Comeback Squared

Last night, Philadelphia was witness to a pair of comebacks. First, the one that will get headlines.

The Phillies had a dramatic come from behind win last night despite trailing 3-0 heading into the bottom of the 9th inning. They won a game where their Win Expectancy hit 4.4% with just three outs to go, with Pedro Feliz playing the role of hero after his game winning double down the line scored Geoff Jenkins. Sharing in the heroes spotlight will be Pat Burrell, who hit a game tying home run just two batters before the game ended. Burrell’s blast and Feliz’s double are the moments that Phillies fans will remember from this game for the rest of the year.

However, the inning started with a comeback of its own, and one that won’t get nearly as much attention. Chris Snelling hit a home run to right field to make it a 3-1 ballgame, starting the rally that would lead to the Phillies win. And while a solo home run might not seem like much, it was a triumphant moment for people like me who have been rooting for Snelling for the better part of ten years. And really, anyone who knows any part of his story should be rooting for this kid. The former Mariner prospect’s career has been derailed by injuries, but he hasn’t lost the quirky personality or love for baseball that made rational analysts form the Cult of Doyle.

In an era where media conglomerates won’t stop telling us what is wrong with baseball, Chris Snelling launching a ball into the right field seats is everything that is right about baseball. Long live Doyle.