Team to Beat

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The Team to Beat is a saying that became associated with the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Baseball team of 2007.

Philadelphia Phillies Baseball team and Major League Baseball franchise in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home has been Citizens Bank Park, located in South Philadelphia.

Major League Baseball Professional baseball league

Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization, the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. A total of 30 teams play in the National League (NL) and American League (AL), with 15 teams in each league. The NL and AL were formed as separate legal entities in 1876 and 1901 respectively. After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities beginning in 1903, the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000. The organization also oversees Minor League Baseball, which comprises 256 teams affiliated with the Major League clubs. With the World Baseball Softball Confederation, MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament.

Contents

Background

Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins proclaimed the Phillies as the "team to beat" in the National League East during a January interview with the Associated Press, just months after his team's distant second-place finish behind the Mets. [1] The remark was received with much disdain in New York, where the media and supporters of the defending division champions perceived the proclamation as a slight. [2] [3] In a March interview with the AP just days before the start of the 2007 regular season, the six-year veteran stood by his words. "It was the truth. It's the way I felt," Rollins said. "People don't expect you to express yourself. They think you sound cocky. It depends on how you say it. If you say it straightforward, you say it straightforward. People can take your words and try to twist them in any form they want." [4]

Jimmy Rollins Major League Baseball shortstop

James Calvin Rollins, nicknamed "J-Roll", is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He currently is a Philadelphia Phillies Special Advisor. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2000 to 2014, the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015, and the Chicago White Sox in 2016.

Early 2007 season

After stumbling out of the gate with 11 losses in their first 15 games, the Rollins quote became a point of derision in baseball circles. When Philadelphia's record sunk to 1-6 after a lackluster loss to the Mets at Shea Stadium -- a defeat punctuated by a critical Rollins fielding error -- chants needling the Philadelphia shortstop rang throughout the stadium and a series of mocking articles appeared in the New York City tabloids the following morning. [5] In spite of their languid start, however, the Phillies would rebound from their early turbulence and have amassed the best record in the league since April 18 -- offering the division-leading Mets a spirited challenge for the NL East title down the stretch.

Rollins, a constant target of acrimony in New York throughout the season as a result of the remark, backed up his words against the Mets. In 18 games against New York, Rollins batted 28-for-81 (a .346 average) with four doubles, two triples, six home runs and 15 RBIs. [6] The Phillies won the final eight meetings between the teams to take the season series, 12 games to six. Philadelphia's three series sweeps of the Mets -- including a memorable four-game whitewash in late August -- represented a franchise best.

Later in the season

Over time, the defiant nature of the Rollins quote was embraced by the city of Philadelphia while assuming its place in the town's colorful sports folklore. The plucky shortstop's words were constantly referenced in headlines and articles throughout the season, including a Phillies blog registered at www.theteamtobeat.com and a Phillies/Mets rivalry blog registered at www.weretheteamtobeat.com. Furthermore, the quote emboldened the team's young roster along with its wounded, long-suffering fan base. In a blue-collar sports town that doesn't mind a little audacity in its underdogs, the previously well-liked shortstop seemingly achieved cult-hero status -- with no small credit to his MVP-caliber play at the plate and in the field. While playing under his self-imposed microscope throughout the regular season, Rollins became the only player in baseball history to surpass 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a single season. [7]

The quote remained a symbol of the team's confidence even after the 2007 season, when the Phillies went on to win division titles in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. They went to the World Series in 2008 and 2009, and won the World Series in 2008.

2008 World Series 2008 Major League Baseball championship series

The 2008 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2008 season. The 104th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Philadelphia Phillies and the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays; the Phillies won the series, four games to one. The 2008 World Series is notable because it is the only Fall Classic to involve a mid-game suspension and resumption.

References

  1. ↑ "ESPN.com" . Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  2. ↑ Kernan, Kevin (2007-02-21). "New York Post". Archived from the original on 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  3. ↑ Hale, Mark (2007-02-22). "New York Post". Archived from the original on 2007-02-24. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  4. ↑ "ESPN.com" . Retrieved 2007-03-28.
  5. ↑ Harper, John (2007-04-10). "New York Daily News" . Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  6. ↑ "Philadelphia Inquirer" . Retrieved 2007-09-17.[ dead link ]
  7. ↑ "Philadelphia Inquirer" . Retrieved 2007-09-22.[ dead link ]
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