Old page wikitext, before the edit (old_wikitext) | '{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; clear: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; width: 26em;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: {{{Color|LightSteelBlue}}};" | New York Mets – Philadelphia Phillies
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center" |[[Image:New York Mets Insignia.svg|120px|Mets logo|alt=The letters "N" and "Y", colored orange, overlapping and interlocked vertically on a blue background]] [[Image:Philadelphia Phillies Insignia.svg|120px|Phillies logo|alt=The letter "P", in white and in a script typeface, centered on a red background]]
|-
! style="background: #E0E7EF;" colspan="2" | History
|-
| '''First meeting''' || April 27, 1962
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Last meeting''' || May 1, 2011
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Next meeting''' || May 27, 2011
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Number of meetings''' || 844<ref name=Meetings>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/head2head-games.cgi?team1=PHI&team2=NYM&from=1901&to=2011|title=Head-to-Head results for Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets from 1901 to 2011|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=April 7, 2011}}</ref>
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Regular season series''' || 451–392–1 PHI<ref name=Meetings/>
|-
| style="vertical-align: middle;" | '''Largest victory''' || 19 runs (June 11, 1985;<br>PHI wins 26–7)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198506110.shtml|title=New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play by Play|date=June 11, 1985|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref>
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Current streak''' || NYM 1
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Longest NYM win streak''' || 10
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Longest PHI win streak''' || 10
|}
The [[Sports rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[New York Mets]] and the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] of [[Major League Baseball]] is said to be among the best rivalries in the [[National League]] (NL),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2008/04/11/2008-04-11_metsphillies_rivalry_looking_like_what_m-2.html|title=Mets-Phillies rivalry looking like what Mets-Braves used to be |last=Bondy|first=Filip|date=April 11, 2008|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref> along with the [[Cardinals–Cubs rivalry|Cardinals–Cubs]] and the [[Dodgers–Giants rivalry|Dodgers–Giants]] rivalries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/28/baseball-best-rivalries-lifestyle-sports-baseball_slide_5.html|title=In Depth: Baseball's Most Intense Rivalries|publisher=Forbes|first=Matt|last=Woolsey|date=April 28, 2009|accessdate=May 25, 2009}}</ref> The two [[National League East]] divisional rivals have met each other frequently in playoff, division, and [[Major League Baseball Wild Card|Wild Card]] races.
A notable moment in the early history of the rivalry was [[Jim Bunning]]'s [[perfect game]] on Father's Day of 1964, the first [[List of Philadelphia Phillies no-hitters|perfect game in Phillies history]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/nohit_chrono.htm|title=No Hitters Chronologically|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=April 2, 2009}}</ref> Aside from several brawls in the 1980s, the rivalry remained relatively low-key before the [[2006 Major League Baseball season|2006 season]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/2006/05/24/2006-05-24_despite_long_game__rivalry_l.html|title=Despite long game, rivalry long way off|last=Bondy|first=Filip|date=May 24, 2006|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref> as the teams had seldom been equally good at the same time. The Phillies were near the bottom of the NL East when the Mets won the [[1969 World Series]] and the [[National League pennant]] in 1973, while the Mets did not enjoy success in the late 1970s when the Phillies won three straight division championships. Although both teams each won a [[World Series]] in the 1980s, the Mets were not serious contenders in the Phillies' playoff years (1980, 1981, and 1983), nor did the Phillies seriously contend in the Mets' playoff years (1986 and 1988). The Mets were the Majors' worst team when the Phillies won the NL pennant in 1993,<ref name="1993Season">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1993.shtml|title=1993 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> and the Phillies could not post a winning record in either of the Mets' wild-card-winning seasons of 1999 or 2000, when the Mets faced the [[New York Yankees]] in the [[2000 World Series]].
As the rivalry has intensified in recent years, the teams have battled more often for playoff position. The Mets won the division in 2006, while the Phillies won four consecutive division titles from 2007 to 2010. The Phillies' 2007 championship was won on the last day of the season as the Mets lost a seven-game lead with seventeen games remaining. The Phillies broke the [[Curse of Billy Penn]] to win the [[2008 World Series]], while the Mets' last title came in the [[1986 World Series]].
==Early history==
[[File:Jim Bunning as ballplayer.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Jim Bunning]] threw the first perfect game in Phillies franchise history—[[List of Philadelphia Phillies no-hitters|one of 11 no-hitters]]—while Mets pitchers have never had a no-hitter.|alt=A young man in his mid-twenties smiling and looking to the right of the image; he is wearing a dark baseball cap on his head with an Old English "D" on the front]]
===Bunning's perfect game===
The 1964 season was memorable for the Phillies and forgettable for the Mets. Pitcher [[Jim Bunning]], in his first season with the Phillies, entered play on June 21 with a 6–2 record on the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/TPHI01964.htm|title=The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=October 22, 2009}}</ref> He was opposed on the mound by [[Tracy Stallard]] for the Mets in the first game of a doubleheader. Through the first four innings, Bunning totaled four [[strikeout]]s through twelve batters.<ref name="bunningpg">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B06211NYN1964.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 0 (1)|date=June 21, 1964|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=October 22, 2009}}</ref> In the fifth inning, Phillies second baseman [[Tony Taylor]] preserved the perfect game with his strong defensive play. A diving catch and a throw from the knees kept Mets catcher [[Jesse Gonder]] off of the bases.<ref name="pittpost">{{cite news|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uioNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iGwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5480,3622205&dq=jim+bunning+perfect+game&hl=en|title=Phils' Bunning Hurls Perfect Game|date=June 22, 1964|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|pages=22, 24|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=October 22, 2009}}</ref> Bunning also made plays at the plate, hitting a double and driving in two runs in the sixth inning.<ref name="bunningpg"/> By the end of the game, even the Mets fans were cheering Bunning's effort;<ref>{{cite news|quote=The Phils won the contest...before 32,904 fans who were screaming for Bunning during the last two innings...Yesterday's perfect pitching turned the usually loyal Met fans into Bunning fans in the late innings. From the seventh inning on...Bunning had the crowd...behind him.|title=Bunning Pitches a Perfect Game; Mets Are Perfect Victims, 6 to 0|date=June 22, 1964|first=Gordon S. Jr.|last=White|newspaper=New York Times|page=1}}</ref> he had only reached a three-ball count on two batters, and retired shortstop [[Charley Smith]] on a pop-out, and pinch-hitters [[George Altman]] and [[John Stephenson (baseball)|John Stephenson]] on strikeouts, to complete the perfect game.<ref name="bunningpg"/> Bunning, who at the time had seven children, said that his game, pitched on [[Father's Day]], could not have come at a more appropriate time. He remarked that his slider was his best pitch, {{"'}}just like the no-hitter I pitched for Detroit six years ago{{'"}}.<ref name="pittpost"/> Bunning became the first pitcher to throw a winning no-hitter in both leagues,<ref name="pittpost"/> and posted the first regular-season perfect game since [[Charlie Robertson]] in 1922 ([[Don Larsen]]'s prior perfect game was in the [[1956 World Series]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/nohit_chrono.htm|title=No Hitters Chronologically|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=October 22, 2009}}</ref> The Phillies also won the second game of the doubleheader, 8–2, behind [[Rick Wise]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B06212NYN1964.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 8, New York Mets 2 (2)|date=June 21, 1964|publisher=Retrosheet Inc|accessdate=October 22, 2009}}</ref>
The Phillies performed strongly for most of the season, but surrendered a {{frac|6|1|2}} game lead during the last weeks of the season that year, losing 10 games in a row with 12 games remaining and losing the pennant by one game to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. "The Phold"<ref>{{cite book|last=Goodman |first=Michael E.|title=The Story of the Philadelphia Phillies|publisher=The Creative Company|year=2007|page=19|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=8Ksa4dUKTkoC&pg=PA20&dq=phillies+phold+of+64&ei=RdcPS-naIoXUNMKa7KYL#v=onepage&q=&f=false|isbn=9781583414972}}</ref> of 1964 is among the most notable collapses in sports history.<ref>{{cite web|title=History: Phillies Timeline (1960s)|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/phi/history/timeline08.jsp|accessdate=June 5, 2008}}</ref> The Mets, meanwhile, finished the year in last place, with a 53–109 record—the worst in Major League Baseball.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/Y_1964.htm|title=The 1964 Season|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=October 22, 2009}}</ref>
===Tug McGraw===
[[File:Tug McGraw plaque.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Tug McGraw]] pitched for two teams in his 17-year career: the Mets and the Phillies.|alt=A bronze-and-black plaque of a smiling, shaggy-haired man; the primary caption reads "Tug McGraw"]]
[[Tug McGraw]] pitched for the Mets from 1965 to 1967, and again from 1969 to 1974 after spending all of the 1968 season in the minor leagues. In those nine seasons, he amassed 86 [[save (baseball)|saves]] and appeared in 361 games. He appeared in the postseason for the 1969 [[Miracle Mets]], pitching three innings against the [[Atlanta Braves]]. In 1970, with the Mets in the midst of a pennant race with the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], McGraw entered a game against Philadelphia in the seventh inning, pitched {{frac|2|2|3}} innings, and struck out five of the last six batters he faced; this preserved a win for the Mets as first baseman [[Donn Clendenon]] hit a home run in the eighth to take the lead. Clendenon offered praise for McGraw's performance, saying that Tug deserved "more credit for the Met victory" than he.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets Top Phils, 5–4, Take 2nd Place as Pirates Lose and Cards Sweep Cubs|date=September 24, 1970|first=Joseph|last=Durso|newspaper=New York Times|page=82}}</ref> He was selected to the 1972 [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star team]], and appeared in the [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) award voting in 1972 and 1973.<ref name="tug"/> During the 1973 pennant-winning season, he coined the Mets' rally cry, "Ya gotta believe!"<ref>{{cite book|last=McGraw|first=Tug|last2=Yaeger|first2=Don|others=McGraw, Tim|title=Ya gotta believe!: my roller-coaster life as a screwball pitcher, and part-time father, and my hope-filled fight against brain cancer|publisher=New American Library|year=2004|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=iZ0GAAAACAAJ&dq=ya+gotta+believe|isbn=0451212584}}</ref> In the 1974 season, McGraw experienced issues with his arm and shoulder.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Vass|first=George|date=April 1975|title=How the Pennant Races Shape Up|journal=Baseball Digest|publisher=Lakeside Publishing Company|volume=34|issue=4|pages=28|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=FzMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28&dq=tug+mcgraw+trade+1975#v=onepage&q=&f=false}}</ref> Thus, the Mets traded McGraw, along with [[outfielder]]s [[Don Hahn (baseball)|Don Hahn]] and [[Dave Schneck]], to the Phillies in December 1974 for [[pitcher]] [[Mac Scarce]], [[catcher]] [[John Stearns]], and outfielder [[Del Unser]].<ref name="tug">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcgratu01.shtml|title=Tug McGraw Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 25, 2009}}</ref>
McGraw became a staple of the back end of the Phillies' bullpen, saving 94 games between 1975 and 1982, and earning a place on the 1975 All-Star team.<ref name="tug"/> Under manager [[Danny Ozark]], the Phillies won three consecutive division championships from 1976 to 1978 with McGraw as the closer, while the Mets finished third in 1976 and last in 1977 and 1978.<ref name="76NL">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1976.shtml|title=1976 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref><ref name="77NL">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1977.shtml|title=1977 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref><ref name="78NL">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1978.shtml|title=1978 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> In 1980, McGraw was on the mound against the [[Kansas City Royals]] when the Phillies won their first World Series championship, earning his fourth save of that postseason. He struck out [[Willie Wilson (baseball)|Willie Wilson]] with the bases loaded to preserve the win for [[Steve Carlton]] and the Phillies,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198010210.shtml|title=1980 World Series Game 6|date=October 21, 1980|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 16, 2009}}</ref> leaping from the mound to embrace catcher [[Bob Boone]] on the field at [[Veterans Stadium]] in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite book|last=Westcott|first=Rich|title=Veterans Stadium: field of memories|publisher=Temple University Press|year=2005|chapter=5: The Greatest Moment|isbn=1592134289|page=59|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=SwEnqr5lAssC&pg=PA56&dq=phillies+1980+world+series+tug+mcgraw#v=onepage&q=phillies%201980%20world%20series%20tug%20mcgraw&f=false}}</ref> Sportswriter [[Allen Barra]] wrote that the biggest roar he ever heard from Philadelphia fans was when McGraw, in the victory parade after the World Series, told New York fans they could "take this championship and shove it."<ref>{{cite web|last=Barra|first=Allen|title=Curses!|work = Village Voice|date = October 26, 2004 | url =http://www.villagevoice.com/content/printVersion/187108/| accessdate = June 8, 2008}}</ref> However, in later years, McGraw expressed remorse toward his comments toward New York, and following his retirement, he often returned to Shea Stadium on numerous occasions, citing his love for the Mets fans.<ref>{{cite news|title=Not Merely a Pitcher, McGraw Gave Fans More|date=January 11, 2004|first=Tyler|last=Kepner|newspaper=New York Times|page=8.5|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/11/sports/baseball-an-appreciation-not-merely-a-pitcher-mcgraw-gave-fans-more.html?pagewanted=print}}</ref>
==1980s–1990s==
[[File:Mike Schmidt.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mike Schmidt]] won the 1986 Most Valuable Player Award over two Mets.|alt=A man in his late fifties wearing a white baseball cap and a light-blue polo shirt looks to the right of the image, following a golf ball he just hit.]]
===1986===
The Mets won the National League East by {{frac|21|1|2}} games in 1986, but the Phillies were the only team in the league to post a winning record against the eventual World Series champions, posting a 10–8 record with a 7–2 mark at Veterans Stadium. On September 12, up by 22 games, the Mets needed to win one game to clinch the division and came to Philadelphia for a weekend series. The Mets brought champagne with them to Philadelphia and before the series, Mets manager [[Davey Johnson]] told the Associated Press, "It will be nice to clinch in Philadelphia. It gives us a chance to beat the only team in our way...I have a nice warm feeling about this."<ref>{{cite news|title=They'd Rather Clinch in Philadelphia|date=September 12, 1986|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|page=83|first=Brian|last=Trusdell}}</ref> He told ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'': "For the fans...it would be nicer to clinch at home. But for the safety...and the livelihood of the players...it's better to do it on the road."<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets Set to Clinch Vs. Phils|date=September 12, 1986|first=Peter|last=Pascarelli|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=D1}}</ref> Instead, [[Mike Schmidt]] hit a three-run homer in the opening game of the series and Phillies rookie [[Bruce Ruffin]] outpitched Mets ace [[Dwight Gooden]] as the Phillies won, 6–3.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B09120PHI1986.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 3|date=September 12, 1986|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> When the Phillies won the second game of the series, 6–5,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B09130PHI1986.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 5|date=September 13, 1986|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> Mets fans at the park became unruly and damaged seats in the upper deck.<ref name="MetsFans-1986">{{cite news|title=30 Vet Seats Smashed by Mets Fans|date=September 15, 1986|first=Robert J.|last=Terry|first2=David|last2=Lieber|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=B8}}</ref> One Mets fan was arrested after striking at two Philadelphia police officers.<ref name="MetsFans-1986"/> The Phillies completed the series by beating the Mets, 6–0, behind a shutout from [[Kevin Gross]], who also plated two [[Run (baseball)|runs]] with a fourth-inning triple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B09140PHI1986.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 0|date=September 14, 1986|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=July 14, 2009}}</ref> (The Mets did eventually clinch the division at [[Shea Stadium]] on September 17.<ref>{{cite news|title=Finally, the Mets achieve the Inevitable Title|date=September 18, 1986|first=Joseph|last=Durso|newspaper=New York Times|page=B17|authorlink=Joe Durso}}</ref>) Despite the Mets' successful season, it was Schmidt who won the [[National League MVP Award]], ahead of the Mets' [[Gary Carter]], who finished third, and [[Keith Hernandez]], who finished fourth. It was Schmidt's third career MVP.<ref>{{cite news|title=Schmidt is National League MVP|date=November 20, 1986|first=Peter|last=Pascarelli|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=A1}}</ref>
===1987–1988===
The Phillies continued to play [[Spoiler (sports)|spoiler]] in 1987. The Mets went 13–5 against the Phillies in 1987 and outscored Philadelphia 94–56. However, the Phillies won two of three from the Mets in June, including breaking up a Mets no-hitter, and then took two of three in September to hurt the Mets' chances of winning the division significantly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1987-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1987 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref>
The Mets' [[Ron Darling]] took a no-hitter and 4–0 lead into the eighth inning against the Phillies on June 28 at the Vet before 52,206 fans. Philadelphia's [[Greg Gross]] pinch-hit and tripled to lead off the eighth inning, breaking up the no-hitter. [[Juan Samuel]] then singled to break up the shutout, and the Phillies came back with nine hits against [[Jesse Orosco]] and [[Roger McDowell]], scoring five runs to win 5–4. It would have been the first no-hitter in Mets history.<ref>{{cite news |first=Joseph |last=Durso|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A tough day for pitchers as Mets and Yanks lose; no no-hitter for Darling|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/29/sports/a-tough-day-for-pitchers-as-mets-and-yanks-lose-no-no-hitter-for-darling.html?pagewanted=1 |work=New York Times |date=June 29, 1987 |accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> Compounding the loss for the Mets, the Phillies were in last place at the time, and the loss dropped the Mets {{frac|6|1|2}} games behind the first-place Cardinals who they would play the next day. Of the win and the Mets, Mike Schmidt said, "The Mets don't like to give credit when they lose, but they have to do it today."<ref>{{cite news |first=Ben|last=Walker|title=Phillies spoil Darling's no-hit bid|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oxsQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YIsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5032,5198739&dq=ron+darling+1987+mets+phillies+new+york+times|newspaper=The Free Lance–Star |page=9|date=June 29, 1987 |accessdate=July 15, 2009|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
On September 28, the Mets came into Philadelphia for a three-game series against the Phillies. The Mets were {{frac|2|1|2}} games out of first with six games left: three against the Phillies and the last three against the first-place Cardinals. They had an opportunity to win the division and were playing the Phillies, against whom they had a season record of 12–3. The Mets won the opener, 1–0, to move within two games back with five remaining to play. However, the Phillies effectively ended their season on September 29. As the Cardinals swept a [[Doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] from the [[Montréal Expos]], the Phillies' [[Don Carman]] pitched a complete-game one-hitter, facing only 28 batters to shut out the Mets. After the game, Mets manager Davey Johnson said, "How does it feel now? Empty? Not yet. But we need to get help. When you play 162 games and you're eliminated, then you feel empty. And sick." He promised reporters, "We're going to win tomorrow night.".<ref>{{cite news |first=Joseph|last=Durso|title=Mets, Almost Held Hitless, Are Left Almost Hopeless|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/30/sports/mets-almost-held-hitless-are-left-almost-hopeless.html|work=New York Times |page=B7|date=September 30, 1987 |accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> The following night, Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden struck out 10, and left after pitching nine innings with the score tied at three runs each, but the Phillies' [[Luis Aguayo]] won the game with a 10th-inning pinch-hit home run off of Orosco, clinching at least a tie for first place in the division for the Cardinals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198709300.shtml|title=New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play-by-Play|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref>
The 1988 Mets returned to the playoffs, but the Phillies, who finished in sixth place in the division with a 65–96 record,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1988.shtml|title=1988 Philadelphia Phillies Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref> beat the Mets 8 times in 18 games, the third-best record against them of any team in the league.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1988-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1988 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref> The Mets won their second division title in three years against the Phillies, and like two years before, did it at home.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets Clinch NL East—Triumph Over the Phils 3–1|date=September 23, 1988|first=Peter|last=Pascarelli|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=C1|quote=Protected by a platoon of riot-trained New York police, the Phillies had a front-row seat for the celebration...They came here with a chance to...delay the Mets' title. Instead, they offered no resistance by falling three straight times.}}</ref> In the postseason, the Mets lost to the eventual champion Dodgers in the [[1988 National League Championship Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1988.shtml|title=1988 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref>
===1989–1990===
[[File:Juan Samuel.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The Phillies traded [[Juan Samuel]] ''(pictured)'' to the Mets after a game between the teams for [[Roger McDowell]] and [[Lenny Dykstra]].|alt=A dark-skinned man in his mid-forties wearing a gray baseball uniform stands with arms akimbo. His uniform reads "Orioles" in orange script lettering across the chest, with a block "11" below it in orange, and is accompanied by a black batting helmet.]]
