Phillies Nation

This is either a precursor to some deal around the corner that gets us or moves up a right handed bat, or the dumbest GM move of the year.

I don’t get it. Coste hasn’t been the best catcher or right handed bat off the bench, but we’ve traded Coste for Paul Bako, basically. I generally like what Amaro’s done as GM, but this makes no sense. Coste was hitting .245 with some power and mediocre defense. Bako can’t do anything but pull fastballs, he’s hitting .222, and he has no power. There’s a real upgrade. How about we just bring up Lou Marson? At least he has some power.

Should have kept Ronny Paulino. I didn’t even know we optioned Coste.

I just see Ruiz running into Chase or J roll
then we bat what bruntlett 7th and bako 8th?

Or do we hit the pitcher 7th? Are there 2 worse skells on a contending teams roster? If so someone point them out to me.

Coste is Vince Papale re-incarnated & changing teams within the same city. They’re both crumb bums. Albeit great stories…

Paul Bako stinks. But he can catch. Coste couldn’t. Or Cholly would have started him at least once over the last month. He didn’t.

Before hating on Ruben and calling this ‘the dumbest GM move of the year’ ( I mean really? how about dumbest post of the year?)…maybe the ire should be placed on Cholly. He clearly lost faith/confidence/fondness for Coste. The evidence is clear…

When Chris Coste found out he was going from a potential world series team to a team that is looking to tee off with the Nats at the local golf course,he must’ve been barbecuing mad throwing everything in the Phillies clubhouse.I look at this team as a Pat Gillick Production….Paul Bako? Is Ruben Amaro SERIOUS?

Dumbest move of the year…PAUL BAKO? How embarrassing.

Marson is coming up he has to please.

P.S. Maybe Pedro requested Bako.

Guys, chill out. I have no idea what Amaro is up to, but there’s probably something else coming down the line that made this move necessary/desirable. It does seem like the dumbest move of the year right now, but looking at this move in isolation is also kind of dumb. Take a step back and wait to see what else happens before calling for Amaro’s head (again).

I mentioned this in a previous post, Amaro is positioning himself for the stupid move of the year award. Bako isn’t anywhere near what Coste can do.

Coste, your 15 singles, 8 doubles, and 2 home runs will be missed this season.

Philly fans love an underdog. Any disappointment in Coste’s waive to Houston is purely sentimental. Clearing a spot on the 40-man will bring about new opportunities. I also don’t see Bako getting settled with young talent like Marson on his tail. Every team needs to make at least some position improvements. There arent many other Phillies I’d spare.

with the loss of Jarimillo, and the acquistion of Backo who other than being left handed is not better or worse than Coste and now releasing a fan favorite like Coste for nothing (don’t know if you could get much) is just odd. One potential problem is Marsden being packaged in a deal for an ace pitcher. I just think a good hitting catcher is important for this team since we have an AL style line-up that struggles to manufacture runs and as such needs more production in the 6,7,8 holes to offset the slumps power hitters are often go through. With Feliz hitting better, imagine what Marsden could bring to the line-up if he lives up to his potential….I don’t know if he’s like victor martinez though…all stick but no defense. And i don’t know if its harder for a catcher to improve his batting or defense/game calling, but if marsden could learn behind Ruiz maybe we could have a well rounded Mauer type backstop in the near future

I agree with Geoff, I think some ppl are overreacting to this…I mean its only Coste, he’s lost a step and wasnt all that great to begin with anyhow

To all of the people kissing Rueben Amaro’s ass in this move think about this 4 for 23 Bako’s hitting and this fact he is trash from the Cinnati Reds, who have not been a contender since Barry Larkin was their Shortstop, and the Bash/Roid Brothers were out in Oakland, which was 1988 just a couple thoughts for ya’s, Rueben Amro Jr is also a liarr and a bullshitter he said he wasn’t gonna subtract from the team, he was gonna add but obiviously he has already subtracted a player from The World Phuckin’ Champions actually three if you inulde Jenkins and Burrell, he is an idiot who can’t scout players under Wade he dealt with contracts and did the same job under Pt Gillick, the Phillies ownership let then assisstant GM who help with scouting leave cause Ruby polished their cars bettter, or like Chris Wheeler does, their balls

I am really sad to see him go. I am just really happy his major league dream is continuing even if with another team.

Best of luck Coste!

I guess it figures…Amaro Jr. was a half assed player,you’d have to figure he’d be a half assed GM too. And it is just me,or does he have a LaRaza agenda..more and more the roster of the Phillies resembled that of the Tijuana Donkeys. He’s and isiot and Manuel’s a goddamned idiot for not speaking up…Bako,from what I’ve seen is nearly as useless as that last Amaro Jr treasure Freddy Garcia…way to go Ruben…you freakin’ moron.

This move was made to keep the right handed Mayberry Jr. here, who is a much more sensible RH option (for many reasons) than Coste off the bench. Unfortunately, someone had to be sent down with Ibanez coming back. Apparently Amaro Jr. likes the idea of having a R/L hitting catcher combo, and felt (or maybe found out) that Coste’s trade value was nill. As much I hate seeing Coste go, I think it’s the right move for the team. Hopefully Coste will be able to find the playing time he wasn’t going to get in Philadelphia and thrive off it.

It is not so much the cutting of Coste, who is certainly a pretty text book journeyman backup catcher, but the retention of Bako that is mystifying. Bako is actually a year older than Coste, but worse he is utterly useless with the bat. Do note that in a 12 year career he has a whopping 331 PAs against LHP – so his career numbers basically assume he is facing a RHP (~85% of his career PAs). Even with the platoon advantage he hits .240 with no power (.240/.317/.320). Coste’s career vs RHP is .271/.331/.415 – he has more career HRs vs RHP (16 vs 15) than Bako in a quarter of the PAs.

I’ll accept Charlie’s judgement (based on usage) that Bako is better defensively, but his numbers are not at the level where you would use him as a defensive sub or anything. Better arm, but also a lot more PB/WP – over their careers Bako gets about 7-8 extra runners out per year, at the cost of 20 extra runners advanced. So basically you’re taking a roster slot that for the last few years has a plus-bat minus-glove reserve who could be used as a RHPH, and substituting a neutral-glove minus-bat who is useless as anything other that a spot starter vs RHP. I think roster flexibility alone is a reason to prefer Coste, particularly give how LH the bench is.

Again this isn’t a huge decision – the cost is probably around a win over a full season – but I think it is pretty clearly a net minus, and deserves to be criticized. It’s conventional, pigeon-hole style roster management, and takes a small piece of the Phillies roster that over the last few years has been a modest plus vs the league and makes it neutral to a small minus.