A loss so embarrassing that even the umpire rips Phillies
@EasyAce What do you think?
@Machiavelli I think the 1962 Mets weren't the
only team to find new ways to lose nobody knew were invented yet. But at least those
Mets couldn't pin their foulups, bleeps, and blunders on their manager. Casey Stengel had his problems with those early Mets
but bullpen communication wasn't one of them.
Even the issue of using position players on the mound. It's been done before---usually, when the team in question is so blown
out in the game they don't dare risk the rest of their real pitchers. This one Kapler got right: he brought in a utility player to
pitch the eighth when the game couldn't be reached by cab, and the poor sap surrendered a two-run homer.
We take you back to September 2002. The Dodgers had the Diamondbacks buried alive, 18-0, going to the top of the ninth in Arizona.
Snakes first baseman Mark Grace volunteered to pitch the ninth and take one for the team. He actually got the first two outs
before a rookie named David Ross took him into the left field seats. "His first major league home run," Grace said after the game,
"and he gets it off Mark Grace. I feel sorry for him."
The following day, both players agreed to sit for a joint radio interview. "I got a bad scouting report," Grace cracked. "I was told
he was a good fastball hitter. So I threw him a bad fastball and he still hit it a mile."
But at least neither manager called for a bullpen bull who wasn't there or warmed up, either.
