Every year, on April 15th, every player in baseball wears the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.  Robinson’s impact has reached far across the lines of baseball.  He broke the color barrier and opened up the doors for players, like Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, etc.  to push the limits of baseball far beyond what was known before.

Outside of baseball, he took the field 7 years before Brown vs the Board of Education.  Robinson, and Branch Ricky, started down the path of Civil Rights long before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.   They opened up the door to allow generations of Black, Hispanic and Asian players to play the beautiful game that is baseball.

This year, Jackie Robinson takes center stage even more so than in years past, thanks to the opening of “42.”  The movie is fantastic and I recommend that everyone sees it.

One of the aspects that I appreciated the most was that they did not sugar coat the language that was used, which will surprise all that know me.  I do not curse.  I do not particularly like hearing it, but in this case it was needed.  Especially the use of the N-word.  The movie would have lost a lot if they cut that out.  That was the time period, that was real life for Jackie Robinson.

One of the antagonist in the movie was Ben Chapman, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1947.  He was a very racist man and there is one scene where he just called Robinson a N about 15 times straight.  This was true.

The Phillies were one of the teams that were least accepting of having Robinson in Major League Baseball.  They did not want him on the field and didn’t even want him in the city.  The Phillies went so far as convincing hotels not to let the Dodgers stay at their establishment.

It took a long time for the Phillies organization to integrate.  So long, that they were the last National League team to have a black player: John Kennedy, 1957.   Even then, it was a long time for the city of Philadelphia to be really excited to have a non-white man excelling at the sport.

Today, however, that is the farthest from the truth.  The Phillies have come such a long way, that it is amazing.

Last week, Brandyn Campbell  posted an article from USA Today on Twitter about the lack of African American baseball players today, and we both said we were kind of amazed.  You see, we are both Phillies fans and we watch the Phillies regularly and it did not occur to either of us that lack of diversity is a problem.

A few years ago, Steve and Lisa Trapani and I were out to dinner joking about finding a white guy on the Phillies starting line-up (Chase Utley was on the DL.)  There was a debate about what heritage Shane Victorino fell under and if he was Caucasian.

On any given night, the Phillies will have an all African-American outfield: Domonic Brown, Ben Revere and John Mayberry Jr.  And half of the infield will also be African-American: Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins.    That leaves Chase Utley, Erik Kratz and Michael Young on the field as the Caucasian players.  However, that will change at the end of the month when Carlos Ruiz comes back.

Of the 25-man roster: 20% are African-American, 20% are Latino, which leave 60% as Caucasian.  Most of those players that are of Caucasian descent are pitchers.

I love my team.  They have a very storied history, but that’s the beauty of history, it’s in the past.  Those that stay in the past never are able to move into the future.  Those who ignore the past will repeat it.

Jackie Robinson had to change the mind of those around him and, through tears, determination and heartbreak, he did just that.  Today, all of baseball will honor this what he did by wearing his number.  And there is not a single team in all of baseball that reflects his hard work even more than the current Philadelphia Phillies.

Painting in the Diamond Club at CPB

The first week of the season, has been, well, rough.  I work very hard to find positives in any situation, because if don’t, I will go crazy.  That being said, I do not have high expectations for this season, but there is good mixed in with the disastrous last week.

1) Mike Adams has looked really good.  He was brought in to solidify the bullpen, and well, along with Jonathan Papelbon, the only relief pitcher that I trust.

Photo Credit: BJ Wilson

2) Chase Utley has been hitting the ball hard to all parts of the field.

3) The hitters have been getting on base.  Now, they haven’t been really able to get them to score, but baby steps…

4) There have been a fair amount of hard hit baseballs.  Mind you, they have been hit directly to fielders, but you know, those are just details.  I highly suggest that the Phillies STOP playing the way that I always played softball.  Find a gap!  Anyway, good things are bound to happen when contact is made…Eventually.

5) Chase Utley has been getting on base by walks, errors and hits.  Once he is on the base path, he has opposing pitchers paying attention to him.  Unfortunately, Ryan Howard has not really been able to take advantage of the distracted pitchers and hit one out of the ballpark.

6) The team hasn’t given up.  Except for the home opener, the team has fought back in most of the games.  They might have lost, but at least they aren’t rolling over.  (The home opener was a different story.)

7) Philadelphia has really started to fall in love with Ben Revere.  Revere is NOT bringing power that the Phillies need, but he really is fun to watch.  If you have a Twitter account, follow him, @BenRevere9 you will not regret it.  His defense is fantastic, now some offense is needed.

8) The biggest positive so far is Chase Utley.  It has been 2 years since he has  moved and played this well.   It is beautiful to see.

The season is very young, but very disappointing so far.  I going to live in my fantasy world that this is the worst that they are going to be all year.

At the start of Spring Training, there were a number of battles that seemed to be front and center in Clearwater. There is always the battle for the bench.  The bullpen had only 2 or 3 spots available and about 6 player vying for the spot.  But, the outfield is the battle that took front-and-center in Clearwater.