On June 18, 1989, after a Mets–Phillies game, the Phillies traded Samuel to the Mets for McDowell and [[Lenny Dykstra]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Joseph |last=Durso|title=Mets Get Samuel for McDowell, Dykstra |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/19/sports/mets-get-samuel-for-mcdowell-dykstra.html?pagewanted=print|newspaper=New York Times|date=June 19, 1989|accessdate=July 15, 2009|quote=The Phillies' trade...with the Mets was announced after the game.|page=C1}}</ref> Dykstra was a career .278 hitter with the Mets and had not equaled his 1986 season when he hit .295.<ref name="dykstra">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dykstle01.shtml|title=Lenny Dykstra Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 25, 2009}}</ref> Dykstra flourished in Philadelphia and went on to be named to three All-Star teams in six full seasons with the Phillies, finish in the top ten in National League [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] voting twice, and help lead the Phillies to the [[1993 National League Championship Series|1993 National League pennant]].<ref name="dykstra"/> McDowell [[Save (baseball)|saved]] 45 games for the Phillies in parts of three seasons<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdowro01.shtml|title=Roger McDowell Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> and became a fan favorite. The trade was a bust for the Mets as Samuel hit only .228 for the Mets in 1989 and was traded to the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] after the 1989 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/samueju01.shtml|title=Juan Samuel Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> It signaled an ascent of the Phillies which culminated in their 1993 National League pennant and the demise of the Mets in the early 1990s. ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' writer and Mets fan David Vecsey counts the Dykstra trade as one of the five worst in Mets history, writing, "Never mind that Dykstra was better than Samuel, this trade was devastating to Mets fans on a purely personal level. With one phone call, [[General manager (baseball)|GM]] [[Joe McIlvaine]] gutted the team of its heart."<ref>{{cite web|first=David|last=Vecsey|title=Say It Ain't So... Transactions that broke our hearts |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/02/06/sayitaintso_mets/ |year=2001 |work=CNN Sports Illustrated|accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> The trade also ushered in a period of bad blood between the two teams.
On September 27, 1989, the Phillies faced the Mets in their home finale at [[Shea Stadium]] in New York after a disappointing Mets season. The Mets had won the East in 1988 but were in third place on September 26 behind the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. McDowell was closing out a 5–3 win for the Phillies when, with two outs in the ninth, he induced former teammate [[Gregg Jeffries]] to ground out to second to end the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1989/B09270NYN1989.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 5, New York Mets 3|date=September 27, 1989|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> As Jeffries was running out the play, McDowell said something to him prompting Jeffries to charge the mound and wrestle McDowell to the ground. The benches cleared and punches were exchanged before the umpires could separate the teams.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets' Finishing in Turmoil on Field and Off|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/28/sports/mets-finishing-in-turmoil-on-field-and-off.html|newspaper=New York Times|date=September 28, 1989|accessdate=November 4, 2010|first=Clifton|last=Brown|page=D23}}</ref> Jeffries later claimed that McDowell had thrown at him during a 2–1 Phillies victory on September 25.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets lose brawl-filled home finale |url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xQgSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MuoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7220,9301111&dq=phillies+mets+brawl|newspaper=Gainesville Sun|date=September 28, 1989|accessdate=July 15, 2009|author=Associated Press}}</ref>
The brawling continued in 1990. During an August 9 game at Shea, Gooden hit Phillies hitters [[Dickie Thon]] and [[Tommy Herr]].<ref name=1990Brawl>{{cite news|title=Phillies Suffer Fight-Marked Loss to Mets|date=August 10, 1990|first=Michael|last=Bamberger|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=D1}}</ref> When Gooden came to bat in the fifth inning, Phillies pitcher [[Pat Combs]] hit Gooden in the knee with a fastball.<ref name=1990Brawl/> Phillies outfielder [[Von Hayes]] defended Combs after the game, "Gooden better expect retaliation if he keeps hitting guys with {{convert|95|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} fastballs. We've got to protect our players."<ref name="wms">{{cite news|author=Associated Press|title=Phils, Mets turn game into brawl|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cc8VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_hMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6920,3897799&dq=1990+phillies+mets+brawl|newspaper=Wilmington Morning Star|page=3B|date=August 11, 1990|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref> Gooden charged the mound and tackled Combs. Phillies catcher [[Darren Daulton]] followed Gooden and landed a series of punches on the back of Gooden's head. [[Darryl Strawberry]] had been in the Mets clubhouse and rushed the field after Daulton but was himself blindsided by Hayes. Of Daulton, Gooden later said, "Daulton was the guy we wanted most. He's a cheap-shot artist. We learned that about him last year," referring to the September 1989 fight.<ref name="wms" /> Six players and Phillies coach [[Mike Ryan (catcher)|Mike Ryan]] were ejected from the game. Eight players were later fined, including the Mets' [[Tim Teufel]], who said, "It was money well spent. Sometimes you just have to defend yourself and your teammates."<ref>{{cite news|author=Associated Press|title=Eight fined for Phillies, Mets brawl|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yFoNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1m4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6688,4548292&dq=fined+phillies+mets|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|page=24|date=August 14, 1990|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref>
===1991–1994===
[[File:John Franco 2008-09-28.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[John Franco]] threatened to "kick [Lenny Dykstra's] butt" if he crossed the picket line during the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike]].|alt=A man in a white baseball jersey and blue jeans stands on home plate with his arms upraised.]]
The tone of baseball rivalries changed in the early 1990s; fraternization between players who had moved to different teams or knew each other from various ventures kept baseball rivalries to a "friendly" level.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rival relationships: Love to hate romance|last=Bradley|first=Jeff|date=July 20, 1993|newspaper=New York Daily News|quote=It's clear that this is the way of sports in the '90s, love conquering all. By now, we're used to opposing...baseball players holding tender reunions around the batting cage...Seems all you ever hear about these days are 'friendly rivalries.'}}</ref> However, Major League Baseball's 1994 divisional re-alignment solidified the rivalry between the Phillies and Mets. The [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], former members of the National League East and [[Phillies–Pirates rivalry|in-state rival]]s of the Phillies, moved into the newly created [[National League Central]] Division, and the [[Atlanta Braves]], former members of the [[National League West]], entered the division.<ref name="realign"/> Prior to the switch, the East Division contained seven teams, spread out over a wider geographical area, including the St. Louis Cardinals and the [[Chicago Cubs]], as well as the expansion [[Florida Marlins]].<ref name="1993Season"/><ref name="realign">{{cite news|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6-YTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3gcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6390,4161911&dq=phillies+mets+rivalry&hl=en|title=Pirates agree to move to new division|date=September 16, 1993|newspaper=Ocala Star-Banner|accessdate=October 15, 2009|agency=Associated Press|page=1C}}</ref> Members of all 28 teams, including the Phillies and Mets, drew together during the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|1994 labor stoppage]], but players from both teams were on opposite sides of the argument even then. Dykstra claimed that he was losing $30,000 (${{formatnum:{{inflation|US|30000|1995}}}} in current dollars) per day for every day he did not work during the strike.<ref name="strike">{{cite book|last=Jennings|first=Kenneth M.|title=Swings and misses: moribund labor relations in professional baseball|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=1997|page=123|isbn=0275957977|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=sOi2zJxhMb0C&pg=PA123&dq=effect+of+1994+strike+on+baseball+phillies+mets#v=onepage&q=effect%20of%201994%20strike%20on%20baseball%20phillies%20mets&f=false}}</ref> While other players chastised Dykstra for his comments, Mets pitcher and player representative [[John Franco]] intimated that if someone crossed the [[picket line]], as Dykstra suggested, {{" '}}once we get back in I'll be the first to kick his [butt] {{sic}}{{' "}}.<ref name="strike"/>
===1995–2000===
The division-rival Braves defeated the [[Cleveland Indians]] in the [[1995 World Series]]; on the way to doing so, they left the rest of the division behind them. The Mets and Phillies finished in second and third places in the division, respectively, with identical 69–75 records; the Braves were the only National League East team to finish above .500.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1995.shtml?redir|title=1995 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets and Phillies staged a close battle for second place, with New York coming out ahead, taking 7 victories from the 13-game season series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1995-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1995 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> Both the Mets and Phillies finished near the bottom of the division in 1996: the Mets ended the season in fourth place, with a 71–91 record, while the Phillies finished last (67–95).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1996.shtml|title=1996 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets took a second consecutive close season series from the Phillies, with an identical 7–6 record to the prior year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1996-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1996 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The 1997 Mets improved to 88–74, but that record was only good for third place in the division, as the Braves finished with 101 wins and the Marlins, with a record of 92–70, took the National League wild card and won the [[1997 World Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1997.shtml|title=1997 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Phillies, meanwhile, languished in last place behind the Expos, with a 68–94 record, and only managed to take 5 of 12 games from the Mets that season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1997-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1997 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> including a September 9 game at Shea Stadium that was a moment of peace in the rivalry to remember former Phillies player and broadcaster and original Met [[Richie Ashburn]], who died that morning.<ref>{{cite news|quote=The victory furnished a bittersweet stamp on a somber day that began with wake-up calls informing players of the sudden death of the beloved Ashburn, the Phillies icon who was in his 35th season as one of the club's broadcasters.|title=Brogna's Home Run and Green's Pitching Gem Defeat Mets|date=September 10, 1997|first=Jim|last=Salisbury|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=D1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Phillies 1, Mets 0|date=September 10, 1997|first=Ronald|last=Blum|agency=Associated Press|quote=The Mets played a pregame scoreboard tribute to Ashburn, who played with them in their inaugural season of 1962. The flag was at half staff in his memory, and the Phillies will wear black armbands on their left sleeves for the rest of the season.}}</ref>
The 1998 Mets finished in second place, with the Phillies right behind them in third. The Braves finished with the best record in the National League (106 wins), but were unable to make it to the World Series. The Mets finished over .500 for the second straight year, aided by their 8–4 record against the Phillies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1998-standings.shtml|title=1998 National League Standings and Head-to-Head|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The standings were identical the next season, as the Mets faced the Braves in the [[1999 National League Championship Series]]; they were defeated, and the Braves lost to the [[New York Yankees]] in the ensuing [[1999 World Series|World Series]]. The Phillies and Mets split the season series, six games each; the Phillies finished under .500 for the sixth consecutive season with a 77–85 record.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1999-standings.shtml|title=1999 National League Standings and Head-to-Head|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets won the wild card again in 2000, finishing one game behind the Braves in the division and defeating the Cardinals in the [[2000 National League Championship Series|League Championship Series]] to face the Yankees in the [[2000 World Series]]. Though the Phillies finished in last place in the division with a 65–97 record, they defeated the Mets in the season series, 7–6.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2000-standings.shtml|title=2000 National League Standings and Head-to-Head|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref>
==21st century==
===2001–2003: Unbalanced schedule===
Major League Baseball changed its [[Major League Baseball schedule|scheduling format]] in 2001, further intensifying division matchups throughout the league. The new "unbalanced schedule" allowed for additional games each season between divisional rivals, replacing additional series with teams outside the division.<ref name="ubs">{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/03/20/unbalanced/|title=New schedule will make for some hot division races|last=Donovan|first=John|date=March 21, 2001|work=CNNSI.com|publisher=CNN / Sports Illustrated|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> Due to the change, the Phillies and Mets now played each other 17 or more times each season (19 times in 2001).<ref name="2001PHI">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2001-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2001 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> Early on, the unbalanced schedule favored the Mets, who had a winning percentage of .540 (27–23) against the division in the 2000 season, while the Phillies managed a .451 mark (23–28);<ref name="ubs"/> the trend held true in 2001, when the Mets won the season series over the Phillies, 11–8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2001-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2001 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> The scheduling drew criticism both when it was enacted and after the fact, with some analysts even positing that the unbalanced schedule ''hurt'' intra-divisional play.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2330|title=Checks and Balances: Looking at the Unbalanced Schedule|last=Click|first=James|date=September 19, 2003|publisher=Baseball Prospectus|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> This, however, did not affect the Phillies and Mets, as they drew an average of 27,926 fans to their games in 2001.<ref name="2001PHI"/> Attendance for the rivalry games increased in 2002, to 29,403 fans per game, as the Phillies bested the Mets in the season series, 10–9,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2002-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2002 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> and was strong in 2003, when they drew nearly 28,000 fans per game and the Phillies took their second consecutive season series, 12–7.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2003-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2003 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref>
===2005–2006: The rivalry intensifies===
[[File:Billy Wagner Pitching crop.jpg|thumb|right|[[Billy Wagner]] ''(pictured)'' and [[Pat Burrell]] exchanged verbal shots in the media during 2006 and 2007.|alt=A left-handed man in his mid-thirties wearing a black baseball jersey and cap and white baseball pants throws a baseball from a pitcher's mound.]]
The signing of former Phillies closer [[Billy Wagner]] by the Mets between the 2005 and 2006 seasons was a factor in the intensification of the rivalry. [[Pat Burrell]] and Wagner became embroiled in heated media discussions after Wagner departed the Phillies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2439358|title=Wagner has no regrets over comments|date=May 9, 2006|work=ESPN.com|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> For the first time in 2006, both franchises fielded contenders until deep into the season. The Mets steadily led the NL East (finally supplanting the decade-long division champions, the Atlanta Braves), while the Phillies maintained pace as a [[Major League Baseball Wild Card|wild card]] contender until the very end of the season. The Mets won the head-to-head season matchup, beating the Phillies 11 out of 18 times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2006-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2006 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref> The Mets won the division, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the [[2006 National League Championship Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2006.shtml|title=2006 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref>
===2007: Rollins calls out the Mets===
[[File:Jimmy Rollins.JPG|thumb|left|upright|[[Jimmy Rollins]] stated the Phillies were the team to beat during the 2007 preseason.|alt=A dark-skinned man in a red baseball jersey and red left-handed batting helmet walks on a baseball field; he appears to be in his mid-twenties. His jersey reads "Phillies" in white and red script, with two blue starts dotting the "i"s.]]
