Phillies Spring Training Talk

[Rome]

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.

[SunMo]

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

[ice grillin you]

marz

[SunMo]

either one works, don't piss me off

[ice grillin you]

seeing you write marsh pisses me off more than anything i could ever do to you

[SunMo]

you're still breathing aren't you?

[ice grillin you]

in its current state i would generously call it hyperventilating

[SunMo]

Phils 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.

[ice grillin you]

Traded RHP Aquilino Lopez to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Minor League OF Matt Thayer and 3B Trey Johnston.

[PhillyPhreak54]

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.

[Wingspan]

If 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.

[ice grillin you]

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

[Wingspan]

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.

[PhillyPhreak54]

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.

[NGM]

I 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.