This will be the shortest (and probably the last for this season) Male Bag because A) I don't have a ton of time 2) You all didn't ask a ton of questions and D) I'll be posting way more often in the playoffs. With it being a Playoff Male Bag, I tried my best to stay on topic. Here goes:
You should have saved the HR blog for October. It's obvious that all of the Phillies are now reading the blog and working hard to hold up to your high expectations.
Because of this, I will do my best to speak only in positives. Luckily, the Phillies don't give me many negatives to mention.
(See? Doing it already!)
Does this 6-game (maybe more) losing streak worry you? If so, how much? Sure we are resting guys and playing our nubs but come on.
Did it worry me? Sure, a little, because losing is losing. No matter who is playing, there's no way they go out there and don't care about winning. Every guy, whether it be Roy Halladay or Brandon Moss, was playing his very hardest when he was on the field. They are professional athletes, and that's what they do. This is one reason that I hate when people describe athletes as "competitive." "Oh man, this guy's a real competitor." "He's got a competitive streak in him!" DUH! I guarantee you every one of those guys was super annoying when growing up because of how competitive they were. You always wanted to be on their team - not because they were good, but because it was way too annoying to be on the other team and get killed by them. Have I talked about this before? Oh well. The point is: Everyone except Jose Reyes cares about winning. So not winning is scary because everyone wants to. Clinching a playoff berth does not change that. It worried me in that way.
It did not worry me, though, in the sense that these really were our "nubs" playing. As I've pointed out before, we didn't play a single game during what ended up being an 8-game losing streak with our regular lineup. All we needed was to get them back into a rhythm or routine, playing every day in the same spot in the lineup and same spot in the field. I knew once that would happen that we'd stop being so majokey.
Do the Fightin's still have HK's sports coat and white kicks in the dugout?
I'm not really sure about that. I think they do; I feel like I remember seeing it at some point this year. I don't know though. I'm not even sure how to go about researching that. Does anyone else know? If you do, please share. If they don't, I think they at least need to bring it back for the playoffs. Harry should be a part of every Phillies playoff run. Also, we should lynch Christopher Wheeler*.
You worried about a potential Cardinals matchup?
Of course I am. I'd be worried about any team that we have to face. We haven't exactly shut down any of the teams that were involved with the playoff race other than the Braves. And the Braves suck too bad to make the playoffs. The Brewers are a good team, and our taking of 3 out of 4 games in Milwaukee shouldn't fool anyone into thinking we'd easily sweep them in a series. The Diamondbags split the season series with us, and they are just kind of annoying to have around. The Cardinals, though? Well, they are the team we have the most reason to worry about. We went 3-6 against them. Their starters had a 1.15 ERA against us, pitching an average of 7 innings per game. Meanwhile, our starters went just 2-4 against them. Not that they pitched poorly (2.88 ERA), we just had trouble getting them support. Ryan Howard, who kills St. Louis historically, hit just .222 against them this season. Plus, Raul Ibanez sucks even worse against them (believe it or not, it's possible). He hit .083 against them, and he played left field, so that means his defense was horrible.
I'm definitely worried about the matchup in some way, but, despite all of those numbers, I wouldn't say I'm any more worried than I would be if it were any other team. It's the playoffs! We don't play the Cubs, Astros, and Padres anymore. We play the good teams. We play the teams that deserve to be here. And we have proven throughout the season that we deserve it more than any of them. Now we just need to prove it.
Why are you shaving your current beard to start a new one?
I looked up the rules to Playoff Bearding. I used a few different sets, so I can't really give you a link, but I'll give you MY rules that I have come up with that seem to be a general consensus:
1. Must be clean shaven at the beginning of the playoffs. Shave as close to game time as reasonably possible without extending into the start of the actual game.
2. No length may be taken off of the actual beard, however you choose to grow it. It does not necessarily need to be a full beard, but you need to know what you're doing and stick to it throughout.
3. You may shape up and shave around the beard, but this can only occur after your team loses a game.
4. Once your team is eliminated from the playoffs, the beard must be shaved clean again. If you do not do this, it's complete disrespect to the Playoff Beard as well as your team, essentially claiming that you were growing a beard "just because." Get a job.
5. If your team wins it all, there is no requirement after that. Do with your beard as you wish. (This is where the "Hair Timeout" that I want to invent would come in handy. At any point in your life, you can call a "Hair Timeout," and your hair will look like that for as long as you have the timeout going. It's obviously impossible to invent, but boy wouldn't that be great? A good hair day could last forever! In this case, you'd be able to keep your beard at whatever length it was at when your team won. What could be sweeter?)
They'll win right? Should I be worried about how much losing they've been doing lately?
Yes, they'll win. I think we have the right combination of indescribable talent in our pitching staff, "This-Might-Be-Our-Last-Chance" desire in guys like Rollins, Howard, and Utley, and "HolyCrapThisIsAwesomeLetsPlayReallyHardJustSoWeCanKeepPlaying" in Hunter Pence. He's insane. Like I said earlier, don't get too worked up about the losing. I don't even remember it. That last series with the Braves was exactly what we needed. A series that felt real because it was for the Braves, and we showed that we'll just snap your hopes and dreams in half if we feel like it. Because we're that good and we want this that much.
Can't wait until he does that in October #Raoops
(I may have to completely abandon my positive attitude for this one) This tweet came after a strikeout with the bases loaded in Wednesday night's game. As I've said countless times this year (but really not countless...you could probably count them), Raul will be the death of us in October (if there is one) because of the pattern he's gone through of good month-bad month this season. September was his "good" month, and he hit .258 with 3 homers. Can we please not wait around to see what the bad month will be? Can we just make the adjustment and put Mayberry in left to begin the playoffs? Our first game will be against a lefty, so it's an adjustment that makes sense for the hand-happy Uncle Chuck, and it gives us better defense when it matters the most (October). Ibanez sucks. Raul Ibanez sucks. He is terrible. The thought of him swinging and leaving his shoes at home plate makes me sick to my stomach. Picturing him sliding in the outfield to attempt to trap a ball with his glove that hops over his head for a triple keeps me up at night. PLEASE DON'T LET HIM PLAY! DO NOT LET HIM BLOW THIS FOR US! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!
The best thing about the playoffs, no more [Christopher Wheeler]
And the worst thing? Much more Joseph Buck. Ohhhh man. Did I just establish that Joseph Buck and Timothy McCarver are undeserving of nicknames as well? I think I did. Get ready for some serious commentator complaining (I feel like I should be able to combine those 2 words to trademark a new term) during this playoff run.
Are you nervous?
I don't get nerves...I give 'em.
*If this blog has gotten to the point where people actually read it (it hasn't), it should be noted that this is a total joke. I don't actually want to lynch Christopher Wheeler (yes I do**).
**Once again, total joke***
***Not really
UH OH!!! Influx of questions at the last minute! You can dry those eyes and put away those tissues. Here's more MALE BAG!!!
What are your thoughts on the ESPN article regarding playoff clinching celebrations? I mean are they excessive? Does the abundance of alcohol send a bad message? Did the writer go out of bounds by playing the Adenhart card?
I didn't see this article, and it shocks and depresses me that I was unable to find it, considering that the internet still exists as I type this. But I get the gist of what it is saying from this question, and I have to agree and disagree with said article. The celebrations sure are excessive. I don't think that any of the Phillies would have told you that they were happy with "just" making the playoffs this season. So why celebrate that much? We still have work to do. On the other hand, it's nice to have a chance to let loose and look at those things in a certain perspective. Making the playoffs is a big deal to the teams who didn't make it. And it's certainly a big deal to the Cardinals and Rays this season. When I talk about goals with my students, I actually plan on making a similar comparison (because I've learned that EVERYTHING can be related to sports). If you have a baseball team, what is the goal for the end of the season? Winning the World Series. Ok, so how do you do that? Get to the World Series. How do you do that? Win the LCS. What do you have to do to accomplish that? Win the LDS. What about to get there? Make the playoffs... and so forth. It shows that today truly matters in where you are 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, 10 years from now. Not that every day's goal (win the game) or weekend's goal (win the series) or month's goal (have a winning record) will be grounds for a huge celebration, but it is good to set up a series of rewards for yourself. Oh man. I really am a teacher.
As for the alcohol aspect, I don't know how I feel about it. I always picture it as more of a champagne thing than a beer thing. I think the beer makes it sort of common. It's cool for the Phillies just because it's Philadelphia and there's some symbolism there, but I think that, for the most part, celebrations should be a little classier. Speaking of, I need to go out and get a few bottles of Andre to save up for the World Series victory. (And save them I will do. One thing that I don't like to do as a fan is celebrate before we're finished. I don't buy NL East Champions gear, and I will never again pop champagne before a World Series win (2009...ugh). Fans should hold out because we're not putting in the work that the players are. Player celebrations are justifiable; ours are not. Act like you've been there, and save it for the final victory. If we don't win the World Series, those bottles of champagne will taste even better after next year's championship)
Oh and the Adenhart thing seems unnecessary. Completely unrelated in my opinion. Why bring up those types of things in negative way at such a joyful time?
Feelings on seeing Jimmy in another uniform next year potentially? Will he be playing for a Phillies victory? Or for a great offer from his next team? Or is it both?
It'll be weird with him in another uniform, and I'm afraid it'll happen. I think he wants more money/years than we'll give him, and that makes me sad. The guy's done everything, and we could use that leadership, especially when Freddy Galvis finally gets called up for some utility work. He should have a chance to get mentored by Jimmy before just being thrust into a starting spot. And I certainly don't want some other big name guy playing there. If Jose Reyes is ever in a Phillies uniform, I will stop watching.
As for what he's playing for, I truly believe he's all Phillies right now. He sure does love himself, but he does it in a way that always benefits the team. Is there something in the back of his mind thinking about his next contract? Actually, I don't think so. Until some majoke of a reporter asks him about it, and then I hope he'll be too pissed and offended at the question to start that thinking. We shall see. I do think that it matters, though. Playing for the team is so much bigger than playing for yourself, and I think it keeps you looser. You know other people have your back as you have theirs. If he puts it on himself and is only playing for Jimmy, we're all in trouble.
Which of our favorite players do you think play for the fans, and who clearly doesn't? Does it matter?
I will first say that it doesn't matter. Like I just said, I think playing for your team is the most important, and I think everyone on the Phillies is doing that. With that being said, here's how I would break it down, player-by-player.
Halladay - He's all business. He loves the fans, but doesn't need them to perform
Lee - loves our fans. It's why he came back, and he definitely plays for them
Hamels - has started to play much more for the team since Halladay got here. Before that, I would've said he's all about himself
Oswalt - team
Madson - bullpen. Those bullpen guys love each other
Lidge - fans. He wants to impress and please Phillies fans and gain the trust back that he had in 2008
Bastardo - more bullpen. I feel like he doesn't talk to anyone else
Stutes - team
Worley - fans. He's pretty active on Twitter, so that tells me he wants fan approval
Kendrick - team
Blanton - team
Ruiz - team
Schneider - hopefully won't play, so it shouldn't matter. But team
Howard - mixes some fans in there when things are going well, but he only gets upset about letting the team down when things are tough, not the fans. That's a good thing
Utley - Chase Utley is perfect
Polanco - team
Rollins - mixes in the fans. Leaving us will be the toughest part if he goes
Valdez - team
Martinez - team
Ibanez - trying to slowly kill me
Victorino - fans. Ever get the feeling that he's that one friend who is funny but really just needs to shut up sometimes because he's trying too hard? Did typing that sentence just make me realize way too much about myself? Crap.
Pence - fans. New guys always love being appreciated in Philly
Mayberry - team
Francisco - who?
Gload - team
How bad are all of the new sitcoms in the new fall line up, seriously?
Well my sister is freakin' obsessed with Up All Night, and that's decently funny, except they're totally using Will Arnett in the wrong way! Will Arnett is a smartass and a jerk. That's how he's funny. Hot Rod anyone? But they are making him about to be an awkward and uncomfortable new father? Who is this benefitting?
The New Girl is getting all kinds of positive comments from guys my age everywhere, but Zooey Deschanel doesn't really do it for me as much as she does everyone else. I know I'll get a lot of crap for saying that, but isn't she just an artsy Katy Perry? Sure, I like her, but I'm not crazy about her. Sorry, Cheese.
Other than that, I haven't taken a look at too many new ones. We currently have 6 1/2 hours of television recording on Monday nights, 3 hours on Tuesdays, 2 1/2 hours on Wednesdays, and 3 hours on Thursdays. That's a lot to keep up with. I'm handling it (with ease), but it's still a lot. (15 hours of TV? Cripes. What is wrong with us? I would've hoped it would be way more than that!)
(Seriously. It's DVR. Why WOULDN'T you record stuff? Don't judge me. You're just jealous because you're still be restricted by juvenile television schedules. I laugh at your depression)
Are you really going to keep the blog going through October? Do you realize you have practically already met your goal for this season (blog franchise record?) even through a move and natural disasters?
