City of Brotherly Love

My Phillies were in town this weekend for a series against the Rockies. I went Friday and Saturday, games which the Phillies' bullpen blew late-inning leads, and missed Sunday's game, which the Phillies won.

Saturday night, a nasty storm rolled through causing an 80-minute rain delay. The tarp was nearly blown off and grounds crew were fighting with all of their strength to keep the tarp down in very strong, swirling winds.

Another storm rolled through today, causing another rain delay. Only this time, the storm got the better of the crew and it blew the tarp away, covering several of the crew members. Seeing this happen, most of the Phillies team raced out of the dugout to help the crew. What happened next was one of the more memorable moments I've ever seen in the game. You had players digging in their cleats trying to help the crew keep the corners down and players running in with sandbags. They eventually helped the crew get the situation under control.

Afterward, the question was raised . . . where were the Rockies? Isn't this happening at Coors Field? Only one player came out to help, pitcher LaTroy Hawkins. While the ordeal made for some lighthearted moments, it is also an embarrassment to the Rockies organization. That the opposing team was willing to help out and only one home team player came out of the dugout is sad. Was it a matter of simple neglect, or of players conditioned by high salaries not to get risk getting hurt? They could've gone out there but they didn't.

Philadelphia gets slighted often as the "City of Brotherly Shove," known for brawls in the upper deck of old Veterans Stadium and for once booing Santa Claus at an Eagles game (and rightly so if you saw the skinny, weak impersonation of Santa that they threw out on the field). But Philly folks help each other out, too, and the Phillies made their home city proud. Heck, the fans may even cut the team some slack whenever the next losing streak hits.