{{see also|2007 New York Mets season|2007 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
On January 23, 2007, Phillies [[shortstop]] [[Jimmy Rollins]] made a statement that may have set the rivalry in a dead heat: "I think we are the team to beat in the NL East… but that's only on paper."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2009-03-05-nleast-cover_N.htm|title=Battle lines drawn: Who gets the last word in the NL East?|last=White|first=Paul|date=March 6, 2009|publisher=USA Today|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> Many Mets fans and players laughed at the prediction, especially once the Phillies stumbled out of the gate in April, starting the season at 1–6 and posting an 11–14 record for the month.<ref name="07Phils">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2007_sched.shtml|title=2007 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> The Mets, meanwhile, sat firmly in the NL East lead for almost all of the season.<ref name="07Mets">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2007_sched.shtml|title=2007 New York Mets Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref>
As the season wore on, Philadelphia developed momentum as a wild-card contender. The Phillies dominated the Mets in head-to-head play, posting three separate series sweeps, including a pivotal sweep of a four-game series at [[Citizens Bank Park]] in Philadelphia during late August which included two walk-off hits by [[Chase Utley]] and [[Ryan Howard]] and comeback victories for the Phillies in three of the four games. During the season, Burrell also hit two home runs off Wagner, resulting in two [[blown save]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/b-pvb.cgi?n1=burrepa01#choice=&throws=&minPA2=0&minPA=0&orderbydir=DESC&orderbydirb=ASC&n1=burrepa01&as=batter&year_game=2007&opp_id=&orderby=Name&orderbyb=PA|title=Pat Burrell vs. Pitchers for 2007|work=Baseball-Reference.com Play Index|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> By the time Philadelphia swept the Mets at Shea Stadium in mid-September, the Phillies were threatening to move from wild-card contender to division leader. With seventeen games left to play, the Mets led the Phillies by seven games; during that final stretch, the Mets won only five games and lost twelve, while the Phillies went 13–4. On the final day of the season, the Phillies won the division, backing up Rollins' quote. Mets starter [[Tom Glavine]] gave up seven runs in the first inning to the Florida Marlins,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2007/B09300NYN2007.htm|title=Florida Marlins 8, New York Mets 1publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> while the Phillies beat the [[Washington Nationals]] behind Philadelphian [[Jamie Moyer]] to win the division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2007/B09300PHI2007.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, Washington Nationals 1|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> Rollins capped his prediction by adding his first career [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2007.shtml#NLmvp|title=Baseball Awards Voting for 2007|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> According to [[Baseball Prospectus]], the Mets' collapse over the end of the season ranked statistically as the second-worst in baseball history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6764|title=Lies, Damned Lies: Blowing It|last=Silver|first=Nate|publisher=Baseball Prospectus|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> After the 2007 season, Wagner also said that <nowiki>"[the]</nowiki> collapse didn't come because the Phillies beat us, the collapse came because we played bad".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=klapisch_bob&id=3334995|title=Phillies-Mets rivalry building in intensity|last=Klapisch|first=Bob|date=April 8, 2008|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref>
===2008: Beltran fires back, Phillies win Series===
[[Image:Carlos Beltrán.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Carlos Beltrán]] responded to Jimmy Rollins' comment again during Spring Training in 2008.|alt=A man in his early thirties wearing a blue warm-up jacket and blue baseball cap rides on a motorized cart. His jacket has black stripes on the arms and "NY" in black on the breast.]]
{{see also|2008 New York Mets season|2008 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
On February 16, 2008, Mets center fielder [[Carlos Beltrán]] made a statement regarding the upcoming season. He stated that {{nowrap|"<nowiki>[without]</nowiki>}} [[Johan Santana|Santana]], we felt, as a team, that we had a chance to win in our division. With him now, I have no doubt that we're going to win in our division. I have no doubt in that. We've got what it takes. To Jimmy Rollins: We are the team to beat."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080216&content_id=2375631&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym|title=Beltran to Rollins: 'We're team to beat'|last=DiComo|first=Anthony|date=February 16, 2008|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=October 15, 2008}}</ref> Inasmuch as Beltran had imitated Rollins' 2007 preseason prediction, Rollins arrived in camp for Spring Training and responded: <blockquote>
"There isn’t a team in the National League that’s better than us. The pressure’s back on them if you ask me. They were on paper the best team in the division last year and they were supposed to win, and they didn’t. One, there are four other teams in our division who are going to make sure that doesn't happen, and two, has anyone ever heard of plagiarism? That was pretty good, especially coming from him. He's a quiet guy, so it was probably shocking when he said it. Not shocking in a bad way, like 'Wow, I can't believe he said that.' More like, 'Wow, he finally said something because he's a leader on that team and you definitely need to be a vocal leader."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/sports/baseball/21phillies.html?_r=1&ref=baseball|title=The Oracle of the Phillies Has the Last Words|last=Schwarz|first=Alan|date=February 21, 2008|work=New York Times|accessdate=January 19, 2009}}</ref>
</blockquote>
Throughout most of the season, the Phillies and Mets battled each other for the NL East lead, along with the Florida Marlins. Going into the final season series between the two teams, former Phillie and special hitting instructor Mike Schmidt fanned the flames of the rivalry with an e-mail to manager Charlie Manuel, later posted for the entire team in the clubhouse.<ref name="Schmidt"/> <blockquote>
"One pitch, one at bat, one play, one situation, think ‘small’ and ‘big’ things result, tough at-bats, lots of walks, stay up the middle with men on base, whatever it takes to ‘keep the line moving’ on offense, 27 outs on defense, the Mets know you’re better than they are… They remember last year. You guys are never out of a game. Welcome the challenge that confronts you this weekend. You are the stars. Good luck. [[Philadelphia Phillies#Retired numbers|#20]]."<ref name="Schmidt">{{cite web|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-phillies-schmidtsletter&prov=ap&type=lgns|title=Schmidt: Mets know Phillies are better than them|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Mike|date=September 5, 2008|work=Yahoo! Sports|publisher=Associated Press|accessdate=September 7, 2008}}</ref>
</blockquote>
Mets players reacted quickly; [[David Wright (baseball)|David Wright]] replied, "To each his own. He's obviously biased in his e-mails or letters. I see a starting pitcher that goes out there and throws like [[Brett Myers]] – that works much better than a rally cry from a former player."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3572063|title=Myers, Phillies 'better' than Mets in series opener|last=Nelson|first=Amy K.|date=September 5, 2008|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref> This response came a day after Myers defeated the Mets 3–0, throwing eight shutout innings and striking out ten. The Mets won the season series 11–7.<ref name="08Mets"/>
After the final season series, the Mets held onto first place until September 16, when a September surge moved the Phillies into first place.<ref name="08Phils">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2008_sched.shtml|title=2008 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> On September 19, however, the Phillies lost to the Florida Marlins while the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves to put New York back into the division lead.<ref name="08Mets">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2008_sched.shtml|title=2008 New York Mets Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> The results were reversed the following night, and the Phillies regained the top spot, where they would ultimately finish.<ref name="08Phils"/> The Phillies won the National League East on September 27, while the Mets were eliminated from postseason contention the next day with a 4–2 loss to the Florida Marlins in the final game at Shea Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qgazette.com/news/2008/1001/sports/037.html|title=Mets Lose Final Game At Shea|last=Miller|first=Dan|date=October 1, 2008|work=Queens Gazette|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> The [[Milwaukee Brewers]] defeated the Chicago Cubs that day to clinch the National League wild card. This marked the second year in a row the Mets were eliminated from the playoffs on the last regular-season game. It also marked the first time in baseball history that a team had lost the last game of the season to miss the playoffs after holding a three-game lead in two consecutive seasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2008-09-29-extra-day_N.htm|title=Extra innings for baseball's regular season|last=Antonen|first=Mel|date=September 29, 2008|work=USA Today|accessdate=November 1, 2008}}</ref> After victories over the Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the [[Major League Baseball postseason|postseason]], the Phillies went on to win the [[2008 World Series|World Series]] over the [[Tampa Bay Rays]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2008_WS.shtml|title=2008 World Series|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref>
[[Image:Cole Hamels 2008 v Reds.JPG|thumb|left|[[Cole Hamels]] called the Mets "choke artists" after the Phillies' 2008 World Series victory.|alt=A left-handed man in his mid-twenties wearing a white baseball uniform and red baseball cap throws a baseball from a pitcher's mound.]]
====2008–2009 offseason====
During the team's post-parade celebration on October 31 at Citizens Bank Park, Jimmy Rollins took verbal shots at the Mets organization. "A lot of things were made in the offseason," Rollins said. "We can talk about the New York Mets. They brought in that great pitcher, Johan Santana, but they forgot that it takes more than one player to bring home a championship."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/10312008/sports/mets/rollins_takes_shot_at_mets_136236.htm|title=Phils' Rollins rips Mets|date=October 31, 2008|work=New York Post|accessdate=December 12, 2008}}</ref>
Nearing the end of 2008 and the thick of the offseason, World Series MVP [[Cole Hamels]] was asked by [[WFAN]] radio hosts whether he considered the Mets "choke artists". Hamels replied, "For the past two years they've been choke artists."<ref name="MetsChoke">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081211&content_id=3714026&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils' Hamels fires a salvo at Mets|last=Noble|first=Marty|date=December 11, 2008|work=MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=December 12, 2008}}</ref> He explained that he considered Mets shortstop [[José Reyes (shortstop)|José Reyes]] a [[Showboat#Showboating|showboater]] for his post-home run displays and that the Phillies had mocked their center fielder [[Shane Victorino]] for similar antics during the [[2008 National League Division Series|National League Division Series]].<ref name="MetsChoke"/>
On December 13, newly signed Mets closer [[Francisco Rodríguez (baseball, born 1982)|Francisco Rodríguez]] added his sentiments to the fray. "Of course we're going to be the frontrunner. Of course we're going to be the team to beat," Rodriguez told reporters. "I don't want there to be a controversy. I don't want the other team to take it personally, or take it in a bad way. But I'm a really competitive guy. I like to win. If they ask me, 'Oh, which ballclub is going to win the National League East?' It's going to be the Mets. Easy question."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spmets1214,0,2952737.story|title=K-Rod jumps right into Mets-Phillies rivalry|last=Davidoff|first=Ken|date=December 13, 2008|publisher=Newsday|accessdate=December 14, 2008}}</ref>
===2009: Martínez moves on; a second straight Series===
{{see also|2009 New York Mets season|2009 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
[[File:Francisco Rodríguez on June 18, 2009.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Francisco Rodríguez (baseball, born 1982)|Francisco Rodríguez]] claimed during the 2008–2009 offseason that the Mets would win the NL East.|alt=A right-handed man in his mid-twenties wearing a gray baseball uniform and black baseball cap with a blue brim follows through after throwing a baseball.]]
On May 1, the Phillies and Mets faced off for the first time in 2009 in a three-game series in Philadelphia; the Mets won the first game, 7–4, behind [[Daniel Murphy (baseball)|Daniel Murphy]] and [[Mike Pelfrey]] each driving in two runs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_05_01_nynmlb_phimlb_1|title=Boxscore: NY Mets 7, Philadelphia 4|date=May 1, 2009|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 2, 2009}}</ref> The Phillies won game two of the series, 6–5, on back-to-back walks issued by [[Sean Green (baseball)|Sean Green]] after [[Raúl Ibáñez]] tied the game with a home run in the sixth inning.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2009_05_02_nynmlb_phimlb_1&mode=gameday|title=NY Mets vs. Philadelphia – May 2, 2009|date=May 2, 2009|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 2, 2009}}</ref> After a rain postponement at Philadelphia on May 3, the Phillies played their first game at the Mets' new home, [[Citi Field]], on May 6; the Mets won both games of the two-game series.<ref name="metsmay1">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090506&content_id=4588224&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Park sharp in loss|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=May 6, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 8, 2009}}</ref><ref name="metsmay2">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090507&content_id=4609304&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Vet denied No. 250|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=May 7, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 8, 2009}}</ref> The Phillies returned to Citi Field on June 9, winning two out of the three-game series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=phi&m=6&y=2009|title=2009 Phillies Schedule (June)|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> In the series, two of the games were decided by only one run (closers Rodríguez and [[Ryan Madson]] earned saves in each game),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090609&content_id=5228528&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Homers not enough|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=June 9, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref><ref name="june10">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090610&content_id=5251424&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Werth sets stage|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=June 10, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> and two games went to extra innings, both of which the Phillies won, on home runs by Utley and Ibáñez, respectively.<ref name="june10"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090611&content_id=5274558&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Ibanez the hero|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=June 11, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> On July 3, the Phillies and Mets opened another three-game series at Citizens Bank Park; the Phillies swept the series, winning all three games 7–2, 4–1, and 2–0. During the [[2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star break]], the Phillies added fuel to the fire by signing [[free agent]] [[starting pitcher]] and former Met [[Pedro Martínez]], who finished a four-year contract with New York after the 2008 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-sppedro1612972336jul15,0,6294983.story|title=Pedro Martinez officially joins the Phillies|last=Drellich|first=Evan|date=July 15, 2009|publisher=Newsday|accessdate=July 18, 2009}}</ref> During his Mets career, Martínez posted a 32–23 record and a 3.88 [[earned run average]], but was hounded by injuries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/07/15/2009-07-15_pedro_martinez.html|title=Ex-Met Pedro Martinez joins Phillies, sets sights on Series, cheesesteaks |last=Red|first=Christian|date=July 15, 2009|publisher=New York Daily News|accessdate=July 18, 2009}}</ref>
{{Multiple image|align=left|direction=vertical|footer=[[Pedro Martínez]], who pitched for the Mets from 2005 to 2008, signed with the Phillies in 2009.|width=190|image1=Pedro Martínez 2008.jpg|alt1=A man in his late thirties wearing a gray baseball uniform and black baseball cap follows through after throwing a baseball with his right hand from a pitcher's mound.|image2=Pedro Martínez on September 8, 2009.jpg|alt2=The same man as above in a gray baseball uniform and red baseball cap throws a baseball with his right hand from a pitcher's mound.}}
Martínez faced off against the Mets on August 23 at Citi Field, when opposing starter [[Óliver Pérez]] allowed six runs in the first inning and was pulled in the middle of Martínez' first at-bat against his former club after falling behind, in the count 3–0. [[Ángel Pagán]] led off the Mets' first with an [[inside-the-park home run]] after the ball became lodged underneath the outfield wall. Martínez pitched six innings, allowing four runs, but the Mets continued to score in the late innings, bringing the score to 9–6 with a run off of Madson in the eighth. Closer [[Brad Lidge]], who had struggled to this point in the season (0–5 with three [[blown save]]s), allowed another run to score and had runners on first and second, thanks in part to a [[Glossary of baseball (B)#booted|booted]] base hit and an [[error (baseball)|error]] by [[Eric Bruntlett]]. The Mets had no outs and [[Jeff Francoeur]] was at the plate representing the [[Glossary of baseball (G)#go-ahead run|go-ahead run]]. Francoeur hit a [[line drive]] over the second base bag, where Bruntlett caught it, stepped on second base, and tagged Murphy coming from first to complete the 15th [[unassisted triple play]] in baseball's modern era and the second in [[History of the Philadelphia Phillies|Phillies history]] ([[Mickey Morandini]]).<ref>{{cite news |first=David|last=Gurian-Peck|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Phils back Pedro in NY, win on rare feat |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090823&content_id=6571854&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|work= |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=August 23, 2009|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>
During this August series, Rollins was asked about the Mets' struggles during a season in which the Mets were expected to challenge the Phillies in the division. Rollins said, "I want them to be good. You love to play good teams. Probably because of where we’ve both been the last couple years, the rivalry is still there, smoldering just underneath. Even if we’re both bad, we want to at least be able to say we’re better than them. But you want them to be good.”<ref>{{cite news |first=William C.|last=Rhoden|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=It Seemingly Can’t Get Worse, but the Mets Find a Way |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/sports/baseball/25rhoden.html?ref=sports|work=New York Times |date=August 24, 2009|accessdate=August 25, 2009}}</ref> The Mets came to Philadelphia for their last series of the season on September 11. The Phillies won game one, 4–2, but the Mets came from behind in the second game of the series, scoring five runs in the final two innings to win 10–9. Making up a postponed game from earlier in the season, the Phillies won the first game of a [[day-night doubleheader]] behind [[Kyle Kendrick]]'s first major league victory in 13 months. Eight shutout innings from Martínez in the [[Glossary of baseball (N)#nightcap|nightcap]] gave the Phillies a 1–0 win, a 3–1 win in the 4-game set,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090913&content_id=6944264&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Pedro's gem gives Phils twin-bill sweep|last=Gurian-Peck|first=David|date=September 14, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=September 15, 2009}}</ref> and a 12–6 win in the season series.<ref name="2009splits">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2009-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2009 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=September 6, 2008}}</ref> The win also eliminated the Mets from a chance at the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090913&content_id=6944016&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym|title=Redding solid, but Mets stifled in nightcap|last=Noble|first=Marty|date=September 14, 2009|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=September 15, 2009}}</ref>
In October, the Phillies faced off against the Mets' [[Mets–Yankees rivalry|cross-town rivals]], the New York Yankees, in the [[2009 World Series]], losing four games to two. Bill Price of the [[New York Daily News]] called the teams "our two worst enemies",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/10/27/2009-10-27_do_mets_fans_root_phillies_yankees.html|title=Do Mets fans root for the Philadelphia Phillies or New York Yankees in the World Series?|last=Price|first=Bill|date=October 27, 2009|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=October 29, 2009}}</ref> while Steve Politi of [[The Star-Ledger]] called the matchup "the worst World Series ever" for a Mets fan,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2009/10/diary_of_a_mets_fan_game_1_phi.html|title=Diary of a Mets fan: Game 1 Phillies-Yankees|last=Politi|first=Steve|date=October 29, 2009|work=The Star-Ledger|accessdate=October 29, 2009}}</ref> like {{wsy|1986}} was for a Yankees fan, as the Mets played the Yankees' [[Yankees – Red Sox rivalry|fierce rival]], [[Boston Red Sox]].<ref>{{cite news|title=It's More than Baseball; For Yankee Fans, A Painful Series|date=October 19, 1986|first=Dennis|last=Hevesi|newspaper=New York Times|page=A51}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|quote=What about the dilemma of the Yankee fans? This may be a series to eat their hearts out. As a Mets-oriented T-shirt says, 'Steinbrenner's Nightmare.'|title=And What If You're a Yankees Fan?|date=October 18, 1986|first=Richard C.|last=Firstman|newspaper=Newsday|page=83}}</ref>
===2010===
[[File:Jeff Francoeur on May 9, 2010.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Jeff Francoeur]] claimed that Major League Baseball's decision to move a series with the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] from the [[Rogers Centre]] to Philadelphia was "not fair" and "ridiculous".]]
