Chris Coste is a pretty stand-up guy. As a member of the 2009 Phillies, he has a lot riding on the Phillies' run, but he knows he's not a Phillie:
Most of the family is still here. Spiritually and financially, Coste remains at least a half-brother, his half-share of his old team's postseason money riding on the length of its run. His Astros teammates teased him all week that they were going to tackle him if he joined the dogpile when they clinched, but when Lance Berkman made that final out Wednesday night, Coste found himself curiously uninterested.
And when the texts came in from teammates like Clay Condrey and Shane Victorino urging him to join the late-night party, Coste said no thanks.
"I still consider them to be like my brothers," Coste said. "And they would welcome me as if I was still on the team. But it wouldn't have felt right for me. It would have been like walking on eggshells, in a way."
He went back to the team hotel.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
