Today's News
July 31, 2007
| By Dennis Bakay
| 
Discuss
Droppin' Like Flies
Phillies defeat Cubs 4-1, but lose Victorino and Bourn
After losing Chase Utley on Thursday and Ryan Madson on Sunday, two more Phillies were injured on Monday night, during the Phillies' 4-1 victory over the Cubs in Chicago. That brings the number to four in five days.
Victorino injured himself while running out a grounder in the fourth inning. The result is a strained calf. He's listed as day-to-day.
And, Micahel Bourn looked to be injured rather seriously when he ran into the bullpen mound on the right field line. He too is listed DTD.
Tell me, why after all these years do they have the bullpen mounds outside the foul lines on Wrigley Field? That is an injury trap.
Looks like the Phillies will have to seek out some ambulance chasers on this one. Time to give Fox, Wolf, Roach, and Goldratt a call.
Well, in all seriousness if both Bourn and Victorino are out for an extended period of time then the Phillies' playoff chances will have been dealt a serious blow.
Victorino will go in for an MRI today to determine the extent of his injury. He said he heard it pop on the play.
Bourn said he thinks he'll be out for a few days.
Lost in the injury madness of this game was another great pitching performance by Cole Hamels, who went eight innings, allowing just one run, walking two, and striking out eight. He also got his 12th win of the year after Brett Myers recorded the save for his first save in over two months.
The short-handed Phillies will face off against the Cubs tonight at 8:05 in an attempt to win their fourth consecutive series. Adam Eaton takes the hill against Jason Marquis.
And, as far as what other trades we can expect the Phillies to make, a certain line from the movie "Network" comes to mind. Robert Duvall said, "this is a whorehouse network, we gotta take what we can get." Well in the case of the market at the trade deadline.
This is a whorehouse market, we gotta take what we can get. Just be glad they did something and got Iguchi and Lohse. Had there not been a lot of public pressure on them to do something I doubt they would have done anything.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Phils Trade
Phillies acquire Kyle Lohse from Reds
The Phillies added another starting pitcher today. They acquired Kyle Lohse from the Reds in exchange for pitcher Matt Maloney.
Lohse is 6-12 with a 4.58 ERA in 21 starts this season, going 4-3 with a 2.57 ERA at home but just 2-9 with a 6.42 ERA on the road.
He will make $4.2 million this season and be eligible for free agency after the World Series.
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Phillies complete three-game sweep of the Pirates with another convincing victory
Kyle Kendrick had the best start of his ripe career yesterday by tossing seven innings of superb baseball and allowing just one run. The result was a 5-1 victory and the Phillies completed the sweep of the Pirates while scoring nearly 8 runs per game against them.
In fact, the Phillies have averaged 7.3 runs per game in their last 12 games while going 9-3 over that span.
Now, the bad news...
Ryan Madson strained his shoulder in the eighth inning and was placed on the DL. Geoff Geary was recalled from AAA to take his spot in the stable. Hopefully Geary got things straightened out because he showed last year he is capable of producing quality numbers out of the pen.
With the way this offense has been playing they are almost unbeatable when they get quality pitching and it couldn't come at a better time with Utley on the shelf.
The Phillies (55-49) are now 3 games behind the Mets in the loss column and they take their vaunted offense to Chicago tonight to face the Cubs at 7:05.
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Phillies scout Cardinals pitcher Anthony Reyes
According to mlbtraderumors.com the Philies sent their scouting director to watch Anthony Reyes pitch, who is 1-10 in the bigs this year.
This works well within the Phillies' typical gameplan. They seek out a struggling pitcher who they can get at a discoun-in this case a young pitcher who was once highly touted before going a combined 6-18 over the past two seasons. The Cards may take Michael Bourn in exchange for the struggling pitching prospect.
Personally I think that's a bad move and could end up costing the Phillies big time.
If they are going to move Michael Bourn, the guy I want is Santiago Casilla from the Oakland A's. You're probably saying, "who the f#%& is that?!"
He has sick stuff, sick numbers, and he's young. Right now, he's the A's closer of the future. The Phillies should go after him and make him their set-up guy this year, then plug him into the role next year. Then Myers can go back to the rotation where he belongs.
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McNabb says knee is at 75%.
For those of you who are freaking out about McNabb’s comments regarding his knee, don’t fret. Training camp has just begun.
And, this means the Eagles will depend on the run more this season and especially early on.
Look for the Eagles to have a 50/50 pass to run ratio. And, we know how successful this team has been when they’ve run the ball 25-30 times.
McNabb won’t be a 100% probably until later in the year and I’m ok with that. Carson Palmer wasn’t early on and he did just fine.
The defense and run game are the keys to this season. Don’t worry about #5. If anything this will keep Andy Reid’s pass-aholic tendencies at bay.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Plundered
The Phillies demolish the Pirates 8-1 as game is called after 7 1/2 innings
The Philies responded to the Chase Utley injury in more ways than one yesterday.
During the afternoon it was announced that they acquired second baseman Tadahito Iguchi from the White Sox in exchange for minor league pitcher Michael Dubee, who happens to be pitching coach Rich Dubee’s son. The trade gives the Phillies a capable starter at the position and it strengthens their bench once Utley does return in 3-4 weeks. Iguchi hit .251 with 17 doubles, 4 triples, 6 homers, and 31 RBI in 90 games. He hit .281 with 18 homers and 67 RBI in 138 games last year.
And, it was learned that Aaron Rowand would sit out because he injured his shoulder while playing tag at a neighborhood barbeque. That’s gotta be a first; getting hurt while playing with your neighbor’s kids. Then again, NFL Quarterback Brian Griese had some creative injuries over the years.
However, the Phillies have the luxury of facing the Pirates this weekend who stink worse than last week’s trash.
The Phillies got to the Pirates early and often last night and after putting up 6 runs in the 3rd that was all they needed as the game was delayed in the middle of the 8th. Ultimately the game was called after some thunderstorms rolled through South Philly.
Jamie Moyer had a great outing, going 7 innings, striking out four, and allowing just one run.
The Phils face the Pirates again tonight at 7:05 at The Bank. Tonight J.D. Durbin goes up against Shane Youman. Durbin has been on fire in his last two starts and look for him to continue his solid pitching against the lowly Pirates.
In fact, I think the Phils will do just fine over the next 3-4 weeks without Utley, who had surgery to repair his broken hand on Friday.
Yesterday I pointed out their schedule and they face the Cubs, Brewers, Marlins, Braves, Nationals, and Pirates. If Utley is back in four weeks then he’ll be back in time for them to face Dodgers on August 21st. And, from there the schedule gets much tougher as they face the Dodgers, Padres, and Mets at home during an 11-game home stand.
Over the next four weeks they will play some very beatable teams.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Bad Break
Chase Utley breaks hand and Phils' bullpen blows it once again
On the eve of the start of Eagles training camp, the Phillies had a disastrous day. One, their bullpen blew the game for the umpteenth time this season, with Zagurski and Joe Table being the culprits this time. And, as you know (unless you have been living in a subterranean bunker) Chase Utley broke his hand.
Utley sounded very optimistic after the game when he learned he broke his fourth metacarpal. He said he would be out for less than a month and may be back sooner than that.
