Philadelphia Phillies’ 2009 Midseason Review

Nearly two weeks prior to my writing questions and a ballot for a midseason report for the Philadelphia Phillies, the team was playing terrible baseball. After an 1-8 home stand, I set up a series of questions and a voting ballot for four members of the Phillies community to answer.

Yet, because of a few setbacks and other blocks in the road, the article was delayed. When all was cleared, only three of the writers had been able to contribute.

It got to a point where I doubted that posting the article would make sense, since the questions became outdated, largely due to the Phillies’ improved play. Yet, I had a change of heart tonight and decided to go through with the article, even if a few of the issues in the questions have been solved.

So without further ado, here is the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies’ Community Midseason Report. The report entails five questions, answered by a total of four writers, and a ballot, also filled out by each contributor.

The group of writers consists of myself, Shay Roddy, Scott Eisenlohr, and Flattish Poe. Any kind words or questions shall be directed to them, not just myself. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible.

Just keep in mind that these questions were constructed sometime near the end of June.

 

1. The Phillies began the season the same way they have for years now—with mediocre play. Yet, as April progressed, the team gradually improved until May came around, when the Phillies hit their stride.

It wasn’t until mid-June that the wheels started to fall off. Evaluate their current position in the standings, their record, and whether or not they have exceeded your expectations.
 
Scott Eisenlohr: The Mad Dog, Chris Russo, on Sirius radio, said that the Phillies’ season was perhaps disappointing to Phils fans as they should have put some distance between them and their rivals.

I don’t see it that way.

The Phillies won the NL East in 2007 on the last day of the season and last year on the second to last day. This was supposed to be a dog fight between the Phils and the Mets, but the Marlin and Braves have joined the race.

I think the Phils are right where they should be and will play better ball in July.

Shay Roddy: The Phils have been above average. Despite their poor play as of late, their record is above .500, and they have maintained a comfortable lead atop their division. Every team will go through their slumps, and the Phils will eventually get hot again—they’re too good not to.

They’ve been plagued by injuries, which is something they did not experience a lot of last year. That seems to be the most concerning thing right now. All things considered, the Phils currently sit about where I expected right now—with a comfortable lead atop the NL East.

Flattish Poe: The Phillies have fewer total wins than any other division leaders in the MLB at 39, and they tie the Nationals for fewest wins at home at 13. And despite losing 11 of their last 14 games, they still lead the majors in road wins and have managed to stay atop the division thanks to the Met’s misfortune.

And some people think things aren’t going well.

Since I’m not a fan of expectations, I’ll just venture to guess the consensus among Phils fans is the team has failed to meet anyone’s, except maybe their rival’s.

Christian Karcole: I have never been a fan of looking too much into a slump. When I see a team go on a tear and move into first place in their division, I always know their play will level off and other teams will catch up, and vice versa.

I had faith that the Phillies would quickly put an end to their poor play.

Have they exceeded my expectations?

Well, since I’m writing these answers during the middle of this home stand, I have to say they are exactly where I thought they would be. A four game lead over the Marlins, and a 6.5 game lead over the Mets is a great sign, so as long as the Phillies keep their consistent play up, they shall be fine.

2. Jimmy Rollins has been disappointing, to say the least, as has Brad Lidge, and the starting rotation is one of the worst in the league.

Which of the three is most crucial that it is fixed sometime in the near future?
 
SE: Jimmy Rollins has gotten four hits in the last two games after going something like 0-28. Both were wins. This team absolutely needs Rollins to hit, play defense, and steal bases to win.

That is the most important.

If you don’t have the lead, you don’t need to save games.

SR: Rollins’ attitude is particularly frustrating. Being the leadoff hitter is a spot that is extremely important to him, yet he takes the complete wrong approach. His job is to be a speed demon, and beat out ground balls, and then use his speed on the base-paths.

But instead, Rollins continues to pop balls up.

The rotation is something that should eventually work itself out. They’ve been plagued by injuries in that area, but have, by in large, proved their depth. Lidge has certainly struggled as well.

However, since his return from the disabled list, his velocity has been up, with his fastball hitting the 94-95 MPH zone, which sets up his slider. I think that the issues in all three areas will be resolved with time.

The only thing that could possibly speed up the process would be a July trade for a high-profile starter.

FP: It’s no secret that when Jimmy’s hitting, the team is winning. And Charlie Manuel’s concerned about the team getting beat late. Last year, late beatings weren’t the norm, thanks in part to Brad Lidge.

But even in 2008, Brad threw his share of nail biters. Personally, I think Rollins is tired of the front-runners who fill the stands and he feels trapped, but he’s not willing to chew off his arm to escape.

Lidge came with a bum knee and a confidence problem, but a little luck at just the right time last year got him through. Rollins is one guy—someone else needs to step in to lead the herd. Brad needs to get his mind right. But the starting rotation is a whole flock of trouble.

That has to be fixed first.

CK: Is there much you can do here?

With Rollins, it’s more of him working himself out and getting into the right mindset. Before his recent streak of quality baseball, J-Roll was swinging with an uppercut, causing him to hit the ball in the air as opposed to line drives.

Now that he has somewhat corrected that, you can see it in his play. Hopefully he can continue playing this way.

