Phillies manager Rob Thomson lauds Citizens Bank Park crowd ahead of NLCS Game 1 vs. D'Backs: "The best fan base in maybe all of sports"
Rob Thomson and the Phillies will be playing in the NLCS for the second time. He only took the managerial position in 2022 and has been prominent ever since. Not only has Philadelphia gone through a hefty restructuring, but their investments and beliefs in the roster have also paid the franchise in gold. No player on the roster mustn't be firing on all cylinders this postseason.
No one would consider him the top manager in the MLB based on his total statistics. He has a 155-118 career record as a manager. However, considering Philadelphia was 22-29 when he took over in 2022, he propelled the team to a World Series run.
The Phillies won the Wild Card Series against the 93-win St. Louis Cardinals on the road. They defeated the 89-win San Diego Padres in the NLCS after eliminating the 101-win Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. Rob Thomson has always been thankful and appreciative of the atmosphere built up during their home games at Citizens Bank Park.
"Phillies manager Rob Thomson says the team absolutely feeds off their fans in Philadelphia: ‘I think it’s the best fan base in maybe all of sports" - BNightengale
When October rolls around on the calendar, something will be said for a manager who raises his squad to a higher level. Thomson has demonstrated that he and his ball club will produce a performance when the stakes are higher despite not having the flashy regular season victory totals as others in the league.
Rob Thomson loves the Citizens Bank Park
The Diamondbacks are a very speedy unit. They were second in Major League Baseball with 166 steals during the regular season. It's more than one base per game. The Phillies weren't far behind either; with 141 stolen bases, they placed eighth in Major League Baseball at the end of the regular season.
"Diamondbacks vs. Phillies: Benches Clear After Corbin Carroll Hit By Pitch" - Baseball Maniacs
With 54 steals, All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll led the D-Backs and was third in the MLB; only Ronald Acuna (73) and Esteury Ruiz (67) of Atlanta were ahead of him. According to Rob Thomson, some Phillies pitchers alter their delivery to get to the plate quicker and give catcher J.T. Realmuto a chance to throw out some base runners during the series.