While, I appreciate his optimism, generally it takes 4-6 weeks for a broken bone to heal. Ruben Amaro Jr. wouldn't place a timetable on it, but just said he'd be back before the end of the season. Athletes who generally break a metacarpal return in 3 weeks (best case scenario) or 6 weeks (worst case). Even if he's out for 3 weeks, that takes us up to August 17th and the Phillies have 19 games between now and then, and they play the Pirates, Cubs, Brewers, Marlins, Braves, and Nationals. And, if he returns in 3 weeks it would be in time to face the Pirates.
This is a devastating blow to a team that has been relying on outscoring opponents to cover for a deficient pitching staff. They may get Brett Myers back this weekend for the Pittsburgh series and even if Tom Gordon can contribute a little bit they still have issues at two starting pitching spots. I'll give you Hamels, Moyer, and Kendrick, but Durbin and Eaton cannot be relied upon.
Judging by what teams want for even #4 starters I just don't see how the Phillies can add one.
Whether Utley is out for 3 weeks or 4 weeks it just puts that much more stress on Howard, Rowand, Burrell, and Rollins to elevate their games. And, we've seen what happens to these Phillies teams that overextend themselves to just get back in it after having horrific Aprils, which is why they're spent by the end of September. And, now they'll have to extend themselves even more in the dog days of summer.
I'm not confident that two of the "Three Stooges" will do what it takes to ensure this team makes it into the postseason. I am confident the players will rise to the occasion though. They like being underdogs and I can certainly see them rallying and staying alive until Utley comes back. He will see a specialist today to determine the extent of the injury and how long he'll be out. Remember if he's out for 3 weeks they won't play any stalwarts. Their schedule over this stretch coming up is against some beatable teams. That's what they have going for them; their upcoming schedule isn't too tough.
I just hope the Phillies get their vengeance against John Lannan. Lets hope the Nationals don't send him down to the minors before they meet again. They face the Nationals again from August 14th-16th.
And, when he's up to bat lets hope Manuel orders his pitcher to goon it up.
Head hunting anybody?
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Rhino Howard
Ryan Howard's 14th inning blast gives Phillies 7-5 victory
In what was probably the most dramatic game yet this season, the Phillies managed to will their way to victory after Antonio Alfonseca and Michael Zagurski nearly gave it away.
Cole Hamels was stellar for the second straight start, by allowing just 2 runs in 7 innings.
Of course, Antonio "El Poop" Alfonseca did his best to ruin Hamels' splendid start by surrendering 3 earned runs in the 9th to tie the game. Michael Zagurski didn't make matters any better when he came into the game in relief of Alfonseca after he gave up 2 runs to make it 5-4. And, then he allowed another run (credited to Alfonseca) and the Nationals made it all square.
The Fightins appeared to be doomed in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs and 2 strikes on Jimmy Rollins. He hit a shot out to center field and it appeared the game would be over, but the two outfielders collided and the ball fell through, thus allowing Rollins to get to third on a triple. And, Ryan Church overthrew the cutoff man, which allowed J Roll to get home just in time as the throw home was wide and a tad too late.
Call that an inside-the-park homerun on an error. Is there an official statistic for them?
Not sure of that, but it was pretty damn dramatic and I'm sure you can see a highlight of it on phillies.com, mlb.com or Comcast Sports net if you haven't.
The game was knotted up until the 14th when "The Rhino" a.k.a. Ryan Howard launched a moonshot into the seats to give the Phils a dramatic 7-5 victory.
For the second night in a row the big guns came through in the clutch. The night before it was Rowand and Utley and last night Rollins and Howard provided the clutch.
Pretty soon we'll be calling them the cardiac kids because their games have been dramatic enough to give one heart arrest.
But, isn't that the fun of baseball or sports in general; to see possibly what's never been seen before. Case in point, Rollins' in the parker on an error to tie it up in the bottom of the 9th.
That's one of those moments that makes you feel privileged to be a baseball fan.
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Phillies unlikely to make any moves at the deadline
If you have heard any of Pat Gillick's comments in recent days it is highly unlikely the Phillies will make a move at the trade deadline. And, that would be a travesty, because they need to add a starter in the worst way.
And, we're shocked that they're not going to make a move because...
When is the last time this team made a substantial addition at the trade deadline? Try to think about it. I guarantee it will take you a while.
2000-we were treated to the Phillies getting raped on the Curt Schilling trade.
2001-we were treated to Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook.
2002-we were treated to the Phillies getting raped on the Scott Rolen trade after they were out of it.
2003-we were treated to Mike Williams.
2004-they did nothing.
2005-they made a move that seemed solid when they got Uggy Urbina for Polanco, but who would've known that Uggy would go Tony Montana on his farmers down in Venezuela.
2006-they blew it up at the trade deadline and gave away Abreu, Lidle, Cormier, and Bell. But, they were back in it and added Conine and Moyer. And, really they only did that because they had already dumped a ton of payroll and a bunch of teams in the NL allowed them to get back in it.
So, with that said, they have not made any real additions in recent memory while being in contention, or any good moves when they were out of it. And, don't expect them to add to the payroll if it comes down to that.
Their track record says it all.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Chase Clutch
Rowand and Utley provide clutch homer and defense to carry Phils to 4-3 win
We've all seen this before. The Phillies go on the road to win a series against a tough team and see one of their lower-tier starters out-pitch the other team's ace. And, then they return home against an also-ran only to lose 4 out of 6 games on a homestand.
It was on the back of many of our minds, but the Phillies could not be denied last night. They started off on a good foot with a 2-0 lead before Kendrick relinquished it by allowing a 3-run double in the 4th inning.
It appeared they were due for a letdown until Burrell came through with the sac fly to tie it up in the 6th. And, Rowand hit the game-winning homer in the 8th.
He's been red hot since the All-Star break hitting .459 and according to Reuben Amaro Jr. there's a slim chance he'll be traded by the July 31st trade deadline.
Things got a little scary in the 9th with a runner on first when a ball was drilled deep into the second base hole. But, Chase Utley dove to his left like a flying squirrel and snagged the shot by Brian Schneider. Had that ball gone through there would have been runners on first and third and it may have been that letdown game they have been so accustomed to. But, Utley saved the game.
And, then Alfonseca closed the deal to secure a 4-3 win. Cole Hamels takes the hill tonight against Matt Chico. I'm sure he'll be especially fired up after losing 1-0 last Thursday night against Chris Young.
Look for another Phils win tonight and for their second straight series win. First pitch is at 7:05 at The Bank.
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Kevin Kolb signs 4-year deal with Eagles
Tada! There will not be any rookie holdouts for the Birds this year.
Kevin Kolb was the final rookie to sign as he agreed to a 4-year deal. Terms of the contract have not been disclosed.
While he played for Houston, one can't just discount his numbers; they were pretty damn impressive. He had over 3,800 yards, 30 TD's and just 4 picks in his senior year. He also has pretty good size for an NFL QB, standing 6-3 and weighing 218.
Kolb will report to camp along with the rest of the rookies on Friday.Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Kolb Signing?
Report says Eagles and Kevin Kolb close to a deal
Perhaps, because he's in Philadelphia it's a sign that Kevin Kolb, the proverbial quarterback of the future and the Eagles are ready to strike a deal. Or, maybe it's because it would be pointless for a 2nd round pick to hold out, especially when it's unlikely he'll see the field for at least 3 years.
For all of you McNabb haters, rest assured the savior will most likely be signed by the Eagles before the Friday deadline and he will be in camp on time.
