Phillies Nation

PHOTO: AP

Which Phillie(s) should make the National League All-Star team?  How would you feel about Domonic Brown potentially participating in the 2013 Home Run Derby?  And lastly, do you have any problem with the Phillies organization asking fans to vote for ALL of the team’s position players, or with fans that vote only for Phillies players?

Eric Seidman: Cliff Lee and Domonic Brown should make the All-Star team from the Phillies, with Jonathan Papelbon being a potential selection as well, as the game means something and there are few closers better. A pitching staff with Chapman, Kimbrel and Pap at the back end would be awfully intimidating. I would have no issue with Brown participating in the home run derby, as my own studies have shown that there is no such thing as ‘the home run derby effect’. Though many Phillies fans will swear that the HRD messed up Bobby Abreu‘s swing, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the derby really impacts player performance moving forward. My personal take on voting is to vote for whoever you want, with the current understanding that if the Phillies somehow made it to the World Series, the All Star Team would be better suited to provide home field advantage if other team’s players were on it.

Ian Riccaboni: There are three no-brainers and one fringe candidate right now, which is kind of strange for a team under .500 but speaks to how top-heavy the talent is. Cliff Lee is a true Cy Young candidate and should absolutely be in the All-Star game, as should closer Jonathan Papelbon. Dom Brown, the NL leader in HR, should be in the game as well. Finally, Kyle Kendrick is on the periphery but likely doesn’t get in. He’s 19th in ERA and 29th in FIP in the NL so he should be in the mix but ultimately shouldn’t get in.
Continue reading Writers Roundtable: How Many All Stars?

It might seem a bit early, but the MLB trade market will start developing soon, so imagine for a moment that you are the Phillies General Manager. Which players are you actively shopping at this year’s trade deadline? Are there any players in the organization that you would consider “unavailable” if another team came calling? Or are you waiting until a certain date, or a certain “games behind” point in the standings to determine your team’s fate?

Alex Lee: Assuming the Phillies are still in the mix for a playoff spot, the obvious name to look at is Michael Young. While M.Y. has no doubt been solid for the Phils, he is replaceable between Kevin Frandsen and Freddy Galvis, especially if he can bring you a bullpen piece for the stretch run. If the Phils fade out of the playoff race come July, I would make everyone on the major league roster available except for Cole Hamels and Domonic Brown. Even if this team somehow makes the playoffs, this offense is putrid and needs a complete overhaul.

Jon Nisula: I think that it would be in the Phillies best interest to get value for some of their best players at the trade deadline this year. I would shop Cliff Lee, Jonathan Papelbon, Michael Young, and anyone else that a contender might be looking for to fill the farm system with some good prospects.

Pat Gallen: It’s hard to pinpoint just one name, but I’m probably shopping Jonathan Papelbon. He can get you a decent haul in return and while the team will likely have to eat a little bit of money on his deal, it shouldn’t be too much. Now, it’s all about finding the right match. Only a handful of teams are in a position to take on big money at the closer spot. Where would that be? Detroit? Could Pap go back to Boston? Would Texas bolster an already strong bullpen? It may not be easy to unload him, but if the Phillies can find a match, he’s the first guy you have to look to move.

Don McGettigan: Regardless of where the Phillies are in the standings in July, I think it’s time to face the reality that this is not a World Series caliber team. Being that they likely can’t win a championship with this current roster, it’s easy to see that it’s time for a complete overhaul. So if I was the GM, I’d be on the phone yesterday letting teams know that any player in the last year of their deal (Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, Michael Young, Delmon Young, and Laynce Nix) are readily available at this year’s trade deadline. And I would gauge the interest in anyone on the roster not named Cole Hamels.

Trades my be tough for the Phillies to make though, as I don’t think any team would take on Ryan Howard’s salary, nor do I think that Jimmy Rollins would waive his 10-and-5 no-trade rights (a player with 10 years in Majors, the last 5 with his current team) for any teams other than select few in Southern California (specifically Oakland or San Francisco). Interesting names to follow this July are Jonathan Papelbon and Cliff Lee. Lee is potentially the top starting pitcher available, and Papelbon would likely be the best reliever on the market. The fact that both players are under contract past this season would likely make them more desirable than “rental” players, however, due to their high salaries the Phillies would likely have to eat a hefty portion of their contracts to make any deal work. The other thing to note is that even though a team would have these players for half-a-season less, it might serve the Phillies better to trade Lee and/or Papelbon in the offseason, when their trading partner might be more willing to send MLB-ready talent in return, as opposed to lower-level prospects at the deadline.

