Worley Delivers, Howard and Polanco Power Offense

By Amy McCormick

Last night, my best friends and I had a girls’ night at the ballpark.  To be honest, we never expect an exciting game when the Mets are in town.  We surely had no idea what was in store for us.

Joe Blanton, now on the DL, seemed long forgotten when Vance Worley took the mound.  We saw him a few times last year; his record was 1-1 and his ERA was 1.38.  Not too shabby for a 22 year old kid brought up to the bigs for the first time.  Last night, Worley was our starting pitcher, and he proved that he has more than just potential.  I love that he’s calm and focused – something you don’t often see in someone so young.  Getting the win, Worley’s line was: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K.  Needless to say, my friends and I were pleased with his performance.  Is he a better choice than Blanton for our #5 spot?  Hard to say, if you ask me, but it’s nice to know that the Phils are adept at making quality substitutions when necessary. 

Offensively speaking, Philadelphia brought their A Game last night.  And by “Philadelphia,” of course, I mean Ryan Howard and Placido Polanco.  Howard hit two homers, one of which was a grand slam; he was responsible for six of the team’s ten runs.  Polanco’s base hit in the seventh scored two runs.  Ryan Howard now has 27 RBIs in the month of April, which breaks the Phils’ record set in 2008 by Pat Burrell (he had 24).  I think that it might be time to stop blaming Howard for losing the NLCS in 2010.  The man is an RBI machine.  Polanco is no slouch, either.  He has posted nineteen RBIs thus far and is batting .390.  If Halladay, Lee, Oswalt and Hamels are the four aces, then Howard and Polanco are our offensive dynamic duo. 

Last night, aside from having to set eyes on David Herndon, we saw a formula for winning games: solid pitching and aggressive offense.  The Phils showed that even with two starting pitchers being out, the show must go on.  They had an offensive slump lasting about a dozen or so games, and it appears to be over.  I know that it’s still April, but Philadelphia is asserting itself as the team to beat. 

Good News, Bad News

By Amy McCormick

The good news … The Phillies pulled off an 8-4 victory over Arizona this afternoon, giving Cole Hamels his third win of the season.  The Phils’ offense woke up for the final game of the series.  Rollins, Victorino and Howard each homered and Francisco and Polanco each doubled.  After two dismal losses to the Diamondbacks, it was nice to see some of the bats wake up.

The bad news … Today, the Phillies announced that ace pitcher Roy Oswalt will be leaving for his home in Mississippi to tend to personal matters.  When the news came out, a reason wasn’t really given, and the timeline is still indefinite. 

On Tuesday night, Oswalt pitched three innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks and left the clubhouse well before the game’s end.  We fans assumed that he was just having an off night; at the time, we didn’t know what was weighing on his mind.

About a year ago, Oswalt’s parents’ Mississippi home was destroyed by storms.  With the recent tornadoes near his home, our #3 starter chose to go home to ensure that his wife and children were safe.  Ruben Amaro, Jr. announced that the Phillies organization hopes to have Oswalt back before his next start but admits that they will continue to “take that day by day.”  We’ll continue to keep Roy Oswalt and his family in our thoughts.

In unrelated news, Carlos Ruiz left during the first inning today with lower back pain.  While this doesn’t sound serious, when asked if he was concerned, Ruiz answered, “Yeah.”  He is scheduled to visit a doctor tomorrow, and we’ll know more then.  Brian Schneider filled in this afternoon, and will likely do so if Chooch needs to miss any more  playing time.

Hopefully, our team will be intact and healthy by mid-May, when we’ll oppose the Cardinals, the Rockies, the Rangers and the Reds in the span of eleven days.  Fingers crossed.

 

Victorino is Effective in Leadoff Spot

By Amy McCormick

At the start of the 2011 season, I had my doubts about Shane Victorino batting in the leadoff spot.  He wasn’t entirely successful in that position last season, when it seemed that our lineup changed nightly.  While Jimmy Rollins isn’t exactly stellar when batting first, I figured he was our best bet.  I admit that I was wrong.

