Historically, if you grew up a Philadelphia Phillies fan, you developed an inferiority complex along the way.
You looked to the north and saw the Yankees perennially winning pennants and the Mets occasionally pulling off the trick. You looked to the west and saw that the Pirates, until recently, were always in contention. Down south, the Orioles were always the class of the American League off the field and often on it.
You were surrounded by success. Just not a part of it.
The Braves, whether in Boston, Milwaukee or Atlanta, had plenty of reasons to cheer. They had Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews, Dale Murphy, The Four Aces and division crowns in 14 straight seasons. Below them were the Marlins. They came around in 1993 and won it all four years later. It took your Phils 97 years to do that.
Then the Fish rubbed it in your face and won it all again in 2002. They'd done in 10 years what you hadn't been able to pull of in more than a century.
And let's not talk about the Cardinals or the Dodgers. But I guess we have to, at least to give the kiddos a lesson. In 64, the Cardinals did to the Phillies what the Phillies did to the Mets two years ago. The Dodgers beat the Phils in the playoffs twice in the 70s, giving Black Friday a totally different meaning in the City of Liberty.
The Phillies were't lovable losers like the Cubs or tragically cursed like the Red Sox.
Your team just lost in unlovable ways that meant they didn't even need a curse.
That's not the case now.
Results tagged “Cubs” from The Southpaw
Of course, everyone remembers the out.
Vic Wertz did everything he could to beat the Giants that September day. Nobody remembers that he had four hits and drove in each of his team's 3-2 runs in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series.
Nobody remembers any of that.
When baseball fans hear the name Vic Wertz the thought they develop is not that he absolutely clobbered the ball all day, but that his furthest hit was chased down with a beautiful, over-the-shoulder catch by Willie Mays.
It was the center fielder's signature moment and has been immortalized with statues, pictures and the video of him spinning like a top, his arm unfurling at the right moment as he launches the ball toward the infield to keep the runners from scoring.
When the play is over and being described as an "optical illusion" Mays looks like he's screwed himself into the ground.
Wertz of course is nowhere in the picture.
Like the other York and Adams countians who've made it to baseball's biggest stage, he never shines in the spotlight. Sometimes it wasn't a lack of effort or even production that kept the local boys from being the star. Sometimes there's a connection to a teammate or opponent's glory. Usually, though, their playoff experience is lost to the dusty shelves and box scores of history.
And Wertz is the prime example.
Come to think of it, nobody seems to remember that Wertz had one of the most dominant performances in series history that year. He batted a robust .500. That's right, with a "5." Not .400 or .300.
He also hit a home run, a triple and two doubles.
But he's remembered for the out.
The problem for Wertz is that his teammates never seemed to get on base in that series. So he only drove in three runs.
Again, the circumstances just weren't right.
Which seems to be the theme for area players who've made appearances in the playoffs.
We don't know what happened here. We just know it was bad. But that's been the case all season long for the Kansas City Royals who are not named Zack Greinke.
The Nats can get better. Really they can.
Who's going to close for the Phillies?
Oh, how we love Placido Polanco.
Oh, how we loathe Milton Bradley.
Eighty-two years ago today, Grover Cleveland Alexander pitched two complete game shutouts in a double-header. If there are two complete games tonight, The Southpaw will wear a Mets shirt over the weekend.
The Braves and Twins playoff hopes just dimmed. No, actually, the lights were turned off.
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Jay Marshall throws from way down low.
Why baseball shouldn't even come close to contracting.
We admit we were wrong.
And a late-summer reading list.
I found this out online this morning and am amazed.
Apparently, the Curse of the Billy Goat hasn't just affected the Chicago Cubs, who haven't won a World Series since 1908.
According to legend, it all begins in 1945, the last time the Fuzzies made it to the Fall Classic.
Freelance journalist Ron Berler discovered that - with three exceptions - every team who has made the World Series with three or more ex-Cubs on its roster has lost.
Sometimes in shocking fashion.
Consider the 1990 Oakland Athletics, which had closer Dennis Eckersley, starting pitcher Scott Sanderson and backup catcher Ron Hassey on its roster.
The team was heavily favored against the Cincinnati Reds.
But it got swept.
The three teams that beat the factor were the 1960 Pirates, the 2001 Diamondbacks - with Mark Grace, Luis Gonzalez and Mike Morgan - and the 2008 Phillies.
It was a night of grand slams for Russell Martin, Brian Roberts and Brendan Ryan.
