A Phillies Legend Gone: Danny Ozark (1923-2009)

The Phillies lost another legend today.  Danny Ozark, the hound-faced manager of the ‘73- ‘79 Fightins died this morning, at his home in Vero Beach, Fla. He was 85.

When Ozark arrived in Philadelphia, the team was in last place and in dire need of a turnaround.  Ozark met the Philadelphia media for a press conference upon his arrival.  When asked how excited he was to get his first big-league managerial position, Ozark replied, “I wasn’t overly excited.  I didn’t jump up and shout ‘Whoopee!’”

And that set the tone of Ozark’s attitude—”unexcitable.”

In Ozark’s first three seasons, the team showed steady improvement.  And in 1976, he led the team to a 101-win season, a franchise record, and a trip to the NLCS.  In ‘77, he again led the team to 101 wins and a NLCS, but lost to the Dodgers, in four games. 

The next year, the Phillies were only able to win ninety games.  Again it was good enough to get them to an NLCS, where they faced the Dodgers, again, in a rematch.  The Phillies fell a step short of the World Series for the third consecutive season.

Ozark raised stars such as Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Larry Bowa, and Bob Boone.  Seeing the young stars fail to reach the World Series three consecutive times, management started getting impatient, so they signed Pete Rose that offseason to put the team over the top.

But in the 1979 season, plagued by injuries and a lack of pitching depth, the Phillies played poorly all season and were still two games under the .500 mark on August 31st. It cost Ozark his job, and Dallas Green took over as Phillies manager September 1st.

The Phillies went on to win a World Series in 1980, under Green.  Though Ozark wasn’t at the reigns for that world championship, he played a pivotal role in grooming the stars who won in it and moving the team in a direction where they could get there.

Ozark made one more quick stint as an interim manager in San Francisco, after Frank Robinson was fired in August of ’84.  He then retired to Florida.  But he always missed Philadelphia.

“[My wife] Ginny and I really miss Philadelphia,” Ozark said in a Philadelphia Magazine story published last month.  “We enjoyed our time there.  That city is a great sports town.  The fans are the greatest.  They do express themselves, but that’s OK.  We made a lot of lifelong friends there.”

In addition to Ginny, Ozark is survived by his two children, Dwain and Darlene; three granddaughters, and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

(Photo: AP)

Former Phillies Manager Danny Ozark Dies at 85

Philadelphia Phillies: Not the Start They were Hoping for, but They’ll Take It

Doesn’t April seem to last an eternity?

For those of us working in the financial services industry, the word April conjures up images of angry and impatient taxpayers. 

Across most of the country, torrential downpours and volatile temperature swings are the norm. For a select few, April is the start of a long and grueling baseball season.

April has never been kind to the Phillies. The inaugural first pitch barely left the hands of ex-GM Pat Gillick and the natives were already sharpening their spears. 

You see, at that moment, the reality was settling in: The Phillies are known for digging themselves into a hole, and they did everything they could to make us believe that that was happening again.  They dropped three out of their first four games and lost early season “Gimmes” against the Braves and Padres. 

Yet, the first month of the season is behind us and, get this, the Phillies stand alone in first place. 

While that might seem like a head-scratcher, it’s not that surprising. The Phillies are a resilient bunch and have proven their propensity for defying the odds.  But clawing back into first place has not come cheap and it has not come easy. 

Bright spots early on have been the bullpen and the re-emergence of the never-say-die attitude that fueled the Phillies towards their second straight NL East title in 2008. 

Their seventh win of the season (4/24 vs. the Marlins) might be the most indicative of the type of season that it has been so far. Limited to three hits over the first eight innings and trailing 0-3 in the ninth inning, the Phillies mounted a seven run barrage in the ninth inning propelling them to a come-from-behind victory.

Wins of the “come-from-behind” variety have been the norm in the early going.  The heart attack kids have certainly tested pacemakers throughout the Delaware Valley.  The newest addition to the roster has definitely been the talk of the town.  Raul Ibanez has left us saying, “Pat Who?” with all due respect to Mr. Burrell, as Ibanez is the biggest reason why the Phillies are currently seated in first place in the division.  He has exceeded even the most lofty expectations and has the town chanting, “Rauuuuuulll!” with every base hit and sliding catch. 