If the Phillies are willing to swallow their pride, they might be able to turn this organization into a young, up-and-coming team again in the next few years, but that process needs to starts now.

(sports.ca)

Q: Who was your favorite non-Phillies player growing up? And who is your favorite non-Phillie today?

Amanda Orr:

Ken Griffey, Jr. was my favorite non-Phillie player as a kid. He was always my top pick in Backyard Baseball on the computer.
Now, my favorite non-Phillie is David Wright. He plays the game the right way. He’s talented. Id say he has been loyal to his team despite how bad the Mets have been.

Jon Nisula:

My favorite non-Phillies player growing up was Ken Griffey Jr. He had such a sexy swing and had the numbers to go with it. Whenever I would hit batting practice as a kid, I’d turn my hat backwards to be like Griffey Jr. He’s probably my favorite of all-time as well.My favorite non-Phillie today has got to be Mike Trout. Again, he has somewhat of a local connection, and he absolutely mashed the ball last year. I hope he had a long, successful career.

Don McGettigan:

My favorite player growing up was Ken Griffey Jr. He was the most exciting player in the game for years, with one of the sweetest swings of all time, and the ability to make a defensive highlight every single night. Injuries robbed Griffey Jr of some of his prime years, but he’ll still be one of the best ever in my mind.

The current player that I love to watch is from a team we love to hate, Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees. He’s played about an entire extra season worth of postseason games in his career and Jeter always seemed to turn his game up when it mattered most. I’m going to miss him when he’s gone.

Ian Riccaboni:

Ken Griffey Jr. was absolutely my favorite non-Phillies baseball player growing up. He had it all: power, speed, highlight reel catches. He was the man. I used to blow huge Big League Chew bubbles with my hat turned backwards – I wanted to be just like The Kid.

My current favorite non-Phillie? I love watching Craig Kimbrel pitch. There’s not a better closer in the game – he’s fearless! When you see Kimbrel come in the game, you know the game is over. As a Phillie fan, it’s disheartening to watch knowing that a division rival has the best closer in the game since Mariano Rivera.

Eric Seidman:

My favorite player of all-time, regardless of team affiliation, is Greg Maddux. To borrow a wrestling nickname, he was the excellence of execution, and I always enjoyed watching him dissect an opponent with guile and acumen more than brute pitching force.

As for active non-Phillies, I would have to go with Bryce Harper. He seems like the kind of guy we’re supposed to dislike, but he is flat out awesome, plays the game the way it should be played and displays maturity and smarts beyond his years.

Brian Michael:

My favorite player growing up was Roger Clemens. My first little league team at Torresdale Boys Club was the Red Sox, so I started following them and the Rocket was clearly one of their best players. I collected hundreds of his baseball cards and loved how dominating he was as a pitcher. Once he left the Red Sox, I stopped rooting for him so much.

My favorite non-Phillie currently is Mike Trout. I like watching someone dominate the game and perform new and unique feats, especially in the field. And of course, you always root for the local guys.

Jay Floyd:

As a youngster I watched baseball as much as I could and that meant watching the Mets on New York’s WWOR channel 9. As a fan of hitters, I recall Howard Johnson striking me as a guy that seemed likeable and easy to root for. Johnson was an All-Star slugger and a leader on those Mets teams of the late 80′s and early 90′s.

I don’t particularly have favorite players at this point (curse the media side of things for making me try to act professional!), but a player I would pay money to see is Derek Jeter. He’s a stand out. A class act. A legend. And besides, Jim Thome isn’t considered active right now, so I can’t answer with him, right?

Ryan Dinger:

Growing up, my favorite non-Phillie was The Big Hurt, Frank Thomas. Kids tend to marvel at the long ball, and no one did it better than Thomas in the 90s. As time goes on, and we learn more and more about the era in which he played, Thomas’ name has stayed out of the papers. I cannot recall a single steroid accusation against him. That makes his impressive bat all the more amazing.

Today, my favorite non-Phillie is Mike Trout (I love the local guys). But a close second is Miguel Cabrera. Miggy has put up year after year of Hall of Fame caliber numbers, and, until his Triple Crown last year, he always seemed to be flying under the radar–at least for how good he is.

Alex Lee:

Kirby Puckett for me, without a doubt. I was seven years old for the 1991 World Series, which was an all-time great Fall Classic and the first one I can vividly remember following. Between his amazing catch against the Plexiglas wall and his walk-off home run in Game 6… not to mention beating the hated Atlanta Braves… I was hooked. His reputation was tarnished a bit before his death, but I will always remember him for his playing days.