Lidge is the same way. He just needs to work himself out. A pitcher or two is definitely needed, but instead of a Roy Halladay or Pedro Martinez, I’d target a lower level No. 3 or 4 starter to fill the role. The price will be much less, in dollars and prospects.

Overall, the most crucial of the three is none. They all need to be worked out. The Phillies go when Jimmy goes, the Phillies need that shutdown guy at the end of the game, and another starter is needed.

3. Every hitter in the lineup has seen some inconsistent play. Even Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez have fallen victim to a slump.

Excluding Jimmy Rollins, which batter concerns you the most so far this season?
 
SE: All the hitters, with the exception of Rollins, is where they should be. Shane Victorino is hitting in the .290 range, and I might have expected him to be more consistently near .300 or above.

Greg Dobbs, hitting in the .230 range, is a bit of a concern, but he is not a starter.

SR: Ryan Howard. Normally, his 200 strikeouts don’t bother you once you see his power numbers, but this year his power numbers are down a little. He needs to get those up by year-end.

Your team’s in pretty good offensive shape, though, when your second biggest offensive problem is an all-star.

FP: Off the cuff, I’d like to whine about Pedro Feliz, but he’s on track to having the best offensive year of his career. Maybe that’s all they can expect from him. I could also complain that Carlos Ruiz has shown only rare moments of the offensive glory that contributed to playoff wins in 2008.

And I could even whine about Ryan Howard’s team leading 93 strikeouts.

But I’d rather talk about the offensive potential that still lurks in Jayson Werth.  He’s second in Phillie strike outs at 66 (16 ahead of third place Chase Utley), but when he gets on base, he’s aggressive. That’s why, even though his slugging percentage puts him at sixth on the team, he leads the league in total runs scored by only one.

I think if he found a way to reduce the number of times he slumps back to the bench in disgust, he’d be an offensive phenomenon.

CK: While Ryan Howard has been the point of consistency, his numbers are a little down. Pedro Feliz is having a great year compared to last season, Ruiz has been playing as he always does, and everyone else has been the same, if not better, as they were last season (except for Rollins, of course).

Howard’s average continues to loom around .250-.260, so I call that consistency. Yet, he still needs to lower the strikeouts and improve more aspects of his hitting. On the bench, Eric Bruntlett is a big concern, but his bat isn’t as crucial to the team.

4. Speaking of Raul Ibanez, what bad is there to say? He had been “slumping” in the week or so before his departure to the DL, but that could be because of his injured groin.

How surprised are you with Ibanez’s performance? Do you believe he will be able to keep it up?
 
SE: Ibanez is something like a career .287 hitter. His power numbers surprise me, although Safeco Field is said to be more cavernous than other fields. He should finish the season around .314.

SR: Obviously, Ibanez’s progress will slow down a little at some point, and the injury didn’t help at all. I expect him to be good when he comes off the DL, but continuing this season’s progress where he left off seems a bit far-fetched.

FP: My concern with Raul’s slump was the number of times he struck out. But if my memory serves me right, Chase Utley looked the same in the second half of 2008, when he was being poked by hip pain.

I am surprised Raul’s done what he’s done. Anyone under the age of 30 would argue this is no game for old men, yet the stats are consistently riddled with leaders who are veterans.

But the most important question is, can Raul keep it up?

If he continues the consistent attention to his mental state and his physical conditioning, I say he can. And this simply supports my stance on the mandatory fitness rule.

I think teams should be allowed to require it. The guys who last the longest work the hardest. Nothing good ever came of mediocrity.

Just ask Raul.

CK: Raul Ibanez certainly won’t hit with as much power and surprise as he did in April, May, and most of June. I foresee him beginning to slow down, and ending up with about 40 home runs, 115 RBI, and a .300 average.

5. With of all of the distractions and injuries the Phillies have faced in April, May, and June, they still sit a few games above .500 and, most importantly, in first place in the NL East.

Although they once sat with the second best record in baseball, the Phillies are still the same World Champions that they were in 2008.

How do you foresee the last three months of the season to play out?

Will the Phillies win the division, the wildcard, or miss the playoffs? (No playoffs prediction needed, that’s too far into the future).
 
SE: I believe they are still the best team in the East, although after it shakes out, it will be the Braves, not the Marlins or the Mets, the Phillies will have to fend off.

SR: Because of how weak the division competition is, I don’t see making the playoffs becoming a problem. The Phils were relatively injury-free last year. They haven’t experienced such luck this season. Repeating as champs is a tough feat, but the Phils have the tools to be very good for years to come.

FP: Starting out strong always seems like a curse. The Marlins looked like they were invincible in the first twelve games. Now the Phils have managed to top the division for weeks, but it took a bunch of losses by the Mets and wins over the Nationals—the losing-est team in baseball—to keep them there.

Even so, I believe Phillies’ management will start thinking smarter, not harder, and coach the team to a division win. But more of what they’re doing won’t work. The players have done what they’ll do with a level of guidance that used to be enough.

Pedro Feliz didn’t know how many outs there were when he mistakenly leaped off first base on a hit and was picked off to end a crucial inning, but Davey Lopes was standing right there.

There’s more to coaching first base than clicking that stop watch.

CK: The Phillies are still an extremely talented squad. An acquisition to the rotation will only help the team improve. My worries for the Phillies are not based on their players who have not performed, because their talent is still there, but rather on injuries.