{{see also|2010 New York Mets season|2010 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
On February 11, newly acquired starting pitcher [[Roy Halladay]] named Johan Santana of the Mets as "fun to watch" when asked who he thought was the best pitcher in the NL East, also praising teammate Cole Hamels and the pitchers for the [[Florida Marlins]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20100211_Halladay_praises_Hamels_in_interview.html|title=Halladay praises Hamels in interview|last=Martino|first=Andy|date=February 11, 2010|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|accessdate=February 20, 2010|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5ngiv2Hih|archivedate=February 20, 2010}}</ref> adding that he "[steers] clear of that" (the "war of words").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100219&content_id=8101600&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Bodley: Doc ready to join NL, contender|last=Bodley|first=Hal|date=February 19, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=February 20, 2010}}</ref> When asked the same question, Santana named himself as the division's best,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2010/02/ny_mets_ace_johan_santana_says.html|title=NY Mets ace Johan Santana says he is still the best pitcher in the NL East|last=Costas|first=Brian|date=February 18, 2010|work=The Star-Ledger|accessdate=February 20, 2010|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5ngiyTwdC|archivedate=February 20, 2010}}</ref> but Jimmy Rollins disagreed, saying "Overall Roy is better, as far as pitching is concerned".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100223&content_id=8120648&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Rollins: '10 Phils may be better than '09|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=February 23, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=February 25, 2010}}</ref> Hamels commented before the year's opening series in April that the Mets and Phillies playing one another is "good for both cities", noting that "this is going to be a very exciting rivalry this season".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100429&content_id=9675176&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils ready to rekindle rivalry with Mets|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=April 30, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=April 30, 2010}}</ref> Mets pitcher [[Mike Pelfrey]] agreed, stating that "[this] will be a fun series for us".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100429&content_id=9668598&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Mets' success reignites rivalry with Phils|last=DiComo|first=Anthony|date=April 30, 2010|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=April 30, 2010}}</ref>
Beginning on April 30, the Phillies and Mets faced off in their first three-game series of the season in Philadelphia; the Mets won the first game, 9–1, behind two home runs from former Phillie [[Rod Barajas]], who was booed by the Citizens Bank Park crowd.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/sports/baseball/01mets.html?ref=sports|title=After Bullying Lesser Teams, Mets Beat Up One of the Best|last=Waldstein|first=David|date=April 30, 2010|work=The New York Times|accessdate=May 1, 2010}}</ref> However, the Phillies took the series by winning the final two games, 10–0—behind a three-hit shutout by Halladay<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100501&content_id=9719090&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Doc orders up shutout as Phils break out bats|last=Jasner|first=Andy|date=May 1, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref>—and 11–5, scoring 10 runs against Santana, the most given up in a start during his major league career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100502&content_id=9755402&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils channel history in retaking first place|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=May 2, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 3, 2010}}</ref>
Barajas accused the Phillies of stealing their signs during the Mets' May 2 loss, an allegation which Charlie Manuel denied.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/sports/baseball/26phillies.html|title=Despite Phillies’ Lead, Manager Is Wary of Mets|last=Belson|first=Ken|date=May 25, 2010|work=The New York Times|accessdate=May 27, 2010}}</ref>
On May 12, between the teams' two series in that month, Major League Baseball announced that the Phillies' scheduled series against the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] would be played in Philadelphia, citing security concerns for the [[2010 G-20 Toronto summit|G-20 Summit]]; the Blue Jays would still bat last, and [[American League]] rules, including the [[designated hitter]], would be used.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100511&content_id=9963194&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Jays' set vs. Phillies moved to Philadelphia|last=Bastian|first=Jordan|date=May 11, 2010|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref> Outfielder [[Jeff Francoeur]] reacted, calling the move "ridiculous" and "not fair"; the [[New York Daily News]] said that the switch gave the Phillies "perhaps an unfair advantage".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/05/12/2010-05-12_extra_home_games_for_phillies_upset_new_york_mets_outfielder_jeff_francoeur_ike_.html#ixzz0niBMX6uc|title=Extra home games for Phillies upset New York Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur, Ike Davis takes a dive|last=Gagne|first=Matt|last2=Brennan|first2=Sean|coauthors=Martino, Andy|date=May 12, 2010|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref>
On May 26, the series shifted to Citi Field, with the Mets shutting out the Phillies on three consecutive nights, with an 8–0 victory by [[knuckleball]] pitcher [[R.A. Dickey]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN201005250.shtml|title=Phillies at Mets Box Score and Play by Play|date=May 25, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> a 5–0 win by [[Hisanori Takahashi]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN201005260.shtml|title=Phillies at Mets Box Score and Play by Play|date=May 26, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> and a 3–0 victory from Pelfrey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN201005270.shtml|title=Phillies at Mets Box Score and Play by Play|date=May 27, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> It was the first time that Mets pitchers had posted three consecutive shutouts since 1988,<ref name=Shutouts/> and the first time that Philadelphia was shut out in three consecutive contests since 1983;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2010_05_28_phimlb_flomlb_1&mode=preview|title=Marlins-Phils set for NL East showdown|last=Miller|first=Doug|date=May 27, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> the last time that a Mets team shut out the same opponent in three straight games was in 1969, against the Phillies.<ref name=Shutouts>{{cite news|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=300527121&print=1|title=Mets zero in, shut out Phils for 3rd straight day|date=May 28, 2010|publisher=Yahoo!|accessdate=May 28, 2010|first=Ben|last=Walker|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
The Mets visited Citizens Bank Park for a three-game series starting on August 6. The Phillies defeated the Mets in the opener, 7–5, after scoring six runs in the eighth inning; newly acquired Phillie [[Mike Sweeney]] had two hits in the rally.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100806&content_id=13119172&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils push Mets away with six-run eighth|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=August 6, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=August 9, 2010}}</ref> New York evened the series with a 1–0 victory behind {{frac|7|1|3}} shutout innings from Santana,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI201008070.shtml|title=New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies Play by Play and Box Score|date=August 7, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=August 9, 2010}}</ref> but Philadelphia took the series with a 6–5 win in Sunday's rubber match; Ibáñez extended his career-long hitting streak to 16 games, while Halladay struck out 10 batters in seven innings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100808&content_id=13187498&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Hot-hitting Ibanez, Doc's 10 K's pace Phils|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=August 8, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=August 9, 2010}}</ref> After a series with the Dodgers, Philadelphia faced New York again, this time at Citi Field. Dickey and Hamels engaged in a pitcher's duel; the knuckleballer won, 1–0, on a one-hit shutout. In the second game, Halladay turned the tables with an eight-inning shutout performance after the Phillies scored three unearned runs due to an error by Wright. [[Kyle Kendrick]] defeated Pelfrey in the final game of the series, 3–1, to seal the Phillies' second straight series victory.
On September 10, the Phillies traveled to Citi Field for the last time in 2010. The Phillies won the first game 8–4 behind home runs by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Roy Halladay earned his 18th win of the season. The next day, the Mets won 4–3 behind [[Ike Davis]]' four-hit, three-RBI game. Mike Pelfrey pitched {{frac|7|1|3}} innings to pick up the win. The Phillies won the rubber match 3–0. [[Roy Oswalt]] dominated Mets batters by pitching a four-hit shutout. This was Oswalt's first complete game as a member of the Phillies. This win would move the Phillies into first place in the NL East standings.
On September 24, The Phillies and the Mets squared off for the last time in the 2010 season in a three-game series in Philadelphia. The Phillies won their 11th consecutive game by a score of 3–2 behind 7 solid innings by pitcher [[Joe Blanton]]. The Mets would end the Phillies' winning streak the next day by winning 5–2. The Mets scored 5 runs in the 7th inning with [[Lucas Duda]]'s bases clearing double giving them the lead. The Mets would also take the series finale by a score of 7–3. Carlos Beltran hit two home runs in the game. The Mets bullpen pitched {{frac|4|1|3}} scoreless innings to preserve the victory. That win would prevent the Phillies from clinching the division in front of their fans.
On September 27, the Phillies defeated the [[Washington Nationals|Nationals]] 8–0 in Washington, securing their fourth consecutive National League East title behind Halladay's two-hit shutout and 21st win of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100927&content_id=15141884&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phour! Phils' NL East dominance continues
|date=September 28, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=March 4, 2011|first=Todd|last=Zolecki}}</ref> The Phillies finished the season with the best record in baseball at 97–65.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101003&content_id=15371600¬ebook_id=15371602&vkey=notebook_phi&c_id=phi|title=For first time, Phillies finish with best record|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=October 3, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=March 4, 2011}}</ref> Having missed the playoffs, the Mets finished in fourth place at 79–83.<ref name="2010Season">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2010-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2010 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=baseball-reference.com|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|accessdate=March 2, 2011}}</ref> The Mets and the Phillies split the season series 9–9.<ref name="2010Season"/>
====2010–2011 offseason====
On December 14, the Phillies signed free-agent pitcher [[Cliff Lee]] to a five-year, $120 million contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101213&content_id=16314600&vkey=news_phi&c_id=phi|title=Brother-Lee love! Lefty ace picks Philly|date=December 15, 2010|accessdate=March 6, 2011|first=Todd|last=Zolecki|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref><ref name="NewYorkPhiladelphia"/><ref name="PhilliesAces">{{cite news|title=The Four Phillies Aces—Phillies' dynamite group adds Cliff Lee|date=December 15, 2010|first=Bob|last=Brookover|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=C1}}</ref> [[Terry Collins]], the Mets' new manager for 2011, said that the Phillies "got our attention—not like they didn't have it before" with the signing of Lee, and that the Phillies' starting rotation of Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, Joe Blanton, and Roy Oswalt has made them "a formidable opponent" for the Mets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101214&content_id=16319538&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym|title=Mets know their work is cut out for them|date=December 14, 2010|first=Anthony|last=Dicomo|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=March 6, 2011}}</ref> New York's new [[general manager (baseball)|general manager]], [[Sandy Alderson]], said the signing "may change what they're able to do in years when we might be more active."<ref name="PhilliesAces"/>
===2011===
[[File:MG 3426 Shane Victorino.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Shane Victorino]] broke the news of the [[death of Osama bin Laden]] during a game between the teams.|alt=A man in a gray baseball jersey having just removed his red batting helmet at first base. His jersey reads "Phillies" in white and red script and has a number "8" on the left sleeve.]]
{{see also|2011 New York Mets season|2011 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
The Mets and the Phillies faced each other in two three-game series in Philadelphia April 5–7 and April 29 to May 1, with the Phillies winning two of three games in each series.<ref name="2011Mets">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2011-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2011 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|accessdate=April 1, 2011|work=baseball-reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC}}</ref><ref name="2011Phillies">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2011-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2011 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|accessdate=April 1, 2011|work=baseball-reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC}}</ref>
The game on May 1 became a moment of peace in the rivalry during the top of the ninth inning. Mets' Daniel Murphy was batting as a pinch-hitter against Phillies' reliever Ryan Madson when the fans started chanting "[[U-S-A! cheer|U-S-A!]]"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/nyregion/amid-cheers-a-message-they-will-be-caught.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=print|title=Amid Cheers, a Message: ‘They Will Be Caught’|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 2, 2011|first=Elizabeth A.|last=Harris|newspaper=New York Times|page=A1}}</ref><ref name="binLadenDeath"/> The Phillies didn't know the reason for the chants, but in the Mets' dugout, bench coach [[Ken Oberkfell]] told Terry Collins that [[al-Qaeda]] leader [[Osama bin Laden]], the mastermind of the [[September 11 attacks]], [[Death of Osama bin Laden|had been killed]] by [[United States special operations forces]] in [[Abbottabad]], [[Pakistan]].<ref name="binLadenDeath">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6463361|title=Phillies crowd erupts in 'U-S-A' cheers|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 2, 2011|first=Adam|last=Rubin|work=ESPNNewYork.com}}</ref> Shane Victorino later told the Phillies the news.<ref name="binLadenDeath"/> When he telephoned into ''[[Mike and Mike in the Morning]]'' on [[ESPN Radio]] the next day, Victorino said that a trainer in the dugout broke the news when asked how the Phillies found out, and said that "it was a big day in American history" and "a special moment...for families...who lost their loved ones...(on) 9/11."<ref name="binLadenDeath"/> Ryan Howard called the news "an uplifting moment."<ref>{{cite web|title=Philadelphia freedom: Game takes backseat|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110501&content_id=18479234&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 2, 2011|first=Todd|last=Zolecki|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref> On the Mets' side, [[Chris Young (pitcher)|Chris Young]], who won his first game as a Met against the Phillies,<ref>{{cite web|last=DiComo|first=Anthony|title=Young's work on mound, at plate sparks Mets|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_04_05_nynmlb_phimlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=nym|accessdate=May 15, 2011|date=April 5, 2011|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref> said that "it's probably a night I'll never forget."<ref name="binLadenDeath"/> David Wright called it "just an incredible moment and...you kind of come together...for a common cause," while Collins said that catcher [[Ronny Paulino]] delivered "a good win for us, and obviously a huge win for America tonight" in hitting the game winning RBI double in the 14th inning in his Mets debut to help the them win 2–1, but felt they "could have finished the game two hours ago and celebrated a little bit of it."<ref name="binLadenDeath"/><ref name="Paulino">{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_05_01_nynmlb_phimlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=nym|title=Paulino leads Mets past Phils on emotional night|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 5, 2011|first=Anthony|last=DiComo|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref> Players on both teams also said that it wasn't the end of the global war on terrorism.<ref name="Paulino"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Osama's death not an end to terror—9/11 mastermind no longer center of conflict|date=May 2, 2011|first=Susan|last=Page|first2=Kathy|last2=Kiely|newspaper=USA Today|page=1A}}</ref> Mike Lopresti of [[USA Today]] said that the "Phillies opponent was a perfect fit",<ref>{{cite news|title=A time for reflection, reaction—Bin Laden's death stirs memories of 9/11's impact on athletes and events|date=May 3, 2011|first=Mike|last=Lopresti|newspaper=USA Today|page=1C|quote=A chanting ballpark will forever be part of Sunday night's legacy. The news rolled through Citizens Bank Park like the wave, and the Philadelphia Phillies opponent was a perfect fit. They were playing the New York Mets, whose Shea Stadium parking lot was used as a staging area for 9/11 emergency supplies.}}</ref> while Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com called the peace in the rivalry "fitting" for a Mets fan, saying it drew parallels to and brought back the memories of September 21, 2001, when the Mets hosted the first major professional sporting event in New York City since the attacks and beat [[Braves–Mets rivalry|rival]] [[Atlanta Braves]].<ref name="binLadenDeath"/>
==Causes==
[[File:PhilsMetsFight.jpg|thumb|right|A Phillies fan fights with Mets security at Shea Stadium.|alt=A man in a red shirt looks left at an unseen man who is reaching toward his head while people wearing orange and blue look on in the background.]]
