Philadelphia Phillies

Always a Bridesmaid: Mets Opening Day

Philadelphia Edición

Our Mexican files from the City of Brotherly Love

The Strange History of Final Games in Stadiums Slated for Demolition

Loot, loot, loot for the home team

Curses!

The Red Sox finally win it. But who's to say another drought isn't just beginning?

Oh What a Relief It Is

The Cast of Misfits in the Mets Bullpen

Sports

The Cast of Misfits in the Mets Bullpen

Sports

The Cast of Misfits in the Mets Bullpen

Sports

The Cast of Misfits in the Mets Bullpen

Sports

The Cast of Misfits in the Mets Bullpen

Kalas, Fidrych: So Long, Friends

Everybody talks about how every spring baseball can make you feel young. What we often forget is how baseball can also make you feel old. If you're a fan of the game, you'll mark important points in your life by the passing of those you followed when you were young. To Mets fans, Harry Kalas, who di ... More >>

Our Subway Series Prediction: Yankees, Yankees, Mets

It isn't just the economy and the ticket prices that will produce all those empty seats at Yankee Stadium tonight. The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies have taken much of the wind out of this season's first Subway Series. As we go to press, you can still go to the Yankees web site and g ... More >>

Jockbeat: The Mets are in Worse Shape Than You Think

As the Mets prepare for what looks like a rough seven game road trip -- starting tonight with the first of three games against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers and ending with three against the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies over the Fourth of July weekend -- it's time to face up to s ... More >>

Mets Swept in Philly

Perhaps it's appropriate you hear it from the Lansdowne, PA Reporter: "The Phillies were a dead team walking. They were in a tailspin... But the perfect remedy for the Phillies, as has been the case in each of the last two Septembers, is a stumbling, fumbling New York Mets team in worse shape." The ... More >>

Jockbeat: Yanks With Best MLB Record, So They're The Best Team in Baseball, Right?

​After sweeping the big four-game series with the Red Sox, are the Yankees now favorites to win the AL East -- and to go on and win the World Series?  You betcha, but let's not print those World Series tickets yet. Though New York has the best record in the AL -- heck, they've got the be ... More >>

Jockbeat: It Must Be September in Queens

​Back on February 25, Philadelphia's City Paper declared war on our National League team in an article entitled "An Incomplete List of Reasons Mets Fans are Douchebags." (Grudgingly, we admit to our favorite, "All Mets fans break out their Yankees caps in October.") In their August 6-13 issue ... More >>

Local Papers Prepare for Series with Insults

​After a black kid was killed by young Italian-Americans in Bensonhurst in 1989, and recalling the similar Howard Beach incident of 1986, Pete Hamill put an article in the New York Post called "The Lesson of Howard Beach Was Lost on the Punks of Guidoville," filled with Hamill's ripe evocatio ... More >>

World Series Fever Leads to Reciprocal Insults, Prostitution

​The crude boosterism of local tabs has certainly helped jack up interest in the World Series. Some people, of course, needed no help. A woman has been arrested for offering sexual favors for Series tickets. It pains us to reveal the 43-year old woman, Susan Finkelstein (pictured), is a Philli ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: Finally! Some Trash-Talking I Can Sink My Teeth Into...

​First, there was Minnesota. Then it was Anaheim. And, of course, through it all, there's always the good laugh at Boston's expense. And while I'm well-versed in spitting vitriol at New England, I'm less inclined to do the same for a midwest city that's never really done wrong by me, or a we ... More >>

Helpful Journalists to World Series Fans: Bronx Is Up, Battery's Down

​With the World Series starting tonight — if this rain ever stops, and if Jay-Z's opening act finishes in time for the game to start before midnight — the media is scrambling to fill air time and column inches, especially since the Phillies tripped up that promising return of the p ... More >>

New York and Philly Go Nuts, Real Americans Less Interested

TV executives expect big things from the Yankees and the Phillies, ratings-wise. "We don't have to worry about anything," says the President of Fox Sports. Perhaps. But while Series Fever is high in New York and Philadelphia, we are reminded that folks in the hinterlands disdain big eastern cities; ... More >>

Jockbeat: Allen Barra Sizes Up the Yankees and Phillies

​First off, we'd like to thank the New York tabloids for getting the Phillies all worked up. In particular, we'd like to thank the New York Post for putting a photo shop image of Shane Victorino in a cheerleader's skirt on yesterday's front page, bearing the caption "Only in the city of Brothe ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: Is This Really Happening? Seems Like Opening Day Was Yesterday...