The glaring question marks surround the depth of the rotation and the health of the Phillies pitchers. 

Cole Hamels started the season on the mend and has not been able to hit his stride.  A comebacker to the shoulder spelled an early exit from one start and an ankle injury ended another.  Hamels is the ace of the staff and any extended absences will make it nearly impossible to repeat last year’s success. 

The back end of the rotation has also been very inconsistent, and at some point, short outings will tax the overused bullpen.  Brad Lidge had shown signs of wear, but has been pretty good since sitting out three games with left knee inflammation. 

Giving up the long-ball has plagued the pitching staff, and the Phillies don’t have a starter with an ERA lower than 5.35 (Phillies pitchers have already given up 46 HRs this season… on pace for an alarming 350 HR).  Jimmy Rollins has started slow but predicts that he’ll hit .400 in May and thankfully the rest of the offensive juggernaut has carried the team thus far. 

There is no doubt that if this team is going to vie for another World Series title, Rollins is going to need to pick it up. 

The future seems to be hope-filled for the Phillies.  Hamels is scheduled to start later this week, and Chan Ho Park has proved to the managerial staff that he is capable of the type of performance that won him the job in spring training. 

Joe Blanton is coming off his best performance this year to date and JC Romero is halfway through his 50-game suspension. 

The Phillies cannot survive unless their roster is healthy and rested; Charlie Manuel will need to trust some of his role players to fill in for his starters.  Regular rest will be critical over the next two months as the team tries to retain first place and remain healthy for the stretch run. 

All in all, given past struggles, the Phillies should feel pretty good about where they stand and cautiously optimistic about the prospects of repeating. Their recent success will remind other teams that the Phillies are still the defending champions, so the bulls eye will reemerge.

But if there’s anything that we have found out this month, it’s that this team is up for a fight.   

How the Manny Ramirez Suspension Affects the Philadelphia Phillies

It is confirmed, Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been suspended for 50 games effective immediately.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that outfielder Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been suspended for 50 games for a violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension of Ramirez is effective immediately.
Official statement from MLB [link]

Normally I would not take time to comment on a player outside of the Phillies but I want to take a moment to reflect on how it does impact the Phillies, especially given the impact of this news because it is Ramirez.

The Dodgers have jumped out to a major league best record of 21-8, including a highly publicized 13-0 home start. Just looking at the records will show you that the Dodgers have a road record of 8-8. Now take Ramirez out of their rejuvenated lineup.

The Dodgers will play three games in Philadelphia next week in the first 2008 NLCS rematch this season. That has to bode well for the Phillies, who are clinging to the top spot in the NL East. But let’s look a little farther down the line…

Ramirez’s suspension of 50 games (the same sentence handed to J.C. Romero) will leave the heavy hitter out until July 3 at the earliest. Meanwhile the Phillies make a four game stop in Los Angeles in June. Obviously if a team gets a chance to play all of their games against the Dodgers without Ramirez available, you have to like their chances.

Ramirez has waived his right to challenge the suspension so this is locked in. I have some thoughts on Ramirez’s suspension that I will post tonight during the Phillies game.

Chan Ho Park: Next Time, Tell Us When You Are Going To Pitch Well

I did it.

I know other Phillies fans did it.

People with no dog in the hunt did it.

We saw that the pitching matchup for the Phillies-Mets game was Chan Ho Park versus Johan Santana, and we looked for something else to watch.  Law & Order must have had tremendous ratings last night.

Earlier in the day, I sent an email to ESPN accusing them of intentionally trying to make the defending World Series champions look bad.  I mailed a letter to the South Korean government inquiring if Chan Ho Park could be deported.

Let’s be honest.  David was less of an underdog compared to Park yesterday.

Like most fans of the Phillies, I was born with the gloom-and-doom gene.  I assumed the worst was going to happen.

However, something amazing happened last night.

Although the Phillies lost 1-0 to the Mets when a Pedro Feliz error scored Carlos Delgado in the seventh inning, Park out-pitched Santana. 

Chan Ho Park only gave up one hit while Santana gave up two.  Santana did edge Park in strikeouts, ten to five.

Now I wished I would have watched.

I don’t feel all that badly.  The Phillies did end up losing, and I always sleep better after viewing a Phillies’ win. 

