Carlos Ruiz was greeted with a pleasant surprise as the former Phillies catcher was set to take the mound for a ceremonial first pitch at Citizens Bank Park.
Former Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who delivered the final pitch to clinch the 2008 World Series to Ruiz, emerged from the dugout and trotted out to catch the ball from his former batterymate. Ruiz had no idea that Lidge was coming. After spending years handling sliders from Lidge, Ruiz tossed one of his own in a moment of role reversal.
“Clueless,” Ruiz said of Lidge’s surprise appearance through Phillies assistant general manager Jorge Velandia, who acted as an interpreter. “And then it happened so fast. It was like: Wait a minute. I was supposed to be on the other side.”
The Phillies honored Ruiz as one of the great backstops in franchise history before Friday night’s game in celebration of the team’s annual alumni weekend. He spent 11 seasons in Philadelphia from 2006 to 2016, making an All-Star team in 2012 and served as a core piece of five straight National East-winning teams.
A montage of Ruiz’s career highlights played on the scoreboard, and owner John Middleton presented him with the home plate from Wrigley Field that was used in Cole Hamels’ 2015 no-hitter in Chicago, the fourth no-no caught by Ruiz to tie a major-league record. Then the 45-year-old threw out the first pitch to an old teammate.
“Every time you step on that field, it just brings some memories,” Ruiz said. “It doesn’t matter, just that energy that comes from the first step you touch the grass.”
Lidge felt that rush as he arrived at the stadium and got ready to go inside. He had the chance to throw out the first pitch in Philadelphia when he retired in 2013 and again during the 2022 World Series — that time to Ruiz. It’s still a thrill each time he returns.
“For sure,” he said. “A little adrenaline starts kicking in. It’s just one of those things that whenever you’re approaching CBP, it’s just ingrained in me, I guess, and ingrained in all of us to get that kind of feeling of excitement coming to the ballpark.”
That adrenaline boost can be important for these retired players. Ruiz noted that it’s harder to find that same feeling in life after baseball. He has a ranch in Panama and 25 or 26 horses. He’s found fulfillment. But nothing is quite like taking the field in front of the fans; it’s nice to have these moments, despite becoming much rarer than they once were. To Lidge, who went 48-for-48 in save opportunities between the regular season and playoffs in 2008, it’s not that much different than when he was still pitching.
“I think any time I step onto the field here and have the environment the way it is, it brings back a lot of memories,” Lidge said. “But it also just brings back the feeling of being out there. … Every time I get on the field and get to the mound, those feelings kind of come back. Even though you know you’re not actually performing, it just still has that same feeling.”
For these players, it was meaningful to return to the ballpark where they authored one of the defining moments in Philadelphia sports history. And even if the two switched spots, Ruiz and Lidge felt like they were in the place they belong.
“So many different memories that come back to (me),” Ruiz said. “Philadelphia is always going to be my second home, and it’s an incredible feeling to be here.”
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