Phillies Nation

The holidays will soon be over, but the sales continue. Our “Continued Success” design is now available for the low, low price of just $14.95 over at Philavania. They’ve slashed prices on all their stuff as they look to unload before the new year. If we sound like a used-car salesman, we’re sorry. But there is plenty of good stuff to go around.

After guaranteeing at least one title from a Philly team, Philavania is eating their words. Without a championship, 2011 did kind suck. But this sale doesn’t. Check it out!

Phillies prospect Freddy Galvis has wrapped up his Venezuelan League season after playing in 47 games for the Aguilas del Zulia. The 22-year-old, who was ranked as the Phillies’ 4th best prospect in an August survey of Phillies minor league experts conducted by The Reading Eagle, struggled at times in the off-season league played in his native country.

Overall, the switch-hitting shortstop posted a .247/.308/.333 line with 7 doubles, 4 triples, no homers and 24 RBI.

Galvis, who was signed by the Phillies in 2006 at age 16, picked up the pace late with Zulia, as he sported a .326 batting average with 10 RBI over his final ten contests.

After an abbreviated Venezuelan League effort last off-season that saw Galvis spend an extended stretch working out under the supervision of Phillies personnel at the team’s spring training home in Clearwater, FL, Galvis stood out offensively in 2011. Continue reading Galvis Done With Winter Ball

The list of reasons why I love baseball is endless, but three things highlight that list: double headers, extra innings, and walk-offs.  Double headers and extra innings simply mean more baseball; what is better than more baseball?  Walk-off victories make the list because of the pure excitement.  It is hard to recall a walk-off victory that had a boring finish or lacked intensity.  In 2011, a game in September featured all three of these things, finding its way to our Top Moments list.

Due to hurricanes and other inclement weather, the end of the regular season contained several double-headers including September 15 against the Florida Marlins.

Continue reading Top Moment #18: Double-Header & Extra Innings in Walk-Off Style

Ryan Howard seen here in happier times. Photo by Ian Riccaboni

Starting this Tuesday and continuing each Tuesday, Ian Riccaboni will pose, and attempt to answer, an outside the box question that may affect the Phillies’ 2012 season.

The Big Piece was last seen by many Phils fans writhing in pain a few feet up the first base line watching the eventual World Series-winning Cardinals celebrate their first round win. On December 2, Howard was spotted at City Hall, donating $1.2 million and Adidas merchandise to Philadelphia schools struggling with recent budget cuts. The hobbling slugger was now off crutches but remained mute regarding his injury at the press conference. Ruben Amaro did give some clues to his return: Bob Brookover reported Amaro thinks Howard may return by May if initial weight-baring activities are successful.

Not a lot of ink has been given to who may start on Opening Day versus the Pirates at first base. With Paul Maholm likely gone, veteran Erik Bedard, the Pirates’ biggest off-season acquisition, will compete with Kevin Correia to start the season’s first game. With the Phillies’ now non-committal stance on John Mayberry Jr. as an everyday option, it is reasonable to assume the Phils will use any one of these four, Mayberry, Laynce Nix, Ty Wigginton, and Jim Thome, to fill first in Howard’s absence. The starter on Opening Day will likely be decided on what handedness the pitcher has rather than who had the bigger Spring Training.

The Phillies have pitching firepower that will keep them in games and enough of an offense to weather Howard’s absence, but what if in his absence, the replacement platoon outperforms him?

Continue reading “What If” The Platoon Works at First Base?

There’s nothing quite like a strikeout highlight reel.  The umpire continuously rings up batters or hitters keep swinging and missing.  The pitches look nasty, making the batter look like he never stood a chance.  All the pitcher’s opposition can do is walk back to the dugout with his head down.  Collectively punching out 1,299 batters in 2011, the Phillies pitching staff was featured in many of these highlight reels.  Cliff Lee created a highlight reel of his own during his third start in 2011.

Continue reading Top Moment #19: Lee’s First Shutout of the Season

On behalf of the entire Phillies Nation team – Brian, Rob, Nick, Amanda, Corey, Kieran, Jay, Jon, and Ian- I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season. We certainly hope Santa stops at your house this Christmas and brings you an abundance of Phillies related gifts. Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends, as well!

We’d like to thank you for sticking with us here on PhilliesNation.com and making us part of your extended family. We strive to put together the best possible website for entertainment and information, and we hope we’ve succeeded over the last year.