Today my favorite player is Troy Tulowitzki. The guy just flat out does it all at a premium position. An infielder with that type of power and plate discipline is usually destined for third base. Not only did Tulow stick at shortstop, but he is a plus defender there. If he can get his health in check, he is a perennial MVP candidate.

Corey Seidman:

Favorite non-Phillie ever? The easy answer is Ken Griffey Jr. because every kid born around my time (1989) grew up idolizing Griffey. But for novelty’s sake I’ll go with Roberto Alomar, the smoothest second baseman of his day and one of the best ever. His prime lasted a decade and he hit .315 during it.

Pat Gallen:

My favorite non-Phillie growing up was Edgar Martinez. As a kid, my friends and I would follow the Mariners because of Ken Griffey Jr., but for some reason Edgar Martinez always stood out. It was that smooth stroke and odd batting stance. Martinez being a DH also drew me to him. As a 10 year old kid, that was something cool and different, something we didn’t have in the NL. Weird, I know. But I was 10.

Favorite non-Phillie presently is a two-horse race. Joey Votto doesn’t wow you, but he does everything so well. And Andrew McCutchen is a guy I’d love to see on the Phils. His hard-nosed style stands out to me. Sorry I can’t pick just one.

Q: “42” a film about the life of Jackie Robinson opens in theaters this weekend, which got me to wondering: What are some of your favorite baseball movies and why?

Amanda Orr: The Sandlot! One of my all time favorite movies. I watched it all the time as a kid. It’s a movie I have to watch at least once every summer. Not only is it funny and has some great lines, but it taught me who Babe Ruth was when I was young.

Eric Seidman: For me it’s a tie.  From a rewatchability standpoint, you can’t beat The Sandlot, which is just a terrific feel-good movie and not a “kids” movie but rather a great baseball movie about kids.  From a technical standpoint I’ll take 61* any and every day of the week over everything else.  It has great performances from Thomas Jane and Barry Pepper and a really informative behind-the-scenes look at that season. This movie doesn’t get a lot of love as it was an HBO original movie, but all non-Sandlot baseball movies I’ve seen pale in comparison.

Pat Gallen: It’s Mr. Baseball with Tom Selleck and it’s not even close. The mustache alone is worthy of 3 stars out of 4. Plus, in the movie, Selleck’s character led the team in 9th inning doubles in the month of August. Quite a feat. And, Dennis Haysbert from Major League is in it!  In all seriousness, it’s Major League, the original. Bob Uecker is hysterical and makes the film what it is. And who wouldn’t want a skip like Lou Brown?
Continue reading Writer’s Roundtable: Favorite Baseball Movies

Can McCutchen lead the Pirates to the postseason…finally? (mlb)

Q: What is your boldest MLB prediction heading into 2013?

Don McGettigan:

I think this is the year that the Pittsburgh Pirates finally return to the playoffs. It has been pointed out through multiple sources that in 17 of the 18 wild-card seasons, at least one team made the playoffs the year after a losing season. The Pirates have a roster full of young talent (Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez, and Sterling Marte), a respectable 1-2 in the rotation (A.J. Burnett, and Wandy Rodriguez) soon to be joined by top prospect, Gerrit Cole, and an underrated closer in Jason Grilli.

On August 1st, the Pirates were 60-44, leading by a game in the Wild Card, on September 1st the Pirates were 70-62, and just 1.5 games back in NL Wild Card, but they would only win 9 more games, finishing the season 79-83, 9 games out of a playoff spot. This is the year that they hold on strong until the end.

Jay Floyd:

The New York Yankees finish last in the AL East. Injuries will leave the once dominant club struggling to keep pace with the rest of their improved division.

Alex Lee:

The Yankees will finish below .500 for the first season since 1992. The Bombers seem to be headed down the same path the Phillies took to .500 in 2012. The following group will start the season on the DL: Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Phil Hughes. Even the surest best in baseball over the past 20 years, Mariano Rivera, is coming off a season lost to knee injury. There are some things not even a $200 million payroll can overcome.

Jon Nisula:

My bold prediction for 2013 is…the Phillies will make the playoffs as at least the first wild card. I think that they’ve shown us enough in Spring Training to prove that Ryan Howard and Chase Utley–the two keys to this offense–are healthy, and that will be huge for them this season.

Pat Gallen:

Domonic Brown will hit 27 home runs this season. In the American League, I think the Cleveland Indians return to the playoffs with an 88-win season and hold off the Detroit Tigers in the Central Division. Bold!

Adams could be the best acquisition in the majors. (AP)

Q: Which transaction by Ruben Amaro Jr. this offseason do you think will reap the greatest reward for the Phillies in 2013? 

