Phillies Nation

With the addition of Hunter Pence, the offense is expected to ignite.  Last night, Ryan Howard saw more pitches in the zone, with Pence providing protection.  The talk is all about Pence, but Raul Ibanez is showing that there is no need for him to ride the pine.  Known as a streaky hitter, Ibanez is in the midst of a hot streak.

Ibanez  finished the day 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs.  He started the action with a solo shot in the first inning.  The one run was enough for starter Vance Worley, until the fifth inning.

Continue reading Ibanez Leads Way to Sweep of Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates (54-51) at Philadelphia Phillies (67-39)

Jeff Karstens (8-5, 2.41 ERA) vs. Vance Worley (7-1, 2.02 ERA)

Time: 1:35, Citizens Bank Park
TV: MyPHL 17
Weather: Mostly Sunny, 92
Media: Twitter and Facebook

The Phillies have a shot at sweeping the Pirates and holding on to a 5-game lead in the NL East over the Braves.

They’ll also look to continue their hot hitting. Ryan Howard was a monster on Saturday, going 4-for-4 with a homer and two doubles. Hunter Pence slipped into the background in his Phillies debut going 1-for-5 with an RBI batting in the 5-hole. Perhaps his inclusion in the lineup is already starting to pay off.

Or, perhaps this offense is just plugging along at its usual summer pace – they love to hit when the weather gets warm.

Today it’s Vance Worley on the mound seeking the sweep against a scrappy Pirates team that is fighting for its life in the NL Central. I think I speak for many when I say I’d love to see the Pirates make the playoffs again, but for this weekend, we want nothing less than three wins for the Fightins.

Continue reading Gameday: Pirates (54-51) vs. Phillies (67-39)

"Consider the lilies of the field..."

Ruben Amaro, believe it or not, has much less of a vested interest in the Phillies’ long-term health than you and I. You see, even though, at age 46, he’ll be physically capable of running the Phillies for two decades, his attachment to the team comes from his five years with the organization as a major league outfielder and subsequent 13 years, up to and including today, as an assistant GM and general manager. It’s a professional association, the likes of which you might have with the law firm, or gas station, or department store, or accountant’s office that you work for. Because Amaro serves at the pleasure of the Phillies’ ownership, that association could (but almost certainly won’t) end tomorrow, or it could last another ten years. Nevertheless, Amaro is invested in the team for the duration of his career, however long it is.

You and I, however, are invested, as fans, for the duration of our lives. I’ve already put eighteen years into this franchise, and, God willing, I’ll put in fifty or more years of fandom in the future before I shuffle off the mortal coil, and I imagine that many of you are the same. In a sense, we ought to care about this team in a longer term than its players, its management, and perhaps even its owners do.

This is all a very roundabout way of saying that the trade the Phillies made last night, sending Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart, Josh Zeid, and a player to be named later to the Astros for outfielder Hunter Pence, is an example of how aware Ruben Amaro is of his own professional mortality. Continue reading David Mayhew and Jesus Christ on Ruben Amaro

Pence-ylvania Shirt
We’re only printing a limited number of these shirts welcoming Hunter Pence to the 2011 Phillies.

The shirt features a custom design screen print on a 100% cotton preshrunk Gilden t-shirt.

Hunter Pence is a Phillie. And it did not cost Domonic Brown.

The Phillies have traded Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton, Josh Zeid (Double-A reliever) and a player to be named later to Houston for Pence. The player to be named later is not believed to be a top-tier prospect, and the Astros are also including $1MM in the deal.

In Pence, the Phillies get the righthanded fifth batter they wanted so badly. He is under team control for all of next season and the season after. Those are his final arbitration years, and based on his $6.9MM salary this season, an estimate of $23MM over the next two seems fair. Though, Ruben Amaro could do as he usually does and reach a contract extension instead.

Click the link for reaction and analysis. Continue reading Phillies Acquire Hunter Pence

Pittsburgh Pirates (54-49) at Philadelphia Phillies (65-39)

Charlie Morton (8-5, 3.69 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (12-4, 2.55)

Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet, MLB Network
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Chance of Rain, 89
Media: Twitter and Facebook

Hunter Pence.

Dom Brown.

Nnamdi Asomugha.

DISCUSS!

Tonight’s Lineup: Rollins SS, Brown RF, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF Ruiz C, Valdez 3B, Halladay P.

Your Gameday Beer – Orval Trappist Ale
I’ve said it before, monks know how to brew beers and this Belgian Pale Ale is no exception. First it hits you with a apple/pear scent then a complex taste of citrus, caramel, and earthy yeast – all in a creamy buttery consistency. Wow. I hear it goes well with Thai food, but this is certainly one you can drink alone. – By Brian

GO PHILLIES!

