Jose Alvarado Is Reversing An Annoying Philly Sports Pattern

Jose Alvarado returned to the bullpen for the Philadelphia Phillies last week after a month on the injured list. 

He looked fresher than ever in the 10th inning of a 4-3 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

The left-handed fireballer earned the save in a character win for the surging Phillies. He consistently hit 100 miles per hour on the gun, even reaching 101 with a sinker.

Alvarado has a microscopic 1.04 ERA in 2023 with an astounding 29 strikeouts in 17.1 innings and a WHIP well below his career average.

His lights-out performance should make Philadelphia sports fans rethink an ageless narrative about their teams. 

It gets under the skin of Philly sports fans when players struggle to find their footing early in their careers but develop successfully in another city only after a change of scenery.

The sentiment is older than sports talk radio itself:

After all, the Phillies did trade Ryne Sandberg after 13 MLB games and Fergie Jenkins after eight MLB games.

More recent examples include Brandon Moss, Travis d'Arnaud (although Roy Halladay certainly made the return worth it), and Gio Gonzalez.

However, the same annoyance transfers to the Eagles. They allowed future Pro Bowlers Jordan Poyer and Alejandro Villanueva to get away seemingly unnoticed.

Flyers fans painfully sat and watched Patrick Sharp and Justin Williams combine for six Stanley Cups after short stints in Philadelphia early in their respective careers.

Fans of the 76ers say similar things about Nikola Vucevic and Jerami Grant.

However, Jose Alvarado has proven to be a complete outlier. He left the Tampa Bay Rays after four inconsistent seasons from 2017-2020 only to gain his stride in Philadelphia. The Phillies acquired him in December 2020 in a three-team trade that only cost them Garrett Cleavinger.

They demoted a struggling Alvarado to the minor leagues on May 27, 2022. The short opportunity to regroup worked about as well as anyone could’ve expected.

He allowed two earned runs in his first chance back in the majors but followed it up with 15 consecutive scoreless appearances. He established himself as a mainstay at the back end of the bullpen during a run to the World Series in 2022.

Seranthony Dominguez has struggled to regain his form in 2023. However, the return of Alvarado and the resurgence of 35-year-old Craig Kimbrel has solidified the bullpen.

The tendency to resort back to the old “Negadelphia” attitude comes from the incredible passion of a Philadelphia fan base desperate to see success.

However, it’s important to realize that every passionate fan base in professional sports often thinks along the same lines.

It’s frustrating for fans when they see it happen to their teams, but they naturally don’t think of the other side when a player succeeds for their favorite team because of a change of scenery.

Fans should appreciate that the Phillies pulled the rug out from under an organization widely considered one of the best in Major League Baseball.

After all, the Phillies still have the upper hand on the Rays, a franchise that’s never won a World Series.

Baseball is back at Citizens Bank Park. If you scored some tickets to a home game this season, there are some things you need to know before going to a Philadelphia Phillies game.

There's more to going to a baseball game than you'd think. For one, the stadium is outside, so you really have to be prepped for anything. Citizens Bank Park does a good job of making things as comfortable as possible for fans.

You're sure to have a great time at one of these games. There are always special events going on. Plus, the ballpark really has a lot of great things to snack on and drink. Plus, with the new Phanavision scoreboard, it'll be like you're watching TV at home, but live and in person.

Our Phillies are the reigning National League Champions. And after that fairytale World Series run, of course you're going to want to go see them play. It's a baseball fan rite of passage. But whether its your first time, or your 100th time, things change every year. You may need a refresher. So be aware of these tips when planning your ballpark trip.

For regular season home games, all gates open 90 minutes prior to game time. That means you can show up pretty early to get settled at your seats. It will give you plenty of time for security screenings, to get the lay of the land, and grab a drink.

This may be a no-brainer but you should know this. Especially if you don't have Phillies gear to wear, that way you avoid wearing the colors of the opposing team. And if it's a rivalry game...oh boy be ready.

Double, triple check this. You don't want to get caught missing game time or showing up too early. Especially if you're going to a postponed or rescheduled game. The start time of the game may change from when you bought the tickets up until the day of.

When you used to enter the ballpark there was a process of having to split from your group. Those with bags went one way, those without went a different way. It was a hectic experience trying to reform your group after that. Well now that’s a thing of the past. The fast security process, thanks to AI that detects large-density metal, will allow people with bags to walk straight through. Separation no more!

This is essential. The park is outside. There is not much cover while you're at your seat. If it's going to be hot, dress cool. If it's going to rain, bring a poncho. Sometimes games are postponed or even cancelled due to weather. So keep an eye on the forecast. You don't want to get caught in a bad situation!

There is no shortage of places to eat at the ballpark. From vegan eats, to new cheesesteaks, you have to pay attention to what's new at Citizens Bank Park. It changes from year to year, and there are daily and weekly specials as well. Make sure you come hungry, because there's something for anyone.

The Phillies have been kind enough to provide us with a helpful parking map. Parking for Phillies games at Citizens Bank Park is cashless. You can pay with credit/debit cards and mobile payment. You can also pick up a pre-paid parking pass online.

Tickets can be accessed on the MLB Ballpark app. It’s a free download. It’ll make your life easier, as you won’t have to scramble at the gate to find your paper tickets. Tickets on your phone. How convenient!

You definitely should look this up before going to any game. From who may be throwing out the first pitch, to special giveaways, you want to be prepared! You may even want to wait to buy tickets for a night that calls to you, such as dollar dog night, or Teacher Appreciation night. Find the list here.