Phillies Nation

Here is what I am having a problem with. I am a huge Phillies fan. I love this team. Last year everything came together. When you look at our pitching from last season you are shocked we won it all. Moyer had a nice season but there were plenty of games were he got rocked. We should of shook his hand and let him go. He might be good from time to time but you cant rely on him. Happ and Bastardo are our future but you are not winning it all with them. The bullpen is been so over used this year. I dont know if they will make it to the end. Last year Lidge was perfect and we just barley won the division…I have many issues with Manuel. First Rollins who I never have loved on this team. Yes he is a great defense of player. I hope steroids were not involved because his power went away. He has a big mouth. I understand when he scores we win. Charlie moved him to the 6th hole and guess what he started hitting the ball. Then he moves him back. WHY? He is just slumpping in the number one hole. Howard is a very very streaky player. I would of never given him that big contract. Go year to year and then trade him at the end. He makes alot of big outs and swings at almost every bad slider. Drives us nuts. Utley is struggling but he is so good you cant yell. Werth is streaky as well. To up and down and that hurts this team. Ruiz and Feliz are finally coming back down to earth. They are not .300 hitters. Ibanez will also come back down. He is solid and will be for the rest of the season. Our bench is pathetic. Stairs is good but Bako, Bruntlett, Coste, and Dobbs. Please. We play yo you with our AAA guys. Leave Mayberry alone. I understand why Stairs was in there but Mayberry is a better ball player. Charlie out thinks himself. We need to make a couple trades. Fast. Not at the deadline. Soon. We all can thank the Mets for allowing us to stay in first. Just think we would be 6 up if not for this bad slump but they could say the same thing. You cant get swept by these bad teams. Finally I think we can all put Madson as a closer to rest. Lidge is the man and I hope he returns to form. We have a tough series coming up and Moyer leads off. We need to hold our breathe because you dont know which Moyer will show…

This is ABSOLUTELY deja vu. I keep reminding myself of how I happened upon PN late last July. I was so frustrated with the way the Phils were playing, I think I googled “Phillies sucking” or something to that effect, and lo and behold, I found this site. There was a guy named Geoff who was saying all the stuff I had been feeling for the past month, so of course I chimed in, and we determined that about half the team should be traded, benched, or sent to the minors. it was so awesome to have other Phils fans to commiserate with, and by August I was 100% certain that they could never make it to the WS. Then there was the ever-upbeat and glass overflowing Don M. He NEVER gave up, which I just couldn’t believe, and I may have accused him of being a Phils employee at one time, sorry Don.

This year the slump looks even worse, but I’m going to try and remain positive. It’s basically the same group of guys, I know they can hit, so I’m not too worried about the offense yet. The pitching is another story, however, since last year was a magical season for the pitching staff, no major injuries, Lidge perfect, I knew this season was going to be different for them, so that’s my main concern right now. But Ruben can’t just wave a magic wand and bring in a starter, and now they are dropping like flies, so it is a big problem.

If they can address their pitching needs, I think there’s a good chance they can repeat, as difficult as that may be, I’m not throwing in the towel too early this year, afterall, they are the WFC!

I hate to say it, but the best thing as a long term (that’s the key word) Phillies fan would be to stand pat this year and take whatever this year gives us.

We don’t want to trade Michael Taylor, Dom Brown, Kyle Drabeck, etc for losers like Peavy, Bedard, Marquis, etc.

We might not make the playoffs, but we’re going to be in much better position with some of the young guys who are knocking on the doorstep next year.

time to get bitter………Outman pitching better than Blaton……Wolf better career ERA than Myers…….

Eli shut up you biatch…..We are a much better team then the Mets. Why dont you stop coming here and worry about your own team. You dont look very good. Except for Santana who looks bad right now, and Beltran who is hurt, you are horrible. Wright is to up and down to worry about. You have not won anything since 86. So stop ahole.

Sorry about all the typos.

The Dipsy

Blue Jays have a better record than the Mets .. and if the Blue Jays “SUCK” I don’t know what that says about the Mets.

Honestly.. I can’t believe that any Phillies fans, or Mets fans are actually talking smack right now … we’re both banged-up.. and we’re both losing to “bad” teams … really all the teams in AL EAST can hit.. if Baltimore gets any pitching, they are a good team (they’ve won series vs. us.. the Yankees, etc..)

Its still early in the season.. we miss Lidge more than we thought we would.. and we need Howard and Ibanez back ASAP

Harang will be on their radar.. a STRIKEOUT pitcher.. a RHP…

my guess is they ask for Carrasco and Michael Taylor

now it gets interesting

Oh yeah, Eli thanks for taking Wagner from us, believe me, we all appreciate it.

I’d pay for Harang, as long as Drabek, Happ and Taylor aren’t involved. Anyone else, fine.

