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Five keys for Phillies to survive injuries
As reported yesterday, the Phillies will be without Chase Utley and Placido Polanco for at least the next 15 days, and in all likelihood a little longer. The timing of the news is not great as the team had broken out of its hitting slump and looked poised to regain the lead in the NL East. Now with these injuries that becomes a lot more difficult. I still think the Phillies can hang right with the Braves and Mets over the next few weeks, but it will take a variety of factors coming together to do so.
Bellow are five keys for the Phillies to stay in the race despite these injuries.
1. Rollins must regain form: When a player is out for as long as Rollins was it is expected that the player will need a few weeks to find his swing. The Phillies can not afford Rollins that time, however. With their No. 2 and No. 3 hitters on the bench, the importance of Rollins setting the table becomes even more important. I’m not saying he needs to hit .350 the next month, but the team will need Rollins to at least maintain his .400 an-base percentage.
2. The Big Man must get on a tear: Over the past four seasons we have seen Ryan Howard get incredibly hot in August and September and at times single handily carry the team to victories. This time Howard can not wait until August. The team needs one of those power surges right now. Howard’s .295 average has caught everyone off guard and he is having a season that should put him back in the top five of the MVP voting. There is no reason to think he can’t catch fire over the next few weeks and lift his team once more.
3. Pitching: If you lose a little offense than the pitching must do its part to keep the opposition off the board. The Phillies staff has been hot and cold this season and needs to get hot again in a hurry. Roy Halladay is the only member of the starting staff that has an ERA under 4.00 and that simply won’t cut it over the next month. This team may need to win a couple of games by 3-2, or 2-1 scores and for that to happen the starters must show more than they have so far this season. Joe Blanton and Kyle Kendrick have the most room to improve and one may be pushed by a returning J.A. Happ.
4. A surprise candidate must emerge: This could come from anywhere. Maybe somehow Greg Dobbs will remember to hit again? Maybe Ibanez will go on a tear like he did the first half of last year? Maybe one of the team’s backup catchers has the best two weeks of his career? Maybe the Phillies reacquire Cliff Lee and none of this will matter? No matter where it comes from the team will need unexpected productions to keep moving forward in July.
5. The Braves and Mets slump: Most believe that the Braves and Mets have overachieved the last two months. If that is indeed the case it is fair to suggest that a downward swing is coming. The Braves (5-5) and Mets (4-6) may already be in the process of doing so as their last 10 games have not gone well. Consider that the Mets are just 15-22 on the road and have an 11-game West Coast trip coming in the second part of July and its not hard to see them falling off. As for the Braves, the Phillies can help themselves from July 5-7 when they host Atlanta for a big series.
So there you have five ways that the team can keep winning despite the recent injuries. If a few of these factors take place there is no reason that the Phillies can’t be right at the top of the pack when Utley and Polanco return.
Mariners point finger at wrong place
Ken Griffey Jr. took a nap — and somehow that is a reporter’s fault.
At least that’s the way the Seattle Mariners see it.
On Monday the News Tribune ran an article with two unidentified players stating that Griffey went down to the locker room during the fifth inning and preceded to take a nap.
Griffey has denied the report, without actually denying the snooze, but that is hardly the end of the story.
After picking up a win on Tuesday our old friend Cliff Lee started talking during his postgame press conference, then stopped and said he wouldn’t continue until the reporter from the Tribune left the room. Several Mariners players followed suit at their lockers.
Real class there Seattle. As if somehow it is the reporter’s fault that two players spoke up about Griffey — who it can be argued has done nothing but nap all season, batting .200 with zero home runs and five RBIs.
Yeah, punish a paper for you know, actually reporting something.
As if that isn’t enough, we have these great words from Mike Sweeney, designated clubhouse leader, or something like that.
“We will support and fight and take a bullet for Ken Griffey Jr. if we have to. He’s our teammate,” Sweeney said, according to FOXSports.com. “Nothing is going to divide this clubhouse, especially a makeshift article made up of lies.”
OK, nothing wrong with that. But he followed with this: “We don’t think there are two players who said that (about Griffey sleeping),” Sweeney added, according to the report. “I challenged everyone in that room — if they said that to stand up and fight me. No one stood up.”
So in one breath Sweeney says nothing can divide the team then in the next he challenges his teammates to a fight?
