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Philadelphia Phillies’ Sudden Redeemer would have preferred to remain anonymous

Reuters

NOS Sport

Rob Thomson had long since resigned himself to never taking a leading role in American baseball again. Until his life takes a sudden turn at 59 when he leads the Philadelphia Phillies to the playoffs in Major League Baseball out of nowhere.

Thomson was appointed interim coach in June following the resignation of manager Joe Girardi. In another failed season for the Phillies, having disappointed the ten seasons before.

Play-offs

Still, Thomson manages to turn the tide and make the playoffs at the last minute, the first time for the Phillies since 2011. Thanks to the extra wildcard introduced this season, don’t risk this heroic performance by Thomson and to compare his team with it.

“He’s a manager who really cares about his players, who really cares about us every day,” rightfielder Bryce Harper explains the success of the until recently completely unknown Thomson.

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Significantly, Rob Thomson is often confused with contemporary Robby Thomson, former baseball player of the San Francisco Giants. Fans still regularly send the wrong Thomson old baseball cards to sign. They get their card back neatly, but without scribbling.

Practically anonymous

Canadian Thomson never made it to the MLB. As a so-called bench coach with the Yankees and later the Phillies, he worked for years practically anonymously as an assistant. And to his own satisfaction too, because he doesn’t like all the attention.

When named as the driving force behind the Phillies’ current successes, he found that “almost embarrassing to hear.”

Yet Thomson is doing himself a disservice with this, according to his players. “I just believe he brings out the best in all of us when we play,” Harper continues. “It’s just fun to play for a man like that.”

In recent years, a lot of money has been thrown in Philadelphia to give the champion of 2008 new successes, but in vain. The ambitions could not be realized with the Dutchman Didi Gregorius, resulting in an early departure last summer.

And there were also setbacks, such as a serious injury for star player Harper. But Thomson urged others to take up their responsibilities.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran or a rookie, he treats everyone the same,” notes second baseman Jean Segura. “As a coach you want everyone to respect you, but at the same time you have to understand that you also have to give that respect back to the players. And that communication, that’s something Thomson is very good at.”

Emotional day

The almost impossible became a reality thanks to a victory over Houston Astros (3-0). Shine roles were there for Aaron Nola, who threw a strong game. And Zach Eflin, who made the winning run. Nola and Eflin of all people, the two who have served the Phillies the longest and suffered all the misery during the lean years.

It couldn’t have been more beautiful on this emotional day, remarked leftfielder Rhys Hoskins. “It’s almost poetry.”

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