Given that they’re rivals in the National League East, the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies see a lot of each other during the season. But Mets legend and broadcaster Keith Hernandez does not enjoy calling games between the rivals. And the reason is hilarious.
SNY’s broadcast on Tuesday was going over the upcoming schedule, when it was revealed that Hernandez would not be on the call for an upcoming series against the Phillies. Hernandez then said, “I’ve expressed to the front office — not the Mets front office — our front office at SNY, that I hate doing Phillie games. I guess they gave me the series off.”
Hernandez was then pressed. Why does he hate doing these games? It has nothing to do with the intense rivalry between the two teams or any of the heckling that Philadelphia’s fans are so well known for. No, Hernandez’s issue with the Phillies is simply that he does not like watching them play.
“They never seem to disappoint,” he said. “Over the years — and they’re hot right now — but I would like to see them. As far as fundamentally, defensively, the Phillies have always been just, you know, not up to it.”
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1557171007613390848
Tom McCarthy of NBC Sports Philadelphia did have a response to Hernandez following a great play from Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm.
.@TMacPhils just bodied Keith Hernandez pic.twitter.com/01Q7l0N2Nb
— Nick Piccone (@_piccone) August 10, 2022
It’s nice of McCarthy to stick up for his team. But Bohm’s play notwithstanding, Hernandez is spot on here.
Philadelphia’s defense was a known question mark before the 2022 season even started. The season itself has done nothing to ease those concerns, as the Phillies have been on the wrong side of numerous bloopers.
The Phillies are indeed playing better. Entering Tuesday’s game, they were 9-1 over their last 10 games. So, maybe their best will be on display in the series against the Mets, and Hernandez will miss one heck of an exhibition. But looking at the bigger picture, we can see his case.
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