Time To Get Real

The Offense:
The Phillies are an old team. Everyone in the lineup will be 30 or older, save Ben Francisco who is a ripe 29. What does that mean? Increased chance of injury, more rest needed, prime years faded. Two major cogs are missing in the form of Chase Utley (out until the All-Star break, possibly longer) and Jayson Werth (struck it rich in DC). Francisco will not make up for the loss of Werth, and any combination of Wilson Valdez and Player X won't even scratch the surface of what Utley brings to the field. In other words, they're screwed. Carlos Ruiz had a career year with the bat in 2010, don't look for him to come close to that this year. Shane Victorino might bounce back with the stick, but other than that this lineup is stagnant. Ryan Howard will likely produce about the same. Placido Polanco will be lucky to avoid the DL and not clock in with a sub .700 OPS. Raul Ibanez might bat .250ish this year. I just don't see where the runs are going to come from. Honestly, this offense might end up in the bottom third in the NL in 2011.

The Bench:
Brian Schneider is a capable backup catcher, no complaints there. Ross Gload is a good pinch hitter. John Mayberry, if used properly (ie- against lefties), should be a valuable asset off the bench. Wilson Valdez is going to be leaned on far too much again this year because of the brittle bones of the starting infield. Not sure which of Pete Orr, Delwyn Young, or Michael Martinez makes the club, but none of them are worth much. Young is a decent pinch hitter, but isn't as versatile as Boat Orr of Mini-Mart.

The Rotation:
Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton should be great. They might end up being great like Felix Hernandez though, whereas they have great ERA/WHIP, but the won/loss record is shit due to lack of run support. Phillies fans want to be cocky now with this false bravado like the team is untouchable because of the 4 aces. Guess again, and reevaluate that. Fans keep saying all the offense needs to do is score 2 or 3 runs a night and the Phils win. Bullshit. Ask Hamels if that gets the job done. He won 12, loss 11 last year with a itty-bitty 3.06 ERA. You need run support!

The Bullpen:
With the loss of Brad Lidge (3 weeks or more, likely until All-Star break) the bullpen is stretched thin with Jose Contreras bumped to closer and Ryan Madson remaining in the 8th inning setup role. Who pitches the 7th? Oh, that's right we're pompous Phillies fans and the 7th inning belongs to the starting pitcher, unless it's Blanton's turn. C'mon, get real! Average innings per start: Halladay- 7.2, Lee- 7.2, Oswalt- 6.2, Hamels- 6.1, Blanton- 6.1. Doc and Cliff are straight up beasts, but even as good as the rest are the 7th inning remains a crucial swing inning for relief. Is the answer the erratic JC Romero, the catastrophic Cuban Baez Sucks, the unproven Antonio Bastardo? Yeah, not so arrogant now are we? Wait, there's Kyle Kendrick. Sorry, had to throw a funny in there for some levity.

The Manager:
Philadelphia loves Charlie and Charlie loves Philadelphia. He's grown on us. Hell, he's grown on me. His once nail-to-the-chalkboard hickish delivery has turned into one of his endearing traits. He knows how to handle the men that are the players. Lets not be foolish and anoint this man a super strategist though. His in-game management will really be tested this year, as he'll have to mix-and-match with both the lineup and the bullpen. He does have the comfort of an excellent rotation, but as discussed above, that alone is not enough.

Prognosis- true to form I once again play the role of Debbie Downer and highlight the flaws rather than focus on the positives. I call it realistic, others call it masochistic. Whatever. I think this team is good, playoff worthy. However, I went from expectations of a 100+ win season to a high 80's/low 90's campaign with the injury report. I'm saying 91 wins and the NL Wild Card. The Braves are the better team in all aspects aside from starting rotation, and theirs ain't too shabby either.

Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Madson Remix

Boras told me long ago, you could save a game like Mo.
I know, you’ve been waiting for some time.
In the Ninth, so they say, you will save the game today.
I know, but I don’t see it happening.

I want to know, have you ever saved a game?
I want to know, have you ever saved a game
comin' in with a one run lead?

Yesterday, and days before, blew that save and many more
I know, been that way for all your time.
'Til forever on it goes, how many saves will you blow?
I know, and I can't stop complaining.
I want to know, have you ever saved a game?
I want to know, have you ever saved a game
comin' in with a one run lead?

------------------------------------

Alright, so after it was announced yesterday that Lidge will miss about 3-6 weeks to half the season due to a rotator cuff injury, Charlie said that Jose Contreras will be the first choice closer and Madson will continue to lock down the 8th inning. That is bullshit! I already had the song parody written and nothing f#%$ing rhymes with Contreras.

Of course, Charlie did hedge his bets on who would close: “Right now, with the way it looks, here lately we’ve been using Contreras. Of course, Madson is still there. At the same time, to start the season, it looks like it might be Contreras. I don’t know yet." Nice. With that sort of hesitancy, he sounds like he's waging war with Libya and not choosing a closer.

I'm surprised Madson isn't going to be closing the games. With Lidge likely exiting after this season, it would only seem natural to groom MadDog for the role. Unless, they don't think he can do, like Rich Dubee seems to think.

“The game speeds up on him sometimes. He doesn’t know, doesn’t get to the same comfort level. There’s a little anxiety in there," Dubee told Delaware Online. "The ninth inning is a little different than the eighth. There’s been a lot of solid eighth inning guys that just haven’t been able to pitch the ninth, then one day they learn how to do it."

