JC Romero- flamboyant fist-pumping and chest-pounding is his signature move after big outs. Just imagine him doing so with some flames blazing up his forearms.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Romero Gets Tattooed
The people have spoken and JC Romero will fill the MLB quota for wrist tattoos on a team, which was left vacant on the Phillies since Brett Myers departure. He edged out Cole Hamels and Charlie Manuel, so prepare for the male version of a tramp stamp...
JC Romero- flamboyant fist-pumping and chest-pounding is his signature move after big outs. Just imagine him doing so with some flames blazing up his forearms.
JC Romero- flamboyant fist-pumping and chest-pounding is his signature move after big outs. Just imagine him doing so with some flames blazing up his forearms.
What's the #?
Figure out the following...
A. The # of games the Phillies finished back in the standings in 2005.
B. Times the amount of homeruns Jeff Stone hit as a Phillie.
C. Plus the career high in triples for Ryan Howard.
D. Minus career caught stealings for Shane Victorino.
E. Plus losses in 1999 for Chad Ogea.
F. Times Mariano Duncan's doubles as a Phillie.
G. Minus hits in the 90's by Dutch Daulton.
H. Divided by the MLB teams Jayson Werth has played for.
What's the #?
*Order of operation does not apply to this problem. Solve using steps A-H in order.
*A Phillies Season Preview I participated in for Red Pinstripes Are Cooler.
A. The # of games the Phillies finished back in the standings in 2005.
B. Times the amount of homeruns Jeff Stone hit as a Phillie.
C. Plus the career high in triples for Ryan Howard.
D. Minus career caught stealings for Shane Victorino.
E. Plus losses in 1999 for Chad Ogea.
F. Times Mariano Duncan's doubles as a Phillie.
G. Minus hits in the 90's by Dutch Daulton.
H. Divided by the MLB teams Jayson Werth has played for.
What's the #?
*Order of operation does not apply to this problem. Solve using steps A-H in order.
*A Phillies Season Preview I participated in for Red Pinstripes Are Cooler.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Predictions - Part 2
Most Likely To Hit 30 Homers… In Japan
John Mayberry – If John Mayberry’s agent is reading this blog, I have two words for him, “Max Dubois.” You all know Max “Hammer” Dubois from the greatest baseball movie ever Mr. Baseball. He flopped in the States, joined the Chunichi Dragons, played well for 5 seasons and eventually returned to the majors with the Dodgers. The 26 year old Mayberry hasn’t had a year in pro ball where he hit over .268. Defensively he isn’t great. But he does have some power (30 homers in 2007). He isn’t going to contribute much to the Phillies. He should look elsewhere and I think Japan is the place. If he would play a full season in Japan, I predict .285-35-100. And considering the Phils could use some left-handed bullpen help, I say the Phils send Mayberry to Chunichi for pitcher Masanori Kikuchi. That’s a win-win deal if I ever saw one.
Most Likely To Become A Cult Hero
Brian Schneider – I hate this guy. Every time he played the Phils he seemed to get a hit. The guy would come into the game in a huge slump or batting .200 and would get three knocks or the game-winning hit. He’s the hitting version of Tim F. Redding. In spite of his rep as a Philly-killer, he has one thing working in his favor – Phillies fans love backup catchers. Is there anything that better exemplifies Philadelphia than a back-up catcher? Good enough to be a pro, not good enough to start, but hard working at the least. His job is to get things thrown at him and he must catch it or dive in the dirt and let it hit him. One of the only requisites is that if someone is going to run you over you stand there and take it like a man . Something Rod Barajas wasn’t told, obviously. As for Schneider, he will spend the first two months hitting .185 but at some point he will get one big hit and take a big collision at home, likely with a Met, and hold onto the ball. He will then get his own shirt over at Fightins/Birdland.
Most Likely To Start A Bench Clearing Brawl
Shane Victorino – Guaranteed. First week of the season. Saturday, April 10th. Brett Myers will be throwing for the Astros, and being the total dickwad that he is, he’ll come up and in to the Flyin’ Hawaiian. Victorino will rip off his jersey revealing an Ed Hardy graphic t-shirt with some sort of skull or eagle, channel his inner MMA fighter and turn the round mound into his own personal octagon.
Most Likely To Spend The Year On The D.L.
Jamie Moyer –He’s coming off multiple offseason surgeries. He’s old. And old = DL. I’m merely playing the percentages here.
Runner-up: Jose Contreras – MLB.com lists his date of birth as December 6, 1971. He’s a Latino baseball player which means he probably lied when he defected from Cuba so I’m guessing his birth year was probably 1968. That would make him 41 years old for the upcoming season. That’s old. See above equation.
Most Likely To Play More Defense
Greg Dobbs – Dobbs logged more than 50 games at third base in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In 2009, only 16. Look for that to increase in 2010. At the end of last season, Chase Utley was worn out. He played in 156 games after playing 159 the year before. Charlie has to convince Chase to take a few more days off. And now with Polanco, Charlie can slide him over to second and insert Dobbs at third to give Chase a rest. And Dobbs can obviously spell Polanco at third. In addition, even with Dobbs at third, Ross Gload gives them a versatile left handed pinch hitter that can slide into the outfield for a few innings a little better than Matt Stairs did.