Oh we're goin' there! I realized with almost every post in August and September that I've become a much better person over the past 2 years (Ladies, check out my commitment skills ;) Eh? Eh?). I realize that we've achieved a franchise record, but let's also look at the stats. Since the end of 2008, any time I stop doing a blog at any point while the Phillies are still playing, we lose. We have never lost a World Series in which I've kept a blog going throughout. Not having played in one in that situation is irrelevant.
As for the move and natural disaster stuff? Well, if you can define the word "aweso," then I guess you don't really need me. But if not, I'll be here all month.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Season (P)Review
So as a season review, I am going to do potentially the most confusing and inconsistent post I could possibly come up with. I have taken my season preview and changed it so that basically everything I say is an accurate depiction of what happened this season. I have literally copied and pasted the exact "Season Preview" post from March, and I have crossed out things that I want to take out, and I have added things that are in bold italics. I think I'm hilarious, so I thought this was pretty good. But I am convinced it probably will make no sense to anyone who is not me, and for that I am deeply sorry. Sorry enough to change it? No. But sorry nonetheless. Consider this payback for you asking me not nearly enough questions for a Playoff Male Bag that should be coming out tomorrow. There's still time though! It's never too late! You can still make it in the Male Bag! (This is me semi-subtly begging you to ask questions or make comments by tomorrow afternoon). But before we get to that Male Bag, here is your 2011 Season (P)Review!
Of the 45 baseball "experts" on ESPN.com, 27 of them have our beloved Phillies going to the World Series. It seems that everyone who has ever heard of baseball believes that the Phils are going to be matched up against the Red Sox who knows what AL team in the 2011 World Series. As much as I would love to see the Phils back in the Fall Classic, I think we should first take a good look at how realistic that is.
I'm going to start out being extra as negative as possible. This way, we can all feel a lot better about ourselves by the time I get to the end of this. We'll go with a "The Good Great, the Bad Surprisingly Good, and the Ugly Not So Bad" theme on this, but it's going to happen in reverse. Although "The Ugly Not So Bad, the Bad Surprisingly Good, and the Good Great " most certainly does not have the same ring to it.
The Ugley Not So Bad:
Did I just spell "ugly" wrong? Or does the current status of Baseball's knee bother me that much? I'm gonna go with the latter on this one. The best news I've heard about Chase's knee is that he's starting the season on the 15-day DL, suggesting that he may only be out 15 days. The worst news I've heard is that he could miss the whole season. Will either one of those things happen? My guess is no. But I definitely think we are looking at a solid month and a half at the very least, and maybe through the All Star break. What is so ugly about this? Besides the obvious (WE WON'T HAVE CHASE UTLEY), this puts Ryan Howard in a terrible less than perfect situation, and, thus, our entire lineup really, but not the worst because I think we acquire Hunter Pence at the deadline. Howard has had the luxury his entire career of having Utley get on base in front of him and having Jayson Werth or Pat Burrell protect him from the 5th spot. This year, he'll have 74-year-old Raul Raoops Ibanez Suckhole hitting behind him for half the season until we get Pence. Without the threat of Utley or Werth, Howard will be stranded on an island in the middle of our batting order. Can he produce like he has in the past? Doubtful. Will his on-base percentage be at an all-time high? I would think. No, not at all. If I'm playing the Phillies, I never give him a pitch to hit. Expect to see the Big Man walking to first A LOT an average amount this season.
The Bad Surprisingly Good:
· The bullpen. What was definitely our biggest need going into the offseason got completely ignored (well, not completely, if you consider the fact that our top 4 starters will pitch 7-9 innings every outing). Madson, Contreras, and Lidge were great last season, but Lidge is hurt (aka Lidge is on the Phillies), and we don't know how long that injury or its effects will last. In the meantime, no one else knows how to close. Yikes Ryan Madson can step very nicely into the closer’s role and dominate. Along with that, Antonio Bastardo and Michael Stutes will surprisingly lock down our bullpen for much of the season. I’ve got a good feeling about those guys. Especially Bastardo. Well…until September.
· Anything on our team starting with "right." Right-handed hitters are a thing of the past in Philadelphia, and our rightfielder is still a mystery (mostly because I don't want to admit that Ben Francisco is an everyday player in the major leagues and I fear it will take WAY too long to realize that John Mayberry is awesome). We do not have a single right-handed bat in our lineup that could be considered even somewhat of a power threat other than John Mayberry once he gets to start playing. And with Domonic Brown out with a broken hand to start the season, we lose that potential power in favor of Joe Camel and John Mayberry, who is actually better than Dom. I am hoping that John Mayberry gets some nice playing time at the beginning of the year and throughout, if for no other reason than to simply see if his father can be properly identified in the stands. And not just call any random person his dad just because said guy was black and happy after John's first career home run. (Fox sucks. And so does Joe Buck) I also want him to play because he’s effin’ good.
The Good Great:
Cole Hamels is our 4th starter.
Let's recap that last statement.
Cole Hamels (yes, Cole Hamels) is our 4th (as in not the best, 2nd best, or 3rd best) starter. What does this mean? We have 3 pitchers who are better than Cole Hamels. (than Cole Hamels!) I’m not sure if that will actually hold up, though, because Cole is way too good and Roy Oswalt seems old. Also, if tornadoes hit the southeast, he may have to go save his family. But on the off chance that doesn’t happen… The Braves' 4th starter is Jrrr Jrrrjrrjrrrs (or however you spell/pronounce his name). Not bad, but not Cole Hamels. OK, so he’s pretty good if he stays healthy. But he won’t. The Yankees' is Freddy Garcia. Not bad, but still not Cole Hamels. Cole legitimately should have won the 2008 Cy Young had he been given any run support. And he is our 4th starter. (At least to start the year)
With all of that being said, here is my impression on the upcoming season. We don't easily get the 96.5 wins that Vegas is putting us at, mostly because we don't have need much of an offense. That sounds crazy, but it's pretty true if you look at the last few seasons our pitching staff. We should win any game in which we score four 2 runs, but I truly worry about us scoring four 2 runs the first half of this season. We should will easily win the NL East, but and the Braves are definitely going to be tough hilariously pathetic come September. We should win the NL this season, but it's going to come down to our hitting in October, something we couldn't do last season. With what some people believe is our best team of the past 5 seasons, I somehow feel the least confident with this group. Pitching will get us very far, but I know that the bats will need to be alive in order for us to be truly successful.
So here are 7 predictions for the season. Why 7? Because I feel like it. That's why. And because I think that’ll be the total number of runs scored in the game that finishes the Braves’ epic collapse.
1. Joe Blanton Vance Worley will get 15 11 wins this season. At least to start the season, he should be facing better than the worst pitcher on the other our team. And don't you kind of get the feeling that he'll be the only one that the bats decide to hit for? I mean, I know it sounds crazy, seeing as he’s down in Lehigh Valley right now, but I have a good feeling about this guy.
2. Roy Oswalt Halladay will have the lowest ERA on the team. Just because I feel like no one is talking about him. Halladay won the Cy Young, everyone loves Cliff, and Cole is a lifetime Phillie. he’s a total beast.
3. Michael Martinez will become our everyday 2nd baseman. Until Chase is back, I feel like this guy that no one has ever heard of could randomly start turning some heads. I love Rule V guys, and he's just that. And I think names like Michael Martinez are hilarious. He's from the Dominican Republic. Why not name your kid Miguel? I could probably come up with a better prediction than this, and I don’t think it’ll actually happen, but whatever. Get off my back
4. Rollins will hit .300 .270ish. He's never done it before, and this feels like a year where someone will need to step up big on offense in the absence of Chase and Werth. Jimmy should feel like that's on him. ‘Cause that’s, like, right around his career average. So…yeah. Exciting prediction I know.
5. John Mayberry will hit 15 home runs. Mostly because I wanted him to last year. And because he’s the man. And because I’m in love with him. And it’ll only be such a low number because Uncle Chuck will, for some reason, never let him play consistently
6. Ryan Howard will win a Gold Glove the lottery. If for no other reason, because I'll look like a freakin' genius if this happens.
7. The Phillies will beat the White Sox Yankees in a 7 6-game World Series. I don't want to pick the Red Sox, so why not pick their arch nemesis arch nemesis to get there instead. And although I am skeptical about our offense beating the Cardinals if we have to face them in the playoffs, I can't honestly pick against us.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Missing Pieces
The playoffs are right around the corner. Our first game is set to be on Friday with an opponent still to be determined. People are getting concerned about our recent 8-game losing streak. While that's absolutely something to be worried about (more on that in the Playoff Male Bag), I, for one, am a little more worried about how weird I'm going to look with a clean-shaven face on Friday as I begin my Playoff Beard. Our whole lineup is healthy, and once they get back into the rhythm of playing together every day, I think we will be in fine shape. Case in point: today. For the first time since before the losing streak began, we actually played with what would be considered our everyday lineup. The result? An offensive explosion in the first 4 innings that resulted in 9 runs and at least one hit for every starter.
Because of this, the losing streak got me to thinking...what exactly are we missing without any one of the pieces from our normal lineup? And when I get to thinking, you usually get to read about it. So, in my opinion, here is what we miss out on if any of our players goes down before or during the playoffs:
Jimmy Rollins - Especially come playoff time, it would hurt to lose Rollins. He is an emotional leader of the team, and someone who has played that role since the beginning of our run of 5 straight division titles. His .226 career playoff batting average isn't anything to get even remotely excited about, but he has been known to come through in the clutch from time-to-time in our playoff runs. His glove at shortstop is still one of the best in baseball, and defense in the playoffs is as important as ever. Scoring is often limited, so we can't let the opposing team have any extra opportunities off of our mistakes. With Jimmy's glove, that's not something we have to worry about. While Wilson Valdez isn't bad, he's definitely a downgrade at the plate and in the field when compared to Jimmy.
Shane Victorino - Shane may have the best case for being the Phillies' offensive MVP this season. In 2008 and 2009 (our World Series years), he led the team in batting average in the regular season. He seems to be replacing Jimmy in the role of "As He Goes, We Go" for our offense. While his .263 playoff batting average isn't great, it's really not bad for what we need in October with our pitching staff. Even with a .263 average, his OPS is a respectable .796 with 16 extra-base hits and 28 RBI in 41 games. He's also a threat on the basepaths, more so than Jimmy is anymore. When we need to play small-ball and manufacture a few runs, Shane is key. And, along with Jimmy, his defense is irreplaceable. Once again, that's something that cannot be taken for granted on our road to another championship.
Chase Utley - Without Baseball, the offense struggles. We learned that in the first 2 months of the season. With him in the lineup, we have a psychological advantage. He's someone that we can count on to almost always be in the right place at the right time, like in the '08 series when he threw out Jason Bartlett going home to preserve the lead and the championship. While his defense on routine plays has not been his best quality in the playoffs, I still feel like I can rely on Baseball to do amazing things in the field. His composure cannot be replaced by the likes of Wilson Valdez, Michael Martinez, or Pete Orr. It's a huge drop-off without him in the lineup, and something that we would be unable to overcome in my opinion.
Ryan Howard - I have heard Ryan Howard get a lot of crap this season about his inability to come through in the clutch and how skewed his RBI numbers are due to the amount of opportunities he gets compared to everyone else. But look at this past week. With Howard out of the lineup during the losing streak, our offense was nearly nonexistent. The one game he did start, he had the only RBI. John Mayberry or Ross Gload cannot duplicate the fear he puts in opposing teams, nor can they affect an entire defensive strategy. With men on base, Howard's chances of getting a hit open up drastically due to a decrease in the shift. If I told you he had a better playoff batting average than Rollins, Victorino, and Utley, would you believe me? Well, I don't care. Because he does. His .278 average and .899 OPS are fantastic postseason numbers. While he got a lot of flak in 2009 for not producing in the World Series, his 17 RBI across the entire playoffs were irreplaceable, and we more than likely would not have been there without him. He's a defensive liability for the most part, but his offense should make up for any runs he costs us.
Hunter Pence - I argued not too long ago that he is the Phillies MVP this season and possibly the league MVP. As I have stated before, his impact on this offense cannot be overstated. With no playoff experience, some would worry that he'll freeze up. But Hunter Pence won't. He is way too excited to play baseball. You kind of get the feeling that he's too dumb to know that the games matter more, while at the same time being so hyped up about the playoffs that he might bat .750 and hit 11 home runs. He could end up being MVP of the NLCS and World Series and not even really know it. All he wants to do is play, and he'll play his best no matter what. Without him, we lose some of that energy. We lose the innocence of someone who hasn't been there before and is hungry for each and every game. He brings a fresh perspective to a team that's done it time and time again. You think this team won't appreciate this playoff run? Hunter Pence tells me otherwise. It's certainly an upgrade over anything we might get out of Ben Francisco.
Raul Ibanez - If we lose him, John Mayberry plays and our team gets worse. Except for defensively. Oh, and Mayberry is a better hitter for average. He has more power, too. And he can steal bases. But other than that, we're better off with Raoops. Yeah...