"The ninth inning is a little different than the eighth." Wow, that sentence is to a Sabermetrician what a Pixy Stick is to a diabetic.

Anyways, I'm not going to spend too much time arguing Contreras v. Madson because this situation is far from resolved and to be honest I could care less who closes the games, as long as it isn't Danys Baez.


Source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2011-03-29/brad-lidge-could-miss-half-the-season-with-rotator-cuff-tear#ixzz1I2CUk7k4

Exclusive Q&A with Chase Utley

We Should Be GMs is proud to unveil our second exclusive interview within the span of a week. We were able to coax the usually mum Chase Utley into a Q&A session for the ages. The remarkable truths that come through in this piece of outstanding journalism are worthy of a Pulitzer.

Q: Have you improved at all?
A: Yeah, over the past few weeks I've been able to hobble to the bathroom in the middle of the night rather than use the bedpan. Also, the swelling has been downgraded to the size of a softball from the previous balloon-like "pumpkin" label.

Q: Are you close to running? Are you close to taking grounders?
A: Yeah, I've started to take some light ground balls the past few days from the luxury of my La-Z-Boy while playing MLB 2K11 on the Wii. And that's definitely a positive. I haven't started running yet. We're negotiating with the league for allowance of a personal caddy, like Babe Ruth used to have to run the bases for him back in his fat heyday.

Q: What are you optimistic about? Getting on the field or avoiding surgery?
A: Well, I'm super psyched about this new Apple Martini flavor that Skoal is coming out with later this week in accordance with Opening Day. 10 cents of every tin goes to my charity, so I'm optimistic about that. Getting on the field won't be a problem either; I'm using the Phanatic's ATV. Surgery...screw that.

Q: Is it within grasp? Do you have a timetable?
A: No, right now there is no timetable. What the hell is a timetable anyway? Isn't time kept on a clock or watch. I've never seen a table keep time. English sure is a funny language. Seriously though, I might be back by the All-Star break, or shortly thereafter.

Q: You said there's progress. How would you describe that progress?
A: Being able to transport myself without use of wheelchair or crutches is progress. Can you imagine me turning a double play in a Hoveround?

Q: Who is the specialist you saw? And how many have you seen?
A: If I tell you, I have to kill you. I'm gangsta like that. Ryan Howard ain't got shit on me son.

Q: What's the big secret?
A: The specialist is south of the border and the drugs...strike that, the medicine they're supplying me isn't exactly FDA approved. Ya know what I mean?

Q: In your mind will you be on the field this year?
A: Absolutely. Actually playing is another matter altogether.

Q: Do you feel confident that will happen?
A: Who knows? If this "prescription" does what it says it will do, and I'm able to pass my piss test, then yeah.

Q: How much research have you done on surgery? And if you had surgery there would be a microfracture?
A: First off, I research nada. That's what the trainers get paid for. Secondly, surgery hurts. I don't mind pain, but honestly getting cut open sucks.

Q: Ruben said a couple weeks ago surgery is risky. It could help, but there also is real risk it could make the condition worse. Is that your understanding? Could it make your condition worse?
A: Not sure how much worse my condition could get. I guess amputation would be worse. I don't know, life is risky, ya know.

Q: Are you moving laterally with these ground balls?
A: No, my La-Z-Boy only reclines.

Q: Is it tough not to have a timetable? You've always beat timetables in the past.
A: Dammit, back to this f**kin' timetable bullshit again? Next question.

Q: Are you treating in any way other than normal stretching and rehab? Injections?
A: Balco has given me 2 injections thus far, and a cream to rub on my knee. Stretching? Nah, only to pull up my underwear. Does that count?

Q: If you can calm this down and get back on the field, are you fearful the way you play -- pounding on it - will make it flare up again?
A: Pat Burrell taught me how to play and that's to be a machine. Ain't no reprogramming this machine fellas.

Q: How difficult has this whole process been?
A: It's not bad. Jen gives me sponge baths every night and waits on me hand-and-foot like a good woman should. Also, I'm still getting paid, so really it's not bad at all.

Q: Is this something you'll have to deal with the rest of your career? Or can it go away?
A: You best believe my knee is f**ked for life.

Q: How many doctors have you talked to?
A: Tons. I even called Meredith Grey the other day, but it turns out she's only an actress and that's not even her real name. TV is so phony!

Q: You said there is no timetable, but do you see yourself back before the All-Star break? That's three months away.
A: Next person who utters the word "timetable" gets their throat slit. Interview over!

*Actual interview found via The Zo Zone.

Welcome Aboard Frandsen & SI Cover

If you weren't excited about the minor league contract signed by Luis Castillo, perhaps the one extended to Kevin Frandsen will trip your trigger. No? Me either. The 28 year old has spent parts of the past 5 seasons in the Majors with the Giants and Angels. He's a lifetime .243/.636 batter in the bigs, but owns a sexy .312/.820 line in the minors. His value, if he has any at all, is in his versatility, having played SS, 2nd, 3rd, and corner outfield. This move is for organizational depth more than anything, but the recent influx of middle infielder types does make the Phillies fan even more leery of Utley's injury. This offense is going to be fugly.

Prepare to behold pure awesomeness...

Did you wet yourself?

Iron Man - Brad Lidge Remix

I am Fragile Man!

Is he hurt again?
Can he pitch now from the pen?
Can he throw at all
Or if he plays will he fall?