First, let’s look at the numbers.  Last season, Jimmy Rollins played just 88 games due to injury.  He hit .243, which I don’t need to tell you is awful, and had an OBP of .320.  He stole seventeen bases and scored 48 runs.  The Phils currently have 22 games in the books for 2011.  Shane Victorino is hitting .295 with an OBP of .360; he has stolen four bases and scored fourteen runs.  Now, stay with me, because there’s math involved.  If Victorino in 2011 has played ¼ the games that Rollins did in all of 2010, then his projected numbers for 88 games this season would be 56 runs scored and sixteen stolen bases.  I realize there a lot of numbers here, but the bottom line is that when it comes to batting in the leadoff spot, Shane’s numbers are better than Jimmy’s were last year.

Now, let’s consider the functions of a leadoff hitter.  First and foremost, it’s his job to get on base.  Whether it’s by drawing a walk or getting a base hit, his job is to get himself to first and then into scoring position.  Both Rollins and Victorino are capable of stealing more bases than they have been, and I’d like to see them be more aggressive about it.   The leadoff hitter needs to distract and annoy the pitcher by taking a lead off the base in an attempt to keep him unfocused.  Jimmy and Shane are both good at accomplishing this.  Baserunning involves more than just stealing, though.  General speed is important; Rollins is quick, but Victorino is quicker. 

In addition to getting on base, the leadoff hitter has another important task that Jimmy Rollins likes to dismiss: work the pitcher.  It’s important to see a lot of pitches, but J-Roll is infamous for swinging at the first pitch that comes his way.  Shane seems more patient at the plate,  waiting for a pitch that will allow him to find a gap and get a base hit.  Forcing the pitcher to throw a lot of pitches accomplishes two things: it tires him and it gives the Phils a chance to see what he’s throwing on that particular night. 

It seems that power hitters get all the recognition for the runs they drive in; if it weren’t for quality leadoff hitters, though, there wouldn’t be runners to score.  Victorino has been showing that he’s extremely effective batting in the number one spot.  If Chase Utley returns this season, there will be some rearranging to do with the lineup, but I think that Shane should stay at the top of the order.  He’s proving that he is successful there.

Don't Underestimate Oswalt, Polanco

By Amy McCormick

There has been a lot of hype about our starting rotation for months now.  It worried me in the beginning that Joe Blanton would be easily forgotten; it seems that he is getting plenty of attention (both positive and negative).  It actually seems that the middle of our outstanding rotation, Roy Oswalt, gets overshadowed by Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.  Granted, Roy Halladay is superhuman and Cliff Lee is the most beloved man in Philadelphia; however, Little Roy is a quiet powerhouse who deserves some attention.  In addition to Oswalt, we have another Phillie who seemingly flies under the radar.  Placido Polanco shows a combination of skill and talent that cannot be manufactured.  His defense at third base and his offense make him virtually unstoppable. 

Roy Oswalt seems comfortable in his role as our #3 starter, because thus far, he has remained out of the limelight. Halladay and Lee are easily the fans’ favorites.  Hamels (my personal favorite) garners attention for reasons such as his infamous lack of run support.  Blanton, at the back end of the rotation, has created a buzz because he’s the fifth wheel with two bad starts.  In the middle, we have Oswalt.  It’s no secret that he feels uncomfortable with media attention; he’s a good ol’ boy from Mississippi who just wants to hurl the ball and do his job. 

And what a job he’s doing.  The righty has a 3-0 record, and it’s still April.  His ERA is 1.88 after 24 innings.  My favorite thing about watching Oswalt pitch is his tempo.  He fires pitch after pitch with little time in between.  He throws a lot of fastballs (92-94 mph), usually one after another in the strike zone.  In addition to the fastball, though, he throws a curveball, changeup and a mid-80s slider. 

Another thing I love about Oswalt is his toughness.  We all remember the sixteen-inning game last August when Charlie was low on options and Roy volunteered to play left field in the fifteenth.  We all saw Manny Ramirez (before he not-so-gracefully bowed out of baseball) nail Oswalt behind the ear with a line drive in March, knocking him to the ground.  What did Roy do? He got up and fixed his hat, insisting he was fine.  Little Roy is all business, and he plays to win. 

At third base, we have Placido Polanco.  He has appeared in an All-Star Game (2007) and has earned two Gold Gloves (2007 and 2009).  Even with issues from an elbow injury, Polly’s defense is quick and consistent.  At the plate, wearing what I'm sure is a custom-made helmet, he has had seven .300+ seasons (not including 2011).  Currently, after nineteen games, he’s batting .359.  This includes 28 hits and fifteen RBIs.  With a team offense that seems to be dwindling these days, we should all be sending Polanco thank you cards.

