Two years ago, Jimmy Rollins was benched by Charlie Manuel for not running out a fly ball. Earlier this year, Shane Victorino was benched for failing to run all out after a third strike passed ball. These incidents were supposed to show that Manuel, for all his player's manager reputation, was not afraid to come down with the hammer when needed. This fit in nicely with the media-perpetuated myth that Manuel had this mystical ability to press all the right buttons at the right time.
But the Philly hitters fail to run out grounders and pop-ups all the time. In the week before the All-Star Game, on at least two occasions, Rollins failed to run out ground balls to first base. In each instance, they were slowly hit balls where the pitcher had to cover first. In these situations, there's always the chance of a bad exchange and the pressure of Rollins' speed should increase the odds of a fielding miscue. But in each case, J-Roll broke into a trot halfway down the first base line.
Rollins' defenders might counter that he is gun shy about re-injuring his leg. One response to that is that if he is that tentative, maybe he shouldn't be in the lineup at all. Another is that he has been doing this for years.
Jimmy Rollins hit .250 last season and is currently barely above .230. You might think that he would want to run out every ball as if his life depended on it. He is not the only culprit on the team but he is supposed to be their leader and spokesman.
This issue of course is hardly unique to this squad. But that shouldn't make it acceptable. We are repeatedly told that Philadelphia fans hold their teams and players to a higher standard. Right now, too many Phillies are playing like spoiled millionaires who think that if they just show up, great things will happen. The reality is that this team is posing a serious challenge to the title the Sixers currently hold - The Most Boring Team in South Philly.
Showing posts with label Phillies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phillies. Show all posts
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Should Manuel Hold Lee Until Game 2?
With the Phillies' starting rotation leaking oil in the last couple of months, there is added pressure on Cliff Lee, the only consistent starter of late, to succeed. Game 1 against the Yankees therefore becomes particularly significant. If the Phils were to go down with their ace on the mound, the prospects for the rest of the Series would be dire.
Perhaps Pedro Martinez can replicate his gem against the Dodgers. Perhaps Hamels can regain his form. Perhaps Blanton and/or Happ, or even a short-rested Lee, can go deep in a Game 4. But given recent history, and the intimidating Yankee lineup, none of these scenarios are in the high probability category.
The problem is that even if Lee performs well in the opener, it could be wasted against the venerable C.C. Sabathia. No one is unbeatable, as the Phillies proved Sabathia not to be in his previous incarnation as a Milwaukee Brewer. But he is one of the great pitchers in the game, coming off a solid season, and certainly capable of dominating the Phillies' lineup. And memories of his loss to the Fightin's last year can only serve to incentivize him even more this time around.
Should Charlie Manuel go outside the box and start Martinez in Game 1, and give Lee a better matchup in Game 2? It depends on what you consider more important. Do you want Cliff Lee to have the opportunity to start in 3 games, or do you want to increase your chances of winning at least one of the first two games in New York?
Perhaps Pedro Martinez can replicate his gem against the Dodgers. Perhaps Hamels can regain his form. Perhaps Blanton and/or Happ, or even a short-rested Lee, can go deep in a Game 4. But given recent history, and the intimidating Yankee lineup, none of these scenarios are in the high probability category.
The problem is that even if Lee performs well in the opener, it could be wasted against the venerable C.C. Sabathia. No one is unbeatable, as the Phillies proved Sabathia not to be in his previous incarnation as a Milwaukee Brewer. But he is one of the great pitchers in the game, coming off a solid season, and certainly capable of dominating the Phillies' lineup. And memories of his loss to the Fightin's last year can only serve to incentivize him even more this time around.
Should Charlie Manuel go outside the box and start Martinez in Game 1, and give Lee a better matchup in Game 2? It depends on what you consider more important. Do you want Cliff Lee to have the opportunity to start in 3 games, or do you want to increase your chances of winning at least one of the first two games in New York?
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Bring On the Yankees
It may be the equivalent of a death wish, but the Phillies' dream scenario would be to meet the Yankees in the World Series.