Is he hurt or not?
Will Rube trade for Jason Motte?
They’ll put Madson there
So should we even care?

He was hurt in spring
Lots of panic this March brings
Strained his upper back
Now he sits with an ice pack

Nobody wants him
He just rehabs in pain
Planning his comeback
Slider and fastballs will reign

Now the time is here
For Fragile Man to hear jeers
Won’t pitch to the Braves
Won’t be getting any saves

Nobody wants him
As his injuries spread
Training staff helps him
Soon he’ll have his revenge

Heavy sliders thrown
Many saves will soon be blown
Throwing as hard as he can
Fragile Man will live again!

When They Went- WSBGMs Draft Results

WSBGMs Phantasy Baseball League 5's draft was this past Wednesday night, and I thought you might like to know when some of your favorite Phillies went.

1st Round:
Ryan Howard- Dick Allen Thumpers
Roy Halladay- Suck My Bocock

2nd Round:
Cliff Lee- furiousBall

3rd Round:
Cole Hamels- Dick Allen Thumpers
Jimmy Rollins- Diamond Gems

4th Round:
Chase Utley- Godisawoman

5th Round:
Shane Victorino- Dick Allen Thumpers

6th Round:
Roy Oswalt- Dick Allen Thumpers

11th Round:
Brad Lidge- Harry Kalas Cialis

12th Round:
Placido Polanco- Jobu's Rum

14th Round:
Ryan Madson- Harry Kalas Cialis

19th Round:
Raul Ibanez- Dick Allen Thumpers

20th Round:
Carlos Ruiz- Dick Allen Thumpers

21st Round:
Domonic Brown- SheLikesMySizemore

24th Round:
Ben Francisco- Jobu's Rum

Believe it or not, this is a 16 team league. I know that's difficult to fathom given Dick Allen Thumpers drafted a team almost composed entirely of Phillies. Not sure if that's the best strategy. Guess we'll see.

Other Team Names:
*WilsonValdezSamosa
*Yuengling Lagers
*7 Month Halladay
*Coyote Utley
*162-0
*Lisa Leslie's Lads
*Phillies Bandwagon
*bumpin' utleys

Same Sh*t Different Toilet

Since Brade Lidge's perfect season of 2008, it's been a rather tumultuous time in Philly. Is it just me, or has he been either A) on the DL or B) continually blowing saves? Here we are ready to begin the 2011 season and we find our beloved closer on the disabled list yet again. He told us it was nothing to worry about and everything would be fine. Well, Brad, everything isn't fine. Utley is out. Werth is gone. And now you just made the bullpen thin. Same shit, different toilet.

Other Stuff:
*The man of the celebratory bro-hug, Mike Sweeney, has decided to retire.

*The kadrillion dollar man, Jayson Werth, is apparently going to be batting 2nd in the Nationals lineup.

*I'm running in the Phillies 5K today. If I don't make it back...it's been fun.

Exclusive Q&A with Roy Oswalt after Head Wound

We Should Be GMs was fortunate enough to obtain an exclusive interview with Roy Oswalt following the life threatening line drive he suffered off the bat of Manny Ramirez. He was noticeably groggy and agitated, but agreed to our questioning because of his love of our blog.

Q: How do you feel? How did you sleep last night?
A: I got knocked the f**k out, how do you think I slept? I have a bruise the size of Oprah's butt on my head. The whiskey and Percocet helped with the pain, but only temporarily.

Q: Did you have any time to react?
A: Yeah, tons of time. That's why I left it hit me in the head, because that's so much fun. You're a dumbass. Next question.

Q: The neck looks swollen. It's just stiff? It's not painful or anything?
A: Stiff is what old men get when they pop a Viagra. This bitch is straight crippling. Imagine a bunch of ninja fists punching you behind the ear repeatedly until you succumb to the pain and fall motionless on the ground. That's about it.

Q: No headaches?
A: No, just a pulsating throb that doesn't quit. There's also the sound of the ocean, you know like when you put your ear to a seashell, that's constantly in my head. Oh, and when I ate breakfast this morning I heard the sound of cracking bone.

Q: Are you going to have concussion tests?
A: Nah, I ain't no pussy.

Q: Have you ever had anything like that happen?
A: I can't recall. Doctors say I may have suffered brain damage and partial memory loss.

Q: Do you feel lucky?
A: Yeah, of course. Doesn't everyone wake up with the intent on being struck in the head by a fast moving object? You are so stupid. I'm surprised they allow you leave from the halfway house for retards that you live in. This interview is done. Good bye.

*Actual interview found at The Zo Zone.

Andy Martino Excellence in Journalism Award

I’m so proud to present the last Andy Martino Award to… Andy Martino! Martino's award winning article can be read HERE. Take a Zofran and dive right in then come back and read my comments.

------

I’ve mocked Martino and his horrific “journalism” plenty in the past but this last piece of garbage is unforgivable.

The last time I handed out an Andy Martino Award, Marcus Hayes was the recipient because of his accusations that Phillies fans were racist in their mistreatment and under-appreciation of Jimmy Rollins. At that time, I avoided a long diatribe on race and sports. And I will do the same this time because this isn’t the best forum for that sort of discussion. But I will say this: the theory that a large group of people of mixed race (ie Mets fans) can agree on one thing (ie disliking Luis Castillo) and that agreement is based on one major, polarizing factor (ie race) is so ridiculous it is not really worth entertaining.