John Mayberry – If John Mayberry’s agent is reading this blog, I have two words for him, “Max Dubois.” You all know Max “Hammer” Dubois from the greatest baseball movie ever Mr. Baseball. He flopped in the States, joined the Chunichi Dragons, played well for 5 seasons and eventually returned to the majors with the Dodgers. The 26 year old Mayberry hasn’t had a year in pro ball where he hit over .268. Defensively he isn’t great. But he does have some power (30 homers in 2007). He isn’t going to contribute much to the Phillies. He should look elsewhere and I think Japan is the place. If he would play a full season in Japan, I predict .285-35-100. And considering the Phils could use some left-handed bullpen help, I say the Phils send Mayberry to Chunichi for pitcher Masanori Kikuchi. That’s a win-win deal if I ever saw one.
Most Likely To Become A Cult Hero
Brian Schneider – I hate this guy. Every time he played the Phils he seemed to get a hit. The guy would come into the game in a huge slump or batting .200 and would get three knocks or the game-winning hit. He’s the hitting version of Tim F. Redding. In spite of his rep as a Philly-killer, he has one thing working in his favor – Phillies fans love backup catchers. Is there anything that better exemplifies Philadelphia than a back-up catcher? Good enough to be a pro, not good enough to start, but hard working at the least. His job is to get things thrown at him and he must catch it or dive in the dirt and let it hit him. One of the only requisites is that if someone is going to run you over you stand there and take it like a man . Something Rod Barajas wasn’t told, obviously. As for Schneider, he will spend the first two months hitting .185 but at some point he will get one big hit and take a big collision at home, likely with a Met, and hold onto the ball. He will then get his own shirt over at Fightins/Birdland.
Most Likely To Start A Bench Clearing Brawl
Shane Victorino – Guaranteed. First week of the season. Saturday, April 10th. Brett Myers will be throwing for the Astros, and being the total dickwad that he is, he’ll come up and in to the Flyin’ Hawaiian. Victorino will rip off his jersey revealing an Ed Hardy graphic t-shirt with some sort of skull or eagle, channel his inner MMA fighter and turn the round mound into his own personal octagon.
Most Likely To Spend The Year On The D.L.
Jamie Moyer –He’s coming off multiple offseason surgeries. He’s old. And old = DL. I’m merely playing the percentages here.
Runner-up: Jose Contreras – MLB.com lists his date of birth as December 6, 1971. He’s a Latino baseball player which means he probably lied when he defected from Cuba so I’m guessing his birth year was probably 1968. That would make him 41 years old for the upcoming season. That’s old. See above equation.
Most Likely To Play More Defense
Greg Dobbs – Dobbs logged more than 50 games at third base in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In 2009, only 16. Look for that to increase in 2010. At the end of last season, Chase Utley was worn out. He played in 156 games after playing 159 the year before. Charlie has to convince Chase to take a few more days off. And now with Polanco, Charlie can slide him over to second and insert Dobbs at third to give Chase a rest. And Dobbs can obviously spell Polanco at third. In addition, even with Dobbs at third, Ross Gload gives them a versatile left handed pinch hitter that can slide into the outfield for a few innings a little better than Matt Stairs did.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Predictions - Part 1
Most Likely To Suffer Premature Death Due To A SlumpJayson Werth’s Beard – In mid-April, the Phils have back-to-back sets against the Braves and Marlins. Werth could potentially face Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens in consecutive games. He has a career average of .252 against righties and a career average of .254 in April against all pitching. That’s a setup for a week long slump and when it happens, the Beard will be gone in some sort of superstitious slumpbusting ceremony.
Most Likely To Disappoint (Batter)
Placido Polanco – He’s old. He hasn’t played third base in years. His average last season was his lowest since he was a part-time player with the Cardinals in 1999. Could we have a third baseman that hits .275 with single digit homers and questionable defense that is signed to a long-term deal? I think so. T-minus two months until the first David Bell comparison.
Runner-up: Raul Ibanez. It’s hard to ignore the post-all star injury and subsequent poor play, his age, and his horrendous spring. I’m the first to point out the meaninglessness of spring stats, but something tells me he could be in for a rough year.
Most Likely To Piss Me OffCole Hamels – Hamels is coming off of a bad year so you would think expectations would be tepid. Instead, all talk this spring is about how good Hamels is going to be. Buster Olney says you should draft him early in your fantasy league. But why? It seems that not a day goes by that someone isn’t writing an article about how he’s working on a new pitch (slider, cutter, gyroball…) or refining his curveball and that it’s going to make such a difference. If the article isn’t about his new pitching repertoire it’s about his off-season workout commitment. It seems that the stars are aligned and Cole Hamels is ready to breakout (again). And I hope he does. But part of me will be pissed off because WTF was he doing last offseason? Working on his curveball? No. Developing a cutter? No. Working out like a maniac preparing to defend the WFC? No. He was carrying dogs around in little backpacks, posing for magazine pictures and collecting children from Third World countries. So when October rolled around, he was a one-trick pony running on an empty tank getting rolled by Yankees. I hope he pitches great this year, but the first post-game interview he gives and credits his “offseason work/preparation/etc.” I’m going to be mad because it will reaffirm that last year’s struggles were primarily due to…immaturity? laziness? over-confidence?...at the least a lack of preparation. And that’s a tough pill to swallow as a fan.