Jon Nisula: I think that Ruben’s decision to send Darin Ruf back to the minors will help the Phillies the most in 2013. The move means that Domonic Brown will finally be given an opportunity to play full time. It also means that the Phillies will (hopefully) play a Mayberry/Nix platoon at the last outfield position, which I think is better than what Ruf or Delmon Young would’ve given the Phillies this year.

Pat Gallen: Clearly, the correct answer is Mike Adams. No disrespect to Ben Revere or Michael Young, but Mike Adams has the ability to be a second closer and end games after seven innings for the Phillies. He says he’s healthy, and by the looks of his spring numbers, I believe him. The Adams acquisition has a chance to be not only the best move for the Phillies, but one of the best signings throughout baseball this offseason.

Alex Lee: I have to agree with Pat there.  By now, most Phillies fans have been inundated with the statistics on how many games the 8th inning cost this team last year.  Ruben Amaro Jr. either badly misevaluated Chad Qualls or totally discounted the importance of a setup man last year when he built that bullpen.  The addition of Adams, if healthy, not only makes this unit solid, but also really gives it a chance to be a team strength if one or two of the younger arms blossom. 

Jay Floyd: I also agree with Pat and Alex, the Phillies transaction from this past offseason that will prove to be the most successful will be the signing of reliever Mike Adams.  Without question the biggest hole on the roster last year that wasn’t injury related was a void in the 8th inning set up role out of the team’s bullpen.  Adams locks that spot down and, as a result, will be the greatest upgrade for the club this year.

Ian Riccaboni: I’ll go off the beaten path here – I believe the decisions to cut both Yuniesky Betancourt and Joe Mather were the best of the offseason. Then again, I would have never signed them to begin with. Does that make those moves and then counter-moves simultaneously the worst and best moves of the offseason?

How comfortable are you with Nix manning a corner outfield spot defensively? Alex says corner outfield defense is an area of opportunity.

This week’s Writer’s Roundtable question was from Ryan Dinger and compiled by Don McGettigan:

“Aside from Roy Halladay‘s health, what is another major concern you have as you watch Spring Training wind down?”

Alex Lee:  This has been covered at great length, but my main concern is still the defense on the corners, particularly in the early part of the season.  I believe that both Michael Young and Domonic Brown will improve defensively throughout the year, but first base and wherever Brown isn’t look like permanent problems.  With Carlos Ruiz out for April, any additional lackluster defense could sink the Phillies hopes of a division title… and quickly.

Don McGettigan:  My biggest concern is getting Chase Utley all the way to Opening Day.  Utley is still arguably the Phillies best all-around player, and has missed the first month+ of the past two seasons.  With Carlos Ruiz serving a 25-game suspension to begin the year, the Phillies need Utley in the lineup to start the season. Continue reading PN Roundtable: Major Concerns?

Ben Revere has been everything the Phillies had hoped he’d be and more halfway through Spring Training. Photo AP

Our weekly Writers’s Roundtable is back and this time the topic comes from Don M.: Dom Brown has been far and away the best Phillies player this Spring by any measure. Other than Brown, who has impressed you the most this Spring?

Don McGettigan:  Perhaps because it’s potentially the year in Philadelphia for Carlos Ruiz, I was very impressed with what Tommy Joseph was able to do in the Grapefruit League (hitting .462, with a home run and two doubles in 13 at-bats) before being optioned to the minors.  Joseph also earned the praise of Roy Halladay  “He was very on top of things and aware of what was going on in games and situations. That’s what you want to see.”

Ian Riccaboni: Ben Revere has been as advertised for the Phillies. Despite an 0-fer last night, Revere is hitting .340, has four steals, and is playing great defense. If Brown wasn’t having such a great Spring, there’d be a lot more folks excited about the Phils speedy center fielder.

Corey Seidman: This is a tough question, but I’d say I’ve been most impressed by Freddy Galvis. I expected his extra-base hit power to go away after we found out about the PEDs, but he leads the Grapefruit League in doubles and legitimately looks like he could turn into a valuable starting middle infielder. It’s pretty exciting to see what he’s capable of this year.

Continue reading Roundtable: Besides Brown, Which Player Has Impressed Most This Spring?

How worried are you about Doc and his shoulder injury? (AP)

Roy Halladay had a bad year in 2012. It’s just that simple. He dealt with decreased velocity, shoulder troubles, and never got on track.

This is a huge year for Doc as he’s staring down the barrel of a $20 million team option for 2014. Whether he stays with the Phillies long-term could be contingent on what type of year he puts together – but mostly if he proves that shoulder is completely healthy.

Are you worried? The Phillies Nation writers got together to talk about it…

Question: On a scale of 1-10 (10 being most) what is your level of concern with Roy Halladay heading into 2013?

