Snapshots Opening Day Brewers @ Phillies 2014 04 08

The Phillies Home Opener started off with lots of promise, but ended with a 10-4 loss and the heavy weight of disappointment,  

The long list of grievances for the day included

- Old man winter keeps his dying fingers clutched upon us - Opening Day was delayed a day and when it did come was a bit windier and colder than expected.
-That same windy weather caused the thrilling Navy Leap Frog parachute drop to be cancelled. This is the 2nd consecutive time this has happened for a Phungo Opening Day trip.
-Before we even left for the stadium it was announced that Chase Utley would be out due to the flu.
-The Phillies had a series of fielding gaffes and looked like they were in the first day of spring training rather than the first day of the regular season.
-Kyle Kendrick who we finally decided may have a big season, completed imploded and was unable to execute a big pitch when needed.
-and Finally the player who got top billing on the sports day did it in the game we were attending, unfortunately he was the one guy on the field you couldn't possibly root for - Ryan Braun.

Even with those complaints Team Phungo had a fun day and we are looking forward to the 2014 Phillies season with guarded optimism.

Snapshots


2014 04 08 Steve Carlton & Jamie Moyer

The honorary first pitch was thrown out by Jamie Moyer who was accompanied by Steve Carlton. The pair of southpaws represent the Phillies two World Championship teams.


2014 04 08 Ryan Braun

This is Braun batting in the 6th inning when he flied out to to center. Oddly I took about a dozen pix of Braun and not one was during one of his HR ABs. In addition to his three Homers Braun also robbed Carlos Ruiz of a muli-RBI hit at a key point early in the game.

As I mentioned above, it is tough enough seeing your team get beat badly - it is much worse when the one guy that is out there having a career day is the one guy you just want to boo loudly,

2014 04 08 Kyle Kendrick

Interesting shot of Kendrick taken from the upper deck. After Tuesday's game my enthusiasm for his 2014 season is less than it was earlier in the week.


2014 04 08 Marlon Byrd

Marlon Byrd returns to the Phillies after eight years crisscrossing the baseball landscape.

 
2014 04 08 Phillies Starting Line Up Cards

Starting Line Up Cards are updated for 2014, but they are not affiliated with Topps. The cards do sort of remind me of the Topps Stickers that have come out the last couple of years.
  

2014 04 08 Sixto Lezcano Jersey

I didn't expect to see one of these. Sixto Lezcano played for the Phillies as well as the Brewers and actually was a contributor to the 1983 Wheeze Kids.

2014 04 08 Phillie Phanatic

My favorite Photo of the day - The Phanatic looks a bit dejected here, standing in front of the backdrop of excitement provided by the Opening Day logo.

Sources
Baseball-ref

Don't be afraid of the Future - 2013 edition

All-Star Future's Game that is.  Check out this photo of players involved in the 2006 edition of the game held in Pittsburgh.

Troy Tulowitzki, Cameron Maybin, Hunter Pence, Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Nick Adenhart, Howie Kendrick, Ryan Braun.  (2006 07 09) 

First there is the sadness of seeing Nick Adenhart (#21 removing his cap) in the photo with the rest of the superstars.  You see all that talent standing around him and....well you just wonder.  

Braun, Tulo, and Pence went 1-2-3 in the 2007 Rookie of the Year voting.

The World Team that day featured future 2010 NL MVP Joey Votto. 
Gio Gonzalez and Carlos Carrasco were the Phillies reps in 2006.  Other players that took the field that day included Stephen Drew, Nolan Reimold, Neil Walker, Phil Hughes, Homer Bailey, CarGo, Yovani Gallardo, and Pablo Sandoval.   

Last Years Futures Game included Manny Machado, Jurickson Profar, Billy Hamilton, Wil Myers, Mike Olt, Nick Castellanos, Zack Wheeler and many others.  

This year the Futures Game will  be held at 2pm (edt) Sunday July 14 at the Mets home Citi Field and Team Phungo will be there!!! Tickets to the showcase can be found on Stubhub for as little as $6 for SRO. 

  
The 2013 Futures Game will air on ESPN2.

Don't be afraid of the Future...

All-Star Future's Game that is.  Just check out this photo of a few guys that were involved in the 2006 edition of the game which was held in Pittsburgh.

Troy Tulowitzki, Cameron Maybin, Hunter Pence, Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Nick Adenhart, Howie Kendrick, Ryan Braun.  (2006 07 09) 

First there is the sadness of seeing Nick Adenhart (#21 removing his cap) in the photo with the rest of the superstars.  You see all that talent standing around him and....well you just wonder.  

Braun, Tulo, and Pence went 1-2-3 in the 2007 Rookie of the Year voting.


The World Team that day featured future 2010 NL MVP Joey Votto. 
Gio Gonzalez and Carlos Carrasco were the Phillies reps in 2006.  Other players that took the field that day included Stephen Drew, Nolan Reimold, Neil Walker, Phil Hughes, Homer Bailey, CarGo, Yovani Gallardo, and Pablo Sandoval.   
  
The host team Royals own Wil Myers will be one of the players to watch in the 2012 Futures Game.  The Orioles are sending Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado who are both highly rated prospects. Reds speedster Billy Hamilton is on the roster as well.  The Phils are sending two lower level prospects to the game Lisalverto Bonilla and Julio Rodriguez.  Both players are pitchers at AA Reading.


The 2012 Futures Game will air Sunday July 7 at 5p East on ESPN2.

Baseball America Futures Game coverage here.