Most Likely To Surprise
Danys Baez – I don’t know, call it hunch, but I’m getting a Chris Matthew- like leg tingle when I think of Danys Baez. Sure, he hasn’t had an ERA under 4 since 2005 and he missed the entire 2008 season but he’s now almost two years removed from elbow surgery and his peripheral numbers were pretty good last year: .222 average against and 1.13 WHIP. If Lidge becomes a reliable closer again Baez could be a key piece of the bullpen puzzle.
Most Likely To Be Signed by Ed WadeJuan Castro – He’s going to suck. It’s almost like the Phillies need a guy like this on the team. Abe Nunez goes and they bring in Eric Bruntlett. Bruntlett goes and in comes Castro. But this year they will wise up and ship Castro out mid-season. He will immediately be signed by Houston.
Most Likely Not To Repeat 2009
Jimmy Rollins – Jimmy played great defense and had some decent stat categories (31 steals, 100 runs, etc.) but that .250 average and .296 OBP were brutal to watch. But there also was some hope in last season’s stat line – an across the board increase in almost every stat after the All-Star break. +.043 AVG. +.019 OBP. +.159 OPS. This points towards “half season slump” and not “radically declining skill set.” Expect a line similar to five years before 2009 - .275-15-75…and a less-than-ideal OBP.
Runner-up: JA Happ – 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA. You think Happ is going to win 17 games and keep his ERA under 3? Not likely. I don’t think he’s going to go “Adam Eaton” or anything but I don’t expect Halladay numbers, either.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Back Again: The Story of the 2009 Phillies
Wanna relive all the best moments of last season? Well, if you do I've got just the book for you. Rich Westcott's Back Again- The Story Of The 2009 Phillies. Foreward by Phils broadcaster Tom McCarthy.Coming off their 2008 World Series Championship, The 2009 Phillies were one of the most popular groups in Phillies history, as evidenced by their 73 sellouts and the 3 million six hundred thousand fans that poured into Citizens Bank Park during the season.
Prior to 2008-09, the Phillies had never made two trips in a row to the World Series. Nor had they ever had six straight years when they finished either first or second in the division. The Phils had also set a club record through 2009 with seven straight seasons in which they won 85 or more games.
No National League team had taken home two consecutive titles since the Reds did it in the 1970's. The 2009 team, featuring Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins was the most popular group in team history and were just 2 wins way from making history. THIS BOOK looks into the background of the most popular team in Phillies history.
My only complaint- Miguel Cairo is on the cover.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Phillies Ink
Brett Myers is gone and he took the MLB quota for dugout personnel on a team with a wrist tattoo with him (which happens to thankfully only be 1). That means one of the current Phillies needs to be needled with some ink around his carpus. Who will it be? Well, the Phillies were generous enough to allow WSBGMs readers to decide. Here's the ballot... Cole Hamels- it would make him seem less girly and more badass. Nobody can call you a vagina if you're rocking a tribal band. Douche, yes. Vagina, no.
Juan Castro- nobody knows who he is and nobody gives a shit. The distinction of having the lone wrist tat would give him clout and marketability.
JC Romero- flamboyant fist-pumping and chest-pounding is his signature move after big outs. Just imagine him doing so with some flames blazing up his forearms.
Jamie Moyer- 47 years old and tattooed...enough said.
Charlie Manuel- Fuqua digging in his pants would become an even bigger show with some inkage.
Friday, March 26, 2010
5th Starter, Ailing Ex-Phils & Werth's Woman
Have it be known that 1/2 of WSBGMs endorses Kyle Kendrick for the 5th spot in the Phillies rotation this season. I'm not sure exactly when I started liking KK and turning my back on Grand Pappy Moyer, but it happened and there's no turning back now. Kendrick has done everything right this spring: 19.2 ip, 12 h, 4 bb, 7 k, 1.37 ERA. Meanwhile Moyer has pitched decently himself racking up a 3.86 ERA in 4 spring games. For many reasons I think the Phils go with Moyer in the rotation with Kendrick going to relief, but I don't have to agree with it. Don't get me wrong, I'll root for Moyer, the dude is a day older than dirt after all, but I just don't have confidence in him anymore. __________________________________________________
In Need of a Rubdown:The obnoxious Brett Myers faced the Phils yesterday, but had his afternoon come to a quick halt as he was covering 1st base and hurt himself. He was removed from the game, but says that "It wasn't painful enough to where I was like `Oh, this could be something serious.' I knew it was kind of minor, and I didn't want to risk it because we're so close to the season. It could be a week, but I don't know. We'll see how it feels tomorrow."
Elsewhere Cliff Lee is hurting. Not only has Lee been suspended 5 games to start the season, but he's also ailing from an abdominal strain. A DL stint to start the season seems likely.
__________________________________________________
Keeping Up with the Kardashians?Matthew Berry of ESPN.com made some bold preseason MLB predictions and he believes Jayson Werth and his bodacious beard are going to hook up with one of those thick-assed Kardashians.