Injuries are what can derail a team (hence the New York Mets). Once two or three relievers or starters begin to miss time, roles are mixed up and arms become tired in overuse.

As long as the number of injuries can shrink, I expect the Phillies at the top of the NL with the Dodgers at season’s end. But, unfortunately, injuries can never be predicted.

 

Award Ballot:

Most Valuable Player: (SE) Raul Ibanez; (SR) Raul Ibanez; (FP) Raul Ibanez; (CK) Raul Ibanez

Most Impressive Hitter: (SE) Raul Ibanez; (SR) Raul Ibanez; (FP) Raul Ibanez; (CK) Raul Ibanez

Most Impressive Pitcher: (SE) Clay Condrey; (SR) Ryan Madson; (FP) J.A. Happ; (CK) Joe Blanton

Biggest Surprise: (SE) Jayson Werth; (SR) Ryan Howard (defensively), Raul Ibanez; (FP) Ryan Howard; (CK) Pedro Feliz

Most Improved: (SE) Jayson Werth; (SR) Ryan Howard (defensively); (FP) Howard’s defense; (CK) Howard’s defense

Biggest Disappointment: (SE) Brad Lidge; (SR) Brad Lidge; (FP) Cole Hamels/Jimmy Rollins; (CK) Brad Lidge/Jimmy Rollins

Most Consistent: (SE) Clay Condrey; (SR) Chase Utley; (FP) Shane Victorino; (CK) Raul Ibanez

Best Starting Pitcher: (SE) Jamie Moyer; (SR) J.A. Happ; (FP) J.A. Happ; (CK) Joe Blanton

Best Reliever: (SE) Ryan Madson; (SR) Ryan Madson; (FP) Tyler Walker; (CK) Ryan Madson

Best Fielder: (SE) Chase Utley; (SR) Carlos Ruiz; (FP) Shane Victorino; (CK) Carlos Ruiz

The Philadelphia Phillies 2009 Midseason Report

The overview

With the Phillies sweeping the Pirates, we are now officially at the midway point. The Phillies stand at a 48-38 record, atop the NL East by 4 games, however the NL east hasn’t been a strong division this season. The Phillies have improved at home after a horrible 13-22 start; they stand at 22-23 after a terrific 9-1 home stand.

The Phillies have benefited of a very injured Mets team missing half their payroll with notable injuries of Carlos Delgado, John Maine, Carlos Beltran, and Jose Reyes.

Overall the Phillies have been outstanding on the road, and about .500 at home. The Phils however have been the class of the NL East despite having a sub .500 record at home. Here’s an in-depth overview of how the Phils season has gone so far.

The pitching

Overall the Phillies pitching has not been stellar. The team has an overall ERA of 4.64 which ranks 25 overall in the majors.

However Phillies general manger Ruben Amaro Jr. has let it known that the Phillies are in the market for a starting pitcher, in fact the Phillies are expected to sign free agent Pedro Martinez soon, and are rumored to be interested in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes.

The ace Cole Hamels has been extremely inconsistent. While he has pitched some good games in which he looked like an ace, but most of his games, he hasn’t went deep into the game, and he’s been hit hard. Hamels has a 4.87 ERA, allowing 117 hits in 98 innings, not the numbers of an ace.

While Hamels hasn’t looked like an ace, the other young lefthander JA Happ has. Happ originally started the season as a reliever but eventually replaced Chan Ho Park in the rotation. After a solid outing today, Happ improves to 6-0, with a 2.90 ERA, allowing 70 hits in 87 innings, making a strong case for rookie of the year.

Joe Blanton has been up and down, but has looked good lately. Blanton is 6-4 with a 4.44 ERA. The other starts haven’t been great, Jamie Moyer has had his struggles but like last season Moyer has a 8-6 record with a 5.99 ERA.

Rodrigo Lopez has had two starts, leaving his last start after five innings of work. Lopez had a stellar first start against the Mets. Other starters like Antonio Bastardo and Chan Ho Park didn’t last long due to frequent struggles.

The bullpen has been inconsistent; guys like Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge have had major struggles at one point. Lidge was terrible for the beginning of the season and still hasn’t returned to 2008 form, although he has shown flashes of 2008, he currently has 7.03 ERA.

Madson was great as a set up man, but came to the closers’ role when Lidge went to the DL and really got hit hard. Chad Durbin has been inconsistent with a 4.47 ERA; JC Romero has been strong since coming back from his 50 game suspension with a 3.14 ERA.

One positive note is that Chan Ho Park has settled into the long reliever role, pitching quality innings.

The hitting

Unlike the pitching the hitting has been great. The Phillies offense ranks leads the NL in homers, and runs scored. The offense has carried the team at some points, in fact the Phillies have been very resilient and a great comeback team.

The leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins has struggled although he has got it going in the month of July, betting  .381. However Rollins is batting a mediocre .228 with a mere .285 on base percentage.

Rollins is traditionally a slow starter and tends to do better in the second half, but if the Phillies expect to score some runs, it makes it a lot easier when your leadoff hitter is on base, and Rollins has actually been walking a lot lately.

Chase Utley was the Phillies most productive offensive player, and really stepped up when Ibanez went down. Utley is batting .310 with 20 homers and 61 RBI, earning his fourth all-star start, and becoming the premier second baseman of baseball. Utley has also been strong defensively, with only 2 errors.

