2011 Philadelphia Phillies: How Well Do You Know the Team?

Opening Day (for the Philadelphia Phillies, anyway) is only eight days away!

I’ve been told that I can hardly contain my excitement, and I won’t disagree with that assessment.

In that regard, I don’t know if today’s 30 degree, rainy weather is getting me more or less geeked up for the April Fools’ Day opener.

The proximity of the regular-season baseball opener does have me staying up late posting the following Phillies quiz for all of you fans to enjoy.

And yes, some of these questions may be easy, but others may challenge you just a bit. And there are a few that may have you screaming: “Who gives a damn.” Or worse.

All of the questions are focused on current players, but down the line (and still in fair territory), I may unleash some questions that will test your expertise on Phillies history.

Please close your books, sharpen your pencil, and get to it.

There are a dozen questions, so each is worth eight points, for a subtotal of 96. If you either spell or say Antonio Bastardo correctly, award yourself an extra four.

Good luck, and feel free to post your score in the comments section.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Can Roy Halladay Match or Surpass His 2010 Season?

In 2010, Roy “Doc” Halladay joined a new team, switched leagues in the process and pitched better than ever.

In Doc’s case, that’s saying something. He was coming off eight consecutive stellar seasons as the Toronto Blue Jays ace (which included six All-Star appearances, a Cy Young and four other top-five finishes), and although he pitched in relative obscurity, many already considered him to be the best pitcher in the game.

Those who did not know the Phillies‘ new ace of aces all that well before 2010 were astonished by his combination of work ethic, nasty stuff and humility.

Those who knew him from his AL East days—where he led an inferior team into battle against the likes of the Yankees and the Red Sox—still marveled at how easily he dominated the National League.

No matter how you choose to view Halladay’s inaugural season in the season circuit, you come away quite impressed.

 

Traditional Stats: 21-10, 2.44 ERA with 219 strikeouts against only 30 walks in a league-leading 250.2 innings pitched. He also led the majors with nine complete games.

Halladay posted a 2-1 record with a 2.45 ERA in his first ever postseason.

 

Inside Numbers: A WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 6.98 and career-best full-season marks for WHIP (1.041 walks and hits per nine innings) and ERA-plus (165: the higher the better—100 is average).

 

Geeky stats aside (and there are tons more that show Doc to be at or near the head of his class), we haven’t even mentioned his special accolades.

Halladay, of course, threw a regular-season perfect game at Florida and hurled a no-hitter against a powerful Cincinnati Reds team to open the playoffs.

He capped it all off by capturing the NL Cy Young. In a season that featured very strong performances by the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright and the Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez, Halladay won the award unanimously.

To a team player like Roy Halladay, the opportunity to pitch for a championship contender made 2010 his most memorable campaign.

Indeed, after receiving his Cy Young last November, the modest right-hander was quoted by several news sources as saying: “It’s by far the most fun I’ve ever had playing this game. It was just tremendous from Day 1 to the end.”

The beauty of Halladay’s demeanor is that for all he has attained personally in a career that will one day earn him a plaque in Cooperstown, he is motivated by team accomplishments. Setting the stage for new teammates Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee, Halladay wanted to pitch in Philadelphia—for a team and a city that he could help bring a championship.

Last year, for all of his heroics, the team fell six victories short. This year—injuries to Chase Utley and Brad Lidge notwithstanding—the sky is the limit, and expectations are extremely high.

To which this columnist poses the following question: What can Phillies fans and baseball pundits expect to see out of Halladay this season?

After all, with only 31 wins this year (and if a relative journeyman like Denny McLain could do it…) Doc will earn his 200th regular season victory.

OK, it’s fairly safe to say that no pitcher will win 30 games again, and earning 20 is no mean feat. But what’s a reasonable number?

On the one hand, Halladay, who will turn 34 in May, is certainly pitching like he is in his prime. He is also coming off a combined 272-plus innings of work last year. Can he manage a similar workload in back-to-back years?

Halladay has pitched at least 220 innings in seven of his last nine seasons, including the last five.

There are two ways to look at this.

Pessimistically: It’s bound to catch up with him.

Optimistically: He’s used to the heavy workload and thrives on it—and can one question his preparation and work habits?

(Did I mention that in the history of Major League Baseball, no pitcher born in Colorado and past the age of 30 has ever pitched more than 250 innings in consecutive years? You can look it up. I didn’t, but you can.)

My own middle ground is to hope that Halladay finishes the regular season with somewhere around 230 innings and a full tank for the expected postseason run. Doc has been so consistent the last several years that it is reasonable to expect an ERA at or under 2.75 and about 19 wins (he will be at the mercy of an offense that may not produce as much this year).

Then, as everyone knows, it’s all about the playoffs.

Toward that end, the man widely regarded as the best pitcher on Planet Earth took the ball yesterday in a matchup against AL Cy Young contender Jon Lester and the powerful Boston Red Sox.