===Racism and the Brooklyn Dodgers===
Before the Mets ever played in Philadelphia, some of the Phillies' personnel were notorious for their poor treatment of [[African-American]] players, particularly [[Jackie Robinson]] of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]]—one of the Mets' two New York predecessors in the National League. When Robinson broke the [[baseball color line]] in 1947, manager [[Ben Chapman (baseball)|Ben Chapman]] instructed his players to [[Glossary of baseball (S)#spike|spike]] Robinson and pitch at his head.<ref name="kashatus23">Kashatus, p.23.</ref> This contributed to feelings of bad blood and additional "tense moments" between the teams from the two cities.<ref>Threston, p.76.</ref> The Phillies continued to exhibit similar behavior until they integrated, the [[List of first black Major League Baseball players by team and date|last team in the National League]] to do so. Owner [[R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr.|Bob Carpenter]] passed by African-American players; his [[Whiz Kids (baseball)|Whiz Kids]] had won the pennant while fielding an all-white team, and he, as other owners, tended to pass over any non-white players who did not have superstar-level talent.<ref name="integration"/> Star outfielder [[Richie Ashburn]] opined: "We were the last to get any black ball players. We were still pretty good, but they were just getting better."<ref name="integration">Threston, p.57.</ref>
===William Shea===
After the Dodgers and Giants moved to [[California]] for the 1958 season, the Phillies became the closest National League club to New York City, and in response, contracted to broadcast 78 games into the New York metropolitan television market to fill the void in National League games on TV in New York.<ref>{{cite news|title=Phils Close Deal for New York TV|date=January 22, 1958|newspaper=New York Times|page=31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=John|last=Drebinger|title=Yankees Bow to Phillies; Maglie pounded in 12–8 loss|newspaper=New York Times|date=April 10, 1958}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=78 Phillies Games on TV Here Due in 1958 Under WOR Deal|date=October 25, 1957|newspaper=New York Times|page=1}}</ref>
In 1959, Phillies owner [[R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr.|Bob Carpenter]] was eager to leave [[Connie Mack Stadium]] and explored moving the team to [[Delaware Township, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Phillies' Owner Shows Interest in Jersey Land
|newspaper=New York Times|date=March 4, 1959|page=37|author=Associated Press}}</ref> This led those seeking to return a National League team to New York to consider the Phillies as a potential target to relocate to a new New York ballpark.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mayor Says His Baseball Aide Talked to Phils About Shift Here|first=Roscoe|last=McGowen|newspaper=New York Times|date=April 16, 1959|page=41}}</ref>
New York attorney [[William Shea]] tried without success to bring a National League team back to New York. He contacted the six remaining teams in the league—aside from the Dodgers and Giants—to try and persuade them to uproot and come to [[Brooklyn]]. All of the teams involved, including Philadelphia, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the [[Cincinnati Reds]], the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago Cubs, and the Milwaukee Braves (later of Atlanta), spurned Shea's advances, prompting him to involve himself with the owners proposing the formation of the [[Continental League]]. Fearing that their rosters would be raided, the National League owners voted to expand, and Shea succeeded in winning a new National League franchise for New York: one that would become the Mets.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bell|first=Christopher|title=Scapegoats: baseballers whose careers are marked by one fateful play|publisher=McFarland|year=2002|page=131|isbn=0786413816|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=eOfKIcO3bDcC&pg=PA131&dq=william+shea+phillies&ei=FrEFS5qxN4-uzATW_fiWDg#v=onepage&q=william%20shea%20phillies&f=false}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Creamer|first=Robert W.|title=Stengel: His Life and Times|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|year=1996|pages=294–295|isbn=0786413816|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=b-3JiF4LnJcC&pg=RA1-PA294&dq=phillies+william+shea&ei=GrAFS9bDJ5KiygTrwaXXAw#v=onepage&q=phillies%20william%20shea&f=false|authorlink=Robert Creamer}}</ref>
===Regional proximity===
The rivalry can also be attributed to the proximity between the cities of [[New York City]] and [[Philadelphia]], which are approximately two hours apart by car.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=new+york+city+to+philadelphia&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.188298,67.763672&ie=UTF8&z=9|title=New York, NY to Philadelphia, PA|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets' fanbase comes from the [[New York metropolitan area]], which includes southern [[Connecticut]], and northern and central [[New Jersey]] as well as parts of upstate New York.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rosenwaike|first=Ira|title=Population history of New York City|publisher=Syracuse University Press|year=1972|page=169|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=2OR2yeASrfIC&pg=PA169&dq=definition+new+york+metro+area#v=onepage&q=&f=false | isbn=9780815621553}}</ref> Conversely, the Phillies' fanbase generally draws from the [[Delaware Valley]] (the Philadelphia metropolitan area), which includes Southeastern Pennsylvania, central New Jersey south of [[Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton]], southern New Jersey, northern [[Delaware]] and extreme northeast parts of [[Maryland]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Howe|first=Barbara J.|last2=Fleming|first2=Dolores A.|coauthors=Kemp, Emory L.|title=Houses and homes: exploring their history|publisher=Rowman Altamira|year=1997|page=102|isbn=0761989293|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Y5Ht9V-A5ZoC&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=delaware+valley+definition&source=bl&ots=T4F4b8ZWa3&sig=ijdr8OlHJ0yNIwS5C9sQ9jTn9v0&hl=en&ei=8loFS9yOLY7dnAf0oem3Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAsQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=delaware%20valley%20definition&f=false}}</ref>
In addition to numerous regular-season meetings between the Phillies and the two New York clubs (the Dodgers and Giants) before the arrival of the Mets, the rivalry between Philadelphia and New York was spurred by post-season meetings between the two cities in 1905 (Giants and the [[Philadelphia Athletics]]), 1911 (Athletics–Giants), 1913 (Athletics–Giants), and 1950 (Phillies–Yankees).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/|title=Playoff and World Series Index|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 21, 2009}}</ref> The New York – Philadelphia rivalry is evident in other sports (for example, the rivalries between the [[Eagles–Giants rivalry|New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles]] in the [[National Football League]] and the [[Flyers–Rangers rivalry|New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers]] in the [[National Hockey League]]).<ref name="NewYorkPhiladelphia">{{cite news|title=Surging Rangers Face a Stern Test in the First-Place Flyers|date=December 18, 2010|first=Jeff Z.|last=Klein|newspaper=New York Times|page=D4|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/sports/hockey/18rangers.html|accessdate=March 6, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=A City's Hopes Fly High on the Wings of Eagles|date=January 5, 2001|first=Peter|last=Mucha|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=A1|quote=New York teams—the Mets, Rangers, Giants and Knicks—rank among Philadelphia's most loathed rivals.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=555008|title=Garden memories special for van Riemsdyk|date=March 4, 2011|first=Adam|last=Kimelman|work=NHL.com|publisher=National Hockey League|accessdate=March 5, 2011|quote=It's always going to be a hard game. You have that feeling when you come into Philly and you know when they come into New York the fans are going to be pumped up.}}</ref>
==See also==
<!-- Do not insert links into "See also" section that are already included in the body of the article. This includes the Mets-Yankees, Cardinals-Cubs, and Dodgers-Giants rivalries, which are already in the prose. Thanks. -->
*[[Major League Baseball rivalries]]
==References==
;Inline citations
{{Reflist|2}}
;Bibliography
*{{cite book|last=Kashatus|first=William|title=Almost a Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the 1980 Phillies|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|year=2008|isbn=0812240367}}
*{{cite book|last=Threston|first=Christopher|title=The integration of baseball in Philadelphia|publisher=McFarland|year=2003|page=76|isbn=0786414235}}
{{New York Mets|width=100%}}
{{Philadelphia Phillies|width=100%}}
{{MLB rivalries|width=100%}}
{{Good article}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mets–Phillies Rivalry}}
[[Category:Major League Baseball rivalries]]
[[Category:New York Mets]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]' |
New page wikitext, after the edit (new_wikitext) | '{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; clear: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; width: 26em;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: {{{Color|LightSteelBlue}}};" | New York Mets – Philadelphia Phillies
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center" |[[Image:New York Mets Insignia.svg|120px|Mets logo|alt=The letters "N" and "Y", colored orange, overlapping and interlocked vertically on a blue background]] [[Image:Philadelphia Phillies Insignia.svg|120px|Phillies logo|alt=The letter "P", in white and in a script typeface, centered on a red background]]
|-
! style="background: #E0E7EF;" colspan="2" | History
|-
| '''First meeting''' || April 27, 1962
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Last meeting''' || May 1, 2011
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Next meeting''' || May 27, 2011
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Number of meetings''' || 844<ref name=Meetings>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/head2head-games.cgi?team1=PHI&team2=NYM&from=1901&to=2011|title=Head-to-Head results for Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets from 1901 to 2011|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=April 7, 2011}}</ref>
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Regular season series''' || 451–392–1 PHI<ref name=Meetings/>
|-
| style="vertical-align: middle;" | '''Largest victory''' || 19 runs (June 11, 1985;<br>PHI wins 26–7)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198506110.shtml|title=New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play by Play|date=June 11, 1985|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref>
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Current streak''' || NYM 1
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Longest NYM win streak''' || 10
|-
| style="vertical-align: top;" | '''Longest PHI win streak''' || 10
|}
The [[Sports rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[New York Mets]] and the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] of [[Major League Baseball]] is said to be among the best rivalries in the [[National League]] (NL),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2008/04/11/2008-04-11_metsphillies_rivalry_looking_like_what_m-2.html|title=Mets-Phillies rivalry looking like what Mets-Braves used to be |last=Bondy|first=Filip|date=April 11, 2008|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref> along with the [[Cardinals–Cubs rivalry|Cardinals–Cubs]] and the [[Dodgers–Giants rivalry|Dodgers–Giants]] rivalries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/28/baseball-best-rivalries-lifestyle-sports-baseball_slide_5.html|title=In Depth: Baseball's Most Intense Rivalries|publisher=Forbes|first=Matt|last=Woolsey|date=April 28, 2009|accessdate=May 25, 2009}}</ref> The two [[National League East]] divisional rivals have met each other frequently in playoff, division, and [[Major League Baseball Wild Card|Wild Card]] races.
A notable moment in the early history of the rivalry was [[Jim Bunning]]'s [[perfect game]] on Father's Day of 1964, the first [[List of Philadelphia Phillies no-hitters|perfect game in Phillies history]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/nohit_chrono.htm|title=No Hitters Chronologically|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=April 2, 2009}}</ref> Aside from several brawls in the 1980s, the rivalry remained relatively low-key before the [[2006 Major League Baseball season|2006 season]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/2006/05/24/2006-05-24_despite_long_game__rivalry_l.html|title=Despite long game, rivalry long way off|last=Bondy|first=Filip|date=May 24, 2006|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref> as the teams had seldom been equally good at the same time. The Phillies were near the bottom of the NL East when the Mets won the [[1969 World Series]] and the [[National League pennant]] in 1973, while the Mets did not enjoy success in the late 1970s when the Phillies won three straight division championships. Although both teams each won a [[World Series]] in the 1980s, the Mets were not serious contenders in the Phillies' playoff years (1980, 1981, and 1983), nor did the Phillies seriously contend in the Mets' playoff years (1986 and 1988). The Mets were the Majors' worst team when the Phillies won the NL pennant in 1993,<ref name="1993Season">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL_1993.shtml|title=1993 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> and the Phillies could not post a winning record in either of the Mets' wild-card-winning seasons of 1999 or 2000, when the Mets faced the [[New York Yankees]] in the [[2000 World Series]].
As the rivalry has intensified in recent years, the teams have battled more often for playoff position. The Mets won the division in 2006, while the Phillies won four consecutive division titles from 2007 to 2010. The Phillies' 2007 championship was won on the last day of the season as the Mets lost a seven-game lead with seventeen games remaining. The Phillies broke the [[Curse of Billy Penn]] to win the [[2008 World Series]], while the Mets' last title came in the [[1986 World Series]].
Actually the only problem is that the Mets are nickers
==1980s–1990s==
[[File:Mike Schmidt.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mike Schmidt]] won the 1986 Most Valuable Player Award over two Mets.|alt=A man in his late fifties wearing a white baseball cap and a light-blue polo shirt looks to the right of the image, following a golf ball he just hit.]]
===1986===
The Mets won the National League East by {{frac|21|1|2}} games in 1986, but the Phillies were the only team in the league to post a winning record against the eventual World Series champions, posting a 10–8 record with a 7–2 mark at Veterans Stadium. On September 12, up by 22 games, the Mets needed to win one game to clinch the division and came to Philadelphia for a weekend series. The Mets brought champagne with them to Philadelphia and before the series, Mets manager [[Davey Johnson]] told the Associated Press, "It will be nice to clinch in Philadelphia. It gives us a chance to beat the only team in our way...I have a nice warm feeling about this."<ref>{{cite news|title=They'd Rather Clinch in Philadelphia|date=September 12, 1986|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|page=83|first=Brian|last=Trusdell}}</ref> He told ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'': "For the fans...it would be nicer to clinch at home. But for the safety...and the livelihood of the players...it's better to do it on the road."<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets Set to Clinch Vs. Phils|date=September 12, 1986|first=Peter|last=Pascarelli|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=D1}}</ref> Instead, [[Mike Schmidt]] hit a three-run homer in the opening game of the series and Phillies rookie [[Bruce Ruffin]] outpitched Mets ace [[Dwight Gooden]] as the Phillies won, 6–3.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B09120PHI1986.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 3|date=September 12, 1986|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> When the Phillies won the second game of the series, 6–5,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B09130PHI1986.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 5|date=September 13, 1986|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> Mets fans at the park became unruly and damaged seats in the upper deck.<ref name="MetsFans-1986">{{cite news|title=30 Vet Seats Smashed by Mets Fans|date=September 15, 1986|first=Robert J.|last=Terry|first2=David|last2=Lieber|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=B8}}</ref> One Mets fan was arrested after striking at two Philadelphia police officers.<ref name="MetsFans-1986"/> The Phillies completed the series by beating the Mets, 6–0, behind a shutout from [[Kevin Gross]], who also plated two [[Run (baseball)|runs]] with a fourth-inning triple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1986/B09140PHI1986.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Mets 0|date=September 14, 1986|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=July 14, 2009}}</ref> (The Mets did eventually clinch the division at [[Shea Stadium]] on September 17.<ref>{{cite news|title=Finally, the Mets achieve the Inevitable Title|date=September 18, 1986|first=Joseph|last=Durso|newspaper=New York Times|page=B17|authorlink=Joe Durso}}</ref>) Despite the Mets' successful season, it was Schmidt who won the [[National League MVP Award]], ahead of the Mets' [[Gary Carter]], who finished third, and [[Keith Hernandez]], who finished fourth. It was Schmidt's third career MVP.<ref>{{cite news|title=Schmidt is National League MVP|date=November 20, 1986|first=Peter|last=Pascarelli|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=A1}}</ref>
===1987–1988===
The Phillies continued to play [[Spoiler (sports)|spoiler]] in 1987. The Mets went 13–5 against the Phillies in 1987 and outscored Philadelphia 94–56. However, the Phillies won two of three from the Mets in June, including breaking up a Mets no-hitter, and then took two of three in September to hurt the Mets' chances of winning the division significantly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1987-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1987 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=January 11, 2010}}</ref>
The Mets' [[Ron Darling]] took a no-hitter and 4–0 lead into the eighth inning against the Phillies on June 28 at the Vet before 52,206 fans. Philadelphia's [[Greg Gross]] pinch-hit and tripled to lead off the eighth inning, breaking up the no-hitter. [[Juan Samuel]] then singled to break up the shutout, and the Phillies came back with nine hits against [[Jesse Orosco]] and [[Roger McDowell]], scoring five runs to win 5–4. It would have been the first no-hitter in Mets history.<ref>{{cite news |first=Joseph |last=Durso|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A tough day for pitchers as Mets and Yanks lose; no no-hitter for Darling|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/29/sports/a-tough-day-for-pitchers-as-mets-and-yanks-lose-no-no-hitter-for-darling.html?pagewanted=1 |work=New York Times |date=June 29, 1987 |accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> Compounding the loss for the Mets, the Phillies were in last place at the time, and the loss dropped the Mets {{frac|6|1|2}} games behind the first-place Cardinals who they would play the next day. Of the win and the Mets, Mike Schmidt said, "The Mets don't like to give credit when they lose, but they have to do it today."<ref>{{cite news |first=Ben|last=Walker|title=Phillies spoil Darling's no-hit bid|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oxsQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YIsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5032,5198739&dq=ron+darling+1987+mets+phillies+new+york+times|newspaper=The Free Lance–Star |page=9|date=June 29, 1987 |accessdate=July 15, 2009|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
On September 28, the Mets came into Philadelphia for a three-game series against the Phillies. The Mets were {{frac|2|1|2}} games out of first with six games left: three against the Phillies and the last three against the first-place Cardinals. They had an opportunity to win the division and were playing the Phillies, against whom they had a season record of 12–3. The Mets won the opener, 1–0, to move within two games back with five remaining to play. However, the Phillies effectively ended their season on September 29. As the Cardinals swept a [[Doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] from the [[Montréal Expos]], the Phillies' [[Don Carman]] pitched a complete-game one-hitter, facing only 28 batters to shut out the Mets. After the game, Mets manager Davey Johnson said, "How does it feel now? Empty? Not yet. But we need to get help. When you play 162 games and you're eliminated, then you feel empty. And sick." He promised reporters, "We're going to win tomorrow night.".<ref>{{cite news |first=Joseph|last=Durso|title=Mets, Almost Held Hitless, Are Left Almost Hopeless|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/30/sports/mets-almost-held-hitless-are-left-almost-hopeless.html|work=New York Times |page=B7|date=September 30, 1987 |accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> The following night, Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden struck out 10, and left after pitching nine innings with the score tied at three runs each, but the Phillies' [[Luis Aguayo]] won the game with a 10th-inning pinch-hit home run off of Orosco, clinching at least a tie for first place in the division for the Cardinals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198709300.shtml|title=New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play-by-Play|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref>
The 1988 Mets returned to the playoffs, but the Phillies, who finished in sixth place in the division with a 65–96 record,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1988.shtml|title=1988 Philadelphia Phillies Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref> beat the Mets 8 times in 18 games, the third-best record against them of any team in the league.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1988-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1988 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref> The Mets won their second division title in three years against the Phillies, and like two years before, did it at home.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets Clinch NL East—Triumph Over the Phils 3–1|date=September 23, 1988|first=Peter|last=Pascarelli|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=C1|quote=Protected by a platoon of riot-trained New York police, the Phillies had a front-row seat for the celebration...They came here with a chance to...delay the Mets' title. Instead, they offered no resistance by falling three straight times.}}</ref> In the postseason, the Mets lost to the eventual champion Dodgers in the [[1988 National League Championship Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1988.shtml|title=1988 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref>
===1989–1990===
[[File:Juan Samuel.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The Phillies traded [[Juan Samuel]] ''(pictured)'' to the Mets after a game between the teams for [[Roger McDowell]] and [[Lenny Dykstra]].|alt=A dark-skinned man in his mid-forties wearing a gray baseball uniform stands with arms akimbo. His uniform reads "Orioles" in orange script lettering across the chest, with a block "11" below it in orange, and is accompanied by a black batting helmet.]]
On June 18, 1989, after a Mets–Phillies game, the Phillies traded Samuel to the Mets for McDowell and [[Lenny Dykstra]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Joseph |last=Durso|title=Mets Get Samuel for McDowell, Dykstra |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/19/sports/mets-get-samuel-for-mcdowell-dykstra.html?pagewanted=print|newspaper=New York Times|date=June 19, 1989|accessdate=July 15, 2009|quote=The Phillies' trade...with the Mets was announced after the game.|page=C1}}</ref> Dykstra was a career .278 hitter with the Mets and had not equaled his 1986 season when he hit .295.<ref name="dykstra">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dykstle01.shtml|title=Lenny Dykstra Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 25, 2009}}</ref> Dykstra flourished in Philadelphia and went on to be named to three All-Star teams in six full seasons with the Phillies, finish in the top ten in National League [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] voting twice, and help lead the Phillies to the [[1993 National League Championship Series|1993 National League pennant]].<ref name="dykstra"/> McDowell [[Save (baseball)|saved]] 45 games for the Phillies in parts of three seasons<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdowro01.shtml|title=Roger McDowell Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> and became a fan favorite. The trade was a bust for the Mets as Samuel hit only .228 for the Mets in 1989 and was traded to the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] after the 1989 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/samueju01.shtml|title=Juan Samuel Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> It signaled an ascent of the Phillies which culminated in their 1993 National League pennant and the demise of the Mets in the early 1990s. ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' writer and Mets fan David Vecsey counts the Dykstra trade as one of the five worst in Mets history, writing, "Never mind that Dykstra was better than Samuel, this trade was devastating to Mets fans on a purely personal level. With one phone call, [[General manager (baseball)|GM]] [[Joe McIlvaine]] gutted the team of its heart."<ref>{{cite web|first=David|last=Vecsey|title=Say It Ain't So... Transactions that broke our hearts |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/02/06/sayitaintso_mets/ |year=2001 |work=CNN Sports Illustrated|accessdate=July 15, 2009}}</ref> The trade also ushered in a period of bad blood between the two teams.
