2012 - Philadelphia Phillies, At Least Cole is Staying

Rome · September 30, 2012, 09:04:38 PM

Nice start from Cole today. Who cares, though, right Todd!?!

MDS · September 30, 2012, 09:17:42 PM

do you care

Geowhizzer · September 30, 2012, 09:20:57 PM

So, basically Vick's wearing a bullet-proof vest. Too bad they couldn't make it interception-proof.

Rome · October 01, 2012, 07:36:54 AM

^ Real talk. ^

PhillyPhreak54 · October 01, 2012, 08:00:34 PM

Quote@ryanlawrence21: Just heard a celebratory "Wooooooooo!" in the pressbox when the Nats turned that double play. In. The. Pressbox.

Don Ho · October 01, 2012, 09:42:49 PM

Let's see if the Island of Misfit Toys can get the spoiler role down.

Braves about to lose so it won't mean shtein.

PhillyPhreak54 · October 02, 2012, 01:29:28 AM

QuoteManuel was less than pleased.

"Yeah it made me mad," he said. "Yes it did. Very much so. I'm a bad loser. Nobody should be a good loser. I'm a bad loser and always will be."

The manager used this strange moment as an opportunity to rant.

"Hell, I've been mad for three or four weeks," Manuel said. "It just hasn't really been coming out. We have to play much better. We have to play smarter. We have to know the game better. We have to play better defense. We have to have more knowledge of the game."

For one night, they were almost pristine. Kendrick was stellar in seven scoreless innings. He finished 2012 with a 3.90 ERA, a career-high 6.6 strikeout-per-nine inning rate and solidified a spot in next season's rotation.

"He's in there," Manuel said. "Unless we get [David] Price or someone like that."

Angry Chuck

MDS · October 02, 2012, 02:19:59 AM

he also has to manage better

but an old stubborn hick aint ever gonna admit hes ever wrong

MDS · October 02, 2012, 02:44:09 AM

Don Ho · October 02, 2012, 04:46:12 AM

Holy shtein that's funny!

ice grillin you · October 02, 2012, 07:59:30 AM

Quote from: PhillyPhreak54 on October 02, 2012, 01:29:28 AM
QuoteManuel was less than pleased.

"Yeah it made me mad," he said. "Yes it did. Very much so. I'm a bad loser. Nobody should be a good loser. I'm a bad loser and always will be."

The manager used this strange moment as an opportunity to rant.

"Hell, I've been mad for three or four weeks," Manuel said. "It just hasn't really been coming out. We have to play much better. We have to play smarter. We have to know the game better. We have to play better defense. We have to have more knowledge of the game."

For one night, they were almost pristine. Kendrick was stellar in seven scoreless innings. He finished 2012 with a 3.90 ERA, a career-high 6.6 strikeout-per-nine inning rate and solidified a spot in next season's rotation.

"He's in there," Manuel said. "Unless we get [David] Price or someone like that."

Angry Chuck

he better get used to it cause the nats arent going anywhere for a long time

Rome · October 02, 2012, 08:23:21 AM

Or they could be hit with grievous injuries next year and slide to .500 or worse.

Nothing is guaranteed.

Geowhizzer · October 02, 2012, 10:34:58 AM

I'm inclined to agree with igy on this one. Anything can happen regarding injury and whatnot, but the Nationals are set up nicely for a long run. They have a good mix of vets and youth in the lineup, and that young pitching is outstanding.

Rome · October 02, 2012, 01:10:10 PM

I'm not disagreeing with him. I'm saying that anything could happen especially if they get hit with the injury bug like the Phillies did this season. Obviously their young talent eclipses the Phillies but the Phillies also have the ability to go out and acquire supplemental talent to fill holes. I mean, does anyone here expect a repeat of Choke, Grit & Polly's 2012 seasons? Does anyone expect Halladay to get hurt or Lee to have such ridiculously bad luck or the bullpen to implode the way they did in the middle of the season?

I'm not saying they'll be the '27 Yankees but the 2013 Phillies will be better than the 2012 version if for no other reason they've ridded themselves of headaches and freed up salary money to go to more productive players next year.

None of this matters, of course, if Howard doesn't recover fully and Utley doesn't start stinging the ball again. The Phillies offense will go as they go. But realistically this team won 80-82 games without almost any production from their 1st, 2nd, & 3rd basemen & their corner outfielders in terms of offense. That has to be better in 2013 almost by default.

Geowhizzer · October 02, 2012, 01:46:33 PM

How and Utley have been on the downward slide since 2009. It may be slightly better than 2012, but I don't see them playing at an all-star caliber anymore. Utley probably can't be counted on for more than 110-120 games - maximum. And Howard, if his power doesn't return full force, is a huge liability - a .220, 25 HR, 75 RBI Rob Deer albatross.

Lee looked pretty good in the second half. I am worried about Halladay's arm troubles this season. He just never looked close to the same pitcher as in 2010. Maybe an off-season of rest will restore the arm, or maybe he should have just had the surgery. I have a feeling we'll know by the next all-star break.

The bullpen imploded last season, and the bullpen imploded this season. Do you trust Ruben Amaro to fix it? And Papelbon actually had a good season, all protestations aside - a few major blow-ups, but overall a good season.

And on the other side, do you foresee Ruiz batting in the .320s again? As much as I love the guy, he's a catcher on the wrong side of 30.

I'll have to withold judgment until we see what happens over the offseason. But if I see an outfield of Brown-Mayberry-Schierholz, I'm not going to be too optimistic.