Phillies Nation

What you need from #5 and #6 hitters, is the ability to KNOCK IN RUNS… not to GET ON BASE..

Burrell had a nice OBP.. and that’s great and all, but a walk from Burrell and then counting on an injured Feliz, or a struggling Ruiz last year wasn’t what the team needed, and we all voiced our opinions on that all year long.

I’m telling you for a FACT. that Howard-Dunn together in the lineup would be 1000x more frustrating than it would be fun. And not for nothing.. but BATTING AVERAGE, HRs, and RBIs are the common stats, its not like I’m digging for things..

SLUGGING% is great and all.. but when you only hit .238, does it really matter?

If someone wants to use stats like BA and RBI, then fine. It’s the old school/new school sabermetric debate.

RBIs are dependent upon how often you hit with runners in scoring position. After Howard hit his home runs last year, Burrell hitting a single would not result in a run scoring, was that Burrell’s fault?

In a hitter’s park, getting men on base is vital and both Dunn and Burrell do that better than Ibanez. They also get more extra base hits than Ibanez. Ibanez will hit more singles, but get on base less and has less power.
OPS (which is OBP + SLG) is a more accurate measure of a player’s value than antiquated stats like BA and RBI.

All I’m going to say here now is when you take one stat particularly OPS you’r looking at a team that do the exact same thing, the Phils needed addition by subtraction to not be so hit or miss and that’s what’s being worked towards.

OPS the stats anyone who’s ready Moneyball takes to literally…

Let’s not forget that we have Moyer, who everyone looks up t and respects in the clubhouse. Burrel had more of an older brother feel, but Moyer is the Grand Pappy, and I think that the club listens to him.

MONEYBALL… Maybe it works and maybe it doesn’t …. Kevin Youkilis is one of the most underrated players in all of basell.. he’s better than Mark Texiera, but he’s too gritty to be glamorous

So maybe the Moneyball theory works… and the Oakland A’s have been close a few times.. but “close only counts in Horseshoe’s and Hand-Grinades” so I tend to like the Tony LaRussa theory that stats are like a pretty girl in a bikini, they show a lot, but they don’t show everything… hustle and heart go into the equation too

Anyone that read Moneyball, should also read Three Nights in August … they are both great books, and will make you appreciate the game even more

Don M, I have read Moneyball and Three Nights in August. I enjoyed them both. I’m trying to think of the leadoff hitter that LaRussa used to get so frustrated about because he didn’t take any pitches. I can’t remember the dudes name, but he’s obviously not in baseball anymore.

Buzzinger’s like the Terrance Mallick of sports novels… OPS guys commonly aren’t gamebreakers, they’ll hit decently sporadically and which will pad the bad elements of their stats, you’ve got to have balance in your line-up to get runs across and blow-outs just jade how well your guys are hitting.

On a separate note, anyone who lives outside the Philly area and wants to watch Phillies games, I highly suggest the MLB package on MLB.com

Not only do you get to watch every single out of town game for $120 bucks a year, but you get to watch any archived games from years past. I’m currently watching the Phils-Nats final series of the year. It’s also fun to sporadically check up on the Mets broadcasts from the corresponding nights. It’s fun to hear how depressed the Mets announcers are when the out of town scoreboard comes up and Howard had just hit another homer. Good fun.

Tim, The use of the word “doppelganger” was great!…Don, I’m in total agreement about getting Ibanez. We needed to add a bat that will keep rallies going, rather than killing them like Pat did all too often. He’s also got a better arm than Burrell, who got most of his assists either at 2nd. Pat’s throws to the plate were either late or up the first base line. he got assists on plays at the plate thanks to great relay throws from Jimmy. I can’t recall Pat throwing anyone out at the plate in ’08…As far as the catching logjam, Paulino was a nice upgrade for the back-up. I can see him getting plenty of starts, especially with all of the lefty starters we will see. Marson really isn’t in the picture yet, nor does he need to be as his “service time clock” hasn’t even started yet (I don’t think that a September call-up starts the clock). Sadly, Coste appears to be the odd-man out, unless God forbid, he’s kept as the righty off the bench…Speaking of which, Wigginton sounds to me like the best option, followed by Alou, but everyone being mentioned seems to be a better option the Coste. Hey, I love the guy, but “it’s not personal, it’s business” comes to mind.

Well Coste had a spectacular April and May in 2008… VERY impressive stats early in the season, so I wouldn’t rule him out yet.

Doug: I haven’t heard anything that says that Ibañez has a better arm than Burrell… are you sure that is true?

Oh no! Are we really sure Ibañez is that great? or has he been hiding in Seattle all this time?

“My hope is that Chase turns that World Series Fxxxing champs comment into a fiery attitude in the clubhouse and more of a leadership role because as much as I think Rollins can get a group going, his comments last year make me think that he still does not “get” this city and what we are about.”

It was more the comment he made after that pointing to his teammates and telling them it was each and every one of them that made the champtionship possible that showed me that he may become a more vocal leader.

What can all those guys do that Chris Coste can’t? Are the Phillies basically writing him off? In Coste we got a guy that can basically play any position and he’s a great right handed bat off the bench! Why would we even consider Nomar and Alou (who are both WAY past their prime) instead of Coste?