Like Mike Franscesa said on Wfan, the Phillies have to much talent to be this bad. They will wake up. He said the Mets are just BAD. He said this team will not go anywhere this year. He is so right. We have hope with Utley, Howard, Ibanez, Rollins.

Hey Yea Eli, you have a great GM. Look at your team. What a mess. How is Perez working out for you. Oh and Putz, what a great signing. Church…LOL…Your such a dweeb

With that prospects? The Mets have NO prospects worth a a darn. Fernando Martinez was ruined by getting called up too early – at least until they send him back down to regain confidence. Parnell is nothing to brag about – hes ok.

The Mets have a terrible farm system now.

Fo Harang – who has become a Sinker/slider groundball pitcher THIS season – Id offer Carlos Carrasco, Michael Taylor and some sort of filler like Kendrick or D’Arnaud.

Id keep Brown. Shane Victorino might walk for Free Agency…Werth has one year left after this year. I figure the Phillies will keep one of Werth/Victorino and replace them with whichever of Taylor/Brown isnt moved.

Id lean towards keeping Brown because of his ability to play all three OF positions well and leadoff the order.

Eli – you can have Hurang. We’ll take Harang.

I don’t think you would need to give up EXTRA players in a trade for Harang..

I think Carrasco and Taylor would be fair to both sides..

and I think if you can add a #2 pitcher.. for a pitcher with #2-status as his ceiling.. and an OF prospect..

.. I kinda think you pull the trigger..

I dont know what they have at Catcher?? maybe Marson instead of Taylor.. but they would still want one of the OF prospects for any deal where a “better than average pitcher” is involved.

Taylor-or-Brown are gone in any deal for Lee, Bedard, Harang, etc..

If we opt for a Marquis or something, we probably get to keep our OF prospects

Geoff…. Carrasco, Taylor and Kendrick/D’Arnaud.

Are you nuts?

Carrasco has been the highest prospect in our system for two years (if you want to give up on him, that’s fine but in combination with these players, it sounds absurd), Taylor is an up and comer and D’arnaud is probably our highest rating catching prospect (Marson on DL). Harang’s contract (signed following his 2006 season) is pretty heavy, too…

Wish list… in this order

Halladay
Lee/Oswalt
Harang/Bedard
Peavy
…
Sheets?

I cant see Roy Halladay as really being available. I think the Astros owner is a delusional idiot and therefore wont make Oswalt available.

Soo the best guy who will liekly be available is Cliff Lee unless the Indians surge. The Rockies will still sell just not yet.

Carrasco is very expendable if youre getting a good guy in return. Im jjust saying ithats what theyd want for Harang. I still cant see the Reds even making him available though. I mean, the Reds are close to being a WC team in the next few years. Why trade your most experienced quality starting pitcher?

I think Bronson Arroyo would suck here, btw.

In rereading my post on Harang’s past injuries, I do notice his injury problems for last season. That may explain in part for his poor 2008 record.

Bruce, can you check out the three seasons before that on Harang? Thanks. And, respectfully, are you really disputing the “past performance” barometer? I didn’t make it up. Put it this way: If Jamie Moyer were a stock would you buy it? I don’t hate the guy. I’m just saying he’s probably more the pitcher he was in in 2004-2007 and this part of 2009 than the guy who pitched in 2008. I wouldn’t mind so much if he gave up six runs a game if he would just wait until the 8th inning to do it.

The Dipsy

I think that even though Bedard and Harang would both be No.2s in our staff, Bedard is more talented. If it takes the same prospects to get either, I think I’d prefer Bedard. 4 lefties all the way!

Last week was the worse week I can remember in a long time. We lost all the games, we lost Raul, Ryan got sick, Madson can’t get a save, offence not clicking. A million and one problems. The one difference between this year and the last is that the Mets were charging hard while this year they are also struggling. There is no way we should still be in first yet we are.

I thought we could wait until the deadline for moves but now I am not so sure. We need a bench bat and SP badly. Whoever makes the first big move might very well win the division.

I would go for that, Dipsy… Donald/D’Arnaud… we would probably have to send them a pitcher, too. Savery or Carpenter or Worley… not Drabek and not Carrasco.

Love the heat of the summer and I’m sure the Phils bats will warm to the tunes and the flow of beer as fans watch their boys win again at home. I hope Ruben gets Baez from the Orioles to fill in the relief. Is Madson tired? His fastball looked slow yesterday. Can’t imagine what decent starter the Phillies will get yet with most teams buying instead of selling.

I am serious, we have Putz, K-Rod, Wagner, all because of our GM. This man should be in the HOF with Beltran, Reyes, AND Delgado. We will win. All of them will be back by AUgust and we will have taken first. Let’s go Mets.