Placido Polanco - I'll say it again: Defense is super important in the playoffs. Polanco provides a consistent glove at 3rd, something that will surely save us a few runs here and there when every run counts. He's a .273 lifetime hitter in the playoffs, something that will absolutely come in handy out of someone who will likely be batting 7th for us. Without Polanco, Martinez or Valdez will play 3rd. While both are respectable replacements, they are definitely a step down on offense and defense. There's no denying that we are a worse team without him, lacking someone who can consistently get us singles at the back of our lineup.
Carlos Ruiz - Choochtober is something we all enjoyed in 2009 when he batted .341 with a 1.082 OPS. While I am excited to see what his .280 playoff batting average produces this year (tops on the team), the real irreplaceable part of Chooch is his work behind the plate. He has started all 41 of our playoff games over the past 3 seasons, and his ability to call games for 3 of the best pitchers in baseball has been invaluable throughout this entire season. He is as reliable as it gets at the catcher's position, and I fear what we would be in the playoffs with Brian Schneider behind the plate instead.
As for the bench, our best players are Ross Gload and John Mayberry, and we really don't want to be missing either one of those guys for the playoff run. They will be great options, depending on the pitcher, for a DH come World Series time (I say this only assuming that we are dumb enough to keep Raoops in the lineup and Mayberry on the bench).
Our starting pitching is going to be the key to our success in the playoffs. If they can pitch at their very best, no one can beat us. If any one of them were to get hurt or anything in the playoffs, it is good to know that we still have 2 guys that can shut down opposing hitters on any night.
Our bullpen is in a unique position going into the playoffs. Madson is our closer, but it feels like he hasn't closed a game in a month. Bastardo is our lefty, but he can't seem to throw a strike lately (other than ones that end up in the seats). Lidge may be our most consistent player out of the 'pen right now, but do any of us feel like he's really that consistent? Blanton, Kendrick, and Worley could all be pretty nice in the mid-to-late innings, depending on who makes the playoff roster. You would think Stutes would, but he hasn't really been all that reliable. While each player seems sort of replaceable, we also have to wonder who would replace them. What is the best bullpen we can put together? I'm not entirely sure, but it's something that will hopefully click once the postseason actually starts.
The bottom line is, a healthy Phillies team should have no team truly threaten them. The pieces are all in place, they just need to make sure they are all fitting together at the right time.
Because of this, the losing streak got me to thinking...what exactly are we missing without any one of the pieces from our normal lineup? And when I get to thinking, you usually get to read about it. So, in my opinion, here is what we miss out on if any of our players goes down before or during the playoffs:
Jimmy Rollins - Especially come playoff time, it would hurt to lose Rollins. He is an emotional leader of the team, and someone who has played that role since the beginning of our run of 5 straight division titles. His .226 career playoff batting average isn't anything to get even remotely excited about, but he has been known to come through in the clutch from time-to-time in our playoff runs. His glove at shortstop is still one of the best in baseball, and defense in the playoffs is as important as ever. Scoring is often limited, so we can't let the opposing team have any extra opportunities off of our mistakes. With Jimmy's glove, that's not something we have to worry about. While Wilson Valdez isn't bad, he's definitely a downgrade at the plate and in the field when compared to Jimmy.
Shane Victorino - Shane may have the best case for being the Phillies' offensive MVP this season. In 2008 and 2009 (our World Series years), he led the team in batting average in the regular season. He seems to be replacing Jimmy in the role of "As He Goes, We Go" for our offense. While his .263 playoff batting average isn't great, it's really not bad for what we need in October with our pitching staff. Even with a .263 average, his OPS is a respectable .796 with 16 extra-base hits and 28 RBI in 41 games. He's also a threat on the basepaths, more so than Jimmy is anymore. When we need to play small-ball and manufacture a few runs, Shane is key. And, along with Jimmy, his defense is irreplaceable. Once again, that's something that cannot be taken for granted on our road to another championship.
Chase Utley - Without Baseball, the offense struggles. We learned that in the first 2 months of the season. With him in the lineup, we have a psychological advantage. He's someone that we can count on to almost always be in the right place at the right time, like in the '08 series when he threw out Jason Bartlett going home to preserve the lead and the championship. While his defense on routine plays has not been his best quality in the playoffs, I still feel like I can rely on Baseball to do amazing things in the field. His composure cannot be replaced by the likes of Wilson Valdez, Michael Martinez, or Pete Orr. It's a huge drop-off without him in the lineup, and something that we would be unable to overcome in my opinion.
Ryan Howard - I have heard Ryan Howard get a lot of crap this season about his inability to come through in the clutch and how skewed his RBI numbers are due to the amount of opportunities he gets compared to everyone else. But look at this past week. With Howard out of the lineup during the losing streak, our offense was nearly nonexistent. The one game he did start, he had the only RBI. John Mayberry or Ross Gload cannot duplicate the fear he puts in opposing teams, nor can they affect an entire defensive strategy. With men on base, Howard's chances of getting a hit open up drastically due to a decrease in the shift. If I told you he had a better playoff batting average than Rollins, Victorino, and Utley, would you believe me? Well, I don't care. Because he does. His .278 average and .899 OPS are fantastic postseason numbers. While he got a lot of flak in 2009 for not producing in the World Series, his 17 RBI across the entire playoffs were irreplaceable, and we more than likely would not have been there without him. He's a defensive liability for the most part, but his offense should make up for any runs he costs us.
Hunter Pence - I argued not too long ago that he is the Phillies MVP this season and possibly the league MVP. As I have stated before, his impact on this offense cannot be overstated. With no playoff experience, some would worry that he'll freeze up. But Hunter Pence won't. He is way too excited to play baseball. You kind of get the feeling that he's too dumb to know that the games matter more, while at the same time being so hyped up about the playoffs that he might bat .750 and hit 11 home runs. He could end up being MVP of the NLCS and World Series and not even really know it. All he wants to do is play, and he'll play his best no matter what. Without him, we lose some of that energy. We lose the innocence of someone who hasn't been there before and is hungry for each and every game. He brings a fresh perspective to a team that's done it time and time again. You think this team won't appreciate this playoff run? Hunter Pence tells me otherwise. It's certainly an upgrade over anything we might get out of Ben Francisco.
Raul Ibanez - If we lose him, John Mayberry plays and our team gets worse. Except for defensively. Oh, and Mayberry is a better hitter for average. He has more power, too. And he can steal bases. But other than that, we're better off with Raoops. Yeah...
Placido Polanco - I'll say it again: Defense is super important in the playoffs. Polanco provides a consistent glove at 3rd, something that will surely save us a few runs here and there when every run counts. He's a .273 lifetime hitter in the playoffs, something that will absolutely come in handy out of someone who will likely be batting 7th for us. Without Polanco, Martinez or Valdez will play 3rd. While both are respectable replacements, they are definitely a step down on offense and defense. There's no denying that we are a worse team without him, lacking someone who can consistently get us singles at the back of our lineup.
Carlos Ruiz - Choochtober is something we all enjoyed in 2009 when he batted .341 with a 1.082 OPS. While I am excited to see what his .280 playoff batting average produces this year (tops on the team), the real irreplaceable part of Chooch is his work behind the plate. He has started all 41 of our playoff games over the past 3 seasons, and his ability to call games for 3 of the best pitchers in baseball has been invaluable throughout this entire season. He is as reliable as it gets at the catcher's position, and I fear what we would be in the playoffs with Brian Schneider behind the plate instead.
As for the bench, our best players are Ross Gload and John Mayberry, and we really don't want to be missing either one of those guys for the playoff run. They will be great options, depending on the pitcher, for a DH come World Series time (I say this only assuming that we are dumb enough to keep Raoops in the lineup and Mayberry on the bench).
Our starting pitching is going to be the key to our success in the playoffs. If they can pitch at their very best, no one can beat us. If any one of them were to get hurt or anything in the playoffs, it is good to know that we still have 2 guys that can shut down opposing hitters on any night.
Our bullpen is in a unique position going into the playoffs. Madson is our closer, but it feels like he hasn't closed a game in a month. Bastardo is our lefty, but he can't seem to throw a strike lately (other than ones that end up in the seats). Lidge may be our most consistent player out of the 'pen right now, but do any of us feel like he's really that consistent? Blanton, Kendrick, and Worley could all be pretty nice in the mid-to-late innings, depending on who makes the playoff roster. You would think Stutes would, but he hasn't really been all that reliable. While each player seems sort of replaceable, we also have to wonder who would replace them. What is the best bullpen we can put together? I'm not entirely sure, but it's something that will hopefully click once the postseason actually starts.
The bottom line is, a healthy Phillies team should have no team truly threaten them. The pieces are all in place, they just need to make sure they are all fitting together at the right time.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Motivation
It's no secret that I struggle to stay motivated for many of the things I do in life.
Writing a lesson plan? Not really my jam.
Working out/running/walking/generally getting up so as to avoid becoming morbidly obese? I can do that another time.
Registering my car in Virginia so I can drive legally? Eh.
Paying off college loans so I can one day hope to raise a family? We'll see.
Somehow, though, I have managed to stay motivated throughout this entire season. I've previewed or commented on every series (I think) and managed to do it through a season full of a teaching job, getting a new teaching job, moving to a different state, going to California, and starting a new teaching job. I'm not normally one to toot my own horn, but... beep beep. (OK, let's face it - I am one to toot my own horn. But that comment is worth the little white lie.)
So I'm writing this to tell you that the Phillies leave me feeling pretty unmotivated right now. I can accept a starting lineup that includes the likes of Brian Schneider, John Bowker, Erik Kratz, and maybe even Raul Ibanez (only because its so depressingly common that I have to accept it). But Ben Francisco? That's where I draw the line.
The Phils are in the playoffs, and we have nothing to play for other than staying fresh and killing the Braves' playoff hopes in the last series of the regular season. Does that mean I'm done for the season as well? Absolutely not! It just means that I need some more motivation than I'm getting now. So here's what's going to happen:
We have 8 games left now. By the time those 8 games are up and the playoffs start, I have 3 goals:
One post that will be a very generic outlook on the playoffs in some way that you probably won't expect (not exciting or anything, just not normal)
One post that recaps the season as a whole. I can take a look back at different predictions I made at the beginning and middle of the season and how they all played out. It should be a look at just the regular season as it was with no playoff implications.
A Playoff Male Bag! Start asking questions and making comments now and continue to as the playoff picture becomes more and more clear. If they playoffs started right now, we would play the Diamondbags in the first round (possibly my biggest rival), and the Braves and Brewers would have the other NL matchup. In the AL, it's the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, and Rangers at this moment. Take that information and hit me with any and all questions or comments you may have about it. The playoffs will be here before you know it!
Writing a lesson plan? Not really my jam.
Working out/running/walking/generally getting up so as to avoid becoming morbidly obese? I can do that another time.
Registering my car in Virginia so I can drive legally? Eh.
Paying off college loans so I can one day hope to raise a family? We'll see.
Somehow, though, I have managed to stay motivated throughout this entire season. I've previewed or commented on every series (I think) and managed to do it through a season full of a teaching job, getting a new teaching job, moving to a different state, going to California, and starting a new teaching job. I'm not normally one to toot my own horn, but... beep beep. (OK, let's face it - I am one to toot my own horn. But that comment is worth the little white lie.)
So I'm writing this to tell you that the Phillies leave me feeling pretty unmotivated right now. I can accept a starting lineup that includes the likes of Brian Schneider, John Bowker, Erik Kratz, and maybe even Raul Ibanez (only because its so depressingly common that I have to accept it). But Ben Francisco? That's where I draw the line.
The Phils are in the playoffs, and we have nothing to play for other than staying fresh and killing the Braves' playoff hopes in the last series of the regular season. Does that mean I'm done for the season as well? Absolutely not! It just means that I need some more motivation than I'm getting now. So here's what's going to happen:
We have 8 games left now. By the time those 8 games are up and the playoffs start, I have 3 goals:
One post that will be a very generic outlook on the playoffs in some way that you probably won't expect (not exciting or anything, just not normal)
One post that recaps the season as a whole. I can take a look back at different predictions I made at the beginning and middle of the season and how they all played out. It should be a look at just the regular season as it was with no playoff implications.
A Playoff Male Bag! Start asking questions and making comments now and continue to as the playoff picture becomes more and more clear. If they playoffs started right now, we would play the Diamondbags in the first round (possibly my biggest rival), and the Braves and Brewers would have the other NL matchup. In the AL, it's the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, and Rangers at this moment. Take that information and hit me with any and all questions or comments you may have about it. The playoffs will be here before you know it!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Playoff Bound!
If you're here looking for a preview of a day-night doubleheader with the Marlins, get a job.
The Phillies clinched a playoff birth today for the 5th straight season, this time with 16 games remaining on the schedule.
Rewind 10 years. Do you ever think you'd read those words, especially this soon?
As October approaches, one thing is clear: Anything less than a World Series victory is a disappointment and a failure for this team and these fans. But let's take a break from the 2011 baseball season to put those expectations into perspective.
From 1993 to 2007, all we wanted was a playoff spot and nothing more. A World Series victory would've been nice and all, but really we just wanted the streak of mediocrity to finally end. And when it did, don't you remember how it felt?
