Jayson Stark at ESPN.com has a worthwhile look at who will win the NL East in 2008.
Also, the Pedro Feliz deal is now official; no word on who is getting the boot from the 40-man roster (though Mr. Mandel strongly suggests it will be Wes Helms).
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Franchise roundup
The Philadelphia Daily News has two stories about the Pedro Feliz acquisition. I think I speak for both Mikes when I say that just about anyone would be an upgrade over Wes Helms. Further, I think we agree that the Phillies should keep Greg "Lou" Dobbs and send Helms packing.
In the Minors, the Phillies have signed three players in the past few weeks: catcher Josh Eachues (2007: independent South Coast League), first baseman John Urick (2007: Clearwater), and left-handed pitcher Angulo Jimenez (2007: ???).
The IronPigs are now offering nine-game ticket plans , which include general admission tickets to the team's March 30 exhibition game against the Phils, in addition to their season tickets. The Reading Phillies have their own offerings, and the Big Phils have several packages and spring training tickets to tempt you with before single-game tickets go on sale Feb. 21.
In the Minors, the Phillies have signed three players in the past few weeks: catcher Josh Eachues (2007: independent South Coast League), first baseman John Urick (2007: Clearwater), and left-handed pitcher Angulo Jimenez (2007: ???).
The IronPigs are now offering nine-game ticket plans , which include general admission tickets to the team's March 30 exhibition game against the Phils, in addition to their season tickets. The Reading Phillies have their own offerings, and the Big Phils have several packages and spring training tickets to tempt you with before single-game tickets go on sale Feb. 21.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Opening Day excitement
Don't worry: The position-by-position season preview will return shortly. I know you've been losing sleep over it.
In the meantime, I bring great news (at least for me): Mike & Mike's Phillies Blog will have a full report from Opening Day 2008 at Citizens Bank Park as seen from Section 135, Row 34. Look for our first game recap -- where we analyze what went wrong, right, and what could have been done better -- to appear the next day.
Game 1: March 31, 2008, vs. Washington Nationals, 3:05 p.m.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Warning: This post may be anticlimactic
Well, provided you have the same definition of the word as The Bulletin's Sandy Penner in his list of top ten anticlimactic games in Philadelphia sports history. I'll spare you a review of them all and just hit the high points:
"The funny thing about the word "anticlimactic" is nobody knows what it means or how to pronounce it."
And as will become painfully apparent, neither does Mr. Penner. To review, anticlimactic means, among other things, "an event, conclusion, etc, that is far less important, powerful, or striking than expected."
"In sports, these [anticlimactic] games are not necessarily ones where we know who's going to win, but rather ones where the outcome is foreshadowed by catastrophic events earlier."
Wrong.
"10. 2005 - Eagles vs. Patriots, Super Bowl XXXIX"
Okay, I included this first one to be kind. Yes, this game was anticlimactic. After losing the NFC Championship game so many times, it was a big deal for the Eagles to get to the Super Bowl. But they lost. I would consider that an event far less powerful than expected. But then Mr. Penner ruins his own point with this reasoning.
"Even the most optimistic Eagles fan had to know in the back of his mind that the Birds weren't going to beat the Patriots. McNabb wasn't going to beat Brady and Reid wasn't going to beat Belichick. I think I watched an episode of "Gilligan's Island" where I believed the S.S. Minnow crew was going home more than I foresaw a Birds Super Bowl win."
Completely wrong. Anticlimactic does not mean simply "expected" or even "impossible." And what the heck is going on in that last sentence? I think he meant to write, "The S.S. Minnow crew had a better chance of getting off Gilligan's Island than the Eagles had of winning the Super Bowl." But he didn't. He wrote that gibberish. And it's still not anticlimactic.
"9. 1980 - Phillies vs. Royals, World Series Game 6: The first out of only two times in my Philadelphia sporting life that I was sure the outcome was going to go the way I wanted it to. After the ninth-inning comeback in Game 5 in Kansas City, the Phillies weren't letting this get to a Game 7. Tug McGraw didn't make it easy with his penchant for loading the bases, but heart palpitations aside, I never had a "this is going to happen" moment."
Disturbingly wrong. Seriously, is he out of his mind? He thinks Game Six in 1980 was anticlimactic. Game Six. First World Championship ever for the Phillies. Ninth inning, bases loaded, go ahead run at the plate, one out, Bob Boone muffs a high foul ball that Pete Rose catches mid-air, runners hold. Two outs. Willie Wilson. Tug McGraw. A stadium, a city, an entire fan-nation holding its breath. Anticlimactic. If I need to explain why he is wrong, maybe you shouldn't read this blog anymore.
Plus, Mr. Penner needs to proofread his work. If he was sure the outcome was going to go the way he wanted it to, then I think he meant he never had a "this isn't going to happen" moment. It's bad enough having to read his tales of anticlimax, I'd rather not also have to distinguish what he meant to write from what he actually wrote.
"7. 1977 - Sixers vs. Blazers, NBA Finals Game 6: Even as a precocious 9-year-old, I understood the gloom and doom that was about to befall the Sixers that Sunday afternoon in Portland. After winning the first two games of the series, the Sixers folded like a cheap lawn chair in the next two games in Portland. I don't know what was more chaotic: the Sixers' final play which resulted in a George McGinnis runner off the front rim or Bill Walton, smelly armpits and all, ripping his shirt off as the Blazers celebrated.
6. 1981 - Sixers vs. Celtics, Conference Finals Game 7: I knew it was coming, but that didn't stop me after the game from running away from home while thinking to myself, "Now I know what hell feels like." The Sixers blew huge leads in Games 5 and 6 and couldn't have scored if they were playing 5-on-3 in the last couple of minutes of Game 7. As Bobby Jones' last-second pass hit the top of the backboard while fans rushed the floor at the Boston Garden, I went through what could only be considered an out-of-body experience. I should stop now before I start to have flashbacks."
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. He needs to sit there in his wrongness and just be wrong. The rest of the poor writing aside, I must point out - again - that anticlimactic does not mean "expected." The very fact that he "knew" the Sixers were going to lose (or "expected" them to) based on their poor performances in the games immediately prior proves they're not anticlimactic because the loss was NOT less powerful or striking than expected (quite the opposite, as he writes, the loss WAS expected). For the record, anticlimactic also does not mean "disappointing," "maddening," "crushing," "soul-shattering," or "I need to run away from home because I know what hell feels like." Conversely, I experienced all those things as I read Mr. Penner's column.
