Moyer, Phillies Visit Burrell, Rays
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Thu, March 12, 2009 11:30 AM | Comments: 22
Posts, Spring Gameday
Jamie Moyer and JA Happ will take the hill when the Phillies visit the Rays at Port Charlotte, Fla. Gametime is 1:05 p.m.
The 46-year-old lefty is coming off a solid start against the Tigers. He struck out five in four innings, letting up just a run. Happ, meanwhile, mowed down the cats with a seven-strikeout pefromance in three frames. The latter is immeresed in the Fight For Fifth, seemingly in the lead with Chan Ho Park for that final pitching rotation spot.
No word on if the returning Phils are scheduled to play, but one aspect overlooked: The great Matt Stairs has returned. However, he’s finding himself entrenched in his own battle, staring down the hot-hitting John Mayberry Jr. for that fifth outfielder spot.
Listen to the game here.
Posts: 0 Justin
That was quick, already a run given up by Moyer, I know he’s not under the gun but it didn’t take tampa long to get on the board.
Posted: 12:14 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
Mitch Williams was pretty adamant about keeping Stairs around… I felt like maybe he was going to be the odd man out… I value what Mitch has to say (even though I woudl have sworn that he was pulling lines directly from this site… no lie). If it came down to Stairs/Mayberry, I would take Mayberry… however, Mayberry would get more chances in AAA and Stairs is a hired lefthanded bat (Mayberry is righthanded). Eventually, we might need a lefty on the bench. What a conundrum…
Posted: 12:47 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
Burrell scored a run…
Posted: 12:48 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Between Dobbs and Jenkins, we have Lefty bats … Stairs will make the team over Mayberry though if both are still around.. and the Phillies will probably look to move Stairs all season long.. he’d get more at-bats somewhere else and I’m sure he’d rather get to hit for an average team than ride pine all season for the Phillies
Posted: 12:50 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Phan in TN
I’m listening to the game on MLB.com
who is the announcer next to LA?
he’s almost Scott Graham ish
Posted: 01:10 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
“he’d get more at-bats somewhere else and I’m sure he’d rather get to hit for an average team than ride pine all season for the Phillies.”
I’m not so sure about that, Don. At this point in his career (most people thought that he would retire after last season), I think that the first consideration for Stairs might be location… a journeyman at the end of his journey. All things considered, he might want to opt to stay in the N (preferrably, the NE). He’s probably best suited for an upstart team like the Indians or the Royals but I’m not so sure if he would be thrilled with that move (winning a championship probably felt pretty good). I think that our best bet is to trade Stairs for a middle reliever or a draft pick… just not sure where he would fit.
Posted: 01:14 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
The last week of Spring Training there are always deals out there, teams try to move the guys that don’t fit well onto their rosters.. there will definitely be some middle relievers or bench guys out there. or maybe a team think it needs an experienced bat coming off the bench, I trust Jenkins more than Stairs (HR or K)..
sometimes its good to have guys that just swing for the fences, but id rather have a guy with a better chance to get on base, or move a runner late in the game, something a little more reliable
Indians or Royals are GREAT suggestions. not sure what either team has on their bench, but I look for both of them to be good… I think the Orioles will give some teams problems this year too, but their pitching sucks so they’ll struggle to be .500 … but they’ll lose a lot of high scoring games
Posted: 01:32 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
Young Happy gave up a HR to Gabe Kapler… that’s it, he’s done. Kidding, of course.
Depends-able Jamie Moyer went 5 innings, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 H (a little high)… couldn’t resist the pun there.
Posted: 01:38 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
I agree, Don… with the additions of Ibanez and Paulino, you would expect that we would need to create space by designating/trading/releasing two rostered players… The obvious choices would be Coste or Stairs. Paulino and Coste would be a wash and adding Ibanez means that we need one less lefty bench bat… Stairs, Dobbs or Jenkins.
Posted: 01:51 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Dobbs stays… and Jenkins makes too much to trade. so obviously Stairs is the odd man out
Coste might have more trade value than Paulino, but that battle will go until the very end
Posted: 01:58 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin
The Phils have been looking to deal Jenkins for some time now just because they almost prefer Stairs whos a better clutch bat off the bench than Jenkins whos more of a Pat Burrell type that needs to be in the game to be able to hit the ball. I’d look for the Phils to eat part of jenkins salary and deal him anywhere. Stairs will almost assuredly want to go back to Toronto, and that’s a team that may have a few pitchers that may need to be designated or kept on the roster that may be of interest to the Phils.
Posted: 02:26 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Phan in TN
It was still nice listening to the Phils play even though they lost.
