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Former Bay Area ballplayers are playoff-bound
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Bay Area native, Jimmy Rollins, and former SanFrancisco Giant,
Pedro Feliz, are headed to the playoffs. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
Sometimes, with change, good things happen.
Today, a couple of our old Bay Area baseball players made their way to the postseason with the Philadelphia Phillies. Joe Blanton (acquired from the Oakland A’s on June 17) and Pedro Feliz (signed with Phillies on Jan. 31) will be getting a taste of October baseball while their old teammates will be making indentations in their living room couches.
Two-and-a-half weeks before he was traded by the A’s, the big guy wrote about how a trade is just a part of baseball on his MLBlog, “Big Joe’s Bluegrass Blog.” To him, it was no big deal—pitching is pitching no matter what team you’re on. Blanton explained:
“It's not like it's the end of the world if you do get traded. The game's the same. It doesn't change when you go somewhere else. You're still out there pitching. Your surroundings are just different.”
If he reflected on his pre-Phillies blog entry, I’m sure it would elicit a chuckle or two. Blanton is pitching in a different environment—one that’s electric with the excitement of postseason play. His former ballpark is closed for the season and is now just the home of the Oakland Raiders.
Formerly from across the bay, San Francisco’s 2007 third baseman will be joining Blanton in the playoffs. Pedro Feliz felt slighted by the Giants and ran into the longing arms of the Phils.
This season, every time Feliz stood in the batter’s box with a runner at first, the expectation of a double play appeared. With his new team, that pattern wasn’t as prevalent. It was difficult to bitterly poke fun at the Phillies when the former Giant was coming through for his new team. His contributions weren’t minor—today, for instance, Feliz’ RBI double in the eighth scored the run necessary for the NL East Championship win.
If there are any tears in Feliz’ eyes, they’re not from anger toward the Giants—they’re probably from the celebratory champagne sting. While those division-clinching goggles shield the eyes of “Pete Happy” (as the Phils like to call him), the Giants look past this season toward a brighter future (cross your fingers!).
Bay Area natives Jimmy Rollins, Encinal High School (Alameda) graduate, and Pat Burrell, Bellarmine Preparatory School (San Jose) graduate, will join Blanton and Feliz on the path to the World Series.
Since our Bay Area teams won’t be playing after Sunday, it will be fun to cheer for our old ballplayers…right?
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