Phillies season 10

[Rome]

Why are career .280 hitters hired as hitting coaches?

I've always found that strange.  How about hiring guys who hit .330?  I'm fairly certain Rod Carew isn't working anywhere.  How about hiring him?  Or Tony Gwynn, for that matter.  I know he digs coaching at San Diego State but how about interviewing him for the manager's job this offseason?  He could be the manager and hitting coach.

Just a thought.

[rjs246]

Does anyone else find it ironic that Milt Thompson is a hitting coach?

No, why? He was a good hitter.

He's better than Richie Hebner and Greg Gross though.

Milt was a .274 career hitter, career .335 OBP, never drew more than 42 walks and never hit more than 42 extra base hits in a season. Shouldn't a hitting coach be a GOOD hitter, instead of a slightly below AVERAGE hitter?


AND, Gross was actually a markedly better hitter. In just about every statistical way.

[Rome]

Does anyone else find it ironic that Milt Thompson is a hitting coach?

No, why? He was a good hitter.

He's better than Richie Hebner and Greg Gross though.

Milt was a .274 career hitter, career .335 OBP, never drew more than 42 walks and never hit more than 42 extra base hits in a season. Shouldn't a hitting coach be a GOOD hitter, instead of a slightly below AVERAGE hitter?

You want her.  Admit it.

[SunMo]

AND, Gross was actually a markedly better hitter. In just about every statistical way.

yeah, but the players have "fun" and feel "comfortable" with Gross?  that's what coaching is all about

[PhillyPhreak54]

I just hated looking at Gross...he annoyed me. And Hebner wore his hat like an idiot. Yeah, my reasons are stupid. 

I sometimes think hitting coaches are overrated though. Those prima donnas do what they wanna do anyways.

"Hey Pat...quit swinging at that slider thats 8 inches off the plate and in the dirt"

"Uhhh....where the bitches at?"

[rjs246]

You want her.  Admit it.

I am unimpressed with her. But she's famous and probably likes it white-trash-fifth-base style, so sure. I'd poke her eye out with the dong.

[MDS]

1. Howard can't play LF. He's too big and slow. We would become the Red Sox without the pitching and no DH. I don't like it. Eat some salary if you have to, but Howard is going to have to be your firstbasemen on opening day next year. I love Thome, but it just isn't gonna work. Shame, but such is life.

2. Torri Hunter is an injury waiting to happen. I think 1 out of the past 4 years he's played an entire season. He hits about .260 and obviously is a spectacular defensive outfielder. But he always gets hurt diving for balls and what not. Not to mention, Lofton/Michaels can be an effective platoon for another year, Shane Victorino deserves a look at CF, and Chris Roberson is near major league ready. My thinking was to keep CF in house this year, then give Roberson the job next year. But, if Roberson and/or Victorino can be packaged into a deal with Burrell or Thome for a frontline SP, I would be all for it. Only thing is, getting Hunter would be the only way I could see Howard in left. Be sorta like Andruw Jones with Chipper Jones and John Kruk with Lenny Dykstra. But Howard played some LF and simply couldn't do it.

3. I was orginally for Padilla as a closer, thought he had the stuff for it. But the guy is insane. I'm tired of his act. I'd like to go in a different direction with him. Some team out there would give us a quality bench player or relief pitcher for Padilla. You can then have competition for the 5th spot with people on the roster (Tejeda, Floyd, Brito) and sign someone to be the ace or near ace (Myers, Lieber, and someone just as good as them would be fine) quality.

And lets hope the person making these decision is not Ed Wade.

[Mad-Lad]

It was funny watching Jason Lane pump his fist after he got that basehit tonight thinking he won the game, only to see Gipson thrown out at the plate.

And We Pray.

that wasn't Jason Lane, it was Luke Scott.

Go Nats!

[BigEd76]

1. Howard can't play LF. He's too big and slow.

That was the complaint earlier this year, but the guy had 2 triples this week and has shown mobility at 1st.  If Manny and Cliff Floyd can play LF, why can't Ryan?

[Wingspan]

1. Howard can't play LF. He's too big and slow.

That was the complaint earlier this year, but the guy had 2 triples this week and has shown mobility at 1st.  If Manny and Cliff Floyd can play LF, why can't Ryan?

i think he can.

john kruk played LF, Luzinski played LF...there's plenty of precendent.

no harm in a defensive replacement late in games too.