On September 27, 1989, the Phillies faced the Mets in their home finale at [[Shea Stadium]] in New York after a disappointing Mets season. The Mets had won the East in 1988 but were in third place on September 26 behind the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. McDowell was closing out a 5–3 win for the Phillies when, with two outs in the ninth, he induced former teammate [[Gregg Jeffries]] to ground out to second to end the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1989/B09270NYN1989.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 5, New York Mets 3|date=September 27, 1989|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> As Jeffries was running out the play, McDowell said something to him prompting Jeffries to charge the mound and wrestle McDowell to the ground. The benches cleared and punches were exchanged before the umpires could separate the teams.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets' Finishing in Turmoil on Field and Off|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/28/sports/mets-finishing-in-turmoil-on-field-and-off.html|newspaper=New York Times|date=September 28, 1989|accessdate=November 4, 2010|first=Clifton|last=Brown|page=D23}}</ref> Jeffries later claimed that McDowell had thrown at him during a 2–1 Phillies victory on September 25.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mets lose brawl-filled home finale |url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xQgSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MuoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7220,9301111&dq=phillies+mets+brawl|newspaper=Gainesville Sun|date=September 28, 1989|accessdate=July 15, 2009|author=Associated Press}}</ref>
The brawling continued in 1990. During an August 9 game at Shea, Gooden hit Phillies hitters [[Dickie Thon]] and [[Tommy Herr]].<ref name=1990Brawl>{{cite news|title=Phillies Suffer Fight-Marked Loss to Mets|date=August 10, 1990|first=Michael|last=Bamberger|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=D1}}</ref> When Gooden came to bat in the fifth inning, Phillies pitcher [[Pat Combs]] hit Gooden in the knee with a fastball.<ref name=1990Brawl/> Phillies outfielder [[Von Hayes]] defended Combs after the game, "Gooden better expect retaliation if he keeps hitting guys with {{convert|95|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} fastballs. We've got to protect our players."<ref name="wms">{{cite news|author=Associated Press|title=Phils, Mets turn game into brawl|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cc8VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_hMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6920,3897799&dq=1990+phillies+mets+brawl|newspaper=Wilmington Morning Star|page=3B|date=August 11, 1990|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref> Gooden charged the mound and tackled Combs. Phillies catcher [[Darren Daulton]] followed Gooden and landed a series of punches on the back of Gooden's head. [[Darryl Strawberry]] had been in the Mets clubhouse and rushed the field after Daulton but was himself blindsided by Hayes. Of Daulton, Gooden later said, "Daulton was the guy we wanted most. He's a cheap-shot artist. We learned that about him last year," referring to the September 1989 fight.<ref name="wms" /> Six players and Phillies coach [[Mike Ryan (catcher)|Mike Ryan]] were ejected from the game. Eight players were later fined, including the Mets' [[Tim Teufel]], who said, "It was money well spent. Sometimes you just have to defend yourself and your teammates."<ref>{{cite news|author=Associated Press|title=Eight fined for Phillies, Mets brawl|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yFoNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1m4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6688,4548292&dq=fined+phillies+mets|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|page=24|date=August 14, 1990|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref>
===1991–1994===
[[File:John Franco 2008-09-28.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[John Franco]] threatened to "kick [Lenny Dykstra's] butt" if he crossed the picket line during the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike]].|alt=A man in a white baseball jersey and blue jeans stands on home plate with his arms upraised.]]
The tone of baseball rivalries changed in the early 1990s; fraternization between players who had moved to different teams or knew each other from various ventures kept baseball rivalries to a "friendly" level.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rival relationships: Love to hate romance|last=Bradley|first=Jeff|date=July 20, 1993|newspaper=New York Daily News|quote=It's clear that this is the way of sports in the '90s, love conquering all. By now, we're used to opposing...baseball players holding tender reunions around the batting cage...Seems all you ever hear about these days are 'friendly rivalries.'}}</ref> However, Major League Baseball's 1994 divisional re-alignment solidified the rivalry between the Phillies and Mets. The [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], former members of the National League East and [[Phillies–Pirates rivalry|in-state rival]]s of the Phillies, moved into the newly created [[National League Central]] Division, and the [[Atlanta Braves]], former members of the [[National League West]], entered the division.<ref name="realign"/> Prior to the switch, the East Division contained seven teams, spread out over a wider geographical area, including the St. Louis Cardinals and the [[Chicago Cubs]], as well as the expansion [[Florida Marlins]].<ref name="1993Season"/><ref name="realign">{{cite news|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6-YTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3gcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6390,4161911&dq=phillies+mets+rivalry&hl=en|title=Pirates agree to move to new division|date=September 16, 1993|newspaper=Ocala Star-Banner|accessdate=October 15, 2009|agency=Associated Press|page=1C}}</ref> Members of all 28 teams, including the Phillies and Mets, drew together during the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|1994 labor stoppage]], but players from both teams were on opposite sides of the argument even then. Dykstra claimed that he was losing $30,000 (${{formatnum:{{inflation|US|30000|1995}}}} in current dollars) per day for every day he did not work during the strike.<ref name="strike">{{cite book|last=Jennings|first=Kenneth M.|title=Swings and misses: moribund labor relations in professional baseball|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=1997|page=123|isbn=0275957977|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=sOi2zJxhMb0C&pg=PA123&dq=effect+of+1994+strike+on+baseball+phillies+mets#v=onepage&q=effect%20of%201994%20strike%20on%20baseball%20phillies%20mets&f=false}}</ref> While other players chastised Dykstra for his comments, Mets pitcher and player representative [[John Franco]] intimated that if someone crossed the [[picket line]], as Dykstra suggested, {{" '}}once we get back in I'll be the first to kick his [butt] {{sic}}{{' "}}.<ref name="strike"/>
===1995–2000===
The division-rival Braves defeated the [[Cleveland Indians]] in the [[1995 World Series]]; on the way to doing so, they left the rest of the division behind them. The Mets and Phillies finished in second and third places in the division, respectively, with identical 69–75 records; the Braves were the only National League East team to finish above .500.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1995.shtml?redir|title=1995 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets and Phillies staged a close battle for second place, with New York coming out ahead, taking 7 victories from the 13-game season series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/1995-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1995 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> Both the Mets and Phillies finished near the bottom of the division in 1996: the Mets ended the season in fourth place, with a 71–91 record, while the Phillies finished last (67–95).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1996.shtml|title=1996 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets took a second consecutive close season series from the Phillies, with an identical 7–6 record to the prior year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1996-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1996 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The 1997 Mets improved to 88–74, but that record was only good for third place in the division, as the Braves finished with 101 wins and the Marlins, with a record of 92–70, took the National League wild card and won the [[1997 World Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1997.shtml|title=1997 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Phillies, meanwhile, languished in last place behind the Expos, with a 68–94 record, and only managed to take 5 of 12 games from the Mets that season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1997-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1997 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> including a September 9 game at Shea Stadium that was a moment of peace in the rivalry to remember former Phillies player and broadcaster and original Met [[Richie Ashburn]], who died that morning.<ref>{{cite news|quote=The victory furnished a bittersweet stamp on a somber day that began with wake-up calls informing players of the sudden death of the beloved Ashburn, the Phillies icon who was in his 35th season as one of the club's broadcasters.|title=Brogna's Home Run and Green's Pitching Gem Defeat Mets|date=September 10, 1997|first=Jim|last=Salisbury|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=D1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Phillies 1, Mets 0|date=September 10, 1997|first=Ronald|last=Blum|agency=Associated Press|quote=The Mets played a pregame scoreboard tribute to Ashburn, who played with them in their inaugural season of 1962. The flag was at half staff in his memory, and the Phillies will wear black armbands on their left sleeves for the rest of the season.}}</ref>
The 1998 Mets finished in second place, with the Phillies right behind them in third. The Braves finished with the best record in the National League (106 wins), but were unable to make it to the World Series. The Mets finished over .500 for the second straight year, aided by their 8–4 record against the Phillies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1998-standings.shtml|title=1998 National League Standings and Head-to-Head|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The standings were identical the next season, as the Mets faced the Braves in the [[1999 National League Championship Series]]; they were defeated, and the Braves lost to the [[New York Yankees]] in the ensuing [[1999 World Series|World Series]]. The Phillies and Mets split the season series, six games each; the Phillies finished under .500 for the sixth consecutive season with a 77–85 record.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1999-standings.shtml|title=1999 National League Standings and Head-to-Head|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets won the wild card again in 2000, finishing one game behind the Braves in the division and defeating the Cardinals in the [[2000 National League Championship Series|League Championship Series]] to face the Yankees in the [[2000 World Series]]. Though the Phillies finished in last place in the division with a 65–97 record, they defeated the Mets in the season series, 7–6.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2000-standings.shtml|title=2000 National League Standings and Head-to-Head|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref>
==21st century==
===2001–2003: Unbalanced schedule===
Major League Baseball changed its [[Major League Baseball schedule|scheduling format]] in 2001, further intensifying division matchups throughout the league. The new "unbalanced schedule" allowed for additional games each season between divisional rivals, replacing additional series with teams outside the division.<ref name="ubs">{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/03/20/unbalanced/|title=New schedule will make for some hot division races|last=Donovan|first=John|date=March 21, 2001|work=CNNSI.com|publisher=CNN / Sports Illustrated|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> Due to the change, the Phillies and Mets now played each other 17 or more times each season (19 times in 2001).<ref name="2001PHI">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2001-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2001 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> Early on, the unbalanced schedule favored the Mets, who had a winning percentage of .540 (27–23) against the division in the 2000 season, while the Phillies managed a .451 mark (23–28);<ref name="ubs"/> the trend held true in 2001, when the Mets won the season series over the Phillies, 11–8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2001-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2001 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> The scheduling drew criticism both when it was enacted and after the fact, with some analysts even positing that the unbalanced schedule ''hurt'' intra-divisional play.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=2330|title=Checks and Balances: Looking at the Unbalanced Schedule|last=Click|first=James|date=September 19, 2003|publisher=Baseball Prospectus|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> This, however, did not affect the Phillies and Mets, as they drew an average of 27,926 fans to their games in 2001.<ref name="2001PHI"/> Attendance for the rivalry games increased in 2002, to 29,403 fans per game, as the Phillies bested the Mets in the season series, 10–9,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2002-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2002 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref> and was strong in 2003, when they drew nearly 28,000 fans per game and the Phillies took their second consecutive season series, 12–7.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2003-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2003 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=October 15, 2009}}</ref>
===2005–2006: The rivalry intensifies===
[[File:Billy Wagner Pitching crop.jpg|thumb|right|[[Billy Wagner]] ''(pictured)'' and [[Pat Burrell]] exchanged verbal shots in the media during 2006 and 2007.|alt=A left-handed man in his mid-thirties wearing a black baseball jersey and cap and white baseball pants throws a baseball from a pitcher's mound.]]
The signing of former Phillies closer [[Billy Wagner]] by the Mets between the 2005 and 2006 seasons was a factor in the intensification of the rivalry. [[Pat Burrell]] and Wagner became embroiled in heated media discussions after Wagner departed the Phillies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2439358|title=Wagner has no regrets over comments|date=May 9, 2006|work=ESPN.com|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> For the first time in 2006, both franchises fielded contenders until deep into the season. The Mets steadily led the NL East (finally supplanting the decade-long division champions, the Atlanta Braves), while the Phillies maintained pace as a [[Major League Baseball Wild Card|wild card]] contender until the very end of the season. The Mets won the head-to-head season matchup, beating the Phillies 11 out of 18 times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2006-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2006 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref> The Mets won the division, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the [[2006 National League Championship Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2006.shtml|title=2006 National League Team Statistics and Standings|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref>
===2007: Rollins calls out the Mets===
[[File:Jimmy Rollins.JPG|thumb|left|upright|[[Jimmy Rollins]] stated the Phillies were the team to beat during the 2007 preseason.|alt=A dark-skinned man in a red baseball jersey and red left-handed batting helmet walks on a baseball field; he appears to be in his mid-twenties. His jersey reads "Phillies" in white and red script, with two blue starts dotting the "i"s.]]
{{see also|2007 New York Mets season|2007 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
On January 23, 2007, Phillies [[shortstop]] [[Jimmy Rollins]] made a statement that may have set the rivalry in a dead heat: "I think we are the team to beat in the NL East… but that's only on paper."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2009-03-05-nleast-cover_N.htm|title=Battle lines drawn: Who gets the last word in the NL East?|last=White|first=Paul|date=March 6, 2009|publisher=USA Today|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> Many Mets fans and players laughed at the prediction, especially once the Phillies stumbled out of the gate in April, starting the season at 1–6 and posting an 11–14 record for the month.<ref name="07Phils">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2007_sched.shtml|title=2007 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> The Mets, meanwhile, sat firmly in the NL East lead for almost all of the season.<ref name="07Mets">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2007_sched.shtml|title=2007 New York Mets Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref>
As the season wore on, Philadelphia developed momentum as a wild-card contender. The Phillies dominated the Mets in head-to-head play, posting three separate series sweeps, including a pivotal sweep of a four-game series at [[Citizens Bank Park]] in Philadelphia during late August which included two walk-off hits by [[Chase Utley]] and [[Ryan Howard]] and comeback victories for the Phillies in three of the four games. During the season, Burrell also hit two home runs off Wagner, resulting in two [[blown save]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/b-pvb.cgi?n1=burrepa01#choice=&throws=&minPA2=0&minPA=0&orderbydir=DESC&orderbydirb=ASC&n1=burrepa01&as=batter&year_game=2007&opp_id=&orderby=Name&orderbyb=PA|title=Pat Burrell vs. Pitchers for 2007|work=Baseball-Reference.com Play Index|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> By the time Philadelphia swept the Mets at Shea Stadium in mid-September, the Phillies were threatening to move from wild-card contender to division leader. With seventeen games left to play, the Mets led the Phillies by seven games; during that final stretch, the Mets won only five games and lost twelve, while the Phillies went 13–4. On the final day of the season, the Phillies won the division, backing up Rollins' quote. Mets starter [[Tom Glavine]] gave up seven runs in the first inning to the Florida Marlins,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2007/B09300NYN2007.htm|title=Florida Marlins 8, New York Mets 1publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> while the Phillies beat the [[Washington Nationals]] behind Philadelphian [[Jamie Moyer]] to win the division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2007/B09300PHI2007.htm|title=Philadelphia Phillies 6, Washington Nationals 1|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> Rollins capped his prediction by adding his first career [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player award]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2007.shtml#NLmvp|title=Baseball Awards Voting for 2007|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> According to [[Baseball Prospectus]], the Mets' collapse over the end of the season ranked statistically as the second-worst in baseball history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6764|title=Lies, Damned Lies: Blowing It|last=Silver|first=Nate|publisher=Baseball Prospectus|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> After the 2007 season, Wagner also said that <nowiki>"[the]</nowiki> collapse didn't come because the Phillies beat us, the collapse came because we played bad".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=klapisch_bob&id=3334995|title=Phillies-Mets rivalry building in intensity|last=Klapisch|first=Bob|date=April 8, 2008|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=June 15, 2009}}</ref>
===2008: Beltran fires back, Phillies win Series===
[[Image:Carlos Beltrán.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Carlos Beltrán]] responded to Jimmy Rollins' comment again during Spring Training in 2008.|alt=A man in his early thirties wearing a blue warm-up jacket and blue baseball cap rides on a motorized cart. His jacket has black stripes on the arms and "NY" in black on the breast.]]
{{see also|2008 New York Mets season|2008 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
On February 16, 2008, Mets center fielder [[Carlos Beltrán]] made a statement regarding the upcoming season. He stated that {{nowrap|"<nowiki>[without]</nowiki>}} [[Johan Santana|Santana]], we felt, as a team, that we had a chance to win in our division. With him now, I have no doubt that we're going to win in our division. I have no doubt in that. We've got what it takes. To Jimmy Rollins: We are the team to beat."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080216&content_id=2375631&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym|title=Beltran to Rollins: 'We're team to beat'|last=DiComo|first=Anthony|date=February 16, 2008|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=October 15, 2008}}</ref> Inasmuch as Beltran had imitated Rollins' 2007 preseason prediction, Rollins arrived in camp for Spring Training and responded: <blockquote>
"There isn’t a team in the National League that’s better than us. The pressure’s back on them if you ask me. They were on paper the best team in the division last year and they were supposed to win, and they didn’t. One, there are four other teams in our division who are going to make sure that doesn't happen, and two, has anyone ever heard of plagiarism? That was pretty good, especially coming from him. He's a quiet guy, so it was probably shocking when he said it. Not shocking in a bad way, like 'Wow, I can't believe he said that.' More like, 'Wow, he finally said something because he's a leader on that team and you definitely need to be a vocal leader."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/sports/baseball/21phillies.html?_r=1&ref=baseball|title=The Oracle of the Phillies Has the Last Words|last=Schwarz|first=Alan|date=February 21, 2008|work=New York Times|accessdate=January 19, 2009}}</ref>
</blockquote>
Throughout most of the season, the Phillies and Mets battled each other for the NL East lead, along with the Florida Marlins. Going into the final season series between the two teams, former Phillie and special hitting instructor Mike Schmidt fanned the flames of the rivalry with an e-mail to manager Charlie Manuel, later posted for the entire team in the clubhouse.<ref name="Schmidt"/> <blockquote>
"One pitch, one at bat, one play, one situation, think ‘small’ and ‘big’ things result, tough at-bats, lots of walks, stay up the middle with men on base, whatever it takes to ‘keep the line moving’ on offense, 27 outs on defense, the Mets know you’re better than they are… They remember last year. You guys are never out of a game. Welcome the challenge that confronts you this weekend. You are the stars. Good luck. [[Philadelphia Phillies#Retired numbers|#20]]."<ref name="Schmidt">{{cite web|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-phillies-schmidtsletter&prov=ap&type=lgns|title=Schmidt: Mets know Phillies are better than them|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Mike|date=September 5, 2008|work=Yahoo! Sports|publisher=Associated Press|accessdate=September 7, 2008}}</ref>
</blockquote>
Mets players reacted quickly; [[David Wright (baseball)|David Wright]] replied, "To each his own. He's obviously biased in his e-mails or letters. I see a starting pitcher that goes out there and throws like [[Brett Myers]] – that works much better than a rally cry from a former player."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3572063|title=Myers, Phillies 'better' than Mets in series opener|last=Nelson|first=Amy K.|date=September 5, 2008|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=November 25, 2009}}</ref> This response came a day after Myers defeated the Mets 3–0, throwing eight shutout innings and striking out ten. The Mets won the season series 11–7.<ref name="08Mets"/>
After the final season series, the Mets held onto first place until September 16, when a September surge moved the Phillies into first place.<ref name="08Phils">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2008_sched.shtml|title=2008 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> On September 19, however, the Phillies lost to the Florida Marlins while the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves to put New York back into the division lead.<ref name="08Mets">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2008_sched.shtml|title=2008 New York Mets Schedule|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> The results were reversed the following night, and the Phillies regained the top spot, where they would ultimately finish.<ref name="08Phils"/> The Phillies won the National League East on September 27, while the Mets were eliminated from postseason contention the next day with a 4–2 loss to the Florida Marlins in the final game at Shea Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qgazette.com/news/2008/1001/sports/037.html|title=Mets Lose Final Game At Shea|last=Miller|first=Dan|date=October 1, 2008|work=Queens Gazette|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref> The [[Milwaukee Brewers]] defeated the Chicago Cubs that day to clinch the National League wild card. This marked the second year in a row the Mets were eliminated from the playoffs on the last regular-season game. It also marked the first time in baseball history that a team had lost the last game of the season to miss the playoffs after holding a three-game lead in two consecutive seasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2008-09-29-extra-day_N.htm|title=Extra innings for baseball's regular season|last=Antonen|first=Mel|date=September 29, 2008|work=USA Today|accessdate=November 1, 2008}}</ref> After victories over the Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the [[Major League Baseball postseason|postseason]], the Phillies went on to win the [[2008 World Series|World Series]] over the [[Tampa Bay Rays]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2008_WS.shtml|title=2008 World Series|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=March 6, 2009}}</ref>
[[Image:Cole Hamels 2008 v Reds.JPG|thumb|left|[[Cole Hamels]] called the Mets "choke artists" after the Phillies' 2008 World Series victory.|alt=A left-handed man in his mid-twenties wearing a white baseball uniform and red baseball cap throws a baseball from a pitcher's mound.]]