Ryan Howard earned another all star appearance, with a .258 batting average, with 22 homers and 66 RBI. Howard lost 25 pounds since last season, and it has really shown with his defense, as he has made some very nice plays only making 4 errors.

Last season Howard had to carry the team late in the season, this season he hasn’t. a huge reason is the new acquisition of Raul Ibanez. Ibanez has made the fans forget about Pat Burrell.

Ibanez has been able to do things that Burrell wasn’t able to do like playing the full game due to his solid defense. Ibanez has been a clutch hitter providing big hits late in the game. Ibanez is leading the team in batting average and homers, batting .314 with 22 homers and 60 RBI, despite being on the DL for some time.

Overall the Phillies have sent five all stars, three outfielders, while Utley, Howard, and Ibanez get most of the credit. Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth have been the underrated all stars, earning their first all star appearances.

Werth has certainly been a surprise hitting 20 homers and 56 RBI, his previous career high in homeruns is 24, he’s on pace for a 30 plus homers, 100 plus RBI season.

Team MVP—Chase Utley

It was tough picking this one, but I went with Utley because he really stepped up offensively when Ibanez went down. Utley would get some serious consideration if Albert Pujols wasn’t in the league.

Utley has become the best second baseman in baseball. Batting .310 with 20 homers and 61 RBI, Utley earned his fourth all-star appearance, not to mention his stellar defense at second base.

Team LVP—Jimmy Rollins

The 2007 MVP is this year’s LVP. Until Charlie Manuel sat him for four straight games, Rollins had been the team’s worst hitter. Rollins batted .167 in June, .238 in May, and .207 in April. He’s started to get it going, batting .381 in July. Rollins needs to get it going, because he’s the catalyst for the offense.

Second half prediction

I will make a bold prediction that the Phillies will win the division, if the Mets get healthy it may be a case of too little too late. The Marlins are too young, and the Braves don’t have that big bat.

If the Phillies make a trade for Roy Hallady they are a lock to make it to the NLCS. If Pedro Martinez is signed and becomes a reliable starter to go along with Hamels and Hallady, this team will be favored in almost any playoff series.

The Phillies’ task right now is to improve the starting pitching, to go along with the great hitting in place in order to make another run at a world championship.

Marlins-Phillies: Four-Game Series Will Dictate Second Half

Four games—that’s how far back the Marlins are off the Phillies at the All-Star break.

It’s also how many games the Marlins will play against the Phillies in Miami to start the second half. 

For the Marlins to be contenders, they need to win this series.

Splitting simply will not be enough.

Four games is hard to make up, especially with the Phillies playing the way they have as of late. The Marlins have the best chance of making up ground when the two teams go head-to-head.

After the Phillies series, the Marlins head out west for six games against the Padres and Dodgers. The Marlins historically struggle on the west coast, and it’s unlikely they would go better than 3-3 on the trip.

At the same time the Marlins will be on that six game trip, the Phillies have a seven-game home stand.

You can see where the Marlins could drastically lose ground to begin the second half. Anything less than three wins against the Phillies could end the Marlins’ playoff hopes early.

If the Marlins win one or less game in the four game series—well, you get the picture.

Now you know what Larry Beinfest is talking about when he says he’s waiting to see how the Marlins do the next few weeks.

Pablo Sandoval and NL All-Star Snubs: It’s Your Time, but Manuel Says Otherwise

“Feel the wind and set yourself a bolder course…you’ll sail the perfect line…in your time.”

—Bob Seger, “In Your Time”

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It should have been this year, 2009, but it’s coming for Pablo Sandoval.  Sooner or later, he will get his due and the entire baseball world will realize how special this player is.  Until then, I’ll do my best to hasten that day’s arrival.

With that in mind…

What’s the matter, Charlie Manuel?  Couldn’t figure a way to get Matt Stairs and Carlos Ruiz on the team?

I mean, without Stairs’ October bomb, there are no World Series rings in the City of Brotherly Love.  And Ruiz was one of the postseason heroes from behind the dish.

And how about ace Cole Hamels or Mr. Perfect, Brad Lidge?

Hamels was both the National League Championship Series and World Series Most Valuable Player; the Philly closer never blew a save all year.  Let’s get them to St. Louis for the 2009 All-Star Game as well.

Why not?

If you’re gonna blatantly reach for one of your own guys, why not REALLY reach?

Shoot, grab Jamie Moyer—at least I’d have some perverse form of respect for you instead of a total lack thereof.

Forget Pablo Sandoval for one hot second.

As much as it kills me to do this, Little Panda and his obscene first half of achievement aren’t even the scope of it anymore.  Well, they are—they’re just the parts I’ve already told. Twice.

Suffice it to say the disrespect has only gotten deeper.

But it’s also spread.

Fellow San Francisco Giants fans, brace yourselves—I’ve got to advocate for a Los Angeles Dodger.  Even worse, it’s one I’ve discovered a special disdain for due to his arrogance (although he seems to have smoothed that a bit).

Matt Kemp warranted a nod over Jayson Werth.

Unfortunately (or fortunately…I’m so confused), that’s debatable because the Philadelphia outfielder is having a pretty insane season.  Statistically, it’s slightly better than Kemp’s, but Kemp has been a vital cog for the best team in The Show over the first half.  Hence, I’d lean toward the Bum.