I guess that’s a reporters fault to.
Seattle is a team going nowhere fast and not even the pitching of Lee can change that. It’s time for Griffey to retire, so he doesn’t do any more damage to his reputation. Known for having one of the sweetest swings in the game, Griffey has a better chance of hitting a lottery than he does a curveball these days.
In fact, Griffey probably did his team a favor by being unavailable to pinch hit.
There are plenty of people in the wrong on this one: Griffey, if he did indeed nap, and the players who broke clubhouse rules about keeping things like that away from the media head the list.
The reporter who did his job? He gets no blame from me.
Halladay Homecoming
Halladay has so far lived up to expectations, going 6-1 with a 1.45 ERA so far this year for the Phillies. Tonight, however marks a first in his career. He gets to start in his hometown. He grew up in Arvada.
He played against the Rockies one time while starting for Toronto, but this will be his first start at Coors field. Expect more of the same, control of the ball, high strikeouts, low walks, few longballs or big mistakes. Halladay is the total package.
In is 295 career starts, he is 154-77 with a career ERA of 3.38. And that was in the American League.
Consider his last four years in Toronto: he made 130+ starts with 16+ or more wins each year and nearly a thousand innings pitched. And didnt get to pitch an inning in the post season.
If he does that the next 4 years with Philadelphia, this team has 90+ wins year in and year out and will be perennial visitors at the World Series, and we will have forgotten all about Cliff Lee.
The Phillies started the season strong, went through a rough two week period and have now resumed their winning ways with the starting pitching being stingy and the bats coming to life.
Monday night the offense seemed to be returning to life, certainly helped by the oxygen deprived confines of Coors Field, but this lineup doesn’t need to be a mile up to pound them out of the park, and I look forward to watching them continue their assault on Rockies pitching in support of Roy Halladay in his 8th start of the year.
I am sure Roy is looking forward to finally showing his stuff near where he grew up. It will be interesting to see the level of fan support in the stadium when he takes the mound. With a few more wins on this road trip, the Phillies can start to separate themselves from the expected cluster of teams in the NL East.
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Halladay Strikes Again
Keeping with the theme of Roy Halladay, the Phillies ace had another stellar performance Wednesday, to earn his fourth victory of the season. Philadelphia traveled south to take on division rival Atlanta, who they entered the game tied for first place with.
Halladay, who threw his second complete game shutout of the season, was a major reason the Phillies took a 2-0 win, and moved in on top of the NL East. In his 113 pitches, he allowed only five hits and struck out seven Braves, for 28 on the season.
On the offensive side, Philadelphia received a spark from the middle of their lineup. Jason Werth scored in the 2nd inning on a hit from Raul Ibanez, and in the 6th, Werth notched an RBI, doubling to send Ryan Howard home.
For the fourth time this season, Halladay proved that the Phillies made a great decision, letting go of Cliff Lee and acquiring the right hander. Halladay has been a workhorse for Philadelphia, tossing 33 innings, and he is the only pitcher in the league to have four wins and he is third with an 0.82 ERA.
Hopefully there are more good things to come from Halladay as the season continues.
Old friend Cliff Lee still hurting
Things haven’t started so well in Seattle for Cliff Lee.
Lee told the Associated Press that he still feels pain in his strained abdomen following some on-field work today. The discomfort was enough that Lee said he had no idea when he would be able to return to the mound again.
On the bright side Lee did say that the muscle in his stomach felt better and was happy with the work he was able to get in.
Even if the Mariners feel that Lee won’t be able to go the first week, they may keep him on the active roster for Opening day. Lee has been suspended for five games by Major League baseball for throwing at Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder twice during an exhibition game last week. By rule, the Mariners are not allowed to fill carry another player for those five days should they elect to put Lee on the DL.
Whatever ends up being the case, we wish Lee well. Though his time in Philadelphia was short, it is still in the forefront of the minds of many Phillies fans.
Whiz Kids or the New and Improved Phitens, who is better ?
From 1976 to 1980 they won 4 NL East titles, 1 National League Pennant and 1 World Series.
From 2005 to present they have won 3 National League East titles, 2 National league Pennants and 1 World Series.
The first team included the group known as the Whiz Kids, with nearly every member of the team either in the hall of fame, or close to it, and known nationally as household names due to the exposure they recieved during their dominance. The second team is still playing so does not have the advantage of securing a historical place in our minds and memories as of yet, but may equal or exceed the ability and statistics of the first group of Phillies superstars.