There's more, but I'd rather put this post out of its misery and just skip to the end.
"The lesson here is it's no fun when you know who's going to win."
Actually, the lesson here is that you don't know what the word anticlimactic means. Well that, and the fact that Mr. Penner seems destined to become a regular here. I'll do my best to make him feel right at home.
---
"The funny thing about the word "anticlimactic" is nobody knows what it means or how to pronounce it."
And as will become painfully apparent, neither does Mr. Penner. To review, anticlimactic means, among other things, "an event, conclusion, etc, that is far less important, powerful, or striking than expected."
"In sports, these [anticlimactic] games are not necessarily ones where we know who's going to win, but rather ones where the outcome is foreshadowed by catastrophic events earlier."
Wrong.
"10. 2005 - Eagles vs. Patriots, Super Bowl XXXIX"
Okay, I included this first one to be kind. Yes, this game was anticlimactic. After losing the NFC Championship game so many times, it was a big deal for the Eagles to get to the Super Bowl. But they lost. I would consider that an event far less powerful than expected. But then Mr. Penner ruins his own point with this reasoning.
"Even the most optimistic Eagles fan had to know in the back of his mind that the Birds weren't going to beat the Patriots. McNabb wasn't going to beat Brady and Reid wasn't going to beat Belichick. I think I watched an episode of "Gilligan's Island" where I believed the S.S. Minnow crew was going home more than I foresaw a Birds Super Bowl win."
Completely wrong. Anticlimactic does not mean simply "expected" or even "impossible." And what the heck is going on in that last sentence? I think he meant to write, "The S.S. Minnow crew had a better chance of getting off Gilligan's Island than the Eagles had of winning the Super Bowl." But he didn't. He wrote that gibberish. And it's still not anticlimactic.
"9. 1980 - Phillies vs. Royals, World Series Game 6: The first out of only two times in my Philadelphia sporting life that I was sure the outcome was going to go the way I wanted it to. After the ninth-inning comeback in Game 5 in Kansas City, the Phillies weren't letting this get to a Game 7. Tug McGraw didn't make it easy with his penchant for loading the bases, but heart palpitations aside, I never had a "this is going to happen" moment."
Disturbingly wrong. Seriously, is he out of his mind? He thinks Game Six in 1980 was anticlimactic. Game Six. First World Championship ever for the Phillies. Ninth inning, bases loaded, go ahead run at the plate, one out, Bob Boone muffs a high foul ball that Pete Rose catches mid-air, runners hold. Two outs. Willie Wilson. Tug McGraw. A stadium, a city, an entire fan-nation holding its breath. Anticlimactic. If I need to explain why he is wrong, maybe you shouldn't read this blog anymore.
Plus, Mr. Penner needs to proofread his work. If he was sure the outcome was going to go the way he wanted it to, then I think he meant he never had a "this isn't going to happen" moment. It's bad enough having to read his tales of anticlimax, I'd rather not also have to distinguish what he meant to write from what he actually wrote.
"7. 1977 - Sixers vs. Blazers, NBA Finals Game 6: Even as a precocious 9-year-old, I understood the gloom and doom that was about to befall the Sixers that Sunday afternoon in Portland. After winning the first two games of the series, the Sixers folded like a cheap lawn chair in the next two games in Portland. I don't know what was more chaotic: the Sixers' final play which resulted in a George McGinnis runner off the front rim or Bill Walton, smelly armpits and all, ripping his shirt off as the Blazers celebrated.
6. 1981 - Sixers vs. Celtics, Conference Finals Game 7: I knew it was coming, but that didn't stop me after the game from running away from home while thinking to myself, "Now I know what hell feels like." The Sixers blew huge leads in Games 5 and 6 and couldn't have scored if they were playing 5-on-3 in the last couple of minutes of Game 7. As Bobby Jones' last-second pass hit the top of the backboard while fans rushed the floor at the Boston Garden, I went through what could only be considered an out-of-body experience. I should stop now before I start to have flashbacks."
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. He needs to sit there in his wrongness and just be wrong. The rest of the poor writing aside, I must point out - again - that anticlimactic does not mean "expected." The very fact that he "knew" the Sixers were going to lose (or "expected" them to) based on their poor performances in the games immediately prior proves they're not anticlimactic because the loss was NOT less powerful or striking than expected (quite the opposite, as he writes, the loss WAS expected). For the record, anticlimactic also does not mean "disappointing," "maddening," "crushing," "soul-shattering," or "I need to run away from home because I know what hell feels like." Conversely, I experienced all those things as I read Mr. Penner's column.
There's more, but I'd rather put this post out of its misery and just skip to the end.
"The lesson here is it's no fun when you know who's going to win."
Actually, the lesson here is that you don't know what the word anticlimactic means. Well that, and the fact that Mr. Penner seems destined to become a regular here. I'll do my best to make him feel right at home.
---
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Former Phillies pitching coach Johnny Podres dies at 75
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Ex-Phillie is now ex-Cardinal . . . Shrug
If I understand correctly, Scott Rolen was unhappy with his manager and wanted to be traded... Hmm... Where have I heard this before?
More details here and here.
---
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The more things change . . .
The motto over at FJM is "where bad sports journalism comes to die," and while I will rarely approach the high standard they have established when it comes to ridiculing bad sports writing, I hope you don’t mind if I try.
Which brings us this from earlier this week, courtesy of Stephen Miller, a sports reporter for the Allentown Morning-Call. It is edited to reduce the length [and maximize my point of view of course]. Hopefully you will enjoy.
SM: The first full week of January is no time for making final pronouncements on a baseball team's prospects for the new season. Pitchers and catchers still have six weeks to report to spring training. Roster tinkering will continue around the majors.
MM: All true. So I wonder what this Phillies column is going to be about. An in-depth examination of the decision to move Bret Myers back to the rotation? Perhaps a historical comparison of the off-season moves each of the past five seasons that were supposed to take the team to the next level? Maybe even an objective analysis of Pat Burrell's career as he enters the final year of his contract? I'm so excited… What could it be?
With that knowledge, we look at the Phillies at the start of 2008.
