Bleacher Report - Articles by Shay Roddy

Kane Kalas Recalls His Father's Greatness Outside The Booth

Shay Roddy — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:55:07 -0500

There was a void at Citizens Bank Park this year. Everything was the same on the baseball field, but for any fan or member of the organization it was just not the same. Harry was gone. “We lost our voice,” as David Montgomery so eloquently put it.

Each win just wasn’t as sweet without Harry Kalas, the 38-year voice of Phillies baseball.

It’s hard to comprehend how a single man could mean so much to a city.

He was unbelievable behind a microphone. But so were many of his colleagues. His calls- legendary. But outside the booth was where Harry was at his finest. That’s what made him spectacular and a legend who will live on forever.

His son Kane is following right in his father’s footsteps, and I got the privilege and honor to speak with him the other night about his incredible father.

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Send e-mail to sroddy@highhopesblog.com. For more of Shay's work visit his Phillies blog, High Hopes.

Pedro Feliz May Not Be Leaving Philadelphia Phillies After All

Shay Roddy — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:43:32 -0500

A lot of the talk around the Phillies right now is regarding who will replace Pedro Feliz as third baseman, after the team declined their $5.5 million option to bring him back next season.

The team will test the free-agent market but don’t be surprised if there is no new third baseman after all.

Feliz may just be the best option.

Names like Adrian Beltre, Chone Figgins, Mark DeRosa, Joe Crede, Troy Glaus, Melvin Mora, Placido Polanco, and even Miguel Tejada have arisen to compete with Feliz, but there are flaws just about everywhere you look in that bunch.

Though baseball has no salary cap, the Phillies do and they already have an enormous payroll. Players like Figgins and Beltre will command large dollar amounts for not much more production than Feliz provided the team with.

Feliz was certainly among the unappreciated members of the 2009 Phillies, doing so much good with his glove and holding his own from the right-hand batter's box.

His .266 batting average and 82 RBIs are just about all you can ask from the No. 7 hitter in your lineup. Feliz provides you with a vacuum around the hot corner making certain nothing gets by him.

Feliz would come affordably and willingly. He has been a contributor to the unbelievable team chemistry throughout his tenure here.

All this begs the question, why are so many people looking for a change at third. Step back, look around the market. It just doesn’t get much better than this.

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Send e-mail to sroddy@highhopesblog.com or go to HighHopesBlog.com for more of Shay Roddy's work.

World Series: Yankees Emerge Victorious, but Phillies Are Hardly Losers

Shay Roddy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:53:10 -0500

Well, it’s over. The New York Yankees are world champions for the 27th time, in their history. The Phillies walk away from the World Series losers for the first time since 1993.

But there sure is a hell of a lot to be thankful for, if you are a Phillies fan.

This team is truly one of the greatest in the history of this franchise. We’ve been lucky enough to witness the golden era of one of America’s oldest ball clubs.

They may not have been victorious, but they sure gave it their all.

This team is filled with a unique group of guys, gathered together from the various nooks and crannies of our country, who have gelled together unlike any team I’ve ever seen. They are a giant family, they all get along, and manage to find away to do the impossible, get through a major league season.

It all starts with the manager, Charlie Manuel. Charlie’s southern twang and lack of public speaking skills have created an incorrect public perception of his intelligence. He’s smart, and he knows how to manage this team. He’s the biggest reason that the team has been to three straight postseasons.

It stems from the manager to his players. And thanks go to:

Cliff Lee , who was the biggest mid-season acquisition in baseball and came here and never turned it off. He started and finished strong. Then came the postseason, where experts wondered how he would deal with the heightened emotions. He was marvelous, and pitched the Phillies into the World Series, as well as giving them a good chance to win the Series.

Chase Utley , whose five home runs in the World Series tied Reggie Jackson’s all-time record.

Ryan Howard , who never showed up for the World Series, but played perhaps the largest role in getting them there.

Jimmy Rollins , who bounced back after a rough start to the season to contribute when it mattered most.

Carlos Ruiz , who handled the pitching staff with such class and expertise all year. He brought his bat to the table yet again in the postseason, earning the title “Senor Octubre” from local media.

Shane Victorino , who his the spark plug of the Phillies lineup. He always has something to say, and always brings that extra fire. He showed up all year and especially in October.

Raul Ibanez , whose performance was so good at points, people questioned the legitimacy of his statistics. Well he proved them all to be true, and continued to help his team till the very end. He was a welcome addition to this lineup, replacing one of Philly’s favorites.

Jayson Werth , who was just always there. And he was always solid. Werth was impressive through the playoffs, and helped put this team where it was.

Ryan Madson , who stepped up for the struggling Brad Lidge to fill in from time to time in the closer role. Madson came into his own at the end of last season, and was there all year this time. He was the most steady part of the Phillies’ struggling bullpen.

Brad Lidge , who didn’t have a real great year. But he battled in the postseason, and saw the light at the end of the tunnel at times. Lidge will have an abbreviated offseason, where he can hopefully gather his thoughts and show up ready for 2010.

Chan Ho Park , who after a rough start to the year as a starter, found his role in the bullpen and proved to be a reliable go-to guy for Charlie.

Scott Eyre , who took on the role as a situational lefty, and did his job quite well.

Jamie Moyer , who wasn’t there on the field in the postseason, but was with the team teaching his brand of baseball every chance he got.

Cole Hamels , who had a rough season. He’ll be another one who will need to get his head back in the right place for 2010.

Joe Blanton , who was steady. About as steady as they come.

Pedro Martinez , who grabbed our hearts upon his arrival. What a guy. He was instrumental in getting the Phils back to the Fall Classic. Unfortunately, maybe the Yankees are his “Daddy.”

J.A. Happ , who did so much more than you can ask for from a rookie, pitching superbly in the rotation all season and then effectively out of the pen in October.

And everyone else who came in and got the Phillies a win here or there or contributed in this way or that.

They were truly a special team, and it was an honor and privilege to cover them this season. The Yankees are undoubtedly great, but so are the Phils, and mark my words, they’ll be back.

Phillies Head Back to New York Still Alive

Shay Roddy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:22:22 -0500

The Phillies are a team that’s been counted out time and time again. They couldn’t get past the red-hot Rockies? Well, they did. They can’t get by the offensively sound Dodgers. Well, they did that too. So what should make us think they can’t rally to overcome what was a three-games-to-one deficit in the 2009 World Series?

They just could do that, too.

After a win last night, the team has earned the train ride back to New York, where tomorrow they will put their trust in Pedro Martinez, whose history is storied in the postseason against New York. Martinez must win, and the future Hall-of-Famer is no stranger to doing just that.

There’s just something about Pedro, in Yankee Stadium, that feels so right.

The Phillies' charismatic righty goes up against Andy Pettite on three-day’s rest. Pettite has plenty of experience during his career on short rest, but tomorrow will be a different experience for the lefty.

Pettite has not pitched on three-day’s rest since 2006, when he was a much younger 34. In 14 regular-season starts, he is a respectable 4-6 with a 4.15 ERA.

But this isn’t the regular season anymore, and Petite is a few years older than he was in 2000, when he last pitched on short rest in the postseason.

The Phillies capitalized on A.J. Burnett’s weak short-rest performance yesterday, and tomorrow they hope to do the same and disprove the experts who counted them out before they even got a chance.

Lineups and Numbers: World Series Game 1 Preview

Shay Roddy — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:52:09 -0400

LINEUPS:

For your 2009 NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies:

Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Chase Utley 2B
Ryan Howard 1B
Jayson Werth RF
Raul Ibanez DH
Ben Francisco LF
Pedro Feliz 3B
Carlos Ruiz C

Notables: Ibanez DH, Francisco LF.

AL Champion Yankees:

Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF

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MATCHUPS:

From today’s press notes:

C.C. Sabathia vs. Phillies hitters
Jimmy Rollins: 5/13, 4 XBH, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Shane Victorino: 5/9, 2 XBH, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB
Chase Utley: 0/5, 3 SO, 1 BB
Ryan Howard: 3/9, 1 XBH, 1 RBI, 4 SO
Jayson Werth: 2/8, 2 XBH, 3 SO
Raul Ibanez: 11/40, 5 XBH, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 2 BB, 10 SO
Pedro Feliz: 1/8, 1 XBH, 1 RBI, 3 SO
Carlos Ruiz: 2/5
Ben Francisco: 1/5, 1 XBH, 1 BB

TOTALS : 30/102 (.294), 19 XBH, 3 HR, 6 BB, 23 SO

Cliff Lee vs. Yankees hitters
Derek Jeter: 11/27, 3 XBH, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SO
Johnny Damon: 2/22, 1 BB, 3 SO
Alex Rodriguez: 5/15, 2 XBH, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 SO
Mark Teixeira: 9/23, 5 XBH, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SO
Jorge Posada: 6/21, 4 XBH, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 SO
Hideki Matsui: 5/17, 2 XBH, 2 BB, 4 SO
Robinson Cano: 4/18, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 3 SO
Nick Swisher: 6/18, 2 XBH, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 4 SO
Melky Cabrera: 3/11, 1 XBH, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO

TOTALS : 51/182 (.280), 19 XBH, 6 HR, 14 BB, 24 SO

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PRESSER HIGHLIGHTS:

Probably my favorite quote so far this series, from Pedro’s presser just moments ago at Yankee Stadium:

“I remember quotes from the paper, ‘Here come the men that New York loves to hate.’ Men? None of you have probably ever ate steak with me, or rice and beans with me to know what the men is like. You might say the player, the competitor, but the men? You guys have abused my name.

“There is one time I remember when I was a free agent there was talk that I might meet with [Yankee's owner George] Steinbrenner. One of your colleagues had me in the paper with horns and a tail. Red horns and a tail. That’s the sign of the devil. I’m a Christian man. I don’t like those things.”

Don’t mess with Pedro, before you eat rice and beans with him, New York.

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That's about all from here. Game 1 begins tonight from Yankee Stadium on FOX.

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Send email to sroddy@philliephanatics.org and visit Shay Roddy's blog here.

Emptying the Notebook, World Series Style

Shay Roddy — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:24:25 -0400

So, I’ve been trying this week to actually write some insightful columns and conduct some interviews, both for the folks over at CBS and here. In addition to that, I’ve been accumulating a tremendous amount of notes that I’ve slipped into various columns or interviews.

However, not everything made the cut, or fit, or whatever. So, just for the sake of having everything in one place, or in case this is the only Web site you go to on your Internet machine, let’s review the events from the last few days:

SUNDAY, OCT. 25 —WORKOUT AT CITIZENS BANK PARK

Charlie Manuel officially named Cliff Lee his Game One starter, but he would not commit to anybody for Game Two. Well, at least publicly he would not commit to anybody.
The Phillies held a simulated game this afternoon. Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ, Chan Ho Park, Brett Myers, Kyle Kendrick, Antonio Bastardo, Clay Condrey, and Tyler Walker all threw.
Raul Ibanez did not rule out surgery after the season to repair a tear in his abdomen, which was first reported by Sports Illustrated .

MONDAY, OCT. 26 —WORKOUT AT CITIZENS BANK PARK/TRAIN RIDE TO NEW YORK

Charlie Manuel expects to see CC Sabathia three times if the World Series goes seven games.
Raul Ibanez is going to DH Game One, which allows Ben Francisco to play left field. Matt Stairs or Greg Dobbs could DH Game Two against A.J. Burnett.
Robin Roberts spoke about the 1950 World Series to reporters. He said he hated four things growing up: Notre Dame, Michigan, the Yankees, and Russia.
Charlie Manuel again refuses comment about his Game Two starter.
J.A. Happ was named Sporting News Rookie of the Year as voted by his fellow players.
Jimmy Rollins picks the Phillies in five games on Jay Leno. He correctly predicted a Phillies-Yankees World Series in Playboy back in March.