Kourtney Kardashian starts dating a baseball player. His team wins the World Series. Just for fun, I'll say it's Jayson Werth.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tales from a Live Draft
Last night marked the 4th WSBGMs Phantasy Baseball draft, and yours truly got the 1st overall pick. Which quickly lead to accusations of tampering, but I assure all was legit. Here's a brief rundown of the events:
*Roughly 15 minutes prior to the 7 o'clock live draft start time, Corey's Internet goes haywire and we think we're F'd in the A. Luckily I put Hanley Ramirez in my que, and Internet connection was restored seconds before Corey's draft slot. All is well.
*1st Round Results- 1. Hanley Ramirez, 2. Albert Pujols, 3. Chase Utley, 4. Joe Mauer, 5. Alex Rodriguez, 6. Ryan Howard, 7. Ryan Braun, 8. Mark Teixeira, 9. Matt Kemp, 10. Evan Longoria, 11. Prince Fielder, 12. Troy Tulowitzski, 13. Miguel Cabrera, 14. David Wright, 15. Tim Lincecum, 16. Roy Halladay
*Corey takes Josh Hamilton in the 7th round after I talked him out of taking him in the 5th and 6th rounds (he got Andre Either and Tommy Hanson there instead). A bet is made on the over/under for 110 games for Hamilton. Wager- 6 pack of microbrew beer, I took the under.
*It is determined the Peter Gammons slob-knobs Dustin Pedroia with one hand and Eddie Vedder in the other.
*Team Werth's Beard appropriately drafts Jayson Werth.
*Fellow drafters start hating on my team (Lidge Ledge Leapers) once they realize I have Billy "the Rat" Wagner, Scott "Bawl-Baby-Pissy-Pants" Rolen, and Larry "Chipper" Jones on my squad. Hate all you want bitches!!!
*A rash of "That's what she said" and "Your mom" jokes breaks out after a closer run.
*Corey and I are both wondering who the hell Craig Allen/Allen Craig (does it matter) and Cole Gillespie are and why they're ranked so high by Yahoo.
*Corey (Harry Kalas Cialis) takes Gaby Sanchez in the 25th round because he thinks girls names on boys are sexy.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
2010 Phillies Predictions
Offense:
1B/Ryan Howard- .273, 105 r, 46 hr, 139 rbi, 197 k, 4 Howards.
2B/Chase Utley- .295, 107 r, 30 hr, 105 rbi, 16 sb, finally wins a GG.
SS/Jimmy Rollins- .272, 128 r, 15 hr, 79 rbi, 42 sb, defends GG.
3B/Placido Polanco- .304, 96 r, 12 hr, 70 rbi.
LF/Raul Ibanez- .268, 72 r, 18 hr, 81 rbi.
CF/Shane Victorino- .290, 88 r, 15 hr, 79 rbi, 22 sb, defends GG.
RF/Jayson Werth- .275, 103 r, 31 hr, 101 rbi, 16 sb.
C/Carlos Ruiz- .267, 50 r, 10 hr, 52 rbi.
*I expect Ben Francisco to see regular time, with at least 1 start a week in place of Ibanez and giving Vic and Werth a breather sometimes too.
Pitching:
(ERA/WHIP)
1. Roy Halladay- 22 w, 2.63/1.07, Cy Young
2. Cole Hamels- 17 w, 3.13/1.11
3. Joe Blanton- 13 w, 4.12/1.31
4. JA Happ- 14 w, 3.96/1.29
5. Jamie Moyer- 6 w, 5.33/1.48 (out of the rotation by some point in June, bullpen remainder of the season).
6. Kyle Kendrick- 7 w, 4.59/1.40 (takes Moyer's spot in rotation sometime in June).
Closer/Brad Lidge- 32 sv, 5 blown saves, 4.37/1.35
Setup/Ryan Madson- 9 sv, 2.98/1.22
Record: 98-64, 3-peat for National League pennant.
1B/Ryan Howard- .273, 105 r, 46 hr, 139 rbi, 197 k, 4 Howards.
2B/Chase Utley- .295, 107 r, 30 hr, 105 rbi, 16 sb, finally wins a GG.
SS/Jimmy Rollins- .272, 128 r, 15 hr, 79 rbi, 42 sb, defends GG.
3B/Placido Polanco- .304, 96 r, 12 hr, 70 rbi.
LF/Raul Ibanez- .268, 72 r, 18 hr, 81 rbi.
CF/Shane Victorino- .290, 88 r, 15 hr, 79 rbi, 22 sb, defends GG.
RF/Jayson Werth- .275, 103 r, 31 hr, 101 rbi, 16 sb.
C/Carlos Ruiz- .267, 50 r, 10 hr, 52 rbi.
*I expect Ben Francisco to see regular time, with at least 1 start a week in place of Ibanez and giving Vic and Werth a breather sometimes too.
Pitching:
(ERA/WHIP)
1. Roy Halladay- 22 w, 2.63/1.07, Cy Young
2. Cole Hamels- 17 w, 3.13/1.11
3. Joe Blanton- 13 w, 4.12/1.31
4. JA Happ- 14 w, 3.96/1.29
5. Jamie Moyer- 6 w, 5.33/1.48 (out of the rotation by some point in June, bullpen remainder of the season).
6. Kyle Kendrick- 7 w, 4.59/1.40 (takes Moyer's spot in rotation sometime in June).
Closer/Brad Lidge- 32 sv, 5 blown saves, 4.37/1.35
Setup/Ryan Madson- 9 sv, 2.98/1.22
Record: 98-64, 3-peat for National League pennant.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
2010 Promotions
Last week the Phillies announced a few more promotional giveaways, including a Charlie Manuel autographed bat and a Sarge inspired hat. Well, WSBGMs is pleased to be the first to announce a few more promotional days...
