Cliff Lee Ends An Interview The Best Way Ever

((HT: CSN Philly))

Cliff Lee had a rough outing last night in his first time back on the mound since being on the Disabled List.

The reason the HQ knows it as a rough outing was that he started for our fantasy baseball team.
Lee faced the lights after the game and ended his interview the best way ever...


It reminds us of the end of the scene in "Ted" where Joel McHale finally got to say good night to Mila Kunis after their date watching Norah Jones.

And it WAS the best exclamation point to the whole night, you know...

Phillies Play-By-Play Guy Catches Home Run

((ht: mlb.com))

Apparently he was happy about it, but wasn't allowed to say he was, which made it even funnier.

Check out the reaction of CSN Philly's Tom McCarthy, stationed in Centerfield to do Friday nights Braves vs. Phillies game in Philadelphia. McCarthy, who does play by play, decided to take his glove with him to his station near the bullpen in dead centerfield.

And low and behold as in the first inning, Atlanta's Freddie Freeman hits a monster 3-run homer to deep centerfield. Right where McCarthy and his cohorts were sitting (standing).

McCarthy made the catch, said that he was happy but not happy and proceeded to throw the ball right back on the field.

By the way, the Braves took care of the Phillies 4-2....

Your video from MLB.com:

DEVELOPING: Beckett Throws No-No Against Phillies, First of 2014

((HT: MLB/TWC Sportsnet))

Let's go to the last out first, since the pitch before, Chase Utley started walking to first on a three-ball count...


Beckett throws the 21st no-hitter in the history of the Dodgers franchise and the first since Hideo Nomo in 1996.

Michael Radano over at mlb.com has some stats on Beckett and his lack of success going into this game:

Beckett, who has one career one-hitter, entered the game 4-12 in his last 20 road starts -- including a 1-1 record in three road starts this year with a 4.32 ERA.

Beckett, whose previous closest call to a no-hitter was 6 2/3 innings against Detroit when he was with Boston on June 4, 2009

After a walk to Marlon Byrd in the second inning, Beckett would go on and retire 21 in a row. He threw 128 pitches, walking 3 and striking out 6. It was the outing in his career with the most pitches thrown- facing 30 batters along the way.

#SmellTheChange In Allentown

((HT: WFMZ-TV))

The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs are the triple-a team for the Philadelphia Phillies...

But, as the team heads for their 7th season, the uniform is heading for a little change...
And, to be honest, you can't go wrong with bacon...
It's either in the form of "Mouth-Watering Bacon" or "Molten Steel" as the weekend uniforms go different from an all-black look to the bacon strip on the hat. The full rundown of the new looks are here and they are amazing...
It even involves scratch and sniff...

And that is the amazing part...

Giancarlo Stanton Just Crushed It...

((HT: FS Florida/MLB))

There are times when you run out of adjectives when something like what happens below happens...

Time to play the "Match Game..."

Giancarlo Stanton hit this pitch from Ethan Martin (blank)...


Okay... your turn...

Try and come up with a description...

"Effing hard..." might be getting close...

2 Position Players Finish On Mound For Phillies In 18-Inning Marathon

((HT: CSN Philly))

Let's just say it was a long day for the Phillies Casper Wells...

Arizona scored five two-out runs in the top of the 18th inning to beat the Phillies, 12-7. Wells started in right field for the Phillies, went 0 for 7 at the plate and took the loss in just his second major-league pitching appearance. He pitched last month in mop-up duty for the White Sox.

Wells, forced onto the mound after the Phils depleted their bullpen, ended up allowing five two-out runs before being relieved by infielder John McDonald.

The game started at 7:05PM and ended at 2:12AM- 7 hours, six minutes: the longest in Phillies history. The teams combined to use 20 pitchers, tying a major-league record.

Here's Ryne Sandberg post-game...


According to Jayson Stark through his Twitter:

Last player before Casper Wells to go 0x7 & allow 5 runs in a game was Lum Harris for '42 A's. but he got 46 outs. Wells got 2!

Charlie Manuel: You're Fired!

It appears the floundering Phillies of Philadelphia fame will have a new manager this Friday eve.

That's because they've fired longtime manager Charlie Manuel.

The Phillies were THE dominant NL East team in the Manuel era, which began in 2005. He managed to bring home a World Series title in 2008 and a World Series appearance in 2009, but the past two seasons have not been kind.

Plagued with an aging, highly paid, oft injured roster, the Phillies have struggled, limping through the 2013 season at 53-67.

Former Chicago Cubs legend and Phillies 3rd base coach Ryne Sandberg will take over the team for at least now, an interim basis. Should he be able to bring the team home in a stronger state then they currently are in, Sandberg may be 1st in line for the full time job next year.

