Here in Philadelphia, when we heard that the Phillies traded Carlos Ruiz, us fans felt devastated. Chooch was a Phillie for over a decade, behind the plate for some of the biggest moments in Phillies history. He caught four no-hitters, including Roy Halladay’s in Game One of the 2010 NLDS and Cole Hamels’s in his final Phillies start.
And of course, he caught the final pitch of the 2008 World Series, leaping into Brad Lidge’s arms after the final strikeout. Harry Kalas’s radio call of the final pitch will echo in my head as long as I live.