Under the Radar

The Phillies' offseason has included several high profile acquisitions. Roy Halladay, Placido Polanco, and Ross Gload are among the household names joining the defending NL Champions. While most of the offseason's media coverage has centered around the Gload Signing, there were other moves within the organization that merit comment.

OF/1B Tagg Bozied was signed to a minor league contract.

Bozied was a highly-regarded Padres' prospect in the early 21st century, but ruptured the patella tendon in his left knee in July 2004, while celebrating a walk-off grand slam in the minors. Bozied spent the remainder of the decade living the life of a minor league journeyman. In 2009, Bozied began the season in Taiwan, and finished it in the Pirates' organization, posting a .362 wOBA (and a 27.9 K%) at AAA.

The right-handed hitting slugger will, likely, spend 2010 batting in the middle of the order for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA). Immediately upon his signing, Bozied became one of the favorites for the AAA All-Star Game's Home Run Derby, to be hosted at LV's Coca-Cola Park.

Why should Phillies' fans care about this signing? First off, "Tagg Bozied" is a truly great baseball name. Secondly, CHONE projects Bozied to a .329 wOBA and a .5 WAR for 2010. Ross Gload's CHONE projections for 2010: .316 wOBA and a -.3 WAR. Would Bozied have been a better choice for the Phils' bench? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But he certainly would have been a much cheaper alternative. With the salaries of many Phils' starters heading towards the stratosphere, maybe a more "top-heavy/bottom-light" method of roster construction will need to be considered. Why pay more than the MLB minimum, for players likely to spend the bulk of their time rooted to Manager Charlie Manuel's bench? Especially when those roster spots could be upgraded, if desired, with trade deadline deals...

SS Kami Mattioli was the final offseason addition to the roster of the Phillies' Ballgirls.

Mattioli will provide the Ballgirls with another high-OBP bat for the top of the order, strong infield defense, and leadership on (and off) the field. After Halladay, this may have been the Phils' best offseason acquistion.
However, the process by which Mattioli was selected was somewhat questionable. The Phillies could have had their sabermetric consultant(s) (and scouts) determine the final roster spot, considering the candidates' 2010 projections, as well as their potential impact on the current roster. Instead, they left the decision to a vote by the fans, a vote informed only by videos of the candidates' interviews. No stats, no scouting reports, no videos from game action, just the interviews were provided.
Fortunately, in this case, the crowds were wise, and the Ballgirls have their answer to Chase Utley. However, the Phillies need to clean up this process, and perhaps pick up a full-timer off the sabermetric waiver wire to help with these types of personnel decisions. Mattioli easily could have spent the next decade with a divisional rival. Or the Mets.

CF Shane Victorino signed a clothing deal with Silver Star Casting Company.

Victorino will be helping design a series of shirts with the MMA-outfitter. Unfortunately, the first "Flyin' Hawaiian" shirt will not be available until March 31st. At $40 a pop, it is no wonder Victorino could afford to eschew arbitration, and sign a three-year, $22 million extension. Perhaps Victorino can get impending free agent Jayson Werth involved in this venture?

The Phillies have two consecutive Fall Classic appearances under their belts, becoming a desirable destination for highly-regarded free agents/pending free agents (Polanco, Mattioli, Halladay, etc.) in the process. But when their players start designing $40 t-shirts, THAT'S when you know that the organization has reached a higher level.

(Don't) Blame Rapuano, For Phillies' Loss

It was, mostly, a great weekend around Citizens Bank Park. A tearful ceremony celebrating Harry Kalas, in which a Kalas plaque was added to Ashburn Alley. Guest appearances by such Phillies' luminaries as Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Ricky Jordan, Bob Boone, Tony Taylor, Juan Samuel, and Garry Maddox. Mickey Morandini and Gene Garber each paid visits to the broadcast booth. A home-run hitting contest included the bats of Jim Eisenreich and Mitch Williams. Muffin's birthday was celebrated on Sunday, and the occasion was marked with the presentation of a Muffin-topped cake, by the Phillie Phanatic and Sarge Matthews. The Phils had high hopes for a successful...WAIT! Is that Paul Bako's Music???

Cole Hamels (sung to the tune of "Blame Canada"): Should we blame BABIP?
Paul Bako: Or blame my absent bat?
Joe Blanton: Or should we blame Coghlan, that Floridian rat?
Charlie Manuel: No, blame Rapuano
Everyone: Blame Rapuano
Shane Victorino: We need to form a full assault
Everyone: It's Rapuano's fault!
Jamie Moyer: It seems like everything's gone wrong, since Rapuano came along
Everyone: Blame Rapuano!

OK. Sunday's 12-3 sweep-ensuring loss to the Marlins wasn't the fault of the home plate umpire. Starter Jamie Moyer, in what might be the last time in 2009 that he is referred to as a "starter", was roughed up for eleven hits (all singles) and a walk, in only five innings. Moyer surrendered mostly bloops and bleeders, but he was fortunate to escape with only two earned runs charged to his record, after permitting such an unhealthy number of baserunners.

The bullpen's performance was horrific. Long reliever Rodrigo Lopez, saved on Saturday, in order to back up Moyer on Sunday, came on to begin the seventh inning. Pitching on four days' rest, Lopez faced eight batters. Three got hits, three were walked, and all of the aforementioned six crossed the plate. Brad Lidge, pitching the ninth inning with a six-run deficit, got his ERA back over seven (now 7.24), by allowing three more runs. The Phillies' offense did little with Florida ace Josh Johnson, and the Marlins bullpen, getting out-hit by a 19-6 margin. The two-through-five hitters in the Phils' lineup combined for a 1 for 13 afternoon. No matter how bad the umpires were, the Phils have only themselves to blame for Sunday's loss.

That said, the tide seemed to turn Florida's way, when some umpire-infused idiocy cost the Phillies their starting centerfielder. Rodrigo Lopez threw what looked like a third strike, but home plate umpire Ed Rapuano called a ball. Centerfielder Shane Victorino put up his arms in disbelief, and Rapuano put up his arm, tossing the All-Star from the game! It was a surprising overreaction by the veteran umpire, who was immediately engaged in an unpleasant conversation with Charlie Manuel. Manuel may not have seen a player more than 350 ft. away from the umpire ejected, either. Victorino sprinted in from his position, also eager to engage the home plate umpire. However, Victorino seemed inclined to utilize some of the behaviors he had observed from watching UFC action, at the Wachovia Center on Saturday. Fortunately, Paul Bako and Ryan Howard interceded, keeping the irate and ill-intentioned Hawaiian away from the controversy-sparking official, and a subsequent suspension. Fellow UFC attendee Jayson Werth took over in center field, and the Marlins took over the ballgame.

Charlie Manuel held a team meeting after the game, an unusual move for the aggravated leader, but a prudent one after the lost weekend. Hopefully, Manuel got his point across, and the club will use their day off to put Sunday's events behind them. The Phillies divisional lead has fallen to four games, and a difficult Cubs/Braves road trip lies ahead. On the plus side, the Phils have "TBA" scheduled to toe the slab, in each of the next three games. With non-Moyer hurlers on the mound, the Phils just need to get their offense back in gear.

Bunts and Balks (8/3)

With the trade deadline having passed last Friday, the Phillies could still look to bolster the club, by acquiring a player who has cleared waivers. The Phillies have picked up Russell Branyan, Matt Stairs, and Scott Eyre, in recent post-trade deadline deals.
The team could really use an upgrade over Eric Bruntlett. A middle infielder with adequate batting skills, such as Willie Bloomquist or Jamey Carroll?
Another catcher would also come in handy, preferably one with at least some ability at the plate. The Houston Astros have a backup catcher who might be a good fit, but Chris Coste might not clear waivers.

The team has indicated that they will not rush Clay Condrey's rehabilitation. With so many rehabbing arms, all of whom will be clamoring for roster spots in the immediate future, there is no reason to rush Condrey. Condrey, and Brett Myers, may both have to wait until after rosters expand, on September 1st.
J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, and Pedro Martinez should be ready for MLB, by the beginning of next week. Tyler Walker and Kyle Kendrick seem likely to lose their spots. J.A. Happ seems likely to move to the bullpen, to free up a rotation spot for Martinez.
Chad Durbin and Rodrigo Lopez, recently demoted to the bullpen, might be competing for a single relief spot. Neither will be Phillies' property, after the 2009 season. I'd put my money on Lopez to stay, and Durbin to be DFA'd. (Durbin would likely clear waivers, due to his salary/ineffectiveness in 2009, and could be back in The Pen, when rosters expand.)