Just threw up a little in my mouth.

Only slightly, though.

So, instead of focusing on one of the deserving Phightin’s, let’s settle on Ryan Howard.  Because Kemp laps big dawg and you can dilute the Dodger taint by throwing in Michael Bourn’s name as well as that of Mark Reynolds and Little Money:

Player        R   2B 3B  HR   RBI  SO  SB   OBP   SLG  AVG

Reynolds   55  17   1   24   62   120  15  .353  .545  .262

Howard     53  20   2   22   66   101   4   .342  .532  .258

Sandoval   41  24   3   15   55   47    4    .387  .583  .334

Kemp        48  12   6   11   50   76   19   .388  .502  .324

Bourn        56  15   8   3    25    70   32   .364  .412  .290

Look at those numbers.  Tell me how you choose Ryan Howard.

If you’re going for power and run production, then Mark Reynolds has him beat unless you’re gonna argue three more doubles, four more RBI, and an extra triple makes up for Howard’s deficiencies in runs, home runs, stolen bases, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and average.

Forget about strikeouts; if you’re considering either of these gusts of wind, you’re not worried about whiffs.

And if you’re not basing the decision on pure run production, then Howard becomes the joke of the group.

He has the lowest average, lowest on-base percentage, an obscene amount of Ks (which would also doom Reynolds in this equation) while not outpacing any of the other candidates appreciably enough to compensate.

And those are simply raw numbers.

Consider the composition of the team:

Catcher (2)—Yadier Molina, Brian McCann

First base (4)—Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Howard

Second base (3)—Chase Utley, Orlando Hudson, Freddy Sanchez

Third base (2)—David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman

Shortstop (2)—Hanley Ramirez, Miguel Tejada

Outfield (7)—Raul Ibanez, Ryan Braun, Brad Hawpe, Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Justin Upton

Anything jump out at you there?

Like having four first basemen while there’s not even a backup for each outfielder?  Or only two capable stars at such important positions as catcher, shortstop, and the hot corner?

How about when you realize Reynolds and Sandoval patrol third base—the Arizona Diamondback is almost as brutal with the mitt as Howard while Sandoval is approaching sublime territory (he’s not quite there yet)—while Bourn and Kemp do the same in the big green?

And don’t give me the “first base is the deepest position” argument.

You already had three guys there, which qualifies as deep on this team.  Furthermore, that argument only holds water if Howard were the next most deserving first sacker on the docket.

I’d argue Todd Helton or Lance Berkman wears that mantle since each can hang with the big Phillie’s offensive production and neither is a blundering disaster with the leather.

Which is what makes this whole thing so blatantly and undeniably ridiculous.

Ryan Howard doesn’t belong on the team based on pure production.  He really doesn’t belong on the team considering the depth at the position he plays.  And he really, really doesn’t belong there when you factor in the unilateral dimension of what he brings.

Home runs—that’s IT (and, even there, Adam Dunn would’ve been a better option).

So Ryan Howard is from St. Louis, so what?

Hey, I was born in the STL.  Can I get on the team?

Does Ryan need a free trip home in this tightening economy?  Do his boyhood haunts need to see him at an All-Star game actually in St. Louis to know for sure he’s a star?

Odd, I would’ve thought the 2006 NL MVP award or the trip to that year’s All-Star Game or the 2009 World Series would’ve convinced them.  How much recognition does one man need?

But Chuckles Manuel isn’t alone.

The madness has even reached its tentacles into the American League, where Tampa Bay Ray manager Joe Maddon skimmed over Ian Kinsler in order to nab Carlos Pena as a replacement for Dustin Pedroia.

I won’t get too into that one, but both Kinsler and Pedroia play the same position.  Furthermore, most rational baseball minds know the Ranger should not only be at the Mid-Summer Classic, he should be starting.

Now, the second base dynamo gets to watch from home.

He’s not on the team because Maddon needed to reward another one of his guys.  According to the link, the rest of the starting infield was on the squad so, apparently, Joe couldn’t leave off the fourth.

Heaven forbid.

Pena makes five All-Stars for the Rays, who currently slumber in third place of an admittedly rugged division.

So, it begs the question:  What exactly is this game?

Is it an All-Star game for 2009?  Or is an excuse for 2008 World Series participants to trot out all their favorite guys on yet another national stage?

If it’s the latter, fine.  But let’s call it that—this outright deception is for the birds.

And I’m merely a San Francisco Giant fan, angry the most deserving All-Star (Pablo Sandoval) isn’t at the game.

What if you had a nice little cash bonus fading into oblivion because Manuel tabbed a player he “wanted to go?”  What if your next contract is a little lighter because you have to put “All-Star worthy” instead of “All-Star?”

What if you’re Michael Bourn or Mark Reynolds or Matt Kemp or (gulp) Pablo Sandoval and you suffer a career-ending injury in the second half?  Say “adieu” to your one and only chance at All-Star glory.

I guess you can take solace in Ryan Howard’s hometown fans seeing him play in his second All-Star Game.

Sweet.

Luckily for Pablo Sandoval and San Francisco Giant fans, Little Panda has given every impression his slight will be fuel for a second-half rampage.

