World Series bound, bay-bee! ;D
:paranoid
And to start it off...
Lieberthal focused on performing, not winning fans (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5345206?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49)
Excerpt:
QuoteHis laid-back approach hasn't endeared him to fans in gritty Philadelphia, but the Phillies' veteran catcher would rather concentrate on his performance than worry about how he's perceived.
"I don't think about it," Lieberthal said Sunday.
It doesn't mean Lieberthal doesn't hear the boos and negative remarks.
"It would bother anybody," he said. "But I've been here long enough to know it's not all the fans. It's just some fans taking out their frustrations for us not winning so much."
Gordon has his chance to close again (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-phillies-gordon&prov=ap&type=lgns)
He's called Loserthal for a reason.
Does this one matter to anyone but me (listen to Phillies broadcasts on XM)?
Phillies Add New Radio Voice (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=citadel-2_500512_309&prov=citadel&type=story)
QuoteScott Franzke comes to the Phillies from the Texas Rangers broadcast team and will take the spot vacated by Tom McCarthy. The Phillies lost McCarthy to the New York Mets earlier in the off-season.
Phreak will love to hear this- from the Inky:
Quote
Who'll be Phils' man in middle?
It could be Rheal Cormier, if the lefty reliever is healthy.
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, Fla. - So, the back end of the Phillies' bullpen is set:
Tom Gordon is the closer.
Arthur Rhodes is the set-up man.
But who in the heck is going to replace Ryan Madson in the seventh inning, an important bridge between the starters and Rhodes? Madson is moving into the rotation, which leaves a job to fill.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has options, and he said yesterday he hopes one of them is somebody who was one of the team's most reliable relief pitchers in 2003 and 2004 - lefthander Rheal Cormier.
"We need Cormier to bounce back," Manuel said. "He's a guy who can really send our bullpen off."
Cormier, 38, went 4-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 57 appearances last season. Because of injuries and ineffectiveness, he made just 14 appearances in the final two months of the season. But in 84 appearances in 2004, he went 4-5 with a 3.56 ERA. In 65 appearances in 2003, he went 8-0 with a 1.70 ERA.
He is confident he at least can return to his 2004 form.
"I'm probably one of those pitchers in the bullpen that can make a difference," Cormier said. "I can still do it."
That is, if he's healthy. Cormier battled left shoulder problems throughout the second half of last season, while a hip that gave out on him in the bullpen once and a sore heel bothered him throughout. He said yesterday in the Phillies clubhouse at Bright House Networks Field that he has those problems under control - he said his left shoulder is stronger than last spring - which certainly should help over the course of a six-month season.
"It's something I never experienced before," he said of the nagging injuries. "Hopefully, I can get away from that and concentrate on what I have to do out there."
Cormier understands his success would make life easier for Manuel, too. General manager Pat Gillick alluded to that Thursday. Asked if Gordon and Rhodes can be as effective as Billy Wagner and Ugueth Urbina, who held those roles for the Phillies last season, Gillick replied that much of it depended on whom they find to pitch in the seventh inning.
If he's healthy and effective, Cormier would be the ideal fit in that spot. Except for last season, Cormier is nearly as tough against righthanders as lefthanders. In other words, he's not a lefthanded specialist.
Besides Cormier, other pitchers who could work their way into regular seventh-inning work could be lefthander Aaron Fultz and righthander Julio Santana, who signed a one-year, $800,000 contract in the off-season. Righthander Robinson Tejeda has the stuff to pitch in the late innings, but he would have to show better control this spring to earn Manuel's trust. Righthander Chris Booker, whom the Phillies acquired from Detroit, is intriguing after having some success closing in triple-A Louisville last season. Righthander Geoff Geary went 2-1 with a 3.72 ERA in 40 appearances last year.
But of that mix, Cormier has the most experience and has pitched in more crucial situations than anybody.
"The seventh and eighth innings can be the most crucial innings to pitch," Cormier said. "A lot of those games are dictated in those innings. You have to have guys who can come in and put the fire out. You don't want to bring your closer in the eighth inning if you can help it.
"Personally, last year was one of those years where I couldn't get anything going. I've been through that before. It's a matter of forgetting what happened last year and getting ready and approaching this year like it's a new year. As an older player, you can do that."
Cormier is in the final year of a two-year, $4.75 million contract. He makes $2.5 million this season.
Cormier had talked about retirement before his last contract. He said he's not thinking about his future just yet. But if this is his last year, he certainly would like it to be a good one.
"Obviously, if last year would have been my last year, I didn't want to leave like that," he said. "I want to leave on a good year. You kind of want to walk away on your own. You don't want people to just get rid of you. That's why I'm going to try to concentrate on putting something good together this year."
Piece on new Phillie reliever Ricardo Rodriguez (from the Crazy Vicente trade):
Quote
Jinxed hurler hopes luck on his side
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. - When you're best known for being the only pitcher knocked out of the majors by batted balls in consecutive years, you know you're jinxed... or, at least, you have poor mechanics.
Ricardo Rodriguez was that guy in Texas.
Angels third baseman Robb Quinlan shattered Rodriguez's right elbow July 22, 2004. A little more than a year later, Aug. 8, 2005, Red Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino bruised his right shoulder so badly, he couldn't come back from that, either.
He pitched in the Instructional League and proved himself healthy enough to be traded to the Phillies for Vicente Padilla in December, but he can't shake the feeling that somebody up there doesn't like him.
"My career was taking off in 2004, man," said Rodriguez, who was 3-1 with a 2.03 earned run average when Quinlan's drive hit him. "I've had some bad luck, man."
He also had some bad habits, mainly throwing across his body. That left him off-balance and vulnerable to those wicked line drives, which might not have been stung as sharply had his delivery not caused him to leave so many balls up in the strike zone.
Rodriguez worked on his motion in the Instructional League last fall. He said he got comfortable with it while pitching in winter ball in his native Dominican Republic. Now, he hopes to battle Ryan Franklin, Ryan Madson, Rob Tejeda and Gavin Floyd for one of the two starter spots open in the Phillies' rotation, even though the Phillies seem to have him pegged for the bullpen.
"Anything could happen," manager Charlie Manuel said.
Rodriguez knows only what he wants to happen.
"I've never been a relief pitcher," said Rodriguez, who actually has relieved in 72 of his 166 minor league games and in three of his 39 major league outings. "I can try. My main thing is as a starter."
His main thing, really, is avoiding further freak injury. He insists that, twice-bitten, he isn't gun shy.
"I was OK in the fall and winter. I can't be afraid," he said. "If I'm afraid, I can't pitch. If that's going to happen again, it's going to happen."
That's what he said this time last year.
Phillers
The club replaced Tom McCarthy, who left to join the Mets broadcast team, with Scott Franzke, 33. He spent the last 4 years doing pregame and postgame shows and some play-by-play work for the Texas Rangers and radio station KRDL...
Panamanian catcher Carlos Ruiz and Dominican pitcher Acquilino Lopez missed a second day of workouts because visa problems have kept them from leaving their countries. Assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said yesterday afternoon they might arrive as early as last night.
QuoteIt's just some fans taking out their frustrations for us not winning so much."
Hey Mike...how about "...FOR NOT WINNING AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!"
I hate that dude.
And I hate Rheal Cormier.
The trio of Bell, Lieby and Rheal should be sent out on a fishing trip. Maybe they'll get caught in a storm.
How long till we get out first taste of Wheels?
QuotePhillies Notes Rollins, Bell arrive in Clearwater early
Phillies Notes
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins rolled into camp yesterday, his 36-game hitting streak intact.
He said he flew from Philadelphia on Saturday, hopefully leaving the cold weather behind him, and is expected to meet with reporters during a news conference today. Rollins' star is on the rise after he finished the season with his hitting streak, the ninth-longest in baseball history and the longest since Paul Molitor's 39-game hitting streak in 1987.
Rollins finished last season hitting .290 with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs, 41 stolen bases and 115 runs scored.
Bell arrives
Phillies third baseman David Bell also arrived yesterday. He said he switched from No. 4 to No. 25 because his father, former all-star Buddy Bell, and his grandfather, Gus Bell, wore the number throughout their careers.
David Bell said he tries to wear No. 25 whenever possible. He had chosen it when he signed as a free agent before the 2003 season, but he handed it to former first baseman Jim Thome when he arrived. Thome now toils for the Chicago White Sox.
Infielder Abraham Nuñez also arrived in camp. Thirty-seven players on the 40-man roster have been seen in Clearwater. Tomas Perez and Alex Gonzalez could be seen today to take their physicals.
Palmer on board
The Phillies announced that Scott Palmer, a former WPVI-TV (Channel 6) sportscaster who has been a consultant for the team since September, has been named director of media and public affairs.
Palmer will host the Phillies' new TV show, Behind the Pinstripes, which will be aired before every Sunday afternoon telecast on WPSG (Channel 57).
Extra bases
Catcher Carlos Ruiz and righthander Aquilino Lopez made their first appearances at camp yesterday after missing the first three days because of visa problems. Ruiz, who could play for Panama in the World Baseball Classic, is expected to open the season at triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Lopez, a nonroster invitee, is competing for a bullpen job... . Rightfielder Bobby Abreu had been expected to arrive in camp today, but because of travel problems in Venezuela, he will not arrive until tomorrow.
that streak is great and all, but when you're a leadoff hitter who's hit safely in 36 straight games, and your batting average is still only .290, you didn't have a great year.
wrong.
Quote from: phattymatty on February 20, 2006, 12:40:52 PM
that streak is great and all, but when you're a leadoff hitter who's hit safely in 36 straight games, and your batting average is still only .290, you didn't have a great year.
Please tell me you're joking with this post.
matt likes to joke.
That streak won't last past 40 games.
i'm not a huge baseball fan but i just figured if you hit over .400 for a month and your job is to get on base, you should eventually break the .300 mark.
but that .188 he hit in august made that hard i guess.
At first I was going to criticize matty's post because I thought that even though Jimmy didn't have a high batting average, I felt that he should be somewhere near the top of the list for On Base %. I was wrong. Jimmy ranked 26th in the NL for OBP (500 or more plate appearences) with .338.
He only drew 47 walks last year and that's where he really needs to improve. He needs to convert some of those K's into BB's, especially since he's the leadoff guy. He also needs to stop trying to hit so many out of the park. Charlie needs to go "Major League" on him and have him do push ups every time he pops one up.
So Matty's post isn't totally out of whack when he says that Jimmy didn't have a "great" year. Because he didn't. However, he did finish the year extremely strong and was a major factor in the Phils even playing meaningful games in September. His plate discipline improved and we can only hope that carries into this year. He finished with 196 hits and also stole 41 bases and was only caught 6 times. That's impressive and we're going to need a lot more of that this year since the Phils execute a hit and run about as well as the Eagles execute on 3rd and 1.
How could anyone say Rollins had a great overall year at the plate? He didn't.
Quote from: FFatPatt on February 20, 2006, 01:48:25 PM
How could anyone say Rollins had a great overall year at the plate? He didn't.
of course he didn't, he's not a good leadoff hitter, but he has a long hitting streak, so he must be great.
a guy could go 1 for 4 every game for fifteen years. he'd only hit .250 for his career but have a 2,430 hitting streak. which is better?
Quote from: Sun_Mo on February 20, 2006, 02:09:29 PM
Quote from: FFatPatt on February 20, 2006, 01:48:25 PM
How could anyone say Rollins had a great overall year at the plate? He didn't.
of course he didn't, he's not a good leadoff hitter, but he has a long hitting streak, so he must be great.
a guy could go 1 for 4 every game for fifteen years. he'd only hit .250 for his career but have a 2,430 hitting streak. which is better?
I already said that. (http://www.concretefield.com/forum/index.php?topic=16401.msg314817#msg314817) :P
I used 10 years as an example because my guy's career got cut short due to injury.
nicely done. we're smert
And you know this...................MAN!
Jimmy is frustrating at times. But sometimes he's penalized by the fans just because he's not a real #1 guy.
If he put up the numbers he does batting 7th then he'd be hailed as a good hitter.
that's because the expectations of the #7 hitter aren't as high as a leadoff hitter.
they don't have a true leadoff hitter, so they need to put him there, I guess. but i wish he would try to get on base more.
Bobby Abreu=true leadoff hitter
but
Bobby Abreu=awsome rbi machine whose talents would be wasted batting leadoff
Burrell had a higher OBP than Rollins did last year so I don't know why it isn't blatantly obvious that Burrell should be batting lead off.
Anyone who thinks Jimmy Rollins had a great year last year is farging kidding themselves. He had a great two months and a worhtless rest of the season. He can't get on base to save his life (unless he happens to be in the middle of the best 'streak' of hitting he's ever had) and as a leadoff batter that's his only job. 47 walks? 47 walks!? You're all farging deranged if you think he had a great year. If he learns to take a pitch, he MIGHT turn into a good player, for right now he about as average as they get. But you, know keep thinking that he's amazing. The truth is that he sucks just as hard as the rest of the team.
top 7 in runs, hits, singles, triples, stolen bases, errors, assists, fielding percentage, batted .290 with a career BA of .273, all star team etc. thats a great year for Rollins IMO. thats all.
Quote from: MURP on February 20, 2006, 03:18:48 PM
top 7 in runs, hits, singles, triples, stolen bases, errors, assists, fielding percentage, batted .290 with a career BA of .273, all star team etc. thats a great year for Rollins IMO. thats all.
Sounds a lot like Vince Coleman to me. Jimmy's a good fielder and should be commended for that, but as a leadoff hitter and a supposed building block for a team that strikes out three times before they brush their teeth in the morning he's just as much of a loser as the rest of the players.
It's easy to get a lot of singles when you swing at every pitch and have speed. The fact that he was top 7 in hits and couldn't even break .300 is farging pathetic.
Quote from: MURP on February 20, 2006, 03:18:48 PM
thats a great year for Rollins IMO. thats all.
A great year for Rollins is a lot different then Rollins having a great year. ;)
Quote from: Sgt PSN on February 20, 2006, 03:13:37 PM
Burrell had a higher OBP than Rollins did last year so I don't know why it isn't blatantly obvious that Burrell should be batting lead off.
Because he needs more time in the dugout to scout out the bimbos he and Utley want to nail after the game.
The Phils should bat Rowand first, Rollins second.
Let the pitcher bat first and get him out of the way.
Actually, they should bat either Abreu or Utley 2nd and Rowand 6th. But since everyone has their head up Rowand's ass now, he appears to be batting 2nd. Which moves Howard to 6th. Which is just plain stupid.
Rollins is a great fielder and would be a good 6 or 7 hitter if they had a real leadoff man, but they don't, and he's fast, so that means he hits leadoff.
Abreu could hit leadoff, he takes pitches, takes walks, can steal a few bases, but he doesn't want to, so we need to bow to the demands of Ted Williams Jr.
Bat Rollins 8th.
My line-up:
1. Rowand
2. Rollins
3. Abreu
4. Burrell
5. Howard
6. Utley
__________________________
7. Bell/ 3rd baseman du jour
8. Pitcher
9. Lieberthal ;D
(OK, OK, switch #8 and 9)
Quote from: Sun_Mo on February 20, 2006, 03:29:39 PM
Rollins is a great fielder and would be a good 6 or 7 hitter if they had a real leadoff man, but they don't, and he's fast, so that means he hits leadoff.
Abreu could hit leadoff, he takes pitches, takes walks, can steal a few bases, but he doesn't want to, so we need to bow to the demands of Ted Williams Jr.
More reasons to hate athletes.
yup....
oh, but he'll hit leadoff for Venezuela in the WBC
Quote from: Sun_Mo on February 20, 2006, 03:35:17 PM
yup....
oh, but he'll hit leadoff for Venezuela in the WBC
In his defense, his WBC stats aren't going to impact his contract negotiations.
Nor is the WBC 162 games long.
And Jimmy Rollins had 677 AB's last year. And 11 triples and 41 steals and 38 doubles.
His K's went down by two from the previous year (71K's in 677 AB's).
Hi BB's also went down, but he has never walked alot anyways. His career high was 57 in 2004. He had 47 in 2005.
Rollins had a very, very good year.
It isn't his fault he's not a prototypical LO guy.
I wouldn't hit Rowand 1st either. He doesn't have the OBP for it either. He was actually lower than Jimmy.
Rollins
Nunez
Abreu
Burrell
Utley
Howard
Rowand
Lieberthal
That's how I'd do it.
QuoteRollins
Nunez
Abreu
Burrell
Utley
Howard
Rowand
Lieberthal
What, no David Bell?
Sacrilege! Sacrilege, I say!!!
Come on, Bell reported early.
Give the guy a break.
in his leg
in his leg
Quote from: MDS on February 20, 2006, 04:49:01 PM
in his leg
Wow, you can read small print. I'm impressed.
Eddie George.
Does anyone else find it even mildly amusing when MDS enlarges the small print from someone else's post but doesn't comment on it?
That's very stilloncrack-like.
Yes, Eddie probably hits righties better than DBell.
Quote from: Sgt PSN on February 20, 2006, 04:51:44 PM
Does anyone else find it even mildly amusing when MDS enlarges the small print from someone else's post but doesn't comment on it?
That's very stilloncrack-like.
No.
Quote from: rjs246 on February 20, 2006, 04:52:20 PM
Quote from: Sgt PSN on February 20, 2006, 04:51:44 PM
Does anyone else find it even mildly amusing when MDS enlarges the small print from someone else's post but doesn't comment on it?
That's very stilloncrack-like.
No.
No it's not amusing or no it's not very stilloncrack-like?
No.
I knew you were going to say that. Your posting style is predictable.
None the less, thanks for clearing that up.
If nonsense for nonsense's sake is predictable, than color me guilty.
Phillies trying to push Harry K out the door? (http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/13922277.htm)
Innings 1-3 and 7-9 = Kalas/Wheeler
Innings 4-6 = Graham/Wheeler
Andersen would move to radio full time. If this actually sticks, this sucks.....
Phillies baseball without Harry would suck bigtime.
Kalas was always 1-3 and 7-9 and the rest on the radio. What is the difference?
And a whole farging game of Wheeler blows goats.
For home games, 1-3 and 7-9 were Harry/LA to keep Harry and Wheels away from each other, then the only time they worked together was 7-9 for road games. Under this new scenario, those 2 would be working together for 6 innings every game, plus LA (who I like 10x better as an announcer than Wheeler) would be off TV...
Resurrect Richie Ashburn. Then GET HIM!
LA being off would suck.
More innings of Wheeler would suck.
Looks like I'll be keeping my headphones nearby while watching.
hell, just have kalas by himself and then run some generic old sound clips of ashburn.
Quote from: Wingspan on February 21, 2006, 10:08:04 AM
hell, just have kalas by himself and then run some generic old sound clips of ashburn.
You could rotate them:
"Hard to believe, Harry."
"He looks runnerish."
"I can't believe it, Harry."
"He looks hitterish."
I'm sure there are dozens more we can come up with.
Quote from: Wingspan on February 21, 2006, 10:08:04 AM
hell, just have kalas by himself and then run some generic old sound clips of ashburn.
:yay :yay :yay
Just when I begin to think that David Montgomery's bitchass has a clue (firing Wade, fixing the LF wall) he goes and pulls some BS like this.
You DO NOT take LA off of TV.
You DO NOT give us more of that stupid sonofabitch Chris Wheeler.
You DO NOT try to push Harry Kalas out of the door.
David Montgomery and the other clueless douchebags in management need to be put in a cell with that sledgehammering Florida dude.
It worked with Wade, now we gotta send more barrages of emails to Palmer and Shenk and the brass suits at the Phillies threatning to boycott watching the games if they give us 9 innings of Chris Wheeler.
Wheeler has to have naked pictures of Dave Montgomery farging a dog or a girl scout.
That's the only way to explain his continued employment there.
Here is the newest memeber of the Axis of Stupidity in the Phillies management.
spalmer@phillies.com
Please e-mail Scott Palmer and voice your opinions. Tell him how much you hate Wheels and how letting Harry go would be stupid.
If bitching about that loser Ed Wade made the dumbass Monty open his eyes, maybe this will too.
Why so mean to Wheels? His subjective baseball anyalsis is what keeps me tuned into the daily Phillies broadcasts. :yay
QuoteMr. Palmer,
I am writing you today to voice my displeasure about the recent announcement that there will be a shake-up in the Phils broadcasting line-up. I must say that the news about Larry Andersen moving completely out of the TV booth as well as pairing Chris Wheeler with a legend like Harry Kalas despite the well known friction between the two is incredibly baffling to myself and a lot of other die-hard fans of the Phillies. Why would the decision makers even consider this move? Other than wanting to drive a legend right out of town. Because, honestly, that is what it looks like to the fans. The same fans who have to listen to the broadcasts.
I am only 26 years old but Harry Kalas is Phillies baseball to me. I lived outside of the area for some time in my teenage years and I can remember when I would return here on summer vacations...the first thing I wanted to do was hear Harry call a Phillies game. On some clear nights in Kansas I could actually pick up the 1210 signal on my radio. Granted I would have to use a ton of tinfoil and set the radio on my windown ledge but I could get a little piece of home by listening to Harry and Whitey call a game. I now live back in Chester County and I remember what it was like in 2003 to be able to get to hear Harry the entire season. Pure joy. No matter how poorly the team is doing we still have good ol' Harry.
