June 23, 1993- Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies
EisenStrikes Back
An Introduction
I’m the guy that thought Boy Meets World was actually filmed in Philadelphia. With the chance of the
season barely hanging in hope and only the KBO to salve my baseball addiction, I made the
decision to go back in time. Thanks to the internet and more specifically the saint who runs the
ClassicPhilliesTV youtube channel
1993 Phillies, day for day just like if it was 27 years ago (but with the internet). To reminisce about
the legends of John Kruk, Mitch Williams, and Darren Daulton, mixing the knowledge we have now,
with jokes of how dumb things were then. Follow along for the month of June and if it works out, I’ll
continue to the month of July.
Where We Last Left Our Intrepid Heroes (and Villains)
After winning their series against the expansion Florida Marlins, the Phillies have welcomed the NL
West (because they used to be Milwaukee) Atlanta Braves to the Vet. Their first game of the series
ended in a Phillies loss, but rallied back with a big Pete Incavigla home run in the second game to
win 5-3, last night. The Phillies have 49 wins and 21 losses and have a comfortable lead in the NL
East standings.
Atlanta is in second place in the NL West behind the San Francisco Giants, the pitcher heavy Braves
stumbled out of the gates to a 15-15 start. Since then they have righted the ship with a 25-17 run
through June 21st, this wouldn’t be the end of their hot streak as they stand at 40-30 coming into this
game, and would only lose 26 more games in the regular season. My baseball fandom was baptised
in the hatred of this Atlanta Braves team as they would join the NL East the next year, and start their
dictatorial run of the division. Right now, they are not fully formed for Fred McGriff has yet to join
their team, as the collapsing San Diego Padres fire sale deeply affects not only this season but the
NL East for the next 10 years. It’s odd to watch the Braves without Chipper Jones being there, and
Terry Pendleton playing third, but they don’t lack for personality with an outfield that includes multi-
sport “star” Deion Sanders (currently batting .217), and future Moneyball character David Justice
(who missed the last 2 games to tend to his wife… Halle Berry). As it is a Braves team in the 90’s,
their starting rotation is loaded with three future Hall of Famers (this never seemed fair), Tom
Glavine, Greg Maddux, and today’s starter. They’re all coached by legendary baseball coach Bobby
Cox, who at this point is in his 3rd year as the manager of the Atlanta Braves.
On the Mound
For the fifth time this month (and this series) on the mound is Ben Rivera. He’s tall, his record is 6-3
with a 4.16 ERA, he was born in the Dominican Republic, but grew up in England. Ben Rivera was
traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Donnie Elliott, Elliott was taken
from the Phillies in 1991 by the Seattle Mariners in the Rule 5 draft, and then given back to the Phils
when he didn’t make the main roster. After joining the Braves, Elliott would not unpack as he would
eventually be part of the package that brought over the aforementioned Fred McGriff. In 2 games
against the Braves in 1992, Ben Rivera went 1-0 over 17 innings allowing 6 runs and collecting 10
strikeouts.
Starting for the bad guys is baby-faced 25 year old future hall of famer John Smoltz. At this point in
his career, he has already won a strike out crown and an NLCS MVP, after being traded from the
Tigers in 1987. Nicknamed “Smoltzie” and also according to Wikipedia “Marmaduke”, he is referred
to as “the best .500 pitcher in baseball” with a 63-60 record but a lifetime 3.45 ERA and 3.46 FIP. He
stands at 6-6 on the season with a 3.20 ERA, and is 2nd in the NL in strikeouts (spoilers: he’ll be in
1st at the end of the game). Smoltz would eventually right the ship in his career, win-wise, by going
roughly 150-90 for the remaining 16 years of his career. Near the end, he would take a sojourn as
closer to collect 150 saves (including a season where he saved 53) for fun, becoming the 2nd
pitcher to have 150 wins and saves (the other being Dennis Eckersley).
Today’s Game
It is Wednesday, June 23rd, 1993, and a business person special at the Vet. This means it’s a day
game in the middle of the week, what once was the only time to play baseball has since become a
way for a bunch of people to leave work and get drunk. Current Mayor Ed Rendell even takes the
afternoon off to join the 57,000 other fans at the Vet today. The broadcast is on Prism so we’re stuck
for 9 innings with Chris “Wheels” Wheeler, but get Garry Maddox and Jay Johnstone to entertain us.
The Phils are 13-5 in day games for the season which Fregosi puts down to “good clean living”.
Watch for Yourself at:
The Line-up:
CF Lenny Dykstra
SS Mariano Duncan
1B John Kruk
C Darren Daulton
LF Pete Incavigla
RF Jim Eisenreich (12 game hitting streak)
3B Kim Batiste
2B Mickey Morandini
P Ben Rivera
Highs (Hopes) and Lows:
High: Top 1- Redundant Lenny Dykstra
Every game for the 1993 Phillies starts exactly the same, Dykstra walks, Dykstra scores. Happens
so often, Samuel Beckett added it to the first act of Waiting for Godot (I have a degree in theatre).
