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Philadelphia Phillies official 2010 season thread

stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
Halladay debuts with a bang for Phillies

John Lott,
Published: Thursday, March 04, 2010

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Nine-year-old Braden Halladay skipped school yesterday. His dad was not planning to tell the world, but a reporter asked, and dad admitted it was so.

"The cat might be out of the bag now," Roy Halladay said with a smile.

Braden will no doubt be excused for going to work with his father. This was Halladay's coming-out party with the Philadelphia Phillies, and when he was done, Braden and the other 9,865 fans at Bright House Field had cause to celebrate.

In his new office, Halladay was the same old Doc, the inexorable automaton so familiar to Toronto Blue Jays fans for the past decade. Pitching against CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees, he worked two innings, allowed no hits and no runs, struck out three and walked none.

"For the first time out I was happy with my location," Halladay said. "I thought it was pretty good."

This is what he meant by pretty good: Of his 24 pitches, 21 were strikes.

Catcher Carlos Ruiz does not normally tingle with anticipation before an exhibition game. This was different.

"Last night I was thinking all night, ‘I got the big guy tomorrow.' I'm excited," Ruiz said before the game. His eyes said he was not kidding.

This spring, Ruiz had caught Halladay twice in bullpen sessions. He walked away in wonder.

"It's amazing," Ruiz said. "He's a horse. It surprised me because everything he threw was a strike, close to the zone, very aggressive. His sinker was great, his cutter, everything.

"The second time I caught him, he threw a screwball. I thought, ‘Oh my God.' "

Which is approximately what Nick Swisher and Randy Winn probably thought as they watched third strikes dart by in the second inning. An inning earlier, Jorge Posada enjoyed a small triumph. His strikeout came on a foul tip.

Over the past few weeks, veteran closer Brad Lidge learned something that Jays players have known for years. At work, Halladay seems never to rest. No card games, no fooling around, no feet up watching the big TV.

"Obviously, there's a time and place for having fun, but he has fun when he's doing his work," Lidge said. "That's just kind of what he's all about."

Halladay's fun continued long after he left the game. First, he repaired to the bullpen to throw some extra pitches. Then he did 90 minutes of cardio work and arm exercises. When he finally met 30 reporters lurking at his locker, sweat dappled his forehead and drenched his red undershirt.

He answered questions for almost 14 minutes. Yes, he was excited as he anticipated this day, and yes, it felt different to run to the mound in a new uniform. But no, once the game started, it did not feel different.

He is surprised at how quickly he felt settled in his new environment after the trade. He did not mention Toronto, but he might have been thinking about a certain contrast when he summarized how it feels to play for the defending National League champions.

"Everybody here expects to win and knows how to win," he said. "That's been the biggest emphasis from day one, that we're here to win. You watch the way Chase [Utley] prepares, the way Raul [Ibanez] prepares, all these guys. There's no goofing around. They come out to play."

It is a fine fit for Halladay. His wife Brandy and sons Braden and Ryan are thrilled too, Braden perhaps most of all.

"I think my son's more excited than anybody," Halladay said. "It's a dream come true for him too. You feel fortunate when you can play to the point that your kids are able to be a part of it and enjoy it with you."

Still, he remains unfazed by the hoopla surrounding his ascension from Toronto.

"I know there's more attention, but I don't pay much attention to it," he said. "For me, my job's the same, my preparation's the same, my approach has got to be the same."

Which is precisely what the Phillies ordered, and what the Doctor delivered yesterday.

National Post

jlott@nationalpost.com
«13456789

Comments

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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    In a related story, Phillies 2010 World Series tickets went on sale today.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    <<< "Everybody here expects to win and knows how to win," he said. "That's been the biggest emphasis from day one, that we're here to win. You watch the way Chase [Utley] prepares, the way Raul [Ibanez] prepares, all these guys. There's no goofing around. They come out to play." >>>


    No mercenaries allowed on this team!
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just saw this headline: Philadelphia planning World Series parade route.

    Yankees won't be motivated this season, and the Phillies are definitely better than any other junior circuit team. Ha!
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Phils are gonna run through this season like Secretariat at the Belmont Stakes!

    Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ryan Howard - NL 2010 MVP - that's my prediction unless another Phillie or two or three or four beats him out.

    Wouldn't that be cool? Five Phillies at the top of the MVP voting list? YEA...............................image
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1927 who? forget about it

    image
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I read somewhere on the internet that the Mets scored 17 runs in 9 innings today...that's an average of almost 2 runs per inning if my calculator is correct..


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I read somewhere on the internet that the Mets scored 17 runs in 9 innings today...that's an average of almost 2 runs per inning if my calculator is correct.. >>



    that was during a players versus wives softball game.
  • Options
    This thread will either.......................


