Phlashback Review: Jayson Stark’s “Worth the Wait: Tales of the 2008 Phillies”

Ten years later, looking back at the run the Philadelphia Phillies had in 2008 still gives fans goosebumps. Jayson Stark, now writing for The Athletic, did an amazing job breaking down that season from beginning to end in his book “Worth the Wait: Tales of the 2008 Phillies.”

The book covers from when Jimmy Rollins came out prior to the 2007 season and said the Phillies were the team to beat, and goes all the way to Brad Lidge striking out Eric Hinske to win the World Series for the Phillies. 

Along with providing incredible insight into every step on the Phillies road to their first championship since 1980, Stark also provides bits of information that some fans may not have known, which adds another great element to the book. One good fact that Stark put in the end of the book was that along with mirroring winning years of the World Series (‘80 and ‘08), the closers who recorded the final outs for the Phillies wore mirroring numbers; Tug McGraw wore No. 45 in 1980 and Brad Lidge wore No. 54 in 2008. 

Stark also does a great job breaking down the Phillies run at the end of the season that got them into the playoffs, along with all the huge moments the Phillies had in the postseason. Some highlighted moments Phillies fans will enjoy revisiting are the Phillies beating CC Sabathia and the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS – especially the walk that Brett Myers forced in that game – and Matt Stairs’ pinch-hit home run against Jonathan Broxton and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.

The book also had a lot of quotes from different people in and around the team, giving you an idea of what was running through the heads of some key members of the Phillies during the 2008 season. The book includes quotes from Jimmy Rollins, Jamie Moyer, Brett Myers and manager Charlie Manuel, among others.

You can pick up a signed copy of Jayson Stark’s book Worth The Wait at Shibe Vintage Sports.

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