In winning last year's World Series, the home team generated euphoria throughout the Delaware Valley, but the rest of the country yawned collectively, as evidenced by the Series' TV ratings. By some measures, those ratings were the lowest ever. And for many of those outsiders who watched, the Phils' victory was a fluke accomplished in the snow and cold. It often seemed that Rays' manager Joe Madden got more camera time than Utley, Rollins and Howard.
What the South Philly squad has now is the opportunity to cement their credibility as the best baseball franchise of the latter part of this decade and hopefully beyond.
A second world championship would go a long way towards accomplishing this. But pulling this off against the Bronx Bombers - the most storied franchise in sports history, a roster with a bushel of future hall-of-famers, in their new Taj Mahal of a ballpark - would render the cynics defenseless.
Unfortunately, there is that small matter of the Rockies and Dodgers/Cardinals.
In winning last year's World Series, the home team generated euphoria throughout the Delaware Valley, but the rest of the country yawned collectively, as evidenced by the Series' TV ratings. By some measures, those ratings were the lowest ever. And for many of those outsiders who watched, the Phils' victory was a fluke accomplished in the snow and cold. It often seemed that Rays' manager Joe Madden got more camera time than Utley, Rollins and Howard.
What the South Philly squad has now is the opportunity to cement their credibility as the best baseball franchise of the latter part of this decade and hopefully beyond.
A second world championship would go a long way towards accomplishing this. But pulling this off against the Bronx Bombers - the most storied franchise in sports history, a roster with a bushel of future hall-of-famers, in their new Taj Mahal of a ballpark - would render the cynics defenseless.
Unfortunately, there is that small matter of the Rockies and Dodgers/Cardinals.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Phillie Notes - The Secret to Their Success
Phillie Notes:
With their third successive division championship, the Phils have established themselves as one of the top franchises in the majors. The primary reason for this is not the brilliance of Charlie Manuel, or the loyal fan base, or the friendly confines of Citizens Park. It is the solid nucleus of everyday players - Rollins, Utley, Howard, Victorino, and Werth - which matches up with any in baseball. They are all in their prime, in their late 20's or early 30's, and most are under long-term contracts. The professionalism of Rollins and Utley in particular really sets the tone for this squad. There are many other factors of course, but this is the key.
Charlie Manuel/Rich Dubee are being universally praised for bringing in Brad Lidge to get the last out against his old team on the night of the division clinching. Lidge himself seemed to revel in it. It was certainly harmless but what was the big deal? Manuel had already proved his loyalty to Lidge over and over again, and it's hard to see how pitching to one batter with a seven run lead, with the division already won (the Braves having lost) is much of a confidence-builder. It's a little too much like a college basketball coach putting in his seniors in the last minute of a blow-out game.
It's difficult to overstate the importance of Pedro Feliz this season. Even though his batting average is only in the .260's, that's 20 points higher than last season, and he's been one of the team's more consistent hitters in 2009 with few prolonged dry spells. He has also added 20 or so RBI's from 2008 to go along with his impeccable fielding. And with the marked improvement in Ryan Howard's glove work, the team's infield defense is as good as there is.
Last year, Chase Utley's offense faded late in the season. The media, almost unanimously, attributed this to Utley's injured hip, even though Utley himself repeatedly denied it and there was no visible evidence that the second baseman was favoring it. This year, Utley's bat has once again been weak in September. It seems more likely that something else was and is going on - the best guess here is old-fashioned fatigue.
With their third successive division championship, the Phils have established themselves as one of the top franchises in the majors. The primary reason for this is not the brilliance of Charlie Manuel, or the loyal fan base, or the friendly confines of Citizens Park. It is the solid nucleus of everyday players - Rollins, Utley, Howard, Victorino, and Werth - which matches up with any in baseball. They are all in their prime, in their late 20's or early 30's, and most are under long-term contracts. The professionalism of Rollins and Utley in particular really sets the tone for this squad. There are many other factors of course, but this is the key.