According to The Trenton Times, a source close to the Eagles said an agreement is expected before the 5 p.m. deadline on Friday, which is for rookies and selected veterans.
Kolb was the third quarterback in the draft selected, behind JaMarcus Russell (Oakland #1 overall) and Brady Quinn (Cleveland #22 overall).
Kolb will assume the role of third string quarterback and he will probably occupy that role until next season. And even then as long as McNabb plays at a high level he'll be the #2. All of this rumor mongering about this being McNabb's last season is erroneous at best. He is on target to play in the 2nd preseason game.
The key is him staying healthy and taking the Eagles to the Super Bowl. The ACL injury was a freak injury; it can happen to anyone. If you want to say he's injury prone than I can give you that injury-marred 2005 campaign when he had the sternum and sports hernia injuries. Other than that year, he hasn't been injury prone. His broken ankle and ACL injuries could have happened to any player and occured on normal plays (the ACL while running out of bounds and the broken leg on a tackle). The naysayers may also point to the 2004 NFC Championship game against Carolina, but that was on a cheap shot by Brenson Buckner and he suffered a ribcage injury after the shot and when Buckner sat on his chest.
Freak injuries happened to Dan Marino (torn Achilles in 1993), Jerry Rice (blown out knee in 1997), and even Michael Jordan (broken foot in 1985) but you won't hear anyone say they were injury prone players.
Things like that happen and unfortunately the freak injury bug bit McNabb twice.
Once Kolb does sign, all of the Eagles rookies will be signed on time and in camp. 2rd round pick Victor Abiamiri, a defensive end from Notre Dame signed yesterday along with 7th rounder Nate Illoa.
And, this will be the first time in a few seasons where there won’t be any rookies holding out in camp.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Stepping Up
J.D. Durbin out-pitches Peavy; shuts out the Padres 9-0
If you spoke to most people yesterday who have been following a lot of baseball they would have told you the Phillies stood no chance against Jake Peavy, the Padres' ace. It wasn't just because he is their best pitcher and pitching at home, but also because the guy he was matched up against was J.D. Durbin, who had just 3 career starts under his belt.
Added to that, Durbin had an ERA of 9.00 heading into this game and the Phillies had just won two games over the weekend. And, the Phillies were happy to come out of there with just a split.
This game had all the makings of a blowout in store.
But, that's why they play the games. On paper is one thing, execution is a whole 'nother thing.
J.D. Durbin not only out-pitched Jake Peavy, but he went the whole way and shut out the Padres and held them to just 5 hits.
Most people and myself included felt they were in deep, deep trouble and would be hard pressed to walk out of Petco Park with one win let alone 3 wins and a series win.
But, the Phillies stepped up in a huge way this weekend after Cole Hamels lost in a pitching duel on Thursday night to Chris Young. They bounced back with 7-3, 12-4, and 9-0 victories.
That’s the thing about the Pads. They have the best pitching in the NL, but if you get to them and outscore them they are very beatable. And, this weekend they looked like a poor team.
It is a series like this that make believers of many and at the same time it makes this organization infuriating because the product on the field is a pretty good one overall and one capable of success. However, they aren't provided with that one thing and it's a solid bullpen. And, David Montgomery and Pat Gillick are to blame. I will be the first to say that David Montgomery is a carpet bagger's carpet bagger. However, Pat Gillick didn't utilize his money wisely. Rather than pumping the money into the bullpen he wasted money on Adam Eaton, Rod Barajas, and Wes Helms.
And, by not giving Freddy Garcia a physical it dealt a severe blow to the team financially and roster-wise.
But, the players stepped up a big way in spite of ownership this weekend. And, if you aren't in someway satisfied as a baseball fan from the way they rebounded after a brutal 1-0 loss then I don't know what to tell you.
I would love to hear Howard Eskin's response when a caller calls in to mention that J.D. Durbin out-pitched Jake Peavy. While I like Eskin's analysis of the Phillies and feel he is dead on about the ownership I also think he is very reluctant to give this team credit when credit is due. I'm willing to bet he'll point to Peavy being injured since his velocity has been down and that he has lost 4 straight starts.
Even at that, they won this series and went 4-3 on the trip.
J.D. Durbin’s ERA has dropped faster than a predator’s sex drive on the Dateline “To Catch a Predator” Show. It went from a 94.50 when he first came to Philly, and it is now down to 5.76.
The Phillies, who are 50-48 head home today and are idle until tomorrow night when they face the Nationals at The Bank at 7:05.
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A.I. gives Vick some advice on legal troubles
Allen Iverson has had his share of legal woes over the years and while it pails in comparison to Vick’s legal fight ahead, he can certainly relate.
Iverson said Vick should “keep his head up.”
At least A.I. isn’t defending Vick’s alleged involvement in dog fighting. Some of the callers into WIP have been pretty comical with their arguments. I always love when people call up and try to compare dog fighting to the slaughtering of cows for food.
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A Michael Vick ebay football card auction that denounces racism in the Vick legal saga
Look at this gem I dug up on ebay. I was curious as to what Michael Vick’s football cards have been selling for and stumbled upon this nugget. When doing a search for “vick” under sports cards and sorting by highest price, the second item has the caption, “VICK IS A VICTIM OF RACISM, WHITE PEOPLE HUNT ANIMALS. “
And, here’s a link to this beauty of an auction.
When I first saw this auction I wasn’t alarmed or disgusted. Rather I was amused. How can you take this sort of psychobabble seriously? To say that the criticism of Barry Bonds is racist totally discredits the person making their argument in this auction. Below is what the seller put in the item description. Again, he’s selling Michael Vick football cards in the auction, which tells you how ridiculous this thing is.
LOOK AT ALL THOSE DEER AND GAME HUNTERS. THAT'S ANIMAL CRUELTY. ESPN OUTDOORS, WHAT DO YOU SEE. WHITE PEOPLE HUNTING. THAT ISN'T ANIMAL CRUELTY? DICK CHENEY AND HIS BUDDIES SHOOT STUFF WHY DON'T THE COPS GO AFTER THEM???
YEAH YOU KNOW WHY BECAUSE CHENEY IS WHITE, VICK IS BLACK.
WHAT ABOUT HORSE SLAUGHTER, WHAT ABOUT OTHER ANIMALS AND WHITE PEOPLE HURTING THEM, WHERE ARE THE COPS ON THAT ONE.
RACISM, AGAIN, JUST LIKE WITH BARRY BONDS. RACISM 100% AND NO LESS.
I must say the auction got my attention when I first saw the caption under the search results. I sure as hell wouldn’t buy any of the cards from him though. Something tells me this seller wouldn’t accept my money if he saw my last name was Bakay on the ebay ending item email. He’d probably decry me as a “white devil” and tell me my money is no good!
But, that’s the beauty of this great country of ours. As ridiculous of a stand this person takes, he’s free to speak his mind. And, I’ll defend his speech just as I would Don Imus or anybody’s speech no matter how ridiculous or how vial it is, because without that right America becomes another fascist state.
The seller of this item while speaking of racism exposes himself to be a racist in my book.
And, when you hear the people who call up radio hosts on the air, they are comprised of a small percentage of black people.
This isn’t about race. It’s about doing the right thing. And, I’m inclined to say Vick clearly hasn’t since the evidence is overwhelming that he was involved.
