As we near the end of the decade, many sites just like this one are counting down their favorite moments from the past ten years. Whether it’s the best players, the best games, the biggest hits, or the best Chris Wheelerseses, one thing can be certain: Countdown lists and decade retrospectives are all the rage.

And this is one of them.

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While many newspapers are using the run-up to the World Series to run some of the most inane baseball coverage ever published, at least one newspaper came through with a somewhat-interesting sideshow article: The New York Times covered the Phillies’ train ride to New York City, and answered the “why” question:

The reason for the train was neither historical novelty nor an exercise in team building in advance of the World Series, which begins Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. It was pure convenience. The distance between Philadelphia and New York is too short for a flight, and a fleet of buses traveling up the New Jersey Turnpike could spend as much time on the approach to the Lincoln Tunnel as the entire train ride.

So for the first time in recent memory, the team boarded the Phillie Express from 30th Street Station in Philadelphia about 4:45 p.m., bound for New York’s Penn Station. [...] The Phillies have been boarding Amtrak charters for several years to Washington to play the Nationals. Normally, the Phillies take a bus to New York if they come directly from Philadelphia.

You don’t come here for fancy New York Times news articles, I think. But don’t worry, there’s a fun part: The train arrived just around rush hour, which means the Phillies have already done their part to annoy New Yorkers.

“It’s almost 6 o’clock now,” said John Williams, an Amtrak police officer, who was hard at work clearing the sidewalk outside Penn Station of commuters trying to get home after work. “This is killing us.”

It will only get worse, Mr. Williams. The Phillies will be doing some more killing of New York when the World Series starts tomorrow night.

Who woulda thunk it?

J.A. Happ did not want to be traded and he was pretty vocal about it over the last month, but tonight CSN let out this rather revealing quote.

I’m trying not to worry about it. But, I’m a single guy, live by myself. I have a lot of time to think about stuff. I try not to, but I’m human, so it crosses my mind. Once I’m here and trying to do my thing, I don’t think about it.

Thanks to Amaro he won’t have to worry about it but, Happ single? I guess either the old “Hey, I’m a big league pitcher” pick up line isn’t working or Happ just likes to play the field and hasn’t deemed any broad worthy of his faithfulness. J.A. keepin’ it crispy /Sarge’d

LANDSHARK STADIUM

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Hot off the wire.  Per Gordon Edes breaking the news on Yahoo’s Big League Stew:

Breaking: Free-agent pitcher Pedro Martinez passed his physical with the Phillies about 20 minutes ago, clearing the way for him to sign a deal with the defending world champions. A press conference announcing his signing is expected to be held Wednesday in Philadelphia.

If I can get over him still ripely stinking of Met, then I might like this move. Time will tell…

Video game rendering of what Pedro Martinez will look like in Phillies gear pitching at Citi, ATJ…

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CITIZENS BANK PARK

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CITIZENS BANK PARK

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CITIZENS BANK PARK

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TURNER FIELD

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