One that will, by the benevolence of the Baseball Gods, linger for an entire career’s worth of All-Star appearances and reverent recognition.

Therein lies the true solace…

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“There’ll be peace across the great unbroken void…in your time.”

**www.pva.org**

A Hero Moves On: A Tribute To Chris Coste

He was a survivor. They kept him in the minors for more than thirteen years; he survived.

They sent him to Triple-A after he hit nearly .500 in Spring Training; he survived.

They signed Rod Barajas to take his job; he proved to be better.

They signed Ronnie Paulino to take his place; he won the job.

They signed Paul Bako; he finally lost.

Although you might have seen this coming (after all, the front office has been trying to get rid of him for years), “shocking” seems to be a fitting word to describe yesterday’s decision to place Phillies’ backup backstop Chris Coste on waivers. A man who’s journey to the majors was, quite literally, a book, left the city yesterday for Houston, after the Phils’ front office decided that the newly acquired Paul Bako was a better fit.

He was a man who won every Philadelphian’s heart. He was, in every sense of the word, a Philadelphia hero.

It never came easy to Coste, who was 33 when he made his major league debut with the Phillies. He never once gave up. He stuck with it through hard times and long bus-trips to farmlands and redneckvilles that minor league teams called home. He had the hard life, but he never looked at it that way. He saw it as baseball, a game he loved.

He stuck with it. He never quit. That’s why we loved him. That’s why he was a hero.

Though, at times, his play between the lines could get frustrating, we never lost respect for Coste. He got us and we got him. That’s something you rarely find in a city as demanding as Philadelphia. 

The change hit a soft spot for the thirty-six year-old Coste, as well. “I didn’t realize how much the fans would take to me,” Coste said. “I don’t know that there’s many cities around baseball that would take to me the way Philadelphia has. It’s almost the kind of stuff you could write a book about.”

But now, Coste’s storybook life will move to Houston, where he will assume a major-league roll. It’s tough to see him go, but if anyone can win a new set of fans over, it would be Coste. 

Best of luck, Chris.

Phillies: Incrementally and Synergistically Nearing Their Goal

You can’t argue with how the Phillies have constructed their baseball team.

A combination of three general managers: Ed Wade, Pat Gillick, and now Rueben Amaro, have all had their fingerprints on the makeup of this team.

Let us count the ways to a potential dynasty. It started with bringing up a young, talented core with which to build around. That nucleus is forming the foundation of a dynasty. Although a dynasty is presumptuous, it may not be too far off.

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Ryan Madson, Brett Myers, Shane Victorino (Dodgers organization), and Pat Burrell, now with Tampa Bay, were all brought in by former general manager Ed Wade.

Wade knew and understood talent, as a former disciple of former Phillies general manager Lee Thomas.

Where Ed Wade fell short, however, was adding those strategic incremental pieces to get to that next level.

Spinning in mediocrity from 2001-05, the Phillies decided, despite Wade’s keen ability to draft, nurture, and develop young talent, to relieve Wade of his duties and hire a true tactician and one of baseball’s brilliant baseball minds in Pat Gillick.

It was certainly Gillick who took the Phillies to that level all teams seek—winning a world championship.

How did Gillick and his brain trust propel a bright young nucleus of players with an underachieving complementary cast into the very best in baseball?

He did it by acquiring lower level dollar incremental pieces with which when all added up equated to a greater whole. This is what is known as synergy: The whole being greater than the sum of the individual parts. Some of those parts were in the names of Werth, Dobbs, Feliz, Ruiz, Lidge, Blanton, Bruntlett, Jenkins, Coste, Stairs, Romero, Eyre, Durbin, and Moyer.

It would be fair to say that other than Lidge’s $9 million, Gillick did get the most bang for his buck with this group.

As Gillick stated, “Winning is done by adding smaller pieces, when in summation, can potentially maximize collective chemistry and synergy than a larger deal that may not fit in with your foundation or team philosophy”.

I believe and am a student of Gillick’s teachings and principles. Now Amaro, the protege, takes the baton and puts his relay team together.

Ibanez and Park, are first in line, and who knows what is next. While teams like the Yankees, Boston, Mets, and Dodgers look for major signings, the Phillies strategically add smaller dollar players, that when added up, achieve a greater value.

The Phillies’ front office deserves the credit for having a plan and not veering from it. A combination of tangibility, intangibility, mental toughness, leadership, and grit has created the plausibility for the greatest journey of any professional sports team.

That journey begins with a young core, complementary role players, and a cerebral management.

That journey ends in the form of a dynasty, subjected to just a few who are fortunate enough to have all the pieces come together at just the right time, with just the right formula.

 

 

 

Is Joe Blanton The Philadelphia Phillies’ Best Starting Pitcher So Far?

He’s Joe Blanton.

He’s just another No. 3 or 4 starter who will amount to nothing more than an innings-eater. Correct?

Not quite.

Going back to May 26, Joe Blanton of the Philadelphia Phillies has allowed more than three runs just once, and gave up three runs twice. He has also lasted seven innings in all but three of those starts.

In that span, Blanton’s ERA is an extremely solid 2.44. Blanton is never a stat pitcher, and usually only gives you seven innings and three or four runs. Yet he has found a way to become more than an innings pitcher recently.