The Phillies released a behind-the-scenes video from their fantasy camp, this past spring. Worth a viewing, if you are considering signing up for 2010, or just curious to see some of the players involved. Livin' the dream, baby!

Shane Victorino will return to the lineup on Tuesday night, and Rodrigo Lopez will be available out of the bullpen. With Jamie Moyer facing the hot Rockies, it's good that Moyer will have backup, and Bruntlett will be back up on the bench.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) used a fourteen-hit attack, to crush the Rochester Red Wings on Monday, 10-4. Joe Savery made his first start in AAA, and picked up the victory, with a bit of help from the small ball offense (nine singles, five doubles). Savery only permitted one run, on four hits (one double, three singles), over six innings. But, before you get too excited, he also walked five batters, whiffed zero, and pitched in trouble all night. Savery was more lucky, than good, on Monday night.
(Of course, if the IronPigs had DH'd for J.J. Furmaniak, instead of the hard-hitting Savery, the young southpaw could have helped himself with his strong bat.)
Alex Concepcion pitched the last three innings, turning a 10-1 lead into a 10-4 win, by allowing three ninth-inning runs. He was awarded a save for his efforts, which seems to be some rather questionable scoring.
After getting two hits on Sunday, and with Savery on the mound, I found it surprising that fellow Reading promotee Kevin Nelson wasn't behind the plate. John Hoover caught, instead, going three for five, with two RBI.
Michael Taylor was one for three, with a double, and two RBI.
Andrew Carpenter will start for the FeHogs, on Tuesday night, as they finish their series with Rochester.

The Reading Phillies (AA) had Monday off. They will send Mike Stutes to the mound on Tuesday, in a home matchup against the Trenton Thunder. On Wednesday, Pedro Martinez will make the start.

The Phillies spent most of their resources preparing their minor leaguers to perform on the field. But there is also off-the-field preparation, which includes training in media relations, Bark-In-The-Park preparedness, and community involvement.
The Reading Phillies were captured on video, as they worked with some of the local youth. (Or find the video here.)

Bunts and Balks (8/1)

All-Star CF Shane Victorino is still out of the Phillies' lineup, with knee pain. Hopefully, Victorino will back in the starting lineup for the Colorado series, starting Tuesday at CBP. Fortunately, the presence of Disco Ben Francisco should prevent the Phillies from using Eric Bruntlett in the outfield, in Victorino's absence.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) made good use of their eleven hits on Saturday, demolishing the Rochester Red Wings, 7-1. Brian Mazone allowed one run, over six innings, for the win. Jake Woods finished with three scoreless innings, picking up a save. Of the eleven players used by the FeHogs, there was one top prospect (Michael Taylor) and one middling prospect (John Mayberry). The rest of the squad was comprised of minor league filler. Fortunately, the parent club is in good shape for the next two seasons, and there are some lower-level prospects on the move.

OF Dominic Brown was promoted from Clearwater (A) to Reading (AA).
Brown is one of the top position prospects in the system, and Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro refused to surrender him in a trade for Toronto ace Roy Halladay. Brown played 66 games with Clearwater, posting a .408 wOBA, and a .917 OPS.

RHP Michael Galen Cisco was promoted from Clearwater (A) to Reading (AA). It appears that Cisco will take the rotation spot vacated by Joe Savery, who was promoted to Lehigh Valley. Cisco's 7-3 record, 3.31 ERA, and 3.4 K/BB for Clearwater look good, but he was aided a bit by a BABIP of .278. Cisco's FIP of 4.06 is not all that impressive, but the twenty-two year old was the best choice from the Clearwater rotation for promotion. Cisco is younger than former Clearwater rotation-mates Jon Velazquez and Darren Byrd, and has much better command.

The Reading Phillies overcome a 4-1 deficit, defeating the Erie SeaWolves, 7-6.
Top prospect RHP Kyle Drabek only lasted six innings, permitting six hits, five runs, and three walks (five strikeouts). Four of the runs Drabek allowed were on the three home runs he surrendered, two to left-handed hitting Brennan Bosch. (The other was to right-handed hitting Casper Wells, a top Detroit prospect.) Drabek has extreme splits in AA: RHB are hitting .149, LHB are hitting .329. The game was only the second road start Drabek has made in AA, the first against a team with a record over .500. (Drabek has faced Altoona, with a .398 winning percentage, and Erie, with a .538 winning percentage, in away games.)
Dominic Brown was 0 for 3, in his R-Phils debut. Quintin Berry, Neil Sellers, and Brian Stavisky each had multiple-hit games for Reading.
Michael Cisco will make his first Reading start, on Sunday.

RHP Joe Bisenius and OF Gus Milner were sent from Reading to Clearwater.
Bisenius, who is a member of the Phillies' 40-Man roster, and made two relief appearances for the parent club in 2007, has been on the DL since June. He has pitched only twelve innings this season, posting an 11.25 ERA/2.00 WHIP for the R-Phils.
The twenty-five year old Milner posted a .269 wOBA, in 286 plate appearances with Reading.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) lost to the Fort Myers Miracle on Saturday, 5-4.
The Threshers lineup suffered from the absence of Dominic Brown. Steve Susdorf was 1 for 4, dropping his average to .390.
Starter Tyler Cloyd was charged with three runs in six and two-thirds innings, on seven hits, one walk (three strikeouts), and a home run. Cloyd left with the bases loaded in the seventh, but reliever Carlos Monasterios stranded the three inherited runners.

Phillies Offense Absent, in Loss to Arizona

J.A. Happ spent part of Wednesday worrying about, potentially, being traded to an organization that will not win the 2009 World Series. After the Phillies acquired starter Cliff Lee, for four minor league prospects, Happ was likely concerned for his spot in the rotation. But Happ didn't let the things he couldn't control affect his performance. He took what he could control, namely, the Arizona bats not wielded by Justin Upton, and made a strong argument for his continued inclusion the the Phillies' fave five. Unfortunately, despite Happ's excellence (six innings, three hits, two runs, two walks/five strikeouts), the Phillies' offense, which had been able to solve Cy Young candidate Dan Haren on Tuesday, was unable to figure out AAA candidate Yusmeiro Petit, in a 4-0 loss.

Happ was a solitary success, in a night of Phillies failures. There were so many goats in Wednesday's defeat, that only bullet points can contain them:

• The Phillies' offense combined for seven hits (five singles, two doubles), twelve strikeouts, nine LOB, and an 0 for 11 w/RISP.
• Shane Victorino allowed a bloody nose, which was multiple innings in duration, and a painful knee contusion, to knock him out of the contest in only the eighth inning.
• John Mayberry did not replace Victorino, as a PH, and in the field, with Jayson Werth moving from, RF to CF. Mayberry's days are numbered (the number is probably zero, at this point) but wasn't he a better option than Eric Bruntlett? (Wasn't Chan Ho Park a better PH-ing option than Bruntlett?) Mayberry only has a .554 OPS against RHP, but Bruntlett has a .211 OPS against RHP. Shouldn't Mayberry have been used to face Arizona northpaw Jon Rauch? Additionally, Eric Bruntlett is Eric Bruntlett!
• Eric Bruntlett played, and was allowed to bat. These are not good things.
• Jayson Werth struck out on a pitch that was about six inches underground, with two runners on, and no outs, in the seventh inning of a 2-0 game. The Phillies failed to score in the inning, despite having runners on second and third, with no outs.
• Newly-acquired OF Ben Francisco did not arrive in time to be activated for Wednesday night's game. Ben, you're on the WFCs now. No excuses.
• Scott Eyre relieved to start the seventh, and surrended a home run to the first batter he faced.
• Tyler Walker relieved to start the eighth, and was fortunate to only allow one run. The run was charged to Walker's ERA, increasing it to 3.46, which still greatly overstates his level of effectiveness.
• Steven Register did not pitch, because he is not even as good at baseball as Tyler Walker.

Tough loss for the Phils, but they still took two of three games in Arizona, which is not a bad result. The Phillies will have future opportunities to crush the Diamondbacks, beneath the weight of their imperious cleats. When the time comes, the impudence of Yusmeiro Petit will be remembered, and handled accordingly.

