Division Rivals: Phillies in 2013

[Edgy MD]

Phillies resign Bastardo, their only arbitrant.

Yes, I coined that word just now.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm thinking that despite his being pretty offensively-impotent, Ben Revere will be an absolute chigger, if only for his ability to keep Metly extra-base hits from existing.

[Benjamin Grimm]

A "chigger"? Did metirish sneeze on you?

[Edgy MD]

Sounds like a slur targeting Asian Africans.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Edgy MD wrote: Phillies resign Bastardo, their only arbitrant. Yes, I coined that word just now.

You didn't coin 'bastardo.' I'm certain I heard it in the gag reel for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

You guys. He'll be "annoying," if you prefer.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Swan Swan H wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Phillies resign Bastardo, their only arbitrant. Yes, I coined that word just now. You didn't coin 'bastardo.' I'm certain I heard it in the gag reel for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

Muy funnyo, se�or Swan. �Alquien dijo Headley?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

IN A WORLD... where your team's championship window might be closing... when you're afraid your fringy-platoon-player-loaded outfield might go all pear-shaped...





... sometimes, the sanest thing to do... is to call on a man... who KNOWS from pear-shaped.




... Sometimes, when you want to throw in the towel... you call on a man... who knows how to throw things like they are towels.



... Sometimes, when you're getting old...




... you simply need to get Young.


Coming to stadiums this summer... Delmon Young IS... the Phillies' starting right-fielder.

[Edgy MD]

This is very wrong, but in the sense of viewing it like a scene in a Hal Roach one-reeler, I can't not laugh.

The ump's sap-take is priceless.

[Frayed Knot]

I like the catcher's total non-reaction, as if he sees bats flying at umps like once an inning or something.


It's not a bad gamble for the Phils w/Young: 750K w/incentives that could go up to 3.5mil and a likely power increase considering the stadium he's headed to.
Probably not where the former 1/1 draft pick expected to be entering his age 27 season and his fourth organization. Alas, a couple of on & off field incidents plus a few seasons of sub-.300 OBAs coupled with mediocre power, a bad glove and Ryan Howard-esque speed will do that to you.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Worse, he's being brought in to a situation where the Phils were struggling to figure out how to get promising Darin Ruf (.600 slugging at AA-- and a SSS .700-plus slugging in a majors cameo-- last year), Domonic Brown (like Young, but at least athletic and younger), John Mayberry, and Laynce Nix enough at bats in the corners. And Amaro aims to START Young over these guys, in right field (see above throwing GIFs).

Yeah, he's cheap-- he also comes with some serious cost. And it's not just because he like to yell slurs at homeless people and has the BMI of a dying Kirby Puckett (although each of these things is true).

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That he accepted that deal is probably bad news for Scott "2 Years, $8 Million" Hairston.

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Worse, he's being brought in to a situation where the Phils were struggling to figure out how to get promising Darin Ruf (.600 slugging at AA-- and a SSS .700-plus slugging in a majors cameo-- last year), Domonic Brown (like Young, but at least athletic and younger), John Mayberry, and Laynce Nix enough at bats in the corners. And Amaro aims to START Young over these guys, in right field (see above throwing GIFs). Yeah, he's cheap-- he also comes with some serious cost. And it's not just because he like to yell slurs at homeless people and has the BMI of a dying Kirby Puckett (although each of these things is true).

I get Ruf, but I'm not sure Mayberry and Nix really need AB. I'm not even sure Brown needs any. Looking at their outfield is why I think the Mets could easily have the third best OF in the division.

[metirish]

That's gold from LWFS...........pear shaped works in so many ways here, I mean, his head is actually shaped like a pear for one.....

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Yeah, he's cheap-- he also comes with some serious cost. And it's not just because he like to yell slurs at homeless people and has the BMI of a dying Kirby Puckett (although each of these things is true).

But at least he doesn't have a family history of diabetes.
Oh wait!

Otherwise, agreed on all accounts. It's not a bad gamble providing they aren't committed to starting him on a regular basis and I can't believe they'd stick to that no matter how many sweet things Amaro whispered in his agent's ear. Charlie Manual may play the dumb bumpkin on TV but I don't think he is one.



And, yeah, Sandy may just win this waiting game with Hairston after all.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Manuel does have weird doghouse issues, though. Outside of obvious performance issues, I think that's what's been keeping Brown from logging regular major-league hours, even in seasons like last year, when the Phils have been playing for fourth and down to four healthy OF.

Ceetar wrote: I get Ruf, but I'm not sure Mayberry and Nix really need AB. I'm not even sure Brown needs any. Looking at their outfield is why I think the Mets could easily have the third best OF in the division.

Point is... well, look at the rate stats. Mayberry is the same guy as Young, only with more pronounced platoon splits and defense that doesn't make your eyes spontaneously bleed and oh yeah, he's cheaper and under control for two more years AND THEY ALREADY HAD HIM. (Nix is the same way, only opposite-handed, and without the team control bit.)