====2008–2009 offseason====
During the team's post-parade celebration on October 31 at Citizens Bank Park, Jimmy Rollins took verbal shots at the Mets organization. "A lot of things were made in the offseason," Rollins said. "We can talk about the New York Mets. They brought in that great pitcher, Johan Santana, but they forgot that it takes more than one player to bring home a championship."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/10312008/sports/mets/rollins_takes_shot_at_mets_136236.htm|title=Phils' Rollins rips Mets|date=October 31, 2008|work=New York Post|accessdate=December 12, 2008}}</ref>
Nearing the end of 2008 and the thick of the offseason, World Series MVP [[Cole Hamels]] was asked by [[WFAN]] radio hosts whether he considered the Mets "choke artists". Hamels replied, "For the past two years they've been choke artists."<ref name="MetsChoke">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081211&content_id=3714026&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils' Hamels fires a salvo at Mets|last=Noble|first=Marty|date=December 11, 2008|work=MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=December 12, 2008}}</ref> He explained that he considered Mets shortstop [[José Reyes (shortstop)|José Reyes]] a [[Showboat#Showboating|showboater]] for his post-home run displays and that the Phillies had mocked their center fielder [[Shane Victorino]] for similar antics during the [[2008 National League Division Series|National League Division Series]].<ref name="MetsChoke"/>
On December 13, newly signed Mets closer [[Francisco Rodríguez (baseball, born 1982)|Francisco Rodríguez]] added his sentiments to the fray. "Of course we're going to be the frontrunner. Of course we're going to be the team to beat," Rodriguez told reporters. "I don't want there to be a controversy. I don't want the other team to take it personally, or take it in a bad way. But I'm a really competitive guy. I like to win. If they ask me, 'Oh, which ballclub is going to win the National League East?' It's going to be the Mets. Easy question."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spmets1214,0,2952737.story|title=K-Rod jumps right into Mets-Phillies rivalry|last=Davidoff|first=Ken|date=December 13, 2008|publisher=Newsday|accessdate=December 14, 2008}}</ref>
===2009: Martínez moves on; a second straight Series===
{{see also|2009 New York Mets season|2009 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
[[File:Francisco Rodríguez on June 18, 2009.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Francisco Rodríguez (baseball, born 1982)|Francisco Rodríguez]] claimed during the 2008–2009 offseason that the Mets would win the NL East.|alt=A right-handed man in his mid-twenties wearing a gray baseball uniform and black baseball cap with a blue brim follows through after throwing a baseball.]]
On May 1, the Phillies and Mets faced off for the first time in 2009 in a three-game series in Philadelphia; the Mets won the first game, 7–4, behind [[Daniel Murphy (baseball)|Daniel Murphy]] and [[Mike Pelfrey]] each driving in two runs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2009_05_01_nynmlb_phimlb_1|title=Boxscore: NY Mets 7, Philadelphia 4|date=May 1, 2009|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 2, 2009}}</ref> The Phillies won game two of the series, 6–5, on back-to-back walks issued by [[Sean Green (baseball)|Sean Green]] after [[Raúl Ibáñez]] tied the game with a home run in the sixth inning.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2009_05_02_nynmlb_phimlb_1&mode=gameday|title=NY Mets vs. Philadelphia – May 2, 2009|date=May 2, 2009|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 2, 2009}}</ref> After a rain postponement at Philadelphia on May 3, the Phillies played their first game at the Mets' new home, [[Citi Field]], on May 6; the Mets won both games of the two-game series.<ref name="metsmay1">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090506&content_id=4588224&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Park sharp in loss|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=May 6, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 8, 2009}}</ref><ref name="metsmay2">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090507&content_id=4609304&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Vet denied No. 250|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=May 7, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 8, 2009}}</ref> The Phillies returned to Citi Field on June 9, winning two out of the three-game series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=phi&m=6&y=2009|title=2009 Phillies Schedule (June)|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> In the series, two of the games were decided by only one run (closers Rodríguez and [[Ryan Madson]] earned saves in each game),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090609&content_id=5228528&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Homers not enough|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=June 9, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref><ref name="june10">{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090610&content_id=5251424&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Werth sets stage|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=June 10, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> and two games went to extra innings, both of which the Phillies won, on home runs by Utley and Ibáñez, respectively.<ref name="june10"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20090611&content_id=5274558&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=away&c_id=phi|title=Ibanez the hero|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=June 11, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> On July 3, the Phillies and Mets opened another three-game series at Citizens Bank Park; the Phillies swept the series, winning all three games 7–2, 4–1, and 2–0. During the [[2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star break]], the Phillies added fuel to the fire by signing [[free agent]] [[starting pitcher]] and former Met [[Pedro Martínez]], who finished a four-year contract with New York after the 2008 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-sppedro1612972336jul15,0,6294983.story|title=Pedro Martinez officially joins the Phillies|last=Drellich|first=Evan|date=July 15, 2009|publisher=Newsday|accessdate=July 18, 2009}}</ref> During his Mets career, Martínez posted a 32–23 record and a 3.88 [[earned run average]], but was hounded by injuries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2009/07/15/2009-07-15_pedro_martinez.html|title=Ex-Met Pedro Martinez joins Phillies, sets sights on Series, cheesesteaks |last=Red|first=Christian|date=July 15, 2009|publisher=New York Daily News|accessdate=July 18, 2009}}</ref>
{{Multiple image|align=left|direction=vertical|footer=[[Pedro Martínez]], who pitched for the Mets from 2005 to 2008, signed with the Phillies in 2009.|width=190|image1=Pedro Martínez 2008.jpg|alt1=A man in his late thirties wearing a gray baseball uniform and black baseball cap follows through after throwing a baseball with his right hand from a pitcher's mound.|image2=Pedro Martínez on September 8, 2009.jpg|alt2=The same man as above in a gray baseball uniform and red baseball cap throws a baseball with his right hand from a pitcher's mound.}}
Martínez faced off against the Mets on August 23 at Citi Field, when opposing starter [[Óliver Pérez]] allowed six runs in the first inning and was pulled in the middle of Martínez' first at-bat against his former club after falling behind, in the count 3–0. [[Ángel Pagán]] led off the Mets' first with an [[inside-the-park home run]] after the ball became lodged underneath the outfield wall. Martínez pitched six innings, allowing four runs, but the Mets continued to score in the late innings, bringing the score to 9–6 with a run off of Madson in the eighth. Closer [[Brad Lidge]], who had struggled to this point in the season (0–5 with three [[blown save]]s), allowed another run to score and had runners on first and second, thanks in part to a [[Glossary of baseball (B)#booted|booted]] base hit and an [[error (baseball)|error]] by [[Eric Bruntlett]]. The Mets had no outs and [[Jeff Francoeur]] was at the plate representing the [[Glossary of baseball (G)#go-ahead run|go-ahead run]]. Francoeur hit a [[line drive]] over the second base bag, where Bruntlett caught it, stepped on second base, and tagged Murphy coming from first to complete the 15th [[unassisted triple play]] in baseball's modern era and the second in [[History of the Philadelphia Phillies|Phillies history]] ([[Mickey Morandini]]).<ref>{{cite news |first=David|last=Gurian-Peck|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Phils back Pedro in NY, win on rare feat |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090823&content_id=6571854&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|work= |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=August 23, 2009|accessdate=August 24, 2009}}</ref>
During this August series, Rollins was asked about the Mets' struggles during a season in which the Mets were expected to challenge the Phillies in the division. Rollins said, "I want them to be good. You love to play good teams. Probably because of where we’ve both been the last couple years, the rivalry is still there, smoldering just underneath. Even if we’re both bad, we want to at least be able to say we’re better than them. But you want them to be good.”<ref>{{cite news |first=William C.|last=Rhoden|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=It Seemingly Can’t Get Worse, but the Mets Find a Way |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/sports/baseball/25rhoden.html?ref=sports|work=New York Times |date=August 24, 2009|accessdate=August 25, 2009}}</ref> The Mets came to Philadelphia for their last series of the season on September 11. The Phillies won game one, 4–2, but the Mets came from behind in the second game of the series, scoring five runs in the final two innings to win 10–9. Making up a postponed game from earlier in the season, the Phillies won the first game of a [[day-night doubleheader]] behind [[Kyle Kendrick]]'s first major league victory in 13 months. Eight shutout innings from Martínez in the [[Glossary of baseball (N)#nightcap|nightcap]] gave the Phillies a 1–0 win, a 3–1 win in the 4-game set,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090913&content_id=6944264&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Pedro's gem gives Phils twin-bill sweep|last=Gurian-Peck|first=David|date=September 14, 2009|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=September 15, 2009}}</ref> and a 12–6 win in the season series.<ref name="2009splits">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2009-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2009 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=September 6, 2008}}</ref> The win also eliminated the Mets from a chance at the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090913&content_id=6944016&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym|title=Redding solid, but Mets stifled in nightcap|last=Noble|first=Marty|date=September 14, 2009|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=September 15, 2009}}</ref>
In October, the Phillies faced off against the Mets' [[Mets–Yankees rivalry|cross-town rivals]], the New York Yankees, in the [[2009 World Series]], losing four games to two. Bill Price of the [[New York Daily News]] called the teams "our two worst enemies",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/10/27/2009-10-27_do_mets_fans_root_phillies_yankees.html|title=Do Mets fans root for the Philadelphia Phillies or New York Yankees in the World Series?|last=Price|first=Bill|date=October 27, 2009|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=October 29, 2009}}</ref> while Steve Politi of [[The Star-Ledger]] called the matchup "the worst World Series ever" for a Mets fan,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2009/10/diary_of_a_mets_fan_game_1_phi.html|title=Diary of a Mets fan: Game 1 Phillies-Yankees|last=Politi|first=Steve|date=October 29, 2009|work=The Star-Ledger|accessdate=October 29, 2009}}</ref> like {{wsy|1986}} was for a Yankees fan, as the Mets played the Yankees' [[Yankees – Red Sox rivalry|fierce rival]], [[Boston Red Sox]].<ref>{{cite news|title=It's More than Baseball; For Yankee Fans, A Painful Series|date=October 19, 1986|first=Dennis|last=Hevesi|newspaper=New York Times|page=A51}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|quote=What about the dilemma of the Yankee fans? This may be a series to eat their hearts out. As a Mets-oriented T-shirt says, 'Steinbrenner's Nightmare.'|title=And What If You're a Yankees Fan?|date=October 18, 1986|first=Richard C.|last=Firstman|newspaper=Newsday|page=83}}</ref>
===2010===
[[File:Jeff Francoeur on May 9, 2010.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Jeff Francoeur]] claimed that Major League Baseball's decision to move a series with the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] from the [[Rogers Centre]] to Philadelphia was "not fair" and "ridiculous".]]
{{see also|2010 New York Mets season|2010 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
On February 11, newly acquired starting pitcher [[Roy Halladay]] named Johan Santana of the Mets as "fun to watch" when asked who he thought was the best pitcher in the NL East, also praising teammate Cole Hamels and the pitchers for the [[Florida Marlins]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20100211_Halladay_praises_Hamels_in_interview.html|title=Halladay praises Hamels in interview|last=Martino|first=Andy|date=February 11, 2010|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|accessdate=February 20, 2010|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5ngiv2Hih|archivedate=February 20, 2010}}</ref> adding that he "[steers] clear of that" (the "war of words").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100219&content_id=8101600&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Bodley: Doc ready to join NL, contender|last=Bodley|first=Hal|date=February 19, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=February 20, 2010}}</ref> When asked the same question, Santana named himself as the division's best,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/2010/02/ny_mets_ace_johan_santana_says.html|title=NY Mets ace Johan Santana says he is still the best pitcher in the NL East|last=Costas|first=Brian|date=February 18, 2010|work=The Star-Ledger|accessdate=February 20, 2010|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5ngiyTwdC|archivedate=February 20, 2010}}</ref> but Jimmy Rollins disagreed, saying "Overall Roy is better, as far as pitching is concerned".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100223&content_id=8120648&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Rollins: '10 Phils may be better than '09|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=February 23, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=February 25, 2010}}</ref> Hamels commented before the year's opening series in April that the Mets and Phillies playing one another is "good for both cities", noting that "this is going to be a very exciting rivalry this season".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100429&content_id=9675176&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils ready to rekindle rivalry with Mets|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=April 30, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=April 30, 2010}}</ref> Mets pitcher [[Mike Pelfrey]] agreed, stating that "[this] will be a fun series for us".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100429&content_id=9668598&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Mets' success reignites rivalry with Phils|last=DiComo|first=Anthony|date=April 30, 2010|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=April 30, 2010}}</ref>
Beginning on April 30, the Phillies and Mets faced off in their first three-game series of the season in Philadelphia; the Mets won the first game, 9–1, behind two home runs from former Phillie [[Rod Barajas]], who was booed by the Citizens Bank Park crowd.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/sports/baseball/01mets.html?ref=sports|title=After Bullying Lesser Teams, Mets Beat Up One of the Best|last=Waldstein|first=David|date=April 30, 2010|work=The New York Times|accessdate=May 1, 2010}}</ref> However, the Phillies took the series by winning the final two games, 10–0—behind a three-hit shutout by Halladay<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100501&content_id=9719090&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Doc orders up shutout as Phils break out bats|last=Jasner|first=Andy|date=May 1, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 2, 2010}}</ref>—and 11–5, scoring 10 runs against Santana, the most given up in a start during his major league career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100502&content_id=9755402&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils channel history in retaking first place|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=May 2, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 3, 2010}}</ref>
Barajas accused the Phillies of stealing their signs during the Mets' May 2 loss, an allegation which Charlie Manuel denied.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/sports/baseball/26phillies.html|title=Despite Phillies’ Lead, Manager Is Wary of Mets|last=Belson|first=Ken|date=May 25, 2010|work=The New York Times|accessdate=May 27, 2010}}</ref>
On May 12, between the teams' two series in that month, Major League Baseball announced that the Phillies' scheduled series against the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] would be played in Philadelphia, citing security concerns for the [[2010 G-20 Toronto summit|G-20 Summit]]; the Blue Jays would still bat last, and [[American League]] rules, including the [[designated hitter]], would be used.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100511&content_id=9963194&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb|title=Jays' set vs. Phillies moved to Philadelphia|last=Bastian|first=Jordan|date=May 11, 2010|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref> Outfielder [[Jeff Francoeur]] reacted, calling the move "ridiculous" and "not fair"; the [[New York Daily News]] said that the switch gave the Phillies "perhaps an unfair advantage".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/05/12/2010-05-12_extra_home_games_for_phillies_upset_new_york_mets_outfielder_jeff_francoeur_ike_.html#ixzz0niBMX6uc|title=Extra home games for Phillies upset New York Mets outfielder Jeff Francoeur, Ike Davis takes a dive|last=Gagne|first=Matt|last2=Brennan|first2=Sean|coauthors=Martino, Andy|date=May 12, 2010|work=New York Daily News|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref>
On May 26, the series shifted to Citi Field, with the Mets shutting out the Phillies on three consecutive nights, with an 8–0 victory by [[knuckleball]] pitcher [[R.A. Dickey]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN201005250.shtml|title=Phillies at Mets Box Score and Play by Play|date=May 25, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> a 5–0 win by [[Hisanori Takahashi]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN201005260.shtml|title=Phillies at Mets Box Score and Play by Play|date=May 26, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> and a 3–0 victory from Pelfrey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN201005270.shtml|title=Phillies at Mets Box Score and Play by Play|date=May 27, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> It was the first time that Mets pitchers had posted three consecutive shutouts since 1988,<ref name=Shutouts/> and the first time that Philadelphia was shut out in three consecutive contests since 1983;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2010_05_28_phimlb_flomlb_1&mode=preview|title=Marlins-Phils set for NL East showdown|last=Miller|first=Doug|date=May 27, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=May 28, 2010}}</ref> the last time that a Mets team shut out the same opponent in three straight games was in 1969, against the Phillies.<ref name=Shutouts>{{cite news|url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=300527121&print=1|title=Mets zero in, shut out Phils for 3rd straight day|date=May 28, 2010|publisher=Yahoo!|accessdate=May 28, 2010|first=Ben|last=Walker|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
The Mets visited Citizens Bank Park for a three-game series starting on August 6. The Phillies defeated the Mets in the opener, 7–5, after scoring six runs in the eighth inning; newly acquired Phillie [[Mike Sweeney]] had two hits in the rally.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100806&content_id=13119172&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phils push Mets away with six-run eighth|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=August 6, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=August 9, 2010}}</ref> New York evened the series with a 1–0 victory behind {{frac|7|1|3}} shutout innings from Santana,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI201008070.shtml|title=New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies Play by Play and Box Score|date=August 7, 2010|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=August 9, 2010}}</ref> but Philadelphia took the series with a 6–5 win in Sunday's rubber match; Ibáñez extended his career-long hitting streak to 16 games, while Halladay struck out 10 batters in seven innings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100808&content_id=13187498&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Hot-hitting Ibanez, Doc's 10 K's pace Phils|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=August 8, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=August 9, 2010}}</ref> After a series with the Dodgers, Philadelphia faced New York again, this time at Citi Field. Dickey and Hamels engaged in a pitcher's duel; the knuckleballer won, 1–0, on a one-hit shutout. In the second game, Halladay turned the tables with an eight-inning shutout performance after the Phillies scored three unearned runs due to an error by Wright. [[Kyle Kendrick]] defeated Pelfrey in the final game of the series, 3–1, to seal the Phillies' second straight series victory.