We should also add, having interviewed Manuel many times over the years, he's a 1st class guy, well liked. And in this case, we think probably the scapegoat, despite the fault clearly lying at the feet of GM Rueben Amaro.

The Phillies are loaded with contract burdens such as Ryan Howard making nearly $20 million per yr and always being hurt and the Minor League system hasn't brought much in the way of reinforcements. We suspect Amaro may be the next guy to be asked to leave the island.

Here's Chollie talking to the media after his firing...
((HT: CSN Philly))

Bat Boy Actually Deals With A Bat

((HT: MLB.com))

And by that the HQ means the nocturnal thing that hangs upside down inside caves and things like that...

Last night in OSG HQ over at Turner Field, Braves infielder Paul Janish scooped up the bat (the winged kind) in his glove and gave it to a Braves bat boy.



The HQ doesn't know whether or not to give Janish and the, ahem, bat boy who handled a LIVE BAT any attaboy or "what were you thinking?" kind of hat tip...

We'll just take survival as the good first step...

Vin Scully And Paper Airplanes= PBP Gold

((HT: FS Dodgers/MLB))

When games get out of hand, as the 16-1 Phillies win over the Dodgers did the other night, fans can find things to do with their game notes...

And Vin will be there to call the end of the sporting exhibition...


And now, he can check that sport off his list for calling the lead...

Twizzlers Do Not Help Your Batting Average

((HT: MLB.com))

At least, if pitchers apply to the theorem...

Cliff Lee was waiting for a plate appearance last night in Milwaukee when...


Lee grounded out...
Out! Damned Twizzler!!!

You Hit A Homer, I Cut You A Check...

((HT: CSNPhilly.com))

Jonathan Papelbon told his entire dugout that he would instantly cut a $5,000 check to anyone that would hit a game-winning homer and give him a win after he blew his first save of the season...

Pinch-hitter extraordinaire Jim Thome obliged with his record-setting 13th game-winning home run as the Phillies beat the Rays. Thome says no money exchanged hands, but the HQ feels certain that a charity of Thome's choice became quite the richer...

Amy Fadool recaps a busy day in Philly that not only included the Thome history-making homer, but a big trade involving JVR and the Leafs...

Developing: Cole Hamels to sit for 5 Games

Cole Hamels probably should just have kept his mouth shut.

But since he didn't...and decided to boast of "Welcoming" Washington rookie Bryce Harper to the majors by hitting him with a pitch, Mr. Hamels drew the ire of Major League Baseball.

Hamels will now rest for the next 5-games. Of course if he were to not appeal and start the suspension today...he'd miss 1 start.

Well. Maybe Hamels was trying to create a rivalry with the Nationals, who currently (barely) lead the NL East, a role Philadelphia has had for several years. Or maybe he just had "Brain Fade"...

In case you missed it earlier, your offending video:

Busy Night In DC: Hamels Admits Trying To Hit Harper, Werth Lost To Broken Wrist

((HT: ESPN/youtube/MLB))

Welcome to the majors, kid...

Bryce Harper lasted all of one pitch in his first at-bat with the Phillies Cole Hamels last night...

Here's the plunk...


“I was trying to hit him,” Hamels said post-game. “I’m not going to deny it. That’s just — you know what, it’s something that I grew up watching, that’s what happened, so I’m just trying to continue the old baseball.”

Expect a call, fine, and suspension from the league office...

Nats GM Mike Rizzo wasn't all that happy...
CSNWashington's Chase Hughes relays:

“Players take care of themselves,” Rizzo said. “I’ve never seen a more classless, gutless chicken [bleep] act in my 30 years in baseball.

“Cole Hamels says he’s old school? He’s the polar opposite of old school. He’s fake tough. He thinks he’s going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year rookie who’s eight games into the big leagues? He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

The night got even longer after losing Jayson Werth to a pretty bad looking broken wrist...

Kelli Johnson has the post-mortem...
((HT: CSNWashington.com))

So Will The Giants And Phils Do It Again In October...???

And, by that, we mean "brawl..."

The Giants' Ramon Ramirez drilled Shane Victorino in the 6th inning of a 9-2 loss to the Phillies starting a bench-clearing that led to ejections for Ramirez, Victorino and Giants catcher Eli Whiteside, who (literally) was hopping mad before setting off an all-out brawl. Whiteside was ready for Placido Polanco coming out of the dugout...
((HT: CSNBayArea/youtube))


Victorino was asked if he thought Ramirez went after him intentionally...

"Yeah, absolutely, I think he did. That's why I took a step forward. I had no intentions of going out there and charging the mound. I just wanted to go out there and get an answer. ... Obviously, Eli felt like, from looking at his reaction, I was going to go. He started jumping around. Polanco came in and he tackled Polanco. Everything escalated from there."


Here's Victorino...
((HT: CSNBayArea/MLB))