phillies

My pitch to manage the Phillies (if they hadn’t hired Girardi!)

October 25, 2019

(Note: The Philadelphia Phillies hired Joe Girardi to be their next manager. I’m quite stoked about this and hope it’s what the Phillies need. Too much talent to just be 81-81. That being said, I had drafted this up … you know, in case they still needed a manager. So, this is my pitch from all my years of managing adult softball to come out of “retirement” and be the manager of the Phillies!)

Dear Mr. Klentak,

Coming out of my managerial retirement wasn’t something I had planned on contemplating, but as they say – when opportunity knocks, answer the door!

While I am sure you are seeking somebody with big league experience for the next manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, I still felt it necessary for a life-long Phillies fan to see about the possibility, especially somebody with the managing pedigree that I bring.

What I bring is a championship background and would love to bring that to the dugout of the Philadelphia Phillies. For nearly 30 years, I built and managed an adult softball team in my area that went on to do well not only here, but at the state and national level. Success took a little time (hey, it’s not easy starting with a “rebuild” and having to recruit players right away!) but once we reached the highest level, we stayed there.

You could say was somewhat of a GM/manager/player (probably why if I can ever afford the Phillies Phantasy Camp, I’ll want to do so with the GM part), and I feel that experience could lead to a successful run as skipper of the Phillies.

Over the 28 years I managed, we had a constant flow of players and personalities. It’s not easy to juggle all of that, especially if they are coming straight from work or had a cold one in them. We played modified pitch, which is as close to baseball as it comes – and we lived on small ball. We had some power, and good pitching. And we were usually pretty solid in the field (not if I was out there – hitting was my prowess. Fielding, not so much).

And, of course, we had some egos and tempers and everything else. I feel I handled it all well. And I know pitching is something of a sore spot to people, as well. But I have to be honest – I manage pitching with git instinct. I want pitchers to test their limits and become old school of sorts. To be fair, we only really had one pitcher over the last 19 years I managed. I pitched some, too, but the old knuckleball didn’t always work and that proved to be tough at times. And, our pitcher 60 in my final year, but he could still go.

Some of my credentials:

7 league championships
More than 400 victories (estimated)
Belief in the youth movement
Letting players be players

And, Mr. Klentak, I can’t lie – I can second-guess current managers with the best of them (though, to be fair, I don’t really do it online, so maybe it doesn’t count?) as I attend anywhere from 40-75 live games a year between the minors and majors.

I’m also a baseball nerd (have scorebook, will travel) and love all the analytics of the game. Though, to be fair, I tend to manage more by seeing how the game unfolds more so than worrying about whether or not a guy facing a certain player a third time would be bad. If a guy is dealing, I want him to keep dealing. I’m sure with more analytics, I’d be all over it. There’s not many scouting reports, though, in upstate New York for an over-35 dynasty. We just win!

My salary requirements won’t be too crazy, I promise. I’ll bring fire, that’s for sure. I’m a supporter of the Phillies in many ways – from traveling to see them play to even taking part this past year in the Phillies 5K to getting many clothing items – and I’ll continue to do so as manager (though, a uniform and such will be free, right?) I also believe in the system and have been a supporter at the minors and have a good feel for what’s in the system (prospect guides rule)!

I’m ready for my eighth championship to come with the Phillies.

References available upon request. I look forward to discussing this possibility.

Sincerely,

P.J. Harmer

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Nick Williams forgot about me!

September 6, 2016

(Please note – this blog post is ALL in good fun and not serious one bit. Though it’s all true, this is absolutely funny and gave me a chance to have a story and a blog post. I thank Nick Williams for that. It’s better than any ball would have been. So … read on and remember, this is supposed to be all in fun!)

Nick Williams forgot all about me.

There I was, sitting in the PigPen seats at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown. I was there cheering on the future Phillies against the Rochester Redwings.

It was magical.

The PigPen seats are directly in front of the bullpens and you’re on top of the action in left field. So much so that you can get some good views of any action in left and center field.

I’m sad to report, this ball did not get thrown up to us! (ha!)

