June 18th, 1993
Plead the 5th
An Introduction…
I’m the guy who was convinced that Placido Polanco for Ugueth Urbina trade was the final piece
needed for a championship. 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)
Coming off losing their third series of the season, the Phillies have tragically, for the first time all
season, lost three games in a row. Last night the Phils lost the first game of the series to the Florida
Marlins 4-1 with the story of the game being the Phillies scoring early, but being handcuffed for the
rest of the night by starter Chris Hammond. They still sit atop the NL East over the Cardinals by 9
games, and hold a 45-20 record overall with a 25-10 mark at home.
The Florida Marlins are the other expansion team of the 1993 season, and are dealing with similar
growing pains as the Colorado Rockies (without the altitude issues). Owned by Blockbuster magnate
Wayne Huzienga, the Marlins took a more long term approach to the expansion draft, while putting
together a free agent laden major league team on the field. From the Padres they nabbed from the
burning fire, Benito Santiago, from the A's they traded for shortstop Walt Weiss, and for fun they
signed hometown boy, 45 year old knuckleballer, Charlie Hough. They stumbled to a 20-28 start, but
have been a much more respectable 11-6 in the month of June (at one point winning 9 of 10),
passing the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates in the bowels of the standings. They are coached
by baseball lifer Rene Hacheman, who had previously been Tony LaRussa’s long time bench coach.
On the Mound
“Gentle” Ben Rivera is once again on the mound for the Phillies. This is his fourth start in June where
he is 2-1 with a 3.43 ERA over 21 innings with 18 strikeouts, and 5-3 with a 4.06 ERA overall. Ben
Rivera’s first name is short for Bienvenido which means welcome in spanish.
Pitching for the Marlins in their second game ever at the Vet is Ryan Bowen, who currently holds a
4-6 record but with a decent 3.46 ERA. Bowen is a former first round pick of the Houston Astros who
was selected in the third round of the Expansion drafts by the Marlins (their next pick? Trevor
Hoffman). He’s coming off a disaster of a season with the Astros where he was 0-7 with a 10.42 era,
but according to Wheels the Phils saw him once in Spring Training replacing Nolan Ryan and he
was very good. The 93 season would be the “best” of Bowen’s rocky career, where he would end 8-
12 for the season with a 4.42 ERA and 4.36 FIP, but a respectable 1.4 WAR (2019 pitchers with less
than 1.4 War: Jake Arrietta, Vince Velasquez, and Drew Smyly).
Today’s Game
It is Friday, June 18th, 1993, at the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, Veteran’s Stadium. The
broadcast today is on WPHL 17 and the team for the broadcast is Harry Kalas and Richard “Whitey”
Ashburn (with Wheels also there). One of the best games of the season from the booth today,
nothing is as comforting as listening to best friends Harry and Whitey.
Watch for yourself at:
The Line-up:
CF Lenny Dykstra
SS Mariano Duncan
1B John Kruk (2nd in BA, 1st in OBP, 1st in Walks)
C Darren Daulton
RF Jim Eisenreich
LF Milt Thompson
3B Kim Batiste
2B Mickey Morandini
P Ben Rivera
Highs (Hopes) and Lows
High: Bottom 1st- Darren Daulton Delivers
Lenny Dysktra leads off the game with a double, and gets moved to third by a Mariano Duncan
fielder’s choice. A Kruk walk (more on that later), brings up Darren Daulton, now we can spend all
day talking about the empty pointlessness as a statistic the RBI is, but Darren Daulton continually
gets chances for them and continually delivers. There’s a reason he’s tied for first in the NL in RBIs
and Lenny Dykstra leads the league in runs. Daulton hits a double that scores both Dykstra,
extending his now 13 game run scoring streak, and Kruk to take the lead 2-0.
Low: Top 5th- Repeat Rivera Performances
After allowing a run in the fourth inning, Rivera gave up a single to the opposing pitcher Ryan Bowen in the fifth to bring up the Marlin’s lead off hitter Chuck Carr. Seeing Rivera for the third time, the speedy slap hitter is able to pound the ball into the gap for a triple and to score Bowen. Carr would score one batter later from a sacrifice fly making it a 3-2 Marlins lead.
ROLLER COASTER- Bottom 5th
Too many crazy things happened in the fifth to break into basic highs and lows, this was too wacky
and wild. Ben Rivera bats to start the inning and promptly strikes out (he wouldn’t return to pitch),
bringing up Lenny Dykstra who walks on four pitches. Mariano Duncan follows up with a hard hit
grounder down the third base line that is beautifully snagged by Marlin Third Baseman Alex Arias,
but it’s too deep for a play at first. Dykstra then makes a real bonehead mistake by wandering too far
off second trying to see if the ball got past Arias, and gets picked off second (exact quote from me
“Goddamnit Lenny!”).