[Rome]

He has all winter to learn the position.  It's not as if someone's asking him to learn how to pitch, for God's sake.

The guy's a keeper.  If they can't resolve the Thome situation or if Big Jim comes back healthy, they have to do something with Howard.  LF seems like a reasonable alternative.

[MDS]

1. Howard can't play LF. He's too big and slow.

That was the complaint earlier this year, but the guy had 2 triples this week and has shown mobility at 1st.  If Manny and Cliff Floyd can play LF, why can't Ryan?

Manny sucks in LF. Actually, he's worse than sucking. It's a disgrace to the sport to see him in left. Floyd is slimmer and quicker than Howard.

I don't think Howard would be a good idea in left. #1 you don't have a stellar defensive CF or RF to make him ground. #2 you need someone better at 3B to help with bloopers. #3 does he even have the arm for LF? Can he throw anyone out? #4 do you want the entire middle of the order to be lefthanded? #5 is Thome even healthy? Trade Burrell only to find out Thome still belongs on the DL.

I don't like the idea.

[Geowhizzer]

Here are my thoughts, for what they're worth:

1.   Trade Thome (his back will get no better at 35 than it is now) to an AL team and get something for him.  Howard deserved the starting 1B job next year.
2.  Trade Lieberthal for a sack of monkey semen for all I care.  I really wish they had made Pratt the starter this season to keep Lieberthal from vesting.  Bring in a good defensive catcher that will hit .250.  At least he'd be good defensively, which is more than we get from Lieberthal.
3.  Eat the contract, send Bell away.  I'd rather watch Juan Richardson butcher third next season than see Bell another season.
4.  GET A FRONTLINE STARTER.  Trade for one, sign one, I don't care.
5.  Re-sign Wagner.  Phils need an ace reliever next season.
6.  Torii Hunter is one of my all-time favorite players.  He's exciting to watch and a really nice person to boot.  I saw him playing FSL A-ball for the Ft. Myers Miracle 11 years ago, and in Spring Training each year, and he really hasn't changed a bit.  That said, I don't think he'd be a good fit for the Phils' lineup.  He'd bring another 100+ Strikeout, <.330 OBP bat to a lineup that is already saturated from those type of hitters.  The Phils need a high OBP guy that can hit either #1 (ideally) or #2.  He's probably pass 30 HRs playing in CBP, but the Phils' offense is all-or-nothing already.  They need someone that can make their run-scoring more consistent.  If he didn't get hurt so dang much, I'd say keep Lofton there (.392 OBP) and play him everyday. Heck, the platoon of Lofton and Michaels (.399 OBP) are probably fine for the CF/Leadoff position.  They should hit leadoff and allow Rollins to hit #2.

Keep:
1.  Rollins
2.  Abreu
3.  Howard
4.  Utley
5.  Myers
6.  Wagner (Probably a pipe dream at this point)

Get rid of:
1.  David ^$#@#^#@^&#@*& Bell
2.  Lieberthal
3.  Tomas Perez

Trade if it gets you needed parts:
1.  Burrell (I just see him having a down year next season- he's not consistent):  If Burr
2.  Thome (if keeping Burrell)


Working lineup for next season:
1.  Lofton/Michaels platoon CF
2.  Rollins SS
3.  Abreu
4.  Thome/Burrell (Whichever we keep)
5.  Utley
6.  Howard
7.  New 3B/C
8.  New 3B/C
9.  Pitcher

Starting Rotation:
1.  New Pitcher (PLEASE!)
2.  Lieber
3.  Myers
4.  Lidle/Padilla/Floyd

Fearless Prediction:  Madson will see time in the rotation next season.

% Chance of Wade/Manuel being fired:  25

If Wade if fired Fearless (and Clueless  ) prediction #2:  Mike Schmidt is new GM.  Would it make sense?  No.  But remember- it's the Phillies.  He'd have to be better than Wade.

[Don Ho]

Luzinski played LF.

no harm in a defensive replacement late in games too.

see Manny Mota

[Dillen]

It was funny watching Jason Lane pump his fist after he got that basehit tonight thinking he won the game, only to see Gipson thrown out at the plate.

And We Pray.

that wasn't Jason Lane, it was Luke Scott.

Go Nats!

I came into this very thread just to state that, but you beat me to it. high five!!111

i can kind of see scott doing that prematurely, hes young.