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Another extra inning affair.
What next for the Phillies ?
Much has been made of Ryan Howard’s performance since his return from the disabled list, and now sources are saying there may still be something wrong with the big man preventing him from playing at 100%.
Last night, the first 6 innings were relatively uneventful as the teams played to a 1-1 draw. The Phillies looked lifeless after being swept by the Astros in a 4 game series that included losses to former Phillies pitchers J A Happ and Brett Myers as well as a 16 inning heartbreaker that saw some offensive players go 0-7. Happ, two years ago the team’s ace of the future, outlasted Halladay in the third game to really rub it in. Of course, for the Astros, this series against last years NL champion and 2008 World Series champion was their post season. At 12 games below 500 and 16 games out with less than a month to go, the Astros are not playoff bound.
The Phillies probably are, which makes the 4 game sweep so confusing and upsetting. They have more to play for but seem to be manuevering into position to win the wild card, instead of pushing the Braves to take the National League East for the third year in a row. At least we aren’t trailing the Mets, that would be TOO much to bear !
Rollins had a good night, going 3-5 with a double, a walk and a run scored.
Ryan Howard did provide a single in the 7th, sandwiched by walks to Utley and Werth, that may have been the catalyst behind the Phillies go ahead score. If Howard’s single was the catalyst, Raaauuul Ibanez came through with the clutch hit, a one out single to right that scored the run. Gregerson came in in relief and got Victorino into a double play fielders choice then struck out Ruiz to end the threat.
Oswalt pitched a masterful game, with 6 strikeouts versus five hits allowed through the first 8 innings. He was pulled for a pinch hitter in the ninth as the Phillies looked to build on that scant one run lead. The Phillies however went down one, two, three, and Lidge came in for the bottom of the ninth with a one run lead.
He pitched a typically ugly half inning, with a single, sacrifice, groundout, intentional walk, hit batsman, than the piece de resistance, the balk to push the tying score across the plate.
Oswalt can’t win a game, no matter how well he pitches !
Maybe Charlie will consider letting him keep pitching next start if he has the same stuff.
Rollins doubled to lead off the 12th inning. Polanco singled to center to score Jimmy and put the Phillies up 3-2. The Phillies FINALLY took advantage of an Atlanta loss and picked up a game on the NL East lead.
Phillies offense on a tear
The Phillies put an exclamation point on their quick start this season by loading up early and often on the Nationals in their fifth meeting and winning 14-7.
Amid concerns that with the loss of Jimmy Rollins and Jaysen Werth, the team may struggle on offense; the rest of the team turned in another winning performance. Werth made a late performance as a pinch hitter so it seems obvious his absence from the starting lineup will be brief. Rollins calf injury may be more serious then was at first thought, which is a shame given his extremely fast start.
If there is ANY early question about the Phillies this year, it would have to be their starting pitching. Halladay is a lock, and Hamels is 2-0 but has been shaky. Happ looks as good as he did last year and Moyer just keeps throwing up W’s. But tonight, Kendrick, subbing for the injured Joe Blanton, lasted a mere 1 and 2/3 innings after giving up 6 runs and saw his ERA shoot above 17. We need Blanton back. Hey, where was the last Martinez sighting anyway ?
Three middle relievers combined to hold the Nationals to 1 run from the 3rd inning on.
The bottom line, no matter the injury, the focus is on offense. When one Phillie is out of commission, another simply steps it up a notch and fills the gap. There are many teams that struggle to score 14 runs at all in a game, and I have the feeling we may see this another dozen or more times this year, when the team gets in sync and everyone has a couple hits and a couple RBI.
Tonight, Victorino broke out of his mild slump with a 4-5 day with a triple, homerun, and 5 RBI’s. He was listed on ESPN’s MLB top performers of the day board. Utley went 2-4 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI. He also appeared on the top performers board. Polanco maintained his torrid pace going 2-4 to keep his average in the .480’s
Overall the first four in the lineup were a combined 10-18 with 12 RBI.