    A. Die due to lack of interest
    B. Continue as a post padding thread
    C. Turn into a debate about Ryan Howard
    D. All of the above
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>This thread will either.......................


    A. Die due to lack of interest
    B. Continue as a post padding thread
    C. Turn into a debate about Ryan Howard
    D. All of the above >>




    As long as it doesn't turn into a discussion about the 2010 Winter Olympics. LOL
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    swartz1swartz1 Posts: 4,911 ✭✭✭
    just checking in...



    Looking for 1970 MLB Photostamps
    - uncut


    Positive Transactions - tennesseebanker, Ahmanfan, Donruss, Colebear, CDsNuts, rbdjr1, Downtown1974, yankeeno7, drewsef, mnolan, mrbud60, msassin, RipublicaninMass, AkbarClone, rustywilly, lsutigers1973, julen23 and nam812, plus many others...
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>just checking in... >>



    Free admission to this thread for all Phillies fans. image
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    Paging Walt.....come in Walt !!!!!!!!!!

    I think he's the only other one.
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Don't forget Hyperactive..


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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    BrickBrick Posts: 4,939 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>just checking in... >>



    Free admission to this thread for all Phillies fans. image >>



    I'm not a Phillie fan. What's the cost for me to post here?
    I'm not a Phillie hatter either, just a Reds fan.
    I do respect the Phillies, they have a good chance to give the Mets a run for the division title.
    Collecting 1960 Topps Baseball in PSA 8
    http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/

    Ralph

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    << <i>
    I do respect the Phillies, they have a good chance to give the Mets a run for the division title. >>




    Did he say Mets image
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,536 ✭✭✭✭✭

    <<
    I do respect the Phillies, they have a good chance to give the Mets a run for the division title. >>




    Did he say Mets


    This coming from the guy who said there was no chance the Colts would lose the Super Bowl after going up 10-0..image

    Please predict the Phillies will win the NL East...that way it is sure NOT to happen, LOL!


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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    I predict the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the NL East !!!

    Go BUCS !!
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Post Time 1:05pm
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Off to a great start - I'll take being in the World Series every year - I could get used to that.

    image
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Babe Howard does it again.

    Looks like the Phillies wire to wire this season in the NL East.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What, no "official" Mets or Braves thread yet?

    I call that lack of confidence. Ah Ha Ha Ha Ha.....

    Ahh yes, it sure feels good to root for a winning team that just keeps getting better.

    Go Phillies!!!!!!!!!!
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had a feeling this would be a bounce back season for Hamels...with Cole pitching strongly, is the NL East race in theory already over after the second game?
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    softparadesoftparade Posts: 9,271 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Jayson Werth will be a Yankee next year.

    ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240

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    swartz1swartz1 Posts: 4,911 ✭✭✭
    2 games 2 homers...


    Looking for 1970 MLB Photostamps
    - uncut


    Positive Transactions - tennesseebanker, Ahmanfan, Donruss, Colebear, CDsNuts, rbdjr1, Downtown1974, yankeeno7, drewsef, mnolan, mrbud60, msassin, RipublicaninMass, AkbarClone, rustywilly, lsutigers1973, julen23 and nam812, plus many others...
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Even this early, first place sure looks good...


    EAST W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA DIFF STRK L10 POFF
    Philadelphia 3 1 .750 - 0-0 3-1 32 11 +21 Won 1 3-1 0.0
    Florida 2 2 .500 1 0-1 2-1 14 21 -7 Lost 1 2-2 0.0
    Atlanta 2 2 .500 1 2-1 0-1 23 14 +9 Lost 2 2-2 0.0
    NY Mets 2 2 .500 1 2-2 0-0 22 13 +9 Won 1 2-2 0.0
    Washington 1 3 .250 2 1-2 0-1 13 32 -19 Lost 1 1-3 0.0
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    WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Yup off to a wonderful start, lets see how great they are when they ain't playing Washington and a
    winless Houston. Who do they play next? Oh Washington again.........geez.



    Steve
    Good for you.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Yup off to a wonderful start, lets see how great they are when they ain't playing Washington and a
    winless Houston. Who do they play next? Oh Washington again.........geez.

    Steve >>



    Washington? Oh you mean the team that beat the Mets today, and the team the Mets are tied with in last place? That Washington?

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    SoFLPhillyFanSoFLPhillyFan Posts: 3,931 ✭✭


    << <i>Yup off to a wonderful start, lets see how great they are when they ain't playing Washington and a
    winless Houston. Who do they play next? Oh Washington again.........geez.

    Steve >>



    I love the smell of bitter Mets fans in the morning.

    They smell like....well let's say they just smell. image

    image
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    HyperionHyperion Posts: 7,438 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Yup off to a wonderful start, lets see how great they are when they ain't playing Washington and a
    winless Houston. Who do they play next? Oh Washington again.........geez.



