Philadelphia Phillies: 15 Most Unforgettable Postseason Games

For the most part, this list consists of unforgettably joyous Phillies postseason games.  A few exceptions had to be thrown in…only because they are just so damn unforgettable. 

Obviously the Phillies have played the majority of their postseason games in the last five seasons, but the magical season of 1980 and some others creep in as well. 

Here we go.

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2012 Philadelphia Phillies: Trade Cole Hamels to Save the Season?

What if Chase Utley is unable to play this season?  Do you have faith that rookie Freddy Galvis can hit major league pitching? With Ryan Howard gone until June, are you comfortable with Jim Thome, John Mayberry, Laynce Nix and Ty Wiggington filling in at first?  Can Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino stay healthy enough to keep this team afloat? 

So many valid questions that need to be answered.

The Phillies depleted their farm system in the Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee/Hunter Pence trades over the last three seasons, so there really aren’t too many hot prospects down on the farm who can bring in a nice haul to fill in the 2012 gaps.  Phillies starting pitcher Joe Blanton is continuously discussed in possible deals to free up a little bit of money, but for not much in return.  So the question is, who could be dealt to possibly save the 2012 season?

The answer: Cole Hamels

It definitely wouldn’t be the most popular move—unless fans were thrilled with what they got in return.  Also, they would have to keep Blanton and move Vance Worley to No. 3 in the rotation, Blanton to No. 4, and take swing-man Kyle Kendrick out of the bullpen and into the No. 5 spot.

Halladay, Lee, Worley, Blanton, Kendrick.  Not exactly the “Four Aces” of 2011, but a very workable rotation.

So who could the Phillies possibly partner with in a deal involving Cole Hamels?

First, a stud veteran infielder who is possibly on the last one or two years of his contract.  How about Cincinnati Reds second basemen Brandon Phillips?  His agents have met with Reds ownership to discuss a contract extension just like Hamels here.  He’s a terrific all-around player who would fit nicely into the Phillies lineup, especially if Utley’s best days are in the rearview mirror.  You can still hang onto Utley and play him at third base, a less physically demanding position than second.  Possibly include Placido Polanco in the deal and get an arm back from Cincinnati in the deal.

The proposal:  Cole Hamels & Placido Polanco for Brandon Phillips and left-handed reliever Bill Bray.

Who’s Bill Bray?  Bray appeared in 79 games last season and went 5-3 with a 2.98 ERA and sparkling 1.08 ERA.  The Reds already added lefty Sean Marshall to their pen, so they could afford to include Bray for arguably one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Polanco could play second in Phillips’ absence and they should still have enough pop in their lineup with Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Drew Stubbs.

Look, the Phillies won the 2008 World Series with a rotation of Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer and Blanton.  The current rotation without Hamels is better than that.  Where the Phillies lack compared to their 2008 season is the lineup.  Brandon Phillips could change all of that and Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is quick to make bold moves.

It definitely would not be the most popular trade for Phillies’ fans to digest seeing their “Hollywood” 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP dealt, but it might just be the type of move needed to get them back to the World Series.

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2012 Philadelphia Phillies: How Chase Utley’s Absence Changes the Lineup

It was definitely not a shock to learn from Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr that second baseman Chase Utley had left camp to get his knees checked out by a specialist. Face it Phillies fans, Chase Utley will never be the same. The way Utley gave his all every night disregarding his body for the betterment of the team has cut short his career longevity. 

When he returns, Utley will look more and more like the guy who played the second half of the 2011 season who hit .259 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI. Of course, appreciate what Utley did as the every day second baseman for the previous seven seasons, but understand its over.

That brings us to today’s announcement and what that does to the lineup. As it looks right now, here are the starters:

C- Carlos Ruiz

1b- John Mayberry/Jim Thome

2b- Freddy Galvis

SS- Jimmy Rollins

3b- Placido Polanco/Ty Wigginton

LF- Juan Pierre/Scott Podsednik/Laynce Nix

CF- Shane Victorino

RF- Hunter Pence

 

Galvis has had a nice spring offensively and should be fine going from shortstop to second base defensively. Mayberry is probably the every day first baseman as I just don’t see Jim Thome playing more than once a week. Pierre & Podsednik are in a dog fight to make the roster while Nix will edge out Domonic Brown, who has looked good but still suffers nagging injuries.