Hamels and Phils Dominate D-Backs in Win

The Phillies played like WFCs on Tuesday night, winning for the eighth time in ten games, with a 4-3 victory in Arizona. Behind a crowd peppered with Phillies fans, including two in Phillies' wrestling masks, Cole Hamels exhibited the form that made him World Series MVP. Hamels permitted a solo home run to the second batter he faced, and almost nothing else. Hamels pitched eight very impressive innings, surrendering only four hits, while walking none. He struck out nine batters, threw seventy-nine of one-hundred twelve pitches for strikes, and retired the last eight D-backs he faced. With Arizona ace Dan Haren opposing him, Hamels took command of the game, and ensured the Phils the win.

The Phillies took an excellent approach with Haren, forcing him to work deep into counts, which took a serious beating on his pitch count. Eight Phillies had ABs against Haren, in which they saw at least seven pitches. One of the best ABs was by Hamels, who took the count full, stayed alive with a foul ball, and then laced a double into the gap in left-center. Haren was forced out of the game after five innings, having already thrown one-hundred and seventeen pitches. The Phillies' offense was paced by Shane Victorino, who went 3 for 5, falling a triple short of a cycle. Victorino is now batting .319, after his two-RBI night. Brad Lidge got his 20th save, finishing up in the ninth. (Lidge permitted two runs, increasing his ERA to 7.11. Lidge made a non-eventful ending, an eventful one, by adding bad events to the end. But I'm just going to jam that info into parentheses, at the end of a paragraph, because I don't wan't to adversely affect the good Phillies vibe we have going right now.)

The Phillies will go for the sweep in Arizona on Wednesday night, with J.A. Happ (7-1, 2.97 ERA) opposed by Yusmeiro Petit (0-5, 7.68 ERA). Happ's impending regression, which may have begun in his most recent start (the bloopfest against St. Louis), aside, the Phils have to like their sweep chances. The Phillies, currently, lead the NL East by seven games over Florida, and eight over Atlanta. Their postseason odds are already over 79%, and will only be getting better. Especially when they add Roy Halladay to the roster.

Cardinals' Series Preview

(On some blogs, an upcoming weekend series will be previewed, with potential matchups examined. Here, we go ahead and tell you what is going to happen, so that you can plan your weekend accordingly. The upcoming results are to be USED FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY, and contain spoilers.)

FRI: Phillies 3, Cardinals 1

Eventually, MLB is going to catch up with Phillies' starter J.A. Happ. His BABIP and LOB % will likely regress to the norm, and Happ will likely regress to fourth-starter numbers. But the inevitable downward spiral didn't begin on Friday, as Happ held St. Louis scoreless, in his eight-inning stint. In a brisk two-hour and twenty-two minute game, which left plenty of time to catch the set by The Jonas Brothers across the street, Happ scattered five hits. Home runs by Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez were enough to secure the victory.

SAT: Phillies 5, Cardinals 2

Not much was expected of veteran starter Rodrigo Lopez by the Phillies. A few six-inning, three-run outings, providing a satisfactory bridge to Pedro Martinez' ascension to the rotation, was all that the Phillies desired. However, Lopez has continued to be more-than-satisfactory, twirling his fourth consecutive strong start, in the Phillies' 5-1 victory. Shane Victorino paced the offense, with a three-hit performance, including a two-run, first-inning homer.

SUN: Phillies 6, Cardinals 5 (10)

With Paul Bako and Eric Bruntlett both in the starting lineup, and shaky starter Jamie Moyer on the mound, the signs for a Phillies' sweep seemed as ominous as the cloudy skies over CBP. The game started as expected, with an ineffective Moyer permitting five runs through five innings, and the Killer B's each contributing a pair of strikeouts. When the rains delayed proceedings in the bottom of the fifth, many teams would have accepted the loss, and cleared the bench for the remainder of the game. But not the WFCs.
Recently-recalled AAA starter-turned-MLB-reliever Andrew Carpenter took the ball, when play resumed after a fifty-eight minute rain delay. He refused to surrender the mound, pitching a startingly-impressive five scoreless innings. Carpenter's first major league victory came in an ineffective, rain-shortened outing against the Nationals. His second major league win was something of which Carpenter could be a little more proud.
The Phillies tied things up in the seventh, with a five-run rally, keyed by four two-out hits. A walk-off single in the tenth, by emergency catcher Jayson Werth, completed the Phils' sweep. Of course, the heroics by Carpenter and Werth, as well as the Moyer-induced ugliness, were all-but-forgotten, when the Phillies announced their newest trade acquisition after the win.

Season Review/Preview- Position Players (Now with Arbitrary Grades!)

Welcome to the 2009 Phillies Season in Review/Preview, Position Players Edition!


Catchers

Carlos Ruiz
Some numbers: .235 AVG, .703 OPS, .310 wOBA, .257 BABIP (.262 career)
Some commentary: Ruiz has been (mostly) a serviceable catcher, which is all the Phils need. He has struggled mightily in June/July (.482 OPS/.488 OPS). Ruiz has been putting up Bakoey offensive numbers, after a strong offensive May.
Arbitrary Grade: C

Paul Bako
Some numbers: .214 AVG, .517 OPS, .238 wOBA, .286 BABIP (.305 career)
Some commentary: Bako is not a major league-quality player, but he has hit as well as Ruiz, since June. "Gabor" is one of my favorite baseball names, but that is not enough to merit a roster spot.
Arbitrary Grade: F

Chris Coste (no longer with organization)
Some numbers: .240 AVG, .711 OPS, .317 wOBA, .307 BABIP (.316 career)
Some commentary: Coste is weak defensively, but far superior with the bat to Bako. Does Bako make up the offensive difference, with his defensive prowess? Probably not. Coste should still be on the roster, Bako should not be in the organization.
Arbitrary Grade: C-

Lou Marson
Some numbers: (AAA) .298 AVG, .748 OPS, .343 wOBA, .363 BABIP
Some commentary: Marson has done well at AAA, and is a far superior hitter to Bako (as are most players). Hopefully, Marson will replace Bako as the backup catcher, for the postseason (if not sooner).
Arbitrary Grade: INC

1B

Ryan Howard
Some numbers: .257 AVG, 22 HR, .870 OPS, .373 wOBA, .306 BABIP (.330 career), 4.9 UZR/150
Some commentary: Howard has improved, substantially, as a fielder (2nd among NL 1B in UZR/150). His low batting average could improve a bit, if his luck improves a bit. Ugly .574 OPS against lefties (139 AB) brings down his numbers, and his overall grade.
Arbitrary Grade: A-

2B

Chase Utley
Some numbers: .313 AVG, 20 HR, 1.004 OPS, .436 wOBA, .330 BABIP (.326 career), 2.6 UZR/150
Some commentary: Utley was expected to miss the first month of the season, but hasn't missed any time at all. In a non-Pujols World, he would be under MVP consideration. Ranks 5th among NL 2B in UZR/150.
Arbitrary Grade: A+

SS

Jimmy Rollins
Some numbers: .229 AVG, 7 HR, .642 OPS, .287 wOBA, .242 BABIP (.297 career), 3.7 UZR/150
Some commentary: Rollins has had a brutal season. His BABIP, and his July numbers (1.078 OPS, 45 AB), indicate that things could be getting better. Ranks 5th among NL SS in UZR/150.
Arbitrary Grade: D

3B

Pedro Feliz
Some numbers: .293 AVG, 6 HR, .756 OPS, .329 wOBA, .317 BABIP (.274 career), 9.3 UZR/150
Some commentary: The slick-fielding Feliz is second among NL 3B in UZR. Feliz' high BABIP indicates that his AVG may regress a bit. Feliz has a .338 OBP in 2009, after struggling to exceed .300 in previous seasons.
Arbitrary Grade: B

LF

Raul Ibanez
Some numbers: .309 AVG. 22 HR, 1.015 OPS, .426 wOBA, .314 BABIP (.311 career), HR/FB: 24.2% (12.9% career), -1.2 UZR/150
Some commentary: The Ibanez signing might be questionable a year from now, but it has been a great move at this point. His counting stats could be higher, if he hadn't missed time with a groin injury. His fielding has been surprisingly adequate. His HR rate should regress, as his HR/FB rate of 24.2% is rather aberrant. Ibanez has fattened up his stats against the woeful Nationals (57 AB, 6 HR, .440 AVG, 1.389 OPS). He won't (likely) put up the same numbers in the second half, but he has been one of the Phils' first half MVPs.
Arbitrary Grade: A+

