Phillies Nation

I agree, they still need a good RH pinch hitter (maybe Millar can be sough after in part with Halladay).

Once they make a trade for a starter their bullpen will improve – PRESUMABLY – with Bastardo sliding over to the bullpen. He would be a great asset in the playoffs to come in and throw heat out of the pen.

We can expect no less than three new arrivals between now and the August waiver-deadline. Wed obviously need a starter now before the regular deadline but the other two parts can be had in August.

1 – Frontline SP (we all know this already)
2 – RH Pinch Hitter (can be had in August)
3 – Bullpen arm (August as well)

Honestly, Mayberry was not ready to be up in Philly. He is young and needs to be playing each day to improve on his stuff. He was slow to get going in lehigh valley, but he did show promise.

Bruntlett sucks, Dobbs needs more playing time, we need some power off the bench…someone other than Stairs who has the ability to get some homers, runs in.

Pedro as a starter will increase reliance on the bullpen that is shaky, at best. Look at tonight….the starter did his job, the bullpen lost it.

Having a big name starter can only help so much, ask the mets and yankees

I want them to get Garrett Atkins from Colorado. I think he’d be a perfect fit. He can play 3B as well as LF. He’s also a good RH bat.

How many teams have a good hitting backup catcher and middle infielder? If those guys could hit they would be starters! That’s why Coste was so valuable on the bench. He was a backup C who could pinch hit; apparently until this year when he supposedly he did poorly at both.
From the minors both Marson and Donald could be excellent replacements since they could be future starters. Do we want to rely on them during a playoff run?
I think backup catcher is hopeless. Bako is learning the staff and other than Marson we are just looking at scrap heap guys. Is Johnny Estrada available? At least he can hit.
Middle infielder is quite tough to find. Good fielder with pinch hitting and pinch running skills? What prospect do you want to give up to get Willie Bloomquist or Jerry Hairston or an injured David Eckstein? Maybe we can sign Lugo but I’m sure he wants playing time just like all the guys we went after this off-season (Garciaparra, Wigginton, Sheffield).
Now I think it is possible to replace Mayberry with any right handed pinch hitter, a right handed Stairs. Dobbs can field for Ibanez in LF. Stairs maybe a couple days a month in RF. So, Millar, or a similar DH only type could fill that role. We could give up next to nothing for that.

Bruntlett is in straight up for defensive purposes. Think about it this way, if anyone on the Phillies gets injured, Bruntlett can play that position adequately and you want to replace him with a .250 pinch hitter?

Pinch hitters just suck, that is why they are on the bench most of the game. Not to mention the fact that most players cant pinch hit anyway — ie Mayberry, Dobbs (though he did well last year, but his average goes up a lot when he plays more), Cairo, and Bruntlett all hit relatively well when they were getting lots of ABs and just couldnt do much of anything when they were put in the pinch hitting role. Though Dobbs is starting to come around.

Lugo would be a nice addition if his is RH batter but I dont know why you would trade for him. He is released. he is older too, so maybe that helps with pinch hitters. I honestly that Stairs is a rarity and that generally pinch hitters are just not going to be good. It is too difficult a role.

Interesting article. Where did you have all the information from? I didn