I remember being in a room with about 6 or 7 other guys as we watched Brett Myers throw the last pitch to earn us the NL East title. I called everybody. It made no sense to text people at that moment. At that point in my life, I was texting everybody for everything. But the Phillies making the playoffs was worth 10-15 phone calls to people that I shared the joy and the pain with over the years. When we got swept in 3 games by the only team hotter than us going into the playoffs, I didn't even care that I was shaving off my playoff beard after less than a week. We had made it and finally shown that we could at least be relevant. That's all I wanted at that point.
In 2008, though, we all wanted more, and I would say we got more than we could ask for. Stories of the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians not sniffing a championship drove us all insane for years.
Oh those poor Cubs fans. Living in Chicago all those years without a champion. Unless you count the 90's and them winning basically every NBA Finals. Or if you count the smart people who became White Sox fans instead of Cubs.
And the Red Sox fans. Man, that life must be tough. You know, having the most successful basketball team in history. And building an NFL dynasty when people thought dynasties were no longer possible in professional sports. So tortured.
Cleveland had the most going for them in terms of an argument with Philadelphia. They couldn't win a championship if their lives depended on it. And they don't even really come all that close. But, still, it's only 3 sports. While I don't want to downplay their pain, going through 4 seasons of loss per year is at least a little bit tougher.
So after enduring roughly 100 straight seasons of doing everything but winning, we finally had a chance on October 27, 2008. In the coldest rain I can guarantee any of you have ever experienced or ever will, the Phils got out to an early 2-0 lead, and, with Cole Hamels on the mound, it was inevitable that this game, series, and championship was ours. Mother Nature had other ideas, though. As the game experienced a delay in the 6th inning, my friend Matt and I stood in the warmest place we could find at Citizens Bank Park - the bathroom - for a few minutes while we heard people talk about whether or not the game would even continue. As we made our way back to our standing room only spot right behind home plate with my dad waiting for us, he basically said that the game was going to be called and we had to leave. As we walked around the concourse hearing all the rumors, the PA announcer finally came on saying that the game would be continued at a later time still to be determined.
With the game now tied, every horrible thought was going through my mind. Philadelphia's dream of seeing a championship - in any sport - was being delayed. Maybe not delayed for just a day or two. It may have been delayed for another season. Or another year. Or another 100 seasons.
We heard later that the game would be continued Wednesday night. I was going through a mild depression as I drove back to Penn State on Tuesday morning. I had class, and I really had no clue whether or not I'd be able to make it back.
Matt then told me what I feared most. He couldn't make it for the last 3 innings of the game. It was when he told me that that I realized there was no way I could miss the rest of this game. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Phillies had a chance to win the World Series and end a horrible string of Philadelphia failures, and I had a chance to witness it in person. I guess it's worth mentioning that the end of the game would fall on my 21st birthday.
My attitude quickly flipped from depressed to elated. Now, my friend Zack and I would drive back from Penn State again on Wednesday after my classes were over and get to my house in time to drive down to catch the subway to the stadium. I remember literally being unable to relax all day. I was just shaking or fidgeting in some way in every class that I went to. (Yet, somehow, THIS was the one day in college I decided that my classes were too important to skip. What is wrong with me?)
Without getting into too much detail about my own experience, I think there are some highlights of this game that we all just wish we could relive over and over again.
Geoff Jenkins led off the bottom of the 6th inning with a full-count double and ended up scoring the go-ahead run.
After a Rays' home run in the top of the 7th, Chase Utley made one of the greatest plays I've ever seen in my life, faking a throw to first on a ground ball up the middle only to throw home and get the final out of the inning, preserving our lead.
Pat Burrell then came inches away from a home run to take the lead. His double off the fencing above the wall would be his last at bat as a Philadelphia Philly. As Eric Bruntlett trotted out to pinch-run for him, I cried for the first time that night.
Pedro Feliz's single up the middle scored Bruntlett, giving the Phils the lead for good.
The 2008 J.C. Romero got us a 1-2-3 inning, and Brad Lidge was on in the 9th to do what he did best. And with 2 outs and Eric Hinske at the plate, history happened. Although I didn't have the same view as most at that moment, the image and the sound of that last out will always give me goosebumps.
I hugged my friend Bean, I hugged Zack, and I turned to my dad and completely lost it. As a fresh 21-year-old, I remembered every single second of my birthday, including the moment when I wept like a 21-month-old in my father's arms. The feeling of that hug is one that I guarantee I won't experience ever again. It was a hug for the 2008 season and the 2007 season, as well as every other season I had been following Phillies baseball. It was a hug that encompassed the heartache experienced with not only the Phillies, but with NFC Championship game losses, Stanley Cup failures and losses to the dreadful Pittsburgh Penguins, and a loss to the dynasty that was the early 2000's LA Lakers. It's a hug that I have trouble describing without having to try to hide my tears right now as my sister and brother-in-law sit in the room with me typing about it.
The pure joy that came after that cannot be exactly duplicated ever again. Double-digit random hugs and triple-digit random high-fives while walking through the ballpark. We basically partied in the stadium for 2 hours afterwards. Once again, I felt the need to call just about everyone I knew. (People still talk to me about how ridiculous that phone call was.) My dad and I actually got interviewed on live TV after the game. Everyone involved played such a key role in the enjoyment of the evening - my dad, Matt, Zack, Bean, Kelsey, Shane and Mr. Tobin, Costello and his brother, the short fat security guard right by where we were standing, every person that I called after the game, the random girl next to me whose name I somehow forget, and the guy who returned Zack's cell phone when he lost it going to the subway after the game. I'll never experience a night like that again. Most people won't. Everyone has their story about that night.
Do I want to win another World Series? Absolutely. Is making the playoffs enough for this team? Absolutely not.
But if I was really honest, I wouldn't care if the Phillies ever won another game. When will I ever feel any of that again? That feeling can never be re-created. That situation will never happen for any of us again. If the Phillies do win the World Series, it won't come close to what we experienced in 2008. It's impossible to live up to that. We suffered for 100 seasons and finally experienced some type of happiness in the sports world. Now what? We haven't really experienced suffering. We haven't won anything since, but we've been darn good. And being darn good on top of a championship is all you can ask for. Anything more is just getting greedy.
So, once again, do I want to win the World Series? Obviously. But, if we don't? Well, I still have this:
The Phillies clinched a playoff birth today for the 5th straight season, this time with 16 games remaining on the schedule.
Rewind 10 years. Do you ever think you'd read those words, especially this soon?
As October approaches, one thing is clear: Anything less than a World Series victory is a disappointment and a failure for this team and these fans. But let's take a break from the 2011 baseball season to put those expectations into perspective.
From 1993 to 2007, all we wanted was a playoff spot and nothing more. A World Series victory would've been nice and all, but really we just wanted the streak of mediocrity to finally end. And when it did, don't you remember how it felt?
I remember being in a room with about 6 or 7 other guys as we watched Brett Myers throw the last pitch to earn us the NL East title. I called everybody. It made no sense to text people at that moment. At that point in my life, I was texting everybody for everything. But the Phillies making the playoffs was worth 10-15 phone calls to people that I shared the joy and the pain with over the years. When we got swept in 3 games by the only team hotter than us going into the playoffs, I didn't even care that I was shaving off my playoff beard after less than a week. We had made it and finally shown that we could at least be relevant. That's all I wanted at that point.
In 2008, though, we all wanted more, and I would say we got more than we could ask for. Stories of the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians not sniffing a championship drove us all insane for years.
Oh those poor Cubs fans. Living in Chicago all those years without a champion. Unless you count the 90's and them winning basically every NBA Finals. Or if you count the smart people who became White Sox fans instead of Cubs.
And the Red Sox fans. Man, that life must be tough. You know, having the most successful basketball team in history. And building an NFL dynasty when people thought dynasties were no longer possible in professional sports. So tortured.
Cleveland had the most going for them in terms of an argument with Philadelphia. They couldn't win a championship if their lives depended on it. And they don't even really come all that close. But, still, it's only 3 sports. While I don't want to downplay their pain, going through 4 seasons of loss per year is at least a little bit tougher.
So after enduring roughly 100 straight seasons of doing everything but winning, we finally had a chance on October 27, 2008. In the coldest rain I can guarantee any of you have ever experienced or ever will, the Phils got out to an early 2-0 lead, and, with Cole Hamels on the mound, it was inevitable that this game, series, and championship was ours. Mother Nature had other ideas, though. As the game experienced a delay in the 6th inning, my friend Matt and I stood in the warmest place we could find at Citizens Bank Park - the bathroom - for a few minutes while we heard people talk about whether or not the game would even continue. As we made our way back to our standing room only spot right behind home plate with my dad waiting for us, he basically said that the game was going to be called and we had to leave. As we walked around the concourse hearing all the rumors, the PA announcer finally came on saying that the game would be continued at a later time still to be determined.
With the game now tied, every horrible thought was going through my mind. Philadelphia's dream of seeing a championship - in any sport - was being delayed. Maybe not delayed for just a day or two. It may have been delayed for another season. Or another year. Or another 100 seasons.
We heard later that the game would be continued Wednesday night. I was going through a mild depression as I drove back to Penn State on Tuesday morning. I had class, and I really had no clue whether or not I'd be able to make it back.
Matt then told me what I feared most. He couldn't make it for the last 3 innings of the game. It was when he told me that that I realized there was no way I could miss the rest of this game. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Phillies had a chance to win the World Series and end a horrible string of Philadelphia failures, and I had a chance to witness it in person. I guess it's worth mentioning that the end of the game would fall on my 21st birthday.
My attitude quickly flipped from depressed to elated. Now, my friend Zack and I would drive back from Penn State again on Wednesday after my classes were over and get to my house in time to drive down to catch the subway to the stadium. I remember literally being unable to relax all day. I was just shaking or fidgeting in some way in every class that I went to. (Yet, somehow, THIS was the one day in college I decided that my classes were too important to skip. What is wrong with me?)
Without getting into too much detail about my own experience, I think there are some highlights of this game that we all just wish we could relive over and over again.
Geoff Jenkins led off the bottom of the 6th inning with a full-count double and ended up scoring the go-ahead run.
After a Rays' home run in the top of the 7th, Chase Utley made one of the greatest plays I've ever seen in my life, faking a throw to first on a ground ball up the middle only to throw home and get the final out of the inning, preserving our lead.
Pat Burrell then came inches away from a home run to take the lead. His double off the fencing above the wall would be his last at bat as a Philadelphia Philly. As Eric Bruntlett trotted out to pinch-run for him, I cried for the first time that night.
Pedro Feliz's single up the middle scored Bruntlett, giving the Phils the lead for good.
The 2008 J.C. Romero got us a 1-2-3 inning, and Brad Lidge was on in the 9th to do what he did best. And with 2 outs and Eric Hinske at the plate, history happened. Although I didn't have the same view as most at that moment, the image and the sound of that last out will always give me goosebumps.
I hugged my friend Bean, I hugged Zack, and I turned to my dad and completely lost it. As a fresh 21-year-old, I remembered every single second of my birthday, including the moment when I wept like a 21-month-old in my father's arms. The feeling of that hug is one that I guarantee I won't experience ever again. It was a hug for the 2008 season and the 2007 season, as well as every other season I had been following Phillies baseball. It was a hug that encompassed the heartache experienced with not only the Phillies, but with NFC Championship game losses, Stanley Cup failures and losses to the dreadful Pittsburgh Penguins, and a loss to the dynasty that was the early 2000's LA Lakers. It's a hug that I have trouble describing without having to try to hide my tears right now as my sister and brother-in-law sit in the room with me typing about it.
The pure joy that came after that cannot be exactly duplicated ever again. Double-digit random hugs and triple-digit random high-fives while walking through the ballpark. We basically partied in the stadium for 2 hours afterwards. Once again, I felt the need to call just about everyone I knew. (People still talk to me about how ridiculous that phone call was.) My dad and I actually got interviewed on live TV after the game. Everyone involved played such a key role in the enjoyment of the evening - my dad, Matt, Zack, Bean, Kelsey, Shane and Mr. Tobin, Costello and his brother, the short fat security guard right by where we were standing, every person that I called after the game, the random girl next to me whose name I somehow forget, and the guy who returned Zack's cell phone when he lost it going to the subway after the game. I'll never experience a night like that again. Most people won't. Everyone has their story about that night.
Do I want to win another World Series? Absolutely. Is making the playoffs enough for this team? Absolutely not.
But if I was really honest, I wouldn't care if the Phillies ever won another game. When will I ever feel any of that again? That feeling can never be re-created. That situation will never happen for any of us again. If the Phillies do win the World Series, it won't come close to what we experienced in 2008. It's impossible to live up to that. We suffered for 100 seasons and finally experienced some type of happiness in the sports world. Now what? We haven't really experienced suffering. We haven't won anything since, but we've been darn good. And being darn good on top of a championship is all you can ask for. Anything more is just getting greedy.