Halladay (now 3-0) out-dueled his Red Sox counterpart, scattering five hits and yielding only one run in 7.2 innings of quality work. Ryan Madson got the last four outs to earn the save.

Alas, it was only March 21, but it was an encouraging sign.

If the same box score unfolds seven months from now, it will be huge.

When it comes to Roy Halladay, is anyone betting against it?

 

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and public appearances, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com or contact him via his Bleacher Report home page.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

2011 Philadelphia Phillies: Are the Wheels Falling Off the Bandwagon?

What are those strange sounds coming out of Clearwater, Florida?

Are they the sounds made from assorted injuries to Domonic Brown, Brad Lidge, Placido Polanco and, of course, Chase Utley?

Is this what it sounds like when the wheels start coming off the bus?

Is it the thud of some members of Phillies Nation hitting the ground after leaping off the bandwagon?

Are we simply hearing a lot of collective whispers that the prohibitive favorite Phillies are ready to be overtaken by a younger, healthier Atlanta Braves team?

And yes, are we hearing the (carnivorous) sounds of Braves, Marlins and others licking their chops?

Well, my antennae are picking up a lot of white noise from all these sources and it is hard to turn a deaf ear to it all or pretend that this season will still be a cakewalk.

Of course, after the Phils signed Cliff Lee (and despite their losing Jayson Werth), there was unprecedented optimism around here. There was talk that the Phillies would set a franchise record for wins, if not a Major League Baseball record.

Every other team in the division—if not all of baseball—was merely playing for second place.

Perhaps fans and pundits alike (and yes, I may even have sounded an overly optimistic tone once or twice) may have overstated how much of a juggernaut the 2011 Phillies would be, but should expectations be lowered to the point where the men in red pinstripes are now thought of as underdogs?

No, not at all.

Every season has its own quirks and story lines and, for the most part, this preseason has not gone all that well for the team. The team perceived as the most talented and most experienced in the game is now being described as the oldest—with all the connotations that go with it.

I won’t pretend to play doctor here, but below are my very quick takes, judging from what I’ve read and heard, with admittedly some optimism thrown in for good measure.

 

• Domonic Brown: Whatever we get from him this year will be a bonus. He was a question mark anyway, and Ben Francisco (having a good spring) is more of a sure thing who also bats from the right side. The team will miss some of Werth’s production, but the drop-off will not be too precipitous.

• Brad Lidge: He says he should be okay by Opening Day and, though we’ve heard this all before, I tend to believe him.

• Ditto for Placido Polanco.

• Chase Utley: This injury is scary, both because of the nature of it and because it has befallen the team’s best all-around player. I truly do not have a strong sense of how long Chase will be out or how effectively he will play. Still, given his work ethic and team-first mentality, it is hard to imagine Utley not producing by the second half of the season and through the playoffs.

 

Playoffs? Are we still talking about playoffs?

Of course we should be, unless you want to call them the postseason.

It does feel a little gloomy right now, but let us examine three big reasons for Phillies fans to still be optimistic about 2011.

 

The Phillies Have Won the Last Four NL East Pennants

The team, led by manager Charlie Manuel, knows how to take this to the finish line and overcome whatever adversity it may face. There’s something to be said for “Been There, Done That,” and, well, they have—four straight years.

That earns them an 0-0 record to start the season, but they do have that intangible in their corner.

Still not feeling it? Let’s go all the way back to last year.

 

The 2010 Phillies: Just Look at Last Year

In 2010, the Phillies got only 88 games of service from Jimmy Rollins, subpar ones at that.

Chase Utley only played in 115 and posted career-low numbers.

Their other infield cornerstone, Ryan Howard, also struggled with injuries and had his worst season as well.

In fact, the only Phillies regular to match or exceed his career average numbers last year was catcher Carlos Ruiz.

You may also recall that lefty Cole Hamels (through no fault of his own) once went eight consecutive winless starts.

Brad Lidge? He appeared in a career-low 50 games and pitched only 45.2 innings last year.

One may see all these ominous numbers as the start of a team in decline, and admittedly it would be nice to cultivate or acquire some younger stars.

But look at it this way: Despite all of the adversity of 2010, the Phillies still won an MLB-best 97 games last season.

 

There’s Still R2C2

Unless you were scared off by Cole Hamels’ last Grapefruit League start and the subsequent vow of revenge by the fearsome Billy Hall (the curse of the Billy Hall?), there is no reason to feel anything but optimistic about the four-headed monster of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Hamels.

Throw in Joe Blanton as a terrific fifth and, yes, there’s still huge cause for optimism.

This pitching staff—and indeed, this whole roster—is built to win right now.

One may debate what this team will look like in three to five years or maybe even in 2012, but for this regular season, the Phillies have more than enough—even with the rightful concern over the health of Chase Utley and others—to get into the postseason.