I look forward to when Harry is back.
still don’t know who that guy was that was talking with Larry Anderson.
Posted: 02:30 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Stairs will get DFA….Coste DFA/traded or sent down if noone else wants him.
They will try and trade Jenkins but Id be happily amazed if they were actually able to move that contract…
Posted: 02:31 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Manny
Happ was good… 3 IP, 1 ER (a solo HR)…
Posted: 02:43 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Settled in nice. I have to think if Happ keeps this up, he should be No. 5. But you still can’t deny Charlie’s penchant for going veteran early.
Posted: 02:51 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Manny
Yea, Tim. I was thinking about someone’s comment on this website, saying that they like Chan Ho to start as No.5 and then get Happ in as the No.5 for the latter part of the season… kinda like what happened in ’08.
At this point, I don’t see either Park or Happ as pitchers that can go though a full season. So maybe this idea is not bad. And if you ask me which player I rather have starting a crucial September game, I rather see Happ (who throws hard, still has the “surprise” factor, and goes for strikeouts) pitching that Chan Ho (‘I’ll give up 2 grand slams in an inning’). That being said, Chan Ho can be really good out of the pen in August/September games. Basically, if you were to divide time for your No.5 spot between Park and Happ, who would you rather see starting during the first half of the season, and who would you rather see in the second half?
Posted: 03:15 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Much rather have Park start the season in the five hole, giving way to Happ by July. Now, that won’t exactly happen that way. I’m thinking (and this is me) a poor season for Moyer, dropping him out for Happ early.
Posted: 03:21 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 CT
i hate to agree with you Tim, but i think you’re right. as much as i love moyer, i said it before, but his magical fountain of youth can’t last forever.
Posted: 03:31 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
I concur with that…youd have to think that this will eventually catch up to Moyer. I didnt like giving him two guaranteed year at all, but still, I hope you can get one good year out of him…If Moyer has a bad start and Park wins the 5th spot I could definitely see them putting him on the DL for something andmoving Happ in there.
Posted: 03:32 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
That was my point, Manny… let Park, the veteran, start out as the #5 starter and give Happ the ball when it matters (if Park stumbles, which is likely enough to be talking about it). If Moyer flames out, we still have arms waiting for their shot (Carrasco, Kendrick).
I have also said this before… until Moyer gives me a reason to think that he “can’t,” I’m going to have to believe that he “can.” He is gunning for 300 wins… three more seasons of 16+ and a half season would do it. That means, he has to stick around until he’s 49… I think he can do it.
Posted: 05:15 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Bruce
I agree with Chuck P on Jamie Moyer. Critics obsession with Moyer’s age is amusing. The pessimists turned a blind eye to this most crafty veteran’s virtues; Fitness and finesse. Those are the keys to his success. It is the combination of physical conditioning and of course, keeping batters off balance with his array of offspeed pitches. I once read that Moyer has built his career on the changeup, once claiming he could throw the pitch at 14 different speeds! (smile) And more importantly, with pinpoint control. Therein lies his fountain of youth. He knows when his time is up is when he loses that control.
Moyer will often recite his “physical fitness” mantra to anyone listening. Besides his obvious pitching skills, he credited tireless conditioning for increasing his baseball life span. Have any of you bother to notice how Moyer has maintained his svelte physique, even at age 46. Moyer also has said he kept his endurance levels up in training every season including this year.
I know that there are some here who are STILL MYSTIFIED BY HOW MOYER GETS AWAY WITH IT. I saved a quote that often comes in handy for describing a pitcher like Moyer. This one comes from a most knowledgeable baseball fan and now managing LA Dodgers, Joe Torre. Quoting Torre, “Warren Spahn said it best,” he said of the Milwaukee Braves Hall of Fame left-hander. “He said, `Hitting is timing. The pitcher’s job is to upset the timing.” It’s really that basic for success. And did you ever see Moyer throw one down the middle? He works both sides of the plate with that pinpoint control. He always keeps it low. Unless he intends to come up high, then it is always in tight. That’s why you often see hitters being jammed.
So don’t worry Phillies fans. Moyer is doing just fine as indicated by his current success in ST.
Posted: 05:51 PM on March 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Georgie
Here, here, Bruce!!! I have always maintained that Moyer is in better shape than most guys half is age. And yes, I have noticed his svelte bod, he is still very agile, don’t know why people are expecting him to just fall apart any day now. He is a perfectionist, and as you said, he will know when it’s time for him to retire. I’m keeping a positive outlook where Jamie’s concerned, think he’ll have at least one or two more good seasons.
Posted: 06:01 PM on March 12, 2009