Instead of wasting time arguing about the merits, or lack thereof, of Martino’s theory, I would much rather spend the time destroying Martino and the substance of the article itself. Here are my problems with Martino:

1) It’s a made-up story.
No one is talking about this. Not Castillo. Not the Mets. Not other legit media. Not even those horrible, rumor-mongering blogs. It seems that Martino imagines this scenario for no apparent reason than to fill space and create a talking point that he knows will garner all sorts of attention. And it worked. Go put “Andy Martino + Castillo” in a search engine.

This guy is obviously an attention whore and values that over any sort of journalistic integrity or respect from his readers that he may have once had. What’s he going to do next, go to work in a Speedo? He’ll be perfect for “Around the Horn” in a few years.

2) It’s poorly debated.
“Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan have played well as Mets, and have not faced the same anger. People who root for a team value production, above all other qualities, and have unleashed negativity on many white players in the past.”

So Martino argues that race doesn’t seem to be a factor in who the fans support or don’t support as a way to show that Castillo’s popularity may be affected by his race. If that makes sense to anyone, please explain it to me…

3) It’s race baiting.
If you want to create a race argument or stir up emotions, find someone to use an established negative racial stereotype. However, in the article, you can’t acknowledge that the quotes are actually racist because then you yourself could be accused of being racist. Instead, you have to throw them out there as if you are not really sure what they mean but your suspicion, and your overwhelming concern for the treatment of whatever racial group is being discussed, compels you to include this information in your article. This is where Andy Martino shows he’s a real professional: “In a sampling of recent Twitter posts, he is described as "lazy."”

Boom! Undeniable proof that unidentified Mets fans who use twitter are super-duper racist toward Luis Castillo. So unless you can come up with non-racist quotes from Mets fans on Facebook or Wikipedia, consider yourself served by @AndyMartino. Boom!

4)It’s conveniently missing information.
Martino presents Castillo like he was productive player as a Met, mentioning that he “batted .302 in 2009, and played through injuries while many of his Mets teammates spent their summer on the disabled list.” Castillo is further described as “one of the toughest and most passionate Mets.” Martino would like you to think that he should be a popular player. And to do so he neglects to mention that two of Castillo’s three full seasons with the Mets resulted in less than 90 games played per year due to injury and an OPS in the .630 range. Mentioning he hit .302 during one season is like saying Danny Tartabull averaged over a walk per game with the Phillies. It tells only a small, insignificant portion of the story. Also, is he “tough” because he didn’t miss half of every season with an injury?

Another thing that wasn’t mentioned, because I’m sure Martino thinks no fan would consider this when evaluating Castillo, was the four year $25 ¬million dollars he was earning. Pretty, pretty, pretty irrelevant, don’t you think?

Martino, while he does mention Pagan and Reyes as examples of Latino ballplayers generally supported by the fans, he probably should also mention that the Mets have been a team very heavily populated by popular Latino players in the last few years. Santana, Delgado, and Beltran are All-Stars but also have had similar problems to Castillo (injuries, missed games, drops in production) or worse (see: K-Rod) yet maintained general support among the fans. The fact is, Castillo is just different…

5)It’s without courage.
The purpose of this article is very clear. But in the end, Martino didn’t even have the decency, or the nuts, to call Mets fans racist outright. No, he’s just merely asking the question, right?

Roy Oswalt Getting Hit "Near The Head"

[Video re-posted from CrossingBroad dot com.]

I hate when our pitchers get drilled "near the head" with Man-Ram liners.

I hate Spring Training.

It Has To Be Said, At Least Once A Year

One week and one day. That is all I have left of my personal hell that is Spring Training. I hate Spring Training.

I hate looking forward to Spring Training. When do pitchers and catchers report? Who the #$%& cares? What good does that do? It only signals the start of having minor league invitees and AAA players playing boring, meaningless games for over a month.

Notice I said "having" them play and not "watching" them play because I refuse to watch that garbage. This year I accidentally watched two at-bats. That's it. And I won't watch any until next Friday. Don't even try to sell me on the On Deck Series. That's just lipstick on a pig.

I hate that there is nothing to talk about during Spring Training. Who will play right field? Who cares. Will Joe Blanton get traded? No, but we'll talk about it anyway, at least for a little while, until it's once again time to talk about Chase Utley and his knee. Every day, it's Chase Utley and that knee. And sweet Jeebus if he gets put on the DL soon...

I hate that people try to take meaning from Grapefruit League statistics. It's practice. You want to analyze practice, "Spring Training Stat Loser," then go collect data on batting practice or guys taking fungo grounders hit by the third base coach.

I hate that they are called the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues for no other reason than it legitimizes practice.

I hate that I'm not at Spring Training. I like Clearwater/Tampa. And it's cold as shit in Pennsylvania in March.

I just hate Spring Training. That's all. Thanks for listening.

Victorino's Crash, Doc's Gem & The Phield

Hey have you heard about the Phillies injury woes this spring? Oh, you haven't. Then wake the eff up! Polly, Lidge, Utley, and Brown are all hobbled or shutdown. Now The Flying Hawaiian flew right into Raul Ibanez and bruised his face and had to leave yesterday's game. The boo-boo is nothing serious, but any minor ache or pain right now is just a bit scary. Don't worry too much though, Victorino is accustomed to colliding with things.