Ruben Amaro Trade Day –Like the Phillies fans, Ruben Amaro is not satisfied. One World Series is not enough. He wants to bring in top talent like Roy Halladay and if he has to trade away half the farm system, he’ll do it. Is he being greedy? Yes. But greed is good. So, during each inning of the game, a member of the Phillies organization will be traded in a bold attempt to improve the organization from top to bottom. Players, coaches, groundskeepers, secretaries…everybody is fair game. One early rumor – Scott Palmer to the White House for Robert Gibbs in a straight up swap of promotional spin masters. This could be a big coup for Washington and a major blow to the Phillies and all fans of WB Mason truck theatre.
Brad Lidge Band-Aids – You want to stop the bleeding? Well, these Brad Lidge Band-Aids may not be what you’re looking for. The gauze on these bandages have been infused with salt and alcohol, so placement on a wound will result in pain and increased bleeding.
Polanco Bobble Head – With most bobble heads, the doll has a head out of proportion to the body. With Polanco’s doll, the head will actually be done to scale. As such, the bobbling Polanco will be first such doll to come equipped with steel chain tie-downs. The doll’s head will not bobble, but it’s the only way to keep the head attached to the shoulders.
The Ryan Howard “Get me to the…” Plate – Ever want to be reminded of Ryan Howard’s “Get me to the plate, boys” clutch NLDS double every time you eat dinner. Well the Phillies think you might and they’ll help you do it by giving away collectible Ryan Howard “Get Me To The” Plates.
Yohan Flan-Day – All fans without egg allergies will receive a cup of flan with Yohan Flande’s picture on top. Fans with egg allergies get the flan and an Epi-Pen.
Uncle Cholly's "Speedy" Weight Loss Pill Giveaway - A lot of people in Philadelphia are fat just like Uncle Charlie used to be. But like Charlie, the city is improving. Men's Fitness listed Philly as the fattest city in America back in 1999. Last year, 20th. Huge improvement but the work isn't done. Philly needs to lose more weight and the Phillies are willing to help by passing out weight loss pills. The exact game these pills will be passed out is not being released due to possible interference by the DEA.
Ruben Amaro Trade Day –Like the Phillies fans, Ruben Amaro is not satisfied. One World Series is not enough. He wants to bring in top talent like Roy Halladay and if he has to trade away half the farm system, he’ll do it. Is he being greedy? Yes. But greed is good. So, during each inning of the game, a member of the Phillies organization will be traded in a bold attempt to improve the organization from top to bottom. Players, coaches, groundskeepers, secretaries…everybody is fair game. One early rumor – Scott Palmer to the White House for Robert Gibbs in a straight up swap of promotional spin masters. This could be a big coup for Washington and a major blow to the Phillies and all fans of WB Mason truck theatre.
Brad Lidge Band-Aids – You want to stop the bleeding? Well, these Brad Lidge Band-Aids may not be what you’re looking for. The gauze on these bandages have been infused with salt and alcohol, so placement on a wound will result in pain and increased bleeding.
Polanco Bobble Head – With most bobble heads, the doll has a head out of proportion to the body. With Polanco’s doll, the head will actually be done to scale. As such, the bobbling Polanco will be first such doll to come equipped with steel chain tie-downs. The doll’s head will not bobble, but it’s the only way to keep the head attached to the shoulders.
The Ryan Howard “Get me to the…” Plate – Ever want to be reminded of Ryan Howard’s “Get me to the plate, boys” clutch NLDS double every time you eat dinner. Well the Phillies think you might and they’ll help you do it by giving away collectible Ryan Howard “Get Me To The” Plates.
Yohan Flan-Day – All fans without egg allergies will receive a cup of flan with Yohan Flande’s picture on top. Fans with egg allergies get the flan and an Epi-Pen.
Uncle Cholly's "Speedy" Weight Loss Pill Giveaway - A lot of people in Philadelphia are fat just like Uncle Charlie used to be. But like Charlie, the city is improving. Men's Fitness listed Philly as the fattest city in America back in 1999. Last year, 20th. Huge improvement but the work isn't done. Philly needs to lose more weight and the Phillies are willing to help by passing out weight loss pills. The exact game these pills will be passed out is not being released due to possible interference by the DEA.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Hamels Rocked
Cole Hamels is supposed to be the impeccable #2 behind Doc Halladay. After his top-notch 2008 campaign and dominating playoff performance, Cole was poised to step into the "ace" role in the elite of the National League. However, poor offseason conditioning lead to a stinker (a real smelly one, like you blame on the dog) of a season. The season was followed by playoffs to forget, as he basically asked to not be given the ball. And people wonder why he's called names that rhyme with Carolina. Anyway, he's primed for a bounce-back year, and was rolling along according to plan, until he ran into the Yankees today. 4 innings, 9 hits, and 7 runs (6 earned) later we're left to wonder. Don't worry though, because Coles not."I was a lot happier because I felt like I had more energy going into the fourth inning. Just every inning in general. I felt like I had a good rhythm. I felt comfortable from the stretch and the wind up, so that's definitely coming. Now is the time I really want to get the fastball going, try to hit my spots. I feel like I was doing a pretty good job up until the fourth inning when I was cutting it off unintentionally and I wasn't releasing the ball where I wanted to."
