Phillies Spring Training Talk

[Rome]

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.

[SunMo]

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.

[ice grillin you]

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

[SunMo]

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.

[ice grillin you]

or being succesful in the majors might uncover untapped confidence levels in him and vault him to a great pro career

[SunMo]

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

[ice grillin you]

my friends call me sunshine

[Rome]

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.

[ice grillin you]

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

[BigEd76]

Myers, 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?

[SunMo]

yeah, or Lieber  i was talking next year...

but you're right, i forgot about the guys from the Thome trade

[SunMo]

right now is looking like partly cloudy, high of 61 degrees, with a 20% chance of rain for opening day

[Rome]

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.

[SunMo]

Lieber is going to start on Monday.  i was hoping for Myers but oh well.

[ice grillin you]

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