Doc's Gem:
We are all well aware that Roy Halladay is a total beast, but going 7.2 innings in spring against the BoSox allowing only 1 run is awesome. Doc made quick work of a lineup that included Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ortiz, Saltalamacchia, Cameron, and Lowrie. This is the type of game he could have finished in the regular season, but no need to be hero now when wins don't count. The W did push the Phils Grapefruit League record to 16-9. Halladay is now 3-0 on the spring with a minuscule ERA of 0.48 and WHIP of 0.96. Love him!

The Phield:

*Click on image for larger view.

We Should Be GMs has advanced to the 3rd round of this year's March Madness of Phillies blogs in The Phield. We've defeated Holy KK! and Phillies Insider, and now set our sights on Phillies Nation. We're definitely playing the part of the underdog in this match-up, but nevertheless we'd still like to be well represented in the polls. So please go cast your vote for We Should Be GMs...from multiple computers. Voting ends Thursday at 5 pm.
*Vote for We Should Be GMs Here*

As The Phield puts it- "Phillies Nation and WSBGMs move onto round three as two of the oldest blogs in existence – an Ohio St/Kenucky tilt, so to speak."

Spring Stat Leaders

What do spring training stats mean? Not too damn much considering the competition for the better half of the games is minor leaguers. Doing well in spring, regardless of the level of pitching or batters, is always a good thing though. With that in mind, it should be noted John Mayberry Jr. and Wilson Valdez are having excellent springs. Will that translate into regular season success? Doubtful. Why'd I do this post? Just want to get Corey to rant. Anyway, the following are Phillies represented in the Top 20 of all MLB in spring stats.

Offense:
At Bats
8t. Jimmy Rollins- 54
13t. John Mayberry Jr.- 51

Hits
11t. Wilson Valdez- 18

Doubles
2t. Shane Victorino- 7

Triples
2t. Pete Orr- 3

Homeruns
2t. John Mayberry Jr.- 5
9t. Ryan Howard- 4

RBI
17t. John Mayberry Jr.- 11

Stolen Bases
16t. John Mayberry Jr.- 4

Strikeouts
13t. Delwyn Young- 13

Pitching:
Wins
7t. Danys Baez, Roy Halladay, Dan Meyer- 2

Innings Pitched
1. Joe Blanton- 22
18t. Cole Hamels- 17.1

Walks
10t. Cole Hamels- 8

Strikeouts
12t. Cole Hamels- 16
20t. Cliff Lee- 14

*Don't forget to vote for us in the 2nd round of the March Madness inspired Phillies Blog Bracket at The Phield. Polls close at 5 this afternoon.
Poll: (4) Phillies Insider vs. (5) We Should Be GMs

Luis Castillo to be a Phillie

Hated him when he was a Met or a Marlin, that's fine, but you better love that slap hitting 2nd baseman now because the Phillies are set to sign Luis Castillo. The contract is rumored to be of the minor league variety, but either way the Mets are on the hook for all but the MLB minimum of Castillo's 2011 salary. This is a no risk move that has potential upside. Josh Barfield and Pete Orr were signed to minor league contracts for a reason...they're nothing more than minor leaguers. Michael Martinez was left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft by the Nationals for a reason...he's not worth protecting. With Utley's injury and Wilson Valdez likely inserted into the lineup, the bench needs another infielder, so roll out the red carpet for Luis Castillo.

Castillo is a switch hitter with a career line of .290/.368/.351, with 1001 R, 1889 H, and 370 SB. His defense is average at best, but he has hit .291 or better in 8 out of the last 10 seasons. If he hits like Juan Castro the Phils just release him. If he proves to be a valuable bench asset, then they keep him around. It's really just that simple. Sure Michael Young would have been a sexier pickup, but even with the Rangers eating half of the $48M owed to him over the next 3 years, it's not worth it. Hopefully a combination of Castillo and Valdez at 2nd is good enough to not lose the Phillies games in Chase's absence...and hopefully Chase's absence isn't too long.

*Don't forget to vote for us in the March Madness inspired Phillies Blog Bracket at The Phield.
Poll: (4) Phillies Insider vs. (5) We Should Be GMs

The Madness Continues

*Click on image for larger view.

No upset in the 1st round of the Phield this year, as We Should Be GMs passed through onto the 2nd stage beating Holy KK!. Now we take on Phillies Insider, so once again please show support by casting your vote before Monday at 5 pm at The Phield. No email required this time, just click on the link and vote in the poll. We're eyeballing a Sweet 16 match-up against Phillies Nation.
Poll: (4) Phillies Insider vs. (5) We Should Be GMs
________________________________________________

Yesterday's Game:
Cole Hamels sucked (5 runs and 10 baserunners allowed in 3.2 IP), but Baez Sucks pitched 2.1 scoreless innings to pick up his 2nd win of the spring and drop his ERA to 0.93. Mayberry clubbed his 5th homerun and Victorino his 2nd. The Phillies are now 15-8 in Grapefruit League action this spring.

Stuff:
*Blanton takes the bump today against the Yankees and Cheeseburger Sabathia.

*It's looking more and more like the Opening Day lineup will feature Wilson Valdez at 2nd base and Ross Gload in RF. Brett Myers is the starer for the Astros and is right handed, so it seems Manuel wants the left handed bat of Gload instead of Mayberry or Francisco's. Yeah, this lineup went from the best, to good, to okay, to ugh in a hurry.

*Country music star Kenny Chesney stopped by Phils camp last week to visit Manuel and Halladay.

