Phillies Nation

Phillies claim IF Carlos Rivero from Indians

Posted by Brian Michael, Thu, November 04, 2010 03:59 PM

Yesterday the Phillies claimed 23-year old infielder Carlos Rivero from the Cleveland Indians. The Venezuelan righthander went .232/.278/.325 with six home runs in 496 ABs while playing shortstop last season at Double A Akron.

Adding him to the 40-man roster could mean potential competition for Wilson Valdez in the backup shortstop role, but it is likely Rivero will start the season in the minors.

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Limited Edition H20 Shirts

Posted by Brian Michael, Tue, October 12, 2010 12:29 PM

In the past we’ve sold a variety of shirts on CafePress, but from time-to-time we also like to print professional designs on high-quality shirts. So if you’re a fan of the 3-headed monster at the top of the Phillies rotation then get your limited edition H₂0 shirt today before it sells out!

H20 Shirt – Large size only

* Hanes Beefy T
* Tagless comfort
* 100% preshrunk ringspun cotton
* High-quality print
* Professional design

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Roy Halladay Throws No-hitter

Posted by Brian Michael, Wed, October 06, 2010 08:30 PM

Roy Halladay just threw the second postseason no-hitter in baseball history.  A walk in the fifth inning prevented the perfect game, but the Phillies ace was masterful.  Welcome to Doctober.

Listen to the final out call by Scott Franzke:
Halladay no hitter by edmundrhudy

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Playoff Watching Specials at Phillies Bars

Posted by Brian Michael, Mon, October 04, 2010 02:09 PM

It’s playoff time, so we Phillies fans need to step up our public presence around the country. If you’re an unfortunate soul like myself, who is stuck outside the Delaware Valley, then be sure to wear your Phillies gear this week and patronize your local Phillies bar.

We’ve listed below a few of our favorite spots and the specials they have going on this week. If you don’t see your city listed, check out our Phillies Bar page featuring Phillies-friendly establishments in over 30 cities around the world.

Washington, DC – Ventnor Sports Cafe

• $3.50 Yuegling and Yuengling light bottles
• Cheesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches, soft pretzels
• Plus a special pint night with Victory brewing company

New York City – Shorty’s
Wednesday specials:

• $4 Yuengling Drafts
• $4 Yuengling Onion Rings

Friday specials:

• $3 Shorty Shots
• $5 Jager Shots
• $6 Absolut Tinis and Cosmos

Chicago – Mad River Bar and Grill

• $8 Bud Light/Coors Light Pitchers
• $3 Bud Light/Coors Light drafts
• $15 Bud Light/Coors Light bottle buckets
• $5 Well drinks
• $4 Absolut Cocktails
• $4 Bacardi Bomb Shots
• 1/2 price Philly Cheesesteaks

San Francisco – Jake’s Steaks
All Phillies playoffs games:

• $3 Coors Light
• 4 for $10 Bud Light bottles
• RSVP to Game 2 Meetup here

Boston – An Tua Nua

• $2.50 Miller High Life
• Food specials

Denver – Pat’s Cheesesteaks
All Phillies playoff games:

• $3 22oz Gigantic Glass Coorslight
• 4 for $10 bottled Bud Light

Raleigh – Blinco’s Sports Bar
Wednesday Specials:

• $1.00 off Rotating Taps
• $2.50 any Budweiser
• $4.00 Applesauce Shooters

Friday Specials:

• $2.50 CPA Draft
• $3.00 Import Bottles
• $5.00 House Martinis
• RSVP to the Meetup here

Key West – Rum Barrel
Southernmost Phillies club members specials:

• $2.50 Yuengling, Miller Lite and Bud light Drafts
• Selected shot specials

Dallas – Fox and Hound Lewisville

• $2 Bud Light and Shiner Drafts
• $3 Spaten Octoberfest
• $4 Select U Call Its
• If more than 10 fans show – free pizza, wings and chips and salsa!
• RSVP to the Meetup here

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Ken Burns’ Baseball: The Tenth Inning

Posted by Brian Michael, Thu, September 30, 2010 01:35 PM

Last week I attended a screening and panel discussion for Baseball: The Tenth Inning by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick at The George Washington University’s Listner Auditorium. We saw clips of the latest documentary in the Baseball series which airs September 28 & 29 at 8 p.m. ET on your local PBS station. It chronicled the period from 1994 to 2007 and touched on subjects including the ‘94 strike, Cal Ripken, the ‘98 home run race, steroids, and the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. ESPN senior sports writer Howard Bryant also joined the discussion that covered the film and the current state of Major League Baseball. Here’s a video of the hour-long event.

For more videos about baseball and American culture, see Ken Burns: The Tenth Inning Series.