So, why is it that Polanco isn’t the talk of the town?  I think a lot of fans are busy talking about the rest of our infield.  Will Ryan Howard hit 40 homeruns this year? (Yes.)  Is Chase Utley coming back soon? (No.)  Will Jimmy Rollins swing at the first pitch? (Yes.)  Polly, much like Oswalt, seems to do his job aggressively but quietly.  He allows his performances to speak for themselves.

I realize that not every Phillie can be the town favorite.  Roy Oswalt didn’t snub the Yankees and their money, and Placido Polanco isn’t a heartthrob.  Neither of them seems to want a lot of media hoopla, which is fine with me.  As long as the two of them continue to post numbers consistent with what they’ve been producing, I’ll be happy.  I look forward to a fantastic season from both of them.

Missing Utley and Lidge

By Amy McCormick

The Phillies began the 2011 season with two long-term substitutes in key roles: Wilson Valdez has been covering for Chase Utley at second base and Jose Contreras has been consistently filling in for Brad Lidge as our closing pitcher.  I’ll admit that I like both Valdez and Contreras; however, the return of Utley and Lidge cannot come soon enough.

At second base, Valdez is a solid infielder.  At the plate, he leaves something to be desired.  Last season, in 333 at bats, Valdez hit .258.  Going into tonight’s game, his batting average was .318, with fourteen hits.  Let me put it this way: if we need to have our second baseman on the disabled list for a length of time, and we use an in-house solution for coverage, my choice is Wilson Valdez.  That being said, he’s no Utley.  Chase Utley is one of the top second basemen in the league, both defensively and offensively.  At this point, the Phillies have sixteen games in the books for 2011.  In the first eight games, our offense averaged 7.25 runs per game.  In the latter half, they’ve average 2.875 runs per game.  Are we going to have a repeat of the offensive slump we saw in 2010? We need Chase healthy, and we need him back in the lineup.  I watched footage of Utley doing drills yesterday, and his lateral movement looks remarkably better.  The fact that he’s running is promising.  I’m holding my excitement until I see him in the starting lineup, though.  I hope, for our offense’s sake, that it’s sooner than later.  The Phils got shut out by Milwaukee tonight, and the offense managed just two hits. 

Brad Lidge has been out due to issues with his shoulder, and is expected to return this season without surgery.  In his absence, Jose Contreras has been closing quite a few games.  I have to say that I like Madson in the eighth and Contreras in the ninth.  My concern is the questions I have about Contreras’s longevity.  I have doubts that he can keep up the innings he’s been throwing for a long period of time.  Some people hate Brad Lidge and say that he’s injury prone, past his prime, and anxiety inducing.  Please remember that he had 27 saves in 32 opportunities last season; he converted seventeen of his last eighteen.  His four-seam fastball and breaking slider make him one of the best closers in baseball.  Don’t get me wrong; I like Contreras in the ninth inning, even if he is 39 years old (he has to be older than that).  I’ll admit that I get excited when I hear “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” as he runs from the bullpen.  But just as Valdez is no Utley, Contreras just isn’t Lidge.

I think we’re lucky to have talented substitutes for regular players.  Wilson Valdez and Jose Contreras continue to contribute to the team and they play their roles well.  My hope, however, is that Chase Utley and Brad Lidge are 100% healthy – soon – and we start seeing them on the field each night. 

Blanton Finally Shows His Stuff

By Amy McCormick

I’ll be honest.  I like Joe Blanton.  He’s a consistent #5 pitcher, which is hard to come by.  It started to annoy me a little when fans were focusing so much on our four aces and treating Big Joe as an afterthought.  For better or worse, Blanton is our fifth starter, and part of the 2011 starting rotation. 

I attended Blanton’s first start this season when the Phillies played the Mets.  He started the game looking focused.  If you were to look at the beginning of the game and the final score of 10-7, you’d think it was a great game.  Wrong.  Blanton’s outing was fine until the 4^th and 5^th inning when he let up seven runs.  Thank goodness Bastardo and Contreras were able to come out of the bullpen, do some damage control,  and get the win and the save, respectively. 

