High Heels On The Field

Brad Thoma's Indy Roller Coaster

Brad Thoma's luggage got a lot of movement at the conclusion of spring training. The 25 year old had been traded to the New Jersey Jackals. But the night before final rosters were set he was told he'd been released.

"It put me in a tough spot for a couple of days," Thoma said in an e-mail.

I imagine being able to avoid bus trips to Canada are also a plus. I traveled only as far as Worcester, Massachusetts with the team and by the end wanted to run screaming for the hills. Thoma, a native of Ohio, will be closer to family this time around.

"This league primarily covers the Midwest so my family can come see me play more."

As for what happened that led to his release, the details are as complicated as figuring out what constitutes a balk. 

"A week before we reported Joe signed a 2nd baseman that had just been released from Double A with the Reds. Apparently he told him the same thing about short stop. When I got there, he kept me at 2nd the whole time."

In the off season Jackals manager Joe Calfapietra called Thoma and told him he wanted him at shortstop, a position he played for one full season. But Calfapietra's plans changed.

Thoma was in difficult situation, but understands the pace of the business. He went with it. He's now playing 2nd base for the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League. 

"My role is definitely more defined. The coaching staff is great and the park is very favorable to put up good [offensive] numbers," he says.

In 2008, he hit .280 and collected 41 RBI. He also walked 27 times. The numbers were a significant improvement over his 2007 numbers with the Charlotte County Redfish, but he also saw more playing time with the Atlantic City Surf in '08.

While joining a Frontier League team is a reduction in pay, Thoma isn't focused on that.

"I don't play this game for money. I play because I love it and I want to."

Taking nothing for granted, he understands how lucky he is to be able to spend the summer playing baseball.

"It sure beats the hell out of a 9 to 5."

Ryan Howard

Here are excerpts from my interview with Ryan Howard, published recently.

Your nickname was the “Blue Hurt”? Why’d they call you that?

 

That’s from when I was really young. My friends used to call me “Hurt”, like the “Big Hurt” for Frank Thomas. My friends still call me that today. When I went to high school and college it stuck.

Do you set goals?

 

Yeah, I have my own goals. I usually keep them to myself. By the end of the year I know if I’ve reach those goals.

 

Does that help you be more competitive?

 

The game is a challenge within itself, so then you’re challenging yourself. I think players can go out there and they can have goals and you want to try and push yourself. Every year however you do that you want to push yourself.

What’s been your favorite thing about playing in

Philadelphia

? Being from the

Midwest

it’s obviously very different.

 

Absolutely it’s different. Being drafted and getting the opportunity to play is the main thing. That’s the first thing. But the other is the fans. The fans have their moments here. They get on you, but at the same time when we were going to the playoffs it was one of the most electric feelings you could ever have. I would say that has been the best part of playing here.

I always wonder if Howard will remain a Philly for his entire career the way Utley wants to. It's amazing to think of players playing their whole career in one place these days. You just don't see a Tony Gwynn or Mike Schmidt anymore, but I'd put my money on Derek Jeter retiring a Yankee. And I do believe Utley and possibly Rollins will retire Phillies. I don't think any fan requires it, most understand how highly unlikely it is today. But it's nice to identify a player as one of your own. Though this was a different situation, I loved that Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy LaSorda said he bled Dodger blue. It means something to fans.

Minding Manners In Baseball Is Tricky

When Chase Utley stepped out on Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey, Pelfrey was fired up. There were words exchanged. It was discussed in the sports media. Baseball ettiquete is the issue. But what's crossing the line?

There are many things fans dislike as far as manners go. They don't like too many throws over to first. They'll boo, despite the fact that every pitcher is within his rights to do it over and over and over. Somehow we deem it offensive. Fans will pitch a fit if a guy throws inside, but only if they're on the opposing team. We like our team's pitchers to throw inside and shake a guy up. The opposing pitcher is trying to kill one of our guys. But if it's one of our own, well, he's having some trouble finding the strike zone or lacks control of his pitches. "He didn't want to do that," we say when our pitcher plunks someone. Or we curse the pitcher's stupidity. We don't like to ackowledge it might've been on purpose.

Ettiquete is in the responses as much as it's in the action that started it all. In the 2000 World Series, Roger Clemens wielding a piece of broken bat at Mets catcher Mike Piazza was insane, yes. But it was actually a reaction to something. Let's not forget there was an insinuation Clemens purposely threw at Piazza in a previous game. There was a stir from the Mets camp. The implication was that he was basically trying to kill the guy, or at least didn't care what damage he may have inflicted. The accusation is something that's haunted Clemens (with other troubles to haunt now), but what people remember most is the response. Let's not forget: Clemens hit A LOT of hitters. He's in the top ten in Major League history. But the incident was one in a long line of questionable ethics on Clemens part, whether personal or professional. It was easy to say he was behaving like an ill-mannered brute.

We all lose our manners, but sometimes, the rules of baseball ettiquete get a bit blurred. Fans and players play with the lines a bit.

Let's all agree pitchers are going to throw to first. The guy at the plate can call timeouts if he wants. Charging toward an opposing teammate with crazy eyes and a piece of bat that looks like a giant shard of glass? Noooo.

Brad Lidge Is Human

Brad Lidge is the closer. That means you, as a Phillies fan, are married to it and marriage is for better or worse. Two blown saves in a row is certainly bad. But Phillies fans: we had the perfect marriage in 2008. There were bound to be bumps after the honeymoon ended.

Ryan Madson is certainly good for a save or two, but it's not his job. Chan Ho Park's role was completely changed, but he's not Lidge and Lidge should not be anything other than what he is. There are ways of going about this. But changing his role entirely isn't the answer.

Brad Lidge is a mentally tough guy. He's overcome bad moments before and that's what this is. Confidence is always attached with every successful player in baseball. If a guy is struggling with a pitch or at the plate, confidence is almost always mentioned. Lidge's manager has confidence in him. That's not going to change, nor should it.

The Phillies have a lot of problems. Some small, some big. But Brad Lidge will be your closer. And marriages are never perfect.