 

Shhh—please listen a little closer now.

I think I can hear a few Phillies fans jumping back on the bandwagon.

Some Braves and Marlins fans have stopped licking their chops.

Hope still springs eternal, even during an injury-plagued spring.

Correction: It’s still winter up north.

 

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and public appearances, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com or contact him via his Bleacher Report homepage.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Charlie Manuel and Philadelphia Phillies Sign 2-Year Extension

The Philadelphia Phillies announced earlier today that they have inked manager Charlie Manuel to a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the helm through the 2013 season.

While the exact terms have not been released, both mlb.com and phillynews.com expect Manuel to earn between $7 million and $8 million for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Reportedly, the team has also sweetened the payout to Manuel for the 2011 season, the last year remaining on his former contract.

This season will be the seventh for Manuel as Phillies skipper, in which time he has compiled a 544-428 win-loss record in the regular season.

More importantly, the Phillies have won the National League East the last four seasons, advancing to two World Series and becoming World Champions in 2008.

As a reward for his success, it is reported that Manuel’s new contract will pay him as a top five Major League manager.

It would appear that most Phillies fans would applaud the move that will see their manager hold the reins through his 69th birthday. The franchise and the manager will have a chance to reassess his future during the next three years, but without the cloud that would hang over Manuel if he were managing as a lame duck.

It would be an understatement to say that the Phillies—despite some recent uncertainty over the health of star second baseman Chase Utley—are built to win right now.

Having the services of a manager who has taken them to the top of the mountain for at least three more years seems to be a sound decision, baseball-wise and business-wise.

 

Manuel’s Transformation and Journey

While no public figure, in sports or out of sports, is universally liked, Charlie Manuel has become one of the more popular sports figures in Philadelphia during his six years in town.

However, it wasn’t always that easy for him to win over Philly’s demanding, outspoken fanbase.

Manuel started his current job in South Philly in 2005, taking over for franchise hero Larry Bowa, who was still popular with much of Phillies Nation. Popular as Bowa was with his fans, the fiery former shortstop had a bellicose manner that tended to alienate most of his players.

His teams also tended to finish in second place (if not third) in the NL East behind the perennial champion Atlanta Braves. Of course, Charlie promptly started out with two second-place finishes, piloting the clubs to be just good enough to not qualify for the postseason. Hard as it is to even contemplate now, the Phillies did not qualify for the postseason between 1993 and 2006.

With his redneck, southern drawl and penchant for sounding like a rube in postgame press conferences, the moniker Uncle Cholly was not uttered in an endearing fashion.

Although Manuel had  a little success in his two-and-a-half years managing the Cleveland Indians (winning one AL Central title), he was regarded by many as a glorified hitting coach who could not even master the NL art of the double switch.

His perception started to change in 2007, when the Phillies staged a furious comeback to wrest the division from the favored New York Mets. In retrospect, it was a combination of a Big Apple collapse and a South Philly hot streak that got the job done.

By the time, the Phillies took the baseball world by storm and became—in the words of immortal broadcaster Harry Kalas—world champions of baseball in 2008, Manuel had improbably won over the hearts of most of Phillies Nation.

The inept, poor communicator became lovable and truly avuncular. Funny how that happens sometimes.

While not considered a master strategist, it was apparent that the team clad in red pinstripes fought to the finish on a nightly basis for Uncle Cholly.

And yes, the moniker Uncle Cholly now connotes a lovable, wise baseball man who loves his team and his fanbase.

For Manuel, his managerial second life mirrored his renewed life as a player. Born on January 4, 1944 in Northfork, West Virginia, Manuel mostly collected splinters (and only 384 at-bats over six seasons) as a left fielder for the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers. Manuel packed up his career .198 batting average and two homers and headed to Japan.

From 1977 through 1981, Manuel terrorized Japanese baseball, becoming a .300-plus hitter who belted close to 40 homers a year for the Yakult and Kintetsu franchises.

After returning to the States, he paid 17 years of dues as a scout, hitting coach or minor league manager before the Indians gave him a shot to manage the parent club in 2000.

The rest is the history that most of us have witnessed.

The man with the Southern drawl and the ability to speak Japanese is now beloved by most Philadelphians.

If Manuel helps to usher in another parade or two in the next few years, Uncle Cholly just might become a bonafide legend.

 

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and public appearances, please e-mail matt@tipofthegoldberg.com or contact him via his Bleacher Report homepage.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies 2011: Who Is Their Team MVP?

So, who would you say is the Philadelphia Phillies team MVP?

By this, I am not asking, Who is their best player? Rather, who can they least afford to lose for long stretches, if not the entire season?

Truth be told, I would rather be asking, “Will the Phillies win 100 or 105 games this year?” Or, “When they win their 11 postseason games, will they lose five games or fewer?”

