Written by Benny B.
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12 May 2010
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, due to "security concerns" of the G-20 Summit meeting in Toronto, the interleague game b/w the Blue Jays and Phillies will be relocated to Philly. As a result, the Phillies will play 84 home games; 3 more than anyone else in baseball.
Forgetting about the rivalry for a second, as a baseball fan this is just a blatant disregard of balance and fairness. The NL east is shaping up to be a tight race again this year, and 3 additional home games could go a long way in determining the final standings. Now this isn't the same as say a game being rained b/w the Dodgers at Philly and the game being made up at Dodgers stadium. You are not going to ask a west coast team to fly 12 hours round trip for one game...sometimes they don't even play that game unless its outcome will affect playoff positioning. This is not the same scenario.
Firstly, the G-20 was held in Pittsburgh last year and guess what? They played the games in Pittsburgh. They rescheduled a night game to a day game. Some claim the game was "sparsely attended" due to the G-20. I say to them when isn't a Pirate game sparsely attended? Are the Phillies such pussies they can't handle a protest or two? Do they sit down when they pee (and don Krull-like spiked tipped strap-on dildos with rat tail)?
Second, the Mets are playing a series in Puerto Rico this year. If security is an issue, hold the games at a neutral site. I don't know the team schedules, but I am sure there is a stadium empty somewhere between Philly & Toronto to hold these games. I think a three game series at say historic Wrigley field would be a major draw.
Anyway, I hope that the commissioners office steps in and makes a change. Because as Jeff Francoeur said "That's just BULLSHIT"
Oh, and in other news, the Phillies have been warned by MLB to stop cheating. Amazinavenue said it best:
Their bullpen coach was seen using binoculars to look at the Rockies' catcher, Miguel Olivo, during Monday's Phils-Rockies game. Unsurprisingly, notorious bush league ballplayer Shane Victorino is at the center of the controversy as well. In all seriousness, sign stealing is just part of the game but the use of binoculars and a bullpen phone is a bit seedy.
More than a "bit seedy"...how bout dirty cheaters? And of course Shame Victorino is in the middle of this. Hey Philly, how bout trying something new for a change? Like winning a game with your talent and skills alone. This is not the first time Philly has been accused of stealing signs. The Mets accused the Phillies of doing so in 2007, The Red Sox in 2008, and Larry Bowa did so last year during the world series. Shane Victorino was furious at the accusation....perhaps a little too furious:
Victorino erupted before Game 5 here last night when told Bowa had said the Phillies had a reputation for stealing signs, calling the allegations "weak." "I guess he knows something that I don't know about, obviously," Victorino said. "You know, everybody makes excuses. Everybody is going to find a reason. For Bowa to come out and say something like that if he doesn't know what he's talking about, if he doesn't have cold, hard facts, he shouldn't say something like that.
"To me that's -- I don't want to use the word I'm going to use, but it's just not something that should be said. For you to pop off like that, I'm not happy."
But Victorino spoke angrily and extensively about the charges, assuming the mantle for his teammates by labeling the widespread belief about the Phillies to be out of line. As proof, Victorino pointed to the Phillies' losses in their first two World Series games here this year.
"Obviously if we're stealing signs we would be doing better than what we're doing right now," Victorino insisted the Phillies always played by the rules. "Hey, you know what? We play between the lines, and that's what it's about," Victorino said. "Don't talk about what has happened or what you know. If you know for a fact that we're stealing signs, then that's a different story."
"I guess I'm not smart enough to steal signs, so obviously it's not working for me," he said. "I guess if it's an art, it's an art, but for a guy to pop off like that and say that's why we're not successful right now, that's what I'm trying to get at."
Not smart enough to steal signs huh Vicky? How bout getting snagged on the bullpen phone talking to the guy with the binoculars? How you going to wiggle out of this one you lying asshole. Man, it always surprises me that I can find more and more reasons to hate this guy. The verdict is in: If you are a Victorino fan, you are a fan of lying and cheating. I can't wait for the Philly Phan rationalizations on this one...