CF

Shane Victorino
Some numbers: .309 AVG, 6 HR, .839 OPS, .368 wOBA, .338 BABIP (.312 career), -12.6 UZR/150
Some commentary: Victorino's NL-worst UZR/150 is disconcerting. Ibanez had UZR/150s of -23.3 and -10.4 in the past two seasons. It seems possible that, somehow, UZR/150 is understating Victorino's defensive skill, while overstating Ibanez'? Victorino's AVG may regress a bit in the second half, but he was a deserving All-Star.
Arbitrary Grade: A-

RF

Jayson Werth
Some numbers: .263 AVG, 20 HR, .884 OPS, .384 wOBA, .290 BABIP (.330 career), 7.1 UZR/150
Some commentary: Werth has 40 HR potential. His AVG could improve, if his luck improves. Werth ranks 3rd in NL UZR/150. Another deserving All-Star.
Arbitrary Grade: A

Reserves

Matt Stairs (OF)
Some numbers: (76 PA), .283 AVG, 4 HR, .951 OPS, .415 wOBA, .333 BABIP (.291 career)
Some commentary: Stairs has done a superb job as a pinch-hitter. He is almost useless in the field.
Arbitrary Grade: B

Greg Dobbs (OF/IF)
Some numbers: (119 PA), .269 AVG, 5 HR, .774 OPS, .330 wOBA, .293 BABIP (.316 career)
Some commentary: Dobbs performs much better when he plays more regularly. Manuel needs to do a better job getting Dobbs PAs.
Arbitrary Grade: B

John Mayberry (OF)
Some numbers: (AAA) .257 AVG, 8 HR, .808 OPS, .362 wOBA, .328 BABIP
Some commentary: Mayberry has struggled at the MLB level this season (.297 in 52 PAs). He needs to play regularly at AAA, but the Phillies' lack of a satisfactory right-handed pinch-hitter/outfielder may keep him with the parent club.
Arbitrary Grade: INC

Eric Bruntlett (IF/OF)
Some numbers: (84 PAs) .139 AVG, .416 OPS, .192 wOBA, .185 BABIP (.273 career)
Some commentary: It is disturbing that Bruntlett has more PAs than Stairs. Bruntlett has not been lucky at the plate, but he also hasn't been good. His offensive stats are historically bad. If he was a "25th Man", who rarely played (and didn't have a 800K salary, 500K perhaps?), and helped clean up around the clubhouse, he might not hurt the Phils as much. But Manuel giving him 150 PAs is a disaster.
Arbitrary Grade: F

With the exception of Jimmy Rollins, and the catchers, the Phillies' position players have performed very well. Their bench has been a glaring weakness, with only two useful players (Greg Dobbs, Matt Stairs), only one of whom (Dobbs) is adequate defensively. The Phils desperately need a right-handed hitting outfielder/pinch-hitter, and would be in bad shape if any of their starting position players were injured. However, there may not be another MLB team that can match the ability of the Phillies' starting lineup.

Blanton Beats Bucs Behind Best Bats (Beastly Backstop Bako Blunders)

When the Phillies traded pitching prospects Josh Outman and Gio Gonzalez for Joe Blanton, I wasn't too impressed. A mediocre, non-innings eater coming from a pitcher-friendly ballpark? No, thanks. When Blanton went 4-0 for the Phils down the stretch, I lamented that he averaged less than six innings a start, and sported a 1.37 WHIP. When he pitched well in the playoffs, and belted a memorable homer, the trade started to look a bit better.

Then Blanton started 2009, by posting an ERA of 8.41 in April. The trade looked horrible again, and only worse performances from Chan Ho Park and Jamie Moyer kept Blanton in the rotation. But J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, and Andrew Carpenter were all waiting to snag rotation spots from the struggling veterans ahead of them.

On May 26th, Blanton turned his season around, with seven scoreless innings against Florida. Since May 26th, Blanton has made nine starts, only two of which were poor/fewer than six innings. He has pitched at least seven innings in six of those starts, including Friday night's 3-2 win over the Pirates. Blanton pitched seven and one-third innings, permitting only a single run, on four hits (one walk, six strikeouts). Blanton posted a 3.62 ERA in June, and has a stunning .61 ERA in July. That Joe Blanton trade was, truly, a masterful move. One of the best trades in franchise history, without a doubt. (Better than Rick Wise for Steve Carlton, you ask? Well, no. At least not yet...)

The Phillies' offense only contributed five hits on Friday, all from All-Stars (Shane Victorino had three hits, Jayson Werth and Chase Utley each had one). But they scraped together three third-inning markers, which proved sufficient. J.C. Romero relieved Blanton in the eighth, and retired all three batters he faced. Typically, Phillies' Manager Charlie Manuel will bring closer Brad Lidge at the beginning of the ninth. However, on Friday, he kept the southpaw Romero in the game to retire the left-handed LaRoche (Adam). Lidge was called in to retire the right-handed LaRoche (Andy). Manuel's bullpen machinations worked out very well on Friday. Well, at least until Lidge surrendered a two-out solo home run. After permitting a single to the following batter, Lidge secured the save, with a game-ending strikeout. Manuel has displayed some very promising thought processes this week, with the exception of his continued use of Eric Bruntlett and Paul Bako to appear in baseball games.

The Phillies play the Pirates again Saturday, with ace Cole Hamels picking up his eighth win. Raul Ibanez will homer, in his return to the lineup, and Ryan Madson will pick up the save. (Brad Lidge, having pitched in consecutive days, will have the day off.) Paul Bako will also extend his hitless streak to three games. But you should still tune in, just to see what kind of shenanigans Sarge and Muffin get into.

Shane Headed to St. Louis, Pedro to Philly?

The Phillies just cannot be confined to the usual edition of Bunts and Balks today.

Shane Victorino wins the Final Vote, and will be going to the All-Star Game.
Bran-Torino was a success, and Victorino and Detroit's Brandon Inge will both be in St. Louis. Phillies' fans everywhere really stepped up in the voting, and Victorino was a Hawaiian Highlight Machine this week. Now we just need Jayson Werth to replace an injured Carlos Beltran, and we can have an all-Phillies outfield...

Pedro Martinez is, reportedly, on his way to Philadelphia for a physical, the final step before a contract agreement is announced. Martinez would, likely, be paid a pro-rated $4-5 million ($2-$2.5 million for the second half). Martinez was throwing low 90's heat, and had good command of all his pitches, in a simulated game earlier this week. The signing will cost the Phillies some salary, but no prospects, and is a reasonable gamble for a back-of-the-rotation starter. At worst, Martinez will buy some development time for Andrew Carpenter and Carlos Carrasco. At best, he could be the #2 starter the Phillies need.
Martinez would, probably, make two or three starts for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA), before his return to MLB.

The Phillies appear to be one of the frontrunners in the race to acquire Roy Halladay. Signing Pedro Martinez might give the Phils the flexibility to trade J.A. Happ, as part of the Halladay package. Happ is young, MLB-ready, and cost-controlled, which would be a good fit for the Jays. Happ, and some high profile prospects (Carrasco and Marson?), plus the salary relief a Halladay trade would provide the Jays, may be enough to get this deal done. A Halladay-Hamels-Blanton-Martinez-Moyer rotation could enable the Phils to run away from the rest of the division. Halladay is signed through the 2010 season, and has a no-trade clause which he would, hopefully, waive to join the WFCs.

Rodrigo Lopez has "right shoulder inflammation", but isn't expecting to miss a start. When the Phillies moved J.A. Happ up a day in the rotation two weeks ago, they ensured that Lopez' spot in the rotation would come up only twice before the All-Star break. Lopez' next turn won't come until July 20th. If Martinez is signed, Lopez might not have two many more starts after that one, at least for the Phillies...

Raul Ibanez is rehabbing for Lehigh Valley on Thursday, and could be activated this weekend. With the Pittsburgh Pirates scheduled to start northpaws on Saturday and Sunday, it seems activating Ibanez in time for Saturday's game could be the plan. Who's spot would he take? Expect to see John Mayberry optioned back to Lehigh Valley, to play every day. (But the removal of a catcher from the roster is an unlikely possibility.) Of course, an injury could cloud this decision before Saturday.