Blanton’s overall ERA to date this season stands at 4.44, but was as high as 8.41 after April. If it had not been for his horrid start, Blanton would be teettering on the brink of a sub-4.00 ERA.

So the question begs to be answered: Has Joe Blanton been the best pitcher for the Phillies thus far?

The only true competition for Blanton would be J.A. Happ, who is 5-0 with a 3.04 ERA. On the surface, it clearly appears that Happ has the upper hand. Yet, Happ does not have the number of starts Blanton does, and does not pitch as deep into games.

When Happ takes the mound, you can be confident to get a quality start, but you know the bullpen is likely to be used for two or three innings.

When Blanton starts every fifth day, you can feel confident that the bullpen wil.

Is it safe to call Blanton the Phillies’ best starting pitcher this season? Possibly. Happ will beg to differ that his numbers conquer those of Blanton’s, but his numbers since he turned it on tower those of Happ in that same span (Blanton’s quality pitching began May 26, and Happ began as a starter on May 23).

If I had to choose Blanton or Happ to pitch one game in which I needed a win, I would easily take Blanton.

I know I can depend on him pitching into the eighth inning, possibly even longer, and him allowing three or less runs. With this offense, that should nearly guarantee a victory.

But hey, I’ll still hands down send Cole Hamels to the mound if I need a win in October. There’s no doubt about that.

But when it comes down to performance this season, I have to go with Joe Blanton.

Here’s A Thought: The Phillies Should Get Hector Ambriz, Not Pedro Martinez

Much has been made of the Philadelphia Phillies’ recent pursuit of Pedro Martinez.

I was pondering that potential acquisition today, and it does make sense on a certain level.

Pedro Martinez has a ton of big-league experience, he’s only 37, and signing him gives the Phillies a fifth starter to complement the Cole Hamels/J.A. Happ/Joe Blanton/Jamie Moyer quartet.

Aside from Moyer’s bad luck with the home run ball this year, the four have pitched well enough to get by in their roles. But Antonio Bastardo clearly isn’t a big-league pitcher yet, and Rodrigo Lopez is years behind his days of being effective.

The Phillies need a fifth starter, and they need one badly.

Could Pedro fill that role? Sure.

There’s a problem, however.

Pedro Martinez is no longer a known commodity. Yes, he was unbelievable in five 2007 starts, he was a good fourth starter in 2006, and he was excellent before that. But last year, he was barely serviceable at the back of the Mets’ rotation.

In particular, Martinez suffered from the home run ball in 2008 (1.57 HR/9). Pitching in old Shea Stadium, a pitcher’s park, Martinez couldn’t keep the ball in the yard.

What makes you think he’ll keep it inside Citizens Bank Bandbox?

Of course, there’s nothing to lose, other than a couple million dollars and some innings.

But should the Phillies take that risk?

Perhaps they should, but only if there are no alternatives.

Roy Halladay, Erik Bedard and other big names are often thrown around, but I think the Phillies should take a different approach.

I decided to look around Triple-A and try to find someone who would fit the Phillies’ needs.

To be successful in a Phillies uniform, a pitcher must be able to prevent homers. To be successful in the major leagues at all, a pitcher must have a good strikeout-to-walk ratio.

To be a more worthwhile acquisition than Pedro Martinez, a pitcher must possess both those traits and not be a hot prospect.

I looked around Triple-A. There are a bunch of guys who meet two out of the three criteria very nicely, but there’s one name that sticks out as a perfect fit.

Hector Ambriz.

You’ve probably never heard of Ambriz unless you’re a Diamondbacks fan or a minor league nutcase like me. Ambriz is a chunky 25-year-old righty with a 5.74 ERA in Triple-A. He wasn’t ranked in the Diamondbacks’ top 30 prospects by Baseball America entering the season (although he was ranked No. 27 coming into 2008).

So why on earth am I saying the Phillies should turn to an out-of-shape non-prospect to fix their rotation?

Well, let’s run through the three qualifications.

Hector Ambriz has thrown 62 2/3 innings pitching in a hitter’s league with a hitter’s home park. He has allowed just three home runs, for a sparkling .43 HR/9. This isn’t a fluke: Ambriz consistently has kept the ball in the park in his minor league career. He’s certainly capable of a homer rate of less than one HR/9 if pitching in Philadelphia.

In those 62 2/3 innings, Ambriz has struck out 56 batters and walked just 23, for an above-average 2.43 ratio. Again, this would likely go down a bit in the majors, but Ambriz should be able to keep the K/BB ratio around 2.00.

Ambriz’s 5.74 ERA is a mirage created by a .380 BABIP and 58.9% strand rate, two numbers that are purely luck and way out of line with anything he’s ever done in his career. His FIP is just 3.18, an outstanding figure.

In the majors, pitching in a similarly difficult park, Ambriz profiles as a 4.00 ERA pitcher. If you want a statistical comparison, think Paul Maholm in 2008. Maholm posted a 2.21 K/BB ratio and a .92 HR/9, while keeping 53.6 percent of balls on the ground. That added up to a 4.15 FIP.

Stuff-wise, there’s not much to worry about: Ambriz isn’t a trick pitcher. He throws his heater in the 89-96 range, sitting at 90-93. He’s got a plus splitter, an average curveball, and a usable changeup. Imagine if Joe Blanton threw a plus splitter instead of an average slider, and you’d have a rough comparison for Ambriz.