Bullpen & Luis Castillo

Bullpen:
Locks- Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Jose Contreras, and JC Romero.
That leaves 3 open spots. Baez Sucks has had a good spring since that "B" game massacre, and given his salary of $2.75M, he's likely to take one of them. Now we're down to 2. It seems Kyle Kendrick is being handed another one of them because of his ability to be the longman, but I'd rather have KK starting in the minors keeping his arm stretched out in case of an injury to the rotation. Or attempt to trade him for a bat (not literally a wooden bat, a player that bats). The bullpen could use another lefty and that means either Antonio Bastardo or Mike Zagurski. Each are pitching well this spring, but Bastardo has more upside because of his knack for the strikeout, which is huge in relief. Scott Mathieson and David Herndon are also vying for the bullpen, and as much as I think it's time to give Mathieson a solid look, I lean towards Herndon in thinking he could be the longman.

Luis Castillo:
Chase Utley is injured and who the hell knows when he'll return to game action. That leaves a huge void in the Phillies lineup and conversely on their bench since Wilson Valdez then becomes the starter at 2nd base. Just so happens a certain someone who has played 1683 games at 2nd base during his 15 years in the Majors was released yesterday by the Mets. Drum roll please...Luis Castillo. Is he a better alternative than Delwyn Young, Josh Barfield, Michael Martinez, or Pete Orr. No, yes, yes, and yes. I like Young's pinch hitting stats (.271 average in 170 at bats) and ability to play 2nd and outfield. Barfield and Orr should be ticketed for Lehigh Valley and only used in case of emergency. Michael Martinez is a Rule 5 pick that should be offered back to Washington because a 28 year old that's only played 33 games at Triple A and has a lifetime .263/.683 line in the minors is not worth a roster spot on a playoff team, and although he's versatile, he doesn't field any position adequately. That brings us back to Luis Castillo. Last year he sucked (.235/.604 in 86 games), but in 2009 he was good (.302/.732 in 142 games). He's a switch hitter with veteran experience that can still get on base, is clinging on to some speed, and his defense is a tick below average. I normally am not in favor of bringing on Mets castoffs, but due to the unknown of Utley's knee and the weakness of 2nd base in the Phillies system, I say welcome aboard Luis Castillo. If he's a total waste then he's released. If he's good a roster decision must be made when Utley or Domonic Brown are ready to rejoin the team.

Name That Phillie: Bracket Buster Edition

This former Phillie was drafted out of high school in the mid 70's, but never really materialized into a high caliber MLB player, although he did kill it in the minors. So just like Richmond and Morehead St., this guy broke up the hopes of many. Go ahead, name that Phillie...

Phillies Album Covers - Vol. 8

The Phield 2011

*Click on image for full screen view of the bracket in all its glory.

Vote for We Should Be GMs in The Phield 2011. To vote, simply email thephield@gmail.com our blog's name. Currently we're a 5th seed against a blog I've never heard of, so vote for us. Thanks!

As some of you may recall The Phield was created last year as a competition of Phillies blogs in the spirit of the NCAA's tournament of March Madness. Fun concept, and hopefully we last a few rounds this year.

Voting ends at 5 pm on Thursday March 17th.

Scouting the NL East

Atlanta Braves:
Record: 11-6
Bats: .267
Arms: 2.66
Jason Heyward continues to miss time due to a bad back. Rookie Freddie Freeman is being handed the 1st base job, and he's playing like he deserves it. Chipper Jones is playing like he's healthy, but we all know he'll come up gimp in the next month. Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson, Mike Minor, and Tommy Hanson have been nearly untouchable this spring, giving up only 5 runs between the 4 of them in 32 innings.

Florida Marlins:
Record: 5-12
Bats: .257
Arms: 5.51
Young stud slugger Michael Stanton is still hobbled by a bad hammy. Josh Johnson is sporting a 10.00 ERA. Greg Dobbs is batting .450 (9-20). It's also rumored the Fish draw more at their spring training games than they do during the regular season...ouch.

New York Mets:
Record: 8-9
Bats: .272
Arms: 3.93
Manger Terry Collins has asked for Luis Castillo's release with no real insurance plan at 2nd base. Ollie Perez is about to get the Adam Eaton treatment too. David Wright is only 2-20 this spring and his butt-buddy in crime Jose Reyes isn't doing much better. In other news Carlos Beltran has conceded the CF gig to the more able-bodied Angel Pagan and has taken on RF instead.

Philadelphia Phillies:
Record: 13-7
Bats: .278
Arms: 3.99
Placido Polanco hyper-extended his elbow today, the same one he had surgery on this offseason. He says it's not bad, but you know he's lying. Just like Brad Lidge is lying about his sore bicep being nothing to worry about. The man is DL bound. Remember when Chase Utley's knee was just minor aches and pains from spring drills? Yeah, calling bullshit on that one too.

Washington Nationals:
Record: 10-6
Bats: .282
Arms: 3.70
Phenom Byrce Harper was sent to minor league camp despite hitting .389. Mike Morse seems like a man on a mission to win the LF job, clubbing 5 homeruns so far this spring. Keep an eye on Jordan Zimmermann, who is now healthy and yet to allow a run through 11 innings. How's the Werth fella doing you ask...well, he's 4-24 with 7 corkscrew strikeouts.

