Sunday, March 28, 2004
The X Factor...
Citizens Bank Ballpark: the Phillies X factor for 2004. The new ballpark is very nice (from what I’ve been able to see on the 'net) and I am sure it will be a joy to play in, when the Phillies open it on April 12 against the Reds:
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Alas, a new ballpark isn’t a guarantor of success the way Camden Yards helped to propel the Baltimore Orioles to playoff berths in 1996 and 1997, or the Cleveland Indians to a mini-dynasty in the AL Central (six division titles: 1995-1999; 2001). The Pirates opened PNC Park by going 62-100. 2004 could be the beginning of an era of dominance, or it could just be another disappointment like PNC, Miller Park, Great American Ballpark, etc.
PNC (which, by the way, I was in today, sitting in the upper-deck behind home-plate watching the ground crews prepare for opening day) makes Pirates games infinitely more tolerable, I’ve found.
Phun Phactoid: the Phillies all-time record, going into opening day 2004 is 8,505 – 9,729. That is a .466 winning percentage, which is definitely not that great. (The New York Yankees, in contrast, boast an all-time 8996 – 6901 record, with a .566 winning percentage.) It will take the Phillies seven and a half years of playing 1.000 baseball (in other words, having to win 1,224 consecutive games) to get the franchise all-time record to .500 … Somehow I don’t see that happening …
Alas, a new ballpark isn’t a guarantor of success the way Camden Yards helped to propel the Baltimore Orioles to playoff berths in 1996 and 1997, or the Cleveland Indians to a mini-dynasty in the AL Central (six division titles: 1995-1999; 2001). The Pirates opened PNC Park by going 62-100. 2004 could be the beginning of an era of dominance, or it could just be another disappointment like PNC, Miller Park, Great American Ballpark, etc.
PNC (which, by the way, I was in today, sitting in the upper-deck behind home-plate watching the ground crews prepare for opening day) makes Pirates games infinitely more tolerable, I’ve found.
Phun Phactoid: the Phillies all-time record, going into opening day 2004 is 8,505 – 9,729. That is a .466 winning percentage, which is definitely not that great. (The New York Yankees, in contrast, boast an all-time 8996 – 6901 record, with a .566 winning percentage.) It will take the Phillies seven and a half years of playing 1.000 baseball (in other words, having to win 1,224 consecutive games) to get the franchise all-time record to .500 … Somehow I don’t see that happening …
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