LOS ANGELES — Perhaps the Phillies’ nod to 1980 will deliver luck on Wednesday night time at Dodger Stadium.
Look good, really feel good, play good. Proper? The Phils will put on their powder blue uniforms for Recreation 3 of the NL Division Sequence towards the Dodgers. In the event that they win Recreation 3, they are going to put on them once more for Recreation 4 on Thursday.
“I assumed it’d be cool,” Bryce Harper mentioned at Tuesday’s exercise. “Form of an ode to ’80.”
The Phillies historically put on their powder blues on Thursdays at Residents Financial institution Park, however they’ve been speaking about sporting them on the highway for years. Phillies director of clubhouse companies Phil Sheridan first contacted the league in regards to the chance in June. The league mentioned they may. Sheridan reached out to the league once more earlier than the top of the common season to see if its approval utilized to the postseason. The league mentioned sure.
So, as soon as the Dodgers beat the Reds final week within the NL Wild Card Sequence, the Phillies requested Los Angeles if it deliberate to put on its conventional white uniforms at house. The Dodgers mentioned sure, so the powder blues had been packed for the journey.
They left the highway grays in Philadelphia.
“I’ve been messing round with Phil about it for like two, three years now,” Harper mentioned. “Like, ‘Hey, dude. Are we ever going to do it?’ Just a few of us introduced it to him a pair weeks in the past. After which clearly they needed to ship me to speak to all people.”
He made the identical pitch once more this time.
“We love sporting the blues,” Harper mentioned. “We simply thought it’d be enjoyable.”
“It is not prefer it’s a superstitious factor or something like that,” Kyle Schwarber mentioned. “We similar to the best way they give the impression of being, like the best way they really feel. They had been picked out earlier than the collection, so we’re pleased that we’re sporting them. Excited to vary it up a bit of bit. Get out of the grays and have a unique highway uniform.”
The Phillies enter Recreation 3 down 2-0 within the best-of-five collection. They face lengthy odds, particularly towards a staff like Los Angeles. However Harper mentioned all people was relaxed on the flight to Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.
“Performed a variety of playing cards,” he mentioned. “That was enjoyable. Clearly, we did not take into consideration [Game 2] or something like that. Simply obtained relaxation fast final night time, obtained on the flight this morning and attempt to get right here and get to the exercise. So glad it is sunny and 80 levels in L.A.”
However what’s going to or not it’s like on Wednesday night time? Will hitters press on the plate? Will pitchers attempt to make a too-perfect pitch?
“It is all the time powerful within the postseason, man,” Harper mentioned. “You get into it, you are excited, you are able to go. And then you definitely run right into a juggernaut of pitching. That is our staff and that is their staff as effectively. Clearly, we have to do a greater job of hopefully hitting the lengthy ball or simply making issues occur any approach, any how we are able to. Simply gotta be higher tomorrow.”
Perhaps the powder blues change the vibe. Perhaps altering the venue will assist.
The Phils obtained booed at house in Recreation 2.
“I do not really feel that approach,” Harper mentioned. “I like taking part in on the Financial institution. I like our followers. I boo myself once I get out. I am the identical approach. I belief in what they do. They present up for us each day, day in and time out. So, if we need to be booed … they spend their hard-earned {dollars} to come back watch us play; they anticipate greatness out of us and I anticipate greatness out of myself and my teammates as effectively.
“In the event that they imagine that, I do not know what is going on via their head or mindset. We have got a number of the greatest followers in baseball, they usually make me play higher. So I get pleasure from it. I’ll in all probability get booed tomorrow night time, too. So it is sort of the identical factor. It is, like, what are we speaking about? Identical stuff.”
Harper was in good spirits on Tuesday, all issues thought of. His spouse, Kayla, gave start to their fourth little one final week: a boy – Hayes Three Harper.
“I’ve obtained an unbelievable spouse, man,” Harper mentioned. “She pushed that factor out in three pushes and 30 seconds. She’s an absolute monster doing it. … I am critical, it is an unbelievable factor. Having the ability to maintain your son for the primary time is one thing that, it is one of many best moments of my life.”
Harper choked up as he mentioned his household.
“I like my household. I like my children,” he mentioned. “I like … baseball. However on the finish of the day, my household means essentially the most to me. I positively miss them proper now.”