“Be patient,” I told everyone.  We’re spoiled with Halladay, Lee, Oswalt and Hamels; some fans expect Blanton to pitch at the same caliber.  It’s not going to happen.  Blanton is a solid #5, but a #5 nonetheless.  We should not expect shutouts from him.  He’s not likely to pitch complete games.  He surely won’t end a game in two hours.  “Just watch,” I said, though.  “He’ll open the series in Washington and redeem himself.”  Well, folks, that didn’t happen.  Instead, Blanton, in six innings, allowed seven hits, five runs, a walk and a homerun.  This brought Joe’s ERA to 10.45 (not a typo).  Phillies fans everywhere were ready to have Blanton removed from the starting rotation.  To be replaced by whom? Kendrick? Oh, please.  I still thought that Blanton needed a little bit of patience from us. 

Going into tonight’s game against the Brewers, Blanton brought along with him that less-than-stellar ERA and an 0-1 record.  Dubee announced that the “mechanical” issues had been worked out.  His changeup looked really good tonight, and he struck out Prince Fielder twice with it (talk about a confidence builder).  Blanton does well when he pitches inside (with the exception of the near-decapitation of Ryan Braun), and his command was on point in tonight’s game.  His line tonight was: 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 98 pitches.  Not too shabby. 

In the end, the Phils couldn’t come up with a win in twelve innings. The important thing for me, though, is that Big Joe pitched well.  He showed why he deserves to be a part of our beloved rotation.  I hope that my patience continues to pay off, because I think Blanton has the potential for a good year.  If seven solid innings is what Blanton can give us this season, I’ll gladly take it. 

Citizens Bank Park, My Happy Place

By Amy McCormick

Most of us have memories of Veterans Stadium. I remember attending Phillies and Eagles games when I was younger, and the place was massive.  Once The Vet was demolished, it seemed that a big part of the city was missing, and couldn’t possibly be replaced.  A new ballpark for just the Phillies?  They had played at The Vet for 30 years … I have never dealt well with change.  I was skeptical. 

In April 2004, Citizens Bank Park opened its doors.  CBP sold its naming rights to Citizens Bank – a whopping $95 million over 25 years – which is why the home of the Phillies is named after, well, a bank. 

Citizens Bank Park quickly became my “happy place.” My first daughter, Ella, was born in January of 2004; whenever we can get a babysitter during baseball season, date night is at the ballpark.  (We now have three daughters, ages 7, 5 and 2, and they’re all Phillies fans.)  The park became our favorite place to escape, for lack of a better word.  In my mind, there’s nothing better on a summer night than good friends, cold beer, and the Phils.  I know that the majority of you reading this know what I mean; you walk into the gates and suddenly, all is right with the world.  I’ve been to three games thus far this season, and I’m getting antsy for my next one.  I’ve been on many dates there with the big guy, we’ve brought our kids, and I’ve gone with friends.  This past weekend, I went with two of my best girlfriends, and the three of us had a ridiculous amount of fun. 

One of my favorite things about Citizens Bank Park is Ashburn Alley.  For those of you who haven’t hung out there, you’re missing out.  It’s fun if you bring your family, but it’s just as fun for a child-free trip.  You can look into the bullpen, see the field clearly, and eat.  There are four ten-foot bronze statues in Ashburn Alley: Steve Carlton, Richie Ashburn, Mike Schmidt and Robin Roberts.

This past weekend, a friend of mine visited the park for the first time (sad, I know).  His anticipation was akin to a child waiting for Santa’s arrival.  The only differences: he’s 34, and it’s April.  Ok, so the analogy isn’t great, but you get my point.  He couldn’t wait for his first trip, and I told him that he would not be disappointed.  I was so eager to find out what he thought of his visit.  He summed up his impression well.  “I love the personality of the place … everything there lets you know you’re in the Phillies’ home.”

I think that’s what I love most about CBP.  It’s all Phillies, all the time.  Veterans Stadium was great, but I like that the Phils have their own home.  It doesn’t hurt that there’s not a bad seat in the whole place.  Some people wonder why games are consistently sold out (unlike the stadiums of other teams in our division).  When you go to Citizens Bank Park, you’re not just attending a baseball game.  It’s the entire atmosphere, the experience, and the memories that go along with the game that matter.  Forget Disneyland.  Citizens Bank Park, to me, is the happiest place on earth. 

I’d like to thank RDT for his input on this post.

Remembering Harry

By Amy McCormick

It was one of those defining moments in our lives that we’ll always remember.  Where were you when you heard that Harry Kalas had passed away two years ago today?  I had my three young children at Smith Memorial Playhouse in Philadelphia when a friend texted me the news.  In disbelief, I felt numb, and needed to sit down.  Normally, the passing of celebrities doesn’t affect me much, and it never really has a personal impact on me.  Harry was different, though.  Having grown up with his voice in my living room, I felt as though it was a family member who had passed. 

