Skip to main content

"Get Me to the Plate, Boys."


It's a quote to go down in Phillies history. Spoken to his team mates, with the utmost confidence, by one of the biggest offensive threats in the league. Spat with the swagger of twenty rappers. Stated like he knew exactly what would happen. Delivered like a true World Champion.

Ryan Howard has been using a song called "Forever" by hip hop sensation Drake as his walk up music since the home stand that began on September 28th. The snippet of the song that plays begins with Drake's first words of the opening verse of the track..."Last name Ever, first name Greatest." Could be true...for Howard, not for Drake. Drake is brand new to hip hop...a rookie. Howard, however, is experienced...an all star, a league most valuable player and is already widely considered the best first baseman in Phillies team history and he could go down as one of the best offensive players the game has ever seen by the time he is done playing. On Monday night, Howard's attitude in approaching his 9th inning at bat was that of someone who is certain of his place as great. Howard wanted an opportunity to turn the game back around and he executed, once the chance was his.

Entering the 9th inning, Howard went to his team mates in the dugout and told them, "Get me to the plate, boys." They got him there, and that statement became material for phans to pass down, or to smile and shout about over a beer, or to call talk radio and praise, or to "blog" about.

After Ryan Madson blew the Phillies' 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 8th inning, and the Rockies went up 4-2, the Phillies put together a 2 out 9th inning rally that resulted in thousands of Colorado fans crying into their knockoff rally towels. After Greg Dobbs struck out, Jimmy Rollins hit a single. Shane Victorino stepped to the plate and grounded into a fielders choice. Chase Utley then walked with 2 outs, setting the stage for Howard's clutch double off of Rockies pitcher Huston Street that scored both runners and tied the game. The highest paid player on the team earned his check and stopped what many viewers momentarily thought was an inevitable trip back to Philadelphia for game 5 of the division series.

That was not to be, as Jayson Werth followed Howard's double with a well placed single off of Joe Beimel that gave the lead back to the defending World Series Champion Phillies.

Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge combined to record a scoreless 9th inning and the Phillies advanced to the National League Championship Series for the second straight year to face the same opponent they defeated there last year, the Dodgers.

Phillies pholk lore can happen at any time and will always be worth the wait. Think Matt Stairs' homerun in Dodger Stadium in the 2008 NLCS. Think Mitch Williams' game winning hit against Trevor Hoffman to end that double header at 4:40 AM in July, 1993. Think Jim Bunning's perfect game on Fathers' Day, 1964. Think Dick Sisler on the final day of the 1950 season, winning the game and the pennant with an extra inning homer. Those are stories Phillies phans will always tell. So is this.


--------------------

Be sure to follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE!

BallHype: hype it up!

Comments

jaimiemac said…
Hahaha....the rally towel comment cracks mr up!!!
Dan Eubank said…
Good article my man. i was going crazy as this happened. You built it up so well i was cheesin reading it remembering how happy i was watchin it. Ryan Howard is my hero!
Amanda said…
Unbelieveable. What a game. Great post.
Jay Floyd said…
Thanks for the kind feedback.

Gotta love Howard.

Popular posts from this blog

Slick fielding Sam is the Champion of the (PhoulBallz) world!

Phillies Ball(z)girl Sam Arnone was kind enough to answer some questions for the PhoulBallz site and all of you. Sam will be entering her 3rd season as a Phillies ballgirl and is a junior at Drexel University. Sam hails from the great town of Mt. Ephram, NJ. 1- Since the Phillies are the World Champions of baseball teams, are the Phillies ballgirls the world champions of ballgirl teams? - Of Course!!! There are not that many teams that have Ballgirls, so the competition is a little scarce. I would definitely put my team up against any other Ballgirl team with full confidence! 2- What is your routine to prepare for a day of on-field duties? - Before a game, I am always a little nervous. Once I am ready to leave my house and head to the ballpark I triple check my bag to make sure I have my glove and then I check again. I always have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat because it keeps me full and gives me energy for the entire game. I guess I might have to find a new favorite sa

Bubby Rossman's long awaited MLB debut

Eight years after he initially signed a professional contract with the Dodgers and a five-year stretch playing away from affiliated ball, Bubby Rossman became a major leaguer on Wednesday. Added as a substitute for pitcher Kyle Gibson, who is restricted from travel to Canada for the Phillies' series in Toronto, due to his medical inability to be vaccinated from COVID-19, Rossman took the mound for the first time in the majors. Rossman, who was a 22nd round draft selection in 2014 had pitched in 200 professional games before his one-inning outing in the Phillies' 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays. In 27 appearances with Double-A Reading this year, the 30-year-old right-hander has performed well, tallying a 2-2 record with a save, a 3.32 ERA and a .200 batting average against.   The embedded video below features a media session with Rossman from prior to opening day this year, in which the California native discusses his journey through independent baseball and back to affiliated ball wi

2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #22 SS Casey Martin

Please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work, get access to material like this before anyone else and get access to interviews as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else.   A third round draft pick last year, Arkansas junior Casey Martin was quickly signed by the Phillies and consideration as one of the organization's top infield prospects quickly began.  The team's confidence in his ceiling is likely evident in the signing bonus he got, which was reportedly $1.3 million, which was considerably more than slot money dictated by his 87th overall draft position ($685K). The right-handed batting Martin tallied a .311/.393/.545 slash line with 30 homers, 24 steals and 112 RBI in 143 games through his college career at Arkansas.  Reports had him falling in the draft as a result of an injury to the hamate bone in his left hand prior to his 2020 season.  Prior to the procedure, Baseball America projected Martin as a top ten draft pick.