So it is with a sense of confusion and concern that I write this today. I am pleading with you to please voice the fans displeasure with this move to the upper management. To put it bluntly, Phillies fans do not like Chris Wheeler. Nothing personal, but he is not well liked. And if you should doubt that perhaps you could check out the message boards around the internet or listen to WIP or WPEN and you'll see that this decision is NOT welcomed with open arms.
I love the LA-Kalas team. So to completely remove LA from TV and to put Chris Wheeler in the TV booth with Harry is a terrible decision in my opinion. And if it does indeed push Harry out of the door it will be a BIG mistake. Last years set-up was about as perfect as it could be. So why mess with a good thing? Is it because Chris Wheeler is viewed as the heir apparent to Harry? I sure hope not. And even if it is then why push out a legend like this? Nothing good will come of this, Mr. Palmer. At least to the fans. Maybe it is a cause for celebration amongst the upper managemnet people but the fans do not like this at all, sir.
So I ask you to please pass along my anger over this move to those in the decision making positions. And I know I am not alone in feeling this way.
This is not meant to rip on the Phils either. I LOVE this team. And I was extremely happy that Mr. Montgomery chose to fire Ed Wade and chose to move the LF fence back. But after doing those two very important things then we have to hear about this. Harry Kalas deserves better. He deserves to be our guy for as long as he wants the job. How well did it gor for the Detroit Tigers when they forced Ernie Harwell out several years ago? So well that they had to bring him back! There are legends all around this great game of baseball and if Mr. Montgomery takes OUR legend away from us then it will be a crime.
Thank you for your time, sir.
if we can get enough fans to email about it, do you thnk we could get the phillies to get some hottie cheerleaders?
And another:
lshenk@phillies.com
In the words of Papa Bear O'Reilly Phreak, KEEP IT PIFFY. But otherwise, good letter.
Ok, you got me. What does Keep It Piffy mean? :paranoid
Short, sweet and to the point.
Remember, the spin stops here, cause were lookin out---for you.
Oh, I see. I dn't watch Bill O'Reilly.
It was meant to be short and sweet but I got a little long winded. Oh well, hopefully they get my point either way. This is a bad move.
You should watch the Papa Bear, even though he is an obnoxious jerk who is wrong 99% of the time.
Yea as long as more and more people sent emails getting the point across, the better chance we have to avoid an excess of Wheels.
QuoteDear Mr. Palmer,
If you remove Harry Kalas or in any way lessen his contribution to Phillies broadcasts, I'm going to build a homemade stinger missle and shoot you through the face with it.
Sincerely,
rjs246
i sent an email to Palmer telling him to get rid of Chris Wheeler. holler.
QuotePosted on Tue, Feb. 21, 2006
Bill Conlin | Inside tips for Clearwater visitors
Now that the ceremony of pitchers and catchers reporting is out of the way, let's get on with the important stuff.
First, a nod to the many "unofficial" reportees who have fled the thralldom of the offseason millionaire life. There's just so much 65-inch plasma TV a man can watch, so much "honey-do" nagging he can take.
Some of you are already in Clearwater or nearby Pinellas County locations. If you're there already, you've got pitchers and catchers in the blood. You'll crowd the tiny bleachers outside the clubhouse building named for Paul Owens, who personally designed the Carpenter Complex layout more than 30 years ago. It has been expanded and upgraded and remains one of the best training facilities in all of baseball. The location leaves much to be desired, but nobody promised the acreage that snuggles against insanely busy and hazardous U.S. 19 on the east edge of town would be a rose garden.
But this is more about your spring-training experience away from the Carpenter Complex and adjacent Bright House Networks Field, Money Pit's baby brother.
Old-timers, this one included, still mourn the move from Jack Russell Stadium with its bad parking and limited ambience - but great "ballpark" feel - to a scaled-down version of Citizens Bank Park. But, hey, you can get a very good approximation of a real Philly cheesesteak from the LaSpada folks, who moved over from The Jack. They also have Yuengling on tap, another nice touch from home.
If you think even a little like me, you learned early on that the best thing about being associated with the Phillies as a journalist or fan is where they train.
The Clearwater area has become an annual destination for many of you with or without a Phillies ties. If you are claustrophobic, however, and like to vacation far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, a week or 2 in Pinellas County might not be a ticket to relaxation. As taxpayers in Pinellas since 1986, we visit several times a year in the offseason months. My wife is constantly amazed by how many people are in the area on a sweltering August day. I patiently explain there are about 900,000 permanent residents in a county roughly 25 miles long and 12 miles wide. That amounts to the highest population density in Florida, about 3,000 per square mile, and guarantees traffic gridlock and long restaurant lines with or without snowbird ballfans.
Except for a narrow isthmus that connects Pinellas to Pasco County, it's water, water everywhere... Gulf of Mexico to the west, Tampa Bay to the east and a lot of impressive bays, inlets and sounds in between, including milewide Clearwater Bay and St. Joseph's Sound that divides Clearwater Beach from the Mainland. The operative word in the last sentence, of course, is "beach." These are among the most-honored beaches in America. Conde Nast magazine just named Clearwater's ultrabusy stretch of sand the No. 1 municipal beach in the land.
The famed Dr. Beach, Florida International University's ubiquitous Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, anointed Fort De Soto State Beach (at the very south end of the county) the No. 1 beach in the land last year. It's an easy drive from anywhere a Phillies fan is staying. But you have to take a ferry from Dunedin Beach to reach Dr. Beach's No. 4 pick, gorgeously unspoiled Caladesi State Beach.
But, hey, all the sand is pretty much created equal between St. Beach and the north end of Clearwater, a 22-mile stretch, even the sand being pumped in to repair the erosion caused by winter storms and summer hurricanes. None is more equal, or plentiful, than the sand at Sand Key State Beach, just south of Clearwater Beach and a quick right after crossing the soaring Clearwater Pass Bridge. You want sand? This strand makes Wildwood's beach look like a sand spit at high tide. To get from parking lot to surf, Lawrence of Arabia had to camp overnight. But it's worth the hike and modest parking-meter contribution. Just keep an eye out for suspicious fins. There have been several minor shark attacks reported there over the past decade. You'll want to save that arm and a leg for Phillies exhibition tickets. I should mention that the biggest great white shark ever captured - a 21-footer - was boated about a mile off St. Pete Beach.
The good news, you've got a much better chance of being struck by lightning in the lightning capital of the world than to be devoured by Jaws.
March is generally a dry month with frequent frontal passages followed by 1-2 days of cool weather. It was in the mid-70s yesterday. Tuesday it was in the mid-50s. Always keep a windbreaker handy, but complete washouts are rare.
A year ago, a new fixed bridge that was supposed to eliminate the notorious Memorial Causeway drawbridge was compromised by construction errors that led to safety concerns. A major do-over was going to mean 2 more years of insane gridlock with each bridge opening while cracked pilings and buttresses were redone. On a September visit, I was amazed to learn the state and county did a "never mind," made swift repairs and opened the thing last summer. But... If you hear a sudden groaning and feel violent shaking - better step on it...
That big gap in the south Clearwater Beach skyline is not your imagination playing tricks. It's where the Adams Mark Resort used to be before it was imploded to make room for a high-roller condo complex. You can get into one of the condo residences - they start at 2,000 square feet-for low seven figures. Utility-infielder money, in other words. The penthouse Lenny Dykstra used to rent on Sand Key is now worth about $1.75 million, tobacco-stained carpet included.
Many fans ask about beachside deck dining and are amazed to learn it's hard to come by on the Gulf beaches. Why? A single lot on the beach runs about $2 million. But Ken Hamilton, a great Phillies fan, got in before the real estate boom. His spacious Palm Pavilion, just off Mandalay in Clearwater Beach, is one of the few true beach restaurant/bars. It's a must for sunset watching.
There are a number of great bayside choices for alfresco dining, including Columbia and Backwaters on Sand Key, Guppy's and My Place in Indian Rocks Beach. A personal favorite for its inexpensive Saturday and Sunday brunch on a huge deck with ample boat dockage is The Pub in Indian Shores. The owner recently turned down $10 million for the property.
Look, my editors are screaming about length, so I'll leave you with two more personal favorites for casual dining. The disclaimer: My close pal Luigi Gallace runs Villa Gallace, a wonderful gourmet Italian eatery at the end of Indian Rocks Beach. Many Phillies types show up there, even players. And another fave is a plain hoot - P.J.'s Oyster Bar. Co-owner Ed donates the thousands of dollar bills that visitors glue to every surface of the fish and ribs emporium to charity. And don't let the omnipresent lines outside put you off. They do a masterful job of making Ed's no-reservations policy work.
Well, now that I've gotten you through your day after baseball, drive safely and remember to brake for spring breakers. The soused kid you save may be your own.
Palm Pavilion is a great place to hang out. That's our first stop after Phillies games because it's right near the hotel we usually stay at and they always have NCAA Tournament games on the big screen televisions there.
man, conlin nows how to go on and on about absolutely nothing, doesnt he?
Has he gone on his annual hibernation in the Florida sun yet?
When I'm King of the World...
:-D
I have an interesting (to me) observation regarding Lieberthal's game calling issues. I am friends with a retired journeyman catcher who did a couple of years with the Phils. He knows Liebby and his assessment is that when Lieberthal is going bad at the plate, he takes it with him behind the plate. When he is hitting well, he calls better games. If you look at the past, when Lieby was having his good offensive years, he was considered a frontline defensive catcher, as his offensive numbers have declined we have continuously complained about his defensive prowess. Is this a valid point? I think so.
Quote from: stalker on February 21, 2006, 05:25:56 PM
Is this a valid point?
no, but this is
(http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue16/images/walker_audio_valid_point.jpg)
Quote from: stalker on February 21, 2006, 05:25:56 PM
I have an interesting (to me) observation regarding Lieberthal's game calling issues. I am friends with a retired journeyman catcher who did a couple of years with the Phils. He knows Liebby and his assessment is that when Lieberthal is going bad at the plate, he takes it with him behind the plate. When he is hitting well, he calls better games. If you look at the past, when Lieby was having his good offensive years, he was considered a frontline defensive catcher, as his offensive numbers have declined we have continuously complained about his defensive prowess. Is this a valid point? I think so.
would your supposed friend be Mark Parent?
Guess again. Mid 90's. Not on the WS team.
Sebastian Janikowski?
Eddie George?
Bobby Estellela?
Crackhead Darren Daulton?
Journeyman.
Stilloncrack.
"Big" Paul Castellano?
Hey, this is a fun guessing game!
I bet PG gets it first guess.
Quote from: stalker on February 21, 2006, 06:51:45 PM
Quote from: Sgt PSN on February 21, 2006, 06:51:01 PM
Stilloncrack.
He's banned Sargent Silly!
You should be banned from life. Not banned for life. Banned from life.
Quote from: Sgt PSN on February 21, 2006, 07:02:19 PM
Quote from: stalker on February 21, 2006, 06:51:45 PM
Quote from: Sgt PSN on February 21, 2006, 06:51:01 PM
Stilloncrack.
He's banned Sargent Silly!
You should be banned from life. Not banned for life. Banned from life.
Why Sargent Silly? What have I done to offend you? Why don't you like me?
Quote from: stalker on February 21, 2006, 05:25:56 PM
I have an interesting (to me) observation regarding Lieberthal's game calling issues. I am friends with a retired journeyman catcher who did a couple of years with the Phils. He knows Liebby and his assessment is that when Lieberthal is going bad at the plate, he takes it with him behind the plate. When he is hitting well, he calls better games. If you look at the past, when Lieby was having his good offensive years, he was considered a frontline defensive catcher, as his offensive numbers have declined we have continuously complained about his defensive prowess. Is this a valid point? I think so.
sucking and knowing it will do that to you. i think they call that confidence. i could be wrong, i'll go look it up.
sgt. silly?
is that one of them internet pick-up lines or something.
Jack Kerouac?
Gary Bennett
Bentio Santiago
gotta be one them, id say bennett since santiago is probably dead.
No, but this is fun.
ok youre clearly making this up. those 4 were the journeymen catchers on the phillies in the mid 90's.
Quote from: MDS on February 21, 2006, 08:33:25 PM
ok youre clearly making this up. those 4 were the journeymen catchers on the phillies in the mid 90's.
There is at least one more. I will not give the first clue until PG guesses.
Tom Prince?
Lenny Webster.
Quote from: MDS on February 21, 2006, 08:56:10 PM
Lenny Webster.
If you're not right, then it's one of the following:
Darrin Fletcher
Steve Lake
Tom Nieto
Doug Lindsey
Jeff Grotewold
I liked Lenny Webster. Thought he was going to be a good catcher when he was in the Twins system.
He was here for two seconds. I'm sure and Loserthal are real tight.
why do people act like Bobby A would be upset with trade rumors? dude doesn't care about anything, i doubt that he remembers that he even plays baseball during the offseason.
oh, and this rumored move regarding the broadcasters will suck, as others have mentioned. not just because Wheeler is on TV the whole game, but also because Scott Grahm will get 3 innings on TV and I farging hate that fake voice jerkoff.
i couldn't care less about Larry Anderson, he's a bore.
Quote from: MDS on February 22, 2006, 12:39:10 PM
He was here for two seconds. I'm sure and Loserthal are real tight.
He spent all of '95 with the Phils. Also, '96 Spring Training.
i flawlessly remember those glory years.
Quote from: stalker on February 22, 2006, 11:59:26 PM
Quote from: MDS on February 22, 2006, 12:39:10 PM
He was here for two seconds. I'm sure and Loserthal are real tight.
He spent all of '95 with the Phils. Also, '96 Spring Training.
do you sell him crack rocks or something?
Form letter generic response from Larry Shenk:
QuoteThank you for taking the time to contact the Phillies. We appreciate your interest and input.
First, please be assured that there is not the slightest truth to the suggestion that the Phillies do not want Harry Kalas to continue broadcasting our games. We are well aware that Harry is a treasure not only for the Phillies but for the entire Delaware Valley. We are both lucky and proud to have this Hall of Fame announcer in the booth, now and in the future.
Second, as you know, Tom McCarthy has taken a broadcasting job with the New York Mets. His departure caused us to re-examine our broadcasting lineup. One thought was to have the announcers do less cross over between radio and television. That remains an option, along with several others under consideration.
No final decision has been made, but it is important that we think about all the possible ways we might achieve our ultimate goal of providing the best broadcast package for our fans. In making these decisions we fully understand the connection broadcasters make with fans. It is one of baseball's strengths and we don't want to do anything to diminish those connections.
Again, thanks for expressing your opinions.
Larry Shenk
Vice President, Public Relations
QuoteIn making these decisions we fully understand the connection broadcasters make with fans. It is one of baseball's strengths and we don't want to do anything to diminish those connections
Horseshtein.
If they understood the fans connections this wouldn't even be an issue right now.
Harry Kalas is a legend and you don't treat a legend with 35 years of service in your organization like this. Ever.
:boom
Dodgers signed 78-year old Vin Scully to a 2-year extension yesterday.
Phillies signed soon-to-be 70 year old Harry Kalas to a....oh wait. They haven't given him shtein.
Bill Conlin's column today...good one. Major props for the Pulp Fiction references...
QuoteFOR MONTHS, Scott Palmer worked under deep cover. Lunch with a writer here. There, lots of probing questions directed at almost anybody with an emotional stake in the Phillies. Lots of input and what Paul Owens used to call "exput."
Palmer is a pleasant man who did solid work during his first
career as a Channel 6 sports guy. His easy manner gave him good ratings and a deserved "good guy" reputation.
Who knew when Scott left the "Action News" set he would embark on his second career as the Phillies' Dr. Phil? Or, in the case of one of the most dysfunctional organizations in all of sports, he would be a baseball equivalent of "Pulp Fiction's" Winston ("I solve problems") Wolf.
Palmer covered all this exploratory ground without a title or specific job description. His No. 1 mandate to be sure was to audit as best he could the massive 2005 fan mutiny that saw nearly 600,000 admissions bail out on a team that took the National League wild-card race down to the final day.
Scott reluctantly advised beleaguered club president Dave Montgomery that he would have to fly the plane into the aircraft carrier. He would have to sacrifice his friend and handpicked general manager, Ed Wade, not because it was necessarily right (at least in the ballclub's view), but because it was necessary.
The day before Charlie Manuel's full squad reported to spring training, Montgomery bestowed a title that put some
focus on Palmer's role. The ombudsman was officially
branded director of media and public affairs. He would sniff out
problems, mediate them and act as a buffer, concentrating on the
always contentious player-media-fan triangle.
It didn't take Palmer long to be handed a mess as explosive as the brain-splattered Chevy Nova that had "The Wolf" speeding to the aid of Jimmy, Jules and Vincent.
This newspaper's Paul Hagen asked Montgomery a few pointed questions Monday about the future of broadcast icon Harry Kalas, who turns 70 next month and is on the final lap of a 3-year contract signed amid a tornado of controversy.
Monty must think this is still the 1980s, when he could leak a trade rumor to a favorite media person and stay under the radar.
He must have forgotten that anything involving the future of Harry The K is big news in this town, bigger than the Jimmy Rollins hitting streak. Bigger than Bobby Abreu's bruised feelings or the humorous claim by GM Pat Gillick that his rightfielder was not shopped this winter.
And Monty must have forgotten the huge flap that erupted in the winter of 2003 after Kalas went public with his desire to work crunch time with Larry Andersen, not organization-groomed Chris Wheeler. During that furor, a lot of dead fish floated to the surface of the roiled waters. The focus, inevitably, fell on a Kalas-Wheeler falling-out dating to the 1996 season, when Montgomery replaced Bill Giles and started paying off debts. Rich Ashburn believed Wheeler was behind his loss of the ninth-inning plum.
Monty sketched a 2006 TV and radio scenario for Hagen that, shockingly, has Wheeler involved in all nine TV innings, six of them bookending with Harry around three with Scott Graham. Even more shocking, the popular Andersen would be relegated to the dead-end of radio only, teaming with Graham and newcomer Scott Franzke.
At this point, you've got to take a step back and ask out loud: Just what the hell are these people thinking?
Does anybody else get the feeling that if the Phillies were put in charge of catching a baby dropped from the roof of a burning building, they wouldn't give the job to Winston Wolf; they'd bring in Edward Scissorhands?
The fans are not fooled a bit and they are back out in force, flexing entitlement muscles that were strong enough to fire Ed Wade. To them, this is not about the Phillies dumping Kalas. That is not going to happen. (A note here that the Dodgers yesterday signed 78-year-old legend Vin Scully, who does nine TV innings solo, to a 2-year contract.)
Joe Paterno, John Chaney and Harry Kalas get to write their own exit terms. Paterno admitted during a fascinating Charlie Rose interview the other day, "I'm not as good a coach as I was 15 years ago." But he's learned to delegate, listen and be a better administrator of the Penn State football program.
Kalas is not as good an announcer as he was 15 years ago, when the man never missed a home-run call. Now he misses a few things and forgets others. It happens when you hit 70 and the ball is a lot harder to pick up than it used to be, when a player's first name sticks in your throat and it comes out wrong. But those are fly specks during nine long innings. The Marlboro and Tanqueray-tuned pipes remain resonant as Yo-Yo Ma's cello.
Besides, who the hell cares if Harry The K's exuberant home-run call occasionally turns into a warning-track never mind?
Where this has taken such an ugly turn - and Palmer knows this now if he read any of the more than 100 e-mails I have
forwarded to him - is it has morphed into a referendum on Chris Wheeler.
If anybody out there has anything good to say about Wheels, pass it on. You will be the first, and I will relay it.
Meanwhile, Scott Palmer will not be hard to spot at Bright House Networks Field next month. He'll be the guy with both hands heavily swathed in bandages.
The least Dave Montgomery could have done was wrap this flaming hot potato in asbestos foil
Quote from: MURP on February 21, 2006, 03:13:43 PM
i sent an email to Palmer telling him to get rid of Chris Wheeler. holler.
well i actually got a response.
QuoteThank you for taking the time to contact the Phillies. We appreciate your interest and input.
First, please be assured that there is not the slightest truth to the suggestion that the Phillies do not want Harry Kalas to continue broadcasting our games. We are well aware that Harry is a treasure not only for the Phillies but for the entire Delaware Valley. We are both lucky and proud to have this Hall of Fame announcer in the booth, now and in the future.
Second, as you know, Tom McCarthy has taken a broadcasting job with the New York Mets. His departure caused us to re-examine our broadcasting lineup. One thought was to have the announcers do less cross over between radio and television. That remains an option, along with several others under consideration.
No final decision has been made, but it is important that we think about all the possible ways we might achieve our ultimate goal of providing the best broadcast package for our fans. In making these decisions we fully understand the connection broadcasters make with fans. It is one of baseball's strengths and we don't want to do anything to diminish those connections.