Would the Phillies be giving up too much for Pence? (PHOTO: Yahoo)

UPDATE, 5:15 pm: ESPN.com’s Buster Olney just tweeted that a source tells him the Phillies have no intention of putting Domonic Brown up for sale.

The saga continues.

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UPDATE, 4:30 pm: Michael Baumann did a little research today on how prospects pan out in the majors, here is a look:

Proof that the Baseball America people know what they’re talking about (Click on the year to see that seasons full list of top prospects):

2005:
Top 10 2005: 8 major league regulars (Mauer, Felix Hernandez, Delmon Young, Ian Stewart, Kotchman, Kazmir, Rickie Weeks, Hanley Ramirez), 1 MVP, 1 Cy Young, 4 batting titles.  Other notables: Matt Cain (13), Prince Fielder (15), Chad Billingsley (19), Jeff Niemann (20), Carlos Quentin (22), Nick Swisher (24)

2006:
Top 10 2006: 7 ML regulars (Young, Justin Upton, Stephen Drew, Liriano, Billingsley,Verlander, Matt Cain) Other notables: Fielder (11), Howie Kendrick (12), Alex Gordon (13), Ryan Zimmerman (15), Quentin (20), Markakis (21), Jon Lester (22), Chris Young the outfielder (23) and Tulo (25)

Continue reading Phillies Trade Rumors Friday: Hunter Pence Edition

I try to keep my commentary on this site rational, coherent, and dispassionate whenever possible. But the past few days have tested my patience. So what follows is spoken not from a place of reason, at least not entirely, and is permeated throughout with profanity and invective. So if you’re looking for news, this is not the place for you. If, however, you’re as fed up as I am with the rampant speculation on trades that could, if you listen to some, not only save the Phillies’ current season (!) but prevent the imminent disaster that is Domonic Brown from raining down volcanic ash and deadly plasma upon our fair city, yea, unto the seventh generation, then this is the post for you.

I think today is the day, as such a trade becomes, it seems, unavoidable, that we turn to the internet not out of fear but for catharsis, because after months of trying to discuss the situation analytically, my patience is wearing thin. I’m tired of discussing the pros and cons of Relief Pitcher A versus Relief Pitcher B, or Hunter Pence versus Carlos Quentin and Ryan Ludwick. I’m through being patient and ecumenical, because, frankly, I’m afraid. I’m afraid that Ruben Amaro is going to do something, out of a misplaced sense of panic or perhaps nothing more complicated than his own ignorance, that is so profoundly stupid as to touch on the bounds of mental illness.

Here’s the thing. The Phillies have assembled a team that is clearly the best in the National League. Coolstandings.com, which probably does not bear as much resemblance to the Holy Gospel as I make it out to, but is still an interesting way to look at the standings, has them on pace to win 99 games for the first time since the Danny Ozark era and at a 96.9 percent chance of making the playoffs. What a laughable idea it is, in light of those facts, that the Phillies need to do anything!

Even after the Carlos Beltran deal, the Phillies still match up quite well with the Giants and Braves, certainly well enough for Charlie Manuel’s bunch to like their chances in a seven-game NLCS with home-field advantage. So why is Ruben Amaro putting his young players on the market, the ones who stand to continue this era of dominance that we’ve somehow all taken for granted will continue beyond 2012 or 2013?

Now that the trade market is settling into its final week before the non-waiver deadline, do you know what the Phillies have to do to be the overwhelming favorite to represent the National League in the World Series? Not a goddamned thing.

Continue reading Dr. Strangeglove: Hunter Pence and Terms of Enrampagement

Photo: Matt Slocum/AP

It had been 54 games since the Phillies lost two in a row.  The unwanted losing streak has now begun.  The Phillies dropped the final game of the series, 4-1, marking the first time they lost back-to-back games since June 4.  Their last series loss came against the Mariners in mid-June.

Like most losses this season, the offense is to blame.  The Phillies only managed one run — an RBI double by Chase Utley in the 7th inning.  However, Tim Lincecum is no walk in the park.  The 27-year old’s recent illness did not slow him down as he tossed six scoreless innings and struck out six.

Continue reading Phillies Lose Game, Series to San Francisco

San Francisco Giants (60-44) at Philadelphia Phillies (65-38)

Tim Lincecum, RHP (8-8, 2.90 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick, RHP (5-4, 3.45 ERA)

Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet, MLB Network
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Chance of Rain, 89
Media: Twitter and Facebook

With the series even at one, the Phillies have their fifth starter going against the Giants’ ace.  Tim Lincecum, who just recovered from food poisoning, will finally make his start after being pushed back a few days.  Lincecum will be opposed by Kyle Kendrick, but the big story for tonight’s game is Carlos Beltran‘s Giants debut. Continue reading Gameday: Giants (60-44) at Phillies (65-38)