Oh.
So better or worse? That is the question of the moment. From here, the Phillies look like a team that should fall two to three games on the plus or minus side of last year's 89-73 record.
Really? That is some top-notch baseball analysis. I happen to agree, but I also don't think it deserves an entire article, especially this far from Spring Training. Then again, you are a professional sports reporter, so maybe you have some insight or access that we don't. Let's hear it.
That sentence is written knowing one significant injury or trade could change the entire equation.
Sure. My bad. I forgot to let you finish with your equivocation. Please proceed.
The Phillies have done an outstanding job of plugging holes during the season in general manager Pat Gillick’s first two years, even if his offseason moves haven't always worked out.
On the whole, I would tend to disagree. And since you don't provide any evidence to back your argument, I won't either. Okay, that's not really fair. The evidence is there, but I'll save it for a separate post. Back to your expert analysis.
As those moves happen, there will be time and space to debate their impact.
Wait. I thought that's what you were doing. What was the point of this article again?
As of today, however, it's hard to see the Phillies leaping into the 95-100 win region or stumbling below 85 wins.
I agree. The past five years they won 86, 86, 88, 85, and 89 games. Your reasoning?
The Phillies' position-player core is nearly identical to the one that ended last season.
True. But it is significantly different from the 2003, 2004, and 2005 teams that averaged about 87 wins. So what else?
Pitching could be better.
Rrriiiggghhhttt... Sure, I agree. But is there a general manager or manager anywhere in baseball who, regardless of their roster, doesn't mutter this in their sleep every night?
This next one is a classic:
Relief pitchers are notorious for their volatility, so it's hard to predict how they will perform from year to year.
Then why did you write this? Why are we reading your article? Cue Admiral Stockdale, "Who am I? Why am I here?"
So overall, are the Phillies better or worse? They figure to have a similar finish in 2008 to the one they had in 2007. [But] we'll save the official pronouncement for the end of spring training.
Good lord... And that's ten minutes of my life I'll never get back…
Epilogue: Now I realize this wasn't the intent of the article (although maybe it should have been), but when you look at the last five seasons (86, 86, 88, 85, and 89 wins), it seems to me that, in order to "leap into the 95-100 win region," the first order of business should be to identify what has remained constant over those years and determine whether or not that is what is holding the team back. So...
Nearly all the players have changed. There has been a managerial change. There has even been a change at general manager. The biggest constant over those years – besides Pat Burrell, Brett Myers, and Jimmy Rollins – has been ownership. It is not my intention to bash them, but maybe the problem isn't the players, or the manager, or even the general manager – although they all clearly share some of the responsibility. Perhaps the owners need to take a good look in the mirror and decide whether they are committed to winning in Philadelphia – or just making money.
Ultimately, this issue is complex enough that it warrants its own post or – hey, here's a thought – it's own article written by a real-life professional sports reporter. Anyone know where we can find one?
---
Which brings us this from earlier this week, courtesy of Stephen Miller, a sports reporter for the Allentown Morning-Call. It is edited to reduce the length [and maximize my point of view of course]. Hopefully you will enjoy.
SM: The first full week of January is no time for making final pronouncements on a baseball team's prospects for the new season. Pitchers and catchers still have six weeks to report to spring training. Roster tinkering will continue around the majors.
MM: All true. So I wonder what this Phillies column is going to be about. An in-depth examination of the decision to move Bret Myers back to the rotation? Perhaps a historical comparison of the off-season moves each of the past five seasons that were supposed to take the team to the next level? Maybe even an objective analysis of Pat Burrell's career as he enters the final year of his contract? I'm so excited… What could it be?
With that knowledge, we look at the Phillies at the start of 2008.
Oh.
So better or worse? That is the question of the moment. From here, the Phillies look like a team that should fall two to three games on the plus or minus side of last year's 89-73 record.
Really? That is some top-notch baseball analysis. I happen to agree, but I also don't think it deserves an entire article, especially this far from Spring Training. Then again, you are a professional sports reporter, so maybe you have some insight or access that we don't. Let's hear it.
That sentence is written knowing one significant injury or trade could change the entire equation.
Sure. My bad. I forgot to let you finish with your equivocation. Please proceed.
The Phillies have done an outstanding job of plugging holes during the season in general manager Pat Gillick’s first two years, even if his offseason moves haven't always worked out.
On the whole, I would tend to disagree. And since you don't provide any evidence to back your argument, I won't either. Okay, that's not really fair. The evidence is there, but I'll save it for a separate post. Back to your expert analysis.
As those moves happen, there will be time and space to debate their impact.
Wait. I thought that's what you were doing. What was the point of this article again?
As of today, however, it's hard to see the Phillies leaping into the 95-100 win region or stumbling below 85 wins.
I agree. The past five years they won 86, 86, 88, 85, and 89 games. Your reasoning?
The Phillies' position-player core is nearly identical to the one that ended last season.
True. But it is significantly different from the 2003, 2004, and 2005 teams that averaged about 87 wins. So what else?
Pitching could be better.
Rrriiiggghhhttt... Sure, I agree. But is there a general manager or manager anywhere in baseball who, regardless of their roster, doesn't mutter this in their sleep every night?
This next one is a classic:
Relief pitchers are notorious for their volatility, so it's hard to predict how they will perform from year to year.
Then why did you write this? Why are we reading your article? Cue Admiral Stockdale, "Who am I? Why am I here?"
So overall, are the Phillies better or worse? They figure to have a similar finish in 2008 to the one they had in 2007. [But] we'll save the official pronouncement for the end of spring training.
Good lord... And that's ten minutes of my life I'll never get back…
Epilogue: Now I realize this wasn't the intent of the article (although maybe it should have been), but when you look at the last five seasons (86, 86, 88, 85, and 89 wins), it seems to me that, in order to "leap into the 95-100 win region," the first order of business should be to identify what has remained constant over those years and determine whether or not that is what is holding the team back. So...
Nearly all the players have changed. There has been a managerial change. There has even been a change at general manager. The biggest constant over those years – besides Pat Burrell, Brett Myers, and Jimmy Rollins – has been ownership. It is not my intention to bash them, but maybe the problem isn't the players, or the manager, or even the general manager – although they all clearly share some of the responsibility. Perhaps the owners need to take a good look in the mirror and decide whether they are committed to winning in Philadelphia – or just making money.