Honestly, it's spring, so I'm chill. He's working out the kinks so he gets some slack. However, too many outings like this come regular season could lead to a cascade of boos.
Name That Player #30
Standings:
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon – 3
8008 WFC's - 3
Joseph - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 – 1
greg – 1
Mike D. - 1
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon – 3
8008 WFC's - 3
Joseph - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 – 1
greg – 1
Mike D. - 1
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The March Madness of Phillies Blogs
The Phield is holding a March Madness tournament to decide the top Phillies blog. We Should Be GMs received a 5 seed and is pitted against I Want To Go To The Zoo With Roy Halladay in the Salisbury region. Voting will be held today from 8 AM to 8 PM, with results announced at 10 PM tonight. Click link here to vote, we appreciate your support.
From the Phield:
Authors: GM-Carson & Corey
Profession: Avid Phillies Bloggers & Wannabe GMs
Experience: About to turn 4 years old and enter 5th season
Accomplishments:
1. Phillies Phlashback Phridays (Ex- Ricky Williams)
2. Campaign Cheer
3. Nicknames: No-Hit Nunez, Gas Can Geary, Grand Pappy Moyer, Donut Eater Lieber, Fence Face Rowand, and you can't forget No Talent Ass Clown aka Danny Sandoval.
4. The Howard
5. Tale of the Tape Series (Ex- St. Louis)
6. Star Wars Parody (Ex- Phillies Wars Episode I)
7. Jib-Jab Videos (Ex- Snowball Phight)
8. Song Parodies (Ex- Bohemian Manuel)
9. Spearheaded banishment of Eaton, Nunez, Bell, Bruntlett, and Barajas (Ex- Angry Blogger Arrested)
10. Creation of the Phucco (Phillie + Bucco)
We're the original funny men of the Phlogsphere. However, them crazy sons a bitches over at The Fightins have kinda stolen some our laugh track thunder (they're our homies, it's cool if we call their moms names), but we remain original and true to form. What is our form- satire, sarcasm, and rants mixed with extreme bouts of joy. So go vote for us or we'll photoshop a picture of you doing questionable things with a donkey.
From the Phield:
There’s something to be said for longevity. We Should Be GMs began years ago as a joint venture for Phillies and Pirates fans, hoping to unearth all the funny out of both teams in Pennsylvania. Soon they realized the Pirates weren’t actually a team, so the focus became all Phillies, a smart move. WSBGMs keeps hilarious regularly with frequent posts, off-centered features like “Name That Phillie” and “Phlashback Phridays” and pretty awesome photos. Their Hall of Fame includes Pat Burrell and Eric Bruntlett; they even coined a statistic: The Howard (a home run, strikeout and error in the same game). Crude and revolutionary, We Should Be GMs still has it.
Authors: GM-Carson & Corey
Profession: Avid Phillies Bloggers & Wannabe GMs
Experience: About to turn 4 years old and enter 5th season
Accomplishments:
1. Phillies Phlashback Phridays (Ex- Ricky Williams)
2. Campaign Cheer
3. Nicknames: No-Hit Nunez, Gas Can Geary, Grand Pappy Moyer, Donut Eater Lieber, Fence Face Rowand, and you can't forget No Talent Ass Clown aka Danny Sandoval.
4. The Howard
5. Tale of the Tape Series (Ex- St. Louis)
6. Star Wars Parody (Ex- Phillies Wars Episode I)
7. Jib-Jab Videos (Ex- Snowball Phight)
8. Song Parodies (Ex- Bohemian Manuel)
9. Spearheaded banishment of Eaton, Nunez, Bell, Bruntlett, and Barajas (Ex- Angry Blogger Arrested)
10. Creation of the Phucco (Phillie + Bucco)
We're the original funny men of the Phlogsphere. However, them crazy sons a bitches over at The Fightins have kinda stolen some our laugh track thunder (they're our homies, it's cool if we call their moms names), but we remain original and true to form. What is our form- satire, sarcasm, and rants mixed with extreme bouts of joy. So go vote for us or we'll photoshop a picture of you doing questionable things with a donkey.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The Phield & Bullpen
The Phield:March Madness sweeps the nation every time this year, and in the Phillies blogsphere it's no different. Some guys with too much time on their hands (pot calling the kettle black) have created a 64 team bracket of Phillies blogs to determine the best of the best (aptly called The Phield). WSBGMs drew a 5 seed, and voting for our region takes place tomorrow from 8-8. Check back here tomorrow for a resume of WSBGMs and a link to vote.