It’s pretty cool.

On this night, one of the Phils’ top prospects, Nick Williams, was playing left. I thought that was pretty cool as I’ve watched several prospects during their rise through the system and I like Williams. He’s a solid all-around player. He hasn’t always been a prospect in the Phillies’ system as he came over in the trade for Cole Hamels, so I learned as much about him as I could and I liked what he seemed to have to offer the organization.

And Nick is playing for the IronPigs, the triple-A team for the Phillies. The Pigs give fans the chance to see the game from different perspectives, including the PigPen, which is where we got to be up close with Nick Williams. Well, close enough in that he was playing right in front of us and all.

When you are so close to the action, fans will often attempt to get the players to throw them a ball. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it won’t. It all depends on when they have a ball and if they think to throw one after warming up. They definitely won’t do it every inning, that’s for sure. But fans try, that’s for sure. Including me.

But Nick… come on, Nick.

Midway through the game, we (two of us, as well as two others sitting next to us) were kind of trying to get Nick’s attention. All in good fun, of course. One of the people next to was waving.

We, of course, were seeking a ball.

Around the eighth inning, we tried some more. We called his name. When he looked our way, he had already thrown the ball away for his warmups and shrugged with a smile. But that smile made us have hope! Maybe in the ninth! Did we have a chance? Would Nick hook us up?

I mean, I had my IronPigs hat on. I was decked out in a Phillies sweatshirt! I was supporting the big club and the minors! Come on Nick! HOOK US UP!

The ninth inning came. Nick jogged out and was warming up. We cheered. He threw the ball to his throwing mate and gave the sign that he was good.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?

No ball.

Instant sad face.

So we yelled a bit (all with smiles) asking Nick what was up? How could he not soft toss us the ball? What could have happened? I mean, we connected… didn’t we? RIGHT?? We’re supporting the team!!

He jogged to his position and smirked at us and mouthed he was sorry… he forgot.

Classic!

In the years I covered pro baseball, many people asked me how many autographs and such I got. I always said if I asked for autos, I could get fired. But I have stories and memories that go well beyond autographs.

And this story… goes well beyond any baseball Nick Williams could have thrown into the crowd (with the possibility of me dropping it, anyway). It’s something a couple of us can laugh about a bit in the future, especially if Williams keeps climbing the ranks and becomes a member of the Phillies.

It’ll be then we remember how Nick forgot us. And maybe get a baseball!

This is why minor league baseball is so fun, too. Thanks, Nick, for giving us a memory a couple of us will always smile and joke about!

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Summer of Baseball: Reading celebrating its 50th with the Phillies

July 11, 2016

Reading calls itself Baseballtown. With a stadium that was completed in 1951, and one that’s had some renovations over the years, the Reading Fightin Phils have a unique and interesting stadium.

FirstEnergy Stadium is different than when I last visited in, I believe, 2009. They’ve done many upgrades, to make the field a bit more fan friendly, yet have kept the quirky aspects of the park in place.

When you come into the park, you have an area where the food items are and it gives you the feel of a courtyard. It’s definitely busy there, so you might need to push your way around if you want to get somewhere. The concourse is under the main grandstand, so you are behind the action. There’s also not a full walk-around concourse, but that’s normal for older stadiums.

A place to lean and keep score, with a great view.

You can go out into parts of the outfield, though, to watch the game from different vantage points. Overall, sightlines were OK and it is a tad picturesque of a place to watch a game. Seats are a tad old-school, but it kind of goes with the stadium. They aren’t bad, but I also will say we didn’t sit in ours for awful long.

Concession wise, there is the regular fare from ballparks. Being it was a dollar-dog day, I chose that as my choice for the night. It looked like they had a lot of the regular choices, which is good. I didn’t get too deep into the area with everything going on as it was crowded and after a long weekend of baseball and other items, I just wanted to watch a game.

The field is nice and it has some cool areas. Like many parks today, there were spots people could rent out etc., for large groups.

The on-field things were fine and didn’t detract from the game too much, which was good.