This article will attempt to compare the two squad’s core group of players, then and now to determine which team is truly the best Phillies team of all time. It might be noted the first team played just prior to the advent of steroid allegations and performance enhancing drugs becoming the norm, whereas the second group has played and does play in “the steroid era” of baseball with equal or better statistical results, yet has received no substantiated press regarding the use of these illegal and banned substances. That by itself in this modern era of sports is remarkable, but what this group has acheived in a short period of time may be more so.
The first group-of Phillies included; Michael Jack Schmidt, Pete Rose, Bob Boone, Greg “The Bull” Luzinski, Tim McCarver, Larry Bowa, Garry Maddox and was led by pitchers Steve “Lefty” Carlton, Tug McGraw and Larry Christensen.
The current group of 21st century Phillies includes; Ryan Howard, Jaysen Werth, Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and has had Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, JA Happ and Brad Lidge leading the way from the mound.
For purposes of a direct comparison, I am not selecting players that only played 2 years or less with either team during the peak, hence the noticable lack of names such as Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Juan Samuel, Pedro Martinez and the like.
The 1976 to 80 team, over their five seasons averaged 747 runs, 113 Homeruns, 696 RBI’s, 136 stolen bases and a .270 batting average while the pitching staff posted an ERA of under 3.50 for the span. The two offensive leaders would have to be Rose and Schmidt, with Rose batting .291 with 390 runs and 255 RBI and Michael Jack posting over 200 homeruns, 600 RBI and 600 runs scored over the same 5 year span.
The leaguewide change of focus from defense to offense over the ensuing 30 years is evident when one realizes the Whiz Kids pitching staff ranked 7th league wide with an ERA around 3.00 while the 2008 staff was ranked 4th league wide while the ERA had risen to 3.88.
The offensive numbers of todays Phillies correlate to this change. The current team is averaging 837 runs scored, 207 home runs, including a team record 224 last year, 706 RBI’s and 120 stolen bases. Todays squad is led by Ryan Howard, with 220 homeruns, 630 RBI’s, and 460 runs scored over his first 5 full seasons.
The Phillies offensive output has increased by 30-40% while the team ERA has risen by 20% at the same time the league ERA has risen accordingly. Between the Phillies dominance in the late seventies and early eighties and the current Phillies rise to prominance, the National League East was owned by the Atlanta Braves. But those Braves dominated by virtue of their excllent pitching staff led by Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. There has not been a National League team that has ever had the dominant lineup from 1st to 7th position that the current Phillies possess.
Last years Phillies saw 4 players hit 30+ homeruns and drive in 90+ runs, as well as six players score 90+ runs and 8 hit 25 or more doubles. They also had 4 players steal 20 or more bases. This is the most balanced team to play in the National League in 50 years. The Whiz Kids were famous simply because the perennial basement dwelling Phillies went to and won the World Series. The current club should be afforded more respect because they are a better rounded and higher achieving team, and I for one, can not wait for them to close out the National League for 2010 so they can return to the World Series and go 2 for 3 as they take the championship away from the hated NY Yankees and return it to it’s rightful place, in Philadelphia. This is a team that could easily win 3 or 4 of the next 5 World Series and establish itself in history as a baseball dynasty.
Based on these numbers, I would have to state, the current Phillies ballclub is the best statistical team ever to play baseball in Philadelphia, and I have a feeling the best is yet to come.
Reasons to care about Wednesday’s exhibition game
Are you are having a tough time getting pumped up for the Phillies first Spring Training contest tomorrow?
Well, lets fix that.
Sure we might not see Ryan Howard hit any bombs or Roy Halladay throw a few flame balls, but there is still enough going on to keep the attention of hardecore baseball fans.
Philly.com Phillies beat writer Andy Martino points out several things of interest heading into Philadelphia’s clash with Florida State. Bellow are his thoughts:
Points of interest for the exhibition include J.A. Happ’s new two-seam fastball. The lefty is playing with the sinker to augment his four-seam fastball, cutter, change-up and curveball. As with all spring training pitch additions, he will work it in for a while before deciding whether to take it north. So that’s something to watch.