You don’t own a house and have your name on it and let people do whatever the hell they want. That argument is a total fallacy.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Shut Down
Chris Young bests Cole Hamels in classic pitching duel
It’s never a good thing when your ace is bested in a 1-0 game, especially when your only other reliable starting pitcher of late is a rookie with 6 career starts under his belt.
Chris Young and Cole Hamels battled to a near-stalemate last night with each pitching going 7 innings and giving up barely anything. Hamels made one mistake by giving up a 1-run double to Brian Giles and that’s all the Padres needed. Things got a little hairy for Young in the 6th when the Phillies had two runners on base, but Aaron Rowan flied out to end the inning.
The Padres managed just 3 hits, but got one that mattered. This is one of those games that could have easily gone either way and you just have to tip your hat to Young who has the best ERA in the majors with a 1.85 ERA. Suffice it to say, he’s the anti-Adam Eaton who has the 2nd worst ERA in the majors among regular starting pitchers.
The rest of this series will be brutal for the Phillies. They are going up against the best pitching staff in the NL and they are totally outmatched for the next 3 games. It’s not impossible for them to win 2 of the next 3, but it’s more realistic for them to come out of this western road trip with a 2-5 record overall.
The Phillies will face off against the Pads tonight, same time, same place at 10:05 PM.
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Trade Winds
According to Paul Hagen pitching is being valued so much by teams that the White Sox wanted the Rockies’ two best prospects for pitcher Jose Contreras who has broken down more over the past year than my mom’s old Plymouth Acclaim. If that's the asking price for even broken down starting pitchers then the Phillies would be hard pressed to find anyone with what they have to offer.
How good would Justin Germano be on this staff right now? He was cut in spring training by the Phils (has pitched great for the Padres) and faces Adam Eaton tonight who they paid...gulp $24 million over 3 years. And, oh yeah he sports an ERA near 6.00.
According to the New York Post, the Yankees could use a back-up catcher and Rod Barajas, could be swapped for either Jose Vizcaino, or Mike Myers-both relief pitchers.
I say do it. Barajas is a joke of a catcher and won’t be back next year. It’s not much, but it’s sure as hell better than the slop they’re putting out there like Brian Sanches, who just got optioned back to the minors thankfully.
Hagen also suggests a few other names such as Shawn Chacon on the Pirates or Octavio Dotel on the Royals and the man he says the Phillies should move is Michael Bourn.
I’m in agreement with him. Bourn’s value has never been higher and since Pat Burrell is showing signs of life you can now sort of trust him again and play him regularly.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Dodged
Kyle Kendrick loses first game in the big leagues; Phils fall to Dodgers 5-4
Ever since Kendrick laced up the red and white pinstripes his M.O. has been to keep the Phillies in the game. In each of his previous five starts he went at least 6 innings and in fact kept them in the game. He carried a 4-0 record into yesterday's day-game against L.A., and the Phillies were 4-1 overall in games that he pitched.
Suffice it to say he was the anti-Freddy Garcia who had just 1 win in his 11 starts and killed the team.
Kendrick was sailing along until the 4th inning when Andre Ethier hit a 3-run shot to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead. While, the Phils tied things back up in the top of the next inning, Kendrick gave up another homerun in the 6th (a solo shot to Luis Gonzalez) and that's all the Dodgers needed since their bullpen shut the vaunted Phillies' offense down for the rest of the way.
Overall Kendrick gave up five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3; it was the first time since being brought up that he didn't make it at least six innings.
Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell kept up their torrid hitting of late by getting 2 hits apiece. And, Carlos Ruiz also had 2 hits.
The Phillies will open up their series with the Padres tonight at 10:05.
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Tom Gordon admits that he has a partially torn labrum
Wow, this one is a shocker. Tom Gordon is pitching with a bum shoulder. Who didn't see this one coming?
Anyone who has eyesight could see that Gordon was leaking oil faster than the Exxon Valdez back in the spring.
Gordon just returned to action the other night in garbage action by tossing an inning of scoreless relief. It can't be a good thing anytime you have a 39 year-old pitcher pitching with a torn up shoulder. But, here comes the spin from one of our favorite spin masters, Reuben Amaro Jr.
"When our doctors were shown his exam, it was typical of most pitchers who have had this type of continual work," Amaro Jr. said. "Any time you have a pitcher who has pitched as long as he has, there's always a risk. We're confident we can manage this year and, hopefully, the next year."
Why am I not shocked that they aren't going out to get more relief help? They want to try and sell us that Tom Gordon is back and that it's normal to have a torn labrum.
Don't be shocked if they don't make any moves to improve the bullpen.
Brett Myers appears to be on his way back. He threw a simulated game in Clearwater and is set to pitch in a rehab assignment in the next few days.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Another Romp
Phillies involved in a blowout for the 5th consecutive game
Make that five straight games now that the Phillies have been on either side of a blowout. They started off by scoring 13 and 10 runs respectively in their two wins against the Cardinals. Then, they were blown out 10-2 and 10-3 in consecutive games against the Cardinals and Dodgers.
And, last night they bounced back in a big way, nearly breaking a franchise record with 26 hits and 15 runs.
Suffice it to say J.D. Durbin had a lot less pressure knowing that he had an 8-run lead by the time the Dodgers batted in the bottom of the 4th. He wound up tossing 6 innings and allowed an earned run and struck out three. His ERA is now a paltry 9.00. He also added to the offensive gauntlet by notching 3 hits.
Everybody was doing it last night on the offensive side. Shane Victorino and Aaron Rowand each had 5 hits, and Victorino batted a whopping 7 times. Rollins and Utley each had 3 hits. And, Ryan Howard went 2 for 6 with 2 homeruns, and 4 RBI. Pat Burrell continued his torrid hitting streak by going 2 for 4. His average is now up to .235 (compared to .203 just a few weeks ago).
The Phillies' offense resembles the great offense the Red Sox had a few years back and the offense the Indians had in the 90's. They are no joke.
Now, if they can just get some relief help somehow. I'm on board with Glen Macnow when he says they should move Carlos Ruiz. Chris Coste and Barajas can split time for the rest of the year and it wouldn't be a terrible step down since Coste provides plenty of offense. And, if they can get somebody like Okinuri Otsuka or Eric Gagne for Texas then that's a good deal and provides immediate help for this team.
Pat Gillick recently came out and said there isn't much out there on the market and teams will likely hold their chips right up until the end. And, he doesn't feel optimistic that they can pull off a trade with the teams that have relief and starting pitching help.
Enough with the excuses, it's time for him to find a way to do it. The Phillies have Ruiz, Rowand, Carrasco, Drabek, and Bourn as their chips. Gillick needs to get something done because if you improve this pitching staff with this offense they can do anything come October.
They just have to get in.
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Louis Williams looking sharp in the summer league
In five games of summer league action, Louis Williams is looking like a future star. Yes, it's against weaker competition, but scouts in the Eastern Conference and even assistant coaches like one on the Spurs feel he is has the total package, size, speed, and work ethic.
Williams has been working his ass off all season long by sprinting outside the track at his former high school and is doing every little thing he can to elevate his game for next season.
The odds are the Sixers will try to move Andre Miller who is in the last year of his contract and is slated to make $10 million. That will leave the door open for Williams to take over as the starting point guard. And, by all accounts he could be one of the best young points in the Eastern Conference in the very near future.
