(Phillies Clubhouse, Bright House Field, Saturday 2/28, 8am)
Charlie Manuel: Before we go over the lineups, there are a few things we need to go over. First off, only Cole is allowed to wear bow ties from now on, the rest of you, well, it's just not working. Second, we're never going to intentionally walk Darnell McDonald in a game that counts. Don't worry about that, it's just not going to happen. Third, there's another policy change the lawyers want me to go over with you, so I'm gonna go ahead and read this sheet here.
(Internal Memo)
As a result of Friday's personnel moves, it has become necessary to amend the Performance Enhancement (PE) policy. Effective immediately, performance-enhancing drugs will no longer be tested on Adam Eaton, prior to use. For the remainder of Spring Training, all PED's will be initially injected into Mike Cervenak.
Failure to adhere to this policy may result in disciplinary action including, but not limited to, suspension and/or loss of pay.
The Organization would like to thank Adam for all of his contributions, and wish him luck in his future endeavors.
Charlie Manuel: OK. That's it. You guys know I was just reading that, right? Because I wasn't really feeling that last part.
(Mike Cervenak hurries into the room, taking a seat next to Andy Tracy.)
Cervenak (to Tracy): Did I miss anything? The security guards didn't believe I was a player, even though they let me in yesterday!
Tracy (to Cervenak): Nope, you didn't miss anything. Except, no more bow ties.
Cervenak: That sucks, I look good in bow ties.
Showing posts with label Adam Eaton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adam Eaton. Show all posts
Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunk Cost
The Phillies (literally) cut their losses today and released "pitcher" Adam Eaton, swallowing the $9 million remaining on Eaton's contract in the process. The Phillies' willingness to consume that much salary is as impressive, as the initial Eaton signing was ill-advised. (Apparently, they sold enough 2008 World Champions paperweights in the offseason to make this a financially viable option.) Their decision to commit $24.5 million over 3 years to a pitcher coming off a 65 IP, 5.32 FIP season had been rather baffling. But the Phillies made the right choice on Eaton today.
However, this choice was not without some possible negative repercussions. Repeating as Champions will be quite difficult, as the Braves, Mets, and Cubs have all improved in the offseason. Not to mention the three AL East powerhouses, any of whom would be a tough World Series opponent. Wouldn't repeating be all the more challenging, all the more sweeter, with Eaton on board for 32 starts? Eaton's projections call for another FIP in excess of 5, and those projections may not even consider that Eaton managed to have a 2008 FIP of 6.28 in AA. Winning the pennant with that kind of suckitude making 20% of the starts would be an accomplishment of historical proportions. Fortunately, with the free agent acquisition of Chan Ho Park, this achievement is still within reach.
Eaton will always be remembered for his greatest moment as a Phillie, on the mound in Colorado, on July 8, 2007. Hopefully, new acquisitions Park and Ibanez will handle themselves as brilliantly, as courageously, as Adam Eaton did on that fateful day. You'll always be remembered fondly in Colorado, Adam. In Philadelphia, not so much.
However, this choice was not without some possible negative repercussions. Repeating as Champions will be quite difficult, as the Braves, Mets, and Cubs have all improved in the offseason. Not to mention the three AL East powerhouses, any of whom would be a tough World Series opponent. Wouldn't repeating be all the more challenging, all the more sweeter, with Eaton on board for 32 starts? Eaton's projections call for another FIP in excess of 5, and those projections may not even consider that Eaton managed to have a 2008 FIP of 6.28 in AA. Winning the pennant with that kind of suckitude making 20% of the starts would be an accomplishment of historical proportions. Fortunately, with the free agent acquisition of Chan Ho Park, this achievement is still within reach.
Eaton will always be remembered for his greatest moment as a Phillie, on the mound in Colorado, on July 8, 2007. Hopefully, new acquisitions Park and Ibanez will handle themselves as brilliantly, as courageously, as Adam Eaton did on that fateful day. You'll always be remembered fondly in Colorado, Adam. In Philadelphia, not so much.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Beaton Badly Again
(originally posted 9/12/07)
That was pretty bad. Shut down by some rookie pitcher named Morales. Another horrible performance by Adam Eaton. Putrid outings from the most putrid members of a bullpen that is, well, putrid. With a 7-0 deficit, going into the bottom of the 7th, I thought the Phils still had a chance. Hell, they've had some impressive comebacks, and the Red Sox had already come back from an eight-run deficit on the TV next door. With the Phillies' potent offense, it was possible, right?
The Phils did pull to within 7-2, propelled by Jimmy Rollins' 27th homer, but that was a close as they got. Rockies 8, Phillies 2. With the Padres winning, the Phillies' Wild Card chances continued to decrease. But not enough to be overly concerned.