So, once again, do I want to win the World Series? Obviously. But, if we don't? Well, I still have this:
Monday, September 12, 2011
Astros Preview: Hunter Pence for MVP
A series with the Astros as of late always brings back tons of memories for Phillies and Astros players alike. Why? Because half of them probably don't really know what uniform to put on or which dugout to go in. If we look at the matchups for this upcoming series, you'll see that Roy Oswalt will be pitching against his former team and facing Brett Myers pitching against his former teams. We will, most likely, see Brad Lidge pitch against his former team at some point. In game 3, J.A. Happ will be pitching against the Phils (his former team), and the game 2 starter for the Astros has yet to be announced, probably because they are going to sign Curt Schilling or call up Jarred Cosart just so they can have someone else pitching against, yes, you guessed it, their former team.
Aside from starting pitching, the biggest name that stands out in the series is Hunter Pence. He'll be playing against the Astros for the first time since we traded for him at the end of July. Since his arrival, he's been a vital part of the Phillies' success, and the Astros have continued to struggle to win a game, not to mention a series. The people of Philadelphia have embraced him as one of their own, and all of our worries about this team seemed to disappear with his bat in the lineup.
Seriously, think about the Phillies pre-Pence. It felt like as every series passed, we would hear more and more complaints and concerns about how the heck we were ever going to score another run. While we had the best record in baseball, it just wasn't all that satisfying or convincing. Then we got Hunter Pence.
As the MVP race in the NL starts to heat up and get more attention, it would be tough to call Pence an MVP candidate, at least to the untrained eye. He spent over half the year playing for the Astros, and the Phillies, as I said, were in first place without him. With him, we are still in first place. The numbers go a little deeper than just the standings, though, and I think he deserves serious consideration for the National League's top individual honor. Will he get it? No. Should he? You be the judge...
Since he came to the Phillies, we're scoring over 5.2 runs per game, up almost an entire run from our numbers before he came around. We have scored 3 or more runs in 35 of his 38 games, and we have not gotten shut out at all while he's been a Philly. Pence is batting .320 in those 38 games with 8 home runs and 24 RBI. Over a full season, those numbers translate to about 34 homers and 102 RBI. Couple that with the .320 batting average and a .994 OPS (which would be tops in the NL), and would you consider those MVP numbers for a first place team? I think so.
But, like I said, we were in first without him, so what's the big deal? Well, we are 28-10 with him in the lineup. That's a .737 winning percentage. Without him, it was .629. That's a significant increase, showing that he truly has helped to make our team better since his arrival.
And that's just in terms of the numbers. It's tough to define the value of every Phillies' fan being much more at ease with each game and series. We don't have to worry about where our next run is going to come from. With Pence on the team, we've had several players out with injuries, and we still haven't skipped a beat. Our only 2 series losses have come against the Marlins and Nationals - teams that don't matter. Our record against teams in first and second place since his arrival is 11-3 with 4 series wins, including these last 2 series in which we swept the Braves and took 3 of 4 in Milwaukee, the toughest place for opposing teams to win a game this season. Has our team gotten better than being in first place? Obviously, we couldn't. Have we gotten better, though? Yes, we absolutely have.
The season will end, and Pence will go unrecognized in terms of awards. The MVP will go to Ryan Braun or Prince Fielder or Matt Kemp or someone other than Hunter Pence. All he'll be playing for is all he really cares about - the team. And with him on this team, we're now clearly in the driver's seat to win our second World Series in 4 seasons. We have the pitching, the defense, and now the offense to do it. Along with that, the city has the confidence that we will. They also have a very good reason for that confidence. The reason is Hunter Pence. What's more valuable than that?
Game 1: Roy Oswalt (7-8, 3.72 ERA) vs. Brett Myers (4-13, 4.66 ERA)
Hopefully I didn't jinx the Phillies by talking about not getting shut out since Pence's arrival. Myers has pitched well in 2 starts against the Phils, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He's held our current roster to a .196 batting average and just 3 home runs - 1 from Chooch, 1 from Brian Schneider, and 1 from John Bowker (who I saw play yesterday for the first time. There goes that goal). He's kept our biggest bats pretty silent aside from a .429 average for J-Roll, although that's only in 7 at bats. Oswalt's only career start against the Astros came in the third game of this season. The Astros now have maybe 2-3 guys that you might have heard of in their lineup prior to this season. Batting 3rd for them? J.D. Martinez. They also have the likes of Brian Bogusevic and Jimmy Paredes playing for them. Rumor has it, these are real people. I guess we'll find out tonight.
Prediction: Phillies 3 Astros 1
Keep an eye out for: Oswalt pitching at least 7 strong innings as he pitches for a spot in the playoff rotation.
Game 2: Cole Hamels (14-7, 2.60 ERA) vs. TBD (0-0, -.-- ERA)
With MLB.com not having a starter listed for this game, I obviously can't speak to the Astros pitcher very well, but I can once again point out that they barely have a lineup. Hamels has faced Carlos Lee 20 times in his career, giving up 2 home runs to him. That is the biggest threat he will be facing in this game...an overweight 35 year old. He will also be facing people with names like Humberto Quintero and Angel Sanchez. You know, assuming those are real guys.
Prediction: Phillies 7 Astros 0
Keep an eye out for: Hunter Pence hitting home run number 20 on the season as a Phillies player playing in Houston. His first home run of the year was hit as an Astros player playing in Philadelphia. That home run will just be absolutely soaked with irony.
Game 3: Roy Halladay (17-5, 2.44 ERA) vs. J.A. Happ (5-15, 5.77 ERA)
Getting rid of J.A. Happ turned out to be a genius move. He's one of the worst pitchers in baseball this season. We'll get tons of hits off of him, and you know who won't get hits off of Roy Halladay? Guys like Jason Bourgeois, Matt Downs, Chris Johnson, J.R. Towles, and Jose Altuve. Real people? Stay tuned.
Prediction: Phillies 9 Astros 1
Keep an eye out for: someone named J.B. Shuck being responsible for the only run the Astros score in this game. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2011 Houston Astros!
Aside from starting pitching, the biggest name that stands out in the series is Hunter Pence. He'll be playing against the Astros for the first time since we traded for him at the end of July. Since his arrival, he's been a vital part of the Phillies' success, and the Astros have continued to struggle to win a game, not to mention a series. The people of Philadelphia have embraced him as one of their own, and all of our worries about this team seemed to disappear with his bat in the lineup.
Seriously, think about the Phillies pre-Pence. It felt like as every series passed, we would hear more and more complaints and concerns about how the heck we were ever going to score another run. While we had the best record in baseball, it just wasn't all that satisfying or convincing. Then we got Hunter Pence.
As the MVP race in the NL starts to heat up and get more attention, it would be tough to call Pence an MVP candidate, at least to the untrained eye. He spent over half the year playing for the Astros, and the Phillies, as I said, were in first place without him. With him, we are still in first place. The numbers go a little deeper than just the standings, though, and I think he deserves serious consideration for the National League's top individual honor. Will he get it? No. Should he? You be the judge...
Since he came to the Phillies, we're scoring over 5.2 runs per game, up almost an entire run from our numbers before he came around. We have scored 3 or more runs in 35 of his 38 games, and we have not gotten shut out at all while he's been a Philly. Pence is batting .320 in those 38 games with 8 home runs and 24 RBI. Over a full season, those numbers translate to about 34 homers and 102 RBI. Couple that with the .320 batting average and a .994 OPS (which would be tops in the NL), and would you consider those MVP numbers for a first place team? I think so.
But, like I said, we were in first without him, so what's the big deal? Well, we are 28-10 with him in the lineup. That's a .737 winning percentage. Without him, it was .629. That's a significant increase, showing that he truly has helped to make our team better since his arrival.
And that's just in terms of the numbers. It's tough to define the value of every Phillies' fan being much more at ease with each game and series. We don't have to worry about where our next run is going to come from. With Pence on the team, we've had several players out with injuries, and we still haven't skipped a beat. Our only 2 series losses have come against the Marlins and Nationals - teams that don't matter. Our record against teams in first and second place since his arrival is 11-3 with 4 series wins, including these last 2 series in which we swept the Braves and took 3 of 4 in Milwaukee, the toughest place for opposing teams to win a game this season. Has our team gotten better than being in first place? Obviously, we couldn't. Have we gotten better, though? Yes, we absolutely have.
The season will end, and Pence will go unrecognized in terms of awards. The MVP will go to Ryan Braun or Prince Fielder or Matt Kemp or someone other than Hunter Pence. All he'll be playing for is all he really cares about - the team. And with him on this team, we're now clearly in the driver's seat to win our second World Series in 4 seasons. We have the pitching, the defense, and now the offense to do it. Along with that, the city has the confidence that we will. They also have a very good reason for that confidence. The reason is Hunter Pence. What's more valuable than that?
Game 1: Roy Oswalt (7-8, 3.72 ERA) vs. Brett Myers (4-13, 4.66 ERA)
Hopefully I didn't jinx the Phillies by talking about not getting shut out since Pence's arrival. Myers has pitched well in 2 starts against the Phils, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA. He's held our current roster to a .196 batting average and just 3 home runs - 1 from Chooch, 1 from Brian Schneider, and 1 from John Bowker (who I saw play yesterday for the first time. There goes that goal). He's kept our biggest bats pretty silent aside from a .429 average for J-Roll, although that's only in 7 at bats. Oswalt's only career start against the Astros came in the third game of this season. The Astros now have maybe 2-3 guys that you might have heard of in their lineup prior to this season. Batting 3rd for them? J.D. Martinez. They also have the likes of Brian Bogusevic and Jimmy Paredes playing for them. Rumor has it, these are real people. I guess we'll find out tonight.
Prediction: Phillies 3 Astros 1
Keep an eye out for: Oswalt pitching at least 7 strong innings as he pitches for a spot in the playoff rotation.
Game 2: Cole Hamels (14-7, 2.60 ERA) vs. TBD (0-0, -.-- ERA)
With MLB.com not having a starter listed for this game, I obviously can't speak to the Astros pitcher very well, but I can once again point out that they barely have a lineup. Hamels has faced Carlos Lee 20 times in his career, giving up 2 home runs to him. That is the biggest threat he will be facing in this game...an overweight 35 year old. He will also be facing people with names like Humberto Quintero and Angel Sanchez. You know, assuming those are real guys.
Prediction: Phillies 7 Astros 0
Keep an eye out for: Hunter Pence hitting home run number 20 on the season as a Phillies player playing in Houston. His first home run of the year was hit as an Astros player playing in Philadelphia. That home run will just be absolutely soaked with irony.
Game 3: Roy Halladay (17-5, 2.44 ERA) vs. J.A. Happ (5-15, 5.77 ERA)
Getting rid of J.A. Happ turned out to be a genius move. He's one of the worst pitchers in baseball this season. We'll get tons of hits off of him, and you know who won't get hits off of Roy Halladay? Guys like Jason Bourgeois, Matt Downs, Chris Johnson, J.R. Towles, and Jose Altuve. Real people? Stay tuned.
Prediction: Phillies 9 Astros 1
Keep an eye out for: someone named J.B. Shuck being responsible for the only run the Astros score in this game. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2011 Houston Astros!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Male Bag: Volume VI - The Bizarro Male Bag!
It's the moment you've all been waiting for! You finally can achieve fame and fortune in the blogging world! (And if you do, please pass some of that on to me. What the crap, right?)
Today is the first ever (and possibly not last due to a great response) Bizarro Male Bag. I asked the questions, you gave the answers. I'm still going to comment on the responses that you gave me (you know, for job security), but this post is mostly going to be written by ya'll! (I'm trying...not sure it's working. This Southern thing is tough to get the hang of)
Why did I choose today to do this? Well, television will be mostly dominated by the NFL. If you're into that, good for you! If not, you can still watch the Phillies, but it will probably be extra painful listening to our broadcast team force conversation about the Eagles or something. And, to be honest, you don't even really need to watch the Phillies today. We've already proven (again) that we're the best team in baseball...this time by winning the first 3 games in Milwaukee against arguably the hottest team of the 2nd half of the year and the team with the best home record of anyone. So, if you've got nothing else to do, you can just sit back and read some High Hopes.
We'll get to the questions now, but, before we do, I want to tell you all how thankful I am for coming through this week. With the pressure on, you rose to the occasion. Thank you very much. You're the best readers in the world. Because you are, I'll actually include names in these responses. Don't worry, they're just first names, and it'll help you achieve the fame and fortune I was talking about.
1. Is Cliff Lee becoming the Phillies front-runner for the Cy Young?
Cliff Lee rocks - he's one of the best of the best (love him more than Halladay!)
-Debbie
I weirdly agree that I like him more than Halladay. I would probably rather have Halladay start a big game, but I like Lee's attitude/personality better. Halladay is all business. So is Lee, but with a little more of an edge to him. Recently, in response to Charlie Manuel citing luck as a big factor in baseball, Lee said, "I don't think luck's on our side. I just think we're that good." Awesome.
Yes, Cliff Lee can win the Cy Young. What other pitcher has 2 months with 5 wins and an ERA of 0.50 each month???? He's in the same league with Bob Gibson and Walter Johnson, and he just keeps getting better!