I won’t get into Harry’s life story; if you’re interested in reading a good biography, I recommend Harry the K  by Randy Miller. 

Some of us grew up listening to Harry and Whitey call Phillies games.  Some fans didn’t become familiar with Harry until into the 2000s.  Either way, if you were privileged enough to hear Kalas call just one game, you should consider yourself lucky.  Truth be told, I don’t mind McCarthy and Wheeler; they pale in comparison, though.  We were spoiled for so long with that famous baritone voice.  He didn’t just do play by play; he invited us into the game so that we were all a part of the action.  He wasn’t just a man in a booth or a voice on television.  Harry personified the Phillies organization with his spirit, passion, and love of the game. 

No one – and I mean no one – could call a game like Harry did.  I can still hear him very vividly in my mind exclaiming “Struck him ouuttt” and “That ball is outttta heeeere.”   His unmistakable voice will forever be imprinted in my brain.  Kalas was just as much a part of the team as any player, and his passing changed Phillies baseball forever. 

The “HK” patch is gone from the players’ uniforms, and the sign in left field has given way to an advertisement.  He’s far from forgotten, though.  Harry will be immortalized in the form of a statue at Citizens Bank Park, and we get to see and hear him at the conclusion of each game.  If video footage of Harry Kalas singing “High Hopes” doesn’t make you at least a little bit emotional, then nothing will. 

Personally, it makes me happy to know that Harry was able to experience the 2008 World Series with all of us.  My memory isn’t usually that great, but I remember Brad Lidge’s final pitch as if it were yesterday.  I’m not afraid to admit that I get choked up when I think of Harry Kalas announcing, "The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball!”

Harry, you will forever be adored and missed by Phillies fans everywhere.  We’ll never stop loving your voice, and we’ll never forget the impact you had on our lives.  Your infectious love of the game made us all better fans.  You weren’t supposed to leave us so soon; you were supposed to live forever.  It’s a small comfort to us that you’re watching over our team.  We love and miss you … rest in peace, Harry.

10 Games In: A look at the Season So Far

                                                                                                   By Christopher Kiel

            So I’ve been waiting to write a review of the season and I figure 10 games is a nice round number. At this point in the season the Phightins are 7-3 and in first place. This is a great start because the last few years the have been slow starters. In 2007 they started 2-8, in 2008 when they won the World Series they started 4-6, in 2009 they were also 4-6.  Last year they started 8-2.  So this is a pretty good start for them. Now let’s take a look at some of the players and how they’re doing.

Starting Pitching- Going into the season everyone agreed this was the Phillies strength and it’s been pretty good so far. Doc has been great while allowing one run and striking out 13 in 13 innings. Oswalt has been solid while posting a 2.25 era in two starts. Cole Hamels the man everyone loves to boo had a terrible first game (I was there and proud to say I didn’t boo) but bounced back by dominating the Braves in his second. I still think that Cole will have a huge year and that first start will prove to be an aberration. Cliff Lee who was anointed a God in Philadelphia after he left has a good start and a terrible one under his belt.  Don’t get me wrong, Lee is a great pitcher but he doesn’t have overpowering stuff and he’s shown through out his career if his control is off he can get hit around. People forget that his last few regular season starts the last time he was here weren’t that great. Oh, and Joe Blanton has sucked so far. No further comments.

Bullpen- The Bullpen has been good so far.  With the exception of David Herndon everyone has pitched as good or better then expected. It’s early but I really like what I’m seeing out of Bastardo so far. Hopefully he can keep it up (that’s what she said!)  and become a guy Charlie can rely on in late innings. Contreras has done a good job but I still think Madson will wind up with a few saves by the end of the season.

Infield- The infield overall has been great.  Howard is off to a good start. All the starters are hitting over .300. Will that last probably not. In fact there’s probably better odds of me growing all my hair back. The best thing about the infield had been has been Rollins. He’s shown he still has life left in his legs and that he wants that new contract at the end of the year. Right now Valdez is batting .355. If he’s batting over .300 at the end of the year I’ll paint myself orange and blue (for the mets) and streak across CBP.