–Phillippe Aumont, the centerpiece of the trade that sent Cliff Lee to Seattle last winter, is also among the scheduled pitchers. The 21-year-old righthander said that he would focus on honing his mechanics and pitches. Aumont is known for a power sinker; he also throws a four-seam fastball, curveball and change-up. He considers the curveball a strength and the change-up a work-in-progress.
Aumont also said that he would try to develop those pitches without feeling pressure to succeed immediately, despite his importance to the organization and role in the controversial Lee trade. “The know what I am capable of,” he said. “They know what I need to work on. Obviously, though, you could have fans or other players saying, ‘oh, look at this guy. This guy got traded for Cliff Lee, he’s not worth it.’ Whatever. There are others who are going to understand that I’m still pretty young and trying to learn.”
–Charlie Manuel said that center fielder Shane Victorino would not play tomorrow. Victorino has mild soreness in his shoulder. He played long-toss at 120 feet this morning and worked in the batting cage. Manuel said that he considered using Victorino as the designated hitter, but decided to grant a full day’s rest instead.
It may not be able to compete with World Series action, but it’s enough to get my blood flowing. Baseball will once again be underway.
Greek’s Picks – NL East
This is by far my favorite time of the year when Pitchers and Catchers report to Spring Training. Baseball (and later Softball) was the sport I played as a young man and there is nothing like knowing that just about every day there is a game to watch.
Today starts a six part series where I will pick each of Baseball’s divisions beginning today with the National League East. Here is the remaining schedule for the series:
Friday – NL Central
Monday – NL West
Tuesday – AL East
Wednesday – AL Central
Thursday – AL West
So with that, here are my picks for the National League East:
1. Philadelphia Phillies – Barring any major injuries or a rash of subpar seasons by Howard, Utley, Ibanez , etc how can you not pick this team to not only repeat in the East but possibly to win the National League Pennant? Say what you want about Amaro trading Cliff Lee, but Halladay was the pitcher the Phillies wanted last year and now they have him. He takes alot of pressure off Cole Hamels which should allow him to get back to the 2008 form. Joe Blanton is simply a guy who eats innings and wins games. My one issue is the bullpen – Lidge can’t possibly be as bad as he was last year but until he shows that he can close out close games fans will hold their collective breath. Polanco gives the Phillies a solid defensive third baseman as well as a contact hitter that can hit anywhere in the lineup. I’d like to see him hit second, but we’ll see. The Phillies bench is a little thin, but this is a team of regular everyday players much like the mid 1970’s teams and they don’t take many days off so the Phils simply don’t need a great bench. Dobbs should be healthy this year. Ross Gload gives the Phillies another solid lefty off the bench as he was one of the top pinch hitters in the NL last year for Florida. Brian Schneider is a veteran game caller who can also stop the running game. It will be interesting to see how the fifth starter situation goes with Kendrick, Moyer and Bastardo.
2. Atlanta Braves – This will be the final curtain call on the Bobby Cox show, the longest running manager tenure in the NL since Tommy LaSorda with the Dodgers. I’ve never been a big fan of him (just one World Series win to go with all those division championships), but his steady hand kept the Braves winning despite all the player changes from 1991-2005. The Braves are an improved team, but they have their question marks. Derek Lowe signed a big contract and saw his era jump about a run from 2008. Can Tommy Hanson continue where he left off last season? How much will the Braves miss Javier Vasquez and will Melky Cabrera fill the center field hold? The Braves brought in Troy Glaus to play 1b – Glaus missed all but 14 games last season. Billy Wagner will close for the Braves, and he looked good in Boston once he came back last year. It will be interesting to see if he can hold up for a full season. Martin Prado goes from super sub to starting second baseman as the Braves let Kelly Johnson go over to Arizona. The Braves could make some noise, but I don’t think they have what it takes to unseat the defending champions.
3. Florida Marlins – The Marlins always seem to hang in there. They have some great young talent with Ramirez, 2009 Rookie Of The Year Chris Coghlin and Dan Uggla. They were able to lock up Josh Johnson and hope that Anibel Sanchez can finally put together a full healthy season. Cody Ross is a tough and underrated outfielder. The guy to watch here is Cameron Maybin. Once a top prospect, Maybin came up short last year after starting the year as their centerfielder. If he blossoms like many think he can the Marlins could be especially tough not just this year, but for years to come. As it stands the Marlins could overtake the Braves for second but unless alot of things go right that’s about as high as they can go.