Ultimately, this issue is complex enough that it warrants its own post or – hey, here's a thought – it's own article written by a real-life professional sports reporter. Anyone know where we can find one?
---
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
2008 Preview: First basemen
Coincidentally, Phillies.com posted its season preview story for the hot corners today. The big news is that Ryan Howard [stats] will be the team’s starting first baseman this year. It also expounds upon the Greg Dobbs/Wes Helms platoon at third, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Should Howard find himself on the disabled list again this season, expect Helms, who has made 253 major-league appearances at first, to take over again. Other Phils with experience at first include Dobbs (22 times in the majors, 114 games in the minors), Chase Utley (24 in the majors), Eric Bruntlett (only once in the bigs and three times in the minors), Jayson Werth (once last year and 30 games in the minors), and former first baseman Pat Burrell.
Down on the farm, the Phillies have four infielders who are very capable of starting at first base at the Triple-A level: Juan Tejeda, who spent last year at Double-A Reading; and Val Pascucci, Mike Cervenak, and Andy Tracy – all offseason signings and spring-training invitees.
Juan Tejeda, 26, has the best prospects of becoming an everyday first baseman in the Major Leagues – though not with the Phillies. If Tejeda [stats] can show off his skills in the
Valentino Pascucci, 29, progressed smoothly to the Major Leagues, breaking in primarily as an outfielder for the Montreal Expos in 2004. Pascucci [stats] was released by the Nationals that offseason, and Pascucci missed the 2005 season. He played ball in Japan in 2006 before the Florida Marlins signed him and sent him to Triple-A last season. Pascucci has a lot of power, which he demonstrated by smacking 34 home runs for
Mike Cervenak, 31, has played more games at third base (408) than at first (341) but manned first four times as frequently for Triple-A Norfolk in 2007. Cervenak [stats] led the International League in hits (157) last year. Still, with so many qualified first basemen to choose from, I expect the Phillies to move Cervenak to third and, because he may have passed his prime, he may find himself moving down the affiliate ladder instead of up. Opening Day: Reading Phillies starting third baseman.
Andy Tracy, 34, has spent parts of three different seasons (2000 and 2001 with
Several other players who are expected to play at the Triple- or Double-A level this season also have experience at first base: Catcher Paul Hoover (1 Major League appearance at 1B; 56 in the minors); second basemen Joey Hammond (66 times in the minors), Casey Smith (27), and Brad Harman (1); third basemen Neil Sellers (67) and Brennan King (9); and utility player Luke Appert (5).
The rest of the Phillies’ first basemen are young up-and-comers who will likely spend at least the first part of another season below the Double-A level.
Clay Harris, 25, played all of last season with High-A Clearwater, where he hit .255 with 10 home runs, 23 doubles, and 64 RBI. Harris [stats] was drafted in the ninth round of the 2005 draft out of LSU, and he spent the summer of ’05 with short-season
Douglas Morales, 22, was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003. The lefty from Nicaragua played one season (2005) in the rookie Gulf Coast League and split 2006 among Batavia (SS), Lakewood (Low A), and Clearwater (High A). Morales [stats] landed back in
Charlie Yarbrough, 23, was the Ohio Valley Conference player of the year and a Conference All-Star First Baseman with
Matt Rizzotti, 22, graduated from
Mike Durant, 21, is the youngest first baseman in the organization. The Phillies selected Durant [stats] in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, and he spent two seasons in the rookie leagues. He played all of last year with short-season
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
2008 Preview: Catchers
Instead of moving to my projected Lehigh Valley IronPigs roster for 2008, I’ve decided to evaluate all the players in the Phillies’ organization by position, starting today with the catchers. Keep in mind that I’m no talent scout, so I’m relying on information that is readily available on the Internets and my own observations and analyses based on the few minor league games I get to each year. I also make no guarantees as to the completeness of the lists of players, since minor-league transactions and free agency are hard to track.
The Catchers
The team has made it clear during this offseason that Carlos Ruiz [thebaseballcube.com stat page] will be the primary catcher for the 2008 season, and Chris Coste [stats] will serve as his backup. I wouldn’t expect any shake-ups, because the Phillies have seemingly settled on Ruiz as the future, and Coste is too late in his career to really be a trade option.
The Phillies signed a split contract with last year’s late-season acquisition, Pete Laforest [stats], which will see him starting the year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Laforest is not a prospect to be an everyday catcher for the Phillies, so expect him to take a backseat behind the plate for the IronPigs to the younger Jason Jaramillo. Laforest’s primary role will likely be as the team’s designated hitter. He could get the call-up due to an injury to Ruiz or Coste if the organization feels Jaramillo isn’t ready for the bigs. Otherwise, Laforest could be traded to a team that needs a catcher or DH. If not, he isn’t likely to rejoin the Phillies until the September roster expansion. Opening Day:
Jaramillo, who will be 25 for the 2008 season, is young and on the upward trajectory. The folks over at the Original IronPigs Blog have posted a nice review of his career (though I’d note that Jaramillo obviously played for
This is a make-or-break year for Tim Gradoville, 28, a fellow Central Pennsylvanian who is treading into the waters of career minor leaguers. After three years at
Lou Marson, at age 22, is rising rapidly through the organizational ranks. Marson [stats] played rookie ball in 2004, spent 2005 with short-season
Orlando Guevara, 24, is another young catcher who has caught the eye of the Phillies’ brass. A non-drafted free agent signing, Guevara [stats] has played in just 70 games over four years, posting a career average of .158, but the scouts must see something in him, because he has already played as high as Triple-A (for three games in 2006). He only played in 17 games last season, all for High-A Clearwater, but he inked a new deal and was invited to 2008 spring training. The OIP blog mentions that Guevara “has earned a reputation for being good at handling pitchers,” possibly explaining the Phillies’ interest. However, he’ll need to prove himself at the plate before moving to the real show in
John Suomi’s career has never really gotten started. Suomi, 27, began in the Oakland Athletics’ organization in 2000 and never made it out of “A” ball over five seasons. After staying out of affiliated baseball in 2005, Suomi [stats] moved on to
Tuffy Gosewisch, 24, put in four years at
Joel Naughton, 21, batted .275 in 29 games in the rookie leagues in 2005. Naughton [stats] played in 45 games, batting .206, for short-season
The rest of the catching crew will fight for spots on the rosters of
Alan Robbins, 24, was drafted by the Phils in the 32nd round out of
Timothy Kennelly, 21 years old and born in
Caleb Mangum, age unknown, played four years for North Carolina State and made his pro debut last season, batting .257 in 48 games with the Crosscutters of Williamsport. [stats]
Kirk Bacsu, 23, was drafted out of
If you have additional information or anything to add to my take on how the catchers will shape up throughout the franchise, please feel free to comment. Check back tomorrow for a look at the organization’s first basemen.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Werth signs one-year contract
Just a quick note, from the Phillies' website:
Outfielder Jayson Werth agreed to a one-year contract with the Phillies, Assistant General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. Werth had been eligible for salary arbitration.
