User:RedBaron
Hello! (ou Bonjour!)
I am currently a journalism and metropolitan studies double major at New York University. In my rare free time I listen to the radio when the Phillies play the Mets or the rare interleague matches against the Yankees. Since I'm a Phillies fan, I can be neither a Yankees ("Evil Empire") fan, nor a Mets fan (Mets suck!). Nonetheless, I still support both teams though my allegiances will always lie and die with Phillies Red. *Unless they trade Abreu, then I'm becoming a Mets fan*
Projects[edit]
-Contributing to the bios of Phillies' 25-man and 40-man roster
-Contributing to the bios of recent former Phillies
-Major Credited Contributions: Randy Wolf, Dante Bichette, Bud Smith, Yogi Berra Museum, Lackawanna County Stadium, Campbell's Field, Felipe Crespo, John Bale.
-Prospective Players (in no particular order): Terry Mulholland, John Kruk, Chase Utley, Wayne Gomes, Jim Eisenreich, Nelson Figueroa, Brandon Duckworth, Tomas Perez, Lenny Dykstra, Mickey Morandini, Dave Hollins, Kevin Stocker, Milt Thompson, Mariano Duncan, Wes Chamberlain, Ricky Jordan, Kim Batiste, Todd Pratt, Ruben Amaro Jr., Danny Jackson, Tommy Greene, Mitch Williams, Kent Tekulve, Terry Adams, Chien-Ming Wang
Non-Credited Contributions[edit]
(I contributed to the following players' biographies before registering on the BR Bullpen.)
Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, Marlon Byrd, Paul Byrd, Rheal Cormier, Mike Lieberthal, Jose Mesa, Jimmy Rollins, Reggie Taylor
About Steve (RedBaron)[edit]
Phillies games
For the Philadelphia Phillies, my most memorable game was the second-to-last game at Veterans Stadium. I think I was sitting in section 738, the infamous "700 level," and right next to the video board. When they were introducing players with giant Topps baseball cards on the field, I jumped up and the fireworks went off from the video board and scared the hell out of me. Later on, Jim Thome hit a long home run and Marlon Byrd made a catch at the wall that was not visible form where I was sitting but we waited in silence until the crowd cheered and I knew he caught it.
I also saw Bartolo Colon vs Terry Adams, which was one of the worst games I have ever seen. Colon was really off, and at one point he walked Adams to walk in a run. The staffs of the Expos and Phillies threw more than 400 pitches combined.
My first Phillies game was in 1991 or 1992, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. I've narrowed it down to a day game in which ace Terry Mulholland pitched, and Barry Bonds collected a few hits. The Phillies lost that day, but I remember thay AstroTurf being the brightest green I had ever seen.
Baseball in North America
I have also been to a couple of Toronto Blue Jays games, the most memorable being against the Baltimore Orioles. As I remember, Cal Ripken Jr. had some key hits. While in Canada, I also went to a Montréal Expos game at Olympic Stadium. It was a horrible venue, with a sea of empty seats and massive reverberation. I got there at 5:30 for a 7pm game, and saw the players warming up. Ryan Church and Jamey Carroll signed my cap! I also saw Sammy Sosa trot out on the field, his famous two-fingered kiss to the fans. Mark Prior taking batting practice and Matt Clement fielding a fly ball backhanded. The matchup was Greg Maddux vs Rocky Biddle. Maddux was deceptively good, working fast and always looking tired but he hit those corners. Changeup, Curve, Changeup, strikeout.
I've also attended a Marlins-Giants game in San Francisco. PacBell Park is beautiful, I had garlic fries and watched Dontrelle Willis warm up in the seatside bullpen, Barry Bonds NOT hit a home run, J.T. Snow and Andres Galarraga hit. I also attended a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway, which was incredible, the matchup was Derek Lowe vs Carlos Silva. I've been to a couple of New York Mets games this year: Dontrelle Willis vs Tom Glavine and the marathon 13-inning Brandon Webb vs Pedro Martinez. New York Yankees games I've seen Chien-Ming Wang and Aaron Small pitch.
Minor League Baseball
Traveling to minor league teams is a favorite pasttime of mine. Nation-wide I've been to the New Jersey Jackals (and the Yogi Berra Museum) in Montclaire, NJ; Sacramento Rivercats where Bobby Crosby autographed everything and Jermaine Dye DIDN'T; New Britain Rock Cats (Booof!). In the New York area I've fallen in love with the Brooklyn Cyclones, whose backdrop of Coney Island is unparalled. And how can you not love the sea air and the seagulls on the field? (Or that they sell dumplings at the concession stands?) Much better than the Staten Island Yankees aka "Baby Bombers."
In the Philadelphia-area I've been to the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals "A"), Reading Phillies (Phillies "AA") that has a swimming pool and a beautiful forested backdrop AND I saw Randy Wolf there on a re-hab assignment, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (Phillies "AAA") -- Lackawanna County Stadium has the same dimensions as the Vet and AstroTurf too.
Unaffiliated Baseball
Unaffiliated I often see a handful of Camden Riversharks games a year in the wonderful Campbell's Field located under the Ben Franklin Bridge; I was there on its inaugural Opening Day! I have also been to a Lancaster Barnstormers game where I got former Orioles third baseman Ryan Minor to sign his collegiate trading card… when he was a power forward playing basketball.
Every year I see an Atlantic City Surf game at "The Sandcastle" (now Bernie Robbins Stadium, formerly Sandcastle Stadium) in 2005 a gray-bearded sad-faced Robert Person signed an ACME Phillies Team Card I had of him, I was going to tell him about the time he hit two home runs and pitched a complete game, or that I saw pitch against the White Sox in 2002 on a school trip…
Back to the Phillies
As you can tell, I am a big Phillies fan, despite their perpetual non-playoff-making teams. I have been following the Phillies only since the 2001 season, when they almost made the playoffs with a rag-tag bunch of young kids led by fiery Larry Bowa. I grew up idolizing Scott Rolen and his defense until he burned his bridges. If scrappy Nick Punto were still with the Phillies, I'd idolize him -- I saw him play in Scranton and met his Dad!
In 2001 the Phillies' motto was "Believe." I did. How many of you remember former Phillies: Nelson Figueroa, Marlon Anderson, Travis Lee, Scott Rolen, Robert Person, Omar "13 game winner?" Daal, José "don't pitch me in a tie game" Mesa, Eric "Outfielder of the future" Valent, Vicente Padilla, Todd Pratt, Doug Glanville, Johnny Estrada, Tomas "Pie Man" Perez, Felipe "we need a pinch hitter to make the playoffs" Crespo, Turner Ward, Gary Bennett, P.J. Forbes, Reggie "other outfielder of the future" Taylor, Jason Michaels, David Newhan, Nick Puuuuuunto, Matt Walbeck, Rob Ducey, Kevin "KJ" Jordan, Amaury Telemaco, Bruce Chen, Paul "washed up" Byrd, Cliff Politte, Dave Coggin, Jose Santiago, Ricky Bottalico, Chris Brock, Wayne Gomes or Brandon Duckworth?
And how about these fan groups: Mesa's Faces (Mesa), The Duck Pond (Duckworth), Lieby's Lil Ladies (Lieberthal), Pat's Bunch (Burrell), Bell Tower and Bellfry (Bell), Thome's Homies (Thome), Padilla's Flotilla (Padilla), Adam's Family (Terry Adams), Person's People (Person), Giambi's Zombies (Jeremy Giambi), Myer's Friars (Brett Myers)?
Believe.
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