Victorino Walks-Off (to All-Star Game?)

Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel was in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike. Wednesday night's game against the Reds was strangely familiar to Tuesday night's loss. Rodrigo Lopez (five innings, two earned runs) pitched well enough to win, but the Phillies had wasted too many opportunities (nine LOB). Jayson Werth just missed gunning a batter down at first base, the pre-Lidge bullpenners were strong (Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson combined for four scoreless frames), and the bench players should have remained rooted to the bench (pinch-hitters 0 for 4, 3 whiffs). Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless eighth, keeping the score tied, with Brad Lidge ready to enter in the top of the ninth. Manuel was in a maze of twisting little passages, all alike. Tuesday night's loss against the Reds was strangely familiar to Wednesday night's game.

Until Charlie Manuel chose a course of action that allowed him to escape the maze of little twisting passages, all alike. Instead of bringing Brad Lidge into the game in the ninth, with the score tied at 2, Ryan Madson stayed in to pitch a second inning. Manuel has been much-maligned for his bullpen usage, particularly his propensity to burn several relievers in a single inning, and his unwillingness to ride a "hot hand" for multiple innings. Manuel chose to ride the hot hand, instead of the textbook move of bringing in his closer in the top of the ninth, in a tie game at home. Madson held the Reds off the scoreboard in the top of the ninth, and the Phils were set for a walk-off victory. But not until the tenth inning, as Pedro Feliz, Paul Bako, and Eric Bruntlett were the scheduled batters in the bottom of the ninth.

Of course, Manuel's flexible decision-making had opened the possibilities for numerous different plotlines, including endings where Bako and/or Bruntlett contributed in a positive manner at the plate. Well, perhaps those unlikely possibilities hadn't been opened, as both of the relatively-useless role players were retired meekly. (Personally, I think I'd rather be eaten by a grue, than witness Bako's gruesome attempts to bunt again.) However, a Feliz single, Bako and Bruntlett only accounting for a single out apiece, and a Jimmy Rollins walk, put the winning run on second. With two outs, Final Vote Candidate Shane Victorino ambled out of the dugout, to further his All-Star aspirations. Four pitches later, Victorino lined a slider into center field, clinching a walkoff victory for the Phils, and ensuring the Flyin Hawaiian additional voting support. Not that he needs it...

The Phillies finish their four-game series with the Reds on Thursday night. Jamie Moyer faces Micah Owings. What will Charlie Manuel do next- summon Brad Lidge for a four-out save? Let Greg Dobbs face a southpaw, rather then pinch-hitting for Dobbs with .139 "hitter" Eric Bruntlett? That remains to be seen. But we do know this: Shane Victorino will be announced as an All-Star, prior to the Phillies' series-winning victory. No questions asked.

Bunts and Balks (7/8)

Raul Ibanez will continue his rehab on Thursday, with another appearance for Lehigh Valley (AAA). It doesn't appear that Ibanez will return to the P-Phils before the All-Star break. It does appear that Ibanez will be taking part in the MLB All-Star game.

Raul Ibanez' rehabilitation appearances at Coca-Cola Park, the Home of the IronPigs, are sponsored by Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network. This blog would like to sponsor Jack Taschner's post-DFA appearances at Coca-Cola Park. And Paul Bako's actual DFA'ing.

Jayson Werth is getting closer to gunning down a baserunner at first base on a grounder/liner to right field. Remember when Glenn Wilson used to try this maneuver, usually on pitchers/slow-footed catchers? Werth might need the pitcher to start covering first on these attempts, as Ryan Howard is having trouble getting to first base in time. Never seen a 9-1 putout at first base before...

Shane Victorino continues to battle in the Final Vote. Reliever Chan Ho Park showed his support for Victorino by wearing a Vote Victorino sandwich board. Victorino has supported Victorino by being a human highlight film this week. I think he will make the All-Star team. (But I'm not sure that Jayson Werth wouldn't be a better choice...)

Paul Bako got another start on Wednesday. Is Gabor now the personal catcher for Rodrigo Lopez? Has Manager Charlie Manuel given up on Chris Coste behind the plate? Does Chris Coste have any trade value whatsoever? The Phils should dump Bako and Coste, call up Lou Marson as the backup catcher, and Sergio Escalona (or Gary Majewski) as another bullpen arm.
Paul Bako attempting to bunt was even more nightmarish than Paul Bako attempting to bat. (Still less nightmarish than Eric Bruntlett attempting to bat...)

Rodrigo Lopez left his Wednesday night start, after five innings, with right shoulder inflammation. Not good. The Phils need him to stay in the rotation until the trade for Roy Halladay is completed, in two weeks.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) ravaged the Pawtucket Red Sox, 12-0, on Wednesday night. The FeHogs had a 12-3 hit advantage, with catcher Lou Marson contributing three hits (double, two singles). Starter Andrew Carpenter took advantage of a woeful Pawtucket lineup (4 batters with BAs of .209, or lower, none higher than .262) to throw seven scoreless innings (two hits, one walk, nine strikeouts). Carpenter is now 8-2, with a 2.45 ERA, and Marson's average is up to .292. Those numbers should help their respective trade values...
The FeHogs will host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees on Thursday and Friday, as unplayable conditions at S/W-B 's PNC Field forced the games to be moved to Coca-Cola Park.

The Reading Phillies (AA) lost to the 1st Place Akron Aeros, 4-0. The R-Phils were held to three hits, all singles, and a pair of walks. Mike Stutes took the loss, surrendering four runs (only one was earned), on five hits (three walks/four strikeouts).

The Clearwater Threshers (A) were rained out. The Threshers will play two against the Brevard County Manatees on Thursday. Steve Susdorf does not fear the Sea Cow.

Bunts and Balks (7/7)

Shane Victorino continues to battle SF's Pablo Sandoval in the Final Vote race. There's still plenty of time for any of the five candidates to win. Also plenty of time for each of us to vote for Victorino another 5000 times...

Raul Ibanez had his second rehab game Tuesday night, in Lehigh Valley (AAA). Ibanez batted three times, with a walk, a strikeout, and a single. He will probably have Wednesday off, play on Thursday, and may be activated by the P-Phils this weekend.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs lost for the seventh time in nine games, 6-2, to the Pawtucket Red Sox. The FeHogs' bats were shut down by Clay Buchholz, who would be the P-Phils' second starter. Lehigh Valley did set a franchise record, by walking eleven Pawtucket batters. Starter Carlos Carrasco contributed six of those free passes, in throwing only forty-seven of eighty-six pitches for strikes. Carrasco only permitted three hits, but the walks helped lead to six earned runs, in only four innings. Jack Taschner made his FeHogs debut, pitching two scoreless innings, in which he allowed four baserunners (2.00 WHIP).
In related news, the LV postgame show starts by airing radio clips of highlights from former IronPigs (including Brennan King and Jon Knotts!). Can't they update this with some 2009 highlights?

The Reading Phillies (AA) took a 5-0 lead into the fourth inning, and held on to beat the Akron Aeros, 11-7. The R-Phils' fourteen-hit attack featured three-hit games from Quintin Berry and Michael Taylor, and two-hit games from Neil Sellers, Jeremy Slayden, and Brad Harman. Vance Worley got the win, but permitted eleven hits and four runs (one walk/three strikeouts) over five and one-third innings. Worley's line could have been worse, but reliever Alex Concepcion stranded the two runners he inherited from Worley.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) game was suspended, with the Threshers trailing the Lakeland Flying Tigers in the fourth inning, 1-0. The aborted mission will be resumed on August 12th. Jonathan Velazquez had allowed only a single run (three hits, zero walks/five strikeouts) in the four innings he completed. I wonder how many current Threshers will be with the R-Phils, by the time this game is resumed?

Phillies 22, Victorino 9, Reds 1

As a youthful phanatic, I kept a meticulously-removed copy of a Phillies box score in my wallet, just in case it was needed. On June 11, 1985, the Phillies scored nine runs in the first inning, and seven in the second, en route to a 26-7 thrashing of the New York Mets. Von Hayes hit a pair of home runs, in the first inning, and Juan Samuel had five hits. Charles Hudson got the victory, despite allowing seven runs (six earned) and thirteen hits, over five innings. Somewhere, a currently-youthful phanatic likely has this page saved.

