# The Phillies are atop the Nat'l League East standings!!!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 3, 2001, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621 "2001-04-03T12:50:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/61 "2001-05-27T15:06:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DRY \*  
> \*\*I’m not sure where Scott Sanders is any more. Is he still in baseball?
> 
> Bruce Chen will be fine in the long run. It says here he’ll end up being better than Telemaco, Byrd, Wolf and Daal. He _might_ end up being better than Person.
> 
> Burrell might hit 40 homers one of these years. \*\*

Well, I just now took the trouble to check Yahoo’s player listing, and he’s not there - so he’s at least not in the majors now…

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/62 "2001-05-29T13:46:54Z")

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I was up in New York this weekend, and drove back yesterday afternoon. I listened to the first half of the Mets/Phils game via NY radio, and then I was able to switch over to Philly radio as I got into Pennsylvania.

I think it’s safe to say that Burrell will never get another pitch to swing at from Benitez again.

And, yes, it’s Scott Graham. He and Larry Anderson make a great radio combination.

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**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/63 "2001-05-29T15:44:50Z")

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They say slavery is dead in the US. No man can own another.

They’re wrong.

Burrell owns Benitez. (3 ABs, 3 HRs)

Dan, Benitez only wishes Burrell was farmed out.

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/64 "2001-05-29T15:48:13Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by lurkernomore \*  
> \*\* Dan, Benitez only wishes Burrell was farmed out. \*\*

I meant Scott Sanders, not Burrell… I know **he’s** still there! And doing well… 🙂

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**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/65 "2001-05-30T05:44:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by lurkernomore \*  
> \*\*Burrell owns Benitez. (3 ABs, 3 HRs)
> 
> Dan, Benitez only wishes Burrell was farmed out. \*\*

I wonder what Pasqual Perez would have done in Benitez’s shoes the next time Pat the Bat came to the plate? :eek:  
[sub]Hint: Pat, _duck_[/sub]

By the way, Philly fans: is Burrell still taking heat from his comments in Penthouse magazine? (“I dig Britney Spears, I think baseball should have cheerleaders, and I usually don’t wear underwear”)

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/66 "2001-05-30T12:19:16Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DRY \*  
> \*\*  
> By the way, Philly fans: is Burrell still taking heat from his comments in Penthouse magazine? (“I dig Britney Spears, I think baseball should have cheerleaders, and I usually don’t wear underwear”) \*\*

Haven’t read the article and I’m no longer in that area, but why would he take heat for those comments? So he liked Britney Spears - so do millions of males. So he thinks baseball should have cheerleaders - so do millions of males. So he doesn’t wear underwear - so… hmm… 🙂

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/67 "2001-05-30T13:20:57Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DRY \*  
> **By the way, Philly fans: is Burrell still taking heat from his comments in Penthouse magazine?**

Naw, that fire was snuffed back in spring training. It’s amazing what winning will do to a team’s clubhouse controversies, eh?

Occasionally I’ll hear someone make a reference to it on a tv or radio broadcast, but it’s long forgotten by most.

If not for those pesky Braves, the Phils would have 11 game leads on everyone in the NL east, not just the Mets.

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/68 "2001-05-31T14:11:17Z")

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How sweep it is! I love beating the Mets, and sweeping them, at Shea is even better.

NL East lead: 7.5  
Magic number: 104

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/69 "2001-05-31T14:13:52Z")

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[Aside: Can’t tell you how cool it is to see the following words in my email on an almost-daily basis: “Montfort has just replied to your thread entitled - The Phillies are atop the Nat’l League East standings!!! - in the MPSIMS forum of Straight Dope Message Board.” Seeing these words in my email almost always means good things!]

Go Phils!

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/70 "2001-06-01T13:26:03Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dantheman \*  
> **[Aside: Can’t tell you how cool it is to see the following words in my email on an almost-daily basis: “Montfort has just replied to your thread entitled - The Phillies are atop the Nat’l League East standings!!! - in the MPSIMS forum of Straight Dope Message Board.” Seeing these words in my email almost always means good things!]**

Here’s another good thing. Lee Stevens does his best Bill Buckner impersonation as Marlon Anderson rips a three-run error to first all the way to the wall. Phils win, idle Braves fall **eight games back** (read that twice, people, it’s June! The Phillies are eight games up on the Braves in June!).

The magic number falls to **103** and the Phillies have the easiest June schedule in memory ahead of them.

How long before people start saying that Jeff Torborg is no Larry Bowa? 🙂

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/71 "2001-06-01T13:33:43Z")

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You know what I was thinking - wouldn’t it be so cool to have either a divisional playoff series or even the LCS with the Phillies and the Diamondbacks? Schilling versus his old team? Wow!

