Ryan Howard Injury: Matt Rizzotti Can Replace the Ailing Slugger

For a while now, we knew the Phillies‘ slugging first baseman Ryan Howard felt soreness in his left heel. We just did not think he would tear his Achilles Heel and be sidelined for approximately six months.  

The Howard injury does not only represent the Phillies’ tough elimination from the 2011 NLDS, but it also highlights a large list titled “Phillies’ Offseason To-Do.”  

Replacing Ryan Howard for a few months of the 2012 season, or longer, will be no easy task.  He leads the team bye far with 33 home runs and 116 RBIs.

Many suggest that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. should search the free agency for an above average batter who can play first base and more (Michael Cuddyer was the biggest name).  Investing money in a first baseman, however, will only decrease Amaro’s flexibility to sign other free agents and re-sign some of their own players.  

There must be an in-house solution!

John Mayberry Jr. has developed quite a convincing case to be an everyday starter in 2012. Considering he has 18 games of experience at first base, he may well get his chance to start.

 Now, it is not a matter of whether he can handle first base or not, rather it is a matter of whether Dominic Brown is ready to step onto a Major League roster in left field, a position he has only recently started playing in.  Also, his offensive numbers in 2011 are not too inviting.  In order to keep Mayberry in left field and replace Ryan Howard the cheapest way possible, the Phillies might want to consider bringing up Matt Rizzotti.

At 25 years old, Matt Rizzotti is arguably ready for the majors.  On three different minor league affiliates in 2010, left handed first baseman Rizzotti hit .343/.430/.555 with 17 homers and 76 RBIs.  In 2011 AA Ball, Rizzotti hit .295/.392/.511 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs.

One can argue that Rizzotti could not handle AAA Ball, and that is why he was sent back to AA. Although not an ideal move to take a guy who spent his whole season in AA and give him a starting role on a Major League roster, the Phillies do not have much flexibility, and Rizzotti might perform better offensively than Dominic Brown, who had nothing to show in both the majors and the minors in 2011.  

Bringing Rizzotti to the majors would provide a cheap option to replace Howard for a number of months.  His effective offense in the minors proves that he might be ready to hit in the big leagues (at least more ready than Freddy Galvis is).  If Matt Rizzotti can find his stride and adjust quickly, he may find himself a permanent spot on a big league roster. 

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Phillies Take 6 out of 7 Against NL Contenders: What We Learned

It is always fun for the fans when the Phillies go on a tear, but how about defeating two playoff contenders, one a division rival, in connecting series’?  Let the fun begin!

Earlier today, the Phillies, fresh off a sweep of the Atlanta Braves, finished up a four game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, taking three out of four at Miller Park where the Brewers are 51-22. There had been many questions earlier:

“Will the rotation continue their consistent dominance into September?”

“Does the young bullpen possess the longevity and experience to pitch well the rest of the season and into the playoffs?”

“Will the offense continue to be streaky?”

Well, this is what we learned in the last seven days.

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Phillies Playoff Preview: John Mayberry Jr Will Be Key Factor in the Playoffs

It almost looks easy.  The Philadelphia Phillies are cruising their way to their fifth straight appearance in October ball.  

In an all too short regular season, the Phillies have been noticeably succeeding in just about every aspect possible.  However, the regular season only accounts for a ticket to the playoffs; in October, every player starts anew and all past statistics are forgotten.  All that matters is the here and now.

Young outfielder John Mayberry Jr. has had a heck of a season for a player with only 220 at-bats to date.  His .268/.336/.518 line demonstrates his healthy contribution to the team this regular season, and as the playoffs hastily approach, Mayberry will continue to be a key factor of the team’s success, now and beyond.  

Before Hunter Pence joined the Phillies, left-handed pitching had been the greatest struggle for the batters.  Pence, since joining the Phillies, has batted a respectable .307 against southpaws.  The rest of the Phillies core in their lineup has struggled against lefties (Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez).  Come playoff time, Mayberry’s .307/.358/.614 line against lefties will come in handy for Charlie Manuel, whether it’s a pinch hit at-bat or a start for a struggling Ibanez.

Raul Ibanez has struggled both offensively and defensively all season long.  Due to Ibanez’s .197 batting average against lefties, Mayberry has been starting more games against lefties.  So if Ibanez struggles in the playoffs against left, or even right handed pitchers, those at-bats will go to Mayberry who bats .242/.322/.455 against righties.  Yeah, that’s a higher OBP and Slugging Percentage against righties than Ibanez’s.  