Despite not coming against the rival Mets, the Phils' 22-1 drubbing of the Reds on Monday night, might have been even better. The Phillies sent thirteen men to the plate in the first inning, scoring ten times. Shane Victorino, batting second in the order, scored four times before the Reds' fifth-place hitter batted twice. Jimmy Rollins went 3 for 4, Victorino was 4 for 5, and the two combined for nine runs scored. Greg Dobbs, now batting .271 (average on June 1st was .154), was 4 for 6. Jayson Werth had five RBIs, Chase Utley had four RBIs, as did Victorino. Starting pitcher Cole Hamels surrendered only one run (one three hits) in seven innings, while chipping in a pair of hits and RBIs. The Phillies went 21 for 43 in the game, had 11 two-out RBIs, were 10 for 15 with runners in scoring position, and had a 98.7% Win Expectancy after the first inning. By the second inning, the result really wasn't in doubt; all that remained was to sit back, relax, pump in All-Star votes for Shane Victorino, and root for the Phils to score twenty-seven.

In that 1985 game, the Phils had an unsung hero, reliever Dave Rucker. Rucker entered the game in the sixth inning, called on to protect a slim 21-7 lead. Rucker threw three scoreless innings, and even contributed a pair of hits (forty percent of his career hit total). On Monday night, Tyler Walker was brought in to start the eighth inning, with the Phillies clinging to a 16-1 lead. The Phils' WE was 100%, but any kind of lapse by Walker could have reduced that number to only 99.9%. If an ace like the Reds' Johnny Cueto could surrender nine runs in less than an inning, how much damage could a hurler with Walker's level of ability permit? Operating under extreme pressure, and with no margin for error, Walker got the job done. He retired the Reds in order, keeping the WE at 100%. The Phils tacked on six runs in the bottom of the eighth, against the Reds' Eric Bruntlett-equivalent (Paul Janish), and Scott Eyre preserved the twenty-one run lead in the ninth.

The Phillies will try to increase their winning streak to five games on Tuesday, with J.A. Happ (5-0, 2.96 ERA) ready to shut down the Reds. Jimmy Rollins (10 for his last 19) and Shane Victorino (determined to post All-Star caliber stats this week) will lead the offense. The Phils might not score another twenty-two runs, but double digits shouldn't be a problem. No questions asked.

Bunts and Balks (7/6)

Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez were voted as All-Star starters, and Ryan Howard was selected as a reserve. Utley, Ibanez, and Howard were all very deserving, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Howard in the Home Run Derby. Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Ryan Madson, and Brad Lidge would have been worthy based on their successes in 2008, but not so much for their numbers in 2009. It is probably for the best that they will get the extra days off, particularly the pitchers.

Shane Victorino was chosen to be part of the Final Vote, for the last NL roster spot. Statistically, Victorino might be the fourth best, out of the five candidates. Considering the market sizes of the five players' home cities, Victorino and LA's Matt Kemp could be the top two in the voting. If some NL outfielders (Ibanez? Carlos Beltran?) cannot play, a spot might open for Victorino, regardless of the results of the voting. (I'll abstain, rather than voting against Victorino, but my vote would go to SF's Pablo Sandoval, over ARI's Mark Reynolds.)

Raul Ibanez is scheduled to rehab in Reading (AA), starting on Monday. Hopefully, he'll actually play in games this time. If he can get a few games in, he could get some MLB action prior to the All-Star game.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) held on in the ninth, for a 2-0 victory over the Syracuse SkyChiefs. Kyle Kendrick pitched brilliantly, with eight scoreless (six hits, one walk/three strikeouts) innings. He was removed after throwing ninety-three pitches.
Cedrick Bowers, with ten and two-thirds consecutive scoreless relief innings entering the game, made things very interesting in the ninth. He permitted a double and a pair of walks, to load the bases with two outs. Fortunately, Syracuse ran out of viable batters, and had to bat .125-hitting catcher Jhonatan Solano (with pitcher Logan Kensing on deck), with the game on the line. Solano drove the ball 380 ft. ... where it was tracked down by FeHogs CF Jason Ellison. A bit too close for comfort...
In related news, the name "SkyChiefs" always reminds me of this song, for some reason.

The Reading Phillies (AA) were tied with the Connecticut Defenders, 3-3 after six innings, but went on to lose, 12-5. Clearwater Threshers (A) ace Yohan Flande continued to struggle with the R-Phils. Flande surrendered ten hits and six runs (five earned), in six innings. Connecticut stole six bases against Flande, including two steals of home (as parts of double steals). Flande might need to work on holding runners a bit. Jeremy Slayden had a homer, and Neil Sellers went three-for-three, in the losing effort.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) took a 8-0 lead after three innings, and held on to beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers , 10-6. Starter Michael Galen Cisco held Lakeland to a solo homer, pitching five strong innings (five hits, one walk/four strikeouts) for his fifth win (in six decisions). Steve Susdorf went three-for-five, with his first homer. Susdorf is now batting .434, OBPing .483, and slugging .547, for an OPS of 1.030.
The motto of the Lakeland Flying Tigers is "Every Game is a Mission." Lakeland has succeeded in only three of their ten second-half missions.

Kentucky Joe to the Rescue!

Prior to his start Tuesday night against Florida, Joe Blanton indicated that he had discovered a "mechanical flaw" in his delivery, and that fixing it would improve his results. We've all heard that line many times before. I didn't believe it when Joe Cowley said it in 1987, and I didn't believe it this time.

Blanton's outstanding performance in the Phillies' 5-3 win seemed to indicate that the brawny hurler may have figured something out. Was he luckier on Tuesday, than he had been in earlier starts? Perhaps. Did the craptacular Marlins' lineup help him out, with poor approaches at the plate? Maybe. Blanton was so successful on Tuesday night, that improved skill certainly had to be a factor. He threw SEVEN SHUTOUT INNINGS! Blanton has struggled to get through five innings, and when he has surpassed five innings, it has come at the cost of oodles of runs. Not on Tuesday night, however. Five hits allowed, two walks, and ELEVEN STRIKEOUTS! Blanton's one-hundred and fourteen pitches (seventy-two strikes) took him through seven frames, as he ATE QUALITY INNINGS! As it that wasn't enough, Blanton also broke up a double play, utilizing his elephantine grace to help the Phils extend their lead.

The Phillies jumped on Marlins' starter Andrew Miller for three runs in the first inning, and added on single runs in the sixth and seventh frames. One night after his ninth-inning brain failure, Shane Victorino went 3 for 4. Ryan Madson came into the game in the eighth with a 5-0 lead, as he had already been warming up earlier. It took him only nine pitches to get through a scoreless inning.

Chad Durbin came in to put the finishing touches on the Phillies' first shutout of the season. Unfortunately, Durbin made a huge mess of things, only retiring one of the four batters he faced. (I expect him to hold himself accountable for the poor performance on Twitter, in a timely manner.) Embattled closer Brad Lidge was called into the game, needing two outs, with the potential tying run on second base. Earlier in the day, Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel had given Lidge a vote of confidence, and the once-perfect reliever got the job done, collecting his ninth save. It was disappointing that the Phillies didn't get the shutout, but Lidge's successful performance might have more significant long-term ramifications. Blanton and Lidge made big strides Tuesday night. If they can continue to perform at this level, the Phillies could remain in first place for quite awhile.

The Phillies go for the series win Wednesday night, with Brett Myers getting the start. Myers has been very effective recently, including his outstanding performance last Friday at Yankee Stadium. The Marlins will send Burke Badenhop, and his 5.75 ERA/1.62 WHIP, to the hill. Badenhop has been pitching in relief, so he may be on a low pitch count. ("Burke Badenhop" sounds like it could be the name of a cartoon villain, perhaps a nemesis for Rocky and Bullwinkle, so the young northpaw does have that going for him.) Expect a double-digit win for the Phils.

While you are waiting for Wednesday's carnage to begin, you may wish to cast a few dozen All-Star votes for Raul Ibanez, and his deserving teammates. Ibanez, the best outfielder in the National League so far, is only sixth in the voting. Ibanez will likely be at the game, even if the fans don't vote him in, and he will likely shock the world by winning The Home Run Derby. But let's go ahead and vote him in, so we don't have to worry about "All-Star politics" keeping him off the roster.