I love this site, don’t usually post but I have to say something. Don M, how dare you say Chase Utley is a douche. When will society loosen up and realize curse words are just that, words. Sure they can make you sound like an idiot when overused… but c’mon, the Philadelphia Phillies won the WS !!!! What better time to blurt out ‘world f’n champions’ than that? I loved the fact that he said that, I love the fact that he walks his own way, I love the fact he is one of the faces of the Philles, and I love the fact that our team can be a bunch of class clowns. Oh – and I love the fact that we’re world f*cking champions.

Don M, stop being such a douche. Do you even like the Phils? Or would you rather have a gentleman such as Bobby Abreu back? He’s so polite, he never gets in the right field fence’s way.

Don M: Lighten up, man. Utley a douche? If that statement by Chase at a “celebration” offended you, I agree with Greg V: Go root for the Muts!

You guys should read more.. obviously its not a huge deal that Utley said that.. but it was PLANNED.. I use that word probably more than anyone I know, but not if front of kids, and if I ever do its definitely not planned. I’m fine with people not caring about it, because I heard it live on the radio and thought it was hilarious.. and then later I saw it on TV and how it was staged and realized it was a scumbag move.

I’m fine with people not caring about it, but anyone that thinks that it was “GREAT”, “MAKES CHASE UTLEY THE MAN!” or “THAT SHOWED THAT HE MAY BECOME A MORE VOCAL LEADER” …. you’ve got to be kidding me.. you are probably friends with the guys in the FanFriday video giving the camera the finger, with dragon tattoos on your forearms, and throwing bottles into the visiting teams dugout – and then running away . Actually, Jason B, I think that was you, right?

I like Chris Coste, I’ve said that lots of times… but anyone that would rather have Chris Coste over Nomar Garciaparra or Moises Alou smokes TOO much of the reefer. I used to do that everyday in college, but quit, now Im married and I get laid more in a week, than you do in a month.. good thing we talk about baseball on here.

Not a douche… but a bad decision nonetheless.

Honestly, I could care less that it was said, and I was there with my four year-old son so I would have every right to care… for parents saying that their kids heard it, I would question why their kids weren’t at school… you shouldn’t throw stones if you live in a glass house.

The problem that I have is that it was thought out… it was a calculated decision and you have to wonder what he was thinking. I have no doubt that someone on the team (Werth) said, “You won’t do it.” and then it became a macho-beer-induced dare but that’s not an excuse. Forget the fact that he’s a role model and a representative of this team… his image is important for his own personal benefit (marketing and advertising $$). That’s just stupid.

Saying that curse words are just words is really immature. I used to think that back in the day, too but at some point I realized that words have meaning and children really are like sponges. I have to watch everything that I say around my son… if I don’t want him dropping the f bomb at school, I can’t walk around claiming that I’m the f*ing man of the house.

Yes Don… I AM one of the guys on the fan friday video. Yes, I have children yes I am married. When Utley made the statement, I did what any responsible parent who doesn’t mind free speech would do… I explained to my son who is 5 that yes, Chase said a bad word, and sometimes adults do that when they are excited. No that doesn’t makee it right for you to say that. A 5 year old perfectly understood that. I was not the one in the video with dragon tattoos on the arms, just so you know. Also, the way we act in the video are snippets of what was a collection of videos covering a 4 year span. But you know what, to defend myself again because you were so obviously offended, yes, sometimes me and my buddy do act like that. Our dads acted like that and our grand dads acted like that. our grand dads were of the culture that booed the president after throwing out the first pitch or wrote the Phils stink on the Life Buoy bill board at Connie Mack. If you think that reminding me of the video will make me ashamed, it won’t. Actually it makes me proud to know it pisses people like you off. So just like I had to explain to my 5 year old, I will explain to you, sometimes adults act a little goofy, it doesn’t make it right, it just happens. I’m 27 and I may look a little childish according to that video, but you know what, I’m ok with that. If you don’t like it, don’t sit in section 305 on Sundays or during the plan b season ticket package, because that’s where we’ll be, and we may drop a few F- bombs along the way.
PS, obviously the moderators of this site had no problem with the video… They posted it.

Oh yeah, and we didn’t throw a bottle into the bull pen, my buddy threw a bag of sunflower seeds at the mets bullpen catcher because he gave my buddy the finger… But since it was a Met, I kind a wish it was a bottle.

you guys are right, I’m a d-bag.. my issue isn’t even really with Utley as much as it is the people that think he is the man BECAUSE he did that. He’s the man cause he’s a nasty baseball player, and he’s on the Phillies, and he helped us win the World Series.

I didn’t call him a scumbag; I said it was a scumbag move… to drop an F-bomb, on purpose with the whole world watching is really cool if you’re like 14 years old… I bought a shirt that says World Phucking Champions, cause my sister-in-law designed it, and its part of Philadelphia Sports History… I doubt I’ll ever wear it, because it’s offensive to lots of people…

F-bomb at the Home Run Derby, F-bomb at the World Series celebration… both times into a microphone, and if people want to like him MORE because he does that… then they’ve got their own issues.

I guess I just don’t think Utley is ready to be the TEAM LEADER the front office, the fans, and his teammates want or need him to be now that Burrell is gone.

i also post under other people’s names and call them “homo” and “fag” on the internet because I’m cool…

nerds, if you have something to say, say it.. don’t hide behind your keyboard and be tough on the computer..

You want to call me out because I knocked your man-crush Chase Utley?, that’s fine.. at least have a discussion about it though, don’t be like a NY Mets fan and trash this blog

Jason B is my hero.

The Orioles have made some nice moves there. Theyll be better.