TUESDAY, OCT. 27 —MEDIA DAY/WORKOUT AT YANKEE STADIUM

Charlie Manuel announces that it will be Pedro Martinez in Game Two for the Phillies. He will use Cole Hamels Game Three, at home, Saturday.
Ryan Howard makes the regional cover of Sports Illustrated .
Brett Myers, who was left off the NLCS roster, is back on the World Series roster. Miguel Cairo is the odd-man out. Everyone else is the same from last round.
Shane Victorino laughed when the cover of the morning’s New York Post was shown to him, depicting him in a poorly photoshopped skirt.

Interview: NY Times' Tyler Kepner Discusses the Series

Shay Roddy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:44:10 -0400

Here in Philadelphia, fans are gearing up for the highly anticipated 2009 World Series between the Phillies and Yankees. In the Bronx, the media circus has begun. Over 300 writers attended today’s media day at Yankee Stadium. Among them was the New York Times ’ Yankees writer Tyler Kepner.

Tyler was kind enough to speak with me this morning, about the Yanks, the Phils and how they match-up, in what promises to be an exciting World Series.

SHAY RODDY: You haven’t gotten to see much of the Phillies this year, covering them in just one series back in the spring. Give us an outsider’s take on the Phils.

TYLER KEPNER: Well, I’d say I follow the Phillies closer than I follow any other NL team, because I grew up outside Philadelphia and my parents have season tickets. They’re a tough team—tough-minded and confident. They know they can come back, they’re not intimidated by anything, and they’re cocky in a way that translates to success on the field. Charlie Manuel seems to have a tremendous feel for his players, both the subtleties of their personalities and their strengths/weaknesses on the field. Just a very impressive team all the way around.

SR: The Yankees are a franchise with a rich history of winning. The Phils won the title just last year with virtually the same team. Talk a little about how experience plays to each team’s advantage.

TK: I don’t think experience matters very much in the postseason. The first year I covered the Yankees was 2002. They had been to five of the last six World Series. Their playoff opponent was the Angels, who had one player (Kevin Appier), with one series of postseason experience. So what happened? The Angels pounded the Yankees in four. Then the next year, in 2003, the Yankees played a young Marlins team in the World Series and lost. So I just don’t think it matters. And even if it did, in this case, both teams have lots of postseason experience.

SR: Yankee Stadium and Citizens Bank Park are both hitter friendly parks which, coupled with both team’s explosive offenses, could lead to high scoring games. However, both teams have solid pitching, the Yankees with Sabathia, Petite and Burnett and the Phillies with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Pedro Martinez. What do you anticipate the scoring will be like?

TK: Good hitting. Good pitching. So who wins? The cliche is good pitching stops good hitting, but we’ll see. I wonder if the Yankees can neutralize Howard because they have two very good lefty starters. If they do, that’s a big problem for the Phillies. But all six of those starters can shut down any lineup when they’re on. Still, these teams can hit so well that I’d expect a fair amount of home runs.

SR: What is the key to winning this year’s series?

TK: Pitching’s usually the key, so I don’t see any reason why it won’t be just as important in this series as it usually is in all the rest. Specifically, though, the bullpens will make a huge difference. The Yankees devoured opposing bullpens this season, and my guess is the Phillies did the same. Both teams have a knack for late comebacks, especially at home. Obviously that puts a lot of emphasis on the relievers, and the Yanks’ late-inning guys have been a little shaky lately.

SR: Talk a little about this Yankees club. The common stereotype is that they are more of a group of talented players put together rather than a real team. Is that description accurate?

TK: No, I wouldn’t say so. When you’re around them, they actually work together quite well. The free agents they imported last winter all had the nice bonus of being good team guys (Teixeira, Burnett and especially Sabathia), and they’ve really seemed to enjoy each other’s company since spring training. The four stalwarts (Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte) bring stability and leadership, and I’d throw Matsui into that category, too. Damon keeps them loose, and A-Rod has cut way, way back on his usual distractions and just focused on baseball this year. That has made a big difference, too. He’s not the preening diva of past years; he’s just a really, really good ballplayer.

SR: Lets do some head to heads. Who has the advantage…

Rollins-Jeter: Jeter

Howard- Teixeira: Teixeira

Utley-Cano : Utley

Posada-Ruiz: push

Sabathia-Lee : push

Manuel-Girardi : Manuel

SR: And finally, your series pick…

TK: Yankees in 7, but only because they have home-field advantage. That’s the only obvious difference to me that distinguishes between these two extremely evenly matched teams. It really could go either way, and I’m just hoping for a hard-fought, compelling World Series. I think we’ll get it this year.

Philadelphia Phillies Deserve More Respect from National Media

Shay Roddy — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:43:41 -0400

They said last year’s title was cheap. A fluke, the so-called experts labeled it. They didn’t have to play a real team in the World Series, they claimed. They only made the playoffs because the Mets collapsed they protested.

Well, what will the excuse be this year, if the Phillies pull off the unthinkable, and repeat as World Champions?

After the Yankees wrapped up their series with the Angels last night, the Phils finally learned their opponent in the 2009 World Series. The Yankees, the winningest team in the history of the sport, stand in the way of another parade down Broad Street.

The Yankees bring their rich history of 40 World Series appearances and 26 rings back to baseball’s grandest stage in 2009. But you can expect the underdog Phillies to put up a fight.

For the Phillies things haven't come easy this season, for the first time since 1981, they were forced to defend their crown. They’ve been through their share of trials and tribulations. But the attitude never changed. This is an organization that’s prided itself on hard work, and dedication, as well as perseverance.

Now, in the Bronx, with the crisp orange leaves falling from the sky, as the cool autumn breeze whistles through the air, a group of twenty-five men, a manager and a coaching staff are joined together with one common goal.

Repeating.

These men all grew-up far away from the streets of Philadelphia. They practiced baseball, dreaming to one day be able to showcase their skills on the grandest of levels. They never knew each other, and came to this organization through various outposts, some coming straight from high-school, others bouncing around from team to team, before finding a place they could call home.

They were raised in places like California, Florida, Texas, and the Midwest. They were perhaps unaware, and certainly isolated from the city they now find themselves fighting for.

Now they are cobbled together and charged with a task that baseball history has proved unlikely, a task Philadelphia has witnessed very infrequently in the history of professional sports in the city.

Repeating as a world champion.

This year, the road block is upgraded, perhaps. Instead of a ringless expansion franchise, the Phils get to face the best. Yet the mentality for the Phillies remains the same.

They think they can beat anyone. And they can.

The Yankees will be tough, coming at the Phils with bombers like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. But the Phils can counter with stars like Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and the best hitter in the game right now, Ryan Howard.

The Yankees will throw pitchers like CC Sabathia, Andy Pettite, and A.J. Burnett. But the Phils will matchup with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Pedro Martinez.

The teams seem evenly matched on paper. But the Phillies get no respect. The national media’s act gets old.

I wonder what excuse the media will find this year to discredit the Phillies if they once again win the World Series. What kind of fluke will it be this time, guys?

Or is it that the Phillies are just that good?

Nah…it couldn’t be. It’s just another fluke.

World Series: Philadelphia Phillies Have Options at DH

Shay Roddy — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:48:14 -0400

The Phillies will wait, at least another day, to discover their opponent in the World Series. Game Six of the American League Championship Series was pushed back a day, due to the rain storms yesterday that washed the Northeast.

When the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim meet again tonight, the Phillies could find out who their opponent will be, with the Yankees leading the series 3-2. But regardless of the opponent, the Phils are already faced with a problem.

Because the AL won the All-Star game, and clinched home field advantage for the World Series, no matter who they play, the Phils will need to decide on a designated hitter for Games One and Two, and if necessary, Six and Seven of the World Series. It’s no secret that there’s no obvious choice for the spot.

The Phils have a few potential candidates, but with a lineup that has clicked so well, one can’t help but wonder if adding a DH will prove to be a disturbance.

However, it doesn’t really matter. Like it or not it’s part of the game, and Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has to make a decision.

Last year, in the same situation, Manuel again waited and waited to clue the media in on what he was thinking regarding DH. Now after hearing Manuel’s thought process from last year, we can expect him to think heavily about match-ups.

When LAA/NYY use a right handed pitcher, the likely candidate would appear to be Matt Stairs. Stairs, the power-hitting lefty, is tailor made for the DH spot, lacking in speed and fielding skills. He’s also no stranger to postseason heroics, sending Jonathan Broxton’s fastball deep into the October sky last season.

Stairs admits he strides to the plate with one goal every time: sending one into the upper deck.

The downside to Stairs is that he struggled mightily this season. Because of this, you have to have a back-up plan for when the opponent throws a lefty, or if Stairs were to struggle mightily.

There’s no cut-in-stone way to go here. You could use Greg Dobbs, but he’s a lefty, go with Miguel Cairo, but he’s old and may not be the best option, perhaps even use Eric Bruntlett, but he’s not known for his bat.

However, the best option involves one of General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr.’s most useful trade-deadline acquisitions, Ben Francisco.

Francisco was a slip-in in the deal Cliff Lee headlined with the Indians, perhaps the best deal made at the deadline.

He has proved his worth time and time again this season, both in the field and at the plate. So why not utilize both?

Here’s how it would work: You take Francisco and make him the starting left fielder against all left-handed pitchers. You then make Ibanez the DH. This not only provides you with a defensive upgrade, but also with an upgraded bat in the lineup. Ibanez still gets his at-bats in, and Francisco can become a baserunner in front of the red-hot Carlos Ruiz.

Manuel says he hasn’t decided, but I’m sure he’s looking for everyone to step up. In October, even the 25th man matters.

Send email to sroddy@philliephanatics.org. Read additional content from Shay Roddy on his blog, Phillie Phanatics .

Rollins wins it, Charlie calls it!

Shay Roddy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:27:36 -0400

PHILADELPHIA- The Phillies proved again last night that you can never give up on this team, coming from behind to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 at a frigid Citizens Bank Park.

The mood on Broad and Pattison, last night, was solemn and quiet as the fans predicted a plane ride back to Los Angeles would be inevitable, as the Dodgers handed the ball to closer Jonathan Broxton, who’s 98-101 MPH fastball has devastated opposing hitters this season.

However, a little bit of hope started to creep back into the cold, quiet crowd when Matt Stairs stepped to the plate with one out in the ninth.

Stairs went up there with one goal. “I walked into the batter’s box, and there was one thing on my mind, and that was to go for the Budweiser sign,” the lefty slugger put it.

Broxton, who’s no stranger to Matt Stairs’ tremendous power off the bench, suffered a career changing loss in last year’s NLCS, when Stairs took his fastball deep into the October sky.

This year, Broxton wasn’t going to let that happen. Broxton pitched around Stairs and walked him, leading Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel to send speedy Eric Bruntlett into the ball-game to pinch-run.

That brought Carlos Ruiz to the plate, who’s been known as Senor Octubre around Philly, due to his Panamanian descent and his postseason heroics. Broxton tried to come inside to Ruiz, to try to get a weakly grounded double-play ball. However, Broxton wound up hitting the Phils’ catcher on the arm, setting up runners on first and second for pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs.