For once, Brett Myers didn't get slammed.
And Derek Jeter is not the MVP.
Look, if the entire Pittsburgh Pirates roster were to be annexed by the Philadelphia Phillies, there isn't one player who would get significant playing time for the World Champs other than Zach Duke.
And even then, he'd be the Phils eighth starter.
But Vladimir Guerrero sure has put up some numbers in his career.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing to liquidate their assets.
Sure, they've shipped off some big stars. But they're not done yet.
Not by any means.
Just ask General Manager Neal Huntington, who's been wandering the streets of Pittsburgh trying to find buyers.
"Maybe we're mad. Maybe we're crazy," he said Wednesday in downtown Pittsburgh as he grabbed a former Pirates fan by the shoulders. "But you can't say we're not willing to sell. And sell low. That's our motto."
As the beleaguered Bucco Backer tried to scurry away, Huntington clutched at the man's Chico Lind throwback jersey.
"Where are you going, buddy? Have I got a deal for you."
Huntington's approach reminds one of John Travolta's character from "Primary Colors." It's the scene where Travolta, as Governor Jack Stanton, is walking down a busy New Hampshire street on primary night trying to get individual voters to pull the lever for him.
The fan, who would not give his name, screamed at Huntington.
"Don't touch me. We had a chance. We could have contended. But you shipped them all off. We could have been the next '92 Orioles."
That stopped Huntington in his tracks.
"But they didn't win anything," he said, perplexed.
"That's how bad it is right now. We don't even need a championship, just a season with more wins. You've ruined us."
Huntington didn't miss a beat.
"No, that was the guy before me. I'm trying to fix things. But before you go, want Matt Capps?"
The Pirates have traded Jack Wilson to the Mariners, who now look like serious contenders for the Wild Card. Shortstop had become a hole in their roster and Wilson fills it well.
Now, that probably means Jarrod Washburn is not on the block.
The Pirates, however, are willing to sell anything. They just groom players and trade them to contenders.
Here's the AP story:
SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Mariners have acquired shortstop Jack Wilson and right-handed pitcher Ian Snell from the Pittsburgh Pirates for shortstop Ronny Cedeno, Triple-A catcher Jeff Clement and three minor league pitchers.
Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik says he made Wednesday's trade to get a 31-year-old former All-Star shortstop and good defensive player in Wilson.
And the Mariners think Snell can restart his stalled career with them.
Cedeno was acquired this winter from the Chicago Cubs. He failed after Seattle gave him its shortstop job by trading Yuniesky Betancourt to Kansas City this month. Cedeno is hitless in his last 26 at bats.
Pittsburgh also gets minor league right-handed pitchers Nathan Adcock, Brett Lorin and Aaron Pribanic.
Maybe the Pirates and their fans should go on strike.
J-Roll heats up.
The O's make a trade.
The first pitch returns after an enjoyable All-Star break.
Why can't people stop putting Dave Trembley on the hot seat?
Holy cow, Jamie Moyer looked like Randy Johnson. Minus the fastball.
We take a look at one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball.
Cubs fans are fed up with Carlos Zambrano.
Ryne Sandberg is talking smack about Sammy Sosa.
We've got Pedro news.
Has anyone noticed Omar Vizquel is still suiting up?
Oh, and what are apecrackers?
Justin Morneau helped the Twins win, sparking one of four Mid-Atlantic losses Wednesday.
We're chock full 'o Sammy.
The Phils suffer a 10th inning knockout.
And there was some bizarre news this morning. Bulldog attacks. Toby Harrah sightings.
Yer out! Casey Blake nips Ryan Roberts to get an out in Tuesday's Dodgers-Diamondbacks game. Joe Torre's squad rallied with a 5-run eighth to win.
Can a saint get demoted? In Washington they can.
Was it really six years ago that Sammy Sosa's bat shattered and cork flew out.
Happy birthday, Raul.
The Wolf is on the hunt.
And what happens when a pack of T-ballers spend four hours at the ballpark? The go more crazy than Carlos Zamrbano. Minus the anger issues.
And how did an umpire toss so many people for so few issues?
For one day, young Orioles fans know what it feels like to win a World Series game. To be down as much as they were and come back is a glorious feeling.
The Orioles had their most exciting win of the season.
The Nats react to a steroid story.
We're seeing less of Charlie Manuel.
And why is Carlos Zambrano going absolutely batcrap crazy?
