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Curt Simmons
Starting Pitcher
1947-1960

Career w/Phillies: 1939.2 IP / 115-110 / 3.66 ERA / 1052 K

Signed by the Phillies after striking out a bunch of them in a high school vs. Phillies exhibition, Curt Simmons was destined for great things. Making his professional debut at age 18, the Egypt, Pa., native slowly became one of the Phillies greatest pitchers. Seventh on the franchise list in strikeouts and fifth in wins, Simmons spent parts of 14 seasons in Philadelphia. He came into his own in 1950 as a Whiz Kid, a 21-year-old who recorded a 17-8 record with a 3.40 ERA. He missed the World Series, serving in Korea, but returned for the 1952 season when he really dominated. That year he went 14-8 with a 2.82 ERA, earning his first All-Star berth. He returned to the game in 1953, recording a 16-13 ERA with a 3.21 ERA. He would have a few more fine seasons with the Phils, but fell victim to poor win-loss records because of some bad teams. Thinking he was finished, the Phillies released Simmons in 1960, but he returned to prominence for a few seasons with the Cardinals. He retired at age 39 in 1968, and he’ll be 80 in May.

Comment: A Lehigh County boy made good in the big city, Simmons is clearly one of the franchise’s greatest pitchers. In fact, by this count, he’s the eighth-greatest pitcher in franchise history. If only he played on some better teams, he could’ve won maybe 150 games as a Phillie. Alas …

The bats came alive in game No. 4. Ryan Howard knocked an opposite field home run, with John Mayberry Jr., Miguel Cairo and Ronny Paulino adding blasts. Howard, Mayberry and Cairo each had two hits, and Eric Bruntlett, Jason Donald, Shane Victorino and Andy Tracy added RBI hits.

Kyle Kendrick pitched a somewhat Kendrickian 2.2 innings, yielding four hits and a run (off a home run), but wiggling out of jams with help from an improved changeup. Relief was much better than previously, with prospect Drew Naylor flashing some stuff, Mike Koplove and Clay Condrey each turning in scoreless frames and Scott Eyre getting work in giving up a run. Jake Woods surrendered two late runs.

Now 1-3, the Phillies will next play in Lake Buena Vista against the Braves. That is at 1 p.m. tomorrow.

UPDATE (12:31 p.m.): Jayson Werth is a scratch because he tweaked his shoulder, according to Todd Zolecki. John Mayberry Jr. will take his place. Werth still hasn’t played a moment in the Grapefruit League.

***

Two familiar faces reunite at Bright House Networks Field today.

It’s the first of seven meetings between the Phillies and Rays, the two teams who vied for the world championship last season. This season the Rays have a new weapon — one Phillies fans know extremely well. Pat Burrell will make a start at designated hitter today. The Rays will start Mitch Talbot. Meanwhile, the Phillies will start Kyle Kendrick, who is part of the Fight For Fifth. Drew Naylor, Clay Condrey, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge alre also scheduled to pitch. For Naylor it’s a tune up for the World Baseball Classic. For the rest? Getting work in.

Your lineup: Rollins (SS) / Victorino (CF) / Ibanez (LF) / Howard (1B) / Mayberry (RF) / Dobbs (DH) / Cairo (2B) / Donald (3B) / Paulino (C).

You can watch this one on Comcast SportsNet and MLB Network.

Adam Eaton spoke to Scott Lauber Friday after being released. He has quotes posted, and they’re, of course, genuine Eaton. Here are the best:

On if he’s upset that it happened …

“I don’t think upset is the right word. Underachieve? Yeah. I wasn’t as healthy as I’d like to be. That’s been my focus this spring, to be healthy so I can do what I’m able to do. Anytime you’re weighing [shoulder] surgery options in the offseason before the second year of a contract – and maybe I should have done it, maybe that would have been the best-case scenario – but I feel fine now.”

On why he thinks he was released …

“This day in age, it’s what have you done for me lately. Regardless of leading the team in quality starts until the All-Star break, two starts later, three starts later, I’m cast off in the bullpen. Granted, there were a lot of horrible games in there, but there were some good ones, too.”