Again, thanks for expressing your opinions.
Larry Shenk
Vice President, Public Relations
You got the same preformatted response everyone else did. :yay
figured as much.
Loved Conlins article. I'm more for making this an anti-Wheels bregade than a pro-Harry one. Harry's gonna have a job for as long as he wants. Wheels is worse than the SNF team.
I am for the Kalas/Reese pairing on radio.
Quote from: BigEd76 on February 23, 2006, 10:44:21 AM
You got the same preformatted response everyone else did. :yay
And people have the nerve to say that the Phillies are out of touch with their fan base.
Ha!
just got my tickets for the opener....holla!
I normally like Zolecki, but man oh man does he have to listen to a bit more Wheels:
QuoteI don't understand the fuss. The Phillies decided to shuffle their TV/radio lineup. Yawn. First, I don't think the Phillies would be foolish enough to fire Kalas, or try to push him out the door (if they are, they're dumb). So speculation elsewhere is just that, speculation. The Phillies have had enough PR problems in the past few years. They don't need to fire their Hall of Fame broadcaster, for years their only draw. I'd like to see Harry and LA on TV, but it's not the end of the world they're not. I grew up in Milwaukee. Bob Uecker broadcasts only on the radio. But as long as Uke is somewhere, I'm happy. If I'm a Phillies fan, as long as Harry is somewhere, I'm happy. Like somebody told me today, shouldn't it be about baseball? The product on the field? To have so many people upset about the broadcast lineup just doesn't make much sense to me. It almost seems silly -- and completely overblown. Somehow I bet that if the team wins, nobody will care about LA being on the radio, or Harry working with Wheels. Somehow I think that if the team loses, nobody should care about it either. It's just getting a little attention because it's well-known that Harry and Wheeler don't get along. Again, yawn.
Seriously. There wouldn't be this much backlash if the guy wasn't so farging bad.
Quote from: MDS on February 24, 2006, 12:11:29 AM
I normally like Zolecki, but man oh man does he have to listen to a bit more Wheels:
QuoteI don't understand the fuss. The Phillies decided to shuffle their TV/radio lineup. Yawn. First, I don't think the Phillies would be foolish enough to fire Kalas, or try to push him out the door (if they are, they're dumb). So speculation elsewhere is just that, speculation. The Phillies have had enough PR problems in the past few years. They don't need to fire their Hall of Fame broadcaster, for years their only draw. I'd like to see Harry and LA on TV, but it's not the end of the world they're not. I grew up in Milwaukee. Bob Uecker broadcasts only on the radio. But as long as Uke is somewhere, I'm happy. If I'm a Phillies fan, as long as Harry is somewhere, I'm happy. Like somebody told me today, shouldn't it be about baseball? The product on the field? To have so many people upset about the broadcast lineup just doesn't make much sense to me. It almost seems silly -- and completely overblown. Somehow I bet that if the team wins, nobody will care about LA being on the radio, or Harry working with Wheels. Somehow I think that if the team loses, nobody should care about it either. It's just getting a little attention because it's well-known that Harry and Wheeler don't get along. Again, yawn.
Seriously. There wouldn't be this much backlash if the guy wasn't so farging bad.
He is right in a way that if the Phillies were winning, we would be more concentrated on the field. Unfortunately, they continue to miss the playoffs so the enjoyment we get from watching them play is Kalas.
Zolecki gets to watch from the pressbox.
We have to listen to Wheels babble on and on about nothing.
Get a clue, Zolecki.
Just got my tickets for the opener. Since I am a lazy bastich, I waited until today. We got seats in section 428, behind third base. My first trip to Citizen's Bank, so I don't care. Get to watch the Phils get hammered by the Cards. Should be a good time.
2006 CBP Wall of Fame nominees (http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060224&content_id=1321497&vkey=news_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi)
Lenny Dykstra (89-96)
John Kruk (89-94)
Darren Daulton (83-97)
Von Hayes (83-91)
Juan Samuel (83-89)
Dallas Green (79-81)
Ron Reed (76-83)
Dick Ruthven (73-75, 78-83)
Larry Christenson (73-83)
Jim Lonborg (73-79)
Mike Ryan (68-73)
Rick Wise (64-71)
Tony Gonzalez (60-68)
Gene Mauch (60-68)
Jim Konstanty (48-54)
Don Hurst (28-34)
Spud Davis (28-33, 38-39)
Pinky Whitney (28-33, 36-39)
Fred Luderus (10-20)
Al Orth (1895-1901)
Induction ceremonies will be on 8/11 vs Cincinnati...
John Kruk
Lenny Dykstra
Juan Samuel
My 3 votes
eff dykstra...he openly admits hes a met...unless he has a ticket he doesnt ever go in cbp
dallas green is a given
then i go samuel
everyone else can wait for now
No love for Kruk? >:(
someone one the espn boards said something about abreu, hamels, tejeda and bourn for oswalt and berkman. its something like that, and it doesnt even matter because thats about the most unlikely trade rumor ive ever heard.
No love for Kruk?
i love kruk...but to me he was more a caricature than a great player like samuel or a phillie lifer like daulton...in fact id add daulton to my list
Quote from: ice grillin you on February 24, 2006, 10:20:32 PM
No love for Kruk?
i love kruk...but to me he was more a caricature than a great player like samuel or a phillie lifer like daulton...in fact id add daulton to my list
Kruck was a .300 lifetime hitter, played 2 positions and wore 3 different numbers while with the Phillies. Yeah, he was sort of a charicature but at the same time, he's (and Lenny D) probably the first person who comes to mind whenever I hear "93 Phillies".
He's play on the field certainly may not be worthy of "Wall of Fame" honors. His stats are good, but nothing spectacular. But at the same time, I have a hard time thinking of too many Phillies who were as popular as Kruk among the fans. He was a very good player on one of the few "great" teams in Phillies history and that's why I think he at least deserves strong consideration.
dont get me wrong im not anti kruk...if he makes who cares...i just personally wouldnt put him there...certainly not until numerous others make it first
he was a good player and only played half his career with the phils...just because the great white hope segement of the fanbase treated him and the other dirty ass steroid bangin beer swilling rednecks as gods doesnt mean hes automatic imo
If Daulton is inducted will he wear a tinfoil hat to his induction ceremony? Will he give a speech about the Mayan calendar and the world ending on 12-12-12?
I liked Dutch too. And even though he was a terrible hitter until Nail started shooting him up he was a great leader on that team.
Dykstra
Daulton
Samuel
Daulton? No way.
LIFETIME .245 average.
ZERO seasons over 30 HR.
TWO seasons over 100 RBI. Heck, TWO seasons over 65 RBI.
FOUR seasons over 100 games.
Daulton's career can't even be considered average- MAYBE average for a catcher. And I loved the guy when he played.
Look at the list of "most similar" players:
1. Mike Macfarlane (937)
2. Charles Johnson (925)
3. Ernie Whitt (921)
4. Andy Seminick (921)
5. Gus Triandos (918)
6. Ed Bailey (915)
7. Tom Haller (907)
8. Jody Davis (905)
9. Todd Hundley (900)
10. Darrin Fletcher (886)
To me, putting Daulton in would seriously lower the threshold of career achievement needed to be placed on the wall. Will Mickey Morandini be next? His career average was nearly 20 points higher than Daulton's.
My three would include:
1. Fred Luderus- Probably the leader of the Phils' first pennant-winner in 1915. Slick fielder at 1B and 2nd best hitter on the team after Gavvy Cravath.
2. Dallas Green- I know he only managed two+ seasons, but he did win the ONLY World Series in team history.
3. Pinkey Whitney- The best Phillies 3B ever- until 1972.
3a. Gene Mauch- Most wins of any Phils' manager ever (645); a sentimental pick (passed on last August).
(I haven't decided between Whitney and Mauch yet.)
If I was to vote with my heart, I would put in Ron Reed. He was a long-time Phillie 98 seasons), and a stalwart for years coming out of the pen (57 wins in relief, including 13 in 1979). Al Orth won 100 games for the late-19th century teams. Don Hurst had similar career power numbers to Daulton- in only six seasons with the Phils. Larry Christenson pitched for the Phils his entire career (11 seasons- 2nd to Schmidt all-time) and won 83 games.
Honestly, I would place all these guys above Daulton, Dykstra or Kruk. Of the three, Kruk had the most consistent career, Dykstra the best prime, and Daulton had two good seasons amid a career of mediocrity.
I will guess that one of those three will be included, since it was a fan balloting and fans tend to be short-sighted in terms of baseball history (what they haven't see before). Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if all three went in together. I just think that some of the other players are more deserving.
If anyone cares I recieved a 1971 Philles yearbook for Christmas. It is for the opening season of the Vet. It has 7 or 8 full pages singing the praises of the new state of the art stadium. In retrospect, it's pretty funny. It says Don Money is the third baseman for years to come. Alot of weird 70's retro stuff. If you guys want I'll scan in the Vet stuff. Let me know if there's any interest.
is this real or just something you imagined when smoking crack rocks?
Quote from: stalker on February 25, 2006, 07:43:05 PM
If anyone cares I recieved a 1971 Philles yearbook for Christmas. It is for the opening season of the Vet. It has 7 or 8 full pages singing the praises of the new state of the art stadium. In retrospect, it's pretty funny. It says Don Money is the third baseman for years to come. Alot of weird 70's retro stuff. If you guys want I'll scan in the Vet stuff. Let me know if there's any interest.
I'd love to see some of that stuff.
I bought a beat-up 1966 yearbook on eBay awhile back. Love reading some of the articles in older publications.
kevin stocker.
Daulton? No way.
LIFETIME .245 average.
ZERO seasons over 30 HR.
TWO seasons over 100 RBI. Heck, TWO seasons over 65 RBI.
FOUR seasons over 100 games.
stats are very low on the list here...this isnt the HOF and youre making a HOF argument...its all about whos the most phillie...and dutch is right up there....
Quote from: stalker on February 25, 2006, 07:43:05 PM
If anyone cares I recieved a 1971 Philles yearbook for Christmas. It is for the opening season of the Vet. It has 7 or 8 full pages singing the praises of the new state of the art stadium. In retrospect, it's pretty funny. It says Don Money is the third baseman for years to come. Alot of weird 70's retro stuff. If you guys want I'll scan in the Vet stuff. Let me know if there's any interest.
I have the exact same book. I got it on opening day 1971 at the Vet with my Dad. I was only five at the time and I can still remember it like it was yesterday. We drove down from Jenkintown past the old Connie Mack Stadium in North Philly, and I swear, my Dad had a tear in his eye when we passed it. I don't remember much about the game other than we were wayyyyyyyyyyyy upstairs in the 700 Level in the outfield.
QuotePosted on Sun, Feb. 26, 2006
Phils say Kalas isn't outta here yet
Change is never easy for baseball fans, and when it was leaked last week that the Phillies were considering revamping their broadcast lineup, perception suddenly replaced reality.
The Phillies aren't trying to shove Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Harry Kalas out the door, as might have been perceived.
Kalas is arguably the most popular member of the organization, even more than the double-play combination of Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins. The Phillies' organization doesn't have its head in the sand on this issue.
"We would never try to push Harry out the door and the thought of it is laughable," said Rob Brooks, the Phillies' manager of broadcasting.
Scott Palmer, the former Channel 6 sports anchor and the Phillies' new director of media and public affairs, echoed those sentiments.
"Harry's a national treasure and we all hope that he is here for a long time," he said.
That doesn't mean the Phillies weren't and aren't still looking to improve their broadcasts. One of the changes that has been discussed is putting longtime analyst Chris Wheeler exclusively on TV and using Larry Andersen, who did six innings a game on TV last season, strictly as a radio analyst.
Still, as of now, only two things are etched in stone.
"Harry is going to be doing six innings on TV and Scott Graham is going to do six on radio," Brooks said. "No other decision on our lineup has been finalized."
It wouldn't be surprising if the final assignments are decided sometime this week.
The Phillies also hired newcomer Scott Franzke, who replaced Tom McCarthy. Now the No. 2 radio announcer with the New York Mets, McCarthy did the pre- and postgame radio shows and two innings of radio play-by-play, the likely role for Franzke. Kalas is expected to continue doing one inning on radio.
There is a strong faction in the Phillies' organization that wants Wheeler on television for nine innings as an analyst. The three innings of play-by-play he did on TV could go to Graham.
Here is where it gets sticky.
For a number of years, Kalas and Wheeler have endured a well-documented strained relationship, but to the credit of both, they never allowed it to show in the booth. They have worked extremely well together.
It's no secret that Kalas would rather do the games with Andersen, a former Phillie who joined the broadcast team in 1998.
The Phillies have one thing in their favor in giving Wheeler a more high-profile role - he's a better analyst than Andersen.
That was no misprint.
For some reason, possibly because he was never a professional baseball player, Wheeler has become a lightning rod for criticism. He has been a member of the broadcast team since 1977 and is among the most informative analysts in the game.
So before you fire up the e-mails, here's an explanation: The job of an analyst is to give information that the average viewer may not know. Nobody does a better job of explaining hitters' and pitchers' weakness and strengths than Wheeler. It's as if he has a book on every hitter and pitcher in the league.
He has tremendous recall for situations that have occurred in Phillies history. He is always pointing out defensive strategies. Nobody is more up-to-date on the game's current events than Wheeler. It would be hard to find any announcer who comes to a game more prepared than Wheeler.
This is not to destilupfrontate Andersen, who obviously knows the game and has done a solid job. However, knowing the game and explaining it to the audience are two different things.
One thing Andersen hasn't improved much is his delivery. Even though he might be one of the funniest people in the Phillies' organization, it doesn't always come out on the air, especially with his monotone delivery.
Wheeler, on the other hand, is always enthusiastic, and it's not manufactured.
According to Brooks, the contracts of all five Phillies announcers expire after this season, so it's incumbent that they attempt to work well together, no matter how they are utilized.
So now the Phillies have a choice. Do they appease Kalas and some of their fans, or do they go for the better broadcast on television?
Either way, the Phillies will put out a first-rate broadcasting team, especially with Kalas, who turns 70 on March 26, as the leader.
The fact that the Phillies want the best possible radio and television broadcasts shouldn't be held against them, nor should it be perceived that they are trying to push a legend out the door.
::) ::) ::) ::)
Marc Narducci is on Wheelers payroll.
Wheels a better analyst that LA? Ha!
talking strictly baseball, Wheels is probably better than LA, but it's not just about the information you giving, but also how you are giving it. Wheels is a whiney, arrogant suck up. LA is less whiney and less arrogant, and less of a suck up.
you've got to be kidding me. that was about the worst article ive ever read.
This is not to destilupfrontate Andersen,
This cracked me up. I sure am glad that racist crackhead is no longer here.
Quote from: MDS on February 26, 2006, 12:03:48 PM
you've got to be kidding me. that was about the worst article ive ever read.
QuoteYou must not have read the entire article otherwise you would have seen this brilliant gem.
This is not to destilupfrontate Andersen, who obviously knows the game and has done a solid job. However, knowing the game and explaining it to the audience are two different things.
:-D
Quote from: stalker on February 26, 2006, 12:29:24 PM
This is not to destilupfrontate Andersen,
This cracked me up. I sure am glad that racist crackhead is no longer here.
No love for SUF anymore? What'd he do, kick your ass and steal your pipe? Maybe he sold you some low quality rock?
The latest tally in Philly.com's "L.A. versus Wheels" vote:
QuoteWhich Phillies announcer would you prefer to see teamed with Harry Kalas?
Larry Andersen: 1443 votes (90%)
Chris Wheeler: 158 votes (10%)
Ooops. It looks like nine out of ten respondants disagree with Marc Narducci. Big surprise there.
:-D
As if we all needed another reason to despise Tim Worrell:
QuoteWorrell: Phillies fans 'seem happy being miserable'
By PAUL HAGEN
hagenp@phillynews.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Phillies fans might recall Tim Worrell as a relief pitcher who habitually wore the dour look of a man who had just sucked a lemon during most of his tenure in red pinstripes.
Or they might recall him as the guy who asked to be placed on the disabled list for "personal psychological reasons" 2 months into last season, collected about a million bucks while sidelined and then forced a trade to the Diamondbacks.
They probably would not have recognized the jolly fellow who was horsing around with his new Giants teammates recently at Scottsdale Stadium after signing a 2-year, $4 million free-agent contract this winter.
Even when asked if he had a moment to discuss his impressions of Philadelphia, he continued to smile. He also continued to walk toward the door. "That's past. Looking forward," is all he had to offer.
Worrell, however, wasn't as brusque with the Sacramento Bee. He made it clear that, on the whole, he'd rather not be in Philadelphia.
"Philly is a tough place to play when things go right," he told veteran Giants beat reporter Nick Peters. "I'm a West Coast guy. I grew up in California [Pasadena] and I live in Arizona. It's a different mentality back there. I don't want to say it's wrong, but I'm just not used to it.
"It was a night-and-day difference, a shock to my family. [Philly fans] want to win, but they seem happy being miserable."
Worrell, 38, made it clear that he was exempting the Phillies organization and former general manager Ed Wade from his thumbs-down review.
"[Being traded to] Arizona was a favor, and [Wade] made it happen," he said. "He was very good to me. I have nothing bad to say about the Phillies.
"They went out of their way for me. I don't think you ever solve problems, but my mind was clear enough to concentrate on doing what needed to get done. In Philly, it was tough to focus when a lot of stuff was going on."
Worrell gave up 12 runs in his first 11 innings last season. Opponents batted .423 against him in that stretch. When he was traded, his earned run average was 7.41. Not surprising, he was loudly booed for his efforts.
For the Diamondbacks, Worrell was 2.27 in 32 games, including 0.90 in his last 18 appearances.
He steadfastly has declined to talk in detail about the problems that caused him so much distress, but painted a grim picture in the story that ran in today's editions.
"Other things, personal and external, were becoming more important than the game," he said. "There was no nervous breakdown, but I was heading that way. Things were eating at me and tearing me up.
"It's not that in 12 years [in the big leagues] things never affected me personally, but I couldn't get my job done. In the end result, I knew why I wasn't getting the job done. I knew there was a reason... I'm giving up two-run homers and felt like I was killing the team. That's why I went up to [Wade] and told him, 'I'm trying everything I can do, and I'm not turning the corner here.'
"My style of pitching has a lot to do with attitude, and my approach wasn't right. I needed time to go and fix it."
Now he's fixed it. And he's clearly happy he's no longer in Philadelphia.
And that's one thing he and Phillies fans probably can agree on.
What a farging wuss.
"Philly is a tough place to play when things go right," he told veteran Giants beat reporter Nick Peters. "I'm a West Coast guy. I grew up in California [Pasadena] and I live in Arizona. It's a different mentality back there. I don't want to say it's wrong, but I'm just not used to it.
translation: i wear panties...like avacado on my pizza...and want to play in a city where the fans dont care how bad i suck
HA!
I mean, I'd understand if he played really well for the Phils for a few years and had one bad stretch that he was upset about, but dude....YOU SUCKED ASS! Shut the farg up and enjoy your desert heat.
More news
QuoteSore elbow puts Bell on bench
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. - A half-hour before the Phillies played their first intrasquad scrimmage of spring training, the infielders assembled on the half field outside of the clubhouse to practice. Infield coach Bill Dancy smacked grounders to Jimmy Rollins at shortstop, who fired them to second baseman Chase Utley, who relayed them to Ryan Howard at first.
Next to Rollins, reserve infielders Alex Gonzalez and Abraham Nunez awaited their turns at third base. Neither took balls anywhere else because both started the intrasquad game at third.
Because David Bell was hurt.
Again.
Thirty minutes later, Howard didn't play, either, but he just had a 103-degree fever from a cold that is circulating through the clubhouse. He is expected to play today if he is better.
Bell might be a little longer in returning to full participation.
Bell missed yesterday's full workout and game with a sore left elbow that hinders his swing. It was the first day of what has become an annual occurrence. PG note....hinders his swing? I wasn't aware that it got much more "hindered" than it did last year.
Bell's balky back cost him time in 2003 and in the spring of 2005. Shoulder and knee problems cost him time in the spring of 2004. He entered this spring less bulky, which, with his devotion to preventative measures, might contribute to his absence of back pain so far.
So, how did the latest injury happen?
Manager Charlie Manuel hypothesized that the injury came about through overuse while Bell prepared for the season, exacerbated when full-team workouts began on Tuesday. Manuel said he won't use Bell until Bell is fully recovered.
When that might be remains unknown.
Team athletic trainer Jeff Cooper does not talk to the media. Bell talked to teammates and equipment representatives yesterday before the workout began and was gone when the clubhouse reopened.
Back on the hill
Cole Hamels yesterday threw off the mound for the first time since August. Hamels, the team's first-round pick in 2002, has a chronic back issue that cost him most of last season and has put him behind the other pitchers this spring.
He threw 25 pitches - 23 fastballs and two of his trademark changeups. He did not hold back. He was delighted.
"It was everything I expected it to be," he said. He felt no back pain, though there is a lingering tightness.
"He threw the ball very well," pitching coach Rich Dubee allowed. "We'll see how he [feels today]."