Dobbs strode to the plate to the tune of 46,157 screaming, towel waving fans, but proceeded to softly line out to third baseman Casey Blake.

With two outs in the ninth, it all came down to Jimmy Rollins.

Maunel, from his seat at the far left of the Phillies dugout gazed across the diamond to the third base dugout and found his friend and former Phillie Jim Thome. Thome’s eyes met Manuel’s. And Charlie pointed to the right field stands. Thome shook his head, no way.

“Thome is standing over in the other dugout, and Thome looks at me, and I motion like that,” Manuel said, holding out his arm. “I told Thome, he is going to hit one. I go like this [points finger] and point to the right field stands. I did, but I had a good feeling about it. It wasn’t like I was joking or kidding or nothing.

“He was looking at me, and I went like that, and he’s shaking his head like no, he’s not, or something like that. You can ask him. I had a real good feeling. I was talking to [bench coach Pete] Mackanin the whole time. With Jimmy up there, I liked that moment. I liked the guy hitting.”

Then Rollins dug in to the left-hand batter’s box.

Rollins swung at the first pitch and missed it. He let the second pitch sail by for a ball. Then with the count 1-1 and two outs in the ninth, Rollins stepped out, took a breath and stepped back into the box.

“It’s funny,” Rollins said later. “Right before he threw the ball, I said, ‘Hit a ball in the right-center gap.’ “

Then came the hit that will be remembered for a long time.

With Charlie standing in the left of the dugout, his faithful leadoff man proved him right.

Rollins drove Broxton’s inside fastball to the gap in right center, splitting the two outfielders and bouncing the ball against the out-of-town scoreboard. By the time it was retrieved, Bruntlett had already scored to tie the game and Ruiz was rounding third, being waved home by third base coach Sam Perlozzo. The throw to the plate was cut-off near second, and Ruiz slid safely into home plate, popping up to join the swarm of teammates who charged Rollins near third.

With that the Phillies won the ballgame.

With that the Phillies took a three games-to-one series lead, setting themselves up to clinch their second straight trip to the World Series, Wednesday in front of the home crowd.

And you can be damn sure momentum will be in the home dugout.

Phillies Play-by-Play Man Scott Franzke Talks the NLCS

Shay Roddy — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:37:32 -0400

Scott Franzke is the play-by-play voice of the Phillies. His career began as a studio host for the now-defunct Prime Sports Radio Network (now Fox Sports Radio) in 1994, which led him three years later to be the host of the Texas Rangers radio pre- and post-game shows from 1997 to '98 and again from '02 to '05.

In 2006, he came to Philadelphia to take over those same duties when Tom McCarthy was hired away from the Phillies by the New York Mets, their National League East division rivals.

McCarthy is now back doing TV, and Franzke has taken over completely on the radio, working the entire game alongside Larry Andersen.

Below is my conversation with the Phillies’ play-by-play voice. We cover everything from the bullpen, to the explosive offense, to Harry Kalas’ passing, all just moments before Game One of the NLCS!

Due to the fact that the interview was recorded just prior to game time, the interview is in podcast form. You must click here to hear it.

Interview: John R. Finger looks at the NLDS

Shay Roddy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:28:10 -0400

The Phils have taken yet another amazing journey to the post-season in 2009. One of the guys who’s been with the team, in the locker room, through pretty much the entire season is John R. Finger from CSNPhilly.com. Finger has been covering the Phils for years for the new and improved Comcast SportsNet website. He’s really captured the pulse of this team in his columns and blogs. I caught up with him this morning, before game one of the NLDS to talk Phils baseball. Here’s our exchange:

SHAY RODDY: Obviously you were right in the middle of the clubhouse celebration. How did it compare to celebrations of previous years? How do you think having been there plays in to the Phils' attitude now?

JOHN R. FINGER: Honestly, after the first time the Phillies clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time in forever, the clubhouse celebrations have lacked the raucousness. Mostly, it seems like players go nuts with the champagne and stuff out of duty and traditional rather than anything else. Plus, a beer company sponsors the “celebration” now, which makes it oh so authentic.

Nevertheless, those situations are always fun. Contrived, but fun.

SR: Charlie Manuel made an interesting decision bringing in Brad Lidge to pitch the final out. Is this just Charlie’s class on display, or has he not completely moved on from using Brad as closer?

JRF: There has been no indication by anyone that Brad Lidge will not close games. He might not get the call every time in the ninth inning–in fact, I’ll wager Manuel sizes up the matchups before bringing in the ninth-inning guy. That very well could be Lidge in certain situations.

About the ninth inning against Houston in the clincher… that was very cool. Everyone wants a boss that shows loyalty and is looking out for you and in that regard, Charlie Manuel came up huge. Lidge definitely appreciated it, too.

SR: Jamie Moyer is out for the playoffs, which means an already thin bullpen loses another piece. Is anything really lost here, or is he a replaceable part of the pen?

JRF: Jamie Moyer is replaceable, but somehow he really got to be pretty good coming out of the bullpen. No, there wasn’t a big body of work to draw from, but he adapted better than most people thought he would. I didn’t like the sulking after he got moved from the rotation, but you have to give him big props for steeling up his resolve and doing the job.

But, yes, Moyer’s left-handedness will be difficult to replace.

SR: What’s your biggest concern heading into the playoffs?

JRF: More than the bullpen, the Phillies' situational hitting might be the biggest concern. They just didn’t get it done in the last months of the season as far as manufacturing runs. Teams can’t always slug their way to a win in the playoffs, so they have to be able to have some offensive savvy. I’m not sure if the Phillies can do that if they don’t get some type of a running game going.

SR: Where do you see this team going?

JRF: There’s no reason why the Phillies can’t go back to the World Series. That’s the beauty of baseball — the conventional wisdom rarely pans out. However, to get there the Phillies will have a tougher road and they will need a lot of things to go right. I think they can beat Colorado and probably Los Angeles, but I’m not sure how well they match up with the Cardinals right now.

But then again, we’ll see.

SR: What is the biggest key to winning the World Series for this team?

JRF: Pitching and defense are always the biggest keys and it will be no different this year. The Phillies did it with pitching last year and I’m afraid they are going to have to dial it up (and then some) if they want to repeat this year. Tall order.

Phillies 2009 Playoff Round Table

Shay Roddy — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:54:43 -0400

Fall is in the air, the days are getting shorter, and the Halloween decor is coming out.

But the city’s focus is on other things right now—the baseball team. There’s a buzz on the streets of Philadelphia, as the Phillies are set to begin their third straight October tomorrow against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park.

When the Phillies get set to take on the Rox tomorrow, we want you all filled in on where the team stands. So, we rounded up some of the best Phillies bloggers in the area for a round table discussion. Our panel contains some of the most respected writers in the business.

Amanda Orr

Blogger, Swing and a Long Drive

Amanda Orr considers herself an avid Phillies fan. She covers the Phillies not only for her own blog, Swing and a Long Drive, but also for the extremely popular PhilliesNation.com. Her work can be read here.

GM-Carson

Blogger, We Should Be GMs

The guy known by Phillies fans a “GM-Carson” runs one of the most popular blogs on the web. We Should Be GMs looks at the Phillies in a slightly different way. Carson, who admits to being obsessed with the Phillies, is one of the smartest Phillies analysts out there. You can read his work here.

Tug Haines

Blogger, The Fightins.com

Tug Haines is fairly new to the covering the Philly sports scene. After years as a die-hard Phillies fan, Chris Jones discovered Tug’s tremendous wit and terrific writing style. Tug began as a part-timer at the now dormant Long Drive in April. Since then he has become a regular contributor to the widely popular TheFightins.com. His work can be read here.

Kevin McGuire

Blogger, Macho Row

Kevin McGuire has been covering the Phillies for over a year. After spending time covering the team as a columnist for BleacherReport.com, he opened his own shop, Macho Row in 2009. In addition to covering the Phillies, he is a Penn State football columnist for Examiner.com. His work can be read here.

So let’s get right to it. Here is your 2009 round table:

Without J.C. Romero, and likely without Chan Ho Park, where does the Phillies depleted bullpen stand? Is it good enough to make it through the playoffs?

AMANDA ORR: I’m very concerned about the bullpen. The reason that the Phillies won the World Series last year was because of their bullpen. Not only did most of the guys have career years last season, but they were all healthy. It is very different this year. They have been depleted with injuries all year. The pen lacks a situational lefty right now, other than Scott Eyre. J.A Happ could pitch an inning from the pen and still make his scheduled start. The closer situation is still a question mark. Teams have won with a “closer by committee” but we all know about Brad Lidge’s struggles, and even Ryan Madson’s at times. The bullpen is the biggest issue right now.

GM-CARSON: Honestly, I don’t think so. If the game is close and late, I have zero confidence in Brad Lidge or Ryan Madson’s ability to lock down the save/win. Without Romero and Park others have to step up into the set-up role (Walker, Durbin, Condrey, Eyre), and I’m not sure they’re ready for the pressure of those situations. Also, the overall mental and physical health of the bullpen is at a season-low, so expecting good things from this group is foolish in my opinion. I’m hoping to be proven wrong, but I’m not holding my breath…

TUG HAINES: I’m not too concerned about the lack of J.C. Romero. In the 2 1/3 innings he has pitched for the team this season, he has thrown about 271 pitches, all of them balls. I am concerned about the lack of Chan Ho Park, big time. I dreaded his starts in the beginning of the season, but as a reliever, he was the only one on the staff that didn’t give me agita when he pitched. His ability to go multiple innings was a major help, too.These guys haven’t really been able to settle into specific roles this season, with all the shuffling around due to injuries and the whole closer fiasco. So asking me where this bullpen stands isn’t fair, because I’m not sure these guys know where they stand. Not like they did last year, anyway. Everyone knew who was pitching the eighth and ninth. Throw in a quality start and you got maybe one inning, maybe less, to worry about. But that dream is over. The reality is, these men are all going to have to dig deep into personal reserves to make it through the playoffs again. And of course they can do it. I know they are good enough, and tough enough.

KEVIN McGUIRE: The bullpen is a big question mark for me. I am not sold on Ryan Madson as a closer and who knows how Brad Lidge will throw when called upon. The Phillies are in a less than desirable situation in which guys like Kyle Kendrick, Antonio Bastardo, and Sergio Escalona are going to be on the playoff roster. Really? I am not confident enough in having so many unproven pitchers in the bullpen on the playoff roster. Can they surprise me? Sure, I hope they do. But looking at them on paper there is no way I could say that this bullpen is good enough for the Phillies to win it all.

Obviously, you have two options at fourth starter—Pedro Martinez and J.A. Happ. Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel has yet to name his fourth starter, despite naming his first two starters and his entire roster. Who would you go with in that spot?

AMANDA ORR: J.A Happ. Pedro has a nagging neck injury, and I wonder if it’s more than his neck. During an interview on CSN, Martinez said something about his rib, which was a little suspicious. And frankly, Happ deserves it. He is a top candidate for the Rookie of the Year Award. He’s had an excellent year. I’d rather get 7+ innings from Happ than a couple out of the bullpen. Also, getting Pedro through six innings is kind of iffy.

GM-CARSON: I like Happ starting more, but based on bullpen needs and Happ’s ability to pitch in relief, I choose Pedro for the rotation. Pedro has had bad 1st innings—9 ip, 14 h, 6 r, 3 hr, .350/1.095 average/OPS against, so relieving doesn’t make much sense, as it seems it takes him an inning to get loose and become effective. Happ on the other hand has proven to pitch well no matter the role, so needing someone to possibly eat innings or be a second lefty in the pen lands him there.