If there's one thing to be positive about this Sixers team it's their youth. Thaddeus Young is playing really well in the summer league and many people feel he has potential to be a star 3-4 years down the road and Louis Williams looks like he's going to elevate his game big time this coming season.
They are still a 35-38 win team at best and should play the younger players and look to get the best draft pick possible in the upcoming draft. Rumor has it they'll be able to pay off the Warriors, who own the rights to their 2008 first-round pick, who would have received their pick this year if it fell out of the top-15.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Bombed
Jamie Moyer gets shelled for 10 runs; Phillies lose to Dodgers 10-3
Ok, we can now get that albatross out of the way, you know the one called the 10,000th loss. The Phillies can now embark upon the second half of their season. They began the journey last night in L.A. against Brad Penny.
Heading into this game I thought the Phillies had a real chance to win this game. In fact, a friend of mine phoned me before the game and asked me if he should plunk down some money against the Phillies. Of course, this is in violation of Matt List's Sports Fans Constitution, but I advised him to stay away on different grounds. It's a free country so you're free to bet on whom you please in my book, even though I never bet against my Philly teams.
I told him Brad Penny was horrific in his last start and that he was probable for last night, meaning he might not have his best stuff. Not to mention, the Phillies were (keyword "were") undefeated on the season after getting blown out the night before. So, he said he'd stay away from the game.
Boy, was I wrong!
Jamie Moyer got bombed into the Stone Age, to the tune of allowing 10 earned runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Brad Penny meanwhile allowed just one earned run and struck out 8 in 7 innings of work. So much for that blister that caused the Dodgers to move his start back.
I think it's time to start writing off Jamie Moyer. While he had a few nice performances this season, lets look at the bigger pitcture. His ERA is a 4.99. While that's good for a Phillies starter, in the grand scheme of things it's mediocre. And, three times in his past 8 starts he has failed to go 6 innings, while giving up 5 or more earned runs in each of those starts. His ERA went from a 2.65 in April, to a 5.63 in May, to 3.94 in June (much better), and it's ballooned to a 10.06 this month. And, what's most important is Moyer's bread and butter. That's his groundball to flyball ratio. It goes like this: 10:10, 9:7, and 9:11 groundballs to flyballs. In other words, his flyball outs have now equaled his groundball outs in the past three starts, with 28 each.
There is no defending the Phillies' performance last night. They sucked offensively and aside from Victorino's triple didn't muster much of anything. It was 10-1 after Penny exited.
Not even Joe Morgan could spin this in their favor. Although, I'm sure he would try.
Speaking of Joe Morgan, did David Montgomery cut him a check so he could spin doctor for the team on Sunday night?
My favorite apologist line by him was when he said many teams in baseball have lost at a higher rate than the Phillies over their history. I was speechless after he made that comment. Are you friggin' kidding me? The Phillies went to the playoffs twice during a 93-year stretch. I'm not making that up. See it for yourself here. From 1883 to 1975 they went to the playoffs twice. Between 1976 and 1983 they went to the playoffs 6 times. And, they went in '93. So, in 124 years they have exactly 9 playoff appearances and 1 World Series Title.
Spin that one Joe. Let me see you try.
I bet if David Montgomery cuts you a big enough check you would. Some people wrote into ESPN columnist BIll Simmons and said Art Shell is the black Rich Kotite. Well, I'm saying that Joe Morgan is the black Donald Rumsfeld when it comes to the Phillies and Philadelphia fans.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
10,000
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Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Not Yet
Phillies avoid 10,000th loss with 13-3 rout of the Cardinals
This game was rife with implications. The Phillies were at 9,999 losses. The heat was on and the nation was looking on. It was also Friday the 13th and Kip Wells was the starter who had a 5-0 record against the Phillies in his career.
Yes, Kip Wells, the same pitcher who is 3-12 with a 6.25 ERA this season. That’s probably why things didn’t fall the way for him last night that they have in the past. He is absolutely horrific and worse than any starter in the Phillies’ starting rotation.
Not surprisingly the Phillies tagged Wells for 8 hits and 6 runs (4 earned) in just an inning. He exited and the Cards’ bullpen faired even worse.
All told the Phillies offense piled on 23 hits and scored 13 runs in just 8 innings. Utley and Dobbs had 4 hits a piece with 5 RBI. Rollins, Howard, and Rowand had 3 hits a piece. And, Victorino had 2 hits. Burrell even got in on the fun by going 1 for 2 with 2 walks and an RBI. Carlos Ruiz was the only position starter who didn’t get into hit column.
Yes, it was an onslaught. There were no doubt a good number of fans who were rooting for them to get the 10,000th loss. As sick as it sounds, many were at this sold-out game to possibly witness history. And, it’s no different for today with Cole Hamels on the hill. The game is once again sold out.
I think the Phillies will come out on top again today since Hamels is facing Mike Maroth. Don’t be surprised if they win tomorrow night as well and end up losing their 10,000th on the road. And, the whole organization wouldn’t have it any other way.
They are acting as if this thing isn’t happening. If anything they should’ve poked fun at the 10,000 losses and released t-shirts, which highlighted this ghastly milestone. Instead, Dave Montgomery and the top on down are ducking their heads in the dirt like ostriches and refusing to acknowledge it. And, why are we surprised?
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Sixers make the correct move and don’t re-sign Joe Smith
I was dumfounded as to why Joe Smith was Billy King’s #1 priority in free agency. This team needs to cut payroll and not add any more veterans. They need to tear it apart and go with young players.
Luckily the Bulls signed Smith to a 2-year deal for $10 million and it makes sense for them because they already have pieces in place and can use a veteran to come off the bench. The Sixers flat out stink and need to go with a youth movement.
In fact, they should let Andre Iguodala become a free agent and see what he can get on the open market.
After the Orlando Magic signed Rashard Lewis to that ridiculous 6-year max contract worth an average of $19 million per year that will certainly make Andre Iguodala think he’s worth $12-$15 million, which he sure as hell isn’t.
I wouldn’t pay Andre Iguodala more than $8 or $9 million per season and even at that I’d balk. He’s a really nice player a good complimentary guy as a #2 or #3, but not even close to worth max money.
This is Billy King we are talking about who has a propensity for over-spending. He’s the anti-Joe Banner in this town.
So far he made a somewhat smart move by low-balling Joe Smith. He offered 3 years and $10 million and the Bulls offered 2 years at the same money.
And, Darko Milicic went to Memphis for 3 years and $21 million, so that leaves another overpaid never-was out of the fold.
Billy King’s best move this offseason is to sign NOBODY and just go with what they have and play the young players so they can develop them. In other words, do what they should’ve done last year.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Spin Mode
David Montgomery in full spin mode as Phils enter second half
You've probably heard some of the clips by now if you listen to WIP or watched Sports Final on Sunday Night on Channel 10.
David Montgomery was in full spin mode when he was interviewed by NBC 10's John Clarke. It's a shame that Howard Eskin wasn't in the studio for this one, because it would have been wonderful to see Montgomery squirming as Eskin hammered away at him. Perhaps, Montgomery knew this in advance and that's why he came on the show. That wouldn't surprise me one bit.
At any rate, Montgomery emerged from his hermit crab shell and pretty much urinated on the fans of the Phillies with his endless BS and spinning that would make Donald Rumsfeld proud. When confronted about their two playoff appearances since 1983 he said how he was with the organization for 36 years and that they've been to the playoffs 7 times in the last 30 years and that for some reason should be counted.
