Is it just a dream?

[EagleFan]

Jim Purnson went to sleep that night with nothing but frustration on his mind. As a die-hard Phillies fan he should be used to watching his team blow game after game. He knew that he could do a better job managing than the buffoon du'jeur but reality kept him from having any fantastic illusions of actually getting that chance. Instead he would feed his childhood dreams by coaching his son in little league, that would have to do.

What Jim would not know, is what kind of journey he was about to undertake. Would his journey be caused by some weird time shift? Maybe the planets were alligned just right? Or maybe it was those 8 hot dogs that he ate at the game.

[EagleFan]

"Dad, wake up." His son Eric pleaded. "You're going to be late for the game."

What? Game? He didn't remember that his son had a game? How long did he sleep? These thoughts crept through his head as he shook the cobwebs off and tried to remember who they were playing.

"There's only one opening day each year, you should be getting to the park."

One opening day? They are mid season?

The phone began to ring, startling Jim. He collected himself and reached for the phone.

"Coach, I thought you would be at the park already." Said the man on the other end of the phone. It must be one of the kids' fathers. Probably going to pester him to start his kid today.

"I'll be there soon." Jim replied. "Who am I speaking to? If this Mr. Caruso?" (Mr. Caruso was famous for begging for playing time for his son Edgar, too bad his son played more like Sherry Bonds than Barry Bonds).

"Good one coach. You know this is Lenny."

Lenny, the memory really isn't working today. He can't think of one person that he would know right now named Lenny.

"Lenny?"

"You are half asleep dude. Your starting centerfielder, Lenny Dykstra. Do I ring a bell now?"

"Uh, okay, I'll see you soon."

What kind of prank was that? He really needs to make his number unlisted. Jim got up and got dressed before going downstairs.

When he got downstairs, his wife gave him a wuick kiss and said that her and Eric were going to go with him to the game today. Eric has been looking forward to this for the past 3 months, since Jim was given the job.

Job? What job?

Just then, he saw it. Right on the table, the sports page. The headline read "Purnson Debuts as Phils Skipper". Jim swiped the paper from the table and read the story. He was the Phillies manager, according to the story. It even had everything about his past, well most of it. It seemed to be missing everything recent.

As he read through the paper he noticed the date was April 1, 1993.

The next few minutes seemed to swirl together into one huge blur. The next thing he knew, he was sitting in an office in Veterans Stadium and looking over a lineup card.

"It's about time coach." He heard coming from the doorway from a rather robust looking man. As he came into focus, Jim realized it was John Kruk. Jim had no idea how, but suddenly he was living his dream, or was he?

Another blur and Jim was standing on the field in front of the umpire and had a lineup card in his hands.

"It's about game time." Said the umpire...

[EagleFan]

The Astros were in town for the first game of the season. Jim was sending Curt Shilling to the mound, a no brainer. The Astros were going with Doug Drabek.

IS this a dream? Was what he thought was his life a dream? He doesn;t know, nor does it seem to matter to him anymore. This is what he had always wanted. Maybe he can finally see a positive ending for Phillies fans.


The game has started out as a pitcher's duel. Through 3 innings, neither team has a hit and Shilling has not allowed a baserunnger and had struck out 6 in a row at one point.

A walk to Craig Biggio in the 4th broke up Curt's string of batters retired but he got through the inning without allowing a hit.

Dave Hollins got the first hit of the game in the bottom of the 4th but was erased on a double play to keep it scoreless after 4.

Ken Caminiti broak up the shutout and no hitter for Shilling in the 5th as he hit a solo homerun to right to give the Astros a 1-0 lead. Shilling settled down to get out of the inning with no further damage.

The Phillies would get 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th but Lenny Dykstra would pop out to end the inning.

With the score still 1-0 going into the bottom of the 8th, Jim would have to make his first real move and chose to pinch hit for Shilling. Shilling had a great line (8.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 10 K, 4 BB) but could lose this one if they can;t come up with something.

Jim would bring Ruben Amaro in to pinch hit. Amaro would walk. Dykstra would follow with a fielder's choice which would put Lenny at 1st with one out. In a risky move, Jim would send Lenny and he would just beat the throw for the stolen base putting him at 2nd with one out. Mickey Morandini would strike out, leaving the inning up to John Kruk. Kruk worked a walk making it 1st and 2nd with 2 outs for Dave Hollins. Hollins would send a drive deep to right that would be caught at the track to end the inning.

Jim brought Larry Anderson in to pitch the 9th. Anderson would get the first batter out but then allow 3 straight singles to make it 2-0. Jim had seen enough and brought lefty Mark Davis in. Davis would get Eric Anthony to ground into an inning anding double play.

With the score 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 9th the Phillies would have Darren Daulton, Milt Thompson and Jim Eisenreich scheduled to bat. They would all ground out for a 1-2-3 inning and the Phillies would lose their opener 2-0.


They open the season now one game behind the New York Mets.

[EagleFan]

Jim received a rude welcome to Philadelphia after game one as talk radio is already blasting him and the team. It seems the fans are so jaded from years of dissapointments that it doesn't take much to draw their ire, even a game in which he really had no affect on the outcome.

Game two would see Danny Jackson going against Pete Harnish for the Astros. After falling behind 4-1 in the 5th, the fans would begin to get ugly again.

This time, a comeback fueled by homeruns from Lenny Dykstra and John Kruck would give the Phillies a 6-5 lead heading into the 9th. Jim would turn the ball over to closer Mitch Williams. A walk and a couple signles later and the game would be tied before Williams would strike out the final two batters of the inningm making it 6-6 heading into the bottom of the 9th.

After a leadoff walk to Ruben Amaro, Mariano Duncan would double to the gap in right. They would send Amaro home and the throw would sail wide for a 7-6 win for the Phillies, Jim's first as a manager. The fans who were previously filling the air with boos were now electrified by the thrilling ending.

Unfortunately for Jim, that attitude would not carry over to the talk radio circuit as he would get ripped for a few decisions in the game, such as brining Williams in when David West had pitched a perfect 8th, including 2 K's.


They are now 1-1 and still 1 game back of the Mets.

[EagleFan]

Injuries would plague the Phillies a bit now with starting catcher Darren Daulton getting sidelined for 15 days with what is being called a sprained finger. Fans are not very happy with that injury, to which Daulton replied something about aliens, or something like that.

Outfielder Jim Eisenreich proved to the team that he would run through a wall, unfortunately that was in a locker room accident, giving him a mild concussion and he would be out at least a game.


Their next game features Darryl Kilefor the Astros against Terry Mulholland, the resident Steve Carlton look-alike. It will be an afternoon "get-away" day for the Astros, but the Phils will remain home for a 3 game homestand against the Giants.

Nothing positive would come out of this game at all as Mulholland would get pounded and Kile would be nearly untouchable in what would be an embarassing 10-0 defeat.

The loss would drop them to 1-2 and they would remain a game behind the Mets and also now the Cardinals. Fans are now begining to talk about the upcoming Eagles season, not a good sign.