Outfield-  Victorino and Francisco have been good and Ibanez has been ok. Ibanez doesn’t have a good average but has 7 Rbi’s.  Shane has been really good in the leadoff spot. Hopefully he’s realized he’s 5 ft 8 with speed and not a 6’5” slugger. I hope it keeps it up because I believe he’s a better leadoff hitter then Rollins. Ben Fran has been solid so far while taking over for the 126 million dollar man. He’s hitting .308 with 2 homers but has hit the ball hard all year. 

Bench- The bench has been a strong point so far. Pete Orr, Ross Gload, Michael Martinez, John Mayberry have all done a good job providing depth.  They provide a nice combination of speed and power. I think Charlie is comfortable giving anyone of them a start which is good because some of our regulars are getting up there in age and could use some days off. 

            So as you can see the team is off to a good start.  And like I said in my season preview they have an easy first month and should get off to a good start. Boy, I’m a genius.  Hopefully they keep it and finish strong like they always do.

The Men in Our 'Pen

By Amy McCormick

With all the hype surrounding our starting rotation this season, it’s easy to overlook our bullpen.  A lot of fans were quite convinced that we wouldn’t need much relief at all; the truth is, though, even aces have bad days.  That being said, I’d like to take a look at who we have in our ‘pen this season, and what we should expect from each relief pitcher.

Lefties

Antonio Bastardo.  Bastardo, 25 years old, already has a win under his belt for the 2011 season.  In 2010, his record was 2-0, and his career ERA is 4.98.  His numbers from the past aren’t stellar, but he has shown promise thus far this season.  An advantage with Bastardo is that he is the younger of our two left-handed relief pitchers and seems more adept at throwing strikes. I’d like to see Bastardo as our go-to guy when we need a left-handed pitcher.

JC Romero.  Romero is 34 years old, holds a career 4.07 ERA, and posted a 1-0 win-loss record in 2010.  The difference between Romero and Bastardo is that Romero had three saves last season.  Romero is known to throw a lot of balls.  If you’ll remember, he’s the one who “lost” his Porsche earlier this year.  Maybe it was hiding in the strike zone, and he just didn’t think to look there.

Righties

David Herndon.  Herndon is young, 25 years old, and has a career ERA of 4.32.  In 2010, his win-loss record was 1-3.  I don’t expect to see a whole lot of him this season.

Danys Baez.  I couldn’t believe that the Phils decided to hold onto 33-year-old Baez this season, to be honest.  He went 3-4 last season.  His career ERA is 4.11, which is hardly the worst of the group, but I can remember groaning every time he came running from the bullpen last season.  This season, however, Baez is already 1-0, and seems to be performing pretty well.  I’m pleasantly surprised.  I really only expect to see Baez pitch the 7^th inning.

Kyle Kendrick.  We all remember Kyle, right?  He wasn’t exactly a fan favorite as a starter last year, but now he’s our long-relief man.  Many were upset to see Durbin go, but I have faith that Kendrick can pull off middle relief.  Last season, as a starter, the now 26-year-old went 11-10.  For whatever reason, Kendrick seems to get run support, whereas others (ahem, Cole Hamels) don’t seem to.  His career ERA is 4.66.  Expect to see Kendrick come out of the bullpen when one of our starters needs to be pulled early.

Ryan Madson.  I’ll be honest, I’m a little biased, because I love Mad Dog.  Last season, when he was 29 years old, he posted 6 wins, 2 losses, and 5 saves.  Madson is an outstanding set-up man.  He owns the 8th inning.  Some would like to see him take over as a closer, but I’m not sure I’d want that to happen.  His niche is really those three outs in the eighth, and he does it well.   Of our relief pitchers’ career ERAs, Madson’s is the second lowest, at 3.70. 

Jose Contreras.  Can someone check this man’s birth certificate, please? There’s no way he’s 39.  Last season, his win-loss record was 6-4 with 4 saves.  He already has 2 saves this season, as he has been filling in as our closer.  His career ERA is 4.53, and he has really stepped up to close games this season.  One thing I worry about is Contreras’s longevity, in the sense that I’m not 100% sure he can keep up the 1-2-3 9th innings into late summer. 