TUG HAINES: I’m inclined to say start Pedro fourth because I’ve really taken a shine to the “Old Goat” since he joined the Fightins. He also has more playoff experience, which goes a long way. But he’s got little-nagging-old-man-type injuries, and his knack for giving out freebies in the first inning shouldn’t fly in the postseason, for me anyway. And J.A. “stop calling me Jay-A” Happ is a young stud who has proven he can shut down opponents. Which is crucial to this inconsistent-of-late offense.

KEVIN McGUIRE: It is a very good debate as to what the Phillies should do with a fourth starter (assuming Joe Blanton is the third). In the first round of the playoffs against the Rockies I think the best option would actually be to throw J.A. Happ over Pedro Martinez, based solely on his success against Colorado this season as well as the struggles of the Rockies vs. lefties. I would actually throw Happ in a game three, just against the Rockies. Should the Phillies be fortunate enough to play in the NLCS and maybe the World Series, then Pedro Martinez would get my vote for fourth starter.

Charlie made a popular move to bring in Brad Lidge to pitch the final out of the division clincher. Was this just a fitting gesture of respect or a sign of things to come in the playoffs?

AMANDA ORR: Definitely a sign of respect. As far as seeing it happen in the postseason, I doubt it. The Phillies had a big enough lead to do it. If it were a one-run lead in Game Seven of the World Series, I think he’ll go with the best matchup.

GM-CARSON: Both. At first I was confused when he came out and yanked Eyre with two outs in the ninth with a large lead. Then when I saw Lidge, I understood. I wouldn’t have made that move, but I respect Charlie for doing it and thought it was very classy. Based on Manuel’s comments recently and the fact that Madson is better served as an eighth inning guy, I foresee Lidge coming in for a save opportunity in the playoffs.

TUG HAINES: Both. Definitely a fitting gesture of respect, that’s obvious. But Lidge is probably going to get the ball in situations involving leads of three-plus runs. Good decision? Maybe. Remember, Uncle Cholly has a way of making people think he’s out of his mind until his players make him look like a genius.

KEVIN McGUIRE: Both. Manuel will tell you he was just trying to make the best moves to win that game, but they were up seven runs with one out to go so we know that is not true. I think it was more of a confidence booster, letting Lidge know that despite the struggles he has gone through this season, Manuel still has faith in him and the fans really do have his back. Having said that, I would be just fine not seeing Lidge in the ninth inning whenever possible. He has been too oopsie-daisey this season for my liking.

Cliff Lee started out 5-0 with a 0.68 ERA in his first five starts with the Phillies. However, in seven starts since that time he has gone 2-4 with a 6.19 ERA. He’s thrown a career high 231.2 innings this season. Has he simply hit a wall or will he return to his dominant stuff through the playoffs?

AMANDA ORR: It’s hard to say. He has never pitched this many innings before, and has never pitched in the postseason. I expect him to return to form. I think it’s just a slump.

GM-CARSON: His location is poor and breaking pitches haven’t been crisp. I don’t think he’ll dominate, but I also don’t think he’ll stink. Think 6-7 innings, 3-4 runs.

TUG HAINES: The guy’s Kool-Aid. Any wall he hits is going to get smashed. Let Cole pitch Game ONe, move Lee to Game Three, give him that extra rest and watch him burn these Rockies out. Besides, Hamels might get the sniffles in that cold mountain air and have to stop pitching after the second to go eat some soup. Clifton will just use that snot to add some extra what-have-you to his breaking pitches and make Colorado look even more ridiculous than they already do. (Purple? Really?)

KEVIN McGUIRE: I don’t think he will pitch as well as he did in his 5-0 start with the team, but I also don’t think Cliff Lee is going to get rocked the way he has against the Braves. As long as Lee can pitch seven solid innings I would think that should be good enough to give the Phillies a chance to win, and that’s all I really ask of my starters.
But hey, if he wants to throw complete game gems this month, that’s fine by me as well.

What do you do at closer in the playoffs? Do you tell Ryan Madson he’s your guy, do you go with closer by committee, or do you think abstractly and make someone like J.A. Happ or Pedro Martinez your closer?

AMANDA ORR: Closer by committee, with Ryan Madson the main go-to guy.

GM-CARSON: If Happ is in the bullpen, I hand him the ball in the ninth. I know he’s never done it before, but seriously, he couldn’t do worse than Lidge has this season. Lidge had one of the worst seasons for closers in the history of the game, so it’s doubtful he’s able to flip that magic switch come postseason.

TUG HAINES: I don’t understand what’s so hard about letting the situation dictate who pitches the ninth. A couple of guys have been rattling their SABR’s since June about Madson being the best reliever on the team. But Madson makes me nervous when he closes, and it’s my world, in case you haven’t figured that out yet. I say lean on Madson, but if you have to let three pitchers pitch to three batters, do it. This isn't April, we aren’t looking to save our strength for the rest of the marathon. It’s October, and get it done. I don’t care whose feelings get hurt, as long as they aren’t mine.

KEVIN McGUIRE: I usually say you should do whatever move is the best option to win, unfortunately I think it is past the time where you experiment with Happ or Martinez in the critical role of closer. As I said before, I am not sold on Madson as a closer so I am in favor of a closer by committee at this point in time. That means starting the inning with Madson or Lidge and having the other guy warming up, ready to come in. If you can get your starters to go seven innings that should help because then you might be able to save lefty specialist Scott Eyre for certain batters. If game one goes to a save situation entering the ninth inning though, I trot out Brad Lidge and take my chances. See what happens and go from there.

What’s your biggest concern headed into the NLDS?

AMANDA ORR: The bullpen.

GM-CARSON: Pitching and Chase Utley. Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, and Joe Blanton along with the dilapidated bullpen have been ineffective lately. Chutley just looks spent.

TUG HAINES: Offense. These guys don’t look loose to me. Right now, they’re like the legendary little girl with the little curl in the middle of her forehead. When they’re good, they’re very, very good. But when they’re bad, well…google it.

KEVIN McGUIRE: As much of a microscope we can all put on the bullpen, the truth is the starting pitching has been just as mediocre heading down the stretch. If the starters continue this recent trend of giving up early runs it will not matter who comes out of the bullpen because the Phillies will be playing catch-up all game long. I don’t think a baseball team or player can just flip a switch once the postseason starts. It takes a nice play or a lucky play to really do that. If Cole Hamels or Cliff Lee goes out and strikes out two batters in a 1-2-3 inning then maybe that can do it. The starting pitching can not get behind early because if they do, the fans will get out of the game, and the offense will start swinging at pitches they shouldn’t. Starting pitching should be the biggest concern.

Where do you see this team finishing? Do they repeat as world champs or make an unexpected early exit?

AMANDA ORR: In the last round table discussion I said “hoping for a repeat” so I’ll go with that!

GM-CARSON: Eliminated in first round against the Rox in four games.

TUG HAINES: WFC, baby.

KEVIN McGUIRE: At the beginning of the season I predicted the Yankees would beat the Phillies in the World Series. At this point I don’t see any reason to go against that. But reaching the World Series will not be easy for either team.I can see the Phillies losing in any round, to the Rockies, Dodgers, or Cardinals before the World Series.

Who Gets on the Philadelphia Phillies Playoff Roster?

Shay Roddy — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:55:11 -0400

The number one question I’ve been getting this week is who will make the Phillies postseason roster. So let’s take a look at it:

You have the obvious eight starters: SS, Jimmy Rollins; CF, Shane Victorino; 2B, Chase Utley; 1B, Ryan Howard; LF, Raul Ibanez; RF Jayson Werth; 3B, Pedro Feliz; C, Carlos Ruiz.

You have nine pitching locks: Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton, Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ, Brad Lidge, Scott Eyre, Ryan Madson, and Brett Myers.

You have four bench locks: OF, Matt Stairs; U, Greg Dobbs; OF, Ben Francisco; C, Paul Bako.

That leaves you with four more available spots and seven people on the bubble: Miguel Cairo, Eric Bruntlett, Clay Condrey, Chad Durbin, Kyle Kendrick, Antonio Bastardo, and Tyler Walker. Let’s take a look at each bubble player’s strengths:

Miguel Cairo, INF - Cairo looked to be a long shot, spending much of the season in the Phillies’ farm system but as of late he has really been playing strong. Since his August recall, Cairo is 10-for-28 with five runs scored and two RBI.

He also has been successful in the postseason and brings a lot of experience to the Phillies’ bench. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel says he might bring just 11 pitchers to make room for the hot-hitting Cairo.

Eric Bruntlett, INF/OF-Bruntlett will most likely make the team, considering he’s been with them all year. His speed could be used to pinch run late in games. He could also potentially be used, much like he was last year, as a defensive replacement.

Clay Condrey, RHP-When Condrey’s been healthy, he’s been very solid. However, Condrey is coming off a strained oblique. He’s been back for over three weeks, but you can’t afford wasting a roster spot on someone who isn’t completely healthy.

If the Phillies can make certain Condrey is 100 percent he could prove to be a valuable asset to a thin bullpen.

Chad Durbin, RHP-After a mediocre season, Durbin has finished as hot as it gets. In his last seven outings, Durbin hasn’t allowed a run, and has surrendered just three hits. Durbin presents a tricky decision for Manuel because he hasn’t pitched well considering the season as a whole. Sometimes it pays off to play the hot hand though.

Kyle Kendrick, RHP-Kendrick has spent most of the season in the minor leagues, working on developing another pitch. However, he joined the big club in September and pitched effectively in a long relief role.

Since Jamie Moyer went down to torn tendons in his groin and abdomen, Kendrick has stepped up his game even more. He could provide effective long relief, while salvaging the rest of the bullpen if a starter were to get in trouble early.

Antonio Bastardo, LHP-Bastardo has weaseled his way into the discussions with the loss of J.C. Romero for the season. Without Romero, the Phils will only have one lefty in their bullpen—Scott Eyre.

Eyre has pitched well as of late, but the Phils will likely want to have another lefty specialist, particularly to face Todd Helton in the late innings. Bastardo could make the roster if the team decides another lefty is necessary.

Tyler Walker, RHP-After seemingly pitching his way into being a playoff lock, Walker hit a rough patch late in the season, allowing four runs in back-to-back games against the Brewers and Astros without recording an out.

However, he has turned it around, pitching three consecutive scoreless innings to close out the season. Walker could provide good situational pitching against righties or solid seventh innings, if he can keep up his recent success.

So who makes it? My picks would be Miguel Cairo, Clay Condrey, Kyle Kendrick, and Tyler Walker.

It’s hard for me to leave Bruntlett, who many consider to be a lock, off the roster, but I have to go with the hot bat in that situation. An area that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention is the bench, which is rather depleted.

I’ll take as many bats there as I can. If Burrell were still on the team, you’d have to take Bruntlett, but everyone in the starting eight is capable of running for themselves.

All the others seem pretty straight forward to me. You could make the argument for Bastardo over Kendrick, but with the uncertainty regarding some of the starters, not having a long reliever could prove to be a big mistake.

The Phillies have until 10 AM Wednesday to hand in their roster, but Manuel is expected to announce his roster to the media tomorrow.

Emptying The Phillies Notebook

Shay Roddy — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:16:12 -0400

Well, the regular season is over. A hint of fall is in the air, and this city is ready for it’s third straight dose of October baseball. Here are some notes regarding the postseason that I have gathered over the last week:

The Dodgers clinched the division last night with a 5-0 win over the Rockies. This means the Rockies will be the NL’s Wild Card entrant and play the Phillies in the NLDS.

The Phillies’ playoff schedule:

UPDATE: Times are as follows: Games 1 and 2: 2:37 p.m. Game 3: 9:37 p.m. Games 4 and 5 (if necessary): TBD.

J.C Romero will not be pitching in the NLDS or any of the playoffs for that matter. After seeking a medical second opinion, he has been shut down for the 2009 season/postseason. Said manager Charlie Manuel: “I’ve kind of known it all along [that Romero eventually would be shut down]. He’s been hurt. It seems like he always gets set back, set back whenever he pitches or tries to pitch. I knew there was going to come a day when it was one way or the other. I guess we got the other.”

Chan Ho Park will more than likely not pitch in the NLDS. There is still a possibility that he would pitch in the latter rounds of the postseason, if necessary. Said Park: “I’m still waiting for [Dr. Ciccotti, Phillies team physician]. I did an MRI in the morning [Friday]. It’s too bad. I had damn good stuff. I felt so good, my arm felt really strong.”

Kyle Kendrick, who a week ago seemed to be a long shot to make the postseason roster now looks like a likely possibility. Pitching coach Rich Dubee and Manuel continue to keep their lips sealed on who might make that 25-man roster, but Kendrick’s performance coupled with the loss of Jamie Moyer to torn tendons in his groin and abdomen likely mean he will make the roster.

The Rockies are having issues with the flu. They currently have multiple ill players. They also may have lost pitcher Jorge DeRosa to a groin injury last night.

Chase Utley looks dead out there. The Phillies all-star second baseman has had a rough September hitting just .193 (22-for-114) with only nine RBIs. He is hitless in his last 17 at-bats and is hitting .083 (3-for-36) with two RBIs in his last 10 games.

A detailed look at the Phils’ season series against Colorado:

Here’s a look at the season series (4-2 Phillies):

April 10, at Colorado: Rockies 10, Phillies 3 (W- Jason Marquis; L- Cole Hamels)

April 11, at Colorado: Phillies 8, Rockies 4 (W- Brett Myers; L- Jorge De La Rosa)

April 12, at Colorado: Phillies 7, Rockies 5 (W- Ryan Madson; L- Street)

Aug. 4, at Philadelphia: Rockies 8, Phillies 3 (W- Jason Hammel; L- Jamie Moyer)

Aug. 5, at Philadelphia: Phillies 7, Rockies 0 (W- Happ; L- De La Rosa)

Aug. 6, at Philadelphia: Phillies 3, Rockies 1 (W- Lee; L- Aaron Cook)

Four Phillies are hitting above .300 against Colorado this year: Chase Utley (.421, 8-for-19, 1 HR, 4 RBI); Jayson Werth (.391, 9-for-23, 2 HR, 8 RBI); Raul Ibanez (.304, 7-for-23, 1 HR, 2 RBI); Pedro Feliz (.350, 7-for-20, 1 HR, 5 RBI)

Three Rockies are hitting above .300 against the Phillies this season: Dexter Fowler (.429, 9-for-21, 1 HR, 3 RBI); Ryan Spillborghs (.348, 8-for-23, 0 HR, 3 RBI); Garrett Atkins (.304, 7-for-23, 3 HR, 8 RBI)

QUOTABLE:

Manager Charlie Manuel:

On Chase Utley: “He gets worn down physically and mentally. He needs some rest.”

On Chan Ho Park: “Chan Ho, I don’t think, is going to make this first round — unless we get a miracle.”

On his closer in the playoffs: “”I’ve heard people talk. I’ve heard people say instead of using Brad use somebody else. But who else out there would you want on the mound if you were going to win or lose a game? Who would you want? Take your pick. I always get back to [Brad] Lidge. I’ve got [Ryan] Madson and Lidge in there. Madson probably would be the guy I would go to today to win the game. But there’s going to come a point where Lidge is going to have to pitch and do the job.”

On the bullpen: “I think Scott Eyre definitely could pitch on lefties. I think Brett Myers has all the experience in the world. If he can go, I think he can help us in the bullpen because he’s done that.”

On facing the Rockies: “I know on our team we think we kind of owe them something. And also [Rockies' general manager] Danny O’Dowd , he was my former boss and he’s a good friend of mine, but man, I’d like to beat his [butt]. … I think we’ll be prepared. But I also think they’ll be prepared. They’ve got a lot of energy and they like to play. That’s why they’re where they at. That’s why they have the record they have since the first month of the season. They play like they love to play baseball, and they go out there to beat you.”

General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr.:

On Chan Ho Park: “Right now it’s day-to-day. We’ll see how it goes. I can’t say whether I’m optimistic or pessimistic because you never know how he’ll heal over the next couple days. But I do know it’s unfortunate because he was throwing the ball real well. We’d love to have him.”

Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley:

On Lidge and what he sees in his mechanics: “It’s not so much the violent delivery, but it’s the wildness of it all. It’s incredible that he had that run [last year] to begin with. It’s almost like it caught up with him. What’s been good for him is killing him right now. Everybody knows it. I’ve never really seen one year to the next like this. It’s been incredible. Is he capable of getting it back all of a sudden? Yeah, probably. But if I had been watching it all year long, I’d be scared to death.”

Rockies’ Manager Jim Tracy:

On playing the Phillies: “Going to Philadelphia, you know you are going to have to beat one of the best teams. Our guys are excited about that.”

RANDOM INFO:

The last time the Phillies were in Denver, Harry Kalas broadcast what would be his final game (April 12). He died the next day in Washington. The Phillies will return to Denver on Saturday.

The Dodgers will host the Cardinals in NLDS ‘B’. It will be interesting to see who TBS decides to give the prime-time games to.

The 25-man postseason roster is due Wednesday morning.

The Phillies have not announced their playoff broadcast schedule as of yet, but if last year was any indication, expect the duos of Tom McCarthy and Chris Wheeler/Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen to split time in the broadcast booth, with Gary Matthews to join Jim Jackson on the post-game program.

Jayson Werth fell one RBI short of 100 for the season. According to a clause in his contract, if Werth were to reach 100 RBIs the Phillies would owe him a $500,000 bonus. He was intentionally walked with a runner in scoring position by Fredi Gonzalez’s Marlins in the 10th inning of Sunday’s game.

Brad Lidge changed his intro music, dropping Drowning Pool's Soldiers for Linkin Park's No More Sorrow. "You know what?" said Lidge, "It's probably time for a change. So I've got a new song and I had a good outing, so we'll see." He has been perfect since the change.

UPCOMING:

I will feature interviews with John R. Finger, Phillies beat writer for CSNPhilly.com and likely one other local media member. We will also host a round table featuring Tug Haines (TheFightins.com), Amanda Orr (Swing and a Long Drive), GM-Carson (We Should Be GMs), and Enrico Campitelli (The700Level.com)

THANK YOUS:

Special thanks to the local beat writers- David Murphy, Todd Zolecki, Scott Lauber, Ryan Lawrence, Andy Martino, and John Finger or their outstanding coverage this season. Thanks also for the use of quotes through this piece and the entire season.

BREAKING: Moyer Out For Season

Shay Roddy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:32:20 -0400

PHILADELPHIA—This just in. Jamie Moyer's MRI results have come in and they don't show good news for the Phillies.

The MRI shows tears in three tendons—two in his groin and one in his lower abdomen.

He will not pitch again in 2009.

Recovery time is reportedly 10 months, but Moyer is expected to be ready for the start of Phillies' spring training in February.

According to team physician Michael Ciccotti, Jamie Moyer will have a surgery to repair the tendons in the next seven to ten days. According to Ciccotti, 90-95% of players who undergo the surgery return to the Major Leagues.

"Given the fact that much of what a pitcher generates velocity-wise is from their legs, and given the fact that has he injured two of those adductor tendons and also his lower abdominal muscle, it's not the type of injury that you can really treat non-operatively to get back and pitch at the level he would want to be pitching at," Ciccotti said. "It's really best treated surgically."

According to Ciccotti, 90-95% of players who undergo the surgery return to the Major Leagues, however you must factor Moyer's age into the equation. Given that he is 46, his chances to return to the big league level are clearly slimmer than a young player.

Ciccotti doesn't seem worried. "Jamie has all the qualities you need to get back in terms of focus and dedication to a rehab program," he said. Ciccotti expects he'll be ready for the spring.

More coming...

Happ Is Phils' Best Option at Closer

Shay Roddy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:27:43 -0400

Consistency has been the main topic on Phillies manager Charlie Manuel's mind lately as he sits and watches his team struggling atop the NL East. After dancing around reporters' questions for months, Charlie was finally willing to answer for his closer this week.

After a perfect season en route to a World Series title last year, Brad Lidge has been inconsistent, to say the least, this season, blowing a league worst eleven saves. And after another blown save last Wednesday, it appears that Brad Lidge's days are unceremoniously over as Phillies' closer.

Without Lidge, Manuel and company are left with one obvious question: Who is the closer in the playoffs?

General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. spoke on the situation this week saying, "Our best club is to have Lidge pitch the ninth. Right now, he hasn't been doing it effectively, and we'll have to make an adjustment off that. ... No decision has been made officially. Charlie is going to bring people in to pitch in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning that he feels will be most effective. That doesn't necessarily mean that Lidge isn't one of those guys. He still could be one of those guys. It could be (Ryan) Madson. It could be Lidge. It could be a host of guys. Obviously it will be different if we get some of the other guys back."

Let's examine what Amaro said and throw a few different options out there:

You can go with a closer by committee setup, using whoever matches up best with the opponent's lineup. This could work and seems to be what Manuel has elected to go with so far. It allows you to test a variety of people like Chan Ho Park, Tyler Walker, and J.C. Romero in the position to see how they deal with the intensified situations. The drawback is that no one knows when they'll be used, so they can't prepare as well as if they know their situation.

You could also name your most consistent relief pitcher Ryan Madson closer. Madson, however, has struggled in the ninth this season. He is also a huge asset to the bullpen as a setup man. He has been among baseball's best there, and moving him from that spot could turn for the worse.

Some talk has been made about putting Pedro Martinez in the closers roll. This however seems to be a recipe for disaster, as Pedro hasn't spent much time in a bullpen roll and has lost much of his velocity. He is also getting up there in age so pitching on back-to-back nights could prove problematic.

What seems to be one of the best options would be using J.A. Happ in the closers roll. Happ will likely end up in the bullpen anyway, after a rocky route to a win on Tuesday. You won't take five starting pitchers into the playoffs, and provided Pedro Martinez is healthy, he'll probably be the forth pitcher in your rotation.

If Happ is in the pen, using him as closer would free up the rest of the relievers to do what they do best.

Happ has recent bullpen experience too, he started just this season out there. If he could muster up the stomach to deal with the ninth he could save the day, as this Phillies team stumbles into the first round of the playoffs.

Closer certainty is crucial to winning another World Series, and Happ is the best person to provide just that.

Interview: Mike Sielski Discusses His New Book

Shay Roddy — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:09:02 -0400

For years Mike Sielski has been writing masterpieces, just under deadline for Calkins Media’s family of newspapers. But now, Sielski has decided to try something new—writing a book.

After spending years covering the Central Bucks East vs. Central Bucks West rivalry, Sielski discovered two players, two rivals, and two stars, who would later become teammates. Teammates far away from the Doylestown, Pa., gridirons where they spent much of their youth. In fact, their team involved no footballs or goal posts, rather guns, ammunition, and heroism.

Yes, these two high school football stars would later become teammates on America’s front-lines, protecting the country they love.

But I think Sielski himself tells the story just a bit better, because after all, it’s his. In Sielski’s first book Fading Echoes: A True Story of Rivalry and Brotherhood from the Football Field to Fields of Honor he tells this story as only he can. And he was kind enough to talk with us about the book, which is available now, wherever books are sold.

SHAY RODDY: Could you give us a brief summary of the book?

MIKE SIELSKI: The book is a non-fiction narrative about the lives of Colby Umbrell, who played football at Central Bucks High School East and eventually became an Army Ranger, and Bryan Buckley, who played at CB West and became a Marine. Even though they weren’t close friends, these two men grew up in the same small town (Doylestown) and took similar paths into the military and actually ended up serving in Iraq at the same time. Unfortunately, one was killed in action.

SR: I understand you spent some time covering the Central Bucks West vs. Central Bucks East rivalry for the Inteligencer, back in the beginning of your career. At what point did you come across these two characters (Colby Umbrell and Bryan Buckley) and realize what a successful book the story could make?

MS: I was the Intelligencer’s East-West beat writer for more than four years, starting in 1998–Colby’s and Bryan’s senior season. I knew them fairly well that year, but once they graduated, I lost touch with them. Once I learned what each of them had done since they had graduated from high school, I realized that combining their stories could make for a good book. Their lives and experiences had the necessary archetypes and dramatic elements: war, high school football, small-town America, etc.

SR: At what point did you begin writing the story?

MS: I wrote a series of articles about Colby in December 2007. Those articles became the starting point for the book. I got the book contract in July ‘08 and began writing the rest of the manuscript then. I finished on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009–not that the date stays in my mind or anything.

SR: What additional reporting/research did you have to do for the book?

MS: I had to interview dozens of family members and friends of Colby and Bryan, collect documents and e-mails and letters, and read everything I could about Iraq and the war. Plus, because Doylestown was such an integral part of the story, I had to research its history and development, too.

SR: Where/ when can we get the thing?

MS: It should be available in just about any bookstore in the country. I know you can order it on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com, among other places.

SR: You’ve spent most of your career in newspapers. What made you decide to write the book?

MS: I love long-form narrative writing, and it’s rare anymore to have the space and the time to pursue those kinds of stories in newspapers. I’m a big fan of books such as “The Devil and the White City” and “They Marched into Sunlight”—historical narratives that put a compelling true story into the context of its times. I wanted to try to do something similar—tell a sports-related story that was simultaneously universal and unique.

SR: Did you enjoy it?

MS: Loved it. It was very liberating to be able to write as much as I wanted in the way I wanted. It was exhausting because I was still writing my column regularly and because I spent the fall teaching part-time at La Salle University, but it was worth it.

SR: What can we expect from you in the future?

MS: I’m still columnizing for Calkins Media. As far as the next book project goes, I’m trying to find the right subject or topic.

—–

Special Thanks to friend of Phillie Phanantics Mike Sielski for, as always, so graciously and quickly doing this interview.

Jamie Moyer Not Happy with New Role in Pen

Shay Roddy — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:55:01 -0400

There are no promises in baseball. Jamie Moyer knows that. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be upset about the decision to move him to the bullpen to make room in the rotation for former Cy Young Award winning pitcher Pedro Martinez. The 46-year-old Moyer feels a little betrayed.

He sat alone in the fifth row of the Wrigley Field stands before last night’s game just staring, and thinking. After letting his new role sink in for a few minutes, he called the traveling media over.

Moyer, who is the consummate professional addressed the situation as only he could.
“I most certainly don’t want to be a distraction to my team, so I hope you guys will respect that,” Moyer began. “I’m just going to tell you that, you know what, I’m really not happy with this decision that the Phillies have made.”

Moyer tried hard not to create a side story, but certainly showed his frustration. Frustration he certainly warrants having, after winning the team ten games already.
Moyer continued his soliloquy by expressing frustration with general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr.

“Ultimately, I’m a little disheartened because I know this past winter when I was negotiating with the Phillies, this was a sore thumb, if you will, about this potentially happening. You can’t promise anything in this game, but I really felt that Ruben kind of parlayed to me that this type of situation would not happen.

I actually even had some conversation with David [Montgomery], and them reassuring me this type of situation won’t happen. Again, I’m a little disheartened by the way it’s happened, how it’s happened. We’re still in first place.”

But Moyer agrees the only way to get through this is to be a professional.

“I feel disheartened and misled, but I refuse to be a distraction,” he said.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who ultimately agreed with Amaro on sending Moyer into a relief role said this has been among the hardest decisions he’s ever had to make.

“It was the toughest decisions I ever made because of who it was,” Manuel said. But he ultimately believed that Martinez “deserves a chance.”

And he will get a chance tonight in Chicago against Jeff Samardzija, who is 1-1 with an ERA over 6.00 in sixteen games for the Cubs.

Who knows, maybe he’ll be like the Pedro Martinez of old, but if he comes back as the washed up pitcher he was last year for the Mets, Moyer will be ready to reclaim his spot.

It may not be right away, as Martinez is guaranteed more than one start.

“He has to go more than one time,” Manuel reasoned. “He should get a chance.”

But the manager will also count on Moyer’s aid from his new role.

“He will be ready,” Manuel said. “And I won’t be afraid to use him.”

Honoring a Legend: Harry Kalas joins Phillies' Wall of Fame

Shay Roddy — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:59:19 -0400

It’s still hard to believe that the sound of our summers is gone. For many of us, Harry Kalas provided the sound track to the shore, or your porch in South Philly. He was the sound of baseball in the Delaware Valley. He was one of a kind.

He called games through the worst of seasons, where losses often outnumbered wins. But with his singular voice and trademark calls, he made those years enjoyable. He didn’t disappoint in the Philies’ good years either.

He called games in 1980, where he reached a high-note in the League Championship Series as his beloved Phils moved on to the World Series. But that’s where his run came to an end. Local broadcasters were forbidden to call the World Series, a rule that sidelined Harry for that chapter of baseball history.

The absence of Harry when the team was on baseball’s grandest stage infuriated Phillies fans. Through their letters and protests, they got the rule changed a year later.

Harry came to Philly in 1971, after the Phils lured Bill Giles to Philly to help unveil the Vet. And Bill Giles knew the perfect master of ceremonies. When he got here, he wasn’t instantly popular. He was far from a legend. He was known as “the guy who replaced Bill Campbell.” But it didn’t take Harry long to win Philadelphia’s heart.

He joined a team of some of the single greatest broadcasters ever, including his long time broadcast partner and lifelong best friend, Richie Ashburn. Ashburn and Kalas teamed up to become what could be described as a long running Broadway act. They performed each year from April to September, bringing their shows to the homes an cars of Phillies fans.

They were the perfect team.

But in 1997, the Phillies ventured to New York, where the Phillies would take on the Mets at Shea. And after the game, a tragedy occurred- Ashburn had a heart attack and died.

In the years following Ashburn’s death, Harry was never quite the same. He worked with numerous broadcast partners, none of which were anything like Whitey.

In 2004, Harry received Baseball’s grandest honor, and induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

He continued to call games for the next few years. And as his beloved Phils began to build up hopes of winning another World Series title, Harry brought fans all of the action, as only he could.

Finally, in 2008 there was justice. On a perfect autumn night, with the sky-scraping buildings shimmering in the background, the Phils once again wrote their name into the history of this city. This time, Harry was there to document every second, calling the final out.

After Harry led the city in celebration, he returned to his home in Media. He was a super-star, but that’s never how he looked at it. He was still the same guy, who you would regularly see at the Wawa, filling up his coffee cup and chatting with everyone in the store. He never lost sight of why he had a job in the first place—the fans.

After arriving at 2009 Spring Training late, after having what, at the time, was an undisclosed operation, Harry seemed to fit right back into his groove. He called games the same way he always did for the first weeks of the 2009 season. But, on April 13, he died, after collapsing in the press box at Nationals Park.

It was the most unbelievable day. A monument had fallen. No one knew quite how to react.

His memorial service was held at Citizens Bank Park. He was one of three people ever to be remembered with an on-field memorial service. The others- Jack Buck and Babe Ruth. And I don’t doubt for a second that Harry fits right into that category. He transcended the game of baseball, which is something you can’t say about many people.

Tonight, at Citizens Bank Park, Harry will be remembered once again and honored, in a ceremony for the consummate master of ceremonies, as he will join the Phillies’ Wall of Fame.

Jim Johnson Was One of the Good Guys: A Tribute to the Late Eagles DC

Shay Roddy — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:02:48 -0400

Andy Reid used the words sincere, direct, and honest to describe defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who passed away due to melanoma around 5:45 this afternoon.

But perhaps Coach Reid forgot Johnson's greatest trait, the one that made him stand out from every other defensive coordinator—fearlessness.

Jim Johnson was the most fearless football coach I've ever had the privilege to watch.

I think one game tells his story best. It was a game that Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Didinger reminded me of earlier this afternoon—a 2007 Sunday night loss to New England, one of the league's great offensive powerhouses.

For the entire season, teams played New England scared. They didn't blitz. They played a cautious, lazy defense.

But Johnson came in with his fearless approach, blitzing nearly every play. It worked; Tom Brady felt the pressure. The Eagles defense gave them a chance to pull the upset of the year.

It didn't turn out that way though, with troubles offensively. The Eagles lost 31-28, but Johnson's defense was of no fault.

Though Johnson's scheme didn't win that game for him, it was tried by other teams around the league, most notably by Johnson's former understudy Steve Spagnuolo in Super Bowl XLII, where Spagnuolo's Giants went on to shock the world, beating the undefeated Patriots.

He went in and tried something unprecedented. He was fearless, and it made him great.

Off the field, he was a great person too.

He shaped not only the football lives of so many of his defensive students, but their real lives as well.

He kept them focused on one collective goal—winning.

“There’s been no finer coach or man than Jim Johnson,” owner Jeffrey Lurie said Tuesday night. “He was just an incredible gem from day one.”

That just about sums it up.

Jim Johnson was one of the good guys.

Cliff Lee Could be Philadelphia Phils' Deadline Solution

Shay Roddy — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:07:32 -0400

So much has been made of the talks between J.P. Ricciarddi and Ruben Amaro, Jr. about bringing Roy Halladay to Philadelphia. In fact, too much. Philadelphians have obsessed over this “baseball god” and “savior” for weeks now.

But as the deadline inches closer, maybe it’s time for Amaro to move on. The price for Halladay is just too steep.

“If the Phillies think for one minute that they’re going to get [Halladay] for anything other than top dollar, they’d better go get Cliff Lee,” a baseball executive told Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.

So maybe Amaro should move on to someone a little cheaper. Someone who could be of similar value to Halladay, but not quite as elite. Maybe Amaro should take a look at Lee.

Lee, who’ll be 31 next month, is a two time Cy Young Award Winner and proven pitcher, who could bolster the Phillies deep into the playoffs. And he won’t come at too steep of a cost.

He seems to be the perfect fit.

Though accomplished pitchers always come with a price-tag, Lee might only cost you pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, as apposed to Drabek and lefty J.A. Happ, as the Blue Jays demanded.

An Indians scout (as well as a Blue Jays scout) was in Reading tonight, where Drabek improved to 7-1, going seven strong innings.

CSNPhilly.com Phillies beat writer and friend of Phillie Phanatics, John Finger talked to Drabek after the game about all of the rumors flying around. “It’s a little weird,” Drabek said. “I didn’t think it would happen like this, but I’m trying not to think about it. I just go out there and pitch.”

