What a homestand! Winning nine out of 10 games is not too shabby, although this screams for 10 out of 10. We won't touch on that though. What we will touch on is that this team is going into the All-Star break hot and playing better. Are they where they exactly need to be? No, not quite yet. However, you don't want them to be at their top in July.
It's "hittin' season" so the bats are fine. The problem is the pitching is a bit inconsistent. Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ are bringing electric stuff to the mound. Jamie Moyer is pitching very steady. Rodrigo Lopez was pitching well, but who knows how is elbow inflamation is. As far as the other starter goes, let's just leave that conversation for another day. The fact is, we know Big H is one of the best in the game. He will turn it around and I'm not just trying to be optimistic to be optimistic.
Now that "South Broad Street" is back, I want to start something new with a lot of my posts. That something new is lists, lists and more lists. I want to rank things on various different levels. On this post, I am going to rank the top five players from this past homestand, starting from five to one.
5-Jayson Werth
-The guy is having a great season and picking it up especially at this point. Why else do you think Charlie named him to the NL squad?
4-Shane Victorino
-The Flyin' Hawaiin is making every game exciting. Batting over .300, he has shown this past homestand why he collected the most "Final Spot Votes" in MLB history. His hustle and defense is spectacular.
3-J.A. Happ
-As I mentioned earlier, Happ is bringing top notch stuff to the mound. Will he be traded?
2-Joe Blanton
-Same thing as Happ. Technically, these two guys should be tied.
1-Jimmy Rollins
-As Jimmy goes, the team goes. If Jimmy isn't hitting, the team isn't winning. If Jimmy isn't scoring, the team literally doesn't win. They're winning percentage is mid-day afternoon sun to middle of the late night hours when he scores and doesn't score. It's obvious.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Is getting Halladay the smart move?
This is related to this week's poll. I'm not going to give my opinion because it doesn't matter. It's yours that counts. Should the Phillies make a big splash for Roy Halladay? You know, it's funny. This is very similar to last season-the Phils were in first place, but they're pitching staff was dubbed to having problems. Everyone thought they needed another pitcher. Thus, people were SCREAMING for C.C. Sabathia. They were saying the window is open and it may never be open again, so the Phils should send their prospects to Cleveland for the big southpaw.
Well, they didn't. They ended up getting "steady" Joe Blanton. The Brewers traded Matt LaPorta for Sabathia. Who won the World Series?
The Phillies. And what are you going to have to give up to get Halladay? Most likely it is highly noted prospect Kyle Drabek and other young guns, or maybe even decent third or fourth starter in J.A. Happ. I also heard people talking about the Phillies might have to trade an everyday position player. Do you want to give up a Jayson Werth or Shane Victorino. Doesn't this team have excellent chemistry? And one more thing-Halladay has NEVER pitched in a big game. Since he debuted in the majors in 1998 with Toronto, the Blue Jays have NEVER been in a pennant race or a playoff game. Also, in regards to 2008, Sabathia never really has had or did have success in the playoffs/big game. Obviously, Halladay and Sabathia are two different pitchers. But it just goes to show that getting the A-List doesn't always work.
That's one side.
The other side is you did it one year, but can you do it a second year with the B-List pitchers? Halladay is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. If Cole Hamels pitches like he did in October last year along with Halladay...oh my. You without question have the best one-two punch in terms of starting pitchers on paper. Also, your starting rotation, which has taken some bruises, is much stronger.
It's a win-win either way (Knock on Wood), with hopefully the more successul one with the choie you pick.
So, do you risk the future and make the deal or continue the "Pat Gillick Way" of getting that B-List guy.
Well, they didn't. They ended up getting "steady" Joe Blanton. The Brewers traded Matt LaPorta for Sabathia. Who won the World Series?
The Phillies. And what are you going to have to give up to get Halladay? Most likely it is highly noted prospect Kyle Drabek and other young guns, or maybe even decent third or fourth starter in J.A. Happ. I also heard people talking about the Phillies might have to trade an everyday position player. Do you want to give up a Jayson Werth or Shane Victorino. Doesn't this team have excellent chemistry? And one more thing-Halladay has NEVER pitched in a big game. Since he debuted in the majors in 1998 with Toronto, the Blue Jays have NEVER been in a pennant race or a playoff game. Also, in regards to 2008, Sabathia never really has had or did have success in the playoffs/big game. Obviously, Halladay and Sabathia are two different pitchers. But it just goes to show that getting the A-List doesn't always work.
That's one side.
The other side is you did it one year, but can you do it a second year with the B-List pitchers? Halladay is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. If Cole Hamels pitches like he did in October last year along with Halladay...oh my. You without question have the best one-two punch in terms of starting pitchers on paper. Also, your starting rotation, which has taken some bruises, is much stronger.
It's a win-win either way (Knock on Wood), with hopefully the more successul one with the choie you pick.
So, do you risk the future and make the deal or continue the "Pat Gillick Way" of getting that B-List guy.
It's Been A While...
...wow...what the hell have I been doing?
1. Interning Non-Stop at WIP
2. Working at the Phillies games
3. Doing my normal daily routine of working out/playing basketball and such
Blogging has just been a tough thing to do. And unlike what I used to do previously, as I come back and resurrect myself to what I used to write endlessly in, I won't use a whole post to make up what I missed...because I missed a lot. In other words, "South Broad Street" is back and finished with stupid construction (like we have on Route 76 and the Roosevelt Boulevard). In other words, there never was construction. I just didn't write. But, now I will. Now, we will.
So, here's to the start of a lot of great Philly Sports blogging.
Amen.
1. Interning Non-Stop at WIP
2. Working at the Phillies games
3. Doing my normal daily routine of working out/playing basketball and such
Blogging has just been a tough thing to do. And unlike what I used to do previously, as I come back and resurrect myself to what I used to write endlessly in, I won't use a whole post to make up what I missed...because I missed a lot. In other words, "South Broad Street" is back and finished with stupid construction (like we have on Route 76 and the Roosevelt Boulevard). In other words, there never was construction. I just didn't write. But, now I will. Now, we will.
So, here's to the start of a lot of great Philly Sports blogging.
Amen.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
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