Phillies Nation

I took a few days before deciding to reply.

I’m done here. Enjoy the season, everyone.

Sign me up for being stuck with Valdez. Like Chuck said, he helped save the 2010 season from a pre-October ending. He’s got a cannon for an arm. He can play second and third base and shortstop and rumor has it he can fill in in the outfield as well. Maybe he gets even better [...]

Well, I think the platooning idea is better than moving Blanton before we get a general idea of where the season is going. Wait until the All-Star break, make sure the guys in the rotation are going strong, and figure out what, if any moves, need to made. Trading Blanton now is a sign of [...]

This is a problem, but I think it’s a problem that can be solved from within. We’ve got Barfield, Young, and of course Exxon. I think Valdez can handle second base on a semi-regular basis. I don’t think there’s any way he can be all Chutley has been at the plate, but both Francisco and [...]

I realize that Chase Utley is a superstar, but if I were Rube and Charlie, I’d be talking about a season-long platoon between Utley and Wilson Valdez and hope that Polanco and Rollins stay healthy.

And that’s only if Chase doesn’t go in for surgery during the season.

Wheels and McCarthy being annoying, Ryan Howard looking good at the plate, Schneider and Raul working good counts, two homers… ah, nearly all is right with the world today.

I’m getting a Valdez jersey if I have to special-order it.

I think Dom Brown just needs more time. At this point in time, I’d much rather see Ben Francisco at the plate, though. Utley’s knee and the revelation that this might have been going on for quite some time came close, but nothing has enraged me more than the fact that Joe Blanton’s an afterthought [...]

Joe Blanton will be in the middle of everything in 2011. It’s good to hear he’s doing fine, considering how his spring training ended last year. I admire Chase’s determination to play through injury/pain/soreness, but this is starting to get ridiculous. How long has this one been going on? At least we have a serviceable [...]

Hey, Zagurski looks sharp!

I find it hilarious how YES didn’t even identify the opposing team before they took the field. At that point, I said, “We can deal with the minute delay. We can’t deal with the Yankees broadcasters.” Franzke and Andersen all the way. Cole did pretty well for his first time out. I’m liking what I’m [...]

Jimmy’s no punk. Yeah, he thinks he can best serve the team in lead-off, but I really don’t think his swagger and arrogance extends to playing games with Charlie and the media. There’s no problem with him stating his preference as to his spot in the line-up because he has said that he’ll bat wherever [...]

I thought we’d learned this lesson with Cole Hamels last year. Howard had a drop-off season, but I don’t think there’s any reason to believe he won’t come roaring back in 2011. He’s obviously putting the stuff behind him that he should be putting behind him (good on him for not watching that last at-bat, [...]

I’m thinking that Jay Bruce walk was a make-up for that called strike three on Rolen that was iffy at best. While I enjoyed seeing Rolen rung up, I knew he was right when he turned to the ump after that call. It was my aunt’s birthday and we were waiting for her to call [...]

Probably the greatest satisfactory moment I had all season. See ya, Scotty!

Also gave birth to the great Cole Hamels fist pump meme extravaganza over at ZWR.

How about a full house? Or a royal flush?

It was clever in the way Wheels is clever.

Big Joe’s got two somethings Cliff and the Roys don’t have: a World Series ring and a World Series homer. Big Joe’s got something Cole doesn’t have: a World Series homer. Based on the whys of Cliff and the Roys coming here, they might trade places with Big Joe and his ring right now. Joe [...]

I’m going to quote something I saw earlier and say, why not just start calling them the Phillies Starting Rotation and be done with it. Off-season’s over, playtime’s over. Steady Joe will contribute, big-time, until/unless they trade him. I loved how Cole pointed out that Blanton also has a ring and that he hit a [...]

Do we really have to take another shot at Steady Joe?

It was a classic, epic piece until the backhand at Blanton. Then it became classless.

Take a note from R2C2. Trash one member of the rotation, you’re trashing them all.