Cheers of “Chooooooooooooch” reigned down from a sold-out crowd in South Philadelphia as the Phillies honored their World Series-winning catcher.
Ruiz played with the Phillies for 11 seasons between 2006 and 2016. Carlos caught three no-hitters, a perfect game, and the final strike of the 2008 World Series. His time in Philadelphia was one of success, and his efforts on the field will be remembered by fans for generations. Between being a part of some of the Phillies’ best seasons as a franchise, Carlos has one of the best nicknames in Philly sports history, “Chooch.”
To kick off their annual Alumni Weekend, the Phillies’ owner, John Middleton, took part in a ceremony on the field before Friday’s game. Carlos had a special video package played out on Phanavision and threw a ceremonial first pitch to former closer Brad Lidge.
Phillies Honor Ruiz
During the ceremony, the Phillies gifted Carlos with the home plate used at Wrigley Field on the day of the Hamels-Ruiz no-hitter in 2015.
Across 11 seasons in Philadelphia, Carlos Ruiz hit .266 with a .745 OPS. Known more for his defense and ability to call a game, Carlos was an integral part of 5 NL East division championships, 2 NL Pennants, and 1 World Series title. He shares the honor with Bob Boone as the starting catcher for the Phillies World Series title teams.
He was a 1-time All-Star and received MVP votes each season between 2010 and 2012. One of the most special aspects of his time with the Phillies was his relationship with Roy Halladay. Carlos and Roy were extremely close and Chooch caught Halladay’s no-hitter and perfect game.
A Reflection
After his on-field ceremony, Carlos Ruiz took some time to speak with the media. He was asked how excited he was to come back by the Athletic’s Matt Gelb. Ruiz said:
“It was an incredible when I received the call. It was surreal and its back a great comeback to this great organization.”
Carlos Ruiz was joined by Brad Lidge as they spoke during this media scrum. Both players talked about how much they enjoy coming back to Philadelphia and the adrenaile they felt being back on the same field where they won the World Series.
“Yeah, I think anytime I step on the field here and have the environment the way it is, it brings back a lot of memories. It brings back the feeling of being back out there [as a player].” – Brad Lidge
Like Jayson Werth, Carlos is in the horse racing game. He mentioned that he has about 25-26 horses now in his stable. He was asked if he was going to race Jayson Werth, whose horse Dornoch won the Belmont Stakes earlier this year. Via his translator, Carlos mentioned how he watched the race and interview after. He was incredibly pumped for his former teammate.
The battery of Lidge and Ruiz gave Phillies fans one of the best moments in their franchise’s history. The iconic shot of them embracing on the mound after Game 5 of the 2008 World Series is an image that will forever live in infamy. This won’t be the last time either player is honored at Citizens Bank Park and I would expect to see them both around the stadium during the playoffs.
Photo By: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire
