Phillips lived the backyard dream of many youngsters

Soaring like an eagle: Tampa Bay Rays Game 4 hero Brett Phillips

Oct 26, 2020

“How can you not be romantic about baseball”

~Brad Pitt (as Billy Beane in the movie Moneyball)

By Matt Snoei

I am a “baseball guy.” Have been for my whole life. Thinking back to my childhood, I fondly recall those sandlot days playing out the final moments of the World Series from the batter’s box or pitching mound.

Whatever the sport, or stage, many of us have played the hero in our own fantasies. In Game 4 of the World Series was an opportunity to see someone live that out. A young journeyman (thus far) player by the name of Brett Phillips, playing for his hometown team was the improbable hero as he provided the clutch game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth.

The story becomes even more compelling when you factor in that Phillips hadn’t had a hit since September, and was actually left off the Rays’ American League Championship Series roster to make room for pitching. Until this point, he had never had a post-season hit in his career and only had three hits to show on the back of his baseball card as a Ray.

Now, staring at one of the game’s best closers with two outs, two strikes and the game on the line, a relative unknown was called upon to perform in the most stress-inducing situation in all of baseball. The scenario setup so perfectly for poetics that you could feel the collective audience move to the edge of their seat.

Phillips was expected to be a ‘role’ player during the playoffs who could provide defensive support or speed on the bases when called upon, but his bat was not an anticipated part of the manager Kevin Cash’s plan. I can only imagine the thoughts running through Phillips’ head when Rays skipper locked eyes with him and said, “Grab a bat, you’re going in.”

The emotions that are laid bare when you have the opportunity to live out your childhood dream must be overwhelming. Overwhelming enough, in fact, to require Phillips to get an IV after delivering his walk-off hit to get his heart rate down.

The calamity of events sparked by Phillips hit leads to questions of destiny, but I digress, it all serves to make the moment even more special (see the clip below).

I’m sure there are a lot of life and business lessons in this moment ranging from the value of preparation to the importance of managerial decisions, but seeing that rare moment of someone who steps from obscurity into to infamy at the pinnacle of their profession is so profound that I don’t want to blur the moment with a message. Phillips sums it up perfectly in a post-game interview, “Man, baseball is fun”.

This is a great game for those with short memories as game 5 is already in the books and the World Champion was crowned Tuesday night in Arlington, Tex. This moment is one of those rare stories that gets etched onto the marble slab of World Series lore to be reminisced upon for years to come.

How can you not be romantic about baseball?

_ Matt Snoei (Grassie, Ont.) a former Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks shortstop, who now works in RBC wealth management.