The Phillies last remaining free agent starter is a bit of a concern, however. Eaton is now 9-9 for the season, with an ERA of 6.31. He has a 7.47 ERA in his last 13 starts. He has the worst HR/IP ratio in baseball. Fortunately, the Phils only have to pay for another two years of this. At about $16 million. Hell, I don't even know if he has a spot on the playoff roster. Kendrick, Hamels, and Lohse. That's all the Phils will need. Their Baseball Prospectus playoff odds went down to about 20% after Tuesday night's loss (I calculated their odds at 81.9%, so I'd have to question the statistical validity of BP's figure.), but those odds will go right back up tonight. With Kyle Kendrick (8-3, 3.78), the NL's Rookie Pitcher of the Year on the mound, the Phillies odds of winning tonight are 94.6%. (Note: That figure also takes into account the 19.06 ERA Rockies' starter Denny Bautista has this season.) It won't be long before the Phils are resting players for the postseason, and planning their World Series rotation.
One word: Prodigious Power
(originally posted 6/12/07)
It seems like the Phillies never run on all cylinders. They have a bad outing by their starting pitcher. Or a lead-blowing bullpen implosion. Sometimes it's the offense, stranding hordes of baserunners, and/or accumulating hordes of strikeouts. On other days, an antimatter containment issue is the culprit.
But tonight, thanks to Phillies SP Adam Eaton, a worldwide television audience was able to enjoy a rather delightful Phillies victory, 3-0 over the Chicago White Sox. Eaton pitched seven scoreless innings, surrendering only four hits and three walks. He improved his record to 7-4, and his ERA to 5.42. The acquisition of Eaton has been frequently criticized in this space, as there were likely better uses for the $24.5 million over three years that the Phillies will pay the mediocre RHP. (Perhaps bullpen help, warp coils, or TastyKakes?) Tonight, he pitched like a $24.5 million over ONE year pitcher.
The Phillies' offense consisted of solo HRs by Pat Burrell (8th), Jimmy Rollins (11th), and Ryan Howard (13th). The fabulous ESPN announcing team had "one word: prodigious power" to say about Howard's long blast. Mike Zagurski (3.38 ERA) and Antonio Alfonseca (3.62) preserved the shutout, pitching the eight and ninth, respectively. Alfonseca recorded his fifth save in six opportunities. He currently has an impressive save-to-finger ratio of .417.
The ESPN crew of Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe wasn't bad, and Erin Andrews performed ably in the Tina Cervasio-role. (Though she seemed somehow out of place in Ashburn Alley. I don't think she exactly rivals Amalie Benjamin in the area of baseball knowledge.) It was a good win for the Phillies, and the fact that it was broadcast on ESPN will help the world become accustomed to Phillies victories. Because the World will be seeing a lot of them. In the 2007 Series. Four of them, to be exact.
It seems like the Phillies never run on all cylinders. They have a bad outing by their starting pitcher. Or a lead-blowing bullpen implosion. Sometimes it's the offense, stranding hordes of baserunners, and/or accumulating hordes of strikeouts. On other days, an antimatter containment issue is the culprit.But tonight, thanks to Phillies SP Adam Eaton, a worldwide television audience was able to enjoy a rather delightful Phillies victory, 3-0 over the Chicago White Sox. Eaton pitched seven scoreless innings, surrendering only four hits and three walks. He improved his record to 7-4, and his ERA to 5.42. The acquisition of Eaton has been frequently criticized in this space, as there were likely better uses for the $24.5 million over three years that the Phillies will pay the mediocre RHP. (Perhaps bullpen help, warp coils, or TastyKakes?) Tonight, he pitched like a $24.5 million over ONE year pitcher.
The Phillies' offense consisted of solo HRs by Pat Burrell (8th), Jimmy Rollins (11th), and Ryan Howard (13th). The fabulous ESPN announcing team had "one word: prodigious power" to say about Howard's long blast. Mike Zagurski (3.38 ERA) and Antonio Alfonseca (3.62) preserved the shutout, pitching the eight and ninth, respectively. Alfonseca recorded his fifth save in six opportunities. He currently has an impressive save-to-finger ratio of .417.
The ESPN crew of Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe wasn't bad, and Erin Andrews performed ably in the Tina Cervasio-role. (Though she seemed somehow out of place in Ashburn Alley. I don't think she exactly rivals Amalie Benjamin in the area of baseball knowledge.) It was a good win for the Phillies, and the fact that it was broadcast on ESPN will help the world become accustomed to Phillies victories. Because the World will be seeing a lot of them. In the 2007 Series. Four of them, to be exact.