It seems clear to me now that the team is off to a 7-1 start that they may be substantially better than they were in 2008. If the pitching solidifies, this offense is lethal. And every new addition to the sluggers row has stepped up and over performed, as in Ibanez, and Francisco and now Polanco. With six guys in the lineup that are each capable of a clutch hit, homerun or other run producing play, it is extremely difficult for a pitcher to work his way through this lineup.
Oh, and by the way, our pitchers can hit too !
Looks like it is going to be a long, enjoyable summer ahead with the Phillies setting the pace the whole way !
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.
Road to a Dynasty is going to cost $$$
If the Phillies want to become a dynasty, I offer 5 suggestions to send them on their way. They have a good balanced ball club, one that has won the National League east three times in a row, been to 2 World Series and won one. That is a good 500 or so games for the team. But to truly become a dynasty, they need to sustain this level of play for 1000 or so more games.
That is tough in an arbitration filled, salary capped, league unless they plan on spending half a billion dollars each and every off season like the Yankees seem to do. Frankly, as much support as the Phillies get, I still don’t think they can afford to do this, and I doubt the fans will support them spending that kind of money in the city of brotherly love unless they become perennial champions first.
But short of spending billions there are a few steps they can take to ensure success for years to come, simply by adding the right pieces to the existing nucleus of this years club and securing the worthy pieces they already have in the fold to make sure they don’t find greener pastures elsewhere. Chase Utley was ranked the 6th best player in baseball, Jayson Werth and Ryan Howard should be in the top ten as well. Cliff Lee is a top five pitcher, and Cole Hamels is probably a top ten pitcher, JA Happ is the runner up rookie of the year. Beyond that, the team is really a group of utility players, position players, run producers and role models.
In addition to this strong nucleus, now that trading season has begun, here is what I would do if I were Ruben Amaro.
1.) I would do whatever it takes to sign Placido Polanco to play third base next year. 5 years for $40 million perhaps.
2.) I would sign Omar Vizquel to replace Bruntlett as the end all-be all utility middle infielder. 4 years for $10 million.
3.) I would sign Ryan Howard up for the rest of his career, with a rich contract full of performance bonuses and incentives, this is the guy who hits 40 homeruns, drives in 140-150 runs, scores another 100 and has a strikeout total that is dropping and a fielding percentage that is rising. This is a motivated player, 2005 rookie of the year, 2006 MVP, and in my opinion 2008 MVP as well; we CANNOT let him go. He has three years secured right now, that leaves him a 32 year old in his prime either arbitrating or shopping himself as a free agent. Wrong !! He should get something in the 9 figure area now that he proved himself for the fourth straight year, remember he was asking for $18 million a year, before accepting a three year buyout deal in February for $54 million, but is entitled to Texiera/ARod/Jeter type money and will go get it elsewhere in 2012 if he doesnt get it here. Figure 5-6 more years at $130 million.
4.) I would sign Jimmy Rollins for another 5 years, slightly sweeter than his previous 2005 deal, to keep him in the leadoff role through 2015. Figure $40 million here.
5.) I would sign Victorino to a long term contract as well. Shane and Rollins are looking to be perennial run scoring gold glove machines, and having them 1-2 or 1-3 or whatever in the lineup in front of Utley, Howard and Werth means opposing pitchers dont stand a chance. You can lock down Shane for $10 million for 4 years. $40 more million.
Also, I would tie up Chan Ho Park with a multi year deal. Park is by far the best deal for the money, and a known prospect who performed as well as any other bullpen hopefuls the Phillies are looking at. $10 million ? It seems a lot but in baseball salary terms, a drop in the bucket !
Think of it, Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Polanco, Ibanez, Werth, Ruiz, with Francisco, and Vizquel occasionally spotting the starters makes one hell of a lineup. Everyone of those guys could score 100, drive in 100, hit 30 doubles, 20 homeruns, steal 20 bases, and have an OPS between .600 and .900.