These questions may, hopefully, still be asked down the road, but admittedly all the talk about second baseman Chase Utley’s patellar tendinitis and rookie rightfielder Domonic Brown’s hook of hamate injury has me wondering whose loss would impact the team most negatively.

While we’re on the subject, I liked H20 much better when it did not mean Hook of Hamate, and yes, I’d much rather talk about Hamels’ hook (and how frequently he throws it) than this new-hook that I would prefer not to know anything about.

But let’s not get hooked on semantics here.

Which player could the Phils least afford to lose for an extended period of time?

I was going to do this in a slideshow format, but I’ve been fighting carpal tunnel syndrome from all the grueling typing I’ve done on my last few shows, so here is my list in a standard article format.

As one of the five most valuable members of my household, I can’t afford to be disabled.

Before reading my list, please note that I gave some consideration to who each player’s backup is.

So, without any more hemming and hawing, here is how I would rank the 10 Most Valuable Phillies in descending order (of value) from 10 to one.

 

10) Roy Oswalt

Oswalt is considered a No. 3 or a No. 4 on this staff, but only on this incredible rotation.

He was absolutely brilliant with the Phils last season (7-1, 1.74 in 12 starts) and figures to have another strong season as a co-ace.

Then again, the squad has three other stud starters and a pretty good No. 5 as well.

 

9) Cole Hamels

Hamels rebounded in a big way last year, even if his won-loss record (12-11) did not do justice to how well he pitched.

Just like Oswalt, if it weren’t for the other three members of R2C2, his placement would be higher.

 

8) Shane Victorino

Shane is becoming a veteran, emotional leader for this team who contributes much-needed speed and terrific Gold Glove play in center field.

If he thought more like a speed demon than a power hitter at the plate, he would be even more valuable.

 

7) Brad Lidge

We’ll never see him approach his amazing 2008 campaign, where everything worked out perfectly, but Lidge pitched quite well the last couple months of 2010.

And as well as Ryan Madson (just missed my list) has pitched as a setup man, Lidge is still the man for the ninth.

 

6) Jimmy Rollins

A few years ago, it would have been silly to have rated J-Roll this far down the list. After all, he won the National league MVP in 2007.

But Rollins, whether due to age, injuries or a combination of both factors, has not been that same compelling offensive player since. Still, his glove and his effervescent leadership are huge for this team, and when he does hit, the team wins a great majority of the time.

 

5) Cliff Lee

Lee, despite missing some turns with injuries, was second in all of baseball (to new teammate Roy Halladay) in complete games last year.

Given his postseason success, he merits a higher place on this list than either Oswalt or Hamels. Given the presence of the other three aces, it’s hard to rank him any higher.

 

4) Roy Halladay

If Halladay entered 2010 as the unofficial “best pitcher in baseball,” then last season only cemented this status in most pundits’ eyes.

Perhaps winning the Cy Young unanimously in your first year in a new league and throwing a no-no in your postseason debut will do that.

Funny how that works.

 

3) Carlos Ruiz

I actually thought of placing “Chooch” at No. 1.

My reasoning? I’m aware that he still has not won a Gold Glove or been voted onto the All-Star team, but the man plays the most important defensive position of the starting eight and does so brilliantly.

He calls a great game, throws runners out when given the opportunity, and he has developed into arguably the best No. 8 hitter in the league.

What other No. 8 hitter batted .302 with an OBP of .400 and a .293 batting average with runners in scoring position?

 

2) Ryan Howard

Yes, he still has a hole or two in his swing, and he still makes Phils fans nervous whenever he has to throw the ball to second base. I also realize that he had a down year—by his very high standards—in 2010.

But what other Phillie can give you his consistent production and inspire as much fear in opposing managers and pitchers?

That was a rhetorical question.

 

1) Chase Utley

The Phillies weathered the regular season storm pretty well last year when both Rollins and Utley lost significant amounts of games due to injuries.

Phillies Nation, obviously, hopes that the team—to say nothing of most pleasant surprise Wilson Valdez—is not put to such a test in 2011.

 

If you’re reading this column, I don’t have to sell you on Utley’s worth. The perennial All-Star is their only logical candidate for the vital No. 3 spot in the lineup, plays terrific (if slightly underrated) defense and spurs his team with his all-out, hard-nosed play.

While the Phillies would not relish any of these 10 players (and others, including Ryan Madson, Raul Ibanez and Placido Polanco) missing significant playing time, the thought of losing Utley creates the most apprehension.

 

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and public appearances, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com or contact him via his Bleacher Report homepage.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

MLB: Power Ranking the Top 10 Likely Dubious Milestones of 2011

Baseball is a game of numbers and milestones, be they admirable achievements or regrettable results.

Earlier today, I posted a piece that ranked the top 12 milestones likely to be reached in 2011. All of the featured players and their fans should be proud of these accomplishments that speak to their excellence over the course of their careers (http://bleacherreport.com/slideshow/627753/new).