Before my next point let me make this clear: John Mayberry should not start over Ryan Howard!  That being said, if Ryan Howard struggles at the plate against lefties (like he did all season), or in general (like he did last postseason), John Mayberry Jr would most likely earn more at-bats and playing time in the playoffs.  

Assuming that Mayberry would bat in the middle of the lineup, Howard’s production with RISP would be evenly matched as Howard bats .311 with six homers in 148 at-bats, while Mayberry hits .315 with two homers in only 54 at-bats.  Mayberry would provide the necessary pop in the middle of the lineup if the lineup lacks that pop, and would surely compliment the Phillies’ core of lefty hitters.

With so many disappointing endings to countless Phillies seasons in the past, there is no telling exactly what problems will affect them this October run, but one thing is a given; if the Phillies need a guy to run, field, hit in a tight situation, make an at-bat against a lefty, or start for a struggling or injured player, they can find it in John Mayberry Jr. 

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Power Rankings: 5 Things To Love and Hate About the Philadelphia Phillies

“Love” and “hate” are strong words. This past offseason, Phillies fans loved the astonishing acquisition made by Philadelphia Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro Jr. to sign starting pitcher Cliff Lee, keeping him in a Phillies uniform until at least 2016 (with the exception of trade).

Now I’m sure there are many baseball fanatics that can think of countless reasons, practical or not,  to hate the Phillies. Here are five things to love and hate about the Phillies through the eyes of a diehard Phillies fan. Hope you enjoy! 

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Stepping Up To The Plate: Can Ryan Howard Recapture The Magic In 2011?

Only a chosen few minor league baseball players from each team earn the opportunity to play in the big leagues. Of these, only a select few rise to the upper echelon of the Majors.  Ryan Howard earned just this opportunity in 2005 to play in the Majors as an everyday starter after Philadelphia Phillies‘ first baseman Jim Thome became injured and was out indefinitely.  

In 2005, Howard seized the moment and won the NL ROY award appearing in only 88 games.  He subsequently won the first base job, and in 2006, he had to follow through with a good season.  He did just that and far beyond.

In 2006, he took Philadelphia and the majors by storm batting .313/.425/.659 with 58 home runs and 149 RBI’s and in the process capturing the NL MVP Award.  In one fell swoop, he had established himself as one of the elite talents in all of the Majors.

While still putting up MVP-caliber numbers from 2007-2009 by crushing at least 40 home runs and 135 RBI’s in each season, the young slugger seemed to fall a notch in comparison to his stellar 2006 full year debut with his batting average dropping under the .280 mark in each of those years aside from his drop in power production.  

In 2010, a further production falloff was evident whereby Howard went though long episodes without hitting a single home run. Although he was still driving in runners and his batting average was higher, his power numbers were falling off further.  Coming out of the all-star break, nevertheless, Howard was in position to have a strong second half by maintaining his high average while boosting his power production.  

Suddenly in early August, Howard went down with an ankle sprain which landed him on the 15-day DL, and lets face it, upon his return to the line-up after missing 16 games, Howard struggled to regain the momentum he had had.  Scott Butler pointed out in a recent blog that “After July and before the injury, Howard had a .292 average with 23 home runs and 91 RBIs. That would have put him on pace for 36 homers and 127 RBIs, which would have been 11 less HR than his 162 game average, but 13 points above his normal batting average and 15 RBIs below his normal RBI totals* Howard just wasn’t the same for the first couple weeks after the injury, batting just .125 with 1 home run and 4 RBIs in 10 games in August.

The Phillies still made the post-season with barely any offensive contributions due to the outstanding pitching displayed by 2010 MVP Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels. 

They had made it past the first round with a complete lack of hitting, but they finally paid the price for their slumbering offense as the Phillies fell to the San Francisco Giants in game four of the NLCS.  The loss was crippling and to make things worse for Ryan Howard, he was the last strikeout of the game, yikes! 

The 2010 season was disappointing for the Ryan Howard and the Phillies offense as a whole.  A lot of questions linger for Ryan Howard this coming season.  Will his power come back, will his batting average get higher, and will The Big Piece stay healthy? 

Ryan, you have done a lot for Philadelphia.  You’ve won an MVP award, you have made three all-star appearances and doing so while St. Louis Cardinals‘ first baseman Albert Pujols has dominated baseball as the most consistent, offensive player, making it difficult for Ryan or anyone else to compete for any awards in the NL.  You have led Philadelphia to a golden age with four post-season appearances, three NLCS appearances, two WS appearances, one title and one season having the best record in the majors.  Yes, we owe a lot to you Ryan, but we frankly expect more.  

