Inside The Phillies

Savannah Bananas Sell Out Citizens Bank Park and Return Philadelphia Phillies Legends

The Savannah Bananas brought their 2024 world tour to Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, in front of a sell-out crowd, and returned some familiar Philadelphia Philly faces.

Troy Brock

Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Savannah Bananas have taken the world by storm, seemingly coming out of nowhere with their inception in 2016.

Classified as an "exhibition barnstorming" baseball team, a fitting comparison would be the Harlem Globetrotters, but for baseball.

The latest exhibition saw the Savannah Bananas and their version of The Generals, The Party Animals, take over Citizens Bank Park in front of a crowd of over 45,000, yet another sell-out for The Bank.

Most of the normal rules of baseball do not apply in the exhibition, with a "Banana Ball Game" having a two-hour time limit, foul balls caught by fans resulting in outs, and one that came into play in a big way on Saturday, the "Golden Batter Rule" which states that a team can send any batter in the lineup to bat in any spot, ensuring that a team has its best hitter at the plate in the biggest moment.

In front of the Philly Phaithful on Saturday, the Bananas brought out all of their biggest weapons to show that they are here to stay as a form of entertainment.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Bananas owner Jesse Cole, donning his usual bright yellow garb, announced the first Philadelphia Phillies legend to appear in the game, Shane Victorino.

Victorino made his second appearance for Savannah, grounding out to the Party Animals' second baseman to make The Flyin' Hawaiin 1-2 in his Bananas career.

Victorino was a key member of the 2008 Phillies, the roster that last brought home a World Series Championship.

Victorino batted .293/.352/.447 in 2008 with 52 extra-base hits, 58 RBI, and a 107 OPS+ across 627 plate appearances in 146 games.

The popular outfielder would win the first of his four career Gold Glove awards in 2008.

Just two innings later, Cole would return to announce the next member of the 2008 Phillies to take part in the Banana's game, pitcher Joe Blanton.

Blanton entered the game in the top of the fifth inning with runners on the corners and two outs.

Falling behind in the count 1-0, Blanton would generate a groundball from Generals' batter Jake Skole, resulting in the third out.

Philadelphia traded for Blanton ahead of the 2008 MLB Trade Deadline with the Oakland A's.

The righty played a big part in the Phillies' World Series hunt, pitching to a 4.20 ERA across 70 2/3 innings in 13 starts with 49 strikeouts and a 104 ERA+.

Blanton remains the last pitcher to hit a home run in a World Series game, a feat he accomplished in Game Four of the 2008 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, that may stand the test of time with the universal DH now in place (barring any Shohei Ohtani home runs while also pitching).

Cole and his banana-yellow suit would step onto the field again just two innings later to announce the third returning Philly, 61-year-old lefty Jamie Moyer.

Moyer entered the game with a runner on first and two outs, with the Bananas down 2-1.

With a 3-2 count, Moyer would produce a groundball to the shortstop for the third out of the inning.

Moyer's 2008 was his age 45 season.

Even as the oldest player in MLB at the time, he pitched to a 3.71 ERA across 196 1/3 innings in 33 games with 123 strikeouts and a 117 ERA+.

The crafty lefty would set a record in 2012, while with the Colorado Rockies, becoming the oldest pitcher to record a win, doing so at 49.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Bananas would turn to their Golden Batter.

Approaching the plate with a gold cloak, hiding his identity, the announcer would declare the Golden Batter was a National League Rookie of the Year, a National League MVP, and a World Series Champion before the Golden Batter would remove the cloak, revealing himself to be The Big Piece, Ryan Howard.

The three-time All-Star would receive a standing ovation from everyone in attendance, and hugs from the umpire and The Party Animals' catcher.

Party Animals' pitcher Drew Gillespie would not be as welcoming, needing only three pitches to retire Howard on strikes for the second out of the inning.

Howard did what he does best in 2008, hit home runs and drove batters in.

He ended the campaign with a .251/.339/.543 line with 48 home runs, 146 RBI, and a 125 OPS+.

Howard led MLB in home runs and RBI in 2008, while playing all 162 of Philadelphia's games.

The Bananas would go on to lose to the Party Animals 3-2.

Despite the loss, with the immense amount of entertainment that the Savannah Bananas provide their fans every time they take the field, and the four returning superstars from one of the greatest Phillies seasons to date, everyone in attendance is sure to remember the 21st night of September for years to come.

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Troy Brock

TROY BROCK

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