On the other side of the diamond, if you will, is this companion piece which features 10 more dubious milestones that are also likely to be reached in 2011.

Granted, there are several very good players on this slideshow, at least a couple of whom are strong candidates for Cooperstown. That makes sense as one has to be a good batter to keep fanning at historic proportions, or a better-than-average pitcher to have the opportunity to uncork a ton of wild pitches or lose a bunch of ballgames.

The beauty of baseball is that the best players (and, in fairness, not all of these guys are great, except compared to me and you) learn to come to grips with their failures because baseball puts a premium on a positive attitudes and great resiliency.

Please join me on this slightly treacherous jog around the diamond in the following players’ honor.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Players, 10 Questions for 2011

The Philadelphia Phillies are considered by most to be the prohibitive favorites to win the National League East, and to represent the NL once again in the 2011 World Series. They have very few roster spots up for grabs in spring training, and they are the epitome of a veteran-laden team with great starting pitching.

The counterpoint to this is that no team is without question marks, and the Phillies do have some of these crooked punctuation marks heading into this eagerly anticipated campaign.

Luckily for Phillies Nation, the Phillies uncertainties are not nearly as serious as, say, those of the St. Louis Cardinals who right now are wondering:

1. Is their unquestioned face of the franchise, and best player on the planet (Albert Pujols), returning after 2011?
2. How do they go about replacing Adam Wainwright, a Top 10 starting pitcher in the game?
3. What of the injury to co-ace Chris Carpenter?

But back to the red-pinstriped squad.

As you know, the Phillies somehow won a MLB-best 97 regular season games in 2010, and did so despite relatively down years from Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Essentially, the team returns intact in 2011, minus one big cog of their lineup (Jayson Werth) but with the addition of a stud pitcher, Cliff Lee.

What does this all mean? To most Phillies fans, it means “World Series or Bust,” or something like that, and I have no reason to douse this sentiment with buzzkill.

I will, however, highlight 10 Phillies players and the key question(s) surrounding each.

Alphabetically by player, let’s begin…

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Philadelphia Phillies Preview: 33 Over/Unders to Keep the Season Interesting

Countdown ‘Til Pitchers and Catchers Report: Two Days

For us red-blooded baseball lovers, it is no coincidence that the start of spring training and Valentine’s Day come together each year. I hope that my readers will greet both events with great excitement and a little extra hop in the step, although I prefer to write only about the first one.

As exciting as any spring training is—and Spring Training 2011 is particularly thrilling for Phillies fans—my goal is to make the coming regular season just a little more interesting. Perhaps I’m taking my cue from the recent Super Bowl.

I am not a betting man, but I threw in a couple shekels last Sunday for a chance to win some of my friends’ money based on 26 prop bets that our host came up with. Nothing was too creative, and most related to the Super Bowl itself; about five of the questions related to the coin flip, commercials and the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coach.

Yes, I ended up making a small donation, and I’m not advising anybody to bet any real money on the following. But in previewing a season that Phils fans accept as a given that their team will make the playoffs for the fifth straight time, these prop bets may add just a little intrigue to the formality of the regular season.

In honor of Cliff Lee, I propose 33 (mostly) over-and-unders to keep track of during the 2011 regular season. I have not researched Vegas odds for any of this, so if you’ve seen any of these numbers elsewhere, it’s purely coincidental.

 

PITCHERS AND CATCHERS

1. Combined wins by R2C2 (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels):  71

Last year, the four pitchers combined for only 58 wins, deceptive as I think that number was.

2. Combined innings by R2C2: 850

Last year, the four hurlers amassed an amazing 881.7.

3. Combined strikeouts for R2C2: 800

Last year, they combined for 808 K.

4. Combined complete games for R2C2: 20

Last year, they combined for 19.

5. Wins by Joe Blanton in a Phils uniform: 6

Big Joe was 9-6 last season, and he won 12 the year before, but how long will he be here?

6. Saves for Brad Lidge: 33

Brad saved only 27 in 2010, but has averaged 33 during his three years in red pinstripes.

7. Batting average for Carlos Ruiz: .285

Chooch hit a remarkable .302 last season, boosting his career BA to .260.

8. Homers for Chooch: 11

He belted eight last year, and nine in 2009.

 

THE REST OF THE LINEUP

9. Home runs for Ryan Howard:  44

The Big Piece has averaged 45.8 in his last five (full) seasons, but knocked only 31 out of the yard last season.

10. RBI for Howard: 136

Yes, that’s a big number, but even factoring in his drop last year (108), Howard has averaged 136 over his five full seasons.

11. Whiffs for Howard:  180

Howard only whiffed 151 times last year, he averaged 191 in his previous four campaigns.

12. Games played for Chase Utley: 145

Utley only played in 115 games last season, but had averaged 151 in his previous five seasons.

13. Homers for Chase: 28

Chase only popped 16 last season; he averaged 29-plus in his previous five.