With Utley out of the customary three-hole and Ryan Howard missing from the cleanup spot, Manager Charlie Manuel has his hands full mixing and matching every night.

So, here is how I think Charlie should pencil it in vs right handed and left handed pitchers:

VS RIGHT

1. Scott Podsednik  LF

2. Placido Polanco   3b

3. Jimmy Rollins   SS

4. Hunter Pence    RF

5. Shane Victorino   CF

6. John Mayberry   1b

7. Carlos Ruiz   C

8. Freddy Galvis   2b

COMMENTS:  Podsednik has shown he has more in the tank than Pierre this spring and deserves the chance to be the spark plug. While Rollins has always been a leadoff hitter, he hasn’t been prototypical and he has the experience and confidence to not let the three-hole freak him out. 

Victorino is in the five-hole basically to break up Pence and Mayberry. Of course if Polanco isn’t healthy, he shouldn’t be in the two-hole, much less the lineup. Mayberry might eventually become a cleanup type hitter, but six is perfect for him now.

 

VS LEFT

1. Shane Victorino    CF

2. Placido Polanco    3b

3. Jimmy Rollins   SS

4. Hunter Pence   RF

5. John Mayberry   LF

6. Ty Wigginton   1b

7. Carlos Ruiz   C

8. Freddy Galvis   2b

COMMENTS: Wiggington replaces Podsednik and Victorino moves to the leadoff spot. If Galvis struggles, Wiggington can play third and Polanco can move to second or just play Wigginton at second. Mayberry is a solid defensive outfielder so Wigginton can play first vs lefties.

Thome and Nix will get some spot starts vs righties but will mainly be used off the bench.

Manuel has his work cut out for him to begin the 2012 season. The Phillies are still led by starting pitchers Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, but how much pressure will be placed on them to basically toss shutouts until Utley and Howard return, if they even do. 

Charlie is arguably the best manager in Phillies’ history, but he might be tested more this season than any other season in mixing together the correct lineups night in and night out. It’s a shame that Utley’s career has come to this but that’s how it goes. The Phillies can do nothing but move on, adjust and live up to the lofty expectations that they have.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Top 20 Phillies Catchers of All Time

I’m pretty certain this has been done before, but in doing the research, it was before the Carlos Ruiz era.  So, let’s see where Chooch ranks among the all-time greatest Phillies backstops heading into the 2012 season.  These rankings factor in:

Games Played, AB’s, Runs Scored, Home Runs, RBI, Average and Postseason Awards.

 

So here we go….

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2012 Philadelphia Phillies: Hunter Pence Must Win MVP

First off, is Phillies‘ right fielder Hunter Pence the type of player that can win an MVP award or is he better suited to be a complimentary player? 

Everyone saw what happened to ex-Phillie Jayson Werth when he signed that huge contract with the Washington Nationals and was asked to be “THE man.”  Didn’t quite work out.  It’s not to say Werth isn’t a terrific player because I still believe he is.  But some players thrive being “THE man,” while others perform better being a complimentary piece.

So back to Pence.  The highest he has ever finished in MVP voting was last season finishing 16th. Without a doubt, he flourished in Philly.  In approximately half the amount of games he played in Houston, Pence came over and hit as many home runs as he did in Houston and his OPS ballooned from .828 to .954. Expand his Philly numbers out to a full season and this is what you would get:

                  AB    R    H     D    T    HR    RBI    AVG    BB    K    SB

Pence        621   105  201  36   6    33     105    .324      78    114   3

 

.324-33-105 are easily MVP numbers for a division champ and it’s just the type of year the Phillies need out of Pence if they are going to try and get another World Championship with this nucleus.

Can Pence put up those kind of numbers being the man?

In Houston, Pence was always surrounded by players like Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee & former AL MVP Miguel Tejada as the leading men. Last year after the trade, Pence had Chase Utley and two former MVP’s Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins leading the way. In 2012, it appears it’s his turn to step to the front of the line like Werth was asked to do in Washington.  How Pence reacts to that might determine how far this team goes.