There’s also the matter of Ambriz’s availability: in order to be a better fit than Pedro, Ambriz needs to be easy to acquire.

Given that he’s 25 and just getting to Triple-A, Ambriz isn’t exactly a well-regarded guy. Scouts think he’s overweight, which hurts him. The 5.74 ERA also makes Ambriz look worse than he is. I mentioned Baseball America‘s disregard for the righthander this year, which reflects the general consensus.

All the Phillies need to do to get Ambriz is give up someone like Mike Cervenak, who has no use in Philly but could be the infield utility guy Arizona wants. Failing that, some low-minors C-or-D-level prospect like Jason De Fratus would be enough to get Ambriz.

The point is, the Phillies can acquire Ambriz quite easily without giving up anyone they’ll miss.

The Phillies also get Ambriz for six years of team control, whereas Pedro would only be around for one.

With a good four-pitch arsenal and solid numbers in every area, especially homers, Hector Ambriz is a perfect fit for the Phillies.

While signing Pedro Martinez isn’t the worst of ideas, it’s quite clear that in trading for Hector Ambriz, the Phillies have a much more worthwhile alternative, for both 2009 and future seasons.

Philadelphia Phillies Send Trio of Outfielders to All-Star Game, Continue to Win

All three starting outfielders for one major league team are heading to the All-Star game for the first time since 1995, when the Cleveland Indians sent Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, and Albert Belle.

This season, the Philadelphia Phillies will be the club sending its starting outfielders to the Midsummer Classic with the group of Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth.

Ibanez was the top vote-getter among National League outfielders, while Victorino was voted in by the fans in the final vote, garnering about 15 million votes.

Jayson Werth was added earlier today to replace injured Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran.

Ibanez was a sure selection, while Victorino and Werth cause more controversy.

Victorino was voted to St. Louis over the Giants’ third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who many thought deserved it more than the Flyin’ Hawaiian. Yet, it became clear as the voting progressed that Victorino simply wanted it more.

His up-beat attitude and overall like-ability is the likely reason to why he was voted in.

Jayson Werth was selected by Charlie Manuel, who is managing the NL team in the game, to replace Beltran.

Although he may not be the “most deserving,” Werth is third among NL outfielders with 20 home runs, fifth in RBI with 54, eighth in stolen bases with 12, second in runs with 59, seventh in SLG and OPS at .522 and .894, respectively, ninth in OBP at .373, and second in walks with 49.

Not to be forgotten, and rarely shown in statistics, is Werth’s pure ability to run the bases.

If all of that isn’t enough to get the man into the All-Star Game, what is?

You can argue that Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp deserved it, but Werth beats Kemp out in home runs, doubles, RBI, runs, OBP and OPS.

Add to that the fact that Werth will most likely not be in contention for the game for too many more seasons, while Kemp will almost certainly be a part of the Midsummer Classics for years to come.

We can continue to argue that neither Werth or Victorino deserved it, but both players have worked tirelessly to get to this point, and are backed by some of the best fans in baseball. They deserve it, no doubt about it.

Moving forward, let’s go back to my opening paragraph when I stated that the Phillies are the first team since 1995 to send their starting outfielders to the All-Star game.

As I said, that 1995 team was the Cleveland Indians. Who was their hitting coach? More importantly, why should you care? Because it was Charlie Manuel, the Phillies’ skipper.

Another record set by the Phillies this season is their group of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth, who have all hit 20 home runs. This means the Phillies are just the second team of all-time to have four batters with 20 or more home runs by the All-Star break.

Could there be a fifth 20-home run hitter in the near future?

Well, if Jimmy Rollins is able to hit 13 home runs over the next two games, then yes. Other than that, no, there will not be another member to the Phillies group of sluggers.

In other news, the Phillies won their seventh game out of the eight played on the current home stand this evening with a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Joe Blanton was once again solid, allowing four hits and one run over 7.1 innings. Brad Lidge entered the game in the ninth inning with one out, and notched the save after allowing a two-out home run to David Moss.

Their current lead in the National League East stands at 2.5 games.

The Florida Marlins, who sit in second place, have just began their game in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.

The New York Mets kept up their losing ways with a 3-0 defeat to the hands of the Cincinnati Reds, moving them 6.5 games back of the Phillies.

Finally, Raul Ibanez was activated off the 15-day disabled list today. The Phillies waived catcher Chris Coste in order to fit Ibanez onto the roster. Coste was quickly picked up by the Houston Astros.

Ibanez did not play Friday, but is likely to start on Saturday.

If the Phillies can manage to keep up their hot play, especially with the return of Ibanez and the overall play of the All-Star outfield, they just may begin to run away with division later this month.

If that were to occur, would a trade for Roy Halladay be as realistic, or would a trade for a number three starter make more sense?

Right now, it’s all up in the air. All we know is that the Phillies are still the defending champions and are finally showing again. Whether any trades are made will be seen in the coming weeks.

Roy Halladay: Four Teams That Should Go After the Ace

Earlier this week the Toronto Blue Jays started listening to offers for Roy Halladay, their strong ace, after falling out of the AL East race. Surely there are teams interested, but not many may want to pay the price that they are asking for. I have come up with a list of five teams that should consider going after the ace, and establish a run in this years playoffs.

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