GaryMrMets
07-06-2004, 12:48 PM
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/sports/s070604c.htm
Fans flock to ballpark to see rare meeting of good Mets, Phils teams
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
By RYAN LAWRENCE
Courier-Post Staff
PHILADELPHIA
Now in its fourth month of regular-season baseball, Citizens Bank Park is still a tough ticket.
The combination of a new ballpark and a first-place team gives Phillies fans more than enough reason to pack the house nightly.
But on Monday, the park was packed for a third reason - the Mets were in town.
It doesn't matter if both teams are battling to stay out of last place or fighting for first, or in an old stadium like the Vet instead of the cozy new park, Mets fans always make the trip southward to create perhaps the best off-the-field baseball rivalry in Philadelphia.
Interestingly enough, however, the intensity of the rivalry hasn't reached a pique equivalent to some other Philly-New York battles (Flyers-Rangers, Eagles-Giants).
Why? Because in the 42-year history of the rivalry, both teams have finished better than .500 in the same year just four times. When the Phillies were contenders in the late 1970s and early '80s, the Mets were cellar dwellers. When the Mets got good 10 years later, the Phillies were not.
"I think with rivalries, it doesn't matter what records are," Phillies manager Larry Bowa argued. "I just don't think it's ever been apparent with the Phillies and Mets. For me, it was the Phillies and Pirates that hated each other. That was the rivalry."
Of course, similar records had a lot to do with the Phillies-Pittsburgh battles of the '70s, when Bowa patrolled shortstop. It seemed as if every National League East title came down to the Phils and Bucs during a decade-long span of the late '70s and early '80s
"We respected each other, but we just didn't like them as a team," Bowa said. "I hated the uniform."
While Bowa said he doesn't see a similar hatred among the Phillies and Mets, his players proclaimed otherwise. Even though 2001 was the lone year both contended for a playoff spot, several players sense an intensity when the two clubs meet.
"I think it is there - you see fights in the stands," shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. "We have a new stadium, so that might change the attitude of some fans. Probably not as many fights, they'll just curse each other out this year. I think it's fun to see that animosity."
Now that the Phillies season is at the midway point, the animosity should only increase. For the first time in recent memory, the Phillies and Mets are separated by just two games for the division lead after Independence Day and closing in on the All-Star break.
"I always see the biggest rival outside of Baltimore and Boston in interleague is New York," Phillies outfielder Doug Glanville said. "This is an important series, heading into the break. I'm sure they will be plenty of people making the trip down the Turnpike - and plenty of people booing us too."
"It's a good rivalry since we're so close to each other. The first time we came, the fans were really into it," added long-time Mets reliever John Franco. "We've seen it all weekend long with the Yankees fans and I've definitely seen it a couple times when we've played the Phillies. It's always interesting."
All-Star talk: Much of the talk following Sunday's announcement of the National League All-Star team centered around the fact that Bobby Abreu was left off.
But on Monday, Bowa argued that another Phillies player deserved a spot - left-handed pitcher Eric Milton.
"I think one guy definitely got screwed. Winning 11 games (and being left off), that's a joke," Bowa said referring to Milton, who improved to 11-2 on the season with a 5-2 win over Baltimore Sunday. "At the end of the game, it's wins, and no one else has 11 wins."
Even if Milton and Abreu aren't added to the roster, the Phillies will have one more person in Houston. Catching instructor Mick Billmeyer got the invite to throw to first baseman Jim Thome in the Home Run Derby.
"He hits everyone good; he won't have a problem hitting me," Billmeyer said of Thome, who is flying his coach out on a chartered plane. "That's my job every day here - to have guys hit the snot out of me."
Ledee close: Phillies outfielder Ricky Ledee could be back for the final game of the series with the Mets Thursday. Ledee has been on the disabled list since June 23 recovering from hemorrhoid surgery.
"I'm ready," said Ledee, who's been hitting and shagging fly balls for the last three days. "Hopefully in the next few days I can get some more work in."