Howard’s season is possibly in jeopardy while Utley’s health will certainly be a question mark for the remainder of his career.   Rollins is definitely a key figure for the Phillies but he hasn’t sniffed the 2007-type MVP numbers since that year.  Shane Victorino is a solid Major Leaguer but doesn’t do quite enough to put a team on his back and carry them.  Classic complimentary player.

Pence isn’t the type of guy who will shy away from the burden of carrying the team.  He quickly became a fan favorite in Philly for his “balls to the wall” effort, enthusiasm and catchy “Good game, let’s go eat” quote.

The NL East should be more competitive this season.  Atlanta has a solid rotation, impressive young players to add to veterans Dan Uggla, Brian McCann and Chipper Jones, and a stellar back of the bullpen that will enable them to win a ton of tight games. 

The Nationals are getting better every season and their rotation is talented and deep.  New manager Ozzie Guillen and free agent signee Jose Reyes should provide the Marlins with a much needed spark.  If their pitching can stay healthy, specifically ace Josh Johnson, the Marlins can have one of those “out of nowhere” seasons like their World Series titles in 1997 and 2003.

The Phillies won’t be able to coast to another NL East title on Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels alone.

It was amazing to see a team win 102 games last season and not really have an MVP candidate.   Halladay/Lee/Hamels carried this team throughout the season but it’s rare to see a division winner without some sort of offensive MVP threat.  It shows you how impressive the Phils’ pitchers were in 2011. 

Phillies fans have been lenient and understanding with this nucleus of talent and divisional dominating run they have been so blessed with the past five years.  But the last two seasons have ended in agonizing disappointment.  The 2012 squad does have enough talent to win it all.  It just might take a little more from the lineup minus some key figures to get this done.

Weight of the World….. meet Hunter Pence, Hunter Pence….. meet Weight of the World.  If the two of you become the best of friends, the Phillies might be parading down Broad Street yet again.

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2012 Philadelphia Phillies: Don’t Trade Joe Blanton!

One of the most memorable scenes from the 2008 World Series was pitcher Joe Blanton crushing Tampa Bay Rays hurler Edwin Jackson’s fast ball into the left field stands.  Blanton will probably never have to buy another meal in Philadelphia after that dinger not to mention the stellar performance on the hill that night.

The following season, Blanton went 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA and struck out a career high 163 batters in 195.1 innings. He started Game 4 vs the Yankees and allowed four runs in six innings while striking out seven. He didn’t factor into the decision as former closer Brad Lidge took the “L” in the ninth. But the Phillies were impressed enough to sign him to a 3-year $24 million contract after the ’09 season and things became a little rocky after that.

In 2010, Blanton started the season on the DL with a strained oblique but he was a fixture in the rotation after that.  He started 28 games and finished 9-6 with a 4.82 ERA.

2011 was a waste.  Elbow issues forced Blanton to the sidelines for basically the entire season.  The big right-hander started eight games and tossed just 41.1 innings.  Blanton said he didn’t ever feel completely healthy until the playoffs started.  Manager Charlie Manuel called his name only once in the five games and he answered with a 1-2-3 inning.

All this brings us to 2012.  Blanton has been the topic of numerous trade rumors that have heated up since the beginning of Spring Training.  The Toronto Blue Jays are seeking a starting pitcher and Blanton and former top Phillies prospect and current White Sox righty Gavin Floyd appear to head their list. Now, there are whispers that the Boston Red Sox might have some interest which leads to the question of: Should the Phillies trade Joe Blanton?

The answer here? A definitive no. Why you ask?

First, it appears Blanton is healthy and if so, he is a more known commodity than current No. 4 starter Vance Worley.  No doubt about it, Worley had a very nice rookie season but does he have Charlie’s trust to pitch in a big game?  He didn’t in 2011.  Worley could have possibly iced the Cardinals series with a solid game four start.  However, Manuel went with Roy Oswalt, the seasoned veteran and former ace.  We all know how that worked out. Blanton started six postseason games as a Phillie and hasn’t lost any of them as he carries a 2-0 record with a 4.23 ERA.