Hamels said he will next throw off the mound Wednesday. Without setbacks, Hamels said, he could start pitching in games in 2 weeks.
Phillers
Jon Lieber is scheduled to start Friday against the Yankees in the Grapefruit League home opener at Bright House Networks Field... Rheal Cormier gave up a long double to Matt Kata in the intrasquad game. Cormier pitched a little longer than the other pitchers, since he is slated to leave the club later this week and join Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic... Abraham Nunez made a sweet play to his left at third to get speedy Bobby Scales at first base... Lefthander Gio Gonzalez, part of the trade that sent Jim Thome to the White Sox, looked impressive in his inning. He is slated for Double A Reading... Catcher prospect Jason Jaramillo fired a strike to throw out Joe Thurston tying to steal second.
Tim Worrell = big vadge
David Bell = bigger vadge
Him being hurt is good though. It means that Nunez or Gonzalez can steal his job.
Nah, I'm pretty sure I think Worrell is the bigger vadge here.
Bell is, no doubt, in the vadge category....but Worrell lapped him.
bell seems like a good guy...he just sucks
worrell sucks AND is bitchmade
i get booed so i lock myself in my bedroom for a month and cry over pints of ben and jerrys
Ben and Jerry ice cream and avocado pizza? :-D
Was he watching Sleepless in Seattle too?
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on February 27, 2006, 08:56:13 AM
Ben and Jerry ice cream and avocado pizza? :-D
Was he watching Sleepless in Seattle too?
Followed up by "You've Got Mail"
I think I might get me some tickets to the Giants series and make sure I'm out by the bullpen.
dont bother...he will definitely be 'hurt' that series
save your money to go to all nine Mets games and rail on Billy Wagner for 9 innings each night.
Bell is hurt? Again? Ha. Get out of here, loser.
Quote from: MDS on February 27, 2006, 09:08:45 AM
Bell is hurt? Again? Ha. Get out of here, loser.
I'm surprised you had nothing to say about Worrell. LOL
What's there to say that hasn't already been said?
1. Vadge
2. Sucks
3. Farg him
Quote from: Sun_Mo on February 27, 2006, 09:03:37 AM
save your money to go to all nine Mets games and rail on Billy Wagner for 9 innings each night.
Thought about that too. Billy keeps saying stuff that is stupid. And he said he doesn't want anyone talking about his family. So that gives us ignorant and terrible fans something to talk about. Dead alpaccas and Mrs. Wagner commiting beastiality with them. :)
that's a good start
Ha. Does he want people to talk about his family now? He should know better. Stupid hick.
I'm going to the Phils/Yanks game on Friday. Got seats right behind home plate in the second row.
Too bad the Yankees will probably have their AAA squad present that day.
Doesn't mean you can't make fun of some Asian guy for being Asian.
QuoteHe threw 25 pitches - 23 fastballs and two of his trademark changeups. He did not hold back. He was delighted.
"It was everything I expected it to be," he said. He felt no back pain, though there is a lingering tightness.
"He threw the ball very well," pitching coach Rich Dubee allowed. "We'll see how he [feels today]."
(http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/images/2006/02/26/Qk6YWIjM.jpg)
Hamels? I'm not holding my breath.
His yearly injury should be coming up any day now
they're waiting to see the results from his night out at a bar tonight.
I want some of the credit for running him (Worrel) out of town. My 11 year old boy and I went and booed the crap out of him when he was rehabbing in A ball at Lakewood.
Quote from: PhillyGirl on February 27, 2006, 08:34:04 AM
Nah, I'm pretty sure I think Worrell is the bigger vadge here.
Bell is, no doubt, in the vadge category....but Worrell lapped him.
Worrell lapped Bell's vadge? He-bitch lesbians! Ewwww.
Quote from: stalker on February 27, 2006, 01:32:43 PM
I want some of the credit for running him (Worrel) out of town. My 11 year old boy and I went and booed the crap out of him when he was rehabbing in A ball at Lakewood.
did you smoke crack with your son before? child services should be all over you.
The most important question is whether the crack was smoked inside the Cadillac. Don't be fargin up the leather with the pipe residue, bitches.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on February 27, 2006, 10:50:18 AM
I'm going to the Phils/Yanks game on Friday. Got seats right behind home plate in the second row.
Too bad the Yankees will probably have their AAA squad present that day.
so.. sounds like an equal match up to me.
worrell and bell. both are horrible, but i guess at least bell doesn't open his mouth. thinking about it further though, i'd rather have bell be a worrell running his mouth on some team with no fans and pretending he was ever good, then suiting up for the sils this year.
Quote from: stalker on February 27, 2006, 01:32:43 PM
I want some of the credit for running him (Worrel) out of town. My 11 year old boy and I went and booed the crap out of him when he was rehabbing in A ball at Lakewood.
Booing a guy on an A ball rehab assignment. Wow, that is pretty stalker.
Quote from: Doug Llewellyn on February 28, 2006, 01:41:35 AM
Quote from: stalker on February 27, 2006, 01:32:43 PM
I want some of the credit for running him (Worrel) out of town. My 11 year old boy and I went and booed the crap out of him when he was rehabbing in A ball at Lakewood.
Booing a guy on an A ball rehab assignment. Wow, that is pretty stalker.
:-o
How many screen names does this piece of crap need?
:-D
Quote from: FFatPatt on February 28, 2006, 08:38:48 AM
How many screen names does this piece of crap need?
Just one. The other two are persona non-grata here.
Narducci said HK will definatley do 1-3, 7-9 and Graham will definatley do 4-6. Wheels and LA are to be determined.
Wow. Baseball is so exciting that you've all resorted to talking about the radio announcers.
It beats the hell outta hockey.
you know youre allowed to like all four major sports?
i feel more and more strange that i actually enjoy all 4 sports in this city.
Quote from: ice grillin you on February 28, 2006, 03:06:07 PM
you know youre allowed to like all four major sports?
cue: hockey's not a major sport, blah, blah, blah...
Quote from: ice grillin you on February 28, 2006, 03:06:07 PM
you know youre allowed to like all four major sports?
Football, strippers,
(female - duh, Chuggie) booze & coke?
Did someone just grant me permission to like all four sports? Joy! Sadly, baseball still sucks.
female - duh, Chuggie)
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060228/capt.flrk10102282108.phillies_spring_baseball_flrk101.jpg) (http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060226/capt.flrk10402262122.phillies_spring_baseball_flrk104.jpg)
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060228/capt.flrk10402282200.phillies_spring_baseball_flrk104.jpg) (http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060301/capt.flrk10503010216.phillies_spring_baseball_flrk105.jpg)
he must be taking lessons from abreu.
Quote from: BigEd76 on February 28, 2006, 11:55:14 PM
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060226/capt.flrk10402262122.phillies_spring_baseball_flrk104.jpg)
Actually, Kenny Lofton was worse defensivley than Abreu last year. His incompetence in center did affect Abreu in right. With Rowand, Abreu will have less ground to cover and should have an easy job catching things in right (as long as he doesn't have to run into walls and break his wrist, like the awsome torri hunter).
well we know Bobby will never break anything, you have to give effort to get hurt
Quote from: BigEd76 on February 28, 2006, 11:55:14 PM
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060228/capt.flrk10102282108.phillies_spring_baseball_flrk101.jpg)
Balls 3
QuoteNews that David Bell tweaked his back during Wednesday's workouts raised a familiar red flag, the same one that's waved throughout his stay in Philadelphia.
His back is back to being bothersome.
While the oft-injured third baseman was already scheduled to miss the Phillies' first two exhibition games with a sore left elbow, this adds another chapter to the already long tale of Bell's Philadelphia back story.
He'll be examined Thursday by Dr. Thomas Tolli, an orthopedic surgeon based in St. Petersburg, Fla. Tolli has also been working with pitcher Cole Hamels, who is recovering from what was diagnosed as a stress reaction.
David Bell hurt her back again today. Surprised? I'm not.
Hello, Abraham Nunez. :yay
Phils beat the Hunts 6-3.
Burrell and Coste go yard.
Floyd pitched OK (gave up 1 HR)
Good, the less Ryan Franklin, the better.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 02, 2006, 08:55:25 PM
Burrell and Coste go yard.
Who? Any chance of him seeing the big leagues this year?
no hes in his 30's and is a career minor leaguer
Awsum. So glad guys like that get at-bats in spring training.
Ryan Howard hit 2 HRs to right today that went at least 900 ft combined :yay
And Chris Coste drove in the winning run.
Coste > Bell
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 01, 2006, 08:15:57 PM
QuoteNews that David Bell tweaked his back during Wednesday's workouts raised a familiar red flag, the same one that's waved throughout his stay in Philadelphia.
His back is back to being bothersome.
While the oft-injured third baseman was already scheduled to miss the Phillies' first two exhibition games with a sore left elbow, this adds another chapter to the already long tale of Bell's Philadelphia back story.
He'll be examined Thursday by Dr. Thomas Tolli, an orthopedic surgeon based in St. Petersburg, Fla. Tolli has also been working with pitcher Cole Hamels, who is recovering from what was diagnosed as a stress reaction.
David Bell hurt her back again today. Surprised? I'm not.
Hello, Abraham Nunez. :yay
What in the holy farg is a
stress reaction?
That's vadgespeak for saying "David Bell is made out of paper mache".
I thought that Howard HR was going to hit the highway.
they said it did...
that was sick, crushed and pulled off of a lefty
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 04, 2006, 10:26:05 AM
they said it did...
that was sick, crushed and pulled off of a lefty
that's unpossible. howard can't hit off of lefties.
First TV "game" of the year is tommorrow. Maybe we can finally beat the Astros in a game that doesn't count and will be full of career minor leaguers by the 4th inning.
I was at the game yesterday and can report that the homer that Howard hit did, in fact, travel about 500 feet.
I've only seen a couple of Phils players hit balls like that out of the park. Greg Luzinski hit them like that, Thome did and now Howard.
Honestly, Howard hit it and a brief hush fell over the stadium. A second late, the place erupted. Just incredible.
I anticipate a prolonged slump this season from Howard. Probably around June. It's to be expected, as he's a 2nd year player with a big swing, and pitchers will be making their adjustments. He'll have to start making them too, and it could be a little while before he figures it out.
However, I think that he's going to be good. Very good. Possibly the Phils' best first baseman ever.
This kid has it.
I also went to see the Yankees/Reds at Legends Field (could the Yankees be any more pompous with a name like that??) ::) today and saw something pretty cool.
Randy Johnson started the game and was done pretty quickly. Two innings I think. Anyway, around the fifth inning or so, I was standing on top of the stadium area looking back towards the practice fields and noticed him playing with his children. He had four kids with him and he was tossing batting pratice to his son and his three daughters were out shagging flys from the kid. He then put his glove on and began playing catch with the kid who looked to be about ten years old. The funny thing was, the kid was a righty but threw almost exactly like Johnson.
After all the arrogance and corporate bullshtein I had to endure at that miserable, bloated cash register of a stadium, it was nice to see that even for a moment, a guy could still be out there having fun with his kids on a nice sunny day.
Quote from: ice grillin you on February 25, 2006, 11:14:16 PM
Daulton? No way.
LIFETIME .245 average.
ZERO seasons over 30 HR.
TWO seasons over 100 RBI. Heck, TWO seasons over 65 RBI.
FOUR seasons over 100 games.
stats are very low on the list here...this isnt the HOF and youre making a HOF argument...its all about whos the most phillie...and dutch is right up there....
Sorry to come back to this so much later, but I don't totally buy this argument. Here is the Wall of Fame list:
• Robin Roberts (1978)- HOF
• Richie Ashburn (1979)- HOF
• Chuck Klein (1980)-HOF
• Grover Alexander (1981)- HOF
• Del Ennis (1982)- 288 Lifetime HRs; 257 for Phils (I believe all-time leader before Schmidt)
• Jim Bunning (1984)- HOF
• Ed Delahanty (1985)- HOF
• Cy Williams (1986)- 254 HR, 220 with Phils (1918-1930)
• Granny Hamner (1987)- 17 seasons with Phils; Shortstop on 1950 team; 3-time All-Star
• Paul Owens (1988)- Architect of 1980 World Champs
• Steve Carlton (1989)- HOF
• Mike Schmidt (1990)- HOF
• Larry Bowa (1991)- 12 seasons with Phils; 5-time All-Star; 2 Gold Gloves and one of top-5 fielding SS ever (in my opinion).
• Chris Short (1992)- 132 wins with Phils (135 total); Won 20+ once, 15+ four times; 2-time All-Star
• Curt Simmons (1993)- 193 wins (122 with Phils); 3-time All-Star; #2 pitcher for 1950 pennant-winner
• Dick Allen (1994)- 351 HRs (177 with Phils); 1964 ROY; 7-time All-Star (3 with Phils); border-line (or just below) HOF
• Willie Jones (1995)- 190 HR (180 with Phils); 2-time All-Star; Closest to Daulton stat-wise- not as high peak but more consistent; Great nickname (Puddin' Head)
• Sam Thompson (1996)- HOF, part of greatest OF in Phils (and maybe baseball) history (Thompson-Delahanty-Hamilton); .331 lifetime average
• Johnny Callison (1997)- 226 HR (185 with Phils); 3-time All-Star (1 MVP); #2 MVP voting 1964
• Greg Luzinski (1998)- 307 HR (223 with Phils); 4-time All-Star; 3 seasons 30+ HR for Phils (4 total); #2 in MVP Voting twice; 100+ RBI 3X with Phils (4 total, 97 in another season).
• Tug McGraw (1999)- 2nd closest to your Daulton argument. He does have that distinction of getting the World Series clinching strikeout. 96 saves with Phls. All-Star in 1975 (with Phils) and 1972 (Mets).
• Gavvy Cravath (2000)- Early HR king (led six times 1913-1919), including 1915 pennant winner with 24. Could be a borderline HOF from dead-ball era.
• Garry Maddox (2001)- Secretary of Defense (8 Gold Gloves)
• Tony Taylor (2002)- Closest to Daulton argument. Played 19 seasons- 15 with Phils. Average infielder (1-time All-Star) that played all four infield slots. Most popular player on the 1960s. Had over 2,000 hits in career.
• Sherry Magee (2003)- Early star of Phils (1904-1914). Led NL in RBI four times, average once, slugging twice. Borderline (just below) HOF from deadball era. Lifetime .291 average. 1176 career RBI (886 with Phils).
• Billy Hamilton (2004)- HOF, had MLB record for SB before Lou Brock (912, still 3rd all-time). Hit .404 for Phils in 1894.
• Bob Boone (2005)- Long-time Phils catcher (1972-1981); All-Star four times (3 with Phils). Catcher of World Series winner in 1980 (hit .412); 7 Gold Gloves (2 with Phils)
•
Daulton: 14 seasons (13.5 with Philly); 3-time All-Star; 100+ RBI twice; Played 100+ games a total of four times.Here are the basic offensive totals of the position players on this list (these are career totals, not just with Phils):
Darren Daulton: 1161 Games, 891 Hits, 197 2B, 137 HRs, 588 RBI, .245Garry Maddox: 1749 Games, 1802 Hits, 337 2B, 117 HR, 754 RBI, .285
Richie Ashburn: 2189 Games, 2574 Hits, 317 2B, 29 HR, 586 RBI, .308, 1322 Runs, 234 SBChuck Klein: 1753 Games, 2076 Hits, 398 2B, 300 HR, 1201 RBI, .320
Del Ennis: 1903 Games, 2067 Hits, 358 2B, 288 HR, 1284 RBI, .284Ed Delahanty: 1835 Games, 2596 Hits, 522 2B, 101 HR, 1464 RBI, .346
Cy Williams: 2002 Games, 1981 Hits, 306 2B, 251 HR, 1005 RBI, .292Granny Hamner: 1531 Games, 1529 Hits, 272 2B, 104 HR, 708 RBI, .262
Mike Schmidt: 2404 Games, 2234 Hits, 408 2B, 548 HR, 1595 RBI, .267Larry Bowa: 2247 Games, 2191 Hits, 262 2B, 15 HR, 525 RBI, .260
Dick Allen: 1749 Games, 1848 Hits, 320 2B, 351 HR, 1119 RBI, .292Willie Jones: 1691 Games, 1502 Hits, 252 2B, 190 HR, 812 RBI, .258
Sam Thompson: 1407 Games, 1979 Hits, 340 2B, 127 HR, 1299 RBI, .331Johnny Callison: 1886 Games, 1757 Hits, 321 2B, 226 HR, 840 RBI, .264
Greg Luzinski: 1821 Games, 1795 Hits, 344 2B, 307 HR, 1128 RBI, .276Tony Taylor: 2195 Games, 2007 Hits, 298 2B, 75 HR, 598 RBI, .261
Gavvy Cravath: 1220 Games, 1134 Hits, 232 2B, 119 HR, 719 RBI, .287Sherry Magee: 2087 Games, 2169 Hits, 425 2B, 83 HR, 1176 RBI, .291
Billy Hamilton: 1591 Games, 2158 Hits, 242 2B, 40 HR, 736 RBI, .344, 912 SBBob Boone: 2264 Games, 1838 Hits, 303 2B, 105 HR, 826 RBI, .254
Note: Even though I put career totals, all the names above achieved around 75% or more of their career totals with the Phils, except Billy Hamilton, Dick Allen and Bob Boone (probably a bit more than half)
Daulton is among the the lowest of this list in the following offensive categories:
• Batting Average (.245- Boone is next at .254)
• Doubles (197- only one below 200; Cravath is next at 232)
• RBI (588, 3rd lowest ahead of Ashburn (586) and Bowa (525)- Ashburn hit leadoff, Bowa either at 1, 7 or 8 in the lineup). Both Ashburn and Bowa have more than 2,000 hits, while Daulton did not even reach 1,000.
• Hits (891- the only one under 1,000; Gravath next at 1,134, and he didn't start until age 31)
• Games (1161- next lowest Cravath at 1220)
• Even middle infielders like Granny Hamner had more RBI than Daulton, who was in the middle of the order in his prime.
To me, making the "he was a true Phillie" argument belies the fact that:
• Daulton was truly a regular player for only four full seasons (1989-1990, 1992-1993). Granted, in 1991 and 1994-1996, injuries were the reason, but those are the ONLY four seasons in which he played in over 100 games for the Phils (in 1997, he played 84 for the Phils and 52 for the Marlins, and did not catch that season).
• He had 400+ ABs in just three seasons (1990, 1992, 1993).
• He had productive offensive numbers in 1992 (27/109/.270) and 1993 (24/105/.257). In the half-season in 1994, he was doing well (15/56/.300) before injuries and the strike. Other than the two 100+ RBI years, his best RBI seasons were 1990 (57), 1994 (56) and 1995 (55). He had 63 in 1997 (44 for the Phils).
• He had a half-season at .300 (1994), one at .270 (1992), and two more above .260 (1990, 1997).
• He had two half-seasons below .200 (1987, .184 and 1991, .196) and two partial seasons and a full season below .210 (1985, 34 games, .204; 1988, 54 games, .208; 1989, 85 games, .201
Every position player on the list had one (or more) of the following characteristics:
• Statistical excellence (e.g. Schmidt's HR total, Hamilton's average)
• Stat accumulation (e.g. Ashburn's 2,500+ hits)
Now, from what I am arguing some will say that I do not like Daulton. Actually, I was quite a fan of Daulton's when he played. I loved his hard-nosed style and the fire that he brought to the Phillie teams of that era. He was a clubhouse leader for the 1993 pennant-winners. I just do not think that his career belongs to the Wall of Fame, especially before some of the other names on that list are honored.
For the record, I did vote for Fred Luderus, Pinky Whitney and Dallas Green.
OK, I'm done nerding up the thread. Back to spring training!
Allow me to retort:
Farg Daulton.
:-D
Salisbury: Current Phillie took speed every day last year (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/14022257.htm)
QuoteThere were times, as recently as last season, the Phillies player said, when he wanted the rush quickly. So he ripped open the capsule and poured the contents directly onto his tongue.
The image might sound startling, but inside a modern major-league clubhouse, it was not.
A couple generations ago, players swigged "red juice" when they needed a little pick-me-up. Over time, the energy booster became available in neat little capsules affectionately called "greenies."
"Speed," said the current Phillie, who asked not to be named, for fear of tarnishing his reputation. "It's bad for your cardio. It's unhealthy. But I did it."
He did it every day for the last few seasons, and so, he estimated, did half the position players in the big leagues.
QuoteThe current Phillie estimated that "half the position players in baseball did it almost every day."
And him?
"Every day," he said.
For how many years?
"Several," he said.
How did he get them?
"From other players," he said. "There are ways."
Why did you do it?
"Some days you might need it because you had a bad sleep, or you went out the night before," he said. "And if you take it once, you feel like you need it every day. You feel like your bat is quicker and you throw better.
"I'm sure people will say, 'He did that!' But they don't understand. Baseball is every day. Let's see them keep up with this schedule."
QuoteThe current Phillie said he would not push the envelope. He said he's popped his last greenie.