4. Washington Nationals – Yup, I’m picking the Nationals to finish out of last place. Jim Riggleman had this team playing well towards the end of last season and as much as I don’t blame Manny Acta for the Nationals problems, sometimes players just tune a manager out after a while. The Nationals were active in the off-season, bringing in Jason Marquis and although he’s not an ace, he is a guy who wins games and pitches alot of innings. He also has played on playoff teams in every year of the previous decade with the Braves, Cardinals, Cubs and last year the Rockies. Adam Kennedy was brought in to play 2b, and he had a nice season last year after a terrible 2008. Ryan Zimmerman had a bust out season last year and Adam Dunn paid dividends with his tremendous power. The Nats also got a steal by obtaining Nyjer Morgan from Pittsburgh to play centerfield. The guy to watch here is Elijah Dukes – he had a nice season in 2008 but took a step backwards last year. He has alot of talent, and a cannon arm in the outfield.
5. New York Mets – My how the mighty have fallen. Just one game away from the World Series in 2006, the Mets have fallen fast since blowing the NL East down the stretch in 2007. Last year just about every key contributor was on the DL, and the Mets will be without Carlos Beltran when the season starts. Jason Bay was acquired as a free agent, but the Mets need more help than Bay can provide. David Wright had a big time power shortage after hitting a career high 33 homers in 2008, and the Mets really missed Jose Reyes setting the table last year. First base and catcher are still huge holes for this team as Tatis, Murphy and Jacobs will compete to replace Carlos Delgado and catcher was so bad that they brought in Rod Barajas and about 5 other guys on minor league deals to try to fill the position. Their pitching isn’t much better. Santana is Santana, but who will step up behind him? John Maine and Mike Pelfrey both have the talent but haven’t broken through yet. Oliver Perez has a huge contract and plenty of talent but lacks the makeup to become the pitcher we saw in Pittsburgh back in 2004. If Jerry Manuel isn’t fired midway through the season he certainly won’t be back in 2011.
There is a new Ace in town
After starting last year against the perennial rival Atlanta Braves, the Phillies will have a chance to start off strong an immediately separate from the rest of the National League East. Their first 9 games come against 2 teams that went a combined 133-191 in 2009. With the addition of staff ace Roy Halladay and 5 of their first 8 series coming against sub .500 teams from 2009, the Phillies may have a real shot at the best start in team history. Halladay may have 3 starts against National League bottom feeders before he is put to his first true test.
It is funny though, from all the reports I have read, and out of all the quotes attributed to Halladay, he seems to have a sense of nostalgia regarding his days with Toronto in the American League. Here is one of his quotes: ”I think I’ll miss a little bit of going into Yankee Stadium and Boston, where you’re expected to lose every time you go in there, and being able to walk out with wins.”
This is a man who is not only capable, but confident. He holds the best record for a starting pitcher against the Yankees in the past 55 years among pitchers with 22 or more starts in that span. He won 1 Cy Young and seriously competed for 2 others in the last decade in the American League, and now he gets to face teams who average fewer hits, a lower slugging percentage and less home runs. He will also get to totally confound the oppositions pitchers when their turn at the plate arrives. We haven’t had that kind of swagger here since the days of Mitch Williams, and in my opinion, Halladay has earned the right to swagger more than “The Wild Thing” ever did.
What I am most curious about however, is how will he do at the plate ? He has faced an opposing pitcher at the plate rarely if ever in his career. I mean, we all know he can pitch, but he is arriving in the city of brotherly love as the second highest paid player on the team, behind Ryan Howard, and what the fans really want to know is that they got good value for their money.
I mean, really, when the Phillies traded for Cliff Lee midseason last year, they knew he could pitch too, but who would have guessed he would go 7-33 with 2 doubles ? It wouldn’t have surprised me if he had gone without a hit in his 12 starts as he got used to taking a stance at the plate as opposed to his accustomed place on the mound. And how about his nonchalant fielding prowess on comebackers and infield pop ups late in the season and during the playoffs ? And his exuberant dash to and from the mound every time out ? Are we going to get a show from Halladay or just solid relentless pitching ? His regimen already indicates he has an extremely strong work ethic, showing up at 5:30 each morning to begin his workout, normally ahead of the rest of the staff. But the important question is, will he entertain us as he wins games, or will he just shut ‘em down and send them packing ?