But weird or not, the end may be near for Drabek, as he’d be the logical piece in a trade for Lee.

Drabek wouldn’t complete the deal though, and another likely piece would be Carlos Carrasco. Assistant General Manager Chuck Lamar told Dave Murphy from the Philadelphia Daily News that the organization holds Carrasco in high regard.

“He’s one of the top pitching prospects, not only in our organization, but in all of minor league baseball,” Lamar said.

“He’s thrown the curve ball almost exclusively since we signed him. He’s one of those unique guys who can spin the ball, and he can throw both (the slider and the curve).”

Lamar said he has seen an improvement in Carrasco’s ability to pitch inside, an art that takes many pitchers a long time to master.

“It never seems to come easy to anybody,” Lamar said. “Carlos has adapted quicker than we thought he would. And I know in his last couple of starts he’s done a good job of challenging a guy inside.”

But with Carrasco and Drabek highly regarded by the organization, you can’t help but wonder if Amaro will be willing to pull the trigger.

It’s a high reward trade with the risk of losing some future greats. Count on Amaro to do what’s right. He’s been dead on so far.

Roy Halladay Would Come at a Cost

Shay Roddy — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:52:29 -0400

He's one of the greats. He could be the missing link in a potential-filled Phillies team. He could be the key to winning another World Series. But, just like any great commodity, he comes at a cost.

As rumors continue swirling regarding Roy Halladay, the Cy Young award winning ace, coming to Philadelphia, excitement continues to build. But, might that excitement be a bit premature?

The Blue Jays aren't going to give him away.

According to the most recent reports, sources are saying that Halladay will cost the Phillies J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek, and Dominic Brown. Now it's up to the Phillies to take the deal or counter.

Manager Charlie Manuel addressed the situation today, when reporters asked him if Halladay was worth the Jay's asking price.

"I like Drabek and the basic reason I say that is, when I look at him, the style of pitcher that he is, I look at his upside. I look at his tools. I look at the kind of pitcher he is—I call him a drop and drive pitcher—and I think he's on the order of Nolan Ryan or Tom Seaver or Colon, guys like that with a real strong core, strong legs, get a big push off the rubber to produce power. It's a style that usually makes for a long career. That's what I see."

Aside from Drabek, Happ would also be a significant loss to the Phils rotation. He's been the steadiest of the Phils starters with a 7-1 record, trumping ace Cole Hamels (6-5) and every other Phils starter.

Bottom line is, you can't ask much more from a pitcher than what Happ is giving you now. Halladay says he doesn't want to sign an extension so he's only good for a year-and-a-half. Happ is showing potential to be great for a long time.

Why trade the farm to get a pitcher who may only be a tad better than the one you're giving up?

The Phils have what it takes now to be a powerhouse for a long time. But don't take that for granted. You go trading away the farm now and the window to win narrows. That's all Halladay does for you- give you a chance to win in a narrow window.

Why not open that window wider by keeping what you have. Maybe pick up a number three or some bullpen help.

There's an unnecessary sense of urgency for Halladay. He's an exciting player, but think about the cost.

A Hero Moves On: A Tribute To Chris Coste

Shay Roddy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:37:00 -0400

He was a survivor. They kept him in the minors for more than thirteen years; he survived.

They sent him to Triple-A after he hit nearly .500 in Spring Training; he survived.

They signed Rod Barajas to take his job; he proved to be better.

They signed Ronnie Paulino to take his place; he won the job.

They signed Paul Bako; he finally lost.

Although you might have seen this coming (after all, the front office has been trying to get rid of him for years), "shocking" seems to be a fitting word to describe yesterday’s decision to place Phillies’ backup backstop Chris Coste on waivers. A man who’s journey to the majors was, quite literally, a book, left the city yesterday for Houston, after the Phils' front office decided that the newly acquired Paul Bako was a better fit.

He was a man who won every Philadelphian’s heart. He was, in every sense of the word, a Philadelphia hero.

It never came easy to Coste, who was 33 when he made his major league debut with the Phillies. He never once gave up. He stuck with it through hard times and long bus-trips to farmlands and redneckvilles that minor league teams called home. He had the hard life, but he never looked at it that way. He saw it as baseball, a game he loved.

He stuck with it. He never quit. That’s why we loved him. That’s why he was a hero.

Though, at times, his play between the lines could get frustrating, we never lost respect for Coste. He got us and we got him. That’s something you rarely find in a city as demanding as Philadelphia.

The change hit a soft spot for the thirty-six year-old Coste, as well. “I didn’t realize how much the fans would take to me,” Coste said. “I don’t know that there’s many cities around baseball that would take to me the way Philadelphia has. It’s almost the kind of stuff you could write a book about.”

But now, Coste’s storybook life will move to Houston, where he will assume a major-league roll. It’s tough to see him go, but if anyone can win a new set of fans over, it would be Coste.

Best of luck, Chris.

Ain't That What Replay's For?: Phillies Fall To Sox In Extras

Shay Roddy — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:37:54 -0400

In the bottom of the eleventh inning at a sold out Citizens Bank Park, with two strikes and two outs to Greg Dobbs, Dobbs hit a ball that came just about as close to being a home run as you possibly can.

The ball went directly over the foul pole, or so it seemed on the replay Comcast SportsNet showed during their broadcast. But, after a long pause on the field, first base umpire Jim Joyce signalled foul, much to the dismay of all 45,321 fans and the Phillies' dugout.

: A screenshot from Comcast SportsNet's post game coverage that seemingly shows the ball going over the foul pole in the 11th inning. The foul call was not reviewed to the dismay of Charlie Manuel.

The call lured Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel out of the dugout. When Manuel discussed the call with Joyce, you could see Joyce shake his head and say something like, "We're not reviewing this one."

In September of 2008, Major League Baseball implemented an instant replay system which can be used for only three purposes, all of which involve home runs:

fair (home run) or foul
whether the ball actually left the playing field
whether the ball was subject to spectator interference

Tonight's scenario fits into bullet point one. So why wasn't the call reviewed?

Could it have been the umpire's ego getting in the way? Possibly. But, Manuel addressed the situation in his post-game news conference.

"He said they weren't going to review it. They didn't 'want to review it' is basically what [Joyce] said. I asked him why. I said I wanted it reviewed. He said 'it's my call.'"

"He said he saw it. I asked him a lot of questions about it. He said, 'I stayed on it Charlie.' I said to him it's not where it lands, it's where it goes out. And he said, 'I stayed on it. I've been doing this a little while too.'"

"...he said it's not reviewable, it's my call, or something similar to that."

And with that non-review, the Phillies proceeded to fall to the Boston Red Sox 5-2, after the Sox scored three runs off Kyle Kendrick in the thirteenth.

MLB Trade Rumors Fly, Some Smarter Than Others

Shay Roddy — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:45:10 -0400

OK, so every now and then I get a pretty asinine e-mail. This one came from a crazed fan who moved out of the Philly area a few years ago but reads Phillie Phanatics to keep up to date. For the sake of protecting his identity from all you Utley lovers, we’ll call him John Doe. Here’s the (slightly edited) exchange that took place between us in the wee-hours of Monday morning:

From: Doe, John. To: Roddy, Shay.

Subject: Trade possibility

Hey Shay,

I’m looking at possible trade options to sure-up the Phillies' rotation. I can’t help but wonder if the Phillies could possibly land my favorite pitcher, Edinson Volquez. The trade would look like this: Chase Utley and Antonio Bastardo for Brandon Philllps and Volquez.

Please let me know what you think!

John Doe

Seattle, Washington

___________________________

From: Roddy, Shay. To: Doe, John.

Subject: RE: Trade possibility

John,

I appreciate the e-mail, but this is a REALLY bad trade. First of all, Edinson is on the DL right now. Secondly, you’re giving up your best offensive player (arguably) and a top pitching prospect. And finally, Cincinatti is not looking to trade either of those two, or take on the tremendous salary and commitment that comes with Mr. Utley.

I don’t see this trade working at all, unless you can convince me otherwise.

Shay

___________________________

From: Doe, John. To: Roddy, Shay.

Subject: RE: Trade possibility

Shay,

Philips I think is a really interesting piece in this trade. He’s 27, a 30-30 guy and a possible future 40-40 guy. He already has 42 RBI this year. He could fit into this lineup nicely, he’s another cleanup hitter in the lineup. That would give the Phillies three cleanup hitters in one lineup. However, the Phillies seem pretty set on four hitters, so Phillips can use his versatility and bat 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.

I think he would make what is already a great lineup even better.

Cheers,

John

___________________________

From: Roddy, Shay. To: Doe, John.

Subject: RE: Trade possibility

John,

I’m really not liking this trade. First of all, it’s not going to happen. The Phillies aren’t going to trade Utley, and the Reds aren’t trading Volquez or Phillips. But, just for argument's sake, IF it were to happen, you’d be bringing another 100 strikeouts into this lineup. If you bat Phillips and Howard back-to-back (which seems to be the most logical order) you’d be throwing out even more rallies to strikeouts. These strikeouts and power would be an addition to a lineup that already struggles playing small ball.

Shay

___________________________

From: Doe, John. To: Roddy, Shay.

Subject: RE: Trade possibility

Shay…

This is a really excellent trade. First of all, you are letting one great player go in exchange for TWO GREAT PLAYERS. Philips will provide a spark in this lineup that is otherwise not present. He’ll become part of the BEST LINEUP IN PHILLIES HISTORY: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Phillips 2B, Howard 1B, Ibanez LF, Mayberry RF, Feliz 3B, Ruiz C. Admit that lineup has no holes!

And Edinson has nasty stuff and is a lock to win 15 a year. He’d help fill the void left during Myers’ stint on the disabled list and join what would become one of the scariest rotations in baseball–Cole Hamels, Volquez, Carlos Carrasco, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ.

Please, I know moving Utley seems ambitious, but consider the potential these two new Phillies would bring.

John

____________________________

From: Roddy, Shay. To: Doe, John.

Subject: RE: Trade possibility

John,

Your points aren’t far off, and you’ve made me look at this a little closer, but the trade is still unrealistic. I think the best explanation for why it’s not workable is that the trade is only good on paper. It might work in your fantasy league, but is not an option in reality.

In that rotation of yours, where are you putting Jamie Moyer? You seriously value Carrasco, who’s shown he’s not even close to big-league ready, as more important than Moyer? That alone devalues the rest of your argument. It’s a bad, unrealistic trade.

Shay

____________________________

From: Doe, John. To: Roddy, Shay.

Subject: RE: Trade possibility

Moyer, are you serious?? DROP HIMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!! DEMOTE HIM TO TRIPLE-A OR LONG RELIEF!!!!!!!!! He is old and finished. Make him a assistant pitching coach, I don’t care, just get his old ass out of the rotation.

John

____________________________

From: Roddy, Shay. To: Doe, John.

Subject: RE: Trade possibility

John, I pretty much just lost any respect I had for you. You’re not thinking buddy. Pretty much everything you have said makes no sense. If you really believe you can do that with Moyer, then you’re out of your mind.

Thanks for reading, bud.

Shay

------

You can email Shay Roddy at sroddy@philliephanatics.org and read his blog here.

Park to Pen; Minor League Transaction; Other Notes

Shay Roddy — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:17:23 -0400

CINCINNATI– According to General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr., Chan Ho Park has been moved to the bullpen effective immediately. After going just 1 1/3 innings on Sunday, Park has been demoted to the role he has held through much of his career– long relief.