14. HBP for Chase: 23

He did not move away from 18 pitches last season in limited at-bats, he averaged an NL-high 25.3 the previous three seasons.

15. Games played for Jimmy Rollins: 145

Rollins played in only 88 last year, but he played in at least 154 games in eight of his previous nine campaigns.

16. Runs scored for Jimmy: 105

This seems high as J-Roll only crossed home plate 48 times in 2010. In his previous six seasons, he averaged about 113 runs.

17.  Stolen bases for Rollins: 32

He dropped to 17 last season, but in the last 10 years he has swiped a total of 340. You can do the math.

18. Placido Polanco’s batting average: .300

Polly, about as consistent a hitter as you’ll find, hit .298 last year, his career BA is .303

19. Will Polanco reach 2,000 career hits before or after September 15?

Polly, who is 35, starts the season at 1,836.

20. Games played for Wilson Valdez: 55

Last year’s supersub played in a career-high 111 last season, almost tripling his previous high.

21. Will Raul Ibanez finish the season in a Phillies uniform?

22. RBI for Raul: 90

Raul rallied to end up with 83 last season, after knocking in 93 the season before. He topped 100 in each of his final three seasons as a Seattle Mariner.

23. Batting average for Shane Victorino:  .285

The ever-popular Flyin’ Hawaiian slumped to .259 last season, but the career .279 hitter had topped .285 four of his previous five seasons.

24. Homers for Shane: 13

Shane popped 18 last season. That was a personal best, but many Phils fans would sacrifice about 10 of those for a more consistent approach at the plate (and 25 or so more line drives).

25. At-bats for Domonic Brown: 250

Brown joined the parent club on July 28, and registered 62 at-bats on the season.

26. Homers for D-Brown: 14

Two of Brown’s blasts reached the seats (in fair territory) last year.

27. Games played for Ben Francisco: 115

Francisco played in 88 games last season, sometimes relegated to a defensive replacement, or pinch-hitting appearance.  (They all count, of course.)

28. Ben’s batting average: .270

Francisco hit .268 last season, and carries a lifetime .263 mark.

29. Homers for Ross Gload: 8

Gload blasted six in 2010, in only 128 at-bats.

 

TEAM NUMBERS

30. Total Wins in 2011: 100

Last season, the Fightins won 97, the most in the majors.

31. Games ahead at the All-Star break: 4

32. Games the Phils will win the NL East by: 7

They won by six games in 2010.

33. Games the Phils will finish ahead of the New York Mets: 13

It was a margin of 18 last year, but can the Mets be that bad again?

Okay, time to go to work, and kill some of the remaining hours until pitchers and catchers report. If I hit any of these numbers on the button, please feel free to send some of your mythical winnings to the house, care of my email address or BR’s private message service.

Play ball!

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and appearances, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Preview: Shining a Spotlight on Carlos Ruiz

MLB Countdown Till Pitchers and Catchers Report: Five days.

The man that Philadelphia Phillies fans love to call “Chooch” has just turned 32, and has never been voted onto an all-star team or honored with a Gold Glove award.

But take a look around the league, and around all of Major League baseball. Are there as many as five other catchers who you would rather have behind the plate, and hitting out of the No. 8 hole for this team—a team whose expectations are so impossibly high?

The answer to that is debatable, but clearly, the diminutive Panamian backstop has become one of the most highly respected players on the team. So, would you entrust the fortunes of our once-in-a-generation starting pitching rotation to anyone else?

Despite his lack of Gold Gloves (Ruiz has been the Phils’ everyday catcher the last four years, and the Cardinals’ superb Yadier Molina has won the last three), by any measure Chooch does an exceptional job behind the dish.

Ruiz commits very few errors, does a great job blocking balls in the dirt, sacrifices his body to block the plate and when given a reasonable chance to throw out runners, he cuts them down with his precise laser arm. The pitching staff raves about how he calls a game, and Chooch has become more confident and assertive with them each year.

One other thing: The next time he either complains or toots his own horn publicly, will be the very first.

All of these qualities have made Carlos Ruiz a greatly valued player—in the clubhouse and in the stands of Citizens Bank Park—even if national recognition has been slow in coming.

Known more for his stellar defense, Ruiz compiled (by far) his best offensive season in 2010. One can easily make a case that he was the most consistent hitter on the team last year.

Chooch put together a wonderful slash line of .302/.400/.447, with a terrific OPS of .847. Still not impressed? Ruiz was the only Phils regular with a batting average over .300 or an OBP over .400 (he did both). It is tempting to say that he should be the Phillies’ leadoff hitter, but that would be just a tad unconventional. He has decent speed for a catcher, but…

Why would you even want to displace him from the No. 8 hole when he walked 55 times against only 54 strikeouts, and also found a way to knock in 53 runs? There simply aren’t that many batters—at any position—who rack up more BBs than Ks, and Ruiz does a superb job of turning the lineup over.