Charlie Manuel/Rich Dubee are being universally praised for bringing in Brad Lidge to get the last out against his old team on the night of the division clinching. Lidge himself seemed to revel in it. It was certainly harmless but what was the big deal? Manuel had already proved his loyalty to Lidge over and over again, and it's hard to see how pitching to one batter with a seven run lead, with the division already won (the Braves having lost) is much of a confidence-builder. It's a little too much like a college basketball coach putting in his seniors in the last minute of a blow-out game.
It's difficult to overstate the importance of Pedro Feliz this season. Even though his batting average is only in the .260's, that's 20 points higher than last season, and he's been one of the team's more consistent hitters in 2009 with few prolonged dry spells. He has also added 20 or so RBI's from 2008 to go along with his impeccable fielding. And with the marked improvement in Ryan Howard's glove work, the team's infield defense is as good as there is.
Last year, Chase Utley's offense faded late in the season. The media, almost unanimously, attributed this to Utley's injured hip, even though Utley himself repeatedly denied it and there was no visible evidence that the second baseman was favoring it. This year, Utley's bat has once again been weak in September. It seems more likely that something else was and is going on - the best guess here is old-fashioned fatigue.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Reid, Manuel, Burrell, Rollins and McNabb
Not so long ago, many observers in the Delaware Valley and elsewhere, including some eminent local sportswriters, were calling for the scalps of Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb, the poster children of the Eagles' failures. Now the critics are silent as the squad is probably in as good a position as any of those teams still standing, in this age of NFL parity, to extend their season to February. Sports prognosticators are proving to be as accurate as stock market prognosticators in 2008.
The twists and turns of the Eagles' soap opera have some intriguing parallels to the Phillies of a few years back. The baseball team back then had no shortage of critics. Many thought Charlie Manuel was the wrong man at the wrong time in the wrong place. Too much of a players' manager. Not tough enough. Pulled pitchers too quickly. Too fond of lefty-righty switches. Stuck with Pat Burrell too long (a la Reid and McNabb). Burrell himself, now a former Phillie headed for Tampa, was derided mercilessly for a couple of years.
But Manuel's loyalty to Burrell payed off in 2007 and 2008. And the manager's brief benching of Jimmie Rollins last season for not running out a hit, similar to Reid's early removal of McNabb in a mid-season game, seemed to send just the right message to the entire team.
Manuel and Burrell can now afford to be magnanimous toward their former detractors. Reid and McNabb are close to being in the same position.
The twists and turns of the Eagles' soap opera have some intriguing parallels to the Phillies of a few years back. The baseball team back then had no shortage of critics. Many thought Charlie Manuel was the wrong man at the wrong time in the wrong place. Too much of a players' manager. Not tough enough. Pulled pitchers too quickly. Too fond of lefty-righty switches. Stuck with Pat Burrell too long (a la Reid and McNabb). Burrell himself, now a former Phillie headed for Tampa, was derided mercilessly for a couple of years.
But Manuel's loyalty to Burrell payed off in 2007 and 2008. And the manager's brief benching of Jimmie Rollins last season for not running out a hit, similar to Reid's early removal of McNabb in a mid-season game, seemed to send just the right message to the entire team.
Manuel and Burrell can now afford to be magnanimous toward their former detractors. Reid and McNabb are close to being in the same position.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Phillies' Opening Day Lineup and Dalembert's Offense
Now that the main pieces of the Phillies' roster seem to be in place, we can make some educated guesses as to the opening day batting order. Charlie Manuel did a lot of lineup shuffling last year and that is sure to continue as the new season progresses. Mitch Williams predicts that on opening day it will look like this: Rollins, Werth, Utley, Howard, Victorino, Ibanez, Feliz, and Ruiz with Victorino inserted to prevent a lefty-lefty-lefty scenario. But Shane is really ill-suited for the 5th spot. Playing every day, Werth should be a 30 home run guy which would make him a more appropriate replacement for the slot after Ryan Howard. Admittedly, Victorino is not an ideal #2 hitter either. Ultimately it's going to come down to who's swinging the hot bat. Werth and Victorino are each coming off career years but their consistency is still in doubt.