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Videos from Last Night’s NL East Clincher

Posted by Brian Michael, Tue, September 28, 2010 04:54 PM

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Gameday: Phillies (93-63) at Nationals (67-89)

Posted by Brian Michael, Mon, September 27, 2010 05:50 PM

Philadelphia Phillies (93-63) at Washington Nationals (67-89)

John Lannan, LHP (8-7, 4.58 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (20-10, 2.53 ERA)

Time: 7:05, Nationals Stadium
Weather: Chance of rain, 66
TV: CSN
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The Phillies 2010 season began in Washington, DC with Roy Halladay squaring off against John Lannan. It could for all intents and purposes come to a close tonight under the same scenario. A Phillies win or a Braves loss will clinch the fourth consecutive division title for the Phillies.

Rain is expected tonight, so there is a chance the game will be postponed or even canceled. For the latest on how the weather will affect tonight’s game, follow Twitter:

After a brief appearance in yesterday’s game, Jimmy Rollins will not be starting.

Today’s lineup: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS, Halladay P

Your Gameday Beer – Nugget Nectar
This brew by Troegs (out of the PA capital) is a mix of Red and Amber Ale; and as a result, it pours a vibrant orange color in your glass. The taste hits you right away with piney hops then gradually fades into tropical fruit flavors. It’s a tasty beer worth trying, especially alongside a roasted chicken. – By Brian

GO PHILLIES!

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Photos from this Weekend’s Series

Posted by Brian Michael, Mon, September 27, 2010 02:44 PM

Here are some photos I took from the games on Saturday and Sunday in Philly (they look best in Full Screen mode). If the weather cooperates tonight, I’ll have some more from the potential clincher. Go Phils!

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Funny Mets Video

Posted by Brian Michael, Fri, September 24, 2010 12:34 PM

Here’s a funny video for your Friday afternoon.

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Gameday: Braves (86-64) at Phillies (89-61)

Posted by Brian Michael, Mon, September 20, 2010 06:37 PM

Atlanta Braves (86-64) at Philadelphia Phillies (88-61)

Brandon Beachy (0-0, – ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (11-10, 3.01 ERA)

Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
Weather: Partly cloudy, 72
TV: CSN
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You want a playoff atmosphere? Well, you got it my friend. Tonight the Bank will be rocking – rally towels and all. The Phillies enter with a three game lead over the Braves in the NL East with 12 games remaining, six against each other.

To add to the drama, the Braves scheduled starter, Jair Jurrjens, has been scratched due to injury. 24-year-old rookie Brandon Beachy will start in his place. This move may favor the Braves as the Phils have not done well against guys they have not seen before. Not to mention Jurrjens’ struggles lately. Beachy has spent most of this season in AA and went 2-0 with a 2.17 ERA in 8 games in AAA before being called up earlier this month. He has an impressive 5.29 K/BB ratio – but of course, he has yet to face major league hitting.

And the Phillies have plenty of that. Riding a seven-game winning streak, the Phils have won 11 of their last 12. They are hot at the right time; even if those wins came against the bottom-feeders of the division. Nonetheless the bats are connecting, especially those of Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez. Plus, Cole Hamels is tossing some of his best games of his career. He has given up just a single run in his last 31 1/3 innings and over his last 13 games is 5-3 with a stingy 1.79 ERA.

There is no doubt tonight’s game a big one. Where will you be watching?

Today’s lineup: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS, Hamels P

Your gameday beer: Victory Lager
Pure and simple describes this offering from our friends at Victory. The well-balanced German-style lager satisfies the taste buds with roasted malts and flowery hops. It’s a nice substitute for the traditional American Lagers like Yuengling or Sam Adams. Lagers go great with anything, but I particularly prefer a good pepperoni pizza.

GO PHILLIES!

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Lakewood Blue Claws Win League Championship

Posted by Brian Michael, Sat, September 18, 2010 10:23 PM

The Lakewood Blue Claws won their second consecutive South Atlantic League Championship on Saturday. The Phillies Single A affiliate beat the Greenville Drive by a score of 4-2 to take the best-of-five series in Game Four and become the first team in SAL history to win the first half, second half, and league title.

The Claws were led by Sebastian Valle (catcher) who smacked a three-run home run in the fifth inning – his third homer of the series. Righty Jonathan Pettibone gave up two runs over five innings to earn the win, while Josh Zeid tossed four scoreless innings in relief for the save.

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Gameday: Nationals (62-85) at Phillies (87-61)

Posted by Brian Michael, Sat, September 18, 2010 06:06 PM

Washington Nationals (62-85) at Philadelphia Phillies (87-61)

Jordan Zimmerman (0-1, 5.29 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (9-9, 4.85 ERA)

Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
Weather: 72 Clear, Sunny
TV: Comcast
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It’s Saturday night and and the mood is right. Hopefully the faithful fans visiting Citizens Bank Park will be treated to another victory as the Phillies seek to put further distance between themselves and the Braves; and inch closer to another division title. Heading into tonight’s game, the Phils are riding their fifth winning streak of five or more games this season.

Kyle Kendrick will take to the mound for the hometown nine in what could be his last start of the season. With an off day in each of the final weeks, Charlie Manuel may opt to go with a four-man rotation leaving Kyle as the odd man out. Still, a win tonight could mean Kendrick finishes the season with a winning record despite going 1-4 in his last 5 starts.

