There’s nothing like a win on Opening Day. Forget the cliche ” they’re on pace for 162-0″ bullshit quip that’s typically followed by a half-hearted chuckle, it’s just nice to get out of the gate on a positive note, particularly with the quick day off tomorrow. It gives everyone a positive vibe to sit on for two days before the team takes the field again on Saturday afternoon.
As for the game itself, Aaron Nola was Aaron Nola. Just a ho-hum six innings of one-run baseball. Shrug. No big deal. Nola has reached the point where “really good” has become the norm, so let’s focus on the offense for today.
It’s probably unrealistic to expect the Phillies to plate double-digit runs on a consistent basis this season (I think?), and it remains to be seen if this lineup will prove to match the significant hype surrounding it, but it sure looks deep. That depth was on full display during the Phillies’ 10-4 Opening Day bashing of the Atlanta Braves in front of a sold-out crowd at Citizens Bank Park this afternoon.
Last week, I wrote about why McCutchen should thrive in the leadoff spot, specifically, pointing to his success against four-seam fastballs last season. He made good on that thesis right away against this 92 mph four-seamer from Braves starter Julio Teheran:
Andrew McCutchen wastes NO time introducing himself to the Philly faithful
(via @NBCSPhilly)pic.twitter.com/ejwXkfx2fk
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 28, 2019
With the game tied in the fourth inning and a runner on third with nobody out, Teheran struck out both Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins. The inning appeared to be shaping up as a missed opportunity for the Phillies, one very similar to what we saw far too many times last season, but what then transpired was a very different result. J.T. Realmuto worked a six-pitch walk to keep the inning alive, setting up a pair of RBI singles from Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez that gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Certainly, those hits were integral in determining the game’s outcome, but before Herrera even put the ball in play, I thought to myself, “Oh, shit. Now they have to deal with him. This is nonstop.” Ben Davis pointed it out on the broadcast, too. It’s almost like Teheran took a deep breath once he got through Harper and Hoskins, but the Phillies’ attack has a wave after wave feel about it, and it doesn’t afford a pitcher the opportunity to catch his breath. This point was illustrated again in the sixth inning when the Cesar Hernandez walked with two outs to put two men on base. In stepped Maikel Franco, the Phillies No. 8 hitter, who, you know, used to be the team’s No. 3 hitter, to break the game wide open:
Maikel Franco slugs a massive 3-run HR! pic.twitter.com/lgKP8yDiG3
— Pitcher List (@PitcherList) March 28, 2019
Tasty.
In the seventh inning, with the bookends of the Phillies lineup already having done sufficient damage, it was the middle of the order’s turn to get involved. With first base open and nobody out, Braves manager Brian Snitker elected to walk Bryce Harper to instead face Rhys Hoskins. Snitker, as it turns out, did a bad, bad thing:
RING THE BELL 🛎
Rhys Hoskins hits his First Career Grand Slam to give Philly a 10-3 lead 🔥
🎥: @MLBpic.twitter.com/sWH89WfcQl
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) March 28, 2019
Hoskins’ 380-foot blast effectively ended the game and served as the exclamation point on the Phillies’ emphatic Opening Day statement that the feeble offense which duck-farted its way to a .237 average and 4.18 runs per game a season ago is a thing of the past. Here’s Gabe Kapler on Hoskins’ slam:
Gabe Kapler on the Bryce Harper wall leading to Grand Slam @6abc #openingday #BryceHarper pic.twitter.com/dvko2lk4Si
— Jeff Skversky 6abc (@JeffSkversky) March 28, 2019
And the best part of this all? It was the guys who were part of that feeble offense a season ago that did most of the damage, driving in 9 of the team’s 10 runs. While I wouldn’t count on this type of performance every night, I also wouldn’t count on Realmuto and Harper going a combined 0 for 6, so take solace in that.
This, friends, is your 2019 Philadelphia Phillies. Let us rejoice.
22 Comments
I wore green cleats. And struck out twice.
Kink, let’s go more stories on me.
Phillies’ emphatic Opening Day statement that the feeble offense which duck-farted its way to a .237 average a season ago is a thing of the past.
Uh their batting average today was .226
And still scored 10 runs—-5.82 more than I noted in the full sentence, if we can take in the full thing, or comprehend, gulp, the thesis bared out in 500+ words. Probably ambitious, on second thought.
Then don’t mention Batting Average, Homer.
First time I’ve ever been accused of that. I’ll take it.
Listen fool, I’ll knock your teeth out. Then I’ll laugh while you watch your wife queef in my face and drop deuces on my small cawk
I was at the game and it was absolutely the best opening day game I can remember in a long time. That lead off homer to start our season just might turn out to be prophetic.
Wish Harry was still here, he woulda absolutely loved today.
Wish By Saam was still here, he would absolutely loved today.
I would have absolutely loved today.
And he would have got drunk and cheated on his wife. And drive home drunk.
Our Phillies team in 1996 with Ricky Otero, Lee Tinsley,
Kevin Sefcik and Desi Relaford was way more scary even more so than the ‘27 Yankees. We all shot thick creamy ropes too!
Sad that Lee Tinsley died of Lou Gehrig’s disease, he was on Pace to beat the Babe’s records.
So excited to have baseball back!
Nice recap Wanks!
Bryce is kind of a poser but I’ll allow it for a few weeks
I’m selling the all in on philly hard. You buying?
Hope she is overmatched by the crowd noise, or maybe outpriced of her seats. Either way, it makes for a much better listen experience
God hated that bitch . Thank god her days are over
I hope she dropped dead
My buddy with the dreads that works sections 140 -145 is printing cash again!!!
Go get Kimbrel before someone else does
not one funny comment in the bunch
I f#*ked your mom