Postgame texts

(56) So, can I hang with you and Brett now?
(35) Need a couple more starts like that, Chunk.

(8) I just realized what Stairs reminds me of in the outfield- a Sleestak!
(28) He's not tall enough. An Altrusian, maybe?

Things Don't Always Look as Bad as They Appear

In a season that has already been filled with surprising, amazing moments, the Phillies added to that exponentially-growing list on Tuesday night. Miguel Cairo got a hit! In the lineup only because starter Chase Utley is day-to-day with a foot injury, and backup Eric Bruntlett hasn't met a right-handed pitcher he can hit, Cairo came up huge. With a single in four at-bats, Cairo increased his batting average by .083, to a season-high of .083. His WPA for the game was above -.050, as he finished with an impressive -.048. The Phillies defeated the Cardinals 10-7, moving into first place in the division, but Cairo was the big story. Cairo announced after the game that he would be keeping the ball from his second inning single, which produced a WPA of .006, for his personal trophy case. The bat, however, is already on the way to Cooperstown.

Brett Myers has produced the most consistent results of the Phillies' five starters, so far this season, throwing six or seven innings, and allowing three or four runs, in each of his first five starts. But he has been anything but consistent. Overpowering one inning, horrifyingly bad the next, anything can happen when Myers is on the scene. He has also experienced some difficulties with home runs, as he has permitted more than St. Louis' entire rotation, combined.

Myers was as erratic as usual, Tuesday night in St. Louis, but the final results weren't as good as in his earlier starts. The mid-80s (MPH) fastballs he was throwing over the middle of the plate may have been the root of the problem. Myers didn't walk a batter, but allowed nine hits over five and one-third innings. He surrendered two home runs, as opposing batters continued to bash the numerator of his own personal FIP equation. Myers was fortunate to only be charged with five runs in the game, as he left with the bases loaded. It was a less than impressive outing by Myers, but it was enough to collect his second win of the season.

The Phillies bullpen combined for three and two-thirds innings, permitting only a pair of runs. But the pen wasn't overly impressive, either. Scott Eyre entered with the bases loaded in the sixth, and gave up a deep drive to center. Shane Victorino sprinted to the wall, and made an outstanding catch, which turned a three-run double into a sacrifice fly. Clay Condrey continued to survive (mostly) on the strength of a low BABIP, giving up two walks, a two-run double, and a hard-hit lineout to 3B Pedro Feliz, in his two-thirds of an inning. Brad Lidge appeared to be having more problems with his balky knee, which appeared to affect his post-delivery landings. Lidge surrendered St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols' only hit of the two-game series, a titanic 450 ft. solo homer in the ninth inning. (That home run ball will probably be seen again, from the Phils' plane on their flight to New York.) Ryan Madson was the most effective Phillies' reliever, retiring all four batters he faced, on only ten pitches.

Cardinals' starter Adam Wainwright had been extremely successful in 2009, sporting a 3-0 record, with a 3.75 FIP. There had been some issues with walks, however, as Sir Walksalot (feel free to use that, when referring to Wainwright, if you wish) had a 5.52 BB/9 this season. The Phillies only had two walks, in Wainwright's six innings, but that's because they were busy rapping nine hits. The Phils knocked Wainwright for seven runs, including home runs by Shane Victorino (4-5, .209 WPA) and Jayson Werth (.205 WPA). The Phillies knocked out fifteen hits in the game, receiving multi-hit games from Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, and Raul Ibanez. It was a ferocious display by the Phils' offense, as Ryan Howard (two walks in five PAs) was the only starter not to record a hit. The Phillies lead the entire game, and St. Louis was fortunate to hold them to only ten runs (two bases-loaded double plays, six left-on-base).

The Phillies play the Mets Wednesday night, with Chan Ho Park facing Johan Santana. One of the decade's worst starting pitchers, against one of the decade's best. (To clarify, Park is the former, Santana the latter.) But, in one game, anything can happen. For example, Miguel Cairo could even get a hit! In the words of noted wordsmith Gary Matthews, Sr., "things don't always look as bad as they appear." (Stick to broadca...bowling, Sarge. Stick to bowling.)

Walk-Off Walk Gives Phils Sloppy Win

Phillies' centerfielder Shane Victorino coaxed a bases-loaded tenth inning walk from Mets' reliever Sean Green, giving the Phils a 6-5 win on Saturday. The matinee game was a slopfest, as both starting pitchers were ineffective, and the teams combined for eighteen walks, nine by each team. The Phillies won in come-from-behind fashion, as per usual, improving their record to 12-10.

The Phillies jumped to 2-0, and 4-2, leads against Mets' starter Oliver Perez. Perez displayed little in the way of command, with only thirty-six of his seventy-seven pitches in the strike zone.(The Mets have blamed the WBC for Perez' poor start to the season, but should consider the possibility that Perez just isn't very good.) Perez only lasted two and one-third innings, surrendering five hits and six walks. The Phillies should have gotten more than just four runs against the embattled Mets' starter.

Phillies' starter Jamie Moyer was only marginally better, permitting seven hits and four walks over five and two-thirds innings. Moyer was responsible for all five of the Mets' runs. Moyer (and Perez) were both troubled by Home Plate Umpire Adrian Johnson's randomly-generated strike zone, which was a crucial factor in the number of walks allowed by the two teams.

The Phillies, eventually, won the battle of bullpen attrition, though it took some luck/skill to do it. Clay Condrey, Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, and Jack Taschner combined for four and one-third scoreless, but permitted seven baserunners. In the eighth inning, Jayson Werth cut down the potential go-ahead run at the plate, with a strong throw to newly-reactivated catcher Carlos Ruiz. Brad Lidge returned to the mound in the ninth inning, and stranded two, after walks of the unintentional, and intentional, variety. Jack Taschner entered the 5-5 game in the tenth, as the Phillies had already used their more skilled relief options. (If Chan Ho Park had gone deeper into Friday's game, perhaps the more reliable Chad Durbin would have been available Saturday.)Taschner allowed two singles in the tenth, and faced Carlos Beltran, with one out and runners on first and third. But Phillies' 3B Pedro Feliz fielded a hard-hit grounder, and began an inning-ending twin killing. Victorino's walk in the bottom of the frame ended matters, but Raul Ibanez' game-tying solo home run in the sixth was the biggest hit of the day.

Brad Lidge's return on Saturday lessened the concerns about his health. (Though his knee did seem to trouble him, and a DL stint might not be the worst idea.) Lidge's status aside, the Phillies are currently facing a number of pitching-related concerns, including the overworked bullpen, Cole Hamels' ankle injury, and Chan Ho Park's total lack of pitching ability. The Phillies have myriad viable options to address these issues, but quite a lot to consider, such as contract statuses, roster construction, and their upcoming schedule. Fortunately for Phillies' General Manager Ruben Amaro, I will now tell him exactly what to do, in a convenient bulletpoint format.