The team store is not huge, but it is very well stocked with different items. Because of that, it’s not easy to get around, but if you want something – odds are they likely have it. That’s always a bonus, of course, as it makes no sense not to stock up, especially with the rebranding the team did a year or two ago.

This was the 50th anniversary of the team being associated with the Phillies, so it was nice to get there during this season. The action on the field was solid, and it’s an easy place to watch a game. The atmosphere is pretty good as people seem to enjoy watching baseball.

I will note this, though – it seems like some of the people (the fans) weren’t the friendliest in the world. I’m not saying this is all of them, and I’m not even saying the people we encountered were regulars. But it was … odd.

Let me give an example.

Throwing hot dogs in Reading.

The tickets I purchased were underneath the overhang, as there had originally been a threat of rain. We got to our seats and made sure we had the right spot. No sooner than we sat down, the lady (an older lady) made sure she told us “If they aren’t your seats, you’ll have to move.”

I’ve never had that happen to me before, especially by somebody not working for the team. I will say as we came up the stands, one of the people there had their feet up on our seats, and a jacket over top the back. So I guess we were infringing on their “territory.” Still, it was a little off-setting.

We decided, instead, to stand for the game at the top of the bleachers where there’s a place to lean etc. Two more people were encountered – and they were the same. I asked one person if people could stand here and he looked at me like I was green and had three heads.

As I walked the concourse a little later, three – yes three – people bumped into me as they weren’t watching where they were going. I tried to avoid the collisions but they weren’t paying attention. None of them said excuse me (despite them being at fault and watching their phones and not where they were going), rather gave me a dirty look.

Honestly, these aren’t things I want to share because it’s hopefully not the norm. But this was part of my experience and, honestly, it took away from my experience.

I didn’t really interact with many people who work for the team or stadium, but it seemed like there were a lot of people around.

Park Notes:

FirstEnergy Stadium
Reading, Pennsylvania
Home of the Reading Fightin Phils (Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
Visited on: June 12, 2016
Opponent: Altoona Curve (Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates)

Ratings (out of 10)

Stadium: 7.5/10
Concessions: 7/10
Parking: 8/10
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Friendliness: 6.5/10

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Summer of baseball: Lakewood gives fans many options

November 19, 2015

For the first time in several years, Lakewood was on the calendar for a visit.

For those who love minor league baseball, Lakewood is a great place to visit. The BlueClaws and FirstEnergy Park put on a solid experience. From the food and the activities, to the action on the field, it’s a top-notch place to visit.

Though this trip did have a small disappointment, but with a good ending. So allow me to get that out of the way.

The seats we had were slightly down the third-base line and the last row in the section. When we got there, people were in our seats, but despite grumbling, they moved. We sat down and the game was soon to begin.

Grabbing a few signatures in the passport.

We stayed in the seats for about an inning and a half, give or take.

I’m not sure what was going on, but people continually went up and down the aisle. And a lot of times, it was the same people. Up and down. It didn’t matter if it was in the middle of the inning, if there were people to bat or anything like that. Up and down. Ushers didn’t nothing about this, either.

In many stadiums, ushers will make sure people wait to go, at least, down the aisle. That way it doesn’t take away from other people enjoying the game. The usher near our section basically said there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

Eventually, one of the people in our group went and complained to the ticket window. To give credit, one of the managers (or somebody like that) who my friend talked upgraded our seats to an area where it was much better and we were able to enjoy the game. Kudos to the BlueClaws for that, but it’s a lesson to be learned here in regard to making sure all fans have a chance to … well, watch the game.

Back to the stadium.

Parking at FirstEnergy Park is easy and close. It’s pretty easy to get to as well, which is nice.

Once inside, there’s a lot of choices. The field features a full concourse that goes around the whole stadium. There are numerous choices for food and drink, which is a good thing. Prices are decent, but remember you are at the Jersey Shore — in the summer.

The team store is pretty big, especially considering it’s a Single-A team. The store has plenty of options and items for all fans.

Walking away with a ball.