"If I don't start it, I won't feel like I need it," he said. "I'm sure there will be days I'll feel tired, but I'll just have to deal with it.
"I'll probably get more rest at night. If anything, it might help keep some guys stronger because greenies kill your appetite. You don't eat and you lose weight. It also might help some guys not jump at the ball and be more patient."
Ok. Who was it?
My guess is Pat Burrell.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 05, 2006, 12:43:31 PM
Salisbury: Current Phillie took speed every day last year (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/14022257.htm)
QuoteThere were times, as recently as last season, the Phillies player said, when he wanted the rush quickly. So he ripped open the capsule and poured the contents directly onto his tongue.
The image might sound startling, but inside a modern major-league clubhouse, it was not.
A couple generations ago, players swigged "red juice" when they needed a little pick-me-up. Over time, the energy booster became available in neat little capsules affectionately called "greenies."
"Speed," said the current Phillie, who asked not to be named, for fear of tarnishing his reputation. "It's bad for your cardio. It's unhealthy. But I did it."
He did it every day for the last few seasons, and so, he estimated, did half the position players in the big leagues.
QuoteThe current Phillie estimated that "half the position players in baseball did it almost every day."
And him?
"Every day," he said.
For how many years?
"Several," he said.
How did he get them?
"From other players," he said. "There are ways."
Why did you do it?
"Some days you might need it because you had a bad sleep, or you went out the night before," he said. "And if you take it once, you feel like you need it every day. You feel like your bat is quicker and you throw better.
"I'm sure people will say, 'He did that!' But they don't understand. Baseball is every day. Let's see them keep up with this schedule."
QuoteThe current Phillie said he would not push the envelope. He said he's popped his last greenie.
"If I don't start it, I won't feel like I need it," he said. "I'm sure there will be days I'll feel tired, but I'll just have to deal with it.
"I'll probably get more rest at night. If anything, it might help keep some guys stronger because greenies kill your appetite. You don't eat and you lose weight. It also might help some guys not jump at the ball and be more patient."
Ok. Who was it?
My guess is Pat Burrell.
no doubt
Today's game vs the Astros is on UPN-57. Scott Palmer's weekly "Behind the Pinstripes" show is on now...
Manuel speaking at a dinner:
"On the count of 3, I want everyone here to boo...1...2...3..."
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*
"Now I can talk. I feel at home."
"My father was a minister. I came from a family of 13 kids. I never slept alone until I got married."
:-D
I laughed out loud at the last line.
:-D
It's funny... the first thing people should do when they get married is invest in a king-size or California king-size bed. Invariably when you start having kids, those little brats wanna crawl into bed with you. Our little one crawled into bed with us last night and it got so crowded, I ended up getting up and sleeping in her bed.
:-D :-D
Yea, Burrell did speed. It makes him strikeout all the damn time.
Is anyone else watching the game on MLB.Com?
They're between commercials right now and the cameraman keeps focusing on hot chicks in the crowd in Clearwater.
8)
Still can't beat Houston. Damnit, Danny Sandoval. Get a hit!!
Phils win 4-3 in extra innings.
I say Tomas Perez. He could get the pies out quicker ^-^
Dude, how long did it take to put that analysis about Dutch together? :o
Three.
A Florida newspaper article mentioned that Tomas Perez would welcome a trade to the Marlins. Pieman for Cabrera....deal... :yay
Pieman for Pokey Reese.
Oh, Reese was waived?
Deal.
Tomas for the turd i just squeezed out.
Quote from: BigEd76 on March 10, 2006, 12:25:33 AM
A Florida newspaper article mentioned that Tomas Perez would welcome a trade to the Marlins. Pieman for Cabrera....deal... :yay
Pieman for Pie.
Today's game is on UPN57. They have 2 hits.....both HRs by Howard :yay
Good to hear Wheels' voice again.
Losing Bentley got you down?
Not happy with Matt "Tony Gonzalez Jr." Schobel?
Pissed that the Flyers choked it up?
HEY! AT LEAST THE PHILS WON! :)
I was at the game today. Howard hit two more bombs.
:-D
I've seen him in person twice now. He's had seven at-bats in those games. He has four homers, a single and an absolute smash to center that the fielder almost misjudged for a hit.
I took a bunch of photos... I'll post some here...
Ryan Howard...
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0555.jpg)
Uncle Cholly... :-D
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0550.jpg)
Gotta love watching Howard.
Gavin Floyd needs to make a choice... Mullett or no Mullett.
J-Roll...
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0553.jpg)
Gavin Floyd warming up... (side note - he got into some trouble today but looked pretty damn good, though)
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0568.jpg)
Ryan Franklin warming up before the game (check out the change-up grip he has - it was firing nicely today - he made several Astros look ridiculous out there)...
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0563.jpg)
(Note Geary & Bourn in the background. They came onto the field together and looked like peas and carrots all day... :-D :paranoid )
And last but not least, Jay's favorite, Mikey Lieberthal! :poison
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0566.jpg)
(He grounded weakly into a double play killing one inning and popped up to second like a bitch in the other at-bat I can remember - just farging pathetic.)
I thought Charlie skipped the game for Puckett's funeral? Or was that yesterday? (or tomorrow?)
Thank you for posting that pick of Lieby, Romey. Made my day. No bentley but we still got Mike! :yay
I think he leaves after todays game, Ed.
Jay - Howard's first homer was crushed just a shade to left-centerfield. It went right over the cameraman's head.
His second homer looked like a pop-up to short leftfield at first but it just kept carrying and carrying...
The Astros home field is pretty big for a single-A ball park. 330 down both lines, 390 to the power alleys and 410 to center. Kinda ironic considering the warehouse they play in at home in Houston.
Howard is going to be a stud. I can;t wait for the season to start. Now..if that doggone pitching can just do something we might be alright,
hasn't today taught you anything?
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 11, 2006, 08:40:10 PM
hasn't today taught you anything?
Six dollars (plus tip) for a bottle of Budweiser is a farging joke?
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 11, 2006, 08:40:10 PM
hasn't today taught you anything?
Mark Eckel looks like a chode?
all good answers, but not the main point of today
I need a scantron sheet and multiple answers please.
today's thesis: No matter what happens, with any local team, we the fans, get farged in the ass like Marcellus Wallace.
world series caravan starts at my house tommorrow. get on now while theres room.
howard is one of the whitest brothers of all-time
you wont hear nuttin but a g thang played when he comes to the plate
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 12, 2006, 08:24:55 AM
howard is one of the whitest brothers of all-time
you wont hear nuttin but a g thang played when he comes to the plate
I don't care if he acts white or black as long as he's smacking bombs over the farging fence.
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 12, 2006, 08:24:55 AM
howard is one of the whitest brothers of all-time
you wont hear nuttin but a g thang played when he comes to the plate
Don't worry, IGY.
No one can ever be as "street" as you.
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 12, 2006, 08:24:55 AMhoward is one of the whitest brothers of all-time
Based on what, his love of baseball and the WWE?
Based on what, his love of baseball and the WWE?
and the fact that he sounds like erkel
Howard hit another bomb today.
Quote from: CSD on March 14, 2006, 04:17:39 PM
Howard hit another bomb today.
he hit one yesterday too.
^^^^^
lolol...awesome
i know its spring training but damn is he ridiculous right now...what makes him deadly is he doesnt even have to come close to getting all of the ball to send it out...its almost like if he makes contact its gonna go
i worry about his blowing his wad in spring training
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 14, 2006, 04:21:13 PM
^^^^^
lolol...awesome
i know its spring training but damn is he ridiculous right now...what makes him deadly is he doesnt even have to come close to getting all of the ball to send it out...its almost like if he makes contact its gonna go
He's a beast.
Start Alex Gonzalez against LHP :yay
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 14, 2006, 04:22:02 PM
i worry about his blowing his wad in spring training
worrying about it isn't going to make it not happen. it's inevitable, he's a sillie.
Matt Kata was waived and picked up by Cincinnati. See ya...
That brings pie-man closer to a roster spot.
hopefully gillick gets another flippin outfielder.
I'd just as soon see them keep Michael Bourn as sign another back-up.
Quote from: BigEd76 on March 15, 2006, 02:22:37 PM
Matt Kata was waived and picked up by Cincinnati. See ya...
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0559.jpg)
:paranoid
Is that a Bob Marley joint in his right hand?
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 15, 2006, 03:46:50 PM
I'd just as soon see them keep Michael Bourn as sign another back-up.
He was optioned to SWB a couple of days ago...
QuotePosted on Thu, Mar. 16, 2006
Get this: Howard still not satisfied with his spring
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Even with big guys who hit huge homers, the magic often is in the minutiae.
Ryan Howard hit a pair of home runs Saturday against Houston - two homers in his first two at-bats off a proven major league starter, Brandon Backe.
The next day, Howard faced Justin Germano, a lesser entity with Cincinnati. Germano fooled Howard with a changeup in his first at-bat, but Howard was in such control of his swing that, despite poor balance, he pulled an RBI single to rightfield.
In the next at-bat, Howard sat on the changeup. He still got out in front of it but it took a spectacular play by first baseman Scott Hatteberg, who dived to his right and snared the missile - a much better swing without a result.
"I caught it a little bit on the end of the bat," Howard said. "I could have stayed back on it better."
This is why Howard insists he's not ready for the season.
In 12 games he has hit eight home runs, tops in the Grapefruit League entering today's off day. He's hitting .421 with 13 RBI, both among the exhibition leagues' leaders. He is mystified as to how.
"I usually don't do anything good in March," Howard said.
As effective as he has been, Howard said he isn't in the zone that propelled him to the National League's Rookie of the Year and nearly catapulted the Phillies into the playoffs.
"I'm not too far," Howard said. "There are a couple of things here and there. Hopefully, I'll get back to that form."
Howard's current focus:
"Timing. Working on identifying some pitches earlier," he said.
He identified Boof Bonser's second straight fastball in his second at-bat Tuesday and launched a 400-foot homer, cutting through a howling wind.
Obviously, last season wasn't enough.
Howard hit 22 homers with 63 RBI in just 88 games last season, finishing with a .288 batting average. He won the award with his strong finish: He ripped 14 homers with 33 RBI while hitting .309 in the Phillies' last 36 games, of which they won 21.
Howard's rookie season prompted the Phillies to jettison star slugger Jim Thome, whom Howard replaced at first base when Thome was lost midway through last season with an elbow injury. The Phillies traded Thome to the White Sox, placing Howard, 26, squarely in the spotlight.
There will be immense pressure to replace Thome, despite the fact that Howard won't likely bat among the Phillies' first five hitters and the fact that Jimmy Rollins, Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell and Chase Utley all are more accomplished hitters who, in their own way, are as dangerous as Howard.
But none hears about (and dismisses) a sophomore jinx. None was the Rookie of the Year. None replaced Thome.
Little wonder Howard is not content dominating the Grapefruit League.
"He's never satisfied," hitting coach Milt Thompson said. "That's what makes him special."
Thompson caught Howard's ear during the Phillies' winter tour in January. As a result, Howard is standing more upright and closer to the plate, key for tracking breaking balls and for whipping pitches on the outer half of the plate to the opposite field - the sort of challenge he will face daily as lefthanded pitchers with nasty sliders try to attack his weaknesses.
Charlie Manuel, Howard's manager and a power-hitting guru, has, for 3 years, tried to get Howard to "turn his field around," said bench coach Gary Varsho: that is, to pull the ball more, to more efficiently use the massive power in his 6-4, 250-pound frame.
Manuel wants Howard to stay back on pitches, to recognize them, to let them get deeper before committing his hands to swinging. This, Manuel figures, might help Howard walk more and strike out less; he fanned 100 times in those 88 games last season, along with 66 whiffs at Triple A. He has averaged slightly more than 1.1 strikeouts a game.
Last season, he hit .148 with one home run against lefthanded pitchers. Of course, he was allowed to hit against them only 63 times, but he managed only two walks and he struck out 26 times. This led some observers, including some in the organization, to suggest that, for the good of the team, Howard should seldom face tough lefthanded starters.
Thompson is not of that opinion.
He points to himself, who, as a rookie lefty hitter in 1984 went 1-for-16 in a September call-up with the Braves and quickly got the rap of not being able to hit lefties. The next season, Thompson said he hit .290 against lefties.
"People can be too quick to make judgments," Thompson snorted. "I think he's going to prove them wrong."
He's already starting. Howard homered against Yankees lefty Ron Villone in his first game of the spring. The Yankees inserted lefty reliever Mike Myers just to face Howard a week ago. Howard nicely took an offspeed pitch on the outer part of the plate to leftfield for a hit.
"The more I face them, the more comfortable I'll become," Howard insisted. "It's all about a learning process."
"These are the things that make a difference at the big-league level," bench coach Gary Varsho said. "Hitting that second changeup - hanging back on it - that is a big plus."
Even if it gets caught.
:yay
Howard should be starting no less than 150 games.
Agreed. I know it's just spring training but what he's done thus far down here has been pretty goddamn spectacular.
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060317/capt.flkw10403172128.spring_baseball_devil_rays_phillies_flkw104.jpg) (http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060317/capt.flkw11103172313.spring_baseball_devil_rays_phillies_flkw111.jpg)
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060317/capt.flkw10603172156.devil_rays_phillies_spring_baseball_flkw106.jpg) (http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060317/capt.flkw11303172313.spring_baseball_devil_rays_phillies_flkw113.jpg)
Today's game vs the Pirates at 1pm is on CSN
I heart those jerseys.
Can't close down the St. Patty's Day thread without a few of these:
(http://www.fsu.com/tim_mcgraw/media/tug_mcgraw_1.jpg)
(http://jaboobie.com/pic/blogpic/tug_mcgraw.jpg)
(http://www.jackcurtin.com/photos/tug.jpg)
QuotePhillies third baseman David Bell is out indefinitely with back spasms and might miss the start of the season.
The 33-year-old infielder hasn't played in a Grapefruit League game this spring. He called off plans to play in a minor league exhibition game Saturday.
He played four innings in a minor league exhibition game Thursday and went 2-for-4. However, assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Bell experienced back spasms.
The setback makes it unlikely Bell could get enough at-bats to play in the April 3 opener against St. Louis. Before the latest setback, manager Charlie Manuel said Bell would need to play extensively and prove he was sharp enough to reclaim his starting job.
Bell hit .248 with 10 home runs and 61 RBI in 150 games for the Phillies last season. If he begins the season on the disabled list, Abraham Nunez and Alex Gonzalez would compete at third base.
Nunez started 77 games at third base for St. Louis last season and hit .285; Gonzalez made 91 starts at third for Tampa Bay in 2005 and hit .269.
:yay
Chris Coste almost saved the day with two 2-run HRs in the final 3 innings, but they blew it in the 10th anyway. They've still hit a HR in every game of the preseason so far...
Good thing we play at a Little League Park
LOL @ Bell.
Not so much at the Phillies "braintrust" who had they listened to the fans for the past six months would have gotten an adequate replacement for that piece of shtein.
Abraham Nunez & Alex Gonzalez? Brilliant backup plan there, Monty.
:yay
Romey,
Nunez actually did a credible job replacing Scott Rolen last season for the Cardinals. Not much power (though it should be a bit more in CBP), but he had a decent OBP, which is an upgrade from Bell already.
I could handle Nunez in the short-term.
Yeah, I know. Still, a guy like Mike Lowell would have looked pretty good starting for the Phils instead of a stiff (literally it seems) like Bell. They knew he was useless and didn't do a damn thing to upgrade. It's just frustrating, that's all. Same goes for Loserthal.
I'm just desperate for a championship team to root for I guess. The Phillies are maddeningly close, the Flyers looked to be but are slipping towards mediocrity and the Eagles appear to be further away than at any time during the past five years. The thing is, though, the only thing that is keeping the Phillies from being serious contenders is their cheap ass ownership. If they had spent another 20-30 million, they could have landed a top of the line ace, a major-league catcher and a replacement for Bell. Instead, we have no ace, and Loserthal and Bell for another year.
Like I said, frustrating as hell.
I honestly think that the Phils need to take a step back to gear towards a true championship run.
C- Lieberthal has been declining for several years, is aging at a position that doesn't allow it, and is undersized to boot. His offense has declined some (he's still upper-half of catchers offensively, believe it or not), but had fallen apart defensively, which is more important in a catcher.
3B- We know Bell sucks. Gillick knows Bell sucks. Heck, Bell knows Bell sucks.
SP- I love Myers, and he may be a #1 in the next year or so. Right now he's a #2. The Phils don't have a #1: Myers is a 2, Lieber a 3, the rest a 4/5. Floyd hasn't become the stud he was projected to be (much like many pitching draftees under Wade/Arbuckle). I am interested in seeing how Madson adapt to being back in the starting rotation, as I think he can be a good starter (2/3). I have wet deams about Clemens coming on board in May and helping the Phils this season, and teaching Myers to truly be an ace. I know it won't happen, but I'll keep dreaming it.
RP- Just a freaking disaster. This is the area that I really felt that the team dropped the ball on. Cormier still has a job?
I believe that this is the last year for both Bell and Lieberthal, as well as some of the other dead weight (Cormier, etc.). Gillick will have more room to maneuver both monetarily and in terms of roster spots. Next year could be the offseason to watch.
This year, they'll slide to 75-82 wins.
Mike Lowell?
He was horrible last year. Was it just a one year stumble on his part? I don't know. But what they paid for him they can find out themselves.
I want a championship too. And Mike Lowell vs. Abraham Nunez wouldn't decide it. Pitching would and we have none of that.
Ummm... I said they needed an Ace, Jay.
I also said they needed someone other than Bell and Loserthal playing in order to truly compete for a championship.
While Lowell looked bad at the plate last year, I don't think his play was indicative of a slide towards futility. The Marlins were team turmoil last year and I think it finally got to him. That's all.
Even as awful as he was last year, he still would have been a better option than Bell in 2006.
PS: Didn't he win the NL Golden Glove Award in 2005? :-\
I'mnot sure if he did nor not -- but he does play great D. But you can find a great fielding 3B out there who can hit for average and good OBP% for cheaper than Mike Lowell. 3B is a power position but the Phils have that in other spots so they an afford to have a light hitting 3B as long as the glove is good and he is a good hitter. I don't mean light as in David Bell light , but like .280 - .300 with 6-12 HRs.
Thier line-up sans Bell can be potent enough to win. They can win with Loserthal being a black hole in the order. Put him 7th and protect him at 6 and 8 and he willnot kill the team. But when Bell and Loserthal at 7 and 8 the 7-8-9 is disgusting.
But alas...it all comes down to pitching. :-\
He did win it. (http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/gold_glove_nl.shtml)
And you're right, it still comes down to pitching with the line-ups in the east pretty much being equal among the contenders. That said, the Mets and Braves still have better pitching than the Phillies, hence why competing for the division will be extremely tough if not outright impossible for them.
Every starter has to have a career year and every reliever has to do his job without frequent meltdowns for this team to have a chance. I just don't see that happening. Not without a legitimate ace, I don't.
Anyone else going opening day? My Uncle bought some standing room only tickets off eBay and I'll probably go.
is it sold out already?
I think so, I tried getting 2 decent tickets but their official site is saying there are none available.
oh. maybe ill try some game of day standing room if the weather is good and i dont have a test or something. not sure if that will be there, though.
ill be up in the piece opening day...got four tickets the day they went on sale...
also just got tickets to the mets series up in ny in july
word on the street is david bells back is awfully crappy, so bad that he wont be ready for opening day.
also, abraham nunez has impressed uncle cholly so much so that he is set to hit 2nd, thats right, over new golden boy aaron rowand.
the lineup appears to go: rollins/nunez/abreu/utley/burrell/howard/rowand/lieberthal
i love the fact that we could 40 homers from the 6th hitter, and love it more that hes not hitting higher in the lineup.
He's batting Rowand 7th to protect Howard, MDS. Rowand is a good hitter. It will take some time for him to get accustomed to NL pitching but he'll be fine batting seventh.
BTW: I prefer Utley batting 3rd, Burrell 4th and Abreu 5th.
I prefer Abreu 2nd, Utley, Burrell, Howard, Rowand. Get the same "protection" for Howard and let the big boys get some for at bats with the mediocre but better than bell abraham nunez in there.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 20, 2006, 12:49:34 PM
He's batting Rowand 7th to protect Howard, MDS. Rowand is a good hitter. It will take some time for him to get accustomed to NL pitching but he'll be fine batting seventh.
BTW: I prefer Utley batting 3rd, Burrell 4th and Abreu 5th.
I agree with your 3-4-5. I'd still like:
1. Rowand
2. Rollins
3. Utley
4. Burrell
5. Abreu
6. Howard
7. Nunez
8. Lieberthal
9. Pitcher
Doesn't Abreu consistantly have the highest OBP on the team? And you guys want him batting 5th? I think caring about baseball is making you all soft in the noggin.
Quote from: rjs246 on March 20, 2006, 01:22:30 PM
Doesn't Abreu consistantly have the highest OBP on the team? And you guys want him batting 5th? I think caring about baseball is making you all soft in the noggin.