Brad Lidge.  Yes, Lidge is on the DL and we probably won’t see him until after the All-Star Break.  Technically, he’s not on the active roster, but this is my blog post, and I can pretty much include whomever I choose, now can’t I?  Lidge isn’t exactly young; he’s 34 this year.  His career ERA is 3.51, and last season, he had 27 saves in 32 opportunities.  This includes 17 of the last 18.  Phillies fans seem to be split in their opinion of Lidge; for some, he causes anxiety.  For others, myself included, he’s an outstanding closer.  I look forward to having him back, hopefully completely healthy, sometime in July.

Our bullpen might not be perfect, but thus far this season, these guys have been doing an outstanding job.  While each relief pitcher brings a little something different to the mound, they each seem to be following the excellence that our starters bring to the game.  Ideally, we’d have 162 complete games with no need for pitching changes.  In reality, though, things happen.  Pitch counts get high.  Starters lose their command.  Pitchers let up runs.  I’m pretty confident in our relievers this season.  At this point, I’m happy with 7 solid innings from a starter, an 8^th inning from Madson, and a 9^th inning from Contreras.  My main concern – for starters and relievers – is that they stay healthy.  We’re on track for an outstanding season.

Here's to You, Mr. Robinson

By Amy McCormick

Try to imagine Opening Day without some of our fan-favorite starters, like Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard.  It doesn’t seem fathomable in 2011.  There’s one legendary man who paved the way for minorities to be included in Major League Baseball.  Jackie Robinson courageously ended segregation in baseball 64 years ago.

Jackie, born in 1919, grew up as one of five children with a single mother in Georgia.  The Robinsons were the only African-American family on the block, and Jackie learned early on that nothing in life would be handed to him.  He excelled in sports; in 1941, Jackie was included in the All-American football team.  While studying at UCLA, he was the first athlete ever to earn a varsity letter in each of four sports: baseball, basketball, football and track.  In 1945, he joined the Kansas City Monarchs, a baseball team in the Negro League. 

Branch Rickey, the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, approached Jackie to discuss having him join his team.  At the time, this was unheard of; baseball had been segregated since 1889.  Commissioner Happy Chandler supported the change and stated, “If they [African-Americans] can fight and die on Okinawa, Gudalcanal and in the South Pacific, they can play ball in America.”  Not everyone was as welcoming.  From the moment Robinson joined the Dodgers, he became a target of ridicule and torment by fans, opponents, and even teammates.  Jackie didn’t stoop to that level.  “I had to deny my true fighting spirit so that the ‘noble experiment’ could succeed, but I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect,” Robinson noted. Hank Aaron praised Jackie for his courage and said, “Jackie Robinson had to be bigger than life.  He had to be bigger than the Brooklyn teammates who got up a petition to keep him off the ball club, bigger than the pitchers who threw at him or the base runners who dug their spikes into his shin, bigger than the bench jockeys who hollered for him to carry their bags and shine their shoes, bigger than the so-called fans who mocked him with mops on their heads and wrote him death threats.”  It didn’t seem that there were many people in Jackie’s corner.

If it was respect Jackie wanted, he surely earned it.  Over a ten year career, Robinson won Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player; additionally, he won a World Series.  His career batting average was an outstanding .311.  Jackie Robinson broke racial barriers, but he was also an astounding athlete. His teammates eventually changed their minds and stood up with Jackie against those who bullied him.  He retired in 1956 and was very deservedly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

Jackie showed astounding courage, like many African-American heroes throughout history.  What makes his courage special is that he agreed to play for Brooklyn knowing perfectly well that he would be in the public eye.  He knew that people everywhere would take notice.  He knew that the decision would be wildly unpopular … but he did it anyway. 

It’s a no-brainer to realize that without Mr. Robinson’s efforts, we may not see some very talented players that we do today.  What about beyond that, though?  Jackie set a precedent that spoke to the world: baseball is colorblind.  Players of all races and nationalities should be able to play alongside one another. 

Jimmy Rollins, for one, does not take Jackie’s hard work and dedication lightly.  He proudly wears #42 (retired throughout all of Major League Baseball) on Jackie Robinson Day and states that he feels a “great responsibility” to further his endeavors.  Rollins encourages African-American youth to play and enjoy baseball, and he never loses sight of the fact that Robinson fought for him. 

April 15 is Jackie Robinson Day.  I encourage you to get your taxes finished early and celebrate the life, work and talents of an astounding ball player and human being.  Pay tribute to his legacy by sharing your love of baseball with someone who hasn’t had much exposure.  Reflect on how our startling lineup would look without minorities.  Think about how lucky we are to be able to sit side-by-side and enjoy the greatest sport in the world, played by the most talented players.  Find your own way to honor this legendary man, because without him, baseball would not be what it is today.