Brown's a little Young-y, but he's still, well, young. And not fat. Yet.

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Manuel does have weird doghouse issues, though. Outside of obvious performance issues, I think that's what's been keeping Brown from logging regular major-league hours, even in seasons like last year, when the Phils have been playing for fourth and down to four healthy OF. Ceetar wrote: I get Ruf, but I'm not sure Mayberry and Nix really need AB. I'm not even sure Brown needs any. Looking at their outfield is why I think the Mets could easily have the third best OF in the division. Point is... well, look at the rate stats. Mayberry is the same guy as Young, only with more pronounced platoon splits and defense that doesn't make your eyes spontaneously bleed and oh yeah, he's cheaper and under control for two more years AND THEY ALREADY HAD HIM. (Nix is the same way, only opposite-handed, and without the team control bit.) Brown's a little Young-y, but he's still, well, young. And not fat. Yet.

Oh, I don't think Young deserves AB over them, I think perhaps they all suck. Young's only two years older than Brown actually. Clearly Brown's the guy who's least proven himself to suck, only through 500 AB, that you should play. And I guess he's the one that would be playing RF if that's as reported, but now that he's here I doubt anyone cares if Young takes AB away from the other two.

[Edgy MD]

Supposedly, nobody's ever played in as many games as Delmon while compiling as many GiDPs as walks.

I'd laugh, but I laughed at Juan Pierre. And I frankly wasn't particularly gracious with regards to Laynce Nix.

The way I look at it is, young players should have some not-so-young players to fight with for playing time. Else, they may end up fighting themselves.

[bmfc1]

Anti-Semite Delmon Young: yet another reason to despise the Phillies.

[G-Fafif]

bmfc1 wrote: Anti-Semite Delmon Young: yet another reason to despise the Phillies.

To be fair, I'm a virulent anti-Philite.

[Frayed Knot]

Wow, we went nearly half a year without touching this thread. Says something about the Phils although I'm not sure what.

Anyway, knee surgery for Ryan Howard. See 'ya in six to eight weeks (if things go well that is ... and, really, what could go wrong with the recovery process for a weight-bearing joint when one weighs 250 pounds?)

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Wow, we went nearly half a year without touching this thread. Says something about the Phils although I'm not sure what. Anyway, knee surgery for Ryan Howard. See 'ya in six to eight weeks (if things go well that is ... and, really, what could go wrong with the recovery process for a weight-bearing joint when one weighs 250 pounds?)

remind me to lose weight again..geeze.


is this a tacit throwing in the towel for the Phillies? The way he's been running I wouldn't be surprised if it's been torn a while. (Stupid Phillies, running an injured player out there when it clearly wasn't working)

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Ceetar wrote: is this a tacit throwing in the towel for the Phillies? The way he's been running I wouldn't be surprised if it's been torn a while. (Stupid Phillies, running an injured player out there when it clearly wasn't working)

Good thing they only gave him a one year, $4 million deal.

[Frayed Knot]

GM Ruben Amaro says he [u:1mlgfnba]will not[/u:1mlgfnba] rule out dealing Cliff Lee, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, or Michael Young - although Lee is now scratched from his next start due to neck soreness.

[Edgy MD]

Phillies phalling phast, refusing to show any heart and help us catch Washington.

There seems to be more than a small chance that they may end up behind Miami, the way things are going, and the last thing the Mets of the Future need is a 2013 confidence boost for the Marlins of the future.

[Frayed Knot]

On Saturday they jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 2nd inning with Cliff Lee on the mound and the no-hitting Nationals across the diamond and still somehow managed to get steamrolled.

But hey, they just extended Chase Utley for two more years (with options for like sixteen more) so there's that.

[Edgy MD]

The Phils are dunn. They don't impress me of coming back to relevance any time soon. But the last two times the Marlins cleaned house, they rebounded quicker than anyone suspected. They're who I'm fearing beyond this season.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Phils call a press conference for this afternoon for the purpose of whacking Cholly Manual.

[Benjamin Grimm]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Phils call a press conference for this afternoon for the purpose of whacking Cholly Manual.

All I was able to find was this:

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Phillies have called a news conference for Friday afternoon, but they have not disclosed the topic. The news conference is being held at 2:30 p.m. in the media interview room at Citizens Bank Park. The media alert did not list who would be attending to speak at the "Press conference to announce news from the Phillies."

That would be pretty harsh to fire him at this point. He should at least get to finish out the season. My guess, if this is about Manuel, is that they're announcing that he'll finish the season and then move into an advisory front office role.

[G-Fafif]

Multiple Twitter sources confirming -- or confirming they've read each other's Tweets.

Under Manuel, Phillies won five consecutive NL East titles, the first of them in stunning fashion (ahem), after missing the playoffs for 14 years. In 2008, they won their first WS in 28 years, the second in their sorry history. Last year he wrangled them into the Wild Card race despite being presumed dead at midseason.

Yeah, he deserves to go.