Huh?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but HIS ownership group, the faceless ones comprised of the Buck brothers, Clair Betz, Bill Giles, and John S. Middleton purchased the team in 1981. The only reason they reached the World Series in 1983 is because it was the last gasp of a great team that was assembled by Ruly Carpenter's regime.
Now that we got that out of the way lets see why Monty thinks this team has been out of the playoffs for the past 13 seasons. It's because they only allow 4 teams in each League to make it. He was pissing and moaning about how if they were in the NBA or the NHL then they would have made it to the playoffs for the past few seasons, since they'd be one of eight teams in. Great, let's lower the bar even further and stoop to being a 7th or 8th seed.
Those are some lofty aspirations Montgomery.
Some other gems of his pertained to what it means to go for it and how money is never an issue with this team. Now, that's just a slap in the face to every Phillies fan. If money isn't such an (expletive deleted) issue then why the hell was Paul Abbot on this team for 12 starts in 2004? Why the hell were we subjected to the likes of Joe Table and Mike Williams in 2003? Why was Joe Table brought back? Why are bottom feeders (who wouldn't even pass for AAA pitchers let alone major leaguers) like Yoel Hernandez, J.D. Durbin, Brian Sanches, Francisco Rosario, J.C. Romero, and Clay Condrey being shuffled through here like porn stars in a nudy booth? And, I could go on and on about how they won't absorb most of Pat Burrell's contract and why they signed Alfonseca over Borowski, and the many other cheap alternatives they've sought out over the years.
If money is such an issue then why did they only commit $500,000 to Latin American player signings when teams like the Mariners commit $4 million annually?
It's BS and he knows it.
Some say people like me are too negative about this team. I'm positive about the players other than the bullpen and the fifth starter spot. I like the nucleus and think that nucleus alone could get this team to the playoffs in spite of this dreadful ownership group and incompetent GM and manager. And, if they get in anything can happen. Look at teams like St. Louis and Anaheim for proof. However, this ownership group needs to sell this team to somebody who cares.
And, the word is that the owners aren't showing up to the games much anymore and that could be a sign they are not having fun owning this team anymore. So, maybe, just maybe they are thinking about cashing in on that $30 milllion investment and raking in $450 million or more.
And, that would be the greatest thing to happen to this franchise since 1980.Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
False Pursuit
Yi's representatives warming up to idea of playing for the Bucks
Not that there was too much fire to the so-called rumor of the Sixers going after Yi, you can pretty much put it to rest now. Mark this one down in the category of Sixers transactions that were all talk.
From the looks of it, Yi's people (meaning the Chinese Government) are warming up to the idea of him playing in Milwaukee.
The Bucks’ braintrust met with him in Las Vegas while the Chinese National Team was playing in the NBA summer camp, and they are very encouraged by the talks.
Let’s keep it real here. The Sixers never had a shot at him anyway. Why would the Bucks give them a potential Dirk Nowitzki-type player for Thaddeus Young and some scrubs?
Would anybody with any brainwave activity make such a move?
I don’t even think the likes of Scott Layden or Isiah Thomas would make such a horrible move.
So, you can look forward to the Sixers targeting Joe Smith as their #1 priority free agent.
But wait, they are talking to Darko Milicic’s people too.
Billy King seems to be all talk anymore and no action. Not that I want him to sign Milicic, who is a scrub as well. The thing with King is that he talks a good game, but look where this team is still. They have a bunch of mediocre players, a nice point guard in Andre Miller, and Andre Iguodala who is a nice player.
If you add all that up you have mediocrity.
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Homerun Derby turns out to be a dud for Howard
I looked up at the TV screen last night and Ryan Howard was already done with the homerun derby. Then I fell asleep. That’s just how exciting it was last night.
Howard only hit 3 homeruns last night compared to the tour de force he put on last year.
What’s worse, watching a homerun derby devoid of any pizzazz or listening to Chris Berman’s same old “back, back, back” schtick? It's like choosing between having diarrhea or a severe migraine for an evening.
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Eagles release their preseason schedule
DAILY SCHEDULE
Friday, July 27: Rookies and selected vets report, 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 28: 8:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 29: 8:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Monday, July 30: 8:45 a.m. only; all remaining vets report
Tuesday, July 31: 3:30 p.m. (closed to fans)
Wednesday, Aug. 1: 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 2: 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 3: 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 4: 8:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. (special teams)
Sunday, Aug. 5: 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 6: 8:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. (special teams only)
Tuesday, Aug. 7: 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 8: 8:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. (special teams only)
Thursday, Aug. 9: 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 10: 8:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. (special teams only)
Saturday, Aug. 11: 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 12: 8:30 a.m. (mock game, closed to fans)
Monday, Aug. 13: Eagles at Baltimore, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 14: Players day off
Wednesday, Aug. 15: Camp resumes at NovaCare Complex (closed to public)
AUTOGRAPH SCHEDULE
Sessions are held immediately after the morning practice. Numbered tickets will be handed out to fans as they enter training camp. The winning numbers will be posted around the camp grounds during the morning practice.
Wednesday, Aug. 1: Offensive line
Thursday, Aug. 2: Quarterbacks, tight ends, specialists
Friday, Aug. 3: Defensive backs, running backs
Saturday, Aug. 4: Wide receivers
Sunday, Aug. 5: Offensive line
Monday, Aug. 6: Linebackers
Tuesday, Aug. 7: Quarterbacks, tight ends, specialists
Wednesday, Aug. 8: Defensive backs
Thursday, Aug. 9: Running backs
Friday, Aug. 10: Wide receivers, linebackers
Saturday, Aug. 11: Defensive line
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
For Sale?
Sixers deny rumor that their team is up for sale
According to a small piece on philly.com the Sixers may be up for sale.
During some games in the Las Vegas summer league an NBA source said several people have told him that the Sixers are once again up for sale.
Late last year things got interesting when Will Smith put together a group of investors that inquired about buying the franchise, who was 2nd to last in the league in attendance last year.
Peter Luuko, the president of Comcast-Spectacor (who owns the team) has denied the rumor.
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Eagles getting some love
Last year if you remember, the Eagles were viewed by many experts as an average team. Everybody from the so-called experts on ESPN to Hugh Douglas, and even the renowned NFL expert Ray Didinger had this team struggling to reach 9-7 or going 8-8.
This year things are different. Garry Cobb and Ray Didinger think they'll be a very good. And, the Birds are getting some love from ESPN. ESPN's Matt Moseley has them rated as the 5th best team headed into the season.
Above them, he has the Pats, Colts, Chargers, and Saints. Well you can mark off the Colts from that list because they have been decimated on defense with losses in free agency. The Chargers have a coach who is a bumbling idiot. If you thought Mary Chockenheimer was bad, Norv Turner will make him look like Vince Lombardi. Turner is an abominable coach. The Saints won't be as strong with everybody gunning for them. I currently have the Eagles behind the Pats at #2.
Yes, training camp starts in a few weeks, and it's a little early, but they are the second best team in the NFL heading into the season. McNabb by all accounts is looking strong and the team has addressed key needs at linebacker and along the defensive line.
Brodrick Bunkley is the key to their season. And, the word around the grapevine is he's out to prove himself this year and has been working like a dog offseason unlike somebody named the freak.