Dee Lynam said on the air the other night that it doesn't matter if Sam Dalembert scores if he pulls in 17 rebounds (his total in the Wizards game) and blocks some shots. Well if he got 17 rebounds and 3-4 blocked shots every night, it probably wouldn't matter. But the fact is if you're almost 7 feet tall, reasonably athletic, and play 25-30 minutes, there is no reason not to score at least 10 points per game. Dalembert should have at least three dunks a night, which he could get easily just by running the floor. He should also pledge in writing - witnessed and notarized - that he will never again take a fadeaway jump shot.
Dee Lynam said on the air the other night that it doesn't matter if Sam Dalembert scores if he pulls in 17 rebounds (his total in the Wizards game) and blocks some shots. Well if he got 17 rebounds and 3-4 blocked shots every night, it probably wouldn't matter. But the fact is if you're almost 7 feet tall, reasonably athletic, and play 25-30 minutes, there is no reason not to score at least 10 points per game. Dalembert should have at least three dunks a night, which he could get easily just by running the floor. He should also pledge in writing - witnessed and notarized - that he will never again take a fadeaway jump shot.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Phils-Rays Game 2
Notes on Game 2:
The wish was expressed here a few days ago that Jimmy Rollins would get on base consistently in this series. Well Jimmy produced his second consecutive 0-5 game last night. When a leadoff hitter goes 0-5, you are automatically behind the 8 ball. Now World Series history is replete with good hitters who slumped in the Fall Classic. The Rays have a few of their own. It happens. But in Rollins' case this has happened all too frequently throughout the regular season and playoffs. The usual explanations - overanxious, swinging at bad pitches, bad mechanics - are tiresome. He is not getting the job done. Period.
Of course Rollins is not alone. Last night, Rollins, Utley, Burrell and Werth combined for 1-17. You have to wonder what's going on when your most consistent hitters are Carlos Ruiz and Brett Myers.
Speaking of Myers, he was hardly lights out last night, but he pitched well enough to win. The one silver lining from last night was that Myers showed he can contain the Rays.
Greg Dobbs looked like a deer in the headlights when he struck out in his first two at bats, each time with men in scoring position. He is the team's best contact hitter and you would have wanted no one else to be hitting in those situations. But in fairness, it has to be difficult for Dobbs to find a comfort zone, particularly in his first World Series appearance, when he is getting so few at bats.
In the 4th inning, the Rays had runners at 1st and 3rd with one out and 9th hitter Jason Bartlett at the plate. Manager Joe Maddon called for a suicide squeeze but Bartlett fouled it off. But on the next pitch, the squeeze was on again, this time the safety squeeze. The Phils were caught flat-footed and a very important fourth run scored. This was a very clever managerial move and something I don't think Charlie Manuel would do. A more general criticism I have of Manuel is that he too often plays for a big inning rather than a run or two.
The wish was expressed here a few days ago that Jimmy Rollins would get on base consistently in this series. Well Jimmy produced his second consecutive 0-5 game last night. When a leadoff hitter goes 0-5, you are automatically behind the 8 ball. Now World Series history is replete with good hitters who slumped in the Fall Classic. The Rays have a few of their own. It happens. But in Rollins' case this has happened all too frequently throughout the regular season and playoffs. The usual explanations - overanxious, swinging at bad pitches, bad mechanics - are tiresome. He is not getting the job done. Period.
Of course Rollins is not alone. Last night, Rollins, Utley, Burrell and Werth combined for 1-17. You have to wonder what's going on when your most consistent hitters are Carlos Ruiz and Brett Myers.
Speaking of Myers, he was hardly lights out last night, but he pitched well enough to win. The one silver lining from last night was that Myers showed he can contain the Rays.
Greg Dobbs looked like a deer in the headlights when he struck out in his first two at bats, each time with men in scoring position. He is the team's best contact hitter and you would have wanted no one else to be hitting in those situations. But in fairness, it has to be difficult for Dobbs to find a comfort zone, particularly in his first World Series appearance, when he is getting so few at bats.