-Lori
Check you out, Lor! Breaking out some serious names and numbers there...I love it! When you mention guys like that, you definitely have to think Cy Young.
I think it's a little too early (just a little) to call Cliff the front-runner for the Cy Young. He's slowly but surely on that path, but I think that Halladay and Hamels are still pretty evenly matched up. Yes, Cliff is 35 SO's ahead of Cole and nine ahead of Roy, but Hamels has allowed a decently smaller number of earned runs and hits than Cliff, and Roy is just a boss so he always seems to be one of the first to pop into someone's mind when the Cy Young topic gets tossed around. If I had to pick someone to be the most likely to be a front-runner at this point, I'd say it was Cliff, but I think Cole is still determined to prove himself and Roy isn't done impressing either. Things could even out very quickly.
-Kelsey
Well said! I agree for the most part, except I think that Cole has now fallen out fo the race. The biggest person we all need to worry about now is Clayton Kershaw. Ugh.
YES, I was leaning that way but after looking at the stats vs. Halladay in the past month and the overall year and last night's performance (this answer came after his most recent shutout) it became an emphatic yes in my mind.
-Sean
His recent work has impressed to say the least, and he didn't really do anything last night to change our minds.
2. Can Shane Victorino or Ryan Howard win the MVP this season?
Victorino no, though I can see why you would ask. Howard also probably no from what I've been hearing, not that I agree with that at all. Howard could win it with a huge September, though, I think.
-Sean
I agree with the assessment of Howard. As I mentioned in my last post, he has done exactly that before. And the favorites coming into this weekend were probably Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Matt Kemp. Kemp is on a terrible team, and Braun and Fielder have shown that their "value" is not exactly equating to wins like Howard's is right now. His 3-run homer Friday night was more valuable than any hit they've had this series.
Shane maybe...I mean I love Ryan Howard, but I feel like Shane has done more for us this year.
-Christine
I would prrrobably agree with this, but I'm not entirely sure which way I'd go. Shane has done everything, as compared to Howard who has basically just driven in runs. Driving in runs is obviously huge, but a lot of it depends on opportunity. Howard gets more opportunities for that than Victorino. If we really think about just our team MVP though, I would have a tough time not giving it to a pitcher. Which one to pick, I don't know. And if not a pitcher, I'd have to give it to Hunter Pence. Our offense didn't arrive until he did.
3. How horribly annoying were Thomas and Christopher last week?
Thomas was mild last week, but Hurricane Christopher was in full force. I don't even want to talk about this topic in length, I just wanted to tell you that he really was that terrible. I just don't understand why he says some of the things he does. In one of the many innings that he rambled through, he talked for two batters straight about why the color red is most appealing on jerseys in Citizen's Bank. As obscure as that sounds, yes he talked about it. It made no sense. (However, I do love the Phils' jerseys.)
-Kelsey
(rolling eyes)
Incredibly annoying! So annoying that I started to listen to music or practice guitar during games rather than torture myself with their inane, tired, old-headed, boring, did I mention inane? commentary for the first time I can remember.
-Sean
(shaking head)
They were on par with how they always are
-Christine
That's probably all that really needed to be said. What a shame
4. How bad was that evil wench Irene wherever you were?
I work for an insurance company in an office that handles claims for PA, NY, and NE, so Irene has handed me the busiest week of my professional career, and I hate her.
Answer to all Phillies-related questions: I don't know because (see above), and I haven't had any time to watch them.
-Tony
Sorry, Cheese. If it makes you feel any better, I had to work less because of it. So I guess, between the two of us, the world is still even.
Our basement was flooded (which I was home for) so we spent hours using our Shop Vac to suck up all the water. It was heinous, but we never lost power, so clearly you had it far FAR worse than we did.
-Christine
That definitely sounds annoying, but yes, you're right, I think we take the cake on this one.
Irene was a joke, she flooded Lenape a little but I laughed at her.
-Mike
I laughed at her, too. I sat outside drinking a Hurricane and listened to Bob Dylan's "Hurricane" on loop. Then she took my power for 146 hours - 19 more hours of suffering than any stupid mountain climber ever had to endure. Where's my movie?
Irene was a mischievious dame. At first fooling us to think we were in the clear, that she wasn't that harmful...(see also: everyone lost power early in the afternoon, we were good til 7pm). But then, she swept in like Jeremiah's off-color jokes...unexpected and much more offensive than I think even she planned. I mean, really Irene, almost a full week without POWER?! And we're not talking a work week. That's the core of her evil-ness (?). That she seemed to be harmless in our area, but really, deception is the name of the game.
And try being 34 weeks pregnant in the midst. Dare ya.
-Brianna
The writing skills run in the family.
5. Who the heck is John Bowker, and what do I need to know about him?
Newbie. So far, not impressed.
-Christine
John Bowker is nobody from the team of your favorite city of Pittsburgh!
-Lori
I have no idea... 2 AB and 2 SO?
-Sean
I have made it a goal to never actually see John Bowker's face this season. So far, so good.
6. Is there any reason that Raul ever came back from his injury?
He probably thinks he has one more month to redeem himself in your eyes... little does he know there is a better chance of you taking up ironing "for fun"
-Christine
The worst thing that could happen is Raoops trying to redeem himself in September. I can tell you with great certainty that he will have a solid month of September, thus screwing us over for October. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you look at his game log, you know when he'll be good and when he'll be bad. September good, October bad. October bad, get off my team.
I know... can we just sit him? forever?
-Sean
Is this a death threat of sorts? Because I think I'm on board with that. Fortunately for us, he'll probably die of old age within 6-8 months anyway, and then we don't have to deal with those pesky murder charges.
7. Do you really think your current city/state is more badass than Richmond, Virginia after the past 2 weeks?
After hearing nothing about Virginia in the news like, ever (minus the shooting at the college a few years ago), I have heard more during these past 2 weeks than I would have liked to hear in terms of bad news
-Christine
Funny how I move down here and things suddenly get exciting.
I think PA is way more badass than VA. First of all we have the Phillies and the Eagles and the toughest fans ever. We also have Dean Behrens. Our high school sports are also twenty times better, and we have cooler colleges than Richmond/VCU aka PSU and St. Joe's. We also have unbelievably funny announcers and professional athletes aka Vick, Raul, and Iverson.
-Shane
You had me at "Dean Behrens." You lost me at "funny announcers." You lost all credibility at "Raul."
Only experience I've had in or around Richmond was at 2 NASCAR races, a Hooters, and King's Dominion campground. NASCAR was boring and loud, Hooters we were waited on by what can only be described as an Amazon woman who was taller than any of the men I was with, and the campground was nice from what i can remember? If I include Philly and not just Tylersport I'd say I've had so many good times in Philly in the past 3 years that I can't see Richmond being better... The concert at bamboo bar Sunday night was EPIC.
TLDR; Tylersport sucks, Philly rocks and Richmond is mostly an unknown.
-Sean
Fair enough. I can't say I'm up on the Tylersport scene so I'll take your word for it. Take my word for this, though. Richmond spits in nature's face. (Then, apparently, nature spits back. Hard)
Pennsylvanians need to get over themselves. We're the real victims. First the quake, a mere 35 mi. away from us. Then Irene. And we're closer to the equator. It's really hot here...even into October. I have no words.
-Brianna
The complaining runs in the family as well.
8. Does any NL team have a prayer against us in the playoffs?
NO, no one stacks up against us unless the entire offense goes cold and Worley gets hit by another foul ball thereby falling onto Halladay's pitching hand, who in turn pulls it out and accidentally elbows Lee in the chest breaking a rib. Then and only then will any team have a legit shot at us.
-Sean
I’d say the Braves if we totally fall apart in September. Milwaukee is the next closest I think but I don’t feel they pose a real threat.
-Christine
I just want the playoffs to start now, because I think our last 6 games speak for themselves in answering this question. Braves, Brewers - better luck next year.
9. Is our bullpen going to be OK?
I sure hope so... So young but I think they'll be able to handle things ok. Don't know stats but as far as I can tell Stutes hasn't been lights out like earlier in the year. Bastardo is a BEAST though!
-Sean
Stutes has always had deceptively average stats. You watch him and think he's good, but his ERA has pretty much been around 3.50ish all season. That, to me, is very average to possibly even bad for a reliever. Bastardo is starting to get a little wild it seems like, and that's got me worried as we head into October.
Yes. We still have a month to get our act together.
-Christine
On the other hand, we do still have a month to get that figured out.
This is a great question and one I was wondering about a lot at the beginning of last week. I think/hope our bullpen will be alright, however I'm nervous with all the work they have had to put in with all the rain delays and now the extra inning game yesterday on Sunday (but least that sorry excuse for a major league reliever Herndon pitched so no harm done there). However we have had some blown saves/leads with Lidge, Madson, and Bastardo and just given up too many late inning runs a lot more lately. Now yes it is a long season and this is bound to happen, but I would have liked it to start happening a little sooner rather than the last month of the season when we should be getting fine tuned for our playoff run. Especially since we are in a stretch of 33 games in 31 days!! Crazy. Madson, Bastardo, and Stutes have put my doubts to bed however because they have looked a lot better and crisper their last few outings as compared to the beginning of last week and the week prior. Having said all that, I feel like we will be OK because we are still currently winning games, our hitting has been just amazing with producing runs without home runs (minus yesterdays 14 inning debacle).......and ohhhh yes please don't forget we have the BEST PITCHING STAFF IN THE MAJORS!!!!! Best pitching staff in the majors on the mound as well as at the plate. It has been great to see our pitchers add in the production of runs and help themselves out. So we should be alright because Charlie is a smart guy and will take care of the bullpen, however it is going to be a tough stretch.
-Mike
I love this analysis and feel like I would cheapen it by adding anything. One thing I would take out, though: "Charlie is a smart guy." I love him, and things that he does work out for the best somehow, but I would hardly call a lot of his decisions "smart."
10. How long do you think it would take you to go completely insane if your power went out?
No power - I could make it a lot longer than you before I went insane!!!!
-Debbie
Gee, thanks, Mom.
Wow that's a good question. I had books, candles, my guitar and my cell phone charged ready to test that theory though. I'd say 2 days?
-Sean
You could make it through 2 days in that way, just as I think could have. But then you have to start moving around and finding other places with power. When you've just moved to a state, it's not always that easy. Luckily, my friend Dave, who moved down here from PA as well, never lost power. So I had that refuge. (although he had no cable or internet because he had just moved in. What's the point?)
I could only function until night time (so if it goes out at night, about 30 seconds). As soon as there were no lights at night, I’d be freaked out and angry. How you did it for days amazes me. (Especially with school – my hair would have been out of control.)
-Christine
Night time is almost better (almost) because you can just go to sleep. It's the day time with no AC, TV, or internet that will get you. Not much napping goes on in 90 degrees with no air. And, luckily for me, we had a few days of school canceled and then I got a haircut, so I didn't have to do much in the hair department.
How long do I think? Well I know it only took me about 19 hrs to reach insanity. Sweating, crying, fearing I wouldn't make it another minute, let alone another 5 days. I resorted to cleaning the bathroom in the dark. And like, I was 34 weeks PREGNANT. Body temp is way up, not to mention emotions.
Moral of the story. If you live in Pennsylvania, I dont' want to hear it. If you're not pregnant, cry me a river. And if you're a non-pregnant Pennsylvanian, plead for forgiveness.
-Brianna
Ladies and gentlemen, my sister, Brianna Link.
11. How dominant did we look against the Reds?
Very dominant. Its like they weren't even in the same league... oh wait they aren't!
-Sean
Only saw parts of each game but we looked good!
-Christine
Good. As I put in the stats for this game (because I'm a nerd who keeps my own stats), it looked like we handled them pretty well. And the only thing I saw of the series was a home run by Shane Victorino that brought some light into my life. The Reds aren't the team they were last year, but they still are a solid team that shouldn't be taken lightly. Apparently we did not, which is always nice to see. Beating the teams we should beat.
12. Seriously, how much did Thomas and Christopher suck?
Please don't even get me started on two "broadcasters" they call Thomas and Christopher, like really come on Phillies ughhhhhh. I've come to the conclusion that no one in the Phillies organization watches the games on TV, they must listen to the radio or already be at the games. If they did watch the games on TV they would see these two majokers for the horrible trash like commentators that they are. Now I do not see every inning of every game, but, since I am out of school, and all I do is work (which = no life), I do watch a lot more games since I have more time and, please believe me when I say this.... that there is not one inning that goes by when I watch on TV that I don't disagree or just get mad at Thomas and/or Christopher for their horrible comments. I can't have one peaceful inning because they suck so much and get me pissed so much. Now my hatred for Thomas is not as deep (but it is growing) since he was not on all the time, and I was able to block out everyone while The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Harry Kalas was talking. However, there was one ear screeching voice that was able to penetrate while Harry was talking and, of course, it was Christopher's smug ass. I have been calling for Christopher's head since many years before Harry's passing because, little known fact, Christopher was trying to push Harry out while he was still alive, and I will always hold a grudge for that. So to end this I think I will just say suck it McCarthy and Wheeler.......#FranzkeLA2012.
