Comments on: Phillies Ramblings http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:41:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: jjg http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4773 jjg Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:39:00 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4773 Turning point of season:  June day when short, small-framed Houston GM (and tree-hanging parachutist) Ed Wade parroted old boss Dallas Green and told Shawn Chacon to "look in the f-in' mirror" and was then taken to the floor by the 6'3" pitcher who obviously sees no place in baseball for vanity.  Phillies haven't stopped laughing or regained composure since.  Turning point of season:  June day when short, small-framed Houston GM (and tree-hanging parachutist) Ed Wade parroted old boss Dallas Green and told Shawn Chacon to “look in the f-in’ mirror” and was then taken to the floor by the 6’3″ pitcher who obviously sees no place in baseball for vanity.  Phillies haven’t stopped laughing or regained composure since. 

]]> By: bski http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4768 bski Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:37:49 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4768 Today's game was very disheartening.  I can't even talk about it.  We are now at a point where nothing less than a sweep of the Brewers will keep us in the mix.  The thing is that right now it is a 4 team race for the wild card.  St. Louis is tied with us at 4 games back, and Houston is 4.5 back.  Our only hope is to sweep the Brewers and draw even with them.  At the same time, hopefully the Cardinals and Astros will lose a few over the weekend and stay a couple back.  I know it's not very likely, but it's the last semi-rational hope I can cling to at this point. Today’s game was very disheartening.  I can’t even talk about it.  We are now at a point where nothing less than a sweep of the Brewers will keep us in the mix.  The thing is that right now it is a 4 team race for the wild card.  St. Louis is tied with us at 4 games back, and Houston is 4.5 back.  Our only hope is to sweep the Brewers and draw even with them.  At the same time, hopefully the Cardinals and Astros will lose a few over the weekend and stay a couple back.  I know it’s not very likely, but it’s the last semi-rational hope I can cling to at this point.

]]> By: bski http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4759 bski Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:16:37 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4759 <strong>Pete.</strong>..You know why.  Say it with me now, <em>"You can't throw unproven young players into the heat of a pennant race." </em> You know that's the Phillies' thought process.  It's also why Carrasco isn't here and why Golson only has 2 AB's and a couple pinch running appearances. It's all part of running your team by "the book".  We've talked about it before.  You can't bring up young guys early in the season because that would be giving up too soon on a veteran and it's unfair to play them now because of the pressure. The Phils are maddeningly hidebound by conventional thinking. Pete...You know why.  Say it with me now, “You can’t throw unproven young players into the heat of a pennant race.” You know that’s the Phillies’ thought process.  It’s also why Carrasco isn’t here and why Golson only has 2 AB’s and a couple pinch running appearances.

It’s all part of running your team by “the book”.  We’ve talked about it before.  You can’t bring up young guys early in the season because that would be giving up too soon on a veteran and it’s unfair to play them now because of the pressure.

The Phils are maddeningly hidebound by conventional thinking.

]]> By: Pete http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4755 Pete Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:14:15 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4755 question: why did we bring up Lou Marson if we aren't even gonna give him an AB? question:

why did we bring up Lou Marson if we aren’t even gonna give him an AB?

]]> By: Morty http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4752 Morty Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:32:24 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4752 Arthur Rhodes: yet another in a long line of players who stink it up in Phila. and come back to town on a another team throwing darts. Sigh. Arthur Rhodes: yet another in a long line of players who stink it up in Phila. and come back to town on a another team throwing darts. Sigh.

]]> By: jjg http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4749 jjg Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:42:32 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4749 re #23/ insert to parenthetical:  "league" re #23/ insert to parenthetical:  “league”

]]> By: jjg http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4747 jjg Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:24:26 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4747 Never know, maybe Lee Walrond can thread the needle.  I'd give him a shot, and tell him to throw strikes for a change.  Looks like he's got some ability (and minor success at starting).  Can he be any worse than the other "K-Mart blue light specials"?  Might serve well here and there. Arthur Rhodes was really bringin' it last night!  Shades of Alvin McBean, Juan Pizzaro, Al Downing, Bob Veale and, lest we forget, Grant Jackson.     Never know, maybe Lee Walrond can thread the needle.  I’d give him a shot, and tell him to throw strikes for a change.  Looks like he’s got some ability (and minor success at starting).  Can he be any worse than the other “K-Mart blue light specials”?  Might serve well here and there.