In addition, I don’t need to watch every game that my favorite baseball team plays.  I don’t wish to wear a straitjacket for the rest of my life.

However, I do believe all major league teams should develop a new policy.  Anytime a team throws a pitcher with an ERA over five, the organization should have an option of guaranteeing a quality start for television viewers.

If the pitcher fails to deliver on the promise, a fan should be able mail in a photo of the game, as proof of viewing, and in return receive a nice gift like a team pennant or a glow-in-the dark bobble head of their favorite player.

This risk and reward system would keep many fans from bailing out before the game even starts.

Until such a system is implemented, I will still be reluctant to watch Chan Ho Park’s next start.  Knowing my luck, Park will give up three homers in the first inning.

Jamie Moyer Goes for Win No. 250 Tonight

With a win tonight Jamie Moyer will reach his 250th career win. What an accomplishment that would be for a pitcher who has stood the test of time.

Where Moyer lacks in great stuff, he makes up for in smarts. It is no secret that a bean ball from Moyer will leave the slightest of bruises the next day (if any) so Moyer has learned the values of staying calm and has practiced being patient on the mound. Nobody slows the game down like Moyer. He can frustrate a batter by tossing over to first sixteen times in one at bat. While the batter is growing anxious for a pitch, and thus more likely to swing, Moyer is playing the game.

Moyer knows that he is not going to strike out 15 batters in a game, but what he is most concerned with is his helping his team win. All that is asked of Moyer is that he keep the Phillies in any game, and he almost always does.

Moyer currently sits in a tie for 46th place on the all time wins list in baseball. With 249 wins Moyer is tied with Hall of Famer Vic Willis, who last pitched in 1910. Moyer’s next win will break that tie and put him one game behind Bob Gibson. Moyer is third in wins among active pitchers (Tom Glavine with 305, Randy Johnson with 297).

Last year Moyer pitched in his first World Series game. Here’s hoping he can pitch in one more this October.

 

This was originally posted on Macho Row.

Phillies Lose Pitcher’s Duel With Poor Defense

Chan Ho Park received little to no show of confidence heading into last night’s showdown against Johan Santana and the New York Mets. Shame on all of us. Yes, the Phillies lost to the Mets by a 1-0 score, but Park did everything you could have wanted him to do except score a run or two.

Santana shut down the Phillies offense from the start and proved why he is the best pitcher in the National League, and possibly in all of baseball (with all apologies to Zack Greinke). The ace of the Mets starting rotation went seven strong innings, allowing just two hits and striking out ten. While he walked three Phillies batters, two were to Park.

The story of the game was the lack of offense from the Phillies, who left thirteen base runners on base and failed to move runners along in key situations. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Jayson Werth were a combined 0-11. Howard and Werth struck out three times each.

The Mets were equally inept throughout most of the game and only scored their lone run when Pedro Feliz threw a ball past Howard at first trying to make a play on a slow grounder. When Feliz’s throw got away, Carlos Delgado scored from second base. Feliz is usually solid defensively so it is hard to criticize him too much. Like any player on Charlie Manuel‘s team Feliz was giving his best effort. Unfortunately for the Phillies Feliz had little chance of making the play anyway and this one just happened to go bad.

With the loss the Phillies still find themselves in first place as the Florida Marlins also lost last night to the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies and Mets wrap up their brief two game series in New York tonight with Jamie Moyer taking the mound for the Phillies (more on that later today) and Mike Pelfrey starting for the Mets.

 

This was originally posted on Macho Row.

Philadelphia Phillies: Still the National League’s Best

“The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! Struck him out! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate!”  It was seven months ago that the legendary Harry Kalas made the proclamation that marked the beginning of exuberant celebrations in the City of Brotherly Love.

There was a massive parade down Broad Street. There were speeches, including the bestowing of the infamous title, “World F—ing Champions,” upon the team from their second baseman. Then there were TV shows, banquets, appearances, and filming of commercials. 

Oh, and there was a little ring ceremony.

Now the team is in the midst of their reign as World Champions. As the current kings, the team will either burn under the heat or bask in the inherited spotlight coming from the magnifying glasses that hover over their every move. Many look at the Phillies and wonder if the perpetual underdogs will repeat or if last year was a fluke.