Obviously I want to see some wins, I really feel he has to have at least a 15 win season to validate his salary and contribute to this team making a run at a fourth straight NL East title. But it would also be nice to see a show. Get the crowd into it, in the way Lee did last year, and Hamels did the year before. After all, the Phillies may finally be in a position to get some national respect; after being a laughingstock for a century, they are seriously being considered a strong contender for not only the post season this year, but to return to the World Series.
Seriously, if Halladay bats .050 and goes 15-5 with an ERA under 3.5 or better, it will still be an enormous upgrade for this team. They are finally getting a solid staff in place that will enable them to dominate any team in a 5 or 7 game series, and that is what matters. The only real question mark that remains is closing games. Will we get the Lidge of 2008 who was nearly flawless, or the Lidge of 2009 who posted a 7+ ERA and set the record for blown saves ? That, more than any one factor will most likely contribute to the Phillies successful return to the World Series. I can’t wait for the baseball season to get underway so we can get some answers to these questions and get a chance to check both Halladay and Lidge out.
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Gearing up to go for 4 in a row
Thank God, baseball is back !
Pitchers and Catchers reported a day early as the Phillies get geared up to try to make it 4 in a row. The role that used to belong to the Atlanta Braves as the perennial team to beat seems to have been handed over to our Phitens. The Braves and Marlins both made off season moves that indicate the team in their sights is in fact the Phillies. The Mets also signed Jason Bay for 66 million for four years to improve their chances at being competative. They may finish 15 games out instead of 24, but will never seriously challenge.
I believe this year the race is a two team one. The Braves and the Phillies, although unlike most of the late eighties through early this century, the Phillies are the team with the slight edge prior to the start of the season, thanks in part to their off season acquisition of Roy Holliday, the pitcher many expected them to sign when they ”settled on” Cliff Lee last year.
I LOVED Lee.
I respect the man as a pitcher and a player, and think he did amazing things for the Phillies, especially in his first 6 starts after the trade, and through the 2009 playoffs and World Series.
But seriously, as good as he was, the Phillies are markedly better with Halliday in the rotation.
The Phillies finished the season last year first in runs, and slugging, second in stolen bases and on base percentage. They hit a team record 224 home runs as well. They finished 6th in ERA. So the obvious place for manager Charlie Manuel to focus on improvement was at pitcher.
Some improvement may have occurred without management intevention, one thing in particular being right knee surgery to 33 year old closer Brad Lidge. He may startle some with a year closer resembling his stellar 2008 after a lackluster 2009. He contributed to both the Phillies 3rd straight National League East title as well as their World Series loss. He has been quoted as saying he wants to end the season on Broad Street again, obviously with different results. A repaired right knee may allow him to complete his follow through more quickly as well as hold runners on base better, two things he was unable to do at his normal level of competance at the close of last season, when it mattered most.
So it is starting to take shape here, the 2010 pitching rotation. Cole Hamels as the throwback Ace. Roy Halliday as the entering Ace. Jose Contreras as the Ace in waiting. J A Happ as the rookie phenom. Joe Blanton as the workhorse. Madsen and Baez as middle relief. Romero, Kenrick and Durbin as the bullpen crew. Brad Lidge as THE CLOSER (Goat or hero, depending on which Lidge we get apparently)
With much of the offense returning intact, notable exception being the addition of Placido Polanco, these Phillies should once again chase the 100 win mark. I, for one, can hardly wait for opening day. Unlike last year when I was exiled to the deep south, this year, I will be there in person to watch my favorite sports team of all time take to the field.
Three becoming the number for the Phillies
For the third time in a week the Phillies locked up one of their starters with a three year deal.
It is being reported that Carlos Ruiz and the team have agreed to an $8.85 million, three-year contract that avoids salary arbitration.
Ruiz joins Joe Balnton and Shane Victorino as members who have joined the three-year club last last few days.
Three has indeed been a magical number for the organization. When the team acquired ace Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays, they singed him to an extension that guaranteed to keep him in town for the next three years. The team then worked quickly to lock up Balnton, Victorino and Ruiz for what they hope will be three more years of success, including this year where they look to make their third trip to the World Series in — you guessed it — three years.