—————–

Corey Seidman: 8. Not because I’m so worried about him, but because of how important he is to the success of this team. If Halladay isn’t the Roy Halladay of 2010 or 2011, there is a very small chance this team finishes higher than 3rd in the NL East.

Ryan Dinger: 3. Whenever a pitcher has shoulder issues, there is always reason to be concerned. However, if there is any pitcher in the game who can work himself back to health and make the necessary adjustments in his game to account for physical digression, it’s Halladay. His work ethic is legendary and he’s always been a cerebral pitcher. For that reason, I don’t think there’s is much reason to be overly concerned about Doc.

Don M. 3. Thanks to a rotation that includes Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, the Phillies don’t especially need Halladay’s name mentioned in the discussion for “the best in baseball,” they just need him to be a solid top-of-the-rotation pitcher. The Phillies improved bullpen should help save some wear and tear on Halladay’s arm.

Continue reading Writer’s Roundtable: Concerned About Doc?

Jimmy Rollins is one of the best shortstops in Phillies history, and will undoubtedly be on the Phillies Wall of Fame one day. But will he be in Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame as well? I say that he should get in eventually, though I don’t think he ever will. Our writers take a look:

Eric Seidman: Jimmy Rollins has 48.6 WAR in his career, which ranks 12th among shortstops in the expansion era (1961-now). However, he also has at least another three years left to play on his current deal. Assuming he averages the conservative estimates of 3 WAR, 140 hits, 20 SB and 13 HR per season, he would be at around 58 WAR, 2,450 hits, 470 SB and 240 HR. His WAR total would place him 8th among shortstops in the pre-defined expansion era, which when coupled with his all-star appearances, gold gloves, MVP and World Series title, seems like it should be enough.

However, he would also be right behind Alan Trammell in that WAR leaderboard, and Trammell is one of the posterchildren for players who deserve to get in but haven’t. It’s going to be hard to imagine voters considering Jimmy when they have mostly ignored Trammell. Rollins has had a fantastic career and he is undeniably one of the best Phillies of all-time, but he seems destined for that Trammell-territory of being deserving and getting HOF support each year but not getting in.

Donald McGettigan: I’d say no. Fair or unfair, that’s how I think the baseball writers will vote when the time comes for Jimmy Rollins. Don’t get me wrong, Rollins has put together a great career to this point (and is my favorite player), but I don’t think he has dominated the sport the way I feel a Hall of Fame player should. Hall of Fame players should be perennial All-Star and MVP candidates, they should win 10 Gold Gloves (not just 3), they should strike fear into opposing players, and should be the no-doubt-about-it best players in the game. I don’t think Rollins quite fits that billing.

I wrote in Spring Training that I think Jimmy Rollins is a sure thing Wall-of-Famer, and went a step further by saying I think the Phillies should eventually retire his #11. Barring injury, Rollins is within striking distance of becoming the Phillies all-time leader in categories like Hits and At-bats, and Top 3 all time in Games Played, Runs, Stolen Bases and Total Bases. His longevity and production with this organization should be recognized in a special way, but I don’t see how he can be viewed among the greatest to ever play Major League Baseball.

Pat Gallen: Rollins might get close, based on some of the numbers Eric put forth. But using the eye test, I just don’t see actual voters putting him in the hall. Even as he’s put together a fairly impressive resume for a shortstop that stands maybe 5’8″ (it’s hard to play the game when you’re small, right?), I agree with Don in that he hasn’t really dominated for more than just his MVP season.

If we’re looking at some of the other shortstops who have entered the hall before him, how many of them would you take over Jimmy? His numbers actually slide right in there with some of the best, especially in the power category. He’s also third among active shortstops in stolen bases. The Phillies should absolutely retie that #11, but if you’re holding a gun to my head, I’m saying he’s not quite a Hall of Famer – and I think the voters will vote that way, too.

Corey Seidman: No Hall of Fame for Jimmy Rollins. The last four shortstops inducted into Cooperstown were Barry Larkin, Cal Ripken, Ozzie Smith and Robin Yount.

Ripken was a tremendous hitter for his position and had a streak that will probably never be broken. Smith was the best defensive shortstop ever. Yount hit .305 during a nine-year peak and played the two hardest positions other than catcher. Larkin was a .295 career hitter who made 12 All-Star teams.

J-Roll is not on that level, counting numbers or no counting numbers.

As Eric said, Rollins will fall into the Alan Trammell category. This is the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Very Good. You can’t convince me that Jimmy Rollins is one of the best 300 players in the history of baseball. Sorry.