Fans flock to ballpark to see rare meeting of good Mets, Phils teams
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
By RYAN LAWRENCE
Courier-Post Staff
PHILADELPHIA
Now in its fourth month of regular-season baseball, Citizens Bank Park is still a tough ticket.
The combination of a new ballpark and a first-place team gives Phillies fans more than enough reason to pack the house nightly.
But on Monday, the park was packed for a third reason - the Mets were in town.
It doesn't matter if both teams are battling to stay out of last place or fighting for first, or in an old stadium like the Vet instead of the cozy new park, Mets fans always make the trip southward to create perhaps the best off-the-field baseball rivalry in Philadelphia.
Interestingly enough, however, the intensity of the rivalry hasn't reached a pique equivalent to some other Philly-New York battles (Flyers-Rangers, Eagles-Giants).
Why? Because in the 42-year history of the rivalry, both teams have finished better than .500 in the same year just four times. When the Phillies were contenders in the late 1970s and early '80s, the Mets were cellar dwellers. When the Mets got good 10 years later, the Phillies were not.
"I think with rivalries, it doesn't matter what records are," Phillies manager Larry Bowa argued. "I just don't think it's ever been apparent with the Phillies and Mets. For me, it was the Phillies and Pirates that hated each other. That was the rivalry."
Of course, similar records had a lot to do with the Phillies-Pittsburgh battles of the '70s, when Bowa patrolled shortstop. It seemed as if every National League East title came down to the Phils and Bucs during a decade-long span of the late '70s and early '80s
"We respected each other, but we just didn't like them as a team," Bowa said. "I hated the uniform."
While Bowa said he doesn't see a similar hatred among the Phillies and Mets, his players proclaimed otherwise. Even though 2001 was the lone year both contended for a playoff spot, several players sense an intensity when the two clubs meet.
"I think it is there - you see fights in the stands," shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. "We have a new stadium, so that might change the attitude of some fans. Probably not as many fights, they'll just curse each other out this year. I think it's fun to see that animosity."
Now that the Phillies season is at the midway point, the animosity should only increase. For the first time in recent memory, the Phillies and Mets are separated by just two games for the division lead after Independence Day and closing in on the All-Star break.
"I always see the biggest rival outside of Baltimore and Boston in interleague is New York," Phillies outfielder Doug Glanville said. "This is an important series, heading into the break. I'm sure they will be plenty of people making the trip down the Turnpike - and plenty of people booing us too."
"It's a good rivalry since we're so close to each other. The first time we came, the fans were really into it," added long-time Mets reliever John Franco. "We've seen it all weekend long with the Yankees fans and I've definitely seen it a couple times when we've played the Phillies. It's always interesting."
All-Star talk: Much of the talk following Sunday's announcement of the National League All-Star team centered around the fact that Bobby Abreu was left off.
But on Monday, Bowa argued that another Phillies player deserved a spot - left-handed pitcher Eric Milton.
"I think one guy definitely got screwed. Winning 11 games (and being left off), that's a joke," Bowa said referring to Milton, who improved to 11-2 on the season with a 5-2 win over Baltimore Sunday. "At the end of the game, it's wins, and no one else has 11 wins."
Even if Milton and Abreu aren't added to the roster, the Phillies will have one more person in Houston. Catching instructor Mick Billmeyer got the invite to throw to first baseman Jim Thome in the Home Run Derby.
"He hits everyone good; he won't have a problem hitting me," Billmeyer said of Thome, who is flying his coach out on a chartered plane. "That's my job every day here - to have guys hit the snot out of me."
Ledee close: Phillies outfielder Ricky Ledee could be back for the final game of the series with the Mets Thursday. Ledee has been on the disabled list since June 23 recovering from hemorrhoid surgery.
"I'm ready," said Ledee, who's been hitting and shagging fly balls for the last three days. "Hopefully in the next few days I can get some more work in."