One Week In, Francisco Shines

By Amy McCormick

On July 29, 2009, we landed Cliff Lee for the first time.  In that deal, we also obtained Ben Francisco, then 27 years old.  In 2007 and 2008, the righty outfielder posted batting averages of .274 and .266, respectively.  In 2009, he played 39 games for Philadelphia and batted .278 with an .843 OPS.  In 2010, he played 88 games, but his numbers declined. 

With the departure of Jayson Werth imminent, a lot of us wondered what would happen in right field.  Would Ruben have an in-house solution? Was a trade going to happen?  Was I going to get called in?  We’d all be in trouble.  I’ve got a cannon but I couldn’t catch a cold.  November came and went, and there was still no word on who would fill the hole in our lineup.  Enter Cliff Lee … again.  It was at that point, when we acquired Lee for the second time, that I was fairly certain – right field would be filled by an existing Phillie. 

I’ll be honest.  I had hopes that Domonic Brown and Ben Francisco would each bring their A Games to Spring Training and battle for the spot.  It seems that Dom didn’t really get that memo, but Francisco lit up the Grapefruit League.  Suddenly, things started to look as if they were falling into place.  A right handed bat in right field … it might be crazy enough that it just might work. 

Here we are, six games into the season, and Ben Francisco is making a name for himself.  Allow me to put something into perspective (and yes, I know that six games is a tiny sample size).  Thus far in 2011, Ben has 8 hits, 2 homeruns, a .320 batting average and .970 OPS.  Jayson Werth has 6 hits, 1 homerun, a .273 batting average, and .953 OPS.  Some people will say that "Francisco is good, but he’s no Werth.” While that might be true, we should remember that Werth started in right field as part of a platoon with Geoff Jenkins, and wasn’t exactly stellar out of the gate.  Francisco is 29, which, on this team, is young.  With some experience, and the tremendous talent that he’s showing, why couldn’t he be the next Jayson Werth?  For the record, I sort of hate that I’ve used Werth’s name six times in this post.

I look forward to a great season from Francisco.  I’d like to see a little more range in the field, but he is impressing me so far.  He seems to fit into the lineup with ease and he seems to know that even though he started in right field on Opening Day, the job isn’t entirely his.  I like watching him work for it, though.  Complacency will get you nowhere, and he seems to understand that.  I absolutely think that Ben Fran has what it takes to be Philadelphia’s right fielder.  He’s proof that sometimes, the solution is in the clubhouse, and we don’t need to go shopping elsewhere.

Cliff Lee's 2011 Debut

By Amy McCormick

My husband and I had tickets to the Phils’ second game this season.  While Opening Day would have been nice, I was really excited to see the return of Cliff Lee.  As the day grew closer, I got more and more excited to welcome Cliff home.

We got settled in our seats in section 130 and seats filled earlier than usual.  Everyone wanted to be in his/her seat to see the first pitch.  When Cliff came out of the bullpen, it was pure mayhem.  We were all on our feet, we were all screaming, and we were all wishing we could touch his beard.  Ok, the last part might have just been me.  But CBP was as loud as I’ve ever heard it get.   We finally got to see our Christmas gift in action. 

Lee showed us that his command was on point from the very beginning.  In seven innings, he struck out eleven batters (not a typo).  Our offense looked great, because we were facing horrendous pitching, but it made for a really fun game.  My husband caught one of Raul Ibanez’s foul balls … and promptly handed it to me.  (There were absolutely no children in our section, by the way.)  In the end, Phils took the win, 9-4, and it probably replaced September 30, 2009 as my favorite game that I’ve attended.  We showed Cliff our love every second we could … including his at bats.  Each time he walked to the batter’s box, we all stood up and cheered.  It’s safe to say that the man is pretty popular in this city.

It’s funny how it has become part the history that our minds hold onto … where were you when you found out Cliff Lee was coming back?  I think that the circumstances surrounding his return (*cough* Yankees *cough*) were just as, if not more, exciting than his coming homecoming. 

It’s hard not to love Cliff.  He’s a machine on the mound and he loves Philly enough to turn down all other offers.  What’s not to like?  We fans showed him on Saturday night that we are just as loyal to him as he is to this city.  We’re so glad he’s home.  It hasn’t been the same without him.