Arthur Rhodes was really bringin’ it last night!  Shades of Alvin McBean, Juan Pizzaro, Al Downing, Bob Veale and, lest we forget, Grant Jackson.    

]]> By: bski http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4745 bski Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:32:18 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4745 <strong>JJG</strong>...No doubt the time is now, but we had better fasten our seat belts if Charlie is going the route you suggest.  Once you start down that road, your course is set.  He may do it out of desperation, but I'm afraid that our patchwork pitching staff will come apart at the seams. JJG…No doubt the time is now, but we had better fasten our seat belts if Charlie is going the route you suggest.  Once you start down that road, your course is set.  He may do it out of desperation, but I’m afraid that our patchwork pitching staff will come apart at the seams.

]]> By: bski http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4743 bski Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:12:59 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4743 <strong>Pete</strong>...I guess I was answering your post before I saw it.  Like I said, the Phils needed 2 starts this week.  If they planned on avoiding Eaton and not using Moyer on short rest, then Happ and Kendrick were the two answers.  One gets the start on Tuesday and the other on Thursday.  <em>The problem now is that <strong>Charlie used both of them on the same night</strong> leaving us in a bind for Thursday!</em> Pete…I guess I was answering your post before I saw it.  Like I said, the Phils needed 2 starts this week.  If they planned on avoiding Eaton and not using Moyer on short rest, then Happ and Kendrick were the two answers.  One gets the start on Tuesday and the other on Thursday.  The problem now is that Charlie used both of them on the same night leaving us in a bind for Thursday!

]]> By: bski http://www.reclinergm.com/phillies-ramblings-5/#comment-4742 bski Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:07:35 +0000 http://www.reclinergm.com/?p=833#comment-4742 Morty...The Phils needed 2 starts this week (Tuesday & Thursday).  Unless you wanted to see Eaton get a start, Kendrick had to get one.  <em>The biggest problem I have with last night is Charlie using Happ because he most likely would have gotten the start on Thursday.  <strong>Now he's out of the picture.</strong></em> I'm really getting concerned that Manuel is panicking because his decision making with the pitchers is questionable, IMO.  <em>Happ is not a reliever,</em> so why bring him in last night?  If you are concerned about over taxing your bullpen or wasting guys in a lost cause of a blowout, you bring in Eaton without question.  Let him take one for the team and save your better arms for another day.   If you wanted to try to staunch the bleeding and give your offense a chance to get you back in the game, you bring in someone like Madson or guys like Seanez or Eyre to give you a few innings.  If you get back in it then you can go to Durbin, Romero and the rest.  If not, then you can bring someone in to mop up. By using Happ, Charlie really screwed us.  Now he can't give us a start on Thursday and we are forced to either go with Moyer on short rest (which is asking for trouble) or Eaton. Morty…The Phils needed 2 starts this week (Tuesday & Thursday).  Unless you wanted to see Eaton get a start, Kendrick had to get one.  The biggest problem I have with last night is Charlie using Happ because he most likely would have gotten the start on Thursday.  Now he’s out of the picture.

I’m really getting concerned that Manuel is panicking because his decision making with the pitchers is questionable, IMO.  Happ is not a reliever, so why bring him in last night? 

If you are concerned about over taxing your bullpen or wasting guys in a lost cause of a blowout, you bring in Eaton without question.  Let him take one for the team and save your better arms for another day.   If you wanted to try to staunch the bleeding and give your offense a chance to get you back in the game, you bring in someone like Madson or guys like Seanez or Eyre to give you a few innings.  If you get back in it then you can go to Durbin, Romero and the rest.  If not, then you can bring someone in to mop up.

By using Happ, Charlie really screwed us.  Now he can’t give us a start on Thursday and we are forced to either go with Moyer on short rest (which is asking for trouble) or Eaton.

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