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Bullpen:When David Herndon was selected from the Los Angeles Angels in the Rule 5 draft I did not anticipate him having a young boys chance on the Neverland Ranch, but it appears he may be making the Opening Day squad due to performance and necessity. Just yesterday, lefty Sergio Escalona was optioned to the minors, leaving bullpen sure shots Ryan Madson, Jose Contreras, Chad Durbin, and Danys Baez to 4 of the 7 spots. JC Romero and Brad Lidge seem DL bound, so that leaves Herndon, Antonio Bastardo, and the "loser" of the 5th spot in the rotation battle (Moyer/Kendrick) to fill the remaining 3.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Name That Player #29
Standings:
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon – 3
8008 WFC's - 3
Joseph - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 – 1
greg - 1
Update: This is Kiko Garcia. He played three seasons with the Phils (’83-’85) and seven other seasons split between Houston and Baltimore. In 1979, Garcia was the starting shortstop for Baltimore when they lost the World Series to the “We Are Family” Pirates. He did his part in the Series, going 8 for 20 with 6 RBIs. A career .239 hitter, Garcia hit .265 with the Phillies, buoyed primarly by a .288 mark in 1983, his highest in any season.
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon – 3
8008 WFC's - 3
Joseph - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 – 1
greg - 1
Update: This is Kiko Garcia. He played three seasons with the Phils (’83-’85) and seven other seasons split between Houston and Baltimore. In 1979, Garcia was the starting shortstop for Baltimore when they lost the World Series to the “We Are Family” Pirates. He did his part in the Series, going 8 for 20 with 6 RBIs. A career .239 hitter, Garcia hit .265 with the Phillies, buoyed primarly by a .288 mark in 1983, his highest in any season.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Prepare for a Beatdown
A 30 inch Louisville Slugger with Phillies logo and Charlie Manuel's signature will be a giveaway on July 6th at the Brick Cit House this season. Smartly, the bat is being handed out to children 14 and younger, so we don't really have to worry about a drunken massacre of poor tomahawk chopping Braves fans in attendance. Luckily for me my kids are 2 and under and won't fully understand when Daddy steals it from their precious little hands.
"I can write better now, can't I? This just goes to show you that when I first came out of high school, I couldn't write. I can write better now."
~Charlie Manuel
Pitching In:The entire Phillies pitching staff has a 3.26 ERA this spring. More importantly the starting staff has been dominate: (ERA/IP) Halladay 0.90/10, Hamels 1.69/10.2, Blanton 4.09/11, Happ 0.00/6.2, and 5th spot hopeful Kendrick 0.00/9.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Howard Commits a Howard
Ryan Howard did it ladies and gentlemen, he committed The Howard. Yesterday in Clearwater against the Tigers Howard went deep, k'd, and botched a play in the field.
For those of you that need a refresher...
The Howard by definition- any time a player commits an error, strikes out, and hits a homerun within the same game.
Last season we tracked The Howard for all of Major League Baseball and it turned out that Sam Perlozzo's hard work with Howard's fielding paid off and the big bopper never committed a Howard during the season. However, if yesterday's game is any indication of the upcoming season we may be in store for a run at the top spot of the standings. Congrats Ryan, and watch out Mark Reynolds and Adam Dunn!
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Happy St. Patty's Day!
*Don't miss out on a golden opportunity to beat your favorite bloggers in a March Madness bracket. Pick 'Em league is through Yahoo.
Group ID# - 146034
Password - phillies
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Spring Tidbits
Polanco Injured
The injury doesn't seem too serious and that is good because the Phillies don't really have a good backup for Polanco now that Bruntlett is gone. I mean, Cody Ransom and his lifetime .230 average and Juan Castro and his stellar hitting record are good options, but they aren't Eric Bruntlett, are they?
Moyer Shelled
Jamie Moyer, pitching against regular major league players for the first time this spring, got rocked for 4 runs on 8 hits. While Kyle Kendrick continues to pitch well, it is only Spring Training and this was only one game, so we'll see how this pans out over the next two weeks.
Howard-Pujols Trade Rumor
C'mon. Get real. Not unless Cam Bonifay becomes St. Louis general manager. And he's drunk.
WSBGMs Bracket Buster
Come join our Yahoo! Pick 'Em group and embarrass Carson and I and our stupid picks. Winner gets nothing. Loser loses nothing.
Group ID# - 146034
Password - phillies
The injury doesn't seem too serious and that is good because the Phillies don't really have a good backup for Polanco now that Bruntlett is gone. I mean, Cody Ransom and his lifetime .230 average and Juan Castro and his stellar hitting record are good options, but they aren't Eric Bruntlett, are they?
Moyer Shelled
Jamie Moyer, pitching against regular major league players for the first time this spring, got rocked for 4 runs on 8 hits. While Kyle Kendrick continues to pitch well, it is only Spring Training and this was only one game, so we'll see how this pans out over the next two weeks.
Howard-Pujols Trade Rumor
C'mon. Get real. Not unless Cam Bonifay becomes St. Louis general manager. And he's drunk.
WSBGMs Bracket Buster
Come join our Yahoo! Pick 'Em group and embarrass Carson and I and our stupid picks. Winner gets nothing. Loser loses nothing.
Group ID# - 146034
Password - phillies
Monday, March 15, 2010
Name That Player #28
Standings:
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon - 3
Joseph - 2
8008 WFC's - 3
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 - 1
Update: This is Mark Ryal. He played with the Phillies in 1989 and the Pirates in 1990. The Oklahoma native is now the hitting coach for the Auburn University softball team. His son, Rusty, made his MLB debut last season with Arizona.
