Shortly after Tampa Bay's Matt Garza learned he was getting the start tomorrow, he put down his glove and grabbed a Louisville Slugger. The 24-year-old can't wait to get into the box against Jamie Moyer.
"Oh!" he exclaimed excitedly. "I'm trying to take one out . . . in BP or wherever."
Then Garza, a righthanded hitter who is hitless in six career at-bats, poked fun at himself.
"I was talking to [executive vice president Andrew Friedman] and told him to call Philly and have them change their dimensions to circular because I will hit everything into the first-base stands."
Sunday's scheduled starter for Tampa is a little more adept at the plate. Andy Sonnanstine is 4-for-10 in his career, including 2-for-5 this year. The Rays have not yet announced their starter for Game 5.
The Mighty Quinn
Jamie Moyer, 45, will become the oldest pitcher to start a World Series game when he takes the mound tomorrow. Only the immortal Jack Quinn, who pitched for the Philadelphia A's in 1929 and 1930 at age 46 and 47, was older.
Quinn won 247 games in a 23-year career that ended in 1933. He's not believed to be a relative of John Quinn, the Phillies general manager from 1959-72.
Weekend stuff
Three Phillies legends are slated to throw out the ceremonial first ball when the Series moves to Citizens Bank Park. Steve Carlton will get the call tomorrow followed by Robin Roberts on Sunday and Jim Bunning on Monday. Carlton (241 wins with Phillies) and Roberts (234) are the club's all-time winningest pitchers and Bunning was the anchor of the staff in the late 1960s.
