Phillies Spring Training Talk

[Rome]

Agreed.  I know it's just spring training but what he's done thus far down here has been pretty goddamn spectacular.

[BigEd76]

Today's game vs the Pirates at 1pm is on CSN

[Rome]

I heart those jerseys.

[Geowhizzer]

Can't close down the St. Patty's Day thread without a few of these:

[MDS]

Phillies 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.

[BigEd76]

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...

[MDS]

Good thing we play at a Little League Park

[Rome]

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.

[Geowhizzer]

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.

[Rome]

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.

[Geowhizzer]

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.

[PhillyPhreak54]

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.

[Rome]

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?   

[PhillyPhreak54]

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.

[Rome]

He did win it.

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.