If there is a weakness, it's depth at defensive end. Jevon Kearse doesn't appear to be anywhere close to game-shape (he's said to be weighing around 230 pounds-that's no joke) and Darren Howard looked over the hill last year. Cole and Juqua Thomas are nice rotation players, but they are going to be counting on rookie Victor Abiamiri. Jerome McDougle is on his way out, so this leaves the burden on Cole, Abiamiri, and Thomas if Howard and Kearse can't play.
Jevon Kearse still has some time to get his you know what together, but he'd better do it soon.
With that said, I still have the Eagles as the 2nd best team in the NFL because I feel McNabb will be back and play at a high level. Westbrook is an MVP candidate and Reggie Brown will break out this year. The defensive tackles are among the strongest rotation in the league and Bunkley will bring it this year. Takeo Spikes gives you much strength at linebacker and the defensive backs will play better with a much-improved rush. The defensive tackles will always be fresh, which makes it easier for the linebackers and ends to do their thing. I see this team making a move at defensive end during preseason if Kearse and Howard prove to be duds.
Again, Bunkley is the key to the season. Make no mistake about it.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Act of Kindness
Phillies help Rockies' groundsgrew in victory today
Having entered this game at the 9,999 loss mark many people were rooting for the Phillies to win so that they can lose the 10,000th game at home. As sick as it sounds that should be done at home.
Had they lost this game, this would have been just what the owners wanted. They would not only lose the 10,000th game on the road, but they would also have the All-Star break coming up and things would blow over. Or, so they think.
Something tells me the wonderful fans will not let this thing just go out quietly and even if they lost the 10,000th game today the fans would give the Phillies a homecoming for the ages when they return home against the Cardinals right after the All-Star break.
The big story of the day is that the Phillies players pulled the class move of class moves. During the rain delay in the 7th inning, a thunderstorm rolled in and just as the grounds crew was attempting to put the tarp out the field, when a fierce wind blew in and caused a few of the Rockies' grounds crew members to fly into the air.
What's amazing about this is that just one of the Rockies' players ran out onto the field to help, and it was relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins. The rest of the Rockies players stayed in the dugout and left the groundscrew out their to fend for themselves.
Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and Michael Bourn all stepped up big time. Victorino grabbed one of the corners of the tarp, while Howard held a section down with his knee, and Michael Bourn started heaving sand bags onto the tarp to weigh it down. Even a few of the umpires stepped up and pitched in. One of the groundcrew members was stuck under the tarp, but luckily the Phillies' players helped them out immediately.
This just shows you what kind of players are on the Phillies. They are real class acts and despite the negative things surrounding the team, the team has some character guys who are willing to help out regular people in distress.
"The wind was so strong, we couldn't hold it," Razum said. "When it draped over the guys, I was worried that somebody might suffocate. It was really cool the Phillies came out and gave us a hand."
And, the Phillies did win today 8-4. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino led the way. Ryan Madson tossed threw scoreless innings to lock things down after Adam Eaton left following a 6-inning effort.
The All-Star break begins tonight and the Phillies will be idle until Friday night when they host the Cardinals at The Bank. And, we wouldn't have it any other way with the Phillies losing their 10,000th at home.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Heartbreaker
Phillies' bullpen does it again
This is getting a little old now. If you type in a google search for the following words "phillies bullpen loss" it returns 388,000 results.
This season is drawing similar comparisons to the 2003 when Jose Mesa and Mike Williams blew countless games. Officially they blew a combined 5 games, but in reality they probably cost the team at least 10 wins.
This year is no different. You can pin-point at least a dozen games now where this team should have won it, but the bullpen impeded them from doing so.
Last night the Motley Crew (as I'll forever refer to them) bullpen managed to bleep up Kyle Kendrick's quality start by surrendering runs in the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 11th innings. They managed to squander a 6-run lead and looked like a team that tried to lose the game.
There is absolutely no reason why people like Joe Table, JC Romero, or JD Durbin should be on this team or any other major league team.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? The ownership refuses to go beyond their budget. Pat Gillick is washed up and has his hands tied anyway. The pitching isn't good enough.
If this team is going to go anywhere it's because the offense plays at such a level that they overcome the shortcomings of the pitching staff. And, they'll also have to somehow get lucky with a few of their call-ups.
This is what you're looking at unless Dave Montgomery grows a set and thinks outside the box for once.
The Phillies are now 2 losses away from the 10,000 mark and just 3-7 in their last 10 games. They face off against the Rockies tonight at 8:05.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Never Was's
Sixers interested in Darko Milicic and re-signing Joe Smith
Ok class, today's noun of the day is a "never was." If you look it up in the Bakay dictionary of sports you'll see photos of the likes of Shawn Bradley, Joe Smith, and many other NBA players who could never be classified as "has-been's" since they were never was's-that is players who always sucked.
Billy King has stated his top priority is to re-sign career never-was Joe Smith. Yes, the same Joe Smith who was drafted #1 overall, and who has career averages of 12 points and 7 rebounds per game. And, what pray tell is Billy King thinking of signing a soon-to-be 32 year-old never was for? Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the main reason for the Sixers to acquire Joe Smith just to rid themselves of that money from their cap?
His money has come off the books and now King wants to re-sign him. And, for how much and how long, God only knows.
And, the 76ers are reportedly interested in Darko Milicic, the 4-year veteran, who is a 21 year-old version of Joe Smith. He was a second overall pick and also a never-was, with career averages of 5 points and 3 rebounds. But, wait we should all give him some slack because Larry Brown buried him and he didn't get a chance until he went to Orlando.
Ok, great. He finally got some PT there and went on to average 8 points and 5 rebounds in 24 minutes of play.
And, this is the object of Billy King's affection. And, what pray tell will BK sign him for? Thankfully he can only offer him $5.5 million per year at the max, which is the midlevel exception.
Otherwise, Billly King would probably reach for that wallet and be tempted to offer him Kenny Thomas or even worse-Samuel Dalembert money. Billy King is like that hot chick in a horror movie who goes into the bathroom, and we all say "don't go in there." Well when Billy King is on the phone with agents of these bottom feeders I'm yelling at the top of my lungs, "Billy don't do it!"
The saying goes, "a leopard doesn't change its spots" and Billy King is like that crack addict who needs to get the next fix. His next fix is signing has-beens and never-was's to horrific contracts.
Looks like he's going down that path again.
The Sixers are also interested in scrub center Mikki Moore, who played on the Nets last season.
The least Billy King could have done was to have guaranteed Mo Cheeks that he would be back this year so he didn’t have to try and win every damn game in order to save his job. The Sixers could have been in the same draft spot as Portland or Seattle, but instead they went on that ridiculous 7-game winning streak that ultimately screwed them out of a good draft pick.
And, they told us all about the tenets of integrity. Whooptee (expletive deleted) doo!
Funny how they scrambled to try and move up in the draft, yet they told us how they were content with picking 12th because it was “such a deep draft.”
The Sixers are stuck in the land of mediocrity.
Teams like the Suns are looking to acquire Kevin Garnett and the Sixers are looking at the bottom feeders of the league.
Basketball in Philadelphia is a depressing enterprise anymore isn’t it?
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Phils Rebound
Phillies bounce back from horrific 13-inning defeat to knock off 'Stros 8-3
This time Cole Hamels answered the bell and stopped a losing streak. He went 7 innings and even though he gave up 8 hits, he didn't walk a single batter, and had 8 K's.