This is great news for Phillies fans as almost all of the starters will be in place until at least 2011 and most until 2012. Given the age of the core there is no reason to expect decline from the majority of the players and improvements are still possible. The one player who has yet to be locked up is Jayson Werth, who could taste the free agent market after the upcoming season. With the payroll already set to pass $140 million and not much coming off the books next season outside of Jamie Moyer’s $7 million it may be difficult to keep Werth, who appears on the verge of stardom.
Baseball is a business and it is impossible to keep all of the pieces together, but Ruben Amaro Jr. has done an excellent job of keeping the large majority of things the same.
Now all that is left is making sure the level of play remains the same.
The signing of Ruiz basically closes the book on the Phillies’ offseason. Last week the team added veteran — and I mean veteran — pitcher Jose Contreras, so the bullpen is pretty much set. I wouldn’t mind seeing another starter added to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation, but with the Phils maxed out on funds, anyone they bring in would be a long-shot at best.
With that said it would be hard to grade this offseason anything lower than a B+ with the only flaw being the decision not to roll the dice on keeping Cliff Lee for one more season and giving the team the best rotation in the game.
A Philly Sports Christmas List – If You Believe In Santa
Well, its just about time for Christmas and I thought it would be nice to come up with some Holiday wishes for the Philly Sports fans who believe in Santa Claus.
So, If You Still Believe In Santa, Then………
You believe that Andy Reid is a Super Bowl winning coach, and Donovan McNabb is that games MVP
You believe that Alan Iverson is not only teaching the young 76ers how to be unselfish on the court, but also about the virtues of practice.
You believe that the Mariners would’ve taken Joe Blanton off the Phillies hands instead of Cliff Lee.
You believe that the Flyers will do like the Penguins and sneak into the playoffs, get hot and win the Stanley Cup this season.
You believe that Ryan Howard is practicing his bunting skills so he can beat the shift in 2010 by laying one down the third base line.
You believe that the Phillies should’ve exercised the option on Pedro Feliz rather than sign Placido Polanco.
You believe that the Cowboys will beat the Eagles on January 3rd and win the NFC East.
You believe that the Mets will stay healthy enough to overtake the Phillies for the NL East.
So, there they are, just a few little tidbits that Santa could be bringing if you still believe in Santa. If you don’t , then I hope you got a little chuckle out of them. At any rate – Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Lee blindsided by trade
Phillies fans weren’t the only ones shocked that the team traded Cliff Lee.
Lee was also blindsided by the move.
In a telephone interview with a member of the Associated Press, Lee said he thought he would end his career in a Phillies uniform.
“At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought we were working out an extension with the Phillies,” Lee said. “I thought I’d be spending the rest of my career there. … I was under the impression they wanted to keep me there for a long time. In my mind, it was going to happen.”
Lee went on to say that he in his agent were prepared to present a counter offer to the Phillies initial extension offer that was sent out last week.
Instead Lee was sent packing.
Even with the acquisition of Roy Halladay callers and hosts have bashed Ruben Amaro on talk radio for not rolling the dice financially and keeping both aces.
Amaro has repeatedly said that the team could not afford to give away seven of their top prospects over the last six months and not bring back any in return. There is a hole in that theory though. Had the Phillies kept Lee for a season and then let him walk in the offseason they would have received two first round picks for losing a top free agent. That means the team would have had a full year of Halladay and Lee together and been able to refuel their farm system soon after.
I’m not buying the money issues either. If the extra nine million was really too much to take on then there could be other ways to cut some salary. Joe Blanton will make around $7 million this year and the team surely could have traded him in a salary dump off type move.
It’s hard to criticize a GM who just brought the best pitcher in baseball to town, but when he had a chance to have a second ace on his staff and balked on the move, it oddly enough becomes just.
Halladay in, Lee out; prospects in, prospects out
Aces coming and going, prospects in and out, who said December isn’t baseball time?
The Phillies have reached an agreement that will bring Roy Halladay to Philadelphia from Toronto in exchange for prospects. Halladay has also agreed to a 3-year, $60 million contract, with a fourth-year option.
Meanwhile, Cliff Lee is headed to Seattle in a move being made to clear cash and restock the farm system.
So is it a good move or bad move? Did the Phillies give up too much or get a steal? Couldn’t the team have kept Lee for the season to form the greatest rotation in baseball?
Let’s discuss.
