The Phillies took the field Friday at Citizens Bank Park, their first time playing in front of a home crowd in 155 days. The last time the home team played in South Philly, they were deep in a World Series battle against the eventual champion Houston Astros.
Since then, another team that plays just across the street made it to their respective league's championship just to fall barely short. So naturally the Phillies invited Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni over to the park, first to commiserate, and then to throw out the first pitch of the 2023 home slate.
Sirianni's only been the Eagles head coach for two seasons but it feels like the guy's been here for way longer. His first year at the helm was a roller coaster and last year was a fairy tale, and he's proven in his short time here to be a real-deal Philly guy.
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Sirianni took the mound ahead of the Phillies' afternoon showdown with the Reds and tossed the first pitch:
I mean, that's pretty solid. A little low and away but I like the late life on what John Kruk called a two-seamer. I can see plenty of opposing batters taking the cheese and swinging as it cuts through the zone.
If the Phillies lose too many more games in the next week or so, they might need to have Sirianni come in and give them the ol' flowers speech to turn this thing around. Here's hoping Friday starts a reversal of fortunes.