Had the Phillies lost this game, they would've been swept, which in the words of Gary Matthews Sr. would have been bad because it wouldn't have been good. Added to that, they would have dropped 6 out of 7 games, and that would put them in a sorry state of affairs.
But, that's what aces are for, to step up during the tough times. The Phillies got screwed on Tuesday night plain and simple. Helen Keller could have seen that Carlos Lee was out at first base. And, this is the latest example that there needs to be instant replay in baseball.
I like Anthony Gargano's solution. He feels that each team should be able to have one challenge, much like in the NFL. However, they only get to use it in the 9th inning and it has to be used in a dispute over a homerun or an out. This business with umpires making horrendous calls and throwing managers and players out of the game who dispute them is antiquated. Baseball purists would decry that because it means bastardizing the game, but all sports have to evolve. And, it's time for baseball to catch up. The NFL, NBA, and NHL have done it. Now, it's their turn.
Enough about the 13-inning disaster that could have been. Joe Table should have never been in that position for two reasons. One the game should have ended in 9. And, Pat Gillick should have never signed him. And, Steve Smith should have never been hired as the third base coach. But, these are the Phillies we’re talking about. According to Howard Eskin they only committed $500,000 to their latin American development-compared to $4 million vs. teams like the Brewers, Marlins, et al.
The Phillies will head to Colorado a shade above the international line of mediocrity. They are idle tonight and face off against them tomorrow night at 9:05.
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Hall of Famers Take on Chase
Fellow Phillypurge.com staffer Matt List emailed me this tidbit about Craig Biggio. It's a quote by him regarding Chase Utley.
"I love Chase Utley," Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, who has 3,009 career hits, told the Houston Chronicle. "I told him, 'Whenever I'm done, I'm going to call you, and I want you to leave me tickets. If not, I'll buy my own tickets. I'll pay to watch you play.' There aren't a lot of guys that I get excited to watch play. Chase Utley is one of them."
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Denied
Woody Williams out-pitches Jamie Moyer as Astros defeat the Phillies 7-5
This was another game where Jamie Moyer was up against the elder stateman of the opposing team. He faced Glavine twice this season and Randy Johnson once. This time he was facing Woody Williams, who looked like Woody Williams of 2003 and not the one who is now 4-10 (headed into this contest 3-10) with an ERA in the mid-5's.
Williams tossed 7 innings and gave up just 3 runs, while Moyer lasted 6 and gave up 4 earned.
Baseball is a game of razor-thin margins and really that's all it took for the Astros to win this game. While, the Phillies made it a game in the 9th inning, their 2 runs weren't enough as they still fell short 7-5.
Pat Burrell came back from the witness protection program to get on the stat sheet; he hit his 9th of the year. And, Shane Victorino homered for the second consecutive game. The Flyin' Hawaiian now has 10 dingers on the season.
Rollins, Victorino, and Howard each had 2 hits. Howard’s average is slowly creeping back up. He’s now hitting .253 on the year.
The Stros and Fightins will start it over again tonight, same time, same place.
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Howard will defend his crown
Even though The Rhino didn't make his second All-Star team, Phillies' slugger Ryan Howard will defend his homerun derby crown.
Isn't that what we really wanted to see anyway?
Sure, it would have been nice to see him make the mid-summer classic, but he didn’t really deserve to go. He has come on strong of late, but the poor start to the season was just too much to overcome.
And, lets face it; Pujols and Prince Fielder are far more deserving candidates to represent the NL. Both have a higher average and better overall numbers then he.
The MLB braintrust is rumored to be putting together a big lineup for the derby. Ken Griffey Jr., Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and Barry Bonds are all being eyeballed for the event.
Now that would be worth watching more than the All-Star game in my book.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
Today's News
Kendrick Delivers
Rookie Kyle Kendrick goes to 3-0 and helps Phils avoid sweep
There's an old adage about the ace of your staff being the one to stop losing streaks. Cole Hamels was unable to do that on Friday during the second part of the day-night doubleheader.
Kyle Kendrick was the one who stepped up to the challenge and he delivered in a big way on Sunday. He may not be flashy and get the high strikeout numbers, but he's efficient, and he just pitches.
Kendrick is the 22 year-old version of Jamie Moyer in that he gets a few strikeouts, usually gives up about 2-3 runs and has low walk total. He has yet to walk more than 3 batters in a contest this year. And, his groundball outs are high as well. In his first start he had 11 groundball outs, then 10, then 7, and 12 in this start. That's pretty impressive for a rookie.
I was present at the game yesterday with a friend of mine and it was pretty entertaining. It was great to see the crowd mocking the Mets fans with the "lets go Phillies" chants and I was snapping away pictures on my camera only to be asked by a guy behind us to lean back in my seat.. Allegedly me leaning forward a little bit to take pictures impeded his sightline, which I find to be absurd, but you can't please everybody I suppose.
The one thing that Charlie Manuel was criticized for was pulling Kendrick in the 7th inning. His pitch count was up to 89 and you never want to force rookies to throw too many pitches. I didn't really have a problem with that. The crowd was booing Manuel for the move. I didn't have a problem with it.
Hell, you have to throw prized acquisition J.C. Romero out there sometime don't you?!
Ok, I was kidding about the prized acquisition part so don't send that hate mail!
As far as the bats go, Rollins and Victorino each hit dingers and Burrell and Dobbs left a total of 5 runners on base between them. Dobbs did manage to knock a run in as did Rowand.
The Phillies head to Houston and will face off with them at 8:05 at Enron, Minutemaid, or whatever the heck the name of that park is now.
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Flyers make a splash and sign Daniel Briere
On the first day of free agency the Flyers showed how it's done in free agency, by targeting a player and making it happen immediately. They didn't just sign any free agent; they signed prize free agent center Daniel Briere to an 8-year deal worth $52 million.
The contract is front loaded, so Briere will make $10 million in the first year and make $6.5 million annually.
The scoop on him is that he's 5-9 and a buck 70, so he will be the Flyers' smallest number one center that they have acquired in free agency. He was an anchor on that Buffalo Sabres team that has been among the elite teams in the league since the NHL returned from the lockout.
He had 32 goals and 63 assists last year-good for 95 points. And, in 2005-2006 he had 25 goals and 33 assists in just 48 games, so he's no joke.
The Flyers now have a much better nucleus with Briere and Timonen added to the mix of Gagne, Knuble, Upshall, et al.
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Rowand, Hamels, and Utley are named All-Stars
As expected Chase Utley and Hamels were named to the All-Star team. Rowand was a maybe, but got in as well. Jimmy Rollins got snubbed, but the NL is loaded with shortstops. Edgar Renteria, Jose Reyes, and Hanley Ramirez are all having great years, but J.J. Hardy hasn't done squat in a month. I know this because he's on both of my fantasy squads.
J Roll should definitely be there. He's hitting .283 with 14 homeruns, 10 triples, 20 doubles, 66 runs, 49 RBI, and 15 stolen bases.
J.J. Hardy is hitting .284 and has more homers (18) than Rollins, but has 0 stolen bases, just 2 more RBI (51) and 47 runs.
Sorry, but Rollins deserves to be there more than Hardy who has skewed numbers. He had an incredible start to the year, but has been absent for the past month.
And, there's no way in hell Rowand should go over Rollins either. He's having a good year, but isn't as important to the team and impacting the stat sheets in as many ways as Rollins.
Contact Dennis Bakay at dennisbakay@phillypurge.com