Last Name "Ever", First Name "Greatest"

I'm not much for hip hop nowadays. I'm more a Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang Clan kinda guy. However, this is a great song and an awesome video montage accompanying it; not to mention it features Eminem the greatest MC of all-time.

Everywhere Man- Wilson Valdez

Are you a fan of Wilson Valdez? I hope so, because with ancient artifacts at 3rd, 2nd, and SS he'll be seeing plenty of playing time this season.

Wilson Valdez is a double play machinist. The man is slick in the field with a sniper rifle arm, but also is a slap happy hitter who puts the ball on the ground too much with men on first base. For a utility infielder he's better than recent eyesores like Eric Bruntlett and No-Hit Nunez (not to mention cheaper). Valdez, who turns 33 in May, has decent speed, but his on base skills leave much to be desired, and his "power" is essentially powerless. Nevertheless, Manuel has been trotting Valdez out to CF this spring too, so he can add another position to his utility belt. Also, with the nonhealing of Utley's injury and DL stint forthcoming, Valdez is likely the Opening Day 2nd baseman.

Elsewhere:
*Brad Lidge has right bicep soreness and has been shutdown for a few days.

*Delwyn Young and John Mayberry Jr. are making strong cases with their bats to make the 25-man roster. The injuries to Utley and Brown also help facilitate this decision.

*Greg Dobbs is batting .563 (9-16) with the Florida Marlins this spring.

*The Bucknell Bison got a 14th seed against 3 seed UConn in the opening round of the NCAA tournament starting Thursday.

Spring Cleaning

*Chase Utley has finally started to respond positively to treatment on his f'd up knee. According to Rube he's making "baby steps", but that's better than nothing. Opening Day is still a long-shot and DL looks likely. Sidebar- have you ever wondered about the term baby steps? Babies crawl and once they actually start stepping aren't they referred to as toddlers?

*John Mayberry Jr. is batting .353/1.200 with 3 doubles, 4 homeruns, 6 runs, 9 rbi, and 2 stolen bases.

*Double play machinist (on D and O) Wilson Valdez is batting a cool .500 this spring (12-24).

*Ryan Madson got 6 outs yesterday and all came via the mighty K.

*Baez Sucks hasn't allowed a run yet this spring in 5.1 innings (this excludes his B game debacle). Neither has Roy Halladay, so I guess they're equals right?

*A trio of troublesome springs to keep an eye on- Jimmy Rollins (.216/.527), Placido Polanco (.212/.520) and Brad Lidge (9.00 ERA/2.00 WHIP).

*Darth Santana is likely out for the season. Ah shucks!

*Bryce Harper has been optioned to minor league camp.

*There's a lot of hurting players out there.

*Looking forward to seeing where my Bucknell Bison get seeded in the NCAA tourney today.

Bumper Stickers, Twitter & Facebook...Oh My!

Bumper Stickers:
We Should Be GMs may not be on the forefront of awesome Phillies themed t-shirt production, but by golly we've created some nice bumper stickers. Below you will find our legendary header design and the endearing term of Phucco. If you are so inclined to want one or both of these beauties then please email us. There will be a nominal charge for shipping purposes, but I promise it won't exceed $89.99.


Twitter:
The GMs have finally gotten their own Twitter accounts. Our Twitter feeds can be found on the left sidebar or you can follow each of us- @GMCarson and @GM_Corey.

Facebook:
If you're on Facebook and you haven't friend requested us yet then what the hell is the problem?! Added bonus of being our Facebook buddy is access to our phabulously phunny photoshop collection (Yes, I know the "ph" was unnecessary). Click on the image below to go to our page.


Other Site Notes:
*There is a current 40-man roster of the left side bar with links to each players' Baseball-Reference page.

*Also on the left side bar are all WSBGMs Hall of Fame inductees' "plaques".

*The Howard standings will be returning to the upper right side bar at the beginning of the season, and you can always check past seasons by referring to the widget on the left side bar.

*If you have a Goggle blogger account and would like to follow us, you can do so by clicking on the "follow" button near the bottom of the right side bar.

And, as always, thanks for reading We Should Be GMs.

Amaro To Get Paid

First it was manager Charles Fuqua Manuel being extended for 2 more years and now it appears GM Ruben Amaro Jr. will get the same treatment. According Philadelphia Daily News reporter Paul Hagen the extension is "virtually done" and the sides are simply "putting finishing touches" on the contract. From bat boy, to MLB player, to assistant GM, to smug GM, Rube sure has made a name for himself.
______________________________________________

Below is a picture of Roy Halladay's black eye that he pitched with yesterday (went 6 shutout innings against the Yankees). He sustained the black eye during bunting drills. Why didn't Brett Myers use that excuse?

One of these things just doesn't belong here...

Manuel To Get Paid

From MLBTradeRumors.com-
The Phillies are close to an extension with manager Charlie Manuel, reports Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. It's expected to be a two-year deal for $3.5-4MM per year. Manuel was reportedly hoping to get something done before Opening Day. He's already signed for 2011.

Looks like Corey is getting his wish of Fuqua getting paid. In all seriousness, congrats to Charlie Manuel, he deserves it.

Utley's Diagnosis

Phillies team physician, Michael Ciccotti, has diagnosed Chase Utley's injury as petaller tendinitis, chondromalacia, and bone inflammation following a second MRI. Phillie athletic trainer Scott Sheridan and GM Ruben Amaro Jr. spoke with reporters this morning in Clearwater and said that they're researching specialists and options for treatment, but are attempting to go the non-operative route. They reiterated that the pain is too severe for Utley to play on it.