On September 10, the Phillies traveled to Citi Field for the last time in 2010. The Phillies won the first game 8–4 behind home runs by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Roy Halladay earned his 18th win of the season. The next day, the Mets won 4–3 behind [[Ike Davis]]' four-hit, three-RBI game. Mike Pelfrey pitched {{frac|7|1|3}} innings to pick up the win. The Phillies won the rubber match 3–0. [[Roy Oswalt]] dominated Mets batters by pitching a four-hit shutout. This was Oswalt's first complete game as a member of the Phillies. This win would move the Phillies into first place in the NL East standings.
On September 24, The Phillies and the Mets squared off for the last time in the 2010 season in a three-game series in Philadelphia. The Phillies won their 11th consecutive game by a score of 3–2 behind 7 solid innings by pitcher [[Joe Blanton]]. The Mets would end the Phillies' winning streak the next day by winning 5–2. The Mets scored 5 runs in the 7th inning with [[Lucas Duda]]'s bases clearing double giving them the lead. The Mets would also take the series finale by a score of 7–3. Carlos Beltran hit two home runs in the game. The Mets bullpen pitched {{frac|4|1|3}} scoreless innings to preserve the victory. That win would prevent the Phillies from clinching the division in front of their fans.
On September 27, the Phillies defeated the [[Washington Nationals|Nationals]] 8–0 in Washington, securing their fourth consecutive National League East title behind Halladay's two-hit shutout and 21st win of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100927&content_id=15141884&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi|title=Phour! Phils' NL East dominance continues
|date=September 28, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=March 4, 2011|first=Todd|last=Zolecki}}</ref> The Phillies finished the season with the best record in baseball at 97–65.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101003&content_id=15371600¬ebook_id=15371602&vkey=notebook_phi&c_id=phi|title=For first time, Phillies finish with best record|last=Zolecki|first=Todd|date=October 3, 2010|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=March 4, 2011}}</ref> Having missed the playoffs, the Mets finished in fourth place at 79–83.<ref name="2010Season">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2010-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2010 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=baseball-reference.com|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|accessdate=March 2, 2011}}</ref> The Mets and the Phillies split the season series 9–9.<ref name="2010Season"/>
====2010–2011 offseason====
On December 14, the Phillies signed free-agent pitcher [[Cliff Lee]] to a five-year, $120 million contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101213&content_id=16314600&vkey=news_phi&c_id=phi|title=Brother-Lee love! Lefty ace picks Philly|date=December 15, 2010|accessdate=March 6, 2011|first=Todd|last=Zolecki|work=Phillies.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref><ref name="NewYorkPhiladelphia"/><ref name="PhilliesAces">{{cite news|title=The Four Phillies Aces—Phillies' dynamite group adds Cliff Lee|date=December 15, 2010|first=Bob|last=Brookover|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=C1}}</ref> [[Terry Collins]], the Mets' new manager for 2011, said that the Phillies "got our attention—not like they didn't have it before" with the signing of Lee, and that the Phillies' starting rotation of Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, Joe Blanton, and Roy Oswalt has made them "a formidable opponent" for the Mets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101214&content_id=16319538&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym|title=Mets know their work is cut out for them|date=December 14, 2010|first=Anthony|last=Dicomo|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball|accessdate=March 6, 2011}}</ref> New York's new [[general manager (baseball)|general manager]], [[Sandy Alderson]], said the signing "may change what they're able to do in years when we might be more active."<ref name="PhilliesAces"/>
===2011===
[[File:MG 3426 Shane Victorino.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Shane Victorino]] broke the news of the [[death of Osama bin Laden]] during a game between the teams.|alt=A man in a gray baseball jersey having just removed his red batting helmet at first base. His jersey reads "Phillies" in white and red script and has a number "8" on the left sleeve.]]
{{see also|2011 New York Mets season|2011 Philadelphia Phillies season}}
The Mets and the Phillies faced each other in two three-game series in Philadelphia April 5–7 and April 29 to May 1, with the Phillies winning two of three games in each series.<ref name="2011Mets">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/2011-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2011 New York Mets Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|accessdate=April 1, 2011|work=baseball-reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC}}</ref><ref name="2011Phillies">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/2011-schedule-scores.shtml|title=2011 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|accessdate=April 1, 2011|work=baseball-reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC}}</ref>
The game on May 1 became a moment of peace in the rivalry during the top of the ninth inning. Mets' Daniel Murphy was batting as a pinch-hitter against Phillies' reliever Ryan Madson when the fans started chanting "[[U-S-A! cheer|U-S-A!]]"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/nyregion/amid-cheers-a-message-they-will-be-caught.html?ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=print|title=Amid Cheers, a Message: ‘They Will Be Caught’|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 2, 2011|first=Elizabeth A.|last=Harris|newspaper=New York Times|page=A1}}</ref><ref name="binLadenDeath"/> The Phillies didn't know the reason for the chants, but in the Mets' dugout, bench coach [[Ken Oberkfell]] told Terry Collins that [[al-Qaeda]] leader [[Osama bin Laden]], the mastermind of the [[September 11 attacks]], [[Death of Osama bin Laden|had been killed]] by [[United States special operations forces]] in [[Abbottabad]], [[Pakistan]].<ref name="binLadenDeath">{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6463361|title=Phillies crowd erupts in 'U-S-A' cheers|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 2, 2011|first=Adam|last=Rubin|work=ESPNNewYork.com}}</ref> Shane Victorino later told the Phillies the news.<ref name="binLadenDeath"/> When he telephoned into ''[[Mike and Mike in the Morning]]'' on [[ESPN Radio]] the next day, Victorino said that a trainer in the dugout broke the news when asked how the Phillies found out, and said that "it was a big day in American history" and "a special moment...for families...who lost their loved ones...(on) 9/11."<ref name="binLadenDeath"/> Ryan Howard called the news "an uplifting moment."<ref>{{cite web|title=Philadelphia freedom: Game takes backseat|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110501&content_id=18479234&vkey=news_nym&c_id=nym|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 2, 2011|first=Todd|last=Zolecki|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref> On the Mets' side, [[Chris Young (pitcher)|Chris Young]], who won his first game as a Met against the Phillies,<ref>{{cite web|last=DiComo|first=Anthony|title=Young's work on mound, at plate sparks Mets|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_04_05_nynmlb_phimlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=nym|accessdate=May 15, 2011|date=April 5, 2011|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref> said that "it's probably a night I'll never forget."<ref name="binLadenDeath"/> David Wright called it "just an incredible moment and...you kind of come together...for a common cause," while Collins said that catcher [[Ronny Paulino]] delivered "a good win for us, and obviously a huge win for America tonight" in hitting the game winning RBI double in the 14th inning in his Mets debut to help the them win 2–1, but felt they "could have finished the game two hours ago and celebrated a little bit of it."<ref name="binLadenDeath"/><ref name="Paulino">{{cite web|url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_05_01_nynmlb_phimlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=nym|title=Paulino leads Mets past Phils on emotional night|date=May 2, 2011|accessdate=May 5, 2011|first=Anthony|last=DiComo|work=Mets.MLB.com|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref> Players on both teams also said that it wasn't the end of the global war on terrorism.<ref name="Paulino"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Osama's death not an end to terror—9/11 mastermind no longer center of conflict|date=May 2, 2011|first=Susan|last=Page|first2=Kathy|last2=Kiely|newspaper=USA Today|page=1A}}</ref> Mike Lopresti of [[USA Today]] said that the "Phillies opponent was a perfect fit",<ref>{{cite news|title=A time for reflection, reaction—Bin Laden's death stirs memories of 9/11's impact on athletes and events|date=May 3, 2011|first=Mike|last=Lopresti|newspaper=USA Today|page=1C|quote=A chanting ballpark will forever be part of Sunday night's legacy. The news rolled through Citizens Bank Park like the wave, and the Philadelphia Phillies opponent was a perfect fit. They were playing the New York Mets, whose Shea Stadium parking lot was used as a staging area for 9/11 emergency supplies.}}</ref> while Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com called the peace in the rivalry "fitting" for a Mets fan, saying it drew parallels to and brought back the memories of September 21, 2001, when the Mets hosted the first major professional sporting event in New York City since the attacks and beat [[Braves–Mets rivalry|rival]] [[Atlanta Braves]].<ref name="binLadenDeath"/>
==Causes==
[[File:PhilsMetsFight.jpg|thumb|right|A Phillies fan fights with Mets security at Shea Stadium.|alt=A man in a red shirt looks left at an unseen man who is reaching toward his head while people wearing orange and blue look on in the background.]]
===Racism and the Brooklyn Dodgers===
Before the Mets ever played in Philadelphia, some of the Phillies' personnel were notorious for their poor treatment of [[African-American]] players, particularly [[Jackie Robinson]] of the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]]—one of the Mets' two New York predecessors in the National League. When Robinson broke the [[baseball color line]] in 1947, manager [[Ben Chapman (baseball)|Ben Chapman]] instructed his players to [[Glossary of baseball (S)#spike|spike]] Robinson and pitch at his head.<ref name="kashatus23">Kashatus, p.23.</ref> This contributed to feelings of bad blood and additional "tense moments" between the teams from the two cities.<ref>Threston, p.76.</ref> The Phillies continued to exhibit similar behavior until they integrated, the [[List of first black Major League Baseball players by team and date|last team in the National League]] to do so. Owner [[R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr.|Bob Carpenter]] passed by African-American players; his [[Whiz Kids (baseball)|Whiz Kids]] had won the pennant while fielding an all-white team, and he, as other owners, tended to pass over any non-white players who did not have superstar-level talent.<ref name="integration"/> Star outfielder [[Richie Ashburn]] opined: "We were the last to get any black ball players. We were still pretty good, but they were just getting better."<ref name="integration">Threston, p.57.</ref>
===William Shea===
After the Dodgers and Giants moved to [[California]] for the 1958 season, the Phillies became the closest National League club to New York City, and in response, contracted to broadcast 78 games into the New York metropolitan television market to fill the void in National League games on TV in New York.<ref>{{cite news|title=Phils Close Deal for New York TV|date=January 22, 1958|newspaper=New York Times|page=31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=John|last=Drebinger|title=Yankees Bow to Phillies; Maglie pounded in 12–8 loss|newspaper=New York Times|date=April 10, 1958}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=78 Phillies Games on TV Here Due in 1958 Under WOR Deal|date=October 25, 1957|newspaper=New York Times|page=1}}</ref>
In 1959, Phillies owner [[R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr.|Bob Carpenter]] was eager to leave [[Connie Mack Stadium]] and explored moving the team to [[Delaware Township, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Phillies' Owner Shows Interest in Jersey Land
|newspaper=New York Times|date=March 4, 1959|page=37|author=Associated Press}}</ref> This led those seeking to return a National League team to New York to consider the Phillies as a potential target to relocate to a new New York ballpark.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mayor Says His Baseball Aide Talked to Phils About Shift Here|first=Roscoe|last=McGowen|newspaper=New York Times|date=April 16, 1959|page=41}}</ref>
New York attorney [[William Shea]] tried without success to bring a National League team back to New York. He contacted the six remaining teams in the league—aside from the Dodgers and Giants—to try and persuade them to uproot and come to [[Brooklyn]]. All of the teams involved, including Philadelphia, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the [[Cincinnati Reds]], the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago Cubs, and the Milwaukee Braves (later of Atlanta), spurned Shea's advances, prompting him to involve himself with the owners proposing the formation of the [[Continental League]]. Fearing that their rosters would be raided, the National League owners voted to expand, and Shea succeeded in winning a new National League franchise for New York: one that would become the Mets.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bell|first=Christopher|title=Scapegoats: baseballers whose careers are marked by one fateful play|publisher=McFarland|year=2002|page=131|isbn=0786413816|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=eOfKIcO3bDcC&pg=PA131&dq=william+shea+phillies&ei=FrEFS5qxN4-uzATW_fiWDg#v=onepage&q=william%20shea%20phillies&f=false}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Creamer|first=Robert W.|title=Stengel: His Life and Times|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|year=1996|pages=294–295|isbn=0786413816|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=b-3JiF4LnJcC&pg=RA1-PA294&dq=phillies+william+shea&ei=GrAFS9bDJ5KiygTrwaXXAw#v=onepage&q=phillies%20william%20shea&f=false|authorlink=Robert Creamer}}</ref>
===Regional proximity===
The rivalry can also be attributed to the proximity between the cities of [[New York City]] and [[Philadelphia]], which are approximately two hours apart by car.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=new+york+city+to+philadelphia&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=40.188298,67.763672&ie=UTF8&z=9|title=New York, NY to Philadelphia, PA|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=November 19, 2009}}</ref> The Mets' fanbase comes from the [[New York metropolitan area]], which includes southern [[Connecticut]], and northern and central [[New Jersey]] as well as parts of upstate New York.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rosenwaike|first=Ira|title=Population history of New York City|publisher=Syracuse University Press|year=1972|page=169|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=2OR2yeASrfIC&pg=PA169&dq=definition+new+york+metro+area#v=onepage&q=&f=false | isbn=9780815621553}}</ref> Conversely, the Phillies' fanbase generally draws from the [[Delaware Valley]] (the Philadelphia metropolitan area), which includes Southeastern Pennsylvania, central New Jersey south of [[Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton]], southern New Jersey, northern [[Delaware]] and extreme northeast parts of [[Maryland]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Howe|first=Barbara J.|last2=Fleming|first2=Dolores A.|coauthors=Kemp, Emory L.|title=Houses and homes: exploring their history|publisher=Rowman Altamira|year=1997|page=102|isbn=0761989293|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Y5Ht9V-A5ZoC&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=delaware+valley+definition&source=bl&ots=T4F4b8ZWa3&sig=ijdr8OlHJ0yNIwS5C9sQ9jTn9v0&hl=en&ei=8loFS9yOLY7dnAf0oem3Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CAsQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=delaware%20valley%20definition&f=false}}</ref>
In addition to numerous regular-season meetings between the Phillies and the two New York clubs (the Dodgers and Giants) before the arrival of the Mets, the rivalry between Philadelphia and New York was spurred by post-season meetings between the two cities in 1905 (Giants and the [[Philadelphia Athletics]]), 1911 (Athletics–Giants), 1913 (Athletics–Giants), and 1950 (Phillies–Yankees).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/|title=Playoff and World Series Index|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=November 21, 2009}}</ref> The New York – Philadelphia rivalry is evident in other sports (for example, the rivalries between the [[Eagles–Giants rivalry|New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles]] in the [[National Football League]] and the [[Flyers–Rangers rivalry|New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers]] in the [[National Hockey League]]).<ref name="NewYorkPhiladelphia">{{cite news|title=Surging Rangers Face a Stern Test in the First-Place Flyers|date=December 18, 2010|first=Jeff Z.|last=Klein|newspaper=New York Times|page=D4|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/sports/hockey/18rangers.html|accessdate=March 6, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=A City's Hopes Fly High on the Wings of Eagles|date=January 5, 2001|first=Peter|last=Mucha|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|page=A1|quote=New York teams—the Mets, Rangers, Giants and Knicks—rank among Philadelphia's most loathed rivals.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=555008|title=Garden memories special for van Riemsdyk|date=March 4, 2011|first=Adam|last=Kimelman|work=NHL.com|publisher=National Hockey League|accessdate=March 5, 2011|quote=It's always going to be a hard game. You have that feeling when you come into Philly and you know when they come into New York the fans are going to be pumped up.}}</ref>
==See also==
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*[[Major League Baseball rivalries]]
==References==
;Inline citations
{{Reflist|2}}
;Bibliography
*{{cite book|last=Kashatus|first=William|title=Almost a Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the 1980 Phillies|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|year=2008|isbn=0812240367}}
*{{cite book|last=Threston|first=Christopher|title=The integration of baseball in Philadelphia|publisher=McFarland|year=2003|page=76|isbn=0786414235}}
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[[Category:Major League Baseball rivalries]]
[[Category:New York Mets]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies]]' |