There’s a friendly vibe here, which is good. The atmosphere is decent, but realize that not everybody is here just for baseball. With so many other things to enjoy, some come for the full social aspect — hence the up and down in the aisles. That aspect of things can hopefully be fixed by the team.

I do love stadiums that have the full concourse. Though I am one who usually stays put in my seat (I keep my own book, after all), I usually like to go for a stroll one inning a game. I peek around the park, watch the game as I walk, grab some food etc. Lakewood is a perfect place to be able to do this.

It also helps that I am a Phillies fan, so getting to see people in the minors is always a bonus.

Side story — and this doesn’t go against the stadium or the team because this can, and does, happen all over. But we had the human encyclopedia behind us this night. See, this guy knew everything about baseball. And he’d be fresh to tell you what kind of signing bonus people had or that they wouldn’t make it to the majors because of the round they were picked in (tell that to Mike Piazza, big guy), and he was quick to hit his smart phone to Google something.

Thankfully, he didn’t stay the whole game.

It is always amusing when people talk a little extra louder to their friends to act like they know more than they do. More than once I mentioned to those I was with how the guy was fully wrong and had no clue. Alas, I didn’t say much more and they left after six or so innings, which goes to show you how big of a fan motor mouth really was.

Side note two — one of the group ended up with a foul ball that game, which was cool.

In the end, a great night for a game. It’s always fun to visit a game at the Shore and see the BlueClaws play and I look forward to my next trip down.

Park Notes:

FirstEnergy Park
Lakewood, NJ
Home of the Lakewood Blueclaws ( Single A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
Visited on: July 10, 2015
Opponent: Hickory Crawdads (Single A affiliate of the Texas Rangers)

Ratings (out of 10)

Stadium: 8.5/10
Concessions: 8/10
Parking: 8/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Friendliness: 9/10

I am continuing the Summer of Baseball from 2014 and hope to blog about each new stadium I visit in 2015. Ones visited in the past can be viewed linked up in the 2014 version.

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Thanks, Chase

August 24, 2015

Chase Utley throwing a runner out. I took this photo in 2010.

This one hurts.

Many of you know how much of a baseball fanatic I am. Closer friends know my love of the Philadelphia Phillies.

As things have gone for the worse the past few years, I always knew players could be traded, though I thought one or two were basically untouchable. They’d been here for their careers … they won’t be leaving, right?

Baseball is a business, though. And it’s times like this when I question many things about the game.

For you Yankee fans, imagine a non-playoff year a couple of years ago … and imagine them trading Derek Jeter or Mariano Rivera. How would you have felt?

It’s how I feel with Chase Utley.

Utley was traded to the Dodgers last Wednesday night in a move that feels like somebody kicked me in the gut.

Utley personified Philadelphia. He was a blue-collar player, hard-nosed and played the game the right way. He wasn’t afraid to do what he had to do to win. Needless to say, he was by far one of the most popular players in Philly.

He was definitely my favorite player. Still is. Even if he’s been cast off by an inept general manager who shouldn’t be making any moves at this point. This team doesn’t get better until he’s gone. This is a GM who took over for a Hall of Fame front office person and destroyed it.

And now, this is what happens. In the span of eight months, two franchise players (Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley) have been cast off. By franchise players I mean two who looked to play their careers with the team. Cole Hamels – another franchise face signed for a few more years – was traded in July.

Yet, Ruben Amaro is still making moves. Makes me shake my head.

But this isn’t about a GM who has destroyed something that took a while to build, this is about a 36-year-old second baseman who wanted to remain in Philly and is now being sent to the west coast. Yes, he had to approve the trade. But as I’ve noted to others – when your name comes up in the talks all the time, eventually you are going to look at the writing on the wall and agree to go somewhere, as long as it’s a spot where you would like to be. It’s not like he forced his hand to be traded here, by all accounts anyway.

Chase Utley gave Phillies fans a lot of memories. It’s going to be disgusting seeing him wear blue and white. I’ve seen him once since the trade — his final at-bat in his first game with the Dodgers, when they were no-hit by the Astros.

The game is a business and this proves it. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt, that’s for sure.

Thanks for the memories, Chase.

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