Your numbers have been respectable in the past few seasons, yet you have simply not returned  to your 2006 MVP form.  Do fans have the right to expect you to have future seasons where you again hit in the range of 58 homers and 149 RBI’s, while still batting .313?  I would respond yes, that it is reasonable to expect you to once again put up such numbers.  At 31 years old, you are in your athletic prime and your ankle injury of the previous season will be completely behind you.  Further, coming out of the 2009 season, you committed yourself during the off-season to shedding much of your excess pounds in order to be in better shape.  You successfully achieved a significant weight loss in a relatively short time frame, and this rapid weight loss arguably could have compromised your stamina and your strength and been the cause for your drop in power production.  At this stage, your body has likely adapted to the weight loss, and thus you should now be physically poised to perform at a high offensive level for this coming season.    

Additionally, with the long-term signing made in mid-2010 that will keep you in red pinstripes through 2017, you should now be able to devote your full attention to focus on simply playing baseball, with the mental distraction of your career path uncertainties now laid by the wayside.  

The table is now set for you.  Nobody believes that the numbers you put up in 2006 were a fluke and that you do not have the capability to put up such numbers once again.  If anything, your five years of major league experience and accumulated knowledge should theoretically propel you to even more outstanding offensive accomplishments than those of any year of your career, including 2006! 

Your team has a lot riding on you for you to perform like the MVP-caliber player you once were, and we are all pulling for you to put it all together for this coming season.  Good luck Ryan- we are all watching. 

*Reflects corrected data from Scott Butler’s original blog.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ Fire Arms: 10 Bold Predictions for the Phillies Pitchers

December 15, 2009: The Philadelphia Phillies acquire right-handed pitcher and AL Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay and Seattle prospects Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies and J.C. Ramirez in a blockbuster trade that sent left-handed pitcher and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and Phillies prospects Michael Taylor, Travis d’Arnaud and Kyle Drabek to Seattle and Toronto.

July 29, 2010: The Philadelphia Phillies trade away left-handed starting pitcher and top prospect J.A. Happ, and prospects Jonathan Villar and Anthony Gose to Houston for right-handed starting pitcher Roy Oswalt.  This acquisition was seen as a redemption-like move for Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. since he had traded away Cliff Lee for prospects that are yet to show any sign of brilliance.  

With this rotation, the Phillies finished off the last 68 games of their season by going a whopping 49-19!  However, the “Big Three” were not enough to go to the World Series, as the offense was shut down by the San Francisco Giants’ “Big Four.”  

The Giants went on to win the World Series and the Phillies were left with many unanswered questions, but none pertaining to the rotation.  The rotation seemed set for the 2011 season and the main focus was set on the bullpen and in right field, or at least we thought..

December 14, 2010: The Philadelphia Phillies pull one of the biggest upsets of the decade and sign left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee, who was universally expected to sign with the New York Yankees or Texas Rangers.  They signed him to a five-year $120 million contract with a sixth year option.  

This astonishing move startled writers, fans and even players.  With this “Big Four,” the expectations of Philadelphia fans for the 2011 season are higher than ever and the four aces are now expected to perform at a historic level.  

It is almost difficult to remember that there are other pitchers on the Phillies, such as: RHP closer Brad Lidge, RHP set-up man Ryan Madson, LHP reliever J.C Romero, RHP starter Joe Blanton (who could be traded before the season begins), RHP starter Kyle Kendrick and RHP starter and rookie Vance Worley.

The only question that still stands for Philadelphia fans about their pitchers is how they will perform this coming season?  Here are 10 predictions about the Phillies pitchers that may answer some questions: 

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Philadelphia Signs Cliff Lee: Why the Phillies Are Still Not Like the Yankees

The Phillies‘ recent acquisition of Cliff Lee is drawing the attention of baseball writers all over the country.  Many of them commend GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and his bold decision to acquire the lefty, but others are not quite as generous.  

Although Cliff Lee left money on the table, it still took Philadelphia a boat load of money to bring him back into red pinstripes.  So much money actually, that the Phillies are even being compared to the New York Yankees who are infamous for purchasing the top free agents on the market without any financial limitations.