Next, if Blanton is dealt, the number five spot in the rotation is handed to Kyle Kendrick. Speaking about confidence in a guy, Kendrick has been with the Phillies for every one of the last five division winning seasons.  However, he hasn’t even appeared in a postseason game since Game 2 of the NLDS vs the Colorado Rockies in 2007.  It’s obvious Charlie and pitching coach Rich Dubee don’t have much faith in a non-strikeout pitcher come playoff time.  Yes, Kendrick’s ERA was the best of career in 2011 at 3.22 but that was primarily in relief as the long-swing man.  That’s where he should be in 2012.

Other candidates for the No. 5 spot in the rotation include Joel Piniero and Scott Elarton.  I don’t think either of those guys do anything to excite anybody which leads us back to Joe. 

The bottom line is the Phillies don’t have as much pitching depth as it may appear.  If Worley crashes back down to earth as some scouts expect then what?  All of the sudden the “Big Three” might become the “Only Three.” Blanton isn’t going to go out and become a Cy Young candidate but what he does bring is a veteran presence with strikeout stuff, and big game experience.

So, to Ruben Amaro Jr.  Hang onto Mr. Blanton before he comes back to Philly someday and crushes a Kyle Kendrick hanging fastball to left.

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2012 Philadelphia Phillies: Time to Get Used to Freddy Galvis

Face it, you don’t want to think about it too much. You already are sweating Ryan Howard not being able to start the season, and now being out indefinitely is looking more ominous. There is a little bit of comfort knowing that Jim Thome, John Mayberry, Laynce Nix and Ty Wiggington can all help out at first admirably until Howard returns. 

What you are trying to blow off are negative thoughts about Chase Utley.

No one really cared that Utley didn’t play in the first couple of spring training games. “Better keep him healthy for the regular season” is the consensus thought.

Now we are a full week into games and not only has Utley not played yet, there is no timetable for him to get on the field. You know, this happened in 2011 as well, and Utley ended up starting the season on the disabled list and then missing 50-plus games. Uh oh.

If Utley misses any amount of significant time, who plays second base? Late in the spring last year, the Phillies brought in Luis Castillo for a three-game tryout. That didn’t work out. Super utility man Wilson Valdez was the opening day two-bagger and filled in adequately until Utley returned.

Valdez was shipped to the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, leaving Michael Martinez as the only remaining utility man. 

The Phils selected Martinez in the Rule-5 draft last season, but he didn’t do a lot to set the world on fire. He hit .196 with three home runs and 24 runs batted in in 234 plate appearances. He carried a microscopic .540 OPS. It’s doubtful the Phillies brass want to hand him significant amounts of playing time if Utley can’t go.

Wiggington can hit Major League pitching. There is not much doubt about that. However, defensively, second base is probably his fourth best position after first, third and left field.

I’m sure manager Charlie Manuel has thought about former gold-glove second baseman Placido Polanco at second, but keep in mind that Polly isn’t a poster child of health either, and second is a much more physically demanding position than third base.

All of this brings us to rookie Freddy Galvis. The 22-year-old native of Venezuela split time between Double-A and Triple-A in 2011. Between those two levels, Galvis his .278 with eight home runs, 43 runs batted in, 78 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. 

Galvis is considered a “plus” fielder but has primarily played shortstop. Expect to see Manuel pencil in Galvis quite a bit at second this spring with Utley out to see if he can A) handle the position defensively and B) do enough at the plate to survive.

Physically, Galvis is a lot like Valdez or Martinez. He’s 5’10”, 170 pounds, so he’s definitely not an intimidating presence. He’s been playing professionally since he was 17 years old, so there is still some upside. While his bat speed is slightly above average, hitting is where he stills needs to develop.  He is considered one of the best defensive shortstops in all of minor league baseball, which should make a transition to second base seamless if he works on the double play pivot.