Meanwhile, Jordan Zimmermann will throw for the Nationals in his tenth start of his career. In four starts this season, Zimmermann has amassed a total of just 17 innings pitched. If the Phils can jump on him early like they did to the Nats pitcher last night, the fans should be in for a treat.

Don’t forget to listen to the latest Phillies Nation Podcast between innings.

Today’s lineup: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS, Kendrick P

Your gamenight beer: Spaten Oktoberfestbier
In honor of the first day of Oktoberfest, we’re going with Spaten’s seasonal offering. It’s a typical lager for a beer hall – or on a day like today, a biergarden – so it goes down smooth with some roasted flavors. Of course drink it alongside your favorite wurst, Knockwurst, Bratwurst or whatever as long as it’s got some sauerkraut.

GO PHILLIES!

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Update on Phillies Care Packages for Troops

Posted by Brian Michael, Thu, September 16, 2010 04:31 PM

For those of you who haven’t heard, we’re collecting donations so that we can send fun Phillies gear to fans serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. In less than a month, we’ve had 30 people and companies donate over $750.

This past week we plowed through a mountain of customs forms, Post Office boxes, tape and newspapers to stuff 15 carepackages for soldiers. Each package features a custom Phillies Nation Phillies hat, a DVD of the 2008 season, a handful of Phanatic figurines, Phillies Nation stickers and a Phillies keychain, courtesy of our friends at WholesaleKeychain.com.

We identified recipients by asking around on our Facebook page and each person who responded was genuinely excited and grateful; so if you haven’t made a donation yet, you still can by clicking here. This really means a lot to these guys and for those of us who normally take their sacrifices for granted, it is an easy way to give some thing back.

This first batch of packages are being delivered to places as far as Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, Japan, and even the North Pole.  If you know of a Phillies fan serving abroad or are one yourself, and would like us to send a carepackage, please email us through our contact form.

Here are some photos from this weekend’s packing session:

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Phillies 2011 Schedule Released

Posted by Brian Michael, Wed, September 15, 2010 02:41 PM

The Phillies released their 2011 schedule today and we’ve listed some of the highlights below.

• Home and season opener – April 1 vs. Houston
• Interleague series at home – May 20 vs. Texas; June 24 vs. Oakland; June 28 vs. Boston
• Interleague series on the road – June 17 in Seattle; July 1 in Toronto
• First Mets game – April 5 at home
• First Braves Games – April 8 in Atlanta
• All Star Game – July 12 in Phoenix
• Potential Phillies Nation trips – May 28, 29 at NYM; July 16, 17 at NYM; August 6, 7 in San Fran; August 20 at DC; September 24, 25 at NYM
• Final home game – September 22 vs. Washington
• Season finale – September 28 in Atlanta
• Biggest challenge for Nick “The Beerman” – Two 9-game home-stands in May, followed by 10-game home-stands in June and July

View the entire 2011 Phillies schedule here.

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Gameday: Phillies (83-61) at Marlins (73-69)

Posted by Brian Michael, Mon, September 13, 2010 06:37 PM

Philadelphia Phillies (83-61) at Florida Marlins (73-69)

Joe Blanton (6-6, 5.15 ERA) vs. Andrew Miller (1-1, 6.16 ERA)

Time: 7:10 p.m at Sun Life Stadium
TV: CSN
Weather: Sunny, chance of thunderstorms – 79
Twitter: @philliesnation

After taking the front-end series of this NL East road trip, the Phils look to continue their winning ways tonight in Miami. The club has won 14 of its last 17 road games after losing the previous 12 of 15.

They will face Andrew Miller again for the second time in a week. As you may recall, the Phils knocked him around in his last appearance, scoring at least one run in every inning he pitched. Miller left the game with a line featuring 7 runs on 11 hits in just four innings.

The Phillies will counter with Joe Blanton who seeks an audience with the top side of .500 as he looks for his 6th win of the season. We all know the story with Joe: if he can get through the first inning unscathed, he should give the Phils a good chance to win. In 11 starts since the All-Star break, he is 3-1 with a 3.67 ERA, so even if he doesn’t leave with the lead, he’s not digging the team into an insurmountable hole. Plus, the offense has been known to awaken when Kentucky Joe is on the mound, unlike with Hollywood Hamels.

Speaking of the offensive machine that is the Phillies lineup, its sparkplug Jimmy Rollins found out via an MRI that he has a mild hamstring strain. He is scheduled to rejoin team tomorrow in Florida but will likely not start.

Tonight’s lineup: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS, Blanton P.

Your gamenight beer: Kentucky Joe takes the mound, and what better way to celebrate the man than with Bluegrass Nut Brown Ale, right from his home state’s Bluegrass Brewery. Laced with caramel and nutty flavors, this English Brown is much like Newcastle, but probably a little sweeter. It goes well with a fat burger. A big, fat, Kentucky Joe burger. - By Tim

GO PHILLIES!

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