What the Phillies get: It is rare in sports that a team can acquire a player that is a sure thing. Halladay is exactly that. He sports a career record of 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA and a Cy Young to his record. Consider that all of those stats came in the offense-heavy American League and you can figure Holladay to do even better in the NL. He has never dealt with lingering injuries and consistently gives his team over 200 innings a season. He also had nine complete games and four shutouts last season. In short: He is the definition of a front line ace.
The Phillies also get a bunch of unknown in pitching prospects Phillippe Aumont and right-hander Juan Ramirez, as well as outfield prospect Tyson Gillies. Reading up on these players the verdict is pretty split. Some have said the Phillies basically got back in talent what they gave away to Toronto, while others feel that there is not a player in the bunch with the potential of Kyle Drabek, who is heading to the Blue Jays. Aumont (21) is considered the best of the bunch, but struggled in AA last year going 1-4 with a 5.09 ERA in 15 starts.
What they lose: Cliff Lee became Mr. Philadelphia in his short time with the Phillies. From his workman-like attitude to ability to dazzle on the mound, fans loved Cliff Lee. He did everything and more than the team could have asked for when they acquired him from Cleveland, highlighted by his 4-0 postseason record.
Kyle Drabek is the one prospect that people in Philly have been raving about for the last two years. Drafted in the first round in 2006, Drabek is 19-10 with a 3.70 ERA in his minor league career. In AA ball last here he pled up 150 strikeouts in 158 innings. Amaro always said he would not give up Drabek in any trade, including one for Halladay. He changed his tune and hopefully for the right reason
Michael Taylor was another top prospect and a guy that figured to be a replacement for Raul Ibanez in a couple of years. Last year he hit .320 with 20 home runs in AA, showing the talent the Phillies hoped for when they drafted him in 2007.
Travis D’Arnaud was considered more of a long-term project at the catching position and would have had little chance of breaking through a farm system already stocked at the position.
Verdict: As long as the Phillies can win another championship with Halladay leading the way it doesn’t matter if Drabek becomes a superstar. The Phillies want to win now and Halladay fits that bill. Trading away Lee doesn’t though. The Phillies are sticking to their story that they can’t push their payroll over $140 million but with all of the money made from the past two postseasons there is no reason to believe they couldn’t have scratched out another $9 million for Lee.
In the end, they gave up prospects and got an ace while they also gave up an ace to get prospects. No holes were filled, while none were created. For now one has to give this move at least a mild thumbs up for the fact that the man many consider the best pitcher in baseball is now wearing a Phillies uniform.
What to my wondering eyes should appear? Everything
The Sixers and Flyers won on the same day?
Yea right and the Phillies are trading away Cliff Lee and bringing in Roy Halladay.
What a wild 24 hours it has been for Philadelphia sports fans. Fresh off one of the more exciting games of the NFL season — the Eagles Sunday Night win over the Giants — the fireworks kept coming.
The news that Roy Halladay is coming to town (I would expect the deal to become official at some point Tuesday) has had an interesting effect on the area’s sports fans. Some love it already, while others can’t quite grasp the idea of sending away Lee, who was 4-0 in the postseason. The whole deal hinges on Halladay agreeing to a contract extension, which would keep him in Philadelphia for an additional three years.
And while we were suddenly filled with baseball talk on a Monday in September the Sixers went out and did something they hadn’t done the last 12 games — win.
Thaddeus Young had one of the best games of his short career, posting 26 points to go with 14 rebounds and Iverson looked comfortable in a 20-point effort. Not only did the Sixers win, but they dominated, going up by 20 in the second quarter and cruising to a 117-101 victory.
Looking to spark his team, Eddie Jordan decided to bench Elton Brand and start Jrue Holiday in the backcourt with Iverson. For at least one day it worked, as Holiday had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, showing his all-around game.
While the Sixers were on their way to victory the Flyers had a remarkable feat, scoring two goals in a single period. Trailing 1-0 in the third, the Black-and Orange fought back with a pair of goals to down the Bruins. The win also helped the Flyers leapfrog the Rangers in the standings.
So to recap, in the last day and a half the Eagles beat the Giants to take over the NFC East lead, Phillies got the ball rolling on acquiring Roy Halladay, the Flyers past the Rangers and the Sixers beat somebody.
Enjoy it, because days like that don’t come around much.
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