-Mike
It's like poetry.
Did I mention inane?
-Sean
I think so, but it's absolutely worth mentioning again.
13. How much did you miss me? :)
Now that I have become accustomed to reading this blog, I did take notice this week when it was MIA minus the [rightfully] crazed rants about having no power. Glad you are back!
-Christine
It's good to be back! My life gets busier as the season gets more important, though. Hopefully I'll be fine. (I'll be fine)
I miss you a lot and wish you were still working at Pennridge!
-Lori
I don't miss the cart. I don't miss 3 different subjects taught in 4 different classrooms. I don't miss a significantly lower salary. I really don't miss lesson plans.
But I do miss the coffee breaks and the people involved with said breaks. I miss the students. I miss basketball and the team. And I miss Dert.
I miss you more than words can express.....
-Debbie
I miss you too, Mom
Today is the first ever (and possibly not last due to a great response) Bizarro Male Bag. I asked the questions, you gave the answers. I'm still going to comment on the responses that you gave me (you know, for job security), but this post is mostly going to be written by ya'll! (I'm trying...not sure it's working. This Southern thing is tough to get the hang of)
Why did I choose today to do this? Well, television will be mostly dominated by the NFL. If you're into that, good for you! If not, you can still watch the Phillies, but it will probably be extra painful listening to our broadcast team force conversation about the Eagles or something. And, to be honest, you don't even really need to watch the Phillies today. We've already proven (again) that we're the best team in baseball...this time by winning the first 3 games in Milwaukee against arguably the hottest team of the 2nd half of the year and the team with the best home record of anyone. So, if you've got nothing else to do, you can just sit back and read some High Hopes.
We'll get to the questions now, but, before we do, I want to tell you all how thankful I am for coming through this week. With the pressure on, you rose to the occasion. Thank you very much. You're the best readers in the world. Because you are, I'll actually include names in these responses. Don't worry, they're just first names, and it'll help you achieve the fame and fortune I was talking about.
1. Is Cliff Lee becoming the Phillies front-runner for the Cy Young?
Cliff Lee rocks - he's one of the best of the best (love him more than Halladay!)
-Debbie
I weirdly agree that I like him more than Halladay. I would probably rather have Halladay start a big game, but I like Lee's attitude/personality better. Halladay is all business. So is Lee, but with a little more of an edge to him. Recently, in response to Charlie Manuel citing luck as a big factor in baseball, Lee said, "I don't think luck's on our side. I just think we're that good." Awesome.
Yes, Cliff Lee can win the Cy Young. What other pitcher has 2 months with 5 wins and an ERA of 0.50 each month???? He's in the same league with Bob Gibson and Walter Johnson, and he just keeps getting better!
-Lori
Check you out, Lor! Breaking out some serious names and numbers there...I love it! When you mention guys like that, you definitely have to think Cy Young.
I think it's a little too early (just a little) to call Cliff the front-runner for the Cy Young. He's slowly but surely on that path, but I think that Halladay and Hamels are still pretty evenly matched up. Yes, Cliff is 35 SO's ahead of Cole and nine ahead of Roy, but Hamels has allowed a decently smaller number of earned runs and hits than Cliff, and Roy is just a boss so he always seems to be one of the first to pop into someone's mind when the Cy Young topic gets tossed around. If I had to pick someone to be the most likely to be a front-runner at this point, I'd say it was Cliff, but I think Cole is still determined to prove himself and Roy isn't done impressing either. Things could even out very quickly.
-Kelsey
Well said! I agree for the most part, except I think that Cole has now fallen out fo the race. The biggest person we all need to worry about now is Clayton Kershaw. Ugh.
YES, I was leaning that way but after looking at the stats vs. Halladay in the past month and the overall year and last night's performance (this answer came after his most recent shutout) it became an emphatic yes in my mind.
-Sean
His recent work has impressed to say the least, and he didn't really do anything last night to change our minds.
2. Can Shane Victorino or Ryan Howard win the MVP this season?
Victorino no, though I can see why you would ask. Howard also probably no from what I've been hearing, not that I agree with that at all. Howard could win it with a huge September, though, I think.
-Sean
I agree with the assessment of Howard. As I mentioned in my last post, he has done exactly that before. And the favorites coming into this weekend were probably Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Matt Kemp. Kemp is on a terrible team, and Braun and Fielder have shown that their "value" is not exactly equating to wins like Howard's is right now. His 3-run homer Friday night was more valuable than any hit they've had this series.
Shane maybe...I mean I love Ryan Howard, but I feel like Shane has done more for us this year.
-Christine
I would prrrobably agree with this, but I'm not entirely sure which way I'd go. Shane has done everything, as compared to Howard who has basically just driven in runs. Driving in runs is obviously huge, but a lot of it depends on opportunity. Howard gets more opportunities for that than Victorino. If we really think about just our team MVP though, I would have a tough time not giving it to a pitcher. Which one to pick, I don't know. And if not a pitcher, I'd have to give it to Hunter Pence. Our offense didn't arrive until he did.
3. How horribly annoying were Thomas and Christopher last week?
Thomas was mild last week, but Hurricane Christopher was in full force. I don't even want to talk about this topic in length, I just wanted to tell you that he really was that terrible. I just don't understand why he says some of the things he does. In one of the many innings that he rambled through, he talked for two batters straight about why the color red is most appealing on jerseys in Citizen's Bank. As obscure as that sounds, yes he talked about it. It made no sense. (However, I do love the Phils' jerseys.)
-Kelsey
(rolling eyes)
Incredibly annoying! So annoying that I started to listen to music or practice guitar during games rather than torture myself with their inane, tired, old-headed, boring, did I mention inane? commentary for the first time I can remember.
-Sean
(shaking head)
They were on par with how they always are
-Christine
That's probably all that really needed to be said. What a shame
4. How bad was that evil wench Irene wherever you were?
I work for an insurance company in an office that handles claims for PA, NY, and NE, so Irene has handed me the busiest week of my professional career, and I hate her.
Answer to all Phillies-related questions: I don't know because (see above), and I haven't had any time to watch them.
-Tony
Sorry, Cheese. If it makes you feel any better, I had to work less because of it. So I guess, between the two of us, the world is still even.
Our basement was flooded (which I was home for) so we spent hours using our Shop Vac to suck up all the water. It was heinous, but we never lost power, so clearly you had it far FAR worse than we did.
-Christine
That definitely sounds annoying, but yes, you're right, I think we take the cake on this one.
Irene was a joke, she flooded Lenape a little but I laughed at her.
-Mike
I laughed at her, too. I sat outside drinking a Hurricane and listened to Bob Dylan's "Hurricane" on loop. Then she took my power for 146 hours - 19 more hours of suffering than any stupid mountain climber ever had to endure. Where's my movie?
Irene was a mischievious dame. At first fooling us to think we were in the clear, that she wasn't that harmful...(see also: everyone lost power early in the afternoon, we were good til 7pm). But then, she swept in like Jeremiah's off-color jokes...unexpected and much more offensive than I think even she planned. I mean, really Irene, almost a full week without POWER?! And we're not talking a work week. That's the core of her evil-ness (?). That she seemed to be harmless in our area, but really, deception is the name of the game.
And try being 34 weeks pregnant in the midst. Dare ya.
-Brianna
The writing skills run in the family.
5. Who the heck is John Bowker, and what do I need to know about him?
Newbie. So far, not impressed.
-Christine
John Bowker is nobody from the team of your favorite city of Pittsburgh!
-Lori
I have no idea... 2 AB and 2 SO?
-Sean
I have made it a goal to never actually see John Bowker's face this season. So far, so good.
6. Is there any reason that Raul ever came back from his injury?
He probably thinks he has one more month to redeem himself in your eyes... little does he know there is a better chance of you taking up ironing "for fun"
-Christine
The worst thing that could happen is Raoops trying to redeem himself in September. I can tell you with great certainty that he will have a solid month of September, thus screwing us over for October. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you look at his game log, you know when he'll be good and when he'll be bad. September good, October bad. October bad, get off my team.
I know... can we just sit him? forever?
-Sean
Is this a death threat of sorts? Because I think I'm on board with that. Fortunately for us, he'll probably die of old age within 6-8 months anyway, and then we don't have to deal with those pesky murder charges.
7. Do you really think your current city/state is more badass than Richmond, Virginia after the past 2 weeks?
After hearing nothing about Virginia in the news like, ever (minus the shooting at the college a few years ago), I have heard more during these past 2 weeks than I would have liked to hear in terms of bad news
-Christine
Funny how I move down here and things suddenly get exciting.
I think PA is way more badass than VA. First of all we have the Phillies and the Eagles and the toughest fans ever. We also have Dean Behrens. Our high school sports are also twenty times better, and we have cooler colleges than Richmond/VCU aka PSU and St. Joe's. We also have unbelievably funny announcers and professional athletes aka Vick, Raul, and Iverson.
-Shane
You had me at "Dean Behrens." You lost me at "funny announcers." You lost all credibility at "Raul."
Only experience I've had in or around Richmond was at 2 NASCAR races, a Hooters, and King's Dominion campground. NASCAR was boring and loud, Hooters we were waited on by what can only be described as an Amazon woman who was taller than any of the men I was with, and the campground was nice from what i can remember? If I include Philly and not just Tylersport I'd say I've had so many good times in Philly in the past 3 years that I can't see Richmond being better... The concert at bamboo bar Sunday night was EPIC.
TLDR; Tylersport sucks, Philly rocks and Richmond is mostly an unknown.
-Sean
Fair enough. I can't say I'm up on the Tylersport scene so I'll take your word for it. Take my word for this, though. Richmond spits in nature's face. (Then, apparently, nature spits back. Hard)
Pennsylvanians need to get over themselves. We're the real victims. First the quake, a mere 35 mi. away from us. Then Irene. And we're closer to the equator. It's really hot here...even into October. I have no words.
-Brianna
The complaining runs in the family as well.
8. Does any NL team have a prayer against us in the playoffs?
NO, no one stacks up against us unless the entire offense goes cold and Worley gets hit by another foul ball thereby falling onto Halladay's pitching hand, who in turn pulls it out and accidentally elbows Lee in the chest breaking a rib. Then and only then will any team have a legit shot at us.
-Sean
I’d say the Braves if we totally fall apart in September. Milwaukee is the next closest I think but I don’t feel they pose a real threat.
-Christine
I just want the playoffs to start now, because I think our last 6 games speak for themselves in answering this question. Braves, Brewers - better luck next year.
9. Is our bullpen going to be OK?
I sure hope so... So young but I think they'll be able to handle things ok. Don't know stats but as far as I can tell Stutes hasn't been lights out like earlier in the year. Bastardo is a BEAST though!
-Sean
Stutes has always had deceptively average stats. You watch him and think he's good, but his ERA has pretty much been around 3.50ish all season. That, to me, is very average to possibly even bad for a reliever. Bastardo is starting to get a little wild it seems like, and that's got me worried as we head into October.
Yes. We still have a month to get our act together.
-Christine
On the other hand, we do still have a month to get that figured out.
This is a great question and one I was wondering about a lot at the beginning of last week. I think/hope our bullpen will be alright, however I'm nervous with all the work they have had to put in with all the rain delays and now the extra inning game yesterday on Sunday (but least that sorry excuse for a major league reliever Herndon pitched so no harm done there). However we have had some blown saves/leads with Lidge, Madson, and Bastardo and just given up too many late inning runs a lot more lately. Now yes it is a long season and this is bound to happen, but I would have liked it to start happening a little sooner rather than the last month of the season when we should be getting fine tuned for our playoff run. Especially since we are in a stretch of 33 games in 31 days!! Crazy. Madson, Bastardo, and Stutes have put my doubts to bed however because they have looked a lot better and crisper their last few outings as compared to the beginning of last week and the week prior. Having said all that, I feel like we will be OK because we are still currently winning games, our hitting has been just amazing with producing runs without home runs (minus yesterdays 14 inning debacle).......and ohhhh yes please don't forget we have the BEST PITCHING STAFF IN THE MAJORS!!!!! Best pitching staff in the majors on the mound as well as at the plate. It has been great to see our pitchers add in the production of runs and help themselves out. So we should be alright because Charlie is a smart guy and will take care of the bullpen, however it is going to be a tough stretch.
-Mike
I love this analysis and feel like I would cheapen it by adding anything. One thing I would take out, though: "Charlie is a smart guy." I love him, and things that he does work out for the best somehow, but I would hardly call a lot of his decisions "smart."
10. How long do you think it would take you to go completely insane if your power went out?
No power - I could make it a lot longer than you before I went insane!!!!
-Debbie
Gee, thanks, Mom.
Wow that's a good question. I had books, candles, my guitar and my cell phone charged ready to test that theory though. I'd say 2 days?