• Demote Chan Ho Park to the bullpen as a long reliever, preferably to be used in games where he will have no role in the outcome. Promote J.A. Happ to the starting rotation.
• Place Cole Hamels on the 15-Day DL, retroactive to Tuesday, April 28th. He will be eligible to return on Thursday, May 14th, against the Dodgers. There is no reason to rush him back from injury this early in the season, and there is every reason to minimize his workload, so as to prevent Verduccification. (This will require two starts from a AAA starter. The Phillies will also need a AAA starter on Saturday, May 16th, as they play a doubleheader against the Nationals.)
• Add AAA reliever Tyler Walker to the 40-Man Roster, and recall him to take Hamels' spot on the 25-Man roster. Walker will help the overworked bullpen, and help the Phillies avoid using J.A. Happ, prior to his first start.
• Start Brett Myers against St. Louis on Monday, on his regular four days of rest.
• On Tuesday, DFA utility player Miguel Cairo. Cairo rarely plays, never contributes, and the Phillies are better off with an extra arm, at least in the short-term. For twelve games, the Phillies will go with thirteen pitchers, helping to keep the bullpen fresh.
• Recall Kyle Kendrick from AAA to join the rotation, during Hamels' absence. Kendrick will take Cairo's spot on the 25-Man roster. Barring rainouts, Kendrick will start on Tuesday, Sunday, May 10th, and Saturday, May 16th (doubleheader). If Kendrick struggles on Tuesday, AAA starter Andrew Carpenter can make either (or both) of the next two starts. (Carpenter would be on only three days' rest on Tuesday, May 5th. Kendrick will be on his regular, fifth day.)
• Start J.A. Happ Wednesday against the rival Mets, with four days of rest, following his thirty-one pitch relief appearance on Friday, May 1. Happ should be more effective with four days of rest, than going with three days on Tuesday. Starting Kendrick against St. Louis Tuesday, and saving Happ for the division-rivals New York Mets is also prudent.
• DFA Jack Taschner on Thursday, May 14th, when Cole Hamels returns. (Unfortunately, the May 14th game is a day game, Hamels' tragic flaw.) Taschner is likely gone when J.C. Romero returns, anyway. (Alternatively, if Tyler Walker pitches poorly, he could be the one DFA'd.) Either Taschner or Walker would have to pass through waivers to go to AAA, but neither would be a huge loss to the Phils.
• Option Kyle Kendrick back to Lehigh Valley on Saturday, May 16th, after his start in the first game that day against the Nationals. Replace him with AAA outfielder John Mayberry, Jr., or with an outfielder from MLB's DFA Pile for the second game. (Preferably the outfielder will be from the DFA Pile, making the MLB minimum, so Mayberry can play every day in AAA.) This will return the roster to a more preferable twelve pitchers and thirteen position players. (The four-man bench of Matt Stairs, Greg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett, and Chris Coste will be a bit tight. Especially, in non-DH games, with Coste being the only backup catcher, and unlikely to pinch-hit.)

If Brad Lidge needs to go to the DL, that plan would need to be altered, with Gary Majewski or Mike Koplove being added to the 40-Man roster, and promoted from AAA, with Ryan Madson taking over the closer role. (Of course, by the time Ruben reads this, he will probably have already chosen an alternative plan of action.)

The Phillies play the rubber game of the series against the Mets on Sunday afternoon. Joe (the Lumber) Blanton starts for the Phils, opposed by Mets' starter John Maine. This starting matchup doesn't favor the Phillies, but if they can win games started by Chan Ho Park, they can win Blanton starts. Hopefully, Blanton will be able to eat more than his usual six innings.

Victorino Slams Florida in Highly Unlikely Win

The Phils fell behind in the first inning Friday night in Florida, as per their 2009 usual. With two outs, Phillies starter Brett Myers allowed a three-run homer to Marlins 2B Dan Uggla, who had been hitless in twenty-one at bats. Florida ace Josh Johnson (seven innings, three hits/two walks, eight Ks, .334 WPA) and reliever Leo Nunez (three batters, two Ks, groundout) shut out Philadelphia through eight innings. Innings two through eight were scoreless for both teams, with most of the excitement generated by the hounds in the stands on Bark at the Park Night.(An attendance of 29,032 humans, and 1540 dogs, was announced.)

Matt Lindstrom came on in the ninth to finish off the Phils, with his 97 MPH fastball. Ryan Howard grounded out to start the inning, reducing the Phillies' WE to a lowly 1.5%. But Jayson Werth followed with a single, and Raul Ibanez with a walk, increasing that WE to 8.4%. Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs knocked in Werth with a single, pulling the Phils to within 3-1. A Lou Marson walk later, and the Phillies had runners on first and third, and a WE of 18.2%. With the pitcher's spot coming up, Manager Charlie Manuel went to his bench for...Eric Bruntlett. (Using Chris Coste was probably a better option, but Manuel chose not to use his backup catcher. ) Bruntlett whiffed, reducing the WE to 14.7%. With two outs, slumping Jimmy Rollins worked a bases-loaded walk, making the score 3-2. Shane Victorino was up next, with the tying run on third. Could The Flyin' Hawaiian, one for six in his career against Lindstrom, come through? NO QUESTIONS ASKED! Victorino drove the ball into the stands in right, for his first regulsar season grand slam. (You may recall Victorino's slam against Sabathia in the 2008 playoffs.) Chase Utley followed with another homer, ending Lindstrom's night. Ryan Madson held Florida scoreless in the bottom of the frame, and the Phillies had an unlikely 7-3 victory.

Brett Myers didn't allow another run after the first inning, and picked up a quality start. But there wasn't much "quality" about his performance. He surrendered eight hits and six walks (!) over six innings, as Florida failed to extend their lead. Myers threw only sixty-two of his one hundred and nineteen pitches for strikes. (Yes. You read that correctly. Manuel kept Myers in for 119 pitches. A troubling decision, especially considering that it is April. Perhaps Manuel felt the need to rest his bullpen, with Chan Ho Park starting Saturday, and J.A. Happ throwing forty-three pitches on Thursday?) Myers was fortunate to exit the game with a 4.91 season ERA. His quest for a lucrative free agent contract is not off to a good start.

Clay Condrey picked up his third win of the young season, working the seventh and eighth innings. With a 1.86 ERA, Condrey appears to have switched places with Chad Durbin in the bullpen pecking order. Condrey has only permitted seven hits and two walks, in nine and two-thirds innings this season. Small sample size alert, but Condrey also has nine strikeouts this season, giving him a K/9 of 8.38 (2008: 4.43 K/9).

The Phils will face Chris Volstad (2-0, 2.76) Saturday night, in another unfavorable pitching matchup. Volstad has had some control issues this season, walking eleven in sixteen and one-third innings. With Park starting for the Phils, we could see a walk-fest on Saturday. The Phillies' offense had been held to two runs over twenty-six innings, before their seven-run ninth on Friday. Hopefully, that big inning is the start of the offensive explosion we've been anticipating.

Manuel Challenges Victorino

(On Saturday, CF Shane Victorino played all nine innings of an exhibition game, which is unusual for a starter. After the game, Victorino was called into the Manager's Office to meet with Charlie Manuel.)


CM: Have a seat, Shane. I'm sure you'd like to know why I've called this meeting.

SV: I know why I'm here, Skip. I know I haven't been working as hard as I could be down here. Maybe, I've been a little distracted by all the pranks, and the mini golf, and, whatever. But, I know I can do better. And, I understand why you kept me in the whole game today.

CM: You played the whole game? I guess they forgot to send So (Taguchi) in for you. I told them to do that before I left.

SV: Left?

CM: Yep. I had to check about a job opportunity. With this team, it looks like I need to plan for my future. What do we have, two starting pitchers? I'm no math whiz, but I know that's not going to cut it.

SV: Jamie (Moyer) and Kyle (Kendrick) will be fine. And Adam (Eaton) will be...Well, four starting pitchers is pretty good.

CM: But our lineup is going to lead the league in whiffs!

SV: Actually, strikeouts aren't that bad any more. Besides, it's not like you can strike out more than three times in an inning.

CM: That's true. Plus, I did see Pedro (Feliz) take a pitch the other day.

SV: I'm pretty sure that didn't actually happen, but that doesn't mean it can't happen in the future. Just like Flash (Gordon) pitching a scoreless inning some day isn't impossible.

CM: Don't remind me about the bullpen. The only guy out there in my long-term plans is Clay (Condrey).

SV: Brad (Lidge) and Ryan (Madson) should be pretty good this year.

CM: Maybe. But I'll be managing a restaurant by August, and Clay is going to be my Head Chef!

SV: Clay is a pretty sweet cook...But, what do you know about managing a restaurant?

CM: (in a confident voice) Well, I've seen a bunch of episodes of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares, plus I'm a Manager already, so I don't think I'll have much of a problem. (in a suddenly concerned voice) Unless there are double switches. Will there be double switches?

SV: Um, Skip, why did you call me in here again?

CM: I've been playing a lot of Boggle lately. And I am ready to challenge you to a game.

SV: Umm OK. Maybe another time. Is there anything else?

CM: Actually, yes. Do you have any mirrors in your house?

SV: I see what you're getting at- I need to look at myself in the mirror and make some...

CM (interrupts): No. No. No. If you need mirrors, I can get you a deal. I know a guy.

SV (stands up): OK, Skip, good talk. Try to stay positive. We'll be in the playoffs again. For sure.

CM: Sure, I can be positive. But, if Red Robin calls about my job app, I'll be listening to what they have to say.