And really, we couldn’t do it without all of you. The best fans in the world make this the best source for Phillies news in the world. It’s that simple.

So, thank you all for continuing to grace the pages of PhilliesNation.com and Merry Christmas to all to all a good night!

It’s that time of year that gets you in the mood to be jolly. The biggest of all holidays is loved by all, for many reasons. Phillies prospects are no different. I checked in recently with several minor leaguers to find out what stands out for them as reasons to get excited for Christmas.

Highly ranked lefty pitching prospect and the Phils’ #1 draft choice last year, Jesse Biddle (pictured), took part….as did outfielders Brian Gump, Tyson Gillies and another former top draft selection Anthony Hewitt…right-handed hurler Tyler Knigge also offered his thoughts along with slugging first baseman Jim Murphy.

What’s your favorite holiday movie?

Jesse Biddle: My favorite movie is easily “Elf” with Will Ferrell because he plays a character perfect for my sense of humor. There is something about the innocent slapstick humor that I find hilarious.

Brian Gump: Probably “Nightmare Before Christmas”, I think that counts as a Christmas movie right? It’s just a really imaginative movie and is a nice break from the traditional Christmas schmaltz.

Tyson Gillies: I’d have to say Bad Santa. I like Billy Bob Thornton, even in Bad News Bears, he’s got a funny sense of humor.

Anthony Hewitt: The Grinch and Charlie Brown Christmas.

Tyler Knigge: A Christmas Story because it’s definitely a family tradition to watch it every Christmas Eve and it’s one of the funniest movies I have ever seen!

Jim Murphy: Bad Santa. My brother and I got tired of watching standard Christmas movies, and wanted something to kinda break the holiday mold. That and Billy Bob Thornton couldn’t be a better delinquent Santa. Continue reading Christmas on the Farm 2011

In June 2009, when I was trying to find a job after graduating college, I started writing for a small Phillies blog run by a longtime friend of mine, Paul Boye. He wasn’t doing much with it, I figured, so why not let me on board? That site, The Phrontiersman, trundled along for a while at about 1,500 hits a month for seven months. We each probably posted about twice or three times a week, and it was fun, but we knew that only a couple hundred people read our posts. That site served the purpose of helping Paul and me find our voices as sports commentators, all the while developing this strange sort of comedy double act, with me playing the role of Groucho Marx and Paul as Margaret Dumont.

In January 2010, I wrote a post trying to project the Phillies’ history if they’d kept Scott Rolen. MLB Trade Rumors linked to it, and the site blew up. A couple weeks later, Paul called me at work, saying this site called Phillies Nation had gotten in touch with him and wanted us to move over and write for them. I couldn’t say yes quickly enough, and for the past two years, I’ve written anything from a short poem about Cliff Lee facing the Mets to 2,000 words on attending the 19-inning game against the Reds this year. Over 23 months, we’ve been on a journey together, you and I, that’s featured both emotion and logic, with a touch of confrontation thrown in.

Today, that journey comes to an end. This will be my last post as a member of the Phillies Nation staff.

Continue reading Dr. Strangeglove: Saying Goodbye

It wasn’t too long ago when the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets had a very heated rivalry. Both teams were fighting for the National League East, but over the last couple of years the Phillies have separated themselves from the rest of the division while the Mets found themselves near the cellar. The Phillies/Mets rivalry wasn’t as intense in 2011, but any Phillies fan can agree that beating the Mets is always a good feeling, especially when it involves the faltering of a very disliked closer.

Continue reading Top Moment #20: K-Rod Falters, Phillies Comeback

Regularly throughout the off-season, we’ll take a look at Phillies players who are participating in various winter leagues around the world. As you might suspect, the time has come once again to provide updates on the prospects and big leaguers staying active in foreign professional leagues.

-Wilson Valdez, playing with the Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican League, has posted a weak .213/.255/.301 line in 35 games. In addition, Valdez has slugged 2 homers, driven in 18 runs and stolen 6 bases. The 33-year-old infielder batted .249 in 99 games with the big league Phillies in 2011.

-Phillies utility man Michael Martinez has not seen action since December 9th with the Estrellas del Oriente in the Dominican League. Through 19 games, Martinez posted a .113 batting average with just 1 extra base hit, a double. The 29-year-old has been playing shortstop for the Estrellas. Martinez batted .196 in 88 games with the Phillies in his first MLB season in 2011.

Continue reading Phillies Winter League Updates