So to sum it all up, here is to hoping we don’t have to worry about Galvis’ bat in 2012 and the season opens up with the familiar No. 26 trotting out to second base. If Utley can’t go, though, Galvis has an excellent shot to be in the everyday lineup if he shows he can handle big league pitching this spring.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Keys to Winning the World Series 2012

The Philadelphia Phillies won 102 regular season games last year.  They also won 101 games in 1976 and 1977.  Yet in all three of those years, they failed to win a postseason series.  So while it is great to have a team win 100-plus games and get a high playoff seed, what’s more important is winning the World Series. 

The 1980 World Champion Phillies went 91-71 while the 2008 Champs went 92-70.  Obviously, those two squads are considered the “best” in Phillies history, but that is only because they won the World Series.  If the 1977 Phillies faced the 1980 Phillies 162 times, I’d be shocked if the 1977 Phillies didn’t win 90-plus times. 

Same for the 2011 group facing the 2008 bunch.  Bottom line, things have to fall into place; sprinkle in some luck and combine it with talent and you get a World Championship.  Here are the 10 keys to the Phillies winning a World Series in 2012.

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MLB Adds Second Wild Card: How This Came One Year Too Late for the Phillies

When the Phillies swept the Atlanta Braves to finish off the 2011 regular season, it eliminated the Braves from the postseason and opened the door for the St. Louis Cardinals.  Of course the Cards ended up defeating the Phillies in five games in the NLDS, the Milwaukee Brewers in six games in the NLCS and then the Texas Rangers in seven games to win the World Series.

Major League Baseball is expected to announce they will be adding a second Wild Card playoff team to each league.  This will definitely help out teams in the American League East, who year after year go up against the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

Before this change, teams like the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles were practically done before it started.  It was the same for the Tampa Bay Rays for years until all of their top minor league talent developed and they bumped off the Yankees in 2008 and the Red Sox in 2011.

Still, life has been made easier for small-to-mid-market teams looking for a chance to play in the postseason.

Now back to 2011 and the heartbreak of the Phillies.  If this announcement was made in February of 2011, the Phillies more than likely would have had their second parade down Broad Street in four years and here’s how:

The Phillies still would have had the No. 1 seed in the NL, with the Brewers No. 2 and the Diamondbacks claiming No. 3.  However, instead of the Cardinals travelling to Philadelphia for the NLDS, they would have had to play a one-game playoff versus the Braves in St. Louis.

The Braves could have tossed a fresh Tim Hudson while another fresh starter, Brandon Beachy, would have been available out of the pen against the Cards, who would have thrown Chris Carpenter.  Carpenter, as you recall, pitched the final game of the season and shut out the Houston Astros.

There is no way Tony LaRussa would have used Carpenter in that finale vs. the Houston Astros since it would have been meaningless under the format announced today.  Instead, both teams would have played a meaningless game No. 162 and rested their regulars and bullpen arms for the one-game playoff.

It would have been the Braves (Hudson) in St. Louis (Carpenter).  Both aces would have been used up for the short five-game series vs. the Phillies.

More than likely, the Phillies would have easily moved on, as they were dominant against the Braves the entire season, and LaRussa would have only been able to toss Carpenter once, probably in Game 3.

Yes, I know the Phillies knocked Carpenter around in Game 2 last year, but it was Carpenter and Carpenter alone who enabled the Cardinals to defeat the Phillies in that 1-0 shutout in Game 5.

So, the addition of another wild card team to the MLB playoff field came one season too late for last year’s franchise-record 102-win Philadelphia Phillies.  Let’s see if things play out more in their favor in 2012.

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2012 Philadelphia Phillies: Predicting Their Opening Day Lineup

When Philadelphia Phillies slugging first baseman Ryan Howard grounded weakly to second to shockingly finish off the 2011 season against the eventual World Champions St. Louis Cardinals, an immediate impact on the 2012 opening day lineup was born.

Howard not only made the final out of the Phillies’ most successful season (regular season record-wise) but he also blew out his left achilles tendon in the process.  Affectionately known as “The Big Piece” by Phils skipper Charlie Manuel, Howard was undergoing surgery five days later and the prognosis was quickly released as being out for five-to-six months. Manuel will have to start the season with a big missing piece right in the heart of the lineup.