When Spring Training started, the only outfielder to have a guaranteed spot was Ben Revere, everyone else was fighting for the right to play.

Domonic Brown – Wikipedia.org

Domonic Brown

The season starts in just 12 days and Domonic Brown has simply domonated the Grapefruit League.  Other than a little better defense, there is nothing that Brown could do to put himself in right field on Opening Day.  And I, for one, am really excited about this.  Brown is batting .396, with 12 RBI’s, 6 walks and 6 of these:

It looks like Brown is developing into the player everyone expected him to be 2 years ago.  This will, hopefully, the fair shot that he deserves.

Opening Day Destination:  Majors

John Mayberry Jr.

John Mayberry Jr is, well, John Mayberry Jr.  He’s a decent player that will strike out a ton and get some big hits. His main marketable skill, the one that keeps him on the Phillies roster every year is that he has 1) No options left and 2) can play Center Field and First Base, as well as the corner outfield positions.

Opening Day Destination: Majors

Delmon Young

I have high hopes that Delmon Young will never, ever, ever put on a Phillies uniform.  Like many Phillies fans, I just don’t like him.  He’s a talented player that never seems to put in maximum effort.   The fact that he will start the season on the DL, help my hopes a lot.

If/When he does put on a Phillies uniform, he will be in right field.   At that time, Brown will move to left field (assuming he has played so well to take out of the line-up.)

Opening Day Destination: DL/ Never puts on Phillies uniform.

Darin Ruf

As impressive as Brown has been this season, Darin Ruf has been basically the opposite.

Ruf is batting .216 with 1 HR and 8 RBI’s.  He looks uncomfortable at the plate and down right bad in left field.  There has been a number of routine fly balls that he has misplayed and has no idea what to do on the non-routine ones.  It has not been a pretty site.  He is a 1st baseman first and foremost.  If only there was a way to let him play first base in the majors.

Opening Day Destination: AAA

Ender Inciarte

I’m actually rooting for this guy to make the team.  He plays a stellar outfield and has speed.  The problem is, he’s never played about Single-A and to make the jump from Single-A to the Majors is huge.

The sad part is, if he doesn’t make the roster, he will have to be offered back to the Diamondbacks, since he was a Rule 5 Draft.   Honestly, he will probably be wanted back.

Opening Day Destination: Darkhorse for roster.  Sent back to the Diamondbacks.

Jermaine Mitchell

Jermaine Mitchell was signed as a Minor League Free Agent.  This spring he has opened some eyes.  In 23 PA, he has a .333 with 2 doubles and 3 triples.  His defense has not been spectacular, but he has managed to catch all the routine plays and has shown knowledge about what to do with the non-routine ones.

He might be given a shot since Delmon Young starts the season on the DL.  I would be surprised if he makes the roster, but he would be good for the Phillies to have stored in AAA in case of injury.

Opening Day Destination: Darkhorse- Most likely AAA.

It was the staple of 2011 NL Dominate team.  Three of the four were back for 2012.  It wasn’t hard to imagine what they would do in the season.

Except, it didn’t quite work out like that.

I just really love this picture.

Roy Halladay

Halladay entered 2012 as the undisputed Ace of Aces.  It was a title that he rightfully earned after 9 seasons cuttering batters, first in the AL East, then in the NL East.

Back in Spring Training scouts were noticing that his velocity was down and many were wondering if he was done.   Halladay was out to prove that he wasn’t.

Doc pitched a beauty on Opening Day in PNC park.  Most fans put the worries to the side and just enjoyed watching him pitch.

That enjoyment last for a few games, until he seemed to meltdown.

Doc had a meltdown.  That just seems to be a preposterous idea.  Doc doesn’t meltdown.  He’s about about as stable as any pitcher ever.  Yet it happened.

It turned out that he was indeed injured.  He spent a few weeks on the DL getting healthy, and he never seemed to get there again.

Halladay would pitch a game where he looked like his old self, then give up 3 home runs in his following outing.  (Aside:  I don’t consider any pitcher giving up home runs to Giancarlo Stanton as a black mark on their game.  I mean, it’s Stanton!)

You know it was really bad when the Phillies’ resident penguin, “Rick,” was calling for Doc to be shut down for the season.  I mean, the is NO ONE that loves Doc more than the Penguin!

Doc ended the season with a line of:

11-8, 4.49 ERA, 132 K, 36BB, 1.22 WHIP

Tolerable for a 5th starter, but not what you expect from Halladay.  Not what he expects from himself either.  I don’t think there was anyone more annoyed with his outcome than him.

Here’s to hoping he’s healed for 2013!

Earlier today, Ruben Amaro Jr. showed how he responded to the Phillies season ending.

But Ruben, I have you beat.  While the Phillies were playing their final inning, I was was updating my countdown app on my phone.

Then the @Philaphillies tweeted that the first Spring Training game will be February 20, 2013.  So I made another countdown calendar.

I think I used my time correctly.