“(Dykstra) walked and scored in the first, that’s beginning to become redundant.”- Wheels.
High and Low: Errors
After giving up walks to Ben Rivera and Lenny Dykstra, Smoltz allows a pop-up to John Kruk that
future Phillie (and personal favorite) Ron Gant loses in the sun that goes into the stands for a two
baser scoring Rivera. 2-0 Phils.
In the Top of the next inning, the Phillies pay back the favor by throwing two balls very far out of the
reach of John Kruk that allows a Braves run. 2-1 Phils
Low: Phillies Pitching Prospects
Throughout this re-watch, the broadcast has taken time out to look at the Phillies in the farm system,
and anyone who watched the 90’s Phillies can tell you, it’s a dreary experience. Today the spotlight
is on Paul Fletcher who nominally is the best pitching prospect in the entire Phillies system. In 1992,
he was winner of the Paul Owens award (named after legendary GM/Coach whose nickname was
“the pope”) for best pitcher, future winners would include: J. A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, Ryan Madson, and Cole Hamels, but also, Adam Eaton, Kyle Drabek, Trevor May, and Tyler Cloyd. Fletcher would take this success in the minors and leverage it into 15 appearances in the Majors over three seasons.
High: The Phils are Made for Walking
The Phils have already used walks to gain their first two runs which knocks out John Smoltz after six
innings. In the 7th with new pitcher Greg McMichael in, the Phils do what they do best, Lenny
Dykstra and John Kruk walk to load the bases which allows Darren Daulton to knock in his second
run of the game making it 3-1. The wheels for the Braves fall off soon thereafter with a Mark Wohler
walk given to Pete Incavigla forcing in a run and then a huge Jim Eisenreich single scores two more
to make it 6-1. The Phillies finished off the inning scoring one more against Wohlers before getting
another run by another walk, this time John Millette, by another Braves pitcher, this time ex-Phillie
Steve Bedrosian. Batting around, the Phillies score 6 runs in the inning on 3 hits and 5! walks. 8-1
Phils.
High: Jim Fregosi’s Satin Jacket
As a 5 year old, I was certain that Jim Fregosi had been coach of the Phillies for the past 30 years,
the de facto manager of all time. In my mind’s eye he has been sitting on the bench, emotionless, in
that red satin Phillies jacket since 1962. I of course grew to learn that that was not in any way true,
but nonetheless the jacket image remained sacred. It was always insane seeing Jim Fregosi wearing
a full jacket on 100+ degree summer days and nights, but it turns out the whole point was because
Fregosi was superstitious. The Phillies started hot while he wore his jacket, so he never took it off no
matter how hot it was. They announce that Fregosi will sign a contract extension after the game
today.
Mid: Mike Piazza Mentions
Norristown/Phoenixville (my hometown) only had one claim to fame for my childhood and it’s the fact
that Mike Piazza was from there. In 1993, Piazza is destroying the league as a rookie en route to
winning the Rookie-of-the-Year award for the Dodgers. This is only mentioned now, because they
mention Piazza’s father Vince, who owns a restaurant that I happen to work at.
Wild Rides
Let’s talk about the bullpen for a moment. Not to hindsight nitpick Jim Fregosi’s use of a bullpen, but
that’s kind of the point of this whole endeavour. Fregosi keeps splitting his bullpen into, guys I pitch
when I think we can win, and guys I pitch when I think we’re probably going to lose. In the first game
of the series after Schilling getting knocked around for 5 runs, out came the Mauser-De Leon-Davis
pu pu platter, to eat up the innings before the loss. With an 8-1 win, Fregosi sends out David West,
who at 35 innings pitched this season is more than he pitched the entire 1992 season, and he gets 1
out on 1 pitch. West then quickly loads the bases and hits a guy to allow a run, ending his day.
Fregosi then brings in Larry Andersen, another of his triumvirate of pitchers who play when we want
to win, who is currently 40 years old and the third oldest player in the league. LA enters and then
walks in a run tightening it to 8-3. Andersen does settle in after to end the game on a strikeout and
pop-up, but having to use your two best non-closer relief pitchers in a game you have in hand shows
how much Fregosi didn’t trust half of his bullpen and was most likely affecting their play on the field.
Phils win though. 50-21 on the year.
In Conclusion:
A big inning of walks allows the Phillies to take a 7 run lead that cruise to victory on. At 29 games
above .500 the Phils are at their high water mark so far for the season. If you enjoyed this wonderful
blast from the past please feel free to share, like, or comment on it. The hope is to have more people
watching 93 Phillies games on youtube and talking about it. So hit me up @Kevin_Seamus on twitter or
@loudphilliesguy on Instagram. The Phillies are off on the 24th, so we’ll be back on the 25th to square off
against the Pittsburgh Pirates