-Sean
You could make it through 2 days in that way, just as I think could have. But then you have to start moving around and finding other places with power. When you've just moved to a state, it's not always that easy. Luckily, my friend Dave, who moved down here from PA as well, never lost power. So I had that refuge. (although he had no cable or internet because he had just moved in. What's the point?)
I could only function until night time (so if it goes out at night, about 30 seconds). As soon as there were no lights at night, I’d be freaked out and angry. How you did it for days amazes me. (Especially with school – my hair would have been out of control.)
-Christine
Night time is almost better (almost) because you can just go to sleep. It's the day time with no AC, TV, or internet that will get you. Not much napping goes on in 90 degrees with no air. And, luckily for me, we had a few days of school canceled and then I got a haircut, so I didn't have to do much in the hair department.
How long do I think? Well I know it only took me about 19 hrs to reach insanity. Sweating, crying, fearing I wouldn't make it another minute, let alone another 5 days. I resorted to cleaning the bathroom in the dark. And like, I was 34 weeks PREGNANT. Body temp is way up, not to mention emotions.
Moral of the story. If you live in Pennsylvania, I dont' want to hear it. If you're not pregnant, cry me a river. And if you're a non-pregnant Pennsylvanian, plead for forgiveness.
-Brianna
Ladies and gentlemen, my sister, Brianna Link.
11. How dominant did we look against the Reds?
Very dominant. Its like they weren't even in the same league... oh wait they aren't!
-Sean
Only saw parts of each game but we looked good!
-Christine
Good. As I put in the stats for this game (because I'm a nerd who keeps my own stats), it looked like we handled them pretty well. And the only thing I saw of the series was a home run by Shane Victorino that brought some light into my life. The Reds aren't the team they were last year, but they still are a solid team that shouldn't be taken lightly. Apparently we did not, which is always nice to see. Beating the teams we should beat.
12. Seriously, how much did Thomas and Christopher suck?
Please don't even get me started on two "broadcasters" they call Thomas and Christopher, like really come on Phillies ughhhhhh. I've come to the conclusion that no one in the Phillies organization watches the games on TV, they must listen to the radio or already be at the games. If they did watch the games on TV they would see these two majokers for the horrible trash like commentators that they are. Now I do not see every inning of every game, but, since I am out of school, and all I do is work (which = no life), I do watch a lot more games since I have more time and, please believe me when I say this.... that there is not one inning that goes by when I watch on TV that I don't disagree or just get mad at Thomas and/or Christopher for their horrible comments. I can't have one peaceful inning because they suck so much and get me pissed so much. Now my hatred for Thomas is not as deep (but it is growing) since he was not on all the time, and I was able to block out everyone while The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Harry Kalas was talking. However, there was one ear screeching voice that was able to penetrate while Harry was talking and, of course, it was Christopher's smug ass. I have been calling for Christopher's head since many years before Harry's passing because, little known fact, Christopher was trying to push Harry out while he was still alive, and I will always hold a grudge for that. So to end this I think I will just say suck it McCarthy and Wheeler.......#FranzkeLA2012.
-Mike
It's like poetry.
Did I mention inane?
-Sean
I think so, but it's absolutely worth mentioning again.
13. How much did you miss me? :)
Now that I have become accustomed to reading this blog, I did take notice this week when it was MIA minus the [rightfully] crazed rants about having no power. Glad you are back!
-Christine
It's good to be back! My life gets busier as the season gets more important, though. Hopefully I'll be fine. (I'll be fine)
I miss you a lot and wish you were still working at Pennridge!
-Lori
I don't miss the cart. I don't miss 3 different subjects taught in 4 different classrooms. I don't miss a significantly lower salary. I really don't miss lesson plans.
But I do miss the coffee breaks and the people involved with said breaks. I miss the students. I miss basketball and the team. And I miss Dert.
I miss you more than words can express.....
-Debbie
I miss you too, Mom
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Brewers Preview: Cy Young Implications
Sorry, I didn't reread or edit this. Just barely got it off in time.
If you haven't yet, take a second to respond to some of the questions from the previous post. Also, contact me with some questions in time for a playoff Male Bag. PhilsHighHopes@gmail.com, Twitter @PhilsHighHopes
In the upcoming Bizarro Male Bag (this weekend probably...great responses thus far), we'll see what you guys think about who is the Phillies phavorite to win the Cy Young - Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay. In this post, though, I'll really just give you my own opinion anyway (although it'll be short because I only have about 40 minutes until game time. Yikes).
Halladay has been a portrait of consistency this season. His ERA in each month has been no higher than 3.00 and no lower than 2.00. He has a winning record in each month and has been nothing but reliable. If we need a solid start, we know we'll get one from Roy.
Lee, on the other hand, has been a completely different pitcher depending on the month. In April, May, and July, Lee is 5-7 with a 4.22 ERA and a WHIP of 1.28. In June, August, and September, though, Lee is 11-0 with a 0.30 ERA and a WHIP of 0.72. The comparison is unbelievable, and you'd think that consistency over the season would show that a pitcher is actually better rather than the tale of two pitchers that Cliff has been this year.
The reality, though, is that these awards often come down to who is doing what at the right time. Look at the 2008 MVP race. Ryan Howard only batted .251 that season. His 48 homers and 146 RBI are great, but that average should have brought him down significantly. He still managed to finish 2nd in MVP, though, because he batted .352 in September.
Lee is doing much of the same this year, only he started in August. Not that Halladay isn't getting the job done, but he isn't putting up crazy Cliff Lee numbers. I think if the voting occurred today, Lee's dominance will be fresh in peoples' minds, and he would take the award over Halladay (all of this assuming that Clayton Kershaw doesn't win). If you look at the middle two games of the series, though, they could go a long way in helping to figure out who the winner would be between the two of them. Whichever one throws a shutout in this series will find himself in the Cy Young driver's seat (because, let's face it, one of them will).
(I am really really short on time, so I am just going to give you a rundown of some stats for each starting pitcher rather than actually explaining anything. You'll probably enjoy that more anyway)
Game 1: Cole Hamels (13-7, 2.63 ERA) vs. Chris Narveson (10-6, 4.26 ERA)
Narveson is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 2 career starts against the Phillies. Pence is 3 for 8 with a double in his career, and Victorino is 3 for 6 with a home run.
Hamels is 4-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 8 career starts against the Brewers. Prince Fielder is 7 for 22 against him with 2 homers, but he has held Ryan Braun to a .235 batting average in his career against him.
Prediction: Phillies 4 Brewers 1
Keep an eye out for: Pence setting the tone against a former NL Central foe.
Game 2: Roy Halladay (16-5, 2.49 ERA) vs. Shaun Marcum (12-5, 3.11 ERA)
Marcum is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA against the Phillies in 4 career starts. Polanco is a career .556 hitter against him, and Utley is 3 for 7 with a home run.
Halladay is 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA in 3 career starts against Milwaukee. Prince Fielder is 6 for 10 with 3 extra base hits against him, and Yuniesky Betancourt is a .333 hitter against Roy.
Prediction: Phillies 3 Brewers 2
Keep an eye out for: former teammates Halladay and Marcum putting on a show as they each go 8 innings.
Game 3: Cliff Lee (16-7, 2.47 ERA) vs. Randy Wolf (12-9, 3.47 ERA)
Wolf is 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA against the Phillies in 6 career starts. Carlos Ruiz and Placido Polanco have had the most success against him, batting .556 and .417, respectively.
Lee is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 2 starts against the Brewers. Prince Fielder has also hit Lee around, going 5 for 6 with a double, a home run, and 6 RBI.
Prediction: Phillies 7 Brewers 0
Keep an eye out for: Lee staying hot with Cy Young scouts on hand (No. Those don't really exist)
Game 4: Vance Worley (11-1, 2.85 ERA) vs. Yovani Gallardo (15-10, 3.71 ERA)
In his only start against the Phillies, Gallardo got a win and compiled a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings.
Worley has never faced the Brewers, but, judging by our other pitchers, I have a feeling Prince Fielder has hit a home run off of him
Prediction: Brewers 5 Phillies 2
Keep an eye out for: Worley losing. Although we've only seen it once, it's bound to happen again, right? We have to lose at least one of these games, right? We're not good enough to sweep the Brewers, are we? ARE WE?! (No, probably not)
A few things worth pointing out about this series:
1) I'm still amazed at our starting rotation. Look at those numbers! All with ERA's under 3, 2 guys trying their hardest to get to 20 wins, and 1 battling for NL Rookie of the Year
2) I predicted back in April that this series would scare the crap out of me if it actually meant something. Luckily, it doesn't really.
If you haven't yet, take a second to respond to some of the questions from the previous post. Also, contact me with some questions in time for a playoff Male Bag. PhilsHighHopes@gmail.com, Twitter @PhilsHighHopes
In the upcoming Bizarro Male Bag (this weekend probably...great responses thus far), we'll see what you guys think about who is the Phillies phavorite to win the Cy Young - Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay. In this post, though, I'll really just give you my own opinion anyway (although it'll be short because I only have about 40 minutes until game time. Yikes).
Halladay has been a portrait of consistency this season. His ERA in each month has been no higher than 3.00 and no lower than 2.00. He has a winning record in each month and has been nothing but reliable. If we need a solid start, we know we'll get one from Roy.
Lee, on the other hand, has been a completely different pitcher depending on the month. In April, May, and July, Lee is 5-7 with a 4.22 ERA and a WHIP of 1.28. In June, August, and September, though, Lee is 11-0 with a 0.30 ERA and a WHIP of 0.72. The comparison is unbelievable, and you'd think that consistency over the season would show that a pitcher is actually better rather than the tale of two pitchers that Cliff has been this year.
The reality, though, is that these awards often come down to who is doing what at the right time. Look at the 2008 MVP race. Ryan Howard only batted .251 that season. His 48 homers and 146 RBI are great, but that average should have brought him down significantly. He still managed to finish 2nd in MVP, though, because he batted .352 in September.
Lee is doing much of the same this year, only he started in August. Not that Halladay isn't getting the job done, but he isn't putting up crazy Cliff Lee numbers. I think if the voting occurred today, Lee's dominance will be fresh in peoples' minds, and he would take the award over Halladay (all of this assuming that Clayton Kershaw doesn't win). If you look at the middle two games of the series, though, they could go a long way in helping to figure out who the winner would be between the two of them. Whichever one throws a shutout in this series will find himself in the Cy Young driver's seat (because, let's face it, one of them will).
(I am really really short on time, so I am just going to give you a rundown of some stats for each starting pitcher rather than actually explaining anything. You'll probably enjoy that more anyway)
Game 1: Cole Hamels (13-7, 2.63 ERA) vs. Chris Narveson (10-6, 4.26 ERA)
Narveson is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 2 career starts against the Phillies. Pence is 3 for 8 with a double in his career, and Victorino is 3 for 6 with a home run.
Hamels is 4-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 8 career starts against the Brewers. Prince Fielder is 7 for 22 against him with 2 homers, but he has held Ryan Braun to a .235 batting average in his career against him.
Prediction: Phillies 4 Brewers 1
Keep an eye out for: Pence setting the tone against a former NL Central foe.
Game 2: Roy Halladay (16-5, 2.49 ERA) vs. Shaun Marcum (12-5, 3.11 ERA)
Marcum is 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA against the Phillies in 4 career starts. Polanco is a career .556 hitter against him, and Utley is 3 for 7 with a home run.
Halladay is 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA in 3 career starts against Milwaukee. Prince Fielder is 6 for 10 with 3 extra base hits against him, and Yuniesky Betancourt is a .333 hitter against Roy.
Prediction: Phillies 3 Brewers 2
Keep an eye out for: former teammates Halladay and Marcum putting on a show as they each go 8 innings.
Game 3: Cliff Lee (16-7, 2.47 ERA) vs. Randy Wolf (12-9, 3.47 ERA)
Wolf is 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA against the Phillies in 6 career starts. Carlos Ruiz and Placido Polanco have had the most success against him, batting .556 and .417, respectively.
Lee is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 2 starts against the Brewers. Prince Fielder has also hit Lee around, going 5 for 6 with a double, a home run, and 6 RBI.
Prediction: Phillies 7 Brewers 0
Keep an eye out for: Lee staying hot with Cy Young scouts on hand (No. Those don't really exist)
Game 4: Vance Worley (11-1, 2.85 ERA) vs. Yovani Gallardo (15-10, 3.71 ERA)
In his only start against the Phillies, Gallardo got a win and compiled a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings.
Worley has never faced the Brewers, but, judging by our other pitchers, I have a feeling Prince Fielder has hit a home run off of him
Prediction: Brewers 5 Phillies 2
Keep an eye out for: Worley losing. Although we've only seen it once, it's bound to happen again, right? We have to lose at least one of these games, right? We're not good enough to sweep the Brewers, are we? ARE WE?! (No, probably not)
A few things worth pointing out about this series:
1) I'm still amazed at our starting rotation. Look at those numbers! All with ERA's under 3, 2 guys trying their hardest to get to 20 wins, and 1 battling for NL Rookie of the Year
2) I predicted back in April that this series would scare the crap out of me if it actually meant something. Luckily, it doesn't really.
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