If Werth's getting $1.7 million, just let your mind wander about what Howard will earn this year. Not that they're not worth it; in my mind, they certainly are. I just hope the Phillies can find enough playing time for Werth to justify $1.7 million of payroll.
Snelling only exacerbates the playing-time problem. In fact, as you can see in my previous post, I don't think there's enough room on the active roster for Snelling. Does anyone have any insight into whether it makes sense that the Phillies inked Snelling to a Major-League deal but will likely have to send him to the minors? Is that normal?
Outfielder Jayson Werth agreed to a one-year contract with the Phillies, Assistant General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. Werth had been eligible for salary arbitration.
Werth, 27, will earn $1.7 million in 2008, plus performance bonuses. He hit .298 with eight home runs and a career-high 49 RBI in 94 games for the Phillies last year. Werth also set a career best with nine outfield assists, despite missing a month of the season with a left wrist strain.
Werth became the second Phillie to avoid arbitration, joining outfielder Chris Snelling. The Phillies have four arbitration-eligible players remaining: infielders Eric Bruntlett and Ryan Howard and righthanders Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson.If Werth's getting $1.7 million, just let your mind wander about what Howard will earn this year. Not that they're not worth it; in my mind, they certainly are. I just hope the Phillies can find enough playing time for Werth to justify $1.7 million of payroll.
Snelling only exacerbates the playing-time problem. In fact, as you can see in my previous post, I don't think there's enough room on the active roster for Snelling. Does anyone have any insight into whether it makes sense that the Phillies inked Snelling to a Major-League deal but will likely have to send him to the minors? Is that normal?
Phillies' roster preview
After yesterday's rousing sneak peak at the roster of the IronPigs, I figured it would make sense to start at the top and try to project the Phillies' opening day roster for 2008. This is based on who is on the team now, barring any transactions, so it is likely to change. It's worth noting that the Phillies' website has a "projection" of sorts, but it's incomplete and contradictory to some other material on the site (read the photo caption). So, here goes:
Starting Pitchers
Ace: Cole Hamels (LHP)
#2: Brett Myers
#3: Jamie Moyer (LHP)
#4: Kyle Kendrick
#5: Chad Durbin
Bullpen
Closer: Brad Lidge
Set-up: Tom Gordon
Lefty: J.C. Romero (LHP)
Lefty: Travis Blackley (LHP)
Adam Eaton
Ryan Madson
Clay Condrey
Catchers
Carlos Ruiz
Chris Coste
Infielders
1B: Ryan Howard
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Jimmy Rollins
3B: Greg Dobbs
Bench: Wes Helms (3B)
Bench: Eric Bruntlett (SS/2B/3B)
Outfielders
LF: Pat Burrell
CF: Shane Victorino
RF: Geoff Jenkins
Bench: Jayson Werth (RF)
Bench: So Taguchi (LF)
Each major league team has a 40-man roster in addition to its active 25-man roster. These are the leftover players, based on the above projection:
Joe Bisenius (RHP), Fabio Castro (LHP), J.D. Durbin (RHP), John Ennis (RHP), Anderson Garcia (RHP), J.A. Happ (LHP), Lincoln Holdzkom (RHP), Scott Mathieson (RHP), Francisco Rosario (RHP), Shane Youman (LHP), Mike Zagurski (LHP), Jason Jaramillo (C), Brad Harman (2B), T.J. Bohn (OF), Chris Snelling (OF).
I think the only spots on the 25-man roster that are up for grabs are Blackley's and Condrey's. Based on the IronPigs' preliminary roster, the Phillies franchise is way overstocked with pitchers, and I don't know where they're all going to land.
One spot was opened up over the weekend when the Phillies waived lefty Matt Smith. Smith appeared in nine games for the Phillies in 2007 after coming over from the Yankees in the Abreu/Lidle trade. After amassing an ERA of over 11 in his 4.0 big-league innings with the Phils, Smith was optioned to Triple-A Ottawa and had Tommy John surgery, missing the rest of 2007.
Starting Pitchers
Ace: Cole Hamels (LHP)
#2: Brett Myers
#3: Jamie Moyer (LHP)
#4: Kyle Kendrick
#5: Chad Durbin
Bullpen
Closer: Brad Lidge
Set-up: Tom Gordon
Lefty: J.C. Romero (LHP)
Lefty: Travis Blackley (LHP)
Adam Eaton
Ryan Madson
Clay Condrey
Catchers
Carlos Ruiz
Chris Coste
Infielders
1B: Ryan Howard
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Jimmy Rollins
3B: Greg Dobbs
Bench: Wes Helms (3B)
Bench: Eric Bruntlett (SS/2B/3B)
Outfielders
LF: Pat Burrell
CF: Shane Victorino
RF: Geoff Jenkins
Bench: Jayson Werth (RF)
Bench: So Taguchi (LF)
Each major league team has a 40-man roster in addition to its active 25-man roster. These are the leftover players, based on the above projection:
Joe Bisenius (RHP), Fabio Castro (LHP), J.D. Durbin (RHP), John Ennis (RHP), Anderson Garcia (RHP), J.A. Happ (LHP), Lincoln Holdzkom (RHP), Scott Mathieson (RHP), Francisco Rosario (RHP), Shane Youman (LHP), Mike Zagurski (LHP), Jason Jaramillo (C), Brad Harman (2B), T.J. Bohn (OF), Chris Snelling (OF).
