Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Phil 'er up
One of the quirks of DirecTV is that they not only carry ESPN, they also have channel space reserved for what they call ESPN Alternate, which means that unless there's some kind of blackout situation affecting your ZIP code, you have the opportunity to see both ESPN Wednesday night baseball games. So tonight, while Levi was forced to watch the Cardinals play the Astros on regular ESPN, I got my first look at Citizens Bank Park as the Phillies hosted the Marlins on the bizarre and strange world of Channel 210.
Now, the game actually lived up to its channel placement, and I certainly hope when we're there in August, we can get a game that's similarly bizarre and strange. The weirdness culminated in the bottom of the 9th with the score tied at 7, with Placido Polanco hitting a grounder to left field that ended up wedged under the padding on the wall. Jeff Conine threw up his hands and Polanco went all the way home, but the umpires only awarded him a ground-rule double. Larry Bowa ran out of the dugout and had a 5-minute-long apoplectic fit but managed not to get tossed out; after that performance, Jack McKeon came out of his dugout and had a slightly milder fit (because he's 73 years old) that involved a lot of gesticulating at his watch.
Oh, yeah, and Mike Lowell was almost Tuffy-esque, which I guess we have to say whenever someone hits 3 home runs. Citizens Bank Park looks good on TV (a lot different than the Vet, obviously), even if it doesn't have an existing building in the outfield the way Petco Park does. Also, it seems like their neon Liberty Bell should swing a little faster when it lights up for home runs. Actually, I'd like to get a closer look at whatever it is that's forming the batter's eye, which looks like nothing more than a tall brick wall with a suspicious jog in the middle of it.
Levi: Now, in today's game, the two teams have had a bench-clearing brawl.
Man, I can't wait to see Larry Bowa fired. Anyone who thinks he and his team are better off without Scott Rolen deserves to be fired, then rehired just so someone can have the joy of firing him again.
maura: my friend recently registered firebowa.com, or something similar.
i worked wednesday night's game; it was definitely fun (the marlins reporter, one of my favorite to work with, made it even more so), although at around 11 or so i was idly wondering if i was going to be stuck in the office UNTIL THE END OF TIME.
Levi: Maura-- Since there's no time in baseball, officially, even the end of time wouldn't end a game necessarily.
Now, the game actually lived up to its channel placement, and I certainly hope when we're there in August, we can get a game that's similarly bizarre and strange. The weirdness culminated in the bottom of the 9th with the score tied at 7, with Placido Polanco hitting a grounder to left field that ended up wedged under the padding on the wall. Jeff Conine threw up his hands and Polanco went all the way home, but the umpires only awarded him a ground-rule double. Larry Bowa ran out of the dugout and had a 5-minute-long apoplectic fit but managed not to get tossed out; after that performance, Jack McKeon came out of his dugout and had a slightly milder fit (because he's 73 years old) that involved a lot of gesticulating at his watch.
Oh, yeah, and Mike Lowell was almost Tuffy-esque, which I guess we have to say whenever someone hits 3 home runs. Citizens Bank Park looks good on TV (a lot different than the Vet, obviously), even if it doesn't have an existing building in the outfield the way Petco Park does. Also, it seems like their neon Liberty Bell should swing a little faster when it lights up for home runs. Actually, I'd like to get a closer look at whatever it is that's forming the batter's eye, which looks like nothing more than a tall brick wall with a suspicious jog in the middle of it.
Original comments...
Levi: Now, in today's game, the two teams have had a bench-clearing brawl.
Man, I can't wait to see Larry Bowa fired. Anyone who thinks he and his team are better off without Scott Rolen deserves to be fired, then rehired just so someone can have the joy of firing him again.
maura: my friend recently registered firebowa.com, or something similar.
i worked wednesday night's game; it was definitely fun (the marlins reporter, one of my favorite to work with, made it even more so), although at around 11 or so i was idly wondering if i was going to be stuck in the office UNTIL THE END OF TIME.
Levi: Maura-- Since there's no time in baseball, officially, even the end of time wouldn't end a game necessarily.
Labels: citizens bank park, directv, larry bowa, marlins, phillies