​That was the first entry I wrote this year.. It goes without saying that, of course, the Yanks have won nothing yet. But it's so surreal now to think about times when baseball isn't even on. Regardless of who wins this series, there's only 1 more week of baseball left til the long winter is ... More >>

"Silly-delphia" "Frillies" Take Game One

"VOTE: ARE THE YANKS IN TROUBLE?" The drama queens at the Post react badly to the Game One loss, and 81 percent of their poll respondents at this writing say yes, they're in trouble. Daily News elder statesman Mike Lupica takes the tip-yer-hat approach: "Lee carried his team the way CC Sabathia has ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: Hope the stadium organist dug up the "Who's Your Daddy?" sheet music...

​Let's see...in the last 24 hours, I've: Threw a pen at a Red Sox fan because he said, "I'm loving the way this series is going." Told my buddy to go to hell when it came to my attention he bet on the Phillies to win the whole series. Changed the M and N on my coworker's keyboard because ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: Yankees take Game 2, take Pedro deep

​Ahh, much better. The Yankees beat the Phillies in a much-needed, if technically not "must-win" Game 2, with A.J. Burnett outdueling old friend Pedro Martinez. The Phillies took an early 1-0 lead in the 2nd with an RBI single from Matt Stairs, but the Yanks answered in the 4th with a solo s ... More >>

Let's Just Take the Comment Section Below the New York Times' "Empire State of Mind"/World Series Piece as a Sign of Progress, America

Whatever the official sports etiquette line is in terms of fair play and sportsmanship, we can safely say the Yankees organization crossed it, did a fake line off it, and then lit it on fire last night, parading Jay-Z (in a Yankee varsity jacket), Alicia Keys (purple), and backing band (Yankee jer ... More >>

Week in Review: Those Guys Could Bring the Funk

Alison, one of many CMJ street fashion stars shot by Sam Horine. Find the rest here.​In the week Jay-Z made it all about him, we made it all about Jay-Z, from the first deplorable word that he'd be attempting to demoralize the Phillies at Yankee Stadium all the way though his overshare-y and u ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: Game 3 in Philly, Andy vs Cole: Halloween Special

​Happy Halloween! My plans are largely contingent on the outcome of this game. If the Yankees fall behind 2-1 in the series, I'm going to drag my self back home to avoid the chaos intrinsic to Halloween in NYC. If the Yanks take a 2-1 series lead over the Phillies? Well, then me and my Billy ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: Yankees rally from 3-0 to beat Phillies, take 2-1 series lead

​ I'm still trying to figure out why I was so calm when we were down 3-0. Half of me wants to chalk it up to the fact I opted to not watch the game in my usual bar, and thereby removed the unavoidable alarmist sentiments dominating such a locale. The other half of me wants to say it's becau ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: CC starts another on short rest, Yanks 2 wins away from nirvana

​Is Girardi giving CC the Scott Proctor treatment*? Or is he just getting his money's worth out of the fat boy? I'd say the latter, but critics [read: people terrified of a Yankee championships] are tsk-tsking the decision to pitch superace CC Sabathia on short rest for Game 4 of the World Se ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: ONE. WIN. AWAY.

​I started this entry on Sunday night (well, technically early Monday morning), and I was going to wait til I got into the office to write up the game, seeing as it's 3am etc. But in my excited victory celebrations that involved a lot of arm bashing and elbow bumping, I developed a giant sof ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: Yankees 27 outs away from their 27th Championship...

​I talked to my mom earlier today, and she had this to say about the World Series: "I lost any respect I had for Charlie Manuel after what he did yesterday. He knew he couldn't beat CC with Joe Blanton, so instead of trying to win by the power of their own offense, they compromised CC's comfo ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: And the World Series heads back to the Bronx...

​"When the dazzling dark breaks over the far slopes of time, then it's time to toss things, like our reason, and our will...then it's time to break our necks for home."--Annie Dillard After last night's loss in Citizen's Bank Park that staved off elimination for the Phillies, I realized that ... More >>

The Yankees Swap Out Jay-Z For Mary J. Blige

After the Shawn Carter hex on the Phillies flagged badly on Monday--three does not make four, Jay!--the Yankees have apparently gone to their bullpen: Mary J. Blige will sing the National Anthem at the Stadium tonight. We'd say something undermining here, but when it comes to Mary, we've got nothi ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: This ends tonight.