Park didn’t say much, but did offer this to reporters: “I’m disappointed I lost the job, but I got a new job now.”

J.A. Happ will take Park’s spot in the baseball’s worst rotation (seriously, it’s statistically the worst in baseball) starting Saturday at new Yankee Stadium.

More coming…

————-

The Phillies made a minor league addition Monday, signing catcher Paul Bako. Bako, a veteran of ten different Major League teams over eleven seasons, is a career .231 hitter. He was last with the Cubs during spring training, but was released March 30. And no, he’s not going to be the needed right-handed bat, he bats from the left side.

The signing seems a little puzzling, is it just a step toward having a plethora of young catching talent– maybe, but if you read into it a little further, you can’t help but wonder if he may see some time with the big club.

When Carlos Ruiz got hurt in April, catching prospect Lou Marson was called up to try to help backup Chris Coste fill the hole Ruiz left. Marson looks promising, but wasn’t all that impressive. Besides, he needs to be spending his time catching every day and hitting every day, not sitting on a big league bench. Bako has proved over his career that he is capable of filling the big league backup catcher’s role. Sure, he’s a bad hitter, but is good for an occasional start and has decent skills behind the dish.

Managers tend to be hesitant to use the backup catcher as a pinch-hitter because the catcher position requires uncommon skills. Could the Phillies be thinking of adding Bako, when ready, to the big league roster as the backup catcher, thus freeing up Chris Coste to come off the bench as the necessary right handed bat?

It could certainly be a possibility.

————-

Other Notes:

Charlie Manuel will use the same lineup that he used in Washington over the weekend, with Ibanez batting third, Utley second, and Werth fifth. Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Manuel also announced that Matt Stairs will not DH against Andy Petite or C.C. Sabathia in New York this weekend. He said calling up a right-handed bat would be an option.
J.C. Romero surrendered a run on two hits in an inning of work in his first appearance with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He also struck out two.
The Phillies made a few shuffles in the rotation to set up for this weekend’s series in New York– They pushed Jamie Moyer’s start to Wednesday, which lines him up for a favorable match-up with Florida, who he has had success against, on Monday. Cole Hamels, who pitches tomorrow, is on schedule to meet C.C. Sabathia Sunday.

Philadelphia Phillies Call-Up Escalona—WHY?

Shay Roddy — Sun, 17 May 2009 21:35:00 -0400

After last night’s game, the Phillies made a roster move, sending last night’s starter Andrew Carpenter to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in exchange for Sergio Escalona. The move, at first seemed puzzling– why call up a pitcher, and why Escalona? So, let’s take a closer look at the move.

The Phillies weren’t going to keep Andrew Carpenter on their roster, after his rocky-route to a win on Saturday night, so they had to find someone to replace him. There were a few options, like third baseman Mike Cervenak, who had a brief stint with the big-club last season.

Cervenak is currently batting .326 with three home runs and 23 RBI for Lehigh Valley but hurt his wrist Saturday, forcing him to make a trip to the DL, so his name was out of the mix.

But why not someone like second baseman Pablo Ozuna, who had a stellar spring training and is hitting .286 with a .320 OBP, or John Mayberry, who’s hitting .270, but has shown power, which can be valuable off the bench, with his eight home runs and 25 RBI?

But maybe the Phillies just needed a pitcher, as J.C. Romero waits out the remaining fourteen games of his suspension.

So, why not Mike Koplove, who has allowed just one earned runs and 12 hits while striking out 21 and walking nine in 17 1/3 innings; or Gary Majewski has allowed eight earned runs in 19 1/3 innings (3.72 ERA)?

Or what about Kyle Kendrick, who is improving his off-speed pitch, and has a respectable 3.75 ERA in 36 innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

But despite what the team could’ve done, they decided to add Escalona. Pitching coach Rich Dubee explained the decision as two-fold. Heading into their fourth game in three days, the Phils felt they needed an extra arm to shore up a bullpen, which has been severely overused in recent days.

Chan Ho Park, who, to his credit, has good as of late, has not exactly been the Phils most consistent performer was to take the hill in game four. In the short term Dubee felt an extra arm would be more valuable than an extra bat. Dubee said Escalona offers the team “flexibility,” since he has minor league options.

If the Phils were to call up a veteran, like Majewski, in order to put them back down they would need to designate them for assignment. When you are designated for assignment, you have options to jump ship and head over to another club, where a big-league job may be open.

For now, all indications point to the fact that Escalona will stay with the big-club through the series in Cincinatti. At that point the situation will be re-assessed and the team will take the long term future into account.

And hey, so far the move has worked out—Park pitched only 1 1/3 innings Sunday and Escalona came in in a key spot to pick up his first big-league win.

Thanks to Dave Murphy, of The Philadelphia Daily News, for most of the information above.

Phils Sweep Saturday's Double-Header

Shay Roddy — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:25:07 -0400

The Phillies took both games of today’s Day/ Night double header at Nationals Park in Washington. Raul Ibanez led the charge in both games, finishing with three home-runs on the day. Here’s a closer look at today’s action...

Game One

After a twelve-inning game Friday night, that forced the Phillies to dive deep into their bullpen, the team needed some decent innings and a quality start from Brett Myers in game one Saturday.

And they got just what they needed. Myers even further improved his unblemished road record (3-0) with his win Saturday.

Myers struck out eight, including four in his last two innings, giving the bullpen plenty of breathing room, as he left with a 6-2 lead, coming out for a pinch-hitter in the top of the eighth.

“I was thinking about sending him back out there, but once we had runners in scoring position and all those left-handed hitters on the bench, I figured we might as well use them,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

Manuel’s tactics worked, and the Phils were able to tack on a couple more runs.

Myers, who’s been hurt often by the long ball, allowed no exceptions Saturday. The ball flew out of Nationals Park, for both sides in the early portion of the game. Myers surrendered two home-runs.

“After the third inning I felt like he really settled in and started going more at the hitters,” Manuel observed. “He looked like he was really making sure he was spotting his fastball.”

Offensively, the Phils weren’t so shabby either. Their 14 hit assault was led by outfielder Raul Ibanez. Ibanez put the Phils ahead quickly, hitting homeruns in each of his first two at bats. In his first multihomer game of the season and the 10th of his career, Ibanez followed up a four-hit game on Friday with three more hits and four RBIs.

After a Jayson Werth home-run in the second to tie things up, the Phils started to pile things on in the third. They never looked back from there.

The Phils bullpen hit a minor speed bump in the bottom of the eighth, when Ryan Madson came on in relief and gave up three runs on four hits to pull the Nationals to within three at 8-5, making it a save situation for struggling Phillies’ closer.

But “Lights Out’ Lidge lived up to his name,

pitching a scoreless ninth and getting dangerous pinch-hitter Elijah Dukes to strike out swinging for the final out and his sixth save.

Manuel like what he saw, and continued to instill his confidence in Lidge.

“His stuff is there, it’s good, and he’s our closer,” Manuel said. “We’re going to keep running him out there to get him right.”

Game Two

The rains came in full force Saturday night, giving the Phillies and Nationals bullpens a much needed rest.

With Philadelphia leading, 7-5, in the top of the sixth inning, and the bases loaded for Ryan Howard, the skies opened up forcing crew-chief Laz Diaz to call for the tarps– sending both clubs scurrying off the field and into a rain delay which became a “call” after an hour and a half.

Before the rain delay, the Phillies called on Andrew Carpenter, who had just one big league inning under his belt, to start for the Phillies, in lieu of J.A. Happ, who was scheduled to pitch, but was forced to pitch two innings in last night’s 12-inning win.

Carpenter was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley just after midnight on Friday. He didn’t arrive in Washington until the sixth inning of game one.

In the first the Nationals gave Carpenter a typical, ‘welcome to the big leagues, kid,’ greeting him with a double to the wall by Cristian Guzman and an RBI single by Nick Johnson to put Carpenter in an immediate 1-0 hole. Carpenter managed to limit the damage to just that in the first inning by working out of a bases-loaded jam.

“I was actually more nervous [in last year's start] than I was today,” said Carpenter, who was 1-0 with a 4.72 ERA in six starts for the Iron Pigs. “I didn’t have too much time to think about it, which was probably a good thing.”

He settled down from there too, cruising, until he hit a little trouble in the fifth–a two-run single by Willie Harris, causing Charlie Manuel, who saw the storms coming, to go get his rookie and replace him with Clay Condrey, to sure things up, just in case the game wouldn’t last much longer.

“I wanted to make sure we got in those five innings,” Manuel said. “I wanted Carpenter to go five, but that was the most bullets he’s thrown this year and he was getting worn down. Their hitters did a good job of stretching the count on him. But I felt he was aggressive, he stayed in there and battled and made the pitches when he had to.”

Offensively, the Phils bats got things done as well, scoring seven runs in just five innings, and having the bases loaded in the sixth, when the tarps were, at first unsuccessfully drug onto the field. Ryan Howard, who embedded a two-run third-inning shot in the centerfield batters eye. The ball had to pulled out of the lawn, beyond the 402′ sign in centerfield.

And then there was Raul Ibanez, who led the charge all day, hit a pivotal fifth inning homerun, his third of the day.

The Nationals never stood a chance from there.

The Phils and Nationals are back at it on Sunday, where the Phils will try to complete the four-game sweep of the last-place Nationals. The Phils will hand the ball to Chan Ho Park, who will go up against Jordan Zimmerman. Game time is set for 1:35 from Nationals Park.

Phillies Win Behind King Cole's Return

Shay Roddy — Sat, 09 May 2009 22:20:31 -0400

BEHIND COLE HAMELS, THE PHILLIES DEFEATED THE BRAVES LAST NIGHT, 10-6, GETTING HAMELS HIS FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON

PHILADELPHIA—After a season of freak accidents and frustrating outings for Cole Hamels, the Phillies ace got back on track last night at Citizens Bank Park. Hamels pitched six innings, surrendering two runs. The lefthander had thrown 95 pitches, 64 for strikes, and allowed three hits while striking out seven, when he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth.

In his last two starts, Hamels was plagued by injuries, forcing him to, twice in a row, leave the game early.

Cole Hamels scores on Jimmy Rollins' two-run double in the second inning. (Photo: AP)

“I’m glad nothing came down and hit me or something,” Hamels said. “It was almost abnormal, getting out there in the fifth inning and the sixth inning, like where am I? Because I haven’t been out there in a really long time.”

The next question was, what type of pitcher would Hamels be tonight. Hamels has struggled so far this year, posting an ERA over 7.00 going into the game. That question was quickly put to rest. Hamels was on top of his game, demonstrating his nasty changeup for the Braves hitters.

Hamels sped through the Braves’ line-up, not allowing a base-runner. Five of those nine outs were recorded on strikeouts. Many of those strikeouts ended with off-balance Braves hit flailing his early bat through the strike-zone.

Hamels continued to roll, hitting a few minor bumps, and surrendering a pair of two-out walks in the sixth, bringing Charlie Manuel out to the mound, with the intention of taking his ace out of the game. But catcher Chris Coste and second baseman Chase Utley lobbied for Hamels to stay, and Manuel changed his mind.

“That was great,” Hamels said. “Having my team’s confidence is the best. The ultimate goal is to have your team count on you.”

And it’s very relieving to see the Phils finally having a reason to have confidence in a member of their starting rotation. If they want to make any attempt at getting anywhere near where they were last fall, they’ll need Hamels to rely on.