The Phillies are the real thing.

While the team has their fair share of problems—ahem, starting pitching, ahem—they compensate with other factors. 22 of the 25 players that were on the team’s 2008 post-season roster have returned, keeping the core of the championship team intact.

Last year, the team had stretches when they struggled with their feast-or-famine offense and this year is no different. The last two games are a perfect examples—May 5th, the team piled on the hits in their 10-7 victory over St. Louis, but on May 6th the team couldn’t put up a run against the New York Mets, leaving seven on base.

Philadelphia is not alone with this problem, but their resiliency early in 2009 sets them apart from other teams.

In their first eight wins, the Phillies came from behind in each one. Philadelphia is the only National League team in history to start the season in that fashion, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

While the offense may stumble, it is potent enough to carry the team and make up for the unpredictable starting pitching.

Currently, the reigning World Champions’ pitching staff owns the worst ERA in the National league with a .583 ERA. Phillies’ ace Cole Hamels admitted he wasn’t prepared for the season and now has a 7.27 ERA. The rest of the starting rotation, with the exception of ol’ faithful Jamie Moyer, have not been up to par. Surprisingly, Brett Myers leads the group with a 5.35 ERA.

Brad Lidge is no longer perfect, but no one expected him to save every game for the rest of his career. Blowing a save may have been a good thing, as it takes the focus away from which game will bring that “L” next to his name. The bullpen will remain stable, especially with the Ryan Madson-Lidge combination. Jack Taschner may be this year’s questionable reliever, based on his performance with the San Francisco Giants.

This year’s Phillies still possess the menacing offense that opposing teams fear (even through their slumps) and have added another weapon to their arsenal.

Offseason acquisition Raul Ibanez wasted no time in proving that he is worthy of the Phillies’ pinstripes. In the first 25 games, Ibanez has the sixth highest batting average (.347) in the NL. Second baseman Chase Utley joins him in the top ten, tied for seventh was a .333 batting average.

On the opposite end, shortstop Jimmy Rollins had an uncharacteristically slow start, hitting an abysmal .207 in March and April. Luckily, the former MVP has been warming up and his batting average has been steadily climbing away from the Mendoza line.

Philadelphia has been known as one of those teams that are routinely slow starters. While the old cliché says, “You can’t win a championship in April,” the month does serve as a preview of what’s to come.

Sitting atop the NL East after 25 games, the Phils are experienced and hold a clear understanding of what makes them a winning team.  While the offense is their biggest threat, it’s the team’s tenacity and championship swagger that gives them the extra push to remain the National League’s best team.

 

Sidenote

One member of the Phillies family that will be sorely missed is long-time Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas. After his death, the team seemed to lack the lightheartedness that was normally seen in the dugout and on the field. The team once again displays their fun-loving nature, but the adoration and respect they hold for Kalas is seen every day through the “HK” patch worn over their hearts.

Phillies—Mets: “What Was He Thinking?” Second Edition

Talk about breaking news, I started writing this as the play happened.

Through the seventh inning of the Phillies and Mets game at CitiField tonight, Chan Ho Park pitched a beautiful game. He blanked the Mets through six innings—matching, in my opinion, the best pitcher in baseball, Johan Santana.

The tide turned during the seventh inning when Fernando Tatis tipped a broken-bat dribbler toward Pedro Feliz. Instead of holding the ball—because he obviously wasn’t going to be able to get the speedy Tatis—he threw a dreadful ball toward first base, little league-esque. At this point, Jason Werth hesitated twice and finally threw toward home as Carlos Delgado beat out what should have been a sure out.

This was the Phillies’ third error of the night—pretty bad for the best defensive team in baseball (in terms of errors committed).

This is, arguably, the biggest series of the season thus far and you just came off of a sweep of, arguably, the best team in baseball in the Cardinals. What is there not to get up for?

Does anyone else think we need a better third baseman? Why does everyone think Pedro Feliz is the “second coming” defensively? Also…why did Charlie take out Park, there were two outs and a man on second, against Santana…mistake. I expect to get some some flack for this article, but this is how I vent!

 

Cardinals-Phillies: The Brad Lidge/Albert Pujols Reunion Tour

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