FOX
(originally posted 5/5/07)
Dear FOX Broadcasting Company,
I suppose I can understand that you decided to air the Yankees-Mariners game in this region, rather than the Giants-Phillies matchup. You've cancelled Firefly, you've cancelled Drive, and you air an episode of House approximately every 16 minutes. Your decisions don't necessarily intersect with that little thing called "sense." I considered showing you the results of my survey of baseball fans, which was both representative, and of sufficient sample size. (When asked if the Phillies game should be aired over the Yankees game in this region, nine of of ten respondents either replied, "Sure, Mike." or "(expletive deleted) the Yankees.") But if you believed in statistically valid research, I suspect FOX News Channel would be a very different place. (Actually, that was probably the kind of study you do. So scratch that last part.)
But, fine. You can make your decisions as you see fit. But it is really necessary to black out the other games on MLB.TV? For goodness sakes, you forced me to listen to the game ON THE RADIO. You cannot mute Gary Matthews, Sr. on the radio broadcast. When he informed us of inside baseball info, such as, "the tie goes to the runner", I had no choice but to hear it. That is just a taste of the pain that HE inflicted on me. Additionally, Harry Kalas when he gave his patented HR call, you could hear the excitement through my dinky little computer speaker. The excitement as Barry (string of expletives deleted) Bonds inched closer to Hank Aaron. I would not have had to endure that blasphemous call if I was watching the television broadcast. When Manager Charlie Manuel pinch-hit Ryan Howard for Pat Burrell, even though the entire universe (known and unknown) knew this would result in a counter-move by the Giants of bringing in a southpaw, I had nowhere to hide. When Manuel brought in Yoel Hernandez to make his major league debut in a one run game in the 8th inning, I had to listen as all was lost on a HR by Pedro Feliz. I couldn't watch the horror unfold. So, yes FOX, you managed to make being a Phillies fan more painful today. Much obliged.
In closing, I would be more than glad to buy your sponsors' products. But, by blacking out the broadcast, I do not actually know who they are. So, you just cost yourselves $42. Or, quite possibly, more. If you multiply that by the gajillion fans who would have preferred the Phillies game, you get a real big number. Ginormous, actually. Possibly even higher than Adam Eaton's ERA. But you're probably not listening. Too busy plotting to cancel 24 on me.
Kindest regards,
Mike
Dear FOX Broadcasting Company,I suppose I can understand that you decided to air the Yankees-Mariners game in this region, rather than the Giants-Phillies matchup. You've cancelled Firefly, you've cancelled Drive, and you air an episode of House approximately every 16 minutes. Your decisions don't necessarily intersect with that little thing called "sense." I considered showing you the results of my survey of baseball fans, which was both representative, and of sufficient sample size. (When asked if the Phillies game should be aired over the Yankees game in this region, nine of of ten respondents either replied, "Sure, Mike." or "(expletive deleted) the Yankees.") But if you believed in statistically valid research, I suspect FOX News Channel would be a very different place. (Actually, that was probably the kind of study you do. So scratch that last part.)
But, fine. You can make your decisions as you see fit. But it is really necessary to black out the other games on MLB.TV? For goodness sakes, you forced me to listen to the game ON THE RADIO. You cannot mute Gary Matthews, Sr. on the radio broadcast. When he informed us of inside baseball info, such as, "the tie goes to the runner", I had no choice but to hear it. That is just a taste of the pain that HE inflicted on me. Additionally, Harry Kalas when he gave his patented HR call, you could hear the excitement through my dinky little computer speaker. The excitement as Barry (string of expletives deleted) Bonds inched closer to Hank Aaron. I would not have had to endure that blasphemous call if I was watching the television broadcast. When Manager Charlie Manuel pinch-hit Ryan Howard for Pat Burrell, even though the entire universe (known and unknown) knew this would result in a counter-move by the Giants of bringing in a southpaw, I had nowhere to hide. When Manuel brought in Yoel Hernandez to make his major league debut in a one run game in the 8th inning, I had to listen as all was lost on a HR by Pedro Feliz. I couldn't watch the horror unfold. So, yes FOX, you managed to make being a Phillies fan more painful today. Much obliged.
In closing, I would be more than glad to buy your sponsors' products. But, by blacking out the broadcast, I do not actually know who they are. So, you just cost yourselves $42. Or, quite possibly, more. If you multiply that by the gajillion fans who would have preferred the Phillies game, you get a real big number. Ginormous, actually. Possibly even higher than Adam Eaton's ERA. But you're probably not listening. Too busy plotting to cancel 24 on me.
Kindest regards,
Mike
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