When the Phillies play their first home postseason game in 11 years, a familiar face will be the one throwing the first pitch.
The Flyin' Hawaiian Shane Victorino, an absolute fan-favorite member of the 2008 World Series team who spent eight seasons in Philly from 2005 to 2012, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Friday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park ahead of Game 3 of the Phils' NLDS series vs. the Braves.
Numerous outlets reported the news, including Todd Zolecki who writes and reports on the Phillies for MLB.com and would know such things:
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Victorino, who turns 42 next month (yes, you are old), is truly the perfect choice for a Game 3 NLDS ceremonial pitch. He brings the gravitas of that 2008 World Series, he's an electric personality, and he's still very connected to the Philadelphia sports scene and the Phillies in general. Every time I dive in to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Instagram comments, Victorino is there liking posts and leaving positive messages about the Phils. He's the man.
He wasn't a member of the Big 3, but Victorino had quite the productive eight-year stint in Philly. He played nearly 1,000 games in the city and slashed .279/.345/.439 with 88 homers, 390 RBI, 179 stolen bases, and three Gold Gloves and an All-Star appearance to his name. That's good stuff!
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The city seems absolutely amped for home postseason baseball, and the first game since 2011 coming on a Friday with a tied series against a division rival makes it all the more spectacular. The atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park is gonna be nuts, and Victorino is the cherry on top.
Phillies fever is forreal.
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