I think the only spots on the 25-man roster that are up for grabs are Blackley's and Condrey's. Based on the IronPigs' preliminary roster, the Phillies franchise is way overstocked with pitchers, and I don't know where they're all going to land.
One spot was opened up over the weekend when the Phillies waived lefty Matt Smith. Smith appeared in nine games for the Phillies in 2007 after coming over from the Yankees in the Abreu/Lidle trade. After amassing an ERA of over 11 in his 4.0 big-league innings with the Phils, Smith was optioned to Triple-A Ottawa and had Tommy John surgery, missing the rest of 2007.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Hey, baseball!
I'm kind of the minor leagues guy around here, and I've got two Lehigh Valley IronPigs items to mention.First, I was checking out the IronPigs' Official Website for the first time in a few weeks and I see that the 'Pigs will host the Phillies in an exhibition game March 30. What an awesome way to kick off the franchise. No word on how to get tickets (UPDATE: Ticket information), but I'm very eager to get down to the Valley to check out the new team.
Second, Minor League Baseball has put up a site for the IronPigs that includes a preliminary roster. It includes six guys who finished the year at Triple-A Ottawa: pitchers Jason Anderson, Matt Childers, and Gary Knotts; second baseman Gookie Dawkins; third baseman Brennan King; and outfielder Javon Moran. There are three promotions from Double-A Reading: pitcher Zack Segovia, third baseman Joey Hammond, and first baseman Juan Tejeda.
Outfielder Luke Appert finished last year with the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland A's and was selected by the Phils in this year's Rule 5 Draft.
The Phillies seem to have quietly signed former Yankees and Royals pitcher Kris Wilson to a minor league contract. (EDIT: Here's a blog posting about Wilson and other minor-league free agents that the Phils signed last month.)
Jake Blalock (OF) was drafted by the Phils in 2002 and worked his way up to Clearwater before he was dealt away with Robinson Tejeda to the Texas Rangers for David Dellucci. Blalock peaked at Double-A with Texas and found his way to the Royals' Double-A affiliate.
Neil Sellers (3B) played last year for the Houston Astros' Double-A team. Others on the roster: pitchers Reymond Cruz (A- Batavia) and R.J. Swindle (A+ Clearwater).
Apparent departures due to minor-league free agency: Pitchers Landon Jacobsen, Eude Brito, and Ryan Cameron; infielders Gary Burnham, Danny Sandoval, and Joe Thurston (signed by Boston); and outfielders Matt Padgett, Jim Rushford, and Pedro Swann. Catcher Dusty Wathan retired and is now the manager at Class A (Short Season) Williamsport.
EDIT: Catcher Pete Laforest should be on the IronPigs' roster as well. That makes 16 'Pigs so far. There are obviously 15 guys on the Phillies' 40-man roster who won't make the active 25-man roster; expect the other eight 'Pigs to come from either them or from the non-roster spring training invitees.
The 12th Man
Just moments ago, I was watching SportsCenter and I saw a clip from yesterday's Seahawks/Redskins game that made me hop on the blog to make this post. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that my cohort has already posted something about the 'Hawks today.
Mine's a bit more Phillies-related:
Jamie Moyer was the 12th Man at yesterday's Seahawks game. I've never seen the old boy quite so excited and emotional as he is here; even when the Phils won the NL East title this year, he was very subdued as he wandered around the field and the clubhouse. Normally, I like to see some emotion from my team's players, but I think the opposite works for Moyer.
Moyer is one of my favorite guys in baseball. It's not because of any overwhelming pitching skills... hell, I think it would be fair to say he falls into the category of guys who play the game the right way. But Moyer is like an extra coach on the bench, and he's a steady, calming presence on the team. I think he'll be a manager someday -- probably someday soon, given his age. And I'd love to see him taking over the reins in Philly after Charlie leaves.
(Credit to Bugs & Cranks for the photos)
Mine's a bit more Phillies-related:
Jamie Moyer was the 12th Man at yesterday's Seahawks game. I've never seen the old boy quite so excited and emotional as he is here; even when the Phils won the NL East title this year, he was very subdued as he wandered around the field and the clubhouse. Normally, I like to see some emotion from my team's players, but I think the opposite works for Moyer.
Moyer is one of my favorite guys in baseball. It's not because of any overwhelming pitching skills... hell, I think it would be fair to say he falls into the category of guys who play the game the right way. But Moyer is like an extra coach on the bench, and he's a steady, calming presence on the team. I think he'll be a manager someday -- probably someday soon, given his age. And I'd love to see him taking over the reins in Philly after Charlie leaves.
(Credit to Bugs & Cranks for the photos)
The Seahawks? Really?
As Hillman said, the majority of this site will be related to the Phillies and baseball in general, but I'm sure we'll dabble in other sports from time to time. He has already come clean on being a Giants fan, so I suppose, given their playoff win Saturday (35-14 over the Washington Redskins) this is a good time for me to reveal that I am a Seattle Seahawks fan and have been for a little over 30 years.
You see, I grew up listening to my father and my uncles endlessly bitch and moan year after year after year about the Eagles. So I swore, at a young age, that I wasn't going out that way - and became a Seahawks fan. They were an expansion team and they were terrible, so no one could accuse me of being a band-wagon fan. Plus we had a simple arrangement - when they were good, they were on tv, and when they were bad, they were 3000 miles away. The deal was sealed when, in the early 1980s, they drafted Penn State's Curt Warner to complement Steve Largent (the greatest wide receiver in NFL history).
I still have a soft spot for the Eagles because they are the "home team" - but if they're playing the Seahawks, all bets are off. Next they play the Green Bay Packers - who just happen to be my new neighbor's favorite team. Even though we haven't spoken much yet, I know he's a Packers fan because of the jersey (or jerseys hopefully) he is constantly wearing. I don't suppose this week would be the best time to strike up a conversation... or the next... whatever... Well, I'm off to find my Largent jersey and hang it in the window...
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Friday, January 4, 2008
Fire Gary Matthews
In the future, it is a good bet that my posts will be of similar length to Mike's initial post. But that's the future. In an effort to build an audience (ha!), I'll try to be brief.
When discussion first began about starting a blog, the genesis, for me at least, was equal parts my propensity for offering an opinion (typically unsolicited), my growing frustration with Gary Matthews, Sr., as a Phillies broadcaster, and my discovery and infatuation with this site.