Also gone from 2011 will be left fielder Raul Ibanez.  Ibanez finished second on the team behind Howard in games played.  Howard played in 152 games while Ibanez participated in 144. Most would be surprised to know that Ibanez, not Victorino, Utley or Rollins, was also second on the team in home runs and RBI.

Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr. went out and found plenty of options for Manuel to work with to replace Ibanez and hold down the fort until Howard is due back, which can be anywhere from early May to the All-Star break.

First, Amaro signed former Phillie and future Hall-of-Famer Jim Thome. Thome will turn 41 in September and hasn’t played first base in the field since the 2007 season, just four games since being traded from the Phillies after the 2005 season. So it still remains to be seen how many games Thome can play at first. He might be more of a replacement for the departed left-handed pinch-hitting specialist Ross Gload.

A little after the Thome signing, Amaro swung a deal with the Colorado Rockies to bring in versatile slugger Ty Wiggington.  Wiggington was a 2010 All Star for the Baltimore Orioles and played 98 games at 1B that season.  Last year, Wiggington played 3B primarily but still saw 36 games at 1B and 21 in left field.  Without a doubt, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to play all three of those positions this season while hopefully still knocking the ball out of the park on occasion.

Next, the Phillies surprisingly gave 1B/OF Laynce Nix a two-year contract. Nix set career-highs in games played in 2011, playing in 124 for the Washington Nationals.  85 of those games were in the outfield (73 in left) and he also chipped in nine games at 1B without making an error.  Nix also slugged 16 home runs in 2011 and could possibly surpass that in the much more HR-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

The trio of Thome/Wiggington/Nix have one more teammate that should assist in making up for the Howard injury and Ibanez departure.  John Mayberry was one of the bigger Phillies surprises in 2011.  In just 267 at bats, Mayberry hit .273 with 15 Home Runs and 49 RBI.

Big John played primarily CF in 2011 but he also played 21 in LF and 18 at 1B. So again, Manuel has four options for LF and 1B come opening day: two left-handed sluggers in Thome and Nix and two righties in Mayberry and Wiggington.

The rest of the every-day players will look very familiar.  Two of them, 2B Chase Utley and 3B Placido Polanco have been given clean bills of health after injury riddled seasons in 2011.  SS Jimmy Rollins will return after signing a three-year contract in the offseason.

CF Shane Victorino is coming off one of his better seasons while RF belongs to Hunter Pence, who will make his first Phillies opening day lineup. Lastly, Carlos Ruiz returns to handle the pitching staff while providing the Phils with one of their more clutch bats.

So how does this all shake out? I really don’t think Jim Thome can just dust off his first baseman’s mitt and go out there and not be a liability.  The Phillies bats aren’t what they used to be and they tend to play a lot of close games.

Due to Thome’s age and lack of defense to back up their fine pitching rotation, he’ll be resigned to late inning pinch-hitting duties.  That leaves Laynce Nix to play either 1B or LF vs. right-handed pitching and Ty Wiggington will play 1B vs. left-handed pitching, leaving LF for John Mayberry.  Mayberry might also get the opportunity to play full-time if he has a strong spring, no matter who is pitching. Here’s how it all shakes out for opening day:

Vs RIGHT

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS

2. Placido Polanco,3B

3. Chase Utley, 2B

4. Hunter Pence, RF

5. Shane Victorino, CF

6. John Mayberry, LF

7. Laynce Nix, 1B

8. Carlos Ruiz, C

 

Vs LEFT

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS

2. Placido Polanco, 3B

3. Chase Utley, 2B

4. Hunter Pence, RF

5. Shane Victorino, CF

6. John Mayberry, LF

7. Ty Wigginton, 1B

8. Carlos Ruiz, C

 

Couple of notes. If Polanco shows signs of not being 100 percent this spring, look for him to drop down to seventh in the lineup like late 2011.  Victorino would then move to second with Mayberry protecting Pence at fifth.  That scenario is much more likely versus lefties, as I don’t think Manuel wants two RH hitters back-to-back at the fourth and fifth hole vs. right-handed pitching. Nix would probably move to fifth vs. righties.

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