Phillies Spring Training Talk

[Geowhizzer]

World Series bound, bay-bee! 

[Geowhizzer]

And to start it off...

Lieberthal focused on performing, not winning fans

Excerpt:

His 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."

[Geowhizzer]

Gordon has his chance to close again

[MDS]

He's called Loserthal for a reason.

[Geowhizzer]

Does this one matter to anyone but me (listen to Phillies broadcasts on XM)?


Phillies Add New Radio Voice

Scott 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.

[Geowhizzer]

Phreak will love to hear this- from the Inky:

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."

[Geowhizzer]

Piece on new Phillie reliever Ricardo Rodriguez (from the Crazy Vicente trade):

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.

[PhillyPhreak54]

It'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.

[MDS]

How long till we get out first taste of Wheels?

[PhillyGirl]

Phillies 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.

[phattymatty]

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.

[MURP]

wrong.

[PhillyGirl]

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.

[hunt]

matt likes to joke.

[SD_Eagle5]

That streak won't last past 40 games.