Pedro Feliz lifts Phillies over Dodgers
By ROB MAADDI AP Sports Writer
Article Last Updated: 08/26/2008 08:28:53 AM EDT

PHILADELPHIA—Pedro Feliz forced extra innings with his first clutch hit. His next one set off a celebration.

Feliz hit a tying RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and delivered a game-winning, three-run homer in the 11th to lift the Philadelphia Phillies over the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 Sunday night.

Never once did I say that Pat Burrell is the best LF.. (if you’ve been around for more then the past two weeks, you’ve seen me say all year that resigning Burrell is risky because in another 2-3 years, he’ll cover even LESS ground in the OF)

Also, I never said that range wasn’t a factor.. but that from what I’ve seen out of FeliZ, he’s got pretty decent range, and is very good at handling the balls he gets to.

I think that FeliZ was a good signing, and was a big improvement to what we’ve had at thirs base over the past few seasons.. YOU DON’T THINK SO… I get it

I know that a lot of people know a lot about baseball.. In fact, the other day I thanked all the guys & girls that run this site.. and said it was great that we get to talk Phillies baseball and have intelligent conversations with other fans who really know their stuff.. that was without taking you into account though..

You’ve called me the smartest person on this blog like 7 times so far today.. and for that, I thank you kindly

Read back a little and realize that this started because I said FeliZ was very good defensive 3b.. I’m not sure how much more range you want him to have (Jose Reyes has lots of RANGE at SS… but it doens’t mean he’s good..) or what kind of offensive numbers you want him to have.. I’d be interested to see what you want from your 7-hitter though

i’ll take your word for it because you contribute so many great points and great overall comments to this blog

Honestly.. you must be one of those people that thinks Carlos Ruiz is no good either, because he doesn’t hit .275+ with 25+ HR..

Pitching and Defense win you ball games.. which is why Pedro FeliZ and Carlos Ruiz are on this team, and why they are playing… even when Manuel wants to add some pop in the lineup to break up the RH bats… Feliz comes into the games to replace Dobbs because he’s a DEFENSIVE 3b..

How is saying that you shouldn’t rely on your 7th and 8th hitters to carry an offense a dumb statement??

Look up BILL JAMES evaluations from last year, and he says that Pedro Feliz should have won the Gold Glove… but just as Rollins last year, the GG sometimes goes to the best overall player.. last year it went to David Wright..

I’m not calling for Feliz to win an MVP or anything, but the fact that Phillies fans aren’t on-board with the smart addition of Pedro Feliz amazes me..

and I do like him because he is one of the best defensive 3b in the game…

He hits 7th in the lineup, so he’s not counted on for his offense, but has numerous game-winnings hits this season anyway..

Of the 3b in baseball that played more the 900 innings at 3b… only a few had higher fielding % than Perdo FeliZ (with a “Z”)..

Troy Glaus, .982%, 385 Total Chances, 7 errors.
Chone Figgins, .978%, 275 Total Chances, 6 errors.
Kevin Kouzmanoff, .974%, 416 Total Chances, 11 errors.
Pedro Feliz , .974%, 304 Total Chances, 8 errors.

Casey Blake.. Indians 3b.. 192 Total Chances, 12 errors, .938%
with the Dodgers 3b… 133 Total Chances, 2 errors, .985%

add them up is 325 Total Chances, 14 errors, .957%

Blake DeWitt at 3b.. 259 Total Chances, 8 errors, .969%

Granted I don’t watch the Dodgers enough to know how much range these guys do or don’t have.. But I watch enough baseball to know that Pedro Feliz has decent range for a 3b.. and that you’re trying desperately to start an arguement here that has no merit

You can keep it coming though if you want..

Phillies had 3 vs. the Mets… 8 vs. the Brewers… 6 vs. the Marlins..

So if comparing those numbers, the Phillies played much better teams.. BUT… I don’t think that who you played a month ago has any impact on what the teams do now… neither team will STAY hot after 4-5 days off… its a matter of who steps up in THIS series

If Ethier has more speed than Werth, why was he 6/9 in steal attempts (525 at bats), while Werth was 20/21 in steal attempts(418 at bats)? I know speed isn’t everything in stealing bases, but there is a huge difference there. I guess I can defer to you on that one, being that you watched both players over the years, but the numbers say otherwise, so I guess my “facts were straight” there.

Dewitt is a nice young player, and was on fire for a good portion of the season. I did know that Dewitt replaced Kent, but it slipped my mind when I wrote that yesterday. I apologize for not watching every single Dodgers game this season. Either way, Kent or Dewitt, the edge goes to Chase if he decides to bring his bat to the series.

Pedro Feliz is among the BEST defensive 3b in all of baseball.. and has the numbers to back up that claim.. I’m not saing he’ll win the Gold Glove, beacuse I don’t think he will… but of the 3b left in the playoffs, he is the best defensively… and in the playoffs, Pitching and Defense are what wins..

Keep up the good work.