Don't forget that Abreu doesn't hustle at all, sucks in the clutch, and is a crappy fielder (despite the golden glove).
I'm just saying what I always hear. Not what I believe. I don't care enough to find out which is closer to the truth, but I have some hunches in that regard.
Abreu Batting 5th between Burrell & Howard would mean protection for Burrell and more RBI opportunities for Howard.
My lineup:
1. Rollins
2. Nunez
3. Utley
4. Burrell
5. Abreu
6. Howard
7. Rowand
8. Sal Fasano :D
9. Belly Itcher
So protection for Burrell and more RBIs for Howard outweigh the importance of having someone who gets to bat more often, on base more often? You KNOW that Rollins won't be getting on base as much as you'd like. But you know, Phillies fans are used to 3-up 3-down first innings so why change that now?
1. Rollins
2. Nunez
3. Abreu
4. Burrell
5. Utley
6. Howard
7. Rowand
8. Lieby / Fasano / random fan who hits better than Mike Lieberthal
I have Utley at 5 because of his ability to drive in runs and not K as much as Patty. If the ABreu is on base and so is Rollins/Nunez and Burrell K's then Utley picks 'em up. Plus Howard gives protection to Utley. You either try to get Utley out with 1-2 guys on or you deal with Howard and the bases loaded.
How many at-bats would Abreu lose out on batting fifth instead of third? Not many over the course of a season.
The benefits of batting him fifth between Burrell & Howard far outweigh the handful of at-bats he'd miss out on, plus it would put him in a less pressurized position in terms of having to deliver in crucial situations.
I'm not an Abreu-hater as much as some others but in all honesty he certainly comes up short in pressure situations more often than not.
You can flop Abreu and Utley, but Howard needs more protection in the 6th hole than Utley will provide. Divide up the young hitters a bit. Ideally, Abreu would hit 2nd or 3rd (or even 1st, but he's got too much power to waste at the top spot IMO).
If Howard can prove himself a bona fide consistent threat for both power and average, and Burrell continued to be his lumbering self, you could very well see those two switched.
you can mix and match the other spots as you wish but nunez has to go second...you cant have a guy that strikes out a thousand times a year in the two hole and that what the rest of the lineup does
Quoteif you dont know you better ask somebody...
IGY, are you quoting Cowboy Troy here?
How about Abreu for Soriano. We move Utley to 3B and start Victorino in RF.
Rollins
Victorino
Soriano
Burrell
Howard
Rowand
Utley
Fasano
7 would be a real strong RBI slot with Howard and Rowand in front of Chase.
Let's hear it for team baseball.
The Orioles released Ricky Bottalico!! Get him!
What a nice treat this morning. Phils/Braves on ESPN. Cloudy and rain in Hawaii, cup of Joe, TV on the Phils in my office, shtein - priceless.
Howard just crushed one with two on. Franklin looked good in the 4 innings he pitched. Geary starting to lose it in the sixth. The announcers, especially Bob Brantley had his head so far up Abreu's ass it was sickening. Going off on what a great defensive player he is! What? Hello.
howard is a man
how sick is their infield for the next 6-8 years with utley...j reezie and howard
then you got in the rotation
myers
hamels
floyd
money to spend in the next couple years
with one of the best gm's in place now i think they have big things to look forward to
Just got back from Orlando. Here's a shot of Howard's three-run moon shot:
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0196.jpg)
I was in the upper level and was trying to time it properly. Not too bad.
He absolutely destroyed this ball. :yay
Three more... first is Howard digging in just before he hit the bomb, second is Chase, third is Abreu, both in the batters box. The last two were taken from my seat behind home plate:
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0195.jpg)
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0185.jpg)
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/jerome99rip/100_0184.jpg)
Look at Abreu... just standing there all lazy. bastich.
I've seen three games live this spring and Howard has now hit five dingers in those games.
Someone from the Phillies should be paying for my ass to go to games at this point.
:-D
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 22, 2006, 05:32:31 PM
I've seen three games live this spring and Howard has now hit five dingers in those games.
Someone from the Phillies should be paying for my ass to go to games at this point.
:-D
Great pix! That was a bomb Howard hit.
I have to say, I'm jonesin' for some baseball right now. Can't live on just hockey and incessant whining/arguing about the Eagles' FA moves.
Let's go, Phils!
I'm with you, Geo.
The shtein with the Eagles is starting to get to me too.
I'd love to see the Phils blast out of the gate in April. They've been playing great so far this spring. Pitching's been good, defense has been decent, hitting has been ridiculous, and as much as it pains me to say it, Uncle Cholly looks like he's settling in as an NL manager.
Yeah, a great start for the Phitin's would be nice. :yay
Believe in Uncle Charlie!!
I told y'all he'd be alright in Year Two. Hell, he was better in the second half last year.
I can't wait until opening day. Baseball + booing Scotty Rolen right out of the gate = great.
I'm looking for the Phils to be like the Eagles of 2000. They should make the playoffs but not quite ready to go deep and compete with the upper echelon on the NL. Next year they should be legit contenders and playing late in October.
Uncle Cholly looks like he's settling in as an NL manager
yeah those crucial late game spring training double switches are gettin him all cozy in the dugout
Jay... are you going to opening day?
QuotePosted on Thu, Mar. 23, 2006
Phillies tweak lineups for TV, radio announcersBy Marc NarducciInquirer Staff WriterThe Phillies have made minor adjustments to their broadcasting rotation this year that will once again center on Hall of Famer Harry Kalas calling the first three and last three innings on television.
The biggest change has Scott Graham joining the television broadcasts for the middle three innings of play-by-play.
"I think this is great for Scott," Kalas said by phone from Clearwater, Fla. "He has proven himself, and I'm sure he will do a great job."
Graham, who had a heavy television schedule this winter broadcasting college basketball for the Atlantic Ten Network, CN8, and ESPN, said he would be looking forward to the season regardless of his duties.
"The TV will be exciting, but whether it's TV or radio, it's just great to be able to broadcast Phillies games," he said.
Chris Wheeler, who did three innings of play-by-play last season on TV, will now be strictly an analyst - three innings on radio and six on television.
Unlike last year, when the rotation differed slightly for some road games, the announcers will have the same responsibilities each broadcast.
The television lineup has Kalas and Larry Andersen doing the first three innings. Graham and Wheeler will broadcast the middle innings, and Kalas and Wheeler will do the final three innings.
In radio, Graham and Wheeler will do the first three innings. Kalas and Andersen will do the fourth inning, while newcomer Scott Franzke will be the radio play-by-play man in the fifth and sixth innings, where he will be joined by Andersen. Graham and Andersen will broadcast the final three innings. Franzke will also host the pre- and postgame radio shows on WPHT-AM (1210).
This new TV and radio lineup was first used in Saturday's exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Comcast SportsNet.
WPHT will broadcast all Phillies games this season. Last year, WIP broadcast Friday games when WPHT aired Sid Mark's Friday With Frank Sinatra show. According to WPHT program director Grace Blazer, Mark's show will air Fridays from 6 p.m. until the broadcast begins.
The Phillies radio pregame show begins a half-hour before the game. Scott Palmer, the former 6ABC anchor and the Phillies' new director of media and public affairs, will host a half-hour Sunday pregame show on television.
Talking Heads
Here are the TV and radio lineups for the Phillies this season:
TV
First three innings: Harry Kalas, Larry Andersen.
Middle three innings: Scott Graham, Chris Wheeler.
Last three innings: Kalas, Wheeler.
Ugh... six innings of Wheeler on television. :puke
I actually like Scott Graham from listening to him on XM last year, so at least he'll make Wheeler's nonsensical ramblings tolerable for the middle three innings. Then he can go back to being silent for the last three with Harry. :-D
I might be. Not sure just yet.
I'm thinking of driving up to Philly that weekend. I have to pick up something at my sister's place in Glenside and was thinking of driving up on Saturday, staying over Sunday and Monday and then driving back on Tuesday morning.
if you do that and runyan has signed with the jets before then ill take my beer at the game please
I don't mix my football and baseball bets. You can wait until the Dallas Sunday Nighter to open the season.
i detest Grahm almost as much as wheeler, ugh
^^^^
me too
all the phils announcers except harry range from subpar to downright zesty
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 23, 2006, 09:48:10 AM
i detest Grahm almost as much as wheeler, ugh
ditto.
email barrage to the phillies telling them they suck!
What makes Graham so unlistenable to you guys?
I don't think he's bad at all, actually. He's better than listening to the opposing team's announcers, that's for sure, and that's all of us out-of-towners get.
Whatever, though... no one is as bad as Wheeler. I actually turned down the audio when he was doing PBP. It's bad enough listening to his drivel on the color side.
While Graham is annoying, Wheeler is stomach turning.....so I don't dislike them equally.
While Graham is annoying, Wheeler is stomach turning.....so I don't dislike them equally.
IN
i can't stand when Graham and Wheeler/Anderson get into their little giggle fits while talking about their golf games, we get it, you suck at golf, move on and call the game.
but what makes Graham awful is his fake broadcasting voice and his awful forced catch phrases.
my biggest beef with all of them is they are ridiculous homers....throw in narccisistic and pompous to describe wheeler and graham and thats why i hate them so much
anderson i dont really care for but i can live with him
LA is great because you know he's getting sauced while doing the broadcast. I love when he and Harry are on together.
L.A. was pounding beers at the Tiki Bar in Clearwater when I was there a couple of weeks ago.
:-D
I just got a ticket on Phillies.com for opening day. I've been checking for scattered singles and one finally popped loose.
Section 120 Row 32. If I don't end up going, I'll let you guys know ahead of time in case someone needs an extra.
Boston Herald (http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=131611&format=&page=3)
Quote[Dustan] Mohr, however, was understandably disheartened, realizing his chance to stick with the Sox may have vanished.
"I think to use the word 'disappointment' would be an understatement," said Mohr, who is batting .393 this spring with a team-leading three homers. "I've always wanted to be a Red Sox. This is the place I've wanted to be. If this is it and it doesn't work out, I'll have to go to Plan B, but what that is right now I don't know."
The 29-year-old five-year veteran, who was signed to a minor league contract in January, has drawn the interest of at least the Philadelphia Phillies. Mohr said his plans do not include playing in the minors.
"I don't have any intentions of playing in Pawtucket," he said. "I didn't sign with the Red Sox to be in Triple A. I signed to be a Boston Red Sox. If it turns out that it won't be the case, it would be best for me to explore other avenues."
The Sox are his 4th team in 4 years, and Baseball-Reference.com compares him to Wes Chamberlain...
Quote from: BigEd76 on March 23, 2006, 01:02:26 PM
Boston Herald (http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=131611&format=&page=3)
Quote[Dustan] Mohr, however, was understandably disheartened, realizing his chance to stick with the Sox may have vanished.
"I think to use the word 'disappointment' would be an understatement," said Mohr, who is batting .393 this spring with a team-leading three homers. "I've always wanted to be a Red Sox. This is the place I've wanted to be. If this is it and it doesn't work out, I'll have to go to Plan B, but what that is right now I don't know."
The 29-year-old five-year veteran, who was signed to a minor league contract in January, has drawn the interest of at least the Philadelphia Phillies. Mohr said his plans do not include playing in the minors.
"I don't have any intentions of playing in Pawtucket," he said. "I didn't sign with the Red Sox to be in Triple A. I signed to be a Boston Red Sox. If it turns out that it won't be the case, it would be best for me to explore other avenues."
The Sox are his 4th team in 4 years, and Baseball-Reference.com compares him to Wes Chamberlain...
I saw Mohr when he played for the Fort Myers Miracle of the FSL (Twins A). He had some power, but at age 30 (in June) and having hit .214 with 3 HR in COLORADO last season, I'd rather see Victorino as the 4th OF, and I'd honestly rather see Roberson as the 5th.
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 23, 2006, 10:02:40 AM
i can't stand when Graham and Wheeler/Anderson get into their little giggle fits while talking about their golf games, we get it, you suck at golf, move on and call the game.
but what makes Graham awful is his fake broadcasting voice and his awful forced catch phrases.
Yes! I hate the goddamn golf references. Wheels does that way too f'ing much.
and I agree about the fake voice too.
"PUT ONE IN THE WIN COLUMN FOR THE FIGHTIN PHILS" :boo :boo
Last year on radio he forgot to say it when they had a walk off win and he tried to come back like 3 minutes later after the excitement died down and do it. Gay.
Quote from: BigEd76 on March 23, 2006, 01:02:26 PM
Boston Herald (http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=131611&format=&page=3)
Quote[Dustan] Mohr, however, was understandably disheartened, realizing his chance to stick with the Sox may have vanished.
"I think to use the word 'disappointment' would be an understatement," said Mohr, who is batting .393 this spring with a team-leading three homers. "I've always wanted to be a Red Sox. This is the place I've wanted to be. If this is it and it doesn't work out, I'll have to go to Plan B, but what that is right now I don't know."
The 29-year-old five-year veteran, who was signed to a minor league contract in January, has drawn the interest of at least the Philadelphia Phillies. Mohr said his plans do not include playing in the minors.
"I don't have any intentions of playing in Pawtucket," he said. "I didn't sign with the Red Sox to be in Triple A. I signed to be a Boston Red Sox. If it turns out that it won't be the case, it would be best for me to explore other avenues."
The Sox are his 4th team in 4 years, and Baseball-Reference.com compares him to Wes Chamberlain...
I used to think Wes Chamberlain was going to be a stud. I remember when there was a ton of praise heaped upon Lee Thomas for stealing him from Pittsburgh.
Mohr sounds like a good guy to have though. Although I would kind of like to see Chris Roberson win a job.
i'd rather have Roberson get a full-season of ABs in the minors instead of getting 15% of that being a 5th OF
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 23, 2006, 02:36:33 PM
i'd rather have Roberson get a full-season of ABs in the minors instead of getting 15% of that being a 5th OF
If he was real young, I'd agree, but he's going to be 27 in August. Is he major-league ready or not?
good point. i'm not sure if he's ready or not, i'll ask him.
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 23, 2006, 02:48:25 PM
good point. i'm not sure if he's ready or not, i'll ask him.
(http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/1766/geek7qf.jpg) (http://www.minorleaguenews.com/graphics/baseball/Graphics/2004FAB50/players/Roberson_sm.jpg)
"Are you ready for the show, Chris?" "You betcha!"
Tell Rome to ask him when he goes to ST again.
That's your assignment Romey! Get on it!
Tolerable level for Phillies Announcers (higher the better):
Infinity- Kalas (boss)
7- Anderson (butt buddies with that loser millwood, but overall is funny and insightful)
5- Franzke (no clue, so just put him halfway there)
1- Graham (forced delivery and arrogant at times, but he can speak clearly into a microphone and rarely gets a play wrong)
Negative Infinity- Wheels (if he died i would be really happy)
Go kill him.
I send you commissary money in jail. I swear.
I have a mediocre to average life ahead of me, I'm not about to throw it away to just make watching this insufferable baseball team slightly more enjoyable.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 23, 2006, 02:52:50 PM
Tell Rome to ask him when he goes to ST again.
That's your assignment Romey! Get on it!
(http://members.aol.com/jimofnwk/a_boh.jpg) (http://www.minorleaguenews.com/graphics/baseball/Graphics/2004FAB50/players/Roberson_sm.jpg)
"Are you ready for the show, Chris?" "You betcha!"
Howard just hit his 10th HR of the spring... :evil
wow
the more homers he hits, the more i worry.
I can hear his tendons popping from here. And it's still a good two months from happening!
I have good hearing.
3 different baseball projection programs pick the Phils to win their divison (http://yankeefan.blogspot.com/2006/03/2006-diamond-mind-projection-blowout.html)
the mets gotta be the clear favorite but if either pedro and/or wagner go down for an extended period of time...and thats very possible....then its anyones division (mets braves phils)
87-90 wins would be a coup.
you using that word just reminded me, there's a sports talk guy in St. Louis, who was talking about the next NFL commisoner. he mentioned Condy Rice and wanted to say, "She's African-American, so that would be a major coup." Instead he said, "She's African-American, so that would be a major coon." He spent the next 3 minutes apologizing for the slip-up, went to commercial, and was fired after his show. Funniest part, it was his 8th show or something like that.
Keep an eye out for upcoming promotions where the Phanatic is red instead of green...
yeah angelo was talking about that this morning ....wtf?
they're "painting the town red"
it's a little more gay RJS listening to the Footloose soundtrack, but not much.
Quoteit's a little more gay RJS listening to the Footloose soundtrack, but not much.
For someone who has grown attached to the sack, you sure talk a tough game.
Oh, and your english is atrocious.
YOUR english is atrocoius.
I think I just got burned. Tough.
i sincerely apologize.
Aw shucks, you big lug.
oh me.
get a room you two little collar poppers.
MDS, if I'm going to put the effort forth to try to get someone to make a gay joke about me, youve got to at least TRY to make it interesting. I mean, come ON.
The three of you all sparring verbally wams (sic) my heart.
you deserve so much pain for using '(sic)'
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 24, 2006, 05:15:31 PM
you deserve so much pain for using '(sic)'
Bring on da pain, along with da noise and da funk.
i hope you feel bad, because i'm going to punch the next person i see because of you
I hope it's a helpless old lady.
that makes 2 of us.
I hope its a baby.
i hope it's an 8 month pregnant belly
We're all so tough.
well, i am
Just be sure to punch the pregnant lady in the face, not the belly.
Liar. You want to punch fetuses. Those aren't even people. Weak.
Quote from: FFatPatt on March 24, 2006, 05:26:19 PM
Just be sure to punch the pregnant lady in the face, not the belly.
what's the point then?
Go Phils.
I'm sorry I missed that man-pile.
You're right. I wanted to get on this collar pop gay love festival. Damnit.
Bell rules.
C+
Marginally better than average. For you.
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 23, 2006, 03:52:20 PM
the more homers he hits, the more i worry.
My buddy the ex-Phil agrees with you. He thinks, shut him down now. He also thinks a bad year is 40 HRs.
Today's game vs the Sox is on CSN if you don't want to see the Sixers get killed...
Wheels!
I didn't see it today, but apparently Josh Beckett was up to his old whiney self. I read on PhilaPhans that Howard and Beckett almost fought and the bullpens cleared. And that Beckett and Rollins were getting into it too.
PS - Chris Coste needs to make this team. Screw trading for Mohr. Give it to Coste.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 26, 2006, 08:37:28 PM
I didn't see it today, but apparently Josh Beckett was up to his old whiney self. I read on PhilaPhans that Howard and Beckett almost fought and the bullpens cleared. And that Beckett and Rollins were getting into it too.
PS - Chris Coste needs to make this team. Screw trading for Mohr. Give it to Coste.
Ryan Howard would have killed him. :-D
Steroids give people angry monkey strength.
Mullets and bumble bee tights too.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 26, 2006, 08:37:28 PM
I didn't see it today, but apparently Josh Beckett was up to his old whiney self. I read on PhilaPhans that Howard and Beckett almost fought and the bullpens cleared. And that Beckett and Rollins were getting into it too.
PS - Chris Coste needs to make this team. Screw trading for Mohr. Give it to Coste.
Looks like you may get your wish:
Coste could make his dream come true (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5447510?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49)
Here is what may be best about Coste:
QuoteA non-roster invitee to camp after hitting .292 with career highs in home runs (20) and RBIs (89) for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre last season, Coste could become a valuable addition because of his versatility. Catcher is his best position, and he also plays first base and third base and left field if needed.
Here's another on Coste from the Inky:
Quote
Coste makes his case to stay with Phillies
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Really, what more can Chris Coste do?
The 33-year-old career minor-leaguer who plays first base, third base, leftfield and prefers to catch, was given a shot to play in the intrasquad game on Feb. 27 because first baseman Ryan Howard was sick. Coste learned 20 minutes before the game that he was starting.
Coste went 4-for-5 with a homer, two doubles and a game-winning RBI single.
"It definitely started then," Coste said.
It hasn't ended.
With starter Mike Lieberthal and backup Sal Fasano looking on, Coste got a start at catcher yesterday against 2003 World Series MVP Josh Beckett and the Red Sox in front of a record 9,893 at Bright House Networks Field. Coste led off the third inning, batting eighth, Beckett having overpowered the regulars in the lineup.
Coste doubled to right-centerfield, the Phillies' first hit. He later scored the Phillies' first run, threw a bullet to second base and nearly nailed a runner, and made a nice play on a bunt. He's hitting .471 with three homers and 11 RBI. One of the homers came against the Yankees in Tampa.
"I can't ask him to do any more than he's done," manager Charlie Manuel said after the 3-2 loss.
As the brass and coaching staff meet this week to whittle down the roster, nothing is quite cut-and-dried for Coste.
Regular third baseman David Bell has yet to play in a Grapefruit League game due to two flare-ups of his bad back. That has kept the Phillies from moving third backup infielder Tomas Perez, whom they might keep on the roster until Bell proves himself healthy... all of which could delay Coste playing with the major league club regardless of how good his spring is.
