there red sox fan… i also hope we get a chance to meet in the big dance
i think sarge might be my favorite (coherent) announcer… he always has little tidbits that actually apply to the situation at hand… i dont have any real problem with wheels he’s just not a solid successor to harry the K. i’m not sure if anyone is at this point… maybe don m or phil could replace him hahah
October 6th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Listening to Sarge is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy as a player and as a person, just not in the booth with a microphone.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I’d take the job…
I really don’t like sarge that much.. not to be too mean, but doesn’t speak properly, which annoys me.. Harry is too old, and misjudges fly balls just about every game now… I like L.A. a lot, cause he is insightful, funny, and wants the Phillies to win
October 6th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
SF and LA are the reason that I listen to the majority of Phils games on the radio rather than TV. Larry Andersen’s excitement during the calls of the Double Play and the Grand Slam incredible.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Anybody know what the deal is with standing room on Thursday? Is there any way to get a ticket to the game without paying hundreds of dollars for them?
October 6th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Outsiders opinion, I think you guys win this series in seven unfortunately, haha.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Uh, what do you mean by “They boast great pitching staffs, inexperienced but potent offenses, and a heck of a lot of tenacity and grit.”
The Phillies have an inexperienced offense? Huh?
October 6th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
McCarver and Buck make me push mute and stream the radio telecast. Buck is a national pundit turd who likes to call football more than baseball, not to mention he works for a crappy sports division at FOX. I am disgusted by the fact McCarver was once a Phillie, and listening to him call the division winner (and kept mentioning Lidge hadn’t blown a save, as if he wanted to crow when he did) was horrific.
Oh, and thanks FOX for the shitty starting times, especially Friday-it’s clear they’re licking AL ass this year, hoping for the big Red Sox market. Here’s to a Rays Phillies series just for those guys.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I couldn’t agree more MSM, although I know what you mean Tim when you say their voices remind you of October baseball and them calling a Phillies game makes me feel special because they are still in the playoffs, but it was like Mcarver was dying for Lidge to blow that save and he always states the obvious. Buck loves to talk trash on the fans, him and his “bowl” haircut, I’ve been dying to take and electric razor to his head from when I was about 10. I am so jacked up for this series, I was sitting behind the Brewers executives in row 10 behind the dugout for game 1 when it started to drizzle they got up and ran away saying, “why don’t they have a roof on this building?” You should have heard our response to that. Haha. I can’t really say it on this site though.
October 6th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I can’t stand Joe Buck! He’s a preening prima donna. His dad was one of the best, he’s just a wanna-be. I like McCarver, he’s very knowledgable, but he just doesn’t know when to zip-it. The best national broadcasting crew is Jon Miller and Joe Morgan. It’s not even close! Miller has that deadpan, sarcastic delivery, and Morgan is just the best analyst…period. He doesn’t over-do-it, ala Chris Wheeler. Plus, they work really well together.
As for the start times, you can thank Bud “Lite” Selig and his cronies for that. We all know that the Red Sox, Yankess, Mets always have, and always will get the prime slots. I hope it’s a Rays-Angels ALCS just to stick it to them. Just like Bud stuck it to the Astros by making them play 90 miles from Chicago during the hurricane, while their wives and kids were riding out the storm. If I was the player rep I would have forfeited all 3 games and told them to suck-it! Had that been the Yankees or Red Sox you’d better believe those games would have been made up after the regular season at their home parks. (We need a REAL comissioner!) Don’t get me started on the whole All-Star, World Series home-field thing.
October 6th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
McCarver probably wears diapers in his senility. I can’t believe he was once a MLB catcher, given his assessment of the game. Aren’t they usually supposed to be the brains of the ball-club?
At least Morgan brings up good points in the midst of his over-analysis and rambling himself into corners.
But no one, absolutely NO ONE is as bad as Bob Carpenter and Don Sutton for the Nationals.