Now I must confess, I am a die-hard Philadelphia Phillies fan, but it does not take a genius to see that the Phillies are by no means like the Yankees.  Here are some reasons (they are in no specific order):

 

1. The Phillies Payroll Is a Lot Smaller Than the Yankees’

I am not saying the Phillies and Yankees are not comparable.  They both have very high payrolls, they both purchase and trade for stellar players and they both have comparable lineups.  However, the Phillies payroll is around $50 million smaller than the Yankees payroll.

$50 million is a lot of money!  To put that in perspective, the 2009 payroll of the Florida Marlins was smaller than $50 million.  With the big names in free agency this season and an extra $50 million, the Phillies could have re-signed Jayson Werth, still have inked Cliff Lee, signed free-agent outfielder Carl Crawford, acquired the top left-handed reliever on the market in Scott Downs and they could use the remaining money to upgrade the bullpen even further.  Now that team would be “Yankee comparable.”

The Phillies have also publicized their interest in getting rid of starting pitcher Joe Blanton to help reduce the large number that is the Phillies payroll.  They have acknowledged that a large sum of money was spent and they are planning on loosening the payroll with a trade.  If they do not get this done however, they have many contracts ending after the 2011 season, and they will eat Blanton’s salary until they lose players to free agency like Raul Ibanez, and possibly Jimmy Rollins and Brad Lidge.  Needless to say, after losing those hefty salaries, they will have more money to spend on other players.

 

2. Cliff Lee Was Once a Phillie

In July of 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies were looking to ink a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher to assist them in their quest to their second straight World Series.  Roy Halladay was their prime target, but J.P Ricciardi’s asking price was far too high, so they settled for Cliff Lee.  Lee instantly became a fan favorite in Philadelphia leading them to their second straight World Series.

Before the 2010 season began, the Phils were looking to re-attempt to acquire right-handed pitcher Roy Halladay.  Philadelphia fans had already made shirts that said “Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee,” but GM Ruben Amaro Jr. felt that the Phillies needed to replenish their farm system, so he sent Cliff Lee away to Seattle for prospects that turned out to be quite mediocre.

This move was very unpopular in Philadelphia, and at the next trade deadline, Ruben Amaro redeemed himself with the acquisition of right-handed starting pitcher Roy Oswalt.  This had already given the Phillies one of the top rotations in all of the majors, but it was not enough as the Phillies fell to the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS.

Now, one could compare the Phillies to the Yankees, accusing them of stealing the No. 1 free agent on the market, but as poor as the excuse may sound, Cliff Lee is an exception. 

Amaro had earlier stated before the signing that the Phillies payroll is very tight and it would take only a rare exception to expand the payroll any further.  Although Cliff Lee was the top free agent in the free agency pool this year, the Phillies would not have spent that money on Carl Crawford; not once did the Phillies even mention that they were attempting to sign the top outfielder on the free-agent market.

Letting Cliff Lee go in the first place was a mistake—Amaro knew Cliff Lee wanted to be in Philadelphia.  Opportunities, like getting the top pitcher on the free-agent market for much less money, rarely ever occur.  Cliff Lee had a connection with Philadelphia and it is not much of a surprise that they got him; if his name was “Liff Cee” and he never played for the Phillies, they probably would not have tried to get him.  

If you want to compare the Phillies to the Yankees, do not start comparing them after the signing of Cliff Lee, because, although it is improving the team’s already-stellar rotation, Cliff Lee has a connection with Philadelphia.  

 

3. Most Phillies Have Been on the Team Since Drafted

Philadelphia’s core lineup and the majority of their team consists of players that were drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies or players that came into the majors from the Phillies farm system.  Some of their best players—Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, and Cole Hamels emerged from the Phillies farm system and became the highly regarded players that they are today.

The Phillies’ large payroll is merely a result of retaining their Philadelphia products.  The New York Yankees have six players that they once drafted and 3 of them shape their core: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano, Brett Gardner, and Phil Hughes.  It may seem that they have a lot of homegrown talent, but they have acquired more of their players through trade and free agency and those names like C.C Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, A.J Burnett, and Javier Vasquez are some of the Yankees bigger contributors.  Now it is true that the Yankees have a lot of young talent currently in their systems, but trades do occur and some of those players will be on different clubs in the future. 

So as you can see, the Philadelphia Phillies may be comparable to the New York Yankees, but in terms of accusations towards the Phillies for purchasing the top players on the market, the Phillies are very different.  Let me know what you think.  Thanks! 

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