If Bell continues to play in minor league games and the Phillies place him on the 15-day disabled list to start the season, he would be on it retroactively to March 24 and he could come off the DL on April 8. If he plays in a Grapefruit League game he can only be placed on it retroactively to the day after the game in which he plays.
And the Phillies remain enamored of the idea that they need a lefthanded-hitting fifth outfielder with power.
Coste knows all of this.
"Honestly, my situation still looks a little blurry," Coste said. "But this is the closest I've ever been. I know that I'm finally on the map. If I'm not on the roster on Opening Day, I know there's a shot at being called up during the season."
He's certainly on the radar of Manuel, who has taken a liking to the guy who played junior college ball as a pitcher then starred as a hitter in Division III; who made his local independent Northern League expansion team in 1996 as a novelty (the owners wanted a local at tryouts, and Coste won the second baseman's job); and who converted to catcher four games into his 4-year Northern League career.
The conversion has gone well, though Coste, who happens to be able to play other positions, believes his versatility has sometimes been a curse. He played third most of last year for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, then went to Mexico for the fourth straight season to catch in the winter.
"He's a good catcher," insisted Manuel. Cory Lidle, who started yesterday, agreed.
This, after Coste considered quitting. Six days into this year's spring training, Coste, aching and discouraged, called his wife Marcia and told her this might be his final spring training. Now, he might reconsider, especially if he plays in the majors this year.
"It would be a lot easier to stay," he said, "in the big leagues."
To this point, he has done everything he can to land there.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 26, 2006, 08:37:28 PM
I didn't see it today, but apparently Josh Beckett was up to his old whiney self. I read on PhilaPhans that Howard and Beckett almost fought and the bullpens cleared. And that Beckett and Rollins were getting into it too.
PS - Chris Coste needs to make this team. Screw trading for Mohr. Give it to Coste.
actually, Howard started it when howard hit a ball that he thought was going yard. and ryan howard pulled a "bonds" where he stood and posed/watched it. then beckett yelled at him. then howard yelled back.
howard showboating in spring training is a stupid thing to do. even if beckett is a headcase.
Beckett, Howard star in daytime drama
By Chris Snow, Globe Staff | March 27, 2006
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- For a moment, after 252-pound Ryan Howard had thrown down his glove and raised his arms, challenging 222-pound Josh Beckett, it looked as though the two might go. Power pitcher vs. power hitter, with bat and ball nowhere in sight.
Perhaps Beckett realized he was in over his head, even if he wouldn't acknowledge as much (''I wasn't too worried about that," he said later). Perhaps the heat of the moment passed. Regardless, the scene yesterday here at Brighthouse Networks Field provided a glimpse of the intensity bottled inside the new Red Sox ace, whose camp, to that point, had been amazingly nondescript.
The situation: Howard, who clubbed 22 homers in 88 games last year as NL Rookie of the Year, launched a ball to center in the sixth inning with a man aboard and the Phillies behind, 3-1. Howard was slow out of the box, watching in flight what had the chance to be his team-record 11th spring homer. The swirling wind held the ball up, and Adam Stern parked himself under it just shy of the warning track. Beckett, displeased with Howard's sauntering, let him know it.
''He was jogging after a pop up," Beckett said. ''It's not like I wanted to fight the guy. I wanted to make a point. You look like a jackass whenever you hit a ball like that and you're pimping it and you're out. I'm kind of about respecting the game. Even if it is a home run, I don't think it's the right thing to do. I'm not the type of guy to not say anything.
''I was just expressing my concern with the way he's playing the game. He didn't do that last year. He won Rookie of the Year, he hit a bunch of home runs, I guess you get one year in the big leagues and things just change."
Howard's take: ''See, I'd hit it, and at the contact point I didn't know where it went. If I was going to do something like pimp it or whatever, he'd have known."
Beckett spoke his piece and, Howard said, ''For me it was over. I really wasn't thinking about it anymore."
But, when Howard went out in the top of the seventh to play first base, Beckett, standing in the dugout, kept hurling words his way.
''That's where I handled it wrong," Beckett said. ''That's probably where I should have been a bigger man. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's my fault."
Howard, on what he heard Beckett yell: ''He's like, 'Fly ball.' He threw in some curse words and called me a couple names. I was like, 'It's over,' but he started popping back off."
And that's when Howard abandoned his position, crossed the foul line, and walked toward the Sox dugout. On the way, he dropped his mitt and spread his arms, clearly willing to oblige if Beckett wanted to come on out.
''I mean, he started walking toward the stairs," Howard said. ''I wasn't going to be a punk about it. But if he was going to come up there and we was going to do it, we was going to do it."
Beckett reached the top step, with thick Wily Mo Peña (245 pounds, minimum) two steps behind him. The other dugout began to clear. Even the Sox bullpen door swung open. Out came Rudy Seanez, with the rest of the relievers a good 30-40 yards behind him.
But Seanez wasn't needed. Nothing more ensued, other than a few glares, and the herding of players back to their respective 'pens and dugouts. Beckett, of all people, was due to bat at that point, and the 9,893 in attendance probably would have paid the price of admission all over again to see him hit. But, he didn't, because he'd thrown 96 pitches. Willie Harris pinch hit for Beckett, who called it a day after six rather encouraging innings.
He did allow nine baserunners (6 hits, 3 walks) but fanned 6 -- four of them looking -- while allowing only two runs. He was throwing a particularly unfair backdoor two-seam fastball that accounted for at least one of his backward K's.
''You execute pitches like that, they're not looking in that location, that's what's going to happen," Beckett said. ''I felt intense. I felt focused today. Days when you have good stuff you probably shouldn't give up any runs.
''I have to get the walks down. I had too many walks today, but everything else was positive."
Beckett, who was throwing 94-95 miles per hour the first time he pitched this spring, appears healthy. When asked how his throwing shoulder -- the one diagnosed with tendinitis last fall -- feels, he abruptly answered, ''It feels fine. My velocity has been the same. No problems."
''The one big thing we really wanted to see is have him look like he's healthy," manager Terry Francona said. ''And I think everyone would agree that when he rears back, he's not nursing it up there. He looks great."
Beckett, in three big league starts this spring, is 2-0 with a 5.14 ERA (14 IP, 8 ER), with 5 walks and 10 strikeouts. There is no game scheduled for Friday (his next turn), so he'll take his final practice run in a minor league game, then take the ball April 5 in Texas as the No. 3 man in the rotation. He believes he's ready for the season and all that it will bring.
''It's a 162-game Packers season, that's what I've heard," said Beckett.
Yesterday's showdown with Howard was a nice warmup.
''I'm not going to take nothing away, the dude's a good pitcher," Howard said. ''His stuff was working nice today. But that's just uncalled for. Let it go."
Beckett said he will. The Sox and Phillies face off twice in the regular season (May 19-21 at Philadelphia and June 23-25 in Boston) and, Beckett said, ''Maybe we will have a beer."
Would he apologize?
''I don't know if I'd apologize," he said. ''I'd talk to him about the situation."
When asked about the series still to come, Howard said, ''Am I concerned at all? Not really. If it happens, if it goes down like that, it goes down."
I hope Howard kills him. Mostly because I hate everything that has to do with Boston.
Quote from: Wingspan on March 27, 2006, 10:36:36 AM
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 26, 2006, 08:37:28 PM
I didn't see it today, but apparently Josh Beckett was up to his old whiney self. I read on PhilaPhans that Howard and Beckett almost fought and the bullpens cleared. And that Beckett and Rollins were getting into it too.
PS - Chris Coste needs to make this team. Screw trading for Mohr. Give it to Coste.
actually, Howard started it when howard hit a ball that he thought was going yard. and ryan howard pulled a "bonds" where he stood and posed/watched it. then beckett yelled at him. then howard yelled back.
howard showboating in spring training is a stupid thing to do. even if beckett is a headcase.
Howard said he couldn't see the ball when it left his bat. And he told Beckett if he was going to admire a shot he;d know when he did it.
Ryan Howard would tear that clown a new ass.
Beckett's panties got in a wad last year too when Kenny Lofton flipped his bat after a walk.
I hope Beckett gets some more blisters this year, the fag.
kenny lofton=class a icehole
Baseball players fighting = pathetic. Even THEY wish they played a contact sport.
I was at the game yesterday and Howard definitely looked like he had lost the ball. The wind was howling from left field to right field and there wasn't a cloud in the sky either.
Whatever, though.
I hope Howard hits a tape-measure job against that farging bitch in the regular season and walks around the bases backwards afterwards.
:-D
Yeah! That'd teach him to try to start a fight in a baseball game!
I was at the game yesterday and Howard definitely looked like he had lost the ball.
so in the midst of watching a game in person after the ball was hit you didnt follow it but instead focused in on the batter and noticed that he lost where the ball was?
i call bullshtein
Quote from: rjs246 on March 27, 2006, 03:30:38 PM
Yeah! That'd teach him to try to start a fight in a baseball game!
you are acting like i do in the hockey thread. except i speak the truth and you just make fun of the sport.
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 27, 2006, 03:31:12 PM
I was at the game yesterday and Howard definitely looked like he had lost the ball.
so in the midst of watching a game in person after the ball was hit you didnt follow it but instead focused in on the batter and noticed that he lost where the ball was?
i call bullshtein
And thank god we have you around to play hall monitor.
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 27, 2006, 03:31:12 PM
I was at the game yesterday and Howard definitely looked like he had lost the ball.
so in the midst of watching a game in person after the ball was hit you didnt follow it but instead focused in on the batter and noticed that he lost where the ball was?
i call bullshtein
I was standing directly in front of the left field wall, IGY. I watched the entire thing transpire from start to finish.
He stood there for a second and then started to move towards first base and when he started moving, he wasn't in home-run trot mode either.
The ball wasn't really that deep to begin with. Standard can o' corn to left-center.
Here's a pic of Elmo on steroids:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/grizzledveteran/redphan.jpg)
he's a big used tampon
i get it
cause the phillies are red...
Is that permanent?
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 27, 2006, 03:28:37 PM
I was at the game yesterday and Howard definitely looked like he had lost the ball. The wind was howling from left field to right field and there wasn't a cloud in the sky either.
Whatever, though.
I hope Howard hits a tape-measure job against that farging bitch in the regular season and walks around the bases backwards afterwards.
:-D
That would be amusing, but unfortunately is against the rules. Jimmy Piersall did it once in a game (http://proxy.espn.go.com/classic/s/piersalljimadd000817.html), and they added a rule to prevent such a "travesty to the games" from occurring again.
(http://sportsmed.starwave.com/media/classic/2000/0816/photo/c_piersall.jpg)
I'd like to see Howard smoke a line drive right off of Beckett's snatch.
it's probably whide enough to get stuck
It is. And it gets blisters too.
Baseball players have long memories. Do the Phils have a pitcher with the stones to put one in AJ's ear when they meet in the reg season?
Baseball players cry themselves to sleep at night wishing that they played a real sport that doesn't require an imaginary reason to fight and get their roid rage out.
Quote from: rjs246 on March 28, 2006, 10:40:17 AM
Baseball players cry themselves to sleep at night wishing that they played a real sport that doesn't require an imaginary reason to fight and get their roid rage out.
Right, and you'd undoubtedly sell your soul to the devil to be one of them.
If you're saying that I would gladly take the millions of dollars that they are paid to do their job, which by the way, requires next to no athletic ability other than brute strength and hand-eye coordination, then you are 100% correct. But I would make sure that every person who interviewed me knew for a fact that I didn't consider myself an athlete. And I would laugh my ass off at players who took themselves so seriously that they felt the need to get their monkey-fire-anger out by posturing and trying to fight other equally unathletic baseball players.
Hahaha. Baseball players aren't athletes?
:-D
cory lidle is a great athlete. chris wheeler says so.
Baseball players aren't athletes. There may be an athlete or two sprinkled in, but by and large they stopped being athletes right around the early 90s.
it took awhile, but he finally got one on the hook. now just reel him in slowly.
Quote from: MDS on March 28, 2006, 02:00:11 PM
cory lidle is a great athlete. chris wheeler says so.
True but he usually has Lidle's sperm gurggling out of his mouth when he's saying it...
i wonder what the players think of wheels. like i know la is tight with some of the older veteran pitchers (lieber, was with millwood)...but does wheels have any friends besides vuke? harry hates him, graham told him to shut the farg up about harry once so their relationship probably isnt great, and im sure the rest of the phillies tv crew thinks hes a douchey dork....so what, he has like 2 friends in the organization? vuke and monty? i hate that carpet headed suck up.
he may only be friends with those 2, but one of them is the only friend he needs to keep his job.
yo if harry grew a pair, he could say: me or chris, take your pick. then announce that to the fans so everyone knows and basically forces them to fire wheels.
Harry is seventy years old. How much longer does he really have behind the mike at this point?
Think about this... Monty could be grooming Wheeler to take over for Harry pretty soon.
:puke
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 28, 2006, 03:09:36 PM
Harry is seventy years old. How much longer does he really have behind the mike at this point?
Think about this... Monty could be grooming Wheeler to take over for Harry pretty soon.
:puke
Look at how many announcers in baseball go well beyond 70.
True, but how many of them have Chris Wheeler for a broadcast partner?
Jayson Stark on Rollins' hitting streak (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview06/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2370334)
nobody loves me
Is anyone else gonna cry like a little girl when he goes 0-6 with 3 Ks in the season opener, because I don't want to be the only one.
i wont cry...but only because i will be at the game with sun and he has yet to see that side of me
he's right, i even drowned his dog right in front of him, still no tears. he's a tough somabitch
I'm unimpressed.
I know, dude. I know.
i know you know.
Is that seriously the best title Starks could come up with? I wish Maddox wrote for ESPN, the quality of the journalism would improve dramatically.
What the hell?
(http://i12.ebayimg.com/02/i/06/45/90/48_1.JPG)
:-D
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 28, 2006, 09:57:35 PM
What the hell?
Yeah, I can see why you're so shocked. No Philly fan has ever been so forward or crass.
how about one day after floyd throws a gem and theres talk of his outstanding spring sending madson to the pen madson comes out and throws 6 1/3 scorless himself....pitching has been outstanding this spring...lets hope it carries over
Quote from: rjs246 on March 28, 2006, 10:54:41 PM
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 28, 2006, 09:57:35 PM
What the hell?
Yeah, I can see why you're so shocked. No Philly fan has ever been so forward or crass.
I've seen the picture of the kid before, you jackass. I was referring to the awful photochop.
thats not even in the top 1000 worst photochops
It is when you consider someone is selling it on Ebay.
:-D
oooh
yikes
Wow that kid's picture has been used for just about every team (including all Philly teams) LOL.
I think the original was for like, Manchester United, or some soccer team. :-D
QuoteMadson dazzles Yankees and brass
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
TAMPA, Fla. - Night game, sold-out Legends Field, Yankees frontline lineup, last start of the spring...
Nah, this wasn't an audition.
Don't tell that to Ryan Madson.
"I heard some stuff going around about other people making the rotation," Madson said, "other people'' meaning Gavin Floyd. "I wanted to stand up and say, 'Hey. I want to be in the starting rotation.' I wanted to put out my very best stuff."
Madson dominated the Yankees last night in the Phillies' 3-0 win: no runs, four quiet hits, a walk and two strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. His curveball might have been the best it has ever been; his changeup, typically evil; his fastball, well located and not overthrown.
At one point Madson retired eight Yankees, from Alex Rodriguez to Derek Jeter, on 15 pitches - 13 strikes, two balls. He needed just 72. His groundball-to-flyball ratio was 2-to-1, enticing since he'll pitch his home starts in a homer park.
"I hope they make the right decision," said catcher Sal Fasano, whose homer preceded those of Chase Utley and Shane Victorino.
If the Phillies do the right thing, Fasano contended, "He'll be in the starting rotation... When you have [three] quality pitches, that's not bullpen stuff. That's starter stuff."
Well, it sounds like Madson and Fasano have gotten what they want.
Manager Charlie Manuel would not reveal his decision, but said after the game he has decided whether or not to add Floyd to the rotation and move Madson or fellow rotation competitor Ryan Franklin to the bullpen. Floyd, the 2001 first-round pick whose mental yips of 2005 seem in the past, might be the odd man out with the Phillies hoping Geoff Geary and Julio Santana can supply the seventh-inning relief Madson provided the past two seasons after charging through the minors as a starter.
Regardless, the Phils are talking as if Madson is in the rotation. For instance, when pitching coach Rich Dubee was asked how Madson's curveball was coming along, he replied: "Being in the rotation, it's something he's going to get more reps with. He can work on it during his side sessions. He's going to have three pitches he can get you out with."
Manuel played coy, though he allowed that Madson pitched "tremendous" and, perhaps in a case of misspeaking, said, "He was safe before the game," which he retracted.
Rowand injured
Centerfielder Aaron Rowand was hit by a pitch on his left hand below his pinkie in the first inning. He left the game after the fourth inning when the hand swelled to the point he could not put his glove on. He probably will miss a game or two. He has been hit four times this spring.
to follow up on what IGY said....
i think they need to let Floyd and Madson stay in the rotation and move Franklin to long relief or whatever. Franklin is the known quantity of the 3 and what is known is not good.
Ryan Franklin has had a pretty damn good spring, Mo. If you check his stats, he's more than earned a spot in the rotation.
If I were making the decisions, my five starters would be:
1. Lieber
2. Myers
3. Lidle
4. Franklin
5. Madson
The fifth starter usually doesn't get much work anyway. I'd rather have Floyd go to the Red Barons and dominate there until one of the other five inevitably implodes.
Floyd will get his shot eventually. I think it's going to be sooner rather than later but Madson has earned his shot by pitching middle relief for the past two years and Franklin has earned his shot by virtue of pitching pretty well this spring.
yeah, i said what i said knowing that Franklin had a pretty good spring. there is something to be said for making Floyd carry what he's done to AAA just to make sure it isn't a fluke. i just know that Franklin will eventually return to what his career stats say he will do.
i just can't wait until Hammels gets his shot.
let's just put aside that history of this organization for one minute, and dream. their rotation if all their young pitchers reached their potential...
Myers, Hammels, Floyd, Madson, and some 5th
that's a rotation sick with potential.
floyd is fragile...demoting him might send him right back to where he was before this spring...his upside is to huge to mess with...franklin should be in the pen...he sucks and has no upside
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 29, 2006, 10:02:58 AM
floyd is fragile...demoting him might send him right back to where he was before this spring...his upside is to huge to mess with...franklin should be in the pen...he sucks and has no upside
that was my initial thought. but if he really is as fragile, mentally, as you and i think he is. it's only a matter of time until something makes him crumble.
or being succesful in the majors might uncover untapped confidence levels in him and vault him to a great pro career
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 29, 2006, 10:12:50 AM
or being succesful in the majors might uncover untapped confidence levels in him and vault him to a great pro career
you're such an optimist all the time
my friends call me sunshine
Guys... I agree with you about the potential of the Floyd, Hamels, Madson, etc.
But there's no denying that Franklin has earned the fourth spot in the rotation. He's an innings-eater, he's pitched well thus far and the Phillies signed him to be a starter, not a reliever.
He's their fourth starter, so arguing over it is pointless. If you want to debate the merits of Floyd & Madson as the fifth starter, that's fine by me. Personally, I think Madson starts the season as the fifth (read: SPOT) starter and also works out of the bullpen in middle relief. Floyd is strictly A-1 ace material and he'd be better off starting at SWB as the #1 starter and eventually work his way into the rotation.
Like I said earlier, someone is going to implode on that staff. I have a sneaking suspicion it will be Lidle this time, so you'd eventually get your wishes anyway.
For now, though, Floyd should start off at SWB.
But there's no denying that Franklin has earned the fourth spot in the rotation. He's an innings-eater, he's pitched well thus far and the Phillies signed him to be a starter, not a reliever.
He's their fourth starter, so arguing over it is pointless.
phillies brass said yestreday that franklin was a candidate to get sent to the bullpen....he also was a long reliever his first two years in the majors...so whether it happens or not there is absolutely an argument to be made
Quote from: Sun_Mo on March 29, 2006, 09:59:14 AMMyers, Hamels, Floyd, Madson, and some 5th
that's a rotation sick with potential.
They also have the 2 guys they got from the Thome trade that could be pretty good as well (Daniel Haigwood and Gio Gonzalez), and I'm guessing from that list that we're not including Wolf anymore since he'll be out half the year and is a FA after the season?
yeah, or Lieber i was talking next year...
but you're right, i forgot about the guys from the Thome trade
right now is looking like partly cloudy, high of 61 degrees, with a 20% chance of rain for opening day
The Phillies were talking about sending Franklin to the pen?
I didn't read or hear that anywhere, IGY. I'm not saying you're wrong, mind you, I'm simply saying I'm not aware of it.
Lieber is going to start on Monday. i was hoping for Myers but oh well.
yeah it was after floyd threw a couple days ago...they were saying the rotation is far from set...and that floyd could push madson or franklin to the pen...or floyd could be sent down....all are still possibilites at this point
right now is looking like partly cloudy, high of 61 degrees, with a 20% chance of rain for opening day
cant be worse than my last two opening days...it was a monsoon two years ago and last year was like 52 cloudy and super windy...cold as hell
I remember an opening day about 20 years ago that was like 78 and sunny. Absolutely gorgeous.