After I explained the sacrifice fly to my girlfriend (i.e. baseball novice) during the Friday night game before the Phils clinched, she asked if we could mute the TV so she wouldn’t have to listen to those two a-holes sputter on. Quick learner I suppose.
October 6th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
For the Fox Crew, I really like D-ick Stockton (had to hypen because the censor picks it up).
He is a fair and neutral and overall good guy. He calls a good game, has a good voice. Just Fox treats him second fiddle to Joe Buck.
October 6th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Anybody have any information on seeing this game on Thursday or is it a lost cause unless I go to a scalper or stub hub?
October 6th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
mets fans rooting for the phillies!?
http://brooklynmetfan.com/?p=1104
October 6th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
WAHOO!! NLCS HERE WE COME!!
Phils/Dodgers. Should be a good series. They split the season series 4-4, each home team swept the visitor.
I’d rather play the Dodgers than the Cubs because 1) home field advantage, 2) The Cubs are really a better team on paper despite getting swept in the playoffs.
Nice series win over the Brewers, and nice to phinally see the Phillies in the NLCS! First time I’ll be seeing them in the LCS, being too young to remember ‘93.
For the NLDS Phillies MVP, I’d have to give to Cole Hamels. He dominated in game one. 8 shutout innings with 9 strikeouts. That was huge to get the Phillies a win in the first game with CC on the hill the next day.
A close runner up would be Brett Myers. He didn’t have his best stuff, but gave up just 2 runs in 7 innings. He also had a HUGE at bat that set up Victorino’s homerun. Plus he later got a hit and scored a run.
Just an awesome series. It’s really a shame people in the city are more upset about the Eagles loss. Like, come on. This city is obviously a football town, but the Phils are in the postseason, and they’re WINNING in it. The Eagles loss may sting, but doesn’t the Phils win ease the pain?
Like Cole Hamels said: “maybe we’ll turn the city more red than it is green.”
GO PHILLIES!!!!!!!
October 6th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
McCarver is horrible. I’d rather have two of the local guys call the games. Eucker and Kalas anyone?
October 6th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Oh, could you imagine Eucker/Kalas? Just thinking about it makes me want to kill myself because I know in reality I’ll have to lisen to that no-talent a**clown, Tim McCarver. I still haven’t gotten over how horrible he was to listen to in 93 against the Braves. The Phils must’ve screwed him over big-time.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Official times posted on mlb.com:
All times 8pm except the Friday game, which is at 4pm. It looks like the NL series is the early game that day, but 2 other days in which series overlap, the NL series is the late game.
@Ryk: I think McCarver was only ever Carlton’s personal catcher/b**ch. He never factored into the team as a key part. I think if you look at his career, he spent more time with the Cards (who were in the Phils league and/or division for most of this time) and then he called Mets ball for a long time. Though he did spent some time with WPHL along with Harry and Whitey, he is definately, when I listen to him, a partial for the Mets.
October 7th, 2008 at 6:06 am
I really hope the Phils roll LA in this series. We get no love from the national media. Check out foxsports top 4 stories for MLB. 2 about Boston, 1 on LA, and 1 bout Tampa. No love @ all. They see us rolling they hate’n, cause we ride’n dirty. Let’s go Phils!
October 7th, 2008 at 9:45 am
As for announcers, I’m a big fan of Scott and LA on the radio. I also respect Harry’s classic approach - he’s kind of an east coast Vin Scully IMHO. I can’t stand Joe Buck - he reminds me of Scott Gram - all syrup and no personality. McCarver is lame too. Joe Morgan and Jon Miller are much more tolerable.
BTW, nearly all the ‘experts’ over at ESPN have the Dodgers winning this. I think I prefer being the underdog. I like the fact that the Dodgers have no left-handed starting pitchers.
Go Phils!
October 7th, 2008 at 11:14 am
I hate McCarver. A Mets announcer? What a moron. I’ll take Joe Simpson and Smoltz over those guys. Miller and Morgan too, thy’re terrible to listen to. They make me want to slit my wrists.