On deciding not to join the Florida Instructional League during the postseason …

“I weighed my decision very carefully before I was given the opportunity. I was not going to make the playoff roster, obviously. I haven’t pitched in the big leagues since whenever, July. And they say, ‘Well, go down and get in shape.’ Give me a [expletive] break. What do you want me to say? You want me to swallow another pill? For what? Waste two weeks down here where I can go spend two weeks with my family? Yeah, sure, I’ll go up there for the World Series. Hey, I’m up on the float. ‘Boo, [expletive] you.’ Great. Would that be any fun for anybody? No. In that regard, not sharing it with my teammates. But it was nice to see them on TV. They’re world [bleeping] champs.”

Scott Rolen
Third Baseman
1996-2002

Career w/Phillies: .281 AVG / 150 HR / 559 RBI / 71 SB

In 1980 while en route to a league championship, the Phillies drafted Juan Samuel. In 1993 while en route to a league championship, they drafted Scott Rolen. The Indiana third baseman made his splashy Phillies debut in 1996, then traditionally became a rookie in ’97, winning the NL Rookie of the Year award after a fine season (.283 AVG, 21 HR, 92 RBI). Quickly, Rolen’s bat showed he was one of the game’s premier infielders. He slugged 31 home runs and drove in 110 in 1998, at age 23. Moreover, he was an exceptional fielder, winning four Gold Gloves as a member of the Phillies. Many compared him to Mike Schmidt, and while those comparisons seemed dead on early, injuries derailed Rolen’s ascension to more of a crawl. He still put up great numbers (2001: .289, 25 HR, 107 RBI), hitting 20 home runs almost every season he played in Philly. Of course, his tenure in our city came to an end, as Rolen was traded to the Cardinals … “Baseball Heaven,” he called it. He descended from Heaven last year, being traded to Toronto.

Comment: Of all his moments in pinstripes, maybe Rolen’s most memorable was his two-home run night to lead the Phillies in late 2001, the first night baseball resumed after the attacks of Sept. 11. He’ll always be remembered for that. Injuries stopped him from being legendary, and a tough relationship with the team hurt worse, but no one can deny Rolen’s place in Phillies history.

This time Andrew Carpenter looked terrible as the Phillies dropped a 10-3 game to the Reds Friday in Sarasota.

Carpenter couldn’t record an out. His line: 0 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 ER. That won’t help you make an impression in camp. After Carpenter, things remained tortured: Antonio Bastardo pitched a fine two innings, letting in an inherited run. JC Romero also surrendered a run while walking three in his first work in 2009. The other major blunder was Sergio Escalona, who did himself no favors with a four-run outing in an inning and a third. Ryan Madson had a nice first outing, while Joe Borkowski continued to show promise at the back end.

Raul Ibanez continues to have a strong spring, knocking an RBI double in the first inning. That scored Shane Victorino, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles the day he was elected to the U.S. World Baseball Classic team. Pablo Ozuna made the most of his first game, notching two hits, including a home run.

Tomorrow the Phillies host a rematch of the 2008 World Series when the Devil Rays … and Pat Burrell … come to town.

Sunday is our first monthly mailbag, so please, send your Phillies and baseball-related questions to tim@philliesnation.com

Philadelphia Magazine – March 2009

Von Hayes

Phillies, 1983-’91

Last summer, when the Atlantic League’s Lancaster Barnstormers came up shorthanded, first-year manager Von Hayes activated himself, signing a $1 contract and releasing himself the same night. Fittingly, he’s most famous as a Phillie for an oddity: being the first major leaguer ever to hit two home runs in the first inning. “I was, like, one-for-18,” Hayes says of his shining moment on June 11, 1985. “I told my manager if I led off, I could get up more, get my hitting back. So for the first time in my career, I hit leadoff. And I hit a home run in the first inning, and we batted around, and the next time I came up, the bases were loaded, and I hit a grand slam.” The Phils won, 26-7. Hayes, now 50, isn’t sure why he remains a hot topic on Phillies sports blogs (in January, PhilliesNation.com was musing on his nickname, “The poor man’s white Darryl Strawberry”), or why local rock band Von Hayes named itself after him. (“I doubt I’d go out of my way to hear them.”) But there’s something very Philly about Hayes: “I wasn’t someone you read too much about, on or off the field. I’m just a regular guy.”

It was learned through today’s game broadcast that Shane Victorino has been named to the United States team of the World Baseball Classic. He’s replacing the injured Grady Sizemore.

Victorino will join Jimmy Rollins on the U.S. team. Carlos Ruiz is on Team Panama, and JC Romero is on Team Puerto Rico. Three minor leaguers (Brad Harman, Drew Naylor, Joel Naughton) are on Team Australia.