The nice thing about ballplayers is they all get on the same page. They are consistent. They have a staple of tried-and-true clichés that they like to trot out in certain situations and they work. It's reasonable. Smart.
Sometimes there is just nothing to say or anything to talk about.
After last night's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, Shane Victorino rolled through the clubhouse on his way to the shower/training room/dining room when some media types asked him if they could ask him a few questions. But without breaking stride and offering just a short glance over his shoulder, Victorino gave the press the Heisman.
"I didn't do bleep," he said.
Uh, yeah... that's the point.
Nevertheless, the main problem for the 6-7 Phillies appears to have universal acceptance. It's history. The Phillies are notorious for their poor Aprils so why should it be any different this year? The problem this April is that the team just can't find its mojo. Every time they get going it rains, or there is a day off, or another ceremony. It makes it even more difficult for a team that finds comfort in the mundane and routine like the Phillies.
They are "rhythmatic."
But really - who complains about too many days off? Sure, the part about not being able to find a rhythm is understandable, but days off... really? In baseball? It's a long season as it is and the Phillies have 149 games and six months left to play, which means they better enjoy those off days now. Come September they might even be begging for a day off just to be able to set up the pitching rotation properly.
Hell, it won't take long for those off days to be few and far between. Starting today the Phillies play 17 games in 18 days with 10 of them at home and two in New York. If there was ever a time to start racking up some wins, it's now.
Better yet, the Phillies play 19 of their first 31 games at home. Wait until they get out on the road late in the season without off days or even the threat of rain on the horizon. Maybe then they'll remember April and the opportunity they had.
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This morning the train station was crowded with high school track teams making the way to Franklin Field for the first day of The Penn Relays. Today's action is mostly high school races before giving way to the traditional "distance night" when the some pretty good local runners will duke it out on the famous track.
But if you're looking for the big-time names at this year's relays, forget it - this is the year after the Olympics which sometimes means the big-timers lay low for a bit.
Still, the Penn Relays might be the best spectator sport festival in the city. It's very difficult not to get swept up in all the action so if you haven't been to Franklin Field to watch the races yet, get there. It's definitely one of those things every Philadelphian should see at least once.
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Last night the windows in the press box were closed down after the first inning as the wind and rain took over the region. Hey, it got cold... why should we be comfortable? This isn't 1865... we have electricity and indoor plumbing.
Nevertheless, when the windows began closing a few fans sitting in the proximity of the press box began heckling members of the local sporting press for being "wimps" or worse.
Can you believe it? Heckling the sensitive and delicate press corps?
How rude!
However, this morning I was alerted to the fact that a certain Phillies broadcaster also resorted to name-calling and tongue-clucking when the windows came down. That's his right, I suppose. Still, it seems a bit hypocritical that the same broadcaster came to sit in the warmth of the press box when he was neither on radio nor TV.
The nerve of that guy...