Whitey is livid with the stupidity “Phils have not played a heads up game here.”
After another walk by John Kruk, Darren Daulton again comes up with batters on and again delivers with an RBI single (3-3), his 3rd of the game, tying him for first in the NL with future Ex-Nationals Coach Matt Williams. Next up is Jim Eisenreich who also singles, bringing home the ever fleet footed John Kruk and a play at the plate. Kruk is called safe, and it is close, real close, future Phillie/current Marlin Catcher Benito Santiago is very upset at the call (4-3).
Marlins Coach Rene Lachemann decides then to walk Milt Thompson to get to Kim Batiste, but
doesn’t lift the very obviously struggling Bowen (3 walks in the inning) who then throws a second
wild pitch in the inning that allows Daulton to score (5-3). Kim Batiste then singles to knock in
Eisenreich, and also sends Milt Thompson towards home for a second play at the plate of the inning.
This one is much more obvious as Thompson slides around Santiago to get to home plate. The
frustrated Santiago argues once again with the umpire, who decides that Santiago is being too rude
and tosses him. Lachemann takes the opportunity to bring in a relief pitcher to go with his now
needed relief catcher. The Phils are up 7-3. Such a gamut of emotions, particularly when it seemed
that the Phillies would end up with no runs after the 2nd out with Dykstra. Indefensible to keep
Bowen out there after multiple wild pitches, and walks in a close game.
Wild Rides
Larry Andersen is out for his second inning in relief of Mark Davis who went two scoreless in relief of
Ben Rivera. Andersen barely dodged having to bat in the bottom of the 8th, which is a point of
interest to the broadcast booth.
“I guess if they get to the 1000 hitter, they’ll hit for him, Larry Andersen.” - Harry Kalas
“He’ll do anything to protect that average.” -Whitey
“Well manager Jim Fregosi said it’s protected. (he’s) not going to get another opportunity… There’s
the ageless one, Larry Andersen, and Jim said to him in the tunnels, ‘don’t even think about
grabbing a bat’”- Harry
With a cozy lead, Andersen is near dominant (or as dominant as Larry Andersen could ever be in his
career) striking out the first two Marlins in the top of the 9th, before giving up a bloop single, and
then ending the game with a pop up to Lenny Dykstra. Phils win 7-3.
Words of Wisdom from Harry and Whitey (and sometimes Wheels)
“One of things that goes unnoticed with him is how unselfish he is. There’s a situation, where he
could have maybe chased a bad ball, trying to get an RBI pick it up for himself. He takes a pitch and
lets Darren Daulton come up in this situation. Kruk really is the ultimate team player”- Wheels talking
about Kruk walking.This is a pretty prescient point for the pre-Moneyball era of 1993, about how
swinging just to swing is dumb. It’s also an interesting point when reminded of the arguments against
Joey Votto (there’s also an article in Votto’s defense by the same he-who-shall-not-be-named of the
Expos book) a few years ago about how he didn’t swing enough in RBI situations.
“He’s disappointed he’s not hitting .300. I told him the other day I said, ‘dude, I don’t care if you’re
hitting .260 as long as you’re scoring runs and keep doing what you’re doing. We’re going to win
games. Sometimes that batting average is an overinflated stat”- Harry. Another great advance
analytics point by the Phillies booth. Batting average is stupid, and good thing Whitey isn’t there,
because he cared way too much about batting average. Also Harry saying “dude” is just wonderful.
“Squirrel on the field now”- Harry
“Rene Lachemann was a clubhouse boy with the Dodgers when I played against the Dodgers. He
said he remembered me as a big tipper. He must be thinking of some one else” - Whitey
“Is it just my imagination Whitey or is Kruk always in a play at the plate anymore?” Wheels. I wish
this was pun on Kruk’s appetite.
“That movie Money Pit, is a very funny movie White, if you haven’t seen it. It’s about the renovation
of homes.” Harry. What I wouldn’t give to watch early Tom Hanks comedies with Harry Kalas.
In Conclusion:
John Kruk collects three walks, Darren Daulton collects three RBIs, and the Phillies bullpen makes
short work of the Marlins as the Phils take the second game of the series. 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. Tomorrow is game three of the four game series, before the
game is an old timers exhibition between the 83 Phils and a group of All Stars (Larry Andersen will not
pitch both games). If you have some time, check out Money Pit.
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