In the 4th inning, the Rays had runners at 1st and 3rd with one out and 9th hitter Jason Bartlett at the plate. Manager Joe Maddon called for a suicide squeeze but Bartlett fouled it off. But on the next pitch, the squeeze was on again, this time the safety squeeze. The Phils were caught flat-footed and a very important fourth run scored. This was a very clever managerial move and something I don't think Charlie Manuel would do. A more general criticism I have of Manuel is that he too often plays for a big inning rather than a run or two.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Phils-Rays Game 1
Notes on Game 1:
Last night's game was a microcosm of the Phillies' season. The announcers expressed amazement over the 11 men left on base after 6 innings. But this was standard procedure throughout the year. It was very common for the Phils to score early and subsequently squander numerous opportunities to blow a game open. Then it became a question of whether the pitching could hold on, or more specifically. if they could hold on for Brad Lidge. The one difference now, and it is a major one, is that Ryan Madson makes holding on a lot easier.
Likewise, there is no reason to be shocked at the futility of Rollins, Howard and Burrell. This futility has been on display off and on throughout the season, in some cases for months at a time. That the Phillies were able to be win the National League championship with the inconsistent offensive output of this threesome is what is remarkable.
Right now Ryan Howard is reprising his performance of the first part of the regular season. He is combining anemic hitting and sloppy fielding. To put it bluntly, he is a liability. You play him of course with the expection that one day he will explode, kind of like what many of us are doing with the stock market these days, and so far that hasn't exactly been a winning strategy. Would Manuel at least consider DHing Howard? Not likely.
Pedro Feliz was a quiet star last night. Impeccable defense and a couple of intelligent at bats.
The Phillies' defense has been a key to their success and it is probably underappreciated. Outside of Ryan Howard, and with Feliz and Ruize in the lineup, it is rock solid. Yes, Pat Burrell has limitations, but he doesn't make a lot of mistakes. And to Jimmy Rollins' credit, he hasn't let his hitting struggles influence his glove work.
Last night's game was a microcosm of the Phillies' season. The announcers expressed amazement over the 11 men left on base after 6 innings. But this was standard procedure throughout the year. It was very common for the Phils to score early and subsequently squander numerous opportunities to blow a game open. Then it became a question of whether the pitching could hold on, or more specifically. if they could hold on for Brad Lidge. The one difference now, and it is a major one, is that Ryan Madson makes holding on a lot easier.
Likewise, there is no reason to be shocked at the futility of Rollins, Howard and Burrell. This futility has been on display off and on throughout the season, in some cases for months at a time. That the Phillies were able to be win the National League championship with the inconsistent offensive output of this threesome is what is remarkable.
Right now Ryan Howard is reprising his performance of the first part of the regular season. He is combining anemic hitting and sloppy fielding. To put it bluntly, he is a liability. You play him of course with the expection that one day he will explode, kind of like what many of us are doing with the stock market these days, and so far that hasn't exactly been a winning strategy. Would Manuel at least consider DHing Howard? Not likely.
Pedro Feliz was a quiet star last night. Impeccable defense and a couple of intelligent at bats.
The Phillies' defense has been a key to their success and it is probably underappreciated. Outside of Ryan Howard, and with Feliz and Ruize in the lineup, it is rock solid. Yes, Pat Burrell has limitations, but he doesn't make a lot of mistakes. And to Jimmy Rollins' credit, he hasn't let his hitting struggles influence his glove work.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Overplaying the Percentages?
In last Friday's game against the Marlins, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel started Greg Dobbs at third base. Dobbs, a left-handed batter, has had a record-breaking season as a pinch hitter and leads the team in batting average, but he only starts against right-handed pitching as was the case on this September evening. In his first at-bat, Dobbs homered to right. In his second at-bat, he hit a long double to left center. In his third at-bat, well actually he didn't have a third at-bat. With the Phils down, and a southpaw in for Florida, Manuel pinch hit for Dobbs with right-handed batter Mike Cerverak, a utility infielder who has spent most of the season in the minors. Now the Phillies are ever so close to clinching the playoffs and surely Charlie Manuel deserves some credit for that, but isn't this carrying percentage baseball a little too far?
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