Are you ready for another interesting Chooch-related factoid?

If you look at last year’s starting lineup, Ruiz was the only position player to never make an all-star team. Going around the diamond, Ryan Howard (three times), Chase Utley (five), Jimmy Rollins (three) and Placido Polanco (one) made for a highly decorated infield.

All three starting outfielders—Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth—suited up in the 2009 All-Star Game.

If the lack of personal honors has ever bothered Ruiz, you would never know if from the way he goes about this business. In fact, he is all business, with a knack for making the great defensive play or getting the key hit at the right time.

It would be an exaggeration to note that the Phillies ended their dubious 13-year run of not qualifying for the playoffs in 2007, when Ruiz started wearing the tools of ignorance every day. As you well know, the Fightins have won the NL East the last four years, and Ruiz has been just one reason why. At the same time, the impact of having such a reliable catcher should not be ignored.

Once in the postseason, Ruiz gets the job done behind the plate and offensively—with a career postseason line of .280/.412/.456.

It remains to be seen whether Ruiz can match last year’s offensive numbers, and if so, whether he will be rewarded with an All-Star appearance when the competition includes guys like Molina, the Braves’ perennial honoree Brian McCann and reigning Rookie of the Year Buster Posey of the Giants.

Phillies fans would love to have the opportunity to scream “Chooooooooooch” during the midsummer classic, but perhaps it’s Ruiz’s fate to be one of those terrific players who never gets to taste that kind of personal glory.

As long as Chooch gets to kneel down for about 120 grueling regular season games and 12 postseason victories, all of Phillies Nation will be delighted.

One gets the impression that the popular, ultra-reliable and unselfish catcher will be even more delighted to do his part to bring home another championship.

Gold Notes

It is interesting to speculate as to where Carlos Ruiz would rank among Phillies catchers of the last 50 years. In any debate of this ilk, there is no single stat that crunches all of the numbers and all of the intangibles, but for now he would probably rank fourth behind:

Bob Boone (who caught over 100 games seven times as a Phillie, made three All-Star games and won two Gold Gloves).

Darren Daulton (four seasons over 100 games, three All-Star games, a Silver Slugger and an RBI crown).

Mike Lieberthal (seven seasons over 100 games, two All-Star games, a Gold Glove and two seasons over .300).

Chooch has caught over 100 games the last four seasons and is the only player of the four to ever have an OBP of .400.

 

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and appearances, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com

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MLB Phillies Preview: Cole Hamels Is an Ace Disguised As a Number Four

MLB/Phillies Countdown: 11 (Frigid) Days Until Pitchers and Catchers Report

To Phillies fans stuck in and around the improbably frozen tundra of the City of Brotherly Love, any warm glow emanating from baseball’s hot stove is a most welcome thing.

Baseball’s hot stove was scorching last December when Cliff Lee, quite enthusiastically, donned the red pinstripes and turned an already amazing rotation of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels into a four-headed monstrosity that some have nicknamed The Four Aces.

Admittedly, it would have been thrilling to have the Philly ice melt into a full season of H20, but thoughts of the Four Aces (or R2C2, if you prefer) has a majority of Phillies Nation jumping out of their skin in anticipation of an amazing 2011.

The Phillies have an experienced, steady-as-they-come manager in Charlie Manuel, a still potent (if slightly aging) lineup and they generally play terrific defense. Put all this behind baseball’s most vaunted starting rotation in decades, and there is great cause for optimism around these parts.

You already know the resumes of R2C2, but let’s refresh our recollections:

Roy Halladay: Defending (unanimous) National League Cy Young Award winner, a surefire Hall of Famer and the author of a regular season perfect game and a postseason no-hitter last year.

Cliff Lee: A former AL Cy Young Award winner and still widely considered the best big game starting pitcher in baseball. When last here, he did all that was humanly possible to lead us to another World Series title, and he did so in the coolest way possible.

Roy Oswalt: A longtime ace of the Houston Astros, he came to South Philly at the trading deadline last year, and may have been the Phillies best pitcher down the stretch.

Which brings us back to Cole Hamels, who has quietly settled in as the No. 4 starter, which has to be a nightmare for opposing hitters to ponder.

Ironically, Hamels is the youngest member of R2C2, but the one with the greatest seniority as a Phillie. In baseball, it’s only a few years journey from young phenom to veteran and Cole has traveled that path in a unique way.

In 2006, he was promoted to the show in midseason as a twenty-two year old future ace for a team that did not have one, let alone three or four. In 22 starts, he was 9-8/4.08 with 145 strikeouts in only 132.1 innings. Could he, indeed, be an ace down the line for a team in desperate need of one?

Hamels fulfilled much of his great promise the very next year, which not so coincidentally saw the Phillies make the playoffs for the first time since that wild bunch of 1993.