​November 4, 2009. 11/4. Andy Pettitte is pitching in his 11th postseason with the Yankees. If he wins it, it'll be his 4th of the year. Pedro Martinez is pitching his 11th postseason game. If he loses, it'll be his 4th against the Yankees. If the Yankees win tonight, their postseason reco ... More >>

Jockbeat: Yanks Chances for Finishing Things Tonight

​We want to make this clear before tonight's game: We're not second guessing Joe Girardi's decision to pitch A.J. Burnett on three days rest Monday night. We called it before the game. It was foolish and impulsive, based on a hunch and not logic, and it will have an adverse effect on the Yanke ... More >>

Straphangers Award "Pokeys" for Slowest Buses; M42, B63 Big Winners

The NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives have announced their eighth annual Pokey Awards for the city's slowest buses, and the surprise winner is the M42 that lumbers between the Javits Center and First Avenue on 42nd Street. By the sponsors' calculations, the M42 achieves a ... More >>

Crazy Yankee Chick: "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!"

​ CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW YORK YANKEES FOR WINNING THEIR 27th WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Well, I'm finally just getting out of bed, after celebrating the World Series Championship of the New York Yankees up until about 7am. None of us wanted ... More >>

Jockbeat's World Series Wrap

​First of all, on behalf of those at the Village Voice who are Yankee fans, let me thank Roy Edroso for the headline on his piece, "Congratulations Douchebag Yankee Fans." We accept your congratulations, and we assume you mean douchebag in the best possible sense. And, yes, we are doucheba ... More >>

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Premiere at Union Square

The video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 -- in which, after the fall of Russian strongman Imran Zakhaev, "a new leader named Vladimir Makarov has risen to power, and an elite international task force (the player included) must pursue him" -- debuted at Union Square tonight in a tent erected ... More >>

Jockbeat: Roy Halladay to Philly, Cliff Lee to Seattle -- Let the Mets/Yankees Carping Begin!

​By now you may have heard about the huge three-team swap involving the Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, and Seattle Mariners. All the details aren't in -- and until they are, the whole thing seems a bit mysterious. The big news is that the Phillies obtained Roy Halladay from the Blue ... More >>

Jockbeat: Mets Shut Out in Halladay Contest For Distance in Florida?

​Curiouser and curiouser. The story of how NYC's two teams -- with the most potential revenue in baseball -- could have been shut out of deals involving the three best free agent pitchers in baseball seems as baffling today as it did yesterday. For now, let's focus on the Mets. According to ... More >>

Jerry Manuel Saved by K-Rod's Strikeout of A-Rod? If You Think That, You Aren't Paying Attention

Safe, for now​Was K-rod's whiff of A-Rod last night the pitch that saved Jerry Manuel's job -- at least for another week or so? Probably. The first we saw to call for Manuel's firing in print was Mike Vaccaro in the Post last Monday. Last Friday, Filip Bondy said as much in the Daily News (" ... More >>

Are Mets Road Woes to Blame for Empty Seats in Queens?

Photo by Neil deMause​Following the Mets' improbable come-from-way-behind win over the Marlins yesterday, the Shea Stadium Citi Field scoreboard blared the slogan "We Believe in Home Field Advantage," along with the news that the Amazin's now boast a sparkling 22-9 record in Flushing.

Philly Toddler Getting The Routine Down Early

FOXNews.com​Major League Baseball has yanked the video of the beer-guzzling toddler during Sunday's Phillies-Padres game, but the memory lives on. Meanwhile, as we're waiting for the parents/grandparents and child to be identified, we ask the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to comment. A spo ... More >>

Inside the Nitrous Mafia, an East Coast Hippie-Crack Ring

Summer concert season means jamming to the familiar hiss of 'hippie crack'

Q&A: Craig Finn Of The Hold Steady Breaks Down The Twins/Yankees Series

Twins cap not pictured, for once​The MLB Playoffs begin today, kicking off an annual tradition for many sports-minded New Yorkers: rooting against the Yankees. Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn has added motivation this year, given that his beloved Minnesota Twins once again drew the Yanks in th ... More >>

With Cliff Lee, Will the Phillies Rotation Be the Best Ever?

​Does the acquisition of Cliff Lee give the Philadelphia Phillies the best rotation in baseball history? That's a little premature, but you can certainly make a good argument. Right now, Roy Halliday, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels certainly look to rank with the 1954 Cleveland In ... More >>

Robot to Throw Out Ceremonial First Pitch at Phillies Game

​A robot built by two UPenn students will throw out the first pitch at today's game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers. Named "PhillieBot," the machine is constructed from a Segway, an extra wheel, and a robotic arm with a pneumatic cylinder. No one had the heart to tell i ... More >>

Football vs. Baseball? The Same Old B.S. Argument.

​It's the time of year for that oddest subgenre of sportswriting, the "Football vs. Baseball" column. Pro football, of course, always wins in these debates, largely because they're argued along the only terms that sportswriters know: television ratings. First out of the gate is David Steele on A ... More >>