It is always my goal - though I may fail sometimes - to not offer an opinion unless I have put some thought into it. And there are a number of issues about which I couldn't care less. So as far as my contributions to this blog, I guess we'll see how that goes.
As for the name of the blog, I did lobby strongly for Fire Gary Matthews, but acquiesced for several reasons, which included, but was not limited to (in no particular order):
- Appearing lazy by transparently ripping off another site's name (I am lazy, but let's not go around advertising it, right?);So kudos to Hillman for kicking this party off. My real last name, and a more personal introduction, is held up in a Department of Homeland Security checkpoint and will be posted at a later date. Until then, feel free to check out my profile.
- Failing miserably to be as funny as those fellas at the site whose name was being shamelessly co-opted (seriously, regardless of how you feel about Pat Burrell or Bill Conlin, I dare you not to crack a smile as you read this); and
- There was little, if any, intention of making the blog solely about the shortcomings of Gary Matthews as a broadcaster (although there is plenty of material, including my personal favorite, "Well the problem is that when he runs, he puts all of his weight on his feet.").
---
Blog naming is not easy
It seems kind of strange, writing a blog that no one will read for weeks or months -- if ever -- but that is precisely what I'm doing. I hope someday someone will find these postings and appreciate them, but that's not the blog's raison d'être. I guess as my first entry, I will try to explain why, then, I am doing this. And I'll do it with a lot of commas.
I like the Phillies. Like most sports-related opinions, I can't explain it; in fact, it defies logic. I don't live in or immediately near Philadelphia. I never stepped foot in the Vet. As a result, I can't adopt the Philadelphia-sports-inferiority complex as my own and claim years of suffering season after season of heartbreaking defeats. I don't really follow the Sixers or Flyers, and -- wait for it -- I strongly dislike the Eagles. Let me try to explain.
I grew up a football fan. My first sports-related memory is of me watching Lawrence Taylor sacking Joe Montana in the January 1991 NFC Championship Game. Maybe this actually happened, maybe it didn't, but that's how I remember it -- and isn't that the nature of childhood memories? Haven't there been things that you "remembered" for years and years, only to discover that they didn't actually happen? But I digress.
As a result of LT's sack and the subsequent Super Bowl XXV victory of the New York Giants, I became a Giants fan (explains my Eagles feelings). Yeah, I know, front-runner. But, in my defense, I was seven, and I've stuck with the Giants for the 17 miserable years since (so I guess I am a long-suffering fan... just not of the Philadelphia variety).
I played soccer in second and third grades and moved on to football in fourth. I played pigskin in fifth, sixth, and eighth grade (a story for another time). And I quit on day one of high school practice.
My dad wasn't really a sports fan -- and especially not baseball -- so I never got into America's Pastime. And that's despite attending my first (and only, for 12 years) Major League game in 1992 -- an experience that included my uncle and grandfather taking me to see Juniors Griffey and Ripken, scalpers, almost getting hit by a car in the streets of Baltimore, moldy bread, and my cousin falling down flights of Camden Yards stairs, leaving me -- a nine-year-old boy -- unattended for several innings... maybe this explains me keeping my distance from Major League Baseball for so long.
I joined Little League at age 10 because everyone else was doing it. I was horrible -- couldn't hit, couldn't catch, couldn't throw, couldn't run, didn't understand the strategy. Only now, 14 years later, am I starting to discover some tiny nugget of athletic ability in my body -- and my current quarter-life crisis is making me freak out that it's all downhill from here.
I was aware of the 1993 Phillies because I do live in eastern Pennsylvania, even if it's not Philly or the 'burbs. I guess this is as good a place as any to say that I grew up in the Pottsville area, county seat of Schuylkill County and home to America's Oldest Brewery. I went to Elizabethtown College and, after I graduated in 2006, my girlfriend and I moved into an apartment together about a mile from the college where we still live today.
Back to the narrative: The '93 Phils were all over the TV and newspapers. I "watched" some of the games, which I put in quotation marks because I don't consider it watching something unless I really understand it and absorb it. But I knew the names Dykstra, Daulton, Kruk, Morandini, Eisenreich, Incaviglia, Schilling, Andersen, Hollins, and, of course, Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams. Come October, I knew the Phils were in the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, and I knew if they lost game six, it was over. My bed time, strictly enforced by my parents, was 9 p.m., so I didn't get to see much, if any, of the game, but my mom came in to wake me up in the middle of the night and tell me that the Phillies had lost. The next day, SportsCenter showed me all I needed to know about Joe Carter.
It's funny that I mention SportsCenter here, because for the following 10 years, that program was my primary source of baseball information. I didn't attend a Major League game and I only occasionally attempted to watch one on TV.
Then, in 2004, I was invited to go on a bus trip to a Phillies game with my girlfriend's family. That game marked the beginning of my modern Phillies fan-ism. The game was a classic: 16 innings!
So, I'm a late-comer to the Phillies party. I hope you'll welcome me nonetheless.
Getting back to the point (there was one?): much like that very long autobiography was, this blog serves partially as a catharsis. When things go well or poorly with the Phils, this gives me an alternate outlet for venting my rage rather than throwing remote controls or punching durable goods.
But the two primary reasons, I'd say, that I've created this blog are: (1) to serve as an organizational tool for my own thoughts about the Phillies, and (2) to provide a medium for conversation and an exchange of ideas between me and a much more insightful, much more seasoned Phillies fan: Mike M. (I'll let him decide if he wants to divulge his last name.) I hope he posts an introductory message soon so that our legions of future fans can click on "introduction" labels and get to know our stories... not that I expect anyone to care that much.
One more reason for this blog -- and I'm pretty confident I speak on behalf of my friend, semi-colleague, and co-blogger when I say this -- is that we like to think we know more than we do. So this blog is a bit self-serving in that respect, too -- but then again, aren't most blogs?
Speaking of most blogs, I'll address the ostensible "subject" of this particular posting: blog naming. I wanted to start this blog in the middle of last season simply to catalog all the ways in which Gary Matthews annoyed me. The only thing that prevented me from doing it was coming up with a title for the blog. I just wasn't witty enough to come up with a good play on the syllable "Phil." Finally, today, I gave up. I decided to take the easy way out. After rejecting my first idea -- Untitled Phillies Blog -- I settled on ripping off Greenberg and Golic. I'll probably change the title when something better strikes me.