The next day, it was like 25 with snow flurries.
Unfortunately, I went to the second game, not the first.
Johnny Marsh is on WIP going over a defensive ranking system in which the people came up with it, watch every ball that every play gets to. They include such things as range, hitting cutoff men, etc....
Pat Burrell - 10th of all LF
Bobby the A - 27th of all RF
he also said that 3 Phillies are top rated... i'm guessing Rowand, Rollins, and Utely
marz
either one works, don't piss me off
seeing you write marsh pisses me off more than anything i could ever do to you
you're still breathing aren't you?
in its current state i would generously call it hyperventilating
QuotePhils release Rodriguez
By Todd Zolecki
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
DUNEDIN, Fla. - The Phillies released righthanded pitcher Ricardo Rodriguez today.
The move is mildly suprisingly considering the Phillies acquired Rodriguez in the winter in a trade with the Texas Rangers for Vicente Padilla. But it's not surprising considering Rodriguez hadn't shown much consistency this spring. In six appearances, he had a 4.15 ERA but allowed 15 hits and seven walks in 13 innings. The Phillies no longer considered him a candidate for the rotation and didn't think he could pitch out of the bullpen.
Rodriguez's release could indicate that Ryan Madson, who has been outstanding as a starter this spring, could move into the back end of the bullpen with Gavin Floyd taking his place.
Traded RHP Aquilino Lopez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Minor League OF Matt Thayer and 3B Trey Johnston.
Shockingly, one of the top rated people Johnny Marz was talking about was David Bell. I believe he was the #1 rated defensive 3B in baseball last year by whichever system was used. I remember reading about it on the Phillies MB when it came out and saw Bell and just shook my head.
And isn't it nice to be talking about who deserves to be in the rotation instead of trippin out that we do not have a 4th or 5th starter?
I agree with IGY that Floyd has to be left where he is. Let him be the 5th guy. If he is sent down then it could mess with his fragile emotions. That sounds gay, but for whatever reason the guy has the emotional build up of a cardboard box. The only problem with this is that in early April you rarely need a 5th starter. So what do they do with him until then? Let him chill in the BP and hope he doesn't get rocked in long relief or send him down to make 1 or 2 starts with the promise that he is the 5th starter and they just want to keep his arm live until they need a 5th starter.
Ryan Franklin has pitched well this spring too. And before Madson went out and dominated the Yanks last night I was thinking that maybe they should move Madson back to his 7th inning role even though he had been pitching well as a starter.
But Madson deserves to be the 4th starter. And we still have a huge hole in the 6th-7th inning role. Aaron Fultz threw well last year and I hoped he could be that guy this year but he hasn't had a good spring. Rheal Cormier farging sucks. Is Geoff Geary and his huge head going to be the 7th inning guy? Can Julio Santana be that guy?
Lieber
Myers
Lidle
Madson
Floyd
Franklin
Fultz
Cormier
Santana
Geary
Rhodes
Gordon
Gillick has to turn a lump of coal into a diamond and get a 7th inning guy. Has to.
Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on March 29, 2006, 04:26:50 PM
QuoteIf he is sent down then it could mess with his fragile emotions.
which is exactly why i dont think he'll ever amount to much of anything.
which is exactly why i dont think he'll ever amount to much of anything
people have emotions and a psyche at 22 or 23 that they might not have at 27/28...just because youre that way now doesnt mean youre doomed for life...its how you deal with the person when they are in that state of mind than can make a big difference
theres nothing to say that if they keep him up he cant/wont have a nice year this season...grow up....and come next spring barely remember how he was in 2005 and previous years
i dont diagree.
but floyd seems more effected by it that most young pitchers.
i've thought the phils have mishandle their minors for years now. and the coddle them too long vs weaker competition in A and AA ball. i am in favor of keeping floyd up. i would even give hammels a shot.
Much of that stuff can be attributed to Ed Wade's coddling of his "untouchables". He wouldn't ever fast track any guys and he treated them like fragile cargo.
Gillick is a straight shooter but he also knows how to deal with players. Him, Dubee, Charlie and Arbuckle have had meetings with Floyd a lot this spring to keep his confidence up but let him know what the deal is - that he heas to produce.
I still think he can be a very good pitcher. And IGY is right - he's still young. That has a lot to do with it. Some guys are mentally tough at 22-23 but many are not. Bretty Myers is an example of that. he used to think his shtein didn't stink. But them he realized he has to do much more than just throw heaters.
Speaking of Myers...I believe he is going to be a stud this year.
QuoteI believe he is going to be a stud this year.
I agree, thats why I took him in both of my fantasy leagues. I think Madson is going to do well this year too.
Given a chance, I believe that Madsen will thrive in the rotation. He's got filthy stuff.
Phreak:
So you'd rather have Floyd spot-start or sit his ass in the 'pen instead of taking the ball every fifth day in SWB until called upon?
That makes no sense to me whatsoever.
The season is saved! (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/baseball/14216183.htm?source=rss&channel=philly_baseball)
Quote
Phils' Bell plays 1st big-league game this spring
ROB MAADDI
Associated Press
DUNEDIN, Fla. - David Bell moved closer to starting the season with the Philadelphia Phillies, playing in his first major league game of the spring on Wednesday.
Bell, who had been sidelined by a back injury most of the month, went 0-for-3 against former AL Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay in the Phillies' 6-2 loss to Toronto. Bell played six innings at third base, fielded his only grounder cleanly and survived a mild collision with Vernon Wells, who was caught trying to steal third in the first inning.
"Everything is good," Bell said. "I feel great."
Bell played in minor leagues games over the past week and is scheduled to start for the Phillies on Thursday. He plans to play in a minor league game on Friday and join the team for two exhibition games against Boston in Philadelphia this weekend.
Manager Charlie Manuel has maintained throughout the spring he wants Bell to have enough at-bats to be ready for the regular season, even if it means leaving him behind. Bell thinks he'll be ready for Monday's season opener against St. Louis.
"As long as everything goes smoothly, he gave me every indication I'll start the season," Bell said.
Considering how poorly Bell has played in April, some extra time in Florida may not hurt. Since 2003, his batting averages in April have been .205, .227 and .225.
"We'll take it day by day and see where he's at," Manuel said.
The 33-year-old Bell is going into the final season of a four-year, $17 million contract he signed after helping the San Francisco Giants reach the World Series in 2002.
Bell's tenure with the Phillies has been marred by injuries. He missed the entire second half of 2003 with back and hip problems. Although he played 293 games over the last two seasons, Bell had a couple of minor flare-ups each year that forced him to the bench for short stints.
Most of Bell's problems have started in the spring. He hasn't played through an entire March with the Phillies without missing time because of his back.
"It's not what you want to do," Bell said. "You want to play baseball and be on the field. It's not fun. I feel fortunate I got through it in time to start the season."
Last year, Bell missed most of the spring because of his back problems and had just 28 at-bats before starting the regular season. Then he became a main target for criticism when he batted just .248 with 10 homers and 61 RBIs. Bell hit .400 (54-for-135) against left-handers, but only .199 ( 84-for-422) against right-handers.
The Phillies acquired infielders Abraham Nunez and Alex Gonzalez in the offseason, giving Manuel the flexibility to sit Bell against right-handers.
"I've been able to work on things I wanted to offensively," Bell said. "You know when your swing is right. I feel very confident about it."
Bell hit .195 in his injury-plagued first season with the Phillies, but had his best all-around year in 2004, hitting .291 with 18 homers and 77 RBIs.
Despite his struggles last season, Bell delivered some important hits in September as the Phillies made a push for the playoffs only to fall one game behind NL wild-card winner Houston.
Bell's first career grand slam sparked a victory over Washington on Sept. 2. He had a game-tying solo homer in the ninth inning the following night and hit a two-out, two-run homer that capped a five-run ninth-inning rally in an 11-10 win at Cincinnati on Sept. 23.
Halladay, who is to make his fourth straight opening-day start on Tuesday, allowed two runs and nine hits in six innings.
"He's right where he needs to be," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "The hits they got off of him he was tying them up or they were off the end of the bat."
Philadelphia's Jon Lieber allowed six runs and 10 hits in four innings.
"I just wasn't hitting my spots like I wanted to," said Lieber, who will be the Phillies' opening-day starter for the second straight year.
Tejeda, Brito and Sandoval sent to AAA
Franklin to the bullpen
Madson is the new #4 starter
Floyd is the new #5 starter
:yay
SWEET FANCY MOSES THEY MADE THE RIGHT MOVE
Quote from: BigEd76 on March 29, 2006, 08:47:06 PM
Tejeda, Brito and Sandoval sent to AAA
Franklin to the bullpen
Madson is the new #4 starter
Floyd is the new #5 starter
:yay
I say Eude, you say Brito!
Ed... where did you hear/read this?
It's that's indeed true, I'm totally stunned and I'll bet Ryan Franklin is as well.
Nevermind... I found it.
Doink. (http://www.courierpostonline.com/blogs/radano.html)
Phillies.com has it now. (http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060329&content_id=1370049&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi)
He's not saying whether Madson or Franklin is going to the Pen, however.
why would you be stunned...we talked about this yesterday.
plus franklin is one of the worst starting pitchers in all of baseball...is it that much of shock that hed go to the pen
Quote from: MDS on March 29, 2006, 08:52:00 PM
SWEET FANCY MOSES THEY MADE THE RIGHT MOVE
because they have a real GM now, not some douche who worked his way up from group sales.
Phreak:
So you'd rather have Floyd spot-start or sit his ass in the 'pen instead of taking the ball every fifth day in SWB until called upon?
That makes no sense to me whatsoever.
yes....he needs to be rewarded for his great spring....sending him out to scranton depressing him and having him regress by getting blasted in triple a is not the answer right now...
if he gets mashed up here you at least can tell him you need to go back down and work on some things....but how do you explain to him going down now....awesome spring kid but a guy whos lost 100 games the last two years is getting the nod
this also proves that Gillick is not one to make the wrong move for the roster in order to justify a move. do you really think Ed Wade would've made this decision?
I already stated why I thought Franklin should start.
I still feel that way. If Madson and Floyd both get the nod, I'm fine with that too, especially if both pitch the way they're capable of pitching.
Franklin, however, has pitched well enough to earn a starting spot this spring. I'll leave it at that.
To switch gears for a moment, did anyone else catch this today? :-D
QuotePosted on Thu, Mar. 30, 2006email thisprint thisreprint or license thisNew meaning for "Fightin' Phillies."Firm earns error for DVD goof
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
Baseball treasures its traditions, which is why the national pastime is so special to so many people.
Hot dogs, peanuts, Cracker Jack.
The traditional blood sport of cockfighting has not made its way into baseball's fabric, and it probably never will considering that it is illegal in 48 states and the District of Columbia. So imagine the surprise of two Phillies season-ticket holders when they recently played a Phillies highlights DVD only to find a Spanish-language cockfighting video.
The Phillies had sent about 4,000 DVDs to season-ticket holders who had not renewed their season tickets, and as far as they know, only two have featured the sport where specially bred gamecocks are placed in an enclosure to fight to a bloody death.
The DVD manufacturer, ProAction Video, took responsibility for the error. It said when it started its Phillies DVD run, a few DVDs from a previous run to another customer inadvertently remained in the molding equipment.
Oops.
Some of the cockfighting DVDs were stamped with a Phillies graphic, which featured second baseman Chase Utley and the title Power of the Plan.
The Phillies said in a statement that they "regret if any recipient was offended as a result."
ProAction said in a statement: "We apologize for this unfortunate error... . This is a very isolated incident that affected only a few discs... . ProAction Media and our production facility take full responsibility for this unfortunate error and apologize to the great Phillies organization and the fans that were affected by this error."
Don't expect to see cockfighting on the concourse at Citizens Bank Park this season, or ever. According to the Humane Society of the United States, cockfighting in Pennsylvania is a felony. So is the possession of cocks for fighting and being a spectator at a cockfight. Possession of implements for cockfights, however, is legal.
There have been no reported complaints from cockfighting fans who have been sent Phillies highlights by mistake.
:-D :-D
that's funny shtein.
it raises the question, why is that company producing cockfighting dvds in the first place?
HA!
i want that dvd with the phils graphic.
That's what I was thinking, Wingspan.
How long before they turn up on Ebay?
:yay
if there are only 2 known, the price will be high...but i would guess within 2 weeks.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on March 30, 2006, 11:26:02 AM
I already stated why I thought Franklin should start.
hooray for crappy veterans :yay
USA Today thinks the Phils are a sleeper to win the World Series (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/phillies/2006-03-30-phillies-surprise_x.htm)
Quote from: BigEd76 on March 31, 2006, 12:06:30 PM
USA Today writers like to smoke crack (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/phillies/2006-03-30-phillies-surprise_x.htm)
So, I guess this means that the Phillies could teach the Sixers a few things about playing as a team?
Go Phils.
So, I guess this means that the Phillies could teach the Sixers a few things about playing as a team?
on ground balls this year before anyone throws to first at least two infielders will touch the ball
Quote from: BigEd76 on March 31, 2006, 12:06:30 PM
USA Today thinks the Phils are a sleeper to win the World Series (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/phillies/2006-03-30-phillies-surprise_x.htm)
<--- Remember, you saw it here first. :paranoid
Quote from: ice grillin you on March 31, 2006, 12:39:51 PM
on ground balls this year before anyone throws to first at least two infielders will touch the ball
quality.
i will say that i have a slightly irrational optimisim for this team. maybe it's due to the fact that they actually have a competent GM who will be able to make the necessary in-season moves that can help this team.
maybe it's due to the fact that they actually have a competent GM who will be able to make the necessary in-season moves that can help this team.
id say it has more to do with it being march 31...i get the same way every spring no matter who the players manager gm is
not me, last year i was so down on this team, i swore i wouldn't go to a game and i didn't. i was pissed at that team from day 1 last year.
dp
consider yourself lucky then...because i have a huge letdown every baseball season
i usually do too, but last year i mentally trained myself all season.
In the first of 2 CBP games this weekend, the Phils beat the Sox 9-5. Bell had 4 hits, and Utley had a 3-run HR...
I was at todays game, was pretty cool if you were a David Bell fan.
Quote from: SD_Eagle on April 01, 2006, 05:49:39 PM
I was at todays game, was pretty cool if you were a David Bell fan.
Was there a big crowd? I hate to admit it but I am getting jacked for Monday!
Quote from: Don Ho on April 01, 2006, 06:21:49 PM
Quote from: SD_Eagle on April 01, 2006, 05:49:39 PM
I was at todays game, was pretty cool if you were a David Bell fan.
Was there a big crowd? I hate to admit it but I am getting jacked for Monday!
Yes! My wife and son soon lose all TV privileges at night! :crazy
Quote from: Don Ho on April 01, 2006, 06:21:49 PM
Quote from: SD_Eagle on April 01, 2006, 05:49:39 PM
I was at todays game, was pretty cool if you were a David Bell fan.
Was there a big crowd? I hate to admit it but I am getting jacked for Monday!
Yes, large crowd. It was raining earlier too, so it was sort of a surprise. The Sox are always a big draw, however.
Bastonions in full force? Yuck. They are a step below New Yawkers.
-- Rob Tejeda and Jake Blalock were traded to Texas for David Dellucci, so Tomas and Coste are probably out
-- Chris Roberson was sent to Scranton
Tejada was still young and had decent stuff, knew he didn't fit into the rotation but I was expecting him to have a role out of the pen. Dellucci's a lefty with some power, guess he takes up the Michaels role from last season.
I read earlier that they didn't want to part ways with Tejeda for a mediocre talent like Dellucci. Must be desperate for that last outfielder. Don't like the trade.
Quote from: MDS on April 02, 2006, 12:59:28 AM
I read earlier that they didn't want to part ways with Tejeda for a mediocre talent like Dellucci. Must be desperate for that last outfielder. Don't like the trade.
29 HRs and 65 RBIs last year and hit .251. If he hits 14-15 HRs in a bench role, I would be thrilled; compared to last year's disaster of a bench, this one looks miles better. Tejeda blew his chance I think when he elected to pitch for his country during the Baseball Classic. Sure, it's a big thrill to pitch for your country, but your country don't pay your salary. He had a chance to at least win a job in the Phils' pen.
I like the trade a lot.
1. Gillick said he wanted to get a 5th OF who has some pop and hits LH. He did. He also said he did not want to give up pitching, but that was a bluff to try to get Mohr or Dellucci on the cheap.
2. I liked Robinson Tejeda. But the one thing about him, and it showed again, is that he walks way too many people. His control is an issue. You can sometimes dodge bullets when you're a starter but if you are coming out of the 'pen you cannot walk guys.
3. Dellucci is now the 5th OF behind Pat, Roward, Bobby A and Victorino. Not too shabby. And isn't it nice to have a 5th OF not named Endy Chavez?
4. Tejeda is expendable because they acquired Daniel Haigwood and Gio Gonzalez. Plus they have Cole Hamles and Scott Mathieson too. That is 4 legit prospects to go along with Myers and Floyd as young starters.
Nice move. Although I wanted to see Coste make it, I like the deal.
Phils desperately needed pop from the bench.
Even though he only had a .251 average, his OBP was .367, so he can take a walk. Strikes out a bunch, which put him in perfect company with the Phils' main lineup.
Being lefty, he may give Burrell the occasional day off against tough righthanders. Also gives some insurance in case of injury for Burrell or Abreu.
Also was a role player for the Diamondbacks when they won the Series in '01.
What this does mean, though, is that there are NO straight righthanded hitters coming off the bench. Delucci is a lefty, and Nunez, Gonzalez, and Victorino are all switch-hitters. A problem? Probably not, as Nunez and Gonzalez both hit better batting righthanded last season.
Finally, just compare the benches:
Michaels/Lofton-Ramon Martinez-Endy Chavez-Tomas Perez-Pratt
vs.
Delucci-Victorino-Gonzlaez-Nunez-Fasano
Fasano and Pratt offensively were nearly identical (Fasano had more power last year; Pratt walked more).
Perez/Martinez vs. Gonzalez/Nunez? I think the Phils are much better this year.
Michaels or Lofton/Chaves vs. Deluci/Victorino- Obviously more speed with Lofton (though he more often started), but much more power with Delucci. I'm interested to see what Victorino can do with a full season with the big club.
Good depth move. Tejeda had good stats, but it seemed to be mostly done with smoke and mirrors. I thought he was heading for the minor to begin the season anyway.
Quote from: BigEd76 on April 01, 2006, 11:33:54 PM
-- Chris Roberson was sent to Scranton
I guess he wasn't ready for the show, as he promised to Sun_Mo and Jerome99RIP.
Quote from: MDS on April 02, 2006, 12:59:28 AM
I read earlier that they didn't want to part ways with Tejeda for a mediocre talent like Dellucci. Must be desperate for that last outfielder. Don't like the trade.
Yeah, mediocre...your evaluation of baseball talent sucks.
Delucci is mediocre. You can never have too much pitching. I don't mind trading away young guys to help win now, but I thought Tejeda deserved a shot to proove himself out of the pen with this team. Oh well.
Problem with that, MDS, is in order to be effective out of the pen the guy has to be in the strike zone. Tejeda was a little on the wild side. And like I said, having Gonzalez, Haigwood, Mathieson and Hamels made Tejeda expendable.
I really dig this trade. Good breakdown by Whizzer.
I can't wait until tomorrow.
By the way, David Bell was 4-5 yesterday. That was bittersweet to see. I was hoping he wouldn't be ready to start the season because I want Nunez as the starter. But if Bell's sorry ass is ready to finally help this team, I will root for him.
Howard gets a bases loaded single for his spring ball leading 22nd rbi. Rowand follows up with a single. 3-0 Phils in the final tune up.
Howard hit a fargin BOMB.
The wind was blowing in for that bomb too...to dead center field. Had the wind been blowing out or not at all, that might have been completely out of the stadium to dead center. :o
Tomas was released and Coste was sent to SWB. The 25-man roster is now set...
C = Lieberthal, Fasano
IF = Howard, Utley, Rollins, Bell, Nunez, Gonzalez
OF = Burrell, Rowand, Abreu, Victorino, Dellucci
SP = Lieber, Myers, Lidle, Madson, Floyd
RP = Franklin, Cormier, Fultz, Geary, Santana, Rhodes, Gordon
DL = Booker, Wolf
Quote from: BigEd76 on April 02, 2006, 05:40:49 PM
Tomas was released and Coste was sent to SWB. The 25-man roster is now set...
C = Lieberthal, Fasano
IF = Howard, Utley, Rollins, Bell, Nunez, Gonzalez
OF = Burrell, Rowand, Abreu, Victorino, Dellucci
SP = Lieber, Myers, Lidle, Madson, Floyd
RP = Franklin, Cormier, Fultz, Geary, Santana, Rhodes, Gordon
DL = Booker, Wolf
Let's have a moment of silence for the Pie Man...
(http://www.lafayettebakery.com/sm9inch-lemon-merangue-pie.jpg)