You didn't think the rivalry would end on that brisk, October night when the Giants ended the Phillies' championship hopes and triumphantly marched out of Citizens Bank Park, Warren C. Giles Trophy in-hand, did you?
Suffice it to say that the feud between these "old friends" has been reignited over the last two weeks. And suffice it also to say that everyone, from the players and coaches on the field to the general managers sitting behind mahogany desks, has helped light the fuse.
In fact, the pressure cooker began to burst again during last night's Phillies-Giants game.
Cliff Lee pitched Philadelphia to a 3-0 win against San Francisco on Thursday and the Phillies routed the Giants, 9-2, in the game 2 of this weekend's four-game series.
The action on the field last night may not have been competitive, but there was a sequence of events that provided excitement. That sequence came about in the sixth inning, which produced events that fans from both cities will liken to a prior, err, "conflict" dating back to October's Phillies-Giants playoff series.
With an 8-2 lead and two outs in the top of the sixth inning last night, Philadelphia center fielder Shane Victorino was hit by a pitch, and he didn't wait until after the game to voice his displeasure.
After being struck by the Ramon Ramirez's pitch, Victorino flipped his bat in disgust and began to move toward the mound. Within seconds, a bench-clearing fracas ensued.
Giants' catcher Eli Whiteside stepped in front of Victorino whilst bouncing about like a boxer preparing for the opening bell of a title fight.
Given his demeanor, it was no surprise when the grey-haired Whiteside's child-like excitement got the better of him, and he tackled Phillies' third baseman Placido Polanco to the ground.
Players from both teams then pushed and shoved each other, though it is unclear if any punches were thrown. Suspensions will almost surely be assessed to the main antagonists of the fight in the coming days.
More excitement could surface in the remaining two games of the series but regardless of what happens, the Friday brawl is only the most recent indicator of an increasingly fierce Phillies-Giants rivalry.
San Francisco visited Philadelphia for a three-game series on July 26-28, and won it in convincing fashion, taking 2-of-3 games thanks to dominant pitching performances from Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. The series loss served to remind Phillies fans that San Francisco remains the defending world champion.
Recently, the general managers of the Phillies and Giants were engaged in a baseball version of a cold war that has added fuel to the Phillies-Giants inferno, as well.
The Giants struck the first blow of the arms race, acquiring former New York Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran. The transaction was actually completed during the Giants' stay in the City of Brotherly Love. Beltran, of course, has spent recent years embroiled in a separate rivalry with the Phillies as a member of the Metropolitans — his presence on the Giants' roster adds familiar yet fresh spice and appeal to the Phillies-Giants rivalry.
The Phillies had second-strike capability, though.
After being beaten by both San Fransisco's players and its general manager, Phillies' general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. struck a deal that brought former Houston Astros' outfielder Hunter Pence to Philadelphia.
Pence has had a handful of timely hits in his short time in Philadelphia. No doubt the most appropriate of Pence's hits with the Phillies were home runs he hit in each of the first two games of the current Giants' series.
Since acquiring Pence, the Phillies have tallied an eight-game winning streak, amassed a 73-39 record and an 8.5 game lead in the NL East. San Francisco (62-51) maintains a slim, .5 game lead in the NL West, having lost seven of its last 10 games.
Current records and head-to-head match-ups aside, there is plenty of baseball remaining in the 2011 regular season. Fans should expect the two teams to keep tabs on each other between now and the beginning of the playoffs.
Yes, both will be glancing at the out-of-town scoreboards in stadia across the country to see how their rival is fairing. Maybe they'll even check newspaper box scores, too.
You know, just a check up — old friends will sometimes engage in these types of activities.
After the final out of Sunday's game is recorded at AT&T Park, not only will the Phillies-Giants series have concluded, but the two teams won't be scheduled to meet again in 2011.
But as old friends often do, the Phillies and Giants could arrange a future meeting. They'll have to compare date-books but I think they're both free the second week of October.
Below is an interesting hypothetical that allows for a comparison of the Phillies, Giants and other top, NL clubs:
Had Major League Baseball realigned its leagues and eliminated divisional play for the 2011 season, the Phillies would be the National League leaders. The Giants would be No. 4 in the league and trail Philadelphia by 11.5 games. The top-five in a realigned National League would look like this:
TEAM RECORD GB
1. Philadelphia — 73-39 — —
2. ATL — 65-48 — 8.5
3. Milwaukee — 63-50 — 10.5
4. SF — 62-51 — 11.5
5. AZ — 61-51 — 12.0
(statistics based on game results through Aug. 5).
TEAM RECORD GB
1. Philadelphia — 73-39 — —
2. ATL — 65-48 — 8.5
3. Milwaukee — 63-50 — 10.5
4. SF — 62-51 — 11.5
5. AZ — 61-51 — 12.0
(statistics based on game results through Aug. 5).
— Pat Brennan
This work was published by me, independent of any media outlet that I am formally associated with and/or employed by.
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