If Cole watched the World Series runner-up team full of personalities including Curt Schilling, Dutch Daulton, Lenny Dykstra, John Kruk and Mitch Williams, he did so from the perspective of a nine year-old. Does that put Phillies baseball in some perspective?

On the hill, the 23-year-old lanky lefty went 15-5 with a terrific 3.39 ERA. He made his first all-star team and finished sixth in the Cy Young balloting. He lost his one playoff start, pitching a fairly good game against the Rockies in the NLDS.

In 2008, Hamels’ 14-10 record belied how well he pitched. His ERA dipped to 3.08 (sixth in the NL) and he set career highs in many categories, including starts, innings and shutouts. As well as he pitched, he was just warming up for a remarkable postseason.

Hamels baffled the Brewers, Dodgers and Rays alike in compiling one of the best postseasons for a starting pitcher in baseball history. That’s not empty hyperbole; he was that commanding.

Hamels was 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA, yielding only 23 hits and 9 walks in 35 innings. He fanned 30 batters, and walked off with the NLCS and World Series MVPs for a franchise that had not been to the top of the mountain since 1980.

From the pinnacle of 2008, Hamels—for whatever reasons—suffered through a miserable 2009. If the whole team suffered a hangover, it may have been disregarded, but Cole had a 10-11 season for a great club and he achieved that mediocre record on merit.

Hamels’ ERA ballooned to new heights (4.32) in 2009, which is not a good thing—except for opposing hitters. A look inside the numbers showed that Hamels’ strikeout and walk ratios were actually a little better than in 2008, but he got hit around much more.

It seemed that he would always serve up the wrong pitch at the wrong time. When he pitched himself into jams, or if an error was made behind him, he lost the knack for wriggling out of it.

The acquisition of Cliff Lee, who became an instant hero to Philadelphians, seemed like it would help shake Hamels out of his slump, but it never did.

It is not unreasonable to suggest that if Hamels pitched like even a decent Number Two behind Lee in the 2009 playoffs, that the Phillies could have repeated as world champions. He did not, the team did not, and before you knew it, the fans had a target for their venom—a 25-year-old would-be ace who was one of the main reasons that the team, and the city, was drenched in champagne and honored with parades just 12 months prior.

For his part, Hamels just was never “that guy” in the 2009 playoffs, and he also came off as petulant on the field (gesturing in disgust when second baseman and team leader Chase Utley made an errant throw) and off (baring his soul and liver to the press in a comment that was construed as “I want this season to end right now; so what if we’re in the World Series”).

Perhaps, Hamels deserved a mulligan for all this, but he did not get one from most of the Philly sports community. It would be a gross simplification for me to suggest that a majority of fans wanted him shipped out of town, but it would also be a distortion to not acknowledge that there were many questions and labels thrown at Hamels for the first time as the Phillies entered 2009.

Some of the labels were “immature,” “whiny”, “soft” and “not a Philly guy.”

These can be hard labels to shed in a city that can be hard on its would-be superstars. And then there were the actual baseball questions to answer.

Could a (primarily) two-pitch hurler, without a great fastball, continue to succeed?

Has the league caught up with him?

Were his 2007 and 2008 seasons the true aberrations?

Indeed, even to his toughest critics, Hamels shed those pejorative labels last year, and answered all of the baseball questions in the most reassuring of ways. He pitched extremely well, and kept his poise even when things were not going is way.

The Phillies offense scored fewer runs in 2010, and often forgot to score at all when it was Cole’s turn on the hill. Still, Hamels kept taking the ball, pitching one quality start after another. His regular season record was only 12-11, despite a career-low ERA of 3.02.

During one cruel stretch, the talented southpaw was winless in eight consecutive starts, while compiling a 2.83 ERA. In those 54 innings, he struck out 63 batters, walked only 11 and yielded only 44 hits. For a reminder of that stretch, please see:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/445943-cole-hamels-snaps-winless-streak-shuts-out-padres-as-phillies-sweep

To his everlasting credit, Cole never showed frustration with his teammates, saying all the right things in interviews, and continually bringing, and improving upon, his A game.

In his first playoff start last October, Hamels cruised into Cincinnati (featuring a tough ballpark and a scary lineup) and closed out the series with a complete game shutout.

Hamels’ journey has already been fascinating, and he appears to just be hitting his prime years.

His fastball showed a little more bite last year, making his changeup all the more devastating, and vice-versa. He also now displays greater confidence in his curveball (now being tossed into the mix, with an occasional split finger thrown in for good measure), which increases the effectiveness of his full array of pitches.

It appears that all the elements are in place for Cole Hamels to have his best season yet.

And even if things don’t go well immediately, it also appears that the now 27-year-old veteran has the command and maturity to not let those circumstances derail him and his team from a memorable season.

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s books, other writings and speaking engagements, please contact matt@tipofthegoldberg.com

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