You hardly hear people say how wonderful the Phils are doing right now, and that’s probably because no one guy is dominating - they’re doing it with pitching and defense.

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/72 "2001-06-01T14:00:37Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dantheman \*  
> **You know what I was thinking - wouldn’t it be so cool to have either a divisional playoff series or even the LCS with the Phillies and the Diamondbacks? Schilling versus his old team? Wow!**

Let’s hope that Glanville hasn’t gotten over Billabong’s demise by then. But, let’s take this further. We need revenge on those pasty Canadians in Toronto, eh. 🙂

I hope Vuke’s going to be able to be coaching 3B by the fall…

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/73 "2001-06-01T14:06:41Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Montfort \*  
> \*\*  
> I hope Vuke’s going to be able to be coaching 3B by the fall… \*\*

He will be. Did you see that little anecdote about him and his nurse? She was about to take his blood pressure while he was in the hospital, and he said, “Better not do that right now. Mesa’s pitching and there’s men on base.”

🙂

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/74 "2001-06-02T14:27:01Z")

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Yeah, dan, I saw that. Good thing he didn’t get in the hospital during the era of the Wild Thing, eh?

Anyway, the game last night was over before the Expos came to bat, and Bruce Chen did one hell of a performance to stay in the rotation. However, those pesky Braves finally figured out how to stay over .500, so the lead remains at **8 games** , and the magic number tumbles one spot to **102**. Wolf against Armas Jr. tonight. Should be a good game.

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**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/75 "2001-06-02T15:36:18Z")

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what the world is happening in MLB this year?

Phillies doing well, the Cubs just won 11 straight for the first time sense 1970 (Go Cubs!)…I mean dear god the Cubs are 3.5 games ahead…

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/76 "2001-06-02T16:23:34Z")

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It’s the apocalypse! It’s the apocalypse!

I won’t worry until it rains frogs…  
13-2?!?! Are you kidding me?

Well,I need to take at least some of the credit here - they didn’t begin to win again until I moved away from there!

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**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/77 "2001-06-03T12:33:05Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dantheman \*  
> \*\*Haven’t read the article and I’m no longer in that area, but why would he take heat for those comments? So he liked Britney Spears - so do millions of males. So he thinks baseball should have cheerleaders - so do millions of males. So he doesn’t wear underwear - so… hmm… 🙂 \*\*

I don’t have a problem with what he said, but apparently his organization and teammmates didn’t think it reflected well on them. Though as **Montfort** said, it sounds like a non issue.

Personally, I’m glad, as I own Burrell on two of my fantasy baseball teams.

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**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/78 "2001-06-03T17:02:30Z")

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Wolfy was 3-0 with a Pedro-esque ERA in May. The Phils won 5 in a row.

Until last night. At least I have Vlad Guerrero on my fantasy team, or else I’d be crying.

If the Phils win today, they still win the series (9th out of their last 10, right?). The Braves were rained out last night, so the only thing to drop last night was the lead in the NL East, to 7.5 games. The magic number remains 102.

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/79 "2001-06-20T14:15:06Z")

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Philadelphia 39 29 .574 - 21 - 11 18 - 18 3 - 7 Lost 2  
Florida 36 33 .522 3.5 20 - 13 16 - 20 8 - 2 Won 5  
Atlanta 36 33 .522 3.5 17 - 15 19 - 18 4 - 6 Lost 3  
New York 32 39 .451 8.5 17 - 16 15 - 23 6 - 4 Won 3  
Montreal 27 44 .380 13.5 14 - 20 13 - 24 4 - 6 Lost 2

So not only are the Phils still in first (here on June 20, 2001!), but the **Marlins** have surged into second! The Braves are in a minislump and are now tied for second.

I posted this here rather than the other thread because this is really a Phillies-tooting thread, not a Braves-bashing thread.

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**Author:** ![BobbySuezQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@BobbySuezQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobbySuezQ)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phillies-are-atop-the-natl-league-east-standings/60621/80 "2001-06-20T14:37:44Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dantheman \*  
> \*\*Philadelphia 39 29 .574 - 21 - 11 18 - 18 3 - 7 Lost 2  
> Florida 36 33 .522 3.5 20 - 13 16 - 20 8 - 2 Won 5  
> Atlanta 36 33 .522 3.5 17 - 15 19 - 18 4 - 6 Lost 3  
> New York 32 39 .451 8.5 17 - 16 15 - 23 6 - 4 Won 3  
> Montreal 27 44 .380 13.5 14 - 20 13 - 24 4 - 6 Lost 2
> 
> So not only are the Phils still in first (here on June 20, 2001!), but the **Marlins** have surged into second! The Braves are in a minislump and are now tied for second.  
> \*\*

This will change after the next two games. In the \*\*BRAVES \*\* favor.

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