Dr. GM-Carson's diagnosis...Oh Funky Butt Lovin' Shiitake Mushrooms!

Phillies Operation- The Game

Chase Utley has a history of fibbing about injuries. The Phillies brass has a history of downplaying injuries. That's a combustible combination. Utley has patellar tendonitis in his right knee and got a cortisone injection in it this past weekend. Utley, who has been limited to batting practice only, has not felt/seen any improvement yet and that is becoming extremely worrisome. Might there be a deeper problem? What we do know is that Utley is a tough ass and has played through pain before, so the fact that he's still sidelined by this is puzzling and troublesome.

Andy Martino’s Spring Mets Update

Good morning Phillies fans, it’s your old friend, literary genius and Mets sycophant, Andy Martino. The children that crayon this internet abomination have asked me to craft a few more inspirational words about the Mets. Since I had so much fun last year writing for you morons and got such positive feedback, I agreed to return. So, without further adieu…

Injuries:
Each organization handles things differently. The Mets do things the right way. The Phillies do them their way. Take injuries as an example. When Johan Santana tore the labrum in his left shoulder, the Mets encouraged Santana to undergo surgery followed by a lengthy recuperation and rehabilitation. Santana started throwing recently but is still months away from taking the mound at Citi Field. Chase Utley, on the other hand, suffers from tendinitis in his knee but is still targeting an appearance on Opening Day. How is this possible, you say? Steroids! The scourge of baseball for the past twenty years is apparently the Phillies best friend as Utley and his team have no problem admitting his recovery is being assisted by injections in that troublesome knee. The same steroids that keep McGwire from the Hall, ruined the reputation of Rafael Palmeiro, and earned a federal perjury trial for Barry Bonds. Not to mention the scrutiny and mockery by fans, especially those from Philadelphia if my excellent memory serves me right, which it always does. Will Philly’s finest display “Babe Ruth did it on hot dogs and beer” signs in protest of Utley’s choice of pharmaceutical enrichment? No, the hypocritical fans of West Bank Camden I’m sure will see nothing wrong and support the “win at all costs” mentality of their team, regardless of the detriment to the players or the game of baseball as a whole.

Pitching:
Mike Pelfrey, the Mets scheduled Opening Day starter, pitched on Saturday and gave up four hits, two runs, and struck out zero in three innings. Following the starts, manager Terry Collins believes Pelfrey is “right on target” for his first real start. To a Phillies fan, that may be a troublesome quote. The never-satisfied, always-arrogant, ever-entitled Philadelphian would not like his number one starter to average greater than a hit per inning or have an ERA over 5. But in New York, we value aspects of pitching that aren’t on FanGraphs.com, like the use of a protective mouth guard, for instance. Every year, sports related accidents result in the loss of five million teeth. None of those teeth belong to Mike Pelfrey though, who routinely sports a professional grade pressure laminated mouthpiece. As a spokesman for ADHP (Athletes for Dental Protection and Hygiene), Pelfrey spends as much time advocating for the dental health of children than he does working on his slider. You think Arkansas-born Cliff Lee has nice teeth like Pelfrey? The toothbrush wasn’t introduced south of Virginia until 1972! So if you wonder why the children of New York smile even when Pelfrey is losing games, it’s because they are so proud of their pearly white teeth. And I’m thankful that Mike Pelfrey cares about all of our teeth, regardless of his pitching ability.

Money:
I don’t expect Phillies fans to understand even basic economic principles, let alone the results and ramifications of the massive Ponzi scheme operated by Bernie Maddof. (Just know that a Ponzi scheme is not named after Arthur Ponzerelli and neither Ralph Malph nor Potsie were involved.) But somehow, the honest and trustworthy owners of the Mets, the Wilpons, have somehow become tragically involved. The Wilpons have recently been sued for 1 billion dollars with some scoundrel alleging that they should or did know about the illegal operation. Combine that with Forbes valuing the Mets at negative $225 million due to stadium debt and club debt that includes recent loans form JPMorgan and Major League Baseball to cover operating expenses, and you have a club with “debts no honest man can pay.” No meeting tonight in Atlantic City will solve this problem though and it seems as some teams continue to get rich, the Mets are destined for a George Costanza-like shrinkage. Some have suggested the Mets may need to reduce payroll to as low as $70 million dollars by next season if the Wilpons wish to maintain ownership through this difficult period. So while the Phillies splash for Cliff Lee, the Mets may be destined to lose their stars. Free agents-to-be Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran may be traded before they reach the Winter and high-priced stars like K-Rod, Santana, and Jason Bay may become casualties of the this economic war. Of course, maybe if certain teams wouldn’t overspend for players and raise the cost of competition to unreasonable levels, the Mets could compete at $70 million per season. I’m looking in your direction, Ruben Amaro…

Gambling:
As many of you know, I made a short comment on Twitter about covering Spring Training in a Speedo if Cliff Lee signed with the Phillies. Well, not only am I a world class wordsmith, I’m also a man of my word. I’ve attached picture evidence. Unfortunately for you Phillies blog readers who not only live in your parent’s basement but also in their closet, I’m still wearing pants.



I hope you all enjoyed having a literate person read this article to you. Until next time Phillies fans, remember, it’s your month to bath and you should not wear sweatpants every day of the week. See you soon.

~ Andy