    Steve >>



    you're assuming anyone in the NL is markedly BETTER than houston or washington.
    maybe 3 teams.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Yup off to a wonderful start, lets see how great they are when they ain't playing Washington and a
    winless Houston. Who do they play next? Oh Washington again.........geez.

    Steve >>



    Steve, no need to worry, your Mets are only 2 games out. That's not too bad considering it's only the first week.

    Ah Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha..........................................................
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've heard rumors that Grote15 is so distraught over his Mets appearing to be headed for another dismal season, that rather than experience more pain and suffering being a Mets fan, he has decided to spend the rest of the spring and summer in Tibet with the Monks, studying the teachings of Aesop.
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    swartz1swartz1 Posts: 4,911 ✭✭✭
    No worries today...the ace is on the mound...


    Looking for 1970 MLB Photostamps
    - uncut


    Positive Transactions - tennesseebanker, Ahmanfan, Donruss, Colebear, CDsNuts, rbdjr1, Downtown1974, yankeeno7, drewsef, mnolan, mrbud60, msassin, RipublicaninMass, AkbarClone, rustywilly, lsutigers1973, julen23 and nam812, plus many others...
  • Options
    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How many days till football season again? image


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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    WaltWalt Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭
    I'm not a big phillies fan, but dang they
    Look good. Howard is crushing it. Nice call
    On dumping cliff Lee at the right time. With
    Santana looking the way he did today against
    The worse team, can which give doc the
    CY young yet?
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm not a big phillies fan,

    Now, THAT'S funny! image


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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    SoFLPhillyFanSoFLPhillyFan Posts: 3,931 ✭✭

    waltstalin weighs in on a Phillies thread.

    What a coincidence.
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    HyperionHyperion Posts: 7,438 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I'm not a big phillies fan,

    Now, THAT'S funny! image >>



    Am I out of bounds by inviting Grote15 to be an official "Mets fans for the Phillies" for 2010?

    Cmon man.... get on the bandwagon image
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    W:Halladay (2-0, 0.56)

    What's the over/under for Doc throwing a perfect game this season?

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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    EAST W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA DIFF STRK L10 POFF
    Philadelphia 5 1 .833 - 0-0 5-1 43 18 +25 Won 3 5-1 0.0
    Florida 4 2 .667 1 2-1 2-1 27 32 -5 Won 2 4-2 0.0
    Atlanta 3 2 .600 1.5 2-1 1-1 30 16 +14 Won 1 3-2 0.0
    Washington 3 3 .500 2 1-2 2-1 22 37 -15 Won 2 3-3 0.0
    NY Mets 2 4 .333 3 2-4 0-0 27 22 +5 Lost 2 2-4 0.0


    This is just too much fun. It's gonna be another great season for Phillies fans and I'm gonna savor every minute of it.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I'm not a big phillies fan, but dang they
    Look good. Howard is crushing it. Nice call
    On dumping cliff Lee at the right time. With
    Santana looking the way he did today against
    The worse team, can which give doc the
    CY young yet? >>




    They've already got the paperwork for the Cy Young filled out.
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    << I'm not a big phillies fan,

    Now, THAT'S funny! >>



    Am I out of bounds by inviting Grote15 to be an official "Mets fans for the Phillies" for 2010?

    Cmon man.... get on the bandwagon


    Well, with the vacancy left by JS, there may be room, LOL!

    But I don't know SteveK's secret handshake! image


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>No worries today...the ace is on the mound... >>



    We needed it today - some teams play good enough to win, and some teams play just good enough to lose.

    This Phillies team has the heart, the desire, the determination, and the talent to win it again especially with all the Phillies fans, the greatest baseball fans in the world, cheering them on...and after only one week of play, it's looking very, VERY good.

    As Aesop advises, I'm not counting any chickens yet, but there are a lot of eggs out there. LOL
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i><< I'm not a big phillies fan,

    Now, THAT'S funny! >>



    Am I out of bounds by inviting Grote15 to be an official "Mets fans for the Phillies" for 2010?

    Cmon man.... get on the bandwagon


    Well, with the vacancy left by JS, there may be room, LOL!

    But I don't know SteveK's secret handshake! image >>



    The secret handshake is thus revealed at the membership swearing in ceremony.
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    WaltWalt Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭
    I think the real question has to be how much money is MLB going to lose on all the balls that Howard sends into the ozone layer? Dang.

    Walt
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    U-T-L-E-Y...2 tonight...always better than 1.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    13 runs tonight and lookin' for mo'
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Rather than comparing all lesser teams to the 1927 Yankeees, I think it's time to start comparing all lesser teams to the 2010 Phillies - this team could go down in MLB history as the greatest team of all time.
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    stevekstevek Posts: 27,774 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That #26 for the Phillies is a pretty good ballplayer.
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We got you right where we want you now..


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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