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon - 3
Joseph - 2
8008 WFC's - 3
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 - 1
Update: This is Mark Ryal. He played with the Phillies in 1989 and the Pirates in 1990. The Oklahoma native is now the hitting coach for the Auburn University softball team. His son, Rusty, made his MLB debut last season with Arizona.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Name That Player #27
Standings:
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon - 3
Joseph - 2
8008 WFC's - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 - 1
Must name both to collect a one-up in the standings.
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Spring Action:
JA Happ pitched 4 scoreless innings yesterday in the Phillies win over the Twins. As mentioned on Friday, the Phillies starters have been lights-out in the early going. Spring training stats don't mean a damn thing, but it's still encouraging to see these guys dominating.
Andrew - 8
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon - 3
Joseph - 2
8008 WFC's - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 - 1
Must name both to collect a one-up in the standings.
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Spring Action:
JA Happ pitched 4 scoreless innings yesterday in the Phillies win over the Twins. As mentioned on Friday, the Phillies starters have been lights-out in the early going. Spring training stats don't mean a damn thing, but it's still encouraging to see these guys dominating.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Unhealthy Mets
With about 3 weeks to go before Opening Day the Mets are already seeing their injured list mount. Going into spring training they knew the hobbled Carlos Beltran would likely miss the first month of the season. But then a few days into camp they realize newly signed set-up man Kelvim Escobar is still experiencing pain in his pitching arm. Then just last week it was revealed that Mr. Sportsmanship himself Jose Reyes has a thyroid problem and now doctors are recommending he rest for 2-8 weeks, which means DL time to begin the 2010 campaign of losing for the Mets. What's the saying- Kick 'em when they're down!_____________________________________________
Life's a Pitch:Roy Halladay, JA Happ, Jamie Moyer (B games only), and Kyle Kendrick- spotless. Cole Hamels- barely scathed. Joe Blanton- bad first outing, 4 shutout innings yesterday. That's the rotation right there, and so far so good. Now, just gotta get those bullpen arms in line.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Name That Player #26
Standings:
Andrew - 7
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon - 3
Joseph - 2
8008 WFC's - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 - 1
Andrew - 7
Caleb - 5
Preserve Jon - 3
Joseph - 2
8008 WFC's - 2
Utility Derek - 2
Mike The Mac Guy - 1
Jstocksazag12 - 1
Roy - 1
cnovick21 - 1
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Money Talks
Jamie Moyer versus Kyle Kendrick. Old goat versus young buck. Withering veteran versus percolating youngster. This is the battle for the Philadelphia Phillies coveted 5th spot in the 2010 rotation. Just last season Grand Pappy Moyer was booted from the rotation due to a horrendous ERA and maddening inconsistency. That was then followed up with 3 offseason surgeries. KK spent most of last season toiling in Triple A attempting to develop his secondary pitches. Now it's spring training and Kendrick has sparkled through 2 Grapefruit League outings (5 innings, no runs) and Moyer has yet to see official box score action (only appeared in B games). However, the elder statesmen of Major League Baseball at 47 years old is set to make $8 million this season and that speaks volumes.
"I'd like to see Kyle in the regular games because he's the guy that's got to win the job. Really, in my mind he's got to win the job. And second of all, Jamie is coming off (three) surgeries, so I'd rather put him in a less intense environment and let him get his feet on the ground. He'll be back in a regular game soon. I think for me, Jamie comes in with a big track record. You can't just go away from that. What did he win last year? Twelve? He won 16 the year before. He's got a tremendously long track record of being a winning pitcher. Even when he turned 40." ~Phillies Pitching Coach Rich Dubee
My translation- Kyle will only be the 5th starter is Jamie breaks. He's the "proven" commodity and therefore gets the upperhand no matter how poorly he pitches in spring.
Poor Kendrick, just when he found confidence in himself, finds himself in a no-win situation. Moyer is a cult figure in baseball today because of his age, but Amaro's decision to sign him to a 2-year deal has handcuffed the team. In pro sports money talks, and $8M is alotta of talking. Kendrick has minor league options left and that's his likely destination unless he earns a bullpen slot.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Random Phan Pics, Perfect KK & Wang Long Toss
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Perfect KK:Vying for the 5th spot in the rotation this spring is Kyle Kendrick. His main competition comes from grizzled old vet Grand Pappy Moyer. Kendrick has not allowed a run through 5 innings so far in Florida. Plus, it should be noted that he's developed his secondary pitches (change-up and cutter) and is throwing with confidence. I'm rooting for KK to win the job, because he's younger, cheaper, and has more upside, but whether or not that really comes into play will be determined in a few weeks.
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"WANG RETURNS TO NATS, STARTS IN WITH LONG TOSS"Chien-Ming Wang is coming off of injury/surgery, but hopes to build up arm strength in a hurry to help Washington climb out of the NL East basement this season. Do I really care about the Nationals? No, I just find if funny that the word "wang" is used in a headline and that the "wang" is doing "long toss". What can I say, sophomoric humor still amuses me. *Hat tip to ESPN.com's Spring Blog for the funny headline and to More Hardball for the commentary.
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