I'm done with the background stuff now. We're here, ready to do business. Welcome, if you exist, and please come back to visit often. It's my hope that we will be able to provide you with some interesting things to ponder: shuffled batting orders, prescriptions to save the Phillies' season, musings on transactions and rumored trades, etc. We're going to aim to provide something profound that you can't get anywhere else, and while I'm sure we'll fall far short of that, we'll at least be serving our own selfish desires.
I don't know when I'll post again, and I won't make any kinds of promises about how frequently we'll be posting. But I do promise that future posts will not be this long and boring.
Ok, I can't promise that either.
I like the Phillies. Like most sports-related opinions, I can't explain it; in fact, it defies logic. I don't live in or immediately near Philadelphia. I never stepped foot in the Vet. As a result, I can't adopt the Philadelphia-sports-inferiority complex as my own and claim years of suffering season after season of heartbreaking defeats. I don't really follow the Sixers or Flyers, and -- wait for it -- I strongly dislike the Eagles. Let me try to explain.
I grew up a football fan. My first sports-related memory is of me watching Lawrence Taylor sacking Joe Montana in the January 1991 NFC Championship Game. Maybe this actually happened, maybe it didn't, but that's how I remember it -- and isn't that the nature of childhood memories? Haven't there been things that you "remembered" for years and years, only to discover that they didn't actually happen? But I digress.
As a result of LT's sack and the subsequent Super Bowl XXV victory of the New York Giants, I became a Giants fan (explains my Eagles feelings). Yeah, I know, front-runner. But, in my defense, I was seven, and I've stuck with the Giants for the 17 miserable years since (so I guess I am a long-suffering fan... just not of the Philadelphia variety).
I played soccer in second and third grades and moved on to football in fourth. I played pigskin in fifth, sixth, and eighth grade (a story for another time). And I quit on day one of high school practice.
My dad wasn't really a sports fan -- and especially not baseball -- so I never got into America's Pastime. And that's despite attending my first (and only, for 12 years) Major League game in 1992 -- an experience that included my uncle and grandfather taking me to see Juniors Griffey and Ripken, scalpers, almost getting hit by a car in the streets of Baltimore, moldy bread, and my cousin falling down flights of Camden Yards stairs, leaving me -- a nine-year-old boy -- unattended for several innings... maybe this explains me keeping my distance from Major League Baseball for so long.
I joined Little League at age 10 because everyone else was doing it. I was horrible -- couldn't hit, couldn't catch, couldn't throw, couldn't run, didn't understand the strategy. Only now, 14 years later, am I starting to discover some tiny nugget of athletic ability in my body -- and my current quarter-life crisis is making me freak out that it's all downhill from here.
I was aware of the 1993 Phillies because I do live in eastern Pennsylvania, even if it's not Philly or the 'burbs. I guess this is as good a place as any to say that I grew up in the Pottsville area, county seat of Schuylkill County and home to America's Oldest Brewery. I went to Elizabethtown College and, after I graduated in 2006, my girlfriend and I moved into an apartment together about a mile from the college where we still live today.
Back to the narrative: The '93 Phils were all over the TV and newspapers. I "watched" some of the games, which I put in quotation marks because I don't consider it watching something unless I really understand it and absorb it. But I knew the names Dykstra, Daulton, Kruk, Morandini, Eisenreich, Incaviglia, Schilling, Andersen, Hollins, and, of course, Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams. Come October, I knew the Phils were in the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, and I knew if they lost game six, it was over. My bed time, strictly enforced by my parents, was 9 p.m., so I didn't get to see much, if any, of the game, but my mom came in to wake me up in the middle of the night and tell me that the Phillies had lost. The next day, SportsCenter showed me all I needed to know about Joe Carter.
It's funny that I mention SportsCenter here, because for the following 10 years, that program was my primary source of baseball information. I didn't attend a Major League game and I only occasionally attempted to watch one on TV.
Then, in 2004, I was invited to go on a bus trip to a Phillies game with my girlfriend's family. That game marked the beginning of my modern Phillies fan-ism. The game was a classic: 16 innings!
So, I'm a late-comer to the Phillies party. I hope you'll welcome me nonetheless.
Getting back to the point (there was one?): much like that very long autobiography was, this blog serves partially as a catharsis. When things go well or poorly with the Phils, this gives me an alternate outlet for venting my rage rather than throwing remote controls or punching durable goods.
But the two primary reasons, I'd say, that I've created this blog are: (1) to serve as an organizational tool for my own thoughts about the Phillies, and (2) to provide a medium for conversation and an exchange of ideas between me and a much more insightful, much more seasoned Phillies fan: Mike M. (I'll let him decide if he wants to divulge his last name.) I hope he posts an introductory message soon so that our legions of future fans can click on "introduction" labels and get to know our stories... not that I expect anyone to care that much.
One more reason for this blog -- and I'm pretty confident I speak on behalf of my friend, semi-colleague, and co-blogger when I say this -- is that we like to think we know more than we do. So this blog is a bit self-serving in that respect, too -- but then again, aren't most blogs?
Speaking of most blogs, I'll address the ostensible "subject" of this particular posting: blog naming. I wanted to start this blog in the middle of last season simply to catalog all the ways in which Gary Matthews annoyed me. The only thing that prevented me from doing it was coming up with a title for the blog. I just wasn't witty enough to come up with a good play on the syllable "Phil." Finally, today, I gave up. I decided to take the easy way out. After rejecting my first idea -- Untitled Phillies Blog -- I settled on ripping off Greenberg and Golic. I'll probably change the title when something better strikes me.
I'm done with the background stuff now. We're here, ready to do business. Welcome, if you exist, and please come back to visit often. It's my hope that we will be able to provide you with some interesting things to ponder: shuffled batting orders, prescriptions to save the Phillies' season, musings on transactions and rumored trades, etc. We're going to aim to provide something profound that you can't get anywhere else, and while I'm sure we'll fall far short of that, we'll at least be serving our own selfish desires.
I don't know when I'll post again, and I won't make any kinds of promises about how frequently we'll be posting. But I do promise that future posts will not be this long and boring.
Ok, I can't promise that either.
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