Then you have Lee, Hamels, Blanton, and Happ as a four man rotation with Park, Madsen, Eyre, Durbin and probably Lidge since Charlie loves the guy in relief. Who thinks that group WON”T win 100 games next year ? And using these numbers plus those already signed onto contracts, that still places you around 8th in the league in overall payroll.
Because I can sense a dynasty in the making, I only hope Amaro and Manuel sense the same thing and are committed to spending the resources to make it happen. It won’t be billions but it WILL be $250,000,000 +. But think of it, $250 million is less than the largest contract in baseball for one person, and it secures a championship caliber TEAM potential through 2015 or so !! The key is to do it now, and get it done, and then reap the rewards for the next 5-8 years to come. The fans in Philadelphia are long suffering and certainly deserve it !
Lidge has definitely outstayed his welcome.
Tonight’s headline is not about a Phillies closer blowing another lead. Wednesday was Clippard’s turn to come into a game in the late innings with the score tied and give up two long balls to the first two batters he faced.
The Phillies are back on track. Cliff Lee is still the man. The Phillies continue to crush the long ball just when they need it. After watching another lead vanish in the bottom of the 7th, the Phillies came up to bat in the top of the 8th inning and jumped on Washington’s relief pitcher, Tyler Clippard. The first two batters who faced him, Werth and Ruiz, both went downtown and all of the sudden, the Phillies had a 6-4 lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Tonight it was not the typical 3-4 hitters doing the damage, tonight Ibanez, Werth and Feliz combined to go 6-10 with 4 RBI’s in support of Cliff Lee. Lee pitched 7 more strong innings en route to his 6th win with his new ball club.
The only real fly in the ointment was Alberto Gonzalez who had three doubles in three at bats. For some reason Jim Riggleman chose to pull Gonzalez with the bases loaded in the 8th and sent Orr to the plate instead. I understand wanting to have the right handed batter face the right handed pitcher, but why pull the guy with the majority of your team’s hits and runs with the bases loaded and the game on the line ? For whatever reason, we will thank Riggleman for this win. He is probably just now realizing he over thought his strategy and possibly cost his team the game.
For that matter, why did Manuel have Cliff Lee bat with one out in the top of the inning, only to pull him for Chan Ho Park in the bottom of the same inning ? Wouldn’t that have been a good spot for a pinch hitter ? Maybe Matt Stairs, woefully underutilized this year ?
This was a strange contest where it almost appeared as if neither manager wanted to win it. But at the very least, Manuel resisted trotting Lidge in for the save. I don’t know if my heart could have handled that at this point ! I have been saying Lidge needs to be replaced, just as many of my earlier predictions and comments from the spring and summer are coming true.
J A Happ is missing a start and Jamie Moyer is coming from the bullpen to start in his place.
As I said, Moyer deserves this, he earned it, and has been valuable to this team all year long.
Lidge is self destructing after his perfect season last year, after I commented on how he looked a little scared and tentative even as he helped the Phillies win the world series last year and predicted he would have a much less successful fall in 2009.
The two mid season Cy Young winning pitching acquisitions have combined to go 10-2 with a combined ERA around 3.
The Phillies became the 12th club in MLB history to have 4 30 homer players, and the first to have three left handers achieve the feat in the same season.
The Phillies are in fact the most well balanced over-all scoring machine in this generation. Put their runs, RBI’s and home run totals up against any one and they are better than or equal to the task.
And the Phillies will be going to the World Series again in defense of their title, but I am no longer sure they will successfully defend it. It is nice to know some things I observed have come to pass, I just hope Charlie Manuel stays with Madsen at this point. Having a closer with a 7+ ERA who allows more baserunners than innings pitched will not enable the Phillies to get through the rest of the year and win in the post-season.
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