PHILLIES: STILL Messin' With Our Heads

A 3-game sweep of the light-hitting Chisox ... yes, definitely ... it's another head-scratcher for Phillie Phan.

Mostly because that kid -- Kyle Kendrick -- did a bang-up job on the mound in his MLB debut.
And, while Phillie Phan might've seen Ky-Ken wearing #38 and thought, "Hey, that was Schill's ol' number" -- dammit, let's not forget those two pitchers who made #38 "phamous in Philly."

Yup ... Pat Combs is one of the immortals -- but, before that, there was the almost-always-on-the-edge-of-greatness Larry Christenson.
Poor guy ... he made four postseason starts in those playoff seasons of '77, '78 and '80 -- and Lare was brewwww-tullll.
A 9.39 ERA.

Injuries, inconsistency ... it never worked out for Lare.
However, during a Phillies-Orioles/20th anniversary of the '83 World Series four years ago, of the oldtimers who showed up that day, the Phillies didn't have Hall of Famers Pete Rose and Tony Perez playin' first base.
So, Larry Christenson did.

Always the trooper.
Always the good sport.

Where were we?
Right ... the standing O for everybody's All-American, Jim Thome, was nice -- but let's not forget the pioneers who brought #25 to prominence in Philly.
Exactly!
Del Unser and Gregg Jefferies.
Remember those 11 homers Gregg hit in '97 while batting a robust .256?
Francona's rookie season as manag... .... ... . ... ..... ..

Where were we?
"Back in the thick of the wild-card race, that's where," exclaims Phillie Phan.
It sounds interesting, but with the team stuck on 9,987 losses, it stands to reason that the fellas may've lost their focus.

Well, with the Tigers comin' to the Cit for the weekend (Verlander vs. Hamels on Sunday???) and with the unique challenge of a World Series preview unfolding at The Jake on Monday, Milestone Loss No. 10,000 CAN (will?) be achieved before the All-Star Break.

Then, with that 10K in the bank, it'll be back to the business of holding our breaths until Super Slo-Mo Pat Burrell attempts a stolen base (we're at 366, kids!).

Good times.
Albeit confusing ...